Calling for Meiri to bring out the tea, Reidox stood up from his seat.
Jeremi, who had been blowing on the hot tea he’d been served, jumped up in alarm as if startled.
“Why are you leaving first? Did you sell me out to the Duke? How much did you get for me? You’d better share that money with me later!”
“I’ve finished what I came to do, so I’m leaving. Don’t worry—I didn’t sell you.”
“Then why did you summon me here?”
“That’s something the Duke will explain to you in due time.”
“Really? Anyway, you’d better reimburse my travel expenses later—I used up quite a bit of mana flying all the way here!”
“I’ll cover that cost, so just sit quietly where you are.”
At Sikar’s deep, resonant voice cutting through the noisy atmosphere, Jeremi turned around and gave an embarrassed smile.
“In that case, I shall follow your orders, Duke.”
Since Jeremi no longer tried to hold him back, Reidox bowed slightly toward us as if to say he was taking his leave.
“Then I shall be off now.”
“Thank you for today, Marquis.”
Instead of replying verbally, Sikar gave a slight nod, and Reidox watched him with a calm smile.
“You look quite fitting holding the child, Your Grace.”
Sikar, who had been indifferent until then, finally cracked a slight smirk at Reidox.
“Go.”
For Sikar, that was the most courteous farewell he could muster, and Reidox well knew this fact.
The exchanged glance between Sikar and Reidox just now was the kind only parents worn out by child-rearing could truly understand.
Reidox left the study smiling—the first time since visiting the ducal manor.
After Reidox left, I, who had been anxious, immediately spoke to Jeremi.
“We summoned you, Magician, to remove the mark on our son’s neck.”
The moment Jeremi heard my words, he began sketching calculations in the air.
“If by ‘mark,’ you mean something like a tattoo, that would require about two thousand silings.”
“It’s nothing like a mere tattoo. Look at this child.”
Sikar adjusted his posture, pulling Kian closer so Jeremi could clearly see the mark on the back of his neck.
“Erase this mark.”
Upon seeing the royal crest on Kian’s neck, Jeremi sat bolt upright as if time had frozen, not even blinking once.
“Y, Your Grace. But… why is there a child bearing a royal crest here? As far as I know, the only royal currently in Lecador is His Majesty King Gillian… Is this child truly of royal blood?”
“It seems your unfriendly friend didn’t explain anything. Ask him about that later—you just handle this first.”
“If this person is truly royal, how could I possibly dare lay hands on such a noble body…”
“I’ll tell you this much: This child is Veronia’s offspring—the only royal grandson currently existing in Lecador.”
“The royal grandson born to Princess Veronia, Your Highness?”
“Yes.”
Jeremi looked quite bewildered. It was understandable—he never imagined a royal heir would be here.
Soon, he made an “Oh no!” face, jumped up, and knelt before the sleeping Kian.
“W, Your Highness! Jeremi Iker, once captain of the Royal Palace Guard, humbly greets you, Your Highness!”
Jeremi could be quite serious when he needed to be.
Jeremi, who had been captain of the Royal Palace Guard during the deposed king’s reign, left the palace just before being promoted to commander. Now, he lived in a small five-story tower.
Seeing Jeremi’s loud and boisterous greeting, Sikar frowned.
“I told you not to wake him.”
“Ah, yes, yes. My apologies, Your Grace.”
“We’re short on time—remove it quickly.”
“Since this is a royal emblem, I can’t erase it entirely, but I can conceal it so it’s invisible. However, hiding a royal crest requires considerable mana, and since it takes me a very long time to replenish that mana, I’ll need to purchase and drink mana potions. So…”
In short, it would cost a lot of money. Sikar raised his hand as if to say, “Fine, I get it.”
“I’ll give you fifty thousand silings.”
Fifty thousand silings was enough to buy ten mana potions here. Jeremi immediately rolled up his sleeves as if there was no point haggling further.
“I’ll begin right away.”
“But you must finish within one hour. If you’re late, you’ll leave this ducal manor as a corpse.”
Despite Sikar’s deadly tone, Jeremi smiled brightly as if it were no problem.
“Don’t worry. Five minutes will be enough.”
It only took five minutes?
Sikar and I exchanged glances simultaneously, as if pleasantly surprised things were going so smoothly.
The blue magical energy summoned by Jeremi seemed to cling to the mark on Kian’s nape, then slowly seeped into the skin along with the mark. After about five minutes—as Jeremi had promised—the mark vanished completely, as if it had never existed.
Finally! Now I can go out with Kian without worry.
“To make the mark reappear, simply use the same method.”
So that meant I’d have to call him again then. Well, I planned to anyway.
“Master Jeremi Iker, thank you so much.”
“You’re very welcome. If you ever need anything else—magic lanterns, magic gates, etc.—please call me anytime. My fees aren’t high.”
Jeremi wasn’t originally this money-oriented, but ever since running his magic tower alone, he’d been perpetually strapped for cash while caring for a small village.
He’d practically become a salesman. His naturally cheerful and lively personality suited the role well.
Sikar called for Vika and instructed him to pay Jeremi fifty thousand silings. Vika dragged over a sack and tossed it toward Jeremi.
Jeremi wobbled slightly catching the sack full of money but broke into a deeply satisfied grin upon seeing its contents.
Hmm. Very straightforward and clean transaction. But carrying that money while flying through the sky again will be quite difficult.
“Thank you, Your Grace. I’ll make sure to use the money well.”
“Where you spend it is up to you. Now go.”
“Then I eagerly await your next summons!”
Sikar didn’t bother giving Jeremi any special warnings or instructions. Through me, he’d already clearly seen how faithfully Jeremi upheld his loyalty to Reidox in the original story.
Jeremi’s visit to this ducal manor would have been impossible without Reidox. No matter how tempted by money, he wouldn’t have helped Sikar, who had allied himself with Gillian.
And after seeing Kian, he undoubtedly realized today: Sikar was no longer Gillian’s man.
With Kian’s mark resolved, now I was the problem. Just thinking about actually meeting Gillian made me tense and stiff. Sikar, as always, sensed my state instantly.
“You look nervous?”
Of course I’m nervous. One of the villain bosses is coming here—how could I not be tense?
“Are you nervous because you think Gillian might draw a sword on you, just like I once did to you?”
I shook my head sideways as if to say, “That’s not it.”
If Sikar openly threatened to kill or spare you, Gillian was the terrifying villain who pretended endlessly to be kind and compassionate to your face, then stabbed you in the back.
A villain who used his wits brilliantly and never revealed his true intentions—he was frightening in a different way from Sikar.
“I’m just a little worried whether I can really pass as the Duchess.”
‘Gillian’s perceptiveness isn’t ordinary like yours, Sikar.’
Unlike Sikar, Gillian didn’t need to read memories—he could assess people and situations just by observing expressions, gestures, and body language. He was that sharp and astute.
Even the slightest mistake from me would surely make him sense something odd, so I couldn’t help but feel anxious.
“Whether you perform well or poorly, Gillian suspects everyone anyway. So you might as well relax and not be tense.”
That was true. Gillian trusted no one but himself.
“Now, we need to wake Kian up—you’ll have to help me.”
“Me?”
“As I said, it’s difficult for me alone to penetrate royal mental defenses. I need your mind—since Kian relies on you.”
“Hmm. I don’t really understand what you mean.”
“It means come here and give me your hand.”
Cautiously, I extended my hand to Sikar. Then I felt as if my consciousness was being sucked away.
‘W, what is this?!’
In the pitch-black darkness where nothing was visible, only Sikar’s voice reached me.
“Turn your head.”
When I turned, I saw Kian sleeping soundly, surrounded by dream spirits.
“Vika really went overboard releasing these spirits. Go wake him gently so he isn’t startled.”
Waking a child without startling them? That was as easy as eating cold porridge.
I softly called Kian’s name and patted his shoulder. Kian slowly opened his eyes.
“Mother…?”
Soon, he blinked fully awake, looking as if he’d just had a pleasant dream. Sikar nodded at me approvingly, as if to say, “Well done.”
“Kian. Did you sleep well?”
Kian rubbed his eyes as if finally regaining full consciousness. Once fully awake, he realized he’d been nestled in Sikar’s lap and sprang away, tumbling toward me.
Watching him, I wanted to burst out laughing, but I forced myself to hold it in.
Most amusing of all was Sikar’s expression—glaring at the back of Kian’s head as if deeply offended.
“Mother, I think I took a really long nap.”
“Kian, now that you’re awake, you should greet the Duke.”
Reluctantly, Kian turned and gave Sikar a curt nod. Sikar snorted and tilted his head sideways.
“Kian. We’re having a guest today.”
“A guest?”
“His Majesty the King of this country will be visiting today.”
Even young Kian was surprised by the word “King,” and his eyes widened.
“Wow! So the King is coming?”
“Yes. He’s agreed to dine with us here at the ducal manor, so we must be careful about a few things.”
“Yes. I won’t run around or make noise—I’ll sit quietly like a good, well-mannered child.”
“And I have a few more requests.”
Kian waited expectantly for my next words.
“Kian, remember I told you—if anyone asks, you must say I’m your real mother?”
“Of course. I remember.”
“Never forget that.”
Especially not today.
“Yes. I won’t.”
“And this is very important…”
“Yes! Please tell me!”
“Even if His Majesty seems cold and distant, you must never behave rudely. You must always show proper respect—for our family’s sake. Understood?”
“Hmm… Yes. I understand, Mother.”
“Well said. My son.”
Kian was a clever child—just telling him this much would be enough.
As the evening glow draped over the mountain ridges and the earth turned crimson,
What was coming… had arrived.
The moment Gillian appeared, it felt as if even the ticking of the clock slowed—everything seemed to flow in slow motion.
Gillian, with the same dazzling blond hair and brilliant blue eyes as Kian, was immensely imposing.
Seeing him, it struck me anew: Sikar beside me was truly the villain among villains, aiming to rise above them all.
‘Now I truly, thoroughly feel I’m standing in the heart of the villains’ den.’
Behind Gillian, a man entered, his face half-hidden beneath a long hood. Just seeing that dark silhouette was enough to know he was Gillian’s magician, Pasium.
Pasium appeared exactly as described in the novel—a dark figure whose face was nothing but shadow.
Since his spirit master, Lape, wasn’t visible, it seemed only the two of them had come.
“I wonder if the journey here was too long and bored you.”
In truth, it wasn’t that far from the Lecador palace. Sikar’s remark was no different from asking why he’d bothered coming at all.
Even in the novel, Sikar was introduced as someone unafraid of the king and never hesitant—but it was said Gillian always gracefully tolerated Sikar’s arrogance.
Yet now, Gillian’s demeanor was markedly different from what I knew. He wore a slightly hostile expression.
“To call such a short distance ‘far’ feels hurtful. It sounds as if our relationship has grown that distant lately.”
Watching these villains exchange such psychological warfare right before my eyes, cold sweat trickled down my spine.
Cold Male Lead Became My Clingy Husband (Female-Dominant)
Feng Bai Su transmigrated into a matriarchal novel, becoming the sister of the female protagonist and the Seventh Princess of the Feng Ling Kingdom.
After working herself to death in her previous life, finally reincarnating as a princess, she only wanted to be a lazy fish who could eat, sleep, and play.
Until she met the male protagonist from the book, Wei Jing Mo, and he took a liking to her!
Wei Jing Mo is the top young man in Feng Ling City, talented in both appearance and ability, from a prestigious family, with a cold and otherworldly appearance, a figure like the bright moon in the hearts of noble ladies. It was thought that only the most powerful and talented noble lady in Feng Ling City would be worthy of such a brilliant young man. Who knew that this young gentleman would secretly admire the infamous Seventh Princess?
Short scene 1:
Feng Bai Su looked at the young man crying like a pear blossom in the rain before her, and couldn’t help but doubt her life.
Wasn’t the male lead described as a cold and otherworldly figure in the book?
Then who was this poor little thing crying with swollen red eyes and tear-stained face?
Short scene 2:
Wei Jing Mo stared intently at Feng Bai Su who was about to go out, wanting to say, “Be careful on the road.”
Before he could speak, Feng Bai Su suddenly bent down and bit his cheek.
Her peach blossom eyes were full of disdain: “Tsk! You’re so clingy!”
Wei Jing Mo: “…”
A talented fox spirit female lead with a flirtatious appearance but actually abstinent VS A cold-looking but actually naive and clingy little jealous male lead
