Trampled and Broken (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 31
Bodeum’s Day was, in a word, an event for children who had lost their parents.
During the day, the Saintess personally distributed gifts and food prepared especially for the orphanage children and blessed them to be healthy and happy.
Though it was called a charity event, there was subtle rivalry beneath the surface.
This was because there were two orphanages in the capital.
When Hestia had been the sole Saintess, it had been quite a headache every year.
Since she had to visit two places, the orphanages would engage in tense, unspoken competition over which one she would visit first.
Kings was sponsored by the royal family, while Glory was under the temple’s patronage, but since last year, the destinations had become clearly set.
Hestia went to Kings, and Anetsa went to Glory.
Naturally, the atmosphere had settled into this arrangement.
As Hestia stepped down from her carriage, the director of Kings Orphanage came out personally to greet her.
“Saintess Hestia, thank you so much for visiting our Kings Orphanage again this year.”
Hestia offered a gentle smile and accepted their greetings.
“Director, and teachers—how has everyone been?”
“Very well! We always enjoy peaceful days thanks to His Majesty the King and the temple’s care.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Hestia began scanning the venue with her eyes.
“Has everyone arrived?”
“Well… Yes, they have.”
She saw priests sent from the temple and a sparse scattering of nobles occupying seats—far fewer than in previous years.
‘It seems they’ve heard rumors about me and all flocked to Glory Orphanage instead.’
The attending families were mostly those with close ties to the royal family.
The rest of the nobles had likely gone to Glory.
Noticing Hestia looking around, the director of Kings Orphanage gave an embarrassed smile and spoke up.
“This year, we’re holding the event in a quieter atmosphere.”
Hestia quickly turned her gaze back to the director.
She was merely searching for someone, but the director seemed troubled by the low turnout.
“I hope I haven’t unintentionally caused you any worry.”
The director must surely have heard the rumors about Hestia, yet he didn’t blame her—something she found deeply touching.
Feeling guilty for causing him concern, Hestia reassured him instead.
“I’m perfectly fine, so please don’t feel too disappointed, Director. There won’t be any reduction or cancellation of support.”
The director waved his hands dismissively.
“How could we think such a thing? We’re simply grateful that you’ve come to visit us again this year, just as you did last year.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
Hestia smiled faintly and concluded the conversation.
“Then I’ll see you at the start of the event. I’ll go thank the guests for coming.”
“Shall I accompany you?”
“It’s alright.”
Politely and gracefully declining his offer, Hestia headed toward the VIP seating area.
All the while, her eyes kept moving restlessly.
‘Where is Stephan Chereto?’
Anxiously, Hestia gently bit the soft flesh inside her lip.
She’d seen firsthand how carefully Angela had applied rouge to her lips to achieve that perfect hue, so she couldn’t bear to ruin Angela’s efforts—that’s why she chose this compromise.
Since he never missed any gathering of nobles, she assumed he’d be here today too.
But no matter how much she scanned the surroundings, she couldn’t spot the face she remembered.
‘Given Sir Stephan’s personality, could he have gone to Glory Orphanage, where more nobles gathered?’
If Anetsa had approached him first, he would have received some instructions.
In that case, Stephan would likely come to meet Hestia today.
‘But he’s nowhere to be seen.’
Did that mean he hadn’t been bought off by Anetsa yet?
While occasionally returning greetings to nobles who approached her first, she kept glancing around.
Yet she couldn’t find Stephan anywhere.
‘Should I take this as a good sign?’
Hestia felt her head growing hot.
Her lips parted slightly, and a warm breath escaped. Was it from overthinking? She wasn’t feeling well.
‘Then, where will I meet him first?’
At the very least, she needed to meet him before he accepted Anetsa’s proposal—only then would she have a chance to try persuading him herself.
Hestia swallowed a sigh.
In her previous life, she hadn’t attended either part of this year’s Bodeum’s Day event.
After receiving a terminal diagnosis from Anetsa, she’d been so shocked she barely left the house.
Of course, her health hadn’t been great, but it wasn’t so bad that she couldn’t move at all.
It was more a case of nervous exhaustion.
In her past life, Hestia had been terrified of how others saw her.
That was why Anetsa had attended both Gloria and Kings.
Not long after that, Hestia became engaged to Stephan Chereto, who had proposed under the temple’s recommendation.
The Elsword royal family had wanted an immediate marriage, but Stephan had insisted on waiting a year.
And that year happened to end on the very day she was fated to die.
Stephan had claimed he wanted to prove she was alive and well by publicly showing she hadn’t died—and it sounded so reasonable that even the temple agreed.
Of course, no one had bothered to ask Hestia for her opinion during the whole process.
‘Why was that? Did he want things to seem more dramatic?’
Hestia, lost in thought for a moment, gave a tiny, almost imperceptible shake of her head. Her fine silver hair fluttered slightly.
‘That’s all in the past now. I shouldn’t dwell on the reasons.’
Reflecting on memories was certainly helpful for navigating this life.
But clinging to reasons for things that couldn’t be undone was unwise.
‘It’s nothing but a waste of time.’
Just then, Angela and the orphanage director approached her politely.
“Saintess, shall we move to your seat? Everything is ready.”
Turning her gaze, she saw steaming plates of warm meals laid out on long tables, each dish sending up gentle wisps of vapor.
Savory soup, fresh salad, warm fluffy bread, and juicy meat.
The children, dressed in crisp, freshly ironed formal clothes for the occasion, couldn’t tear their eyes away from the food, swallowing hard in anticipation.
Seeing this, Hestia gave up searching for Stephan Chereto and immediately turned her body.
“We’d better hurry. If we’re any later, they’ll start complaining.”
Hestia smiled and made a light joke.
As she headed toward the tables, other young noblewomen and ladies-in-waiting moved in unison.
They were the ones helping Hestia serve food today.
“We greet you, Saintess.”
“Thank you all so much for making time today.”
“Don’t mention it.”
They each took their places before the dishes.
All the spots were quickly filled, and Hestia laughed with a slightly awkward expression.
“What should I serve?”
“How about you handle the dessert?”
It was the least labor-intensive task.
Hestia walked over to where the panna cotta, generously topped with ripe figs, was placed.
It seemed fitting—she could offer her blessing as she handed out dessert last in the serving order.
“The children will love this.”
“Won’t they?”
In a rather cheerful mood, everyone tied on their aprons and prepared to begin serving.
But just then, a commotion arose near the orphanage entrance.
Glancing that way, Hestia saw a jet-black carriage drawn by a black horse come to a halt.
“Huh? Who could that be? Everyone who was coming has already arrived.”
The orphanage director hurried off at a brisk pace to greet the new guest.
Meanwhile, the carriage door opened, and the visitor revealed himself.
Hestia’s eyes wavered instantly.
She recognized him before anyone else—and her breath caught in her throat.
“Why…?”
Her voice was so faint it seemed ready to scatter in the wind.
Angela, standing beside her, tilted her head in confusion.
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
Barely holding onto her slipping composure, Hestia stammered a reply.
“Oh—nothing. It’s nothing.”
With great effort, she suppressed her agitation and forcibly turned her gaze away. She stared at the sweet panna cotta as if it were her sworn enemy, her expression oddly solemn.
Though she’d torn her eyes away, her heart, already pounding fiercely, refused to settle.
It felt as if her heartbeat was echoing through her entire body.
Unnoticed by her, Hestia’s breathing grew gradually quicker.
‘Why did he come?’
Aslan Kalati was here.
Aware of his presence, Hestia felt heat rush to her head once more.
Aslan seemed to have deliberately arrived late.
She could easily guess his reasoning—if he came early, he’d only draw uncomfortable stares, so he’d chosen to arrive late to avoid attention.
He quietly took a seat at the very back of the guest section. True to form, his brow was furrowed in displeasure.
But his presence wasn’t something others could simply ignore, and a quiet ripple of murmurs spread through those nearby.
‘Did he come to see me?’
When yandere male lead believes she loves him — but she never did
“How dare you!”
“How dare you make me love you, only to cast me aside as nothing more than a friend?!?
“I will never accept that.”
“I will never let you return to him.”
“Even if I have to burn myself to ashes.”
“Even if I must shatter my purity, my dignity, my very soul.”
“I will never let you escape me!”
This was the first novel that introduced me to the matriarchal genre. I’ve read it three times already!
At first, the male lead despised the female lead. Later, he misunderstood that she liked him, so he condescendingly and reluctantly reciprocated her feelings.
Then, he suddenly discovered that she was kind to everyone in the same way, and there was already someone she cherished in her heart, and that person was not him.
The male lead couldn’t believe it, he became angry and crazy. He was determined to capture her body and heart by any means necessary.
Synopsis:
Want to see how a green tea bitch male lead falls in love with the female lead?
Want to see how he flirtatiously pursues the female lead?
Want to see how he gets slapped in the face repeatedly?
The male lead is a green tea bitch, a poisonous lotus, jealous, ruthless, unscrupulous, with a venomous heart, and he’s also a delusional maniac.
The female lead is righteous, positive energy-filled, kind, a holy mother.
Let’s see how two people with extreme personalities come together~
_____
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