TDIDTRA Chapter 1

Chapter 1. A Secret Contract 

Even up until the moment she left with him, Bonida regretted that day the most. Would the situation have been different if she had told her mother firmly what she wanted before she went to see him two months ago? If she had known that he would hate her so much, she would have at least said something. If she had known that she would be driven into a desperate corner, she would have opened her mouth.

***

It was two months before she met him.

The Kingdom of Esperanza had a curse that has been passed down from one generation to another. Under the curse, the royal family and aristocrats suffered, even at their last breath. There was only one way to avoid the curse: by having intercourse with a woman who had holy powers.

The entire family that produced saints was called Fulker. Officially, there are about 30 Fulker families in the Kingdom of Esperanza.

The value of divine power was determined by how pure it was and how strongly one was naturally born with it. The Magliare was the most holy and noble, followed by Kiakiara and Franzo. 

It seemed that rumors were quietly spreading that Girion Tefort, a high-ranking noble, was searching for a saintess with exceptional divine power due to the manifestation of a curse. Bonida’s mother, Lenita, was desperate to send her to him, though it was unclear how she got the information. Lenita was anxious, fearing that if she did nothing, another Fulker family might seize the opportunity with Gillion first.

Bonida closely watched her mother, noticing every detail—from her twitching eyebrows to her roughening breaths. Sensing her gaze, her mother shot a sharp look at her, and the usual words slipped from her lips.

“Win Duke Girion’s heart no matter what. Even if your divine power doesn’t awaken right now, it will happen soon. It’s shameful that someone like you was born into a family that has produced saintesses for generations, but your exceptional divine power will awaken eventually. Yes, all you need to do is buy some time.”

“……”

In this household, Bonida’s wishes had never mattered. After her father passed away, her mother’s obsession grew stronger by the day, and now they were teetering on the edge. Her mother lived solely with one goal in mind. How to sell her daughter off well.

Lenita flashed her eyes viciously to Marais, a maid standing quietly. Marais flinched in surprise before quickly approaching and roughly grabbing Bonida. She skillfully shifted her body to shield Bonida from Lenita’s gaze and yanked her arm relentlessly. The sheer strength forced Bonida to rise from her seat, and her grabbed arm throbbed with pain.

“In two months, you’ll meet Duke Girion. Make sure you understand that. Take her and focus on her appearance. Make her impossible to resist.”

“Madam, she’s pretty no matter who looks at her. She has a face that everyone acknowledges, so why are you worried?”

“Her beauty may come from me but there is no assurance. In the prestigious Fulker family of the Esperanza Kingdom, only beautiful and exceptional saintesses will be offered to Duke Girion. You must make sure to catch his eye.”

“Yes, I’ll focus on Lady Bonida’s appearance.”

The tip of Lenita’s lips bent as if she liked Marais’ obedient attitude. Marais immediately took Bonida with her as she moved her head toward the door. As soon as she closed the door and came out to the hallway, she said coyly.

“Did you hear that, Lady Bonida? From now on, you have to trust me, for I am the one who will dress you beautifully. I mean, you have to look good.”

Bonida was too stunned to respond. By the time she turned twenty, her lack of divine power had effectively made her an outcast from the Bello family. Having endured her mother’s harsh beatings and cruel words, Marais’s attitude seemed almost laughable. She had become a woman whom everyone in the family treated with disdain. A lowly daughter of a humble family. Someone that even the maid looks down on her.

Despite everything, Bonida had no reason to bow her head or lower her eyes submissively. She forcefully shook off the hand that grabbed her arm, causing Marais to look at her in disbelief. Bonida gave a deliberate smile before turning her back.

Staring down the empty corridor in front of her, her blue eyes wandered aimlessly. Reflecting the helplessness of the situation she was trapped in, she was moving forward without her will.

***

Whenever Bonida let her guard down, the door would suddenly burst open. Even if she pretended to be asleep, her mother would approach without hesitation and yank the blanket off her. Lenita’s sharp gaze scanned Bonida’s body over her pajamas. Seeming displeased, she clicked her tongue in frustration.

“Are you controlling your diet?”

“……”

“Who told you to pretend to be asleep? Aren’t you going to answer me?”

Bonida reluctantly sat up and deliberately looked at her mother with disheveled eyes. When their gazes met sharply, Lenita’s eyes narrowed in displeasure. As she feared her mother might lash out at any moment, Bonida forced herself to remain calm and responded.

“Do you think that ruthless Marais would even feed me on time?”

“That’s why I entrusted you to her. Anyway, excess of anything isn’t good. Whether it’s food or sleep.”

Are you telling me not to sleep anymore? Not sleeping wouldn’t make her divine power manifest. Did that mean that because she had slept too much, her divine power hadn’t appeared? She reflected, knowing that no one was as diligent as she had been.

Does Girion hate women who sleep a lot? Seeing how she got the information, she almost sighed. When she goes to his house, she can’t even sleep as she pleases. Of course, it’s not like she has the choice to go against her mother’s wishes.

As Bonida sluggishly pulled the blanket to cover herself, Lenita was flabbergasted. It was the height of summer, so it was hard to understand why Bonida was covering herself with such a thick blanket. But without it, she couldn’t escape the chill that seemed to seep into her bones. Everywhere she went, the watchful eyes and her mother’s fierce gaze clung to her, making her feel as though she had caught a terrible cold. Her body kept shivering involuntarily.

Bonida didn’t give up and lay down on the bed, pulling the blanket up to her neck. Her mother, who had been ready to yank it away and slap her at any moment, looked at her with disdain for a while before eventually leaving the room. Only when she heard the door close did Bonida finally feel some relief. Though she knew her mother would barge in again whenever her anger flared.

“Where have all manners and decorum gone? They call you a lady, but you’re only a lady in name.” 

No matter how much she tried to act refined or graceful, there was no true lady in this household. Would her situation have been different if her father were still alive? Bonida’s blue eyes flickered with emotion before settling into a somber stillness. What would searching for someone who was already gone change? Her situation was so unfair and frustrating that it seemed she needed something—anything—to hold onto. Even if it was just the hem of herv trousers. 

Looking for a father who had never been kind to her in life seemed futile. Bonida forced her eyes shut. If she didn’t empty her mind even just a little, it would be hard to endure Marais’s cruel nature. She had been living as though she couldn’t think of anything, and now, two months had passed. The day she would meet Girion, whether today or tomorrow, was approaching.

***

Having anticipated that this day would come, Bonida faced it with calm detachment, without shock. She could feel deeply what it truly meant to be sold for money, but she forced herself to push the thought from her mind.

Lenita gazed approvingly at the clothes, carefully made at the Margarita Boutique. Bonida, feeling uncomfortable under her mother’s scrutinizing gaze, tried not to shrink away. As Lenita circled her, her footsteps suddenly came to a halt. With every word she uttered, it felt as though frost were settling in the air.

“Do not provoke Duke Girion. Show him that you’re obedient, and act submissively. This is a promise we made. If you ruin it, I won’t forgive you.”

“Yes.”

This time, Bonida responded immediately. Her submissive attitude seemed to please Lenita, who glanced at Marais with a signal. Marais, who had been shifting her gaze from side to side, quickly approached.

“You help Bonida by her side.”

“Yes, don’t worry.”

“Well, go ahead.”

Once Lenita’s order was given, Bonida was finally able to leave the room. It had felt like she’d been there for hours. She had already changed her clothes, done her hair, and finished her makeup. Yet, Lenita’s endless scolding seemed to have no end. Now, it seemed it was Marais’s turn.

“You need to stick close to me. If you even think of doing something else, I’ll report everything to the madam. Though, I doubt you’d even dare do anything since you’re terrified of her. You’re a coward. You wouldn’t even try to run away.”

“Sigh.”

Bonida let out a bored sigh, and Marais took in a sharp breath. While Lenita may have looked down on Bonida, she was still her legitimate daughter, a noble by birth. Though their family was insignificant, Bonida’s noble status kept Marais from crossing certain boundaries. Whether it was something to be grateful for, Bonida couldn’t help but let out a light laugh.

***

After a long, relentless journey by carriage, Bonida finally arrived at the Duchy of Tefort. The estate was so vast that after the strict visitor checks at the entrance, she had to board the carriage again and continue on. Though the distance didn’t feel particularly long, the discomfort made everything seem exhausting.

She thought she’d be able to enter the estate after that, but another round of checks awaited her at the estate’s door. This time, they opened every carriage door and thoroughly inspected the inside. She knew that, as a duke, Girion’s status was high. However, the reality of it all felt far more imposing than she had imagined.

How did her mother manage to arrange this meeting with him? The Bello family held some standing in the Fulker saintess market due to having produced three of the most sacred and noble Magliare saintesses. Bonida briefly wondered if Girion might think she was one of them, and at that thought, her body shivered with unease. She hadn’t awakened even a speck of divine power yet, and everything seemed overwhelming.

Others might suggest running away from this situation, but for someone who had lived a life of constant threats and intimidation from birth, that was not an option. Even if she tried to escape, her mother would easily catch her. Unbeknownst to Bonida, her mother had powerful connections, and with no money of her own, surviving in the harsh world would be nearly impossible.

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