“Shouldn’t we exchange greetings first? Isn’t that the proper etiquette between parents and children?”
Several courtiers gasped at her provocation.
As the inexperienced Seyra was about to step forward, Liz raised her hand, signaling her to stay put.
“Well, mother. I forgot to greet you.”
Saying so, Liz took a step forward. Instead of moving to an appropriate distance for a bow, she approached closer. Then, she spread her arms and warmly embraced her mother.
Amidst the bewildered expressions of the courtiers, Claire’s smile deepened at the unexpected closeness. However…
“…?”
Liz came even closer than the appropriate distance for a greeting. Then, she opened her arms wide and pulled her mother into a tight hug.
Claire’s puzzled expression was vividly displayed to the people in the Empress’s Palace. In the midst of this, a whisper from her daughter reached her ears.
“Is it okay now?”
“The money is good, isn’t it? Your status has risen. You’ve become quite influential.”
Immediately after dismissing the courtiers, Claire, as if waiting, scornfully mocked. Liz, hearing the rare sarcasm, felt a somewhat refreshing sensation.
“The only mother I have is growing old in poverty, and you…”
After scrutinizing her daughter’s residence with her eyes, she twisted her lips and spoke.
“So, you’ve been living such a luxurious life. Well, I knew that being a child meant all of this.”
“I won’t deny the word ‘luxurious.’ But, I can’t agree with the statement that my mother is living in poverty.”
Liz calmly rebutted. She had information from Seyra.
“Every day, you called in famous designers to tailor clothes and jewelry. Dozens of them, even. Why would you need so many clothes and jewels?”
Upon hearing this, Claire made a pitiful expression, like a naive child.
“As a woman ages, she must pour a lot of effort into maintaining dignity. How would you understand, being so young? In youth, even cheap jewelry and outdated clothes look beautiful and fresh.”
Liz, as if trying to cool down the escalating heat, smiled to herself and then spoke again.
“Yes, maintaining dignity is important. But, the fact that all those bills go to my husband is also an important fact.”
According to Seyra, who heard from the maid of her friend Lionel Lady, if Hersis became the Empress’s concubine, undoubtedly, she would have sent money to replace the honor and privileges she would have enjoyed.
The lady, while she rejected the offer, sarcastically asked, “How dare you see me in such a light and make such a vulgar proposal,” and bounced the proposal, according to the contents.
“Of course, your husband should have done that. Didn’t he even invite me, his mother-in-law, to the wedding? I waited eagerly for the invitation, but seeing that it didn’t come until just before the wedding, how heartbroken do you think I was? To compensate for that, he should give me the entire empire.”
As Liz let out a deep sigh, her bangs fluttered.
Breathing felt stuffy as if a rock was placed on her chest. She even felt a rising sensation of nausea in her stomach.
Liz took a sip of refreshing lemonade, seemingly trying to cool down her emotions.
Unfortunately, now was the situation where she had to endure.
“Fine. It’s all fine.”
Putting down the lemonade glass, Liz said.
“Just come out of Montaner Ducal Palace.”
“No.”
The lady refused bluntly.
“Why should I?”
“…”
“Only he has been by my side when I needed him. Why should I listen to your words that you didn’t bother to say a single time? If Montaner Ducal really took that action out of genuine consideration for his mother-in-law, I would have gladly agreed.”
But it seemed like it was an obvious intention to take advantage of her nephew’s weaknesses and use him as a hostage. How could she just stand by and watch that?
Moreover, Liz vaguely seemed to understand her loneliness.
She had experienced a time when her vision blurred with loneliness in her previous life.
Liz finally decided to bring up the matter she had been pondering for the past few days.
“Come in and live here.”
Claire looked at her daughter with a perplexed expression. It was clear that she didn’t understand.
So Liz reiterated more clearly.
“Here, come into the palace and live together.”
Her mother’s brown pupils enlarged significantly. This time, it seemed like she understood properly. However…
“No.”
The answer didn’t change.
Liz closed her eyes in disappointment and asked,
“Why on earth?”
“Why should I live while depending on someone else’s charity at my age?”
“Who is giving you charity?”
“Your husband.”
“That won’t happen.”
If accepting is the issue, there was no man to accept it from after accepting.
“But still, I don’t want to. What can I do in a place where I have no affection from anyone?”
“…”
Liz understood that all the talk about understanding and affection were just excuses.
Her mother was refusing for another reason now.
“Do you like him?”
“…”
Claire’s gaze softened. It was the moment when anxiety became a reality.
Liz felt curious for a moment about how far they had gone, but she didn’t ask.
What can she do anyway?
“Just come and live in the palace?”
Liz suggested once more.
“Mother, haven’t you experienced it with Father? Duke Montaner is also of the same class as Father. He’s the type who flirts around everywhere. Do you want to meet such a person twice?”
“I like him, so it doesn’t matter.”
Madam Berium confessed confidently.
“Your father didn’t like it, but Damian did. He regrets not treating me well when he was a little younger.”
“…”
“Yeah, it should have been like that from the beginning. If it had been like that, I wouldn’t have lived like this.”
Liz felt something rising from her stomach when her mother’s attitude seemed to be nonchalant.
It was more powerful than she had thought.
“Ugh!”
Liz retched, covering her mouth.
But nothing came up from inside. It wasn’t food that rose.
“Why are you suddenly…”
“Ugh!”
Liz retched again.
This time, the unpleasant butter scent from the after-dinner Huwangshi was felt backwards.
She needed something refreshing to cover up the taste.
Liz poured the lemonade she had been sipping since some time ago into her stomach.
“Ah… Now it feels a bit better.”
As her stomach settled, Liz faced her mother again.
“Sorry. Where did we stop talking?”
“…”
Instead of an answer, Claire looked at her daughter with a peculiar gaze.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
