The blade glinted in the moonlight, yet Ariana’s demeanor remained unchanged. She even wore a faint smile and said,
“You are indeed fortunate, Your Imperial Highness. To have someone who cares for the Eastern Realm by your side.”
“……”
“Perhaps it would be best to kill me here, as you suggest. At least one seed of doubt troubling your hearts can be plucked.”
Ariana turned her head, not toward Zeor who stood before her, but toward the city of Ellus. Surveying the quiet, peaceful city, she resumed,
“This city is so beautiful and prosperous that everyone is watching for a chance to swallow the Eastern Realm whole. That’s why people here learn martial arts from birth to defend themselves. But is that enough?”
Ariana’s gaze, which had been directed at the city, was now fixed on Zeor.
“The current Emperor is as fearful as he is suspicious. He hesitates to invade the Eastern Realm, fearing the moment he draws his sword, other countries may retaliate. But someday, someone may take the throne who has no such fears and will draw his sword against the Eastern Realm. Can the Eastern Realm escape the flames of war then?”
Ariana knew they could not.
When Prince Herald drew his sword against the Eastern Realm, Zeor died and Russel fell.
“You have turned your back on the Empire because of past events and have no dealings with other countries. Who then will shield the Eastern Realm when the Empire shoots its flaming arrows?”
A smile tugged at Zeor’s lips.
“So, you can be that shield?”
“I have neither the strength nor the education to be a shield, but I can be used to benefit the Eastern Realm. Perhaps I can even prove more useful to it than it is to me. I could serve as a liaison to the royal family.”
“Aren’t you overestimating yourself?”
“You’ll naturally find out whether I am or not.”
“So, you’re asking to be spared for now?”
Ariana lowered her gaze, which had been fixed on Zeor.
“I won’t beg. Do as you wish.”
Zeor stared at Ariana’s thick eyelashes.
Ariana was unusually shrewd for her age.
She must also realize that his talk of death was not mere words. He was prepared to kill her for the Eastern Realm, and to face the consequences.
Even so, Ariana displayed not a moment’s fear. Her slender shoulders did not tremble, and her downcast eyes were proud.
He had the sudden thought that she really could hold and shake the royal family. No, it was more than a thought; it was a conviction.
“That dagger you’re holding may work on others, but not on me.”
Ariana raised her head.
She had been gripping a dagger inside her robe since the moment Zeor drew his sword.
“You’re too weak and frail to defend yourself. Don’t dismiss your escort knights. You never know when someone like me will target your life.”
+++
When the Western Emperor and Rachel left for the Empire for the custody battle, Helena paced nervously, biting her thumbnail in the reception room.
Victoria calmly embroidered, but her eyes watching the embroidery frame were dark.
Helena plopped down next to Victoria and said,
“What if we lose in court? Then Ariana will become the Eastern Princess. A Princess. Is she even fit for that role?”
Rachel had been a Western Princess but after marrying a Duke, Helena and Victoria were merely noble daughters. Thanks to their great-grandfather being the Western Emperor, they were treated better than other noble daughters, but they were nothing compared to a true Princess.
In addition, among the four vassal states surrounding the empire to the north, south, east, and west, none currently had a princess. The Northern and Southern Regents were unmarried, the Eastern Regent had his daughter taken away by his wife, and the Western Regent’s two daughters had married, becoming a duchess and a countess.
“If she becomes a princess, she’ll be the most noble young lady on this continent after the imperial princess.”
There were also several smaller countries on the continent of Leverdun, besides the gigantic Empire of Kameria and the four vassal states surrounding it. However, these countries were so weak that even their kings received treatment equivalent to that of a duke or count of the empire.
The Eastern Vassal State was different. Although it had once fallen out of favor with the emperor due to unfortunate past events, it was a country with power that the emperor could not easily interfere with.
At the prospect of Ariana possibly becoming the princess of such a state, Helena could not hide her anxiety.
“Ah, what to do? It’s terrifying to think of her becoming a princess. Can you imagine how arrogant she would be?”
Helena shot a glance at Victoria, who had not spoken a word, engrossed in her embroidery.
“It’s all your fault, Victoria. You gave her the opportunity to escape by being suspected of murder!”
Victoria sharply turned her head to glare at Helena.
Anger and hatred filled her green eyes, nearly overwhelming Helena. Helena instinctively recoiled, shifting backwards.
Victoria’s voice came out menacingly.
“Shut up, Helena.”
“What, what, what? Hey, what are you saying to me?”
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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