I Was Marked as the Grand Duke Male Lead’s Stepmother - Chapter 46

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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 46

 

“Nanny. Are you alright?”

 

“Yes… Thanks to your concern, I’m fine.”

 

Marisselle leaned against the headboard of the bed and gave an awkward smile.

 

This time Samuel stepped forward and greeted Marisselle before beginning his examination.

 

He examined her eyelids and looked at various things, then put on a deliberately serious expression.

 

Everyone in the room tensely waited for Samuel to speak.

 

“Hmm… There’s nothing seriously wrong with your health. However…”

 

“However…? What is it?”

 

When Samuel paused, Onyx pressed him with a face that looked like he might stop breathing.

 

“Your stamina is too weak. You need to build up your physical strength.”

 

“Haa.”

 

Onyx let out a sigh of relief so deep it seemed like the floor might cave in.

 

“Ahaha, I do lack stamina a bit. Ah, haha, ha.”

 

Marisselle turned her head in embarrassment and scratched her cheek.

 

“Haha. If Samuel mentions it, then you really should build up your stamina, not just for yourself but for the Duke’s Household as well.”

 

Rino joked around. Then he put one hand near Marisselle’s ear and spoke in a playful tone, quietly but loud enough for everyone to hear.

 

“I’ll make sure to mention this to His Grace the Duke specially.”

 

They didn’t fully understand what Rino meant, but assuming it was something good, they laughed along with him.

 

* * *

 

“Marisselle~!”

 

Fleur came running over and jumped into Marisselle’s arms.

 

Marisselle spread her arms wide and lifted Fleur up into her embrace.

 

The child buried his face in Marisselle’s shoulder and kept nuzzling like a puppy sniffing its owner’s scent after a long separation.

 

Marisselle felt her emotions surge. Sorry and grateful. It was affection for the child who sought her out and welcomed her so warmly.

 

For a long while, she gently stroked the child’s head and back.

 

“…You were very worried, weren’t you?”

 

Marisselle made eye contact with Fleur and slowly set the child down.

 

“…Yeah. I was really worried. Marisselle, you’re really not sick anymore, right?”

 

“Of course. I’m much healthier than before! Want to see?”

 

Marisselle bent her arm to make a bicep muscle and tapped that area with her finger.

 

As if showing off.

 

“…?”

 

Fleur tilted his head and frowned slightly as if troubled.

 

No matter how he looked, he couldn’t see any muscle.

 

“Pff-hup!”

 

Marisselle couldn’t hold back her bursting laughter.

 

“I’m joking. Hahaha. But I’ll have some soon. I’m going to build up my stamina.”

 

Porel, who had come out to greet her with Fleur, turned around and secretly shook his shoulders while laughing quietly.

 

Noticing Porel’s laughter, Marisselle smiled sheepishly and offered a greeting.

 

“Butler. You must have been very worried.”

 

“Ahem… It would be a lie to say I wasn’t. You’ve been through a lot, Nanny…”

 

Porel seemed embarrassed about laughing secretly and started with a clearing of his throat.

 

“Yes… Thank you, Butler. But, His Grace…”

 

“The master is expected to return only in the evening.”

 

“Ah! He’s away then. Well, I’ll have to greet His Grace later.”

 

Marisselle felt strangely disappointed to hear that she couldn’t see Morgan right away.

 

“Well then, shall we go inside, Young Master?”

 

Marisselle exchanged simple conversation with Porel as they entered the manor.

 

He told her that many people in the Duke’s Household had worried about Marisselle, and that Mary, Abilene, and Jeffrey had also wanted to join in welcoming her.

 

Marisselle’s nose tingled as she listened to Porel’s story.

 

When had the Duke’s Estate, which had only seemed enormously large, become such a precious space? It felt more cozy and safe than anywhere else.

 

It was truly strange. That the Duke’s Estate now felt like the place where she belonged.

 

With surging emotions, Marisselle gripped Fleur’s small hand more tightly and smiled brightly.

 

* * *

 

“This place really is a prime spot.”

 

I sat on the pond bench where I had come with Morgan before and looked up at the night sky.

 

The stars twinkling in the night sky seemed to slide down and plop into the water one by one, making the pond sparkle brilliantly with starlight.

 

“Hoo-oo-”

 

Feeling my stuffy chest open up a little, I unconsciously let out a deep breath.

 

A week ago, after encountering Kazuri, I realized something.

 

How foolish and dangerous my simple thought had been – that I could prevent the family’s destruction by just enduring one year as a nanny in the Duke’s Household.

 

“Why is there still no answer to the marriage proposal? Don’t tell me you’re refusing? Do you think refusing will actually work? If you had accepted when I showed you kindness, you could have secured the position of legitimate wife. Since you foolishly kicked it away, shouldn’t you at least secure the position of concubine? Hm?”

 

“That’s right. Why did you make me angry? Stop playing games and get away from that Morgan bastard right now. You know well that hiding under him won’t solve anything… There’s no one who will love you as much as I do. I’ll love you even if you become a cold corpse. Kek kek kek. I’ll have you even if it comes to that. Let’s love each other while we’re alive if possible. Right? Marisselle.”

 

Even now, that bastard’s voice seems to stick to my ears.

 

The moment his breath touched the nape of my neck, every hair on my body stood up in rejection.

 

It was so creepy that I felt nauseous and had to forcibly suppress the urge to vomit.

 

‘Why did he blow air into my ear at the end! Crazy bastard!’

 

As that moment vividly came back to me, I felt disgusted and shuddered.

 

If it was so revolting and terrible for me to hear without experiencing it directly, how much worse must it have been for Marisselle at the time?

 

So she buried all the emotions and memories of that day.

 

When I met the culprit again in the same place, Marisselle’s buried memories and emotions poured out like a panorama all at once, and I thought I was going crazy.

 

It was only because my ego was strong that I could grit my teeth and endure until that bastard Kazuri left.

 

Otherwise, I would have fainted right there on the spot.

 

‘Ugh. Evil bastard.’

 

That day, Marisselle had been going around the Port Bookstore District looking for a gift for Hereise and was heading home.

 

That’s when Kazuri appeared and spewed his confession, saying he fell for Marisselle at first sight.

 

Crazy bastard. Where would you find someone who would readily accept a stranger suddenly appearing and claiming to have fallen for them!

 

But what was even more outrageous was that the crazy bastard said he would send a marriage proposal soon and demanded she accept it.

 

Telling her not to dare look down on the House of Count Zelkova.

 

Disgusting bastard. And then he tried to touch Marisselle’s face?

 

‘I should snap his fingers!’

 

And the second day she met that bastard was the day Marisselle collapsed.

 

She received word that the book she was going to give Hereise as a gift had arrived, so she had no choice but to go out.

 

In case she might encounter Kazuri, she brought guards with her.

 

But it was useless. They were overpowered without being able to put up any fight against the escort knights who came with Kazuri.

 

No, to be more accurate, it would be better to say that Marisselle, concerned about the Marquis’ knights who were outnumbered and outskilled, and to prevent the situation from escalating, ordered the Marquis’ knights to stay still.

 

And Marisselle had no choice but to comply with Kazuri’s demand to talk alone at a distance.

 

“A whole month has passed, so why is there still no answer? Hm? Do I have to get rough for you to listen? I’ll give you a week. Send an acceptance letter within a week. Otherwise, you know what will happen to your family, right? You see, I always get what I want. Where would you find someone who loves you as much as I do? Kek kek kek kek. I love you, Marisselle. Kek kek kek.”

 

Then he tried to touch Marisselle again. Fortunately, Marisselle used her wits to avoid the crisis.

 

“If you touch even a hair on my body right now, you won’t be able to get what you want while alive. I haven’t heard anything from my parents about the marriage proposal. I’ll go back today and check immediately, then give you an answer within a week. So please go back for today.”

 

Despite that, the crazy bastard still touched Marisselle’s cheek in a creepy way before leaving.

 

As that scene vividly came back to me, I shuddered and rubbed my arms vigorously.

 

“Ugh. Crazy bastard! Son of a bitch!”

 

Even cursing wasn’t enough. I clenched both fists and swung my arms wildly in the air.

 

“What crazy bastard is making you so angry?”

 

“…?”

 

I stopped swinging my arms and looked toward the source of the voice in shock.

 

There stood Morgan, though I had no idea when he had arrived.

 

“…Uh, um…?”

 

I was so surprised that I greeted him in an awkward half-sitting, half-standing position.

 

Then Morgan smiled slightly and said,

 

“Sit down. Or rather, may I sit?”

 

“Huh? Oh, yes… pl-please sit here, Your Highness.”

 

‘He must have seen everything – me cursing and punching the air, right?’

 

I was more bothered by the fact that he had seen my ridiculous punching than by his sudden appearance.

 

‘But what’s going on here? Don’t tell me he came here knowing I was here? Or was it by chance?’

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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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