Unlike when they came, Reunite was now inside the returning carriage. Reunite listened more carefully than expected. When told to stay quiet, it simply floated along silently, like a balloon following its owner. Nellia had to be careful not to glance at Reunite. If she kept looking into the air, Duke Hart might think something strange.
Being observant, if she unconsciously kept acknowledging Reunite, someone might notice the presence of another being. Nellia still had no intention of informing Duke Hart about Reunite’s existence. She planned to have more conversations with Reunite and disclose everything when the method to find Zigrith’s heart became clear.
“Nellia, are you satisfied with today’s visit?”
“I feel relieved to see it in person, but… it was a bit different from what I expected.”
Nellia exhaled with a disappointed expression, looking down.
“I’m sorry, Your Grace… spending a lot of money on developing medicine, and even meeting Lord Carlos…”
“If your curiosity is satisfied, it’s alright.”
The Duke smiled affectionately as if he didn’t mind at all. Watching the Duke like that, Nellia resolved to find Zigrith’s heart through Reunite as soon as possible.
Back at the mansion, Nellia entered her room and firmly locked the door. Even though Reunite’s appearance was invisible to others, it would be awkward if someone saw her having various conversations with the air. Being completely alone, Nellia addressed Reunite, who had quietly followed her.
“You can talk now, Reunite.”
[I thought I was going to suffocate.]“But I did bring you out of Elena’s tears.”
Reunite couldn’t argue with Nellia’s words.
“Regardless, what’s your name?”
[That’s right, you can’t call me a human.]Ah… right.
“I’m Nellia. Nellia Benedict.”
[Nellia… I see.]Reunite murmured quietly, then looked into her eyes again and asked.
“Who was the human who rode in the carriage with us a while ago?”
“That’s Duke Hart, the owner of this mansion. I work as his maid.”
“And the man with gray hair who was with us a while ago?”
“That’s Lord Carlos. He is the Crown Prince of this Empire. He had Elena’s tears in his possession.”
Although it was impossible to discern the dragon’s expression, Reunite’s gray eyes seemed lost in thought. Then, suddenly lifting its head, Reunite stared at Nellia.
[Nellia, why did you take me out of Elena’s tears? Surely, it’s for Zigrith’s heart, right?]Nellia felt a slight tension at Reunite’s serious question.
“Yes, you’re right.”
[If you find Zigrith’s heart, what wish do you plan to make?]Nellia hesitated. To talk about her wish, she had to reveal everything about the Duke’s curse.
Reunite may serve Zigrith, but can it willingly disclose the Duke’s curse? In any case, the curse was a significant secret of Duke Hart.
‘What should I do…’
Reunite was waiting for its response.
“Do I really have to tell?”
Nellia asked, seeming perplexed, but Reunite firmly replied.
[I am like a guardian protecting Zigrith’s heart. However, I cannot help a human who may wish for anything.]Speaking in quite a dignified tone, it seemed Reunite wanted to know what the wish was.
‘In that case… I have no choice.’
Nellia cautiously revealed the truth.
“The Duke I serve, Duke Hart, suffers from a curse that turns him into a snake.”
[A snake…?]“Yes. Originally human, he turns into a snake if he doesn’t take a special potion.”
[I see…]Reunite gazed silently downward.
“So, if I find Zigrith’s heart, I will wish to lift the Duke’s curse.”
Reunite seemed to think it wasn’t a problematic wish, as there was no particular reaction.
Nellia glared at Reunite.
“Reunite, tell me now where Zigrith’s heart is.”
Reunite lightly nodded.
[Zigrith’s heart is…]The heart is…?
[Up there.]Reunite pointed somewhere on the ceiling with its short arm.
“Where… Could it be the sky?”
[Precisely, it’s the space-time of the sky beyond the dimensional door. Zigrith hid his heart there.]Reunite stated proudly.
[Without me, you’ll never find it.]Nellia couldn’t hide her disappointment.
‘So that’s how it is.’
“Reunite, now tell me where the dimensional door is.”
Reunite gestured with a nod.
[The dimensional door is…]Where is it…?
[Over there.]Reunite pointed towards somewhere on the ceiling.
“Where… Could it be the sky?”
[Precisely. The dimensional door only opens for one day a year.]“Which day…?”
[The day of a total lunar eclipse. The dimensional door only opens for that oIndeed, the journey to find the heart was not a walk in the park.
‘For now, it can’t teach about the trial…’
“Then, there are no further conditions, right?”
[For now…]For now?
Although it was an ambiguous answer, Nellia nodded her head.
For now, the method and timing to find the heart became clear. The dragon that emerged from Elena’s tears wouldn’t lie.
“Got it. Knowing that…”
[Wait!]Reunite urgently exclaimed, reaching out its short arms.
“Yes?”
[Are you planning to tell an human, especially Duke Hart, about my existence?]“Of course. He’s the recipient of the wish to undergo the trial.”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
