Due to the sudden, strange earthquake, Prince Reynard and the other princes had gathered at the Queen’s palace.
“What’s going on here? How can it shake that much and yet everywhere else is fine? Does that make any sense?”
Amidst the crowd, the loudest voice belonged to the First Prince, who was making a fuss, wondering if there was a significant issue with the building.
Reynard, watching from a distance, signaled his attendant.
“Did she… get out?”
“Well, it’s not clear if she got out, but they say her room was on fire from the outside.”
Reynard cursed under his breath.
Only after fleeing the building and hastily arriving at the Queen’s palace did Reynard realize that Laila was not with him. Even her maid and knights from Filmer were nowhere to be seen.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, none of his brothers or their families found this odd. But soon, someone would surely notice her absence.
‘She’s not dead, is she?’
Reynard sighed at the worst-case scenario.
If that happened, it would be a disaster. Despite Wessex being a small kingdom and Laila being a disregarded princess, her ability as a Tuner made Wessex valuable.
Wasn’t that why his father, the King of Filmer, had arranged this marriage in the first place?
If she were to be found dead, it would be a serious problem.
Reynard imagined Laila’s charred body and clenched his fists in anxiety. While people dispersed to their assigned rooms, Reynard pretended to sleep. Once the corridor was silent, he snuck outside.
Crossing the dark palace corridors, he returned to the princes’ apartments with his attendant. The hustle from the central garden to the apartments was noticeable.
Palace servants, courtiers, and staff were all busy extinguishing the fire. Reynard watched the smoke-blackened sky, then turned to his attendant.
“Why didn’t anyone take care of the princess?”
“Well, it was so sudden… And I think I saw her maid going inside afterward.”
“Are you sure?”
“Not entirely… But when we left, there wasn’t a fire yet. She might come out unharmed soon.”
Frustrated by his attendant’s optimistic theory, Reynard approached the building. Injured people supported by their colleagues were leaving the building.
Reynard searched among them for Laila or her maid.
‘Why am I even doing this…’
Just as he was grinding his teeth, Reynard noticed someone else behaving similarly. Recognizing the familiar face, he brightened and approached her quickly.
“Hey!”
Startled by the sudden touch, she let out a weird scream. As Reynard scowled, Laila’s maid, Alice, turned and gasped.
“Prince Reynard?”
Her freckled face looked up at him in alarm. It was obvious she hadn’t found Laila either. Still, he asked.
“What happened to Laila? Weren’t you with her?”
“After the building shook, I went to the princess’s room, but she wasn’t there… I thought she had already evacuated, so I came out, but I still couldn’t find her.”
“…….”
She wasn’t there when you went to the room right after the shaking?
Then, as the maid said, is she hiding somewhere completely different and not coming back at all?
‘Did she run away in the chaos? Trying to avoid the engagement?’
If that’s the case, I’ll have to find her and bring her back, no matter what. Such a troublesome woman. And I can’t even consider calling off the marriage.
Just as these thoughts crossed Reynard’s mind, Alice spoke again.
“Didn’t you say you’d escort the princess to her room just before?”
Caught off guard by the maid’s question, Reynard struggled to find an answer and made up a lie.
“Well, yes, but I was returning to my room when the building started shaking. I don’t know why Laila wasn’t in her room.”
He felt complicated as he answered. Alice seemed equally lost.
“But then…”
She looked back at the building, worried that something terrible might have happened inside.
Hypocritical, considering she showed up late too.
Reynard, finding her behavior irritating, took hold of her arm and led her away.
He didn’t like having to be considerate of someone else, but if Laila really had run away, he could use this maid to lure her back.
“We’ve moved everyone to a different place, so you should rest there. The princess will probably come there if she hears news, right?”
Alice seemed tempted by the suggestion of rest and asked cautiously.
“Is it really okay…?”
“Of course. You must be shocked, so it’s for your well-being. I’ll look for the princess.”
Reynard gestured to his attendant, handed Alice over, and approached the building.
Among the many people coming and going, he watched discreetly.
Given the situation, some people recognized and bowed to him, but no one stopped or waited for his instructions.
Reynard, annoyed by his cumbersome outer garment, tossed it aside and grabbed a wet towel to cover his face. Then, taking advantage of the moment when people weren’t looking, he entered the building.
The corridor was a mess with soot, but fortunately, the flames leading to Laila’s room had somewhat subsided.
He easily navigated the corridor, avoiding lingering flames, and returned to Laila’s room.
As Alice had said, there was no sign of Laila. Thinking she might be hiding, Reynard called out.
“Laila?”
No response. Moving deeper, he heard the crunch of glass underfoot, the result of items falling during the shaking.
Sighing, he ventured further into the darkness, plotting various scenarios in his head.
If Laila had run away.
Or if she had burned to death.
Either way, Reynard had to portray himself as a victim of this sudden disaster.
A man who desperately searched for his fiancée in the flames but was betrayed, or a man who lost his beloved and was driven to despair.
Reynard smeared the black ashes on his clothes and face.
“Why do I have to do this…”
Despite feeling repulsed, he had no choice. He had to show everyone he did his best to find Laila.
Then, he looked towards a closed connecting door.
Could Laila be inside?
Even if she had hidden there, there was a good chance she had suffocated by now.
‘If she’s alive, then…’
Roughly considering finding a weapon to stab her throat, Reynard then thought better of it. After all, she was a woman incapable of doing much on her own, so there seemed no need to kill her.
Besides, she was admittedly pretty. It seemed fitting to let her spend her life weeping in either his or someone else’s bed.
‘It would be more useful if she turned into an idiot from inhaling the smoke.’
She would be entirely at his mercy then.
Casually sprinkling black ash on his clothes, Reynard opened the door to the inner room.
There were no burn marks on the door, and it seemed the flames hadn’t reached this far. However, upon opening it, acrid smoke billowed out.
Covering his nose and mouth with the wet towel, he peered into the dark room and called out softly.
“Laila, Laila. Are you here?”
This time, there was a response.
“I knew you would come back.”
However, the voice came from behind him and wasn’t Laila’s.
It was a man’s voice.
Feeling a chill down his spine, Reynard was about to turn around when suddenly his legs were kicked from behind, causing him to collapse face-first to the floor.
Dropping the wet towel in the fall, he started coughing violently as the pungent smoke entered his nostrils.
In a daze, he turned and shouted.
“Who’s there? Who the hell dares to…!”
Before he could finish, a loud bang resounded as the door slammed shut, and a massive blow struck the back of his head and back, slamming him into the wall.
Reynard, disoriented and unable to stand, collapsed.
Then, a foot stepped under his chin, lifting his face up.
Through his now bloodied and blurry vision, he saw Milley, looking down at him with cold eyes.
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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