Contract Marriage Interrupted

Episode 76. And that was after three days of marriage

 

One week after marriage.

Odette was having a great time as a newlywed.

And there was talk in Duke Ertmann’s court about how the Duke and his wife’s relationship was extremely good.

No wonder.

It was on the third day of their marriage, Odette walked out of their bedroom for their first night together.

Of course, this was not Odette’s intention at all.

After wrapping her in a blanket, making sure she couldn’t move an inch, it was her husband who took care of everything.

For the next three days, Walter fed, bathed, and put Odette to sleep with his own hands.

He also did other things from time to time. No, more like a majority of the time.

While she wasn’t doing anything else, Odette was always exhausted and either fell asleep or just ate.

‘When I finally came to my senses and opened my eyes, my body was clean, and a meal was prepared…….’

In other words, Walter had the stamina to stay awake and wait for Odette to wake up.

What on earth is Walter made of?

Odette sincerely wondered if Walter’s stamina was not made of ordinary physical and fluid elements but something inexhaustible.

On the other hand, she couldn’t even get out of bed after exhausting herself with just those activities.

 

‘I never really thought that I lacked physical strength…….’

It’s unclear whether Odette’s struggle to get out of bed because of shock, or whether it was the fact that her back was hurting after the first night.

Walter seemed to feel a sense of duty not to let Odette waste her energy for anything other than ‘those things’.

Thus began three days of overprotection.

Odette, who had never been cared for like this even as a child, was snuggled up in a blanket and eating a meal of flounder like a baby bird, but she couldn’t ignore the feeling of conscience that slowly raised her head and asked this question at least once.

“Walter. if the Duchess is this lazy, won’t people start talking behind her back?”

Although oversleeping could be labeled as the beloved duchess’s ostentatious laziness.

Odette was in a room with curtains on all sides and no clock, so she couldn’t tell the exact date, but she could vaguely sense that more than a day had passed.

As Walter generously spread raspberry compote, Odette’s favorite, on a slice of white bread with butter, he chuckled.

“If there is someone who wants to lose their head so much, I hope they will open their mouth quickly.”

Walter chuckled, spreading the red substance once again with the jam knife on the white bread and smeared it over the white bread.

Though what he held in his hand was a knife with no edge, that red substance was undoubtedly a raspberry compote with live flesh, known for its texture and sweet-sour taste.

‘Why does it look so murderous in Walter’s hands……?’

Perhaps it’s a talent that can make such an innocuous combination look harmful.

Afraid that voicing her concerns again might only result in Walter proving her wrong by bringing in some hapless prey, or rather, servant, as evidence and threatening their life.

With her experience of living in the Imperial Palace all her life, Odette could have bet the bread that Walter had just put in her mouth that her intuition would be correct.

So she decided to keep quiet for the sake of peace in the mansion.

Since she felt comfortable, she didn’t want to think about anything else.

The combination of the sweet, refreshing burst of raspberry compote in her mouth, the soft, aromatic flavor of the butter, and the light crunch of the white bread without being gritty was incredible.

Odette chewed the bread in her mouth and thought nonchalantly.

‘Yeah, because we are newlyweds.’

A little lazy, but that’s what everyone does.

Odette, who had lost all sense of time and felt that only a day had passed at most, decided to enjoy the luxury that Walter gave her a little longer.

This laziness might have lasted a day or two if it weren’t for Russell knocking on the door, saying something like, “Your Excellency, we have an urgent matter that needs your approval and has been pending for three days now…….”.

With that single sentence, Odette realized that three days had passed since she entered this room. She got up in a panic and looked for Walter.

“Wa- Walter, Have we really been here for three days?”

“…… Is something wrong?”

“Of course there is! I thought it had been at most a day or two! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why should I tell you if you didn’t ask? I was willing to stay like this for a few more days.”

“W-What are you talking about? What do you think the servants will say about us?”

 

“The master and his wife are so fine, aren’t they?”

“You’re the worst!”

Only then did Odette realize that the curtains drawn in all directions, the room without a clock, and the irregular meals were all intentional.

If Odette had opened the curtain even once, things might have been different, but once again she was quite naive.

– If you open the curtain, the gardener might see it. Or are you just trying to show them how we’re doing?

She was so frightened by Walter’s words that she didn’t even go near the curtains.

Of course, she rarely got out of bed because he wrapped her up in a quilt and carried her everywhere.

In hindsight, she realizes that it was all a ploy by Walter to make her lose track of time and make her feel lazy.

Feeling betrayed, Odette retreated to her bedroom and locked herself in without looking back.

Walter waited endlessly at the door, asking for forgiveness several times, but Odette did not respond.

And, this story spread like wildfire throughout the entire mansion…….

“Get a divorce, you damn bastard.”

…… which brought Arnold back to the Wellington Hotel.

Upon hearing that Odette and Walter had fought, Arnold stormed into the mansion, flailing his cane in the air.

“I told you to take good care of Odette, but how can I hear news like this as soon as I leave the mansion! And that’s after only three days of marriage!”

“…… I think there is some misunderstanding, but things are good between us.”

“Don’t lie! Even the heavens and the earth know it, how dare you shamelessly lie!”

With a bang, Arnold’s cane slammed into the desk, causing it to crack a little.

“If you hadn’t let me down so badly, I wouldn’t have heard by my own ears that the good girl wouldn’t take a step out of her room! Just three days after the wedding! If it were my son, I would have immediately disowned and kicked him out!”

Even Russell, who was usually fearless, cowered in a corner due to Arnold’s intimidating presence.

But instead of being cowed, Walter responded with an irritating tone.

 

“I know. That’s why you expel my father.”

“You- you worthless scoundrel, dare to use Luther name in front of me!……. Ugh!”

In the end, Arnold even showcased a performance of falling over with a hand on his neck, but Walter didn’t bat an eye and called for the family doctor.

“My grandfather seems to be very angry and not in a good condition. Take him and arrange for his care.”

“Understood. Marquess, this way…….”

“Enough! Get out! I failed to live up to my commands because of this damned guy.”

“What are you talking about, Grandfather? You should live a long and healthy life.”

“I’ll live a long and healthy life, so you get a divorce! Clearly, you’ve become a disgrace. That’s why Odette is angry, just three days after the wedding! I’ll find a better husband for Odette!”

“…….”

Back to square one.

Walter’s eloquence and improvisational skills were truly top-notch, but they were not enough to defeat Arnold, who had decades of experience.

Russell, who was watching this heated argument, quietly decided in his mind that Arnold would win.

 

No matter what Walter said, everything would disappear as soon as Arnold uttered a single word.

“How could this happen! Just three days after the wedding!”

Arnold seemed determined to push for a divorce unless the relationship with Odette was immediately restored.

However, as they say, every cloud has a silver lining.

This created a great opportunity for Walter.

A chance to talk to an angry Odette again.

“Odette. I understand you’re upset, but your grandfather has come. The story that you haven’t left the room has reached him.”

Just standing at the door and saying this much, Odette’s previously firmly closed door swung open.

Likewise, Odette’s expression mirrored her surprise.

“Grandfather came to visit?”

“Yeah. He’s urging for a divorce.”

At the expected answer, a feeling of guilt passed over Odette’s face.

In fact, she was more embarrassed than angry, and when she looked at Walter’s face, she felt like she wanted to disappear, so she couldn’t bear to leave the room.

In the meantime, it is said that Arnold went there because of his actions.

Odette, who knew how Arnold treated Walter, could not help but feel guilty.

Because she had a sense of duty to act in love with Walter!

‘It’s my role to overcome the opposition to Walter’s marriage, but I neglected that responsibility because of my personal emotions.’

 

And that’s after just three days of marriage!

Odette was so ashamed of herself that she couldn’t bear it.

As she clenched her fists and lowered her head, Walter’s gaze, who interpreted it negatively, became somewhat gloomy.

“Odette. Are you still very angry?”

“……No. It’s not like that. It’s just…….”

Just looking at Walter’s face made her feel like everything would be okay.

No more embarrassment for him, no more embarrassment for her, no more locking herself in her bedroom for days on end.

‘It’s strange, but when I look at Walter’s face, it feels like…… doesn’t belong to me.’

She had never been this agitated before, but now Odette could feel herself reacting to Walter’s voice and every expression.

But now she could see what was more important than that.

‘Now that I’m married, I must fulfill my role!’

Odette welcomed Walter into her bedroom with a sense of duty, and the story that Duchess Ertmann, whom she had been estranged from for a while, was getting better again spread quickly with the sunlight the next morning.

* * *

Just like that, a week into their honeymoon.

Odette opened her eyes in the morning light and suddenly realized that something was wrong.