149 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
Blinded Duke and His Bride 149
The princes, along with their knights, rode out on horseback.
Tan watched them with a relaxed expression.
"Aren't you going?"
"Is there any need to go early and waste energy? It's not like I covet that Sword. You haven't forgotten what I said, have you?"
"Yes. If any suspicious people approach, I stick close to Cal. Right?"
"Right. Cal, if an unavoidable situation arises, go to the rocky mountain near the War Oasis and wait. I'll come to get you."
Cal nodded in response, without a word.
Just then, Ban approached them slowly on a white horse.
["Ban."]
["Brother."]
Tan greeted him with a bright smile.
["Why haven't you left yet?"]
["Brother, I'm afraid of Monsters, never having properly swung a Sword."]
Tan deliberately trembled and spoke in an unconfident voice.
Ban glanced at Tan's muscular arm and smirked.
["Are those muscles on your arm just for show?"]
["How did you know? They're decorations to impress the ladies."]
Tan chuckled and stroked his arm muscles lovingly.
Ban frowned at Tan's nonsense and soon turned his gaze to Marin.
["Why is your woman covering her face?"]
["She says she has a blemish on her face. She can't bear to show such a face to people. She's so shy."]
Marin deliberately lowered her head, pretending to be embarrassed.
["Where are all the maids? Where's Bitra?"]
["Bitra said she wasn't feeling well today, so I told her to rest. She's been through so much because of me, so I wanted her to take this opportunity to rest."]
Tan concealed his true feelings and wore a natural smile.
["Bitra has been through a lot taking care of you."]
Ban agreed, not even bothering to hide his mockery.
["Since it's come to this, you should leave with me. It's a Sword my maternal grandfather gave me, I can't let the other princes take it."]
Marin, who had been listening to the Second Prince with her head bowed, looked bewildered.
He never intended to give it away from the start, yet he offered it as a prize. What a petty prince.
["Yes, Brother. Sweetie, I'll be back, so rest."]
Marin nodded obediently and went inside the Sunshade.
Ban's persistent gaze towards her was blocked by the guard standing close behind her.
["Who is that guy?"]
["Sweetie's guard."]
["Are you going to keep calling your woman that? Doesn't she have a name?"]
["Her name is Sweetie, Brother. Isn't it sweet?"]
Ban glared at Tan with disdain and turned away abruptly.
["Let's go."]
["Yes."]
Tan tried to look at Marin one last time as he followed Ban, but she was hidden by Cal's back.
That guard was unnecessarily perfect. Annoyingly so.
Tan narrowed his eyes and glared at Cal's back before turning his head to gaze at Ban's back.
The knights guarding Ban rode up and stayed by his side.
The hot desert wind brushed past Tan's indifferent face.
Suddenly, curiosity arose.
If I kill my brother, would Mother be sad, hurt, angry, or fall into a deep despair from which she couldn't recover?
Whatever emotion she might show, I found myself wanting to see that face of Mother's desperately.
Mother. You shouldn't have kept coveting what is mine.
Ban turned to him and ordered irritably.
["Hurry up."]
["Yes, Brother. I'm coming."]
Tan stroked the Sword at his waist with a polite smile.
Turning his head to the side, he saw the knights he had secretly raised outside the palace.
He didn't know what the Queen and the Second Prince might be planning, so he had brought them to the palace event for the first time.
As Tan mounted his black horse, some of them followed behind.
\ \ *
Marin, who was fanning herself under the Sunshade, looked up at Cal, who was standing guard beside her.
Wearing black clothes under the scorching desert sun, he looked hot at a glance. However, not a single drop of sweat flowed on his expressionless face.
"Aren't you hot?"
"It's okay."
"If you're good at fighting, can you also control your body temperature? I wonder if Lord Gerald is like that too?"
For some reason, Cal's lips slightly loosened at her idle chatter.
Marin stared at him in wonder. She felt that Cal subtly liked it whenever she talked about the Duke.
Just how close were they?
"Lord Gerald is incredibly good at fighting, right?"
"Yes."
The corners of his lips twitched as if trying to suppress a smile.
"And he's handsome too."
Cal subtly turned his head to the side, secretly smiling.
He likes it. He likes it.
Marin chuckled as she watched him, then suddenly froze.
Huh? Is this dangerous?
Her green eyes trembled as if in turmoil.
Cal said he liked men.
Cal likes it whenever the Duke is mentioned.
Cal likes the Duke? In other words, my rival?
Marin narrowed her eyes and scanned Cal from head to toe.
He was close enough to deliver the Duke's confession on his behalf, and he was secretly in love with the Duke?
Haa. Really, the male lead is too popular, regardless of gender.
Marin decided to be careful about talking about the Duke in front of Cal from now on.
While Marin was wary of Cal on her own, a beautiful voice was heard from the side.
["Sweetie?"]
Marin turned around without realizing it, then lowered her head in self-disgust.
She was getting used to being called Sweetie. This was a real problem.
Sighing, she raised her head and saw a woman so beautiful that her eyes widened in surprise standing before her.
With silk-like black hair, black eyes like black pearls, red lips, and a flowing white dress adorned with dazzling jewels, the woman was accompanied by a maid.
The maid was holding a large leaf-shaped fan, creating shade over the beautiful woman's head.
["You're Sweetie, right?"]
["...Yes."]
She wanted to say that her name wasn't Sweetie, but she couldn't in this situation, so she affirmed weakly.
["Nice to meet you. I'm Sheila Sanders, the Second Princess Consort."]
["Ah... Nice to meet you."]
Marin felt a surge of wariness as Sheila's black eyes scanned her.
The Second Prince was the dangerous person who had demanded that she be handed over.
Why had his wife suddenly approached her?
["What brings you here?"]
["Unlike the other princes, Ban and Tan share the same Queen Consort. So, wouldn't it be nice for Sweetie and me to become friends?"]
Marin wanted to shake her head, saying there was no need, but she forcibly suppressed it and stood silently.
["Oh, are you angry that I called the Third Prince Tan? We've been close since we were young. Tan used to follow me around a lot."]
Sheila said, as if boasting about a past that she hadn't even asked about.
Marin felt her watching her closely, as if observing her reaction.
Marin remained silent, without any response.
Perhaps not getting the reaction she wanted from her, Sheila changed the subject with a prim expression.
["So, when are you two getting married?"]
["Pardon?"]
Marin was so startled that she raised her voice without realizing it.
This time, it was the reaction she wanted, as Sheila feigned surprise with a satisfied look.
["Oh my! Why are you so surprised? You've been living together in the same room for so long, don't you have any intention of becoming a princess consort? Ah, I heard you're from a foreign country, is that how it is there?"]
Marin looked anxiously at the person behind her. She felt Cal's stinging gaze again from behind.
She shouldn't tell the Duke about this. There were circumstances.
["I'm sorry. I'm very sensitive to the heat, so I don't think I can continue this conversation."]
Marin indirectly told her to go away, not wanting to talk to her any longer.
Then Sheila opened her mouth, pretending not to understand, her black eyes gleaming.
["So you're someone with a weak constitution. Why don't you take off the cloth covering your face if you're hot? It would be much cooler."]
Sheila's hand reached for the cloth covering Marin's face.
Marin quickly stepped back, bumping into Cal's chest behind her.
["How rude."]
["Oh my. I was just worried. You said you were very sensitive to the heat."]
["I think I need to rest, so I'll take my leave now."]
Marin said this time in a more resolute tone.
["Alright. Then rest."]
Sheila turned away with a cold look.
But as she was returning to her seat, she stopped abruptly in the middle of the road and dropped her handkerchief, pretending it was a mistake.
The white handkerchief fell onto the sandy ground, carried by the wind.
What does that mean?
At that moment, Cal's husky voice rang in her ear.
"Imsi."
Marin quickly drew her dagger and stood close to Cal's side.
Soon after, black-masked figures appeared from beyond the yellow desert.
