In that moment, looking at Danmokbi’s face that had grown unrecognizably, the image of the boy from his childhood, thin and lonely, overlapped. I smiled weakly. Even if all my words were lies, this statement was sincere.
“I don’t hate you. How could I ever hate you, Doryeon-nim?”
Even when he was just a character in a novel, he was like an endlessly adorable child to me. And now, Danmokbi was no longer just a character from a novel to me.
‘No matter how much he does hateful things, even if he turns the whole world against him, I won’t be able to hate him.’
However, the fact that I loved him and that he had grown into a cruel person not much different from the original work was a slightly different issue. Unable to explain it in detail, I spoke to Danmokbi in a gentle tone.
“It’s just that my thoughts are complicated. Please give me some time.”
“…Okay.”
Although Danmokbi’s distorted face seemed unconvinced by my words, he soon smiled faintly and added.
“As long as you’re in front of me, I can wait.”
At his words, once again, a corner of my heart stung.
When I told Danmokbi that I wanted to be alone, he stepped back from my side. Sitting on a nearby rock, exhaling a sigh, Baekho, who had promised to stay away for a while, jumped up onto my shoulder.
“It’s itchy.”
As I smiled faintly at the sensation of his fluffy fur, Baekho began scolding me.
[Dash] Didn’t I say it wasn’t him?Baekho had never liked Danmokbi from a very long time ago. I embraced Baekho hanging on my shoulder and held him tightly in my arms. Holding the warm bundle of fur, it felt like my heart was getting warmer too.
As I tickled the bridge of his nose, Baekho made a purring sound like a cat. Despite enjoying it, he didn’t stop his mischievous scolding.
[Dash] He should have just stayed away, but he had to meet again for no reason.Because of Baekho’s tickling, we hadn’t been in contact for a long time.
‘Was I worried that I might get hurt because of Danmokbi someday?’
But even after such interference, we met again. I smiled with a refreshing smile.
“Even if we were separated this time, we would meet again someday.”
I couldn’t forget him, and he couldn’t forget me.
Given that situation, we had no choice but to meet again.
‘Is this fate?’
Starting from the moment I came to this world and stayed by Danmokbi’s side.
It was during such contemplation.
When my tickling hand stopped, Baekho tapped my back with his front paw and said.
[Dash] What are you thinking about?I let out a bitter smile.
“I thought I changed everything, but in reality, nothing might have changed.”
“But I…”
Baekho’s words were accurate, but wasn’t I a bit different? This is a fictional world, and I am the author.
Inevitably, such thoughts came to me. If I had changed my words a little, if I had written a slightly kinder and happier world, then no one would have been unhappy. That’s what I thought.
I didn’t voice my thoughts, but Baekho, as if he had read my mind, clicked his tongue.
[Dash] Break up before you get more hurt. You can go back to being someone I’ve never met.“That’s not possible.”
[Dash] Why?If only I could confidently say that it’s because I fell in love with Danmokbi.
But at this moment, my feelings were complicated. I had a dizzying mix of the obligation to watch over him until the end, believing that I had changed his fate.
Looking at me like that, Baekho scolded me with sharp eyes.
[Dash] Are you going to act out of guilt?“Well, I…”
I had to say it wasn’t like that, but I couldn’t. It wasn’t entirely untrue.
While I hesitated, Baekho, who had revealed his sharp teeth more fiercely than anything I had seen so far, spoke.
[Dash] Not knowing that it’s disrespectful to treat someone out of guilt. Treating someone with guilt means you have the arrogance to control that person’s life. Never do that.“But, Baekho-nim.”
If I hadn’t stepped forward, you would have been sealed in Danmokbi’s body. I wrote it that way. Can you not resent me even then?
‘I can’t say it like this.’
When I bit my lip and blinked away the tears pooling in my eyes, we could no longer have a quiet conversation. Suddenly, cheers echoed inside the building where we stayed.
Wondering what happened, I stood up and turned to that side. A person came out and happily announced the news.
“Danmok Chang Doryeon-nim has awakened! Please come and greet him!”
Someone who made me feel another guilt had opened their eyes.
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
