“Where do you think you’re going, looking like that?”
It was Isabelle Adrian. Having finished her early morning training and freshened up, she approached, exuding a floral scent.
Lucas puckered his lips in response.
“What’s wrong with how I look?”
Isabelle shot back, “You stink.”
Lucas, with a look of shock, sniffed his arms, and his face turned red.
“I don’t smell!”
But contrary to his words, he slowly moved away from Rosette and Isabelle.
“Rosette, wait here, or in the room! I’ll be back to get you after I shower!”
With that, he dashed out of the dining room. Rosette, who had been suppressing her laughter, turned her head when she felt Isabelle’s gaze on her.
“Why… are you looking at me like that?”
“Just wondering. You got close to that fool pretty quickly, huh? Did you have breakfast?”
“Yes. With Lucas… oppa.”
“He probably ate like a pig, as usual.”
Rosette quickly shook her head, but Isabelle clicked her tongue, knowing better.
“What’s with your look, anyway?”
“Ah…”
Rosette mumbled, looking at her clothes that clearly seemed borrowed.
“The smallest one I tried on was still…”
Isabelle directed a command to her personal maid standing behind her.
“Call Mrs. Wyde. As soon as possible. She needs fitting clothes.”
“Understood.”
Not satisfied with just that command, Isabelle stepped closer and grabbed Rosette’s hair.
“Even if we can’t do anything about the clothes, you need to keep your posture right. What’s with your hair? It’s like a bird’s nest.”
Rosette, feeling a bit deflated, tried to smooth her hair with her palms. Her natural hair was fine, but due to poor nutrition and lack of proper care, it had become rough towards the ends.
Despite having the best hair at the orphanage, Rosette’s hair paled in comparison to Isabelle’s silky tresses.
While Rosette felt awkward, Isabelle combed her fingers through her hair, skillfully braiding it and finishing it off with a ribbon she was wearing.
With the braid draped to one side, Isabelle nodded.
“There, now you look decent.”
Leaving those words, she sat at the table and began her meal.
Rosette fiddled with her newly braided hair. Though Isabelle was a bit prickly, she seemed as good a family member as Lucas or Daniel.
Daniel had left early in the morning with Duke Adrian to visit the royal palace, to see Joshua, a long-time friend and prince.
Daniel initially thought he had misheard when his father, Duke Adrian, said they were going to the palace early in the morning. However, he was quite surprised by his father’s following words.
“Prince Joshua was startled by a nightmare?”
“Yes. He urgently inquired about our well-being, seemingly shaken by some dream.”
“It’s unusual for him to be troubled by just a dream.”
“Whatever the dream was, it must have been terribly disturbing. He mentioned he would come to see you soon. As a subject, how could I refuse a prince’s visit?”
That was why they had gone to the royal palace at dawn.
Daniel thought his father was exaggerating. To his knowledge, Prince Joshua was not someone who would be unsettled by a mere dream.
Joshua Ernhardt was known to be arrogant and cynical. Trained in imperial studies from a young age, he was not easily swayed by personal emotions.
The idea of him being disturbed by a dream seemed unbelievable. Therefore, Daniel thought Joshua might have made a light-hearted remark about wanting to see him.
But then…
“Daniel!”
Upon meeting him, Joshua ran to him and hugged him tightly. It had only been a week since they last saw each other, yet Joshua acted as if they were long-lost friends.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Joshua scrutinized Daniel from head to toe, gripping his shoulders. Daniel shrugged nonchalantly.
“As you can see, I’m fine, Your Highness.”
“How about your legs? Are they okay?”
“It seems I injured my leg in your dream.”
Daniel joked with a smile, but seeing Joshua’s serious face, he too became solemn.
“As you can see, I’m completely fine.”
“Really? Walk for me.”
Despite finding the request absurd, Daniel complied and walked across the room. His stride was confident and precise, befitting a knight-in-training.
Joshua, stroking his chin while watching, casually remarked.
“No problems there.”
Back in his seat, Daniel laughed it off.
“Are you teasing me?”
“You’re only realizing now? You’ve gotten slower at catching on.”
Joshua smirked and raised his teacup. At that moment, Daniel saw the familiar face of the Joshua he knew. Relieved, Daniel changed the topic.
“Anyway, what kind of dream did you have to worry so much about my father and me?”
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
