Crimson Empire: Circumstances to Serve a Noble, Vol. 1

Crimson Empire: Circumstances to Serve a Noble #1

by QuinRose, Hazuki Futaba (Illustrator)

New shoujo series by New York Times bestselling author of Alice in the Country of Hearts!

Crimson Empire: Circumstances to Serve a Noble is an all-new shoujo manga series by QuinRose, the creator of Alice in the Country of Hearts and Alice in the Country of Clover.

Featuring a strong heroine who is a deadly assassin yet awkward when dealing with the many male suitors who surround her, Crimson Empire: Circumstances to Serve a Noble combines romance, fantasy and swashbuckling adventure. Each volume contains impressive shoujo-style artwork and color pinups.

From the time she was sold into servitude as a young girl and told by a handsome demonic figure that she had a destiny to fulfill, Sheila’s childhood was anything but easy. After joining an assassins’ guild to undergo rigorous training, Sheila is later taken in by the dashing Prince Edvard to serve as both his housemaid and bodyguard.

As skillful as she is with a blade, Sheila hasn’t a clue when it comes to courtly romance. While she uses her talents to help Edvard win the throne, can she stave off the many admirers who vie for her heart?

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Romance, Shojo, Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Comics Manga

192 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 2009

About the author

Quinrose is a games company which is also responsible for the manga based on their games.

Reviews

[Bibliothecat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review for complete series.

Sadly, this was only ok. I like QuinRose's works so I was pretty keen to look into this one. I like the premise, the art and the characters, but it really fails in the execution. Although I enjoy the art, it is not stunning by any means - sometimes a weak plot can be saved a bit by something pretty to look at, but that's not the case here.

We follow Sheila who is an assassin turned royal guard in maid disguise. Although the blurb promises that it centres around her and her many suitors, I am glad to say that it's not the case at all. Although there are many male characters [and comparatively few females], this book is extremely light on the romance, and the little that is there sticks to one love interest with perhaps a tiny hint of a second if you really look for it.

The characters and their relationships are both the strong and weak point of this story which I would say is much more one of political intrigue. The politics and world building is interesting and this could have been a very gripping story if it had been a much longer story and we actually get to understand more about it. As it is with just three volumes, we barely scratch the surface. The other issue is that there are far too many characters. They all appear interesting in their way. but we understand so little about them. They are thrown in and out of the plot which makes it hard to keep track of who is who. I would have been particularly interested in learn more about some of the relationships such as that of the two princes. There's a lot of potential but it all just gets drowned out among the many characters that try to dominate this short series.

I feel as though this series has all the right ingredients to make a nice and gripping political fantasy, yet it just doesn't really ever lead anywhere with any of its plot points. Readable, but mostly disappointing given what it clearly could have been.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hm, I'm not sure what to make of this. Amusing to read another game-to-manga series, but rather than an MMO, it's one of those choose-your-love dating sim stories (I don't know the proper term for it). It's even more of a harem than the author's previous Alice in the Country of Clover.

Things I liked: the idea of a female bodyguard who's trained as an assassin, the relationship between the two Princes, and Meissen and Michael.

What I disliked: the inundation of new characters coming from left right and center. If it had just slowed down a tad more, we'd get to know the characteres better and, since it's based off a dating-sim, you'd start falling for them. Right? Or maybe it matches the pacing of the game.

But anyways, was a quick read and intriguing start. The political bits hopefully be increased rather than slice-of-life round the castle, not that it was boring or anything. I'd read more to find out what will happen!

[Jae's Manga Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume Review: 4/5
I feel like a lot of backstory is missing from this, but I really like the story. Sheila is a strong heroine (literally) and the characters are all interesting, in particular Justin (wow, no surprise that I'd like him the best). I will probably buy the next 2 volumes so I can finish this series.

Series Review: tbd

[Taylor K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crimson Empire, another series by QuinRose, has my attention in this first volume. With the appeal of a classic drama historical Otome game this first volume sets the stage up nicely as our heroine is displayed as a no nonsense bodyguard to a Prince with a borderline sociopath personality. But you immediately start to sympathize with him after you get the first couple of hints that he had a fucked up childhood.

I'm looking forward to reading the next volume and I'm looking forward to even more stories that might come out by QuinRose in the future.

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting the beginning of the story to have a sad background of the main character - Sheila - which took me by surprised, going from the beginning to the current time. I don't know why, but I found it quite refreshing.

[Jamie Lerner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a strange plot line. I did like the characters. They have a strange relationship with her working for one of the princes but not likening the other one. I also am kinda confused what the demon has to so with most of the story. Overall it's not bad. It's a quick read.

[KWinks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always feel tricked when I pick out a manga and it's based on a game. I'd prefer the game be based on the story/novel. Honestly, this one is pretty layered and I love the Alice in the Country series, so I already loved the art. I may or may not check out the second volume.

[Moony Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Al principio no entendía nada, pero conforme fui leyendo le entendí mejor, lo sentí medio revoltoso pero la historia es interesante y ME ENCANTAN LOS DOS PRÍNCIPES son tan polos opuestos que AMO, no se cuando lea el segundo pero ahí me espera

[Mari Marshmallow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this has potentional! But most of the time I was confused as to what was going on, and I kept getting characters confused with eachother. Ive read many manga before, and read some by the same author(s) but this didnt really grasp my attention.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot happening here, and it's a bit hard to keep track of all the characters so far... It almost felt more like a slice-of-life than anything, but it might've just been a lot of exposition. Given that though, it was really entertaining. Solid 3.5

[Alex Hainsworth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating; 3

It sets out interesting character development for hopefully the plot in the next novel, (this one didn't really have much of a plot just introduced the characters).

[Rhica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it introduced too many male characters too fast, but otherwise is a fun start to a series.

[Cal · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh.

[Annemarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an interesting start, but not much happens, it feels more like an introduction of characters.

[D.T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Standard otome tropes/archetypes. There’s no time to really get to know all the characters, but each of their introductions is memorable.

1.5

[Isel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like prince Justin more.

[Erica Martir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished all 3 books, it's a lovely story of accepting who you are and appreciating your surroundings.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to understand at first. The passage of time isn't well depicted. But I kept reading because the story is interesting.

[Selena Pigoni · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I saw QuinRose had a new manga, I was really excited. I had really enjoyed Alice in the Country of Hearts, so I figured I'd really like this one.

Maybe it was the high expectations, but I was severely disappointed with this book.

Unlike AitCoH, the huge cast of characters fades together. I can't tell one person from another other than Sheila (and only because her designs differ a lot from the others). Their personalities don't make them stand out either, making me go, "meh" to bothering to learn their names (I actually had to look up Sheila's name... She's the main character. That's a little sad).

The plot's a little weak. If you asked me what it was, the most I could tell you is "Assassin Maid?" Because other than that element, there's not much to this.

Hazuki Futaba's art is okay, though it gets covered in speech bubbles so you don't see enough of it to judge. The characters either look extremely different from each other or too similar to tell them apart (adding to the problem I mentioned earlier).

Even if you like battle maids and don't really care about the other stuff, I'd still say avoid it. There's actually not that much "battle-maiding" going on. And for those who like traditional maiding (like Emma), there's not a whole lot of that either.

It's just... disappointing.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plots, assassination attempts, and secrets fill this game-based otome manga. Sheila is a strong lead. She protects her master, takes her job seriously, and is a good fighter. Fate has placed her as a bodyguard amongst nobility, and much of her time is either spent foiling the plots of enemies, or speaking to her fellow bodyguards. While she is certainly surrounded by a reverse harem, it is far from the typical one, so far, there has been little "romance". While the plot is the more important, it struggles to establish itself properly because of some erratic jumps, and pacing problems. It's limited space is further detracted from by the introduction of so many characters, whom the author does not fully flesh out. Part of this could be because it is an adaption; the game most likely has the time to devote to these aspects. There are certainly some standout elements, and the art itself is of high quality. Hopefully, further volumes will utilize its strengths, to make this series unique.

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED! I wasn't sure if I would like it based on the bonus stories in Alice in the Country of [] but I really do like it! I look forward to the next two volumes!!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read - April 2015
Re-read - June 2017

I still enjoy this series. I decided to read it because I've been playing Fire Emblem, and this is set in a similar fantasy world with battles and kings. So far this series is really satisfying my craving for stories similar to the game! I own the first volume, and the library I work at now has volume 2 and 3, so I decided to finish the series. This series has a complex cast of characters, some of which look similar, but they provide a handy "who's who" with pictures at the start of the manga.

[Jnyama · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the art and the general concept of bodyguard/assassin maids, but the plot is developed in such a disconnected manner, it seems more like a series of short scenarios than an actual story. It doesn't help that there are a jillion guys who are only distinguishable by whether they have white or black hair, and it really doesn't help that Sheila seems to have almost the same relationship with all of them except her main prince. I'll give the second volume a try to see if it develops better, but this first volume was a little disappointing.

[Artemis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The drawing and the characters are not exactly the best/my favourite, but the plot is certainly interesting enough... And the names are "white" enough that you can sort of say, it isn't a Japanese mangaka's (failed) attempt to create something that sounds "British" but is entirely "Jap-British"... If you know what I mean. -_-"'

This is an intense manga with a lot (way too many?) characters. I liked it enough that I finished it. But I didn't like it as Shouoto Aya's Barajou no Kiss.

[Kaleigh Robbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good art and interesting story so far. I liked this better than Alice in the Country of Hearts. Just better art, characters and story all around. I noticed, however, that it doesn't have the smooth-flowing, charming side that Alice had. Hmm.

[Ashley Downey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. I picked it up because same person who created the Alice in the country of hearts series created this. I really like Sheila since she is a strong female lead. The plot keeps me wanting to read more and never wanting to put the manga down.

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had a great summary and great potential start. The characters were intriguing, but they were introduced so quickly that I had trouble distinguishing some of the characters from each other. The plots were short and solved quickly.

[Teeny · Rating 1 out of 5]

This sucked. Not as fun as the Alice series.

[Kelly D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little confusing with a lot of characters introduced, but promising. The beginning HOOKED me. Hooked me bad.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just have Chapter 1 of this book so I only have 44 pages instead of 192. So far all love routes that I've read seems very intriguing.