Ten Years Have Passed Since I Was Reincarnated. I Have Become the Father of a Villainous Noble Lady - Chapter 2

After rushing to finish my work and grabbing a quick lunch, the afternoon had arrived before I knew it.

I even ate in a hurry just so I could reach the garden before Alize.

If I showed up late, she might end up waiting alone and anxious.

Maybe I was overthinking it—but even so, I didn’t want that to happen.

I stepped out into the garden, asked the maids to prepare a table, and began tidying up the last bits of my work while I waited for her.

Before long, Alize arrived, accompanied by one of the maids.

“Father!”

The moment she saw me, she lit up and dashed across the grass with her small steps.

I stood up and caught her as she ran into my arms at full speed.

“Father! I’m sorry for keeping you waiting!”

“Not at all. I wasn’t waiting long. I’ve been looking forward to playing with you, after all.”

At my words, Alize’s face lit up, her cheeks flushed with excitement, and she spoke in a bright, eager voice:

“Really, Father!? I’m so, so happy!”

“Of course I mean it. You’re my precious daughter, after all.”

Just hearing that made her visibly overjoyed.

She looked so adorable—so lovable—that I could barely contain the swell of affection I felt.

And right alongside that love came a deep, renewed determination:

I will not let anything happen to her. I won’t let her die.

“So, what would you like to play today?”

“Hmm… I wonder what would be fun…”

She tilted her head in thought.

I was tempted to offer suggestions right away, but I held myself back.

If I stepped in here, it might stifle her imagination.

I believe that letting a child come up with their own ideas for play is an important part of helping them grow into someone who can think for themselves.

After pondering a while, Alize suddenly grabbed my hand and began leading me toward the armory.

“What are we doing here?” I asked.

She turned to me with a determined expression and said:

“I want to become strong—just like you, Father!”

The moment I heard those words, my chest tightened with emotion.

It was true—I’d made it a habit to practice sword swings in the garden every morning ever since I was reincarnated.

Thanks to that, I’ve kept myself in shape and stayed energetic enough to work without trouble.

Alize had been watching all this time—and she’d come to admire me.

The thought of it filled me with overwhelming joy.

My daughter had seen me. She looked up to me.

I felt tears threatening to fall.

But I couldn’t cry just yet.

Even so, I couldn’t hold it back completely.

“F-Father!? Why are you crying?”

Startled, Alize looked up at me in confusion.

I scooped her up in my arms and rubbed my cheek gently against hers, my voice trembling.

“Thank you, Alize… Thank you so much.”

“…What’s wrong, Father? Are you… sad?”

“No. I’m just… happy. So happy. Because you’ve been watching me all this time. That’s why I’m crying.”

As I spoke, she reached out with her small hand and gently patted my head.

It had been three years since my wife passed away.

Maybe I’d been lonelier than I realized.

Raising a child without any prior experience… bearing the full weight of protecting her future… it had always made me anxious.

Could I really raise her well? Could I keep this up?

Those doubts never fully left me.

So I threw myself into my work—worked hard, saved money—doing everything I could to make sure Alize wouldn’t be burdened in the future.

But… that wasn’t enough.

I see it now—communication really is important.

And look at her—she’s growing up strong and kind, even now.

I kept saying I wanted her to become kind, to grow up strong… but maybe, I just hadn’t realized who she already was.

Because she’s already on her way to becoming exactly that.

Alize is perfect just the way she is.

That thought drifted through my mind—quiet and certain.

“Alright then!”

I gently set Alize down, wiped the tears from my face, and declared:

“Let’s begin our special training, shall we?”

“Yes, Father! Please teach me how to use the sword!”

I handed her a small wooden practice dagger, perfectly sized for her little hands. Then I took up my own training sword—the one I used for daily swings—and returned with her to the garden.

Our training, and maybe our journey together, had just begun.