I Got Engaged To The Blind Duke - Chapter 206

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke Episode 206

 

Smith put down the sandwich he was eating and stretched his bangs, speaking apologetically.

 

“Do I look stuffy?”

 

“No. I just thought it might be nice to look neat in front of your parents, but I’m sorry.”

 

Priana quickly shook her head. It wasn’t like she had fallen for his appearance. She was worried that her thoughtless words might have hurt him somehow.

 

She took out a new sandwich with an apologetic face and offered it to him.

 

“Please eat.”

 

Smith quietly gazed at Priana, his fiancée.

 

The only woman who had trusted him despite all his secrets.

 

He had fled from his brothers to the capital and lived as inconspicuously as possible among people. He covered his face and deliberately opened a bookstore near the Western Ducal Residence, a place his brothers despised.

 

He thought he would live quietly like this for the rest of his life.

 

Without anyone knowing. Just like air.

 

But after meeting the person he loved, he began to question whether his choice had been right.

 

Should he have stood up and fought?

 

Had his choice to avoid anyone getting hurt or killed been cowardly?

 

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to eat?”

 

Priana pushed the sandwich forward even more.

 

When he swept his bangs back slightly, his straight forehead was revealed.

 

“I’ll go like this when I visit your parents.”

 

Priana asked with her eyes if he was really okay.

 

Smith took the sandwich she offered and nodded.

 

Only then did relief appear on her previously tense face.

 

“Oh, I’m planning to bring an acquaintance next time.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Lady Marine Schwentz. She’s His Grace the Western Duke’s fiancée.”

 

Smith stopped eating again, looking surprised.

 

“Her hobby is reading too. Just like me, right?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

Priana’s eyes lit up as she talked about her.

 

“She seemed like a smart and good person. I recently attended the Marquis’s Daughter’s tea party.”

 

While his lover was telling him about that time, his mind was working in complicated ways.

 

Although he had settled near the Western Ducal Residence, he hadn’t expected to have any contact with the Western Duke.

 

Would it be okay?

 

But his worry was brief, as listening to Priana chatter excitedly for the first time in a while made him think it was needless concern.

 

Right. As long as he wasn’t discovered, it would be fine.

 

“Are you listening to me?”

 

“Of course. So what happened to the Marquis’s Daughter?”

 

“There are rumors that she was banished from her Family House.”

 

“How troublesome. It must be difficult to let go of the noble life.”

 

Bitterness naturally seeped into the end of his words.

 

“It probably would be. Still, rumors about Lady Adriana have completely entered high society.”

 

“As expected of the Western Duke.”

 

When Smith chuckled and spoke, Priana looked at him with a surprised expression.

 

“Do you know His Grace?”

 

He spoke deliberately more cheerfully while wearing a smile.

 

“Is there anyone in the Empire who doesn’t know the Western Duke?”

 

“That’s true.”

 

The two looked at each other and laughed, continuing their conversation.

 

Meanwhile, at that moment.

 

“Found you.”

 

A man hiding against the wall across from the bookstore quickly turned and ran away.

 

He had come up empty for months, but this time he was certain.

 

* * *

 

The Crown Prince’s office.

 

Alexpect, frowning, looked at the invitation the attendant had delivered and then raised his gaze.

 

Behind the brightly smiling attendant, gifts were piled up abundantly.

 

“Your Highness. Won’t you open them?”

 

The attendant asked casually while observing the Crown Prince’s expression.

 

The Crown Prince silently placed the invitation beside his desk with a stoic face.

 

“Lately, it seems letters and invitations have been coming frequently. Many gifts are arriving too.”

 

The attendant spoke with an excited face.

 

There was no noble who didn’t know that the Emperor was oppressing his lord. Because of this, nobles often treated his lord like leftovers.

 

But lately, gifts from nobles had been pouring in.

 

He didn’t know what the reason was, but he was proud that his lord was finally being recognized in noble society.

 

“I see. Send all the gifts back soon.”

 

“What? But…”

 

“Hurry.”

 

“…I understand.”

 

The attendant answered hesitantly.

 

He couldn’t understand his lord’s thinking at all.

 

There were so many places to decorate in this desolate palace. It was only frustrating that he was told to return all the gifts.

 

“You may withdraw now.”

 

“Yes.”

 

The attendant bowed and left.

 

Alexpert’s face grew deeply troubled. The invitations and letters set aside on one corner of his desk caught his eye.

 

Was this the time the Duke had spoken of?

 

What on earth do the nobles want from him?

 

Do they believe he can bring down His Majesty the Emperor? Why should he have to bring down Father?

 

He felt like he was standing before an endless cliff.

 

Even knowing that one step forward would mean falling to his death, invisible hands were pushing him.

 

His chest tightened and breathing became difficult, so he turned his gaze away.

 

Outside the window, he could see a pair of birds flying across the blue sky.

 

They looked free and affectionate.

 

Could he live like that with Dia?

 

* * *

 

In the ducal reception room, Marine was having a pleasant conversation with Priana.

 

She got along very well with her, having met several times since the tea party. She was happy to be able to converse so freely with a lady of her own age.

 

“The place we’re visiting today is the bookstore run by your fiancé, Lady Priana?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Priana nodded with a shy smile.

 

“Running a bookstore, how wonderful that is.”

 

As soon as those words fell, the reception room door burst open.

 

“Who’s wonderful?”

 

Startled, Marine and Priana simultaneously turned their heads to look toward the door.

 

“Gerald!”

 

Along with Marine’s sharp cry, Priana quickly stood up and greeted the Duke.

 

“I greet His Grace the Duke. I am Priana of House Malcolm.”

 

“You had a guest.”

 

Marine narrowed her eyes and glared at Gerald.

 

He clearly heard everything, yet he’s pretending not to know.

 

“So who, why, and how is wonderful?”

 

Gerald’s persistent gaze fixed on Marine.

 

Marine let out an awkward laugh and looked back at Priana with an apologetic face.

 

“Just a moment.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Marine quickly approached Gerald and pushed him out of the reception room.

 

“Please stop this.”

 

This is really embarrassing.

 

“That’s not what I was asking about though?”

 

Gerald narrowed his eyes and raised his eyebrows in displeasure.

 

Really, this man.

 

A man who would be admirable to anyone becomes more childish than Peridot once he starts getting jealous.

 

“Lady Malcolm’s fiancé runs a bookstore. We’re planning to visit there today.”

 

“To that wonderful person?”

 

Gerald crossed his arms in front of his chest and grumbled openly.

 

“Gerald, aren’t you busy?”

 

“I’m not busy.”

 

At that moment, her gaze caught Oliver, who was stuck to the wall like a cicada. Marine pretended not to notice him as much as possible for his sake.

 

“We’re going to leave now, so please stop.”

 

“I was just about to go out too.”

 

“Where to?”

 

Marine looked up at him with a ‘no way’ expression.

 

“Where do you think?”

 

When Gerald asked back childishly, Marine put her hand on her waist and said firmly.

 

“Don’t follow us.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Were you really going to follow us?”

 

When Marine looked at him with an incredulous face, he exercised his right to remain silent with a sullen expression.

 

Marine narrowed her eyes and warned him once more.

 

“Really don’t follow us!”

 

At her serious gaze, Gerald finally took a step back.

 

“…Fine.”

 

“Hmph.”

 

Marine snorted and went back into the Reception Room to bring out Priana.

 

Priana glanced at the Duke who was radiating a dangerous atmosphere and bowed her head.

 

“W-we’ll be going now.”

 

Gerald silently acknowledged the greeting with a nod.

 

Even after the two left, Gerald remained standing in the same spot without moving.

 

After a long while, Gerald’s lips opened.

 

“Oliver.”

 

Oliver, who had been standing quietly next to the Reception Room door, quickly went to stand beside the Duke.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Investigate that handsome person.”

 

“That’s…”

 

When Oliver trailed off, Gerald turned around with fierce eyes.

 

“Yes. I understand.”

 

Oliver swallowed the advice that it might be better not to do it.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————