Chapter 60
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Normally, any noble would have taken Odelia as a bride candidate just by seeing the name "Cardel", regardless of her weak constitution.
However, Castia was not someone who moved by such common standards.
She was the type to consider "strong blood" before the bride's "family name".
'Well, I suppose that's possible for the ruler of the North.'
Fierce blizzards, monster attacks that could happen at any time, battles that continued throughout all four seasons.
This was a land where even those from illustrious families or of pure bloodlines could not survive if they were sickly.
'She wants descendants who will inherit a strong constitution.'
If she had been someone who cared about bloodlines, she wouldn't have adopted Ludville in the first place.
Even if she had no children or was unable to have an heir, she would have somehow found a relative who inherited the Excepcion Family bloodline.
Yet the reason she accepted someone else's blood was...
Because she valued strength and ability more than bloodlines.
"I thought you were just playing around when you said you were looking for blue eyes. But marriage? Less than a month after reuniting with a woman you first met at a masquerade ball four months ago..."
Castia began reciting the scenario Odelia and Ludville had carefully crafted, then simply closed her mouth.
It seemed she judged that speaking further would only raise her blood pressure.
She was pressing her throbbing head, swallowing down her anger.
That was the scenario.
A madman in love...
Odelia hesitated for a moment.
If she revealed to the former Grand Duke that this marriage was actually a contract, wouldn't she be able to gain some understanding?
But she soon shook her head.
No, if she did that, Castia would strongly insist on canceling it immediately.
'It's better to insist that I'm in love and absolutely can't let go.'
That would be a much harder justification to casually dismiss.
It was then.
Ludville, who had been silent, poured oil on the fire with an indifferent expression from beside her.
"Given that the imperial delegation has already arrived, would the situation change even if you opposed it?"
Ludville stared blankly past Odelia's shoulder, as if this very conversation was bothersome.
There was no affection or respect in that gaze.
While the word "impiety" floated around in her mind, Castia was no pushover either.
Without batting an eye, she drove the point home with frosty words.
"The imperial family? When the fate of the North is at stake, would it be a problem to lose a bit of face? Only the dead cannot be brought back. It's not too late even now, so send her back to the Cardel family."
"The dead?"
Ludville raised an eyebrow.
"Do you think I would let my wife die?"
"You'd do more than kill her. The harsh cold and barrenness of this North will kill her, and you as well."
"Ha."
Ludville let out a hollow laugh.
Odelia quickly intervened before the situation could heat up further.
"As I said earlier, I'm not as weak as I appear."
Castia's gaze turned to her.
Those cold, sunken eyes seemed to pierce through Odelia.
"While having eyes resigned to death?"
"...!"
"You have the face of someone who would close their eyes without regret even if you died tomorrow, Princess Cardel. Do you think I haven't seen such people before?"
Odelia almost wavered for a moment, but she struggled to hide it and maintained her composure.
Then she continued in a calm tone again.
"You won't have to worry about an heir."
Of course, that child wouldn't be Odelia's.
They would find a woman strong enough to satisfy the former Grand Duke, and strong enough to spend a lifetime with Ludville.
That was the plan from the beginning.
To make Ludville let go of his obsession with blue eyes and accept a new relationship.
'Since Ludville himself said he would no longer search for the blue-eyed woman...'
Hadn't she been determined all along to help Ludville live his own life?
Finding his spouse was an extension of that determination.
She would leave this matter entirely up to Ludville's choice.
But she could subtly guide him to develop feelings for another woman.
"..."
A bitter pain welled up somewhere near her chest.
However, Odelia habitually suppressed and hid that emotion.
"You don't have to worry about an heir? Does that mean you can bear children?"
Of course, Odelia had no intention of giving birth.
How could she when she would die in 5 years?
That would be unforgivable to both Ludville and the child that would be born.
In the thousands of regressions, a child had never been born, and never would be.
'We're not even in that kind of relationship with Ludville in the first place.'
Just like in the previous life, in this life too, they were not a real couple, but merely contract marriage partners.
But if she answered here that she couldn't have children...
'The marriage wouldn't be able to go through.'
Castia was already poised to drive her out.
Who knows, with that one word, she might be prepared to use any means necessary.
She might even go so far as to join hands with Cardel to tear them apart.
If the question was implying reproductive ability...
Odelia lowered her gaze for a moment, then raised her head and answered without any particular agitation.
"Having children won't be a problem."
"..."
"It may not be right away, but you don't have to worry about there being no heir."
"..."
"And although I can't guarantee it... wouldn't the child likely be born healthy with a high probability?"
Odelia paused for a moment, then continued, barely managing to feign nonchalance.
"...Because the blood from the father's side is so strong."
At that moment, the gaze she felt from beside her was piercing.
Glancing over, she saw Ludville looking at her with strangely wavering eyes.
It was a reaction as if he had heard something he never imagined.
"...Lu. Isn't that right?"
Odelia went a step further, calling him as if she knew nothing.
After all, didn't he have a "narrative" he had created?
For a more vivid performance, she briefly immersed herself in the situation and brainwashed herself.
'I'm a foolish girl who ran away from my family, crazy in love.'
Rejecting her family's opposition and rashly marrying a man she fell for at first sight...
Odelia did not avoid his touch.
Rather, she lightly leaned into the warmth she felt behind her back.
In other words, she nestled comfortably into his large frame like a lover.
Surprisingly, the movement wasn't awkward.
Perhaps because it wasn't the first time she had been in his arms.
In the thousands of regressions, they had already done everything a married couple could do...
And just this morning, she had woken up in his arms.
Although it wasn't intentional on either of their parts.
"..."
She felt a very persistent gaze from above her head.
A subtle tension ran through the arm that was wrapped around her.
His breath faltered for a moment, and she could feel hesitation in his fingertips.
Could it be that he didn't expect Odelia to nestle into him?
She thought he would react smoothly as always, even if surprised at first...
Unexpectedly, he now showed signs of hesitation.
And that awkward silence lasted longer than expected.
"..."
"..."
'...Was that too much?'
