The voice of a mother calling her daughter resonated in the quiet workshop.
“Delia.”
Delia blinked at the sound of her mother’s voice calling her name, finding it unfamiliar.
Even though she was close, it felt distant, as if coming from afar.
“Yes, Mother.”
In response to her mother’s moist voice, Delia quickly nodded.
“Yes.”
Delia turned towards Aaron and hastily greeted him.
“Commander, thank you for today.”
Delia conveyed her gratitude to Aaron with a nod and approached the queen.
She firmly grasped her mother’s arm, which seemed like it would blur soon.
“Hurry, let’s go back, Mother.”
Feeling Delia’s touch through her arms, the queen turned with a slow movement.
Caressing her daughter’s hand, she walked towards the carriage.
Meredyth also lowered her head, following the queen and Delia.
As the three walked away, Aaron’s face, watching their backs, contorted unpleasantly.
“Don’t mention it.”
Aaron’s response echoed emptily in the workshop.
The queen absorbed Delia’s warmth and light.
Wrapped in a warm aura and beautiful light, the surroundings felt even clearer when left alone.
As she left, the place where he was became intensely cold and dark.
If it weren’t for Delia quietly gesturing, the code of a gentleman would have been discarded immediately.
Aaron gritted his teeth, glaring at the backs of the three.
However, the moment the queen stopped and turned towards Aaron.
In an instant, the anticipation disappeared from Aaron’s eyes, replaced by a feigned smile.
In an instant, the anticipation vanished from Aaron’s eyes, replaced by a feigned smile.
“Commander.”
“Yes, what can I do for you?”
Aaron quickly composed his facial expression and respectfully acknowledged.
In response to the queen’s movement, Delia and Meredyth also turned to look at Aaron.
“No, should we call you ‘Your Excellency’ now?”
“Whatever you’re comfortable with.”
“What about your schedule for tonight?”
Delia widened her eyes at the sudden question from the queen.
Aaron also paused, looking at the queen.
“If you’re not busy, may I invite you to the royal banquet tonight? If Your Excellency finds it agreeable.”
The queen’s voice echoed in the workshop as usual, soft and gentle.
Aaron and Delia exchanged surprised glances at the queen’s unexpected invitation.
A sudden invitation to a banquet.
Is she finally giving her permission?
Is clandestine meetings now over?
Just as joyous smiles were about to bloom on Aaron and Delia’s faces, the queen spoke again.
“If you’re busy, perhaps another time.”
“No.”
Interrupting the queen, Aaron smiled and quickly rearranged his schedule in his mind.
Even without time, you have to make time.
You have to create free time.
“I’ll attend the banquet.”
“Thank you for making time.”
“It’s an honor to be invited. We’ll see you shortly then.”
The queen and Aaron exchanged courteous nods and greetings.
Their conversation concluded perfectly, just like usual.
The flickering candles cast a soft light on Aaron and Colin standing in front of a large mirror.
Colin’s hands were busy helping Aaron, who had been invited to the queen’s banquet, with his preparations.
Colin straightened Aaron’s shirt collar and earnestly advised him.
“Commander, you shouldn’t use words to tease the ladies like you did in our homeland.”
“I’ve never done that. I’ve always conversed like a gentleman.”
“When the ladies engage in conversation with you, don’t they often end up shedding tears?”
Aaron answered with a wry smile as he buttoned up his shirt.
“I can’t blame them if they’re delicate. I’ve always spoken the truth.”
“It’s because you hit them with the truth too directly. You must always say they are beautiful, charming, without exception.”
Listening to Colin, Aaron raised his head and looked at the mirror.
A few unruly strands of hair still stuck out.
With a small chuckle, Aaron raised his hand to tidy up his hair.
No one dared to mess up the only Duke and Supreme Commander of the Empire’s hair, except for one person, excluding her.
When Delia touched Aaron’s hair, he would often emit a kitten-like whimper, expressing satisfaction in a way that Aaron found hard to understand.
The touch of her embracing and caressing Aaron was nothing short of disgusting.
Would she know what kind of creature she was holding in her arms?
As Aaron smiled softly, thinking of Delia, a small sound reached him.
Thunk.
The door opened, creating a wave in the air that shook the candles in the room.
As the candles flickered, the shadows created by the light danced together.
“Commander.”
A soldier entered and saluted Aaron.
“What’s going on?”
“The envoy sent by Her Majesty the Empress has arrived.”
“My brother? Why all of a sudden?”
The smile on Aaron’s face, reflected in the mirror, disappeared in an instant.
The ashen eyes, symbolizing the Sturleitz family, flickered fiercely.
Aaron, who had been gazing at the mirror for a moment, ordered in a low voice.
“Come in.”
Upon Aaron’s permission, the Emperor’s envoy opened the door and entered.
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
Link to read
