Contract Marriage Interrupted

Episode 2. Your Highness, please

 

An illegitimate daughter is a useless woman unless for a political marriage.

“It is told that the movements of the western frontier countier are unusual, Your Majesty. There’s nothing like a political spirit to keep them firmly tied to the Imperial family, right? If you send the Fourth Princess to one of them, it will be sufficiently solidified.”

“But there is no one worthy. Most of them are older and married…….”

“Count Marvo has been widowed for over a year now, and I’m sure he’d be honored if His Majesty will arrange for his post of second wife himself.”

Empress Katarina had not missed Cedric’s absence from the palace.

She eagerly whispered in the Emperor’s ear that the movement of the nobles along the border was alarming.

“This kind of activity even when the crown prince is away on a border inspection. They must be doing a good job.”

“The Fourth Princess is old enough to marry, so it’s time for her to contribute to Celestine’s glory.”

There was no way to know whether the Emperor, who could not know what was inside, would have heard it as it was.

One thing is certain, however, that the Emperor responded positively to the political marriage with the western frontier.

As a result, rumors spread through the palace before the morning rooster crowed.

Rumors that Odette would be sold to the Count of Marvo as his next wife.

But doesn’t that mean there will be only bad luck for Odette?

It’s an open secret who’s been chosen as Count Marvo’s heir.

Quite by accident, Odette is presented with the perfect marriage opportunity.

*

 

It was indeed a coincidence.

“What do you mean, Louis won’t be able to give us the investment!”

“He says he can’t help it, no matter how many times I tell him.”

After walking around for a while trying to find a way to avoid an arranged marriage, Odette got tired and went to find a deserted place, but she didn’t expect to hear this conversation.

“Louis?”

It wasn’t hard to recognize the protagonist of the conversation.

The name Louis was one Odette had heard a few times before.

Louis Clovis.

The young blond who had recently inherited the title of Count Clovis after the death of the previous Earl of Clovis.

‘Sociable and open-minded.’

In a good way, that means he’s sociable; in a bad way, it means he’s ungracious for a high-ranking nobleman.

But for a young man, that wasn’t much of a flaw, so usually the assessment wasn’t too bad.

But this time the atmosphere was somehow grim.

Odette peeking around the corner, Louis friends were chatting with frowns on their faces.

“It seems like that damned godmother still doesn’t trust Louis.”

“The godmother, you mean his grandmother?”

“Yes. Louis said she wouldn’t hand over her property until he got married. Thanks to this, Louis was in a lot of trouble, too.”

“Damned old woman.”

She could hear one of the people talking to muttering with a distortion of their face.

Suddenly, Odette understood the situation.

In Imperial law, after the death of the family governor, the oldest of the immediate members became the custodian of the family property for three years.

So the current custodian of the Clovis family.

‘Madame Clovis.’

Louis’ grandmother and a great woman who received the respect and praise of society.

Under the circumstances, she seemed to say that she could not hand over her property until her unreliable grandson got married.

“Then, can’t he just get married?”

“Marriage is not just marriage. I heard his grandmother would only give him the permission to the person she could admit with.”

“It’s not like she’s cracking down on a three-year-old child.”

“Well, that’s because Louis is making such a fuss about it.”

Louis had never been serious with a woman, but he could count on ten fingers the number of women he’d flirted with.

The typical playboy.

“Then hasn’t he met the serious one?”

” It’s the problem, he doesn’t like stuffy women like his grandmother.”

“Well, that’s a problem, because he has no intention of marrying yet, and he’ll only hand over his fortune when he does.”

“Then why don’t you tell him to find someone who’s fits his personality? someone who’ll understand if he keeps a lover.”

“Nonsense. Who would do that?”

The man who said that laughed and slapped his friend on the back, then added.

“If there was such a person, I’d marry her right now!”

And they went back to talking about their investments, laughing and talking amongst themselves.

Beyond the other corner, the unexpected Odette in shock listening to the story.

‘I can’t believe Count Clovis needs a marriage partner.’

Odette’s head was filled with astonishment.

Not because she knew Louis was a playboy.

Rather, the other side of the story was surprising.

‘The godmother Clovis was looking for a marriage partner for her grandson.’

And the opponent had to be someone of high enough status and scandal-free that Madame Clovis would approve.

In addition, the difficulty was that she had to be an opponent who could understand Louis’s female flight.

‘If that’s the case…….’

Don’t you think I’m perfect?

Odette took a few steps back and covered her mouth with her hand.

It because the thought that came to mind at the moment felt like luck was thrown at me.

“I thought I was going to be sold as a junior member of the Changelings.”

Odette had just come from a meeting with the Duke of Pavel, trying to find a way to avoid an arranged marriage.

– Duke Pavel, are you sure there’s no way out? You’re my brother’s only family, and I have nowhere else to turn but to the Duke.

– As I said, the only way to avoid an arranged marriage now is for you to marry someone else, and it has to be someone who can replace the Count. But how am I supposed to find someone like that right now?

No one would be happy to marry an illegitimate child Princess.

High nobles had no reason to, and moreover, the Emperor wouldn’t approve.

– If that is not acceptable to you, Your Highness, then keep your mouth shut until the Crown Prince returns. Imperial law does not permit a nobleman to propose to a royal without asking first.

As Duke Pavel said, there is a law in the Empire that no one can propose to a member of the royal family.

It is existed.

Even if the agreement on marriage has already been reached, the marriage cannot proceed unless the royal family shows a willingness to marry first.

It was the last line of defense given that there were many people who were victimized by political marriage as they were born with the blood of the Imperial family.

– So even if your Majesty arranges a political marriage, if I don’t open my mouth…….

– If you don’t speak, they’ll press you until you agreed, in all sorts of ways. Unless you say you’ll marry someone else suitable, there’s no way around it.

Of course, anyone as good as the Duke of Pavel could have taken the risk to stop Odette’s marriage, but Odette was not such a valuable card.

‘I…… was just a henchman to keep an eye on the situation when my brother isn’t around.’

Therefore, she thought that even if it was terrible, she had to accept the marriage arranged by the Emperor.

But.

‘It would be a different story if I could marry Count Clovis.’

If Louis offered to marry her, surely the Emperor would accept.

The Clovis family was one of the highest ranking families in the land, and it would be no small thing to give them a worthless daughter and gain a Clovis ally.

And even Madame Clovis, who values honor, had no reason not to be pleased if Louis took Odette, the Princess, as his wife.

‘So if I ask Count Clovis to marry me on a contract, he will certainly accept it.’

The conditions were simple.

Not having any interference with Louis about women’s flight after marriage.

In return, Louis would allow Odette to leave the palace.

Both sides had no reason to refuse.

Of course, it was more like a contract than a marriage because of the strings attached, but a contract or a marriage is better than nothing.

‘Of course…… I know Louis is not a good marriage partner.’

Some might ask if it would be a good idea to marry such a playboy, but Odette hadn’t expected much from her mate from the start.

On the contrary, he was perfect for Odette, who wanted to leave the palace and live a quiet life.

‘A man of no desire for power, no ambition.’

He is not clumsy in appearance, has a poor personality, and not short of money.

‘Of course, the only flaw is that his status is a little high…….’

If you marry a high-ranking person, it will not be easy to live quietly, so it took a little while.

But for now, there was no other way.

Rather than holding on to the rotten rope, I wanted to get out of here even if I held on to the thorn.

‘I can’t have a perfect marriage in my position anyway.’

A position that would somehow be sold as the Emperor’s political horse.

So wouldn’t it be okay if I sold myself first?

‘You won’t find a better deal.’

Odette made up her mind.

A week later.

Attending Walter’s victory banquet, dropping a quick note to Louis, waiting at the meeting point.

Everything seemed to be going well.

Until suddenly Walter steps in front of her.

*

 

Since Louis closed the door and disappeared.

“What the…… What…….”

Odette could not hide her confusion.

The whole thing seemed like a lie.

The man she’d never spoken to before had somehow managed to get in her way.

And now he’s proposing to her.

It was too much, even for the delusions of a young girl who had just made her debut.

I wish it was a delusion.

If I had, I would have taken it all with pleasure.

And I was just stared at that handsome man’s face.

‘He’s so handsome.’

The problem is that she doesn’t know what she’s going to do with that handsome face.

Odette’s plan has already been ruined by Walter’s interference.

‘I shouldn’t have deal with this in the first place.’

She knew, but she was caught up in Walter’s pace because of his attitude that he seemed to know all about Odette’s situation.

Odette asked, tilted her head.

“…… Why is it me?”

“I told you I wanted you, do I need a reason beyond that?”

“Of course, because-…….”

Odette blurted out absentmindedly.

Her mind flashed back to the voice of the Third Princess Lizaina, whom she had overheard before the banquet.

– Duke Ertmann must be interested in me too, I can tell by the way he’s been so sweet to me.

Although she hadn’t heard the details, Odette knew that Lizaina and Walter had met a few times.

Lizaina talked about Walter every day, so it was impossible not to know.

But even so, when I mention Lizaina’s name in front of Walter, it seems to have become a strange love affair, Odette said stealthily.

“You’re seeing someone …….”

“I’m not seeing anyone.”

“You don’t?”

“No. So now I want to talk to you about the proposal.”

What Walter meant by ‘proposal’ was clear.

A contract marriage.

Odette thought for a moment, then spoke.

“Contract marriage, you said.”

“As you heard.”

“And what are the terms of the agreement?”

“Just be mine, that will do.”