“If you knew about this gift, the Lord would try to kill me… Still don’t believe me?”
“I trust no one.”
It was true. Even her parents abandoned her, and her only son left without hesitation. When William stabbed himself, Guinevere felt forsaken.
“But I am sincere, Guinevere.”
“Then why did you leave?”
Siod, at a loss for words, started banging his head against the wall.
“Why did I do that… Ha…”
As they chatted, the class ended. A girl with sharp eyes approached Larissa, who was sitting quietly. Guinevere instinctively listened in.
“Are you Larissa Rodanthe?”
“No, not Rodanthe. Just Larissa.”
“Then just Larissa. I’m Juliana Dimore.”
Larissa looked confused.
‘Why?’
Guinevere wondered, but Siod murmured beside her.
“Oh no, she’s a noble.”
“So what?”
“Larissa, being a commoner, should use formal speech with nobles.”
Understanding Larissa’s predicament, Guinevere frowned. Fortunately, the girl didn’t make a fuss about Larissa’s informal speech and continued.
“Is it true?”
“What?”
“About the witch eating children?”
Larissa exclaimed in shock.
“No!”
“Why are you yelling if it’s not true?”
Larissa clammed up. As Juliana walked away, the other children, seemingly intimidated by her, avoided talking to Larissa.
Guinevere watched the unfolding scene and became incredulous. She muttered ominously, “Is that little one bullying our Larissa right now?”
“Whoa, whoa, calm down, Vera. She hasn’t bullied her yet.”
“What’s with that atmosphere, then? How dare they ignore a Rodanthe, not knowing anything?”
“They’re just ignorant kids. Can you please calm down?”
Guinevere, unable to vent her rising anger, glared at Siod. He seemed to have expected this reaction.
“William had no friends either. But it’s even harder for Larissa, isn’t it?”
“William’s personality is…”
“Like yours, so he had no friends? Really?”
Siod continued nonchalantly.
“The rumors at the Academy weren’t formed overnight. Though they’re children of nobility, he was a secret child whose father is unknown. While others had private tutors for each subject, he was sent to a crumbling basic school. It’s obvious his mother didn’t care much for him. He wasn’t singled out, so why would the teachers pay him any extra attention? He wasn’t at the entrance or graduation ceremonies, was he?”
Stunned by Siod’s barrage of facts, Guinevere blankly stared at him. Siod sighed and continued.
“I know I’m not in a position to say this to you. But things can change from now on, for both of us.”
Inside the classroom, Larissa sat with a dejected face. What was she thinking? Guinevere whispered as if making an excuse.
“I didn’t know. How other nobles educate their children…”
When Guinevere was young, she desperately wanted to go to school. Graduating meant getting a decent job. But being from the slums and without even a family register, she couldn’t attend school. Instead, she joined a mercenary group, doing menial tasks. She started learning magic by helping a mercenary magician and got beaten every time she was caught. Her life changed when she saved enough money to buy a proper magic book.
She thought it had changed.
“Should I now pull her out of school and hire teachers at home?”
“Why bother when I’m here?”
“But if we continue sending her to school…”
“What’s important is to show that Larissa is a loved child.”
How?
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.”
