I Seducing the Black-Hearted Duke Wasn't Me - Chapter 36

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 36
Things were resolving this easily?
“So? Feeling a bit more at ease now?”
“Immensely.”
As I nodded, satisfied with the outcome, color finally returned to Leon’s face.
‘This might actually be simpler than I thought.’
I let out a small sigh of relief, inwardly pinching myself for all the days I’d spent worrying over nothing.
So absorbed was I in the satisfaction of having resolved this particular problem that I didn’t notice what came next.
“So when should I move in?”
“I’m sorry—move in? Where?”
“Where else? Here at the Jaherete Estate, of course.”
“…What?”
“The engagement is set. I’d like to move up the timeline as much as possible.”
Why are you—
I looked at him with the confusion plain in my eyes, and Leon simply responded as if I’d asked the most obvious question in the world.
“We’re engaged now, and we’ll be married soon. Since that’s settled, wouldn’t it be better to spend as much time together as possible? We haven’t even had a proper courtship yet.”
“Wait, no—that doesn’t mean we should live under the same roof right away. I’m not saying I dislike the idea, but you coming to the Marquis Residence just doesn’t sit right with me. And if I were to move to the Grand Duke Residence instead, there are too many matters I can’t abandon here. It’s simply not feasible…”
“Don’t worry, Erna.”
When he says things like that, it makes me worry even more.
“I’ve dreamed of becoming a live-in son-in-law since I was young.”
…
“Besides, isn’t this better for you too? This way I can keep watch from behind the scenes to make sure you don’t cause any trouble.”
Leon smiled wickedly as he spoke.
Perhaps it was my imagination, but even within that angelic face, I could see the shadow of a devil’s grin overlaying it.
‘Damn it.’
It really does seem like I’ve dug my own grave…
Hasn’t it?
* * *
“Erna.”
…
“Erna? I think you should wake up soon.”
Hm…what?
At the sound of a soft voice near my pillow, my drowsy consciousness gradually sharpened.
‘Wait, that voice…?’
I forced my eyes open, apprehensive, and the first thing that came into focus was a blonde beauty gleaming in the morning light.
I stared blankly at him before hastily scanning my surroundings.
All right—at least this is my room.
“What are you doing here?”
I came fully awake in an instant, sitting bolt upright with the blanket clutched tightly around me.
What on earth was Leon doing in my room?
And worse—he’d pulled a chair right up beside my bed and was sitting there watching me. The implications were rather startling.
“Lora said it was about time you woke up.”
“And?”
“Waking one’s fiancée is one of a fiancé’s duties, isn’t it? You didn’t know that, Erna?”
Since when—
When did such an absurd obligation come into existence?
Had there been some tremendous change in custom while I was busy pushing aside the question of love?
As I sat there, dazed by these thoughts, I noticed his face break into a knowing smile right before me.
He’s teasing me. Of course he is.
“Who do you take me for, an idiot?”
“Didn’t work.”
Leon chuckled softly and brushed his fingers gently across my cheek.
It was embarrassing to be touched like this first thing in the morning, and yet I didn’t pull away. For some reason.
I made excuses to myself—it’s early, I’m still groggy, I can’t be bothered to resist—and moved to stop him with words alone.
“Don’t do that.”
“Why? You look pretty first thing in the morning too.”
Why does hearing something like that from Leon feel almost like an insult?
My mood had shifted strangely, but seeing that he seemed quite pleased with himself, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him to stop. So I gave up and closed my mouth.
‘This can’t be good for my heart…’
I could only contemplate such worries as I lay there.
* * *
“To be honest, Marquis, I was never terribly interested in marriage?”
“Don’t lie to me, Lora. You pestered me about getting married constantly.”
“That’s exactly my point! Every time you’d give me that look like you were half-dead and say you weren’t interested, I’d swallow such bitter disappointment. So I’d actually half-given up…… ”
Sniff.
Lora sniffled right beside me, her voice thick with emotion.
‘Goodness. She really is going to cry, isn’t she.’
“But I never knew marriage could be this wonderful…….”
“It’s an engagement, not a marriage.”
“Long live marriage.”
Lora, brushing past my correction, clasped her hands together and spoke with rapturous fervor.
Her gaze was fixed on the scene below us at the First Floor Lobby from where we stood at the Second Floor Railing.
Specifically, on Leon, who was conversing warmly with the butler and other servants.
A week ago.
His declaration that he would become a Live-in Son-in-Law—which I’d naturally assumed was a joke—came true the very next day.
Leon had actually arrived at the Marquis Residence with his belongings packed full.
I couldn’t bring myself to turn him away when he appeared so abruptly with his luggage in hand. So I reluctantly gave him one of the spare rooms at the estate.
The butler and Lora had some back-and-forth about whether he should be given the mistress’s chambers, but he readily settled into the empty room without fuss.
“It’s true I came here without warning, so I’ll take a spare room for now. Later, when I’m more comfortable, you can set up a proper chamber for me.”
With him stepping back so gracefully, I found myself unable to refuse.
And so Leon Obsidian crossed the sturdy walls of Jaherete and finally claimed a place at my side.
What followed was equally remarkable.
“Isn’t it strange? Anyone who didn’t know would think he’d lived here for ages.”
“The way he learned all the servants’ faces and names in a single day? And how he speaks to them first with such warmth~ He’s so considerate.”
“Honestly, even a man can’t help but be captivated by him.”
The servants—men and women alike—rushed to heap praise upon him with flushed cheeks.
His gift for winning people over was truly extraordinary.
The trouble was, I was no exception.
My heart, unfortunately, had already been won over by him.
Now that the initial chaos had settled, my immediate goal was to prevent his treason.
To ensure no such tragedy befell the Orden Empire.
Having chosen to stand with him, this was an essential task for both my own future and that of Jaherete.
Yet there was one problem.
“No matter how I look at him, he shows no sign of any connection to treason.”
I could detect no hint of darkness in him, no matter how hard I searched.
I was back in my room, exhaling a long sigh of frustration, when—
“Marquis.”
The butler entered with a knock.
“Count Valentine has called again. He says he has something urgent to discuss with you…….”
The butler spoke with visible discomfort.
I rubbed my face wearily.
How many times was this now?
“Why does he keep pushing when he can’t even handle it?”
I had no desire to meet with him, but allowing this situation to drag on indefinitely felt wrong as well.
I was pondering what to do when—
“Erna, are you busy right now?”
Leon poked his head through the door and asked politely.
“No, not particularly.”
“Good. I was wondering if you’d go somewhere with me.”
“Suddenly? Where to?”
I rose from my seat and asked in return. I wondered if he was suggesting a date.
Even if he were, I had no reason to refuse him now. Still, I would have preferred to know where we were headed…….
So when I asked, he leaned against the doorframe, his brows drawing together slightly.
“The Imperial Palace.”
“Pardon? The Imperial Palace?”
“Yes. There’s something to discuss regarding the engagement, so they’re asking you to come to court for a moment.”
Leon spoke with evident displeasure, his expression darkening.
Then he paused.
“It’s not that I dislike your family. I simply don’t care for all this tedious bureaucracy. So don’t misunderstand.”
“I understand.”
“I’m serious. The Emperor and I get along just fine.”
Perhaps aware of what I’d said before, Leon emphasized the point again.
Even after I made it clear I understood perfectly well, he appealed to his relationship with the Emperor several more times, and only when he seemed satisfied did he smile and look at me.
‘But still—summoned so suddenly about the engagement? Surely nothing’s wrong?’
* * *
Inside the Orden Imperial Palace.
Cayel Obsidian, seated upon an ornate golden throne, spoke with an expression of displeasure.
“The engagement between the two of you has been rejected.”
“I beg your pardon? What do you mean?”
“More precisely, it’s been suspended. You know that marriage contracts between the Imperial Family and nobility require the approval of both the Imperial Family and the Temple, yes?”
“Yes.”
Of course I did.
Unlike commoners, marriages involving the Imperial Family and nobility were distinguished as special and sacred unions—the procedure was finalized by placing the signatures of the Imperial Family and the High Priest, who served as the Temple’s representative, in the witness section of the contract.
But this had always been merely a formality.
If the families had already consented to the match, there had never been any objection.
And yet.
“The Temple has discovered what they deem a critical grounds for rejection regarding the engagement of you two, and they say they cannot grant approval at once.”
The Emperor too let out a hollow laugh, as though utterly exasperated.
Though his lips curved in a smile, his face was clearly suffused with considerable anger.
How could it not be?
‘The fact that they sent the rejection not to us—the parties involved—but directly to the Imperial Family means they’re essentially throwing down a challenge to the Emperor.’
No matter how I looked at it, this made no sense at all.

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