After Linking the Villainess and Male Lead (5 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 23
I blurted out something—anything—to hide the pounding of my heart.
“You may go in. I can manage on my own, so….”
As I spoke, I shifted my body backward, trying my hardest to put some distance between us.
But then my foot slipped on a large stone embedded in the ground, causing me to lose my balance and fall backward.
“Oh—ah…!”
Crash!
At the same moment the flowerpot shattered, Kaern caught me by the waist and pulled me into his arms.
Thanks to him, I didn’t fall—but the flower that should have been prettily nestled in the pot now lay scattered across the floor.
“Oh, the flower….”
I glanced at it with regret, then turned my head away.
That’s when I realized I was pressed against him far more closely than just a moment ago.
“Are you all right?”
“Huh? Yes. I’m fine. I’m sorry.”
“Are you really all right?”
His voice, thick with concern, kept echoing in my ear.
“Yes. I’m fine. Thanks to you, Your Grace, I didn’t fall. Thank you.”
After apologizing to Kaern from this terribly embarrassing position, I immediately averted my eyes.
I squirmed subtly, trying to slip out of his embrace—but perhaps because my posture was unstable, Kaern didn’t loosen his grip.
“Your Grace, I really am fine. So… could you please let go now…?”
Despite my reaction, Kaern only released me after carefully helping me stand upright.
“Thank you so much. Oh, but the flowerpot….”
I sighed, looking at the completely shattered pot, and bent my knees.
“Whew, thank goodness. Even though the pot broke, the flower itself is safe.”
Fortunately, the flower wasn’t damaged—and if I brushed off the soil and replanted it into the spare pot I’d brought in my luggage, it should be just fine.
Thinking that, I reached out to pick up the flower from among the broken shards.
“Don’t touch it!”
But Kaern seized my wrist, preventing my hand from even getting near the flower.
“It’s dangerous. Don’t touch it.”
“I’ll just gently pick up the flower.”
“No.”
Firmly stopping me, Kaern called a servant.
“Transplant the flower into a new pot.”
“Yes, sir.”
At Kaern’s command, the servants moved swiftly and in perfect unison.
In no time, thanks to their practiced movements, the spot where the pot shards had been scattered was spotlessly clean.
“They even had a spare pot in my luggage—and they’ve already replanted it.”
I murmured, staring at the pot Kaern was holding—a pot far more expensive and elegant-looking than the one I’d brought.
Inside it rested a red flower.
“I didn’t want your flower to get hurt.”
“The red petals and the white pot look wonderfully matched.”
The flower’s brilliance harmonized perfectly with the calm, pure white pot.
“But now my gift isn’t really a gift anymore.”
“A gift?”
The potted flower had been meant as a present for him.
Aside from the handkerchief I’d bought at the shop, I’d especially wanted to give him this flower—so I’d prepared the pot to match it as well.
“Yes. I brought it to give to you, Your Grace. But I’m really disappointed that I broke the pot.”
I replied in a dejected voice.
“You brought it to give to me?”
“Yes. When I saw this flower, I immediately thought of you—because its color reminded me of your eyes….”
I hadn’t intended to say something so embarrassingly sweet, yet the words slipped out before I even realized.
“So, that is….”
“You bought this flower thinking of me….”
I’d tried to cover up my embarrassment, but instead, my reaction only made Kaern even more interested in the flower.
“So it really is a shame, just as you said.”
“Huh?”
“If I’d known it was a gift for me, I would never—no matter what—have let it break.”
“I’m sorry. It was my carelessness….”
“No need to apologize. It was my sudden movement that caused it. I’ll gladly accept your gift.”
When I apologized, filled with regret, he reassured me gently.
Then he called a nearby servant and handed over the pot.
“Take it to my study for now.”
“Yes, sir.”
After the servant left with the pot, silence settled around us for a moment.
I was wondering what to say next when I suddenly remembered what I’d come to do.
“I’ll go plant some flowers in the garden now.”
“Come with me.”
Just like before, Kaern walked beside me, matching my steps.
“Aren’t I taking up too much of your time?”
He was famously busy—everyone in the world knew that.
I couldn’t help but worry whether he was overexerting himself on my account.
But Kaern answered my question with his usual blank expression and dry tone.
“Not particularly.”
“Oh….”
Since he said he wasn’t especially busy, it felt strange to press further—so I simply fell silent.
Truthfully, even before stepping out of the carriage, I’d secretly hoped we might take a stroll together in the garden.
So I quietly walked with him toward the garden, doing my best to hide these thoughts.
With Kaern beside me, I couldn’t tell if it was just my mood—but the day seemed far brighter than before.
As we entered the garden, the sweet scent of flowers tickled my nose, carried on the warm, cozy breath of spring.
Pretending to look around, I stole a quick glance at Kaern.
He was as breathtakingly handsome and strikingly elegant as ever.
But somehow, what was meant to be just a brief look turned into an intense stare without my realizing.
Kaern noticed my gaze and turned his head toward me.
“Is there something on my face?”
“Huh? No.”
I barely managed to hide my flustered feelings and quickly looked away.
Just then, we arrived at the flowerbed where I’d planned to plant the flowers.
I quickly took the flowers from the wooden box placed in front of the bed and carefully lifted them out.
Then, bending down, I began planting them into the soil that Amy had already tilled for me.
He didn’t speak to me again.
I’d been worried he might offer to help—but fortunately, he didn’t.
He must have already heard from Adelia that I never let anyone else handle my garden work.
In other places, I would have accepted help from the servants—but the Duke of Lavellion’s garden was different.
This was a special place I’d shaped myself, with my own hands, caring for every bit of soil, flower, and tree.
Even Adelia, who always accompanied me, knew well the effort and care I’d poured into it—so she’d only ever watched quietly while I tended the garden.
Now that I was disengaged and about to leave for studies abroad, the estate’s servants would take over—but I still wanted to plant these flowers myself before I went.
‘Is he still standing right behind me?’
I couldn’t be certain since I wasn’t looking—but I could’ve sworn I felt a burning gaze on my back.
Doing my best not to be distracted, I hurriedly finished transplanting the flowers.
Since the servants had already prepared everything, I finished sooner than expected—and finally straightened my back.
When I turned around to look for him, Kaern was sitting on a bench directly behind me.
After giving a satisfied look at the flowerbed now filled with the blooms I’d brought today, I approached him—and he stood up.
“All done?”
“Yes. I think we can head back now.”
“Wait a moment.”
“For what?”
Just as I was about to step away—
Kaern’s hand slowly reached toward me, hovered near my hair for a second, then withdrew.
Between his fingertips was a single flower petal.
“Oh—I must’ve gotten it on me while planting. Thank you.”
Smiling faintly, I thanked him.
“Then let’s head inside.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Before following him, I took one last look around the garden.
A satisfied smile naturally formed on my lips.
‘This should be the end, right?’
Yet, despite that thought, a bittersweet sense of loss was unavoidable.
Well, at least the duke’s staff would take good care of it from now on.
Hoping that would be the case, I entered the mansion with Kaern.
It was a place I visited every day—but walking in with Kaern instead of Adelia gave me a strange, unfamiliar feeling.
We went straight to Kaern’s study and sat across from each other, the table between us.
Then Kaern, who had seemed deep in thought, finally opened his mouth.
“Helena, why do you keep calling me ‘Your Grace’?”
“Huh?”
Kaern frowned slightly, as if something displeased him.
“Didn’t we agree to call each other by our given names now?”
I hadn’t expected him to confront me directly about my continued use of formal address—and I hesitated before answering.
Though I was happy I now had permission to say his name, embarrassment and nervousness were simply unavoidable.
To avoid answering, I deliberately changed the subject, looking around the room as if it were something fascinating.
“This is my first time in Your Grace’s study. Indeed….”
The space felt cool and clean, entirely free of any unnecessary clutter.
In this, too, Kaern was unmistakably himself.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
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If there is a person checking these comments. Can you please add a word/letter count to the bottom. Also sometimes the comments don’t stay within the chapter you read but throughout the whole book, please fix that glitch. Another, per book- hour limited to how many comments can earn cookies – it’s better you write that somewhere or give a notification to the commenter about that. The notification about the 3/3 free reads glitch too, sometimes it says 3/1,1/3,1/1 or not work. The cookies glitch sometimes too, id have 10 but when I try to unlock chapter it keeps saying I have none. Love yalls work!
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