Since the late Empress Loana passed away due to illness a year ago, and Empress Dowager Benaca seized power within the palace, there are also undeniable movements to elevate Prince Edwin as the Emperor instead of the current Crown Prince.
Although the current Crown Prince has an overwhelming royal talent and is maintaining his position, the fact that he has no proper external support is critical.
The Duke of Depon was continuously approaching the Crown Prince, utilizing this.
If the Duke doesn’t hesitate to support the Crown Prince until he ascends to the imperial throne, it’s not impossible for him to be recognized for his contributions and be granted the position of a Duke.
So far, all the nobles who were worth knowing were aware of the Duke of Depon’s ambition.
However, Hugo’s keen intuition detected that there was something more to the Duke of Depon, who didn’t bother hiding his hostility.
In response to this, the information department of Artina spared no time or money to dissect every bit of the Duke of Depon.
While Evelia was listening to her brother’s explanation with interest, something began to cloud her vision.
Did she have astigmatism at this young age……?
‘What is all this! It’s chaotic!’
It was a moment when she was flapping her short arms to drive away what looked like a flying fish.
[Human who bears the trace of the King.] [The only one who received His blessing.]A calm voice echoed in Evelia’s head.
The androgynous voice, which was like a young girl or a young boy, was full of playfulness.
‘Me……?’
She only thought with her mouth slightly ajar, but it seems it was enough to communicate with those flying things.
Upon closer observation, the things that looked more like fish than flies, left long afterimages instead of tails as they swam around Evelia.
[Yes, you. You’re the first human who understands our language even without a contract.] [Your clear energy resembling Him, the fresh sensation, it feels so good as if we are near Him.]
As if they were really enjoying themselves, the fish swirled around Evelia once.
‘Are you spirits?’
They must be the family of the man she saw before. She almost forgot the man’s face and the conversation they had, but the memory of meeting someone remained vaguely.
[Yes, we are spirits. Lower spirits of water.]‘The family of the man I saw before…?’
[How dare we! We are beings born by Him, beings that protect His side. He is the King who controls all the water in this world.]There was unhidden reverence and respect in that voice.
[Let’s make a contract with us! We’ve been waiting until your young body can handle the contract.]The fish, or rather ‘Undine’ as they introduced themselves, that sat on Evelia’s head suddenly shouted for a contract.
‘A contract?’
Another fish that was swirling around also chimed in.
You, fishes like you? It feels like I should protect you from being caught by a fishing rod.
Evelia barely swallowed the reflexive words that were about to blurt out, ignoring the fish.
‘No, I will protect you. You become my friends.’
[Calling a spirit friend… you are indeed a peculiar human as I’ve heard.]The fish chuckled with a snicker.
[Good, repeat after me.]‘I can’t speak yet.’
[…Just thinking like now is fine.]
‘Across the heaven and earth, water and fire. I wander alone beyond the azure. With my soul as evidence, I humbly ask for your company. You, the fundamental water.’
Upon repeating the fish’s words in her mind, the response came back immediately.
[You, the lone wanderer beyond the azure. The fundamental water pledges to be your sword and shield for the journey.]Soon, the Undine that was sitting on her head flew softly in front of her eyes, and in an instant, it transformed into a long stream of water and plunged into her forehead.
[It’s done! Take care, Contractor!]A cool energy filled the blood vessels of her entire body, as if cold water was directly injected.
Despite the unfamiliar sensation, it wasn’t awkward at all. Rather, a refreshing feeling brought a smile to my face spontaneously.
“Take good care of me. I’m counting on you too!”
I wanted to brag about having a fish friend everywhere, but recalling the story my mother told me by my bedside in the past, it didn’t seem like a wise choice.
The youngest age at which someone had contracted with a sprite was around eight, so it was clear that contracting with a sprite from the beginning was a rather unusual thing.
I preferred to avoid being treated as a monster by speaking rashly.
Knowing all too well that exceptional ability is a doubleedged sword, I decided to keep this contract a secret between the fish and me for the time being.
Evelia, who made the contract alone, thought alone, nodded her head alone, and even made her decision alone, suddenly felt strange and tilted her head.
Just moments ago, the banquet hall was chaotic with orchestra performances, the snake’s antics, and my father’s storytelling, but now it seemed even quieter than when Evelia had entered, if that were possible.
“Um… huh?”
Why is the atmosphere like this?
“….”
“….”
Looking around, all eyes were on her.
Not just ‘Awe, how cute.’ but an astonished expression saying ‘What is that?’
Even the emperor, who had been leisurely observing from his seat, suddenly stood up, grabbed the armrest of his chair, and widened his eyes.
“Wha…?”
Everyone’s gaze made her strangely afraid, and she held onto the hem of her brother’s robe, looking for her father with her eyes, and saw a bewildered expression on his face she had never seen before.
Turning her head towards her big brother, Arkan was also staring at Evelia’s forehead with his mouth wide open.
“Uh… ugh…”
Did something go wrong? Was it not supposed to make a contract with the fish?
She complained about it being bothersome, but actually, receiving the love of her family was endlessly sweet, could it all be shattered?
In the short moment of intense worry, she was about to burst into tears.
A noblewoman standing nearby covered her mouth with both hands and shouted with a stutter.
“Co… could it be…!”
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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