My Discarded Fiancé Returned (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 13
The Astel domain, soon to celebrate the Harvest Festival, was busier than ever, yet the faces of its people radiated energy and joy.
“Everyone looks so cheerful. The Harvest Festival must be quite the celebration here.”
Since rumors had already spread that wandering knights had arrived, Lucas and Cedric, having removed their hoods, began riding through the domain.
“That much exists in other domains too.”
At Cedric’s remark, Lucas replied indifferently.
“The square right before the lord’s manor is usually lively—just like in the capital. Just as high-ranking nobles live near the Imperial Palace, here too, the lord’s long-serving retainers or wealthy residents likely dwell.”
Cedric nodded at Lucas’s words. The shops lining this square, he thought, probably catered to the domain’s wealthiest inhabitants, so there was nothing particularly extraordinary about them.
“First, let’s head to the edge of the domain. The farther we get from the lord’s seat, the clearer we’ll see the domain’s true nature.”
“Yes, my… No. Sir.”
Fortunately, no one else had heard, but Cedric still had to endure Lucas’s sharp glare.
“Let’s go quickly!”
Cedric called out awkwardly and spurred his horse forward. According to the map given by the Duke’s steward, the Astel domain possessed vast farmlands, and even excluding those, the territory itself was immense.
How long had they ridden? Lucas dismounted beside a narrow, gently flowing stream. The horses, enjoying a rare rest, drank thirstily from the cool, trickling water.
“The map of Astel.”
“Yes.”
Lucas stood for a long while, studying the map of the Duchy of Astel. At first glance, it appeared utterly ordinary, yet after riding through the land himself, he found something utterly baffling.
“How can the map and reality match so perfectly?”
The map wasn’t complex—it used simple symbols, color-coded areas by purpose (farmland, woodland, etc.), and clearly labeled each village where the common folk lived. It went beyond mere labeling.
“Even the capital’s map isn’t this accurate. And what about the roads we’ve just traveled?”
Indeed, Cedric nodded as if he understood Lucas’s meaning.
“Yes. Every road matched the map exactly—to an almost frightening degree.”
The Duchy of Astel’s map was meticulously laid out so that nearly every parcel formed a rectangle, and it marked not only major roads but even the smallest alleyways.
“And the roads themselves…”
Though they’d ridden quite a distance, they felt almost no fatigue. Having followed the standard roads marked on the map, every surface was smooth and even, making the entire journey effortless.
“This…”
Lucas narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the road.
“It seems slightly wider than the Imperial standard cart.”
“Ah… No wonder the spacing felt familiar. It’s identical to the capital’s.”
Three generations ago, the Emperor had invested enormous funds to rebuild the capital’s roads to ensure smooth supply of goods.
Though it had stirred considerable resentment at the time, after completion, the speed of goods entering and leaving the capital increased dramatically, earning it recognition as a great achievement.
“A domain with vast farmlands, yet its roads match the capital’s standards. And with this map alone, even someone who can’t read could navigate anywhere.”
The map bore almost no text—woodlands were marked with tree illustrations, farmlands with sheaves of grain. Major roads bore numbers, and smaller paths branching from them carried subordinate numbers.
Whether illiterate or a child, anyone with this map would never get lost in Astel.
“Hmm, it’s certainly a clear and organized map. But a few things still make no sense to me.”
Lucas pointed to several symbols he couldn’t decipher.
“We’ll ask at the ducal manor later…”
“No, let’s go now.”
Lucas mounted his horse and pointed eastward with his finger.
“That way.”
Cedric, sighing inwardly, had no choice but to follow.
[This is the timeline separator]To reach the place Lucas was curious about, they had to cross a road cutting through the farmlands. Each gust of autumn wind sent golden sheaves swaying—a magnificent sight.
“Magnificent.”
As they rode further, they saw not only wheat but also small, colorful berries on shrubs and, in the distance, a vast orchard.
Though Lucas had visited prosperous domains before, this was the first time he’d seen such systematic cultivation of diverse crops.
“I’ve seen domains larger than Astel, but this… truly looks abundant, in the literal sense.”
He paused briefly, his dark eyes momentarily shadowed as he gazed at the golden waves of grain.
With every clear autumn breeze, the entire field rippled like golden waves, holding his gaze captive for a long while.
“And this is only part of the farmland.”
Standing before a spectacle he’d never witnessed before, his curiosity about Serena, who directly governed this domain, grew even stronger.
“Let’s go.”
Lucas urged Cedric and spurred his horse onward. They still had a long ride ahead to reach the strangely marked location on the map.
[This is the timeline separator]Serena was spending her day as usual. Though her morning quarrel with the Crown Prince had been tiresome, once she began handling official duties, her formidable focus erased all distracting thoughts.
“Milady, it’s tea time.”
Anna entered the ducal study precisely at the appointed hour. The rich aroma of tea filled the air, yet Serena kept her eyes buried in documents.
“Just a moment—let me finish this.”
“No. You promised me you’d take at least ten minutes of rest during tea time, without fail.”
Strict as ever, Anna placed the tea set on the table, prompting Serena to pout slightly but rise from her desk and sit on the sofa.
“The fragrance is lovely.”
“It’s tea harvested this past spring and aged since.”
At this, Serena took a delighted sip and nodded.
“If we can stabilize the supply, we could even export it from Astel.”
“Milady, no discussing official matters during tea time.”
Anna’s gentle, elegant smile disarmed even the headstrong Serena—it was softness conquering strength.
“Then, instead of official business, how about discussing that troublesome crisis looming over our domain?”
Anna fell silent, unable to openly criticize the Crown Prince.
“Where’s Peter?”
“He’s at the manor. As ordered this morning, he’s finished cleaning and preparing the guest wing for His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince.”
“He must be exhausted.”
Originally, the Astel ducal manor consisted of one large main building and two annexes.
However, as the ducal household had dwindled in numbers—and especially since the current Duke had become absorbed in wandering—only the main building was now in use.
“He said he managed to prepare just the first floor barely enough to accommodate His Imperial Highness.”
“He’ll be leaving soon anyway, so that’s sufficient.”
Serena set her teacup down with a clink.
“Shall I call Peter?”
At Anna’s quick suggestion, Serena nodded.
“You called for me, my lady?”
Not long after, Peter entered and bowed respectfully. Despite years of close service, his unwavering etiquette and loyalty never failed to inspire trust.
“You must have worked hard suddenly preparing the annex.”
“It’s my duty to manage this manor.”
Peter stood straight, looking at Serena. He suspected she had another question on her mind.
“His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince hasn’t returned yet. His steward gave him a map, so it seems he truly intends to tour the domain. Rumors are already spreading wildly near the square.”
“What rumors?”
“They say a noble knight has arrived and is inspecting the area near the square, even observing the merchants. And… well…”
Seeing Peter unusually hesitate at the end of his sentence, Serena frowned in confusion.
“What is it? It’s fine—just tell me.”
“The common folk near the square… are apparently unwell because of His Imperial Highness.”
Bang! Serena slammed the table and shot to her feet.
“If something like that happened, you should’ve informed me immediately!”
“No, it’s… not in a bad way. Probably.”
“Probably? What exactly happened near the square?”
“They say His Imperial Highness, posing as a knight, toured the square and even spoke directly to several commoners.”
“You already said that—so why are the people acting strangely?”
Peter, struggling to articulate it, unusually furrowed his brow.
“Well… shall I say they’re overly excited? Or perhaps excessively enthusiastic?”
“Enthusiastic about what?”
“Why, about His Imperial Highness, of course.”
This time, even Serena raised an eyebrow.
“…Why?”
“I’m not entirely sure myself. But people of all ages and genders have apparently fallen for the new knight’s appearance. Especially the women—from young girls to married ladies—they’re utterly smitten. The square’s been in chaos all day.”
“So… why?”
Today, Lucas had cast aside his shabby hood, letting the autumn wind tousle his black hair, revealing his strikingly handsome face without concealment.
“Perhaps because they’ve never seen another noble before?”
Anna said it as if it were nothing.
“When you first arrived here, Milady, everyone was so stunned by your beauty they couldn’t take their eyes off you.”
“Is… that so?”
In truth, the phenomenon Lucas had stirred was slightly different from what Serena had caused.
“Hmm, I think the lady is right. They’ve probably never seen such a tall, robust man—it must seem wondrous to them.”
But was that truly all? Only Anna held a faint, knowing smile.
The orphaned, fair features and deep black eyes of this tall, sturdy knight—straight out of a fairy tale—were a fresh shock to the people of Astel.
“Oh, continuing from the earlier story about the square…”
“What? Is there more?”
Wherever Lucas went, women gasped in admiration, and even Cedric beside him drew no small amount of longing glances. Two strikingly handsome strangers together naturally drew attention.
“Yes. Though His Imperial Highness has left the square, crowds still swarm there—nearly Harvest Festival levels, especially among the women.”
Serena asked again, genuinely puzzled.
“Why?”
“My lady, I truly don’t know. For now, I’ll go check if they’re still gathered there.”
“Alright.”
After Peter left the room, Serena tilted her head in confusion.
“Anna, do you know why?”
Anna merely smiled elegantly and stayed silent. Serena needed to discover the answer herself—that was the only way it would hold meaning. And the day she finally understood, spring winds would surely blow through her youth as well.
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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MANGA DISCUSSION
4 Comments
Chapter Comments (9)
Serena, it is difficult to remain calm in the face of a natural disaster.
It is difficult to both give orders and protect people.
Good job Serena ᕦ⊙෴⊙ᕤShould Serena have been pleased with the crown prince’s arrival?
His humiliation of Serena in front of everyone is unacceptable.
Serena is a great leader.
She protected her people against a natural disaster.
She is truly admirable.
Inline Comments (14)
Could Lucas’s true aim really be Astel’s management secrets?
Dumb that’s just an excuse to speed time with you duh 🙄😒
That Lucas was the Crown Prince remained a secret within the duke’s household, a
I think it’s too late for you Serena 🤔😂😂 he took care of that
“Exactly. I was receiving a guest as acting Duke, not strolling as a young lady.
Disappointment? 🤔😏 What else was she expecting to? 😏😏😏
YOUR COMMENT
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agustus_orchid
Serena’s region is no less impressive than the capital.
Serena developed her region through hard work, sweat, and tears.
agustus_orchid
Serena elevated its region to the highest level.
It made it as developed and magnificent as the capital.
agustus_orchid
Lucas, don’t fall in love with Serena any more.
Keep your feelings to yourself.
Don’t be insistent.
agustus_orchid
Serena is a very successful manager.
I felt as proud as if she were my own child.