There were plenty who spouted ridiculous claims – that they were the reincarnation of his deceased Elodie or that her soul had entered them. All were clearly swindlers with transparent motives.
He quietly sipped his tea.
‘That’s impossible.’
Six years ago.
After Elodie died, he had tried everything to bring her back, even resorting to the absurd.
However, all three attempts ended in utter failure.
He didn’t give up, though he had acted rashly and nearly got caught by the royal family. Luckily, they never discovered he was the culprit.
Even after being nearly exposed, he didn’t stop. He was more secretive and cautious in gathering related materials.
And he was still doing so years later.
Even if decades passed, he would never give up on Elodie.
He would even start a rebellion if necessary.
“Your Grace?”
“What is it?”
His sinister red eyes swiftly turned.
Bonita glanced once at Luke, then at the cake he had barely touched, and asked timidly.
“Is it not to your liking?”
“What…”
Luke’s gaze naturally fell on the cake plate in front of him. Realizing his mistake, he quickly plunged his fork into the cake.
The next moment, a whole piece of cake on the fork disappeared into Luke’s mouth.
His cheeks bulged out like a chipmunk’s, filled with the messy cake, making it impossible for him to speak. After a moment of contemplation, he gave a thumbs up.
“!”
Startled by his action, Bonita burst into laughter at the sight of his puffed cheeks and timid gesture.
Luke almost dropped his fork in response, touched by her reaction.
‘She laughed.’
Externally, he showed no sign, but the Duke was incredibly surprised and moved.
Bonita’s relaxed laughter was, well, really…
‘…similar.’
Reminiscent of the old Elodie.
He blinked his dry eyes.
Of course, he knew.
Bonita wasn’t Elodie.
She was her daughter, but a child isn’t a substitute or a copy of a parent. Naturally, it shouldn’t be so.
In fact, he had resolved several times over the past few days not to think of Bonita as a substitute for Elodie.
It wasn’t because she resembled Elodie that she was precious. He would have loved her the same even if she were a boy who resembled only him.
The child of his beloved wife.
Bonita was precious to him just for being who she was.
He didn’t want to expect her to be like Elodie or to feel burdened by such a comparison.
At that moment, Aria passed a fork to Luke.
“What’s this for?”
“What do you mean?”
Aria shrugged her shoulders.
“Every time I feed Bonita, you look so intently. I thought you might want to try it yourself.”
“Huh.”
He was at a loss for words.
Not out of disbelief, but because she had hit the nail on the head. Truthfully, he was indeed envious.
Aria gently took Bonita’s shoulder, who was sitting beside her.
“Bonita, it seems the Duke wants to feed you cake. What do you think?”
“Me? Oh, I, well…”
Bonita, like a puppy, alternated her gaze between the Duke and Aria, fidgeting with her fingers.
“Um…”
She furrowed her little brow in contemplation. Luke felt like a prisoner awaiting the king’s verdict, anxiously waiting for his daughter’s response. It was the fifth most nerve-wracking moment of his life.
Of course, the first four were all related to Elodie. Naturally.
Finally, the little judge rendered her verdict. Bonita gave a determined nod.
Luke’s face brightened.
At the very moment the three were enjoying a pleasant afternoon.
“What? Luke has a daughter now?”
In a quiet mansion, enjoying her leisure, the elderly Lady of Lysianthus sharply questioned.
Her voice, tinged with temper, caused the maid who delivered the news to quickly explain.
“Yes, madam. A former maid of the late Duchess brought a girl, who looks just like the former Duchess.”
“That’s nonsense! That child was stillborn! And Luke isn’t the type to have a child with another woman!”
“That’s true, but…”
“This won’t do.”
The elderly woman fumed.
“How dare they play a scam on Lysianthus! I must go there immediately and expose this fake daughter and kick that foolish Luke’s behind!”
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
