“What’s this about Rosebelia?”
The glares pouring down on me were scalding. Keiden seemed irritated as he stared straight ahead, trying to appear composed.
“Schultz, be clear. Saying it that way implies my sister is at fault. It’s not because of her; it’s because I was foolishly ambitious to spar with her due to my own lack of skill.”
“Spar?”
“Keiden, just stay put.”
Olivia hurriedly grabbed his arm, but couldn’t stop him. Without hesitation, Keiden shook off Olivia’s hand and explained to Herman.
“Actually, I wanted to spar with my sister, so I sought Schultz’s opinion. I thought Schultz, who has observed her fencing for a long time, would be the best person to gauge whether or not I’m capable of sparring with her.”
“Is that true, Keiden?”
“Yes, it is true. I assessed that given his current skill level, Keiden would not be able to spar with Miss Rosebelia. So, he asked me for more intensive training.”
“So, Keiden was injured while undergoing intensive training to be able to spar with Rosebelia.”
Herman nodded. Slowly shifting my gaze, I scanned the expressions of those gathered in the main hall. Most seemed convinced. Only two were the exception.
“Yes, my young master is very perceptive. If he had felt anything was amiss in my training, he would have stopped. Nobody pressured him into this.”
“Father, if anything, Schultz had always advised caution, but I wanted more intensive training. That’s why I got injured.”
“As you know, my training methods are not mild. If the young master was injured during training, it’s my oversight. Considering the deep concern of the lady of the house, perhaps I should refrain from participating in the young master’s training.”
As Schultz and Keiden talked, Olivia’s face grew pale. Margaret seemed about to say something, but Olivia turned her head away as if she didn’t want to hear it.
“Getting hurt during fencing training is common. You’re not a child anymore, Keiden. It would be appropriate for you to choose your fencing master.”
“Herman!”
Olivia cried out in a cutting voice.
So much for being a kind and gracious lady if you can’t control your emotions like that.
Perhaps pretending to faint from shock would have been better at this moment.
“I prefer training with Schultz.”
“Olivia, I understand you worry for Keiden, but it is right for the heir of the Winters family to choose his own fencing master. Moreover, his willingness for harsh training isn’t a bad thing.”
“Thank you, Father.”
Everything was said clearly. Keiden could continue training with Schultz as he wanted, and even made a fool out of Olivia who had been scheming against me.
The outcome was utterly perfect.
I gave a discreet nod to Schultz who stood with a relieved expression and gracefully turned away. As I ascended to the second floor, taking advantage of the lingering chaos in the main hall, Ann seemed to follow me.
“Miss, are you alright with this?”
“Alright with what?”
“You could have told Schultz to spill the beans. That he received orders from the lady to scheme against you…”
“Without evidence, it might look like I’m scheming against my own mother.”
“Oh, come on.”
Ignoring Ann’s dismissive shake of her head, I entered my room and immediately sat down on the sofa. I gestured for Ann to sit as well.
“How many people in this mansion do you think truly trust me like you do?”
After rolling her eyes thoughtfully, Ann closed her mouth.
“Let’s say Schultz told everyone that he received a bribe from Mother to frame me. Someone might believe Schultz’s words. But the only evidence is Schultz’s statement; would Mother have simply admitted to it? She would have certainly argued that it was unjust, perhaps reminding everyone how close Schultz and I usually were.”
Olivia didn’t seem to have the quickest mind, so Margaret offered her a hint on the side.
“So…”
“There’s no significant connection between Mother and Schultz, so as Mother drives the atmosphere, there will certainly be someone who suspects that I bribed her. In that situation, who would Father trust more?”
In this household, the one to make judgments was ultimately Herman. It was a clear fact that Herman trusted Olivia more than he trusted me.
“I was shortsighted.”
“If there were many people who trusted me like you do, I would have wanted to reveal the entire truth.”
After all, if you want to catch a tiger, you have to enter the tiger’s den.
It wasn’t that I hadn’t thought of cornering a complacent Olivia. But considering Herman’s usually loathsome attitude toward Olivia, it was more likely to backfire, so I chose the safer path.
“I trust you, Miss, no matter what happens. I will be on your side until I die.”
Her voice was unwavering. It seemed to fully convey Ann’s sincerity toward Rosebelia.
“Really? That’s reassuring.”
“So, Miss, you can trust me. I will never betray you.”
Ann added with a rather serious face. I forced a smile.
“…Thank you.”
[Star Icon]“What the hell happened? You said you had Schultz under control.”
“My mistake, Ma’am. I didn’t expect him to change his attitude suddenly.”
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.”
