In fact, Odette had a guaranteed life that she could seize anytime she wanted. She possessed outstanding magical abilities, decent social skills, and reasonable insight. Moreover, since becoming Cedric’s confidante, she had also entered a position where she could seize power at any time. In reality, Cedric had suggested it several times.
“I know why you want to hide that you are holding hands with me. It would be much easier to gather information that way. But isn’t it a bit frustrating? If we solidify our relationship a bit more, Hwangbi won’t be able to treat you so recklessly.”
Odette rejected it for two reasons. First, she didn’t fully trust Cedric. It was unknown whether Cedric’s words were a test of her ambition.
“Even if what he says is true now, people’s hearts can change at any moment.”
Therefore, the second reason was that Odette wanted to trust Cedric.
“I’m fine. I told you, I don’t want anything. When the time comes, I just want to leave the palace quietly.”
“But…”
“Above all, if I reveal that I am related to my uncle, wouldn’t I naturally gain power? Then, could you avoid restraining or suspecting me?”
“…”
Cedric didn’t respond to Odette’s words. Odette also didn’t ask Cedric, “Can you guarantee that you won’t kill me if you ever doubt me?” as much as Cedric didn’t respond.
Cedric and Odette had a strange relationship. They had goodwill towards each other, but they couldn’t fully trust each other. It was natural. They were in a relationship where they could be a threat to each other at any time.
So, for Odette to fully trust Cedric and for Cedric to trust Odette, one of them had to leave the palace. Odette was willing to play that role with pleasure.
In the palace, she couldn’t trust anyone, and she couldn’t keep anyone by her side. Odette was exhausted by all the distrust and transactional relationships.
If there was someone who didn’t fit into the ecosystem of the palace, she was sure it was herself.
“A beast doesn’t sit under a tree without fruit, and birds don’t gather on land without ears of grain. That was my goal.”
Call it a scarecrow or a beautiful apricot tree.
For a person without greed, unnecessary people don’t get entangled. At that time, she wanted to trust and cherish her people and live.
She had vowed to trust the person next to her no matter what happened.
Yes, this was a story of trust.
Odette brought up the purpose of the story that she had circled around.
“So… Valter, I hope you didn’t deceive me.”
The gaze that had been directed outside the carriage now turned to the man sitting across from Odette.
He had an uncomfortable expression even before the gaze settled on him, but as soon as the gaze reached him, he turned his eyes away for the first time.
“…I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
“I’m talking about the masked ball.”
“I haven’t said anything false to you.”
“Of course, I’m not saying that you lied. What you didn’t say can’t be a lie. But lies are not the only things that can deceive people.”
In summary, Odette is talking to Valter, implying that she has noticed he is hiding something.
“I think going to the masked ball to investigate the smuggling operation is not a lie. Also, what I said about it being related to Viscount Clovis and being for Cedric’s sake.”
However, all of those reasons were insufficient for Odette to deduce why Valter attended the masked ball. It was not inappropriate; it was ‘not enough.’
So, Odette left those questions unanswered last night, wanting to discuss them when she was completely out of the palace, without Blake’s interference.
“Whether you’re hiding something or not… You don’t have to tell me. It might not be something I need to know.”
This was Odette’s last offer.
Not being able to trust someone was enough in the palace.
“Don’t deceive me, Valter.”
“…….”
In response to Odette’s words, Valter stared at Odette with a slightly furrowed brow instead of answering.
With a gaze that revealed nothing of his thoughts.
After a brief silence, he sighed and massaged the back of his neck.
“You say you don’t have ambitions, but you’re asking for the most difficult thing.”
“…Is it difficult?”
“Of course. Just wishing for everyone to be truthful is not an easy demand, is it? Even now, you are deceiving Grandfather.”
“Ah, yes.”
“In that sense, I want to ask you.”
After Valter coughed slightly with a bit of swagger, he continued.
“Do you have any thoughts on the wedding night?”
The wedding night.
The moment Odette heard that word, she involuntarily opened her mouth.
‘Right, the wedding night…!’
Unfortunately, she had completely forgotten about it.
????????????
The wedding night.
In other words, the first night of marriage.
When Odette heard that word, she felt a rush of realization as if a fog had suddenly lifted.
In other words, she became aware because she had been so absent-minded.
‘I was so preoccupied that I couldn’t even think about it!’
To be fair, until a few days ago, Odette had been thinking enough about the wedding night.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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