The Villainess Won't Die

"THIS IS A TERRIBLE IDEAD, DAD. I ONLY HAVE ONE MASTER, and that's Sir Thorin Meelany. Not even over my grave will I ever recognize someone else as my Master!" It's a matter of honor.

He sighed. "It was his idea. He said that he heard you are a very uneducated girl who does not respect other authorities," everybody thinks the same of me. "And because of that, he said he would only teach you if you respected him as your archery Master."

"I'm going to skin this guy alive," I said way too loudly, and my dad chuckled.

"You have my mother's temper," way better than having my mother's.

"Thank you for the compliment. And I'm not joking, dad. I want to kill this guy. Who does he think he is? Why didn't you say anything, dad?"

I'm really annoyed now.

This fucker must have done this to humiliate me. Ugh.

"Tasha, everybody in Theolia shares his thoughts about you. He's a respected and high-ranking Knight in one of the Imperial brigades. Liking or not, you will have to address him like that." I'm not listening to this. "You don't need to acknowledge him as your Master. I would never ask you something like that. But you still will have to do it."

I felt sick. This isn't something you can just say meaninglessly. It's something I take really seriously. "Dad, please, can't you find another archer?"

"Daughter, I've already given him my word. I can't go back now," FUCK.

"Fuck."

"Stop cursing so much, Tasha. Why are you using such ugly words?" Did I not curse when I was 13? I don't remember. And neither do I give a damn about that.

"If you find another archer to teach me, I'll stop! I give you my word," okay, I confess that I'm pissing him off purposefully. But I'm mad! And there are only the two of us here.

"Why are you so stubborn?"

"I took after you, dad," my answer came as fast as a rumble of thunder. "Ugh. I'm angry. Let's change the topic."

Laughing at my mood, he rolled his eyes but agreed. "I've gone to Terry on my way back home from the Palace yesterday!" And just like that, my anger evaporated.

"The Royal Blacksmith?" He's one of the busiest people in the Empire, and I've only met him once when I was 6.

It was a year after I began learning swordsmanship with Ash and Master. Dad brought me there, so I could choose the details of Kallisto, my unique thin sword. There isn't any other like it because Terry made it, especially for me, so I would use it my whole life, and its blade would adapt magically to my body, growing longer with time. Even in my previous life, I never had another sword. I never needed it. Moreover, I confess that I'm sentimentally attached to Kallisto. Even if I could have another, I wouldn't accept it.

There's a reason why I gained Kallisto. Of course, there is. Even if it's not a pleasant one.

My dad wasn't convinced that I would ever be good at it. As a materialist who values his money, just like I do, he didn't intend to spend money on a possible failure like me. That's why he came up with a plan of giving me a sword that would last forever. One that would adapt to my body, so I wouldn't need others as I grow up.

Though his motivation was kind of mean, I'll always be grateful. Because he still went his way to have the Royal Blacksmith making a sword like that to me. He could have just bought a simple one in the outskirts, but he didn't do that. "Yes. Do you remember Terry?" I nodded excitedly.

"Of course, I do. Terry made Kallisto for me. I will never be able to forget him. Will he be making my bow and arrows?" My voice came out louder than I intended.

"Mm-hmm. If I knew you would be so excited, I would have taken you to decide the details of your weapon with me!" I wish.

"It's okay, dad. Can I go with you when he's finished?"

"You can. Terry will be glad to see you after so long," yeah, if I remember it right, he is a very gentle short old guy with bright red hair and orange eyes. "Now, there's one more thing we need to talk about, Tasha." Please, be good, can it? "What is it?"

"Yesterday, on the ball," it can't be good. "The Princesses asked about you," suspicious...

"Which Princesses, dad?" Please, say it's the one from House Cain.

"2nd Imperial Princess Adelyn, 5th Princess Evangeline, and the 6th Princess Annelise," this is not a good oven. How unlucky can I be?

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My face made it clear how disgusted I was. "What did those girls want from me?"

"They asked me when you were going to go to the balls. How you were doing. If you were sick..." It can't be only that. "And if you could go to the tea party 2nd Princess Adelyn will host this weekend," I knew it. "I cannot," he laughed at my fast answer.

"Don't worry, Tasha. I told them that you were too busy until the end of the spring season. And that you will only make your debut after you turn eighteen!"

I can't even explain how loud I chuckled with amusement. So much that even Moondust turned her head to me. "Oh, my Goddess, dad. I love you!"

"I'm amazing, aren't I?" For Mikla's sake, sometimes I forget I can't say those things to him because his ego is already bigger than the sphere. "I'll take your silence as a yes."

Of course, he will.

We started making our way back to the stables when I remembered something. "Dad!"

"Yes?"

"If my weapon will take some time to be ready, how will I train?" It's been a while since I last held a bow with arrows in my hands.

"Come with me!

000

We proceeded to the weaponry while competing to see who would arrive there first. I did, pissing dad off. While I was enjoying my small victory, knowing that he didn't lose it on purpose. And the fact that he knows that too makes the situation even more delightful to me.

Dad got off Fireheart, and when he turned to help me get out of Moondust, I was already with my feet on the ground, petting Moondust her head. "You're very different from your siblings, you know?!" Are we playing the 'stating the obvious' game now?

"I know," shall we piss him off a bit more? "To begin with, they have magic powers, and I don't. They're spoiled, and I'm not. They have everything they want, all the love from everyone, all the attention..." he clenched his teeth, making his vein almost pop up on his jaw. "I could go on a whole year, dad, but it's not like I care enough about it to do it," his anger disappeared and suddenly burst into laughter, scaring the shit out of me.

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Is he also bipolar now?

"And even without having all the perks that they have, you still are full of yourself, confident, strong, and fierce. That's what makes you so different, Natasha!" Goddess above, he's even calling me by my name. "You don't need anyone by your side 24/7 as they do. If you have yourself, it's good enough because you're self-sufficient and somewhat independent. While they are not," damn it, that sure caught me off guard.

And I'm probably blushing right now because I can feel how hot my cheeks are. I looked away from dad. Annoyed. "So, you also blush, hmmm. Interesting discovery." This isn't going as I predicted.

After we climbed down, we left Fireheart and Moondust under Sir Han Lee's supervision while we went inside. I grinned at my dad and started walking towards the armory's front door.

"Oh, dad," I exclaimed in a mockery tone. "I didn't know you could be funny too. So many surprises in one single day. I'm stunned," he rolled his eyes.

"Ha ha ha, jokes on you, Tasha. I'm the one who's surprised because I didn't know spending time with you could be so funny and refreshing like this."

I bowed, and he rolled his eyes. "Thank you, Your Highness." For some reason, he doesn't like being called that.

"I'm not a Prince anymore, Tasha. I'm a Grand Duke."

"Once a Prince, always a Prince. Moreover, a Grand Duke is still a Prince. It's a title between a Prince and Duke. This means you may be a Grand Duke, dad, but are also a Royal Prince. And if they call us Princes and Princesses, and we are your children, that makes you a Prince of this Empire as well," he laughed as we entered the armory. "Even more than that. You are a Prince of both the Caspien Empire and the White-Wood Kingdom, isn't that great?"

He totally ignored me, leading the way, and I smirked while following him.

Everyone was already awake in Greenhall Castle. And Sir Clive Rogers was already waiting inside. Well, he's one of the Knights who do not like me, but I think he doesn't have the guts to mess with me while I'm with my dad. He doesn't seem to be the suicidal type.

"Bring my bow with the arrows!" Dad exclaimed, and my jaw dropped to the ground. What is he doing?

It's strange because he's giving his best for me, something he never did before. But no complaints about it, once I'll be the one winning at the end. Although it's really awkward.

Especially when he never let any of us touch his weapons. Why is he doing this now? Is it because the main underling of the Crown Prince will be teaching me, and he wants to show him we have the best material with us? But wait-

Did my dad see the Crown Prince when he was in the Palace? I never asked him this.