Bala: The Duke's Contract Wife

The Past: Marquis Fullmeir

Before, Rose's father was a baron by the name of Rendre. The man married Rose's mother, Santika, to raise his social status as a Marquis. He was not Rose's real father. Santika only needed someone to cover up the fact that she was pregnant out of wedlock. For the nobles in Ellyseria, a pregnancy outside of marriage was a great disgrace. 

Especially if the man did not intend to marry the woman. This was the case with Rose's biological father.

Rose did not even care whether the man was alive or not. 

The only father that Rose knew was Rendre. That man never loved Santika as well. And he never cared about Rose. 

But little Rose craved for fatherly love. To the point that she was willing to reveal her biggest secret to Rendre even after Santika forbid her to.

***

"Father," called Rose. "Why are you sad?" 

Rendre Fullmeir just threw a book against the wall. He then cleared his desk with one angry sweep. The sound of falling objects resounded in the room for a few moments. Pile of books and papers were now strewn on the floor. 

Rose, who happened to pass by Rendre's office heard this and asked about Rendre's condition. Even though Rendre only grumbled in anger, Rose, who was only thirteen at that time, could understand. 

"Is Count Rayhan giving you more trouble?" 

Of all the nobles in the Ellyseria Kingdom, Count Rayhan was the one who opposed Rendre the most as a Marquis. That was because Count Rayhan did not approve of Rendre's origin who was a Baron. Indeed, Rendre only earned the title 'Marquis' in name alone. It should have been Rose's mother who held the real power behind the name. But for the past two years, Rose's mother had been suffering from a chronic illness. Rendre saw this as an opportunity to become the real Marquis. The man wanted to taste power. 

"H– How did you know about ...?" 

Santika always told Rose that from birth, she was gifted with incredible abilities. This was because she inherited the eyes of her biological father. A pair of eyes with red irises like rubies. Her ability was to be able to read people and situations well. The ruby eyes that Rose had could analyze a situation fast which obviously created a huge advantage for Rose to come with solutions to almost every problem. She could also easily find the weak points of any mystical beasts, although it was very rare to find mystical beasts in human settlements.

Indeed, those were simple abilities. But such abilities made Rose much smarter and more mature than children her age. She could quickly understand social concepts, politics, and even war strategies. She could master various languages and applied various knowledge. Rose was a child who was considered a prodigy. 

And in the world they lived in, Rose could be an asset for power struggles. 

But apart from Rose's eyes, that girl also had magical abilities. A rare type of magic. 

"Rose, you were gifted by your father so many things," Santika once said, "Do not tell anyone about your abilities." 

At that time, Rose didn't understand why she had to hide her abilities. Though she said yes to her mother. 

During Rose's thirteen years of life, Santika tried to hide her daughter's intelligence and magic. Even from her own husband. Only a handful of people at the Fullmeir residence knew about Rose's gifts. Until that day when Rose tried to cheer up Rendre. 

"Father, if you want to scare Count Rayhan you can ask Raulus for it." 

Rendre snorted. It was clear that the man did not believe what his stepdaughter who was only thirteen years old had just said. Raulus was a mystical beast who occasionally visited the Fullmeir residence. It was a big, gray wolf. Santika helped Raulus when the wolf was injured in the forest. Since then, Raulus sometimes came to see Santika and play with Rose.

But Raulus was not a pet. It never took orders from humans. So how could a seven-year-old kid get Raulus to scare Count Rayhan? Seeing Rendre did not believe her, Rose said, "Let me show you, Father." 

Rose stretched out her right hand. Instantly, a circle with various symbols appeared around her tiny hand. The symbols glowed golden yellow. Before long, the sound of a wolf's roar could be heard from afar. Then within seconds, the big wolf appeared behind Rendre's office window on the second floor. The beast hovered in the air. 

Rendre was frightened at the sight of the wolf. 

"Don't be afraid, Father," said Rose. "Raulus has tied his soul to me. He will never hurt me. And as long as we both live, he must do what I ask." 

Hearing that Rendre raised his eyebrows. "Y— you ... tamed a mystical beast?" 

Rendre was in awe. Rose smiled sweetly hearing her father's tone. For Rose, it was the first time Rendre truly saw her instead of giving her a cold treatment. 

"Yes, Father! Not only mystical beasts. I could also bind the human soul in a pact with me. I could help you by binding Count Rayhan's soul so that he would always be loyal to you. The bonds made by magic can never be broken. If you break it, you will be punished with magic." 

Rendre was stunned. His gaze darkened for a split second. Before he finally burst into laughter. 

"So for thirteen years, she hid you, didn't she?"

Rose did not understand the meaning behind Rendre's words at that time. But little Rose was happy thinking that she had succeeded in making him laugh. Rendre's smile did not fade as he said, "Can you tie your soul to me, Rose?" 

"Be faithful to me Rose. Always help me." 

Little Rose thought that if she helped Rendre, she would finally get Rendre's affection. So she accepted the offer easily. "Yes, Father. I will tie my soul to you to always help you." 

So she bonded her soul to Rendre using her own magic without thinking. 

That very night Rose, Rendre, and Raulus infiltrated Count Rayhan's room. At Rose's orders, Raulus held Count Rayhan's wife on the floor with one leg. While Count Rayhan's face turned deathly pale, Rendre's face was full of ecstasy. 

Rose used a mask and hid behind a curtain. Rendre didn't want Count Rayhan to see that it was a little girl who brought him to his knees and not Rendre. The man wanted Rayhan to think that Rendre was the one in control of Raulus. He wanted Rayhan to look at him in fear. 

"Rayhan," said Rendre, "if you want your wife to be safe ... tie your soul to me. Swear your fealty to me." 

"Bastard!" Rayhan spat on Rendre's shoe. But when Raulus pressed his wife's body to the point she shrieked in pain, Count Rayhan finally relented. "Al-all right! I'll swear fealty to you. Get off my wife."

"Heh, you think I'll believe your promise? No, you will tie your soul to me with magic." 

On Rendre's instructions, Rose used her magic. A circle with many symbols encircled Rendre's arm. 

"Repeat after me, Rayhan," continued Rendre, "'My soul is yours'." Rendre's smile widened as if he was a beast. Rose who saw that felt uncomfortable. 

She was also concerned about Count Rayhan and his wife. But she was sure then that Rendre would not harm them. 

Rose had never been more wrong. 

Because after Rayhan committed his soul to Rendre and the circle with the symbols faded, Rendre happily said, "Raulus, kill the woman." 

Rose's heart stopped. Her little hands were trembling. 

"W– What ?? Bastard, you said you would free–" 

"I changed my mind." 

Count Rayhan's wife burst into tears. Her tears welled up on the floor of her room. 

"Raulus," growled Rendre. "You gave your soul to me. You have to help me, right?" 

Rose knew that the last sentence was not directed at Raulus. But it was directed to Rose who was hiding behind the thick curtain. 

Rose's trembling got more intense.

"If you don't help me, magic will punish you," Rendre continued. "Isn't that so?" 

No. Rose couldn't do it. She couldn't kill someone. Wouldn't.

When Rose was still frozen to her place, Rayhan ran fast towards Rendre carrying a fire poker that he had hidden earlier. In an instant, he was inches from Rendre's chest. Rendre's face suddenly turned pale. 

But just before the fire poker pierced Rendre, a light appeared from the tip of the tool. An invisible wall suddenly held back the fire poker from stabbing Rendre. 

Rayhan kept trying, he put all his strength against the invisible wall. The magic was activated because Rayhan was trying to break the agreement he had made. The light of the wall shone even brighter. At the same time, the beam sent a powerful push towards Rayhan. It made the man bounce to the wall of the room really hard. 

The fire poker Rayhan was holding had somehow stabbed his own chest deeply. His body hovered on the wall a few feet from the floor. Red liquid started to pour out of Rayhan's mouth and chest. It flowed down and quickly flooded the floor. 

Rose felt like she stopped breathing. Her eyes were wide behind the curtain as she saw Count Rayhan's limp body. 

"Rayhannnn!!!" Shouted his wife. The woman became hysterical. Feeling that Rose had become stiff and terrified, Raulus lifted his leg from the woman. Count Rayhan's wife was able to crawl quickly towards her husband. 

In the midst of the horror, Rendre laughed with satisfaction. For Rose, his laughter chilled her to the bones. Rose unconsciously stepped back.

Raulus approached Rose and offered her muzzle to support Rose's body. Rendre chuckled seeing Rose's wobbled body. 

The girl didn't think this would happen. She just wanted to help her father. To make him happy by pressuring Count Rayhan. 

But ... not to the point of killing him. 

It was then ... Rose finally understood why her mother always told her to hide her abilities. Rose's magic was able to make a soul became a slave to another soul. And in a world ruled by humans ... the ability to control others is terrifying. 

A single tear rolled down Rose's cheek behind her mask. Her shoulders shook violently. "Tch. You weak child," said Rendre. "Let's go home." 

Rose looked at Rendre in disbelief. She was still too shocked by Count Rayhan's death. 

"Count Rayhan, my great enemy is dead. Countess Rayhan will be considered insane after this. Who would believe that he was killed by a light? Who would believe if the Countess said that I and a wolf entered their room at night?" 

Rendre's smile was very wide as Rose shuddered in horror. 

"No one. It's easier to believe if the Countess has gone insane and kills her own husband. Rayhan's family will fall after this." 

Rose realized that day ... She had made a fatal mistake. 

She had tied her soul to a demon who wore a father's skin.