Chapter 15 - Father

"Father?"

Her voice rang out with a mixture of surprise and confusion. She did not expect to suddenly meet her father today.

She knew that eventually, word of her sudden and strange actions would reach her family; however, she did not expect them to pay her a visit so soon. Especially not her father— she did not expect him to come here personally.

Her father was the head of the House of Willows, a duke who oversaw one of the five kingdoms under the Empire's rule. He was a very powerful and very busy man.

Sparing time was something he could rarely do— so the fact that he personally came here to visit her said a lot.

Davian's expression was unreadable as he stepped into the library, his eyes scanning the room before settling on his daughter before him.

He was much taller than Seraphina— even though she wasn't short— his presence alone commanded respect and reverence. His eyes were sharp like a blade, piercing through her very being.

"Seraphina."

He called out; his voice was deep and firm yet held a tone of gentleness.

"I didn't expect to find you here. The maids tell me you have been coming here often?"

Seraphina took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves before the man. He was a figure that released a natural aura of power, even if he was trying to hide it. 

His rank as a knight was simply so high that she— a mortal— could not handle his presence. It felt as if a lion, a natural predator, was looking at her.

"I wanted to learn more, Father. There's so much I don't know but wish to know."

Davian's gaze softened at her words, and for a second, Seraphina could even see a hint of regret flash across his dull eyes. His legs slowly moved as he approached her, his mouth moving into a slight smile.

"You've always been a curious one, even as a child."

He stopped before her, his hand gently reaching out to rest on her shoulder as he spoke again.

"But I worry about you, my dear. Your health—"

"I'm feeling better, Father."

She interrupted before he could continue, her voice steadier than it was previously.

"I know my limits, and I'm being careful. Lately, I've been feeling a lot better. I'm no longer the weak child who couldn't move; I wish to learn more about this world."

Davian paused at her words, studying her for a moment, his expression twisting into one of contemplation. Finally, after what felt like minutes, he broke the silence.

"You have changed, Seraphina. There is a fire in you that I haven't seen before. You have a purpose now, my dear— life. I can see it."

Seraphina looked up at his eyes and met his gaze, his sharp eyes peering into her violet-glowing orbs. She tried her best to be unwavering before the mountain— however, that alone was challenging.

"I have to change, Father. I can't remain the same weak girl forever. If I do not change, I will die— I do not wish to die."

Her eyes faltered for a second; glancing down at the ground, she muttered the last sentence.

"I want to survive."

Davian listened to her words, and his cold heart even moved for a second— a sigh escaping his lips. A mixture of frustration and resignation in his eyes as he stared at his daughter before him.

"I see. But promise me that you will take care of yourself. If you need anything, if you have any questions, or simply if you do not feel well, come to me. Do not overexert yourself."

His words were stern, but he meant them with love; she could tell he simply did not want her to get hurt or for her situation to worsen— after all, he didn't know her eyes had awakened.

"I promise, Father. I won't overexert myself, but I won't stop either."

Seraphina said as a soft smile decorated her lips.

"You're as stubborn as me sometimes. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

He commented with a slight chuckle, his expression softening once more.

"Very well. I trust you, Seraphina. But remember, you don't have to do this alone; we are all here for you."

Seraphina was grateful for his words, but she wasn't so sure that they were true. At least he was on her side.

"Thank you, Father."

With a final nod, Davian turned to make his leave— as he walked out, a silent mutter escaped his lips. Seraphina could barely hear it, but she could make it out nonetheless.

"If only you were born a male. I would not need to worry."

Hearing his words, her mind instantly remembered the family's knight training method— she knew he was referring to it. The family's knight training method was specifically created by the founder of the family for males, or so it is written.

No female has been able to learn the method even if they tried— her father was regretful that she couldn't learn it.

"Father."

She called out, remembering something.

"There is something, if you can help me with it?"

His footsteps paused as he heard her words, and he turned around where he stood.

"What is it, my dear?"

"A knight training method; I know the family's method will not work for me, but is there any I can use? Even the common method is fine, the one the army learns."

The army did have a common method to train knights— after all, it wasn't like only noble families had knights. The only issue was that the methods used to train knights for an army were all basic in nature. 

They provided no special abilities and often had limited growth potential; at best, they could be used to make the body stronger, but that alone took effort.

"Seraphina, you know how hard—"

His words paused when his eyes fell upon her desperate face; he knew that look all too well. It was a look even he had once; the face of someone who wanted the power needed to control their own life.

Seeing such a face on someone he cared for— his own daughter— was not something he wanted. It was not something he would allow.

"I will do whatever I can."

He said; not finishing his previous sentence.

Seraphina didn't know what else to say again. She knew that what she wanted would be difficult, but if she could acquire a knight training method, then it would officially start her path to power.

"Thank you."

Was all she could mutter, but her father did not respond; instead, he simply left as he had been going before. His presence lingered in the room even after he had gone for a few seconds.

Seraphina watched him go, her heart heavy with a mixture of emotions. She knew her father loved her; his concern was genuine, and he would do anything for her. But she also knew that she couldn't let his worry hold her back.

She would do her best to repay him for everything he had done for her— even if she couldn't become stronger.

With those thoughts lingering in her mind, she returned to her task; she touched a few more books and didn't feel any mental strain for a while. However, the more she touched, the more the ache slowly returned.

Deciding to stop before it got to the point where it was painful, she called Cella to leave.

The maid had returned a while ago, and she had eaten in between touching the books— it was now evening, and she decided to rest for the day.

"Cella, it is time to return to my room."

She said, turning to the door as she began to walk out.

"Of course, Miss."

Cella replied as she offered to support the girl back to her room— Seraphina accepted the help, but she tried to walk on her own whenever she could.

With the girl's help, she quickly made it back to her room and got changed— laying on the bed, she decided to enter the mental space early in order to read through all the books she had stored.