Editor Group: Liber Reverie
As she opened her eyes wide and responded that she could not understand what she was talking about, the Countess corrected the question and asked again,
“It’s not the father, who became through the remarriage, but the real father. The father who is connected with you by blood.”
‘Does it mean my real father?’ It was a question she had never thought about, so the embarrassed Aria couldn’t answer anything. She didn’t know what her mother would do with it.
So sticking to the silence and thinking about her intention of the question, she could soon come to a hypothesis. It was a very unpleasant hypothesis. However, because it was a plausible hypothesis, Aria narrowed her eyes and asked her mother,
“Did my real father show up? Did he want something like property? Did he insist on custody?”
It was a pretty thorny tone. That was because if he had really appeared at this point, she had no doubt about his intention. In the notorious past, he had not shown himself at all until mid-twenty, but now appeared as she had gained wealth and fame even before she became an adult, and she could not believe that the intention was pure.
The Countess strongly denied, waving her hands.
“It’s not, so don’t get me wrong! I’d be divorced soon and just thought of it.”
But it was so fiercely negative that it had an adverse effect, and the eyes of Aria were stained with unbelief. She thought her mother’s excuse would be a lie.
‘What the hell are you hiding? Did my real father ever appear? The father who would make her worry so much?’
Then she remembered Asher saying that.
‘Did my real father really appear? Even so, nothing will change. Anyway, I will soon marry Asher, and whoever my real father is, he will not be a great man enough to influence her future life.’
In addition, for her who had never received her real father’s love, the word ‘father’ was so unfamiliar that she thought it would not change much. She had no faith and trust in kinship.
“Well, anyway, when I’m an adult, I’m going to get married and leave home, so I’m not really impressed.”
“… Is that so?”
“Yeah. I don’t think it’s going to be different if I meet my real father now.”
“What if anyone can help you?”
“… Help? If he gives it, I’ll take it, but who can help me? I don’t have anything to ask. I’ve done everything myself, so there’s nothing to help me. So if my real father ever shows up, I just want him not to disturb me.”
In response to the chilly answer, the Countess felt sorry for it.
It seemed that her mother felt that her daughter was very pitiful when she talked about her real father cold-heartedly. Aria felt so bad that she was sympathized by her mother, not anyone else, but she didn’t express her feelings and asked why,
“My answer is over. Why are you asking?”
“… No. I didn’t mean anything. Anyway, don’t you care whatever? Unless he bothers you. And if he helps you… you want to receive it.”
“Yes, I’m glad whatever, but if he interrupts me or blocks my way, I won’t let him go, even if he is my biological father.”
The Countess was again silently thinking, in response to her firmness.
“Yes. It’s nice, but if you’re the one who’s bothering me or blocking my way, I won’t let my father. ”
At her resolute answer, the Countess fell silent again.
‘What do you think? Do you really calculate whether my biological father will be helpful or not?’ Aria was silent as well, and a moment went by. Then she heard the hoof of horses outside the window, and Annie knocked on the door and raised her voice.
“Miss! Miss! His Highness has come!”
“He is already here. Well, I have a dinner appointment. I’m sorry, but is the question over? Don’t you have anything to say?”
“… Yes. I just asked you because I was bored. Go out quickly. You can’t dare keep His Highness waiting.”
Maybe it was because she had just said that she wished he would not interrupt her. The Countess had urged her to go out, worried that Aria might be late because of her.
Aria tried to go out in a hurry, but suddenly stopped; she felt uncomfortable as she finished the conversation in a chilly way because her mother brought up the story of her real father.
Her real father, who she might not have known who he was, must be an unpleasant being, but not the Countess who was her real mother. She hadn’t given her much love, but she had given birth and raised her to bring the Count family.
Aria opened her mouth before leaving the room. “… that’s my opinion but if my real father showed up and your mind has been shaking, please do as you want.”
“… Huh?”
Aria stood up as if she were going out, but suddenly made an indiscreet word, and the Countess asked back with a surprised face. It seemed that she couldn’t figure out what it meant. Then Aria showed her real heart.
“I can now live without anyone’s help, so don’t worry about your property or your status, but live as you like. I’ve recently realized how different life looks depending on who’s around.”
“Aria…”
Only then did Aria understand the meaning of ‘Aria’ and covered her mouth with her palm. Her eyes moved like a wave.
After finishing the conversation and going down to the first floor, Asher was waiting for Aria with a bouquet of tulips in his arms. ‘I’ll go out anyway, so you can wait in the wagon.’ However, he dared to stand in the hall as if showing a huge bouquet in his arms.
‘What did make Asher be nervous like that? I wouldn’t run away even if you wouldn’t show off.’ Aria, who had not reached the fact that it was due to her excessively fascinating self, called Asher with a gentle smile,
“Mr. Asher.”
“Lady Aria.”
As he stared at the front with no expression, he smiled brightly and took a step toward her. The servants who stood by glanced at him, blushing their faces, at the appearance like a dog who had been waiting for its owner even for one moment.
“You are here early.”
“Work is over early. It was a little early, but I couldn’t wait to see you soon.”
Aria was also waiting for him all day, thinking about Asher, so she responded with a deep smile that he did a good job.
“Would you like to decorate my room with a bunch of flowers?”
“Yes! Miss!”
Aria left the mansion with Asher, leaving the bouquet to one of the maids who watched. As she did not want to be disturbed by the time, she did not accompany a knight and a maid.
Asher sat opposite and stared at Aria’s beautiful face for a while, but suddenly moved to her side. Then he interlaced their fingers and asked, “Can I hold your hand?”
‘You already took hold of it and ask me.’ It seemed like a formal question as he thought she would not refuse. Aria burst into small laughs.
“Would you let go if I don’t like it?”
“No.”
She really liked his resolute answer. It had been a while since they had already been in a relationship for a few years, and it was cute to hold hands.
‘Apparently, I explained that I was about thirty years old, including the past, but are you only holding hands?’ So Aria first leaned over to Asher and touched his ear with the remaining hand.
“The tip of your ear is red… is it hot? Do you want me to open the window?”
Asher paid attention at her furtive eyes without a moment’s surprise, as she attached her body to him, and he swallowed her saliva, and answered,
“… no, I like it this way.”
“… I see.”
It was because she had already confessed that she was ten years older than him mentally. If it were in the past, he might have regarded it as an action that did not contain any meaning for Aria, but now it was not. Realizing that all of this was a calculated act, he no longer avoided or was afflicted by her sudden behavior.
Nevertheless, legally, she was still a minor, and he seemed to think he should refrain himself. Unlike his blue eyes, he just brushed her cheek gently with his fingers on the other side of the ones which interlaced.
Nevertheless, it was so soft and modest that it trembled at the fingertips of Aria, who had already experienced many years in the past. They spent their time alone in such a confined space, but after a while, the speed of the wagon slowed down, and it stopped moving soon.
