King Sermo felt his mouth go dry. Even while sitting, he felt dizzy as if falling off a cliff.
The attempted kidnapping and murder of Princess Litania.
It was something he had forgotten about, as more than a year had already passed.
At the time, Ververbium had learned that the kidnappers were foreigners, but without discovering who had commissioned them, they were executed.
No, they probably weren’t really unaware. It’s just that the evidence was weak, and to press the issue of kidnapping and pressure another country, the Ververbium Emperor’s condition was too serious at the time.
So they must have let it go.
The fact that Princess Litania was of humble birth and adopted must have been a reason too.
‘But why now?’
King Sermo studied Orbis’s expression. He didn’t seem to be angry. After divorcing Princess Litania, there didn’t appear to be any emotional lingering between the two.
“You seem to misunderstand, but that matter has nothing to do with us in Sermo.”
“Nothing to do with it?”
“That’s right. The Emperor of Ververbium at the time also acknowledged this.”
The Emperor never acknowledged such a thing. But how could one know about a person already dead? Since it was true there had been no conflict or pressure over the incident, King Sermo brazenly denied it.
“Certainly, it wasn’t Sermo but the neighboring country Rumor that first raised the issue.”
“…Pardon?”
“The specific kidnapping plot was devised by the Difamo Duchy beyond that.”
“…”
“They will be held accountable as well. So it’s best not to think about avoiding responsibility.”
King Sermo felt dizzy.
The divine dragon knows about matters secretly exchanged between the rulers of three countries.
How is that possible when even a divine dragon doesn’t have eyes floating in the air?
“No, how did you…”
“At the time, the Emperor of Ververbium was too ill to interrogate the kidnappers.”
“…”
“Who do you think interrogated them?”
Orbis’s voice was still leisurely. There was not the slightest hint of anger at lies or deception in his tone.
That’s why it evoked even more fear.
It felt as if something vast and lofty, incomprehensible to human reason, was looking down upon him.
“I, I…”
King Sermo couldn’t collect his thoughts.
If it was the divine dragon who interrogated the kidnappers and uncovered the truth, he couldn’t get by with clumsy excuses.
King Sermo quickly racked his brain. The divine dragon wasn’t angry. He probably didn’t think kidnapping the bride was an act of deception against him.
‘Then demanding accountability now is likely at the request of the new Ververbium Emperor, not the divine dragon’s will.’
Thinking thoughts that would make Emperor Ferus foam at the mouth and collapse if he heard them, King Sermo stroked his long beard.
‘They needed a pretext to suppress the border dispute. So I just need to give them what they want.’
If war broke out now, Sermo would be hit hard too. Taking a step back wasn’t necessarily a loss.
“There’s no room for excuse. As the ruler of a country, I offer my apologies to Princess Litania.”
Orbis’s eyebrow twitched upward.
“Apologizing with words doesn’t seem fitting for a country’s ruler.”
“Of course, I intend to offer compensation. I promise to give Princess Litania Sermo’s rare gems and silk as an apology.”
Orbis’s gaze, which had been on King Sermo, turned to Princess Litania beside him.
The pitiful young lady, like a rose that bloomed out of season and froze, unexpectedly spoke with a bold face.
“It’s not enough.”
“I’ll add honey and spices too.”
“And?”
“…I’ll send 30 sheep and goats each.”
“No. It’s still not enough.”
She’s of humble birth, but she sure knows how to be greedy and doesn’t know how to refuse. King Sermo frowned, then realizing the divine dragon was standing in front of him, quickly smoothed his expression.
“Then what further compensation does Princess Litania desire?”
“Withdraw the Sermo troops stationed at the Ververbium border.”
King Sermo hiccupped.
“Princess Litania. That is difficult.”
“Didn’t you say you would compensate?”
“That’s why the gems and silk…”
“Your Majesty said you would apologize as a ruler. Anyone with money can obtain silk, gems, honey, and spices. So, I want compensation that only a country’s ruler can provide.”
“Huh…”
“As the princess of Ververbium, that is.”
He had intended to compensate her for personal harm suffered, but this brazen princess was now treating this as a diplomatic issue.
“But Princess Litania. Withdrawing troops from the border is an unreasonable demand. In the current situation where conflicts between our two countries are unending…”
“The reason you can’t withdraw troops isn’t because of the conflict with Ververbium, but because of the neighboring countries Rumor and Difamo, right?”
“…Pardon?”
“Our next destination is Rumor, and after that, Difamo.”
The pink eyes beneath her neat brown bangs narrowed.
“I think Your Majesty understands.”
“…”
Litania’s point was accurate. The reason Sermo Kingdom stationed troops at the border was to prevent other countries from seizing the opportunity to encroach on Ververbium.
‘If they visit Rumor and Difamo too, other countries will find it difficult to invade Ververbium anyway.’
It means they won’t fall behind by retreating temporarily and looking for the next opportunity.
Just retreat for now, and look for the next chance.
King Sermo looked down at Litania while stroking his beard.
‘I heard she was of humble birth and didn’t receive proper education.’
She wasn’t intimidated at all in front of the king. She couldn’t be like that without the certainty that the divine dragon beside her was on her side.
‘She said she came by the Emperor’s order. It seems that young Emperor has thoroughly persuaded the princess and the divine dragon.’
King Sermo didn’t know that the very thought of getting close to the divine dragon, even if it meant being roasted by dragon’s breath, was something Emperor Ferus would never consider.
“Very well. I’ll withdraw 80% of the troops stationed at the border.”
Having judged that avoiding the situation was the priority for now, King Sermo showed the white flag.
“No.”
Litania pulled out that white flag.
“Withdraw all of them.”
[This is the timeline separator]The guest bedroom in the Sermo Palace was a lavish place decorated entirely in gold. In the center of the bedroom was a steaming bathtub, with several pots of tropical plants lined up beside it.
Beyond the translucent curtains were a long bamboo chair and stool, and beyond that, oddly enough, was a bed made of jet-black stone.
In the hot climate of Sermo, windows were opened on both sides of the spacious room, with bamboo slats cut into decorative shapes to prevent the inside from being visible from outside.
Beyond the overlay decorated with flower and butterfly shapes, the red sunset was pouring out thread-like rays of light.
Though she had never been on an overseas trip, Litania thought this might be what an Islamic temple looks like.
Litania looked around the room curiously, then approached the bathtub.
Like the bed, the bathtub made of jet-black natural stone was in the shape of a large hexagon, with white marble carvings symbolizing lotus flowers at each corner of the tub.
“Even with a hot bath in the center of the room, it’s not humid.”
“That’s because the air flow is well-designed.”
Litania’s body stiffened at the voice coming from beyond the curtain.
As she quickly moved away from the tub, the curtain was drawn back and Orbis entered.
“Oh, Orbis? Your room is next door…”
“I thought it would be better if we shared a room.”
“What do you mean?”
I thought he was reflecting, but is he changing his attitude at the first opportunity? Litania backed away with a serious expression.
“We’re not a couple anymore!”
“But we’re still friends, aren’t we?”
“…Pardon?”
“Aren’t we?”
Orbis brushed back his long blonde hair. The buttons that had been fastened up to his neck when meeting the king were now loosely undone.
“Emperor Ferus… announced our divorce, so we are no longer a couple. You said my love was terrible, so we’re not lovers either. But you didn’t say we should stop being friends.”
“That’s, now…”
“As a friend, and as Ververbium’s guardian dragon, isn’t it natural for me to protect you?”
Orbis tilted his head slightly.
“This is enemy territory, Litania.”
“…Surely King Sermo wouldn’t try to harm me now? You’re here as an honored guest too.”
“He could at least try.”
Orbis raised the fist he had been holding still, then opened his hand.
With a rustle, black fragments like glass shards fell.
“Orbis. That’s…”
“Communication stones. They have the property of gathering and transmitting surrounding sounds.”
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, Sermo was also famous for its magic stones.
I had forgotten because the magic in this world wasn’t particularly powerful, but even if real-time conversation was impossible, it was possible to eavesdrop on distant sounds one-way.
“For your safety, I thought it would be better to show our friendship to some extent.”
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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