MTL - Cub Keeper - Chapter 94 budding

A conversation with a handsome stranger leaves Ariane chained in a cellar with a strange affliction. She soon discovers that the darkness of the nineteenth century’s Deep South hides many dangers. Mages, wolf shifters and the humans who hunt them play a risky game where to stumble is to die, all under the amused gaze of the apex predators of the supernatural world: vampires.

It is never healthy to attract the gaze of the aristocracy of the night. It takes much to survive in this merciless world, but Ariane will not let that deter her. The southern belle has a bite, and she is willing to learn and to grow in this hostile new world. She will use whatever means necessary to reclaim her freedom, be it guile, charm, or those intriguing new instincts that make blood so delectable.

This is a story of vampires as I believe they should be, with their strengths and weaknesses, with their remnants of humanity and the beast inside. Updates every Friday. Mind the tags.

Cover by Antti Hakosaari: https://www.artstation.com/haco

Special thanks to Svensonsen for getting me started, as well as Omi Nya, Hesketh, Rhaegar, Yaksher, Selkie and Raven for proofreading my stuff. Thanks to my patrons and you dear readers, for the support. I could not do it without you.

Journey is on Amazon, both in ebooks and audio. here is a link to the first one:

https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B08DK6G8Y8

The story probably exists in your local marketplace as well of I can tempt you.

[IT'S NETORI, not the disgusting Netorare]COUGH Since our lazy author-nim is a bit... let's say, challenged in the synopsis-writing department, I'm stepping in. Sigh... now he's making me do his job too... X(Let's hope he can at least complete my story.Anyway, I'm Lucian, a 35-year-old guy with a rare disease that's cutting my time short. But here I am, working till my last breath sigh.*KNOCK*Oh, a guest! Gotta be quick—can't keep a lady waiting. So, after I kicked the bucket, I woke up in a body that kinda looked like mine but not really. Turns out, I'm on a flipped planet ruled by women. And guess what? I'm married to a cold and crazy ya#SPOILER#. My new mom? Total #SPOILER#. Then I *CENSORED* her right in *BEEP* of my new dad.To get stronger, I need to travel to #SPOILER#. Instead of a cool system, I got a useless b... *BANG* (gunshot).Due to health related issues, Lucian will be taking off, and the author will continue from here...“Kyaaa!! The patient died from a gunshot!”Don’t worry, Doc. He was on borrowed time anyway. So, let’s talk about what this story has.“B-But, he still had a few months to—”*BANG*So, here's what you can expect: Revenge, mystery, a bit of comedy, an overpowered MC (maybe), all the deredere, milfs a lot of them, wince... *COUGH*, hacking, a hero, a villain, manipulation, crime and a lot more.What you won’t find here: NTR, Yuri, a girlfriend, a job?, etc.Now, the serious stuff. This story aims to keep things light and happy but will have its fair share of sad and rage moments. Alright, that's it for now; I need to go, or we might actually lose our MC before the story even starts...For those who prefer to keep things PG, feel free to skip the R-18 chapters. We understand, really! And for those who pride themselves on being ‘Men of Culture,’ get ready to savor the spice. Bon appétit!

I gave them my everything.My time… my strength… my heart.I trained while they slept.I smiled when they laughed.I stayed… even when it hurt.And what did I get?Nothing.They looked at me like I was pathetic.Like, I didn’t belong.Like I was… less.But I... the naive person I am, continued trusting them.They told me to act like trash, fine—I became trash.They told me to act like a scumbag, fine—I played the role.However...One mistake, one single moment...That’s all it took.And they threw me away.But now…Someone else woke up in my body.A stranger, a man who doesn’t know the pain I suffered, but wears my face.Let’s see what he does with it.Because me?I’m done with this life, so to the soul who took over my body...This is your mess now…'Gray'.

“I don't want to die anymore, so I'll aim to be the strongest――!”After being stabbed by a random attacker, he was reincarnated in Japan, a place where 'demons' like yokai and monsters exist――and moreover, he was born into a family of 'exorcists' who exorcise these monsters!Exorcism is an important job that involves killing monsters, but it is also a dangerous job where people can die.Therefore, he――Itsuki, made a decision.In order to never die again, he would become strong.He aimed to be the strongest and practiced magic tirelessly since he was a baby――until he realized.“Huh? Isn't this too much?”This is the story of an exorcist who, despite being an ordinary person, became the strongest without realizing it due to excessive effort.