I'm Secretly the Father of the Yandere Villainess's Daughter

Chapter 57: She was plundering my theses

Cain was already seated within the luxurious reception lounge, where the walls and furnishings exuded an unparalleled refinement. Meanwhile, Hazen stepped forward, serving them hot tea with a respectful, serene smile.

To Amelia, the entire scene felt profoundly surreal. Seeing a member of the "High Humans"—a race known for their supreme pride—serving a man from the "Mundane Continent" with such utter subservience was mind-blowing. She had always known her father was the absolute best and most formidable existence, but if anyone had told her in her past life that a descendant of Adam from the lower realm could wield enough power to make such titans bow, she would never have believed it.

Yet, despite her awe, she still had no idea where exactly they had landed.

The room looked like any other high-class reception hall found in elite palaces, lacking any distinct landmark or defining feature that could reveal their location... save for the High Human servant himself. Even that wasn’t a definitive clue, as she knew her father employed numerous servants from the Celestial Continent.

Unable to suppress her curiosity any longer, she decided to simply ask.

"Dad... where exactly are we?"

Cain looked down at his daughter, noting the bright, inquisitive spark in her eyes. A warm smile graced his lips as he replied in a calm, soothing voice: "We are currently in a vast realm known as the Celestial Continent. It is a completely different world from the one you are used to, but you will get to know it step by step."

Amelia stared at her father, unsatisfied with such a vague explanation. She pressed further, eager for specifics. "If it’s that immense... then where exactly are we at this very moment?"

Cain’s eyes deepened with an enigmatic light as he answered: "This place is Humar... the central capital of the Starry Empire."

At that precise moment, the blood froze entirely in Amelia’s veins. A wave of profound shock hit her—one that she masterfully hid from her face, but shook her heart to its very core. Had she truly returned to her homeland after all this time? A sudden, overwhelming urge to flee washed over her; she wanted nothing more than to run back to her safe home and leave this place instantly.

For this accursed, wretched land was the single most detested place in Amelia’s entire existence.

It was here that she had been mercilessly exploited under the grand title of "Empress." They had subjected her to brutal, ruthless training and molded her into an introverted, silent, and unloved shadow. From her earliest childhood, they had brainwashed her small mind into believing that a ruler must be completely devoid of emotion—a hollow machine existing solely to serve the empire.

She had toiled and sacrificed her youth, her feelings, and her dreams for a nation that gave nothing back, siphoning her lifeblood as if she were a mere expendable tool. And when the end finally came, she was met with the ultimate betrayal by her closest disciples. She was assassinated through a slow, agonizing poison crafted specifically for her, though in truth, her heart had surrendered the will to fight long before the venom took her life.

She could still vividly recall the final words that cut through the air that day: "Hahaha... your time is up, you tyrant. The throne you spent your entire life protecting will never belong to you again."

Back then, she had questioned herself with deep bitterness—had she been so incredibly foolish to stay and protect a cursed empire instead of walking away to live a normal, peaceful human life?

Yet now, looking back, she silently thanked them for their treachery. If they hadn’t betrayed her, she wouldn’t have been reincarnated into this new body, and she would never have found the greatest, most magnificent father in the entire universe. Why waste her time harboring malice or drowning in hatred anymore?

They could all burn in hell for all she cared; she was done with them.

Now, she could fully enjoy this magical journey with her father, looking back at her distant past with a mocking smile.

A few minutes later, the gentle, polite sound of Hazen knocking on the door broke her chain of thought. He spoke in a lowered, respectful tone: "Master, the expected guest has arrived. Shall I permit him to enter?"

Cain directed a cold glance toward the door, responding with curt brevity: "Let him in."

The door swung open slowly, and Amelia’s eyes instinctively widened as she stared at the man stepping into the room.

A man with a light, unkempt beard hurried inside, sweating profusely. His erratic, fumbling movements practically screamed nervousness and anxiety.

"Master Cain! How have you been? Haha... welcome to the Starry Empire. How was your journey?" he offered with a strained, awkward chuckle, desperately trying to ease the tension.

Without waiting for permission, the man confidently advanced and sat on the sofa directly opposite Cain. Instantly, Cain locked his eyes onto him—a sharp, piercing glare so terrifying it seemed to pierce through the man’s very soul, making his spirit tremble.

"Who gave you permission to sit? Stand up."

Without a single second thought, the man reflexively snapped to his feet, his entire body shaking as he bent his torso forward in a deep, submissive bow. He stammered in absolute panic: "I am sorry! Deeply, deeply sorry! Please forgive this foolish man for such an unpardonable lapse in etiquette!"

Cain’s expression didn’t shift a single millimeter, remaining as cold and unyielding as stone.

Meanwhile, a dark, long-buried ash began to ignite within Amelia’s heart, but she clenched her small fist, using every ounce of her strength to suppress it. She was trying to move on; she had absolutely no use for those toxic, poisoned memories anymore.

"I am far above them now," she told herself in a fierce internal dialogue. "I must focus on my new life first and stop dwelling on a distant past that time has already buried."

Cain remained silent for a long moment, deliberately sipping his tea with a deeply provocative calmness. Finally, he threw out a cold, sharp question: "How deep is your knowledge and mastery over the Star Element?"

Sweat poured down the man’s face as he drowned in his own anxiety, but he desperately gathered his wits, forcing his voice to sound confident as he replied: "I know an immense deal, Great Master! You can rest completely assured that I will be a thoroughly efficient and perfect mentor for the young Mistress. In fact, my expertise and research far transcend the knowledge of the previous Star Empress herself!"

A dead silence fell over the room.

At that exact moment, Amelia felt a raging urge to leap across the table, rip his face apart, and beat him to death. She forced herself to take a deep breath, fighting to keep her composure.

Yet, it seemed the man had no intention of shutting up. Eager to flatter Cain even further, he leaned forward and whispered in a sly, malicious tone: "Would you like to know a secret, Master Cain? In truth... that previous Star Empress was nothing but a complete fraud. She was plundering my theses and scientific research, claiming them as her own for her entire life!"

Hearing this, Amelia was on the absolute verge of exploding from sheer, unadulterated rage and utter bewilderment at his boundless audacity!