Harchen suspected that Princess Leak was involved in the Diarum poison soup incident. He believed she had been deeply involved in the attempted assassination of Empress Kaosan but had slipped away like a loach.
A gloomy silence fell.
“Arsenic, a metal with a grayish luster, is highly toxic and is used as a pesticide to kill insects that parasitize animals and plants. I saw in a book that certain minerals are toxic. It was what first sparked my interest in poisons.”
“Most fruit seeds also contain poison. Apple seeds in particular contain cyanide toxins. As I pored over plant encyclopedias, I naturally became interested in poisonous plants like mushrooms, wild ginger, aconite, and lily of the valley.”
People thought Alesia, nicknamed the walking encyclopedia, simply listed knowledge, but they were mistaken.
People’s lack of interest in her gave her relative freedom, and above all, she had abundant time and money. If she set her mind to it, she could buy anything and had the time to do whatever she wanted.
While other ladies her age went shopping for dresses, shoes, and accessories, Alesia frequented blacksmiths’ shops.
There, she touched mineral substances and pestered blacksmiths to procure the minerals she needed.
Searching for browned tree roots, dried fruits, and leaves, she met and befriended Old Chen from Oro Alley.
On Alesia’s terrace, she collected various minerals and dried or cultivated mushrooms and mountain herbs in pots.
“I got tree roots and mountain herbs through Old Chen from Oro Alley.”
To Old Chen, Alesia introduced herself not as a princess, but as a poor girl living with her old and sick grandmother.
Thanks to this, she was able to buy an Angel’s Trumpet plant with yellow flowers, roots and all.
“But there, I met Julia’s maid.”
Old Chen treated those who bought poisonous herbs the same as those who bought medicinal herbs and kept their secrets.
However, he surrendered to Alesia’s torrent of words and persistent questions.
So she learned that Julia’s maid had gotten contraceptive pills made. Julia’s maid was clearly a chaste virgin. She was certain the maid wouldn’t use the pills herself.
At first, they might use contraceptive pills, but it was clear they would gradually move on to stronger substances.
There would be plenty of people like Julia trying to tarnish the Tane princess and pull her away from Harchen’s side. Hadn’t even the Empress Dowager repeatedly said she couldn’t openly accept the Tane princess?
Alesia, who was planning to study abroad at Tane Academy, felt a sense of duty to protect the princess so as not to strain relations with the Tane Empire.
She pondered ways to instill vigilance in everyone in the imperial family.
“To protect the Golden Sun Warrior, I pre-coated the tips of the argentum rods I had procured with poison, then dipped them in the soup and salad.”
“Astounding. Your actions nearly cost the chef his life.”
“Because of that incident, Harchen provided argentum cutlery, and the chef managed and used ingredients more strictly. Those who intended to use poison wouldn’t have dared either.”
Calip, standing beside the emperor, bowed and added in a cautious tone.
“Your Majesty, the Third Princess’s words seem to be correct. In the end, no one was hurt, the Empress is safe, and meals are eaten comfortably.”
“Thank you, my lord. Indeed, I judged people accurately. Lord Calip is wise and prudent…”
“Enough, crow. If you’re done, you may leave.”
“No, there’s something really important left. Harchen, I thought about it nine times over. Here, ‘over’ doesn’t mean twice, but derived from 9 again…”
Alesia paused briefly as she met with a cold glare.
“So, I mean I thought about it at least 81 times…”
“Cr-ow. Skip the chatter and get to the point briefly.”
“Let me treat the Empress’s amnesia.”
“With your poison herbs, no, your antidote? You’re crazy.”
“That’s why you need to listen even if my explanation is boring. First, the herbs are processed, oh, processing is a method of changing the properties of herbs in various ways. Did you see the palace outer wall shrubbery turn black and then suddenly come back to life?”
“I did.”
“You did! Ah. Everything’s falling into place so perfectly.”
“If you’re talking about an antidote, the old woman from Amir, no, the flutist, already used one.”
“I know that too, but mine is different from what I’ve processed. Even Old Chen was surprised by my antidote. The Amir antidote only works on external wounds. Especially, it immediately stops blood flowing from cuts made by knives or sharp metals. But I, you see. I found rare old books and researched various methods.”
Harchen frowned and turned his head towards the window. A black shadow flickered across the window and quickly disappeared.
“The original purpose of the alchemists living in the deep valleys of Tane Herperos was to create an elixir of eternal youth.”
Just as alchemists transform non-metals like copper, lead, tin, and minerals to extract gold, Alesia altered the properties of Angel’s Trumpet and Datura Purple using fire, water, and wind.
Afterwards, she used various types of water. Alesia used seawater, alcohol, fermented vinegar, and sap.
She even studied and researched the bile, gallbladder, and pancreatic juices secreted by animals that digest and excrete food, which she learned from poring over animal encyclopedias.
Alesia would don a black robe and go to the butcher shop in the corner of Oro Alley, begging for bile to use in processing herbs.
“After processing various medicines in different ways, including steaming and sun-drying nine times, I finally obtained the antidote.”
“So now you want to feed that to Patricia?”
Harchen jumped up from the sofa and went to the window, throwing it wide open.
He shaded his eyes with his hand and looked up at the sky where layers of white clouds blocked the light. A white eagle with a yellow beak was gliding low under the clouds.
So it was that one.
Whee-eek, Harchen whistled by curling his lips with his hand. The eagle dropped as if falling, then flew away again.
Whee-eek, he whistled again. This time, the white eagle didn’t even come down.
That bastard.
It was clearly a letter sent by Patrick. Out of stubbornness, Harchen whistled three more times, but the white eagle flew right into the white clouds.
“Alright, I’ll discuss it with Patricia first. Little crow, go back to your room and reflect.”
“Why? Why should I reflect?”
“What?”
“If I restore the Empress’s memory, you should reward me.”
“What do you want?”
“To study abroad at Tane Academy.”
“Little crow, you haven’t even had your debutante…”
Just then, there was a knock, followed by the hasty entry of the head chamberlain.
“Your Majesty, there’s an urgent matter… You must go to the Empress Dowager right away.”
“What’s the matter?”
“She just said to come urgently.”
As Harchen stood up, Alesia also rose and clung to his arm.
“Harchen…! Hm? Persuade mother to let me go to Tane Academy.”
“After seeing the results?”
“I’m confident.”
If Patricia clung to me like this and acted cute, I’d give her everything without hesitation.
Harchen smiled as he pulled Alesia’s soft head close, her armpit hooked around his arm.
*
A black carriage for imperial business, having departed from the poorhouse, entered the palace and passed through the metasequoia-lined avenue.
Patricia, who had been looking out the window, opened it and looked up at the sky. A white eagle spread its wings and flew low.
“Brie! Lord Bern, please stop the carriage.”
Patricia spoke to the knight riding alongside the carriage.
“Lady Lina. It’s Brie, probably sent by Patrick.”
As the carriage came to a stop, Patricia got out and whistled, Whee-eek. The white eagle immediately descended at high speed, paused briefly in front of her, then gently alighted on her arm.
Patricia, having no memory of Brie, was scared when the eagle descended at a fierce speed.
But when the eagle paused briefly before landing on her arm, she felt strangely moved. Brie rubbed its sharp yellow beak against her shoulder.
Carolina, overcome by a strong, pleasant premonition, felt her pulse race as Patricia cradled Brie with both hands and boarded the carriage.
Patricia lifted Brie’s wing and untied the letter from its leg, unfolding it. Carolina, wanting to hide her pounding heart, looked at the distant white clouds in the sky.
“Lady Lina. Would you like to read this first?”
“To Risha.
Are you spending passionate days with Harchen?
His assistance and exploits have become a lifelong debt to repay in Tane. I wanted to come there to see you too, but I have many matters to attend to.
We’ll have the coronation and royal wedding together, so come with Harchen then.
Pass on the accompanying letter to her. Risha, I miss you.
Patrick.”
As expected, the letter to Patricia was simply folded lengthwise, while Carolina’s was rolled into a cylinder and sealed with wax. Patricia smiled as she handed the cylindrical letter to Carolina.
“Look at Patrick’s cunning. He sealed yours with wax so I couldn’t read it.”
Carolina wanted to read it alone quietly, but her heart felt like it would burst with curiosity.
The moment she read the sentence in Patricia’s letter about having the coronation and royal wedding together, her face turned bright red.
Moreover, Patricia had shown her own letter… She opened the wax seal with slightly trembling hands and unfolded the dried paper.
“Carolina, every time I call your name in my heart, it aches. I miss you so much. I’ve endured until now with the memory of our brief first kiss on the Helios Hall terrace, but now I’m at my limit. Probably tomorrow, knights will arrive with a royal wedding proposal. Of course, I’m certain you’ll come. Let’s get married here and go to Notos Palace for our honeymoon. I’ll find the sentence you wrote as a confession in the library bookmark. I’ve instructed my knights not to rest from their journey and to steal you away like thieves, but I wonder if that’s too much for you. Don’t pack anything, just come as you are, I want to hold you.
Your love-sick Patrick.”
Ah, why is this so ticklish, Patrick’s really a fox.
Patricia, who had been secretly peeking, boldly moved closer to Carolina until their cheeks touched. Carolina’s cheek was very hot.
“Lady Lina. Did Patrick always speak informally?”
“Ah, no.”
Carolina hadn’t even noticed Patricia reading the letter next to her face. As the two women were pressing the backs of their hands against their flushed cheeks, the carriage stopped.
Knight Bern opened the carriage door, and the eagle that had been curled up on Patricia’s lap spread its wings and flew outside.
As they alighted from the carriage, they heard the sound of someone running through the main palace corridor.
“Lina, Carolina!”
Isabella came running down the stairs, wiping tears flowing over her unevenly swollen cheeks.
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.]