I Was Marked as the Grand Duke Male Lead’s Stepmother - Chapter 24

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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 24

Throughout the entire carriage ride, Morgan maintained his initial posture without saying a single word.

Perhaps it was for the better. If he spoke, she might be caught in some fault. And that wouldn’t be good with Fleur sitting right there.

They had said the location was chosen close to the Duke’s Castle, and indeed, it seemed like they hadn’t been in the carriage for long when it came to a stop.

There was a tapping sound from the coachman’s seat.

“Your Grace. We have arrived.”

The escort knight who had accompanied them also informed through the window that they had reached their destination.

“Prepare.”

“Yes!”

About ten escort knights who had accompanied them began tying up the carriages and horses and moving the outing supplies.

Morgan put on his coat and got out of the carriage first.

“Young Master. Come here.”

Marisselle handed Fleur over to Morgan first.

Morgan naturally lifted Fleur down.

The knights standing nearby surrounded Fleur, the heir to the Duke’s Household, in what seemed like an excessive defensive formation.

Marisselle’s turn. Just like when boarding the carriage, Morgan extended his hand.

This time, Marisselle gracefully placed her fingertips on Morgan’s hand without error.

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

As Morgan escorted her, Marisselle felt strangely as if she had become some great noble lady.

To receive an escort from the Duke, who was notorious for his arrogance.

She was thoroughly enjoying the privileges of being the Duke’s Household nanny.

Though it wasn’t what she had wished for, she thought it would at least make for a good story to tell in the future.

And that made sense, because judging by looks alone, he was a cheat character befitting a protagonist.

A sculpted face, tall height, and solid build.

Anyone would have something to boast about if escorted by him.

Marisselle put aside her brief admiration and took her final step down from the carriage, holding Morgan’s hand.

Just then, a strong wind blew, wrapping her skirt around her feet, and Marisselle ended up stepping on her hem.

‘Oh no!’

The moment Marisselle lost her balance, she instinctively pulled her hand away from Morgan’s and stretched both arms forward.

Unfortunately, the outstretched arms weren’t meant to regain balance. They were for protection, to prevent her from falling face-first.

It was already too late to regain her balance.

It was a conclusion born from a moment of desperation and instinct that she had to protect her face at all costs.

As she fell, she could see Fleur’s expression showing shock close to horror.

The knights standing nearby were urgently reaching out their hands.

Why did things like this always seem to happen in slow motion? She was dying of embarrassment.

Just when she thought she would finally hit the ground, suddenly the earth moved in a parabolic motion back and forth, as if she were riding a Viking ride backwards.

There was no pain whatsoever. Marisselle was simply dangling from Morgan’s solid forearm like laundry hung on a clothesline.

“Phew.”

Marisselle looked at the swaying ground below and let out a quiet sigh of relief.

‘Thank goodness. I protected my face.’

Her pretty face couldn’t be ruined. And if her face got messed up, it would ruin Fleur’s outing too.

Marisselle confidently turned her head toward the owner of the arm that had become her clothesline.

In his sculpted face, his blue eyes that looked even bluer reflecting the sky’s light held surprise and relief.

‘Huh?’

Marisselle’s thoughts stuttered like a buffering screen.

She had expected him to say something with contemptuous eyes about how pathetic she was, but this was an unexpected reaction.

“Uh… Your Grace… thank you.”

His forearm was so large and solid that even with her stomach folded and ribs touching it, there was a sense of stability.

Morgan carefully set her down on the ground, his hands encircling Marisselle’s slender waist.

And then words that Marisselle could never have imagined flowed from his lips.

“Are you alright?”

Marisselle’s eyes widened as much as they possibly could.

Heat rushed to her face. And her heart began to pound.

“Ah… Yes. Your Grace. Thanks to Your Grace catching me, I’m perfectly fine.”

Whether it was from surprise, or because of the arm of the man who caught her, or perhaps because of his unexpected gentleness, she couldn’t tell.

But what was certain was that her face must surely be as red as a radish.

Marisselle turned her head away, not wanting Morgan to see her flushed face.

“Good. Then let’s go.”

Unlike Marisselle’s turbulent heart, Morgan’s response was very matter-of-fact.

Fleur, who had been watching from the side, seemed worried and chimed in.

“Marisselle, are you okay?”

“Of course.”

Then Fler tilted her head and asked again.

“Oh, haha, of course. This is just from being surprised and embarrassed.”

She whispered softly in Fleur’s ear.

Only then did Fleur smile with a relieved expression.

And as if he had rescued Marisselle himself, words full of pride flowed from his small mouth.

“I’m too small right now to protect Marisselle, so Uncle will protect Marisselle instead. Just like now. Since you said you wanted to be where Uncle and I are. Don’t worry anymore. Uncle will protect you.”

It seemed like he thought he was the uncle and the uncle was him.

“Let’s go now, Marisselle.”

With that, Fleur held Marisselle’s hand on one side and Morgan’s on the other, wearing a satisfied smile.

* * *

The place Morgan had prepared had a small lake in the center surrounded by open grassland.

Near the lake stood a large willow tree, with small shrubs and flowering trees clustered together.

With no large trees or thickets around, it was a place that could be guarded by just a small number of people.

Moreover, this was private land of the Duke’s territory, a space where outsiders couldn’t enter.

As soon as Fleur arrived here, he exclaimed how wonderful it was and began running around the lake.

Marisselle also started running after Fleur.

“Young Master~ Please go a little slower.”

Then suddenly Fleur stopped in his tracks.

“Marisselle. There are dandelions here too. White dandelions.”

“Let’s show these to Uncle. Let Uncle blow on them too.”

“Oh! You’re right.”

“Let’s show this to Uncle. Let Uncle try blowing it too.”

“Alright. Master Confucius.”

Flair eagerly searched for white dandelion flowers to give to Morgan.

“Yes. Uncle will get bored waiting alone for too long. Let’s go, Marisselle.”

Marisselle took Fleur’s tiny hand and hummed as they headed toward where Morgan was.

Morgan was sitting under the large willow tree swaying in the wind, with one knee raised and his arm resting on it.

He looked like a painting come to life.

‘Wow. A male lead is indeed a male lead. If only he didn’t have an owner, I’d try something.’

Marisselle couldn’t help but admire Morgan sitting there like a painting.

But to Marisselle, he was nothing more than a pie in the sky. A forbidden fruit. A fruit she shouldn’t even poke at.

To survive in this world, she had to exist as if she didn’t exist, not damaging the original story as much as possible. Especially the love between the male and female leads.

She should only rely on the Duke’s Household until she escaped Zelkova’s clutches and her family was safe.

If she showed even the slightest interest in the male lead, the original story could change drastically.

Morgan was definitely a seductive figure befitting a male lead, even when doing nothing, so she had to be careful.

“Uncle!”

Morgan is definitely the kind of seductive character befitting a male lead who’s tempting even when he’s just standing still, so I need to be careful.

“Uncle!”

“Yes. They’re beautiful.”

Lost so deeply in thought, he slowly turned his head at Fler’s call.

“Uncle. This is a white dandelion flower, and if you blow on it like this—whoosh—look. See how pretty it flies away? Marisol taught me. You try it too, Uncle.”

“Yes. You’re beautiful.”

“Over here, Uncle.”

Fleur handed the dandelion to Morgan and filled his round, bright eyes with anticipation.

When Morgan blew it away, Fleur made a happy expression as if he had gained the whole world.

And then he handed another one to Morgan.

Morgan smiled warmly.

‘Hmm. I can definitely bring up that topic today.’

Marisselle, seeing Morgan’s fatherly smile, decided to speak today about what she had been waiting for the right moment to suggest.

Marisselle, Fleur, and Morgan together sent dandelion flowers flying toward the Lake.

The flowers rode the wind and flew toward the Lake, about to settle on the water’s surface.

Then Fleur saw the dandelion about to land on the water’s surface.

“No, dandelion! That’s not land. You have to fly farther, farther away. Stay strong. You can’t fall in the water.”

He made a megaphone with both hands and cheered on the dandelion.

Then the dandelion, which seemed about to land on the water’s surface, caught a gentle breeze and floated up, flying far away.

Waaah-.

Fleur was so excited that he jumped up and down in place, clapping his hands.

‘What a cute little one.’

Marisselle found him so adorable that she broke into a bright smile.

What expression would Morgan have? Curious, Marisselle turned her head. At that moment, her eyes met Morgan’s.

And she smiled brightly.

It wasn’t because there was any other meaning, but simply because the child was lovable—don’t you think so too?

Morgan also smiled along with her.

He thought that his feelings toward Marisselle were now beyond the point of no return.

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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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