Ashes of the Elite - Chapter 54: King Augustus Malik Part Six

Theodora is the Queen of Polis, a city-state that lost the war against the most powerful empire in the continent.

She is sure that they'll execute her immediately but, somehow, she survives the meeting with the Emperor, and she finds herself... Married?

Tossed in a new world without connections and allies, she has to either accept her fate or lose the chance to help her people once again.

She soon finds out that her new husband knows more about her than she does herself, and that his purposes are often far from what she expects.

A fallen queen that doesn't know how to be anything else. A handsome Duke who's the cause of her ruin. And their efforts to find some happiness in a marriage that's been forced on them.

WARNING: there are contents not suitable for a sensitive audience.

The smut scenes are half-censored at the beginning, but the amount and details will increase after a few dozen chapters (according to the Queen's mood .-. )

***

«I'm sorry for lying to you, your grace...»

«You're a Duchess. No one will dare to consider your words a lie: if you say that you were painting souls, then it's the truth.»

«I will remember it.»

«No, you have to understand it, Theodora. You're not a prisoner, but my wife. I'll protect you when you need it, and I'll help you with any issue you have. You're not just a Duchess in the name. You're my Duchess.»

«It's hard to believe in such a short amount of time.»

«For now, stop shaking like a chicken. I won't hurt you.»

***

In his previous life Bai Lang was a small star. He rejected his boss and stupidly engaged in a relationship which he thought was true love.

Balthazar was just a random giant crab enjoying his life in a fantasy world full of bothersome human adventurers, but then he had to go and accidentally discover the secret of attributes and levels. And also pie. With baked goods and coin as his new life goals, he turns to the competitive business of trading the random junk adventurers loot every day.Follow Balthazar as he does everything to find a baker... except leave his pond, because exploring the dangerous world out there is for suckers. Witness how adventurers just can't seem to stop dying around his home. And cheer for a crab who makes great new friends by simply buying them.Book 2 is out now, with new chapters every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, fresh off the bakery!What to expect from this story:- No harems, not unless they're a harem of gold coins.- Silliness, lots of it. The story doesn't take itself too seriously, so you shouldn't either.- The only kind of OP here is how “overpriced” the crab's deals are.- A system simple enough for a crab to use, but still conveniently complex when necessary, for some odd reason.- Proper realistic adventurers: they're not very bright, and they make very poor decisions.- Did I mention there will be pastries?

What does it feel like to be betrayed by the person closest and most trusted?Having been reborn, Hua Mi says that the first priority in surviving the apocalypse is to have sufficient supplies, stay away from the crowd and the White Lotus, and lay low until the end.Just as she rolled up her sleeves, ready to make a big effort, she suddenly activated a supermarket space and the Cashier System?!Tsk, why struggle in life when you can just stock up on goods and breeze through it?However, looking down at her increasingly large belly, Hua Mi carried baby formula in her left hand and a Chopper in her right.Where did this kid come from?!The plan had gone a bit awry, the first priority was to ensure the baby’s safe birth, and, to be wary of the man who kept staring at her belly every day.Man: Honey, why do I feel like you're getting fatter recently? You look like you're pregnant.Hua Mi: It's not like...