Contract Marriage Interrupted

Episode 16. I wasn’t doing well

 

She heard it so many times, her body remembered it before her brain did.

She didn’t even have to turn her head, as a hand reached out from behind her back and gently blocked Odette’s approach.

“I think that’s enough, Your Highness, you look quite startled.”

“D- Duke Ertmann.”

Odette’s adversary hesitated and stepped back.

Considering that Walter’s voice from behind was calm, he was in a state of contemplation that felt a little strange.

“It’s not like this is your first time in society, but you’ve got a problem if you don’t know where to draw the line. Don’t you think?”

“Uh, yes, I do, I’m sorry.”

The nameless man who had been approaching Odette tucked his tail hastily.

The man with a smirk disappeared beyond the crowd faster than he had come, and fortunately, the conversation she had with Walter had been heard by the surrounding area, so others didn’t try to come closer than necessary.

Walter saved her from the crowd.

It was only then that Odette managed to exhale a sigh of relief and straighten her posture.

“Thank you…… for your help, Duke.”

It was the first time she had ever thanked Walter, and her voice sounded a little awkward.

But her embarrassment was shattered by Walter’s response.

“If you’re going to say thank you, I’d like you to see me face to face.”

 

“…… I have no intention of burning firewood over the rumors now.”

“Yes. I think we’ve already put enough firewood on the fire by being together, don’t you think the gossip will get excited?”

We’d been stuck right at the entrance to Xavier’s ballroom.

Odette’s face flushed as a voice whispered in her ear.

“This is not-!”

Odette whirled on her heel.

She locked eyes with Walter, who was staring at her as if he had been waiting for that moment.

“……!”

Those green eyes inside the dim eyehole.

When we think of the color green, we tend to think of the green and gentle feeling of a forest, but there was something about Walter’s green eyes that felt familiar.

Is it because of the sharp atmosphere? Or is it because of his persistent gaze on Odette.

Odette felt a strange sense of disorientation and awkwardness as she stood face to face with him.

Of course, it was only a moment.

Walter, who was looking at Odette with a slightly frowned face, opened his tightly closed mouth.

“I think you’ve been well.”

“……What do you mean?”

“It means literally. When I saw you before, you looked like a skinny twig, but now you seem to have put on some weight. It means you’re looking good.”

Odette blushed at the blatant description.

 

“T-that’s rude, how could you use that expression?”

“Then can I say that you’ve become a little more fat? Or the food must have been delicious.”

“…….”

Odette’s mouth dropped open in disbelief, as the next phrase was just as rude.

Of course she had gained weight.

– Your Highness needs to put on weight, trust me!

Perhaps because she felt sorry for Odette, who had lost a lot of weight due to hard work over the past few days, Ellie worked hard to bring her food from home to feed her.

Odette ate everything she was offered, and as a result, she gained enough weight to fit into her loose dress today.

Ellie was very satisfied with it and said.

– Your blood color is better than before, and your face is much better with fewer lines, though of course you are as beautiful as ever!

Odette nodded, thinking that she looked better now than she did before, when she was looking a bit gaunt.

“Has there been a change of chef at the palace? I’d like to reward whoever it is.”

I can’t believe he said that to me!

‘No, if you think about it, it’s a compliment…… It seems like it is.’

Anyway, he said it looked better, and objectively it seemed like that.

But is it really necessary to phrase it that way!

Odette’s eyes narrowed.

 

“I don’t need any awards. The imperial palace chef remains the same. It looks like the duke is not doing well, is it?”

“Yes. I wasn’t doing well.”

“Lose weight, huh?”

Odette’s eyes rounded again as she tried to repeat what Walter had said.

“Isn’t it true that the person you proposed to marry loves someone else?”

“…….”

The round eyes narrowed again.

“Thanks to this, I was worried because my marriage path is blocked. I haven’t been doing well because I’ve been thinking about how to get rid of this rival.”

“You’ve been worrying for nothing, I’m going to go.”

Odette turned her back without hesitation. But then came the voice.

“Usually when I say things like this, they give me comfort or advice.”

“It must be hard for you, and I’d suggest you find someone else and marry them, because it’s a waste of time to spend your time in such a place.”

A wry smile appeared on Walter’s face as he received mechanical comfort and advice without any trace of soul.

A smile that Odette cannot see as she solemnly turns her back.

However, Walter was very happy just to see the curly silver hair on her back.

It was true that he had not been doing well while he hadn’t seen Odette.

‘Pain…… It’s still the same.’

He could feel the pain in his chest, out of proportion to his thumping heartbeat when he was close to her.

 

It’s hard not to be impressed.

Even that was now considered quite a pleasure to Walter.

It’s a completely crazy idea to be willing to suffer, but what’s the point.

The moment when Walter had calmed his expression, and about to talk to Odette again.

“Your Highness, here you are, I apologize. There’s a lot of people here…….”

“Ah, Count Clovis.”

Odette’s face beamed when she saw Louis approaching in a hurry.

“You seem to be a favorite. I’m sorry for your troubles.”

“No disrespect, Your Highness, but are you alright?”

“I’m fine, with help.”

She hadn’t bothered to say who, but suddenly the thought crossed Odette’s mind.

‘What if I put Walter and Louis together?’

Wouldn’t that reveal something about their relationship?

Odette went on to visit the Belfort Academy several more times after meeting Louis.

And, despite her efforts, she hadn’t gotten much information.

– Although they attended school at the same time, I don’t think Duke Ertmann had a deep connection with people. There is no mention of any feuds.

– I also asked the people at the magic hall, but they said they weren’t sure. I heard that a man named Count Clovis was a pretty diligent student!

The information Anne Sophie had given her didn’t mean much either.

She was inwardly disappointed, but then she realized.

 

‘If you’re with Walter, people will make a lot of noise, but…….’

Apparently that part was already taken care of.

Odette turned toward Walter.

“Here, Duke Ertmann was helped…….”

And then.

“The Duke!”

A bubbly voice was heard somewhere, and a pure-looking woman with a yellow ribbon came running to Walter with a big smile.

And then she hugged Walter.

“I’m so glad to see you here! I was scared because I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t know you were coming!”

For a moment, Walter’s face was distorted, but to others it seemed like he was just embarrassed by the sudden expression of affection.

He also pushed her away so quickly that the person that hugged him felt embarrassed.

“Ellodie Montoire. Didn’t I tell you not to do this?”

“I’m sorry…… but I’m glad to see you.”

Moreover, the conversation they had immediately afterwards sounded more like proof that Walter and Ellodie were not so close, but rather proof that the two were actually like a couple, and that this sort of thing happens often.

At least…… to Odette, who was watching it.

* * *

 

‘I knew you couldn’t do that in a crowd.’

Ellodie snorted pleasantly to herself.

It seems that Walter had separately told the servant who announced his entrance to be quiet, but since Ellodie had been looking in Odette’s direction from the beginning, it was not difficult for her to recognize Walter’s entrance.

And that he was talking to Odette quite intimately.

Nevertheless, the repercussions were considerable because they were two people at the center of the rumor.

All the more because of what Ellodie was saying until just before they came.

“Oh look, the Fourth Princess and Duke Ertmann together, they look so close.”

“Do you know anything about them, Miss Ellodie? You said you were close to Duke Ertmann. You’re staying at Duke Ertmann’s residence, and you said he picked out the dress you wore today. If you’re that close, you must have heard something.”

It was a young lady named Léa Denzel, who was at the banquet with Ellodie, who had secretly mentioned Ellodie’s bragging.

She is the favorite niece of the Marchioness Grimoire, just like Ellodie, a young lady who had just made her debut, by the chaperone that was given to Ellodie by Ertmann.

She was also someone who secretly disliked Ellodie, who kept making nuanced remarks that suggested she had some kind of relationship with Duke Ertmann.

So, the intention of talking to Ellodie after seeing that scene was obvious.

‘You’ve got her.’

She knew this would happen because of the look that she gave in her eyes earlier.

If she had known the Fourth Princess would be attending this banquet, she would have been more careful with her words.

 

It was my first debut in the capital, and I couldn’t help it because I was impatient to tell them that I was receiving support from Duke Ertmann.

‘It can’t be helped that this happens.’

If she didn’t, she might be dismissed as a rumor.

Ellodie smiled innocently and broke away from the group.

“I don’t know about that…… but since the Duke is here, I think I should say hello, so I’ll go!”

And with that, she ran straight to Walter and hugged him.

Of course, Walter’s face was distorted.

“I just did it because I didn’t know anyone, I was happy to see you…… I’m really sorry if I was rude. please forgive me…….”

Ellodie cried in a frightened voice.

She could feel the attention she was getting for calling out to Walter in such a loud voice.

Especially Odette’s stiff expression.

‘What’s wrong with that look?’

The man standing next to her looks like Louis Clovis from the portrait.

I chose him, but why is she looking like she had lost her man?

Ellodie studied Odette’s face even as she pretended to cry.

‘No way, that woman…… she’s not in love with Count Clovis, but with Duke Ertmann?’