The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent - Chapter 222

As a boss with space plant abilities in the apocalypse, Lu Yao once traveled to the future, became the director of a nursery school that was about to close down, and became a rare animal human on the verge of extinction.
The food she made at random can cure the genetic disease of the cubs in the welfare home. She punched the cubs’ scum fathers and scum mothers, and kicked the remarried families who abandoned the cubs.
It is such a good kindergarten successor dean, who is attracted by that single cool imperial marshal!
Since then, the barrage in the live broadcast room has become:
Imperial Citizen A: Dean A, I really want to marry.
A certain big black dragon: Shut up! This is your marshal’s wife!
CP: Dean Lu Yao, who is extremely protective of short-sightedness and loves cubs, X the imperial marshal Helanjia who loves Shang Yunxi more than cubs
Brief: There are no bad cubs, only bad big ones.

- Description from novelbuddy

In the city of Graheel, a small antique shop sits quietly mixed in with all the other shops. Its unassuming appearance is easily overlooked by many. However, this store and its owner has a terrible secret. A devil lives in that building. The owner of the store, John Li, an enigmatic figure whose origins and intentions are unknown. The desperate from around the world, often unknowingly, come to him in search of salvation.A red witch thinks the owner is an ancient creature, a white fox calls him a wizard of eld, a warrior believes him to be a spirit, and a holy woman declares him a god. This mysterious individual and his customers would stand at the center of a strange series of events. From the store owner John's perspective, he has no idea what's going on. He really was just an unlucky dude that got caught up in some crazy stuff.

In the heart of Earth, where the streets buzz with the energy of modern life, lies a secret that will shake the very foundation of existence. Earth, once thought to be a mere planet, reveals itself to be a living entity, its core evolving with untold power. From the depths of the Milky Way, constellations, guardians of cosmic balance, watch with keen interest as Earth's evolution unfolds.But their curiosity soon turns to desire as they see the potential for transcendence within Earth's core. To harness its power, they must overcome the planet's protective barrier, a formidable obstacle that threatens to thwart their ambitions. Desperate for a solution, the constellations turn to drastic measures, offering contracts to select humans in exchange for assistance in weakening Chatgpt's defenses.Meanwhile, amidst the chaos, Marcus Sterling, a young university student with an intellect far beyond his years, delves into the mysteries of mana, the strange energy that permeates the planet. Unbeknownst to him, he becomes a pawn in the cosmic power struggle, as constellations vie for his allegiance and humanity's fate hangs in the balance.As Marcus grapples with his newfound abilities and the ethical implications of his choices, he discovers a deeper truth lurking beneath the surface—a truth that could reshape the destiny of Earth and all who inhabit it. With allies and adversaries alike converging on Earth, Marcus must navigate a treacherous path, where the line between good and evil blurs, and the fate of the universe hangs in the balance.

[COMPLETE] Can a royal Romeo and Juliet find their happy ending?

Ayleth, Princess of Zenithra, is secretly trained in hand-to-hand combat, and collects swear words she doesn't know how to use. During the Festival of Peace, in which every royal son on the continent will be at the castle for a month, she is instructed by her parents to find a husband. Yet, Ayleth has never even been kissed—until the very first ball, when she meets the man in the Lion mask.

Etan is a seasoned warrior, and the Prince of Summitras. He attends the Festival hoping to find a powerful wife who will help him conquer the dark sorcery of their bloodsworn enemies, the Kingdom of Zenithra. But at the very first ball, he discovers the masked woman who captures his heart is the Heir to the evil empire.

Ayleth and Etan face an impossible battle. Will their love survive? Or will their parents' dark dealings keep them apart forever?

[Mature content. No sexual violence.]

******

“You…” She stepped back. Then back again, her mouth dropped open. “You… You cannot be…”

“I am,” Etan said, and his hair raked back as he pushed his mask off his handsome face. So handsome her heart raced.

His hair was ebony black, his skin a warm brown that threatened to fade in in the winter months. He stared at her with glittering green eyes, over high cheekbones and a noble nose, his jaw tight and shadowed this late in the day. His chin was high over the pillar of his neck that she’d just touched with its hard lines and steel strength, so different to her own. And his chest... She gasped and covered her eyes. She’d humiliated herself revealing her stupid, childish curiosity.

“No, Ayleth. This changes nothing.”

“How can you say that? It changes everything!” She was horrified to realize she was crying.

“Ayleth, please.” His voice cracked on the plea and she stared at him, shoving her mask up and off, despite how it would pull her hair out of the beautiful twist the maid had managed for her.

His eyes locked on hers and she couldn’t think. She couldn’t breathe.

She had met her One. And he was the son of her bloodsworn enemy.

She stared at him as he stepped forward again, offering both hands, palm up. “Touch me,” he whispered. “Hold my hands. This is real, Ayleth. I don’t know how it happened, but this is real. Please don’t deny it.”

She couldn’t resist. She raised a trembling hand to his cheek, letting her palm catch on the scruff of his jaw. He blew out a breath and put his hand over hers, and that jolt that happened whenever they touched shivered through her again.

“Please, Ayleth.”

“I cannot deny it,” she whispered.