I Died and Became a Noble's Heir-Chapter 380: Lucky [Golden Ticket Bonus - ]
The Kaiser manor gardens stretched across several acres. Stone pathways wound between flowering hedges, ornamental fountains, and carefully cultivated trees that provided shade during the afternoon heat.
The evening was settling in, the sun painting the sky in shades of orange and purple as torches began to flicker to life along the main paths.
Jack moved through the garden, his red eyes scanning the various clusters of nobles still lingering from the afternoon’s events.
Most had departed after the duel, but enough remained to make the manor grounds feel crowded. Marriage proposals, business opportunities, and political maneuvering, every conversation carried ulterior motives wrapped in diplomatic pleasantries.
He exchanged brief nods with a duchess whose name he’d already forgotten, sidestepped a minor lord trying to discuss trade agreements, and ignored three separate attempts to engage him in longer conversation.
His focus remained fixed on finding one specific person among the garden’s occupants.
Then he spotted him.
Chiron Stormblood stood near the far end of the garden, his massive frame silhouetted against the evening sky as he examined something with apparent interest.
Jack adjusted his trajectory, weaving between clusters of nobles. Just a few more steps and....
A hand touched his arm.
Not aggressively. Fingertips trailing along his forearm slowly, which made the contact impossible to ignore.
Jack stopped, turning his head to find Evelyne Veyra standing closer than she should have. She wore an evening gown that complemented her dark hair and amber eyes, and carried a glint of seduction in them.
"Lord Kaiser," Evelyne’s voice came out slightly lower than usual, carrying an edge. The wine goblet in her other hand wasn’t her first of the evening; that much was clear. "Trying to escape already? The night is still young."
"I have business to attend to, Lady Veyra," Jack replied neutrally, his eyes flickering toward Chiron’s distant form.
"Business." Evelyne stepped closer, her hand sliding from his forearm to his chest, fingers splaying against the fabric of his jacket. "Always so serious. Don’t you ever just... enjoy yourself?" She said seductively as she batted her eyelashes.
The bracelet on Jack’s wrist, Zephyros’s gift that heightened emotions and sensations, pulsed with warmth. Evelyne’s touch was clearly felt. Every point of contact magnified until he could feel the heat of her palm through layers of clothing.
"Lady Veyra," Jack started.
"Evelyne," she corrected, her amber eyes finding his with focus that belied her slight intoxication.
"We’re past titles, aren’t we? After everything that happened today. Your display of power, the nobles scrambling like frightened children..." Her hand traced upward along his chest toward his shoulder. "It was magnificent."
Jack’s awareness expanded dramatically, cataloging the garden’s occupants even as Evelyne leaned closer. Nobles are chatting near the fountains. Guards are stationed at discrete intervals. Servants moving between groups with refreshments.
And Charlotte Stormblood, standing perfectly still near a rose trellis forty feet away, her blue eyes locked on the scene with absolute focus.
"You’re drunk," Jack observed, not pulling away but not encouraging her either.
"I’m liberated," Evelyne corrected with a smile that carried genuine warmth mixed with calculation. "There’s a difference. Drunk implies lack of control. I’m simply... allowing myself to act on thoughts I’d normally keep professional."
She chugged the last of her wine and set it on a table.
Her other hand rose to join the first, both palms now resting against Jack’s chest as she stepped even closer. The scent of wine and expensive perfume surrounded her, and the bracelet continued its insistent pulse, heightening every sensation.
"And what thoughts are those?" Jack asked, his red eyes never leaving Charlotte’s frozen form.
"That you’re the most interesting man I’ve met in years," Evelyne replied, her voice dropping to something almost intimate. "That watching you channel divine power made something inside me wake up. That I’ve been playing political games for so long, I’d forgotten what it feels like to have feelings for someone."
Her hands slid upward toward his shoulders, fingers tracing along his collarbone. The bracelet amplified every touch, every brush of fabric, until Jack’s awareness narrowed to the warmth of her proximity and the sight of Charlotte’s lightning beginning to crackle along her clenched fists.
She stood on her tiptoes, getting closer to Jack’s neck. She let out a soft breath, sending a chill down Jack’s spine.
She placed a soft kiss on her neck as her ample bosom pressed against his chest.
"Duchess Veyra," Jack said again, his voice carrying a warning.
"Evelyne," she insisted, tilting her face upward as her hands reached his neck. "Say my name, Jack Kaiser. Just once without the title."
’Why is he playing so hard to get. Just kiss me already!’
She rose on her toes, her intention crystal clear as she leaned toward him with her lips slightly parted.
Jack’s hand caught her waist, pulling her close enough that their bodies pressed together. Her curves against him, the rapid beating of her heart, the sharp intake of breath as his grip tightened.
His eyes never left Charlotte’s face.
The young Stormblood stood completely frozen, blue lightning dancing across her shoulders and down her arms in jagged patterns.
Her expression carried a mix of horror and rage, her eyes broad with emotion. Jack couldn’t quite name it, but recognized it as dangerous.
Then he turned his head fractionally, his lips brushing against Evelyne’s cheek instead of her mouth.
"You should get some water," Jack said quietly, his voice carrying none of the heat she’d been trying to kindle. "And perhaps some rest. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day."
He released her waist and stepped back.
Evelyne blinked, the rejection registering slowly through her wine-enhanced confidence. Her amber eyes searched his face for mockery or disgust but found only polite dismissal. The same expression he’d give any noble who’d overstayed their welcome.
"I... see," Evelyne said slowly, her professional mask sliding back into place despite the flush in her cheeks. "My apologies, Lord Kaiser. I seem to have misread the situation."
"No harm done," Jack replied with a slight smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "Enjoy the rest of your evening, Duchess." 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎
’He’s such a tease.’
He turned and walked away, his stride neither hurried nor casual. It was purposeful as he resumed his original trajectory toward Chiron’s location.
Behind him, Evelyne stood in silence for several moments before her lips curved into a mocking smile. She turned slowly, her gaze finding Charlotte’s rigid form near the rose trellis.
Their eyes met across the garden.
Evelyne’s smile widened fractionally, and she raised one hand to her lips, pressing a kiss to her fingertips before blowing it toward Charlotte.
The message was clear: I know you’re watching. And there’s nothing you can do about it.
Charlotte’s lightning exploded outward in a brilliant flash, scorching the ground around her feet as roses wilted from the sudden electrical discharge. But Evelyne had already turned away, walking back toward the manor with the satisfied stride of someone who’d accomplished exactly what they’d intended.
’THIS FUCKING BITCH!!! SHE IS GETTING TOO CLOSE TO MY LOVE!!!!’
Garrick placed one hand on her shoulder, "Calm down, Charlotte. We are not at home, you cannot make a scene while at someone else’s home."
"Shut up, Garrick! No one even likes you!"
"Keep your voice down. You already know the consequences when we return home for your outburst later."
Charlotte’s eyes darkened as she stared at the floor. "Did Father see..." she trailed off, struggling to ask the question.
"Oh yes, he saw alright. And you know what that means. Your training will be brutal. You’re lucky if Father only throws some baby dragons at you."
Charlotte stared at the scorched floor beneath her feet. As she squeezed her fists in frustration.
