I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke 186
Blind Duke and I are Engaged, Episode 186
"Your Highness, it seems you have urgent business."
Alexphet glanced back and greeted his teacher with respect.
"Then, I'll be going now."
"Yes. Thank you for your hard work."
Alexphet walked towards the servant who was rushing towards him.
The servant reached him and gasped for breath.
"What on earth is the matter that you're in such a hurry?"
"Huff, huff, Your Highness. A letter from the Count's daughter has arrived."
The servant politely offered the letter with both hands.
Alexphet quickly composed his excited expression and received the pale pink envelope.
Even the envelope seemed to resemble her, so beautiful.
"Aren't you going to open it?"
The servant raised his head and asked with a curious face.
His Highness had been restless whenever it was time for a letter from his fiancée, the Count's daughter. But now that he had received the letter, he wasn't opening it.
"I'll open it when I get to my chambers."
Perhaps because it was a letter from a lover he wanted to cherish, he wanted to read each word carefully.
"Yes..."
The servant replied weakly.
He had rushed over, wanting to deliver it to His Highness as quickly as possible, but now he wondered if he had done something unnecessary, feeling awkward.
"Good work."
Alexphet praised him as if he had read his mind, and the servant grinned.
"It's nothing."
Alexphet, worried that the letter might get crumpled, carefully held it in his hand and headed to his chambers.
Why were the West and the capital so far apart? He wished he could exchange letters every day, but the travel time was too long.
Why did his palace feel so far away today?
It was then.
"Crown Prince."
Alexphet, who was diligently walking towards his palace, stopped abruptly.
The Emperor was walking from the long corridor on the left.
"Greetings to His Imperial Majesty."
The servant hurriedly bowed his head.
"Greetings to His Imperial Majesty."
Alexphet also politely greeted his father and raised his head.
"Where are you rushing off to?"
Alexphet, meeting the Emperor's displeased gaze, slightly lowered his head to avoid his eyes.
A bitter smile briefly lingered on his lips before quickly disappearing.
He had never received a warm gaze from his father, not even once, and yet he was disappointed again.
Whenever he met the harsh gaze directed at him, a hollow wind blew through his heart.
"I was returning to my chambers."
"Is there a reason to rush so hastily to the palace? Do you have an important appointment?"
The Emperor's voice, filled with wariness, was sharply honed.
"No. I was merely eager to wash up quickly after the sparring session."
The Emperor clicked his tongue as he looked down at the Crown Prince, who was avoiding his eyes.
"Tsk, tsk."
There was nothing about him that he liked. To think that this fellow would succeed to the throne. The 7th Imperial Concubine needed to give birth to a prince soon.
Then, the Emperor's searching gaze landed on the letter in the Crown Prince's hand.
"What is that?"
Judging by the pale pink envelope, it was clearly sent by a woman.
"It's nothing."
The Crown Prince covered the letter he was holding with his other hand.
"Ha- Are you perhaps exchanging letters with another young lady?"
"No."
The Crown Prince hurriedly shook his head.
"Tsk, tsk, so you're a man after all. You must have hidden the fact that you have another woman well from the Count's daughter?"
As the Emperor's sarcasm became increasingly excessive, Alexphet revealed the truth with a hardened face.
"It's a letter from Count Adria's daughter."
"Is that so? Let's have a look."
Alexphet, who had been bowing all along, slowly raised his head and met the Emperor's gaze.
"Your Majesty..."
"Why, do you dislike it?"
The Emperor's golden eyes gleamed like a snake eyeing its prey.
Alexphet gritted his teeth. This was why he didn't want to reveal who the letter was from.
He shouldn't show that he liked anything in front of the Emperor.
Because at some point, those things would disappear.
"Your Majesty, it's a letter from my fiancée. I apologize."
Alexphet bowed, pleading earnestly.
He had no pride. He was the Empire's only Crown Prince, but in front of the Emperor, he was lower than anyone else.
"Worthless fellow. You can't even hide your own feelings."
Alexphet gritted his teeth and silently endured the Emperor's rebuke.
"You must hold onto your fiancée tightly. That will be the only thing you do well."
The Emperor patted his shoulder and walked past him.
Alexphet clenched his fist tightly with the hand that wasn't holding the letter.
A secluded open space in the Duke's Castle.
Important figures of the Duke's family gathered in a place currently used as Marin and Garnet's training ground.
Marin adjusted the large pink ribbon around BaniBani's neck and looked around at the people with a nervous expression.
"Ta-da! Let me introduce my companion rabbit!"
Some had interesting faces, while others were frozen stiff.
"Marin, is... is that rabbit really the same rabbit from long ago?"
Loanna asked cautiously with a face mixed with fear and embarrassment.
"Yes, Mom. It's that rabbit. You used to adore him a lot, didn't you? See here? This pink heart."
Marin lowered BaniBani's head and showed the pink heart-shaped spots.
"Oh my..."
Loanna couldn't speak and covered her mouth.
That's right. Of course, it was a hundred times bigger than before, but Marin's companion rabbit also had spots of that shape.
But how did it get so big?
Did it just get bigger?
She heard it was a Monster.
Loanna felt dizzy and touched her forehead. Yuria, who was standing next to her, quickly supported her.
"Marin, I'm sorry. I need to rest."
Marin nodded with a worried face.
"Yes. Please go in and rest."
It was a difficult thing for ordinary people to accept. She was already fragile, so it was understandable that she was shocked.
She wanted to show her because she was the only one besides herself who remembered the rabbit's old appearance, but she might have been too hasty.
Loanna, supported by Yuria, turned to Marin with a faint smile.
"Marin, I think it's fortunate that you met that child again."
"Yes!"
Marin smiled brightly at Loanna, who understood and comforted her.
After Loanna left, Marin turned her gaze to the others with a nervous face.
Everyone's eyes were completely taken by BaniBani.
"It really is a Monster."
Jeromian, adjusting his glasses, shone his eyes as if he had discovered interesting research material.
"Oh ho. It really is BaniBani."
Sebas Butler flexed his arm muscles as if recalling the old days.
"Wow! It's BaniBani!"
Surenne smiled brightly with admiration.
Marin sighed deeply at the expected reactions of the three.
They already knew firmly about the Monster BaniBani, so she couldn't deceive them like the villagers.
"It's not BaniBani, it's a giant rabbit."
Of course, Gerald's thoughts, who held power, seemed different.
Marin looked up at Gerald and admired his shamelessness inwardly, but Peridot's voice was heard.
"Sister, I want to get closer to the rabbit."
Peridot stomped his feet and looked up at Dia, who was holding his hand. Garnet was in training, and Rubiana didn't come because she was scared.
Dia looked down at Peridot with a troubled face and then looked at Marin.
Marin gave Dia an awkward smile.
She believed that the rabbit wouldn't harm Peridot, but she couldn't force others to believe it.
