Dark Dad's Rebirth - Chapter 14. Madness (10)

Chapter 14. Madness (10)

“If you’re angry, if you have a complaint, you might as well hit me,” Aria said, frustrated by his refusal to let her go. Despite her determination, he remained stubborn and showed no signs of changing his mind, crushing any hope she held.

She wanted him to stay and be the person he once was, but he remained indifferent and unresponsive. Aria clenched her hands until her knuckles were white. She felt a stabbing pain in her heart that matched the pain in her palms.

Caelius leaned over Aria. She did not recognize him. This added to her anger, making the situation even more annoying.

Caelius acted as though he would die for her. However, she hated him as much as she hated the child growing in her womb.

* * *

“I’ve done some research, and it seems that the Marquis of Berha is not the only one involved. The papers also show that Count Selmon’s eldest son is involved,” Caelius said, flipping through the papers. As he flipped through the papers, Caelius experienced a sudden headache, causing Goshen to express concern with a soft groan.

“Your Highness, are you feeling alright?”

Caelius impatiently swallowed the medication he had prepared. He took the pills from the drawer. Goshen sighed with regret.

“Wouldn’t you rather avoid taking those sleeping pills?”

Goshen expressed concern, but Caelius ignored it with a wave of his hand and swallowed the pills.

“Done,” he said.

“One…”

The war left Caelius with not only physical wounds but also deep emotional scars that may haunt him forever.

Amidst the chaos of the battlefield, surrounded by the cries of countless knights and the sight of blood and gruesome corpses, Caelius became numb to stimulation beyond what most could handle.

If normal experiences were rated at a stimulation level of 10, the war had pushed him to a stunning 100, an intensity of experience that could never be matched again.

Experiencing intense stimulation can make life seem dull in comparison.

Caelius stared blankly at the papers with distracted eyes. The papers listed details about familiar faces.

“Leon Berja and Antion Selmon, right?” Caelius confirmed.

“Yes, that’s correct,” came the reply.

They were the ones who had supplied Aria with the hallucinogens.

Caelius felt guilty for leading her to seek the pills herself. He needed someone to blame, so he turned his anger on Leon and Antion to ease his guilt.

“I will retract all the investments made with Count Selmon. regarding the Marquess of Berha.”

Feeling overwhelmed by the deals and negotiations he was trying to juggle, he stopped speaking. He shuffled through his papers, and at that moment, Goschen interrupted him.

“The knights of Wittelsbach are in charge of guarding the Marquis of Berha,” Goschen informed him.

“Ah, I see,” Caelius responded wearily.

Caelius raised his eyebrows and tapped his fingertips on the desk. He seemed to be following a script.

It was unusual for a wealthy nobleman from a major city to be escorted by knights from another house instead of his own. The Marquis of Berha faced a significant issue despite his wealth.

He did not have a strong military.

The Marquis was skilled in business but could not train knights. Their family was known for trade, not warfare, resulting in low military strength.

The majority of the Marquis’s knights were for show, with Leon being the only skilled swordsman. However, as the heir to the family, he couldn’t be the top escort, so the Marquisate paid other families for their escorts.

He considered canceling the escort, but other houses were willing to take Wittelsbach’s place for the job. He paused, remembering his business in the Marquisate of Berha, which made him smile.

“And then there’s Levin Tea.”

Levin Tea is renowned on the Northern Continent for its exceptional calming properties. However, due to the region’s isolation, the company has been reluctant to expand its market beyond its borders.

Most families, including the Archduchesses of Wittelsbach, had stopped trading with the North. Consequently, this change had a significant impact on the economy.

The Marquis of Berha was the only trader in the empire who successfully conducted business with the North. Levin Tea marked the beginning of trade between the North and the Empire. Therefore, the importation of Levin Tea was a significant event, as noted by the imperial court.

The Marquis of Berha achieved something commendable by introducing the Empire to unfamiliar customs through a new cultural exchange. It was the first step towards a broader exchange. This exchange could lead to further contact and the importation of other goods from the northern continent.

Caelius remained expressionless as he looked at the papers in front of him, considering the Levin Tea case. Despite his seemingly sweet black eyes, he showed no emotion.

A low voice broke the silence of the office.

“Perhaps you’ll know it when your business collapses,” it said.

Caelius clicked his tongue quietly.

“Was it only the tea leaves from the north?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“I will release some bugs onto the tea leaves. We will send them out as excellent escorts when the Marquis of Berha visits the North,” declared Caelius.

Goshen paused at Caelius’ order. He asked, “Do you mean the kitebugs?”

The kitebug was a common pest in the Empire, often infesting stale grain or dried grass and causing trouble for the common people.

“Yeah. They breed quickly, so we only need to release a few,” Caelius explained.

Goshen appeared nervous this time. He usually agreed with everything.

He had good reason to be concerned.

“Your Majesty, if this sparks a diplomatic issue with the Northern Continent, we may need to reconsider.”

Goshen started, worried about the potential consequences.

The Empire’s trade relations with the North were delicate. Any interruption could lead to tensions between the nations, which might result in the loss of trade with the Marquisate of Berha. Caelius responded in a monotone voice, as if he had anticipated this objection.

“That won’t be an issue. The journey from the cold northern continent to the hot empire isn’t favorable for the bugs to thrive,” Caelius explained, showcasing an unexpectedly deep understanding of the Northern Continent’s climate.

Goshen, momentarily surprised, recalled Caelius’s past experiences fighting in the wars of the Northern Continent and bowed his head.

“I’ll follow your orders,” Goshen responded obediently.

* * *

Caelius entered Aria’s bedroom and looked at her sleeping form for a long time. Lately, she had been verbally abusive towards him, and her eyes had lost their spark. However, as she slept peacefully, she appeared angelic.

“If she’s an angel, then she’s an angel,” he mused.

He once believed she would give him the throne and bring salvation. She was his angel. But now, she feels like a cruel angel suffocating him.

“What if… what if…” he thought to himself.

-“Would you renounce the imperial title if I asked you to?”

‘She asked me to give up everything,’ he thought.

‘This included the Grand Ducal and imperial titles. She wanted me to leave and hide in a small town in the south, away from prying eyes. That’s what she wanted me to do.’

Her words stayed with him. The younger Caelius was stunned at the idea of living without power, something he had never considered. But the present-day Caelius found his voice and spoke with determination.

“I surrender.”

However, he was unsure if this was the answer Aria wanted.

“The Grand Duchy, the imperial throne, everything. I give up everything you want,” he said, trembling. The tremble was not due to regret for giving up the power, but rather a tremble of fear in the hope that this was still the answer Aria was looking for.

“So please, don’t ask me to let go of you.”