pluckaduck's Topics (222)

Cause novelupdates is an English site that links unlicensed translations. I bet the reason why this got adapted is because it had high viewer count/ratings in JJWXC, which is China's online novel publishing site.

Read it! It worth it I promise

Ikr. The second-hand embarrassment is strong with this one TT But I stuck around because I’m a fan of the unrequited love trope, it gets kinda angsty and there is character development.

it kinda takes a hot minute but there’s a bunch of character development. i genuinely think it’s a really good story so i definitely think you should give it another chance! (^:

I rarely leave replies, and I never bother telling someone to read a story they're not sure about because why even bother - but don't do this to yourself. Don't miss out on this story. I was almost like you. I read a few chapters and hated the ML so much and how he treated the MC that I was furious. But I read some comments about when the tables flip and MC says fuuuuuuck this shit bitch I'm out and I actually skipped ahead in the story, read a bit of that, realized what all the build up and anxiety was there for, and then finished it all immediately. It's actually a very beautiful story. The second half is just so Fitting, after everything MC went through for ML, how ML treated him, to be acknowledged and genuinely made up for in the second half when ML is desperately in love but MC has had enough. Their character growth was just ***chefs kiss.*** Watching them both grow up, seeing MC become stronger and more confident in himself, seeing the ML finally break free of the painful experiences that made him the way he was and learn to just be happy and secure... beautiful. Don't give up on this story. The first half is necessary because it makes you appreciate the second half so much more. Give it another shot - this will end up on your favorite list and you'll come back over and over again like the rest of us do.

YOU TELL EM QUEEN

YESSS BESTIE YOURE SO RIGHT!!

she did horrible things in the past too, so she wasn't an angel, she killed people! is it right? nope, but you don't seem to blame her at all.

She did? I forgot about that where was it stated. I thought she was just a bit naive

she let the duke take the power of the throne and act against the prince and let the duke control him. oh yeas and she also kill the girl that was before her on the throne. sure the FL didn't have any choice since the duke controls her, but the prince also was in a bad spot after being used by the duke. though I doubt it was his only reason

I don't remember her doing evil things. I believe it was the real veronica., not her

it was her cause she wanted to marry him

i think rather than letting the duke control the prince, it was more like not being aware of it. she's naive- she doesn't know the duke is manipulating her. I think if she about the duke's evil intentions, she would've sided with her beloved prince tried to fight back, to protect her son. and if you were talking about the empress, it wasn't stated that she killed her. she died of illness, I think. maybe she was killed by someone else. besides, it not in her nature to concede an order to kill someone just for the throne, manipulated or not. maybe make trouble, but definitely not kill.
correct me if I'm wrong. really, I dunno if my memory is completely accurate.

the MC said she died from poison cause of her. the MC did say that before that it was her fault the empress died so she can take her place. which means she did know about it, again even if she was naive she did let the duke control her and by that she tricks the prince and help the duke get power. she still works for the duke even if you say she was naive, she did everything they wanted from her and also mean she did bad things.

No, Elena didn't know anything in the past, all she has to do was becoming Queen of Society, she only need to perform a perfect manner and etiquette. The Duke and Leabric was the one who killed the Empress Cecilia and controlled the politics, without knowing any of this, Elena angry at The Emperor for treating her coldly. Only after her death, she knew about the Duke and Leabric scheme. Is not that she let the Duke take the power of the throne, long before Elena became Veronica, the Duke already seized the throne, he is the one who make ML father The Emperor by killing the previous Emperor, thus ML father became his puppet and the Duke plan to continue control the throne by forcing ML to marry his daughter, but the ML suddenly announced he us marrying Cecilia so the Duke couldn't stopped him,instead the Duke forced him to take Elena as Queen, all the great nobles was under his influence, the imperial family has no power nor money against the Duke, that's why all the ML could do was treated Elena coldly, if he ever show favor toward Elena, it only make the Duke power grew stronger, and if he has a child with Elena, the Duke would kill him and make his child the next puppet Emperor.

so the empress died from poison. doesn't mean Elena knew who was the mastermind at that time. all she knew at that time was that the empress died and she took her place. it was probably after she lost everything and thrown in prison did she figured it all out. I guess people gain an epiphany just moments before their death-- such as Elena.

you said she let the duke control her which allowed him to gain power- it's true. but she was ignorant of his scheme. if she knew everything he did, she wouldn't have let it happen. it's not like she takes the initiative to do bad things. I can't say she didn't do bad things (what exactly are the 'bad' things she supposedly did?), but I doubt she would willingly kill someone. hence, she herself didn't kill the empress.

also, you said she works for the duke? from how I see it, she believed the duke is genuinely supporting her as a father figure, not as an employer, that's how he easily controlled her. it not like she knew he was manipulating her and she just allowed everything to unfold like that. anyways, it seems you despised her because of her naivety being the foundation of the whole tragedy? you are blaming the ignorant victim?

On another note, from your previous comments, you are insinuating that she is heartless and vicious at heart? you are saying, despite her naivety, she is contemptible for allowing the tragic events to unfold? of course, she isn't the most angelic person, but it not to the extent of being horrible. she's not like those stupid characters who would murder someone in order to marry her beloved.

I wonder what exactly the bad things Elena did? Read chapter 13 again, she didn't knew anything. Elena maybe at fault for pretending to be Veronica and enjoying her fake status, that's why she is feel guilty. but the Duke didn't need her to gain power, real Veronica already awake before Elena even debut into high society. The only reason they keep her alive and playing Veronica cause real Veronica said when Elena think she have everything, only then it would be fun to take everything away from her, the higher someone position is the harder the fall, the more they have the more miserable they became when it got taken away from them.

then how does she know the empress died for that reason? and no she didn't find out anything before her death cause she didn't have any time for it. and she didn't figure out in this new life cause she only just started them. again I doubt she didn't know anything at all about what's going, she just goes with it cause she wanted to marry him. and therefore she feels guilty and wants to stop it.
"you said she let the duke control her which allowed him to gain power- it's true. but she was ignorant of his scheme." it does not matter, to the prince it can seem like she tricks him to get power, and he only human. so of course he won't want to be next to her at this point even if he loves her for real.
she said so in the start - she should not have listened to the duke cause he made her do horrible things even if she was ignorent. who knows what else the duke made her do and she just listens to him blindly without even know how horrible they are. she still need to take responsibility and not go blindly after someone like she did in her past, cause it was wrong! and that what she doing now! she learns from her mistakes of the past. and honestly again I don't blame the prince for it, he had his own problems with the nobles and powers wars, it wasn't easy for him either.
I doubt the prince didn't have more reasons for his actions, but we don't know what he was thinking. so both of them were in a very bad spot and miserable.

I doubt it is their "only reason" cause it's a dumb reason to go all the trouble to teach someone to be someone else. no! they have a reason to use her and not the real daughter, despite it is a bother. the duke himself even thinks how much a bother this whole thing is and that he should just bring Veronica back but it seems he can't.

Real Veronica is very sick and unconscious. The father is convinced he can find a cure for her but for now, he needs someone to take the real veronicas place so no one finds out she is sick.

well at least this reason is more logical than them just want to make a sick joke on someone cause they bored ╮(￣▽￣)╭

where does it say he didn't want to be with her...that's all Elena's speculation.

if you already know from spoilers that he actually loved, and his reasons for his actions, how you end up thinking he doesn't want to be next to her due to her deception?

from what I see, you think the end result is the only thing that matters. how it got to that point, doesn't matter. it doesn't matter whether or not she was naive because she is also to blame for the whole tragedy. sure, I agree to some extent, but you make it sound like she had done such horrible things to a degree that naivety can't overwrite it. please point out which chapter does it specify what deeds she had done. I don't want to reread the whole thing.

i don't really dislike her or blame Elena, not because I think 'oh, she's naive so that justifies her past actions', but because 1) like I already said, I do not think she has done anything deserving such condemnation 2) she already suffered more than enough-- the author makes it clear, why else does she get another chance of life? she died so unfairly with a lot of grievances that her desire for revenge allowed her to regress.

you said "she feels guilty and wants to stop it"-- can you clarify what exactly she wanted to stop? did she want to stop the duke? like I already said, she had no knowledge of his schemes! she only figured it out when the duke and his daughter explained it nearing her death.

you don't blame the prince? he is part of her suffering. sure, he had his reasons, and rationally, I accept it, but personally, I'm still a little against them getting together again. it seems that you think, he loves her and actually tried to protect her and he's not as bad as you think, so it's okay. but regarding Elena, you won't accept the reason for her actions.

you said, "she should not have listened to the duke". ok, so she shouldn't have taken that outreached hand, accepted pretending to be his daughter and live in riches? then would you rather choose to become a certain fat and ugly man's concubine? she made an obvious choice here. if you're not talking about that, then it's about the actions she had carried under his deliberate guidance? regardless, you think it's that simple to just reject an order from the duke? if she were to do that, he'll arrange the deed to be done but she'll probably be the scapegoat. or he'll force her to do it under a threat. either way, he'll be suspicious and tightened his control over her, or, if deemed useless, she'll be killed. It's a dead-end either way. even if she realizes this at this point, she can only be a puppet, because she'll probably not tell this to the prince.

usually, regarding last lives, I would say that miscommunication is the key factor contributing to such tragedies, but in this manhwa, I get why he didn't tell her. I don't dislike the prince since he had good reasons, but whatever, I just dislike it when authors give a reason for ML's indifference and coldness, and FL's heartache and sorrow caused by that ML can be forgotten by that reason. when that happens, I typically disdain the FLs for their hearts being not strong enough to resist falling again. for this comic, since he's the ML, I just hope she'll develop feelings very late into the story. just a minority's opinion.

I don't really mind what he was, either way, I am more interested to see his point of view. people did say he loves her, I'm not sure about it ╮(￣▽￣)╭ it is yet to be seen in the story. but I for one, very sure, he didn't ignore her cause he hated her or have any bad feelings for her. it was more the Situation fault than MC or FL fault, and that is a fact! it's neither of them fault she suffers or died, she suffers cause she follows and listens to bad people blindly. sure it wasn't her fault, but it wasn't the prince's fault either. and that so great in her learning and grow out of been blind and naive and become a strong independent woman that can think for herself. I don't blame or dislike MC or FL XD that was what I said all along and I think they should end together this time cause they need each other! especially MC.

I don't really know if he loves her or not, but from how it looks so far, and let's admit it, it is a cliche story (I say so far cause we yet to see his pov) my guess is that he did like her at least to have sex with her. I doubt he had sex with her cause he was bored ╮(￣▽￣)╭ like come on.

she wanted to stop the event of the empress being poison and dead, she said she will save her this time what is really great to see, I love that scene.

"then would you rather choose to become a certain fat and ugly man's concubine" LOL I won't go that far, there are many ways to make money without selling your body, you know. I say blindly cause she didn't think much after she took his hand, she just enjoy the money and fuck it what the duke is doing or wants her to do. again she said so herself that she was blind, and there is nothing wrong with her admitting her mistakes and learn to be better, which is learn not to let others use her or be blinded by money. money can't buy you everything or love for that matter.

has for the ML coldness I don't see it has only "his reason" it's more the whole situation was suck for him just like the MC situation was suck for her. it mostly the same thing!

Let me make it clear for you, I didn't explain it before cause you talk like you know what happened in the first life so I assumed you already know, my mistake, The real veronica was poisoned and in coma for 3 years, during those years, another Duke daughter 'Abella' took her spot as the Queen of society and snatch her follower, and she also need to graduate from the Academy, that's why He need a stand in for his daughter, becoming a 'Queen of society' is important to became the Crown Princess, if another Duke family became Crown Princess, the Duke would need to share his power.

In the first life, Leabric schemed with the old Baron to sponsored Elena, that became debt that forced her to be his concubine, in such situation, Leabric appeared as knight in shining armor, offered her to became Princess 'Veronica', in such situation, naiveand young Elena think the Duke as her savior and that make it easier for Leabric to control and mold her, enjoying her Cinderella life, Elena tried her best to became the perfect Princess, she really believed she became Veronica. After Veronica wakes up form the coma, Leabric told her about Elena, Veronica hated Elena 'how dare a low life have the same face as the mighty me'. She told Leabric to keep her alive for now , when the knight ask her why, he is eager to kill Elena already, Veronica said this 'The bird lose his mate and has been in grief for a long time, and I give him a new mate, now the birds singing again' she then took the bird new mate and crushed it with her hands and tossed the dead birds to the cage, she then said 'you took what most precious, crush it and broke it, only then they would feel the most despair'

After Elena graduate from the academy, she need to learn imperial etiquette to enter the Crown Princess selection, but the ML give a surprise announcement of his marriage with Cecilia. The Duke then pushed Elena as concubine without the ML permission. The Duke never step forward, but he is the one who control the nobles and also the guards, maid, servant under his influence. ML never once visited Elena, and rejected Elena every time she visit him, he hated her cause he think she is 'Veronica', he knew Veronica arrogance and cruelty of killing birds and animal. Even though what he saw now very different from the Veronica he knew, he brushed it off as acting. All Elena does as Concubine just learn tea ceremony and painting, she didn't even know the royal finance is so bad, cause The Duke provided all her luxury.

They called her 'The dolls', do you think they would share their scheme with the dolls who they would throw away later? Elena didn't even know her parents are killed by her knight how would she know Leabric and Grand duke is the one who poisoned Cecilia? Cecilia death was announced as heart attack to the public, even if there is evidence, the ML couldn't punish them, it only make the nobles looked down on him even more. After her return from the death, Elena organized all the events from the past, looking back she contemplated why the ML always rejected her, why he give her a murderous look at Cecelia funeral, that's when she knew everything was The Duke and Leabric scheme, even though she didn't know then, she feels guilty because in the past, Elena jealous of Cecilia and want her position.

The ML knew that Elena is fake after hearing her conversation with Ren, then he investigated and found out the real Veronica is alive. He slowly fall in love with Elena, but he denied his feelings, his responsibility came before his emotion, If he give favor to Elena, the Duke power became stronger and he also don't want to lost his hard earned supporter, they would think the ML didn't serious of defeating the Duke and reclaim the imperial power, that's also why he didn't make Elena the Empress even after she give birth to Ian. His first night with Elena is an impulse, he is sick and tired, he can't control his heart so he let go of his reason and embrace her, that's when Ian born.

Every time I read about their past life I feel like crying for them. They really deserve to be happy in their second timeline. I wish people weren't so quick to hate characters when they don't have the full story. I understand being apprehensive but full on hating a character they don't know anything about is just sad. Thank you for sharing this and I hope it reaches a lot of people so they can stop hating on her and they prince

actually there's some people who close their eyes when they smile!! they have the cutest smiles c:

I'm guessing it's leading up to him seeing the news statement about the ML's engagement and then trying to pressure the MC to leave him

Or Asians that have small eyes look like they’re closing their eyes while smiling. That’s the case for me

SPOILER..















yes. she’s a mermaid.