Tap, tap.

The sound of footsteps, almost cheerfully brisk, echoed through the ruins of the Wessex Kingdom’s palace.

Once a royal residence, the palace now stood eerily desolate, with not a single intact wall remaining.

Isabella Fitzroy, the First Princess of Fitzroy, strode through the wreckage. Trading high-heeled shoes for military boots and swirling a long cape, she had conquered the capital of Wessex in just five days. In a week, she overthrew the flimsy castle, destroyed buildings, and ended the trembling king’s life on his throne.

Now, she was on her way to see the youngest Prince of Wessex, Cedric Wessex, soon to be her slave, who was rumored to be rebellious.

In the midst of this, news reached her.

“……Laila Wessex?”

Upon hearing a familiar name amid the torrent of reports from her lieutenant, Isabella showed a reaction.

“Yes, she’s currently in Filmer Kingdom for a brief period for her engagement ceremony with Reynald Filmer, the Seventh Prince of Filmer.”

All those bearing the Wessex name in the royal palace had been captured. However, upon counting, they found a princess missing.

It wasn’t a concern to Isabella. What could one surviving princess do in a fallen kingdom? The royal family had never been structured or popular with the people, so her absence wasn’t significant.

But Isabella’s brow furrowed as something nearly recognizable flickered in her mind.

“Strangely, the name sounds familiar.”

Laila Wessex. Laila Wessex…

Muttering to herself, Isabella suddenly stopped in her tracks, causing her entourage to halt as well. Then, with a snap of her fingers, it clicked.

“Laila Wessex. Wasn’t she the fiancée of Adrian Laines?”

Her servant, seemingly recalling the same, exclaimed with a realization.

“That seems right, Your Highness.”

Isabella scoffed.

“She’s just a powerless princess. Why should I care? But since it’s mentioned… where is Adrian Laines?”

The servant hesitated, then lowered his head.

“We haven’t located him yet, my apologies.”

“Find him quickly. He’s probably sitting somewhere comfortably, listening to everything about me.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

That accursed Prince of Thakin…

Time and again, he had thwarted Isabella’s plans, causing her significant losses.

Recently, she had managed to snatch an artifact he’d been after, but it was scant consolation for her grievances.

Although that artifact turned out to be quite useful.

Wandering through the palace’s broken corridors, Isabella entered a room guided by her servant. Inside, a boy, tied with ropes and on his knees, was immediately visible among Fitzroy’s knights.

Looking pitifully pale, the boy looked up fearfully at Isabella, who was backlit, making her golden hair the only clear feature visible.

Taller than most knights around her, Isabella scrutinized him with her chin slightly raised. Casually taking a seat on a dusty chair, she leaned forward, conversing with Cedric.

“I hear you have the most exceptional tuning ability in this generation.”

Cedric, without a word, just bowed his head, causing Isabella’s golden eyebrows to twitch with displeasure.
“It seems you don’t want to answer. Or are you too scared, not knowing what will become of you?”

Isabella, frustrated by Cedric’s continued silence, gestured to her knights to lift his face.

His face, marred from some resistance, revealed tear-filled eyes above his pretty features. However, Isabella remained unimpressed.

She dryly summarized Cedric’s current predicament.

“Don’t worry. I’m not a pervert. And if you have to be a slave, it’s better to be a royal one. At least you won’t starve…”

“……Huh.”

Cedric, seemingly overwhelmed, choked on a sob.

It was understandable. From a palace life to slavery, his fall was pitiable, especially for a boy from a young, 10-year-old kingdom.

But his docility was surprising. Perhaps he had resigned to the reality.

“Since you’re not begging for death, it seems you want to live.”

After a brief conjecture, Isabella stood up. Before leaving the room, she instructed her knights on Cedric’s fate.

“He’ll be taken to Fitzroy. Put him in the cargo hold of the ship, and gag him, just in case.”

As she turned to leave, Cedric, who had been silent throughout, finally spoke with a trembling voice.

“My brother and sisters…”

“…….”

“How, how are they…”

Unable to finish, choked by tears, Cedric hung his head and wept.

Isabella looked down at his trembling shoulders, her voice cold and matter-of-fact.

“Asking the obvious.”

She stepped closer, her booted foot near Cedric, and gently lifted his chin with her silver-gauntleted hand.

Seeing his face, she was glad he didn’t resemble the Wessex king she had just killed. Otherwise, she might have crushed him then and there.

She couldn’t stand the thought of someone daring to play with the throne of another country.

Isabella continued, emotionless.

“Wessex, having insulted Isabella Fitzroy, will no longer bear its name. But the surviving children will be gifts to our allies, as slaves.”

“…….”

“They won’t all die, so don’t worry too much.”

After calmly stating the fate of the Wessex’s, she turned her back on Cedric.

Ignoring his heavy breathing, she commanded.

“Catch Laila Wessex as soon as you find her and report to me immediately.”

“Yes, we understand she’s set to return from Filmer. Considering the sea journey, it should take about 21 days. We can wait at the port and capture her.”

Isabella smirked slightly, nodding.

Laila Wessex wasn’t critical, but capturing her might lead to interesting developments.

Laila and Adrian Laines were now strangers, even enemies, due to the king’s betrayal. However, as Adrian’s first love, Laila’s capture might provoke him.

Would he show any reaction?

Even a slight disturbance would be amusing.

This time, she had outpaced Adrian Laines.
Now, with the proclamation of this place as Fitzroy territory, the plan to seize Wessex would be complete.

Lost in thought and suddenly in a better mood, Isabella stepped out lightly.

Cedric, left behind, gazed vacantly at her retreating figure. Then, the knights of Fitzroy shrouded his vision with a black cloth, plunging him into darkness.

With his sight obscured, Cedric closed his eyes, replaying Isabella’s final command, and desperately pleaded in his mind.

‘Please, please don’t come, sister…’

His other siblings were already captives, beyond rescue. But he hoped, at least Laila, still uncaught, would remain safe.

Hoping the news of Wessex would swiftly reach her, Cedric felt himself being suddenly lifted and carried away by someone.

Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.

The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…

Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.

Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.

The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”

When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…

The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced