The cloth, carrying unspoken yearnings, slid away from Iliad. Rinette, fearing it would dirty Iliad’s clothes, quickly caught it and tidied it up.

Was the issue resolved? The future was the concern.

Knowing Claudius, he wouldn’t punish Rivel. He’d likely overlook the incident, displaying royal magnanimity and mercy.

But Selina was a different matter. Once appointed as Empress, she might seek personal revenge against Rivel.

‘I hope he won’t do anything reckless against the Empress.’

Rivel seemed to have a knack for subtly irking people. Iliad worried he might react to Selina’s pointless provocations.

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

“Empress.”

Rivel’s call laid a shadow beneath Iliad’s retreating figure, carrying a hint of desperation. Why call someone like that? Unable to resist such a call, she slowly turned around.

“It belongs to you, Empress.”

Was he referring to the cloth, originally Iliad’s property? Or perhaps, metaphorically, the position of being loved by the Emperor, which rightfully belonged to the Empress?

The missing subject of the sentence could lead to different interpretations depending on how one chose to hear it. What exactly was he implying?

“What are you referring to?”

“I dare say, but I hope you cherish what is yours.”

There was a trace of melancholy in his calm smile, making even the bright sunlight seem dull. His soft voice hinted at regret.

“Letting things go can lead to moments of regret.”

So, don’t let go. Don’t give up and hold on till the end. Even the smallest hope could be magnified and bestowed upon her. Iliad pondered Rivel’s meaningful words and left with a light bow.

“Thank you, Rivel.”

Every time Iliad called his name, Rivel’s fingertips trembled slightly.
Just a few steps away, he could have reached her. Should he reveal everything now? That he knew it all and came to her side, so she could be at ease.

“It’s an honor.”

In the end, Rivel left, masking his gratitude in formal niceties, still too early to reveal everything and entrust her with the end of his leash.

Claudius was reading documents indifferently. In his loosely reclined posture, the constant chatter filled his ears.

Selina, having washed off the mud, resolutely headed for the Emperor’s palace. She knew Claudius was busy, but this couldn’t wait. She wanted to inform him of this insulting incident and have the insolent mercenary punished.

“Your Majesty, are you listening?”

“I am.”

“That mercenary dared to lecture me on manners in front of me! Keeping his head so stiff… Even if he is of low birth, not knowing how to properly treat a noble!”

“And what about before?”

“What?”

Selina’s hand, which had been stroking Claudius’s chest, froze.

She glimpsed at Claudius’s red eyes, which seemed to know everything. She had to roll her tongue in her mouth several times to clear her blocked speech.

“Empress Iliad gifted me with fabric.”

“That’s good. You needed an official gown for the ceremony. It’s thoughtful of the Empress to consider that.”

Claudius commended Iliad, perhaps a bit too generously. Was he praising the Empress’s meticulous actions? Selina suddenly felt slighted. Petty complaints slipped through her pouting lips.

“But the fabric fell to the ground with the wind… And then that mercenary appeared out of nowhere, threw the mud-covered fabric over my head, saying it suited me…”

Selina had never faced such humiliation.

She had always been praised for her beauty, even in the outskirts. Of course, upon arriving in the capital, she was overshadowed by other remarkable ladies but never considered less beautiful.

Then, out of the blue, Rivel appeared, accusing her of lacking manners and splashing her with mud. It was an outrageous intrusion into her world of perpetual beauty.

Claudius’s eyebrows twitched as he listened to her story. He returned his gaze to the documents, slowly mulling over the name, Rivel.

A mercenary standing up to nobility. A stark contrast to the mercenaries Claudius had contracted before, who groveled before the Emperor and nobles to secure or extend their contracts.

Claudius had naturally come to regard them as materialistic beings, only interested in money. This was a common perception. They moved only for monetary gains, not loyalty.

But Rivel boldly faced the nobility. Was it a case of meeting arrogance with arrogance? There seemed to be no other reason.

There were no other connections with the royal family, and he maintained decent relationships with other contractors.

‘I was bothered by his name from the start.’

Who would name their child something that means rebellion? As Claudius thought of the name Rivel again, a smirk escaped his lips.

“Your Majesty…?”

Confused by his unexpected reaction, Selina straightened up and sat on his knee.
“Why are you laughing? Do you think the insult I suffered is nothing? Even though I am known as ‘the Shadow,’ I cannot tolerate being disregarded like that.”

“Selina.”

Her expression softened at his gentle voice. He put down the document he was holding and placed his hand on Selina’s cheek. His clean, white hand, invisible of any fatigue, gently caressed her face.

“I wish you would forgive that foolish mercenary.”

When yandere male lead believes she loves him — but she never did

“How dare you!”

“How dare you make me love you, only to cast me aside as nothing more than a friend?!?

“I will never accept that.”

“I will never let you return to him.”

“Even if I have to burn myself to ashes.”

“Even if I must shatter my purity, my dignity, my very soul.”

“I will never let you escape me!”

This was the first novel that introduced me to the matriarchal genre. I’ve read it three times already!

At first, the male lead despised the female lead. Later, he misunderstood that she liked him, so he condescendingly and reluctantly reciprocated her feelings.

Then, he suddenly discovered that she was kind to everyone in the same way, and there was already someone she cherished in her heart, and that person was not him.

The male lead couldn’t believe it, he became angry and crazy. He was determined to capture her body and heart by any means necessary.

Synopsis:

Want to see how a green tea bitch male lead falls in love with the female lead?

Want to see how he flirtatiously pursues the female lead?

Want to see how he gets slapped in the face repeatedly?

The male lead is a green tea bitch, a poisonous lotus, jealous, ruthless, unscrupulous, with a venomous heart, and he’s also a delusional maniac.

The female lead is righteous, positive energy-filled, kind, a holy mother.

Let’s see how two people with extreme personalities come together~

_____

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