Having finished bathing, Herdin wrapped a towel around his still damp hair and emerged from the bathroom. The quiet corridor was bathed in the gentle afternoon sunlight, and it was a time when the shadows underfoot were slowly lengthening.
Herdin roughly dried his hair with the towel and headed towards Blair’s bedroom, seemingly without much thought. Just as he turned into the corridor where Blair’s bedroom was located, the voices of maids cleaning nearby could be heard.
“By the way, what is His Highness thinking? Marrying a woman who might be the enemy’s daughter at such a low price. What if she gets pregnant and enters the picture? What will you do then?”
“Isn’t that what Her Majesty advised? After all, it’s the marriage proposed by Emperor Her Majesty. Maybe she’s trying to prevent you from marrying and seducing you.”
“…Pregnant?”
“Yes. Even if it’s true that the late Empress Her Majesty was involved in the demise of the previous Empress, won’t they be unable to drive away a woman carrying Delmark’s child? That seems to be their plan.”
“Your deduction skills are quite something.”
Unbeknownst to the whispering maids, Herdin, leaning against the wall, observed them with a cold gaze.
Through the loosely draped gown, his firm body was revealed, and above that was a beautiful face. The face she would usually blush while stealing glances at now seemed terribly eerie.
“I didn’t bring detective novels to the library for this.”
“Y-Your Highness.”
“From your perspective, it seems like I’m an idiot who falls for seduction without realizing the intention.”
“N-No, it’s not like that… We’re just worried about Your Highness and Delmark.”
“I didn’t know that the status of Delmark had fallen so low that a mere maid is concerned. It’s disgusting.”
While his tone was languid, the anger underlying his words was keenly felt by the maids.
It was the instinct of the weak.
“Your Highness, what are you doing here—”
As Lucy, who had finished the task assigned by Herdin, approached, the maids who had been gossiping hastily knelt on the ground.
“W-We’ve committed a grave offense! Please, just once, forgive us, Your Highness!”
“We spoke thoughtlessly without understanding the subject. Please grant us mercy just once…”
Herdin, looking down at the maids begging for forgiveness, turned away with an indifferent gaze.
“Lucy.”
“Yes?”
“Cut them off.”
With no hint of hesitation, Lucy followed behind Herdin, who walked away. She glanced back and forth between Herdin’s retreating figure and the desperate maids, feeling awkward.
Although the maids were undoubtedly wrong, the price for a single jest seemed too high. However, in any situation, the lord’s orders are absolute.
After inquiring about the names of the maids to report to Mason, Lucy followed a step behind Herdin, who seemed to sense her presence but didn’t turn around.
“On your way, convey this to Mason. Instruct him to prevent any outside rumors from creeping into the mansion.”
“Yes, understood.”
In the meantime, the two arrived in front of Blair’s bedroom. Herdin stopped and inquired, “So, what’s the matter?”
“Oh, I received a message from Carlyle Kyung a little while ago. We’ve secured the testimony of the coin caster, and it turns out the one who commissioned the coin production was indeed Vernon Jajak, as expected.”
It was confirmed that the one paying at the pawnshop and the one commissioning the coin production were the same person. With the testimony of the soldier who first obtained the coin, all that remained was to prove Katrina’s involvement in the events ten years ago at the trial.
With this, the preparation to clear Esmeralda’s name was complete. However, the reason Herdin hesitated was elsewhere.
“And…”
Continuing her words, Ruth took something out of her pocket.
“This is what you ordered this morning.”
What Ruth placed in Herdin’s hand was a small vial. Inside were pills that looked exactly like the ones he had given her.
This morning, before Herdin went out to deal with the Maw, he had ordered her to quickly bring these.
“Safe for consumption, right?”
“Yes. They’re just candies made in the shape of pills. But what are you planning to use them for?”
Herdin just toyed with the vial without answering. Sensing that it wasn’t something she should ask further, Ruth changed the subject.
“Well, now that the preparations are almost done… I want to relieve Empress Her Majesty’s grudge as soon as possible.”
“…Yes, soon.”
Putting the vial into the gown’s pocket, Herdin turned back toward Blair’s room and issued an exit order.
“You can go now.”
Leaving behind the bowing Ruth, he entered the room.
Passing through the reception room and entering, the scene of the bedroom bathed in the gentle afternoon sunlight through the balcony window unfolded.
In that peaceful scene, Blair, who had fallen deeply asleep by now, lay there.
Herdin approached her side and quietly observed the scenery.
Reflecting on what he was building this sturdy castle to protect.
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.]
