91 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
Marin swallowed hard, looking at the black carriage. Her hands were sweaty with anxiety. She was about to wipe them when she saw the sleeping pills, so she quickly clenched them again.
The Duke, dressed in simple attire, stepped out of the black carriage.
His readiness for the long journey ahead was admirable. Why did women have to wear such cumbersome dresses?
"Is everything ready?"
"Yes!"
Marin took a deep breath and deliberately answered more vigorously.
"It seems you've prepared thoroughly."
The corners of the Duke's lips slightly lifted at her loud reply.
"Yes! I can do it! Let's go, let's go!"
Marin repeated the same words as if hypnotizing herself and took a step toward the Four-wheeled carriage.
"Not that way."
"Pardon?"
Tak. Tak. Tak.
Marin turned her head at the sudden, cheerful sound of hooves and widened her eyes.
For a moment, she was blinded.
No, it was so dazzling that she was almost blinded.
It was a Four-wheeled carriage like the Duke's black carriage. But what the horses were pulling was a diamond the size of a carriage.
Reflecting the light and sparkling, it was a real diamond, no matter how you looked at it. It was also well-crafted, so the facets that received the light sparkled.
The horse stopped in front of her, pulling the diamond.
"Gasp. No way."
"Wow! Pretty."
"Sister, the carriage is sparkling."
Those were the words of Garnet, Rubiana, and Peridot in turn.
Marin and Dia, who saw the large diamond up close, froze.
Soon, the diamond door opened (let's ignore why a diamond has a door), and Surenne and Jeromian stepped out.
"Lady Marin! How is it?"
Surenne, who jumped out, looked at the carriage with a pleased expression.
"Surenne, what is this?"
"You don't know what this is?"
"It looks like a diamond to me..."
Surenne patted Marin's back without hurting her and laughed coolly.
"You know what it is. It's made by cutting an actual diamond."
Surenne boasted with a proud face.
Was that what was covered with white cloth at the back door of the smithy?
Marin looked at the Diamond Carriage with confused eyes and then turned her gaze to Jeromian.
He would give her the answer.
Jeromian stood there with a bothered expression, but quickly changed his expression when he met Marin's eyes.
"Sir Jeromian, what is this?"
"It's a Diamond Carriage. From the outside, you can only see the brilliant colors, but the inside of the carriage is completed through a very seriously difficult, hard, and highly advanced work that allows you to see the outside without windows."
As he continued to speak, the unmistakable exhaustion on his face was revealed.
"The Duke's task was so troublesome that I was immersed in that research. 'So that the inside can be seen from the outside, but the outside cannot be seen from the inside.' A few days ago, he even told me to make a Refrigeration device that can maintain freshness."
Jeromian's lament from the past suddenly came to mind.
"That sounds like him. No, that's not it, why make a carriage out of diamonds! Does he have that much money?"
Marin nodded as she listened, but at the end, she screamed.
"That guy ordered it."
Jeromian nodded in agreement and gestured with his chin toward the Duke, who was standing there nonchalantly.
"That's right. The Duke told me to make it. For Lady Marin."
"What?"
"It's an engagement gift."
"Whaat?"
"Money wasting. Love wasting."
"Whaaaat?"
Marin opened her mouth as if her jaw would fall off and looked at the Duke.
The Duke was nonchalant, as if he had nothing to do with this commotion.
"Get in."
"That thing? Who?"
"Of course, you."
"No. I'm someone who hates being noticed. I can't ride that."
Just imagining it made her face hot. If she rode that Diamond Carriage into the capital, she would be the center of everyone's attention.
Above all, the probability of encountering gangs of robbers on the way to the capital was even higher.
Would she be able to arrive in the capital alive?
"Just get in for now."
The Duke was persistent.
"No way."
"Why?"
The Duke stood there with a face that he didn't understand.
"I'm embarrassed!"
"Really? If you don't like it, I'll destroy it."
The Duke held out his hand to the knight, and the knight drew the Sword he was wearing on his waist and gave it to him.
"Waiiiiit a minute!"
Marin turned pale and stood in front of the carriage with her arms outstretched.
He's going to destroy this expensive diamond? He made it without permission, but why is he asking for my opinion when he's going to destroy it!!
"I, I'll get in!"
The Duke handed the Sword back to the knight.
The corners of his lips slightly lifted. She saw it clearly.
Dia, who had been quietly watching the situation from the side, came closer and whispered.
"Marin, I think I'll have to ride another carriage."
"Dia..."
Traitor. You said you'd ride with me.
"I just don't have the courage."
Dia lowered her head with a sorry face.
Yeah. I know how you feel.
"La, Lady Marin..."
Following her, Yuria, who had turned white, called her tearfully. She even stuttered for the first time in a long time, she was so surprised.
It was expected that the commoner Yuria, who had never owned jewelry, would be overwhelmed by the thought of riding a Diamond Carriage.
"Okay, you go with Dia."
"Thank you."
"I'll ride with you."
The Duke, who had been listening to the conversation, returned to his expressionless face and interrupted.
"Why?"
"Wouldn't you be bored alone?"
"I'm so good at playing alone."
"Get in."
The Duke entered the Diamond Carriage first and then held out his hand to her.
Marin reluctantly stepped on the diamond. The tips of her toes were so honored that she was going crazy.
Surenne smiled slyly and approached.
"Lady Marin, do you remember? When I measured your size?"
"Yeah."
"I made it according to your body shape, so the inside of the carriage will be comfortable."
Ah, you have a plan.
Marin forced a smile on her face.
"Thank you."
"Have a good trip."
"Have a good trip."
Sebas Butler and Page Head Maid approached and greeted her.
"I've written down the necessary information for using the carriage, so take a look."
Jeromian handed over a scroll of paper with a handsome smile.
Why is it so long?
"Thank you. But aren't you leaving with us, Sir Jeromian?"
"I have to finish the work that the Duke ordered. I'll finish it and follow you."
Jeromian answered while looking at the Duke, who was closing his eyes, with dissatisfaction.
"Ugh, he had to order me to do something fun."
He grumbled with a face that was half annoyed and half interested.
"I see. Then I'll see you in the capital."
"May you have a pleasant journey."
Jeromian pushed up his glasses and closed the carriage door.
As soon as the horse started to move, Marin clenched her fists tightly.
As the shock of getting on the Diamond Carriage subsided, the thought that this was inside a carriage came like a wave.
"Marin."
Marin, who was unknowingly closing her eyes tightly, raised her head at the Duke's call.
"Yes."
"Open your eyes."
"How did you know I was closing my eyes?"
"Because if you had opened your eyes, you wouldn't have been silent. Open your eyes and look at the ceiling."
Marin took a deep breath and squinted. And she saw the blue sky.
"Oh my gosh."
The ceiling of the carriage was showing the blue sky and white clouds as they were.
Surprised, she looked around and saw everything around the carriage, next to the carriage, and under the carriage. She could even see the small stones that had bounced off the carriage wheels.
"How did this happen?"
"Zero said it earlier. He said he worked hard to make it."
Suddenly, she felt sorry for Jeromian.
I should have praised him more when he said that earlier.
She didn't know how the Diamond Carriage was made, but it felt like she was sliding along like she was riding a sled, not riding in a carriage.
The Duke, who was sitting across from her, suddenly reached out his hand.
"Why?"
"If it's hard, lend me your hand."
"What am I going to do with Sir Gerald's hand?"
"You used it before."
"That was because I didn't have a handkerchief."
Marin blushed as she remembered the memory of crying on his palm.
"I don't have it now either."
"I don't need it now."
The Duke put his hand back in with a blunt face.
He seemed a little sulky.
Marin chuckled and looked at the Duke.
"Thank you. For preparing the carriage."
"...You're welcome."
His lips softened gently.
