ladyjlb's manga / #Strong Female Lead(163)

Read ch 33 as of 01/10/20 - Rate 3.5 so far

Read ch 134 as of 24/12/21 - rate 3.5 ** NB: Season 1 = Ch 1 to 43, Season 2 = Ch 44 to 97

Read ch 25 as 09/10/20 - Rate 3.5 so far. Stunning art

Read ch 143 as of 14/05/21 - FL 30yo dies in plane crash. She was an orphan who lived trying to compensate for her past life as Elise de Clorance. - FL reborn 10yrs before her execution. She is penitent to her family and the servants for her past behaviour and makes amends right away. NB: Family consists of father, stepmother, 2 older brothers Lenne and Chris. - She outlines future events and hopes she can apply her medical knowledge to help. 1st has to stop her engagement to ML Prince Linden in 2mths to avoid total ruin of her family. - The Emperor of Brittia Empire has always been kind to FL. They meet and FL gives insights on war w/ Republic. Hopes to stop many deaths incl her brother Chris. Diagnoses Emperor’s illness as diabetes. FL asks to cancel engagement but Emperor proposes bet instead for her to prove her worth as doctor in 6mths when she’s 17yo. - Teresa Hospital: relief centre for the poor run by Clorance family. FL hides her true identity, called Rose. Assigned under genius doctor Greyham Fallon. She’s hailed as a true genius / prodigy. - ML in disguise as “Ron” using magic, arrives with his wounded aide at FL hospital where she performs revolutionary surgery. - ML as Ron sees FL for regular medical exams. - Royal birthday celebrations: - Duchess Harver, who has Parkinson’s disease. FL saves her from choking to death w/ unproven medical procedure. Arrested for harming royal. Knighted after proven innocent. Cover as Rose is blown when head doctors visit her. - Medical licensing exam: questions similar to those on Earth. FL gets top score. - 3rd Prince Michael (Mil): was FL’s only friend who died. He’s loved by the people and is Empire’s strongest knight who uses aura. His mother Marian the 1st consort was the insane mastermind behind ML’s Empress mother Rebecca and older sister Evelyn falling to their deaths years ago. Leads aristocratic faction w/ his uncle, head of Childe family. - Lady Yulian Childe: has brother Albert, was rival for ML w/ FL. The Childe family hold great financial influence and are on hostile terms w/ the Clorance family and the Emperor as they lead the aristocratic faction. - Louis Nicholas of the Republic: sees FL as trophy to be won in the upcoming war. - Both FL brothers will go to war, much to family despair - Signs of an epidemic: FL identifies it as cholera, has full authority from Emperor to resolve the problem of inadequate sewerage that’s polluting the water. - FL volunteers herself in place of her brother Chris to go to war as a medic. ML is against it, admits to himself that he’s fallen in love w/ FL. After getting kicked out by her father, FL is taken home and cared for by Yulian Childe. - FL is granted position of medical commander. She vastly improves conditions at the military hospital and has more medical supplies and volunteers. She has new nickname as Lady with the Lamp. - FL has confused feelings for ML vs ML as Ron - FL gives strategic advice at meeting for upcoming battle - FL saves Albert Childe in dangerous grenade operation - After prisoner exchange, Empire soldiers sent back infected w/ highly contagious disease. FL quarantines the sick and PPE given to medical staff. Calls for Louis Nicholas to stand trial for violating international law. - Republican army take FL hostage. ML rescues her. While on the run from the Republicans, FL discovers ML is also Ron. - FL is shot. While ML carries her to safety, Michael keeps Republicans busy and kills Louis Nicholas. - FL has blood transfusion from ML who happens to have matching blood type. FL family arrive later to take her home to recuperate - Eventually the Republic offers unconditional surrender (10 mths later): - Her brother Chris assigned as personal assistant to ML - FL assigned as senior medical professor and royal physician. Law amended so Empress may have work outside of her own duties (suggested by ML). Emperor also approved foundation of medical college, which FL juggles w/ her court lady duties. - Battle for succession of the throne between ML vs Prince Michael. - ML plans to purge the aristocracy to avenge the deaths of his mother and sister. - Aristocratic faction see FL as their greatest threat due to her popularity which has also seen a rise in popularity of ML. - FL and ML finally admit their feelings of love for eachother. They kiss for 1st time during victory celebration in public. - ML takes FL away on a short trip to stop her from overworking. He proposes to her with a ring. - While she’s asleep one night, ML visits the grave of his mother and sister. - A duel between Earl Meerket (aristocrats) and Earl Dorrison (royals) has both men critically wounded. FL is in charge and conducts their surgery side by side. - Health of Emperor is fading, has dizzy spells and collapses - Engagement ceremony: Dr Fallon and Prince Michael have mixed feelings due to their unrequited love for FL. - During the ceremony, the Emperor has a heart attack and collapses. ML is suspected of poisoning him. FL finds the cause is lymphoma, a blood disorder and not poison. - FL is rewarded with the title Countess at the age of 18. She is also awarded the Royal Cross that’s gives absolute immunity. - ML plans to establish a new bank through the finance department, and start a money revolution by printing paper money to replace gold and silver. This will directly challenge the financial power of the Childe family. - imprisonment of the aristocratic faction ramped up after ML was cleared of their accusations that he poisoned the Emperor. - Marquis Childe is given days to live after he is diagnosed with necrotising pancreatitis. He pushes Michael to lead a revolt and take ML’s head before he dies. - The plot to kill ML by the aristocratic faction is overheard by FL while she’s visiting Michael. They hold her captive by tying her up and subduing her with a sleep spell. Michael is furious at her treatment and has her released. While she’s still recovering and asleep, Michael tells her that he loves her and that he has to go kill his brother now. - FL asks ML to spare the lives of those responsible for the deaths of his mother and sister.

Read ch 36.3 as of 01/12/20

Ch 99 as of 22/12/22 - also on Tappytoon ** some bad translation - FL had a tumultuous past life that saw her forced to kill her king and lover Theodore (Theo) Shen Blanche of the Blanche kingdom. Then she became Empress Martina (Tina) Owen de Leta Carabella of the Carabella Empire til her death. - FL is reborn as Astina (Tina) Lette, 2nd daughter of a Count in the Carabella Empire. Because she developed quickly due to her past life experiences, FL was deemed a genius. - At 19yo FL leaves the Belache Academy abruptly to take her 21yo sister Kanna’s place as ML’s wife. The marriage was arranged to resolve the Lette family’s debt. - ML is Grand Duke Thereode (Theo) van Atalenta 26yo. - His house was a founding family since the start of the Blanche kingdom and pledged allegiance to the Carabella Empire. - His family has a hereditary disease that appears in their sons before the age of 20yo, and turns them into a mindless beast. - The duchy’s vassals intend for the marriage between ML and FL to produce an heir ASAP. - FL’s personality: strong, resolute, calm, mature, dignified, indifferent, a natural leader, rational, direct, focused, wise. - ML’s personality (as a human): gentle, kind, innocent - FL quickly tames, trains and domesticates ML the beast. - As the new Grand Duchess and using the authority of the Grand Duke, FL removes all of the corrupt vassals and takes charge of managing ML’s household and all duchy matters. - One of the vassals, Baron Vernon had raped and impregnated Elize, an Atalenta maid. She became his informant. - After all of the vassals were imprisoned for corruption, Elize visited Baron Vernon in desperation. He gave her a vial of poison to murder FL. - FL exposes Elize for trying to poison her. FL spotted the vial hidden in Elize’s hand and noticed Elize's pregnant belly. - Elize confesses to everything and Baron Vernon is brought before FL. The Baron’s seized assets will be used as child support for Elize. FL sends the Baron away to be executed. - Although FL banishes Elize from the duchy, Elize is grateful for FL’s mercy and generosity. - One night in bed, FL kisses ML the beast on the nose (ch 24-25). The next morning he’s turned back into a human, but it lasts only for 12hrs. ML has no memory of events that occurred while he was a beast. FL was initially shocked by ML’s physical similarity to her love Theodore in her past life. - ML feels indebted to FL for managing the duchy so well while he was a beast. He gives her the option of going back to her family. - ML passes FL’s test when he swallows his pride and asks her to please stay to help him. As a result she agrees to stay. - FL wants to try producing an heir with ML right away while he’s human, but she learns that ML is a virgin. - FL tries to research ML’s curse. ML tries to figure out FL. - The disease that is like a curse began over 100yrs ago when House Atalenta became a grand duchy under the Carabella Empire. The 1st knight of the Empire came from House Atalenta. - It’s the first time that the beast is able to turn back into a human. The kiss between FL and ML is the trigger. - Benjamin Leandros is a swordsman and sparring partner for FL at the Academy. Ben reminds FL of Althea, her loyal subordinate and close friend in her past life. She left the throne to him after she’d united the continent under the Carabella Empire. - FL receives Ben’s gift of a sword. ML thinks his body’s reactions are feelings of love and jealousy when he sees her holding a sword. FL later tells him that she uses the sword often to discipline him as a beast so his feelings must be confused. - ML confirms with FL that she will leave the duchy and return to her family once the curse is lifted. (Her original plan was to stay until she gave birth to an heir, then a year later get a divorce and leave). This is why ML thinks she draws a line between them, but he later realises it’s because he wants to get to know her while she has no interest in him. - Arthur Esteban, immature 19yo cousin of ML, turns up after running away 2yrs ago. He is suspicious and rude but FL teaches him a lesson and he immediately asks FL to teach him swordsmanship. She gets him to train with Sir Hysen Oscar, her family’s head knight that she’s been training since she was 10yo. - FL and ML experiment successfully one night with the timing of the kiss. ML is a wolf by day and a human at night. - ML’s desperation and loneliness stems from his family and his upbringing. His 2 older brothers died young from the disease and his parents weren’t affectionate in case he died early too. - He was restricted to his room til he was 3-4yo and to the house til he was 13-14yo. His parents died in a carriage accident after he turned 20yo and he was officially recognised as the heir. - FL understands why the lonely ML clings to her as his new family. He grew up never knowing proper affection and he was cut off from the world. He needs to feel attached to something or someone. She tries to reassure him by saying she will always be there for him as his friend, even after she leaves the duchy. - FL and ML go together on a tour of the entire duchy for the first time since ML became human again. - Jessie, a female commoner with great strength whose family run a tavern, stops the carriage. She asks FL for help against thugs supported by the Viscount in Bellua. FL accepts Jessie as a knight-in-training first. Sir Hysen is her teacher. She clashes with Arthur. - FL travels to Bellua with Hysen, Jessie and Arthur. - The thugs supported by the Viscount attack their carriage. FL intentionally allows herself to be injured before they beat up the thugs. FL pretends to recover at the Viscount’s estate. - Some of the thugs are captured but the rest kidnap Jessie when she goes back to the tavern to see her family. FL goes to the thugs’ hideout and kills them all when they attack her. - ML arrives and is upset that FL went to the hideout alone. He wants her to value her life more. When she says she has no reason to live, ML asks her to live for him. This reminds her of the past when Theodore said the same thing to her. Later ML says he’ll also live for FL. He realises that he’s in love with her. - Emperor Eseled von Pidellio - Empress Isabelle von Pidellio - Benjamin Leandros is actually the Emperor’s son. - Prince Primo, son of the Empress and Ben’s older half brother. - Princess Isis, Primo’s strategist and younger sister. - Ben returns to the imperial palace to increase his power so he can free FL from her marriage ASAP. - 7yrs ago Primo killed Ben’s older sister Eilbeth during a hunting competition. Isis wants Ben as her RH man to help her become Empress. In exchange she’ll help him with his revenge. - ML and FL are invited to a ball at the imperial palace. - The travel party consists of ML, FL, Hysen, Jessie and Arthur. - On the way they’re attacked by bandits. They capture all of the bandits and intend to imprison them at the next town. - A local man at the town thinks they’re human traffickers and confronts them. Sir Hysen knocks him out. - When the man comes to, the situation is explained. The man introduces himself as Edwin Tristan, son of a Marquis. He abandoned being a noble 7yrs ago. His sister Anserine became the heir and is now the Marchioness. The Tristans and Atalentas have hated each other for generations. - FL and Anserine happen to meet at the horse market in the capital. Anserine is impressed with how FL stops a runaway horse. - Only when Anserine insists that FL visit the Tristan estate does FL realise who Anserine is. FL delivers a message to Anserine from Edwin. (Anserine only knows FL as “Tina”) - Kanna visits FL and is introduced as FL’s sister to ML. Kanna and FL spend time together in the capital square. - FL is unsettled by this strange twist of fate where a man with Theodore’s face and a woman with Martina’s memories got married, and then for the man to fall in love with the woman. - FL is in denial that ML loves her. She rationalises that he is confusing his feelings of attachment with love. - FL and ML attend the 1st harvest ball at the imperial palace. - The Emperor announces the return of his son Ben who left the palace due to ill health when he was a child. Later Ben finds FL at a balcony and explains his mother was worried about the power struggle over the throne, so she had him grow up outside of the palace. Ben confesses his love for FL but she says she only sees him as a friend and she’s already married. - Ben offers to be FL’s refuge and support when she needs it. He warns FL to stay away from Primo and Isis. - ML arrives and gets into a heated discussion with Ben over FL. She makes them stop and sends Ben away. FL is finally forced to realise ML loves her. - Anserine happens to see FL with Kanna at a bookstore. She finds out FL’s true identity. Anserine mentions the discovery of an old book that pre-dates the Empire. The scholars are struggling to translate it. - At the final harvest ball, Primo meets FL and insults Martina’s legacy by saying a mere woman couldn’t have achieved everything she did. The Emperor is about to announce Primo as the successor but there’s an uproar when the Heir Cup is discovered missing. - FL and Jessie visit Ben to confirm he’s safe. Ben has officially given up his right to the throne so he isn’t seen as a threat. - FL enters a secret passage in the palace walls and retrieves a second Heir Cup from a hidden room. - FL meets the Emperor and Isis. She shows them the cup. Then she talks about old texts describing the creation of twin gold goblets to celebrate the birth of twin boys by the king of the land before it was taken over by the Empire. - FL credits her findings to her research at the Academy (in truth from her past life research). She pretends this 2nd cup was found in storage at the Atalenta estate. FL gives this cup to the Emperor in exchange for the old book that was recently discovered. - FL speaks privately with Isis and mentions the original cup owners went to war over the throne. The younger brother who lost was imprisoned for the rest of his life in a tower and his cup tossed into the treasury. There can only be one cup and one heir to the throne. - FL knows Isis took the real Heir Cup and cryptically indicates her support for Isis over Primo. - NB: the old book is a diary written in code. It documents FL’s shame from her past life (?) - FL is confused and struggling with her feelings for ML. She doesn’t want to see ML as Theodore but can’t help doing so. - ML dyes his hair black to surprise FL. She’s drunk and thinks he is Theodore. She says she loves him and they have sex for the first time. The next day FL avoids ML until the evening. ML tries to reassure FL that he will do anything for her (unlike Theodore in her past life?). FL seems to accept ML’s love at last? - NB: ML remained as a human for longer because they had sex. - He must stay inside at their mansion to see how long the transformation lasts. - Isis was advised by her female tutor to avoid drawing attention from Primo and Isabelle to her talent and intellect. - Isabelle purged anyone who was a threat to Primo. - Eilbeth and Ben shared the same mother but Eilbeth was abandoned and neglected when Ben left the palace. - Isis took pity on Eilbeth and cared for her. - A few years later, Primo saw how the half sisters protected each other. He killed Eilbeth as a warning to Isis. - FL meets Isis and confirms their alliance. - Hunting competition: Anserine and FL hunt together. Someone sends assassins to target Anserine but FL saves her. - Anserine visits FL to give her thanks. Anserine sees Jessie training and offers to let Jessie train with the Tristan female knights. Anserine thinks Jessie is ready to take the knight exam. - FL visits Isis and confirms Isis sent the assassins. As enemies of the Atalentas, Isis thought the Tristans would support Primo. - FL promises to make Anserine into a strong ally. - FL is invited to a social gathering at the Tristan estate. She sees for herself how Anserine has to demean women in order to placate her vassals to accept her as their lord. FL tells Anserine that Edwin isn’t behind the recent assassination attempt. - The next day Edwin makes a surprise visit to see Anserine to make sure she’s ok. Anserine can tell that her innocent and idealistic brother hasn’t changed and stops suspecting him. - Anserine turns up drunk at the Atalenta estate. She is disgusted with how she’s been denying who she really is for so long. FL tells her to fully embrace and value the person she is, and that she doesn’t have to do anything she thinks isn’t right anymore. - Anserine sends a letter to ML and FL. She extends an olive branch between their houses and wants to engage in a genuine friendship going forward. Anserine visits the Atalenta estate and meets with ML and FL. They agree on a joint business venture between House Tristan and House Atalenta. - The Atalenta knights are bullying Jessie after overhearing Arthur talk about her taking the knight’s exam. - To try and help Jessie, Arthur ties up Sir Hysen and threatens to cut off his balls if he doesn’t endorse Jessie taking the exam (Hysen objected before). Jessie proves that she’s worthy by beating the worst of the bullies in a spar. - Isis tells Primo that they need to get rid of FL by proving she’s a witch. ML will be forced to divorce FL and Isis will aim to be his new wife so that House Atalenta will support Primo. - FL and Anserine visit Isis at the palace. Isis apologises after admitting she was behind the attempted assassination of Anserine. Isis talks about her ambition to become the next Empress. She wants Anserine to be her 1st knight. - FL suggested a knight exchange between House Tristan (which has male and female knights) and House Atalenta. - Primo is baptised by the Pope. - Nadia Avellar, Primo’s fiancée and daughter of a Count.