Contract Marriage Interrupted

Episode 3. It’s the worst

 

Odette was a little stunned by a quick reply.

“You want me?”

What kind of conditions do they have?

Worst of all, the moment she heard Walter’s words, some bad feelings flashed through her mind.

‘No way…….’

Odette asked in disbelief.

“What do you mean you want me?”

“Exactly as you understand it.”

“If I understood, I wouldn’t have asked.”

“I didn’t know that your Highness was needed footnotes for every words.”

Walter raised one eyebrow and raised his index finger.

Then he slowly scanned Odette from her forehead to the tip of her shoe.

“Head to toe, Princess. I’m asking you to give it all to me.”

So that no one can dare look over, and touch it.

At that blatant tone, goosebumps slowly shiver up Odette’s spine.

That’s why I’ve just been convinced by Walter’s words.

‘Duke Ertmann…… This guy……!’

You’re trying to play with me!

I was convinced.

For the past month or so, Walter had been meeting with the Third Princess, Lizaina.

‘According to his words, I don’t think they in a relationship.’

Still, there’s no denying that there seems to be some sort of relationship between them.

What’s the point of Walter seeing her consistently if he’s not dating Lizaina in the first place?

‘It must be that the Duke of Ertmann has some kind of relationship with Empress Katarina.’

In particular, it was doubtful that Walter knew of Odette’s plans for a contract marriage.

Odette had only mentioned it once, in a discreet confession to her close maid, Ellie, in her own court.

‘Someone must have eavesdropping and passed it on to Empress Katarina.’

And the Empress Katarina was someone who regarded Odette as a nuisance and wanted to get rid of her in a hurry.

She must have made this plot to sabotage Odette’s plans to marry Louis.

‘If I accept this proposal, she will show her true colours and disgrace me.’

And now that Walter has ruined her meeting with Louis, Odette will be forced to marry the Changeling as the Empress has planned.

Otherwise, why would he make such a ridiculous offer if he wanted her?

In addition, this method was already used by Lizaina in the past by using another man.

 

– The 4th Princess, almost there. Now if you do a little better and soothe her gently, she’ll hang on to you first, so let’s wait and see.

– Great. Are you sure?

– Of course, she’s just the sort of woman who doesn’t know a man, and can be easily swayed by a few words.

He was the man who had approached and courted Odette when no one was looking.

– Do you need a reason for love? I want you.

With words that make you want to be deceived.

She was sceptical, but she was also swayed by his words.

After that, Odette closed her heart to anyone who approached her.

Walter was no exception.

‘If the same trick didn’t work once, it won’t work twice.’

Odette picked up the hem of her skirt and greeted Walter with calm courtesy.

Hair drips down along the flamboyant body line.

Soon Odette, slowly bending over, said with a smile.

“I’ll forget the disrespect you’ve given me today, so please don’t show up in front of me again.”

Let me add one last word.

“Your Excellency is the worst.”

It was a polite and determined farewell.

* * *

 

Deep in the night, the terrace of the palace banquet hall.

“Sir, are you here?”

At the words behind his back, the man standing on the railing, Walter, turned.

“……Russell Huntley.”

“Yes, it’s me. It’s a victory celebration, after all, and it’s a bit odd to be without the headliner……..”

Russell, the red-haired knight, he scratched the back of his head.

His half-open eyes were seemed to be asleep all day, he’s looking very sloppy, but despite his appearance, Russell was the closest vassal of Duke Ertmann.

In addition, he was also an unlucky person who had to deal with the crowds instead of Walter who was away from the banquet today.

So he was just here to find Walter, grinding his teeth complaining to get this double dose of job…….

If Russell had one thing going for him, it was a quick eye for a flimsy exterior.

And from what he could see, Walter was quite disturbed right now.

‘What the hell?!’

This is why, instead of being able to complain about my hard work, if I get caught, I’m going to have to do the rounds of the training ground.

Russell glanced, then coughed to clear his throat.

“Ahem, ummm. So, did it go well for you to talk? Didn’t you say you had some business to do?”

“Oh, that.”

Walter slowly clenched and unclenched his empty hand.

“It was rejected.”

“As expected, Your Excellency is…… What?! You were rejected? Didn’t you say it would work out well?”

Russell’s eyes, which tried to flatter a little at this moment, became open wided.

Walter, who had apparently said he was going to be away when he came to the banquet hall, looked very confident.

No, it seemed more like a person who finally encountered something he had been looking forward to for a long time, rather than being full of himself.

Russell was also well aware of Walter’s excellent speech, so he didn’t think much about the possibility of failure.

A rejection?

“What reason?”

“They say they don’t like me.”

A moment above it, the memory of when he reached out to Odette was regenerated.

– I’ll forget the rudeness you’ve done to me today, so please don’t show up in front of me again.

– Your Excellency is the worst.

It was really a polite and determined farewell.

Especially that Odette had scampered off shortly thereafter.

This had left Walter’s mind in a state of constant twisting, as Russell could tell.

He waited so long and reach her, and now it was slipping through his mind.

A low voice escaped Walter’s lips as he ran a hand through his hair.

“I didn’t think I’d struggle from here…….”

It was funny how my stupid body was still responding.

From the moment Walter laid eyes on Odette, he could feel his heart beating uncontrollably and his chest heaving.

It was just as he had said.

– It is not difficult to grant a wish in exchange for your heart, but can you bear it? Your sincerity will be distorted and you will be rejected often.

– I don’t care.

– You’ll be hurt, and you won’t be able to trust the other person’s sincerity anymore, and all you’ll be left with is a bunch of empty words. Would you still trade with them?

– I’ve already been through this once, and it’s hard to go through it again.

If I could only see her once more.

Anything to prevent the tragedy that will come to her is fine.

Walter snorted and made a deal with ‘her’.

All he got in return was a cold, tightening heart and a tongue unable to speak the truth.

And a new lease of life.

‘How did I come back, and I can’t give up now.’

They kicked the offer, so he’ll make it come back to him.

Walter’s hand clutched slowly.

“Russell, I have to make a rumor.”

* * *

 

The next day.

“Your Highness Odette! Is the rumor true?! I heard you had a secret meeting with the Duke of Ertmann!”

“……You must have heard the rumor…….”

At the sound of footsteps running in, Odette slowly raised her head from the tip on her quill.

In just two days, she had grown quite tired.

The reason was simple.

“Of course I heard it! How can you not know this story as soon as you enter the Imperial Palace? Everyone was talking about your Highness and the Third Princess!”

Overnight, the scandal between Odette and Walter had spread like wildfire through social circles.

It was claimed that the two were having a secret meeting at Walter’s victory celebration.

In fact, it didn’t take long to spread.

The place where Odette and Walter met was the biggest banquet in the capital for almost a month.

It was also because the scandal’s protagonist was Duke Walter Ertmann, the current socialite sensation, who was rumoured to be having an relationship with the third princess, Lizaina.

“Did you hear that? The Duke of Ertmann and His Highness Odette, the 4th Princess, had a secret meeting…….”

“Then what will happen to your Highness, the 3th princes?”

No wonder the palace was abuzz.

A love triangle between the two Princesses and Duke Ertmann, the centre of attention in society!

What a tantalising story.

The problem is, Odette doesn’t have much to say about it.

After all, Walter and Odette did meet that day.

‘I’m no one else was around…….’

Where did it come from?

Ellie, who ran quickly with her red hair flying in front of Odette, who was confused in many ways, lowered her voice to the fullest and whispered.

“Do you know how surprised I am? I’m sure the man who went you to propose is Count Clovis but rumored with the Duke of Ertmann! What the hell happened to you with the Duke?”

What happened, huh.

Odette chuckled to herself at the familiar question.

“How many times has this question been asked?”

Just a little more, my ears about to bleed.

The entire palace was abuzz with chatter, but the maids in Odette’s chambers were the loudest.

“What if the Fourth Princess really does become a Duchess?”

“I’ve been ignoring you as an illegitimate daughter all this time…… How can you do this!”

“Let’s be nice to her now, just in case. It can’t be helped!”

The maids of honour in the imperial palace were all scions of modest noble families.

Noble ladies who wouldn’t lift anything heavier than a teacup with their own hands at home.

Therefore, all of Odette’s maids were ashamed that they had become maids of the illegitimate daughter of the Emperor.

It is natural not to be happy to take care of them, and they often ignored Odette.

Until the scandal of Walter and Odette spread.

It is ridiculous that the scandal has spread and the treatment has improved.

However, this was also a disturbance that would pass quickly.

‘Because a scandal like this would be the most damaging to the Duke of Ertmann.’

Soon Walter’s side will make a quick explanation, and everything will be quiet again.

Odette smiled lightly, and after confirming once more that there was no one around, opened his mouth.

“What happened at the victory celebration was…….”

* * *

 

“So, you’re saying that Duke Ertmann knew about your plans and came to sabotage them, my God!”

Odette told Ellie everything that had happened at the victory celebration.

That somehow Walter had known of her plans and had come to blatantly interrupt them.

And in the context of the situation, it seems that Katarina the Empress and Lizaina attract Walter to do this.

“Perhaps you thought I was going to grab the Duke of Ertmann. There won’t be much more to be done in a situation that has been interrupted by the meeting with Count Clovis.”

Above all, Duke Ertmann was a very attractive marriage partner.

To the point where it’s rather funny that the illegitimate daughter and the like refuse.

“I can’t believe he’s involved in such mischief, but I didn’t think so, but Duke Ertmann is a very mean person! Even if you say so, there is no good reason for the Duke to play such a prank!”

“Actually, I wonder that, too. If he want to look good to the queen, you’ll understand…… Duke Ertmann wouldn’t have any particular reason for that.”

Why did Walter propose to me?