Industrial Strength Magic - Chapter 48: Bureaucracy

[TRIGGER WARNING: Mature Content + Dark Themes]EXCERPT:“Axel, no. We… can’t do this!” I jolted back when he pulled up my skirt.As if to retaliate, he grabbed my wrist and yanked my body to his. “We can do whatever I say we can do, María José.”“I’m your brother’s reject. Do you even hear yourself right now? He didn’t want me, Axel. What does that make me to you?”“I don’t care about Álvaro’s foolishness. It's his loss for losing a woman like you.”“Okay, I must confess. I'm not worried about him either. It's Rosa… you're getting engaged to my sister in a month!”“Let me remind you, María José—I don’t give a fuck about that, either.”No matter how hard I jerked, he wasn’t letting me go. And part of me—so, so foolishly—didn’t want him to.______Having spent her life avoiding the spotlight, María Jośe never imagined she’d be the one to bring shame to her esteemed De la Vega family. With beauty as captivating as a field of lilies, she is the prized daughter of an ambitious father who cares more for his reputation than his children’s happiness.When Álvaro Montenegro, the arrogant heir to the Alpha title, sets his sights on her as his chosen Luna, María Jośe is desperate for a way out.But everything changes when the Moon Goddess answers her prayer in the most unexpected way: María Jośe discovers she is an Omega—wolfless and the lowest rank in the pack. Once held in awe, she is now shunned; a source of shame to her father and a target for ridicule in the pack.As her life turns upside down , María Jośe's hatred for the pack grows. The only solace she finds is in her growing, forbidden bond with Axel Montenegro—Álvaro’s older brother, who has turned his back on the pack to live as Beta.These two developed a love-hate friendship born from their shared disdain for the pack’s cruelty, which slowly evolves into a passionate, secret romance.But when Álvaro discovers Axel’s interest in María Jośe, jealousy ignites within him and he suddenly wants María Jośe as his own.Love, vengeance, and betrayal all brewed into a whirlwind of drama, desires, and deadly comebacks. Will María Jośe rise from the ashes of her former life, or will she be consumed by the power struggles of the pack she despises? Will she give in to the oldest brother who is scared of commitment or the younger one who fiercely seeks redemption?

“If I were ever reincarnated in another world, I’d be the ultimate villain.”That was the last thing Ace joked about before getting hit by an out of control ambulance–ironically, while saving his best friend.Truly, Fate has a twisted sense of humor.Now Reincarnated in a fantasy world, Ace isn’t a chosen one, a prodigy, or a hero. He’s a background nobody—an extra in a story already set in motion. Weak, talentless, and scorned by society, his new life seems doomed to follow the same path as his last: forgotten and meaningless.Destined to be killed off early in the plot, With no noble bloodline, no rare mana affinity, and a world stacked against him. Ace must rise from the ashes of his failure and break this tradegy, the only way he knows how.But Ace isn’t the same person he used to be.Armed with wit, ambition, and a twisted sense of justice, he refuses to bow to fate. If the world wants a villain, then a villain it shall get. He’ll climb the ranks, topple the so-called heroes, and make sure the world never overlooks him again.This time, the extra is writing his own story and it starts with CHAOS.But as he treads the line between fiction and reality, a bigger question looms—Was his reincarnation really an accident?

Rule number one: “As a scholarship student, you should steer clear of the rich kids.”Olive raised an eyebrow. “Why? Because of bullying?” she asked, playing dumb, though her mind flashed back to the scene she had witnessed earlier.“Exactly! You should avoid the school heir especially. Bullying's like a sport around here for guys like him. If you offend the wrong person, it won't end well. Trust me, if you want a peaceful year, just stay out of their way.”_______In a world where social hierarchy and family legacy reign supreme, Olivia Williams, a brilliant and determined student, disguises herself as a boy to attend the prestigious Belmont High School. She's won a coveted mathematics scholarship, but her triumph comes with a price: keeping her true identity hidden amidst the treacherous landscape of boarding school life.Enter George Lucas, the charismatic and arrogant heir to Belmont's legacy, who finds himself inexplicably drawn to “Olivia,” the mysterious new student. As they engage in a fiery hate-to-love relationship, Olivia must navigate the complexities of her own feelings, the danger of discovery, and the class differences that threaten to tear them apart.As they delve deeper into their whirlwind romance, Olivia and George must confront the dark secrets of their own identities, the weight of family expectations, and the transformative power of love. But with great passion comes great risk: their relationship could upend George's family's reputation and legacy, forcing them to choose between love and loyalty.

The long night shrouds the world, and the dawn is late in coming.Evil descends upon the land, causing immense suffering to all creatures.He roams through the long night, wanders on the edge of the blade, and sways between the clouds and hell.Igniting the fire of the star soul.Since the night is long, then I shall be the lord of the night.