This one was a good one! I originally read this way back in 2021, when I started to read manhwas, and decided to wait till it was finished. I completely forgot about it until a few days ago, when I dovured the rest.
What can I say. Great art, loved it very much, IMHO anything that is not the generic art style of 90% of manhwas is a breath of fresh air, and this one is quite good.
The first part of the story, with Peony trying to "woo" Richt, was okay but hardy original. The story becomes more intriguing but the pace moved too fast once Ritch and Peony come to the capital. I read about the difference between the manhwa and the novel, and boy the novel takes it's time. it's way more angsty (which is not necessarily good), but gives it time to turn the tables on Ritch and Peony in a more believable, realistic manner. This just feels so fast... This mismach between the slow but boring first part, and then the rushed but more dynamic second part, was also a bit of a killer.
Ritch and Peony are okay characters. Neither is what I prefer in isekai (Ritch isn't a yandere, and Peony is sweet but airheaded and too stubborn), but they are realistic and not Mary Sues, and after reading so many low quality works, this was a refreshing change!
However, Peony is often displayed in a more positive light than she really is, namely let's not forget she bullheadedly wanted to sway a man to love her. If a man did to a woman, he would be called a bully and a violent man. This often happens in manhwa, the author wants to show a character as lilly white, and often, he just isn't. But overall Peony is a good person, so we can forget this transgression. Ritch is a tsundere, an okay one, but nothing exceptional. His back story was tragic and well written, but not explored enough. Especially his mother, she wasn't portrayed with enough depth, and I think this is a huge omission on the part of the mangaka.
IMHO; the highlight of the story is the trio Ritch/Hestia/Michael. Now this was interesting! I loved it that Michael and Hestia are self righteous idiots! As many reviewers noted before me, Hestia friend-zoned Richt (who was desperately in love with her), but them actively meddles in his life and blocks his potential new romances just by being there. And Michael was so off hand about Richt, we learn that Richt literary sacrificed his life's purpose to become an Emperor (that his mother was impubed him with, but still), to help Michael, and Michael just lets him become a completely marginalized Grand Duke in one of the poorest countries in the Empire. They are so two faced it's scary realistic! Too bad they only have relatively small roles in the story. I would love to learn more about Hestia and Michael's courtship and marriage.
But overall, this was a solid, okay read, and in the end I really vouched for our FL and ML to get together. It did tug at my heart strings, so I would say it's a success!
