“Celia.”
Vincent, with his chestnut hair and violet eyes, was waving at Celia.
It was a face she hadn’t seen in a long time—and one she wasn’t happy to see at all.
Beside him stood Vincent’s father, Viscount Brillion.
‘The males of the Brillion family.’
Celia’s pupils turned cold.
‘Last time it was Hariel and Gabriel causing a scene. Now this.’
Celia seemed utterly repulsed by anyone from the Brillion household.
“My dear sister, I’ve only just now heard you’ve been to the imperial palace. How hard you must have struggled all alone this whole time?”
So saying, Vincent reached out naturally to stroke Celia’s hair.
Just before his hand touched her silver strands, Dietrich roughly seized Vincent’s wrist.
“Kuh!”
Vincent let out a pained groan as his wrist was gripped tightly.
“Don’t touch her so freely.”
A chill ran down Vincent’s spine at Dietrich’s icy tone.
“Duke Calypso… I understand…”
Dietrich released Vincent’s wrist as if flinging it away.
Rubbing his numb wrist, Vincent shot Celia a resentful glance.
“Celia. Aren’t you happy to see your older brother? Even while I was away on vacation, I thought only of you.”
“……”
“My body was on holiday, but my mind was always with you. When I slept, when I woke, and whenever I did anything.”
Vincent’s eyes gleamed with greed.
Celia didn’t feel he deserved a reply.
“Dietrich.”
At the sound of his name, Dietrich nodded and swiftly lifted Celia into his arms.
Celia wrapped both arms around Dietrich’s neck.
Dietrich strode forward with long, determined steps, carrying her.
“Celia! Why do you turn your back on us like this?”
The anguished voice of the viscount rang out.
Celia shook her head sideways.
Dietrich continued walking toward his estate.
Meanwhile, a sinister shadow watched Celia from behind a tree.
Kane, holding the potion handed to him by Reina, muttered to himself.
“That man… I absolutely cannot lose. To reclaim my Celia, I must find a way to make him drink this…”
“…My Celia?”
Suddenly, out of nowhere, someone popped up from an empty spot.
Kane was so startled he couldn’t even scream.
“My Celia? Huh? By whose permission?”
The man who appeared was strikingly flamboyant, in stark contrast to the sinister Kane.
Beneath his platinum hair, the man’s golden eyes sparkled like stars.
Tall and slender, this man was none other than Arthur.
“While I was away for just a moment, such filthy flies have gathered. Well, beautiful flowers always attract pests.”
Muttering to himself, Arthur cracked his neck and swiftly snatched the potion from Kane’s hand.
Kane, shocked at the sudden theft, instinctively reached out.
“G-give it back!”
“What is this? Tell me, and I’ll give it back.”
“R-really? You’ll give it back if I tell you what it is?”
“Of course.”
Arthur grinned, revealing perfectly aligned teeth.
“B-but the person who gave this to me said not to tell anyone.”
“Then I’ll keep it.”
“No, no! I’ll tell! Please!”
Arthur gestured with his chin for him to speak.
“I-it’s a love potion.”
“…A love potion?”
“Yes. It’s supposed to take effect within one minute—extremely potent, strong enough to excite someone to the point of losing their senses.”
“Hmm.”
Arthur gazed at the vial filled with red liquid.
“Who gave this to you?”
“The one who gave it said not to tell.”
“Then I’ll keep this potion.”
“I’ll tell! It was hard to see in the dark, but… a woman with pink hair and blue eyes gave it to me.”
Arthur’s pupils repeatedly contracted and dilated.
“I-I’ve told you everything. Now please give it back.”
Arthur nodded. Then, instead of returning the potion, he firmly pressed his index finger against Kane’s forehead.
With a single gesture, Kane’s body collapsed to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut.
“How dare such an ugly creature attempt to defile my Celia.”
Arthur trampled Kane’s fallen body with his boot.
Kane lay motionless beneath his foot.
And no wonder—when Arthur pressed his finger to Kane’s forehead, his heart had stopped beating.
“No. My Princess Anastasia.”
Arthur threw his head back and laughed like a madman.
Then, tucking the potion into his coat, Arthur strode toward Ileon’s palace.
[This is the timeline separator]Dietrich didn’t set Celia down until they reached the room.
Safely on the floor, Celia sat on a long sofa.
Dietrich lowered himself beside her.
“Ileon has discovered our true identities. If I just used my ability to kill them all and end it…”
“Celia.”
Dietrich looked at Celia with worried eyes.
“Don’t worry, Celia. Remember what I told you before? We’re always one step ahead of them.”
Celia recalled each word Dietrich had said to her.
-You said the Three Dukes are our enemies. I wanted to hear more details.
When she had asked that, Dietrich had answered:
-If that’s what you wish.
That day, Dietrich truly told Celia everything.
The real reason the Three Dukes destroyed their kingdom, and every fact Celia had wondered about.
“I know you don’t trust me.”
Dietrich’s first words, spoken as he looked down at Celia.
“It’s only natural you don’t believe me. I never gave you a proper explanation.”
Then, Dietrich’s story continued through the night.
“The Gredrick Duke’s family of Ileon has, for generations, worshipped prophecy. The family head is called the ‘Servant of the Serpent,’ and conducts rituals at the Grand Temple, offering people as sacrifices. At those times, the god they worship—‘Basilisk’—speaks through the Executioner, foretelling future events.”
“The Executioner?”
“The Executioner is the one who scatters the blood of the sacrificed—living or dead. Usually, the temple’s priests serve as Executioners.”
Celia realized then that whenever Dietrich spoke of dark matters, his red eyes turned even deeper in color.
“When Ileon first ascended as family head, he received a prophecy and immediately destroyed the Kingdom of Shan. I’ve recently found out the content of that prophecy…”
Dietrich’s gaze turned to Celia.
“Servant of the Serpent. I see you losing everything you possess. Your Abelon shall burn, and your fate shall meet a tragic end. Look—there are the people of the Kingdom of Shan. Among them, the one who shines brightest shall be the one to kill you. The Guardian of Light shall protect the light, yet shall strip you of everything, just as you once did to them.”
Celia’s breath stopped.
Destroyed an entire distant kingdom—just because of some absurd prophecy?
Was he truly not mad?
“Ileon was relieved, believing he had burned everyone without a single survivor. At that time, he knew nothing of our abilities. He had no idea we were still alive.”
Dietrich’s voice remained calm.
“Since he couldn’t afford for it to be known he was responsible, he framed the puppet emperor. He deceived the other two dukes into signing documents, making them believe the emperor had orchestrated the war. And afterward…”
Celia already knew what Dietrich left unsaid.
That was when her kingdom had been destroyed.
All because of a ridiculous prophecy.
Her father’s head rolling on the ground. Her mother dying before her powerless eyes.
“If everything was because of Ileon, and the other two dukes are blameless… wouldn’t killing just Ileon be enough?”
Dietrich shook his head.
“No. To completely destroy Abelon, we must bring down all three ducal families.”
“……”
“Alone, I couldn’t do it. But together, we can.”
Celia looked at Dietrich’s hand.
It was large—a hand that brought comfort just by looking at it.
“We’re always one step ahead of them. At the very least, they still don’t know we possess abilities.”
Celia slowly blinked her eyes.
Dietrich was gazing down at her with concern.
“The fact that Ileon has discovered our identities means he acknowledges us as a threat.”
Dietrich was right.
No one would go to such lengths to investigate something that posed no threat at all.
“Won’t he try to kill us?”
“It’s fine. Celia, he can’t do anything to you right now.”
Celia shifted her posture and comfortably lay down on the soft sofa.
Naturally, Dietrich became her knee-pillow.
Lying with her head on his firm knees, Celia let out a soft sigh.
“I’m glad you’re here.”
Without a word, Dietrich gently stroked her hair.
The texture felt as soft as a veil against his fingers.
“I hate depending on anyone… but you’re different…”
With those words, Celia drifted into a deep sleep.
Her peacefully closed eyelids, shimmering silver hair, soft and tender red lips.
Celia was overwhelmingly beautiful.
Dietrich couldn’t even begin to imagine how much she had endured alone.
He, at least, after becoming a Sword Master, had escaped the grasp of desire. But Celia had not.
Celia’s ability was powerful—but it was precisely that power that attracted men.
How had she endured each day, using an ability that gnawed away at her lifespan?
“I’ll protect you.”
Dietrich gently caressed Celia’s cheek.
Celia’s eyelashes trembled slightly, then she smiled faintly.
Watching her, a faint smile spread across Dietrich’s face as well.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
