Noxia obediently admitted her mistake and seemed repentant, but the maids watching from the side couldn’t help but chime in.
“Miss Noxia, it’s not your fault. It’s because we were nagging you.”
“That’s right. We were nagging you to show us your abilities and you ended up moving the water unpreparedly, and this happened.”
I glanced at the maids who were trying to defend Noxia.
The maids who met my gaze expected a serious scolding, their faces determined.
“So you’re aware of your own mistakes too?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t pester the fainthearted Noxia to show her abilities anywhere in the future.”
“Yes, yes?”
The maids all looked at me in surprise.
Their reaction made me feel even more absurd. Did they think I was going to flog them for something like this?
“If you didn’t understand, should I repeat it?”
“No, no. We’ll keep in mind Miss Tanashia’s words.”
“Good.”
With a final warning to the maids, I started to move again.
As I led the way, Askan naturally followed behind.
Just as I was about to pass Noxia, she, who had been standing dumbfounded, suddenly came to her senses and said to me.
“Ththank you. Sister.”
Her gratitude was inexplicable, so I asked with a puzzled expression.
“For what?”
“For accepting my apology…”
At Noxia’s words, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Just like the title “The Beloved Holy Lady”, Noxia was loved by many people and was such an adorable existence.
Knowing Noxia’s desire to get along well with Tanashia, who had committed countless misdeeds, I had no intention of being overly harsh.
“Don’t mention it.”
With a brief response, I moved forward.
For some reason, Noxia’s gaze on me seemed unusually bright, but since there was no reason to stay here any longer, I didn’t stop.
[This is the time separator]When I returned to my room, I awkwardly looked at Askan.
His expression hadn’t changed from the first day to now, so I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but today, too, he dutifully performed his duty like a robot.
Then suddenly, my eyes caught the wetness on Askan’s shoulder.
It seemed that when I shook off my wet hair earlier, some water had splashed onto him.
When Askan’s clothes were dry, I didn’t notice, but now that his white shirt was soaked with water, the red scars underneath were revealed.
‘That is…’
Suddenly, the image of me hitting him with a whip crossed my mind, causing my shoulders to tense up.
It must have been a scar from when I abused him. No, it was certain.
Realizing this, I began to frantically search the drawers in my room to find the first aid kit I had seen somewhere.
“Askan.”
“Yes.”
“Take off your shirt for a moment.”
At my words, for some reason, Askan hesitated for a moment, but then calmly began to take off his shirt.
The sight of him unbuttoning his shirt one by one was incongruously provocative.
I lowered my head and shook off my unnecessary thoughts.
This was not the time to be thinking about such things. I was in a hurry to find the first aid kit, but suddenly I heard a thud, a noise I hadn’t expected.
When I turned my head, I saw that Askan was kneeling on the floor.
“What are you doing now…!”
His sudden behavior startled me and at the same time, something flashed across my mind.
It was a scene of Askan being hit by me in a dream.
In the dream, he did not resist at all and endured the pain I gave him while kneeling on the floor. Somehow, his current appearance overlapped with that time.
“Look, I think you’ve misunderstood something, I…”
My words did not carry through to the end.
Askan bent a little more towards the ground. It seemed as if he was positioning himself to make it easier for me to hit him.
Even a fool would have no choice but to recognize what the current situation meant.
In my dream, when I confirmed that Askan’s body had turned to steel, he was bare on the upper body. He must have had to undress to verify the transformation directly.
I hadn’t realized that my comment about taking off his shirt was this kind of signal.
In the moment when I was at a loss for words, Askan spoke in a flat tone.
“Let’s begin.”
His words were so dry that I couldn’t feel any emotion.
The memory of Askan’s unfortunate past in the novel came to mind, and a corner of my heart felt numb.
I approached Askan with the first aid kit I had just found. Without saying a word, I carefully applied ointment to his wound.
Perhaps feeling the cool sensation, Askan, who had been looking down, looked at me.
He, who had belatedly grasped the situation, looked at me with an expression that showed he didn’t understand.
“I’m sorry.”
Askan didn’t say anything, but from his expression alone, I could tell he was quite surprised.
“I promise, I won’t hit you again.”
“Although I’ve said this before, I don’t know anything…”
“I know. I won’t ask you anymore.”
Upon hearing my response, confusion filled Askan’s golden eyes even more.
“I told you before, let’s just have fun together. Let’s live like that.”
It wasn’t me who tortured Askan. But in the dream, I vividly felt the sensation of hitting him. And I was delighted to see his body turned to steel.
Although it wasn’t my doing, I still felt a sense of responsibility.
At the very least, I wanted to avoid being involved in Askan turning black.
Even if what has passed cannot be helped, I had no intention of repeating the same mistake.
I wasn’t sure if I could avoid the death route by being nice to him, but I thought I should be as good to him as I could.
“I wish, you could be happy.”
“I… don’t understand what you mean.”
It was only natural that Askan didn’t understand my sudden words.
But it didn’t matter. I had no intention of convincing him of my current feelings.
“I’m planning to launch a project to live happily while enjoying life from now on. If you want, I’ll include you.”
There was no reason to pretend not to know Askan, who knows all about me, while helping a poor neighbor who knows nothing.
In fact, a large part of why I couldn’t let go of the novel “The Beloved Saint” till the end was the allure of Askan, the final villain.
“I can’t pinpoint it, but… somehow you seem different from the lady I know.”
Stung by Askan’s sharp words, I flinched, but he continued to speak in a soft voice.
“What’s the price for this?”
“Price?”
“You said you won’t hit me or ask me anything anymore. I don’t know what you’re talking about when you say you’ll include me, but you should let me know what I need to pay in return.”
I carefully applied ointment to Askan’s wound and then pulled my hand away.
For a moment, I wanted to ask him to spare my life honestly, but I quickly shook my head.
“No, nothing like that.”
I might like it if Askan decided to save me out of kindness in the future, but no one could know what lies in a person’s heart.
With the situation having come this far, I had no intention of betting my survival on such uncertain possibilities.
I will make a more visible and certain survival plan.
“Nothing… at all?”
Askan’s golden eyes, as if they were made from gathering moonlight, narrowed. It was as if he couldn’t believe my words.
I looked at Askan’s complex expression and smiled thinly.
“There’s no need to think hard. Let’s just be happy together.”
So being kind to Askan was purely a whim on my part.
Of course, if our relationship improved, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. Let’s say it’s a small insurance to keep in mind for the unforeseen future.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
