Steel and Mana - Chapter 181 – Dukes’ Dinner

He was an addict, a loser, a despicable human being.

The woman who lost everything and the man who can have anything he wants… united by revenge.Anna Hyde was a devoted wife, willing to do anything to make her husband happy—except give him a child. When he decides she is no longer useful, he demands a divorce while his family humiliates her and casts her out of their estate. To make matters worse, the only family she has left—her own aunt—disowns her, leaving her with absolutely nothing.Anna believes things can’t possibly get worse, but when it rains, it pours. Marienne, her husband’s mistress, tries to blind and kill her. But this time, luck is on Anna’s side. On the verge of death, she is saved by William Stark, a returning billionaire who offers her a new identity and the chance to take back everything that was stolen from her.With a new face and a new name, Anna is reborn as Chloe Dumas, ready to make those who wronged her pay.

Cairn is a prince who is already tired of ruling. Faced with an imminent coronation and an overbearing father, he wants nothing more than to drown his responsibilities in cheap liquor and poor decisions. With the help of his sister, he hatches a plan to escape the clutches of the throne once and for all. It all goes terribly wrong, and Cairn finds his priorities shifting in the face of unimaginable tragedy. The change of heart comes too late, however, and Cairn dies. He reawakens to find himself transported ten years in the past. He immediately begins to plan for the future, only to discover his killer has somehow followed him. To succeed, Cairn must unite the kingdom and discover the motivation of his killer, using as many tries as it takes. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++I exhausted pretty much every time loop story ever written and decided to write my own. You'll see a few similarities here between this story and some existing stories, at least initially. There's a lot of inspiration drawn from both MoL and Re:Zero, though in terms of pathos and darkness, this story leans more towards the latter. Be warned, it is something of a slow burn. The main character will grow and become powerful, but a theme of this story is that power comes slowly and often at great cost.

SynopsisElian was once a healer—a rare one. His body fluids could cure any wound, and because of that, he was treated not as a person, but as a tool. Abused and violated by both men and women in his own guild, Flameborne, he endured unspeakable horrors in silence. In their final battle against the Demon Lord, they abandoned him like discarded trash.But death was not the end.The gods took pity. Reborn as Caelan Virelith and blessed by a goddess, he awakens in a new world with a powerful gift: the ability to form Essence Links—magical bonds forged through intimacy that unlock skills, power, and potential. Still a healer, but no longer powerless, Caelan begins his journey not only to grow stronger, but to hunt down those who broke him... and make them kneel.This time, he decides who gets saved.--Content Warning:This story contains mature themes, including sexual content, abuse, and revenge. It is intended for readers 18+ only. Reader discretion is advised.