Bala: The Duke's Contract Wife

The Fastest Marriage Ever (1)

Before Rose confined herself to the Elysseria residence, she was often invited to tea parties by the other noble ladies. At that time Rose was still seen as the only legitimate daughter of Marquis Fullmeir. She would sit alongside seven to eight other women of a similar age range. Generally, they would all wear pastel-colored dresses, indicating their young age.

At first, Rose was diligent in keeping up with the trend, by changing the color of her dress at each tea banquet. Light blue, pink, to light yellow. The clothes were signs of the status of the nobles. As they say, you have to dress to the status you want. 

But after her mother died, Rose always wore a gray dress. She could not care less about how society would think.

The conversation that used to be about the capital's newest designers, jewelers, and cafes had turned to about the death of Rose's mother. After a long time, Rose also thought the girls' conversations were not interesting at all. They were boring. None of them knew about the political or economic situation of the country they lived in so Rose could not make conversation about that too.

There was, however, one topic that was always brought up at every banquet; marriage. Almost all the girls wanted to be married to wealthy and handsome noblemen. But they also wanted the man to spoil them.

"What if a man like that exists but is not a nobleman or a rich man?" asked Rose one time.

The girls immediately fell silent. They glanced at each other, not knowing how to answer Rose's question. Until finally Daniella, the oldest of them replied, "Then, will the man ask his wife to work physically to provide for her daily needs?" Danielle sneered at Rose. "How can a wife be happy then?"

"In other words, you mean only the wives of rich people and nobles can be happy because they don't have to work physically?"

"Rose." There was a warning tone in Daniella's words, "A noble should marry another noble. And fortunately for us, being the wife of a nobleman would not require us for physical work. It is enough for us to take care of the residence. Government affairs and physical work such as war or trade should be held by men."

Should it?

Rose saw Daniella's impeccable gaze. Behind her diplomatic-sounding words, Rose could see that the girl truly believed that the purpose of a noblewoman's life was only to be a wife of some other noble. And that for her, there was no happiness without wealth.

Several other girls nodded to Daniella.

After all, treasure provides comfort. Great house, beautiful clothes, stomach-filling food. For those who have been born accustomed to such luxuries, it must be very difficult to live without them. But is it true that is what happiness really means?

Rose used to have the same sentiments as them. Everything changed when her mother died. She saw the rot of the nobles. And all the beautiful clothes and jewelry that were given to Rose by Rendre were the results of vile schemes. Honestly, Rose was disgusted to decorate herself above the misery of others. Therefore she always wore a black or gray dress instead of the various brightly colored dresses that Rendre bought for her.

How can she feel happy wrapped in luxury goods that make her feel dirty?

I thought they were innocent. But it looks like they're pretending to be stupid.

Rose wanted to laugh when she recalled her conversations with the noble daughters. Because right then, Rose were living their dreams.

Her body was wrapped up in a white dress with beautiful trinkets. Her white veil dangled from a silver crown over her black hair, covering her still-masked face. Since the wound had begun to fade, she used a smaller mask, shaped like a silver butterfly. In her hand, a bouquet of red roses gave a contrasting color to her dress. The color of the rose was the same as her eyes.

Rose had become a bride to a rich, handsome, and 'dashing nobleman.' Victor's skill in the war was beyond doubt. And his good looks? Yes, Rose must admit that the man had a masculine look.

Victor was the type of groom the noble daughters wanted. With his blonde hair and smoking body.

Pfft. Is this karma for me?

Rose's eyes stared at the door of a room. The sound of the trumpet informed the audience in the room of the bride's arrival. Then the door opened slowly.

A red carpet was strewn on the floor from the door to the altar at the end of the room. And in front of the altar, two men stood. One wore a white religious robe which dangled to his feet, surely he was the pastor of the wedding ceremony. While the other man was wearing... a complete armor.

That was when Rose realized that all the audience in the room were wearing the same set of armor. They were all Maraina's soldiers. No one wore formal clothes as a nobleman would. And there were no women. Not even the maids were in the room. There was not a single Maraina residence staff in the room. Only Lisa and Mary, who accompanied Rose to the room, but did not join her inside the room.

Quickly, Rose's brain spun to find the thread of logic in all this. One, Victor could have already spread the invitation but no nobles would come. If so, then the political problems in Maraina were much more difficult than Rose anticipated. An invitation given by the superior is an injunction orally. Declining the invitation can be interpreted as a mutiny.

The second thing Rose thought about was that...

Victor Maraina... Is he planning to kill me right after we make the vow? But why he brings so many knights just to kill the Ugly Witch from the South?

... It could have been the last day for Rose in the world.

Rose tried to guess Victor's expression. But the man put on a passive face. In his armor, he looked much colder, impenetrable.

After Rose reached the altar, she stopped right next to Victor. The priest began to say his piece.

"Gentlemen, we are here to gather for–"

Rose raised one hand to stop the priest. All eyes in the room went straight to her.