Dark Dad’s Rebirth - Chapter 12: A New Tool (1)

Her steps, which she expected to feel heavy, fell surprisingly light. Aria threw on a simple indoor cardigan and headed toward the dining room. The moment she arrived, a familiar voice greeted her.

“…You’ve finally come.”

No matter how much time passed, that voice refused to grow unfamiliar. Slowly lifting her head, Aria’s gaze landed on Caelius, as stoic as ever, and the unfamiliar girl seated right beside him.

For a moment, her heart felt like it had plummeted to the floor.

That seat…

The seat right next to Caelius. It was a place that hadn’t been permitted to her since her return. In the past, back when she was foolish, it had been hers. Aria bit down on the soft flesh inside her cheek to suppress her reaction.

The girl sitting beside him appeared to be around Aria’s age, perhaps slightly older and more mature in appearance. She had a clumsy golden hue to her hair and eyes, attempting to mimic something it couldn’t fully achieve.

There was no need to ask; it was obvious who she was. The new Wittlesbach daughter.

Her mind swirled. She thought she had prepared herself for this, but seeing the two of them sitting together stirred up emotions she couldn’t define. As Aria stood there in a daze, Caelius waved his hand arrogantly.

“Sit.”

“I’m not feeling well. I only came to show my face since you insisted on calling me.”

She thought the words would stick in her throat, but when she spoke, they came out calm and composed. This irritating ability to stay collected in such a maddening situation—where had she inherited that from?

Her hand clenched into a tight fist, so tightly her knuckles protruded, and she tried to turn away.

“I won’t force you to eat. Sit.”

Caelius’s voice came again, firm and commanding. Aria stopped, biting down hard on her lip as she glared at him.

“And why should I?”

“This is the child who will take your place. Shouldn’t you at least exchange greetings?”

His next words made Aria briefly lose control of her expression, a scoffing laugh escaping her lips.

“Ha.”

A child to take her place. It wasn’t hard to understand what that meant. Caelius intended to take the new girl to official events in her stead.

The girl, who had a slyly coquettish air despite appearing younger than Aria, carried an aura that seemed designed to captivate men. Her voluptuous figure and alluring gaze hinted at a maturity that clashed with her otherwise youthful demeanor.

Aria’s gaze turned cold as it settled on the girl sitting beside Caelius. The air around Aria exuded a quiet intensity that rivaled Caelius himself.

But the girl didn’t flinch. Instead, she greeted Aria with a soft smile.

“Pleased to meet you, sister!”

Her high-pitched voice carried a faint nasal tone, her words directed warmly at Aria.

Sister? How ridiculous. A fraud pretending to be…

A wave of revulsion swept through Aria, making her hair stand on end. She twisted her lips into a cold smirk. The girl, oblivious to Aria’s disdain, continued speaking cheerfully.

“From today, I am your new sister, Leria von Wittlesbach!”

Her lively, affectionate tone was accompanied by a bright laugh, but Aria found herself unable to respond. Looking at this girl, a near replica of herself, Aria felt nausea rise in her throat. The message was clear—this was a pointed insult for her refusal, a deliberate slap in the face.

Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. Aria forced herself to take slow, deliberate breaths, trying to steady her racing thoughts.

Fine. This is for the best.

The distance between herself and Caelius could grow wider now. She would pull away, focusing instead on opposing Leon Verham, and when the day came for Caelius to seize the throne entirely… she would leave. Now that he had something new, he would have no reason to bother her further.

Ignoring Leria’s bright attempt at conversation, Aria shifted her gaze to Caelius.

“I’ve seen enough. May I leave now?”

The idea of the “new daughter” infuriated her, but she hadn’t lashed out as she feared she might. Instead, she marveled at her own restraint as she turned away from them.

Just as she was about to leave, Caelius, who had been silent, spoke in a voice that seemed uncharacteristically urgent.

“Riri.”

But Aria didn’t stop. She closed the large dining room doors behind her, leaving the oddly harmonious pair behind, and walked away alone.

 

* * *

 

Since that day, no matter how much she tried to avoid it, words continued to reach her.

The appearance of the new Wittlesbach lady. The new daughter of Caelius. And the increasing absence of the former Wittlesbach daughter from the public eye.

It was a story too tempting to pass up, perfectly crafted for the predators of society to feast upon.

Aria lay limply on her bed, eyes closed. She felt unusually drained, weighed down by a heavy sadness. Even as she told herself it was for the best, trying to reflect on it positively and soothe her own mind, the effort seemed futile.

As soon as Caelius had his new tool, he no longer sought her out. Days blurred into each other as she remained shut in her room, to the point where her sense of time dulled entirely. Even lying still, the chandelier on the ceiling seemed to spin uncontrollably.

Why am I so sad?

She hated the uncertainty of her emotions. She wanted to excise the aching parts of herself cleanly and prepare for a new beginning.

Yet, her heart lingered, wandering through the ragged, tattered memories of the past. She knew she had to stop. She had to truly let go. How many times had she gone over it? Those few years—why did they hold such power over her? No matter how much time passed, the Caelius of her past refused to release her.

Just as her heavy eyelids began to close, a knock broke the stillness.

“Milady, a letter has arrived from the young lord of the Marquis of Verha.”

The name dragged her from her drowsy haze, and Aria reluctantly sat up.

“Come in.”

The maid opened the door and handed her a letter sealed with the Verha family crest.

“The messenger also asked me to relay the young lord’s hope that you will attend the banquet.”

Another banquet already? How much time had even passed since the last one? The very thought filled her with exhaustion. She had no desire to go to such events.

But I have to go.

Because it was Leon Verha.

“Tell him I’ll attend.”

With that, Aria forced her eyes shut again. A fleeting thought crossed her mind—that it might be better to simply slip away into eternal rest.

I’m so tired…

Her heart felt hollow. She wasn’t hungry, but there was an inexplicable emptiness inside her, as though the wind were blowing straight through her body.

It was a loneliness she had grown all too accustomed to.

 

* * *

 

“His Grace went out with Lady Leria again today, didn’t he?”
“Apparently so. I heard he even bought an entire dress shop for her recently.”
“My goodness… Then what’s going to happen to Lady Aria?”
“What do you think? The rolling stone displaces the fixed one, as they say.”

The whispers in the hallway rudely dragged Aria out of her sleep. It was a common occurrence ever since Leria had arrived. Caelius, indulging Leria with countless luxuries, and Leria, acting high and mighty just as Aria once had in the past, emboldened by his favor.

Sometimes, as if to flaunt Caelius’s affection, Leria even sent tea party invitations to Aria. Thinking about her made Aria’s blood boil. She must be utterly mad.

If you’re a tool, at least behave like one and stay quietly by his side, Aria thought bitterly. How dare Leria send her such frivolous invitations while knowing nothing of the circumstances.

And yet, amidst all this, what truly stung was how Caelius treated Leria so warmly, in stark contrast to how he had been with Aria. She didn’t show it outwardly, but her resentment simmered beneath the surface.

How pathetic of her, to feel this way when she neither wanted to stay by Caelius’s side nor had any desire to keep him close. Yet she still felt a pang of jealousy watching him dote on another “daughter.”

I’m selfish…

Clicking her tongue softly in self-reproach, Aria curled up tighter.

She hadn’t stepped outside her room in so long that her already pale skin had turned almost ghostly. Without sunlight, she looked sickly, her body frail and thin. Aria weakly clenched and unclenched her fists as she looked at herself, feeling a deep sense of futility.

I’m so tired. I just want to give up on everything.

Concerned by Aria’s constant lethargy and isolation, her maid approached hesitantly.

“Milady… The sun has been so nice lately, and the garden is full of blooming flowers.”

“…”

“Would you consider going for a short walk?”

Aria didn’t answer. Her silence was enough to signal her refusal. She couldn’t bear the thought of stepping outside and possibly running into them.

“I don’t feel like it,” she finally muttered in a dull, gloomy tone.

The maid sighed softly, disheartened. Aria, already thin to begin with, had grown even thinner recently. She seemed so fragile that it was easy to imagine her breaking apart.

Aria pulled the blanket over her head as if to cut off the conversation entirely. Understanding her mistress’s wishes, the maid drew all the blackout curtains tightly shut, blocking out every trace of sunlight. Left alone in the darkened room, Aria closed her eyes, as though it were second nature.

Outside, she could almost hear Leria’s cheerful voice chattering. Within the oppressive silence of her room, the only sounds were the ticking of a clock and the faint creak of footsteps that seemed to belong to no one.

I wish I could fall asleep…

But sleep wouldn’t come. Frustrated, she shut her eyes tightly and covered her ears.

I hate myself for still drifting through the past.

Aria’s thoughts spiraled endlessly.

How did it come to this?

She knew there would be no answer.

 

* * *

 

She forced herself into a dress, its once snug fit now loose enough to hang awkwardly on her frame. She must have lost more weight than she realized. Even the maid let out a small sigh of concern at the sight of her. Unfazed, Aria completed her preparations, slipping into high heels, and for the first time in a long while, stepped out of her room to head to the Marquis of Verha’s estate.

Maybe being around people will lift my spirits a little.

Clinging to that faint hope, she carefully made her way to the mansion’s lobby, where the carriage awaited her.

“Father, I want to have tea in the rose garden! Are you very busy? Do you have to leave for work right after lunch?”

A sharp, high-pitched voice cut through the air behind her. Aria didn’t need to turn around to see who it was.

…Leria.

Even her name felt like a cruel parody of Aria’s own. It seemed deliberately chosen to mimic hers, as if mocking her. Worse, the rose garden Leria so casually spoke of was a gift Caelius had once given to Aria.

Let it go. Don’t get involved.

You’re leaving soon anyway. Focus on moving on.

Aria forced herself to ignore them and continued walking toward the carriage.

“What wouldn’t I do for my daughter? I’ll make time. I’ll have them prepare tea for us.”

Caelius’s warm, doting tone pierced through her like a blade, and her vision blurred as tears welled up in her eyes. Her knees wavered, and if the escorting knight hadn’t steadied her, she would have stumbled embarrassingly while climbing into the carriage.

The evening had already turned into a disaster before it even began.

 

* * *

 

As soon as the carriage door opened, Leon Verha rushed over to greet Aria, his face flushed, likely from drinking just moments earlier.

“Lady Aria…!”

“Apologies for being late, young lord.”

“I thought you might not attend.”

“Do I seem like someone so shameless as to skip an event without notice?”

Aria’s response was a hollow joke, delivered with little energy, but Leon chuckled warmly as he offered her his arm.

“My apologies, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“There were some matters that delayed me.”

In truth, she had needed to stop the carriage for a moment to collect herself, overwhelmed by emotions that nearly brought her to tears. She couldn’t bear to show any weakness in front of Leon.

“The wind is chilly. Allow me to escort you inside.”

“Thank you, young lord. Or should I start calling you Marquis now?”

“Marquis? Not at all. I haven’t officially inherited the title yet.”

Leon laughed bashfully, scratching the back of his head. Inside, the Verha estate’s grand ballroom was already bustling with nobles. The atmosphere was far livelier than the small gathering Aria had attended last time.

“I’ve also prepared a lounge for you, should you find the evening tiresome.”

Leon offered her a luxurious guest room with a considerate smile.

“I was worried I might have been too insistent in persuading you to attend, given… recent events.”

It wasn’t hard to discern the meaning behind his words. The gossip about the new Wittlesbach lady and Aria’s increasing reclusiveness must have already spread through society.

Aria kept her lips tightly sealed, offering no response. Leon, visibly nervous, hesitated as he glanced at her, unsure of what to do.

“…Are you all right?”

Her carefully composed emotions threatened to unravel once again, and a frown creased her forehead.

“…I’m sorry. I misspoke.”

“No… it’s fine.”

Her reply was strained, her voice breaking slightly as she fought to suppress the lump in her throat. It sounded pathetic, and she regretted speaking at all.

Leon gave her a bittersweet smile. “Would you like me to show you around the estate?”

He seemed eager to lift her spirits, and Aria nodded slightly in response.

After touring the estate with Leon, Aria felt a little lighter. The two of them returned to the ballroom, where they danced briefly before retreating to a quiet corner to sip champagne.

“I hope you’re enjoying the evening, Lady Aria… though I worry it may not be to your satisfaction.”

Aria forced a faint laugh and replied, “I’m enjoying myself enough.”

Her expression remained dark, but she tried to mask it with a polite lie. Of course, Leon wasn’t fooled. His smile grew wistful as he poured himself another glass of champagne.

Amid the noisy crowd, Aria felt a faint sense of her emptiness easing, as if the din filled some of the hollowness within her.

They drank silently for some time until a young noble approached Leon, speaking casually.

“Leon, everyone’s gathered. Why don’t we play a round of chess? It’s been a while.”

Leon hesitated, glancing at Aria. He clearly didn’t want to leave her alone, and his reluctance was plain to see. Aria waved him off with a small gesture, signaling that it was fine for him to go.

Even then, Leon lingered, hesitant to leave her side.

“Lady Aria…”

“I’ll be fine. Go ahead.”

“I can’t just leave you alone…”

Before Leon could finish, the young noble leaned in from behind him, addressing Aria directly.

“Or perhaps Lady Aria might join us? Would you care for a game of chess?”

The unexpected suggestion caught her off guard. She blinked, considering it, and decided that focusing on chess might help settle her tumultuous thoughts.

“I’d be glad to. If someone would guide me through a game or two, I’d appreciate it.”

 

* * *