What’s the point of regretting after death?
What’s the point of longing after losing?
Even if revealing my true self invites undeserved doubts, what does it matter? As long as I can protect.
“One.”
The one that just turned to dust before my eyes.
Then, I sensed another approaching.
They know. To them, I’m the only human outside the yellow aura, currently the only prey.
Something approaches in the empty sky. Invisible, but I can feel it.
A Kaligari – larger than the grand fountain once erected by Rahert in the southern fortress – extends its long claws.
I don’t dodge, but watch the claw twice the size of a man.
When its foot reaches beside my waist, I raise my sword.
From the sole to thigh, torso, head.
I precisely bisect it vertically, tracing a streamline.
I know it’s brutal, but the monsters need to see fear too.
The giant Kaligari, without a scream, split apart like paper.
Beyond its fallen corpse, I see the Knights and the Duke looking at me.
Our eyes meet with the astonished Duke.
‘Your Highness, this is me.’
Dodging another attack, I slice another in half with my Sword Qi. And another.
“Four.”
I’m not even short of breath.
Soon, the Kaligari’s attacks cease.
‘Have they completely left? No.’
Then.
“Esdel!!!”
Bran’s cry echoes.
Far away, like a dog meeting its owner, Granei rushes towards me with insane speed.
Bran, clinging to my horse’s neck, screams.
Above them, a Kaligari appears.
Before its long hand reaches Bran, in 0.1 seconds, I obliterate it with Sword Qi.
“Why did you come!”
“This crazy horse, heuuuung!”
“The commander?”
“Heuuuung, I left him inside the walls.”
Bran cries.
“Esdel, protect me, heu-heung.”
“Sure.”
Of course.
Another appears.
I obliterate it too.
Bran Ophilit’s tears, leaning on me, wash away a little of the sins from my past life.
My heart flutters.
I’ll protect you.
“Esdel!!!”
The Duke’s voice.
He’s rushing towards me, with the other commanders.
Eodel’s yellow aura weakens. The young magician is on the verge of collapsing, having used too much power.
The Duke shouts.
“Esdel! Use us!”
“?!”
“Stop the power!”
With the Duke’s command, Eodel withdraws his strength. The yellow auroras protecting the Duke and the knights disappear.
Instantly, five Kaligari appear above them.
Their attack approaches like a storm.
I leap into the air, pushing them up with Sword Qi, and slice four in one go.
The last one, its leg severed by the Duke’s sword, crashes to the ground.
I close my eyes, sensing the unseen. But no more Kaligari is felt.
Silence follows.
The Duke, also sensing, speaks.
“We won.”
“We did.”
I reply.
“Uwaaaah! Heuuuung! Esdel!”
“Esdel! What are you? Hiding such power?”
“Heiiiing!”
Bran, the commanders, even the horses cheer.
The Duke’s black horse approaches me. He extends his hand from atop.
“Well done, Esdel.”
His eyes are warm.
A surge of emotion wells up within me.
“He’s offering a handshake, to a formal knight of the North.”
The Duke says.
I grasp his hand.
‘It’s warm.’
Drum sounds echo from the distant walls.
“They’ve seen it too. Let’s return, before more of them come.”
The Duke smiles.
I climbed onto Granei. Bran, with tears and snot all over his face, clung to my waist as if he wouldn’t let go.
“Isn’t the horse small? How about Knight Bran rides my horse?”
The Duke suggested, to which Bran replied.
“No, Your Highness. You’re carrying the magician, and, heuuuk.”
He must have been really scared of the near-death experience.
So Bran Ophilit is a coward.
I wonder how scared you were when you died by my hand.
A corner of my heart ached.
Then it happened.
Something enormous, shaking the earth, approached us from the darkness.
“What’s that?”
The commanders shouted. The horses started to get restless.
When it finally revealed itself, we all froze.
It was indeed an orc the size of a fortress.
A gaunt orc with long, black hair like a veil.
“It’s the Queen of Orcs!”
An elderly commander shouted.
The Queen’s long arm reached for me.
I severed it.
The Orc Queen, letting out a strange scream, retreated.
But…
A new arm quickly sprouted from where it was severed.
“Everyone, get away!”
After shouting to the people, I dismounted and attacked the Queen’s giant leg, moving away from the Duke and the knights.
‘Attack me, monster.’
The monster slowly turned to me, like a giant ancient tree touching the sky.
But the Duke and the commanders didn’t leave.
“Go now!”
“Esdel!”
“Hurry! You’re just in the way!”
“…I’ll come back.”
The Duke, holding the fallen young magician, started running towards the walls.
I extended my sword four times its length with Sword Qi and charged at the Queen.
But…
Something descended silently from the sky.
It passed over the Queen’s head and headed for the people returning to the castle.
In an instant, its claws caught the Duke.
At the same time, the Orc Queen attacked me.
I dodged her attack and burst her leg.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
