My Contract Marriage Got Interrupted (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 13
“…What did you say?”
“It means you played innocent and clueless in front of a man while secretly fooling around with men behind his back. From Ertman all the way to Clovis—you must be quite skilled indeed.”
Louis’s smile faded into a cold expression at Regis’s sneer.
“Watch your words, Regis Xavier. If His Highness and I really were involved like that, I’d have punched you in the face the moment you spoke.”
“Oh, I’m sure you would. You’re the type who flirts with every woman he meets.”
Regis jeered, clearly amused by the idea of a powerless imperial princess serving as someone’s human shield.
Then he promptly turned his arrow straight toward Odette.
“I understand well enough that Your Highness is angry with me, but everything I said was sincere. Moreover, I strongly advise you not to trust the men currently surrounding you—especially Count Clovis and Duke Ertman.”
“That’s my decision to make. I don’t wish to deal with you any longer, so just—”
Just as she was about to tell him to leave,
Regis stepped closer and whispered into Odette’s ear.
“Aren’t you curious why Duke Ertman admitted to having a secret meeting with Your Highness?”
“…!”
Odette immediately scowled and shoved Regis away, but he merely smiled faintly.
“I know the reason. And I could tell you as well.”
“…What are you scheming?”
“Scheming? Nothing of the sort. I simply wish to convey my sincerity to Your Highness.”
Regis spoke words that sounded oddly romantic at first glance, then pulled a handkerchief from his coat and offered it to Odette.
“If you wish to know, please attend the banquet at the Xavier estate three days from now. There’s no formal invitation, so consider this your substitute.”
“I don’t need it. I won’t go. Besides, how could you possibly know anything when you’ve only just returned to the capital?”
“Though I’ve only recently returned, as you know, I’ve been quite close to Her Imperial Highness, the Third Princess.”
If Walter had truly drawn Odette in to pursue Regina, and Regina herself was aware of this plan, it wouldn’t be surprising if the information had reached Regis as well.
The handkerchief, once declined, was offered to Odette again.
“Well then, what will you do?”
[This is the timeline separator]‘Is this really the right choice?’
Odette pondered, staring at the handkerchief in her hand.
But of course, a mere handkerchief couldn’t provide answers—instead, a voice came from beside her.
“I assumed you’d already made your decision since you accepted the handkerchief. Are you still hesitating?”
“There’s also the option of taking the handkerchief and still deciding not to go, Ellie.”
Odette finally set the handkerchief back down as she replied.
It had been quite some time since her chance encounter with Regis, and now night had fallen.
After Odette took the handkerchief, Regis had immediately slipped away as if that truly was the entirety of his business.
Naturally, he must have concluded there was nothing good to gain from lingering further.
After all, it wasn’t just anyone who’d witnessed their heated exchange—it was Louis himself, who’d even asked Odette if Regis had been pressuring the imperial princess.
He likely didn’t want rumors spreading needlessly.
His intentions were so transparent they bordered on irritating.
‘And this handkerchief is no different.’
Despite all his talk of sincerity, it was clearly a trap set with Odette in mind.
The problem was, she knew it—and yet she had no choice but to step into it.
“It seems Count Xavier won’t let me go so easily. What reason could he possibly have to suddenly come to Belvoir Academy?”
“News of Your Highness attending Belvoir must have leaked.”
“Exactly. It’s obvious who the source is—you don’t even need to guess.”
Regina must have drawn Regis into her circle.
Which meant he’d surely pounce relentlessly.
“Trying to avoid this kind of thing might only make matters worse. There’s no guarantee something similar won’t happen the next time I go out.”
“That’s true. Still, it’s fortunate Count Clovis happened to be there!”
“Oh, right.”
A faint smile touched Odette’s lips as she recalled Louis.
Today had been a day of both misfortune and luck.
Meeting Regis had been truly dreadful, yet it had given her a natural opportunity to speak with Louis.
His timely presence had been a stroke of great fortune indeed.
‘He seemed like a genuinely good person.’
Odette remembered the conversation she’d had with Louis after Regis left.
.
.
.
“Thank you for helping me. I was so flustered I didn’t even greet you properly.”
“It was nothing to worry about. I’d hoped to see you again at the victory celebration banquet that day, but I never expected to meet you like this.”
“Oh…! I’m truly sorry about that. Rumors had already started spreading, so I sent you a letter—did you perhaps not receive it?”
“My apologies. I haven’t had the chance to go through my accumulated letters.”
Louis explained that as soon as he’d regained enough strength, he’d come straight to Belvoir without even checking his correspondence.
True to Anne Sophie’s words, Louis looked far more unwell than Odette remembered.
Because of this, his usual image as a gentle young gentleman now carried an air of delicate fragility, making him appear even more refined.
“Was something the matter that day?”
“Well… it’s not a particularly dramatic story. I was waiting at our agreed meeting place when Duke Ertman interrupted me.”
“…Duke Ertman, you say?”
Louis’s voice finally carried a note of dazed realization.
“So the person you were with that day… was His Grace?”
“Y-yes.”
Odette’s cheeks flushed slightly out of embarrassment.
“But truly, nothing serious happened. Though things did become a bit… troublesome afterward.”
Odette gave Louis a brief account of recent events—
from the rumor that she’d had a secret meeting with Walter, to the incident at the tea party.
“So that’s why Regis Xavier mentioned Duke Ertman. I understand now.”
“Just to be clear—in case you might misunderstand—Duke Ertman and I truly have no relationship whatsoever.”
“I’ve taken that to heart as well. May I ask you one thing, however?”
At this, Louis’s expression grew subtly more serious.
It wasn’t annoyance he conveyed, but rather the weight of a question he clearly didn’t consider trivial.
“Why did Your Highness summon me that day?”
And thus, this question finally landed before Odette.
.
.
.
So, did she answer honestly?
The answer was:
‘No.’
It wasn’t because Louis had turned out worse than she’d imagined upon meeting him.
‘On the contrary… he was far more of a gentleman than I expected.’
Odette had developed a genuine human fondness for Louis.
She’d been somewhat concerned, given his reputation for a frivolous and indulgent demeanor, but the Louis she spoke with felt far more thoughtful—and that pleased her.
Yet, separate from that—
‘I’m worried about the curse placed on Count Clovis.’
Louis’s appearance was significantly worse than she remembered.
Meaning Anne Sophie’s assessment hadn’t been an exaggeration.
If a curse could deteriorate someone so drastically in just a few days, it certainly wasn’t an ordinary one—and its origin was likely no ordinary matter either.
‘It’s too dangerous.’
She might become its next victim, or even if she avoided the curse itself, it would pull her away from the quiet, peaceful life she desired.
Thus, Odette decided to postpone any discussion about marriage for now.
‘I should learn more about Count Clovis before bringing the matter up.’
Fortunately, after the tea party incident, rumors that Walter wished to marry the imperial princess had spread, causing discussions of Odette’s potential engagement to the Margrave to subside somewhat.
She sensed the engagement wouldn’t proceed immediately, if at all.
Thanks to this, Odette—who had previously felt forced to grasp at any lifeline, rotten or not—was now granted a brief moment to breathe.
And she resolved to use this opportunity to observe Louis more closely.
Whether fortune or misfortune, a suitable chance had already appeared.
Odette picked up the pen she’d set down beside the handkerchief.
After finishing her letter, she melted sealing wax onto it, stamped the seal, and handed it to Ellie.
“Send this to Count Clovis.”
“Have you made up your mind?”
“Yes.”
As Louis escorted her to the carriage, he suddenly asked,
—Will you attend the Xavier banquet?
—I’m not sure yet. I’m still thinking it over. Refusing might just make things more troublesome.
—Then… if you don’t mind, would you consider me as your partner for the evening?
—Your partner?
Odette’s eyes widened in surprise.
She’d already been looking for ways to create more opportunities to interact with Louis, so this was a proposal she had no reason to refuse.
But why would Louis offer—surely he had no obligation to?
Her thoughts must have shown on her face, for Louis gave a faint, slightly awkward smile.
—After witnessing that myself, how could I possibly let Your Highness go alone? It might be dangerous. I wouldn’t feel at ease.
—…Thank you.
Perhaps because she’d rarely received such kindness, her voice came out oddly.
—But I truly am still undecided. May I contact you once I’ve made up my mind?
—Of course. I’ll be waiting.
Louis smiled brightly, and only left after watching Odette step into the carriage.
His manners remained flawlessly polished until the very end.
As a result, Odette’s opinion of Louis had reached its highest point yet.
‘Once I confirm the matter of the curse, I could propose to him right away.’
And as the first step toward that goal, Odette decided to attend the Xavier banquet.
She couldn’t simply leave Regis alone when his intentions were so clearly suspicious.
‘I also need to find out what Duke Ertman is after.’
It felt as if events, derailed by Walter’s interference, were gradually returning to their proper course.
Perhaps reassured by having met Louis, Odette slept deeply that night for the first time in a while.
Surely nothing else major would happen now.
[This is the timeline separator]“Count Clovis is attending the Xavier banquet?”
In the Duke Ertman’s study, decorated in calming, dignified hues,
Walter’s voice carried a note of surprise as he sat at his desk.
“Yes. He’d been in seclusion due to health issues, but it seems he’s recovered considerably—or perhaps, since someone he’s close to has returned, he intends to pay a visit.”
“Either way, it’s of little consequence. It would’ve been troublesome if he’d stayed secluded. Russell, do we have an invitation from the Xaviers?”
“We do. Since Count Xavier has just returned, he’s hosting a grand banquet and, as a matter of courtesy, has sent invitations to nearly every noble household.”
Given that Regis Xavier had always loved extravagance, this banquet would undoubtedly be on a considerable scale.
“Will you attend?”
“Of course.”
It’s always best to deal with rivals swiftly.
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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But wouldn’t it be the perfect time to speak with Xavier in a safe manner? There are plenty of people around and she needs information from him.
He isn’t suspicious of Duke Ertman? Considering the rumors the Duke amplified, he has motive to drive a wedge between Louis and Odette. Yet Louie doesn’t question Walter’s words? I’d think he’d be suspicious of Walter casting the curse. Walter’s motive for doing so might be unknown but his words, seemingly knowledgeable about the curse itself and blaming it upon Odette, whom the Duke has insinuated a relationship with while Odette says otherwise, gives plenty to be wary about.
Is this woman serious saying ‘I lied to them, why won’t they believe me?’ Wow she seems a bit delusional.