I left the mansion and wandered through unfamiliar streets, eventually entering a small café in a back alley.
The place was deserted, a quiet space. I occupied a small table. Soon, a warm cup of tea was served.
I gazed quietly into the clear tea in my cup, recalling the Empress Dowager I had seen this morning.
‘I wanted to stay by her side, even if only for a moment. Audaciously, shamefully.’
I closed my eyes.
The Emperor, who hates Duke Belpast. And under the Emperor’s protection, Rahert, the supposed murderer of the crown prince.
How could he trust the man who killed his son?
The Emperor who blindly trusts and drives away loyal subjects, accusing them of betrayal.
I detest him.
I despise this entire situation.
And most of all, I cannot forgive myself.
Why was I so foolish to be deceived by Medeia, taking so many lives? Can I just excuse it as being deceived?
‘I must set everything right.’
I must atone for my sins and secure conclusive evidence of Rahert’s crimes.
[Get close to Julia Nugent.]The voice of the Red Caterpillar echoed in my ears.
Julia Nugent, a few years from now in my previous life, became engaged to the Duke of Belpast. She was manipulated by Medeia to impose crucial evidence of treason on the Duke.
It was because of that evidence that the Emperor could tie the Duke to the execution ground.
I was the one who continuously relayed Medeia’s incitement to Julia.
‘Julia is targeting the North. The North is in danger.’
That’s when it happened.
A drunk man bumped into me at the outdoor table. He apologized immediately and moved away.
But there was an unfamiliar white note on the table. I quickly unfolded it.
[Bella, I’ll send a nice gift to the North. Look forward to it.]‘It’s Medeia!’
I hurried after the drunk man, but he was just an ordinary drunkard. The person who had given him the note had already disappeared.
I hurried back to the mansion in the North. The sunset was already casting a reddish hue.
Only when I faced the usual mansion did I manage to calm my trembling heart.
‘Thankfully, nothing’s happened yet.’
I thought Medeia’s threat about sending a gift to the North referred to this mansion in the North.
Her gifts always bring pain or deceit.
Luckily, nothing seemed to have arrived yet.
Then, at that moment.
‘!’
A chill ran down my spine.
What if Medeia meant the Duke’s mansion in the North?
Just then.
“Esdel.”
The Duke’s voice echoed in the empty corridor.
I looked up to see him on the stairs, watching me.
His blue eyes… felt like a piercing blue sword.
“Your Highness, you’re still awake?”
I managed to suppress my trembling voice and asked. The Duke gave a faint smile.
“The sun hasn’t set yet. I’m not a sleepyhead.”
“…”
“Where have you been?”
“Just… walking around.”
“Thinking too much?”
“No.”
I forced a smile, but it was hard to pretend.
“You, come with me tomorrow morning.”
His voice was slightly subdued.
With the Duke?
“Where, Your Highness?”
“The Empress Dowager wishes to see you.”
The Empress Dowager? Why me?
Surprised, I must have looked at him too intently. He spoke again.
“When I went to bring the Empress Dowager, I mentioned you. As the ‘precious thing’ I took from Rahert. I told her you’ve been a great help to me.”
Precious thing. Me.
“Me, of all people…”
“You are a prospective knight of the North. It’s not audacious. It’s an order from the Empress Dowager.”
“Understood.”
I ascended the stairs. As I passed by the Duke, he asked nonchalantly.
“Is something the matter? You look unwell.”
“It’s nothing, Your Highness. May I ask… how long do you plan to stay in the capital?”
“There must be something.”
I was taken aback for a moment.
How does he so easily notice my state? I thought I was hiding it.
As if he’s looking inside me.
“It’s nothing.”
I ended up lying.
Why can’t I talk about the note?
How could I? Knowing the tragic future I once aided, a past that already existed.
I feel remorse.
Am I, being near him, bringing misfortune?
I’m tormented.
My weakened heart keeps sinking endlessly.
“I need to stay until the budget is settled.”
“Your Highness.”
I mustered the courage to show the Duke the note from Medeia.
Reading it, his expression hardened.
“When did you receive this?”
“Just now, when I was outside. A drunken man, hired by someone, passed it to me. It’s certainly a message from Lady Medeia.”
The note crumpled in the Duke’s hand.
“Esdel, for now, as planned, we will visit the Empress Dowager tomorrow. The ‘North’ mentioned in the note is probably the Northern Duke’s Mansion. It’s far from here.”
‘!’
“How can you be sure? That it’s not here but the North?”
“Intuition… Remember, Medeia’s subordinate told us? To get close to Julia Nugent.”
The Duke went upstairs to his office. I watched his retreating back endlessly, only turning to my room when the door closed.
Once inside, I leaned against the door and sighed deeply.
“Duke.”
I softly called out to him.
Duke, you are strong and beautiful. Remarkably wise and brave.
Male lead is reincarnated to save his wife
I’ve also read this one twice already. The female lead is kinda soft and gets embarrassed easily—not really my type, but the plot is definitely worth reading. Hurry up and read it, y’all!
Intro
When Shen Yuan encountered Su Jin again in his previous life, she had already become the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. As for him, the former top young master of the capital, he had long since fallen into the abyss, becoming a singer on a pleasure boat.
After a song ended, he was redeemed and sent to the Su Residence.
Su Jin respected and cherished him, gave him a roof over his head, and bestowed him with warmth. Shen Yuan fell deeper and deeper, but before he could express his feelings, Su Jin passed away.
Shen Yuan died to follow her in death, but instead, he returned to when he was fifteen years old.
At that time, he was not yet engaged, and Su Jin was just a poor scholar.
Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, casting aside all his pride, and thought of ways to coax and entice her every day.
The colder and more indifferent Su Jin was towards him, the more proactive Shen Yuan became.
He was not afraid of being mocked by the world, only wanting to marry his Wife-master early, to hold her hand and never let go for a lifetime.
[Note: This story will not specifically point out the male lead’s reincarnation time point; it’s all in the details. Whenever you feel that the male lead is acting strangely, he has most likely been reincarnated.]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
