The Villainess Will Crush Her Destruction End Through Modern Firepower Chapter 8

Astrid: “Father,”

It was the morning I decided to have a change of hearts. We were eating breakfast at that time.

Father: “What is it, Astrid? I'm not going to listen to your magic selfishness anymore, do you understand?”

Ugh…I'm being treated like a problematic child. I reap what I sow, I suppose.

Astrid: “No, it's not about magic. It's concerning both mother and father.”

Father: “Hoo, what might it be?”

It's a good sign that there is a hint of interest in father's face. Mother, on the other hand…was still full of that oriental smile; I can't understand her emotions. There are several times where I can't figure out what she's thinking about. It's a bit scary.

Astrid: “Recently I've been concerning myself with magic a lot, and I've been forgetting the most important things. The one who's been paying for Wolf-sensei's paycheck is father, and in the future when I enroll into the academy, father will also be the one to pay the tuition. The reason I can live comfortably right now is also thanks to father and mother.”

I said thus, with a face that shows I felt terrible about it as I furrowed my brows.

Astrid: “Despite that I have been doing nothing but learning magic and I have not even talked with father nor have I chatted with mother. I am reflecting upon myself.”

Father: “Is that so, is that so, I am thankful to the simple fact that you realized that.”

Father is quite a simple person. Mother is…I don't know.

Astrid: “That's why,  the next time father got a day off, shall we spend that time together? I want to spend some time with mother and father!”

Father: “The next day off, huh. I had a plan to go hunting with the ministers…”

Hunting! Really?!

Astrid: “If so, please allow me to come along! I want to try hunting as well!”

Father: “Why are you that exited? Half of the time it's going to be boring with just us talking, you know?”

Hunting! The reason I'm going is obviously to shoot! Of course, I'll have some sympathy to the animals that becomes my target. I've had experiences with survival outdoors since I was in the outdoors activities club in high school, so I can dissect rabbits or chickens, properly eat them and throw a ceremony for their pa.s.sing.

Astrid: “If I can spend some time with Father, then by all means!”

Father: “I-Is that so. What say you, Louise? Do you want to come along?”

I can't forget about her. I want to cheer up both mother and father.

Mother: “Very well, I shall go. I can have some tea time with the minister's women in the meantime.”

Noice. Mother is also partic.i.p.ating.

Father: “Then you have to prepare the horses, yes? I bet the smaller ones would be easier for you to ride. Do you want to choose them yourself?”

Astrid: “If possible, I'd like to choose them with father.”

I should try using the cute little daughter appeal like this.

Father: “Very well! Then we will choose your ride this afternoon. Let's look for a good horse in the ranch. I'm sure we can find one. I am looking forward to it.”

Astrid: “Yes, I am looking forward to it as well.”

I'd prefer riding in an LAV or a Humvee though. Or I'll be happy enough to get an ATV. Not that will be any.

And after this and that, we decided to go hunting.

This evening, I won't be test-firing and instead I'll be choosing horses with father.

We ended up choosing a small pony. It's a small horse that the 4-year-old me can ride.

And so, I chose to try and ride it, but…

Astrid: “Father! Father! This little one is trying to shake me off of him!”

Father: “Do your best! If you can manage it, it'll listen to you!”

Seems like I've been given a restive horse.

Astrid: “If this is how you're gonna play then I'll use Blood Magic!”

I boosted my strength with Blood Magic, and kept clutch on the rampaging horse. Yet as I did, the pony rampages even harder. Continuously, over and over.

Astrid: “Father! Can it be that horses can sense Blood Magic!?”

Father: “Horses that aren't used to magic can be surprised by it!”

Hiee!! I wish you'd tell me that sooner!

Astrid: “Hah, but my Blood Magic is a lot more powerful than your rampage!”

I switched my Blood Magic into ＭＡＸＩＭＵＭ  ＯＶＥＲＤＲＩＶＥ and continued suppressing the horse's rampage.

The pony eventually realized that it can't shake me off, so its rampage gradually eases down. Fufun~ couldn't expect any less of me, huh? Fighting violence with violence is a wonderful thing.

I'll stop myself before I get too c.o.c.ky.

Father: “With this, it'll be your horse. You should give it a name.”

Astrid: “Well then, Umatarou.”

Father: “U-Umatarou?”

I rode Umatarou for two laps around the ranch.

Astrid: “Not bad. Riding a horse is not bad at all. Going through uneven roads like those in Afghanistan mountain range would be easier with a horse. I heard some US Army operations also used horses in some of their operations.”

I feel like one of those spec-ops riding a horse.

Father: “That should be enough, right? Let's go home before another bunch of livestock burglars come around.”

Since that day, knights and even the ranch's manager had been patrolling the ranch and the area around it. We're close to safety, but Father is still being cautious.

Astrid: “Father, I am looking forward to our hunt.”

Father: “Yes. It's a chance for me to show the ministers my prided daughter.”

Nice, I'm earning father's favorability points!

I'll continue working hard like this so that I won't be banished from the Duke's house.

Today is the awaited day.

After confirming the shotgun slung on my back, its slug ammunition and the rubber bullets, I dashed out of the front door.

Father: “Oh, there you are. I have been waiting.”

Astrid: “I apologize for the wait. Preparation took some time.

Father and some other people was waiting outside on his horse, while mother was riding along in a coach with some servants to go to the hunting ground.

Astrid: “Is the hunting ground far?”

Father: “It's about 3 hours away. It shouldn't be that far. You can either ride your horse or you can ride along in the coach.”

What should I do? I heard if you ride a horse for a long time, your a.s.s will become sore, so there is a reason to choose to sit in the coach, but since I've just manaaged to learn how to ride my horse, it wouldn't be that bad to just proceed onwards with Umatarou.

Astrid: “Then, I'll ride my horse until mid-way, and I'll ride in the coach from that point forward.”

Father: “That would be great. It's good if you can ride it until you're proficient even for a bit. You should continue training to ride a horse. You're the duke's daughter after all.”

Father always said that I'm too young for magic, but riding a horse is fine? I don't understand his standard.

Astrid: “Well then, shall we be on our way to the hunting ground, father?”

Father: “Yes, let's depart.”

With that, we departed to the hunting ground.

…and so, 30 minutes later,

Astrid: “My a.s.s is sore……”

I rode my horse for 10 minutes in the ranch, but now it has been 30 minutes.

My a.s.s is tingling with soreness. Speaking of which, I remembered that the thing about the spec-ops also said that even their a.s.ses are also hurting after riding a horse. Anyways, my a.r.s.e smarts. I can't. I can't do it no more.

Astrid: “F-father, may I retreat to the coach yet?”

Father: “Yes, I do not mind. You'll get tired if you're not used to riding horses. You did well holding on for 30 minutes. Well done, Astrid.”

Oh? Did I just unexpectedly score some favorability points? h.e.l.ls yeah!

Or so I thought as I moved to the coach. It's a beautiful coach usually used when the Duke house member had to go some place far way. The interior is elaborate, and the seats are puffy. I feel like it's healing my a.s.s that's been hurt by the horse…

Mother: “Astrid, why did you want to follow Paul to go hunting?”

Mother suddenly posed me that question as she was knitting.

Astrid: “Well, recently I have been thinking that it's not good that I haven't been talking to mother and father. I've been the type that gets too absorbed in something,, but sometimes I think making time for something like this is also important. Mother was still sitting there with her oriental smile, so I have no idea what she's thinking about.

Mother: “You are a sharp one, aren't you Astrid. Normally it's us parents that has to bring it up first, but it turns out you beat us to it. I am relieved that you are becoming more independent.”

Astrid: “Ehehe…”

Judging by her response, it seems like I'm in the clear. Of course, I'll need to get myself some of mother's favorability points as well.

Mother: “However, isn't your real reason to test that thing on your back?”

Astrid: “Urk!?”

I let out a groan unconsciously.

Mother: “The servants said that it's something that makes loud noises, but you brought that the day you caught and changed those livestock burglars. You did it with those, did you not?”

Astrid: “Ah, um…This is really just a magic tool to make loud noises, you know?”

Mother: “Is that really so? The servant said that you sternly told her not to be in front of it in danger of what comes out of it. Something flies out of that circular hole, does it not?”

This is bad. Mother is super observant.

Astrid: “This is my promise to uncle Gnome, so I can't tell anyone even if it's mother! I'm sorry!”

As I ran out of excuses, I decided to tell her that I can't tell her.

Mother: “So it's a dangerous item that even the spirit warned you, yes?”

She said those without stopping her oriental smile nor her knitting.

Mother: “If that's so, use it with utmost care, okay? If you get hurt, we will have to stop your magic lessons.”

Astrid: “I will engrave it into my heart.”

Mother is really observant. It got me scared, honestly.

Mother: “Also, during your hunt, bring your father and the others some flowers. I'm sure he'd like to look cool in front of her daughter. He's always so proud of his hunting skills, so if you do that, he'll be happy easily.”

Astrid: “Is that so.”

If I can praise father for his specialty, I'll get some favorability points, huh? I took note of that in my head.

Mother: “Also, please remember that no matter how eccentric your behaviors are, or no matter how much you become too focused on your magic studies, we will not abandon you, so be at ease. That's how parents are.”

Astrid: “Ah, uh…thank you…”

Don't tell me…mother even knew that I'm afraid that I'll be driven out!? Mother, can you read minds or something!?

She's really scary! Her oriental smile is scary!

Mother: “Astrid, I have no talents in magic, but I have more experiences in life than you, that's why, don't be so surprised.”

It's not possible to not be surprised, mother.

Astrid: “Can I be like you when I have enough life experiences?”

Mother: “It depends on how you acc.u.mulate those life experiences. Life can be so long that it is short. It's okay to research magic deeply, but I think you'll get something good if you also learn about human interactions. Isn't it a waste if your life is only filled with sorcery?”

I guess that's true. Me learning magic is only a methodology, not an objective. But to deepen my relationship with other people, huh. That on itself feels difficult.

Mother: “You don't have to rush to try doing it from now. You can find some friends with the same interest later when you enroll into the academy. You can interact with those with the same interest. Astrid, you are a good girl, so I'm sure you will find good friends.”

Astrid: “That's true. If I enroll into the academy, my horizon will widen, right?”

Let's find some kids who had interests in magic when I enroll into the academy. And afterwards we will go through the pursuit of sorcery together!

…wait, isn't that just still continuing on magic research then…?

Mother: “Fufu, you sure take after Paul. You both wear your hearts on your sleeves.”

Astrid: “I-is that so?”

I've always been bad with making poker faces, but it seems that it inherits itself into Astrid. What a regrettable person I am.

Mother: “But that's alright. It makes you even cuter that way…”

Conversely, mother's oriental smile didn't even budge an inch. It'll be wonderful if I can be like her.

While I was thinking thus, I looked out the window to look at the scenery of the hills and fields.

We'll be arriving shortly.

          Chapter 9 >

TLC:

LAV stands for Light-Armored Vehicle, Humvee (HMMWV) stands for High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, which can either be a Light Utility Vehicle or a light-Armored Vehicle all the same. ATV stands for All-Terrain Vehicle.

Paul is the name of the father, apparently. I wonder if I missed this or it's just explained now. Either way, I'm kind of disappointed that not once the mother ever said ara ara.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter and your day!