(61) My daughter Ariana (1)
“I committed a crime, and my relationship with the East is strained. Since that incident, the Southern Duke hasn’t set foot in the Empire at all. The Emperor trusts only the East, so how could he turn his back on him so easily?”
“Then it was useless?”
“That’s not true. The small scratch I made today will eventually become a big one.”
There was no rush.
“Ariana will make a splendid entrance into society someday.”
He didn’t think her revenge against the Bronte family would end here. There must be a reason why she went to the Eastern Duke, filed a custody case, and secured the status of Princess of the East.
“Ariana will target the Bronte family and the Western Duke, and I can turn the wind she creates into a storm. The storm will sweep away the West, revealing the secrets hidden within its hard shell.”
“Hmm. So you will continue to watch over and support the valuable Princess?”
“Of course.”
“Ahem.”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“What should I say? Hmm. There are many young ladies more beautiful and tractable than the Princess. If you just give them a smile, they will do whatever you want. They will probably jump into the fire?”
Cyrus replied with a dumbfounded expression.
“Among those women, is there anyone who can shake up society more than Ariana?”
“There must be? There are many pretty, mature, and cultured women.”
“There is no woman like Ariana.”
“Hmm. There must be.”
“No, there isn’t.”
“Prettier than Ariana.”
“No.”
“Cultured.”
“No.”
“So, in your eyes, Ariana White is the most beautiful woman in the world, is that what you’re saying?”
He couldn't make Ariana afraid.
When he heard Ariana was coming to this royal party, he came to the empire je never visited before, but he wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do.
It was nice to see Ariana's face after so long, but it was hard to suppress the urge to approach his daughter.
He wanted to hug her, pat her head. He wanted to ask her how she was doing, how he was doing, even if it was just a small conversation. Wouldn't that be okay? Jacob was far away. He wasn't looking. A brief greeting, a quick update, maybe a simple conversation?
“I committed a crime, and my relationship with the East is strained. Since that incident, the Southern Duke hasn’t set foot in the Empire at all. The Emperor trusts only the East, so how could he turn his back on him so easily?”
“Then it was useless?”
“That’s not true. The small scratch I made today will eventually become a big one.”
There was no rush.
If he moves first, it will only turn everyone's blades toward the North. He had to make the sword tips naturally point toward the West and toward the Empire.
He didn’t think her revenge against the Bronte family would end here. There must be a reason why she went to the Eastern Duke, filed a custody case, and secured the status of Princess of the East.
“Ariana will target the Bronte family and the Western Duke, and I can turn the wind she creates into a storm. The storm will sweep away the West, revealing the secrets hidden within its hard shell.”
“Hmm. So you will continue to watch over and support the valuable Princess?”
“Of course.”
“Ahem.”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“What should I say? Hmm. There are many young ladies more beautiful and tractable than the Princess. If you just give them a smile, they will do whatever you want. They will probably jump into the fire?”
Cyrus replied with a dumbfounded expression.
“Among those women, is there anyone who can shake up society more than Ariana?”
“There must be? There are many pretty, mature, and cultured women.”
“There is no woman like Ariana.”
“Hmm. There must be.”
“No, there isn’t.”
“Prettier than Ariana.”
“No.”
“Cultured.”
“No.”
“So, in your eyes, Ariana White is the most beautiful woman in the world, is that what you’re saying?”
“Let me ask you this. Objectively, has there ever been a woman you’ve seen more beautiful than Ariana?”
Yes, Ariana was indeed beautiful, but Isaac felt that Princess Charlotte was prettier than Ariana based solely on appearance. But even if he said so, the answer was obvious, so he shook his head.
“No, you’re absolutely right. What you see is what I see, after all.”
Isaac thought.
‘Andrei should have heard this conversation!’
***
She heard a voice.
“Someday, when the blood of those who hate us soaks this land…”
A voice drifted through the darkness. It was a voice she’d heard somewhere, scattered like fog, and she couldn’t hear the rest.
“Your wife truly...”
“She simply didn’t realize it...”
“You lowly...”
“What your wife wants...”
He tried to hear the voice floating through the air, but she couldn’t. Something grabbed Ariana’s ankle and pulled her down. The surrounding scenery changed rapidly. She screamed, but no sound came out. The nauseatingly fast movements left her unable to regain her composure. She was dragged along helplessly, unaware of what was happening to her body.
After what felt like a short, yet long, hour, Ariana found herself at the party. The dazzling decorations and the music felt strangely familiar. She wanted to look around, but she couldn't. It was as if she were in a body that wasn't her own.
Her gaze was fixed on one spot. A shabby woman stood alone among the beautiful ladies, young ladies, and nobles in their magnificent dresses. She couldn't tear her gaze away from the pale-skinned woman, whose lush sky-blue hair perfectly matched hers. She seemed slightly frightened, and perhaps even tense. The way she looked around, as if it were her first time at a party like this, was both pitiful and endearing.
Her eyes stung. This, too, wasn't Ariana's emotion. Ariana's soul had lost itself, become someone else, seeing what she saw and feeling what she felt.
"Ariana."
She wanted to go up and talk.
"My daughter."
My daughter, the one I'd held in my arms once when she was born and never seen again. My daughter, the one I'd longed for so much that I'd hoped she'd come to me in my dreams every night.
"But she'd be afraid if she saw me."
Rachel said Ariana believed Jacob Bronte was her biological father. She was afraid of a man she'd never met, Russell White. She was afraid that if she got too close to her biological father, she'd be hated by her adoptive father, that she'd be alienated from her family.
So he had to hold back. Even if he wanted to talk to her, hug her, pat her head, and ask how she was doing, he had to hold back.
He couldn't make Ariana afraid.
When he heard Ariana was coming to this royal party, he came to the empire je never visited before, but he wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do.
It was nice to see Ariana's face after so long, but it was hard to suppress the urge to approach his daughter.
He wanted to hug her, pat her head. He wanted to ask her how she was doing, how he was doing, even if it was just a small conversation. Wouldn't that be okay? Jacob was far away. He wasn't looking. A brief greeting, a quick update, maybe a simple conversation?
He mustered up the courage to walk away, and just as Ariana turned to look, their eyes met. He could clearly see her clear blue eyes flutter, waver, and then suddenly contort.
Her furrowed brow, her tense lips, her clenched fists tore at his heart. He stood frozen, staring blankly at Ariana.
The fear on his daughter's face tangled his ankles, making it impossible for him to move.
"Ah, I see."
He finally admitted it.
"She's not my daughter, but Rachel and Jacob Bronte's."
It was obvious.
She only hugged her father once, long ago, and she couldn't possibly have any positive feelings for him. To Ariana, je was just a stranger. He could only stand afar, repeating to himself what he wanted to say.
"Ariana, when your fear of me subsides, no, whenever you need help, come to me. I'll always be here waiting for you."
Her furrowed brow, her tense lips, her clenched fists tore at his heart. He stood frozen, staring blankly at Ariana.
The fear on his daughter's face tangled his ankles, making it impossible for him to move.
"Ah, I see."
He finally admitted it.
"She's not my daughter, but Rachel and Jacob Bronte's."
It was obvious.
She only hugged her father once, long ago, and she couldn't possibly have any positive feelings for him. To Ariana, je was just a stranger. He could only stand afar, repeating to himself what he wanted to say.
"Ariana, when your fear of me subsides, no, whenever you need help, come to me. I'll always be here waiting for you."
I'll always be here waiting.
Hearing the sound of things dispersing like a dream, Ariana was dragged back. She expected the rapid movement to begin again, but a sharp pain in her abdomen.
With a sudden snap, she opened her eyes and saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
"Just now... what was that?"
It was too vivid to be a dream. But too strange to be reality. Ariana felt as if she had become a different person, a new emotion she had never felt before.
Eighteen-year-old Viscountess Ariana Alfrech is attending her first imperial party.
'Could it be that I... entered the body of the Eastern Duke? No, that couldn't be. How could that happen? That was already in the past, and it hadn't even happened yet. And for a soul to enter the Duke's body? That kind of thing...'
To say it was impossible was impossible, but Ariana's current existence was improbable. A being who had died returned to time and was reborn.
It would make sense for an improbable being to have experienced something improbable, but she still couldn't believe it.
'The Duke thought that when he saw me?'
The Eastern Duke had frowned when his eyes met Ariana's. His expression was so displeased, as if he had seen something unclean, that Ariana couldn't speak to him.
'But...'
Ariana thought back to Russell, whom she had encountered in the East.
Russell was expressionless, but he would frown when he felt troubled or embarrassed. He looked so angry that even Ariana, who was now fearless, was startled more than once.
Whenever that happened, Theodore would lightly slap Russell's arm and say,
"Relax your eyes, you punk. Do you think that'll scare her?"
Russell would always give her an awkward smile and say,
"I'm sorry, Ariana. I just have a... kind of expression."
What if that was the case?
What if he wasn't feeling dirty or displeased, but simply embarrassed? What if he really wanted to see her, to talk to her?
"No."
Ariana pulled the blanket over her face.
"No, don't think about it, Ariana. You just had a dream. Entering the body of a Duke, feeling his emotions, thinking his thoughts. That's ridiculous. That can't happen. No one in this world loves you. After all that you've been through, you still haven't given up on that hope?"
Hearing the sound of things dispersing like a dream, Ariana was dragged back. She expected the rapid movement to begin again, but a sharp pain in her abdomen.
With a sudden snap, she opened her eyes and saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
"Just now... what was that?"
It was too vivid to be a dream. But too strange to be reality. Ariana felt as if she had become a different person, a new emotion she had never felt before.
Eighteen-year-old Viscountess Ariana Alfrech is attending her first imperial party.
'Could it be that I... entered the body of the Eastern Duke? No, that couldn't be. How could that happen? That was already in the past, and it hadn't even happened yet. And for a soul to enter the Duke's body? That kind of thing...'
To say it was impossible was impossible, but Ariana's current existence was improbable. A being who had died returned to time and was reborn.
It would make sense for an improbable being to have experienced something improbable, but she still couldn't believe it.
'The Duke thought that when he saw me?'
The Eastern Duke had frowned when his eyes met Ariana's. His expression was so displeased, as if he had seen something unclean, that Ariana couldn't speak to him.
'But...'
Ariana thought back to Russell, whom she had encountered in the East.
Russell was expressionless, but he would frown when he felt troubled or embarrassed. He looked so angry that even Ariana, who was now fearless, was startled more than once.
Whenever that happened, Theodore would lightly slap Russell's arm and say,
"Relax your eyes, you punk. Do you think that'll scare her?"
Russell would always give her an awkward smile and say,
"I'm sorry, Ariana. I just have a... kind of expression."
What if that was the case?
What if he wasn't feeling dirty or displeased, but simply embarrassed? What if he really wanted to see her, to talk to her?
"No."
Ariana pulled the blanket over her face.
"No, don't think about it, Ariana. You just had a dream. Entering the body of a Duke, feeling his emotions, thinking his thoughts. That's ridiculous. That can't happen. No one in this world loves you. After all that you've been through, you still haven't given up on that hope?"
She felt like she was going to burst into tears.
The tears she hadn't shed even when she lost the trial and fell back into Rachel's clutches, even when she felt the pain of a knife stabbing bef stomach, felt like they were going to burst out.
She hated and pitied herself for being so foolish, for craving affection again, after being used and dying without even realizing it. It was desperate and pitiful.
She knew it wouldn't be that good, but she felt sad for herself for dreaming foolish dreams and hoping for something.
She hated it. If she could rip out the heart that felt those feelings, she would.
She's unlovable; no one loves her, and she just wanted to live with that thought. Because it was comfortable. Because she didn't have to worry about what others thought. Because she didn't have to crave or beg.
So Ariana wanted to live without being loved or giving love. She wanted to spend this life walking through such a barren wasteland. That way, she wouldn't harbor the fleeting hope that an oasis might exist somewhere.
Suddenly, Ariana felt a presence and pulled back the covers, only to see a sight she hadn't seen before.
Russell, asleep, his head on the bed.
"Is this a dream, too?"
The tears she hadn't shed even when she lost the trial and fell back into Rachel's clutches, even when she felt the pain of a knife stabbing bef stomach, felt like they were going to burst out.
She hated and pitied herself for being so foolish, for craving affection again, after being used and dying without even realizing it. It was desperate and pitiful.
She knew it wouldn't be that good, but she felt sad for herself for dreaming foolish dreams and hoping for something.
She hated it. If she could rip out the heart that felt those feelings, she would.
She's unlovable; no one loves her, and she just wanted to live with that thought. Because it was comfortable. Because she didn't have to worry about what others thought. Because she didn't have to crave or beg.
So Ariana wanted to live without being loved or giving love. She wanted to spend this life walking through such a barren wasteland. That way, she wouldn't harbor the fleeting hope that an oasis might exist somewhere.
Suddenly, Ariana felt a presence and pulled back the covers, only to see a sight she hadn't seen before.
Russell, asleep, his head on the bed.
"Is this a dream, too?"
Ariana stared blankly at Russell's messy navy hair and the thick arm resting against his cheek, then reached out. She didn't mean to, but her fingertips brushed against Russell's hair.
Just the slightest touch, just the tip, and Russell raised his head.
Russell's eyes widened at Ariana, then frowned. Just like when she first saw him at the party, just like when she first encountered him at Chase Castle.
"Ariana, you're awake!"
The urgent yet joyful voice almost made her cry again. Russell's large hand reached for Ariana's head and then stopped. He could guess why.
'Because I hate it. Because I'm scared.'
The hesitant hand lowered again. Russell smiled at Ariana. As always, it was an awkward smile, a hint of irritation.
"I'm glad you're awake, Ariana. Are you... hurting anywhere?"
It hurt. But could she be honest?
Rachel got angry when Ariana said she was sick, saying it was pointless. She got annoyed, saying she should take care of her own health.
That's why Ariana stopped saying she was sick.
She was a good girl who always felt fine.
Even when she was in pain, if she showed signs of pain, her mother would get angry. Her husband would lose his temper. Her mother-in-law would click her tongue and tell her to kick her out.
So Ariana smiled as always and answered,
"Yes, Your Excellency. I'm fine. Thank you for your concern."
Just the slightest touch, just the tip, and Russell raised his head.
Russell's eyes widened at Ariana, then frowned. Just like when she first saw him at the party, just like when she first encountered him at Chase Castle.
"Ariana, you're awake!"
The urgent yet joyful voice almost made her cry again. Russell's large hand reached for Ariana's head and then stopped. He could guess why.
'Because I hate it. Because I'm scared.'
The hesitant hand lowered again. Russell smiled at Ariana. As always, it was an awkward smile, a hint of irritation.
"I'm glad you're awake, Ariana. Are you... hurting anywhere?"
It hurt. But could she be honest?
Rachel got angry when Ariana said she was sick, saying it was pointless. She got annoyed, saying she should take care of her own health.
That's why Ariana stopped saying she was sick.
She was a good girl who always felt fine.
Even when she was in pain, if she showed signs of pain, her mother would get angry. Her husband would lose his temper. Her mother-in-law would click her tongue and tell her to kick her out.
So Ariana smiled as always and answered,
"Yes, Your Excellency. I'm fine. Thank you for your concern."
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