I Was Marked as the Grand Duke Male Lead’s Stepmother - Chapter 14

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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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Chapter 14

“Governess. Should I put this here?”

“Ah! Yes. Put it there and move the charcoal over.”

In the late afternoon, an outdoor table was set up in the garden backyard.

Jeffrey carried a large drum barrel and grill, while Marisselle and Abilene brought the prepared meat, vegetables, and seasonings to the outdoor table.

As the food was being arranged one by one and the table was becoming abundant, Fleur subtly expressed his desire to help with something too.

But who could possibly ask the Duke’s Household heir to work? Especially a child.

“Ah…, I wish someone could help me place this cutlery…”

Reading Fleur’s heart, Marisselle deliberately muttered to herself next to the child as if troubled.

“Marisselle! Me! I’ll help you.”

“Huh? Really? But… this is kind of difficult…”

Marisselle deliberately reacted with great joy as if she had met an ally on a battlefield, but emphasized that this task was by no means easy.

“No. It’s not difficult for me. I can do it well.”

Confident eyes and voice.

“Hmm…, then I’ll trust only you, young master. Here, this way.”

“Yeah. Leave it to me.”

Fleur began placing forks and knives on the table quite seriously, wearing a full smile and making a determined expression.

Marisselle knew that Fleur would naturally do well.

A child with proper dining etiquette who had handled these familiarly at every meal.

But unlike them, Jeffrey and Abilene froze momentarily upon witnessing this scene.

To involve the heir who inherited the noble duke’s bloodline in table setting was shocking from their perspective.

They feared that if the duke learned of this fact and became furious, great punishment would befall them.

“Um… Governess. If His Highness learns of the young master’s work…”

Abilene spoke to Marisselle with difficulty, deeply worried.

But Marisselle’s reaction was completely carefree.

“Don’t worry about it. Look at the young master’s expression. See how happy he is. Right now he’s not here as a young master but as a member of the Cookie Six. And I deliberately gave him work too. For educational purposes.”

“…?”

Abilene understood the first part of Marisselle’s words, but couldn’t comprehend what she meant by “educational purposes” at all.

“Really don’t worry. If there’s a problem, I’ll take full responsibility. Abilene just needs to enjoy herself.”

Though Abilene couldn’t understand all of Marisselle’s words, she decided to enjoy this day comfortably because she trusted her.

“Yes. Then I’ll trust only you, Governess.”

Marisselle smiled brightly with an expression that said to trust only her.

The early summer breeze, sky, sunlight, and good people. Everything was perfect.

Finally, a modest but quite elegant table was set.

Since there was a young child, only juice was prepared for drinks.

“Now we can bring Head Maid Mary and Butler Porel.”

Porel and Mary, who couldn’t be away from their posts for long, were to be called once preparations were complete.

“Then I’ll go quickly and come back.”

Abilene raised her hand high as she spoke and simultaneously started running.

* * *

“I’m leaving work early today.”

“What? Can’t you see the pile of documents? No way.”

Morgan cut him off decisively.

Rino had known it wouldn’t work anyway, but had tried asking just in case.

“I have eyes too. I can see them. Then I’ll just go out for exactly 2 hours starting now.”

“What do you need 2 whole hours for?”

“To eat.”

“You need 2 hours to eat? Just eat here. There’s no place that cooks as well as my house.”

“I know, man. That the Duke’s Household is the best at everything. But there’s something I can only get today if not now.”

“What?”

Morgan put down his work and stared with incredulous eyes at Rino’s random statement.

“It’s today, you know. When Governess Marisselle is treating those called the Cookie Six to their first salary meal. I obtained information that Marisselle prepared something special. I want to go there and mooch some food.”

Morgan was dumbfounded. An unrelated guy, and uninvited at that, trying to commit such rudeness.

“You have nothing to do with it. If you go, you’ll just be an uninvited unwelcome guest.”

Then Rino replied nonchalantly.

“Marisselle isn’t the type to turn people away at the door. She’ll probably welcome you if you go. Unlike someone heartless.”

Rino was becoming more outrageous by the minute. But Morgan was starting to feel uneasy because Rino’s words seemed likely to be true.

Deep down, he almost hoped Marisselle would turn Rino away at the door.

‘You hope Marisselle won’t welcome Rino? …Why?’

‘Because that bastard Rino is annoying?’

Morgan found it incredibly irritating how his nerves would stand on edge whenever Marisselle’s name came up.

Even that day when he gave her the hairpin, determined to figure out why he kept worrying about Marisselle, he couldn’t find the reason.

Rino sometimes had a way of getting under his skin with his sly remarks.

Usually, he would just click his tongue or call him crazy once and move on.

But when that bastard said he’d spend two whole hours with Marisselle, his mood twisted. Severely so.

While Morgan was lost in these various thoughts, Rino broke the silence and tossed out a teasing remark before disappearing.

“Well then. I’m going. If you want to eat today’s special meal too, come along!”

“Ha!”

Morgan let out an exasperated gasp of disbelief.

‘Ha. This is driving me crazy.’

Morgan roughly ran his hand through his hair.

After Rino left, he tried to focus on work, but it was futile. His eyes and hands kept lingering on the same document.

He couldn’t stand how he kept worrying about Rino and Marisselle.

Rino had shown interest in Marisselle before, making it impossible to concentrate on work.

“Sigh. I too, would like some of today’s special meal…”

Morgan pushed the document he was reading aside and placed his elbows on the desk, interlacing his fingers.

“No, wasn’t I the biggest contributor by allowing the cookie making? Rather than that bastard Rino, I’m more involved, so if anyone should go, it should be me. Why should he go?”

Morgan grumbled to himself and suddenly stood up from his seat.

‘I’m going now to check if Fleur is doing well and to make sure that bastard Rino isn’t doing anything strange. It’s not for any other reason… Managing staff and the heir is a natural duty of the head of household…’

He emphasized that his going was not for any other purpose but for managerial reasons as the head of household, and confidently walked out of the Study door.

* * *

Marisselle grabbed the well-grilled pork belly with tongs and cut it with scissors, snip snip, placing it on a plate.

Jeffrey, Mary, Porel, and Abilene’s eyes widened in amazement.

They had never imagined using scissors, which were meant for cutting fabric, to cut meat.

Jeffrey finally understood why she had told them not to prepare a cutting board.

They tried eating it the way Marisselle suggested, dipping it in the sauce, and also wrapping it with grilled onions and grilled garlic on vegetables.

It was definitely different from bacon or oven-roasted meat. The outside was crispy while the inside was tender – it was quite a delicacy.

“How do you know such cooking methods, Governess? It’s so delicious.”

“That’s right. At my age, I’m learning about new flavors.”

Mary chimed in agreement with Abilene’s praise.

“This is my first time tasting something like this too, and it’s very delicious. Living this long, I get to receive such special food treatment.”

When Porel also added his comment, Jeffrey laughed heartily and added more.

“With 40 years of Kitchen experience, I was confident I knew quite a lot of food, but I should humbly accelerate developing new menus. Thank you, Governess Marisselle. For letting me know about this new world of food.”

“Ho ho ho. Not at all. I’m just happy that you’re enjoying it. How is it for you, young master?”

“I like it too. Marisselle.”

“Make sure to chew thoroughly.”

Just as Marisselle’s eyes crinkled prettily, Abilene suddenly stood up from her seat.

“Huh?”

Everyone turned their heads in unison, following Abilene’s gaze.

At the end of their sight, Rino was approaching with big strides, his brown hair fluttering and a grinning face.

Porel quickly stood up to greet Rino.

“Sir Rino, what brings you…”

Rino quickly waved his hands, saying there was no need to get up.

“Ah. It’s nothing to be alarmed about. I was just walking in the Garden to clear my head when I was drawn by the delicious smell and joyful sounds. But you were having such a special party. I, well, I don’t have an invitation…”

Rino scratched his head sheepishly, putting on an intentionally awkward act.

“Oh my. Of course you can join. Sir Rino is absolutely welcome. Ah, a chair…”

When Marisselle tried to give up her chair, Porel approached Rino, telling him to use his chair first.

“Please sit here. I’ll bring out more chairs.”

Before taking his seat, Rino approached Porel and whispered quietly to him.

Porel’s eyes widened slightly with a puzzled expression, then he nodded.

“Sir Rino, please try this. It’s freshly grilled so it should taste good.”

When Marisselle served the meat on a plate, Abilene thoughtfully brought new utensils and placed them in front of Rino.

When Marisselle explained how to eat it, Rino couldn’t contain his admiration.

“Lady Marisselle. I’ve never tasted anything like this in my life. No, where did you learn this cooking method? This flavor is completely new to me. Oh~! The more I get to know the governess, the more I covet her.”

“Huh?”

Marisselle was flustered by his last comment about coveting her and let out a confused sound.

“Rino.”

Just then, a stern warning voice was heard.

Everyone except Rino stopped what they were doing and, as if on cue, slowly turned their heads toward the direction of the voice.

It was Morgan, the master of the Duke’s Household.

They were greatly flustered by the unexpected guest.

But only Rino smiled leisurely with a smirk, as if he had expected him to come.

“…Your Highness?”

It was Marisselle who spoke first.

“What brings Your Highness here? Ah! Did Your Highness also come here while taking a walk to clear your head like Sir Rino…?”

Marisselle asked, remembering what Rino had said.

“That must be right. Our Highness probably came out to clear his head like me and was drawn here as if enchanted.”

Rino chuckled with amusement as he answered preemptively.

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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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