Due to the imperial decree that Isabella Velocchi would become the empress, there wasn’t much change in the Star Palace. It was because Sister Cheruti, in her usual nonchalant manner, had burst into the room in excitement, waking me up.
“Empress Mama!”
Normally unexcitable, I groggily got up and looked at her.
“I, I apologize. I got too excited… Stop…”
“No, it’s fine.”
The children were still sleeping soundly.
“Is there anyone to take Rodello to his room, hugging him?”
“Ah! I’ll tell Barom.”
Hearing that, I got up from my seat. I picked up Shasha, who was still sleeping, and moved toward the bed.
In the meantime, whether Cheruti ordered Barom to take Rodello away or if Rodello disappeared while I was putting Shasha on the bed, I don’t know.
“He acts really quickly.”
I went to the fireplace where I lay with the children earlier. Unchanged, the fireplace still emitted a warm heat. If you stayed still, it felt like your whole body would melt.
Bending my legs, I buried my face.
After a while, Cheruti came back.
“Um… Empress Mama. Crown Prince told Barom to take Rodello to the main palace. Also, he said that the main palace will send reinforcements to the Star Palace. What should we do?”
“If Cheruti is needed, use her; if not, you don’t have to.”
“Understood. Please speak comfortably. Now that the official imperial decree has been issued, you are the Empress Mama.”
“I will. No, I will.”
“And the belongings that Crown Prince and Lady Shannon had are neatly organized in one place.”
“Cover them with something so that others don’t see. The children seem to want to keep the secret.”
Upon hearing that, she nodded with an “Ah” sound.
“I heard it in advance anyway. Empress Mama asked not to show it to her under any circumstances. So, don’t worry. It’s well-kept.”
“Yeah.”
After that, there was no conversation for a while.
It was strange. Why did my heart sink so much even after receiving the imperial decree? I had become Shasha’s sister, who would become a dreamy villain, and I just wanted to be the empress to avoid events like in the novel.
Everything went according to my will, so why is my heart sinking like this?
‘I promised not to be swayed by Melodin’s words, and I already knew that my purpose wasn’t the emperor’s love, so it’s okay…’
It was strange. I had never imagined having the strange feeling of becoming the empress.
“Sigh…”
“Do you have concerns?”
“No. I just want to be alone today.”
“Understood. If you need anything, please feel free to let me know.”
Cheruti, who was genuinely happy a while ago, suddenly became calm and went outside.
‘Am I right? Am I going the right way?’
Such thoughts filled my mind. That’s when a knock was heard, and the door opened. I thought Cheruti had come in again, but without looking, I stared at the fireplace. However, the person who entered the room walked steadily and hesitated beside me.
“Cheruti, today alone… Oh, Rian.”
I thought it was Cheruti, but the one sitting next to me was Rian. In one hand, he held a wine bottle, and in the other, a wine glass.
“Do you want to be alone?”
“Oh, no.”
He looked at me closely and grinned.
“Aren’t you supposed to be happy?”
“I should be… It’s a happy occasion.”
He placed one of the wine glasses down and took out the cork from the wine bottle. Whether he had already poured wine and brought it in or not, the cork easily came out. As a result, the rich aroma of wine filled the surroundings.
Rian filled one of the wine glasses and then extended it to me. When I hesitated holding the wine glass awkwardly, he clinked glasses, quickly swallowed the red wine, and filled the glass again.
“Well, let’s make a toast.”
“Uh…”
As I awkwardly held the wine glass, he clinked glasses, quickly drank the wine, and filled the glass again.
“Now you are the empress no matter what anyone says. Of course, there are still some procedures left, but.”
“Yes.”
What should I say? I looked at Rian while holding the glass in silence. Nothing came to mind. So, I quickly changed the subject.
“Rian.”
“Yeah?”
“Since we left the library… have you tried experimenting?”
At the mention of the experiment, he nodded belatedly.
“Oh, that. It was useless. Still, when a woman comes near, my condition doesn’t improve.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sweating on my hands and feet, my mind becomes distant. I tremble with anxiety.”
“Oh.”
Why am I strangely happy at his words?
Why is my heart suddenly uplifted? Is it because I’m the only person Rian thinks is okay?
Even thinking about it makes me feel absurd.
“Why are you making that expression? You don’t have to apologize, Bella.”
“Ah… no… it’s just.”
“I never thought that misogyny would be cured. But I guess I never thought about it in my life.”
He, who had already drunk three glasses of wine, looked at me expressionlessly. I strangely wanted confirmation from him and urged Rian.
“But weren’t you expecting something this time?”
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.”
