Chapter 73

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Engaged to the Blind Duke
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"No. Is that an order? But I'm not one of His Grace the Duke's people, so I have no reason to obey it."

Dia stared straight at the duke, who sat with his eyes closed and a cool gaze.

"Your chaperone will be my fiancée."

Was he even listening to her properly?

Sharp thorns sprouted in Dia's chest. Those prickly barbs wanted nothing more than to stab the duke and make him hurt.

"Are you ignoring what I said? Just like when we first arrived and you ignored us? Why did you even take us under your guardianship? Why not just let us live or die on our own? You ignored my mother for all those long years too, didn't you? Now that she's gone, are you finally feeling guilty?"

"......"

"Please don't show us even a shred of pity. We'll live quietly like mice. I won't need a guardian once I'm of age. I'll take my siblings and leave for the south again."

Unable to contain her anger, Dia trembled and shouted.

Looking at the duke's face only reminded her of her mother, fueling her rage even more. His resemblance to the one she missed so dearly made her ache for her mother all the deeper.

"Is it that you don't want Marin as your chaperone?"

"No...... Yes. I don't want it. I don't want His Grace the Duke's fiancée as my chaperone."

"If there's someone you prefer......"

"Stop! Why do you even care about my debut?"

"It's something every noblewoman must do."

"Why? So I can get married? To produce heirs?"

Dia poured out her words in a frenzy, then suddenly realized the chilling truth.

This man intends to marry me off. That's why he's trying to separate me from my siblings.

"That's one reason, yes."

"You're so brutally honest it's almost refreshing."

Dia clenched her fists tightly. Her nails dug into her soft flesh, causing pain. It felt good that way. Otherwise, tears would have spilled out.

"No. No matter what, I will not go to the capital for a debut. Then I'll take my leave, Your Grace."

Dia gathered her dress, gave a polite curtsey, and turned away coldly.

She knew it was incredibly rude to leave first without being dismissed. But she was too furious to hold back.

The duke neither reproached her rudeness nor tried to stop her.

As she walked toward the study door, she noticed it was slightly ajar. Just as she reached to fling it open, Marin stood there waiting.

Their eyes met, and Marin gave a bright smile.

Dia instinctively covered her trembling lips.

Did she hear?

She had shouted in the study that she didn't want her. Dia hadn't yet figured out how to handle Marin's kindness, but she certainly didn't hate it.

"Um......"

Dia's face was filled with guilt as she struggled to part her lips, but Marin gently stopped her.

"Lady, it's all right."

So she did hear.

Fear gripped her suddenly. What if she won't look after Perido anymore?

Reading her expression, Marin spoke softly, as if comforting her.

"Don't worry, Lady. I'll teach Ruby and Perido well too."

Dia met Marin's eyes and thought to herself.

I won't do a debut, but if she were my chaperone, I could really trust her.

"......Thank you."

"Go on now. Your siblings are waiting."

"Yes."

She wanted to apologize and say it wasn't how she truly felt, but she didn't want to do it where the duke might hear.

Dia bowed to Marin and forced her reluctant feet to move.

***

Marin watched Dia's dejected retreating figure before stepping into the duke's study. To make her anger obvious, she stomped her feet loudly with each step.

Then she approached the duke, slammed the report she was carrying onto his desk, and planted her hands on her hips.

"Why?"

The duke asked calmly.

"Are you the grand prize winner of the 'How to Talk the Rudest' contest or something?"

"Is there such a contest?"

As if.

The duke waited silently for her response, so Marin grumbled.

"No."

"Good thing. Sounds boring."

The duke let out a small chuckle.

"Why do you always have to talk so rudely?"

"I was just being honest."

Now she understood why Olive had shoved the report into her hands and urged her to hurry to the study.

"So why only be half-honest? Do you know how a noblewoman who skips her debut will be treated? Do you have any idea how much this society will torment her? Why skip that part?"

Marin stared at the duke with pitying eyes.

This clumsy man, so fixated on protection, apparently couldn't foresee how his actions would only hurt his niece more.

How on earth could she bridge the gap between the duke and his nieces and nephews?

"......Was it hard?"

After a pause, the duke asked.

"For who? Me?"

"Yes."

"Well, a little. But I was quickly pushed out of noble society and lived like a commoner, so I didn't suffer the disdain for long."

"Who disdained you?"

A murderous aura instantly radiated from him as soon as he finished speaking.

Marin hastily brought her hands from her hips and clasped them politely in front of her.

Yes, she was scared.

"It was a long time ago. Gerald, that scary aura......"

He quickly reined it in and slid the report across the desk toward her.

"Write it down."

"Pardon?"

Marin blinked in wide-eyed surprise.

"Write down the names of those who disdained you."

What is this, a Death Note?

"Th-this is a report."

"Does the report have no blank spaces? Write it on top if you have to."

He was utterly unyielding.

Marin couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Why are you laughing?"

He asked gruffly.

"You already punished them. Gobium, remember?"

Marin bit her lip to stifle the laughter bubbling up.

She had endured everything alone while caring for her mother. Now that someone had her back—and was so overwhelmingly strong—it felt indescribably reassuring.

She wished his nieces and nephews would see his heart soon too.

The duke lifted his head as if looking right at her.

Marin took a deep breath to suppress her smile, picked up the report, and said.

"I'll read the report to you."

"Fine. And write down anyone else who comes to mind."

Wow, you're relentless.

***

* * *

Roanna sat on a bench outside the annex, enjoying the fresh outdoor air after so long.

The winter air stung at her nose, but the sunlight pouring down was warm.

The blue leaves hanging from the winter trees were impressive. As expected, the view from inside through a window was nothing like being out here.

"Yuria."

"Yes."

Yuria, who had been watching her worriedly from behind the bench, answered quickly.

"I told you I'm fine out here."

"No, Madam, you really can't. I'll fetch another blanket. Please wait just a moment."

"It's fine......"

Before Roanna could raise her hand to stop her, Yuria dashed back into the annex.

She was already wrapped up tight in a thick blanket. Sometimes, Yuria fussed more than her own daughter.

It was troubling how fragile her body was, enough to worry everyone around her.

Roanna closed her eyes with a faint smile. With her eyes shut, the sounds around her became even more vivid.

She had heard that the duke's nieces and nephews were staying in the annex, and sure enough, there were far more people's voices now.

She had glimpsed the duke from afar once before—he always had his eyes closed.

Did he always focus on sounds like this?

Thinking of him as the man her daughter would marry made her heart heavy.

"Um, are you all right?"

Roanna slowly opened her eyes at the sudden cautious voice.

A cute girl with pale green eyes was looking at her worriedly.

She must have misunderstood Roanna's weary expression and closed eyes as signs of illness.