Franz’s green eyes sparkled.
If he studied with that kind of enthusiasm, he’d be the best in the nation.
What will our child grow up to be?
“An emperor who charges into enemy lines to save his lover. So cool!”
“Enemy lines? Is there a war?”
“It’s like a romance novel’s protagonist. I get why the people are excited.”
“Aren’t there any rumors that I, a tyrant enamored with a villainess, am causing a ruckus?”
“Why would there be? You’ve only punished criminals. If anything, there’s a rising tide of public sympathy for Elizabeth.”
Franz spoke proudly as if he had created that public opinion.
Everything was going according to plan so far.
As my wounds began to heal, I called Owen and Douglas.
“I subtly asked the two to spread the news. If rumors were going to circulate, they needed to be in my favor.”
People loved Cinderella.
They were also interested in the private lives of the upper classes.
If the emperor, believed to be above all, loved a commoner woman?
And if that commoner woman was oppressed by the nobility?
Douglas turned the story into a heartbreaking love story.
Owen, who had lived as an escaped convict, knew many people in back alleys and slums.
Those places were sensitive to rumors and stories.
Thanks to Douglas and Owen, I had completely escaped the villainess character.
Being known as “The Emperor’s Lover” was a bit awkward, but it was a small price to pay for my objective.
“Will there be an opera if Elizabeth gets kidnapped again?”
“Is that what you say to your teacher who almost died?”
“You should have taken me with you!”
“So you want to be kidnapped too?”
“I would have stopped the kidnappers. I’m very observant.”
“Sure, whatever. His observant Highness would have protected me.”
I pinched Franz’s chubby cheek.
Franz whimpered.
“Don’t worry me! When Elizabeth is gone, I can’t focus on my studies.”
“Ah. So you haven’t done your homework?”
“…….”
“Franz. Do you know what this is?”
I raised a stack of letters from the desk.
Franz awkwardly averted his eyes.
“These are petitions from professors saying that the Crown Prince’s classroom attitude is the worst!”
“I can hear you without you yelling. Isn’t that not elegant?”
“Will you come to your senses if dealt with elegantly?”
“Ah, the Red Wolf has appeared!”
Franz ran into the corner of the room.
To catch Franz, I lifted the cumbersome hem of my dress.
That’s when a servant knocked on the door.
“Elizabeth, His Majesty requests your presence in the royal chamber immediately.”
(Here is a time marker.)
At the end of the carpet of red velvet, a golden throne was placed.
Nikolai, seated on the throne, crossed his long, slender legs.
Beneath him, Duke Brendon and Simon bowed their heads.
‘Those guys won’t behave. Thanks to Susan’s special ointment, my wounds are almost healed.’
Nikolai reflexively touched his forehead.
Deep wrinkles etched as if carved by a knife.
It meant he was very uncomfortable.
“Regrettably, an unfortunate incident has occurred. However, we can’t wait any longer.”
Duke Brendon spoke with dissatisfaction.
Nikolai asked,
“What’s so urgent?”
“The honor of Duke Brendon has hit rock bottom. Rumor has it that you’ve been swindled by a mere commoner woman and staked your entire fortune.”
Duke Brendon’s voice rose, his jowls shaking.
I was the one who had spread that rumor.
‘He must be flustered thinking about gobbling up my fortune. The rumor of defeat even before fighting must have disturbed him.’
I hoped he would be flustered and excited.
The more so, the better for me.
“Please calm down, Father. His Majesty the Emperor is safe.”
Simon politely restrained his father.
Duke Brendon grabbed his son’s hands.
“Simon! We must wash away this shame as soon as possible. If you win, these foolish rumors will disappear!”
“How can a knight fight against a frail woman?”
“What are you saying, Simon!”
Duke Brendon asked, almost theatrically.
Apparently, a script had been written, but the acting was terrible.
Simon’s lines were somewhat tolerable.
“It was an impossible bet from the start.”
“Explain in detail what you mean!”
“If I were to cross swords with that woman, I’d be ridiculed as a coward. If I compete in sewing, I’d be a laughingstock. Elizabeth has put me in a position where I can neither do this nor that.”
“Are you saying you proposed a bet we could only lose? Isn’t that fraud!”
Duke Brendon looked up at Nikolai, his face full of bravado.
Nikolai was stonefaced.
He didn’t even look in my direction.
It seemed he was observing the situation as a third party.
I had asked for his judgment, but I was skeptical.
He was not the type to sit quietly.
“Did you think we would fall for your scheme?”
Duke Brendon shot me a triumphant look.
I met his gaze and smiled.
“The fact that this bet is disadvantageous for Duke Brendon is true.”
“Finally confessing, aren’t you!”
“What would you like me to do, Duke?”
“Since you’ve deceived and tarnished the honor of our family, pay compensation!”
What? His ultimate goal is money?
How transparent.
“How much do you want?”
“Hand over half of the Emster estate. I will graciously forgive you.”
“That’s not a very generous amount.”
“Did you think belittling a noble family was a light crime? You should have known better than to use cheap tricks!”
Duke Brendon, as if already sitting on a pile of money, raised his nose.
Simon attempted to scold me.
“Be thankful there’s a way to earn forgiveness.”
What’s so fortunate?
Acting like a dog with its tail between its legs.
“Fortunate for Sir Simon, perhaps. You can run away from the shame of defeat.”
“You talk back till the end.”
“I feel like I’m facing a common mugger.”
“A common mugger?”
“You’re trying to seize my property with just a few words, aren’t you? Kidnapping and blackmail… it’s hard being of low social standing.”
“You’re comparing me to a criminal?”
“If you don’t like it, then fight fair and square. What will you do? A knight who only looks at his father’s face?”
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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