Piece 22 (part 2)

From a distance, I can see a single knight slowly approaching me. It looks like the old knight has finally decided to say something to me and Dad, and he is approaching us as we speak.

After he got closer, the knight proceeded to kneel right in front of us, not caring slightly that he was being watched by his subordinates.

"It is… my greatest regret for not realizing your identity, your majesty. Emperor of Veldonia." The old knight uttered while placing his only hand on his chest, and I turned to Dad to see how he would react.

"How's your arm doing?" Dad asked with a friendly tone to the old knight, but the division commander still kept his head down.

"I-It's doing fine, your majesty… One of my subordinates is capable of healing magic." The old knight revealed, and Dad nodded as he stood up.

"I see. That's amazing."

TUK!!!

Dad placed his feet right on top of the old knight's head, and I opened my eyes widely from watching it. 

The old knight felt intense pressure on top of his head, and he ended up lowering it all the way until the floor. Now, Dad is simply stepping on his head on the dirt ground, and I'm worried he might harm the old knight further.

"Now, Commander Marvel. Do you have anything you wish to convey to me and my daughter?" Dad asked the old knight coldly, and the old knight began sobbing.

"I-It was my mistake, sir!!! I had no clue that such a young lady was your daughter!!!"

"Oh? And what did you think she was?"

".…W-We thought…"

"You thought she was a demonic reincarnation…? Are you such an idiot, Commander Marvel? Or should I address you as Division Commander now since I guess you ranked up?"

Dad's cold words end up demolishing the old knight, and I can't help but realize the two are well acquainted. I don't know since when, but Dad seemed to remember the old man quite well.

"It felt like it was only yesterday that I spared Ardjestyn from being wiped out by my nuke. Even though it was already thirteen years ago, I hope you don't give me any other reason for wanting to nuke another kingdom out of existence, Commander Marvel."

"L-LOUD AND CLEAR, SIR!!!!"

"Finally, do you have anything to say to my daughter?"

"I'M TERRIBLY SORRY!!! THE ARDJESTYN KINGDOM WILL NOT MESS WITH YOU ANYMORE!!!!"

"Is that really the best you can do? Tell me, Marvel. As the Division Commander, is 'Not Messing' with us the best thing you can do to fix this?"

"W-WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO PLEASE YOU, SIRR!!!!"

As his foot stepped on the old knight, I noticed another face that I have yet to see from Dad. It's the look of a cruel emperor who once deleted an entire kingdom from the map, the face of a man who just wanted the death and despair of his opponents.

The genuine smile of the death knight. It's incredible, and it's something I only can ever see in moments like this.

"That's great! Then, I hope you can start by renovating the streets on the southeast main road. It's so incredibly bad." Dad uttered as he lifted his foot from the old knight, and the division commander very slowly lifted his head.

"And call your damn father. Tell him I'll be seeing him soon. Because clearly, he has failed to educate his fucking grandson."

"W-Will do, sir!!!"

The old knight began to crawl backwards with his only hand. And after he formed some distance from me and Dad, he finally stood up and started running back to where his subordinates were.

Meanwhile, Dad turned his pleased gaze to me, only to find a massive smile that was worn on my face.

"W-Why are you smiling like that?" Dad asked with such confusion, but I just shook my head a bit.

"I think I understand why Mom married you."

"H-Huh?? What does that supposed to mean?"

It literally means you're so damn cool I just wanted to kiss you. But I can't do that because you're my dad. Also, I think my standard regarding boys has once again risen through the roofs.

Speaking of boys... nah, let's forget all about that for now.

"Let's go back home. I think Mom will wanna hear what happened here." I jokingly said while pointing to a direction, and Dad only laughed.

"Trust me, she will not be happy to hear anything about what happened. Also, Cytus is that way." Dad pointed in a completely different direction, and I regretted acting like I knew where Cytus was.

The castle is completely gone, and so many bandits have died. Plenty of knights have died as well, but the death count is still far too little when compared to the bandits. Still, a death is a death, and I'm sure the families of those knights are going to mourn.

As for Roy... I hope I can have a chance to talk to him later.

Dad opened his shadow wings and grabbed me by his arms. I simply allowed him to hold me as we got tens of meters up in the air, and we both began flying out of the castle site.

Ah… what a day it has been. It was terrifying, heartbreaking, and surely annoying. However, it seems like everything has been solved.

But, why do I feel a great pain in my chest? It's almost as if I can feel myself carrying the deaths of those bandits. Even though Dad was the one who killed them, why do I feel like I was responsible for their deaths?

… Whatever. They didn't die because of me. This death knight guy is the one who killed them. No reason for me to worry.

Also,

"Hey, Dad. Did you feel anything when you killed those bandits?" I asked Dad as we both flew hundreds of meters in the air, and Dad only laughed.

"I… think it made a little flutter in my heart?"

"W-What? Are we talking about killing people or a romance novel?"

"Haha!!"

He… didn't even answer me properly. Whatever.