Contract Marriage Interrupted

Episode 34. Only to love

 

Unaware of what was happening under the water.

“This is a basic contract. If there are any conditions Your Highness wishes, you can add them.”

“How many can there be?”

“I’ll listen and we’ll coordinate.”

Odette and Walter rushed through the wedding preparations.

They were in rare agreement on the need to get married quickly, partly because of Cedric and partly because of Blake.

So Odette excused herself to go to the salon today, and secretly switched carriages to visit Duke Ertmann.

Before anything else, the terms of the contract needed to be negotiated and drawn up.

And Walter’s terms were already written down, as if he had written them in advance.

[To love only Walter Ertmann.]

She decided to try her best to ignore what was written underneath, ‘If an affair with another person is discovered, the disposition of the other person is entirely determined by Walter Ertmann.’

The word ‘affair’ also states that ‘this includes exchanging private letters with others, having personal meetings, and all other interactions without the consent of the spouse.’ …… She tried to ignore it.

No, but somehow she still felt a cold sweat run down her back.

“……Well, Duke?”

“Go ahead.”

“Is this okay?”

 

Of course, as Duchess Ertmann’s place, paying off a debt of 500,000 dirhams is not such a light task.

Odette asked a little hesitantly.

“Do I look like someone who would commit an affair like that?”

“I made this assumption just in case.”

“But that’s a pretty broad definition of cheating.”

“You don’t have to worry. Doesn’t it say here that it only includes acts that were not ‘agreed upon’? It will be okay as long as you tell me in advance.”

“Oh, it only includes meeting without speaking. If that’s the case, that would be fine.”

Odette nodded innocently.

Odette, a young woman who had never written a contract in her life, had no clue that she was being scammed by a contract.

Nor did she realize that the man she was about to marry was far more uptight and unapologetic than she had expected.

“But Duke, there’s an item here that says you can’t protest against the disposition for adultery…….”

“Shouldn’t something shameless like complaining even after having an affair happen?”

“Yes, but I’m a little reluctant.”

“Are you saying that because…… you’re thinking about having an affair, As long as you don’t commit adultery, there won’t be any problems.”

“N- No.”

If Russell had been here, he would have giggled.

 

– No, Your Excellency, do you want to defraud your future wife? You asked the knights if any of them had ever had an affair!

He said.

But unfortunately, as always, Russell was not there.

And Odette was a complete idiot in these matters.

“It seems a bit suspicious that you keep asking about things related to adultery. If you really thinking of committing an affair-“

“I really don’t! I was just curious!”

“I will believe you. Do you have any further questions?”

“……. No”

How can she say there is in this atmosphere.

Actually, there were two more clauses that needed to be pointed out, but Odette held them down in her mind.

As she figured out she’d just have to be careful, as Walter had said.

“Then let’s skip my conditions. What conditions would you like to add, Your Highness?”

“It was originally just one, but after seeing this, I want to add one more.”

“What was the original one?”

“Not to enforce anything other than the terms.”

She wanted to make sure she wouldn’t be dragged into anything she didn’t want to do after the wedding.

“That goes without saying, so I’ll add it to the clause. So what’s the new condition?”

Odette hesitated a moment at Walter’s words, then spoke in a small whisper.

“……. It’s”

“I’m sorry, I can’t hear you.”

“Th- that’s, I’m applying the same condition as you!”

“…… Ah.”

 

Odette’s words gave Walter a look of realization.

In short, Odette’s second condition was.

[To love only Odette Benoit Celestine].

Of course, the same applies to the rest of the clauses that Walter had included.

It was like he was trying to tie Odette down in some way, and he’s scamming me as well.

“Ha, I didn’t think of that.”

But Walter didn’t look like he was offended.

Rather, it was a wry smile.

“Is that what you wanted me to do, Princess?”

“…… What?”

“If you wanted me badly enough to put in a clause like that, you could have said so.”

Odette’s mouth fell open in disbelief at Walter’s words.

“I-I didn’t mean that!”

She just felt uncomfortable with the terms of the contract, and thought she couldn’t handle it alone.

‘I thought that if I said this, I would remove some of the strange clauses!’

Instead of removing the clause, Walter happily scribbled it away.

 

‘This is not it!’

She tried to say it first because she thought it was a trap, but he hit her with one shot.

And he unilaterally claimed that this glass was a love shot.

“I didn’t realize you loved me so much already, we haven’t even signed the contract yet.”

“Well, I’ll just take it out, now that I think about it again, I think I don’t need it.”

“I already wrote it down. I can’t take it off.”

“W- we can just recreate the documents……!”

“It’s a waste of manpower and a waste of paper.”

When Odette stubbornly insisted on creating new documents despite Walter’s firm words, the smile slowly disappeared from Walter’s face.

As if he were a little dejected.

“Are you saying you don’t want my love?”

“…… What?”

“I know you don’t like me, but I didn’t expect you to reject me like this. If you don’t want it, you can destroy it-…….”

“N- no! Never mind, just…… just do it.”

How can she destroy it after hearing something like that!

Walter’s expression even became quite gloomy.

In the end, Odette raised both hands and feet.

Walter signed the document with a satisfied expression upon her declaration of surrender.

He then turned it around and placed it down in front of Odette along with the pen.

“You can sign here.”

“Are you…… really okay with these terms?”

“Do you really hate me?”

“It’s not…… No, it’s fine.”

Odette curled her lips into a tight line and signed the contract.

They each took a copy, and that was the end of their agreement.

‘This doesn’t feel real.’

She still feel a little uneasy.

Especially since there was a letter she opened before coming to Duke Ertmann’s today.

.

.

.

 

“Your Highness, you haven’t check this letter? It’s been a while here.”

The letter she had opened was from Louis.

It said he was writing this because he heard she left Xavier’s banquet yesterday, and he was sorry he couldn’t help her.

‘But he didn’t say see you later.’

In a word, a line was drawn.

It was also something that could be easily guessed from his attitude at the banquet hall.

‘I thought he was pretty good, even thinking of marrying him.’

The other person drew a line without even having a conversation, so bitter that it was embarrassing to have somehow gone ahead.

 

And once again, she realized that Walter was the only option she had left.

And that without him, she would be in a lot of trouble.

“Ellie, we’re just going to Duke Ertmann’s residence, so is there a need to dress up like this……?”

“What are you saying! Since we are going to Duke Ertmann’s residence, so you have to look like this!”

Ellie got into the spirit of things and made Odette up as best she could.

“I really liked Ertmann, but I don’t like the idea of ​​Your Highness going there and being discouraged. You have to get it started now so you can be comfortable after marriage!”

There’s nothing logically wrong with that.

“Suppressing the momentum? Are you afraid that I might be looked down upon by the servant?”

“No, Of course it’s Duke Ertmann! How many people get married and later take on a mistress?”

“Well, yes, but…… I’m in a contract marriage, so I don’t care about that part, he can meet the person he wants.”

“You might think so, but do you think the woman who became his mistress would think so? I’m sure she’d try to push you out, and that would weaken your position!”

“…… Where on earth do you learn all this? you don’t even know anyone married around here.”

“There is a recently published novel called ‘The Beloved Duchess Every Night with Her Escort Knight’…….”

“…….”

Odette decided to stop thinking.

 

“But Your Highness, I’m not doing this just because I read novels. The Duke’s eyes on you are impure?”

“It’s rude to say something like that, Ellie.”

“Of course I’m aware of that, but I’m just looking it up because I’m suspicious.”

Ellie was referring to the incident with Ellodie’s dress.

“If something like that happens, you’d normally return it, not choose to leave it at home. There are no women in Ertmann, and it’s not like you had it altered to fit you.”

“…… Hmm, yes.”

“And when Your Highness was getting dressed up, jewels came out all over the place.”

“Are you sure he didn’t bring out some of the family jewels?”

“No, I assure you, most of them were the latest designs.”

Recently, engraving the metal part of accessories has become a new trend, and most accessories were made that way.

“Furthermore, the topaz headdress that Your Highness had been thinking about until the very end was even advertised in the newspaper last month. I’m sure!”

Ellie made a few claims of having seen it with her own eyes, then continued.

“So I did a little research while you were visiting the Duke, and it turns out he started buying women’s stuff as soon as he got back. What do you think he’s using it for?”

“…… Lovers?”

“Yes, or future lovers.”

Ellie had another reason to think something was wrong with Walter.

No matter how much it may be a smokescreen, it is still suspicious that Elodie was forced to stay in the mansion.

“Did you remember what happened on the Ertmann yesterday? When there’s so much hidden, there’s definitely something there. I’ve felt it since Ellodie Montoire approaching.”

Ellie went on to argue that this is one of two cases.

“He must have a hidden woman or have promiscuous tastes!”

For reference, the basis claim was <How to Love : The Prince with a Bad Personality.>, which was popular last month.