The Duke's Daughter Is A Villainess (32)

Noah walked with Dahlia for the rest of the afternoon.

Dahlia simply had to smile and bat her eyelashes a few times and she'd see his percentage for her go up. She hadn't thought that Noah was this easy of a target to begin with... honestly she felt kind of underwhelmed that it turned out to be this easy in the end.

Just before he parted with her, Dahlia suddenly leaned up on her tip toes to press a kiss to his cheek, and then turned around before she could see what kind of face he was making.

[Host!!!!! Noah's at +100%!!!!!!]

~...WHAT? That fast? All I did was kiss him on the cheek!!

[I know!!! Host, you're really amazing!!! You're so close to completing the challenge!!! Now all that's left is for Lucas to get to +100%!]

Dahlia's mind whirled. She was already almost done with her challenge? Suddenly she felt as if things were going too fast. Without another word, she began to walk faster, causing Zeke and the other knights to look at her in confusion as they sped up to walk beside her.

When they reached the room the duke was in, Dahlia, against all expectations, hugged him. She just threw her arms around him in a way that was reminiscent of the way Stella would act, catching the duke completely off guard.

"Dahlia?"

"Father. I love you, you know that, right?"

Dahlia thought it was important he knew that, before she had to go. Even if she was no longer the original Dahlia, he deserved to hear it from her. Even if she could not love him like he was her actual father, she still needed to say it.

There was really no need to be that sentimental, and as far as Dahlia knew, this world would simply stop existing the moment she wasn't in it anymore, but... for the moment, while these people still felt real, she felt it was important to do this. In this world, as a person that was meant to be the villainess, he was the only one who truly loved and cared for Dahlia, after all.

"Of- of course I know this! I know my daughter the best! You don't have to tell me this." The duke mumbled, his face looking awkward. His expression was torn between embarrassment and immense pride.

Dahlia could only laugh at the strange sight.

Zeke was stunned too. He'd been working for the duke for years and had never seen him make that kind of expression ever before. Even Dahlia was acting strange too. Actually, none of the Baudelaires seemed like normal people.

Like father, like daughter, he supposed.

Stella walked in not so long after, and Dahlia sprung an "I love you" on her too. Stella, completely taken aback, started to sob. Even though she was incoherent, it was clear she tried to say an "I love you too" back to Dahlia. Dahlia laughed happily as she enveloped her family, thinking that it wouldn't be long before she couldn't touch them at all anymore.

It wasn't as if she formed a real, deep attachment to them, but that she genuinely got along with them. And she appreciated them for treating her well. She was neither heartless, nor too indulging.

Buddy secretly admired Dahlia for this. Buddy was not a new system, nor was it a super experienced one, but it had been through its fair share of hosts. They'd seen hosts that developed attachments so intense they kept failing a challenge on purpose simply to stay in that world, and they'd seen hosts so aloof and estranged that they passed each challenge as fast as possible without a second glance. Buddy couldn't say which type of host was better or worse, but they could say with confidence that they certainly liked Dahlia's type the best. The type that knew how to be grateful and friendly, but also had the courage to be cruel and succinct when they needed to be.

Suddenly Buddy felt blessed to be paired with this kind of host, no matter how much she made them cry!