Note: if you plan to reply to me with angry opinions bashing mine, please don't. You can have a different opinion, I just wished to share mind in hopes to discuss with like-minded people. If you disagree with me, feel free to scroll along. It's not making less of your opinion, on the contrary. It's saving both of us the headache.
Good day.
Also, another take. Ergi...
I felt very conflicted about him and what he's been doing. He had a big hand in what Rashta reached even if most of the decisions had been her own since she had so many chances to redeem herself and come clean even to Sovieshu in private. Hmm... I think I'm starting to understand his mentality, though.
What he went through as a kid is truly awful. In a way, it's quite similar to what Sovieshu went through with his mother and her mistress, but maybe in a more awful way since his mother was bedridden. Maybe Alissa orchestrated everything, maybe she didn't, it still doesn't erase the scar she left on his life knowing she's doing it. His revenge on Sovieshu is petty, but in his mind it's only logical since he cannot hurt Alissa, the person who ultimately saved his life. He took the chain from the earliest he could find l, since Sovieshu's father and mother aren't alive, and decided to start from there.
The cog that acted as the keystone in all of this is Rashta. She painted him the same picture he kept putting Alissa in in his mind. She stole the emperor from the empress, she became a mistress, and she was so unapologetic and ruthless about her ti save her own self. Both her and Alissa's excuse that they kept giving is they came from hard circumstances and want to save themselves, even if it was at the expense of someone else, easing their own conscience with how those people affected by their actions already had better lives than them. It's selfish and self serving. He had every reason to be triggered by Rashta and hate her, she reminded him of Alissa.
That's why he kept apologizing to Navier and wanted her gone from there. While he planned on Sovieshu's misery, he didn't account for how reminiscent Navier would be of his mother and her situation even if superficially, and how his plan for Rashta's would end up alienating her even more. He could probably see his mother in her, and by doing this it felt like his acquiescence of Alissa being there eventually at the expense of his mother's position in his house. That's why he always had that pained look on his face when he looked at Navier, yet wasn't able to stop his plans from fruition because that's what he's been living for his whole life.
It may be cruel, yes, but maybe I sympathize a little. Having deliberated and understood how he things and how his past was life, it made me understand his actions a little more. In his mind, the innocents harmed were a necessary sacrifice, and the others harmed who weren't Rashta and Sovieshu were also bad and had what's coming for them. He was willing to live with the guilt, as long as he felt a silver of satisfaction for watching people who did the same as Alissa and his father face the consequences of their actions which he's unable to make his own family face.
Thanks for coming to my ted talk.
All throughout reading this I wished I could be viewing comments of every chapter live, but now that I'm done I see people fighting ruthlessly in here and split into team Rashta and team Navier... I thought the story was very well written and obvious in the point it was trying to deliver.
Honestly I've read what many have written and I understand both sides, so the incoming comment is just me yapping because I usually make yapping comments of my own analysis when I like something. So don't come at me saying I wrote an essay, you can ignore.
This manhwa has made me go through so many emotions that I had to deal with in all characters, but mainly the og eastern empire trio (Sovieshu, Navier, and Rashta). It was easy to dislike yet also empathize with most of them despite their shortcomings. This is in no way to condone any of their actions, but they were human. I would've been more disappointed if one of them was very perfect and nice and sweet, that would've been a cliché.
Ultimately, in my opinion, Sovieshu is the main cause for everything that has happened. It's not Rashta's fault he took interest and promised her everything she's been starved of, and it's not Navier's fault she was born a noble and conditioned all her life to think as a noble and be the empress, that's definitely not grounds for embracing your husband cheating and having a mistress just because she's a slave and had unfortunate upbringing. Sovieshu could've helped Rashta without being involved with her in such a way, giving her a good life, but he was vain and taken with being a hero for her, as well as the promise of an heir. He never considered how any of them felt, and when he did something to help one of them it was ultimately for his own gain (defending Rashta because she's pregnant with his child, siding with Navier because she will leave him and he wants her). I disliked his amnesia arc so much, but I'm glad at least in the end it was dealt with tactfully. I do pity him, for he brought about his own misery by being blind and vain, but I wish he'd find Glorym and have a new reason to work hard for and put all that effort of atonement in. While he was an ass, the child is innocent, and it's cruel to wish he be separated from his child, or that child from her father and her right to the throne.
Now to Rashta. Man...
I had so many emotions about her as I read, but ultimately I just feel sorry for her. She dug her own grave with both her hands while thinking she's building a ladder. She'd been so backed into a corner by her past that being promised a glimmer of hope, a silver of it, made her chase it down like a woman dying of thirst. It was illogical of her to wish Navier liked her or considered her a sister. While she admired her a lot, she ultimately stole her husband and was the main reason for her misery and shame. She could've been content with finally having a place to stay in luxury, a man who dotes on her, and a life she'd never dreamed of, but she aimed bigger each time she was granted something. She couldn't be content with whatever she got and was still looking for more. Greed was truly her downfall.
When given power it corrupted her, and while many can say her abandonment of Ian is cruel, it made sense. She felt he's threatening the life she fought tooth and nail for, and he was living a good life anyway, better than her days as a slave for sure. She had no reason to risk it all for Ian, especially with the trauma they gave her with the dead baby. All she could do is learn he was well and that's it. Would Sovieshu have helped her if she asked him and had been truthful? Probably. But you must consider her position. If you were in her place, would you gamble on his fickle love and everything you've reached just for a child you never knew you even had until a couple of months ago who is living well?
Her end was brutal, but while many had a role to play in her anguish, she was ultimately the maestro of her own death.
Oh and about slavery... Please, can we not talk about how Sovieshu and Navier condoned slavery and were classist about it? It's actually such a very ridiculous argument it makes me sigh. Yes, it's wrong, but also you must consider the setting and time period that was in. Slavery wasn't uncommon, and everyone especially nobles had a certain view of it and had been raised this way. It's not nice and not kind, but it's a fact and we can't hold just those two on the stake for it when it's a general consensus. They're not angels. In fact, Navier never treated Rashta badly for her background, it was for what Rashta did. And Sovieshu never treated Rashta bad for her past, he pitied her, and while that's not love and is such a savior complex, it wasn't mistreatment.
Navier receives so much hate in the comments that it's honestly astounding. Did you all want her to be a saint? She's looking out for herself and her own happiness, just like Rashta did, what makes her any less deserving of that decision? Because she's been born a noble? Do you all beat yourselves down for feeling sad about anything that happens to you because there must be someone out there who lives a more unfortunate life? That's such a hollow way of living. We all are born into our own circumstances and each one of has faces troubles befitting their place in life that would and should make them sad. Im pretty sure cheating on your commoner wife will feel the same for her if she was noble. Calling her infertile, humiliating her publicly, siding with a mistress in front of her eyes, never believing a word she says, then having the nerve to deprive her of seeking respite and love elsewhere? Yea, I'd be livid too. Now that she found her way out and tried to be happy you're all acting like committed a crime and that crime being cruel to Rashta and then being happy. Bruh.. she even gave her advice and left her money to deal with and just decided to leave her and Sovieshu alone, yet they both didn't allow her that respite. What did you want her to do? Embrace Rashta and be like hell yea let's both share a husband who's the man I've been with every since I was a child?
She's not a saint as well. She's an empress, and it's not weird for her to be cunning and find ways to benefit the nation she rules. You expecting her to cower away or be aghast at the things Heinry did to benefit his own homeland is so weird. She accepted him and married him knowing both nations are at odd, and she was probably gonna have to find a middle ground had Heinry never stopped his methods with the mages, but he did and he ceased it all to respect her. I fail to see why many want them to be so benevolent and pure and taint free when they're in positions that need hard decisions to make and be a little ruthless to ensure the prosperity of their nation. Navier has been so kind to so many people, but it's wise not to do that on the expense of her own wellbeing. Same goes for Heinry. Calling him mass murderer or war criminal is so funny for real as if all rulers in history didn't make such decisions. At least he's not a tyrant, he's doing it for his people to the best of his abilities. Everyone can be a villain in someone else's story. Smh.
In the end I'm quite disheartened by many of the takes here in the comments that require things and characters in such a setting to be black and white. Everyone behaved in respects to their position and their own personal gain, which honestly is such a normal and human thing to do, and expecting a saint level of behavior and selflessness is very weird and a fairytale. The author never intended for this story to go down that path and it was obvious from the beginning. Also, Navier realizes her duplicity with how she feels about Rashta and is unapologetic, which again is very normal. If you were in her place I doubt you'd behave any differently. Or maybe you would, just behaving worse.
This has been a very interesting manhwa for me and I liked the variety and complexity of each of characters given, even the ones who were more bad than good.
I hope Grand Duke Kaufman all the good in this world, this man truly was the most selfless of them lmao. I have no doubt he'll grow to love Charlotte.
Now then, sorry for the rant. I just enjoyed this and thought might as well present my thoughts and scream into the void. Can't wait for the special episodes (I want Glorym to live happily she's the real victim here).