On the first day at the royal palace, Kasus walked through the palace corridors following the guide, shifting his gaze here and there.
“If only I could find some small clues.”
With elaborate chandeliers and gilded pillars, the endless corridors, there must be a magical essence somewhere in this palace. If black magic was used, there would likely be someone who could read ancient languages along with magic books.
To find clues in this vast palace would require time and the most plausible reason to stay here.
As the knights pursuing the spies who shot poisoned arrows caught them by their collars, the culprits vanished. Those with snake-patterned tattoos and those who disappeared like smoke in front of their eyes were the same individuals, indicating the use of black magic to erase their memories.
These individuals were caught to prevent them from revealing the truth.
“Trashy bastards.”
Using black magic to make them lose part of their memory and then incinerating them when they became useless. It was truly a despicable act of underestimating human life.
Even at this moment, somewhere, black magic might be taking place. Kasus followed the guide with a concealed expression on his face.
“Wow, I won!”
Artia raised both hands, shouting. As a result, the chess pieces on the game board toppled over.
“M-Madam, please be gentle…”
Kesha said with a blurred end to her words, squinting one eye. Fear had already taken hold.
“Oh.”
Even Hari involuntarily trembled.
“Now, choose. Either take a hit with the stick as a punishment or take a hit on the wrist. What will it be?”
Artia formed a circle with her thumb and forefinger, blowing air through it like a whistle.
In Kesha’s eyes, Artia’s finger-warming gesture couldn’t have looked more devilish.
“Are there no other options?”
Kesha shed cold sweat, twisting her eyes.
‘Can’t we just skip this…’
Artia laughed playfully, following Kesha’s smile.
“Spanking, writing names with the bottom. Let’s add these two as options.”
“I’ll just take a hit on the wrist.”
Kesha, with a resigned expression, answered with an emotionless face.
“I, I’ll take a hit on the wrist too…”
“Leo?”
Artia raised her eyebrows toward Leo.
“Me?”
“Yeah.”
“A hit with the stick.”
“Alright, wait. It’s the last turn.”
Artia, with renewed preparation, grabbed Kesha’s wrist.
Kesha closed her eyes tightly.
‘She’ll hit gently, right?’
But.
Thwack!
“Ouch!”
Kesha rolled on the floor in pain.
“Hehe, someone might mistake it for writing on the wrist.”
“Ugh…”
“Let’s see how thick the connective tissue has become. If it were thick, it wouldn’t hurt. It seems your training is still lacking, Kesha.”
Artia tilted her head and laughed like a devil.
In truth, she hadn’t struck with much force. It was more about skill than strength.
However, the person experiencing it couldn’t feel that way, showing her reddened wrist.
“What do I do? I can’t use my hands anymore.”
“Stop exaggerating! It’s more fun this way.”
Artia opened her eyes slightly and tilted her head.
Next in line, Hari hunched her shoulders and exerted force on her wrist.
“Ahguah!”
Similar sounds came from Hari’s mouth.
It seemed like not much force was applied.
The lady’s hand was surprisingly strong, more than Hari had thought.
“Why is everyone so weak?”
In Artia’s eyes, everyone seemed to be overreacting.
Even Leo, who had been consistently expressionless, had a faint smile on his lips.
It had been a while since Leo had played with someone. He had always trained with knights and never had moments of laughter and conversation like this.
It was always lonely in the Duke’s mansion.
Perhaps that’s why Leo found this situation intriguing and enjoyable.
“Now, it’s our little lord’s turn.”
Artia snapped her fingers and said, “Hmm…”
Leo didn’t even open his eyes.
With large eyes resembling a wolf’s gaze, he stared at Artia, twisting his lips as if to say, “Hit me wherever you want.”
“Go.”
Artia said in a low voice, as if telling him to prepare.
Having recognized her skill early on, Leo tensed his body, preparing for the attack.
But…
Thwack!
“Huh?”
Artia laughed, releasing her fingers. “I can’t hit the little one.”
Leo protested, raising his eyebrows as if feeling unjust.
“No! Hit me too.”
“I already hit you.”
“Was that a joke?”
Leo widened his eyes, glaring.
It was unacceptable for him to be the only one left out.
“I want to be hit too. I want to be scolded.”
“Hmm?”
“I’m not a kid. So, give me a good beating.”
At Leo’s words, Artia looked puzzled and raised her finger again.
“Okay, okay. Let’s try again.”
Artia slightly strengthened her hit on Leo’s forehead.
A pleasant fragrance wafted from her body every time she approached.
‘I made the right choice following her to the capital.’
Leo smiled contentedly, but suddenly, Artia frowned.
“Oh, no. I hit you lightly, but look at your forehead turning red.”
A trace of the gentle hit reddened Leo’s forehead.
But Leo was delighted.
He was always alone, but now, they were all together.
“I’ll definitely win this time.”
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
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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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