“Phew.”
Belered felt a scratchy dryness in his mouth. It seemed like the first time he’d felt this way since becoming a demon, a creature that neither needed to eat nor drink.
No, all of these sensations, this thirst, the rapid breathing, had been absent for a long time.
Recent upheavals had tormented him more times than he could count, upheavals that hadn’t occurred in decades.
He was certain of the source, of who it was.
“Beril…”
The name slipped from his lips unconsciously.
He slowly closed his eyes and opened them. His head felt foggy, as if he were short of breath. He needed to calm down.
“…”
He inadvertently looked at the mirror before him. As he looked into his own eyes in the mirror, a surge of magic emanated from his body.
A white dress.
The first thing that came into view was a familiar white dress. His own figure lay on the hem of that dress, smiling.
He was making eye contact with someone. The moment the figure in the illusion tried to smile—
Dark green strands of hair.
“……!”
What loomed clearly above him this time were strands of dark green hair.
The owner of the dress. There was no way he wouldn’t recognize that familiar silhouette.
Beril.
His lips parted slightly. The figure in the illusion also seemed surprised and sat up.
—Thud!
He grabbed the mirror unconsciously. And within his sight, the owner of the white dress sat up.
Along with the dress, the dark green strands of hair disappeared from his sight with a whoosh.
His surprised eyes…
Why? Where did she go? Just as he tried to focus his magic—
“……!”
A feeling of utter despair gripped his heart, and he bent over.
—Woosh!
He felt the surrounding magic tremble. Vertigo overtook him as if he were plunging into a dizzying abyss.
“Ah,”
He exhaled a pungent breath. It was a symptom of magic deficiency.
However, he looked at the mirror once more. Before the illusion completely disappeared.
Just a little more…
However, the surprised face in the illusion was no longer with Beril.
The moment he realized that, it felt as if his heart tightened even more.
Why?
A question crossed his mind, but he couldn’t see into the future anymore.
—Thump!
He staggered and leaned against the wall again. He didn’t have enough magic to use his inner sight anymore.
Was it because he’d overexerted himself?
“……!”
He forcefully pressed his hand against the wall he was leaning on.
It felt as if someone was scratching inside his head, as if the cold reason that ruled his mind was being violently uprooted.
“Haah.”
A ragged breath escaped his lips. It felt as if a sharp beast was tearing through his mind with its claws.
Magic was severely lacking. He instinctively realized that. If he stayed like this, the beast gnawing at his mind would soon burst forth.
…Borrowing his form.
It was becoming a demon.
―Oooh!
Magic gathered around him as he tried to regain his composure.
This wasn’t enough.
He needed a denser flow of magic. When he thought so, he felt a vivid stream of magic coming from deep within the mansion.
―Thud, clatter!
Due to poorly leaning on the desk, the ink bottle flew and rolled on the floor. But he had no time to focus on such matters.
―Thump, thump.
The sound of his footsteps felt as if they were shaking heaven and earth. His heightened senses picked up the fading presence of demons in the vicinity.
It must be Ronobe evacuating them.
It was something Ronobe often did for him, sensitive to the flow of magic.
Thanks to that, he could head to his destination more quickly and without hindrance.
That place was the fifth floor, where Beril was.
“Any other issues?”
Beril was in a small office next to her bedroom.
She considered going to the office where Belled was to take care of some work, but… she felt that would make her even less productive.
Her gaze kept drifting to him. Expecting something from him.
…Is this okay?
Beril had heard stories of people consumed by carnal desires. She had thought that rational people wouldn’t behave that way…
Beril bit her lip. She closed her eyes tightly and looked up at Decarabia.
Whether Decarabia knew about her state or not, he put down the paper and spoke.
“Yes, the areas in need of remodeling are about this much, and in terms of time, we can resolve them before the new priest arrives, but there is another issue.”
“What is it?”
Perhaps the education of the demons?
Tilting her head to the question, Decarabia spoke with a somewhat hesitant expression.
“…There’s a ghost.”
“What?”
Beril blinked her eyes. Out of the blue, what ghost?
“A ghost?”
In a place where demons live, what’s this talk about a ghost?
Of course, many humans didn’t believe in the existence of demons. However, demons do exist.
So, could ghosts… also exist?
While Beril was tilting her head, Decarabia spoke.
“People have reported seeing something strange near the Hell Gate in the basement.”
“Isn’t it a monster?”
The first thing that came to her mind was indeed the existence of a monster. But Decarabia shook his head.
“We received reports that it’s not. They say it disappears when touched.”
“It disappears when touched…”
Neither demons nor humans have such cases. Are there really ghosts?
“……Has Decarabia ever seen a ghost?”
Decarabia shook his head right away.
“If there were, a human ghost haunted by grudges would have attacked us.”
That must have been the case. It seemed nonexistent after all.
“Still……”
It was strange that demons, who are supernatural beings to ordinary people, cared about ghosts.
“But many people have seen it, so reports are coming in, right?”
“About five people so far.”
“Five?”
There were more witnesses than expected. Something was definitely wrong.
“It’s better to go and see for ourselves.”
Beril quietly prioritized the problem in her mind.
A ghost in a mansion where a demon lives.
That’s what she was thinking.
“……What?”
“Hurry up here……!”
There was a commotion outside.
“What’s going on?”
Upon Beril’s words, Decarabia listened carefully to the outside. Then his eyes widened.
“……Your Majesty is coming.”
“Beleth?”
Beril involuntarily stood up. She looked down at her cluttered office desk.
There was still a lot of work left undone. More than that…… Simple tasks that could be quickly done and cleared away meant the desk was not even organized.
She found it oddly bothersome.
“Then I’ll be outside.”
Decarabia, who still didn’t act like a maid, declared that she would leave the room. The meaning was clear.
She didn’t want to disturb the couple’s time.
After confirming the ‘traces of the night’ on Beril since their first night, Decarabia never stayed during their private moments.
Beril, whose face turned bright red, nodded her head. Decarabia bowed slightly and left.
“……I need to clean this up.”
If she piled up the scattered papers, it would look somewhat organized, she thought.
—Thud!
The door burst open.
Startled, Beril’s gaze turned to the door.
“……Beril.”
He must have been in the mansion, but he seemed to have run, breathing heavily.
Even down to his whitened fingertips.
“……What happened?”
She approached Beleth.
“Are you hurt?”
At her words, Beleth exhaled a short breath.
“No, but rather.”
He approached Beril. His dark green eyes peered into hers.
—Thud.
For a moment, his stumbling hand leaned against the wall again.
“Are you okay? Come here for a moment.”
Beril took his hand and led him. His manly, large hand gave her a heavy sense of weight along with warmth.
—Snap.
Beril laid him on the bed and examined him.
His slightly flushed face, his breath that wouldn’t calm down easily. Sitting beside him, Beril eventually turned her head toward the door.
Was there a doctor in this mansion?
“Just—”
It was the moment she intended to call someone. Beleled delicately lifted his finger to her lips.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
