How To Choose A Knight (28 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 8
Felix frowned despite trying to stay positive. Just thinking about his niece made him so irritated he could barely contain his anger.
Ascela asked cautiously,
“How… is the search for Jade going?”
“Well, I don’t know. Someone must have given the orders.”
“What? Didn’t Father do anything at all?”
Ignoring his daughter’s question, Felix hurriedly flipped through the stolen documents.
Unlike his niece’s gentle eyes and frail, delicate appearance, she possessed a cold and thorough nature.
She had blocked his interference so thoroughly it made him want to explode—even over something as trivial as selecting a single trade guild to bring into the family.
Anything he tried to meddle with now required approval from at least one elder of the house, which seemed utterly inappropriate given that the heir had vanished.
To any observer, it looked exactly like the kind of underhanded scheme he’d run for bribes—and in truth, that’s precisely what it was.
Felix slammed the documents roughly onto the table.
“Damn it! This is the perfect time to gather funds!”
The middle-aged man scowled, his face contorting violently. Deep wrinkles carved into his skin, making him appear irritable and careless.
In the past, his face had only ever been lined with laughter—how had it come to this?
Ascela swallowed hard and carefully opened her mouth.
“Father… perhaps it’s time you lived a little more freely.”
Though she phrased it delicately, the meaning was clear: he should stop scheming and withdraw.
Felix, rubbing his sharp, narrow chin, stared at his foolish daughter with jet-black eyes.
“Ascela, Ascela. My beautiful daughter.”
A mocking smile curled his lips.
“You truly know nothing—absolutely nothing—about this world.”
“It’s not that…”
“Do you even understand what it takes to live comfortably?”
Felix began counting off on his fingers.
“A modestly sized mansion, dozens of servants, fertile lands or a trade guild that yields a reliable harvest every year, and capital you can invest to grow further.”
He stood abruptly and glared down at Ascela.
“And a dowry to marry you off!”
Ascela lowered her head, clutching her icy fingertips. Her fine lace gloves offered no warmth at all.
“You and your cousin Jade are nothing alike. That infuriating girl—even if we belittle her for only wielding fire magic—possesses power so exceptional the King himself summoned her. But what about you?”
Ascela shrank back hesitantly, but Felix stepped closer, unleashing his reproach.
“You gave us such high hopes as a child, only for your magic reserves to turn out shallower than a puddle of rainwater. I was too ashamed to even lift my head. And now, of all things, you dare suggest living simply?”
“I only meant… perhaps somewhere humble…”
“You’ll cut the grass in the garden yourself? Bargain with merchants yourself? Cook your own meals? Don’t be ridiculous. You’ve never lived that way—not for a single day. That’s not freedom—it’s misery!”
Tears finally spilled onto her pale cheeks, yet Ascela, trembling, still tried to press her point.
“Even after everything she’s been through… if Jade chooses to step away peacefully, she’ll still offer something to you and me. That’s just the kind of person she is.”
“No. She’s just as greedy and ruthless as her mother. She won’t give us a thing—not unless it’s mere crumbs. She’s the spitting image of that mud-stained woman whose origins nobody even knows.”
That woman had been so venomous that even subtle reproaches failed to make her flinch. Though long buried beneath a gravestone, she always resurfaced in Felix’s mind like a hangnail whenever he saw his living niece.
“But still…”
“Ascela.”
Just the warning tone of her name made her shrink into herself. He wanted her silent—and yes, she did look pathetic.
With so little resolve, how could she ever properly hold a husband’s devotion after marriage?
Felix clicked his tongue, looking at his daughter with her ordinary brown hair.
If only she’d had popular golden locks—or at least Jade Broen’s delicate hue—she might have fetched a higher price.
He softened his voice as much as possible, trying to mask his annoyance.
“My daughter, wake up. We’re already in the same boat. This is the only way we can continue living luxuriously as we have. Jade Broen must remain nothing more than the heir.”
Then he whispered something devilish.
“That’s why I paid that teleportation mage to drop her somewhere strange. I spent every last coin I’d saved—so she’d better be dead or crippled by now.”
Ascela gasped and covered her mouth in shock, but Felix tilted his head, lost in another thought.
“Oh, right. If there’s no news for a while, it wouldn’t hurt to propose holding a funeral. After all, failed teleportation magic almost always ends in death.”
Ascela’s eyelids fluttered. Despite his horrifying words, Felix’s face was full of smiles.
“Didn’t I tell you? We’re in this together. Who would ever believe in your innocence? But don’t worry, my daughter. You’ll become the wife of a fine household—I’ll make sure of it. Ah, enough talk. I need to head to the gambling den and win some money before I can do anything else.”
Ascela, who had been helplessly clutching her hands, finally let her head droop heavily.
‘Ascela, Ascela! Let’s climb up there together!’
‘What? Jade, no! Father will be furious. He’ll say it’s unladylike…’
‘That’s such nonsense. We’re nowhere near old enough to be proper ladies yet. Come on! Let’s decorate the gardener’s cottage up in that tree—with this ribbon!’
Then as now, compared to Jade, she felt utterly worthless.
Unable to properly rebel, yet unable to fully obey.
[This is the timeline separator]It had already been about fifteen days since Jade had fallen into the Athanase Forest. She was gradually learning how to live in the woods.
Mornings in the forest came early. As soon as the sun barely peeked above the horizon, the rooster from Oli’s distant house crowed, forcing Axel and Jade awake almost simultaneously. That rooster’s voice was truly monstrous.
Still groggy from restless sleep, Jade would stagger out of her tiny storeroom—her makeshift quarters—just as Axel burst through his door, cursing loudly.
“Damn that rooster… one of these days…”
Jade silently cursed along with him in her head. That bird would surely deny her feed again…
Despite all his grumbling, Axel moved with remarkable diligence. From the sounds of it, he washed himself immediately upon waking. Then he’d head straight to where his horse was kept, check on the black stallion’s health, give it a quick brushing, and change its water.
Such behavior offered a slight clue about his past.
Of course, it might mean nothing—but among all the people Jade had met, those most sensitive to a horse’s well-being had always been knights.
And the elegant horse, undoubtedly a warhorse, plus the sword always kept nearby…
“Ah, I don’t know. I’m just tired…”
Jade, pondering his true identity, flopped back onto the floor and wriggled.
By now, she’d grown used to the rooster’s crowing, Axel’s pitiful glances, the hard floor, and even the moderately plush blanket—but the nightmares still refused to fade.
Perhaps due to the anxiety and worry she’d been suppressing, ever since falling into the forest, her dreams had been filled with exhaustion and dread. And those nightmares were pieced together from fragments of the past.
Last night had been no different. A smug mouth floated in the dark void, spewing malicious words.
‘You have absolutely no talent for water or earth magic. Even your wind magic barely makes it past the first page of a spellbook. The Broen heirs have always been versatile.’
‘Could it be because you take after your mother? Her origins were never reputable. If only you resembled Yannick…’
‘Perhaps you’re not even of Yannick’s blood—maybe you belong to another house entirely. Haha, just joking! Still, you must learn to endure such remarks calmly if you’re to lead the family. Now, smile and relax your expression.’
While those dark words coiled around her, Jade struggled to shout a rebuttal.
No! I am truly my parents’ daughter. My hair is like my father’s, my eyes like my mother’s. They were a perfect match!
I lack nothing. The Broen heir isn’t meant to be the strongest mage—they’re meant to love the Broen lands the most!
But in the dream, her lips were sealed shut as if glued together.
Because she couldn’t reply, the cruel words piled beneath her feet, slowly sinking like a swamp, swallowing her legs.
‘We’ll take your place as heir.’
No! All you care about is greed. You’ll ruin that beautiful land.
‘You’re unqualified.’
No—I am qualified! Once I get through that damn coming-of-age ceremony you keep interfering with, it’ll be over. I’m the King’s lawfully recognized heir. There’s nothing wrong with me!
‘How will you even attend? You’re trapped here! You can’t do anything!’
She wanted nothing more than to wake up—but the swamp of malice had already risen to her chin, and dream-Jade was on the verge of drowning.
Then, piercing through the darkness, a vivid gray eye appeared.
‘What are you doing?’
A sword was extended toward her. Jade barely managed to grasp the tip of its scabbard…
And woke from the dream.
“No wonder I’m exhausted—dreaming this chaotic mess every night.”
Even if she carried on with daily life as if nothing were wrong, shaking off the inner restlessness was truly difficult. After all, these dreams reflected her own anxieties.
“At least I’ve heard all those words before, so it’s a little less painful.”
They were all things adults around her had babbled during her childhood.
Truly, there wasn’t a single respectable person in her circle. Jade gave a self-mocking chuckle and sat up.
It was truly time to rise now. Leaving the gloomy fragments of night buried in her blanket, she opened the door to greet the busy forest day.
The first thing Jade did upon waking was to check the pot hanging over the fireplace, blinking her puffy eyes.
“Hmm, no foam. And the color is clear.”
Axel’s house had a very large fireplace. Its sturdy construction was perfect for hanging a sizable cauldron used for magical potions.
Of course, she’d needed his permission first—but surprisingly, Axel had readily agreed.
The reason was simple: he figured that way, Jade wouldn’t pester him.
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]
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Chapter Comments (15)
Inline Comments (64)
If only I’d had the chance to say a proper goodbye—to tidy things up—would it ha
I have a feeling in this chapter, he too will realize his feelings- or come to be mad at Jade
Before those behind could stop him, the young man gulped down the plain water fr
Hhahahah your brother must love you a lot~~ he’s probably gonna reunite you with Jade
“A handsome man with a good body.”
Hahah looks like someone is getting an entertaining sister in law hehheh
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It is so sweet how preciously the treat the eggs because they are empathetic to the old hen’s struggle. Idk why I didn’t expect that from their character. I wonder how fervently her aides and servants are searching for her right now? I feel like one of them should be clever enough to investigate the uncle
It is so sweet how preciously the treat the eggs because they are empathetic to the old hen’s struggle. Idk why I didn’t expect that from their character. I wonder how fervently her aides and servants are searching for her right now? I feel like one of them should be clever enough to investigate the uncle
I feel like Axel must of royal bloodline. Jade is so cute! They are gonna be so cute together