195 - I Got Engaged to the Blind Duke
I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke Chapter 195
Looking up at Gerald's profile as he was lost in thought, Marin gently tugged on his hand, offering to guide him.
Emerging from the woods, the vast garden where they had found the Mandelesong soon came into view. The Mandelesong had spread even further, creating the illusion of a yellow carpet.
Gerald stopped in his tracks, surveying the surroundings.
"Where is this?"
"Do you remember?"
He couldn't see back then, so was he remembering by scent?
"Are you trying to seduce me again?"
Marin chuckled and looked up at him. She could see herself reflected in his deep gray eyes.
His silver eyes from that day were beautiful, but his gray eyes, now staring straight at her, were still just as beautiful.
"When I first saw Lord Gerald's eyes here that day, I thought they were truly beautiful."
"I thought you were trying to seduce me."
He chuckled, as if recalling the memory.
"I've thought about that day sometimes. That's why I want to do it here."
Marin smiled brightly and turned her gaze back to the vast garden.
"Do what?"
"The wedding. Let's have it here, our wedding."
Marin met his gaze and gently curved her eyes into a smile.
"Good."
A bitter smile formed on his lips as he swept his gaze across the garden.
"Your expression doesn't say so at all, though? Spill it now. What's wrong?"
Marin asked Gerald the reason for his constant seriousness during their walk.
"A letter arrived from the Emperor."
"Wow! Then we can have the wedding right away, can't we?"
Her voice was filled with excitement at the welcome news.
"Not our wedding, another wedding."
"Pardon?"
Marin asked back, her face puzzled.
Another wedding?
"He says Dia's wedding will be held in three months. So it was written that we should go straight to the capital to prepare for the ceremony."
Gerald spat out the contents of the letter as if he were chewing on them, exuding a chilling aura.
Startled, Marin moved her lips, finally managing to speak.
"...Dia is getting married?"
"Yes. The Emperor's Imperial Sanction has been issued."
"Does a Royal marriage happen this suddenly?"
Marin raised her voice without realizing it, bewildered.
"It shouldn't."
It was a Royal marriage. Originally, it would take at least a year or more.
"Wait, during a Royal marriage, all nobles..."
Marin whispered with a dazed expression.
"...cannot get married."
He completed her sentence, as if venting his anger.
It was the Empire's Royal marriage. To commemorate this, no noble could marry for three months prior.
It was a measure to monopolize the Royal marriage's spotlight.
Of course, in the case of an ordinary Royal marriage, the wedding date would be announced at least a year in advance, so nobles would not have any difficulties.
"Marin. Shall we just get married here right now?"
Gerald gripped her hand tightly.
"H-Huh?"
Marin's surprised voice came out strangely.
Gerald's gray eyes, which met hers, were filled with intense heat.
This man is serious.
"I'll bring a priest right away."
"W-Wait a minute, Lord Gerald."
As he took a step, Marin quickly grabbed his arm and stopped him.
Gerald frowned, turning back with a look that asked why she was stopping him.
"Don't you want to marry me?"
"H-Huh? Why is the story jumping like that?"
Marin's bewildered eyes widened in surprise.
"I want to get married right now, but that damn Em..."
Marin quickly covered his mouth and looked around.
No matter how angry he was, he shouldn't carelessly utter insults against the Emperor. Of course, she hadn't refrained from cursing him in her mind either.
"Just a moment. Now, follow me. In, out, in, out."
Gerald, his mouth covered, raised one eyebrow as if asking what she was doing.
"This is quite helpful for calming down."
As he quietly looked down at her, Marin carefully lowered her hand that had been covering his lips.
"Why don't you want to marry me?"
This man is really persistent.
"Why wouldn't I want to? I want to! I want to do it right now!"
Marin put her hands on her hips and shouted at Gerald.
His shoulders flinched slightly at her confident spirit.
"...And?"
"What do you mean, 'and'? Imperial law requires the Emperor's Imperial Sanction to recognize a marriage. Do you want me to live as Lord Gerald's concubine instead of his wife?"
A wedding without the Emperor's Imperial Sanction would not be accepted in noble society. A private vow ceremony was only done when accepting a concubine.
Gerald lowered his tail at her stern voice.
"No."
"Why on earth is the Emperor acting like this?"
"I just thought he was crazy, but I realized he has other intentions."
He coldly raised the corner of his lips.
"Would you mind telling me what you realized?"
"You."
"Could you elaborate a little more? My comprehension is very good, but I'm a bit weak at inferring from short answers."
Marin met Gerald's eyes and spread her hands wide to express the word "long" with her body.
"It's my fault."
As Gerald spoke with a voice full of regret, Marin shouted again.
"Looooong! Loooooooonger!"
"The Emperor is probably after you. The villagers saw you and BaniBani. He must be curious whether your abilities are real. I ordered the residents to keep quiet, but a villager must have gone outside."
He lowered his head slightly with an apologetic expression.
Only then did Marin understand, and she sighed deeply.
How could this be his fault?
It was a good thing that BaniBani had saved the children, and it was inevitable that she and Rabbit could not be separated.
Everything was connected.
"I only have the ability to put people to sleep..."
Marin said with a sullen face.
"It's fortunate that the Emperor doesn't know your real abilities yet. Just don't get caught."
"Then what do we do now?"
"The Emperor and all that."
"Again, again."
Marin covered Gerald's lips with her hand again, and he grabbed her hand and deeply kissed the back of it.
"I will protect you."
Looking at his serious eyes, Marin couldn't help but smile.
"I know."
"First, we need to tell Dia about this first."
"Ah, that's right. Dia must be very surprised too."
Marin nodded with a worried expression.
"And from now on, use something else to cover my mouth."
"Huh? What?"
His gaze lingered persistently on her lips.
Marin's eyes widened as she recognized that look.
No, this guy, really!
\ \ \
Marin took a deep breath in front of Dia's room and knocked.
Knock, knock.
This news was a big deal for her too, but Dia was the person directly involved.
To comfort Dia, she decided to tell her herself, not Gerald.
At the sound of the knock, a maid opened the door, and Dia, who was writing something at her desk, raised her head.
"Marin Teacher."
"Dia, are you busy?"
Dia put down her quill and got up from her chair to greet her.
"No. Please come in. Would you prepare some tea?"
"Yes."
The maid quietly closed the door and left.
"I feel like I'm interrupting."
As she sat down at the table, Marin cast her gaze towards Dia's desk, and Dia smiled shyly as she followed her gaze.
"No, it's nothing. I was just writing a letter to His Highness."
"Ah, I see."
Marin quickly hid her feelings of pity. They might arrive in the capital before that letter did.
While Marin was choosing her words, the maid brought out refreshments and tea, and then discreetly left again.
"Teacher, is something wrong?"
Dia asked cautiously with a worried expression.
Marin decided that there was no point in delaying any longer and met Dia's eyes.
"Dia. Your wedding date has been set."
"...Yes?"
Dia, who didn't understand Marin's words, slowly blinked her large eyes.
"A letter came from the Emperor today. It was an order to hold your wedding with His Highness the Crown Prince in three months."
Only then did Dia understand the meaning of the words, and her green eyes widened in surprise.
"What?! I haven't heard anything from His Highness the Crown Prince."
Marin gave a bitter smile.
"His Highness the Crown Prince probably didn't know either."
At her words, Dia's eyes calmly sank.
"There must be another reason."
Marin opened her lips with a face full of guilt.
"I'm sorry. I think it's because of me. Lord Gerald thinks that the Emperor found out about me and Rabbit and is using Dia's wedding to call me to the capital..."
As Marin's words continued, Dia's face slowly hardened.
"I'm sorry, Dia."
Marin bowed her head towards Dia.
"No, Teacher. I'm the one who's sorry."
Dia apologized to Marin with a distressed expression.
"Why...?"
Marin raised her head with an uncomprehending expression.
"If I hadn't been engaged to His Highness the Crown Prince, he wouldn't have used me..."
A dark shadow fell over Dia's beautiful face.
"No, Dia. Please don't apologize."
Dia had done nothing wrong, so it was not right for her to apologize.
"If His Imperial Majesty is using my wedding to call Marin Teacher to the capital, I can't just let him have his way. I'll go alone."
Dia said with a cold expression.
"Dia..."
Startled, Marin widened her eyes.
"I won't do what His Imperial Majesty wants."
Dia declared with a firm gaze.
