To be honest, Baiyi shouldn’t be surprised at Mias parents traits. Nature might have played a role in how Mia turned out, but nurture played a big part as well.

  It was more plausible that the combined effort of good upbringing and a constant display of virtues from her parents resulted in a compassionate, pleasant child, than a child growing up into the extreme opposite of her parents.

  Yet Baiyi had not been honest nor fair in his judgment. He had long thought of Mias father as a potential threat and that had led to self-serving bias and outright denial of her fathers finer character.

  But when he had heard that the Viscount himself refused to raise taxes on his people however, the bubble popped.

  Even the Thane could not help but blurted out, “How could such a simpleton become a governor? Hes giving up on his rights! Or do stupidly nice people actually exist?”

  How could such a simpleton become a governor?

  As if answering the question, Mia started telling Baiyi about her father

  The Viscount of the Wyllspringshire had a humble beginning as a farmer.

  His life was set to a course of breaking his back under the sun, until one fateful day came, when the war broke out. The flames of war spreaded to their place and their old baron, who had done nothing but scraped every meat they had from their bones in the name of taxes for betterment, had long fled his duty with his closest guardsmen.

  The people were left to their own devices.

  They could not possibly live without a powerful nobles protection. So in desperation, Mias father brought a ragtag band of farmers to see the Duke of Wright, Vidominas father.

  Of course, a common man reeking of the musky smell of dirt could not possibly stand before the Duke himself, or even any noble at all. Only an aide-de-camp had seen him, who had also enlisted him and his companies into their logistics and support unit. The units work included transporting military rations and other menial labors.

  As the war escalated, attacks on the logistics teams became more and more prevalent. Sometimes, at its worst, almost the entire unit would lose their lives in the middle of their mission.

  Most people would have grown disillusioned or even fearful for their lives. But Mias father was not‘most people’. He had the surprising mettle of a simpleton or rather, he was a single-minded man with a limitless reservoir of bravery. Armed with only a wagon and a few old horses, he would always deliver the rations successfully to the soldiers in need even if the oats were already drenched in blood.

  If the army doesnt get their sustenance, they cannot possibly win the war! Who would protect my home? He had said.

  Fortunately, he was standing on the right side. The Duke and the new Royals won.

  And he, for his unparalleled bravery, earned the title of Viscount, a title befitting the man who had loved and protected the land with all he had.

  Even at the cost of his comrades……

  \r \r \r

  He had built a small mound in Wyllspringshire for his fallen comrades, but as their bodies had long turned into dusts and ashes, he could only bury their clothes. Every autumn, he would bring Little Mia to the mound.

  And he would pat her head and said,”If it wasnt for my friends, I wouldnt have lived. And you wouldnt have been born, either.”

  If there was any way a value could be successfully indoctrinated into a young mind, that would be one of them. Mia valued her friends, just as her father did, and that was what fueled her actions when they faced the Steppe cavalries back then.

  “I take back my words,” The Thane spoke solemnly. “Her father is a true soldier. A man worthy of respect!”

  “One could actually deduce the Viscounts character from her daughter.” The Archmage added. “She rather work to get some money to change Sir Hopes gears. She thought about others when she had finally earned some money. She even used herself asbait to divert the enemys attention to save her friends Ill say, if not because of her father, how could she turn out to be such a little angel?”

  He turned to look at Baiyi in the eye and said, “At the very least, in terms of life education my child, you have been defeated.”

  There. Even my teacher has said it.

  Baiyi could only weakly nod at his words. What had he taught the girl ever since he was summoned?

  Nothing except some bookish knowledge and battle tactics.

  Most of the time he had babied the girl more than parented her. He gave her a life of excess. He gave her a comfortable life, he gave her a set of the grandest battle gear he could offer, he had never once scolded her or disciplined her, he would not let the girl suffer even a small bruise, he set up her camp in such a posh and comfortable manner that even her own home couldnt hold a candle to it. And when the girl wanted to bring along stuff that she thought she needed, how many expensive storage pouches had he used, just for her, without pausing to consider it carefully?

  It was just incessant and borderline-unreasonable pampering. Borderline- unreasonable because at first, Baiyi had convinced himself that her wellbeing was instrumental in releasing all the other Walkers from the Void, the spoiling had only grown more and more disproportionate. It was just like the Walkers had teased him he probably should just encase the girl within his body.

  If Mia had really been his daughter, raised by him god knows what kind of bratty monster he would have created. It was a blessing in disguise that Mia was first molded by a humble and honorable farmer before Baiyi came along.

  His teachers remark was true in every aspect, so much so that even the haughty Fifth Voidwalker could only hang his head down in shame, and admitted that in terms of playing the role of a paternal figure, Baiyi had lost fair and square to the weak yet brave little Viscount.

  “And that was how dad became the Viscount of Wyllspringshire! Most of the remaining people living here are the widows of his former comrades and the refugees who had fled the war though. So, well, to lessen everyones burden, the only tax we ask for is the tax mandated by the Duke of Wright. Aristocrats or not, were still a farming family! Even the house that we are living now was built by everyone in this town together,” Mia finished, then sheepishly hung her head.

  Her voice was almost a hush. “Mr. Hope, Im sorry that its miles behind the accommodation you are used to I mean, were just gonna stay for a while, you know? Just a few days so that I can hang out with my Mom and Dad for a while……”

  Baiyi shook his head. His hand touched the decrepit couch and realized that it was the only piece ofactual furniture in the living room. Everything else were irregular-shaped chairs and tables cobbled by woods and planks. They didnt even look professionally-made.

  Perhaps it was the simplicity that had touched him. He replied, “Its alright. You can stay as long as you like. This is a good place I like it here.”

  Just as he had finished, a gentle, feminine voice chimed in from outside. “Im so glad that Mr. Hope likes our humble home enough.”

  Mias parents entered the living room as Lady Nolan carried a tray of tea set. A fine scent of aroma leaked out from the steaming pot.

  “Sorry that we dont have much to offer our guest but we do have pretty fine tea” She added warmly. Baiyi quickly realized that Mia had probably inherited her own warm disposition from her mother.

  “Mom Mr. Hope is a Soul Armature! He cant drink tea” The girl pointed out, a little embarrassed.

  “Uh-oh,” Lady Nolans face was mildly reddened. “I…… Um, Im sorry! I really didnt know that…… This is the first time I have ever seen a Soul Armature, to be honest……”

  Her curiosity had frankly increased but she became too bashful to continue staring at him.

  “Its alright, Maam. I am nonetheless humbled,” Baiyi replied.

  Right then, Mias father was sitting on the chair opposite the Soul Armature. He rubbed his calloused hands and forced a smile on his face, slightly tipping his head low as he said, “Sorry for my previous outburst, Sir. I should not have acted that way T-thank you for caring for our Mia all this time. She could not have enough praises for you in her letters, you see, so truly Thank you. Uh Im not too good with words so I cant get more flowery than that.”

  “Alls good.” Baiyi nodded. “Mia told me of your story, sir, and I greatly respect your mettle as a fighter.”

  Mia was delighted at the change of mood between the two men. She excitedly grabbed a small stool and sat between them. In the small living room, she seemed to be huddling close to both of them.

  Baiyis mouth opened, apparently about to say something when the girl sat close to him. Habitually, he reached his hand out to pat her head just as the Viscount was about to do the same.

  Their hands froze in the air above the girls head. The atmosphere became as tight as a drawn bowstring again.

  To Baiyi, just because he had admitted defeat in the first round, it didnt mean he would lose as the game went on. Mias still young, they were still going to spend more time together. So many chances for him to easily turn the tides to his side

  To Lord Nolan, Mia is his daughter, his proudest pearl. The man in armor might treat her well, taking care of her now and in the future, but he will forever be Mias father, forever. If this man lets his daughter go (when he was around) thatll be the end of it; but if he doesnt.

  Little Mia seemed to have developed a nose for the change in atmosphere as she casually reached out to take both of their hands, then put them on the wooden table before her.

  “I just told Mr. Hope all the cool deeds you had done, daddy. Mr. Hope thought you are really cool!”

  Then, after a pause, she continued. “I always talked about Mr. Hope in my letters to Daddy. You take care of me so well Im so grateful for it!”

  It seemed that Mia had fully embraced her role as the peacemaker between two competing factions.

  Of course, Baiyi, who had previously lost in terms of influence, still had to retract his hand first. “Mia is a very adorable, docile and thoughtful girl. She is an excellent student.”

  Mias father beamed in the glory of first victory before he retracted his hand. “I originally didnt want her to leave home to such a far city to learn magic or whatchacallit, you know. I have seen sorcerers in the battlefields. They are squishy. The battlefield is a dangerous place to be in. If it wasnt for that incident that had happened, I would rather she stay by my side forever.”


  He was referring to Mia being abducted by a few pedophiles a few years back. It was weird but Baiyi actually felt grateful that those pedophiles did try to abduct her

  “Mias very talented in magic, sir. It would be a waste if she didnt train in magic,” Baiyi replied, as he retrieved the Golden Rose necktie clip from his storage pouch. Mia was supposed to keep it but Baiyi had asked for it because he planned to enchant it.

  “Of course she is talented. Shes my daughter. It seems that Mr. Hope is quite a good teacher, hmm?” Lord Nolan might not know what exactly was the golden clip, but he knew that it must have meant something important academically.

  To his credit though, the Viscount did not change his expression, and instead, just placed an emphasis on the words “daughter” and “teacher”.

  Looked like Round 2 was about to start.