ladyjlb's manga / #Strong Female Lead(176)

Ch 45 as of 02/04/22 - short chapters ** plot is getting rather silly … might DROP - FL is Rosaline Etude Hans Skadia 26yo, the Wolf Queen, leader of the central wolves, and Empress of the Skaden Empire. - In the 4yrs since she ascended the throne, she has conquered many countries. She’s a genius and demon of the battlefield. - FL was imprisoned in a tower until she was 18yo. That was because she couldn’t control her transformations as a child. - She has a pet white wolf Manu that she calls her friend. - Empress Bruhilda, FL’s mother - 1st Prince Lohann, FL’s older brother - ML is Kang Jun, 13th Prince of the Kaganate. - He became the possession of the Khanate Princess after the Kaganate were defeated. He is the last survivor of the Kaganate royal family. - Imperial alliance annual meeting - ML asks FL to save him after he runs away from the Khanate. She takes him with her after the meeting is over. - ML becomes FL’s night companion whom she calls for every night. By day he receives lessons in the Skaden language and other topics. Later he’s given access to the imperial library. - FL takes ML with her on a hunting expedition near a village in the south. There are reports of wolves killing children. - FL says wolves don’t kill without reason. During the hunt she injures a wolf with her bow and arrow, then gives chase. - FL takes wolf form and finds the leader of the wolves in the area. The wolf FL injured is the mother of a half breed, half human and half wolf. The wolf mother offers herself as a sacrifice. - FL learns from the villagers that they killed the half breed, who they called a werewolf. That’s when the wolves started killing the human children to avenge the death of one of their own. - FL presents the mother wolf’s body and declares it to be the leader of the pack. She says the attacks will now stop and the villagers mustn’t seek revenge against the wolves. - ML had followed after FL when she pursued the wolves. He found her clothes strewn about then she returned naked. - Every full moon, FL leaves ML alone. She also wears a veil, apparently due to an eye disease. ML suspects she can change into a wolf. ML follows FL into the mountains behind the imperial palace. He loses sight of her and is suddenly surrounded by wolves. The leader appears and the other wolves leave. As ML calls out “Empress”, the leader transforms into FL. - FL sees ML has a dagger and slashes his chest with her claws. As she strangles him, ML promises to never reveal her secret. FL decides to believe him and trust him for now. - From then on FL takes ML everywhere with her. - Lucas Edward du Barke, 3rd Prince and trade minister of the Adelu kingdom. He and FL first met at her 18yo coming of age ceremony.

Ch 87 as of 26/12/21 - bad translation - FL goes back in time to her childhood when Mielle is 13yo. This is after she had a failed life spent being used by others. - Instead of throwing tantrums and misbehaving, FL learns her etiquette properly including embroidery to advance ahead of her stepsister as much as possible. - FL suggests furs as a worthwhile investment and gives an embroidered handkerchief to her stepfather the Count. - She sets fire to her old clothes, forcing Mielle to act charitable and lend her clothes. FL picks a dress that was a gift from her love interest Oscar Frederick, son of a Duke. - FL buys a regular subscription from the commoner newspaper seller when she goes into town. While picking up her repaired hourglass, FL offhandedly tells the shop owner to sell his casino auction ticket as she knows it’ll become worthless after the Crown Prince raids the casino for slave trafficking. - A strange young man stops FL and questions her on what she might know. FL is able to give a glib answer and slip away. - FL attends her 1st tea party by her tutor Sarah Loren (only daughter of a Viscount) and charms the guests with her new attitude and embroidered gifts. FL asks for more tutors but really wants to make more connections and use them instead. - Oscar with FL’s stepbrother Kain make a surprise visit to the Count’s home. While Kain and Mielle are out shopping, FL gives Oscar the handkerchief she embroidered with his family’s crest. Later Oscar sends gifts to both Mielle and FL. - While shopping for a gift for Oscar in town, the strange man who calls himself Asher approaches FL with a bunch of tulips. Rather than accept his sudden friendliness, FL ‘accidently’ steps roughly on the tulips before leaving. - FL raises the issue with her mother of the sick coachman swapped last minute by another and the broken carriage during her trip to town. The staff are reprimanded by the mother. FL knows Mielle and possibly her maid Emma are behind this incident. - FL discovers she can turn back time with the hourglass once a day for 5 mins. She becomes very tired and needs to sleep for a long time after. She also ages a little each time she uses it. She plays around with it on trivial things at 1st but later learns to use it more effectively. - Oscar met FL to initially return the gift and stop any contact with her but he is too kind hearted and agrees to be pen pals with her. - FL has gained a new maid Annie from Mielle and she is enamoured with high society. FL tempts her to join her side. - On Mielle’s bday, Rain Pino is introduced. He seems to be from a wealthy background but nothing else is known. Oscar arrives and separately gives FL a letter as promised. - Sarah Loren (FL’s tutor) met Marquis Vincent, her future husband at the coming of age ceremony. - Rain has been visiting every day with expensive gifts for Mielle. FL has worked out he is trying to see if she is really the one his master is looking for. A query about the future of the casino is posed to both Mielle and FL, with very different answers. FL decides to not share any business ideas anymore if she isn’t credited for them and focuses on self study instead. - While in town for a festival, FL meets Asher again. It’s obvious he is the secret master of Rain but not to FL. - Mielle has been in touch with Oscar’s sister Lady Isis Frederick, who is expected to be engaged to the Crown Prince. Isis leads the aristocratic faction. Isis expects complete obedience from Oscar, including courting Mielle and cutting ties with FL which he seems to do in a letter. So Isis doesn’t hurt FL, Oscar thinks marrying into her family is the best way. - FL shares the idea Kain had in her past life when the issue of high taxes on luxury goods comes up over dinner. - Asher goes to Isis bday party to confirm FL isn’t Mielle and leaves abruptly after. Asher sees FL at a tea room in town and interrupts to invite her to a special meeting, a small gathering to discuss society, politics and economics. Once Rain delivers the official invite, FL finds out that Asher is his master. - To build her own wealth, FL uses the hourglass at the casino. Asher in a lion mask helps FL escape from overly eager fans. - FL stockpiles sugar in anticipation of the supply issues to come. - FL invests in perfumed hair oil, a popular substitute for sugar. She focuses on a business owned by Baron Burboom and encourages a relationship between Annie and the Baron. FL generously shares the oils with staff and receives better treatment as a result. - FL meets Marquis Vincent with Sarah but she’s feeling imposter syndrome more and more. - At Mielle’s bday party, Isis announces the upcoming engagement with Oscar. He leaves a gift for FL, similar to the one she gave him. - Emma suggests to Mielle to hold a meeting of the wives of young entrepreneurs to gain influence. This group of commoners and lower nobility is the same FL has invested in secretly. FL is invited to the group’s meeting. Asher is there coincidentally under the guise of someone else and proposes the idea of a school for commoners. - After the meeting, Asher tells FL the truth that he’s Crown Prince Asterope Franz. He has a special ability that is passed down the family. It allows him to travel long distances quickly but like FL it seems to tire and age him slightly. - At her engagement party with the Marquis, Sarah suspects Mielle as the source of FL’s unhappiness. Asher meets briefly with FL but is confronted by Isis after. - With help from Mielle and Emma, Veri the maid serves poisoned tea to FL who used the hourglass so avoided a bad ending. Veri is on the run but is captured by Asher. FL makes a deal with Veri that she can escape to another nation as long as she reveals who put her up to it. She says it was Emma. At the trial Emma is sentenced to death by hanging. Veri is later killed quietly after she had left by carriage. - As tensions rise within the aristocratic faction, FL and her mother consider preparing to escape. - Rumours fly about Isis marrying a foreign noble. - The school for commoners opening ceremony: FL reveals herself as the investor and Asher reveals himself as the Crown Prince. Asher asks permission to officially court FL. - FL’s reputation improves and Mielle is reported to be the source of the false rumours about FL as a villainess. - Lady Frey Franz is the judge who presided over Emma’s trial and is related to the imperial family. She invites FL for tea and asks many personal questions, then has FL try on some men’s clothing. - When FL tells ML about it, he says Lady Frey had a younger brother Chloe who looked similar to FL. Chloe was banished with his mother to the Croatia kingdom. - FL attends a scholarship award ceremony at the school. Sarah meets her there to accept FL’s invitation to teach at the school. - While Mielle is hosting a social event at home, she frames FL for pushing the Count down the stairs. Asher came and took FL away by magic, as he was alerted when the bracelet he gave her was broken during the Count’s fall. ML helps provide FL with an alibi by taking her far away on a fake vacation. - At the trial FL is found innocent based on the evidence. Mielle is sentenced to 20yrs in prison (for murder if the Count died), reduced to 5yrs house arrest after the Count wakes up. He confirms Mielle as the one who pushed him. - No one believes Mielle who saw FL and Asher disappear like magic. Instead she’s accused of taking hallucinogenic drugs. - Mielle threatens Isis with the letters she’s kept as evidence that Isis was involved in all this. Isis helps Mielle escape by having her disguised as the maid that brought her meal. - Mielle goes with Isis and her entourage to meet Emperor Lohan of Croatia. Isis is engaged to Lohan and together they will start a rebellion in the Empire. - Mielle tells Isis and Lohan about Asher’s special ability. Only Lohan seems to believe her (or not?) - FL and Asher discover Mielle has escaped but they’re not surprised by it. Asher is already aware of the threat of rebellion by the aristocratic faction and has planned against it … - Marquis Piast from Croatia supplied the soldiers for the rebellion who will enter the capital disguised as commoners and allocated to the noble residences of those in the aristocratic faction. - Marquis Piast is looking for the woman who was Chloe’s lover before he was exiled to Croatia. He visits the Count and recognises FL’s mother from the description Chloe gave him. FL’s mother consoled Chloe the night he found out that the Marquis was his real father. The Marquis meets FL over dinner and is amazed at how much she looks like Chloe. - To overcome her imposter syndrome, on her 17th bday FL tells Asher about her special ability with the hourglass. She also tells him that she’s from the future and that’s why she knew about some events that would happen. Even knowing she was a villainess, Asher remains on her side. - Chloe has arrived with Lohan … - FL and Asher go on a date to a restaurant, and are shocked to see Isis and Lohan there. Lohan flirts with FL which she rejects and they leave the restaurant. In the carriage, Asher talks about his jealousy. FL kisses him, telling him it’s her first in her whole life. When they arrive back at FL’s estate, Asher kisses her in front of the servants. - The takeover of the capital doesn’t happen as Lohan is working with Asher. All of the nobles that harboured soldiers are arrested and charged with treason, including Kain. Isis and Mielle are also arrested when their carriage with Lohan arrives in the town square. - Mielle’s sentence is changed from death to 50yrs in prison. Kain’s sentence is changed from death to life imprisonment. Isis and all of the other nobles arrested are sentenced to death. Oscar was stripped of his title and he’s now a commoner.

Ch 90 as of 16/08/22 ** Also on Tappytoon as “The Spark in Your Eyes” ** some bad translation ** ch 39 and ch 80 (?) missing - The southern kingdom under King Mormodes conquered the North several years ago, largely due to the Sun Witch / Knight, Hildegar Ailius. Her true identity and face were kept hidden. - FL is the Sun Witch, a powerful mage and knight with the ability to heal. She retired a few mths ago and is living in seclusion away from her many enemies. Just before retiring, she started to suffer from a mysterious illness or curse that has steadily worsened. - ML is Elkin, a Northerner pharmacist employed by the family-run Lindemann General Store. - Anetta is another employee at the store. Her sister Griselda Elba is a royal knight from the elite Emric order who serves FL. - ML is approached by royal knights to prescribe a remedy for a noble whose identity must remain secret. His is the only one that proves effective and he is eventually invited to stay in the castle as it’s resident doctor and pharmacist. - Anetta will act as middleman for the procurement and delivery of any special drugs and herbs needed for FL’s treatment. - After bumping into ML by accident at the castle, FL uses the alias “Kaia.” She pretends to be a new servant and lady-in-waiting. - Only FL’s personal knight Griselda and lady-in-waiting Heisey know her face and true identity. - FL recognises ML’s face from somewhere but is unable to recall who he reminds her of exactly. - The King keeps trying to spy on FL and manipulate her from afar. FL uncovers the chef as his spy and tells him to flee. - Sir Therion Weidhen, a young novice knight is sent as a spy by his uncle Commander Albrecht of the royal knights to obtain any info on FL’s identity and illness. - FL disappeared 8yrs ago during the war at the Northern border. - FL was possibly responsible for the death of ML’s parents at that time when they were tending to the injured on the battlefield. ML is keen to find her and seek his vengeance with her alone. - While helping put out a fire in a nearby village, FL overhears ML talking about his parents and that the Sun Witch was to blame for their deaths. She keeps this to herself so she can look into it more. - The anniversary of a key battle lost in the war brings forth tragic memories from that time, especially for FL, Griselda and Therion. - FL and ML help an old woman who turns out to be the mother of a close knight of FL who died in the war. The old woman warns FL to beware ML as he seems to have deep wrath in his heart. FL starts avoiding ML from then on. - A petty thief seems to be at large in the castle. The medicine list for FL might be the true goal. Griselda suspects Therion. - FL finds out the intruder is a stray cat who was stealing random items. She decides to adopt it and names it White Feet. - ML asks FL why is she avoiding him. She says it’s because she became confused when she was with him. She knows he’ll treat her very differently if he knew who she really was. - Heisey discovers Therion in ML’s room. He was looking for the medicine list. Heisey tells him about FL during the war and how she came to the rescue of the small castle Heisey called home. She is completely loyal to FL who is her saviour. She warns Therion that he will have to choose sides one day. - Ulrike the witch and her warrior companion Laszlo are northerners who arrive at FL’s castle with a letter from the King that introduces them. Ulrike claims that a ritual is required to cure FL and it must be performed tomorrow. - FL agrees to proceed with the ritual. - That night FL meets ML and asks what his plans are if the ritual succeeds. Does he have any other regrets? - ML meets Ulrike to ask how he can get to see the King and the Sun Witch. Ulrike gives him a vial to add to the usual morning medication for FL. He spends all night agonising over what to do. - Before coming to the castle, Ulrike and Laszlo captured the chef to ask him about the Sun Witch and they tortured him to death. - After they disposed of the chef’s body, a royal knight approached them with an introductory letter and a vial. - Anetta is in the nearby village and sees the chef’s body brought in by some guards. They describe the northerners that were seen with the chef before he died. Recognising Ulrike and Laszlo, Anetta races to the castle to tell them. - Ulrike only allows FL and Heisey to be present in the room for the ritual. Ulrike asks where is the castle lord and Heisey says that is she. Ulrike talks about a punishment for stealing god’s power. She pulls a poisoned dagger from her cane to strike Heisey. FL lets her hand be stabbed instead, then heals it with her power. Ulrike says the paralysis poison in FL’s veins can’t be detoxified while she’s fighting. Ulrike now knows FL is the Sun Witch. - Anetta reaches the castle and interrupts Laszlo talking with Griselda. He takes Anetta hostage and says Griselda killed his brother and comrades. Before he can reveal to Anetta that the Sun Witch is the owner of the castle, Griselda throws documents in his face then follows up with her sword in his mouth. Anetta is freed as he struggles with Griselda who kills him with a dagger by slashing his throat. - FL knows there was never a ritual nor a cure. - FL tries to use her magic power to aim a blast at Ulrike, but FL’s arm is becoming paralysed and FL misses. - Heisey strikes Ulrike with a candlestick but gets slashed by the dagger. FL takes the candlestick and uses it to conduct her power as she thrusts it into Ulrike’s face, burning her badly. - FL sucks the poison from Heisey’s arm and ties it up to stop the poison from spreading. She later gets Elkin to treat it. - ML admits to FL and Griselda that he knew the northerners were suspicious. He was given a vial that he didn’t use, instead throwing it over a cliff. FL knows ML made a deal with Ulrike that he won’t reveal. Griselda is furious and tells ML that he must leave the castle. FL tries to defend ML to let him stay. Griselda doesn’t understand FL’s stance on ML since this incident targeted her life. - Anetta tells Griselda and FL the news from Mr Lindemann about the North Chamber of Commerce blocking all imports of medicinal herbs to the royal capital. ML thinks it might be a grudge from the war. He offers to travel north to convince the chamber of commerce to resume the trade of the herbs. Griselda decides to escort him there. FL makes ML promise that he’ll come back safely. - Therion shares with FL that he used to love drawing. His older sister Mila, who never made fun of him, died 8yrs ago in the war. His older brothers Victor and Anton also died in the war. His mother was overcome with grief. As the 4th child, Therion suddenly became the oldest surviving son of the family. - He decided to become a knight like his siblings, to kill the northerners and receive recognition from his mother. - Royal Emrik Monastery: Therion enrolled here as an apprentice knight and trained hard for the next 3yrs. As a freshman he had a fist fight with Dion Fridalte, a senior and the King’s nephew. Dion had been badmouthing Therion’s family. His uncle interrupted the fight and later advised him to speak with his sword, not his fists. His uncle gave Therion his 1st real sword. - Therion had a sparring match with wooden swords against Dion. Therion had 5 rematches before finally winning 1 match. When Dion graduated, he played a final prank on Therion with his cronies and they strung Therion up a flagpole upside down. - Therion returned home in uniform after he graduated. His mother seemed pleased to see him but had in fact mistaken him for Victor. Bitterly disappointed, Therion wished he was on a battlefield and he had died. Lynda his younger sister heard him and was furious. In her anger she told him to leave and he departed. - The war ended in victory before Therion could take part. - Therion tells FL that he’s at the castle because he has nowhere else to go. He wanted to prove something in the war but isn’t sure what that is anymore. He wanted to kill northerners and thought they were savage, inhumane monsters. He now knows he was wrong. - FL hopes he will live his life on his own terms with no regrets. - Griselda and ML chat during their travels. - Griselda wanted to protect Anetta from the horrors of war, but ended up showing her something gruesome and terrifying when Griselda killed Laszlo. ML says if Anetta ever breaks down, all Griselda needs to do is stay beside her. - ML asks about the Sun Witch but Griselda gives him a vague answer. Griselda recalls how she first met FL emerging from a bath and saw that her back had no scars. The story of the Sun Witch: - FL was born in Ardumesha, the Red Land at the eastern end of the continent. It’s known as the birthplace of crows and witches. According to legend, the Sun God Kariya first set foot on this land long ago. It is now an uninhabited wasteland, the Dead Land of the kingdom. - King Mormodes attacked FL’s village when she was a child. A soldier threw her against a stone with a holy symbol and it transferred something that shone brightly to FL which healed her. The king took FL back to the capital and had FL checked by a high priest. It’s confirmed she has Kariya’s Blessing when she heals after being cut by a blade. The King was the one who gave FL the name “Hildegar Ailius”. - The King told FL that she stole something important from him (ie the Blessing). He has her people. If she works hard for him and does what he wants, he will release them and reward her. - Sir Bertram was assigned to FL as her tutor and guardian, with FL also trained eventually in magic and combat skills. He was the Commander of the royal knights, but he was injured when the previous King and older brother of Mormodes was assassinated. - The previous King was a pacifist while Mormodes is more aggressive and hard line. Mormodes has the support of the nobles as most of them are also hard-liners. - Prince Leonard is the young son of the previous King. He was born with a weak body. He asked FL to be friends with him. - Initally FL was headstrong and rebellious. She tried to run away. - FL was poisoned after eating some cakes shared by Leonard. Her rapid recovery was miraculous. The King orders all children in the palace to wear masks, to make it harder to identify and target FL. - 10yo FL had an exhibition match for the King and nobles. Her opponent was her training partner Triana, a death row inmate and swordmaster. Triana had killed her commanding officer and comrades for mistreating northerners, including children. - The nobles targeting FL made a deal with Triana to kill FL in exchange for the safety of her daughter. - During the match, FL won the duel but is ambushed by Triana who picked up her sword again. She cut FL’s body in two then decapitated FL as well. Incredibly FL’s body was revived, showing her immortality and the power of the Blessing. - FL cried as she used light magic with her sword to kill Triana. - The nobles who made the deal with Triana were arrested in front of everyone. The King used this occasion to give a warning to anyone who opposed his will. - Merek, the ruler of the united north. - While still a child, FL took part in her 1st battle. It was to defend the royal castle against the northern army. Her light magic was demonstrated for the first time and instantly killed Otus the giant who led the northerners in this seige battle. - FL accidentally injured Leonard when he grabbed her and she let out a blast of her light magic. She had remained silent as he kept asking her to describe her exciting and glorious exploits on the battlefield. - Bertram tried to get FL to escape. He believed it was a sin to keep using FL’s power. He’s caught and killed. - With FL’s help, the northerners are slowly pushed back. - Albrecht led a separate force to FL that included Victor, Anton and Mila Weidhen. - FL’s unit were called the Sun Knights. - FL’s lieutenants had a low survival rate / high turnover. - Sir Carltz Hess - Diane from the Obenune kingdom, the land of magic. - Ines, a mercenary captain who is a natural leader and strategist.

Ch 143 as of 10/04/23 - plot is slow but very detailed ... (feels like some small details skipped here and there?) https://sawateam.info/the-villainess-lives-twice-chapter-36/ ** End of season 1, Ch 80 ** Ch 113 missing (?) ** bad translation ** also on Tappytoon “To reclaim what is rightfully mine” “Have the power to live a life free of servility” “This will be my greatest revenge on those who scorned me” - FL is Artizea (Tia) Rozan, daughter of a Marquis. - She was betrayed, falsely accused, mutilated and imprisoned by her older brother Lawrence after she’d helped him to become the Emperor. On behalf of Lawrence, countless people suffered and died because of FL. He abandoned FL after he became Emperor. - FL’s mother Miraila became the mistress of Emperor Gregor after Marquis Michael Rozan was given a sapphire mine. Miraila gave birth to Gregor’s son, Lawrence. FL is the daughter of Miraila and Michael. FL was raised by Miraila as a tool to be used by Lawrence. FL never knew love or happiness. - FL forced Saintess Lysia (ex-lover of ML) to marry Lawrence to lend weight and legitimacy to his title as the Crown Prince, even forging a fake oracle from God. Lysia forgave FL and apologised for not being able to protect FL. Isolated and abused by Lawrence, Lysia died from a mysterious illness soon after he became Emperor. (was Lysia pregnant???) - ML rescues FL from prison and asks for her help to end Lawrence’s tyranny. FL weeps and regrets everything she’s done. In remorse FL draws a magic circle with her own blood, intending to turn back time in exchange for her life as the human sacrifice. Instead the spell takes her back in time to her 18yo self. - ML is 27yo Grand Duke Cedric Evron. - ML is known as the shield of the north and the hero of the west. 3yrs / 5yrs ago he saved the Western Army from the brink of collapse and stopped a wave of monsters in the west. - NB: Gregor had ordered ML to go to the west. - House Evron is known as the shield of the Kratez Empire. - ML’s parents were Duke Leofric and Duchess Florella Evron. His mother was Gregor’s sister. - FL set up an “accidental” meeting with ML at the temple. She offers ML a contract marriage with her for 2yrs until she can legally inherit the Rozan estate. In return she’ll help ML become the Emperor for the good of the Empire and it’s citizens’ well-being. - ML dreamt of FL crying from her past life before meeting her. - As Gregor’s nephew, ML is in line for succession of the throne but is not favoured by Gregor (Lawrence is the preferred heir). - 20yrs ago his parents were falsely accused of treason by Gregor and were executed. - It is well known that ML despises Miraila and Lawrence. - By marrying FL and appearing to support Lawrence, Gregor will be less wary of ML. This will allow a faster resolution between them of the victory celebration issue and the appropriate recognition for the Western Army. FL also needs a strong husband to protect her and who is deemed suitable by her mother before FL is 20yo. - FL returns home and stops Countess Charlotte Eunis, Gregor’s daughter, from interrupting Gregor with Miraila. FL advises Charlotte to remember what filial piety truly is and to remind Gregor of his memories with her as his cherished daughter. - FL wants Gregor’s affection for Charlotte to replace some of his affection for Miraila. - When ML visits her home and then finds her at a Count’s ball, he sees for himself how FL is mistreated, neglected and scorned by most of her household and noble society. - FL gets ML to go with her to the slums to see the former butler under Marquis Rozan. Marcus Hanson and his family served the Rozan House for generations. After the Marquis died, they were exiled when Miraila framed them for poisoning all of the other direct descendants, leaving FL as the sole heir. - FL apologises and asks the Hansons to help FL and return to their rightful positions at Rozan estate. Marcus sees this as a chance to reinstate their honour while serving the noble house they love. - While Gregor and Miraila are away at the summer palace for a vacation, ML sends the boutique owner Madam Emily with a full catalogue of dresses as a gift to FL. He also assigns Sir Alphonse Luen as FL’s personal knight. Sir Luen helps discipline Bill the butler and his lack of respect for FL. - FL asks ML to propose with a diamond called Olga’s Heart. ML finds out the jewellery merchant who sold Olga’s Heart 7yrs ago became bankrupt while waiting for payment and died, leaving behind the debt with his children. ML gives a generous payment upfront for the diamond instead. - Baron Yietz bought the diamond with a promissory note. - The Baron then gave the diamond to Marchioness Camellia. The diamond was a bribe for the Baron to receive protection from Camellia in case of any future scandals. - ML continues his search for the diamond at a casino that he discovers is secretly used for trafficking young children who are hidden in the basement dungeon. The casino is owned by Baron Yietz and is likely to be one of the many income sources for Grand Duke Roygar, a man known for his greed. Roygar is ML’s maternal uncle and rival for the throne. - FL obtains the diamond herself from Marchioness Camellia, sister-in-law of Grand Duke Roygar. FL had warned Camellia that it would be in her best interest to withdraw her protection of Baron Yietz, for Roygar’s sake. When crimes involving children are uncovered, the damage to one’s reputation is irreversible. - ML gives FL a diamond bracelet and proposes to her officially. - Gregor is angered by the child trafficking scandal and impressed by ML’s handling of it. He instructs Lawrence to get closer to ML. - NB: Gregor is in favour of ML’s engagement to FL. - FL is hosting a tea party at home without Miraila’s permission. Miraila returns and flies into a fit of rage as she abuses FL in front of the shocked guests. - This is all part of FL’s plan to completely sever ties with Miraila and seize control of the Rozan estate. ML arrives to save FL. He has FL move immediately to his residence in the capital and he takes most of FL’s belongings. FL wants Miraila and Lawrence to remain at the estate for now. - ML is upset that FL let herself get hurt. He wants her to stop seeing herself as a tool and to treasure herself more. While she may strategise for him, he will be her protector. - FL starts to create fractures in the relationship between Lawrence, Miraila and Gregor. She tells Lawrence to seek legitimacy by having the Empress adopt him and declare him as the heir. - FL asked ML’s loyal aide Sir Freyl to be her escort to observe her and make his own judgement. FL sets up secret covert ops for the benefit of ML as part of a broader strategy. - Rai Fidget, an assassin. FL already sent money and a doctor to his younger siblings to convince him to work for her. - FL commissions Rai to assassinate Bill the butler. - FL buys the title and property of Sir Lexen, a low ranking noble from the west. One of FL’s spies called Terri Ford is given the alias Madam Lexen to use when she travels to a city in the south. FL instructs Terri to gain the trust of Duchess Riagan. - FL says to Freyl that ML can unify the Empire, unlike Lawrence or Roygar. The north won’t be abandoned; the west won’t be overrun by monsters; the east won’t rebel; and the south won’t be subjected to threats of conquest by the Eimel kingdom. Freyl pledges his loyalty to FL and offers his help. - Freyl will manage FL’s intel network while also managing the Evron military network. - ML finally receives permission from Gregor to hold a victory celebration for the Western Army. - News arrives for FL that Bill the butler has died after being assaulted by a thief. - Empress Catherine was the only daughter of Duke Riagan. Her youngest child, Prince Favel, was the heir to the Riagan duchy. - After the news of ML’s engagement, ML and FL are invited for an audience with Catherine. FL presents Olga’s Heart as a keepsake to Catherine and FL offers to restore the Fescher Viscounty. - Olga’s Heart was the family heirloom of the Feschers who were friends with Catherine. Viscountess Fescher was Catherine’s lady-in-waiting. They committed suicide to atone for failing to protect Catherine’s 4 children (they died 18yrs ago), including Favel. - Catherine’s parents died in an accident soon after the Feschers’ suicide. Gregor most likely killed them. Since then, Catherine closed the Empress’ Palace and dressed in black mourning clothes. - FL asks to be one of Catherine’s ladies-in-waiting. In return FL will make Gregor lonely and wretched before he dies. She also offers to reclaim the Riagan duchy in the south for Catherine. - As a wedding gift, Catherine returns Olga’s Heart to FL but in it's original place embedded in Saintess Olga’s statue. - FL secretly gave a large salt crystal to Catherine. - The current Duke Riagan is a vassal of Gregor and is responsible for the salt distribution in the south. The money earnt from this salt monopoly is Gregor’s largest source of income. - The Hansons return to serving at the Rozan estate under FL. - Marcus is FL’s aide and first point of contact. - FL meets with the extended Rozan relatives and vassals. She confirms there’ll be no merging of House Rozan with House Evron. - The stage is set for FL and ML’s wedding at the Rozan estate. - A surprise guest enters with the bride: Empress Catherine. - Gregor and Catherine escort the bride and groom down the aisle. Miraila is stopped by Lawrence from attending the wedding. Miraila is later comforted by Gregor. - After the reception, FL and ML spend the night together in the same room for the first time. ML insists they share the bed. - The newlyweds board a ship to go to ML’s estate in the north for their honeymoon. He’s been away for 3yrs. They’re greeted warmly by his retainers, except for 18yo Aubrey Jordin who is in love with ML. FL appoints Aubrey as her lady-in-waiting to keep an eye on her and resolve any problems that could arise. - Count Aaron and Countess Margaret Jordin. They managed the Evron estate and territory while ML was away. - Their daughters are Belle, Fiona, Hayley and Aubrey Jordin. - FL visits the Evron family crypt with ML. - They pay their respects to ML’s parents. - ML shares his dream with FL of making the north self sufficient rather than always relying on the emergency rations sent by the imperial family. Currently the rations are sent as payment for protection against Karam (a 3-eyed 4-armed humanoid race). - The food shortage crisis is ongoing. The population can’t increase and the quality of life is low. To alleviate the cycle of poverty in the north, ML asks FL for her help to achieve his dream. ML predicts there’ll be peaceful relations between Karam and the Empire in the future, with the Evron duchy acting as mediator. - The eastern landlords and nobles support Grand Duke Roygar. - The farms in the east are forced by the imperial family to supply emergency rations to the north. - Nobles and rich landowners monopolise the ownership of farming land in the east. The west is left for independent commoners to farm who have no other choice. The west is prone to monster attacks which causes the amount of grain produced to fluctuate. Farmers fleeing the monsters in the west periodically migrate to the east. They provide cheap labour that is exploited by the nobles and landowners. - FL learns of a secret village near the border that was established by ML to experiment with growing Karam ‘demonic’ crops. FL advises this village to be dismantled right away. It’s too high risk for too little return. Any interaction with Karam the demonic tribe is seen as colluding with the archenemy of the Empire. ML would be charged with treason against the Empire and blasphemy against god. - The Thold mountains forms the northern border and the Thold gateway is the entry between the Evron duchy and Karam. - Hannah is in charge of the Northern Thold Village where the experimental Karam crops are. FL asks Hannah to remove all traces of the village. ML will get Aaron to find jobs for the mixed-bloods. - The experimental crops will be grown in the west under a new name. FL will create a western grain merchant guild. - FL intends to bribe the temple to bless the new crops. - Nobles in the capital are gossiping about the Empress’ Palace reopening and Catherine’s intention to be involved in the succession. Lawrence is seen visiting the Empress’ Palace often. - FL instructed Rai the assassin to act as a fake medium to lure Miraila, who is always anxious and insecure but she isn’t favoured by the temple. His services as a medium have become very popular among the nobility. - Jaden, junior treasurer at the Evron duchy. - FL experiments with creating various prototypes that can be mass manufactured to grow the economy of the north. The main issue is lack of manpower as resources are bountiful. The military and farming are prioritised. FL focuses on the fur and leather industry. - Aubrey throws a tantrum and the jewellery box she was in charge of, which hits and injures one of FL’s maids in the head. - Margaret is informed and she tells the guards to bar Aubrey from the banquet hall for the New Year’s ball. Margaret goes to see FL who gives Margaret the badly damaged jewellery box to fix. It’s a metaphor for Margaret to repair the cracks in their relationship. - Lysia Morten 18yo, daughter of a poor northern Baron and the female protagonist. In FL’s past life, Lysia was engaged to ML. - Lysia lives in “the Rebel Village” where families of the vassals, knights and staff under ML’s parents were hidden by ML. - Lysia arrives at Evron castle to give the New Year greetings on behalf of her family. FL immediately withdraws from any close contact with ML and keeps pushing Lysia to be alone with ML. - FL wants to give Lysia everything that FL took away in her past life. FL is sad that her time with ML is over. - An overdressed Aubrey comes across Lysia and insults FL in a jealous tirade. Lysia gives her a reality check and defends FL while holding onto Aubrey until Margaret comes to take her away. Aubrey is sent to a local monastery to reflect on her actions. Lysia is appointed as FL’s new lady-in-waiting. - ML is away hunting for a few days. - Cadriol, 1st Prince of the Eimel Kingdom and infamous pirate king of the south seas. Eimel is a small island in the south seas. Fishing is their main industry. - The Eimel King didn’t get on with Cadriol’s mother, the previous Eimel Queen. The King also neglected Cadriol who looked like his mother. After Cadriol’s mother died, the 60yo King remarried and the new Queen had a son whom the King adores. The King sees Cadriol as a political threat and a rival. - FL agrees to meet with leather merchants but they’re actually there to kidnap FL. They’re men led by Cadriol. FL colluded with and betrayed Cadriol in their past lives. Cadriol was executed for treason by his father. A few mths ago, he was also reborn like FL. Cadriol escapes with FL from Evron castle and they leave on a ship built to crush ice. He had intended to marry FL. - Earlier at the monastery Aubrey betrayed ML. Cadriol and his men were staying at the monastery and they approached Aubrey. She drew a detailed map of Evron castle and showed Cadriol the best secret passageway to escape through. - ML is furious that Aubrey committed treason and betrayed them when he’d assured FL that no such thing could happen. ML sentences Aubrey to death at the hands of her family. Her oldest sister Belle executes Aubrey with ML’s sword. - ML rides through the snowy night and rescues FL from a house on the harbour that Cadriol had taken control of. - FL asks ML to let Cadriol escape. Earlier FL had made a deal with Cadriol. FL plans to frame Duke Riagan with the assassination of the Eimel Queen. The Duke and the Queen are already secretly cooperating. Cadriol just has to standby and wait. - ML takes FL to the harbour master’s house and ML kisses FL as he tells her over and over that he loves her. They make love and in the morning ML says he wants to pretend their contract doesn’t exist. He proposes to her again. He returns her diamond bracelet to her that she’d left behind and puts it on her wrist (Ch 72). ML says no matter what, she is his one and only wife. - On the way back to Evron castle, ML tells FL not to push him towards anyone else. He knew what she was trying to do with Lysia. In FL’s past life during a ball, ML asked FL to protect Lysia in the imperial palace. He said Lysia was like a younger sister to him. - The carriage is suddenly attacked by a small group of Karam warriors. Reinforcements arrive led by Lysia and the Karam warriors are defeated. Back at the castle, ML leaves for the Thold gateway at the border after he’s notified of a Karam army there with over 20k warriors. For the sake of ML’s hopes for a peaceful future with Karam, ML maintains a stalemate against the Karam army while avoiding any casualties on both sides. - FL investigates the reason for the war. In FL’s past life, there was a war with Karam but it’s still too early for this to happen. - FL finds out from Hannah that the Northern Thold Village is still being dismantled. Karam children were mistaken for mixed blood children and allowed to enter the Thold gateway. - Although the children were quickly returned and compensation given, Karam extremists used this as an opportunity to accuse the Evron duchy of kidnapping and start a war. - Someone in the Northern Thold Village must’ve leaked info about the village to Karam (possibly the Evron priest?) - FL decides to return to the capital to hasten her plans and prepare for any other possible variables. She sends Lysia with a letter to the Thold gateway to let ML know. Lysia sees for herself that the Karam army have for the first time copied human war tactics and human-designed weapons for siege warfare. FL suspects there is a Karam army commander that has returned to the past like her. - ML hurries back to Evron castle to spend time with FL before she leaves (Ch 83-83.5). FL had considered never seeing ML again after she returned to the capital. FL is finding it harder to remain committed to leaving ML after he becomes Emperor and she’s removed as many threats as possible. - FL promotes the remaining Jordin sisters as her ladies-in-waiting. FL assigns Belle and Fiona to oversee the Evron duchy in FL’s absence. FL travels to the capital with Lysia and Hayley. - Miraila summons Rai as the fake medium to the Rozan estate to check for evil spirits. She thinks the spirit of Marquis Rozan has cursed her since FL left. Miraila’s greatest fears are her beauty fading away and being alone. Miraila also gets Rai to check the imperial palace for evil spirits and curses. - Recently Miraila has been holding more imperial balls for Gregor and inviting other noble ladies to sleep with him. - FL meets Rai and tells him to start winding down his business as a medium. She wants him to find someone for her in the east and then go into hiding with his siblings. - Ansgar, ML’s head butler and aide in the capital. - He’s overseeing the renos at the Evron residence in the capital. - Countess Martha, one of Catherine’s ladies-in-waiting. - Martha recently opened a salon at the Empress’ Palace. Catherine met young ladies there who debuted this year. The ladies came from politically neutral families. Anyone who wants to get close to Catherine gather at this salon. Lawrence is often seen at this salon. - There are now 3 political arenas / spheres of influence for noble society in the capital: the imperial balls held by Gregor, Martha’s salon that’s aligned with Catherine, and Marchioness Camellia’s salon supported by Grand Duke Roygar. - FL visits Empress Catherine and gives her a fox fur stole from the north. To take advantage of the political power generated from Martha’s salon, FL plans to hold a bday celebration for Catherine, her first in 18yrs. - Meanwhile Lysia debuts into noble society at Martha’s salon. - FL returns after speaking with Catherine and is shocked to see Lawrence with Lysia. He happened to meet Lysia at the food table. He suddenly had a brief vision from his time as Emperor with Lysia from their past lives. - FL takes Lawrence for a walk to separate him from Lysia. Lawrence has been trying to win Catherine’s favour. To improve his reputation, he ended all of his relationships with various women. FL hints to him about the daughter of the Riagan duchy and that he should consider getting married. She agrees that Lawrence should discuss the matter with his supporters. - FL gets Hayley to make her social debut at Marchioness Camellia’s salon. FL wanted Hayley to meet the Marchioness. Instead Hayley ends up meeting Grand Duke and Grand Duchess Roygar. She presents them with gifts from the north, fur rabbits and a fox fur stole. In return they give Hayley some wine from their territory of Barque in the east. - Grand Duke Roygar blames ML for increased costs in the east. - The cheap labour from western migrants has ceased since ML stopped the monster attack. Farmers returned to the west as they have faith that ML will save them if another monster attack occurs. Roygar mentions the western granary. (Does he know about the renamed Karam crops?) - FL takes Lysia to visit the temple. FL is surprised to meet Marchioness Camellia who is there with her daughter Skyla. - They discuss the situation in the north. - Later Camellia understands what FL was implying. Gregor could use the Karam war to force more resources from the nobles to supply the north. This would act as a way for Gregor to keep the nobles in check. - FL wants to create a haven in the west in case the north should ever fall and they need a place to retreat to. - FL hinted to Camellia at the possibility of Evron opening the way to Karam? - Brother Colton is a retired old bishop from the west and now a monk living in the capital. FL wants to see him for advice on starting a charity project for the western farmers. While waiting for him, she starts to pray despite not believing in God. A voice shouts ‘Return!’ and she faints. - When FL wakes, Brother Colton is there. He says she’s received an oracle and is a Saintess. FL rejects this, but Colton says an oracle is given to someone who can change history. - FL thinks if she really is the Saintess then she’s taken everything away from Lysia … - ML meets with the Karam representatives after the Karam army wave white flags. Apua, the prince of the largest tribe in Karam, hands ML a letter. It states Apua is there to pick up on what will happen in 20yrs time. ML is referred to as the fallen monarch, the only powerful human that Karam can communicate with. - Dame Amelie Harper, Chief of Staff, Military Affairs Ministry and honorary Countess. 24yrs ago she led the retreat of the Western Army from a wave of monsters and saved many lives. She decided to serve the Emperor rather than stay in the west. - FL meets privately with Dame Harper. FL gets the Dame to consider ML as a potential heir for the Emperor instead of Lawrence, whom the Dame currently supports. - In a meeting with the Emperor’s vassals and Lawrence, Dame Harper makes a suggestion for Lawrence to gain the favour of the Empress. He can ask about marrying the adopted daughter of the Riagan duchy? - During a visit to the imperial palace, Gregor asks FL about the land she bought in the west (?) Instead of donating the land to charity, Gregor gives the key to the granary to FL. He wants her to take charge of the grain business in the west that’s currently a mess. - As FL leaves the palace, Miraila approaches FL. Miraila weeps openly and says sorry to FL for getting angry. She asks for FL to forgive her. FL gives Miraila a handkerchief then leaves. - Marchioness Camellia was an illegitimate child born from a maid. Marquis Luden allowed her to marry his youngest son. - Grand Duchess Roygar is the daughter of Marquis Luden. - Because of her debt to Marquis Luden, Marchioness Camellia’s role is to support the Grand Duchess. - Skyla visits FL late one night without letting Marchioness Camellia know. She wants her family to be free from the chains that bind them to the Luden and Roygar families. - FL asks Skyla for help in choosing noble ladies to invite to the Empress’ bday. FL asks Skyla to choose ladies who don’t have any family responsibilities yet. - Lawrence visits FL but is actually there to see Lysia. - He runs into Lysia as he’s leaving. He’s been dreaming of Lysia and can’t sleep. He doesn’t realise his dreams and emotions are from his past life. - Lysia has also been having inexplicable feelings about Lawrence. Unknown to her, these are also from her past life. - Lysia volunteers to go to the west on FL’s behalf to help with managing the grain business there. - NB: Lady Hazel and Lady Mielle were invited to the tea party at the Rozan estate where Miraila caused a scene. - Lady Hazel Belmond’s family runs an influential newspaper. - Her mother is the heiress to the capital’s largest newspaper company. Her father is a famous writer. - FL asks for Hazel’s help with invitations to scholars and writers that she recommends for the Empress’ bday. - Lady Mielle Keyshore, daughter of a knight who is one of Gregor’s six generals. She was born with a weak body and died as a young adult in FL’s past life. FL visits Mielle with the promise to Sir Keyshore of helping Mielle. Sir Keyshore is sworn to secrecy about FL’s involvement in Mielle’s recovery. FL can only give Mielle an extension of 10yrs on her life. - FL casts a spell using her blood to draw a small magic circle on a cloth that is draped over the unconscious Mielle’s face. Then FL transforms her life force into holy power to activate the magic. FL extends Mielle’s life at the cost of FL’s own life. - FL loans the statue of Saintess Olga to Sir Keyshore so it appears that Mielle’s recovery is due to the statue. - Miraila is feeling isolated and fearful for her survival. Both FL and Lawrence refuse to see her. She can’t complain to Gregor in case it impacts his opinion of Lawrence. - Hazel visits Miraila to ask about the medium (ie Rai). Hazel feels guilty for inviting the medium who was interrupted by Mielle’s father. Hazel thinks she might have caused Mielle’s recent bad health due to an evil spirit. It was FL who encouraged Hazel to followup on Rai for her own peace of mind. Hazel doesn’t know that Rai is working for FL. - Rai recently admitted to Miraila that he was a con artist and he told her because he felt sorry for her. Before he disappeared, Rai said spirits don’t have the power to curse people. Only people can curse other people. Miraila decides to find a way to get rid of the Empress through a curse. - Hazel learns about Miraila’s new medium from one of the Rozan maids. Hazel follows Miraila and finds a room with slaughtered animals for a magic sacrifice. When Hazel hears that Miraila intends to sacrifice children next, she asks Sir Keyshore to stop Miraila. FL had already warned Sir Keyshore that Miraila might do something terrible. He finds Miraila with captured orphan children in a magic circle and arrests her. - Empress Catherine’s bday celebration: Catherine isn’t wearing mourning clothes for the first time. She enters with a surprise escort, the son of Viscount Fescher. This is a clear sign that she has no intention of adopting Lawrence as her son. - Lawrence and FL hear about Miraila’s arrest at the start of the celebration. They return to their residences. - The temple will investigate Miraila’s crimes. - FL goes with Bishop Akim, who FL suspects is working with Roygar. She offers to donate the Rozan estate to the temple. FL and Hayley are confined to a small, cold room normally used by monks at the temple. The faction under Brother Colton ensures they have proper meals at least. - Roygar most likely wants Miraila, Lawrence and FL to be all charged with treason. He will use FL to negotiate with ML and keep him estranged from Gregor. Roygar, Camellia and Akim think FL set up the incident with Miraila but they have no proof. - FL suddenly collapses because of her weak constitution and Hayley urgently calls for a doctor. Hayley also sets off an emergency flare to alert the other Evron knights waiting outside. - Akim refuses to let the knights enter the temple to retrieve FL or speak with Hayley. Akim is surprised by ML’s sudden arrival with the Archbishop. ML made his way to the capital as soon as he heard about Miraila. - ML enters the temple to find Hayley pointing a gun at priests who tried to take FL away to hide her. ML arrests the priests for attempted kidnapping. He leaves with FL in his arms. - Back at the Evron residence in the capital, ML finds out from the doctor that FL is pregnant. She seems to have intentionally hid the truth from ML. While he’s happy about the baby, ML is upset that FL still doesn’t treat herself with care. - Later that night, ML visits Gregor at the palace. - ML kneels and addresses Gregor as his uncle for the first time. He acknowledges his royal blood because he wants Gregor to charge Bishop Akim with treason. ML willingly gives up his pride and his family’s resentment for the sake of revenge, and the protection of FL and their child. - As ML is leaving, he comes across Lawrence. ML gets angry when Lawrence shows little concern for FL. ML says he won’t let Lawrence become Emperor and he’s capable of killing Lawrence at any time. - Before FL collapsed, she gave 3 orders to Hayley: Contact Brother Colton; request assistance from Bishop Nicos and appeal to the Archbishop; and keep the knights under control. - The Evron knights have already surrounded the temple. - Whatever happens, Bishop Akim must go and Roygar must be brought down. - Lysia has returned to the capital after hearing about FL. She blames herself for not staying by FL’s side. - FL is unconscious for 2 days and is shocked to hear that she’s pregnant when she wakes up. FL’s menstruation was irregular so she thought she was infertile. FL is terrified of having the baby. She's afraid she’ll be a hopeless mother like Miraila. She hates the idea that the baby might look like her, Miraila or Lawrence. - ML is notified that FL is awake. He sees how upset she is and says it’s ok if she doesn’t want the baby. If she doesn’t hate the idea of having his baby though, he hopes she’ll give birth. - FL still thinks she’s taken everything from Lysia. - Lysia visits FL and says FL must really want children because she’s so worried. FL realises deep down she always wanted a family of her own and the chance to raise her children with love. - Bishop Akim suddenly dies from poison. He was killed by Marchioness Camellia to remove all evidence of Grand Duke Roygar’s involvement. - Miraila is sentenced to excommunication and banishment for life. FL and Lawrence are absent from court. - Gregor offers the 1st State Secretary position to ML. Then Gregor offers the 2nd State Secretary position to Lawrence. ML will be preoccupied with work in the capital while Lawrence will be sent to the south as his last opportunity to prove himself. - Lysia has been dreaming of Lawrence. - One night she meets him and asks him to leave everything behind and run away with her. He refuses and offers to make her an Empress instead. - Rai and Freyl bring a male descendant called Ian? from House Camellia to FL. She wants him to file a lawsuit for inheritance. - Skyla wants to switch her allegiance to FL.

Read ch 76 as of 28/12/21 - ** Gaps in story make it confusing and hard to follow. Some really bad translation. I’ve had enough - DROPPED - FL was a 32yo office worker who woke up after a night drinking and is reborn as Empress Julia Domina Berius of the Ranchea Empire, 3 days before she’s due to be executed by rebels led by her knight Eustos Marcus (illegitimate son of a Duke). - FL was a just ruler who changed into a hedonistic tyrant. This was due to Duke Kierr Fez who secretly drugged her. Duke Fez handled the internal affairs of the Empire as FL’s proxy while she was at war for a year and continued to do so in the year after the war ended. - To prevent her death, FL frees those imprisoned in the Tower of Exile who were falsely accused by Duke Fez. - FL reinstates the 17yo archmage Felix and Count Cyril Venus to gather evidence of corruption, embezzlement, bribery, etc by Duke Fez and the nobles he led over the last 2 yrs. - FL summons all of the nobles and has Count Venus present in detail all of the crimes Duke Fez is accused of. FL sets a trial date in a few days time to prove she is fair and just. - Eustos gives up the rebellion after seeing FL’s golden aura. He asks to pledge his loyalty to her again. - Duke Fez is freed from prison by his ally Count Arita but they are met coming out of the sewers by FL, Eustos and Felix. - FL holds a trial that day with the extra charge of treason, including leaking secret files to foreign parties and obtaining drugs that were secretly given to FL. All of those convicted were executed immediately. - FL appoints Count Venus (a foreigner) as her Chancellor. - After a month of hard work, FL is forced to take time off for the Thanksgiving festival. She goes with Eustos who takes care of some thugs, former knights of Duke Fez. - FL can’t recall an incident from 2 yrs ago involving her safety that has Eustos and Felix always worried about her. - The threat of the Eton Empire still lurks... their Emperor is on the run? Daughter of the Emperor is Gaiana who used her manipulation power to send a psychic msg to FL: “Don’t come back or remember”. She seems aware that FL went back in time. - An underlying problem identified by FL are the former nobility of countries who surrendered to the Empire. Their loyalty is questionable and corruption likely. - Highlighted as a priority by Count Venus is the ex-Nasran kingdom (now a colony of the Empire) and its corrupt nobles under Baron Schetta vs Count Envida. A petition from the commoners sent to FL was about the corrupt ex-Nasran nobility protecting their privileges and using extortion (done previously under Duke Fez). - FL goes w/ Eustos and Felix to visit the Baron to investigate. - The Baron wines and dines FL in his opulent residence, including supplying handsome men who were in debt to him. FL pretends to be her old tyrant self. She gets the men so drunk they fall asleep. - A lavish hunt is arranged by the noble sycophants. - FL tours the town and receives full reports later by Eustos and Felix on the extent of corruption in the region - Baron’s ball has all of the corrupt nobles assembled. FL exposes them all, including Count Envida. They are arrested and sentenced for their crimes. - While FL looks for a capable person to take over Count Envida’s estate, she looks more broadly at the noble feudal system and wants to reform it. Titles of honour should be awarded based on merit and not inherited. Eustos and Venus are the first nobles to give up their hereditary titles. FL awards them with titles of honour. Other nobles soon follow. - New Years Ball: a political event. Foreign dignitaries are invited. This is the 1st imperial event since unification. - Jena, former royal from Iren kingdom. Known as a Saint for her healing powers, her ability is conditional. Whenever she uses her powers, she’s forced to relive her unhappiest memories. - Brig Wade, former king of Wedene. Has a weak body. - Gaiana is being forced to be the villainess by her father. She wants to save FL … - During the ball, a large fire breaks out in the Western Palace. The archives with all documents of Duke Fez’ corruption were destroyed. Jena saw an ancient magic symbol that night. - Usdan kingdom, Count Leoncia Virez, pirates … Virez had rebelled against FL when she was under the influence of drugs and alcohol. She became a pirate for the greater good and in the public interest (?) - FL takes an expedition south to take care of the pirates. Jena asked to join them. On the way they come across a group of refugees fleeing from Tern. The Viscount is weak, delusional and corrupt, made worse by his half brother the Knight Commander. FL takes control of Tern. - FL uses Tern as bait to lure Count Virez, who has the ability to disrupt magic and repel detection. Virez enters Tern under the guise of peddlers. FL and Eustos go to confront Virez but she surprises them instead. Virez tests FL by having a sword fight with her. FL wins and Virez acknowledges FL as the Empress. Later FL confers the position Duke of Usdan to Virez. - FL arrives at Nator and meets 17yo Camellia Arden, the Queen of Usdan. She has the ancient magic ability of clairvoyance.

Ch 343 as of 10/04/23 THE PALACE HAREM IS A MESS - Consort Su, harem infighting case: despite many sacrifices for her bastard lord and younger conniving bitch consort who plans to kill FL and ruin her whole family. Revenge is sweet as FL successfully accuses bitch of adultery, shedding doubt on her baby’s legitimacy, bitch kills bastard then herself. FL groomed a neglected, young prince who became next Emperor with her ruling as Empress Dowager for first 10yrs. A MOVIE QUEEN FALLEN FROM GRACE - Movie Star Su: kills herself after sex scandal with rich business man destroys her career and reputation. Framed by rising star An Sheng, who she loved and trusted. FL ruins career of bastard instead and also breaks him up with the Lin heiress (his other lover) by showing his true colours. FL finds true love with Gu Chen, who was a big fan and loved her so much he followed her into the movie industry despite his wealthy background. They marry and FL stays with him until his death 40yrs later. THE MOST TRAGIC VAMPIRE IN HISTORY - Vampire Su: imprisoned and tortured by vampire hunters, FL commits suicide after betrayed by fiancé Youji, who left her for a human Wei An. FL allies with Hunter Xavier (brother of Wei) to kill vampire duke Olinor and save her dying vampire clan. - Banished, Youji is no longer a vampire and has a destitute life with Wei (who tried to kill her own bro). They got a much deserved UN-happy ending. ELEGANT SOCIALITE: A MARRIED WOMAN IN CHINA - A devoted wife is bullied and abused by her mother-in-law and husband, who has fallen for a greedy younger woman (transmigrated fan, cause for story to deviate). FL loses weight, becomes successful businesswoman in own right. Initially supports bitch at the dance hall and sets her up with Marshal Wei (has lost love who is FL best friend). In the end FL gets divorced on own terms, after creating much discord and leaving bastard with nothing after marrying bitch and stuck with selfish mother-in-law. DRAMATIC SCHOOL ROMANCE - Student Su commits suicide after extreme bullying that arose from heartless rejection by Min Mingzhe, the boy she liked. Cliched plot of bored spoilt rich kids abusing wealth and power of their parents to make life hell for others. FL gives herself makeover, faces down expulsion threat and gets on student council. FL manages to get blank cheque from bitch (Pu XiaoZhen), ignores initial interest in her shown by bastard. - FL attends bitch’s 16th bday as bastard’s partner, and FL gets contact details for real daughter of bitch’s family. Bastard’s sister saved from hoodlums by FL. Withdrew large amount using blank cheque and gave to parents for travel after their jobs lost. FL faced down expulsion again by surprise reveal of real daughter, confirmed by DNA test. Bastard confesses to FL and saves her from getting stabbed by bitch at school anniversary evening party. FL erases memories of her from all but the bastard. THIS FENG WUSHUANG - FL dies in vain without confessing to bastard who prioritised the life of the conniving bitch over hers. Bitch constantly causing trouble and breaking rules but bastard far too lenient and forgiving. Demon lord constantly pursuing bitch (bastard actually pushing her to demon lord). As novel incomplete, bastard achieved self awareness and had been plotting all developments for long time. FL escapes by suicide but bastard vows to keep searching for her. Bitch now old and alone after cultivation abolished. THE TAOIST MASTER - Ghost Su vengeful against acid attack bastard (FL kills) and death of grandma. Also angry against Taoists as wants to rise to heavens. Taoist successor Qi Ling vanquished all “evil” ghosts and souls, no questions asked (ie wrongful death etc). Taoist leader bastard has captive female ghost (FL) as sacrifice for ceremony to renew and strengthen boundary with netherworld. FL gains trust of Qi Ling who has her absolute belief about ghosts challenged. - FL was killed by Taoist members and soul forcibly taken. This has been going on for last 100 years (every 4-5yrs). There’s a with Ghost King to allow ghosts into human realm to secure “performance” and reputation of Taoist Master Palace. FL helps Qi Ling to dispel Ghost King and defeat Taoist leader. FL tells Qi Ling to look for her in the void if she can break free from her world. THE CONCUBINE’S DAUGHTER - FL suicides after reputation destroyed by bitch younger sister who framed her. FL recovers by creating new trend of the “hangover look”. Marriage proposal also overturned by FL. Internal family struggle to attain favour is won by FL against bitch, incl embarrassing herself with a false accusation about FL and guard to the Emperor. Guide to deflecting bitches taught to Emperor before by FL is brilliant. - Consort selection with view to become Empress, with FL proposed to by Emperor. Bitch kills own mother to avoid poisoning accusation of grandmother. Tables turned by FL on bitch for murder and conspiring to harm FL after trap is foiled and Master Ling and his men are all killed. Bitch is sent to prison where she goes insane and her name removed from family register. Emperor admits on wedding night that he knew it was FL. A LITERARY GIANT’S HUGE FALL - A transmigrator is plagiarising works from the future. She’s also having an affair with a married actor. - This unrepentant bitch is exposed on stage at an awards ceremony by the wife of the cheater. She’s driven to a life on the poverty line while cheater is working in gay porn. CRIMINAL OFFENCES OF A VILLANESS - Based on an otome game, a conquering system was born and tied to the female protagonist Nanako. She used the system to transform herself and continued on in this way. - A body of consciousness has called forth a punishment on Nanako after years of resentment reached a tipping point from her many conquests that tore apart couples and families. - FL needs to prevent Nanako from conquering the affections of at least 2 out of the 3 male leads. - ML1 is Takishima Kai, a famous painting prodigy. FL is almost successful at 98% as his girlfriend, but Nanako wins at 100% when she seduces and sleeps with him. ML2 is Hoshino Fuji, a successful musician. FL successfully conquers him at 100% when he covets her talent as a musician to use for his own benefit. ML3 is Minamoto Nagamasa, the young master of a yakuza group. Nanako is given away easily to someone else while FL is proposed to, 100% affection. The system anomaly is recalled and Nanako reverts back to her plain self. REBIRTH - Cheating bitch Cao Xueyi has access to a mid-level Demon system and can turn back time at will by 5hrs. With each time reset, everyone but Xueyi loses their memories from that period before time is turned back. FL needs to show the male lead Gu Hanyu the true nature of this gold digging bitch. FL also needs to fix what’s wrong with the system. In this world FL becomes Hanyu’s childhood friend who’s been in love with him for a long time. - FL set reminders to not repeat the same tricks in front of Xueyi and to not expose to Xueyi that FL is targeting her. FL’s head hurts when she’s about to do either of these. FL discovers the conditions to activate the time reset require Hanyu to be present and say he wants to break up. FL sets up Xueyi by arranging all 37 of her boyfriends to meet and has it streamed live. ASCENT OF THE EMPRESS - FL must stop Li Mengyu from becoming the Empress in 10yrs. To do that FL will stop the Crown Prince, Mengyu’s husband from becoming the Emperor. FL cures the 2nd Prince Rui of a mysterious disease that made him dark, fat and unable to be near women. Prince Rui resembles Zero, a late colleague / master of FL. He can also see the bamboo rat. - Li Mengyu swapped souls with Tian Mengyao to be in a better position to be selected as the consort to the Crown Prince. Mengyu then killed the real Mengyao. - Prince Rui is given responsibility of managing the flood disaster relief. The Crown Prince sabotages Rui’s efforts to discredit him. Rui almost drowns after the dam is broken but FL saves him and the dam is fixed. FL has Rui beg forgiveness to the Emperor in a similar way to when he was younger. - A witness and physical evidence of Rui’s mother’s death by poisoning emerges. The Emperor is informed and he is furious with the Crown Prince as the culprit. The Emperor faints after a fit of coughing and left to die by the Crown Prince who uses Mengyu’s puppetry talisman to control the corpse and take over the throne. - FL led Rui’s soldiers and exposed the Crown Prince and Princess. She later wed Rui and they lived happily ever after as the Emperor and Empress. CEO WISHES TO GO ON STRIKE - Ling Xingzi is the poor female lead who hates rich people. - Gu Nancheng is the male CEO lead who has obtained awareness. - Han Xingxing is the author using the power of a super high level demon system to control the world. - FL is the rich childhood friend in love with Gu Nancheng. - FL’s character had committed suicide when she was harshly rejected by Gu Nancheng who told her to die. The previous host had failed the mission to free FL’s character from Gu and live her own life. In a business meeting, just as FL was going to punish Gu and exert her independence, she was controlled to act as the pathetic lovelorn villainess. After many experiments, FL realises everyone in this incomplete world is controlled from Ling Xingzi’s POV by the devil system used by the author. - FL convinces Gu to collude with her in changing the plot. FL deduced as long as she plays the villainess as expected, the will of the world won’t interfere and her life won’t be targeted. - The author tries to kill off FL but there are almost 20k near misses, as the will of the world can’t kill her. - The genre of the novel changes to horror and the villainess must die at the hands of the main character for the novel to end. FL asks Gu to help fake her death. He doesn’t want her to die like the previous host and hopes they both survive. - FL faked her death but the author wrote the ending to include a fire where FL’s body is burned up. FL had planned for this and with the rat’s help, created an explosion to disrupt the fire and shield FL’s body. The novel ended with the author possessing Ling’s body after writing that Ling was the royal heiress of a foreign country. - FL and Gu setup Ling and trick her to disconnect from the demon system, then FL kills Ling. FL spends 3mths with Gu then has to leave as her mission is complete and her body could only last til then (she was badly injured internally from the explosion). IMPRISONED LOVE - FL shares the body of Su Yaoniang who just married Yang Zizheng. She was the daughter of a county magistrate that Yang blamed for the deaths of his parents. He became the ruthless leader of the underworld and ordered others to brutally murder the Su family 3yrs ago except for FL. He got close to FL until they married but he soon revealed he did this to torture her so she would feel the same pain and despair he did. From their wedding night, he has her confined to her room. - FL possesses the body for 12hrs at night. During the day she’s in spirit form and must stay near the body. Yaoniang retains the memories of what happened during the night. - FL needs to get the weak Yaoniang to wake up to reality, instead of clinging to Yang despite knowing he killed her family. FL plans to show her that she can live on and live well without Yang. Only Yaoniang can save herself. - FL wants to force Yang to realise sooner that he loves Yaoniang as much as he hates her. He needs to pay for the blood on his hands. - FL suggests Yang might love her when he stops her from killing herself. He goes to a brothel to prove her wrong. - FL confronts Yang at the brothel. She threatens to kill herself again. She demands proof that the bandits sent to murder her family are all dead. It seems the head of the bandits managed to escape. - FL pretends to have gone mad. The doctor says she’s unstable with a mental illness due to extreme stress. FL acts like she’s possessed by a ghost and Yang calls for a shaman. - Fang Xu, a secret investigator sent to find evidence of Yang’s crimes. One night he infiltrates Yang’s study and is poisoned while looking through the ledgers. FL throws a mad fit to distract Yang and save Fang Xu. She lets herself be taken hostage by Fang Xu and they escape together. They hide in the brothel while Yang’s men search the city. They leave the city by disguising Fang Xu as a woman and FL as a deathly ill person. - FL and Fang Xu come across Yang’s men in the next city. FL and Fang Xu overhear the men planning to capture the surviving bandit from the Su family murders. FL, Fang Xu and Yang’s men find the bandit at the same time. The bandit is seriously injured by Yang’s men. Before he dies, he tells FL where to find the evidence of Yang’s plot that murdered an imperial court official. - FL shelters in an abandoned temple. Yang arrives to personally take FL back. After seeing the evidence that includes details of numerous other crimes committed by Yang, Yaoniang gives him a final chance to repent. Yang refuses to admit he’s done anything wrong. Yaoniang finally turns away from Yang. - While FL stalled for time, Fang Xu arrives with soldiers and an official to arrest Yang and his men. FL already gave the evidence to Fang Xu. Yang kills himself in prison. Yaoniang’s spirit also departs with the end of the story and FL’s mission. FL takes a vacation in this world and spends time with Fang Xu. QUIET VILLAGE - Yuan Fangqin was mistreated by her husband Su Mingqiang and her in-laws for giving birth to a girl. One day, drunk Mingqiang drowned and died. In the chaotic struggle to stop the in-laws from taking all of Fangqin’s household items, her daughter Su Luxia died. FL possesses the daughter’s body. - Pei Qingxuan, a sickly boy from a wealthy family. - He has a weak body and heart disease. - Su Mingsheng, Mingqiang’s younger brother. - Su Dazhuang, the village chief’s son. - FL kills Mingsheng with an axe when he attempts to rape Fangqin. Then FL kills Dazhuang when he tries to drown FL for refusing to lick his shoes. - The village chief decides a human sacrifice is needed for the annual sacrificial ceremony to the mountain god. Mingqiang’s mother suggests FL as the sacrifice. FL creates a lethal poison and adds it to the water in the well after she jumps in as the sacrifice. The villagers die after drinking the “blessed water”. FL emerges from the well and sets fire to the village. - The next day all of the villagers are alive. They are in an infinite loop of death and revival. FL is disconnected from the main system. The demon system sent FL to a derivative world. The creator of this world is Pei Qingxuan. He wants FL to stay with him forever. FL tears open a crack in the world, reconnects with the main system and escapes. THE IMMORTAL MOUNTAIN - Qing Chen was a celestial being who was betrayed by his lover Bing Xi after she fell in love with his close friend Yan Yun. - Yan Yun’s mother, the Empress, and Yan Yun set up Qing Chen to become a demon and then executed. - Yu Ling Troop high ranking officer selection - FL as Qing Chen wins the archery contest. Yan Yun is 2nd.

Read ch 118 as of 02/01/22 - FL is reborn as Kasia, a young soldier (female knight) in the Calistonia Empire Army led by 2nd Prince Tasel on behalf of the Emperor. She’s the badly injured sole survivor from a magic explosion. - The Emperor made the 3rd Prince as Crown Prince and took half of the 2nd Prince’s army away to protect themselves in the capital. - The 1st Prince leads the Rebel Army (Emperor secretly in contact), incl Archmage Ernon (enslaved by Duke Alistas). - Close advisors to the 2nd Prince, twin brother knights Sir Zeke and Sir Mikhail Meredith. - FL sent to Karina Palace to rescue Queen Elena, the mother of 2nd Prince. Confirmed the Queen had died. The 2nd Prince splits the army away from the Emperor and puts it under his sole command. - This new army rests at the home of ally Count Anacliff, FL meets his daughter Alicia and receives many handkerchiefs from the ladies for her safe return. Here the army is joined by the frontier aristocrats and reorganised, with Kasia the commander of the new assassin and intelligence squadron. - FL squad’s 1st mission is to gather intelligence from their enemies. In disguise FL convinces Archmage Ernon to hire her services as a mercenary. FL learns from Ernon how to train using her mana. - Divine Sword Kalaborg is used by the Emperor to kill the High Priest to keep the oracle about the 2nd Prince secret. - FL escapes from the camp led by Knight Luke Perea (Sage Cahill). - Based on FL’s info, 2nd Prince decides to attack 1st where he reveals he’s also a strong mage. He succeeds in safely taking Ernon prisoner as promised to FL. - FL new mission: check rumours of the High Priest murder among the populace and find out who the new High Priest will be. Inside the temple FL meets Saintess Allynna who says FL has very large, crimson karma (destiny) but she has the strength to overcome it, and FL should live as she wishes. - FL visits Tulla, Ruler of the Night and Shadow Walker. FL asks for info and help with breaking free Ernon from the Duke. FL learns Ernon’s mother (Esthel) is dead, and FL agrees to give his mother’s necklace to Ernon. - FL goes to the house of the late Great Mage Heras to check the library. She finds letters written to Heras by the Emperor. She also finds a book with an enslavement spell. - FL returns to 2nd Prince’s camp and asks to take responsibility for Ernon. Later she finds Ernon alone and gives him the necklace. - FL uncovers a spy sent by Duke Alistas in search of Ernon. - 2nd Prince and Ernon are both in love with FL - 2nd Prince agreed to find a consort to distract himself from his feelings for FL. - Alicia has run away from her Anacliff home to help out at the barracks. Her ambition is to help heal people with herbal medicine. FL escorts her to pick herbs and they are ambushed by Sir Luke’s men. FL is wounded and captured. While recovering she calls Sir Luke by the name of Sage Cahill. - FL is part of a prisoner exchange for Ernon. She secretly tells him that she promises to save him. She also slips him a paper with the copied rune to break the slave spell. - 2nd Prince is in contact with Ernon via consciousness transmission (mind spell). He demonstrates to FL by sharing memories and says in her mind that he loves her. He puts this down as a form of mind control and doesn’t really admit to his feelings. - Ernon uses the rune and is released at last from the slave spell. He tortures and kills Duke Alistas, then does the same to his 2 sons. - Ernon is summoned by the Emperor and goes to the imperial palace himself. 2nd Prince assigns FL and her squad to rescue and protect Ernon from the Emperor. - Meanwhile Sir Luke is heading for the capital after dispersing his men, knowing the war is lost. - In the capital, Tulla congratulates FL on freeing Ernon from Duke Alistas. Tulla says all the Nightwalkers will help FL where they can. She lends an inn to FL and her squad. - FL bumps into Sir Luke while walking outside. Over drinks Sir Luke agrees to help FL. That night as he sleeps, Sir Luke recalls a memory from his past life as Sage beating up FL. - In town, FL saves Priest Archen from thieves. Archen healed her when she was reborn into this world. He is now the high priest and had a prophetic dream where FL is killed with the divine sword Kalaborg. Archen only tells the 2nd Prince about this dream via Tulla’s mind spell. - Sir Luke has another dream, this time when he and FL were child soldiers fighting against adult enemies. Archen wakes Luke and confirms his dreams are memories from his past life on another world. FL has divine power and was chosen by the gods to save this world from destruction. - Ernon searches the palace for the divine sword as tasked by the 2nd Prince via their mind spell. Ernon was also told about Archen's dream. He thinks he sees FL and follows her underground. It’s a trap and Ernon is caught in a magic circle. The Emperor has regained his youth and strength after sacrificing almost 999 apprentice mages for the black magic ritual. - The real FL arrives with Sir Luke but a magic barrier protects the Emperor. He teleports and disappears. - Archen and the rest of FL’s squadron have arrived. FL frees the last surviving child apprentice mage then leads with Sir Luke to the next room. The Emperor holding Kalaborg is there with his mages and Ernon. As FL helps Ernon out of the magic circle, the Emperor throws Kalaborg towards the circle. FL intercepts the divine sword and is stabbed. As she lies unconscious, the sword disappears. - The Emperor is told the 2nd Prince has defeated the 1st Prince’s army. The Emperor orders the guards and mages to come down and kill the intruders while he looks for the sword. - FL suddenly revives and stands with Kalaborg in her hand. With great speed and power she kills the guards and mages. She then heals the squadron and restores Archen's divine power. Finally she teleports everyone to a safe area outside of the palace. - Archen believes FL has assimilated with Kalaborg. - After holding a funeral for their dead, FL’s group is met by the 2nd Prince and his army. Kalaborg speaks through FL and greets the 2nd Prince as the Black Lion of Calistonia and as the oracle foretold, accepts him as it’s new master and promises a glorious victory. - Kalaborg shows the 2nd Prince through FL’s eyes an aerial vision of the Emperor’s forces, allowing him to take note and plan ahead. - The 2nd Prince commands Kalaborg to leave FL’s body but it refuses as she will die if it does. Her soul remains in her body as long as Kalaborg shares her body. Her physical body needs to self heal to a point when divine power can then be used to fully restore her to life. The 2nd Prince orders no harm to come to FL’s body. - Kalaborg tells the 2nd Prince that he must absorb all of the mana from the Emperor, who has gained the power of the evil god of death. Only then will the 2nd Prince be strong enough to fully take control of the divine sword. - The Emperor and his army have marched out from the palace to meet the 2nd Prince and his men. - The Emperor fought against the 2nd Prince, but ran away after his hand began to wither when the 2nd Prince grabbed his arm. - The Emperor challenged FL when he saw her causing trouble against his men. He’s furious when he sees her holding Kalaborg but he loses the fight with his sword broken. FL kills the Emperor and the war is won. - FL fell asleep and remained unconscious for a month. - When she wakes, Ernon was holding her hand. The 2nd Prince is now the Emperor and he presented her with the title of Count for her efforts in the war.

Ch 58 as of 29/12/21 - lost interest. DROPPED - FL commoner Clarence Holton, genius pupil under master swordsman Lance Holton. Knighted aged 15yo under Duke Spencer and retired 25yo. Each of these men find her one by one: - Mage Kenneth Owen of the magician tower - Imperial Palace Knight Captain Phillip Wilkins, also a Count - Priest Dale - Crown Prince Oswin Leigham - FL travels to her hometown to reunite with her brother Clive who she hasn’t seen in 14yrs - She’s dismayed to hear he’s been working as a servant for the castle lord since he was 8yo, rather than be schooled etc using the monthly pay she sent home. - Their guardians are despicable people to say the least - FL and Clive accept lodgings from bookstore owner Mdm Hubert Marshall. FL also will work at store. - FL has her revenge on their horrid guardians - Kenneth makes a surprise visit to FL. - During the war, he had saved her life by gathering her life force with magic. He needs to regular check the stability and asks FL to visit the capital every 6mths. - Kenneth gives her a necklace infused with his magic to help with the stability. - Coming of age ceremony: FL attends with Clive, Cecily (nice daughter of horrid guardians, like a sister). - Karl Barrow (dodgy rich merchant) smack down by FL and surprise appearance of Sir Wilkins who wanted FL to go back with him. - Sir Wilkins and FL stop arson attack on bookstore (most likely Karl Barrow behind it) - Sir Wilkins returns to capital, forced to see Duke Spencer even though he’s been getting reports on FL. - Dale runs away from the temple and is found collapsed in the street near FL’s bookstore by Cecily. - He stays with FL but doesn’t know how to do anything. - Marco Humphrey, old friend of Mdm Hubert and a great collector / hoarder of books. - Crown Prince and Sir Wilkins visit a newly established immigrant village near FL as an excuse to visit her. - Karl Barrow hired some mercenaries to hunt and kill FL for revenge. FL survives after fainting from a poisoned arrow. Crown Prince was there to save her in the end. Karl is killed. - FL learns that Duke Spencer is missing in the Western Disaster Zone he was sent to subjugate with just 50 knights. The Duke was sent to die intentionally by the Emperor as he’s the 2nd in line to the throne and a threat to the Crown Prince’s position. - FL can’t go officially as a knight as it could look like supporting rebellion. She asks Dale for help to let her join him as Dale is going there with some temple knights. Sir Wilkins is also going with a few of his knights. - FL is disguised as an apprentice priest but she’s eventually discovered by Sir Wilkins.

Ch 42 as of 10/06/22 - rate 3.5 ** End of season 1, Ch 40 - FL is Yeon Lokheun, a girl who grew up as a boy. - Yeon Muhan, ML’s father who was a scholar. - When FL is 3mths old and Muhan is away working, FL’s mother Baek Ayeon is raped and killed by the corrupt local Viceroy. Muhan’s mother and the rest of the household are murdered. The house is also destroyed. Muhan returns to find FL hidden in a basket and the corpse of Ayeon in the snow. - Muhan becomes a wanted fugitive after he kills the Viceroy and 20 guards. He leaves FL in the care of monks at Bokryung Temple in the Gunah mountains. He visits her when she’s 5yo and 7yo. - During the Buddhist festival for All Souls’ Day, 7yo FL thinks Garyun is a celestial maiden. She had always hoped on this day her mother would be able to visit FL as a celestial maiden. - Garyun leaves the ashes of his family at the Buddhist temple. - FL left the temple to live with Muhan and her new stepmother, Wang Seonhae. When FL was 14yo, Seonhae was pregnant. Seonhae suddenly fell ill and gave birth early to a girl, Seoheun. - The doctor says Sanghae needs a herb called Yongnae. This herb is only available from the imperial treasury. - Muhan is arrested at the imperial palace for trespassing and he’s accused of trying to assassinate the Emperor. FL attends the execution of Muhan and attacks the guards. - FL tries to free Muhan but is stopped by Wolhan, one of the Emperor’s personal bodyguards. - 20yo / 22yo Emperor Garyun comes forward from among the crowd of spectators. FL asks to take her life instead of Muhan’s. - Garyun makes a deal with FL. He will spare Muhan’s life and give them the Yongnae herb. In exchange FL’s life belongs to Garyun. He will teach martial arts to FL and help her grow stronger. - 20th Prince (?) became the Emperor. - 3yrs later a shrine was built for his mother, Empress Myunghae. - The Yellow Dragon Empire became more stable - Jingwa, the Left General / Lt. Gen. - Eun Sohyun, Garyun’s favourite concubine (?) - The Blood Dragon Sword is one of the imperial treasures and is a sword that chooses it's owner. FL starts to unsheath the sword and calls forth the Blood Dragon who unseals the Lair of Demons. - Garyun pushes FL into the Lair which closes behind her. She’s expected to use this as an opportunity to become much stronger. - In the Lair, FL meets a vengeful spirit called Seo Tagyun the Ghost of 1000 Souls. He was a powerful warrior and swordmaster. - He promises to give his powers and abilities to FL after she agrees to deliver a jade token to his son. FL becomes Tagyun’s disciple. - FL spends the next year training under Tagyun while fighting the demons and evil spirits in the Lair. - Prince Gagwang and Tagyun were close friends. They fell in love with the same woman, Ryu-An. She chose to be with Tagyun. - After Gagwang became Emperor 30yrs ago, Tagyun was sent to the border region to conquer the barbarians. While Tagyun was away, Gagwang had everyone at Tagyun’s estate slaughtered by Thirayu the Human Dog. Ryu-An was raped and killed by Gagwang. Ryu-An managed to hide their son. - Tagyun asks FL to bring him some water from the Evil Stream in the middle of the Lair. FL sees many colourful mushrooms called Earth Spirit Herbs there. She eats some and coughs up blood. - The Earth Spirit appears and says FL will suddenly gain power from eating the mushrooms. As compensation for eating them, FL must protect the mushrooms until they turn blue. - Sorin, another spirit. He teaches FL how to hide her true self by changing her appearance using a special Qi skill. - 2yrs later, the mushrooms turn blue and FL takes the water to Tagyun. FL is now 17yo. - Emperor Gagwang, Garyun’s father. Gagwang was a tyrant who neglected his duties while he engaged in debauchery. - Empress Myunghae, Garyun’s mother. - 13yo Garyun, the Crown Prince. - Gahan, the 4th Prince and Garyun’s younger brother. - Princess Sohae and Aunt Jangran, Garyun’s family. - Mahae, a concubine and the new Empress. - Prince Gajin, Mahae’s son. - Mahae frames Gahan with a false accusation that has him stripped of his title and imprisoned. He hopes to die so Garyun won’t be targeted. Mahae sends assassins to kill Garyun and his family. - Garyun is forced to flee the palace while everyone he cherishes is killed. Garyun wanders around the country for a few years. 18yo Garyun returns to the palace, kills his father and takes the throne. - Tagyun transferred his soul to FL’s sword. - FL left the Lair and killed Thirayu the Human Dog. - FL delivered the jade token to Tagyun’s son, Taejyu. - FL returns to the imperial palace. Garyun rewards FL by granting her the position of Elite / Head Imperial General. - Nam Daegyun, Garyun’s uncle - Mayung, FL’s falcon / eagle - FL’s first imperial mission is to go to the Muho region that is known for it's pearls. Garyun showed FL some pearls with blood inside them. There has been a sudden increase in deaths. The cost of medicine has also increased. There’s a mysterious epidemic that causes festering wounds. - The local lord Yeo Sumin kidnapped the pearl farmer and his male lover who was one of the water folk. The male lover cursed Sumin which spread to the local people. - FL saves the pearl farmer and his male lover. The pearl farmer kills Sumin. His male lover returns to the ocean and the curse is lifted, ending the epidemic and curing everyone. - Garyun’s 25th bday celebration: - FL hears that Gagwang’s tomb is haunted by a female ghost. FL suspects it’s the spirit of Ryu-An who has been sealed away by Gagwang. FL disguises herself as a court lady and goes to the tomb. - FL frees Ryu-An’s spirit but is cursed by Gagwang’s spirit. - FL escapes when she hears Wolhan. FL collapses in a nearby bamboo forest. She’s found by Garyun who sensed her Qi. - Garyun takes FL to an empty pavilion and dispels the curse from her body. He’s fallen in love with her at 1st sight. - After she’s rested and recovered, with her permission they make love all night (Ch 37). He thinks her name is Yeon (lotus flower). FL disappears in the morning. - Empress Dowager Inhye, Garyun’s grandmother. - Serial killer - Brides of influential families are killed on their wedding night. - Their deaths are made to look like suicides.

Ch 73 as of 19/07/21 on Webtoon - Ch 88 here ** Completed with 92 chapters “With great power comes great responsibility.” - No one knows where the vampires came from since they appeared 10yrs ago. But now they’re a real threat to society and daily curfews aren’t stopping them. - FL is Hayan Park 20yo and is a rare, white-haired pureblood vampire (since birth). All she wants is a normal life. She lived in the orphanage since she was 10yo, doesn’t remember anything before then, and didn’t go to school as a child. - FL was childhood friends with an older boy who was the victim of bullying. When she helped him by scaring off the bullies as a vampire, he called her a monster. - FL goes to college now and is struggling to make friends. Father Michael, the priest in charge of the church and orphanage is under pressure to sign the properties over for redevelopment. - The other orphans are 2 young children, Yerim and Yunsu. - FL meets ML, genius Detective Euntae Hwang 28yo from the vampire task force. He suspects she’s a vampire and befriends her. - FL manages to keep her vampire instincts under control with the help of a crown of thorns given to her by Father Michael. He said it would help her not to lose herself. - Vampires can’t eat normal food. They can only consume blood and beverages. Vampires recover right away from any injuries. - Vampires can’t use their full powers during the day when the sunlight is strongest. - Newly bitten mixed-blood vampires have 5yrs before they die. Their lives can be prolonged if they join a group led by an Angel of Death. The blood of a pureblood vampire holds the key to prolonging the lives of mixed-blood vampires. - The “Angels of Death” are the Kings and Queens who rule over the vampires in this country. They’re 6 leaders with extraordinary powers who can keep the other vampires in check after they’ve received the pureblood of the vampire “God”. - The Angel of Death Lucian (was Woojin Lee) comes looking for FL at the church. The vampire leaders have been waiting for FL’s heart to mature. - Father Michael is a former elite soldier called Myeongsu Choi. - He became a priest after an innocent child was killed while he was deployed overseas. He took in FL 10yrs ago when he found her collapsed in the snow with bloodied clothes. He soon realised that she was a vampire. - Father Michael moves FL and the other orphans to a new location. Back at the church, he faces Lucian’s minions head on with traps and a flamethrower, but he dies against Lucian. - Father Michael refuses to let FL save him and expose herself as a vampire. He tells her to survive and protect the others. - Later FL finds the last letter to her from Father Michael. - He says he was a lost soul wracked with guilt but found a new purpose in life after meeting FL. - FL declares war against all vampires. She breaks into the Red Bomb Club owned by Lucian and vaporises him. - FL approaches ML for help to take down all vampires. - They retrieve vital info about the vampires from within the police dept. Vampires have infiltrated all areas of society. - The next Angel of Death to investigate is Sahan, a high school counsellor with the fastest growth rate of vampire followers. His special power is hypnosis and mind control. In their fight, Sahan's ability helps FL bring back some repressed memories while awakening her own latent powers (ie hypnosis). - FL discovers ML is a vampire. He has a human younger sister Haeun who also knows he’s a vampire but she doesn’t know why. Their parents became vampires 5yrs ago and to save his sister, ML became vampire. He now only has 6mths to live. - Sahan escapes from prison but is turned to ash when he interrupts an Angels of Death meeting. - Angel of Death Ash (actress Song AYoung) can alter her appearance and sucks life force by touching another’s lips. She pretends to be FL and goes public as a vampire. Another awakened ability where FL changes to Ash’s old identity, FL defeats Ash by emphasising her guilt in killing her best friend and taking on her persona. Ash accepts her punishment to live on as her old self. - FL remembers the death of her pureblood parents and a warning to her to never be found by “him”. - FL and ML hit the road to find out more on the 0101 Project and the mysterious pills, made by the Angel of Death Mamon who owns a pharmaceutical company. - They stop at a village along the way and visit Yohan Seo, a priest and FL’s childhood friend who was bullied. - Bangsan Market Incident: “God” appeared shrouded in flames, turning people into vampires with his blood. He also killed FL’s parents. This was the 1st vampire incident in the country. - Turns out “Yohan” is “God”. FL’s parents saved him from the brink of death after Yohan was beaten up by local gang of thugs and FL begged them to. He drank her father’s blood and became part of their family. Before they were about to move away together, Yohan killed the bullies at school and killed FL’s father who went to stop him. Yohan ate the father’s heart. He killed the mother when she went against him. Her heart was glowing brightly at the time. - FL was told by her mother to run far away and forget all about what happened. The trauma and possibly hypnosis had suppressed her memories (tbc). - A mixed blood vampire’s power when they transform is matched to the size of their ambition. Yohan must’ve had immense ambition to have enough power to overcome 2 pureblood vampires. - ML nursed FL while she was unconscious for 2wks. - Angel of Death Vael intercepts the pair as they hit the road again. He wants to switch allegiances (more like he’s a double agent). He wants FL’s blood in exchange for the info he provides. - FL’s heart is now glowing, indicating it is ripe enough to be eaten. - Project 0101 is the anti-vampire vaccine that is secretly made of vampire blood, turning normal people into vampires when taken for 3mths. The vaccine taken by vampires increases abilities tenfold. - Mamon has a history of sex crimes against women and has kidnapped couples active on social media taking the vaccine. FL and ML infiltrate the factory by posing as one of these couples. They fight Mamon but Yohan interrupts them over the PA system and says he can block her powers if he’s nearby. - FL confronts Yohan who says because he couldn’t eat her mother’s heart, he’s only half pureblood. That’s why he needs FL’s heart to be complete. FL blacks out and unleashes immense power, injuring Yohan who escapes. She then injures ML. She regains her senses only when ML puts the crown of thorns on her head. - At a rest point, FL notices ML’s poor condition and offers her blood for him to drink and extend his life. ML refuses (NB: any vampire close to death that drinks Yohan’s half pureblood will die). - On the road, Vael attacks them under orders from Yohan to test his loyalty. ML appears to die but is saved by Vael. The reason Vael needs FL’s pureblood is to save his animals who don’t have long to live. Vael believes Yohan will get rid of him as the Angels of Death were used to awaken FL’s abilities and he’s no longer needed. He’s been saving the people speaking out against the vaccine and kept them in hiding. - Yohan knows about the people in hiding and orders Vael to kill everyone at the end of his comeback magic show. Yohan sits among the audience and is invited up by Vael who tries to reveal on live TV that Yohan is a vampire. Vael’s lion Daniel joins the fight after being revived by FL’s blood, and lastly FL joins in as well. - Yohan manages to escape but Vael is exposed publicly as a vampire. FL and ML help Vael escape from the police and he spends Daniel’s last moments with him. - Yohan plans to turn everyone into a vampire on Jan 1st. There’s still a factory on Jeju Island and FL with ML board the freighter ship heading for it. They face the last Angel of Death Gore, a cannibal and a gangster. FL destroys him. - Levi is Yohan’s secretary and lover. She can read minds and has set up a mind game trap in a hotel on the island. The walls and sprinkler system are filled with acid. ML guides FL using CCTV. - To help, Ash and Vael turn up to fight the never ending stream of vampires. - FL meets ML and they run together until he collapses as his time is up. FL bites her lip until it bleeds and kisses him to revive him. Vael takes ML out of the hotel before it collapses. - The final battle against Levi shows how twisted her love is for Yohan compared to FL’s pure love for ML. Yohan says his final goodbye to Levi who knows Yohan only feels sympathy for her, not love. FL faces off against Yohan. - Yohan tells his life story to FL up to the murder of her parents. He was always abused, neglected, bullied, unloved. He only experienced peace and happiness with FL and her family, but he decided all humans were evil and he needed power to kill everyone.