Chapter 5

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Engaged to the Blind Duke
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“M-Monsters.”

“…….”

The duke fell silent, as if urging her to say more.

“I’ve heard that tunnel monsters like shiny minerals, the kind that sparkle like jewels. The fact that they keep popping up made me think there might be other gems besides silver. That’s why I thought it was a shame.”

Tunnel monsters looked like rats, but they were the size of large dogs. They loved anything shiny and would even raid villages to steal glittering objects.

Having finished speaking, Marin bowed her head limply. She had racked her brains to come up with that explanation, but she had no confidence it would sway the duke.

“When did this report come in?”

The duke turned his head toward Olive.

“Three months ago.”

“Wasn’t it marked as urgent?”

“There were more pressing matters, so it got pushed back.”

Olive bowed his head like a man who had committed a crime.

“Put the mine on hold and send knights down to investigate further.”

“Yes. Understood.”

With that, the duke took a step toward her.

Terrified, Marin tried to back away as he approached, but her feet tangled, and she staggered.

Ugh, I’m going to fall.

Just before she could topple backward, the duke grabbed her wrist and steadied her.

“……Twig?”

Marin blinked in shock from nearly cracking her skull open, then pretended not to hear his mutter.

He couldn’t possibly be talking about a person.

But this duke—wasn’t he blind? How was he moving so fast?

Calming her pounding heart, Marin bowed to the duke in thanks.

“Thank you.”

“Your name?”

“M-Marin.”

“A commoner?”

“Yes…….”

Marin whispered evasively in a trembling voice. Her heart, which had just settled, began to race again at the lie.

The duke tilted his head toward her, as if listening for something.

Marin fidgeted, wondering if she needed to say more.

But when would he let go of her wrist?

“A commoner who can read letters and even analyze reports?”

Marin’s eyes widened as far as they could. Her heart dropped to the floor.

Why did a flimsy excuse turn into having analytical skills? Why?

“A spy?”

“N-No?!”

Her heart leaped back into her chest and thrashed like a fish flung onto dry land.

“Are you admitting it now?”

“N-No, I’m not. Absolutely not. You don’t have to hire me. I was short-sighted. Well then, I’ll be going.”

Marin turned to leave, but her body wouldn’t budge. She had forgotten her wrist was still gripped in his hand.

“Olive.”

“Yes.”

“Draft an employment contract.”

***

“Understood.”

Olive replied with a beaming smile.

“Temporary.”

“Temporary……. Understood.”

Olive’s dejected expression was plain to see.

“Thank you.”

Marin, on the other hand, bowed gratefully to the duke, her face full of emotion.

Temporary or not, as long as she got paid, she didn’t care.

“Feed her.”

“Yes?”

“Pardon?”

Olive and she both echoed the duke’s abrupt command.

“Twig-like.”

The duke lifted her wrist once and let it go, driving the point home.

Oh, so she hadn’t misheard earlier. It wasn’t that bad.

Marin pouted and clutched her wrist.

She was grateful for the save, but that gratitude evaporated like smoke.

“Yes. I’ll see to it.”

Olive grinned for some reason.

The duke turned his back as if he were done with them and headed to the desk in the study.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

“Your Grace. I shall take my leave.”

“I…… thank you once more.”

Marin hesitated slightly before hurrying her farewell and exiting the study.

Once they were gone, the study fell silent again.

Footsteps echoed from the corridor.

Olive’s steps, with his left foot slightly heavier.

The woman’s steps, light as if she might float away like a feather.

Feeling her wrist had explained the weightless lightness of her gait.

He had called her a twig, but she might have been even thinner.

A curious woman.

The report she read aloud flowed into his ears like a sound from nature itself, without a hint of irritation. It was the first time since losing his sight that a report had sunk in so clearly.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been able to think while listening to one.

Now he understood why Olive had been so desperate to have her meet him.

Since going blind, his senses besides sight had become acutely sensitive.

Especially hearing. Every sound had turned into noise, a constant headache.

House Vines, guardians of the western region, had a bloodline secret passed down only to the direct heir.

They were far larger than ordinary people, and their five senses were extraordinarily developed.

Sight could distinguish the color of a bird’s eye in flight.

Hearing could pick out every sound within fifty meters.

Taste could identify anything tasted once. Especially poison.

Smell could differentiate any scent.

Touch was acutely sensitive to the slightest contact.

And Gerald von Vines was among the most gifted in senses across generations.

When all five were balanced, it was fine.

He could control them, suppressing or enhancing as needed. Using those exceptional senses, he had always triumphed over monsters and protected the west.

***

That unbreakable formula had earned even greater praise in his generation.

But nothing lasted forever.

A year ago, when monsters attacked and blinded him, everything twisted.

As if compensating for his lost sight, his other four senses surged stronger.

That was the beginning of his torment.

The hypersensitive senses brought excruciating headaches at every turn.

Hearing turned even the crawl of an insect into thunder crashing in his skull.

With his senses running wild, his mind frayed.

The pain from the other senses tormented him more than the blindness.

But today, for the first time, another person’s voice hadn’t assaulted his ears.

Even if she was a spy, he had to keep her close.

He could sense her fear from her heartbeat alone. And that she was lying.

“Kay.”

Gerald whispered, and a black shadow landed softly before him.

“…….”

Kay, shrouded head to toe in black, waited silently for his lord’s command.

“Investigate her.”

“…….”

The shadow vanished without a sound, just as it had appeared.

Gerald leaned deep into his chair and focused on suppressing his four senses once more.

* * *

Marin returned to the parlor with Olive, her face blank with shock.

She had been hired by House Vines. Her lie had worked.

Unable to believe it, Marin sat on the sofa with a dazed expression.

Olive held out a thick book to her.

“What’s this?”

It was the book she had set down on the floor before entering the duke’s study. She had forgotten it in her distraction, but Olive had picked it up.

“You seemed to like this book, Miss Marin.”

“But it’s not mine.”

“Books on monsters can’t be left in this castle. It was going to be thrown out anyway…….”

“Oh, then toss it my way.”

Marin snatched the book eagerly.

Yes! How much is this worth?

“Do that. I have some preparations to make, so please wait just a moment.”

“Yes.”

Once Olive left the parlor, the tension drained from her rigid body. She slumped against the sofa, relaxing her back.

Only then did the title on the book in her lap catch her eye.

 

 

It was quite intriguing to her, who knew the world’s lore. Flipping through, she saw the author was unknown.

Why had such a book been in the servants’ parlor?

A thick hardcover like this could fetch a high price on the market. Probably some servant had hidden it instead of throwing it away, reluctant to part with it.

Someone’s hidden book had become her lucky find.

A tale everyone in the west knew but never spoke aloud.

It mentioned the duke’s accident.

Without this book, she might have been dragged out by the knights.

The close call made her shoulders shudder.

***

“Are you cold? Shall I fetch a blanket?”

Olive, who had returned unnoticed, asked kindly.

“No.”

Marin waved her hands and straightened her back again.

Olive, sitting across from her, smiled with his eyes.

“Take a look at this. It’s the temporary employment contract. We used the standard House Vines contract but changed it to temporary. And since you’re in a special role, Miss Marin, we’ve raised the pay a bit.”

Olive handed her the contract.

Marin’s eyes quickly scanned to the pay section.

One gold per week.

In the world.

One gold could feed a family of four for a month.