“Ah.”
“Ah, of course, others will never know. So… since there’s no one to ask, I was curious…”
I looked at him in silence.
Should I tell the truth or lie? But it was true that the marriage wasn’t out of love.
“It’s a contract. I needed a place to protect me, and it matched the Emperor’s interests.”
“Ah.”
“This can be a weakness for both me and the Emperor. Still, I’m saying it because I trust you.”
Now, I had to say that the contract between Rian and me had ended, that we were in love now. However, his words about settling all relationships and starting with love flashed in my mind, and I couldn’t continue.
I don’t even know what kind of relationship we have.
“Did you tell me that?”
“Did you use a wish ticket?”
“What?! No, it works like that?”
He seemed greatly shocked. Seeing his reaction, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yes!”
Somehow, he felt more like a younger brother than Shasha. I answered boldly, wanting to tease him.
“Ah… I see… I should be more careful.”
“It’s a joke. We’ll let it slide this time, so be careful with your questions.”
“Ah! Yes!”
As he answered as if he were a soldier, I covered my mouth slightly while looking at him.
“And, as I said earlier, this story could be a problem for both the Emperor and me.”
“That’s right. Since the Emperor’s support base is weak.”
It looked quite awkward to see him worrying about Rian like he was someone important.
“I understand. I won’t be of any help, but I won’t deliberately make it difficult. After all, it’ll be tough for Queen Mama.”
“You’re worried about me being tough?”
He nodded without hesitation. I felt somewhat proud. I always thought of him as arrogant, only caring about himself, but now he was doing this for me.
“Suddenly, Caritos seems really big.”
“Is that so?”
“It feels like he’s become a bit more mature.”
His cheeks seemed to have turned red.
“It seems like you’re treating him like a child!”
“If it made you uncomfortable…”
But he didn’t say anything. Perhaps he didn’t like being treated like a child.
“I’ll, I’ll go check on him.”
Caritos, who had a stiff voice as in the beginning, reached out to Haven, who was standing not far away.
“Sorry.”
I hastily apologized before he left. Since he became a High Priest at such a young age, there must have been people treating him like a child.
I was too short-sighted.
However, for some reason, his expression looked shy.
“Then… I’ll come next time. And don’t apologize. It wasn’t uncomfortable. Just, a bit…”
Caritos, who seemed like he wanted to say something, shook his head awkwardly and disappeared as if running away.
“Treating me like a child… Was that okay?”
It was a bit doubtful, but since he said it was okay, I had nothing more to say.
After everyone returned and stood in the desolate garden, I belatedly returned to my room.
By that time, Anna and Cherti had bathed and fed the children. When I returned, Shasha and Rian were dozing off by the warm fireplace.
“If you’re sleepy, go in and sleep.”
“Yeah!”
“But is it okay to sleep together like this?”
“Huh? Why not?”
Shasha, who confidently held Rian’s hand and headed for the bed, smiled mischievously.
“Well, uh… because we’re a man and a woman…”
Rian, who had been acting like a zombie for a few days, finally regained his senses, and his cheeks blushed.
“If Rian doesn’t like it, it’s okay to sleep separately. Until Rian gets better, our room is reserved for Rian, and we decided to stay in another room.”
“Oh, no, it’s not uncomfortable… But still…”
Rian, who seemed to have something to say, even clapped his hands.
“If it’s not uncomfortable, let’s sleep together. Shasha likes sleeping with Rian. Rian is like a big doll!”
“A, a doll?”
“Yeah! It’s perfect to hug. It’s also nice to lie down on the pillow.”
Shasha smiled brightly, holding Rian’s hand and leading him to the bed. For some reason, Rian’s face turned red, and with an unavoidable expression, he climbed onto the bed with Shasha.
Whether it was due to fatigue, having eaten their fill, or the time after, the children chatted for a while and fell asleep. It was only after the children had fallen asleep that I came out to the living room.
Lately, I couldn’t sleep even more. The happier I was, the more memories of Noah tormented me.
So, I sat on the sofa and stared at the flames. The sound of crackling firewood, the sound of wood splitting. As I listened for a while, Rian came to the room.
“Did you wait for a long time?”
“Come in quickly.”
It was a bit awkward, but seeing him, I felt much better.
“You look tired.”
“Me? Ah, I have a lot to deal with. There’s also the wedding soon…”
“Oh.”
At the mention of the wedding, my heart fluttered inexplicably. When I didn’t know his feelings, the wedding felt burdensome. But now, it wasn’t. Standing next to the person I love and wearing a wedding dress made me look forward to it.
“And the judgment of Matap is over.”
“Judgment?”
“Yeah. I’m Tezlot of Matap Province. They say they’ll expel me tonight. If it were me, I would have acted properly…”
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
