Katahane no Riku - Chapter 41.Tightrope walking negotiation

Jack Smith’s life ended rather abruptly. Spinning out on ice while driving a truck was not the most magnificent method to depart this earth. A mediocre man he had led an ordinary life until his death. Now with a second chance at life, he decided that this time he would be exceptional. This time he would finally live up to his name. After all, a jack of all trades is a master of none but ultimately better than one.Armed with a system and determination to do his best he sets out like any other reincarnated soul in another world to find his place and achieve great things. There is just one small problem with getting started in this endeavour . . . he is yet to be born!Welcome to a progression fantasy with a twist. What might you be able to achieve if your race to the top began before your body had even been born?Join our hero as he masters the language, magics and skills of the Compass Kingdoms but his first great challenge will be learning to walk once more. . . . .Warning 1: Be prepared for the MC to spend an entire book's worth of words and time as an infant but hopefully you will enjoy it nevertheless.Warning 2: Grandfather is legally abusive to MC for a couple of chapters but he is removed from that situation around chapter 30. To be edited out some time in the future.

She is the Crown Prince’s fiancee, but on the night of their wedding, an edict was made and she was given off to marry the crippled and paralyzed God of War.

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.»

***

The world changed the day that cracks appeared in the sky– suddenly monsters named『Demonic Beasts』appeared and began to rampage, attacking people.

Meanwhile, girls called『Magical Girls』began to appear to counter the demonic beasts. As they defeated the demonic beasts, gradually people’s lives gained a semblance of composure.

–but when there is light, there is also darkness.

In the corner of an alleyway, a boy who had been attacked by a demonic beast was dying. His voice begging for help did not reach anyone and his body refused to move.

「Boy. Do you want to be saved?」

Looking into the boy’s face, a black cat began to speak to him.

The boy nodded firmly to the devilishly sweet invitation, in response the black cat mocked him.

「Is that so—then I’ll【Haunt (Save)】you」

—on that day, a『Magical Girl』was born in a place that no-one knew.

『She』never laments, no matter what the future may bring.