HELLO LADIES!! And fellow noble folkヾ(☆▽☆)
Just like y'all I was hard pressed when I thought the Duke was the ml and wanted to know if maybe he got better in several arcs from now. So I went on a search for spoilers and the novel.
1. ML AND END GAME:
So technically the Duke was the system appointed ML for like half a second. Johan is the real endgame and male lead.
It turns out that Daisy at one point has saved Johan's life at one point in the Demon Lands and that is why their keyword was reverse age gap since they HAVE met before. And ever since them Johan had always had the feeling that she would eventually come back to him.
Daisy was pressured into selecting a male lead especially since there started to be shipping wars that included her and the different ML candidates. Her and the Duke were the most popular pick.
Also since the Demon Land is like 99.6% buggy, Daisy felt like she couldn't choose Johan and actually reach an ending to end the game since the Demon Land is for the sequel.
HOWEVER the moment she selected him as the ml, she got full access to his bio and she found out he was actually an A- rank.
Her fairy godmother the Duchess from the first party, saw Daisy very depressed and revealed her secret power which was the ability to turn back time. So she does to where Daisy is reable to choose her male lead.
She and Johan then work together to try and end the game while being together.
2. THIS STORY SPANS OVER 2 GAMES AND AFTER GAME DEPRESSION
(Now this is the part where you know I was looking at spoilers and couldn't read all the novel yet )
BUT Daisy is able to finish the game and log out with all her memories in tact as well as the other ladies. Just before she does, she and Johan share bittersweet time together and Johan does a really touching moment where he restates that he will always hold the belief that she will always come back to him.（/TДT)
Then she wakes up at 8 a.m. to her world. She is able to get her money after the game ends but she ends up feeling so hollow inside since she's back to reality. She is able to quit her shitty job and do other things but nothing really fills the hole inside her heart. She ends up donating a lot of the money since she doesn't feel like she has any use in it.
Eventually she gets another package from the Game Group with an invitation but she couldn't bring herself to open it and scared to go through all of that again.
So she runs to a temple to try and set herself right. Where she gets guidance from monks who help her regain the courage to try again.
She opens the invitation to find that it is a direct sequel and she would be returning to her original role as Daisy. They also tell her that she was a hit sensation during her last game session and now in the sequel she'll have access to the Demon Land including having Johan be end game and a selectable male lead.
So Daisy and Johan then start planning their future together while playing the sequel. ヾ(❀╹◡╹)ﾉ~
There's still lots of plot points that I didn't add but are really good but I know lots of people just wanted to know who the Real ML is.
HOLY SHIT GUYS, WE GOT TWO DOMMES FIGHTING IT OUT IN BED. WE ARE EATING SO GOOD!! ლ(´ڡ`ლ)
YOU CANT JUST SHOW US THAT FUCKING TEASER!!! IM GOING FERAL THAT ITS NOT IMMEDIATELY UPDATED AFTER THAT
(￣∇￣") lol I'm one of those random readers of this novel and man is it never ending lol.
But I wanna point out the difference that the novel did vs the adaptation, probably to keep it more PG tbh, for the scene Isabella made with Caesar during Ariadne's ball was that Isabella actually made sure to be seen actively having sex with him. I believe the whole plan was that when Isabella seduced and threatened him by crying and making a scene at the ball but would give Caesar up after having one final intimate moment together before he goes off to marry Ariadne. Meanwhile the same 'friend' was in the wings waiting for Isabella's cue, which was knocking over a vase, while in pleasure to draw everyone's attention while keeping Caesar distracted. The friend then proceeded to open up the privacy curtain they were hiding behind, exposing Isabella and Caesar together before everyone.
Isabella really thought that if she could show basically all the nobles in San Carlo that Caesar was in bed with her, it would force her father and Caesar to switch the marriage over to her. But in the end, it turned out the same.
Just wanted to give a difference since we finally got to this part lol. I wondered what the manga was going to do when we got here and now I know lol (づ￣ ³￣)づ