Rebirth Of The Duke's Daughter

Chapter 32

Mila woke up in her bed, blinking as she took in her surroundings. The memory of the previous night flooded back—ZH, the sparkling display in the sky, and the warmth of his presence. She glanced over to her bedside table, where her purple pearl hairpin lay, reminding her of the magical evening. A small smile tugged at her lips, feeling a rare sense of contentment.

"Sara?" she called out softly.

Sara quickly entered the room, noting the brighter expression on Mila's face compared to the previous night. "Yes, Lady Mila?"

"I want to get up. Help me get dressed," Mila requested, feeling the urge to start the day with purpose. As Sara helped her dress, Mila carefully pinned the purple hairpin into her hair. She then applied a bit of makeup to cover the symbol on her neck, something she had secretly purchased to keep her mark hidden. 'I need to find out what happened,' she thought, her mind already on the events that had transpired the night before.

Determined, she rushed to her father's office and pushed open the doors without hesitation. "Father?"

Duke Reynard and Leo were deep in conversation, both looking up in surprise as Mila entered. "Mila? What are you doing here?" her father asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"Father, what happened last night?" Mila's voice was steady, though her eyes revealed her determination.

"You don't have to worry about it," Duke Reynard replied, clearly wanting to shield her from the harsh realities.

But Mila wasn't easily deterred. "Father, if I was nearly killed, then it involves me. I cannot overlook this matter when my life was on the line."

Duke Reynard sighed heavily, realizing that Mila wouldn't back down. She had every right to know. "They weren't specifically aiming for anyone in particular, but for someone of noble status. There's going to be another war in three years," he explained, his tone grave.

Mila's heart sank as her worst fears were confirmed. 'I knew it!' she thought, her mind immediately going to Ambrose. She had a vision of his fate in the coming war. The thought of losing him troubled her deeply. Though she believed in his skills as a fighter, something told her there was more to his fate, something hidden.

"Father," she began, her voice steady, "if I wanted to join the war, will you let me?"

Mila's words left both her father and Leo stunned. The idea of her, a young girl without any special abilities, going to war was something they had never considered. Duke Reynard's face tightened with concern and anger. "Mila, I will not allow you to enter such a bloody battle. Why would you even ask such a thing?" His voice was laced with both confusion and frustration.

Mila met her father's gaze, her expression resolute. "Father, I know that you and Leo saved me before, and I am grateful for that every day. If it weren't for you both, I wouldn't be here now, surrounded by friends who care for me. But those who put their lives on the line are far more important than those who stand idle, waiting for the soldiers to return victorious. I don't want to be one of those who just waits and hopes."

Her words, though spoken by a ten-year-old, carried a weight that was hard for her father to bear. He saw the determination in her eyes, but the thought of her on a battlefield filled him with dread. "Mila, even if you don't want to stay behind, I will make you. The battlefield is no place for you. The chances of survival are slim, and I can't bear the thought of losing you."

Mila started to protest, but her father cut her off. "Mila! Enough!" His voice was strained, and the lines of worry on his face deepened. "Please, don't ask this of me again."

Realizing how much she was troubling her father, Mila nodded quietly and left the room without another word.

Outside, Emmett stood by, watching her with concern. "Lady Mila?" he called gently, seeing the sadness in her eyes. He didn't want to add to her burden but understood why her father was so protective. 'He's just worried about you,' Emmett thought. 'I would be too if you were sent to that brutal battlefield.'