Dark Dad's Rebirth - Chapter 12. New Tools(8)

Chapter 12. New Tools (8)

* * *

“Princess.”

When a knock echoed through the room, Aria’s eyes shifted lazily to the door. She couldn’t tell if she was in a dream or reality.

“Lord Berha has arrived,” the maid announced.

In her foggy mind, Aria struggled to make sense of the maid’s words. Her mind fixated on one thought: Berha.

Leon Berha. The man who delivered hallucinogens. Psychedelics. Something to ease the pain. Aria’s thoughts danced in a disjointed procession.

“Leon…” Aria mouthed his name and tried to get up from the bed, but her body rebelled. The room spun, disorienting her, and she was unable to steady herself. Realizing her weakness, Aria urged, “Bring Leon here…”

The maid hesitated, clearly surprised by the request. Inviting a stranger into the bedroom was highly unusual.

“Princess, are you saying I should bring Berha Youngsik to your room?” the maid repeated in disbelief, understandably confused by the request. This wasn’t the drawing room or the living room; it was her bedroom.

“Please… hurry,” Aria insisted weakly.

Aria struggled to catch her breath, desperately clinging to the fraying edges of her mind. Sensing a quiver in her voice, the maid dared to ask a question.

“Princess, are you feeling sick?” she asked gently, but Aria was in no mood for such attentiveness.

“Stop asking questions and go get Leon,” Aria snapped sharply, her tone cutting through the air. The maid, taken by surprise by the sudden hostility, backed away to get Leon out of the living room.

Her suspicions of Berha and thoughts of Caelius’ betrayal had faded with the hallucinogen’s dissipating smoke, leaving only a sense of urgency.

* * *

The door opened, and a familiar figure stepped into the dimly lit room.

“Princess,” the voice called out softly, and Aria, lying on the bed like a wilted flower, suddenly sat up, her eyes widening.

“Leon!”

Politeness forgotten, she simply mouthed his name, her desperation obvious.

“I’m running low on hallucinogens.”

The words slipped out; whether meant for herself or the conversation, Aria couldn’t tell. Her eyes swept anxiously around the room, then back to Leon, silently pleading for more.

Only three days had passed, but Aria’s condition had worsened beyond description. She seemed even more broken than before, like a fragile doll about to fall apart at the slightest touch.

The realization brought a small smile to Leon’s lips, impossible to hide.

“Princess…….”

A soft voice, feigning pity, spoke up.

“You’ve transformed quite a bit in the last few days.”

Leon struggled to hide his laughter, finally snorting before breaking into a complete laugh.

“Haha… ha…”

Aria remained unaware of his taunts, her only focus being on getting the hallucinogenic pills as quickly as possible.

“Hurry up. Just give me the pills, please.”

Unaware of the contempt in Leon’s manner, she pleaded urgently.

“The high and mighty Caelius blood is not worth much.”

Clutching the hem of his shirt, Aria looked pathetic, causing Leon to pull a handful of psychedelics out of his pocket. She eagerly reached for them, panting like a starving animal.

“Oh, Lily’s medicine…!”

“And what’s the Archduke doing allowing you to indulge in this?” Leon chuckled and ran his fingers through Aria’s hair.

“Father?”

“He seemed quite taken with the princess before. Are you saying he’s redirected his affections to a girl named Leria?”

Aria’s hands were shaking, a symptom of her addiction to hallucinogens. With a grunt, she popped the hallucinogen into her mouth and tried to light it, but to no avail.

“Ugh…….”

Frustration furrowed Aria’s brow as she struggled to light the hallucinogen, her trembling hands unable to do it alone. Not to be outdone, Leon lights it for her, and she eagerly inhales.

“Hah…”

The room was already thick with the hallucinogen’s pungent smoke, causing even Leon to roll his eyes upon entering. As Aria took slow, deep breaths to enjoy the effects, Leon smiled.

“I’ve increased the potency from last time. I’m sure the princess will be pleased.”

With her mind hanging by a thread, Aria soon completely snaps. She no longer even recognizes the person in front of her as Leon. Lost in a haze of memories, she struggles to distinguish between dreams and reality, between her past life and her present one.

She pushes away the memories she instinctively wants to forget, all to free herself from the suffocating presence of Caelius. All that remains are the happier moments she shared with him.

Noticing Aria’s troubled expression, Leon gently touches her cheek. His warmth contrasts with the cold smile playing on his lips, and Aria offers a wry smile, her cheeks flushed with warmth.

“Daddy…….”

He wondered if she’d mistaken him for Caelius.

“Daddy…….”

Leon hesitated for a moment when Aria called out to him, calling him “Daddy. He couldn’t make out the nature of her hallucination, but the mention of Caelius made him uneasy. With a blurry smile, Aria stretched out her arms, inviting him for a hug.

“Daddy, give me a hug.”

Though he sensed something was wrong, Leon couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He cautiously accepted Aria’s embrace, holding her gently as she nestled into his arms. Aria’s fragile form rested against his, and he gently patted her back. With a contented smile, Aria wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Daddy…”

Her voice sounded husky and tense, but there was a longing in it that made Leon pause.

“I want to feel loved.”

Leon bit his lip, his brow furrowing as she pondered her words.

“Please listen to me.”

“…….”

“Don’t leave me…”

Leon’s heart sank when he heard these words. Did the Grand Duke usually call the princess Lily?

“Lily…”

Leon silently tried out the nickname. Aria giggled in response, seemingly unaware of his confusion.

“Uhhhh. Did you call me Lily?”

It struck him as odd that she didn’t recognize him, yet she smiled and responded as if pleased by the name. An uncomfortable feeling swirled in Leon’s stomach as he met her drugged gaze.

He should have felt pleased, as he was getting closer to his goal. Instead, he felt an unsettling unease, like he had stepped into murky waters.

“Is that how the Grand Duke usually addresses you?” Leon muttered softly, and Aria, still gazing at him, tilted her head. She didn’t seem to grasp his question.

“It’s strange. You’re so different from the Grand Duke I knew.”

“Huh? Lily doesn’t know…”

Aria narrowed her eyes at Leon. He didn’t look like Caelius, but she couldn’t tell the difference. It just felt warm and good to be in someone’s arms, and she giggled.

“Daddy, kiss me.”

Then she giggled and pouted her lips. Leon’s face hardened at Aria’s behavior.

Something…… strange. She’s been leaning into him since earlier, begging him to kiss her. ……

“Give me a hug, huh?”

“Aren’t you already hugging me already?”

“Not this one.”

Her tiny lips twitched as she spoke.

“You said… like this.”

Every time she opened her mouth, an unknown fear alerted Leon. As if he had to cover her mouth.

“Lily only eats daddy’s d*ck and says it’s his.”

And in the afterword, Leon finally understood what she had been feeling.

It wasn’t the father-daughter bond she craved.

* * *

“Your Highness……!”

Caelius’ office door suddenly swung open, surprising him.

“What’s the matter?”

The visitor turned out to be Aria’s personal maid. A wave of unexplained anxiety washed over him, making his heart race and his hand tremble as he clutched his pen.

“There’s something unusual about Princess Aria.”

Caelius frowned, confused.

“What do you mean?”

“She took the Berha elixir to her bedroom.”

At these words, Caelius’ hold on his quill loosened and it slipped from his hand.