The scene before my eyes rapidly changed. Every time Idrish stepped on the ground, the shock doubled, and was transmitted directly. Every time it happened, my breath was choked.
“You, qui, ck, ly, re, le, ase!”
The tremendous shaking broke my words.
Damn, I should have sat down! I’m in the wrong position! My stomach feels like it’s going to burst!
But I endured it with my eyes tightly closed. Even if my stomach bursts, I have to save Rodrio.
As the carriage arrived, Zeros came out, rubbing his sleepy eyes, looking bewildered at the unexpected appearance of Idrish.
“Where’s Rodrio?”
“Lord Rodrio? He went to bed earlier. Shall I fetch him?”
“Did you check that he’s asleep?”
“No… No.”
Zeros’s eyes widened.
“I’ll check myself.”
Idrish briskly climbed the stairs.
I nervously bit my nails, watching the stairs where Idrish disappeared.
I hope that when Idrish reappears, he will say that Rodrio is sound asleep.
Then I will be the only liar, but if that’s what it takes to prevent Rodrio from getting into trouble tonight, that’s okay.
I wish Rodrio, who was asleep, would come out complaining, asking why he was woken up.
“Are you Mr. Hedgehog? What on earth is going on? Why did you run away all of a sudden, and why are you looking for Lord Rodrio?”
Zeros questioned me, but before he could finish, Idrish reappeared. From his stiff, frozen face, I could guess that Rodrio was gone. My face turned pale.
Idrish grabbed my arm as my body shook weakly.
“Tell me everything you heard. Where is Rodrio now?”
“He’s in the forest. They said they would lure him. Exactly… I don’t know.”
I was locked in Idrish’s room. The windows and doors were tightly closed, and I could not escape. Of course, I had no intention to.
My mind was filled with thoughts about Rodrio.
But all I could do was nervously pace the room and check outside the window.
Search torches were scattered throughout the forest. All the servants in the house were mobilized. Even the head of the Artigra family, whom I had never seen before, was looking for Rodrio on foot.
At first, the lights near the mansion spread out over time. Apparently, Rodrio was further away than expected.
My palms were sweaty.
It’s all my fault.
I knew from the moment I arrived at this mansion that something like this would happen, but I didn’t stop it.
I ignored and turned away from that innocent face all along.
I prioritized not dying while flailing about, ignoring Rodrio, who was destined to die even younger than me.
Rodrio is destined to die anyway. Even if I save him now, unless the prophecy changes, the attacks from Serbia will continue. So I can’t intervene. I can’t stop it…
I rationalized it, but in truth, I knew.
I was just scared to get involved. My life was more important. I wanted to live long in this life.
Tears flowed freely. It was hard to bear that I had let Rodrio die.
“Where is he? We need to find him soon.”
The possibility of saving Rodrio diminished as time went on.
But will we find him? In the novel, it seemed like they found him well past noon. By then, Rodrio had already stopped breathing.
Can I change the content of the novel?
Whenever such thoughts struck me, fear choked my breath.
When the sun had fully risen, white smoke rose from the edge of the forest. It was a signal that someone had found Rodrio.
I almost collapsed to the ground at the sight. Please, please let him still be breathing. I clasped my hands and prayed to several gods I didn’t even believe in.
Please save Rodrio. Please.
A moment later, I saw Idrish emerge from the edge of the forest, holding a small body in his arms.
With each step Idrish took, Rodrio’s limp arms and legs swung helplessly.
Oh, no.
The closer he got, the clearer his appearance became. His clothes were stained with blood all over.
It was a sight unbelievable to be alive.
Tears flowed in a rush.
Rodrigo, please. Please, you must be breathing.
Then, the Duke’s grandfather rushed to Idrish, throwing even his cane aside. He fumbled Rodrigo this way and that, and staggered, almost collapsing on the spot. The servants quickly supported him. The sight was so heartrending and horrible.
As Idrish and Rodrigo disappeared into the mansion and out of sight, my time passed like hell. I desperately hoped someone would tell me Rodrigo was alive, but no one seemed to come to tell me.
All through my time alone, the bloodsoaked image of the child tormented me.
When my face was swollen from crying, someone violently opened the door.
It was Zeros. He had been searching the forest with me, and in just a short time, he was also covered in dirt.
“Lord Idrish summons you…….”
I could feel despair in his hoarse voice.
I didn’t dare to ask him about Rodrigo’s condition. I only shuffled my shaky legs to walk in the direction he led me.
Creak.
With a creepy noise, the door to Rodrigo’s room opened.
Inside the dark room, the first thing that caught my eye was Rodrigo, lying on the bed.
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.”
