Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World - Chapter 17: Managing the Capital

That afternoon, Roland received the most absurd gift imaginable—his stepmom handed him a System literally.That’s right. Not a game console. Not money. A real, cheat-like System... the kind usually reserved for transmigrators and chosen ones.Except Roland had transmigrated eighteen years ago, and nothing remotely “chosen” had ever happened since—until now.The catch? It wasn’t just any System. It was the “Mother's Little Tasks” System, formerly owned by his doting (mysterious) mother. And its first mission?[Mission: Go on a blind date.][Target Options: Yukino Yukio (Mom), Yukino Haruno (Elder Sister), Yukino Yuki (Younger Sister).][Warning: Once locked, your chosen girl can never marry anyone else.][Reward: 1000 Points, one self-selected supernatural ability from Mall]Roland: “...What kind of twisted matchmaking app did I just inherit?”After reading the mission, Roland was stunned. An arranged romance at 18 was already bad—but a binding rule that prevented the chosen girl from marrying anyone else? What if he failed the mission? Would she be alone forever?“And this is supposed to be a System?”“Mom! What the hell is this mission?” Roland asked, his face darkening.“It finally triggered! All those Points I spent transferring the System weren’t wasted,” his mother replied cheerfully, ignoring his outrage.“You set this up? Why?”“You’re nearly an adult and you’ve never even dated. Of course I’m worried.”“I’m only eighteen! I have college entrance exams next year!”“Exams don’t matter. But youth without love isn’t youth at all.”“...Is that something a mother should say?” Roland muttered. Most mothers pushed their kids to study harder—his acted like grades were irrelevant.“What kind of mom does this to her own son? And why is Aunt Yukio even on the target list? That’s just insane!”“Well~, I don’t know what kind of girl you like. The Yukino family has all three types—mother, elder sister, and younger sister—so I gave you options.”

Emperor Ian Veroshion, the first noble mage, was betrayed and executed. Cursed to never be reborn, he awakens a century later as the illegitimate son of a disgraced ducal line, destined to be a hostage in a barbaric land. Stripped of his magic and his throne, he must navigate a world vastly different from the one he ruled, facing political machinations and a resurgent monster threat. But the embers of his past life still burn, and Ian will not surrender his legacy. He will reclaim his name, his magic, and perhaps, even his empire.

In this lifetime and every other, I promise to only be loyal to you. Even if I have to crawl back from Hell, I will do so gladly. Wow, you just broke all the cold CEO fantasies.

Like every romance novel, Yun Qian Meng faced the evil stepmother and negligent father. On top of that, she was arranged to marry a scum man who manipulated her, stole from her, and finally... killed her.

When she woke up, she found herself back at the top of the world. It was all a dream, she told herself and moved on... until the scum fiancé made an appearance.

Who was she? Yun Qian Meng. Twenty-five. Founder and CEO of a company worth billions of dollars. The world was at her feet. How dare this scum man think he was worth her?

“My fiancé wants to usurp my company? I’ll bury him alive.”

“My father wants to marry me off for his gain? I’ll find a husband he will never approve of.”

“Of course... He needs to meet my conditions first.”

Who would have known that her arch-nemesis, Mo Qingchen, would present himself in front of her as a potential suitor.

“Lunatic! I wouldn’t marry him even if he were the last man on Earth!”

Ants surrounded Mo Qingchen. He was twice as powerful as her. Twice as wealthy. And the conditions he was offering were top notch. He'd lit the fire and she swarmed to him like a moth to a flame.

“Well, a contract marriage never hurt anyone.”

She was looking for financial and social gain but she ended up on a path to finding herself and things she never knew she wanted.

The curtain rose. Shots were fired. The play began. The broken girl started her journey towards the woman she was destined to be.

All the world’s a stage. And a play is only entertaining when chaos ensues.

A powerless woman’s worst nightmare is marrying someone against her will. When those who are supposed to protect her betray her in the vilest of ways, Leonor is forced to marry a Duke known for his cold nature and repulsive appearance. After a miserable childhood, it shouldn’t have been a surprise to her that her future was never truly in her hands in the first place.Duke Desmond de Montclair was nobody before the war. He garnered the King’s favor by doing the impossible in battle. Unfortunately, any achievement is eclipsed by his appearance and unbearable personality. In a kingdom that idolizes beauty, there is no room for someone like him.At first, Leonor finds life with the Duke to be what she’s used to - walking on eggshells and never speaking what’s truly in her heart. Eventually, things slowly start to change as the Duke learns about the horrors she faced while living with her family. His power becomes the key to her revenge.However, in a moment where she feels cornered, Leonor confesses to the Duke that she’s in love with someone else. The progress she has made with the Duke comes crashing down around her.Will her magic abilities be enough to convince the Duke not to throw her out? If she can make herself useful to him, perhaps she can gain his sympathy somehow…