45 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
I got engaged to the blind duke, Chapter 45
During the employment engagement, I'll stick close to the Duke, reduce the risks, and earn money.
“Kay.”
At Gerald's call, the man who covered everything but his eyes suddenly popped out of nowhere.
Marin was startled and stared at him with wide eyes. She had finally met Kay, one of the supporting characters in the novel.
She knew he existed, but she never thought he would be called in front of her.
“Attach Shadow El to Imsi.”
“Yes.”
Kay, who answered in a voice barely audible, turned towards Marin.
Kay was his shadow, always protecting the Duke.
The Duke was strong enough not to need anyone to protect him, but the shadow of Bynes was said to be an existence that protected the direct line of the Duke for generations.
“I am Kay. From now on, if you call me El, Shadow El will appear at any time.”
“Yes.”
Following Kay, who greeted her politely, Marin bowed her head and raised it, but he had already disappeared from sight.
Marin looked around with a bewildered face.
Where the hell did he hide? He must be around here.
As Marin continued to look around, the Duke opened his mouth bluntly.
“Stop looking around, do you have anything more to say?”
Marin narrowed her eyes and looked at him with a suspicious look.
Is this person really blind?
She believes it because she knows he is the male protagonist, but if he guesses as accurately as he seems to be seeing, others will not believe that the Duke is blind.
“Then when will we write the employment contract?”
“That’s certain.”
The corners of the Duke's lips rose as if he was satisfied.
“It’s better to be sure when doing something like this.”
“Prepare it by tomorrow, Imsi. No, my fiancée.”
Marin stared at the Duke with wide eyes.
What did he just call her? Fiancée?
It was the first time she had been called that, so it felt so unfamiliar and awkward.
Even though she knew it was employment, her face flushed and became hot.
She thought that there would be no marriage or engagement for her, a failed noble who had not even made her Debutante.
But even though it was an employment relationship, she now had the title of fiancée.
Her heart was strangely fluttery and uncomfortable, so Marin belatedly replied.
“…Yes.”
“From the moment you sign the contract, you will have to act like you are in love.”
He warned her once more indifferently.
“Yes. I’ll try.”
“Please take care of me.”
Marin's eyes widened at the Duke's simple words.
For him to say please. She thought it was simply the price for deceiving the Duke, but was it a request?
Marin felt like she could do this employment engagement with a little more sincerity.
“Yes. I look forward to working with you too.”
\ \ *
Marin drooped her shoulders and returned to the detached palace, organizing her confused thoughts.
The content of the novel has changed.
She was a character who did not appear in the novel. So, until now, she had been trying her best not to harm the novel.
Even though she heard about the Duke's terrible pain, she couldn't even mention the ingredients for the medicine that would heal his eyes. At best, she would make a poultice and put it on the Duke's eyes.
She was so careful, but she never knew that such an unexpected situation would arise.
“Haa, is this okay?”
Marin spat out to herself and was startled, covering her mouth. From now on, she had to be careful even when talking to herself. She didn't know where or how the shadow might be listening.
Marin looked around and whispered quietly.
“Um, Mr. El?”
“Yes.”
See? He appears right away like this.
Marin looked at El, who appeared in front of her, with a troubled expression. El, who was a little slimmer than Kay, was also covered in black clothes except for his dark blue eyes.
“From now on, will Mr. El always follow me around?”
“Yes, that’s right. And I am currently Miss Marin’s shadow. No one speaks formally to their own shadow. Please call me comfortably.”
El's voice, who spoke gently, was a little more beautiful than Kay's. Is he a woman?
“Okay, El. Maybe, even if I go to wash…”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
Taking care of it doesn't mean hiding well, does it?
Marin couldn't bring herself to ask any further, and said with the meaning that she shouldn't follow her to such places.
“Be sure! To, take, care, of, it, well.”
“Yes.”
El, who bowed his head slightly and answered, disappeared in an instant. No matter how much she looked around, she couldn't figure out where he was hiding.
Marin shrugged her shoulders and went inside the detached palace.
Arriving in front of Loanna's door, Marin sighed as if the ground was sinking.
It was her turn to lie to her mother this time. Since when did she live a life of only lying like this?
When she knocked on the door, Loanna answered immediately.
“Yes.”
Marin opened the door and greeted her brightly.
“Mom, I’m back.”
“You’re home early today.”
Loanna greeted her with a kind look.
Marin stood there and looked at her mother's face as if she was admiring it. Her face, which was sunken and obviously showed signs of illness, had regained its color and returned to its former appearance.
It was thanks to eating nutritious meals since moving to the Duke's Castle, and Yuria taking care of her medicine on time every time.
Marin carefully examined her mother's face and was convinced that her choice was not wrong.
“Mom, I’m engaged to His Grace the Duke!”
“Ma, Marin…”
Loanna, who was sitting on the bed, covered her mouth with a shocked expression.
“Mom, are you okay?”
Marin hurriedly ran to Loanna, who was in shock.
“What are you talking about? Engaged to His, His Grace the Duke?”
Loanna's green eyes trembled at the unexpected news.
Marin sat next to Loanna and held her cold hands tightly.
“You must be very surprised, right?”
Loanna, who had wide eyes, slowly nodded her head.
“Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god.”
Loanna repeated the same words as if no other words came out other than exclamations.
“I didn’t know this would happen either.”
Marin looked into Loanna's eyes and revealed her honest feelings.
“Does he know our status?”
Loanna asked cautiously with frightened eyes.
Marin picked up the glass of water on the side table and handed it to Loanna.
“Mom, have some water first.”
“O, okay.”
Loanna was seen trying to calm her surprised heart by drinking the water little by little.
Marin took a deep breath and steeled her heart for the lies she was about to tell. She had to tell the story as close to the truth as possible to deceive her mother.
“Mom, first of all, it’s true that His Grace the Duke found out about our status. I think he’s known for a long time.”
The glass of water that Loanna was holding trembled finely. Her green eyes were filled with fear.
“I think he was watching me even though he knew. I lied, but I’m not a malicious person.”
This was also the truth.
She had never heard anyone say that she was a bad person, both in her past and present lives.
“That’s right. There’s no child as kind as you.”
Loanna agreed with a natural face.
Marin was relieved when she saw that her mother seemed to have calmed down a little, and continued.
“I read the reports well, and I was quite good at assisting His Grace the Duke.”
This part was also the truth that she could confidently say.
“Of course, of course. There’s no child as diligent as you.”
Loanna stroked Marin's hand affectionately as if she felt sorry for her daughter.
“He was quietly watching me like that, and I think he fell in love with me.”
A lie.
Marin covered her face with her palms as if she was embarrassed. To avoid being caught lying, it was better to hide her expression altogether.
