I Was Marked as the Grand Duke Male Lead’s Stepmother - Chapter 44

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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 44

 

Marisselle finished her encounter with Hereise and boarded the carriage.

 

The sun that had been shining brilliantly began to change color, preparing to cast its sunset glow.

 

The streets, ready to be dyed in sunset hues, looked truly peaceful and tranquil.

 

Inside the carriage slowly passing through the streets, Marisselle felt an incomparable sense of peace.

 

Then, something caught her eye.

 

Marisselle quickly knocked on the wall toward the coachman’s seat. Tap! Tap!

 

“Please stop for a moment!”

 

The coachman carefully brought the horses to a stop at Marisselle’s request.

 

When the carriage stopped, Marisselle approached a shop where children had gathered to watch.

 

There was a toy horse there.

 

When the owner pumped air through a rubber hose connected to the horse, the horse ran with a clatter-clatter sound.

 

The children cheered with “Wow!”

 

It was similar to the jumping horse toy that Haetak Lee had seen when he was young.

 

The material was thin metal, and there were two types: horses with riders and horses without riders.

 

The horses with riders definitely looked more stylish.

 

She thought Fleur would surely love it if she gave it to him as a gift.

 

“How much is this?”

 

“Ah. This one costs one silver coin. The one without a rider is a bit cheaper. Just give me 9 lens.”

 

Lens was the Empire’s currency, and 10 lens equaled 1 silver coin.

 

The Empire’s lens was equivalent to copper coins, but merchants preferred the Empire’s currency over copper coins.

 

“I’ll take everything you have here.”

 

The merchant’s eyes widened as he asked for confirmation.

 

“You mean everything here?”

 

When Marisselle nodded and confirmed, the merchant’s smile stretched from ear to ear.

 

She asked for the 3 horses with riders to be wrapped, and gave the remaining 5 toys without riders as gifts to the children who had been watching the toys.

 

“Here! These are for you all. Thanks to you watching so excitedly, I was able to discover these toys. A gift of gratitude!”

 

Marisselle couldn’t bear to ignore those earnest gazes that kept looking on enviously from the side, so she made up a clumsy excuse while giving the gifts.

 

The children who received the unexpected gifts were so happy they didn’t know what to do and jumped up and down on the spot.

 

The sight made her feel both proud and bittersweet.

 

Every society has its wealth gap, after all.

 

Marisselle boarded the carriage again.

 

Thinking of Fleur who would be delighted to receive the gift, she wanted to return to the Duke’s Household quickly.

 

The carriage ran without rest and had almost reached the Marquis’ Residence.

 

Then, a carriage roughly overtook Marisselle’s carriage.

 

Neigh-

 

Clatter.

 

The horses were startled and the carriage shook for a moment.

 

The coachman skillfully calmed the horses and slowed down, bringing the carriage to a stop.

 

No, he had no choice but to stop. The carriage that had overtaken them was blocking the path ahead.

 

“What’s happening?”

 

When Marisselle asked, the coachman spoke with a troubled expression.

 

“I’m sorry, Miss. The carriage that overtook us suddenly stopped.”

 

Then, Herbot, who had been escorting them, lowered his body on his horse and spoke to Marisselle through the window.

 

“I’ll find out what’s going on. For now, please stay safely inside the carriage, Governess.”

 

Herbot slowly guided his horse forward.

 

Marisselle waited with a relaxed mind.

 

From inside the carriage, Herbot appeared to have short red hair, an angular face, and a sturdy build, radiating an unapproachable aura, so she wasn’t worried at all.

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

Herbot approached the coachman of the front carriage and asked politely.

 

“Well… I’m not sure either. My master just told me to stop…”

 

The coachman also scratched his head, looking troubled.

 

Judging by the carriage’s crest, it belonged to House of Count Zelkova.

 

Herbot unconsciously frowned deeply.

 

He was someone who detested even exchanging words with the Count’s family.

 

Herbot clearly despised Zelkova’s arrogance and pride for not budging from inside the carriage despite hearing the commotion.

 

He clicked his tongue inwardly and spoke.

 

“Who is riding inside?”

 

“This is Lord Zelkova.”

 

‘Kazuri… arrogant bastard.’

 

Herbot felt a vivid surge of disgust toward Kazri.

 

He gritted his teeth and knocked on the carriage window at Kazuri, who pretended not to know despite being aware, refusing to move, thoroughly steeped in authoritarian consciousness down to his very bones.

 

Knock knock.

 

“Young Duke. If you didn’t stop because of us, we’ll step aside first….”

 

Despite knocking on the door and making noise to announce his presence, she had deliberately held her head high and pretended not to notice him, but before he could even finish speaking, she rose from her seat and flung the carriage door wide open.

 

‘That little brat.’

 

Herbot’s eyebrows shot up menacingly.

 

Kazuri, dressed in silk clothes that clearly looked expensive, was taking dainty steps while trying to appear dignified despite her disheveled hair hanging limply, and the sight made Herbot’s stomach churn.

 

He was a human being who made him sick to his stomach every time he saw him. But Herbot had no choice but to be polite.

 

“The matter isn’t with you, but with Lady Marisselle in that carriage.”

 

Kazuri completely ignored Herbot and pointed with his chin toward the carriage Marisselle was riding in.

 

“Please tell me. I’ll relay the message.”

 

Herbot bowed his head politely and spoke.

 

“No. I have something I need to confirm directly.”

 

Herbot didn’t want to let Marisselle meet with Kazuri.

 

But since it was a family of confirmed identity, and moreover the Zelkova who wielded influence in the Empire, if Kazuri took a hard line, he would have no choice but to inform Marisselle.

 

If he refused on his own authority and Zelkova made an issue of it, it would become troublesome.

 

But there was another problem. If he let them meet face to face and something happened, there would be no way to handle the reprimand from Morgan, their leader.

 

Marisselle, who had been watching the situation from inside the carriage, opened the window and called Herbot when their departure was delayed longer than expected.

 

“What’s the matter, Sir Herbot?”

 

“What’s the matter, Lord Herbot?”

 

“Viscount Zelkova wishes to meet with you directly, as he has something he would like to confirm with the governess.”

 

‘Kazuri?’

 

Maricel’s face turned pale the moment she heard the word “Kazri.”

 

And my heart began to beat abnormally fast.

 

I became short of breath and felt dizzy for a moment.

 

My instincts were telling me not to meet them. To run away.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

Seeing Maricel’s pale face, Herbot asked worriedly.

 

Maricelle finally came to her senses at Herbot’s worried voice.

 

“Ah. Yes. Lord Herbot, it’s fine. I’ll meet with the young marquis.”

 

Maricel thought that perhaps seeing Kazri might bring back the memories she had buried completely.

 

But Maricel from the past didn’t seem ready to meet him yet.

 

My heart is still beating faster than it should, and my breathing is rough.

 

Huff- huff- whoo-oo

 

After taking a few more deep breaths, Maricel stepped down from the carriage with apparent resolve.

 

The moment he stepped down from the carriage, Kazuri approached with quick steps.

 

Herbot quickly approached Maricel and blocked Kazri’s path.

 

“What are you doing!”

 

Kazuri displayed his displeasure without any filter.

 

“What? Are you treating me like some street thug now? How incredibly rude!”

 

“Nanny Maricel is an important person to the ducal family, so we need to confirm that His Grace is safe.”

 

“What? Are you looking at me like some street thug right now? How incredibly rude!”

 

“We apologize. We have no choice but to follow His Grace the Grand Duke’s strict orders.”

 

‘Anyway, that bastard Morgan is useless for life.’

 

Kazuri, his pride wounded, gave a bitter smile.

 

“Then, what should I do?”

 

“I’m sorry, but I’ll need to conduct a brief body search.”

 

“Ha!”

 

Kazuri clicked his tongue in disbelief, staring up at the sky.

 

Faced with such an unyielding and firm attitude, Kazuri glared at Herbot and reluctantly permitted the body search.

 

Only then did Herbot reluctantly position himself two steps away from Marisselle.

 

Kazuri glared at him with displeasure, demanding he move further back, but it had no effect.

 

When Marisselle looked at Herbot, he nodded slightly, signaling not to worry.

 

Two steps was close enough to stop Kazuri from doing anything harmful.

 

And there was also the calculation that Kazuri wouldn’t be foolish enough to carelessly touch someone from the Duke’s Household.

 

Kazuri approached closer to Marisselle.

 

Seeing Kazuri approaching with disgusting eyes, Marisselle flinched in surprise and instinctively stepped backward.

 

“Young Marquis? Please, speak from where you are.”

 

Marisselle blocked Kazuri as he tried to come closer.

 

“Would that be alright? Then everyone around will hear everything.”

 

Kazuri spoke with a sinister smile.

 

Marisselle hesitated for a moment.

 

In a situation where she couldn’t predict what might come out of his mouth, having others overhear carried great risk.

 

She had no choice. Though disgusting and unpleasant, she had to allow Kazuri’s approach.

 

Kazuri approached with a victorious smile, as if he had expected this.

 

Flinch.

 

Just Kazuri’s proximity caused a bone-chilling rejection reaction.

 

“My lady. Perhaps we should call it a day…”

 

Worried about Marisselle’s tense reaction, Herbot interjected once more.

 

However, Marisselle slowly shook her head.

 

Herbot had no choice but to briefly bow his head, showing he would follow her wishes.

 

Unable to contain himself any longer, Kazuri sneered. It was mockery.

 

Then he covered his mouth with his hand so Herbot couldn’t read his lips and whispered near Marisselle’s ear.

 

Just feeling Kazuri’s breath near her ear made Marisselle’s hair stand on end and her body shudder.

 

With each word Kazuri spat out, she grew paler and her tightly clenched fists, white-knuckled, trembled violently.

 

Kazuri felt elation at Marisselle’s increasingly pale expression and poured out chilling words with a sinister smile and sticky gaze.

 

Then he chuckled and swept back his thin hair that was plastered to his forehead.

 

Believing that everything he did was unconditionally cool, Kazuri smirked at Marisselle and turned around with another pretentious gesture.

 

Then he climbed into his carriage with feigned elegance.

 

Though Marisselle’s legs felt weak enough to collapse at any moment, she gritted her teeth and endured until Kazuri boarded his carriage.

 

Finally, as his carriage gradually disappeared from view, the strength left her legs that had been struggling to support her.

 

Thud—

 

Her legs, which had been desperately holding out, finally gave way.

 

Soon Marisselle’s body plummeted toward the ground.

 

“My lady!”

 

The moment he saw Marisselle collapsing, Herbot moved quickly and caught her.

 

But despite Herbot’s urgent cry, Marisselle’s consciousness only grew more distant.

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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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