The duke.

One day until the ball.

Eight in the evening

The love of a mother and child. A wonderful sight to see. Chatting away without giving their mouths a break, they bunched together as if they were about to disappear. For a nanosecond, I imagined if my stepmother and I could have had this kind of loving relationship.

Nah. I still wanna kill the bitch.

I saw they had forgotten I was there and I quietly left them by the fireplace. By the door, Jen ran past me.

“Got the dresses.” She whispered before running again to meet Vanessa's mother. My smile fell as a stableboy walked inside my home again, tracking dirt on the wood floors.

No, I can ask him.

I hung my arm around the skinny man, and I brought him around the corner.

“Known Vanessa for some time, yeah?”

“Yes, Your Grace, since we were little tikes.” Under my arm, George looked peeved.

“Let's say I propose and say my vows to her on the same night as a surprise. Would she like that?”

George slowly slipped under my arm. His cap hid his expression. “I…don’t know, Your Grace. Are you sure about this?” With cold eyes, he questioned me.

“What do you mean?” I didn’t like his tone one bit.

“A Vow with that cardinal present is more than law. It will be permanent. Protected by the gods, for if you break it…”

“It is why I must do it,” I said. “For her.”

George bit his lip. “You…worthy.” the stable hand said under his breath.

“What did you say?” I asked, cupping my ear.

“May I leave, Your Grace? I have stables to keep before resting.”

“Sure…on your way.”

George walked with tensed shoulders, his fingers twitching and turning.

“What the fuck is his problem?”

I need to keep an eye on him.

Now where is the flirty priest?

****

The fuck is this?

The cardinal leaned over a poor maid, trying to use his charming smile. Her face clearly disagreed with his approach. I stepped up to him using Qinggong and my hand whipped the air to wrap my hand around the horny holy man's throat.

“Leave,” I tell the maid. I heard her light footballs and squeezed harder.

“Hey, what's the meaning of this!!” The cardinal screamed.

“My maids are off limits.”

“How was I supposed to know that!?”

“Common etiquette.”

The cardinal hit my arm with pillow-light punches. “Calm yourself, Zeb, before I kill you.”

He obeyed. “Wait, how do you…know…my name-”

“Punishment is in order.” I unclenched from his red neck and the cardinal huffed on the floor, much to my enjoyment. “I need a witness from the church tomorrow.”

The duke.

Day of the ball.

Eight in the evening

I watched carriage after carriage coming down the road from a guestroom window. I hold hands with a nervous Duchess. Her hair was done up high, and her makeup was applied perfectly on her already perfect face. She squirmed in a form-fitting, bosom-revealing white dress. Sewn as if petals were interwoven with each other, crystals shine on the helm. Sapphire jewels were inlaid in her white shoes.

“It's going to be fine. I will be with you the whole way. You look beautiful, by the way.”

She smiled adoringly and couldn't help adoring back. “How do I look? Snazzy?”

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She checked my gold-embroidered black doublet, black breeches and dark leather shoes, my favourite cloak, and. “Could be better. What does snazzy mean?”

“W-What! I actually tried.”

“I don’t know if you did. I remember you making fun of my clothing choices. I guess we have something in common.”

“Wait a minute—maybe you're right. I like black, alright!” I both chuckled till our chests hurt as I heard my brother’s name announced.

“It's time.” Vanessa put on a courageous face. We locked arms and I escorted her out of the room. A footman guided us to the opening before the stairs started downward.

“I can smell the meat already,” my uncle said from behind. He winked at me and I gave him a thumbs-up behind my back.

I nodded to the footman.

“Hear ye, hear ye!! Attention to all who attend! Presenting; Governor of our great Osberg duchy, THE HERO OF MOUVE, DUKE GREYSTONE! And his wife, mayor of Osberg city- DUCHESS GREYSTONE!”

My wife and I walked to the railing looking above the hundreds celebrating below. On circle tables beside cheeses, fruits and breads the various tables of meat from roast pig to turkey, ale and wine flow in every cup. The band of musicians stopped as I touched the railing looking down. I watched the gaping guests, finding the Alar with the exotic clothing and headdresses, lords and ladies from far across the duchy, knights of great skill and even some vessel family members I remember from memories almost forgotten. There was an eerie silence as the audience below gawked and stared.

I project my voice out with mana. “Welcome.”

An explosion of cheer filled the foray. My name was cheered with a fervency that their voices mixed in a deafening roar.

“GREYSTONE! GREYSTONE! GREYSTONE! GREYSTONE!”

I glimpsed my brother joining in the cheering next to Jen and Kurt. Vanessa held me close, our arms wreathed.

The results of my blood and sweat.

Fuck's sake… I could have cried at that moment. To see it all in that room was too much for my worn soul to bear. I looked to the left, spotting my old room at the far end. I exhaled, gained control of myself and accompanied my wife down to the foray steps to meet the guests.

“Hear ye, hear ye!!”

***

An hour later.

I fiddled with rings in my pocket, feeling nerves I hadn't felt since my battle with the beast above my office mantlepiece. A lot has changed since then. Powers beyond my imagination. Land and people were finally under my control. Crowds of people calling my name in the streets. I am so very close to realising my promise to them. I just needed to get through these damn boring conversations.

"Hello, Marquess Bradshaw. Finally stopped hiding away.” A meaty hand grabbed mine.

“Running away? HAHAHA!” The gingerheaded man chortled with a great, boisterous smile. “I got here as fast as possible to meet the legend himself! The man who-” I let the man drone on about how great I was but all I could do was stare at her. How her dress flowed around like a fairy. Her hair twisted like gorgeous golden vines. Vanessa saw me gazing and smiled back knowingly. My body moved before I did.

“I think we're on track to produce a seven per cent increase in wheat yield this year- You, Grace?”

“Sorry, I have to do something.” I moved past Marquess, grabbing Vanessa's hand as she chatted with her friends.

“Please, come with me.”

She looked back at her friend and then at me with a worried smile. “O-okay.”

Holding her white-gloved hand, I brought her up to the front of the foray, a cardinal awaited my signal and I gave a nod to him.

“What's going on, Tarion?” Vanessa said as she greeted guests while escorting her along to the front.

“A second surprise.”

A tingle raised the little hair on my entire body.

image [https://i.imgur.com/A9pf9oh.png]

Something is coming.

Instinct put up a shield of mana for me and I feel something, invisible, collapsing onto it. I let go of Vanessa’s hand.

“Get back.” I spun all five circles, keeping my shield up under tremendous pressure.

“Kurt! Sword!” Hands stretched out, I saw my guard speed in a blue flash to retrieve my weapon.

A notification fuzzed and fizzled before changing its letters.

image [https://i.imgur.com/ecgBHGZ.png]

Shit. Better than dying, I guess.

Surrounded by a terrified crowd, one person yelled for me. Vanessa, held back by Jen and my brother, scrambled for me.

"TARION!" Impressive strength pushed my brother off. He reached out again with mana to stop her from getting caught in the spell.

“Please don't cry.” The spell squeezed in on me and my shield cracked and shattered before I put another one up. My name was called by my uncle's gravelly old voice among the noise and mayhem. Face wrenching, sweat dripping, I struggled against the spell with all my power.

I tried to smile under duress. “Do not fret, I'm just leaving for a bit.” I turned to my little brother. “Keep her safe until I come back.” A committed nod from him relaxed me I fetched a ring from my pocket and I threw It to Vanessa.

“Think of me and the ring will point you to my location, no matter how far I am.”

I kneeled as the shield got compacted. I slipped a second rune on my ring finger

“Your Grace!” Catching the sword of Osberg and its spinning hilt, I readied myself.

Why today of all days…?

Vanessa and my eyes locked, and I said what I had been holding back.

“I love you.”

As my uncle pushed through the chaotic crowd, my mana shield broke, and nothingness covered me whole.

***

Under my boots, I felt grass under my soles. The cold night air chilled my face as the wind blew over me with a hint of wood. Eyes blinked open and hundreds of eyes stared back. Hungry, ravenous eyes. Animalistic and barbaric, the bandits glared like they had seen the next meal.

Where the hell am I…?

“Duke.”

That voice from the blizzard. The coward. The shaved man. Hymir.

“Didn't think we would meet so soon.” I looked straight ahead and saw a man marked with ceremonial blood on his body, and he smiled with malice. “Did the mage bring you here as a sacrifice?”

The fucking helper. Well, I asked for help. I should have told them to do it at a more convenient time.

“No. To slay you.” I allocated Dantian points to senses and speed, standing in a guarding stance with my greatsword. Circles revved and my blade hummed with great, bright, azure-blue mana.

Hymir laughed to the moon above, madness echoing. Bandits with feverish eyes stalked closer to me, brandishing their blue-lit blades and shields.

“You can certainly try, arrogant noble.”