Contract Marriage Interrupted - Chapter 59



Only Noblemtl

Episode 59. Beware of Loss
2023.08.24.

Odette was half-doubting, but unfortunately her hunch was right.

And Odette roughly heard the story of Louis’ visit to Belfort Academy.

“It seemed like he was under a curse, but it was actually due to the influence of the holy relic. I don’t know the details because they didn’t share them… … It seems to have been a very useful case.”

“… … Really? Anyway, it’s fortunate that he wasn’t under a curse.”

“That’s right. I thought it was definitely a face value.”

Anne-Sophie continued to talk about how annoying the Department of Divinity was,

and also about Odette’s upcoming wedding. They talked about how excited she was to visit the palace, the dress Odette had given her, and that she would have to be away on the wedding day, so it was certain that she would have to stay up all night.

“Thank you for your time, Anne. Then I’ll be going now.”

“Oh, Your Highness! I almost forgot again. I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“Your Majesty, I had a premonition a while ago.”

Anne-Sophie’s premonitions were irregular and came to her mind in a somewhat disorganized manner.

As a result, it was often difficult to tell whether they were premonitions or not, which was like poison to Anne-Sophie, who was already absent-minded.

Because of this, Anne-Sophie did not trust her premonitions very much.

It was not easy to find premonitions among the thoughts that passed through her head.

So she either ignored most of her premonitions or did not directly tell the person involved even if she felt they were premonitions.

Therefore, it was rare for her to talk like this.

“I tried to ignore it as much as possible… … This is certain. It was not a mental image or thought that came to mind, but I felt that I had to tell Your Majesty.”

However, Anne-Sophie was very suspicious, saying that she was not sure if it was that important.

The premonition she heard was a single sentence.

“Be careful not to lose it. That’s all.”

“… … Lost?”

“Yes. Can you guess something?”

“There’s nothing important enough to lose… … What could it be?”

“If you don’t have anything important, then that’s fortunate, but… … .”

Anne-Sophie also crossed her arms and rested her chin on her hand as if she was puzzled by Odette’s words.

“Since you’re getting married soon, aren’t you trying to lose your wedding ring or something?”

* * *

A pitch-black night.

‘We almost got caught.’

There was a silhouette moving secretly in the darkness.

The location the silhouette was headed to was a large banquet hall nearby.

This banquet hall, which periodically turned on its lights, was created for only one purpose:

a ‘masquerade ball.’

A banquet hall where people could completely hide their identities with gorgeous masks and wigs and enjoy themselves freely.

In fact, it was called a masked ‘ball,’ but the atmosphere here was completely different from a regular ball in many ways.

Thanks to attending without being identified, a free atmosphere was created where no one had to worry about status or honor, and they could freely mingle, gamble, and drink under the pretext of dancing.

As a result, the term masquerade ball was nothing more than a fancy word.

In reality, it was a place where those who dreamed of deviating and those who wanted to have secret meetings gathered and had a wild party.

‘And it’s also the most famous place for secret meetings between adulterous men and women.’

Because of that free atmosphere, it was a place where any adult noble had secretly visited at least once, but it was definitely not a place that someone about to get married would visit.

That’s exactly why Inyoung and Ellie came here.

She had witnessed it a while ago.

Walter, a shameless man who was marrying my precious princess, who would be a little painful to look at, but still precious enough to be okay, had decided to attend this masquerade ball!

In fact, Ellie had been keeping an eye on Walter’s movements all along.

‘I couldn’t find any evidence that day at Duke Ertmann’s residence.’

But the feeling of unease did not go away.

Regina’s words about Elodie and Walter secretly meeting lingered in her mind.

However, the wedding procedures had progressed considerably, and it was true that it would be difficult for Odette to call off the marriage, so Ellie wanted to see for herself first.

There was no reason to upset Odette, who was about to get married and did not know anything.

‘If His Majesty had insisted on providing security, it would have been a disaster.’

If she had, she might have been caught tracking Walter’s movements.

Ellie swallowed dryly and recalled the conversation she had heard when she went to Duke Ertmann’s residence.

-Your Majesty, are you really going? Let me do it this time. It won’t do any good if you keep going to places like that even before your wedding.

-If you go this time, you won’t have to go after your wedding. If possible, make sure Odette doesn’t know about this.

Going to a masquerade is shocking enough, but you’re telling her not to know about it.

The moment she heard that, Ellie’s heart sank.

‘Maybe he’s going to see Elodie Montoire.’ He

might have been completely lying to our Highness and committing adultery!

After hearing the conversation that day, Ellie decided to see for herself what Walter was doing at the masquerade.

And if it was really an affair, she planned to collect evidence and bring it to Odette.

For that purpose, Ellie spent a lot of money on a luxurious dress, wig, and mask.

At least if she came to this banquet hall of pleasure, she would be noticed if she looked shabby.

When they arrived at the masquerade hall, the footman spoke to them.

“Do you have an invitation? Otherwise, you’ll have to pay the entrance fee.”

“Here, the entrance fee.”

The footman left satisfied after Ellie handed over the gold coins.

Then Ellie hid behind the outer wall of the building and began to watch the carriages coming in one by one.

How long had it been?

Just when she felt her legs ache, a two-person carriage came in through the main gate.

Two people got out of the carriage.

Two men who looked quite tall and well-built.

“The mask is always stuffy.”

“Just bear with it for a little while. Don’t use formal speech when you go in.”

Ellie could faintly hear the conversation between the two.

“… …! The voice is familiar.”

　
Walter’s heavy, calm low voice was also a type that was hard to forget, but Ellie was also a little more familiar with the adjutant.

Ellie rarely had a chance to talk to Walter directly.

And the voice of the slightly shorter one who just got out of the carriage was definitely Russell Huntley, his.

Ellie’s face hardened as she recognized the voice.

‘I really hoped it wasn’t!’ He

really showed up at the masquerade ball.

What on earth was the Duke doing here?

‘I have to hurry and chase him!’

Ellie hurriedly walked after seeing the two people entering the banquet hall.

At that moment.

“Whoa!”

A hand shot out from behind Ellie and grabbed her.

Startled, Ellie struggled, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the criminal’s strength.

In an instant, the mask came off, and just as she was about to scream, a handkerchief with a strong smell covered Ellie’s nose and mouth.

“Save me- woof! Woof woof!”

It didn’t take long for her struggling body to lose strength and her consciousness to fade.

Without even a moment to feel the sense of defeat, Ellie tried to hold on to her consciousness until the very end.

‘Oh, no… I have to tell His Majesty… .’

With that thought, Ellie lost consciousness.

Soon, a black shadow lifted her up and disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

‘I feel strange.’

Was it because she heard Anne-Sophie’s strange prediction about the loss or something?

Or was it because she was going to get married tomorrow when the sun rose?

Odette couldn’t sleep late into the night.

‘If I sleep too late and get swollen, Ellie will scold me again.’

Ellie and Odette were the same age, and although Odette was more mature in many ways, Ellie was always the one who scolded her.

Perhaps because Ellie had four younger siblings, she unconsciously treated Odette, who she served, like a younger sibling.

Ellie was Odette’s closest friend and family. She

was also the one who kept Odette from getting tired of her lonely palace life.

Maybe that’s why, being alone in the palace without Ellie made her feel even more empty.

‘I would have felt better if I could have stayed in my palace.’

Odette was in the Empress’s Palace.

Basically, in the empire, it was customary to spend a few days with the mother before the wedding, but since there was no empress or Odette’s biological mother in the current imperial family, Empress Katharina took on that role.

Odette stayed in the Empress’s palace for about three days.

When she met Katharina for the first time in a while, she neither approached Odette nor acted coldly toward her.

‘I heard that you kicked out the Marchioness Patrice.’

After the tea party at the Wellington Hotel, the Marchioness Patrice’s position had become considerably narrower.

It might be natural, since the tea party that was held in a grand manner was ruined and she openly clashed with another lady.

She went into seclusion after that day, and Katharina ended her relationship with the Marquise Patrice by cleanly removing her from her personnel list without saying a word.

That meant that Katharina had chosen Odette over the Marquise Patrice.

And Katharina even mentioned this directly.

.

.

.

“-So, you don’t have to worry about the tea party anymore. Since I chose you, no one will dare to talk.”

“… … I see.”

Odette lightly confirmed Katharina’s words without saying anything.

“Not even a word of thanks?”

“Because I didn’t ask you to do it. Or maybe you wanted to hear my thanks?”

Katharina raised an eyebrow at Odette’s speech that didn’t even evade her words.

“Odette. Did you resent me for the tea party?”

“No, no one blames the sun for setting at night.” He

meant that he didn’t blame you because you were that kind of person to begin with.

It was a serious statement.

Katharina finally let out a sigh.

“You made a foolish choice back then. If I hadn’t chosen you over the Marchioness, you would have had a hard time re-entering society. Sir Arnold may be able to protect you now, but do you think he will in the future?”

“… … .”

“Considering my life in society, I should have bowed.”

“If so, Your Highness.”

Odette, who had been listening silently, spoke up.

“How long must I bow?”