Contract Marriage Interrupted

Episode 21. A Tightening Trap

 

Of course, Regis also knew that Duke Walter Ertmann had been tied up a troublesome rumor with the Princesses.

And Regis believed, ‘It is the Third Princess that Duke Ertmann has set his heart on.’

‘I thought you said he never had any contact with Odette?’

Those who disagreed whispered that there might have been something happened between Walter and Odette, but Regis knew Odette well.

Odette hated being in the spotlight, and she was even more reluctant to publicly socialize with famous people.

Not that she had any reason to dislike favorable attention, it was because Odette was very used to sharp gazes.

Of course, Empress Katarina’s efforts to nip things in the bud whenever she had the chance may have contributed greatly to this.

– Odette? She can’t do anything on her own, she’s been discouraged from a young age.

– What can you do when you have no support?

A weed is a weed if it doesn’t die no matter how many times you step on it, Lizaina would chuckle.

Growing up in the middle of nowhere, Odette was naturally wary.

‘So there’s no reason to be involved with the Duke of Ertmann.’

It must have been a coincidence that Louis helped Odette last time.

Regis was relieved to think so.

It wasn’t enough that Odette appeared with Louis today, until she started dancing proudly with Walter.

 

Odette had an unknown conversation with Walter throughout the dance, and Walter even smiled during the conversation.

In short, they seemed to be getting along.

At first glance, they might misunderstand if they’re dating.

‘You’re walking around with two men…… I didn’t expect that to happen, but I’m disappointed.’

Is the young Odette he remembers really gone?

It was almost a feeling of betrayal to see her change so drastically while he was away.

In fact, the emotion was more like jealousy, but Regis didn’t realize it.

‘She’s changed, I’ll make her mine and teach her.’

Odette must still have the shy, innocent nature he remembered, and he would only have to teach her how to handle bad air.

To do that, the first thing is she must drop her partner, Louis.

“Oh, look who is this. You’re the star of today’s banquet, right?”

“Regis! It’s been a long time!”

As Regis approached a group of young men, the slightly-drunk youth greeted him with a smile.

These were the people that Louis suited for his investment.

They were also the ones Regis knew from Belfort Academy.

It felt a little disgusting to be pretending to be friendly when he wasn’t, but Regis smiled and patted them on the back.

“Are you all enjoying the banquet? let me know if there’s anything uncomfortable.”

“There’s nothing to be uncomfortable about. We’re just grateful that you invited us.”

“And we got to see some pretty unexpected sights.”

 

A chill passed over the faces of the young men who were laughing at someone’s remark.

And gossip about someone else began to spill out.

“He hasn’t come to a single meeting lately because of his health, and now he has the nerve to carry a woman around?”

“Now we’re out of honeydew, What would it be if I didn’t use it enough and throw it away?”

“His blood color looks good, so he must have faked being sick, too.”

It was as Regis expected.

‘Louis is very careful with his connections, but he’s been quite negligent the last few days.’

After meeting Louis at Belfort Academy, Regis looked into Louis’s surroundings.

He realized that Louis had been withdrawing and not interacting with anyone, using his illness as an excuse.

He also realized that these young people who were attached to him were quite dissatisfied.

‘Originally, I was planning to just alleviate some of the animosity.’

There is no reason not to use Louis because he even appeared like this.

“I don’t know what’s going on here, but you guys seem pretty upset.”

“We’re holding back because we respect your presence, but if it weren’t for that, I would have said something a long time ago!”

“Haha, you’ve all become gentlemen.”

Laughing lightly, Regis clinked the glass he was holding.

“When people get together, various things happen. There’s nothing I can do about that, right?”

“…… Right?”

“Let’s talk carefully and ‘coordinate’ it. Don’t raise your voice too much. haha.”

Regis said that as if to encourage him and then left.

In a moderately high level of intoxication and group spirit, the remaining people slowly exchanged glances.

Regis said that as if to encourage them and then left.

In a moderately high level of intoxication and group spirit, the remaining people slowly exchanged glances.

* * *

 

After the first song ended.

“I really had a great time, Count.”

“…… So do I, Miss Ellodie.”

At Ellodie’s flushed and pleased tone, Louis returned the favor with a gentle smile.

In other words, by this time, he was finally relaxing.

‘I never thought I would be that agitated.’

Then Louis realized that his attitude was rather unusual.

He had overreacted for the last few days.

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks when he saw Odette dancing with Walter a few feet away.

In particular, the fact that Ellodie, who was dancing with him, openly expressed her crush on Louis played a role.

 

“I think we made a pretty good combination, We’ll be together again next time, right?”

Elodie whispered the words as if they were secret promises.

Her flushed cheeks and vaguely innocent face were adorable, but the trick was familiar.

Making something seem special by talking about nothing was a tactic Louis had often used with the opposite sex.

‘Old fashioned.’

Louis clicked his tongue inwardly and smiled smoothly.

“Of course, I’d be honored to have the chance to be with you again.”

Sometimes he knew he was being manipulative and was willing to take it, but not this time.

It wasn’t Ellodie’s fault, his heart was already in the bean field.

Throughout the dance, Louis couldn’t take his eyes off Odette.

He realized a beat too late.

The reason he was so agitated by Walter’s words was not the curse.

‘It was because she was the Fourth Princess.’

Although he wasn’t aware of it, Louis had been paying attention to Odette’s every word and action.

Whenever he looked at her, he could feel the hallucination’s stirring emptiness subside.

Inexplicably, my nerves calmed, leaving only a nameless feeling for Odette that made my heart race.

‘Have I been tamed by the hallucination of the Fourth Princess’s?’

Is it because he see her so often, or because his hallucinations of being a couple with her are so vivid, that he’s so agitated.

He couldn’t figure out why.

 

All he knew was that once his head cleared, he realized how shameful it was to avoid Odette.

After experiencing Ellodie overtly expressing her crush, I remembered that Odette’s attitude was very simple.

When Odette went to see Regis, she didn’t even ask for help.

It means that the line between you and I as strangers was clearly drawn.

‘If she really…… wanted to get something by the curse, she wouldn’t be acting like this.’

At the very least, she might have used the hallucination to sway him a little.

Odette really didn’t seem to know anything about it, because it was the original culprit of the curse.

‘But I can’t completely ignore Duke Ertmann’s words…….’

For now, he need to distance himself from Odette and find out more about the curse to Walter.

Even so, he had to find a suitable marriage partner within this month, but he had a headache to pay attention to the curse.

‘However, I’ve agreed to help the Fourth Princess today, so I’ll keep my word.’

With that thought in mind, Louis approached Odette.

Odette looked a little confused, but as Louis approached, she skillfully composed herself.

“Did you say goodbye well to Miss Ellodie?”

“Yes, thanks to your consideration.”

“……I see.”

 

Odette hesitated a moment after saying that, then cautiously opened her mouth again.

“Do you think I’m uncomfortable-.”

“I didn’t expect to see you here, Louis!”

And then, there was a voice that broke into the conversation.

He turned to see three or four young men approaching with smiles.

Louis almost made an impression.

‘Why here?’

The bad young men that Louis hung out with on business matters.

They had no reason to be friendly with him now, given his consistent disregard for them when they came to the Clovis mansion.

Louis gave Odette a moment’s pause and distanced himself.

“I was worried when you said you weren’t feeling well, but it’s a relief to see you so well.”

“I guess the banquet was worth it, since you didn’t even bother to call us, so it’s a good thing we ran into each other. Don’t you think?”

They joking with each other in amusement, and held out their hands to Louis.

“Anyway, we had some investment talks to do, so let’s go get a drink, Louis.”

“Ahah……. I’ve got a partner tonight, so that’s a little hard.”

“Huh? Where’s the etiquette in not being able to leave because you have a partner? I’m sure your partner will understand.”

“No. I don’t intend to go-“

Louis tried to nudge the young man’s hand away from his own.

The grip tightened around the nape of his neck, and then there was a low whisper.

 

“Let’s go on good terms, Louis. You’re not in a position to hang out with the princess, are you?”

“……What? What are you talking about?”

“What do you mean. I mean one of the places you’re investing in is a shameless place.”

“Haha, what has happened to your mind?”

Louis said coldly, swatting away the hand on the back of his head.

“Are you afraid I don’t even know where I’m spending my money? There were no illegal businesses in any of the places I invested. Has your memory gotten weird after drinking so much?”

“Oh, right. That’s right, but there’s something we’ve been working on while you’ve been gone. Something about prohibition making liquor was secretly sold at a high price on the black market.”

He was being subtle, but he meant one thing.

“……You dabbled in the bootleg business?”

“Yes. And we put your name on it. They know that we’ve been investing together, so of course, I wrote down our names.”

Louis’ face stiffened at that.

“Now…… You’ve lined up the bootleg business with my name? Are you out of your mind?”

“Whoa, calm down. You’re not fully invested yet, so you can take your name off it, it’s not hard. But to do that, we need you to come with us now. We’re all worried that you’ve been ignoring us, that we’ve become estranged. Huh?”

In short, go ahead and spend enough time rebuilding your friendship.

And do it now.

At the blatant demand, Louis gaze reflexively searched for someone.

Odette, waiting a few steps behind him.