Chapter 84

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Engaged to the Blind Duke
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“I must have mistaken the time. I’m sorry. All the young ladies begged to see my dress, so I couldn’t help it.”

Seeing Susan so naturally shift the blame onto the young ladies, the ones standing behind shot her dissatisfied looks.

“Oh, so in the west, you invite guests just to gawk at dresses.”

Dia pressed relentlessly.

“There are so many young ones still.”

Susan forced an awkward smile and blamed the other young ladies once more.

Perhaps realizing she’d just keep apologizing if she stayed by Dia’s side any longer, Susan glanced around.

“Well, this is a celebration for the debutantes, so shall we all raise our champagne glasses?”

The young ladies lifted their champagne glasses.

“Here’s to the debut of the young ladies. Especially Lady Adria, who’s been through so much—congratulations!”

Susan beamed as she raised her glass high.

With no men at the party, the young ladies each took a sip of champagne.

Meanwhile, Dia’s face had gone rigid. Marin hurried over to her side.

“Are you okay?”

“Teacher Marin. I don’t like it here. Let’s just go.”

Marin looked at Dia with an apologetic expression.

“I wanted to help you make some friends.”

“But Teacher Marin is my friend.”

Dia’s eyes went wide, as if asking what kind of nonsense that was.

Marin burst into laughter at her words.

“Thank you for saying that.”

“I’m grateful to you too...”

“Oh my, what thick skin. Is that how she seduced His Grace, pretending to be all sweet?”

Dia froze mid-sentence, her face stricken by the sudden voice.

Marin patted Dia’s hand as if to reassure her. Now that her past was out in the open, she’d expected remarks like this.

“Even after losing her purity, she clings to His Grace. It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

“Her family’s ruined, isn’t it?”

“Lady Adria must be clueless. That’s why she’s sticking around.”

“How pitiful.”

Their malice was thick, dark, and vile.

Dia gazed at Marin with worried eyes.

Marin smiled as if it was nothing and swallowed a sigh.

This much barely fazed her. The real issue was that Dia, just by being there, had to hear things she shouldn’t.

She’d tried to hold back, but these fools were tugging at a sleeping lion’s whiskers.

Marin patted Dia’s hand once more, then whipped around to face the young ladies whispering among themselves.

They were all Dia’s age or younger, exchanging awkward glances.

These little girls putting on a show like some play?

It was so absurd her fighting spirit fizzled out.

Susan, who had approached them unnoticed, opened her red lips with a stern expression.

“Oh my, ladies. You can’t just say things like that.”

“Sister, why not? It’s all true.”

The blonde young lady, who seemed to be the ringleader of the younger ones, shot Susan a look as if asking why she’d butted in so late.

“Even if it’s true, it’s rude.”

Marin snorted.

***

She’d thought the hostess was trying to intervene, but no—she was treating lies as established fact.

Dia glanced at her with a hurt expression.

Just then, a round-faced young lady hurried over to where the younger ones were gathered.

“Ladies, you can’t just say things like that. If you spread lies, His Grace will punish you.”

She spoke as if gently scolding the young ones, but it was clearly a warning.

“I heard it too. After going through something like that, shouldn’t she stay away from His Grace?”

The blonde pressed.

The round-faced young lady shook her head with a troubled look.

“Lady, that’s enough.”

“Oh my, Lady Borandi. Why are you like this to my little sister? It’s unexpected. You were so smitten with His Grace, and now you’re trying to cover up the truth.”

Susan sneered at the round-faced young lady, Borandi.

Borandi’s face flushed bright red, and she spoke in a frail, trembling voice.

“Lady Susan. Of course I respect His Grace, but spreading such nonsense...”

“Respect? Was sneaking into His Grace’s room part of that respect?”

Susan’s red lips curved into a painted-on smile.

“Lady Susan, what are you talking about? I’ve never done such a thing!”

Borandi protested with an indignant face.

For a noble lady, sneaking into a man’s room was the worst disgrace imaginable.

The surrounding young ladies stared at Borandi in shock.

“Wasn’t it some other lady?”

“I thought it was someone else...”

A few young ladies glanced back and forth between Susan and Borandi.

“Lady Susan! Why would you say such a thing? I absolutely did not do that!”

Borandi’s lips quivered with frustration.

“Oh my, I just heard the story. No evidence, so what can we do?”

Cruelty glinted in Susan’s green eyes.

She knew the rumors quietly circulating among the young ladies pinned the deed on her. But now, a perfect scapegoat had appeared to take the fall. It was an opportunity.

Tears welled up in Borandi’s large, aggrieved eyes.

Unable to stand it any longer, Marin stepped in.

“Enough with the lies, Lady Air.”

Susan turned and glared at Marin.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“The one who broke into His Grace’s room was you, Lady Air. Why pin it on another lady?”

Susan shot Marin a venomous glare.

“Lady Schwenz, you’re the one slinging baseless accusations at me.”

“What if there is evidence?”

Marin met Susan’s eyes squarely.

Zero’s words suddenly came to mind—something about heading off to fight. For an alchemist, he was sharp.

“If there’s evidence, then please show it to these ladies.”

Susan spoke confidently, her face full of mockery.

With neither the duke nor the aide here to testify that day, there couldn’t possibly be any evidence.

“Very well. Since you’ve given permission yourself, I’ll show you.”

As Marin touched her bracelet, a video suddenly appeared in the center of the greenhouse.

In the video, a slightly younger Susan lay on a wide bed, clutching a pillow to her face.

[His Grace’s scent like this. If I take this, will I get caught?]

Just then, the door opened silently, and the duke appeared in the video.

Marin stared, mesmerized, at the duke’s pitch-black eyes, though she’d seen it before.

His silver eyes were beautiful, but those eyes black as night were beautiful too.

***

[Stealing something so pointless means she’s no spy.]

Susan froze at the duke’s cold tone.

[I’m Lady Susan Air. She’s no spy.]

Olive, entering behind him, looked at her with pity.

[What a waste of time. Send her away.]

The duke turned away coldly.

Finally snapping out of it, Susan scrambled up from the bed.

[Your Grace, I...]

[Lady. Sneaking into someone’s room is a crime.]

[I... I got lost.]

[Lost, yet burying your face in the pillow?]

Susan burst into tears at Olive’s sharp rebuke.

[I just love Your Grace so much...]

[Ha, lady. You’re young, so His Grace forgave you this time, but you’d best stay out of his sight from now on.]

Olive warned her with a pathetic look.

Susan fled the duke’s room in tears, and the floating video vanished.

The young ladies in the greenhouse fell deathly silent.

Susan stared blankly into space at the sight of herself.

“Ha, Lady Air! And you tried to frame me after that?!”

Borandi’s voice trembled with bitter betrayal.