Ascendance of a Bookworm - Chapter 42 - Winter Handiwork

Rafael Callahan is a renowned Knight of the Castro Kingdom. After weeks out to fight against enemies and bring peace to the kingdom, Rafael returns to his estate where he meets the new maid Annalise Woods.Strange. Brazen. Bold. Three words he would use to describe Annalise. Love should be the last thing on his mind when the King, Tobias Castro, is requesting his help safeguarding the border, but Rafael finds himself drawn to Annalise.Annalise Woods is a maid for the Callahan household. Little is known about her family and her intentions for sticking close to Rafael. She had one goal when stepping foot in the Callahan estate, but soon finds herself intertwined with a man she should never love.Quiet. Annoying. Loyal. Three words she would use to describe Rafael. Annalise knew she should never return Rafael’s love because the moment he learned who she truly was, his gaze upon her would change.Tales of Castro Nobility story timeline order -The King’s Unbreakable WifeThe Knight’s Mysterious MaidThe Duke’s Masked Wife

Chen Tong is punished by a Demon God to go to each world to be various kinds of spirits, fortunately regardless of what to cross, he is good at using demon spirit magic, healing, prophecy, psychic, all kinds of strong flaunting off isn’t good.

Just like how everyone adored heroes in their childhood, a certain young man adored those powers hidden in shadows. After hiding his strength and living the mediocre life of a mob character by day while undergoing frenzied training by night, he finally reincarnates into a different world and gains ultimate power. The young man who is only playing at being a power in the shadows, his misunderstanding subordinates, and a giant organization in the shadows that gets trampled…. This is the story of a young boy who had adored powers in shadows possibly eventually reigning over the world of shadows in another world.

On their wedding night, she gnashed her teeth, yelling, “Your Highness, that’s shameless!”

Set off by the flickering light of red candles, he curved the corner of his mouth into a wicked grin, “Actually, I can be more shameless…”

…

When they met for the first time, he was the young prince who lived in his day of brilliance, while she was the pampered princess of the adjacent state.

When they met again, he became the crippled underdog suffering from frustration, while she became the lackluster hostage stranded in an alien land.

In his mid-life, he was defeated in the fight and had his legs broken; his wife passed away and he didn’t have anything left except his father’s detestation… After constant blows took the edge off his spirit, all he wanted was nothing but serenity.

In her teen-age, her state perished and her home lost; she lapsed into an awkward situation after being abandoned and having her marriage annulled… As endless hardships isolated her from happiness, everything she wished for was no more than peace.

…

“Lu Zhishan, when I first met you, I didn’t think I’d marry you…too old,” after years passed by, one day, she lay on his laps mumbling, with a kind of hazy beauty on her boozy face, “and lame.”

“Mu Nanzhi, you have the wrong memory. At our first meeting, I’m neither old nor limp.”

“…When was that?”

“When people were celebrating your first birthday,” that man assumed all gentleness and joy crept on his eyes and brows, “On that day, you were ‘drawing lots’ in the rear hall. I also sneaked there to have a look. But, out of my expectation, you directly grabbed my true-love knot.”

…

How vivid the red love pea is embedded in the exquisitely carved dice,

Just as my feelings for you deep in my bones.

- Description from Novelupdates