I was proud and pleased to see that Douglas had grown one step.
“You seem to have broader shoulders now.”
“I’m still far from His Majesty.”
“Excuse me?”
“My goal is to have a robust body worthy of His Majesty.”
On the day of offering sacrifices, Douglas was overwhelmed by Nikolai.
He showed his own determination against the emperor but must have felt his powerlessness to the bone.
There was no doubt that Nikolai had influenced him, just as I had ignited Douglas’s creativity.
‘Douglas’s awakening. I wonder what effect this will have in the future.’
Moreover, with Nikolai as a role model.
Isn’t the hurdle too high?
I remembered the picturesque upper body I saw on the terrace of Kensing mansion.
The chest muscles of perfect shape, hammered thousands of times like armor.
The steeply cut abs.
I hadn’t seen many men’s bodies, but I was sure there was no man with a more beautiful body than Nikolai.
‘He’s so handsome, and his body is like that, so women won’t leave him alone. I should have looked more closely if I had known…’
I was inwardly drooling.
Nikolai of Banla coming close would be quite burdensome and awkward.
But that would never happen.
What Nikolai wanted was not a onenight infatuation, but an actress to his taste.
His zeal in the game of temptation was also a mere hobby and stubbornness.
I also took advantage of him, but each time, my heart tightened uncomfortably, as if wearing a whalebone corset.
“It’s just the gift I needed. I got hooked on the greasy palace food.”
I deliberately shifted my gaze to the bottle of pepper.
Just imagining the spicy taste made my mouth water.
“You shouldn’t eat too much at once. Be careful, Elizabeth.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m more grateful that you’re pleased.”
Despite hearing vulgar words from the emperor and having his only younger sister’s safety threatened, Douglas was consistent.
He was overjoyed as if he owned the world with just one word from me.
He responded to the call of the tyrant and entered the perilous palace.
Grateful to see me again.
‘Playing with such a kind and transparent man. You deserve a hard time, Elizabeth.’
I had the means to casually purchase a pepper farm, but sometimes I needed someone who would think of me sincerely rather than money.
Having someone like that by my side was reassuring.
Douglas was too good of a man for me, who was busy thinking about survival.
I couldn’t accept his love. I didn’t know how to repay it.
‘Might I be using Douglas’s goodwill like the original Elizabeth?’
I didn’t want to use Douglas, but I didn’t want to be apart from him forever either.
If Douglas left, my daily life would become lonelier and harder.
Is it impossible to become good friends with a former fiancé?
I was exerting selfishness under the pretext of clumsiness and circumstances.
I was also taken aback by the duplicity I discovered for the first time.
Realizing for the first time that loving someone is as difficult as receiving someone’s love.
What should I say and how should I say it?
It’s not like we’re dating right away.
“I wanted to buy Elizabeth a gift with the money I received.”
“Thank you for thinking of me.”
“I actually wanted to buy precious metals like necklaces or earrings, but Susan stopped me. She said I couldn’t match Elizabeth’s taste with my abilities.”
“Tastes change too. These days, doing nothing is the most comfortable.”
The original Elizabeth’s jewelry collection was moved to the Canary Room, but I didn’t even wear a common pendant.
There was no place to go out and dress up, and there was no one I wanted to show off to.
“If you show off your money too much, you might become a target for thieves. But I’m just not wearing it because it’s a hassle.”
“You’ve changed a lot.”
Douglas, who was staring at me absently, said again.
I hid my flustered expression and smiled seductively.
“Because I came back from the dead.”
“The old Elizabeth was very charming, but the current Elizabeth is truly wonderful to anyone’s eyes.”
Thinking it was too direct, Douglas blushed.
My face also flushed hotly.
Douglas poured oil on the fire.
“Can I take courage in what you said about your changing taste?”
“What?”
“As Elizabeth knows, I’m a foolish and frustrating man.”
An oppressive silence arrived.
The air surrounding us heated up.
I couldn’t help but know what he was saying.
What should I do? Is there no way to reject without hurting?
Knock. Fortunately or unfortunately, a knock sounded.
Franz’s weary face peeked through the door.
“Miss Elizabeth, how much longer do I have to wait?”
“Weren’t you resting today?”
“I’m fine.”
“Just a moment. I’ll be right there.”
I had momentarily forgotten that I was the Crown Prince’s educational officer.
“I apologize for taking your time.”
“No, thank you for the peppers. I’ll enjoy them.”
“I’ll give you a better gift next time. Please accept it then.”
Douglas’s eyes moistened strangely.
He was still polite, but the unique hesitation of a good man was gone.
Sweat gathered in my palm.
‘Nikolai said he’s a role model… Douglas has changed!’
My heart pounded rapidly.
It felt like something was about to explode if I left it alone.
Like women who have no experience in love and are not used to dealing with the opposite sex, I awkwardly evaded.
“Where did you buy the peppers? I want to contact them later.”
“I got them through a friend. That friend also likes spicy things.”
“That’s peculiar. Who’s your friend?”
“It’s Lieutenant Claudia Roserice, stationed in the Inted Archipelago.”
“!”
The nightmare of the guillotine that tormented me the night before was vividly reproduced.
Surprises come when you let your guard down.
Despair emerges by trampling hope.
Douglas would not know how shocked I was at this moment.
An innocent suitor, stabbing a knife into my back without malice.
He pulled out the invisible blade once again.
“Shall I introduce you? Somehow, I feel like you two are destined to meet.”
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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