I Snatched The Duke - Chapter 11. Date(2)

Since he usually enjoyed dressing casually, he didn’t have to prepare anything else. Mihalis’ preparations were finished after wearing a leather belt with a buckle that could hold and secure his sword.

“It’s a little high. Be careful.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Eliana climbed up into the plain black carriage whilst holding the hand of Mihalis who held it out to support her.

“To the plaza.”

“Yes, Your Excellency. We will depart now.”

Then, as Mihalis climbed into the carriage, the leader of the Blue Knights, Puellini, disguised as a coachman, whipped the horses.

Clip clop. Clip clop.

Pulled by two horses, the carriage began to smoothly depart.

Eliana caught sight of Mihalis in the seat opposite her. Although he was wearing a white shirt without a single embroidery and fitted black trousers, the materials were of high quality. Thanks to the sword on his waist, he gave off the vibe of a ‘free knight’.

“Thank you for doing what I wanted.”

“It’s because the young lady had a point.”

Thanks to turning it into an inconspicuous outing (date), the only thing that stood out in their party was their oversized coachman.

“…….”

After a brief pause in conversation, Mihalis turned his gaze to Eliana, who was sitting across from him.

The lemon-colored dress decorated with a blue ribbon filled his sight. Since she refused to break off the engagement, he was only going to maintain the marriage in name. However, when he came to his senses, he realized that they were already about to go out together.

Mihalis found it funny how he had been dragged along contrary to his will, but that somehow, he didn’t dislike it either. He thought he’d do his best and see what’s going to happen.

“I think we’ll have to settle with lunch outside.”

It was almost lunch time.

“Is there anything you would like to eat?”

“There is, but….”

At Mihalis’ question, Eliana pondered for a moment. Can she reveal a little bit of Kim Eun-chae’s true nature that was hidden in Eliana’s body?

“Tell me.”

Mihalis stared at the hesitating Eliana, which was unlike her straightforward personality.

“…….”

“It’s alright. Speak freely.”

“Chimaek*.”

[T/N: 치맥 is short for: Chicken + Maekju(Beer)]

Eliana pretended to be unable to yield to Mihalis’ questioning, but in the end carefully brought out Eun-chae’s hidden desire.

There’s no cold beer straight out of the fridge in this hot country! She may have such an aristocratic life but it was somewhat boring and frustrating. A life without cold beer to drink right after a shower felt empty, as if an important organ had been taken away. It was one of the reasons why she couldn’t give up on logging out of this world.

“Chimaek? Is that what you said?”

Mihalis questioned the unfamiliar word he had heard for the first time.

“I’ve never heard of it before. Is it food from the North?”

“Uhmm, fried chicken and cold beer.”

At the sight of Mihalis who couldn’t understand her at once, Eliana explained it more simply.

“I don’t think it will be difficult to find chicken dishes and beer.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Eliana was pleased since no alcoholic beverages had been served to her during her meals.

“By the way, do you have a unique taste? Did you enjoy those things in the North?”

Mihalis, who suddenly came up with these questions, sent a curious glance.

As far as he knew, people in the North enjoyed vodka rather than beer, but he didn’t understand why beer didn’t suit the local taste.

“No. I saw it in an adventurer’s book when I was young and wanted to try it….”

Flustered, Eliana avoided his gaze and slurred her words.

In front of the carriage depot near the plaza.

“Be careful not to remove your hat.”

Mihalis took Eliana’s hand as she got off the carriage and took another look at her. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat with her hair up, most of her hair and face were hidden, so she wouldn’t attract unnecessary attention.

“Yes.”

“And call me by name from now on. You can call me by any nickname.”

“Hmm…. Mihalis? Mihal? Mihas?”

Eliana happily joined Mihalis who was being faithful to their ‘covert date’ concept more than she expected.

“Call me Mihal.”

“Mihal.”

The small echo created by her clear voice made Mihalis’ heart tickle again. It was a nickname no one had ever called him except his mother.

“Please call me Liana.”

“All right. Miss Liana.”

“Let me guide you.”

Puellini, who had just finished checking in at the carriage depot, took the lead.

“Wow, it must be the middle of a festival.”

They probably traveled about 100 meters on foot.

Eliana was in awe of the appearance of the plaza that was gradually revealed. It was so much more than she could have imagined.

A fountain centered in the large plaza was built to commemorate victory. Various stalls and tents were lined up, and exotic music was playing everywhere.

“This is why I tried to place a lot of escorts.”

Mihalis slightly frowned at the image he had imagined.

‘I almost got into trouble.’

Eliana let out a quiet sigh of relief that she hadn’t arrived as the captain of the Smurfs Corps.

There were literally hordes of people.

Flencia, the second city of the Wespera Empire and the stronghold of the Duchy of Atcher. The cheerful, passionate, and affluent citizens of the South loved to feast, eat, drink and enjoy under any excuse.

And the citizens who had a very good excuse—the generational change and marriage of the new Duke of Atcher—-were about to hold a big festival without anyone having to tell them to do so.

“Let’s go.”

A party that didn’t seem like one, Puellini, who had taken the lead by a couple of steps, became a ‘Pathman*’ and moved towards the crowd.

[T/N: Okay so I’m not entirely sure with this one but it’s likely a play on words combining road 길 and lead 맨(maen) which can also be used in konglish (as in man)].

Pak.

“Ah, what the, it hurts, fuc–!”

“What!”

The man who bounced off Puellini and bumped his shoulder stopped mid-swear and ran away. Thanks to his ginormous size and rough appearance, like a certain miracle, the square that was crowded with people parted to create a path.

“Do not stray too far from me.”

“Yes.”

Thanks to the great ‘Pathman’, Mihalis and Eliana blended into the plaza without much difficulty.

‘Wow.’

Eliana looked at the items in the stalls while exclaiming inwardly. It was just like visiting a traditional market in a distant foreign country.

“Huh?”

Eliana, who had been looking at the stalls one by one from the entrance of the plaza, stopped in front of a stall with a curious expression on her face. There were a lot of merchants with exotic appearances, but it was the first time she had seen a merchant with Asian features.

“What is this?”

Eliana, feeling delighted, asked the merchant who looked Asian.

“Kahaha, you have a good eye, young lady. If I were to say it, this is the only magic tool like this in the world.”

The friendly-looking merchant spoke the imperial language fluently.

“It is recommended not to buy magic tools that have not been approved by the Mage Tower.”

Mihalis, standing next to Eliana with a hardened expression, spoke in a low voice.

He didn’t like it.

Everything that the merchants of the Eastern Empire had lined up seemed like cheap magic tools. Like its flimsy exterior, they didn’t work properly and needed to be thrown away after one use.

“Aigo, sir knight, those are some disappointing words. Even if it’s not from the Mage Tower, it has magic that is unique to the Eastern Empire.”

As if he had good ears, the merchant from the Eastern Empire picked up on what Mihalis said, lamented.

“A magic tool? Is it an object with magic?”

Their conversation made Eliana more curious.

“Yes, yes, that’s right.”

“What is this for?”

Eliana lifted a locket necklace engraved with complicated patterns.

“Kahaha, it is a self-defense necklace containing lightning magic.”

“Wow, can I open it?”

“Of course.”

The Eastern Empire merchant, excited by Eliana’s positive response, urged with a business-like smile.

When she opened the locket on the necklace, a magic stone the size of a baby’s fingernail was embedded in it.

‘It’s a magic stone with the lowest level.’

Mihalis, who was next to Eliana, narrowed his brows as he looked over the magic stone in the locket. It was just as he suspected.

“It has the capacity to be used up to three times. If you replace the magic stone, you can keep using it, so it’s a very good value for money.”

From Mihalis’ point of view, it was just a one-time use item.

“How do you activate the magic?”

“Kahaha, can you pass it over for a moment?”

“Here.”

After receiving the necklace from Eliana, the Eastern Empire merchant closed the locket and turned the mainspring on the side. It was similar to setting the time on a wristwatch.

Skrrch. Skrrch.

The ungreased mainspring turned and made a small noise.

He turned the mainspring clockwise about five times. The intaglio, which was only seen as a geometric pattern, changed its appearance into an elaborate magic circle.

“You turn the pattern into a magic circle like this, and then shout the starter word.”

“What is the starter word?”

“Please wait a moment. I’ll disperse the magic circle first….”

In response to Eliana’s continuing question, the merchant of the Eastern Empire dispersed the pattern of the magic circle, then said in a small voice.

“Lightning.”

“Wow.”

“Then, a bolt of lightning with power that can stun an adult male will be released.”

“That’s really cool.”

Eliana’s eyes sparkled like never before at the merchant’s astonishing speech.

She wanted to clap her hands. It was something that could only be seen in the world of fantasy novels.

“It is however important to note that this level of power may not work for a sword-expert level or higher.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Eh, again. Keeping it in a magic circle state is dangerous, so you have to unwind it and hang it like this.”

“Yes, I should.”

“I’ll buy you a better one.”

Mihalis interjected, no longer able to keep watching Eliana as she slowly got pushed around. If she really needed magic tools for self-defense, she should use the ones from the Magic Tower rather than cheap ones that may or may not work.

“Mihal, I like this.”

“Kahaha, as expected, the young lady has a discerning eye. Look at this brilliant silver glow. The material is mithril….”

‘It’s silver.’

Mihalis involuntarily sighed at the increasingly fraudulent behavior.

“Then how much is it?”

If the merchant was right, Eliana liked his stuff.

“It’s only 20 Million Riums.”

“Ho.”

At the words the merchant from the Eastern Empire blurted out, Mihalis immediately snorted out loud. The tool was strange, but the price was even stranger.