Cedar, whose gaze met mine as I fidgeted nervously, gently creased his eyes and smiled.
It was a sweet look filled with love directed at me.
The problem is that it wasn’t just visible to my eyes.
The emperor, who saw Cedar’s expression change along with me, clapped his hands and laughed.
“He’s completely fallen for his wife! Fallen hard.”
Praise for a couple’s good relationship should be gratifying, but somehow my face felt hot.
After teasing Cedar with a few more words, the emperor turned to me with a warm smile.
“Thank you for returning to this country even after becoming an archmage.”
“Not at all. My family is here.”
“Family, you say…”
When I left the academy, the sole reason I headed straight for the empire, ignoring all other options, was because of Diana.
But now, staying in the empire wasn’t because of Diana. I gripped Cedar’s hand tightly as I replied.
“Cedar. Cedar is my family now.”
The emperor nodded, chuckling heartily.
“Yes, that’s right. It would be a severe loss if talent of archmage caliber were to leak to another country, so Lord Cedar must work hard.”
“I will do my best.”
Somehow that “best” sounded like he meant to make me exercise a lot, sending a chill down my spine.
Perhaps because we had exchanged a few words, the emperor who had seemed so intimidating before now appeared friendly. He asked in a gentle tone.
“Is this your first public appearance?”
“Yes. It hasn’t been long since I woke from my comatose state.”
“I see. Don’t overexert yourself today, and come to the palace separately later.”
“Understood.”
Because there were mountains of people wanting an audience with the emperor, the time allotted to us wasn’t long.
Only after we had retreated a fair distance from the emperor did I let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew.”
The ballroom, which had looked like a gate to hell before entering, now no longer seemed as frightening as before.
Cedar chuckled as he watched me smooth down my chest.
“For someone who was nervous, you spoke quite well?”
My heart had been pounding so hard. Pouting slightly, I glanced at him and replied.
“That’s because you were by my side.”
“I’m honored.”
I had meant to chide him, but Cedar accepted it without hesitation, turning it into a compliment. Feeling this wasn’t right, I was making a sour expression when it happened.
“Elder sister.”
The voice I least wanted to hear in the world called out to me.
In an instant, my fingertips and toes grew cold, and my throat stiffened as if frozen.
‘Diana.’
My younger sister, who had tried to kill me out of greed for inheritance, was looking at me with teary eyes from a few steps away.
“Elder sister, you’ve woken up? Then why didn’t you contact me?”
She was still beautiful. Her golden hair formed luscious curves, and her large sparkling eyes were as beautiful as jewels.
Only, for some reason, her dress was wet.
But Diana’s beauty was so stunning that even that wasn’t too bothersome.
Diana approached me.
I wanted to back away from her, but my legs wouldn’t move, as if roots had grown from them.
Her tear-filled eyes painfully stabbed at my heart.
In the past, I would have embraced her and wiped away her tears, but now her tears looked like crocodile tears to me.
“I didn’t even know you had woken up…”
Before Diana’s hand could reach me, Cedar stood in front of me, as if shielding me with his back. Then he spoke to Diana in a gruff voice.
“Weren’t you the one who said you didn’t care whether your elder sister lived or died?”
Despite being hit right on the mark, Diana brazenly shouted even louder.
“What nonsense are you talking about! Don’t spout nonsense! Elder sister, you don’t believe that nonsense, do you? That man wouldn’t let me see you even when I asked to meet you! He completely hid the fact that you had woken up!”
If she had just bowed her head and apologized sincerely even now, would my heart have grown this cold?
Strangely, until just a moment ago, my whole body had been stiff and some indescribable emotion had been crawling over me like an insect, but now facing the brazen Diana, it subsided as if nothing had happened.
I spoke clearly and deliberately.
“Don’t shout at my husband, Diana.”
“…Elder sister?”
Diana looked at me with an expression that seemed to ask if I was really taking my husband’s side.
What reason was there for me not to take Cedar’s side? Diana had only taken things from me.
I pointed that out clearly.
“After monopolizing the title and all the property our parents left behind, I honestly don’t want to see you pretending to care about me now.”
“Th-that’s because you weren’t there when our parents passed away! If you hadn’t fallen into a coma, I was planning to share the property with you when you returned.”
“Don’t try to smooth over the situation with glib lies.”
“Why do you think my words are lies…?”
Finding herself at a disadvantage, Diana shed her specialty – beautiful tears.
However, I was no longer swayed by Diana’s tears.
I pointed out item by item what was problematic in Diana’s words.
“There was plenty of time before I fell into a coma, but you didn’t take any action. Yet you say you intended to share? Did you think I would fall for such a lie?”
In reality, I had fallen for it.
Until the moment of my death, not realizing that this child was driving me to death, I had cherished Diana as the most precious person in my life.
‘Once is enough for such a life.’
There’s no need to be fooled twice. I stared at Diana with unwavering eyes.
Seeing me wear such a cold expression when I used to listen to anything she said as long as she showed tears, Diana’s body trembled.
Then, as if in defiance, she shouted loudly.
“Honestly, you don’t need it! You’re an archmage, so what do you need property for?”
“Are you confessing that you had no intention of sharing?”
“That’s right! Being my elder sister, can’t you yield to me? Honestly, you’ve never been of any help to me. I was the one who nursed our parents, who held their funeral! What’s wrong with me taking everything when I was by our parents’ side the whole time?”
“If you truly thought that way, why did you lie earlier about intending to share?”
“Because you’re painting me as a bad person like this!”
Painting her as a bad person? I twisted my lips.
“Our parents passed away in an accident, so you wouldn’t have had time to nurse them. Am I mistaken?”
“I don’t mean I nursed them right before they passed away, but they were often ill even before that…”
“Both of them enjoyed horseback riding and were healthy people, weren’t they? Could people who needed nursing have been able to ride horses?”
“They were often ill! They just didn’t write about it in their letters because they didn’t want you to worry!”
Diana shouted confidently, but knowing the truth, my heart only grew colder. I spoke in a hard voice.
“Even a sincere apology wouldn’t be enough, yet you just keep spouting lies.”
It was pitiful to see her expose her true nature to this extent.
Feeling suddenly exhausted, I tried to end the conversation.
Of course, I didn’t forget to add a final warning to Diana.
“Don’t pretend to know me from now on. I’ll live as if I don’t have a younger sister.”
Then I tugged on Cedar’s clothes, signaling that we should retreat. Cedar’s gray eyes, full of concern, turned towards me.
Like a drop of ink slowly spreading on paper, the moment I received Cedar’s worried gaze, my frozen heart slowly warmed.
‘I’m really fortunate to have Cedar by my side.’
If Cedar hadn’t been here, it would have been difficult to endure this situation alone.
Among people suffering because of family, there are those who don’t realize they’re in an unfair situation, but there are also those who know yet are dragged along unable to deal with the loneliness.
If I thought there were only Diana and me in this world, I might have made a foolish choice too.
‘But because Cedar is here.’
I tilted my head slightly in gratitude. Cedar’s eyebrows furrowed. I had meant it as a sign that I was okay, but it seemed to have made Cedar worry even more.
‘I’m not a child. He doesn’t need to worry so much.’
What kind of person am I to him that he’s always so anxious about not being able to do this or that for me?
Liking the kindness of others, I smiled.
As I was about to move to another part of the ballroom, following Cedar who was pulling my hand, it happened.
Diana shouted vehemently at my back.
“You’re the one who only thinks about money! Do you know how much I’ve worried about you all this time? And the first thing you bring up when you see me is money?”
It was going in circles again.
I sighed involuntarily at the thought of having to repeat the tiresome argument we just had.
That’s when an elegant yet clear voice attacked Diana on my behalf.
“If you were so worried, how could you not know where your elder sister was being cared for?”
I turned towards the voice reflexively and flinched.
It was a tall lady with her dazzling silver hair tied up. None other than Cedar’s mother, Lady Briar.
She issued a dismissal to Diana.
“This is a ball hosted by His Majesty. Please stop making such an unsightly scene and go change your dress.”
“This…!!”
Diana flared up but, realizing that all the noble ladies of similar age around Lady Briar were looking at her with cold gazes, she bit her lip and turned away.
Watching Diana’s retreating figure, I let out a sigh of relief.
‘Thank goodness.’
Though I would no longer be swayed by Diana’s honeyed words, I might have collapsed from mental fatigue.
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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