Old memories passed by like a revolving lantern. Tap tap, the sound of knocking on the desk grew faster.
“It’s your fault that child……!”
Bang[Dash]!
Suddenly slamming down on the desk and standing up, Carlos stood by the window. The sky was now covered with a black veil.
Whether it was because the clouds were thick or not, the gloomy sky, where not even the halo of the moon was visible, was stared at blankly by Carlos, who suddenly sensed someone’s presence and looked down.
“…….”
Then he saw Irene walking in the garden with Jesse. She had said she always went for a walk after dinner, and it was true.
Carlos sat on the window frame and watched Irene take her walk.
Irene, who knew nothing of this, leisurely walked, and suddenly squatted down below the ramparts. Pointing at something with her slender and long fingers, she smiled at Jesse.
“…….”
Seeing her like that, he recalled her face as she hugged a book and smiled brightly in the restaurant.
If he gives her another book, she’ll smile like that again.
“…I’m crazy.”
What’s the point of watching her smile?
Feeling like a fool for having such thoughts, Carlos let out a fake laugh and stood up.
Yet his gaze remained fixed on Irene, who was laughing and chatting with Jesse.
Suddenly, the moonlight shining through the clouds shone brilliantly above her head.
[Star Icon]“Thank you for lending me the book.”
Irene returned the etiquette book she got from Carlos two days after receiving it.
“You only read the part about dining etiquette?”
“No, I read all of it.”
“You’ve read it all already?”
The book Carlos gave Irene was not only about dining etiquette but also detailed about the etiquette that nobles should have, so it was quite thick.
But she said she read it all in two days, and when he asked in disbelief, Irene smiled awkwardly.
“Yes. Since I have a lot of time, I could read it quickly. So I wanted to ask…….”
Irene looked at Carlos cautiously and spoke hesitantly.
“Can I read another book?”
How scared of me is she, to watch my face even when asking something like that?
Carlos realized once again how far he had to go and sighed inwardly.
“Yes. What book do you want to read?”
Even before Irene could answer, Carlos continued.
“No, I’ll just give you the library key. Go read whatever you want.”
At those unexpected words, Irene’s eyes widened.
“Can I really?”
When Carlos nodded, Irene’s face brightened at once. Her flushed cheeks resembled a ripe peach.
“Thank you!”
She really loves books.
Carlos felt proud to have opened Irene’s heart a little, but at the same time, he felt a thorn in his throat, as if something was bothering him.
He couldn’t tell what was bothering him.
After coming to Esper Castle, Irene’s daily routine was very simple.
She got up, ate breakfast, went for a walk, ate lunch, went for another walk, and ate dinner.
At first, it was to familiarize herself with the geography of the castle and to often wander around looking for a way to sneak out, but now there was no need for that.
Because she realized that sneaking out of Esper Castle, which was nothing short of an iron fortress, was an impossible task.
Yet she continued to walk because there was nothing else to do. Frankly, it was more boring than being stuck at home.
So Irene was very pleased when Carlos gave her a book. Because she finally had something to do.
After reading the book, she was a little sad about having nothing else to do, but who would have thought she would receive a library key.
Irene placed the library key carefully inside a drawer as if it were a precious treasure.
She checked several times before going to bed to make sure the key was in the drawer, and it was the first thing she opened when she woke up.
“……”
Her eyes widened at the sight of the key. Her lips drew into a smile.
“Do you like having the library key that much?”
As Irene quickly nodded, Jessie shrugged as if she couldn’t stop her.
“You’re the only one who would be so happy to receive a library key.”
“Is that strange?”
“It’s not strange, but it is peculiar.”
Jessie combed Irene’s long hair with a paddle brush.
“You’re the first to ask the master for a library key in the first place. Usually, when the master asks what they want, they ask for money or jewels.”
“He didn’t ask me what I wanted.”
Carlos just asked if she liked books, and said he would let her read other books.
Then he gave her the library key to read as many books as she wanted.
“Would you ask for money or jewels if the master asked what you want?”
“……”
That wasn’t it either, so Irene shut her mouth. Jessie smiled, as if she knew she would do that, and braided her neatly combed hair.
“The weather will be getting colder, so ask the master for new clothes.”
“No, what I’ve received already is too much.”
Irene’s dressing room, attached to her bedroom, was full of clothes and jewelry.
How surprised she was when Jessie told her that all of this was hers, Irene still remembered the emotion of that moment.
But she couldn’t bear to ask Carlos for new clothes.
“But the clothes in the dressing room now are for spring and autumn, so they will be thin for winter.”
“I’ll be warm if I layer them.”
To commoners who can barely make ends meet every day, thick cotton or fur clothes are a luxury, so Irene has spent cold winters wearing several layers of clothes.
“But you’ll look ridiculous.”
“Really?”
“Yes. So make sure to ask the master.”
Of course, Carlos’s permission was not needed to fit Irene’s winter clothes. To be precise, it had already been obtained.
But Jessie said this because she thought Irene would become closer to Carlos this way.
They would become close quickly, open their hearts, and then the flowers would bloom, and next…
The diligent hands that were tying the ribbon at the ends of her neatly braided hair stopped. The tips of her lips fell, and her red eyes trembled slightly.
“Jessie?”
Seeing Jessie’s strange behavior in the dressing table mirror, Irene called her with curiosity.
“Ah, sorry. I was thinking about something else.”
Jessie smiled as if nothing had happened and moved her hands again. She tied the ribbon neatly and wrapped a cashmere shawl around her small shoulders.
“You’re ready now, shall we go to the library?”
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
