Chapter 128
The high-collared lace dress looked elegant and luxurious even without any accessories.
Stray strands of hair fell softly from her neatly tied-up hairstyle, and the small pearl earrings on her ears added to her graceful charm.
Of course, all of this was thanks to the visit she had made to Isabel’s dress shop not long ago, where she had even had daily wear tailored in advance.
‘Good thing I listened to Peony’s advice back then.’
Just like Peony had said—“You never know when or where you’ll need to dress up”—a situation like this had come up so suddenly.
Eila glanced sideways at Felix standing next to her.
‘Even though Felix told me to come comfortably and not worry about anything…’
She was glad she had paid extra attention to her appearance just in case. She could tell from Yetienne’s relieved expression alone.
After all, it wasn’t common for a ducal household to treat someone like a distinguished guest and personally escort them.
‘And now, everyone who sees me like this will misunderstand my relationship with Felix…’
Just hearing that she was the companion of the precious young lord would be enough to make people secretly scrutinize her every move.
That’s why she wanted to stay as quietly and discreetly as possible—so as not to cause any trouble for Felix’s reputation.
‘And while I’m at it, I can meet the Red Dragon and handle the matter with Piyo properly.’
Just then, Felix, who had finished talking with a nearby knight, reached out his hand to her.
“Piyo’s been loaded safely into the carriage. Let’s head out.”
“Ah, right.”
Eila snapped out of her thoughts and took his offered hand.
She then cast a quick glance toward the carriage behind them.
‘…I really hope nothing’s seriously wrong.’
As she stepped into the carriage, she silently hoped that everything would be resolved smoothly by the time they returned to the academy.
They traveled straight through the day and finally arrived at the Azenta Duchy.
Even though their arrival time had been uncertain, the Duke himself and the household staff were all waiting to greet them as they disembarked.
Eila hadn’t expected this level of reception and couldn’t hide her surprise.
“That must be Lady Eila.”
“She’s so graceful and elegant!”
“She really suits Lord Felix.”
Even more surprising was that all the gazes directed at her were filled with warmth and goodwill.
Eila was speechless—she had never imagined being welcomed so warmly by complete strangers.
‘I didn’t even get this kind of reception at the Blanche estate…’
Truthfully, she’d had many worries before coming here.
As someone from a commoner background, she thought there would surely be those who looked down on her.
But to her astonishment, no one here seemed to take issue with her origins.
And the surprises didn’t end there.
“Lady Eila, thank you for making the trip. Come inside, please.”
The Duke of Azenta personally welcomed her and escorted her to the reception room.
“You must be tired from the journey. It would be best to rest after dinner. We’ll be heading to the forest first thing tomorrow.”
“Th-thank you.”
“Please make yourself at home, as if this were your own house.”
As the three of them walked, Eila could hear the staff murmuring nearby.
“Is that the future duchess? Wow, she’s even more beautiful up close.”
“Just like Sir Yetienne said. They really do look great together.”
“She’s not just gorgeous—she’s also a skilled mage and even the master of a dragon…”
Eila’s face turned red from the whispers she couldn’t help overhearing.
‘What in the world did Sir Yetienne say to them…?’
The embarrassing chatter didn’t end there.
Throughout the mansion, conversations about her and Felix echoed.
“When are they getting married? I hope they move to the territory soon.”
“Probably right after they graduate from the academy?”
“But they’re still just dating, right? You never know about marriage.”
One servant cautiously voiced doubt, only to be firmly corrected by the others.
“Of course they’ll get married! She’s that stunning!”
“Didn’t you see how the young master was looking at her? Don’t jinx it!”
At this point, Eila’s face was bright red, almost to the point of bursting.
Everyone she made eye contact with greeted her politely, with graceful bows or respectful gestures.
It seemed the entire household already regarded her as the future duchess.
‘What would they say if they found out Felix and I aren’t actually a real couple? …I don’t even want to imagine it.’
Eila shook her head.
Felix, pretending not to notice but clearly a bit flustered himself, gave an awkward cough.
He turned slightly to glance at Eila’s face—and saw the tips of her ears burning red.
Seeing that, Felix was reminded of the first time he had arrived at the estate himself.
He, too, had been overwhelmed by similar hospitality when he met the household.
All those mixed feelings—delight, embarrassment, awkwardness—came flooding back.
‘I bet Eila feels the same way I did.’
Thinking that, a pang of guilt hit him.
They weren’t even really in a relationship, and yet he had burdened her with so much.
He even worried that she might think he had planned all this deliberately.
‘Father, honestly… I told him not to make a big fuss about this.’
Felix sighed and glanced at the Duke’s back.
The Duke, blissfully unaware of his conflicted thoughts, walked ahead with a pleased expression.
The Azenta estate was even larger than Eila had imagined.
After quite a long walk, they finally reached the reception room, and Eila sighed in relief once the door closed behind them.
Finally free from the constant attention of the staff, she felt much more at ease.
The Duke respectfully gestured for her to take a seat.
“Please, make yourself comfortable.”
“…Thank you, Your Grace.”
Even with his kind words, Eila sat stiffly, still very conscious of being in his presence.
The Duke, noticing her discomfort, gave her a sympathetic look and opened his mouth to ease the tension.
“So, what do you think of our estate? I’d like to hear the opinion of someone from the Blanche family.”
Eila smiled softly.
No one treated her like a noble lady anymore, but the Duke alone acknowledged her as someone from a ducal lineage.
“It’s a place full of character and history. Just as the rumors say, the garden is beautiful, and the architecture feels grand.”
“Haha, no need to flatter me. This mansion has been preserved exactly as my wife left it when she was alive. Some nobles in the capital think it’s old-fashioned or outdated.”
Eila blinked in surprise.
To think he had kept everything the same because he couldn’t forget his late wife.
After a pause, she spoke gently.
“…You must have loved her very much.”
“I did. Very much. And do you know what her last request to me was?”
Eila hesitated, shaking her head cautiously.
The Duke gestured toward Felix sitting beside her.
“She asked me to find our lost son and bring him home safely.”
“…”
“If not for you, Lady Eila, I might have continued wandering aimlessly with him right in front of me. I am deeply grateful for what you’ve done for both Felix and me.”
The Duke’s sincere gratitude hit Eila like a wave, tightening her chest.
Flustered, she looked between Felix and the Duke.
“It was going to happen eventually anyway. Just seeing the two of you happy together is enough reward for me.”
“…You are truly humble, Lady Eila.”
The Duke leaned his arm on the chair’s armrest, murmuring with admiration.
“I’ve also heard all about what you’ve done for Felix. Including how you helped him recover from his mana insensitivity.”
“To me, it was nothing short of a miracle.”
Felix grinned and chimed in.
“Not to mention she can already use large-scale magic at her age, and she’s the master of a dragon.”
“Her performance at the subjugation festival was incredible.”
As father and son sang her praises, Eila’s face flushed red once again.
