Villain Transmigration: Author Transformation

Fortunately enough, Nathalie wasn't deaf to hear Arnold's that somehow died out of silence, close to the boiling sound of the cauldron nearby.

"I think about it as well." She then dropped the root stalks to the boiling solution, then gestured for Keith to grab onto the few spices to his side while she stirred for now. "Which is why I relate to her most of the time."

Before returning, Nathalie spoke about how she was rather compassionate to Mystique despite the ill-gotten deeds she had done throughout her life. 

Back then, she read so many reviews how they blamed Arnold for being too rotten and failed so badly as a father figure. Not everyone would even accept how he deserved to be called such a father.

Even when Athan's father would've been a lot worse, and possibly most of the noble families had such a mindset; they were rather glorified and warranted for their actions.

Funny enough, different places and times were still a reflection and not far-fetched of what was deemed true to those who had lived the same way. 

But with the limited point of view, it was hard to show so many aspects of every character.

Even the minorities of her reader fanbase, including her, found a special place in her heart how she fared ever since. While Mystique's actions turned out to be inappropriate and nasty, deserving of punishment, she couldn't help but hope someday she would seek an improvement in her life. 

Arnold peered sideways, trying to steal such a glance on her, and sighed. "I have always turned a blind eye to her actions."

[Why is that so?]

"I'd like to ask of you; perhaps…" he started to trail off his voice while he seemed to look at the ceiling, pondering aloud, "William, was it? Right, he might've been thinking the same as well as how have you been?"

[... He might've… Which is why I'm curious about your perspective.]

Truth be told, it struck her heart how accurate it was to her concerns in the future.

The part where she wanted to get answers whenever she could return, only to find such an unfortunate event.

'Father might've had an idea but she neither wanted to confirm it nor he did confront her about it; everything was in a series of her assumptions.'

She believed it was better to leave things that way; no one became inconvenienced except for her alone.

With that mindset, that was the kind she had to put up for the rest of her life.

Interacting with him was like a chore, let alone putting up a conversation. 

A part of her was rather too afraid to be a disappointment; he was that harder to please than mother, Nicole Quinn, for that matter.

So she settled on what was comfortable and worked in her favor when it came to them.

[Somehow, it's hard to tell. I must say, it was rather different from how you were before then.]

Arnold, even with his lips pressed thin, forced a wry smile. "So I've heard…"

On the other hand, Keith watched the two of them despite putting much focus on attending to her requests. Amidst his emerald eyes veiled with sorrow and sympathy for them.

With her testimony and Athan's, he became too bewildered how the future developed— went far too bleak, giving him a huge headache.

He couldn't believe such a thing.

Even with testing their credibility, none of them lied. 

Ashtra affirmed it as well.

In retrospect, Arnold became rather thankful to Athan and Nathalie for dodging a bullet that might've struck him and eventually sealed his fate.

Which all the more opened this new, admirable side of the Grand Duke of Blackwell.

"I never thought I'd wish for another chance in life as well…" He dropped his head low with a bland chuckle. "I thought what I did was for the best— I wondered if things were too late for her as she grew up like that already... My actions only further dig my own grave..."

Nathalie gave back the ladle to Keith, then glimpsed at Arnold, his back was all she had seen so far but his trembling hands and shoulders became too evident.

'His voice almost croaked at the end…'

The more she got to spend time with him, the more he deviated from what his original character profile was— almost turning into a different person than she ever knew.

While Nathalie also had in mind that a view of acceptance would go the same way for William, it might've only been a bonus at this point.

A famous line, 'You can't teach an old dog new tricks,' thrive after all.

Perhaps such an exception, paired with painful, grave experience, was a possibility for Arnold to change.

'What grave possibility would happen the same thing for father? A modern world with developed social peace and harmony. No wars. Life there was better than the society here…'

It also didn't help how Arnold had to hear that Mystique became worse than she already was: attaining a massive change in Nathalie's world.

While Nathalie thought of some countermeasures, and other plans to counteract her for the meantime— with Daisy's help, things would stall for a while as she looked for ways to find some answers to the mysteries that lingered inside her head.

Arnold sighed as he pulled away from the table, tugging his ascot necktie, and then looked at her. "Even after everything, you still have faith in Mysti and even for your family regardless of how you're treated."

[I must say, you are an example. I'm sure she'd see it as well. That time will come.]

"I hope so. I really do." He then glared at his palms before curling them into a fist. "I shall help you find the answers; if that means on returning her to this world and you shall also set free from the curse."

Even after revealing such ugly truth, Arnold still wanted to call her like his daughter regardless, and she was the same.

Nathalie or Mystique, at this point, they were as one.

A peal of giggles came out of her lips, which somehow lightened up the mood in a snap. 

Keith held a gaze, rather brimmed with reverence of her, and somehow his stirs went a little faster, which she jabbed his arm with her elbow.

[I never thought I'd have this deep conversation with you, father.]

"The feeling is mutual."