Chapter 348
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
You can buy coins here to unlock advanced chapters: https://gravitytales.com/coins-purchase-page/
Chapter 348: How Annoying, He Was Trapped!
As Shelldor carried the Lady of Light and Janine Irene, with Kanor, the turtle, and Doyle following closely, the three parents were having very different conversations with their respective "children."
On Isabella’s side, although she and Heidegger were the closest in blood among the three groups, they seemed the most distant and unfamiliar.
Both Heidegger and Isabella appeared to be a bit shy.
Isabella looked at her seemingly gentle but very strict and powerful father, feeling very uneasy inside.
Since being captured, she was most afraid to think about how her father would view her.
She could ignore the opinions of Main Plane, the Ryman royal family, and the nobles.
Only her father’s opinion was something that Isabella could never let go of, no matter what she said.
So, she could only try to forget about her father’s opinion for the time being.
After all, she couldn’t leave Hillenbrand Town, and her defeat couldn’t be erased.
After realizing her feelings for Lolth and letting go of her "shame and resentment," she completely forgot about these things.
Otherwise, just thinking about what her father would say about her current self… Isabella might faint right there.
But, this scene unexpectedly happened without any preparation!
Although her father seemed not to mind much and was not angry…
It instead made Isabella feel the long-lost "humiliation" of being a defeated person and a prisoner of the Holy Alliance.
Moreover, she felt somewhat confused and even more anxious.
Duke Heidegger’s reaction was undoubtedly harder for Isabella to accept than if he had directly scolded her and looked at her with disappointment.
In that case, she would suffer, but everything would be within her expectations.
Even if she was not very unwilling, it would be okay to criticize herself a little for not doing better.
But her father seemed to quickly accept everything, and he accepted it very well.
This made Isabella feel… lost.
On the other hand… Duke Heidegger did not really know how to face his only daughter.
Will Isabella resent herself for not coming to save her?
It seems not; Isabella is not that kind of person.
Is Isabella a little anxious because she arrived?
It seems so; you can tell by her reaction…
But Heidegger really didn’t know what to say to Isabella.
He hasn’t fulfilled the role of a father very well.
Because of Isabella’s mother leaving, he is so afraid that after he is gone, Isabella, in her high position at Ryman, will face danger. He has always shown himself as a strict father, pushing her to grow up quickly and become strong.
To be honest, they seem more like leader and subordinate in a knightly order than father and daughter.
He is a qualified knight mentor, but not a good father.
Heidegger also believed that his path was correct, and at that time he had no other choice.
However, after he broke through, he found that everything was not so urgent anymore.
To put it simply, he still shifted part of his "responsibility to protect his daughter" to the still young Isabella.
Even though he was the leader of the Northman Knight Order and the Duke of Ryman… he truly was too weak.
Although this was also a natural reaction out of "fear of losing his daughter," still…
The past that has happened, Isabella’s lost smile, and her childhood will never come back.
Isabella was incredibly understanding, which meant she did not rebel or resent her father like children from traditional strict families.
On the contrary…
She successfully became a powerful knight, growing so fast that even Heidegger was amazed.
But this is not what Heidegger wanted.
When the powerful him finally realized the need to improve their father-daughter relationship, Isabella had already become "Ryman Ice."
He could only continue to play the role of the lofty Duke of Ryman in front of his daughter, just like he did in front of everyone else.
Because his daughter showed the same "Ryman Ice" demeanor in front of him—after taming fierce magical beasts and achieving great feats, even when she was wounded and exhausted, Isabella stood before her father with cold, determined eyes.
At that time, what could he say as a father?
He could only hide his worries and regrets in his heart and praise her for the family’s honor and Ryman’s glory…
"Well done."
But in truth, Heidegger knew what he wanted to say.
"I’m sorry."
Just as he was about to speak, he heard his daughter’s voice coming out first.
He looked up and saw the guilt and regret in his daughter’s icy blue eyes.
"I’m sorry, Father. I messed up… I not only lost and was captured, ruining the Northman Knight Order’s undefeated glory, but I… I’ve completely fallen. I am working for the demon race in this little town…"
There is no such thing as "Ryman Ice."
There is only Isabella Anno Reitbett Zu Schwarzwald.
This little girl, who would cry loudly if she burned her tongue on a pie, hide in her bedroom and skip dinner if she broke a vase, and remained silent on the day her mother left…
At this moment, Heidegger sincerely wanted to thank the succubus named "Lolth."
"No, Isabella, it was my fault."
Duke Heidegger shook his head gently.
"I was too harsh on you in the past. Whether you lost or were captured, neither is really important… I didn’t plan to show myself this time; I just wanted to see you. Knowing that you are happy here makes me feel at ease."
This was the care that the Duke of Ryman had never shown to his daughter.
What was revealed at this moment was just the tip of the iceberg formed over the past ten years.
"But, Father, the rumors and those in the Empire who dislike you will surely use me to attack you…"
Isabella said eagerly.
But Duke Heidegger raised his hand.
He originally wanted to pat his daughter’s head, but after thinking for a moment, his weak and bony hand, that looked like a scholar’s or a mage’s, rested gently on his daughter’s shoulder and gave a light pat.
"There’s no need to worry about me, Isla," he said, showing a smile. "I am the Emperor’s mentor, the Duke of Ryman, the greatest master in the Empire—and combined, the second to the tenth cannot even match me… So, no one dares to point fingers at you or me!"
