It was the first time a man had spoken to her from such a close distance, as if their breaths could touch.
No, if one were to be specific, even including her past life, it wasn’t the first time.
Duke Orobas, who wanted to show an affair with another in front of the noble Saint, to commit blasphemy, had reached out to her as well.
Of course, he, panting with excitement, could not violate Beril, whose face had paled at the explicit affair.
‘You are being watched in the temple!’
She had used the meager power of the temple, barely managing to stop him.
As if she would denounce him as a demon if he dared to do such a thing again.
‘Eventually you’ll have to bear my child, Saint.’
The Duke of Orobas, speaking such words, licking his lips and retreating, his unpleasant breath still vividly lingered.
But Belered was different. Despite being so close, despite coming at her suddenly, he seemed to have a peculiar talent for sinking into people.
Could this be a demon?
“You don’t seem to have been pleased.”
Then Belered took a step back. Beril instinctively reached out to him.
She barely swallowed the words trying to come out, saying it was not so.
“Much effort will be needed in the future. I must enter the eyes of the Saint.”
Was he speaking as a husband, or as a demon who must falsely claim his ‘innocence’?
“If you have any questions, please let me know at any time. You can reach me by any means, so even if we can’t meet until the wedding, I can answer.”
His calm voice resonated.
“Especially if it helps prove that we are not demons.”
At that, Beril nodded her head.
“Nothing yet.”
“That’s troublesome. I need to prove it soon.”
…When the temple is like that?
Beril almost spat out an answer in disbelief.
Calm down.
“…I’ll let you know when it comes.”
At those words, Belered nodded his head.
“I understand. Our reunion will not be far off.”
His eyes, containing a trace of discomfort, looked into the distance.
“Since you’re in such a hurry at the temple, we can have our next conversation in a more private space.”
It was clear what he meant.
The night after the wedding.
Beril felt a slight warmth rising in her face. Belered, seeing her, suddenly asked.
“I heard you’ve lived as a Saint… Beril, do you know about the night’s work?”
At the more direct words, Beril’s face finally seemed to catch fire. Belered let out a low laugh.
“I heard that the temple teaches to restrain desire, it must be true.”
Beril nodded her head, as if trying to cool the rising heat.
“But if you want to learn desire…”
Belered spoke in a mellow voice.
“On the first night, I’ll give you a night where you can even forget the gods.”
“…!”
It was blasphemous and irreverent. Far too much so, in this continent where the influence of the temple reaches every corner.
…This person, I wonder if he even has the intention of hiding that he’s a demon.
“I have a little business to take care of, so I’ll be going now. Goodbye.”
Belered bowed his head.
Beril watched him disappear for a while.
Whatever it was, he seemed to be in a bit of a hurry compared to when he arrived.
Soon, Beril also found out what made him leave.
(This is a time separator.)
The banquet hall was built outside the domain of the night. Beneath a space where daylight shone, a templelike space filled with white light was prepared.
The idea that the overall tone of the banquet hall had to be white was entirely the opinion of the temple.
‘Do you need to hide your holiness, my lady?’
The logic was ridiculous. If her holiness only appeared when it was white, it would be better if it didn’t exist. Beril thought as she looked at the tiresome white.
“What about the Duke?”
She asked in the carriage heading towards the banquet hall. It’s still a few days away, but the decorations are all finished, they said. She could guess what it looked like.
Of course. This was already the third wedding organized by the temple.
By using the same decorations for three weddings, one could see how carelessly they were preparing.
결혼 상대인 세 가문의 특색을 전혀 고려하지 않는 것을 보면.
“The duke is touring the territory.”
A maid who was serving her spoke. The maid’s name was Decarabia.
The girl, who looked to be about fifteen years old, was particularly wearing a pitchblack parasol, and by the way, she frowned and avoided the sunlight coming through the window, it seemed like she hated the sun.
Did I bring her in vain?
But Beril shook her head.
For some reason, Vainka’s servants seemed to have to visit the wedding venue at least once.
Otherwise, they would certainly cause all kinds of accidents, since they were not familiar with human customs.
Maybe they would even trample all over the virgin road.
If the saint was not herself, she would have been caught as a devil long ago.
…Velede von Vain, that person seemed to be familiar with human etiquette.
What were they… thinking when they put this in front of me?
“It would have been nice if you came with me, but it’s a shame.”
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
