105.
From the side, it almost seemed as if Cardier was letting out a low chuckle. Damn it, if he smiled that sanctimonious smile one more time… I really won’t just let it go. The Empire should have legally banned that behavior ages ago.
“Ahem. Hmm.”
Archbishop Ganymedes cleared his throat once more. Ro barely managed to snap her scattered thoughts back into place.
“Um… where were we in the conversation?”
“You had just finished speaking about the naval base.”
Ro alternated her gaze between the sea chart laid out on the long table and the archbishop’s face, quickly catching up with the flow of the discussion. The elderly priest stroked his chin and continued.
“If what the Lady Viscountess has said is true, then it would be safest to join Her Imperial Highness as soon as possible.”
The archbishop’s wrinkled finger traced a straight line on the sea chart, stretching from Malandaska to the forward base.
“Taking this route, it will take exactly five days. We’ll barely make the timeline.”
“Five days.”
Her calm demeanor twisted instantly from within. She understood rationally that there was no other option, but the resistance was strong. Heading to the forward base meant inevitably stepping onto the battlefield as a human shield. Yet Cardier, the one most directly involved, appeared perfectly calm. With his head slightly bowed as he examined the route, he replied with ease.
“This is a sound route.”
“You must take care of yourself—even once you reach the forward base.”
“Even as the Crown Prince, he cannot openly reject the Montrosas, not even in public.”
“You are absolutely right, but still, be cautious in every way.”
Ro stepped back slightly from their conversation and quietly observed. Wasn’t the Archbishop a relative from Louise’s maternal side? Perhaps that was why, when dealing with Cardier, he truly resembled a kind uncle worried for his nephew. Ro believed that even blood relatives couldn’t be trusted… but if the Archbishop had harbored ill intentions, she was certain Cardier would have already been compromised.
“Now the issue is how to leave the island…”
“What about bribing the guards stationed at the harbor?”
Ro’s suggestion was met with Cardier shaking his head.
“Since the governor’s underling is already trailing us, security at every harbor will double starting tomorrow. Spies will be hidden everywhere too. Too many risks.”
After a long silence, the archbishop finally spoke.
“What if you temporarily hide among the temple’s cargo?”
“Cargo ships?”
“We send sugarcane harvested in Malandaska to the mainland cathedral every three months. The shipments are quite large. Given that supplies have been cut off due to the war, we could use that as an excuse to load your ladyship’s belongings onto one of those ships.”
He paused briefly before continuing, looking at Cardier.
“If we empty one of those crates, you could conceal yourself inside.”
“If we’re caught, even you, Your Eminence, might not remain unharmed.”
“Worrying about this old man’s safety? Consider it a favor, then repay the Church later with grain or donations.”
“I will certainly do so.”
They steeled their resolve and reviewed the plan in detail—types of cargo, crate dimensions, and even escape routes in case the plan failed. The conversation only ended as the first rooster crowed at dawn. Ro let out a long yawn. Sleep was overwhelming her. She hurried to stand up when the archbishop called her back.
“Madam, please stay a moment. I wish to speak with you privately.”
Cardier froze.
“…Should I leave?”
“It won’t take long.”
It was clearly a dismissal. Cardier rose gracefully and pressed a brief kiss to the back of Ro’s hand, his anxious and uneasy eyes completely unmasked.
“I’ll wait outside.”
Soon, his footsteps faded away, and Ro heard the door close behind her. She clenched her fists tightly on her knees, utterly tense. The drowsiness that had plagued her moments ago had vanished completely. It was the archbishop who spoke first.
“I was told by Priestess Niobe that your memories are incomplete. You became this way after falling ill.”
“Yes.”
“Then was that also when your sacred power began to falter?”
“…You say that as if I actually possess sacred power.”
Ro ran her tongue over her dry lips, then quickly added,
“Are you saying I am the Saintess?”
“Have you lost even that memory entirely?”
Ro nodded. A strong intuition told her that here, in this place, lay the clue to why—out of all people—she had ended up in this woman’s body. Ganymedes fixed her with a gaze that seemed to pierce through her soul, then slowly spoke.
“You awakened the power of Deus around the age of five. You involuntarily manifested it while trying to help an injured maid. Nowadays, when sacred power across the continent is dwindling, such a gift is rare and precious. But among the nobility, it is not welcomed. It requires abandoning one’s status to serve the divine for life.”
“…”
“The Duke of Valdemore intervened. Now, only a very few within the Church know this truth.”
“…”
“Hand.”
The archbishop’s palm felt similar to that of Priestess Niobe who had visited her the previous day. Both were rough, both unnervingly warm—not just in body temperature, but as if emitting a gentle, inner warmth. A moment later, the archbishop opened his eyes.
“There’s truly a sense of dissonance. As if water were poured into a vessel it doesn’t fit…”
Ro flinched, her hand jerking as if she’d been slapped. Damn it. Just from touching her hand, he could tell everything… Yet the archbishop didn’t seem to suspect anything further.
“The fortunate thing is, this new power appears to resemble sacred power in some way. Perhaps it transformed while you were unable to control it properly.”
The archbishop’s words were growing harder to follow. Noticing her expression, he faintly smiled and opened a small box he had placed on the table. Inside was a silver key, its end wrapped in leather so it could be worn around the neck.
“Take this.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why give it to me?”
“Someone entrusted it to me years ago. They said a person in need would come, and I would know who it was when I saw them.”
Ro silently stared down at the key in her palm.
“And if that person isn’t me?”
“Then it would be the fault of the one who entrusted it.”
What kind of logic is that? Ro put the key around her neck with a baffled expression. Once again, she reminded herself that avoiding entanglement with these quacks was far better for her mental health. The archbishop waved his hand as if the matter were concluded.
“You may go now.”
Ro was about to leave, but absentmindedly thought of Calypso. If the Saintess’s power was so desirable to “them” that it made their mouths water… how had they known it resided in her? If the Duke of Valdemore had gone to such desperate lengths to conceal it.
“One more thing. I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“Who within the temple knows that I possess sacred power?”
“Officially, only the Pope, myself, and Priestess Niobe. Unofficially, perhaps a few more. Though we’ve silenced tongues, it did happen in Valdemore, after all.”
“In Valdemore?”
This time, it was Archbishop Ganymedes who wore a puzzled expression.
“You didn’t know? Why do you think the Valdemore family crest is the lily?”
“…”
“Because it was the ancestral house of the First Saintess.”
* * *
Ro hurried back to the governor’s mansion just as dawn broke.
A maid, who had been frantically searching for her all night, quickly attended to her. The governor had been asking for her. Ro endured the entire process almost asleep.
“Ah, there you are. Please, sit here.”
The governor greeted her while seated in the dining hall. His manner was not just rude, but outright arrogant—yet she had no choice but to comply. As she took her seat, servants brought in dishes and food.
“Please, eat.”
He urged her as he pierced a soft-boiled egg with his fork. Ro pretended to nibble and fidget with her food. She needed sleep far more than food. When she let out a small yawn, the governor opened his mouth as if he’d been waiting.
“Oh. By the way, I heard you visited the temple last night.”
The pretense of ignorance was loathsome. Ro answered as calmly as she could.
“I wanted to offer prayers for a smooth voyage.”
“If you had told me, I would have gladly arranged it.”
“It’s the temple. There was no need to involve you.”
“Lately, there have been many unruly individuals in the streets.”
“Unruly individuals?”
“Exactly as I said. A criminal who escaped from under my jurisdiction hasn’t been captured yet.”
It was a despicable tactic—to publicly brand Cardier as a criminal right in front of her. Yet Ro replied while chewing a piece of carved turnip, avoiding the governor’s gaze.
“How frightening.”
“There are rumors he’s taken shelter in the temple.”
“That’s frightening too.”
The governor set down his fork and smiled.
“Tell me, did you happen to see anything unusual?”
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
_____
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.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
