Rinet, sitting opposite her, grabbed Ilaiyd’s arm and looked in the direction Ilaiyd was gazing. However, by then, only an indistinct crowd was visible.
“Did I see wrong…”
Ilaiyd murmured to herself, unable to shake off a lingering sense of unease.
She had been too complacent. Why hadn’t she anticipated the possibility of the mercenary contract falling through? Perhaps the mercenaries had offended Claudius.
Given his attitude towards Celina, it was unlikely that Rebel would have obediently kowtowed to him.
How could something soft conquer something as hard as Claudius? She should have faced him with steel resolve.
The carriage entered the palace grounds. Weary, Ilaiyd instructed,
“Please stop the carriage. I’d like to walk a bit.”
Rinet knocked on the carriage ceiling a few times, and soon the jolting ceased.
Stepping out, the vast expanse of the palace unfolded before her. To Ilaiyd, this grand and splendid place was no different from a prison.
She walked slowly. The world appeared fragmented through the veil before her eyes. It was stifling, but she didn’t want to remove it. Only at times like these could she relax the muscles in her face, free from constantly monitoring every subtle expression.
Ilaiyd aimlessly wandered away from the Empress Palace, heading towards the back of the Imperial Palace. She just walked without a destination in mind, hoping to alleviate the stifling feeling overwhelming her.
The palace had several so-called ‘back doors’ used mainly by the lower-ranking staff and laborers. It was an unspoken rule for them to use these less conspicuous entrances to avoid discomforting the higher-ups.
Rebel headed towards one of these back doors, weighed down by exhaustion. The battle may have been easily won from the empire’s perspective, but for the mercenary group, it was a different story. They had infiltrated earlier than the imperial army and strained every nerve to minimize casualties.
For today at least, Rebel intended to encourage his team members to rest and relax. He planned to let them enjoy themselves noisily, giving them some space. Of course, he knew that including Lailo, his team members wouldn’t just leave him alone.
“Rebel?”
A warm voice caught his attention. It was a voice he always yearned for, one that made even breathing difficult to hear.
Slowly turning towards the source of the sound, Rebel saw a woman draped in black clothes, black shadows, and black sorrow.
“Your Majesty.”
A mutual sigh of relief escaped as they assured each other’s safety and well-being.
Ilaiyd, barely keeping her legs from collapsing, was overwhelmed by the fact that Rebel had safely returned.
“I’m glad. You’re safe.”
She wondered if he was injured, why there was no mention of him in the newspapers, and what accomplishments he brought back.
Numerous questions filled her mind, but her concern for him was what came out.
Ilaiyd approached him first with quick steps. Rebel glanced at Rinet standing behind him and bowed deeply to the approaching Empress.
“I have successfully completed the mission assigned by Your Majesty.”
“I don’t recall assigning any mission…”
“You commanded us to ensure victory.”
And to bring corresponding results. Seeing the cool smile on Rebel’s face, Ilaiyd’s relief was overshadowed by worry.
“There was nothing for Your Majesty to worry about.”
“What happened…?”
“We just executed the mission as it was given.”
They captured Duke Lerozen and brought him to the negotiation table, probably the most desired outcome for Claudius. Though he didn’t comment on Rebel’s method of execution, Claudius didn’t add anything to it.
The negotiations, which were more like threats, went smoothly with the captured Duke. Deploying more troops in Rozen, doubling the taxes for two years, these terms were lethal for Rozen, and Claudius took the citizens as hostages.
“Everything around is surrounded by the imperial army. The moment the order is given, everyone in Rozen, including you, will be slaughtered. Duke, I trust you won’t make the same foolish decision as before.”
Leaving the room, Claudius firmly grasped Rebel’s shoulder.
“Quite impressive.”
He seemed content, like a predator who had just enjoyed a satisfying meal, as if he had laid out all possibilities and was observing which path Rebel would choose.
Ilaiyd quietly listened to Rebel’s continued narrative.
“Did His Majesty give any specific orders?”
“He ordered the ‘neutralization’ of the leaders.”
“So you didn’t behead them right there.”
“Neutralization means taking away the power. Simply disarming them suffices.”
Rebel’s words clarified the actions taken, adhering to the literal interpretation of the mission, yet not indulging in unnecessary violence.
If Rebel had immediately beheaded the Duke, the morale of the imperial army might have briefly soared. Without their leader, Rozen would have been at the mercy of the imperial forces, likely leading to rampant looting of the city.
“And all attention would have shifted to the mercenary group.”
That’s the last thing Claudius would want. Because the mercenaries acted discreetly, all the attention naturally turned to the emperor. Had the situation been reversed, they would not have been able to return to the palace and their contract would have been terminated.
“Literally… He wants someone who obeys well.”
Claudius believed that one loyal hound was better than a hundred soldiers.
“You’ve been through a lot.”
As if life wasn’t challenging enough with the Empress, now constantly being tested by the Emperor. Ilaiyd lifted the black veil that hung in front of her.
At least for this moment, she wanted to face Rebel directly.
“Welcome back, Rebel.”
Like someone returning to where they belong. Unnoticed by her, a genuine smile naturally graced her lips.
Ilaiyd’s bare face shimmered in the pale sunlight. A clear and pure light. It seemed as if touching it would reveal a warm essence. Rebel’s eyes, too, began to shine as he looked at her.
“I’m back, Your Majesty.”
His usually dark blue-grey eyes appeared exceptionally clear, as if yearning for something.
“Is he expecting praise for a job well done?”
While Ilaiyd hesitated on how to respond, Rinet, who had been watching the two from behind, stepped forward.
Observing the mercenary, she sensed something peculiar in his demeanor. Despite his seemingly friendly attitude towards the Empress, there was an indiscernible intensity hidden within his kindness.
As she was about to interject, the back door area became noisy again.
Ex-husband Wants Reconciliation
One-line summary: Chasing the wife to the crematorium (making an effort to attract someone who has become indifferent), the female lead doesn’t look back, the second male lead takes the position.
Intro:
To repay the kindness of the older generation, Su Mu crossed into a female-dominated world and became a live-in daughter-in-law of the Yan family, single-handedly saving the Yan family from fire and water.
But her husband, Yan Jiyue, the eldest son of the Yan family, treated her with sarcasm and never showed her a good face.
It wasn’t until after Su Mu’s death that this pampered and arrogant young master shed a few fake tears and pretended to want to die for love.
This life’s kindness was enough. If there was a next life, she would definitely kick Yan Jiyue away.
Who knew that the heavens would be so kind as to allow her to be reborn, returning to the time when she had just married into the Yan family.
Su Mu glanced at the Yan eldest son, who still spoke coldly to her, and threw a divorce letter in front of him.
“Let’s divorce!”
***
Yan Jiyue never imagined that he would be reborn. He happily went to find Su Mu, wanting to make up for the mistakes he had made in his ignorant youth.
Wasn’t the reason the heavens allowed him to be reborn to let him reconcile with Su Mu?
But when he pushed open the door to Su Mu’s room, the person lying on the bed was another man.
Su Mu’s personal attendant, Xie Yi.
Yan Jiyue hated him so much that his teeth itched. In front of Su Mu, Xie Yi was a gentle and considerate whisperer of sweet nothings, but in reality, he was vicious-hearted and deliberately sabotaged their husband and wife relationship.
In the previous life, it was he who secretly hid in Su Mu’s coffin and committed suicide, stealing a step ahead of him to be buried with Su Mu.
Yan Jiyue’s eyes were filled with hatred as he cursed, “What kind of thing are you? Your background is lowly, what right do you have to occupy Su Mu?”
Xie Yi looked at the sleeping Su Mu and no longer pretended to be a whisperer of sweet nothings.
He proudly stuck out his belly, “I have the right because my belly is capable of giving the Wife-master a daughter.”
***
Yan Jiyue was consumed with jealousy. He spread rumors that Xie Yi had once been branded with the mark of a “harlot” on his chest.
But on the night Xie Yi cut off the flesh bearing that mark, Su Mu suddenly realized something was amiss.
“How did you know the exact moment I was poisoned? And why did you show up a month early?”
Xie Yi remained silent, blood from his wound soaking through his robes. His sapphire eyes brimmed with anguish – or was it just a flawless act?
Between a once-arrogant husband now seeking redemption, and a gentle soul willing to die for her – who truly held the darkest secrets? And could it be that Su Mu and Yan Jiyue weren’t the only ones given a second chance at life…?
[Reading Guide]
1. True divorce, chasing the wife to the crematorium, the female lead doesn’t look back, the male lead is Xie Yi.
2. The ex-husband did not cheat, he just realized too late and didn’t realize that he liked the female lead.
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