Is this worth a read? I read some comments saying it was good and others the opposite
it's very politics- and fief-management heavy, and MC was very much into taking revenge and noblesse oblige so there is a LOT of details about scheming, gathering people, dealing with other nobles, etc rather than the actual action scenes. MC also regressed, not isekaid so he didn' t know everything and his only weapon was his wisdom as ex-emperor. If you like strategy-filled plot with ruthless and cold MC you'd like this, but if you love actions, magic and comedy then this is not for you
I think it also depends on what you think a “cold” character is. For many readers, if the main character of a story is perceived as “cold”, it can be unpleasant enough to make the story unreadable.
A “cold” character refers to someone who has apathy/lacks emotion, is ruthless, or doesn’t value human lives. But for many readers, an exception can be made for a character who is a king/lord/emperor. A ruler is someone who has to be rational and logical. As a leader, a king will be forced to make decisions that involve weighing human lives against each other. For some readers, a ruler who is capable of sacrificing 2 people to save 2000 won’t be considered cold. Since to those readers, that type of decision making is considered “unavoidably practical/realistic”. To others, it’s a sign that a ruler lacks humanity, and is someone who views his people as mere numbers.
This story’s MC is a former emperor, and even in his recessed life, he’s still a lord of a territory. He has countless lives under his direct authority, which he must protect and oversee. In such a situation, he needs to make decisions that are based on the majority’s wellbeing. The MC has obvious bonds with other characters. He clearly wants to protect his people. However, he is a character that can pretend to get along with others, with the intention of stabbing them in the back later, if he knows that doing such will benefit the majority of people in the future. The MC is not taking the virtuous route, where the hero encourages everyone to risk their lives for the sake of righteousness and honor. He is making logical decisions based around knowing the future. If you hate that kind of character, then you will hate this story. I guarantee it.







NEEEEEDDD S3