206 - I Got Engaged to the Blind Duke
Blind Duke and I are Engaged 206
Smi put down the sandwich he was eating and stretched his bangs, looking apologetic.
"Do I look stuffy?"
"No. I just thought you might want to look neat in front of my parents, but I'm sorry."
Priana quickly shook her head. It wasn't his appearance that she liked. She was worried that she might have hurt him with her unnecessary words.
She took out a new sandwich with an apologetic look and held it out.
"Please, eat."
Smi stared silently at his fiancée, Priana.
The only woman who believed in him, a man with many secrets.
He had come up to the capital to avoid his brothers and lived as buried among the people as possible. He covered his face and deliberately opened a bookstore near the Duke's Residence of the West, which his brothers hated.
He thought he would live quietly like this for the rest of his life.
Without anyone knowing. Just like air.
But after meeting the person he loved, he wondered if his choice had been right.
Should he have fought back?
Was the choice not to hurt or kill anyone cowardly?
"What are you doing? Aren't you going to eat?"
Priana held the sandwich out further.
He swept his bangs back slightly, revealing his neat forehead.
"I'll go like this when I see your parents."
Priana asked with her eyes if he was really okay.
Smi took the sandwich she offered and nodded.
Only then did the tension on her face ease.
"Oh, and I'm going to bring a friend with me next time."
"Who?"
"Marin Schwentz Young Lady. She's the Duke of the West's fiancée."
Smi stopped eating again, looking surprised.
"She also likes to read. Just like me, right?"
"I guess so."
Priana talked about her with sparkling eyes.
"She seemed like a smart and nice person. She recently attended a tea party hosted by a Marquis Young Lady."
While his lover was talking about what happened, his mind was racing.
He had settled near the Duke's Residence of the West, but he never expected to have any contact with the Duke of the West.
Would it be okay?
But his worries were short-lived. After listening to Priana chattering in an excited voice for the first time in a while, he thought it was an unnecessary worry.
Right. As long as he wasn't caught.
"Are you listening to me?"
"Of course. So what happened to the Marquis Young Lady?"
"There's a rumor that she was kicked out of her family."
"Oh dear. That must be tough. It must be hard to give up the life of a noble."
A bitter taste was naturally infused at the end of his words.
"I guess so. But Adria Young Lady's rumors have disappeared from society."
"As expected of the Duke of the West."
Smi chuckled, and Priana looked at him with a surprised expression.
"Do you know The Duke?"
He smiled and spoke even more cheerfully on purpose.
"Is there anyone in the Empire who doesn't know the Duke of the West?"
"I guess you're right."
The two looked at each other and laughed, and then resumed their conversation.
Meanwhile, at that time.
"Found him."
The man who had been hiding on the wall across from the bookstore quickly turned around and ran.
He had been striking out for months, but this time he was sure.
The Crown Prince's office.
Alecpet frowned and looked up from the invitation that the servant had delivered.
Behind the smiling servant, there was a pile of gifts.
"Your Highness. Aren't you going to open them?"
The servant asked cautiously, watching the Crown Prince's expression.
There was no noble who didn't know that the Emperor was oppressing his lord. So the nobles often treated their lord coldly.
But recently, gifts from nobles had been pouring in.
He didn't know why, but he was proud that his lord was finally being recognized in noble society.
"I see. Return all the gifts soon."
"Yes? But..."
"Hurry."
"...I understand."
The servant hesitated and answered.
He couldn't understand his lord's thoughts at all.
There were so many places to decorate in this desolate palace. He was frustrated that he was told to return all the gifts.
"You may leave now."
"Yes."
The servant bowed and left.
A deep worry appeared on Alecpet's face. The invitations and letters that had been put aside on one side of the desk caught his eye.
Was this what The Duke was talking about back then?
What on earth did the nobles want from him?
Did they believe that he could bring down the Emperor? Why should he bring down his father?
He felt like he was standing in front of an endless cliff.
Even though he knew he would fall and die if he took one step, invisible hands were pushing him.
His chest tightened and he had trouble breathing, so he turned his gaze away.
He saw a pair of birds flying in the blue sky outside the window.
They looked free and affectionate.
Could he live like that with Dia?
In the drawing room of the Duke's Residence, Marin was having a pleasant conversation with Priana.
She had met her several times since the tea party, and they got along very well. She was happy to be able to talk so freely with a young lady of her age.
"Is the place we're going to today the bookstore run by Priana's fiancé?"
"Yes."
Priana smiled shyly and nodded.
"Running a bookstore, that's so cool."
As soon as those words were spoken, the drawing room door burst open.
"Who's cool?"
Marin and Priana, startled, turned their heads to look at the door at the same time.
"Lord Gerald!"
With Marin's shrill scream, Priana quickly got up and greeted The Duke.
"I greet The Duke. I am Priana from the Malcolm baronetcy."
"You had a guest."
Marin narrowed her eyes and glared at Gerald.
He definitely heard everything, but he was pretending not to know.
"So who, why, and how is cool?"
Gerald's persistent gaze was fixed on Marin.
Marin made an awkward "ho ho ho" sound and looked back at Priana with an apologetic face.
"Just a moment."
"Yes."
Marin quickly approached Gerald and pushed him out of the drawing room.
"Please stop?"
It was so embarrassing.
"That's not what I was asking?"
Gerald narrowed his eyes and raised his eyebrows in dissatisfaction.
Seriously, this man.
A man who she was proud to show to anyone became more childish than Peridot when he started to get jealous.
"Malcolm Youngae's fiancé runs a bookstore. I'm going to go there today."
"To that cool person?"
Gerald crossed his arms in front of his chest and grumbled openly.
"Lord Gerald, aren't you busy?"
"I'm not busy."
Then Olive, who was stuck to the wall like a cicada, caught her eye. Marin pretended not to notice as much as possible for his sake.
"We're going out now, so please stop?"
"I was about to go out too."
"Where to?"
Marin looked up at him with a doubtful expression.
"Where could it be?"
When Gerald childishly asked back, Marin put her hands on her hips and said firmly.
"Don't follow me."
"Why?"
"Were you really going to follow me?"
Marin looked at him with a dumbfounded face, and he remained silent with a sullen face.
Marin narrowed her eyes and warned him once again.
"Really, don't follow me!"
At her serious gaze, Gerald finally took a step back.
"...I won't."
"Hmph."
Marin snorted and went back into the drawing room, taking Priana out with her.
Priana glanced at The Duke, who was exuding a dangerous atmosphere, and bowed her head.
"I, I'll be going now."
Gerald nodded silently in response.
Even after the two left, Gerald remained standing there without moving.
After a long time, Gerald's lips opened.
"Olive."
Olive, who had been standing quietly next to the drawing room door, quickly went and stood next to The Duke.
"Yes."
"Investigate that cool person."
"That's..."
When Olive trailed off, Gerald turned around with a fierce look.
"Yes. I understand."
Olive swallowed the advice that it would be better not to do it.