Eonniworld

Everyone knows the tale of the dreadful Beast King—a monster that demands a royal bride every year. No one knows what happens to them after the wedding. No one has ever returned.

Sophia? She was never supposed to be there.

Mistaken for the real princess, she was sent to him as a sacrificial bride. But instead of a beast with claws and blood-stained hands, she finds herself facing a dangerously handsome, arrogant, and incredibly irritating king. 

But what if the king isn’t the one holding the chains?
What if his curse hides a secret no one must uncover?
And worst of all—what if Sophia starts regretting wanting to escape?

The Wrong Bride for the Monster King

The tavern was small but warm, filled with laughter, the scent of mulled wine, and spiced food. People sat in groups, talking about everyday matters, gossiping about neighbors, and complaining about the prices at the market.

Darian sat at the bar, and the older bartender, who had approached him first, crossed his arms and looked at him from under his eyebrows.

"What's your name, lad?" he asked, wiping a wooden glass with a white cloth.

Darian paused for a moment. He knew he couldn't tell the truth. If anyone in this tavern found out that he was the king, the news would spread immediately, and Elara would send her men to bring him back.

"Derek," he said at last, using the name his swordsmanship teacher had given him a long time ago when they practiced under false names.

The old man nodded, clearly satisfied.

"I'm Tobias," he introduced himself, leaning on the counter. "And I'll tell you right away – I can see you're running from something. People don't come here for no reason. But you know what? I don't care. If you want to talk – talk. If you don't – I'll leave you alone."

Darian sighed. For the first time in a long while, someone didn't look at him as the king. They didn't bow, didn't beg for mercy, or flatter him because of his power.

Tobias was just an ordinary man. And Darian liked that.

"I can't go back where I came from," he said quietly. "Not yet."

"Then stay here. Do you have a place to sleep?"

"Then come with me. I have a small house at the end of the village. You can stay as long as you need."

Darian looked at him with distrust.

"Because I look like a good guy, don't I?"

Darian flinched. He hadn't expected a joke.

"The truth is, I need help. The girl who works for me got sick, and she's pregnant too, so I sent her to rest. And there's a lot of work to do here. If you want to repay me for the stay – help me out in the tavern."

Him... a king, working in a tavern?

But again, what was his alternative? Wander aimlessly? Return to the palace and die inside while Elara forced him to be her husband?

"Alright," he said after a moment of thought. "I'll help you."

Tobias laughed and slapped him on the shoulder.

"Good lad! Now, let's go to my house before the drunks start wandering around the village."

Darian followed him, feeling for the first time like an ordinary man.

The next few days, Darian worked in the tavern. He learned how to pour beer without making a mess, how to carry plates without breaking them, how to listen to the endless stories of the villagers about their problems and nod as if he cared.

And incredibly – it wasn't that bad.

The people accepted him as one of their own.

They began to tease him, offered him drinks, told him how handsome he was and that the girls would soon be flocking to him.

Of course, he couldn't imagine another woman besides Sophie.

But at least… at least he felt alive.

And for the first time in many months, he felt a glimmer of hope.

Maybe not everything was lost yet.

A NEW BEGINNING