65 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
Engaged to the Blind Duke Episode 65
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As Yuria drew the curtains, morning sunlight poured onto the bed.
When she opened the window to let out the stale air from the previous night, the room's atmosphere quickly grew chilly. It was winter.
"Yuria, how is mother?"
"She woke up briefly this morning, took her medicine, and went back to sleep. She seems better than yesterday."
"That's a relief. Ugh, I don't want to do anything. I intensely want to do nothing."
Having woken up, Marin wrapped herself in the blanket and rolled to the right with a rumble, then rolled to the left with another rumble, repeating the same words.
Yuria looked at Marin with curious eyes.
Why does she move around so bothersomely every time she says she doesn't want to do anything? Is it just a habit?
"Couldn't you rest a bit today?"
Marin, who had only poked her face out from the blanket, shook her head slightly.
"No. The aide has returned, so I need to work properly starting today."
"Then I'll prepare water for you to wash up."
Yuria smiled gently, then hesitated as if she had something to say.
"Why?"
Marin noticed and asked.
"The young ladies and gentlemen from the Count's family staying in the annex. The maids keep asking me how they should treat them. They say I'm responsible for the annex and keep asking, but I don't know anything either."
"They're staying here?"
Surprised, Marin forgot the cold, threw off the blanket completely, and sat up on the bed.
"You didn't know? They're staying on the second floor right now."
"I didn't know. No, but in this vast Duke's Castle, this can't be the only annex..."
"There's only this annex."
Yuria corrected him with a slight shake of her head.
"Ah, is that so?"
Marin looked somewhat embarrassed as she pulled the blanket back over her shoulders. It was cold.
"Yes. The main building of the Duke's Castle has so many rooms already. They say this place was used by the previous Duke's wife when she occasionally rested."
Wow. Marin was newly astonished by the Duke's family's wealth. To build this annex just to use as a resting place.
"I see."
Marin nodded and raised her head, noticing Yuria staring intently at her.
Ah, she had a question.
"Hmm, since they've just been through a major ordeal not long ago, it would be best to be careful with words, right? And since it's winter, pay close attention to the room temperature, and for food, ask them what they like first and prepare it."
"Yes. I'll tell them that."
Yuria went out with a brightened face.
Marin wriggled and burrowed deeper into the blanket. A long sigh escaped her lips.
The biggest reason she became the fiancée was to help Dia's Debutante.
Judging by her nieces' attitudes last night, could they really become close?
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"Come in."
Olive entered the Duke's office.
His eyes widened slightly at the sight of the Duke without his blindfold.
Although he had grown accustomed to seeing him like this in the south, he had assumed the Duke would return to wearing the blindfold as usual in the Duke's Castle.
Since coming from the south, the Duke hadn't been as sensitive to sounds either and had changed in various ways.
What could be the reason?
"The Duke, did you sleep well?"
"Is my engagement so intriguing that you'd rush here first thing in the morning?"
"Yes."
The Duke lightly touched the blindfold string on the desk.
"Marin is someone absolutely necessary to me."
"I see. Falling in love with the absolutely necessary Miss Marin and suddenly getting engaged..."
"You've picked up nonsense since I last saw you."
The Duke coldly cut him off.
"I didn't know you'd resolve the first young lady's Chaperone issue so perfectly."
Olive continued with his usual smiling grin.
The Duke sank deep into his chair, neither affirming nor denying.
That alone was answer enough.
"I heard Marin used to be a tutor."
"Is that so? Miss Marin—no, Lady Marin seems to have many talents."
"Indeed. Quite a talented woman."
The Duke's lips softened slightly as he praised Marin.
A glint passed through Olive's hazel eyes.
He recalled the image of the Duke and Marin affectionately close at last night's party.
The Duke pathologically hated being touched by anyone. He even detested being touched for medical treatment when injured, to the point where treatment was difficult. Yet Marin's hand had been consistently touching the Duke's arm.
He didn't know what transaction had passed between the two. But he had a feeling that maybe not everything was just a transaction.
"How is the investigation going?"
"We received reports of seeing Zelmia Rose in the capital, but they say she disappeared again without a trace."
"The capital... So the possibility that the mastermind is the Emperor has increased."
The Duke's low voice was terribly cold.
"I'll investigate further."
"I suppose I need to prepare a gift for the Emperor."
The Duke's lips curled fiercely upward.
Just as Olive swallowed hard with a fearful look.
"Come in."
The Duke turned his head toward the door.
Sebas Butler entered and bowed respectfully.
"The Duke. I hope you slept well."
"And that fellow?"
"He wasn't even worth torturing. He was so cowardly that he spilled everything without us lifting a finger."
A look of contempt flashed in Sebas Butler's eyes as he reported.
"And the result?"
"Everything was true. As evidence, I visited the Viscount's house and retrieved the original."
Sebas Butler handed the documents to Olive. Olive silently took them and turned to the first page.
"An investment contract, I see."
Olive's eyes widened as he checked the names of the contracting parties.
"It says Schwentz Barony here."
"Yes. The original investment contract. It was kept in Geobium Norman Viscount's bedroom secret safe. As you can see, when Schwentz Barony died in a carriage accident, the previous Norman Viscount fabricated a fake investment contract and embezzled all of Schwentz Barony's assets."
Sebas Butler's white mustache trembled with anger.
The butler, glancing at the Duke's expressionless face, swallowed dryly and continued.
"Geobium Norman used this contract to blackmail his father, the previous Norman Viscount, into inheriting the title. The previous Viscount was driven to the countryside with his weakness held by his son."
"So the father is a fraud, and the son is a scoundrel."
The Duke commented cynically.
"Was the carriage accident really an accident?"
"Yes. That seems to have been a genuine accident. The previous Norman Viscount apparently concocted this scheme as soon as he heard of Schwentz Barony's death."
"Bring the previous Viscount here immediately."
"Yes."
"Have you met with the doctor?"
"Yes. The Barony's Attending physician initially stubbornly refused to talk, but when we said the Norman Viscount's title would soon be revoked, he confessed everything. He confirmed that he personally treated him that day. He added that Geobium Norman is incapable of producing offspring."
"Ha, truly an amazing woman."
The Duke's fierce atmosphere softened slightly.
"I'm proud of Lady Marin."
The butler responded with a satisfied face.
Olive looked at the butler with a bewildered expression, unable to follow their conversation.
He couldn't understand the connection between Norman Viscount being incapable of producing offspring and Marin being amazing.
Sebas Butler winked at Olive as if to say he'd explain later.
Since it seemed he'd find out in time, Olive set aside his curiosity.
"Butler. Cut him off."
"Yes!"
Sebas Butler answered vigorously, as if he'd been waiting for that command.
"As for Marin... I'll tell her after we've captured the previous Viscount."
"Yes."
The butler replied with a dark face, as if in agreement.
Olive quietly observed the Duke's face. The Duke getting angry over Marin's affairs and showing consideration for her felt unfamiliar.
So it really isn't just a simple transaction?
