by S.L. Winterberg
Two souls. One curse. Eike and Tassila have never met. But they have two things in common: a life they long to escape, and a mysterious symbol on their skin—the Mal. Eike, a peasant, is branded the devil’s child and beaten for it. Tassila, daughter of an impoverished noble, is being rushed into marriage before the Mal devours her like her sister. However, fate changes when the power of alchemy awakens in them, and with it a dangerous sliver of hope. When Eike’s and Tassila’s paths cross, neither knows of their common burden, nor whether the other can be trusted. But in the Theudic Empire, where only the mightiest alchemists rule and the weak are swept aside, they must fight as one to survive. There’s only one path: break the curse, and become the strongest alchemists ever known. What to expect: - Two MCs, dual POV. - Weak-to-strong progression. - Slow-burn romance. - Well-developed side characters and villains that progress alongside the MCs. - Original setting transplanting Chinese cultivation into a medieval German low-fantasy world. - Dark-but-hopeful vibe with deep mysteries and intense shōnen-style fights. - Updates Mon–Fri.
