Unexpected guests appeared, and some people fell, carried away, but the chaotic atmosphere of the party was managed by the sages.
The sages, who participated in an official event for the first time in centuries, were rarely seen, and, above all, had a very mysterious atmosphere. Just by sliding across the floor of the banquet hall, they managed to calm the hearts of those who had felt fear.
“Shall we dance too?”
Hayden playfully extended his hand to Ru.
“I thought the first dance was with Lord Melphius.”
The order of entrance was the Emperor with Ophelia and Ru with Melphius.
“Yeah. So…”
He nodded.
“So, I’m competing now.”
Approaching her a little more, looking down at her, he extended his hand to Ru. She smiled slightly and allowed it.
If the imperial citizens were uneasy, it was the Emperor’s duty to calmly alleviate their anxiety. But Hayden didn’t care about the nobles’ unease. He was just concerned about Ru, holding her hand, checking if she was okay, if there was anything strange with the curse, and checking again.
‘I feel like I’m tied from head to toe.’
It felt like being tied up tightly, with a bit, handcuffs, and even a straitjacket. He felt the helplessness that had engulfed him during his boy soldier days when he had to keep his mouth shut and live without being able to say who he was.
Driven by the fear of being unable to do anything, he fought fiercely and used every means and method to become stronger. When he returned to Ru, whom he wanted to go back to if he survived, he became powerless again. Was this place originally like this?
“It’s okay.”
Ru, feeling his gaze, said as she started stepping.
“I’m really okay, Your Majesty.”
No, he wasn’t okay. In terms of personality, he wanted to grab Carlos by the throat, take him to the deepest part of the Karkenan Mountains, where the sulfur boils in the darkness of the new moon, and stick him there, breaking his bones and tearing his flesh, repeating the pain thousands of times and then neatly restoring it.
But he couldn’t touch it. The life of the wretched and most filthy man in the world was now parasitically entwined with the woman who was laughing at him. That’s why even the wisest magician, Carlos, was broken.
His mind was spinning crazily, and the feeling of helplessness that had consumed him during his boy soldier days, when he had to keep his mouth shut and live while being unable to say who he was, came back.
He was frustrated to death that he couldn’t do anything. The miserable life of the most miserable and wretched man in the world, laughing heartily and arrogantly in front of him, was disgusting.
“Hurt anywhere?”
Ru, feeling his gaze, spoke without looking at him.
“I just wanted to stab you while trusting Your Majesty, but they blocked me from both sides.”
A tone of regret.
“I see.”
Hayden genuinely laughed.
“If you hadn’t listened to the dissuasion, I would have blocked it too.”
“Why? I learned when I caught Delgaw. I can do it well too.”
“I know. Yeah.”
Twirling, Ru, held by his hand, turned around in a big circle.
“I also don’t want that guy to get close to you.”
He didn’t want to see him, and if the distance closed a bit, he couldn’t stand the anxiety of what curse he might do.
Eventually, it was a matter of time. Even if Ru was once again bound by a curse, it could be undone as much as Hayden wished. The young sage would become stronger under the protection of the sages, and Ru would continue to unravel the curse left by Ophelia, growing in the process.
Naturally, he could also inflict more curses on himself. So, it was a matter of time. With perseverance and patience, there was no one who could surpass Hayden in this position. Even if Ru cried that it was painful and difficult, he would hold onto her and go on.
But what she calculated up to this point was ultimately because she was anxious and anxious again. It was because she didn’t want to lose again, making her desperate.
“I’ll be by your side.”
Ru just answered that way and smiled.
“Always.”
She added, pressing it and couldn’t understand why Hayden distorted his face instead of smiling back at her. He averted his gaze and barely looked back.
“You’re always the same.”
Hayden, muttering quietly, didn’t say anything more. However, Ru was sure that in a moment she couldn’t remember, she said the same thing to Hayden. It was still a moment she couldn’t remember.
Viscountess Svenya, Ivonne Ertel Kalling, couldn’t take her eyes off the Emperor. After the Emperor danced with Countess Flache, he had interviews with Imperialare and Palace Baek. Next was the Countess Flache. It didn’t matter. She had been waiting.
‘I want to dance with His Majesty.’
It was a very simple yet tremendous desire. Just a few minutes ago, the electrifying fear she felt when Emperor Caleta suddenly appeared still lingered in her heart. The source of the fear that enveloped people, the Emperor himself, who was power and authority, had never looked as high as he did today.
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
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Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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