Dark Dad's Rebirth - Chapter 14. Madness(5)

Chapter 14. Madness(5)

After a moment of shock, Aria responded and asked Caelius to stop. She felt as if she had been hit hard, and her mind was spinning. She looked up at him, her heart pounding, and clutched the covers tightly around herself. Despite his affectionate pat on her back, she couldn’t stand his touch.

“That won’t change anything,” she said, pushing his hand away.

“You don’t like me anyway,” she said bitterly.

“Think what you want,” Caelius replied coldly, clenching his fists at her tone of resignation.

Aria continued to smile bitterly. “Your opinion doesn’t matter. I’m sure of it. My will is insignificant and can be overridden at any time.”

Caelius disagreed and shook his head. He couldn’t bear her rejection.

Aria’s eyes grew heavy with tiredness as she stood there, trembling like a frightened animal. Though it was still daytime, she had been sleeping a lot lately.

Caelius watched as Aria fell into a peaceful sleep and rose from his seat.

He did not return to his office right away. Instead, he meticulously searched Aria’s room, instructing her to open every closet and drawer, no matter how small.

He kept sharp objects like candlesticks and paper knives in his hands.

“For now, no sharp or dangerous objects are allowed in Aria’s room,” he ordered, handing the items to the maid.

“Remove anything that could potentially harm her,” he commanded the maid.

“What about forks and knives for eating?” the maid asked.

“Serve her food in small, pre-cut pieces. This will eliminate the need for a knife. “And give her chopsticks instead of a fork.”

Caelius was determined to keep Aria by his side, regardless of whether the child in her belly was his.

Caelius looked at her with his cold, inky black eyes. She was sleeping, curled up in her frail body. As he watched her, Caelius realized that if he was indeed insane, he was insane.

Aria’s lack of royal blood and the possibility of her carrying another man’s child no longer mattered. He realized that he would even allow her to bear another man’s child as long as she stayed with him.

Caelius thought love was truly a disaster, as the saying goes. He clicked his tongue and thought about it. Love was a disaster for both him and Aria.

* * *

“You are pregnant.” The doctor told Aria she was pregnant. Aria’s face showed her despair at the news. Caelius remained silent, and his expression was hard to interpret.

“Are you sure?” Her voice trembled with fear.

“Yes, I am sure,” the doctor affirmed.

With a heavy heart, the doctor turned away from Aria and approached Caelius to tell the king yet another disturbing news.

The doctor began cautiously, “Your Majesty, there is another matter I must talk to you about.”

Caelius nodded, motioning for the doctor to continue, and they left the room for a moment, leaving Aria.

“I believe the session can proceed as planned, but the concern is for the princess’s health,” the doctor continued, choosing his words carefully so as not to offend.

Caelius asked, “Is there a problem?” His tone was neutral.

The doctor hesitated before answering, making sure to express the seriousness of the situation without offending Caelius.

“The princess is too weak to carry a child. It seems that she is not receiving enough nourishment, and I cannot guarantee the health of the fetus,” the doctor explained.

The doctor’s words made Caelius clench his fists. He avoided eye contact and stared at the ground, lost in thought. Finally, after a prolonged silence, he spoke up.

“What can I do?” he asked, his voice filled with urgency.

The doctor hesitated. He was momentarily taken aback by Caelius’s question. At first, she wasn’t sure what he meant, but then she understood.

“Do you mean to speak to the High Lady?” she asked.

Caelius nodded. He showed his determination in his expression.

The doctor paused. She thought carefully before writing something on the medical certificate she held. She refrained from offering reassurance or directives.

“She must follow a strict diet based on the listed foods. You must eat three times a day without skipping any meals,” advised the doctor. Caelius wondered if Aria would follow the plan, his expression growing somber.

“If possible, include foods commonly eaten by Eastern royalty,” advised the doctor.

At the mention of Aurors, Caelius shook his head, causing the councilor to react with surprise.

“Are you suggesting injecting pregnant women with Aurors?” exclaimed the doctor.

“Yes, Aurors can help detoxify the body or promote healing,” Caelius explained.

“That’s not recommended, especially for pregnant women,” said the doctor.

Caelius grew more troubled as he remembered Aria’s experience with hallucinogenic drugs. He furrowed his brow in confusion as the doctor continued to explain.

“Why? Is it too much for her body?” Caelius inquired.

“No, it’s not that… it’s that…” the doctor hesitated before revealing, “The Grand Duke is not the father of the Princess.”

Caelius was surprised by the revelation. The doctor then explained the unusual circumstances.

In some cases, a pregnant woman’s body can absorb the power of another, such as an Auror or wizard, which can cause the father’s power to fade away, leaving only the infused power.

“So… what I’m saying is that if you use your Auror on the princess, the child’s father might change. He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.

The father of Aria’s child was unknown, but he suspected it wasn’t Caelius. It could be anyone. It is not expected for a princess to bear her father’s child.

Caelius’s expression changed slightly. He appeared calm and composed, but confusion clouded his ebony eyes.

“The child’s father could change?”   

The doctor nodded, appearing to sense the gravity of the situation.

A forgotten thought suddenly flashed through Caelius’ mind, widening his eyes in surprise. The doctor was taken by surprise by Caelius’ reaction and spoke cautiously.

“Um, have you already infused the Auror?”

There was no immediate response, but it was hardly likely to matter. Whether or not Caelius had used the Auror, he was still the child’s father.

But if there was an issue…

-“What kind of attitude is that? You’re my fiancé, you could at least tell me.”

-“You’re still using me as a weapon, stop it. Find someone else if you need a weapon. I have a child now.”

-“A child? Have you made a baby with that commoner just because you’re eager to have me?”

-“Didn’t I tell you it could be your kid?” Aeryn shot back defiantly.

-” No way. I can’t remember the last time I had s*x with you.

His heart began to race as he realized this.

“Yes, I’ve often wondered about Aeryn having a child that looks like me.”

Aurors, magic, and imperial power—different names, but similar in principle. Aria’s blonde hair and golden eyes had made him doubt that she was his daughter.

“Just like the doctor, just like Adamas’s ring…” It was all strange.

“Could you elaborate?” Caelius asked, his voice strained with emotion. The doctor, eager to explain without offending, began to speak, though with limited knowledge.

“First, the infusion of Auror blood does not change the blood itself,” the doctor clarified.

“It only affects the blood that sustains the body. Appearance, personality, and minor habits follow the characteristics of the individual whose power is subsequently infused.”

Caelius felt his hands clench in response to the doctor’s words, though he managed to hide his reaction from the doctor. As the doctor continued to explain, Caelius couldn’t help but let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair in apparent embarrassment.

“Heh, yeah, it does sound strange,” he laughed, though there was bitterness in his tone.

“I never used birth control when I was with Aeryn, so when she mentioned hiding a daughter, I figured it could be mine.”

Caelius remained lost in thought, wondering at the implications of what he had just learned.

After silence, he motioned for a nearby doctor to leave. The doctor handed Caelius a piece of paper with a list of ingredients beneficial to pregnant women before leaving the room.