I couldn’t find the right words to say.
I could only stand there dumbfounded.
The story I had just heard was so shocking that it felt unreal.
‘Even Gréan, someday…’
To become like the wolves in the underground…
To be trapped in the dark and lonely underground without even knowing who I am…
‘How can such an absurd thing happen…’
A hot surge of something welled up inside me. I didn’t want to believe it. That someone so kind could face such a fate.
“…Madam, please don’t cry. I’m fine.”
“…?”
The moment Gréan’s hand touched my cheek, I realized that I was crying.
Wiping away my tears, he still wore a calm expression. Seeing his resigned face, my frustration built up, and I suddenly lashed out.
“How can this be fine!”
“I’ve known and accepted this fact since I was very young…”
“Why are you giving up already! There might be a way to lift the curse!”
Due to my nasal congestion from crying, my voice sounded terribly pathetic. Gréan continued to wipe away my tears, still wearing a bitter smile, and spoke.
“It’s not like there’s absolutely no way to lift the curse.”
“…! T-There’s a way? What is it?”
Feeling a faint glimmer of hope, I hurriedly asked, but a bitter smile deepened on Gréan’s lips. Strangely.
“But it’s a method that should never be attempted.”
“Why? Is it dangerous or difficult?”
“Because it goes against the laws of nature.”
“…?”
Gréan’s subsequent words were calm, as if he were casually discussing everyday matters.
“When someone is completely consumed by the curse, like the wolves in the underground, the curse is lifted if they devour a human.”
“When completely consumed by the curse, like the wolves in the underground, the curse is lifted if you capture and devour a human.”
“…What… What did you say?”
“So that’s why the underground wolves attacked you. They instinctively know that devouring a human is the way to be liberated from the curse.”
“…”
“And that’s why the direct descendants of the fully transformed Solzberrys have to stay trapped underground.”
All strength seemed to drain from my body. My shoulders shivered as if exposed to a freezing cold. I couldn’t gather my thoughts. The story I had just heard… It was too dreadful.
“…I’m also trying not to turn into a wolf because of the curse. As someone with Solzberry blood, I, in the form of a wolf, can easily lose reason due to the curse.”
“…?”
“Well, for now, I haven’t become more ferocious or aggressive. But if completely consumed by the curse, it will become dangerous.”
It felt like my throat was parched. Something invisible squeezed my heart, making it difficult to breathe. After struggling to regulate my breathing, I could barely muster a voice.
“…So, acting passively every night is because of that? To avoid losing reason?”
“…Yes. I always have to maintain control over my reason. But pleasure easily leads to losing reason. The moment I adhere to instinct, the curse accelerates.”
“…”
“Losing reason, I won’t be able to control my strength and may end up hurting you, who is fragile. With my original strength, I could easily break your bones.”
I nodded blankly. Wolf therians are generally stronger than ordinary humans, and Solzberry’s wolf therians possess much greater strength.
So, Gréan’s concerns were not unfounded. He hadn’t rejected me all this time… He had been trying to protect me.
From the beast within him that might lose reason at any moment.
Feeling overwhelmed, I bowed my head deeply and murmured.
“…I’m sorry. I had no idea about all this.”
“…? Why is the lady apologizing? It’s not your fault. It’s entirely my flaw.”
Rebelling against the term ‘flaw,’ I abruptly raised my head. When our eyes met, Gréan quickly blinked. He seemed surprised by my angry expression.
“You’ve been living with that mindset all this time? Thinking you have a flaw?”
“Well… yes.”
“Why would that be a flaw! That’s…”
I hesitated to find the right words, then added after a moment. It’s a tragedy.
“Tragedy is not something a person can control.”
“…”
“Are you apologizing to me because of that curse?”
To that, Gréan replied numbly.
“…Of course, I am…”
I clenched my fist, gritting my teeth, and forcefully struck Gréan’s chest. It only hurt my hand, but I continued to hit him, pressing down on this feeling until Gréan, bewildered, grabbed my wrist.
“Lady, your hand will swell like this.”
“My heart hurts more than my hand.”
I choked up a bit. Gréan, who had hesitated while looking at me, loosened his grip on my wrist. I weakly brought my hand to his chest and said, “You’re apologizing for something that’s not your fault. That you treated me with such feelings… I’m truly so hurt.”
“…”
A long and strange silence passed between us. Gréan continued to look at me in deep silence, his eyes unreadable.
Then, Gréan was the first to break the silence.
“Lady… I was like that. Thank you for liking someone like me. I still think the same as back then.”
“…”
“Once again, thank you for liking someone like me.”
There was a faint smile in his eyes, tinged with anxiety.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
