197 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
“May I ask what you intend to do with the Duke of the West’s fiancée?”
A faint smile appeared on the Emperor’s lips.
“It will depend on the Duke of the West’s attitude. Whether he tries to protect his fiancée or abandons her.”
“Isn’t that Baines? He will try to protect her.”
Undisguised dissatisfaction was evident in his voice.
“Well, let’s wait and see. My curiosity is piqued as well. But is the Duke also interested in that fiancée?”
The Emperor’s cunning eyes gleamed as he looked at the Southern Duke.
“Of course not.”
Smith hid his true feelings and smiled insincerely.
All he had gained from offering a box full of diamonds was confirmation of something he already knew: ‘The Emperor wants that woman.’
Although not yet widely known, Monsters were beginning to appear in the South as well.
Their numbers were still small, so it wasn’t difficult to deal with them, but they could soon multiply like in other regions.
That’s why, the moment he heard about the Duke of the West’s fiancée, he wanted to get his hands on her.
If she really could communicate with Monsters, it would be a great help. And it would also deal a significant blow to the Duke of the West, who would have his fiancée taken away.
This was killing two birds with one stone.
However, since the Emperor openly coveted the woman, he had to watch for now.
\ \ \
Finally, after a month-long journey, they arrived at the Duke's Residence in the capital.
As before, Butler Canolam was waiting with the servants.
Gerald, who got out of the carriage first, took Marin’s hand.
“You’ve had a long journey. The Duke, Lady Marin.”
Marin smiled brightly at Butler Canolam’s greeting.
“It’s nice to see you again.”
“Yes, Lady.”
Butler Canolam also smiled gently.
“I thought you might be tired from the long journey, so I’ve prepared everything for you to rest immediately.”
“Thank you.”
The servants approached the carriage and quickly unloaded the luggage.
Loanna got out with Yuria’s support.
“Mom, you’ve had a hard time.”
“Hard time? A carriage trip with you is like a dream.”
Marin smiled at Loanna’s affectionate words.
Thanks to the Diamond Carriage, she overcame her trauma and was able to take a carriage trip with her mother.
It was all thanks to Gerald.
Olive approached and spoke to Loanna.
“I will guide you to your room.”
“Please.”
Loanna followed Olive into the mansion.
“Lady Marin, you can use the same room as last time.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Marin naturally went up to the room on the fourth floor that she had used before.
Just as she was about to enter the room, she made eye contact with Gerald, who was entering the room next door.
She had been so tired that she had forgotten, but then she remembered that the two rooms were connected.
Her face turned red in an instant, and Gerald leaned against the door, looking down at her with a subtle gaze.
“Marin, what are you thinking about again?”
“Huh? What do you mean I’m thinking about something?”
Marin avoided his gaze and turned her head.
“Shall I guess what you’re thinking about right now?”
He, who had been leaning casually, closed the distance in one step.
“……”
Marin was surprised and looked up at him with wide eyes.
His hot gaze slowly scanned her round forehead, cute nose, and pink lips.
“Maybe you’re thinking about my clothes……”
“Lord Gerald!”
Marin quickly covered his mouth like lightning and looked around. Fortunately, there was no one around.
My clothes? That she was trying to undress him!
She had never even thought of that, not even a little bit.
It was so embarrassing.
She had only thought that Gerald might come over since the rooms were connected. Truly.
His eyes softened as his mouth was covered by her hand.
“I never said I would undress Lord Gerald!”
Marin whispered, making sure only Gerald could hear, while continuing to look around.
Gerald grabbed her hand and lowered it, then tilted his head and slowly said in her ear.
“I was going to say that you probably want to dust off the dust on my clothes, but you were going to undress me?”
For a moment, Marin’s green eyes shook as if there was an earthquake.
“……”
“How are you going to undress me?”
Gerald asked subtly, staring intensely at her reddened face.
“No, I didn’t. I never did?”
“You just said you were going to undress me? In your head.”
Marin quickly covered her head and stepped back.
“The Duke, this is troubling.”
“What is? And why suddenly ‘The Duke’?”
Gerald’s eyes showed dissatisfaction as Marin reverted to her tone from when she was assisting him.
“I feel like we need to keep some distance from each other right now……”
Marin mumbled, avoiding his gaze.
“Marin, do you not know five steps?”
He took a big step, and the distance between the two of them quickly closed.
Marin, looking down at his toes, covered her mouth as if yawning.
“Ah, yawn. Why am I so tired? I’m going to rest now. The Duke, please rest too.”
Marin, putting on an awkward act, quickly opened her door.
Gerald chuckled as he watched Marin’s disappearing back.
She’s really cute.
He glanced down slightly and opened his own door. Stimulated by her words, he also needed to rest.
\ \ \
The Duke's Residence office.
Gerald, who was looking at documents, raised his head and gestured to Olive to open the door.
Olive followed the order familiarly.
When she opened the door, she met the surprised face of Butler Canolam, who was about to knock.
“Your Grace, the Eastern Duchess and her grandson have arrived.”
Butler Canolam, quickly erasing his surprise, lowered his hand and stepped back.
“Welcome.”
Olive, who greeted the Eastern Duchess politely, led her inside.
Eastern Duchess Edena entered the office holding her grandson’s hand.
Gerald, who had risen from his seat, bowed slightly to her.
“Have you arrived?”
“It’s been a while, Duke Baines. This is my grandson, Nejat. As I mentioned in the letter, my grandson wanted to meet the Duke, so we came to visit.”
“Hello.”
A boy who looked to be about Peridot’s age bowed his head with a nervous face.
The boy with dark brown hair and blue eyes greeted and quickly hid behind the Duchess’s dress.
“Yes. You wanted to meet me?”
When the boy looked up at Edena, she met his eyes and smiled kindly as if encouraging him.
The boy, taking courage, stepped away from Edena and looked up at Gerald.
“I don’t know noble language very well yet.”
“It’s okay.”
“I have three things I want to say, ask, and request to the Duke. Is that okay?”
“Yes.”
Even with his answer, the boy still hesitated.
Then Gerald knelt down on one knee to match the boy’s eye level. It was a posture he had become accustomed to while spending time with Peridot.
Edena’s eyes widened in surprise at the sight.
Nejat also widened his eyes and looked at the Duke, whose eye level had lowered.
He had only heard that he was a scary person. There was one more adult who matched his eye level for him like this.
Nanny.
After his parents passed away, he wandered the streets and ended up in an orphanage. After his parents’ incident, he avoided people, so he became a target of bullying at the orphanage.
That’s when Nanny appeared, matched his eyes like this, and saved him.
He thought he would live happily with Nanny forever.
“Nejat, from now on, you will go to the Eastern Duke’s family.”
“What’s the Eastern Duke’s family?”
“It’s a very powerful family.”
Nanny smiled as she stroked his head.
Nejat liked Nanny’s smile, so he smiled along.
Nanny was the only person he could trust after losing his parents. He liked it when Nanny smiled, and he was sad when Nanny was sad.
“Will you be happy if I go to a powerful family?”
“Of course, I will. Because it means our Nejat will become very powerful.”
“Then I’ll become powerful! When I grow up, I’ll protect Nanny too. I promise!”
“Yes, promise. Our Nejat. You’re so great!”
Nejat was happy as he was held in Nanny’s warm embrace.
But if he had known that it meant he would be separated from Nanny forever, he wouldn’t have said he would become powerful…….
“The Duke. What I want to say is thank you for taking care of me.”
Nejat bowed with a heart full of sincere gratitude.
The Duke nodded slightly with a blunt expression.
“And……”
The boy glanced at Edena and took a step closer to the Duke, whispering in his ear.
