I have to survive, no matter what! I've died and been reincarnated as the villain of a romance novel! In order to avoid the hideous fate that awaits me, I've righted her wrongs and even gotten engaged. I should be home free, but strange things have started happening ever since the heroine appeared. Why won't her fiancé leave me alone?
the story started off okay with a cool female lead and an enjoyable plot but then it went completely off the rails. like what is the multiverse of madness was going on. the dialogues didn't make sense, they kept changing the storyline and added nonsense points in the plot. frankly it gave me a whiplash and it seemed completely different from how it started. the ending felt rushed and unsatisfying.
5 stars✨ Third times the charm! They chose each other everytime🥹🩷 This was so good. The story was so good and kinda chaotic. It stressed me out at times lmfao. And the art is so beautiful🥹 I love Seria and she is truly a badass fmc. She was tough as fuck and smart! She fought so hard through everything and got the happy ending she deserved!!
The story follows a modern woman who finds herself inhabiting the body of Seria Stern, a noblewoman villainess in a fantasy romance novel. In the original story, Seria was a cold, power-hungry aristocrat who opposed the heroine and ultimately met a tragic end. However, now that our protagonist is in the driver’s seat, she is determined not to follow the original doomed path by using her intelligence and emotional maturity to change the course of the story—only to discover that the supposed "heroine" isn’t what she seems, the male lead are not behaving as they should and Seria herself is far more than just a one-note antagonist. It turns out Seria’s original backstory hides deeper traumas and mysteries than the surface-level villainess cliché implies and nothing in this world is as seems.
What Works Well: ⊹₊⟡⋆:
✅ A Refreshingly Competent and Complex Protagonist: The protagonist inhabiting Seria is smart, grounded, and emotionally mature. She is not just another self-insert "fix the plot" type. She doesn’t just swoon over the male leads or try to "win the game." Instead, she focuses on survival, restoring dignity to Seria’s name, and slowly learning to trust and care again. She’s not overpowered, but she’s resourceful and pragmatic—something often lacking in the genre.
✅ Emotional Depth and Trauma Exploration: There’s real emotional weight in how Seria copes with her past abuse, social pressure, and the loneliness of her original life. The manhwa doesn’t gloss over her suffering or magically fix everything through romance. Healing is slow and earned.
✅ Stunning Art: The artwork is elegant and clean, with beautifully drawn costumes, expressive character designs, and lush palace backdrops. The romantic moments are especially well-rendered, making the chemistry between characters more engaging.
✅ Romance Done Well:
(I’ve never wanted a story to have smut more than I do with this one (ಥ﹏ಥ) )
The central romance is a slow-burn but satisfying, with real emotional stakes and both male and female leads were amazing.
From his introduction, our male lead Rouche immediately set himself apart from the usual icy or overly possessive romantic tropes common in villainess manhwa. While he was powerful and stoic, he was never emotionally cold—he was simply emotionally guarded, and with good reason. Over time, we see not only how loyal and honorable he was but how deeply devoted he becomes to Seria. Rouche doesn’t just fall for Seria because she’s different—he comes to care for her through shared hardship and gradual trust. He sees her when others only see a villainess. And rather than trying to protect her by keeping her in a cage (as many male leads in this genre tend to do), he supports her and stands by her in public, and becomes her equal partner, not her savior.It feels more mature than the genre average, to be honest.
There is also this amazing fact: Rouche might be one of the greenest flag MLs.
My man is a strong knight, powerful, archduke, but he’s not controlling, he gives Seria space to grow and fight her own battles , and sees her as equal from the start. He respects her boundaries, reads her moods, and adjusts accordingly. He never rushed Seria. He understands that her heart is fragile, and his love is expressed not through dramatic gestures, but through constant, quiet presence and through actions. This kind of emotional sensitivity is rare in genre.
He also puts Seria first time and again, regardless of the risks to himself or his reputation. He’s not swayed by gossip or appearances. His belief in her is absolute.
Our female lead acted as a great partner as well.Unlike many isekai or villainess heroines who fall into love passively or treat the male lead as a reward, Seria truly sees Rouche as a person, not just a love interest or protector. Their relationship is not one-sided: Seria is not simply the wounded damsel being healed by a noble man. Instead, she was just as giving, protective, and emotionally present in the relationship as Rouche was. She never took him for granted and constantly showed appreciation for him—whether it's thanking him for his support, worrying for his safety, or emotionally being there for him. There was a real balance of give and take between them.
I also loved the fact that Seria’s chose Rouche, fully and consciously and her heart never wavered just for a second. Their relationship is just too lovely, respectful towards each other, humor in between, some lovey dovey, care each other feeling, trust, but not too protective.
To sum up, Seria is great and all but … Rouche was just giving ultimate Green flag energy in every scene so he’s my favorite! I you like strong, but whipped, male leads -who are willing to cater to their female lead’s every need, at all times you’ll definitely fall for this guy.For readers tired of toxic love interests or paper-thin romances, my man is a rare gem. ________________________________________ Where It Falters: ⊹₊⟡⋆:
❌Not a Good Adaptation: Unfortunately, what could have been a standout series is undermined by its failure to faithfully adapt the source material, an increasingly choppy narrative structure, and a rushed, unsatisfying ending following the cancellation of Season 3. Do not get me wrong, we get to the ending and the story does not feel “incomplete” however so much important and key stuff was left out from the novel in this adaptation so if you've read the original novel, you’ll definitely be disappointed. I’ve relized entire character arcs, subplots, and key emotional moments were either rushed or completely cut after reading come comments from other readers and spoilers. Side characters become flatter, complex motives were glossed over, and it turns out narrative lost much of its original psychological depth.
Nevertheless, the story and the manwha is still good but it could have been so much better if it had gotten a Season 3 or so many good and necessary stuff did not got cut from the story.
❌ Some Pacing Issues: Like I’ve explained above, Season 3 being cancelled caused a lot of problems for the story but the pacing problems definitely started happening way earlier in Season 2. I think season 1’s pacing was great. I could never truly tell something was “missing” from the story if the readers that read the novel did not tell me. However, when season 2 started we were suddenly thrown into signs of awkward pacing, with long info-dumps and scene jumps. Then, suddenly towards the end the pacing nosedived—speeding through events without giving readers time to process or care.
Due to story’s need to be finished in 100 chapters, the final arc was unfortunately crammed into just a few chapters. Major confrontations were skipped entirely and you could tell something was definitely “missing” from the story. Plotlines that were built up for dozens of chapters (especially regarding the “saintess” and the corruption in the some important main/side characters) were resolved with little tension or payoff. Which caused the emotional climax to be diluted, and the ending to feel hollow.
❌ Lack of Agency for Side Characters: Aside from Seria and the main love interest, other characters can feel underdeveloped or too archetypal (e.g., the scheming half-brother, etc.). More time spent on their motives would have added more richness to the story.
❌ Character Regression: As the story rushes toward its premature close, even strong characters like Seria and the male lead begin to feel inconsistent. Their growth is sidelined for plot convenience, and their final moments together lack the depth they deserve.
❌ Meh Second Male Lead and The Villain I really don't want to talk about these two. Ugh. One of the most frustrating aspects of the story was how the second male lead and the main villain were handled — or more accurately, under-handled — as the series raced toward its abrupt end.
With Callis, there’s no proper reckoning, no satisfying closure — just a half-finished thread hanging in the background. His arc could have been great but I feel like his "redemptation" was not handled all that well.
As for the main and the side villain... they just felt delusional and all the scenes that was cut from the novel and the rushed ending definitely did not help. Their arc definitely collapsed in a rush of exposition and cut corners. Their confrontation with Seria felt muted, their downfall feelt unearned, and the narrative weight they carried early on fizzled out.
We don’t get the satisfying psychological climax that was clearly being built for none of these characters— just a shortcut to “she's/he’s bad, and now it’s over.” ______________________________________
Final Thoughts: ⊹₊⟡⋆: A visually stunning but narratively compromised adaptation that strted strong but stumbles in its final act. Worth reading for the art and early character work, but ultimately disappointing—especially if you're familiar with the full scope of the novel.It’s deeply frustrating to see a series with so much potential fall victim to production issues and poor adaptation choices.
However, I’ve still enjoyed this gorgeous and heartfelt story, hence the rating. If you’re tired of shallow romantic fluff and want a story with emotional depth and moral ambiguity, this one’s worth picking up. It is also a strong pick for fans of The Villainess Turns the Hourglass, Beware the Villainess!, or Your Throne.
Just don’t forget the ending is “rushed” and as always, the novel is definitely “better”.
Loved this series. Took a bit for me to understand certain parts, but I’m glad I was able to read it. I hope to read the novels soon. I know the novels explain better than the manhwa.
Un webtoon qui commençait si bien et qui se conclue de manière médiocre. L'histoire était intéressante, le d��but donnait envie de découvrir la suite, l'univers semblait bien construit. Dès les premiers épisodes j'ai été captivée ! Certes, c'est une histoire que l'on voit partout dans les webtoon : l'héroïne se réincarne dans le corps de la vilaine dans une histoire qu'elle a lu récemment, et elle va tout faire pour échapper au destin tragique de celle-ci. Mais je trouvais que cette fois-ci l'autrice avait apporté une petite touche en plus avec son univers magique, les règles applicables aux Sterne, etc. J'ai été tellement charmée par l'histoire que, après avoir dû abandonné la lecture du webtoon une première fois par manque de temps, j'ai décidé de le recommencer car l'intrigue était prometteuse. Verdict : je regrette d'avoir recommencé cette lecture. Durant toute la moitié de l'oeuvre, j'ai été subjuguée. La "vilaine" réussit à avoir toujours un coup d'avance sur l'héroïne, celle-ci devient la méchante de l'histoire. Je trouvais cela très intéressant et j'avais hâte de découvrir ce que l'autrice nous réservait. Et bien ... finalement, le scénario durant la dernière partie de l'oeuvre devient ni queue ni tête. Il n'y a plus de cohérence, j'ai vraiment eu l'impression que l'autrice décidait de nous claquer telle scène parce qu'on voit ce schéma dans plusieurs oeuvres, et tant pis si cela contrevient à l'univers qu'elle a créé, car elle pourra toujours nous claquer un "ta g***le c'est magique". De plus, le love interest devient d'une platitude, même une planche à pain arrive davantage à me faire sortir des émotions. Je ne comprends pas ... Comment une histoire qui semblait prometteuse, qui avait tout pour me plaire, dont les personnages étaient attachants, est finalement devenue ça ... Un ramassis de non-sens, avec un scénario tordu et des personnages sans âme.
The artwork is stunning, the story is unique, the world building is great, and the characters and their development are interesting. A lovely fantasy of love, betrayal, and mystery.
I'm very picky when it comes to what I read. I hate over used tropes, predictable plots, unrealistic/over dramatic character reactions, and childish/immature characters. Thankfully this story stays away from all of those.
I saw some people claiming the story is "all over the place and confusing" but its not hard to follow at all, there's world building and character development. That's how most books work, as the story progressed you get more story revealed. Not sure why people are confused. Just because this is a manhwa doesnt mean the story should be predictable imagine how boring. The story is always moving forward and you are always learning new information about different characters and their back stories or personalities I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It would get very boring if the main character stayed at one location and only ever spoke to one character over and over again. She travels, explores, and it all benefits the world building and the plot.
There is still suspense, drama, heartache, and mystery but it doesn't treat you like youre five. Everyone's an adult with a mature understanding of the world.
It's a great time and has some amazing and fun in world lore. I loved it. I wish there was a physical copy I could add to my library.
I'm going to take a pause on reading this, and when I come back to it I'll definitely reconsider my rating. For now it's a 2 star because I just can't get into it. I don't feel the chemistry between the male and female leads, and I don't particularly like the reasoning behind the main character's original romantic entanglement. The stakes don't feel high to me, despite being told they should be. I feel like there isn't much depth of character, or maybe there isn't enough angst and action for my liking. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I do know I like stories with more internal dialogue and detail on the how and why for their motivations and actions. It feels to me like so far that all remains fairly surface level. Also, I love a lot of common manhwa tropes, but I've read a lot of manhwa I enjoyed more with all the same exact tropes this one revolves around. The art is nice, I would say better than a lot of manhwa, but I also prefer lanky pretty boys over the beefy masculine types. Just a personal preference, but it influenced my lack of enthusiasm I think.
Seria is a sweetheart. Rouche is such a green flag and if he was a real person then i would want him for myself. Callis sucks and deserved everything he got. Lina can take a train to the lowest pits of misery.
ok so i have read A LOT of isekai/reincarnation genre manhwa and all the time, the FL is always OBSESSED with the novel😭 it’s always ‘he’s going to leave me in the end’ or ‘i can’t get use to this cause when REDUCTED returns, he’s going to fall in love with her and leave me’😭😭 and Seria, being the good little girl she is, she also does this but surprisingly, while those moments did frustrate me, by that time, i was already in love with her and willing to see her story out to the end😭 which i did!!
i am so happy that i stuck with it though because i fell in love with it!! to the point where i binged it and finished the manhwa in 2 days😅😭
2.5 Sterne Der Manhwa sieht schön aus aber die Geschichte ist verwirrend. Ich weiß nicht ob es daran liegt das der Webnovel mit 206 Kapiteln auf 100 Kapitel im Manhwa gekürzt wurde aber es werden Sachen für zwei/drei Kapitel reingeworfen und dann nie wieder angesprochen? Vielleicht gefällt mir der Webnovel ja besser aber nachdem ich zwei Webnovel wo die übersetzungen bei beiden über 1500 Seiten hatten, hatte ich keine Lust eine Übersetzung zu lesen der knapp 1700 Seiten hat x.x also vielleicht ändert sich die Bewertung irgendwann ja.
¡Qué historia taaan buena! Y las ilustraciones son preciosas!!! 🤩🤩🤩
Fantasía, romance, secretos y poco a poco la oscuridad de hace más presente en esta historia.
Me encantó el personaje de Seria y cómo la vamos siguiendo a través de este mundo donde va a hacer todo lo posible por cambiar la historia que ya está escrita y sobrevivir.
NOTA: me faltaron 6 episodios para terminar por completo, debido a los límites de la versión gratuita.
Me gustó. La ilustración es maravillosa, tiene varios giros inesperados, la pareja principal son lo máximo y realmente me gustó como se desarrollaron las cosas. El único motivo por el cual quizás no tenga una calificación mayor es debido a que tenía esta historia algo abandonada y realmente me tomó un tiempo querer volver a ella. Aún así pude retomarla sin ningún inconveniente y la tremine en un santiamén.
Leído hasta el capitulo 92. Esto tiene mas giros que una rueda. Es fascinante. El esposo es EL esposo; protector, inteligente, devoto y Duque. Toda la trama, los hilos, los giros… Me tomó toda la noche hasta ver el sol leerlo y valió la pena. La misma historia te dificulta deducir que sucederá a continuación. Es simplemente impresionante.
quick read with about 100 chapters on the manhwa. Just wish the conclusion wasn’t so rushed, but overall a nice story. Seria a good female lead, and generally logical. Rouche is a fair male lead, he honestly is pretty one dimensional. Lina very annoying honestly though be patient. If you looking for a cute little romance manhwa this one good.
Rouche es un esposo ficticio por excelencia, el drama que se desarrolla entre él, Seria y Callis es intrigante, dramático y aún así, creíble. Si yo fuera Seria, actuaría justamente igual a ella.
Ahhhhh I’m a sucker for revenge and villainess theme Manhwa’s the communication between the MC’s was the best ML is one of the greenest flags I have ever seen I just love their relationship
I love how intricate the story line was for this. I thought it was going to be atypical triangle love story and I was so very very wrong. It also has a beautiful happy ending. I couldn't be happier
The ending had me crying and simultaneously kicking my feet. The ending is perfect for the story, Seria en Rouche truly deserve all the happiness in the world. A highly recommended manwha!!
3.5 stars rounded down. it is a solid one with a good fl and ml. however, some of the twsits and turns were just to weird and not well rounded enough. that aspect wasn't to my liking.