Villain Transmigration: Author Transformation

Upon when it seemed the celebration died out, Nathalie came back to the Great Hall. From there, only a few people who were still sober cleaned up the mess that sprawled all over the floor.

One of them happened to be Keith, with Ashtra perched on top of him; he had his coat removed as his white ruffled sleeves now had smears of dust from moving different objects to where they needed to be kept.

Withal, she strutted close to her, and he jolted upright, almost dropping the crate he carried. He gawked as though like a deer caught in a spotlight.

"M—My Lady! You've come!" he stammered as he started to wag his tail rather fast with ears twitching.

Nathalie nodded and they only stared at him, but her mind got too chaotic thinking about the moments she had with him.

Which only got worse when Jonathan had to speak about crazy words, coming so fresh and oddly enough from him.

"Look at her, staring at you. You don't smell good, I say," Ashtra hollered.

By and by, Keith's excitement dropped, and kept up with a little smile. He then drew his nose to his armpits for a sniff then to his chest. "Perhaps, I don't smell fresh to be in front of your presence. I beg your pardon, but allow me to excuse myself."

He was about to turn around when she tugged him by the forearm. 

[I have something to tell you, maybe after you've cleaned up the mess in here?]

"With…?" trailing off his voice, he then pointed at the miniature 'Frost Wyrm' on his head.

[I don't mind.]

Keith and Ashtra looked at each other for a while before he gave a curt nod.

[For now, I'm looking for my father.] She then veered off and looked around while she went back scribbling midair, [Do you know where he is?]

"My Lady, that…" Keith scratched his head for a while then gestured his hand to where Arnold was at the moment. [His Grace is over there.]

Only to find out that he was at the corner. With a large refectory table, Arnold sat there all by himself and surrounded by several bottles. His chin on the table with a large mug of booze in his hand. 

At that moment, he was already dozing off, and Nathalie creased her eyebrows at what she witnessed before her eyes.

This was the first time he got too wasted, not having an ounce of care for anyone around him.

The man she knew, by far, was rather dignified, and indulging with so much of the liquor wasn't like him. He would rather take a sip of wine, and that was it for him. 

It wasn't his thing, for as long as she remembered.

"My Lady, a word of caution, he's been like that for quite some time now and doesn't want to be disturbed." Keith scratched his nape. "We've done it already, and it's futile."

Nathalie pressed her lips thin.  [Was this the first time he got too wasted?]

"...Apparently so…"

'Just as I thought…' 

"Well, maybe someone like you, his treasured daughter, would make an exemption."

Ashtra seemed to hint at something else, in which she had a gist of it. This creature has the ability to read minds. So much that she was rather shocked to hear that his interest was rather piqued for he couldn't read her mind was astonishing.

Even a blessing in disguise for her.

Her secrets must be kept well. But then, Keith was on his side, so she didn't know how much tea got spilled.

The 'Frost Wyrm' may have had enough of Arnold's woes or the like that he couldn't be bothered by.

[Don't worry about me.] Nathalie beamed a lopsided grin before she walked her way out.

Drawing an inch closer, her eyes met with his father's head snapped to her direction, and sat upright with a scowl.

"You—! Ah told yoer to gettout ov—" He paused, blinking a few times, as it was her sole daughter approaching him. 

Shaking his head, he snapped his hand and a subtle glow within him. From there, his dreamy eyes and slurs vanished with a surprising gaze and a tinge of nervousness in his voice.

[Father, it's me…]

"My Mysti? I... thought you... Oh, where did Nathan go?"

While at it, Arnold began to panic as soon as he started to hug the bottles in his embrace, and before he could've hidden it under the table, Nathalie took a seat, facing him with a smile.

[He already had to go for something urgent; and sent his best regards to you, Father.]

After which, she gestured with her hands that the bottles don't bother her at all, and she then set them aside. 

But even then, he still couldn't face his daughter properly, the obvious guilt in his eyes screamed so, and she understood it nevertheless.

[Shall we talk for a while?] Nathalie leaned forth with a warm smile. [I kind of miss talking to father for a long time now—]

In his left eye, a subtle tear shed across his cheek as he stared at her, looking so dumbfounded. From his trembling parted lips, he couldn't utter a word from disbelief.

He almost let go of the bottles if not for Nathalie, who sent a trail of ice, locking the bottles back to the table. Then, she reached for his hand and rubbed his calloused palm over and over again.

[It's alright now…]

Arnold hung his head low, unable to face her, and only his body convulsed while clasping through her dainty fingertips.

"I'm sorry… For my greedy decisions, My Mysti. I really am so sorry… I— I—" he croaked.

His sniffles caught their attention, staring at the only father and daughter moment by the corner of the great hall. 

The clatters and clamors turned silent; even the drunk men and women turned sober for what they witnessed.

Keith, in the distance, watched them from afar with a long face.

Meanwhile, Nathalie noticed how heavy the atmosphere got and the numerous gazes that were all for them. In which, she let go of him as she stood up. 

Arnold arched his neck with a flustered look, but then he gasped when she went close to him.

She leaned his head on his shoulder, giving him a back hug. From there, she whispered softly, "I forgive you, Father. I get you. Don't worry—"

At that moment, the usual facade of his, made of cold blocks of ice, shattered completely.