Casus took out black gloves from his pocket, preparing to step outside.
“Duke.”
Atia held his arm and shook her head.
“It feels like a trap. The area is full of roofs, it’s dangerous.”
“But he’s also one of my subjects; I should hear what he has to say.”
“Duke…”
Atia’s seemingly frail arm was stronger than it appeared.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon.”
Casus parted the vines and stepped out of the carriage, giving orders to a nearby knight.
“Make sure the Duchess never leaves the carriage.”
“Yes, understood!”
It was a precaution against any unforeseen situations.
Atia bit her lips nervously.
‘No, don’t go out! Even Admiral Yi didn’t leave his Turtle Ship! What’s the point of me stepping out?’
Casus emerged from the carriage.
A whitehaired old man knelt on the ground, his face covered in tears and snot.
Beside him, knights were standing by to drag him away.
Casus raised his hand to signal them to stop.
“What the hell is going on.”
“Your Excellency……. please listen to my story……. ”
The old man pleaded with a pitiful face.
A murmuring sound arose nearby.
The subjects of Duke were watching.
“Your Excellency, please save my daughter……. please…… I beg you……. ”
“Your daughter?”
Casus narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the man.
The sniveling old man was wearing tattered clothes.
Blood oozed from his bare feet as he had run out.
He didn’t seem to be lying.
He dared to appear before the Duke and grovel, like someone who had lost his wits.
Casus could tell.
The look in the eyes of someone truly desperate.
“They…… They’ve kidnapped my daughter.”
“Who are they?”
At the Duke’s question, the old man couldn’t continue and began to tremble.
‘Suspicious.’
Atia’s earlier warning about an unexpected attack came to mind.
The fact that the surroundings were blocked off by the vine carriage as well.
Casus quickly shifted his gaze to scan the rooftops.
He momentarily spotted a figure on a roof.
With his eyes fixed on the roof, Casus shouted to his knights.
“Form up immediately!”
Knights clad in full armor quickly surrounded Casus.
At the same time.
Whoosh!
Something reflecting sunlight flew at a blistering pace.
Arrows flying from the sky stuck into the vines, and soon they were flying around the knights as well.
“It’s an ambush!”
“Protect His Excellency!”
Swish!
The escorting knights of the Duke drew their swords and looked up from where the arrows had flown.
Ting!
Thud!
But the heavy armor was not pierced by the arrows.
Arrows stuck in the ground,
Arrows stuck in the carriage,
Arrows that were deflected off the armor,
Countless arrows that had rained down lay scattered on the ground.
Fortunately, as anticipated, no arrows were fired at the people.
Knights wearing helmets deflected arrows flying at Casus with their swords.
“Catch them!”
Jen commanded a pursuit team.
Finally, the rain of arrows ceased.
“What is this…….”
Casus raised an eyebrow and pulled an arrow from the ground.
‘Poison arrows.’
Snap.
Casus examined the arrowhead, then snapped it in two.
It was indeed a great relief that they had prepared for everything according to Atia’s advice.
‘Which idiot is pulling such a stunt.’
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
