“What…?”
Klaus was visibly taken aback by Roselia’s brazen and almost menacing demeanor.
Roselia pulled out the envelope containing the 1,000 Verang cheque from her pocket and dropped it with a thud on the table beside Klaus.
As Klaus looked at the envelope with wide eyes, he slowly picked it up and inspected its contents.
“It’s double the 500 Verang I promised to repay.”
Klaus’s gaze fell on the Princess’s signature on the cheque with suspicion.
“This cheque… surely not…”
When Klaus glared at Roselia as if he would devour her, she returned his gaze defiantly.
“I’m in a situation where my debt has been mortgaged. What wouldn’t I do? Don’t worry. I’ll only hover around Her Highness until I repay the full 3,000 Verang.”
His expression crumpled as if deliberately provoked by her open declaration to use the Princess for her gain.
“You…”
The suppressed anger in his voice was evident, barely keeping his patience. Roselia’s irritation grew in response.
“Be rational, Duke. Don’t you realize that your overprotective behavior towards the Princess makes her life in the palace more difficult?”
Her words, thrown almost reflexively in her twisted state of mind, seemed to strike a chord with Klaus, who stiffened like ice.
“Shut up…”
His low, admonishing voice, heavy with warning, was clear. But to the already agitated Roselia, it held no sway.
“Hovering around under the pretense of caring for someone when you don’t even understand your own feelings is a nuisance.”
“…”
“Have you ever considered the Princess’s wishes? Don’t you see that your selfish behavior only complicates and embarrasses her?”
Klaus, who had been listening quietly, finally approached her threateningly and grabbed her by the collar.
“Shut your mouth. Don’t act all-knowing when you have no idea.”
The fear of his immense figure gripping her collar was palpable, but Roselia’s eyes, filled with venom, met his murderous gaze fiercely.
“What will you do if I keep talking?”
For a moment, Klaus seemed taken aback, his brow furrowing in confusion.
“What?”
Looking down at Roselia with a mixture of anger and bewilderment, Klaus listened as she spoke clearly.
“Whether you pity or love the Princess, I want no part in it. So please don’t drag me into your strange assumptions.”
Her green eyes sparkled defiantly as she held his gaze. Klaus stiffened at the boldness in her eyes.
That faint, inexplicable scent aggravated his nerves again. It was indescribable, a fragrance that seemed to make his mind hazy the longer he was exposed to it.
As Klaus remained frozen, Roselia forcefully removed his hand from her collar. He let go without resistance and looked down at her, his expression blank.
Roselia didn’t miss the opportunity to drive her point home.
“And whatever means I use to repay my debt, that’s my concern. You just need to receive your due, don’t you?”
With that, Roselia slipped out from the space between Klaus and the wall and headed straight for the door.
Bang! As the door closed forcefully, Klaus stood there dazed for a while.
Stepping out of the room, Roselia walked down the hallway with a stride full of indignation. Clenching her teeth and furrowing her brows, her eyes began to moisten despite her best efforts to control her emotions.
Roselia irritably wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and muttered a curse.
Damn it, why am I crying out of frustration?
She had no reason to cry, though she was definitely angry…
Ignoring her reddened eyes, Roselia continued to walk with a fierce expression, scowling ahead.
That bastard, grabbing my collar as if I’m about to die just for trying to pay off my own debt?
Destined to hover ambiguously around the princess and then vanish after being branded a traitor!
The future of the duke, oblivious and walking towards his own hellish fate, seemed pathetic and infuriating.
Even if she advised him, he would not listen, covering his eyes and ears.
Roselia clenched her teeth as she recalled Klaus’s cold, blade-like gaze when he grabbed her collar.
Just like he didn’t stand up for Roselia in the original story as she faced her execution, she wouldn’t lift a finger when Klaus is accused of treason.
No, she might even smile in front of him, enjoying his downfall.
On a day with lovely weather, Clozet, who had forcefully dragged Roselia out to the garden, suddenly set up a tea table and enjoyed tea time.
Roselia, seated across the table quite unexpectedly, sipped the tea Clozet handed her, staring blankly at her cup.
Clozet, observing Roselia’s absent-minded expression, asked, “Did something go wrong with your meeting with Her Highness the Princess?”
Startled by Clozet’s concerned question, Roselia awkwardly smiled.
“No, thanks to your help, that matter was resolved well.”
“Really? But why do you look like that?”
“My face? What about it?”
“You look like a young girl burdened with a mountain of debt.”
Well… that’s not wrong…
As Roselia smiled awkwardly, Clozet looked at her meaningfully and mentioned casually.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
