The jetblack eyes were blankly staring into space. Fortunately, Lucas was not more foolish than Serena’s worries. However, it seemed to take him some time to feel the long period all at once.
“My selfishness.”
Rarely did his voice ring bitter. Her words were indeed the result and fact of his actions over the past years.
“Yes.”
“Even if I never forgot you for a single day?”
“That was Your Highness’s heart, and something nobody knows.”
No matter how much he yearned for Serena, no matter how much he wanted to become strong for her, ultimately, he was a man who had neglected his fiancée for six years.
“I believe you understand that our engagement has lost its meaning.”
Serena said, lightly bowing her head in greeting, as if there was nothing more to discuss with him.
“Then I will take my leave. I will stamp the documents for annulment and send them to the chancellor right away….”
Suddenly, Lucas’s thoughts broke, and his black eyes turned towards Serena.
“Wait.”
Interrupting her, he stomped to his feet and walked towards Serena.
“You will stamp the documents?”
“Yes.”
“So, the documents were prepared in advance?”
Ah, she had been so relieved to think about stamping them that she carelessly spoke out of turn.
“When did you prepare all those documents? When did you investigate the books you just recited?”
His blue eyes trembled slightly. This time, Lucas didn’t miss that quiver.
“Serena, you said you stayed in the capital for six months after the engagement ceremony?”
He took a step closer.
“Yes. Afterward, I quietly prayed for Your Highness’s wellbeing in Astel Territory to live with dignity.”
She took a step back.
“Huh.”
Looking at Serena, who blatantly spoke lies, he couldn’t help but laugh derisively.
“Even if I give you the benefit of the doubt, the books you just recited are only available in the capital and royal library. Especially those compiled by previous emperors.”
“That is…”
“Wouldn’t I know better about my ancestors than you?”
Lucas’s mouth twitched.
“It would become clear if there’s evidence of you frequenting the library right after the engagement ceremony, wouldn’t it?”
Their eyes met tensely before Serena turned away and left her seat. Lucas leisurely followed her.
“I often went to the library as reading is my hobby.”
Serena spoke as calmly as possible.
“I also bought and read many books in Astel. That was, back then….”
“No. Didn’t I say earlier? It’s about my ancestors.”
Lucas finally seemed to have found a point to counterattack, looking at Serena with triumphant eyes.
“Concerning the books of the Papacy, I’m unsure, but it’s law to only keep the books compiled in the name of previous emperors in the royal library.”
Oh no.
Lucas had not just grown in height and size. He had become far too clever, past the level of juvenile bickering.
“If you saw it in the royal library, it means you thought of breaking the engagement right after the ceremony, and if you obtained it in Astel… hmm, we’ll have to investigate and punish the seller severely.”
Either way, it was a disadvantage to Serena.
“It seems to be an excellent book, vividly remembered even after leaving the capital.”
However, she was still confident that her audacity was unmatched.
“Is that how you’ll play this?”
Serena carefully examined Lucas’s expression, but no large emotional turbulence was visible.
“I also have a good memory. I vividly remember that you were not ordinary.”
Click, Lucas’s concealed smile looked utterly annoying.
“I still vividly recall the violent words you said to me during the engagement ceremony.”
“I merely responded to Your Highness’s words.”
“You’re probably the only woman capable of that.”
Unexpectedly, instead of getting angry or arguing the point, Lucas continued to wear a strange smile, scrutinizing Serena’s face.
“Maybe that’s why I couldn’t forget you for even a day.”
Regrettably, Serena wasn’t the only brazen one. Lucas was spouting something a troubadour might say with an utterly composed expression.
“You were very special to me.”
Had Serena been just an ordinary young lady, Lucas would not have harbored such pride.
As is often the case with adolescent boys, the unnecessary quarreling and shooting glances were based on his affection for Serena.
“At the time, I didn’t realize it, but the reason for my wandering was you.”
But Serena could not know such feelings, and her strange gaze only added awkwardness.
“I wanted to become the strongest man on this continent to meet you.”
It seemed natural for Lucas to say this, as it was a confession he had dreamed of every night. But Serena did not know about the nights he had stayed up.
“Yes, I admit it.”
Hoo, Serena sighed and looked at Lucas. Even the clever Serena could not know the emotions she had never experienced.
And, since their first meeting was so impressive, she had never thought that he had developed a romance.
“You probably are the strongest man on this continent.”
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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