Eventually, the Female Lead Ran Away - Chapter 12
Deborah was perplexed.
‘Why is he so surprised? Is he displeased that a subordinate is setting conditions?’
Considering Zen’s personality, it was quite possible.
However, contrary to Deborah’s expectations, Zen was fine with Deborah setting conditions for him. Rather, he was even interested in watching her set conditions before him.
The reason Zen’s heart skipped a beat was because once again, the words about leaving, that is, departing from his side, came from her mouth.
“Mr. Baker?”
Deborah cautiously called his name in the prolonged silence.
At that voice, Zen distorted his widely opened eyes.
Zen knew. This person was saying she would leave him without much thought. She wouldn’t expect at all that Zen would be hurt by such words.
‘Was it like that back then too?’
Was it like that when she disappeared without a word back then?
The memory of when he was a worm who could only be miserable, humiliated, and abandoned, choked his throat.
‘Damn it.’
The cigar smell had already dissipated. As much as the cool wind was blowing in relentlessly, beads of cold sweat formed on Zen’s pale face. Finding it strange, Deborah called his name again.
“Mr. Baker?”
It was a gentle voice, more like a hand extended to someone lost than a urging.
“Fine. I’ll grant all the conditions you’ve proposed.”
Zen, still pale-faced, said sharply like a beast baring its teeth.
This was clearly what Deborah had hoped for. Nevertheless, Deborah had to try hard to hide her bewilderment.
Surely the Zen that Deborah knew would have threatened, not threatened, listing various reasons like new interview costs, his own time, and so on, as he had done before.
‘This docile?’
Deborah smiled slightly and asked.
“It’s alright if you answer after reading the documents.”
“Ha. It’s fine. What could be so great about the conditions you’ve set? At most, it’s probably only to the extent you can imagine.”
Zen said that, then looked at Deborah’s reaction with an expression of ‘oops’. Usually, Zen wouldn’t even blink even if he said worse things than this, but now the situation was different.
“Thank you for granting my requests.”
If Deborah’s expression had been expressionless while answering like that, it would have looked like she was swallowing her anger after being insulted. But she was smiling brightly.
“I’m sorry for taking up the precious time of a busy person. Then please call me when you need me.”
Deborah bowed and turned around. The documents were still scattered on the floor, but it was easier to cross than when she came in, as she had tried it once before.
“……”
Zen, who had been staring intently at Deborah’s retreating back, finally covered his eyes when Deborah’s figure disappeared.
“…Damn it.”
A hot sigh mixed with lamentation warmed the cool office.
[This is the timeline separator]In the Grosian population, pure nobility excluding the bourgeoisie was about 5%, and among the nobles, less than 1% were families that stably managed their assets.
The Duke Buin family was a family that proclaimed legitimacy among the nobles of nobles.
They had a family tree older than the current dynasty, were the only ducal family in this empire, and were the only family in the kingdom untainted by foreign blood. They were the very identity of Grosian.
Most people thought the Duke Buin family had no weaknesses. They appeared quite wealthy outwardly.
The grand mansion in the capital, the lavish parties they regularly held, the lands owned by the ducal family throughout Grosian… But if you ask whether the Duke Buin family was among the 1% of nobles who stably managed their assets, the answer was no.
“……”
Duke Buin frowned as he read the documents investigating the background of Zen Baker, the man who had forced the sale of Zelaman this time. He had been reading and re-reading for a while, but there was nothing special.
Born in Astrian. The inheritance from his wealthy grandfather wasn’t much, but an investment in the wine business a few years ago miraculously accumulated a lot of wealth.
‘An investor who recently moved to Grosian because one of his parents was Grosian.’
This guy with such an obvious background, like many bourgeois, had interfered with the Duke Buin family’s business.
Of course, that bourgeois probably couldn’t even imagine that he had dared to block Duke Buin’s path. After all, Duke Buin had intervened in the Zelaman business through a third party.
“Zen Baker……”
He had never seen Zen Baker’s face yet. What reason would the one and only duke in this country have to meet someone like Zen Baker, who could barely show his face at mediocre parties that bourgeois could attend?
Unless he happens to obtain a title, but a title for a foreign-born bourgeois in Grosian?
It might be possible in Geman, but in the haughty Grosian, it was close to impossible. What madman would offer his only daughter to a commoner with nothing but money?
“Hah……”
Duke Buin, who let out a short sigh, threw away the documents as if discarding trash. Although this time this insignificant fellow had interfered, it wouldn’t happen again in the future.
‘As if such a thing could happen.’
The duke looked for his cigar case. It was to blow away the unpleasant feeling sticking to his whole body with a cigar.
But then someone knocked on the door. Duke Buin’s hand stopped abruptly.
“Father. Are, are you busy?”
The frown on his brow, which had been creased just a moment ago at the thought of his time being interrupted, smoothed out instantly into a gentle expression.
“No, my child. What’s the matter?”
[This is the timeline separator]As soon as Deborah returned to her room, a maid came to recommend breakfast.
“I’m sorry. Breakfast is fine.”
“Oh my, you’re skipping a meal? Is there somewhere you’re not feeling well……”
The maid asked, lowering the ends of her eyebrows. Deborah hurriedly waved her hands.
“It’s not that, actually I couldn’t sleep. I want to sleep a bit more now.”
“Oh my. Then I’ll wake you up, so please sleep comfortably.”
“Could you wake me up in three hours then?”
“Of course.”
The maid drew the curtains and quietly left the room. Deborah, buried deep in the cloud-like bedding, closed her eyes and thought absent-mindedly.
‘Come to think of it, I don’t even know the maid’s name.’
Now Deborah is not a guest. She is an employee just like that kind, nameless maid. From now on, she shouldn’t be treated so graciously.
‘And I have to say goodbye to this luxurious room too. I should tell Mr. Baker later……’
Come to think of it, Zen’s complexion was really bad earlier.
[Ha. It’s fine. What could be so great about the conditions you’ve set? At most, it’s probably only to the extent you can imagine.]Those words probably meant that your level, having only worked as a maid or in factories, is obvious.
Honestly, it wasn’t a pleasant thing to hear, but it wasn’t spine-chillingly unpleasant either.
‘Isn’t this a kind tone for Zen Baker?’
Considering that Zen was known to have a hellish mouth that caused resentment in countless people, well, this much. It really didn’t hurt more than a splinter in the finger.
‘Anyway, it worked out well.’
Actually, Deborah had never told Madam Saint that she would return if Zen didn’t accept her conditions.
In other words, Deborah had used Madam Saint to tell a lie.
So she was worried that it might give her a headache if Zen persistently asked when such a conversation took place, but fortunately, it passed well one way or another.
‘But I feel sorry for Madam Saint. Still, Madam, you’ll understand this much, won’t you?’
Deborah clasped her hands together as if in prayer, asking for Madam Saint’s understanding. And she slowly accepted the approaching sleep. She was tired. And there would probably be only tiring things ahead.
[This is the timeline separator]Deborah had a dream after a long time. In fact, it was closer to a strange journey of memories, reminiscing about the past while intoxicated with sleep, rather than a dream.
Deborah had to live a life riddled with hardship from the moment she was born.
Her father died in an accident before Deborah was born, and her frail mother entrusted the newborn Deborah to her younger sister before passing away.
Deborah’s aunt was poor. She already had five children of her own, and while expenses were gradually increasing, her income wasn’t improving. And now she was asked to take responsibility for one more child?
‘I can’t do it!’
Eventually, Deborah’s aunt sent Deborah to an orphanage when she turned three. Perhaps raising her until she was three and telling her about her parents was her aunt’s way of showing affection.
The orphanage where Deborah stayed wasn’t in a very good situation. Every day, the number of children entrusted with a bit of guilt kept increasing, while the incoming donations gradually decreased.
As a result, the orphanage was operated frugally. Everything was saved, reduced, and moved systematically as if a factory was running.
However, Deborah didn’t find life in this orphanage entirely painful.
While it wasn’t overflowing with warm kindness and love, there was also no abuse or favoritism. There was nothing to be dissatisfied with in life.
As she grew up little by little, young Deborah suddenly realized one very ordinary day, while watching the sunset, that she had known this world even before she was born.
‘Perhaps this is the world from the book I read.’
If someone were to ask Deborah how that could be possible, Deborah would have no way to explain. She could just naturally be certain. Just as one can believe there’s another continent across the ocean without seeing it.
It seemed she had read so many stories before. And in most of those stories, the lives of ordinary people like her were treated like grains of sand. Lives that no one would mourn even if they disappeared at any time.
This place would probably be the same, but it wasn’t bad.
‘There’s no magic, no sudden appearance of a dragon to swallow me whole, and the probability of war isn’t high.’
Yes. She had been chosen for a world that wasn’t bad enough.
Because she couldn’t specify which story it was, she couldn’t predict what would happen in the future yet, but well, that’s what life is. And what good would it do to know the future?
Deborah grew up normally, satisfied with every moment. Although opportunities to learn were limited, perhaps due to her previous life, Deborah somehow knew a lot and was able to quickly become an outstanding child that caught people’s attention.
‘Since I remember the knowledge I acquired in my previous life anyway, it would have been nice if I remembered who I was and what kind of life I lived.’
……Or not. If I remembered even that, would it be more painful? Would I keep crying, constantly missing people I can no longer meet?
Anyway, the orphanage director wrote a separate letter of recommendation for Deborah, who had grown up admirably. Thanks to this, Deborah was able to submit her resume at a young age to the Heather family, who had just moved to Grosian from Geman, after going up to the capital.
“An orphan, huh. Moreover, she hasn’t even worked in other households before.”
Madam Heather, sitting in front of Deborah, tilted her head.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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