Why did Cedeloy ask such a question with what kind of thoughts? Wasn’t he looking into her mind at that moment? When she recalled the voice that persistently came like a temptation in the dark, her nape suddenly felt chilly, and her spine shivered.
At that time, Mayana clearly knew the feeling and impulse she had. If either of them, either one… Even the slightest touch would have ignited flames.
The smoldering flames would have burned the grass, razed the forest, and even brought down the piled-up walls and barriers. The overflowing and flowing water would have drowned her. Maybe even Cedeloy.
But Mayana suppressed that impulse, like a wild beast suddenly restraining an abrupt desire. It couldn’t happen.
No matter what, she couldn’t have that kind of relationship with Cedeloy, and even if it did, it shouldn’t. Reason firmly held her back. She drove in a stake.
To prevent the stake from being pulled out, she had to do something. She had to move her body, not giving a chance for intrusive thoughts.
There was a reason why she suddenly cleaned the room on the east side that she hadn’t opened for a long time. It was because of that. Veynti, Bridget, and Ivie couldn’t know the reason, even if they woke up dead.
“Mayana! Mayana!”
Staring at the box, Mayana, who was absentminded, turned her head in surprise at Ariante’s voice. Ariante entered the room, holding a piece of wood in her hand, and looked at her with a puzzled expression.
“Why? Are you surprised?”
Mayana quickly changed her expression and smiled.
“No, my lady. I have something to think about. Did Veynti know about it?”
Ariante pouted her lower lip.
“I don’t know. I just said it’s a piece of wood. Isn’t it because it’s been too long… Clearly, it’s not wood!”
Although she heard Veynti making noises outside, Ariante pretended not to know.
“Look here.”
As Mayana reached out her hand and spoke, Ariante, entering the room with a puzzled look, carefully placed the unidentified object on her palm.
No matter how you looked at it, it was a strange item… It was clearly wood. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to have the appearance of wood grain, and although the cross-section cut was narrow, it looked similar to a naite. However, the texture was by no means wood. It definitely seemed like a mineral.
“That’s called petrified wood.”
Mayana and Ariante turned to Ivie at the same time.
“Petrified wood?”
As Mayana questioned, Ariante grabbed Ivie’s hand and shook it vigorously, her eyes sparkling.
“What’s petrified wood?”
While Mayana was questioning, Ariante, shaking Ivie’s shoulders back and forth due to the weight of her body, tilted her head with a twinkling eye.
“Well… I don’t know either, but I used to find things like this often in the countryside where I worked. It looks like wood, but when you touch it, it feels like stone… Adults used to say that a tree that died a very long time ago could turn into something like this and called it petrified wood. They said if you have it, good luck will come. Well, it’s probably not true.”
Ariante’s eyes sparkled brightly. It looked like wood, but it was a stone! That alone was amazing, and good luck was said to come with it! Could there be a more enchanting discovery for a seven-year-old?
“Mayana! Can I take this?”
Mayana hesitated for a moment, but soon nodded. She didn’t know who in the Duke’s household had it or for what purpose, but it wasn’t something that belonged in the warehouse anyway…
If it were something precious that couldn’t be handled casually, it would probably be stored separately in a room where the Duke’s possessions were collected, not here.
“Of course. What could Lady possibly not take from here? Instead, please ask the Duke later if it’s something important.”
“Sure thing!”
Excitedly, Ariante, who was tapping her feet while fondling the piece of wood, said, “I want to make a necklace with this.”
“A necklace? It might be too heavy.”
“It’ll be fine when I grow up.”
Mayana, with a thoughtful expression, took the piece of wood and examined it from different angles. It was a bit hefty, but at best, it was the size of a cobblestone. There might be a way to make it, but…
‘No, well. Kids find acorn necklaces more fun than diamond necklaces, anyway.’
When Ariante becomes old enough to wear this unidentified stone necklace, which might be petrified wood, more brilliant, heavier, and precious jewels will be countless. So, what’s the problem with her wanting to have something like this now? It’s not like she’s planning to wear this necklace at her wedding.
“Then we need to tell the Duke and find a jeweler.”
“What’s a jeweler?”
“It’s someone who works on polishing gems. This might not be a gem, but… Since it’s similar to a gem, we probably need a jeweler. So that neither I nor someone else messes with it and breaks it.”
“No! It can’t break. I’ll keep it safe.”
Ariante clutched the item as if someone might snatch it away and quickly ran to her room.
Ivie said, “You’ll probably be fine for a while.”
Top Celebrity Younger Brother Bears Her Child (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: Forced to live stream romance with a top celebrity in a female-dominant world.
Yan Jin transmigrated into a brothel, with a fellow transmigrated junior beside her.
Hearing the obscene words coming from outside, the unfortunate junior covered his ears tightly, his cheeks flushed red, and whispered to comfort her, “Don’t worry, I will definitely help you escape.”
“Don’t worry, I will definitely defend your chastity.” Yan Jin looked at the flawless and delicate features of the unfortunate junior and gently comforted, “Because we have transmigrated into a female-dominant world.”
※※※
Top celebrity Yu Shu suddenly fell into a coma during a concert.
Research scientist Yan Jin fainted in the lab after working overtime.
Two people with no connection were rushed to the same hospital.
Three days later, neither of them had woken up.
Suddenly, the entire nation discovered that a live streaming app had been forcibly installed on their phones.
Upon opening it, they heard the two discussing how to escape from the brothel.
The entire internet was in an uproar.
After the two successfully escaped from the brothel, Yu Shu’s fan group rushed to make a banner and sent it to the hospital overnight.
“Big sister bravely took action to defend the chastity of our idol!”
※※※
When Yu Shu was diagnosed with pregnancy, Yan Jin stared at his belly for a long time.
Covering his stomach, he muttered gloomily, “If you don’t like it, I’ll go get an abortion.”
“It’s not that I don’t like it.” Yan Jin hugged Yu Shu and said softly, “I just feel like I’m not human.”
Yu Shu comforted Yan Jin, “I was already an adult when we got together.”
Yan Jin hesitated, “But you won’t be of legal marriageable age even after giving birth to the child.”
At the same time, a flood of bullet comments appeared in the live streaming room that the two couldn’t see.
[Although it’s inappropriate, I also want a young and handsome boyfriend to have my child.]
①Male pregnancy (highlighted)
The female lead is five years older than the male lead, and the male lead is already an adult when he appears.
