“If that time comes, I plan to go to a legal dispute. Help me then.”
“If it’s about Lady Shasha, of course. I can do anything. About Queen Mama too. I’m not sure if I can be of help, but I still want to do my best to assist. If it’s something related to the Queen Mama.”
Upon her words, I smiled more brightly than usual.
“Thank you.”
“No, I’m the one who should be grateful.”
It was at that moment. Just as I began to feel that Einna’s story was slowly coming to an end, suddenly, Sehelus and Caritos appeared.
“Oh, come on, I really don’t like it.”
“That’s why I picked up a twig for you. What’s the problem with that?”
“It’s a problem! This amazing high priest, carrying a twig around like a dog, is that even a proper sight?”
A conversation lacking 2% charm from the handsome guys. Even though Caritos complained and claimed to feel bad, he still didn’t let go of the twig.
What’s even more amusing is that the twig they picked up was quite pretty. It was a thing that could hardly be called a twig, just the size of an arm. To prevent any possible harm to the hands, the outer part of the twig was neatly trimmed, without a single thorn.
Whether it was Sehelus who handed it over or Caritos, who grumbled while putting the twig in his pocket, both were really cute.
“For someone like him, he seems to value what I gave him quite a bit.”
“Anyway, I have to take it since I have to go.”
Perhaps all words were exhausted, Caritos shifted his gaze towards me. Einna, who had been standing awkwardly, finally took a step back at the sudden appearance of the two.
“I’m back! As Queen Mama instructed, I’ve perfectly bestowed the blessing.”
“Ah… th-thank you…”
Upon those words, Einna expressed her gratitude with a moist voice, bowing her head.
“Do you have anything to thank me for? It’s all thanks to Queen Mama.”
“But… but…”
“Nevertheless, it seems like once isn’t enough, Queen Mama.”
“Was her condition very bad?”
“Yes, that’s why I’m saying this.”
While Einna, who was worrying beside them, seemed not to care, Caritos stared at me intently.
“Why…? Do you have to talk only with the two of them?”
Is Einna’s sister’s condition serious? Is it a state just before death, or…?
“Do the wish tickets increase every time you give a blessing?”
“…Huh?”
Seeing Caritos with sparkling eyes, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. He was so focused on saying something important, and he ended up asking such a question. I really didn’t expect it at all.
For a moment, he stared at me, and when he saw my bewildered expression, he clapped his hands.
“No… I was just asking just in case.”
“Fortunately. I was worried about what would happen if you could ask for one wish each time you gave a blessing.”
“What?!”
“In the category of blessings, it’s one wish ticket per blessing! No more explanation needed.”
Caritos, who seemed devastated by the loss of an additional wish ticket, finally nodded.
“Einna, since the high priest Caritos will keep looking after your sister, don’t worry about that part.”
“Yes… thank you. Really…”
“Enough with the gratitude; shall we have some tea? We should enjoy tea time with the two who have been through a lot.”
With those words, Sehelus, who had been watching us from a step behind, sat down as if he had been waiting for it.
Then, he alternated between glancing at the seat next to him and me, as if urging me to sit there. I grinned and moved to the seat next to him.
Observing us like that, Caritos, who had been sitting a bit further away, brought a chair closer and sat next to me. Somehow, we ended up sitting quite close together.
“Why bother sitting here when you could have just sat over there?”
“Sitting close like this is nice; it’s not cold. Right, Queen Mama?”
“Is that so…”
Ignoring Sehelus’s words lightly, Caritos, with a smile, drank the tea Einna had served.
Fortunately, as we started sipping tea, the atmosphere improved a bit.
The two of them took turns telling the events when they met Einna’s sister, and they busied themselves gossiping about how much they disliked each other.
During that time, the sun slowly set, and, as always, the children ran towards us.
“Sister! It’s time for the piggyback ride!”
“Huh? Is it already?”
As the sun set, everyone returned to their respective places. Shasha confidently shouted, holding Ruedel’s hand.
“That’s right. Then let’s go inside first.”
“Yeah! Let’s go, piggy!”
“Yeah… I’ll go in first, Queen Mama.”
As if forgetting what he said about being a mother, Ruedel once again referred to me as Queen Mama.
Although there was a bit of regret, I had nothing more to wish for Ruedel, who had not fully recovered yet. So, I nodded towards the two kids.
“Well then, Merkin, Haven. See you next time!”
“Yes.”
Both kids responded simultaneously, and Shasha and Ruedel entered the Star Palace first.
“Well, then, we should go too. It’s getting late.”
Sehelus affectionately patted Merkin’s shoulder.
“Yes! See you next time, Queen Mama.”
“Sure.”
“Well then, if you ever want to see me, just call. Isabella.”
Of course, I couldn’t respond to that. Having sensed that his feelings towards me were anything but ordinary, I just smiled in response.
After Sehelus left, Caritos, who seemed to have been waiting, spoke.
“May I ask you something I’m curious about?”
“What is it?”
“I heard a rumor. It said that Queen Mama didn’t marry the Emperor out of love.”
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.”
