Charlotte wrinkled her nose, feeling a tickling sensation.
“Cough.”
As she gently rubbed her nose with the back of her hand, Benjamin opened the window behind his office.
“Are you okay? It’s probably better to look outside.”
“I’ll call someone to ventilate.”
For that reason, a place was prepared in the backyard. Food was also prepared since both had not eaten before the meal.
It seemed that her grandfather also knew that Benjamin had not eaten yet. That’s why he chose this time.
‘Has anything changed in five years other than appearance?’
There was something that was both the same and different from before.
What caught the eye the most was the scar, undoubtedly.
“Your scars have increased.”
“Have they?”
“On your hands, on your neck.”
“It doesn’t really hurt.”
“Have they been there for a long time?”
“A few years. Hands that wield swords are often like that.”
Charlotte reached out to the scar, and a hiccup was heard somewhere. Hiccup. The sound of the one holding back was painfully audible.
“Hiccup!”
The steward swallowed his breath in a hurry.
“I, I apologize.”
The steward swallowed his hiccups even afterward. He tried to suppress his breath and reduce the sound as much as possible with great effort.
“Hiccup! Hiccup!”
Benjamin put down the knife he was holding. The steward’s eyes met his. A brief silence passed.
“Tell everyone to retreat.”
At the end of the silence, Benjamin ordered, and the steward bowed his head.
“Yes. I will have everyone retreat.”
“Don’t interrupt until you find it.”
Benjamin said briefly with a gesture. Over his tired expression was a look of annoyance.
“The steward seems very stiff.”
“Here, I’m the villain who killed the former emperor.”
“The former emperor died from an illness…?”
“The former emperor, who was like a mountain bandit, managed to maintain his life for five years and suddenly died. Was it suspicious to them? It seems I instilled fear in them with my mere presence.”
Benjamin whispered with a small laugh. It was not strange that such rumors were circulating, considering his position, obtained by covering up his blood.
Benjamin neatly arranged Charlotte’s stray hair. Curly hair stuck to his fingers.
“The former emperor died, and the state of the country was in chaos. It was more admirable that he kept this country as a country. The national finances were exhausted, and he cut off all the loyalists’ necks….”
Something heavy seemed to catch at the ankle.
“The founding king must be clapping his hands in his grave.”
He who had been recorded as a tyrant in his previous life sat on the throne not only by force but thanks to his right.
‘Our engagement was planned, but I chose you impulsively.’
He disliked the disgrace like before.
It was like showing power to those who ruined my life.
I will not let you ruin it like last time.
“The law that child custody unconditionally goes to the father has been amended. Maybe because they saw the nobles dying off one by one, from the court elders, there were no complaints during the agenda meeting.”
Charlotte suddenly opened her mouth in the suffocating air.
“Why didn’t you talk about it then?”
“I wonder. What story might that be?”
“The day you came to find me. The decision to send me to the fief wasn’t solely the Windsor’s decision. You had a say with my grandfather, right?”
Benjamin smiled faintly.
“You would have had nothing to do with it even if you were there.”
“Was it?”
“You would have been in some kind of trouble if I left you like that.”
Someone approached them.
“Your Majesty, the steward.”
Benjamin had just told him not to disturb them, so if he came in person, it must be an urgent matter.
Perhaps knowing that, Benjamin asked in a subdued tone.
“What is it?”
“The captain of the Imperial Guard has arrived. He says it’s urgent and is waiting outside your office, what should I do?”
The steward mumbled sadly. I never meant to disturb the two of you.
“Prepare a place for Her Grace to rest. Don’t go anywhere and wait, Charlotte.”
(This is a time separator.)
“Is the temperature of the tea water alright?”
Charlotte nodded her head and smiled slightly.
“Please let me know if there’s anything else you need.”
“Would you mind giving me space since I’m more comfortable alone inside?”
The palace maids were led away by the palace head maid.
Charlotte remained in the palace’s special chamber. Sitting on the sofa, she fiddled with her teacup. The vibration of the tea transmitted beyond the dewy cup.
A petal gently settled. The strong orangecolored Darjeeling was astringent but held an appropriate aftertaste.
She draped a furry blanket over her knees and leaned back in her chair.
“Even though I already knew that the viceroys and servants feared him, seeing it directly is quite different.”
Benjamin Visennov’s nature is far from comfortable.
“It’s not just people that have changed; much has changed.”
Charlotte set down her teacup. It seemed like some time had passed, but there was still no word from Benjamin.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
