Contract Marriage Interrupted - Chapter 82



Only Noblemtl

Episode 82. Your Wife
2023.11.12.

Walter could recognize the owner of the voice before he could even turn his head to check the figure.

There was no way he wouldn’t recognize Odette’s voice, and the only person who would call him that was Odette.

Nevertheless, Walter couldn’t help but be surprised.

The reason was simple.

“… … Didn’t you say you would talk to Cedric?”

Odette should have been reminiscing with her brother right now.

Cedric, in particular, was someone who would never end a conversation easily.

You could tell just by the fact that he sent the army to bring Odette back, insisting on divorcing her.

And Odette was the type of person who would accept anything about Cedric positively, so he thought the conversation would definitely be long.

Cedric would probably try to drag the conversation out and tie Odette up in the palace.

But.

“I’ve had enough to talk to my brother. I’m on my way here after deciding to visit him again next time.”

Walter raised an eyebrow at Odette’s words that there were no problems.

“There’s no way he’d let you go that easily.”

“Cedric is a good man. I don’t know what you’re imagining, but that won’t happen.”

“It might be true for you, but not for me. It would have been more than you imagined.”

Walter’s feelings were twisted again at Odette’s words defending Cedric again.

But this time, it was closer to anxiety than jealousy.

And Walter was a person who could endure jealousy, but not anxiety.

He hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“… … Did Cedric say anything to you? Did he say something unnecessary… … .”

“There was nothing much to say. I heard that sending troops to Duke Ertmann’s residence for insulting the royal family wasn’t a big deal, and that it was a measure taken because you ignored your brother’s letter so much.”

Strictly speaking, he understood that it was because he ignored the part where he told her not to get married and waited.

The ‘smiling face’ painting was an ultimatum in a sense.

It wasn’t just an ultimatum to Odette.

– Walter Ertmann, if that guy does something like this again, I wanted to warn him that I wouldn’t just temporarily control the mansion.

Above all, there was another reason for sending the army.

“You also told me to get a divorce. I’ll find you a new wife, so you should live separately and live in the palace.”

Walter’s mouth hardened at Odette’s words.

He couldn’t hide the shock that came from the word divorce.

“… … That’s right, I did.” “Yes. I told you too, right

? When I told you in a letter, you didn’t seem to like it, so I guess you were worried about many things.”

Odette smiled faintly, saying that her brother was a very affectionate person, even though he didn’t seem like it.

However, Walter couldn’t smile back at that smile.

Anxiety ran down his spine. He wanted to urge Odette to continue speaking, but at the same time, he felt an impulse that he would never want to hear it.

However, his anxiety would never leave him alone. Walter opened and closed his dry fists and asked,

“So, what did you say?”

“I refused. I’m already married.”

At Odette’s attitude of answering as if it were natural, a sense of relief spread through Walter’s entire body.

Did Odette ever guess that she was so easily moved by her reactions?

This time, Odette’s eyes looked worried, as if her sense of relief had shown through her face.

“Walter, were you worried about that?”

“… … I didn’t.”

“Don’t lie. Even if I had grown up to be a bright young lady who didn’t care about others, I would have noticed this.”

Odette spoke sharply and placed her hand on Walter’s cheek.

The feeling of her bare hand, wrapped in gloves, gently touching his face brought him even more relief than he had felt a moment ago.

Strangely enough.

‘Well, come to think of it, it seems like it’s always been like that.’

Whenever Walter stood face to face with Odette, his reason always seemed to be paralyzed.

When thinking rationally, he should not have approached Odette.

He was in a position to leave Odette a happy life and leave.

Even at this moment, Walter’s reason was shouting this.

He should let Odette stay in the palace as Cedric said, and he should die and disappear until Cedric found a new wife for Odette.

That was the way to truly care for Odette, and the most correct choice.

So Walter clearly knew what the most rational and reasonable judgment was.

However, he was too selfish and materialistic to choose that.

A weak person who knew what to do for the person he loved, but could not resist the temptation right in front of him.

Walter himself knew that, but how could he resist it?

This favor and affection that he had never received in his life.

This short opportunity to hold the person he loved in his arms… …

“Walter, it’s true that I came because I was worried about you. I told you not to be rude to Cedric Uncle because I was worried about you. I was worried that you might get angry at Cedric Uncle.”

“… … Then, wouldn’t it be okay for you to save me then?”

“I will try, but I am nothing to Cedric Uncle. I don’t know how much he will listen to me if I ask.”

So, it wouldn’t hurt to prevent something that might happen in advance, and Odette nagged at him to be on guard against Cedric.

Only then did Walter realize that Odette didn’t know Cedric’s true feelings.

And only then did he realize that Odette wasn’t trying to protect Cedric, but was simply trying to lower herself in front of him for Walter’s sake.

Odette was truly worried about Walter.

“So… … I was talking about that, but I was worried that I might have upset you, so I came quickly.”

Walter couldn’t help but chuckle at his wife’s earnest explanation.

“What are you so worried about?”

“But your voice sounds angry.”

“Do you care about my feelings?”

“Of course. I… … am your wife.”

Odette stroked Walter’s cheek, saying that it was only natural for her to want him to be happy.

　
The feeling of those golden eyes that seemed to taste sweet when touched was so familiar and yet strange.

A feeling that somehow reminded him of the past.

The reason was simple.

In the past, when Odette called Walter ‘Duke Ertmann’, she often looked at him like this.

-I really hope you’ll be happy, Duke Ertmann.

Even at the moment she said that.

Was that look some kind of sign of affection?

Why do all those who say they want to be happy have such eyes?

‘… …As if I’m something.’

If he keeps looking like that, isn’t it just making me unable to let go of my greed?

Walter clicked his tongue and turned his head.

“Odette, no matter how much I think about it, I did nothing wrong.”

“What about Brother Cedric? But that was your fault. You ignored several letters, didn’t you? Please don’t do that again. Do you know how surprised I was when you insulted the royal family?”

“I’ll be careful in the future, so stop talking about him. If you bring it up anymore, I’ll really want to have a cozy meeting with him again.”

“By the way, didn’t you say you had something to say to Cedric?”

“That’s a lie. I didn’t have an excuse to wait for you.”

“What, what did you say?”

Odette’s eyes widened in betrayal, but Walter only smiled faintly and kissed Odette’s forehead.

“So, let’s go back.”

To our house.

* * *

Late night.

“We have completed the withdrawal as you ordered, Your Majesty. We have confirmed that there are no abnormalities in the surrounding area and all units have returned to the palace.”

“Thank you for your hard work until late at night, Arnold. You have worked hard.”

Arnold slightly shook his head at Cedric’s light congratulations.

“It’s an order from Your Majesty, so it’s natural. I was a little surprised.”

“Why?”

“When you first gave the order, didn’t you say you would detain Duke Ertmann? But when you let him go without doing anything, I thought it was unbecoming of Your Majesty.”

“Oh, that’s right. I originally planned to arrest him.”

Cedric smiled as if he had heard an interesting story and took off his glasses.

The glasses he often wore when looking at documents at night, and the straight silver hair covering his forehead, made him look even more gentle.

Thanks to this, Cedric at times like this looked more like a kind-hearted desk sitter than a cynical crown prince who strictly distinguished between right and wrong.

If you look inside, there was a cold-blooded man who didn’t hesitate to use the word “arrest” even to his only close friend, but anyway.

The pen in Cedric’s right hand, which was loosely leaning its head on his fingertips, spun around.

“Even if I detain Walter, there’s no way Sir Arnold would stay still, so it’s just for show. Detaining Walter isn’t that important.”

“Then… … ?”

“The important thing is that if I detain Walter, it would’ve been easier to get Odette divorced. I came back as soon as possible because I was afraid that I would end up like this.”

Arnold scratched the back of his head as if he didn’t quite understand Cedric’s words, clicking his tongue.

“Actually, I don’t really understand why Your Majesty dislikes Duke Ertmann so much. It doesn’t seem like Duke Ertmann is persecuting Your Highness.”

The Odette that Arnold met today seemed to be doing very well.

In fact, she had gained weight and her skin had a glossy sheen, making her look very lively compared to when she was at the palace.

‘Honestly… … when you were at the palace, I didn’t feel very impressed.’

Cedric didn’t say anything because he was angry, but Odette didn’t seem like someone he immediately liked. It would be impossible for her to be a princess

, as she was too unattractive and looked timid.

However, Odette in Ertmann was the one who fit the description of a well-bred noblewoman better than anyone else.

So, it was only natural to wonder .

“Why can’t it be Duke Ertmann, Your Majesty?”