I Stole The Duke - Chapter 134

“It looks like the main ceremony is about to start.”

The Duke and Duchess’s warm conversation was gently interrupted as familiar figures approached.

“Your Grace. My Lady.”

“We’re honored by your presence.”

The stars of the engagement ceremony had stepped into the garden to greet their guests.

“Congratulations on your engagement, Sir Joel. Lady Rancelloti.”

Since the imperial family had yet to arrive, the highest-ranking nobles present—the Duke and Duchess of Ascher—were naturally the first to be greeted.

“Sincere congratulations to you both, Riela, Sir Joel.”

Eliana smiled warmly as she looked at Riela, who was adorned in an elegant Southern-style dress.

“Thank you so much for the kind words.”

Riela dipped into a graceful bow, her dress—layered in delicate, translucent lace—rustling gently with the motion. The image was like a blooming white rose: pure, radiant, and poised.

“I’ll do my best to continue serving both of you well.”

They really do look happy. I’m glad…

Eliana felt a rush of emotion. Back when she first saw them together in Wespa, she hadn’t imagined it would come to this. But seeing them side by side now, it truly felt meaningful.

“Hahaha! It’s a great honor to have you here at my son’s engagement!”

Count Terius couldn’t stop grinning. Clearly, he was overjoyed to welcome such a beautiful and well-mannered daughter-in-law. Riela seemed to have won his heart just as much as Joel had.

“Duchess, I regret not greeting you properly at the wedding. I’m the Countess of Terius—Joel’s mother.”

“Ah… it’s a pleasure to meet you, Countess.”

Eliana was momentarily taken aback. The Countess looked exactly like Joel. If Joel had been born a woman, this was almost certainly how he would’ve looked—down to the smallest detail.

“We’ll be staying in Flencia for a while. I hope we’ll have many chances to meet again.”

The Countess shimmered, almost as if glowing. Despite being middle-aged, she radiated a refined beauty and elegance that seemed untouched by time.

“I’m planning to host a small tea party soon. I’d love it if you could join us.”

“Oh my, what an honor. I’d be delighted.”

With his mother’s striking beauty and his father’s effortless charm and dimples, Joel really was the perfect combination of both—living proof of genetic fortune.

At that very moment…

His Grace is here, so where is he? Why haven’t I seen him yet?

A fashion-forward young lady from a marquess household had been searching for someone ever since she arrived. Her gaze swept over the crowd, growing more restless by the minute.

It was him—the striking aide of Duke Ascher she had seen at the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet. Handsome, poised, and with a voice that had lingered in her memory ever since.

The main ceremony is about to start. He has to be here somewhere.

The truth was simple: the early bird gets the handsome man. With that thought, the fashionista wandered farther and farther through the massive garden, searching for the orange-haired man with glasses, sweat forming along her forehead.

“Ah… I’ve gone too far.”

Before she knew it, she had left the main venue and found herself at the edge of the orange grove.

“Kyaa!”

She cried out, startled mid-swipe as she was wiping sweat from her brow. A sudden flash of light had burst from behind the orange trees—where no one else should’ve been.

“Ah… did I startle you?”

A man emerged, gently parting the low-hanging branches heavy with oranges.

“Are you alright?”

Iadis tilted his head slightly, stepping closer to the flushed and dazed young lady.

“No… I’m not alright.”

She stumbled back a step. With a man like that in front of her, there was no way her heart wasn’t about to burst.

“Your complexion went pale, then suddenly turned red. Is your heart racing? Feeling a bit disoriented?”

“Yes… my heart’s pounding. I feel light-headed…”

His flawless skin, olive hair, golden eyes that gleamed like sunlit glass, and a faint beauty mark beneath one eye… Her vision blurred. He wore a dark uniform embroidered in gold—but nothing registered beyond his face.

“These are clear signs of heatstroke. Please, allow me to carry you.”

“W-what?!”

She nearly fainted again—not from the heat this time, but because he calmly offered to carry her on his back.

Oh my God. He’s not only gorgeous—he’s kind, too?!

“You may lose consciousness if you try to move in your condition. Please don’t exert yourself further.”

The Southern sun could be brutal for outsiders. Without caution, it could quickly become dangerous.

“O-okay…”

Carefully, she climbed onto his back. As he carried her with steady steps, a gentle scent—like parchment and ink—drifted to her nose. It was soft and comforting, like the scent of a book one had fallen asleep over.

“I’ll take you back to the venue.”

“…Do you have a girlfriend?”

She barely managed the question, trying to keep her heart from exploding.

“Disorientation can cause inappropriate speech. It’s a common symptom.”

“No, I meant it. I want to know more about you.”

“Perfectly normal symptom. I understand, so don’t be embarrassed if you remember what you said later.”

Iadis answered calmly, treating her words like those of a delirious patient—something to be gently managed.

“No, really, I’m serious. I just… the moment I saw you, I—”

“Yes. Classic heatstroke.”

Iadis successfully deflected every angle of the fashionista’s full-on charm offensive.

“……”

“You may only be showing early signs of heatstroke now, but we should get you to the shade before it progresses into something worse.”

This man… his walls are solid.
The fashionable lady gave up her pursuit, defeated.

“Oh my goodness! Look over there!”

Moments later, the outdoor reception was buzzing with whispers.

“Could the Mage Tower finally be giving up its obsession with secrecy?”

“Wait—isn’t the Tower Master supposed to be older?”

“Maybe it’s just an illusion spell disguising his real appearance.”

The Tower Master—rarely seen even more than the Emperor—had not only shown up at a simple engagement pre-party, but had arrived with a lady on his back.

“Hm?”

As Michalis noticed his aide’s long-awaited arrival, his sharp eyes narrowed.

Is he seriously flirting in the middle of an operation?

“Quite the memorable escort.”

His tone was unusually grave, and Eliana had to take a sip of her iced coffee just to suppress a laugh.

“You’ll feel better if you rest in the shade and drink something cool.”

Unbothered by the countless eyes on him, Iadis gently set the fashionista down in an empty seat and called for an attendant.

“Please bring the lady a lemonade.”

Having quickly scanned the menu, Iadis chose a drink best suited for heatstroke.

“Yes, right away.”

“If you’re still feeling dizzy after thirty minutes, please head to the resting room immediately. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Wait… may I ask your name, my savior?”

She reached out, lightly grasping the edge of his black robe as he turned away.

“I’m the Tower Master.”

It was technically a disguise, but he had no choice but to introduce himself that way.

“…Oh my.”

Her affection, once aimed at the Duke’s aide, now fully redirected itself toward the Tower Master.

“Please enjoy the rest of the event.”

So… it wasn’t a romantic escort after all.
How disappointing. Then again, this may not have been the time…

As Iadis calmly walked away, the Duke and Duchess exchanged contrasting glances—one amused, the other slightly let down.

“Hahaha! It’s a great honor to have the Tower Master attend my son’s engagement!”

Before Iadis had even walked a few steps, Count Terius burst into a hearty laugh and came forward to greet him.

“Congratulations on the engagement of Sir Terius and Lady Rancelloti.”

Only four people—those who’d spent that morning in the vineyard—knew the real story. In front of the others, Iadis shook the Count’s hand in his official capacity as the Tower Master.

“But this is just an engagement party… is it really something the Tower Master would attend?”

It was shocking, to say the least. Even imperial banquets rarely saw the Tower Master appear—yet here he was, at a casual pre-wedding event.

“Perhaps there’s a personal connection. Count Terius is famous for his wide network, after all.”

The unusually large number of foreign guests in unfamiliar attire supported the idea.

“Thank you for coming all this way.”

“May the couple’s future be bright and full of joy.”

He’s a good actor, I’ll give him that.
I can’t believe Joel’s four years younger than me and getting engaged first…

While Iadis and Joel shook hands, their thoughts couldn’t have been more different.

“Since I’m here…”

I don’t know what spell I’ll be using, but I’ll follow His Grace’s orders.

According to the coded message he had received, the Tower Master was supposed to cast a public spell during the event.

Where are Their Graces?

Iadis, are you ready?

Eliana discreetly slid her hand into the clutch bag she had set on the table.

Ah—there she is. I’m ready.

When Eliana and Iadis locked eyes from across the venue, he gave her a subtle nod.

“A small gift from me to the couple.”

Snap.

With a soft flick of his fingers, Iadis activated the spell.

“Imperial Illusion.”

At the same moment, Eliana whispered under her breath.

“What in the world… what’s happening to the sky?”

Just as the sun was beginning to set, the sky above suddenly darkened. Guests looked up in confusion and murmured nervously.

“It must be… a spell cast by the Tower Master.”

Please tell me this isn’t an attack spell…

“Oh my.”

Just as panic started to spread, a curtain of shimmering indigo light unfurled above the garden. A faint organ melody echoed gently, as if floating on the breeze. It was like witnessing the auroras of the North—right here in the South.

“It’s so beautiful…”

The indigo veil began to shift into green, and soon, countless stars sparkled across the sky like a silver river. Eliana focused, recalling a moving organ solo she had once heard. As she listened, the once-faint melody swelled and grew.

“To see a Tower Master’s spell with my own eyes… I’ll never forget this.”

“I’m so glad I came to this engagement.”

The legendary Sardis illusion magic was being displayed publicly—through the Tower Master’s hands—for the first time. The music rose to its climax, and the auroras turned blue and white, casting everyone into a dreamlike trance.

“Eliana always finds a way to surprise me.”

“I just wanted to share something beautiful with the people I love.”

With a soft, flushed smile, Michalis reached under the table and took Eliana’s hand in his.

Fireworks are too cliché. This… this is the kind of gift he deserves.

It was Eliana’s private gift to her beloved knight. As the mid-grade mana crystal shattered after five minutes, the massive illusion spell came to an end.

“It’s time for the ceremony. Shall we head inside?”

Hand in hand, Eliana and Michalis rose from their seats.

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