I Decided to Let You Go (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 7
In Zieghart’s absence, the duty of hosting guests fell entirely to the duchess.
Honestly, she wanted nothing more than to drive Kail out for barging in without so much as a word. Yet Natasha was the mistress of House Aschardt; she couldn’t afford to let her emotions dictate irrational decisions.
“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor is waiting in the reception room?”
“Yes, my lady. A maidservant is preparing tea.”
“I must hurry and leave, then.”
The maid who came to escort her wrapped a shawl around her shoulders. Natasha smoothed her disheveled hair with her hands, tidying her appearance.
“I’ll accompany you.”
Kayena, standing beside her, gently took Natasha’s hand into hers. Only then did Natasha notice her own fingers trembling violently—her foolish hands couldn’t even fasten a single button properly.
Kayena fastened the buttons of her dress for her. When she hesitated over the last one, unsure what to do, Natasha spoke first.
“…Please fasten it all the way.”
This dress had so many buttons that leaving one undone actually looked neater; fully buttoned, it tended to appear overly constrained.
“Yes, understood.”
Kayena complied immediately and earnestly with Natasha’s request.
Natasha’s Adam’s apple twitched as if to swallow, but stopped halfway as though her throat were tightening. Yet she stubbornly refused to unfasten the button. It was a pointless act of defiance—but also a silent vow not to end up like those who had been mercilessly beheaded.
As they walked down the corridor, Natasha pondered.
What would she say to that man, her damned enemy? Should she demand a belated apology? Accuse him: why did it have to be the kingdom? There were countless approaches—should she plead instead, asking why such a barbaric method was necessary?
“I’m glad to see you, my lady.”
“…”
“Oh, perhaps I should address you as ‘Princess’?”
But the moment she actually faced Kail, her mind went blank, and none of her rehearsed words came to mind.
Kail, who had been lounging carelessly with one leg crossed, rose to his feet as soon as he saw Natasha. His grin, revealing white teeth, oozed with insolent mischief.
Bear it. Natasha forcibly suppressed her intense hostility.
“Please call me ‘my lady.’”
“How stiff.”
A moment later, Kail kissed the back of her white hand.
His blue eyes—opposite in hue to Natasha’s—scrutinized her from head to toe.
“Shall we sit down now, my lady?”
“Very well. Everyone else may leave.”
She’d rather be alone with him than endure the stares of onlookers.
Natasha dismissed not only the maid pouring tea but also the maidservants waiting behind her. Even Kayena, whose concern was plainly evident, was no exception.
“What brings you here? Even if you are His Imperial Majesty, I believe it’s best you refrain from unannounced visits from now on.”
“Gaining independence from the imperial court doesn’t free you from the light of heaven. Are you condemning the Emperor of a sovereign nation for an official state visit?”
“We are not so close that you may drop by unannounced. Next time, I kindly request you follow proper formal procedures.”
She handed the visiting card and fountain pen placed at the center of the reception room to the Emperor.
“If you write your name and purpose on this card, I shall convey it to Your Highness.”
“Ha! So you’re saying you’ll turn me away today?”
“It’s difficult to accommodate unannounced visits. I apologize sincerely that I cannot offer the response you seek, Your Majesty.”
Natasha bowed her head in apology. Polite on the surface, yet profoundly disrespectful underneath—it was nothing short of a blunt threat to drive the Emperor away.
But Kail didn’t even touch the paper or pen. Far from standing, he leaned even deeper into the sofa.
“Since the duke isn’t here, don’t be so harsh. Talking with the duchess wouldn’t be so bad. Besides, you hardly have other duties demanding your attention, do you, my lady?”
“…I refuse. My workload has no bearing on whether this meeting proceeds.”
As Natasha’s refusals persisted, even Kail’s previously carefree expression began to crease with irritation.
“At this rate, your excuse about the sudden visit sounds hollow. If I follow proper procedures, will you grant permission then?”
“Your Highness…”
“Not ‘Your Highness’—I mean you, my lady.”
“…”
“Will you accept my request for a meeting? Tomorrow, in ten days, a month, half a year—any time?”
Kail struck the heart of the matter, and Natasha’s mouth fell silent. He was right. No matter when—tomorrow, in ten days, ever—they would never truly meet.
After all, she had no obligation to entertain the man who slaughtered her entire family.
“I’m sorry. I have nothing to say. I lack the magnanimity to engage in idle chatter with the one who annihilated my kin. While I remain sincerely grateful for Your Majesty’s kindness toward the kingdom’s people and the citizens of the duchy, I believe this enmity stands apart from that goodwill.”
Natasha acknowledged positively the Empire’s support in establishing new settlements for the kingdom’s displaced citizens, and the impartial policies enabling their swift integration. Yet her personal hostility toward Kail Retiers—as an individual, not the Empire—remained entirely separate.
At Natasha’s candid confession, Kail let out a derisive chuckle, clearly surprised she’d speak so bluntly. It was evident she placed unwavering trust in her own backing.
His soft fingers—never having held a sword—tapped the armrest of the couch. The rapid tapping gradually slowed as the man’s impatience eased.
“That’s right—you may hate me. I understand your wish to refuse meeting the very person who destroyed your happiness.”
His body, previously sprawled against the backrest, lurched forward. Mistaking his movement for an attempt to rise, Natasha naively imagined her release.
But his gesture proved merely a feint for provocation—Kail made no move to stand. Instead, he lowered his head, resting his chin on his knees, then spoke in a mischievous tone.
“So, my lady, I ask that you understand my feelings as well.”
“What do you mean…?”
“My desire to punish a worthless woman who doesn’t know her place.”
He smirked coldly, idly tracing the rim of his teacup.
“Several of your relatives still reside in the kingdom, don’t they? Ah—and here in the duchy, there’s even a maid who pretends to be royalty and helped a certain princess escape, if I recall correctly?”
At that instant, Natasha’s expression hardened into stone. Her previously defiant look was instantly swallowed by despair.
The devil seized that moment.
“That maid? She’s utterly unreliable—disposing of her would be effortless. Your relatives are no different. Oh, the kingdom’s people might protest sudden executions, but how long would their concern truly last, given their peaceful lives here in the duchy and the Empire?”
It was horrifying.
Both his words—and the man who spoke such cruelty with a smile.
“Therefore, my lady, just as I have shown you generous understanding, you too must understand me.”
“…”
“Or perhaps you’d prefer to discuss matters of mutual interest now?”
Having finished speaking, Kail burst into loud laughter. His crinkled nose gave him a playful look, as if collecting new ornaments for the palace walls—fresh heads—was a delightful pastime, and he cheerfully spewed his brutality.
In Natasha’s mind, a gruesome vision unfolded: Kayena and her relatives stood upon the execution block. A heavy, slanted blade—larger than their bodies—hung suspended by a rope above their necks.
The moment the executioner severed the rope, the blade dropped, cleanly slicing through their necks. Blood sprayed like a fountain, soaking Natasha’s face as she watched helplessly. The severed heads blinked, gazing at her with accusing, resentful eyes.
The vivid, lingering scream of their final breath snapped Natasha back to reality.
“Please… spare them…”
“…”
“Please spare them… Your Imperial Majesty. What must I do? What must I do to save them?”
She wished to defy his expectations—she didn’t want to submit as he desired.
But in the end, everything unfolded exactly as Kail wished. Natasha could only bow her head in humiliation, begging pitifully for his mercy.
“It’s nothing much, my lady.”
“…”
“Whenever I wish to see you, come running to me—like a well-behaved dog.”
[This is the timeline separator]Zieghart, who had departed on a trip without a word, returned home the following night.
Since she happened to be wide awake, Natasha left her bedroom to find her husband. When she saw no light in their bedroom, she went to his study and spotted a glow seeping through the crack under the door.
Today, she was in no mood to consider his preferences. Without asking permission, Natasha pushed the door open.
Today of all days, she desperately wanted to speak—regardless of his wishes—so she entered without a word of apology.
“…I’m sorry. May I take just a moment of your time?”
The man frowned as soon as he saw Natasha. Sensing his face was full of things he wanted to say, she preemptively apologized.
“I won’t scold you for the princess’s impertinence, so I ask you likewise not to press me further about my refusal. I’m busy—tell me another time.”
“Just for a very short while…”
“Don’t you pity your husband, who returns from a trip only to face a pile of documents? Must you really steal my time?”
Zieghart sounded unusually cold—perhaps from exhaustion.
True. He must have been worn out from slaying monsters, and dealing with paperwork immediately upon returning would undoubtedly feel burdensome and irritating.
Yet that wasn’t reason enough to back down. Once he actually heard her out, even this man—who seemed bored by the situation—would surely change his mind.
“While you were away, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor paid a visit.”
That’s why she had to tell him. She needed to beg for help—plead for their lives. If not today, she might never get the chance, not even for a brief moment.
Time passed, yet no sharp reply or icy voice came. Hoping Zieghart had finally decided to listen, Natasha waited expectantly.
“I’ll hear your story another time. For now, please return to your room, Princess.”
“…”
“It’s getting late.”
Kindly phrased, yet hollow—no matter how prettily wrapped, truth always reveals itself once the veneer is stripped away.
He was clearly annoyed by the current situation. His eyes remained fixed on the documents, his mouth moving mechanically. If his goal was merely to placate her quickly and return to work, then comfort was certainly not his intention.
If he’d truly been worried about Natasha, he would have risen to embrace her or gently kissed her forehead to soothe her.
“Yes, it is late… I’m sorry for acting childish in front of someone so busy. I’ll take my leave now. Have a good night.”
Natasha said no more. Hope was mere folly—desperate and reckless, and thus all the more painful when inevitably rejected.
Yet she still held a sliver of hope. Since this was the first time she’d openly shown disappointment, perhaps Zieghart would finally understand.
Even as she slowly grasped the doorknob and opened the door, she deliberately refused to look back—not even when she closed it behind her outside.
“…Ah.”
Nothing changed.
Only her last, fragile hope was brutally extinguished.
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
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MANGA DISCUSSION
1 Comment
Chapter Comments (4)
Limited return by death? I guess nice story mechanism
He broke her trust, and now want her to believe that he is in love. I thing he also have his memories of the past.
It’s a little lot too late ass why no do this earlier if you regressed before
Inline Comments (91)
Zieghart was the most rational person she knew. Surely, he of all people should
Did he poison himself? Why do I feel like that. What an AH he is as of now. I am getting irritated now. 😡
If only Kayena hadn’t been a royal maid. If only the Aschardt household hadn’t a
Kayena still feels very sus even if she’s on trial, way too eager to keep her in the house
“You’ll finally get to see your husband’s face—something you rarely glimpse—than
Ohh..so is it ‘noble idiocy’? The duke purposely pushing her away because the emperor is mad and hoping this will keep him away from her?
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Yuna
This man shouldn’t be an actor he can’t really hide his dislike for fl