All eyes were drawn to the entrance of the Great Hall. Leading the way, Princess Ophelia entered the banquet hall.
‘Princess Ophelia is here!’
‘Indeed, there is no one who can match her beauty.’
People witnessing Ophelia’s confident posture, combined with the unparalleled beauty acknowledged even in Lisandro, couldn’t help but express their admiration.
However, those who soon followed Ophelia into the hall received not just admiration but astonishment.
‘Who on earth…!’
‘Surely, that must be Duchess Elios?’
The woman who followed Ophelia, with intricately crafted features resembling pottery and strikingly transparent fair skin, stood out. The lace-adorned hem of her dress, enveloping her delicate and smooth skin, fluttered like the wings of an insect with each step.
Her graceful steps, akin to a fairy who appeared in the human world, were mysterious and enchanting. When her eyes, resembling the fresh leaves of early summer, slowly surveyed the surroundings, those caught in her gaze stood still for a moment before reacting with a start.
“Duchess, it seems there are many who are interested in you.”
Looking at the dazed faces of those, especially the young nobles, who were captivated by Ophelia’s admiration for Idel, Ophelia raised the corners of her mouth. It was as she had planned.
“Shall I introduce the person who will dance the first dance with you? Since I escorted you to the ball tonight, I have the authority.”
In the Lisandro Empire, it was customary for the person who escorted the first and last dances of the ball to be the same. However, this time, since Ophelia, the same woman, escorted Idel, Ophelia had the authority to choose the partner for Idel’s dance. Of course, this was also as she had planned.
“Now, who shall I introduce first?”
As soon as Ophelia spoke, the nobles around her swarmed to Idel like a swarm of bees drawn to a fragrant flower.
“Greetings to Duchess Elios.”
“I am at a loss for words in the presence of the dazzling figure of the Duchess.”
“Would you kindly honor me with the privilege of dancing with you?”
As the nobles approached him, actively engaging in conversation and appealing to Idel, his eyes widened momentarily in surprise.
Encountering such a unfamiliar situation for the first time, Idel’s cheeks blushed with embarrassment. Unsure of what to do, as she looked down with contemplation, the nobles were captivated again by her innocent appearance as her eyelashes trembled.
‘Among them, who should I choose so that the Duke’s face remains decent?’
Observing the noblewomen who were eagerly watching Ophelia, torn by indecision, Ophelia couldn’t find anyone she could compare to the Duke. Even though she had been looking at the Duke closely for the past few days…
‘He’s annoyingly attractive.’
Realizing that it was difficult to find a man in Lisandro comparable to the Duke, Ophelia, feeling a little irritated, let out a small sigh.
“…Oh!”
Suddenly, the nobles of Lisandro began to act nervously, taking deep breaths. The cause was the appearance of someone with a strong presence.
“Duke Elios!”
One of the nervous nobles uttered a sigh like a low whisper. Ophelia turned her head at the mention of the Duke’s face.
‘This is…’
“…It’s even better than I expected…”
Unconsciously, Ophelia murmured her thoughts aloud.
Of course, she had anticipated it. She expected that at this ball, Idel, who was more beautiful than anyone else, would capture the attention of many nobles.
Alongside whether or not a marriage is in question, in Lisandro’s social circles, Idel would be inundated with approaching nobles regardless of being the Duchess, expressing interest in a person who catches their fancy.
What Ophelia wanted to see was how the Duke would react to the expressions of interest from other nobles towards Idel. As the person Idel had fallen for at first sight, she expected him to show some degree of jealousy, considering his arrogant and cold-blooded nature.
‘I expected it, but… not to this extent.’
Watching the Duke’s razor-sharp expression, Ophelia swallowed her saliva. It felt as if this place were not a banquet hall but a battlefield, such was the intimidating atmosphere.
As the approaching Duke made his presence felt, the nobles, feeling pressed by his aura, instinctively took a step back, like dogs tucking their tails between their legs. When the nobles who had been standing close by, shielding their gaze, stepped back, Idel also noticed Kairon approaching her.
“Your Grace!”
Idel, who was going through a difficult time, welcomed Kairon, who helped her escape this situation, with appreciation.
Seeing her smiling brightly like a flower that had just bloomed, Kairon’s determined steps faltered for a moment. His face, which had been completely armored, was now completely disarmed.
‘Incredible…!’
‘Have you just seen the smile of the Duchess?’
Then, suddenly, Idel’s nobles, who had reacted to her lovely smile, noticed someone’s arrival with a strong presence.
“Duke Elios!”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
