chapter 20

" You're still stubborn, I see. I thought you would change your path you have after suffered all of that miserable past but who thought you would middle with the villain eventually, huh? "

" ...?..what? "

" How do you know about that..? "

" Sigh, my Claire. Really. You should better take care of yourself more than anyone else. "

" What? Wait! please wait! Cal..! "

"..but that's what I really love about you though. "

" ...! "

" Cal..!! "

****

Gasp..!

" ..! "

My eyes blink while wake up from my deep dream in shock.

" My lady! you have finally wake up! thank god.. " an unfamiliar face came into her sight when she finally opened her eyes from her sleep.

" ..What are you talking about? and where am I? "

' Am I not supposed to be in that room right now? ah..! how about Evans?! what happened last night?? '

Claire quickly looks around her in dumbfounded. She was currently laying on her bed in her own room but it was still one of the Allardis palace's rooms though.

" Seem like my lady needs some more time to fully recovered from last night.." mumble a maid with an unfamiliar face from before.

" ..? Excuse me, but where's Daisy? shouldn't she become the one to attend to me every morning since she is my personal maid? "

Suddenly, the maid's body flinched in guilt by Claire's sudden question towards her. She quickly looks flustered and trying to dodge the question by acting to cleaning around the room to ignore Claire's gaze.

Claire in annoyed quickly frown at the maid's attitude towards her and quickly get up from her bed in a bad mood.

" Call someone else. I don't want you to serve me. "

" ...! bu-but..! your highness, I've been arranged to.."

" Get out I said..! I don't need such an impolite servant like you to serve me! " shout Claire in anger, she quickly walks towards the sofa and sits like an arrogant master. She crossed her leg and close her eyes as a stubborn child would act.

" ... "

" As you wish, your highness... I will call for someone else. Please pardon my rudeness towards you, princess. "

The maid slowly bows in despair and walks towards the door in silence.

" Tsk! so annoying! Where is Daisy though?! I really can't bear with these mansion servants at all! "

" You shouldn't act like this. "

Flinch.

" ..Wha-what? "

Claire frowns while getting up from her seat in disbelief. She looks at the figure that slowly gets near her in shock, she quickly bends her head in fear.

" ..Fath-father.."

Relius take a glance at her and slowly take a seat before her daughter who was bending her head because of scared by his presence.

" What? not gonna call me 'papa' again? seem like I've been going easy on the people around me for too long, huh? " while staring at his daughter, Relius menacing aura growing to become stronger as she's just silently stood before him without an explanation from her own mouth.

" Sit down Claire Stella Romanoff. We need to talk about your attitude in these few days. " in a firm voice, Relius command Claire like always.

" ..... "

" ..Yes, father.. "

" ..'father' again? what is wrong with you, Claire? didn't I warned you before to always call me 'papa' whenever we meet? "

This time, Claire really didn't dare to look at Relius's face and just maintaining to bend her head as low as possible.

" ..Not at a time like this.. " mumble Claire alone.

" What? "

" ..! no-nothing! "

Relius in doubt just sighed at his daughter's action.

" Claire.. what I'm supposed to do with you... I've warned you not to meet those bastard beasts but you did... I've already made a perfect plan for you but you're still stubborn as a young child.." in disappointment, Relius pinch his forehead that begins to throbbing all the time.

" .... "

" You mean... I must become the future empress? "

" ...? "

" What? that's not what I meant, Claire.. you didn't want that position so I declined it for you already.."

" Then, why should I follow your command more, father? " Claire begins to raise her head up with her bold question towards the archduke.

" ...? What? you're my daughter, so you should follow my lead, right? "

" .... "

" ...Haha. How absurd.. "

" ...?! ...What do mean, Claire..? ".

" .... "

" Father.., Do you think I would be happy if I do as you wanted me to? "

" What? of course you would! you're my daughter though! " proud Relius.

Claire in her deep thought, slowly let go a deep sigh.

" Please leave me alone... I need some more rest, father. " Claire slowly gets up from her seat and walks towards her bed in sorrows.

" Wait! Claire, I'm not done talking with you yet. " in a flash, Claire has sat on her earlier seat by force.

" .... " in stunned, she looks at the archduke in disbelief.

" You use your power to make me sit, father? "

In shock by her father's action, Claire freeze on her seat. ' father would never use his magic power for something as trivial as this! this is not like father's character at all! '

" I am. you really shouldn't make me do this to you, Claire. "

By her father's words, she knows that she already has been glued up on this couch. Relius has used his power to freeze Claire in the same position for as long as he wanted. That's the magic he has been used on his foe at the battlefield though.

" You know that you fainted last night, right? actually what happened, Claire? "

" .... "

" Claire.. "

" .... "

" Here you see, I would let you go once you tell me what had happened last night. Does that beast hurt you or something? he warned you not to open your mouth? or something like that? " in wonder, Relius sat on his seat and acted as an investor towards Claire.

" ....Nothing.." finally Claire opened her mouth to talk.

" Claire, you can't lie to me... I knew you for all of my life. just tell me what happens. "

" ... "

" .... "

" Sigh... Okay, let's stop here. Once you ready to tell me, let have a proper talk between us then, Claire. " while getting up from his seat, Relius gaze on Claire and slowly head towards the door in despair.

" .... "

" Papa.. "

Stunned.

Quickly Relius turn toward his daughter with a bright smile on his face.

" Yes? "

" ..I'm sorry. " mumble Claire in a low voice.

" ..? for what? "

" From today onwards, I wouldn't follow your command anymore. I would act as I please and you shouldn't bother me, papa. " with confidence on her face, Claire looks into the archduke's eyes in a firm by her own statements.

" .... "

" ..Haha... How amusing.. you began to act as she does, huh..? at the time I was going to scold you at that too.. " in annoyance, Relius continually pinch his head and rub his face roughly with his palm to calm himself from his anger.

" ...really.. this is not fair at all.. "

Suddenly Relius who was rubbing his face from earlier, chuckle while holding his head in front of the door.

"... Sigh. I knew from the start that you already have another plan from mine since the day you asked me to get you engaged with that beast, but I've never thought you would become bold like this as to say your true attention to me, Claire. "

" .... "

" ...Sigh. "

" ..Well then, I would just watch after you from here onwards, Claire. " Relius smile and walk towards Claire with a big grin.

' You really have grown up too much, my daughter. It's kind of sad to let you go.. ' while gently patting Claire's head, Relius then bend his head and kiss Claire forehead like it was a true treasure for him.

" Claire. Please take care of yourself. I'm always there if you ever needed my help, my daughter. "

" ..Yes, papa. Thank you. "

" ... "

Relius heads out from his daughter's room and quickly he rides his carriage since he had an appointment with the emperor soon at the palace.

" My lady! "

" ...! "

" Daisy! "

Claire runs towards Daisy who was standing before her room in joy. " Where have you been, Daisy? I'm worried..! "

" Just somewhere near. Anyway, my lord seems to let you go easily, my lady. Did you had a talk with him? " dumbfounded with the smooth progress between her Lady and the Lord, she bluntly asked.

" Hmm. let's just assumed that happened, Daisy. "

Claire smiles in front of her mirror and looks through it for a long time.

' Even a single scratch wasn't on my body anymore.. this is so amazing! He really has become more powerful since the last time I saw him.. '

" My lady, you know that we supposed to leave this mansion last night, right? "

"..? pardon? really? why? "

Daisy smile and gently combing Claire's hair in front of the mirror.

" That's right. my lord seems so worried last night and he even carried you to the carriage himself after you fainted last night. Ah.. when I recall it back, it really a mess. He made an uproar by barge into the mansion without any prior notice... Sigh.. "

" What?? father does what? "

"..? Hmm? why do you look so shocked, my lady? the time when my lord make an uproar and he even carried you by himself was so admirable though, my lady... But since your condition was so bad last night to ride the carriage so sir Ryss quickly suggested you just had a rest here, my Lord agreed to let you stayed here for one night and would bring you home after you've fully recovered but it seems he changed his mind again maybe because of your talk session earlier. "

" .... "

" ... really...? "

" Papa.. acted like that for me..? "

" .... "

Suddenly Claire begins to bend her head and her body starts to tremble.

" ..? my lady? are you alright? " in a worried expression on her face, Daisy quickly crouches before Claire while patting her hand to calm her down.

" ...! "

" My lady! "

" Uhuk. Uhuk. ish... uhuk. "

" Oh dear, why are you crying, my lady.. are you alright? we should bring a cool towel later for your eyes.. "

" ..Isk! uhuk.. he-he didn't say anything about that.. Daisy.. how would I know his feelings... I even said harsh things to him.. but he still forgives me and pats my head..uhh. Papa.. uhuk. uhuk. "

" .... "

" My lady.. "

"..Sigh. There, there. You have just recovered so let's calm first and take a rest, okay, my lady? "

" .... "

" .... "

"...okay.. "

Claire slowly walks towards her bed while getting help from Daisy. She lay on her bed and begin to lose in her deep thoughts again.

' Papa, once I've accomplished my goal, I would return to you as my usual self. Please forgive your insolence daughter for now papa. I promise you I would bring honor to our house later. So please, until that day comes, please.. please, bear with my actions. '

" papa.. "