“So you’re asking me if you can go out with my mom, basically?” Erik asked, and raised his eyebrow.

“Well…” Duke Phillips, who was sitting in the grass near Erik, trailed off. Despite his competent mind, he couldn't come up with an answer to such a question quickly. “I suppose you can say so, but it's not quite that. I just want to know what would be your opinion if I invited Alice to a Noble Gala that’s coming. I am expected to attend and bring a lady and I don’t have any mistress for the job so I thought a friend could do…”

Erik took his gaze away from the lavish green view of their hill and stopped at Phillips. ‘He really is asking that to me,’ he thought, a bit perplexed to why he was the person being asked.

This was a thing that Erik didn’t quite understand yet, most people around him wanted him to be mature and always make good decisions. Sure, he had to be very responsible for an entire year and compared to his siblings he tried to be more level-headed but he didn’t feel wise enough to answer such questions.

“Well, if you’re asking whether I think my mom should be your mistress, that’s a very weird thing to ask, don’t you think?” Erik said, still gazing at the Duke, waiting for a reaction.

Phillips gasped for a moment, his mouth was wide open. “I…” he didn’t know what to say. “It’s not like that… you know, you’ve been getting a lot more bratty recently,” he finally said with a deadpan after looking at Erik.

The boy couldn’t help himself and burst out laughing, he held the grass just to not fall to the side.

Phillips cleared his throat. “But to answer your question, no. While I do think your mother is a very nice lady, that thought never crossed my mind.”

“Really?” Erik said after calming down, now picking on his nails. “I wouldn’t mind much if you did.”

‘I wouldn’t mind living in that mansion!’ he screamed internally, thinking of how rich they’d be. Phillips had the nicest place that Erik had ever seen, such was expected from the Duke of Frosthollow. From what Erik heard, he also had a kid, but they had never met.

Besides, though not the main reason, Erik saw him as a good person who had saved him. The boy trusted the Duke.

Still, he had no reason to be serious about this.

Phillips sighed, sensing that the boy wasn’t being honest. “Well, I suppose I should tell them I won’t go,” he got up and stretched before turning to leave.

“Why, just because I didn’t say it was a good idea? I’m not the one those questions should be directed to.”

The Duke’s gaze fell upon Erik once more. He opened his mouth for a brief moment before closing it again. Phillips cleared his throat before placing a hand on his chest. “Well, you see Erik, I’M SCARED TO ASK HER!” the man screamed the last part before his arms went limp. “Imagine if she rejects me,” he said in a desperate tone.

“I…” Erik only managed to say that as he saw the scene unfold. “You fought many bandits for me, you almost died and yet this scares you?” Erik had his forehead flexed, he grimaced slightly.

“What can I say,” Phillips said before his legs gave out and he hit the grass with his knees. His whole body was going limp at this rate. “There are scarier things than dying in this world…”

‘That makes no sense…’

“Look, just do what you want. But don’t regret it later,” Erik said, trying to dismiss the man as this charade had gone for too long.

“You’re… right!” the Duke said, getting up. His eyes glimmered, almost like he admired the boy’s words. “I’ll take that in mind, Erik, have a good afternoon now, and let the adult do his job,” he said in a normal tone again.

Erik grimaced once again as the man entered the house. ‘He was a real weirdo today, imagine making such a big thing out of that,’ he thought to himself before getting up as well and running down the hill for more magic practice.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

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Phillips gulped as he saw Alice cleaning the kitchen. She was a stunning women, making it so that despite being kind she was almost too much for a man like him to even think of doing anything. She had a certain grace in the way she spoke, unlike the average uneducated peasant.

He smiled as he admired her figure. She was even more beautiful now as she returned to being healthy. Her recovery was hard and took a long time – even now it wasn’t complete – but besides all else, her spirit was greatly improved. He was happy that she could feel better now.

The Duke didn’t know much about her past, making her more mysterious and alluring.

He cleared his throat. “Miss Alice…”

As the words were spoken, she turned her head to him. At first, she gasped in surprise as she hadn’t even noticed that he was standing before but quickly recollected herself.

“Good afternoon sir Phillips, is there anything I can help you with?” she asked after she stopped using the broom.

Phillips gulped dry, his hands trembled slightly before tightening. He took a deep breath.

"Lady Alice," he began, his voice a bit shaky, "I was wondering if… if you might be willing to accompany me to the Noble Gala that’s coming up…" he hesitated, searching her eyes for any sign of her reaction. "I’m expected to attend, and I… well, I would be honored if you would join me as my companion."

Alice's eyes widened in surprise as she hadn’t expected this.

"Sir Phillips," she said before halting., "I… I'm flattered that you would consider me. But are you certain this is appropriate? I’m but a peasant, after all. Besides, I’m a widow, it would be frowned upon."

A gentle smile curled on the Duke’s lips. “Well, I am a widower myself. My wife was once part of Draac’s Dragon Squad and she died in the war, trying to protect the citizens… if one must sin, don’t you think this is the best scenario?” He moved closer to her and grabbed her hand. “Let them say what they will. After all, I’m the Duke of Frosthollow –I think I can handle some gossip,” his fingers intertwined with hers slowly. “Besides, it's not every day I get to dance with such a beautiful lady, is it?”

Alice felt the warmth of Phillips’ hand enveloping hers, a comforting yet unfamiliar sensation. Her gaze fluttered before settling back onto him, her cheeks flushed slightly. It had been so long since anyone had held her hand like this.

"Your kindness means more to me than I can express. You’ve done so much for my family…” she began, speaking softly. “I suppose, in a way, it would be fine to accompany you out of gratitude for all you’ve done."

Phillips' smile left his face slowly, though he kept his expression warm. He could feel an uneasy feeling grip onto his chest, and for a moment he struggled to find the right words.

The idea that Alice might agree to accompany him merely out of gratitude didn’t sit right with him. He didn’t want her to feel obligated, nor did he want their relationship – whatever it might become – to be built on something as one-sided as duty.

Perhaps it had been the loneliness both have had for the past years or they had all this time simply been too good for each other to simply ignore. It was hard to say but he knew he would regret it soon if he didn’t make his feelings clear.

Phillips gulped, gripping her hand slightly firmer. He pondered what went through her head. Did she like him too? Was he secretly despised? Was this all an act? He sighed, blowing the bad thoughts away.

He shook his head.

"I don’t want you to come with me out of duty or gratitude. I want you there because you mean so much more to me than that. Over these past several, you’ve become someone I deeply care about, someone I want by my side – not just at the gala, but in the days that follow."

Alice gasped, her eyes were wide. She opened her mouth but before she could say anything, the Duke continued.

"I care for you, Alice, more than I’ve cared for anyone else in a long time. In my opinion, this could be a step toward to something more… something I hope we can discover together,” he took a moment to catch his breath. He sighed, his once uneasy gaze now checked her face, both mesmerized by her beauty and expecting any response. “Will you join me, not just as a companion for the Gala, but as someone who might share in a new beginning with me?"

Alice stayed quiet for a few moments. Her cheeks flushed more than before and she smiled.

"I… I’ve always respected you…" she struggled to find the right words. "You mean a lot to me and my family. You helped us during our hard times. Sure, we weren’t at our lowest at the time, but you gave opportunities to my children and me. We are now happier than we have been in years… ever since Kaf left,” her gaze avoided the Duke for a moment before she looked him in the eye again. “I just want to say that what you said… well, it is more mutual than it might seem at first glance.”

“So this means-”

“I care about you as well. Though I try to keep those thoughts away, I think it's more than just gratitude… I’d be happy to accompany you to that Gala… after you help me get a suitable dress,” she said, the last part making her giggle a bit.

Phillips' heart punched his chest hard. He couldn’t believe this outcome. He slowly bowed down, brought her hand to him, and kissed her back gently.

“I’m not the most fashionable person, but I’ll try my best.”