It was a firm voice, as if telling him not to say another word.
A silence spread over the dining table due to Raymond’s cold attitude. But it was not Dreon who broke it—it was Dante.
[Winter’s Land?]Dante, who had been entranced by Dreon’s magic, blinked his large, candy-like eyes.
He was about to be informed this week about departing for Winter’s Land.
But it seemed things would happen sooner. Yerpi extended her hand toward Dante.
“Dante, come here. I have something to tell you.”
[What is it?]Dante, distracted by watching Dreon’s magic, fluttered over and nestled into Yerpi’s arms.
The warmth of the child filled her embrace completely.
“We’ll be leaving for Winter’s Land soon. All of us together. There’s something we need to find there.”
[What is it?]There were two reasons for heading to Winter’s Land.
One was to uncover the secret of this world tied to Yerpi herself. The second was for Dante’s sake.
But she had no certainty that Winter’s Land held the way for Dante to become human.
She couldn’t let the child face overwhelming disappointment.
After discussing with Raymond, Yerpi decided to keep this fact a secret from Dante.
“There’s something I’ve been searching for a long time. I believe I can find it in Winter’s Land.”
Yerpi had initially prioritized coming to Growen and receiving recognition from the Kings of Seasons.
That choice had been made to avoid the misfortunes foreseen in the original story.
But now, with everything twisted and a new story beginning, her decisions had changed completely.
‘Who exactly are the Kings I’ve met? I feel I can only become whole once I understand that.’
Even after regaining all memories of her past life, there remained an empty sensation she couldn’t fill.
This occasional hollowness was something even Raymond couldn’t fully mend.
Yerpi wished to find the cause of this emptiness in Winter’s Land.
Dante listened attentively, unaware of any of this. Yerpi gently stroked the child’s head and asked,
“Dante, it would mean a lot if you came with me. Will you travel together?”
[Of course! If Yerpi is going, how could I possibly stay behind?]His obvious, matter-of-fact attitude made her smile.
While Yerpi hoped they might find the wish Dante longed for in that place, Raymond was dealing coldly with an uninvited guest.
“As you’ve heard, our departure is imminent. Staying in a castle without its master must make you uncomfortable.”
“My time has been shorter than I expected.”
Dreon murmured awkwardly under the cold treatment. Then, as if cutting to the chase, he grew serious.
“As you know, I wish for the ruler of Growen to become my supporter.”
“I suspected as much. However, Growen has no intention of getting involved in the imperial succession struggle—regardless of what cards you hold, Your Highness.”
Yerpi glanced at Raymond. He still didn’t know that Dreon had approached her earlier.
Yet Raymond already suspected why Dreon had risked his life to come all the way to Growen, hence his cold demeanor.
“The imperial court is already in chaos over succession. Your name wasn’t mentioned, but it’s not unheard of for heirs with hidden strength to emerge. Still, Growen will not be part of this.”
“Lord of Growen, I ask you to recall the ancient ties between Growen and the Kerast Empire. You must have completed your investigations by now. The one currently first in line for the throne is someone who must not become emperor.”
At Dreon’s words, Raymond fell silent. He too had gathered enough information to sense the atmosphere in the capital.
“But that doesn’t mean you’re proven to be a suitable candidate for the throne. Growen could still support other contenders currently being discussed.”
“I know you won’t do that.”
Despite Raymond’s intimidation, Dreon spoke with unwavering confidence—confidence that Raymond would not back any other candidate but him.
Dinner ended in a cold standoff. Dreon was the first to rise from the table.
“We will depart on the date designated. I would be grateful if you could at least consider my request by then.”
“Your Highness…”
Ubbus seemed troubled, sensing the negotiation had gone poorly.
But Dreon merely shook his head, as if telling him not to linger.
“I’ll be going up now. Ah, Heir of Growen. You’re always welcome to visit my room. I’ll show you any magic you’d like. Rest assured, I have no ill intentions.”
Dreon opened his palm, revealing a flame.
The blue flame burned beautifully, yet looked strangely forlorn.
And so, dinner concluded.
Late at night.
A nightlight flickered on in Yerpi’s bedroom.
On the large bed sat Yerpi, Dante, and Raymond.
Dante now had his own room, but on nights when he couldn’t sleep, he would come to Yerpi’s bedroom like this.
But there was one difference from before—he no longer warily watched Raymond when he was with Yerpi.
Tonight was no different. Yerpi lay beside Dante, reading a fairy tale.
Dante could easily read difficult books, but asking for fairy tales like this was his own unique way of being playful.
Yerpi’s calm voice echoed across the bed.
“‘And so, after the war ended, the prince lived happily ever after with the princess.'”
Turning the page, the protagonists filled both sides of the book, smiling together in happiness.
It was the final scene of the fairy tale.
Listening to Yerpi’s voice, Dante shared his thoughts after enjoying the story.
[The main characters are happy, but it seems many of the people around them had really hard endings.]“Mm. Fairy tales mostly focus on the main characters.”
[I wish everyone could be happy. War shouldn’t happen at all.]“Yes. You’re absolutely right, Dante.”
She gently stroked his head, and Dante beamed.
During lessons with scholars, he often seemed incredibly mature. But nestled here in her arms, he was simply a lovely child.
Only after reading another fairy tale did Dante finally fall asleep.
Yerpi gently stroked the sleeping child’s back for a long while.
Raymond lay beside her, watching her tenderly.
Dante’s steady breathing filled the bed.
Carefully, Yerpi brought up the events of the day.
“Before dinner, Prince Dreon came to see me.”
“…You? What did he say?”
Raymond reacted sensitively upon hearing that Dreon had approached her while she was alone.
She had intended to mention it before dinner, but feared it would spoil the mood, so she had delayed telling him.
Late at night, Yerpi confided to Raymond everything she had discussed with Dreon.
She told him why Dreon wanted to become emperor, how he had built his forces. Throughout, Raymond listened intently.
After hearing all the facts, Raymond fell silent. Then, with a sigh, he rubbed his face dry.
“We might already be drawn in. He’s a clever one.”
All current imperial candidates had their own flaws.
The first in line was known for his brutality and impatience. The second, the Fifth Prince, was shrewd and placed his own safety above all.
The current heirs in power lacked the qualities of a true emperor.
They were men who would bring ruin to the empire long before becoming overlords.
In contrast, Dreon had quietly gathered his own forces alone.
His skill as a mage was outstanding, and his desire to become emperor was evidence that he wasn’t twisted or unstable.
Even if Growen was treated as a separate nation from the empire, if the wrong man became emperor, they couldn’t fully escape the repercussions.
‘He said that if he became emperor, he’d want Growen under his feet.’
And if that happened, the only path left would be open war. Just like the fairy tales Dante had read.
In war, only the victor remains the protagonist. The loser becomes a peripheral figure, erased from history.
Raymond paused, collecting his thoughts, then rested his chin on his hand.
“Then here’s what we’ll do. We’ll test his abilities in Winter’s Land.”
“In Winter’s Land?”
At Yerpi’s questioning tone, he smiled.
“Beyond Winter’s Land lies a nest of monsters. Between them lies a magic crystal mine—undiscovered by anyone so far. For a mage like him, training other mages, it would be a mine of immense temptation. If he truly desires the throne, he should be willing to take such risks. Of course, Growen won’t get involved in the process.”
In short, securing the magic crystal mine right at the edge of a monster-infested nest would be entirely up to Dreon’s capability.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
