“Ouch, it hurts! Why on earth are you doing this?”
“Just get out of my sight right now.”
“What?”
“Can’t you understand anything now? Just get lost.”
“I, I won’t let go of this, so whether you tell me to get lost or not…”
With a disgruntled mumble, Enoch pointed his gaze down, indicating the arm held by Ian.
“Got it? Now get lost.”
Ian chuckled lightly as he pushed Enoch away, releasing his arm. Enoch, who had been muttering something with frustration while vigorously massaging his arm, suddenly realized something and shouted at Ian.
“Hey, but who keeps telling someone to get lost since a while ago! You said it hurt, so what’s wrong with your head?”
‘Acting like a mouse just a moment ago. Why suddenly like this, what’s going on?’
When Enoch’s inner thoughts were conveyed, Ian let out a low chuckle.
“From now on, everything won’t go your way.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you aiming for the position of the Crown Prince?”
Ian put on a relaxed smile, lifting his shoulders lightly.
“If I were aiming for it, what would you do? You know well that if I set my mind to it, there’s no place I can’t reach.”
“Think about your position. Do you really think I’d be interested in taking that position away from you?”
‘Is it true that Father intends to give the position of Crown Prince to Ian?’
When Ian made up his mind, Enoch, more than anyone else, knew well that reaching the position of Crown Prince was a piece of cake. After all, despite the great power of Queen Evelyn, in the end, it was Emperor Calisto who decided who would become the Crown Prince.
“Now it seems like you’re a bit scared.”
“What do you mean I’m scared!”
Whatever happened, he had become accustomed to not being greedy just because Enoch recklessly tried to take it away.
But now there was something he wanted to protect. There was someone he wanted to protect even if he had to throw himself into it.
“For me, there won’t be a day when I let you take it easily.”
“What are you talking about?”
‘Everything was going so well, and suddenly he appeared and ruined everything… What’s wrong with him?’
“Get rid of your futile thoughts and get out of my sight right now. If I see you groveling in front of that person again…”
A cold sneer spread over Ian’s face as he spoke. The chilling sarcasm that spread from his shining eyes made Enoch, who looked bewildered, flinch.
“If you grovel again, what!”
‘Who is he talking about? Is it the woman I was trying to tease earlier? She had the most beautiful face, and her figure was just…’
“Stop it. That’s enough, Enoch.”
As if not believing, Enoch blinked his eyes quickly. Ian’s eyes, which seemed to close for a moment and then opened again, were difficult to read. It sent shivers down the spine.
“What am I supposed to do! What will happen if you notice me? Are you going to kill me?”
Ian, who sighed briefly, took a step closer to Enoch. Feeling the strange atmosphere, Enoch hesitated and took two steps back.
“Can’t I do it?”
“What, what!”
“Whatever you think, it doesn’t matter. Just remember that I haven’t done it until now not because I couldn’t but because I’ve been patient.”
“W-why are you putting up with this now?” Ian asked in confusion.
“What?”
“Why are you suddenly like this?”
‘Wouldn’t it be easier to just kill him? He won’t be a nuisance anymore.’
Conveniently, hallucinations intervened. With the added sound of mocking laughter, Ian frowned involuntarily.
“Well…”
‘Because there’s something I want to protect too.’
If he said that, Enoch would definitely get even more annoyed. Ian swallowed the words that had risen to the tip of his tongue and approached him.
“O-oh, don’t come over here, just speak from there!”
Enoch stepped back clumsily. Watching his pitiful appearance, Ian responded coldly.
“I don’t want to mix words with you any longer…”
As Ian gestured for him to stop speaking, even though it seemed painful for his mouth, Enoch seethed with anger. Yet, gradually, he hid into the darkness, unable to re-enter the banquet hall.
Suspecting that Ian and Enoch had gone outside, I immediately went to the terrace to check, but I couldn’t see the two of them.
The atmosphere seemed unusual, but should I go outside and look for them?
It was a moment when I was about to turn my body hastily toward the terrace entrance.
“Are you here?”
My head turned lifelessly at the familiar voice. At the end of my gaze, there was Ian, dressed in a party outfit.
“Klein, how did you get here?”
“I came after receiving an invitation.”
“No, I mean… I thought you wouldn’t come to a crowded party.”
“It’s a bit overwhelming.”
Holding his head, Ian came up to me and extended his hand from the opposite side.
It might become a habit at this rate.
Facing Ian’s face, which did not change a bit shamelessly, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. When I lightly took his hand, Ian’s mouth curled up nicely.
“The person you took with you earlier, that’s the Second Prince, right? Did you two go out and fight?”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
