My Discarded Fiancé Returned (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 7
Following the servant’s guidance, Lucas was assigned a room in the annex and immediately frowned as soon as the door closed behind him.
“To treat a guest like this in such a prosperous domain.”
The room was furnished with only the bare essentials, all covered in white cloths as if unused for a long time. Moreover, there wasn’t even the usual cheap wine offered to guests—only a basket containing water and bread.
“I always say this, Your Highness—you should simply reveal your identity.”
“Then the nobles would fuss so much I wouldn’t be able to sleep!”
It was a problem easily solved by ending his travels and resuming his duties as Crown Prince, but Cedric gave up on saying anything further.
“Anyway, once we return to the Imperial Palace, this freedom will be over.”
The Emperor had initially welcomed the Crown Prince’s decision to travel for self-cultivation as a manly choice, but after six long years, he sternly commanded his return.
“Your Highness is the sole heir to this Empire…”
“I know my duty. When I saw His Majesty last year, he looked terribly worn down.”
Lucas was the Emperor’s cherished son born in his later years. Naturally, as Lucas grew, the Emperor aged and his health deteriorated to the point where handling state affairs became increasingly difficult.
“Once I return to the palace again, my fate will surely be sealed.”
The Emperor was already considering abdication—his true intention being to protect and nurture his still-only-twenty-year-old heir into a worthy Emperor while he was still alive.
“As promised, you must return directly to the capital after completing your reconnaissance of Astel.”
“…Fine, I said I would.”
Lucas replied irritably and turned away abruptly. Cedric hurriedly removed the cloths and prepared a place for him to rest.
“Your Highness, aren’t you hungry? At least there’s water and bread.”
“Eat it yourself.”
Lucas slumped onto the bed with a sullen expression. Clearly, his imagined reunion with his fiancée had begun nothing like he’d expected.
“Other women, when their betrothed returns from afar, rush out to greet him in joy—sometimes without even putting on their shoes.”
“Then you should have revealed your identity.”
Hmph. Lucas grumbled petulantly and lay down on the bed. Serena hadn’t done anything at all, yet he was already fuming by himself.
At their betrothal ceremony when he was sixteen, his feelings had been nothing but anger and humiliation.
But through his subsequent travels, Serena had become both his purpose and his ideal. Now, having matured to the point where no rival remained, it was finally time to honor their engagement.
‘Your Highness, how you’ve grown so strong…’
In Lucas’s imagination, Serena always whispered shyly to him with those unforgettable blue eyes. She was twenty-four this year—how long must she have waited for their engagement?
If that long wait had left her heart wounded, he intended to comfort her himself.
“Wounded? Hardly.”
He muttered to himself, unheard by anyone. Just by looking down at the Astel domain from the hill, he could roughly guess how Serena, as acting Duchess, had been faring.
At the very least, it was clear she hadn’t spent her years weeping over her absent fiancé.
“It’s not that I expected her to weep and wail, but seeing guards posted like this… she’s clearly displeased.”
“Yes, two… no, about three guards are watching us. It seems we’ve aroused suspicion.”
“Well, it’s suspicion that’ll clear up by tomorrow.”
His anger toward her had been brief. After all, six years had passed, and in that time, Serena had firmly rooted herself in Lucas’s heart like an unwavering compass.
During every grueling trial and journey of his wandering life, what had strengthened his resolve was imagining himself standing proudly beside Serena.
“Tch.”
He hadn’t even met Serena yet, so he couldn’t know if she’d forgotten him. But seeing Astel’s dazzling night, he doubted she’d even thought of him.
“…That, I cannot forgive.”
Lucas stared sharply into the empty air. He’d never once forgotten Serena, and he’d assumed she felt the same—yet tonight, inexplicable frustration burned in his chest.
[This is the timeline separator]Unlike other noble ladies, Serena’s mornings began early.
While it was customary for noblewomen and ladies of rank to stay in bed until late morning and even take meals there, Serena had abolished all that upon arriving in the Astel domain.
“Good morning, Miss.”
“Yes, Anna.”
Once again, Serena briskly washed her face without anyone’s help and dried it neatly. Though she wore her usual simple dress without a single piece of jewelry, her twenty-year-old beauty radiated freshness.
“My Lady, good morning.”
As soon as Serena finished her morning routine, Chief Steward Peter greeted her—the moment marking the start of Astel’s daily affairs.
But today, unlike usual, an unpleasant task awaited. Until the mysterious guest from last night was dealt with, nothing else could be done.
“Was there any trouble last night?”
“No, I personally kept watch all night, and other servants were stationed as well, but he never left his room.”
“Hmm… we can’t jump to conclusions yet.”
While Serena sank into deep thought, Anna was busy with what she claimed was her personal duty—styling Serena’s hair. In truth, it always ended with Serena’s preferred style: a single high bun secured with a pin.
“Yes, I agree. Until we’re certain the outsider has truly left, we can’t attend to other matters.”
Peter’s words were reasonable, yet they sounded harsh to Serena, who tirelessly devoted day and night to Astel’s growth.
“Hmph, I’ll just drive him out as quickly as possible.”
Everyone nodded in agreement at her sensible remark.
“By the way, My Lady—the guest from last night wishes to see you today.”
At this troublesome news, Serena tilted her delicate eyebrows.
“If he were a spy, I’d have expected suspicious activity last night… was there really nothing?”
Any suspicious act would have given her grounds to expel him easily, and even if his true identity surfaced later, she’d have no cause for blame.
“I secretly had people watch him all night, but there was no suspicious behavior. He didn’t even send any messenger birds.”
“Tch.”
What Peter described was Serena’s own surveillance system. Its main purpose wasn’t merely to guard against outsiders but to preemptively monitor any actions they might take—including messenger bird activity.
In her past life, how many protagonists in novels had fallen into peril because of messenger birds? Now that she was Serena, she intended to use every memory from her past to its fullest.
“I was ready to expel him immediately if he showed any suspicious moves.”
In the past, Grand Duke Farell of the neighboring domain, angered by Serena’s refusal to receive him, had sent countless messenger birds—which only infuriated her further.
Of course, those birds were now comfortably plump in cages, happily raising fine offspring. Apart from her anger, Serena firmly believed in making use of anything useful.
“Could this be another harassment tactic from Grand Duke Farell?”
“They don’t seem connected to the Grand Duchy of Farell. After all, they possess an Imperial travel permit.”
“Oh, right.”
Serena belatedly recalled an important fact. Imperial travel permits could only be granted directly by the Emperor—certainly not something a Grand Duke could obtain.
“I hesitate to say this, My Lady, but… could it possibly be related to His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince?”
At Peter’s suggestion, Serena made a baffled face and let out a short, dismissive laugh.
“He and I are less than strangers. Haven’t the past six years proven that? Besides, if it were truly the Crown Prince, why would he pretend to be a wandering knight?”
This time, even Peter seemed convinced. Regrettably but undeniably, since their betrothal ceremony six years ago, nothing—no meetings, not even a single letter—had passed between them.
“Let’s deal with this nuisance quickly. I’ll meet him in the first-floor reception room—thirty minutes before lunchtime. I don’t wish to prolong this.”
“Yes. I’ll convey your message.”
“By the way, did you notice his hair color or any distinguishing features?”
This thought had struck her suddenly last night. In many cases, physical appearance could help trace someone back to a prominent noble house.
“No, it was dark, and he wore a hood—I couldn’t see.”
“I see. Understood.”
She’d naturally learn everything soon enough when she met him. For now, her priority was swiftly expelling the suspicious guest and returning to her domain duties.
[This is the timeline separator]After the servant delivered a simple breakfast and left, Lucas frowned again, clearly dissatisfied. His usual routine of rising at dawn to practice swordplay had been interrupted, leaving his body feeling sluggish.
But swinging a sword at dawn in a duke’s manor would surely cause trouble.
“Truly, there’s no master quite like him—daring to arbitrarily set the time for an audience with me.”
Cedric now had nothing more to say and simply stared blankly at the Crown Prince. Indeed, who had ever told him to hide that exalted, lofty status of his?
“Let’s eat first.”
As Cedric placed the servant’s tray on the table, a delicious aroma filled the air. The menu itself was ordinary—eggs and bacon—but the quality was visibly exceptional.
“Astel certainly has something special.”
Cedric remarked upon seeing the plump, glistening egg yolk.
“You’d only find fare like this in the Imperial Palace.”
Hearing this, Lucas also examined his plate. The eggs were excellent, and the bacon rivaled that served at any noble banquet in the capital.
“Indeed.”
Now even Lucas was genuinely curious about Astel’s secret.
“There’s something special about Astel.”
During his long travels, Lucas had seen domains richer and larger than Astel. Yet the impression Astel gave was utterly different from their mere abundance.
“If that special something turns out to be my fiancée, it would be perfect.”
His strong, masculine jaw and firm lips tensed slightly, while a complex emotion flickered in his deep, handsome black eyes.
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
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MANGA DISCUSSION
5 Comments
Chapter Comments (36)
Serena didn’t know the prince was coming. Should Serena hold a ceremony just because the prince is coming?
Do all couples who get married after taking the vow get married?
Prince still thinks like a child.A formal bow is sufficient.
Do you want the prince to leap on top of Serena?
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
Why should Serena care about you? You were the one who behaved badly at the engagement party.
It wasn’t me. I’m just a reader.
agustus_orchid
Being successful and beautiful can sometimes cause problems.
You handled the Grand Duke’s tactics well, Serena.
agustus_orchid
As I predicted, he became obsessed with Serena when she rejected him.
That’s how much men’s brains work.
agustus_orchid
Serena worked hard to manage and develop the region well.
Prince, what did you do? You traveled.
agustus_orchid
He wrote a script by himself.
Come tomorrow and start working as a screenwriter.