When I was about to have another sip of wine, Johan’s large and firm hand intertwined with my fingers on the table.
“We’re starting now.”
“Huh?”
“I kept my promise.”
The light that illuminated the ceiling suddenly went out. The music abruptly stopped. In the tense air that gathered around, I tightened my grip on Johan’s hand.
“What kind of promise did you keep? You said you didn’t prepare anything more!”
Even in the darkness, Johan’s red eyes shone vividly.
“A gift from me to you.”
“…Who gives a gift like this.”
“I wanted to give you the most special gift in the world.”
Johan folded his cool and slender eyes and smiled beautifully.
Light entered only the stage.
“But just now, there was an orchestra playing, right?”
The orchestra had disappeared, and something covered in black cloth had risen from the floor. It seemed to be about twenty chunks, wriggling beneath the black cloth.
“Is that the gift?”
As expected, just like a villain, all the choices were very unusual.
“I don’t need a gift like that.”
“Go see for yourself. Do you want to check it out?”
“Really…?”
But Johan seemed to want me to go.
‘It shouldn’t be harmful to the body, right?’
Johan smiled and escorted me to where the black cloth was. Honestly, I didn’t want to check. My life was precious.
“Is this really a gift?”
“It’s something you’ll like the most.”
“If something strange comes out, you’re responsible.”
For some reason, I poked the black cloth in front of me, where the gift was. Under the black cloth, a person was tied to a chair.
[Pety Morrison, journalist.]The name was written on the first page of the sketchbook hanging around the neck.
“Why is this the gift I would like the most?”
A shiver ran down my spine. If there’s a person here, then the other things here must be people too.
“This is a person…”
Then I looked at the next page of the sketchbook. The next page had articles clipped.
[An ordinary orphan adopted by the Libertan Duke’s household.] [Exclusive coverage of the internal affairs of the Libertan Duke’s household! After becoming a Libertan lady, she committed various misdeeds, taking advantage of the invisibility of the duke and duchess, harassing and tormenting fellow commoners, etc.]These were my articles.
‘Pety Morrison.’
The journalist who wrote the articles was this person.
‘From when I was adopted by Libertan.’
Pety Morrison groaned and writhed. I looked at Pety Morrison blankly and then continued to read other articles he had written.
[Estelle Libertan, unfit for the noble world like a commoner.] [After committing a break with Viscount Felcis, she is now showing ambition to become a crown princess by shamelessly seducing the crown prince.]These were ridiculous and rude articles to the point where I wasn’t even angry.
There were rumors I knew, but there were also many rumors I didn’t know. How could my current situation, where I could hardly leave the mansion, exist?
I checked by lifting another black cloth without breathing.
[Maggie Scofield, journalist.] [According to the confidential witness of this reporter, in fact, Estelle Libertan even showed an eagerness to learn techniques to seduce and attract men, such as dragging in men every night at the Libertan Duke’s household.] [Charleson Brook Publishing House Reporter.] [The reason why the villainess in Libertan is more wicked than the Libertan Duke and Duchess is because she is of commoner origin.]It was so absurd that I wasn’t even angry.
These were all journalists who wrote articles about me, the publisher who edited a strange book, and others who spread stories about me.
I scrutinized each of their faces.
Of course, they were all wearing blindfolds, so there was no eye contact.
‘I didn’t expect to meet them like this.’
The Duke and Duchess of Libertan scolded me as they heard the spreading rumors about me.
‘What kind of behavior did you engage in to make such rumors? Do you know how much the honor of the Libertan Duke’s household has fallen because of you?’
Honestly, I couldn’t believe what was happening around me. So, while shocked, I used to delve into the newspapers thrown by the Libertan Duke and Duchess.
‘Why are they saying I did this?’
Things that I had never done received criticism as if they were true, and even the servants of the Libertan Duke’s household mocked me.
I had no one on my side.
After checking the last person, I turned my head and looked at Johan with a frown. Johan sat in a chair, legs crossed, and smiled at me.
“Do you like my gift?”
A creepy charm emanated from Johan’s shadowed face.
“Do whatever you want with it. You can handle it in any way you like.”
As I blinked slowly, Johan calmly added an explanation.
“They all left voluntarily, tidying up themselves for interviews or their own affairs. So, you can handle everything here.”
A languid voice subtly touched my ears.
“If handling it scares you, leave it to me. Or push them into the sea here. That would be quite a splendid revenge. What do you think?”
Looking at the sinister red eyes, I went to Pety Morrison, whom I saw for the first time. Then, I untied the blindfold and gag around him.
“Pety Morrison.”
Pety Morrison was a very ordinary-looking man.
“P-please spare me.”
Pety Morrison, the journalist, pleaded with me, looking astonished.
“I didn’t know anything. I just followed what others wrote….”
“Why did you do it to me?”
I looked into Pety Morrison’s eyes and asked.
“Even by looking at the dates of your articles, you can tell. You were the first person to spread it.”
Pety Morrison shivered, shaking his shoulders.
“It’s just a coincidence. I wrote it because I got a very good tip.”
“And that happened only once or twice.”
I rustled through the articles hanging on Pety Morrison’s neck.
“If that were the case, there wouldn’t be such persistent spreading. There are too many malicious articles.”
“I-I’m sorry. I just…”
Pety Morrison, trembling in fear, begged for forgiveness.
I felt the wounds from my childhood hardships resurfacing. Looking at the articles hanging on Pety Morrison’s neck, my resentment grew.
“Just what?”
Maybe these people hadn’t done such terrible things.
“Is it okay for me to just endure it?”
But it was hard for me. Too hard.
“What are you contemplating?”
Johan whispered like a devil.
“People who attacked you, tore you apart, slandered you, made things difficult for you. What’s the point of knowing the reasons of the perpetrators?”
“……. ”
“Your anger is entirely justified. Aren’t they deserving of death?”
“……. ”
“Estelle, don’t hesitate.”
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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