6 - I Got Engaged to the Blind Duke
Marin blinked rapidly, looking at Olive.
“I, I, here, this, I think you wrote it wrong.”
Marin stuttered in surprise, pointing to where 1 gold was written.
Please, tell me it's not a mistake.
“No. It’s not a mistake.”
“Di, did I say it out loud, perhaps?”
Flustered, she quickly covered her lips with her hand.
“Pardon?”
Olive stared at her with a puzzled expression.
Marin gave an awkward smile and mumbled.
“It’s nothing. So, is the salary really 1 gold a week?”
“Yes, that’s right. Marin is in a special position.”
“Special position?”
“Yes. Those who take on special positions like Marin at the Duke’s estate receive higher wages than others. We matched it to the amount received by those people when they were new.”
Olive’s face seemed to glow as she explained kindly.
“Special position…”
Marin murmured quietly.
Several characters from the novel passed through her mind.
The spy infiltrating the eastern region, Shadow Kay, Surenne the Duke’s blacksmith, and the alchemist Zero.
“Then read it slowly…”
“Can I sign here?”
Cutting Olive off mid-sentence, she pointed to the signature line.
“Did you really read it all? You should check it carefully.”
Olive gently advised with a worried expression.
“Yes, yes. I’ve read it all. I want to sign. I really, quickly, want to sign first.”
She didn’t need Olive’s concern. The power of 1 gold was so high.
“Okay. For now, I wrote Imsi as the term, but you’ll soon be a full-time employee. Good luck.”
Olive cheered brightly, as if trying to comfort her.
“Yes! I’ll do my best.”
In fact, she wasn’t affected at all by the word Imsi, but she chimed in with a motivated voice.
Actually, she never even dreamed of becoming a full-time employee. Her goal was to work only until right before the female lead appeared.
The Duke would regain his sight after meeting the female lead.
Then she, who read reports by his side, would naturally become unnecessary.
Moreover, what were the leads for?
She didn’t want to get caught up in their affairs and get burned by being next to the male and female leads.
Her goal was a peaceful life with her mother. She refused a dangerous life by the leads’ sides.
Her gaze was fixed on the 1 gold written in the contract. 1 gold a week meant 4 gold a month. It was a completely sweet job.
If she diligently saved that money, she could live without worrying about money for a long time.
When her mother got healthier, she would move to a slightly smaller territory. Tending a vegetable garden in front of the house, and getting a job at a general store.
Imagining a happy future just thinking about it, Marin quickly signed.
\ \ *
Marin carefully packed the book, as well as the picnic basket that Olive had packed for her, and returned home.
“Mom! I’m coming in.”
Excited, Marin announced that she was coming in with a loud voice instead of knocking on Loanna’s door. It was because she had luggage in both hands.
Loanna, sitting with her back against the head of the bed, was looking out the window.
“Marin.”
Turning her head slowly, Loanna looked at her and gave a pale smile.
“I’m back, Mom. I’m sorry I couldn’t read you a book.”
“It’s okay. Don’t worry.”
Marin glanced at the side table. The soup without any solids was untouched and hardened.
Pretending not to see the soup, Marin exaggeratedly placed the picnic basket she had brought in both hands on the side table.
“Mom, look at this.”
Marin opened the picnic basket with a proud expression.
Roast chicken that still held a warm temperature, sandwiches spread with refreshing strawberry jam, sandwiches with savory eggs and thick ham in the middle, banana muffins and chocolate cookies with a sweet scent.
She took out the food one by one and placed it on the bed.
Loanna’s face turned white with fear rather than joy at the sight of proper food after a long time.
“What, what is all this?”
Marin placed a chocolate cookie studded with large chocolates in Loanna’s small, thin palm.
Chocolate was a snack for nobles, so she hadn’t eaten or seen it for several years since her family had fallen on hard times.
“It’s been a while, right? This. Mom used to like it a lot.”
Loanna looked down at the chocolate cookie for a long time and gave a faint smile.
“You liked this more.”
“Did I? Hehe.”
Marin scratched the back of her head and smiled bashfully.
“Marin.”
Loanna’s eyes, which had turned away from the chocolate cookie, were mixed with sadness and worry.
“Where did all this come from? Perhaps, like last time…?”
“No, no. Don’t worry. I’ll never have to deal with trash nobles like that again.”
She had worked briefly at her father’s friend’s family. After Loanna found out about the bad things she had experienced at that time, her mother’s illness worsened. It was because she blamed herself, saying that her sick self was a burden to her daughter.
“……”
Loanna waited silently for the next explanation.
“Mom, don’t be surprised when you hear this.”
“That’s even scarier.”
Marin didn’t delay any further and told her everything coolly.
“I, I got a job at the Duke’s estate. They gave this to me as a souvenir to take and eat in commemoration of getting a job there.”
“The Duke’s estate? You don’t mean the Vines Dukedom?”
“Yes.”
Marin nodded with a proud expression.
‘Vines protects.’
Anyone in the western region praised the Vines Dukedom.
“Oh my! That’s wonderful. If it’s the Duke’s estate, I can trust it. Of course, it’s Grand Duke Vines.”
Loanna’s pale complexion regained color for the first time in a long time.
“Of course. It’s that Duke’s family. So now, Mom, don’t worry about me and just get well soon. I also signed an employment contract. I’ll earn a lot of money in the future and we’ll live happily.”
Marin deliberately spoke more vigorously.
“God, thank you. Thank you.”
Loanna soon put her hands together and offered thanks to God.
It had been a long time. She had stopped looking for God after the death of her father and brother.
“But Mom. I have something to confess.”
“Tell me.”
“I lied to His Excellency the Duke that I was a commoner.”
“…There must be a reason?”
Loanna asked cautiously with a darkened expression.
“I probably wouldn’t have been able to get a job as a noble lady. There were more than one or two noble ladies approaching His Excellency with impure intentions.”
“That’s right.”
Loanna nodded in agreement.
“If I had revealed my original identity, he would have thought of me as one of those ladies.”
The reason why the Duke hadn’t been able to get married(?) until now was partly due to the extravagance of the noble ladies.
One lady even stalked the Duke and broke into his bedroom.
Wasn’t it a very reasonable reason for the Duke to distance himself from women?
Of course, she, who knew the original story, knew that the Duke had been single until now to meet the female lead.
“Still, I’m worried that you’re deceiving the Duke’s family.”
Loanna sighed deeply.
“Don’t worry too much. I’ll quit as soon as I earn enough to feed the two of us.”
“Okay, you’ll do well on your own. Mom believes in our daughter.”
Marin’s nose tingled for no reason, so she quickly turned her face away and got up from her seat.
“I ate a lot. Mom, you have to chew this thoroughly. I’ll bring you a cup of warm water.”
“Thank you.”
Loanna, who had put down her worries, picked up a banana muffin with an excited face.
Marin went out to the kitchen and looked for a kettle to heat water.
Her mother was so happy even with just one muffin. The reason why she had to earn money became clear.
“I have to buy a bottle of wine from my first paycheck.”
Before the family went bankrupt, Loanna always had a glass of warm wine before going to bed.
Marin hung the kettle on the fireplace and leaned her back against the wall.
“Even if it’s Imsi, I only have to do it for 6 months! Let’s stick to the Duke’s estate no matter what! I can do it!”
Marin made a firm resolution with determined eyes.
