I AM A MAGE BUT WITH MILF SYSTEM

Chapter 863: Do you remember?

Louisa’s fingers tightened slightly.

“I don’t know the details. He is planning something, but he has not even briefed me on it.”

“Must be very important if he has not even let you in,”

Julian remarked.

She had no answer for that. The silence that followed was telling enough. For a woman like Louisa, being excluded from her husband’s plans was not a small matter. It meant either the scheme was too dangerous to share, or Liam no longer considered her full involvement necessary.

Neither possibility was comforting.

Julian watched her for a moment longer, then spoke again.

“Well, I don’t care about Liam or whatever he chooses to do. But the situation has changed for me.”

Louisa tilted her head slightly at that, though she did not dare ask the obvious question floating in her mind.

“I let Uncle and Father battle it out before without paying much attention them,” Julian continued, answering her unasked question.

“Their rivalry was convenient background noise, nothing more. But that is no longer the case. From now on, I am going to step in.”

Her head lowered again. The meaning behind his words was not difficult to grasp.

If Julian truly intended to involve himself in the struggle between the two brothers, then the balance of power inside the duchy would shift. And if Julian had already decided that the Duke was more useful, then Liam’s faction was standing on increasingly thin ground.

“If you do not want to see your family completely wiped out, then you have only two choices. Either convince your husband to give up… or give up on him and come to me.”

Louisa’s body went rigid.

The words landed with brutal clarity. There was no room for negotiation.

He was not asking for her preference. He was defining the limits of her survival.

Her lips parted slightly, but no immediate reply came. A complicated mix of emotions moved across her face, but even they could do nothing when she was so completely outclassed.

Julian did not give her time to craft a careful response.

“That is the only choice I will give you.”

Without waiting for an answer, he rose from his chair. The faint pressure of his presence lingered in the air for a second longer before he turned and walked away from the balcony.

Louisa remained seated where he had left her, the damp robe and the heated skin reminding her of everything that had occurred. The teacup on the table had long gone cold.

Only when his figure had completely disappeared from the balcony, did she finally close her eyes.

The choice he had left her was simple.

And merciless.

**

After leaving the balcony, Julian returned directly to the main castle and took part in the preparations.

There was no shortage of work.

Servants moved continuously through the halls, carrying fabrics, polishing floor, and rearranging furniture under the instructions of stewards. Maids hurried between rooms with trays of ornaments and freshly cleaned linens. Outside, the sound of knights drilling was even more prominent than usual.

It seemed that Commander Aldric was pushing for highest security.

Julian helped where he was needed. He settled disputes between groups, confirmed the position of ceremonial knights, and made sure that the main route to the duchy remained clear.

The entire duchy seemed to understand that tomorrow’s visit would leave no room for carelessness. Every detail of security and luxury was being handled with equal seriousness.

By the time the sun began to fall, the preparations were almost complete.

The Castle of Astran had been transformed so thoroughly that even Julian found the difference difficult to believe.

Banners now hung from nearly every arch and balcony, their colors catching the evening wind and fluttering gracefully. The main floors was covered in deep red carpet, giving the halls a heavier, more formal atmosphere. Decorative arrangements filled every corners, while mana lamps had been adjusted to cast a warmer light.

Even the knights looked different. Their armor were cleaned to a pristine shine, and they stood at every major corner and intersection of the castle.

**

The night had settled fully over the Castle of Astran.

Most of the chaotic movement of the day had quieted, leaving only the soft glow of mana lamps and the occasional footsteps of the night guards. Julian walked without any particular destination, letting the cool air and the temporary silence clear his thoughts after the long hours of preparation.

As he passed through the eastern wing, a single figure on one of the balconies caught his attention.

Vanessa.

She stood alone at the stone railing, her posture straight but somehow heavy. The night wind moved gently through her hair, and the light from the nearest lamp cast a golden glow over her face. Even from a distance, it was obvious that her mind was elsewhere.

Julian approached without hurry.

She noticed his presence only when he was a few steps away. For a brief moment her expression tightened, as if she were pulling her thoughts back from somewhere far off.

“Brother,” she said.

“You are out late,” Julian replied, coming to stand a short distance from her at the railing. He studied her face for a second.

“Is everything fine?”

“Yes,” Vanessa answered quickly.

Julian rested his hands lightly on the railing and looked over the darkened courtyard below.

“No,” he said after a moment. “There is something heavy on your mind.”

Vanessa was silent. The wind moved between them-

swish…

-for a while it seemed as if she might deny it again. Then her shoulders lowered slightly, and she gave a quiet breath that was almost a sigh.

“There is,” she admitted. “But it is not important.”

Julian did not press at once. He simply remained beside her, letting silence stretch in a way that felt natural rather than suffocating. After a time, Vanessa’s gaze drifted toward the distant lights of the outer walls.

“Do you remember,” she said suddenly, “when we were children and used to sneak into the old garden behind the east wing?”