Dark Dad's Rebirth - Chapter 10. The Real Aria (11)
Chapter 10. The Real Aria (11)
* * *
Aria’s face was covered in tears and mucus. Caelius wordlessly patted her stomach and then gently brushed her hair back, tucking the unruly strands behind her ears. He wiped her puffy eyes and used a handkerchief from his bosom to tidy up her nose, treating her with care and tenderness.
“Go ahead.”
Aria shook her head.
“Come on.”
“Dad no.”
How was she supposed to dance in front of someone she wanted to impress? It was impossible, dead or alive. Then Caelius clicked his tongue in a soft voice.
“It’s rebellion time.”
A rebel. Perhaps he acted out a bit this time, but he’s always been a good listener.
Aria looked up at Caelius, startled and indignant. Her eyes were wide with tears, making her vision blurry. Caelius wiped her eyes again and spoke casually.
I have heard from vassals that when daughters grow up, they stop listening to their fathers, and they may even refuse to obey them.
Aria grumbled and pouted.
I suppose my daughter is not an exception.
“That’s not, uh, no.”
Caelius did not respond. Instead, he gently caressed her face. Although the corners of her eyes were still damp and red, she appeared to be in better shape than before.
After a moment of crying, Aria opened her arms to him.
“Dad, give me a hug.”
Caelius complied with Aria’s request and embraced her, letting out a weak laugh.
“Lily.”
At the sound of his voice calling her, Aria nodded instead of answering.
“I don’t know how to soothe a crying child or anything.”
Caelius picked her up and kissed the nape of her neck. He held her cheeks with affection, and Aria reciprocated by touching his cheek. Caelius kissed her as if anticipating it.
The touch was cool yet the flesh was hot between their parted lips. He moved gently as she squirmed like a rabbit in a trap. Their tongues tangled and their saliva mingled as Aria’s hands tightened around Caelius, grasping the collar of his shirt.
Aria gasped and wrapped her arms around his neck. Caelius gently pulled back his lips when he noticed her distress and whispered, “What’s wrong? What do you want to tell me?’
Aria stumbled, leaving him at a loss for words.
“What do you want from me?”
His eyes were fierce as ever, but strangely restrained. Aria was mesmerized and noticed that they were slightly lowered. It could have been just a mood.
“My, my…….”
“…….”
“I, Daddy…….”
Her hands were clasped and trembling. Caelius gently patted her back, as if to calm her.
“I love my daddy so much.”
“…….”
“I hope Daddy loves me too.”
Caelius chewed his bottom lip when he heard the words. He tightly encircled Aria in his arms.
She had to acknowledge it, even though she didn’t want to.
The white ankles from staring, the small lips pressed tightly together, the golden eyes, and the fluttering eyelashes. Caelius thought they were all quite cute.
“I don’t know how much you like me, but…”
Caelius climbed on top of Aria and pressed his body against hers. He met her eyes with a hint of emotion, his lips quivering as he searched for the right words.
They were silent for a moment before Caelius spoke.
“I love you.”
Caelius spoke concisely and directly, but he avoided eye contact with Aria. Aria was surprised by his unexpected response and looked at him with a stunned expression on her face, but he continued to look away.
“I can’t stop looking at you, and I want to hold you, and I want to kiss you, and I can’t because you’re so f*cking precious.”
He spoke unbelievable words. Aria looked at him in disbelief.
“I realize how pointlessly emotionally draining this is, but I can’t control it.”
Aria’s already large eyes widened even more than usual. Her rounded eyes reflected her surprise.
Her heart began to pound, pound, pound. With each word Caelius spoke, Aria’s heart threatened to leap out of her mouth.
“I don’t know what to do.”
“…….”
“I want to do everything you ask; I don’t want you to get hurt; I only want to bring you good things, precious things, pretty things, and…”
Caelius rambled on for a while, muttering a small damn, and then asked in frustration.
“Does my daughter?”
Aria looked up, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. She bit her lip and shuddered, crying with arrogance. Caelius weakly smiled and gently cupped her cheek.
“Why are you crying, huh?”
Despite his playful cupping of her white cheeks, Aria still had nothing but tears streaming down her face.
“Lily.”
She looked up when she heard him call her.
“Oh, are you crying because you hate me now?”
Startled, Aria quickly shook her head.
“No, it’s not that. It’s not that.”
“Then.”
“Oh, I don’t believe it. I don’t believe it.”
Aria giggled and pinched her cheeks at Caelius’ words. She was unsure if she was dreaming or if it was real. Then, the pain hit her, as if to remind her that it was real.
“hmph…….”
After a moment’s hesitation, Caelius spat out the words, which were nothing compared to the emotionless “I love you” he’d been said
“This, this not a dream…”
“It’s not a dream.”
“You’re lying. It’s a dream. “
Aria struggled to speak through her crying, her voice sounding ridiculous.
“What can I do to make you believe me?”
She felt a strange whisper in her ear and sank deeper into his arms. She wondered if the person she was holding was an illusion created by a demon.
“Can I keep telling you until you believe me?”
Aria looked up at Caelius, her mouth open like an idiot, and then her eyes crinkled into a beautiful smile.
“I love you, Lily.”
The sweet voice she’d always wanted. The loving look in his eyes. The affectionate gesture. It was the Caelius she thought she’d never see in her dreams.
She couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw him, afraid that if she did, she would wake up from her dream.
“I love you.”
“…….”
“I love you, I love you, I love you.”
Caelius’ voice rang in her ear, pleading.
“Don’t ever do this to me again.”
Aria bit down on her lip and looked up at him with watery eyes, and Caelius cupped the corners of her eyes affectionately.
“I thought I was going to lose my mind. What would happen to you?”
“You’re lying…….”
“I’m not lying.”
His voice was softer than usual. The golden eyes that stared back at him were damp with moisture and sparkled like jewels. Caelius unconsciously cupped her cheek and kissed the corner of her eye in a loving gesture. The carefulness of the gesture made Aria feel an unfamiliar stabbing sensation in her chest.
“No, you are lying.”
“Do you want me to lie?”
Aria shook her head in disbelief.
“Oh! It’s not like that; it’s not like that.”
“Then why do you keep saying it’s a lie? Hmm?”
Caelius said, pinching Aria’s cheek with a playful touch.
“Lily.”
The tiny head nodded up and down.
“I love you.”
The voice whispered once more, making Aria cry and burrow into his arms, and he laughed, his arms tightening around her waist.
“I never thought I’d feel this way, and I probably never would have if it weren’t for you.”
Aria’s shoulders shook slightly in his arms. Caelius stroked her hair with a loving touch.
She was wary of even daring to say, “I love you.”
All right, maybe she had anticipated it after he had so unexpectedly forgiven Aria after she had stared at her cuteness, and after she had subtly crawled under her skin and laughed at her.
He was afraid that his emotions would make him weak. But in the end, he had already crossed the river of no return. The child was his other half. A child that was a part of him.
He can’t help but let his emotions run wild, even though he knows they’re not right, even though he knows they’ll only get in his way.
Oh, he wonders if it’s like that every time she looks at him. He can’t help but feel a twinge of guilt as he thinks about how she must have watched him, her eyes darting from one to the other, trying to suppress his feelings all by himself.
A small, precious woman. A woman who has no one in the world but herself. She should be better than anyone else in the world. Treasure her. She may have been a liar to everyone else, but she’s never been a liar to him.
To be forgiven for all the times he’s been mean to her. He would do it slowly and properly, so she wouldn’t get the wrong idea. From that day on, Caelius would do whatever Aria wanted.
He would hang on to her every word, obsessing over the smallest details until he could force them out of her. If only she could be this happy all the time.
The tragedy came quickly.
* * *
He never faced a significant challenge in his life, regardless of the situation – be it imperial studies, swordsmanship, or court etiquette. In particular, Caelius excelled to the point that all of his instructors were left speechless.
His exceptional height, well defined features, and title of Crown Prince set him apart. Life came easily to him, and he privately considered himself the master of the world. There were moments when he exuded such confidence that everyone else seemed merely incidental.
However, the loss of Vierne brought a new and bitter taste of despair to Caelius. It was the first time he had experienced such deep and painful despair. But as in any story, conflict is an unavoidable part of the story.
The despair proved to be fleeting. Contrary to Caelius’ assumptions, he discovered that his former fiancée, Aeryn, had hidden a daughter with Imperial powers.
Without delay, Caelius made his way to the Marquise of Lestrange’s residence. Contrary to his expectations, the golden-eyed blonde he encountered had a radiance that went beyond pure coincidence.
She was just like him.
[Daughter of Caelius, bearing imperial powers].
Aria’s very existence had political significance, providing Caelius with a valuable asset. With her presence, the rallying of the troops once again seemed to fall into place effortlessly. Everything seemed to be falling into place for Caelius.
When he had sex with her for the first time, when he’d seen the blood in their first hasty connection, he hadn’t felt quite so bad. It didn’t change the fact that Aria was his daughter, his one and only, regardless of his lack of concern for her at first.
Perhaps it was her striking resemblance to him that caused him to treat her so harshly, in contrast to his lenient treatment of everyone else. It was a truly surreal experience to see a child who seemed to be a copy of his former self, yearning for his love.
Aria had no personality of her own, no obvious desires, and even her appearance mirrored his own as if she were truly half Caelius. And so days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and half a year passed…
Time flowed continuously.
The girl who had been a burden at first now held on to him so tightly that he couldn’t help but feel touched. Despite his unconventional paternal approach, Caelius genuinely cared for Aria. This, however, only deepened his obsession with the throne.