The doctor, summoned from the castle’s infirmary and having stayed up two nights treating Clodel, left with a pale face.
“Ah, my lady. What do we do?”
“Be quiet.”
Kyan snapped.
“You should leave now, too.”
“No, I won’t!”
“I’ll be here.”
Hanna, reluctantly leaving Clodel’s room, wailed down the hallway.
With the surroundings now quiet, Kyan could finally observe Clodel properly.
Strangely, every time he saw her, she seemed to shrink. He had thought her face could fit in his palm before, but today, she looked even smaller than that.
It hadn’t been long since he saw her peacefully asleep.
During the crocodile attack, her tender skin had been scratched, leaving her cheeks and arms covered in scabs. But this was the least of her worries.
The leg.
The thin leg he had feared was too slender to be substantial, where the crocodile’s teeth had embedded, filled him with dread.
Even if she recovered, the thought of her struggling to walk weighed heavily on Kyan’s heart.
“Why did you save me?”
Hadn’t she hated him?
He thought she resented him for the events at Lowen Castle.
She saved him.
A savior.
Considering the antagonistic history of Bermonte and Temnes, if she had let him be severely injured or die from infection, Bermonte would have highly praised her.
Being Temnes’ official wife, she could have even contemplated a fresh start with her inheritance.
“Did you perhaps…”
Like him?
The woman who had always been impassive and distant, did she, in fact, harbor feelings for Kyan?
“…Ah.”
The faint thought that had barely formed dissipated when Clodel, moaning in pain, faintly opened her eyes.
“Ugh.”
Clodel let out a weak groan.
Yet, her reaction seemed too mild for someone whose injuries should have caused screaming and weeping.
“How do you feel?”
“It hurts.”
Her feeble reply made Kyan’s heart twinge.
“I see.”
“Am I badly injured?”
“A bit.”
“I see.”
Kyan was still bothered by Clodel’s response.
‘She’s not one to make a fuss, then.’
He had seen many injured people on the battlefield.
Even grown men often wailed and panicked.
Especially noblewomen, who prized their appearance, were different from men who might consider scars as badges of honor.
Despite such a response, she was either courageous or indifferent. But could one really be so indifferent about oneself? After all, she’s human.
Yet, Kyan, not wanting to discuss Clodel’s damaged leg as it seemed unhelpful for her recovery, remained silent, feeling it was for the best.
He had the doctor’s assistant bring the medicine, which Clodel took in one go, despite the doctor’s warning it might be too strong and cause her to vomit. Why didn’t she say if it hurt or tasted bad?
Kyan ignored the nagging discomfort.
“Rest some more.”
“Okay.”
As she closed her eyes, he sighed.
“Don’t worry too much about your leg.”
He gently held her small hand.
“I’ll do everything I can to help you recover.”
Kyan changed.
He seemed to have forgotten his previous attitude of snapping and scolding Clodel. He now tried to be kinder to her.
Hanna grumbled while arranging the flowers Kyan sent.
“Thought he was trash, but he’s actually human after all.” Her judgment was solely based on how Clodel was treated. Seeing Kyan’s attitude soften after the accident, Hanna seemed to slightly improve her harsh opinion of him.
“How about this?”
Hanna displayed the lavishly arranged roses in a vase. Clodel nodded.
“Pretty.”
“The flowers are innocent.”
Hanna smiled contentedly, pleased with her arrangement.
“Which do you prefer, today’s flowers or the ones from yesterday?”
“Today’s.”
Following Clodel’s response, Hanna replaced the vase on the bedside table with the newly arranged one.
Clodel’s room now looked like a flower shop, with daily flower deliveries from Kyan.
“It’s almost lunchtime.”
Hanna set up a table and chair beside the bed.
“I was worried because you ate so little before. It’s good to see you’re eating more now. Eating well will help you recover faster.”
Now Clodel only had bandages on her leg.
The wounds on her body had healed cleanly some time ago.
The injury on her leg was deep but, fortunately, avoided complications she had worried about.
A knock on the door.
“Yes, come in.”
Hanna cheerfully responded.
But contrary to the expectation of the maids bringing lunch, the one who entered was Antoinette.
Wearing ballet shoes tied with ribbons at her ankles and a dress that exposed her calves, Antoinette smiled and addressed Clodel.
“I heard your leg became infected?”
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
