Liam found himself in an awkward situation.
He had intended to gift the highest quality dresses, jewelry, and all sorts of accessories. Though Ormia was a princess, he believed without a doubt that she would be delighted, as she likely hadn’t enjoyed such luxuries given the simplicity of the dresses she wore.
But what was this reaction?
“Hmm, not really?”
“It’s a good item.”
Ormia carefully stroked the fabric laid before her.
“This is considered the finest embroidery in Glicia. It’s a fabric that prays for health and happiness. It’s worth a fortune as the nuns of Ronia who entered the temple from childhood put their heart into every stitch. It’s something money can’t buy even if you have it.”
Her face was expressionless as she explained. It was like looking at weeds by the roadside.
“As expected of a princess. You know well. You must have worn a lot since it’s mostly supplied to the royal family.”
“I’ve never worn it. Most of it goes to Princess Leticia.”
“Ah…..”
The madam of the clothing store who was helping beside them closed her mouth.
Liam couldn’t take his eyes off Ormia.
‘If it’s that amazing, why is her expression like that?’
The madam’s lips protruded.
There are countless noble young ladies who would do anything for even a scrap of this fabric. Even if they begged with bribes, it couldn’t be given, yet Ormia remained calm.
It would be satisfying and pleasing for the seller if the other party got excited and showed delight, but Ormia remained serene even when shown the highest quality fabric, which was deflating.
At that moment, Liam, who was standing beside her, threw in a word.
“Buy it. Use a whole bolt to make a dress for the princess.”
“Oh my! As expected of an imperial!”
The madam’s mood instantly soared to the heavens.
“No. That’s too much.”
“That amount of money won’t lighten my pocket.”
“It’s not about the cost.”
Ormia was resolute.
“Ronian fabric is used as an accent. If used as the main fabric, it becomes tacky and only serves to flaunt wealth by someone who doesn’t know how to spend money.”
“Oh my, the princess knows well.”
The madam genuinely marveled.
The dress Ormia wore was indeed made of high-quality fabric supplied to the royal family, but its design and color were modest, and it didn’t have many decorations. It was a design far from trendy.
So her taste had been underestimated, but even the money-blinded madam was impressed.
“Then let’s order as many dresses as can be made with one bolt. In the design that suits the beautiful princess best.”
“Leave it to me. I am Madam Elaine, known for producing the most fashionable designs in the capital.”
“Um, then may I request one in a design I want?”
“Oh my, oh my. The princess?”
It wasn’t dismissive, but rather unexpected. However, the following action left the madam speechless.
Ormia received a piece of paper and instantly drew a design right there.
The madam forgot even to marvel at the simple yet elegant design that had never been in fashion before, and looked at Ormia anew.
‘She had such talent.’
* * *
“Let’s take a break.”
Liam declared surrender first and leaned back on the sofa.
‘Swinging a sword might be easier.’
The mental fatigue was considerable.
He was a person who had mostly lived on battlefields. Not that he was completely ignorant of social circles, and he knew how to follow trends moderately.
‘But what’s with this woman?’
Sprawled on the sofa, he looked at Ormia sitting across from him.
Shoes, hats, the latest fashionable laces, parasols, and more were spread all around, but she had chosen well only sophisticated items that wouldn’t quickly go out of style. She had good taste.
‘And at the jewelry store too.’
Recalling what happened at the jewelry store before coming here, Liam rubbed his forehead.
“It’s an item we brought in with great difficulty.”
As soon as Ormia Beltoa saw the necklace the jeweler brought out, she said without hesitation.
“It’s a fake.”
“What? What are you saying? Do you think these eyes of Casalo can’t tell a fake? It’s an item I worked hard to bring in this time. It’s none other than the diamond necklace called Madame Dupont’s Tears.”
The owner, wounded in his pride, carefully held up the necklace and took out a handkerchief.
“Princess, you may not know, but we can verify whether it’s genuine or not. Right here on the back, this engraving. When her lover, Duke Favalo, sent it as a gift to his wife, he wrote his initials, and his feelings were so intense that even if I wipe it with this wet cloth, it won’t come off!”
He wiped the back with saliva-moistened cloth, and red ink came off.
The legendary initials that were said to never disappear vanished completely.
“Why is it disappearing! It was fine then!”
“Madame Dupont’s Tears is in Duke Haiman’s safe.”
“Oh my goodness….. But, but we agreed to pay after the sale…..”
“Check the contract. They’re people who sold fakes. Wouldn’t they have prepared for that too?”
“Ah, j-just a moment, I’ll be away for a bit.”
The owner, turning pale, hurriedly went into the back office.
“The contract! The contract!”
In the midst of the commotion, Liam took Ormia and left. Before they went out the door, the owner’s scream was heard from inside.
“Wait, this clause, it says I have to pay even if it’s fake? How dare they try to scam me!”
If Ormia were an ordinary royal, it wouldn’t be strange for her to know about Duke Haiman’s collection.
But she was called the denial of God, and most, if not all, citizens of Glicia avoided her.
From what he had seen, even her family and central nobles, even the court physician who had treated her, avoided touching Ormia.
But how could she know about Duke Haiman’s confidential collection and immediately call out a fake as soon as the shop owner brought it out?
A dignified and neat appearance, but with the eye to directly design and choose only good and sophisticated items.
If a person is born with genius, it should show, but Ormia was not like that at all. She had an unbalanced eye for quality.
Moreover, after entering this shop, Ormia kept looking around while slowly sipping her tea.
It was a room for important guests, so they were alone. Liam called a clerk.
“Do you need anything?”
“If you want something, tell the clerk.”
Liam closed his mouth and looked at Ormia.
“Um, I… I heard there was apple pie. Only for guests.”
“Huh? How……”
“Is there none?”
“Ah, no. We have it. We’ve been serving it to important guests since yesterday. It should be brought soon, but it’s late. I’ll go talk to them.”
The clerk left the room, hiding his confusion. Before the door closed, the clerk’s muttering was heard.
“Where on earth did she hear about it? We only served it to one person since starting yesterday.”
Dumbfounded, Liam turned to look at Ormia but couldn’t open his mouth.
Ormia’s cheeks, which had been indifferent to the most expensive fabrics and beautiful dresses, jewels and accessories laid out, were now flushed like spring flowers.
Feeling Liam’s gaze, Ormia said as if making an excuse.
“I heard you can only eat this shop’s apple pie if you visit. I heard it’s delicious.”
‘But they said it started yesterday?’
She was truly an unfathomable person.
Liam had seen many knights and soldiers through battlefields. He thought he was quite good at reading people, but when it came to Ormia, he was only confused.
‘What on earth is this woman?’
* * *
It wasn’t all gloomy things throughout my three lives.
There were things that brought me joy too.
‘Finally, I get to taste Latti shop’s apple pie.’
In my second life, I had only heard about it.
In my first life, there was no one to tell me such things, and I was so starved for others’ affection that I didn’t think about what I liked or enjoyed. In my third life, I was just confined.
In my second life, when Duke Haiman rebelled and locked me in a cage. The royal palace was bustling with many people, and I was always displayed at the head of the banquet table as a trophy.
Duke Haiman put a collar on me to show off that I was his possession.
Beautiful dresses, the latest fashion, the most splendid and luxurious and expensive items overflowed around me.
But the best times were when eating sweet desserts.
A happiness solely my own.
Even when I felt despair surrounded by people demanding blessings, I was happy just eating a piece of dessert.
The sweetness of a small, beautiful jewel melting on my tongue.
Duke Haiman brought many things, but I couldn’t eat the apple pie from Latti shop that the ladies at the banquet said you could only eat if you visited.
How happy I was when Liam entered this shop.
As I waited for the clerk, Liam rubbed his forehead with his fingertips.
‘Come to think of it, it’s been a month.’
It’s already been a month since I met Liam, told him I had power, and gave him a blessing.
I don’t know if he’s used his ability in the meantime, but in my second life, Duke Haiman, who received my blessing, started demanding blessings again just after a little over two weeks.
Liam must be feeling pain too.
“Give me your hand.”
Liam, who had been observing me for a moment, raised one eyebrow crookedly and held out his hand.
A large and firm hand. There were scars here and there on his hand, and hard calluses were embedded in his palm. It seemed to show how hard he had lived until now.
I placed my hand on his palm.
A warm warmth was transmitted. I sat across from him, talked, walked together, and shopped.
These are precious times for me.
I let the blessing flow in.
“Ah.”
A faint light emerged from between our overlapped palms and seeped into his body. Liam’s eyes widened for a moment, and he quickly spoke.
“Wait, princess, wait!”
He was flustered but didn’t withdraw his hand. Like a person with limbs tied unable to move, he groaned but didn’t remove his hand.
Duke Haiman had said that even if the mind refuses, the body wants the blessing.
“How can I refuse?”
“You can never refuse this. If you know.”
Duke Haiman had whispered, looking at me in the cage with the eyes of a beast.
“Damn it.”
Liam covered his mouth, unable to hide his bewilderment. His upper body gradually bent forward, and he roughly ran his free hand through his hair.
With reddened eyes, he darted his gaze around before glaring at me.
“Tell me if you need a blessing.”
“You……”
I pressed my fingertip to his lips. Stopping his words.
Someone might be able to hear the conversation inside. We need to be careful with our words as I still need to hide the fact that I have the blessing.
“Thank you for saving me at the banquet. I didn’t think you would save me.”
There was something I really wanted to say to Liam.
I couldn’t say it in my first life, my second life, or my third life.
“Thank you so much.”
For being by my side.
For watching over my death.
“Really.”
For not leaving me alone at the end.
“Thank you very much.”
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
