Rosé placed one hand on her chest and bowed her head towards Grand Duke Artyom.
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
Grand Duke Artyom glanced at Eric, who was standing far off by himself, then extended his hand towards Rosé.
“Come.”
It seemed he realized that Eric was not going to escort Rosé. She looked down at the Grand Duke Artyom’s outstretched hand.
From a distance, Eric, who had been observing the two, frowned uncomfortably. He was furious to see Grand Duke Artyom touch what was his. How dare he lay hands on his possession….
He swiftly moved forward, blocked the Grand Duke’s path, and snatched Rosé’s left wrist.
“Ouch.”
She felt pain in her wrist. Her wrist, injured because of Eric, was throbbing. Rosé clenched her lower lip and frowned.
“It seems you are very interested in my woman, Your Grace.”
Eric’s voice was polite yet sharp.
However, when the cold gaze of the inscrutable Grand Duke fell upon him, Eric involuntarily flinched.
Grand Duke Artyom, who had been looking at Eric, shifted his gaze to Rosé. Precisely, to her wrist.
‘She’s hurt.’
Rosé’s trembling hand was visibly trembling.
“It seems like you don’t care enough about her.”
The Grand Duke grabbed Eric’s hand with his dry voice. Eric, who had been holding Rosé, inadvertently let go of her wrist.
Thanks to this, Rosé, who was freed from pain, rubbed her wrist and caught her breath.
“What are you doing? Let go.”
Why was his strength so strong? She tried to pull her arm out forcibly, but she couldn’t easily get out.
Then, the Grand Duke and Rosé’s eyes met. He seemed to be staring intently at her wrist for some reason.
‘Does he know about my injury and is doing this on purpose?’
She didn’t want to draw people’s attention, so she didn’t cry out in pain and endured it. But Rosé shook her head.
‘No way.’
He wasn’t a considerate person in the books. He was rather a vile and terrible person.
She, Rosé, didn’t think such a person would notice her injury, let alone help her out like this.
“Thank you for the invitation. I’ll make sure to have a good time with my wife.”
Eric barely managed to shake off the Grand Duke’s hand, growling with unconcealed hostility towards the Grand Duke.
Grand Duke Artyom raised the corner of his mouth oddly and took a step towards Eric.
“Count. People, you see. There are times when you have to hide your claws to achieve your purpose.”
With his icy gaze fixed on Eric, the Grand Duke murmured into his ear.
“You’re still just a chick.”
Eric’s eyes momentarily lost focus and swayed. Infuriated by the Grand Duke’s mocking words, but unable to say anything in front of Artyom who overwhelmed him just by his presence, he just swallowed his dry spit.
Grand Duke Artyom dusted off Eric’s shoulder and then grabbed it tightly.
The strength of his grip was so strong that Eric involuntarily let out a weepy sound.
“Be careful.”
The Grand Duke, who had faintly raised one corner of his mouth, murmured towards Eric with a creepy expression.
“If you ever give me that look again, I’ll pluck out your eyes without a bird or rat knowing.”
At the Grand Duke’s cold voice, Eric’s ears pricked up. It felt like he would really blind him.
Eric couldn’t say anything and just froze on the spot. Grand Duke Artyom turned his back on him after saying his last words.
Eric, who couldn’t say anything in front of Grand Duke Artyom, spat out an uncomfortable word as soon as the figure of the Duke was distant.
“What a joke.”
Despite the faint swearing, Eric’s expression was still stiff.
Even though the Grand Duke let go of his hand, he still felt pain in his shoulder. Eric, who was shaking his shoulder, clenched his fist and shivered.
“He’s going to die soon… I’ll let it go.”
In fact, Eric had no particular ill feelings towards the Grand Duke. The only things he was interested in were women and power. But he wanted to be properly acknowledged by his parents.
Just as Eric’s parents had killed the previous emperor and empress, Eric was now trying to kill the Grand Duke, who was his son, in order to take up his parents’ will.
Eric was a count, but he hadn’t been properly recognized for his abilities yet.
But if he succeeds in this task, not only will he be able to stand on his own as a true count for his parents, but he will also be able to stand on his own as a true count.
Eric, who had been standing for a while, suddenly glared at Rosé.
“You, go back and watch me.”
Is he venting his anger on Rosé? He strutted into the banquet hall with a loud boast.
“Yes, yes, do as you please.”
Rosé muttered to herself as she scornfully watched his retreating figure. She then took steps into the banquet hall.
Once Rosé entered the banquet hall, her eyes widened. She had thought the Count’s house was magnificent, but the Duke’s mansion was incomparably luxurious.
Many nobles had already gathered, having a noisy time. As Rosé entered the banquet hall, the nobles glanced at her and scrutinized her.
The Count didn’t care about Rosé and was babbling with the young nobles.
Nobody approached her. They only murmured about Rosé.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
