Why do I feel dazed rather than happy even though I bought something good?
“We weren’t forced to buy this, were we? We weren’t, right? Right?”
Veronia asked Killian several times. Killian nodded with a gentle smile.
“Don’t worry. It’s a gift I really like. Thank you, Your… um… Ladyship.”
“When will you be able to say ‘Your Ladyship’ correctly? Will it be possible by today?”
“…I’ll try my best.”
Embarrassed, Killian fiddled with his earlobe as he answered.
Veronia giggled, finding the clumsy side of the perfect male lead cute.
Veronia took the lead in walking, and Killian followed behind her, still fiddling with his earlobe.
They had already entered the market street.
It was when her small giggle was still echoing in his ears.
He saw Veronia looking at various street vendors with a bright expression.
‘I didn’t know she would like a place like this…’
Killian was somewhat surprised.
Veronia had never left the imperial palace in her entire life.
Among the glamorous nobility, Veronia was by far the most dazzling…
‘To think that such a person would smile brightly at this market street. To enjoy it this much.’
It was an unfamiliar sight.
Killian felt inexplicably happy to witness this unfamiliar side of her.
Was it because he felt like he had learned one of her secrets?
‘Happy? Secret? Come on…’
Killian shook his head as if surprised by his own unconscious thoughts.
Lately, he had been like this every time he was with Veronia.
Just as the current Veronia seemed different from the one he knew two years ago, he also felt that he had changed a lot himself.
‘I don’t know what’s what anymore…’
While Killian couldn’t take his eyes off Veronia’s bright face, she couldn’t take her eyes off the lively scene of the market street.
‘Ah… I missed this, the life of common people! The life of commoners!’
In her previous life, she had been a commoner among commoners.
It wasn’t a lacking life, but it wasn’t affluent either.
Of course, she had longed for the glamorous lives of celebrities often seen in the media.
But she vaguely knew.
That the old 18-pyeong apartment she had lived in since childhood might be the most comfortable place in the world.
That the home-cooked meals with unremarkable side dishes made by her mother might suit her taste the best.
‘The market looks similar here to my previous life.’
She got more excited as memories of going shopping with her mother as a child came to mind.
It was when Veronia was engrossed in exploring the market.
A loud shout was heard from afar.
“This isn’t a troupe that comes every day! We come only once a week! That day is today! That time is now!”
Veronia looked towards the sound with wide eyes.
“Oh? Is that…?”
“It’s a street theater troupe. The plays here are known to be quite high quality. Would you like to watch?”
“Yes! I want to see the play!”
Killian held out his arm and said,
“It will be crowded, so you must stay close to me.”
“Yes. Thank you, Sir Killian.”
“It’s nothing, Your… um… Ladyship.”
Oops, he made a mistake again.
This time too, Veronia didn’t let it slide and giggled. This time, Killian also chuckled along.
There was a large, colorful tent in one corner of the square.
Veronia and Killian paid the entrance fee and went straight into the tent.
Inside, many people were already gathered and seated.
Everyone’s expressions were bright, anticipating the start of the play.
“Come on! We start in 5 minutes! Please take your seats quickly!”
Veronia and Killian also found their seats.
Perhaps because it was a street play, the viewing environment wasn’t very comfortable.
They had to sit close together on long wooden benches.
Veronia and Killian sat right next to each other.
Killian was worried that Veronia might be uncomfortable because the seats were too cramped. So he twisted his body and pulled back the arm that was touching her.
This created some extra space, but somehow it ended up looking like Veronia was half-nestled in his arms.
Both Veronia and Killian didn’t say anything, but their faces gradually turned red as if they had the same thought.
“This… This isn’t…”
“…I know. So it’s okay.”
“I’m sorry, Your… um… Ladyship.”
“There you go again.”
As Veronia smiled teasingly, Killian smiled back.
The play had already begun.
The play was about the life story of a witch.
Thanks to the excellent acting of the performers, the noisy audience was able to immerse themselves in the play immediately.
“Ugly child, go away!”
“We won’t play with you!”
Born with an ugly appearance, the witch was abandoned by her parents and grew up in an orphanage.
But life at the orphanage wasn’t easy either.
“I’m sick of it all now! This is not where I belong! I’m going to leave to find a new life!”
“Won’t you live with us?”
The witch, who had escaped from the orphanage and was wandering the streets, met an elderly couple.
Under the devoted care of the elderly couple, the witch became a quite skilled herbalist and invested all her savings to fix her face and voice.
“Your face is beautiful, but somehow I feel lonelier when I’m with you. Let’s stop seeing each other.”
“Sometimes I don’t understand your words and actions at all. I guess we’re not meant for each other after all.”
Although she gained a pretty appearance, it was still difficult to make lovers or friends.
The witch was clumsy at both receiving love and giving love.
“You’re a bit awkward, aren’t you? I’m also very clumsy in some aspects. It’s okay. We’ll get better little by little with practice.”
But only the male lead understood such a witch.
The witch quickly fell in love with his kind words and attitude.
However, he already had someone he loved.
“She can’t see. So I always have to be her eyes. She can’t walk. So I always have to be her legs. I love her. I’m sorry.”
“That’s not love! I love you!”
The witch couldn’t understand.
The woman he loved wasn’t beautiful, was poor, and couldn’t see or walk.
“If only you disappear, he will love me! So just vanish now!”
The witch’s wrong choice ultimately ended in failure, and in the end, she died by the sword of the man she loved.
Even as she bled to death, the witch confessed her love to him.
‘What kind of ending is this…?’
Veronia couldn’t hide her sorrow at the witch’s miserable end and shed tears.
Veronia was angry and also sad.
The witch’s life seemed very similar to Veronia’s current situation.
‘Is this a divine message not to forget the original story, or what?’
If that was the case, the divine intention hit the mark.
Veronia’s fingertips trembled with fear that the witch’s terrible end might become her future.
The play’s finale was decorated with narration.
“Here ends the sad life story of the witch, born with an ugly face and dying with an ugly soul.”
At first, it started with a low, subdued voice.
But gradually, the host’s voice began to intensify.
“Was there no way to have a beautiful soul even if born with an ugly face? Is there really no way to make a harsh fate smooth?”
After throwing a series of unanswerable questions, the host paused to catch his breath.
Then, in a subdued voice again, he asked the final question.
“At this moment, how are your faces? Are your souls truly at peace?”
The host bowed deeply, signaling the end of the play.
Applause erupted from here and there.
‘What nonsense! I really don’t like this ending!’
Tears streamed down again. At that moment, a handkerchief was held out in front of her.
It was Killian.
“…Thank you, sob… sob!”
The moment she received the handkerchief, the tears she had been holding back burst forth like a flood.
Killian was momentarily flustered by Veronia’s sobbing, but soon gently patted her back to comfort her.
Veronia’s crying continued even after leaving the tent.
As they left the tent, evaluations from the audience could be heard here and there.
“Well done! A witch with a corrupted soul should be killed quickly. Before the witch kills others.”
“That’s right! It’s correct to catch and kill the witch before innocent, good people die.”
People thought the witch’s death was natural.
No one was on the witch’s side.
“Even if born with an ugly face, even if abandoned by parents, one should have a kind heart, why couldn’t she do that, tsk tsk.”
“Right! It’s not even difficult to have a kind heart!”
The excited voices of people all reached Veronia’s ears as she wailed.
Veronia spoke to Killian as if complaining.
“Sob… If only that witch had grown up in an ordinary family, under loving parents. Sob… If she had grown up receiving enough love, she might have met a different end… Hiccup…”
Killian silently listened while patting her back.
“Sob… The world treated her badly first. Sniff… So she just treated the world badly in return. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, that’s what it was! Ugh…”
Killian tilted his head at another unfamiliar side of Veronia.
This time, he didn’t feel happy about glimpsing her secret.
She was clearly empathizing with the witch’s situation and deeply regretting the witch’s death.
‘How is it possible that Veronia, who is loved by the most people in this world, empathizes so much with a witch loved by no one? Is it because of her excellent empathy…’
Leaving Veronia, who couldn’t easily stop her tears, alone, Killian stood up.
When he returned shortly after, he was holding two cotton candies.
“They say sweet things are good when you’re feeling down.”
Killian said gently as he handed one cotton candy to Veronia.
Veronia wiped away her last tear as she received the cotton candy.
“How does Sir Killian know that? Do you sometimes feel down too?”
“Of course. I too… sometimes feel down.”
“…I see.”
Seeing Killian’s subdued expression, Veronia remembered the content of the original story.
‘Ah, right. Come to think of it, Killian was said to miss his long-dead brother. That must be what he’s referring to.’
Veronia nibbled on the cotton candy.
Indeed, as the sweetness entered her mouth, her gloomy mood improved a bit.
“…Thank you, Sir Killian.”
“It’s nothing, Your… um… Ladyship.”
“At times like this, you really seem foolish.”
“Indeed. I must be truly foolish.”
Veronia and Killian looked at each other and smiled broadly.
Why She Is Still Unmoved (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: He uses various methods to seek her affection, but she remains unmoved.
Synopsis:
Si Qingyu is a doctor who has saved countless lives and enjoys tranquility.
Luo Shaoxuan is ruthless, deeply scheming, and the top young master in the capital. He admires Si Qingyu.
Luo Shaoxuan: I want to be the only one in your eyes and heart.
Features a cold and calm female lead vs A noble and scheming male lead.
There will be both sweetness and torture towards the male after their marriage.
