Contract Marriage Interrupted

Episode 54. Hesitant

 

The question of how to convince Arnold had come up again.

Of course, Odette’s suggestion wasn’t so surprising, considering she had brought it up first.

They were inside the carriage heading towards Duke Ertmann’s residence.

In other words.

“We’ll have to use that when we get to the duchy, I trust you haven’t forgotten.”

“…….”

She had completely forgotten.

She remembered it until she was in the banquet hall, but she forgot about it because of what happened with Louis.

And Walter had already guessed that Odette had forgotten.

‘I wonder if I’ll blush again.’

No matter how formal her Imperial upbringing, Odette had always been particularly bad at this.

In fact, when Walter brought up that ‘how to’, it was quite surprising to Odette.

However.

“…… I’m ready to do it.”

Odette was determined. It was as if she had made a decision.

Walter raised an eyebrow, feeling both interested and disappointed.

 

“I thought you were going to say no?”

“I mean, it’s my idea. Of course, it’s embarrassing but…… it’s the least I can do.”

“Good attitude. Especially considering the future.”

“The future?”

Odette looked at Walter with curiosity.

But Walter had no intention of revealing what awaited her in married life.

So instead of explaining, he casually gestured towards the carriage window.

“Odette.”

“What?”

“Would you like to look over there?”

Odette followed Walter’s gesture and turned her head, she saw a large, brightly lit mansion not far across the street.

“That’s Duke Ertmann’s residence.”

Even the garden of the mansion was brightly lit on purpose, she could get an idea of ​​the size of the mansion even from inside the carriage.

But most of all.

“Wow, it’s so pretty!”

The sparkling scenery in the darkness boasted stunning beauty.

It was an unusual sight. Especially for Odette, who hadn’t had the chance to see it since she’d always been confined to the palace.

On her last visit, she had come with her eyes closed and left just as the sun was setting, so there was nothing to see.

As Odette clung to the window in admiration, the smile on Walther’s face widened.

“I’m glad you like it.”

It was Odette’s first entrance as the hostess of Duke Ertmann’s house.

* * *

 

At a time when the moon was high in the sky, in the Duke Ertmann’s residence.

Even at an hour when everyone else should have been asleep, there were footsteps pacing the room, restless and unable to sleep.

It belonged to Arnold Ertmann, an elderly gentleman with a neatly combed mane of holy gray hair.

He had not left this room all day.

There was one reason for that.

‘Walter Ertmann, you bastard…… let’s see if you can get married without me!’

It was a protest against his grandson, who stubbornly announced his intention to marry despite Arnold’s strong opposition.

Of course, Arnold’s anger was directed solely at his grandson Walter, and not at Odette, who’ll become his future granddaughter-in-law.

‘How can such a good kid exist?’

Arnold recalled the last time he saw Odette.

Despite the clear impoliteness of his unexpected visit, Odette did not rebuke Arnold outright.

She didn’t even frown at Arnold’s objections to their marriage.

She was different from the troublemakers in the Ertmann family!

“…… So I hope you meet another young man. If you want, I can introduce you to a decent young man. I can keep that much courtesy.”

“I haven’t asked for anything like that, but I appreciate your consideration. Thank you for your concern.”

 

Odette didn’t stubbornly refuse to marry outright.

Initially, she nodded along as if she would follow Arnold’s suggestion.

“Ahem! Why bother with all this? Maybe it’s because I don’t have a granddaughter, and you seem like one to me. Besides, is Walter that much of a burden? You can consider it as an apology, and next time, I’ll bring a decent gift!”

“It’s not a burden at all. Of course, Walter has a bit of a rough temperament. But that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a remarkable knight. It’s an honor for me.”

Any praise for Walter would have been met with disapproval from afar by Arnold, but he couldn’t help but beam at the mention of Walter’s achievements.

“That’s right, that’s right! He may lack a bit in manners and humility, but I’ve raised many knights, and none compare to him! And I’m not saying that just because he’s my grandson!”

“It must be really amazing that you would say that. I’ve heard flattering stories about Balter every time I step into social circles, so I was curious about the extent of it…….”

“It’s embarrassing to say this myself, but the Ertmann lineage has been a family of strong muscles for generations! It goes for me, Walter, and even his father! We all build muscles like clockwork when we eat!”

Perhaps the reason Arnold had never boasted about his prime even when raising his only grandson, Walter, was shrouded in mystery.

However, Arnold seemed to be excited and talked about his prime days and how outstanding Walter was.

Thanks to this, Odette secretly pondered whether she should give him a round of applause.

In particular, there were parts of the story where Arnold was inwardly proud of his grandson.

 

“Although that rascal Walter lacks some refinement, I think I did a decent job raising him. His father left home because of his wanderlust, and his mother left without even looking at him. Just the fact that he turned out straight is an achievement, don’t you think?”

“That’s right.”

“I tried my best to keep him from hearing any talk about growing up without parents. Most young ones are prone to going astray, and just the fact that he grew up so well on his own is something to be thankful for.”

“You must have gone through a lot. I’m sure your guidance played a significant role in Walter’s upbringing. To be honest, growing up without parents is really painful.”

“……!”

Only then did Arnold realize what a foolish mistake he had made.

Odette also lost her mother and grew up under a father who only existed, and here he was talking about Walter’s parents as if they were nonexistent!

‘I-I’ve become quite the blabbermouth in my old age…!’

He felt an impulse to slap himself on the mouth, but Arnold managed to rein in his emotions.

Years of experience had taught him that acting on such impulses could lead to losing teeth.

Feeling the back of his neck dampening with cold sweat, Arnold swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry.

“Uh, I mean…… This isn’t specifically about you. You know that, right? You’ve grown up well enough, and you’re amazing……”

“Sure. I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It’s not like the Marquess has brought it up to slander me, right?”

Despite the potentially awkward situation, Odette smiled warmly and spoke without a hint of discomfort.

“Growing up without the care of my parents…… I’ve always had the desire to someday create a loving home with someone. I wanted to give a child everything I wished for from my parents, both what I received and what I didn’t.”

And finally, the real topic emerged.

 

“So when I fell in love with Walter, I thought I should start a family with him.”

“……!”

“Of course I’m not very close to Walter. I was worried that the Marquess might not like me, so he might be against marriage. But having a conversation with the Marquess today, I’m glad that I don’t have to worry about that.”

As Odette spoke with a smile, she genuinely seemed pleased.

Thanks to that, Arnold couldn’t bring himself to say anything further.

He had already uttered plenty of words expressing his disapproval of Walter’s marriage due to his untrustworthy shortcomings.

Moreover, Odette’s words were quite clever.

She had skillfully mixed compliments about Walter with the notion that she grew up without the care of her parents.

The situation could be misinterpreted, with the possibility of someone deducing that Arnold opposed the marriage not because Walter was inadequate but because Odette, having grown up without parents, might not fit his expectations.

Only then Arnold realized that he had been caught in the net Odette had woven.

‘She deliberately led the conversation like this!’

She was truly a clever girl who knew how to navigate discussions.

Moreover, she showed depth of thought and consideration by gracefully concluding the conversation without damaging Arnold’s dignity.

‘Hmph, but in the end, whether it’s Walter or Odette, they’re both equally stubborn.’

It was a big mistake if Odette thought he would approve of this marriage just because she was a little clever and a little pretty.

Arnold was not easily swayed by such superficial tactics.

Arnold Ertmann, someone who had experienced countless trials and tribulations, he wasn’t one to be easily taken in!

Arnold frowned and, tried to remove the curtain from the window.

‘The carriage has been in for quite some time now, so the lights must be almost out by now.’

 

There was a reason why he hadn’t fallen asleep yet.

Just because Arnold doesn’t leave his room doesn’t mean he’s truly cut off from what’s going on outside. He’s not leaving his room, but he’s sending someone outside to observe the situation outside.

And he told them to come back when the lights went out……..

Knock knock.

‘It’s here!’

There was a stealthy knock on the door, and then the door opened.

It was his aide, Müller, who had come up to the capital from Ertmann Castle with Arnold.

And Müller sat down on the chair, receiving the greatest hospitality in the nearly 30 years he had served Arnold.

“Welcome, so how is it out there?”

“Quite harmonious, if I may say so. Welcoming the new mistress, some were a bit surprised…….”

However, Müller’s reaction seemed a bit uneasy.

No, it might be more accurate to say he felt a bit awkward.

After patting the back of his head a couple of times, Müller hesitated before speaking up.

“Well, you know…… It seems like the two of you are quite passionate?”

“What? Didn’t I already say that it’s likely all an act—”

“No, who acts with such genuine warmth in expressing love?”

“What…… What did you say?!”

Müller finally shouted in frustration.

“Even the maids mentioned that it was unusual. Now, Your Excellency will just have to believe it!”

It seemed that the two were genuinely and passionately in love!