Blackening the Affectionate Male Lead (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12
“Lady Rubernus?”
Cecilia’s eyes widened. It seemed she had known about her aunt’s existence. Whitney clasped her hands together and stood before the woman.
“I’m Whitney Orleans. Did Aunt ask you to bring me here?”
“My name is Sonia Telpe. Lady Rubernus summoned you to prepare for the young princess’s debutante ball.”
A guardian!
Whitney’s eyes grew round with surprise. Cecilia, apparently displeased by this sudden turn of events, furrowed her brow and stepped between the two women.
“You show up out of nowhere and expect to take my daughter away? The debutante ball can be handled perfectly well at the Ducal Mansion. While I appreciate Lady Rubernus’s offer, I think it best to decline.”
“Your opinion isn’t what matters here. It seems you haven’t even dressed the princess properly. We certainly can’t entrust her debutante to Lady Orleans. It would be better if you wrote the letter yourself.”
“Whitney. You’re not going, are you?”
Cecilia gripped her arm tightly and smiled with narrowed eyes. Whitney glanced at Sonia, then patted Cecilia’s hand and whispered softly,
“Mother, you know how crucial this moment is for me regarding my sister. If Aunt becomes my guardian, I’m certain I’ll earn Her Majesty the Queen’s recognition.”
“So you’re saying you’ll go with them?”
“Isn’t your wish for your elder daughter a good marriage? Though she stands at the heart of high society, no suitable proposals have come in, have they?”
The central nobility were exacting in their standards. Unless a woman possessed beauty, impeccable manners, and literary refinement all at once, she would inevitably fall behind. Though Melissa was stunningly beautiful, compared to central nobles who had received proper education since childhood, she clearly lacked in many aspects.
It wasn’t the same as merely getting along well with people. It wasn’t that no marriage proposals had arrived—but if Melissa had been content with what was offered, she would have married long ago.
“What if you go and never come back?”
“Wouldn’t that be good for you, Mother? I thought you’d be pleased to see me disappear from your sight.”
“That’s…!”
Cecilia started to raise her voice but glanced quickly at Sonia. The woman stood unmoving, calmly observing Cecilia’s every action. Perhaps it was the sharpness in Sonia’s gaze that made Cecilia release Whitney’s arm.
“I was only teasing, Mother. You and Sister are my only family. I will come back, so please don’t worry. After all, you’re my legal guardian.”
“…Yes! Of course. Legally, I am your guardian.”
The ease that had vanished from Cecilia’s face returned.
“Please wait just a moment.”
Whitney immediately went up to the attic. Since she knew they’d surely search it again in her absence, she needed to hide her books and belongings.
She pushed the bed slightly aside and opened the hidden door in the floor—a secret compartment known only to her—and placed the books about the Ducal Mansion inside. She carefully stored away dried herbs and seeds as well, then closed the door and quietly slid the bed back into place.
Soon after, Whitney descended downstairs. Cecilia and Melissa’s gazes clung persistently to her, but Whitney calmly joined her hands and followed Sonia out of the mansion.
[This is the timeline separator]After half a day’s journey, their carriage arrived at the Rapemonto estate on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Lewen. The darkening sky welcomed her.
In stark contrast to the Ducal Mansion stood an enormous manor before her eyes.
‘So this is House Rubernus’s territory.’
Alongside vast lands, disciplined knights stood guard around the estate. The grand castle visible in the distance was undoubtedly under House Rubernus’s management.
“Just follow me. It’s late, so it would be best to rest and pay your respects tomorrow.”
“Yes, I’ll do that.”
Whitney followed Sonia into the manor. Maids lined up and bowed respectfully to her. Their neat, unadorned appearance—so precise it needed no embellishment—made Whitney instinctively shrink back.
“You’ll use this room. You’ll stay here at least until your debutante ball. Please let us know if anything is inconvenient.”
Did this mean she could stay here until the debutante ball?
Taken aback by the unexpected statement, Whitney nodded dazedly. She entered the room cautiously and sat down on the wide bed.
Gazing blankly around the room, realization finally began to sink in. She buried her face in the pillows and murmured,
“I’ve escaped the Ducal Mansion.”
Her moment of joy—kicking her feet gleefully—was brief, interrupted by a knock at the door. Sonia said her bath was ready and offered to assist her.
Soon maids entered, but Whitney sent them away, insisting she’d bathe alone. Her wounds hadn’t fully healed, and she didn’t want anyone else to see them.
She walked into the bathroom. Steam filled the air from the warm water, and a delicate fragrance gently wafted into her nose.
As she carefully dipped her feet in, her body relaxed as if tension had melted away. She couldn’t even recall the last time she’d soaked in such a spacious tub or used such high-quality bath oils. Whitney submerged herself fully in the water and indulged in the bath to her heart’s content.
‘I told Mother I’d return soon, but now she definitely won’t stay quiet.’
She’d need to discuss this with her aunt tomorrow. She’d nearly given up hope after receiving no reply to her letter—she never expected them to send someone right away.
Back in her room, Whitney dried her wet hair with a towel while looking into the mirror. Her expression was more relaxed, yet her thin frame and dry skin remained painfully obvious.
‘There’s no chance like this.’
Whitney let out a deep sigh. Her aunt would surely share the same thought upon seeing her. She had to win her aunt’s heart at all costs.
House Rubernus had maintained decent relations with the Queen, yet there was a reason the Margrave resided in this remote borderland: Lord Rubernus had once offended the King.
She’d learned this while searching through old news reports about past events. Whitney felt she needed to understand this matter more thoroughly. If her aunt became her guardian, perhaps there’d be a way to mend the King’s relationship with House Rubernus.
After all, Whitney had a past connection with His Royal Highness, the beloved Second Prince.
She finished drying her hair and lay down on the bed. Exhaustion washed over her, and her eyelids grew heavier.
“I can’t fall asleep. I need to figure out what to do tomorrow. First, talk with Aunt… and then inform His Highness about the situation…”
She tried to fight off sleep, but after so long on a soft, comfortable bed, she couldn’t resist any longer.
Whitney curled up on the plush mattress and drifted off to sleep.
[This is the timeline separator]Whitney’s eyes snapped open. She sat up in bed and looked around.
Judging by the absence of any signs of activity, the maids hadn’t come to wake her yet.
She slipped out of bed and drew the curtains. Beyond the large window, which offered an unobstructed view, lay a terrace.
Leaning on the railing, she stared blankly at the meticulously landscaped garden. The morning chill brushed past her body.
“It’s refreshing.”
People of House Rubernus were already bustling about early in the morning—unlike the lazy staff at the Ducal Mansion.
Perhaps because this was a border region, knights were already training at dawn.
After observing the surroundings from the terrace for a while, Whitney finally returned inside. Just then, a knock sounded at the door, followed by Sonia’s voice.
At Whitney’s permission to enter, Sonia and the maids appeared.
“I’ll assist you with your preparations. Her Ladyship has invited you to join her for breakfast.”
This wasn’t something she could refuse. Though uneasy about the lingering scars on her arms, Whitney reluctantly nodded.
The maids quickly helped her dress. Their movements felt unfamiliar, but Whitney pretended not to mind and let them do their work.
Fortunately, none of them lingered their gaze on her scars. Once finished, the maids swiftly left.
Whitney followed Sonia to the dining room.
‘It’s my first time meeting Aunt.’
Since her father had married her mother after her aunt married the Margrave, they’d never met. House Rubernus had been viewed as a threat to the King.
For that reason, they still struggled to gain a foothold in the capital. Moreover, House Rubernus had remained childless for years until a successor to the Margrave was finally born several years ago.
Before that, they’d had no reason to enter central noble society—but with an heir now in place, the situation had changed.
“Her Ladyship, I’ve brought Princess Orleans.”
At Sonia’s words, the dining room door opened. Sonia remained at the threshold, not entering.
Whitney swallowed hard and stepped inside.
Servants were laying food on the long table. Seated at the table were Lady Rubernus and the Margrave.
“I am Whitney Orleans of House of Duke Orleans.”
Whitney slightly lifted her skirt and offered them a curtsy.
At her flawless greeting, a gentle smile bloomed on Lady Rubernus’s face.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
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Chapter Comments (1)
Inline Comments (9)
Cecilia hosted parties every two weeks, inviting guests to the Ducal Mansion—lik
What if it was Prince Carl? Or the man who brought them from the countryside and helped them?
“Meeting someone privately?”
I think she dyes her hair, or that she’s an illegitimate daughter of another man.
Mother would surely be furious, so it remained to be seen how she’d react. Judgi
I hope Cecile gets a very gentle punishment that cuts her down 🙂🔪
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This is the first time I’ve seen a good aunt help the heroine; I think this novel is different.