I Was Marked as the Grand Duke Male Lead’s Stepmother - Chapter 60

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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 60

“Huh? Uh, uh…”

As Morgan suddenly pulled her toward him, Marisselle let out a short scream and her body tilted, falling right into Morgan’s embrace.

Marisselle looked up while being held in his arms.

Gasp.

Morgan was glaring at Renegade as if he wanted to kill him.

‘Is it okay to act like that toward the Crown Prince?’

Marisselle was deeply worried that he might be dragged away for the crime of disrespect.

‘Huh…?’

His fast and fierce heartbeat that she could feel at her fingertips.

His heart, mixed with anger and anxiety, was speaking.

Don’t you dare come near my woman.

“Ha. There’s no need to glare at me that much.”

Renegade skillfully deflected Morgan’s anger and chuckled.

“Ah, His Highness the Crown Prince is right. Your Highness. I spilled a drink on my clothes, so His Highness the Crown Prince was just helping me.”

Marisselle hurriedly added her words, trying to dispel the ominous atmosphere tainted by misunderstanding.

Renegade shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, as Marisselle said, and as I promised you, I only committed the crime of earnestly protecting Marisselle. Isn’t this too excessive, Grand Duke? I feel a bit wronged.”

Morgan knew it too. That it wasn’t anyone’s fault. But he was angry because he was anxious.

‘What, …Marisselle?’

When the name Marisselle came out familiarly from Renegade’s mouth, Morgan couldn’t stand it because he was so angry.

After adding her words only made Morgan’s heartbeat grow fiercer, Marisselle changed to a strategy of separating the two.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince. Thank you for your consideration. I will definitely repay this kindness next time. Well then.”

“As you wish.”

Renegade, who understood Marisselle’s intention, answered with a gentle smile.

“Your Highness. Let’s go to our seats quickly. I’m tired and want to rest a bit.”

Marisselle acted coquettishly, something she didn’t usually do, and pulled Morgan’s hand.

‘Ha. This fool for love.’

Morgan’s anger melted away like snow at her coquettishness.

Morgan held the hand that Marisselle was holding more tightly, glared at Renegade one more time as a final warning, and turned his back.

“…Nothing happened, right?”

Morgan asked anxiously with worry.

“Of course. I just fixed my clothes and came out.”

Renegade muttered while watching Morgan’s retreating figure.

“Hmm… This is more than I expected…?”

* * *

“But how did you end up spilling the drink?”

“…”

Instead of an answer, silence flowed.

“…?”

At that moment, Morgan had an intuition. That something had happened. He stopped walking and made Marisselle look at him.

“…Why are you doing this, Your Highness?”

Marisselle, who didn’t understand, blinked her eyes.

“…Tell me. What happened. Don’t think about evading or lying.”

He was resolute.

“His Highness the Crown Prince asked something I never expected. I was so surprised that I spat out the drink.”

“Spat out?”

Morgan had expected to hear that she spilled it, but was momentarily flustered by the word “spat out.”

“…Yes. I was just about to drink the juice. So I couldn’t help it.”

“What did he ask?”

“…I don’t really want to talk about it.”

“Tell me.”

His expression became menacing. A stern look that said he would find out by any means necessary if she didn’t tell him.

I can’t win.

I tried sending him a look asking if he couldn’t just let it slide. But there was no chance.

“Then. Please promise you won’t get angry or scold me.”

Nine times out of ten, it’s something that would make him angry.

I don’t want to promise, but I have to promise for her to open her mouth, so there’s no choice.

“…I promise.”

Still hesitating, Marisselle took a deep breath and spoke with her exhale.

“…She asked if Your Highness and I were dating.”

A flustered expression.

“So…?”

“So what did you answer?”

“Why?”

“….”

He looked like he had more to say, then soon closed his mouth. And after a long while, he opened his mouth again.

“What if we were dating?”

Marisselle doubted her own ears.

‘Dating?’

She was confused whether this man was joking or testing her. But unlike her rational mind, her heart was pounding.

“What do you suddenly mean? Dating.”

Marisselle didn’t hide her surprised feelings.

“Exactly what I said. What would you do if I asked you to date me?”

Morgan showed no retreat either.

‘He’s asking so directly like this?’

The answer is already decided. But why won’t my mouth open?

Sorry, but Marisselle looked directly into the eyes eagerly waiting for an answer and spoke.

“…It’s not possible. Your Highness.”

Eyes disappointed by the expected outcome despite hoping otherwise.

“…Why?”

She had no prepared answer for a question she hadn’t thought about. But she couldn’t tell the real answer. Marisselle pondered for a moment.

“Workplace romance doesn’t end well. So I’ve made it an iron rule to never engage in workplace romance.”

She had no prepared answer for a question she hadn’t considered. But she couldn’t tell him the real answer. Maricel hesitated for a moment.

“Office romances don’t end well. That’s why I made it an absolute rule never to date anyone at work.”

“Office romance?”

He tilted his head with an expression that showed he didn’t quite understand.

“Yes. Your Majesty and I have an employer-employee relationship, a boss-subordinate relationship, and furthermore, a sovereign-subject relationship! If such a relationship were to break down… Ah! Just thinking about it gives me a headache.”

‘What? Why are you laughing?’

Maricelle felt strangely uneasy at Morgan’s smile.

“Hmm… that’s the problem, isn’t it…?”

Morgan muttered something only he could hear, then gently pulled Maricel’s hand, which he had been holding, toward himself and smiled.

“Fine. Then. I won’t ask you to date me right now. But instead, you’ll have to come to the banquets with me for the remaining two days.”

‘Huh?’

What’s this now? I feel like I’ve been caught off guard.

“Your Majesty. Why did things turn out that way?”

“What? No, why does the conversation suddenly go that way? This isn’t right. Your Highness.”

At Marisselle’s protest, he stopped walking abruptly and turned to look at Marisselle sharply.

“It’s punishment for disobeying orders.”

At Maricel’s protest, he stopped dead in his tracks and turned to look at her sharply.

“This is punishment for disobeying orders.”

“Huh?”

‘This is forced. This is so forced!’

Maricel was flabbergasted. There was no tyranny like this tyranny. But she couldn’t voice her objections forcefully either.

Morgan is essential when survival is at stake. With barely hanging on by a thread, there aren’t many options to choose from.

I can’t just outright ask “Do you like me?” and even if you said yes, I couldn’t accept it given my situation, so the right thing to do is back away now.

“Sigh, Your Majesty. You know you’re being unreasonable, don’t you? I won’t ask why you’re acting this way.”

“Why? I’d prefer it if you asked me.”

“No. I won’t ask. My choice is to attend the banquet.”

“Good. Then sit and rest for a bit, and then we can have the imperial audience.”

Morgan arrived at their seats and pulled out a chair for Marisselle, wearing a satisfied expression.

“Phew.”

Marisselle glanced at Morgan timidly once, then sat down as if resigned to her fate.

* * *

“From now on, the ladies of the Empire are requested to prepare for an audience with the eternal sun of the Empire, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Gottfried Remal Caldmion.”

The flowing music paused momentarily, and the Chamberlain rang a bell to announce that it was time for the imperial audience.

However, while they tried to follow custom by having the high nobles go first in the audience order, a problem arose.

According to custom, Marisselle would be in the later order. This meant she would have to stand and wait for quite a long time for her turn.

But Marisselle’s partner was none other than a Grand Duke. Moreover, the Emperor’s nephew.

An argument broke out over whether it was proper to make Morgan wait for such a long time.

Eventually, the Chamberlain approached the Emperor to seek counsel on the matter.

“Your Imperial Majesty, how should we resolve this issue? Breaking custom to give preferential treatment wouldn’t be good for the Royal Household’s image, but not doing so would be disrespectful to His Grace the Grand Duke.”

“Crown Prince, how would you handle this?”

Emperor Gottfried asked the Crown Prince as if testing him, appearing indifferent.

Renegade slightly pulled up one corner of his mouth in a smile and spoke to the Chamberlain as if it were no big deal.

“Let’s make an exception. Wouldn’t it work if it appeared that the Royal Household was showing special consideration?”

“Pardon? If you could elaborate on your wise counsel a bit more…”

The Chamberlain bowed his head and requested.

“This time, announce that His Imperial Majesty has taken special care to have an audience first with the young ladies who are new to high society. Then Marisselle will be included among the few young ladies. That way, even following custom, Morgan won’t have to wait long.”

“Ah! I see. Thank you for your wise counsel, Your Highness.”

The Chamberlain answered with a brightened expression and gauged the Emperor’s intentions.

The Emperor instructed “Do so” with an expressionless face.

However, the Emperor was quite satisfied with the Crown Prince’s scheme inwardly.

If not for this, there would have been talk later.

If they had ignored custom and put Morgan forward to have Marisselle’s audience first, the nobles would have criticized the Royal Household for disregarding tradition, and if they had followed custom and made Morgan stand for a long time, they would have gossiped that the Royal Household lacked flexibility.

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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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