Ruan Canoloup.
At the age of 15, he already possessed the most outstanding swordsmanship in the Omancourt Empire, and at 17, he began to take the lead in eradicating bandits in the empire’s border regions.
At 18, based on his achievements, he inherited his father’s position of Duke, becoming the youngest person in the empire to do so.
And two years later, at the age of 20, Ruan went to war with the Kingdom of Alomande, and although he achieved victory in the two-year war, he ended up being afflicted with an incurable curse.
Although he knew the method to break the curse, it was something he could never do himself, so he didn’t even think about breaking it.
Thus, the time left for him under the curse was 6 months……
He had no particular regrets about ending his life, but there was one person he was concerned about. That person was Olivia Canoloup.
She was the sister of the late Duke Reynold Canoloup and the one who raised Ruan after the Duke and his wife died in an accident when Ruan was 5 years old, so to Ruan, she was like a parent.
The reason for this absurd marriage was also because of Olivia, but……
“Is it true that you only have 6 months to live?”
After hearing the news about Ruan, Olivia asked with a calm expression.
The men of the Canoloup ducal family were notably short-lived.
Her father Howard had been so, and her brother Reynold had also died young in an accident.
Therefore, to Olivia, Ruan was an even more precious nephew and son.
“I’m sorry, Aunt.”
Ruan, who found it difficult to tell Olivia about being cursed, told her and those around him that he had been poisoned with an untreatable poison.
“Is there no way to detoxify it?”
“I’m sorry, Aunt.”
“Then get married.”
“Get married? But I won’t live even half a year. It doesn’t seem right to bring a lady from a noble family for that.”
“I’ll compensate her enough for staying by your side for 6 months. Who knows. A child might be conceived in the meantime.”
“Aunt.”
“It’s my wish. Think of it as repayment for raising you like my own child all this time and get married.”
“But, Aunt, a child might not be conceived.”
“Of course, that could happen. But who knows, if a child isn’t conceived in 6 months, I’ll think of it as God’s will and give up.”
Ruan, unable to say anything in the face of Olivia’s earnest expression, nodded his head.
A bride for 6 months……
When he wondered who would submit a marriage proposal, more than half of the families in the empire did so.
Do they want the title of Duchess?
Ruan deliberately chose someone from a lower family rather than a higher one.
To prevent things from getting noisy after his death later.
The affair that started reluctantly due to Olivia’s insistence eventually led to the wedding ceremony.
Mercian, was it?
Ruan, putting on his tuxedo, muttered the name of the bride he had not yet met in a low voice.
After entrusting the wedding to Cassel, he had occasionally heard about the progress, but Ruan had not yet seen the face of the bride he was to marry.
I’m really getting married, huh.
Ruan looked at his reflection in the mirror one more time before leaving the study.
[This is the timeline separator]“My lady, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ll greet you formally later, but I am Clea, the head maid of this ducal house.”
As Mercian, who had been practically loaded into the carriage sent by the ducal house early in the morning while still half-asleep, entered the ducal residence, a middle-aged lady approached her with a smile and greeted her politely.
“Ah. Clea. Nice to meet you. But what’s the matter so early in the morning?”
As Mercian, still half-asleep, greeted with a puffy face, Clea looked her over carefully and nodded as if she had come up with a plan.
“First, we need to take a bath to reduce the puffiness in your face and body. Then we’ll do your makeup and hair. Come, let’s postpone the greetings and come this way first.”
What? Puffiness? Me?
At Clea’s words about overall puffiness in her body, Mercian wanted to say that this wasn’t puffiness but just her flesh, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it and awkwardly nodded, saying,
“Oh. I think it’s because I ate something before sleeping yesterday. I am quite puffy.”
“Don’t worry, my lady. We’ll have you in the best condition before the wedding ceremony.”
“Uh? Wa-wait a moment.”
As Mercian was led into the room by Clea’s hand, five or six maids were waiting for Mercian and Clea.
“Now, everyone, time is tight, so let’s get ready quickly. First, let’s reduce the puffiness in the lady’s face and body.”
Under Clea’s direct command, the maids began to move according to their respective tasks.
“First, we’ll start with a bath, my lady.”
Three maids took Mercian into the bathroom.
In the spacious bathtub that could fit ten people, there were rose petals that only wealthy nobles used, and an unknown but subtle and sweet oil scent wafted through the air.
As she entered the warm bathtub with the help of the maids, her body felt languid and it felt as if even fatigue she didn’t have was disappearing.
“My lady, then we’ll start the bath.”
At the maid’s words, Mercian unconsciously nodded, and the three maids began to lather soap all over Mercian’s body.
Although she was from a viscount’s family, Mercian, who hadn’t been in a financial position to employ maids, was used to bathing alone, so the sudden touch of maids attending to her felt awkward. But she couldn’t say she would bathe alone on her wedding morning, so she surrendered to their touch.
“Oh my, my lady’s skin is so good.”
After rinsing off the bubbles and applying fragrant oil, the maids looked at Mercian enviously and said,
“And her flesh is soft and squishy like cream. The texture is so, so nice.”
My flesh is soft and squishy like cream?
Isn’t it too much fat and unsightly?
Mercian made a puzzled expression at the maids’ words, remembering Lucienne who usually only cursed while pointing at her body.
“We’ll do our best to make you beautiful for tonight, my lady.”
Ah, come to think of it, if I get married, I have to sleep in the same bed as the Duke.
What? Do I have to spend the wedding night?
Mercian’s face suddenly reddened at the maids’ words.
“Oh my, my lady’s face has turned red. Is the water too hot?”
“N-no, it’s fine.”
“Hohoho, but my lady, you look so cute when your face turns red.”
I-I’m cute?
Mercian felt strange at hearing a compliment from someone other than Charles for the first time.
When she was at the viscount’s house, she was always just Mercian the mistreated one. Nothing more, nothing less.
Penelope, who always pointed out her appearance, and Lucienne, who pretended to be cultured and spoke in circles to look down on her. She had never received a compliment from them even once. Why are these people complimenting me so much when they’ve just met me?
Unlike Penelope, who always touched her as if she were a pig while sneering, their touch as they washed various parts of her body while smiling was careful and gentle.
Mercian liked their touch but also felt awkward, and as she tensed her body, the maid applying fragrant oil said,
“My lady, are you uncomfortable? Or are you in pain?”
“No, I’m not used to being attended to by someone, so I think I’m tensing up without realizing it.”
“My lady, please speak comfortably. And you should get used to this now, so please relax. Let us know if you’re in pain.”
“Ah. Yes,”
The maid massaged Mercian’s shoulders, helping her relax.
Haa, it feels so good.
Her body unknowingly relaxed under the maids’ careful yet gentle care.
Mercian felt as if she had become an extremely precious person.
A little while later,
Led back to the room by the maids’ hands, the remaining two began to apply soft cream to her body while drying her hair.
“For tonight’s wedding night, we’ll apply a special scent to seduce the master.”
We-wedding night? Seduce?
As Mercian’s face reddened at the maids’ words, Clea looked at the maids and said,
“Stop teasing her. Can’t you see the lady is flustered? Now, we need to do your makeup, so please stay still, madam.”
At Clea’s words, one of the maids behind approached Mercian, greeted her, and began to apply makeup.
“There, it’s done.”
Is this really me?
Mercian looked at the mirror with a surprised expression, seeing herself transformed even more beautifully than when she had worn the wedding dress at the dress shop before.
Perhaps because of the bath with good fragrant oil, her skin seemed to glow, and the makeup emphasizing Mercian’s transparent skin matched well with the wedding dress.
Above all, the wedding dress she had been worried about fit her body perfectly as if measured with a ruler.
“You’re so beautiful, my lady.”
As the maids spoke while looking at Mercian’s appearance, Clea also nodded with a satisfied expression.
“Now, there’s about an hour left until the ceremony, so please wait for a moment”
“A-an hour?”
No sooner had Mercian spoken than a growling sound was heard from her stomach.
Ah. How embarrassing.
“You must not have eaten anything since coming early in the morning. We should have had you eat first before starting preparations, but I forgot in my haste. I’m truly sorry. Please wait a moment.”
Apologizing for her mistake and bowing her head, Clea gestured and a maid hurriedly left the room.
“Ah. No, it’s because I like eating a bit too much”
At Mercian’s words, Clea looked at the clock and said,
“First, you have about an hour to spare, so please eat something. You won’t be able to eat anything for a while once the ceremony starts. And if you need anything, just pull this cord here.”
Clea smiled and left the room with the maids, and immediately a maid brought bread and soup.
“My lady, if you need anything more, please pull the cord.”
“Thank you.”
“Oh my, please speak comfortably. You’re about to become our mistress. I’m Charlotte.”
“Charlotte. Thank you.”
“Then enjoy your meal.”
“Wa-wait a moment.”
“Yes? My lady.”
“Can I ask you one thing?”
“Please go ahead.”
“What kind of person is the Duke?”
Although it wasn’t of her own will, Mercian had never seen the face of her husband even once, from the submission of the marriage proposal to the current situation where the wedding ceremony was right in front of her.
Although he was a husband with a 6-month life expectancy, she thought she would at least see his face once before the marriage……
“Ah. The master? Our master is a really handsome and wonderful person. Of course, he’s a bit blunt and speaks coldly, but he has a warm heart. Of course, now that he’s ill, all of that has disappeared. Actually, everyone is worried because the master’s condition has worsened, but still, today is a happy day for the master, so we’ve all decided to prepare for the wedding joyfully.”
His condition has worsened?
Is he that sick?
“Oh my? I’ve talked too much. I’ll be back in a little while. Please enjoy your meal.”
After Charlotte greeted and left, as Mercian smelled the fragrant soup and savory bread placed in front of her, her tension eased and she suddenly began to feel hungry.
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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