Contract Marriage: The Replacement Groom - Chapter 2: Protective grandfather

Ever since Arwin was summoned as a child, all he has known is war. And now, to claim the demon queen's life and end the war, he has to kill himself. But, as he deals the final blow to his mortal enemy, the Hero of Mankind is betrayed.Caught in a magical explosion thought to end him, Arwin awakens a month later to find that everyone has already moved on. His [Hero] class has changed to a unique blacksmith class called [The Living Forge] that is empowered by consuming magical items, but some of his old passive [Titles] remain, giving him the power to forge his new future exactly the way he wants to.Arwin isn't going to settle for anything less than completely surpassing the powers he wielded as the Hero.After all, you are what you eat – and Arwin’s diet just became legendary.What to expect: - Item focused crafting story, where a lot of the MC's power comes from his equipment- Mix of crafting & combat as the MC has to get the materials himself. The MC does not spend the whole novel in one room crafting. - No Harem- Strong to Stronger MC- Slow burn revenge with a focus on the MC rebuilding his life and discovering new purpose

In the age of the Warring States, the world is at war!

At this moment, a great empire is about to be established, and at this moment, this empire is at stake.

In this vast world, Young Master Qin shouted loudly, “I want this great Qin Wanshi–!”

- Description from novelbuddy

In the back of the forest lives Allen, the antisocial wizard. He is feared by the people around him and called the “Demon Lord”.One day, while living out his life as a hermit, he finds a young girl named Charlotte who collapsed. Although innocent, she was accused of evil wrongdoings, had her engagement broken and was forced to flee her country.Upon hearing that, Allen recalled the bitter experience of being betrayed by a party he once believed to be his companions. Hearing the story of the 17 year old’s exploitation, Allen decides, “I’ll let her live in my mansion, and I’ll teach her all sorts of bad things…”

“Some connections are written long before two hearts ever meet.”Arjun never believed in fate, just another lost soul buried in the noise of textbooks and deadlines.Ayesha was a quiet storm, hiding a fragile heart behind glowing smiles and disappearing messages.They were just two strangers, separated by borders, bound by pixels on a screen.But what starts as casual texts in the dead of night slowly turns into something neither of them can explain.A bond stitched through unseen heartbeats.A love whispered through endless silences.But every heartbeat carries secrets... and some secrets are too heavy to cross the distance.When time begins slipping through Ayesha's fingers, Arjun finds himself caught between holding on or letting go.Will their hearts find each other in the silence or will destiny write their last message before they ever meet?