Contract Marriage Interrupted - Chapter 87



Only Noblemtl

Episode 87. Cheap Warmth
2023.11.30.

Odette’s gaze was fixed on a certain lady with light brown hair.

A beautiful lady sitting next to Countess Murat with a gentle smile.

“Welcome, Duchess Ertmann. Is this your first time? I’m my cousin, Countess Noarsh. Yvonne, this is Duchess Ertmann.”

“… … Thank you for inviting me, Countess Murat.”

When Odette cut her off, Countess Noarsh bowed her head a beat later.

“It’s nice to meet you, Duchess Ertmann.”

“Nice to meet you, Countess Noarsh.”

When Odette finally answered, Countess Noarsh smiled brightly.

It seemed as if time had passed only for her, her beauty not aged at all despite her middle age.

This beautiful lady’s name was Yvonne Noarsh.

In the past, she was called Yvonne Ertmann.

So, to summarize.

‘Walter’s biological mother… … will be.’

After Walter’s father, Luther, ran away with the princess in the middle of the night, Yvonne requested the imperial family to annul her marriage, saying she no longer wanted to be in Ertmann.

However, under imperial law, in the case of annulment, not divorce, no rights could be claimed against the family she married into, and that included children.

In other words, Yvonne was asking the imperial family to erase even her son, Walter, from her life.

The imperial family, who had been embarrassed along with Yvonne, had no choice but to accept Yvonne’s annulment, and Yvonne remarried Count Noarsh shortly thereafter.

Only then did people realize why Yvonne had tried to separate even her son.

She had intended to leave Ertmann and remarry from the beginning.

‘Perhaps, separate from the remarriage, the cancellation of the marriage was to avoid the imperial wrath directed at Ertmann.’

Whatever the reason, the decision to completely erase even the young son born from her own womb was quite cruel.

The gossiping magnates talked about this issue for a while, and thanks to that, Odette often heard about it at the palace.

– Duchess Ertmann, no, now Countess Noarsh, right? She hasn’t been around much lately.

– After all that humiliation, how would she want to appear in society? Since she remarried, it seems she’s staying at home.

– Count Noarsh is really amazing. He chased her like that since she was a virgin, and now he’s getting married… … .

– It’s too bad for the Duke and Master of Ertmann. I heard that Countess Noarsh doesn’t even turn her head to Ertmann.

Those who said Walter was bad looked kind, but in the eyes of young Odette, they and Yvonne did not look much different.

‘In the end, no one helped him.’

Young Odette often remembered the people who would look at her and say, “You’re so pitiful.” She also knew

that if she hastily warmed her hands to the thin thread of warmth in their voices, the cold loneliness would feel even colder.

‘Is Duke Ertmann cold like me?’

Maybe he’s colder than me. I don’t know my mother, but the young master would know my mother’s face.

Odette had never even seen his face, but she wanted to hug him as a child.

‘I should hug him when I meet him someday.’

She had thought that too.

… … It was a faint memory now.

Thanks to that, she remembered a memory she had forgotten, so she should be grateful.

Odette let out a small sigh.

Countess Noarsh, Yvonne had not been in the social circle at all since that incident.

It was only natural.

Why would she come out of society to hear good things when the shocking story of her husband having an affair with another woman and running away in the middle of the night was spreading throughout society?

Even though she was a cousin of Countess Murat, they didn’t really interact that often, so it was understandable why Emma didn’t say anything.

‘But the reason she came here… . . ’

It must be because of me.

And if Countess Murat had deliberately interfered with this, Odette was already trapped.

Since Odette had chosen a small-scale social gathering, the only people in the gathering were those close to Countess Murat.

I had thought that this would be okay, considering the favor Countess Murat had for Ertmann, but it seemed like it wouldn’t be easy to go that way.

‘I can’t help it.’

Odette sat down calmly, pretending not to know anything, and glanced at Countess Noarche.

Is she friendly or hostile?

‘Maybe she came out because she heard news of her son whom she hadn’t seen in a while.’

Don’t be too nervous.

Countess Noarsh might have missed Walter too.

It’s possible that she came out with good intentions… … .

“Everyone seems so free these days. In the past, it was polite to visit the parents-in-law first after getting married.”

… … I guess so.

Odette quickly threw away her good intentions.

The one who started the conversation was, of course, Countess Noarsh.

Countess Murat, who was next to her, laughed and answered.

“Young people can think differently. Even these days, if you say something like that, you’ll be called old. Isn’t that right, Duchess Ertmann?”

And the conversation turned to Odette. It

was obvious what they wanted.

‘They want me to play along and play along while talking indirectly.’

If she laughed and agreed, she would be playing along as she wanted, and if she got serious and got angry, she would be accused of overreacting.

‘That’s probably the reaction I want to see the most.’

First, whether Odette recognizes her mother-in-law when she first meets her. Second,

how Odette reacts to her mother-in-law’s presence

is obvious. In that case, the response is obvious.

Odette smiled and tilted her head to the side.

“Well, it may be different for each person, but… … I think what Countess Noarche said is right.”

“… … Really?”

For a moment, a mocking smile appeared on the lips of Countess Murat and Countess Noarche.

Then, Odette pretended not to see them and continued speaking calmly.

“Of course. It’s only natural.”

“As expected of Your Highness the Princess.”

“You are flattering me, Countess Murat.”

When Odette awkwardly accepted the words, Countess Noarche smiled and tilted her head.

“However… … I wonder. If Duchess Ertmann is such a well-mannered person, why didn’t she show me manners when I was first introduced to her?”

Her beautiful face was slightly tinged with worry.

However, Odette still opened her eyes wide in surprise, pretending not to know anything.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Madame. I thought we were talking in the right order.”

Normally, when someone is introduced, the person with the lower rank would greet first.

For example, if Odette was introduced to Arnold for the first time, Arnold would greet first.

However, in the current situation where Arnold was Odette’s grandfather, it would be polite for Odette to bow first as a courtesy to the eldest member of the family.

“I belong to the duke’s family and you belong to the count’s family, so shouldn’t it be right for me to greet you?”

“Of course. That is, if I’m not your husband’s biological mother.”

Countess Noarsh said in a pretended sad voice.

“Even if I’m not the Ertmann duke’s family now, the fact that I’m the child’s mother still doesn’t change, so it’s very sad to be treated like this.”

“Oh, don’t be so upset. Madam. Even Duchess Ertmann probably didn’t do it on purpose.”

“That’s right. Duchess Ertmann… … must have had no one to teach her this kind of common sense, so please be understanding. It’s a mistake that a novice in society would make.”

When Countess Noarsh shed tears, the other ladies were surprised and tried to comfort her.

There was no ill will toward Odette in the words they each tried to comfort Countess Noarsh.

There was only ill will toward the person who had caused this situation.

And that fact upset Odette.

“… … It’s strange. As far as I know, the only person I should be polite to is Lord Arnold, and yet you’re demanding politeness from me when I’m meeting you for the first time.”

“Madam, didn’t you hear me just now? I’m Walter’s biological mother. You’re still young, so you might not know, but-”

“No. I know everything I need to know. “That my grandfather was Lord Arnold, and that there are no other elders in Ertmann.”

And that she had not seen Walter’s parents at the wedding.

“I didn’t see you where I should have, so why should I believe you and be polite? You don’t belong to Ertmann.”

Countess Noarsh was taken aback by Odette’s words.

“What, what are you saying? Everyone here knows that I am Walter’s mother!”

“I don’t know. If I had to know, my husband or Lord Arnold would have told me long ago. But unfortunately, I haven’t heard a single word.”

When Odette responded coldly, Countess Noarsh’s eyes welled up with sad tears.

“Oh, how could you do this to me? No matter how much I leave Ertmann, the blood ties will never be broken… How could you be so rude… .”

“Madam, what is connected by blood cannot be broken?”

Odette finally burst out laughing.

“Then what have you done for your unbroken child? Have you contacted him once? Or even seen his face? Have you written him a single letter while he was bleeding on the battlefield?”

“I, I… … I was worried about him too… … ! Do you think I would have felt at ease if I had separated from him?”

“Of course I wouldn’t have felt at ease. But that’s all.”

A thread of sympathy that was of no use at all.

If Walter had died on the battlefield, I would have just clicked my tongue and said it was a pity.

The age when they would have relied on such things to warm their hands was long past.

Odette and Walter.

“If you want to continue to claim that you are my husband’s mother, come to Ertmann and get his recognition.”

Before saying such things, it would have been more appropriate if you had done so first, but… … .

“… … “You can’t expect manners from someone who has no shame.”

With those words, Odette got up and left.

Without even a word of apology or a final goodbye.

She felt very bad.