Unlike the north, where snowflakes still fluttered over the mountain ranges even in midsummer, the east was mostly bathed in gentle spring weather.
A region overflowing with lush greenery and vibrant flowers everywhere. Yet the old castle atop the hill had stood empty for a long time, and with no one to tend the garden, only monotonous vines and green plants occupied the space.
Standing in the center of that garden, that woman shimmered like a jewel.
Bathed in cascading morning sunlight, her cherry-blossom hair gazed toward the sky, hands clasped into a heart shape, smiling radiantly.
What is she doing?
Edan Dietrich unconsciously followed her gaze upward, one corner of his mouth curling mockingly.
“How childish.”
A heart-shaped cloud floated in the sky.
After standing like that for a while, she suddenly lowered her hands as if remembering something and walked back into the mansion.
At that moment, Ruben’s casually mentioned words—previously heard and forgotten—floated back into Edan’s mind.
‘The employment contract is in the drawer.’
He immediately turned and opened the bedside table drawer, which he had never touched until now.
“Latieana Merigold….”
He murmured her name softly and quietly—when, not long after, the sound of a tray being dragged echoed down the hallway. Just as he was about to open the door without thinking, he remembered Ruben’s words again.
‘I wrote a note saying not to open the door, in case you disturb the master. After all, if she sees you, it might become bothersome.’
Right. She’s a maid. Based on past experience, seeing Edan’s face could lead to unnecessary trouble.
Extremely annoying, clingy trouble.
That was one of the reasons Edan rarely attended aristocratic social gatherings, despite being admired by countless noble ladies. For him, anything involving women held not a single pleasant memory.
Including his mother—a commoner absurdly beautiful enough to marry the Emperor, bear him, and die young.
The palace maids who had unnecessarily fussed over him as a child, and even the Holy Maiden whose past physical contact had triggered his aversion—all were the same. So why had Ruben, who knew this better than anyone, hired a female maid?
‘Why a woman?’
‘She was the only applicant.’
‘Ah.’
‘It’s a gloomy, isolated castle far from the village. I’ve taken sufficient precautions, so you needn’t worry.’
Edan lowered his gaze to the paper in his hand.
[Under no circumstances open the door.]Apparently, this was the alternative. Still, it was an undeniably suspicious contract.
Though the working conditions were far better than elsewhere, signing such a contract with a master whose face she’d never seen? Perfect setup for a scam. She might’ve already been scammed somewhere else.
“Wow, all gone.”
Her cheerful voice from outside confirmed the empty bowl.
What’s so great about that?
The clinking sound of dishes being replaced followed. He assumed she’d leave after that—but her voice continued.
“I’ve left breakfast in front of your door, Master. Please be sure to eat it. And I’m heading to the village—to buy an apron!”
Her voice was so lively, he could almost picture her grinning face again.
Edan skimmed the employment contract once more.
‘Should I call her diligent?’
Nowhere did it say she had to report her every move.
He set the paper down with a soft tap. Then, just as he reached for the doorknob to investigate what had piqued his curiosity—
Latieana Merigold’s whispering voice, much quieter than before, reached his ears.
“Please, just stay alive today too.”
…What?
Edan’s hand froze mid-motion. He’d never heard anything so absurd in his entire life.
Even if he suffered from the side effects of his abilities, the agony was severe—but death was a separate matter. Unless he took his own life, ability-wielders never died easily.
Yet she was asking him to “stay alive”? “Today too”?
If misunderstood, one might think he was on the verge of dying right now.
After finishing her words, Latieana’s footsteps scampered rapidly down the hallway.
Edan watched her push open the mansion’s heavy doors with both hands, then slipped on a light brown robe and followed her.
The castle perched atop the hill. Once the gate opened, the village below came clearly into view.
Even walking leisurely, Edan could reach it in ten minutes.
‘Is she short-legged? Or just lacking stamina?’
Latieana was still descending the hill after twenty minutes.
Even more absurd—she hadn’t noticed his presence following her at all, despite the open, windy hillside.
Latieana strolled along, her wavy cherry-blossom hair fluttering in the breeze, humming a tune, while Edan trailed behind her, hands tucked casually in his pockets.
By any measure, she was the perfect target for a scam or kidnapping.
If he wished, handing her over to Holy Maiden Ivy would be as easy as flicking a finger.
‘Maybe I’ll watch her a bit longer.’
It had been ages since his last stroll. Fresh air, gentle breeze. His body, entirely free from pain for the first time in what felt like forever.
It was such a joyful moment, he almost wished he could live like this for the rest of his life.
Even matching Latieana’s slow pace, Edan felt good.
Eventually, after quite some time, they finally reached the village entrance.
Latieana entered the village and headed first to the post office, then the bank. After finishing her errands, she finally seemed headed to buy an apron—but paused midway to browse accessories at a street stall.
Only then did she enter a shop in the commercial district—a humble little fabric store displaying aprons and women’s clothing. Edan waited nearby in an alley beside the shop, arms crossed, eavesdropping—until his eyes narrowed at the conversation he overheard.
“So… my master? Total shut-in, and seems super, super sickly. I’m worried something terrible might happen if I’m not there to take care of him. Poor thing, right?”
“Oh my. Really? What’s he look like?”
“Haven’t seen his face, but probably super thin and frail, like a water strider. But his library’s packed with books! So I’m never bored.”
“Goodness. Thin, bookish fellow? Definitely a weirdo, a weirdo.”
Sickly… water strider… frail….
Who? Me?
[This is the timeline separator]11 AM. Edan’s black cloak fluttered in the wind as he teleported to the north via portal.
BOOM! CRASH! The sounds of ability-knights battling monsters echoed everywhere.
Ruben ran over upon spotting Edan.
“My Lord, you’re late.”
“Ruben. What did you tell her about me?”
“Huh?”
Ruben tilted his head, confused by the sudden question.
“The maid you hired thinks I’m some sickly water strider. Why?”
Ruben silently wondered to himself—where did she even get “sickly water strider”?
“I described you as a wealthy gentleman resting in the countryside due to poor health…”
“Really?”
So that’s why she thinks I’m sickly and frail… and whatever else. Ridiculous.
Beyond Edan’s smirking gaze, a massive monster emerged from the darkness.
It was a creature only Edan could handle.
The most threatening appearances of Imperial monsters occurred in the northern mountain ranges.
After suffering heavy losses in a great war long ago, the Empire used magic to erect a wall along the long ice mountain range. That wall must never fall—it was absolutely impermissible.
Between the wall and the mountains lay a space called “the Gap”—a zone created solely for monster combat. The standard tactic was to use magical traps: open the Gap when monsters appeared, lure them in, and eliminate them there.
“You’re late. Hurry and—”
“I’ll be late every day from now on. Delay opening the Gap by one hour.”
“Suddenly? Why?”
“Our maid goes to bed at 10.”
Without further explanation, Edan grinned broadly and leapt down toward the base of the fortress wall.
Not long after, a priest visited the northern Duke’s castle.
“We’ve identified her. The name.”
“What is it?”
“Latieana Merigold.”
The moment he confirmed the name, Edan’s crimson eyes gleamed, and his smooth lips curled upward.
“And her healing ability? Confirmed to be insignificant?”
“Yes. Absolutely confirmed.”
“You don’t know the exact extent?”
“According to the priest who scouted Holy Maiden candidates, Ivy Violet emitted a strong light from the artifact, while Latieana Merigold only produced a faint glow.”
“I see.”
Edan gave a small nod and dismissed the priest.
‘Then what was that?’
In the kitchen, Latieana hesitated, then manifested healing energy from her fingertips.
She did so cautiously, as if terrified someone might see her and disaster would strike.
It was a clear, pinkish energy—purer and cleaner-looking than any healing power he’d ever seen.
Commoners didn’t know that Holy Maiden candidates died upon entering the temple. The temple strictly concealed this fact—if revealed, no one would willingly reveal their healing ability.
Was her carriage accident truly an accident? Or did she flee, knowing what happens inside the temple? Whatever the reason, Edan had grown curious about Latieana.
“My Lord, you seem in better spirits lately.”
“I’ve been eating well.”
To that, Ruben replied proudly.
“Does the maid cook well?”
“No. Terrible. Disgustingly bad.”
“Huh?”
“But, Ruben. The maid’s name is that Latieana Merigold.”
Ruben—who’d hired her without any real interest—was flustered.
“…What did you say?”
Though Ruben had technically hired her, he’d delegated the task to an agent, so he’d had no idea she had cherry-blossom-colored hair—not even in his dreams.
After grasping the situation from Edan’s words, Ruben looked even more bewildered.
“If her healing ability is negligible, how is any of this possible?”
“No idea. That’s why I plan to observe her for a while.”
“You mean… keep her around?”
“Yes. Latieana’s healing ability is perfect. So for now, I’ll play the sickly water strider. Until I find the answer.”
But secrets rarely last as long as one hopes.
“Oh dear, I’ve been caught.”
That day, when the Gap in the Unbreakable Wall malfunctioned and repairs were delayed, Edan returned after over twenty hours of continuous battle—only to find Latieana frozen in terror right before his eyes.
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
