Reidox had always viewed Sikar as someone who used a puppet king to rule through fear and manipulate the kingdom as he pleased, so such a reaction from him was not surprising.
Still, I thought he might at least consider it, but Reidox’s response was far too resolute.
“You saved my daughter, yet you refuse without even saying you’d think about it. I always thought you were arrogant. Now I see you’re also ungrateful.”
“If you’re not trying to force me by invoking gratitude, then please stop. It might look like I approached you with a premeditated plan from the start.”
I shouldn’t have come with Sikar.
The tense standoff between the two men made me feel like I couldn’t breathe. Watching their expressions carefully, I subtly interjected into their conversation.
“My lord Marquis, let me apologize on his behalf. Please don’t take the Duke’s words to heart.”
Then, I looked at Sikar and made the most disapproving face I possibly could.
Ignoring Sikar’s incredulous stare, I turned back to Reidox and wore the most apologetic expression I could muster.
“And wanting to entrust my child to you, my lord Marquis, was my own idea—not the Duke’s. On our way here, while in the carriage, Lucy introduced me and mentioned your creative educational methods, which reminded me to bring it up.”
Did I just speak calmly and confidently without getting nervous? Right?
After finishing my speech, I felt my insides burning and calmly said to Reidox,
“Excuse me, I’ll have a glass of water.”
Before the maid could even pour water into the glass, I filled it myself with a loud glug-glug-glug and gulped it down in big swallows.
‘Phew. I think I’ll survive.’
As I set the glass down, Sikar leaned toward me slightly and shot me a sidelong glare as if to say, ‘How undignified for a Duchess to drink water like that.’
I whispered just quietly enough that Reidox wouldn’t hear,
“That’s why I asked for your pardon beforehand.”
“Even if noble ladies ask for pardon before drinking water, none of them gulp it down like you do.”
“That’s because you never taught me.”
“Stop whispering—Reidox is looking at us strangely.”
Since Reidox was watching us as if witnessing something bizarre, I forced an awkward smile and straightened my posture.
The Marquis Reidox looked at me with slight concern and asked,
“Are you alright, Duchess?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Even if it’s just water, drinking so much at once might upset your stomach or make you feel bloated.”
Ah. He must have spent his whole life sipping water slowly and doesn’t know how refreshing it is to gulp it down like this.
“No, it’s very refreshing. My lord Marquis, you should try gulping it down next time—like how one drinks alcohol.”
Reidox looked even more flustered than before, and Sikar lowered his head again while looking at me.
“Here, even alcohol isn’t drunk in one gulp.”
“So you sip everything?”
“Because we’re nobles.”
Sikar calmly addressed the clearly flustered Reidox,
“My wife comes from a foreign land with different customs—please understand.”
Reidox finally nodded in understanding and offered a faint smile.
“It seems the Duke has found himself an excellent Duchess. I’m glad for you.”
Sikar’s expression again looked like he was about to say something arrogant, so I preempted him.
“My lord Marquis, excuse me, but I still have something to say.”
“Yes, please speak, Duchess.”
“If you agree to take care of my child, in return, I’ll do things only a mother can do for Lucy—once a week.”
“Things only a mother can do?”
“Like playing with dolls together, choosing dresses, giving baths—things difficult for a father to handle. I can do those.”
“If that’s the case, Lucy’s nanny can handle it. No need to worry.”
Until now silent, Sikar set his teacup down on the table and said,
“Isn’t this a fair enough condition?”
Despite his calm tone, his eyes blazed as if saying, ‘Refuse, and it’s war.’
“Aren’t your eyes way too threatening?”
“Negotiations are always done with the eyes.”
That’s only because you’re a villain who only deals with other villains!
I gritted my teeth and said,
“We’re not negotiating—we’re making a request.”
Sikar snorted dismissively at my words, but fortunately, Reidox showed a slightly positive reaction.
“I’ll consider that part.”
Since I never expected to succeed with the first attempt, this outcome was quite satisfactory.
“If it weren’t Reidox but another noble, the entire high society would be gossiping about how Duchess Blake lacks manners, gulping down cold water like that.”
Indeed, among everyone I currently know in this world, he seems the most reasonable.
“Still, I thought I understood this world somewhat, but your grasp of noble etiquette and decorum is severely lacking. I’ll have to give you etiquette lessons. Soon, Gillian will welcome the Queen, and any mistake there could complicate things.”
Gillian’s wedding? So I’m meeting all the villains of this world. I really feel like I’ve stepped straight into a den of scoundrels.
“Next time I rescue Lucy, I’ll go alone.”
“Alone? Planning to gulp down cold water again without a shred of decorum?”
I’m worried you’ll offend Reidox again and ruin everything!
“Reidox is very wary of you—I’m trying to break down that wariness. Just remember, what matters most right now is building a friendship with Reidox to hide the mark on Kian’s neck.”
Sikar eyed me suspiciously, scratched his cheek briefly, then reluctantly said,
“This time, go and behave properly. Otherwise, you won’t be allowed to go out freely ever again.”
Does he seriously not realize I’m already not allowed to go out freely even now?
I forced a reassuring smile and promised I’d behave well—though I gritted my teeth while saying it.
Sikar gazed indifferently out the carriage window.
He probably figures he can just read my memories later—he only cares about the results anyway.
There’s one thing all parenting adults have in common. Next time I meet Reidox, I plan to exploit that. If I succeed, Sikar won’t dare say such things again.
While lost in these thoughts, the carriage soon arrived in the city center, and we entered a famous boutique.
At first, the shop attendants looked at me with puzzled curiosity, wondering which noble lady I was—but the moment Sikar entered, their eyes widened and they bowed deeply.
“Y, Your Grace! Y, you’ve arrived!”
When Sikar glanced sideways at them, the attendants immediately bustled about, guiding us to seats.
While the attendants prepared tea, the boutique’s apparent owner approached us with an awestruck smile.
“Ah… Greetings, Your Grace. I am Barin Mahidil, owner and designer of Mahidil Boutique.”
“First, bring clothes suitable for a boy around seven years old.”
“Yes! Your Grace!”
The staff moved with such military precision I nearly mistook the boutique for an army barracks. Soon, attendants lined up before us, displaying the clothes they’d brought—all of them looked exquisitely luxurious.
“Pack all those clothes, and add thirty new coats and tailcoats to be sent to Blake Duke’s estate.”
“Th, thank you, Your Grace!”
“Now, bring out dresses suitable for my wife.”
“We’ll prepare them immediately!”
The attendants truly brought out garments right away—though since they were dresses, they were displayed on mannequins.
Sikar looked at me as if granting a favor and said,
“Is there anything you like?”
He was giving me a chance to choose. The more, the better for me—especially since it’s not even my money.
“A, all of them—I like them all.”
Sikar instructed them to take all five, and while the attendants packaged the clothes, I whispered to Sikar,
“I think you should buy me about thirty dresses too.”
“I’ve already bought dozens of dresses for you to wear this winter at the Duke’s estate. Do you really need thirty more?”
Sikar’s expression hardened.
Did I ask for too much? He’s rich—why does he look so stern over just thirty dresses?
Sikar sighed again as if utterly exasperated, then said something that stunned me.
“Do you want to impress me that badly? Enough to want thirty more dresses you’ll never even wear?”
Huh?
Without even glancing at my bewildered expression, Sikar sighed alone and shook his head.
“Your efforts to impress me are admirable, but I’m not someone swayed by such things.”
There’s no cure for delusion—and this level is a serious illness. Maybe sending Sikar to the Reper Grand Temple would fix him.
Anyway, Sikar went ahead and ordered thirty additional dresses while saying such nonsense.
In the returning carriage, I asked Sikar something I hadn’t had time to think about earlier due to the commotion.
“Sikar. I’ve never seen it in the novel, but has no one ever liked you before?”
Is that why you’re misunderstanding things like this? That’s what I really wanted to ask. As far as I know, in the novel, everyone feared Sikar—no one actually liked him.
So you must be misunderstanding things just because I cried at your death scene.
“You seem to want to be the first, but unfortunately, you’re not. There was someone who truly adored me.”
Was that so…?
“I see. It wasn’t in the novel, so I didn’t know. But you used past tense…?”
“Because they’ve now become a star in the sky.”
What? Sikar had such a backstory?
Sikar gazed distantly out the carriage window as if recalling fond memories and said,
“They were a fool who knew only me—just like you are now.”
I don’t know only you—I wish you’d just disappear! Seriously, where does he get the idea that I know only him?
Whether I was making an incredulous face or not, Sikar remained lost in sentimentality as he continued,
“They never went a single day without following me around. Every time they saw me, they couldn’t help wagging that little tail excitedly.”
Huh?
“Every morning upon waking, they’d always lick my face, and before sleeping, they’d always try to claim my side.”
I’ve been baffled by this man more than once since coming here, but today truly set a new record.
In the novel, Sikar hated humans because he believed trusting them only led to betrayal.
Thus, the only beings he ever opened his heart to were animals.
Is that why he doesn’t react negatively to my supposed ‘affection’ for him?
So he sees me as a pet dog! Or maybe a pet human?
Once again, even while seeing my dumbfounded expression, Sikar said something that stunned me.
“So you’re disappointed you’re not the first?”
“Do I seriously look disappointed to you?”
Apparently, Sikar clearly cannot read human emotions—even if he sees facial expressions. He can only read memories, not feelings. Otherwise, he couldn’t possibly say such things after seeing my expression!
“If you truly wish it, I might give you the last spot—provided you outlive our Happy.”
What nonsense! I don’t need such a ‘last spot’!
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
