Translator: Nox

21 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke

Eyed Duke and Fiancee 21

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“May I decide the punishment in place of the Head Maid?”

The Head Maid slowly nodded.

“They are maids who speak carelessly. If they work among people, they will speak lightly again. It would be better for them to work in a place where they don’t encounter people.”

As soon as Marin’s words were finished, the maids burst into tears.

“No.”

“Sob.”

The only place where they wouldn’t encounter people was doing the chores behind the cows, pigs, and chickens raised in the Duke's Castle. Even the servants avoided that place because it was so hard.

“I don’t know if that alone will be enough.”

The Page Head Maid’s face darkened.

Whatever Marin’s true identity was, the maids had mentioned something related to the master’s honor.

It was a serious matter that could warrant the maids’ tongues being cut off and being kicked out of the Duke's Castle.

The maids were crying and making a fuss in the corner, but Marin’s decision was rather merciful.

“If you think that’s not enough, may I say one more thing?”

“Yes.”

“Have you heard of mental education?”

The Head Maid frowned and once again gave the group of maids a sharp look.

“It is a product of the past.”

Marin stared straight into the Head Maid’s brown eyes.

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like the past yet. I have no intention of infringing on the Head Maid’s authority. However, now that I have already heard it, if I don’t prevent the abuse of young maids in the name of education, I will only be an accomplice.”

Marin turned her gaze to Yuria, who was standing next to her, seemingly intimidated.

Yuria lowered her head with red, tearful eyes.

The Head Maid nodded slightly as if she understood.

“I will make sure that such a thing does not happen again.”

“Thank you, Head Maid.”

Only then did Marin shed her strong demeanor and smile brightly.

The Head Maid quietly stared at Marin as if she was surprised by that appearance.

“It seems like it’s roughly finished, so Marin. First, to the doctor….”

It was when Sebas, the butler, who had been watching Marin with a proud expression, was about to open his mouth.

“Oh my, Marin! Your face?”

Olive, who appeared from somewhere, interjected with a surprised face.

“Olive.”

Marin looked at Olive with a flustered expression. It was embarrassing enough with just Sebas, but to be caught by Olive as well.

“Let’s go for now. The Duke is calling for you.”

Everyone in that place froze at Olive’s words.

\ \ *

“Oh dear, oh dear.”

Olive, who was walking ahead, repeated the same words loudly.

“Are you okay?”

Marin, who was following behind him like a chick, cautiously watched him.

He stopped abruptly at her question and turned to look at her.

“Is that what you should be saying to me right now?”

“I thought you seemed very surprised….”

“Yes, I was very surprised. How can a young… well, how can a woman fight with maids?”

Olive swallowed the title of ‘Young Lady’ and changed his words.

Even though she was pretending to be a commoner, she had lived as a noble young lady for years, so how could she roll around on the ground and fight with maids?

It felt like all the common sense he had about noble young ladies had been shattered.

“They are women too, though.”

Marin shrugged as if it was nothing.

“Yes, that’s right. They are women too.”

Olive had nothing more to say, so he weakly agreed.

“But why did the Duke call for me? He’s been avoiding me for a while.”

“I don’t know.”

Olive pressed his temples with his fingers because his head was throbbing.

“Olive, do you have a headache?”

“Yes. I have a terrible headache. Because of someone.”

“I’m sorry.”

Marin lowered her head with a dejected face.

Olive sighed and examined her.

Her neat hair was disheveled as if mice had gnawed at it, her face had scratches, and the sleeves of her only dress were torn on both sides. In the midst of all that, she was firmly holding onto her hardcover fairy tale book.

It was a sight to behold the more he looked at it.

“You don’t have to apologize to me. Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

The two arrived in front of the office in silence.

“Come in.”

Olive, holding a candle, went inside first.

Marin used his back as a shield and cautiously followed him in.

“I smell blood from somewhere.”

Wow, a bloodhound.

Marin only poked her face out from behind Olive and admired him.

“Imsi.”

“Yes?”

“Come here.”

“…Yes.”

Marin forced her unwilling legs to move and approached him with a face like a wilted puppy.

“What’s going on?”

“Well, it wasn’t a big deal.”

Marin made excuses, pretending it wasn’t important while avoiding eye contact.

“It’s not a big deal, but I smell blood?”

“It was just a minor conversation between women, you know….”

The Duke ignored her words and called Olive to get an accurate answer.

“Olive.”

“The maids insulted Marin.”

“Insulted?”

“They said Marin was the Duke’s Courtesan….”

Olive trailed off as if he was too embarrassed to say it.

“So, did you hit them again?”

The Duke’s head turned to her again.

“Again?”

Marin, who had been hanging her head and feeling ashamed after Olive revealed the truth, suddenly lifted her head.

“You hit someone last time too. Didn’t you say that sometimes, in unavoidable situations, people can become violent? So, what unavoidable situation was it this time?”

“Ah….”

Marin couldn’t bring herself to speak and hesitated.

“Answer.”

“They threw the first punch.”

Pfft. Olive, who was standing behind her, hurriedly covered his mouth.

Even the black curtain-like drapes swayed slightly.

The wind wasn’t blowing, so why were the curtains swaying?

“She was a fighter.”

Olive completely covered his mouth and chuckled at the Duke’s leisurely remark.

“I’m not.”

Marin, pretending not to hear Olive’s laughter, pouted.

“Closer.”

“Yes.”

Marin forced her reluctant legs to move and went closer to the Duke.

When he reached out his hand, she reached out her wrist this time, making sure only her wrist touched his.

The Duke made a circle with his fingers and examined her wrist.

“It’s still the same. Why doesn’t it grow?”

“It’s already fully grown.”

“Look at the trees. Even the branches can grow more.”

“I’m not a branch.”

There was a hint of defiance in her angry voice.

One side of the Duke’s lips slightly curved upwards. Marin unknowingly lost her gaze to his lips.

Was he smiling just now? Or was that a mocking expression?

As she turned her body to get a better look, the torn sleeve brushed against the back of his hand.

Deep wrinkles formed between his eyebrows as if he had touched something hot.

“Did you tear your dress too?”

Flustered, Marin quickly pulled the torn sleeve.

“No.”

“I can’t see, so you’re lying to me… Who are you trusting to be so brave, Imsi?”

His relaxed tone felt even colder.

“I’m sorry. It’s a lie. The dress is very tattered.”

Marin quickly lowered her tail and confessed honestly.

“Your only dress will disappear.”

Marin was startled and quickly turned to look at Olive, who was standing behind her.

Olive slightly shook his head as if to say he didn’t say it.

Marin narrowed her eyes and stared intently at the Duke again.

Can he really not see?

“I really can’t see.”

“Gasp.”

Marin quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

He can even read my thoughts.

“Olive, cut out the tongues of those maids.”

“Yes.”

Marin listened to their conversation and cautiously raised her hand and interjected.

“Um….”

“I told you not to say ‘um’.”

Marin realized her mistake and quickly lowered her head.

“I’m sorry, Duke. I have already punished the maids. I’m sorry.”

Marin’s anxious voice quietly spread through the office.

“What punishment?”

“I gave them the punishment of working in the barn.”

“…Merciful.”

“No, it’s a terrible punishment. If they keep working there, they’ll want to cut off their noses because of the smell. No one will want to approach the maids either. They might live alone and lonely for the rest of their lives and then die….”

Marin paused for a moment, wondering if she had given them too harsh a punishment.

“So, did you win?”