"You're just my tool. Know your place." It's her duty to follow her master's command. Even at the risk of injuring herself or losing her mind. It's his right to make use of her cold-heartedly. Even discarding her when she had become useless. She was a bird trapped inside a gilded cage, slowly losing her mind in the process. He was the heir of the country, regretting things he had lost in the process of power chasing. Could she ever be saved? Could he get back what he had lost? A love story between an antagonist and a side character. Melancholic Sword Apprentice (hidden shape-shifter) × Cunning Cold-hearted Master of Ivory Manor
"How can I help you?"
A weathered middle age woman greeted the two men in front of the door of her house reverently. She knew just from their appearance that they were people of importance. People she dared not offend. The two men held themselves with pride, their clothes were made from the best material. The swords they carried were no doubt crafted by the most skillful master.
Among the two men, the man in gray asked, "Is someone living you, madam?"
The weathered woman quickly shook her head. "No, sir. No one is living with me. My husband was long gone. Lost his life fighting in some scramble."
"You're living alone in such a large place yourself?" the man in gray asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
It was indeed a large place to live in. There were at least two courtyards inside the bricked wall. It was a living place for families with some money. It was not a surprise the gentlemen grew suspicious, the woman in front of them wore an old, weathered cotton dress. Not a single piece of jewelry adorned her hair.
The weathered woman must have realized that and she quickly added, "My husband left this to me. He came from a modest family. I can't bear to leave the only thing my husband left me." She added in a sob for good measure.
This seemed to clear the confusion the man in gray had. He nodded sympathetically at the old woman. This place was situated in a farming village, it must be hard to find a job not related to farming at this place. No wonder she seemed so poor.
"Madam, is there a young woman who has recently moved to this village? Around this tall." His hand moved to around his shoulder.
"A young woman? Not that I know of."
"I see. Thank you for your help, Madam." The man in gray eyed the man next to him carefully. The man in gray hung down his head dutifully and stood silently.
The woman understood instantly. The man in gray was working under the man in blue. The man in blue was the master. The master, however, was not looking at either his servant nor the middle age woman. He was admiring the courtyard in front of him. He looked like a nobleman on a field trip to the countryside.
Finally the master's attention returned to the woman standing reverently in front of him.
"Madam, you have a beautiful home." The man in blue smiled. "Especially that peach tree." The top of the tree he was referring to peeked above the walls. The tree's blossoms flutter around in a magnificent way.
"Oh yes, that tree has been around forever, " the woman replied in pride. "It's the best in this village. No, around this area."
"Do you mind letting me take a closer look? It has been awhile since I saw peach blossoms this beautiful." The man in blue smiled innocently.
Liar, the man in gray thought. Master had a huge peach tree in his courtyard.
"Well..." the woman in front of them stuttered for the first time since they met her. She avoided their glances for a moment, but that was enough. She looked as if she had something to hide. "Well, that's not very convenient, sir. See I'm just a woman living alone. That's not good for my reputation, letting random people inside my house."
"A ribbon, " the man in blue said softly.
"Pardon?"
"A ribbon is floating at the top of your tree. Madam, don't tell me you climbed up there and tied it yourself." The man in blue was still smiling gently, but something sharp hid behind his eyes.
"That's... my nephew. What a naughty boy. It must be that time when my sister over the next village brought my nephew here." She laughed boisterously, but something was off. It sounded fake.
That was then a sound echoed from inside the house. The woman froze.
"Madam, you said you lived alone. Maybe a thief sneaked inside your house. Let Janus here take a look for you."
The man in gray, Janus, nodded once and walked towards the front door.
"No!." The woman placed herself in front of the door.
"Don't worry, Madam. I will explain for you. There might be a thief in your house." The master's smile remained innocent and gentle, but then it changed to something else. "Or are you hiding something? Someone? A fugitive maybe?"
"No, that's not it, sir." She shook her head vigorously.
"Then why are you declining our help, Madam? You're acting very weird. That's quite a huge noise."
"It's just the wind! Must be the wind!" Then the same noise echoed out again. The woman's face turned visibly whiter.
"That didn't sound like the wind. More like someone pulling on a chain." All smile disappeared from his face.
The woman's face turned ashen.
"If you don't move away, Janus will use force."
"Sir, it's... it's just my niece. She... she is not quite right in her head. I'm really not hiding a fugitive."
"You're a retired servant from Ivory Manor. You have no family member left, your husband who worked under Ivory Manor was killed on a mission. You don't have a sister, let alone a niece."
The woman, Joanne, began to shake in fright. "Who... who are you?"
"This is Lord Carlisle of Ivory Manor." Janus showed Joanne a jade plaque with the ensign of Ivory Manor. "So I suggest you to say the truth."
Joanne once worked for Ivory Manor, so she recognized the ensign at an instant. She also knew that the higher the status one was within the Manor, the more precious the plaque was made of.
"Lord?" she widens her eyes in shock. "Lord Carlisle? Please accept my apologies, my lord. I don't mean any offend."
"Who are you hiding?"
Joanne knew she shouldn't say anything, especially the truth of who she was hiding. But, this is Lord Carlisle, the next Duke of Cregan.
"I ask you one last time, Joanne." Carlisle smiled coldly. "Who are you hiding?"
Rumors of the brutalities of Lord Carlisle flashed in her mind. She gave in in the end.
"A... a member of Ivory Manor. She really is not right in the head, my lord."
"Her name, " Carlisle demanded through clenched teeth.
"Arina."
Carlisle had already stopped listening. He walked past Joanne and disappeared into the depth of the courtyard.
After searching the whole kingdom for half a year, Lord Carlisle of Ivory Manor finally found who he was searching for.
Four girls found themselves in an unfamiliar world. Four different tales weave together to form one thread of fate... A flutter of the wings of a butterfly, what will they encounter? Story 1: Art college student vs Sickly lord -------------- Plain version: This is a chronicle of four inter-related tales about girls transmigrating to a fantasy world. Adventures and romance ensured.
Sassy university student turned Maid × Saintly Mysterious Royal Sorcerer I am a normal university student. When I opened my eyes from my nap, I became a side character in the novel I read. Ianthe: "Wait didn't this character die in the last chapter? I have to avoid my death no matter what! This silver haired gentleman who rescued me, do you need a maid?" Follow Ianthe's life to avoid her inevitable death while studying to be a top sorceress! *A standalone novel. Set in the same universe as Diary of a Reborn Queen and Gilded Cage.
Introverted Queen vs Ice King. At twenty, I died as I watched my country burned to ashes. When I opened my eyes, I am sixteen again. The first thing I plan to do is breaking off my engagement with Prince Sebastian. "Let's break off our engagement. I don't want to be Queen anymore. You don't like me anyway." This is my life as a reborn queen. Also in the same series 'Reborn as a Sea Nymph', 'Gilded Cage'.
Life was a bed of roses for Debra, the daughter of Alpha. That was until she had a one-night stand with Caleb. She was sure he was her mate as determined by Moon Goddess. But this hateful man refused to accept her. Weeks passed before Debra discovered that she was pregnant. Her pregnancy brought shame to her and everyone she loved. Not only was she driven out, but her father was also hunted down by usurpers. Fortunately, she survived with the help of the mysterious Thorn Edge Pack. Five years passed and Debra didn't hear anything from Caleb. One day, their paths crossed again. They were both on the same mission—carrying out secret investigations in the dangerous Roz Town for the safety and posterity of their respective packs. Caleb was still cold toward her. But as time went on, he fell head over heels in love with her. He tried to make up for abandoning her, but Debra wasn't having any of it. She was hell-bent on hiding her daughter from him and also making a clean break. What did the future hold for the two as they journeyed in Roz Town? What kind of secrets would they find? Would Caleb win Debra's heart and get to know his lovely daughter? Find out!
Five years ago, Alessia La Rosa's life took a drastic turn when, suffering from memory loss, she wed to Dominic Carter under her grandfather's mysterious arrangement. But their marriage was a facade, bringing her only humiliation and heartache as Dominic showed no love, and she couldn't conceive. Upon discovering Dominic's infidelity, Alessia sought liberation through divorce. Yet, fate had more in store for her. Five years later, spurred by an anonymous email hinting at her lost child's whereabouts, she returns to the city with her twin babies in tow, determined to uncover the truth. As she navigates the tangled web of her past, a surprising twist awaits. Dominic, upon meeting her again, finds himself drawn to the woman she has become, unaware of her true identity as his former wife. Little does he know, the woman he's falling for is not only his ex-wife but also a powerful Doctor and Master Hacker.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
"Mr. Evans, please maintain some dignity. Don't forget I'm your brother's wife!" Having caught her husband and best friend together in the bed, Elena wanted nothing more than to exact revenge on the people she once called family. She refused to be a pitiful divorcee and vowed to make everyone who had once looked down on her beg for forgiveness. And to start with her newfound freedom, Elena indulges in a one-night stand with a stranger. However, what was meant to be a fleeting escape turns into a nightmare when she learns that the stranger is none other than her husband's older brother! Would Elena be free from the shackles of her marriage? Or would the mysterious stranger make her life a living hell since he seemed to have a personal vendetta against his family? [The story is 18+ and involves mature content.]
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"