Chapter 179 Shadows on the Terrace

Chapter 179 Shadows on the Terrace
Ilaria's POV
I hated formal royal gowns with a violent passion.
The dress my mother had picked out for the gala was objectively impressive. It was made from midnight-blue silk that caught the light like tiny stars, but the tight corset made it nearly impossible to draw a full breath, and the long skirt kept getting caught under my heels every time I tried to walk. I felt ridiculous, stiff, and completely out of my element without my leather combat gear and the familiar weight of my rapier resting at my hip.
For the first two hours of the party, I was trapped in a relentless cycle of awkward small talk with desperate noble suitors.
Ever since the trial this morning, every young lord in the building seemed to think I was the ultimate political prize. They lined up to talk to me, bowing until their noses nearly touched the floor and throwing around ridiculous compliments about my strength and my family name. None of them cared about who I actually was. They just wanted an alliance with a living dragon.
"Lady Ilaria, I must say, your performance today was simply divine," Duke Gerald said, stepping directly into my path near the balcony archway. He smiled, showing a row of perfectly straight white teeth, and leaned in far too close. "A woman with your unique physical gifts deserves a grand estate. My family owns vast territory in the west. Plenty of wide open space for... well, for whatever you feel like doing in your free time."
I forced myself to keep a polite smile on my face, though my jaw was aching from the effort. "That is very generous, Duke Gerald, but my focus is entirely on finishing my academy training right now."
"Oh, forget the academy," Gerald said with a dismissive wave of his hand. He reached out and tried to grab my bare fingers. "You do not need to play soldier in the dirt anymore. A lady of your standing should be taken care of by a family with real wealth."
"I like playing soldier," I said dryly, pulling my hand back slightly. "And I handle my own standing, thank you."
"Come now, do not be so difficult," Gerald insisted, taking another step forward. "An alliance between our houses would make us unstoppable."
Before his fingers could touch my skin, a huge shadow fell over both of us.
My father stepped out from behind a marble pillar, moving so quietly I had not even heard his heavy boots on the stone floor. He was wearing his black-and-gold dress tunic, his hand resting casually on the pommel of his broadsword. He did not say anything at first. He just stood there, six feet four inches of battle-hardened soldier, towering over the young duke and staring down at him with a look that could melt solid iron.
Gerald froze instantly, his hand hanging in mid-air as all the color drained completely out of his face.
"Is there a problem here, young man?" my father asked, his deep voice rumbling like thunder in the quiet corner.
"N-no, General Caelum!" Gerald stammered, pulling his hand back as fast as he could. "No problem at all! Just... paying my respects to your lovely daughter!"
"Is that what you were doing?" Caelum murmured, narrowing his dark eyes as he took a step closer. "Because it looked to me like you were crowding her. I am running an advanced blade-mastery workshop at the lower barracks tomorrow morning at dawn. Why don't you drop by, Gerald? We can work on your personal boundaries."
Gerald looked like he was about to throw up. "I... I actually just remembered my lord father needs me across the room! Please excuse me!"
The duke turned around and practically sprinted away, tripping over his own long cape in his frantic hurry to get out of my father's sight.
I burst out laughing the second he was out of earshot, leaning my shoulder against my father's sturdy arm. "You are completely terrible, Dad. The poor guy looked like he was going to pass out."
"He was bothering you," my father said simply, though a tiny smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. "And his footwork was terrible anyway. He would not have lasted ten seconds in my ring. Go outside and get some fresh air, sweetie. Your mother and I can handle the rest of these hungry vultures."
"Thank you, Dad," I said, feeling an enormous wave of relief. "Save some cake for me."
"No promises," he replied with a grin.
I slipped out through the tall glass doors onto the quiet garden terrace. The cool night air hit my face, instantly burning away the lingering heat and stuffy perfume of the crowded ballroom. I walked over to the stone railing and looked out over the glowing lights of the city below, taking my first real, deep breath of the night.
"I saw your father scare off that duke from all the way across the ballroom," a soft voice said from the shadows.
Thalia stepped out from behind a row of dark rose bushes, holding two crystal glasses of sweet amber wine. She looked incredible in a dark red silk dress trimmed with sharp black thread, her dark hair pulled back neatly. She offered one of the glasses to me with a warm, easy smile.
"I brought you a survival drink," Thalia said, leaning against the cold stone railing beside me.
"You are an absolute lifesaver," I sighed, taking the glass and taking a long sip of the sweet wine. "I think I would rather fight ten constructs in a row than talk to another ambitious duke."
"They are completely terrified of you, you know," Thalia chuckled quietly, looking out at the stars above us. "They see what you can do, and they realize all their money and fancy titles cannot protect them if you ever get angry. It freaks them out."
"It freaks me out, too," I admitted softly, looking down at my bare hands resting on the marble. "I do not want everyone staring at me like I am some kind of terrifying weapon, Thalia. I just want to do my job, protect my team, and live a normal life."
"You are not a weapon, Ilaria," Thalia said, her tone turning completely serious as she turned to face me. She reached out and gently laid her hand over mine, her touch cool and steady against my skin. "You are the most genuine, selfless person in this whole terrible palace. Those idiots inside only see the dragon, but I see you. And I am really glad I get to be your friend."
"Do you ever feel like everyone in this city is acting?" I asked her, looking into her eyes. "Like no one says what they actually mean?"
"All the time," Thalia whispered, her voice dropping lower. "Most people here are hiding something. It is the only way they know how to survive."
I looked at her, feeling a sudden tightness in my chest at how sincere she sounded. Amidst all the fake smiles and political games inside the ballroom, having Thalia here beside me felt like the only real thing in the world.
"Thanks, Thalia," I murmured, squeezing her fingers gently. "That means a lot to me. Honestly, I do not know how I would get through any of this crazy stuff without you."
Thalia smiled back, but as she turned her eyes back toward the dark horizon, her smile faded slightly, replaced by a quiet, heavy look in her eyes that made me wonder what kind of dark secrets she was carrying inside.