Eva's Topics (675)

... I came here to cope because the first season of R2R (same author) has ended and I wanted something similar to read but WTF DID I JUST READ

I let this marinate after the end of season 1 and thought I would pick it back up after the start of season 3 (especially because I thought there would be some sort of chasing arc from Aaron) BUT I see from the comments and spoilers that it's better if I never pick this shit up again :)))) thank you all for your service

This doesn't deserve an 8.4 rating, I read the raws and it's great!! I mean, it's objectively nothing special in terms of plot, but if you like reverse harems (and a mc rising to power) it's one of the best in my opinion. It vaguely reminded me of The Prince of Myolyeong/Mystic Prince with the competition to become emperor and the reverse harem (although that one is unbeatable, 10000/10, nothing comes close to such peak!).
I really like the FL's personality, the main MLs have fleshed out and interesting personalities, there are antagonists but also a lot of nice side characters and the plot about becoming the emperor was also unexpectedly engaging. All in all I have no major complaints, it's a kinda (BIG emphasis on kinda) light-hearted but very pleasant read. The only thing I was perplexed about was the final harem choice: the mc took in 5 consorts, 2 of which we only get to know in the side story AND one of the (assumed) mls was not included in these 5?? Then why did the author make him have the 2nd most screentime after Mujin, I'm so confused!

I just finished both manhwa and novel and... THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I'VE EVER READ WTH, the 9.6 rating is FULLY deserved!! This is the kind of story that is gonna ruin every reading experience for weeks because nothing compares to it, SO FREAKING GOOD

I didn't expect this to be so unserious lmao

I want to read this but..... WHY THE TRAGEDY TAG???

Well then see y'all next year cause at this point the hiatus is gonna get extended until 2027

Why do my favorite novels always get an adaptation AFTER I've already finished reading it?
Anyway, I remember close to nothing about the plot but I remember loving it

I've read the novel without any expectations, just because I had read spoilers that the blond guy (Maximus) was the endgame and Tiberius' regret would be satisfying, but THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I'VE EVER READ WTH?!? It's been a while since I've felt such genuine excitement and anticipation while reading a BL. I literally love EVERYTHING about this, the author did everything right in my opinion.

First of all, I was so relieved to realize that the betrayer wasn't the main ML (I wouldn't have even started this otherwise) and, while I admit that I initially didn't like the actual ML that much (the feet/hands fetish also put me off a lot lol) I very quickly warmed up to him, and he became one of the best semes I've ever read! He's so protective and understanding, genuinely such a sweet lover. Often childish and prone to jealousy but in a cute and charming way. He doesn't even let any misunderstanding FORM, let alone ruin their relationship, as he's very intuitive and communicative. In any other similar novel, the ML would have felt betrayed by the MC not trusting him and lying about his identity, or would have raped him out of jealousy upon finding out about his past lover (why does this trope even exist??), but NO, nothing of that, he was intelligent enough to immediately deduce MC's thought process and fears that brought him to lie (him having legitimate trust issues and their families not being allies). The SATISFACTION I felt everytime one of those tropes was evaded.

The regret from the 2nd male lead was EXTREMELY satisfying. I've read quite a lot of stories with chasing arcs but this might be one of my top 5. Just SO SO SO good. He did end up being a bit pitiful at the end, but I still love how he suffered all the consequences of his actions, which I felt were exactly right for his crimes (nothing more, nothing less than what he deserved imo). There were different stages of regret [1) him going mad looking for mc for 4 years after betraying him, 2) him finding out about the terrible abuse mc went through because of him and his presumed death, and wishing to die to follow him, 3) him finding out that mc is alive BUT he has a new lover and only feels repulsion/indifference towards him, 4) him doing everything to win him back but failing every single time, only for mc to run back to the ml, 5) him giving up but still endlessly waiting for mc to change his mind] and it just got better and better! I loved every second of it.

Also, I think the author did an amazing job displaying the mc's trauma and how every single thing that happened to him had an impact on his mental health. Even in the side story, despite being happy and surrounded by people who love him, the ptsd is still there and comes out when he least expects it. This is surprisingly rare in the BL genre, where everything the uke goes through is either forgotten immediately after it happened, healed with the power of love & sex or worse, reduced to a kink and romanticized. Here everything is dealt with in a rational and mature way.

Another thing I loved was how both world building and characterization of the secondary characters were so carefully done. The author must have either studied history or avidly loved and researched Ancient Rome's culture because it all felt so natural and 3-dimensional. It didn't feel like a random empty setting for the romance, it felt like I was actually living there. As for the characters, I was expecting the usual "MC against the world" (with every character other than the ml being either a toxic love interest or an antagonist) that I usually see in BLs where the MC has a tragic life but here, while his life was indeed tragic (if you can't stand to see a MC suffering you might want to reconsider reading this, it's THAT bad), there were so many characters that were absolutely LOVELY! First of all MC's best friend, Marius, who literally made me tear up multiple times until the end. That foolish guy put himself at risk so many times out of loyalty for his friend, even after believing him dead , and he continued suffering together with mc as if mc's trauma and misfortunes were his own. He might be my absolute favorite character in the novel. Then there are also other secondary characters like Tiberius' younger sister and Maximus' slave/attendant, they were such benevolent and reasonable characters that helped the main character with nothing in return. Maximus' father was presented kind of as an 'antagonist' that didn't approve of their relationship and put the mc in danger for his plans, but he completely turned around and became an affectionate father-in-law who spent more time with his son-in-law than in his own home LMAO. I loved how both allies, antagonists and those in the middle (like the FIL) had depth and didn't fall into the usual archetypes.

Sorry for the long comment but I genuinely loved it so much and it made me sad to see that the manhwa isn't being appreciated enough so far! I just finished the last side story and now I feel so empty

IT'S BACK!!! (before you ask where I read the chapter, I bought it from Ridi)