I Was Marked as the Grand Duke Male Lead’s Stepmother - Chapter 75

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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 75

Marisselle was about to speak excitedly but then continued calmly.

Seeing Morgan’s expression, which looked somehow uncomfortable and gloomy, her excited mood quickly subsided.

“Hmm… His Highness the Crown Prince says he would like to invite me to the Royal Household.”

“For what reason?”

A low but sharp voice.

‘He’s quite on guard.’

Marisselle thought it was natural for him to be wary.

Since he was someone who carried countless responsibilities and duties on his shoulders, he couldn’t afford to be careless about even the smallest things.

“To be more precise, he’s inviting me to the Royal Library. His Highness the Crown Prince promised during the debutante ball last time. And he really did invite me.”

“The library? Will you… accept the invitation?”

A dejected voice, different from before.

Marisselle strangely felt like his voice was telling her not to go.

But Marisselle had to go.

“Yes! I want to go. He said there are books that aren’t in the Duke’s Household library. I also happen to need some books.”

“What kind of books? Couldn’t I just borrow them for you? Without you having to go yourself?”

‘What’s with that pitiful look in his eyes?’

It was an expression she’d never seen from him before.

“That won’t do. I need to see and find them myself.”

“What books are they that require that?”

Morgan reacted irritably, seeming anxious.

“Books that record how the Helman Empire has dealt with epidemics.”

“Why do you need those?”

Morgan looked at Marisselle with puzzled eyes.

“The murals hanging in the Royal Corridors. Looking at the murals made me curious.”

‘Sigh. Why did the Royal Household paint such useless things?’

Morgan clicked his tongue.

“Which ones?”

“The murals show saints appearing to save people during major epidemics, but I became curious about how they dealt with smaller epidemics. So when I mentioned it, he graciously invited me, saying the answers are in the Royal Archives.”

“You could probably find them in the Duke’s Household library if you looked.”

“No. They’re not there. I already looked.”

“Ha.”

‘You already looked in that short time?’

Morgan looked at Marisselle with resentful eyes.

He felt his pride was hurt, as if he had lost to the Crown Prince.

“I’ve been having strange dreams lately too.”

“Dreams?”

His eyebrow rose sharply.

“Yes. Dreams about wars breaking out and epidemics spreading. Since I keep having these dreams repeatedly, I couldn’t help but feel anxious. That’s when His Highness the Crown Prince graciously extended his hand. It would actually be rude not to go.”

He snorted as if he found it absurd.

“So you absolutely must go? When?”

“Well, I’ll have to go on my day off.”

“What day off does an aide have?”

“Excuse me? No. Your Highness. Wait a moment. I may be the second aide, but I’m also working as a governess, and you promised to guarantee my days off. How can you suddenly act tyrannically like an exploitative employer?”

Marisselle questioned him, and Morgan remained firm.

‘Not knowing how others feel, just getting excited…’

Morgan felt utterly resentful and disappointed in Marisselle.

The Crown Prince was the person he wanted to keep furthest away. And she wanted to be alone with him. It felt like his blood was flowing backward.

He needed to find a way to stop this somehow.

But how?

He couldn’t think of any method at all.

Seeing Marisselle come out so firmly like this, she was expressing her determination to go no matter what…

‘What can I possibly do?’

If she wanted it, he had no choice but to grant it. He couldn’t win against Marisselle.

“Must you really go?”

“Yes. I absolutely must go.”

‘For my survival and future.’

“Alright. Then, just make me one promise.”

“What kind of promise?”

His eyes looked anxious, deeper and more shadowed than usual.

‘Is something wrong? Some secret I don’t know about, something he can’t bring himself to say?’

Is that why?

“…Promise me you won’t be swayed no matter what words the Crown Prince uses to seduce you.”

‘What… seduce?’

What kind of nonsensical talk was this now?

Marisselle felt dizzy.

“Your Highness… I don’t understand why you’re saying such things, but why on earth would His Highness the Crown Prince try to seduce me? It’s such an absurd statement that I’m embarrassed to even hear it. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“…He would.”

“Pardon?”

He had muttered uncharacteristically under his breath, so Marisselle, who couldn’t make it out, asked again.

“The Royal Household has been keeping an eye on your abilities.”

“Me?”

Marisselle pointed to herself with her hand, asking back with a bewildered expression.

“Not only your abilities as a governess, but your capabilities as an advisor were also revealed while handling the Monsan District matter. From the Royal Household’s perspective, you were already a coveted talent, but now even more so.”

“Wait a moment, Your Highness. …Are you saying you’re worried I might switch sides for better conditions?”

Seeing his silence, it seemed she was right.

Marisselle felt slightly hurt in her pride.

‘He only saw me to that extent?’

“Your Highness. I’m rather disappointed. To think you saw me as someone who moves easily based on conditions… Did you perhaps take my oath of loyalty lightly because I’m a woman?”

It was the first time he’d heard her speak in such a cold tone.

Morgan felt his heart sink for a moment.

He had never seen Marisselle angry like this.

“No, no. It’s not like that…”

He found himself flustered without realizing it.

“If it’s not like that, then please explain.”

“…”

He shut his mouth.

Marisselle felt a surge of emotion.

‘He only thought of me to that extent…’

Marisselle turned her head away, avoiding Morgan’s eyes.

Seeing Marisselle disappointed in him and turning away, Morgan felt as if his heart was being torn apart.

But even in the midst of this, he was agonizing over and over again.

Whether telling the truth would be better or poison.

“…That bastard. He has similar tastes to mine. So… I was anxious about losing you to him…”

‘I’m going crazy with anxiety…’

After finishing his words, he cried out inwardly and hung his head low.

‘Huh…?’

Marisselle was flustered by the unexpected words.

And seeing him hanging his head weakly, she strangely felt his sharp pain.

“Your Highness… have you ever had someone you liked stolen by His Highness the Crown Prince?”

That was the kind of thing that couldn’t come out without experience.

Morgan raised his head, but when his eyes met Marisselle’s, he immediately turned away to avoid her gaze.

‘Wow. That’s right. He has had that experience.’

To think Morgan had someone he liked before Gabriella.

It was quite shocking.

“…I didn’t know you had such pain.”

“It was when I was young. …Very young.”

He hastily explained despite his embarrassment. He didn’t want Marisselle to misunderstand.

“Ah… I see… When you were young… But still, pain is pain.”

“Not anymore.”

He emphasized repeatedly.

‘But I am curious. Who was it? Would it be rude to ask?’

“It’s fine if you still like them now, Your Highness. I was just surprised to think that Your Highness also had someone you liked. I thought you had no interest in such things at all.”

When Marisselle smiled brightly, he spoke carefully but resolutely.

“…I still do.”

“Pardon?”

Not quite understanding what he meant, Marisselle asked again.

“I said I still have someone I like.”

“Ah, I… I see…”

So he still has someone he likes – is it the same person? Or someone different?

‘Right now it’s before he meets the female lead, so it’s not Gabriella either… Then… what is this novel even becoming?’

Surely the core story wouldn’t change just because one soul from another world got mixed in?

I’ve been so wrong about so many things that I’m starting to feel sorry for even making assumptions.

“Well… I offer my sincere condolences for the separation and congratulations for having someone you like now.”

At that, Morgan’s expression immediately hardened.

“I need neither condolences nor congratulations. What happened at that young age was just a brief encounter, nothing like love, and what I like now is unrequited, so congratulations are premature.”

‘Unrequited love?’

The words “unrequited love” came from Morgan’s mouth.

I was itching to ask who the object of that unrequited love was.

‘From the circumstances, it seems like… me…’

It’s frustrating that I can’t and shouldn’t confirm it, and though there are many confusing days where I’m wrong about things, what can I do? I have to live thinking it’s not me even though it might be me.

“Unrequited love is rather unfortunate, Your Highness.”

“…That’s why, no matter what reason or conditions the Crown Prince uses to tempt you, don’t fall for it.”

“Yes. Don’t worry about that. I may not look it, but I’m a loyal woman.”

Marisselle grinned broadly.

‘Wait.’

Come to think of it, the Crown Prince was also a supporting character who liked Gabriella.

The original Marisselle also had unrequited love for Hereise.

How bitter. Is this novel some kind of unrequited love sanctuary?

“When is your friend’s birthday?”

‘Huh? Suddenly?’

Ah, we talked about it earlier.

“Was it Jenti? From the Berser Count Family?”

“Yes, that’s right, Your Highness. He’s my childhood friend.”

“Who else do you have as childhood friends besides Jenti?”

“You might know him – Hereise. The eldest son of House of Briggs.”

“You’ll all be gathering together then.”

“Of course. Hereise told me to dress up prettily. Oh, Jenti did too. Due to circumstances, Jenti couldn’t attend the first day of the debutante ball and attended the second day instead, but I only attended the first day and couldn’t go after, so we missed each other.”

Morgan looked Marisselle up and down and said.

“So that’s why you’re wearing this dress?”

“Oh? Yes. I bought this separately while preparing for the debutante ball. It’s a bit bold, but it’s so pretty that I wanted to wear it this time.”

“Isn’t it a bit much for a friend’s birthday?”

“That’s why I decided to have it altered a little.”

“A little? From what I can see, it seems like it needs a lot of alterations.”

“What? Is it that bad?”

“Rather than bad, it’s excessive and inappropriate for a birthday party. And if you go wearing it in this state, the men won’t leave you alone.”

‘Men?’

A memory came to Marisselle’s mind and she smiled softly.

How Jenti and Hereise would form a protective barrier for Marisselle, who was very shy around strangers, at every birthday party.

“Your Highness, it’s not men – there’s only one man. The only person who’ll come near me is Hereise. Probably Hereise will block everyone else this time too.”

‘Hereise…’

The only man who had been by Marisselle’s side for a long time.

I heard he has a gentle nature and is very caring.

He’s been on my mind since before. No matter how much they’ve been friends since childhood, can a man and woman really be purely just friends?

The person the Viscount couple mentioned that Marisselle liked is probably Hereise…

“…But how can a man and woman remain friends until now?”

“Well… it’s because Hereise doesn’t see me as a woman.”

“…?”

Morgan’s expression quickly hardened.

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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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