Episode 32. Blake’s suggestion
Cedric Pavel Celestine.
Who is he.
Odette’s half-brother, who was born from the previous Empress and the only true heir of the Imperial family, he’s been practically guaranteed to be the crown prince from a young age.
And to add to the fact that only Walter knew, he was also a very polarizing older brother to Odette.
‘Cedric’s coming home soon, I think I’ll make him a welcome home present.’
That’s what Odette thought as she walked back to her palace after meeting with Anne Sophie.
Of course, the thought was quickly dismissed.
‘Although I am helping my brother now.’
Even so, we weren’t particularly close.
It wasn’t that Cedric was particularly overbearing, or that he ignored Odette.
This is simply because Cedric and Odette had a considerable age gap, so their paths naturally overlapped from an early age.
She was more familiar with Blake and Lizaina, who she had to see often while traveling to and from the Empress palace.
But despite this, the path that Odette took was Cedric, not Blake.
There was no particular reason.
‘Because the only one I could reach out to was Brother Cedric.’
Cedric was a man who grew up well from a young age.
Though he did have a certain nonchalance and cynicism.
His voice was warm, and he often had a friendly smile on his face.
Of course, you can’t understand everything about Cedric just by looking at him, but compared to Blake or Lizaina, who are foolish about knowing other people’s business, he is a person with a great personality.
‘Even so, it’s still difficult.’
She communicate with Cedric mostly through letters, only occasionally seeing him in person when it’s necessary.
On those occasions, she always hear the same question.
– Odette, have you changed your mind?
– If you want something, tell me. I’ll help you.
The question about whether her thoughts had changed was an extension of what Odette had said earlier, ‘I don’t want anything.’
So Odette gave the same answer she always gives.
– I always think the same thing.
She said.
‘Those questions are probably just to test me.’
Or to warn me not to think otherwise.
Aside from her feelings for Cedric, Odette did not completely trust Cedric.
She didn’t even believe that every smile he showed was genuine.
The fact that he had maintained his position as Crown Prince in the Imperial palace without any major crisis meant that Cedric was not as gentle a person as he seemed.
‘My brother…… He’s a cold-hearted person.’
While helping Cedric, Odette often saw him mercilessly cutting off the traitor he had laughed with until yesterday, and not turning around even when the person he had once held hands with begged for help.
She had always vowed never to be in that position.
‘If I get too ambitious, if I ask for help too much, my brother will cut me down mercilessly.’
She didn’t really intend to do that, but she also didn’t want to seem like that for no reason.
So, even when Odette was discussing marriage with the Count, she did not say much to Cedric.
If something like that were written in a letter about the movements of the Imperial palace, it would definitely look like it was asking for help.
‘And there’s not much a brother can do about it.’
But now that She’ve decided to marry Walter…….
Don’t you think it would at least be okay in a letter to Cedric?
‘Is that too personal?’
She has to ask Ellie for her opinion.
With that thought, Odette walked through the corridor to her palace.
And finally, when the lights of the palace began to appear.
Odette realized that an unfamiliar figure was waiting for her.
“You’re late, Odette.”
“…… Blake’s brother?”
It was Blake, the Second Prince.
When she returned from Belfort, the sun had already set, so she could only vaguely see Blake’s silhouette as he leaned against the wall.
But Odette is not someone who cannot recognize that cold voice.
‘Why is he here?’
Odette was nervous, especially since she had just spent the night at Duke Ertmann mansion, not to mention Xavier’s banquet.
Lizaina was short-tempered and easy to placate, but Blake’s temperament was so unpredictable that it was difficult to handle.
But Blake just smirked.
“I thought you might be a little freaked out by the darkness, but I can’t believe you recognized me right away.”
“It’s not like I don’t recognize my brother……. Would you like to come inside?”
“You’re still good at saying things you don’t mean. Don’t you usually ask ‘what am I here for’?”
“I figured you’d come in because you had something to say, and I’m sorry if I offended you.”
Blake deliberately criticized Odette with sarcasm, but Odette managed to get away with it.
Even the way he talks slightly, he is typical of the intimidation.
And it was also how Odette always used it in front of Blake and Lizaina.
In particular, Blake doesn’t take much pleasure in messing with people who don’t know what they’re doing, so he’s always quick to say it’s no fun and leave.
But for some reason it didn’t work today.
“No offense. I heard you were at Xavier’s banquet last night. Did you enjoy it?”
“Ah yes. Xavier’s banquet hall was very fancy…….”
“Haha, Odette. I haven’t seen you in a while, right?”
When Odette deliberately said something that would not be criticized, Blake laughed coldly and cut her off.
Blake’s pale eyes glowed eerily in the darkness.
“Do I have to tell you in person that I’m not talking about that shit? You almost got caught by Regis Xavier yesterday.”
“……!”
“It’s hard not to get rumored after something like that, but I haven’t heard a word about how you handled it. Funny.”
Fortunately, it didn’t seem like the story leaked out of the banquet hall. Odette spoke up quickly.
“I don’t know how you found out …… but I didn’t do it. I had help from Duke Ertmann.”
“Ah, yes. Duke Ertmann. That’s what I was going to say.”
Blake clapped his hand, then said.
“You’re going to marry Duke Ertmann, aren’t you?”
I don’t know how many times I’ve felt my heart drop.
‘This is why I’m uncomfortable with Blake.’
Not only is it mysterious, but it also gets straight to the point.
How hard I’ve had to work to keep from blowing smoke in front of him.
“Lizaina seems to think you’ve been flirting with the Duke, but actually, Duke Ertmann came to see you in the first place, not Lizaina. I don’t know if she knows that.”
“That’s…… First time I’ve heard of it.”
Of course it’s a lie. Blake shrugged as if he hadn’t expected it.
“It doesn’t really matter. Now that Duke Ertmann helped you yesterday, it’s not like it’s hard to figure out what he meant.”
What is important is that the person Walter wants to marry is Odette.
And the fact that Lizaina doesn’t know it.
“I didn’t tell her on purpose because I thought it was funny that she’s falling for Duke Ertmann. If word got out that you were marrying Duke Ertmann under these circumstances…….”
Blake tilted his head.
“Do you think Lizaina would stand for it? I don’t think so. What about you?”
“…… Marry, I won’t.”
“Well, you sure as hell are. You are in a situation where you have to be sold off to a miserable marriage, and there is a prince riding a white horse…… No, the Duke wants to marry you, but you’re going to refuse. huh?”
Blake chuckled sarcastically, then continued.
“Let’s stop pretending, Odette. Why bother when you can just be honest?”
And Odette had to admit it.
Blake already knew too much.
“Don’t be too wary, when I say something like that, it means I want to help you.”
“…… You want to help me?”
“Yeah. I’ve been meaning to sway public opinion in favor of keeping my hands off Duke Ertmann for a while now. There is no need to make Lizzi look ridiculous by letting her get away with it. She’s a pretty useful sister after all.”
And while doing that, he will appease Lizaina by telling her the truth.
“Lizaina isn’t completely stupid, so let her know that Duke Ertmann came for you in the first place, not her. So she’ll come to her senses.”
Of course, she could send someone else if he wanted, but she doesn’t think it would be necessary.
“Well, that’s pretty good, isn’t it?”
Blake asked, and Odette finally pursed her dry lips.
“I…… I’m not going to help you bare-handed, so what do you want?”
“How about being on my side?”
At that moment, the playfulness vanished from Blake’s demeanor.
Instead, his sharp and sarcasm filled the void.
“It’s- It’s too sudden.”
“Come to think of it, since you don’t reveal much, I think you can use it for many purposes. I don’t think it’s a bad offer.”
“But I don’t even know what…….”
“Ah, that.”
Blake added as if he had finally remembered.
“I have a feeling that Cedric’s henchman is in the lower back of the Imperial Palace.”
“……!”
“No matter how you look at it, it’s strange, right? Too much interruption at the right time. When information leaks suspiciously well, there must be rats. I’m not surprised at this point, because the reason they’re rats is because they’re hard to see.”
As he spoke, Blake’s eyes remained fixed on Odette persistently.
“What I don’t understand is, what method do they use? It’s simply impossible due to time constraints using normal methods.”
He think she’s hiding something, magic or otherwise…….
Blake trailed off and rolled his eyes, then made eye contact with Odette again.
As if he knew everything.
“What do you think, Odette?”
* * *
“No, what should I do if you lie down in bed without even changing your clothes!”
“I’m so tired, Ellie…….”
Odette stretched out completely as soon as they got back to the palace.
If Ellie hadn’t pulled her back to her feet, she would have passed out before she had a chance to change her dress.
“Why are you so tired? I thought you were going to Belfort Academy, did something happen?”
“No, rather than that…… The way back was a problem.”
She was completely exhausted when she met Blake.
Odette recalled the conversation in the corridor a while ago.
– What do you think, Odette?
when Blake pressed her.
– Well…… I don’t know?
The method Odette chose was ‘sticking out flippers’.
