Only I Am A Reader - Chapter 18: The Satisfaction Of Progress!

(Warning: Mature Content - R-18)The Ultimate Heartbreaker Reincarnates, Only to Find Himself a Pathetic Pushover?In his past life, he had gone out of his way to win their affection, humbling himself to the point of self - annihilation. But how did they repay him?His first love abandoned him for a wealthy heir, mocking him as delusional and naive.His childhood friend despised his devotion, pretending not to recognize him when they crossed paths.And the queen bee of the school? She sneered at him, refusing to even glance in his direction.But now, the man has been reborn—cold, detached, and effortlessly commanding both power and allure. Women fall under his spell without hesitation.Until one day—His first love appeared before him in a slinky strapless dress, her eyes shimmering with tears, her voice trembling: “Please… give me another chance, Master. I’ll do anything you ask…”His childhood friend was pinned against the door, her breath uneven, her gaze filled with desperate longing: “Master, even if it’s just as your secret lover—I’d be willing…”The once - arrogant queen bee shed her coat, leaning close to whisper in his ear, her breath warm and shaky: “Master… please, let me make it up to you…”He let out a low chuckle, his long fingers trailing over their heated cheeks, his eyes glinting with mockery and disdain. “You want me now?” he murmured, his tone icy. “Too bad. You’re too late.”

Welcome! If you want to jump in without any spoilers, feel free. Otherwise, here's a story primer, with a list of more specifics on what to expect from my work further below.Our story follows a fallen knight haunted by his past, in a world afflicted by war and supernatural wounds. Alken is the Headsman of Seydis, an executioner tasked by the divine powers of his homeland to hunt dark sorcerers, warlords, and traitors of all varieties, lest they drag the world into calamity.Once a paladin, this role ill suits him. Forced to cross lines that shake his beliefs, tempted by dark forces, and seen as an ill omen wherever he wanders, his path is often a bloody one. The longer he spends in the shadows of his world, the more he comes to realize just how many have been disenfranchised by the existent order. During his lonely battles through a land haunted by the restless dead and ancient magics, his journey becomes increasingly strange and personal.Enter a realm where the dead stir in every shadow and brooding demigods wage a millennia long war for a ruined heaven, where blessed knights wield gilded flames and sorcerers battle with weapons forged of their own souls. Enter a world of faustian alchemists, of saintly demons, and of time-weary elves.From Oathbreaker you can expect— A setting heavily inspired by Forgotten Realms, Planescape, Fromsoft games, and authors such as Michael Moorcock and Kentauro Miura. — A first person POV from an older protagonist who already knows a lot about his world’s history and cultures, who shares this information with the reader as it becomes relevant.— A mix of action adventure and quieter moments where the focus is on character development. Lore is shared piecemeal, usually only as it relates to a particular arc or character beat.— A heavy focus on mystery, both with the setting and the protagonist. The main character’s backstory isn’t shared up front, and a lot of the narrative involves learning about him a bit at a time, either from his own narration or other characters interacting with him.— A semi-soft magic system where many mages manifest unique powers tied to their own soul, or gain unique powers through eldritch pacts.— Romantic elements. These don’t crop up much until later in the story.— A variety of supernatural beings, such as elves, vampires, gargoyles, chimera, and trolls. Many are familiar, some are not, and most of the familiar ones have my own twists put on them.—Nobledark fantasy. This means that the world is often themed around tragedy and horror, but it’s not dedicated to being gritty. There are elements of high fantasy intermixed with the scarier stuff.—Episodic arcs. Each story arc usually has a specific locale and antagonist or set of antagonists, but certain overarching plots tie them together.— A long running narrative. I don’t have a specific projection of how long or how many arcs or books, but you should expect this to be equivalent to a long running serialized work.This is my first web serial! I hope everyone enjoys it. For trigger warnings, readers should beware that there are some heavy topics in here. When I think something might upset certain readers, I’ll put a warning in the author notes above a chapter. If I miss or overlook anything, feel free to let me know in the comments! I am currently publishing the same story on my wordpress, which is linked below and in my profile. I release three chapters a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Thanks for reading!(I originally had a link to a wordpress, but I'm in the process of overhauling that space. It's not a priority since my readership is all here, but just in case anyone noticed and was wondering)

The Gu family had a troublemaker in the family. Her name was Gu Ning. Her mother died in childbirth when she was born. Her stepmother fell off a flight of stairs while pregnant and died. Gu Ning’s father punished her by making her face the wall in the attic. The attic was dark and humid, and there was no sunlight at all. Nobody brought her food, and Gu Ning thought she might very well die there. Moments before her death, she dialed a number that her mother had told her before she passed away.

After she hung up, there were rumbling sounds all around her. The Gu family’s residence was surrounded by a group of bodyguards dressed in black. Eight men got out of their cars, each with a different aura. They went directly to the attic.

The man who led them went down on one knee and held Gu Ning, unconscious, in his arms. He had a solemn expression on his face. “The Gu family needs to go bankrupt.”

After sleeping the entire night, Gu Ning woke up to find that her father was bankrupt. Her family members were all homeless. Meanwhile, she…

She had eight uncles and a kind grandfather who loved her dearly.

Gu Ning’s father regretted what he did, and he was unwilling to accept his fate. So what if Gu Ning was living a good life now? She was still the troublemaker who got her mother killed and her father bankrupt!

Little did he know, after Gu Ning returned to her uncle’s house, their luck only seemed to improve. Even her bedridden grandmother could now get out of bed and dance in the square! Finally, a god-like man claimed to be her father. He pampered her to the point where the entire world became envious of her.

Dear readers! Fresh green style, maybe you will like it more in .

There are all sorts of lunatics in the world:Self-centered, reckless, psychotic, impulsive, obsessive, and pe*verted.As far as Suin knows, that man embodied every single one of those traits—an obsessive, pe*verted psycho.And now, that lunatic is back.“Finally, we meet.”“Adult Lee Suin.”He didn’t even try to hide the sticky hunger in his gaze, like a starved lion finally spotting its prey.“A job reassignment?”“I want Lee Suin to help me.”Chairman Woo Ilhwa, unaware of his son’s true intentions, reassigns Suin, his chief secretary, to serve as his son’s personal secretary.This forces Suin into close proximity with the man who’s been preying on her from the shadows.“Wait for me, Lee Suin.”During his eleven years of exile, Jaehee had dreamed of one thing:A proper relationship—not as a restricted minor, but as a full-grown adult.A relationship where he could take what he wanted, whenever and however he pleased.That’s why, even though Suin was as rigid as a steel rod, his sly persistence ignited the spark within him whenever he faced her.“What do you want from me?”“You.”“Lee Suin.”But it seems Suin has been flirting with some bastard behind his back, and Jaehee’s jealousy and obsession explode.“Don’t take a single step.”“Unless you want to see me go completely insane.”What nonsense.You were already insane to begin with.