Chapter 2.3

“I’ll take care of all the preparations needed for the wedding. All the young lady needs to do is organize and send me what you want from me during the wedding. I will do the same. Since you asked what I would gain, it’s best to draft a contract based on our respective terms.”

After meeting Cassian, Rosena often found herself staring blankly into the garden. Was this what it felt like before marriage? It was very complicated. 

“Ugh, it really feels like I’m about to get married.” 

“But you are about to get married, aren’t you?” 

“…Haa. Right. That’s true.”

As May refilled her empty teacup, Rosena let out a deep sigh. She put down the quill she was holding and took a sip of tea. May, who was refilling the half-empty snack plate beside her, cautiously spoke.

“My lady, you’ll take me with you after you get married, won’t you?” 

“Hmm? Why?”

“Then how will you manage alone in that unfamiliar place? Don’t you need someone to rely on? It’s a place full of strangers. Surely the Grand Duke’s family wouldn’t forbid you from bringing someone from your barony?”

“No, there was no such talk.”

As Rosena shook her head, May, who had a worried expression, relaxed. Indeed, if she were to enter the Baltinart estate, there would be no familiar faces, so it would be good to have one familiar person. Well, Cassian probably wouldn’t object to that either. 

‘…The real problem is how not to get taken advantage of.’

Rosena stared at the blank sheet of paper in front of her. She was racking her brain over Cassian’s words before he left the mansion, but she hadn’t written anything yet. 

What’s the most important thing in married life? 

No matter how much she thought, she couldn’t figure it out. She had never even properly experienced dating, so the idea of skipping all the steps and thinking about marriage gave her a headache.

“This won’t do. I need to ask Father.”

Rosena sprang up in frustration. 

In times like these, seeking advice from an experienced person was best. However, if there was one thing Rosena overlooked, it was the fact that her father, Orkan Leilia, was a hopeless romantic.

In Leilia Barony’s study, with sunlight streaming in and a faint scent of old wood, Rosena sat facing Baron Leilia with a serious expression. A blank sheet of paper lay between them. 

Baron Leilia burst into laughter as if he found Rosena’s question cute.

“So, you want to know what’s the most important thing in married life?” 

“Yes.”

“Well, that would naturally be… trust between husband and wife, wouldn’t it?” 

“Trust?”

“Exactly. And love. Cherishment. Respect, and so on.” 

“……”

“Why are you looking at me like that?” 

Trust. Love. Cherishment.

Rosena’s hand, which had been writing down each word, stopped abruptly. Weren’t these words only applicable to couples who were actually in love? 

Cassian and Rosena were strictly bound by a contract marriage. Even if it was disguised as a passionate love to appease the public, the reality was very different. 

Rosena, whose eyes suddenly showed a plummeting sense of trust, opened her mouth glumly.

“…What’s the point of writing such things? How would that help me? I’m not really in love with the Grand Duke. Shouldn’t I be writing about destroying tracking magical tools and having a clean divorce instead?”

Baron Leilia tilted his head questioningly after hearing Rosena’s words. 

“Oh, that’s very wise. Then why are you worrying if you can just write that?”

“……”

“You came to me because you know it’s not just about that, don’t you?” 

Rosena nodded. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was missing something crucial.

“It’s also important that you are respected as the lady of the house while you reside at the Baltinart estate. In fact, these are things that should be valued even more in a marriage like this. Think about it. When you become the Grand Duchess, won’t you have to make appearances in high society?”

Rosena nodded, agreeing that Baron Leilia had a point. Indeed, the attitude of those around her would change depending on how Cassian Baltinart treated her. Internally, she needed to be respected as the lady of the house. Externally, she needed to be treated properly as the grand duchess, the quality of her life would depend on how much Cassian respected her. 

Rosena didn’t know how long her marriage to Cassian Baltinart would last, but she didn’t want to be treated poorly during the marriage.

Rosena frowned and asked. 

“Then what should I do?”

“Your mother used to choose my clothes every day and always greeted me warmly when I returned after being away from the mansion. Then I would go to her and embrace her…”

“…But servants can do the things before that, can’t they?” 

“Well, yes. I’d forgotten that for a second.”

Baron Leilia, who had been diligently explaining, shook his head as if he had realized something. Rosena, subtly annoyed, furrowed her brow. 

“What’s with that reaction?”

“It’s nothing.” 

“It’s not nothing.”

“Keep this in mind, Rosena. Do you know who the servants care about the most? It’s the one who controls the person who pays their wages. It’s no different outside. The most terrifying person is the one who has tamed the person everyone else bows to..”

“…Did Mother do that?” 

“Your mother was very wise in that regard.”

I see. Rosena instantly understood and circled “trust, love, cherishment” again, which she had previously crossed out. 

“Anything else? What else did Mother do?” 

“Hmm. Well, that is…”

Baron Leilia drew a smile at his lips as if recalling a pleasant past. His pale blue eyes softened with nostalgia. 

Rosena’s blank paper was now more than half filled. 

Just as Baron Leilia said, she would ensure she was treated as the lady of the house, secure a certain level of safety for herself physically, and perfectly secure time to deal with the tracking magical tool.

‘You can get married, but divorce is never something you can do as you please.’

Come to think of it, what good was finding out about Cassian’s circumstances now? Knowing that wouldn’t change Rosena’s situation. Since he came to exploit her first, she could exploit him as much as she liked.

“I think it was a good idea to come to Father! I feel much better now.” 

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Rosena smiled brightly. And so, the next day, Rosena sent the letter with a sense of relief that made her worries of the past few days seem pointless.

* * *

The office of the Grand Duke of Baltinart.

Cassian couldn’t hide his bewilderment after receiving Rosena’s letter. He checked several times to see if he had read the contents correctly. 

Ted, who was preparing the wedding according to the schedule, cautiously asked.

“…Your Grace, why do you look like that? Surely… it didn’t fall through?” 

“No. That’s not it.”

“Then?”

“…I don’t know what that woman is thinking.”

Cassian chuckled with a sigh. A woman who seemed easy to understand, yet completely unfathomable. The marriage conditions Rosena Leilia sent were significantly different from what Cassian had drafted beforehand. And it was something he had not expected at all.

“One. Wear clothes chosen by Rosena Leilia to work every day.” 

“…Pardon?”

“Two. Don’t stay out overnight unless Rosena Leilia permits it.” 

“……”

“Three. I shall prioritize and respect Rosena Leilia above all else, anytime, anywhere, regardless of time or place.”

As Cassian read off each of Rosena’s conditions, Ted’s expression changed strangely. 

This was like….

Ted chuckled awkwardly and said. 

“These are truly things a newlywed couple would do.” 

“……”

“Isn’t it a good thing for you, Your Grace? That much isn’t hard to grant…”

…No.

Unfortunately, Ted’s words couldn’t continue. That’s because Cassian had started reciting the conditions again.

“Four. During the marriage, both parties pledge to be truthful to each other.” 

“Well, that much…”

“Five. If Rosena Leilia requests a divorce, Cassian Baltinart shall accept it unconditionally. However, if Cassian Baltinart requests a divorce first, he must forfeit half of the Baltinart family’s assets as alimony.”

Thud.

Ted’s jaw dropped and wouldn’t close. The fountain pen in Ted’s hand rolled off and stained the carpet. 

Those were all the conditions Rosena requested. They were simple and clear, but their impact was enormous.

“Ha, this woman.”

Cassian’s lips curved upward in displeasure. He thought it was going too smoothly. Cassian’s red eyes, which had been repeatedly reading the demands, couldn’t tear themselves away from the last condition. Specifically, the very first line of the very last clause. 

At first glance, it might seem like a condition to prevent divorce, but it wasn’t. The mention of half the assets was just a smokescreen Rosena Leilia had cleverly created. The core message was that Rosena was demanding Cassian for a way that would allow her to withdraw from their marriage at any time.

“You were considering a divorce against me?”

Without my permission?

He thought she was a harmless, innocent flying squirrel, but she had a bold side too.

* * *

“…So you’re saying His Grace is in a bad mood today because of that?” 

“That’s what I’m saying!”

“You expect me to believe that?”

Sion retorted with a skeptical tone. 

Cassian had been in a foul mood since morning, and everyone in the mansion was treading carefully. But to think it was because of Rosena Leilia’s letter. Sion, who had been reading through the conditions with sharp eyes behind his glasses, nonchalantly placed the paper on the desk. 

There were no demands that seemed particularly problematic. 

The last clause was a bit annoying, but that could be easily resolved by adding a condition.

“You were planning to get a divorce anyway, weren’t you, Your Grace?”

“That’s what I said. But His Grace specifically pointed out that clause and seemed extremely displeased.”

“…There must be another reason besides that. And from what I hear, Rosena Leilia isn’t an ordinary person either.”

Sion clicked his tongue, recalling Rosena’s demands. 

Why were all the people in this family so strange? Even the soon-to-be lady of the house who was about to join the household. 

Of course, Sion, who knew he wasn’t exactly easy to deal with either, swallowed his unspoken thoughts. One of the essential qualities required of those belonging to the Baltinart family was self-awareness. Those who lacked it disappeared from the family without a trace.

“In any case, we just need to draw up the contract based on this, right?” 

“Yes. The work itself isn’t difficult, so we should be able to get it back soon, right?”

Ted smiled brightly and sat on the sofa, as if waiting. Is that for real? Sion raised an eyebrow. 

Sion, who had been tasked with an annoying job since morning, put his glasses back on and narrowed his eyes. The conditions weren’t many, but they were subtly annoying. From beginning to end, that is.

‘Why do I feel like I want to refute them all?’

A ridiculous sense of crisis came over him, that the entire Baltinart family might completely fall into the hands of Rosena Leilia the moment the prenuptial agreement was stamped. 

There’s no way that could happen with something so trivial. 

Sion chuckled to himself, finding his own thoughts amusing. There weren’t many sections that had legal effect. She just looked like a naive girl with marriage fantasies.

“I’ll finish it quickly, so just wait quietly.” 

“Yes, yes.”

Ted waved his hand, assuring him not to worry. 

Sion decided to move quickly to get rid of that nuisance from his space. Sweeping back his long, dark hair, Sion pulled out a contract template from the second drawer of his desk and sat down. 

Soon, elegant handwriting flowed smoothly onto the paper.

The next day, Rosena received a reply from the Baltinart family faster than expected. The speed of their work was astonishing. It was also proof that Cassian’s situation was urgent.

“My lady, a letter has arrived. What should I do?” 

“Just leave it beside me.”

“Yes.”

May placed the letter on the bedside table and left the room. 

Rosena, who had been lying under the covers with her eyes closed, suddenly sat up and reached out. A luxurious texture met her fingertips. She casually brushed away her disheveled golden hair and her eyes sparkled. 

As expected, inside the envelope with the black rose seal was the prenuptial agreement. The first page contained very common content, stating the purpose of the contract and brief explanations of the terms to be used. The real content was on the next page.

Flip.

Rosena meticulously read through the rather thick contract. 

“What, they’ve elegantly shortened it?”

Whoever’s work it was, all the childish sentences had been changed. And they had been shortened into a single clause.

Clause One: The contracting parties shall fulfill their obligations as spouses.

And it stated that all the details Rosena wanted were written in the last special provision. It was clear that the drafter wanted to shove all the “irrelevant” stuff to the back. Whoever it was, the way they handled things was incredibly dry.

Clause Two: The contracting parties may request a divorce from each other. However, this is not possible if the minimum period of five years is not met.

Rosena’s blue eyes, which had been casually reading the next clause while lying down, flinched and stopped. 

A chilling sensation crept up from her toes. 

A shaky voice escaped Rosena’s lips. 

“…5 years?”

Clause Three: If a divorce occurs due to unavoidable circumstances that do not meet the minimum marriage period, the party at fault shall pay alimony equivalent to half of the Baltinart family’s assets.

“What…?”

Rosena couldn’t believe her eyes. She had casually requested this from Cassian, but now she was also bound by it. 

What kind of… 

If she were to argue about this, it would only confirm to Cassian that she had been thinking about divorce, and it might arouse unnecessary suspicion. 

Five years would be more than enough time to find and destroy the tracking magical tool hidden in the Baltinart estate.

Rosena let out a deep sigh. 

Okay, she could endure this much. 

However, there was a bigger problem. 

This was something Rosena had not worried about. Because…

Clause Four: If one of the contracting parties is at fault for an early divorce within five years, all conditions requested by that party shall be void.

Clause Five: Both parties shall maintain confidentiality regarding any matters that occur within the Baltinart estate during the marriage.

Flip.

[Special Provisions]

1. Cassian Baltinart shall wear the clothes chosen by Rosena when leaving for work.

2. Cassian Baltinart shall not stay out overnight without Rosena Leilia’s permission.

3. Cassian Baltinart shall prioritize and respect Rosena Leilia at all times.

4. Both parties shall pledge to be truthful to each other during the marriage.

5. All other duties shall follow the Agzent Empire’s Family Law regarding spousal obligations.

Rosena’s eyes couldn’t leave the last, fifth clause. Her lips trembled. 

“Isn’t this person absolutely insane?”

He had to be completely out of his mind. According to the Agzent Empire’s family law, spouses also had the duty to produce an heir. Who would willingly accept such special provisions? 

“This is absolute nonsense.”

Rosena read the prenuptial agreement expressionlessly, then picked up the pen on the table and added a sentence.

However, the relationship between husband and wife must be by mutual consent.

Thanks to this, one thing was clear. 

Cassian Baltinart had circumstances that required him to maintain the marriage for at least five years. 

And he chose ‘Rosena’ because he didn’t want the person who would become the lady of the house to know about the circumstances.

“That means it would be difficult for others to know, right?”

By nature, such a huge secret is something one would rather remain ignorant of their entire life, even if someone offered to tell them. 

Those who learn secrets tend to have short lifespans, don’t they? 

She was confident she could pretend not to know, even if Cassian begged her to find out. Of course, whatever Cassian Valtinart was hiding…

‘I’m hiding something even worse.’

If discovered, not only the Leilia family but also the Baltinart family would be annihilated. 

Before her identity was exposed, she would destroy the tracking magical tool, spend a suitable five years, and then ask for a divorce.

Well, if the situation got too bad then… 

“I can just run away, right?”

Rosena decided to take it easy. 

She had even bought a noble title by pretending to be a new aristocrat, so faking her death and becoming a commoner would be no big deal. 

Cassian would never know, but it would be better if Rosena got away as soon as possible.

Surely Cassian wouldn’t be out on the streets just because she couldn’t uphold the marriage period? 

He was the Grand Duke of Baltinart, considered second only to the Emperor in the Agzent Empire. 

Rosena carefully folded the prenuptial agreement and put it back in the envelope. 

And the next day, the prenuptial agreement with the Baltinart family’s seal arrived. In addition to the agreement, there was also a letter from Cassian.

If you are agreeable, would you consider preparing for the wedding together in the capital? The family carriage has been sent for you, my lady, so please don’t feel pressured and come at your convenience.

There were now less than two weeks left until the wedding.