Konosuba Princess Iris

“Aurora White, from now on, you’re not my fiancée anymore and you’re banished from the kingdom!” Taking out the fan to cover her mocking smile, Aurora watched the crown prince spouted the declaration from the stage on their graduation ceremony and sneered. Banished? So, the time has come? The corner of her lips curled up slightly. For her or for the kingdom? Because in Aurora’s eyes, she can only see a bright path for her future. ... Story set in settings similar to middle ages ... Other novels: -Flowers Bloom from Battlefield [complete] - Under the Veil of Night [complete] - 7 Path of the Lilies [on long hiatus] - 1 Year of Beginning [complete] - Villain Lady [complete] - Science and Fantasy [complete] - 2 Years of Restarting [complete] - Forgotten Legend of the Bloodied Flower [On going] - The Quiet Empress [complete] - The Villain's Little Cat [complete] - Astral Flower [complete] - Runemaster in the Last Days [ongoing] ... Follow me on IG: @sora100518

Lina Carter, a fearless ex-soldier, never expected her life to end in a tragic accident or to wake up in someone else's body. Reincarnated as Princess Isabella, a timid royal trapped in a loveless marriage to Prince Nicholas Henry, Lina soon discovers the dark truth behind Isabella's fate. But Lina is no fragile princess. Determined to make the most of her new life, she transforms into a force to be reckoned with, outwitting the scheming prince and his secret lover. With humor, strength, and cunning, Lina takes control of her destiny, turning the tables on everyone who thought they could control her. In this thrilling, funny tale of empowerment, Lina shows the world what happens when an unstoppable woman is reborn as royalty.

This is the stories of two different people from two different worlds (literally) She was raised in love, while he was raised in hate Her birth was celebrated, while he was despised She was protected, while he was abused everyday. She is gentle, warm and kind, while he is cold, cruel and vicious But with the twist of fate, their world collided. They will learn from each other. He will teach her to be hopeful and live for herself, while she will teach him the joys of Friendship and Love Together they will learn to understand each other, accept each other and love each other, and soon their love will change the fate of the world ________________________________________ Princess: Can you stop staring at me while I'm sleeping? The Lord: I can't... The Princess: Are you gonna stare at me the whole night? The Lord: Yes! The Princess: Can you at least act like a normal man who will take advantage of a maiden while in her room. The Lord: …this Lord would oblige The Princess: WAIT… This princess is kidding, just kidding, wait...!

An exiled Knight travels far from his kingdom to find his final resting place. He stumbles upon what once the capital of a fallen kingdom destroyed by a legendary dragon hundreds of years ago and decided to have his final battle with it. He defeats the dragon using all his might and is finally in his deaths door waiting for everything to end. However he woke up once again feeling more comfortable than ever since he became a knight. "Are you awake, my savior?" He was greeted with a faint smile and charming voice of a girl.

In a world filled with different people. I'm one of the most different people you will ever see. I live with my uncle and his wife with their five kids. I got adopted into the family when i lost my parents in an accident that took their lives on the same day two years ago.as at then it was sixteen years birthday. They were actually coming to pick me up from highschool to take me out on my birthday but they died on their way, ever since then my life have been hell. Everyone sees me as a cursed child everyone just hates me. Today i turned eighteen years old. I've hated birthday since i lost my parents. Although today I'm a bit happy that I'm turning eighteen cause i now have the right to leave my uncles house. Since i woke up I've been staring at the ceiling thinking of what to do on this day a then i heard a voice "make a wish" i just obeyed and closed my eyes " I wish to have something that no one has and can ever have something beyond imagination, something mysterious, extraordinary and magical. I wish for love " After i made this wish i felt an adrenaline rush through me giving me chills and goosebumps all over my body. I stood up from the bed and went to the bathroom to get ready for the day. Although i felt this sharp pain on my back which i quickly ignored, i took off my clothes and stepped inside the bathroom. I adjusted the water temperature to how i like it and i turned it on while humming a song. The first splash on my body was so refreshing. I let my hair down and as the waters flowed down my body cooling every nerve in my bones. But then all of a sudden i felt this sharp pain that made me scream and fell to the ground and then i saw something like feathers wrapped around me. It all felt like an illusion. I felt the pain quickly subside and i gradually stood up. What seemed like feathers was actually attached to back. I looked through my left shoulder and saw wings on my back. I doubted it and went to front of my bathroom mirror and to my greatest surprise there was wings directly coming out from my skin it had colour like flames a mixture of red and gold. My hair which was normally shoulder length blonde was now long down to my waist and was now red with gold edges. My eyes were literally flaming it was sparkling. I held my mouth from screaming this is theoretically impossible. I heard when my door burst open and i was naked in my bathroom confused. All of a sudden the wings and hair everything changed back to normal. It was no one else that barged into my room but toby, one of my cousin's. I quickly dragged a towel and hid by my bathroom door but he already saw me. Toby is one of the people i dislike because he has always wanted to have his way with my body this has gotten me really scared of being home alone. I caught a sinister smile on his face and he went back and locked my door and placed the keys in his pocket. I ran out from the bathroom and hid by my bed wrapping myself with my blanket "i never knew today will be my lucky day " as he spoke he walked towards me. "Who would have thought that i and oris would be the only ones at home today" upon hearing this i shivered " i like what i just saw ".He licked his lips "please toby don't hurt me " i could hear my heart racing and my eyes were watery "i really don't care if i do" the more he got closer i shifted backwards until i reached the wall and no where to run to i burst into tears pleading with him not to hurt me but he gave deaf ears, he dragged the blanket away from me and threw me on the bed. I was fighting to run away but he climbed on me and tried forcing me to kiss him and i bit him " you bitch" he punched me on the face and i could taste something thick i guessed it was blood "you are gonna pay" the next moment he was kicking off his pant. I kept on fighting and kicking but it couldn't do anything on his frame instead it angered and he smacked my cheeks and punched me several times until i got weak but i still struggled. Gradually

An extremely shy princess falls in love with her new slave boy she tries confessing her feelings to him.The boy who feels the same rejects her because he knows that it's not going to work.Will it work out at the end or will they separate through all their trails of love?

Elena has known she was a fairy since she was thirteen thanks to her adopted dad who left Lenfairia, a parallel earth filled with magic to the earth she knows now, to protect her from the witches who killed her parents and now she’s almost seventeen and her powers have grown stronger. After catching her boyfriend kissing her best friend she gets chased by vampires who want a taste of her power. Luckily, her best friend Alexander Walker, who is her adopted dad’s biological son saves her from the vampires and has come to earth with instructions from the King, her uncle to come back home. Elena agrees. Elena goes to Eurox, a magical Europe, and she’s in awe of the magic that surrounds this world. She meets her family, who throw a welcome-back ball for her. She then goes to Hollow Prep Academy, a school for fairies and elves to coexist and learn how to use their skills to fight off the creatures of darkness. Elena meets many friends and foes, and she’s already involved in school activities. She thinks she’s safe in her school until monsters start attacking her. She learns that someone is summoning those monsters to kill her but she’s not alone because her friends do their best to stop those monsters from hurting her and anyone else. They also try to find out who is sending those monsters Elena's way. Could it be the witches who killed her parents or a new threat?

For the first time after hearing the truth, she cried. She closed her eyes, "Mom, Dad, I'm sorry I couldn't remain safe, but I finally took revenge for you". She smiled sadly. The only wish she has is to take care of the ones she love if she ever live again. Lee Xue Jia, an assassin known as 'Nightmare', found herself in a world she never knew. She opens her eyes looking at her new environment, "Where I'm i?" she asked confused. To make it worst, this body has no cultivation and has a weak physique. "No problem, I can treat myself!" she smiled. "Who said I'm weak?" Not only is she strong, but also powerful. She also has the ancient most powerful and ruler of the beast, the mystical dragon, as her pet. To top it all, she has the phoenix destiny, all beast fear her. All those who bully her in the past will pay! But there's a powerful and cunning man who is after her. "Fuck off! I won't marry you". She said arrogantly as she glared at him. He moved closer and held her down tightly. "You will marry me!" he yelled. But before he could do anything, she bite him and ran away. "You can run, but you can't hide". He smirked as he watches the tiny figure run for her life. Follow Xue Jia, as she embarks on her crazy adventure in this new world. P.S: this is my first time writing a story like this, I'm a novice. Plagiarism is strictly prohibited. Please remember to review, vote and rate the story. Flee free to say any idea you have for the story.

Iris Wit, a young soldier on a journey to stop the darkness brought on the seven kingdoms by his father The tyrant of kingsland. Blessed by the elemental god of water, he has taken upon himself the responsibility to restore peace to the seven kingdoms.

Synopsis Will Pandora's Box of Human Cloning Be Opened? In 1997, Dr. Ian Wilmut of the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland, introduced the world to "Dolly," the first cloned sheep. By 2015, the American company VIAGEN PETS had become the first in the world to clone deceased dogs and cats, producing hundreds of cloned animals and establishing itself as the largest animal cloning company in the United States. In May 2023, a baby with DNA from three parents was born at the Newcastle Fertility Centre in the UK, made possible through mitochondrial replacement technology. As of 2024, we find ourselves in the age of AI, with expectations that AI will soon evolve into AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), capable of thinking like humans and even surpassing human intelligence. AGI is anticipated to address long-standing challenges in genetic engineering and biotechnology swiftly and effectively. But what happens when human desires come into play? What if a beloved child, spouse, parent, or even a renowned politician or scholar passes away? With sufficient funding and stable technology, could they be cloned? Even in the Bible, the birth of Jesus is described as asexual reproduction. According to Christian doctrine, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. This event, known as the "virgin birth," signifies a departure from the typical human reproductive process. This belief is a foundational doctrine of Christianity, underscoring both the divinity and humanity of Jesus. While the concept of asexual reproduction differs from traditional scientific reproductive methods, it is viewed through the lens of faith as divine intervention. Currently, biotechnology is advancing rapidly in most areas, with the exception of core somatic cell cloning. This progress is gradually resolving uncertainties and instabilities while pushing the boundaries of what is deemed divine. A top-down approach, which entails completing surrounding technologies before developing nuclear weapons and only adding the warhead when conditions are right, is already being applied in genetic engineering and biotechnology. In the United States, violations of the Human Cloning Prohibition Act can result in penalties of up to 10 years in prison or fines exceeding $1 million. If someone is willing to take that risk...? The Pandora's Box of human cloning is already upon us.

The kingdom of Aethel shimmers under the midday sun, its opulent castle a testament to the legacy of its rulers. At the heart of this gilded fortress resides Princess Anya, a young woman sculpted into the epitome of royal perfection. From a young age, Anya's smile has been practiced to radiant precision, her every action a display of unwavering obedience. Yet, beneath the flawless facade, a flickering flame of curiosity and longing tugs at her heart, a yearning for a life beyond the carefully choreographed existence she's been forced to accept. Anya's world is upended when her father, the King, announces her arranged marriage to Prince Darius of a neighboring kingdom. Anya accepts the news with her characteristic poise, but a thrill of anticipation and unease settles over her. A new kingdom, a new life – perhaps it holds the chance for something more than just duty. However, as Anya and Darius embark on their journey to his domain, the prince's charming facade begins to crack, revealing a colder, more calculating man beneath. The veneer of a loving marriage crumbles faster than a sandcastle in a storm. Darius's indifference morphs into a calculated cruelty that thrives on Anya's silence. He revels in subtle jabs and public humiliations, chipping away at Anya's spirit with each barb. Yet, through it all, Anya remains the picture of stoicism, her smile a weapon against the emotional warfare that has become her waking life. Tragedy strikes when Anya discovers she is pregnant, a glimmer of hope in the darkness of her marriage. But this hope is shattered when she suffers a devastating miscarriage, one that is revealed to be the result of a calculated act of poison. Anya's grief is compounded by the betrayal, as she learns that Darius, with his mistress Esme, orchestrated the loss of her child. The death of Anya's unborn child marks the end of the obedient princess and the birth of a woman hardened by betrayal and determined to seek justice. Anya begins to shed her role as a passive observer, educating herself in the ways of court politics and forging alliances with disgruntled nobles. Her transformation is aided by the arrival of Princess Genevieve, Darius's younger sister, who proves to be an unexpected ally in Anya's quest for vengeance. As Anya and Genevieve's bond deepens, they hatch a daring plan to expose Darius's cruelty and corruption. During a grand celebratory feast, Anya and Genevieve orchestrate a series of revelations that shatter Darius's carefully constructed image. #Yuri #Princess #betrayl #love #heartbreak #romance #cute #lovelife #lovestory #relationship #commitment

The random adventures of two sisters and the crazy ways they have fun.

Richard a mafia is on a mission to avenge the death of his parents, Getting encounter with the princess, Richard abducted her for his revenge. Along the line he found her attractive, letting go of his resentment for her, he protected her from the king who is hellbent on killing her . *Excerpt* Richard just go back to the quiet life you were living, No Jessie I've never been living a quiet life since the death of my parents,all I've felt was anger and hatred, I've been a criminal,a terrorist. But something also changed since the day I met you,I've been happy, somehow that feeling of anger and hatred was alleviated. Raising her chin up,I am not living you now and in the future Richard, Jessie called out,I want to ask you a question. Sure,go ahead. Why did you abducted me? *End of Excerpt* Seems Richard parents had some dealings with the king during the past. Getting to know the real identity of Richard, the king embarked on a mission to get rid of him along side the princess.

A world of Demi-Humans, Humans, Gods, Dwarfs, and Elves. Multiple races lived in the world of Elysian, a famous video game worldwide. One day, Sarah, an avid player of the game, wakes up and finds herself transported to another world as her character Nirvana from Elysian. Despite the shock, she actually likes what happened, and after judging that her previous life was way too boring, she decides to stay in this new world and starts a journey. She finds out that she is much more powerful than any of the beings she encountered so far in this world, and after having her human sense of morality slowly taken over by the evil thoughts of her character Nirvana, she decides to begin a crusade for world domination.

She was once the Shadow of a King but she got reborn as the daughter of a bloodthirsty Emperor. Using her knowledge, our protagonist strives to live a long and wealthy life in this new world.

Note: Cover Photo from Pinterest and not mine. Credits to the owner The continent has always been riddled with war. Small kingdoms are being invaded by big ones and are swallowed up. Two empires have emerged to be the most powerful, the empire of Constantine in the west and the empire of Alessandria in the east. When the two empires clashed to dominate one another, the continent was put into turmoil. With the war stretching on for years crops and livestock began to dwindle, famine and sickness started to spread. Death had spread throughout the continent. In this war between the two powerful empires, Constantine was at a disadvantage because of the might of Alessandria. Because of the long years of war and the damage it has brought, a truce was formed. Being that Alessandria is the dominant of the two, Constantine was forced to give away some of their territory together with sending a princess as a hostage and one of many wives in the harem of the tyrant emperor of Alessandria. Almera Ashelet Constantine was the eldest princess of the empire of Constantine. Born from the empress of the empire she should have been loved by many. But contrary to that, she was only a princess by name and not favored by her father the emperor Reginald Constantine III of the Constantine Empire. She was then chosen to be the hostage princess that is sent to Alessandria Empire. ** It looked like Almera was in a disadvantageous position, she was not only a princess from the enemy empire but also a weak woman that can be bullied easily. She knew that her father has sent her knowing that she can die in Alessandria and that is what he was counting on to break the truce that was forged. But unknowing to anyone, she has a power that was passed from her mother empress to her. It was a power that can change the tides of this war. Almera kept it a secret as her mother had let her promise on her death bed. But for Almera to survive, she must use this power to wager and struck a deal with the emperor of Alessandria, Romulus. ** At the wedding chambers in Alessandria, Almera was waiting intently. Her hands were sweating even though she was feeling cold. Nervousness enveloped every part of her body. She had heard rumors of Emperor Romulus. She must get him to agree to the wager she had in mind. When the doors opened and a man entered, Almera’s heart leaped. She saw a well built man with little clothes on. It was none other than the emperor of Alessandria, Romulus Alessander. “So, you are the princess of Constantine that was sent here.” The man looked at her from head to toe as if gauging her worth. “You will do.” He had a devilish grin on his face. The man was rushing to the bed where Almera was seating. “W-Wait…” Almera said hastily. “Before everything else… hear me out. I want to make a deal with you.” Romulus stopped just right in front of her. “A deal?” Romulus had one eyebrow up. “Interesting. This is the first time a woman had stopped me in my tracks and surprised me by wanting to strike a deal. Then tell me princess, what deal do you want to have with me?” A playful smirk was etched on his face.

This is the story of Princess Ingrid of Ásjáheimr and Grand Commander Caym Fairburne of Sylvania Empire. ×××××××× [ R18: Mature content. ] The tradition of royal captivity started during the rule of the Second Emperor Ludwig in the Sylvania Empire, where descendants from various kingdoms were brought as 'symbols of peace'. The royal captives lived in an isolated palace provided with material luxury but devoid of freedom and future, like beautiful birds in locked in a jeweled cage. Ingrid is the First Princess of Ásjáheimr and the last royal captive of the Sylvania Empire. Having endured childhood abuse without receiving any help to heal her traumas, Ingrid has succumbed to depression. She lacks the desire to explore beyond her known life, cherishing her fragile peace as a royal captive over the thought of freedom. But how long can she stay this way? When Ingrid met Caym Fairburne, the Grand Commander of the Imperial Army of Sylvania, her little world have started to change. As they navigate the dangerous landscape of rebellion, war, power struggles, and mysterious divine interventions, Ingrid finds herself captivated by the Grand Commander who stands as strong as a fortress yet as warm as the sun. "I am a royal captive," Ingrid whispered, lowering her gaze. "You've already mentioned that, Your Highness," Caym remarked. Ingrid lifted her head once more. "Tell me, what is it that you're doing now?" she asked. "You are the Grand Commander. You shouldn't be entangling yourself with me, let alone be having this conversation with me." Caym tilted his head. "I suppose that's true. But as I said, I also don't know what I'm doing right now," he admitted. Ingrid observed Caym's dark hair, its strands capturing the ethereal glow of the moonlight. His amber eyes, with an intensity that mirrored the flames, held a gaze that seemed to penetrate the shadows. A chiseled jawline framed his face, adding a rugged yet commanding quality. His brows arched above those penetrating eyes, creating an expression that Ingrid could not read. "Grand Commander, you've suddenly become quite handsome in my eyes," Ingrid remarked. "Don't you realize how precarious this is?" Caym remained silent for a few moments. "I believe I understand the peril in that," he finally said, his deep amber gaze locked on Ingrid. War looms on the horizon, love blooms amidst chaos, and political intrigue threatens to tear them apart. Their fates entwined, Caym and Ingrid must navigate treacherous waters, their encounter shaping the destiny of nations. ××××××××××× Extra tags: #dotingML #brokenFL #psychological #detailedworldbuilding #severalkingdoms #schemes #powerstruggles #divinebeings #complexplot #weaktostrong #mature

Check out my new book "Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate", which participates in Cupid's Quill. Please support me by adding the book to your library, voting, and commenting :D *** This story is slow-burn to show the characters' desires and emotions properly. The ML will appear in Chapter 28. If you'd like to skip the earlier chapters, you can go ahead to Chapter 28, where the main story begins. Chapters 1-28 give a glimpse of Yohana's life before she's resurrected in Runa's body. They also contain hints for several mysteries, but not major ones that would disrupt your reading flow. ___ [updated daily] Yohana, a skilled and relentless assassin, is killed after eliminating a prostitute. But she returns from the dead and finds herself in the body of the prostitute, who turns out to be the former princess. Now Yohana must unravel the mystery of her death while navigating high society as she assumes a new identity. As she uncovers the truth, she faces unexpected allies, enemies, and love, challenging her at every step. ___ Instagram: merakiconstellation Discord: merakifiction Join my discord channel here https://discord.gg/dgHBGW84

The Fliskan Princess is the story of a Laura, a girl who is living a seemingly perfect life. Suddenly, everything goes down spiral until a mysterious man and woman comes in revealing that she is a princess from another world which was invaded by their enemies. In order to save their planet from these intruders, she must take an important initiation right to fully harness the power of a magical gemstone to reclaim their kingdom and save their people. After regaining her memories, she journeys with her friends across the universe seeking old and new allies gaining experiences and lessons along the way.

Jean, a 23 year old lady spent her days bringing all her dreams to life. She was a determined and active lady. "Military seems interesting..." She thought while watching a movie, when her dad came back she said to him, "Dad, this princess will be joining the military selection activity tomorrow." "Racing seems exhilarating..." She thought while visiting the Grey racing firm. In the evening, "Dad this princess will start racing tomorrow, she needs a car." Jean always considered her self lucky but where was her damn luck today? She felt like crying but her eyes were very uncooperative, totally dry. Jean came to Young Master Grey's office in his male disguise as Fella to steal a mask but who knew Jaden Grey will enter almost immediately. Jaden settled in his office chair before squinting a little, of course Jean was fucked up. She hid beneath the office desk not even considering how tall Grey is. She held her breath as felt him stepping on her back then, "Hisss!!" A whimper escaped her lips when he suddenly increased pressure... FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED NEXT>>>> #This is a story full of humor, action and romance, don't miss out!!!!

Alicia Rosalyn Von Heist is the youngest daughter of King Edward of Alvannia. She is an illegitimate child born from a maid in the castle her father has fancied. After her mother died when she was young her father took her home and ‘adopted’ her. Because of her low birth and illegitimacy she was neglected by her father the king and bullied by her stepmother the queen and her step-siblings. When she was 16 years old a war broke out with the neighboring country of Grandcrest. The war lasted for two long years and the two countries have made a truce at the end. The Grandcest empire demanded a princess to be married to the young king. It is said that the king of Grandcrest specifically asked for the hand of Alicia. Alicia was 18 years old when she was sent to Grandcrest as the fiancee of the young king who was said to be a cold blooded evil tyrant, King Regaleon of the Grandcrest empire. Note: Cover photo from Pinterest.

Red-spider lily, a poisonous flower born from the Eastern plains of the Florain empire. After the death of Princess Lily in her first life, a death caused by those she held close to her heart. She returned once again, this time, as a true poisonous flower, growing in the hearts of the family that once caused her pain. This time, as the true first princess and legible heir to the throne, Lily Selena de Florain sets to become Queen, protect the ones she cared for and stomp every enemy underneath her feet.

Princess Elowen Sylrae of the enchanting kingdom of Aeloria had her future perfectly planned: she was to marry her childhood friend, Sir Thalior Wyrd, and together they would rule the kingdom with grace and strength. However, her dreams were shattered when she discovered that Thalior had betrayed her with her own half-sister, Lady Seraphine. Heartbroken and enraged, Elowen immediately canceled the engagement. In the midst of her personal turmoil, tragedy struck the kingdom. King Aldric, her beloved father, passed away suddenly, leaving the throne vacant and the kingdom in a vulnerable position. According to the ancient laws of Aeloria, Elowen could not ascend the throne without a husband. Desperate and pressed for time, Elowen faced mounting pressure from her advisors and the court. As if in answer to her prayers, a mysterious stranger, Eirik Thorne, appeared and offered her his hand in marriage. With no other options and her kingdom at stake, Elowen agreed to the proposal. However, Elowen soon discovers that Eirik is no ordinary stranger. He is, in fact, the crown prince of the rival kingdom of Drakoria, a nation long at odds with Aeloria. As tensions rise and secrets unfold, Elowen must navigate the treacherous waters of political alliances, hidden agendas, and unexpected love. Can she find a way to unite their kingdoms and secure peace, or will the revelation of Eirik's true identity lead to the destruction of everything she holds dear?

The end just began

WARNING: MATURE CONTENT! Aria's POV The world had given nothing but cruelty to me. Being a princess might sound a good idea, but trust me, it's not. I grew up living in fear of myself, a discovery of what I might be. A discovery that costed the absence of my mother in my childhood. Instead, my father, a cold hearted man, raised me. I thought he hated me but he was trying to protect me from the same cruel world that snatched his wife. And then he came into my life, a guiding light in the darkness. A missing puzzle that made me complete. Leon, my personal knight! If he was an angel or a devil in disguise, that, I didn't know! ***** Other books by the author The Assassin's Redemption: A Princess's Journey To Forgiveness Cover is originally mine

In the ghost month (July), the ghost gate opens, the dragon Pluto takes a wife, bids farewell to a hundred ghosts, and strangers avoid each other. All of this happened when I was running away, and suddenly a strange old tune played... I thought I could escape, but I couldn't escape from his palm. I survived falling into the water because the Ghost King came to save me, but I unintentionally sacrificed myself to him. His cold voice touched my ears, saying, “You are brave enough to dare to escape from marriage.” One bizarre incident after another, walk through the underworld! See impermanence in black and white! Even Lord Lu had to kneel before me! Only then did I realize that it was not an ordinary ghost, but...