99 - I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke
“What are you thinking about?”
“Yes? What am I thinking about? I’m not thinking about anything. I really wasn’t thinking about anything.”
Marin jumped back from the door.
“Hmm… You definitely seem to be having some strange fantasies.”
“Could you please not read my mind so carelessly?”
Marin covered her head with both hands and moved further away.
It’s a big problem that The Duke keeps trying to read my thoughts.
How did he know when such a big door is blocking the way? What a capable person!
“I’m not falling for it, so rest.”
“That’s why I’m telling you not to read my mind- Hup.”
Marin quickly covered her treacherous lips.
What on earth are you doing, lips!
“Were you imagining me falling for it?”
His low voice was full of laughter.
“No.”
“Were you?”
“Gerald, I’m tired, so I’ll be going now. Chirp chirp."Trot trot?"”
“……”
Marin blocked her lips with her hand and held on.
When she didn’t answer, the door finally became quiet.
Marin threw herself onto the bed and kicked the blanket wildly.
Why is my body so unhelpful!
“I thought you were resting, but are you exercising?""
"......"
What a person with such good hearing.
Marin creaked and carefully put her legs into the blanket as carefully as possible.
Let’s just be as quiet as a mouse.
Knock knock.
Then, there was a knock on the real door, not the middle door.
“Come in.”
Elmis came in.
“Shall I prepare your bathwater?”
“Yes, please. Where’s Yuria?”
“She has moved to the maid’s quarters. She insisted that she was all better, so I sternly told her off.”
Marin looked at Elmis.
If you spoke sternly with those cold eyes, our kid must have been scared to death.
Still, it would be a big problem if she worked with her injured body and the wound burst open.
“Yes, well done. Thank you.”
“Yes.”
Elmis bowed at a right angle and went outside.
“Haa, I’m tired.”
“I told you to rest.”
“……”
How long is The Duke going to keep talking like that?
Marin quietly ignored him.
\ \ *
The capital was warmer than the west, even in winter.
Marin headed to the back garden to have afternoon tea with Dia.
As she got closer to the garden, she smelled a fragrant scent of flowers. The breeze was gentle, and the sky was blue and clear.
Ah, good. If it weren’t for this person!
Marin turned around abruptly.
“Please stop following me.”
“Five steps.”
The Duke opened his mouth with a nonchalant face.
“Yes, I understand. But this is The Duke’s mansion. Even if an assassin comes, there are knights everywhere.”
“It’s safest when I’m by your side.”
Marin looked up at The Duke with a dumbfounded face.
It’s not like he’s following her around to prevent her from getting lost. The Duke was trying to follow her wherever she went.
"Your Excellency, the Duke."”
Olive, another person who had been following The Duke, called out to The Duke.
“What?”
“I have something important to tell you.”
“Do it here.”
“There are too many ears here.”
Olive said sharply with her usual gentle smile.
“Stop bothering Olive and go quickly.”
“I’ll only escort you to the garden.”
“Okay.”
Since The Duke had taken a step back, she had to take a step back as well.
Dia, who had been watching the situation from the side, suppressed her laughter and followed.
The back garden, full of winter flowers, was well-maintained and beautiful.
“There are so many flowers even in winter.”
On the tea table, there was a luxurious light blue teacup set and a three-tiered tray plating dish full of colorful desserts.
“That’s too much.”
Dia widened her eyes slightly.
“Marin is too skinny.”
Marin shook her head with an expression that said she knew The Duke would say that.
“Now go.”
“Eat it all.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll try.”
The Duke’s brow furrowed unhappily at Marin’s perfunctory answer, but he turned around without saying anything more.
Marin and Dia sat down and watched The Duke walk away with Olive.
Elmis, who had been following them like air, poured tea for the two of them and stepped back.
As soon as The Duke disappeared, Dia burst into clear laughter that she had been holding back.
Marin tilted her head, not knowing what was so funny.
“Why?"Your Excellency seems to really love you, Teacher."”
“What?! Ah, th, that’s right……”
Marin was startled and awkwardly trailed off.
Her heart thumped and fell to the floor. Her fingers also lost strength.
Why did I forget?
All the actions The Duke takes to care for her are acting to make it look like they are in love to others.
But she was blushing alone, and her heart was pounding. How foolish.
A hollow wind blew through her heart as if a hole had been pierced through it. It felt like she had been robbed of something precious right in front of her eyes.
Why, why do I feel like this? I shouldn’t be feeling like this.
"Teacher, are you okay?"”
Dia carefully watched Marin’s expression as it darkened.
Marin quickly smiled and nodded.
“Yes, sorry. I was just lost in thought for a moment."When I see Your Excellency and Teacher, I think of my parents." It’s similar to how my mother treated my father.”
“I see.”
Marin picked up the teacup to hide her bitter smile.
“I wanted to meet someone like that too.”
Dia continued with a bitter face.
“You will. No, you definitely can.”
Marin put down the teacup and said hastily. She knew who Dia would fall in love with.
“I gave up.”
“What? Why?”
Marin stared at Dia with a bewildered look.
This shouldn’t be happening. Is the novel changing again?
Dia, who met her eyes, opened her mouth with a calm face.
“There are no female knights in the Empire yet, but Garnet wants to become a knight and is working hard now.”
“That’s right.”
“I wanted to become the head of the family after my parents passed away. I wanted to protect my siblings with my own hands. Not to take the position of head of the family that Peridot should rightfully have, but only until Peridot comes of age, only until then.”
“Ah……”
There were no female knights or female heads of households in the Empire. She could understand better than anyone why Dia, who had suddenly lost her parents, had even thought of that.
Because she was the same.
Her father and brother left at the same time, and the family was ruined, but the noble title still existed. However, since there were no distant relatives, there was no one to pass on the Schwentz title to.
Unless her mother adopted an heir, or she married and passed it on to her son.
“But it’s not possible.”
Dia added weakly.
Marin quietly took her hand and patted it gently.
Dia smiled faintly as if to say it was okay and continued.
“So, rather than meeting someone I love, I want to meet a man who can change that.”
“Dia……”
Marin stared at Dia with wide eyes, unable to believe it.
Currently, the only person who could change that law was the Emperor. And the Emperor had many consorts.
Dia smiled as if to tell her not to worry.
“I don’t want an old man either. I want to marry the Crown Prince.”
Dia’s deep green eyes sparkled.
Huh? Was Dia such an ambitious character?
Marin couldn’t say anything with a dazed expression.
“If I can’t do it, I want to create a world where it can be done in the next generation.”
Marin was so surprised that she opened and closed her mouth, but then just closed it.
In fact, the person Dia falls in love with is none other than the Crown Prince.
In the novel, Dia even gets engaged to the Crown Prince.
But there was such a story behind it?
She just thought they had fallen in love by chance, but she never knew there were such circumstances.
“Was I too honest?”
Dia carefully watched her.
Dia, who was about to make her Debutante, looked like a young girl to her, but she was already an adult with big plans.
Marin shook her head slightly.
“No. Thank you for telling me honestly."I thought you would understand, Teacher Marin."”
“Thank you for thinking that way.”
“I’m grateful too.”
As the two were looking at each other and smiling, Elmis, who had been standing still like a wall, suddenly approached the two of them.
When Marin raised her head and looked at her, Elmis pointed to the bushes with her eyes.
Marin took out the dagger that the butler had given her, which she had been hiding inside her dress, and placed it on the table. She had been carrying it around since the last incident.
“……”
Dia also sensed the unusual atmosphere and bit her pink lips tightly. She knew from Marin that Elmis was a maid who worked as a bodyguard.
"The tea has gotten cold, miss."”
Elmis poured tea.
“Thank you.”
That must mean to act normal.
Marin deliberately spoke brightly to Dia.
“Dia, when shall we go to that dessert shop we talked about last time?”
The quick-witted Dia also hid her trembling hands in her dress and tried to speak naturally.
“Anytime is fine. Especially the strawberry cake is delicious. Do you like strawberry cake too, Teacher Marin?”
“Is there anyone in the world who doesn’t like strawberry cake? Hohoho.”
The laughter came out awkwardly, but she decided to let it go since it was the situation.
She glanced at Elmis, who was silently approaching the bushes, and picked up a pink macaron with her hand. She was holding the dagger tightly in her other hand.
When Elmis reached the bushes and swung her Sword horizontally, a man with half of his face covered jumped out.
“W, wait a minute. I, I’m the Crown Prince!”
Why is the Crown Prince suddenly here?
