I Snatched The Duke - Chapter 10. Date(1)

The 1st Order of the Knights. Also known as the Blue Knights.

They’re composed of talented people who have swordsmanship and navigational skills above a certain level. Excluding the imperial family, the Duke of Atcher has the largest number of knights as well as an elite group of only 20 members.

If the regular knights’ uniforms were white from the top to bottom, the 1st Knights’ uniforms were blue on top embroidered with silver thread, paired with white pants. They were elite knights so special that they could shame others just by their clothes.

All of them, the pride of the Duke of Atcher, were mobilized to be her escort.

‘They shouldn’t have to do something like this, right!?’

It was a huge waste of resources, and it was a nuisance.

“Sir Carlisle. I don’t think there needs to be this many escorts. Just two, please.”

“We can’t do that.”

The stiff-looking soldier, Puellini, blocked her firmly.

“I’m uncomfortable.”

Eliana’s face quickly looked exhausted. She hadn’t even gone out yet, but somehow, she already felt tired.

“Don’t you think it’s a waste of manpower?”

“It is His Excellency’s orders to prioritize the safety of the young lady.”

She was going to go quietly and get some fresh air, yet here they were, trying to make her into a celebrity. Eliana got goosebumps at the thought of being surrounded by escort knights and receiving all kinds of stares.

“It’s because I think this number of people would rather interfere with my going out.”

“We will do our best not to get in the young lady’s way!”

Waa – it’s like we’re not speaking the same language. Eliana felt like a sweet potato was stuck in her throat.

“Where is the Duke?”

Feeling like she would suffocate if she stayed like this, she needed someone whom she could actually communicate with.

“He is in his office.”

“I’ll speak with the Duke.”

As Eliana turned and stepped back up the stairs, their escort mission began.

“I will take you.”

Puellini went up right next to her and politely escorted her. Perhaps even if she just closed her eyes and walked up the stairs, she would never fall.

Trudge. Trudge. Trudge.

After that, without anyone telling them to, the knights shifted their line into ten lanes and followed each other with rhythmic steps; like soldiers attending a military parade.

‘What on earth…’

This naturally made Eliana’s face red. A huge amount of pressure and embarrassment followed.

A feast of white pants, blue jackets and white berets. She felt like the captain of the Smurfs. (Coincidentally, Eliana was also wearing a white hat.)

‘Waa, I’ll never go out like this even if I die!’

Contrary to Eliana’s thoughts, the members of the Blue Knights, who were regretful about having been excluded from the naval training, were very disciplined, thinking of completing this mission perfectly.

‘Block access to outsiders within a three meter radius!’

With their sharp eyes, they did not neglect to stay vigilant, as if even a single approaching fly would not be tolerated.

“Milady…”

Pushed to the end of the line by the force of such knights, Amy cried.

“Please wait here.”

“I understand.”

As if she was running away, Eliana, who had arrived on the third floor, knocked on the door of the deputy’s office, leaving Puellini behind.

“Lady Aclera?”

Eliana opened the door and burst in at the same time she knocked, causing Iadis to widen his eyes in surprise.

“Haa, please guide me to the Duke.”

Eliana couldn’t help but gasp when the door closed. Her breath was suffocated by the force of the knights, who stood as sharp as their stiff uniforms.

“Yes, I understand.”

‘The future mistress looks tired for some reason.’

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Iadis didn’t ask anything else and instead knocked on the door inside.

“Your Excellency, Lady Aclera has arrived.”

“Come in.”

Upon hearing Mihalis’ voice, Eliana immediately entered the head of the house’s office without hesitation.

“Are you on your way out now?”

Wearing a wide-brimmed white hat and lemon-colored dress, Eliana was so bright that it felt like the office was glimmering.

Mihalis, who stopped his work for a while, greeted Eliana with a subtle pleasure. Judging by her attire, it seemed she had come to say ‘thank you’ before going out.

“Please make the escorts step back.”

Contrary to Mihalis’ expectation, Eliana, who was full of enthusiasm, brought up the main topic without pause.

“What do you mean?”

Mihalis’ expression hardened at the unexpected remark.

“Literally. Please have the escorts step back.”

“I can’t do that.”

“I just said I wanted to go out, I didn’t say I wanted attention!”

Her voice abruptly rose.

“It is dangerous to go out without an escort.”

‘Who doesn’t know that?’

Eliana could feel herself suffocating here too.

“Then, please reduce their number to one or two.”

By Eliana’s standards, with just Puellini—the leader of the Blue Knights—alone, no one would dare approach within a meter radius.

“…….”

As if pondering over Eliana’s appeal, Mihalis’ silence continued for a moment.

“…….”

Eliana also paused for a bit and gave him an expectant stare.

“No less than ten people.”

It was an important time before their marriage. In a situation where outsiders continued to pour in, it was the maximum concession Mihalis could make.

“Ha, don’t you think it’s a huge waste of manpower?”

“Nothing is comparable to your safety.”

Eliana was stunned by Mihalis’ unyielding reply.

‘Ughh, it’s so frustrating. What is this guy? Are you a duke or a scholar*?’

[T/N: The word is scholar in olden times but as a slang, it is used to refer to someone who is boring, no fun, and lives a disciplined life.]

If she doesn’t get noticed, no one would even recognize that she was the future duchess. Him and the captain of the knights who couldn’t communicate were cut from the same lump of stone.

“Why not just advertise me as the soon-to -be duchess instead?”

A woman who’s walking around under the strict escort of elite knights. It’s literally like they are hosting a runway event for the future duchess.

“Should we write myself a name tag saying “Future Duchess” and wear it around my neck?”

“Don’t be sarcastic.”

“Then I won’t go out.”

“Then don’t.”

As Eliana’s insistence continued, emotions leaked out of Mihalis’ tone as well.

“Yes, sinceI’m not going out, can you have the escorts step back?”

Mihalis’ face hardened due to Eliana’s words. He rose from his desk and strode past her.

“Disperse the knights!”

Mihalis then opened the door of his office and gave a brief command to Iadis, who was waiting in the deputy’s office.

“Satisfied now?”

“Yes.”

Mihalis walked up towards Eliana again, looking straight into her eyes that were facing him.

“…….”

Her cobalt-colored eyes were colder than ever before. It was like pouring water on fire.

“…….”

The cold staring contest lasted for several seconds.

‘I’ve never lost a staring contest anywhere….’

“I… I guess I got a little worked up.”

It was Eliana who spoke first. After calming her agitation a little, she belatedly apologized for having the commander-in-chief, Mihalis, reverse his orders to his men.

“No. I went a little too far.”

Realizing that he was uncharacteristically angry, Mihalis responded. He himself didn’t understand why he was so vexed.

“…….”

As the silence continued, the atmosphere became awkward.

“Would you like some tea?”

Mihalis, who regained his composure first, broke the awkward atmosphere.

“Yes, I’d love to.”

Eliana sat on the sofa, watching Mihalis pull on the rope and call for a maid.

“You look busy, so just get back to work. I’ll leave after drinking the tea.”

“Alright.”

At Eliana’s reply, Mihalis sat down at his desk without saying anything and started looking at his work.

Her presence in his office bothered her for a while, but after regaining his concentration, Mihalis was once again focused on the documents.

Clink.

Fwip.

The sound of papers turning and melting ice colliding with each other was extremely peaceful.

“…….”

Eliana silently looked at the large window behind Mihalis.

A window taller than her height was wide open, with cream-colored curtains tied neatly on either side. A pure white castle wall stood in the distance, beyond which the deep blue sea and sky could be seen.

A pleasant breeze blew in through the window and rustled the yellow ribbon on her wide-brimmed hat. The weather was too good to just sit still.

Shk. Shk.

She liked the sound of the tip of the pen rubbing against the paper.

“…….”

As the wind carried the smell of ink, Eliana’s gaze naturally turned to Mihalis.

She couldn’t take her eyes off of him.

Eliana stared at him involuntarily. The man already looked sensual just by breathing alone but he looked even more sexy because he was concentrating on his work.

‘Wow….’

The thick eyebrows moderately positioned above the forehead emphasized his manliness, and his well-centered nose bridge and tightly closed lips were perfectly balanced, neither too thick nor too thin. Thanks to his short-sleeved shirt, his well-tanned, muscular arms were exposed, and the veins protruding as if sculpted on his muscles caught her eye.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Mihalis, who suddenly sensed Eliana’s gaze, said as he arranged the documents after signing them.

“Because you’re handsome.”

“What….”

The remark was so out of the blue that Mihalis became so embarrassed it felt like his brain had gone out of commission for a moment.

“The Duke is handsome.”

Eliana’s eyes twinkled coyly as she looked at his flustered face.

“Oh! That expression was cute just now.”

He had often heard ‘disgusting b*st*rd’ and ‘reprehensible pr*ck’ from his father. But cute?

Suddenly, heat rose up at the nape of his neck. It was the first modifier he had heard after living his whole life for 27 years.

“Haa… Really.”

Mihalis, hit by a second-stage attack, missed the timing to get angry.

Like he felt from their first meeting, his bride-to-be was overly straightforward and unpretentious. So it was even more lethal.

“Shall we go on a date?”

“W-What?”

There was no path to escape his embarrassment as Mihalis was hit by the third-stage attack that followed before he could get it together. The rigorous education of a successor in maintaining composure in any situation proved to be in vain.

“Duke, let’s go out together.”

Mihalis looked at Eliana with a face full of embarrassment and sighed quietly.

“Haa, thanks to the young lady, I can’t continue work.”

As if he couldn’t help it, he slowly stood up. It was the most awkward acceptance to a date to ever be seen.