Lingz

It is a very generic plot, but what gets me is how mc has a really flat personality. Maybe it's the lack of different facial expressions, or how the story feels like a narrative of mc at times. The illustrator is quite decent at drawing anger (the fight with the noble and MC's past) but other than that his expressions and reactions are all very 2d. Like his emotions always seem to float around the same intensity, and sometimes it seems that he is just doing things for the sake of doing it due to the lack of emotion in that action.

I've read a lot of mangas and manhwas with a female main protagonist, and I will say that this was a top tier read. I like how the MC is consistently portrayed as strong and independent, but more so how the plot is actually realistic yet still exciting, how the pacing is just right, and especially how the romance is basically non-existent so far.

From what I can see, a lot of people say that the reason they mildly dislike the story is because it is "frustrating" how the mc is so OP but is "used" by the people around her, and doesn't just snap and go on her own path. While her powers gives her a unique advantage, I would say that she is far from OP. Her powers can literally be countered by wearing some artifacts nullifying effects of her power, and she herself admits this in a chapter, especially when she is not fit physically. There are even others with the same powers as her, so it really isn't even that unique.

Moreover, I have never felt once that the people around her were using her. She simply had similar aims and agendas as her teammates, or different agendas but it being a win win situation for both parties. No one begged, guilt tripped nor forced her to do what she did, and she had complete control over her actions. I don't get why ppl need the protagonist to be a loner or a rebel for them to be interesting. Even when she exerted herself, it was because she wanted or she needed to, and I'm sure that her teammates wouldn't had let her overexert herself if they knew she was actually gonna collapse.

And why exactly should she go about doing her own things when the most advantageous position is literally beside her teammates, one royalty with his knight and a super rich merchant? Too many stories portray protagonists going to do their own thing as a boss move, and sometimes it is a necessary move to escape a toxic environment, but this is completely unnecessary in this story when the protagonist is thriving in her original setting. Also an unpopular opinion, but protagonists that succeeded in doing things their way literally have plot armour, coz so many things can go wrong when you make a sudden decision to go down a different path that might not succeed. Taking such a risk is only realistic if the original environment was so bad that taking the risk is a better option, or after conducting a risk assessment and having a plan for all undesirable outcomes.

Finally, one thing I love about this manga is how the MC doesn't give a shit about romance. I mean we all know that prince boy is prob gonna be the ml, but there is no flirting, no blushing around each other, no personality changes due to love and no irrelevant story arc given entirely to develop the rls btwn the mc and ml. Our mc is the definition of an independent woman, and this is so rare to see especially in mangas, even manhwas. And realistic too, since in battle and conflict who is gonna care about love? Of course there are moments where there is fan service or hinting a rls such as ml getting confused when he found out mc was a girl, but it never developed into anything. Which is also realistic coz why would a male fall in love with his teammate that he fought and bickered with just because they suddenly revealed they're of the opposite gender? They are still the same person on the inside right? And the ml wasn't like woman = weak and frail, and still viewed her as a reliable partner, which is such a great part of this story.

People think that a strong and independent woman must have no flaws, recieve 0 help from males or others in general, and be a super badass mf crushing everyone in her path. But how is that different from toxic masculinity where we expect males to take on everything by themselves coz they are "strong"? Imo our mc is strong but by no means perfect, and that what makes her lovely since she is still so brave and determined despite her past, and she really deserves the world.