“Cough, cough…”
On the first-class carriage of the train returning to Vermouth, Lady Saint was coughing hard, covering her mouth with a handkerchief. The cold weather of the capital had not spared her weak bronchi. Just a short stay, and yet it was so distressing.
‘Such a dreadful place.’
The capital city of Dover in the great Gracian Kingdom was a place where the most honorable and precious things in the world were gathered, but also a place filled with beasts drooling over these treasures.
Lady Saint hated the capital. Of course, she was a beast herself, and among them, a predator.
‘Zen Baker…’
After suppressing another bout of coughing, Lady Saint thought back to her conversation with Zen the previous night. A naturally arrogant fellow, yet a child who never lost his cleverness, no matter how poor or sick he was.
Lady Saint had known Zen since he was young, but he rarely showed weakness.
But yesterday was one of those rare times.
“I’ve decided not to marry.”
“Oh? After all the preparations? Why? Have you found a better bride?”
Lady Saint asked with a twinkle in her eye. Zen avoided her gaze and replied indifferently.
“It seems unnecessary to proceed with this marriage.”
“Haha, what are you saying now…”
Silence from Zen made Lady Saint realize he was not joking.
“Have you changed your mind?”
She asked sharply.
“What do you mean?”
“Have you forgiven the Duke of Burn?”
“That’s a pointless question.”
Zen’s response was laced with displeasure. Lady Saint then wore a satisfied smile.
‘Right, that’s how it should be.’
The dreadful Duke of Burn, that cursed man. Lady Saint found Zen and reached out to him for revenge against the Duke. And Zen had accepted her hand, embracing his fate.
Zen’s current status was certainly due to his capabilities, but it all started with Lady Saint.
“Zen, you’ve always been reluctant about this marriage. But remember why you finally agreed. What can a bourgeois do in Gracian’s high society?”
“…”
“Of course, you are capable.”
This era was no longer one where titles and lineage alone could press others down. The ability to earn money brought a different kind of status and influence.
Zen had the capacity, and with time, he could bring even the nobles under his feet. However, Lady Saint couldn’t afford to wait.
“I don’t want to wait. No, it’s hard for me to wait.”
Lady Saint’s time was not long. But wait? She couldn’t.
“I must see that selfish man groveling on the ground with my own eyes.”
“I feel the same.”
“Then why retreat? You know getting a title will give you more influence in high society.”
“Even if I get married, it doesn’t mean I’ll immediately obtain a title, does it?”
“Even without an immediate title, having the Earl of Blythe’s daughter by your side will grant you a footing in society. She’ll vouch for your status.”
“That can be achieved without marrying her.”
Back and forth the conversation went.
‘Always so stubborn.’
Not fond of such arguments, Lady Saint frowned and sighed deeply.
“Alright. Postpone the marriage. Keep the Earl of Blythe’s daughter as your fiancée for now.”
“Lady Forea.”
When Zen called her, Lady Saint spoke with an agitated voice.
“Zen Baker!”
Lady Saint firmly addressed Zen, who was tightly pursing his lips.
“Even a passing dog knows that you with the title of Earl of Blythe would be better than just ‘Zen Baker’. But why do I have to turn back? Haven’t I waited long enough?”
Zen didn’t respond to her stern question. Lady Saint, pressing her temples, sighed deeply.
“Zen, dear. What exactly displeases you so much? Of course, it’s true that the Earl of Blythe’s daughter is politically naïve. And I understand your concern about handling a simple country girl. That’s why I lent you that girl.”
Realizing who she was referring to, Zen furrowed his brows and growled lowly.
“Are people mere objects to be lent and borrowed?”
“Oh, I didn’t expect such words from you. Anyway, don’t misunderstand. I like Deborah more than you. She’s like a friend to me. Honestly, I didn’t want to leave her with you.”
Lady Saint was sincere. Deborah would undoubtedly silence any friction between the sharp Zen and the innocent Dia.
Deborah was extremely wise and made practical choices.
‘Unlike me.’
Lady Saint sighed deeply.
“Have you found another woman? Is that why?”
She asked, but she didn’t really believe Zen would. Zen Baker, involved in a woman’s issue? The same person who hardly ever made eye contact with women?
So, when Zen replied, “It’s not that,” Lady Saint believed him without doubt.
“Zen, I’ve said it many times. I don’t have the luxury of hesitation. I don’t have much time left.”
Lady Saint, pressing her temples, continued.
“You know what I’ve done so far for my revenge against the Duke of Burn. And that I can do anything in the future as well.”
She was warning Zen. Don’t ruin the shortcut she painstakingly created with his overconfident belief that he could do it alone.
But how Zen understood it was another matter. Or perhaps Lady Saint was not warning, but threatening. Telling him not to make an enemy of her.
“I believe we’re on the same side.”
At Lady Saint’s tender voice, Zen sighed as if releasing smoke, then nodded reluctantly.
Recalling Zen’s reaction, Lady Saint looked at the fast-moving landscape, thinking.
‘It seems like a compromise for now…’
But who knows about the future? A once made whim could be made again.
‘I’ll have to watch.’
Until now, Lady Saint had not really planted anyone around Zen. Or more accurately, Zen had completely blocked her from doing so.
Zen was like a sensitive wild animal. Raised by Lady Saint, but never fully tamed. He never trusted her completely and kept only his people around him.
‘Todd, whom I introduced, quickly became Zen’s person too.’
Because of that, it was difficult to keep track of Zen’s whereabouts. But now that Deborah was there, it seemed a bit easier to get information.
‘But why did Zen accept Deborah?’
A man who didn’t want to marry Dia kept Deborah, sent as a lady’s maid. It must be because of Deborah’s competence. Zen had an irritatingly good eye for people.
‘Will Deborah become like Todd, one of Zen’s people? Hmm. No, Deborah won’t. She’s a moral person. So, if she learns that I’ve been nurturing Zen for revenge, she’ll probably despise me too…’
“Cough, cough…!”
Suddenly, a cough erupted. Lady Saint could no longer continue her thoughts due to the persistent cough.
“Lady, I brought you an extra blanket.”
“Thank you.”
The warmth of the freshly brought blanket wrapped around Lady Saint, easing her cough more than before.
But the cough wouldn’t cease entirely. Even if she traveled to warmer climates year-round, she would continue to suffer this way.
‘Until I die.’
Lady Saint knew her time was limited. Everyone’s death is certain, and with her frail body, she would embrace this inevitable fate sooner than others.
Yet, at this very moment of her suffering, the Duke of Burn was perfectly fine, breathing, living, enjoying power.
‘It’s just not right.’
The Duke must be trapped in a sticky swamp, unable to escape a hellish reality. For those who left before her, it was imperative.
“…….”
Lady Saint closed her eyes tightly. She wasn’t sleepy, just tired.
Zen’s wedding was initially planned to be grand. Even those who barely knew Zen Baker would have no choice but to turn their heads at its splendor and magnificence.
Countless people had spent a long time preparing for it. The amount of money spent on the wedding was unimaginable to outsiders.
‘To overturn such an event so abruptly.’
Zen’s sudden whim rendered all the efforts of Todd and the butler useless. The pile of tasks to rectify, including the sudden business trip decided last night, was enormous.
“You’ve canceled the wedding?”
On a fine day, Dia, with her brilliantly sparkling golden hair, clasped her hands and asked cautiously.
Though she timidly looked for Todd’s approval, there was unmistakable hope flickering in her beautiful blue eyes.
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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