The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 227: The Arch Mage

Chapter 227: The Arch Mage

At the bottom of the grand staircase, the atmosphere was warm and lively. The family was gathered, waiting for Adeline. Her father stood tall, a quiet yet proud presence in the room. Beside him were her brothers- Alaric and Aaron.

She knew that Isabelle and her brother were going to get married soon, so she kind of expected her presence. But she quickly understood that Victoria graduated too! And she probably was welcoming her younger sister.

Adeline smiled. The maids who raised her, her father and brothers... Everyone she held dear to her heart was here. It was a proud moment for all of them.

"Congratulations, Linny," Alaric said with a proud smile as she descended the steps. The nickname made Adeline’s heart swell with affection. He looked every inch the Western Marquess now, having officially taken over their family’s title and responsibilities.

Her father, who had recently retired, stood beside him. Though he had stepped down from his duties, it was clear that leisure didn’t sit well with a man like him.

War and strategy ran through the Kendrick family’s veins, just like blood, and without the constant activity, he’d taken it upon himself to personally manage their intelligence guild.

Aaron stood off to the side, arms crossed and a teasing smile playing on his lips. "I was afraid I was going to spoil the surprise," he said, his pearly white teeth glinting as he grinned at her.

Seeing her so glum he wanted to reveal that they planned this for her. He tried his best not to. After all this surprise would mean so much more to her than him just telling her.

Adeline couldn’t help but laugh softly as she reached the bottom of the stairs. Her father stepped forward to meet her, offering his hand. She took it gratefully, and he guided her down the last step with care, his expression tender.

He placed a warm kiss on her forehead, his large hands cupping her cheeks gently. "Welcome home, Linny," he said softly.

Adeline looked up at him, seeing the pride shining in his eyes. He didn’t cry—he was too stoic for that- but the love and emotion were on display.

"You’ve grown up so much," he continued, his voice thick with emotion. "Graduated from the same academy your mother and I attended, becoming a strong, confident young woman."

Adeline smiled, her chest tight with emotion. "I wouldn’t have made it without all of you," she said sincerely, looking around at her family.

Her father nodded, his lips curving into a rare smile. "And you’ve made us all so proud."

Alaric chimed in, his voice light but full of affection. "We always knew you’d do well, Linny. You’ve got the Kendrick determination."

Aaron chuckled, breaking the emotional moment with his usual teasing. "Yeah, and the Kendrick stubbornness too. You’re impossible to stop once you set your mind to something."

Adeline smiled bashfully. She was all smiles. It was the happiest she had ever been. She was home! After a long time, she was finally home.

Her father’s hand lingered on her shoulder as he spoke again. "We’ve prepared a little something to celebrate. Isabelle insisted on it, of course."

Adeline raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess, something extravagant?"

Alaric shrugged with a grin. "It’s Isabelle. Would you expect anything less?"

Aaron leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially, "I’m pretty sure she made the chef bake enough pastries to feed an army."

Isabelle loved to celebrate everyone, and she would do so in a grand manner. She would curate everything down to the last detail to perfection.

Her father gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Come on, let’s go enjoy it. You deserve this celebration, Linny."

As Adeline stepped into the garden, she couldn’t help but admire the effort her family had put into making the evening special.

She paused for a moment, admiring the setup, but her attention quickly shifted to a figure standing at the far edge of the garden.

It was someone she hadn’t expected to see.

Her heart skipped a beat. The man’s back was facing her. His posture was relaxed but unmistakably familiar. His hair, that distinct shade of brown, caught the fading sunlight... It had to be him... Who else would it be?

Adeline blinked, frozen in place. She looked at her father in confusion, she felt like that little girl again. He simply smiled at her and nodded. Even though he spoke no words, the implication was clear.

She turned back to the figure, her chest tightening with every step she took closer.

"Dimitri?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

The figure turned slowly, and as his face came into view, her breath caught in her throat. It was him.

Dimitri stood there, his expression soft, his familiar amber eyes fixed on her with a warmth that made her heart ache. His features were sharper than she remembered and more mature, but his gentle smile was the same.

"Adeline," he said, his voice steady and calm, carrying a quiet strength.

For a moment, Adeline couldn’t speak. Her hands trembled slightly, and she quickly clasped them together, trying to compose herself. She hadn’t seen him in so long. Too long.

"It’s really you," she said finally, her voice shaking with emotion.

Before she could say more, Aaron’s familiar voice broke the moment. "Well, looks like you found the surprise," he said with a grin, walking up beside her.

Adeline whipped around to face him, her expression a mixture of confusion and frustration. "You knew?"

Aaron shrugged, the grin never leaving his face. "Of course, I knew. Ran into him at the border, didn’t I?"

Adeline’s eyes widened and she punched Aaron lightly. He lied to her and told her that he did not meet Dimitri. All her worries were for nothing. He came to her. She did not lose Dimitri. He was still her friend.

Adeline turned back to Dimitri, her heart full of questions. "You... came here?"

Dimitri’s gaze softened. "I wanted to see you."

Her chest tightened at his words, and for a moment, she wasn’t sure how to respond. All those years she spent wondering why he never visited, why he seemed so distant, and now here he was, standing in her family’s garden like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"What took you so long?" she asked quietly, the question slipping out before she could stop herself.

Dimitri hesitated, his expression flickering with something unreadable. "It’s... Complicated," he said finally, his voice low.

Aaron, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, clapped a hand on Dimitri’s shoulder. "Don’t get all gloomy now. You’re here, and that’s what matters."

Dimitri gave a small nod, his gaze returning to Adeline. "I’m sorry," he said softly.

Adeline shook her head. She was not mad. Not at all. She could understand. At this moment a thought crossed her mind. Why was she not mad at Dimitri? And so angry at Cassian... Was it because she had expectations for him, and when he didn’t meet them she was mad?

Did she not have expectations for Dimitri? No that couldn’t be.

The thought was nagging at her especially after she learnt about the circumstances behind Dimitri’s visit.

Isabelle had been the one to arrange this. She knew how important Dimitri was to Adeline. And ever since she officially got engaged to Alaric, she treated Adeline like her sister. She loved her just as much as Victoria, she saw both of them grow up right in front of her!

She put off their wedding until Adeline and Victoria graduated. She didn’t care if rumours spread. She did not care if they made rude remarks about her age. She was not about to get married without having both her sisters by her side.

Since they were here now, Isabelle and Alaric could finally get married. Twenty-six was not a late age to get married! Who cared what the society thinks of them?

It was during this discussion that she found out how sad Adeline was. His departure still had a great impact on her. So that when she decided to do some fixing. Isabelle got the impression that Adeline and Dimitri were just like her and Alaric.

She got her sister’s back that was for sure!

When she began her correspondence to the Mage Tower, she did not expect that she would get any reply. But she wanted to give it a try regardless of the circumstances. You miss all the shots you do not take.

And thank goodness she did because she received a reply back from the subject of her letter itself! Dimitri.

As they kept in contact, she came to know about Dimitri’s real status in the Mage tower. She was worried that eventually they would cut her off and she wouldn’t be able to contact him again. She knew how ’protective’ they were of their mages.

But that was when Dimitri revealed that there was no cause for concern. He was the Arch mage, no one can tell him what to do.