Serena suppressed her bewilderment and turned around to look at him again. It was both strange and fascinating that she now had to look up to see his face.
“I don’t want anything from Your Highness. And I have nothing to give.”
It was particularly difficult to find the boyish appearance in his deep eyes, beautiful nose, and the lips firmly closed beneath.
“No. I must be rewarded by you.”
Lucas’s words were unwavering. His eyes, deep and sincere, looked at Serena. His gaze held a passion as he looked at the beautiful woman, fitting for a twentyyearold in the prime of life.
“What reward? I never promised such a thing.”
Serena looked up at him and sharply questioned. Lucas took one step closer, leisurely bent his waist, and met Serena’s eyes.
“You certainly did.”
Serena slowly blinked in confusion. His firm, dark eyes were filled with unwavering confidence, a completely different man from her memory.
“As I said earlier, an engagement is a heavier vow than a promise.”
“Yes. So, it’s null and void.”
Serena opened her mouth, trying to maintain a calm expression. The scent of a strong man wafted in the breeze, but she couldn’t show her feelings.
“My feelings have not changed. Our engagement is null and void. Please forget it.”
“No.”
His low voice cut off her words, naturally exuding authority. He seemed not just an adult but an accomplished man, the crown prince of the empire, lacking nothing.
“Your Highness.”
“Hmm? It seems more pleasant to call each other by our names since we’re engaged.”
Lucas lifted one side of his lip and smiled leisurely.
The ideal reunion would have been Serena welcoming the mature Lucas, but even if that didn’t happen, Lucas had no intention of giving her up.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
Serena asked, almost sighing. It was frustrating enough that her longforgotten fiancé suddenly appeared, demanding compensation.
But from Lucas’s perspective, it was just as frustrating. It was sad to be treated like a stranger after exchanging vows of engagement.
“Why are you acting like this?”
He sighed, his words faltering again.
“It’s the same. Just like you, I can’t change my mind. My intention to accept you as my wife, my reward, hasn’t changed at all.”
Should they duel? Then one side would die, and there would be peace. Looking at Lucas, who was speaking shamelessly, Serena had an absurd thought.
“I told you, I don’t want to.”
Serena bit her words so hard that it showed. But Lucas, far from being displeased, even let out a laugh.
“You’re still the same. Just as I pictured.”
Was this man perhaps a little strange in taste? Or was the shock of what Serena said at the engagement ceremony so profound?
Either way, Serena was fed up.
“Your Highness, it seems pointless to continue this conversation.”
Despite Serena’s somewhat provocative words, Lucas generously nodded. She couldn’t pinpoint every change in him, but the most apparent change was in his piercing eyes as he looked at her.
They looked as though he was gazing at something very precious or seducing, or leisurely looking down at Serena. Lucas’s eyes, like his scent, exuded a distinct male fragrance.
“I am busy ruling the Astel territories as the acting duke, so I’ll take my leave now.”
Surprisingly, Lucas readily nodded.
“Then, may the rest of your travels be safe.”
Serena raised a formal salute, aware of his status. However, Lucas responded with not only a lack of disappointment but a faint smile.
“Don’t worry.”
Somehow, she had a bad feeling.
“I’ll be staying in the Astel territories for a while.”
Serena blinked. She knew his temperament was no ordinary thing, but she hadn’t realized his character was this brazen.
“The Astel Duchy is under the empire’s rule, so they’ll welcome the presence of the crown prince, right?”
Should she end this with a real duel? Serena looked at the sword at his waist and had another futile thought.
“I look forward to the loyalty and warm hospitality of the Astel Duchy.”
Whenever Lucas smiled slyly, his usually fierce eyes momentarily softened, giving him a mournful look.
Well, it didn’t matter to Serena now.
“Can I expect that?”
A duel was impossible. Serena repeated this fact to herself three times and struggled to catch her breath.
“……Yes.”
There was nothing to fear about their engagement or personal matters. But the Astel territories and its wise people she loved could not dare defy the empire. Lucas undoubtedly knew this well.
“Steward!”
Before Lucas could say anything else, Serena called out in a gruff voice. Her mouth was calling the steward, but her eyes were glaring at Lucas, quite angrily.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“The glorious news is that His Highness the Crown Prince will be staying in our Astel Duchy.”
With a sly smile, Lucas raised and lowered his shoulder.
“The Crown Prince staying is a great honor indeed.”
The steward raised his salutation with tactful skill.
“Have the servants clean the guesthouse where he stayed yesterday.”
The meaning was clear: even using the status of the crown prince, she could only offer yesterday’s guesthouse.
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.”
