Chapter 16

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Engaged to the Blind Duke
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Marin blinked rapidly.

When the words didn't disappear, she rubbed her eyes vigorously. She even pushed the contract away and tried reading it from a distance.

But the contents remained unchanged.

"You're putting this in here?"

"Yes."

Good heavens. Money was raining from the sky.

Marin set the contract down and shook her head vigorously, making a whooshing sound.

"No. I can't accept this. The deal ended with the 1 gold advance I received yesterday. I'm already so grateful just to be staying somewhere nice—taking this would make me shameless."

Greed brings misfortune.

But Olive gave a wry smile and slid the contract back toward her.

"There's something you don't know, Miss Marin."

"......"

Marin waited quietly for his words.

"His Grace the Duke hasn't slept a wink for a full fortnight now. Or at least, that's as much as I've been able to ascertain—it might be even longer."

It was the darkest expression she'd seen on Olive in all the days she'd known him.

"Pardon?"

Marin widened her eyes and stared at Olive.

Olive, meeting her gaze, nodded slowly, as if confirming the truth of what he'd just said.

That gesture brought their previous conversation flashing through her mind.

She finally understood why he'd seemed more worried about the Duke not sleeping than about him bleeding.

"In truth, if His Grace could get even a little sleep, we could offer 100 gold instead of 1. Shall we change it to 100?"

"No! 1 gold is already too much. But this was already settled in my deal with His Grace..."

Greed brings misfortune.

Marin repeated to herself once more.

She hadn't realized the Duke was this sleep-deprived.

It wasn't in the novel.

Now she understood why the Duke had become so sensitive after losing his sight.

Good heavens. Sleep was so important.

"It's His Grace the Duke's command."

"...All right. Then we'll do 1 gold."

Reading the worry on Marin's face, Olive said kindly,

"Don't feel burdened. You're not expecting too much anyway."

"Wow. That just makes it more burdensome. Um, then—may I visit the library during my break?"

Marin replied playfully on purpose, but her voice held no strength.

"The library? Why?"

"To pick a book to read to His Grace the Duke."

"Sure."

"By any chance, are there types of books His Grace the Duke finds especially boring? It'd be great if there were!"

Marin looked at Olive with earnest eyes.

"His Grace reads everything well."

Olive smiled brightly, shattering her hopes.

"Yes......"

Marin answered weakly again and swallowed a sigh.

The more boring the book, the faster sleep would come.

***

* * *

Marin followed the map Olive had drawn for her to find the library.

After walking for quite a while through the castle grounds, she spotted an old door embossed with a sun motif.

As she opened the door and stepped inside, the scent of books enveloped her.

The Duke's office had been spacious, but the library was easily twenty times larger. Books lined the shelves up to three stories high.

Marin took a deep breath, inhaling the familiar bookish aroma, then exhaled from deep in her chest.

"So happy......"

"Why?"

"......!"

A child who had approached unnoticed was staring up at her, holding a book as big as himself.

Pale skin, hair shimmering like silver thread. Blue eyes deep as a lake. A dainty nose and red lips.

He looked like a fairy freshly emerged from ice—adorably cute.

"Who are you?"

Marin bent slightly at the waist to peer at the boy, who only came up to her waist.

"And who might you be?"

"Me? You mean me?"

"Yes. You."

The child dimpled his cheeks in a cute smile.

"Ah, I'm Marin."

"Oh, so you're Miss Marin. I'm Zero."

As Zero introduced himself, he extended his hand.

Marin widened her eyes in surprise and squealed inwardly with delight.

Kyaa! This is Alchemist Zero!

Among the things he'd made was a potion that turned one into a child for several hours—he must have taken it.

Marin pondered how to treat him, then decided to speak to him as an adult despite his childlike appearance.

Does he know me?

"Mr. Zero, do you know me?"

"I heard from Olive. But you have a talent for keeping people waiting."

Zero stared at his outstretched hand, so Marin hurriedly placed hers atop it.

"I'm sorry. Nice to meet you."

She'd expected a handshake, but Zero gently kissed the back of her hand and met her eyes.

"You're an unusual person."

"Me?"

As Marin tilted her head, Zero smiled cutely again.

"Yes."

"What makes me so?"

"You speak formally even though I'm a child."

"Ah, because I'm a commoner."

"You're not good at lying."

Marin turned her head aside to hide her burning face.

"It's not a lie."

"Well, let's say so. But you still haven't answered my question."

"What question?"

"You said you were happy the moment you arrived here. Why?"

Marin then recalled his initial question.

"Ah, I love books so much. Being in a place full of them makes me so happy."

Marin answered excitedly, her eyes sparkling. It was the first question she'd been able to answer honestly since arriving at the Duke's Castle.

Zero's eyes widened slightly in surprise, then he grinned and continued questioning.

***

"I heard you read reports well. Is that true? How did you discover that talent?"

"I've just loved books since I was little. If I want to look at the books here, do I need permission from you, Mr. Zero?"

Marin changed the subject and asked cautiously.

"No. If you've come here, it means Gerald permitted it. Feel free to browse. Ask if you have questions while looking."

Zero spoke kindly in an innocent, childlike voice.

"Yes, thank you."

Marin bowed with a dazed expression.

In the novel, Zero was the type plagued by distrust of humanity. He enjoyed testing people, approaching them disguised as a child to gauge them.

He also disliked others entering his space, yet here he was, allowing her to stay in the library with him.

For some reason, it seemed she'd won Zero's favor.

* * *

Butler Sebas Chen visited the Duke's office after a long absence.

The shoulders of the white-haired veteran, always brimming with confidence, were pathetically hunched.

"Begin."

At the Duke's command, Butler Sebas gave a slight bow and whispered to Olive standing beside him. Knowing his voice was loud, he relayed through Olive.

"'Shall I tell you every single detail?' he says."

"Butler. Just speak yourself."

Gerald furrowed his brow as if fatigued.

"If I speak directly, it might be too loud for you."

Butler Sebas whispered as softly as he could.

"Butler."

At the Duke's cold warning, Butler Sebas promptly spoke up.

"I shall begin, Your Grace."

Butler Sebas described the scene he'd witnessed that morning in the smallest voice he could muster.

"Where are those commoners now?"

"We've confined them."

"Not just them, I presume. Those who profited privately."

A chill crept into Gerald's languid voice.

Olive and Butler Sebas gazed at the Duke with tense faces.

"Olive."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Confiscate the assets of those we've caught, sentence them to five years of hard labor. Conduct a full investigation and handle everyone the same."

"Yes."

"And the woman who struck Temporary's mother..."

"......"

Olive waited quietly for the rest.

"She didn't know the victim was nobility, so end it there—make sure she can't lift a hand again."

"Yes, Your Grace."

Olive responded swiftly to his command.

At Gerald's gesture, the two bowed silently and left the office.

In the now-quiet office, Gerald cautiously released his suppressed senses. They exploded wildly, as if resentful of being held back.

Pain surged through his head all at once, as if it might burst.

A faint groan escaped his tightly closed lips. That groan pierced his ears like an arrow loosed at himself.

He clenched his teeth to stifle the next groan, tearing the inside of his mouth. The spreading taste of blood made him retch.

Gerald endured all the agony with an expressionless face.

To escape the pain even a little, he thought of other things.

The strange, wondrous woman. The one who had boldly claimed she could make him sleep.

Thinking of Temporary made one corner of his mouth twitch upward.