The Phantom's Gambit - Chapter 48: Crossroads

Nora is shattered a month before her wedding when she uncovers her fiancé's deceitful affair. As she manages this betrayal, she discovers a deep ploy to hinder her from claiming her rightful inheritance. Devastated but determined, Nora takes a daring step to regain control of her life. Enter Demetri 'The Demon' to those who know him, a formidable man barely known to her, who offers her protection and support in return for a contract marriage to satisfy him. In a twist of fate, Nora marries Demetri to claim her inheritance and fight those who plotted against her. But as she battles her own family and Demetri's many rivals, will she be able to keep from falling for the man known to crush people beneath his booted heel.Excerpt:She had forgotten that the man was intimidating and directly challenged him.Rather than speaking, Demetri rose from his seat and approached her deliberately. Although it was a mere few steps, time seemed to stretch for Nora. When he was almost within touching distance, his hand gently landed on her knee, moving it sideways. His touch moved with a hint of a caress, and he stepped between her open legs. Nora sat there in frozen silence, her eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights.Catching her chin between his fingers, he tilted her face upwards and spoke unhurriedly,“ You are my wife.”She nodded her head slowly in affirmation while his thumb slowly traced her lip. “I have given you time to gather your emotions.”Another nod. Nora's nervousness made her lick her lips, acutely aware of his intense gaze fixed upon them.“Your reason for the marriage was to secure your inheritance and get away from under your mother's thumb.”“Yes...” Nora whispered in confusion. Her confusion was not about his statement but about the bewildering sensations coursing through her. What was happening with her?”It's time for you to fulfil your end of the contract, yes?“ He continued.”Yes,“ Nora whispered breathlessly. Why was she breathless? Had the oxygen level in the house dropped? Was the air suddenly thinning?Abruptly, his hand left her face, and she watched as he drew closer. It was then that Nora comprehended what was unfolding. All those tantalizing, heart-pounding kisses she had read about in novels were about to possibly become her reality.But the anticipated kiss didn't happen. Instead, he paused near her and commanded, ”Kiss me.“

The young man living in a frontier mining village, Elliott, lived in estrangement there.

The reason was because he carried the blood of the Demon Race, and had an unusual face, with two small horns growing from it.

Several years after his mother – his only family – died, a young woman who called herself an acquaintance of her mother’s came to visit, and once she knew of Elliott’s existence, displayed the traits of a succubus, and whispered thus:

“From now on you will ravish many women, steal many lives, and trample over the world, you shall dominate. But to start … you will dominate me, violate me, please”.

Unable to wield a sword, nor kill his opponents with magic, the mixed-blood young man who could only grant a slight bit of magic into matter, used information, tools, and traps, repelling enemies, ravishing women, making them submit and fall into demonhood, and dominated them, surviving in a ruined world.

This is the story of the young man who was the Lord of the perilous place of fear, one that never allows a guest to leave, the “Man-Eating Dungeon”, and the women whose lives had been derailed by him.

That day, my head was struck by an unknown object, and after I woke up, I realized that I’m able to, through titles, understand a person’s truest side.