NOVEL NEXT 
Julius Goldforge knows how the world works. He knows his role. Really, it's destiny by this point.
The mentor dies, the hero gains motivation, and the demon lord falls to their blade.
Except...something's clearly gone wrong here.
a jaded, middle-aged adventurer who's damn sure he's going to die on this new journey with his students and the ambitious Empress of the Dark Lands, whose drive to conquer the entire world winds up putting both him and her on a bizarre course of attraction and impulsive decision making.