thevenerableone's Favorite

I'll just be sharing my thoughts on the story and its characters based on Chapters 1–42, which is as far as I've managed to read so far. I'll try to keep this review as clear and concise as possible. The story is still ongoing, so these are only my impressions up to this point.

I’ve read a few spoilers about the novel, and from what I’ve seen, the manhwa has toned down Han Ju-eon’s madness quite a bit and portrayed Jeong Hwa-ik as a much better person compared to his novel counterpart. In the novel, neither of the two men was really a good person.I’m honestly very happy that, in the manhwa, my husband Hwa-ik is written as a better person and that his relationship with Heo Yewon ended on a much better note. I really prefer this version of his character

The story is good. I love non-con in fiction I'm not going to pretend otherwise. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but it keeps me entertained and constantly on edge. The male lead is the kind of character I both love and hate at the same time. In the manhwa, he feels like an extreme red flag, but according to what I’ve read about the novel, he’s more of a black flag. The only thing missing is him resorting to mutilation against the person he claims to love.I’ve only felt this way about a handful of characters before. Some examples that come to mind are Ulrich, Charon, and George.

The artwork is absolutely stunning to the point where I have to spend several minutes just staring at Hwa-ik before I can move on to the next chapter. The man is ridiculously handsome. The explicit scenes are also some of the best I’ve seen; they’re beautifully drawn and really stand out.I honestly can’t find anything negative to say about the art. If anything, I wish the artist would consider creating a BL manhwa in this style, because their artwork would suit the genre perfectly.

To be honest, I can’t completely blame Yewon for getting involved with a wealthy married man. If I had been 16 or 18 and met someone like Ju-eon, I honestly think I might have been willing to become the other woman too, not because it was morally right, but because at that age I was immature and didn’t really understand what was right or wrong in that sense. Back then, I genuinely believed that love could overcome everything.

Besides, when Yewon first met Ju-eon, she was clearly not in a healthy state of mind either, especially once you finally learn about her past. She came from a very unstable environment, so I can understand why she made the choices she did. I also don’t blame her for the way Ju-eon treated her, because his actions and decisions were his own responsibility.

However, once Yewon becomes an adult, there really isn’t much of an excuse for continuing a relationship with a married man. At that point, she does face the consequences of her choices, and honestly, she gets her own form of karma. She loses everything she wanted: her place at school, her money, Ju-eon, and even her reputation, to the point where she has to leave and study somewhere else.

I think Yewon is a complicated character because while some of her actions are wrong, her background and circumstances explain why she became the person she was.

Regarding Han Ju-eon, honestly, I don’t think there’s much anyone can do to help him. In fact, that man genuinely scares me. He reminds me of violent men you see in real life. There were moments when I honestly thought he was capable of hitting Yewon because he has no control over his anger.

He was already an adult and married when he met Yewon. He knew exactly what kind of person she was and what her life was like. Everything he did to her, he knew it was wrong. I think he probably believed it would just be a short affair and that he would move on afterwards; he never expected to actually fall in love with her.

He was raised in a way where he never really had to struggle to get what he wanted, and he always believed that money could solve everything. That’s why he thought Yewon would eventually forgive him for anything as long as he gave her enough money even something as serious as the assault/rape. But he was incredibly naive and completely wrong. Now the manhwa has reached the point where I think he’s going to have to actually fight to win Yewon back.

It goes without saying that one of the things that made him develop feelings for her was their physical relationship. Personally, I don’t think that alone is necessarily a bad thing, but the problem is everything surrounding it and the way he treated her.

I completely forgot to mention that Ju-eon reminds me of a mix between Jaekyung and another character whose name and even the BL manhwa he's from, I can't remember right now.

About Jeong Hwa-ik (my husband, even though he doesn’t know it.)

He’s a rich boy and my favourite character in this manhwa. Honestly, he’s the main reason I started reading it and the reason I kept going. When I searched on Pinterest for “top blonde-haired characters in BL manhwas” and his picture appeared, I spent a long time thinking he was the Top from some BL manhwa. You can imagine my surprise when I found out he was actually a straight character from a heterosexual romance manhwa. I literally screamed from excitement.

There’s no doubt that the reason he became interested in Yewon at first was because she’s beautiful, has an attractive body, and they had amazing chemistry in bed. However, I really liked that he eventually realised that was all they had and that a romantic relationship between them wasn’t possible. I’m glad he chose to end things with her and remain friends instead.Honestly, I always saw them as the kind of people who are like real-life friends with benefits. Two people who tried to turn their relationship into something serious but eventually realised they were much happier being best friends.

At first, I did suspect that he was the wife’s lover or that he had some kind of involvement with Han Ju-eon’s wife, but that never happened in the manhwa (although apparently it does happen in the novel, according to the spoilers I’ve seen). I also thought he might have known Yewon from before, which was why he sometimes acted so protective of her, but apparently that’s just how he is. He’s simply that kind of person.

About Suyeon: everything I thought she was going to be like when she finally appeared turned out to be completely wrong. She’s actually the opposite, she doesn’t care about Ju-eon or Yewon at all. The only things she seems to care about are her company, her power, and her own interests. She even has her own lover.

The good thing is that she finally ends her divorce with Ju-eon, and it looks like she’s doing really well for herself. Honestly, I don’t dislike her.

That’s everything so far. Now we just have to wait and see Han Ju-eon’s redemption arc, and hopefully I’ll get to see my husband Hwa-ik again soon.

The story was very short, only 10 chapters plus one side story. Personally, I wouldn't even call it a romance. It had the potential to be a romance that challenged the social norms and laws of that era, but instead it ended up being mostly forced smut with a small amount of plot.

The age gap is quite questionable from my perspective as an adult with more modern values. I'm a fan of non-con in fiction, so I'm not going to pretend that's the issue here. However, this time I just couldn't ignore how young the female lead was.

I know the story is apparently set during the Joseon era, so within that fictional setting such an age gap isn't portrayed as unusual. That said, I'm not trying to justify paedophile in any way. I'm simply pointing out that relationships with significant age differences were far more socially accepted in that historical period, even if they are deeply uncomfortable by today's standards.

As for the main characters, I wasn't particularly fond of either of them. They're both very young, especially Seohye (the FL). She's only 15 years old and has had no proper education, having gone from being a slave to working as a maid. I genuinely felt sorry for her, though at times I also found myself frustrated by some of the decisions she made.

To be honest, I think the first and the last times she tried to run away were genuine. The other attempts, though, felt more like she was doing it to get Yoon's attention. I know that sounds harsh, but that's honestly how I interpreted it. I blame a lot of it on her immaturity—we shouldn't forget that she's still a teenager, and most teenagers act impulsively.

By the end, she also came across as if she didn't really care about the baby. In fact, I think that if Yoon had told her he only wanted to protect her because of the baby, she might have ended up having an abortion or even resenting the child. I also feel like there's a darker side to Seohye's personality that the story never really explored. At times, especially judging by her inner thoughts about Yoon, she gave me the impression that there was a hint of cruelty beneath the surface.

Kwon Yoon (the ML) is 20 years old, an orphan, and a noble. The only family he has is an uncle who only visits from time to time and sees him as nothing more than a tool to carry on the Kwon family name. That means the only people who have really been by his side are his servants, which explains why he became so obsessed with Seohye.

That said, he's educated and knows the difference between right and wrong, unlike Seohye. He's fully aware that what he did to her was horrible; otherwise, he wouldn't have apologised to her afterwards.

To be honest, I didn't understand why Kwon Yoon suddenly started treating Seohye the way he did. There was nothing beforehand to suggest he was going to turn into that kind of red flag. He ended up sexually and physically abusing her, and it felt completely out of nowhere.

In the end, they're both going to become parents, and I honestly dread to think what kind of life their son or daughter is going to have.

One thing I couldn't stop thinking about with the male lead was how oddly cute his penis looked—I think "cute" is the best way to describe it. It wasn't veiny or anything like that; it actually reminded me of the way some ukes are drawn in BL manhwas. I'm not even going to lie, I think Yoon would suit the uke role surprisingly well. Also, the scene where he tried to imitate my beloved top, Seung Ho, absolutely cracked me up.

As for the artwork, I didn't feel it suited this kind of story. It has a very soft, sweet and innocent look, which, in my opinion, doesn't really match the tone or genre the plot was aiming for.

That's pretty much everything I have to say about this manhwa. Sorry if this comes across as a bit harsh, but I honestly wouldn't read it again. The main characters just didn't appeal to me at all.

I'm going to share my thoughts on the story from Chapter 1 to Chapter 43, as those are the only chapters I've been able to read so far.

Before I begin, I'd like to mention that I'm not very experienced at writing reviews, and I don't always express myself as clearly as I'd like because my vocabulary is quite limited. For that reason, I'll be using a translator while writing this review. I apologise in advance if any part of it sounds awkward or is difficult to understand. (￣∇￣")

• About the story:
There isn't any real romance, at least not at the moment. There are a few subtle hints of it, but it isn't a major focus. Instead, the story centres on revenge, the protagonist's struggle to survive the many ordeals thrown her way, and her determination to protect her beast daughter, Lily. I don't know why, but I get the impression that this story feels more like an otome game, where you'll ultimately only be able to choose one male lead. I can also imagine there being a few extra chapters afterwards featuring a harem ending as an alternative route.


• Art:
The artwork is absolutely stunning. To be honest, it's the very first thing that draws you into the story and immediately captures your attention.

• Regarding the main characters:
Martina (the FL) wasn't a good person in her previous life, unlike the person she has become now. However, that's clearly a result of the circumstances she was forced to endure. Both in her past and present, she was driven to make ruthless choices simply to survive. Much like in real life, where some victims eventually become perpetrators as a consequence of their trauma, Martina was forced to become a villain in order to survive and, above all, to protect her daughter.

• Mayfield, the brother and the main villain, is honestly one of the most confusing characters to understand. At times, he seems to genuinely care about his sister, yet the next moment he wants to kill her or see her suffer. Trying to make sense of him is enough to give me a headache.My interpretation is that, much like his sister, he became the person he is simply to survive.

Perhaps the time they spent together as hostages affected him far more deeply than he lets on.

Sometimes I think he genuinely wants to protect her, and that's why he's doing everything he can to make her give up the throne so he won't have to kill her. At least, that's the interpretation I want to believe.What I still can't make sense of, though, is why, in the previous timeline, he stood by while she was exiled and even allowed her to receive a hundred lashes, only smiling as it happened. My guess is that he expected her to beg him for help, but when she refused to do so, he simply let her suffer.

I also think that, in the previous timeline, after Martina was exiled and he became King, he ordered his soldiers to find her and bring her back to him so he could force her to stay by his side, rather than hunt her down to kill her.Another possibility is that he's being manipulated by his father through magic that has twisted the love he once had for his sister into hatred. That would explain why he treats her the way he does, especially if his father is determined to prevent a woman from ruling the empire.

These are just a few of the many theories I've come up with after reading the story.

• Siegfried and Lily are absolutely adorable together. I have a feeling Siegfried will eventually leave Mayfield for Martina, and I genuinely hope he does.

• Now, regarding the potential male lead candidates:

Mikhail is still my favourite candidate. Even after everything he's done recently, I can't bring myself to hate him because I strongly suspect his current actions are ultimately meant to help Martina. That said, some of his behaviour before the betrayal was undeniably questionable. In particular, confessing his feelings, kissing her, and then immediately telling her he was going to leave her was an absolutely idiotic thing to do.

I also think his decision to betray Martina has a lot to do with his insecurities when he compares himself to the other potential male leads. If I'm being honest, they're far more powerful than he is and are able to protect Martina much more easily. Mikhail, on the other hand, is held back by his past as a slave, which seems to have left him feeling inadequate.

What really made me angry, though, was seeing him standing alongside Mayfield. After everything Mayfield did to him when they were children, Mikhail still chose to side with him. Then, to make matters worse, he greeted Martina as though nothing had happened. That genuinely infuriated me. One thing I absolutely loved, however, was Lily telling him that she hated him. It was a very satisfying moment.

• Ryan is my second favourite candidate, and honestly, I adore him. A future general, too.

I was genuinely surprised to find out that he'd already fallen for Martina in the previous timeline. It explains so much about why, in the current timeline, he developed romantic feelings for her so quickly. It wasn't rushed at all, his feelings had been there all along.

One of the scenes that completely broke my heart was when, after the war in the previous timeline, he went looking for Martina, only to find her dead in the forest. That scene was absolutely devastating.

At this point, I honestly feel like Ryan is the true male lead. He's suffered so much throughout his life, yet whenever his illness flared up, there was never anyone by his side to help him. His mother died from depression, and his father couldn't do much for him because he was dealing with his own struggles as well.

• Fayenix. Physically speaking, he’s completely my type. I have a weakness for characters with white or grey hair, so he immediately caught my attention. He’s a genius mage, but despite his talent, his childhood was incredibly lonely. The people in his community looked at him with admiration and reverence from a very young age, which only made him feel more isolated.

I still can’t really see him as the ML yet because of his age. Eighteen still feels too young to me. Maybe when he’s older, I’ll consider him a stronger ML candidate, but for now, I mostly see him as a young man who has a crush on his teacher.

I genuinely felt sorry for him because of his past, especially after what he went through with his former sponsor, who physically abused him terribly. Thankfully, he’s no longer as alone as he thought he would be for the rest of his life. Now he has Lily and Martina by his side.

Out of all the candidates so far, he was actually the one I thought had the highest chance of betraying Martina. So I have to admit, he completely proved me wrong. I was genuinely speechless when the person I least expected turned out to be the traitor.


I originally thought the ML was going to be Mikhail, but after finding out that Ryan and Martina shared moments together in their past life, and that Ryan remembered those memories in the present, I was already 90% convinced that he was the ML. Then Mikhail’s betrayal happened, and that pretty much confirmed for me that Ryan is the male lead.

On top of that, in their past life, Ryan and Martina were the only ones who spoke with the legendary tree that allowed them both to return to the past. That detail alone makes me even more certain that Ryan is the true ML.

• Regarding the supporting characters:
The parents are, quite simply, awful. The mother is especially frustrating; she’s the type of person who only truly cares about her husband and abandons her children because of him, while still pretending that she loves them. The father, at least, was honest from the very beginning, he made it clear that he only saw his wife and children as tools to use in order to gain more power.

Honestly, the parents are the real villains of this story, especially the father. They are the source of many of the problems, and their actions make them far worse than most of the actual antagonist.

For now, that's everything I think about the story. I should point out, though, that the male lead hasn't been officially confirmed yet—it's just that all my suspicions point towards Ryan being the ML. Aside from him, there are two other characters who also seem to be potential candidates, one of whom is a blonde woman.