The three people began to walk slowly, matching Larisa’s walking pace. Everyone at the academy started to look at them as they passed by.
‘This might be uncomfortable even if Mom comes.’
It was good that no one approached them, but too many gazes were gathered. William tried hard to hide his uncomfortable feelings. Only Ginevra asked casually.
“What is that friend James doing?”
“James? Ah, he’s probably playing the role of a festival knight too.”
Because William’s roommate James had been making a fuss since the morning, getting ready with style, William had to wake up early and was tired.
That James guy is probably having the most fun right now.
‘How about this? He might get a girlfriend at this rate.’
What does having a girlfriend mean for a 14-year-old? William thought it was too early for that. However, all the festival knights were excited about the idea of getting a girlfriend.
‘These guys who haven’t even shed blood in their heads… Why am I having such old thoughts?’
William pondered about himself for a moment.
‘Am I weird?’
“William, are you thinking something weird?”
“Uh, yeah?”
“You were making a weird expression. Just think about my thoughts. We’re going to buy my candy, right?”
“Right.”
William chuckled. Perhaps because of the festival, Larisa, who was already excited, looked even cuter today. And…
‘She’s having so much fun.’
Ginevra felt jealous.
Ginevra was experiencing a festival for the first time in her life. Her expressionless face seemed to be oddly reminiscing.
William, who keenly noticed her change in expression, couldn’t help but follow her around.
Stopping in front of one of the festival booths, Ginevra asked, “What’s this?”
“It’s a game where you throw darts to pop balloons,” William replied.
As William answered, Ginevra, with her chin raised, said, “I’ll do it.”
“What? Wait, Mom. You can’t use magic.”
Ginevra shot William a look as if to say, “Do you think I wouldn’t know that?” William stepped back, startled.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Ginevra hit 9 out of 10 shots.
“Congratulations. Here’s your prize…”
“I’ll do it again.”
“What?”
William paid the student who was handing out prizes and Ginevra shot again. Naturally, Ginevra didn’t carry around loose change.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Ginevra hit all 10 shots this time and finally seemed satisfied, putting down the darts. Thanks to her perfectionism, William and Larisa were struggling to carry dolls in their arms.
“Mom, you can’t be serious…”
“I’ll do that one too.”
This time, it was a ring toss.
“…Is it okay to cause injuries?”
“It’s not allowed normally, but… I’ll make an exception.”
“Thank you.”
William, who was in financial distress, requested the ring toss. Ginevra attempted the game until all 5 rings were on the hoops.
“Mom, how about stopping now? Larisa looks burdened too…”
“Is it heavy?”
“Yes? No, it’s okay.”
Larisa quickly replied, but holding a handful of dolls made her face hardly visible. It was only then that Ginevra, realizing her excessiveness, stopped.
“Put them all down on the floor.”
“Yes? But…”
Although Larisa hesitated, William promptly put the dolls on the floor. It was already embarrassing enough to carry them around.
However, William soon regretted it. Ginevra snapped her fingers, and all the dolls stood up, marching in a parade.
“Oh, Mom…”
Being embarrassed was always William’s share.
“Let’s go.”
With Ginevra confidently walking ahead, the procession of dolls started following. Seeing the dolls walking with a clattering sound, Larisa blushed and exclaimed,
“Kyaa! So cute!”
“Do you like it?”
“Yeah, I love it!”
‘Well, if you’re happy, that’s good…’
William swallowed his tears. Born as an outsider, William couldn’t bear the gaze of people gathering around. It would have been much better to carry dolls piled up like a mountain.
Regardless, Larisa found the dolls walking behind them incredibly cute.
“Mom! That one fell!”
“It’s okay. It’ll get up on its own.”
Ginevra Loredan’s arrival attracted astonishment from magic department students who gathered to watch.
“To cast a golem transformation spell on cotton dolls. And to do it on that many dolls without an incantation….”
They followed in anticipation of witnessing Ginevra’s magic, but no one expected to see such an impressive spell. Ignoring the students’ astonishment and applause, Ginevra enjoyed the festival confidently.
Before they knew it, the sun began to set.
“Today was fun.”
William, who never expected to hear such words from his mother, was surprised.
“Uh, well… I’m glad.”
“Come again next time.”
“What?”
“Have you made many friends?”
“What?”
“I mean friends. How many do you have?”
Looking at William as if he said something absurd, Ginevra spoke.
“Why are you suddenly asking that?”
“Because you said you didn’t have friends. I’ve been socializing lately, wondering if you’ve made any friends yet.”
“Well, I do have some. I do, but…”
Ginevra breathed a sigh of relief.
“That’s good.”
“Mom, you didn’t used to care about that.”
“Sorry.”
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
