143 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
Engaged to the Blind Duke Episode 143
“Sweetie, stay still.”
Tan smiled beautifully with crescent eyes, but for some reason, it felt incredibly dangerous.
Marin wriggled her body wrapped in the blanket and pressed herself as close as possible to the headboard.
Tan's black eyes watched her actions as if amused, then he moved even closer to her.
“Sweetie? If you do that, it just makes me want to be even worse?”
“Why on earth are you acting like this—”
That's when it happened.
Bang!
The door opened with a rough sound.
At that moment, Tan grabbed her shoulders and pressed her down onto the bed.
Marin's eyes widened as much as they could. A scream was about to burst from her mouth when Tan's head descended.
No. Defend my lips!
Marin quickly covered her lips with both hands.
Tan, looking down at that sight, chuckled softly, then placed his hand over hers on the back of her hand.
Marin looked up at him with a confused expression, her gaze fixed on the large hand covering her own.
Marin's widened light green eyes met Tan's black eyes from a hand's breadth away.
He lowered his head further and kissed the back of his own hand. Staring at her intently, as if seizing her pupils.
What is this situation right now?
Why did he lay me down on the bed, why is he kissing his own hand? And he's too close!
Tan looked down, admiring the way Marin's shocked pupils shook, and grinned.
[“Tan.”]
An unfamiliar man's irritated voice came from beyond the curtain.
Tan, who had planted another smacking kiss on his own hand, stared straight at her, seeming to enjoy her confused expression, and opened his lips.
[“I believe I said no one should disturb me.”]
[“It's me. Ban.”]
[“Brother?”]
Not taking his eyes off her, he spoke theatrically, then slowly turned his head toward the curtain.
The sneer drawn at the corner of his mouth vanished in an instant, replaced by his usual pretty smile.
Marin watched this with wide eyes.
Tan, turning his head back toward her, winked, then lifted the curtain and stepped out of the bed.
Through the briefly opened curtain, the face of a cold-looking man with lemon-colored hair appeared and then disappeared.
Ban's gaze, full of contempt, landed on Tan's bare upper body.
[“You have no manners. Where are your clothes—”]
[“Brother. Wasn't it you who disturbed my good time?”]
Tan sat on the table, propping his chin, and smiled brightly.
Ban stared at Tan with a displeased look, then cast his gaze toward the bed, obscured by the curtain.
[“That woman?”]
[“Who are you referring to?”]
[“I heard you have the Duke of the West's fiancée with you.”]
[“That can't be.”]
[“I heard it clearly.”]
Ban's sharp gaze fixed on Tan's grinning, laughing face.
Tan picked up the teapot with a nonchalant face and spoke in a casual tone.
[“I don't know why I've been so thirsty lately. She's a woman I've been sucking and licking for three days straight. How could I possibly do that with the Duke of the West's fiancée?”]
The more Tan spoke vulgarly, the more disgusted Ban's face became.
That was exactly what he intended. Deliberately saying things Ban hated to make him leave quickly.
[“I'll see for myself.”]
[“You can't do that, Brother.”]
Tan poured tea into the teacup with the same expression as before.
As if he hadn't expected the refusal, Ban's eyes widened slightly before scrunching up in displeasure.
In the room flowing with silence, the sound of the trickling tea seemed loud.
[“……Are you refusing my command now?”]
[“Hahaha. Brother, who am I? For you, the Second Prince, I would give anything of mine. How could I possibly refuse your command?”]
[“Then, that woman—”]
Tan gulped down the yellow tea that filled the teacup and set the cup down with a clatter.
[“But am I not also a man crazed for women? I cannot give up my woman. Brother.”]
Ban narrowed his eyes and stared piercingly at Tan. As if trying to gauge his intentions.
[“If word gets out that I share a woman with you, Brother, what then? It would become a stain on your path to becoming the Crown Prince.”]
At Tan's words, Ban's expression hardened coldly.
[“Is it certain that woman is not the Duke of the West's fiancée?”]
[“Just as you dislike the Duke of the West, I dislike him too.”]
[“So?”]
[“If she were the Duke of the West's, wouldn't I have already ruined her? Instead of just sucking and licking?”]
Tan grinned brightly and picked up the teapot again.
[“Tsk tsk. Do you like women that much?”]
Ban looked at Tan as if he were a hopeless fool.
[“I do. The only thing I do in the imperial palace is play and eat, so wouldn't it be more fun to have a woman to play with?”]
[“Fine. Live drowning in women like that. Like a dead mouse.”]
[“Yes. Your lovely younger brother will follow any of your commands. Haha.”]
As Tan burst into hearty laughter, Ban looked at him with a dissatisfied expression, then turned away.
[“I won't go far. I need to continue what I was doing.”]
The door closed with a loud bang, just as it had opened.
Marin, still covering her lips with her palms and holding her breath, replayed their conversation in her mind.
What is all this about right now?
Marin turned her head to the side with a complicated gaze. Beyond the curtain, she could see the blurry figure of Tan.
So the reason they had been staying together in one room until now was to protect her.
She also realized why Tan was so obsessed with the rumor.
Marin carefully lifted the curtain and stepped out.
Tan took out a transparent candy and put it in his mouth.
“Your Highness…….”
As she hesitated, unable to continue her words, Tan chewed the candy and chuckled.
“Oh my, have you finally fallen for me?”
“Was that rumor for my sake?”
“I told you, didn't I? Your charm, my virility. It's very important.”
He smiled beautifully with crescent eyes, picked up his shirt, and put it on.
So he had deliberately not been wearing his shirt all along.
“Was that gentleman earlier the Second Prince, Your Highness?”
“Yes. Our brother who monopolizes our mother's love. The Emperor only had one child per imperial consort, but our mother was so loved that she was the only one to have two children.”
The corner of Tan's mouth lifted coolly, then returned to a playful expression.
“Anyway, I'm dying of envy, our brother.”
“Why does the Second Prince, Your Highness, dislike Lord Gerald?”
“To become the Crown Prince, surpassing the First Prince, one needs achievements, right? If one could bring down the Duke of the West, who solidly protects the Omen Empire, that would be a great achievement.”
Marin looked at Tan with a shocked face.
Surely he's not talking about starting a war?
As Marin's trembling eyes just blinked, Tan looked at her and laughed as if she were cute.
“It's not about starting a war right away. It's just that such a thing could happen. The Sairan Desert is teeming with Monsters.”
“Th-then why?”
“The Duke of the West is a bit irritating, isn't he? If one could just shake the western defenses, the path to becoming Crown Prince would be much smoother.”
Tan took out another transparent candy, tossed it into the air, and caught it in his mouth.
Marin lowered her gaze to the floor, biting her lip with an anxious face.
Until now, she had hoped the Duke would quickly come find her.
But now she realized.
The Duke must never come here.
This place was a pit of fire. For the Duke to come here looking for her would be like carrying straw and jumping into the flames.
War?
What if, by any chance, she became the spark for a war between the two empires? Wouldn't she be remembered in history as an incompetent, foolish villainess?
The mere thought was terrifying.
She had to escape this place on her own before the Duke came.
After organizing her thoughts, Marin lifted her head again and met Tan's eyes.
“What does the Second Prince, Your Highness, intend to do if he finds me?”
Marin asked cautiously with a fearful face.
“Hmm. First, threaten, then torture?”
Tan said it nonchalantly, but the content was brutal.
Torture? Did he just say torture now?
Marin's pupils shook as if an earthquake had hit.
“Wh-what do you hope to gain by torturing me?”
“The Duke of the West's weaknesses?”
“Lord Gerald has no weaknesses!”
“He's blind.”
“Th-that's true but……. Everyone knows that weakness, so what would you gain by torturing me…….”
“Our brother is crazy in that way. You could say he's a master at tormenting people?”
A cold light flashed in Tan's eyes as he chuckled.
Marin gulped. It seemed like if she made a wrong move, she'd be in real trouble.
“I'm fine now, may I return to the West?”
“Hmm. No.”
As Tan refused in a bright voice, Marin's eyes drooped at the corners.
She really wanted to leave this place now.
“Why not?”
“You saw earlier.”
“That's all the more reason to escape.”
“Our brother doesn't believe me. His people are probably hiding all around my palace right now?”
“Then what should I do?”
Marin stamped her feet with a frightened expression.
“Just become my woman, and it's fine.”
