Odette had just been in a consultation to find a way to avoid a strategic marriage.

[Dash] Duke Pavel, is there really no way? You are my brother’s uncle, Duke. If not you, I have no one to ask.

[Dash] As I told you, to avoid a strategic marriage now, you must marry another partner. And it must be a partner worthy of replacing Byungchang. But how can I find such a person right now?

There was no nobleman who would be pleased with the marriage to a princess like a bastard.

There was no reason for highranking nobles, and the emperor wouldn’t accept anyone below that.

[Dash] If it doesn’t work, please keep your mouth shut until the Crown Prince returns, Your Highness. Under imperial law, a nobleman cannot propose to the imperial family first, can he?

As Duke Pavel said, imperial law forbade anyone from sending a marriage proposal to the imperial family first.

Even if an agreement about the marriage had already been made, if the imperial family did not show their will first, the marriage could not proceed.

As there were many who were sacrificed to strategic marriages due to the bloodline of the royal family, this was the last line of defense in the form of a law.

[Dash] So if His Majesty arranges a strategic marriage but you don’t open your mouth…

[Dash] If I don’t open my mouth, they’ll pressure me until I do. In many different ways. There will be no way to solve it unless I say I will marry someone else suitable.

Of course, a person of Duke Pavel’s stature might have taken the risk to step forward to block Odette’s marriage, but Odette was not a piece worth that much.

‘I am… just a watchman left behind to observe the situation when my brother is not there.’

So she thought she had to accept the terrible marriage arranged by the Emperor.

But.

‘If I can marry Count Clovis, the story would be different.’

If Louis said he would marry her, the Emperor would surely accept.

The Clovis family was one of the highestranking families, so giving away a worthless daughter to gain Clovis’s strong support would be the best thing.

And Clovis Duchess, who valued honor, had no reason to object if Louis took Odette, the princess, as his wife.

‘So if I present a condition to Count Clovis and propose marriage, he will surely accept.’

The condition was simple.

After the marriage, Louis would not interfere with her female affairs.

In return, Louis would allow Odette to leave the palace.

There was no reason for either side to refuse this condition.

Of course, it felt more like a contract than a real marriage since there was a condition attached, but what did it matter whether it was a contract or a marriage?

‘Of course… I know Louis isn’t a good marriage partner.’

Some would question whether marrying such a flirt was a good idea, but Odette never expected much from her marriage partner from the beginning.

No, rather, for Odette, who wanted to leave the palace and live quietly, he was the perfect marriage partner.

‘A man like a goodfornothing, with no ambition or greed for power.’

He’s not ugly, has no sharp edges to his personality, and is not lacking in money.

‘Of course, his slightly high status is a drawback…’

Marrying someone of high status wouldn’t make living quietly easy, so that was a bit of a concern.

But there was no other way now.

Rather than clinging to a rotten rope, she wanted to escape from here, even if it meant holding onto a thorny vine.

‘I can’t have a perfect marriage in my situation anyway.’

In this situation, she would be sold as the emperor’s political pawn one way or another.

So why not sell myself first?

‘I won’t find a better condition than this.’

Odette determined to herself.

A week from then.

She attended Walter’s victory banquet, handed Louis a discreet note, and waited at the promised place.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly.

Until Walter suddenly interrupted in front of Odette.

[This is a time separator.]

After Louis closed the door and disappeared.

“What the… what is…”

Odette couldn’t hide her astonishment.

Everything seemed like a lie.

The man who seemed to have no words to exchange with me, somehow knew and blocked my way.

As if that wasn’t enough, he was even proposing.

This would be too much even for the fantasy of a debutante who had just made her debut.

If only it were a fantasy.

Then she could have accepted all of this with joy.

And she would have just admired that handsome man’s face.

‘He’s indeed handsome.’

The problem is that she doesn’t know what he’ll do with that handsome face.

Because of Walter’s interference, Odette’s plan had already fallen apart.

‘I shouldn’t have dealt with him in the first place.’

She knew, but she got caught in Walter’s pace because he acted as if he knew all about Odette’s situation.

Odette, her head in confusion, asked.

“…Why me?”

“I told you that I want you, do you need any more reason?”

“Of course. Because you…”

Odette unintentionally trailed off.

The voice of the 3rd Princess Rizaina, which she had heard in passing before attending the banquet, came to mind.

[Dash] Duke Ertman is undoubtedly interested in me. Just by how affectionate he is to me, it’s certain?

Although she hadn’t heard it in detail, Odette knew the fact that Rizaina and Walter had met a few times.

Rizaina talked about Walter every day, so it was impossible not to know.

But if she mentioned Rizaina’s name in front of Walter, it would seem like a strange love triangle, so Odette cleverly avoided the subject.

“…You have someone you’re seeing.”

“I have no one I’m dating.”

“You don’t?”

“There’s none. Now, I’d like to discuss the proposal.”

What Balter meant by ‘proposal’ was clear.

A contract marriage.

Odette pondered for a moment and then spoke.

“A contract marriage, you said.”

“Exactly as you heard.”

“So, what are the terms of the contract?”

“Give yourself to me. That will suffice.”