The imperial palace was turned upside down by the news that Ruans had challenged someone to a duel for Lorencia’s honor. Of course, duels were allowed. But the problem with Ruans’s duel this time was that the opponent was Lorirolls, who would become excited at the mere sight of a woman’s skirt.
Because of this, Ruans’s image plummeted. He was already rumored to be quite the womanizer. This incident made him the talk of the town along with Lorirolls.
Adrian tapped his fingers on the desk, lost in thought.
“So, the reason Ruans goes to the Pol Heredian estate is not Lady Illina, but the illegitimate child Lorencia.”
Adrian wondered why they would go so far as to lie to hide this person named Lorencia. Adrian had a nature of pursuing his curiosities to the end.
According to the shadow’s report, Lorencia was continuously subjected to unbearable mental abuse and harsh physical abuse at the Pol Heredian household.
Yet, while Ruans cared enough to throw a white glove in Lorirolls’s face to protect her honor, why did he leave the abuse at the Pol Heredian estate unaddressed?
It was behavior that Adrian couldn’t understand based on his common sense. But at some point, different rumors began to spread.
Rumors that Anne had abused the illegitimate child. Of course, Adrian knew this abuse to be true. But the truth he knew and the rumors differed slightly.
The rumor was that Illina had confided in Ruans about Anne abusing the illegitimate child. Ruans then asked the Count Pol Heredian to officially register the illegitimate child into the family.
However, Anne ignored their wishes and didn’t stop the abuse. Eventually, she asked Lorirolls to assault Lorencia, and when Ruans found out, he intervened and threw down the white glove.
People who heard the rumor were moved by the kindness of Illina and Prince Ruans’s generosity.
When the rumor spread that he had challenged Lorirolls to a duel to protect the honor of an illegitimate child, unlike yesterday, Ruans gained much favor among people as a righteous image who wouldn’t stand for injustice.
“A completely fabricated rumor. Whose brain did this come from? They’ve used rumors very effectively.”
Adrian shrugged his shoulders. It seemed there were still talented people in the Greycan ducal family.
“I should have been more cautious…”
“You can be more cautious from now on, Adrian.”
“Charlotte. Duke Greycan is absolutely not an opponent to be taken lightly.”
Daniel, the Duke of Greycan and leader of the noble faction, had pressured the current emperor to make Pelena a royal concubine. And Ruans was born between them. Daniel thought of Ruans, who resembled him more than anyone, as special.
Daniel had worked to make Ruans, from birth, the crown prince. But the crown prince became Adrian, born between the empress and the emperor.
“I did think it was a bit strange.”
The Greycan ducal family was too quiet even as the worst rumors spread about Ruans, whom Daniel cherished terribly. It was unlikely they would let such rumors spread.
Daniel didn’t move. And now he understood exactly why. As much as the bad rumors spread, people’s favorability towards Ruans had definitely increased.
“The Greycan Duke stayed still because there was something to gain like this. Like a cunning old snake.”
Adrian leaned back on the sofa with an uncomfortable expression. This opportunity had erased the playboy image that had been attached to Ruans. He became a righteous royal who protected a woman’s honor, even for an illegitimate child.
Daniel had aimed for this and let the rumors spread. But more concerning than those rumors was Lorencia herself.
“I keep thinking that Lady Lorencia plays some important role. I’d like to meet and talk with her at least once.”
Thinking of Lorencia felt like walking in a fog where you couldn’t see an inch ahead. It felt like you might find something, but you couldn’t. Frustrated, Adrian let out a big sigh.
“Shall I try to meet Lady Lorencia, Adrian?”
“Can you meet her?”
“I’ll ask Her Majesty the Empress. I’ll ask her to hold a light tea party to introduce me as the future crown princess. Even though she’s an illegitimate child, she’s also officially registered as a count’s daughter. Unless she’s unwell, she’ll have to attend a tea party held by Her Majesty the Empress.”
“But the count’s family might make Lady Lorencia unwell on purpose.”
Adrian recalled the reports of Lorencia being abused as an illegitimate child.
“Don’t worry too much. Whether Lady Lorencia comes to the tea party or not, I can create a situation where we’ll have to meet eventually.”
“Then I’ll leave it to you, Charlotte.”
Charlotte smiled gracefully. Adrian nodded with satisfaction.
[This is the timeline separator]Illina felt like she was going crazy. She was fine until she sent the letter about Lorencia’s debutante escort and first dance partner to Lorirolls. She had been excited at the thought of watching Lorencia suffer terribly at the hands of that pervert, crying and wailing.
But everything had gone wrong. Somehow, Lorencia didn’t suffer terribly at Lorirolls’s hands. That alone was infuriating enough, but then strange rumors started to circulate.
It was a dirty rumor that Lorirolls and Lorencia were dating, and Ruans had come between them, forming a love triangle. Ruans’s reputation had hit rock bottom, and Illina herself, who had been strutting around as the flower of high society, had to go into seclusion for a while.
But at some point, the rumors began to change. Anne became infamous as a very wicked villainess and evil wife.
It was rumored that Anne had conspired with Lorirolls to kill Lorencia, the illegitimate child who had been registered as a count’s daughter, and Ruans, who had thrown a white glove at Lorirolls to protect her honor despite her being illegitimate, had set an example of what it means to be a knight protecting a lady.
However, for Illina, there was something even more unbearable than the rumors.
“I heard everything from Prince Ruans. Why must Mother be punished instead of the monster?”
Illina couldn’t bear it when she heard that after the duel between Ruans and Lorirolls ended, Anne would be exiled to a convent on a remote island across the sea for the crime of causing Ruans’s honor to be tarnished.
“If Julie and Mother leave, how am I supposed to live?”
“My poor child. I should have thought more carefully before acting. *Sob*… I’m sorry.”
“Mother, I want to go to the convent with you. I don’t want to live in the same house as the monster.”
Feeling wronged, Anne hugged Illina and wept bitterly.
“You must take care of the Pol Heredian household while I’m gone.”
“Mother.”
She had married Brant as Daniel had ordered. She had lived as she was told.
This incident was just a momentary mistake, but to cover it up, she had become a villainess. She felt wronged and resentful. She couldn’t shake the feeling of being used and discarded after a lifetime of exploitation. She feared that Illina would also be used and abandoned like herself.
But Ruans had promised to make Illina his princess consort. She had no choice but to believe it. If she didn’t believe and stubbornly resisted, Illina would be sold off as the 13th concubine of a desert king far away.
“Somehow, capture Prince Ruans’s heart. Become the princess consort. And then become the crown princess, and later the empress. You must.”
The only advice she could give Illina was to capture Ruans. That was the only way to survive.
“Yes, Mother. I’ll do that.”
“You must look down from high places and be happy for the rest of your life, my child.”
At Anne’s words, Illina burst into tears.
And Anne couldn’t hide her bewilderment at an invitation from the imperial palace. It was an invitation from Her Majesty the Empress to a tea party to introduce Charlotte, who would become the future crown princess. This was something that noblewomen and young ladies must attend regardless of any reason.
“Mother.”
Currently, Anne’s reputation was at its worst. If she were to meet people in this state, pointing fingers and whispers were inevitable.
“What should we do?”
Biting her thumbnail with a crunch, Illina paced the room with an anxious face. Anne opened the envelope and checked the contents of the invitation. Only Illina and Lorencia were listed on the guest list.
Anne herself was not on the list. It was clear that the empress had removed her name from the guest list due to the recent rumors about Lorirolls.
“I’ve been left off the guest list for the tea party.”
At Anne’s words, Illina inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Currently, Illina was rumored to be a kind young lady who took good care of the abused illegitimate child. But she felt it would be embarrassing to go with Anne. So she was relieved that Anne was not on the guest list.
“Do I have to ride in the same carriage as that monster? I don’t want to, Mother.”
“Calm down, Illina. It’s an invitation from Her Majesty the Empress, so you must attend no matter how much you dislike it.”
“Isn’t there any way?”
“There is a way, my dear.”
Anne’s bloodshot eyes flickered.
“Aren’t you in the room with Prince Ruans and Lorencia right now?”
“Yes.”
Anne immediately went to Lorencia’s room and knocked. Then she showed Ruans the invitation sent from the imperial palace. As soon as he saw the invitation, Ruans crumpled it and threw it on the floor.
“They’re trying everything to see Lorencia.”
“Your Highness, for Lorencia to not attend the tea party, she must be unwell.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Empress’s tea party must be attended no matter what. If you’re fine with sending Lorencia to the tea party as she is, that’s fine, but if you don’t want to send her, we need to make her unwell.”
Anne’s gaze met Lorencia’s, who was standing behind Ruans. And she deliberately spoke louder. Lorencia heard everything Anne said.
“I’ll talk with Lorencia, so you may leave.”
Ruans closed the door with a faint smile. Only Lorencia and Ruans remained in the quiet room.
“You heard, Lorencia.”
“I shouldn’t attend the tea party, right?”
Ruans frowned.
“Lorencia, haven’t I told you before? Think before you speak. Just do as I say. Why can’t you understand?”
“I’m sorry. I’ve never been to a tea party before, so I was curious and asked.”
“Later, when you become my princess consort, I’ll throw you plenty of tea parties. Understood? Right now, you need to use your strength for me. Understood? That’s the only way for both of us to be happy. Don’t you want to be happy with me?”
“Of course.”
“Then you must do exactly as I say. Don’t listen to anyone else.”
This current situation is a scene from the future that the amethyst had shown. But she must endure the current pain.
“Don’t be so scared. I don’t particularly plan to cut your body with a knife. I’ll just make you a little, just a little unwell.”
Why She Is Still Unmoved (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: He uses various methods to seek her affection, but she remains unmoved.
Synopsis:
Si Qingyu is a doctor who has saved countless lives and enjoys tranquility.
Luo Shaoxuan is ruthless, deeply scheming, and the top young master in the capital. He admires Si Qingyu.
Luo Shaoxuan: I want to be the only one in your eyes and heart.
Features a cold and calm female lead vs A noble and scheming male lead.
There will be both sweetness and torture towards the male after their marriage.
