There was no such thing as magic in the world, but Meriel, like her peers, liked stories that could only come out of fairy tales.
I nodded at my daughter who did not forget a passing comment and her eyes were shining brightly.
“Of course I have to teach you.”
“Then, cross your fingers!”
Meriel stuck out her small hand.
I swallowed my regret and crossed my fingers with Meriel’s.
The young daughter believed that once you crossed your pinkies, a promise would definitely be kept.
“Dad too!”
“Dad too?”
“Yeah! Promise! You’re going to come see Meriel with Mom! Of course with the strawberry cream cake!”
Meriel stuck out her pinky to Bake as well.
Bake opened his eyes wide, then smiled and extended his hand to Meriel.
The fortunate thing was that to Meriel, Bake was still a good father.
“Don’t worry too much. I’ll take good care of her.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m asking you.”
“You don’t have to apologize. I owe more to you, Sister. Honestly, this doesn’t even count as repaying my debt.”
Rose, who was a mercenary, cheerfully laughed and hugged Meriel.
The role of a nanny wasn’t for Rose to play, but she accepted it at my request.
No matter how safe the academy supported by the Imperial Royal Family was, this was the first time Meriel had been sent away alone, so I couldn’t help but worry.
I looked at Meriel, who was nestled in Rose’s arms, sticking out her lips.
For a while, I regretted not being able to see the growing child up close every day.
I was also not confident that I could get used to the absence of a child who naturally followed me around.
But still, I had to send her.
The child who knew nothing was observant, and above all, I couldn’t just let Meriel be deceived by the dirty lies of adults like last time.
“Meriel.”
“Hmm? Why?”
“I love you.”
In the end, the only thing I could say to my departing daughter was that.
“Me too! Me too! I love mom too!”
As if she was never angry, I kissed the forehead of Meriel who was smiling brightly.
I will bear all things, so you should never know anything.
Just see and hear good things, and live a brilliant life.
I secretly packed a message I couldn’t tell her.
[This is the time separator]“How is it?”
“It’s not the original ledger. It may look wellmatched at first glance, but it differs somewhat from what I actually checked.”
“Indeed, it doesn’t seem like they would easily show it.”
There was no outcome for several days of investigation, but I wasn’t particularly disappointed because I didn’t expect much.
I just piled up the documents that I received from Bake under the pretext of charity work and gasped for a moment at the red tail seen between the books.
When I pulled the taillike string, a bookmark made of dried flowers came out.
It was something that Meriel and I made together, putting our heads together.
“You miss her a lot, don’t you?”
“…….”
“Take a break. You’ve been pushing yourself.”
“No, I’m fine. I have plenty of rest at home.”
I knew that Cheshire noticed my lie, but I pretended not to know.
I had to finish this battle as soon as possible to bring Meriel back even one day sooner.
I pushed the bookmark into the book with my fingertips and got up from my seat.
The reason why I chose to take over the charity work among many of Craiton’s businesses was not simply because the work was easy.
The charity work carried out by the wealthy had pure intentions, but there were more cases where it was not.
Charity work was a way to roll large amounts of money without suspicion, and Bake was well aware of that fact.
If Bake was funding the emperor’s halfbrother, he would have moved funds with a charity organization in between.
So, the first thing I had to do to cut off Bake’s hands and feet was to find that trace and hand it over to the emperor.
Regardless of the real situation, the emperor’s halfbrothers were recorded as dead, and even if they were alive, they were wearing the shackles of treason.
If I can prove that Baker was involved, I could have him in my grasp.
However, the problem is…
As if to scold my deepening thoughts, the outside became noisy.
Surprised, I reflexively looked at Cheshire.
The building of the charity I recently started operating was guarded by Cheshire’s mercenaries, rather than separate escorts.
“I will go and check it out, so please stay here, Sister.”
“But…”
“Don’t worry. It will be nothing.”
That was the moment Cheshire tried to reassure me with a smile.
Bang!
A loud noise rang out, and I reflexively backed off, knocking items off the table onto the floor.
I frowned at the sight of the bookmark that had slipped out as I turned the book over.
Ink had spilled over the bookmark and the black liquid had soaked in.
I clicked my tongue and was about to bend down to pick up the bookmark when the abruptly opened door made me freeze.
Pushing past the guards and rudely entering the room was a man I knew all too well.
“I apologize, Commander!”
“We tried our best to stop him, aaah!”
Duke Pieren harshly shook off the mercenary clinging to his arm.
Despite the weight of a few men clinging to him, the man didn’t take a single heavy breath.
He just stared at me squarely, grimacing.
My mouth went dry at this fact.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“….”
“Even if you are a duke, barging in like this, Sister?”
I slowly moved past Cheshire, who had blocked my path.
I knew I had to chastise Duke Pieren, who had come in without warning, but I couldn’t find my voice.
There had been a similar incident before.
A servant came looking for me with a distorted expression, and then…
I covered my face with both hands.
Though I desperately hoped it wasn’t so, at times like this, my bad premonitions always came true.
It was the same when I heard about my father’s death, and again when I heard the news of my brother’s death.
However, there was no time to recall past tragedies.
“There’s been a fire at the Academy.”
The moment I heard that, I was already on the run.
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
