“I thought it would be fine to just put on anything since the experts had already carefully selected dresses and accessories. I was complacent, relying only on my natural beauty.”
Sandra let out a snicker as she watched Veronia rambling on with her words of regret. Her ladies-in-waiting did the same.
But Veronia continued without minding them.
“I should have tried harder to shine a little more, but I didn’t. I’m sorry, Your Majesty!”
Veronia bowed her head deeply.
Unlike the apologetic words coming out of her mouth, her face was flushed red and blue, so she needed to hide it well.
“It’s fortunate that you’ve realized it, albeit late. You’re so dim-witted that I have to point out everything one by one like this.”
A laugh like that of a snake satisfied after a successful hunt slithered out from beyond the red lips.
“Veronia, never forget your duty. You must be pretty! No, just being pretty is not enough.”
“……”
“You must be dazzling and beautiful. All eyes should be on you! You must make it impossible for people to take their eyes off you!”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
It was likely a calculation that the more people were captivated by Veronia’s beauty and praised and admired her, the more the shadow of the imperial family would be concealed.
“Well then. Would it be better to have your ladies-in-waiting finish your preparations, or would you prefer the assistance of my ladies-in-waiting?”
The Empress asked as if she were being generous.
But everyone in the room knew. That Veronia had no choice.
“Please allow me to receive help from the imperial ladies-in-waiting, as long as it doesn’t interfere with Your Majesty’s preparations.”
“If that’s what you really want, I’ll allow it.”
“Your Majesty, may I make one more request?”
“What is it? Speak.”
“Please allow me to send my ladies-in-waiting to the imperial doctor now. I’m worried that due to my dullness and inadequacy, they might end up with permanent scars on their faces.”
Sandra’s vicious gaze turned to the ladies-in-waiting who were trembling on the floor.
Sandra clicked her tongue as if annoyed and waved her hand, signaling them to leave.
“Well. What fault could you have? This is all because of your mistress’s shortcomings. Go ahead and do that.”
The ladies-in-waiting cried out while bowing their heads so deeply they almost touched the floor.
“Th-thank you, Your Majesty the Empress.”
“We are truly grateful.”
Watching the backs of the ladies-in-waiting as they hurriedly left the room, Veronia clenched her fists tightly.
‘I don’t want to see this kind of sight anymore. I need to hurry as fast as I can.’
Before leaving, Sandra ordered the ladies-in-waiting to take care of the aftermath.
“You must put all your sincerity into adorning the princess.”
“We will obey your command, Your Majesty.”
“Don’t let her leave the bedroom until the red swelling around her eyes subsides. Prepare ice packs.”
“Yes, understood.”
The ladies-in-waiting bowed their heads deeply and responded sharply to Sandra’s orders.
She was quite meticulous.
“Before Lord Killian comes to escort, go and tell him first. Say that there’s no need to escort today. Tell him the princess is not feeling well and will arrive at the banquet a little late.”
“We will obey your command, Your Majesty.”
After finishing her orders, Sandra glanced at Veronia one last time with a snicker and then left the room.
Afterward, Veronia had to completely entrust herself to the hands of the ladies-in-waiting.
Like a marionette that had lost its will.
They repeated the process of trying on this dress, wearing those shoes, and putting on these accessories again to find the best combination of dress, shoes, and ornaments.
After more than two hours of grooming, Veronia was completely exhausted.
But that wasn’t the end.
The redness around her eyes was still a problem.
“Place this handkerchief over your eyes and rest. We’ll come back to check in 30 minutes.”
“Alright.”
The imperial ladies-in-waiting handed over a handkerchief made of ground cooling stone and left the room.
They seemed to be waiting outside the door.
Veronia was finally alone, but she felt just as stifled at the thought of the ladies-in-waiting guarding the door.
A long sigh escaped her.
Their situation, trying so hard with tense expressions, was pitiful too.
If they didn’t properly reduce the swelling, red marks would be drawn on their cheeks this time.
‘I hope my ladies-in-waiting are receiving proper treatment. There shouldn’t be any scars left…’
Veronia sat back deeply on the sofa with the handkerchief over her eyes.
‘I’m tired… exhausted…’
The strength in her arms and legs drained completely, and her mind was noisy. The energy remaining in both her body and mind was faint.
If she stayed like this, she felt like she might cry again or go crazy from being overwhelmed by emotions.
‘I can’t cry again. How long do you think you can keep this cold handkerchief on?’
Veronia scolded herself.
She needed to think of something else. Happy and exciting thoughts to blow away the gloomy mood.
But why did Killian come to mind at that moment?
And of all things, that scene which was the darkest of dark histories!
“Killian, come back! To my side where I wait for you! Oh, Killian!”
She recalled the lines of the monologue she had recited while waiting for Killian in the forest.
The effect was instantaneous.
“Pfft! Hahaha!”
It was such an embarrassing memory that it was almost irritating, but at this moment, it completely refreshed Veronia’s mood.
Ahem, Veronia cleared her throat.
And she started humming in a small voice.
“Oh, Killian! My perfect one. Get me out of here. Please save me! Ah, from the clutches of that evil witch, the Empress, please rescue me!”
It seemed she was getting a bit better at this with practice.
Both composing the lines and acting with emotion seemed to be becoming much easier.
Just as she was smirking to herself, satisfied with her sophisticated lines and excellent acting skills, a memory suddenly came to mind.
“Ah, right! There was the glass bottle voice.”
Veronia sprang up from her seat and went to the bedside table.
There, a glass bottle containing a blue glowing rose was carefully placed.
“I can’t believe I forgot about this!”
She had completely forgotten that they had each stored their voices here.
Veronia picked up the glass bottle and shook it.
Clatter clatter― The magic stone rolling around the bottom of the bottle made a sound.
A sound of clearing the throat with a fake cough was heard, as if embarrassed, followed by a comfortable middle-low voice.
“…Ahem… Thank you for the gift, Your Highness.”
Is that all? Veronia was disappointed by the briefly ending voice.
She hadn’t expected anything grand, but she thought just three words were too little.
However, that wasn’t the end.
Killian’s voice continued a bit more after a slight pause.
“I will cherish it for life. Ah! No, I mean not for life… I, I will cherish it gratefully. Thank you.”
Pfft, laughter burst out.
Killian’s voice, flustered and fumbling at his slip of the tongue, felt unbearably cute.
“Unexpectedly clumsy, I tell you.”
But for life…
Although it was a slip of the tongue, it still made her heart flutter for a moment.
‘Why did you have to correct that? Couldn’t you just let me be excited?’
Tsk, Veronia pouted her lips and gently shook the glass bottle again.
Along with the clattering sound, Killian’s voice played again.
As she listened to his voice repeatedly, the gloomy mood completely disappeared.
It was comfortable. A relaxed smile naturally appeared on Veronia’s face.
But that was only for a moment. A psychological brake automatically activated.
‘But… this habit of relying on Killian is not good…’
It was a relationship that would end soon anyway.
So, the weak heart wanting to rely on him would eventually become poison.
‘No!’
Veronia shook her head.
‘Just for this moment… let it be. Let’s rely on him just a little, just a tiny bit.’
Veronia gently shook the glass bottle again.
‘If I rest properly when resting, I’ll be able to run better when it’s time to run.’
Killian’s voice that flowed out seemed to be comforting her, pat pat.
[This is the timeline separator]In the carriage heading to the imperial palace, Killian closed his eyes for a moment.
Was it because of the comfortably rustling wind, or because he had tossed and turned all night? Killian dozed off in the bumpy carriage.
‘Huh… where is this?’
It was the mansion in the local territory. Where he spent most of his childhood.
Looking at Aaron’s empty room, young Killian asked the servant.
“Where’s Brother Aaron?”
“The young marquis has been at the training grounds since early morning, preparing for tomorrow’s departure ceremony.”
“Another departure ceremony? Tsk.”
As Killian asked again with a sulky face, the servant answered with a gentle smile and kind voice.
“Yes, that’s right, young master. The young marquis is leaving for the Canton Mountains tomorrow as part of the monster subjugation operation.”
“The Canton Mountains… That far? Then he won’t be back for at least a month.”
He just got back from field training and now he’s leaving again! He says he misses me every day but he’s never even home! Liar! Young Killian frowned severely and turned away abruptly.
“My mood is ruined from the morning. It’s all because of brother! Brother is stupid!”
Killian grumbled to himself the whole way back to his room.
I’ll help with sword practice, let’s go hunting together on weekends, let’s play swimming in Lake Colette in the summer…
Aaron always had a lot he wanted to do with his young brother Killian.
Perhaps because he was a much younger brother, he always found him cute and dear.
But as the young marquis, he had a lot to do, taking successor lessons while also serving as the vice-captain of the Noble Allied Knights.
Always busy managing his packed schedule, he couldn’t often make time to spend with his brother.
He said he was trying his best in his own way, but to young Killian, it always felt lacking.
“They say he’s incredibly smart and incredibly good at fighting compared to others, so why is he always just busier than others? Is it because he actually can’t do it all? Hmph!”
As he was walking, stomping his feet, he heard a chuckling sound from behind.
When he turned around, Aaron was there, smiling at him.
“I’m sorry that I’m neither smarter nor better at fighting than others.”
“…Brother Aaron!”
In that moment, Killian’s face turned bright red.
He felt embarrassed thinking that his brother had heard all the words he had muttered carelessly in anger. So much that he wanted to hide somewhere right away.
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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