The Archduke's Songbird - Chapter 16: Graceful Retaliation

Lacy was raised at a governmental school since the age of 9, now that she's 18, she is to be mated to an Alpha. The thing is, she already loves an Alpha, one whom she met on an online gaming platform.

A chilling air swept across the desert as a figure in a black cloak and obsidian crown walked toward the advancing army of House Elyria.With a raise of his hand, the sun turned black, plunging the battlefield into darkness. The wind ripped away the sand, revealing an ocean of skulls, and from it, thousands of undead surged, surrounding the army.Blood spilled, and with each death, the army grew—undead rising even before their bodies hit the ground. The figure stepped onto the shoulder of a massive giant, its molten eyes burning as it crushed entire squads with a single swing.As the black sun set, only the general remained. Kneeling, he glared.“You think this will go unanswered? House Elyria is one of the strongest forces on the continent!”The figure smirked. “Your House will answer soon enough. I’ll be visiting it tonight.”With a wave, the undead surged, swallowing him whole.--After his death in an accident, Roye awakens in the midst of a dark sacrificial ritual, surrounded by hundreds of lifeless corpses inside the body of Roye Valdrin—a disowned noble, the forgotten younger brother of a ruthless villainess, and the discarded ex-fiancé of a destined heroine.Worse yet, he has transmigrated into the world of Valoria, a dark fantasy realm where humanity began reclaiming its place on the surface only eight hundred years ago, after living underground for millennia with no idea why they were forced to hide in the first place.A world where gods and ancient emperors still influence the living from their graves.A world where politics run amok.A world where evil hearts and questionable morality lurk beneath a beautiful facade.Could he even survive in such a brutal world?Core Bloodline Acquired—Special Inheritance Gained: Apostle of Death.(Rank- Unknown)Roye doesn’t know if he will survive, but he knows one thing: he’ll do whatever it takes. Messing with the plot, killing main characters—nothing is off-limits.If the world wants to destroy him, he’ll burn it down first.

Sergeant Xia Yao, born into a wealthy and renown ancestry, is a playboy who has turned over a new leaf. Yuan Zong is an ex soldier from the special forces who opened a bodyguard training company after being discharged.

When Yuan Ru, Yuan Zong’s sister fell for Xia Yao’s charms, but could not break down his erected barriers, she came to Yuan Zong for assistance. Little did she know, the moment Yuan Zong saw Xia Yao, this ex-special force knew no other person would ever catch his eye.

And so begins the battle between brother and sister for the most coveted price – Xia Yao’s heart.

- Description from Novelupdates

So, I died. Face-planted on my keyboard after a 72-hour coding marathon. Very heroic. My one dying wish? To finally get some sleep.But the twist is : I got isekai'd. But I wasn't reborn as a legendary hero with a harem and a cheat skill. Nope. I'm a rock. A Dungeon Core, to be exact.My new job description is simple: create a terrifying labyrinth, murder heroes, and generally be a menace to society.Yeah, hard pass. That sounds like way too much paperwork. My new life goal is achieving a perfect 100-year nap.Luckily, I found a bug in the System—or maybe it's a feature? My unique “Slumber System” gives me way more XP (they call it Dungeon Points here) when adventurers take a nap than when I, you know, kill them. My assigned fairy guide, FaeLina, is having a non-stop panic attack about this. Apparently, “aggressive coziness” isn't covered in the Dungeon for Dummies handbook.So, I leaned into it. I started building the world's first 5-star dungeon resort, complete with fluffy moss beds that feel like clouds, a tea shop run by a friendly slime waiter, and pillows that hug you back. The place went viral. Knights come for the naps, mages for the therapeutic tea, and bards for the sweet, sweet content.The problem? My five-star reviews are tanking the property values of the 'Blood Pit' dungeon next door. I'm being forced into official Dungeon Tournaments where my ultimate weapon is a lavender-scented fog machine. And the stuffy bigwigs on the Fairy Council are starting to think my little “peaceful revolution” is a threat to their entire “kill-stuff-for-profit” business model.But the more I build, the more I realize this isn't just me being lazy. I'm uncovering an ancient, world-changing secret about why dungeons really exist, and it's a truth the gods themselves tried to bury.My name is Mochi, and my quest is to level up from a sleepy rock to the God of Dreams. My final boss isn't some dragon or demon lord. It's the original God of Combat himself.And I'm going to challenge him to a Nap Off for the fate of all reality.Who knew the path to ultimate power was this comfy?