Fall into a romantic, magical fantasy with Zia Lathyrus, a young heroine with dreadful knowledge of her past life in a new world. From lonely office worker to aristocratic beauty, Zia is swept into keeping the world she once read in a novel safe fro...
This Story is categorized as a "why choose" romantic fantasy, with themes of sexual relationships, magic, and whimsical worlds. This story is inspired by isekais and has references to modern-day earth occasionally and Black femme experiences.
Archmage Zane was versed in every elemental magic, but he alone was a shadow manipulator. On the eve of his tenth season, he created a spell unlike anything his family had ever seen. Marquess Hortensis had applauded his mage son, the smile on his face cruel and daunting. His ambition for the status of mage elects in their bloodline surpasses his desire to foster a relationship with his only son. As Zane held his hands over the shadows, he watched horrifiedly as the ones clinging to his father reached out and began whispering.
Archmage. Emperor's right hand. Duke of the west.
Zane stumbled back, a cold sweat dripping down his back as he listened to the vile ways his father wanted to use his magic to convert the west into the next dukedom. As his father's shadows whispered, he tried his best to cover his ears, but he could still feel their intent. A maid stepped into the office smiling as she poured a fresh pot of tea and lemonade. Zane crawled away as his father started yelling at him to get off the ground. His eyes did not waver from the maid whose shadows were moaning from the floor towards his father.
Baby. Bouquet. Mistress. New wife. Her shadows whispered hungrily. Zane's stomach turned, and he crawled back away from the black figures reaching out of the floor towards him. He stood up in a rush and ran from the room, ignoring his father's call for him to return.
—-
Four full seasons ago, Zane had acquired his shadow-manipulating abilities, and no other mage had yet to do the same. Not even his younger half-sibling. Zane turned over the pages of the reports sent his way from the school about potential students and their abilities. Nothing stood out from the notes and the names, another year would pass, and he would remain the shadow manipulator and the only mage to use specialized magic. He groaned disappointedly yet again at the lack of progress in the search. Would anyone come close to his level or, even better, be ranked as a dragon jewel mage? He pulled out parchment paper and began penning his thoughts on potential hires at the towers, but he knew that now that the emperor had opened the imperial mages faction, many would pursue a mage career there. He despised how quickly the imperial mages filled with Emperors Peony's money and scheming. As he closed the book, he pulled on a new pair of gloves to prepare for his meeting with Crown Prince Faro.
