Kapitel 15: 15. Not Sure
A very handsome man is standing in front of the mirror.
Finally, the day he has been waiting for has arrived. Madam Astrid sent his suit yesterday, a day before the party.
The suit he wore couldn't hide his well-built muscles. It was a black suit with a touch of red pattern.
'Just like her eyes,' he thought to himself.
He couldn't wait to see how the pair of this suit would look on that woman's body. A smile formed on his lips as he imagined it.
Theo, who saw his friend posing in front of the mirror like a fool, said, "I already contacted her. I told her Amber will come in two weeks. And also, I've sent the items she bought to her warehouse."
"Good job," the man replied, still fixated on the mirror.
"You seem like someone in love, you know? I still remember your smile that lasted all day when she sent you a letter," Theo said teasingly.
"Just your imagination," he replied, giving Theo a sharp look.
"See! I didn't even mention anything about her, and yet your reaction is so aggressive."
"Shut up and leave, Theo."
"Ha! Don't come looking for me when you need help, and don't bother me. I'll be in the red district; it's been a while since I visited my harem."
"Tsk, leave."
Theo was one of Cassius's most loyal friends, willing to do anything for him. The same went for Max. But Theo's weakness was that he was susceptible to women's charms.
When not carrying out a task for Cassius, his second home was a brothel.
The Emperor's plan to send Cassius to the battlefield and hope that he would never return was in vain.
Not only in vain but from that war, he gained many subordinates who were fiercely loyal to him.
Most of them were slaves, prisoners of war, and even cold-blooded killers.
From those people, Cassius formed a force behind the Emperor that he named the Shadow Knights.
They were not technically knights since they never performed the knight's oath ceremony due to their status.
So he could only laugh when the Emperor took over the troops of Caspian Grandduchy.
First, because the Shadow Knights had higher killing abilities than the knights he inherited from his father.
Second, if a knight was captured by the enemy, there was a possibility he would reveal Cassius's secrets to the enemy.
Even if they were loyal and kept their mouths shut no matter how much they were tortured, knights still had families that could be their weakness.
On the other hand, the assassins he trained were like suicide soldiers.
They chose death if they were caught.
Moreover, none of them had families. In other words, they had no weaknesses.
Furthermore, their skills surpassed those of ordinary knights.
While a knight fought with a sword for the honor of his king or leader, the Shadow Knights fought with daggers to kill for their master.
They had no qualms about being deceitful for the sake of victory, something a knight would never do.
Because from the start, their honor was tied to Cassius's victory.
It was a crime to establish a force without the Emperor's knowledge. But he didn't care.
Cassius smiled as he thought about the Emperor's foolishness.
When he was finally dressed, he planned to pick up Eleanor and go to the party together.
***
He arrived at Duke Ashford's mansion one hour early.
When the gate guards saw the insignia of Caspian Grandduchy on his carriage, they didn't hold him back and immediately opened the gate for Cassius.
Cassius got off his carriage, and Henry, Duke Ashford's butler, ran up to him.
He bowed respectfully and said, "Good evening, Your Grace. Would you like to wait in the parlor? Our young Lady is still getting ready."
Henry, being quick-witted, realized that the Grand Duke was here to pick up Eleanor and planned to go to the party together.
Henry was a bit confused because Lady Eleanor said they would meet at the party.
But it seemed that the Grand Duke had other plans.
Seeing the quick-wittedness of the Ashford family butler, he smiles satisfied.
'Although I didn't send a prior notice that I would pick her up.'
Cassius sat on the parlor sofa, waiting for Eleanor.
It didn't take long for the parlor door to open, and a girl followed by two maids entered.
Cassius saw Eleanor pause in her steps long enough before saying, "I'm sorry for making you wait, Your Grace."
"Not that long. Even if I had to wait long, it wouldn't matter because I didn't say I would pick you up," he said with gentleness in his voice.
Eleanor simply smiled at his considerate words.
Earlier, when Ellie entered the room, she was stunned to see Cassius sitting on the sofa.
She thought, 'How can a man be so beautiful? If a man like him existed in my previous world, he would easily become an idol or a model. He would make a lot of money with his looks.'
Just like Ellie was observing Cassius, he was also observing Ellie.
Cassius looked at the woman in front of him wearing a dress of the same color as his suit.
The dress she wore was very beautiful and elegant, with ribbons wrapped around her long skirt, embracing her body.
The dress had a V neckline and showed a little bit of her cleavage.
Unconsciously, Cassius swallowed his saliva.
Although he couldn't see Eleanor's face, it didn't reduce her gracefulness in his eyes.
Cassius stood up and extended his arm to Eleanor.
"If you don't mind, My Lady?"
Eleanor wrapped her hand around Cassius's arm with a smile, and they walked towards the carriage.
Throughout the journey, there was no awkwardness at all, unlike what Ellie had imagined.
Ellie imagined being alone with her fiancé for the first time, especially since they were essentially strangers to each other, would be very awkward.
Although there was a strong silence inside the carriage, and they didn't look at each other, Ellie could still enjoy the ride.
Ellie stole glances at the man who would become her husband.
He was so handsome that merely praising him as handsome wasn't enough.
His face resembled a sculpture carefully crafted by a top-tier artist.
His long black hair gracefully falls down to his waist, his cold golden eyes are shimmering in the darkness, his thick eyelashes add to the expression of his golden eyes, and his straight and slim nose gives an impression of elegance and proportionality to his captivating face, his broad chest still visible despite being covered by clothing, his lips naturally red like a pomegranate.
Ellie thought that his description in the novel didn't do him justice.
Cassius was a combination of beauty and grace that could capture anyone's heart.
His face emitted a captivating and enchanting aura, creating an irresistible charm.
Ellie was surprised by the author's choice of the main character.
'If I were the author, I would describe a face like this for my main character,' she thought, furrowing her brow.
If Lucas stood next to Cassius, Lucas would look like a dried squid.
Imagining that, Ellie unconsciously laughed softly.
Then Cassius turned to look at her, and when their eyes met in the air, Ellie blushed.
"Don't mind me, I was just daydreaming."
"I didn't know my future wife is such a mysterious woman," Cassius said with a smile.
"Oh no, it's just your perception."
When Ellie heard Cassius calling her his 'future wife,' her cheeks suddenly became warm.
'I'm just embarrassed, that's all,' Ellie thought, reassuring herself.
"Do you want to watch an opera performance after the party?" he asked.
"Are you asking me out on a date, Your Grace?"
"I guess so."
"Why?" she asked in surprise.
"Is it strange for a man to ask his fiancée out on a date?" He smiled, raising one of his thick eyebrows.
"You don't have to go through all this trouble for this unwanted marriage. However, I appreciate your good intentions all this time, Your Grace," Ellie said coldly.
As if unaffected by her cold words, Cassius leaned closer until their lips almost touched, had there not been a face-covering cloth she was wearing.
He looked into Eleanor's eyes seriously for a moment before whispering into her ear.
"Who said I don't want it? Do you?"
He stepped back to his seat, showing off his white teeth. Then, he looked out the window as if nothing happened.
Ellie was grateful she was wearing a face-covering cloth.
She didn't want Cassius to see her face so red like a tomato.
Her heart was beating faster, and she thought with fear.
'I'm not sure I can continue to control my feelings if he acts like this,' she thought, annoyed by his behavior.
Geschenke
-- Geschenk
erhalten Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein