As someone in a precarious position who couldn’t dream of forgiveness, Peon had to listen carefully to his wife’s words. He should listen well now, after ignoring her all this time.
So he obediently listened to his wife’s words as she clenched her fists and shouted “No!”
It was just like his wife to cut him off sharply, saying he couldn’t be late to enter the palace. She was too kind, even gifting clothes to the husband who drove her to death, though there was no way he could look pretty to her.
“Do you like it?”
Kaella sat at the dressing table with her back turned, as if she couldn’t bear to watch her husband change clothes, and asked hesitantly. She was curious what Peon thought.
“On the day you wear that sapphire, I should wear this outfit too.”
The deep blue looked refreshingly cool without losing its gravity.
“Um, are you finished dressing?”
“Yes.”
At those words, Kaella turned her head and was startled.
“No, you’re not!”
“Why be shy now when we’ve seen it all before?”
He grinned as he picked up his belt. Gentlemen had just as many accessories as women.
That’s why valets always assisted with changing clothes, but Peon nonchalantly took care of everything himself, from sock garters to belt, shirt stays and cravat.
“Take a look. Is it alright? I quite like it.”
“Did you really finish changing?”
“Not completely, I covered the bare essentials.”
Suspicious eyes peeked at him through her fingers. Peon chuckled.
“Why are you being so modest? We’ve seen it all.”
“We haven’t seen it all.”
“…Shall we do it during the day?”
Kaella didn’t answer and helped Peon, who was just putting on his vest. Since he had been fastening her stocking garters lately, she couldn’t just keep receiving his help.
“Want to help?”
Peon gladly welcomed her small hands approaching.
When undressed, his body was incredibly solid and muscular, but when dressed in a vest and trousers adorned with delicate yet not excessive embroidery, and a pristine white shirt, he looked quite slim and slender.
The expensive, lightweight fabric fit him perfectly. Though the formal wear he had been wearing, prepared by the empress, suited him well, new clothes were still new clothes. He looked like a sophisticated gentleman of Klein and a ruler holding all the power.
Kaella deliberately buttoned him up tightly and tied his cravat.
She did her best as if to suppress the terrifying power Peon held, wrapping it in well-polished civilization. Even though she knew he was simply enjoying her earnest assistance as he smirked.
“All done? Can I go now?”
Kaella tilted her head and rummaged through the jewelry box he handed her. After contemplating between the smallest brooch and scarf ring for a while, she pinned a small sapphire brooch to his cravat as decoration.
“Done?”
She finally nodded. Next time, she should give him cufflinks made of blue sapphires in return. It would just be reciprocation, since she had received so much. Peon would probably like it.
“Go now.”
The small jewel on Peon’s cravat and the brooch Kaella wore on her chest were identical in shape.
Looking every bit a married couple, the two left the townhouse and headed for the imperial palace. There was even a set route to the palace. After alighting from the carriage, the couple did not separate, with the husband accompanying his wife all the way to her destination.
It was already common knowledge in the fast-rumor-spreading Klein that the Grand Duke of Lucenford doted on his frail wife.
Of course, there were also mocking rumors about him, but that was because the ducal couple was at the center of attention.
“Don’t overexert yourself, and don’t try to take care of everything for the crown prince. He can’t do it all anyway, so think of yourself first.”
Worried that Kaella might take on unnecessary burdens, Peon gave her firm instructions.
“You understand, right?”
“Yes.”
“Not ‘yes.'”
“Mhm.”
Peon finally smiled brightly when she nodded, and after giving Kaella a final kiss, he sent her inside.
“See you later.”
As always, he planned to stand here until Kaella was out of sight. But a servant approached him.
“Your Grace. His Majesty is looking for you. He requests your immediate presence at Soleil Palace.”
Peon’s cold eyes were filled only with Kaella’s bright retreating figure.
Would her mood improve a bit if I gifted her a dress set with matching accessories and jewels every day from now on?
Such things are only temporary distractions to shift her attention from death to reality. Kaella had no interest in worldly matters.
“Let’s go.”
Time to suppress nausea again.
*
“How are the evil dragon’s movements these days?”
The emperor who had suddenly summoned Peon asked. Peon, who had already been submitting monthly reports, calmly answered while looking at the mountain of those reports piled on the emperor’s desk.
“After attempting one attack before I left, it’s been quiet.”
“Wasn’t that more of a rampage than an attack? I heard it was wailing and screaming? The report said there was no military conflict.”
The cause of the evil dragon Gusalante’s wailing answered brazenly.
“That’s unknown. I personally scouted countless times to confirm why it invaded but retreated without a proper attack, but I didn’t see even a shadow of a monster.”
“Suspicious.”
“Yes. It’s so suspicious that we’re reinforcing the fortress and focusing on reconnaissance even more.”
“The evil dragon is a very cunning beast. You never know when it might stab you in the back while pretending to lay low. It must be planning something.”
The emperor spoke anxiously, as if he had experienced it himself.
“Yes. That’s why I plan to return immediately after the crown prince’s engagement ceremony ends.”
“The foreign tribes outside the border were dealt a harsh blow this spring, so they’ll be quiet for a while. That’s how humans are. But beasts that aren’t human are different. You can’t predict them.”
“Your Majesty. Even if they send a monster army, I have defended well.”
The emperor raised his clouded eyes to look at Peon, his shield.
Peon is Gusalante’s son. Because of Peon, that Gusalante hasn’t been able to send enough monsters to cross the border.
Even dragons love their offspring. That’s why he deliberately placed Peon there, but the emperor had been very anxious lately.
It had been fine like this so far, but with the magical artifacts charred and useless and the empress slipping from his grasp, would the methods used until now really be enough at this point?
“The evil dragon absolutely cannot use magic in the Crania Empire, Your Majesty.”
Peon spoke as if reminding the emperor.
That’s right. But the emperor had clearly seen it. That’s why he called for Peon.
“…Didn’t the monsters use magic when they invaded this time?”
“The magic those beasts use is also included in the promise the first emperor extracted from the evil dragon. They absolutely cannot use it inside the border. Why do you ask, Your Majesty?”
The emperor carefully observed Peon, who asked despite knowing. Then he pondered for a moment. Recalling that he had recently punished Peon, he rose from his seat.
“Come here. You should check on your mother’s condition too.”
The emperor, who believed that appropriate punishment and reward were very effective in taming beasts and that beasts should be raised as beasts, walked with Peon to the inner bedchamber.
Last time, the emperor alone made him realize his place in the “sacred forest,” the monster garden, so this time it was time to throw him a carrot.
“Your mother, in fact, disappeared for a moment.”
“Pardon?”
Of course, Peon, who could guess everything the emperor was thinking, had quite a hard time pretending to be surprised appropriately.
“Since you’re in charge of guarding the border, you should know this. That evil dragon must have done something.”
Starting like that, the emperor continued his lengthy speech, lamenting about how the empress disappeared and how anxious he was, hoping to share this worry and anxiety with Peon.
In the end, he wanted to draw Peon into this anxiety and keep the empress in this palace.
Peon boredly watched the highly strung emperor, then turned his gaze to his mother as the emperor opened the bedroom door, pulled back the curtains, and showed her.
“She was lying just like this then too, and disappeared for a moment like this. It’s no ordinary matter.”
His mother was still unconscious, breathing with her eyes closed. Peon looked at her and bowed his head silently as if greeting her.
“Were there no other strange reactions?”
“None at all.”
The emperor shook his head.
“How strange indeed.”
“She can’t even wake up when her son has come…”
The emperor turned his head, apparently upset anew. Peon quietly bent down and called to his mother.
“I’ve come, Mother.”
Mother, what kind of prohibition were you under that you couldn’t tell me who my father was? There was a woman who greatly envied the current you – are you happy?
Peon looked down at his pale mother, letting the emperor’s detestable chatter fade into the background. He wanted to know what his mother wanted, but there was no way to know. At least she wouldn’t want to be here.
He missed Kaella.
*
The Marchioness of Schröz still hadn’t dared to speak about what she had seen. The terrible vision she saw would be taken to her grave.
Her reliable son, the crown prince, helplessly torn apart and killed by the Grand Duke of Lucenford’s hands? The Marchioness of Schröz pondered what she had seen then to the point of being unable to sleep, and eventually concluded it was ‘an illusion.’
It must have been an illusion. The Grand Duke of Lucenford’s aura was so terrifying that she had mistakenly seen such a horrible vision.
After reaching that conclusion, the Marchioness of Schröz came to dislike the Grand Duke and Duchess of Lucenford even more. How dare the empress’s illegitimate child take such an impertinent attitude towards the crown prince’s mother!
‘I must not let this slide someday. Our crown prince is so kind that I just endured it this time.’
That was certainly it. That’s why she held her head high and participated in the event that was about to begin. She absolutely could not miss the banquet where the emperor received congratulatory envoys from various countries and had light conversations before the eve of the ceremony.
Although the Grand Duchess of Lucenford’s dress was particularly radiant today, and the large blue sapphires dangling all over it were irritating, the Marchioness of Schröz didn’t even look in that direction.
She was very well aware of the recent rumors about the Grand Duke and Duchess of Lucenford.
‘Both the Grand Duke who kicked out the debt-ridden Marquis’s daughter and caught the wealthy Ostein princess, and that Grand Duchess are vulgar fools. Since a gold vein was discovered in Lucenford, the Grand Duke will probably just cover up his mistress’s debts.’
Therefore, a noble lady like the Marchioness of Schröz should hold her chin even higher and pay no attention to such vulgar illegitimate children.
“Congratulations.”
“Congratulations.”
People from all over the world were offering her congratulations! That’s right. She was the mother of the crown prince who played a very important role in this engagement ceremony.
“The prepared alcohol is very good.”
The light wines that Crania prided itself on and the fragrant teas, along with the foods that could be enjoyed with them, were all highly praised.
The Marchioness of Schröz happily explained how much effort it took to select those foods and what pains she had taken. Anyone could see that the Marchioness of Schröz was the one who had prepared and hosted all of this.
She very contentedly watched her son, today’s protagonist, dealing with various high-ranking officials and royalty from abroad. How admirable he was.
It was clear whose son he was – so tall, handsome, and smart. His way of speaking was so articulate, she didn’t know how he did it. The Marchioness of Schröz couldn’t take her eyes off her son as he spoke about fields she knew nothing about.
“…so, with the naval base in Bayeta, the pirates will soon be eradicated.”
Isn’t he speaking so well? The Marchioness of Schröz was so proud. All the humiliation she had endured from the arrogant chief ladies-in-waiting of the empress’s palace, who looked down on her as a mistress, was washed away today.
“Your Highness, there is no naval base in Bayeta.”
That impertinent Grand Duke of Lucenford always butts in where he shouldn’t. The Marchioness of Schröz half-covered her face with her fan.
“The Grand Duke is only in the north, so he might not know about the south well. There is a base in Bayeta.”
The Grand Duke of Lucenford smiled kindly once again.
“There is nothing in Bayeta, Your Highness.”
“Yes, there is nothing there. The crown prince must have been momentarily confused due to being so busy. The base is in Protignan, not Bayeta.”
The Duke of Ostein also approached with a smile and took the Grand Duke of Lucenford’s side.
What is this! How dare the father-in-law and son-in-law embarrass our crown prince! The fan in the Marchioness of Schröz’s hand trembled.
“Ah… I see. I was mistaken. It’s Protignan, not Bayeta.”
The kind crown prince corrected himself, looking very embarrassed.
‘It’s nothing, anyone could get a little confused! How busy has our son been lately!’
He was just confused because he was so busy. So I must feed him properly. I should call him separately when there’s time and make sure he eats well. Isn’t that a mother’s duty? The Marchioness of Schröz made that resolution.
In any case, today was a good day.
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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