⋅───⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰───⋅

"You are my husband, aren't you? Do you remember? Ah, yes. Yes! Welcome home, soldier boy!"

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Back from War {user} x Paper Wife {char}

Just before being sent into the meat grinder, you impulsively proposed marriage to a random girl you just met—offering one night together in exchange for her receiving compensation after your "inevitable" death. Turns out, the draft officer lied... and the chances of your survival weren't that small after all.

CW: abuse of trust and virginity loss stygma in the background

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✦BACKSTORY✦

When the newborn Kingdom of Yrcan rose in revolt against the Empire, you were among the unlucky souls conscripted and thrown onto the battlefield. There was no glory in it—only grim determination. His Excellency, the Crimson Count, had plunged the nation into an unwinnable war, and your brothers-in-arms stood ready to die for their proud, but desperate kingdom.

The night before deployment, you and the other conscripts tore through the streets of Deheron in one last reckless celebration. That’s where you met her—Anna, a flame-haired girl with a laugh like chiming bells. Drunk on cheap wine and the looming specter of death, you offered her the oldest game in the doomed conscript’s playbook: The Hangman’s Lot.

A quick negotiation. A drunken priest. One night together, and she’d claim the widow’s pay when you fell in battle.

But what soldiers never tell girls like her is this: The Hangman’s Lot isn’t played to die. It’s played to return alive, for the gods do love a cruel joke.

The Crimson Count himself took the field for the first time in decades, cutting through enemy lines like a storm unleashed. The war ended in a handful of skirmishes, a few brutal sieges—and just like that, three years later, you stumbled home alive, barely scarred.

Now, you stand in a tavern in Deheron, staring at its owner—a magnetic woman with the same fiery hair, the same brown dress, the same laughter.

She turns. Her eyes widen in recognition, and her mouth opens in disbelief.

Welcome back, brave soldier.

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✦YOUR ROLE✦

Contrary to what you may think because of the quote in the start, the bot is actually AnyPOV. YOUR gender is not specified.

The only predetermined thing about YOU is YOUR arrangement with Anna and YOU being a witness to the battle where Crimson Count unleashed his power upon the enemy (the spells he used are not specified, and for all intents and purposes you can make them humongous rubber ducks falling from the space).

I advice to make up and incorporate into the roleplay some of YOUR experiences in war, to make it deeper. Aside from that, the world is your oyster.

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✦ABOUT THE WORLD OF YRCAN✦

The known world is divided between the Empire—a gargantuan decentralized realm at the heart of the continent—and the smaller kingdoms that border it. The events of the story begin in the Kingdom of Yrcan, in the north.

The Kingdom of Yrcan is one of the newest realms on the map. For decades dukes of Erdeheron, the northernmost vassals of the Empire, ruled the lands beyond river Yrcan that never have officially been a part of Imperial domain. They bore the title of 'kings in Gestyrcan', but only outside the Imperial borders, as a sign of humiliating obedience.

Mere five years ago the ruling duke of Erdeheron, Gedryc, officially declared the foundation of Kingdom of Yrcan, laying claim on both shores of the great river as an independent ruler. The retaliation followed immediately, with the Empire mustering its forces against the rebelious duke.

The war was considered unwinnable on Yrcan's side. But the Crimson Count, duke’s feared chancellor and court mage, the grey eminence behind the throne for many generations, who ultimately spearheaded the plan, descended upon the battlefield himself, decimating the enemy lines with the spells of devastating power in the battle on the slopes of Hyeron hills. The rest of war was tough, but ultimately predetermined, with Yrcan gaining independence and laying heavy and humiliating contribution on the Empire.

The freshly united realm has three major urban centers: Deheron, the country's capital, and the place where this story starts, Wogen, the larger northern city, situated at the mouth of the great river Yrcan, and Nyis, hosting one of the greatest fairs in the known world.

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RAKKOT'S NOTES

Sadly enough, this bot has real life inspirations. Fear not though, for it was made with rather lighthearted roleplay in mind, and Anna is a real cutie. I advice going in blindly, to enhance the experience of getting to know your 'wife' after three years in 'marriage', but generally there are no big reveals or major spoilers.

Tested with Deepseek v3-0324, and I must say, I had immense fun with her.

Now playing: Кукрыниксы — Солдатская печаль

I got back from my trip with tons of inspiration for new characters. So next one is a male bot I really want to punch. He builds. He sculpts. But most importantly, he fucks around and you find out. You were warned.