At his subordinate’s words, Manute turned his head. And then, he too was left with no choice but to gape at the sight. There was Hades, supporting Latifa so closely that not even a gap of a finger could fit between them.
‘They didn’t tell me they would be escorting her so conspicuously!’
Manute knew a little about Latifa, but he had no idea that they would bring her in such a way that could be misinterpreted. He had casually told his subordinates to bring her separately.
‘If they continue to behave like this, they might even ruin Prince Lohan’s reputation!’
“Do you know who that woman is, General?”
“Don’t worry about them and focus on your own work.”
Though greatly flustered, Manute did not show it and gave orders to his subordinates. Then he turned his horse and headed towards Hades.
[Star Icon][Star Icon]‘It’s a mountain after a mountain.’
Latifa sighed quietly as she looked at the sturdy black horse in front of her. She had heard they would be riding the same horse, but she hadn’t expected Hades would actually do it.
It didn’t make sense if you thought about it.
‘Why would a general of a country ride the same horse as a prisoner of war from a defeated country?!’
And the glances of the soldiers who kept glancing at her and staring were uncomfortable. Even without asking, their looks said, ‘Why are you there?’
Contrarily, she wanted to ask them, ‘You all, why do you think I am here?’
“Have you ever ridden a horse?”
“……No.”
She had ridden a few times for ceremonial purposes at the palace. However, saying she had ridden a horse could risk exposing her identity, so Latifa shook her head.
“Do you prefer the front or the back?”
At Hades’ sudden question, Latifa cocked her head in confusion. Front? Back? What was he talking about?
“If you ride in front, you can gloriously nestle in my arms, and if you ride behind, it would also be glorious to place your hands on my waist.”
‘What?!’
“…….”
There was no trace of jest or humor in Hades’ tone, making it impossible to mistake his words for a joke. She wouldn’t be so flustered if he had used a joking tone.
“Choose quickly. Front? Or back?”
He urged her, placing a large saddle on the black horse.
Either choice was embarrassing. Just gripping his hand without shaking required immense concentration, and now she had to ride the horse with him?
Nestling in his arms or holding onto his waist? It was almost akin to a death sentence.
Latifa had absolutely no immunity against men. Living in seclusion in a remote palace within the imperial court, she had barely encountered any men her age for several years, and the only man she did meet was either an attendant or a librarian.
‘Plus, the man in front is a mad dog……!’
As Latifa’s mind was becoming a chaos of confusion, Hades’ urging voice rang out once more.
“Why have you become mute again?”
Just then, Manute rushed forward from his horse, like a savior.
“Commander! Commander Hades!”
“The preparations for departure are complete. Manute, isn’t your place in the rear, not here?”
“Commander, I’m talking about that woman.”
‘Me?’
Suspecting that the conversation might involve her, Latifa perked up her ears.
“That’s right, Manute. Good thing you’re here. Front, or back. Choose one.”
“Huh?”
Hades ignored what Manute was saying and pressed on with his point. Latifa understood Hades’ intentions.
‘He’s making this man choose!’
She stared at Manute pleadingly.
Please, back. Back. Back.
Hugging the waist is better than being hugged. Please. Back, sir!
Manute frowned, perplexed.
“Front and back? Are you rearranging the army?”
“No. Hurry up and choose. Front? Or back?”
Latifa stared at Manute intently and even opened her small lips to give him a hint.
“Bac…….back.”
But, unfortunately, Manute seemed oblivious to Latifa’s hint and cheerfully responded.
“Of course, as a man, one should always be at the front! Front! I choose the front!”
“Ahhhhhh!”
‘I’m doomed!’
At the sudden outburst, both Manute and Hades turned to stare at Latifa.
She was clamping her mouth shut, glaring at Manute with resentment in her eyes. Startled by her glare, Manute turned back to Hades.
“Puhahahaha!”
Hades suddenly burst into laughter.
“Front, you say, front! That’s right! A man should be at the front!”
“What, what’s going on?”
Once Hades had stopped laughing, he walked over to Latifa, took her by the waist, and lifted her onto the saddle in one swift motion.
“Hup!”
As his hot hand made contact with her waist, Latifa took in a deep breath unknowingly. But the hand on her waist was gentle.
In one quick motion, Hades jumped up onto the horse, positioning himself behind Latifa. The robust man’s arm wound around her slender waist, and his solid chest made contact with her back.
‘I’d rather faint!’
Her heart seemed to quicken with the strong thumping coming from the horse’s back. A hot flush rose up from beneath her robe, and her hands were shaking uncontrollably.
Hades’ hands reached from her side, soon taking hold of the horse’s reins.
“Ge, General! The actions you’re currently taking are be, beneath your dignity…!”
Manuth, who had been watching the whole scene, was speechless. Looking at Manuth, Hades cheekily responded.
“Manuth. Just because you said you should go first, I respected your wishes and put you in the lead. Is there a problem?”
Hades’ low voice echoed directly into Latifa’s ears. They were that close. Feeling a strange fluttering sensation for the first time, Latifa quickly bent her upper body forward, creating a distance.
“Ge, General…!”
Manuth looked up at them, riding on a horse, with a woebegone expression. However, Hades was indifferent, looking at the soldiers behind them, and Latifa muttered in the same woebegone manner towards Manuth.
“That’s why I said I should go at the back, Sir…”
“Si, Sir…?”
“Co, come on, if we dawdle, the sun will set. Woah, let’s go.”
The black horse began to move at its owner’s command. Feeling the intense heat from his back, Latifa let out a big sigh.
‘Desert people, they’re really strange.’
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.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
