Oh No, I Possessed a Male Character! (13 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 8
Klaus spoke calmly.
“First, I thank the Duke for his exemplary initiative. However, arbitrarily taking on double the required burden might set an awkward precedent for others should a similar situation arise in the future.”
He looked meaningfully at Mecklinger.
“Therefore, as a principle, each house shall bear an equal share, but those with means may voluntarily contribute any additional amount they wish. The Imperial House will duly acknowledge such generosity with appropriate gratitude. Is this compromise acceptable to all?”
For noble houses, an imperial commendation carried considerable honor. The Duke and other ministers of state bowed their heads in unison.
“We shall follow Your Highness’s decree.”
I inwardly marveled.
Klaus had proven himself no less adept than a seasoned statesman. Before so many ministers, he had confidently presented a compromise everyone could agree upon without faltering.
Truly, the romance novel’s male lead—more captivating the closer I looked.
After the council meeting concluded, I followed Klaus back to the room.
“Huuu…”
Klaus sank deeply into the sofa, his face weary. The Head Steward swiftly prepared and placed before him a revitalizing tea.
“Muzel. Sit for a moment.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
I moved to the seat opposite Klaus. Predictably, a fragrant cup of tea also appeared before me. I gave the Head Steward a grateful nod.
At Klaus’s gesture, the Head Steward set down the teapot and left the room.
Soon, we were alone.
“I’d like to hear your impressions of observing the council meeting.”
Strangely, his voice lacked strength. He truly must have been exhausted.
Feeling it impolite to be overly blunt at once, I chose a diplomatic phrasing.
“Your Highness and the ministers governed state affairs through thoughtful discussion—it left a deep impression on me.”
“Are you mocking me?”
Klaus pressed his long fingers firmly against his forehead.
“Muzel. I won’t reproach you—just speak honestly.”
“Are you certain that’s acceptable?”
I asked cautiously. When a superior requests your opinion, prudence is always the wisest course.
Klaus lowered his hand from his brow and fixed his mysterious violet eyes directly on me.
“Yes. Strip away all pretense—tell me exactly what you felt and thought.”
His firmness put me at ease.
“I sensed factional infighting. More precisely, opposition for opposition’s sake.”
Klaus stared at me silently for a moment before replying slowly.
“…Go on.”
“At first glance, Duke Mecklinger appeared utterly loyal to the Imperial House, yet his intentions seemed otherwise—and he made no effort to conceal them.”
“What do you suppose is the Duke’s true motive?”
“He seems to ultimately seek superiority over the Imperial House. Though I don’t believe this necessarily implies rebellion—rather, he simply expects the Imperial House to obediently heed his counsel.”
“What leads you to that conclusion?”
Oh no. The more I answered, the more questions Klaus kept asking. His pressure was relentless.
Hiding my tension, I spoke again.
“It stems from his proposal today. Had Your Highness accepted the Duke’s amendment, the matter would have effectively proceeded according to his will. The nobles would unconsciously begin to regard the Duke’s authority as surpassing yours.”
I lowered my head after finishing.
“I apologize if my words came across as overly blunt. Please consider them the impetuousness of a newly appointed aide.”
“…”
I felt Klaus’s gaze. He hadn’t looked away from me since earlier.
What now?
After a brief silence, he finally spoke.
“You observed only a single council meeting, yet your insight is far sharper than I expected, Muzel.”
Relief washed over me—he didn’t seem displeased.
“No need to apologize. Didn’t I say from the start that I wouldn’t reproach you?”
Only then did I slowly raise my head. The corner of Klaus’s lips curled faintly.
“You weren’t far off in your observations. But I actually consider this state of affairs quite desirable.”
“Huh?”
I was puzzled. Was he saying it was desirable that Duke Mecklinger and his followers postured so arrogantly while vying for power with Klaus?
Klaus crossed his long legs and rested his clasped hands upon his knee.
“Do you understand the nature of politics?”
“To be honest, I don’t know much about it.”
“Hmm, that’s understandable. You’ve only just entered the palace.”
Klaus tilted his head slightly—the posture he adopted when most at ease.
“Absolute imperial authority, untouchable by anyone, isn’t always right. As you once said yourself, even an Emperor is but an imperfect human being.”
He remembered my words—just a little touching.
But then Klaus suddenly smiled, and my heart skipped a beat.
“The Imperial House and the nobility must cooperate while keeping each other in check. Even opposition for opposition’s sake provides a necessary safety valve—a way to prevent greater backlash.”
“I see.”
“Once both sides recognize the other is willing to listen, rational discussion becomes possible. Politics is no different from human relationships—it’s ultimately conducted by people.”
Though their discussion had involved raised voices, perhaps that too was a way of signaling, “I’m no pushover,” which was understandable enough.
Recognizing we couldn’t simply impose our will meant we’d be more inclined to hear the other side’s arguments at least once.
“Muzel.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Klaus’s tone softened considerably.
“To be honest, I don’t desire absolute, unchecked power. Such a ruler is called a tyrant.”
Or a dictator, for that matter. I nodded.
A tyrant was never a romantic figure.
In romance novels, tyrants are often portrayed as powerfully protecting their beloved in a romantic light—but reality was far from that.
A more accurate description would be someone who ruined a nation for the sake of a woman.
Yet, frankly, as a novel reader, I had to admit tyrants were undeniably alluring—after all, everyone bowed obediently to our male lead without a word of protest.
With that thought, I casually tossed out a line to Klaus.
“Yet, as your aide, I can’t help but wish no one dared oppose Your Highness.”
“Haha, then I should thank you for being so firmly on my side.”
His smiling face made my heart melt into liquid. He really was unfairly blessed—my mind went completely blank.
“From my perspective as a politician, chaotic scenes like today’s council meeting are something I must endure. But I also clearly need allies like you, who stand unwaveringly by my side.”
“Thank you…”
My voice trailed off. Had he just said he needed me?
Klaus gave a faint smile.
“I’m the one who should thank you. It’s rare to gain such a capable aide. I look forward to working with you, Muzel.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
So this was how the romance novel’s male lead tamed his characters—utterly ensnaring hearts with seemingly effortless charm.
Since our conversation had come to an end, I bowed lightly and returned to my seat.
“…”
My head felt foggy. Had I stared at Klaus for too long?
Needing to clear my thoughts, I shook my head briskly.
[This is the timeline separator]Lumi’s reply to my telegram arrived only after several days. A messenger boy, making his rounds through the servants’ quarters, slipped the telegram through the crack under my door.
I quickly opened the envelope.
“Haa…”
I sighed involuntarily at the terse message.
Seriously, she reincarnated as the daughter of a wealthy family—couldn’t she be a bit more detailed? Why not clearly specify the exact time and place? It wouldn’t bankrupt her to add a few more lines.
Ever since reincarnating as Princess Elfride, her behavior had genuinely taken on the airs of a haughty noblewoman.
Then again, it was understandable. When everyone constantly fawns over you as “Your Highness,” it’s odd if you don’t internalize it.
But that treatment applied only within this novel’s world. Between Lumi and me, we remained ordinary friends. There was absolutely no reason for me to bow to her.
“Tch.”
Honestly, I felt uneasy.
I recalled how she’d shouted at me in the greenhouse, demanding I never call her “Lumi” again. Did she really claim to possess the Empire’s most noble bloodline? It was utterly absurd.
“…”
Yet, part of me also felt Lumi deserved some breathing room. She was happily living her new life as a novel character—why shatter her illusion with harsh reality?
Perhaps, for her mental well-being, it was better to humor her for now until she found some stability.
I needed to remain level-headed. I couldn’t let my own composure waver because Lumi was emotionally unstable. She wasn’t herself at the moment—I had to be understanding.
Formally, even the Crown Prince’s aide was granted scheduled days off. But like certain roles requiring constant readiness for emergencies, I couldn’t truly relax even on my designated holiday.
My quarters were within the Crown Prince’s palace, and as his closest aide, I had to respond immediately whenever summoned. Thus, on days like today when I needed to make a long trip outside, I naturally felt a bit wary.
But there was no helping it. I’d just have to quietly inform the Head Steward and slip out for a bit.
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]
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Waiting for rumi to either mature up for once or to just get out of the picture 🫠
Waiting for rumi to either mature up for once or to just get out of the picture 🫠
“If he had never learned that Muzel was a woman, he might have mistaken it for deep friendship”
I had this thought, and this semi confirmed it for me: Klaus seems to like Muzel no matter the gender. He maybe bi, but it maybe only for Muzel. Like Shang from Disney’s Mulan