“I’m sorry, it was my fault. I didn’t know my brother would come…”

“It’s alright, Lady Lirien.”

“Really…?”

Lirien’s eyes widened with tearful relief.

I nodded with a faint smile to reassure her.

Finally, Lirien relaxed, leaning back in her chair.

Truthfully, I wasn’t alright.

Recalling the murderous intent I felt in the dawn made me want to flee immediately.

Biting my lip in nervousness, I surreptitiously observed Edmond, who seemed peacefully enjoying his tea.

‘But why is this man, who was supposed to return in five days, here now?’

My lingering question was soon answered by Lirien.

“Actually, while you were in the bath, the steward reported through the communication channel. My brother must have decided to return earlier via the portal after hearing the news. He always worries about his troublesome sister…”

‘Curse that steward.’

Internally grinding my teeth, I masked my turmoil with a sociable smile.

“I see. It’s understandable for him to be concerned about a stranger staying in his mansion.”

“Thank you for understanding. Oh, right.”

Lirien nudged Edmond with her elbow.

“Edmond. You should apologize too. You barged into the bedroom uninvited and even threatened our guest with a sword.”

Edmond, who had been savoring his tea, flinched.

Setting down his cup, he looked at me expressionlessly. His demeanor suggested someone who wouldn’t flinch even at the sight of death.

“I apologize for the indiscretion. Please forgive me.”

His voice, once eerie in the darkness, was now a pleasant baritone.

I smiled lightly and shook my head dismissively.

“It’s understandable. I heard that was the bedroom Count Edmond used to occupy before leaving for the expedition. I would have felt threatened too if I found a stranger in my bedroom.”

“How thoughtful you are, Countess.”

Lirien marveled at my seemingly idealistic image.

Ha-ha… I forced a hollow laugh, then couldn’t help but notice a crack in Edmond’s sculpted face.

Despite the misunderstanding being cleared, it was evident he still resented my presence.

‘Now, how can I quickly extricate myself from this situation?’

Glancing briefly at the reception room’s large window overlooking the garden, I saw the dawn light bathing the world in a crimson hue.

‘That’s it.’

Having found my escape, I smiled slyly to myself, eyes downcast.
“I have been in your debt for a day. The day has dawned, and I’m sure you two have a lot of catching up to do… Lady Lirien, why are you getting up?”

Lirien rose carefully from her seat, and the faint smile on her face faded away.

She blinked her eyes innocently.

“I was going to prepare breakfast. I thought it would be good to prepare the dough for bread early.”

Baking bread? Why? Right now? I’m about to leave?

The fleeting thoughts translated into a sociable comment.

“Lady Lirien doesn’t need to do it herself.”

Gently suggesting she sit down, Lirien blushed with a smile.

“I didn’t mention that my hobby is baking. With Edmond back and Countess Buell here, today is a joyful day for me, so I want to treat you both to freshly baked bread.”

Having said this, Lirien decisively passed me and headed towards the door.

“Wait a moment, Lady. Are you really going to leave like this?”

I quickly grabbed the back of the chair and sent a pleading look to Lirien.

‘Please don’t leave me alone with him.’

Lirien covered her mouth, realizing her mistake.

“I’m sorry, I was rude to leave while hosting a guest. Edmond, please keep the Countess company so she doesn’t get bored, alright?”

“That’s not what I meant, Lirien…!”

Bang!

Lirien, having advised the man who tried to kill me to keep me company, vanished like the wind.

I stared vacantly at the firmly shut door. Click. In the silence that followed, the sound of glass friction could be heard.

Stealing a glance at Edmond, I saw him sitting opposite me, elegantly savoring his tea.

Just his presence, with its oppressive atmosphere, brought back memories of the morning’s incident, sending a chill through me.

“…….”

I slowly straightened my posture.

‘Just get through breakfast, and then I’ll make my escape.’

That was my resolve.

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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