A Stepmother's Marchen - Chapter 19

Once feared as the Queen of Shadows, Eydis now faces her greatest humiliation: high school.Stripped of her magic, her kingdom, and (most insultingly) her dignity, she’s stuck in the body of a weak, whiny teenager with no power, no allies, and no money. And her terrifying familiars? Complicated. Her new greatest adversary? The Maths teacher.And we certainly can’t forget about that giant, pulsating eye watching from the heavens (debatable), ominously known as… The Eye… (I know, right?) that threatens to tear apart her new reality.But one thing Eydis hasn’t forgotten: shadows always trail after you.The real question is whether she’ll stand in them once more as their queen… or be swallowed by them, piece by piece.“Royal Reboot: Level Up, Your Majesty!” - a comedic dark fantasy where nothing is as it seems and every choice could be her last.A/N: Action/Romance/Slice of Life/LGBTQChapter updates weekly, weakly.While the story has a comedic undertone, darker themes are presented.

“I’ve been possessed into the controversial makjang drama ‘Gwangin’ (The Lunatic). Of all roles, I’m the omega secretary to an alpha with omega-phobia. It’s hard enough hiding my identity, but I’m also in charge of all sorts of annoying tasks: managing the protagonist’s diet, wardrobe, and house; coaxing and soothing the beta he loves. My goal is to survive until the ending where the protagonist meets the strange beta who thinks even his obsession is love, leading to a happy ending… I think I smell an omega somewhere.’ ‘That’s… impossible.’ If I speak carelessly, I die. If I mess up my work, I die. If I run away, I die. And if the fact that I’m an omega is revealed… I really die. ‘Right. It shouldn’t be possible, but that’s why I feel so f*cking awful, Secretary Kim.’ Will I be able to make it back alive…?”

Rael screwed up badly. One reckless gamble later, and his guild's entire emergency fund was gone. With debt collectors ready to harvest his organs, his only hope was a single, desperate gacha pull.Ding![Congratulations! Player: Quarterpounder69 has obtained the (Divine) Grade item, Eye of the Beast!][Divine Grade item obtained! All Stats +250][First Divine Grade item obtained! All Stats +100][New title unlocked! [Heavenly Attraction] (Divine)]With no other choice, he consumed the item—only to be thrown into a situation no player had ever faced before.[To ensure fairness, please select a random number. This will determine which boss monster variation you become.]'Uh, I don't fucking know? 69... hmm, maybe not...'[Confirmed.]'Wait—'[Congratulations! You've chosen the Special-Type Boss Monster Variation: The Pay-to-Win Boss.][Congratulations! You've become a Boss Monster!]Armed with broken perks like [Premium Leveling], [Premium Evolution], and [Premium Shop], Rael was thrust into the world of the VRMMORPG game he had been playing.The issue was, he went back in time, specifically, 150 days before the launch of version 1.0.

“You are offering me a marriage of convenience, but princess… there's nothing convenient about me.”

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Izabelle had underestimated the fire she thought she was going to play with tonight. But how could she ever have foreseen that the man she had happened to come across with does not play with just a small fire, but a whole inferno?

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Excerpt:

“You going through this marriage with me might as well be like you digging your own grave. Because the moment you start to want more from me, I will divorce you. And the moment you break your promise and try to fight me… I will ruin you and break you apart completely. Mercilessly. You will regret ever meeting this devil tonight.” His threat was given in the same soft but cold voice.

But Elle did not even flinch. Her gaze never faltered either. This man was ruthless, and she knew that clearly. His eyes that moment promised nightmares and darkness without any promise of respite.

But no matter what he says now, it would still not change her decision. She truly had no other choice.

“I understand now…” she said quietly, steeling herself. “Since you don't trust that I will keep my word, how about we do this? You prepare the divorce documents beforehand now and I'll sign it. That way, once you decide to divorce me in the future, the papers would already have been signed and there would be no way I can trouble you about it. You would just need to send it to the lawyers and have it notarized.”

A heavy silence reigned before his quiet disbelieving laugh broke the silence.

“I'm at a loss for words, Princess Izabelle.” He looked wickedly amused. But then he started nodding in approval. “Fine, princess. I will marry you.”