By the Sword - Simms J. V.

In this follow-up to the hit isekai, a villain continues to find her power-and develop her sadism-even as she's haunted by her ex-love.

Seventeen years after her rebirth into a magical medieval world, Everly Vae Balsar, the Empress, has made it. With her exceptionally potent earth magic and powers of spiritual manipulation, she stands poised to conquer a kingdom that lives in fear of her and her dangerous servants: Carter the goblin assassin, the marauding General Grail, and her elementals, the sadistic Eris and ditzy Titania. She's a villain and proud of it.

Well, she's not a fan of cannibalistic monsters. Villainy is her domain, not the presumptuous Mister Whisper's. But at the moment, Everly is experiencing something she's never felt before: genuine regret over killing someone. Specifically, her mage maybe-love Fenneth.

As she reconnects with her conniving father and impetuous sister and continues to grow her power, Everly's schemes slowly become more complex. But she's still haunted by her actions-and maybe by Fenneth as well . . .