Once again, near his heart, a stinging pain occurred.
It was the first time he heard Ariana speaking in such a weak voice. Jeor didn’t dream that Ariana, who always shone resolutely no matter what happened, would have such thoughts.
“Sorry…”
At the muttered words, Ariana turned around briefly. A lonely smile appeared on Ariana’s lips and then disappeared. Ariana turned back and said again.
“It’s okay. I’m used to it.”
+++
When Ariana came out of the secret passage through the fireplace, Sini was still lying on the floor. Seeing the blood spread around her head, Jeor’s heart sank.
“Sini!”
At Ariana’s shout, Sini’s eyelids trembled. When golden eyes appeared slowly between the lifted eyelids, Ariana, relieved, said to Jeor,
“Set the house on fire.”
“What?”
“Hurry!”
Although an unexpected situation occurred, giving up the journey to the North was not an option. If it became known that there were those targeting Ariana, Lancer would inform Dongjehu of that fact, and Dongjehu would come, even if he had to come himself, to take Ariana to Dongling.
In confusion, Jeor raised the lamp and set fire to the blanket.
“Move Sini outside. I’ll handle the knights.”
The fire, clinging to the dry cloth, quickly spread, filling the house with acrid smoke. As Jeor embraced Sini, knights who sensed the change rushed in through the door.
“Princess!”
Lancer ran to Ariana, shouting. He wrapped Ariana’s shoulders and led her out of the house, protecting her from the fire. Jeor also followed behind Ariana, holding Sini.
With a pale face, Lancer asked Ariana,
“What happened?”
“Robbers.”
“What?”
“They suddenly turned hostile, trying to kill us, but failed and disappeared through the secret passage. Sini is too injured to follow them.”
It was a sloppy excuse, but Ariana did not give the knights a chance to doubt her words.
“Sini is too badly hurt. She has lost a lot of blood, and she might die. Where is Isaac? Bring Isaac to the lodging. Sini must not die.”
Although Ariana, usually gentle, revealed her emotions and urgently spoke, the knights did not delve deeper, leaving to find Isaac.
Only Lancer remained, sending a suspicious glance at the spot, but perhaps because Sini’s condition was too bad, he didn’t inquire further.
When they arrived at the lodging and laid Sini on the bed, the knights returned with Isaac. Isaac, placing a package of herbs by the bed, said,
“Everyone, leave the room.”
When Ariana nodded, everyone left the room.
Examining Sini’s wounds, Isaac said,
“She seems to have lost a lot of blood, but her bones seem fine. If we stitch her up and apply medicine, she should recover soon. But… what on earth happened?”
“Robbers…”
“I heard that story from the knights earlier. It’s unbelievable, isn’t it? Do you know about it, Your Highness? Even though Dongjehu was there, how could Sini get hurt like this?”
Isaac was a clever person. Realizing that she couldn’t deceive him, Ariana spoke honestly.
“There is someone targeting my life in Dongling.”
“It must be related to Dongjehu. Given Dongjehu’s unreasonable excuses.”
“…Yes.”
“If I inform Dongjehu about this, he will take care of it.”
“I don’t have proper evidence. Even if I catch a thin thread, I won’t reach that person.”
“So, you’re just going to leave it be? Until they achieve their goal…”
“Well, it might be for the best. Relentless attempts will eventually trip up that person, so it’s just a matter of time.”
Isaac glanced briefly at Ariana, who spoke calmly.
Ariana, with her usual faint smile, had worry-filled eyes when looking at Sini.
‘It must be beyond words.’
Having barely escaped from the Bronte Duchy to become the princess of Dongling, Ariana found herself targeted again.
In all likelihood, the opponent was the Duke of Ovelier. Perhaps he thought that the position of his close friend, Jeor, became precarious with the appearance of the princess.
The power of the Duke of Ovelier, the owner of a large territory, was by no means small.
Ariana could understand why she couldn’t move easily.
‘Without evidence, trying to defeat the Duke of Ovelier could jeopardize the relationship between Dongjehu and the Duke. That would endanger the entire Dongling.’
It was astonishing that the young Ariana thought so deeply and faced the terror of death. Every time, he forgets her age when faced with her youthful face.
Cyrus’s eyes were never wrong.
‘If such a person becomes my sister-in-law, Cyrus will feel more at ease than now.’
Isaac didn’t want to let go of Ariana.
“How about just living in the North for now, Your Highness? Everyone will surely love you there.”
“Oh my.”
Ariana laughed brightly as if she considered it a joke.
The smile that spread across her small face was as beautiful as flowers. Thin eyes, slightly wrinkled nose, and a neatly curved mouth visible between them.
At that moment, Isaac could understand Cyrus’s evaluation of Ariana.
Someday, Ariana would make a stir in the social circle. It was certain.
“Just your words are enough, Isaac.”
Ariana, who seemed to dismiss Isaac’s suggestion, laughed brightly.
Looking at Ariana, Isaac made up his mind.
‘Wait and see, sister-in-law. I won’t send you back to Dongling, no matter what!’
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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