“Oh, Your Majesty! You’re here again!”
The Emperor’s aide, Ludwig, came running, barely catching his breath, which rose to his chin.
The man called Your Majesty quietly stared at the dim path where Kasallin had just vanished, then stood up.
“You’ve been playing hide-and-seek with this old man for twenty years, so I fear I won’t live to see eighty.”
“There’s a woman walking along the northern path. Discreetly check her route.”
Parnes spoke to the guard knight who had followed Ludwig.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the knight replied politely and swiftly disappeared toward the path.
Ludwig looked at Parnes with a puzzled expression.
“Your Majesty, a woman?”
“No need to know.”
“Could it be you were with a lady at this hour?”
With no response, Ludwig’s face turned as pale as if he’d seen a living corpse.
The young king of the Rnel Empire.
Crowned at the tender age of sixteen, he led the allied forces to victory in war, sitting at the pinnacle of absolute power.
Little was known about him publicly. People called him the Blood Monarch or claimed he was a notorious rogue with dozens of illegitimate children.
Of course, the Blood Monarch nickname wasn’t entirely baseless.
But the rumor of him being a rogue? He wanted to catch whoever spread it and wring their neck.
Parnes, whom Ludwig had served for twenty years, was a man of stone who had never once touched a woman’s skirt in his life.
Even though countless young ladies lined up, yearning to be held just once by his sturdy arms.
The Emperor Parnes, a symbol of fear, was actually a man obsessed with work, loathing debauchery, and spending his free moments lying under flowering trees, a free-spirited soul.
“Have you finally found a lady to your liking?”
“A lady? You’ve grown senile with age, haven’t you?”
“Senile? How could you say something so hurtful…!”
“It’s merely a passing interest.”
Cutting through the chilly dawn breeze, Parnes muttered.
“A fleeting interest that will soon fade.”
The unknown man could not be met again after that day.
Perhaps it was a one-night dream or an unreal fantasy, she thought, as his face gradually blurred in her mind.
“Oh…!”
It was while she was strolling slowly along the pathway, taking a brief moment to herself.
A squirrel darted out from the bushes, causing her to nearly fall defenselessly onto the gravel path when a large, strong hand swiftly grabbed her arm.
Thanks to that, her body swayed but managed to regain balance.
She looked up to see who had saved her from nearly planting her face in the dirt.
“It seems you wear your eyes as decoration.”
A clean, noble face, as if it had never been stained by a drop of blood.
In stark contrast, a seductive, devilish voice snapped her drowsy mind awake.
It was him—the indifferent man whose name she didn’t even know, someone she never dreamed she’d meet again.
“Why are you here…?”
“I wasn’t aware there was a law against me walking here.”
The man replied curtly, quickly releasing Kasallin’s arm.
As if physical contact were a sin, like an ascetic monk.
“I was just startled. Thank you for catching me.”
“Watching from behind, you were staggering like a newborn fawn. Quite a sight.”
“When did I stagger like a fawn? And were you following me?”
“Don’t flatter yourself. Our paths just happened to cross. I don’t particularly enjoy someone walking ahead of me.”
Yes, yes, of course. You’re far too grand for that.
Kasallin swallowed the urge to retort sarcastically and glanced at him.
He looked down at her with an unreadable expression, as if he had something left to say.
It was then.
“Your Majesty!”
Ludwig, the aide she’d seen when meeting the Emperor before, and a few unfamiliar guard knights ran toward them, their faces relieved.
In this country, only the Emperor could be called Your Majesty.
Kasallin glanced around.
But Ludwig and the knights stopped in front of the man before her, bowing deeply with utmost respect.
“We apologize for disturbing your rest, but the delegation from the Lam Kingdom has just arrived and requests an audience with Your Majesty.”
“It seems you’re the ones wearing your eyes as decoration.”
“What?”
The man spoke to them in a distinctly commanding tone, unlike when he addressed Kasallin, as if issuing a warning.
“Can’t you see I’m speaking with this lady?”
“Oh… We apologize. We’ll wait until you’re finished.”
The elderly aide, as if witnessing something unbelievable, kept glancing at Kasallin in confusion before stepping back a few paces.
Kasallin quickly grasped the situation.
Why they bowed so low, almost groveling.
And the fact that he had been treating her with surprising leniency until now.
As the knights stepped aside, Emperor Parnes strode off down the path in the opposite direction.
Feeling utterly bewildered, Kasallin alternated her gaze between the Emperor’s retreating figure and the knights, then hurried after him with quick steps.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor.”
Her voice trembled slightly as she asked, and Parnes stopped but didn’t turn around.
“So, are you disappointed?”
Unable to grasp the intent of his question, Kasallin stared blankly at his silver hair.
He slowly turned his head.
The dazzling afternoon sunlight poured over his eyelids, casting intricate shadows.
“Do you feel deceived?”
“No, it’s not that….”
Kasallin hesitated, then shrugged lightly with a faint smile.
For some reason, a semblance of a smile she thought she’d lost flickered on her lips.
“I was rather surprised. I realized the Emperor I’d only heard about in rumors isn’t frightening at all.”
Caught off guard by her unexpected response, Parnes’ eyes widened before narrowing.
“Not frightening at all….”
He muttered to himself, then let out a chuckle—whether amused or mocking, it was hard to tell—and continued on his way.
Kasallin followed him with light steps, like a chick chasing its mother hen.
Parnes strode forward with his long legs, glanced back at Kasallin hurriedly following, and subtly slowed his pace.
“If you’d told me beforehand, I would never have been so rude. I’m truly sorry.”
“No need to make amends now. I didn’t care about someone like you to begin with.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me you were the Emperor? You say you didn’t care, but you must have been offended.”
“Well, your clueless, frightened look was rather amusing.”
“Amusing? I’m sincerely apologizing here.”
Half-listening to Kasallin’s response, the Emperor, who had been walking briskly, suddenly stopped.
Kasallin, stopping a few steps behind, looked up at his face, far above her own.
Despite just learning he was the Emperor, strangely, he didn’t feel unapproachable. It seemed she’d grown used to him in that short time.
Staring directly at the Emperor’s face was unthinkable, so Kasallin quietly lowered her gaze.
A short, inexplicable sigh escaped his lips.
“Didn’t you just say I’m not frightening at all?”
He muttered in a voice tinged with odd regret.
Kasallin instinctively looked up at him but steadied her wavering heart and maintained her decorum.
“I already know you’re an impudent, bothersome, brazen thing, so don’t bother with formalities now. It’s rather irritating.”
“Then what should I do?”
“Do as you were. That way, I can at least amuse myself thinking about how to punish you later. And stop following me like a chick.”
He said this and resumed walking toward the stream.
Whether his words were a joke or a serious rebuke, she couldn’t tell, but one thing was clear: he looked displeased when she started acting formal.
Flustered, Kasallin stood with her mouth slightly agape, then, to follow his orders, strode ahead with wide steps.
A mere maid walking ahead of the lofty Emperor was an audacious act that could cost her head, but somehow, with him, it felt permissible.
“Look, this way, I’m not following Your Majesty—you’re following me.”
She’d mustered the courage to act as he’d instructed, but for some reason, he let out a soft chuckle, as if he could no longer hold back.
Ludwig and the knights trailing far behind, even the passing maids, turned pale and began whispering among themselves.
“His Majesty laughed. Should we call the court physician?”
“Who is that lady? How prominent must she be to speak so freely with His Majesty?”
Unaware of why they were murmuring, Kasallin thought she’d made a mistake.
Knowing his identity made him feel oddly approachable, and perhaps she’d overstepped without realizing.
“What a peculiar woman.”
“Peculiar?”
“It’s like you fell from the sky.”
His face, softened with a hint of laughter, no longer resembled the Blood Monarch.
When they’d met in the audience chamber, he’d seemed like a man from an unreachable world.
Perhaps he wasn’t as terrifying as the rumors suggested.
Kasallin awkwardly fidgeted with her wind-tousled hair. At the same time, she felt a strange warmth seeping into a heart she thought had been empty and shattered.
‘It feels strange.’
Since the disastrous broken engagement, this was the first time she’d spoken so comfortably with someone, without negative emotions or hostility.
And an Emperor who found formalities unpleasant? He was truly like a man who’d fallen from the sky, and, absurdly, she felt an odd kinship with him.
“If it’s not too rude, may I ask one thing?”
He tilted his chin slightly, as if to say, go ahead.
“Why were you alone in that garden, bearing wounds?”
His steps gradually slowed.
Looking at his broad back, honed by rigorous training, Kasallin secretly swallowed a nervous breath.
Fearing she’d touched on something forbidden, she was about to beg him to forget her question when—
“…Kasallin?”
A surprised voice, along with a familiar presence, came from not far away.
It was Shallen and Rose.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
