88 - I Got Engaged to the Blind Duke
Eyed Duke and Fiancee 88
“I can’t become the head of the family because of the Imperial Law, but you’re different. There aren’t any female knights in the Empire yet, but there’s no Imperial Law saying there can’t be.”
Garnet’s eyes widened like lanterns.
“I secretly followed you when you went somewhere every dawn. It was nice to see you working so hard.”
“Sister……”
Garnet blushed with embarrassment. Her face flushed, thinking that Dia had seen her clumsy self.
“I’ll support you.”
“Thank you, Sister. And actually, what I really want to say is… I want to be recognized by that person—no, The Duke. I know I shouldn’t say this, but The Duke is the best at protecting people in the Empire. If I learn under him, I’ll be able to protect people well too. It’s not that I’m forgiving him, and I know I shouldn’t betray you like this first, but……”
Garnet spat out the words quickly and incoherently with a dark expression.
She herself was confused by the situation where she had to betray her family to protect them.
Seeing that, Dia patted Garnet’s hand with a gentle look, as if telling her to calm down.
“Garnet, it’s okay.”
“Why, why is it okay?”
Garnet’s eyes were full of guilt.
“I’ve already forgiven The Duke. There’s a reason why I’m keeping my distance from The Duke, though.”
“What? How can you do that!”
Garnet stood up with a betrayed look.
Dia smiled silently.
Garnet quickly realized what she had said and covered her face before slumping down.
“Why am I such an idiot? Sister, I’m sorry.”
“The Duke didn’t explain everything, but it seems like he did it to protect us.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means our danger isn’t over yet. We’re family, so The Duke’s enemies are our enemies too. It seems like His Grace deliberately drew attention with a grand party to protect us and hide us from the enemies.”
Garnet’s pupils widened in surprise.
She had never even dreamed that there was such a hidden story. Why didn’t he even make excuses while receiving our resentment?
“But why didn’t he say anything to us?”
“Hmm. This is just my thought, but wasn’t it to make us genuinely hate His Grace?”
“To deceive the enemies?”
“Yes.”
“Ah……”
Garnet nodded unconsciously, trying to accept the truth.
Then, can I learn under him without guilt?
Hope filled the place of guilt that was gradually fading in her heart.
Garnet asked Dia, her eyes sparkling, as if asking for permission.
“Then, should I go to The Duke and ask him to accept me into the Knights Order?”
A troubled smile appeared on Dia’s lips.
“But I don’t know if The Duke will allow it.”
“I’ll try my best. I’ll grab his pants and beg!”
Garnet declared with a passionate look in her eyes.
\ \ \
Olive, who was left alone with The Duke after a long time, took over Marin’s work. She couldn’t read the reports as pleasantly as Marin, but she did her best.
“Your Grace, you seem to be in a good mood.”
The Duke always maintained a poker face, but today, the corners of his lips were subtly raised.
“How is Marin?”
“She says she has a bad hangover.”
“Send her some medicine that’s good for hangovers.”
“Yes. There’s a famous medicine that quickly cures hangovers.”
It felt like something similar had happened before.
Olive tilted her head, and the corners of The Duke’s lips rose a little more.
“Tell her to come to my office as soon as she recovers.”
“Yes. I will. Then, I’ll be on my way.”
Olive turned around without finding the reason why The Duke was amused, but The Duke called her again.
“Olive. Tell the person outside to come in.”
“Yes.”
When she went outside the office, Garnet was standing there with an anxious look.
“Miss Garnet.”
“I’ve come to see The Duke.”
“Yes, he said you can come in.”
Garnet nodded slightly and entered the office.
She saw the huge Duke sitting behind the desk.
Why does he look so big even though he’s just sitting quietly?
“Um……”
“What is it?”
The Duke, who had been closing his eyes, raised his head slightly. Garnet caught a glimpse of her beloved mother’s face in The Duke’s face.
Garnet squeezed her eyes shut.
“I want to become a knight.”
He’ll probably laugh. But I’m still going to come every day and pester him.
“……Why?”
The people in Duke's Castle were amazing. Instead of saying no, they asked for the reason first.
Garnet opened her eyes slightly and poured out her heart.
“Because I want to protect my family.”
“You don’t necessarily have to become a knight to protect your family.”
“That’s right. But as I learned swordsmanship, I gradually wanted to do well. I wanted to be recognized for it. I want to become a knight who can protect my family and, furthermore, protect other things.”
She couldn’t read either affirmation or denial on The Duke’s expressionless face.
Garnet held out the scissors she had been hiding behind her.
“I’m not just saying it. I’ll show you my determination.”
Garnet grabbed her luscious blonde hair, which was her pride.
It was going to be cumbersome anyway if she started training in earnest.
Just as she was about to cut it, The Duke’s lips parted.
“Put down what you’re holding.”
“Huh? Can you see that I brought scissors?”
“Can’t you see I’m closing my eyes?”
“That’s right. How do you know?”
Garnet looked back and forth between the scissors and The Duke with a bewildered look.
“I just know.”
“Then, are you accepting me into the Knights Order?”
“Learn the basic swordsmanship of the Knights Order from the butler. And I’ll also assign Apprentice Knight Uvis to you. He’ll have a solid foundation.”
“Yes!”
“It’ll be hard. Living as a knight, especially a female knight, in the Empire. Your enemies aren’t just Monsters. It means you’ll have to fight against countless prejudices.”
“Yes. I’m prepared!”
There were no female knights in the Empire.
It was very rare for a woman to learn how to use a Sword, and even if there were, it was only for self-defense, like her late mother or Marin.
A proper knight.
Whatever the reason, she had a dream. No matter how difficult that dream was, she had no intention of letting it go.
“I’ll allow you to join the Knights Order later if the butler allows it.”
“Yes! Thank you!”
Garnet bowed briskly and turned around, then turned back again.
“Dia said she forgave you.”
“……”
She couldn’t read any emotion on The Duke’s expressionless face.
“Since Sister forgave you, I’ll follow you.”
“……Okay.”
The Duke’s heavy lips finally opened.
“You shouldn’t hide your emotions too much. They’ll run away.”
“Who?”
“Who else? You have someone you like, don’t you? Marin, the senior.”
“Do you call Marin a senior?”
The Duke, who had been expressionless all along, softened his expression as soon as her name came up.
Garnet stared at him in amazement.
“Yes.”
“You told her to call you senior because you learned the Sword first?”
“Yes.”
His lips stretched out a little more as if he was holding back a laugh.
He really can’t hide what he likes. Garnet laughed inwardly.
“Then, I’ll be going.”
“……Do your best.”
Garnet made a dazed expression at the unexpected encouragement before smiling brightly.
“Yes!”
\ \ \
After eating the medicine that Olive had given her through Yuria, her stomach and head felt better as if it were a lie.
I shouldn’t have taken the medicine. If I had kept hurting, I wouldn’t have had to come here like this.
Marin stood in front of The Duke’s office with the feeling of eating mustard while crying.
She didn’t read a fairy tale last night, so The Duke probably couldn’t sleep. She felt guilty for not letting him sleep for two days.
“Come in.”
Flint. Her small shoulders trembled.
Why? Why! Why is there laughter in The Duke’s voice? Can’t you just pretend you don’t know!
Marin slapped both cheeks without hurting them.
Let’s get a grip, even if it’s just me. Pretend I don’t know. Pretend I don’t know.
