“Your Excellency! You’ve finally come out!”
Windler was the first to greet Killian as he left his bedroom after a long time. Windler’s eyes quickly became moist.
“You’ve been through a lot.”
“It’s just my duty, sir.”
“I think I’ll need to review some documents this morning. There are many places I need to send letters to. Can you also report on the work from the past two days?”
“Yes, of course. I’ll prepare it right away and report to you.”
Killian headed to the temporary office set up in the count’s mansion.
First, he wrote a letter to the Marquis of Rotra, the president of Club Glory, an association of high nobles, and a great lord of the southern region. The content was about what he had witnessed in the basement of the Michelson Orphanage and the relationship between the Emperor and Director Lars.
As he was putting the finished letter in an envelope, the door opened with an urgent knock, and a welcome face appeared.
“Hey, long time no see, Chancellor!”
“Onyx? How did you…”
“It’s my principle to give value for money. And I heard you and Nia were having a hard time.”
“Ah… I see the rumors have spread that far already.”
“The capital is still quiet. It just reached my ears a bit earlier.”
“That’s a relief.”
“So how’s Nia? She should be fine after receiving the Saint’s healing, right?”
“Her wounds are all healed, but she still hasn’t woken up.”
“Oh my… Things have turned out like that.”
The expressions of the two men quickly became gloomy. But it was only for a moment; Onyx immediately added in a cheerful voice.
“She’ll wake up soon. It’s Nia after all.”
“I believe so. Would you like to see her face for a moment?”
“No, it’s alright. I’ll see her when she wakes up.”
Facing Onyx, who was confident in Nia’s recovery, Killian’s heart also felt lighter. He was newly grateful for Onyx’s visit.
After exchanging greetings, Onyx reported to Killian on what he had investigated in the capital.
According to medical experts’ research, the cause of the epidemic was found to be related to a strange mutation of magical beasts. The evidence collected from the basement of the Michelson Orphanage was still being analyzed, he said.
“I staked out near the magic tool workshop I mentioned last time for a few days, and I confirmed that a servant from the Imperial Palace comes once a week. Seeing that no one else comes and goes, it seems that person is the only customer.”
“So it’s almost certain that the one who instigated the assassination of the former emperor is the master of the Imperial Palace.”
After finishing his report, Onyx finally handed over a small box. Inside the box was a magic tool piercing.
“This is…”
“Just in case. We don’t know what choice Nia will make.”
“…I see.”
Killian’s eyes sank heavily as he stared at the piercing. He was afraid.
“Will people be able to accept the fact that the princess who was said to be dead has come back to life? Won’t they resent her for deceiving everyone and leaving?”
Hmm, Onyx let out a short sigh and stroked his chin. Then, with an utterly serious look in his eyes, he asked Killian.
“How was it for you, Chancellor?”
“Me? What do you mean?”
“When you met Nia again after 5 years. Did you resent her?”
Killian remained silent for a moment, recalling that time. The moment when he couldn’t take his eyes off Nia whom he had accidentally met at the detached palace. The moment when he shed tears of gratitude, thinking that his brother Aaron in heaven had led her to him.
“No. I was grateful that she was alive. And I swore to protect her side with my life.”
“I believe the people will be no different. She was a princess loved by the entire nation, after all.”
Killian hoped that would be the case too.
He thanked Onyx once again for his visit.
[This is the timeline separator]It was the dim dawn. Veronia’s eyelids slowly lifted.
‘Where am I?’
She was momentarily confused by the unfamiliar ceiling, but soon remembered that this was a bedroom in the Eidenbenz Count’s mansion and felt relieved. Her head felt foggy, as if she had slept for a long time.
Veronia slowly raised herself. And she discovered Killian sleeping with his head on the bed while sitting in a chair. Even while sleeping, he was firmly holding her hand.
‘Killian…!’
She didn’t want to wake him as he was sleeping soundly, but Killian, sensing her movement, opened his eyes.
“Ah…!”
As if he couldn’t believe the sight before him of Veronia awake, Killian rubbed his eyes once and checked her face again. Thump-thump, Killian’s heart rang out wildly, and his round, wide eyes soon became moist.
“Nia…”
“How long was I asleep? Was it for a long time?”
“Three days.”
“Ah… Three whole days?”
Veronia felt dazed, having just woken up after briefly losing consciousness, only to find out so much time had passed. Killian, gently embracing her, spoke in a trembling voice.
“…You did well. It’s enough that you’ve woken up.”
Without even thinking to wipe away his flowing tears, Killian buried his face in her shoulder. Feeling her shoulder becoming wet, Veronia patted Killian’s back gently.
“I’m sorry for worrying you. And thank you.”
For staying by my side. For crying for me. For waiting for me. Tears began to well up in Veronia’s eyes as well.
As some time passed after waking up, curious thoughts came to mind.
“How’s Ted? Is Ted alright? He was badly hurt.”
“If you’re talking about the child you saved from the building, that child is quite alright. Everyone injured in the accident that day has finished treatment.”
“What about the director? What about the laboratory?”
“The director, who had fled into the forest amidst the confusion, was found dead the next day. Judging from the wounds left on his body, it appears to be the work of magical beasts.”
“Ah… I see.”
It felt like karmic retribution that the one who had terribly tormented magical beasts was killed by them. However, it was regrettable that they couldn’t hear the testimony of the director, who was the culprit and a key witness in this incident.
“Where are the orphanage children staying now?”
“They all stayed here on the day of the incident, and from the next day, they moved to Count Eidenbenz’s villa for lodging and meals. They will continue to live there until a new orphanage building is built. Count and Countess Eidenbenz have been very helpful.”
“They are truly grateful people.”
“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”
Killian asked in a gentle voice, with tears that hadn’t quite dried still glistening in his eyes. Veronia wiped his tears away and smiled softly.
“Oh my… What shall we do about our husband’s face that has become so haggard? The most handsome face in the empire… It’s become half of what it was…”
“Even if it becomes haggard, even if it becomes half… You’ll still love me, right?”
Veronia couldn’t help but chuckle at Killian’s cute response to her joke with another joke.
“Of course. Even if your face becomes more haggard, and not just half but a quarter of what it was, I’ll still only love you.”
“That answer seems a bit delayed, though.”
“Please give me about 5 seconds of grace. My head and body are still dazed after sleeping for 3 days straight.”
“Ah… You need to eat something.”
Killian said as he stood up. Veronia, who had been lying down for 3 days straight, had only consumed small amounts of water and milk.
“I’ll bring some soup that’s easy to swallow.”
“Yes, thank you.”
After Killian left, Veronia, now alone, got out of bed and went to the dressing table. Her body, having been lying down for so long, creaked with every movement.
She carefully examined her reflection in the mirror. Her face, having lost the transformation magic tool piercing, had returned to its original state. From the blonde hair to the red eyes and even the smooth skin without scars. It was now an unfamiliar face.
“Now that I’ve shown my true appearance to many people… What should I do now?”
A sigh escaped involuntarily. She had reached a point where she could no longer hide behind lies. She couldn’t erase the memories of countless people, nor could she ask them to turn a blind eye to her lies.
“I can’t hide anymore, and I can’t run away either. So… From now on, I have to stand before people in this form.”
Veronia murmured softly while looking at her reflection in the mirror. Her heart began to beat violently as fear rushed in.
“Veronia, don’t be afraid. You have Killian by your side to protect you and Jediel to support you. So you’ll be able to do well.”
A single tear rolled down her cheek. Veronia quickly wiped it away, ignoring her finely trembling fingertips.
[This is the timeline separator]After finishing her meal and even taking a bath, the sky had already completely brightened. Veronia made a request to Killian.
“I want to hear Jediel’s voice. Would communication be possible? Just voice, not video.”
Although she desperately wanted to see Jediel’s face, Veronia had to restrain herself. It seemed a bit too early to show her true appearance to Jediel yet. She wanted to reveal her true self not through communication, but face to face.
Killian handed her a small box on the table and said,
“Onyx stopped by. He brought this.”
Veronia felt she knew what was inside the box without opening it. As expected, her expression revealed her complex feelings as she looked at the piercing inside the box.
“I was thinking of not wearing this again. But I guess I have no choice in front of Jediel.”
“You were thinking of not wearing it again?”
“…Yes.”
Veronia nodded at Killian’s question. Her eyes shone clearly, filled with firm resolve.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
