I Was Marked as the Grand Duke Male Lead’s Stepmother - Chapter 77

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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 77

“Wow…!”

I couldn’t close my mouth.

Endlessly high ceilings packed with books all the way to the top. A comfortable space.

The ladder used to retrieve books was quite tall, with a flat platform in the middle like stage equipment, and stairs with railings connected on both sides of the platform.

And it had wheels for easy movement. I could see several of these mobile ladders.

Moreover, somehow they had eliminated the musty, stale smell that comes from old books – there was no odor at all.

Just from this alone, I could tell how much effort the Royal Household was putting into the Hesia Library.

“Your Highness, it’s so beautiful.”

I moved forward as if enchanted, reaching out to stroke the displayed books with my fingertips as if feeling the texture of stone walls.

“Hahahaha.”

I was startled by the sudden loud sound and turned around.

Renegade was clutching his stomach and laughing heartily as if he found it extremely amusing.

The large library was filled with Renegade’s laughter.

He forgot his dignity as Crown Prince and clutched his stomach, laughing refreshingly.

At first I was annoyed like he was ruining the mood, but seeing him laugh that much made me more curious instead.

Looking at the library staff’s expressions, they seemed to feel the same way.

He laughed a bit more, then pretended to wipe the corners of his eyes. I wasn’t sure if he actually had tears from laughing.

“Ahaha. Sorry about that. For a Crown Prince to laugh so shamelessly. But don’t blame me too much. You’re the cause!”

“Pardon?”

Blaming me out of nowhere. It was absurd.

What did I even do? Did I do acrobatics? What exactly did I do?

“Your Highness. You say I’m the cause. If you could explain in a bit more detail…”

It was better to make the Crown Prince of a nation happy rather than angry. But I was concerned that his happiness might not be interpreted positively.

Perhaps reading my puzzled and slightly worried expression, he spoke gently.

“Don’t worry. I don’t mean it badly. It’s just that you’re the first noble lady I’ve seen who looks at a library and admires it as beautiful, like viewing a scenic landscape.”

“Ah… So that’s what you meant.”

‘He finds all sorts of things amusing. Well, I’m glad I brought him joy…’

Listening to Renegade’s words, I became curious about something.

Since he said I was the first noble lady like this, it must mean many noble ladies had visited before.

“Your Highness. Are there qualifications for using the Royal Library?”

“There are. The Royal Household only issues permits to families that meet certain conditions. As you can see, this Hesia Library is the Empire’s most important heritage.”

“…Then can all members of families with permits use it?”

He said only one person per family could enter. Entry was strictly controlled, and while borrowing was possible, the procedures were complicated.

So when needed, they would partially transcribe sections to take with them.

If you borrowed something and lost it, the family would have to pay compensation that could ruin them completely.

The conditions for issuing entry permits were also extremely strict.

They considered various factors like the family’s history, scale, and reputation before issuing permits, so I could see what a great favor Renegade had done by inviting me today.

‘What if I can’t see all the materials today?’

After hearing about the usage qualifications, I became worried.

I couldn’t borrow anything even if I didn’t finish looking.

Then I’d have to extract as much as I could today, right?

‘This is going to be intense…’

“Your Highness. …May I stay until the library’s closing time today?”

He widened his eyes in surprise at something again and stared at me like I was a strange person.

“You’re quite unique. Usually when noble ladies are invited to the Imperial Palace, they try to impress me and are desperate to spend time with me somehow… But you put books before me. This feeling of being outranked by books is somehow a fresh shock…?”

‘Haha. I’m not your average noble lady, Your Highness.’

Would someone whose life hangs in the balance leisurely try to seduce the Crown Prince?

“Is what you’re looking for that important?”

“Yes… Your Highness. I really want to find the answer to the question I mentioned before.”

I spoke with emphasis, with earnest eyes.

“Then, there’s a condition. I invited you today with the intention of having conversations too, so it would be disappointing if you just used the library and left. How about it? Will you hear me out and accept?”

“Yes… Your Highness.”

It was an answer that required no deliberation.

“How about granting me one favor I ask for next time? Within reasonable limits, of course.”

“Then, you’re saying it won’t be anything that would threaten life and safety, or harm my family, right?”

“Hahaha.”

He laughs again. It wasn’t really something worth laughing about.

I couldn’t grasp at which point exactly it became funny. I concluded that the Crown Prince must just be someone who laughs a lot.

“You’re truly peculiar. Life and safety… How peculiar. Interesting. I’ll invite you again next time, so please be sure to accept. Hahaha.”

Hearing his words, I realized he had laughed because I mentioned life, safety, and family while setting limits on the scope of his request.

“As long as time and circumstances permit, I would be deeply honored by Your Highness’s grace.”

Then he laughed again, saying my expression was amusing.

Every word I say makes him burst out laughing. “The Crown Prince is a reaction goldmine” was about to be engraved in my mind.

“Ah, sorry for laughing so much. You seem to be someone who brings me laughter. In that spirit, I’ll specially allow you to stay until late today. It would be best to send the Duke’s carriage back. Instead, I’ll have you escorted home in a royal carriage.”

‘Wow. Could there be such a jackpot? He’s even offering to escort me home in a royal carriage? Don’t tell me…’

He doesn’t have some other ulterior motive, does he? Excessive kindness isn’t good…

“Thank you, Your Highness. Then, I’ll go look for books now.”

Then he let out a hollow laugh as if incredulous and called me back.

“Wait. Lady Marisselle. Are you telling me to leave just like that?”

“Ah… Your Highness, aren’t you busy? Oh! Does Your Highness also have business at the library…?”

I wondered if he also had business at the library, and felt displeased that I seemed to be issuing an order for him to leave? I was concerned.

But he gave a different answer.

“I have no business here. How about you look for materials from now until 7 o’clock, then have tea with me? Wouldn’t that time be sufficient? If I suggested having tea now, you wouldn’t seem pleased. I’m specially postponing it for you, so what do you say?”

‘Wow. When he puts it like that, what woman could refuse?’

And he’s even giving that gentle eye-smile. It might be partly due to the Crown Prince’s blonde hair, but even without that, he’s truly a radiant person.

His low, soft voice and kind eye-smile – there wouldn’t be anyone who wouldn’t fall for them.

Plus he has all the wealth and glory. Isn’t he truly the Empire’s greatest man in name and reality!

“Yes… I’ll do that, Your Highness. Then where should I go at 7 o’clock?”

“No need to come. I’ll send someone. Then, see you later, Lady Marisselle.”

He disappeared coolly. Once he left the library, I told the librarian about the books I was looking for.

The librarian opened a catalog and scanned through the list, then said there were several related books and went to the wheeled ladder.

And skillfully pulled out books one by one – thunk, thunk, thunk – putting them in a basket and handing it to me.

“Um… could I also get a pen and paper?”

“Here you are, my lady.”

A male employee with a build that seemed more suited for a knight than a librarian quickly handed me a pen and stack of paper.

Still, he had a kind face, so should I say he found the balance point for a librarian’s image?

If he had a rough appearance with that build, or a scar on his face, it really wouldn’t have matched the professional image.

I took the books and settled at a spot by the window where sunlight streamed in well.

And to save time, I first skimmed through them quickly, marking necessary parts in each volume.

I thought they’d be boringly full of just text, but illustrations were inserted here and there, making it surprisingly easy to find the parts I needed.

Thanks to this, I had hope that I might be able to finish within the time limit.

As with any history, the 900-year history of the Helman Empire also had quite many infectious diseases, large and small, recorded.

In the early days of the nation’s founding, no notable diseases were recorded.

The closer to recent times, the more frequently they occurred, accompanied by national events like famines, wars, and climate anomalies.

I carefully wrote down the characteristics, duration, scale of damage, and accompanying national events of diseases that occurred by year.

…Finally, the last page of the last volume.

I raised my head. The surroundings were quiet.

Since it was winter, evening had come quickly. All the other staff seemed to have left work, and only the male employee who had handed me paper and pen was visible. He was probably on duty today.

“Excuse me, librarian. What time is it now?”

“It’s almost 7 o’clock.”

“Ah! I see. Thank you.”

I hurriedly turned my attention back to the book and quickly copied the necessary parts.

“Ah, I’m done!”

I really burned myself out completely. From concentrating so hard on reading and writing, my eyes felt dry and my fingers were trembling like someone with hand tremors, and some parts ached with a tingling sensation.

‘Wait, in this state, will I be able to have tea with the Crown Prince later?’

I gathered the papers I had spread out to let the ink dry, tapping them against the desk surface to align them into a neat rectangle.

Just when everything was nicely settled, someone the Crown Prince sent to fetch me arrived.

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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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