I Got Engaged To The Blind Duke - Chapter 71
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I Got Engaged to a Blind Duke Episode 71
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Gerald set down the glass on the desk after drinking the Mandelesong extract that Kay had prepared.
The bitter and astringent taste spread throughout his mouth. Though he drank the extract once a day, it was a taste he could never get used to.
Kay quickly cleared away the glass.
The fact that he drank Mandelesong was top secret. He hadn’t even told Marine.
The poison component that had given her stomach pain had no effect on him whatsoever.
Since there had been an effect when he applied Mandelesong to his eyes, he simply hoped drinking it would be somewhat more effective.
As Kay hid his body in the shadows, Gerald habitually touched the blindfold placed on his desk.
On the desk was also a report that the butler had left.
The interrogation of the former Count Norman had ended long ago. The assets he had embezzled from the Viscount Schwentz’s estate no longer existed, having already been spent.
It was because his son Gobiem, after inheriting the viscount title, had spent money like water on gambling and entertainment.
The fortune disappeared quickly, and debts actually increased. It seemed he had planned to repay the debts by reinvesting with the dowry he would receive after marrying into Count Wears’ family.
At that moment, he sensed Marine’s presence outside the office door.
“Come in.”
She entered pushing a trolley.
“Gerald, I succeeded! I’m on my way back from putting your nephews to sleep! Ahem!”
Marine’s voice was full of excitement.
“The nephews fell asleep?”
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
It was a relief. The fact that the children couldn’t sleep was something even Oliver had missed.
When she came to him saying she wanted to put the children to sleep using her method, he had immediately given permission.
He knew better than anyone the agony of being unable to sleep. The children were already suffering enough. He didn’t want to add anything more to that.
“…Thank you.”
Gerald spoke sincerely.
“Yes. I’ve received your thanks properly.”
When she deliberately responded more playfully, a deep smile appeared on his lips.
“Tell me your wish.”
“Suddenly?”
Marine, who burst into laughter, said exactly what she had said before.
“It’s a reward.”
He also said exactly the same thing.
The day he had walked with her came to mind. It had been sudden, fun, and sad.
“You won’t count numbers right away this time, will you?”
Marine asked in a suspicious voice.
“Right. Think about it for a long time. Tell me whenever you want to say it.”
“Good!”
Marine answered energetically.
“Are you in a good mood right now?”
“Of course!”
“I see.”
Gerald covered the report on his desk with his arm. He didn’t want to ruin her good mood with such documents.
“Why are you suddenly asking about my mood?”
“What’s wrong with a fiancé asking about his fiancée’s mood?”
“Hmm.”
He could feel her footsteps approaching cautiously.
“Why?”
“You’re hiding something from me right now, aren’t you?”
“Why are you suddenly acting so perceptive?”
She chuckled at his prickly tone.
“Because I saw you covering something with your arm just now.”
Gerald hesitated for a moment, then pushed the report so she could see it.
“What is this that you’re hiding…”
Marine, who was speaking while flipping through the report, stopped talking.
Rustle, rustle.
Only the sound of pages turning echoed in the quiet office.
Gerald waited with parched throat tension for words to fall from her lips.
Would she cry? The countless hardships that Marine and her mother must have endured due to the fake contract were beyond what he could dare imagine.
After a moment, Marine placed the report back on the desk.
No sound came from her.
When he listened carefully, her heartbeat was beating faster and faster.
She must be angry.
“…What happens now?”
“I wanted to confiscate the viscount’s assets and return them to you, but they’re already buried in debt. You won’t be able to get the money back. Of course, the former viscount will rot in prison for life and never come out, and his son will be the same. Do you perhaps want their deaths?”
He could feel Marine slowly shaking her head.
“I can’t forgive them that easily. If they die, it’s over. I want them to live miserably and continue to suffer. Give them the hardest labor. Tell them to work hard and at least pay back our family’s money. Only give them one meal a day. Where do they have time to eat? They need to pay back the money.”
Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke calmly and quietly.
Was she trying hard to hold back tears?
“I’ll do that.”
Soon the sound of crumpling the report could be heard.
Gerald raised his head toward the direction where she was standing.
“You’re not going to show this to the Baroness?”
“No. I won’t show it to her.”
Marine earnestly crumpled the report page by page.
She couldn’t show something like this to Mom.
While she was hovering between life and death and realizing her past life, Roanna had her assets stolen by creditors with her frail body.
When she opened her eyes, all the assets had already been transferred.
She was so busy making ends meet that she didn’t even have the leisure to look into how the debt had come about in detail.
If Mother learned the facts written in this report, she would surely blame herself.
She might fall ill again from the mental shock.
When she was finally pulling herself together and getting healthy.
It would be a lie to say her heart didn’t ache.
The viscount who did wrong would pay for his sins for life, and she would earn more money than that viscount.
That was enough. She thought that was enough, but…
The tears that had formed in her eyes finally fell with a plop.
Fortunately, the Duke’s eyes couldn’t see. It would be embarrassing to cry after pretending to be okay.
But the Duke suddenly stood up abruptly.
He approached her with his long legs in one stride and covered her eyes with his large palm.
Her vision became as dark as the night sky.
“…I didn’t have time to prepare a handkerchief.”
The Duke whispered as if making an excuse.
His hand was so large it almost covered her entire face.
Marine wrapped both hands around the Duke’s large hand. His hand had an unexpectedly natural scent. Ah, was it the fragrance of Mandelesong grass?
“This handkerchief is quite dark.”
“Yes.”
His calm voice became the signal.
Marine buried her face in his large hands and burst into tears she had been holding back. When she couldn’t see what was in front of her, her embarrassment also disappeared.
Marine let out her grief as she thought of her deceased Father and Brother in turn, and Mom who had suffered after being deceived by bad people.
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Dia opened her eyes feeling refreshed for the first time in a long while.
Refreshed?
When she looked around with a startled face, the Room was dyed in blue dawn light.
When she looked down at the weight she felt on her thighs, Garnet was sleeping soundly with her face against Dia’s legs.
What about Peridot? When she looked at the Bed, Peridot was also sleeping peacefully.
What on earth is this about?
When she tried to get up to lay Garnet down, she felt the Blanket covering her body.
She had no memory of covering herself with a Blanket.
The Duke’s Fiancée, Marine.
Did she put all three of us to sleep?
How on earth?
When Marine started reading the Fairy Tale Book, she had indeed listened while focusing without realizing it.
The gentle voice wrapped around her whole body warmly, and it felt like sitting by a warm fireplace.
Her last memory was thinking she had fallen asleep listening to Peridot’s steady breathing.
It was late afternoon when they entered this Room, but now it’s dawn. She had slept for almost half a day without waking up even once.
“Mmm nom nom.”
She let Garnet stretch her legs on the Long Sofa so she could sleep more comfortably, then covered her with a Blanket. She wanted to wake her up and tell her to sleep on the Bed, but she didn’t want to disturb the deep sleep she was having for the first time in a long while.
Dia carefully approached Peridot.
Peridot wasn’t making a tearful face or clenching his fists tightly. Even when he took short naps, he was a Child who always woke up crying as if having nightmares.
Dia quietly lay down next to the Child in case Peridot might wake up again.
Being with Peridot, she could avoid worrying about the Child for the first time in a long while.
Dia quietly looked down at Peridot’s face and thought of the Duke’s Fiancée.
Marine, she had asked her to trust her.
She couldn’t give her the trust she wanted, but she should still express her gratitude.
Dia gently brushed aside the hair covering Peridot’s forehead and watched the sleeping Child for a long time.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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