I'm going to see Father

[The second prince was finally born, and I still haven't been able to meet Catalina. How would she feel after giving birth to a child from a man she didn't like? Is her body okay after giving birth? What's her son's face like? I want to know, but I can't do anything.

At the same time, Archibald finally asked me to marry him. Faster than I thought. He must have done it because he knew that recently my older brother had been wasting money from mining to investing in the education of the Tullia people. Presumably, Archibald couldn't see the money just slipping out of his pocket.

What did I do? Of course. I accepted the offer. I want to be a duchess, and I will. Archibald will not get what he wants, especially with the lover he is secretly keeping. Meanwhile, I'll make sure that once I become a duchess, I'll meet Catalina.]

Selah memorized the contents of Helena's diary while staring at her mother's gravestone. At first, she believed that her mother's accident was fate. But after she was alerted by Jeremiah of Archibald's secret report in the library, Selah learned the truth.

Her mother's killer was indeed her father.

Even though she had suspected it for a long time, Selah was still shocked. Now she is one hundred percent if the person who killed her uncle's wife and children is also the father.

"Sorry to be late, Your Grace," Janette said, hastily sheltering Selah from the rain.

The drizzle that initially wet Selah seemed to stop. Now her vision got a little dim because of the shadow of the umbrella that Janette was holding. Selah was lucky because Janette immediately covered her, so her desire to cry stopped.

"Your Grace?" said Janette timidly. "Sorry if I say it now. But… my delay just now was because I met Sir Azel. Prince Aeneas left a message for you."

"What did His Highness say?" Selah asked, still staring at Helena's headstone.

"His Highness said you no longer care about Lord Archibald's execution. But you still have to know if tomorrow is the implementation," explained Janette. "Tomorrow-"

"Father's hands will be cut off, and he will be exiled," interrupted Selah.

Janette was silent for a long time. "His Highness wanted to know if you would come tomorrow?"

"I'm going to see Father now."

"Pardons? I mean, very well, Your Grace. I will pass it on to the coachman now."

***

Selah has not seen her father since the trial ended. Even during the trial, Selah refused to meet eyes, if not by accident. For her, the slightest gesture could make him falter. After all, Archibald was his father. He was the one who made Selah this strong.

It would have been better if Father had married his mistress and never met Mother. That way, I don't need to be born and assume the role of a disobedient child who takes her father to prison like this, Selah thought as she followed the steps of the knight who guided her.

As a perpetrator of serious crimes, the prison where Archibald was waiting for his sentence to be carried out was fairly good and proper. Everything looks much better than the prison at Dulcia's residence, where Selah had spent her sentence from her father.

"You have 15 minutes. I will call you when the time is up, Your Grace," said the knight.

"Yes, thank you. You can go now," Selah replied. As soon as the knight left, she greeted her father, "I came to see how your father is doing, but it looks like it was a waste."

Archibald, who had been refusing to look at her, finally glanced at her. "Why did you come if you didn't do anything in the end?"

"Didn't Father teach me that every mistake must be punished?" quipped Selah.

"Damn, kid. I didn't raise you for this!" Archibald hissed angrily.

Selah smiled faintly, then approached. "I just visited Mother and told her all that had happened last spring. I am not sure if you will be happy to hear that her daughter has succeeded in becoming a duchess and dethroned her own father. Still, I am sure you will be happy that Archibald Dulcia failed to get hold of the Tullia Mines."

Archibald snorted in disgust. "You and your mother are the same, all for the sake of the territory that has nothing but the ruby mine."

"Not just for the sake of the territory, Father. For the welfare of the people of Tullia as well as many more. I don't like it when the Tullia Mines are controlled by greedy people who don't think about other people's feelings."

"So what? You want me to congratulate you on becoming a duchess and protecting that damn mine?"

"Is that all Father thinks? Aren't there any other words that came to mind, Father?"

Archibald stared blankly at Selah. Their olive eyes met, one of the many things they had in common.

Her father often said how beautiful Selah was. He didn't realize that Selah's appearance got so much from him; ranging from eye color, height, to facial structure. Archibald should have blamed himself for passing on such a gene, but his ego was too big.

And maybe that's why he didn't think about the word "sorry" at all at this time.

"What? You want to know who your half-sister is?"

After exhaling a long breath. "Father would know very well if I could find out for myself."

"But you chose not. You're just like your mother. Helena knows who that woman is and who my child is, but she also chooses to remain silent. Archibald grinned mockingly. "You are a coward."

"Yeah, and you're a loser who didn't dare propose to that bitch because you couldn't go against the late grandfather."

Despite his deplorable condition, Selah didn't expect Archibald to have still the great power to beat his holding cell. The sound of his hitting was loud, but it didn't manage to frighten or surprise Selah.

"Take back your words! I'm not a loser, and she's not a bitch!" shouted Archibald furiously. "How tall do you think you are just because you managed to become a duchess and own that mine?! You wouldn't be able to have all of that if it weren't for me!"

"Don't get me wrong, Father. Not even you. Even if you bring a bitch and child home, I will get the highest position and get everything I want. Whether it's becoming a duchess, a mine owner, a prince's betrothed, or even becoming a queen." Selah smiled. "From the beginning, I never needed a father. You're just a greedy loser duke."

"You son of a b*tch! How dare you say that to your own father!"

Footsteps were heard from the corridor. Two knights approached Selah in a rush. It seemed they listened to the commotion Archibald was making.

"Your Grace! Are you okay?" asked one of them while the others tried to calm Archibald, who was still cursing Selah.

"Yes, I am fine. But apparently not with my father," Selah answered calmly. "I'm leaving now because Father's condition is no longer possible to talk to."

"Let me take you, Your Grace."

Selah left Archibald, who was calling and cursing her. After purposely not looking at him again, he didn't want his last memory of his father to be his eyes full of rage.

After all, Archibald was still her father.