I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke 201
Engaged to the Blind Duke, Chapter 201
It was then that Marin also returned the greeting.
“Schwentz Young Lady, what are your hobbies?”
One young lady asked with a curious face.
“I enjoy reading.”
“You have hobbies like that?”
The young lady who asked the question widened her eyes in surprise.
The other young ladies tilted their heads as if they couldn’t understand.
“Why would you do something like that?”
“Right. You can just have the servants read for you.”
Marin silently smiled at the familiar reaction. As expected, the West and the capital were the same.
But then, unexpected words came from Priana.
“You have a wonderful hobby.”
Marin looked at her with surprised eyes.
“Do you really think so?”
“I also enjoy reading. There’s a bookstore I frequent; would you like to go with me sometime?”
Priana’s dark green eyes sparkled with the joy of meeting someone with the same hobby.
“Priana, you’re saying strange things again. Why would a noble young lady go to a bookstore?”
The young lady who thought she had been humiliated a moment ago spoke sarcastically.
The other young ladies laughed along, but Priana remained calm, as if used to the reaction.
Marin, who was watching, smiled faintly.
“Thank you for the invitation. I would be happy to go.”
At Marin’s words, the young ladies closed their lips, watching her carefully.
Marin was also a Baron’s daughter like Priana, but she was the fiancée of the Duke of the West, so they couldn’t laugh at her as they pleased.
Marin glanced at the quiet young ladies and then stood up. She had been worried about Dia all along.
“I’ll be back in a moment.”
“Where are you going? A special patissier will be bringing out the desserts soon.”
The young lady sitting next to her urgently grabbed Marin.
At this, a strange light flashed in Marin’s eyes.
Was there a reason to keep her here?
Then she should go even more.
“I’m going to the powder room.”
Only then did the young lady nod with a relieved face.
“Ah, go ahead. We’ll be waiting.”
“I’ll be back in a moment too.”
Priana also stood up.
As Marin left her seat, Priana came closer and whispered.
“Wouldn’t it be better to go to the Countess?”
“Why?”
“Actually, the Marchioness Scampzo is very fond of the Crown Prince.”
“I see.”
She had wondered if it might be the case since the Marchioness was about the same age as Dia, but hearing it so definitively brought back old memories and left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Being engaged to popular men was a tough life.
“I’ll guide you.”
Priana lowered her voice slightly.
“But why are you helping me?”
At Marin’s question, she replied with a calm face.
“Because you confidently said you enjoyed reading.”
Just for that reason?
At Marin’s questioning gaze, Priana added an explanation.
“I’ve said that to the young ladies several times, but they all just treat me strangely. You must have experienced how people look at you after saying that.”
“That’s right.”
Marin smiled bitterly, recalling the past.
“Is that reason enough?”
“It’s enough. Please call me Marin.”
“Yes, Marin. Please call me Priana.”
The two looked at each other and smiled.
Priana soon pretended to look around and led her to the table where Dia was.
“Marin, aren’t those roses over there beautiful?”
“The Scampzo Young Lady put a lot of effort into decorating the tea party.”
As Priana pointed to the roses on Dia’s table, Marin naturally headed towards Dia.
“Dia.”
“Teacher.”
Dia, who had been talking about Opal with the young ladies, looked up happily.
The young ladies looked at her with excited expressions at the appearance of the Opal Mine owner.
“Schwentz Young Lady, please sit here.”
A young lady who really wanted to buy Opal jewelry offered her seat, intending to make an impression on Marin.
“Thank you.”
As Marin seemed to have achieved her goal, Priana naturally returned to her original seat.
Soon, Helena, the host of the party, appeared with the patissier.
After looking around, Helena frowned secretly when she saw Marin and Dia sitting side by side, contrary to her plan.
She had asked her close young ladies to separate the two of them. When had they gotten back together?
“This patissier was specially invited from the Sanders Empire for today.”
Maids lined up behind the patissier, who was wearing a tall white hat, and brought out luxurious desserts.
Rainbow-colored finger food chocolates were placed on each table.
“Everyone, please try some.”
At Helena’s words, the young ladies each picked up a beautifully shaped chocolate.
The chocolate melted away in their mouths in the blink of an eye.
“It’s so delicious!”
“This is the first time I’ve had such a wonderful dessert, Young Lady.”
The young ladies made a fuss and praised the Scampzo Young Lady.
Marin and Dia also ate the chocolate without any suspicion.
As Dia was rinsing her mouth with tea, Helena suddenly approached with a worried face.
“Oh my, Adria Young Lady. Did you happen to eat the chocolate?”
“Yes?”
“I didn’t get a chance to tell you, but this chocolate contains a small amount of alcohol. Are you going to be alright?”
Marin stared at the Scampzo Young Lady with a stiff expression.
“What is the intention of your words?”
Helena blinked innocently and asked.
“Intention?”
“Why are you asking if it’s okay to eat something with alcohol in it?”
Marin asked in a calm voice, clearly enough for the surrounding young ladies to hear.
“That’s…”
Helena, who had gathered her hands in front of her chest, trailed off with a pitiful expression. That innocent expression she had made up aroused the curiosity of the young ladies even more.
“Young Lady, say it to the end.”
Marin urged firmly.
“How could I dare to say such a thing carelessly? Especially since you will soon be the Crown Princess…”
Helena glanced at Dia as if watching her reaction.
Then Dia said calmly in a refined manner.
“I give you permission. What do you want to say?”
Helena’s eyes, which had been lowered, shone cunningly without anyone noticing.
How foolish, she was digging her own grave.
“I was just worried that it might have a bad influence since you are not alone, Young Lady.”
Helena raised her face and spoke in a tone that sounded genuinely worried.
Whether Dia was really pregnant or not was not important. The mere mention of such a rumor to an unmarried noble young lady in a public place was a major flaw.
Then a young lady nearby quickly took the words as if it were an impossible thing.
“That’s really embarrassing.”
“Don’t say that, Young Lady. It’s just a rumor. And, in fact, the rumor is strange, isn’t it…”
Helena trailed off, glancing at the young ladies who were focused on her words.
“What’s strange?”
Another young lady asked with a curious face.
That young lady was not someone she had recruited in advance, but it was a very timely question. This was also the reason why she had invited so many young ladies.
The Emperor had decided on the Crown Prince and Dia’s wedding, so it would not change.
However, it was another matter for Dia to establish herself in the capital’s social circles.
She planned to inflate the rumors about her before the wedding to prevent her from even approaching the capital’s social circles.
“That’s…”
As Helena continued to blur her words frustratingly, Dia parted her lips with an indifferent gaze.
“Keep talking.”
As if waiting for those words, Helena looked around at the surrounding young ladies again and spoke sadly.
“You all know, don’t you? The Crown Prince has never left the capital, has he?”
“Oh my!”
“Oh my goodness!”
The young ladies all looked at Dia and Helena alternately with surprised faces.
The fact that the Crown Prince had never left the capital meant that Dia had met another man.
The rumor of pregnancy alone was enough to tarnish her reputation as a noble young lady, but she was fanning the flames of the rumor that the other party might not be her fiancé.
This was not just a public humiliation, but a declaration that she would be completely buried in social circles.
Dia was unperturbed even as the young ladies’ stinging gazes were focused on her.
“Scampzo Young Lady. Can you take responsibility for those words?”
Marin stood up from her seat and asked coldly.
“Responsibility? I was just saying what the Adria Young Lady told me to say about the rumors.”
Helena blinked innocently.
It was as if she was saying that she had no responsibility since Dia had allowed it all.
“I guess you don’t have the common sense to be careful in front of the person in question, even if it’s just a rumor.”