“Thanks to you, I got a wonderful cake…”
“Dewin chose it, which I’m sure you knew.”
Right… I did realize immediately it was Dewin’s choice…
“Yes, Dewin… chose the cake well, haha…”
Seeing Leuys’ apparent displeasure, it seemed my response was far from what he wanted.
What does Leuys really want as an answer?
‘He wouldn’t have called me here just to offer a birthday gift.’
…as soon as I thought this, Leuys brought up the main point.
“I want you to tell me what you would like as a gift.”
I looked carefully at Leuys’ face.
Surprisingly, there seemed no other intention; Leuys appeared genuinely to be offering a birthday gift.
“Are you saying you want to give me a birthday gift…?”
Even as I asked, doubt lingered in my mind, but Leuys nodded slowly.
So… why?
I contemplated asking the reason but decided against it, seeing Leuys’ not-too-happy demeanor.
But what do I need…
‘I can’t think of anything.’
With the eager staff and Shanette sending everything nice straight to the Duke’s estate, I was living in luxury.
“I don’t really need anything…”
I was just being honest, but upon hearing this, Leuys’ eyebrows arched in annoyance.
Why… again, what…
“Even if it’s not a necessity, isn’t there something you’ve wanted… something like that?”
I felt this conversation wouldn’t end unless I named something.
So, I thought more seriously this time.
What I needed was a warm room, quality food, and a peaceful place to spend time alone, all of which I got since coming to the Duke’s estate.
‘Hmm… something I wanted…’
A new identity and a ticket to Beliata.
‘Except for that… Ah! There is one thing.’
Something essential for me and a suitable gift.
“There is something I’ve wanted… a bag.”
“A bag?”
Leuys’ expression relaxed upon hearing my answer.
Apparently, saying anything was the right choice.
“Yes, a bag. I realized I don’t have one to pack my things when I leave. Oh! I don’t mean to take things from here. I’ll need a boat for the journey, and it’s going to be long, so I’ll have to pack some things…”
He seemed alright just moments ago.
“You mean to… take a bag from here… to pack and… leave with…”
As I continued, the atmosphere became more hostile, so I stopped.
‘I didn’t mean an expensive one…’
A fancy bag would make a woman traveling alone a target for thieves. A simple cloth duffel bag from the market would suffice, but…
‘Better not say anything. Feels like something bad will happen if I open my mouth.’
I lowered my head, and soon Leuys sighed softly, then spoke in a slightly deflated tone.
“A bag, for your belongings… Yes, a bag. And?”
…And?
Just by looking up, I heard his firm tone, preemptively dismissing my unspoken questions.
“And.”
“And…?”
Trying to think of something else was futile as I hadn’t considered such things before.
“Maybe… two bags?”
I thought it was a decent answer, but…
“Sigh…”
Leuys pressed his temples with his fingers, then sighed deeply.
[“Bags… Yes, two. Understood. I’ll prepare two travel bags. Please give me a proper answer next time.”]With that, I left Leuys’ room as if being chased out.
Why was Leuys doing something so uncharacteristic?
Whatever the reason, there’s no such thing as a gift without a cost.
‘Does he have a favor to ask?’
I pondered over this since that day but found no answers.
In confusion, I finally confided in Dewin about what happened with Leuys.
“The Duke?”
“Yes….”
“What? A birthday gift, why…? He hardly remembers his own birthday.”
We racked our brains for explanations, but it was futile.
It just doubled the number of people worrying.
“Did I do something to make him dislike me?”
“What? You, Lady Vice Duchess, do something wrong? Absolutely not!”
“But there is something…”
Something was bothering me.
No, unless Leuys had lost his mind, this had to be it.
“When the Duke just returned…”
“When he returned… You don’t mean!”
“I insisted on treating his wounds…”
Dewin’s forehead wrinkled as if he heard something troublesome.
“What should I do, Dewin?”
“First… I’ll look into it, Your Highness. Don’t worry too much!”
If only I had heeded Dewin’s advice to do nothing.
I was deeply troubled.
Dewin was determined to speak frankly to Leuys today.
But for some reason, the Duke seemed very irritable again, and his gaze was fixed on the Vice Duchess!
It was infuriating.
Even if the Vice Duchess made a mistake, it wasn’t with bad intentions, just her nature of not ignoring someone in pain.
She must be deeply disturbed to confide in me, usually never complaining.
But the indifferent Duke seemed oblivious to her feelings, still displaying displeasure.
‘What did she do so wrong…!’
As Dewin stewed over his discontent with the Duke, Leuys was…
‘What’s she doing there, so dangerously?’
Lost in thought over Roel, who seemed about to get hurt by the gardener’s large shears.
“Duke.”
“…….”
“Duke…?”
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
