I had heard it several times, so my body remembered it before my head did.

There was no need to turn my head. A hand reached out from behind and gently stopped Odette’s approaching assailant.

“Let’s stop here. His Majesty seems quite startled.”

“Ah, Duke Ertman.”

Odette’s approaching opponent hesitated and withdrew.

The voice from behind was calm, without highs or lows, and was strangely reflective, enough to feel a little odd if one thought about it.

“It’s not your first debut in high society, but there’s a problem if you don’t know how to stay in line, isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s right. I apologize.”

The nameless man who had been approaching Odette hastily backed off.

The awkwardly smiling man disappeared into the crowd faster than he had come, and fortunately, the conversation he had with Balter didn’t seem to reach the surroundings, so no one else came unnecessarily close.

Balter had rescued her from the crowd.

Only then did Odette finally take a sigh of relief and straighten herself.

“Thank you for helping me, Duke.”

It was the first time she had thanked Balter, so Odette’s voice was a little awkward.

But her embarrassment was shattered by Balter’s response.

“If you’re going to thank me, I would prefer you to look me in the face.”

“……I don’t plan on fueling the noisy rumors right now.”

“Is that so? I think I’ve already stoked the fire enough by being together. Won’t the nobles be excited and chatter?”

Since we were stuck together from the entrance of Xavier’s banquet hall.

Odette’s face flushed at the whispering voice in her ear.

“This is an exception[dash]!”

Odette, who was angry, twisted her body.

And she seemed to have been waiting for this moment, her eyes met Balter’s, who was looking at her.

“……!”

Deep inside the dark eyehole, a green eye.

Green usually brings to mind a gentle feeling of forests, but Balter’s green eyes always felt somewhat sharp.

Is it because of his unique sharp atmosphere? Or is it because of the way he obsessively follows Odette?

When faced with him, one feels a strange tension and awkwardness.

Of course, it was only for a moment.

Balter, who had been looking at Odette with a slightly scowling, unsmiling face, opened his tightly closed mouth.

“You seem to be doing well.”

“……What do you mean?”

“I mean it literally. You used to look like a withered twig, but now it seems you’ve put on some weight. It looks good.”

Put on weight? Odette’s face turned red at the frank expression.

“Rude! How can you use such an expression?”

“Should I say you’ve become a bit rounder? Or that the food must have tasted good?”

“…….”

The following expressions were equally rude, and Odette’s mouth hung open in shock.

Of course, it was true she had gained weight.

[Dash]Your Highness needs to gain weight! Trust me!

Perhaps pitying Odette, who had lost weight due to hardship in just a few days, Ellie had diligently fed her at home.

Odette did not refuse the food, and as a result, today she had filled out her onceloose dress quite well.

Ellie was very satisfied and said:

[Dash]Your complexion is better, and the wrinkles on your face have diminished. You look much better. Of course, you were always beautiful!

Odette thought she looked better now than when she looked a bit haggard, so she nodded in agreement.

“Did the royal kitchen’s chef change? I don’t know who it is, but I want to give them an award.”

To hear such words from Balter!

‘No, thinking about it, it’s a compliment… I think.’

He said she looked good, and objectively, it seemed so.

But why did he have to express it that way!

Odette’s eyes narrowed.

“You don’t need an award. The royal kitchen’s chef is the same. Rather, it seems like the Duke has not been doing well?”

“Yes. I have not been doing well.”

“Withered twig, right?”
Odette’s eyes widened again, echoing Walter’s words.

“Do you not love someone else whom you have proposed to?”

“…….”

Her eyes narrowed once more.

“I’m greatly worried as my marriage path is now blocked. I’ve been losing sleep thinking about how to fend off my competition.”

“You’ve worried for nothing. I will take my leave now.”

Without hesitation, Odette turned her back. But a voice followed her.

“Normally people offer consolation or advice at times like this.”

“It must have been hard. Spending time on such a thing seems like a waste, so I recommend finding someone else to marry.”

At the mechanical consolation and advice devoid of any soul, a smile, as if cringing, appeared on Walter’s face.

Odette, who had coldly turned her back, couldn’t see the smile.

But Walter was quite pleased just seeing her neatly placed silver hair.

It was a fact that he hadn’t been doing well without seeing Odette.

‘The pain is… still there.’

When he gets close to her, the throbbing of his heart is accompanied by a chest pain as if being strangled.

It’s so painful that it’s hard not to frown.

But now, even that seemed quite enjoyable to Walter.

The pain feels good, a thought that is absolutely insane, but what’s wrong with that?