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Chapter Sixteen
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❝ Death and Birthday ❞
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Months have passed, and Jennette wasn't introduced as Claude's daughter and it made Athanasia confused. Jennette even befriended her! But she couldn't refute the girl because Jennette didn't even introduced herself as Margarita but Patterson. Athanasia later found out that she was adopted by a nobleman.
"Weird..." she mumbled. She placed her elbows at the surface of her marble railings in the balcony as she laid her cheeks are her palms. "What happened?"
In all honesty, Athanasia was confused. She went back in time, she gets images of her and Jennette being happy together in a place where the sea is near or in the palace, she met her other self and her father loved her. Claude even went and crowned Diana, a mere commoner, as a Queen!
If Athanasia could think of the backlash if her mother was still alive would be, her mother would be assassinated. It's not that Athanasia is happy that her mother had died, but it's true that she'll die if she continued being Queen. Without a strong background, or atleast a backer, she was definitely a prey towards all predator of nobles out there.
"Could it have been that Dad took advantage of Mom's pregnancy?" Athanasia mumbled to herself as she softly dropped her head at the marble surface. "Papa's so unpredictable, I can't understand him..."
"Bless you, sire," said Felix when he heard Claude sneeze. Felix tilted his head and analyze if Claude was sick, but he can't find anything that indicates 'sick'. If anything, it was irritation.
And he knew full well the reason. Today was the Former Emperor's death anniversary. The day Claude and him thought he was dead. But no, he's walking with his own two feet with completely different identity. Felix couldn't believe it either until he confirmed when he saw Viscount Patterson.
"Felix, where is Athanasia?" Claude asked as he stood up to his seat. Felix only replied with a sigh as he just pushed Claude away to the office and said one thing.
"Just see Princess Athanasia, Your Majesty."
And by that, Felix slammed the door right at Claude's face. One is not even privileged enough to even hold his hands, but Felix only pushed him and slammed the door right to his face. Claude only sighed as he headed at the Emerald Palace.
There, he can see Athanasia leaning at the railings with a lot of things in her head. Her hair was dancing with the gust of wind, and was conversing with someone in the balcony. It was probably Lilian York or Lucas.
Claude stared at Athanasia for a moment. It was just like a week ago when she was in his arms. Time pass by so easily that Claude felt so nostalgic and lonely. A time where his daughter, Athanasia, marry someone and leave the palace will come.
"Diana..." Claude suddenly muttered his dead wife's name. When he finally remembered he's in the middle of the path, he immediately went inside the Emerald Palace and call for the maids to prepare Athanasia for tea. It wasn't that special yet, Claude wanted it to last.
"Papa!" Athanasia exclaimed with great excitement. Her smile was cheek to cheek, and Claude can't help but to form a small smile to his face too, in which Athanasia didn't fail to notice. "What's the occasion? I thought you're busy today."
"Felix willingly took all my work."
"You're enslaving Felix too much, Papa." Athanasia sweatdropped as she sat down. At the same time, the tea and desserts arrived which made Athanasia clasped her hands. "Chocolate~" Athanasia sang which made Claude chuckle.
"I can't believe my daughter's a chocolate addict," Claude tsk'ed to humour Athanasia a bit, but the girl only pouted at his words. "Truly, you resemble your mother."
"Mom?" Athanasia tilted her head, holding the fork with the cake in it. "How so?"
"Your mother enjoyed sweet things," Claude said as he sipped his favorite tea, Lippe. All the memories flooded in his mind. Even though Diana and him have parted with joy, Claude still feels empty. "She's like you, except that she's not that fond with gold like you."
"I just like them!"
"Your greed is showing, Athanasia."
"Papa, you're being mean..." she pouted, clearly dissatisfied with her father's teasing. The Claude she remembers was... Well, someone who's unpleasant and cruel. But now, her father's more affectionate than ever.
It was as if her world was somewhat destined to have a peaceful run.
"Do you think I'll have another sibling if Mama didn't die?"
That made Claude choke. No, literally. He choked on his tea and was coughing, that Athanasia had to aid him. That's how intense and surprising the question was for Claude.
"A-another sibling? No?" Claude was out of composure. He's panicking. Hell, he hadn't thought of it either. "Why are you even asking such questions?"
"Well..." Athanasia bit a piece of her cookie first before continuing her sentence. It took a while though, her cookie was flavorful she had to chew it slowly. "Nothing really. I guess the sibling talk going on the palace had been getting me..."
Claude paused for a moment. "Was it perhaps about... that dead tyrant?" he speculated, seeing as the maids were eyeing him since he entered the Emerald Palace.
"Yes... Even though Papa was a Hero, they're still talking so blatantly about you."
"People just love to talk nonsense." Claude crossed his legs as he regained that aura of his the speaks “Royalty”. Sipping his tea, he glanced sideways. "They're all bark but no bite. Just like that certain Duke."
He's talking about Duke Alpheus, isn't he? Athanasia sweatdropped as she sipped her tea. To be honest, Athanasia doesn't like the Duke. Jennette's the reason, of course. Nevertheless, the Duke Alpheus was actually a help to his father on handling the nobles when he was marrying her mother, a commoner.
Considering his power, Duke Alpheus was one of the most prestigious nobility in the Obelian Empire. Actually, being acquainted with them is not a bad idea. The problem lies with Athanasia's father, and how the Duke was “friends” with her dead tyrant uncle and was Jennette's caretaker. She could go to Ijekiel directly and befriend him, but taking a risk is not advisable at the moment.
"Athanasia."
She looked up and saw her father staring at her with a strange look. Was her expression too dark and calculative? Did it seem like it wasn't her? Was it her bloodlust to kill Jennette and make her life suffer showing?
"Make the face when you're in front of those pests, not in front of me," Claude nonchalantly said as he placed his empty teacup at the small plate. Athanasia was slightly taken aback by her father's gesture. "My birthday's just around the calendar, as you can see."
Oh.
"Papa..." she paused, hesitating to ask her father. However, she won't lose this opportunity to start her revenge. "Can I invite a friend at your birthday banquet?"
Claude simply smiled at her as an answer. Truly, Athanasia can't help but be in awe towards her father. As if he knew what's she's going to do already.
"Thank you!"
Jennette... Your peaceful days are over.
✤
To my readers who have supported my writing and loved my fanfiction... I deeply apologize on my update schedule. Honestly, I'm not as consistent as before, I know that. I don't know why, maybe it's because I'm getting tired of the story?
JK! Why the hell would I be? I love this fanfic. Anyway, as you guys can see, I'm on hiatus. BUT! But, I'm actually writing bit by bit.
If you also noticed, my writing have changed? Maybe? I don't know, at least I know now to write “I” as a capital letter and not a lowercase one. LOL, I spelled letter 'later'. Don't worry, I'll edit the fanfic after I'm done with the Third Act.
Anyways, I'm so so so sorryyyyyyy (´°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ω°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥｀) but actually, exams just ended and I, the great Lisa-sama, have aced all of it and didn't have a low score! (I'm unsatisfied, actually. I'm going to be perfecting all those at the final exam.) And am motivated to write.
SO! Without further ado, I'll be promising chapters will be updated. It may not be fast, but atleast it doesn't have months gap (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.) Anyway, bye bye!
— Ahlisa Grace