I Pretended To Be Dead And Ran Away (22 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 8
“What’s so important?”
I blurted out the question before I even realized it. I hadn’t done anything yesterday.
All I’d done was stroke his head as instructed and stayed by his side until he fell asleep.
“Do you really think I’d tell you that much?”
Felix’s warning tone made me instinctively shrink back.
“I—I apologize for my rudeness.”
“No, it’s not that serious.”
His added words left me even more flustered. He had always been the type to coldly brush people off.
“My lord?”
Ianathas, seemingly just as surprised, gave Felix a strange look. Felix responded by frowning and letting out a sigh.
“Did you see that woman, Reniel? Tell me everything.”
Did he genuinely not remember—or was he testing me? But if I admitted it was a woman here, I’d end up in worse shape than Chief Steward Mariven.
“The timing of Reniel passing through the corridor matches suspiciously well with when that woman fled from this room,”
Ianathas added.
Since I had no idea what I was supposedly accused of stealing, I shook my head and said,
“I only saw Lord Ianathas. You escorted me back to my room last night, didn’t you?”
At that, Felix fixed me with a strange, piercing stare—clearly still suspicious.
My palms were damp, probably from cold sweat.
I forced a smile and met Felix’s eyes directly.
But he’d clearly said he remembered nothing of what happened during the night! He’d even mentioned thinking it was just a dream caused by the sleeping medicine!
“What if there’s even the slightest lie in what you just said?”
“Why would I lie?”
At those words, Felix’s expression seemed to soften slightly.
“Reniel, whose are you?”
I didn’t understand why he asked that, but I knew the script for moments like this.
“I belong to you, my lord.”
“Really?”
“Of course! My liver and gallbladder are both yours!”
As I said that, Felix’s suspicious gaze visibly relaxed.
Ianathas, too, seemed reassured by my answer and quietly smiled again—eyes narrowed like a fox.
“From now on, you’ll be in charge of my room.”
“Yes, my lord.”
And so, I became exclusively responsible for Felix’s room.
****
My salary increased.
Since Chief Steward Mariven and the deputy stewards had all disappeared, and I was now managing the Duke’s quarters, my pay had naturally gone up.
The position of Chief Steward remained vacant, and I’d been promoted to Deputy Steward. My monthly wages had quintupled.
And Felix truly seemed to have no precise memory of that night’s events, believing it all to be a dream.
“Hmm… hm. Hmm.”
He was in an exceptionally good mood. Not that it mattered—I’d be fleeing soon anyway. Until then, I intended to squeeze every last coin from this job until my soul ached.
By the time Felix remembered anything, I’d already be long gone.
“Noisy.”
“Oh! My lord! When did you arrive!”
I’d been humming alone while cleaning the room and hadn’t noticed Felix entering.
“Do I need to inform you every time I come in?”
“No! Normally, the knights would let me know, so I can greet you properly at the main door!”
“What do you think you’re going to do by coming out to greet me?”
“I’d take your coat, of course! While you’re climbing the stairs, I’d take your coat and hear your schedule. Since I’m now Deputy Steward, I believe I must start strong to ensure you experience no inconvenience!”
That had been the proper protocol. But for some reason, the knights hadn’t reported to me when he passed through the main gate, which was why I’d bumped into Felix while cleaning.
Truthfully… it was obvious why the knights hadn’t alerted me. Felix must have come to observe me secretly, testing my diligence.
Now that he’d revealed himself, the test seemed over.
After all, during the two hours I’d been in this room, all I’d done was hum songs and clean.
“Could you take a look at how I’ve arranged the bed sheets? Aren’t I better than the previous steward?”
I showed Felix the sheets I’d folded on the bed.
The crisp, sharp edges were so perfectly aligned it looked as if the bed had been sliced with a knife.
Felix, who suffered from obsessive neatness, preferred his bedding in black—and I’d kept those dark sheets impeccably tidy, clearly satisfying him.
“I’ve also straightened the canopy drapes and pleated them evenly! Every fold is perfectly spaced!”
He glanced indifferently toward the canopy drapes I pointed at.
“Oh, and I cleaned the ceiling above the canopy too—look!”
The ceiling, visible the moment one lay down, was pitch-black.
With the room’s heavy black curtains drawn, not a single ray of light penetrated—only pure darkness filled the space.
“I even took out all the whiskey from the cabinet and cleaned it. The bottles were all jumbled, so I sorted them by year and grouped them again by alcohol content.”
“You did all that without being asked.”
Even as he said that, he glanced over at the whiskey in the cabinet. His gradually relaxing expression suggested he wasn’t displeased.
“And also…”
“That’s enough. I don’t understand why you’re acting like a dog waiting eagerly for its master.”
At his chiding words, I couldn’t help but retort immediately.
“But it’s true! Would that bother you?”
Honestly, I had been waiting—so I admitted it. More importantly, I needed to get along well with Felix for the time being.
He’d raised my salary and entrusted me with duties—so why wouldn’t I wait for him? Besides, he’d promised me the best work-life balance of any employer.
Of course, I’d still flee before the original plot truly began—but until then, he was genuinely the most satisfying master I could ask for.
“…What?”
“I’ve been waiting for you while cleaning the room! I worked so hard because I wanted you to be happy. Don’t you think I did a better job than Chief Steward Mariven?”
“So you want me to praise you now, is that it?”
“Hehe, yes.”
I hadn’t actually expected praise—but since his rewards and punishments were always clear-cut, I thought receiving his commendation would feel satisfying.
At that, his expression twisted slightly before he sighed again.
“…Leave now.”
“Are you going to change clothes?”
“Yes.”
“Then let me help you.”
“Why would you?”
“Well, I’m the Deputy Steward and your person, after all.”
At my words, he frowned once more as if deeply conflicted.
“I’ve never let anyone help me dress.”
“Are you joking? I’ve never heard of a noble changing clothes by themselves.”
I quickly walked over to the wardrobe he’d been eyeing and opened it.
As always, it was filled entirely with strikingly black garments. The only colors permitted in his wardrobe were red and gold.
“Where are you heading?”
“My business site.”
Then he’d need something neat, simple, yet appropriately formal—a suit.
I quickly prepared black trousers and a shirt, then selected an outer coat that was modestly ornate, featuring prominent golden epaulets.
“My lord, next time the tailor’s staff comes, could we order some with silver epaulets instead of gold?”
“Why?”
“I think silver would suit you well too. What do you think?”
“…Do as you please.”
As I watched his oddly softened demeanor, our eyes suddenly met. I reflexively smiled, and he frowned again with a strange expression.
“Clothing’s ready—now leave.”
“But I’d still like to assist…”
“Starting tomorrow. I’m tired today.”
“Yes, my lord.”
And so, I was practically chased out of the room.
Felix watched me reluctantly leave as if observing some curious creature, then quickly averted his gaze.
****
“Ugh…”
At dawn, I came to the secret room carrying a first-aid kit and a meal.
“Oh no.”
Judging by Tanasis’s appearance, Felix had definitely come by in the middle of the night.
Today, Tanasis looked far worse than when he’d first arrived.
When I turned on the light, I saw bruises scattered across his face, clear signs of a nosebleed, and a split lip.
“My lord came and went, didn’t he?”
At my words, Tanasis lifted his head.
The gag lay scattered on the floor nearby, apparently torn or burned off.
“Get lost.”
He glared at me as he spoke. Thick, dark blood clung messily to his silver hair.
“You won’t kill me, will you?”
“Both the dog and its owner are equally mad.”
“So I’m a dog? Then what kind— a Chihuahua?”
My voice trembled, but I figured Tanasis didn’t have the strength to kill me, so I dared to joke.
“You tremble like a leaf, yet your mouth works just fine.”
Of course—he wouldn’t miss even the slightest tremor.
I needed to feed him first, so I carried the tray toward Tanasis, who was chained to the wall.
His abdomen showed stitched-up wounds—proof that Felix didn’t intend to kill him yet.
Though the stitches were crudely and brutally done, making the sight rather gruesome.
“You need to eat.”
Tanasis stared blankly at me for a moment.
“You…”
Just as he seemed about to say something, I lifted the lid. A rich, delicious aroma immediately filled the room.
Naturally—it contained dishes I’d specially requested from the chef.
No matter how stubborn Tanasis was, I’d brought only the most fragrant and mouthwatering food, guaranteed to make refusal impossible.
I picked up a slice of bacon and met his eyes.
“Why does it smell so sweet?”
“You like pork? That’s a relief. I was a bit worried you’d prefer beef with your refined palate. I’ve only had beef a few times in my life myself.”
I said that reassuringly and offered him the bacon slice.
But Tanasis scowled and bit down on my wrist—the one holding the fork.
“Eek!”
I instinctively shrieked and flinched.
Tanasis looked at me with a dazed expression and said, as if longing to touch me once more,
“Skip the food. Touch me instead. It hurts less whenever you do.”
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
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Chapter Comments (22)
Inline Comments (54)
‘The missing Princess of Nuremberg is a mana purifier—one born only once per cen
Could it be her? Is it possible that she’s living in a state of shock and no one knows her identity?
Reniel trailed off uncertainly, unsure whether this warranted gratitude.
Could it be her? Is it possible that she’s living in a state of shock and no one knows her identit
“Th-thank you…?”
Could it be her? Is it possible that she’s living in a state of shock and no one knows her identit
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Wait, what? For real? How come the Nuremberg Princess is hiding her gender and work at the mansion of the Duke who technically her archenemy? And Renal is Tanasis’ fiancee? Wow, never expected it to be revealed this early.
Very good story and i do prefer it if any person will give it a try worthy of your time
So apparently Renal is regarded as a threat for imperial family for her purifying ability and decided to make her Tanasias’ fiancee for close monitoring and helped him control his artificial ability. But Renal must’ve sensed or found out something that can put her life in danger. Thus she went into the hiding in the enemy’s nest and disguised as a man with the ring’s help. I wonder what kind of finding Reniel got to the point it threatened her life.