If it’s the heart of Hartmann, does that refer to a tiara with a large ruby in the shape of a heart?
The one symbolizing the empire and the empress?
Are the prestigious empresses, rivaling the Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, Azure Dragon, and White Tiger, going to fight each other for it and give it to me?
Beyond the breathtaking sensation, a sense of absurdity overwhelmed me.
“Why do you make such a serious joke?”
“I don’t enjoy jokes, as you well know.”
“How many of these do you see?”
As if conducting an eye test, I quickly shook three fingers in front of Nicholas’s eyes.
Nicholas firmly grasped my hand, which was moving playfully.
“Don’t take it as a joke, Elizabeth.”
“How can a healthy empress say such a thing?”
“It’s a statement made after considering many aspects for a long time.”
“!”
“All considerations are over, and as soon as it ended, I chased after you.”
Nicholas looked down at me with unwavering, serene eyes.
‘He chased me to say this…?’
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Once again, all the muscles and bones surrounding my heart tightened.
I thought he was just using me.
I only knew he wanted Moracinya’s elixir.
The feeling that had always been off now finally met on a long journey.
I couldn’t doubt Nicholas’s sincerity.
As much as his earnestness for me.
“Do you believe I can truly become the empress?”
“I’ve never seen a more excellent empress than you.”
He had said something similar before.
With a true face like now.
I, too, had dreamed of becoming empress before.
I thought it was an impossible dream.
Even if I were wealthy and beautiful, the highest position I could reach was only the beloved empress.
I didn’t like that.
Even the affection from him made me nervous, and I lived in anxiety, competing with other empresses.
“Empress, become Nicholas Rop Evreux’s empress, Elizabeth.”
Taking advantage of the confusion, Nicholas drove the wedge.
The sound of the heartbeat in my temples was louder than the sound of the hoofbeats.
His fingertips were as cold as broken ice fragments.
On the other hand, his face turned as red as a ripe apple.
“Your Majesty… Are you proposing to me right now?”
Asked as if muttering, forgetting even how to breathe.
Nicholas, too, was trembling delicately.
So his words pierced even deeper.
“Of course. If this isn’t a proposal, what is it?”
In my mind, a deng-deng-deng sound echoed.
The vision of me in a wedding dress whiter than the first snow and Nicholas in a black tuxedo came up like a fantasy.
Flower petals and laughter pouring from all directions.
Could we have such a beautiful wedding?
Me and Nicholas, who were just pawns in the beginning?
“Marry me. I will give you all the wealth and glory in the world. No one will insult you. If another fool who doesn’t understand the situation comes out, I will deal with them all for contempt of the imperial family.”
Nicholas clenched his fist as if swearing an oath.
Women who received proposals usually shed tears.
Whether it was too sudden or I couldn’t grasp the reality, I’m not sure.
He blinked only his dry eyelids and bit the flesh inside his mouth.
‘Even the original Nicholas failed to make Elizabeth the empress. He faced opposition from everyone. Would it be the same in reality? If rebellion occurs due to my greed? Could the tower of accumulated achievements collapse?’
I couldn’t answer.
Because it was a decision that determined not only his and my fate but the fate of the entire empire.
In a slightly subdued voice, Nicholas spoke.
“Give time to think. Don’t make it too long.”
The emperor’s bathroom was an elegant space decorated with milky marble and golden statues.
On the indigo ceiling, the sun, moon, and constellations were painted with golden paint.
In the oversized bathtub, large enough for twenty people to bathe simultaneously, lion and mermaid sculptures spouted hot water.
Nicholas, wearing only a robe, slowly entered the bathroom.
His perfectly muscular body was revealed through the steam.
The silk gown fell casually under his feet.
Even in the bathtub, Nicholas could only think of Elizabeth.
‘I thought she would be happy. I thought she would accept right away. But Elizabeth hesitated…’
He washed his face with water warmed to the right temperature.
Water droplets fell from his wet bangs.
Was I too hasty?
Were the methods clumsy?
Was the atmosphere inappropriate?
Elizabeth’s face submerged in the water didn’t disappear.
‘No woman would want to be proposed to with a dusty saddle on a horse. Without a ring…’
The more I thought about it, the more my foolishness stood out.
A flood of regret surged like a tidal wave.
“I will fetch the bathing set, Your Majesty.”
Maidens in tunic dresses that exposed their shoulders approached silently.
Each of them was beautiful.
From their full figures to their steps, and even their gestures, everything was graceful.
Submissive fluttering eyelashes and eyes filled with respect.
If Nicholas nodded, they would gladly offer everything they had.
But none of those women could shake Nicholas’s heart.
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]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
