A garden shrouded in darkness.
As Walter stepped out, Russell, who had been waiting near the carriage, bowed his head.
“Your Grace, you have arrived.”
“Is everything settled?”
“Yes, they didn’t even dare to attack.”
Sounding somewhat irritated, Russell spoke.
“We’ve dealt with some of them and sent out pursuit teams after the ones who fled… As Your Grace is well aware, such people are difficult to catch.”
“So, they’re not merely blinded by money.”
Regardless, it was clear who had sent them.
Slightly annoyed, Walter clicked his tongue and climbed into the carriage.
He had long realized that a shadow was following Odette.
‘Was it since we entered the ballroom?’
Walter had previously arranged for a shadow to stick close to Odette, and that contact had come through.
Thus, he had already ordered Russell to clear the area in advance.
Stalling Odette had also been part of that plan.
Though it would be a lie to say there were no ulterior motives, still.
Yet the result was flight.
Whoever intervened, the higher-up was clear.
‘The second prince must have sent them.’
Those capable of sneaking into the palace to commit such acts often demand a large sum for their lives when hired.
In other words, they should be prepared to lose their lives if the mission fails.
Thus, rookies don’t think twice before jumping on a job.
‘Only the tough ones can escape.’
The likelihood of Blake being involved seemed even slimmer.
Because Blake was the type to use any means necessary to achieve his ends.
He was also a person who typically used others as a means.
‘Circumstantially… the only useful one would be Regis Xavier.’
Walter envisioned Regis’s shocked face.
Underwater operations were already underway against him.
Regis thought he had been abandoned because of the commotion caused by Helen, but the reality was slightly different.
Because word was quietly spreading about the illegal gambling dens he had been dabbling in.
He might have been making a good amount of money from that so far, but… once those dens are sold off, Regis’s finances will be interesting.
‘He can’t withstand that.’
And the nobles, sensitive to gains, noticed quickly and distanced themselves from Regis.
It was a natural social phenomenon.
Had Regis not planned such a thing, he could have clung to a sinking ship a bit longer.
The carriage stopped in Ertman’s garden, and Walter, heading straight to his office, took out several checks from his drawer and handed them to Russell.
“Russell, inform the debtors to expedite the sale of their businesses. Complete it before the stock changes.”
“Understood, Your Grace.”
Leaving Russell’s response behind, Walter slumped in his chair and furrowed his brows.
“It’s already getting annoying… tiresome.”
“Do you think they’re trying to restrain the Fourth Princess? I never thought they would act so directly.”
“The reason could be anything.”
And whatever the reason, Walter couldn’t tolerate anything disrupting his marriage plans.
Especially when not even heart-wrenching pain could be an obstacle in front of Odette.
‘I’ve just returned; I can’t be bothered by such trivial things.’
His plan was still in the early stages, having just announced the marriage.
When he closed his eyes, voices from the past floated up.
The day Walter had told Odette to use him.
[Dash]Not out of pity, nor because of Cedric’s will. If I say that I want it because I want you. [Dash]Then… will you accept me?Odette couldn’t answer for a long time.
Silence was the answer.
But after a significant amount of time, he received that answer.
In an unintended place, under unintended circumstances.
[Dash] I’m unlucky, Duke. Perhaps I was born unfortunate.
The object of that love was clear.
Louis Clovis.
That’s why I had no choice but to reject you, Odette said without a hint of humor.
[Dash] I wish you all the happiness, Duke Ertman.But for some reason, my lips wouldn’t open this time.
If it were possible, I would’ve opened my mouth immediately.
My happiness lies only with you.
.
.
.
Odette Brunot ‘Clovis.’
Even until her death, she called Walter ‘Duke Ertman.’
It was natural.
There was hardly any interaction between Duke Ertman Walter and Countess Clovis Odette.
At least on the surface.
On the surface, Walter didn’t reveal that he had been watching Odette for a long time.
The reason was purely coincidental.
Because he happened to overhear a conversation at his clichéd victory celebration.
“I want to marry you, Louis Clovis. As a contract rather than love.”
“What’s in it for me?”
“If you want to win the Countess Clovis’s fortune, you have to find a wife that pleases her, don’t you? If you marry me, I’ll be that wife. More importantly, I won’t bind you.”
The voice making the proposal was calm and desperate.
The first thought that crossed his mind was mockery.
‘A contract marriage, huh.’
How ridiculous for someone to make such a proposal.
Sure, most aristocratic marriages were transactional.
My Ex-Girlfriend Is The Regent In The Female-dominant World (Male lead transmigrates to the matriarchal world)
Two years ago, Gu Sui picked up a homeless woman in ancient costume from the street.
Apart from occasionally claiming to be a princess from a female-dominant country due to illness, her figure, appearance, intelligence, and martial arts skills were impeccable.
Naturally evolving from roommates to girlfriends, as time went on, Gu Sui found it increasingly difficult to tolerate her queen syndrome.
“Mu Jiulu, can you stop controlling me inside and out? Let’s break up.”
Gu Sui made a breakup call, and since then, he couldn’t find any trace of her.
A year later, Gu Sui, who was planning to move, woke up the next day and found himself in a different place.
“Young Master, today is the day you choose your Wife-master through martial arts competition at Jade Dew Pavilion. Please get up quickly.”
Gu Sui: Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?
As the only son of a general’s mansion in a female-dominant dynasty, the young empress personally issued a decree allowing Gu Sui to select his Wife-master through martial arts competition. Whoever could defeat him could marry him.
Gu Sui: “……”
He didn’t inherit the original owner’s martial prowess, so anyone could defeat him! And what the hell is a Wife-master?
Forced to come to Jade Dew Pavilion, the densely packed women below made Gu Sui’s agoraphobia act up, and his face was full of resistance.
Until he saw the Regent sitting on the second floor, with a smile on the corner of her lips, her eyes wicked and nonchalant.
Hmm… she looked a little familiar.
It turned out that the Regent also found him a little familiar.
Mu Jiulu fiddled with her bone clasp, her deep gaze locked on the man who was out of place in this world.
“Finally, I found you.”
Male transmigrates into female-dominant world
One-sentence summary: What goes around comes around, taking turns in the crematorium
