The Kingmaker System
Chapter 490 - 489. An Apology (2)

Chapter 490: 489. An Apology (2)

Ocean leapt over the bushes soundlessly watching as the lone figure walked listlessly over the cobbled path. Ocean quietly walked behind him yet, the man hadn’t noticed that someone was behind him.

Ocean’s eyes softened and he pulled off the overcoat he had and stepped ahead gently dropping it over the older man’s shoulders making him stiffen up for a second and then jerk away whipping around.

Ocean put on a sheepish smile, "Good evening, Father."

Arthur’s eyes glistened for a moment before he put on a stoic face, "You must be mistaken, Your Excellency, Marquis Ocean Ryujin. I am Duke Arthur Aurelius, father to one son and one daughter, of whom you’re not."

Ocean’s jaw dropped, "You’ve disowned me already!"

Duke Arthur turned his head briskly not removing the overcoat that was on his shoulders now, rather he pulled it closer as the air grew colder and the furry hem of it was soft against his jaws.

Ocean pouted before he sighed and reached up to touch his earstud reverting to Reina.

The long moonlight strands cascaded down her slender back and her beautiful eyes opened as she looked up at her father. Duke Aurelius saw his daughter but clung onto his anger and kept his head turned.

Reina was dressed in the default assassin’s outfit. The illusory form of Ocean was just a second skin over Reina’s original one and so did the grit and the intelligence as well as the heart.

"Father?" Reina called and Duke Aurelius turned away not responding to the call of the sweet voice.

"Are you really disowning me, Father?" Reina asked and Duke Aurelius flinched but kept his head turned away.

The frosty flakes started drifting down from the dark, clouded sky and Reina sighed reaching her hand forth, one of the snowflakes landed on her palm but instead of melting right away as it was on the ground. It stayed intact, rather it turned harder, from a soft snow flake, it turned into ice.

"Then what of this Frost that runs in my blood from your side?" She murmured.

"I apologise, Father... My heart is like this snow. Cold and unfeeling... most of the times. I keep hurting you because of my foolishness, I make you worry... I’m not quite a filial daughter."

Duke Arthur turned his head to see Reina standing there with her head down and hand outstretched holding the icy snowflake in her palm.

"That’s right." He said, Reina didn’t seem affected on the outside but on the inside she felt the icy shards freeze her chest.

"You make me worry... You make me so worried that I couldn’t sleep well at nights when I’m thinking of what you might be upto if you aren’t under the same roof as mine. You make me so worried that I forget that I have numerous other responsibilities to take care of."

Reina’s fingers enclosed over the frozen snowflake and her arms fell on her sides as she hung her head taking the scolding.

"But... I won’t call you unfilial." Duke said, Reina didn’t lift her head.

"You might even know what I’m going through whenever I get to know that you’re hurt... Or rather, whenever you’re nearly..."

Duke Aurelius gnashed his teeth so harshly that he felt the pain in his jaws but he still had a lot to say.

"You adopted Kai," he started, "and it’s clear to everyone how much you cherish him, you see him as your own, call him a part of our family. But there was one time when he had gotten into danger, wasn’t there?"

Reina felt a jab in her chest hearing that, "You have a heart of a parent already so, you must also have felt how it is... The crippling worry of knowing that your child is in danger..."

Reina’s fingers clenched at her sides, she knew. She had always been worried about Kai, that’s why she had given special instructions to everyone at the estate to look after him and keep him the first priority in case of any issue. If anything were to happen to him then the feeling that Reina would have would surely be agonizing. No wonder, the Duke had been feeling so angry, it was the crippling helplessness of a parent that had boiled down to this anguish.

"I understand you have a great ambition... But you keep losing sight of yourself, Reina. You are not Ocean Ryujin, you are my daughter, my and Serene’s flesh and blood, Reina Aurelius. Don’t keep forgetting that while you’re turning the tides of the three kingdoms, controlling wars and changing people’s fates."

Reina stood silently as she listened before she heard a heavy sigh, "That’s all I had to say."

"I’m sorry, father."

The three words slipped from her lips and she heard her father step ahead before the two arms enveloped her.

The icy world that was blowing around her at once was driven away by the warmth that held her in the tender embrace. She closed her eyes, her arms gingerly raising before her fingers clutched onto the fabric of her own coat around her father’s shoulders.

He patted her back gently with his chin resting over the crown only her head.

"I’m proud of you, Reina... I’m so proud of you... But I love you more and I would be at ease if I know that you’re safe and sound." He murmured.

They stayed like that for a long while as the flurries of snow kept raining down, dancing over the wind settling over their heads and shoulders.

After a while, the two walked over and stood under the eaves of the banquet hall to keep themselves from getting even more drenched by the snow. The music drifted from inside through the closed doors and Reina stood silently beside her father.

"Will you promise me one thing, Reina?" Duke spoke up and Reina looked at him.

"I know you wouldn’t be able to keep many promises, even if I ask you to stay by my side and not get into any danger or stop doing whatever that you’re doing so, I’ll just ask you this one thing."

Reina stared into those liquidised beautiful golden eyes as he spoke, "Whatever you do, wherever you are, however long it takes... return to us. To me and your brother, you must return to us at any costs. Can you at least promise me this?"

Reina reached out and held his hand, "I promise..."

Duke smiled, the light reaching his eyes as he felt relieved.

"We should head back now," Duke Arthur said as he tilted his head hearing the chatter and music from inside.

"Don’t feel like it." Reina sighed watching as the snow falling over the ground and melting.

Duke Arthur looked at her before he removed the coat from his shoulders and moved to place it on her shoulders. However, Reina was faster as she grasped the coat putting it back on her father’s shoulders.

"What are you doing? It’s cold, Reina."

"Exactly, it’s cold, father. You should keep this coat on."

Duke frowned attempting to remove it again but Reina held the lapels of the coat and patted his shoulders twice with a smile.

"You’re forgetting that I’m a Dragon, father. I don’t catch cold." She beamed and Duke Arthur released a sigh which stepped out as the white smoke because of the cold.

Reina smiled before she blew her breath but there was no smoke, "See? Not even my breath is cold."

Duke Arthur seemed like he would argue again but she grasped his gloved hand and smiled.

"We haven’t danced in a while, have we Father? Would you like to have a dance with me?" She asked and his jaw dropped.

"Y-You’re coming inside like this?" He asked gesturing at her tight black assassin’s outfit which comprised of the black shirt under the leather straps that held the daggers, two belts that looped around her slender waist and shapely hips. The black loose trousers with several pockets, a long black coat and thick soled boots to complete the overall outfit.

Reina chuckled.

"No, we can dance out here." Reina offered at the snowing garden.

"And don’t worry, I won’t let you catch a cold." She said as she tugged at his hand and giggled as she led him to the open space with the cobbled stones.

Duke Arthur didn’t resist as he sighed and went with her. Reina placed her hand over her father’s shoulder while holding his other hand while he gently held her waist.

The music was faint but it didn’t seem like they were bothered enough to keep up with the rhythm.

Duke Aurelius watched his daughter who had grown up in front of him, and who would continue growing and he thanked heavens and in his heart recalled Serene to whom he had promised that he would always cherish their kids’ happiness.

Though the things weren’t as he had thought them to be but as long as they were together, he was happy.

While the father and daughter were dancing, a pair of eyes stayed transfixed on them.