Dark Dad's Rebirth - Chapter 14. Madness (11)

Chapter 14. Madness (11)

Caelius gently clasped Aria’s sleeping hand. He felt weak.

The first time he bowed to her, he did so with sincerity and a touch of arrogance. However, now there is no trace of arrogance in him.

The man who made history on the battlefield now appears humble and unassuming. He has changed from his previous self.

Caelius felt a slight movement in Aria’s hand and looked up to check on her. Time seemed to blur. He noticed her closed eyelids fluttering, revealing her golden eyes.

“Lily,” he whispered.

Silence greeted him.

“Let’s go south,” he continued unexpectedly.

Aria narrowed her eyes at his words.

“I’m willing to give up everything for you. We’ll leave for the south and live a happy life, just the two of us, away from everyone,” he promised.

Caelius was becoming impatient. He spoke quickly and clearly.

“Let’s have your favorite cat or dog and act as if all this imperial throne drama never happened. If there’s anything else you want, I’ll give it to you. Please, Lily.”

Caelius’s sudden action took Aria by surprise, but he saw no reason to hesitate when he noticed the hollowness on her face.

I suggest leaving next week and finding a house in the south. It would be nice to have a white Persian cat. We can also look for a place near a market since you enjoy street food. I will search for a house that is not too remote.

Aria listened silently. Then she spoke up, feeling strangely cautious.

“What did you say just now?” Aria asked, puzzled.

“What do you mean?” Caelius replied.

“You said something I didn’t understand,” Aria clarified.

Caelius felt a rush of excitement at Aria’s unexpected meekness and spoke eagerly.

“I suggested that we leave for the South next week. We will find a nice house near the marketplace and live quietly; maybe even get a cat.”

“But why near the market?”

“Because you used to love fried chicken and ice cream, Lily,” Caelius explained. He shifted uncomfortably as memories stirred within him. Suddenly, he paused, realizing something was wrong.

“I don’t recall any of this,” she admitted.

He recalled a strange dream, but he disregarded it as just that—a dream. He couldn’t remember ever going to the market with Aria and enjoying such treats.

Caelius felt embarrassed when he noticed the difference. Aria looked surprised.

Tears welled in her eyes as she struggled to process the flood of emotions she was feeling.

“Are you… remembering?” she asked, her voice catching.

“What? What do you mean?” Caelius responded, confusion evident in his tone.

Caelius’ reaction disappointed Aria. However, she concealed her emotions and acted as if nothing had happened.

“Never mind,” she dismissed.

However, Caelius did not let things pass him by. He could not ignore Aria’s words, so he began to think about them.

“My memory’s returned,”

He realized that his memory had returned and wondered if he had ever lost it.

Caelius carefully reviewed his life, trying to make sense of Aria’s cryptic words. He realized that he had not lost any memories in this life.

However, deciphering Aria’s words was not important at the moment.

“Let’s prepare,” he said. He noticed Aria’s casual reaction to their plan to head south.

“Let’s start packing once we’ve sent some people away,” suggested Caelius. “We’ll need to do it quietly to avoid being noticed.”

Recently, Aria has been quite confrontational, throwing hurtful words at him as if she would rather die than follow any of Caelius’ suggestions. However, she now appears to be surprisingly agreeable.

Caelius’ mind was soothed by this small, subtle change.

Aria looked at him with gentle eyes. He assured her that he was serious.

“I’ll take you even if you resist. So don’t push yourself unnecessarily,” he said firmly.

Caelius sounded commanding, but also slightly pleading. Aria sensed his vulnerability and it moved her.

Aria pinched the back of her hand, questioning if she was still dreaming. The pain felt real, yet it was hard to believe that Caelius had said those words.

“Everything I’ve seen from you lately has been unreal,” she muttered.

Aria felt a sense of something different. She had longed for this life since her past life, which made it all the more surreal. It was as if something she had yearned for had been handed to her in an empty way.

Aria was momentarily seduced by the offer and foolishly imagined a life in the South with Caelius.

Aria imagined a warm, snow-free South decorated with roses. She also imagined a cozy home filled with the presence of a large dog and a small cat and a simple, peaceful life.

Occasionally, she envisioned traveling with Caelius to escape from the demands of the throne and the allure of power. With the possibility of a child on the way, perhaps they should plan for a future with three instead of two.

Aria had dreamed of it countless times before, so it was not difficult to picture.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, catching her by surprise.

Caelius rushed over to wipe away her tears, but they continued to fall.

Aria wailed softly, clutching her stomach as a flood of thoughts and emotions overwhelmed her.

Aria couldn’t tell whether her tears were of joy, sadness, or regret as the future she had envisioned countless times became a reality, soon to be within her grasp.

Despite Caelius’s repeated confessions of love and his apologies and pleas for forgiveness, Aria had remained dry-eyed. However, now she felt like a drop of water in a long period of drought.

Caelius watched Aria silently. He felt a pang of regret at the obvious change in Aria’s reaction to simply letting go of the scepter. He wished he had let go of his greed earlier.

He recalled Aeryn’s words to him once.

-“Did you think this little trick would work?! I’ve told you before, you’re too greedy for your good!”

Her words echoed in his mind. He had snorted and laughed them off before, but now they held a different weight. Aeryn was right, and he was wrong.

He questioned his arrogance, failing to self-evaluate despite having nothing left.

“Sorry for being so blind,” Caelius murmured, finally realizing his mistake.

Caelius lifted Aria gently into his arms with those words, and she stopped resisting. It was the first peaceful moment he had experienced in a long time.

Although it was not complete peace, Caelius held her tightly. He was determined to hold on to the moment for as long as possible.