“We should close the gates soon.”
“Isn’t it too early?”
“Not at all.”
“It seems about a week earlier than usual…”
“A snowstorm is coming.”
Hades Croitner dismissed the objections of the officials.
“It would be better to send the Governor and his party back as quickly as possible. I don’t want to see them depleting our food supplies all winter.”
Hades did not bother to mention that the Governor would also want to return to the empire as soon as possible.
“And… Anjel leaves with them.”
“The Holy Lady?”
Murmurs began to ripple around the room.
“Yes.”
Hades nodded.
“To cure her illness.”
“Is treatment difficult here?”
William, the knight, answered that question.
“Do not argue with His Majesty’s decision. He has made the best decision for the Holy Lady.”
“Even so…”
The officials seemed uneasy.
“If you leave now, won’t you return only after winter ends?”
“What if the demons attack? If it weren’t for the Holy Lady…”
“Ah, isn’t His Majesty here?”
Hades sneered.
Somehow, even his own officials had come to rely and trust on Anjel.
It was to be expected.
Although Anjel was not accustomed to demons like the people of Donovan, she had saved them several times with her excellent judgment.
But to keep such an Anjel close, she had to be sent away for a while.
Even if Anjel herself didn’t wish for it.
“Winter is my specialty, so everyone doesn’t need to worry.”
Hades added to himself.
Actually, the worry was about sending Anjel away, mobilizing only a few knights to the empire.
But he couldn’t let them know how much he cherished Anjel.
Of course, he had not yet withdrawn the false announcement of ‘governing,’ so it wouldn’t be strange to show affection openly…
‘Things must be sorted out before Anjel returns.’
Winter was long.
There was time left to prepare the castle for Anjel and decide her treatment.
In the remaining time…
‘I’ll miss her.’
Even the thought brought a heavy sense of longing.
He had become too accustomed to the small Holy Lady’s existence.
Especially when he had been around her under the pretext of protecting her, and now he had to send her away.
Hades admitted to himself.
It wasn’t because Anjel was really in danger that he kept her close.
He enjoyed everyday life with Anjel.
It was not because she was comfortable, or because she made him comfortable.
Rather, it was the opposite.
Anjel complicated everything.
From the boring meetings to the simple walks in the corridor.
But that complexity and trouble had at some point become varied pleasures.
After the meeting, Hades headed for the chamberlain’s residence.
Because he had several guards disguised as servants watching Iscariel, he was receiving realtime reports on the chamberlain’s whereabouts.
Iscariel no longer roamed freely, but it was unknown what she would plot when alone.
“Is the chamberlain inside?”
“Yes.”
Although Hades knew the answer from the servant guarding Iscariel’s door, he asked anyway.
“Tell her to come out.”
A moment later, Iscariel, with a disheveled head as if she had just woken up, stretched her body out the door.
“Your Majesty, what brings you here?”
Hades coughed.
“Chamberlain.”
“Yes.”
Although Iscariel’s manner was impeccably polite, a challenging light sparkled in her blue eyes.
“There are several things you need to be aware of regarding Anjel.”
“What are they?”
A mocking smile surfaced on Iscariel’s face.
“Anjel is frail.”
Anyway, there were facts he had to fully make Iscariel aware of.
“You are unimaginably weak. Even without the curse, your body was originally frail.”
“Do you come to inform me of facts I already know well?”
Hades stared straight at Iscariel.
Upon closer inspection, he resembled Angelica quite a bit.
‘…A blood relation.’
Though Angelica’s thoughts seemed somewhat different, Hades believed Iscariel would not harm his descendants.
By nature, humans become compassionate towards their weaker kin.
Like the relationship between himself and Tobias.
Even though the public opinion strongly suggested execution, Hades had not the slightest intention to execute Tobias.
Rather than pity, it would be more accurate to say it was affection for his remaining kin.
Hades had also considered exiling Tobias to live the life he desired, once he felt Tobias had paid an appropriate price.
But a considerable amount of time would have to pass for that.
“……Angel is surprisingly picky about food. But she would never admit it. She likes fruits and sweet foods, while hardly ever touching coarse bread.”
One of Iscariel’s eyebrows rose, but he said nothing.
“She’s incredibly weak to alcohol. Even one drink gets her easily drunk; it would be better not to offer her any.”
“It’s common sense not to offer alcohol to a patient.”
“Even if it’s not you, the barbaric Imperials might offer it.”
“Alcohol is strictly forbidden in the temple anyway.”
Hades couldn’t conceal his surprise.
“You plan to take Angel to the temple?”
“Yes.”
Iscariel answered confidently.
“It is the safest place.”
“……The palace would be better.”
Iscariel chuckled.
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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