The Royal Deal - Chapter 168

Welcome! If you want to jump in without any spoilers, feel free. Otherwise, here's a story primer, with a list of more specifics on what to expect from my work further below.Our story follows a fallen knight haunted by his past, in a world afflicted by war and supernatural wounds. Alken is the Headsman of Seydis, an executioner tasked by the divine powers of his homeland to hunt dark sorcerers, warlords, and traitors of all varieties, lest they drag the world into calamity.Once a paladin, this role ill suits him. Forced to cross lines that shake his beliefs, tempted by dark forces, and seen as an ill omen wherever he wanders, his path is often a bloody one. The longer he spends in the shadows of his world, the more he comes to realize just how many have been disenfranchised by the existent order. During his lonely battles through a land haunted by the restless dead and ancient magics, his journey becomes increasingly strange and personal.Enter a realm where the dead stir in every shadow and brooding demigods wage a millennia long war for a ruined heaven, where blessed knights wield gilded flames and sorcerers battle with weapons forged of their own souls. Enter a world of faustian alchemists, of saintly demons, and of time-weary elves.From Oathbreaker you can expect— A setting heavily inspired by Forgotten Realms, Planescape, Fromsoft games, and authors such as Michael Moorcock and Kentauro Miura. — A first person POV from an older protagonist who already knows a lot about his world’s history and cultures, who shares this information with the reader as it becomes relevant.— A mix of action adventure and quieter moments where the focus is on character development. Lore is shared piecemeal, usually only as it relates to a particular arc or character beat.— A heavy focus on mystery, both with the setting and the protagonist. The main character’s backstory isn’t shared up front, and a lot of the narrative involves learning about him a bit at a time, either from his own narration or other characters interacting with him.— A semi-soft magic system where many mages manifest unique powers tied to their own soul, or gain unique powers through eldritch pacts.— Romantic elements. These don’t crop up much until later in the story.— A variety of supernatural beings, such as elves, vampires, gargoyles, chimera, and trolls. Many are familiar, some are not, and most of the familiar ones have my own twists put on them.—Nobledark fantasy. This means that the world is often themed around tragedy and horror, but it’s not dedicated to being gritty. There are elements of high fantasy intermixed with the scarier stuff.—Episodic arcs. Each story arc usually has a specific locale and antagonist or set of antagonists, but certain overarching plots tie them together.— A long running narrative. I don’t have a specific projection of how long or how many arcs or books, but you should expect this to be equivalent to a long running serialized work.This is my first web serial! I hope everyone enjoys it. For trigger warnings, readers should beware that there are some heavy topics in here. When I think something might upset certain readers, I’ll put a warning in the author notes above a chapter. If I miss or overlook anything, feel free to let me know in the comments! I am currently publishing the same story on my wordpress, which is linked below and in my profile. I release three chapters a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Thanks for reading!(I originally had a link to a wordpress, but I'm in the process of overhauling that space. It's not a priority since my readership is all here, but just in case anyone noticed and was wondering)

In a world where power reigns supreme, Zoey Monroe was born with nothing. Labeled “Mana-less” in a society of Hunters, she was the stain on the prestigious Monroe Family, a shame to one of Sunrow City's most powerful bloodlines. Ridiculed, ostracized, and treated as less than human, Zoey endured years of scorn.Until one day, at seventeen, she made a choice—to leave it all behind.Six months later, struggling to make ends meet in the city, Zoey’s life takes an unexpected turn. After another grueling day at work, she returns home, only to witness a dungeon rift tearing open behind her apartment.Drawn by curiosity—and the desperate hunger for change—she steps inside. But the dungeon is merciless. Death looms over her, suffocating, inevitable... until—[Enough Mana Has Been Accumulated!][Error! A mysterious system has already been bound to the host. Adjusting...][Ding! Installing the A Hundred Times System!]In an instant, Zoey's fate is rewritten. From outcast to overpowered, from weakling to warrior—the path to greatness has begun.This is her story.

In that life, Fan Qingyao was the daughter of a famous family, the successor of a miraculous doctor, and her medical skills were superb. But she poisoned the traitor Zhongliang, considered the thief his father, and threatened her relatives to seek power and seize the throne for him.

The whole family of my grandfather died without any body parts, and my brother was burned into a handful of ashes. Having been drained of all her value, she was thrown into the cold palace and died tragically under the boning knife in his hand.

When she opened her eyes again, she was back to when she was ten years old. People are still the same people, things are still the same, but Fan Qingyao vows to turn things around!

For her seriously ill mother, her wasted sister, and her nameless brother, she wanted to personally find happiness and health for them, and a bright future ahead of them.

Stepmother who dominates her mother’s status, since you love money, I will keep you in poverty for the rest of your life.

Partial father, if you like power, I will ruin your reputation!

You scumbag who deceived her, you love the throne, I will let you watch others sit on that chair!

My sister with a hidden smile, everything you like, I will crush it to pieces in front of you with my own hands!

In this life, relatives must be protected and enemies must be fought. Of course, revenge is not avenged in a day, and the road is not completed in one day.

However, as this road of revenge continues, one more person appears out of thin air! Your Highness, could you please give way?

- Description from novelbuddy

“The more the Holy See supports me, the more it means I am doing the right thing. The more the heretics oppose me, the more it means I am doing the right thing.”

“If even the heretics praise me, it proves that I did the right thing. If the heretics don’t say a word, it shows that I did something impeccable!”

“If the Holy See opposes me, it means that they have degenerated into evil heretics. The more the heretics oppose me, the more it means that I have done the right thing.”?

In 681, Ansu, the youngest Pope in the history of the Holy See, was crowned Holy Pope. He delivered a speech and gave important instructions for the subsequent de-deification work. Pope Anzu emphasized:

“And now both the Holy See and heretics are against me, which just shows that I am on the right path!”

…

685 years.

“It’s not that the evil god can’t be summoned, but it’s more cost-effective to choose him to take the stage.”

Sylvia, the former Saint of the Demon Tribe, commented this way.

As soon as these remarks came out, they instantly aroused the attention of all walks of life – the large-scale documentary “The Legend of Pope Anzu” will continue to be broadcast for you.

——

This is the story of a top evil player speeding through a fantasy world.

- Description from novelbuddy