‘Special existence.’
Dietrich did not respond to the Empress’s words.
He simply had no immediate answer that came to mind.
Celia—whenever he spoke with that woman, an inexplicable irritation arose within him, and watching her actions made him feel suffocated, as if his chest were tightly sealed.
She carelessly smeared bread crumbs all over her lips while eating, without regard for decorum. Even when she had ample chance to escape, she refused to flee, instead waiting for him with a blood-soaked body.
When she suffered so terribly that he finally transferred his healing power to her, she greedily lapped at his saliva so fiercely it seemed she might tear out her own tongue, then immediately fell into a peaceful slumber.
No one had ever grated on his nerves quite like this before. In that sense, perhaps Celia truly was a special existence to him—even if that specialness carried a negative connotation.
The Empress flashed her violet eyes, glaring at the silent Dietrich.
“You’re no different from any other man. I thought you, at least, might be somewhat different.”
“…….”
Dietrich looked down at the Empress with an indifferent expression. Though young, Dietrich towered over the Empress, who was well into middle age.
The Empress was beautiful, yet the Emperor had little affection for her. After their first night together, he never visited her again. This was because the Empress was the illegitimate daughter of Duke Ileon Gredrick.
Even if the Emperor were utterly incompetent, he could not possibly have failed to recognize that the Three Dukes had placed her on the throne solely to keep watch over him.
Every day, the Empress had to listen to the moans from the woman in the Emperor’s adjacent chamber. She loathed the Emperor for embracing that woman without even glancing in her direction.
Yet, as Empress, she needed to secure an heir. For her, who had been cast aside by the Gredrick Dukedom, producing an heir was the only means by which she could maintain power.
She slipped sleeping powder into the Emperor’s meal, climbed atop his unconscious body once he fell asleep. Covering his face with a pillow made it somewhat bearable. To her, the unattractive Emperor was merely a tool—a means to produce the heir that would secure her power.
Thus, she bore Jeremy, and then turned her gaze toward other men.
Unlike the late Emperor, who had craved any woman, the Empress was extremely selective in choosing men. Though her excessive ambition had forced her into a political marriage with an Emperor twenty years her senior, in truth, she was a woman of exceedingly high standards.
Her criteria for a man were as follows:
He must never have slept with another woman, and must be under thirty years of age.
He must be strikingly handsome—someone whose appearance would turn heads wherever he went—and possess a certain degree of social prestige. He must have a muscular build and beautiful eyes.
Few men met all these conditions. Whenever she finally found someone who did, he was already married or engaged.
Any man who had been with another woman was immediately dismissed by the Empress.
Dietrich fulfilled every single one of these conditions. He was the only one. Despite the countless young noblewomen in the capital who were desperate for him, he remained utterly indifferent to them all.
Was he not the perfect candidate to become her consort?
Of course, Dietrich had rejected the Empress’s advances many times. Yet the Empress refused to give up on him.
Even while the Emperor still lived, and even now, just one day after the Emperor’s funeral.
In fact, the Emperor’s death might have made things even better.
The Emperor had always kept Dietrich close by. Had he still been alive, she could never have brazenly barged into Dietrich’s estate in the middle of the night like this.
“Lord. My offer from before still stands. If you now agree to become my consort, I can turn a blind eye to everything you’ve done.”
“……What exactly would Your Majesty turn a blind eye to?”
The Empress pressed her index finger firmly against Dietrich’s chest. As she pressed against his rock-hard chest, she moistened her dry lips with her tongue and spoke.
“For instance, the matter of you rescuing that woman from prison without reporting her to me. Or the matter of you killing the knight who had served you for four years.”
“I was aware long ago that Your Majesty had spies placed upon me.”
Dietrich seized the Empress’s index finger pressed against his chest. His cold, dry gaze swept over her face.
“If the Crown Prince were to learn of this, he would be deeply disappointed in Your Majesty.”
Dietrich swiftly removed the Empress’s finger from his grasp.
“Jeremy would never reveal this. Nor would you ever tell him yourself.”
The Empress well knew that her son Jeremy despised Dietrich. Even if, by some chance, Jeremy discovered she intended to take Dietrich as her consort, he would blame Dietrich—not her.
Jeremy was the kind of man who would accuse Dietrich of seducing his wise mother, heap every crime upon him, and drive him out of the palace.
“Lord. At noon tomorrow, bring that criminal to my palace.”
“…….”
For the first time, a flicker of emotion—something resembling feeling—appeared on Dietrich’s otherwise expressionless face. The Empress felt a surge of heat as his icy, chilling gaze bore down on her.
“This is an order, issued by me as Empress.”
“…….”
“If you don’t wish to lose your military authority, you’d do well to cooperate with me now. The one who protected you is gone.”
The Empress raised the corners of her lips into a sly smile.
“When Jeremy ascends the throne, I will become the Grand Empress Dowager—the highest authority in this nation. You would do well to heed my words.”
The Empress swept her eyes up and down Dietrich’s body. Her gaze lingered suggestively on the front of his trousers. It was clearly thick. Seeing this, the Empress swallowed hard and said:
“How would it feel to become my dog?”
She had deliberately spoken these words to provoke anger in Dietrich—but his face had already returned to its usual emotionless state.
Dietrich replied with a blank expression:
“Please return now.”
“…….”
“With the Crown Prince soon to become Emperor, it wouldn’t be good for Your Majesty if scandal followed you.”
This was hardly a satisfying response for the Empress.
Yet she had issued the order: bring that woman to her palace at noon tomorrow. No matter how defiant Dietrich might be, he could not possibly refuse.
“Lord. Do not forget—noon tomorrow.”
With those final words, the Empress turned and walked away. Dietrich waited until she had disappeared into her palace before returning to his own estate.
Dietrich immediately summoned his adjutant, Sir Anderson. He had given strict orders that no one was to enter the estate—yet the Empress had boldly intruded.
“I deeply apologize, my Lord. The Empress threatened to cause a scene if we refused to let her in…”
Anderson looked as though he might drop to his knees in apology. Dietrich did not blame him. In the current circumstances, no one could have stopped the Empress.
With the Emperor dead and an heir already in place, the Empress was now the absolute ruler of the imperial palace.
“Did you find out what I asked?”
“…….”
Anderson’s expression darkened. He made no effort to hide his grim report.
“Hundreds of imperial knights have already switched allegiance to the Crown Prince.”
“…….”
“It appears the Crown Prince has bribed the knights. Otherwise, how could those loyal to you betray you so suddenly?”
Dietrich had expected this.
“No. The knights were not bribed. The Emperor, the one they trusted, is dead. They simply don’t wish to remain on a ship that may sink at any moment.”
“……!”
Anderson’s eyes widened in shock.
“How could they betray you, my Lord? You treated the knights with such meticulous care!”
“They are not to blame.”
Anderson fell silent at Dietrich’s calm voice.
“This was inevitable from the moment the Emperor died.”
Dietrich murmured this languidly, then said nothing more.
Anderson remained quietly by Dietrich’s side.
[This is the timeline separator]Celia truly slept soundly.
She woke up feeling refreshed, and it was already morning. The chirping of birds drifted in through the open window.
Celia pulled the bell rope by the bed—to request water for washing.
Soon, knock knock. A knock sounded at the door.
“I’m coming in.”
The door opened, accompanied by a soft-spoken woman’s voice, and a short-haired maid with reddish hair and freckles entered.
Celia was slightly surprised—she hadn’t expected Dietrich to actually assign her a maid.
But there was one unusual thing: the maid kept her eyes closed throughout their entire encounter.
“Is there something you’d like me to do?”
“I’d like some water in the bath…”
At the sound of Celia’s voice, the maid flinched slightly. But only for a moment—then she bowed her head and prepared to leave.
“I’ll bring the water right away.”
The maid quickly filled a tub with warm water and poured it into the bath. Throughout the entire process, she kept her eyes closed. Yet despite this, she performed her duties with remarkable skill.
Celia quietly observed the maid’s actions, then asked:
“Excuse me—can you not see?”
The maid nodded in response.
“Yes.”
Seeming unwilling to explain how she had lost her sight, the maid hurried to leave.
“If there’s nothing else, I shall take my leave now.”
“Wait.”
Celia called out to the maid as she turned to leave.
“What’s your name?”
“Ellie.”
“……Right. Ellie. You may go.”
The maid began to leave, then suddenly stopped.
“May I—without offense—ask you one question?”
Without even waiting for Celia’s reply, the maid blurted out:
“What is your relationship with my master? Are you perhaps his… lover?”
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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