Unable To Escape (10 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 7
People call Killian a viper.
Sometimes, there are even those who snicker and refer to him with crude terms like “snake eyes.”
Just as people called him that, public opinion about Killian was equally monotonous and harsh.
A viper who devoured his own father and brothers.
Born a bastard, Killian’s life—tossed into battlefields against demons from a very young age—was a desperate struggle for survival.
Although Alicia had only glimpsed his life through written texts, she could still vividly recall the thick scent of blood soaked into every stroke of those characters.
That was precisely why Alicia couldn’t understand those who called Killian a venomous snake.
In her eyes, Killian was a wolf.
A wolf, trusting only itself and its pack, was always ready to tear apart everything else.
It was probably for that very reason.
Killian grew by steadily tearing apart every obstacle blocking his path.
The wolf, knowing no compromise, thus increased both in size and in the number of his pack.
Alicia once believed she could join Killian’s pack herself.
Having heard the romantic tale that an alpha wolf takes only one mate for life and loves no other, she had hoped she might become Killian’s.
‘But until my very last breath, I was never truly his wife.’
Though they had held a wedding ceremony, they never consummated their marriage.
If Alicia bore a child, regardless of the child’s gender, that child would become the strongest candidate for the imperial throne—rendering Killian, as her consort, unnecessary.
Indeed, there had even been nobles who pressured Alicia to conceive Killian’s child first, intending to eliminate him afterward.
Naturally, there were also those who demanded she divorce Killian.
For Eregorn’s sake, that might have even been the better choice.
Marrying another consort who wouldn’t covet the emperor’s power, bearing an heir, and strengthening the empire…
But Alicia was a foolish empress who couldn’t let go of her love.
‘After I died… he must have become emperor there, hasn’t he?’
Since returning through time, Alicia had occasionally pondered the period following her death.
Since the emperor died without leaving an heir, it would have been only natural for Killian, as imperial consort, to inherit that power.
‘…But why am I thinking about this now…?’
Alicia, who had been blankly lost in memories of the past, suddenly noticed Mina standing before her, anxiously shifting her weight from foot to foot.
“Um, Your Highness… Are you all right?”
“…Hm?”
“Well, you heard that Duke Diaz is heading this way, and then you suddenly started staring blankly into the distance without saying a word…”
Ah… so this is another way to escape reality, huh?
Only then did Alicia realize she’d momentarily escaped reality, startled by unexpected news.
The problem was that the very trigger for her escape had been the news of Killian’s arrival—so even in her flight from reality, she’d ended up thinking of him.
Quickly composing herself, Alicia asked what she needed to know immediately.
“When are the Duke and Badulf’s troops expected to arrive?”
“Since the last snow of winter is falling now, we estimate they’ll arrive around lunchtime.”
“What about the advance party that arrived earlier?”
“We’ve already arranged rooms for them and taken measures to help them warm up.”
“Amy must be preparing to welcome the Duke and his troops.”
“Yes, Mrs. Campbell instructed me to deliver the news carefully, so as not to startle Your Highness…”
Though, come to think of it, she’d flung the door open rather dramatically…
For now, Alicia decided not to point that out and instead hurried to prepare for Killian and his men, who would soon arrive at the fortress.
Her brief escape into the past had, in fact, helped somewhat.
Recalling the misery of her previous life had restored her composure.
With this calmness, she might even manage to face Killian without faltering, responding with the dignity befitting an imperial princess.
“Your Highness… Are you really all right?”
“…”
“Mrs. Campbell said that since Your Highness came here to recuperate due to health concerns, it would be perfectly acceptable not to greet the Duke.”
If anyone else had said that, they’d have been sharply reprimanded for daring to dictate the actions of Eregorn’s royal family—but the speaker was Amy.
These were words spoken with pure, sincere concern for Alicia, free of any ulterior motive.
Once again realizing how surrounded she was by such gentle, caring people, Alicia shook her head.
“The last snow has only just begun to fall. If they stay just a day or two, maybe—but it will take considerable time for the snow to stop and melt. How could we possibly hide it?”
“But…”
“We’ll simply say I’ve recovered from my illness here. Given these circumstances, even if I disobey His Majesty and the Crown Prince’s orders and attend the Bloom Banquet, it shouldn’t be an issue.”
Staying confined within the fortress was rather dull.
Alicia resolved to use this opportunity as a pretext to return to the imperial capital earlier than planned.
“I’m fine. Truly. I’ve had enough time here to sort out my feelings. I’ll be able to welcome the Duke with a smile.”
Alicia believed in herself.
This time, she would properly accomplish what her foolish, pitiful former self had failed to do.
Having made that resolve, Alicia summoned the maids waiting outside.
She was about to receive one of Eregorn’s three Dukes.
She must greet him flawlessly, from head to toe, without a single breach of etiquette.
Seeing her completely transformed self, he would surely understand that the farewell in his final letter had been sincere.
Confirming her sincerity was crucial, even if only to bring closure to their relationship.
As Alicia settled these thoughts in her mind, she closed her eyes, listening to the hurried footsteps of the maids bustling about.
And a few hours later, Alicia stood atop the staircase leading down into the lobby of Lasa Fortress.
Her understated yellow dress harmonized with her golden hair, seeming to glow on its own, while the tiara atop her head sparkled in the light.
Her pale cheeks, faintly flushed, and soft red lips tracing gentle curves made her appear both youthful and mature.
And what of those mysterious sky-blue eyes beneath her long lashes, repeatedly lengthening and shortening as she slowly blinked, as if suppressing tension?
Mina, who until just moments ago had watched Alicia with worry, was now utterly entranced by her mistress’s beauty, lost in admiration.
“I wonder if she’s really all right…”
Amy, standing beside Mina on the right side of the lobby awaiting the imminent guest, murmured anxiously.
Hearing this, Mina finally tore her gaze away from Alicia and looked toward Amy.
“Her Highness said she’s fine.”
“It’s precisely because I can’t believe those words that I’m worried.”
Amy had always been by Alicia’s side, watching how deeply she loved Killian.
Alicia’s love—sometimes appearing naive, other times desperate—was not something that could be erased in a short time.
Knowing this better than anyone, Amy worried about how this unexpected meeting would affect her mistress today.
At the sight of Amy’s concern, Mina felt the anxiety she’d been suppressing well up again—and just as she was about to speak, a stir came from beyond the closed doors.
“Duke Killian Diaz and the Badulf Unit have arrived!”
Hearing the servant’s announcement, Alicia swallowed hard, clenched her fists, straightened her spine, and nodded.
At that signal, the grand doors of the lobby slowly opened.
Watching this, Alicia mentally reviewed what she needed to say and do.
When Killian and his men entered the lobby, she would warmly welcome them as honored guests visiting her domain, then offer them rest.
Their luggage had already been taken by servants upon passing through the fortress gates and moved to their assigned quarters, so she would instruct a steward to guide them there and ensure they were well attended.
Then, she would invite their master to join her for dinner that evening.
She felt no anxiety about the dinner invitation.
Not only was her resolve firm, but she also knew without doubt that Killian would surely decline.
Thinking back to her previous life, they had shared meals in the same space only a handful of times.
She couldn’t imagine that he would suddenly accept her invitation now.
‘Or… now that we truly share no connection whatsoever, maybe he will accept after all.’
How ironic—that only after giving up love could they finally share a dinner together.
Feeling a bitter smile begin to escape, Alicia briefly lowered her gaze—until the sound of the lobby doors fully opening and locking in place made her raise her head again.
Winter’s final snow had swallowed the world beyond the doors in pure white.
And stepping into the lobby against that backdrop… was he.
‘Ah…’
A black cloak, crafted from beast hide and fur, billowed with each firm stride he took.
His long legs, and between the fluttering folds of his cloak, flashes of the ducal family’s treasured sword appearing and vanishing repeatedly.
Following her gaze upward along his fully cloaked torso, she saw his stubbornly closed lips, followed by his high nose bridge and deep green eyes, which captured the viewer’s attention in turn.
Even his neatly cropped black hair…
Taking in Killian’s entire figure slowly from bottom to top, Alicia realized.
Her foolish self was about to make yet another foolish choice.
All her earlier resolve had melted away like sleet—leaving no trace behind, unable even to accumulate.
The vow she’d made as she swallowed lethal poison and exhaled her final breath now broke apart with laughable ease.
“Killian Diaz of Vinion. I offer my respects to Eregorn’s noble one.”
His voice, low and gentle, contrasted sharply with his cold appearance.
Though standing lower than Alicia, who stood atop the high staircase, he looked up at her as if gazing down.
“Killian…”
His name slipped from her lips like a shallow breath, yet weighed heavily upon her chest.
Foolish, foolish Alicia.
Once again, you’ve fallen in love with a man who will never love you back.
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Why does she love him? Is it purely because he is good looking? Clearly he didn’t treat you right, so for what reason keeps you clinging to him? Go find a hotter ML who will actually love you from the beginning!
I would also add….stupid as fuuuuuck ajaja girl get over him!