Most importantly, I didn’t want Ascan to feel guilty. I had chosen to modify the bracelet to help him, and since it was my decision, I didn’t want apologies from others.
‘Can’t be helped. I can still use magical engineering weapons even if I can’t summon them. I’ll just have to be more careful.’
If I went back to the Arwen Empire’s lab, I could create a new one. There was no urgent need for that.
With these thoughts in my mind, I looked at Zen before me.
I knew he was concerned about me, and I understood that he carried trauma from losing Sharl through the novel.
Even though we had different social statuses, him being a commoner and me a noble, I didn’t want to spare him from an apology.
“Zen, I went out without saying anything, and I’m sorry. But it was an unavoidable situation, and I didn’t engage in any excessively risky actions. Please understand this time.”
Zen’s expressionless eyes slightly widened. Then, as if resigned, he let out a quiet sigh.
It wasn’t appropriate for a noble to apologize to a mere bodyguard. He was the one who took orders, and I was the one giving them.
There was no reason for me to apologize to Zen for acting on my own accord.
“Please withdraw such excessive words. Fortunately, you were unharmed, but as the person responsible for your safety, I must always consider the worst-case scenario.”
“I understand.”
“Even if we let it go this time, if such an incident happens again, I’ll have to report it to Lord and take necessary measures.”
“Alright. Just letting it go quietly this time is already enough, isn’t it?”
I smirked and, suddenly remembering something, opened my mouth again.
“By the way, what was the reason for your visit? Does it have to do with my father?”
Zen’s somewhat softened expression darkened. He nodded slightly and answered in a lower voice.
“We’ve lost contact with Lord.”
“What?”
It was an entirely unexpected statement.
I stood up in surprise. Zen, seemingly urging calmness, spoke again.
“There’s no need to worry excessively. If Lord were in a dangerous situation, we would have received contact sooner. Currently, all the information networks of the Brellopf family in the Arwen Empire are mobilized, so it seems like contact has been temporarily lost.”
“What does that mean?”
“It seems Lord has found the mastermind behind the poison. We need to wait until we can contact him again to know for sure, but it seems to be related to the Felmeira family in the Arwen Empire.”
“Felmeira?”
The Felmeira family governed a region in the Arwen Empire.
Being a regional noble didn’t mean they lacked power. The Felmeira family was famous enough that their name was recognizable.
“Are you saying that the Felmeira family left poison at the mansion on the day my mother died?”
“At this point, it’s just speculation, but based on Lord’s last words, there’s a high possibility.”
It was shocking.
I was so surprised that I stood up from my seat. Zen, as if advising calmness, spoke again.
“It’s not confirmed as of now, but judging from Lord’s last words, it seems very likely if the Felmeira family is involved.”
‘Why?’
I couldn’t have imagined that the Felmeira family would be related to Sharl’s death.
‘I wonder why?’
From the Felmeira family to the former mercenary Kains.
As more people connected to Sharl’s death surfaced, it felt like I was sinking deeper into a labyrinth.
I grabbed my throbbing head. I couldn’t leave matters related to Sharl’s death only to Orland.
Orland was usually more level-headed than anyone else, but when it came to matters related to Sharl, he might lose his rationality. Someone had to watch over him.
I couldn’t act immediately because I had to catch the intruders at the mansion that day and find out who gave the orders. It was during this restless contemplation that a face I had forgotten about suddenly came to mind.
‘Noxia!’
Currently, there was Noxia in the Brellopf family.
If anything were to happen to Orland, Noxia in the Kalua Empire could move faster than me. Moreover, there were tasks emerging one by one that needed to be checked within the Arwen Empire to catch the culprit who killed Sharl.
“Zen, I need to explain the current situation to Noxia. I’ll personally write a letter, so can you discreetly deliver it to Noxia in the Brellopf family?”
“Are you talking about the young lady?”
“Yes.”
In truth, Noxia always seemed like a child in my eyes. Perhaps it was because she was like a younger sister. However, Noxia was not just an ordinary heroine from a novel.
Ten years ago, when I was suffering from the pain of parting with Askan, Noxia was the one who steadfastly supported me.
I knew very well how capable and brave Noxia was. When something happened to Orland, the person I could trust the most was her.
Zen, who seemed to be contemplating for a moment, nodded in agreement with my words.
“The situation with communication with the Arwen Empire is not smooth, but if it’s the Brellopf family, it should be possible.”
“From now on, inform me immediately if there’s any news from my father or Noxia.”
“I understand.”
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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