Contract Marriage Interrupted - Chapter 60



Only Noblemtl

Episode 60. You’ll Regret It?
2023.08.27.

Katharina’s face hardened for a moment at Odette’s unsmiling counter-question.

“… … Are you talking back to me now?”

“I asked because you said I had to bend. Isn’t this still not allowed?”

“How dare you… …!”

Katharina clenched her teeth, but Odette remained calm.

This was because she knew she couldn’t do anything.

Could she really hit the face of her soon-to-be bride?

In the first place, there was no way she could harm Odette, who was carrying Ertmann.

Even if she did, it would only lead to revenge from high society.

‘I’m not particularly afraid of that.’

Since the Marchioness Patrice had already ended up like that when she tried to step on Odette, even if Katharina tried to do it again, the other ladies wouldn’t come forward.

If things didn’t go according to Katharina’s plan, Ertmann would be defeated, and if he made a mistake, he would most likely be defeated by Katharina.

‘Things are different now.’ The

situation was different from when he had to be greatly shaken by even the slightest revenge without any support from the palace.

Katharina could no longer touch Odette.

Katharina herself knew that fact, so she couldn’t raise her hand even though she was so angry.

Odette, who was watching her, slowly lowered her gaze.

“I’ll say it again, I’ve never resented Your Highness. I understand Your Highness.”

“… … What?”

“Your Highness took me to the tea party with the Marchioness Patrice. Wasn’t she afraid that I would become a duchess and threaten Your Highness’s influence?”

So she probably wanted to step on it before she became a duchess.

“The reason you’re saying this now is probably to prepare for the future. I fully understand Your Highness.”

But Katharina had to know one thing.

“So I want to tell you that you don’t have to worry. I don’t really have any interest in social life.”

“… … No interest?”

Katharina looked as if she suspected that Odette had lost her mind.

It would be understandable, since most noble ladies used their influence in social circles to build their own power.

And Odette was in the perfect position to do so.

But no interest?

Katharina’s head couldn’t possibly understand this.

“What on earth are you doing?”

“Nothing. As you know, I’ve rarely been in social circles before. So I don’t really feel the need to do it in the future.” Even

though things had come to this, she had never wanted a high position.

Odette answered as if she felt a little relieved, or rather, refreshingly, and put down her teacup.

Click.

Following the neat sound, Odette smiled brightly.

“So, please bless our marriage.”

Stop this pointless chatter.

Katharina’s face turned red with contempt at the added words.

“They say a place makes a person, and that’s exactly what you are. I know you’re going to marry Duke Ertmann, but I didn’t know people can change so quickly. You should be ashamed!”

It was a plausible scolding that would have made others reflect on themselves if they had heard it.

But Odette just laughed cheerfully.

“Haha, Your Majesty, you have something funny to say.”

The only thing that had changed was the environment.

The environment where I had to hide myself, and the environment where I didn’t have to.

It was funny how I was already trembling like this just because I had revealed a little of what I had been hiding.

“Even salmon that used to live in fresh water drink salt water when they go to the sea, so wouldn’t people be like that?”

Odette answered and left. She

felt somehow cheerful.

.

.

.

‘And after that, Empress Katharina treated me like I didn’t exist.’

It seemed as if he didn’t trust Odette’s words that she had no desire for a high-class life.

But that was also what Odette had in mind.

‘Empress Katharina lived her whole life as a high-ranking noblewoman.’

Regardless of the favoritism toward Katharina, no one would deny that she was skilled at controlling the high society.

The godmother of the high society who was respected and admired by many.

That was the external evaluation of Katharina in the high society.

But that too was ultimately just a matter within the well of the high society.

Katharina was someone who was buried in that well.

That’s why her way of thinking can’t escape the frame of society.

Odette had never been greedy for society.

‘I wonder if she’d be surprised and fall behind if she found out that my original goal was to marry a man from a moderately humble family.’

Of course, that goal had long since been abandoned… … If necessary, she was willing to go into society.

So what she said to Katharina was half true and half false.

The reason she lied was simple.

‘I needed to give back at least once.’

If Odette continued to show her tolerance, Katharina would definitely wait for the next opportunity.

If it only hurt Odette herself, she wouldn’t care, but she couldn’t let Ertmann suffer.

In the end, it seemed to have worked as a proper shock therapy. As

she walked through the hallway holding the lantern, Odette thought,

‘But half of it is true, so there’s no need to feel wronged.’

While living at Duke Ertmann’s residence, Odette spent quite a bit of time with Arnold.

Even without her making the first move, Arnold would sneak up on her and ask if she wanted to have tea.

During those times, they would always talk about the Duchy of Ertmann.

– There’s an evergreen forest to the north, and it’s a beautiful sight in winter. It’s also great for rabbit hunting! When I was young, my wife and I would each carry a bow and go hunting in the forest.

– With your wife?

– Yes! That’s a really fun memory. Do you know how to ride

a horse? – I’ve learned horseback riding to some extent.

– Then let’s go there in the winter. I got lost in the forest once, and the Duchy of Ertmann’s castle was turned upside down… …

Arnold laughed heartily, saying that he almost lost the entire family, and he looked very happy.

In fact, the anecdotes about hunting with his wife in the winter were quite amusing.

‘I’ll ask Walter to go hunting with me when winter comes.’

Of course, unlike Arnold’s wife, she didn’t know how to handle a bow. However, she could at least ride a horse, so she thought that if she practiced archery diligently after getting married, she might be able to pretend not to be able to win.

‘After all, it’s common to spend the winter at the estate.’

If she asked Walter, he would probably choose a horse for her, even though he said it was dangerous.

Maybe he’d tell her what he was hiding.

And he’d probably be more used to being a couple than he is now.

Thinking about such things, Odette felt a tickle in her chest, and she smiled without realizing it as she entered the Empress’s Palace. She had made

an excuse that she couldn’t sleep, so she really thought about going back to sleep.

However.

“What’s so fun about coming in while laughing?”

The joyful mood was shattered the moment he saw Han In-yeong sitting in the hall of the Empress’s Palace.

“… … Blake, brother.”

“Hello, Odette.”

In the dim light, Blake, who was sitting on a single sofa with a lamp on, smiled faintly at Odette as if he knew her.

Then he gestured to the chessboard in front of him with his chin.

“It’s already lonely to play alone, so why don’t you sit down for a moment?”

Odette’s eyes narrowed.

Blake was the only person in the Empress’s Palace whose attitude toward Odette had not changed.

He was still suspicious and at the same time hostile.

And yet, asking her to join him at this hour of the morning?

There was no need to think about it any further. Odette turned her head.

“I’m sorry, but I’m tired. I’ll go in.”

“I’ll be fine in a moment.”

“… … .”

“You’ll regret it, won’t you?”

　
Unlike his face, which had an eerie, faint smile, his voice was devoid of a smile.

Blake was clearly an unpredictable man, but the reason he was so ominous was because all his predictions came true.

Especially since they didn’t discriminate against anyone.

In my experience, there was no reason to ignore this.

“… … If you’re going to tell me that I’m Cedric’s spy, I have nothing more to say.”

“Yeah, sometimes you meet a blind person who can see clearly.”

It meant to tell me not to lie about something I already know.

Blake chuckled and tapped the chessboard table with his index finger.

“But I’m not here to talk about that today, so sit down. It’s so lonely playing chess alone.”

As he said, a chessboard was laid out in front of Blake.

The white and black pieces were jumbled together and looked like they were in the middle of a melee, but there was one thing that stood out.

“Here, I was trying to figure out a strategy to win without taking out this white queen. If you were black, how would you take out this queen?”

The queen was the most valuable piece in chess.

Whoever lost the queen first could determine the winner, so if you wanted to seize the opportunity to win, you absolutely had to take out the queen.

‘I don’t know what the plan is, but…’

Odette sat across from Blake, on the side where the black pieces were, and moved the pieces one by one.

The black pawn captured the white knight, and then the white rook captured the black pawn.

The basic principle of winning chess was simple.

‘You have to take the high-value piece with the low-value piece.’

No matter what strategy was used, the basic principle that applied on the chessboard was the same.

It would be natural that no one would want to give up their queen to a pawn.

The previous fight that started between such low-value pieces began to spread.

When they came to their senses, most of the high-value pieces, regardless of whether they were black or white, had moved down the board.

However, the white queen was still in the same spot.

Only then did Odette realize that she had fallen for Blake’s move.

“… … This was the game that was supposed to end this way from the beginning.”

“When you touch a board that someone else has already touched, you should expect to lose.”

It was a clean affirmation.

“Then may I ask why you made me play?”

“Oh, of course. You’ll pay for playing against me.”

Blake smiled as he said that, took out a letter from his bosom, and handed it to Odette.

“Open it.”

“What is this…?”

The moment Odette opened the envelope with a suspicious feeling,

something fell out.

It was a red hair that had been cut off carelessly.