I Stole The Duke - Chapter 13

“The Mage Tower are awful.”

It was like refusing to sell refrigerators just so they could keep profiting off ice.

“They have to make a living too.”

At Eliana’s grumble, Michalis gave a wry smile.

“We’ll be working with the Mage Tower for a long time. It’s best to overlook minor things.”

Maintaining the auxiliary enchantments on the warships required a stable relationship with the Mage Tower. Even if they knew they were being taken advantage of, House Ascher couldn’t sever that tie.

“Still, it’s just wrong.”

No matter how wealthy the ducal house was, charging 10,000 reums per piece of ice was ridiculous. Eliana couldn’t help but resent the Mage Tower, who clearly saw House Ascher as a golden goose ripe for plucking.

‘Those Mage Tower guys have no shame.’

Gulp. Gulp.

The beer tasted better. As always, righteous indignation made for the finest drinking companion.

“I didn’t know you enjoyed drinking this much.”

Michalis looked at Eliana with mild surprise and amusement as she sipped beer from a mug nearly the size of her face. The angle of her hand, the ease of her expression—she looked like someone who’d had plenty of experience.

“It’s all thanks to those wretched mages. They’ve made this beer taste even better.”

“Haha…”

Michalis couldn’t hold back a genuine laugh. She was a woman who could take even the smallest things and turn them into something amusing.

“……”

Puelini, seated a few tables away gnawing on a drumstick, froze mid-bite.

He had never seen, nor could have imagined, this sight in over a decade.

‘Your Grace…’

The man who had started as a trainee knight at fourteen, become an elite knight at twenty, and two years ago subdued even him by force—his master, who had always known only restraint and discipline—was laughing out loud.

“Michalis, for magic, all you need is a magic circle and a magic stone, right?”

As Eliana gazed at Michalis, another thought seemed to spark in her mind.

“And an activation phrase.”

“So it’s not that complicated after all?”

“In theory, yes. But mages are eccentric. They often hide their magic circles, or if they share them, they keep the activation words secret. They don’t like sharing their craft.”

Michalis explained, then took a sip of his beer.

“Even the magic tomes that are publicly available are written in ancient languages. Unless you devote your life to study, they’re nearly impossible to decipher.”

“Well, I guess I know at least one spell I can use now.”

“What do you mean?”

Michalis turned to her, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

“This.”

Eliana lifted the locket necklace hanging around her neck and showed it to Michalis.

“This pink lightning spell—you already know the magic circle and the activation word.”

“…That’s true.”

Michalis glanced at the necklace and responded without much concern.

Even if it was lightning magic, it only had enough power to temporarily knock out an average adult. It wouldn’t work on anyone above Sword Expert level. Considering the cost of the magic stone, it wasn’t particularly efficient.

“I feel like… I might actually be able to do something useful.”

Eliana’s eyes gleamed as she ran her fingers along the engraved patterns on the locket. There was a quiet excitement in her expression—a sense of possibility.

‘If I play this right… maybe I can at least make up for the cost of ice?’

“I’ll look forward to it.”

Michalis was simply curious about what kind of unusual idea this small, unpredictable fiancée of his might come up with next.

“By the way, this beer is really good.”

“If you like it, I’ll have some ordered for the estate.”

“Wow, great idea!”

Cold beer at the estate—just the thought lifted Eliana’s mood. As she set down her half-finished mug with a satisfied thud—

“Hic!”

A sudden hiccup burst out.

“Hic!”

Clapping both hands over her mouth, Eliana looked miserable as the hiccups came relentlessly.

“Are you alright?”

“N-no, hic!”

Mortified, Eliana wished she could disappear. The hiccups wouldn’t stop, and it was beyond embarrassing.

“I-it’s just that, hic!”

Who would’ve thought half a mug of beer would do this to her? She had completely forgotten to account for Eunchae’s body—no, Eliana’s body, and the consequences were now painfully clear.

“I don’t think I’m even drunk yet, hic!”

Only now did she start to feel light-headed, her vision spinning slightly.

“Oh no, hic! I am drunk, hic!”

Eliana’s body was incredibly weak to alcohol.

“Riana…”

Michalis looked genuinely concerned.

She’d seemed perfectly fine just a minute ago. Given how naturally she had drunk, he hadn’t worried about her having a single glass. It had never occurred to him that she’d be so susceptible.

“Hic! If I hic! get some fresh hic! air, I think I’ll feel hic! better.”

“Let’s go.”

Michalis, somehow managing to understand her hiccup-filled words, immediately stood. Puelini, who had already finished his chicken, quietly headed to the counter to settle the bill.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Haah… yes. I’m much better.”

Thankfully, the sea wasn’t far. The cool sea breeze gradually calmed the heat rising in her body.

“I finally feel human again.”

Eliana let out a deep breath as she sat on a bench overlooking the ocean. Fortunately, the dizziness had faded quickly.

“But…”

As Eliana started to relax, Michalis, who had been standing nearby like a sentinel, finally spoke.

“Why didn’t you say anything about your foot hurting?”

There was a faint edge of irritation in his voice.

Only then did Eliana realize where he was looking. It was the spot she’d been ignoring despite the stinging pain with every step.

Her heel was indeed scraped and bleeding. She had deliberately worn low-heeled shoes, but the unworn leather had been the problem.

“I thought… you’d insist we go back to the estate.”

“Sigh… You leave me speechless.”

Was life at the estate truly that suffocating for her? He had never once considered what her circumstances might have felt like over the past six weeks.

With a low sigh, Michalis raked a hand through his wind-tousled hair.

“Please stay seated.”

Regardless of Eliana’s will, walking any further was out of the question.

“I’ll call for the carriage.”

Looking at her with a complicated mix of emotions, Michalis turned toward Puelini, who was waiting at a reasonable distance.

‘Just as I expected…’

As soon as he turned his back, Eliana sagged with a defeated sigh. Just as she feared, things had played out exactly as she’d worried.

“Phew…”

She let out a breath, feeling strangely stifled—when suddenly—

Whoosh.

“Ah!”

A gust of sharp wind blew, snatching her hat away.

‘No!’

It was her favorite—a hat that shielded most of her face. She’d been quite fond of it.

‘I have to get it back!’

She didn’t even think. Her body moved on instinct.

‘Seriously?!’

Every time she nearly caught it, the hat would fly just out of reach. Eliana grew more frantic by the second.

After about 70 meters of chaotic chasing, the hat finally landed—in someone else’s hands.

“You could’ve gotten hurt.”

It was at the stairs leading down to the beach where someone finally caught it.

“Ah, thank you.”

Eliana, panting from the run, raised her eyes to see the face of her unexpected helper—a man with light blond hair and violet eyes.

“You must be from the North?”

The man scanned her from head to toe as he spoke. Her pale, nearly translucent skin and silver hair were distinctive traits among some Northern nobles.

“Yes.”

“I’m Goldman Chase, a noble from the imperial capital, Wespera.”

“…?”

Eliana blinked, puzzled by the unsolicited introduction.

“Are you in the South for a wedding? Or perhaps a vacation?”

“For a wedding.”

“Ah, then you must be connected to the future Duchess?”

After assessing Eliana’s attire and demeanor, Goldman reached his own conclusion.

A woman without a maid, wearing what appeared to be ready-made clothing. High likelihood: a poor, minor noble from the North. Most likely a distant relative or friend of the bride marrying Duke Ascher.

“Yes, something like that.”

‘Since it’s my wedding.’

“I also came down to attend the wedding.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Of course, I arrived early to enjoy a bit of vacation as well. Are you doing the same, my lady?”

Eliana didn’t appreciate the way Goldman’s gaze kept sweeping over her again and again.

But since the hat was still in his hand, she had to summon every ounce of patience.

“That third villa over by the beach—though it’s a bit embarrassing—is our family’s vacation home.”

“……”

‘Just a little longer… he’s a guest at my wedding, after all.’

And, technically, he did catch her hat.

Eliana forced herself to ignore Goldman’s persistent flirtations, her eyes fixed solely on the hat still in his hand.

“I believe our meeting today was fate.”

Goldman’s eyes locked onto Eliana’s face.

Her figure may have been modest, but her beauty had an otherworldly allure that more than compensated. Silver hair that glistened like moonlight, vibrant green eyes shaded by delicate silver lashes—she looked as if she had stepped out of another world. She reminded him of a fairy from a tale, scattering silver dust as she danced through the air.

“Could you return my hat now?”

Eliana, unable to tolerate the endless stream of suggestive remarks any longer, reached out for her hat.

She’d been away from the bench far too long. Michalis was probably worried by now.

“Oh, pardon me. Here you are.”

Goldman, who had been dazedly staring at her face, finally handed over the hat.

“This evening, the Chase family is holding a small party at our villa.”

Goldman watched her as she adjusted her hat, drinking in her every movement.

“May I have the honor of inviting you, my lady? If you would accept, please offer me your hand…”

As Goldman gracefully extended his hand and bowed slightly—

“Stop playing around and get lost.”

A sudden voice shattered his growing anticipation like glass.

“Wh-what!?”

For someone who had lived a life paved with privilege, it was the most shocking insult he’d ever heard.

“Such rudeness! Who dares—!”

Red with indignation, Goldman turned toward the voice.

A tall man, strides long and purposeful, came to a halt beside the small, pale fairy—as if it were his rightful place.

“Michalis…”

“Haah… How could you just wander off without saying a word?”

He was so tall, his very presence cast a shadow over Goldman’s face.

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