I realized that my emotions were getting too intense.
This isn’t right; I need to snap out of it. I shouldn’t show a pitiful appearance.
Despite thinking this, I couldn’t stop the flowing tears.
“It’s my fault.”
A tired voice descended upon Ariana.
“It’s my fault.”
Ariana lowered her head.
“No, it’s not your fault, Father. In the end, it was my choice, and it’s because I was foolish.”
“The child…”
Russell approached, embracing Ariana. Ariana felt her father’s trembling hands on her back.
“It’s the responsibility of parents, Ariana. Regardless of the choice you made, it was because I couldn’t be by your side. It’s my fault, Ariana. You’re not at fault.”
It was all my fault.
The pain, the failures, Helena’s fall, and Victoria’s hat flying away – everything was Ariana’s fault.
Rachel always said,
“Why didn’t you see it properly?”
“You were there!”
“Why can’t you do things properly?”
So, I thought it was all my fault.
Even after turning back time, Rachel couldn’t escape from the noose around her neck.
It was the first time she heard that it wasn’t her fault.
From an adult man, sitting high as the king of a country, her blood relative, her father, holding her gently with trembling hands – he said it was all his fault.
Even though it wasn’t his fault.
The broken and shattered heart, bit by bit, attached itself, breaking free from Rachel’s shackles. Her father’s low sob and warm body covered the wounds that seemed impossible to heal.
A heart that had been torn apart mercilessly for 28 years wouldn’t heal completely in this single moment. However, Ariana could understand.
That someday, she would be able to accept this person as her real father. That it wouldn’t take too long for that time to come.
+++
When she returned to the slave market after being in the cage, no one tried to buy her. The auctioneer made numerous attempts to sell her, adding various compliments, but everyone just muttered that she looked ominous.
She was moved back to the slave storage, and the overseer looked at her with a perplexed expression.
“She doesn’t sell even at a low price. I wonder if anyone would take her even if we give her away.”
A slave next to her said,
“Master, how about selling her eyeballs? I heard that golden eyeballs are valuable to collectors.”
“Instead of selling them at a low price, it might be better to try that. Since more distinguished people come to the market at midnight, let’s try selling her then. If it doesn’t work, we might have to pluck out her eyeballs.”
She could hear and feel it; now her life didn’t have much time left.
After the overseer left, an elderly slave next to her spoke.
“You’re going to die now. Yes, it’s better for things like you to die. Over 20 people have died because of you, right? If you live, only more pitiful victims will increase.”
Sitting in the corner of the iron-barred cell, she recalled words she had heard from another slave.
[Dash]”The weather looked nice earlier. When I lived with my mother, we used to go on picnics on days like this.”Born and raised in captivity, she had never experienced a single moment outside the iron bars. She couldn’t comprehend the meaning of good weather or picnics. However, she could sense that it was something very good.
So, she thought.
‘It would be nice to see beautiful weather before I die.’
+++
The dinner gathering was a bit awkward.
After unexpectedly bursting into tears when she went to see Russell earlier, Ariana couldn’t lift her head.
‘Crying like a child.’
If she were really a child, that would be understandable, but within the 16-year-old girl’s body resided the soul of a woman who died at 28. It was embarrassing to have acted like a child when it wasn’t the age to whimper in her father’s arms. Unlike Ariana, Russell was nonchalant. Seeing his son smile unexpectedly, Teardoor asked,
“Is something good happening?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
Russell and Ariana’s eyes met when she tried to answer. When Ariana focused her eyes, Russell spoke.
“It’s a secret.”
Ariana was relieved that the words didn’t come out, saying, ‘My daughter called me her father and cried in my arms.’
Caradin, seemingly grasping what happened through Ariana’s attitude and Russell’s smile, smiled contentedly. Seeing his wife enjoying the situation, Teardoor grumbled,
“Why is everyone having fun except me?”
After the meal, Ariana returned to her room as if fleeing.
She had resolved not to set a sharp edge against the members of the White family, but the atmosphere was still awkward.
Ariana sat on the sofa and checked the time.
“It’s already 9 o’clock.”
The reason she went to see Russell earlier was to tell him that if there was time before dinner, she would explore the streets and come back. However, she missed the opportunity due to an unexpected conversation.
‘If there are no problems, it should be open even at midnight.’
Currently, where Ariana and her group are is Conivale City, the last city on the border between the Empire and the Dongryung. It was a place where many merchants gathered due to the canal, allowing extensive trade.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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