In the imperial palace of Lysandro Empire, the regular banquet for the princes was in full swing.
“The Duke of Elyos from the Jupiter Empire got married yesterday.”
The first prince of the Lysandro Empire clenched his fist. The letter of gratitude, engraved with the emblem of the Duke of Elyos, was ruthlessly crumpled.
The letter stated that they received the wedding gift and would donate an equivalent amount to a charitable organization.
Considering it was a gift from Lysandro, the letter mentioned a donation to a charitable organization in the capital of the Lysandro Empire in the name of the first prince.
Although there would be no loss for him… Having grown up constantly being compared to Caeron, who had been a prince of a neighboring empire since childhood, the first prince found even this to be irritating.
It felt as if the intention was not to be indebted, even for the gift he sent. At the same time, the imposing figure of the Duke of Elyos, who always overshadowed him, came to mind.
The face of the first prince contorted as much as the crumpled letter in his hand with a deep sense of inferiority.
“That duke, as well as the new duchess, are insufferably arrogant.”
According to the aide who delivered the letter, it was the Duchess of Elyos who initiated this donation.
Already, news of this in the Jupiter Empire has skyrocketed the popularity of not only the new duchess but also the Duke of Elyos’s household.
Even though he had never met her, given she was chosen by the Duke of Elyos, she must be exceptionally noble.
“Ah… I’ve heard too. About the Duchess of Elyos.”
The second prince, after putting down his wine glass, wet his lips with the wine and gave a malicious glare.
“The rumors say she’s a rare beauty… It’s a shame. Had I known, I would have gone to the Jupiter Empire to attend the wedding.”
The second prince, who was more interested in beauty than character, expressed his regret with a sulky face.
Come to think of it… In a flash, his gaze landed on the third prince, Raynion, who was eating silently.
“Didn’t the third one recently visit the Jupiter Empire University for enrollment procedures?”
At the sudden shift of the topic towards him, Raynion, who had been mechanically moving his cutlery, paused for a moment.
“They say the Duchess of Elyos is enrolling in that university… Raynion, have you by any chance seen her?”
Raynion, with a stoic expression, replied calmly to the second prince’s question full of blatant curiosity.
“She hasn’t enrolled yet. I haven’t met the duchess.”
Raynion recalled the brief visit he made to the Jupiter Empire for preliminary preparations for his study abroad and enrollment application.
Remembering that time, his rigid expression softened.
He hadn’t met the Duchess of Elyos, but he remembered another woman he had encountered.
‘Idel…’
Recently, Raynion often found himself lost in thoughts of her, which came to him unbidden.
The emotional temperature in his heart was changing. The gentle breeze of spring had turned into the sultry wind of early summer.
Thinking that he would be able to see her at the empire’s university in about a week brought a faint smile to his lips.
“You seem quite pleased with the idea of going to the Jupiter Empire.”
The second prince examined Raynion’s face with a dubious expression. Although he was curious about the duchess, he intentionally brought up the topic of studying abroad to irk him. The response was unexpectedly different.
Even the first prince frowned at the relaxed expression on Raynion’s face. He had expected Raynion, who typically kept his emotions hidden, to be visibly uncomfortable with the topic of studying abroad…
“It’s an order from the emperor. I intend to attend gladly.”
Facing the suspicious glances of the two princes, Raynion nodded with a smirk.
“Humph! Very well. Go and learn a lot during those three years. Who knows? With your mixed features, a woman from Jupiter might fall for you and propose. It wouldn’t be bad to settle down there.”
The first prince snickered mockingly, indicating he was not pleased with Raynion’s response.
Elyos Duke’s existence was as irritating to him as the infamous younger brother, Reynion.
Gradually, the emperor was looking to pass on the throne. The unseen battle for the throne between princes from different collateral families had intensified.
The second prince, engrossed in luxurious living and being female, was not a concern for him.
However, the third prince Reynion, who seemed gentle on the outside but always caught people’s attention, was an unpredictable factor.
Reynion had declared early on that he had no ambition for the emperor’s throne, but he knew there were forces within the empire supporting him.
Fortunately, with the help of collateral families and relatives, they managed to send away that unpredictable factor… but one could not rest easy until the moment of inheriting the crown.
“That sounds good.”
Reynion’s lips traced a soft curve. With genuine delight, he squinted his eyes and gave a bright smile.
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.”
