From fishing to poetry, from painting to even the intricate art of tea making, Karina's father, Zelliel, possessed far more interests than his life as a physician suggested.
Listening to him speak, watching the colorful emotions on his face whenever he talked about these small pleasures, Karina found nothing that resembled the monster history would later condemn as the Empress's murderer.
Through their conversations, she saw a man who was patient, reflective, and oddly gentle. If anything, he seemed painfully ordinary.
And yet, Karina remained wary.
So Karina listened, observed, and remembered.
She would not fall for this illusion of a man who should have been her father.
"Lady Vanessa," Zelliel said. "Have you ever walked through the palace gardens?"
Karina paused. "The outer grounds, yes. But not often."
