Though she had experienced it once before, it was still fascinating.
The destination was indeed a central temple in the capital, but it was incomparable in scale to the Imperial Central Temple.
“Even the temple in the capital is quite large, but it can’t be compared to this place. Why is the ceiling so high?”
Everywhere she looked, there were only white and dazzling walls.
It felt like the entire temple was crafted from massive, semi-transparent crystals.
No seams or pillars were visible in this vast space, and only the six statues of the gods guarding the Trivian Empire stood out in the entirely white interior.
The carvings on the giant wall were several times the size of a person, overwhelming even to those who believed in the gods.
“Seeing the one wearing a crown, that must be the Harmony here.”
Caught up in the magnificent sight, Ermeldine found herself wandering around like a tourist.
“Um, um. I greet Your Majesty, the Empress.”
Eventually, a temple attendant who couldn’t wait any longer pretended to recognize Ermeldine first.
“Oh, greetings. Thank you for coming out to welcome me.”
Ermeldine quickly composed herself and nodded to the temple attendants who had come to escort her.
Gulp.
“As expected…”
Even though their eyes briefly met, the temple attendants’ gazes were filled with hatred and disdain.
“Ah. Well, as long as I come alone and offer prayers, there shouldn’t be any complications.”
“We will guide you to the High Priest.”
With a polite tone different from their stern gaze, Ermeldine nodded slightly and followed the temple attendants.
During the walk to the High Priest’s chamber, she casually glanced out the window, revealing an incredible view.
The time spent inside the palace suddenly felt wasted.
“I should escape the palace more often, like Ferdin and explore places like this.”
On the opposite cliff facing the temple built at the edge of the cliff, there was a massive waterfall, and below it, a vast, beautiful valley with a shimmering hue spread out.
In the valley between the cliffs, a myriad of colorful flowers bloomed so abundantly that it was challenging to distinguish whether the scenery outside was a painting or reality.
The harmonious sounds of birds that resembled well-tuned instruments added to the enchantment.
“Yeah. What does it matter if I receive some animosity? This is healing, real healing! Let’s enjoy proper healing and then leave!”
After climbing the stairs for a while, a narrow space led to a small door.
Inside was a modest room with nothing but a shabby wooden bed and a small table, and an elderly man with white hair, who appeared aged, was kneeling beside it.
Next to him, a young temple attendant stood, seemingly performing some ritual.
“Ugh.”
Ermeldine reflexively approached the elderly man, who was kneeling, to help him up.
Snap!
However, before Ermeldine could touch him, a young temple attendant who had been guarding behind the High Priest forcefully pushed away her hand.
“Where do you think you’re touching!”
Caught in an awkward situation, Ermeldine glared at the temple attendant who rejected her hand, losing her words.
The man in front of her had an incredibly beautiful face, to the point where one might believe he was a woman. He possessed mysterious silver hair tied elegantly and an endlessly eerie beauty. Although he had a petite and slender physique, his broad shoulders gave away his gender.
“Of course, there are plenty of handsome men, but this is too overwhelming…”
Admiring his appearance only lasted for a moment. His sharply red eyes, initially filled with disdain, quickly changed to astonishment.
“Well, what’s done is done!”
Ermeldine was accustomed to disdain, but the following expression of shock that accompanied it felt uncomfortably vivid.
“What insolence to Her Majesty the Empress! This child has not completed the training and committed a breach of etiquette. Please, Empress, understand with your generous heart.”
Looking around, it seemed if she didn’t understand, she might get her hair torn out. In fact, apart from the High Priest, everyone’s expressions, including those who accompanied her initially, mirrored the faces of the people she first encountered.
“No, I was at fault for reaching out first. I was just trying to offer support. Well, in this situation, there’s nothing I can say even if it’s misunderstood.”
Seeing that hostility wouldn’t lead to anything good, Ermeldine politely bowed her head and greeted the High Priest.
“I am Noktavius, the first priest of the gods. And this is my disciple, Arvian.”
“Arvian?”
A peculiar name, but it sounded familiar.
“Oh, right! Here! The supporting male lead from the original work has appeared!”
Why had she forgotten such an important fact?
If following the original, Valier should have come as usual, meeting the supporting male lead for the first time at the temple.
Arvian, the supporting male lead, later stood by Valier’s side, approving the curse magic cast by Ermeldine. He was the character who coldly smiled while she writhed in pain, ultimately becoming the next High Priest.
Lately, memories of the original work seemed to be fading, but forgetting such a crucial event was disappointing. Ermeldine felt self-loathing for willingly coming to the temple.
“Pleased to meet you under these circumstances.”
Although it felt awkward, Ermeldine forcibly raised the corners of her mouth in greeting, and the High Priest responded politely by bowing his waist even deeper.
However, behind him, Arvian continued to glare at Ermeldine with a terrifyingly malicious expression.
“Ugh, it’s a series of challenges. Did I come here for a vacation? Should’ve just stayed and finished the charity. Do you really want to become a barbecue?”
Now, after cursing herself, there was no way to return as soon as she arrived.
“At least I can be grateful that I met you before Valier. It’s a stroke of luck.”
Trying not to provoke Arvian too much, Ermeldine continued to act cautiously. The High Priest Noktavius gently took Ermeldine’s hand.
“Welcome. We’ve been waiting for you.”
“Waiting for me? Wasn’t Valier supposed to come every year?”
Ermeldine felt puzzled by the statement that they had been waiting for her. However, unable to retort to the warm smile of the old man, she continued to offer an awkward smile.
“Still, this gentleman seems unbiased. He died during the progression of the original work… Why did he die again?”
Kwoong.
Suddenly, Ermeldine’s heart dropped beneath her feet and then returned. Noktavius, a character who dies due to Ermeldine’s curse magic while trying to persuade her. He also serves as the trigger for the awakening of Arvian, the supporting male lead. As detailed memories from the original work began to emerge one by one, a cold sweat ran down Ermeldine’s back. Though the soul may be innocent, encountering a character who is destined to die, even if the body remains unharmed, is an unsettling experience. When Ermeldine briefly experienced difficulty breathing, Noktavius lightly placed his hand on her back.
“It’s okay. Everything is okay now.”
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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