He was a simple man in his past life – a masseuse, not a hero. His hands were trained to heal pain, not cause it. But when fate dragged him into another world, those same hands became the only thing keeping him alive.

Unlike the chosen ones who gain holy blessings or unrivaled power, he has nothing but skill, wit, and stubbornness. He doesn’t seek glory, nor does he dream of leaving his name in history.

But the world has other plans.
A kingdom built on lies. Families fighting for power in the shadows. Betrayals hidden behind smiles. And he? He’s caught in the middle, forced to navigate schemes that could devour him whole.

He isn’t the strongest. He isn’t the bravest. But sometimes, the man who doesn’t want the spotlight… is the one who survives it.
________

I get this alot so I'm going to clarify:

This is not a smut novel, there will be romantic scenes but not as pronounced.

We walked back to the inn in unusual silence, our minds racing as we each mulled over our next lines of action after we saw my system interface.


[System penalties will be applied in 47:58:32]


Recalling the abnormal system data, I blamed myself for being too weak and forcing Laura to use her powers continually.


Letting out a heavy sigh, I glanced at Laura – who was in deep contemplation, from the corner of my eye.


'The penalties must be really serious, for Laura to be this silent'.  I reflected grimly.


Closing the door to our room, I sat on the wooden chair right in front of the window while Laura sat on the bed opposite me.


"I'm losing the connection to the system...". Laura started.


My heart sank as I heard Laura's words, 'This was bound to happen, and we knew that, but....why do I feel so discomforted?'.


"Using my powers must have sped up the process". Laura spoke with sad eyes.


Chapter 32 - Blacksmithing