“I am Feraxit, a senior priest from the second temple. I shall accompany you to the assembly.”
Kashar’s gaze returned to me.
“It’s alright. Go ahead.”
It was disappointing, but unavoidable.
Kashar sighed briefly and moved.
“Stay within the temple.”
“I understand.”
Perhaps because of the sudden turn of events, I felt tied to this place.
As Kashar disappeared, Louis clung to me.
“Aileen, does that mean we can’t go to the festival?”
“He will return shortly. Let’s go together then.”
I was comforting Louis when the man who introduced himself as the High Priest of the first temple was watching me.
‘Why isn’t he leaving?’
Impressive for one so young to be a High Priest.
After repeated eye contact, Ferberov approached.
“It seems the princes are bored. It’s an honor to meet you, Aileen Hallen.”
“Do you know me?”
“Of course. You decorated the charity event with the twin princes, did you not?”
Come to think of it, the beneficiary of the charity was the Shaina temple.
‘Is he here to thank me?’
Silently, Ferberov continued to speak.
“Since you are to remain in the temple, how about attending a party honoring our benefactors?”
“Benefactors?”
“Yes, a gathering to honor the faithful who have made contributions to Shaina temple.”
It sounded a bit like a fundraising party.
Seeing my hesitation, he changed the topic.
“Do you know Golden Eden?”
A combination of words I had heard somewhere before.
Racking my brain, I finally recalled.
‘It was the café on the street of prosperity!’
The room café where Kashar and I had met.
“The hostess of that place is Mrs. Evelyn Ballot. She made many contributions and returned to the goddess Shaina. This year’s party is in her honor.”
I was quite curious about how much one had to donate to get a temple to host a party for a departed soul.
‘A party, huh. Feels awkward.’
I was skeptical due to a bad experience with my first party.
However, the twins seemed to be urging me.
“Aileen, can we go? I’m bored.”
Well, standing around here also felt strange.
After some contemplation, I decided to try the party.
“Could you guide me?”
“Certainly. Please follow me this way.”
The dazzling white hallway seemed to hurt the eyes just by looking.
‘The cleaning staff must have a hard time.’
Just as I was thinking this, Ferberov, who was walking ahead, stopped in front of an open door.
“Here we are. Normally only invited benefactors may attend, but you certainly qualify.”
The interior of the party hall was bustling with nobles and affluentlooking merchants.
Yet what caught my eye was not the elegant crowd, but the interior of the party hall.
‘It’s hard to put into words… somewhat modern.’
Yellow wallpaper. Oneseat sofas with floral patterns and wagon wheel decorations.
Vines were wrapped around pillars and corners.
‘It wasn’t sophisticated, but it looked like something old people would decorate. Not exactly serving scones, but…’
Endless memories of the 8090 generation. It reminded them of ‘Kanmoa.’
“…Looks like they’ll give away cream and bread for free.”
Otherwise, a menu must exist, listing various fruit juices, snowflake shaved ice, oven spaghetti, and coffee.
Hesitantly looking for a swing chair, it was indeed there.
“…The strangest thing is,”
In a cafe where schooluniformed kids should be, there were nobles in lavish Rococostyle dresses and suits, and priests in pure white robes, chattering and laughing.
“This gathering honors a person named Evelyn Ballot, you see…”
“Yes, exactly. She was a businesswoman who brought numerous ventures to life during her time. The interior you see was also all Mrs. Ballot’s idea.”
This was not just strange; it felt off.
“What kind of person was she?”
The food at the party was also extraordinary.
A long line of various foods stretched across the central table.
I keenly observed the nobles filling their plates there.
“What are they eating?”
Narrowing my eyes suspiciously, my gaze met that of a lady scooping food.
Quickly feigning ignorance, the lady tilted her head and moved away.
“Don’t they all find this strange?”
It seemed better to go up close and check.
Moments later, confirming that no one was around the food, I quickly moved to the center.
On the white table were desserts like cake, bread, as well as meats like ham and sausage, and neatly arranged pieces of butter and cheese.
The most eyecatching thing on the table, which looked like a medieval Western meal, was,
“…Rice?”
Indeed, fluffy white grains of rice were heaped high on a large plate.
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
