Bala: The Duke's Contract Wife

A Second Strategist in Maraina

As he said, Victor took Rose to a womenswear boutique. A 'Classic Mistress' was written on the front door where a middle-aged woman greeted them. Upon entering the boutique, Victor and Paul immediately pointed to various dresses and had Rose try almost everything on.

Every time she tried on one dress, she would come out of the dressing room for Paul and Victor to judge whether the outfit looks good for her. To be honest, Rose felt it was a troublesome process. Wearing and removing dresses isn't as easy as everyone thinks, especially when the boutique owner insisted on Rose using a corset.

Rose only lasted until the sixth dress before she finally refused to try anything else. It was time for her to choose which dress she would buy. Of the six dresses, she struggled to choose between a black dress and a dark blue dress. The black dress was very functional and comfortable. But the dark blue dress was more charming, with laces on the neck and shoulders.

"What are you doing?" asked Victor.

"Choosing which dress to buy."

"All the dresses you tried on look good on you. You look beautiful in anything."

Rose blinked. Did Victor just praise me? "Yes... But I can't buy both," Rose explained.

"Why not? You're going to need to refill your closet. And don't forget to buy a coat too. Winter is coming soon."

"Even though my pocket money comes from your money," Rose said, "I don't want to waste it. I've had enough of my clothes, anyway."

A second later, Rose felt the surrounding air change, the pressure intensified around her. When she faced Victor, she knew that the change was because of the man. His green eyes pierced Rose, bringing a cold sensation to her nape.

The man told the boutique owner, "I'm going to buy all the dresses my wife has tried on. And all the dresses you have. Send me coats and warm clothes for my wife to the residence too."

Rose froze. At the same time, the boutique owner was delighted with the Duke's request. The store would get a very large fortune in one day.

"Vic!" exclaimed Rose.

"Don't protest," Victor said in a commanding tone. Rose was confused but ended up going along with it.

Paul pulled up Rose's arm, the boy's eyes stared at Victor, "Well, we've bought dresses for Mother. Now we need to buy her shoes."

Mother?

The store staff and some shoppers gasped when they heard Paul calling Rose 'Mother'. Hearing Rose called Victor by his name in public alone had been quite a shock, coupled with Paul's nickname to her. All Maraina started seeing them as a harmonious family.

Oh. Paul's acting because we're in the public eye. Good boy. Even if he doesn't have to do that...

The rest of the day went strangely. At least for Rose. 

The girl had already stated she did not want to shop anymore, but the two men dragged her all over the city. Rose got confused about what they actually want from all this, she was also confused as to why they seem to work well together. 

Wasn't there still a cold wind between them a few days ago?

On their way to town, Paul and Victor looked in sync... especially in appointing almost all the goods in women's stores. Every time Rose wanted to protest, they seemed to ignore the girl.

Maraina residents who were initially afraid to approach them because of Victor's terrifying aura became curious about the monster's behavior towards Rose. Not only that, because of the rumors of Rose helping Gale from the Emperor and helping the Duke destroy illegal auctions have become a famous open secret, some residents sometimes came to the Rose suddenly. "Bless your soul, Duchess," they said. "Thank you, Duchess. Thank you."

Rose, who was surprised because of the number of people thanking her, could only smile and nod. Before long, wherever they walked, a group of people would follow.

They just returned to the residence when it was late at night. On the way, inside the carriage, Rose looked out the window. Some residents bowed as their carriage passed by. The resident's view was hooked on Rose. Rarely, she could see some of the children she saved from the auction with their family among those who followed their carriage. To them, Rose gave a sincere smile.

It's weird. Two months ago when she passed the city streets using Elysseria carriage, the residents had bad prejudices against her. Right then, the people's opinion of her had changed drastically.

"Mother, are you satisfied with our choices?" asked Paul excitedly, "My choice is better than Father's, right?" Paul sat next to Rose, while Victor sat across from Rose.

But nothing could prepare Paul for Rose's cold tone. "Paul, you don't have to act anymore." Rose's red beads still stared at the carriage window. "I appreciate what you've done. Thank you. But you didn't have to."

"What do you mean?" Paul's voice broke at the end. Suddenly the air inside the carriage became tense. Rose refrained herself from seeing Victor, which was certainly the source of that gripping atmosphere.

"You don't have to call me Mother."

"Do–Do you hate me calling you Mother?"

The carriage had passed the Maraina residence gate and would stop at the front door shortly. Rose turned her head, avoiding Victor's sharp gaze, and immediately stared at Paul.

"I told you from the beginning that I have no intention of replacing your mother," Rose said, still in an icy tone. She could see Paul's eyes glazed over, but she continued her words. Her tone was as cold as the Maraina weather. "And in ten months' time, I'll be out of here. So you better not expect too much of me."

Paul's eyes widened. His large green pupils stared at Rose and Victor alternately. "Is–is that true?" he asked with trembling lips, "Rose won't stay here?"

"No."

Horse-drawn carriages have stopped in front of their front door. But no one moved to open the door.

"Don't you want to stay because of me?" asked Paul. One tear flowed out of his eyes.

Somehow Rose felt the urgency to caress the boy, to calm him down and stop his tears. But she held back.

"No," replied Rose still in a cold tone, "From the beginning, your Father and I have agreed. Our marriage is just on paper. I will still be the Duchess who takes care of the Young Master but you should never call me Mother."

Then without waiting for a response from Paul, Rose opened the carriage door and immediately walked into the residence. She left the two men in the carriage.

***

Victor rested his head on the window. He gave out a long sigh.

"You like her that much, huh?" murmured Victor.

The man closed the carriage door again. Giving his son the privacy to cry without being seen by their mansion's staff. The boy tried hard to hold back his cry. Paul bit his lips and his green eyes found Victor's.

"Do you also want Rose to leave after ten months?" Paul asked.

There was fire behind his son's eyes. A feeling of pride appeared in Victor's chest when he saw that fire. The boy has become bolder since Rose came.

"No," replied Victor honestly, "I want her to stay here. If I could, I'd like to chain her up in Maraina."

Paul nodded.

"Then we have to make Rose feels at home in here," Paul said steadily.

"Do you have a plan?"

Again his son nodded.

Looks like Victor got a second strategist that day. Paul Maraina, a strategist to change Rose's mind to stay in Maraina. Victor smiled broadly, so did his son. For the first time, the two men connected soulfully. Their broken bond was mending because they had the same purpose then.

And that bond was tied with Rose. 

They were not willing to let the girl go.