Hey guys! I realized sth recently!!!

I don't think it was unfair to compare Melissa to Ran because Melissa's position is not much better than Ran. Her half brother Jake has more rights/priveledges, her father is an incompetent conservative bafoon and her political position/reputation is already too bad.
Just like Ran she was quite powerless until Melissa really use everything underhanded she can to survive/protect herself by becoming more evilish independent/emancipated.
She doesn't even care what others think of her because she knows everything is just horsecrap.
It is funny that Ran created this toxic dangerous world and but is still helpless.
The ML is given tremendous power by the author has to save her in many countless occasions/situations.

Let's not forget that Ran gets access to powerful spirits but she is too afraid to summon them due to a unknown high price.
Melissa on the other hand rather take the risks and overcome them than keep suffering under shitty patriarchal men.
The Viridescent Crown is dark misery porn, if you think deeply about it.
In the original novel Ran gets raped more than one time. So no matter what she does, she gets punished for it.

Perhaps you right. Maybe it is unfair to compare her to Melissa because that character is made to keep suffering until the ML gets reformed, more heroic and confess his deep love for her.

Ran is a bunny and Melissa is a lion.

Then there is Daisy - How to Become the Duke's Fiancée. Her position is lower than Ran, she is not from the modern world and she comes from a very abusive enviroment. But she displays from my perspective more inner strenght, intelligence and assertiveness than Ran. Even though she relies on the typical dark haired brooding ML by boldly making a beneficial deal with him I can't help to admire her competence and really strong will to thrive that completely overshadows her constant fears.

You ve made some good points about why Ran has it so much worse.
I agree with you about Ran's disadvantaged situation and her dark world building.
But there are still things/interpretations I have to disagree with... I won't bring up all the things I ll disagree with you.
The way I see it Daisy still suffers under PTSD but she has this inner (female) rage and self-enlightment that keeps her going and become more fearless, calm and open minded... I guess we see Daisy's behavior both differently.
Ran can't do this or that due to her unstable position or else she will face the consequences... But even when she holds back, behave, keeps her heads down and make the best within her limited options, she still gets attacked, assaulted, (almost) raped and targeted. So no matter what she does she always will be the victim.
This is how the author portrays it.
The fact that Ran thinks she has to support the ML/her stepbrother in anything to increase her survival only leads her ironically to become the main target by anyone.

Still, You re right about that she/Ran doesn't have a choice or other good options and it is because the author has written her this way. For me you just confirmed that despite Ran's achievements she is always at the receiving end and I can say for sure that the ML/Male protagonist always overcome the impossible odds due to his special status, abilities and equipments given by the author personally.
I mean he is the force who punished and brought death to those (including trash dukes and royals) who harmed the FL.

Should I have mentioned someone like Martina/Astina from "The Lady and The Beast" or Eden/Edna from "Shadow & Light" instead as an better example, if they were in Ran's world? Well it is always debatable, if other strong smart female protagonists were able to do better in "The Viridescent Crown".

Say, is there a great reason why you react so strongly about my personal opinion of The Viridescent Crown?

Do you identify with Ran so much that you have to use all convincing counter arguments to defend her because you feel I am victimblaming and undermining her limited capacities/obvious struggles?

Correction: You ve already mentioned Lady and the Beast and pointed out the comparison of middle class and rich nobles...

The reasons why I personally mentioned Astina and Edna:

Astina came from a persecuted marginalized poor group of gypsy coded women.
She endured all the humiliations and rape until she found the right opportunity to strike down the king and killing many other nobles.

Edna had her talented intelligent mother who taught her everything. But she still lived in constant fear under her tyrannical scum father.
Then during/after the coup against her insane shit father she lost everything and was stripped of everything. She became a nobody who became a mistreated slave maid.
Then she was forced to marry a bloodthirsty "duke", survives and decided to use her life to improve/protect her people.

You think Ran has literally nothing? She is responsible for creating this world.

You are not exactly answering my questions...

It was an experience to have a very difficult discussion with you.