In truth, the situation wasn’t that peculiar.

Elli had a laid-back nature that made her favor the routes commonly taken by commoners. She disliked putting on airs like other nobles.

If Elli had acted a bit more composed, Odette would have passed by without suspicion.

“But… it’s a bit strange.”

Is it that shocking to decline an offer for an escort?

Odette became a little curious. Under different circumstances, she might have probed more keenly into Elli’s condition.

But this time, Odette herself was preoccupied.

Preparing for a wedding was one thing, but the primary cause was her disrupted sleep.

It wasn’t just that the bed felt foreign anymore.

“The dreams are the problem.”

Ever since arriving here, Odette had been having strange dreams.

Utterly miserable and… briefly tinged with happiness.

But the only emotion that lingered was that; she couldn’t recall anything upon waking.

All she felt was that she was repeatedly having the same dream.

After much thought, Odette decided to consult Walter about this phenomenon.

“Maybe it’s an issue with the bed.”

She wanted to change the bedroom, but it felt too capricious without a reason.

But part of her also wanted to share the warmth while talking about these dreams.

Walter’s embrace oddly gave her a sense of security.

If she asked to hug him for a moment with no strings attached, he’d likely agree.

“If he doesn’t agree… I’ll bring up the contract terms.”

Although the thought that she might be learning bad habits from her fiancé crossed her mind, Odette quickly forgot it.

And she picked up a lantern and headed for Walter’s room.

It was late, and all the lights in the mansion were off, but she wasn’t scared as she had been there a few times before.

She even felt a bit excited about opening Walter’s door.

But—

“Um, Walter…?”

The moment Odette cautiously opened the door, the pleasant flutter in her chest quickly disappeared.

Walter’s bedroom was completely empty.

“And in the morning, he returned as if nothing had happened.”

Not mentioning he had left was just the icing on the cake.

The conclusion she reached was one.

“Walter is sneaking out suspiciously.”

He was leaving at night without telling her.

She tried asking the servants and housekeepers discreetly.

“Do carriages come and go at night? Well, I don’t think so.”

“Our master does sometimes leave at night for urgent matters. Should I inquire for you?”

No one seemed to know clearly.

She thought Walter might tell her if she waited, but several days passed with no word.

Once she realized this, Odette felt a bit odd.

“Come to think of it… Walter doesn’t have to inform me.”

Why did she think he would naturally do so?

They might be living in the same house, but they were bound by an extensive contract.

“Maybe I got too excited.”

Odette was someone who maintained boundaries with people.

Strictly speaking, she didn’t expect much from others.

Even with Elli, whom she called closest, she never asked about her daily life, and the same went for Cedric.

She had thought it would naturally be the same with her future spouse.
The line seemed to blur, whether from the few kisses or the help I had received from Walter.

What a rookie mistake.

‘I feel strange.’

Should I say it’s embarrassing, or perhaps it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth?

I rummaged through the romance novels Eli lent me, wondering if reading would dispel this sweet and sour taste, but it lingered until I met Walter in the evening.

Odette watched the man who would soon be her husband undress one garment at a time.

The sequence was always the same.

Coat, cuffs, tie, collar button.

As if the clothes were a switch, the man who appeared astonishingly stiff and robust softened and appeared somewhat relaxed after the process.

Perhaps that’s why his voice sounded much gentler.

“So, you’re going to the royal palace tomorrow.”

“Yes, I plan to stop by Belfor to see a friend.”

“Then I won’t see you for two days. It’s a shame.”

Odette was about to respond thoughtlessly when she closed her mouth at the word ‘shame’.

“…We’ll see each other again after that time passes. We will keep seeing each other.”

“Will you starve tomorrow because you ate today?”

Walter’s hand, responding with a jest, clasped Odette’s wrist.

He gently strokes the inside of her elbow with his thumb.

“I’ll miss seeing you tomorrow even if I see you today. Apparently, you don’t feel the same.”

“…I just thought it was okay because we’ll see each other soon.”

“You’re not happy to not see me for a few days?”

At Walter’s words, Odette looked up at him with a frown.

“Why would you say that? That’s impossible.”

“I get that we’re finally alone, but you won’t even make eye contact.”

“…!”

Only then did Odette realize she had been avoiding Walter’s gaze.

She couldn’t meet his eyes because she couldn’t shake off the uncomfortable feeling.

“And so, I thought you suddenly despised me.”

“No, that’s not it.”

“I know. You are a wife who loves her husband, aren’t you?”