Episode 33. Alienation
– You know, I’m not that close to brother Cedric, and…… you know better that I’m not into faction fighting, right? So I don’t know anything about this.
It’s Blake’s fault that he underestimated Odette’s skill at maneuvering her way out of trouble, which she’d learned from a lifetime of being a weed in the palace.
– And it’s very kind of you to offer for help, but you know what happened to me yesterday with Count Xavier, and he’s quite close to Lizaina, so…… I’m afraid that I won’t be seeing her for a while, and I can’t stop thinking about it. Of course, I’m counting on you!
– ……What? Pretend not to know this until the end.
– I went through such a big trouble yesterday, and I’m so tired. I’m going to go inside, and you come inside too if you want to!
Odette said that and ran off.
Luckily, the distance to the Fourth Princess Palace wasn’t too far, so as she walked at a brisk pace, Blake couldn’t help but make a fuss and didn’t catch up with Odette.
‘It’s a good thing we met so close.’
Otherwise, it could have been bad.
Under other circumstances, it would have been hard to turn down Blake’s request and walk away.
‘I guess it won’t work out.’
After what had happened, Odette’s thoughts were a little different.
“Ellie, while I’m getting dressed, could you get the letter ready?”
“A letter? Where do you want to send it?”
“The letter I sent to Brother Cedric came back. I’m going to write a reply to that.”
She wasn’t going to tell him about the marriage because it was too absurd, but when Blake comes out like that, it’s a different story.
‘Blake seemed convinced that I was Brother Cedric’s spy.’
There was a high probability that they would try to interfere somehow. Furthermore, there was a higher possibility that it would lead to interference with Cedric’s work.
So, it would be a good idea to share it with Cedric in advance so he can deal with it.
‘Duke Ertmann decided to take a few days hiatus due to public activity.’
Odette, thinking it appropriate to share this gap with Cedric first.
Then she wrote a letter and tied it to the leg of a bird created by her magic, then let it fly.
If only Walter had known about this, he would have gritted his teeth and stopped her from doing so……..
Unfortunately, there was no Walter here.
Whoosh.
The bird flapped its wings and flew faithfully through the dark night sky.
Unaware of the potential aftermath of this action.
* * *
Meanwhile, Blake had returned to the palace without much success.
Empress Katarina was away on business with her family, the Dukes of Rodel, leaving only Lizaina in the palace.
Upon entering the Imperial Palace, Blake was greeted by a loud noise.
Slam!
The glass vase that had been thrown to the floor shattered with a loud clatter.
“How dare you talk back to me, you think I’m funny too!”
“N-no, I’m sorry, Your Highness, I’ll do better next time.”
“Forget it, put that thing away now. If there’s a scrap of it left, you’ll have your wrists blown off!”
The maid, whose cheeks were already swollen, began to bow down and remove the pieces of the vase.
Blake clicked his tongue at the sight.
“Now shut up, Lizaina. You were acting like this while I was out…… how long are you going to keep this up?”
“I’m calming down now!”
Lizaina shouted back at Blake.
Lizaina’s appearance was a mess, as she was even more angry than usual.
Of course, it wasn’t because of the maid cleaning up the bottles over there.
This is because people’s public opinion had changed after the Count Xavier family’s banquet.
The reason was simple.
“The Duke of Erdmann has made a fool of himself, first with Odette, and now with a country girl I’d never heard of!”
This is why Ellodie’s appearance caused more trouble than expected.
Of course, Lizaina had humiliated Ellodie at the tea party, but most people seemed to enjoy the confrontation between the two rather than laugh at Ellodie.
– Duke Ertmann has a woman of convenience?
– From what I heard, she is staying at Ertmann. I heard that His Excellency also bought a dress for her. I don’t think it’s normal.
– My God, I thought he was going to marry one of the Princesses!
– You never know, he could be bluffing, or he could just be enjoying himself……..
A woman that Duke Ertmann is making special accommodations for.
It was obvious how this word would be used in social circles.
‘At least a lover, if you’re lucky, a mistress.’
Of course, since it was a situation where Walter directly revealed that he wanted to marry the Princess, there was no suggestion that Walter might marry Ellodie.
Rather, it’s more likely that Ellodie was bluffing.
The problem is that Odette was in the middle of it.
– At Xavier’s banquet, Duke Ertmann was always with the Fourth Princess.
– I saw them dancing together, and it was so sweet…….
– I heard someone saw Duke Ertmann carrying Her Highness the 4th Princess? I think there will be talk of marriage with Her Highness the 4th Princess soon.
While Ellodie had people buzzing, the timely intervention of Odette has turned public opinion completely in her favor.
If Walter were to marry anyone, it would be Odette, the Fourth Princess.
And now that the ambitious Regis has returned from his failed plan, Lizaina’s nerves are on the edge.
“Regis Xavier, that stupid bastard got into trouble because he couldn’t handle one thing properly! He should have taken Odette, somehow, somewhere!”
If Regis had been in front of her, it wouldn’t have been surprising if she had rushed at him and strangled him.
Blake looked pitifully at his younger sister, who, unlike him, looked particularly like the Emperor.
“See, I told you, don’t be so carefree.”
“Are you making fun of me?!”
“Why? Aren’t you saying there’s no way it won’t work out? and now look at you.”
Blake passed by Lizaina, talking indifferently.
He didn’t seem to care that there was broken glass on the floor.
Of course, this was all to provoke Rizaina.
“Why don’t you behave yourself, it’s only because you lost your man.”
“…… What?”
“Xavier, the reason he failed is because Duke Ertmann helped Odette. She’s a good one, I don’t know how she managed to roast the Duke.”
Blake’s words came out of his mouth with a little more provocative.
And Lizaina looked shocked at the unexpected revelation.
“Wh- what? the Duke is…… helping Odette?”
“Yes, that’s what Odette said. Apparently, ahe even spent a night at Duke Ertmann’s residence last night.”
Blake chuckled, as if that were the only place she’d sleep.
“Now you’ve been completely glutted, Lizzie. You lose.”
“……No way. No way.”
Lizaina staggered back.
“How is this possible? I’m losing out to Odette? Duke Ertmann is…….”
He clearly has feelings for her.
Lizaina wanted to say something, but she couldn’t open her mouth.
She couldn’t help but wonder.
‘Duke Ertmann, does he really have feelings for me?’
Based on his demeanor, it was clear that he did.
Duke Ertmann did have feelings for her, Lizaina could nod confidently.
At least until the tea party.
But now?
The moment the seed of doubt sprouted without her knowledge, Blake’s cunning voice intervened.
“Duke Ertmann may have feelings for you, but people’s hearts always change.”
“……!”
“Like a person who separates people, especially if there is an appropriate opportunity.”
Blake’s words formed several pieced in Lizaina’s mind.
Walter’s attitude suddenly changed after the tea party.
And since Walter had no outside activities from the tea party until Xavier’s banquet, the last person he met after the tea party was.
“Odette……!”
Walter carried Odette out of the room.
All of Lizaina’s questions were answered when the thought reached her.
“That shameless woman!”
She’d flirted with him, put herself between him and her!
And then she had taken her place!
It had never really been hers to begin with, but in Lizaina’s mind, Odette had already become the one who took the meat that was right in front of her lips and ate it.
And it was exactly the same prediction Blake had said.
There’s no one thing Blake had said was untrue, but nothing can incite people as well as the truth.
‘Odette, if you’re going to pretend not to know, there’s no other way.’
The information is leaking, but he is determined to find out what Odette is hiding.
On top of that, Blake also wanted to get revenge on her for making a fuss because she skipped out today.
Luckily, Lizaina followed Blake’s lead.
‘Now I’m going to have to clean this up.’
Blake approached Lizaina, who was pulling her hair, and patted her gently, pretending to be her kind brother.
“Now, calm down, my little sister.”
“Get your hands off me, do you think I’m going to calm down now!”
“What can you do if you don’t calm down?”
As Blake’s eyes flashed eerily, Lizaina flinched in surprise.
Blake stared quietly at the face, which resembled the Emperor, and soon smiled.
“Don’t look so surprised, people would think we were on bad terms.”
“Well, that wouldn’t be true.”
“Right? Anyway, things aren’t that bad, so there’s no need to get frustrated. Lizzie.”
Blake patted Lizaina on the shoulder.
A glimmer of hope appeared on her face.
“Things aren’t…… bad?”
“Yeah. The social circles is busy with other names, so it’s a good time to get your hands off Duke Ertmann, right?”
Regis scandal had everyone’s attention.
Even Ellodie is involved in the rumors about Walter, so it’s a natural thing to show that you’re tired of hearing about it and remove your hand.
“But then it seems like I was really losing to Odette. I don’t want that!”
“Losing in public opinion is not everything. You know who really loses?”
“……Who lost?”
“Regis Xavier.”
The guy who is probably gnashing his teeth at Odette the most right now.
“Use him. There’s no one like him that has been driven by evil.”
Odette, make sure you regret it.
