Contract Marriage Interrupted

Episode 42. That’s what they usually called

 

After Arnold’s appearance, the tea party was completely devastated.

A large, elderly man with holy gray hair.

And the owner of this hotel.

Because there was no one here who wouldn’t recognize all those combinations.

Of course, including Odette.

“…… Sir Arnold?”

“That’s what it’s usually called.”

Arnold lightly shrugged his eyebrows in approval of Odette’s words, and then added as if something suddenly occurred to him.

“Ah, of course, just because I’m the owner of this hotel doesn’t mean I’m such a senseless person who stirs up other people’s social circles without notice”

This is a long-winded way of saying that I’m probably being rude, Arnold added cheerfully.

“But as I was passing by, I heard Ertmann’s name. It wouldn’t be right for someone to be so immovable that they would just ignore it. They say you get younger as you get older, and that’s exactly true, young lady.”

“…… I don’t think that’s something I dare to understand, it’s the Marchioness Patrice over there who’s hosting us.”

“No matter who the subject is, since I said it, I’m sure they will understand it.”

Arnold waved his hand dismissively in a gesture of disinterest.

His tone was as natural as before, but now the smirk was completely gone from his face.

“There is only one thing I am curious about. What was discussed here that led to Ertmann’s name being mentioned?”

 

His voice was low, his tone solemn.

With those two words, Arnold had quieted the room.

Perhaps it is as if he is personally showing that this is the sense of intimidation that people have.

There is a common habit that most people have when faced with such moments.

It is natural to look at what is causing this problem.

And Arnold quickly intercepted those fleeting glances.

“I don’t know what it is, but it seems like the people there were making fun of their mouths. Then can you explain what happened?”

“Well, It’s…….”

The faces of those singled out turned grim.

How can they say, ‘we criticized Ertmann to attack Fourth Princess’ with Arnold and no one else in front of them?

One of them was speechless and looked away in contemplation, while the other blushed at the humiliation of the situation and sharply glanced at the Marchioness Patrice.

“Marchioness Patrice, As the host of this tea party, how can you overlook this rudeness? Lord Arnold is clearly an uninvited guest!”

Shifting the blame to someone else, so to speak.

It was a wise move.

Especially considering that when they dragged Ertmann into criticizing them, Marchioness Patrice must have already set them up.

‘He was probably playing the role of an attention diverter, that he would use the authority of the organizer to prevent any problems.’

 

However, since Marchioness Patrice walked away as if she had nothing to do with it, it could have been infuriating on the other side.

“It’s really disappointing that there is no intervention when an uninvited guest is interrogating an invited guest!”

“W- what? Don’t you even think that your Highness said something carelessly? You’re the main culprits who ruined my tea party, so I deserve an apology!”

And of course, there is no reason for Marchioness Patrice to confess the truth.

‘But that doesn’t mean you can’t snipe me in this situation.’

There were more than one person who would breathe a sigh of relief just because Odette kept her mouth shut and didn’t say anything.

So, no one would have the intention of turning Arnold into an enemy by sniping at Odette, so in the end, they would have no choice but to fight each other like that.

Just as Arnold was about to open his mouth again.

“Gahhhhh!”

Another unwelcome visitor had arrived.

A young man ran so that his neatly organized hair was a mess, but at the end he was completely shocked and ended up losing his breath.

Yannick, the manager of this hotel.

He managed to stop the bomb that was about to explode and when he stepped out of the way, a cold sweat ran down his spine as he realized it was in the midst of a gathering of distinguished guests.

“L- Let’s go, Your Excellency, I’ve set up the tea table I told you about, so please, come this way…….”

“Tsk, I guess I should go.”

Arnold clicked his tongue lightly in annoyance at Yannick’s behavior before turning to Odette.

 

“By the way, there.”

“……?”

“If you don’t mind my asking, may I invite you to my teatime? I don’t think you’ll be staying here much longer anyway.”

Suddenly?

For a moment, Odette wondered if Arnold had pointed out someone else, but there seemed to be no reason to confuse the person right in front of her.

Of course, there was no reason for Odette to accept Arnold’s invitation.

“Thank you for the invitation, but I’m fine. It seems like it might cause trouble.”

“A trouble? What’s the problem with making one seat? Isn’t that right, Yannick?”

When the topic of conversation was suddenly thrown at me, Yannick, who was in a state of extreme tension due to nervousness and anxiety, nodded loudly, like an alarm clock going off.

“A- ah! yes! Of course, As much as you want!”

Due to his experience as a manager at the Wellington Hotel, Yannick had a general idea of ​​what the situation was like.

Since this is essentially a survival skill, it is more effective in anxious situations.

‘The atmosphere at the tea party is not chaotic.’

And just seeing that Arnold was in this situation didn’t seem like it was something out of the ordinary, but one thing that was fortunate was that Arnold’s mood didn’t seem that bad compared to that.

That means.

‘If I do it right, I can keep His Excellency in the hotel!’

Yannick, who had good judgment, looked at Odette pitifully with eyes that said, ‘Please come with me just once.’

It was a matter of dignity, of putting his neck on the line for the sake of respect and shame.

When Arnold saw this, he added in a more soothing tone.

“This fellow says there’s some good tea served. If this old man is so untrustworthy, how about coming with the idea of ​​tasting some tea? This guy may exaggerate a bit, but he doesn’t say things that aren’t true.”

It was a natural consequence that if he spoke out of turn, his head might roll right away.

“So…… would you come with me?”

Arnold was already on his second invitation.

This wasn’t a joke or a simple greeting.

‘It wouldn’t be polite to turn him down.’

Besides, don’t know why……. but she feels like she’s going to have a heavy burden on her shoulders for the rest of her life if she walks away from this guy with a business card that says he is the owner of this hotel.

‘I was trying to get out of here anyway.’

At this point, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to come up with a good cause.

Odette nodded.

“Then thank you.”

* * *

 

So the two had tea time on the top floor of the Wellington Hotel.

In the beautifully landscaped space on the top floor, only the two of them were sitting, perhaps because they had left the space empty on purpose.

Clunk.

Arnold, who skillfully filled Odette’s teacup, put the teapot down without a sound.

“Yannick says this tea is from the Eastern Continent, I’ve never heard of it. I’m not very knowledgeable about tea, so I’m not sure about the taste.”

“Thank you, Your Excellency.”

Odette, who took the teacup, looked towards Arnold’s hand.

Despite his hand appearing rugged and rough due to years of wielding a sword, its movements were as graceful as a bird’s feathers, reminiscent of the elegance of a wing’s motion.

No matter what he looked like on the outside, it was proof that he was a nobleman to his core.

‘Perhaps he’s lying when he says he doesn’t know the taste of tea.’

There’s no way someone of Arnold’s caliber wouldn’t have deep knowledge of tea.

They are simply acting in accordance with their somewhat rough and monotonous appearance.

Even using such an external image can be considered an aristocratic attitude.

Accordingly, Odette’s title for Arnold also changed from ‘Sir Arnold’ to ‘Marquis of Puart’.

It’s a more formal title.

‘When I get married, I guess I should call him……. ‘my grandfather-in-law.’’

Of course, it’s still way too early to call him that.

Meeting Arnold in the first place was a bit too much.

She hadn’t expected to meet him so soon.

Odette remembered the conversation she’d had with Walter when they met.

 

– Duke, is there anything I should know about your house or family?

– There is nothing you need to know, and nothing you need to care about.

– But then I wouldn’t be a good duchess.

– You’re worrying needlessly. Even if you do nothing and just lie down, play and eat, no one will say anything.

Walter’s tone was cynical. In fact, all his words were like that.

And it hurt Odette a little.

‘It’s like you don’t expect anything from me.’

The saying that mere existence is enough was poisonous, at least to Odette now.

Because in Odette’s opinion, her existence had no value.

If it is enough to fill the Duchess place with something worthless, doesn’t that mean it can be replaced with someone else at any time?

So she stubbornly asked.

– Still, if I’m going to become a Duchess, I want to do my best. What do I need to know?

Odette was considering when Walter told her to stop being so annoying, but to her surprise, it wasn’t a reprimand that came back.

– I think there’s some misunderstanding, but I’m saying there’s really no need to know. There hasn’t been a hostess in Ertmann for a long time, and the only immediate family I have is my grandfather.

And she’ll find out when she goes to the Duchy of Ertmann, so Walter said that there was no need to know about it already.

– Don’t be so impatient. You’re not going to meet your grandfather right away.

Yes. Is definitely Odette said.

 

‘There’s a chance I’ll meet Grandfather right away, like today……!’

Regardless of what Walter might say, she decided to pay a bit more attention.

Although a sense of resentment surged within her, there was no use regretting it now.

Odette lifted the teacup to her lips and sip it, then slowly put it down and looked at Arnold.

‘Did he come here after hearing about the marriage?’

Or maybe he didn’t know.

Judging by his demeanor so far, he didn’t seem to realize that he was looking at his grandchild or daughter-in-law, let alone the news of their marriage.

That’s why he’s offering the tea so casually.

‘If I reveal that I am the princess, I might be kicked out of this place.’

It was already well known that Arnold had disliked the Imperial family.

After all, he had to abandon his son to save his family, of course there is no reason to think good about the Imperial family.

Especially when he realizes that she is the one who will marry Walter.

‘Judging by his silence, I don’t think he has realized that I am the 4th Princess.’

Should I reveal here that I am the Princess?