“Yes, you can put me down now.”
“Aww, you’re light. Bear with it a bit longer. My brother will wrap things up soon.”
As Felice predicted, Roderick was single-handedly defeating a crocodile-like monster.
That’s when Noel, who had been quietly nestled in Diana’s arms, suddenly reached out.
“Uncle, the bag!”
Whether the burning meteorite exposed the bag or not, the partially burnt bag fell to the ground.
Simultaneously, all its contents spilled out.
Thump.
Ancient stone tablets and a cluster of magic stones began emitting ominous magic power.
Her heart raced uneasily.
It wasn’t the curse that was her remedy. It was a fundamentally different curse.
The stone tablets and magic stone cluster glowed red on the ground, exuding a sinister aura toxic to those with a curse.
She instinctively knew it. Roderick was in danger.
“Put me down, please.”
“No, wait, sister-in-law.”
“Move.”
Before he could respond, Diana handed Noel over and jumped down from the tree, landing safely. She quickly turned her attention to Roderick.
“Roderick!”
As expected, the malignant energy rapidly engulfed Roderick.
His breathing roughened, and a red madness filled his eyes. The uncontrolled Roderick growled like a beast.
“Form ranks!”
The knights readied their swords. Roderick stood at the tip of their blades.
The explosive malice froze the knights, readying them for a life-or-death battle.
With menacing eyes tearing at everything in front of him, no one dared to approach.
“Captain.”
Daren, sweating profusely, signaled Diana to keep her distance.
“Stay back, my lady.”
Roderick was glaring at her with bloodshot eyes, having spotted the weakest target.
“How long can we hold out?”
They were only managing to fend him off. They had to stop him, even if it meant harming their lord.
To prevent him from self-destructing. Their lives were secondary.
“We won’t last more than a few minutes, three at most.”
“Alright. Just one clash. Hold him off until I approach.”
“What do you mean by…!”
As Diana moved, Roderick reacted. The knights simultaneously charged at him.
Swords clashed, sparking in the heat of battle. Even in his lost state, Roderick’s swordsmanship was superior.
He single-handedly countered six swords with his skill and strength.
The knights, struggling to withstand his attacks, failed to inflict any wounds on Roderick. Instead, they were getting severely battered.
Every second was precious.
Diana quickly shed her heavy outer garment to lighten herself.
Her whole body was throbbing with tension. Free of the coat, she gripped a dagger and sprinted towards Roderick.
“Sir Daren!”
In one clash, as she shouted, six knights lunged in. Roderick, losing patience, unleashed his sword energy, hurling them in all directions.
In that brief moment when they were flung away, she raised her hand high, protecting her neck with the dagger.
With a loud noise that echoed throughout the forest, Roderick’s head turned with the immense force of the blow.
Everyone was frozen, staring at Diana.
Her pink eyes quickly noticed the sword aimed at her neck. Fortunately, she had blocked it with her dagger.
In the momentary pause of Roderick’s movements, she knocked away his sword and pulled him close, crashing her lips against his.
No, she bit his lips.
The taste of blood. The direct taste of blood subdued the existing madness and calmed it.
She sucked in the curse through slightly parted lips.
“Haah.”
The raging curse thrashed inside her mouth.
Startled by the sensation, Roderick tensed up, then dropped his sword and leaned into her.
The murderous rage seemed to transform into desire.
The prolonged kiss deepened in intensity.
She continued to draw in the curse as much as she could. The foreign curse felt like it was refluxing, not being absorbed into her body.
“Mi-, my lady?”
Roderick’s eyelids fluttered as his consciousness returned. His voice scattered between their lips, and she slightly released him.
“Haah. Haah.”
Looking into his focused blue eyes, Diana gave a weak smile. Her words slipped out without passing through her mind.
“Haah. Do you know?”
Blood trickled from her nose.
“You’re such high-maintenance, you know.”
The warm liquid ran down her lips, and she wiped it off with the back of her hand, frowning.
“Ah.”
“My lady?”
“It hurts.”
And with that, she collapsed backward.
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
