“You look paler than before. Were you busy handling affairs on behalf of Her Majesty?” I asked.
Cares’ blue veins beneath his gray eyes stood out.
“It’s the usual work.”
“Could you spare a moment?”
“Anytime for you, Elisabeth.”
Cares guided me to a comfortable chair.
The expiration date of his demonic charm had long passed, but Cares’ gaze remained warm.
“In social circles, Cares is known for being cold-blooded! I’ve never seen anyone who likes him. If you make a small mistake, he stares at you as if you were a bug,” Nisa testified, shrugging her shoulders.
In social circles, Cares’ reputation was generally similar.
‘Good at his job, but an excessively sharp man. More arrogant than the emperor himself.’
With looks and credentials like Cares, he should have attracted admirers, but even the butterflies didn’t flutter around him.
“You’ve been interested in theology. Did you go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land?”
Cares, sitting opposite me, asked.
I recalled the book Cares gave me.
‘It was a book written by the Archbishop. Where did I put it? Was it in the Prince’s Palace?’
Staring at Cares, I reviewed my memories.
I didn’t know how many times Franz had read that book, nor did I have any idea of the consequences.
“Have you seen Her Majesty?”
“I’ve been briefed on recent matters.”
“Have you heard the story that Her Majesty proposed to me?”
“She finally did.”
Cares showed no surprise.
He neither offered congratulations nor expressed any discomfort.
“He has long hoped to welcome you as the Empress. He has mentioned several times that there is no Empress as excellent as you.”
Joy and happiness welled up deep in my heart.
I didn’t want to be excessively delighted, but the corners of my mouth lifted involuntarily.
Knowing that the man I loved had cherished this thought for a long time, there would be no woman who would dislike it.
‘It was never an impulsive proposal… It was true that I thought long and hard.’
“The path won’t be easy.”
“Cares, would you be okay with me becoming the Empress?”
Cares, who was staring at me intently, teared up.
“Complicated procedures and long, tedious opposition will follow. I can’t guarantee that the wedding ceremony and Empress coronation will proceed smoothly.”
“Thank you for being honest. How about the reactions of the four major noble families?”
“Now it’s the three major families. Lord Brendan attempted a plea deal by confessing. He avoided charges of treason and aiding Rose’s escape by admitting to other charges.”
Nicolai informed me about Lord Brendan’s movements.
In exchange for admitting different charges, he avoided charges of treason and aiding Rose’s escape.
He decided to surrender illegally accumulated wealth to the state and assist in exposing the crimes of the remaining prestigious families.
But even so, the Northern Mining Expedition could not be avoided.
“You’ve been through a lot.”
“It was done by Lady Claudia. Marquis Brendan seemed unaware of the preferences of the heads of the three major noble families. It appears that he was not acknowledged even within their ranks.”
“Isn’t revealing the issue with the mercenaries a significant achievement?”
“Do you know about that too?”
Cares responded to my question with an admiring expression.
‘The unreported mercenaries were considered a conspiracy. If the heads of the noble families are colluding with the Warden Kingdom, it could lead to war. Something doesn’t feel right…’
Why did they raise mercenaries, risking such dangers?
Wasn’t the goal to make my daughter the Empress?
A sticky feeling of anxiety unsettled my stomach.
“I’ve gathered almost all the information that can be obtained with money. It was difficult beyond that.”
“So, is that why you fled from the palace?”
Cares asked.
I answered with a smile.
“Cares orchestrated a noisy pursuit force. He diverted the attention of the nobles so that Her Majesty could easily follow.”
“I’m not as clever as you.”
“No, Cares is more intelligent than anyone else. I don’t know why someone as smart as you is nurturing the seeds of turmoil.”
Cares pressed his lips together.
Although his thoughts were unclear, he looked uncomfortable.
“Why did you ask Prince Franz for a jade pendant?”
“To protect Her Majesty.”
“Did you also follow behind Her Majesty and send the villains away?”
Cares furrowed his brow as if he didn’t understand.
“What are you talking about?”
“Her Majesty was attacked at my friend’s atelier. Lord Douglas was also present.”
“No, how could that happen…!”
“Tell me honestly, Cares. What’s going on?”
“Do you suspect me?”
Cares’ gray eyes sank deep.
“Her Majesty trusts you more than anyone else. You are the only person who knows everything about the deadly nightshade and the wolf.”
“Even Her Majesty suspects me.”
Cares responded with a bitter smile.
A hint of sorrow and sadness flashed briefly.
I wished it was his sincerity and prayed it wasn’t all a misunderstanding.
Before arriving at the palace, I asked Nicolai.
“If Cares has truly betrayed, what will you do?”
“He will be executed.”
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.]
