Grand Duke Avington was seen as an intimidating man by most, with his large build, fiery red hair, and piercing black eyes. The mere mention of his name terrified many, but there was a side of him he only revealed in the presence of three individuals.

In the novel, he was described as a corrupt noble. To me, he was the best father in the world. 

I paced around the entrance hall as we waited. Damian stood leaning against a wall while the servants hurried about, perfecting everything. The chef was preparing a great feast for lunch and we wore our best clothes. I missed Father and Mother very much, since they had been gone for almost a month. 

Finally, the words we’d been waiting for were announced. 

“His Grace, the Grand Duke of Avington, has arrived!”

Damian and I rushed out, as rushed as one could be while maintaining a noble’s grace, anyways. The servants were already lined up neatly at both sides of the walkway, bowing. Across the front yard at the start of the path, Father descended from his carriage. 

We walked down the stairs leading up to the castle with elegance and stood at the base of the steps. As Father approached, Damian bowed and I curtised perfectly. We greeted him in unison. 

“Welcome home, Your Grace.”

Close up, the grand duke truly had a frightening face and aura. However, his features quickly relaxed into a huge grin as he pulled both of us into a tight embrace. He easily picked us up and spun us around, laughing heartily. 

“Ah, my angels, I’ve missed you!”

I giggled and hugged him back. Father was so strong, he could protect us from anything in the world. He loved us, and we loved him. He was the kind of man a father should be. 

A flicker of a memory from another world shot through my mind. I clung to Father tightly as he set us down. It was like a part of me was complete again now he was here. 

“We’ve missed you too, Father. Val was bothering everyone everyday, asking when you’d be back.”

Father laughed and ruffled Damian’s hair. I flushed and protested. 

“I wasn’t! But I’m glad you’re back.”

“I am too, my angel.”

At my reluctance to let go, he chuckled and patted my hair affectionately. Then, he lifted me up and set me on his shoulder. I let out a surprised yell before laughter bubbled out. 

Damian peeked behind Father and glanced up. 

“Where’s Mother?”

Father sighed and shook his head. 

“Duchess Finley asked her to keep company for the next week. The poor woman’s still distraught after what happened to her little girl, so your mother accepted.”

I nodded. Duchess Finley’s oldest daughter was my friend, and her little sister had recently been killed by demons. Still, I was disappointed that Mother didn’t come back. 

Father took Damian’s hand like he was a small child, but my brother did not protest, and Father smiled gently. 

“Let’s go in. I can’t wait to see what the chef has prepared.”

The mood brightened again at the dining table. A grand feast of the most delicious food laid in front of us, from fried chicken to a roasted pig to sweet macarons to a cake with too many layers to count. It was heaven for my tastebuds, and everything was made even better because Father was here. 

“Caesar outdid himself once again.”

Father nodded approvingly as the final dessert, large ice cream sundaes, were served. Our chef indeed possessed unmatched skills. 

Damian cleared his throat.

“How was the trip, Father?”

Father’s eyes twinkled, like he could barely contain his excitement. 

“The diamond mine is very real. I must say, Valentina, I still have no idea how you knew, but the grand duchy owes it to you.”

He smiled at me and I beamed back, a sense of pride rising. At the mention of Mount Glenning a while ago, I had mindlessly made a remark about the diamonds there, unaware that it had been information I learned from the novel. 

A smug grin slipped onto my face. The diamond mine that would have completely tilted the political field upon its discovery by Catherine was now under our control, and I hadn’t even done it intentionally. Now, the grand duchy would be more indispensable than ever to the royal family. 

Seeing that I had no intentions of explaining, Father moved on. 

“I’ve brought some things back for you both, and I’ve sent them to your rooms. There’s a grimoire for you, Damian, and a large diamond from the samples we got, Valentina.”

“Father! That’s wonderful, thank you so much!”

I grinned wide and couldn’t keep it back even after Damian thanked Father and the conversation drifted to details of the diamond mine, boring me. Though my attention wandered away, I enjoyed their presence, and I was still in a good mood when we finally parted. 

Father cared about us. I loved him and I liked loving him. 

A memory from long ago surfaced in my mind. My dad from the other world was a good person. This particular scene was one of the rare happy moments, us watching a movie together. He wanted the best for me, I knew, but he had methods I disagreed with. My safety and future were prioritized over my happiness as a child, and I suppose he never suspected the consequences. There were times I was angry enough to consider killing him, or myself, and these moments only increased as I grew up. 

‘Enough.’ 

When I arrived back in my room, I distracted myself with the diamond sitting in a box on my bed. Gently, I picked it up and examined it in the sunlight. Light fragmented through, reflecting sparkling colours. It possessed a serene beauty. 

This was my life and world, here and now. There was no need to get lost in old memories, because this family was real. 

And that was all that mattered.