Bring Justice to those Who Dare to Harm my Beloved Daughter (The Villainess)!

After escorting Lulu back to her room, I returned to my office to work.

I sank into my chair, exhaling deeply, when a cup of coffee and my glasses were quietly placed in front of me.

Looking up, I wasn’t surprised to see Christoph, my ever-reliable butler.

“You showed the young lady the room, I presume?”

“I should’ve done it sooner. She seemed happy.”

“…It seems that you, too, have found some closure, young master.”

“Don’t call me ‘young master.’”

“My apologies, sir.”

Christoph’s soft smile reminded me just how much my grief must have worried him. Cathy had only passed away a short time ago, and the mourning period was still ongoing.

I traced the rim of my glasses thoughtfully.

These glasses are more than just for correcting my vision—they have a unique design.

You see, I have what’s known as a “magic eye.” My ability? Fire.

It’s a magic that burns everything I see to ashes.

This wasn’t something unique to me as a reincarnator; it was actually part of Wolfgang’s original character setting, as noted in the supplementary materials. More accurately, it’s an innate magical ability rather than standard spellcasting.

Wolfgang, as described in the game, couldn’t use conventional magic.

Despite having an abundance of magical power, he couldn’t channel it into normal spells. Whenever he tried, the energy simply dissipated.

During my academy days, this was a major source of despair.

After all, I was practically guaranteed a failing grade in practical magic classes.

This world operates on six major elements: fire, water, earth, wind, light, and darkness. The six major gods, led by the Creator God Eleveld, govern these elements. Beyond them are lesser gods associated with natural phenomena.

Though the game never introduced the minor gods, the supplementary materials confirmed their existence. The most famous of these is Raizeld, the Thunder God. According to legend, the first Raizeld fell in love with a human woman and married her. Though she couldn’t bear children, they adopted three orphans. One of them chose a quiet life and remains unnamed, while the other two became prominent figures—one of whom is the current Raizeld.

Back to my story. At the age of 10, during the naming ceremony at the temple, a magical tool confirmed that I had magical power.

It wasn’t uncommon for children unable to use magic in their early years to show potential around that age. Yet, despite this confirmation, I couldn’t use magic. The priests diagnosed me with a congenital condition that made it impossible.

My parents, already disappointed by my earlier “defects,” finally gave up on me and focused their attention elsewhere. The result? My younger brother, Marcus, was born 12 years later.

“So why am I the duke now?” you might ask.

Because my parents died in an accident when I was 18—just after I became an adult—and Marcus was only six years old.

Although I was no longer considered the heir, having been slated to inherit a count’s title instead, Marcus was too young to take over the ducal household. I assumed the position temporarily under the guardianship system.

Marcus is now 15, having recently celebrated his birthday, which means I have about three years left before he comes of age and graduates from the nation’s top academy, the Kragel Institute.

In the game’s lore, Wolfgang officially became the duke by exploiting a legal loophole to persuade Marcus to renounce his claim to the title. Apparently, Marcus wasn’t eager to inherit the position in the game, and the same is true here in reality.

“Why don’t you just stay the duke, big brother? You’re already doing it!” he often says.

Hang in there, Marcus.

I’ve been doing this for nearly a decade, but while I can handle the administrative side of things, I’m terrible at the social obligations. One way or another, you’re taking this title.

“You’ve certainly gotten better at controlling it, sir,” Christoph remarked, breaking my thoughts.

“I still worry about losing control when I get angry. That’s why I can’t do without these,” I replied, adjusting my glasses with a wry smile.

I became aware of my magic eye shortly after realizing I’d been reincarnated. The supplementary materials had described its existence, but I had no idea how to use it.

Then, during my academy days—before I had these glasses—an incident occurred where Cathy became the target of harassment.

As the “useless” son of a duke who couldn’t properly use magic, I was no stranger to ridicule. My father dismissed my complaints, saying, “It’s the truth, isn’t it?” so I simply ignored the bullying. But when Cathy got dragged into it, I couldn’t stand by.

I didn’t care what they said about me, but Cathy had nothing to do with it.

The moment I realized that, anger boiled over in me. It wasn’t until later that I understood what I’d felt was pure rage.

Apparently, that boiling sensation was the trigger for my magic. From an outsider’s perspective, my orange eyes turned blood-red, and flames suddenly engulfed the students harassing her.

Afterward, a royal court mage identified my condition, confirming that I possessed a magic eye.

The glasses I wear were a gift from that mage.

These glasses act as a safety mechanism, preventing me from accidentally activating my magic by blocking the flow of energy. Now that I’ve learned to control my power, the glasses function more like an on-off switch.

Christoph spoke again. “The young lady will likely apologize to everyone in the household, sir.”

“She will. Could you prepare some juice for her? She’s probably exhausted from all the crying.”

“Understood. In the meantime, please focus on your work.”

“Yes, yes.”

“‘Yes’ is sufficient, sir.”

“Yes.”

Later, I heard that Lulu had indeed gone around apologizing to everyone in the estate.

When she finally came to my office as promised, her eyes were red and swollen from exhaustion.

“Father.”

“Lulu, welcome back.”

“I… I apologized properly.”

“Good girl.”

I spread my arms, and she ran into them, hugging me tightly.

It was the first time she’d done this since Cathy passed away. She’d rejected me every time before.

“You did great, Lulu.”

“Lulu will study hard and help Father!”

“Thank you. And I have so much to teach you. But first, let’s have some juice, alright?”

Her face lit up.

She’s adorable.

I think that in the game, Wolfgang decided to keep the ducal title not just because Marcus wasn’t interested but also because he loved Lulu.

As a duke, he could provide her with the best education and the finest opportunities. To ensure she found a suitable husband, staying as a duke was the best choice for her future.

I agree with that.

But I refuse to let Lulu become the villainess.

Lulu is still a child, too young to make life-altering decisions. If she truly wishes to marry the crown prince one day, I’ll support her wholeheartedly.

But for now, I’ll do everything I can to prevent her from falling into that tragic scenario.

Cathy, I believe in Lulu’s potential.

But forgive me for being a coward and delaying her choices for just a little while longer.