A Shadow Cast in Paradise - Chapter 20
The end of the letter was even more absurd.
“Furthermore, I deeply regret that I cannot personally welcome Grand Priest Giselle Marlhein, who has come all the way to the Lester territory.
I have instructed that there should be no inconvenience during your stay, so please inform the Lester family immediately if there are any difficulties.
May God’s blessings be with you on your journey in the Lester territory……”
“Hmm, what a romantic and thoughtful letter.”
At Dietrich’s words, Giselle’s eyes sharpened.
Romantic my ass.
He calls his fiancée ‘Grand Priest Giselle Marlhein’, and doesn’t even say a word about missing her or loving her.
Even though the recipient of the letter is his fiancée.
The purpose of Sched’s letter was clear.
He was making a preemptive move to avoid escalating the situation.
“G-Grand Priest Giselle. Y-You’re not thinking of breaking off the engagement, are you…?”
As Dietrich returned the letter and asked, Giselle glared at him again.
“I intend to get a proper explanation about this matter.”
Meaning she had no intention of breaking off the engagement.
“E-Even after all this has happened, your patience is, um, remarkable. As expected of a merciful and tolerant Grand Priest…”
Dietrich awkwardly shrugged his shoulders.
There was only one reason why she wouldn’t break off the engagement with such a rude fiancé.
Since it was an engagement she had chosen herself, breaking it off would be like admitting her choice was wrong.
She had made the choice against everyone’s opposition, and she didn’t want to see the smug faces of the socialites whispering, “I told you so” if she broke it off.
Moreover, her engagement to Sched wasn’t to find an affectionate husband either.
‘Considering the name and reputation of Duke Lester, as well as his wealth, anyone would be tempted.’
Although he came from the Lupus family and had all sorts of labels attached to him, Sched was the best groom in the empire when it came to practical benefits.
That’s probably what Giselle wanted.
Of course, she couldn’t have imagined being treated this coldly.
Just then, a white bird flew into the sky above the Munher Temple.
Dietrich looked up.
The bird circled once in the blue sky, then gently descended to perch on Dietrich’s shoulder.
“Oh, it’s a day for all kinds of news to fly in.”
It was a messenger bird from the Grand Temple.
[This is the timeline separator]“That’s Paradel from here on.”
The end of a long journey.
Paradel, the center of Ideana and the former castle of the Margrave of Ideana.
When they reached the city that had once achieved dazzling prosperity, everyone was at a loss for words.
“They said it was a cursed land…”
The crumbled massive walls surrounding the city looked shabby, like a crown of thorns placed on a dead city.
The towers that once seemed to pierce the sky were nowhere to be seen, as if they had sunk into the ground, and the hills that were once green were blackened as if shadows had fallen on them.
‘It wasn’t just an idle rumor.’
Eclas thought as he looked at the ruins of Ideana.
On the way to Paradel Castle.
He had been quickly turning over thoughts in his mind about the favorable condition of Ideana.
He thought there would be many rights to gain.
Although there were few people, the farmland was abandoned, and the roads were overgrown with weeds, he thought that with a little effort, a new foundation could be cultivated.
But Paradel Castle was different.
“Hey, is it okay to go there?”
The people from the Lester family following behind began to stir.
A land that looked ominous no matter how you looked at it.
Although the priests had purified it for nearly a year, it was still unsettling.
“I heard that there are man-eating monsters in Ideana.”
“That’s the demon beast, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s different from the demon beast! It’s a really scary monster created by black magic! A monster that doesn’t die no matter how much you stab it!”
“Ugh, stop saying such unpleasant things!”
The servants of the Lester family exclaimed in disgust.
Riana’s steps gradually became heavier as she listened to the story.
The monster of Ideana.
They chattered on about that terrible rumor for quite a while.
“Don’t worry. Even if such things existed, the temple would have already dealt with them.”
“That’s right. Grand Priest Dietrich also said that he stayed there for nearly a year and dealt with all the important issues before returning.”
Riana wanted to block her ears from that story.
As they got closer to Paradel, her head became dizzy and her body trembled.
“Louise. I told you. You have become the strongest human in the world.”
Long-buried memories crashed over her like an overwhelming tidal wave.
“You will live an immortal life.”
As if someone was whispering in her ear, all the memories became vivid. At the same time, her mind went blank.
“Hey, can’t you walk faster?”
Thud, someone pushed her, and her body staggered.
Only then did Riana realize that she hadn’t taken a single step.
She had been walking diligently until just now, but she was in the same place.
Her feet wouldn’t move, as if they had taken root in the ground.
She felt nauseous and had difficulty breathing.
She had an ominous premonition.
Her heart was pounding, and it felt like something bad was about to happen.
Just like back then.
Back then.
“What’s going on?”
Sched stopped his horse and turned his head at the commotion behind him.
“This maid suddenly stopped, sir.”
Sched’s gaze turned to Riana.
Pale face, ashen lips, trembling body.
“Riana.”
Sched called her name, but she remained frozen in place as if caught by something.
“Riana Serpens.”
Only after he called her name once more did Riana’s head lift.
Riana’s eyes were greatly agitated.
Like a soldier caught in a panic.
Sched dismounted and examined Riana directly.
“Riana.”
“…I don’t think we should go any further.”
Riana shook her head with a trembling voice.
Sched clenched his teeth at her pitiful gesture.
“We can’t delay the journey because of you alone.”
Sched lifted the frozen Riana with a swift motion.
“My lord!”
Sched placed Riana on the horse he had been riding and mounted behind her.
Riana, seemingly without the strength to resist, breathed heavily while cradled in his arms.
“Run away. We must run away, Sched……”
Riana, held in his arms, clutched his collar tightly and spoke.
Her green eyes looked up at him as if about to cry.
“After experiencing such things, all you can think about is running away again?”
As Sched spoke coldly, Riana shook her head.
“No, it’s dangerous there. Surely that place is……”
“Cursed. Thanks to you.”
At his indifferent words, her body trembled for a moment.
Sched pulled the trembling he felt in his arms closer to himself.
Heat spread from the small body in his arms.
The vibration of her trembling like a wounded lamb gave his chest a subtle thrill.
It felt like he had become a thoughtless child.
A child playing by throwing pebbles into a calm lake.
When distorted ripples appear on the mirror-like surface, feeling exhilarated that this beautiful and wondrous nature can be manipulated by just one small stone throw……
Her labored breath spread across his chest.
Her fingertips clutching his collar desperately held onto him.
These small sensations provoked him more strongly.
He wanted to throw himself naked into this fragile lake.
He wanted to soak his entire body in the clear water.
He wished for the lake to shake and surge at his gestures and movements, for the droplets forming the lake to become white fragments scattering in all directions.
He wanted to dive deep down, to confirm and stir up everything hidden beneath the mirror-like surface.
Even if the crystal-clear lake became muddy like turbid water from his rampaging.
Even if he might drown in the deep lake while diving.
Therefore, Sched thought it would be nice if tears were forming in her downcast eyes.
If she would cling to him more desperately, more frantically, then he might be able to bestow a piece of hypocrisy.
He might be able to watch quietly, floating like a fallen leaf on the calm lake, becoming one with it.
But Riana was not that kind of person.
She was too proud to cling and sell her tears.
As he expected, Riana stubbornly remained silent with her lips sealed.
However, she was afraid of the cool sensation surrounding her.
Was she really this anxious because of past memories?
Could memories from 8 years ago strangle her breath so vividly?
In that moment of thought, a chilling sensation overwhelmed her.
“Sched!”
The moment she pulled at Sched’s clothes, Sched also sensed something and raised his head.
“Everyone, form ranks!”
Sched instinctively drew his sword.
And the moment his order rang out, the surroundings instantly darkened.
“Kyaak!”
Terrified screams were heard from all directions.
The sound of startled horses rearing up could be heard.
The darkness enveloping the surroundings was so pitch-black that one couldn’t see an inch in front of them.
“Ugh!”
The horse Riana and Sched were riding also reared and galloped about in fear in the darkness.
“Hold on tight!”
Sched held Riana tightly with one arm to prevent her from falling while calming the wildly bucking horse.
As he gripped the reins tightly and soothed it, the horse gradually stopped galloping and looked around in the darkness.
“My lord, are you alright?”
“My lord!”
Voices searching for Sched could be heard in the darkness.
They seemed more distant than before.
Moreover, the voices were scattered in various places.
It seemed the formation had been disrupted along with the startled horses.
Sched bit his lip.
It was a trap.
The formation was disrupted, and in this pitch-black darkness, it was difficult to assess the situation.
A situation where they didn’t know what might happen if they moved carelessly.
Riana’s heart began to pound heavily.
‘Black magic……’
She could tell exactly because she had experienced it countless times.
Why? Who? How?
Long ago, except for Louise Ideana, everything related to black magic in this land had disappeared and been disposed of.
Surely that was the case……!
In that moment of confusion, strong arms pulled her even closer.
“Riana.”
A voice, calm to the point of coldness, was heard near her ear.
Top Celebrity Younger Brother Bears Her Child (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: Forced to live stream romance with a top celebrity in a female-dominant world.
Yan Jin transmigrated into a brothel, with a fellow transmigrated junior beside her.
Hearing the obscene words coming from outside, the unfortunate junior covered his ears tightly, his cheeks flushed red, and whispered to comfort her, “Don’t worry, I will definitely help you escape.”
“Don’t worry, I will definitely defend your chastity.” Yan Jin looked at the flawless and delicate features of the unfortunate junior and gently comforted, “Because we have transmigrated into a female-dominant world.”
※※※
Top celebrity Yu Shu suddenly fell into a coma during a concert.
Research scientist Yan Jin fainted in the lab after working overtime.
Two people with no connection were rushed to the same hospital.
Three days later, neither of them had woken up.
Suddenly, the entire nation discovered that a live streaming app had been forcibly installed on their phones.
Upon opening it, they heard the two discussing how to escape from the brothel.
The entire internet was in an uproar.
After the two successfully escaped from the brothel, Yu Shu’s fan group rushed to make a banner and sent it to the hospital overnight.
“Big sister bravely took action to defend the chastity of our idol!”
※※※
When Yu Shu was diagnosed with pregnancy, Yan Jin stared at his belly for a long time.
Covering his stomach, he muttered gloomily, “If you don’t like it, I’ll go get an abortion.”
“It’s not that I don’t like it.” Yan Jin hugged Yu Shu and said softly, “I just feel like I’m not human.”
Yu Shu comforted Yan Jin, “I was already an adult when we got together.”
Yan Jin hesitated, “But you won’t be of legal marriageable age even after giving birth to the child.”
At the same time, a flood of bullet comments appeared in the live streaming room that the two couldn’t see.
[Although it’s inappropriate, I also want a young and handsome boyfriend to have my child.]
①Male pregnancy (highlighted)
The female lead is five years older than the male lead, and the male lead is already an adult when he appears.
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