Episode 30| Conflicted Duke
The evening in the capital had settled into something calm and warm.
Street lanterns flickered to life one by one, casting amber light across the cobbled roads while the distant sounds of merchants closing their stalls echoed softly through the city.
Riley sat beside the fountain with Michael, still laughing from his accidental confession about blowing up half a classroom during his academy days.
---
"You are actually terrifying."
---
Michael looked mildly offended.
---
"It was one time."
---
"One time is enough!"
Riley clutched her chest dramatically.
"I thought Archmages were supposed to be elegant and wise."
---
"We are."
---
"You destroyed a building."
---
"...Half."
---
"That does not make it better!"
---
Michael's lips twitched slightly.
And Riley realized something horrifying.
---
The Archmage actually had a sense of humor.
A dry one.
But still-
humor.
---
It made him feel strangely... normal.
Not the intimidating magical genius everyone in the Empire worshipped.
Just Michael.
---
The fountain water shimmered under the lantern lights as their conversation slowly relaxed again.
For the first time in days, Riley almost forgot about demons.
About the temple.
About Saintesses.
About pretending.
---
Almost.
---
Because not far from them-
someone stood watching silently beneath the shadows of a nearby building.
Silver eyes fixed entirely on Riley.
---
Duke Edward White.
---
His expression had grown increasingly darker over the past twenty minutes.
At first, he had merely been passing through the district after finishing a noble meeting nearby.
Then he spotted Riley.
And beside her-
Michael.
---
At first, the Duke simply intended to leave.
After all, Riley was engaged.
And Michael was... Michael.
---
But then he stayed long enough to notice something.
Something that made his chest tighten unpleasantly.
---
The Archmage looked at Riley the same way he looked at Ryan.
---
Too attentive.
Too soft.
Too interested.
---
Edward frowned deeply from the shadows.
---
"...No way."
---
His mind immediately replayed every interaction Michael ever had with Ryan at the temple.
The subtle concern.
The constant attention.
The way Michael always somehow appeared wherever Ryan was.
---
Then his eyes slowly widened.
---
"...Wait."
---
A horrifying realization dawned on him.
---
"...Does he like both of them too?!"
---
Edward stared blankly into space for a full three seconds.
---
"...What is wrong with this family?"
---
Meanwhile, completely unaware of the Duke having a personal crisis nearby-
Riley was still talking.
---
"...And then Raymond actually told the chef to remake the entire dinner because the steak was too cooked."
---
Michael blinked.
"...That sounds excessive."
---
"He called it culinary betrayal."
---
Michael looked away briefly.
"...That also sounds like something he would say."
---
Riley snorted.
Then suddenly-
she froze slightly.
---
A familiar presence approached.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Noble.
---
Before she could react-
a voice cut through the atmosphere.
---
"...Lady Riley."
---
Michael immediately looked up.
Riley nearly choked internally.
---
Oh no.
---
Duke Edward White stepped into the lantern light.
Tall.
Elegant.
Terrifyingly handsome.
And visibly displeased.
---
Riley forced an awkward smile immediately.
---
"...Your Grace."
---
Michael narrowed his eyes slightly.
"...Duke White."
---
The Duke's silver gaze lingered briefly on Michael before settling entirely on Riley.
---
"...Interesting."
---
Riley immediately knew that tone meant trouble.
---
"A few days ago," the Duke continued calmly, "you reminded me quite firmly that you are the Crown Prince's fiancée."
---
Riley laughed nervously.
"...I mean..."
---
"And yet here you are."
---
A pause.
---
"...Galavanting through the capital at night with the Archmage."
---
Michael nearly coughed.
Riley looked personally attacked.
---
"...Galavanting?"
---
"Yes."
The Duke folded his arms.
"...That is exactly the word I chose."
---
Riley immediately pointed accusingly at Michael.
---
"He blackmailed me!"
---
Michael blinked.
"...You promised not to phrase it like that publicly."
---
"Because it IS blackmail!"
---
The Duke's eyes narrowed immediately.
---
"...Blackmail?"
---
Michael calmly sighed.
---
"She's exaggerating."
---
"I AM NOT."
---
Edward stared between the two silently.
The situation somehow became more suspicious instead of less.
---
Then suddenly-
his expression shifted slightly.
---
Because now that he was standing closer...
He noticed something else.
---
Michael's attention toward Riley-
felt painfully familiar.
---
Too familiar.
---
The same strange attentiveness he once noticed directed toward Ryan.
---
Edward slowly narrowed his eyes.
---
"...Archmage."
---
Michael looked toward him calmly.
"...Yes?"
---
The Duke spoke carefully now.
---
"...You seem rather interested in the Scott siblings."
---
Silence.
---
Riley nearly inhaled her own soul.
---
Michael remained composed.
Too composed.
---
"I'm not sure what you mean."
---
Edward immediately replied-
---
"You looked at Ryan the same way."
---
Riley almost died on the spot.
---
Michael blinked once.
Slowly.
---
"...The same way?"
---
Edward pointed between them suspiciously.
---
"With that exact expression."
---
Michael stared.
Then looked toward Riley briefly.
Then back toward the Duke.
---
"...What expression?"
---
Edward frowned deeper.
---
"That..."
He gestured vaguely.
"...That interested expression."
---
Michael genuinely looked confused now.
---
"...I have an interested expression?"
---
"Yes!"
---
"...That sounds made up."
---
Riley had to physically cover her mouth to stop herself from laughing.
The Duke looked personally offended by Michael's confusion.
---
"I know what I saw."
---
Michael folded his arms calmly.
---
"...Your Grace..."
A pause.
"...Are you jealous?"
---
Silence.
Absolute silence.
---
Riley's eyes widened.
The Duke's expression froze.
Even the atmosphere seemed to stop moving.
---
"...What?"
Edward finally asked flatly.
---
Michael continued mercilessly.
---
"You seem unusually concerned about who Lady Riley spends time with."
---
Riley immediately turned away because she was about to burst into laughter.
---
The Duke looked genuinely caught off guard for the first time in years.
---
"I am not jealous."
---
Michael tilted his head slightly.
"...You interrupted our evening to confront us."
---
"...Because it looked suspicious."
---
"...You were watching us long enough to determine that?"
---
"...I was passing by."
---
"...For forty minutes?"
---
Riley lost the battle entirely.
A snort escaped her mouth.
---
Both men immediately looked at her.
---
"...Sorry."
She coughed awkwardly.
"...Please continue."
---
Edward looked betrayed.
---
Michael, meanwhile, looked almost amused now.
---
Then the Duke suddenly narrowed his eyes again.
---
"...Wait."
---
Michael raised a brow.
---
"...You truly were interested in Ryan as well."
---
Riley internally screamed.
---
Michael stared at him.
Then unexpectedly-
sighed.
---
"...Your Grace."
---
"...I think you may be overanalyzing things."
---
Edward immediately replied-
---
"I do not overanalyze."
---
"You investigated Riley's entire family."
Michael deadpanned.
---
Riley blinked.
"...You WHAT?"
---
The Duke froze.
---
"...How do you know about that?"
---
Michael looked entirely unbothered.
---
"I'm an Archmage."
---
"...That explains absolutely nothing."
---
Michael ignored him.
---
Riley stared at Edward in disbelief.
---
"You investigated me?!"
---
The Duke looked mildly uncomfortable now.
Which was apparently possible.
---
"...In my defense..."
---
"You have no defense!"
---
"...You and Ryan are suspicious."
---
Riley immediately frowned.
"...How?!"
---
Edward gestured helplessly.
---
"You both make me feel the exact same way!"
---
Silence.
---
The moment those words left his mouth-
Edward realized his mistake.
---
Riley stared.
Michael stared.
A nearby old woman walking past even stared.
---
The Duke immediately looked away.
---
"...That sounded wrong."
---
Riley finally broke.
She laughed so hard she nearly fell off the fountain bench.
---
Michael actually covered his mouth to hide his own laughter.
---
Edward White-
the dignified Duke of the Empire-
stood there in complete regret while Riley wiped tears from her eyes.
---
"...You know what?" Riley wheezed between laughs.
"...I suddenly understand why Seraphina likes teasing nobles."
---
The Duke sighed deeply.
---
"...I'm leaving."
---
"...No, stay," Riley laughed.
"This is the funniest thing that's happened to me all week."
---
Edward looked at her for a moment.
Really looked at her.
---
And despite the embarrassment...
Despite the confusion...
Despite everything-
his chest still tightened strangely when she smiled.
---
Which only made this entire situation worse.