75 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
Engaged to the Blind Duke Episode 75
Peridot crouched in front of the flowers, tilting his head with an expression that seemed to ask, 'Is this flower pretty?'
Marin plucked a flower stem, bent it into a circle, and tied it.
"Ta-da! If you do it like this, it becomes a flower ring."
When she slipped the ring onto Peridot's little finger, the child's eyes finally sparkled.
'Wow! It's pretty.'
Pleased by Peridot's happy reaction, Marin broke off more stems, wrapped them around the child's small wrist, and even made a flower bracelet.
Then Peridot suddenly sprang up from his spot and pattered over to Garnet, who was standing far away, showing off the flower bracelet and flower ring as if to boast.
"Well, it's pretty."
Though Garnet didn't like the person who made them, her effort not to destroy the child's innocence was admirable.
Just then, Peridot took off the flower ring and slipped it onto Garnet's finger.
"Peridot……."
Garnet, who had been slighted by Peridot many times, looked at him with a touched expression.
Peridot grinned, then grabbed her hand and pulled her over, standing her in front of Marin.
"Huh?"
'You should say thank you. The teacher made it for you.'
"He says you should thank me because I made it.Garnet, her moment of emotion shattered, stared blankly at Marin and whispered softly.
"Thank you."
Her face looked like she wanted to take off the flower ring immediately, but it seemed she was restraining herself for Peridot's innocence.
A wary, kind cat.
"You're welcome."
Marin answered with a bright smile.
"Peridot, shall we make more and give them as gifts to all the ladies?"
'Yes!'
"Then, pick only the flowers with long stems from those flowers. Can you do that?"
'Yes!'
Peridot answered vigorously and began observing the flowers on the ground.
He carefully avoided the flowers with short stems and gently plucked the others one by one.
Marin, who was crouching on the ground inspecting the flowers, looked up at Garnet.
"Would you like to make some too, young lady?"
"Why should I?"
As expected, a sharp retort flew back immediately.
"If you don't want to, you don't have to."
Marin found Garnet cute and chuckled softly.
Seeing that Marin wasn't offended but instead laughed, the corners of Garnet's eyes shot up.
"Yes, I dislike it. Both these worthless flowers and the fiancée."
"My, how can you call them worthless? Mandelesong is such a helpful flower. The flowers will be hurt. But I'm not hurt, so don't worry."
"Who's worrying! Hmph!!"
Garnet, with her arms crossed, let out a huge snort.
She might shoot snot out like that.
Since Marin was satisfied with just exchanging a few words with Garnet from the start, she lowered her head and looked at the Mandelesong.
Well, since they'd come all the way here to play, she should pick enough to make some Mandresson Grass.
As Marin quickly and efficiently broke off the flowers, Garnet frowned.
"Why are you breaking off so many flowers you won't even use? How pitiful."
As expected, she's kind.
"I'm going to use them as medicine."
Garnet, torn between her desire not to converse with the fiancée and her curiosity, ultimately lost to curiosity.
"Medicine?"
"Yes. You make a paste with this and apply it to your forehead; it feels cool. It's a folk remedy commoners use."
"How does a noble know such a thing?"
"Ah, haven't you heard the story about my father passing away and our house falling into ruin?"
Of course she hadn't.
Garnet's shaken green pupils trembled noticeably.
"The Duke's housemaids are tight-lipped, I see. After our house fell, we lived no differently from commoners, so I learned it."
She had heard about the effects of Mandresson Grass from Yuria, but it was too long a story to explain everything in detail.
"Ah……. Um, well."
Garnet hesitated with an embarrassed face.
"It's okay. I'm doing fine now thanks to Lord Gerald taking care of me."
When the Duke's name came up, Garnet's expression hardened stiffly.
Seeing that, Marin sighed inwardly. It felt on a completely different level from her dislike for Marin herself.
Perhaps wanting to escape the awkward atmosphere, Garnet looked for Peridot.
"Peridot. What are you doing over there?"
Peridot had gone quite far away and was standing blankly, looking up at the sky.
As Garnet approached, Peridot lowered his head with a dark expression.
Marin also, holding the flowers in her hand, went closer to Peridot.
"Peridot?"
'Teacher, over there…….'
Peridot raised his head and pointed at the sky.
Turning her head in the direction the child's finger pointed, she saw a towering spire.
She saw it every time she came here, but it was a place she never paid much attention to.
"What about there?"
'Is that where the Duke lives?'
"No. That's not it."
It was the first time words about the Duke had come from the child's mouth.
Why suddenly?
Marin looked down at Peridot's round crown, but the child turned his head with a dejected face.
"Do you miss the Duke?"
Marin lowered her knees to match the child's eye level and asked carefully.
Peridot shook his head with empty eyes.
'I want to go to my room.'
"Alright, let's head back now."
She didn't know why Peridot had suddenly become upset, but a deep sadness had settled on the child's face. Peridot tightly grabbed Garnet's hand and walked ahead.
Following behind them, Marin saw Peridot turn back again to look at the spire, and she followed his gaze.
She didn't know what aspect of that place had sparked the child's curiosity, or made him tremble with fear.
\ \ \
Marin returned Peridot to his room and headed to the guest reception room.
Idre greeted her with a welcoming smile.
"Miss Marin."
"To what do I owe the visit, Designer-nim?"
"To what do I owe? I came to work, of course."
"Work?"
"Yes. I brought the dresses you ordered previously."
"You still have those?"
"Of course. I still have to make at least twenty more, my client."
Yuria had set tea and sweets on the table.
"Thank you, Yuria."
"Not at all. I'll excuse myself now."
As Yuria bowed and left, Marin picked up a teacup and asked about his well-being casually.
"Have you been very busy lately?"
Idre picked up his teacup as if to say 'don't even ask,' then put it back down and waved his hand.
"You have no idea how busy. I need to hire more assistants."
"That's wonderful news. Congratulations!"
Marin congratulated him sincerely.
"Puhuhuhu. It's all thanks to you, Miss Marin. Everyone's in an uproar wanting to wear my dresses, the exclusive designer for the future Duchess."
Idre burst into hearty laughter.
"I, I see."
Oh dear, but I'm not the future Duchess.
Marin picked up her teacup again to hide her awkward expression.
"Ah, and the young ladies who will soon have their Debutantes want dresses too, so it's chaos again."
"You'll be rich soon."
"Just thinking about it feels good. By the way, I hear the Air Count's family is hosting a small dessert party for the young ladies preparing for their Debutantes."
Marin quietly set down her teacup and asked.
"Is that so?"
"Yes. It's an annual event, isn't it? I think the eldest young lady of the Air Count's family is hosting it this time. The second young lady is having her Debutante this season."
Marin gave a bitter smile.
If it was held annually, that meant it had been held when she was to have her Debutante too.
But she had never received such an invitation.
The eldest young lady of the Air Count's family... was her name Susan? She recalled the image of her staring at Marin eerily.
"His Lordship's eldest niece is also having her Debutante, right?"
"……Yes."
Of course, Dia hadn't wanted to, but there was no need to create unnecessary gossip.
"Then an invitation should arrive soon. Will you be attending?"
"Do I have to go?"
"Well, all the young ladies from the West will be gathering, so wouldn't it be good for the ladies having their Debutantes this season to become friendly beforehand?"
"I haven't received an invitation yet. I'll think about it if I get one."
"By the way, have you secured a Debutante dress?"
Marin subtly shook her head.
"The young lady is still in Mourning clothes."
"Then please be sure to contact me later. I'll prioritize your order above all other work."
Idre said as if making a promise.
"Yes, thank you."
\ \ \
Thump thump thump.
Awakened from sleep by the sudden noise, Marin sat up in bed.
Unconsciously checking outside the window, it was still dark night.
Thump thump thump.
The door sounded again.
Marin got out of bed and cracked the door open.
Dia stood there, deathly pale, wearing thin sleepwear.
Startled by the appearance of this unexpected person, Marin opened the door wide.
"Young lady, what brings you here in the middle of the night?"
"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't show up like this unexpectedly……."
Dia's face was especially pale. Her fingers were trembling visibly.
With a worried face, Marin tightly grasped her hands and asked.
"It's alright. What's the matter?"
"Please help me……."
Dia's frail voice was desperate. Her large eyes instantly filled with tears.
Startled, Marin hurriedly asked.
"What's wrong?"
"Pe, Peridot is gone. Peridot has disappeared."
