The place Ascan was dragged to by Tanashia’s hand was her room.
He had thought countless thoughts on the way here.
Should he resist?
Should he run away again?
But the reason he couldn’t make such a choice was because he had realized just moments ago that Zen, whom he had encountered, was an extraordinarily skilled individual.
Since Zen had spotted a suspicious person, he would search the surrounding area, and breaking out of the heavily guarded Brellof estate was realistically impossible.
Ascan recalled once again the scene where he had met Zen.
At the moment Zen drew his sword, Ascan could detect no weakness whatsoever in him.
If they fought like this, he would lose.
That thought completely filled his mind.
Ascan had seen many people who claimed to be decent swordsmen. Dozens had died by his hand while escaping the laboratory.
Yet among all those he had met, no one had radiated an aura as powerful as Zen’s.
‘Of all days, why today…’
The day he had resolved to escape, encountering none other than Zen could only be described as tremendous misfortune.
It was absurd, yet not unusual. The world had always been cruel to him.
Tanashia left Ascan standing alone in the room, peeking outside the door to check whether anyone had followed.
Ascan stared at her back, unconsciously gripping tightly the bundle he held in his hand.
Inside his bundle were simple clothes, money he had secretly saved up until now, and food Tanashia had told him to take and eat.
He didn’t understand why she had saved him back there, but if she saw this, she would realize he had intended to run away.
‘…She’ll resent me.’
In his mind, he pictured Tanashia hurling all sorts of harsh words and accusations at him.
She might curse him for being ungrateful after all she had done for him.
He would have no excuse even if she decided to experiment on him and abuse him again as before.
Whatever happened, returning to a good relationship would be difficult.
‘Good relationship?’
The phrase that flashed through his mind filled him with skepticism.
Tanashia had been kind to him for some hidden agenda. He was astonished at himself for ever thinking that counted as a “good relationship.”
Click. Having confirmed no one was following, Tanashia carefully closed the door she had been checking and approached Ascan.
Ascan steeled himself as Tanashia drew nearer. He was certain she would now reproach him.
Just as he expected, Tanashia first snatched the bundle from his hand and examined its contents.
“Were you really planning to run away?”
“Yes.”
At this point, lying was useless.
Ascan admitted it plainly. He closed his eyes tightly, bracing himself for the torrent of harsh words from Tanashia—when suddenly,
Rustle, rustle.
An unexpected sound made him open his eyes. For some reason, Tanashia was rummaging through a jewelry box.
The turn of events was so abrupt that he could only stare blankly.
“You made such an important plan without even consulting me? Even if you didn’t trust me, that’s still hurtful.”
With those words, Tanashia approached him, both hands full of jewels. She began stuffing them into Ascan’s bag as she continued speaking.
“How long did you plan to hide with just this tiny amount? It’s far too little. You need ample funds to forge a new identity and avoid detection.”
Ascan could only watch Tanashia silently.
Though she often said incomprehensible things, this was the first time he genuinely wondered what thoughts were running through her head.
“If I were you, I would’ve emptied everything in this room long ago.”
“…Are you telling me to steal?”
“You were planning to run away anyway, weren’t you? You know slaves who get caught escaping have their ankles cut off. Adding theft to that won’t change anything.”
She wasn’t wrong, but hearing those words from Tanashia felt utterly incongruous.
Tanashia handed the now jewel-laden bag back to Ascan. Dazed, he accepted it but couldn’t comprehend the situation.
“What… are you doing right now?”
“Can’t you see? I’m preparing your escape funds.”
“Why are you preparing my escape funds, Miss?”
“Did you forget? We agreed to become happy together.”
He hadn’t forgotten. He remembered Tanashia’s ridiculous declaration.
─ I’m starting a project to enjoy life and live happily for a very long time. If you want, I’ll include you.
To be precise, he hadn’t forgotten—he simply hadn’t believed it.
He wasn’t naive enough to believe someone would offer to “be happy together” without any ulterior motive. The world he had seen until now had never been that warm.
Unconsciously, Ascan gripped the now heavier bag—filled with jewels—even tighter than before.
Given how things stood, he wanted to know.
Until now, he had assumed that even if he asked her, she wouldn’t answer honestly. Or even if she did, he wouldn’t have believed her.
But now it was different. He couldn’t help but ask what thoughts were truly occupying Tanashia’s mind.
“Why are you treating me so well? Please tell me honestly. If you want something, I’ll do it for you.”
“Well, not really—”
Ascan cut off Tanashia’s attempt to refuse. He no longer wanted to hear insincere words.
“You were curious about my body, weren’t you? You previously asked me to tell you how to take away Lady Noxia’s supernatural ability.”
“That was before. Not anymore.”
“I don’t fully understand my own power either. But if you say you want to know, I’ll tell you everything I know. Will you still refuse?”
Until now, he hadn’t cooperated actively with Tanashia’s experiments because he had no reason to help her.
On the contrary, he needed to hide his true nature—pursuers might track him by scent, so he kept his mouth shut whenever possible.
But now things were different. If Tanashia wished, considering all the kindness she had shown him, he wouldn’t mind revealing a few things before leaving.
He considered the jewels she had placed in his bag a fair trade for information.
Ascan sincerely wanted to know what Tanashia truly desired from him.
“I don’t need Noxia’s supernatural ability anymore.”
But Tanashia’s answer strayed completely from Ascan’s expectations.
She scratched her cheek as if embarrassed, then chuckled softly.
“Noxia is Noxia, and I am me. I don’t care about such things anymore, so you shouldn’t dwell on it either. Were you still thinking like that?”
Ascan felt as if he’d been struck on the head with a blunt object.
Until now, he had naturally assumed her kindness was solely to extract information from him. But if that wasn’t the case…
‘Then why?’
Ascan had nothing. There was nothing she could possibly gain by being kind to him.
Staring at Tanashia with eyes full of distrust, he asked,
“Why are you treating me so well?”
“Hmm, just because?”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“What’s so unbelievable? What possible benefit could I gain from treating you well?”
He fell silent. Because Tanashia’s words were true.
Though Tanashia answered as if it were nothing significant, Ascan had never before received such a selfless kindness from anyone.
No one had ever treated him this well.
As the endless suspicion and wariness he had harbored toward her vanished, what remained was a strange, burning emotion he couldn’t identify.
Tanashia’s past words suddenly replayed in his mind.
─ Our family owns many villas. Shall we find time to visit one? Do you know how to swim? Oh, if not, I’ll teach you.
─ I want you to be happy.
─ From now on, remember this: what you like and what you dislike.
─ You belong to me.
He felt dizzy. His head spun as if he were lightheaded, and an indescribable emotion churned inside his chest.
Ascan’s golden eyes gazed at Tanashia with a confused gleam.
He had never been this bewildered in his entire life.
“So you’re saying there’s truly no reason at all for treating me well?”
“Yes. You’ve been living deceived.”
When a faint light flickered outside the window, Tanashia darted over to check. Apparently, people were searching the estate grounds for the suspicious figure.
Tanashia opened the door again to ensure no one was outside, then returned to Ascan and spoke firmly.
“I understand you want to escape from here. But not today. I’ll find an opportunity to smuggle you outside—leave then.”
Ascan couldn’t respond. He sensed Tanashia was speaking sincerely.
“Just in case, pack more clothes and emergency rations. Oh, and take a horse. No matter how strong you are, walking has limits, and riding a horse will help you avoid suspicion.”
He couldn’t believe Tanashia was the one leading and secretly planning this operation. He had never imagined having such a conversation with her.
“Are you truly planning to help me escape?”
“Yes. Why else would I be saying all this?”
“Why? I’m a slave of the Brellof family.”
“Well, even I wouldn’t have enjoyed living as a slave. And your successful escape—without being caught by anyone—is important to me too.”
The phrase “without being caught by anyone” gave him a strange feeling—as if Tanashia knew something.
She wouldn’t have chosen such a pluralistic expression merely to describe chasing a slave who fled the Brellof estate.
After a moment’s hesitation, Ascan dismissed his irrational suspicion. He judged it impossible for her to know about his past escape from the laboratory.
“I wanted to stay by your side and protect you. But if this is what you want, I won’t stop you. I’ll help you, so don’t doubt me this time—trust me.”
Trust me, trust me, trust me…
That final phrase floated aimlessly through Ascan’s mind.
He had never, not once in his life, trusted another person.
Above all, trust wasn’t something one could simply choose to give. Yet now, Tanashia’s actions were giving him trust for the first time.
As Ascan stood rigidly frozen in place, Tanashia gestured quickly and beckoned him toward the door.
“What are you doing? Hurry back to your room before others get here.”
Ascan nodded and moved to leave the room as Tanashia instructed. But suddenly, she seized his wrist.
He stared blankly at her small, white hand gripping his wrist so casually.
“Wait a moment. Carrying that bundle will make you the first person anyone suspects.”
Tanashia quickly entered the dressing room and returned with a black robe. She hurriedly draped it over Ascan’s shoulders and adjusted his appearance.
Her small, delicate hands brushed against Ascan’s shoulders and hair. He could only stand still and watch.
“All set.”
Tanashia nodded with satisfaction and gently pushed Ascan’s back.
“I’d like to escort you all the way to your room, but if we’re seen together, we’ll attract more attention. You must go carefully and avoid being seen by anyone.”
“…Understood.”
“If you’re discovered, say I ordered you to do it. Leave the cleanup to me.”
“Yes.”
With that, Tanashia clenched her fist as if to encourage him, then closed the door.
Ascan walked toward his room, step by step, as if entranced.
Every spot Tanashia had touched moments ago felt intensely warm. His hair, shoulders, wrist, back—all carried the lingering sensation like a brand.
Moreover, the black robe enveloping his body was saturated with Tanashia’s scent—as if he were being held by her.
For some reason, he felt especially dizzy today. The path back to his room, which he had walked countless times, now felt as if it were spinning in circles.
Eventually, Ascan stopped walking and pressed both hands against his face.
His head felt hot. Memories of his time with Tanashia kept flashing before his eyes like afterimages.
It felt as if a dam had burst—his mind was overflowing with thoughts of Tanashia, threatening to explode.
Her intelligent eyes, smooth pale skin, red lips.
Her clear voice and sweet laughter kept echoing in his ears.
Ascan felt his heart, which had been racing since earlier.
For the first time, he felt… fluttering.
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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