Chapter 76

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Engaged to the Blind Duke
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“P-Perido’s gone. Perido’s disappeared.”

Dia’s lips, pale as could be, spat out the words in a rush.

“What…….”

It had barely been a few hours since she’d seen Perido’s face, fast asleep after listening to the fairy tale she’d read him.

“What if someone kidnapped Perido? What if someone did that again…….”

Dia trailed off, swaying weakly on her feet.

Marin hurried forward and grabbed Dia’s shoulders, locking eyes intensely with her vacant gaze.

“Miss. That won’t happen. This is the Duke’s Castle, after all. Go tell Sir Gerald what’s going on first. I’ll look for Perido.”

Tears plopped down from Dia’s wide eyes.

“I’m sorry. Thank you…….”

“Wait a second.”

Marin cut her off and rushed into the room. She grabbed a thick robe and came back out, draping it over Dia’s shoulders.

“It’s cold. Put this on. I’ll find him quick, too.”

“Yes.”

After watching Dia hurry downstairs, Marin went back inside.

She shed her nightgown and threw on the easiest dress to wear, then shrugged on a heavy coat.

She descended to the second floor and scanned the mood—the hallway was silent. Dia must have deliberately not woken the other siblings.

Marin flung open the door to the annex and stepped out.

A world of pure white stretched before her. The snow from last night gleamed blindingly in the moonlight.

Crunch, crunch.

Marin trudged through the snow, making a beeline for the garden with the Mandelsong. It nagged at her—the place she’d gone with Perido just a few days ago.

In the pitch-black night, her white breath spread like watercolor.

“Perido, are you here? Perido!”

She reached the garden and looked around, but clouds hid the moon, leaving everything pitch dark.

Why now, of all times.

Marin groped ahead with outstretched hands.

“Perido. Perido.”

Just then, the clouds parted from the moon, bathing the area in milky light.

She looked down and spotted tiny footprints in the snow.

Found him.

Thank goodness—no adult footprints beside the child’s. Her heart, clenched in tension, finally loosened. He must have come out alone.

Only then did her mind start turning, and she remembered someone she’d forgotten.

“El. You here?”

As Marin spoke to the empty air, El suddenly appeared behind her.

“Yes.”

“Do the children have someone like you, too?”

“Shadows protect only direct kin.”

“I’m not direct kin.”

“The lady who will become his wife is an exception.”

Did El not know about the contract? Not important right now, anyway.

“You still always check on the children’s safety, right?”

“Yes. The young master is safe.”

“Phew, good. Does Sir Gerald know?”

“Yes. Kay must have reported it. He’ll come this way with Miss Dia.”

***

“Yeah. Thanks.”

El gave a slight bow and vanished again.

Marin followed the child’s footprints in the snow with quick steps.

She’d been tracking just the small prints when they suddenly stopped. Tall trees all around had kept the snow from piling up.

She looked up, and there was the spire Perido had pointed out a few days ago.

A wooden barricade encircled it like a warning to stay away.

Marin checked around, hoping for some small gap.

There.

The bottom of the wooden wall had rotted away, leaving an opening. Crushed snow around it showed Perido had crawled through.

Marin curled up small and slipped inside. Good thing she was petite and skinny for times like this.

She straightened up past the hole and quickly scanned the area.

The door to the spire’s first floor stood half-open.

Marin passed through the ancient-looking spire door and entered.

Pitch black inside, without a single light. Her eyes, accustomed to moonlight, saw nothing, and fear jolted her.

How had Perido climbed up here?

Marin felt her way up the rough stone wall with her hands. Fortunately, she was gradually adjusting to the dark.

She probed for stairs with her toes, stepping carefully, heading upward.

At last, she reached the top, where another firmly shut door awaited.

Marin pushed hard on the door, and old hinges creaked loudly.

Scramble.

She heard a small child scrambling inside.

Thankfully, moonlight filtered through a window once she stepped in.

“Perido?”

Marin called softly to avoid scaring him, her eyes darting around.

A bed, wardrobe, desk—like someone had lived here. But the bed was tiny.

No way a child lived in a place like this. Ridiculous.

The mere thought hurt her heart, so Marin pushed it away.

“Perido. It’s Teacher Marin.”

The wardrobe door stood slightly ajar. Perido must be hiding inside.

Marin hesitated—should she open it or not?

“Perido, may Teacher open this door?”

Without seeing his face, she couldn’t read his lips.

“Open it.”

Marin gently eased the door open so as not to frighten him.

Perido had buried his face in his knees, curled up tight.

Marin knelt down and peered at his face.

“P-Peri……do.”

Perido kept his face hidden and flailed his hands wildly. The boy who’d loved talking with her was refusing conversation.

Why come here? How did he even know about this place?

Just then, urgent footsteps echoed up the stairs.

The door flew open, and Dia rushed in first, holding a candle. The Duke appeared behind her.

“Perido! What are you doing here? Why are you here?”

Dia gazed at Perido, her face upset and tearful. She still wore only the robe Marin had given her. Must have been single-minded about finding her brother, cold or not.

Perido buried his face deeper into his knees.

“Perido, come out. Come on out and let’s go. Okay?”

Dia reached out soothingly, but Perido didn’t budge from the wardrobe.

“You keep upsetting your big sister? Perido.”

Even as Dia spoke in a sad voice, Perido stayed put.

She glanced at Marin with eyes pleading for help.

But Marin didn’t know how to help either, so she gave a slight shake of her head.

***

At that moment.

“Perido.”

The Duke’s lips parted for the first time from where he stood behind them.

At the Duke’s voice, Perido snapped his head up. The child’s small face was streaked with tears.

He burst from the wardrobe and ran to the Duke.

Marin and Dia watched in shock.

Perido reached the Duke and pounded on his legs furiously.

“Ughhh.”

“Perido!”

Dia, pale as a ghost, tried to stop him, but the boy shook her off roughly. He kept hammering the Duke’s legs with tiny fists.

“Ughhhhaaa—why! Why come!”

“Perido!”

Dia froze mid-reach as Perido suddenly spoke.

Marin’s eyes went wide in astonishment. Perido had finally made a sound.

But the Duke stood expressionless, unmoving.

Marin anxiously glanced between Perido and the Duke.

Eyes closed, the Duke stood like a statue, taking the child’s blows without reaction.

“Why come here? Mommy should come! Why Duke Vines come! Why! Mommy said she’d come if I wait! Said she’d come if I stay quiet here without talking. But Duke comes and Mommy won’t come! Why come? Why!”

Dia covered her mouth, tears streaming down as Perido poured out his words.

Marin clapped a hand over her mouth.

The reason the child hadn’t spoken: fear that if he did, Mommy wouldn’t come.

“Now I talked and Mommy won’t come, right? I’ll never see Mommy again……”