I have read the first manhwa you mentioned! And I agree with you very well! And I like the fact that our view points match! I thought I was the only one.
Right? In addition to Melissa, Yona isn’t the typical maid in these stories either. I love that she’s not blindly adoring the FL and following her every command because “omg she’s so kind, beautiful, and knows best! I’ll serve her forever” She actually has a unique personality and acts like a servant who’s just trying to get her bag like most servants who choose to serve rich families.
You really hit the nail right on the head!
Trope: The very devoted naive thankful subservient maid who is either very innocent, weak or biased before she is won over by the FL.
And let's not forget the former slave turned obsessive ML candidate.
She usually doesn't have a life on her own... She is just enthusiastic follower and cheerleader.
Kill the Villainess, A Silent Garden, The Lady Wants To Rest, Iris - Lady With a Smartphone, Sincerely: I Became a Duke’s Maid or I was Reincarnated, and now I'm a maid (Sometimes the Maid is the MC but is a very delicate pushover) etc .
Even Bakarina's personal maid Anne Sherry only lives for her... Tragic backstory and being saved by the MC/Villainess.
What do you think of the Maid MC in "This Corrupt World's "Normal" Is Difficult"?
The reincarnated good girl Villainess has become so oversaturated just like the isekai stories about incel otakus or generic depressive salarymens.
Melissa and Yona are so rare and unique.
There are also other reincarnated stories that I would call very progressive/nuanced:
The Pet Of The Villainess, The Lady's Butler, The Stereotypical Life of a Reincarnated Lady and Tearmoon Empire Story.
I would say the MC in "The Way to Protect the Female Lead's Older Brother" is an unusual bloody badass.
I know right! She's a breath of fresh air! And a whole mood herself! And the ML, I assume he's nine, is also different from the normal overly powerful and having a nasty personality and is only kind to the FL and after meeting, the FL loses there normal worth!
I totally agree with your thoughts on the last manga!
Til (=・ω・=)l now I have met only two ppl on this site including u with whom my viewpoint has matched so much
I'm really glad to be able to discuss it like this!
You might find others.
I am also happy to find others with similar valid criticisms.
I recently read "The Lady Wants To Rest" both novel and webtoon and I appreciate now more that Melissa is not the typical most unappreciated beautiful and kind girl in the world type who has to be considerated of any etiquettes, norms or societal rules.
She is in control and is not so clumsy that she has to get saved at the last minute.
If Melissa were like Rubia she would get stalked by all these obsessive MLs who are so attracted/attached to her because she is so fairylike beautiful + her cool bad girl attitude.
Despite being a 1000 years old soul with many experiencse Rubia's power is for the sake of the plot convenience and the superiority of the ML(s) quite restricted.
She is sometimes a damsel.
I have the same problem with "The Villain Daughter Enjoys Her Seventh Life as a Free-Spirited Bride (Hostage) in a Former Enemy Country". The black haired ML suddenly out of nowhere due to fate becomes interested in the FL in her 7th life, she gets easily swayed by him and is automatically inferior than him despite her multi talents. He also killed her when she was disguised as a male knight. To be fair, she attacked him first, but still...
The black haired prince always gets impressed by the talented not like the other girls type FL and wants her no matter what. NO and boundaries are no options.
I think Melissa is the only FL so far who successfully says directly FUCK OFF to any prince.