Dark Dad's Rebirth - Chapter 12. New Tools(4)

Chapter 12. New Tools (4)

Aria commanded the man to light the hallucinogenic, despite objections from both Leon and the man named Antion.

With a determined tone, she insisted, and Antion reluctantly complied. Although he expressed his agreement with Leon, Aria remained resolute.

Her intense gaze silenced any further protests. Antion lit the hallucinogenic, signaling a new beginning. At first, the effects were mild, causing mild nausea and a tingling sensation in her throat.

But as she continued, a sense of haze began to envelop her. In the haze, Aria questioned the man’s identity, and he confirmed that he was Antion Selmon, the eldest son of Count Selmon.

Antion wore a fierce expression; his behavior was far from cheerful. Aria, on the other hand, seemed to find some strange satisfaction in popping hallucinogenic pills, despite her surroundings. With each pill she consumed, the weight of her dark thoughts gradually lifted, almost like disappearing smoke. Staying awake became less of a struggle with the pills in her mouth, almost like playing a game of chess with her consciousness.

As time passed, Aria’s smile grew wider, but something was disturbing about it. Her laughter bubbled out uncontrollably, echoing around the room like a broken record. Her mind felt confused, thoughts slipping from her mind. Meanwhile, Leon watched her with a mixture of fear and concern, unable to shake his worry.

“Princess…” Leon’s voice was cautious, filled with apprehension, but Aria could only respond with hollow laughter, her attention fixed on the chess pieces before her.

“Leon, did you call for me?” Aria’s laughter rang out, incoherent and erratic. Though her face seemed more animated than usual, it was devoid of any real happiness. She had taken more than her fair share of hallucinogens. Leon bit his lip, his concern deepening as he observed her changed mental state.

“I think it’s best if you go back to…” Leon started, but Aria abruptly cut him off.

“I don’t want to,” she said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Leon fell silent, unsure how to respond to her insubordination. Aria continued, her voice tinged with resignation.

“You’ll only make me feel worse if you insist on sending me back home…”

She gave Leon a shy smile and rested her head on his shoulder. Her shimmering golden curls cascaded around her, adding a touch of elegance to her otherwise unkempt appearance.

“Ah, Antion,” she said to him, attracting his attention.

“Yes, Princess?” Antion replied, his expression a mixture of concern and uncertainty.

“These hallucinogens… they make me feel… good. Thank you,” Aria confessed, her gratitude genuine but tinged with a hint of desperation.

Antion’s emotions swirled within him, a turbulent mix that resisted easy description. He struggled to find the right words, his lips forming a bitter line.

“No, it’s…” he began, but Aria cut him off before he could finish.

“But in the future, could you supply me with these periodically?” she asked casually, her request catching Antion off guard.

His confusion was obvious as he struggled to understand her request. “Princess, are you serious?” he managed to stutter out, his nervous eyes darting between Aria and Leon.

Aria shrugged casually, her expression betraying a sense of resignation. “Don’t worry about it. I’m fading already,” she remarked cryptically, leaving Antion and Leon to contemplate her words in silence.

Antion’s concern deepened when Aria casually referred to herself as a “fading sun,” evoking a sense of pity in her eyes. However, her determination seemed unyielding as she made her request for a secret supply of hallucinogens, offering to pay double the market rate.

Despite the disapproval of both Leon and Antion, Aria pressed on, unstoppable in her pursuit.

Aria returned to the mansion with a bag filled with hallucinogens; her late arrival caused no concern among the household. As she made her way to her room, she was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“Sis?”

Aria turned to find Leria, her younger sister, trailing behind her. Ignoring her question, Aria attempted to continue on her way, but Leria persisted.

“Where have you been?”

Aria’s contempt for the question was obvious, but Leria continued, undeterred by her sister’s dismissiveness. The drug-induced pleasure began to fade in the face of Leria’s persistent interrogation, bringing Aria back to reality. Frustrated, Aria tightened her hands as she tried to enter her bedroom.

“By the way, about the Adama’s Ring…”

At the mention of Adama’s ring, Aria’s expression immediately hardened.

“My father wants me to get it back from you. Do you have it?”

Aria’s heart sank as Leria’s words hit her like a punch. The tension in her neck rose as she struggled to understand her father’s request.

“This is ridiculous. How could she have expected me to have the ring?” Aria thought bitterly. “Doesn’t she know I can’t use it? Why would he tell Leria something like that?”

Aria’s heart raced with disbelief. She had always suspected that the Leria before her was an impostor, a substitute brought in for the sole purpose of obtaining Adama’s ring.

“Are you really Leria?” Aria finally found the courage to meet her eyes, studying her facial features. Despite their similarities, there were subtle differences in her blonde hair and golden eyes. What Aria had mistaken for awkwardness now seemed like calculated arrogance.

As their eyes met, Leria’s lips curled into a smile, and her voice took on a more seductive tone.

“They’ve been fooled by an imposter for far too long,” she taunted.

Aria’s head spun at her words, and a sudden wave of dizziness washed over her.

“Why don’t you give me the ring, and I’ll play the role of your loving sister?” Leria’s voice was dripping with insincerity, her words cutting through the silence of the mansion.

“Dad thinks you’re powerless, not even worthy of our royal lineage,” Leria continued, her words tinged with cruelty.

Aria’s hands trembled with shame as she closed them tight. Leria watched her with pleasure, reveling in her discomfort.

“The servants here all gossip that I am the true princess and that you are just a pretender trying to take my place,” Leria added, her tone dripping with contempt.

“…….”

Aria felt her world crumble as Leria’s words hit her like a harsh reality she couldn’t deny. The truth in Leria’s taunts pierced her defenses, leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable.

When Leria mentioned Adama’s Ring, Aria’s sense of identity collapsed. It was as if the ground had been pulled out from under her, leaving her with nothing to hold onto but insecurity.

The memory of meeting Caelius and his supposed daughter flashed through her mind, a moment she had dismissed as a petty attempt to make her feel insecure. But now, faced with the possibility that she might be his true daughter, Aria couldn’t shake the feeling of disbelief.

The realization hit her hard. Perhaps she had been living a lie all this time. Maybe she had been denying her existence without even realizing it.

She shook her head, trying to clear the overwhelming thoughts from her mind. Her eyes fell on Leria’s shoes, noticing their pristine condition, a stark contrast to the worn-out feeling she had about herself.

“I’ve heard enough. I know what you’re going to say,” Leria continued, her tone indifferent.

Aria was speechless, unable to find the words to respond to Leria’s casual cruelty. She had always believed that she was just a copy of Leria, a mere shadow of her sister. But now, faced with the possibility that she might be more than that, Aria couldn’t help but question everything she thought she knew about herself.

“I’ll give the ring to your father tomorrow. Just go and get it,” Aria ended abruptly, leaving her to deal with the disturbing truths that had been laid before her.

* * *

As the morning light filtered through the windows, Aria hurried to Caelius’ office, intending to give Adama’s ring as requested. However, upon reaching the doorway, she paused, recognizing Leria’s voice within.

“Dad, can I join you for breakfast today?” Leria’s voice carried through the door, tinged with a hint of happiness.

Caelius replied casually, his laugh echoing faintly. “If it pleases you,” he replied.

Aria hesitated for a moment, weighing her options before deciding to proceed. She raised her hand and knocked on the door, getting permission from Caelius to enter. Pushing open the heavy wooden door, she found Leria sitting on the couch, engrossed in a book.

“Sister, you’re here!” Leria greeted her cheerfully, but Aria ignored her, crossing the room to where Caelius sat.

With a determined gesture, Aria handed Adama’s ring to her father, who accepted it without much ado before handing it directly to Leria. A wave of unfamiliar emotion washed over Aria as she watched the scene unfold, a glimmer of hope that perhaps Leria had made this decision on her own.

“Try it on,” Caelius instructed. His tone was casual.

Leria’s face lit up with excitement as she slid the ring onto her finger and thanked her father enthusiastically. Aria remained rooted to the spot, watching the scene with a mixture of disbelief and concern. She couldn’t bring herself to accept the possibility that Leria might have the power to wield the ring, fearing what it would mean for her own identity.