I Got Engaged To The Blind Duke - Chapter 82

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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 82

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Knock knock. At the sound of knocking on the door, Marine looked up from her book and answered.

“Please come in.”

The door opened and she could see Dia holding the thick gown she had lent her before.

“Excuse me.”

“Come in, Dia.”

When Marine offered Dia a chair, she sat down carefully. She held out the gown she had been carrying and bowed her head slightly.

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

Marine smiled as she received the gown and placed it on the table.

When she looked up, Dia was staring at her with a face that seemed to have something to say.

“I’m a very good listener.”

At Marine’s playful words, Dia smiled shyly.

“I heard you’re going to be my chaperone.”

“That’s right.”

“But why aren’t you trying to convince me to go to the debutante ball?”

Marine’s eyes widened as if she was being asked something obvious.

“That’s up to Dia’s heart. If you want to go, go. If you don’t want to go, don’t go.”

“Duke wants me to go.”

“Oh, I’m sorry about that. He probably felt that way more because of me.”

At Marine’s sudden apology, doubt arose in Dia’s dark green eyes.

“What do you mean…?”

“I couldn’t go to the debutante ball. Something happened.”

“Yes…”

Dia looked down and trailed off awkwardly.

“Huh? Did you hear about it?”

Marine asked with a surprised expression.

“Yes. From Baroness.”

Dia nodded slightly with an apologetic face.

“Wow, from Mom? My mom doesn’t usually talk about such things. Oh, were you surprised? I’m older than Dia but I still call her Mom.”

Marine laughed awkwardly.

“No. I’m envious that you have someone to call that.”

Dia shook her head with serious eyes.

“Anyway, because of what Dia heard about, I couldn’t go to the debutante ball. After that, I was ignored by the nobles. So Gerald probably pressured Dia more because of that.”

Dia’s complexion darkened.

“I actually don’t understand Duke well. What he’s thinking, how he thinks of us.”

Marine looked at Dia with calm eyes and carefully chose her words.

“Well, I think it’s natural for Dia to think that way. Actually, that’s something Gerald should handle well. If I may defend Gerald on one thing, he has many enemies.”

Dia’s dark green eyes wavered as she fell into thought.

Marine quietly waited for Dia to think it through.

“I’ll go to the debutante ball. And I want to ask Duke about it.”

Marine looked at Dia with encouraging eyes.

* * *

She stood in front of the Duke’s office door.

She thought she would never come here again.

Dia raised her hand with a tense face that made her pale skin stand out. In one hand was Mother’s handkerchief that she had taken from her luggage.

“Come in.”

Before she could even knock, the Duke’s voice came first.

Where are the candles?

She should have looked carefully when Oliver picked up the candle.

But no matter how much she looked around, she couldn’t see any candles.

It was actually better this way. The Duke couldn’t see anyway since his eyes were closed, and it seemed better for her not to see the Duke’s expression either.

Dia carefully opened the office door and her eyes widened.

The office, which she had expected to be dark, was bright with sunlight streaming in.

As she walked closer to the Duke’s desk, there was a long sofa she hadn’t seen before. On the sofa, she could see children’s toys. On the table in front of the sofa, there were also drawings made with pastels.

She knew Peridot came every day, but she hadn’t expected him to be so considerate of Peridot.

Dia stopped in place and stared at the Duke.

“What is it?”

“Why? Why do you go this far?”

Dia asked accusingly.

“…”

The Duke with his eyes closed didn’t answer.

“Making us hope, why do you go this far?”

Her voice naturally rose because she felt frustrated.

After Parents died, she couldn’t trust anyone.

But when the Duke saved Sisters from the devil-like Kilon. When he found Peridot.

She thought maybe he was an adult she could trust.

But as soon as she came to Duke’s Castle, her expectations were crushed to the ground.

And now she didn’t know. Just let her hate him. Why did he keep making her want to trust him again?

“Why did you say that? The words about not hating Mother but hating you instead. Why did you say such things?”

“Because it’s the truth.”

The Duke’s lips finally opened.

“I heard from Teacher Marine. That Duke has many enemies.”

“That’s also true.”

“Because of those enemies, did you deliberately throw a party on the day we arrived to make it seem like you were ignoring us? Is that why you never came to see us? Please tell me, please!”

Dia stared at the Duke’s face with anxious eyes.

The Duke resembled Mother.

But the two were very different. Mother had various expressions, but the Duke was always expressionless.

That’s why it was hard to read the Duke’s heart. She needed to hear an answer from him.

“…I’m sorry.”

The Duke indirectly admitted it.

Thank goodness. Relief spread deep into her body at the fact that the Duke didn’t hate them.

She realized she didn’t want to be hated by the only adult left.

She turned her head because she felt like crying, and Peridot’s drawing on the table caught her eye. Sisters, the Duke, and even Teacher Marine were drawn in it.

“I’ll go to the debutante ball.”

The Duke’s head snapped up. A look of relief flashed across his expressionless face.

“Just as you have been doing to deceive your enemies, I will also act distant. But please continue to cherish Peridot as you do now. Child likes Duke very much.”

Dia held out the handkerchief she had been clutching in her hand to the Duke.

“This.”

“…”

The Duke received it silently. She could see his careful touch as if feeling the texture of the old handkerchief.

“It was what Mom treasured most.”

“….”

The Duke pressed his lips tightly together as if holding back overwhelming emotions.

Dia already knew the words written on that old handkerchief. Her mother had always shown it to her proudly.

[Congratulations on your marriage. Sister.]

* * *

“Lady Marine.”

Marine encountered Oliver in the corridor leading to the library.

“What brings you here?”

“I was looking for you, my lady. You’ve been so busy lately.”

Marine smiled and nodded her head.

“That’s right. Even I think I’ve been completely busy these days.”

Oliver smiled gently at her playful tone.

“An invitation has arrived for you and Miss Dia.”

“For both of us?”

Since the last party, tea party invitations had come occasionally, but they had been politely declining them all. Though they would have to accept an invitation sometime.

“It was sent by Lady Susan Air of Count Air’s estate.”

She could sense an uncomfortable feeling in Oliver’s voice.

“Do you know this lady too, Oliver?”

“Do you know her as well, my lady?”

Worry showed in Oliver’s gaze.

“I saw her at the last party.”

“Then you would know. That lady’s personality.”

“I only saw her briefly.”

The look in that lady’s eyes as she glared at her came back to mind.

“Please be careful.”

“Of this lady?”

“Yes. She’s a lady who shows excessive interest in His Grace the Duke.”

“I see.”

That explains it. Marine nodded inwardly.

“Shall I decline the invitation on my own authority?”

“Hmm, I’ve heard about this invitation from Designer Idre. She said it’s organized as a social gathering bringing together young ladies having their debutante. Since Dia doesn’t know anyone in the Western Region, I think it would be better to go together.”

Oliver also seemed to agree with her words, nodding as if he had no choice.

“Then, let’s prepare before you go.”

“Prepare?”

“You should go to Master Zero.”

“To Zeromian?”

“Yes. Master Zero will show you something very precious.”

She could sense a scheme in Oliver’s gentle smile.

“Alright. I’ll go see Zeromian.”

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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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