“It doesn’t mean I’ll just send them away. Rochester will ensure your family’s safety to the greatest extent possible within its capabilities. If you wish, I can also arrange for them to stay in a third country, not Dermaier or Lesothia.”
No, that’s not what I wanted. Such a complacent approach can’t guarantee complete safety in this dangerous world.
Perhaps I wouldn’t be included in the group going to this third country. I wouldn’t be able to leave this ducal residence until Ricardo marries and inherits the title of duke. So, there was only one thing I had to do.
“Let’s do it.”
Ricardo’s face briefly showed confusion at my abrupt statement.
“The engagement.”
Ricardo chuckled slightly. He didn’t say it, but his eyes questioned, ‘Why…?’
“I heard that the star of Rochester has risen again.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“That means your consort will soon come to this ducal residence.”
“That’s what everyone says.”
“But she didn’t help with your awakening and manifestation.”
“That’s why you’re here.”
I exhaled slowly, trying to calm my slightly quickened breath, a contrast to his consistently composed demeanor.
“Maybe it could be me… even if the probability is very low.”
Of course, I didn’t truly believe that. How could I, who accidentally caused his manifestation by hitting him with a wooden sword made from the trees of the Black Forest, compete with a woman chosen by the stars?
“So, please engage with me.”
Ricardo seemed to smile briefly, but I was too preoccupied with avoiding his gaze to fully notice his expression.
“I’m not saying we should go as far as marriage. Please break off the engagement with me right before you marry the saint. I’ll explain the situation to her.”
Ricardo leaned towards me, and a sound of incredulous laughter came from right in front of me.
“Do you think that if I break the engagement with you and then marry the saint immediately, you and your family will be safe from Schneider?”
“Yes.”
“So you plan to hide somewhere as soon as possible.”
According to Ricardo, I would no longer be of any concern to him, so the Emperor of Dermaier wouldn’t actively try to kill us. If we hide in an unknown place and lay low, the emperor will surely forget about the Penel family.
The emperor’s reason for wanting to kill me and my family is because of the very slim possibility that I could be Ricardo’s consort.
“It’s a naive thought.”
“I know. It’s a ridiculous thought, but it’s the only option I have. And when that time comes, please take the maximum measures Rochester can offer. I would be very grateful.”
“…”
“Of course, Your Grace has no reason to go to such lengths for us.”
I desperately spouted excuses, shamelessly asking for help.
“As you know, Your Grace, I am, in a manner of speaking, a victim. I didn’t intentionally help in your manifestation.”
“Miss.”
“But thanks to that, Your Grace was able to become safe quickly.”
“Miss Penel.”
“So, being in this situation is because of…”
“Lienne…”
He called my name, both familiar and unfamiliar at once. Whenever he did, I invariably held my breath.
“When talking, you should look into the eyes.”
It was an irresistible, gentle command. When our eyes met, he looked at me as if he could unravel me. I was overwhelmed by the sensation, so much so that I thought my heart might stop.
“How is this possible?”
“What is…?”
“Your eyes, they just can’t hide anything.”
Startled, my body trembled at the truth I wanted to avoid. Every time our eyes met, my heart overflowed uncontrollably, and I wanted to sink into the ground.
“Your eyes so earnestly show love for me…”
Ricardo reached out with his long arm and gently brushed under my eye with his thumb. The warmth of his skin made me exhale sharply. He mercilessly slid his hand down, tracing my cheek. Every hair on my face stood on end. His finger passed over my chin and lightly brushed my lips.
“How is it that your love never seems to want anything in return?”
I felt my pupils shaking uncontrollably.
What exactly did Ricardo want to say? He scrutinized my trembling eyes, as if licking every part of them, as if to unearth even the most hidden emotions I didn’t want to reveal.
No matter how much he unraveled me, my love for him couldn’t be false. It was a primal and meticulous emotion, beyond even my own understanding.
Suddenly, this thought crossed my mind.
Maybe I had completely erased some memories about you?
“So, do you really want to be engaged to me?”
“Yes.”
My heart hesitated, but my answer did not. There was no point in lying when our eyes met.
“Once you and your family are safe, you’ll immediately leave my side.”
“Yes.”
“You might actually be my consort, as you say.”
At his words, I closed my eyes, unsure of the expression on my face. He then reached out and gently grasped my chin. There was a sense of urgency in his action.
“Open your eyes, Lienne. When talking, you should look into the eyes.”
I stubbornly kept my eyes closed and responded.
“What do you want to say to me?”
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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