TEWRIT 70

Episode 70

The journey to the North was long and tiring. Because they had left in such a hurry, they hadn’t been able to reserve a magic gate. So Eliano had no choice but to sit still in the carriage all day. It was exhausting.

Flint couldn’t hide his guilt.

“I’m sorry… You’re not well, and I’ve forced you into a difficult journey.”

“It’s alright, Your Grace. Really, I’m fine.”

It was clear that care had been taken to ensure Eliano’s carriage was safe and comfortable. Even though their departure was rushed, everything had been prepared well. They stopped at towns along the way, staying in fine inns or the local lord’s castle. Compared to most, their travels were quite comfortable.

All Eliano had to do was sit quietly in the carriage.

Even while sitting upright in perfect posture, she yawned. Just then, Gilbert’s voice came through the door.

“Your Grace, we’ll be arriving in the village shortly.”

“Very well.”

Though it was already late, the local lord and lady came out to greet them with utmost politeness. Curiosity was written all over their faces.

Right now, the entire Bianteca Empire was buzzing with gossip about the marriage between the Duke of Howard and the eldest lady of House Rosana.

In truth, Heriath had allowed Flint’s sudden and reckless move to go unchallenged.

The very next day after Flint and Eliano’s sudden night departure, the Crown Prince officially announced their marriage. It sent shockwaves through the capital like the calm before a storm.

Duke Rosana was furious, shouting that the couple hadn’t even registered their marriage. Since he was in seclusion, his son Demian investigated the matter.

With his usual calm face, Demian informed his father that the marriage registration had already been processed.

The enraged duke disguised himself with a fake mustache and stormed out, yelling that the documents must be forgeries.

Because of all the noise, the temple also stepped in to verify the marriage certificate.

If it really had been forged, as the Duke claimed, it would be a grave sin deserving excommunication—even though Flint’s status would likely protect him from full punishment.

“This is an official marriage form issued by the temple. It is entirely authentic.”

The verdict was clear: Duke Rosana had lost.

“Authentic? Ridiculous! Howard must have stolen it!”

After verifying the document, the temple priests themselves couldn’t remember when the couple had even come to pick it up.

Marriage paperwork was usually handled by rotating priests. If things were busy, holy knights or even apprentice priests sometimes took over. There wasn’t a strict identity check—as long as a man and woman came together, that was enough. On extremely busy days, even that much was skipped.

Since forging marriage certificates was such a serious crime, no one believed it was possible. That belief made the record-keeping quite sloppy.

So no one remembered Howard and Eliano ever coming. But no one found it too suspicious, either. One priest even grumbled that with the number of citizens coming for marriage papers, it was absurd to expect anyone to remember every face.

Still angry, Duke Rosana formally protested:

“There’s no way they came here themselves! That form must’ve been stolen from inside the temple!”

“Duke Rosana, are you accusing the temple itself? There’s no one among us capable of such betrayal.”

High Priest Phiaton was deeply offended. He dismissed the Duke’s claims, declaring the documents to be legitimate and unaltered.

Eliano was no longer Lady Rosana. She was now the Lady of the North—the Duchess of Howard.

“Dmitri, you should bless Eliano Howard’s future. Don’t they make such a lovely couple?” the Emperor chuckled.

Even the once-passive Emperor now called her Eliano Howard. With that, the Duke had no room to continue his protest.

Heriath, with a gentle smile, added:

“Since His Majesty has blessed the couple, I’m sure the Duke and Duchess of Howard are truly honored.”

“Your Majesty! Your Highness!”

“What is it, Duke Rosana? I’ve already looked into it. The marriage has long been official. The administrative office simply didn’t update the noble registry yet.”

The Duke was stunned by Heriath’s brazen lies. His face turned red with fury.

“In any case, the Howard household has been without a lady for too long. This is good fortune indeed. Isn’t that right, Father?”

“Yes, yes. The North will benefit greatly. Flint must be truly happy to have rushed off in such a hurry—how sweet, a honeymoon!”

Now completely isolated, Duke Rosana could no longer rely on the imperial family. The aging Emperor was firmly on his youngest son’s side.

Even so, the Duke didn’t give up. He accused Flint of kidnapping his daughter and spreading slander that it was a “marriage by abduction.”

It was his last, desperate attempt.

The noble society, however, enjoyed the scandal immensely.

“So the Duke is acknowledging the marriage now? This is one for the history books!”

“Who knew that delicate Lady Eliano had such passion? It’s such a romantic story!”

“Honestly, Duke Rosana’s obsession with his daughter was too much.”

He could no longer deny the sacred bond between Flint and Eliano. The entire Empire now recognized her as the Duchess of Howard. To oppose that was to challenge the Emperor himself.

Utterly humiliated, Duke Rosana went back into hiding.

Nobles across the empire were curious to see the famous Howard couple in person.

The Duchess was as elegant as she was fragile, and the Duke looked like he might break if he held her too tightly. One night, Flint even carried the sleeping Eliano from the carriage to the castle himself.

“Dear, it really was a runaway romance.”

“They’re such a perfect couple.”

An inn they stayed at even hung a banner reading: “The place where the runaway lovers stayed!”

In the estate they now visited, Lord Georgia welcomed them warmly and even offered the couple his own master bedroom—the finest room in the manor. Eliano expressed her gratitude for their kindness.

Then a young woman approached and spoke in a formal voice:

“Your Grace the Duke, Your Grace the Duchess. I am Annika, the Georgia heir. It’s an honor to meet you.”

Annika had once dreamed of being the Duchess herself. She had even attended the capital’s matchmaking banquet with that hope, only to leave disappointed.

One knight from Flint’s order greeted her brightly, but Annika ignored him with a sniff.

If she had known Flint already had someone like Eliano, she never would’ve bothered going.

Annika now offered to guide the couple herself—to show she held no grudge and to gain favor from high nobility.

At the bedroom door, she bowed again.

“It would be our great honor if Your Graces would join us for dinner.”

Eliano smiled gently and replied:

“Though this visit was unexpected, we’re glad to accept such a warm invitation, Lady Annika.”

Once inside, Flint kept his eyes fixed on Eliano.

Outside the room, Annika dropped her formal mask and chased down a knight, kicking him in the shin.

“Ouch! Annika?!”

“You wasted my time and money! How could I compete with a woman that beautiful?!”

She hit him again.

“That marriage banquet? We were just being used!”

Even her maid chimed in:

“They say the paperwork was signed a long time ago! How could you do this to our lady? Shame on you, Sir Alex!”

The knight called Alex shouted:

“I didn’t know His Grace had a lover! And wait, when did you become the heir? What about your brother?”

“He ran away! How can a runaway be the heir?! Ugh, don’t even mention him—it makes my blood boil!”

Inside the room, Eliano heard the noise and laughed quietly. Flint wanted to go out and quiet them, but Eliano stopped him.

“So the second child became the heir. Albert Georgia always had talent too great for a small estate.”

“You know Lord Albert?”

Flint’s voice had a hint of disapproval. Eliano, unaware, said:

“Only through rumors. They say the wild heir of Georgia unlocked his magic.”

Flint’s tone softened.

“Seems he went to the Keseph Magic Tower.”

Albert Georgia would become a powerful magician—though not yet. In another life, Eliano had recruited him to help Flint in Zacador’s imperial succession. Albert had asked for a position in the imperial court’s mage order in return.

But he never got that title. He died before he could.