Read Rewriting the Marriage Contract Novel Translation Chapter 4

(다시 쓰는 결혼 계약서)

Original: 백설홍 (White Snow) | Translation: Genie

#josei #drama #romance #contract-marriage #mature #fantasy

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The royal family of Friatra was unable to summon spirits outside the kingdom’s borders—an undeniable truth known across the continent. For this reason, the royals rarely, if ever, ventured beyond Friatra’s territory.

Laniakea was acutely aware of this limitation.

Her sisters, who could summon spirit kings and high-ranking spirits with ease, would find their powers weakening as they neared the borders. Beyond the kingdom, their spirits couldn’t be summoned at all.

Scholars had posited that the land outside Friatra lacked the vitality necessary to sustain spirits.

However, this limitation applied only to powerful spirits.

“I can still summon low-ranking spirits.”

It was a peculiar exception that only Laniakea could manage, thanks to her relatively weak abilities.

Her sisters, born with strong fae blood, were adored unconditionally by their summoned spirits—be they high-ranking spirits or spirit kings.

These spirits eagerly fulfilled every request, no matter how trivial, and loathed sharing their summoner’s attention with other spirits.

As a result, her sisters never saw the need to summon low-ranking spirits. Even if their high-ranking spirits had tolerated it, they would have considered it beneath them—a disgraceful display of weakness.

Thus, attempting to summon a low-ranking spirit beyond the borders of Friatra was an idea no one but Laniakea would entertain.

She vividly remembered the first time she’d summoned a spirit.

---

It had been during a royal lesson when she and her sisters had visited the borderlands.

That day, something about Laniakea had clearly irritated her sisters. They deliberately urged their knights to ride ahead at a brisk pace, leaving the young Laniakea struggling to keep up.

It was unthinkable for knights to abandon a royal princess.

However, the knights of Friatra were loyal to the powerful princesses and did not consider Laniakea, the disregarded third princess, someone worthy of their service.

In the end, Laniakea was left alone in the woods.

Had she been older, she might have remained calm and followed the trail left by the others.

But the young Laniakea, terrified at being abandoned, sprinted aimlessly into the forest.

By the time the path ended, she realised she had strayed far from where she should have been.

At the path’s terminus stood a sign inscribed in the continent’s common tongue, marking the name of another kingdom.

Laniakea had unknowingly crossed Friatra’s borders.

Fear gripped her, and tears welled in her eyes.

Though she had only recently begun sensing the presence of spirits, within Friatra’s territory she could have managed to summon one for help. Outside its borders, however, she was utterly helpless.

Despite this knowledge, her desperation led her to call out to the spirits.

“Anyone… please, just help me find my way…”

She wiped her tears with her sleeve, trying to hold them back.

[Did you call for me?]

A sudden voice interrupted her despair.

The ground at her feet trembled, and a mole poked its tiny head out of the soil.

That day marked the first time Laniakea successfully summoned a spirit, and it was also the day the mole became her companion.

It was then she realised something remarkable: her power was so faint that it required only minimal vitality to summon a spirit, even in lands with weak life force.

---

“Why can I summon spirits outside Friatra when others can’t?” she had once asked.

[Probably because your power is so weak. You don’t need much life force to make it work.]

Her frailty had unexpectedly become her strength.

Thanks to the mole’s assistance, she had found her way back to the correct path and eventually returned to the palace.

From that day forward, she kept her ability to summon spirits outside Friatra a closely guarded secret.

Instinct told her that her sisters would not take kindly to her doing something they couldn’t, even if it was something as small as summoning a low-ranking spirit.

And so, the mole became her hidden, loyal friend.

─── ･: .☽ . :･ ───

Laniakea bent down slightly to watch the mole, who was diligently brushing soil from its tiny face with its small forepaws.

A low-ranking earth spirit without even a name. It had asked her to simply call it “Mole.”

Mole’s abilities were modest at best—slightly enriching the soil to make flowers bloom more vibrantly or crops grow a bit tastier. That was the extent of its power.

Its only other useful skill was its connection to the earth, which allowed it to sense events occurring on the ground’s surface—but only where there was soil. It couldn’t manifest inside buildings devoid of earth.

That was why Laniakea had made the excuse of needing fresh air to retreat to the garden.

She whispered to Mole, “How’s the ground here? Is it difficult for you?”

The mole sniffed the air, its tiny nose twitching as it took in the surrounding scents.

[This place has more vitality than most of the other areas nearby. Are you staying here permanently now?]

“…It seems that way.”

[Well, wherever you settle, it can become home. Stay strong!]

The encouragement sounded almost comical coming from a spirit, but Laniakea appreciated the sentiment. Having someone care, even a little, felt precious.

[Have you called the others yet?]

By “others,” Mole meant the other low-ranking spirits Laniakea had summoned as a child.

After first summoning Mole, she had successfully called upon other low-ranking spirits.

There was the water spirit “Minnow,” summoned from a pond in the royal palace.
The wind spirit “Wren,” brought forth during a stormy day, slipping in through the gaps in the windows.
And the fire spirit “Firefly,” who resided in the embers of her fireplace during a cold winter.

They had all been her friends since childhood.

“No, I called you first,” she replied softly.

Mole puffed up proudly at her words.

[Of course you did! We’ve always had the best connection, haven’t we? Anyway, with this much vitality in the ground, the others should be able to come too. It might take a little time, but it’s doable.]

Watching Mole’s cheerful demeanour, Laniakea felt some of the tension leave her body.

When she had left Friatra, her greatest fear wasn’t the unfamiliar surroundings or the strangers she would meet.

It was the worry that she might never again see the companions who had been with her since childhood.

But if even Mole could manifest here, then the others likely could as well.

Her trembling nerves settled into a calm reassurance.

“Lady Laniakea? Are you alright?”

The voice of a maid calling out from the terrace broke her thoughts.

It must have seemed odd to the maid that she had been staring at the ground and murmuring to herself.

[I’m off! See you later!]

As the maid approached, Mole waved a tiny paw before vanishing into the soil.

Laniakea quickly smoothed the ground with her foot, erasing any trace of Mole’s appearance. Despite her efforts, she couldn’t hide the small smile lingering on her lips.

She wasn’t alone here.

She no longer had to endure the scrutiny of her family. Though the Empress’s gaze would require careful navigation, Laniakea felt a rare sense of peace.

“I’m glad I came here,” she murmured, picking up the contract and rising from the bench.

As she stood, she felt a faint sensation of being watched. Turning her head, she scanned her surroundings.

There was nothing in sight but the meticulously maintained garden and the distant forest. No one but the maid was nearby.

“Was it just my imagination?”

She clicked her tongue softly in regret. She should have asked Mole if anyone else had been present. But it was too late now.

Shaking off the feeling, Laniakea followed the maid back to the conference room.

Far in the distance, hidden in the tall grass, a faint rustle settled into stillness. No one noticed.

---

Back in the conference room, time passed as Laniakea meticulously worked through the contract.

She was nearing the final pages when her attention was caught by a particular section.

“So, this must be the part requiring personal agreement,” she thought, turning the page with curiosity.

The clause seemed to detail special provisions—a sort of addendum.

Just as she began reading, there was a knock at the door.

Knock, knock.

Without looking up, she answered, “Come in.”

She assumed it was an attendant coming to check on her progress.

The door opened, and steady footsteps approached.

The sound was deliberate, firm, and exuded an unspoken authority.

The precision of the steps startled Laniakea, prompting her to lift her head.

And there he stood.

“Pleased to meet you, Princess Laniakea.”

A low, gentle voice cascaded over her like a wave.

─── ･: .☽ . :･ ───