As soon as Dietrich disappeared from view, Ileon approached Celia and spoke to her.
“Lady Celia.”
Celia rolled her eyes and looked at Ileon.
Regardless of how much she wanted to kill Ileon right then and there, he was still the Emperor.
If she lost control of her emotions in front of so many watching eyes, everything could vanish in an instant.
Exercising superhuman patience, Celia replied to Ileon.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Why aren’t you participating in the hunting competition? I sent you an invitation—why is Duke Calypso taking your place?”
She had been barred from participating, and Dietrich had volunteered in her stead.
What Ileon was saying now was exactly what she had hoped for.
Celia responded in a dry tone.
“As Your Majesty wishes, I will participate even now.”
“No. There’s no need for that.”
Ileon’s eyes curved slightly as he casually lifted Celia’s chin with one hand.
His deep blue eyes stared intently into hers, as if verifying the emotions within.
“Your Majesty, I am Duke Calypso’s lover.”
Celia suppressed the urge to immediately shake off Ileon’s hand, speaking each word with deliberate force.
“If you consider your own dignity, I ask that you release me now.”
“…Dignity?”
Ileon twisted one corner of his mouth in amusement.
Lowering his hand from Celia’s chin, he looked down at her.
“Princess. I can do anything I please. Has there ever been an Emperor crawling before beggars?”
Truly an arrogant statement.
“You pose no threat to me at all.”
Ileon picked up his bow and arrows.
“What should I hunt to make you happy?”
With those words, Ileon calmly disappeared into the depths of the forest.
Behind her, noblewomen called Celia a witch, but their voices did not reach her ears.
If she could, Celia would have killed Ileon right then and there.
He was the one who had destroyed her entire kingdom based solely on a worthless prophecy.
He had also brought ruin upon Dietrich’s duchy, their allied nation.
The fact that the man who had taken everything from her still lived, standing there unscathed, filled her with disgust.
Celia had considered killing Ileon regardless of whether people were watching or not.
But her special ability only worked on men.
If the noblewomen witnessed it, she would truly be branded a ‘witch.’
‘Besides, Dietrich would suffer the consequences as well.’
Celia barely restrained herself from murder through sheer willpower.
All she could do now was hope that Dietrich would return safely from the hunting competition.
“My lady.”
Anderson hurried over, wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
Anderson, Dietrich’s aide, had begun calling Celia “my lady” at some point.
“I apologize for being late.”
The famed general Anderson stood behind Celia, sword at his side, as if guarding her. Instantly, the whispering noblewomen fell silent as if by magic.
[This is the timeline separator]A forest densely packed with towering trees.
Dietrich usually wore black gloves, except when he was holding Celia’s hand.
He could not bear to touch her hand with his soiled ones.
Now, sword in hand, he walked deeper into the forest.
Along the way, he spotted small rabbits and deer, but Dietrich did not harm the innocent animals.
He intended to cut down high-tier monsters and present their heads to Ileon.
A warning that he could sever Ileon’s neck at any moment.
How long had he walked like this?
“Grrrrr!”
A sound similar to a monster’s growl came from within a thicket bearing red berries.
Dietrich moved toward the source of the noise.
A black, worm-like monster with dozens of eyes along its body was about to devour a white rabbit, its jaws wide open.
Dietrich raised his sword and split the monster’s body in half.
Snap—
Black blood from the monster splattered onto Dietrich’s cheek.
The rabbit, which had nearly been swallowed, trembled violently before hastily vanishing into the thicket.
Just as Dietrich wiped the blood from his cheek with his sleeve,
Ping!
Dietrich sensed an arrow flying straight toward him.
He slightly tilted his head, narrowly avoiding the projectile.
Ping—
Another arrow flew in.
This one aimed directly at his head.
Dietrich twisted his body toward the arrow’s origin and caught it mid-air with his gloved hand, crushing it.
Crackle.
The arrow crumbled into fragments in Dietrich’s palm.
“To catch a flying arrow with bare hands? So there was a high-tier monster here after all.”
A mocking voice rang out.
Dietrich slowly turned his head toward the source of the voice.
Ileon, dressed in hunting attire, sat atop a white horse, aiming a bow directly at him.
Around Ileon, numerous knights swiftly gathered, completely surrounding Dietrich.
Now it made sense why Ileon’s participation in the hunt had felt strange from the beginning.
“So that was your plan from the start. You held this hunting competition to kill me. You deliberately sent Celia an invitation.”
Muttering quietly, Dietrich raised his sword.
“You’re wrong, Dietrich. Today, Duke Calypso will be recorded as having sustained a fatal injury while fighting a high-tier monster during the hunt—and then devoured.”
Ileon drew his bowstring once more toward Dietrich.
The arrow, aimed precisely at his head, was crushed pitifully in Dietrich’s hand.
Ileon’s eyes narrowed.
Even if Dietrich was a Sword Master, it would be difficult for him to fight dozens of men who had survived for years under Ileon’s command, all at once.
Of course, it didn’t matter much to Ileon whether Dietrich died here or not.
Ileon had countless ways to kill Dietrich.
‘The reason I resorted to such a classic method…’
Celia’s image flashed through Ileon’s mind—her glaring at him just moments ago.
That woman who dared to look at him with a face twisted in fury and resentment.
Biting her lower lip in helpless frustration, radiating murderous intent yet unable to act.
“Your Majesty, I am Duke Calypso’s lover.”
Lover?
Her flawless, snow-white body bore not a single mark of intimacy—how could she claim to be a lover?
Delicate and fragile.
A being incapable of harming him, not even a slight irritation.
The last princess of the fallen kingdom of Shan.
Born noble, yet reduced to ruin and humiliation because of him—a pitiful princess.
Seeing Celia, broken and ruined by his hands, filled a hollow void within him with a tight sense of satisfaction.
A faint, serene smile formed on Ileon’s lips.
It didn’t matter if Dietrich didn’t die.
A minor injury would be enough.
He wondered how that woman would react upon seeing Dietrich wounded.
“The new Emperor certainly has deep thoughts.”
Dietrich said sarcastically.
Snapping out of his reverie, Ileon looked down at Dietrich.
“Kill him.”
The moment the order was given, Ileon’s subordinates rushed at Dietrich in unison.
Clang!
Leaving behind the sound of dozens of clashing blades, Ileon turned his horse and rode away.
[This is the timeline separator]By now, the sun had begun to set.
The red twilight dyed the entire green forest in crimson hues.
People who had hunted small animals in the forest gradually began to reappear.
“One rabbit! No, after all this time, I’ve only managed to catch this?”
Her husband responded in a sheepish voice, scratching his cheek, as his wife scolded him.
“My dear, there were surprisingly few animals…”
“You should’ve hunted monsters!”
“Monsters… are scary.”
Celia let out a deep sigh.
Dietrich still had not returned.
She felt a growing sense of anxiety.
She didn’t know why she felt so uneasy.
Even though they had only been apart for a short while, his absence felt painfully empty.
Anderson, who had silently stood by Celia’s side, finally spoke.
“Please don’t worry. It’s awkward for me to say this myself, but Duke Calypso is the strongest person I know. He will surely be fine.”
“…Do you think so?”
“Yes, please trust my words, my lady.”
Anderson pounded his chest as he spoke, and Celia seemed to relax slightly.
Yet, even as nearly everyone who had entered the forest had returned, Dietrich still did not appear.
A grand banquet had been prepared at the imperial palace to celebrate the successful conclusion of the hunting competition.
Most attendees handed over animal pelts they had hunted to Ileon’s knights and followed them toward the palace.
Where the setting sun had vanished behind the mountain ridge, deep night had now settled.
All the people had left—only two remained unaccounted for: Dietrich and Ileon.
Unable to wait any longer, Celia turned to Anderson.
“Something feels wrong. I need to go into the forest and check for myself if Dietrich is safe.”
“My lady!”
Anderson urgently grabbed Celia, who was about to dash off.
“It’s night now, and the forest is dangerous with monsters. His Grace Duke Calypso will be unharmed. Let’s wait a little longer—if he doesn’t return, then I’ll go…”
Before Anderson could finish speaking, someone appeared at the entrance of the forest.
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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