Anger spread like wildfire among the people who understood the situation.
“We have dedicated our entire lives to the imperial family!”
“What have we been doing all this time for…!”
They began to surround the emperor, who was covered in filth.
Rotten fruits and garbage flew from the crowd.
The desperate emperor quickly looked back.
The prince, who had just emerged from the sewer, was mixed in with the people, looking around with a frightened expression.
Compared to the emperor, the young prince’s face was not well known to the crowd.
Moreover, with the dirty filth staining his clothes, it was impossible to identify his status.
The emperor pleaded in a desperate tone, reaching out his hand towards his son.
“My son! Please, please help me…”
The anger of the crowd grew more and more fierce.
Now, beyond rotten fruits, hard objects like stones began to fly towards the old emperor.
“My son…”
Just as the emperor was desperately reaching out his hand, Gwenalt blurted out in a bewildered tone.
“Wh-what do you mean, your son, Your Majesty?”
“Gwenalt…?”
The cold-hearted words of his youngest son sharply pierced his heart as he mumbled blankly, unable to grasp the situation.
“I… I am merely a servant who served Your Majesty… How could you call me that?”
The emperor dropped his wrinkled hand with a thud.
Although he had been a selfish emperor who only cared about himself all his life, he still cherished and doted on his youngest son, born in his later years.
Gwenalt must have known that fact better than anyone else.
‘But, but you…’
You’re pretending not to know me when I need you the most.
Thwack!
A large stone thrown by someone hit him directly on the forehead.
That was the beginning.
The people surrounding the emperor began throwing stones relentlessly.
With the onslaught of stones that followed, the emperor’s face and body quickly became covered in blood.
Nevertheless, he never uttered the word ‘son’ again until the very end.
“Ugh…”
Seeing his father, who had become a terrible sight mixed with filth and blood, Gwenalt took a step back.
His father did not look like that.
His father, who never lost his authority as the emperor even though he was old.
Wearing a colorful imperial crown, sitting on the throne.
His father should have always been like that.
“No, no…”
So the miserable sight worse than a slave was not his father.
Gwenalt turned around and fled from the square.
“We… we were told that we are the chosen ones…”
Panting, Gwenalt kept repeating excuses to no one in particular.
“Always great and noble…”
So if one was not great, they were not a member of the imperial family.
Half out of his mind, Gwenalt ran frantically in one direction.
To the place where he could become great again, the place where he was born and raised.
To the imperial palace.
[This is the timeline separator]Two tall men in cloaks emerged from the angry crowd.
“…Was this also your intention?”
Lin, who had been hiding among the crowd, asked in a disgusted tone.
His expression was not particularly bright as he watched the miserable end of the emperor.
It was because of Count Pryde standing next to him.
Even while watching this whole tragedy unfold, his expression did not change at all.
‘A terrifying guy.’
It made him realize once again what kind of being he had been fighting against in this empire.
The man who was so fearsome and mighty when he was an enemy, yet so reassuring now that he was an ally.
‘No, an ally? What am I thinking?’
Lin hastily shook his head, and the count’s flat voice fell upon him.
“I will go and eliminate the remaining seed of the imperial family.”
He was referring to the prince who had abandoned his father and fled.
After all, the other princes had all lost their lives along with the other imperial troops on the northern battlefield.
Pointing to the emperor who had collapsed in a bloody mess, he added in a dry tone.
“The emperor must be judged by the demons while he is still alive before the Holy Knights.”
A more terrible torture and death awaited him than dying from the stones thrown by the people.
Above all, the emperor had to stand before the continental people as the mastermind behind all these events and a living witness to history.
Lin nodded.
“I understand what you mean. I’ll make sure to pull the emperor out just before he dies.”
If Pryde went out, it would be simple, but he was known to the people as the captain of the guards and a close aide to the emperor.
Perhaps surprised by the straightforward answer, he turned his head and stared at Lin.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“…No matter how urgent, I didn’t want to ask for your power.”
At his sudden honest remark, Lin gritted his teeth and retorted.
“That goes for me too. I’d rather die than give you any help.”
Their gazes met.
The two men, who looked like they were about to kill each other, were ironically thinking the same question.
What is this emotion that makes them do things they believed they would never do, even if they died?
This strange power of love that changes people they believed would never change.
The count, who had been staring at him, suddenly opened his mouth.
“Yes. We need to prepare for any contingencies.”
“What do you mean?”
“In case things go wrong, tell me how to kill me.”
“…What?”
After a brief moment of wide-eyed surprise, Lin soon clenched his teeth.
How to kill that man.
He desperately wanted to know, but at the same time, he wanted to vehemently refuse.
The demonic man.
The enemy of his comrades.
And the method to kill the man she loves…
“No need.”
Lin, who had overcome the strong temptation, roughly turned his head.
“What do you think I’ve been saying all this time? I promised to bring you to Delphine. Alive, of course.”
At those words, the count lifted the corner of his mouth askew.
It was a slightly different smile from his usual expressions, which were always perfect as if painted, yet simultaneously cruel.
“To kill me, you need to call the name of the demon I have contracted with.”
“Hey. I said it’s enough…”
“Then at that moment, the demon will temporarily leave me.”
“…”
He was truly a man who did not listen to others at all.
Probably no one except Delphine could control that man.
The count continued speaking to Lin, who had half given up.
“And, the name of the demon I have contracted with is…”
He hesitated for a moment, then raised his hand.
Black ink created by magic spread across his palm, forming a single word.
Lin, who had finally learned the demon’s name, narrowed his eyes and studied the man.
“You… You’re not thinking of anything strange, are you?”
The man did not answer.
She thought a man like him would never commit suicide or sacrifice himself for everyone, but now her thoughts had changed.
Lin, who had become impatient, shouted urgently.
“Name!”
“What’s with the sudden…”
“The baby doesn’t have a name yet. Delphine wants you to name the child!”
When Delphine’s name was mentioned, the man’s cold face crumbled a little.
Pryde closed his eyes tightly.
That man had been interfering with his determination from the beginning.
‘No more.’
He knew himself well.
He was not a person who was naturally strong against temptation.
“Remember the demon’s name well.”
“No, wait. Hey!”
Pryde immediately teleported to the imperial palace.
To the underground chamber, the place he had designated to seal himself forever.
[This is the timeline separator]The hall where the portraits of successive emperors were hung.
An empty space immersed in a gentle darkness.
Gwenalt, the last remaining prince of the empire, was sitting in front of the portrait of the first emperor.
“How… Why in my time…”
He mumbled miserably, half out of his mind.
Father was already at an age facing death anyway.
When such a father passed away, wouldn’t it be my chance?
That’s what he had hoped for…
“I didn’t expect this. I had no idea at all…”
He raised his head and looked at the portrait.
“Baphomet…”
Gwenalt muttered the name his father had told him.
The first emperor, who had built two barriers below this peninsula and created an empire in an instant.
If only he was given such power. If so…
“I want to become the emperor… If I, if I can only become that…”
It was then, as he was muttering in the empty hall with a crazed expression.
−If you can?
A sweet voice was heard.
Gwenalt got up with a start and looked around the empty hall.
The voice continued to be heard in the empty hall.
−Do you want to become the emperor of this empire?
Gwenalt vaguely realized.
‘Is this what Father was talking about then?’
“If there ever comes a moment in your life when you desperately want something the most.”
The advice his father had given him with a serious face.
“And at that moment, if someone approaches you and whispers something… You must never fall for that whisper. Do you understand?”
The prince hesitated for a moment, unable to answer easily.
The inscription under the portrait of the first emperor caught his eye.
[Beware of the whispers heard at the most desperate times.]A series of warnings passed down from distant ancestors to his father, and to himself.
What should he do at a time like this?
Gwenalt, who had been hesitating, swallowed his saliva and finally opened his mouth.
“I…!”
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.]
