He was wearing a light white shirt and black pants.
Moreover, he was holding a sword.
“It seems a bit early to call it a morning walk.”
“Somehow I woke up early today. Have you, Your Highness, been doing morning training?”
Icar tapped his sword on his solid thigh.
“As you can see, I’ve just finished morning training.”
Then a slightly chilly dawn breeze blew by, grazing Reneb’s cheek.
The faint smell of Icar’s sweat caught in her nose.
The smell of someone else’s sweat would usually be unpleasant, but Icar’s body scent was refreshing and invigorating.
“If you were out for a walk, would it be okay to accompany you? I have something to discuss with you.”
Having something to ask him, Reneb accepted the proposal.
“Alright.”
(This is a time separator.)
“Your Highness, do you remember the hot spring of Natrheim that we found near the border?”
Icar glanced at Reneb and asked.
“Yes. You mean the hot spring we found on the way from Paradium to Bashuker.”
“That’s right; I think we need to discuss it.”
“Discuss it?”
“A large amount of magic stone was buried in that area’s land.”
“Your Highness, have you bought that land?”
“Of course.”
Icar calmly nodded, and Reneb was disappointed to herself.
That he had already found out that magic stones were buried there.
In the original, Esika and Lucius were the first to discover the hot spring area of Natrheim.
At first, time passes without them knowing that magic stones were buried there, but they accidentally find out later.
Magic stones facilitated daily life and were very valuable.
Owning land where a large number of magic stones were buried was equivalent to acquiring an oil field in reality.
So, Reneb planned to secretly buy that land under a different name after her threeyear study abroad period ended.
In the original, Lucius secretly buys the land after finding out that magic stones were mined there.
Since it was the border area between Bashuker and Paradium, it was practically abandoned land, so the landowner quickly sold it.
They would probably be boiling with rage once they found out about the buried magic stones.
Was Reneb’s disappointment evident in her expression?
Icar added with a small laugh.
“By imperial law, ownership is granted to the person who first discovers the magic stone.”
Reneb quietly nodded, and Icar’s eyes sparkled with interest.
“You seem to have known for sure that magic stones were buried in that area.”
Reneb was slightly embarrassed, but she shrugged and calmly said.
“That’s unlikely. Congratulations, Your Highness.”
For an ordinary person, it was a onceinalifetime opportunity, but for Icar, it was just another tip of the iceberg added to his vast wealth.
“I wasn’t the only one who set foot there that day.”
“You mean… I also have ownership of the magic stones?”
“Correct.”
Reneb’s eyes widened at Icar’s immediate answer, and Icar’s perfect brows narrowed.
“You don’t think I’m some kind of robber, do you?”
Icar’s voice carried a hint of displeasure. Reneb quickly denied it with her hands.
“Of course not.”
She quickly put away her thoughts that Icar would monopolize the magic stone ownership.
Afterward, they talked about documenting their joint ownership of the magic stones.
As they did, the slightly dim surroundings became completely dark.
Both were naturally heading toward the Imperial Palace.
“You’ve never been to the western border change, have you?”
“Yes.”
As Reneb nodded, Icar asked again.
“Are you sure?”
“…Probably?”
Reneb looked up at Icar with a confused face.
Icar turned his gaze from Reneb’s face to the distance.
And recalled a report from Druhan not long ago.
‘Your Highness, the Siren Count’s family stayed in that villa at the time.’
Nine years ago, Siren Count and his family visited a villa near the western border change.
Why did she say she had never been to the western border region?
Returning to the palace, Icar showered without delay and headed to his office.
As always, Druhan and Bein were doing paperwork in the office.
“Good morning, Your Majesty.”
Icar, who nodded lightly to Druhan and Bein, who greeted him in unison, sat at his desk in the center of the office.
Reaching for a mountain of piledup documents, Icar recalled the events from earlier.
Icar practiced swordsmanship twice a day, before sunrise and after finishing his daily routine, without fail.
By moving his body vigorously, he could clear his complicated thoughts.
Thus, today, as always, he was swinging his sword alone in the practice ground before dawn.
He sensed a presence.
‘The knights’ training time isn’t yet.’
He saw someone walking stealthily. Icar looked in that direction, puzzled.
Though it was still dim, Icar recognized who it was from behind.
The listless back looked pitiful, like a beaten puppy.
Lost in thought, Reneb only turned when Icar approached and spoke to her.
“If you were taking a walk, would you mind if I joined you? I happen to have something to discuss with Your Grace.”
Icar’s presence surprised Reneb, and her round eyes widened.
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
