As Nisa wrapped my head, she turned back with a stern expression.
“Lady Elizabeth, an invitation has arrived from the harem!”
“Who sent it?”
“It might be better for you to see it in person.”
Nisa handed me a sky-blue envelope.
Freya, Sinya, and Emma were all written as senders.
‘Could it be news of the empress’s book club? It’s only Claudia and Cares who know about it…’
I recalled the rocket necklace hanging around Cares’s neck. It was undoubtedly a women’s accessory. Could Cares be colluding with one of the empresses to gather information?
Even if I thought it was an excessive idea, it felt stifling, as if I had placed a stone on my chest.
I opened the invitation scented with perfume.
Lady Elizabeth Amster is invited to a tea party. We will prepare a generous spread. We trust you will attend.
It was perhaps so monotonous that it could be considered impolite.
While anticipating my response, Nisa asked, “Will you accept the invitation?”
Smiling, I shook the invitation. “They’re offering tea and snacks for free. How can I refuse?”
“Lady Sinya, the Marchioness of Blackfold, has come to visit.”
Sinya was both pleased and anxious about her father’s sudden visit.
She reflexively checked her appearance.
She straightened the wrinkles in her skirt and neatly arranged her hair.
“Have you been well, Father?”
Sinya greeted him.
The Marquis of Blackfold didn’t even glance at his daughter. He only looked around the various piles of books in the room.
“Is your study of logic progressing well?”
Twirling his black mustache, the Marquis of Blackfold asked.
“I am establishing theories by exchanging letters with philosophers. Would you like me to show you?”
“It’s not necessary. Philosophy seems to be out of fashion; start a different study. Isn’t pharmacology popular these days?”
“I have acquired various studies at your suggestion, but… Wouldn’t it be difficult to start pharmacology with a light heart?”
“Who told you to take it lightly? Do you think you can become empress with such a half-hearted mindset?”
With an unsatisfied face, the Marquis of Blackfold rebuked her.
“If you had eyes, you would understand. You’re less attractive than Freya. If she were your sister, she would have become empress by now. She’s far more beautiful and intelligent than you.”
Sinya averted her gaze.
‘I wanted to become a scholar. The only good thing about entering the palace was that I didn’t have to compare myself to Syndi…’
The Marquis of Blackfold continued his lecture.
“Don’t just read books in the corner; groom yourself a bit. No man likes a pale and gloomy-looking girl.”
“I will make an effort.”
“Does Father have to tell me even about this? Foolish. Idiotic.”
A look of disdain passed through the eyes of the Blackfold Marquis as he looked at his daughter.
Sinya pushed the words that stung down to her throat.
‘You said that accumulating knowledge is the way to survive. Now you’re telling me to groom myself? Will Syndi really be pleased if I become the empress?’
Thinking of her jealous younger sister, Sinya bit her inner cheek.
No matter what she did, she couldn’t satisfy her father.
She couldn’t steal the love and attention focused on Syndi.
Yet, she felt resentful that she couldn’t defy her father’s orders.
“Open it.”
The Marquis of Blackfold extended a small box from his arms.
Inside the box was a rocket necklace made of gold and rubies.
The delicate craftsmanship indicated it was undoubtedly an expensive item.
“For my birthday… did you remember?”
Although her birthday had passed a week ago, joy welled up.
It was the first time her father had remembered her birthday and given her a gift.
The Marquis of Blackfold, who had raised his eyebrows for a moment, chuckled.
“Well, think whatever you want.”
“Thank you, Father. I will cherish it.”
“You should. It contains poison.”
“!”
A sinister smile flickered on the face of the Blackfold Marquis.
The necklace slipped from Sinya’s hand as a severe rebuke was hurled at her.
“Oh! What if the poison leaks out? What are you going to do?”
“But… using poison was the first and last time back then…”
“It was good that you used poison on the crown prince. Even though it failed, sometimes not getting caught is enough.”
She received the praise she had longed for, but she felt no joy.
The forgotten fear struck her heart.
‘If it becomes known that I am behind the poisoning incident… I’ll be sent to the gallows, not the Ice Tower. Father will turn away from me.’
Sinya hid her trembling hand behind her back, hoping her father wouldn’t notice.
She had no intention of harming the young crown prince.
Growing up lonely without a mother, the young crown prince had always been pitiful.
The Marquis of Blackfold affectionately caressed Sinya with a tender touch.
Sinya couldn’t push away that touch.
“Good girl, Sinya. The person who needs to be poisoned this time is…”
It seemed like sleep wouldn’t come.
Hugging the pillow, I tossed and turned, but it was futile.
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
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