Chapter 12

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Engaged to the Blind Duke
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I heard she was a ruined noble lady, but she has a sick mother? Is that why she even lied about being a commoner to find work?

Olive fell deep into thought.

Money—he could advance her that anytime. But he couldn’t make decisions about her.

Strictly speaking, her superior was His Grace the Duke, not him. Of course, she and the regular servants didn’t know that.

A few special positions directly hired by the Duke were all under his direct management. So anything about her had to be reported to him first.

“I think I need to discuss this with His Grace the Duke first.”

“With His Grace the Duke?”

Her light green eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes. His Grace decides all matters regarding Miss Marin’s treatment.”

“Yes…….”

She gave a small, dejected reply.

“Then let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Marin followed Olive toward what felt like the demon king’s lair.

Since it was night, candles were lit one by one along the dark corridor walls. It was brighter than daytime, but the flickering shadows made it feel even more desolate and frightening.

Olive soon stopped quietly in front of the Duke’s office. Come to think of it, he had never once knocked.

No matter how sensitive the Duke was to sound, could he really hear from beyond the door?

“What is it?”

……He could.

“Miss Marin says she has something to tell you.”

“Come in.”

“Miss Marin.”

Olive lit a candle from the candelabrum and held it out to her.

Marin stared at him with wide eyes.

“Aren’t you coming in too?”

“He only called for you, Miss Marin.”

“His ‘Come in’ meant just me?”

Olive smiled in place of an answer and handed her the candlestick as if cheering her on.

Marin steadied her trembling hand, then opened the office door and stepped inside. And she apologized first.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“I’m really sorry for visiting so late at night.”

“So what is it?”

The Duke urged her to get to the point.

“I’d like an advance on my pay.”

“…….”

There was no response from the Duke.

“I’d like to receive some money in advance…….”

Marin explained more simply, her expression awkward.

“Why?”

“The landlord says he’ll kick us out tomorrow if we don’t pay the rent.”

Marin squeezed her eyes shut and confessed honestly. Being evicted terrified her more than admitting poverty.

“If I advance you the money, what will Temporary do for me?”

“Pardon?”

***

Marin’s eyes flew open at the unexpected question.

“Tell me why I should advance you money.”

Marin racked her brain for a reason.

What should I say?

Tears welled up impatiently in her light green eyes.

What do I do? I can’t think of anything. If we get evicted, where will I put Mother?

Her gaze wandered until it landed on the wine glass on the desk.

Suddenly, she remembered what Olive had said.

The Duke doesn’t sleep well.

“I’ll help you sleep.”

“……What?”

The Duke’s husky voice cracked in surprise.

“I’m good at reading reports, but I also read books well. When I read to her, my mother sleeps soundly. I’ll do the same for you, Your Grace.”

Marin spoke whatever came to mind, all jumbled. Somehow, her tears had dried up.

“How did you know I don’t sleep well?”

Should I say I heard it from Olive? Is that okay?

As she hesitated, he spoke for her.

“From Olive?”

“Yes. But Olive didn’t mean it in a bad way…….”

“Fine.”

“Pardon?”

“Go to sleep.”

His languid voice brushed past her ear.

Marin’s face flushed bright red in an instant. It was the right words, but the curt way he said it felt oddly suggestive.

“How long does it take from the castle to your home?”

“About an hour.”

“You’ll have to move.”

“Pardon?”

His unexpected proposal made her voice pitch up slightly. Startled by her own raised tone, Marin quickly covered her lips with her hand.

“Olive.”

The Duke called lowly.

Olive, waiting outside the door, slipped inside as if on cue.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Move Temporary’s residence to the annex tomorrow morning.”

“Yes.”

Marin tentatively raised her hand and interjected cautiously.

“Um, if you two are discussing, may I excuse myself for a moment? I live with my mother.”

“Move her too.”

“Yes, understood.”

It felt strangely familiar—this sense of being sidelined in a matter about herself.

Ah, it was like that time with my wrist.

“Shall we go, Miss Marin?”

“Yes. Thank you, Your Grace.”

Marin bowed politely to the Duke and left the office.

As she walked the corridor with Olive, he spoke first.

“Shall we head to the office?”

“Yes.”

They returned to the office where she had worked just hours before.

Marin sat blankly on the sofa when Olive took a gold coin from the safe and held it out to her.

“Here you are. But if you’re moving, don’t you no longer need the advance?”

***

“I need it to pay the final rent.”

It had been a long time since she’d seen such a large sum.

Marin took the gold coin with trembling hands. With this, she could buy all her mother’s favorite foods and medicines.

Marin clutched the gold coin preciously, then held it back out to Olive.

“Um, could you change this into silver, by any chance?”

“Of course.”

Olive handed her a pouch containing 100 silvers.

Marin hugged the money pouch to her chest, her lips moving hesitantly before she finally spoke.

“Thank you. And…….”

“Yes?”

Olive asked with his usual gentle smile.

“Do I really have to come live here?”

“Didn’t you make a deal with His Grace?”

“To be precise, I offered to help him sleep.”

“Yes, that’s right. And His Grace retires very late. How will you get back every night?”

The road home was definitely dark and dangerous. Doing it every night would surely be too much.

“I’ll lend you a carriage tonight.”

“No! I don’t want a carriage. I’ll walk.”

Marin refused instantly, her face draining of color. Her fingertips trembled. Her vision blurred hazily.

She hadn’t ridden in a carriage since the accident. They couldn’t afford it after their fall from grace, but even thinking about it now made cold sweat break out.

Olive observed her reaction closely, but lost in her panic, she didn’t notice.

Marin clenched her fists tight, trying to pull herself together.

“Then it’s too dangerous to send you alone at night, so I’ll go with you.”

“Pardon? No, I couldn’t trouble you like that.”

Snapping out of it at his words, she waved her hands in refusal.

As Olive stood, he asked naturally.

“You can ride a horse, of course?”

“Yes, ni— I mean, yes.”

Her light green eyes quivered. The answer came first, thought second.

Do commoners these days all know how to ride horses, naturally?

“I’ll assume you can.”

Olive declared firmly, his eyes curving into crescents.

Marin had no choice but to nod.

Things proceeded quickly after that.

After going to the stables with Olive and borrowing two horses, they rode home—and it was fast.

Upon arriving in front of her home, she dismounted with Olive’s help.

“Is this…… the place?”

Surprise colored Olive’s voice.

“Yes.”

Marin looked at the shabby hut with anew eyes. Still, it had been their shelter, her and her mother’s, for several years.

“Then I’ll take my leave. I’ll send a carriage tomorrow morning.”

“A carria——”

As Marin paled and tried to refuse, Olive smoothly cut her off.

“Didn’t you say your mother is there, Miss Marin? Wouldn’t a carriage be more comfortable for her? You can leave the horse you rode today and ride it back.”

Oh no. In her fear of carriages, she hadn’t thought about how to transport her mother.