One, two, three……six?
There were seven fellow priests, so why were there only six?
“Duke Esper bids you to enter!”
With a booming voice and the opening of the audience room door, Carlos and a woman he’d never seen before entered side by side.
“Heavens.”
“Lord.”
Seeing the woman, all the priests simultaneously exclaimed in admiration. Some joined hands in prayer.
And for good reason, the woman, dressed in a translucent silver dress the same color as her hair and adorned with Melit, a gem known as God’s tears, looked like an angel from the Bible.
If there had been wings on the woman’s back, they would have thought an angel had descended.
In contrast, Carlos was dressed in a wicked black outfit, like a demon from the scriptures. All his accessories, like cuff buttons, were red, making it feel as if they were stained with blood.
Seated in the throne, Carlos pulled the woman’s waist and made her sit on his lap.
The woman who naturally sat on Carlos’s lap shyly leaned against him, smiling.
“Why are you standing there so stupidly?”
Cold eyes turned to the frozen priests.
“Aren’t you glad to have met the woman you were looking for so long?”
“……!”
Is that angelic woman the rumored witch!
Realizing this fact belatedly, all the priests stared at the woman, Irene, in surprise.
The fact that Irene was nestled in Carlos’s arms like a lover was another reason they were surprised.
Despite the barrage of stares, Irene remained composed.
She wasn’t unafraid. They were the people who came to kill her, she couldn’t be unafraid.
But the reason she could remain calm was thanks to what Carlos had told her before coming here.
“You won’t get hurt, or die. I promise.”
Trusting the words of a person who once might have wanted to kill her was somewhat amusing.
But thanks to Carlos’s words and actions up to now, Irene could trust him to some extent.
‘It’s okay. It’ll be okay.’
Irene hypnotized herself internally, but she couldn’t completely suppress her rising tension. Proof of this was her slightly trembling hand, hidden in her sleeve.
“So, what did you want to see me for? Have you brought any evidence?”
Carlos, knowing why the priests had come, asked as if he didn’t.
Trope, who was at the forefront, spoke on behalf of the priests.
“I’m sorry, but we haven’t found the evidence yet. Instead, we have brought a way to find the evidence.”
“A way to find the evidence?”
“Yes. We are going to hold a witch trial.”
“Ha…….”
Although he expected it, hearing it made Carlos softly scoff.
Irene also lowered her anxiously quivering eyes for a long time.
Having seen them, Trope and the priests looked triumphant. Trope concealed a smiling face by bowing his head.
“A witch trial will surely tell us whether the woman is a witch or not.”
“Hmm.”
As Carlos tilted his head in disapproval, Trope hastily added,
“If you refuse even the witch trial, the suspicions towards Your Grace will not disappear. Rather, they will grow like a snowball, and someday they may harm Your Grace, so you must be certain now.”
“……If she is not a witch, what happens then?”
“Then I will take full responsibility according to the responsibility system.”
“That’s not enough.”
Carlos scanned the priests with his eyes.
“Everyone here will be responsible.”
At this sudden remark, the priests’ eyes widened. Trope was shocked for a moment but quickly regained his composure and asked Carlos,
“So, will you allow the witch trial?”
“Yes.”
“……Understood. Let’s do it that way.”
He’s taken the bait. Carlos twisted his lips and gestured to Duser, who was waiting at the entrance of the royal palace.
Understanding his intent immediately, Duser promptly exited the royal hall.
Right after, Carlos, along with Irene, stood up and told Trope,
“Start the witch trial right now.”
[Star Icon]Trope announced that he would conduct the witch trial at a lake in the west of the Duke Esper’s domain and guided Carlos and his party there.
As soon as he heard the word ‘lake,’ Carlos immediately knew what the priests were planning to do.
‘They plan to conduct a water trial.’
Water trial. A type of witch trial where the suspected witch’s hands and feet are shackled with iron and heavy stones attached before being thrown into a holy lake.
If the person drowns and dies, they are deemed human; if they float or survive, they are judged a witch. It was an absurd trial.
It was also the cruelest among the witch trials.
Choosing the water trial was as good as showing a strong determination to kill Irene by any means.
Sure enough, the priests sanctified the lake for a water trial. The lake imbued with holy power sparkled.
The sight was incredibly beautiful, but Irene did not think so at all. The moment she saw the lake, she knew what the priests were trying to do.
‘I’m going to die.’
No one can protect me.
Not even this man.
Her face paled with the rising fear of death.
As Irene seemed to back away slowly as if to flee, Carlos grabbed her shoulder.
“I told you earlier. You won’t be hurt or killed.”
He embraced her trembling small body like a fragile twig and tightly held her even more trembling hands.
“Trust me. Nothing will happen.”
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]