“Stop, please stop…!”
The words “let’s all die together” lingered in the air, reaching the point of desperation. However, Hwangbi couldn’t muster the strength to speak. It was due to the continuous beating and harsh treatment.
The maids, who seemed devoid of any energy when they returned from interrogation, now unleashed all the accumulated resentment. This was an obvious retaliation.
Even though she was in a situation where she was accused and confined, Hwangbi was still the empress, and they were still maids. However, she couldn’t assert the difference in their status.
The underground cell was narrow, and there were no court ladies or knights to intervene.
The underground cell was filled with screams, yet no one came to investigate.
Hwangbi was mentally absent. She simply surrendered her body to the escalating violence.
…!
Suddenly, it became hard to breathe, and it wasn’t clear where she was being struck.
She tried to exhale her breath, hunching her body in an attempt to find some relief from the relentless onslaught.
But the violence from the maids continued without a moment’s respite.
‘…Is this how I’m going to die?’
Is this what she believed as she received blows from the maids she trusted inside the underground cell? In a disgraceful manner?
Hwangbi realized anew how terrifying people driven by madness could become.
Fear overwhelmed her.
Amber rushed into the reception room.
“Amber, what’s going on?”
“Miss! The Duke has been captured and taken inside!”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes!”
Renev, with lowered eyelashes, fell into thought.
It seemed that the emperor had made a decision faster than expected.
‘I only intended to raise slight suspicions…’
Of course, there were too many crimes attributed to Hwangbi to list them all.
Attempted regicide of the First Prince and orders to assassinate Henryk, the son of Duke and the wife of Count Anthony, who was a maid.
Additionally, favoritism towards the nobles who followed Hwangbi, receiving benefits, and violating the imperial law that the imperial power should not interfere in politics.
Now that Hwangbi was stripped of the emperor’s protection, receiving the due punishment for her sins seemed natural.
However, the case of the Duke was a bit different.
He was not a person with grand ambitions to incite rebellion; he was a person who protected what he had.
So, arresting the Duke seemed like an unconventional decision for the emperor.
Capturing the Duke based on just one confidential document provided by Renev carried significant risks.
“For what reason?”
When Renev asked, Amber added that multiple pieces of evidence related to a conspiracy were found at the Duke’s place.
Renev blinked slowly.
Suspicion between the Duke and Hwangbi was Renev’s intention, but the idea that the two were actually plotting a rebellion was a groundless rumor.
“As for this matter, Her Majesty the Empress also said that she would investigate it more thoroughly.”
After exchanging some conversation with Amber, it was already dusk.
Changing into pajamas, Renev headed to her bedroom.
And while looking at the bright round moon beyond the bedroom window, she made a wish.
‘I hope to see my father again in good health after the spring festival ends…’
For a while, Renev imagined Siren Viscount returning safely to the west.
Then, at some point, she fell asleep while sitting on the sofa.
“…”
When she woke up, the bedroom was still dark.
‘I fell asleep while thinking.’
Rubbing her eyes still heavy with sleep, Renev realized that she wasn’t alone in the bedroom.
Surprised by the firm touch of a muscular chest, she raised her gaze.
“… Your Majesty?”
Ikar, with one arm, firmly embraced her upper body.
“You’ve woken up.”
Perhaps because of the remaining drowsiness, the shadowy figure of Ikar in the moonlight seemed mysteriously enchanting.
Renév blinked her eyelids several times, focusing her eyes. Soon, Icar’s face came into clear view.
Although the drowsiness was fading quickly, Icar’s handsome face remained unchanged.
“Your Majesty, when did you arrive?”
Renév asked with sleepy eyes.
Icar kissed her eyelids, as if finding her adorable, and replied, “Just a little while ago.”
Despite saying he arrived a little while ago, Icar’s voice sounded restrained.
‘…Did he carry me into his arms and let me sleep?’
The thought was proven by the light and refreshing feeling in her body.
“If you had come, you should have woken me up.”
“You seemed to be sleeping sweetly.”
So, he waited without waking her up. Renév appreciated Icar’s considerate gesture.
With a slight smile, she said, “Yes. Thanks to you, I feel refreshed because I slept well.”
“Fortunately.”
The corners of Icar’s mouth lifted as if in a good mood.
…?
“I don’t plan to put you to sleep anymore.”
Renév, about to ask what that meant, blushed as she soon understood Icar’s intention.
Icar, smiling as if finding her cute, gently bit her earlobe and whispered, “I have joyful news to tell Young Lady.”
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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