Chapter 129
“…I think you both may be overestimating me.”
Seeing Eila flustered, the Duke smiled warmly.
In truth, the Duke initially only intended to give her a reasonable reward for helping find his son.
But after hearing Felix’s stories and meeting her in person, his thoughts gradually changed.
The results she’d shown during the subjugation expedition were impressive even in his eyes—and she remained humble despite it.
If someone like her, who possessed both ability and character, became Felix’s partner, she would no doubt be a great strength to House Agenta.
“As for the Black Dragon, don’t worry too much. It’s a matter that can be solved by offering a suitable gift to the Red Dragon.”
Eila looked up in surprise.
“Offering a gift to a dragon?”
“That one has a fair bit of material greed. But she’s clear about giving in return—so long as the gift is to her liking, she won’t be stingy.”
Eila hesitated briefly, then spoke firmly.
“If it requires a big offering because of me… then even if it takes some time, I’ll make sure to repay it.”
Both the Duke and Felix were surprised and spoke almost in unison.
“Repay it? What do you mean by that?”
“There’s no need, Eila!”
The Duke cleared his throat a little awkwardly and continued.
“What I said earlier wasn’t meant that way. Both Felix and I—do you know how much we owe you? This much is only natural.”
“Exactly. You don’t have to worry about anything, Eila.”
The Duke glanced sideways at his restless son, then smiled mischievously.
“Well, you’re already dating Felix, aren’t you? You’ll be a member of House Agenta before long—you should get used to this kind of support.”
Eila’s face became awkward, while Felix turned red like a ripe apple.
“Please don’t say things that put pressure on Eila. We’re here to deal with the Black Dragon issue, after all.”
He glanced sideways at Eila’s expression, as if worried she might feel uncomfortable.
The Duke chuckled and said,
“I used to be the same. In front of my wife, I overthought things, got nervous… And then I’d regret not expressing myself properly.”
A bitter smile appeared on the Duke’s lips.
When he was younger, he believed his wife would always be by his side. So instead of being honest about his feelings, he hesitated out of embarrassment.
He kept telling himself there’d be time later, that she already knew how he felt anyway.
But now he knew better. A missed chance vanishes like mist, never to return.
By the time he realized it, time had flown, and his wife was already gone from this world.
“I really regretted it after Lilliana passed.”
Eila tilted her head, confused.
“You… regretted it?”
“Yes. A person’s lifespan is shorter than you think. So you end up regretting more and more. What if I’d told her more often that I loved her… That kind of thing.”
There was deep remorse in the Duke’s eyes.
Eila could tell immediately that his advice was heartfelt.
“That’s why you two shouldn’t end up regretting things. Be honest with each other. Caring for someone, loving someone—that’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Felix glanced uncomfortably at Eila beside him.
They weren’t even officially a couple—he worried he might have upset her with the way things were framed.
But to his surprise, Eila was silently deep in thought, her gaze lowered.
“Be honest with each other and don’t regret it…”
The Duke’s advice strangely overlapped with her own situation, and a complicated expression appeared on Eila’s face.
* * *
Dinner afterward was thoroughly enjoyable.
Everything on the table had clearly been prepared with care, pleasing both the eyes and the palate.
On top of that, the Duke—whose swordsmanship was well-known—was also well-versed in various subjects and made the conversation fascinating.
Before they knew it, dinner was over.
The Duke coughed lightly and offered gently,
“How about the two of you take a stroll in the garden to help with digestion? I heard the gardener put in extra effort today knowing you’d be visiting.”
Felix chimed in supportively.
“Yes! The garden here is beautiful even at night with all the lights on. I’m sure you’ll love it, Eila.”
“With both of you recommending it, I definitely want to see it.”
Eila nodded happily.
The Duke smiled and left them to enjoy themselves alone.
Finally alone, Felix and Eila slowly made their way to the garden.
The night air was colder than expected.
Felix took off his jacket and carefully placed it around Eila’s shoulders.
“Are you okay? It’s pretty chilly.”
“I’m fine. I’ve always been rather insensitive to cold.”
Felix hesitated a moment before speaking.
“Um… if the reactions from the staff or my father made you uncomfortable, I’m sorry. I think they all assumed we were dating.”
Eila shook her head.
“No, I was fine. Actually… I liked it.”
“You… liked it?”
“Seeing how people reacted to you—it made me realize how precious you are to them. Your father included.”
“…”
“And it made me happy to see that for myself.”
Felix paused, then smiled awkwardly.
“Thank you for saying that.”
“…”
“Actually… before I came here, the Duke’s residence never really hosted guests or parties. So you’re the first honored guest in a very long time. I think everyone was just excited.”
“I’m flattered you’d say that.”
“I was just stating the truth.”
After a brief pause, Felix seemed to recall something.
“Ah, right. There’s actually a place I want to show you.”
He turned to her with a soft smile.
“We can see it as we walk through the garden. There’s a building at the end—it’s warmer than being outside.”
Eila nodded obediently.
The two walked along a path lit with magical lanterns.
The garden scenery was already stunning, but their destination was even more breathtaking.
A huge glass dome greeted Eila—a stunning greenhouse.
Felix, looking proud, turned to her.
“This is the greenhouse. Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Wow, Felix… this is truly…”
Eila gasped as she stepped into the greenhouse, the door opened for her by Felix.
Inside, under the glowing moonlight, the space felt warm and cozy—unlike the chilly outdoors.
The exotic plants and softly blooming flowers filled the space with a gentle scent, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.
It was easy to imagine how much effort went into creating and maintaining such a space.
Felix followed her inside and murmured quietly,
“I come here often when I have free time.”
“You take care of it yourself?”
“My father used to do it alone, but lately I’ve been helping too.”
A soft smile spread across Eila’s face.
‘He’s calling the Duke “father” so naturally now.’
Not long ago, Felix had been awkward using that word. But now he said it effortlessly.
“I didn’t expect someone like the Duke to care for such a delicate greenhouse.”
“Well, it makes sense. I mean, looking at him, you wouldn’t think he’s the type to raise flowers, right?”
“Hmm… I didn’t mean it like that…”
But she couldn’t quite deny it.
The image of the massive, intimidating Duke tending to flowers was… hard to picture.
“This place actually belonged to my mother. She used to care for it. But after I disappeared, her health rapidly declined… and since then, my father’s been tending it in her place.”
At Felix’s words, Eila’s lips tightened.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🥰