It was late in the evening, just before the children went to bed, when Dorothea’s interrogation ended.
I was sitting in front of the fireplace with the children, wearing a light chemise dress.
It was no longer unusual for the children, changed into their pajamas and gathered closely, to spend time with me in the same space until they fell asleep.
“It took longer than expected.”
“She was a tight-lipped woman.”
I nodded as Lord Joseph spoke in a smooth tone.
Yes, it must have been so. After all, if it’s an organization’s secret, one must be prepared for retaliation the moment they open their mouth.
It is said that she finally opened her mouth after realizing that she could not escape from the basement of this castle until her death.
For reference, there was no torture.
This was because I extremely dislike violence, so I had urged the three of them several times.
Instead, there were threats. How else could one conduct an interrogation?
“Children, Mother has work to do, so it would be best for everyone to go to bed now.”
I stood up.
I assigned a nanny to take the children back to their respective rooms.
Euphemina threw a bit of a tantrum, wanting to stay longer, but as it was always the case, I could persuade her with a kiss on the forehead.
“Um, Mother…”
“Yes?”
But today, Chersion hesitated unusually and didn’t promptly follow my words.
As this had never happened before, I curiously lowered myself and listened to the child’s words.
“I have… something small to say…”
“What is it, Chelsy?”
Chersion’s gaze shifted from me, to Lord Joseph who had come to deliver the news, to Kardiel, and then to Euphemina who was blinking blankly while holding the nanny’s hand.
It was clearly a gaze of someone trying to read the situation.
I gently stroked the child’s hair.
“Then would you like to stay for a moment? I’ll take you to your bedroom myself.”
Although I was curious about Dorothea’s matter, it wasn’t more urgent than my children’s affairs.
I was about to entrust Euphemina to the nanny’s hand and send her back first. But then Chersion shook his head vigorously.
“No, it’s not urgent at all, hehe. Mother needs to work!”
Saying this, the child ran to the nanny and took her free hand.
“Good night, Mother. See you tomorrow morning!”
Hmm, from my perspective, it seemed like he made a preemptive move before Euphemina could intervene again.
Anyway, the two children went to their rooms first like that.
Kardiel was still brazenly leaning on the couch reading a book even in this situation.
The book the child was immersed in these days was Sergei’s research journal.
He said he wasn’t interested in the academy before, but it seems he’s now interested in the sage’s research materials.
“Kardiel, you should go to bed too.”
When I spoke in a somewhat strict voice, Kardiel finally closed his book and stood up. Then he looked back and forth between me and Lord Joseph.
Although he said his feelings towards me were resolved, Kardiel was still bristling towards Lord Joseph.
‘It’s understandable. He was thoroughly deceived, after all.’
Especially after learning about the origin of Landgritz and Lord Joseph’s identity(?), Kardiel’s gaze towards Lord Joseph became even colder.
Once, when I was alone with Kardiel, I pointed out this issue and he answered like this:
…I was really flustered then.
Meanwhile, Kardiel, holding his belongings under his arm, said:
“Even if it’s by chance, since I’ve heard your conversation, I think you can share it with me as well.”
“What?”
“Please tell me what this woman named Dorothea confessed.”
…..
It’s embarrassing how bluntly he speaks.
But thinking differently, it felt no different from a child throwing a tantrum saying ‘Tell me too, I’m curious’.
Above all, if I withheld information, he was the type of child who would definitely find other means.
Declaring my surrender, I looked at Lord Joseph.
“That much is fine. It’s not much of a content anyway.”
Smiling kindly, Lord Joseph guided me and Kardiel to another room.
No, before that.
“New Mother, a moment.”
“My lady, a moment.”
“…?”
Just as I was about to step out, the voices of the two stopped me in my tracks.
Wondering what was going on, I looked back and forth between the two and there was a strangely tense atmosphere.
No, why are you suddenly fighting?
“Before you go, it would be better to put something on…”
“The hallway is cold, so a coat…”
Again, again. Their voices overlap.
What are you trying to do? As I was about to scold them to speak one at a time, this time Kardiel sharply snapped at Lord Joseph first.
“I’ll take care of New Mother’s outer garment, Lord Joseph.”
Lord Joseph, with a troubled voice, didn’t back down either.
“It’s not just about the lady. It would be good for the young lord to wear an outer garment as well.”
“I’ll take care of that too. I’ll escort New Mother, so you can go ahead to the other side.”
“Both of you, shut your mouths right now.”
I really don’t understand what they’re doing, putting a person in the middle like this.
In the end, I had to intervene, cutting off both of their words.
“I’ll take care of my own clothes. Lord Joseph, if you really want to, help Kardiel fasten his outer garment so he’s not cold.”
“…Yes, New Mother.”
“…Understood, my lady.”
In the end, if you’re going to be this obedient.
I don’t understand why they’re having a power struggle over such a trivial matter.
[This is the timeline separator]The place we arrived at after putting on our outer garments was the massive library located in the southwest of Daiern Castle.
Thanks to the servants who diligently managed it even in my absence, there was no musty smell at all in this enormous library that could rival a public one.
It felt like it would be comfortable to stay here for days even if one had to eat and sleep here.
‘It used to be almost like ruins though.’
When I had just become the Duchess of Daiern, this place was a creepy space with thick cobwebs hanging like furniture covers.
The moment of shock thinking ‘How much damage would this do to the books?’ was brief. Because except for very old books, they were all imitations.
‘It’s laughable. To set up such an impressive library that would be the envy of many, just for show.’
In the end, I started organizing this library.
I had the servants clean, burned all the imitations, and displayed new books.
Although I had to strain the budget at the time, I’m so glad I did it now.
Now this library is also a place where Kardiel is often immersed in his studies, and where Lord Joseph, Sergei, and even Prince Raphael join forces to research the Mado era.
“How did it go?”
As Kardiel and I entered, the heads of the two men who were deeply engrossed turned towards us simultaneously.
Huh? But why are they so startled?
“Duchess, that attire…”
“It’s, it’s the first time seeing your hair down, Regent.”
Ah, I see.
There’s no need for mourning clothes for light sleepwear.
I was wearing a white chemise dress with a shawl, and my long hair, which was usually tied up and decorated with all sorts of ornaments and veils, was naturally let down.
It must be awkward. But still, when both of them spoke like that, I felt a bit embarrassed and shifted my long hair to one side.
“Wa-wait, wait a moment. Regent!”
“Duchess, that’s…!”
“…?”
But as soon as I did that, Prince Raphael and Sergei’s faces turned bright red.
Even from a distance, the vivid change in color made me flustered this time.
Why, why are they acting like this? Did I do something wrong?
It was then that Lord Joseph and Kardiel simultaneously blocked my front.
I thought they had become some kind of partition.
“A chemise dress isn’t sleepwear. Don’t embarrass New Mother, you two.”
Kardiel’s stern voice was heard from behind Lord Joseph.
Meanwhile, Lord Joseph rearranged my hair that I had gathered to one side.
The long, curly hair neatly covered my neck and neckline like a hood.
Until then, I was still in a daze.
I couldn’t understand what these men were saying.
“My lady, you should be careful.”
It was then that Lord Joseph’s gentle voice whispered in my ear.
When I raised my gaze to meet his, those red eyes were filled with my reflection.
“Your neckline is particularly seductive.”
“…!”
Without realizing it, I wrapped my shawl tightly around my entire neck.
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
_____
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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