Chapter 9: Chapter 9

"Albert, are you secretly help her?"

"No, My Lord,"

Armano and Albert are in the study room. The Duke reading the proposal with corcerned look.

Of course, the proposal which made by Cecilia is far from perfect. It lacked from research and the side effect impact from her projects. She wrote about fifteen different bussines plans.

Including a request to do a building construction.

But still, it better than his expectation.

It's been a year since Cecilia refused to study with her teacher and just busy to wasting her family's fortune. But the fact that she is staying up late to wrote fifty pages of her businness plan, is still amazed him.

"Is she secretly being a genius, Albert?"

"She is your daughter, My Lord,"

"You are right, Albert. It is explain everything,"

"Are you going to accept the proposal?"

"No. Eventhough she is the part of Lancia's, she have to be smarter than me."

"Are you by any chance..,"

"Yes! Cut her allowance for this month by half, Albert. Use it to buy an island in the South and she can use the remaining money as her start up."

Albert narrowed his eyebrow. The small island which located in south is dry and barren land. The local resident is suffering from starvation and drought. No one in the right mind want to buy that land even for one gold coin.

"My Lord, may I as your humble servant, give an opinion? I think it's too early for Young Miss to go for a.. journey,"

"She is a genius, Albert. But, compared with me, she is in the entry level of geniuses. So, I want to give her an easy task,"

"My Lord...," Albert was sure that Duke Lancia really love his daughter. He just can't express it well. But, now.. Maybe he might be wrong.

"Don"t look so dense, Albert. I'll send someone to spy on her. If something goes wrong, they will notify us faster than the wind."

"Perhaps, someone from 'that' guild?"

"Yes. But, why do everything seems so quiet?"

"Are you waiting for something?"

Armano rised from his chair and walked to the window behind him. His gaze seem stuck to the blue sky, "They should've come by now."

"Who?"

He turned his head to Albert, "The sinner."

***

"Oh my god!" Mary looks so excited when another servant put a pile of the present boxes to Cecilia's room.

"Miss, you must be very popular in aristocratic society, now! Finally, they realized your charms! Oh, My! I think I'm gonna cry!"

Cecilia feel anxious when she saw her spacious room filled with the gifts.

Her suspicions rose since all of them were sent from the guests who attend at Aileen's tea party.

They sent a letter as an apology, too. Which is weird since Cecilia still remember their vicious gaze toward her.

"Look at the gift from Silver's family!" Mary pointed the biggest box in the room. "Why don't you open it, Miss?"

"Not now, Mary. I want to go somewhere,"

"Do you need to change your dress, Miss?"

"No, please wait here. I will be right back,"

Cecilia walked through the corridors and stopped in front of his father's study room. She knocked the door twice. Albert was the one who opened the door. His signature smile greet her.

"Is Father busy, Albert?"

"No, Miss. Please, come inside. I will prepare the tea,"

"Thank you, Albert,"

Armano wrote something and said, "What happened? I'm still checking your proposal,"

"Take your time, Father. Sorry for interrupting you, but I need your help,"

"What is it?"  He didn't even bother to look at his daughter.

"Can I go for a while? I mean for a several months,"

Armano's hand stopped when he tried to turn the proposal pages. But his eyes still glued at the paper, "Why? Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing. Actually, I'm living in the good environment. I just need time to think," She exhaled her breath before continue, "Father, did you know? When you aren't around, I've ruined so many people lifes. I destroyed my own  reputation. I am just a coward who hiding behind your back.

Behind this powerful family. I felt so guilty. No matter how many times I asked the forgiveness or how much money I spent to purify it, it will never be enough."

She looked at her hand, the same hand which doing the bad thing to the people. The same hand which begged the forgiveness.

The memories of Cecilia's past is too overwhelmed for her to bear.

Why do I have to apologize for something I didn't do?

Is it a part of the punishment?

Now, Cecilia is tired.

She is uncertain about her future. What if everything messed up?

What if everyone have a grudge for her and refuse to forgave her?

Wouldn't it mean that she will going back to the fiery river, despite of her efforts?

"Father, do you remember of Miss Jenkin? She was my former teacher and one of my victims. Because of my stupidity, I ruined her and indirectly killed her sister. I know its too late.

But when I asked her forgiveness, she refused it. She can't feel my sincerity. But for some reason, I don't blame her. This is my punishment, Father. To keep feeling this guiltiness for the rest of my life,"

Cecilia exhaled and the sadness is in her face, "Now, when I got a present from people as an apology. Just like Miss Jenkin, I can't felt their sincerity since they already hurt me. It is part of my karma, too"

"Cecilia, what are you trying to say?"

"I need a time to think, to forgive myself and letting go the thing I can't controlled. But, it doesn't mean that I am giving up. In the contrary, I want to make myself better and stronger.

This capital is my home. It reminded me of everything. The good or the bad ones. So that's why, I won't runaway and when I came back here, I will work harder than before. So, please, grant my wishes, Father."

Armano's gray eyes glued to her daughter and all he can see was a solid determination. She came here to get what she want, no matter what. He wondered where does she got that stubborness from.

He doesn't know why he felt hesitate to tell her daughter about the plan on the South Island. His chest felt a bit hurt when he saw her helpless daughter.

Maybe, he felt a bit guilty because he already abandoned her own daugther for a long time. For the first time, he felt like Cecilia is out of his reach.

And who the hell is Jenkin?

Armano know that he has so much to do. So he tidied up his desk and said, "Let's talk about it after dinner."