Thus Began Your Regret (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12
Central Square, the heart of Lindbloom.
This place was a bustling district with immaculately maintained surroundings, truly the epicenter of upscale shops frequented by nobles.
Edward parked his carriage in a suitable spot and stepped down.
There were far more moving carriages here than pedestrians. Amidst them, he spotted a woman with a strikingly ornate parasol and voluminous skirts, waving at him.
“To think she can stand so steadily outside in attire like that.”
Edward, uttering something akin to admiration, strode forward with his distinctive gait.
As he drew near, the woman stepped forward a few paces and greeted him.
“I’ve never met a gentleman who makes a lady wait before.”
Her name was Emily Ernst.
She was the second daughter of the Ernst family—the in-laws of Guildford Theodore.
“Oh, I didn’t expect my schedule to clear up so suddenly today.”
“Well, I suppose our appointment was a bit earlier than usual. I couldn’t help myself—I was simply too excited upon hearing the news.”
She spoke with a smile as bright as a blooming flower.
“I’m glad to see you’re in such good spirits today.”
“Today?”
“The last time we met, your expression was quite stern.”
Hearing this, Edward paused briefly, trying to recall where he might have encountered this woman before.
He vaguely remembered exchanging perfunctory greetings with her at some party, clearly introduced by Guildford himself—that much he recalled for certain.
But since she hadn’t particularly mattered to him at the time, he couldn’t remember exactly when that had been.
Eventually giving up on trying to remember, he said,
“Did I offend you in any way? If so, I apologize.”
“Oh my, not at all! You’ve never done anything of the sort to me.”
Holding her fan to her lips, she continued,
“I merely heard rumors suggesting something had happened between you and your wife—something about Mrs. Allen’s unusual behavior, or so I’d heard.”
Upon hearing this, Edward began to vaguely recall the incident.
That day, he must have just had a heated argument with Louisa.
He’d noticed dirt on her clothes and asked about it, only to be told she’d gotten it while volunteering—though ‘volunteering’ seemed more like manual labor to him.
Displeased, he’d scolded her, and Louisa, refusing to back down, had retorted with her own grievances. Hurt, he’d fled to the party like a coward.
Yet even there, guests were already gossiping about Mrs. Allen’s eccentricities and her strange insistence on labor.
Furious, he’d lashed out at everyone present—and this woman was apparently referring to that very day.
“Ah, now I think I know which day you mean. The people I was rude to that day fully deserved it.”
How dare those wretches even mention Louisa.
Edward even nodded in agreement with himself.
Observing his expression, Emily closed the fan she’d been holding to her lips. Adjusting her parasol, she stepped beside him and said,
“I trust you’ll show me your gentlemanly side. Now, let’s set aside such dreary talk and go choose the gift you desire.”
[This is the timeline separator]Meetings at Valiant Palace were typically unbearably dull.
The same people always showed up, repeating the same old stories before leaving—nothing ever changed except perhaps the novelty of their sarcastic remarks about each other.
Thus, the appearance of someone rarely seen usually signaled some kind of disturbance.
Especially if that someone belonged to the Valeria family, who harbored deep animosity toward Edward Allen.
“Don’t be fooled! Just yesterday, I had to listen to my son fretting over this matter.”
Ralph Valeria—commonly known as Councilor Valeria—grumbled loudly.
“No matter how noble-sounding their words may be, never lend an ear to anyone bearing the name Allen.”
He seemed ready to oppose anything Louisa said, regardless of its content. Louisa calmly retorted against his rudeness.
“Your words are excessive. While I regret your feelings toward my husband, they hold no valid reason for mention in this setting.”
“No valid reason? Isn’t it precisely because your words are so absurd that we must speak up?”
“Please watch your tone, Councilor Valeria. I see no reason why I should tolerate disrespect from you.”
Louisa grew increasingly irritated by the remarks aimed directly at her.
Since the failed contract between Allen and Valeria, Councilor Valeria had been constantly spreading slander about the Allens.
Like most nobles, this man was particularly obsessed with consuming and spreading gossip.
Now that such a scandal had landed in his lap, he wouldn’t let go of them anytime soon—whether out of genuine anger or sheer amusement.
As the two began arguing, the surrounding nobles started whispering among themselves.
Finally fed up with the commotion, Chairman Bradford slammed his fist hard on the table and bellowed toward the assembly,
“Enough, enough!”
All eyes turned to the center at his shout. Once the noise had settled slightly, he looked around at those staring at him and said,
“Cease this at once. Councilor Valeria, wait until you’ve been granted speaking rights before talking. And refrain from rude remarks—this applies to Congresswoman Allen as well.”
At the chairman’s rebuke, Councilor Valeria raised his hand as if to protest further, but after glancing around the room, he merely snorted and sat back down.
He’d clearly achieved his intended goal well enough.
Louisa suppressed a sigh that threatened to escape.
Seeing the disorder persist, Bradford apparently decided it was impractical to continue the meeting and shouted to the assembly,
“We will adjourn briefly. The session will resume in thirty minutes.”
At the chairman’s announcement, attendees began leaving the chamber in small groups.
Of course, even amid the dispersal, one voice stood out as especially loud—naturally, it was Ralph Valeria, deliberately making a scene.
“If that wretch ever dares show his face before me again, I’ll gift him whatever I happen to be holding right in his smug face.”
He emphasized his words by sharply tapping his clenched right fist against his palm. His companions burst into raucous laughter.
“Ha! So we can expect some entertaining spectacle at the upcoming party, then?”
“Even for an Allen, surely he wouldn’t dare show up at a royal event.”
Their names were Sutherland and Renecton—men from families deeply obsessed with bloodline purity.
Sutherland sneered exaggeratedly as he spoke.
“Exactly. Holding money doesn’t change one’s status, does it?”
“Well, considering his temperament, maybe it’s not that he can’t come—it’s that he simply won’t.”
Renecton, laughing along with him, jerked his chin toward Louisa.
“It’s odd, isn’t it? I’ve never once seen that couple attend together.”
At his gesture, their gazes all shifted to Louisa. Councilor Valeria shot her a sharp glare and said,
“Whatever the reason, we’ll find out once we go.”
Their remarks were deeply offensive. Yet unlike during the meeting, Louisa couldn’t bring herself to respond now.
Because everything they said was true.
It genuinely pained her, but she had no retort against their deliberate, humiliation-laced comments.
At first, they truly couldn’t afford such things due to poverty.
But even after her husband’s circumstances improved—and even after achieving enormous success—he still never set foot in such places.
Once, his colleagues had strongly urged him to attend at least once, but even then, he refused.
Though he became “Edward Allen, the Magitek Engineer,” and though the royal court faithfully sent him engraved invitations year after year, he had never once accepted any of them.
‘Perhaps it would’ve been easier if he’d simply refused to attend any parties at all.’
She truly believed her heart would have hurt less if that had been the case.
[Sorry, but I’m busy that day. I have prior commitments.]She’d heard those words countless times. At some point, she began asking out of mere obligation, already anticipating his refusal.
Her husband didn’t attend royal events. But that didn’t mean he avoided parties altogether.
The problem was—he only avoided the ones she attended.
Realizing that truth had made her cry many times. After endless tears, she eventually accepted that she’d given up on him—and stopped asking altogether.
Valeria and his small group continued their loud chatter for a while before finally exiting.
Left alone in the chamber, Louisa tightly gripped the hem of her skirt hidden beneath the table.
[This is the timeline separator]“What do you think of this? It’s a natural pearl from Calihay—items of this quality and above are truly difficult to come by.”
The shopkeeper, standing about two heads shorter than Edward, enthusiastically waved his arms as he explained.
But Edward’s expression remained distinctly unimpressed.
The jeweler prattled on about design, yet to Edward’s eyes, everything simply looked shiny and pretty.
“Louisa would look good in anything—just bring everything out as it is.”
Those words nearly slipped out before he stopped himself, digging into his jacket’s inner pocket to pull out a cigar case.
As Edward placed the cigar between his lips, the shopkeeper approached and said,
“Oh! You smoke Maduro by Ocuro—of course, a man of discerning taste like yourself would. It’s my favorite as well.”
The shopkeeper quickly produced a matchbox and lit Edward’s cigar. Then, glancing toward Emily Ernst seated nearby, he added,
“Miss Ernst seems quite pleased as well, doesn’t she? Nothing complements a lady’s elegance better than this.”
Emily nodded in agreement and said,
“Yes, the necklace is truly lovely. Is that pair of earrings the only matching set available?”
“There’s one more piece made with the same pearls. Let me see…”
The shopkeeper swiftly checked the item’s serial number and hurried toward the back of the shop. Returning promptly with a small box, he opened it and declared,
“This one here. It’s accented with gold and diamonds for a slightly more lavish touch. Designed by a jeweler who’s supplied the royal court—perfect for your upcoming party.”
“Wonderful. I like it.”
Emily smiled contentedly. Beside her, Edward—who had been quietly smoking his cigar—spoke up.
“Can’t I just buy all of them?”
“No.”
Emily flatly rejected his suggestion. The shopkeeper shot her a pleading look, but she paid it no mind and continued,
“Sir Theodore specifically instructed me against it. Besides, you can always rely on sheer quantity without me, can’t you?”
At her words, Edward fell silent, having nothing more to say. Emily turned triumphantly to the shopkeeper and said,
“Let’s also take a look at matching dresses. Bring out the ones with deep, vibrant colors.”
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.
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That seems nice at least he is trying the problem that he doesn’t know how !!!