When the Cruel Dark Lord Tenderly Seduces (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 5
What is it? Why are you whispering? Tell me too…!
Nellia, already troubled by Duke Hart, perked up her ears with curiosity when his name came up.
Sean’s hushed voice barely reached her.
“He… apparently likes men.”
“What?!”
Lily recoiled as if startled.
“T-that can’t be.”
Right. It’s impossible.
She didn’t know how such a rumor started, but the Duke clearly preferred women.
‘In the original story, Duke Hart had a one-sided crush on the female lead, Charlotte.’
He probably wasn’t marrying because he was waiting for his true destined partner soon.
“Anyway, they say that rumor started exactly because he kept delaying his marriage.”
“It must be because he’s busy. He carries so many critical responsibilities for the Empire…”
“That’s true too. Some even say the Empire wouldn’t function properly if something ever happened to the Duke.”
Nellia, who had been eavesdropping on her parents’ conversation, flinched suddenly.
“Exactly. Duke Hart is the gear that keeps the Empire turning. He absolutely mustn’t get hurt.”
Lily’s firm tone made Nellia’s heart pound wildly.
She remembered the earlier incident all over again.
‘He couldn’t possibly have injured his foot because of me…?’
Indeed, Duke Hart was one of the Empire’s key figures, serving in the role equivalent to Prime Minister.
So much so that people often called him “the Empire’s gear.”
Then, another fact she’d momentarily forgotten suddenly came back to her.
Although Duke Hart had unintentionally helped her, his true nature was far from kind.
In the original story, Duke Hart—thanks to his handsome looks and gentle aura—often found himself dragged into disputes.
And each time, he responded with ruthless punishment.
Once, after being insulted by a thug in a back alley, Duke Hart firmly gripped the man’s jaw and said,
“You’d find life much easier without a tongue.”
And in an instant—swoosh.
Recalling that scene sent chills down Nellia’s arms.
Duke Hart always repaid what he received twofold.
Right… She’d momentarily forgotten, but that was exactly the kind of man Duke Hart was.
A sudden wave of unease surged through her.
‘If something’s wrong with his foot, he might retaliate against me…’
Nellia blinked anxiously, then shook her head vigorously.
Don’t worry too far ahead.
Yes, she’d stepped on his foot, but it wasn’t intentional, and she’d clearly apologized.
Besides, even though her heels were sharp, they couldn’t possibly have shattered his foot—worst case, maybe a hairline fracture at most.
Seriously! Honestly! If—by any remote chance—Duke Hart demanded compensation, she had more than enough resources to pay.
‘It’s not my money, but as their only daughter, Father definitely wouldn’t pretend not to notice.’
Even as she reassured herself inwardly, recalling Duke Hart’s true nature made a sigh escape her lips.
Nellia’s emotions kept swinging like a seesaw—rising, then falling—over and over.
Right after returning home, Nellia told her parents about the accident Layton had caused.
Naturally, they were utterly shocked, and the very next day, her father sent Layton off to the monastery.
They probably meant it as a lesson, but Nellia didn’t hold high hopes.
People don’t change that easily.
Besides, she expected he wouldn’t be away for long.
Right now, both parents were so furious they acted as if there’d be no set date for his return—but given their soft hearts, they’d soon start wondering if they’d been too harsh.
Truthfully, Nellia didn’t care much about what happened to Layton.
What mattered to her right now was Duke Hart’s foot.
Ever since the party, she’d been plagued by constant anxiety.
Yet gradually, Nellia’s worries began to fade.
Contrary to her expectations, Duke Hart hadn’t shown up—not the next day, nor the day after that.
‘Phew, I guess I worried for nothing.’
Nellia thought as she closed her book.
She’d learned a lot from this experience. Most of all, she resolved to avoid social gatherings whenever possible.
Though the party—which had felt like her execution—was now over, Layton had caused trouble in its place.
She’d taken the blame preemptively before Layton could make things even worse, nearly becoming the one accused of damaging the necklace herself.
‘The path was different, but the ending played out similarly to the original story.’
It seemed fate would fulfill itself in some form or another.
If Duke Hart hadn’t stepped in, who knew how things might have turned out.
So the best course now was to live quietly and unobtrusively, then eventually marry some easygoing man.
Of course, that was all far, far in the future.
Right now, as the only daughter of House of Count Benedict, there was still far too much for her to enjoy.
She woke up late again today and had brunch basking in sunlight—so indulgent that the maids even brought her meal right to her bed.
In the afternoon, she had an art lesson for refinement.
She was definitely supposed to draw a cat, yet some strange monster ended up on her canvas.
She felt bad for her teacher, who was sweating profusely—but what could she do?
She’d never held a paintbrush in her life.
Of course, not all noble young ladies lived as leisurely as she did.
Most diligently cultivated themselves to marry into wealthy or prestigious noble families.
If they disliked that path, they could also choose to enter society.
In households without sons, a daughter might inherit the title and manage the estate, or take on official duties.
Especially ambitious noble young ladies often became handmaidens to the Imperial family or high-ranking nobles.
Either way, it was about expanding connections and benefiting their family name.
‘Of course, I want neither marriage nor a job.’
Once an ant learns how to laze about, it inevitably becomes a grasshopper.
And with Layton away at the monastery, this luxurious home felt even more like heaven.
Knock.
Just then, someone knocked at the door.
Nellia, sprawled across her bed, sat up.
It must be Daina, who’d said she’d bring tea earlier.
“Come in.”
The door soon opened, and a maid peeked in—but it wasn’t Daina.
“Um, Miss. A visitor has arrived.”
“For me…? Who is it?”
The maid shook her head.
“I’m not sure. A carriage arrived at the gate, and they only said they came to see you.”
At this unexpected visitor, Nellia slowly got up. When she reached the first floor, Lily and Sean were already downstairs.
‘What? Everyone’s already down here?’
Nellia was puzzled by her parents’ demeanor—they stood as if preparing to receive a distinguished guest, even though she didn’t even know who the visitor was.
“Oh, Nellia!”
Lily waved upon spotting her.
“Isn’t this my visitor? Why is everyone downstairs?”
Seeing Nellia’s bewildered expression, Lily explained.
“They said the carriage bore a gray dragon emblem—do you know someone in the Imperial Palace?”
A gray dragon?
The gray dragon was the symbol of the Andrian Empire—and only high-ranking officials were permitted to display that emblem on their carriages.
‘Someone from the Imperial Palace came to see me…? Why…?’
Nellia only grew more confused.
But soon, the knock that would resolve all her questions sounded.
Knock.
Sean glanced once at Nellia, then placed his hand on the doorknob.
As the door slowly opened, Nellia’s eyes widened in shock.
“Good day.”
Standing right at the doorway was—
‘Why is he here…!’
None other than Duke Hart.
His otherworldly, radiant appearance unmistakably belonged to Duke Hart.
Nellia wasn’t the only one stunned. Sean’s flustered voice slipped out.
“What brings Your Grace here…?”
“As I mentioned earlier, I have business with Lady Nellia.”
Duke Hart replied with a gentle smile, his tone exceedingly courteous.
“Please, come inside.”
Sean swung the door wide open and gestured him in.
But… Duke Hart’s gait seemed slightly off. Nellia’s gaze slowly drifted downward.
Her eyes traveled from his waist down until they settled on his feet.
“…!”
Thick bandages were tightly wrapped around his right foot.
‘Could it be…?’
“You’ve injured your foot, I see.”
As soon as they sat in the parlor, Lily asked with evident concern.
Duke Hart turned his eyes toward Nellia and answered.
“That’s precisely why I came.”
Nellia squeezed her eyes shut. Her heart pounded fiercely.
Lily, eyes wide with shock, asked,
“You said you came to see Nellia… Don’t tell me our Nellia caused this?”
With eyes still closed, Nellia thought inwardly,
‘It seems that way, Mother.’
So it had finally caught up to her.
Why had she worn those tall, pointy heels that day?
Even if it meant matching Layton in a couple’s outfit, she should’ve chosen low-heeled black shoes instead…
Nellia waited solemnly for judgment like a condemned prisoner facing execution.
“Not at all.”
‘Right, I did it—wait, what?’
Startled by the unexpected reply, Nellia snapped her eyes open.
“On the contrary, Lady Nellia helped me.”
“Cough.”
Nellia let out an awkward cough at this completely different answer.
She was grateful he wasn’t stating the truth—but what was his game…?
She’d clearly stepped on his foot at the party, which was why he’d come here in the first place.
‘If you don’t realize it now, please come find me later.’
‘How should I do that?’
‘Visit House of Count Benedict. We’re at 135 Chante Street in the city.’
Nellia remembered that conversation vividly.
“On the day of the party with His Highness the Crown Prince, I dropped something and injured my foot. Lady Nellia, who happened to be beside me, kindly assisted me.”
Faced with this wholly reimagined version of events, Nellia could only blink blankly.
“So I’ve come to express my gratitude.”
Gratitude…? He came to thank… the very person who caused his injury…?
Unaware of the truth, Sean let out a satisfied chuckle.
“Our Nellia has always been unable to pass by someone in trouble.”
“Exactly, hehe.”
Lily chimed in, then glanced at his injured foot.
“But this must be terribly inconvenient for you. It’s so difficult when you can’t use your foot properly.”
To that, Duke Hart replied in a slightly subdued tone.
“It is indeed rather troublesome. I’m at my busiest right now, yet with my leg injured, I can barely move—and, moreover…”
Each of his words pierced Nellia’s heart like arrows.
“Just at this critical time, my chief valet had to return to his hometown…”
Noticing how Duke Hart let his sentence trail off, Nellia sensed hidden intent beneath his words.
Ordinary nobles rarely employed noble-born maids or valets—but Duke Hart was the Empire’s sole Duke and a Grand Noble.
Moreover, as a high-ranking official holding the office of Prime Minister, it wasn’t unusual for him to hire noble attendants.
In fact, young noble ladies in the capital would line up for the chance to serve as his handmaiden—such was his standing within the Empire.
‘Still, bringing this up here is highly suspicious…’
Nellia couldn’t shake her suspicion.
But Sean, who’d always admired the Duke, already seemed caught in the trap.
“This truly is a difficult situation for you, Your Grace.”
Lily, standing beside him, nodded in agreement.
“Absolutely. If there’s anything we can do to help, please don’t hesitate to ask. As Prime Minister, you handle matters of utmost importance to the Empire.”
At their eager offers, Duke Hart slowly lifted his downcast gaze.
“Then…”
His soft voice carried an almost enchanting charm.
“Though it’s terribly bold of me—may I ask one small favor?”
Like sailors entranced by a siren, Sean and Lily both nodded without hesitation.
“I urgently need someone to temporarily replace my valet, but I can’t just entrust this to anyone.”
Duke Hart turned his gaze directly to Nellia.
“Since this person would become my closest aide, they absolutely must be trustworthy.”
“…”
“While pondering this dilemma, I recalled how Lady Nellia had helped me. Someone with such a kind heart would surely be reliable…”
Then, in a subtly suggestive tone, he added,
“So here’s my request.”
Duke Hart looked toward Lily and the Count, as if seeking their permission.
“If you don’t mind… I’d like to employ Lady Nellia as my handmaiden.”
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
_____
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