Nova Roma - Chapter 36 - Adapting to life in the city

Being second best is practically in my DNA. My sister got the love, the attention, the spotlight. And now, even her damn fiancé.Technically, Rhys Granger was my fiancé now—billionaire, devastatingly hot, and a walking Wall Street wet dream. My parents shoved me into the engagement after Catherine disappeared, and honestly? I didn’t mind. I’d crushed on Rhys for years. This was my chance, right? My turn to be the chosen one?Wrong.One night, he slapped me. Over a mug. A stupid, chipped, ugly mug my sister gave him years ago. That’s when it hit me—he didn’t love me. He didn’t even see me. I was just a warm-bodied placeholder for the woman he actually wanted. And apparently, I wasn’t even worth as much as a glorified coffee cup.So I slapped him right back, dumped his ass, and prepared for disaster—my parents losing their minds, Rhys throwing a billionaire tantrum, his terrifying family plotting my untimely demise.Obviously, I needed alcohol. A lot of alcohol.Enter him.Tall, dangerous, unfairly hot. The kind of man who makes you want to sin just by existing. I’d met him only once before, and that night, he just happened to be at the same bar as my drunk, self-pitying self. So I did the only logical thing: I dragged him into a hotel room and ripped off his clothes.It was reckless. It was stupid. It was completely ill-advised.But it was also: Best. Sex. Of. My. Life.And, as it turned out, the best decision I’d ever made.Because my one-night stand isn’t just some random guy. He’s richer than Rhys, more powerful than my entire family, and definitely more dangerous than I should be playing with.And now, he’s not letting me go.

Deep below the earth's surface, a mystifying subterranean seascape lurks, an archipelago bathed in inky blackness where suspense and horror hold court. Here lie strange islands and even stranger monsters, far beyond the realms of human imagination. In this domain, mankind is far from dominant; instead, madness and death rule supreme.

Pleading for mercy from the unknown creatures of the deep only leads to a slow, tortured existence. The trapped survivors gradually distort, losing what made them human, both physically and mentally, to the gloom as they remain trapped in this eternal obscurity. Their only hope? A perilous expedition into uncharted sea territories.

Fueled by determination, Charles embark on this daunting voyage aboard his steamship, aiming to reclaim humanity's past glory. Together with his crew, they sought a way out of this hidden sea world, a path back to the sunlit world above, where humans once stood tall.

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I read a few comments from Chinese readers that compared this novel with Lord of Mysteries because of similar elements: Lovecraftian, western fantasy, first industrial revolution, and steampunk. However, I have yet to finish reading Lord of Mysteries to do any actual comparison, but I do think those who have enjoyed that novel would enjoy this as well. Also, the author of LotM, Cuttlefish That Loves Diving, also did a shout-out for this novel, so I guess he approves of it too?

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Dear readers! Without any ads, maybe you will prefer .

This crossing is so strange, death crossing, game crossing, etc. are probably barely acceptable, but why can you cross even if the fish tank is broken?

and actually passed through the magic tree in “OVERLORD” that is said to be able to destroy the world?

No! It is sad enough to regenerate into a plant. The protagonist, Ainz Ur Gong, the undead king, has also accepted the adventurer’s guild mission and wants to kill me!

I want to change my destiny! Live! I want to-surrender!

Ainz: Since he has accepted the job commission from the Adventurer’s Guild, deliberate failure is detrimental to the prestige of Ainz Ul Christine (the “surrender” button has been deducted)

actually died as soon as he crossed, but there is still a chance to return~ from the beginning of the magic tree to this world.

I must change my destiny this time! Live!

- Description from novelbuddy

The eve of her sister's wedding, an accident happened, the responsibility her sister abandoned, should she bear it? She's not a professional scapegoat!“Um, it's my sister who wronged you, it has nothing to do with me.”“So, is there a problem with making you, her younger sister, repay the debt?”Faced with the man's dominance, May Morgan was on the verge of tears without shedding any.“But, we haven't had a chance to get to know each other yet!”“Then let's start getting to know each other now!”