Xerox Zee : An Extra into a Novel - Chapter 31: The Bitter Truth!

The village girl who was close to death from illness was about to marry, and her suitor was a strong and hearty hunter.Having time-traveled to a poor and backward mountain village, she had resigned herself to the lack of three square meals a day, but was her new body already halfway into the grave? What's more curious was that someone still wanted to marry her despite being on her deathbed?Driven by curiosity, she went ahead with the marriage, eager to see who the unlucky sap was who'd lose his betrothal gifts and even the coffin money.Cradled in his arms, her body was thin as a rake, and she really wanted to ask him, “Husband, does holding me hurt your hands?”

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.»

***

Thousands of years ago, the great abilities of the three teachings of Buddhism, Daoism, and Demonism decided on a place for becoming immortal. Three thousand years ago, a Taoist was close to becoming immortal. Three hundred years ago, the Daqian Dynasty was established, and chaos is expected in another three hundred years. In this era, the path to immortality opens; a celestial swordsman freezes fourteen states with one sword, a heavenly Daoist maiden seeks eternal life, a naturally born Holy Son claims to be invincible, and a Buddhist Holy Monk saves all sentient beings.Gu Wen lives as a beggar, enters a household as a servant, witnessing the disordered world, drifting aimlessly.In a world filled with divine beings, he alone is a mortal.However, a lowly origin is not a disgrace; striving through the grand path, even as a common man and mundane son, he can still be the foremost in the world.“Mortal Gu Wen, my Dao is euqaling the heavens!”

In order to be loved, she changed her whole personality, but all she got in return was a cold husband and her unrequited feelings.Now that she lost her memories and went back to her old self, she's determined to never love again. She wouldn't let anyone trample on her anymore.But then, why is her husband coming back around again - turning over a new leaf and wanting to take her back so desperately?“You should know well by now, my beloved wife. Didn't you change yourself for love...?” he muttered vehemently, voice low and smoky.His unwavering eyes are blazing with passion and a deep sense of endearment that she'd never seen before. This isn't her husband at all - instead of cold, his gaze appears to be on fire.“The same goes for me... So, love me, love me not - you're going to take responsibility.”---Impassive, strait-laced, stiff and very compliant - that's how everyone sees Cassidy Eleanor. She's an underdog wife who's desperate to gain her husband's affection and would even sacrifice her own freedom. Coming from an unknown background, she was neglected by her spouse, persecuted by his family, and misjudged in her workplace.That's all until it came to a point when she already had enough. In an effort to flee from the clutches of a loveless marriage and all the obligations that were forced on her, she got herself a ticket and boarded a plane.Little did she know that a bombing incident would ultimately ruin her plan to start anew.Then, before she knew it, she woke up to find herself with a type of amnesia that caused her to forget everything that happened to her when she's past the age of eighteen-years-old.To be exact, Cassidy had gone back to her old self - right before she met her husband, Adrian Millicent.---Cold, distant, steely and iron-willed - that's how everyone sees the owner of the country's richest conglomerate. Adrian is known to be a prodigious figure in a variety of fields and commerce, a prestigious individual with billions of assets, and a man of outstanding achievements overall.He used to be the most-sought-after bachelor of the country, but only to get in an arranged marriage by his grandparent - with a woman of unknown origin, to boot. He really couldn't care less, though. After all, he never needed love to begin with.That's all until Adrian found this reserved and amenable wife of his acting like a wild and boisterous teenage girl one day.