Chapter 60

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Engaged to the Blind Duke
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"Marin, do you know about this?"

She hadn't permitted him to use her name, yet he called her by it on his own whim.

"Yes?"

"If your family hadn't fallen, we would have been engaged."

"...."

Marin stared at him with wide eyes.

It was something she'd never heard before. Her parents had always said they had no intention of arranging a political marriage for her.

"Our fathers were so close."

"Ah...."

No matter how friendly her father had been with Viscount Norman, they wouldn't have proceeded with an engagement without even asking her opinion.

"Eat this well, and tell me if there's anything else you want."

"This is plenty. Thank you."

Marin thanked him once more and turned to leave.

She didn't see Geb ieom raking his eyes over her retreating figure with blatant lust.

Marin gazed out the window.

Outside, it was already pitch black, and the sound of raindrops pattering against the glass could be heard. The rain had started.

"Catherine, I think I should head home now."

"Teacher, wait just a little longer. Can't you stay a bit more?"

Catherine, with her hair braided on both sides, clung to the hem of Marin's skirt.

"Is something going on today? Why do you want teacher to stay so badly?"

Marin knelt down to meet Catherine's eyes and asked gently.

Catherine, who usually listened well, was blocking her from leaving today of all days.

That was why, even though it was past the time she should have been home, she was still stuck in Catherine's room.

"Oh, come on. When's he coming?"

Catherine ignored her question and glanced anxiously at the door.

"Who are you waiting for?"

"My big brother."

Catherine looked up at Marin with her large brown eyes and answered in a tone of complete resignation.

"Your big brother? Sir Geb ieom?"

"Yes."

"You're waiting for your big brother, so why can't teacher go home?"

Marin asked soothingly, trying to calm her.

"Because big brother asked me to. He said to keep teacher here until he comes back because he wants to escort you home. Big brother's so kind, right? Oh, but this is a secret."

"I see. But what should we do? Teacher really has to go home now. Mother will be waiting."

Marin stroked Catherine's head and stood up.

"Teacher, please wait just a little."

When Catherine grabbed her waist and clung on, Marin looked down at the child with a troubled expression.

Just then, the door to Catherine's room opened.

"Catherine."

It was Geb ieom.

"Big brother!"

Catherine ran to him with a delighted face.

"Catherine, did you study well today?"

***

"Yes! Teacher was just about to go home."

Catherine giggled as she met Geb ieom's eyes.

The secret had been completely exposed, but to a child, secrets were the most fun thing.

"I see?"

Geb ieom looked at her intently, his eyes gleaming.

Marin pretended not to notice his gaze and said goodbye to Catherine.

"Catherine. See you tomorrow."

"Yes, teacher. Goodbye."

As she headed to the door, the strong smell of alcohol wafted from Geb ieom.

Marin's expression hardened, and she hurried past him.

This was the man who had told his little sister in advance that he would escort her home, yet he came back reeking of booze?

Something felt off.

Marin suppressed the urge to run and walked with the widest strides she could manage.

Thud. Thud.

Right behind her, she heard Geb ieom's footsteps.

"Marin."

"Yes."

"Shall we talk for a moment?"

"It's very late. My mother is waiting."

Marin answered quickly without turning around as she kept walking.

"How rude. Did you forget all your noble etiquette after your family fell?"

Marin stopped dead in her tracks.

She turned around with a cold expression to find him smirking at her, arms crossed over his chest.

"Are you insulting my family right now?"

"Of course not."

Geb ieom uncrossed his arms and raised both hands as if surrendering. He approached her with a sly grin.

"You already did."

"For there to be an insult, don't you need a family worth insulting first?"

Geb ieom sneered.

"What did you say?"

"Isn't that right? A noble lady meeting a man late at night like this, taking home leftovers from our house. What do you call begging for food? Oh, right—scrounging."

Geb ieom clutched his stomach and burst into laughter, as if his own words were hilarious.

Marin silently endured his mockery.

This was the pitiful state of a fallen noble lady.

She would face things like this countless times from now on. But whether she continued to endure this humiliation was her choice.

Marin met Geb ieom's gaze with dignified eyes.

"I will resign as family tutor starting today. Please convey that to Viscount Norman for me. Goodbye."

Marin spoke calmly and turned away.

But Geb ieom grabbed her arm with an angry face and spun her back around.

"You're quitting just like that?"

"Yes."

"If your family hadn't fallen, you and their fortune would have been mine. You know that?"

Marin stared at him in stunned disbelief, at a loss for words.

What nonsense was this? Was he insane?

Even if her family hadn't fallen, she never would have married this man.

"So just obediently do as I say."

He flung open a door in the corridor and shoved her inside.

Marin stumbled into the room, pushed by his strength.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Since your family fell and you can't marry, I'll take you as a concubine at least."

***

Geb ieom spoke as if bestowing a great favor, cupping her face with one hand and leaning down.

Marin pushed him away with both hands.

"Stop—"

Slap.

Only after her head whipped to the side did she realize she'd been struck.

It was the first time in her life she'd been slapped across the cheek.

It must have been hard, because one side swelled up in an instant.

"Tsk tsk. If you'd stayed quiet, you wouldn't have gotten hit."

Geb ieom clicked his tongue regretfully as he looked at her swollen cheek.

In that moment, her patience snapped.

Marin clenched her fists and glared at Geb ieom.

"What? You gonna hit me? With those frail little hands? Haha."

Geb ieom laughed, holding his stomach, and took a step closer.

At that instant, Marin kicked him as hard as she could right between the legs.

It was a self-defense technique she'd learned in her previous life.

"Urgh!"

Geb ieom let out a strangled scream and collapsed to the floor.

"You're not even worth a punch. What? Concubine? I wouldn't take you even if you filled a carriage with trash like you."

Marin spat coldly at him as his eyes rolled back in a faint, then fled the mansion.

As soon as she stepped outside, rain poured down in sheets.

Worried that Geb ieom might wake up and chase her, she ran through the downpour.

Climbing the dark mountain path without a single light, she tripped on a rock and fell onto the muddy ground.

"Ow."

Fortunately, she didn't tumble, but her scraped knee and palms stung.

Marin gritted her teeth and stood up. Resting now would be disastrous if she got caught.

Only after reaching the cabin, locking the door, did she finally relax.

Marin tiptoed to her room. If Roanna saw her like this, she'd only worry.

She lit a candle in her room and turned around to find her mother dozing on her bed.

Roanna woke at the sound and smiled happily, but her expression quickly froze.

"Marin?"

"Mom, were you waiting for me?"

"Marin, oh my god. Marin...."

Roanna raised her trembling hand.

"I got caught in the rain and fell on the way back."

Marin hurried to her side to soothe her shocked mother.

"Marin. My daughter. Your face...."

Roanna's soft hand lightly touched her puffy cheek.

It stung, but Marin smiled as if it were nothing.

"This happened from the fall too."

"Marin...."

Roanna didn't ask for details.

Instead, she pulled Marin's rain-soaked face into her warm embrace.

Marin accepted the comfort in her mother's arms without further excuses.

* * *

As she snapped out of the memory, Geb ieom glared at her with eyes full of rage.

"An apology? Who should apologize to whom? Do you even know what you did to me?"