Lorencia opened the door to the reception room and smiled brightly at Lorirolls.
“Miss Roa.”
“Young Master Lorirolls. Am I late?”
“Yes. It’s alright.”
Before entering the reception room, Lorirolls was called by Lady Anne.
Lorirolls conversed with Anne while recalling Lorencia’s warning.
She promised not to kill him if he just played along well with saying he purely wanted to date and marry her, and promised to break up when appropriate.
So he had no choice but to follow the monster’s words.
Though he didn’t know what secrets the Pol Heredian family held, Lorirolls just wanted to be used by the monster and discarded quickly. Yesterday’s power was neither a magician’s nor a spirit user’s. She moved objects freely at will. Above all, she knew about the existence of ‘Sophie’. It sent chills down his spine.
“Lady Anne told me to break up with Lady Lorencia.”
“So what did you say?”
“I said she’s my ideal type that I fell for at first sight, and I want to date and marry her.”
“Well done.”
Just then, with a ‘bang’, the reception room door opened and Ruans entered.
“Who do we have here? To think Lorencia’s dance teacher was Young Master Lorirolls.”
“Prince Ruans.”
As soon as Ruans saw Lorirolls, he understood who the man was that fell for Lorencia at first sight. Wasn’t he that pervert Lorirolls who likes anyone in a skirt!
“You dare seduce the prince’s lover?”
“How am I Prince Ruans’ lover? Young Master Lorirolls, don’t misunderstand. I like you, Young Master Lorirolls!”
“Lorencia. You be quiet! Unless you want to see me go even crazier!”
Ruans took off the white glove on his right hand and walked straight to Lorirolls. Ruans threw the removed white glove right at Lorirolls’ face. It meant he was challenging him to a duel.
“Prince Ruans. I didn’t know you were in a relationship with Lady Lorencia.”
Lorirolls didn’t hide his bewilderment. He showed it plainly on his face. A noble challenged to a duel by royalty should consider it an honor and accept. But not him. It’s been 10 years since he last held a sword. Above all, he didn’t want to risk his life fighting for a monster like Lorencia.
“Lady Anne clearly said she wanted to marry me to Lady Lorencia. I also confessed that Lady Lorencia is my ideal type, and she accepted it. So we’ve been in a relationship since yesterday. If I had known she was in a relationship with Prince Ruans, I wouldn’t have even come near the Count Pol Heredian’s residence.”
Lorirolls defended himself, saying all the wrongdoings originated from Anne and he was not at fault.
“I would appreciate it if you could cancel the duel. If I hadn’t known, I would have become a good partner to Lady Lorencia, but now that I know, I will retract yesterday’s confession and talk of marriage.”
Lorirolls politely bowed to Ruans. He was scared of Lorencia with her monstrous power, but dueling with royalty was even more frightening. Moreover, he would have to duel in front of many nobles. He hadn’t held a sword in over 10 years. He had even forgotten how to grip one. How could someone like him possibly defeat Ruans! It was obvious he would be humiliated and then killed.
“Please spare my life, Prince Ruans.”
“Young Master Lorirolls. I am absolutely not Prince Ruans’ lover. Please don’t misunderstand.”
“Lady Lorencia. I’m sorry.”
“Then were all your words and actions towards me yesterday lies?”
Lorirolls was perplexed by Lorencia’s words. Her words were more than enough to cause misunderstandings to a third party, even if not Ruans.
“You said you fell for me at first sight… along with your actions towards me.”
“What actions did I take.”
“It was my first time yesterday.”
“No, Lady Lorencia. I think it would be better if you stop talking. The prince will misunderstand.”
“Since yesterday, I’ve only been thinking of Young Master Lorirolls, my heart has been strangely pounding, and you don’t know how much I’ve been looking forward to meeting you today.”
As Lorencia confessed to Lorirolls, Ruans gritted his teeth. He felt like he was going crazy at the thought of the monster he had preciously caged and raised trying to escape from his grasp.
That monster should only look at him. She should blindly love only him, and sincerely be willing to give her life for him. That small head of hers should be filled with thoughts of only him all day long.
The monster is a being born for him. He can never let her be taken by others. That is his monster. His alone.
“Lorencia. What are you saying in front of me right now? I thought I had been expressing my feelings, but it seems it wasn’t enough.”
“I really don’t understand what you’re saying, Prince Ruans.”
“What am I to you, Lorencia?”
“Prince Ruans is a precious friend to me like no other.”
Lorencia smiled brightly with sincerity.
“Don’t you love me, Lorencia?”
“I can’t love you, Prince Ruans.”
“Why on earth not?”
“Because you’re an illegitimate child. You can’t make me a princess consort.”
“No. I will make you the princess consort.”
After saying this to Lorencia, Ruans thought ‘oh no’. He spoke impulsively due to her constantly trying to slip away like a loach from his words. What if she truly believed his words about making her the princess consort?
“I know my place, Prince Ruans. So Young Master Lorirolls is just right for me as a marriage partner.”
For a moment, lightning struck above Ruans’ head. Was it because he had lowered her self-esteem too much? Or had he eliminated her willpower too much?
“Lorencia. I love you.”
“You love me?”
The words he had said before killing her automatically came to mind.
“I love you, Lorencia. I’m sincere.”
Love cannot be a reason for death. Being able to do anything for love is self-deception.
“I cannot accept your feelings, Prince Ruans. From now on, please don’t call me your lover, even falsely.”
“Alright. I’m sorry for hastily calling you my lover. But my feelings are sincere.”
“I am currently Young Master Lorirolls’ lover. And I ask you, please withdraw the white glove you threw at my lover and cancel the duel.”
Ruans gritted his teeth. His mind became as tangled as knotted thread at the fact that Lorencia was bowing her head and pleading for someone else. This cannot happen. It should not happen.
“Lady Lorencia. Please shut your mouth!”
Lorirolls began to plead with Lorencia, his face turning deathly pale. If only he could turn back time, he just wanted to go back to when he could refuse the offer that came from the Pol Heredian family.
“Please! Be quiet! Lady Lorencia! I’m begging you like this, so please stop talking!”
Lorirolls’ pleading turned into lamentations. But Lorencia smiled brightly.
Ruans’ heart grew urgent. The look in Lorencia’s eyes as she gazed at Lorirolls was not normal. Watching her violet eyes tinting with love made his insides twist. Whether it was killing intent or some other emotion, this unfamiliar uncomfortable feeling rose up like unbearable nausea. He thought that if he gave in to impulse, he could kill both Lorirolls and Lorencia right here.
“Lorencia. Do you really want to date a man like that? Are you truly sincere?”
“Yes. I have already become deeply involved with him.”
“No, Your Highness Ruans! Nothing happened between Lady Lorencia and me. Please do not misunderstand!”
Lorirolls fell to his knees. He felt like he might go crazy at the thought that he might die at this rate.
Ruans also felt like he might go mad. He had to say words to Lorencia that weren’t in his heart.
He had poured so much time and effort into making Lorencia depend on him until now. But for the result to be an answer that she had become deeply involved with such a pervert, he felt dejected.
“No matter what anyone says, you are mine, Lorencia.”
“Prince Ruans. The person I have come to like is Young Master Lorirolls.”
“Please be quiet! Miss Lorencia. Prince Ruans, would you not cancel the duel if I break up with Miss Lorencia? I do not love her.”
“Young Master Lorirolls! What do you mean by breaking up? Was everything you confessed to me yesterday a lie?”
“I cannot fight with royalty, Lady Lorencia. Please break up with me. I will keep quiet about everything that happened yesterday.”
“You want to pretend yesterday never happened? You said you would marry me.”
Lorencia’s voice began to flow out mixed with tears.
“Lady Anne said she couldn’t send Lady Lorencia, who hasn’t even started her menses at 19, to marry anywhere, so I just jokingly said I would take Lady Lorencia.”
“If it was a joke, why did you confess to me? Why did you hug and caress me in that room?”
“Th-that!”
As Lorencia spoke, Lorirolls’ complexion turned whiter and whiter, and Ruans’ lips twitched. Ruans realized what Anne had in mind when she called for Lorirolls.
What’s certain is that the person who made the current situation like this is Anne. Perhaps because he was so annoyed, his head was aching. Moreover, Lorencia covered her face with both hands and started crying. He couldn’t help but sigh.
“Lorencia. Don’t cry.”
Ruans approached Lorencia and put his arm around her shoulders.
“What did that bastard do to you yesterday, Lorencia?”
“I can’t say.”
“I won’t ask what happened to you. And I’ll get rid of the root cause that made you experience that. Is that okay?”
“What?”
“Whatever happened yesterday, I’m saying I’ll protect Lorencia’s honor.”
“Does an illegitimate child have any honor to protect?”
Ruans let out a long sigh.
“My beloved Lorencia. Let me protect your honor as a friend.”
Lorencia nodded. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Ruans looked down at Lorirolls, who was kneeling and begging, with a cold gaze.
“Ruans von Isuter formally challenges Young Master Lorirolls of the Stophu family to a duel to protect Lady Lorencia Pol Heredian’s honor.”
“No! I refuse the duel! Lady Lorencia!”
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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