I AM A MAGE BUT WITH MILF SYSTEM

Chapter 829: Alone time with Elara

“I can see that,” he said. “And for what it’s worth… I respect it.”

A brief silence settled between them. The courtyard felt larger now that it was empty, the distant sounds of the castle the only background noise. Elara shifted slightly on her feet, still clearly uncertain how to navigate the sudden privacy.

Julian, for his part, remained composed. This was an opportunity to gauge her more carefully and to understand what kind of person his supposed fiancée truly was. Yet he also found himself mildly curious on a more personal level.

He decided to keep the conversation light for now.

“Would you like to walk for a bit?” he asked, gesturing toward the quieter path that led to the deeper section of the courtyard gardens. “Standing here in the middle of the battlefield feels a little formal.”

Elara hesitated only a second before nodding. “Yes… that would be fine.”

They began walking side by side, the space between them carefully maintained. For a while, neither of them spoke. The silence was not entirely uncomfortable, but it was definitely awkward.

Julian was the first to break it.

“You spent several years in the capital, didn’t you?” he asked. “I’ve heard the magical academies there are far more advanced than what we have in the outer duchies. Was the training as rigorous as they claim?”

Elara glanced at him, then looked ahead again.

“It was… intense,” she admitted. “The instructors did not care about family status. Only results. I trained under several mentors, but one in particular pushed me harder than the others. He said talent meant nothing without the will to break past your limits.” She hesitated, then added more softly, “I think that is why I was able to reach Peak Sovereign so quickly. He never allowed me to grow comfortable.”

Julian nodded. “That kind of pressure can either forge someone or break them. You clearly did not break.”

A small, almost shy smile touched her lips at the praise.

“Thank you. I… I worked very hard. Not just for myself, but because I knew this betrothal was waiting for me. I did not want to arrive here as someone weak.”

They walked a few more steps in silence before Julian spoke again.

“Before you left the capital,” he said, “what had you heard about me?”

Elara’s steps slowed for a moment. She did not look at him immediately. When she finally answered, her voice was lower.

“My father told me that you were… not ready,” she said carefully. “That you had gone through a difficult period, and that the family was still waiting to see whether you would stabilize. He never spoke poorly of you in detail, but the way he said it made it clear there had been problems. Other people were less restrained. There were rumors. About your exile. About… certain attachments. I tried not to listen too closely, but it was difficult to avoid them completely.”

She paused, then added something more personal, almost as if the words had been sitting on her tongue for a long time.

“I also thought… that I might not be good enough for you.”

Julian turned his head slightly. The honesty in her voice was unexpected.

“Not good enough?” he repeated, not mockingly, but with curiosity.

Elara’s hands tightened slightly in front of her. “You are the son of a Duke. Even with the past difficulties, you still carry that name and that future. And then there were the recent rumors of your sudden breakthrough to Arch Mage. When I heard that, I felt even smaller. I wondered if you would look at me and only see a political obligation… or worse, someone who could never match the level you had reached.”

She finally glanced at him and her expression was open and a little vulnerable. “That is why I pushed so hard in the duel. I wanted to show that I was not completely unworthy of standing beside you, even if only for a short time.”

Julian remained silent for a few moments, absorbing her words. The path ahead curved gently toward a small fountain and the sound of water offered a soft background to their conversation. He could sense the sincerity in her voice.

“You are not unworthy,” he said at last. “The duel made that clear enough. Whatever stories you heard about the old Kraven… they do not define the present. And they certainly do not define how I see you right now.”

Elara’s eyes widened slightly at the directness of his response. A faint color returned to her cheeks, though this time it was softer.

“You are kinder than I expected,” she murmured.

Julian offered a small, almost unreadable smile. “I have had time to change. And time to understand that strength alone is not enough. Sometimes the people around us matter more than the power we hold.”

They continued walking slowly along the garden path, the soft sound of the fountain growing louder as they approached. The earlier tension from the duel had settled into something more comforting and Elara seemed more at ease than she had been when they were first left alone.

Julian glanced at her from the side, his eyes studying her.

“Lady Elara,” he said after a moment, “I am sure you are very ambitious and have heavy dreams weighing on your shoulders. Goals that go beyond what most people your age carry. With that in mind… what do you think about marriage?”

The question landed heavier than she expected.

Elara’s steps faltered for half a second. She turned her head toward him, her eyes widening slightly, clearly caught off guard. For a long moment she said nothing. Her fingers tightened together in front of her as she seemed to search for the right words.

When she finally spoke, her voice was soft and careful.

“To be honest, my lord… I am not ready.”

The admission hung in the air between them. She looked down at the path, her expression conflicted, as if the truth had cost her something to say. Then, almost as an afterthought, she quickly murmured under her breath:

“It’s not like I like anyone else. I like you.”