As Sabiel became overly excited, Sonatek raised his hand. Holding Sabiel with one arm and adopting a comforting posture as if covering his vision, Sonatek plucked a black feather from the floating wing of a black bird in the air. When he slyly dropped it into the glass Sabiel was drinking from, the drink suddenly shone with a strange light before returning to its original state.
“That woman will belong to Your Highness.”
“Are you sure?”
As Sonatek’s eyes flickered, Sabiel nodded.
“Of course. Have I ever been wrong in my predictions, Your Highness?”
“Yeah. You’re right. I’ve never had a fortune teller as excellent as you.”
Sabiel soon felt better.
“My friend, have a drink too.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
As they clinked glasses and drank facing each other, Sabiel’s eyes soon glazed over. “Elysia is yours. Sabiel.” “Elysia is… mine.” Soon, a new place for Elysia’s death would be prepared once again.
“Of course. Has Sonatek’s horoscope ever been wrong? Your Highness.”
“Well, yes. Indeed. I’ve never seen a fortune teller as outstanding as you.”
Sabiel soon felt good.
“My friend, have a drink now.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
As they clinked glasses and drank facing each other, Sabiel’s gaze soon became unfocused.
“Elysia is yours. Sabiel.”
“Elysia is… mine.”
Soon, a new place for Elysia’s death would be prepared once again.
That statement was a trigger for the implications planted in Sabiel’s mind for a long time.
Although Elysia, who had Sabiel’s child, was scheduled to meet her death at his hands, now it didn’t matter even if the child was absent.
Sonatek decided to erase Elysia definitively, even if it meant modifying the original.
“If I can inflict pain on Won Yunji.”
Sonatek gloated satisfactorily beneath his mask.
When Ileone and Elysia left their seats, Rev looked at Mariella.
“By the way.”
Rev glanced at her with curiosity.
“My son’s gaze toward Elysia was unusual. Are they possibly in a romantic relationship?”
Mariella jumped.
“No, that’s not true.”
Now that Elysia’s memories had returned, there was no way her daughter would treat Ileone as she used to. Mariella denied it for the time being without thinking about the future.
“There’s no need to be so serious. Well, dating is not a sin either.”
Rev was a very free-spirited person.
“Sitting side by side, they seem to match well. What do you think? If their intentions align, they could become in-laws with the Crown Prince.”
“It’s impossible. Elysia is already married to Haldunsha.”
“Ah, I see.”
Rev made a tight, chilly expression.
“But why did Ileone glare at Elysia as if he were chewing her up? There seems to be something between them.”
“Well, that’s…”
“I’ve never seen that child stare so relentlessly before. As you know, he’s a child who grew up without lacking anything, and I’ve never seen him regret anything even after gaining everything.”
When Mariella was at a loss for words, Rev patted her shoulder.
“He’s an adult now, but as a mother, it’s amazing to say such things. Don’t think too deeply about it.”
“No, it’s a story that resonates with me. Seeing a child growing up inside me, I felt different from what I expected. I thought he would be different, growing up without lacking anything, but it turned out to be different.”
“How was Elysia?”
Mariella smiled sadly.
“That child… never threw a tantrum once.”
When Rev let go of Mariella, it was very late.
It was well past midnight when Mariella, who was heading to the designated bedroom, noticed light leaking through Elysia’s closed door.
Knock, knock.
With a light knock, she felt a response from inside the room.
“Mom. Have you finished your story now?”
“Yes.”
Elysia stepped aside to let her in.
As she entered the room, she saw candles on the window sill and in front of them, Haldunsha’s prayer book. Despite the doctrinal teachings and prayers that seemed like a facade to convert the imperial citizens, Elysia used to meditate within them. Seeing this, Mariella asked brightly, hiding bitter emotions,
“Were you in the middle of praying?”
“Yes.”
Mariella sighed.
“That child… has never thrown a tantrum.”
The beautiful child she gave birth to, who closely resembled Mariella, was kind and virtuous. He never complained of pain or cried when sad. When Mariella was discouraged and wanted to give up, she had a daughter who embraced her, deep and affectionate, saying she was okay. She reassured her mother, saying that everything would be okay someday and to believe in it.
Facing the dreadful fate of death, there was no way it could be okay, but Elysia’s words provided comfort. She was a daughter who could encourage her mother to gather strength.
However, she didn’t try to find out what Elysia was thinking about her own tragic destiny.
As a mother, she felt disqualified.
This is for you.
I can do anything to save you.
Saying so, she didn’t realize her daughter’s soul was becoming listless.
“Just change the original.”
Wasn’t that Elysia’s true intention?
Instead of running away, she hoped to confront the madman, even if it meant tilting at windmills.
“I love Ileone.”
It was a shocking statement, but Mariella was perplexed.
“With this feeling, I think I can live in this world.”
At that moment, Elysia’s eyes were dazzlingly bright.
Oddly enough, the happiest and most positive moment in Elysia’s life was when she was next to ‘Fake Won Yunji,’ during the time outside the original.
Mariella was Elysia’s mother.
Her daughter’s face, flushed with excitement, was deeply imprinted in her eyes.
“Are you really… okay?”
“Yes.”
Elysia nodded in response to Mariella’s sudden question.
“Won’t you regret it?”
“Everything is going according to the original plan. I’m the only one going outside the original.”
Once again, Elysia tried to comfort her mother, who was an embodiment of support for her.
“The memories of loving Ileone. That alone is enough for me.”
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.”
