Artia gently stroked Leo’s black hair, as if coaxing a younger brother.
“Since the employees have brought food, eat first. Don’t move your body yet.”
“Ah, okay…….”
After a while, Artia heard the sound of Leo snoring lightly from the next room.
The source of that sound was Leo.
Having hidden uncomfortably in the carriage compartment for a long time, Leo soon fell asleep on the warm and soft bed.
“He just fell asleep.”
“You really can’t stop him.”
Artia shook her head and smiled faintly.
“Kesha, Hari, let’s go outside for a moment.”
“Outside?”
Seeing Artia, who wanted to go outside as soon as they arrived in the capital, Kesha blinked.
“Yes, we might not know when the Duke will arrive. Let’s go out for a short walk in front. Is that okay?”
Seeing Artia, who desperately wanted to go out, Kesha and Hari couldn’t stop her.
The weather outside seemed sunny, seen faintly through the window.
It was a significantly different environment from the North.
“It’s much warmer than the North for sure.”
Artia, who came out of the inn, looked around the square and spoke.
Kesha also explored the unfamiliar climate and environment with her mouth agape.
“Isn’t it? Since the lady is coming here after a long time, she might not be accustomed. Right?”
Artia blinked.
‘Ah…, Kesha probably knows that I lived around here for a long time. Before going to the North, Artia also lived here.’
“It seems like that.”
“I’m fascinated because it’s my first time in the capital. Still, my lady, you should put on at least one blanket…”
“Ah, no. It’s okay; it’s hot.”
Artia laughed and resisted Kesha, who tried to cover her with a furry blanket.
“Lady, if you feel chilly or have any symptoms, you must tell me immediately!”
“I got it, Kesha. You don’t have to worry.”
“What if I don’t worry!”
Kesha protruded her mouth with concern.
Because she sincerely worried that Artia might bleed again.
Or worried that she might suddenly collapse even if she seemed perfectly fine.
Kesha just wanted the lady to lie down with a blanket around her in the room, but who would be such a person?
Seeing Artia going outside as soon as they arrived in the capital, Kesha thought it would be challenging to keep her indoors today.
“It’s genuinely okay! Now, let’s go instead of standing like this.”
At Artia’s urging, Kesha and Hari started to walk.
The warm sunlight enveloped them like spring sunshine.
Kesha, squinting one eye against the pouring sunlight, said.
“It seems like I get more freckles when exposed to the sunlight.”
Artia blinked at Kesha’s words.
“Well, you have to give some sunlight occasionally. That way, vitamin D will be produced.”
“Vitamin D?”
“Yeah, especially in the North, sunny days are rare, and you might get osteoporosis.”
“Os, osteoporosis? What’s that… you’ve used that word before.”
Kesha tilted her head with a confused expression, not understanding what Kesha was talking about.
Chap!
Artia suddenly lifted her sleeves and smacked her forearm, making a loud noise.
“The bones beneath this flesh. It means they’re getting weak. Our bodies need sunlight; otherwise, our bones weaken.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. So, you should expose them to sunlight every day. Otherwise, your bones inside will scream in pain.”
“Ah, I see…….”
Kesha felt that somehow, she needed to follow Artia’s explanation.
“Sometimes, I unknowingly feel depressed and lethargic. It’s because of the lack of sunlight.”
Artia raised her palms to the warm sunlight, as if receiving the warm rays from the sky.
“Of course, there are disadvantages to prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays.”
Walking beside Artia, Hari narrowed his eyes slightly.
Even though the Duchess seemed frail at first glance, she seemed well-versed in knowledge that even ordinary doctors might not know.
After receiving physiotherapy from Artia, Hari’s pain that was never there before diminished.
The stiffness in his neck and back became much more comfortable to move.
Therefore, despite her appearance, the Duchess seemed stronger than anyone else.
It was ironic.
It created a strange atmosphere, as if two faces coexisted in one person.
Being around the peculiar Duchess was not boring for Hari.
“I still don’t know the secret of how the Duchess captured the Duke’s heart. Being around such an influential person will make it easier to meet handsome men.”
Then he could enjoy the view.
It was a double-edged sword.
As the three walked a little more in the square, a fountain came into view.
It was a large fountain with a naked baby angel statue in the center.
Near the baby angel statue, coins were piled up, and there was a sign in front of it.
[One who places a coin on top of the baby angel statue’s head shall be blessed with good luck.]Artia chuckled at the sign.
“Huh, they do money business like this here.”
Large and small coins were glittering underwater near the baby angel statue.
Presumably, many people had prayed for good luck there.
However, unfortunately, not a single coin was placed on the baby angel statue’s head.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
