Sandes waited for a moment until she gathered her emotions.
It would be difficult.
The bitter hatred that invaded her mind and controlled her heart was the hardest thing to subdue, no matter what was placed before it.
He knew this, so he chose silence.
“Thank you, Marquis.”
Erina’s face, which expressed gratitude with a much lighter expression than before, was unreadable, just like when they first met in the office.
Meanwhile, Erina struggled to hide the creeping embarrassment and shame.
A grown woman, and one who was already married, crying her eyes out in front of someone she had just met.
It was to the point where she couldn’t blame him if he thought she was a strange woman.
Whether or not he was aware of Erina’s burning feelings, Sandes turned his gaze back to the mana stone he was lightly holding.
“Then, may I summarize our discussion?”
Grateful for his polite words, Erina hurriedly nodded.
“My lady…”
“Marquis, I’ll save that title for later.”
Interrupting Sandes, Erina explained her reason with a faint smile.
“On the day I completely break free from Iolce, to confirm it’s not a dream…”
Trailing off, Erina imagined that day, her golden eyes sparkling, her heart fluttering at the mere thought.
“Will you call me that then?”
Sandes felt his heart sink at the sight of the beautifully shining eyes before him.
“…Yes, if that is what the madam wishes.”
Ignoring the unfamiliar feeling, Sandes cleared his throat and continued the conversation that had been briefly interrupted.
“Hmm, so you want me to handle the distribution of mana stones, and in return, I will keep you safe. Is that correct?”
“Yes. The deal lasts until the Iolce family falls.”
“Very well.”
A very satisfied smile spread across Sandes’ face.
“As you now possess the mana stone, you surely understand that the distribution pie for mana stones will be enormous. You might even gain as much influence as the Imperial Princess.”
Erina agreed with Sandes’ words.
On the Pechenia continent, there existed artifacts that could use magic, a power considered difficult for humans to imitate.
There were various artifacts, from small ones that illuminated dark places to warp gates managed and operated by the imperial family.
However, mana stones, the material that powered all these artifacts, could only be used in small quantities unless new mines were discovered.
It had been 500 years since the last mana stone mine was discovered.
Although the imperial family possessed mana stones, the quantity was so small that they were not used unless the empire faced a crisis dire enough to warrant their use.
At a time when even mana stone fragments were precious, a mine was discovered.
This meant that all artifacts existing on the continent could be powered using mana stones excavated from this mine.
The influence of the mana stone mine’s owner extends beyond the Asilium Empire to the entire Pechenia continent.
And in the original story, Rose and Peyron had squandered it all.
It was hard to imagine being so incredibly stupid.
“So, please tell me precisely. How much authority do you want in this pie?”
“I only need the net profit to come to me.”
One of Sandes’ eyebrows furrowed slightly.
“I’ll leave the authority to you, Marquis.”
“Why?”
It was an expression that seemed somewhat displeased.
It resembled the face looking at the stupid Peyron who had all the authority in the original story.
Erina laughed, finding his questioning face somehow reminiscent of a sulky child.
“I know my place.”
“Such authority is only effective when one has the power to protect it. Do you think a divorced noblewoman with no proper family background could make her voice heard? It would be fortunate if she wasn’t pushed around.”
Sandes’ eyes widened.
“Besides, I absolutely detest troublesome matters. So, I intend to leave all the difficult tasks to you, Marquis, and only receive what I need. Is that alright?”
Erina’s face was full of a mischievous expression that didn’t match her eyes, still red and puffy from crying.
Sandes, forgetting his surprise at her awkwardly crumpled face as he tried to change the mood, burst out laughing.
“Hahaha! Yes, if that is what the madam wishes.”
Although Sandes tried to brush it off with laughter, the various aspects of her that had been strongly imprinted in his mind in such a short time set off a warning in his head.
She was a person he liked far too much.
While appearing delicate and pure enough to break, she was as straight and upright as bamboo on the inside.
She seemed pitifully vulnerable to being swayed one moment, but then showed a firmness in not deviating from her set standards that was attractive enough to make him want to possess her.
Sandes’ eyes gleamed dangerously.
“I’ll take care of all the troublesome matters. You, my lady, need only plan how to live happily from now on.”
“Thank you, Marquis.”
“Let’s plan to reveal the existence of the mana stone mine and proceed with the divorce at the Founding Festival next week.”
“The, Founding Festival?”
Erina was startled by the words ‘next week’ and ‘Founding Festival’.
She had forgotten about it, shocked by the appearance of Revil and Rose and focused on moving to acquire the mana stone mine.
“Oh my, it seems you had forgotten.”
When she left the mansion today, she had felt that the atmosphere in the Iolce estate was a bit unsettled, but it must have been due to the upcoming Founding Festival.
It seemed they were preparing for the ‘hobby’ of the Iolce Marchioness of making several designers compete in front of her.
“If it’s difficult for you to prepare, I’ll help you.”
When Sandes spoke, reading Erina’s troubled expression, Erina declined.
“It’s alright. Since it’s come to this, let’s prepare for a dramatic presentation on that day.”
“Presentation?”
“The pitiful daughter-in-law of the great count’s family who can’t even have a new dress made, a wife suffering because of the mistress her husband brought home, looking so pitiful that it’s heartbreaking.”
While it didn’t please her to earn the sympathy of all the nobles present at the Founding Festival, at least no one would side with Peyron and Mirea.
Moreover, if it’s revealed at that moment that the mistress is Rose Asila from the Asila count’s family, called the rising flower of high society and loved by many…
“Wouldn’t that be quite an interesting sight?”
While Erina was pleased imagining the scenes that would unfold, Sandes was not.
Assuming everything unfolded as Erina described, she would be in quite a difficult situation.
Not just difficult, she would have to endure the gossip on people’s lips.
Some might pity her, but others might criticize Erina’s conduct.
Some might point fingers at Peyron and Rose, but others might label her as a woman who couldn’t even keep her husband.
Anticipating the countless wounds Erina would suffer in the process, Sandes disliked it so much he wanted to dissuade her.
“You don’t intend to change your mind?”
“After the divorce.”
Erina smiled gently, looking at the dark window behind him.
“I’ll be happy without worrying about anything. No matter what they say about me, I’ll live doing only what I want to do.”
“Countess.”
“Life is too short to live thinking about everything. It’s already not enough to just be happy throughout life, it seems too wasteful to calculate everything.”
Erina stared blankly at the small, white moon visible through the dark window and thought.
Although she had changed the original story by possessing the mana stone mine, the future was uncertain.
If, by any chance, there was an immutable law of the original story, Erina could be ruined somehow.
She could die a year later as in the original story, or lose everything to a natural disaster.
So she decided to spend all her remaining time being happy.
She wanted those who had criticized her, hated her, and treated her like a passing stone to feel bitter watching her.
“I understand. Let’s help with the preparations.”
“The location of the mine is the stone mountain behind the hill next to the village.”
“Stone mountain?”
Sandes was surprised.
He prided himself on knowing very well about the hill next to the village, but he was surprised that the stone mountain right behind it was a mana stone mine.
“As soon as you cross the hill, you’ll be able to see my name engraved on a part of the stone mountain.”
At Erina’s words, Sandes realized that he had never been close to the stone mountain.
How strange indeed.
“I’ll check and prepare for mining.”
“I’ll leave the mana stone in your hand to you. I’m counting on you for the Founding Festival.”
“It’s gotten quite late, so shall we discuss the rest in the morning?”
“Yes.”
Erina and Sandes, realizing they had been talking for quite a long time, wrapped up their conversation.
As Erina bowed and left the office, Sandes watched her retreating figure until she closed the door and disappeared.
“Ranta.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
A man who had been erasing his presence in one corner of the office from when Erina entered until she finished talking and left, stood before Sandes.
“Reinvestigate the Iolce mansion.”
“Understood.”
Watching Ranta quietly disappear, Sandes sank into endless thoughts.
[This is the timeline separator]As soon as Erina left the office and entered the room where Revil was waiting, she was surprised by the sight that greeted her.
After crying and finishing the conversation in front of Sandes, quite some time had passed.
Perhaps he had waited until the end, believing she would return soon. Revil was standing leaning next to the bed with bright red eyes.
Chemmile brightened as soon as she saw Erina enter.
“Oh my, madam. The child insisted on waiting and wouldn’t move, I was so flustered… I was just about to go look for you. Now that you’re here, I’ll take my leave.”
As Chemmile bowed and disappeared in an instant, Revil, who had been hanging his head, suddenly looked up at Erina.
His crimson eyes, wet with moisture, were filled with both sadness and joy.
For the first time, looking at Revil’s eyes, which had been difficult to face as they reminded her of Peyron, she didn’t think of Iolce.
For the first time, even with that flickering crimson color that was practically the symbol of the Iolce family, she was able to see Revil, not Iolce.
“You’re, back.”
In Revil’s arms was the long parasol she had entrusted to him from in front of the stone mountain.
She thought she had put it down briefly to eat at Susan and John’s house and forgotten about it, but Revil hadn’t forgotten.
It looked as if that parasol was his only lifeline.
Revil cautiously approached Erina, watching her reaction, and held out the parasol he had been holding.
As Erina took the parasol, her heart fluttered.
It seemed that Revil had found in her what she had desperately sought after losing everything to her uncle.
She hadn’t wanted this.
As long as this child became the heir to the Iolce family, she had no choice but to let go of his hand.
The child, knowing this, merely watched without reaching out his hand.
Instinctively realizing he couldn’t grasp it, he wanted it but didn’t want it for himself.
These aspects kept overlapping with her own childhood in Revil, making it impossible for her not to give him her attention and heart.
“Revil, if you don’t mind giving up everything you’ll have in Iolce in the future.”
Erina couldn’t calm her trembling heart, overwhelmed by strange feelings she couldn’t quite define herself.
“Do you want to come with me?”
At those words, Revil’s crimson eyes filled with joy.
Translation complete. 100% of original text translated.
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.]
