She managed to catch up with the man, but in the chase, she hadn’t noticed how the surrounding scenery had changed.
It was only when she found herself in a deserted alley emanating a sinister aura did she realize. The pickpocket looked back and snickered.
“Didn’t think you’d follow me this far. How did you catch on, given my skill?”
Ariana tightly gripped the hilt of the dagger hidden in her cloak.
Struggling to remain emotionless, she spoke indifferently.
“If you quietly return my money, I won’t report you.”
“Huh, didn’t realize you were a kid. How does someone like you have so much money? Are you in on this too?”
Ariana didn’t answer but stared at him intently. He felt slightly uneasy under her clear and calm gaze but soon cleared his throat.
“Hm. You’d know if you lived in this world. Doesn’t matter who you stole it from; in the end, the one holding it owns it.”
“So, no honor among thieves?”
“If there was, I wouldn’t be doing this. Just go. This isn’t a place for a girl like you.”
Indeed, Ariana realized she might have to deal with local thugs over a trivial amount of money.
There was no need to step into the muck over a few pennies.
‘I can’t risk my life over 5 gold.’
Ariana boldly decided to give up the 5 gold.
Just then, the once-ominous atmosphere of the street suddenly changed. People who were observing each other quietly scattered in haste.
The pickpocket, who was dealing with Ariana, also changed color and tried to flee. However, before he could take a few steps, several knights on horses blocked his way.
“I, I haven’t done anything, my lords.”
The man immediately prostrated himself, his demeanor entirely different from when he was dealing with Ariana.
“I haven’t done anything.”
The knight at the front muttered as if amused.
He was a young knight, around twenty, and from his appearance and demeanor, seemed to be of the highest rank there.
“Yes, yes. I’m just a day laborer, scraping by. I was just wandering around this street looking for work, didn’t do anything.”
“Really? Then did my subordinate see wrong? He clearly saw you stealing that child’s money earlier.”
“Why would I steal from a kid dressed in such rags? If I were to steal, not that I should, I would’ve targeted someone more well-dressed than that kid.”
“The herb shop owner said the child seemed worried about going to the bank. So, I sent my subordinate to watch over her, and what do you know, he witnessed the act.”
A cold smile crept onto the knight’s lips.
“Now, speak. If you didn’t steal, I have to slit my subordinate’s throat right here and now. Of course, we’ll then search you. For every Ente of money found that doesn’t look like it belongs to you, we’ll slice off a piece of your flesh.”
One gold was one million Ente. The money stolen from Ariana alone was 5 gold, which meant slicing his flesh 5 million times.
The young knight’s tone was light, but his eyes were severe, leaving no room for it to be considered a joke. Even innocent Ariana felt a chill down her spine; the guilty man must’ve felt far worse.
Shaking visibly, he pulled out 5 gold from his pocket.
“I, I have committed a crime deserving of death. Please, please spare me! Spare me!”
The young knight dismounted and picked up the 5 gold coins the thief had extended. Ariana was tense, fearing the young knight might mistake her as a compatriot of the thief. Thankfully, he held up the coins and spoke.
“Kid, 5 gold coins, correct?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Wait a moment.”
With a chin gesture, the young knight signaled his men, who quickly seized the thief and disappeared.
The young knight approached Ariana. He was tall and broad-shouldered, imposing even from a distance.
Ariana stood upright, lifting her gaze to meet his. Only then did his features catch her eye.
‘Blue hair…’
Her heart sank.
The blue hair was the symbol of the White family. Though the shade differed slightly among them, all those with White lineage had blue hair.
Ariana had inherited a lighter shade of blue, much to the distaste of her sister Rachel, who despised it for reminding her of the Eastern Emperor.
‘Who is he? I don’t remember this face.’
She would soon meet the Eastern Emperor, Russel White, but she hadn’t expected to encounter another member of the White family so quickly.
While Ariana scrutinized him, he did the same to her. As expected from someone high-ranking among the knights, his observant eyes were piercing.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
