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Why did it get so serious all of a sudden? Maybe I need to reread, but I don't recall Mimi ever getting seriously scolded on the page for any of the hijinks she's been up to before. iirc, the general plot line for every arc is there's some situation, Mimi thinks of some crazy solution, chaos ensues, and then all's well that ends well. Like, they mention needing to scold her, and I think Aida does on occasion, but that's always come across to me like the "scary instructor" comedic trope since those scenes are so brief if not described in passing. Maybe cause this has always been so lighthearted a read, I can't take this new plot line seriously haha. As long as they don't change our girl's personality, I guess I'm fine with whatever direction this goes? Guess we'll see
I think I gotta reread from the beginning to figure out where I stand on this. I'm still mad, but reading each new chapter with a time gap lessens my anger cause I feel somewhat removed from the story haha. I want to see how many times she was scolded before this incident, cause I think that's my deciding factor. I'll summarize what I find when I do reread it later this week for anyone interested haha
yeah, I finally reread it, and I'm still pretty upset about this punishment. It was too over the top and it's crazy that she felt like she got too arrogant to the point of almost giving up her martial arts.
Did she rush into the fire without thinking? Yes.
Has that aspect of her personality been encouraged and praised by literally everyone around her with minimal consequences? Also yes!
I'm glad I reread it just to make sure I wasn't overreacting to this major punishment for her actions. If I missed any let me know, but here's the points I think are important in mostly chronological order:
-The first time Maria goes home - they send her off knowing there are implied bandits/trouble on the road she'll have to face (chp 5-ish?)
-The village chief's daughter kidnapping incident - she's in trouble for her actions, but that's handled off screen, so basically comic relief. I think Renato forgives her as long as she switches to calling him by name (shown in a later chapter)
-Renato talks about the importance of being crown princess, but this is not for teaching Mimi a lesson, or even emphasizing to her about thinking before she does something, just filler to talk about the position in a chapter
-Maria is scolded off screen again for the drunken ball incident with Price Ireneo
-She's scolded by Gabriel when preventing the first assassination attempt on Prince Antonius, but is defended by Renato - "we aren't limiting Mimi's actions...she knew how to handle him"
-It's pretty consistent throughout the comic that she's encouraged to be "her honest self" by everyone around her
-The whole Antonius and Ancelline arc ending where she dashes in and defeats all the assassins, she didn't get in trouble at all
-Her saving Nikolas from that band of kidnappers had no consequences when she was trying to find Renato
Personally, I don't really count the off-screen scoldings, since they seem like they're more for comic relief than actual consequences. So all in all, she's been scolded in the story that we can see ONCE, but even that was excused by Renato, so it barely even counts!
Tbh, there are too many plotholes in my opinion for the fire incident itself that make themselves known when you read through the whole thing again.
I do think Maria needed some consequences for her actions. She is the hero-type, fires, floods, assassins, you name it, if someone is in danger, she is going to try to help. But that personality has been loved and celebrated by those around her, so it's unfair to put such a harsh consequence off of one incident.
The fact they also punished her maids and knights as well is also a bit much, especially since the king didn't punish Renato and Aida, since they never actually scolded her for her actions. I mean, they're the ones who're supposed to be teaching her to be a proper queen.
I think I've just been reading a lot of angst recently, so I'm mad my feel-good, low-stakes silly comic has actual drama that does not fit the vibes it had for the last 30+ chapters, so I needed to vent.