But, Mayana thought, what did it matter? She had found Ariante.
She had been about to call the child’s name loudly when her lips clamped shut. She didn’t know how Ariante had climbed the tree, but before anything happened, she had to get her down.
But Ariante probably wouldn’t listen, even if she was told a hundred, a thousand times to come down. Mayana, lost in thought for a moment, put on an exaggerated voice.
“Oh, what’s this?”
The little toes inside the sock twitched. Mayana held back a smile, reaching up to tickle the sole of Ariante’s foot.
“What’s this strange fruit?”
The branch rustled more. Leaves fell, and the little foot seemed to recoil as if to avoid Mayana’s touch.
“Hmm… I must pick this strange fruit and make it into a dessert for dinner. The princess will love it. Our princess is so stubborn, she won’t even look at it if it’s not a new dessert…”
“Liar!”
A sharp voice burst from between the leaves. At the same time, Ariante’s small body, holding onto a branch like a monkey, spun and came down upside down.
Mayana’s appearance might have been worth a laugh, but Ariante’s state was truly something else. The ribbon in her hair was gone, her curly blonde hair all tangled, and it fluttered in the wind because she was hanging upside down.
Whether it was from climbing the tree or not, her silk sock was torn, and there was a red scratch on her soft calf. But what caught Mayana’s eye the most was the swelling on the back of Ariante’s hand that had not yet subsided. Underneath the swollen skin, a deep red bruise was forming.
“Liar.”
Ariante spat the word at her. Mayana sighed heavily, arching her brows, and crossed her arms with a feigned stern expression.
“When have I ever lied?”
“Just did it. If it’s not a new dessert, I won’t even look at it.”
“The princess really means that.”
“No! I’m telling you, I like chocolate cake!”
Mayana frowned annoyingly.
“Well, that’s true. But if it makes you feel bad, you won’t eat it, will you? If you keep being so capricious, the chef might only make carrot cake from now on.”
Ariante’s pale face crumpled fiercely. Her body, which had been smirking with a terribly angry expression, dropped down.
“Princess!”
A surprised Mayana almost screamed, holding onto Ariante’s body. But Ariante was not completely dropped. She had only released the leg that was wrapping around the branch; her hands were still firmly gripping it.
“I hate you.”
Ariante said. Mayana held her body as if to catch her from falling, then exchanged a mischievous glance, smiling.
“Then who do you like, Princess? Mr. Kosha?”
“No!”
“Then the head butler Joslyn?”
“No!”
Mayana moved her lips hesitantly for a moment. Then, she deliberately made an astonished expression and said,
“Then could it be Mr. Bainty?”
“No! That grumpy person, no! I hate him the most!”
Ariante thrashed about. As a result, her little foot struck Mayana’s shoulder.
“Ouch!”
Mayana’s body flinched at the unexpected blow. It was not painful since she had no shoes on, and it was not kicked on purpose, but she was startled.
At the moment Mayana cried out softly, Ariante opened her eyes wide, surprised, and curled her knees. The branch shook precariously.
“I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“I know. It doesn’t hurt that much.”
“Then why did you scream?”
“I was surprised. Now, Princess. Come down. Your palms will be all torn. You know how hard tree bark gets in the summer.”
Mayana reached out and strongly embraced Ariante’s body. Ariante seemed to hesitate for a moment about whether to heed her words, but after glancing at the part of her shoulder that had been kicked, she released the branch she was holding.
“See, I knew it. You’ll have to apply medicine.”
Ariante’s palms were a mess of large and small scratches. Mayana checked for any thorns and then allowed Ariante to hold her neck.
“Hold tight. You can’t walk without shoes. Where did you leave them?”
“I threw them in the lake.”
Mayana looked at Ariante with a laugh.
“They looked like expensive shoes, you know. Shiny green satin, and even diamonds on the buckle. You threw that into the lake?”
“I don’t like wearing shoes.”
Ariante grumbled.
Mayana looked down at Ariante’s feet, swaying in her embrace.
Small feet. It was absurd to wear heels and hardbottomed shoes with such fragile feet. Mayana understood why Ariante would take off her shoes and throw them away whenever she could.
That meant she had to mend torn socks or stockings all night long, but…
“That’s good. Thanks to the princess, the fairies living at the bottom of the lake got new shoes.”
“Don’t lie. There’s nothing at the bottom of the lake.”
“No? There’s a lot under the lake. There are fish and pebbles, and also fairies. Maybe even mermaids. In the vast lake in the forest, you know.”
“Joslyn said that’s all madeup stories.”
“Head butler Joslyn said that because he doesn’t know.”
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
