“The cottage smelled of the sea from morning.
It was because of the news that my older brother and Teresa were coming. Perhaps because of my busy movements, Nathaniel woke up, twisting and turning.
“Ugh….”
Last night, Nathaniel, who had stayed up late checking on people transformed into monsters brought by Mari, wasn’t in good shape.
His eyes peeking through the blanket were still drowsy.
“Oh, you’re awake? You could have slept a bit more.”
“It’s noisy….”
“I tried to move quietly, sorry.”
I reached out and gently brushed Nathaniel’s hair, which was poking out from under the blanket, murmuring.
Then, Nathaniel, who slightly raised his head outside the blanket, asked.
“When did they say they’d come?”
“Well, they said they’d come around lunchtime. It’s about two hours away.”
“I see.”
Nathaniel finally came out of bed and disappeared to wash up.
Why is that lazy guy taking the lead for once?
He even dressed well and sat quietly, waiting for the two people. It was fascinating.
“Why are you waiting so eagerly?”
“I owe a debt to the Duke.”
“A debt?”
“Yeah.”
I asked several times what kind of debt it was, but Nathaniel kept his mouth shut.
‘I’ll ask my brother later.’
There’s one more person to ask on this side.
I watched Nathaniel with a confident expression when suddenly there was a knock on the door.
“Your Highness, the Duke and his fiancée have arrived.”
Upon hearing that, Nathaniel even seemed to show a slightly pleased expression.
I wondered if there might be some problem between the two.
That dragon isn’t fond of people.
As we descended to the first floor, Teresa, who was just opening the door and coming in, appeared.
“Teresa!”
“Your Highness.”
Although we had seen each other’s faces every day, it was so nice to see her after just a few weeks.
I grabbed her hand, and Teresa smiled with her eyes closed.
“Did you have a good vacation?”
“It was really enjoyable. I’m sure Teresa will have a good time too.”
While Nathaniel and I had to leave in a few days, Teresa and Maximilian decided to stay here.
It seemed like they would have to stay until they caught the sorcerer hidden in the mansion.
“It’s been a while, Your Highness.”
My brother greeted Nathaniel casually. Nathaniel also exchanged greetings with him as usual.
“Isn’t it still before lunch? Please come to the dining room once the preparations are done.”
Servants quickly carried the luggage of the two. Teresa and Maximilian went to their respective rooms.
Nathaniel and I headed to the dining room first.
Soon, two people with light attire came into the dining room.
On the table were dishes reinterpreted from Hiera Province’s traditional cuisine.
They boasted a unique flavor and taste but were made with more common ingredients.
“It’s really delicious, isn’t it?”
Whether she liked it or not, Teresa asked the chef various questions about the food.”
“We had a meal while listening to the enthusiastic explanation of the talented chef.
The chef’s excessive zeal made it a bit burdensome.
‘Still, it’s the first time Teresa likes something this much.’
I glanced slightly to see if Nathaniel might be uncomfortable.
Surprisingly, he continued his meal without any change in expression.
After the long course, we moved to a seat by the window overlooking the garden.
Shortly after, the tea that the servants had prepared in advance was placed on the table.
The fragrant aroma of tea filled the space.
“Oh, are we having something different today?”
Looking into Teresa’s cup, the color seemed darker than the usual black tea.
With a grin, she said, “I’ve been enjoying Darjeeling lately.”
She also showed interest in blending tea leaves and shared the recipe.
“It’s fortunate that you’re doing well at the Duke’s mansion. I thought you might be bored without anyone around.”
In response to my words, Teresa glanced subtly at Maximilian.
For some reason, Nathaniel was having a quiet conversation with Maximilian.
“Maximilian takes good care of me, so I’m doing well.”
“What about my brother?”
Why is he doing such a nice thing all of a sudden?
I was worried if something might be happening to him.
Surprised by my reaction, Teresa leaned down and whispered in my ear.
“In fact…”
And intermittently, she informed me of what had happened between Nathaniel and Maximilian.
She said that my brother kept spending time with her, introducing new things.
Starting from everyday topics like tea to flowers, trees, jewelry, and dresses.
He showed and allowed her to experience a variety of things.
“He’s not raising a child, what’s he doing?”
Although Maximilian’s guest reception was awkward, it still showed sincerity.
In the original work, it hadn’t even begun with the regretful ‘ㅎ,’ so this was a significant improvement.
“Is this okay?”
What I hoped for was Teresa’s happiness.
My brother can live well and eat well on his own, so is there any need for him to cling to her unnecessarily?
I watched Maximilian and Nathaniel having a serious conversation with a serious expression.
It seemed like they were discussing something important.
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.”
