Although there were not many educational opportunities for commoners, it was different for children of commoners working in state facilities such as the imperial palace or magic tower.
They were given the opportunity to receive free education at the Imperial Normal Academy until adulthood.
It was a condition that no parent could refuse, and Veronia was one of those parents.
‘I was so lucky!’
Veronia prided herself on being fortunate even as she hurriedly rode her horse with barely time to eat.
She had a storybook that she wrote when she was pregnant with Jediel.
It was a story about a little magician, written as a gift for her precious child and as a hobby for her mental stability.
‘Oh, this is good? It’s a shame to just let it sit. Why don’t you try publishing it as a real storybook?’
One day, Onyx saw that book on the shelf and connected her with a publisher.
The book she published on a whim became quite popular, and she ended up releasing a series of 5 books.
Veronia thought she was just lucky. The empire was not yet in an atmosphere where children were respected as enjoyers of culture.
Most places lacked not only cultural facilities for children but also proper educational facilities.
So far, there had been no storybooks other than traditional fairy tales, but Veronia’s creative stories were praised for opening new horizons.
However, despite their popularity, the storybooks didn’t bring in much money. They were priced very low as they were for children, and there was a small market for book purchases.
Moreover, due to the lack of proper copyright concepts, many people used the stories to create plays or readings, but these actions did not lead to income for Veronia.
Apart from feeling good about the popularity of her self-written storybooks, she was also greatly disappointed that the monetary compensation didn’t seem to be properly realized.
When Veronia was feeling gloomy, an offer of employment came from the magic tower.
‘The various magic concepts in the storybooks were very innovative and interesting. Our magic tower plans to focus on developing lifestyle-oriented magic tools for the general public in the future. The era of war is over, and it’s now an era of peace, isn’t it?’
The employee from the magic tower who came to see Veronia said with sparkling eyes and an increasingly excited voice.
‘As an advisory member, it would be a great help if you could lend your strength to our magic tower. Would you like to join us in making this world a more convenient and enjoyable place? Please consider it positively.’
At first, she thought of refusing, but she changed her mind because of the educational opportunity Jediel could receive. Thus, Veronia embarked on a life combining the roles of a healer and a magic tower advisor.
And these days, she was very satisfied. The income was quite substantial.
[This is the timeline separator]Meeting time.
Veronia reported the research results of the lie detector she had been deeply involved in conceptualizing for the past 6 months.
“This is a product that improves on the weaknesses of the lie detector developed last year. We’ve enhanced the magic resistance to the point where even magicians or those possessing magic tools can’t escape. The experimental results were quite successful, and you can see the detailed figures in the materials.”
Satisfied smiles spread across the faces of the executives as they scanned the materials. When the meeting, which continued for a while longer, ended, Veronia was completely exhausted.
‘But it’s time to go home!’
Veronia left the research institute, dragging her tired body. The journey to pick up Jediel after work was the most enjoyable time of the day.
However, the one who greeted Veronia when she arrived at the kindergarten attached to the Imperial Normal Academy was a teacher with a perplexed expression.
“Oh? Jediel was taken away earlier by some man?”
“What? Who was it? What did he look like?”
Veronia’s heart sank at the teacher’s words.
I told him so many times not to go with just anyone! Veronia was so shocked and flustered that her head was spinning.
“He seemed very close to Jediel. Tall with red hair… Oh, there they are.”
Looking where the teacher pointed, Veronia saw Jediel returning, riding piggyback on Onyx and laughing heartily.
Veronia immediately ran to them.
“Mommy!”
“Nia!”
Jediel and Onyx, unaware of Veronia’s worried state of mind, greeted her with bright smiles. Veronia immediately glared at Onyx.
“What is this? How could you take the child like that? I was so worried!”
“Mom, don’t be angry. I asked uncle to buy me candy.”
But it wasn’t Onyx who reacted to Veronia’s glare, it was Jediel. Meanwhile, Onyx just shrugged his shoulders and replied nonchalantly.
“Why are you being so uptight? I had business nearby and the timing just happened to match, so I came. To see our Jediel’s face and buy him candy too.”
“But still…!”
Veronia tried to nag more, but Onyx beat her to it, using Jediel as a shield.
“Jediel, you were happy to see uncle’s face, right? You were happy that uncle bought you candy, right?”
“Yes! I was very happy!”
“Jediel, come down here.”
Veronia carefully hugged and pulled down Jediel, who was sitting on Onyx’s shoulders. The child’s pants pockets were bulging, seemingly full of candy.
“I told you to eat only one candy a day, right?”
“Yes. I must absolutely eat only one candy a day. Promise.”
Veronia could no longer glare at Jediel, who was smiling brightly and sticking out his pinky finger.
Her eyes softened and a smile formed naturally.
“Okay. Promise.”
She smiled as she hooked her finger with the child’s small pinky.
The three of them got into the carriage. They had to stop by the market to shop before going home.
“Grandma and grandpa are waiting, so let’s hurry.”
“Yes, yes! Let’s go!”
Just as Veronia, holding the reins, was about to start the carriage, another carriage was approaching from the opposite direction, with a clear lion emblem engraved on the door.
‘The Duke of Drea’s carriage!’
For a moment, Veronia’s face hardened. Flustered, she pulled her already worn robe down even more.
Onyx’s sharp gaze swept over Veronia’s expression.
“Are you okay? Should I drive?”
“I’m fine.”
Veronia immediately started driving the carriage. She was no longer in the mood to shop.
‘But it’s already too late to just go back.’
Veronia glanced at Jediel sitting next to her. The child was grinning with his mouth wide open.
Jediel loved going to the market. He especially loved going to the market with Onyx.
“Uncle Onyx, it’s okay for me to buy whatever I want today too, right? Right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Onyx smiled broadly, stroking the child’s head in response to Jediel’s aegyo. Seeing this, Veronia, feeling a bit more relaxed, said firmly.
“Just one thing. And only within 30 minutes. We shouldn’t keep grandma and grandpa waiting too long, right?”
“Yes…”
Jediel answered with a gloomy expression.
Veronia was worried about how much Jediel followed Onyx. It was because of the secret of Onyx’s birth.
‘Even if the original story has changed, the fact that he is of the Empress’s bloodline remains the same. Someone will find out someday.’
Therefore, it would be right to cut ties and distance themselves from Onyx, but that wasn’t easy. Jediel often sought out Onyx, and Onyx frequently hovered around them as well.
Right now, everything was perfectly happy.
But Veronia always felt a choking anxiety that if just one small, trivial thing went wrong, everything would collapse.
Especially on days like today when she encountered the Duke of Drea’s carriage, that anxiety doubled.
Killian got off the carriage and was walking through the market alley.
He had been informed that his former subordinates from the United Knights were gathered at a tavern for the first time in a long while.
‘I’m sure it was somewhere around here…’
It had been so long that he was confused about the way and was looking around the alleys when it happened.
Thud.
A little child from the group walking ahead dropped something. Killian carefully looked at what had rolled up to him and saw it was candy.
Killian immediately bent down and picked up the candy.
“Ah, my candy…”
Just then, the child turned around and didn’t know what to do. He needed to receive the candy from Killian, but his hands were already full of other candies.
In place of the flustered child, the mother next to him reached out her hand.
“Thank you.”
Because she had pulled her robe down tightly, Killian couldn’t see her face. Veronia, who had her head bowed low, couldn’t see his face either.
But Onyx could see it all.
Watching the hands of Killian and Veronia, once engaged, getting closer, he was flustered.
‘Those two shouldn’t meet!’
Onyx quickly stretched out his arm. By a hair’s breadth, he was a bit faster than Veronia.
Onyx, who received the candy instead, greeted Killian.
“Ah, thank you. Jediel, you should come here and say thank you too. Come on.”
As soon as Onyx finished speaking, Jediel bowed and shouted.
“Thank you for saving my candy!”
However, Killian was taken aback when he faced the child.
The fluttering blonde hair, big round blue eyes, cute nose and lips – the child’s appearance was so similar to his elder brother Aaron’s childhood that he had seen in portraits.
‘……’
When there was no response to the thanks, the child tilted his head and looked at Killian. Only then did Veronia, sensing something was odd, raise her head to look at the other person.
Recognizing Killian at once, Veronia gasped.
She was so surprised that all the strength left her body as if all the blood in her body had evaporated into the air.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
