Chapter 56

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Engaged to the Blind Duke
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* * *

Tormented alternately by Idre, the Head Maid, and Roanna with party preparations, Marin hid away in the training grounds.

Fortunately, her sword training was kept a secret, so no one knew she came here.

“Ugh, I’m exhausted.”

After finishing a hundred swings, Marin plopped down onto the ground still wearing her dress.

Even amid the party preparations, she hadn’t missed a single day of the training regimen set by the Butler.

Then, at the sound of someone scurrying away, Marin flung the sword she was holding.

She wouldn’t hit a fleeing person with her skill, but she hoped at least to trip them.

“Ow.”

Marin jumped to her feet and ran toward the source of the cry.

Her wish had come true—a man was clutching his thigh.

“Wow, maybe I do have a talent for the sword.”

The redheaded man spotted her and startled, then turned to flee again. But the direction he ran was a dead end.

That’s weird. Why run that way?

“Stop right there! If you don’t...”

What then?

As she trailed off, the man, curious, stopped and waited for her to finish.

“What if I don’t?”

Upon closer inspection, the redheaded youth was just transitioning from boy to young man. He was big, but his voice was still high-pitched, as if puberty hadn’t hit yet.

“Have we met somewhere before?”

“Dunno.”

The youth slyly averted his gaze.

His profile jogged her memory. It was that redheaded young knight who had spoken with the middle-aged knight late at night by the Duke’s Castle gates before fleeing.

“Ah! The knight I met at the gates that time!”

“Urk, I’m not a knight yet, just a squire. Sorry for saying I didn’t know when I didn’t.”

“I said I didn’t know, so you don’t need to apologize.”

At her words, the squire peeked up, scratched the back of his head, and grinned.

“Heh heh, right?”

His beaming smile somehow felt familiar.

“By any chance, have we met somewhere besides that time? Why does your face seem so familiar?”

“I’m Yubis. Yuria’s twin brother.”

Marin’s eyes went wide in surprise.

She knew Yuria had a twin, but not that it was a brother.

And a squire, no less.

“You’re Yuria’s brother.”

“Yuria brags about you all the time, miss. Please take good care of our Yuria.”

He seemed quite mature, entrusting his sister to her like that.

“Yuria does so well already, no need to worry.”

At her praise, Yubis grinned again, heh heh.

Perhaps because they only had each other without parents, they seemed incredibly close.

“But you’re a squire?”

“Yes. I’m a squire now, but they say my skills are good, so I’ll be an apprentice knight soon. Back in the day, I always beat the other kids in fights. I protected Yuria, too. Grandpa—er, the Butler saw me fighting and brought me to the Duke’s Castle, saying he’d make me a knight. I refused to come without Yuria, so she got to come along.”

Yubis puffed out his chest proudly as he boasted.

***

“I see, so that’s how it was.”

Marin nodded at the story she was hearing for the first time.

“Yuria never mentioned it?”

“Nope.”

“Well, yeah. Yuria always keeps things to herself and doesn’t talk much. Oh, right. Thanks for scolding those maids the other day, too. I only found out about that after you handled it. If I’d known sooner, I would’ve dealt with them myself.”

Yubis bowed with a frustrated look. He really cherished his sister.

“It was nothing. More importantly, why were you spying on me here? You’ve been peeking at me every day lately, haven’t you?”

“It wasn’t spying, it was the Butler’s orders. He’s been too busy to come lately, so he just asked me to check if you were coming here or not.”

Yubis explained with an aggrieved expression.

“I see.”

He had indeed been too busy to come these days.

Of course, the training routine hadn’t changed, so she could handle it alone just fine.

“Then from now on, don’t sneak peeks—watch openly and report to Master.”

“I can do that?”

“Yeah. And you’re probably short on training time too, so feel free to train beside me.”

“Wow! You’re the best, miss. No wonder Yuria’s always going on about our miss, our miss.”

Yubis stared at her with sparkling eyes, which felt a bit overwhelming.

Unlike the shy and reserved Yuria, Yubis had a frank and bold personality.

* * *

Gerald leaned back in his chair with Mandelsong leaves pasted over his eyes.

The Mandelsong definitely worked. Even the tiniest effect felt like a world of difference to him.

What if he ate it?

He had resistance to most poisons, so the side effect of stomach pain wouldn’t harm him much.

Thinking of the stomach pain naturally brought Marin to mind.

Since returning to the Duke’s Castle, he’d faintly heard her training sounds from not far from his office.

Her consistent daily effort had honestly surprised him quite a bit. He’d thought she’d quit after a while.

But for the past few days, a man’s voice had mixed in with the sounds.

It was starting to grate on his ears.

“Kay.”

“......”

“Find out who it is.”

“......”

Kay gave a slight bow in response and vanished like the wind, returning swiftly.

“It’s Yubis. One of the orphan siblings the Butler brought in a few years ago. The other serves Marin. He’s slated to become an apprentice knight soon.”

“I remember. Already an apprentice? That’s fast.”

“Yes. He’s young, but his skills are apparently quite good. He was assigned by the Butler to report on Marin’s training, but now he’s training with her at her invitation.”

“At Marin’s invitation...”

Kay, head slightly bowed, melted back into the shadows.

“I suppose I should take a stroll at her invitation, too.”

Kay’s breathing hitched for a split second at his murmur.

* * *

The servants plastered themselves against the walls in surprise when Gerald emerged from his office in the middle of the day.

Leaning on his cane, strolling leisurely, he headed straight for the training grounds where she was.

“Lower your stance a bit more.”

“Like this?”

“No. Like this.”

***

As Yubis demonstrated, Marin tried to mimic his form.

“Like this?”

“You’ve got stamina issues, miss, but your eye for detail is really lacking.”

“What did you say!”

“No, nothing!”

“Want to get hit by my sword again?”

“Whoa, down with violence!”

The two bickered until the sound of a cane tapping a stone made them freeze.

“Huh?”

“Y-Your Grace the Duke. Good day.”

Yubis bowed stiffly, his face rigid.

Even the usually cheeky Yubis feared the Duke.

The Duke stood right before Marin.

“Hello, Gerald. What brings you here?”

“The training grounds I used often before injuring my eyes.”

Marin and Yubis stared at him in shock at his words.

“P-Please excuse me. I’ll be going now, Your Grace.”

Stammering, Yubis hurried to move.

“Wait.”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

“Apprentice knight soon?”

“Yes, sir! That’s right. I strive to become a splendid knight worthy of Your Grace’s...”

The Duke raised a hand, and Yubis bit his lip tensely.

Marin watched Yubis’s new side with fascination.

It was probably his first time facing the Duke this close.

“You talk too much.”

“My apologies, Your Grace.”

Yubis replied with a crestfallen face.

“Do well.”

His face lit up instantly, as if the disappointment had never been.

“Yes, Your Grace. I’ll take my leave.”

It was tremendous encouragement for Yubis.

How many knights had strived to impress him just to hear those words?

Marin looked up at the Duke in surprise. She’d thought he was always indifferent to others.

Yubis’s shoulders bobbed happily as he walked away. His body had grown, but he was still a kid.

Marin smiled at the sight, then turned back to the Duke.

His face was still expressionless, but he somehow gave off a dissatisfied air.

“What really brings you here?”