Contract Marriage Interrupted

Episode 51. Don’t you remember?

 

It was all the same as Louis’ situation, from not just seeing strange things, but seeing hallucinations related to specific people to things that never happened in reality.

This was even true of hallucinations that he had never experienced before, felt very specifically as if they had actually happened, to the fact that he couldn’t distinguish between the hallucinations and reality.

“Cases like this are extremely rare. Hallucinations usually distort reality, but having hallucinations with no connection to reality and without inconsistencies is unusual. It’s not something that typically arises from a mental disorder.”

Of course, there were some minor differences between Louis’s situation and the records.

For example, Louis suffered greatly when he first had a hallucination.

However, there was no such example written in the record.

‘I don’t know if it wasn’t there, or if the records were simply missing.’

It was more likely that it was due to a lack of original cases.

In any case, these minor differences weren’t enough to deny his connection to the record.

As soon as Louis saw it, he knew it had to be true.

“They’re still researching how relics influence reality and those around them. They say it’s not even clear why or how the holy relic grants wishes in the first place.”

However, there were a few things that were immediately apparent from what was recorded.

The fact that everyone who used the holy relic harbored some kind of regret.

Additionally, after fulfilling their wishes, all of them experienced a period of ambiguity about their whereabouts within one to two years.

 

Regarding what Zantipe said,  It’s doubtful whether it is even a holy relic.

However, after hearing that someone’s words were passing through Louis mind.

– It’s a pretty malicious curse, and in some cases I know of, people even committed suicide.

– A curse that drives people insane to the point of death…… I’m glad it doesn’t apply to the Count.

Walter’s words at the banquet of Count Xavier’s family.

Now that he knew about the relic, he saw it more clearly.

‘Duke Ertman guessed what state I was in.’

That was absolutely not something someone who didn’t know anything about this holy object could say.

‘Then are his words true?’

Is Odette really the culprit of all this?

And if so, what kind of relationship does Walter Ertmann have with her to tell me this?

Everything is confusing.

Once again, the answer came from an unexpected place.

At a banquet at the Imperial Palace, where he attended the imperial palace’s banquet hall to see her even from afar.

Odette and Walther had kissed in front of everyone.

The surrounding noise and bustling atmosphere.

It all hit Louis hard in the gut.

‘…… Something is wrong.’

Is it because he has been exposed to too many ‘nightmares’?

 

A sense of loss came over him, as if he had lost something that should have been there.

Perhaps, when he closed his eyes, he couldn’t shake the realization that Odette, who used to be his wife, is in Walter’s arms.

Pushed by unease, Louis found himself involuntarily leaning forward.

At that moment.

“……!”

If only he hadn’t made eye contact with Walter, who was about to leave with Odette in his arms.

His cold gaze warned him.

‘You don’t deserve this.’

He said.

By the time he realized it, Walter had already scooped Odette up and disappeared.

In that moment, Louis realizes something.

What Walter told me about the curse was far from being a favor.

And

‘Duke Ertmann, he’s hiding something.’

Maybe he was actually the one who pushed Louis into this abyss.

* * *

 

Whether Walter or Odette who used the relic.

This ‘nightmare’ tormenting him is truly nothing more than a hallucination.

How will this ‘nightmare’ end.

‘One thing is certain…… both Duke Ertmann and Odette are not free from this phenomenon.’

He was pretty sure one of them was the culprit.

And that Walter might know much more than he thought.

But something about Odette was still unclear.

‘In the current situation, it is Odette who is most likely to have used the holy relic.’

Unless the ‘nightmare’ he was experiencing was not an illusion.

And if Odette, the woman who said she regretted marrying him actually existed, then she had every reason to use the holy relic.

‘It makes sense that she would have used Duke Ertmann to avoid marrying me.’

It would also explain why, if after hearing Odette’s explanation, Walter was able to guess Louis condition.

Of course, there were still questions about this hypothesis, but for now it was the most likely one.

‘For one thing…… the visions I’m having are centered around marrying Odette.’

Walter didn’t even appear in that hallucination. So, of course, Odette must first come to mind as the main cause.

The way to check if this hypothesis was true was simple.

The plan was to test whether Odette knew about the ‘nightmare’.

However, there was a problem.

“…… You still haven’t answered my letter?”

Odette hadn’t returned any of Louis advances.

 

He wrote several letters to her, but Odette never replied.

But it wasn’t as if there was no way to meet her.

Louis had information he gained through his marriage to Odette.

– Louis, it’s hard to find people here, right? It’s a perfect spot for a walk. The path is dark, so not many people come here. It’s my secret place.

In the midst of his hallucination, Louis, lured by the voice of Odette, headed towards this place.

Following a voice from a dream might seem foolish at first glance, but he couldn’t resist.

‘But if Odette really comes here.’

Then…… It was nothing short of proof that this ‘nightmare’ was not an illusion.

If it weren’t for Odette’s words in the dream, there would be no way for Louis to know about this place or that Odette loved this place.

‘She must be thinking of getting out of there since the wedding announcement drew so many people.’

If it was the Odette he knew from the dream, that would undoubtedly be the case.

Odette was someone who disliked being in the center of attention.

Thoughts of the possibility of meeting Odette and and the image of Odette in the banquet hall, where she was standing affectionately with Walter and listening to the Emperor’s marriage announcement, swirled confusingly in his mind.

Several times, as he walked in circles, the mood shifted with each step.

He felt a presence behind his back.

And then.

“……Count Clovis?”

The moment he heard Odette’s voice, Louis realized what he had lost.

Why the thought of seeing Odette kissing Walter felt so horribly wrong.

“Odette.”

From the moment he experienced the ‘nightmare,’ the one thing he wanted to undo.

The mistakes he made in his married life with Odette.

So that Odette wouldn’t lose her smile, so that he wouldn’t have any more regrets.

A new desperate question escaped Louis’s trembled lips.

“…… Don’t you remember?”

* * *

 

When she recognized that it was Louis who was in this place for the first time.

‘Does Count Clovis know this place too?’

It became a bit awkward for Odette to think that she naturally assumed her companion was Walter and called out his name.

To think about it, this place wasn’t all that secretive.

“I apologize, Count Clovis. I mistakenly thought you’re the person I was supposed to meet here.”

Odette smiled awkwardly and apologized.

However, the reaction from the person she apologized to seemed a bit strange.

Louis seemed strangely surprised that Odette had mistaken the wrong person.

 

No, it wasn’t just a surprised expression.

It was a surprise mixed with doubt, expectation, resignation, hope, and heartbreak.

“Odette.”

As the abnormal silence stretched, Louis’s lips finally parted.

“…… Don’t you remember?”

Odette tilted her head at the question, which seemed almost desperate.

Was he asking because I mistakenly called him by the wrong name?

“There’s no way I don’t remember you, I received the letters you sent. If it’s about what happened at Xavier’s banquet, you don’t need to worry.”

The Louis Odette remembers was a very kind person.

And since he was so polite, Odette thought that maybe he was taking the incident at Xavier’s banquet to heart.

But Louis’ reaction was even stranger.

Odette’s words made him look distressed.

“…… You received the letters, but you didn’t reply?”

“Because you I think it was necessary to reply?”

“I asked you to meet with me…… It wasn’t something that required a reply.”

“What do you mean you asked to meet? All you talked about was Xavier’s banquet, right?”

“Are you pretending you don’t know? I’m pretty sure I’ve asked you several times……!”

Louis rolled his eyes and was about to raise his voice, but then stopped as he remembered something.

“…… You didn’t get my letter, did you?”

“I received the letter you sent right after Xavier’s banquet.”

“I sent letters after that too. Asking if we could meet. Did you not receive any of them?”

 

Only then did Odette realize where this misunderstanding came from.

After Odette and Walter caused a scandal at the Imperial Palace banquet.

– Well, I’m getting a lot of invitations. As expected.

– They’re really trying to get in your good graces. You used to brush them off completely! Are you going out?

– No, regardless of the intention, I have to respond to these invitations now. Ignoring them will just fuel more gossip. Can you discard everything except what must be replied to?

– Sure, leave it to me.

– Thanks, I appreciate it.

Odette delegated the task of sorting the letters to Ellie, who probably sorted them with the other maids and servants. It was too much for her to handle alone.

‘And…… probably the letters got mixed up in the process.’

There were very few things that she had to reply to anyway, so it seemed like they all got mixed up in what she was planning to throw away.

Realizing her mistake, Odette rubbed her forehead.

“…… I’m sorry, I’ve had a lot of letters lately, and they must have gotten lost in the shuffle, but was there something we needed to talk about?”

Certainly, Louis’s letters were drawing a line between him and Odette.

But multiple letters, asking her to meet?

“Wasn’t it your Highness, who needed to meet?”

The next words surprised Odette.

“I thought you…… were going to marry me.”