PUT ASIDE ALL YOUR EXPECTATIONS: this is not a romance story really. This is a self discovery story in the context of a romance. If you read it as a romance at all, you'll be sorely disappointed. This is a great story with excellent plot points, but you really have to not read the character plot like a romance. SPOILERS AHEAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . First of all, in this story, Riftan is often actually the primary antagonist if you read this like a self discovery story. The setting is a highly/super patriarchal society where Riftan basically considers Maxi something akin to an idol to be worshiped or a wife that he owns somewhat simultaneously. He often is against her growth.
Maxi starts out with a very narrow view of the world having been sheltered in the Duke's house, and has extremely low self esteem. Each plot point in the story of the Seven Kingdoms helps introduce Maxi to new experiences and opportunities where she is constantly Fighting her station. Turmoil in the seven kingdoms drives the story, but the story is really how such a low girl rises.
There are a few major Arcs: 1. Maxi getting to Anatol/in Anatol 2. Maxi following the Remdragon Knights all the way to Eth Lene Castle and the Battle of Eth Lene 3. Maxi standing trial against her Father 4. Maxi at the Magic Tower and having the opportunity to go home sooner 5. Surveying the Pamela Plateau 6. Invading the Monster City 7. 2nd Campaign to Lexos Mountains 8. Very quick happily ever after arc
Basically Arcs 1-3 (which we're not even done with here in the webtoon) are World Building and Maxi learning the full extent of what she can do in the world. Then Arcs 4-6 start with her sorta resetting her life by going to the Mage tower for 3 years (a time skip betwen arc 3 and 4). From there, Each Arc she is in a different situation with Riftan where he opposes her participation in war/battle/whatever but sorta less and less (but definitely feels like the same fight each time which is annoying)
By Arc 7, he is okay with her joining battle and somewhere in Arc 6 or 7 he actually tells her that he wishes he told her sooner that he is PROUD OF HER. Where this is actually the climax of the whole story, because the whole story has basically been: Maxi finding out who she is, then convincing Riftan to accept that's who she is and still love her despite it. It starts out with her not wanting him to find out that she's really a useless abused daughter to her WANTING him to acknowledge she is ACTUALLY a talented mage and be willing to love, accept, and support who she really is. Its as much of her learning who she really is as it is Maxi convincing Riftan to love her real self.
People were disappointed that they didn't get to see them have kids, but I'm like, totally okay not seeing kids because that was kinda not the point at all. Maxi is more than a wife/woman/mother, she is a respected mage. Maxi get's her recognition from Riftan, someone she admires most in the world not just because she loves him. Riftan finally gets to swear his geis to her, and actually finds that he does love her and is proud of her. MOREOVER the ending scene is so perfect how it closes the loop on the folk lore of Rosem Wigrew. The tale has Wigrew ascending to heaven on a white dragon while his lover, a nymph, waves goodbye to him and waits for his return in an Oak Tree. The story ends with Maxi (constantly symbolized as being like a nymph) and Riftan (hailed as wendon's reincarnation of Wigrew) TOGETHER under an Oak Tree which is perfect.
This story is really so good, and worth reading even if you've read my spoilers because the actual PLOT of weird shit happening in the kingdom is fairly interesting too!
PUT ASIDE ALL YOUR EXPECTATIONS: this is not a romance story really. This is a self discovery story in the context of a romance. If you read it as a romance at all, you'll be sorely disappointed. This is a great story with excellent plot points, but you really have to not read the character plot like a romance. SPOILERS AHEAD
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First of all, in this story, Riftan is often actually the primary antagonist if you read this like a self discovery story. The setting is a highly/super patriarchal society where Riftan basically considers Maxi something akin to an idol to be worshiped or a wife that he owns somewhat simultaneously. He often is against her growth.
Maxi starts out with a very narrow view of the world having been sheltered in the Duke's house, and has extremely low self esteem. Each plot point in the story of the Seven Kingdoms helps introduce Maxi to new experiences and opportunities where she is constantly Fighting her station. Turmoil in the seven kingdoms drives the story, but the story is really how such a low girl rises.
There are a few major Arcs:
1. Maxi getting to Anatol/in Anatol
2. Maxi following the Remdragon Knights all the way to Eth Lene Castle and the Battle of Eth Lene
3. Maxi standing trial against her Father
4. Maxi at the Magic Tower and having the opportunity to go home sooner
5. Surveying the Pamela Plateau
6. Invading the Monster City
7. 2nd Campaign to Lexos Mountains
8. Very quick happily ever after arc
Basically Arcs 1-3 (which we're not even done with here in the webtoon) are World Building and Maxi learning the full extent of what she can do in the world. Then Arcs 4-6 start with her sorta resetting her life by going to the Mage tower for 3 years (a time skip betwen arc 3 and 4). From there, Each Arc she is in a different situation with Riftan where he opposes her participation in war/battle/whatever but sorta less and less (but definitely feels like the same fight each time which is annoying)
By Arc 7, he is okay with her joining battle and somewhere in Arc 6 or 7 he actually tells her that he wishes he told her sooner that he is PROUD OF HER. Where this is actually the climax of the whole story, because the whole story has basically been: Maxi finding out who she is, then convincing Riftan to accept that's who she is and still love her despite it. It starts out with her not wanting him to find out that she's really a useless abused daughter to her WANTING him to acknowledge she is ACTUALLY a talented mage and be willing to love, accept, and support who she really is. Its as much of her learning who she really is as it is Maxi convincing Riftan to love her real self.
People were disappointed that they didn't get to see them have kids, but I'm like, totally okay not seeing kids because that was kinda not the point at all. Maxi is more than a wife/woman/mother, she is a respected mage. Maxi get's her recognition from Riftan, someone she admires most in the world not just because she loves him. Riftan finally gets to swear his geis to her, and actually finds that he does love her and is proud of her. MOREOVER the ending scene is so perfect how it closes the loop on the folk lore of Rosem Wigrew. The tale has Wigrew ascending to heaven on a white dragon while his lover, a nymph, waves goodbye to him and waits for his return in an Oak Tree. The story ends with Maxi (constantly symbolized as being like a nymph) and Riftan (hailed as wendon's reincarnation of Wigrew) TOGETHER under an Oak Tree which is perfect.
This story is really so good, and worth reading even if you've read my spoilers because the actual PLOT of weird shit happening in the kingdom is fairly interesting too!