Male Lead's First Wife (5 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 027
“Now, that’s enough.”
He stepped back and released Yerpi.
Separated from the hot warmth of his body, the sudden reality felt disorienting, as if waking from a dream.
But there were countless excuses to justify the awkward situation.
‘Of course, emotional connection must be important.’
She assumed that was why he had drawn her into his arms.
Deciding this in her mind, her uneasy feelings eased slightly.
Thanks to that, Yerpi could once again look at Raymond with a calm gaze.
His green eyes, which had seemed unfocused, now regained clarity, and Raymond’s gaze appeared to return to its proper place as well.
Yet, as if trying to conceal the process, his eyes now seemed filled with dissatisfaction.
“Why won’t you just cooperate properly?”
“Huh?”
Wasn’t that natural?
Had her startled retort offended him?
Instead of answering her question, Raymond issued her dismissal.
“Leave now.”
With those words, Yerpi was helplessly pushed out into the corridor.
As the door closed, she thought she caught a fleeting glimpse of Raymond’s face.
In that brief moment, his flushed face looked red.
Probably he was angry.
But the door had already shut tight, completely severing the space between Raymond and her before she could figure out why.
‘Why is he suddenly angry?’
Unable to understand the sequence of events, Yerpi could only stare blankly at the closed door for a moment.
She tried guessing what she might have done wrong, but nothing came to mind.
Perhaps it wasn’t her fault at all—maybe the man’s mood simply shifted like turbulent waves, unpredictable and ever-changing.
If so, maybe she didn’t need to search for a reason after all.
Yerpi stood deep in thought before the closed door, finally turning to leave.
She walked alone down the empty corridor.
The path, mingling crimson twilight and darkness, slowed her steps further.
It was an evening where no one’s intentions could be discerned.
Still, even so, it hadn’t been a day of loss.
Most importantly, she had just secured permission regarding Dante.
‘Ah, right. I never got to ask how that maid became close to Dante.’
She recalled the unspoken question too late, but doubted Raymond would clearly know the relationship between Dante and the maid anyway.
‘Then who would know?’
Who in the castle was well-informed about such matters?
Just before the corridor was fully swallowed by darkness, the magic lamps automatically lit up.
Then, she saw someone walking toward her.
Though mostly hidden behind a pile of laundry, the face peeking out was unmistakably someone Yerpi knew.
“Pepe?”
“Your Grace.”
Hearing the maid’s voice, her first thought was, ‘Found her.’
The kind of person who hears and observes everything happening in the castle, even the darkest rumors.
The psychological evidence of abuse was already sufficient.
But even so, it was true that it wasn’t enough to directly confront Meidi.
‘It would be difficult to talk to Dante now about Meidi.’
Dante currently trusted and followed only one person—his nanny, Meidi.
Asking recklessly about her could backfire.
Right now, the nanny was the child’s most precious figure, like a parent. Risking her could wound the child’s heart.
So, first she needed to hear from others—but this must never reach the parties involved.
‘After all, even the request to keep things secret among the maids spread within a day.’
She had to be careful in choosing whom to trust.
Yerpi looked at the maid before her.
Pepe, who had stopped while carrying laundry upon meeting Yerpi, had come to the reception room attached to the Duchess’s chamber.
Pepe seemed startled by the sudden summons from her mistress, yet maintained a composed expression. The young-looking maid, appearing mature beyond her years, seemed somewhat pitiful.
“You seem surprised.”
The reception room, now having a proper owner, always had refreshments prepared.
For instance, dried apricots or cookies baked with honey.
Yerpi pushed a cookie toward Pepe.
“Shall we eat together? It feels a bit lonely eating alone.”
She had once heard a maid mention that these cookies, shaped round with jam pressed in the center, were only made within the castle.
“Thank you.”
Seeing Yerpi reach for a treat, the maid, thinking it impolite to remain idle, cautiously picked up a pastry.
This was the second time Yerpi had shared tea with Pepe.
They began the conversation with ordinary, mundane topics.
Things like today’s weather and daily happenings.
Yerpi asked, and Pepe answered.
As they exchanged a few words, Yerpi noticed Pepe’s tense shoulders gradually relaxing.
Yerpi learned things about Pepe’s past and family circumstances she had never heard before.
Like how her hometown was in the Spring Territory.
And the events that had occurred there.
Growen might outwardly appear as a land filled with beautiful scenery and abundance, yet strict class divisions and laws existed here too.
Pepe came from a minor noble family that owned a castle, but even uttering the name of her family was forbidden.
Pepe’s father had committed a mid-level crime by breaking regulations, and those guilty of serious or worse crimes were usually sent to the land of winter.
Though Pepe herself had committed no crime, she and her younger brother suffered persecution because of her father’s status.
Anyone with a criminal in the family couldn’t work in the castle.
Yet Pepe was able to become a maid because her late mother had served here as a maid her entire life and retired with honor.
With the help of a sympathetic steward who knew of her tragic circumstances, becoming a maid wasn’t an issue, but because she couldn’t speak her family name, rumors quickly spread among the other maids.
Pepe had worked in the castle for over four years, yet remained a low-ranking maid.
Yerpi, who had silently listened to Pepe’s story, finally spoke.
“You must have gone through a lot.”
Here, a person’s worth was proven by bloodline.
The noble class system, and even the principle of collective punishment—once you peeled back the surface, they were quite similar underneath.
At least, coming from a world where such hierarchies weren’t so visibly apparent, she well understood how suffocating such systems could be.
The Duchess’s words stirred something deep within Pepe, rising up like emotion threatening to burst.
Yet the maid, standing on the border between girl and woman, did not shed tears. Instead, she faced Yerpi with a firm expression.
“Thank you for saying that. To be honest, I thought I’d soon be driven out of the castle. Senior maids haven’t looked kindly on me. But since Your Grace arrived, it seems my dismissal has been temporarily postponed. I don’t desire a lady’s maid position—I’m content just being allowed to stay and keep working here.”
Seeming satisfied with just that, Pepe gave Yerpi a relieved smile.
“Working in the castle is an immense honor. While I serve here, at least my younger brother won’t just be seen as a criminal’s son, but as someone with a respectable sister in the family. My younger brother recently earned the Lord’s trust and became an official knight. I don’t want to block his future.”
In Growen, interpersonal relationships, personal honor, and one’s guilt or innocence mattered more than anything else.
Though perhaps a necessary strategy for governing a long-isolated land, the system of collective punishment often led to cruel outcomes.
“Even if I don’t appoint you as my lady’s maid, I’ll make sure you can continue working as a castle maid without any issues.”
“Thank you so much.”
At Yerpi’s assurance, Pepe smiled brighter than she ever had before.
Facing that radiant expression for the first time, Yerpi’s own heart felt lighter.
As the tense atmosphere eased, the time had come to discuss the real matter.
Yerpi set down her cup of cooled tea and spoke.
“Actually, I called you today because I had a few questions.”
For a moment, silence settled over the previously warm table.
Yet Pepe looked calm, as if she had expected this moment to come.
“I had a feeling why you summoned me.”
“Then?”
Perhaps she had been wanting to speak even before Yerpi asked.
Countless maids desired the Duchess’s favor.
Yerpi had chosen Pepe among so many because she sensed the maid felt genuine gratitude toward her.
A calm and kind-hearted maid like her would guard even a small kindness with fierce loyalty.
“You want to ask about Senior Maid Meidi, don’t you?”
“And also, I need to understand her relationship with Dante.”
The maid’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting Yerpi to bring up Dante so directly.
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.]
Chapter Comments (12)
Inline Comments (47)
Perhaps that was why his body felt unusually warm.
You did not believe it previously?? I guess it is frustrating to know that are going to have an arranged marriage to a random woman
The maid gently patted Pepe's shoulder, as if she had never been angry at all.
They have such a fast. mood swing like one second she is angry the next all polite
In winter, she had no choice but to use warm water, and without a personal maid,
A child did all that, umm how did she use to even those buckets back and forth
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Hah finally my poor heart has found peace and tranquility this poor lil baby needs loads of 💕
Guys, i feel soo mean still not liking the ml😭 i mean, he hasn’t done anything good so far, just the bare minimum
Pepe, noooooo😭😭😭😭😭 i think maybeee the duchess needs to go?? I still dont quite get what is happening there