Chapter 10

This story is from the perspective of Clark, Ariana's father.

Since the grand celebration, not a single drop of rain has fallen in the country.

As spring turned to summer, the days continued to be either sunny or cloudy, and concerns about the impact on crops began to grow. Around this time, Clark, the acting head of the Barley Earl's household, was secretly summoned to the palace.

"It hasn't rained for several months now. If this continues, it will affect the crops. It seems we need to borrow the power of the dragon god's blessing. Lord Barley, I would like to ask Miss Ariana to perform the rain-summoning pilgrimage as soon as possible. Please bring her to the palace."

Ordered by the queen, Clark bowed his head and replied, "As you wish."

"The young lady is about to turn sixteen, isn't she? It seems she has no plans to attend the Royal Academy. How is she doing?"

"Yes, she is living well in the territory."

Clark barely managed to keep the wrinkles from forming between his eyebrows.

That was all he could say when asked about his daughter's recent condition.

Clark hasn't seen his daughter since he went on a military campaign. When the family came to the capital during the social season, Ariana was not among them.

After the celebration, she has not attended any of the palace tea parties, despite being invited several times.

"That child refuses to come to the capital, throwing tantrums. She doesn't listen to me at all."

Among other things, she had fired her governess, complained about the menu, and thrown tantrums over dresses and jewelry.

Clark found it hard to believe Jessica's reports. Before he left for the campaign, Ariana was a gentle and kind girl.

He vividly remembered how she had been delighted with the sapphire necklace he gave her for her birthday, saying, "I will treasure it forever."

The day he returned to the capital, he saw that necklace around the neck of his stepdaughter, Marietta.

"I gave it to her because I didn't like it."

Clark was shocked. He wrote several letters to Ariana in the territory, but received no reply. According to the new steward, Lassen, he had been urging her to write back, but she ignored him.

He had intended to go and see her, but he was busy after just returning. He had hardly met his new wife and her daughter, so he had to rebuild their family relationship from scratch.

He felt sorry for causing them trouble with his daughter's whims.

That's why he had been putting off seeing Ariana.

However, with a royal command, he couldn't ignore it any longer.

Clark suddenly remembered the common girl he met at the orphanage during the celebration.

A girl with the same flaxen hair as himself and the same blue eyes as his late wife. He had spoken to her, thinking that Ariana would grow up to be like her.

"Are you here to make a donation to the orphanage? That's very kind of you."

The resemblance was only in appearance. Even a common girl who was not wealthy was making donations, while his daughter, who lived without any worries in the territory, was selfish and lacked consideration for others.

She was probably startled by his sudden approach, as she opened and closed her mouth in surprise. Feeling bad, he left the scene with the Duke of Hoffman's daughter, who had just come out of the building.

Although she doesn't want to leave the territory, will she agree to go to the capital or other regions to summon rain? Clark felt heavy-hearted when he thought about Ariana.

"I plan to go and see how things are in the territory tomorrow. It should take no more than half a day on horseback."

As soon as he returned, Clark told Jessica. When he said he intended to bring Ariana back, Jessica's eyes widened.

"There's no need to bring her here if she doesn't want to come."

"That's right, Father. She'll just cause trouble and make a fuss. The former steward, Harris, even got injured and had to quit because of her."

Both of them had flaxen hair, perhaps because they were distant relatives, and they looked like a real family. Marietta was obedient and charming to Clark.

Even though she was wearing a new dress today, he couldn't bring himself to scold her for being wasteful when she called him "Father."

"It's a royal command to bring her to the palace. We can't let her do as she pleases forever."

"Royal command!?"

Clark was surprised by his wife's excessive reaction.

He had kept the Barley family's blessing a secret. He thought about how to respond.

"Ariana is the next head of the household. It's not unusual for her to be granted an audience with the queen soon."

"You think that girl is suitable to be the next head of the household?"

Jessica's point was valid, but even if Ariana had a difficult personality, the head of the household would be the one who possessed the blessing. It was time to tell Jessica the truth about the family.

Just as he was about to speak, Jessica began to speak excitedly.

"In that case, the next head of the household should be Marietta. Fortunately, we are distant relatives, and although we are not biological parents and children, we have a blood connection as a family. There is no problem."

Clark closed his mouth, surprised by the turn of the conversation. Taking advantage of his silence, Jessica began to argue forcefully about how wonderful Marietta would be as the next head of the household and to assert her legitimacy.

"Or, we could have a child together."

At that moment, a slight doubt about his wife arose.

Although Marietta bears the name Barley, she has not been formally adopted. This was one of the conditions of their marriage contract.

What Clark sought was a lady of the house to take care of his affairs while he was away and to replace Ariana's mother, not to have another child.

That's why he chose her for her experience in child-rearing and as a lady of the house. It was like providing a job for a woman who had lost her husband and had nowhere to go.

The marriage was a temporary one, as clearly stated in the contract. Nevertheless, Clark had been trying to build a harmonious relationship since he had welcomed her.

Clark was an honest man. He had been noticed by the previous head of the Barley family while serving in the knights and was asked to become a son-in-law. This led to him gaining the queen's trust and being sent to protect the second prince.

"I am a son-in-law, and the direct line of the Barley family is Ariana alone. She has been recognized by the royal family as the next head of the household. No one else can inherit the title."

When he said this calmly, Jessica turned pale.

"A son-in-law...?"

"Haven't you read the marriage contract? It should have been written there."

Her father, Viscount Bent, was one of the few who knew that the Barley family possessed the "rain" blessing. He had brought this match knowing everything. Clark had trusted the viscount, who was a relative, but...

He had a bad feeling.

"I will go to the territory with you."

"No, I will go by horse. You can't ride, can you?"

"At least let me send a messenger ahead."

"It will be faster if I go directly."

Shaking off his wife, who was trying to follow him, Clark mounted his beloved horse before dawn and galloped down the road to the Barley Earl's territory at high speed.