I Stole The Duke - Chapter 144

“Haha! Looks like the ship ride was rough on you all.”

“Welcome to Flencia, brothers.”

A merchant and a spy approached the pale-faced warriors with a warm, easy smile.

“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Zaal, the eldest among them.”

Forcing a calm, confident expression, the warriors’ leader shook hands with the merchant.

“Will you be all right? I was told the goods needed to be delivered as soon as the unloading is complete…”

“We can handle that, of course.”

“Ahem, the carts are already prepared. You can split the load between those ten over there.”

“Yes, leave it to us.”

The twenty warriors began lifting and loading the 60-kilogram sacks of beans onto the wagons, stacking them neatly.

“Where are the beans being delivered?”

“I’ll ride with you and guide the way. No need for all twenty—just send three men to accompany the carts.”

“Samir, Sharif, come with me.”

“Yes, brother.”

Zaal picked the two who looked the least sick among the nineteen still recovering.

After about an hour on the road in the horse-drawn wagons, they arrived at their destination with the coffee beans in tow.

“This is the Mikkelsen estate.”

‘So, getting into the ducal estate was never part of the plan after all.’

Zaal’s eyes lingered not on the gates before them, but on the bright white walls of the Ascher estate visible in the distance. He could see it clearly, yet it remained out of reach. The disappointment stung.

‘Still, since the Duchess herself placed the order, we’ll see her eventually—even if only from afar.’

Sometimes patience meant more than strength. For now, he had to swallow his frustration and play the long game.

“We’ve brought the goods requested by a guest of the Mikkelsen household.”

After a short wait at the gate, a servant from the estate appeared.

“We’ll inspect the shipment first.”

“Of course. Please take your time.”

The merchant hopped off the wagon and greeted the servant cheerfully.

‘So they’re not even going to let us inside the estate.’

Zaal silently watched as the servant began opening the sacks to check the contents.

‘Still don’t trust Kantoor men, do they…? No matter. As more deliveries are made, the distance between us will shrink.’

He had never expected gaining the Duchess’s trust would be easy, but the wall of caution was higher than he’d anticipated.

“The beans are in order. Here is your payment.”

“Yes! I’ve received it. Thank you.”

The merchant accepted the payment with a wide grin. Earning a small fortune from beans he hadn’t even paid for—how could he not be thrilled?

“So… what about the next shipment?”

His voice carried a hint of hope. The warriors subtly leaned in, eager for any news of the next delivery. Every bit of information mattered.

“There won’t be another.”

“Pardon?”

“There are no future orders. You may unload the goods here.”

The servant’s tone left no room for questions. He pointed to an open patch of ground near the gate.

“Ah… I see. It was an honor doing business with you.”

The merchant’s voice faded, heavy with disappointment. The warriors, hoping to establish a long-term operation, felt their spirits sink.

“Unload the goods.”

“Yes, brother…”

Their carefully planned mission had ended before it even began. They hadn’t earned trust. They hadn’t even seen the Duchess. And it now seemed they probably never would.

‘What now, commander?’

Uneasy glances passed between the warriors. This wasn’t a problem patience could solve.

‘We’ll stay near the harbor and wait for His Highness’s next instructions.’

For now, Kantoor’s top warriors had become little more than stranded, illegal residents in Flencia.

Meanwhile, servants from the House of Terius entered the annex kitchen, each with a sack of beans slung over their shoulders. The tightly sealed coffee bags were steadily stacked inside.

“My lady, the beans have arrived.”

With one of the Empire’s finest trade experts at her side, Eliana had no real need to rely on Kantoor merchants. Profit was never her main goal. She had already arranged to take just 20% of the margin and handed over the import, processing, and distribution rights to Terius Trading Company.

“Place one on the table.”

“Yes, my lady.”

At her request, one servant gently lifted a sack from his shoulder and placed it on the table.

“Now then, let’s begin training.”

Before untying the sack, Eliana glanced around at those gathered.

“Yes, my lady!”

Twenty eager eyes turned toward her, filled with focus and excitement. The group was made up of volunteers from the Ascher estate and veteran workers from House Terius.

“Each of you will become a master of coffee and be sent across the Empire. Be proud of that.”

Half the value of coffee was in its scent. Magical storage would only be used when absolutely necessary. The real key was to flood the Empire with the smell of freshly roasted beans.

“We’ll pay close attention and won’t miss a word, my lady.”

“First, we’ll start by opening the sacks and picking out any bad beans or foreign material.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Each servant opened the sack in front of them with care.

“The first rule: never roast more than what fits in ten measuring cups at once. That’s the secret to maintaining quality.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Eliana’s role was to teach them how to prepare the beans properly. And if the trend ever began to fade, she’d introduce new recipes—like café au lait or einspänner—to keep coffee popular and in demand.

Getting started was the hardest part. But once people got a taste for coffee, it naturally became a habit. If the trend spread throughout the Empire, even those told not to drink it would end up craving it.

“Once the sorting’s done, we’ll start by roasting just three cups’ worth for practice.”

Everyone fell quiet as Eliana picked up the iron pan. A moment later, the rich, nutty scent of roasting beans began drifting through the annex of the count’s estate—filling the air with warmth, comfort, and anticipation.

“Use what I roasted today as the standard. Practice until anyone can match this level of quality.”

“Yes, my lady!”

Eliana led the training for three hours before stepping away. It was now time for everyone to practice freely at their own pace.

“I’ll escort you.”

“Thank you, Sir Roanes.”

As Eliana left the annex with Roanes at her side, she was caught by surprise. Someone she hadn’t expected was standing there waiting for her.

“Michal? What are you doing here…? Have you been waiting long?”

“No, not at all. I just thought this would be the time you’d finish, so I came accordingly.”

“Is something wrong?”

Eliana was curious. For a man who scheduled his time down to the minute, showing up unannounced was highly unusual.

“My beautiful wife, I happen to know a wonderful place… Would you care to join me for dinner?”

As Eliana blinked, puzzled by the sudden proposal, Michalis stepped forward and offered his hand with graceful formality.

A date? Just like that?

She was genuinely caught off guard. She probably still smelled like roasted beans from head to toe.

“Ah… yes.”

She reached for his hand with a mix of hesitation and quiet anticipation.

Please don’t let that ‘wonderful place’ be the estate…

The thought slipped into her mind, stirred by her confusion.

“To Mykonos.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Thankfully, it wasn’t the estate.

Once the duke and duchess stepped into the carriage, a deep blue coach bearing the crest of a shield began to move. Three knights, dressed in matching blue uniforms, mounted their horses and followed close behind.

“Michal, if I’d known in advance, I would’ve dressed for the occasion.”

Eliana’s tone held a note of playful frustration as she turned toward her husband with a faint pout.

“I just wanted to lift your spirits… But if you’re uncomfortable, I can tell them to turn around.”

Michalis seemed a little disheartened. He’d hoped to go on at least one proper date before the short autumn season passed.

“No! I didn’t mean it like that.”

Apparently, marriage didn’t instantly give a man better timing or common sense.

“……”

“I just meant… If I’d known, I would’ve dressed up a little more.”

“You already look beautiful.”

Ugh. Seriously, what is that…

He said it so sincerely, with that calm and serious face of his. How was she supposed to respond to that? Eliana quickly turned her head toward the window, trying to hide her flustered smile.

“Your Grace, my lady—we’ve arrived.”

After a gentle hour-long ride, the carriage came to a stop. Roanes opened the door from outside.

“Michal… this place…”

Eliana stepped out of the carriage with his help, her eyes widening. A faintly briny scent, typical of the harbor, brushed past her nose.

“Welcome, Your Grace, my lady.”

The staff standing at the restaurant entrance all bowed in unison as the duke and duchess arrived.

“This place is especially known for its seafood.”

Michalis hadn’t been here before either—but according to the autumn edition of Top 20 Date Spots in Flencia, this place was highly recommended.

“Did you make a reservation in advance?”

“I reserved the entire restaurant for the evening. No one else will be dining here tonight, so we can relax.”

It was even written in bold, underlined twice in the guide—Don’t visit unless you’re reserving the full place, or it’ll be unbearably loud. In other words, full reservation or nothing.

“Oh… I see.”

He’d dragged her out here in her work clothes, and now he was casually revealing that he’d booked the whole restaurant. The contrast was dizzying.

“I’m Rubas, the head chef of Mykonos. I hope you have a wonderful evening.”

They must have even arranged the menu in advance—shortly after they were seated, a spread of beautifully plated seafood dishes began arriving at the round table.

“I hope it suits your taste.”

“It’s delicious. The fish just melts in my mouth.”

The moment she took her first bite, the awkwardness melted away too. Maybe it was the warmth of eating out for a change, or just the richness of the food, but everything felt softer—happier. The estate had fine cuisine, but this… this was something else.

“Wow…”

Eliana couldn’t hold back a quiet gasp as she tasted the swordfish steak. The food was incredible, and the harbor view outside the window—lit up under the night sky—was simply beautiful. It was hard to imagine a more perfect date spot in all of Flencia.

“Those little boats… where are they all going?”

The night had fallen fully now, and small boats lit with torches began dotting the water, drifting outward.

“They’re heading out to catch nocturnal fish.”

As she watched the flickering lights on the water, joy gently settled on Eliana’s face. Seeing her smile, Michalis smiled too, and the two of them gazed out at the peaceful harbor like glowing fireflies floating across the sea.

“It’s so peaceful here…”

Eliana was starting to fall in love with Flencia more and more. The citizens—so passionate, so full of life—each doing their part, living meaningfully in their own ways.

“Brother, how long are we supposed to stay here?”

“Tomorrow, at first light, I plan to try contacting His Highness again. Until then, we’ll spend our time learning the area.”

Now technically illegal residents, the Kantoor warriors wandered the darkened harbor without a real plan.

“Pause.”

Zaal, leading the way, raised his hand and motioned for the two behind him to stop.

Those uniforms…

Three knights in blue stood posted at the entrance to a well-lit building, glowing under magical lights. Zaal’s gaze followed the building upward.

At a second-story window, he spotted the broad back of a tall man—and beside him, a woman with long, silver hair.

The Duke and Duchess of Ascher?

It was a completely unexpected encounter.

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