Rebirth Of The Duke's Daughter

Chapter 22

The entire mansion was jolted awake by the piercing sound of Mila's scream. Even Jero, perched on the edge of the balcony, nearly lost his balance and chirped in alarm. Sara and Emmett, who had been dozing off in a chair and on the couch, tumbled to the floor, startled by the sudden outburst. Leo and Duke Reynard, already on high alert, rushed into Mila's room, flinging the doors open with a bang.

Inside, they found Mila standing before the mirror, her wide eyes fixed on her reflection. Her hands were trembling slightly as she reached up to touch the blue, vine-like scar that marred the left side of her face, stretching nearly half the size of her small hand.

"Mila, calm down. Let us explain," Leo urged, his voice laced with concern. He was terrified that Mila might react like Vita, who had been known to throw tantrums and break things when upset.

But instead of tears or anger, what came next left everyone in the room utterly speechless.

"Oh... my... god," Mila breathed, staring more intently at the scar. Then, to everyone's shock, a wide smile spread across her face. "This looks so cool!!!!!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with genuine excitement as she bounced on her feet.

For a moment, the room fell into stunned silence. Sara and Emmett were frozen in place, their jaws practically on the floor. "Did I just hear my lady correctly?" Sara asked, her voice tinged with disbelief, as if she was questioning whether she was still dreaming.

"Yes, you did," Emmett confirmed, though he was just as bewildered. He had expected tears, maybe even anger, but certainly not this.

Leo and Duke Reynard exchanged astonished glances, their minds struggling to comprehend what they had just heard. "What?" they both said in unison, their voices mirroring each other's shock.

Duke Reynard stepped closer, needing to see for himself. "Mila, what did you just say?" he asked, his tone gentle but incredulous.

Mila turned to face her father, her eyes sparkling with joy. "This scar is cool!!!! It's even pretty!!!!" she repeated, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm. It was clear she meant every word, her happiness radiating from her like the warm light of dawn.

Leo stepped forward, still concerned. "Mila, you're not mad or upset?" he asked cautiously, studying her face for any sign that she might be hiding her true feelings.

"Why would I be mad?!" Mila responded, her tone full of confidence. "Father said before that a scar holds a story and a trophy! It's not something to be ashamed of! This scar is my story and my trophy! Right, Father?!" She looked up at Duke Reynard, her smile so pure and sincere that it melted away the last of his fears.

Duke Reynard, overwhelmed with relief and pride, pulled her into a tight hug. He had braced himself for a difficult conversation, for anger or tears, but here was his daughter, embracing her scar with the kind of strength and resilience that he had always hoped she would have. "Yes, that's right," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion.

Everyone in the room began to smile, the tension melting away like frost in the morning sun. Leo shook his head in disbelief but couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face. He never imagined that Mila would see the scar as anything but a mark of pain, yet here she was, celebrating it as something 'cool.' In that moment, they all realized just how remarkable Mila truly was.
***
Jero perched at the window, his wings twitching with excitement. As soon as he had gathered the information ZH was eagerly waiting for, he launched himself into the air, flying swiftly back to his master. 'Your Highness! Your Highness!' he called out in a flurry of urgency, crashing into the desk as he landed, scattering papers everywhere.

ZH, who was in the middle of signing documents, looked up, his expression a mix of mild annoyance and curiosity. "What is it, Jero? I could hear you from the mansion gates," he said, his tone exasperated but controlled.