If You Want A Cheeky Seductress (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 9
At Floyd’s resolute voice, Roxiana finally felt despair.
She had truly been ready to do anything—take up a sword and march onto the battlefield, or even serve him through the night if he so desired.
To meet her family even once in this world, having been unable to return to God’s embrace, and to earn that restless death—Roxiana had vowed to do whatever it took.
Roxiana grasped the hem of his coat with both hands. Her fingers trembled uncontrollably.
“Your Grace… please… please…”
“Enough, Your Highness.”
A growling sound escaped from between his lips.
“I’m in an extremely foul mood right now.”
He shook off Roxiana’s hands and rose abruptly. There was not the slightest trace of hesitation in his retreating figure.
The despair she had briefly forgotten now crashed down upon Roxiana once more. The fleeting hope shattered, tearing at her heart.
Amid the agony of rending flesh and gnawing bones, Roxiana screamed. Crouched on the floor like a wounded beast, she sobbed as though vomiting blood.
Her desperate cries reached Floyd’s ears even as he left the bedroom. He nearly turned back, longing to seize her arms, shake her frail paper-like body, and yell for her to snap out of it—but he held himself back.
Yes, cry. Scream. If you keep pouring out your despair as though spitting blood, someday you’ll want to live again. Someday, you’ll think it’s alright to live.
Outside, Floyd found a maid standing with a pale face. She, too, must have heard Roxiana’s weeping, for she clutched her skirt tightly, her eyes filled with unease.
Floyd glanced at her and said,
“Attend to the princess with the utmost care—nothing should be lacking. Lay down carpets wherever she walks, and serve her only the finest fruits, meticulously selected and reselected!”
+++
Yesterday afternoon, when His Grace carried a woman in his arms into the Grand Ducal Palace, the palace staff was utterly dumbfounded.
Even when barbarians taunted the Grand Duchy’s knights, they sang,
“The Grand Duke of Torkan is a eunuch.”
Floyd Laetean’s aversion to women was widely known.
Noble houses vying for the position of Grand Duchess had sent their most beautiful daughters as maids, arranged “vacation” visits, or dispatched messengers pretending to offer help—but not a single woman had ever caught Floyd’s eye.
Floyd never required women to assist him with bathing or dressing; when needed, he relied only on male servants or attendants, never allowing a woman into his private chambers.
Rumors even spread among the public that the Grand Duke clearly preferred men over women.
Though such rumors tarnished the Duke’s honor, they reached Floyd’s ears too—but he merely chuckled, neither angered nor inclined to explain, which only fueled the gossip further.
Thus, when the Grand Duke—who never permitted a woman near him, not even a single strand of hair—suddenly arrived carrying an unconscious woman in his arms, the staff couldn’t help but be shocked.
Most astonished of all was Chief Steward Jenail Cohitton, Marquis.
Jenail had once served as the personal guard to Floyd’s mother, Eliensa Laetean. After her death in a certain incident, he stayed by Floyd’s side, witnessing and hearing much. Therefore, he understood—and sympathized with—why Floyd so vehemently detested women.
Yet Floyd, now well past marrying age, had shown no openness toward women, causing Jenail great worry. So when Floyd returned carrying a woman, Jenail was absolutely stunned.
“Your Grace, who is she…?”
“The Princess of Khanta.”
“I see.”
Upon hearing Floyd’s answer, Jenail felt as if he’d been struck from behind. Of all people, the one His Grace showed a crack for was the Princess of Khanta.
Jenail knew well the tragic incident involving Khanta and the Franche Royal Family.
“So the Princess of Khanta is alive after all.”
Keeping his tone calm, Jenail observed Roxiana. Her long-unwashed hair tangled, her face stained with grime, her bones starkly visible, and the sunflower mark branded onto her collarbone.
At the sight of that mark, Jenail lost control of his expression.
“Is that…?”
Realizing what Jenail was staring at, Floyd quickly adjusted Roxiana’s clothing to cover the slave brand on her collarbone.
“It’s nothing to concern yourself with.”
“Yes, understood.”
Jenail had a granddaughter about Roxiana’s age, so he felt deep pity for this ill-fated princess.
“The princess will reside in the Lily Palace. Assign a capable and attentive maid to serve her.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Jenail obeyed Floyd’s orders without further question, but Head Maid Countess Elledrun Hills had different thoughts.
When sharp-eyed maids eavesdropped on Floyd and Jenail’s conversation and reported what they’d learned about Roxiana, Elledrun grew displeased.
Though Roxiana’s plight was pitiful, the Kingdom of Khanta had become a colony, the Franche Royal Family had collapsed, and its sole survivor had been reduced to slavery.
Since Gania had officially declared Roxiana dead, her survival as a slave implied Gania had sold her into slavery.
Torkan had abolished slavery, and Floyd often smashed slave traders to grant freedom to slaves—so Elledrun could understand Floyd rescuing her. But bringing a slave woman to reside in the Lily Palace?
The Lily Palace was reserved for the most honored of distinguished guests—a place of unmatched beauty and luxury within the Grand Ducal Palace. It was no place for someone who, despite once being a princess, was now a slave.
News of a princess reduced to slavery—a pitiful yet sensational tale—spread swiftly through the palace. Even with the steward and head maid enforcing silence, they couldn’t stop the rumors among the staff.
Naturally, no well-born maid wished to serve as Roxiana’s attendant. Attending to a slave was deeply dishonorable. Slaves were not merely beneath commoners—they weren’t even treated as human.
Elledrun, who prided herself on her efficient and disciplined management of maids, had no desire to cause unrest over an unwelcome guest whose stay might last days.
Yet she couldn’t ignore the Grand Duke’s command. After much deliberation, she chose a quick-witted and nimble-fingered maid to attend Roxiana.
Thus, Patria, the woodcutter’s daughter, was selected as Roxiana’s personal maid.
Her fellow maids gave Patria pitying glances for being assigned to serve a slave, but Patria herself looked forward to meeting Roxiana.
“A princess…”
Even if she was once a princess, a princess was still a princess. Though Patria had worked in the palace kitchens, she’d never seen a real princess before.
“What might she be like?”
Patria waited in the sitting room outside the bedroom until she received permission to enter. Kirshan, who’d been inside since before her arrival, stepped out and noticed her.
“Wait a little longer. His Grace wishes to see her first.”
Those words only heightened Patria’s anticipation.
She, like everyone else, knew how fiercely the Grand Duke despised women. Yet this woman wasn’t only brought in his arms—but was the first person he wished to see upon her waking. Curiosity and excitement were only natural.
Soon, Floyd entered without even glancing at Patria and went straight into the bedroom.
Muffled voices could be heard for a while. Patria, though curious about their conversation, remained standing quietly, never forgetting her duty as a maid, waiting for Floyd to emerge.
After a long while, the bedroom door opened—and a heart-wrenching scream poured out.
Not even if one’s bones were scraped bare or skin sliced thin could one cry like that.
Startled by the unexpected wailing, Patria felt all the blood drain from her body as she looked up at Floyd emerging from the room.
Floyd appeared furious, yet the words that came from his mouth were a command utterly contrary to his expression.
“Attend to the princess with the utmost care—nothing should be lacking. Lay down carpets wherever she walks, and serve her only the finest fruits, meticulously selected and reselected!”
Even after Floyd left, Roxiana’s anguished cries continued. Patria couldn’t bring herself to enter, waiting instead for the weeping to subside.
What kind of suffering would make someone cry like that?
As the daughter of a woodcutter who’d lived an uneventful life, Patria couldn’t possibly imagine.
The screams shook the ceiling and pounded the earth, growing hoarse, then dissolving into long sobs—until suddenly, silence fell. Only then did Patria knock on the bedroom door.
“Your Highness, may I come in?”
No answer came. The ensuing silence frightened her. Worried the princess might have taken her own life, Patria opened the door without waiting for permission.
At the sight of Roxiana, Patria gasped in shock.
Roxiana was truly, breathtakingly beautiful—far more so than any princess Patria had ever imagined, so stunning she couldn’t tear her eyes away.
Yet as Patria watched Roxiana kneeling beside the bed, it was clear she wasn’t in her right mind.
Her thin dress was wrinkled, her hair wildly tangled, her face pale, and her lips parched, cracked, and torn. Yet the light from the window seemed to shine solely upon Roxiana, making her dazzle.
After a moment of stunned stillness, Patria finally pulled herself together and hurried over to support her.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
MANGA DISCUSSION
1 Comment
Chapter Comments (173)
our ml is sngry,he can kot lrt go of the frmale lead
calm down duke,she need time to grieve and reflect
roxianna please live,your family will not be happy
Inline Comments (83)
The knights watched blankly as the two walked down from the platform, holding ha
Help meeeee…. this is so cute 🥰, how could Floyd shamelessly do that in front of the knights, if you look at Roxiana the princess with high self-esteem, then this is a very big progress
“What makes him treat her so well?”
Hey bit*h! Roxiana is clearly different from you! People treat her like a jewel, while you are like a corpse.
“Enough already, okay? We came here to offer congratulations—so let’s just congr
You guys are truly soulmates, Roxiana’s gentle touch can extinguish Floyd’s fire and that’s such a relief
YOUR COMMENT
2. Inline comments are now available. Tap the end of any line in a chapter to share your thoughts instantly.
Log in to comment.
debban23
a damsell in distress eho needs saving from herself