Chapter 11 - You Can Tell Me

"I apologise for the commotion, Your Grace."

"It's fine. The doctor said you fainted due to stress. See that it doesn't happen again. It's not good for the image of the dukedom if you keep fainting right and left."

He sounds so irritating... Just like my dad.

My eyes shifted to Kael's who was staring at the vase as if pretending he wasn't there in the room.

Kael's eyes were practically glued to the vase, his lips twitching as if he were desperately holding back laughter.

Bad baby. Laugh it up, why don't you? Humph.

I tore my gaze back to the Duke, who stood as rigid as a statue, his arms folded behind his back like he was ready to deliver a lecture on battlefield discipline.

Well, he is a military strategist and the only archmage in the entire kingdom.

"Your Grace," I muttered, forcing the words out as politely as I could, though the taste was bitter on my tongue. "I truly apologise for the… inconvenience."

His brow twitched, barely perceptible, but I caught it.

"Inconvenience? Fainting in the middle of the main hall while everyone's watching isn't merely an inconvenience. It's an unnecessary spectacle, Evelina. Do you want others to spread rumours that I'm mistreating you!?"

Oh god! Here we go again. No wonder, Evelina thought he hated her.

Spectacle? Is he serious? Those are the words you chose to tell your daughter, who fainted in middle of hallway.

How did I even see my dad in this man?

I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my face blank. If only I could I would give this man a lesson on parenting.

Why is everything making me feel irritated? F**k.

"I… understand," I managed, though my teeth were practically grinding.

"Do you?" His tone was clipped, and his gaze raked over me like I was some unruly recruit in need of discipline. "Because if you did, you wouldn't be fainting in middle of hallway. Prince Kael had to carry you all the way here."

Bro... Just fire me from the post of your daughter please.

I rolled my eyes internally as Kael chuckled softly, clearly amused by the exchange.

The Duke's sharp gaze flickered toward him, his demeanor cooling instantly.

"Your Highness," the Duke said with a short bow, his voice smoothing out like a polished stone. "My apologies if my daughter's actions have caused you any offense. Please be understanding towards the matter."

Kael waved a hand lazily, leaning back in his chair like he owned the entire room.

"Offense? Not at all, Your Grace. Though I must say, your… directness is a sight to behold. Rarely have I seen someone reprimand their daughter so thoroughly in front of a stranger. I understand you worry about your daughter. But, please be mindful of your surroundings."

His words were teasing, but his eyes gleamed with a edge, as though he was warning the Duke.

Why did Kael love Evelina so much so that he would even go as far as threatening the second strongest pillar of the kingdom?

Why...

"I'm not really concerned about surroundings, Your Highness. My daughter can kill anyone and I would not be worried. It is her who panics over her reputation. I just try to show my concern through a way that would reach to her the most."

I blinked my eyes. Frozen in time. My mind reeled back to my past.

Dad...

___

"Dad! Lemme paint your nails!"

"Ji-eun... I'm a man." My 10-year old eyes blinked as I stared at him, innocently. "Ugh! Alright, you can paint them."

"Yay!"

Even though I was the daughter of the woman who cheated on him. He still loved me. Shouldn't he hate me?

But, he never did. He never did...

"Ji-eun, why do you wanna paint my nails? You wanna make me look pretty or something?" Dad had teased, but he sat still, holding out his hands like a soldier waiting for orders.

I giggled, wielding my tiny brush like it was a weapon of mass glitter-fication. "No, Dad. You look boring. Nails will make you fancy!"

He groaned dramatically, rolling his eyes. "Fancy, huh? Alright, kiddo, make me fancy. But no pink! Got it?"

"Pink's the fanciest color, Dad!" I protested, brandishing the bubblegum-colored bottle like it was my ace card. "You said no pink? I heard extra pink."

And before he could argue, I was painting his nails.

"Ji-eun."

"Yes dad?"

"If someone hurts you beat them till they are dead. Don't worry about consequences. Dad will handle the rest."

----

"My Lady!?"

"Huh?" Something wet trickled down my cheek, amplifying the effect of Kael's warm breath on them.

"Your Highness, could you leave me and my daughter alone for a moment?" The Duke's words made me jerk back into my current reality.

Kael turned to look at me with eyes that seemed to say the word and even God himself can't throw me out of this room.

Sigh... I don't want more trouble than there is.

"Please, Your Highness."

Kael's jaw tightened, and for a moment, it seemed like he might argue, his sharp gaze flicking between me and the Duke.

His expression was as if someone had just told him to do something he hated the most.

Still, he stood, albeit slowly, dragging out the motion with enough attitude to fill the entire room. His hand brushed against mine as he passed, a touch that sent a shiver down my spine.

"I'll be right outside, Lina," he said, voice low, but the edge in it was unmistakable. It wasn't a suggestion... it sounded like a promise. And a warning.

If Kael loved Evelina so much why did Evelina call him a cursed prince? And, why did Evelina died because of her love for Adrain? Couldn't Kael just easily save her?

The door clicked shut behind him, and suddenly the air felt heavier.

The Duke turned back to me, his expression as unreadable as stone. He stepped closer, his aura commanding the space between us.

For someone who claimed not to care about surroundings, he sure knew how to control them.

As far as the story goes, he hated Evelina. Why this then...

I straightened instinctively, trying to breathe in his suffocating aura.

"Evelina," he said finally, his voice low and measured, like he was weighing every syllable. "You've been acting... unlike yourself."

Unlike myself? Did he notice something? Am I going to die?

I bit the inside of my cheek, forcing myself to nod. "I... I'm fine, Your Grace. Just tired."

His brow furrowed, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly. "You fainted from stress. That is not 'fine.' And now you're crying in front of me without realizing it. That is definitely not fine. You've always been so... proper."

I flinched.

The Duke sighed, his shoulders dropping just slightly, and for a brief second, I saw the harsh exterior cracked.

"I know I'm not... the easiest man to deal with. But I am your father. If there is something wrong, you can tell me."

I blinked.

"I don't—" My voice wavered, betraying me. I clenched my fists. "It's nothing. Really."

"I-"

"Let me go in! I am the Duchess !"