Building a Kingdom as a Kobold - Chapter 44: That Wasn’t a Battle. That Was a Declaration

“The masterminds are cooler than heroes,” I mutter as I stare at the chess pieces before me. It is easier to be the one who sits in the shadows and moves the pieces, likewise deciding the flow of the game.Heroes will foolishly sacrifice their lives for the good cause and villains will sacrifice the world for their own gain, but masterminds will use both the heroes and villains to their own benefit.Why, you ask? Well, that's because I've lost my life once while trying to be a hero so, I don't want that anymore. I'd rather be a mastermind who molds the world as per my convenience and live peacefully. Because, why not?***[Defender of Divine Glory says you are the hope of this world.]What?[Goddess of Wisdom believes that you will be the one to save the world.]Wait, what?![Propose the Grand Duke the idea of a fake marriage.]And, why would I do that?![Stop the assassination of Prince Eric.]Why would I save him?![The candidates for the throne are:... Who will you choose?]Ah! I give up...It seems like a curse that anyone who wishes for a slacker life in Isekai will have to go through the most troublesome things.In my past life, I died because of one rookie mistake but after being transmigrated in the world of fantasy I've gotten an opportunity to start afresh, but unlike the protagonists who look for their love and glory, I'd rather make money and live a life of a slacker.I have magic, I have power and I have money, what else do I need?Well, that was the plan but this damn system is getting on my nerves. I mean who in their sane mind would want to mess with the complicated royal family and political affairs? But that's not all though.I've also become the saviour of this world. Things just can't be anymore worse!Besides, the penalty of failing this quest is...[Failure: Destruction of the World.]It seems like if I screw up in selecting the right person then the destruction that is going to befall the world won't be stopped.If I speak of my reward then it's this vague thing.[Reward: Fulfillment of any wish.]“If that's the case then, I'd rather choose the person who would be the best fit for the throne.”And that's how I decided that I would become the Kingmaker.

Born and raised as a nameless shadow guard for his kingdom’s crown prince, his life’s purpose was to be used and discarded at the whims of his liege.

And his meaningless life ended when the gaze of a princess lingered on him for too long. The crown prince had him beheaded without a second thought, as if throwing out trash.

Transmigrating into the body of a baby girl, the nameless shadow finally had a name, a family, and a place to call her own. Throwing away his past, the shadow guard was now called ‘Emilia’, and walked on a new path to seek fulfillment.

It was not meant to be, however, as the girl whom she had loved with all her heart and soul ended up mercilessly plunging a dagger through Emilia's love-struck heart at the highest point in her life.

The crowd clamored at the ‘deserved death of the villainess’, and at that moment, the shadow could only wonder… why?

Why am I always the one to dedicate myself fully to someone, only to be thrown away like trash in the end?

And thus, as her soul floated away while cursing in resentment, ‘Emilia’ vowed to herself that in her next life she shall never be the one to fully dedicate herself.

Whatever she likes shall be held in her palm, and shall never escape.

The moment the vow was made, a self-proclaimed villainess system proposed to partner with her, to explore and conquer the worlds through their anchors—the heroes and heroines.

And by cultivating this energy, she shall one day go back. Back to the world she was born as ‘Emilia’ in, and face the so-called heroine once more.

The second time they meet, Emilia won’t be the one drowning in regret!

...

Author's Note: The heroines are not just trophies she’s collecting, only to be forgotten once she collects them. Each of them will remain relevant throughout the story. And it won’t become a mess, promise!

There are a lot of things wrong with Liv Brodbeck. She’s too small, for one thing. When she works in the castle kitchens with her mother, she can’t carry a sack of flour or roll a keg of ale. Baron Summerset’s chirurgeon says that she has brittle bones, so she isn’t allowed to wrestle or sword fight with the other children. Even sledding downhill in the winter brings the risk of breaking an arm or a leg if she falls. Everyone says that she ruined her mother’s life when she was born. Not when they think Liv is in the room, of course, but she overhears all the same. In the kitchen of a less kind lord, a cook bearing a bastard child would have been more than cause enough for both of them to be out on the street. No, a child like Liv doesn’t have much hope. But when she accidentally unleashes a surge of wild magic, she takes her first step on a journey which will lead her from the kitchens of Castle Whitehill, to the cold palaces of the Eld, and beyond, to the graves of gods... What to Expect: - MC starts off very weak, with a lot disadvantages - not just physically weak, but also vulnerable in a socio-economic sense. She has talents, but it is going to take time to develop them. I want to give this process room to breathe, so I hope you enjoy long-term progression. - The MC begins the story as a child. As she grows up, she will have relationships that I intend to be appropriate for her stages of life, BUT THERE WILL BE NO SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS UNTIL SHE IS AN ADULT. Expect eventual teenage drama progressing into more adult relationships. - There is action, but it is not constant action, and it will again be appropriate for the MCs development. As a child, she will be challenged by child things, and as she grows into power the scale of threats will increase.

When Bai Zhen Zhen woke up, she had actually become the main character of your typical Mary Sue novel.

Car crash, miscarriage, amnesia… In order to fight with her for the male leads’ affection, those vicious women would stop at nothing.

Bai Zhen Zhen said: Who wants a bicycle! Only by walking the way of Buddha I can live a life free of worries till my old age!

As a result, she resolutely avoided the first, second and third male leads, and found a passerby to sign a contract marriage.

The day after obtaining the marriage certificate, shocking headlines stunned the world:

The only grandson of the world’s richest Huo family, Huo Xiang, who had been missing for 22 years, has finally been found!

Bai Zhen Zhen: Such coincidence? His name is exactly the same as yours!

Huo Xiang: Darling, it’s me.

Bai Zhen Zhen: ?

On a certain day after the marriage, Bai Zhen Zhen took out several sheets of paper from the bottom of a box. It was the noninterference agreement they had signed before getting married.

On the cover, a string of gilded bold letters almost burnt her eyes –– 《Bai Zhen Zhen x Huo Xiang’s True Love Filling 10,000 Years of Sweetness and Love Premarital Agreement》 ––

Meow meow meow???

//Male Lead’s version//

On a certain day, Huo Xiang was suddenly bound to a “Saving the female lead” system, and he transmigrated into a book with the mission of rescuing the female MC who was on the verge of experiencing a life full of suffering and torments.

Side quest 1: Find the female lead. If the mission is completed successfully, your health will be restored.

Side quest 2: Marry the female lead within a week. After the mission succeeds, a new identity will be unlocked.

Side quest 3: …..

Besides completing the side quests that pop up from time to time, he must do his best to love the female lead and let her reach 100 points of happiness.

As a result….

Huo Xiang: Darling, I have cut the fruit for you, let me feed you, ok?

Bai Zhen Zhen’s happiness points: +0.1.

Huo Xiang: Darling, the green tea bitch2 that came to pick up a fight with you has already been driven out by me.

Bai Zhen Zhen’s happiness points: +1.

Huo Xiang: Darling, I will be busy these days, you will have to play by yourself.

Bai Zhen Zhen’s happiness points: +10.

Huo Xiang: ???

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