Synopsis and Starting Chapter Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90 - Light And Shadow>
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95
Chapter 96
Chapter 97
Chapter 98
Chapter 99
Chapter 100
Chapter 101
Chapter 102
Chapter 103
Chapter 104
Chapter 105
Chapter 106
Chapter 107
Chapter 108
Chapter 109
Chapter 110
Chapter 111
Chapter 112 - The Morning Comes>
Chapter 113
Chapter 114
Chapter 115
Chapter 116
Chapter 117
Chapter 118 - After The Storm
Chapter 119
Chapter 120
Chapter 121
Chapter 122
Chapter 123
Chapter 124
Chapter 125
Chapter 126
Chapter 127
Chapter 128
Chapter 129
Chapter 130
Chapter 131
Chapter 132 -
Chapter 133
Chapter 134 - Epilogue 1.3
Chapter 135 - Epilogue 2.1: Traces Of Life
Chapter 136
Chapter 137 - Epilogue 2.3
Chapter 138
Chapter 139
Chapter 140
Chapter 141 - Epilogue 4.1: Ever After>
Chapter 142 - Epilogue 4.2
Chapter 143 - Epilogue 4.3
Chapter 144 - Epilogue 5.1>
Chapter 145 - Epilogue 5.2
Chapter 146 - The Most Romantic Weekend>
Chapter 147 - Short Stories 1.2
Chapter 148 -
Chapter 149 -
Chapter 150 -
Chapter 151 -
Chapter 152 -
Chapter 153 -
Chapter 154 - Short Stories 3.1: Unexpected Things Happen>
Chapter 155 - Short Stories 3.2>
Chapter 156 -
Chapter 157 -
Chapter 158 -
Chapter 159 -
Chapter 160 -
Chapter 161 - Short Stories 5.1: The Man Behind The Mask>
Chapter 162
Chapter 163
Chapter 164 -
Chapter 165 -
Chapter 166
Chapter 167 - Short Stories 6.2
Chapter 168 - Short Stories 6.3
Chapter 169
Chapter 170
Chapter 171
Chapter 172
Chapter 173
Chapter 174
Chapter 175
Chapter 176
Chapter 177
Chapter 178
Chapter 179
Chapter 180
Chapter 181
Chapter 182
Chapter 183
Chapter 184
Chapter 185
Chapter 186
Chapter 187
Chapter 188
Chapter 189 (End)
Categories Genre: All, Completed, Fantasy Status: Completed ______
Total Chapters in book: 189
Estimated words: 290059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1450(@200wpm)___ 1160(@250wpm)___ 967(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 290059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1450(@200wpm)___ 1160(@250wpm)___ 967(@300wpm)
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LIST OF LAST 10 CHAPTERS:
Page No. 189 Page No. 188 Page No. 187 Page No. 186 Page No. 185 Page No. 184 Page No. 183 Page No. 182 Page No. 181 Page No. 180 Page No. 179 Chapter 56
Chapter 56:
“Fiancé?”
My heart felt funny.
A fiancé. I remembered hearing about how Lucretius had many fiancés in the past. He even said he had a wife who he ended up killing. She tried to kill him, so he killed her instead.
I imagined different women standing next to Lucretius. I didn’t know why, but my heart felt heavy. Why?
I asked in an attempt to hide my feelings, “You said you had many fiancés. Which one was she?”
“She was my first. She was also the only one I thought was worthy. She would have made a great empress.”
“… really?”
First fiancé. Perfect empress material.
I felt cold, but I continued to chat casually.
“That’s too bad. If you married her, she would have been a great ally for you in this fight against the dowager empress.”
“That’s true.” He nodded in agreement.
“…”
Why did I feel this way? I felt… upset. The fact that I dolled up to come here made me feel angry.
I asked with a bright smile, “Then why don’t you make her your empress now?”
He smiled smoothly and shook his head.
“That’s not possible.” What he said next made me freeze. “She is dead. She was assassinated a month after our engagement announcement.”
This didn’t make sense. He was talking about such a horrible event, yet his voice was so calm and even light.
He continued calmly, “We could never prove who ordered it, but we pretty much know who did it.”
I murmured, “Dowager empress Katleyanira…”
He nodded again.
“Exactly.” He smiled beautifully. “But I am thankful to Katleyanira for that. Because of it, the dowager empress ended up with an incredibly powerful enemy, while I gained the greatest ally: Cornelius.”
I got goosebumps.
The death of a girl, especially someone who would have been his wife, didn’t seem to affect him at all.
What a cold, heartless man.
I sometimes forgot what he really was. He was a murderer. He killed his wife and his father.
Now, I learned his fiancé’s death didn’t mean anything to him.
Lucretius continued, “Isabella, my first fiancé, was the daughter of Cornelius’ first son, who died. Isabella’s mother died, too, so Cornelius raised her by himself with love.”
I remembered when Cornelius supported Lucretius in front of the dowager empress on that fateful day.
Lucretius continued, “I became engaged to her at the age of 18. She was a year younger than I. She was known for her beauty and intelligence, so I had no complaints.”
I tried my best to stop my voice from trembling.
“And she was murdered?”
“Yes. Cornelius was so heartbroken he left his chancellor position for three years.”
“But he came back.”
Why?
His smile broadened.
“I like how you are so quick when it comes to things like this. You are so slow in some things, but not this.”
What was he talking about?
Lucretius continued, “By the time my third engagement ended in disaster, I visited Cornelius and convinced him.”
I could guess how he did it. There was only one thing these two men had in common.
A need for revenge.
I felt cold as I looked up at him. Lucretius smiled at me, and I knew I got it right.
He added, “I ended up losing my first fiancé, the second most perfect woman for the position of an empress, but with that, I gained Cornelius’ dedicated support. I would like to think it was a good deal.”
Second most perfect woman? Then there was a better woman than her?
This was a man who called his fiancé’s death a “good deal”, yet what I worried more about at this point was the fact that there was another woman he thought of with high regards.
What was wrong with me?
I forced myself to keep my voice light.
“Congratulations.”
“For what?”
“For a good deal. I agree that having the chancellor as your ally is definitely worth your sacrifice, so I guess congratulations are in order.”
I sounded awkward.
He looked at me strangely.
“Sacrifice?”
“Yes. She was your fiancé and you said she was perfect for the empress position. If she had survived, she would have been a great shield for you against the dowager empress.”
He looked oddly at me and replied, “It’s true if Isabella became my empress, I may have been able to bring down the dowager empress quickly, but I would have had to fight my own empress afterward for the ultimate power. For me, this current situation is better, I think.”
I said to him calmly, “And that is why I congratulated you.”
He frowned.
“This is strange…” My mouth felt dry. I wanted a glass of water, but I couldn’t ask him for it. He continued, “You are acting very strange.”
I glared at him and replied, “I’m acting perfectly normal.”
“No, normally, you would have criticized me or say something twisted. The Bina I know would have said something sarcastic.”
He said my name, which made me shiver. It felt like he stabbed my heart. What was this feeling?
He patted my cheek slowly, then placed his finger on my lips.
His face came close to mine and I couldn’t move at all. I had no will to run or refuse him.
Thankfully, he didn’t kiss me again. He whispered to me in my ear.
“Are you not feeling well?”
“…”
“Hmm?”
My body burned.
***
I knew Lucretius was an obsessive man. Once he wanted something, he would pursue it to the end. Because of this, his behaviors often concerned me.
“Now that I think about it, you seemed pale when you first entered this room.”
His forehead touched mine. When I felt his cool skin, I realized I was indeed very warm.
What is going on here!?
He didn’t care that I seemed flustered.
He stated, “You definitely have a fever.”
“N, no, it’s not like that.”
He now placed his hand on my forehead.
“Nope, you have a fever.” He also touched my neck and nodded firmly. “Your whole body is burning up. You’ve been working very hard lately. Are you overworked?”
At this point, I couldn’t even hear his words.
All I could do was stare at his chest.
This was the middle of the day. We were in his workplace. Lucretius was fully clothed, but I kept thinking about what he looked like underneath those silk and linen he wore.
His pale skin… What would it feel like to touch…
“Oh, no!”
My embarrassment took over my rationality. I tried to run away, but he hugged me tighter. His voice became very serious.
“What’s wrong?”
“Umm…”
My face burned.
What should I say? If I don’t give him a convincing answer, I knew he wouldn’t let me go.
I felt like my brain was melting. What should I tell him? I had to say something.
I couldn’t tell him the truth. I was imagining him naked! How could I tell him this?
I finally came up with something and stammered.
“T, the thing is…! My corset is too tight…! And that’s why I feel uncomfortable!”
“…”
He looked down at me quietly. He seemed to be considering my answer.
Fortunately, he accepted my explanation.
“I suppose it makes sense. Your waist did look much narrower than I remembered, so I was surprised.”
“…”
He always had to say something annoying.
I murmured, “Samantha and Agnes told me I needed to look my best since I will be seen by many. They tightened it much more than usual.”
He grinned.
“Then should I loosen it for you?”
“!!!”
Total Chapters in book: 189
Estimated words: 290059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1450(@200wpm)___ 1160(@250wpm)___ 967(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 290059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1450(@200wpm)___ 1160(@250wpm)___ 967(@300wpm)
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