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

Ch 72 as of 21/04/22 ** MISSING Ch 62 - https://imperfectcomic.com/charming-and-the-beast-chapter-62/?2022-04-21T1 ** some bad translation - FL caught her boyfriend cheating before she died as a 24yo college student. - FL is reborn as 18yo Alexa Dwight, the 2nd princess. Alexa’s mother Camelia / Camilla was the King’s concubine who died when Alexa was 6yo. Alexa was cursed by a witch when she was 7yo to be a strong, hairy beast with magic powers. Her overwhelming strength was enough to help her kingdom win the last war against the Empire. - Marquis Belford Harman, Captain of the Royal Knights. - The original Alexa obsessively stalked and made a deal to be engaged to him. He hates FL and is involved with her older half-sister, 1st Princess Ariel. - Despite already being an outcast and a stalker, FL vows to survive in this world after being so powerless in her past life. - FL has a whole body fur removal using a wax method she devised. She has her long unruly hair cut and undergoes a strict exercise and diet regime. She also educates her mind. - FL takes control of the small household at her country villa and finds out Ariel is trying to ruin her financially as well as her health. - Ariel’s spies notify her of FL’s changes and she comes to see for herself. She invites FL to return to the main palace. After disciplining a maid that was rude to her, FL sternly reminds palace staff not to bully and underestimate her. - FL reveals her stunning transformation publicly at the King’s bday celebrations. King Rafael III claims her change for himself, saying it is a sign from the Goddess that her curse is lifted and the kingdom is blessed. Once again FL is used by her father as a tool for his political gain. - FL meets her younger brother for the 1st time, Prince Wilhelm. He has an inferiority complex towards (ML) Grand Duke Verkyllon, ‘The Cursed One’. ML is the son of the previous King. - ML’s mother was the previous Queen who was a half demon (daughter of the devil) and was later executed for her violent nature. - Ariel is the only one of the royal family who hides her true self. - FL vows to reinvent ‘Alexa’ from the ground up and walk a path she’s created herself. - Ariel plays her games from the shadows, first w/ her posse of bullying friends and then flaunts her relationship w/ Belford, FL’s fiancé, in front of her. FL publicly declares their engagement is officially dissolved, saying all present are witnesses and this is the best outcome for everyone. FL goes to a terrace where ML prevents her fall. She runs away from him in embarrassment. - Hunting competition: Royalty don’t normally participate, but the King accepts the Prince’s suggestion for ML to do so on their behalf this time. FL offers to be his female partner. Ariel doesn’t partner with Belford surprisingly. - FL finds out some young nobles hired someone to lay traps for ML. She gets caught in one while looking for him. Belford finds her and saves her after she convinces him to help her. - Monsters appear and the King with the rest of the royal family run away in fright. FL and ML are left to fight them with Belford and the knights. FL takes over command from Belford and gives critical strategic leadership that inspires the knights. - Later a scent pouch that attracts monsters is found attached to the saddle of ML’s horse. - FL is seen as a real contender for the throne. Her incompetent father and brother are considered weak. - Rafael was the 3rd Prince. His 2 older brothers died in suspicious circumstances. He was the only one left to succeed the throne. - The PM / Chancellor is the one who really runs the country. - Marquis Sergei (head of the aristocrat faction) expresses support for FL to be the nation’s military marshal. - The King is present with 2 of his loyalist supporters to pressure FL to go fight the monsters at the western border. She refuses unless they pay her accordingly. - ML is then told to fight the monsters. He also refuses on the grounds he has personal business to attend to. - FL invites ML for a tea party. He tells her that Prince Wilhelm will lead the fight against the monsters. - Ariel interrupts FL and ML, intentionally trying to come between them. ML fobs her off beautifully. - FL and ML go to a festival together. FL is drawn to a pen cursed by a demon. She fights over it with a man who turns out to be her maternal cousin Cillian / Kylian. Her maternal uncle Count Duncan Ergen arrives and ML destroys the pen. - Later the Count visits FL to offer his help with handling the delegation from the Ephil Empire. In return, she’ll be the champion for the aristocracy with support from the Ergens. - NB: The Ergens are the top merchant family in the country. - FL learns her maternal family, the Ergens were ostracised after she became a beast and her mother committed suicide. FL suspects the King to be behind all of this. - Abraxas, full demon, older half brother of ML. He killed their father, the Demon King. ML’s mother was actually a human who was turned into a demon by the Demon King. She died because her body couldn’t handle all of that demonic energy. The Demon King forced the previous King of the Felipe kingdom to marry ML’s already pregnant mother. The Demon King wanted to protect them from the anti-demon movement. - FL attends classes arranged by the Count at the Ergen estate. Kylian is rude so she puts him in his place using her strength. - When FL asks ML to define their relationship, he doesn't give an answer. She refuses to see him for the next few days. He catches her as she goes to the garden. He says he doesn’t want to become her weakness and he doesn’t think he’s good enough for her. Despite all this, he asks will she still choose him. FL replies with a kiss and they become lovers. - PM / Chancellor Louis Avanchron’s forum for political debate and discussion: FL is invited to attend with Kylian. This will be her entry into the political arena. Young nobles are invited to gather and share ideas. Ariel and her posse are also attending. - The debate topic concerns the relationship between the Felipe kingdom and the Ephil empire. - FL is drawn into the debate when she’s referred to as one of the reasons they could win a war against the Empire. - FL objects to a war proposal, giving sound and intelligent reasons. During the break, FL comes across the pro-war nobles beating up Kylian as her cousin. Kylian was bullied by them at the Academy when he was younger. As punishment, FL forces one of them to confess his love for her in the forum. - The sister of the one who confessed is Julia Manuella, Ariel’s lackey. In the forum, she loudly insults FL and her mother. FL has Julia arrested for slander and contempt for the royal family. Ariel surprises everyone by slapping Julia and supporting the arrest. Later the whole Manuella family are exiled for insulting the royal family. - Rafael had punished those in the past when rumours were spread about FL’s mother giving birth to a demon. - After the forum, the PM invites FL to have tea with him. - He believes that FL is from another world that has possessed Alexa’s body. He also believes FL has the strength and skill to be the next ruler of the Felipe kingdom. Her mother also believed it. - He offers a deal to FL: her thoughts on the imperial family and taking the throne for herself, in exchange for details on her mother and how FL came to be from another world. - FL angrily confronts Count Ergen about betraying her. - She accuses the Count of allying with the PM to use her like a puppet for rebellion and to commit treason. He hints at sacrifices made by her mother for FL’s sake but refuses to reveal the whole truth. All he says is if FL and the PM are allies, the PM will be able to protect her. - FL feels the urge to see ML and rushes to see him. She says she loves him, and he says he will always be by her side. She’s worried he’ll abandon her if he finds out she’s not really Alexa, but she also wants to tell him everything. She hopes he will love her unconditionally. - After 3 wks, FL visits the PM and bumps into Belford who’s surprised to see her. He refers to the PM as his master. - FL sets the conditions for her contract with the PM: she will learn how to become a king, in exchange for info about her mother and about her curse. She will not take part in his plan for rebellion but will be a “candidate for rebellion” (?) instead. - The PM tells FL that the woman who cast the spell that cursed FL will come to explain it herself. (ie a witch) - FL says to the PM that she is aware there are other candidates. She identifies Belford as one of them. - ML comes to see FL and wants to know what she’s hiding from him. She tells him everything, about herself being from another world and about the PM. ML remains committed in his love and support for FL. They reconfirm their feelings for eachother. - Belford was invited by the PM to join the class with FL as motivation for her against a competitor. The PM keeps trying to have Belford accompany FL. - Delegation from the Ephil Empire arrives: Priest Gabriel from the main temple of the goddess Demeter accompanied them. The delegates are arrogant and disrespectful from the start. They complain about their residence being shabby and they want to move, when it was decorated by FL herself. She destroys everything in the room which frightens the delegates into staying put. - FL stops one of the delegates from sexually harassing a maid. - She summons all of the delegates and makes them sign a pledge that they won’t commit any crimes while in the Felipe kingdom. If they do, she threatens to go public about the disgraceful behaviour by one of their own. She also expects settlement money as compensation. - Belford approaches FL and disagrees with how she handled the situation with the delegates, despite the injustice. He thinks she needed to be more sensitive to the political implications of her aggressive actions. He claims to be worried about her and warns her actions could be used against her. - FL leaves Belford behind when she sees ML nearby. ML admits to being uncomfortable about FL spending so much time with Belford. He asks her to promise not to be alone with Belford in future. He gives her a necklace that was a family heirloom. - Priest Gabriel is actually Abraxas. He wants ML to return to his side and conquer the Empire. He also wants ML to abandon FL who he thinks isn’t worthy of ML. - Gabriel / Abraxas approaches FL as she’s going for a walk near the palace gardens. When he “blesses” her and says her full name, it’s blocked for some reason and his hand is injured. - The necklace given to FL was imbued with mana by ML and that is what hurt Abraxas. - The delegation insist on going hunting. They stop at the markets on the way. Belford tries to separate FL from ML but FL pushes Belford away. She isn’t concerned about what others think of her and she has no intention of appeasing Belford or the PM. She decides who she’ll have by her side. - A horse carrying one of the delegates suddenly bolts. FL goes after it and greets the delegate as the Ephil Empire’s Prince. - The Prince planned this private meeting with FL to invite her to come to the Empire where she’ll be loved and respected, unlike in the Felipe kingdom. FL refuses. - The PM is angry that nasty rumours are spreading about FL and ML. He is reminded by FL that she’s not interested in the throne. The PM may think Felipe needs her, but she doesn’t need Felipe. - FL meets ML who surprises her with documented pledges to support her from himself and his vassals at the border. - Belford regrets mistreating FL in the past. He misses how she used to express her love and devotion for him. - Moara the witch comes to see FL. Moara is the woman mentioned before by the PM. Moara says FL’s mother Camilla also came from another world. Camilla was found by Count Ergen and adopted into his family. Camilla fell in love with 1st Prince Alexis Dwight, FL’s real father. Rafael also loved Camilla so he killed his oldest brother. - Moara loved 2nd Prince Franz who was also killed by Rafael. She was framed for Franz’ murder. - When FL was a baby, Rafael had a spell cast that swapped her soul with an outsider. Ariel was the one who sent FL the child to live elsewhere to protect FL. The outsider in Alexa’s body asked Moara to give her strength which became the curse. When that outsider died, the original soul (ie FL) returned to Alexa’s body. - FL’s heart and mind are in turmoil. Belford sees her and wants to comfort her but she pushes him away. He confesses his feelings to her and wants another chance to be by her side. - Suddenly Belford is struck down. ML appears and FL asks him not to kill Belford. ML says she should be with someone like Belford and not him who is a monster. He wants to destroy everything around her so she’ll only look at him. He says he can’t stay by her side and he leaves. FL collapses and is unconscious for 10 days. - FL goes to ML’s residence in the capital to look for him. - Gabriel is there and reveals himself as the demon brother of ML. He attacks FL and she fights back with her magic.

Read ch 163 as of 07/11/21 - rate 3.5 ** some really bad translation ** I’ve got 2nd lead syndrome so bad! He’s far better than the unlikeable ML. Oh well, only in a doujinshi. ** Ok so the ML improves but still like 5th Prince more - FL was 23yo when she accidentally drowned after getting drunk by herself when her boyfriend dumped her for her best friend. - FL is reborn as 18yo Satiana (Satie) Kaylon, a villainess and the only daughter of a Duke who is the Chancellor of the Fallon Empire. She wakes up from a coma. - Her new parents are sweet, loving and dote on the daughter. In her past life, her family were conservative and sexist. Her younger brother was the favourite and she was always compared with him. She received no support or recognition for her efforts, and she worked hard to get ahead by herself. - ML is Crown Prince Leofred, son of the Empress. - ML felt abandoned by the Emperor as a child. - The Empress emotionally abused ML as he was made to realise her hopes and ambitions. - He is openly courting Irene Staena, daughter of a Count. Irene pretends to be good but is a true villainess behind that mask. - FL is chosen as a Regina (Empress candidate) along with Irene. At the ball to announce the Reginas, ML escorts Irene as they enter which is an obvious insult to FL and her family. In another slight to the Kaylons, ML ignores FL and dances only with Irene. - 5th Prince Cailanden (Cal) kindly asks FL to dance. - FL and Irene move into the imperial palace. - Irene is given a lady-in-waiting of higher status than normal, ordered by ML. In contrast he keeps delaying appointing one for FL. When he finally appoints 5 ladies for FL, she tests them to see who is ML’s spy. She discovers Lady Erma is actually Irene’s spy. - Lady Lavel was recommended by Duke Kaylon and is on FL’s side. She has the most experience having served as a lady-in-waiting with the Empress before. - Lady Edith becomes another ally of FL after learning FL’s rude behaviour with her ladies in waiting was all an act. - FL’s remaining ladies in waiting are Lady Esther and Lady Cecilia. - FL’s nanny was given an honorable title and is now Baroness Barnes. - FL has a tea party with Prince Cal. - He agrees on bended knee to go with FL to Utabine’s party. Utabine is the son of Duke Chandellum and FL’s childhood friend. - Irene spreads nasty rumours about FL at Utabine’s party. - FL confronts Irene about the rumours to show what she’s really like and to restore FL’s own reputation. - Irene tries to counter with concocting a scandal between FL and Prince Cal, but ML appears to refute her and escorts FL home. - In the carriage, ML mentions his plans to FL for the drought in the Western Region. FL suggests planting more trees. ML has this proposal passed by the parliament after research was done and he publicly credits FL with the idea. - FL keeps her concerns to herself about La Niña and El Niño, extreme weather patterns that cause natural disasters for years. - Lady Erma resigns after FL says she knew she was Irene’s spy. - FL chooses to visit the Western Region for summer vacation w/ ML. She wants to see for herself an area that will change because of her. Irene chooses the Crystal Palace and ML goes with her 1st to give more time to show results for the project to FL. - FL goes home to be with her family. - FL learns that ML held a grudge against her family because her father (and the Emperor) switched allegiances from ML to 7th Prince Stravin as the preferred heir when they were children. ML excelled at everything but lacked people skills. Stravin was a good judge of people and an excellent communicator. Before he was announced as Crown Prince, Stravin drowned to death. - Prince Cal visits FL at home. He had earlier apologised for what happened at Utabine’s party. FL asks him again to be her escort for a few social events. She needs to further strengthen a positive image of herself among the nobility and gain more allies. - Her father gives FL a magic communication bracelet for emergencies. - FL travels with ML by a magic carriage that flies in the sky to the Western Region. Her friend Utabine is one of the knights with them. - FL tells ML about how other factors like wind could be causing the drought. ML asks the magic tower to switch off the wind generation device. - FL and ML pretend to be buyers to meet with the slave trader. They have fake gold bars created using magic. The mage Albert Kogen breaks the magic detector and fools the slave trader. - FL distracts the slave trader while ML looks for the ledger in his office. They now have evidence of the noble buyers. Later they are all prosecuted and punished. - On the last day before going back to the palace, it rains. - Irene has been busy meeting with the aristocratic faction and forcing a meeting with the Empress. - The Reginas each have a chance to meet once with the Emperor. FL is disappointed when the Emperor indicates his support for her but will do nothing to help her. La Hardin competition: - The rivalry heats up between the Reginas. - Granary management: Irene is assigned the East granary and FL is assigned the West granary in the drought stricken area. - The Empress influenced this decision to make it more ‘balanced’, after the praise ML had given FL recently. - ML gives FL a magic communication device to be used during the competition. - Sir Altemir (Alte / Arte), FL’s estranged 19yo older brother and a student at the strict Palestra Academy. - He took on a disapproving and distant role to balance what he saw as over indulgence by their parents of FL. He apologises for his actions that didn’t convey his affection for his sister. - They go over the granary info together and FL identifies a possible trade deal with the South granary as they don’t have enough storage for the grain harvested. Mages and mana stones are needed to entice the South to help the West in a mutually beneficial way. - FL suggests to ML the idea of growing corn as a crop in the west. He asks her to be involved with this project. - Duchess Sharian, an administrator, suggests using the extra funds recovered from illegal slave traders for the West granary. - FL speaks with Master Shelmeo, one of the 7 masters of the magic tower. They agree on an alliance where the magic tower will invest in the west granary and FL will owe them a favour. - FL meets Count Yusof who manages the South granary. They agree on a 3yr deal and FL has another new ally. - ML and FL have been calling eachother to chat every night. - Charity event: Reginas wear men’s clothing. - An orphan boy asks FL to save them from the bad adults. - FL goes for a horse ride with ML to view the autumn leaves. As she dismounts clumsily, she accidentally kisses ML. - ML’s back story: Irene approached ML in private at his 18th bday banquet. She proposes an alliance to pretend as fake lovers. If he makes her Empress, she will give him all the power and authority of the Empress to use. - Irene failed badly at managing the East granary. - ML’s bday banquet: ML escorts Irene but asks FL for the 1st dance. ML admits he loves FL and wants out of the fake partnership with Irene. He’s threatened by Irene to abide by their deal and to not contact FL, or else Irene will publicly reveal the truth about Prince Stravin’s death. - Orphanage: investigated for child abuse, embezzlement, human trafficking. FL visits after conditions and staff improved. ML in disguise also visits. - Hunting competition: ML forced to escort Irene. Prince Cal escorts FL. With a last minute dress reveal, FL steals the spotlight. Emperor then Empress leave early. Suddenly a monster appears and goes straight for FL. She’s saved by ML who kills the monster just in time. ML is declared the winner of the hunt and Irene is also a winner as his partner. - Hunting ritual banquet: As the hunting winner’s partner, Irene leads the ritual. FL overhears some of Irene’s supporters talking. She has ML introduce her to one of them, Count Theofylle who is a sexist greedy pig of a man. FL makes a bet with him that she can create a ship made of iron and make it float. FL declines to dance with ML but accepts a dance with Prince Cal. The Empress and Irene both try to provoke FL into embarrassing herself publicly. ML helps FL by escorting her away. - ML finds the man hired to kill Prince Stravin. Irene showed ML a magic recording and he matches the voice heard speaking to the Empress who ordered the murder. - New Year banquet: ML escorts FL and they have the 1st dance together. FL wins the bet against the Count when her iron model ship floats. He has to sincerely apologise to FL, and freely permit merchants to cross the border between his land and Kayen. - ML severs ties with Irene for good now he has the upper hand. - ML confesses his feelings to FL and says he loves her. - Irene is unconscious due to poisoning. FL is suspected at 1st but the rumours fade as she cares for Irene everyday. - Albert brings a magical prototype that provides a health analysis. He identifies a poison and an antidote were ingested by Irene. The incriminating evidence is found hidden in her bedroom. - The Empress throws a tantrum in the Regina Palace and slaps ML instead of FL when he jumps in. - Irene recovers and is interrogated. She eventually admits to taking the poison. Her house is disgraced, losing its title, estate and fortune. She is disqualified as Regina and is banished from the palace. - Altemir’s graduation party: FL organises a party for her brother. ML turns up and takes her away early. - Iron ship project: FL assembles the project team of Albert, Sharian and Shelmeo. - Shelmeo reveals the existence of ancient relics. The vision orb was one, and most likely another was used to manipulate the monster to attack FL during the hunting competition. - ML plans to make public the details of Stravin’s murder. He hopes this will protect FL from the Empress who seems intent on killing her too. FL offers to help him minimise his losses. - FL negotiates with Shelmeo to use the ancient relics as evidence with his help. The relics will be kept by the Empire and the magic tower will have access to them for research. - ML charges the Empress with Stravin’s death and FL’s attempted murder before the Emperor and all the nobles, securing a trial. - At the trial, Stravin’s murderer is the 1st witness. - Shelmeo is the 2nd witness with the ancient relics. - The 3rd witness is a servant who worked 20yrs for the Empress. She testifies that other ex-servants she was in touch with all died. She also saw Stravin’s murderer at the Empress’ palace. - After the investigation, the Empress is found guilty and stripped of all rights, imprisoned in the small palace tower for life. - FL meets with the 3 royal consorts, led by Queen Sorina. They are friendly with eachother but none of them love the Emperor. They are impressed by how affectionate ML is with FL. - A smaller version of the iron ship was commissioned by ML. At its launching ceremony, ML says it’s a gift for FL. She finally says I love you to ML. - FL meets up with Prince Cal who she’s been avoiding lately. When asked, he admits to having feelings for her. She says she only loves ML. Prince Cal asks for a tassel as a last momento from FL. She gives him a badly made one but is unable find the right time to give another one to ML. - The martial arts tournament: ML is jealous when he sees FL’s tassel on Prince Cal’s sword. The overall champion is Prince Cal and tradition dictates ML as the Crown Prince must fight the winner. In the final duel, ML tells Cal that he wants Cal to be happy but he must cutoff any lingering feelings he has for FL. With that he cuts off the tassel and wins the duel. - FL tells ML everything about her past life and who she really is. He says he fell in love with her real self, reassuring FL. - In a carriage with Cecilia, FL notices it’s going the wrong way. They end up kidnapped to a remote location and are greeted by Irene. The operation is backed by her aristocratic supporters and funded by the Empress’ family. Cecilia betrayed FL with the promise of a political marriage to improve her status. FL activates the magic device her father gave her. Count Theofylle comes to rape her but is stabbed by ML just in time. - Irene and her supporters are executed. - FL finds out Esther was originally ML’s spy who helped switch the magic device so the signal went to ML. - The Empress has died. She committed suicide in the tower. - The wedding and coronation are on the same day for ML and FL. - FL becomes famous for ushering in a golden age for the Empire with her innovations and reforms. - ML and FL are the 1st imperial couple to be monogamous and the harem is abolished. They have the Emperor and Empress palaces combined. They have 3 children and live happily ever after.

Ch 82 as of 04/01/23 - getting confusing and hard to summarise … - some really bad translation - End of Season 1, Ch 40 - End of Season 2, Ch 60 ** Hate that dickhead Valer, followed by asshole Marquis ** Totally ship FL and ML. Hope her life is happier! - FL is Nevaeh Solen 25yo, the illegitimate daughter of a Marquis. Although FL is known as one of the most beautiful women in the Thierry Empire, she has been neglected, shunned, mistreated, ridiculed and scorned all her life. - FL’s mother Jacquette was a commoner maid who forced the Marquis to marry her after spreading the rumour of her pregnancy to cause a scandal. The Marquis blamed FL for ruining his life. He directed all his anger and resentment at FL. - Marquis Solen arranged a prenatal engagement between FL and Valer Wistash, son of a Duke. FL was abandoned by the Marquis and sold to pay off the Marquis’ debt to the Duke. FL moved to the Wistash estate 10yrs ago where she was treated as an outcast. Then Valer’s parents died when he and FL were young adults. - FL had a one-sided love for Valer that he found clingy and annoying. He took for granted FL’s feelings for him. - FL signs the papers to annul her engagement with Valer. She finally accepts that all of her love for him is now gone. Their marriage was on hold for 10yrs, including the time ML was away at war for the last 3yrs. He left FL to manage the Wistash duchy on her own. He also left behind the engagement annulment papers with his part already signed. - FL returns to Solen, forcing the Marquis to let her stay. - Valer had always treated FL harshly while she was at Wistash. - He was irritated by FL from the moment they first met. - Valer visits FL at Solen to take her back to Wistash. She says that she’s fulfilled his wish now to have their engagement annulled and she’ll never go back to Wistash. She realised loving him was a waste of time. She doesn’t love him anymore. - The history of the Thierry and Vinfried Empires: - Bertrand and Joachim were the founding families of the Thierry Empire. Bertrand received divine protection from the sun, while Joachim received divine protection from the moon. They ruled in peace for over 150yrs. - During a time of public unrest due to droughts and floods, the Bertrands blamed the Joachims for the natural disasters. Rumours were spread that the moon’s protection had weakened. - The Joachims ended up splitting away from Thierry and formed the independent nation of Vinfried in the NE. - Vinfried grew rapidly to reach the same level as Thierry within 100yrs. This was made possible due to the outstanding Emperors, Joachim X and Joachim XI. After 1000yrs, the relationship between Thierry and Vinfried has considerably improved. Some prejudice towards the other country still remains among the citizens. - ML is Emperor Arendt Timoteus Joachim XII of Vinfried. - His ex-fiancée was Esther Jurgen, a Baron’s daughter who lived in the Vinfried imperial palace since she was 10yo as the chosen Crown Princess. She was so in love with ML but he didn’t love her, so at 20yo she committed suicide. She wanted her death to make ML always remember her and make him unable to love anyone else. - ML is visiting the Thierry Empire to choose a bride. - FL approaches ML at the Thierry imperial palace with a marriage proposal that meets the 3 conditions he’s looking for: - to have nothing to do with his mother, Empress Dowager Adelaide Leoni Joachim who monitors every move ML makes; - to be able to help straight away with state affairs; and - to not fall in love. - FL needs ML as he is her only means to get out of the Thierry Empire. All she needs from him is someone she can trust and who will always be on her side. She doesn’t want to fall in love and be neglected again. - ML surprises FL by publicly announcing their engagement in the main hall of the Thierry imperial palace before Emperor Bertrand XV and the other nobles. FL is granted the imperial family name of Thierry and becomes an adopted daughter of Emperor Bertrand. - Valer is full of regrets after FL is gone. Only now does he realise how mistreated she was all this time by her own family, noble society and his parents (is this guy a complete moron???). He finds and reads all of the letters she wrote to him but never sent, and he cries (why? did he suddenly grow a heart overnight?). - Rubiel Solen 10yo, FL’s younger half-sister who is adored by their father. When they meet for the first time, FL is surprised she doesn’t hate Rubiel. They get on well as they’re both lonely. - Rubiel is also an illegitimate child but her mother was the mistress of the Marquis. Rubiel is disliked and abused by the Marquis’ wife, FL’s mother. Rubiel quickly becomes attached to FL and doesn’t want FL to leave the Thierry Empire. - The Marquis demolishes the separate old annex FL was living in. FL knew that the Marquis as a boy used to hide and cry alone in that annex when his grandfather treated him with contempt. - FL’s mother was the youngest maid who followed the Marquis as a boy with a handkerchief and comforted him. - FL tells the Marquis to rebuild the annex to be grand and beautiful for FL’s mother to live there and to keep her away from Rubiel. - FL is left with nowhere to stay in Thierry before she leaves for Vinfried. That night ML keeps FL company in a lounge room of the imperial palace, then FL is given the Rose Palace to stay in by Emperor Bertrand. - The wedding of FL and ML will take place twice, once in Thierry and again in Vinfried. Her new middle name is Hermione. - After the state wedding in Thierry, the married couple and their entourage travel to Vinfried. FL feels liberated to be leaving Thierry and is thankful for the peace that her life with ML will bring. She vows to never let love disturb this peace and she will work hard to repay the kindness she’s received. - For now ML hides his feelings for FL. Valer overheard her words about never loving again as he stood guard near their carriage. His delegation is travelling closely to hers as he will be stationed at the border for at least a year to manage the Gaulen mine negotiations. - Sir Rudiger Troven, ML’s childhood friend, knight and aide. - During the trip to Vinfried, FL is suspicious after hearing voices and goes to check the supply wagon. She finds her sister Rubiel hidden there. While still in Thierry, Rudiger had told Rubiel all about how FL was treated by their father. - Rubiel ran away to punish Marquis Solen and let him experience being abandoned. FL thinks this is an excuse as Rubiel really wanted to run away from FL’s mother. Rubiel left a letter so the Marquis didn’t think she was kidnapped. Rubiel signed a contract with Rudiger to help her get to Vinfried in exchange for giving him a legendary sword that’s a Solen family heirloom. The real reason Rudiger helped Rubiel was because he sympathised with her. - As ML and FL enter Milstraugh the capital of Vinfried, they are welcomed by cheers for them both from the people. - FL meets her head lady-in-waiting Rosette and is told about the ‘dolls’: a small, elite and secret group of noble ladies-in-waiting who are highly educated and trained to be the hands and feet of the Emperor and Empress. - Princess Isolde Richelle Bertrand (Thierry) married Prince Ranier Artoire Joachim (Vinfried), ML’s older half-brother. They met when she was studying abroad and she became pregnant. She has an estranged relationship with Thierry as her father, Emperor Bertrand XV didn’t approve of the marriage. She cut off all ties with her family and said she would never set foot in Thierry again. - Ranier and ML have a good relationship. Ranier is secretly an author. He published a history of Vinfried under a pseudonym. - Isolde is very excited to have FL in Vinfried as her new sister and someone from Thierry that she might finally be able to confide in. - FL is alone with Valer as she was sent to greet him officially to the palace. He takes this opportunity to apologise to her for everything and to say he was wrong. FL accepts his apology and he cries. - Isolde has been helping ML to plan the wedding which will be combined with the coronation ceremony for FL as Empress. - Isolde tells FL about her miscarriage which happened due to the stress and sadness of leaving Thierry behind. She fell into a deep depression after giving up her status and identity. The baby was born a month prematurely and died. - Empress Dowager Adelaide is refusing to handover her duties to FL, so FL goes to see Adelaide on her own. - Adelaide tells FL that ML’s ex-fiancée Esther killed herself because ML neglected her, just like how Valer neglected FL. Esther’s clingy love for ML was suffocating. Adelaide says ML may seem warm and kind on the outside but he’s full of contempt for FL on the inside. FL tries to brush it off by saying she doesn’t care and she knows ML is just using her. - After FL leaves Adelaide, she sees ML waiting for her. FL runs away as she feels conflicted by what Adelaide said about ML. She doesn’t understand why ML is so kind to her. ML follows FL to the Moon Flower tree, the symbol of the Joachim imperial family. There FL tells him what his mother said to her. FL lets ML comfort her and he says all he wants is for her to be happy. - Empress Dowager Adelaide was the daughter of a country noble, Count Alberich. As a talented genius, she was supported and employed by Emperor Joachim X. - 1st Prince Bezel Joachim, ML’s father & Emperor Joachim XI. - 22yo Adelaide made her social debut at an imperial ball soon after the death of Emperor Joachim X. She was looking for a financial sponsor as she didn’t want to return to the country and be married off. Bezel was always secretly observing Adelaide. He knew she preferred to keep to herself and was always alone. They met for the 1st time at this ball. - Adelaide wanted to research birds. She believed messenger birds could be trained to be a more efficient and effective way of communicating across long distances. - 5 days after the ball, Bezel killed the 3rd Prince and became the Emperor. Bezel proposed to Adelaide and she became the Empress. Her idea of messenger birds was successfully implemented and helped to end the war at that time. - FL visits Adelaide again. FL uncovered the secret that Adelaide was the original creator of the messenger birds and the cipher used to encode the messages. FL says she and Adelaide have experienced the same situation. Just as Bezel recognised Adelaide’s true worth, ML recognised FL’s true worth. - FL talks about the contract she has with ML which includes the condition that they’ll never love each other. - FL and Adelaide seem to have reached an understanding (?) - FL learns Marquis Solen is on his way to bring back Rubiel. FL tells Rubiel but Rubiel doesn’t want to leave Vinfried. - Rudiger offers to have Rubiel stay at the Troven estate to delay Marquis Solen. FL and Rubiel meet Rudiger’s mother, Deborah Troven. While Rudiger takes Rubiel to meet his younger brother Eric, Deborah asks FL for help with arranging a visit for her to see Adelaide. Deborah is worried about Adelaide who has been in seclusion and isn’t allowing any visitors. - Marquis Solen arrives at the Vinfried imperial palace. - He accuses FL of kidnapping and brainwashing Rubiel. - Earlier Valer tried to stop FL from meeting the Marquis. - She refused to avoid her father as she said “our problems won’t be solved if we keep avoiding them.” Valer insisted on going with her and he stopped the Marquis from slapping FL. ML saw them, but he didn’t interfere. He felt like he didn’t deserve to be there. - That night FL dreams of Valer and calls out his name while ML is beside her. ML avoids her after that. FL had the habit of imagining Valer was in love with her and they were happy so she could get through each day. She knew it wasn’t real and she no longer wishes for it. FL wakes up and sees ML. She realises he thinks she hasn’t moved on from Valer. - FL’s coronation and wedding ceremony: - At the banquet after the ceremony, FL has her first dance with ML. Then she is asked to dance by Valer and she accepts. - Julian Sven had also asked FL for a dance. He was Adelaide’s younger lover so it would’ve been a scandal if FL accepted. - Adelaide makes an unexpected appearance at the banquet. - Earlier FL and Adelaide had already privately discussed Adelaide attending the banquet. Her unexpected appearance was intentional to see how the nobles would react. - Esther was Julian’s sister or close friend (?) - They both had an unrequited love and confided in each other. - Julian became Adelaide’s lover but was abandoned later. - FL goes for a walk in the gardens and overhears Adelaide and Julian arguing. Adelaide blames Julian for Esther’s death (?) - After Adelaide leaves, FL greets Julian and gives him a handkerchief. Later Valer sees Julian and asks for the handkerchief. - That night FL and ML sleep together for the first time (Ch 72). - Meanwhile Marquis Solen tries to take Rubiel away. - Rubiel refuses to go and lies, saying she is engaged to Eric. - When FL visits Rubiel the next day, Rubiel says she doesn’t love Eric and she doesn’t want to marry him. If she does, she can’t be Marchioness Solen. - Julian overhears Marquis Solen speaking with Valer. - Adelaide has offered to help Marquis Solen (?) - Valer was sent by the Emperor to try and influence FL (?) - Later Julian approaches Valer with an offer to cooperate. Julian wants to get closer to Adelaide and Valer wants to get closer to FL. Julian thinks they can help each other. - FL confides in Isolde about Marquis Solen and Rubiel. Isolde is concerned FL will sacrifice herself for Rubiel’s sake. - At first ML tried to ruin Marquis Solen but stopped after Rubiel was discovered with them (?) - Valer speaks with FL when she is walking alone outside. - He returns the handerchief she gave to Julian. He warns her to be wary of men who seem to be kind but could be hiding ulterior motives. ML arrives and interrupts them.

Ch 80 as of 24/09/23 (some bad translation here) - Ch 80: End of Season 1 - free on Tappytoon - Ishtar = Morning Star - FL wakes up reborn as weak & spoilt Lucifela (Luci) 18yo. - She’s the daughter of Count Lyubos Aydin in the Jansgar kingdom, 3yrs after the war ended with the Ersha kingdom which was destroyed. She became known as the Ishtar of Jansgar for her beauty after the King called her that. - NB: Count Aydin is the maternal uncle of the Princes (?) - In FL’s past life, she was Estelle Schubert. She was an orphan commoner who became the first female knight of Ersha. She became the commander of the Ersha Knights’ 3rd division called Sitora. She was fiercely patriotic and called Ishtar by the Ersha people. Her sword and her knight division were her only reasons for living. The closest knights and comrades to FL were Khalid, Liam, Balder, Anika and Olgen. - FL was betrayed and killed by her lieutenant / 2nd-in-command and childhood friend Khalid Gabrine. He was a noble related to the Ersha royal family. He betrayed his country and he presented FL’s head to the Jansgar King as a sign of surrender. He became the loyal dog of their Crown Prince, and he was granted a new title and Louis Luke as his new surname. - FL as Luci was unconscious for 3 days after almost drowning in a lake at the royal palace. Crown Prince Temir made her jump into the lake to prove her love for him by risking her life. The original Luci thought he would officially acknowledge their love to his parents if she did so. Instead he ridiculed her with the other nobles. - FL says she has lost her memory and starts to do basic exercises regularly to build up her strength. She asked her father for a sword but receives an ornamental dagger instead. - The original Luci threw tantrums and abused the servants. The atmosphere in the household improves with FL as Luci. - Duke Khalid Louis Luke, commander of the 2nd Knight Order. - ML is Duke Zedekiah Heint, commander of the 1st Knight Order. ML hates Khalid and is disgusted by him. - FL is forced to become engaged to ML in accordance with his father’s will. While he’s indifferent to her, FL hates him as the enemy commander. He agrees to FL’s suggestion to delay the wedding and get a divorce soon after they’re married. - A serial killer called “the Butcher” has been targeting young women in the capital city, Greenhill. The victims and their locations have nothing in common. The King orders ML and Khalid to investigate and find the killer in 3 days. - One of FL’s former knights and now a member of the Ersha resistance, Liam Hirka, is blamed for the murders. Khalid uses the murders to justify hunting for Liam as he already knows Liam isn't the serial killer. - FL hears about Liam and doesn’t believe it. She hopes to find Liam and the other former Ersha knights. FL dresses as a commoner and hires a carriage to take her to the NW part of the capital where the most recent murder scene and sighting of Liam occurred. - FL is reported missing to her father and he begs ML to look for her. ML also doesn’t think Liam is the serial killer and deduced the real culprit is most likely a coachman. ML is concerned FL might come across the true killer if she’s run away. - FL’s hired coachman turns out to be the serial killer. He thinks all women are arrogant and look down on him so they deserve to die. FL notices the smell of blood under her carriage seat. - FL stabs the coachman with her dagger when the carriage stops and she tries to steal a horse. The coachman strangles her but she stabs him again. Before she can kill him, ML arrives with his knights. She faints in ML’s arms. - FL wakes up in a carriage with ML. He confirms the killer who attacked her has been arrested and the sighting of Liam was incorrect. He threatens FL with restricting her outside activities if she causes trouble like this again. FL retorts that she’ll make sure her father doesn’t ask for ML’s help in the future so ML won’t be bothered by her again. - FL’s close comrades from her past life have just reached the capital. They intend to avenge FL by killing Khalid. - Crown Prince Temir gets the Queen to send a last minute invite to FL for the Autumn ball. He intends to humiliate FL by letting her be subjected to insults and ridicule again. - FL takes etiquette and dancing lessons for the ball. - She learns these are the only means for noblewomen to show their accomplishments. A noble lady is just an accessory for her family. Upholding the family honour is her reason for living. - Duke Fred Idris, brother of the current Queen. - He’s also the uncle of FL (?) and he supports Temir. - Crown Prince Temir is FL’s cousin (?) - FL recalls her body’s memories, thoughts and emotions as Luci when triggered by specific events or encounters. When her father is called away by Duke Idris, she hears a voice that says he won’t return even if he says he will. - At the Autumn ball, the nobles loudly gossip about FL still daring to show her face despite jumping into the lake. Private details about her encounter with the serial killer are used to taunt her. FL counters them by saying to leak these secret details is to bring dishonour on the knights who are still conducting the royal investigation. - When the royal family enter the ballroom, FL is tempted to try and kill the King who started the war with Ersha. - FL tries to calm herself and gather her thoughts about killing the King in one of the private lounge rooms. She doesn’t realise it’s a royal room until Crown Prince Temir arrives. He thinks she’s waiting for him and kisses her forcefully. - ML comes to check on her just as she leaves the room after kicking Temir in the balls. She insists ML dance with her and she stomps on his feet to relieve her anger. She tells ML that she doesn’t care for Temir after he tricked her into almost killing herself for his amusement. FL recalled Luci’s memories of what led to her jumping in the lake. Temir let the original Luci believe that he loved her. - FL is invited to meet the King. The original Luci first met him when she was 12yo. He says if she still has feelings for Temir, he can break her engagement to ML with a royal order. FL confirms her relationship with Temir is over. - FL gets lost in the palace and bumps into 2nd Prince Eozif. She sees the 2nd Knights training outside and is shocked that Khalid is leading them. She is knocked out by Eozif when she tries to jump from the balcony to confront Khalid. - She wakes up in her room. FL is overcome with rage and vengeance. She rushes out into the rain still in her nightgown with a sword she found. She collapses and is sick with fever. Rumours quickly spread in the capital that she’s gone insane. - ML visits FL after hearing she’s sick (and insane). - ML thinks she’s sick and irrational from a broken heart. - FL is in despair over how powerless she is now. She considers seducing ML and using his power to get her revenge on Khalid. - FL kisses him for the 1st time and he reciprocates. After FL comes to her senses and stops herself, he gets angry and leaves (Ch 20) - To escape the rumours about her, FL decides to take up her father’s suggestion to return to their family estate in the country. On the way, Eozif stops her carriage and brought Khalid on purpose to test her reaction. ML also arrives to see her off. FL suspects Khalid was secretly in touch with the Jansgar nobles during the war. - ML hears about Temir harassing the palace maids with black hair. Temir whips a maid until her back is all bloody for breaking a bowl. ML tells the King, and Temir is punished by placing him under house arrest in the palace. - Eozif tells ML that Khalid is staying in a village near FL’s country estate. ML uses the excuse of a demon hunting expedition to head there. - While being shown around her family estate, FL sees a large portrait of her late mother Luana. FL recalls Luci’s memories of Luana who died from red fever during an epidemic when Luci was 9yo. Luana was in immense pain and Luci tirelessly cared for her. Unfortunately her father was too late with obtaining the expensive medicine. Luana died and he poisoned himself in front of Luci. Luckily he was saved. - This family tragedy is the real reason why Luci didn't like returning to the family estate in the country. FL finds out her father built the luxurious mansion in the capital just for Luci. Count Aydin is very wealthy as he has a gem mine in his territory. The mine was only discovered when Luana was already very sick. - FL visits the training grounds at the estate and is disappointed to see the Aydin knights relaxed and carefree. She questions their discipline and the poor condition of their weapons. - Gwain the commander blames FL’s expensive dresses for the reduced military budget. Matsi the head butler refutes this and says the Count reduced the budget because it was so peaceful that a greater military budget wasn’t necessary. - FL gets the butler to sell most of her expensive dresses and use the money on the military. That way the Aydin knights will have to listen to what FL says from now on. - After visiting the local village, FL starts to educate herself on all aspects of the Jansgar kingdom. - A gemstone merchant from a trade organisation called Tero asks to meet FL. She goes to the gem mine located on one of the Twin Mountains and discovers there's no mine shaft. The miners simply collect the small gemstones scattered on the ground. - The merchant is fake and his 20+ guards kill FL’s 5 knights. - FL and Matsi escape on horseback to the other Twin Mountain where demons are rumoured to be. Matsi distracts the pursuing men to give FL a chance to run away. A demonic beast appears and Khalid grabs FL to hide with him. - Temir sent Khalid to kidnap FL and bring her back to the palace. FL uses hand signals to Khalid to convey she’ll act as bait to lure the beast for him to kill it. Khalid is immediately reminded of Estelle. Khalid strikes a fatal blow at the beast but is injured while protecting FL. ML and his knights arrive in time to save FL from 2 more demonic beasts. - Political secrets of Jansgar: - ML’s father secretly trained Eozif in swordsmanship. - ML’s father was very politically active and spent much of his time in the capital securing allies for his faction. - Luana was from Ersha and refused to marry ML’s father. - Count Aydin is part of Temir’s faction. He is very meek and timid with no political power. ML discovered by accident while he was at the Twin Mountains that there are rare and much larger gemstones hidden on the mountain where the demons are. - ML hears that FL sold her dresses to pay for new weapons and armour for the Aydin knights. ML buys almost all of the expensive fabric in the capital and has dresses made as a surprise for FL. - FL clears up ML’s misunderstanding about her feelings for Temir. - The King punishes Temir for not hiding his tracks better and suspends all of the work he had entrusted Temir with. - NB: The King has always compared Temir with ML. - Florence, daughter of Marquis Loer. - Harold, Florence’s older brother and a knight of the 1st Order. - FL returns to the capital and is invited to a tea party by Florence. FL is harassed by the other ladies as soon as she arrives at the tea party. Florence is the only one who is nice to FL. Harold suddenly arrives with Khalid in a surprise visit and they join the tea party. - FL is shocked yet again by Khalid when he insults Estelle by calling her a foolish woman who should never have held a sword. Khalid says Estelle caused the needless deaths of too many soldiers under her leadership. He claims he has never regretted killing Estelle. She also learns the King gave her precious sword to Khalid. - FL calls Khalid shameless for insulting Estelle after betraying his knight’s oath and his country. - ML arrives with Eozif just in time to help her. ML used Eozif as his excuse to interrupt the tea party. Eozif pretends to be a clumsy, foolish bookworm to not seem like a threat to Temir. Eozif said he wanted to find a book in the Loer library. - ML says everything that FL wanted to say to Khalid. - ML also calls Khalid shameless. Khalid’s betrayal is unacceptable as a knight, and insults a knight’s honour, oath and duty. A knight should never betray their country with their sword. Instead a knight raises their sword to protect their country like what Estelle did. Khalid doesn’t deserve to speak Estelle’s name for his cowardice. ML says Khalid is the one who should’ve never wielded a sword. - The tea party ends and everyone leaves. ML escorts FL home. - In the carriage, ML tells FL that he despises Khalid and he was there when Khalid presented Estelle’s head to the King. - ML says Estelle was an exemplary knight and ML deeply respected her. He thinks she didn’t deserve to die that way. - ML is bewildered when FL starts to cry and says thank you. FL is grateful to ML for being angry on her behalf and for thinking she was worthy as a knight. - FL is surprised to receive an invitation to have tea with Florence alone at her home. FL arrives to overhear Harold and Florence arguing. Harold has always taken his anger out on Florence and physically abuses her. He slaps her and is about to draw his sword when FL knocks him down. - After Harold leaves, Florence angrily accuses FL of spying to spread rumours. Florence has admired the original Luci ever since they were 12yo when Luci saved Florence from Harold. With little power and influence, Florence could do nothing to help Luci who became ridiculed by high society over the years. - The women of the Idris family hold all of the social power. - Melrose Idris led the noblewomen in constantly bullying Luci. - The bullying only stopped when Luci and Temir made their relationship known publicly. - Florence was the only one to send help for Luci when she jumped into the imperial lake. Now Florence wants to help FL. - Florence and FL spend a lot of time together, shopping etc. - Melrose Idris is the wife of Count Poer. Her father is Duke Fred Idris. Count Poer is hosting a horse racing event. - Baroness Dahlia Rein. - ML takes FL as his partner to the event. FL is excited to get the chance to ride a rare horse breed. While riding, FL’s horse suddenly goes berserk. FL recognises the symptoms of a parasite called a threadsnake worm. It takes all of FL’s strength and willpower to bring the horse under control. - Shion Loer’s bday celebration: he’s the oldest brother of Harold and Florence. Eozif speaks privately with FL. He has been investigating her family and found Count Aydin made large payments to the Ersha rebels? Eozif threatens to prosecute Count Aydin for treason if FL doesn’t convince ML to support Eozif in the fight for the throne. Eozif offers to grant her one wish and to make Ersha independent. - FL is upfront with ML about Eozif’s threats because she values ML’s trust more than anything Eozif can do. - Florence’s parents arrange marriage for her to Temir without consulting her. She is expected to marry Temir for the sake of the family. FL tries to console Florence and says she’ll support Florence whatever happens. - Princess Isota of the Jansgar kingdom - At the palace, Florence is left alone with Temir. She knees him in the balls and runs away when he tries to rape her. - Eozif stops her and offers to help. She offers to support him as the next Emperor. (Sex implied) (Ch 80) - Khalid holds a charity auction. FL is shocked when he sells his family heirloom sword. She is taken to a private room to rest and sees her sword (as Estelle) there. Khalid reveals he knows she is Estelle. He admits to setting up the horse incident as one of several tests to confirm her true identity. - Eozif accidentally overheard Khalid and FL. - He realises the truth about FL.

Ch 66 as of 06/08/22 - also on Tappytoon, Tapas ** End of Season 1, Ch 39 - ML is Caruel (Cael) de Murien 16yo, a swordmaster and Crown Prince of the Murien Empire. He has a younger brother. - He had a traumatic incident as a child due to an obsessed girl (?) - FL is Euricienne de Carna 16yo, Crown Princess of the Carna Empire. She also has a younger brother. - She is very intuitive in determining who is her friend and foe. She’s careful not to stand out too much. - FL and ML are forcibly brought together in an arranged marriage between their respective countries. - They’re both unusually gifted and they have abnormal strength. Their hearts are full of mana and they can detect mana. FL and ML both heal very quickly, don't get hurt easily and rarely get sick. - Adelia von Magnaga, daughter of a Duke. - She’s arrogant and obsessed with ML. - Lune Dias 15yo who greatly admires FL. She has a twin sister called Luze who is another obsessed fan of ML. Their father is a country Baron. Their older brother Lusen is an imperial knight. - Sir Jeron Tremaine 28yo, ML’s guard and aide. - He’s also a Viscount. - Lynn, FL’s personal maid from Carna - Sir Charles, FL’s personal knight from Carna - At the welcome banquet for FL in Murien, ML and FL antagonise eachother while still maintaining their public faces. FL meets Adelia (instant enemies) and Lune (instant friends). - FL receives a suspicious love letter from ML. She goes alone to meet the one who really sent the letter. She beats up 2 thugs hired by Luze in an attempted kidnapping on behalf of Adelia. - One thug is suddenly possessed and controlled by black magic. - He attacks FL but is stopped by ML who arrives after seeing the fake love letter. An unknown person removes the black magic and escapes. FL beats some sense into Luze then lets her go. - Lune visits FL the next day to apologise for Luze and thank FL for her mercy. Luze became obsessed and delusional over ML when he saved them from a wild boar 2yrs ago. - Adelia trashes her room after Luze told her to give up on ML. - Hunting competition: FL disguises herself as a boy to enter the hunting grounds so she can find the golden pig. She shoots arrows into it’s eyes but ML uses Jeron’s sword to strike the final blow. - Jeron is credited with the kill to win the competition. ML grants FL’s request and orders Jeron to kiss Lune’s hand as the lady of the hunting competition. - As predicted by FL, Adelia explodes with rage and screams insults at Jeron and Lune. Adelia is punished with probation from social events and put under house arrest. She throws tantrums at home. - At the banquet for the hunting competition, ML gets Jeron to save Lune from a nobleman who is harassing her to dance with him. - Treasure hunt by the late 1st concubine: - The Empress tells FL about a small treasure hunt that she organised for the imperial family after the hunting competition. A certain treasure has been hidden in the imperial palace. No one has found it for the last 10yrs. If you find the treasure, you’ll be granted one wish by the Empress as a reward. - The Empress and the 1st concubine were close friends. - The 1st concubine was the Crown Princess of an allied kingdom. - The 1st concubine had poor health and later died. - The treasure hunt was in the 1st concubine’s will. - The treasure was hidden by the Empress. - FL figures out the 1st concubine was sent away from her kingdom because of her forbidden love with her guardian mage who had an oak wand. FL and ML find a box buried under a large oak tree that contains a pair of magic rings, custom made by the mage. The rings were made for the wearers to be together for life. The rings allow the wearers to know the location of each other. - The Empress grants a wish from FL and ML for them to be engaged first so they can delay the wedding. This is under the condition that they always wear the magic rings and they go on an engagement trip away together. FL devises a “catch me if you can” game when in fact she’s run away. ML has to catchup to her. - The pair find each other in Ledur the capital city just as the Moon Festival is being held. FL had just won an arm wrestling competition. FL enters the Moon Goddess competition at the last minute and wins. As the full moon appears, the couple dance under the moonlight and lanterns with the festival crowd. - For their next destination, FL decides to go to a mountain where elves were sighted. She plans to stop the illegal slave traders who are hunting the elves. FL and ML rescue some elves that were captured by slave traders. The elves speak to the nature spirits to find out who the mystery stalker is that has been targeting FL’s life. - They discover the stalker is a demon called Kisliki who contracted with Adelia to kill FL. Adelia gave up her vitality to summon Kisliki. The demon makes a reverse contract with FL which cancels out the one with Adelia. - The elves were forced to leave the Great Forest after the lake was poisoned by devil's blood. FL offers land in her country for the elves to move to. - The pair go to the nearby Hemerphs region to report the slave traders but the area seems suspicious. ML contacts the imperial knights to arrest the slave traders and safely escort the elves instead. - The Hemerphs region was known for its specialty crop called miracle grass / Elysian’s blessing which had a wide variety of practical uses. This crop couldn’t be grown by human hands and was cultivated with the help of an elf. - The grass is poisonous during the growing phase and only becomes harmless when it’s fully matured. After the first elf died from the poison a few years ago, the local Count Hemerphs hired slave traders to capture elves to continue cultivating the grass. - Jan, a mysterious dark mage is the one behind Count Hemerphs and Adelia. Jan introduced the grass to the Count and he shared the spell to summon a demon with Adelia. He will discard them both soon as they’re expendable. He summoned a monstrous demon to pursue ML and FL. - ML visits Count Hemerphs with FL disguised as his servant. - FL and ML pretend to be drugged from their dinner. They stop the butler who is possessed by black magic from attacking them. Kisliki follows Count Hemerphs and sees his murdered older brother’s remains hidden in the basement. The Count killed his brother when he tried to stop the capture of elves. - Suddenly the monster demon attacks ML and FL in the Count’s residence. They are saved by Kisliki who also exposes the dark mage. Jan is suddenly called away by his master and vanishes. - Jan dropped the summoning medium for Kisliki, a necklace with a pendant containing Adelia’s blood. - The monster demon has a curse mark from a mage of the White Tower who sealed it 15yrs ago. It needs miracle grass to lift the curse mark which took away it's ability to use magic. It’s the same demon that poisoned the lake of the elves. Kisliki tells FL to use her ring which emits blue flames that hurts demons. The badly injured monster demon flees outside and comes across the elves guarded by the imperial knights. - Eden the mage of the White Tower appears and destroys the monster demon with blue flames. 15yrs ago Eden the orphan was saved and trained by the same mage who was in love with the late 1st concubine. - Count Hemerphs, Adelia and Duke Magnaga are arrested. - The trial of Count Hemerphs and Adelia sentences them to be executed. Duke Magnaga is stripped of his title and is sentenced to life imprisonment. - FL wants ML to play Cupid between Lune and Jeron with her. She sees the 16th bday party for Lune and Luze as an opportunity.

Ch 83 as of 15/11/22 - also on Tapas ** End of season 1, Ch 50 - FL is reborn as the evil villainess Dang Haewon, oldest child of the Dang clan. She retains all of Haewon’s memories. - To avoid her death, FL cancels her engagement to the noble male hero Namgoong Jiha before he does (he will later have 7 wives). - FL announces she will go on a journey to reflect on her actions after trying to kill Namgoong Jiha’s lover and 1st love, Jaegal Hee. - Dang Mujin, FL’s father and Headmaster of the Dang clan in Sacheon (Sichuan). He loves FL unconditionally. - Chamberlain Jin, Dang Mujin’s most trusted subordinate. - Dang Haejun, FL’s younger half brother and heir of the Dang clan. His martial arts is weak and he shows no promise. He’s an informant for the Moyong clan. - Namgoong Jiha, a prodigy and genius swordsman. He’s never known defeat or regret, so he’s arrogant and self righteous. - His clan is 1 of the 5 great Murim noble clans. - Jaegal Hee, who becomes a genius swordswoman. - Jaegal Ihwa, her older brother and the clan heir. - The Jaegal clan is also 1 of the 5 great Murim noble clans. - FL’s stepmother Moyong Bi has been poisoning her for 10yrs with the help of FL’s maid to block her inner Qi. Moyong Bi isolated FL within the Dang clan to prevent FL from challenging her son Dang Haejun as the heir. Using her knowledge of the story, FL takes a pagum herb to reverse the effects of the poison. - On the way to her birth mother’s clan in Jinju, FL finds a special 10k year old ginseng and eats it without knowing it unblocks and amplifies Qi but can also be a poison. FL must control the flow of her Qi to prevent her death. - After meditating and cultivating the energy on her own, FL opens all 12 meridians in her body. FL is now able to release her Qi and she starts to learn basic martial arts from her escort guards during their journey. She learns rapidly and often acts on instinct. - FL catches her maid who was about to send a report to Moyong Bi. FL confirms with her maid that she is a Moyong spy. The maid has been giving poison under the guise of medicine to FL for the last 10yrs. FL spares the maid’s life for now. - Yang Bang Shik, Captain of the escort guards and a Murim warrior of the Dang clan. - On behalf of the escort guards, Yang Bang Shik pledges to support FL as the Dang clan successor. They see her potential through the rapid improvement in her martial arts. They have hope that she will be a strong and powerful leader. - FL asks the guards to keep her martial art skills a secret. - NB: The martial arts of the Dang clan focuses on poison and assassination skills. - After a month, they pass through a village. FL rescues a girl who was sold to the Seok clan to pay off her father’s gambling debts. Already 30 women have been sent to be mistresses of the Seok clan, and they all left as corpses. - Later the girl called Jin Soye offers to serve FL for life. - FL recalls from the novel that Jin Soye becomes a great martial artist in her own right, known as the “Celestial Warrior.” - Jin Soye is smart, level headed, capable and strong. - FL accidentally kills her maid with a Qi cannon after mistaking her for a Moyong spy FL was chasing. The guards later find and deal with the spy. The maid was the first person FL had ever killed using her new skills. - FL arrives at the Eon clan estate in Jinju and is greeted by her maternal grandfather Eon Saryong. He’s known as the “Fist Master / King”. He’s the current Headmaster of the Eon clan. - Gunwoo is the Eon clan heir. Gunwoo is constantly setup by Saryong to be with FL in an obvious attempt to get them engaged. Gunwoo acts very clumsy every time he’s with FL. - All correspondence from the Moyong clan to the Eon clan estate is being intercepted. Jin Soye copies the maid’s handwriting and sends fake replies. - Gunwoo is worried about accidentally hurting FL with his large stature. He sees FL as petite, delicate and fragile. - FL challenges Gunwoo to spar with her to prove him wrong. She defeats him and brings him to the ground. - Saryong saw them spar and provides them with his critique. He offers to teach them both together so they can learn from eachother. - Gunwoo likes FL and wants her to stay in Jinju. - Gunwoo is secretly a prince who left the royal palace long ago. - The Seok heir arrives at the Eon clan estate to take back Jin Soye who was sold to him. He leaves with the promise that FL will visit him but she does so disguised as an assassin along with her guards. She feeds him a drug (Baekryun flower) that he was going to use on her. The drug brainwashes him to obey her commands then he dies from overdosing on the drug. They start a fire as a cover up. - Eon Seo Yeon, FL’s mother and a female physician. - Seo Yeon was stopped from learning martial arts by Saryong because he thought the world of Murim was too dangerous. That’s when she switched to learning medicinal arts. - Saryong regrets his decision now that Seo Yeon is dead. - He wants FL to live freely and to live as she pleases. - Saryong gives FL a valuable Golden Pill to take. The pill is good for those with weaker physical bodies. - To gather evidence first before notifying the Murim authorities, FL disguises herself and enters the black market alone using a ticket taken from the Seok clan. Her guards are on standby outside. - She wants to investigate the drug made from the Baekryun flower. She finds an arena where Cheonho the Mountain God, a huge white tiger, is wearing restraints. Byuk Seogun, a famous Murim master, is forced to fight the tiger. - Under the influence of the Baekryun flower, Byuk Seogun is so intent on destroying Cheonho that he creates a Qi cannon that could wipe out the entire arena. FL interrupts the fight and creates her own Qi cannon to absorb the one by Byuk Seogun. - FL succeeds and then knocks Byuk Seogun out. She frees Cheonho from his restraints and he escapes. Byuk Seogun dies from a drug overdose and his broken body. - Namgoong Jiha is undercover at the arena and he creates a Qi sword to kill the thugs that run into the arena. - FL questions Og Hwi the leader about the Baekryun flower. He got the drug from the Namhaedo Plains. Before FL can make Og Hwi tell her who his superiors are, he is killed by a poisoned dagger. - The dagger grazes FL’s mask which forces her to take it off as the poison burned through. - Observing secretly from the trees near the arena, FL’s step-cousin Moyong Hwi was the one who killed Og Hwi (He is Moyong Bi’s nephew and heir to the Moyong clan). - Namgoong Jiha suspects FL of planning to do something to him again and asks about her intentions. Gunwoo suddenly arrives and interrupts them. He ignores Jiha and leads FL away by the hand. (Gunwoo was jealous when he saw her with Jiha) - Later that night, Cheonho visits FL at her window. As thanks, he gives her a special sword and one of his claws. He doesn’t know how he was captured but a powerful evil energy appeared that caused him to faint. When he awoke he was in restraints that sealed away his godly powers. - FL decides to return to the Dang clan estate in Sacheon to get stronger there before the Demon Sect starts to move. - Before FL leaves, Gunwoo gives her a mando looking glass that can be used to communicate with eachother. - FL decides to make a detour on the way and stop by Unnan / Yunnan mountain. There is a great amount of a precious metal (Geumkang ore) buried in the mountain that is yet to be discovered. This ore is the toughest and rarest material in Murim. - At the base of the mountain they come across a village in a very bad state. The villagers are all starving and there is no water. The cause is a 4000yo demon serpent (single horn fire python) that has settled in the area and has poisoned all of the surroundings. - Lee Jagang, the future Hermit Master and a great Murim warrior. This boy saves Jin Soye and gives her the antidote after she faints when she got too close to the miasma at night. His parents and older sister were killed by the serpent and he plans to avenge them. FL reminds him of his sister. - FL and her group encounter the giant serpent at night in the forest and it strangely keeps targeting Jin Soye. FL cracks a scale when no one else has been able to. The serpent floods the ground around it with water to prepare to escape. The serpent strikes one last time and FL is swallowed by the serpent as she pushes Jin Soye out of the way. The serpent disappears, taking FL with it. - Having faith that FL is still alive, Jin Soye figures out the mystical beast spell that uncovers the hidden cave of the serpent. - Suddenly FL emerges after cutting her way out of the serpent’s stomach using Cheonho’s claw. - The cave was chosen by the serpent as it’s hideout because it wanted to hide the precious Geumkang ore. In the back of the cave FL finds a shrine and a book called “Records of the Gods on Earth.” The book mentions “the Chosen One” as one who is from another world, a stranger from another universe. They are the only one who can stand against a god. FL takes the book to look at later. - Back at the village, FL tries to negotiate with the village chief about mining the ore. He insists on FL taking full ownership of the mining operation and that she receives 100% of the profits. - The chief agrees to accept 10% of the profits if FL accepts the villagers as her people. They want to swear an oath to her. - FL is contacted by Gunwoo who comforts her as she feels the weight of responsibility from those who put their trust in her. - She asks Gunwoo would he come running if she said she missed him. He replies if she allows him to. - Jagang decides to follow FL and joins her group. - At the end of the village celebrations, a very drunk FL says “I will protect you all until the day I die.” - Later FL feeds the powerful core of the serpent to her guards to improve their Qi and vitality. - Back in Sacheon, FL visits the branch manager of the 8 star merchant’s guild. She suspects the guild captured and sold Cheonho to the black market near Jinju. She also hopes the guild might have more info on the Baekryun flower. - FL made a fake deal using a sample of Geumkang ore after she showed him the black market entry ticket. - The branch manager tries to kill her but she defeats him easily after turning most of his men against him. He had been blackmailing Dang clansmen (men loyal to the Dang clan) by buying their debt contracts and using these against them. The guild was slowly taking control of the Dang clan and eroding the Dang clan’s power. - From the secret books and laundering ledgers kept by the guild manager, there is a wider network of corruption at play that points to the Moyong clan and the Demon Sect. FL entrusts the Dang clansmen to take over the operations of the guild, and she asks them to stand with her and be her strength. - FL assigns Jin Soye to be responsible for the guild’s management of the White Scorpion Merchant’s group that are trading in the western and southern regions. Jin Soye pretends to be Moyong Bi and forges messages to this group who operate in secret without any direct contact. - Namgoong Jiha visits Gunwoo at the Eon estate. He wants to confirm Gunwoo is an ally and not with the Demon Sect. Namgoong Jiha suspects the Demon Sect of kidnapping and using well-known Murim experts as ‘shells’, ie puppets that become intoxicated by the Baekryun flower. Namgoong Jiha also reveals he knows Gunwoo is secretly a prince. - At the Dang clan estate, FL meets with Chamberlain Jin who has been investigating after the hints he received earlier from FL. - He confirms Moyong Bi has been replacing the jewellery and other treasured valuables with fakes. Moyong Bi also had a hidden stash of the poisonous herb that she was giving to FL for years. FL says Haejun might not be the best option for heir and she should have a seat at the upcoming noble clan conference. - To replace the stolen capital by her stepmother for the Moyong clan, FL hands a map to the chamberlain with instructions for mining the Geumkang ore found in the cave of the serpent. - FL asks that he also put together a new martial arts squad led by Yang Bang Shik. - FL visits Jaegal Hee to apologise and to give her a sword (originally given to FL by the tiger god). The conservative Jaegal clan prefers their women to focus on studies and not martial arts, but Jaegal Hee always dreamt of becoming a swordswoman. - Jaegal Hee denies being Namgoong Jiha’s lover to her older brother Jaegal Ihwa (the Jaegal clan heir). - She was secretly learning sword skills from Namgoong Jiha. - Namgoong Hwan, headmaster of the Namgoong clan. - Noble clan general conference: hosted by the Hwang clan who frame young master Dang with the murder of one of their own. They challenge the Dang clan to a sect duel battle and have Gu Maji, a Murim champion not related to the Hwang clan already prepared. If the Hwang clan win, they want the Dang clan to step down from its position as 1 of the 5 great noble clans. - Before her father Mujin or Gunwoo steps up, FL leaps into the arena as the Dang representative. FL uses the Dang clan assassination arts and what her maternal grandpa taught her to defeat Gu Maji. - FL has the tavern owner brought up and he admits he was paid by the Hwang clan to put a drug into the wine of the noble who died. Mujin ask the Hwang clan to leave the alliance which many consider to be a light and merciful punishment. - FL tells Mujin about being poisoned by Moyong Bi and how the Eon clan have helped in her martial arts training. - FL is visited by Sah Okcheon, the 12th Branch Manager of the Murim Alliance. She was impressed by FL’s strength of character that she showed at the duel battle. She invites her to join the Murim Alliance and meet the other Branch Managers. - At the Dang estate, Jin Soye overhears Headmaster Moyong Seokgoon ordering his sister Moyong Bi to commission the Black Assassin Squad to kill FL and Mujin before they return. Jin Soye right away sends a message about this to warn FL. - Jagang received the message but Gunwoo saw it before FL. Gunwoo kills the Black Assassin Squad who were meeting nearby. Then he shows the message to FL and Mujin. - Gunwoo thinks the Moyong clan might be involved in the Baekryun flower. The clan could also be allies of the Demon Sect. - In the Dang storeroom, Chamberlain Jin discovers Elder Dang Hyomun is smuggling out Dang weapons in bags of rice. The elder tries to kill the chamberlain by making the storeroom collapse. - Chamberlain Jin is saved by Jin Soye who used formation arts (spells) to create an illusion. Jin Soye is caught by the elder but is saved by FL. Jin Soye helps to create the illusion that on the way home Haejun in the carriage is attacked by assassins. - Haejun, FL and Mujin arrive back at the Dang estate. - Haejun tells Moyong Bi that they were attacked by assassins. Mujin says the assassins were dealt with. The guards caught and killed Elder Hyomun while he was running away with the clan’s important documents. Haejun thinks the elder planned the assassins. - As a child Moyong Hwi was forced to swallow the body of a centipede parasite by his father, Moyong Seokgoon. - Seokgoon swallowed the head of the centipede which gave him control of the centipede’s body inside Moyong Hwi. This is the “go poison” given to Seokgoon by the cult leader but it wasn’t meant to be used on Moyong Hwi. - Seokgoon wants control of the Dang clan as he needs the clan’s expertise to further research the Baekryun flower. - Seokgoon’s goal is to become stronger than the Demonic Sect Headmaster (tbc). - The cult leader is Moyong Hwi’s true master. The cult leader is hiding his presence and demonic Qi by secretly possessing the body of a girl and pretending to be Moyong Hwi’s younger sister. - When demonic Qi is released, the cult leader’s possessed body starts to break apart. This won’t happen when the cult leader regains the full powers of the Demon God. - The cult leader isn’t the Demonic Sect Headmaster (?) - While walking in the garden of the Dang estate at night, FL is missing Gunwoo. He surprises FL with his sudden appearance. - Gunwoo learnt the flying steps martial arts so he could rush to her side whenever needed. He says he will always be by her side and she can always lean on him. FL realises she has feelings for Gunwoo. (Ch 50) - Gunwoo continues to make surprise visits to FL at night. - With the demise of Elder Hyomun, most of the agents for the Moyong clan leave the Dang clan. As a result the Dang clan becomes deserted after all of the spies are removed. - After all of her plans were ruined, Moyong Bi refuses to eat and hides herself away. - Moyong Bi knows that her brother Seokgoon will have her killed. - In a final act of mercy, FL visits Moyong Bi and leaves with her the same poison Moyong Bi gave to FL to use on Jaegal Hee. - Moyong Bi has the option of a fast and painless death rather than dying slowly. Moyong Bi was originally planning to use the fumes of the poisonous incense she used on FL over the years. - Moyong Bi regrets not killing FL when she found out FL had a talent for martial arts. Moyong Bi may have let FL live out of kinship as they were both women who could be sold like objects. - Moyong Bi kills herself. In her will she confesses to poisoning Jaegal Hee. She was used by her clan to control the Dang clan. - The mourning period ends almost 2mths after the funeral ritual for Moyong Bi. A large number of martial artists gather outside of the Dang estate. They are the Dang clansmen from the 8 star merchant’s guild that FL had helped. They ask to be accepted into the Dang estate. They came as soon as they heard about the state of the Dang clan from the Eon clan. They felt indebted to FL for saving them and wanted to repay that debt. - Haejun says to Mujin that he will step down as the heir of the Dang clan. Mujin meets with FL and tells her about Haejun’s decision. Mujin acknowledges everything FL has accomplished by making her the clan heir. Soon after, Mujin announces FL as the heir before everyone in the Dang estate. - Thanks to FL, it’s a new beginning for the Dang clan, with the internal corruption eradicated and new blood in the ranks. - Haejun asks a favour of FL to support the proposal for the Dang clan’s poison department to do more research on antidotes. - Seokgoon tells Moyong Hwi to keep close to Haejun. - One night FL is attacked by assassins in her room while she’s talking to Gunwoo via the looking glass. FL uses her Qi to fight a woman with a whip. FL is grazed by a poisoned dagger. The woman reveals the poison used was created by the Dang clan. - Gunwoo suddenly appears and he decapitates the woman. The 2 other assassins watching are forced to retreat. - The assassins were sent by Moyong Seokgoon. One of them was Moyong Hwi who confirms Pure Death was used on FL. - The lethal poison called Pure Death was created by the Dang clan and it was banned by the royal family. It was recently stolen from the royal treasury vault. - There is no antidote and anyone other than FL would have died right away. Mujin reveals a secret medicinal pill that’s only passed down to the heir of the Dang clan. The pill enables you to become immune to 10k poisons. You can also become as powerful as poison itself. If FL can't overcome the intensity of this pill, she’ll die from the poison. FL doesn’t hesitate to take the pill as she’d rather die while trying to overcome Pure Death than do nothing at all. - The Dang estate is attacked again by the assassins under Seokgoon’s orders. Everyone engages the assassins as they try to take FL who is struggling with the effects of the pill. - FL’s strength of will to survive and protect her people overcomes the pill and she fights back against the assassins. She kills them all using the secret arts of the Dang clan. - Moyong Hwi was again observing and leaves. After Moyong Hwi is punished by Seokgoon, the cult leader reveals himself to Seokgoon. The cult leader removes the centipede from Moyong Hwi, saying he belongs to him. - FL is reminded to be careful by Mujin as now her breath, blood and tears can become poison by using the Qi in her body. - Baekryun flower: - A cursed plant that grows by consuming human blood. - The Baekryun Uprising: - Led by the Baekryun Cult who believed in light triumphing over darkness during a time of widespread corruption. - The rebellion led to a blood bath between soldiers and farmers. - FL wants to develop an antidote for the Baekryun flower drug. - She plans to travel south to the Bokgun / Fujian province near the Eunma mountains where she thinks the flower is being processed and researched. - She’s given “soul killer medicine” to use against narcotics. - Gunwoo goes with FL and her group which also includes Yang Bang Shik, Jin Soye and Lee Jagang. - At the port city of Fuzhou, Taerang is the local lord. - The clan who built the large steel ships were all imprisoned and their property taken by Taerang. FL meets children left to beg on the streets after their father died in prison. - Crimes such as theft and murder are commonplace. - People keep on disappearing. They’re either drugged and used as slaves or killed (tbc) - Gunwoo’s past and the Seogong rebellion … - Gunwoo was born as Prince Joo Gun, son of a concubine and Emperor “Hong” Joo Wonseok. At 3yo he was given the title of “King Heon” because of his outstanding abilities. - Joo Hun, Crown Prince and older brother of Gunwoo. - Emperor Hong died when Gunwoo was 10yo and Joo Hun became Emperor. Blinded by greed, Gunwoo’s maternal clan under General Seogong led a rebellion to make Gunwoo the Emperor. - Gunwoo ended the rebellion by beheading the General and asked his older brother to execute him so no one else could use him as a puppet again. Instead the Emperor erased Gunwoo’s existence. Gunwoo resolved to live a quiet life and disappear from the world. He threw away his past and vowed never to look back. - King Yeon is Gunwoo’s paternal uncle. Gunwoo spent his summers as a child at his uncle’s estate in Fuzhou. - Gunwoo confesses that he loves FL. (Ch 66) - He loves her so much that he’s willing to change his life for her. - He thinks he isn’t good enough for her and doesn’t want to hold her back. - FL and Gunwoo investigate the basement of Taerang’s residence. There are rows of corpses and it’s set up like an experimental lab. - The corpses are actually live test subjects who were brainwashed under the influence of the Baekryun flower drug. - A large cage is full of people captured from the streets during the night. They’re released by Gunwoo. - Gunwoo stops FL from killing the test subjects. He uses the soul killer medicine on them so they regain consciousness temporarily. They pour oil on themselves and the lab then set it on fire. - King Yeon and his men arrest Taerang. The people who were released provide their testimonies about what happened there. - Seokgoon is furious that the research and experimental facilities were destroyed. - During the Apricot Flower Festival in Sichuan, it’s customary to wear masks. Moyong Hwi approaches FL for personal reasons and not under orders this time. She says the crimes the Moyong clan have committed against the Dang clan will not be forgiven. - Moyong Hwi intends to destroy the Moyong clan. He warns FL that a village of people will die soon and the Dang clan will be blamed for poisoning the well. The Moyong clan are behind this. - FL and the Dang clan capture General Ran when she tries to poison the well. As FL interrogates Ran, FL forces her to swallow the experimental Baekryun flower drug that was developed by the Dang poison dept while they work on an antidote. - Ran confirms Seokgoon and the Moyong clan are allies with the Demon Sect. Seokgoon was given an Elder’s position in the Demon Sect in exchange for the Demon Sect to use the Moyong clan to move within Murim. - Ran says the cult leader continually moves around different vessels. He lost his body after trying to summon the Demon God. He is using the cores of mythical beasts to create a new body that can contain the Demon God’s power. - Chiyou the Heavenly Emperor - The Demon Sect are looking for Chiyou’s vessel - Cheon Goongmyeong, Demon Sect vice leader - plan to kidnap and corrupt Namgoong Jiha - Hyeshin from the Shaolin Temple. He’s a successor candidate and a fist arts expert. The Demon Sect have kidnapped him. - The Murim Alliance investigation team led by Namgoong Jiha is meeting in Henan province. The successors of the largest noble clans are invited to join the team to find Hyeshin. The team includes FL, Gunwoo, Moyong Hwi and Jaegal Ihwa. Jaegal Hee disguised herself as a servant and followed her brother. FL discovers Jaegal Hee but agrees to keep it a secret. - There are obvious tensions in the team from the start. - Namgoong Jiha refuses to believe FL has changed for the better. - The team travel to the Yongtao temple where Hyeshin’s bloody robes were discovered. There they find all of the Buddhist nuns were killed. They died recently as their bodies are still warm. - Namgoong Jiha makes rash decisions to follow a trail that seems to be leading the team into a trap. When FL and Gunwoo point this out, Jiha wants to exclude FL’s group from the investigation. - FL proves she has the right to be included by showing the jade plaque given to her by Sah Okcheon, the 12th Branch Manager of the Murim Alliance. - They agree to split the team. FL goes alone with Moyong Hwi. The rest follow Jiha. FL confronts Moyong Hwi on his agenda for taking part in the investigation. Jiha suddenly sends up a flare after spotting what looks like Hyeshin. - FL stops Moyong Hwi with poison darts when he acts suspiciously. She doesn’t kill him this time as payback for telling her about the plan to poison the well. - FL rejoins Jiha and the rest of the team. Jiha rushes ahead first to check and is bitten by someone disguised as Hyeshin. - FL saves Jiha before he collapses from being poisoned. - A group of archers on a cliff shoot arrows down on the team. FL encourages Jaegal Hee to have confidence. Jaegal Hee deals with the enemy attacking their team directly. FL uses her martial arts to kill the archers above. - FL obtained the antidote from Moyong Hwi earlier. She has to knock out Jiha who still doesn’t trust her in order to administer it. - Moyong Hwi also told FL where the real Hyeshin is being held.

Ch 85 as of 15/02/23 - also on Tapas as “Solitary Lady” ** Start of season 2, Ch 48. New artist ( read Ch 61-70 but really bad translation ) - FL is Hilise Inoaden 19yo, the badly neglected middle child who has already died 7 times for the sake of her family (Diego - father, Ricardo - older brother, Gabrielle - younger stepsister). - 1st death: FL died after Ricardo pushed her down the stairs. - 2nd death: FL was running away from Christian Parvenon. Her carriage was attacked and she died. - 3rd death: Diego forced FL to consume Callicia’s blood until she overdosed and died silently as she stopped breathing. - 4th death: Diego forcibly injected Callicia’s blood directly into FL. She became deformed and eventually died in great pain. - 5th death: FL tried to run away from home. - Violetta Callicia’s carriage was stopped by FL who begged to be saved. Diego came and took FL back. He imprisoned FL in a secret room and force fed her Callicia’s blood. A year later Violetta asked Axion to help FL. He rescued her from that room and took her to his estate. FL recovered but she could no longer walk. FL was killed by Diego when he went berserk at his trial. - 6th death: - 7th death: FL killed her family by hacking them into pieces. Then she killed herself. - FL used to be a pathetic and naive doormat. - With her 8th reincarnation she’s had enough and is finally throwing away her trash family just as they’d thrown her away in the past. Her father blamed her birth for the death of her mother and he loved his stepdaughter more than his own flesh-and-blood daughter. The household servants also treated FL badly, including her personal maid May. - This world has 4 major noble ruling families that represent the seasons. They have sacred powers that are only awakened in one person per generation. There are 52 other noble families that share power and govern their own land. - Spring (red hair): Inoaden family - Summer (blonde): Callicia family (Renee, current head) - Autumn (black): Berzet family (Lady Zenon, former head) - Winter (silver): Parvenon family (Gotye, current head) - FL awakens with the blossom power of her Inoaden family that represents spring, instead of her brother as everyone expected. FL proves her power to Diego when she falls from her bedroom window on the 3rd floor and lands safely on a huge pile of roses. When FL uses her power, it emits a strong scent that others can smell but FL cannot. - As with her past lives, now her power is awakened she is approached by the sly Christian Parvenon, heir of the winter family and Gabrielle’s fiancé. At first FL had a crush on Christian, but not anymore as she knows he’s just using her from past life experience. He just wants her power to strengthen his family. She later tells him that she hates him and will never get engaged to him. - FL escapes from her home and saves Margaux, a young boy imprisoned for his blood that transforms into jewels. His sacred power was thought to be lost to the summer family. He was locked away and abused by those who coveted the jewels to sell on the black market. - Axion Berzet 22yo, head of the autumn family, arrives to save Margaux but FL uses her powers to leave with Margaux first. - Diego ignores Christian’s request to change his fiancée from Gabrielle to FL. Diego insists that it’s Ricardo who has awakened his power. - At the summer family ball for Violetta Callicia’s bday, FL suddenly appears in a flurry of rose petals from her powers. FL presents to Violetta a bday gift, that of Margaux the long lost son of the Callicia family. FL left as quickly as she came, with Axion arriving shortly after her. Axion later kills those who imprisoned Margaux. He destroys any gems and jewels he finds. He’s also investigating where they were sold to. - After the ball Diego returns home and is furious at FL for publicly revealing her powers and he lashes out with his powers. FL had earlier swallowed Margaux’ tears which gave her the ability to absorb Diego’s power. - Callicia’s tears are rare gems that are formed by the happy tears of the Callicia family power holder. When the gem is worn on the body, it can increase one’s power. Swallowing the gem greatly increases one’s power and also enables one to absorb another’s power for a set time. - With the appearance of the successor mark on FL’s body, she announces that she is now the lord of the Inoaden family. The mark appears on the strongest power holder in the family. She later sends letters to the other major families, officially announcing herself as the new head of the Inoaden family. - Axion has nightmares of FL smiling after she’s killed. - FL in her 7th life killed everyone in her family. Her revenge felt hollow and meaningless after they died so quickly and easily. This time she wants to focus on herself and not on revenge. - The Callicia family secretly possess another sacred power, the eyes of truth. This power allows one to discern if someone is telling the truth or not. It doesn’t work on others that also have this power. Violetta and her cousin Terzo have it, as does Margaux. - Margaux is the 11yo son of Violetta’s late older sister, Rosenia. She disappeared after she was banished for refusing to marry Terzo (who does the Elders’ bidding). - Margaux wakes up in great fear and anxiety. - He insists on seeing FL as she told him the purest truth. Violetta, Terzo and Axion agree to take him to visit her. - Violetta wants to repay FL for returning Margaux to them. FL asks for the Callicia head to go with her to the Four Seasons Forest. As the Callicia head is unwell, FL agrees for Axion to go with her to the Forest instead. She lets him know that he’ll need to accompany her on several more occasions to the Forest. - The Forest can only be entered by the heads of the 4 major noble families. It’s a sanctum located past the 99th door of the King’s Palace, which is a place of divine power that was built for the 1st King who was a demi-god. There is no presiding king right now. Past the Forest are the rooms with the family archives of the 4 major noble families. - FL wants to find a way to die. She looks through her family archives but finds nothing this time. She’s drawn to the king’s tomb and its inscription, “Prove why you have been chosen now that you have ascended the throne.” It’s a place where she can feel her power resonating. She tries to test it by leaving some of her hair, then cutting her hand to leave some blood but nothing happens. Axion insists on wrapping her hand with his tie. - FL deals with her troublesome relatives, the Elders. - FL appoints Norton Perano (from the strongest noble family that follows the Inoadens) as her representative to lead the annual meetings on her behalf. He is trustworthy and loyal. - Enrique Perano, son of Norton. - Axion impulsively visits FL to arrange a time for their next visit to the Forest. Diego angrily bursts into the room after hearing the Elders and Norton Perano came without seeing him. Diego is embarrassed by Axion’s presence and leaves. - FL meets Renee, the current Callicia head, with Margaux. As FL is escorted by Violetta on her way out, the relatives / Elders with Terzo come to greet her. FL is being targeted by the other major noble families for a political marriage. - The Inoaden holy grail, a family heirloom used at the congratulatory banquet of the new head, has gone missing (the most likely suspect is Diego). FL goes to Diego’s room, opens the secret passage to the safe room and finds the grail there. She warns Diego to accept reality or Ricardo’s place in the family will be in jeopardy. - Cordelia Montana is a childhood friend of Violetta and the heir of the Montana family. She’s in an arranged marriage agreement with Vincent Callicia (Terzo’s younger cousin). - Dark monsters are mutant animals that have been fed Callicia’s blood. They die if their core (a red gem formed by Callicia’s blood) is destroyed. - FL found dark monsters in a basement dungeon of an auction house. She killed them humanely then set fire to the whole structure. She left enough evidence for investigation by Axion and his men when they came by later, as they track the whereabouts of Callicia’s blood. They find the Amelie family (allies with the Parvenons) made a secret deal with the marketplace connected to the basement dungeon. - Heliona Amelie and Osmond Maribel, 1yr engagement anniversary party: Osmond was friends with Ricardo but has changed allegiance to FL now that she’s the successor. - Ricardo finds Osmond who says he doesn’t need to be there as FL came. No invitations were sent to Ricardo and Gabrielle on purpose. Gabrielle finds Christian at the party. He tells her that their engagement is annulled and to leave the party before she’s further humiliated. - FL explores the Amelie estate by herself after she senses the power of an artifact. She comes across a large painting artifact that depicts the story of how the 1st heads of the 4 major noble houses consumed the heart of the 1st King to honour him. - Everyone is gathered in the garden for the unveiling of a gift from Heliona’s mother. She removes the cover to reveal a dark monster in a cage. The monster breaks through the cage and heads straight for Violette. Cordelia tries to protect Violette with her body. - Axion arrived earlier to question the Amelie family. He uses his powers to restrain the monster. FL crushes the core with her power but loudly declares Axion as the one who killed it. - FL saves Violetta and Cordelia from getting seriously injured from this incident like they did in FL’s past life. She thinks the dark monster targeted Violetta because of the Callicia’s blood. - Axion and FL are having tea outside. They’re interrupted again by Diego. When FL tells him to stop being rude to her guest, Diego tries to slap her but Ricardo intervenes and gets slapped instead. Ricardo apologises to FL and Axion, then takes Diego back inside. - Axion feels uneasy after seeing Diego get violent with FL. - Axion makes a pledge filled with power that has serious side effects if the pledge is broken. He vows to never hurt FL. - FL uses her power to create a barrier around Diego’s room. Others may go in and out, but Diego may not. - At the Forest, Axion takes a nap in the rest room while FL looks through the archives. She returns later to see Axion having a nightmare. He wakes up suddenly and grabs her hand while saying “Don’t go.” (Did he recall a memory from FL’s 5th death?) - Inoaden congratulatory banquet: FL enters alone by choice. - Ricardo tried to escort her but she refused his offer. - Gabrielle is barred from entering the banquet hall as she isn’t of noble blood from any of the 4 major families. - Renee and Axion offer their congratulations on FL’s succession as they pour wine into the holy grail held by FL. Christian arrives to stand in for the family head who is unwell. - FL recalls a passage she read in the archives that mention the 1st King, the holy grail and the chosen one. FL finds Axion and uses her power to teleport with him to the Forest. - She puts the holy grail on the king’s tomb and cuts her hand to let blood fill the grail. A bright light shines and the soul of the 1st King appears. He describes himself as a remnant. - 3000yrs ago the 1st heads of the 4 major noble families betrayed him and killed him by separating his body and soul into 99 pieces. For FL to break the eternal cycle of reincarnation, she must find the necklace that holds the king’s breath. The last drop of the king’s pure divinity was in the last breath he took. - Terzo approaches Ricardo with an offer to help him. (FL knows this happened from her past lives?) - Later that night, Cordelia sees Terzo speaking with her mother, Debora who is the head of the Montana family. - Axion and FL come across each other at the King’s Palace. - They both sense a strong power from behind the 72nd door. - They enter a room that’s decorated like a honeymoon suite. The power is coming from a mirror artifact that was covered up. FL puts her hand through the mirror and enters the room on the other side. Axion follows her. - The room is full of antiques. They leave the room and FL recognises the Amelie estate. She goes to the painting artifact of the 1st King and 4 major heads that she found during the engagement party. FL and Axion touch the painting together and a loud crack is heard. A gold jewel appears and as they pick it up, Axion sees a vision of FL for a moment. Axion teleports them away as staff in the estate come to check on the noise. - FL does further research and finds tales of a mirror that would guide the 1st King to a place he wanted and needed to go. - FL uses the mirror again in the room behind the 72nd door. She finds herself in Axion’s bedroom this time. He says there’s a family heirloom that is an artifact with a similar power as the painting. He takes FL to a spear which creates another gold jewel. This time FL has a vision of the 1st Inoaden head crying as she is about to use the spear on the 1st King. - Axion recalls more memories from FL’s 5th death. - FL was confined to a wheelchair and remained at his estate. - There was a trial held over the secret human experiments with Callicia’s blood involving the Inoaden family. - FL thinks Axion recalled her 7th death as he was there when she killed herself. FL wants Axion to forget everything rather than remember her pitiful past self. She teleports back home. - The gold jewel from the painting seems to say “Eat me” to FL. To make the 1st King’s divinity her own, FL swallows the gold jewel that contains the 1st King’s breath. She needs to gain more power to end her life once and for all. - Diego is throwing a tantrum. FL responds by going on a rampage with her powers. She smashes through windows and walls, then covers the mansion in thorny rose vines. She absorbs all of Diego’s powers and his hair turns white. - Diego, Ricardo and most of the servants flee the estate. - Meanwhile Gabrielle went to see Christian’s younger stepbrother. She seems to be attracted to him (?) - Axion visits FL at home and says he wants to stay by her side. He will do anything for her and he won’t regret it. - They go through the magic mirror again. This time they’re in a basement where many dark monsters are imprisoned. FL kills the man who came to check and saw them. She lets the monsters have their revenge by giving his corpse to them. - FL and Axion go upstairs and hide while Ricardo passes by with Terzo. FL detects the power of an artifact from them. Ricardo gives a gold key to Terzo that he found on the floor outside of his room. Diego is also staying in the building. Terzo offered his villa to Ricardo and Diego as a safe haven for them. - Axion’s mother, Lady Zenon is somehow involved - (is she Terzo’s mistress or master?) - She gives a good key to Axion that he found at her place. - After an investigation by Axion’s men, the painting artifact was stolen from the King’s Palace by the Amelie family head. He had a large number of illegally acquired antiques. - Christian attacks his older brother Gotye. He threatens to kill Gotye if he doesn’t hand over the head position of the winter family. (Was this inspired by what FL did to her family?) - FL swallows the gold jewel from the spear and tries to enter the Forest by herself. Christian approaches FL and shows her that he now has the successor mark for his family. She lets Christian enter the Forest with her but she leaves him behind in the fog until she’s ready to exit. - FL sees a network of gold strings and bells? These indicate a hidden space? - FL and Axion: 1st kiss (Ch 65) - FL is drunk and spends the night with Axion (Ch 70-71). - FL started to have feelings for Axion after he saved her in her 5th reincarnation. - Violetta doesn’t trust Terzo. She suspects he wants to be the next head of the Callicia family. Terzo and the Callicia Elders plan to take over the family soon. - Terzo drugs Ricardo and Diego? - Terzo kidnaps Gabrielle? - Debora Montana was behind Margaux’ imprisonment for the last 3-4yrs. His blood was used in experiments to try and manifest powers in animals then ordinary people. The experiments were a failure. - Axion uses his blood and Christian’s blood to summon the remnant of the 1st King’s soul. Axion finds out that FL wants eternal rest from the curse of endless reincarnations. Axion’s pledge to her means he will have to help with her death. His distorted memories are due to FL’s voluntary death that has allowed parts of her broken soul to remain. - FL and Axion have sex (Ch 79, no smut). - Renee gives a pocket watch for Axion to pass onto FL. - FL finds another gold jewel at the Parvenon estate. - Terzo gives Callicia’s tears to Christian in exchange for the support of the Parvenon family. - While searching for more dark monsters, ML finds Gabrielle locked up and alone in Terzo’s villa. - Hunting festival:

Ch 27 as of 22/12/21 ** some bad translation, art is average ** the story and characters feel clumsy … DROPPED - Count Alphord Blaise, Commander of the 4th order of knights. He has 3 children. Loyal to the Ruford Empire. - FL is Elena Blaise. Older brother Derek. Younger sister Mirabelle. - ML is Crown Prince Carlisle van Dimitri Ruford, half dragon. His right arm can transform into a monstrous appearance, a sign he has inherited the dragon’s blood. His mother was a maid. - There’s a prophecy that says the woman who marries ML will be unhappy for the rest of her life and she will die tragically. - When 13yo ML’s arm transformed for the first time, the dragon’s pearl appeared. The young and untrained ML was soon sent away to war by his father after ML’s ability manifested in his arm. - Emperor Sullivan, weak from illness. - Empress Ophelia, villainess. Her family is House Annita. - 2nd Prince Redfield Zerkan Ruford, son of Ophelia. - Archduke Paveluc Lunen, a villain who led a rebellion and became Emperor. He’s ML’s uncle. - The Kraus family. They have a merchant business that has a strong influence in the Empire. - FL’s family were betrayed and destroyed by Paveluc. 20yrs later she became the strongest knight on the continent but died before she could fulfil her revenge of killing Paveluc. She goes back in time 20yrs, with 1yr before her family were ruined. Her family are alive and so is the Crown Prince. - FL has her mother’s armour and trains her swordplay in secret. - FL bribes her maid Sophie to keep watch while FL goes out late one night to meet someone. FL is actually looking for ML to protect him and heads to the forest in full armour. - FL finds ML in the midst of fighting and she helps to save ML from the assassination attempt that killed him in her past life. The assassins were sent by the Empress. Later he asks why she helped him and she says to propose marriage to him. She wants to help him succeed the throne as his hidden weapon. He accepts and says he will seek her out later. - Tea party: FL attends with Mirabelle. - Ellen Selby, only daughter of a Marquis. - Ellen tampers with FL’s tea to humiliate her. FL recalls what happened in her past life and turns the tables instead. - Unhappy for not getting any further special treatment from FL, Sophie spreads rumours in the household about FL meeting men every night. FL dismisses Sophie when she learns of this. - Later Sophie is paid by Ellen to share these rumours and any info about FL with her. - ML and FL meet in town secretly and sign a contract for their relationship. ML introduces FL to Sir Kuhn Kasha, a guard and spy assigned by ML to protect and support FL. - FL has Kasha research all of the influential figures in the Empire, including the royal family. - Kasha helps Mirabelle when she’s sick and delirious. - FL and Mirabelle travel to the capital to go to the ball together. FL’s ball gown is found to be in tatters upon arrival, with the likely culprit a missing maid called Tilda who was close friends with Sophie. - ML invites FL to the opera. He bought a private box seat for the occasion. Later he takes her to dinner where he’d booked the whole restaurant. There he tells her that they first met at the royal palace when he was 13yo. - ML offers to provide FL with a new dress for the ball. He also has his men track and take down anyone following FL, ie those hired by Ellen. - Bartorie Coben, a jeweller. He’s also an agent for Paveluc and is tasked with finding the dragon’s pearl. He thinks FL may have it in a ring he saw her wearing. The dragon’s pearl is said to be able to grant one wish according to legend. - He is ordered by Paveluc to monitor and report back on everything about ML and FL. - FL insists on staying by ML’s side as his knight to protect him from the collapse of a new bridge which happened in her past life. He had to attend the festival to celebrate the opening of the bridge as it was an official event. - She discovers and apprehends the bombers, reporting this to ML and preventing any harm to the bridge. ML is upset she was in harms way, but FL asks him to accept her as both a knight and a lady. - ML sends jewellery and several dresses to FL for the royal ball. He won’t allow her to return them. - FL suspects he wants her to be the Madonna of the ball, an event where the most beautiful woman of the ball is announced. - ML and FL had planned for the ball to be where they pretend to fall in love at first sight to setup the scenario for their marriage. - Lady Yulia, Ellen and FL are announced as the Madonna finalists. Different to her past life, FL is the winner and awarded a tiara. Prince Redfield presents the award to her. - After the ball, Lady Lawrence urgently visits FL to let her know that Ellen is spreading malicious rumours about her amongst the nobility. Ellen is using Sophie as the eyewitness to back up the rumours. - Countess Stella Vivianna, the queen of high society. - FL threatens to publicly reveal her hidden son. In exchange for keeping silent, FL tells Stella to support her against Ellen and Ellen’s jealousy of FL. - At the next ball, FL directly confronts Ellen who is there with Sophie about the rumours. Lady Lawrence and Stella backup FL about Ellen’s jealousy. Suddenly ML appears and he reveals his relationship with FL. He also presents the head of a man hired by Ellen who helped spread the rumours. - Later ML tells FL that she should have asked for his help in the first place when the rumours started. - FL tells Mirabelle about her relationship with ML. - FL’s father is furious as he doesn’t think FL is good enough for ML. Mirabelle comes to FL’s defense. - ML comes to informally meet FL’s family. Mirabelle and their father are home. Afterwards, FL reassures Derek who is worried about the prophecy. - While FL is visiting the palace with Mirabelle, she remembers the first time she met ML when she became lost in the gardens. - FL is told to keep the ring ML gave her at that time. - The ring was made by his mother using the dragon’s pearl and was a precious keepsake. - ML was going to war for the first time, so he made a promise with FL that he would find her again and return for the ring. That promise motivated him and kept him alive over the years through numerous battles. ML had made a wish on the dragon’s pearl to protect FL from death. - Empress Ophelia summoned Ellen to the palace and invited her to become her lady-in-waiting. FL sees Ellen as she leaves. - Kasha is injured while investigating the Empress and suddenly appears in Mirabelle’s room. She helps him hide while the Empress’ soldiers are looking for him.

Read ch 34 as of 06/08/21 - annoying, DROPPED. - FL has a one night stand with Emperor Cairat (Cai) during a festival. FL is a commoner and the youngest imperial knight. - FL tries hard to hide signs of her pregnancy while on the job at the palace. FL decides to run away before her pregnancy becomes more visible and as she can’t resign easily. - Captain Leonhart is in love with FL and had proposed to be the father to her children before she ran away. He overheard about her pregnancy when she was being examined by a doctor. - A wanted poster for FL is distributed widely and Leonhart suspects the Emperor is the father. - At the city of sages, FL learns a magic spell was cast on her that allows the castor to be connected to her via her dreams. The closer their proximity to her, the easier to connect. The person she’s connected to is the Emperor. - FL has been on the run for 5yrs moving from place to place with her twins, a boy Enril and a girl Leanne. While looking for rebels, Leonhart and the Emperor’s Shadow Knights find and bring back the children to their camp. The kids meet the Emperor who says he’s their father. - FL was in town selling produce and gathering info. She returns to the house to find the kids missing. Leonhart is there and tells her to slash him then run away as more Shadow Knights will come. - FL is helped by the rebels Vern and (Prince) Alverre. - ML’s mother was bedridden due to illness. He read stories to her and they had a warm, affectionate relationship. When she died, he was abandoned by the Emperor and the Empress sent him away. He was brainwashed and trained as an assassin but rebelled against his instructors and led the other assassins (Shadow Knights) against the imperial family. He kills them all to take the throne. - ML knows from bitter experience that one must have immense power to have a peaceful life. - ML’s heart was empty and cold until he saw FL for the 1st time at the palace. He became intrigued then obsessed. He didn’t want that night of the festival to end. - The rebels create a diversion by attacking the camp while FL enters from the side, but the Emperor anticipated this. He uses the kids as bait and FL surrenders. - ML takes the kids and FL on the road to head back to the capital. Before long they are ambushed. ML saves Enril then risks his life and is wounded when he saves FL from a cliff’s edge. - Leonhart has been secretly supporting the rebels. - The rebels attack the camp but are pushed back. Their aim was ML who fought with FL against them. - The camp heads back to the capital. FL and the kids are taken to the Wind Palace, usually reserved for the Empress.

DROPPED. Can’t be bothered Read ch 18 as of 28/10/21 - NB: last update Nov 21 ** Ch 60 is finale - ML meets FL when she trespasses into his 10th floor unit to eavesdrop on a drug smuggler next door. - They meet again when she’s introduced as a new rookie on a case involving a threatening letter. The target ends up being ML and FL helps diffuse a bomb sent to him.