The Twelve Apocalypses: A Damned Soul's Path to the Abyss - Chapter 28: Proving Grounds

Theodora is the Queen of Polis, a city-state that lost the war against the most powerful empire in the continent.

She is sure that they'll execute her immediately but, somehow, she survives the meeting with the Emperor, and she finds herself... Married?

Tossed in a new world without connections and allies, she has to either accept her fate or lose the chance to help her people once again.

She soon finds out that her new husband knows more about her than she does herself, and that his purposes are often far from what she expects.

A fallen queen that doesn't know how to be anything else. A handsome Duke who's the cause of her ruin. And their efforts to find some happiness in a marriage that's been forced on them.

WARNING: there are contents not suitable for a sensitive audience.

The smut scenes are half-censored at the beginning, but the amount and details will increase after a few dozen chapters (according to the Queen's mood .-. )

***

«I'm sorry for lying to you, your grace...»

«You're a Duchess. No one will dare to consider your words a lie: if you say that you were painting souls, then it's the truth.»

«I will remember it.»

«No, you have to understand it, Theodora. You're not a prisoner, but my wife. I'll protect you when you need it, and I'll help you with any issue you have. You're not just a Duchess in the name. You're my Duchess.»

«It's hard to believe in such a short amount of time.»

«For now, stop shaking like a chicken. I won't hurt you.»

***

This story is about the romance that blossomed between a beautiful princess and several courtiers, told through the various positions they experienced together.

Xu Yangyi, an 18-year-old high school student, for the reason that his older twin sister eloped with her girlfriend on the wedding day, was forced to be the surrogate bride by his own father. As a result, he became the wife of the man who should have been his brother-in-law.“You’ve gotta look at me carefully. I’m a man.” Xu Yangyi glared at He Jingyan, who was still getting fresh with him though he already knew Xu Yangyi was indeed a man.“Man?” He Jingyan fiddled with Xu Yangyi’s face with his big hand and gave him a sly smile, “You look identical with your sister, so it doesn’t matter!”

One day, Su Qi suddenly discovers he has a peculiar ability: he can see Easter eggs hidden in the world around him.These aren’t just bits of extra information; by performing specific actions, he can unlock hidden rewards.While everyone else is fleeing in terror from a vengeful female ghost, Su Qi is already setting the table for a candlelit dinner, chatting amiably with her.[You acquire her husband's hat, a mysterious artifact that, when thrown, locks onto enemies and delivers a devastating mental shock.]When zombies overrun the streets, and survivors scramble for axes and kitchen knives, Su Qi confidently strides in, wielding a sound system in one hand and a heavy-duty machine gun in the other, casually clearing out the neighborhood.[No one can defeat me in my BGM.]This is the Abyss—the birthplace of despair and decay, where worlds crumble under fear and madness.This is also a paradise where countless seekers pursue the footsteps of gods.Myths of the past and epics of the future are written here in grand and tragic splendor.Until Su Qi shows up.With a mop soaked in the blood of a recently stunned god, Su Qi scrawls a few bold words onto the epic tale:“The Abyssal Garden: No Room for the Idle.”