I loved it till the end.
I'm happy that I stopped reading years ago after the childhood arc, because I could continue the story without being too "involved" in the romance. My pick was Aiden, but I felt like she would end with the prince and was frustrated. So I stopped.
But decided to try it again. And decided to read the story for what it was and to try to not get involved in her "final pick".
But I ended up getting emotionally invested again. And I don't regret it because it was beautiful. I really likeq the realistic turn the story took, and how true to the heart of the message it kept going.
We need to go on. Sometimes when you obsess too much over the past, even a beautiful one, it can transform into chains that hold everybody down.
Aiden WAS the main love interest. Maybe with the crown prince as a second lead. Josh wasn't even in the game.
But like all dramatic shoujo, they get separated by fate, and feelings are hurt.
What changed was that unlike every other shoujo, those things were not treated as simple happenings that were here to make it dramatic. It had real consequences.
The fact she transmigrated had consequences till the every end. The fact that she felt guilty for taking someone else's body shaped her social interactions all around.
The fact she truly fell for Allen and he left (forced to), wasn't just some kind of timeskip that you can forget about in an heartbeat.
The relationship she built with the prince was not erased as a simple "you're not the ml so you don't matter".
And Josh who was by her side all along. Who took care of her until the very end without forcing it, who accepted her doubts, her insecurities, and who let her go at her pace ended up winning her heart.
It feels cliché, but it never happens like that. The fated reunions, the melodramatic happenings always ends up winning over the "quiet loyal love".
The problem is that this type of love is never quiet in reality.
It's the loudest. The one that appear in every moment of your daily life. The one that you see in the cup of coffee you take in the morning, in the little flowers that you pass every morning going to school, in your favourite meal after work...
And the story told that. It wasn't just because he was by her side, it was the way he acted during that time. After all, she passed a point where she wanted to choose him simply because he was the "safe" option and because she was grateful he never left her side. But she ended up truly falling for him.
I adore Aiden with all my heart. I loved the prince in the way that each time he acted as a cliché "tyrant", he ended up apologising and truly changed. And I love that I ended up rooting for Josh BECAUSE the heroine fell for him.
Aiden was my pick when Lili was in love with him. When she was not in love with anybody I did not have any pick. And Josh became my pick when Lili obviously fell for him (long before she realised it).
It ended up being a really beautiful story. At some point there was a time that it was going in circle, but I also found it clever that it was incorporated in the storyline. That it was on purpose, the story was getting "muddy" because nobody could let go of the past. And the heroine acknowledged it.
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL STORY OF GOING FORWARD ! LOVED IT!
I think I'm really dropping this now.
I mean, the 3 guys are not good enough for her. But *currently* Yayul felt like the less disrespectful.
One is a creep, who doesn't now the first thing about consent. Invade her bedroom without authorization, touch her, hug her... And I still can't get past the stalker cat.
The other is a sweet boy, but still a macho guy. Who sees her as a trophy he needs to win by fighting his rivals. She's the damsel in distress ~
And the last one is a twisted trauma boy, who has his humanity still downloading.
But feels like the only one who actually respect her as a full person? In this chapter, he didn't follow her in secret but appeared in front of her asking if he could come with her. Didn't try to tell her/order her not too go because it was too dangerous.
Like... Theyre all meh but the last one feels less wrong. And I loved their bond as children. But now she acts like another person with him?
She just accepted the other two destroying her own quarter in a prideful fight she never asked for. And it was passed as a joke.
But here she feels more disgusted by Yayul (her oldest friend, who she accepted even after their past life) guarding her quarters (loitering) than when White Boy (a random guy who manipulated her into obeying him since day one) decided to APPEAR IN HER OWN BEDROOM IN SECRET.
Author, seriously what is going on? The boys are not good, but your heroine is not making any sense.
She's a badass woman who talks about the power of women but let boys walk all over her 24/7.
It has been a few chapter now that the heroine has become a passive airhead the second one of her harem appear in the story.
Isn't she supposed to be a "real" ancient person? (As in not a modern girl that time traveled) Why the fuck is she letting a guy appear in her private quarter without reaction (which is very disturbing even for modern people)? Why the fuck are her harem members literally fighting and destroying her house just for her attention is... Funny?
A least before (childhood arc) she communicated with the characters, explaining what is okay and not okay. But since the white hair guy appeared she just ... Accepts everything? With just a tired/annoyed expression? And iwe need to be okay because it's cute/funny that they're jealous or just... A rude asshole that thinks being pushy/forceful is charming ? (And a creep with his stalker cat)
So rare to see a serious war story with a female lead! Can't wait to see their army grow stronger under their leader.