Death by overwork? Check. 

Isekai’d into a glittery kingdom called Aelthryndivoryssalindria, yes, that's the name but I call it Aelthryn, because who has time for that? Double check. 

All I wanted was a soft life filled with pastries, naps, and no husband. But five years into my new life as Princess Elyndravyssorathielindria Sylvarindelthys—Elyn, please, God knows why the names are so difficult to pronounce—my father demands I marry. 

But explain to me why all the potential suitors look like they were picked up from the fucking gutter? I kid you not. one of them literally suggested teaching me to ride a horse and guess who found out he could not ride one at all and at the end of the day cried begging for his mother...me.

And that's just one. There's also the fact that I don't want to even get married. So in a panic, after scaring my suitors away, I tell my father I'm in love with Zorathys Vaelkyrion. 

What I didn't plan for was the fact that Zorathys is real, he’s at our annual ball, and he’s calling me his lover to settle Dad’s debts.

Now I’m stuck in the Underworld, managing Hell’s paperwork, babysitting demon nobles, and dodging a giant snake with a sweet tooth. 

Oh, and Zor? A lazy, body-pillow-hugging tease who makes my heart race. Worse, every escape portal dumps me in his bedroom, and he’s not so bad. 

But when I stumble into a plot to overthrow him, my soft-life dreams might cost me everything—unless I fight for the husband I never wanted. Send help please, I just wanted a soft life and not a demon husband..

---------------------

"...you can't marry my daughter," my father said to the demon king and I nodded. "...she...she's gay. Yes," he said with a nod like that was the most reasonable explanation ever. "She's into girls."

I was shocked and stared at him then back at the demon king who paused. Maybe this could work after all. I nodded too, supporting my father's words.

The demon king smiled then. "What good taste you have, there's a reason why we belong to each other after all. I'm into women too."


What?

That was how long it took us to finalize the remaining outfits after the ball gown had been chosen—no, presented—by shadows, or rather, Zorathys.


Two entire days of fabric, fittings, arguments, discarded ideas, and Rin dramatically declaring at least six times that we were "losing valuable political warfare hours."


By the end of it, I was certain that ruling a kingdom might be easier than choosing what to wear while doing so.


Throughout the day we got the ball gown, nothing else was decided on for the luncheon and the after party.


The luncheon, according to Morthen, was "a display of diplomacy disguised as politeness." The seven dukedoms would be present. It would be my first official introduction to them—not as rumor, not as whispered speculation, but as queen.


Chapter 183 - Embers Before the Flame