“Now, let me ask you something.”
“What is it……?”
“If I propose to you, what will you say?”
“……Yes?”
A proposal? Was she hearing things?
As Lina stumbled for a response, uttering ‘umm’, ‘ah’, Valige’s lips curved into a smirk.
“Answer later, go wash up now. I’ll wait.”
Thud[Dash].
Somehow, she had made it to the bathroom. Lina immersed herself in the tub, mulling over Valige’s words.
“A proposal, is he serious……?”
And.
[Go wash up quickly. I’ll wait.]A sudden, embarrassing thought caused her to splash about, water overflowing all around.
It was as if something was floating in the sky.
Lina placed her hand over her fluttering heart and exhaled.
‘If the Duke’s words are sincere.’
Lina leaned back in the tub, closing her eyes quietly.
To live a normal life, love like others, have that person’s child, grow old together and lead a peaceful life until closing her eyes.
‘Maybe now.’
The thought that she might be able to live such a normal life caused something to bloom warmly in her heart.
Was it because of the hot water in the tub? Lina’s face, redder than ever, seemed to reflect her inner thoughts.
‘I might be able to break the curse.’
After a long soak, calming her mind, Lina stood up. Before stepping out of the bathroom, she changed her clothes and straightened her appearance.
“Hoo[Dash].”
Her deep breath at the door made her look like someone about to go into battle.
“Don’t be nervous. It’s not the first time I’ve slept with the Duke. Why am I acting like a child?”
After taking a few more deep breaths, she finally felt calm enough to grab the doorknob.
The bathroom door opened with a creak, and Lina approached the bed where the Duke was waiting.
But.
“Uh, Duke……Sir?”
She had naturally expected him to be sitting, waiting for her, but the Duke was lying on the bed, still dressed as before.
Eyes closed.
‘What’s going on?’
Lina cautiously approached the bed.
Sure enough, the Duke seemed to have been asleep for a long time, not even stirring when she gently touched him.
“Ha.”
She let out an incredulous sigh.
‘He really fell asleep?’
‘What’s going on?’
The tension that had been tightly held seemed to snap suddenly. Her shoulders slumped down, with a bit of disappointment.
“You said you would wait.”
It was a moment when her imagination in the bathroom alone seemed ridiculous.
“Do you really like me?”
The girl who had confessed was asleep after washing up. Even in an enclosed space, sleeping together in one bed.
Is this really possible as a healthy adult man? Out of slight resentment, Lina even found herself deeply worried if she was not sexually attractive.
“What am I doing right now?”
But soon, feeling like a fool for thinking like this, she decided to stop.
“Enough. I should sleep too.”
Shaking her head as if she couldn’t believe herself, Lina pulled up the sheet. She then closed her eyes, keeping as far away from the Duke as possible.
(This is a time separator.)
The chirping of sparrows and the reflected morning sun disturbed her nap.
‘Cold.’
It was a chilly morning weather, signaling the end of summer. Instinctively, Lina sought a warm place and burrowed into it.
‘Warm.’
A solid yet gentle warmth. And a heavy, clear body fragrance.
Feeling good, she rubbed her cheek against it and pressed her body closer. And just as she was about to fall asleep again to make up for the lack of sleep.
A familiar voice whispered in her ear.
“It’s a little difficult even if you like it this way.”
Then, her peaceful eyes snapped open. When she opened her eyes, all she saw was a man’s solid chest.
‘Wait, chest……?’
A familiar yet ominous feeling crawled up her neck. Swallowing her saliva, she slowly raised her head, and it seemed like a creaking sound could be heard from her neck.
“Duke?”
“Awake?”
The Duke said with a slight smile. Somehow, that smile seemed cunning.
Valige’s clothing had been messed up overnight, and she was no different.
Lina, who was only wearing a thin muslin dress, seemed to still feel the man’s warmth on her body.
‘Crazy, really!’
As soon as she opened her eyes in the morning, the sight of the man’s face surprised Lina, who hastily got up. Why does the ominous premonition never go wrong?
Like holding a cherished doll while sleeping, sleeping while holding the Duke.
Lina, who quickly got up from the bed, distanced herself from the Duke while straightening her clothes.
“Uh, Duke, this is…….”
As Lina was about to make an excuse, trailing off her words, the Duke, who had also gotten up from the bed, spoke first.
“It was troublesome when you kept holding me and not getting up.”
At the man’s words, Lina’s face turned red, and she only opened and closed her mouth.
“Quite some time has passed. I’m thinking about going for a meal now.”
“Yes? Yes!”
Instead of her, not knowing what to do, the Duke changed the atmosphere by bringing up another topic first.
“Well, if you want to stay in bed, you can.”
But he quickly went back to normal.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
