ladyjlb's manga / #gender bender(39)

Similar to “Ouran” anime but: Less comedy, more about ikemen fan service, extremely shoujo. Bit too cliched and predictable so not good enough to get 4 stars.

Read ch 28 as of 5/6/20

Read ch 7 as of 3/6/20

** Too many plot holes, seemed rushed, stupid FL

DROPPED Read ch 82 as of 10/10/20 - overly melodramatic, plot holes and Main Leads not very likeable.

Ch 42 as of 10/06/22 - rate 3.5 ** End of season 1, Ch 40 - FL is Yeon Lokheun, a girl who grew up as a boy. - Yeon Muhan, ML’s father who was a scholar. - When FL is 3mths old and Muhan is away working, FL’s mother Baek Ayeon is raped and killed by the corrupt local Viceroy. Muhan’s mother and the rest of the household are murdered. The house is also destroyed. Muhan returns to find FL hidden in a basket and the corpse of Ayeon in the snow. - Muhan becomes a wanted fugitive after he kills the Viceroy and 20 guards. He leaves FL in the care of monks at Bokryung Temple in the Gunah mountains. He visits her when she’s 5yo and 7yo. - During the Buddhist festival for All Souls’ Day, 7yo FL thinks Garyun is a celestial maiden. She had always hoped on this day her mother would be able to visit FL as a celestial maiden. - Garyun leaves the ashes of his family at the Buddhist temple. - FL left the temple to live with Muhan and her new stepmother, Wang Seonhae. When FL was 14yo, Seonhae was pregnant. Seonhae suddenly fell ill and gave birth early to a girl, Seoheun. - The doctor says Sanghae needs a herb called Yongnae. This herb is only available from the imperial treasury. - Muhan is arrested at the imperial palace for trespassing and he’s accused of trying to assassinate the Emperor. FL attends the execution of Muhan and attacks the guards. - FL tries to free Muhan but is stopped by Wolhan, one of the Emperor’s personal bodyguards. - 20yo / 22yo Emperor Garyun comes forward from among the crowd of spectators. FL asks to take her life instead of Muhan’s. - Garyun makes a deal with FL. He will spare Muhan’s life and give them the Yongnae herb. In exchange FL’s life belongs to Garyun. He will teach martial arts to FL and help her grow stronger. - 20th Prince (?) became the Emperor. - 3yrs later a shrine was built for his mother, Empress Myunghae. - The Yellow Dragon Empire became more stable - Jingwa, the Left General / Lt. Gen. - Eun Sohyun, Garyun’s favourite concubine (?) - The Blood Dragon Sword is one of the imperial treasures and is a sword that chooses it's owner. FL starts to unsheath the sword and calls forth the Blood Dragon who unseals the Lair of Demons. - Garyun pushes FL into the Lair which closes behind her. She’s expected to use this as an opportunity to become much stronger. - In the Lair, FL meets a vengeful spirit called Seo Tagyun the Ghost of 1000 Souls. He was a powerful warrior and swordmaster. - He promises to give his powers and abilities to FL after she agrees to deliver a jade token to his son. FL becomes Tagyun’s disciple. - FL spends the next year training under Tagyun while fighting the demons and evil spirits in the Lair. - Prince Gagwang and Tagyun were close friends. They fell in love with the same woman, Ryu-An. She chose to be with Tagyun. - After Gagwang became Emperor 30yrs ago, Tagyun was sent to the border region to conquer the barbarians. While Tagyun was away, Gagwang had everyone at Tagyun’s estate slaughtered by Thirayu the Human Dog. Ryu-An was raped and killed by Gagwang. Ryu-An managed to hide their son. - Tagyun asks FL to bring him some water from the Evil Stream in the middle of the Lair. FL sees many colourful mushrooms called Earth Spirit Herbs there. She eats some and coughs up blood. - The Earth Spirit appears and says FL will suddenly gain power from eating the mushrooms. As compensation for eating them, FL must protect the mushrooms until they turn blue. - Sorin, another spirit. He teaches FL how to hide her true self by changing her appearance using a special Qi skill. - 2yrs later, the mushrooms turn blue and FL takes the water to Tagyun. FL is now 17yo. - Emperor Gagwang, Garyun’s father. Gagwang was a tyrant who neglected his duties while he engaged in debauchery. - Empress Myunghae, Garyun’s mother. - 13yo Garyun, the Crown Prince. - Gahan, the 4th Prince and Garyun’s younger brother. - Princess Sohae and Aunt Jangran, Garyun’s family. - Mahae, a concubine and the new Empress. - Prince Gajin, Mahae’s son. - Mahae frames Gahan with a false accusation that has him stripped of his title and imprisoned. He hopes to die so Garyun won’t be targeted. Mahae sends assassins to kill Garyun and his family. - Garyun is forced to flee the palace while everyone he cherishes is killed. Garyun wanders around the country for a few years. 18yo Garyun returns to the palace, kills his father and takes the throne. - Tagyun transferred his soul to FL’s sword. - FL left the Lair and killed Thirayu the Human Dog. - FL delivered the jade token to Tagyun’s son, Taejyu. - FL returns to the imperial palace. Garyun rewards FL by granting her the position of Elite / Head Imperial General. - Nam Daegyun, Garyun’s uncle - Mayung, FL’s falcon / eagle - FL’s first imperial mission is to go to the Muho region that is known for it's pearls. Garyun showed FL some pearls with blood inside them. There has been a sudden increase in deaths. The cost of medicine has also increased. There’s a mysterious epidemic that causes festering wounds. - The local lord Yeo Sumin kidnapped the pearl farmer and his male lover who was one of the water folk. The male lover cursed Sumin which spread to the local people. - FL saves the pearl farmer and his male lover. The pearl farmer kills Sumin. His male lover returns to the ocean and the curse is lifted, ending the epidemic and curing everyone. - Garyun’s 25th bday celebration: - FL hears that Gagwang’s tomb is haunted by a female ghost. FL suspects it’s the spirit of Ryu-An who has been sealed away by Gagwang. FL disguises herself as a court lady and goes to the tomb. - FL frees Ryu-An’s spirit but is cursed by Gagwang’s spirit. - FL escapes when she hears Wolhan. FL collapses in a nearby bamboo forest. She’s found by Garyun who sensed her Qi. - Garyun takes FL to an empty pavilion and dispels the curse from her body. He’s fallen in love with her at 1st sight. - After she’s rested and recovered, with her permission they make love all night (Ch 37). He thinks her name is Yeon (lotus flower). FL disappears in the morning. - Empress Dowager Inhye, Garyun’s grandmother. - Serial killer - Brides of influential families are killed on their wedding night. - Their deaths are made to look like suicides.

Ch 50 as of 27/01/22 - kinda boring - FL learns swordsmanship from her father. He dies when she’s 18yo. Her family history record shows a twin brother name although no such person exists. FL uses the male name to take the knight exam and works as a lower ranked Chiandae knight of the City Watch to support herself. She’s the vice-captain. - FL has a friend, Sir Tissone (sword prodigy) who was assigned to the Imperial Palace Knights but keeps seeking her out. FL prefers to keep her distance so her identity isn’t exposed. - In Eduard Forest, 23yo FL crosses paths w/ 28yo ML Crown Prince Clayore just as he killed his latest fiancé for being a witch. The ML recognises her Arthur family swordsmanship technique and his interest in her is piqued. - ML finds FL again and she eventually agrees to his proposal for a 5 yr contract marriage (ie as a male knight pretending to be a female noble!). The contract marriage to older sister Estelle is also relayed by ML to the noble factions loyal to him. - Love at 1st sight for Sir Tissone when he meets FL as Estelle. - ML takes FL to her new home for the next 5 yrs and is introduced to her carefully selected staff. She is tested by ML and butler Jurgen (formerly ML’s aide) w/ a mock attack by fake assassins. - FL resigns from the knights, citing sister’s marriage - The law states one must be married to take the throne. Empress Albina (a witch, not ML mother) is killing the ML fiancés to prevent him from ascending the throne as Emperor. - FL meets Duchess Rikum (2nd Princess Constance, 2nd of Empress 3 x daughters, also a witch) at a tea party. Constance gifts everyone hand cream which FL finds to be cursed after testing it. - FL learns in the past her father saved ML’s life while he was ML’s personal guard. ML confirms this, and suggests her father kept out of factional politics to allow her to live the life she desired. - For 6mths from engagement ceremony to the coronation, FL must visit the temple everyday for purification to prepare her as a vessel for divinity. The royal bloodline has divine power which is how ML proved to be the missing Crown Prince after he returned. - Engagement ceremony: Viscount Maynard, father of Inase the last ML fiancé, tries to approach FL but is interrupted by Sir Tissone. Later the FL’s carriage is ambushed by 55 knights under the Viscount. FL senses no life energy from the knights. ML arrives before FL strikes the Viscount and purifies some of the corruption. - ML is urgently looking for solution to shore up his support base after the Viscount has been incapacitated. - ML visits FL the next morning just as Sir Tissone is proposing himself as an alternative husband to the ML. FL politely rejects his offer after stopping a potential duel between them. - ML gives update to FL on Viscount Maynard. He’ll be charged with treason but he’s alive and his knights are still unconscious. - To soften the charge, FL offers to use her brother’s name as Count Arthur in this case to protect the Viscount as a supporter of ML. They will pretend it’s a feud between families and House Arthur will make peace. ML agrees and assigns new guards to FL. - FL wants more people that are loyal to her only by her side. She invites her former colleague Quinn and his wife to work under her. - Flower Party: held by the highest ranked unmarried woman, the host is 3rd Princess Ardena and it’s customary to exchange flowers. FL with her short hair arrives late amidst derisive whispers from the other nobles. Most of the ladies give her a Laurent flower which is highly attractive to bees and her basket is soon covered by them. - FL has them removed by an attendant but gifts the same flowers to the ML when she sees him next so he knows what happened. - The 3rd Princess left a note with a cryptic message for FL in her flowers when she left. - The political factions make their move. The Archibald Club (history, blood) and the Calebs (wealth, power) send letters to House Arthur including several marriage offers for Count Arthur. - FL attends an event at the Empress’ palace. As a rule no men are allowed. As she enters she meets Ladies Alyssia (Lisa), Sofia and Fleur who become her new friends. FL sees the 3rd Princess and follows her outside. They speak only after FL gave chase. - The Princess tells FL to leave Alzen the capital city, and that ML won’t win. - FL goes to Lady Quessy’s event (her daughter was another fiancé of ML who died from poison). Constance is there and they speak privately. FL is invited to ally with Constance. The princess seems to summon something from the ground then disappears. - Jurgen brings FL her sword and she stabs into the ground when a monster erupts. FL eventually defeats it by destroying the magic core in its head. (Ch 50) - Constance had suggested for FL to read Melzen’s “Ecology of Witches”. FL asks Jurgen about it. The book was banned by the temple but there’s a copy in the imperial palace library. - If a witch wants to reproduce, she must get permission from the Great Witch.