Chapter 26

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Engaged to the Blind Duke
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After walking along the path to the left of the grand fountain in the center of the Duke’s Castle for quite some time, the dirt ground came into view.

Fluffy sheep-like clouds drifted across the blue sky. Towering trees stretched toward the heavens. The castle walls loomed in the distance.

I’d always just gone back and forth between buildings, so this long-overdue stroll felt like it cleared the stuffiness from my chest.

Emerging from the woods, a vast garden carpeted in green grass spread out before me.

Unlike the manicured ornamental trees and flower beds in other noble houses’ gardens, there was nothing fancy here.

Yet under the blue sky, the fresh green grass alone painted a picture-perfect scene.

Now I just needed to find the Mandelsong growing wild like weeds everywhere.

“Found it.”

Scanning the lawn garden, I spotted a thick cluster of Mandelsong thriving in a sunny spot.

Marin snapped off as much as she could carry and stuffed the picnic basket full.

She’d need a lot since she had to extract the juice.

“This counts as exercise, too.”

Bending and straightening repeatedly had left her back stiff. Patting it as she looked up at the sky, she saw the sun was about to set.

She grabbed the picnic basket and hurried back to her room, then fell into thought.

“How am I supposed to extract the juice from this?”

She’d need a mortar and pestle.

Should she ask Yuria to bring her some?

Glancing out the window, she saw the sun had already set—it was nearly time to head to the Duke.

Tapping the yellow petals of the Mandelsong absently, a faint minty scent wafted up. Bringing one to her nose intensified the aroma.

Marin plucked a single yellow petal and cautiously slipped it into her mouth to chew.

It burned pleasantly, like eating a mint candy, without any heaviness.

“I can just chew it to make the juice.”

Marin filled her hand with petals. She squeezed her eyes shut, popped them in her mouth, and chewed vigorously.

Thankfully, the spicy component made it refreshing rather than nauseating.

Marin changed into the dress Yuria had mended, stuffed the sachet full of Mandelsong flowers, and picked up the fairy tale book.

She planned to chew the petals on her way to the Duke’s study.

* * *

Marin arrived at the Duke’s study, munching on the flowers. Before she could even knock, his voice rang out.

“Come in.”

Now used to it, Marin lit the candle and stepped inside.

The Duke was still shrouded in darkness.

Marin swallowed the flower she’d been chewing and approached him.

Drawing close, she naturally extended her wrist. The Duke grasped it once, then released it right away.

“Why are you still wearing that old dress?”

Marin narrowed her eyes and shot him a suspicious look.

Is this guy really blind?

“Thank you.”

“That wasn’t my question.”

“I’m getting fitted for a new dress today, so it’ll take some time. The thanks is for gifting me today’s dress.”

“Another fairy tale today?”

As he changed the subject, Marin pretended not to notice and played along.

“Yes. Shall we begin?”

***

“……Temporary, what’s that scent?”

The Duke turned his head toward her and asked.

“Scent?”

“What were you eating earlier?”

Only then did she catch on. He must have smelled the Mandelsong.

“I tried some flowers.”

His eyebrow shot up at her words.

“Olive isn’t the type to slack on his duties.”

He meant why eat random flowers instead of the food he provided.

“Just felt peckish.”

Lacking a good excuse, Marin brushed it off vaguely.

“I’ll have to tell Olive to try harder so your mouth stays occupied. Your mouth is precious, Temporary.”

“Huh?”

Marin’s eyes widened in shock as she blurted it out.

What about my mouth?

She’d never imagined such words coming from the Duke.

“Aren’t we getting to work?”

“Yes, right away. I’ll read then.”

Marin glanced at him with a strange expression before opening the fairy tale book.

“Once upon a time, a kind and beautiful daughter lived with her widowed mother, who had lost her husband long ago. The gentle mother one day met a fine gentleman by chance and soon fell in love with him.”

“Is this really a fairy tale?”

“Yes, it is. Shall I continue?”

Marin declared confidently.

“Fine.”

“One day, the mother said to her daughter, ‘My beloved daughter, you’ll soon have a new father. And two kind brothers, too.’ The daughter was truly happy for her—for her mother’s sake.”

Grumble.

Startled by her sudden stomach growl, Marin pressed a hand to her belly.

Glancing at the Duke, she saw him sitting perfectly still.

“The daughter eagerly awaited the day she’d meet her new family…… Ah.”

Grumble. Grumble grumble.

The noises from her stomach grew louder. Her vision blurred black, then white.

“Temporary?”

“D-Duke, ugh, Your Grace.”

Marin squeezed out the words with effort.

“Temporary?”

The Duke straightened in his chair and tilted his head toward her.

Don’t listen so closely!

Clutching her stomach and sweating coldly, Marin barely continued.

“M-My stomach, it’s……”

Grumble grumble.

Thunder rumbled inside her.

“I-I’ll go later…… Ugh.”

“Go.”

“Y-Yes. S-Sorry…… Urgh.”

Marin flung the fairy tale book aside and bolted out.

Somewhere, a refreshing laugh seemed to echo, but lost in her abdominal agony, she didn’t hear it.

* * *

Gerald shook with refreshing laughter. It was the first time he’d laughed heartily since going blind.

***

The laughter had been so intense that even the ear-piercing pain didn’t register in the moment.

The curtain behind him swayed faintly too.

Savoring the afterglow, Gerald leaned back lazily in his chair.

What an unpredictable woman.

She’d fooled him into thinking she was a commoner, but she was really a noble lady.

The ladies he’d seen at parties all tried so hard to appear pristine and pure.

They’d flee at the slightest off-color talk with an “I know nothing” face.

Most wouldn’t even sip water to avoid needing the bathroom.

Yet here was a lady sprinting off to the toilet like that?

She’d probably leave a suicide note out of embarrassment tomorrow.

Gerald’s smirk froze.

What if she did try to kill herself? He couldn’t just let her go like this.

She’d become essential to him now.

“……Kay.”

“……”

He sensed Kay prostrating swiftly before him, like a gust of wind.

“Tell Olive to prepare medicine for Temporary. And put someone on watch in case she attempts suicide.”

Kay, head bowed, vanished like the wind.

The spicy floral scent from her still lingered in the air. A novel fragrance, refreshingly cool.

He’d never cared much for flowers before, but since the monster flower blinded him, he’d avoided them altogether.

Unaware that he was worrying about her, Gerald closed his eyes and deeply inhaled the non-nauseating aroma for the first time in ages.

* * *

After a fierce battle in the bathroom, Marin lay pale on her bed.

Thankfully, the medicine from Zero she’d prepared in advance was working—her stomach was settling quickly.

“So embarrassing. How am I supposed to face the Duke now……”

Marin buried her face in the pillow and thrashed her legs. The fluffy bed sank under her heels.

The scene from the study replayed in her mind. Had she heard a big laugh?

“No way. The Duke wouldn’t laugh. The male lead never laughs big like that. No. Never.”

Marin spent some time in denial, brainwashing herself.

It’s weird. There’s no way the Duke laughed, so why are my eyes tearing up?