“Crows have their own masters.”
“…….”
“I’m sure you’re curious about why I know what only the spies of the court know.”
Isaris spoke with an unchanging tone.
“No matter how secret the code, it becomes no secret after a year. If it were me, I’d change the code every few months.”
The Duke raised an eyebrow for a moment, then burst into laughter.
“You’re becoming more like the lord and his servant. Your way of speaking and acting is so much like Herisys, Isaris.”
When my name was called familiarly, Isaris’ gaze quickly sharpened.
“It’s better to show some respect. If you know what I know, you won’t be able to be arrogant like this. It’s giving you a chance not to turn the tables.”
“A chance…”
After pondering the words slowly, the Duke, regaining his composure, asked.
“Let’s hear it, Duke Valdemion. What do you know?”
“Her Majesty has been given an excitant.”
The Duke did not flinch.
“Any evidence?”
“None. The horse that ran away ate what it found, and the stableman’s colleague was killed by you.”
Isaris recalled the report he received through the palace guards this morning.
A man was found drowned in an outer lake of the capital, and coincidentally, he was an old colleague of the stableman Isaris was looking for. Finding a robust man dead as a corpse overnight was by no means common.
“You seem to be greatly misunderstanding something. I have no such enemies.”
The Duke said with an innocent tone, as if there was no shame.
“Is that so?”
“That’s right.”
“Then, my guess must have been wrong.”
“Perhaps?”
The Duke smiled mercifully and said.
“Don’t worry, Duke Valdemion. I won’t ask you for the crime of misunderstanding me. It was amusing for a moment.”
“Misunderstand…”
After Isaris muttered for a moment, he suddenly took off his monocular glasses. Then, looking at the Duke with a more cold and rational gaze, he said.
“Whether you dismiss my words as groundless misunderstanding, I don’t care. But I wonder if you can truly call what the Emperor said a misunderstanding.”
“…….”
“Because he was in the very place where the crazy horse was trampling and falling Empress.”
The Duke’s smile faded. Feeling an odd discomfort, he asked with a trembling voice.
“…What does that mean? Herisys… No, has Her Majesty awakened?”
“That’s correct.”
Isaris said decisively. Then, as if he wanted to catch every nuance of the other’s expression, he asked again.
“Aren’t you happy? That Her Majesty is recovering?”
Only now did the Duke realize that he had been making a confused expression for too long. He changed his expression to a mild one and said.
“I am pleased. However, it’s not as joyful as Kyungi might expect. It’s because I know that Her Majesty, whom I raised and taught, is not someone who would die just from a fall.”
Isaris let out a faint smile at those words. It seemed that he was slipping away quite well.
Feeling that there would be no use mixing words any longer, Isaris brought up the matter directly.
“Return your position and leave the capital. As soon as possible. And as far away as possible.”
“…….”
“If you want to live, that’s what you should do.”
The Duke remained silent for a while.
Isaris observed without urging. He intended to give enough time for thought. However, the Duke did not need that much time.
“But, Duke Valdemion.”
The Duke raised his head and questioned with a smirk.
“Why are you dealing with me when Her Majesty has awakened? Shouldn’t Her Majesty interrogate me and pass the punishment directly? Of course, if I am convicted of treason.”
“Well…”
Isaris tried to answer, but the Duke cut in.
“Because Her Majesty has disliked stirring up bloodshed since the early days of her reign, because she dislikes people being stamped as an inefficient emperor, so that may be it? Without evidence, it may seem more like plotting. Although, I don’t have any evidence.”
While that statement was correct, Isaris did not agree with the way it was said.
However, the Duke perceived Isaris’s inner thoughts and threw a smile.
“You are truly a loyal subject, Duke Valdemion. You, Beldamion. If you were a foolish vassal, you would have immediately brandished my sin and invoked divine punishment, but you look ahead a few moves and act. For someone with a rash temperament like Her Majesty, you are perfect. I have recognized that from a long time ago.”
Isaris, irritated by the Duke’s praise, glared at him with narrowed eyes. However, he did not pay attention and continued speaking.
“But, Beldamion. You still don’t know something, now or then.”
“……?”
“Her Majesty is more subtle than you know. If there is no evidence, she will create it. Moreover, she will create evidence so sophisticated that no one can refute it. That is the decisive difference between you and Her Majesty.”
At that moment, Isaris felt for the first time the feeling of being pressed by someone’s aura.
This man was not someone he could deal with.
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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