I Was Marked as the Grand Duke Male Lead’s Stepmother - Chapter 70

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 70

Tilbo flinched and trembled as Morgan’s cold gaze reached him.

“Count Tilbo. You also have a knight order in your family, so you would know. How great dikes collapse.”

“….”

Tilbo’s triumphant expression crumbled.

He knew well what Morgan’s words meant. That’s why he couldn’t say anything. If he did, he would only be further humiliated.

Morgan continued speaking.

“So this is what I propose. I propose an institutional unification law to resolve issues transferred to jurisdictional territories only through the proper jurisdictional agencies, except for extremely private matters.”

The hall stirred again.

Anyone could see this was a fight between the Duke’s Household and the Count’s family.

But the Count had weak grounds for opposition. If he voiced opposition here, he would be branded with the image of treason.

Not only the Count, but no family could oppose it or had reason to oppose it.

Though not yet legislated, these were things already being done customarily.

Anger filled Zelkova’s face.

Morgan glanced at such Zelkova with contempt and concluded his words.

“Are there any objections?”

Who would dare voice objections? As expected, silence filled the meeting hall.

“Naturally, there would be no family so bold in this Helman Empire. Still, if there are any better proposals, please voice your opinions freely.”

The Crown Prince, who had been watching with his chin propped up in a slouched posture, spoke with an arrogant attitude.

Zelkova’s face twisted severely.

The piercing gazes looking at him were so unpleasant and uncomfortable he couldn’t bear it.

But to get through this predicament, Zelkova had no choice but to step forward first and offer honeyed flattery.

“Who could possibly pluck the stars from the sky? We can only look up at them in admiration. Isn’t the Royal Household of the Helman Empire like stars in the sky blessed by the grace of God Heras? Such a system may be unnecessary, but it would be good to prepare safeguards so that foolish ones don’t dare dream the vain dream of trying to pluck stars from the sky.”

‘Hmph. Cunning snake-like bastard.’

A bitter sneer appeared at Crown Prince Renegade’s lips.

“Are there no other opinions?”

“There are none. This is a bill with no reason for opposition, Your Majesty. I agree with the bill.”

Then one by one, everyone voiced their agreement.

The bill’s processing proceeded swiftly. It was merely the task of documenting what had already been proceeding customarily.

“Today’s meeting ends here.”

When the Crown Prince rose from the chairman’s seat, the elders also rose and bowed their heads in respect.

When the Crown Prince left, Morgan quickly left his seat without talking to anyone.

* * *

Clatter clatter.

Morgan and his escort knights rushed through the Duke’s Residence Entrance toward the main building.

Neigh! Snort!

When Morgan pulled the reins, the horse stopped with rough snorting, and the waiting servants immediately rushed over to take charge of the horse.

“How did it go?”

Rino asked as he greeted Morgan.

“How did it go? It was something they had no choice but to agree to originally. Anyone who opposed would have to live with the label of potential traitor. There’s no way anyone would be so bold.”

“That’s true. Then when will you visit the Monsan District? All the measures for each estate are ready.”

“Then let’s do it tomorrow without delay. I’ll have Marisselle accompany me.”

“Huh…? I didn’t mishear, did I? Marisselle, not me?”

Rino pointed at his own chest with his finger and asked back with a serious expression.

“Yeah. Marisselle, not you. Marisselle pleaded that since her opinion was adopted, she wants to see the situation.”

“Ha, really. How absurd. Fine. So you’re going to have a date this way?”

Morgan stopped while climbing the stairs.

Rino, who had been walking together, climbed two more steps before realizing Morgan was behind him and stopped walking too.

‘Crazy bastard. There he goes again with that nonsense.’

Rino frowned as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.

Morgan had only worried about taking Marisselle to the rough Monsan District, never thinking that Marisselle’s accompaniment could become a date.

But with Rino’s single comment, the inspection became an inspection-cum-date.

Originally it would have been just him and Rino going together, and if Marisselle accompanied them, it would be more appropriate for all three to go.

But Morgan had boldly excluded Rino.

Though he hadn’t been conscious of it, the decision had already been made with a date in mind.

This was what Rino had pointed out.

As Morgan realized his own desire, a smile spread across his lips.

“What? Are you getting excited because I said it’s a date?”

Rino shook his head back and forth as if utterly disgusted, then turned around and went upstairs first.

* * *

“Are you ready?”

Morgan knocked on Marisselle’s door.

“Yes, yes! Just wait a moment please, Your Highness!”

Marisselle’s voice from beyond the door carried a sense of urgency along with crashing sounds.

“It sounds like something loud happened. Are you alright?”

Morgan desperately wanted to open the door and check if Marisselle had gotten hurt.

But without permission to enter, he had to settle for checking from outside.

“Mmph! Ah! Yes! Totally! Totally fine!”

Pfft!

Morgan couldn’t help but let out a short laugh at Marisselle’s “totally fine” expression.

While he was genuinely worried, it was because of Marisselle’s strange way of speaking and her voice that seemed both hurried and bright.

Marisselle had hastily changed from the simple dress she’d prepared the night before into pants, and ended up stubbing her toe on the table leg.

The table shook, and the items on top came tumbling down with a loud crash.

Her stubbed right toe hurt enough to bring tears to her eyes, but there was no time to check it.

More urgent was finishing getting dressed and going out.

‘I’m begging to tag along, so I can’t be a hindrance!’

Before going out, Marisselle took one last look in the mirror to check if her hair tied up in a bun and her outfit looked neat.

‘Okay. Perfect!’

After turning this way and that and finding nothing wrong, she quickly opened the door.

Standing in front of the door was Morgan with his hair neatly slicked back.

‘Why is he so dressed up? Should I have dressed up too? Should I change again?’

Morgan was dressed in something resembling a uniform. He exuded the feeling of being the ruler of the Duchy.

Marisselle was simultaneously amazed by his good looks and flustered that she’d chosen the wrong dress code, making her posture awkward.

“Oh? Your Highness. Should I, change my clothes?”

“Are you saying you want me to wear your clothes and you’ll wear mine?”

Morgan smiled at Marisselle.

“What?”

‘Ah!’

Only then did Marisselle realize she had spoken strangely.

“No, I didn’t mean we should swap clothes, but since I’m going on an inspection, I thought it would be better to wear something comfortable to move in, so I hastily changed into pants. But seeing how formally you’re dressed, Your Highness, I wondered if I should change clothes.”

It was a bit embarrassing.

“I see. I thought you were suggesting we swap clothes.”

Morgan covered his mouth with a lightly clenched fist and chuckled.

‘He, he understood everything and did that on purpose!’

Marisselle realized from his attitude that he had been teasing her.

“You don’t need to change. I’m just maintaining basic standards as a lord since this is in the form of an official visit. And you look pretty in whatever you wear, so there’s no need to match codes or worry about it.”

“Ah… yes…”

This man is now openly complimenting me to my face.

‘Was I the type who’s weak to this kind of thing?’

I shouldn’t be…

In my past life, I heard this kind of sweet talk a lot from that guy who was managing multiple women, so it shouldn’t affect me much… but why am I feeling so anxiously fluttered?

I felt like I should say something in response, but perhaps because I was flustered, nothing came to mind.

‘Thank you? Yes, I should have at least said thank you!’

When Marisselle realized she had missed saying thank you, she felt like hitting herself on the head.

“Go.”

“Yes!”

* * *

After riding the carriage for about an hour, they arrived at the entrance of Monsan District.

Monsan was an area densely populated by the lower class, and the roads were narrow and complicated, so the carriage they had ridden couldn’t enter.

“Marisselle, you will ride with me.”

Although Marisselle had learned horseback riding, she wasn’t skilled enough to ride alone, so she mounted Morgan’s horse with him.

And they immediately headed toward the center of Monsan District together with the escort knights.

‘The roads are quite complicated.’

Narrow paths stretched out haphazardly like a spider web, and it seemed like anyone who wasn’t a local would get lost in an instant.

And there were shabby houses and dark alleys. Some places had such foul and nauseating smells that made you want to cover your mouth and nose.

Marisselle unconsciously frowned.

‘So this is why they didn’t recommend it.’

It was dark and dirty, as if crimes happening daily wouldn’t be strange at all.

“Your Highness. What do the residents here do for a living?”

“This is where the lowest of the lower class gather to live. They can’t even work as tenant farmers, and mostly butchers and tanners live here.”

‘So that’s why…’

Marisselle could finally guess the source of this foul smell.

“Then, Your Highness. Have you ever officially visited this place before?”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————