“I truly apologize, Your Highness.”
The gatekeeper bowed repeatedly, apologizing.
“Did Viscount Jeo personally give you the order?”
Lucius asked, and the gatekeeper, with a troubled expression, averted his gaze.
“I apologize, Your Highness…”
Lucius, facing the gatekeeper who kept repeating apologies, issued a brief command.
“Open it.”
And then, he closed the carriage window.
It was both an expression of no longer wanting to engage in conversation and an unspoken command to resolve the matter on their own.
Soon, the clamor of the imperial knights outside the carriage echoed.
“It’s His Highness’s order. Open the gate!”
Clang.
Following the sound of knights unsheathing their swords, a pleading voice followed.
“P-Please, d-don’t do this…”
Lucius rested his chin on the carriage armrest, ignoring the commotion outside.
And he recalled the recent lunch conversation with the Empress.
“I heard that His Highness recently brought in a lower noblewoman into the Prince’s Palace.”
During their casual conversation, the Empress got to the point.
“… So, considering His Highness’s age, it seems he is becoming interested in women now… As a mother, I feel sorry for not looking into such matters until now.”
“…”
“So, I’m thinking of bringing in a chambermaid to the Prince’s Palace. Your Highness, what do you think?”
Lucius was not so naive as to not notice Empress’s intentions.
It wasn’t particularly unusual for a noble heir before marriage to have a chambermaid.
However, he sensed that the Empress’s question was a leading inquiry to gauge the relationship between Esika and himself.
“Very well.”
In response to Lucius’s indifferent answer, the Empress lifted the corners of her mouth.
“Alright. Then, I’ll leave it to you to handle that lower noblewoman… ”
“I’ll handle that part myself.”
“…”
Lucius drew a clear line.
“Then, why are you doing something you’ve never done before? I’m so worried. What if unfavorable rumors circulate and tarnish the Prince’s honor?”
“…I’ll put a stop to it.”
Lucius bowed his head slightly to the glaring Empress and stood up from his seat. Before leaving the dining room, he added a word.
“It’s better not to meddle. Lady Viscountess Croft and I don’t have the kind of relationship you’re thinking of.”
Lucius made it clear.
“Why don’t you just sit back? Lady Viscountess Croft has a special ability that ordinary people don’t possess.”
Yes.
Lady Viscountess Croft had described her ability as insight derived from extensive knowledge, but her ability was indeed extraordinary.
The ability to see the future.
Her ability would be of great help to Lucius.
Especially since, as the third in the succession order, he needed her help to become the Emperor, and also to take Reneve from the Basquere Emperor, and further to rule the Empire.
During the three years when Reneve left Paradisium, Lucius realized many things.
Delaying the marriage with Reneve and putting aside his lingering regrets about the turmoil with the Siren Viscount family, Lucius devoted much time to building his own information network.
Unable to immediately leverage the power of the Siren Viscount family, he sought his own ways to become the Emperor.
Thanks to that, he came to understand Reneve’s sudden change.
Excessive interference and subtle intimidation and manipulation by the Empress.
Because of that, Lucius concluded that Reneve’s feelings had changed.
“I’ve found the cause, so the problem can be easily solved.”
After the founding ceremony, instead of returning directly to the Basquere Palace, Reneve headed to the Siren Viscount’s residence in the capital.
“Your Majesty, I would like to stay here for a while.”
Icarus’s handsome forehead wrinkled at Reneve’s words.
“Is that really necessary?”
If Reneve stays at the Siren Viscount’s residence, it would be even more difficult to see her face than before.
“I lived here alone until now. It was the consideration of the families who hoped to live safely in a place with less threat of war.”
“…”
Throughout Reneve’s calm explanation, Icarus’s furrowed forehead remained unchanged.
“But now, I will be safe by Your Majesty’s side. Families can also be more at ease.”
Only then did Icarus’s forehead regain some calmness.
“It seems you know well.”
“If I marry Your Majesty, there won’t be anyone to stay in this mansion, so there are things to organize. I also need to take care of Smith, who is still unmarried due to my delayed marriage.”
Icarus, who had nodded in agreement with Reneve’s words, abruptly stopped.
“…Smith? Who is that?”
In Paradisium, Smith was a common male name, and the distinct irritation on Icarus’s forehead at the mention of a man’s name by Reneve made it clear that he was not calm.
“Smith is someone, is he more handsome than me?”
Icarus, revealing his jealousy, looked so cute.
Reneve chuckled and said, “Yes, he is full of masculinity… quite handsome.”
“…”
At that moment, Icarus widened his eyes.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
