I Level Up by Killing Gods - Chapter 54: The Price of Mercy

Reiji Saeki, who lives in the north eastern countryside town, lost his life in an accident during summer vacation. ……But before he knew it, a mysterious ball of light hovered in front of his eyes in a world of whiteness. That ball of light was a magician from a parallel world, and is looking for a person qualified to inherit the magic they had created to prevent it from being lost. Reiji, who rode on that suggestion, now lives in the parallel world Elgin, with a new body and powerful magical power.

Three Emperors have died in quick succession. The prince whom nobody had taken notice of unexpectedly succeeds to the throne. He is quickly plunged into layers upon layers of danger. The Empress Dowager dislikes him, wishing to install a younger, more obedient Emperor. His half-brother dislikes him, accusing him of stealing the throne that is rightfully his. The palace attendants and servants dislike him, believing that he is not a true Emperor. The Child Emperor must save himself.

CONTENT WARNING:/This novel contains mature themes, explicit sexual content, strong language, and adult situations. Reader discretion is advised./---She ran from the devil who raised her…And married the one who wore a crown.After her parents’ tragic death, Lydia Andreyevna’s life became a nightmare. Stripped of her name, inheritance, and freedom by her uncle—Lord Alexander—she was treated like property and promised to a Count four times her age.Desperate to escape, she fled into the cold night… and straight into blood.A stranger. Wounded. Beautiful. Terrifying.She should’ve left him.But she didn’t.She touched him once—and fate branded her forever.Her uncle caught her the next morning. Her escape failed. But when she begged Queen Olga for protection, the Queen offered her a deadly bargain:Marry the masked Grand Duke of Zolotaria.The king’s hunting dog. The butcher of the East. The devil in a crown.The man feared by kings.The heir to the throne.The same man she once saved.Ivan Romanov.They say he bathes in blood. That he kills without blinking. That he conquered kingdoms with a smile behind a mask. That no one sees his face—and lives.Some call him the devil. Others call him Death’s favorite son.But behind the mask is the same man she found dying in the dark.The same voice that haunted her dreams.The same hands she once held.Now, he’s her husband.Her jailer.Her obsession.She doesn’t know if she’s his prisoner, or his weakness.Cold and untouchable, Ivan doesn’t share his bed. Doesn’t share his secrets. But she sees it—the hunger in his eyes. The pain in his silence. The way he looks at her like she’s the only thing keeping his demons at bay.She should fear him.She should hate him.But the moment she dares to take off his mask… it’s already too late.Because Ivan wants her—her fire, her body, her heart.And in his world, what he wants, he keeps.Even if it means burning down the kingdom.She thought she was running from hell.She ended up in his bed.And the most dangerous thing of all?She doesn’t want to leave.

An ancient proverb from the Homo sapiens era once stated, “Light and darkness can never be united because they are natural enemies arranged since the creation of the universe.”The statement seems plausible, yet it may contain inaccuracies...——————————————Leon Kruger, a 22-year-old man counted among the three of humanity's heroes, is dispatched by the Holy Empire of Mankind to invade the territory of the Demon Empire—an enduring adversary of humanity for over 7000 years.Wielding the Great Holy Sword Zenith and commanding a legion of thousands of holy troops, he leads the raid on the Desert of Chaos, facing the elite armies of the Demon Race with unwavering valor.Even, he engaged in direct combat against the Demon Emperor, who was actively leading the war on behalf of the Demon Race!Unfortunately, he never foresaw that his offensive was a cunning scheme orchestrated by the Emperor of the Holy Empire.The emperor aimed to eliminate Leon, perceiving him as a threat to his position as the ruler.Furthermore, unbeknownst to him, he had been poisoned before setting out for war, leading to a catastrophic defeat at the hands of the Demon Emperor and resulting in his capture as a prisoner of the Demon Emperor.Envisaging torment at the hands of the notorious Demon Emperor after his capture, he was surprised to find that this foreseen ordeal did not come to pass!The Demon Emperor, unveiled as a remarkably beautiful woman, unexpectedly and without apparent cause, asked him to be responsible for abandoning their triplet daughters?!“Nani! Since when did I have triplet daughters with you, smelly demon woman?!”Not only that, Leon gradually realized that an increasing number of women were approaching him to claim the love debts he had unwittingly accumulated in his youth.“Wait! Hold on! Please be gentle! Both my kidneys are nearly tapped out!”