It meant that no one had succeeded in throwing the coin.
But for Artia, it was effortless.
Since she was an expert in concentrating her mind on a specific spot, such as throwing darts or shooting arrows.
Moreover, the trend of fountains where people throughout the country threw coins had come to an end.
“Do you have any coins?”
Artia asked Kesha and Hari, making a coin gesture with her fingers.
Kesha rummaged through her belongings.
“I only have bills. There are only three coins in this. The rest might be in the inn.”
Kesha showed three sparkling coins.
Artia divided the coins and said.
“Now, let’s all throw them. Placing them on the baby angel’s head means success.”
Pong!
Splash!
“Oops!”
“Kyaaak!”
Hari and Kesha concentrated, throwing the coins, but they failed to reach the vicinity of the baby angel statue.
“Oh… It seems luck isn’t on our side, haha.”
Kesha and Hari shrugged their shoulders, looking defeated.
With one eye closed, Artia aimed at the baby angel statue’s head and threw the coin.
And…
The coin landed precisely on top of the baby angel statue’s head, as if it were attracted like a magnet.
“Wow!”
“Woohoo!”
Kesha and Hari exclaimed in admiration, causing people passing by to stop and look at them.
Artia threw a celebratory ceremony, waving her fists.
“Madam, you should make a wish now.”
At Kesha’s words, Artia quietly clasped her hands together and closed her eyes.
After a moment,
“Now, you two make a wish too.”
“What?”
“I wished that Kesha and Hari’s wishes would come true along with mine.”
“Wow!”
“Really?”
Kesha raised her eyebrows.
“Yeah. I prayed for your wishes to be granted even more than mine.”
Hari silently gazed at Artia.
A ray of sunlight fell on Artia’s face.
Her dazzling silver hair sparkled beautifully in the sunlight.
Her long eyelashes moved slowly, and her lips formed a smile.
Hari couldn’t help but stare at Artia.
He had wondered why the perfect Duke of Wellington fell in love with the Duchess, thinking he couldn’t understand the reason.
Now, he felt like he might understand a bit.
Before reaching the capital, Cascus sent a pre-announcement to the palace.
Reading the announcement, Emperor Deluman chuckled.
“The Duke of Wellington’s envoy has sent intentions to visit the palace.”
The court was abuzz with excitement at his words.
“What are the opinions of the ministers?”
“…….,”
From Deluman’s perspective, there was no reason or justification to refuse.
However, it was unusual for a Duke to come from the north without a formal invitation.
“If he’s coming, we should welcome him warmly.”
“I agree.”
There would be an interesting spectacle after a long time.
Deluman, with a smirk, pushed the announcement that Cascus had sent to a corner.
“He should be arriving shortly.”
Ping!
“A baby wild boar, but quite fast.”
Prince Owen was in the middle of hunting animals in the hunting grounds.
“But if it’s caught in my sight, there’s no escape.”
“Kwae-e-e-eek!”
Owen accurately hit the fleeing baby wild boar with an arrow.
“Kwae-e-e-eek! Kwae-e-e-eek!”
The baby wild boar, although hit by Owen’s arrow and bleeding, struggled for its life.
“Kwae-e-eek!”
Owen shot another arrow at the tenacious baby wild boar, completely severing its lifeline.
Soon, the cries ceased.
“As expected, impressive.”
A knight who was with Owen spoke.
“You should have ended its life with one shot.”
Owen smiled ruefully, as if feeling regret.
At that moment, another knight approached, carrying the game Owen had hunted on his back. Behind Owen’s back, the prey he had hunted today was piled up.
“Thanks to Lord Owen, the animals in this forest will be scarce.”
Another knight naturally praised. Owen’s archery skills were top-notch, comparable to the second prince in the Pelren Empire.
Moreover, Owen enjoyed moving his body despite being a prince, and hunting, in particular, was one of the most significant joys in his life.
Owen raised an eyebrow and said, “No, it’s not that impressive yet.”
Then, he looked around as if unimpressed with his surroundings.
“There are only small animals in this forest. Let’s go to a larger place next time.”
“What if a dangerous beast appears unexpectedly?”
One of the companions chuckled and laughed.
That’s when someone in the distance hurriedly approached on horseback.
Clippity-clop!
The sound of hooves echoed loudly through the forest.
“Hmm?”
Owen narrowed his eyes, wondering what was happening.
“It’s an urgent messenger, my lord!”
“Urgent messenger?”
The man who dismounted from the horse politely bowed to Owen and handed him a message.
As Owen read the message, his eyes widened.
“What?”
The news was that Duke Cascus Wellington would soon arrive from the north.
“He’s coming this quickly?”
It was unexpected.
The imperial visit schedule was usually announced at least a month in advance.
Cascus skipped this procedure and arrived in the capital, announcing that he would visit the imperial palace within a few days.
Owen grinned with interest, pulling up the corners of his mouth.
The fact that he was coming here already aroused anticipation.
It was a fortunate event in the midst of a dull hunt.
“He seems like an interesting guy, as always.”
The boy who always unexpectedly poked holes in the opponent’s defenses.
Twisting the message slightly in his hand, Owen nodded at the knights.
“Let’s wrap up the hunt around here.”
“Yes, my lord!”
Having booked rooms at a luxury hotel, Cascus took Artia’s party there.
The man with the exterior glasses at the front desk observed them carefully.
‘A woman with a blue dress and silver hair. And… there are many knights and servants.’
The woman with slightly wavy long silver hair had exceptionally fair skin.
Certainly seemed like nobility.
However, they were all unfamiliar faces.
Then who were they?
Judging by the accent, they didn’t seem to be from another country either.
“…….,”
As the man scrutinized Artia’s party with thin eyes, someone suddenly approached.
“Hey, what are you looking at?”
Black-haired with ashy eyes, a quite rebellious-looking boy frowned, putting his hands in his pockets.
If the man behind the glasses had been carefully observing Artia’s party, Leo had been paying attention to the man who kept scanning Artia.
“Is it the first time seeing people from the north?”
Leo shouted, causing the guests around to turn towards the front desk at once.
The man with glasses at the front desk quickly noticed that everyone’s attention was drawn towards them and opened his mouth.
“Yo, yo-you came from the North….”
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
