During the carriage ride across the imperial city, she was constantly amazed by the incredibly large and splendid buildings and the broad gardens blooming with beautiful flowers, attracting her parents’ attention for her exclamations.
The palace was even more grand and extensive than any other building, and the garden at the back was much larger than the Duke’s residence.
‘Incredible…’
Laila realized that her fantasies, fueled by occasional stories from her eldest brother, were actually underwhelming compared to the reality.
Seated quietly in a corner of the bustling banquet hall with over twenty family members and royal attendants, Laila looked around. Her parents were busy conversing with the Emperor and Empress, paying no attention to her.
She wondered if anyone would notice if she left her seat. Staring at the empty plate in front of her, she swallowed her boredom.
The banquet had yet to start as the Crown Prince hadn’t arrived yet. Her younger sibling sitting next to her murmured, “Ugh, why can’t they just serve the food whether the Crown Prince is here or not? I’m hungry…”
That started a small commotion among the siblings near Laila.
“Just wait a bit; he’ll be here soon.”
“But Charlotte’s a pig, so it must be hard for her to wait.”
“What? You’re done for, Oliver. Didn’t you just hit 70 pounds?”
“So what? I’m growing tall, so that’s fine.”
“You have a belly, pig.”
As the fraternal twins, Charlotte and Oliver, bickered, someone approached Laila from behind and tugged at her dress.
“Laila sister…”
“Sedric?”
Turning at the sound of the voice, she saw her youngest brother Sedric, who had walked all the way from the last seat. Surprised at his slightly tearful look, Laila blinked in concern.
“What’s wrong? You need to stay in your seat, Sedric.”
To which Sedric replied with distress.
“…My feet hurt.”
From the side, Charlotte scolded the child.
“This is an important occasion. You need to bear it until we go home, dummy!”
“Charlotte.”
Laila called her name, signaling her to stop, and Charlotte turned her head away with a huff. Laila looked around, then crouched down to meet Sedric’s gaze.
“Why do your feet hurt? Did you hurt yourself?”
Sedric puffed out his chubby cheeks and nodded. When Laila took off his shoes to check, she found his feet swollen.
It seemed like something heavy had stepped on his foot, given the purple bruise. Startled by this, Laila looked up, and Sedric started to tear up.
“Some lady stepped on it with her shoe…”
It must have been one of the princesses or their maids at the banquet who accidentally stepped on his foot, given that they knew all their family members’ faces.
Uncertain of what to do, Laila whispered to Oliver.
“Oliver, I’m going to take Sedric out for a bit. If someone looks for me…”
“Who would look for you? Go ahead.”
“……Okay.”
Indeed, it seemed unlikely that anyone would pay attention to the fifth daughter, especially one not deemed particularly useful.
Relieved, Laila left the banquet hall with her young brother Sedric, planning to ask the knights outside for directions to an infirmary or similar place.
As they just stepped out, someone was walking down the corridor of the palace.
It was Adrian Rains, the Crown Prince.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
