Lelia emerged from the Prince’s Palace with a somewhat vacant expression. The maids who noticed her respectfully bowed their heads, but Lelia couldn’t respond to anyone’s greetings.
Her mind just wouldn’t clear. It was because of Ibelia’s image that filled her head. More precisely, it was Ibelia’s voice heard outside the reception room that completely pulled Lelia’s soul away.
“[The Caliph has always done his best for me. Even risking his life. So, I thought it was the right thing for me to do as well.]”
[If there’s anything I can do for the Caliph, wouldn’t it be better to do anything without being bound by order?] [Actually, the time I spent with the Caliph last night…]The name Caliph. The unfamiliar name echoed outside the door so many times through Ibelia’s voice.
If hearing the name Caliph for the first time had been a few moments ago in front of the reception room, it wouldn’t have been this confusing.
Lelia suddenly recalled yesterday’s memories.
While walking through the Royal Palace in frustration after the meeting with Yustia late at night, she unexpectedly encountered Riurian.
He was briskly walking somewhere. His complexion darkened, and his jaw stiffened, suggesting deep contemplation.
Despite the short distance, he didn’t notice her, and Lelia, as if enchanted, followed him.
He didn’t pause for a moment. He walked quickly. It was quite awkward to keep up with his pace, but Lelia followed him like someone who had lost her mind.
He stopped at the entrance of the Royal Palace’s garden. Riurian unhesitatingly crossed the garden, adorned with beautiful blossoming flowers. His steps showed no sign of hesitation as if he were heading towards Ibelia.
In the past, witnessing him heading towards Ibelia would have shattered her heart, but the current Lelia wasn’t surprisingly shocked. It just left a slightly bitter taste in her mouth.
Though mentally, she might have accepted to some extent the fact that she didn’t want to acknowledge, an indescribable bitterness surged. Lelia bit her lip and stopped her steps, which had resumed.
Knowing where he was going and still following him, she wondered what good it would do. It felt pathetic, but strangely, she wanted to follow him until the end.
Although she was convinced that his heart had already moved towards Ibelia, she didn’t want to let go of the uncertain hope that it might not be the end.
So, she stubbornly stopped walking. The moment she stopped was when Riurian, who had been walking steadily with wide strides, suddenly halted in front of the entrance of the Royal Palace.
Lelia hurriedly hid, afraid that she might be caught following him. Fortunately, he seemed unaware of her presence. He stood suddenly in one place, looking up at something for a long time without any movement.
Following his gaze, Ibelia’s face was vividly reflected in Lelia’s pupils when she raised her head. Ibelia was standing by the window, gazing at the night sky.
Seeing him tenderly watching her as if killing her with his eyes, Lelia felt her chest boiling with warmth.
A sigh escaped involuntarily, and her vision shook, causing dizziness. Despite not expecting a favorable sight, her heart sank.
If she continued to stay there, she felt like she would pour out tears of sorrow. Regretting her futile choice, she turned away. Just as she was about to lift her foot, fearing she might be caught by the two, she even heard footsteps.
Riurian’s voice, which had settled comfortably, firmly grabbed Lelia’s ankle.
“[Is your heart still complicated today?]”
Lelia instinctively trembled, quickly turned around, and glanced around. Both of them didn’t even glance her way. It was certain that they hadn’t noticed her.
In that moment, she felt relieved like a fool. This time, Ibelia’s response sound made Lelia unable to move.
“[Cal!]”
Cal?
Lelia narrowed her eyes instinctively while pondering Ibelia’s words.
Certainly, she said “Cal,” but could it be she called Riurian ‘Cal’?
As if driven by instinct, Lelia eventually forgot her decision to turn back and hid her body. She pressed herself against a tree and turned her gaze to find Ibelia.
She was undoubtedly looking at him. She called Riurian Petrov ‘Cal.’
What was strange wasn’t just that. Riurian, despite hearing the wrong nickname, not only didn’t correct it but also smiled affectionately at her. It even looked sweet as if the nickname ‘Cal’ was something private between them.
The two who were looking at each other affectionately disappeared from Lelia’s sight not long after. Yet, Lelia couldn’t leave the spot for quite a long time. It was due to the strange discomfort that didn’t seem to abate.
The discomfort persisted even after returning home. It remained until the moment Ibelia’s voice reached her ears. And the name “Caliph.”
“…Something seems off.”
Lelia murmured to herself. Lost in thought for a while, she soon took her steps toward somewhere.
It seemed like she needed to check.
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
