Adel suddenly thought of her conversation with Priest Padre, wondering why it came to mind just then. Was it because of the certainty in his tone that remained vivid in her memory? Or because he seemed so sure that although others might not recognize it, she herself would be able to identify if something was amiss?
“Ah.”
Caught off guard and momentarily losing her sense of reality, Valentin, holding her wrist, leaned in close. Their faces were almost touching, close enough to share breaths. Startled, Adel splayed her fingers out wide. Valentin, as if waiting for this reaction, bit into Adel’s bloodied finger.
“…”
A hot, wet, and numb pain surged through her. It was more than a sting, sending tingling sensations. Valentin pressed his tongue against the wound, tearing and chewing it softly. The blood was merely droplets, yet he gulped it down eagerly, his throat moving visibly.
Chup, tsup.
The sound of him sucking the wound echoed starkly in the quiet room. Adel watched him, slightly bewildered, observing his sunken cheeks, shadowed eyes, prominent nose, and sharply defined jawline.
And those predatory eyes, narrowed like those of a wild animal…
‘The carcasses still had their flesh and organs, but all the blood was drained,’ she remembered someone saying. Suddenly, a voice surged in her mind, bringing with it a vision of slaughtered sheep piled high, the acrid smoke. The unanimous witness accounts of a monster’s deed, not an animal’s.
Her thoughts jumped again, like stepping on scorching brass.
‘…Padre said not to avert my gaze.’
‘Prepare a mirror and a silver weapon on the night of the full moon.’
The weapon. The chill at that answer matched the chill down her spine. She remembered Padre’s face when he saw her that day.
‘Stay alert, Adelheit.’
‘…’
‘No matter how kindly it behaves, a monster cannot coexist with humans. Its thought process differs from ours. Even if it mimics a human, it can never fully understand. To it, we are merely playthings.’
‘…’
‘You must remember this. Only by keeping this in mind can you discern when it tries to deceive you.’
So, how did his sermon continue?
Evil things are often cloaked in beauty, and the most wicked wear a veneer of goodness. They sweeten their tongues with honey to deceive the good, sharpen their fingers like blades to seize tender flesh, and wherever they tread, life withers into wasteland.
Padre’s point was clear. If her husband truly was ‘the Shadow,’ he was not human, just wearing a human’s skin. To be deceived by his appearance would lead to nothing but despair.
And then, suddenly…
“Ah.”
Adel winced at a sharp pain, jolted back to reality. She had been so lost in her thoughts, she forgot her current situation. Valentin had unintentionally torn the wound with his sharp fangs. As Adel moaned, Valentin quickly withdrew his lips.
“!”
He seemed startled, as if he hadn’t intended to go that far, like an accidental lapse of control.
Blood now flowed like a thin thread from the mangled wound. The swollen flesh suggested it wouldn’t stop bleeding soon.
Adel held her hand and looked up.
“Why did you do that?”
“I… sorry.”
“I’m sorry.” Valentin’s words were barely formed, his face pale. Only his ears reddened as he opened his eyes wide, struggling to breathe.
His speech, which had started to resemble coherent sentences, was again broken into fragments, perhaps due to his distress.
“Does it… hurt much?”
His golden eyes trembled. His head, which had been examining Adel’s wound, slumped down in a gesture of dejection, like an animal afraid of being hated.
Adel unknowingly softened her stern expression.
“Stop joking around, really. You startled me…”
“…”
“I came today because I was asked to. Everyone is terribly worried that you are not eating. If the food is not to your taste, I can request something else.”
“…”
“I hear you haven’t spoken to the servants apart from ordering my room to be changed.”
Valentin’s gaze remained fixed on Adel’s hand. He seemed not to hear her at all, completely absorbed in the wound and blood he had caused. His face bore an expression of needing to re-examine the wound he had inflicted.
His firm jaw clenched sorrowfully, then trembled, unable to contain his emotions. He seemed remorseful for having been so brutally unkind to her. Despite the sensitive fingertips hurting, Adel’s heart softened at his self-reproach.
Just as she was about to forgive him.
‘Moonlight, midnight, weapon, and mirror.’
Suddenly, a cold whisper echoed, borrowing Priest Padre’s voice. It trod relentlessly upon her tender ears.
Be wary. Just act vigilantly…
Her mind was noisy. The unease that surged whenever she faced Valentin now took the form of human words, clanging and shattering her thoughts.
Adel managed to speak, steadying herself by touching her forehead.
“The servants you’re wary of are ultimately to your inconvenience. Even if you distrust their hands, they have been loyal to Ansagar for many years. They would not harm you.”
“What, kind of… concern, unnecessary…”
“You should care. Conversing with them might help regain your memory. You could convey your thoughts more clearly. And…”
Adel averted her eyes, lowering her lashes.
“I understand what you’ve been asking of me. My ignorance caused all this.”
“What is…”
“I didn’t know that in the North, it’s customary for a couple to share a bedroom.”
“…”
“I’ll abide by your request if you allow. If it’s customary…”
Adel thought Valentin would be thrilled. He had been insisting on it for days. Despite her rejection causing him pain, he persisted…
But astonishingly, Valentin’s handsome face was full of concern and doubt.
“Why…?”
He seemed unable to believe this turn of events. Like a pauper overwhelmed by unexpected royal favor, yet his eyes remained warily guarded.
Caught off guard by his reaction, Adel hesitated. Valentin quickly grasped her forearm with a delicate touch.
“Sudden… Not, I’m not, against it. Definitely.”
Only then did Adel feel she truly saw into Valentin’s chaotic mind. His confusion seemed to suddenly make sense.
It couldn’t be. He wouldn’t cherish me so much… As Valentin appeared to be wrapping his head around a possibility, his eyes regained their spark.
“Do you, pity… me? Is that it?”
“Do you treat me well because you pity me?”
The astonishing part was that his face, looking down at Adel, was suffused with joy, as if her pitying him was some great privilege. As though her seeing him as pitiable and unfortunate was a significant shackle.
Adel weakly pushed away Valentin’s broad and firm chest that pressed close to her. Even against her slight force, he willingly moved back from her.
“Pity?…”
Adel was bewildered. The Duke of Ansagar and pity? Just coupling the words together felt disastrous.
“Who would dare pity you, Your Grace? You are the sole ruler of half of Bichleraben.”
“…”
“Don’t ever say that again. You are the real ruler of the vast North, the only Duke of Denburg, the Emperor’s only nephew, and possess a lineage nobler than anyone else…”
“If so.”
He clutched Adel’s arm again with his hook-like hands. His hand was so large that even a slight touch crumpled the entire sleeve of her arm.
Adel, unable to resist his grip, remembered her old dresses that had burst at the seams under such a hold, and worried about that first.
“Your Grace… first, please let go.”
His face, tinted with the firelight, looked desperate. His eyes, which seemed instantly to have died black, stared at Adel. He asked:
“If I am not pitiable or pathetic…”
“…”
“Why do you look back at me? Why is that?”
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
