Princess Lilybet, who had become the Emperor’s first dance partner, internally rejoiced at her luck.
Her name was originally first on the list, surely chosen by the Emperor. But due to Rosa’s betrayal, Arabel’s dance shoe heel broke, and with her injured ankle, she had to forfeit the dance.
The first dance partner of the Emperor was now her, determined by the order of the families. She was determined to captivate his heart and be chosen as the final dance partner.
Fluttering her fan-like silver eyelashes enticingly, she deliberately bit her lower lip to reveal her white teeth, trying to appear shy.
The Emperor’s red lips curved into a smile at the sight of the beautiful Princess Lilybet.
As the Emperor approached, the Princess grasped the hem of her dress with both hands and curtsied. Her stunning beauty, like a fully bloomed rose, was unparalleled among the candidates.
The Empress Dowager and her entourage exchanged satisfied glances, twinkling with approval. They were confident that even the stoic Emperor could not resist the allure of the woman before him.
From behind the other ladies, Arabel watched the Emperor descending the stairs towards Princess Lilybet. Seeing him smile at the Princess, it was not her ankle but her heart that ached sharply.
Unable to bear watching any longer, Arabel bowed her head and shrank behind the other ladies.
The Emperor’s gaze, leisurely scanning the hall, momentarily lingered on a small figure amidst the ladies, but quickly moved to Lilybet.
The moment the Emperor’s foot hit the last step of the staircase, his legs entangled unexpectedly, and,
Squeak.
His feet slipped, and,
Thud!
The Emperor’s body lurched forward, nearly falling to the marble floor.
He managed to regain his balance, narrowly avoiding a fall, but the mere wobble was enough to momentarily stop everyone’s breath.
The hushed room suddenly erupted into commotion.
“Your Majesty!”
“Are you alright, Your Majesty?”
“Call the physician immediately!”
“Lean on my shoulder.”
The Emperor’s guards quickly surrounded and protected him as he nearly stumbled, a rare sight of disarray for the usually composed ruler.
“I’m fine.”
His firm voice emanated from within the protective circle of the guards.
“Just slipped on the slippery staircase.”
“Thank goodness,” Commander Jacob exhaled in relief as the Emperor patted his shoulder and stepped forward.
“Ugh…!”
As the Emperor put weight on his foot, a pained groan escaped his lips. Commander Jacob quickly supported him, asking,
“Are you hurt?”
“My ankle seems a bit sprained.”
“We must call the physician immediately. Please sit down for now.”
The Emperor limped slightly, leaning on Jacob, and sat on the throne.
The physician, who hurriedly arrived and examined the Emperor, reported,
“The injury isn’t serious, but it seems the ankle is strained. Dancing today would be too strenuous, Your Majesty.”
At the physician’s words, the Emperor frowned, looking at Princess Lilybet and the other candidates waiting in front of him, displaying a regretful expression.
“Regrettably, it seems I must postpone the dance with the candidates to another day. But this is a banquet for you all, so do not worry and enjoy yourselves.”
Leaving the guests in a state of shock and confusion, the Emperor departed the banquet hall to treat his injury.
As the Emperor disappeared, the guests began to buzz with speculation and chatter.
“What just happened?”
“Does this mean there will be no individual time between His Majesty and the ladies until the competition?”
“He hasn’t visited the annex even once so far.”
“I rode day and night for three days to deliver the sapphire necklace this dawn for today’s dance…”
“My daughter starved herself for a week just to fit into her dress.”
“At least it’s comforting that His Majesty didn’t dance with anyone.”
“That’s true.”
As the royal banquet manager signaled the band leader, the dazed conductor snapped back to reality, picked up his baton, and stood up. Bright and lively woodwind melodies began to fill the hall, bringing life back to the banquet.
Princess Lilybet, having lost her first dance opportunity with the Emperor right before her eyes, bit the inside of her cheek to suppress her anger.
Grace, who was confident in winning the Emperor’s heart with her extensive knowledge, momentarily contorted her face in disappointment.
The families of the ladies, filled with disappointment, tried to console them while also keeping an eye on the competition.
Standing in a corner of the hall with a throbbing ankle, Arabel soon realized the whispers around her were about her. The demeaning words endlessly flowed out from behind the elegant lips of the nobles.
“They deliberately gathered around her, speaking loudly as if they wanted her to hear. The nobles, already informed about her fallen family, spoke carelessly about her.”
“How did she catch the Emperor’s eye? She’s neither pretty nor has a great figure.”
“Isn’t it obvious? Catching a man’s heart isn’t just about looks, doesn’t Lady Stoppi know?”
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
