Dark Dad's Rebirth - Chapter 11. Staggered Times (3)
Chapter 11. Staggered Times (3)
* * *
“Where are you going?”
“It’s a dinner banquet hosted by Lord Berha.” Goshen avoided eye contact with Caelius as he spoke. Caelius had been tense lately, unaware of the possible consequences of disturbing the wrong alliances. In this context, the message Goshen was about to deliver seemed like the perfect spark.
Goshen kept his head down and avoided direct eye contact with Caelius. The room was filled with the rhythmic tapping of Caelius’s fingers on his desk, creating a heavy silence that conveyed his mood.
‘I have warned you enough times not to associate with that Berha bastard.’
Caelius wondered how far Aria was willing to go to ignore his words. She had changed from the once-obedient Aria into an uncontrollable force. Caelius sighed in disappointment and began rubbing his forehead as if he had a headache.
“Who is attending the banquet?”
“The main attendees are the Earl of Aval, the Marquis of Bethony, and Viscount Alton.”
Goshen was well aware of Caelius’ preferences and responded by listing only the “lords” he could face. Aria’s age was not his concern.
“Why is my daughter causing so much trouble?”
Caelius spoke softly, but his eyes revealed anger. Goshen nodded, acknowledging the tension in the room.
He asked, “Is this a request for a ride?”
Caelius stood up from his seat, leaving his pen behind.
He said, “Just a moment.”
Caelius was not his usual self.
* * *
“Princess Wittelsbach……!”
She turned her head at the familiar voice, finding Leon standing there with a shy expression.
“I wasn’t expecting you, Princess, and you have no idea how happy I was to receive your positive reply.”
He smiled politely and escorted her out. Aria suppressed the urge to curl her lip and offered an innocent smile.
“Thank you for inviting me. I’ll show your seat.”
Leon smiled with pleasure, despite her attempt to downplay it. The ballroom was filled with nobles, as expected, who seemed to be close to Leon. Aria naturally felt uneasy due to her isolation from the group.
She drank her champagne alone and munched on finger food until Leon, who had been watching her closely, spoke.
“Princess.”
He whispered in her ear, his voice barely audible.
“Ah, Leon.”
“Are you feeling uncomfortable?”
“No.”
“I apologize if my invitation caused any discomfort. Thank you for attending the event.”
“Of course not; thank you for the invitation.”
During the banquet, Aria felt like an outsider. Leon noticed her discomfort and furrowed his brow apologetically while maintaining his bright smile.
“Why don’t you take a break on the terrace for a while?”
“Will you accompany me?”
“Of course.”
Leon laughed and held out his left hand. Aria took it without hesitation and led the way to the terrace. The evening air, still a bit cold, blew between them. Aria shivered slightly, and Leon anticipated it by taking off his coat and putting it over her.
“Put it on,” he said to the princess.
She replied with a simple “thank you.”
Aria accepted it without hesitation. Leon smiled, and when their eyes met, Aria swallowed hard, biting her lower lip as she cursed the growing awkwardness.
‘Why did you betray my father?’
‘He was the one who betrayed them—the traitor, the Emperor’s accomplice. Aria looked at Leon’s
An uncomfortable silence fell between them. They were not close, to begin with, so it was natural that they would feel uneasy alone. The silence lingered for a few more moments before Leon broke it.
“This terrace is my favorite part of the house.”
Aria stared at him, unsure of what he was trying to convey.
“When I stand here, I can see the night sky reflected in the pond.”
Following Leon’s gesture, Aria looked down and saw the pond at the center of the Marquis’s gardens. The night sky sparkled with countless stars above it, just as he had said it would. Aria loved the night sky, with stars that looked like jewels in the darkness.
Whenever she looked at the night sky, she couldn’t help but think of Caelius.
She wondered what he was doing right now.
She wondered if he would be upset with her for attending the Marquis de Berha’s banquet on such short notice.
‘No, I don’t think he’d be upset.’
She hoped she wouldn’t be abandoned. A bitter sob escaped her lips, and then Leon shook his head and looked at Aria.
Aria stayed silent.
“Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“A little.”
Aria nodded, unable to help herself. Leon looked at her with wide eyes. He felt a little embarrassed by her unusually honest answer.
“I apologize.”
Leon caught Aria’s attention with a casual glance.
“I…”
“…”
“I don’t know why you’re being so nice to me.”
Aria’s fake smile unraveled as she said, ‘He’s going to betray us anyway.’ She chewed her lip and twisted her brow as Leon glanced at her and spoke softly.
“At first, it was out of respect for His Highness, the Archduke. I was also fascinated by the fact that you are the daughter of a man who was once called a warrior. However, now I realize that…”
“…”
“And now I feel strangely liked and attracted to you too.”
Leon shuddered. His cheeks were flushed and his lips pursed like an adolescent boy.
He lied. Aria thought of the disgusting, candy-coated words of a traitor. For Aria, Leon’s words were nothing more, nothing less.
“What if we had succeeded without Leon’s betrayal? What if we had succeeded? What would have happened? Would we both be happy? Would he have been emperor? Would I have been at his side, feeling the ecstasy of love I had dreamed of for so long?”
“I don’t like the food.”
She unconsciously spat out the words. Leon widened his eyes at the obvious rejection in her voice. However, she didn’t say anything else, nor did she ask why or scold her.
“I’m sorry.”
He bowed to her. The gesture appeared obedient, but it only made Aria more suspicious.
“Perhaps I have been overthinking myself and making you uncomfortable.”
“…….”
“I…….”
Leon paused, pursing his lips.
“I really… have a crush on the princess.”
“Really, why?”
“So if I ever do anything that you don’t like or that you think is not to your liking, I’d appreciate it if you’d just tell me.”
Leon smiled awkwardly and looked up at Aria.
“When it comes to the princess, I’ll correct everything.”
“Same old charade,” Aria’s eyes remained cold, though the corners of her mouth curled into a faint smile. Leon gently squeezed.
“I don’t want you to hate me.”
“…….”
“I’ll try, whatever it is.”
The urgent voice of a servant came from between them.
“Master, Caelius is in the lobby now…”
Leon stiffened at the interruption of their private time. Then he braced himself for the next words.
“His Highness, the Archduke of Wittelsbach, is here.”
Leon wasn’t the only one who was surprised by the news. Aria was surprised as well, unable to control her expression and stupidly asking, “Who’s here?”
“Who’s here now?”
“His Highness, the Archduke of Wittelsbach, is here to see you go.”
“My Dad? What for? For me?”
Her heart raced again. He’d picked her up a few times in the past for a little flirtation, but not now. The blood in her veins went cold. An unfamiliar emotion throbbed within her. It wasn’t just feelings for Caelius.
“Why, why, why, why, why me?”
She froze at the sound of the name, for it came from another. Caelius von Wittelsbach.
‘Caelius, Caelius, Caelius…….’
The man from her fevered past. In the past, she was clearly in love with Caelius; she loved him, she begged him blindly, and she couldn’t imagine a life without him. And so it was. She had wished for him, even in her last moments of foolish betrayal.
But that was when there was only Caelius in her world.
Now that she’s lived another life and returned once more, Aria’s world has never been all about him.
‘It’s not the same, I don’t want to be the same…….’
She doesn’t want to live that life again, where she’s rejected, where she’s thirsty for his affection, where she can only look at his back, even when she’s being tossed aside like a devoted dog. Aria’s complexion turned white. Then Leon, sensing something was wrong, rushed to her aid and asked.
“Princess, are you all right? Your complexion is not……”
Leon stuttered, worried about Aria. But his words were barely audible to Aria’s ears.
“Don’t let Caelius get to me.”
Aria tightened her hands. She spoke each word slowly, trying to hide the slight quiver in her voice.
“Please tell him to go back.”
“What?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll get back on my own…….”
Before Aria could finish her sentence, the terrace curtains were pulled back with a merciless flick. Caelius was standing there.
His ice-cold eyes and tight mouth set in a fierce line, he looked too much like a man to be greeting his daughter. His brow wrinkled slightly as he watched Aria fall into Leon’s arms. It was a slight change, too slight for anyone else to notice.
“I was wondering what you were up to since you’ve been hanging out in places you’ve never been before.”
“…….”
The voice mocked, “I didn’t think you were up for your usual love games.”
Aria dropped her shoulders.
“Sword of the Empire, meet His Highness Caelius von Wittelsbach.”
After Caelius appeared suddenly, Leon quickly and skillfully greeted him by bowing his head. However, Caelius remained looking at Aria.
He walked over to her on his long legs and held out his hand.
“Come here.”
“…….”
“I told you, that’s all I’m willing to do for you, bitch.”
Everything she does is just nothing for him. Aria’s expression broke as she realized that.
‘I want to be loved and accepted like everyone else. I don’t want to be hurt anymore. I am frustrated and angry that my efforts to move on from my past and let go of my feelings for him are being rejected as nothing more than an ” excuse”.
Aria tightly held onto the hem of Leon’s shirt.
“……Dad.”
“…….”
“I’ll stay a little longer, and I’ll be back in time.”
Caelius’s hand floated in the air as Aria refused. He relaxed and slowly closed his outstretched hand into a fist, took a step closer to Aria, and then spoke.
There are many observers.
A cautionary warning not to cross the line in the presence of so many observers. Despite this warning, Aria’s eyes widened with fear.
She was well aware of him. If Caelius had his way, it would be effortless to pull her out. Leon’s grip on his hand tightened as if he were seeking assistance. Sensing that something was wrong, he stood up and looked at Aria.
Just as he was about to reach out to her, Aria’s eyes narrowed and her grip on Leon’s hand tightened.
“Leon……!”
She always called him Berha Youngsik. They were fine, but Aria was determined to ask for the fox’s help to avoid the tiger in the room.
“Oh, you mentioned something about giving me a gift, didn’t you?”
Aria’s golden eyes looked teary. She looked at Leon as if she might burst into tears if he touched her. Leon blushed at the sudden change in Aria’s behavior and nodded.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Hmm.”
Caelius smiled and shook his head. Leon gently took Aria into his arms and spoke.