“Good morning, Miss Blanchett.”
The morning sunlight caught in the man’s curved turquoise eyes.
“Hello.”
Olivia responded briefly, and just then, water jets burst from the central fountain in the rose garden. Startled, Olivia’s shoulders tensed and then relaxed.
Why did she keep encountering this man? Olivia sighed inwardly.
She avoided his gaze and stared intently at the hotel’s side entrance.
Please come quickly, Elaine.
The fountain operates every hour, starting at 8 a.m. It meant Elaine’s appointment time was near, but she hadn’t appeared yet.
Worried someone might pass by, Olivia kept glancing around. The man spoke, naturally drawing her gaze.
“Let’s sit and wait together. I’m also waiting for someone.”
His casual smile made Olivia uncomfortable.
He was an oddly disconcerting man, partly due to his attention-grabbing appearance.
She wanted to leave but couldn’t because of her appointment with Elaine. After a moment’s hesitation, Olivia asked Ann.
“Can you check if something happened to Miss Elaine?”
“Yes, Miss.”
With no choice, Olivia reluctantly sat opposite Edgar on a wicker chair. A waiter poured lemon water into a glass amid an awkward silence.
Olivia scanned her surroundings again, relieved it was early morning.
“Do you enjoy tennis?”
The man’s soft voice finally made her restless eyes settle on Edgar.
“I play occasionally when I have time.”
“You seem quite good for someone who plays only occasionally.”
“Well, I have a bit of athletic talent.”
Olivia sipped the lemon water to ease her dry throat.
“Who taught you?”
The man, sitting with his long legs crossed, rested his elbow on the armrest and casually stroked his eye with his long fingers. The scent of his skin carried on the breeze was refreshing.
Olivia choked on her drink and coughed. Her face flushed.
“……My husband.”
Surprised, the man raised his thick eyebrows. Olivia quickly corrected herself.
“He hired a coach for me.”
She knew, and the man knew, that Johann Leopold was not the kind of man to leisurely play tennis with his wife.
Finally, the man nodded.
Relieved, Olivia turned her head to avoid his gaze, looking towards the garden with the fountain. The rose garden in full spring bloom was like a different world, beautiful.
“He’s a lousy coach.”
“A lousy coach?”
Olivia retorted defensively.
“The basic stance is wrong. It leads to unnecessary physical exertion, doesn’t it?”
His slightly cynical assessment hung in the air, accompanied by a hint of amusement on his lips.
“I don’t understand what you mean. My teacher was a wonderful instructor.”
Olivia’s tone was firm, her eyes fixed on the man with conviction.
Suddenly, the sound of cicadas on a summer day echoed in her ears.
She remembered him, tanned and muscular under the sun, wearing a crisp white polo shirt and shorts revealing strong calves.
It was a crush. That shallow emotion brought both excitement and heartache to her life.
She recalled the warmth of her senior’s body as he corrected her posture, how her heart pounded loudly.
As she reminisced, her cheeks involuntarily flushed, and her heart raced.
“Shall we test how excellent that teaching was?”
Her reverie was interrupted by the man’s playful voice.
“I don’t play predetermined matches.”
In a rigid tone, Olivia responded and looked in the direction Ann had gone, hoping she would return soon. It seemed she would have to give up using the free tennis court from today.
“Just one set. If you win one game, Miss Blanchett, you win.”
The man’s voice was leisurely, as if bestowing great generosity, but his expression was mischievously playful.
“You can take a game from me, can’t you? Since your coach is so excellent. Right?”
Olivia looked at the man while focusing on the far distance where Ann had disappeared. It felt like someone there was watching her.
“Is it too difficult?”
The man smirked playfully, and at that moment, fire ignited in Olivia’s eyes.
“Three games.”
The man raised his eyebrows slightly.
“That would be fair.”
Olivia smiled broadly.
The challenged woman stepped onto the court, her eyes blazing with competitive spirit, reminiscent of the summer sun.
Intimidating.
He chuckled at her serious demeanor.
Edgar grasped the racket handed to him by a staff member. This racket, bearing Prince Dumblein’s handwritten signature on the shoulder, was a gift he received when he was eight.
Taking a few swing poses, Edgar stepped onto the court. Across the net, Olivia Blanchett was watching him.
As Edgar approached her, she asked, “Getting scared?”
“No.”
Barely containing his laughter, he continued.
“It’s no fun without a bet on the match.”
“Don’t encourage gambling in a healthy game.”
“Is that also part of your excellent coach’s teachings?”
“Do you like gambling?”
“Kind of. Being a casino operator and all.”
Edgar smiled wryly.
“I have nothing to wager.”
“Oh, it’s not about betting anything big. Just a small wish.”
The woman’s blue eyes wavered, seemingly processing complex thoughts.
“What’s the wish?”
“It wouldn’t be fun if I told you now. Lose if you’re curious.”
The Villainous Demon Lord Laid an Egg for Her (Female-Dominated)
Several months after transmigrating into a book, Yu Wu found herself facing the demon lord Li You, who could no longer conceal his dragon horns. With one hand on her aching waist and the other gripping a sharp sword, she stared at him.
The demon lord’s eyes were red with fury:
“This is all your doing! Today, I won’t rest until I kill you!”
Yu Wu rubbed her temples. Putting aside the taboo against bloodshed during pregnancy, wasn’t it this very man who willingly walked into her trap that day?!
Warnings:
- Male pregnancy.
- Height ratios are set to mirror typical male-female height proportions.
- Characters include a foot-loving demon lord and an eldest daughter from an immortal family’s concubine lineage.
