Chapter 13

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Engaged to the Blind Duke
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"Thank you for your consideration."

Marin bowed her head sincerely to Olive.

"No, no. Get some good rest today."

"Yes, safe travels."

Marin watched until Olive was completely out of sight.

The gentle white horse by her side let out a soft snort.

"You're a good boy. Thank you, too."

Marin tied the white horse securely behind the hut.

"Marin?"

Sensing her presence, Roanna came out to the door.

"Mom, it's chilly out—why did you come outside?"

"Welcome home."

Her eyes brimmed with curiosity, but her mother welcomed her warmly without asking a single question.

Marin gently wrapped her arms around her mother's thin, small shoulders and went inside.

"Everything went well."

Roanna's deep green eyes trembled.

"Really?"

"Yes. Mom, we're moving."

Roanna grabbed Marin's hand tightly, her face filled with anxiety.

"Moving? Leaving this house? Did you not get the money?"

"No. His Grace the Duke provided a servants' annex. We can live there with him making the arrangements."

"Good heavens! Thank the gods. Marin, His Grace truly is the kindest man in the world."

Roanna said, her face overcome with emotion.

"Yes, that's right."

Marin hid her awkward expression and chimed in with her mother's words on purpose.

There had been some kind of deal, but it was true that the duke had taken her circumstances into account.

"We'd better start packing right away."

"Yes, Mom."

* * *

"Come in."

Olive, standing at the door to the study, entered the dark room holding a candle at the duke's command.

"I'm back."

The duke, lounging back in his chair, fired off a question first.

"Do you really think Temporary can put me to sleep?"

Olive answered honestly.

"I don't think so."

"That's what I think, too."

The duke agreed as if it were obvious and continued.

"But do you know why I told her to move her lodgings to the annex?"

Olive furrowed his brow slightly and shared his thoughts.

"The house was in a state where it needed to be vacated immediately today, but aside from that, do you still suspect Miss Marin?"

"Since she'll be living in my castle from now on, it'll come out eventually."

***

The duke murmured lowly to himself and turned his head.

Olive gave a slight bow and carefully slipped out of the study.

* * *

A bird grooming itself on a tree branch was startled by the sound of rough footsteps kicking up dirt on the ground and flew off into the sky with a flutter.

Oxanda, Jorno's wife, who had been hurrying toward the base of the mountain since early morning, stopped in her tracks and shot a cold glare at her husband Jorno, who was trailing slowly behind.

"Hurry up!"

"I'm going, I'm going."

"Ugh, you're so slow."

"We all know that house has no money—how do you plan to collect rent showing up there first thing in the morning?"

Jorno grumbled timidly, glancing at Oxanda's mood.

"Collect money? I'm going to grab that wench by the hair since I couldn't see her yesterday. Pulling her mother's hair wasn't enough to satisfy me."

Oxanda huffed, burning with fighting spirit.

"Good grief, you idiot. Who else is going to rent a rundown shack like that? You have no intention of squeezing more rent out of them somehow."

Jorno muttered lowly to himself as he followed behind Oxanda.

"What did you say? Who do you think I'm doing this for? It's all because you cheated with that wench!"

Oxanda whipped around, her eyes narrowing to triangles.

"That's a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding my foot. Look at you defending her again."

"No, no. Let's go. Come on."

Before Oxanda could get even angrier, Jorno hurried his steps ahead.

After they disappeared into the bushes, a carriage and a rider on a massive black horse followed the same path a short while later.

* * *

"Look at that. She's out there—look."

Oxanda scowled and pointed at Marin.

Marin stood a short distance from the hut, waiting for the two to arrive. She hoped Roanna wouldn't hear the commotion that was about to unfold.

"Hmph. You think I'll forgive you just because you're out here waiting?"

Oxanda bent her fingers like claws and charged at Marin.

At that moment, a money pouch dropped with a thud in front of her.

Silver coins peeked out from the pouch, glinting in the sunlight.

Oxanda's eyes widened as she quickly scanned the silver, then snatched up the pouch.

"Oh my, what's all this money?"

Oxanda fussed dramatically as she pulled out the silver and counted it busily.

"Marin, where did you get this much money?"

Jorno's voice trembled with greed as he peeked at the pouch with eyes full of avarice.

Oxanda raked her gaze up and down Marin and spoke on his behalf, as if to say that wasn't a real question.

"Where'd she get it? Isn't it obvious?"

Smack. Marin, who had been watching them with calm eyes, slapped Oxanda's cheek with all her strength.

Oxanda's plump body swayed as if it might topple over.

Clutching her instantly swelling cheek, Oxanda bellowed.

"Are you crazy?!"

"You laid hands on my mother?"

Marin's eyes gleamed cold as ice. Just thinking about what Roanna had suffered yesterday made her blood boil.

"W-What?"

Oxanda rolled her eyes in confusion, sensing an inexplicable pressure from Marin's uncharacteristic demeanor.

Marin took a step toward her.

Oxanda flinched and stepped back. She had been overwhelmed by Marin's momentum.

***

Jorno, who had been watching anxiously from behind, wiped his sweat and stepped forward.

"Marin, don't get too worked up—"

Marin strode over and slapped Jorno's cheek hard as well. Jorno clutched his cheek with a dazed look.

Marin shot him a chilling glare.

"You're the real problem. Think I don't know? Who is it your wife has been chasing around—the real woman you've been cheating with?"

"After all the times I let it slide, saying how pretty she was..."

Jorno twisted his face in anxiety that the truth might come out and approached Marin.

Marin tossed a single silver coin at his feet like an act of charity.

Jorno's eyes bulged as he quickly picked up the silver.

"Windyji?"

While he was distracted by the money, Marin landed the finishing blow.

"Windy? The stablekeeper's wife, Windy? Why's Windy's name coming up here? Windy definitely said that wench's name!"

Oxanda, who had been listening to their conversation from the side, screamed at Jorno.

Jorno flinched, his shoulders trembling as he waved his hands frantically.

"No, Windy's a perfect woman. What kind of affair would a woman like that have?"

"Perfect? Every woman but me is pretty and perfect to you? I'm going to kill you today!"

Oxanda's eyes rolled back as she grabbed Jorno by the hair.

"Aaagh, let go! It hurts, it hurts!"

Marin watched their dogfight, clenching her fists tightly.

She itched to avenge her mother herself. She wanted to yank out every last strand of their hair.

"How many women is this now?!"

Oxanda shrieked at the top of her lungs.

At that moment, Sebas the butler emerged slowly from the bushes, frowning as if annoyed by the noise, and stood protectively in front of Marin.

"Why are you having your marital spat here?"

"......!"

At the sudden appearance of an outsider, Oxanda released Jorno's hair.

The tense Oxanda quickly scanned the man's attire.

The white-haired old gentleman in a black, high-quality uniform exuded an unusual aura from his sturdy build.

Meanwhile, Marin looked up at Sebas the butler's broad back with wide eyes.

*Why are you here?*

Sebas the butler turned to her as if reading her mind.

"I've come to pick you up."

"You're early."

Marin gave an awkward smile and avoided his gaze.

She had known someone would come since Olive mentioned sending a carriage, but she hadn't expected the butler himself.

"It feels like I arrived right on time."

Sebas the butler winked with one eye and turned back to face forward. His sharp gaze swept over Jorno and Oxanda.