🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 32
“Your Highness, thank you so much for today.”
Walking side by side with Morgan as they left the living room, Maricel spoke in a slightly excited tone, glancing up at him.
Morgan paused mid-step and gently lowered his gaze toward her.
‘Huh?’
Maricel only realized he had stopped after taking a couple of steps ahead and turned back.
“Your Highness?”
Innocent eyes that didn’t understand the reason.
‘Haah—Even this looks cute.’
Morgan’s lips curved into a faint smile for a brief moment before disappearing.
“Today, I just did as you said, but if Fleur finds out later that I let him win, won’t he be even more disappointed or despise me?”
Maricel, wearing a sly, scheming expression, replied.
“Ah, that… Your Highness, it has to remain a secret. Even a young sapling has its pride.”
“Hm. So you’re silencing me with a single word after making me do such a shady thing?”
“Yes… Huh? Shady thing? Your Highness, this is a legitimate strategy.”
Maricel’s eyes narrowed sharply, and she jumped up.
“It might be a strategy for you, but for someone bound by chivalry like me, it’s a shady act.”
Shady act…? Shady act…
Morgan had never thought of it as shady for even a single moment.
“Don’t be so downcast…”
Or whatever.
Before Morgan could finish speaking, Maricel lifted her head, her eyes blazing as she approached him boldly.
“What do you want?”
‘Huh?’
Morgan stared blankly, and she spoke again.
“I’m asking what you want as payment for silencing me. I’m not the type to just let a woman’s mouth be washed clean with a single word.”
‘I forced someone bound by chivalry to do a shady act; I should reward her properly.’
Maricel’s gaze was unwavering.
“Ha! Hahaha!”
Morgan paused at her unexpected response, then couldn’t hold back a laugh.
An opportunity had unexpectedly rolled right into his lap.
“Good. The price for tarnishing my chivalry is a bit high, but can you handle it?”
“Of course.”
Morgan’s eyes narrowed, and one eyebrow rose slightly.
“Do you answer so fearlessly even though you know what I might demand?”
“If it can’t be done at once, we can split it into several times.”
“Ha! And if it still can’t be done in several tries?”
“Then it’s your loss, Your Highness. You have to demand what’s possible to actually receive it, right? You’re not going to fire me just because I can’t comply.”
Ha! Morgan was astonished.
Still, he was relieved she didn’t ask if she’d be fired if he couldn’t grant it.
She was right: whether he could fulfill it or not, she wouldn’t be dismissed. Who would do that for anyone’s sake?
But the feeling was a little strange. Using his heart and feeling both annoyed and yet enjoying being used—a contradictory feeling.
Morgan ran his hand roughly through his hair and stared straight into Maricel’s violet eyes.
Her beautiful purple eyes shone boldly, silently daring him to speak.
He couldn’t help but laugh.
He always laughed when he saw this woman.
Though he hated losing control above all else, Maricel’s actions were always an exception that made his heart race.
“I’ll think about the reward and ask for it later.”
The House of Jerome Kruif Zelcova, Marquis.
“Did you check?”
Zelcova leisurely stroked his well-groomed mustache as he asked.
His aide, Tobias Willa, couldn’t bring himself to meet Zelcova’s eyes and instead stared at the floor.
“Yes, Your Excellency. But… um, it seems nothing has been submitted yet.”
“What? Nothing yet?”
Zelcova’s horizontally slitted eyes narrowed, so thin that his pupils almost disappeared.
“There are still two days left, Your Excellency.”
Tobias bent even further, almost folding in half, and his voice trembled.
He was impatient and quick to berate those around him when things didn’t go as planned.
Since there were still two days, he didn’t want to be a scapegoat yet.
“…….”
“High-ranking houses often submit on the last day. Perhaps the House of Yohaim is just being arrogant?”
Tobias subtly disparaged the grand ducal family to appease Zelcova, but Zelcova remained expressionless and silent.
“…….”
As the silence dragged on, cold sweat began to bead on Tobias’s back.
Just when sweat threatened to form on his forehead, Zelcova finally broke the silence.
“An insolent fool…”
Tobias’s hair stood on end.
Whenever Zelcova cursed a young duke, objects would usually fly across the desk with the outburst.
Zelcova vented his anger on whoever was nearby, and unfortunately, Tobias was often the target.
Tobias had learned to avoid most of it, but occasionally he was seriously hurt and had to brace himself mentally.
…Yet this time, there were no flying objects, no outbursts.
Instead, he saw Zelcova stroking his sharp chin at the end of his long face.
Not a good sign, but slightly relieving—Zelcova often stroked his chin when pretending to be calm, composed, wise, or benevolent to temper his mood.
“How about Manuah?”
Tobias felt as though he had climbed one mountain only to find another. The Manuah Viscountess had no good news either.
“The daughter of Manuah is still working as a nanny for the House of Yohaim. She hasn’t left the estate at all.”
Zelcova’s frown deepened again.
Tap, tap, tap—he pounded the desk impatiently.
Nothing met his satisfaction.
Morgan had to send Fleur, adopted for the grand ducal heir’s education, to the academy.
And yet, with only two days left, no action had been taken. Zelcova could not help but feel anxious.
Though high nobility sometimes enrolled students mid-term, Morgan’s upright nature made that unlikely.
Moreover, the initial plan with Manuah had fallen apart.
The sudden assignment of Manuah’s daughter as a nanny at the grand ducal house was completely unexpected.
She was a girl who mostly stayed at home. Rumored to be beautiful, but so shy few had ever seen her face.
Even the noble registries didn’t include her portrait, as she disliked recognition.
Yet after recovering from a fever, she suddenly became the grand ducal nanny—hard to believe.
Still, it was acceptable—actually, it might be better.
Not just anyone could be a grand ducal nanny; many candidates had been eliminated.
Manuah’s daughter wouldn’t last long and would likely be dismissed, making it easier to manipulate the Manuah family.
Yet now, the situation had changed. Two unwelcome variables appeared.
Manuah’s house was already under Morgan’s watch and protection.
‘He takes care of his people obsessively… tsk tsk.’
Zelcova clicked his tongue.
Using Manuah’s house in this plan now increased the risk. Without recalculation, Manuah was almost a discarded card.
Zelcova was frustrated.
‘There’s no better card to use and discard than Manuah. Tsk.’
His grand plan needed everything to go smoothly, and Morgan was always the trouble.
It irritated Zelcova greatly.
Although dissatisfied, he had no choice but to pin his hopes on the remaining two days.
‘Creating grand history must have some obstacles to make it interesting,’ he said, feigning calm.
“Report back in two days. You may leave.”
“Yes, Marquis.”
Tobias exhaled quietly, as if barely escaping a treacherous situation.
He bowed deeply and left the office.
“Such a timid one… tsk tsk.”
Zelcova was not satisfied with Tobias, who had been nervously tiptoeing the whole time.
“Maricel, nanny, a letter has arrived for you.”
“Ah, thank you, Ruda.”
I told Ruda, who was on duty this week, to bring it when needed, and opened the letter she delivered.
It was from the House of Manuah.
To our beloved daughter, Maricel,
Summer is in full bloom. How is our dear daughter doing? The grand ducal house surely provides everything you need, but is there anything lacking? We worry about you. It’s been so long since we last saw you, and we miss you terribly. Are you eating well? Sleeping well? How are you doing?
When we first heard through Emma, we were told you were healthy and doing very well. Still, we want to see your face and hear from you ourselves. Even if we can’t meet right away, we would be grateful to receive news through letters.
With all the love in the world, Mom and Dad.
After reading it, my nose tingled.
The letter was full of undeniable love.
I had agonized for many days over whether to reveal the truth.
If I told them, what would they gain, and what would they have to endure?
Ultimately, the truth would only bring shock, confusion, and loss. Even if they knew, would they believe it?
Cruelly, it’s better they remain unaware.
It’s better for them to live believing their daughter survived a near-death experience and became a completely different person—so that their remaining lives are peaceful and happy.
Who could remain sane seeing a daughter who is both herself and not herself?
They would live in confusion and guilt, caught between the living and the dead.
Sometimes, it’s better not to know.
I decided that now was that time. The guilt and apologies would be mine alone to bear.
The weight of silence will be heavy, but they can endure it.
It will be lighter than death.
