Dark Dad's Rebirth - Chapter 11. Staggered Times (4)
Chapter 11. Staggered Times (4)
“Your Highness Archduke Wittelsbach, I will host the banquet and attend to the princess. The knights of Berha will escort her home, and I will ensure her safety.”
“……”
“So I would be grateful if you would allow me to spend a little more time with the princess.”
After Leon finished speaking, a heavy silence fell over the terrace. Caelius was the only one who kept his eyes on Leon intensely.
Aria found it hard to breathe. She looked at Caelius and felt as if someone was strangling her, as if she were facing the Grim Reaper, who had come to steal her breath.
Even though she thought Leon Berja was inscrutable, he was reduced to an herbivore, like an elk about to be hunted. Caelius looked at them with his cold, black eyes.
Aria and Leon remained silent, hoping desperately that Caelius would turn around and leave.
A heavy silence lingered, as hard and precarious as walking on a knife’s edge until a low, hushed voice filled the terrace.
“I didn’t know that you and my daughter were so close.”
Aria swallowed and looked at Caelius. He faced her and looked at her.
“Your daughter is my…”
“She’s ……?”
“I’ve never met a woman so simple as her,” Leon said.
Caelius’s voice returned to its normal tone. Aria thought he was angry. She looked up at him distantly, as if she had suddenly relaxed.
“Be back in time, Caelius said.
“Ah…….”
As she watched him, he was about to leave. Surprisingly, while obeying, Aria blurted out something stupid. Leon cleared his throat and looked at Caelius, not admitting that he was out of breath.
“And you….…?”
“…….”
“So you’re about to become a Marquis,” Caelius said.
“Yes, soon…” was Leon’s response.
Leon nervously lowered himself again as the conversation suddenly shifted to him.
“In advance, let me congratulate you,” Caelius said.
Caelius held out his hand with a smile. Leon hesitated briefly before shaking it and bowing his head.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Leon replied, his voice trembling.
“Yes, I will see you often.”
For a moment, his words seemed strange. Although his voice was calm, his grip on Caelius’ hand was so tight that Leon had to fight back a groan through the thin flesh in his mouth.
‘What kind of evil power is this?’ Leon thought.
He managed to suppress a groan, but his expression was impossible to hide. His brow furrowed, and his mouth tightened into a stern line.
Leon was a skilled knight, known for his exceptional swordsmanship. However, in the presence of Caelius, who wore a carefree smile and seemed capable of crushing Leon’s hand effortlessly, all of Leon’s skills seemed insignificant.
Leon groaned at the power disparity and narrowed his eyes as Caelius released his hand.
“If anything happens to my only daughter, you are solely responsible.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The captured hand twitched in an alarming resemblance to a rat. Caelius looked back and forth between Aria and Leon with a puzzled expression before turning and disappearing from the terrace. After he left, Leon grabbed his throbbing hand and winced.
“Haha…….”
“I apologize, Leon. I hope I did not bother you by calling your name out of the blue. “
Aria apologized to Leon.
Leon replied, “I would have helped you even if you didn’t ask for my help.”
“I’m sorry, really sorry. I didn’t expect my dad to come to look for me like this either.”
“By the way, did you two fight?”
“Yes”
Aria responded, confused by the question.
“It seems like things have been a bit different than they used to be.”
Aria’s expression darkened upon hearing that.
Leon apologized, saying, “I’m sorry, I was being presumptuous,” and he sank down on the outdoor couch. He added, “But this is really interesting.
“What?”
Aria furrowed her brow upon hearing, “It’s the first time I’ve ever seen the Archduke care about someone that much.”
“Cared about?”
“I’m sure you know that the Grand Duke doesn’t waste time on trivial matters.”
“…”
“And then, why did the Archduke come to pick you up?”
Leon looked amused.
“The warrior I encountered on the battlefield was so ruthless that I couldn’t believe he was really… It’s like he didn’t have any emotions at all.”
Aria had never seen Caelius on the battlefield before, despite being by his side for many years.
“I don’t think any of us expected to find something good in a person like him.”
Aria nodded. She observed Leon, who suddenly appeared wistful.
“I see.”
“I’m sure you’re feeling it a bit right now.”
Aria tilted her head at Leon’s meaningful words.
“Feeling what?”
However, Leon did not respond with his usual smile. Instead, he kept his mouth closed, and his expression appeared to be strangely dark.
“Feeling hungry?”
Aria spoke out to Leon once more. Suddenly, he smiled and put on his usual expression.
“I apologize; I was distracted by your presence.”
Leon glanced at Aria, causing her to feel uneasy.
She wondered if it was just his mood.
Leon’s cheeks were blushing, resembling a boy in love for the first time. She had seen this expression many times before, and it reminded her of the same look Caelius had when she first arrived at the mansion.
* * *
“You’re late.”
Caelius’ voice was the first thing Aria heard as she entered her room. A low voice with anger written all over it. Aria remained casual despite knowing that Caelius was angry.
“Are you still awake?”
“Can a father rest easy knowing his daughter is at an all-boys banquet and won’t return until nearly midnight?”
His words did not match the tone of his voice. Aria couldn’t help but mock him with a twitch of her lips.
“Since when have you been such a caring father?”
She said it sarcastically. She wished she hadn’t spat the words out, but it was too late.
Caelius said nothing; he just stared at her. His jet-black eyes blended into the darkness of the room, like a beast waiting for its prey. She felt a chill down her spine as he looked at her, causing her to nervously chew her lip.
“I’ll ask you one more time.”
“…….”
“What’s wrong with you?”
Aria said nothing and threw off her coat.
“I’m tired; I want to rest.”
With that, she untied her hair and casually headed to the bathroom. She purposely didn’t even glance at him, who was sitting on her bed.
She spent a long time in the bathroom, and when she came out, he was still there. Eventually, Aria, who had gotten ready for bed, waved him out of the way. Unsurprisingly, he did not move.
But Aria wasn’t about to back down.
“I’m going to sleep now.”
Aria stubbornly turned her back on him and slipped under the blanket.
Caelius laughed in amusement.
“Aria”
She heard a faint voice calling out to her. However, she purposely kept her eyes closed and did not respond.
“Answer me.”
“…….”
“Aria.”
Caelius leaned in when there was no response. He expected to smell the familiar scent of her body. However, he only caught a faint odor of alcohol. His expression hardened for a moment.
“Have you been drinking?”
“No.”
“I’m asking, have you been drinking?”
“Do I have to report everything I do?”
An impatient Aria spoke nervously.
“I am a grown woman.”
Her lowered golden eyelashes fluttered. Aria looked at Caelius with a look of annoyance on her face.
“I’m going to sleep; I’m really tired.”
“What did you do at the banquet?”
Caelius interrupted Aria and expressed his frustration.
“You came back so late. I hope everything went well.”
“Ha…….”
Aria let out an irritated breath, unfazed, though there was annoyance in her voice.
“There’s no reason for me to tell you everything.”
“Why, did that as$h*le s*ck your p*ssy or something?”
“Dad!”
Aria widened her eyes at the crudeness of the words and looked at him.
“Stop talking nonsense and go away.”
“I think it’s you who’s talking nonsense, not me.”
“…….”
“When did you become so close to this, Berha?”
Caelius’ tone was threatening, like a predator baring its teeth. Aria tightened her grip on the blankets. However, he gently ran his fingers through her hair, smoothing the tangled strands back into place. Despite Aria’s tension, Caelius appeared relaxed in both facial expression and body language.
“You seemed quite comfortable. Did you spread your legs with that as$h*le?”
Insulted, Aria bit her lip hard.
“Can’t you answer?”
“Did you sleep with him?”
“He appears to be s*x*ally aroused.”
For a moment, Aria’s eyebrows twitched in amusement at the unusually bitter tone. Caelius continued in a low voice.
“So, what about my daughter crying over being f*cked by that bastard?”
The room was silent, tense as if waiting for an angry response. Aria chose to remain quiet, deciding he wasn’t worth the trouble. Caelius impatiently broke the silence.
“Please tell me why you are doing this.”
“Why…?”
Aria’s harsh voice made Caelius tighten his hand in frustration. He didn’t like this situation at all.