Why Do You Obsess Even After Death (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8
I headed toward the training ground, where knights usually gathered, pretending to collect laundry.
Just then, it seemed training had ended, and knights were exiting the training ground.
Holding an empty basket as if I’d come to collect laundry, I loitered around the training ground.
Burly knights poured out.
“Can I put my laundry in here?”
“Yes.”
No knight named Bo-ri was there; instead, unnecessary knights approached with questions.
The big men blocked my view, so I couldn’t see the training ground anymore.
Interpreting their gesture as a signal to quickly take any laundry and leave, I thrust the empty basket forward firmly.
“Then, could you take this too?”
Seeing the basket I held out, a knight casually stripped off his dirt-covered training uniform.
‘What on earth…?’
What was I seeing right now? Stars exploded before my eyes.
“Then mine too.”
“My training uniform as well.”
When one man took off his top and placed his uniform in the basket, the knights standing beside him suddenly all started undressing together.
Since training had just ended, their muscles looked especially swollen.
“Huh!”
I gasped softly and immediately lowered my head. This was the first time I’d ever experienced such a situation.
My heart pounded so hard it felt like it might leap out of my chest.
‘Why are they suddenly taking off their clothes…?’
No matter how hard I tried to stay calm, my hands holding the basket trembled uncontrollably.
I’d only come here to find that blond knight.
‘Washing clothes in freezing icy water would be easier than this.’
But this was the life I needed to get used to as a maid. I clenched the basket tightly, trying not to let them notice my shaking hands.
“You look new here. Did you just join?”
“Hahaha. You must’ve been really shocked.”
“Sorry for startling you. It’s just routine for us. When we go hunting monsters, things like this happen all the time—please understand.”
“…It’s fine.”
I forced out a reply while pressing down hard on my wildly racing heart. But I still couldn’t bring myself to lift my head.
This was bad for my heart—far too bad. Was this really everyday life for northerners? Taking off their clothes so casually in this freezing weather?
‘Something’s definitely off.’
Just what kind of people were these northerners?
“Thanks!”
The knights neatly stacked their training uniforms into the basket. Keeping my gaze fixed inside the basket, I took a deep breath.
‘Other maids probably wouldn’t act as foolishly as I am right now.’
Of course it would be different from the sheltered life I’d led as a noble young lady, like a hothouse flower.
After all, this was the path I’d chosen to survive.
So instead of whining about things I couldn’t do, I had to face them head-on.
Hadn’t I already made that decision the moment I turned back after killing “Referentia Niriel”?
Slowly, I lifted my head and stared straight ahead.
Right then, my eyes met those of the man standing before me, who’d just been about to take off his training uniform.
“…”
“…What are you doing here?”
Why had I assumed, so confidently, that only knights would be training here?
The guardian protecting the North from monsters.
This man, too, couldn’t just stay locked away in his study—he had to train without fail.
“…I came to collect laundry.”
Laches, who’d frozen mid-motion while removing his uniform, frowned slightly, his straight eyebrows drawing together.
Our eyes met briefly before my gaze involuntarily drifted downward, landing on his exposed abdomen outdoors.
Clearly defined muscles caught my eye…
“You want to look?”
His voice, laced with amusement, whispered low like a demon’s temptation.
I hastily snapped my gaze back up.
“I’m not looking.”
“You can look if you want.”
“Just take off your training uniform and hand it over.”
“You must want to look.”
Teasingly saying that, Laches didn’t remove his uniform—in fact, he pulled it even lower.
He tugged it down firmly enough to stretch the thin fabric.
“Everyone else already took theirs off anyway.”
“…Already?”
Laches looked at the basket, now full of training uniforms, then glanced around. Following his gaze, I turned my head too.
Muscles, sun-browned skin—a feast of bare masculinity with not a single training uniform in sight.
Men, men, nothing but naked men everywhere…
“Put your clothes back on immediately.”
Laches snatched the basket from my hands and slammed it down hard on the ground as he ordered the knights.
“Huh? Your Grace?”
The knights, who’d already taken off their tops, tilted their heads in confusion.
“Do you think this place is a changing room, Sir?”
Though his usual arrogant, dismissive smile remained, something strangely unsettling crept into it.
His carefree, casual demeanor—like a street ruffian’s—had vanished completely.
Standing here now was the guardian of the North, head of House Violentus.
The master of the North, a man who’d never known anything but nobility since birth.
“Does this look like a place for sleeping outdoors?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Normally, the person collecting laundry has worked here for years and has already seen everything there is to see. …But today is different.”
Laches turned halfway around and looked at me with cold eyes. Because of that, the knights—who’d kept their heads bowed—suddenly all turned to stare at me.
“Isn’t it inappropriate to strip naked and make a spectacle of yourselves in front of someone whose identity you don’t even know yet?”
“We’ll correct it right away!”
He’d clearly drawn a line now—undeniably.
As if to say: I allowed this because you wanted it, but you’re still not one of us northerners.
That line was unmistakable and uncrossable.
Those pitch-black eyes, unreadable as ever, held only dry indifference.
Someone whose identity you don’t even know yet.
Was it just my imagination, or did it sound like he was telling me: If you want to become a northerner—if you want to belong to me—you must first show me exactly who you are?
Laches shifted his steady gaze from me back to the knights and gave a hollow laugh.
“Then hurry up and get dressed before you die of embarrassment. Anyone who refuses will be considered insubordinate and immediately assigned to outdoor sleeping drills starting now.”
The light mood returned instantly.
The tension, which had felt ready to snap, loosened once more.
Just how much of this man was genuine, and how much was pretense?
“Yes, understood.”
The knights hurriedly picked up their training uniforms from the basket.
“Your Grace, I can’t tell which one is mine.”
“It’s soaked in sweat—I can’t possibly put it back on…”
Though grumbling half-heartedly, the knights diligently put their uniforms back on.
“Will you stop caring once you’re drenched in sweat again?”
“We’re putting them on.”
“Putting them on right now.”
The knights quickly complied, hastily pulling on uniforms whose owners they couldn’t identify.
“Dismissed. Go rest and clean yourselves up.”
Once he confirmed everyone was dressed, Laches sent the knights off. They bowed briefly and hurried away, eager to finally remove their grimy uniforms.
Laches picked up the now-empty, lightweight basket and handed it back to me.
“It would’ve been heavy—good thing it worked out, right?”
“…I’m a northerner now too. There’s no need to sugarcoat the North for me.”
“Hmm. Maybe.”
Laches lightly smirked, brushing off my complaint with ease.
“…Was yesterday’s news about the capital meant to convey this? That since I’m not a northerner, I should just return to the capital?”
“That’s quite a leap. Let’s just say it was for the dignity of the North—and my own dignity.”
“Dignity?”
“Yes, such a thing exists. From now on, I’ll have everyone leave their training uniforms in baskets outside their bedrooms, and you can collect them then. I’ll inform the head maid separately.”
“This is my job.”
“I know. And giving orders and assigning tasks—that’s mine.”
Laches gave a casual wave and started walking away. After taking one step, he seemed to remember something, let out a soft “Ah,” and turned back to look at me.
“Pack your things—the room’s being cleared out today.”
“…Huh?”
“You won’t be able to sleep in that room tonight.”
What on earth did that mean?
There was no explanation. Laches simply waved as if it weren’t his concern anymore and walked off into the distance.
Like a feather floating weightlessly through the air, yet my feet felt as heavy as if stuck in an inescapable swamp.
‘Just who is that man?’
Was it caution toward someone who’d tried to kill me? Or simple curiosity?
Or perhaps scholarly eagerness to understand a world I’d never stepped into before?
No.
Maybe I just wanted to break that arrogant knee—never bent before anyone—and make him kneel beneath me.
I watched Laches’ retreating back for a moment, then headed toward the training ground.
Inside, some knights remained voluntarily, enjoying personal training sessions.
My eyes scanned the area until, through the thick dust, I spotted a flash of brilliant golden hair moving gracefully.
It was the face of the man from my memories.
‘That’s him.’
Compared to the other knights, his movements were incredibly swift—even to my untrained eyes, he looked extraordinary.
‘If House Niriel had a knight who trained this hard, I would’ve appointed him as my guard.’
Then maybe I wouldn’t have died so many times.
I waited patiently for his training to end, planning to seize the chance to greet him and shake his hand.
Just as I began wondering whether I’d have to endure the cold shivering longer for another opportunity, the endless training finally concluded.
The blond knight, finished with his session, walked toward the door.
‘Finally…’
If I could just grasp that hand, I’d understand why Laches sought the deadly poison Demaloxin.
As the knight approached the door and saw me, he kindly spoke first.
“…You’ve been standing here since earlier. Should I call someone for you? Or is there something I can help with?”
Now was the perfect moment—the ideal timing to read his memories.
Pretending to offer a handshake, I reached out my hand.
“Um…”
Thud.
At that moment, a light sound interrupted me as something flew and struck the knight’s back.
“Hey, Ronan! Sorry—the stone bounced your way!”
Two knights in training uniforms stood some distance away, giggling as they held stones in their hands.
Anyone could tell it wasn’t an accident—it was clearly deliberate.
“Hah.”
Ronan, the blond knight before me, sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
“Did you just dare sigh in front of your senior, Ronan? I’ve held a sword longer than you by several years and trained longer too. Who do you think you are, looking at me like that?”
“A kid who used to follow me around like a servant back then—now you’re acting proud just because you’re a knight?”
‘So this is workplace bullying…’
The hostile atmosphere seemed familiar; no one showed any intention of helping Ronan.
Just as I absurdly considered stepping in myself, Ronan spoke up.
“So what if you’ve held a sword a few years longer? When monsters appear, you hide behind terrified children—do you really expect respect as a senior?”
“What?”
“If you’ve got spare time, work on improving your skills first. Isn’t it more embarrassing to lose to someone you once treated like a servant than to be disrespected as a senior?”
“You little—!”
“Senior, I’m done with training and leaving now. You seem to need more practice—stay and keep going.”
Ronan gave a slight nod in greeting, then noticed my outstretched hand. Lightly removing his training top, he neatly folded it and placed it gently onto my palm before bowing his head.
“So you came to collect laundry. Thank you. I’ll take my leave now.”
“…Huh?”
Ronan left the training ground, leaving only his training uniform in my hands. Staring blankly at the garment, I let out a sigh.
“…Hah.”
Why was reading a northerner’s memories so difficult?
[This is the timeline separator]“What a spectacle I put on. She must be disappointed in the North.”
The light smile vanished from Laches’ face, replaced by deep worry.
He couldn’t forget the expression on that woman’s face from moments ago.
“She seemed quite shocked.”
Her horrified look upon seeing all those bare-chested knights—
A noble young lady who’d lived gently her whole life couldn’t possibly understand why people would suddenly strip in public.
Her trembling body, like a frightened rabbit, looked so frail she might collapse—it was almost pitiful.
“If I’d known it’d bother me this much, I should’ve just killed her myself.”
He’d let her do as she pleased, curious about what she’d attempt.
Yet she kept occupying his thoughts more than expected.
“Why does she work so hard again? Did she really come here just to experience real labor?”
Seeing her pitiful shivering made him want to protect her—but ironically, it also stirred his desire to torment her further.
A noble lady who’d likely never done a day’s work in her life, now collecting laundry.
“She definitely thinks of northerners as barbarians.”
He kept chuckling to himself.
Laches knew the rumors circulating in high society about the North, but he’d never bothered correcting them.
She might actually believe those rumors were true.
“I haven’t even decided whether to kill her or spare her yet… yet she keeps getting under my skin.”
This new variable frustrated Laches—but also intrigued him.
It was like late snow falling in the North for the first time ever.
Snow arriving after winter had ended, out of season—a spring snow that didn’t belong.
Or perhaps it was spring itself, melting snow that hadn’t yet thawed.
Knock knock.
“Your Grace.”
Just as Laches tried to calm his tangled emotions, the butler entered.
“As you instructed, I’ve ordered construction to begin on the maids’ quarters. The servants’ rooms will all be arranged appropriately.”
“Good. People working in the manor deserve proper rest—it keeps the estate clean. Well done.”
“You’ve never shown concern for this before…”
“Don’t let the construction take too long. She might leave as suddenly as she arrived.”
“…This is the first time I’ve seen Your Grace care about someone else.”
“Indeed. If she catches a cold and dies, I’d have to attend another memorial service.”
“Huh?”
“And besides, she’s someone I was seriously considering killing—how can I not pay attention? It’s exhausting.”
Laches changed the subject, tossing his sweaty training uniform into a corner.
“Speaking of which, is everything I asked for ready?”
“Yes. All guest preparations are complete. …But are Count Deberti and Lady Palo truly passing through here in a week?”
“Why? Don’t you trust my word?”
“No, that’s not it. But we received no official notice, nor did we send an invitation… If you intend to host them to celebrate unity among guardian houses, shall I send invitations now?”
“No need.”
Despite the butler’s suggestion, Laches remained unwaveringly certain.
He stood and opened the window.
Having discarded his uniform, the cold wind struck his bare skin.
“Count Deberti and Lady Palo will inevitably be delayed when passing through here—no need to worry.”
“Huh?”
Laches spoke with absolute conviction, as if he’d already lived through this scenario many times before.
“This will be the first time the four of us meet here.”
What would change this time?
A glint flashed in Laches’ eyes.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Omg she’s such a loser, I bet detour will end up embarrassing her
There’s no way a potato soup can look unappetizing!
Where is all this coming from sir?? Isn’t this the same guy that kept wondering if he should kill her??