It was just a fling.... more>>

"Why... haven’t you gotten married?"

"You already know the answer."

"Because of your father?"

"Yeah. I never want to carry on the Lancaster bloodline."

What had happened between Dalia and Leonald—who had been longtime friends—was nothing more than a fleeting pleasure in an otherwise dull and exhausting life.

But they never should have started that dangerous game in the first place.

Because of her leech-like family who were no help at all, marriage had never even crossed Dalia’s mind...

"I'm pregnant, apparently."

"…What? What are you talking about? Pregnant?"

She had ended up carrying Leonald’s child— despite swearing never to bear the bloodline of the Lancaster dukedom.

A fling should’ve stayed just that—a fling.

She tried to handle it on her own,but unfortunately, there’s no such thing as a secret you can keep forever.

And so, one day, she was found out by Leonald.

"I’m going to have this baby, Lancaster."

Struggling to suppress her sobs, she took a deep breath.

"Don’t worry, I won’t be a burden to you. If you understand now, then please leave."

She desperately hoped not to come across as emotionally pleading,but she had already exhausted far too much emotion.

Dalia turned away from him.

For a long moment, silence hung between them.

But soon, Leonald parted his lips, his thoughts made up.

"No need for more arguments. Marry me, Dalia."

It was a proposal devoid of romance—cold and desolate to the core. <<less

“I’ll always be by your side.”... more>>

“Yevgeny, what did you just do to me…?”Lilien was poisoned to death at the age of 18 by her half-sister, Yevgeny.

Having returned to her 10-year-old self, she immediately begins to plot revenge.Unlike her previous life, she now actively—and at times cunningly—interacts with various people to build her power.So then, who is truly the power behind the imperial palace now?Is it the universally adored Yevgeny?

Or… is it the timid and cowardly Lilien Scha Kaliburg? 《As of Today, I’m the Power Behind the Throne》 <<less

On the day the sacred star 'Orphe' rises, a princess is born in the Dreat Empire.... more>>

'So... that's my dad? Ah... and I can't even undo this.'

The newborn princess is actually Erika, a witch who retains all her past life's memories.

"Her name shall be Roziana."

"Aung! Auwung??"

'Wait... what??'

Roziana! Did they seriously just name me after a carnivorous plant?!

"Aung! Aung! Auwuuung!!"

"Oh my, Her Highness seems delighted as well."

'No, I'm not!!'

Erika, the legendary 'Witch of the Central Region,' who lived for 200 years in her past life, makes a decision—if this is how it's going to be, she'll capture the hearts of everyone in power in the empire with her overwhelming cuteness!

But then—

"Summon a spiritist immediately! We must bless our beloved Rozi so she may grow up healthy."

Her ever-supportive mother is, of course, on her side.

"Rozi, don't be sick. If I could, I'd take your pain instead."

Her deep-hearted eldest brother, already melting hearts at thirteen, comforts her.

"If it's your wish, I'll do anything—just please, don't get sick, Rozi."

Her eight-year-old younger brother is already pledging loyalty like an easy target.

But that's not all—

"Her Highness the Princess is a Saint."

The Holy Kingdom insists on taking her away, claiming she is their saint.

"I am certain that Her Highness will find me a suitable fiancé."

The Tower Master appears, declaring himself her betrothed.

And then—

"Y-you... how are you here??"

Even her first love—and past nemesis—is in the imperial palace?!

"Rozi. If you come to me, there will be no need for innocent sacrifices."

Now, even the ruler of the Demon Realm has taken an interest in her.

Will Roziana be able to overcome these challenges and fulfill her mission of reviving her sisters? <<less

After a car accident, I woke up inside a novel. In the story, I became the saintess who was supposed to die instead of the main female character.... more>>

“But no way! I’m not going to sacrifice myself. I’ll live happily on my own!”

The problem was… this world was a dark and adult-rated one.

“Saintess! Hurry up and cry! That will make the believers give more offerings!”

The priests in the temple forced a child like me to act like a saintess, even though I had no holy power. They treated me like a s*ave.

And the temple was already full of corruption and evil.

So one day, I prayed with all my heart:

“Please, anyone! Just come and beat up these awful people!”

Then someone answered my prayer.

“What a cute wish.”

It was a demon!

—

The great demon Lilith gave me a holy weapon—a pork cutlet hammer—and with it, I took over the temple.

Smack!

“Don’t ever come back here again! Get lost!”

I beat up the priests who were abusing children,

Then gave money to the poor kids and sent them home safely.

“Lilith, you’re the best!”

After that, I started changing the temple into a place for Lilith.

But then, strange people started sticking to me.

“I-I want to stay with Elly!”

Even the main girl I kicked out wouldn’t stop clinging to me.

“Elly, you are my god now.”

A male lead I saved also started following me around.

“Elly, come to me. I’m better than Lilith.”

Now, even another demon is chasing after me!

But seriously… I only want Lilith. That’s more than enough for me! <<less

The war hero of the Republic, the fallen former Crown Prince.... more>>

A man known by many titles in this cold war era after a long war.

Grand Duke Damias Eldéard of Sobek.

And the Atlantia spy, disguised under the alias ‘Riche Solion,’ who became the Grand Duke’s personal physician.

He, driven by instinct, approached her with suspicion.

She, determined to shatter that suspicion, set out to captivate him.

It was about time to end it.

This hunting game, so much like love,

would end with defeat for the first one whose feelings became real.

* * *

"How about switching over to me instead of that man?"

The calm, sunken voice caught her.

"What is your answer, Doctor?"

As his thumb pressed against her lips,

a small gap slowly opened, letting her breath escape.

The hot, tangled air swirled at the tip of her tongue.

"My answer is…."

Riche gripped the neat collar of his shirt.

The man let himself be pulled toward her without a hint of resistance.

As if he had been waiting for that very moment from the start. <<less

"It's been a while, Layla, my maid."... more>>

You were always an insolent maid to me.

You’re the wretched girl who gnaws at my memories and won’t let me go.

Leopold, the king’s abandoned illegitimate son.

With a desire for vengeance against the royal family, he assumed a false identity and returned as a war hero, in order to seize the throne.

Yet, whether what he sought was the throne or the audacious maid who ran away from him... even he himself couldn’t tell.

‘I'm the biggest fool here.

I was the one who loved you then, now, and in the future. I just couldn't let you go.’

Layla, daughter of a brothel prostitute.

To escape her miserable brothel life, she stole the identity of a noble lady.

‘Even if the love I sought with that stolen identity would consume me in flames, only God and I know that I could never let go until the end.’

***

"It's been a while, Layla. My maid."

It was a name he hadn't heard in nearly a decade. He had tried to forget it, tried to make it go away.

"It's been a while, Count."

Leopold Lear Edehardt, Count of Rhineland, illegitimate son of King Franz II, and Layla’s first love. It was a name she had never forgotten.

"How have you been doing? No, you should have been doing well. For a child who used to romp around in the brothel and then put on the pretense of heir to a dukedom, of course, you should have been well. Isn’t that right?"

It was a thin shell that could be peeled off at any moment. There was no Lady Hortensia of Orléans here. Standing before him was just Layla, the daughter of a brothel prostitute.

"It’s the life you chose for yourself, so naturally, you should have no regrets."

Leopold released Layla’s chin and puffed on his cigar. Her mouth went dry from his blunt words. It was hard to discern whether the look in his eyes was contempt or resentment.

"Yes... you were that kind of girl... daring and noble... Such a..."

As he muttered those unintelligible words, Layla, without thinking, asked,

"Have... you been well?"

Like an eagle snatching up its prey, Leopold turned his head. But then, he let out a laugh, as if in a daze. The laughter which seemed a bit hysterical and nervous, seemed like a mockery directed at himself.

"You were always like that, never even letting me hope. You always left me hanging, making me foolish and clingy."

The girl with an innocent face who didn’t smile. There was a time when he was desperate to catch even a trace of a smile on her face. And he was still stuck in those days. <<less