111 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
Engaged to the Blind Duke Chapter 111
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Knock knock.
At the sound of knocking, Elmis opened the door.
Marin, who had been drinking tea with Dia, let out a sigh at the sight of Olive entering with a stack full of marriage proposals.
"Are there more?"
Since Dia's debutante first day, marriage proposals had literally been pouring in for her, and Olive had taken on the task of preliminary filtering.
"There are still more. I'll organize those and bring them soon."
"What does Lord Gerald say?"
Marriage was a union between families.
While marriage proposals were typically sent to the family head, since Count Adria and his wife had passed away, the proposals were coming to the Duke, who was her guardian.
"He says Miss Dia should choose for herself."
Whether it was freedom or neglect.
When Marin subtly rolled her eyes to gauge Dia's reaction, she smiled as if to say it was okay.
Marin smiled back at her, then turned her gaze to Olive.
"You're working hard."
"Not at all. Well then."
Olive gave a gentle smile, slightly bowed her head, and left.
"Dia, how is it? Is there anyone you like?"
"Hmm, well. I don't understand why people I didn't even greet at the debutante are sending these."
"Me too."
Marin also nodded in agreement.
How many of the numerous people who sent marriage proposals had actually greeted Dia that day?
Nevertheless, most of the young masters who attended the party were sending marriage proposals to Dia, captivated by how beautiful she was that day.
When Marin looked at Dia, even her slightly frowning face as she looked through the proposals was pretty.
The life of a popular person. It must be tiring.
Then, Dia's eyes widened slightly, and she picked up the letter on the very top.
The envelope with the golden emblem looked familiar.
"Well, at least I know this person."
"His Highness the Crown Prince?"
"Yes."
"A marriage proposal?"
"No. Just a letter asking after my well-being."
Dia set the letter aside and began opening the marriage proposals one by one.
"I've seen this person. This one too. And this one."
Dia quickly picked out the names she knew.
"I'd like to meet these two people."
"That easily?"
Dia smiled shyly.
"I chose too easily, didn't I?"
As Marin nodded, Dia held up the Crown Prince's letter.
"He probably knows, right? That I'm receiving many marriage proposals."
"I suppose so?"
"Then he probably also knows I'll be meeting other young masters?"
"Perhaps?"
"Then that's enough."
Dia drew a satisfied smile on her lips.
Marin looked at her with admiring eyes.
"Dia, you're amazing."
"My mother said so. She said when you're in love, you should make the other person restless. She said my father acted so leisurely that it made her restless."
Dia's eyes sparkled as she recalled the past.
The more she heard about Dia's mother, the more impressive she seemed.
"I really respect the Countess."
Dia chuckled softly.
"Teacher, you don't need to do this since you have His Excellency."
"Y-yes, that's right."
Marin laughed awkwardly and played along.
"Marin, love me."
Suddenly, his absurd command came to mind.
How could he say something like that? The more she thought about it, the more astonishing the words were.
Heat gradually rose to Marin's face.
Telling her to love him.
"Teacher, are you okay? Your face suddenly turned red."
"Yes, I'm fine. It's just a bit hot."
Marin raised her hand and placed it against her flushed, red face.
My heart already has......
No, stop. Don't think about it anymore.
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"Olive."
"Yes."
"What do women like the most?"
"Gifts."
Olive answered without a second thought.
"Really?"
"Yes, that's why I too, how much for Boatcan......"
Olive trailed off with an embarrassed expression, then soon asked with sparkling eyes.
"Are you going to give a gift to Miss Marin?"
At that moment, Jeromian kicked the office door open and entered.
"Is it here?"
"What? 'Is it here?' Do you know how much I suffered to bring that thing?"
"You enjoyed it, didn't you?"
At Gerald's words, Jeromian's face contorted.
Well, he had gotten interested in that crazy guy's suggestion. Anyway, the heart of an alchemist.
"The gift?"
"In the warehouse."
"You've worked hard. You're truly amazing."
Olive looked at Jeromian with eyes full of respect.
"You've worked hard."
This time, Gerald also couldn't not say something.
At their sincere greetings, Jeromian's scowling face relaxed slightly, and his shoulders rose.
"Anything else?"
"I wondered when you'd bring that up."
Jeromian placed a square red velvet box on the desk.
"This too, you've worked hard."
"Surenne worked hard."
Jeromian credited Surenne.
"Olive."
"Yes. I will instruct for a reward."
"I'm going upstairs to rest now."
Jeromian turned his body sharply with a tired face. His long silver hair swayed and swished behind his back.
"Wait a moment."
Gerald suddenly rose from his seat.
Jeromian looked at him with a puzzled expression, and Gerald gestured with his chin towards Olive.
At his instruction, Olive quickly opened the office door and stepped aside.
Jeromian looked at the door with an annoyed face.
Just for detaining me for something useless. I should flip that desk over.
Then, the Northern Duke entered, laughing.
"Long time no see. Son."
"You, this bastard!"
Jeromian glared at Gerald as if looking at a traitor.
"I didn't know you were coming."
"If you didn't know, why are you standing?"
"I heard footsteps."
"Jerk."
Jeromian looked at Gerald with fed-up eyes, then turned his head towards his father, whom he was seeing after a long time.
"Have you been well?"
"I couldn't get by without seeing our pretty son."
"Father, please don't speak like that while I'm right here."
Jeromian looked at the Northern Duke with a startled expression.
"What exactly is our pretty son so dissatisfied with? When on earth are you coming home?"
"When the West becomes boring."
"The North has plenty of Monsters too."
"The North only has a lot of Monsters, doesn't it?"
"Then what's so interesting in the West?"
Instantly, Marin's face surfaced in Jeromian's mind, but it quickly disappeared.
As Jeromian stood there with his lips firmly sealed, the Northern Duke turned his gaze to Gerald.
"Duke of the West."
"Yes."
"Please return my pretty son to me."
"I'm not holding him back. Take him whenever you wish."
Gerald answered in an even tone.
"Really? Then let's go!"
"Sigh, how long are you going to treat me like a child?"
Jeromian spat out in a rough voice, as if forcefully suppressing his anger.
At this, the Northern Duke's face, which had been smiling kindly towards his son, hardened stiffly.
"Do you want to be recognized as an adult? Then instead of running away from home and acting however you please, show a proper demeanor in front of your parents."
"Even if you say that, I'm not going."
As his son didn't budge an inch, the Northern Duke pouted with a sulky face and complained to Gerald.
"Duke of the West, try persuading my son! I've become so skinny like this because I couldn't see our pretty son."
Jeromian carefully examined his father, whom he was seeing after a long time.
As he said, he had become much thinner than before. Even if he wanted to pretend not to notice, it was glaringly obvious.
"Father. Stop pestering that guy and talk with me."
At Jeromian's words, the Northern Duke's wrinkled face brightened widely.
"You'll have a conversation with me?"
"Yes, let's go."
"Alright! Let's go, let's go!"
Jeromian was the Northern Duke's only son, born when he was old. He was a precious, treasured son, but when he was coddled and doted on, he rebelled, saying to stop treating him like a child, and left home.
That son was initiating a conversation for the first time in a long while.
I should designate today as a Northern memorial day.
\ \ *
"Olive. Where is Marin?"
"She should be in her room."
Gerald picked up the square red velvet box that Jeromian had given him and left the office.
After going up to the third floor, he stood in front of the door connected to his own room and knocked on the door.
Elmis opened the door for him, then slightly bowed her head to him and left.
"Marin."
"Lord Gerald? What brings you here?"
"What were you doing?"
Gerald instinctively listened closely to her.
"I was reading a book to read to you today, Lord Gerald."
"Is it a fairy tale?"
"Yes. It's a book you don't particularly like because it ends with a happy ending."
"Happy ending?"
"Yes."
A happy ending...... Most fairy tales featuring a man and a woman ended with 'and the two lived happily ever after.'
Suddenly, it occurred to him that it might not necessarily be a boring thing.
He met Marin and lived happily ever after.
He liked that very definitive happy ending.
"No."
"Yes?"
"I like happy endings. From now on, only read books like that."
