Ugh, what was I saying? Human charm? Gross.
I turned my back on him, straightening up in my seat. However, the relaxed posture of Duke Caidel, leaning back and crossing his legs, seemed more appealing than the upright posture that the countess had taught me.
So I sat in a similarly casual manner. At that, his expression soured slightly. Though a faint smile brushed the corners of his mouth.
I frowned and pondered for a moment.
“Prince Jiwon doesn’t think his choice looks wrong. He’d rather protect the count, his close associate, than worry about the princess’s mood. He’d probably blame the princess for not being able to control me.”
“Hmm. I’ve already grasped what’s necessary.”
“But don’t you have to deal with a maidservant like me to restore order in the palace?”
Order. Wasn’t that what the nobles lived and died by?
Enough to turn someone’s unfortunate mother into a street prostitute. Enough to thrust many lives into squalor.
“So what happened?”
“I was planning to eat all the macarons that fell on the floor… Anyway, I caused a ruckus at the tea party.”
“…”
I stopped speaking when I saw Duke Caidel’s lips tremble at the word ‘ruckus’.
I was more irritated that I had relaxed in front of him than the fact that he was suppressing his laughter.
I spoke in a gloomy tone.
“I didn’t realize the princess had so few options. Hmm… it’s evident since I am here.”
Duke Caidel now wore a subtle smile. Anyone would mistakenly think he was handsome.
“Are you worrying about the princess now?”
“It’s pitiful. To have such high status but to only be able to break things in the room.”
“…”
I was sincere. I disliked the princess intensely. Not being able to get rid of someone like that is surely a terrible thing.
Duke Caidel twisted his face subtly at my words. He seemed to find me pathetic. Understandable.
I spread my arms in the air.
“Your plan has failed, Duke. I wasn’t scared, and I didn’t write that letter! So please leave.”
“You’re not offering me tea. How cold.”
“The tea I make is medicinal. So…”
He must have known about my tea time with Lord Rond. But how?
The countess’s words that the palace was a snake pit crossed my mind. Back then, I thought, ‘She herself is a snake, so what’s she talking about?’ Now it made sense. No trust or secrets here.
I stood up.
“I can be quite cold. I’m tired of talking about the letter. Please leave, Duke Caidel.”
Then he also rose and slowly approached me.
“I haven’t told you why I ruined the princess’s tea party. As you pointed out, I’m a bit obsessive. I have to know what I want to know.”
His voice had an annoyingly mocking tone.
It hit me then. My involvement with the letter was an excuse; what he really wanted to know was why I had ruined the princess’s tea party.
I couldn’t understand why he was so curious about me.
Unpleasant as it was, I had no choice but to get rid of him. Now I realized he was obsessively curious.
I moved closer and whispered.
“I’ve dealt with many unruly kids.”
Then he laughed, a laugh that sounded heartily sinister.
“More. That’s not enough.”
I gritted my teeth and quickly whispered.
“This place is home to the most important people in the empire, but it’s actually a kingdom of animals. I have to act like one of them to get even a glance!”
He chuckled and echoed my words.
“An animal, huh…”
“I know, it’s another act of royal defamation! But if I act unfortunate first, they would touch upon the most damaging issue against me, which is that I’m an unworthy maid. However, that’s assuming that I am Her Highness’s maid… My goodness, I can’t believe I’m saying this!”
“You’ve established the fact that you are Her Highness’s maid through the mouths of those who ostracize you, risking the charge of royal defamation.”
His eyes gazing at me sparkled in a strange way, as if he had discovered a new creature.
I sighed and wiped away my cold sweat.
“Will you leave now?”
He spoke as he climbed out the window.
“It was worth climbing three floors. It was fun. I’ll talk about my purpose next time. Goodbye.”
Next time? What about until now?
But he had already vanished.
Ah, that boy.
As Duke Kaidel said, nothing happened that night. It looked like my slip of the tongue was going to be buried.
Instead, Her Highness locked her chamber door and did not come out.
From the next day on, I visited Her Highness Milleora’s audience chamber every morning, only to be turned away by Eria.
I ran into the tea party members who had come to see Her Highness in the hallway a few times, and they glared at me, showing the whites of their eyes.
I wasn’t particularly moved by the stares of these soft-skinned ladies.
Thus, being rejected at Her Highness’s door became my daily life.
Her Highness’s anger wouldn’t easily subside, so all I could do now was wait.
So, I decided to spend time with another person who also failed to meet Her Highness.
Lord Rond didn’t seem uncomfortable with me taking the seat next to him at the sponsor’s table. He definitely didn’t feel at ease with me; he seemed to have just given up.
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.”
