I can understand the frustration, but I kind of liked that Rei's ambitions are more small-scale.

There are so many Isekai stories where the main character becomes the big hero who can change the fate of nations; so I found it kind of interesting that Rei is a more-or-less normal person who's just trying to protect herself and the people she cares about during a period of dramatic political and social upheaval. More of an action survivor, rather than an action hero.

When you put it like that, it is actually kind of neat. I can dig that.

There are so many Isekai stories where the main character becomes the big hero who can change the fate of nations; so I found it kind of interesting that Rei is a more-or-less normal person who's just trying to protect herself and the people she cares about during a period of dramatic political and social upheaval. More of an action survivor, rather than an action hero.

Also in terms of villainess isekai its almost always the frumpy Japanese girl who becomes the villainess herself, but in this case Claire is still 100% her "Ohohoho"-ing himedere self with all the doom flags set. Rei is going agaist the grain here somewhat.

last edited at Jan 27, 2022 5:19PM

Oh shit is going down and Rei is showing what her true self is like, in terms of that she is pretty smart trying to do everything without being seen. I wonder how Claire will react to now after she wakes up.

Yeah I think one of the more refreshing aspects of this series was how small scale Rei’s goal are compared to your average Isekai. Rei still gets the protagonist power boost in terms of magic, but the series really isn’t about combat most of the time, and she has no lofty grand plans for taking everything over.

It feels realistic in a lot of ways. Like if I was in a game I had completely memorized I’d also probably do everything I can to accommodate my needs without rocking the boat much, going from having extensive knowledge about something to the fear of the unknown is real as shit lol.

Remind me, who is Lord Lambert?

Honestly, I have to side with the commoners here, the nobility are a bunch of assholes.

Remind me, who is Lord Lambert?

Vice captain of the Order of the Academy, Lene's brother, and a magical tool researcher

Remind me, who is Lord Lambert?

Vice captain of the Order of the Academy, Lene's brother, and a magical tool researcher

Also the one who examined Dede's wand.

Eh, I don't think it's realistic to prevent a revolution even if you have a superpower of a perfect knowledge of the future (more or less), even in this chapter it's clear that e.g. princes don't have all that much of a say in politics despite being mildly symphatetic to commoners to some extent. Even if you thwart some specific events you know about, people are already pissed, something else will spark that unless you're going to engage in some serious high level politics over the span of years to defuse the unrest, do reforms etc etc. Keeping your own ass safe is the smart choice.

(although I do realize I'm talking about realism in a series where we had a floating rpg game menu in the sky)

last edited at Jan 27, 2022 6:36PM

One thing about this chapter and which is a general thing about this story is that, as others have pointed out, Rei's ambitions are very limited to protecting Claire. What I think is very interesting though is how Rei is a goofy thirsty idiot most of the time, but can turn into this ruthless predator when it comes to protecting Claire. We see it in this chapter where she doesn't hesitate at all to put Claire to sleep and basically command Lene, something that is completely out of her usual character. Even her facial expressions are markedly different from her usual self, it's like a completely different side of her.

And I think there's a basic truth about her character here that might be the cause of frustration for so many readers who want her to be more proactive in liberating the commoners and preventing harm: Rei is not necessarily a very good person. She certainly has morals and it's clear already that she seems to have certain sympathies for the commoners' struggle, but it is central to understanding her character that all of this is secondary to her main objective: protect Claire. I'm pretty sure that girl would betray the commoners and see half the kingdom perish in a heartbeat if she thought that'd be the way to save Claire. Personally, I think that what makes her a good and interesting character. She is not interested in being good, in being the hero. She's scheming, she's ruthless and could just as easily become a believable villain, it's all down to the circumstances.

last edited at Jan 27, 2022 6:59PM

She is not interested in being good, in being the hero. She's scheming, she's ruthless and could just as easily become a believable villain, it's all down to the circumstances.

Laughs in part 2. I'm kind of floored by how prescient this is.

last edited at Jan 27, 2022 7:34PM

By the way, how meta is that that some of the readers here have the power of knowing the future as well by the virtue of having read the novel... will you use that power for good?

(no I have no idea what do I mean by that)

last edited at Jan 27, 2022 7:37PM

omg this is happening faster than I expected. I always felt it was pretty long, but all this happened in one chapter! Can't wait for everything that will happen next!!

Though, I wonder how saving Claire will work out then, since it seems that in the original game Claire either died or "fell to the dark side" or something at this point, and Rei just actively prevented it.

My take is that's a future execution scene, which Rei wants to avoid.

Aww Claire is a softie deep down, but i suppose we knew that already.

Also this is great, things are getting so spicy. So much intrigue, and good ol' spooky looking characters in ominous church garb. A classic.

I'll mark this spoiler just in case, but Rei establishes later that she doesn't want to change too much because she risks losing her knowledge of what's coming if she makes too many drastic changes. This is also just a personal theory based on later parts in the series and the two books after this first series, but I also think Rei might be a bit of a sociopath. Like, she has empathy and people she cares about deeply, but would ultimately throw anyone under the bus if it meant protecting Claire. The real Rei is a lot more cunning and cutthroat than the goofy persona she's adopted so far would suggest.

I'm really excited that we're getting so close to the second half of the first story! For those of you who've only read the manga so far and not the novel, that's when the story really takes off and becomes next level stuff ^w^

last edited at Jan 27, 2022 10:22PM

The last bit there made me have a little flashback to about a year ago. (shiver )

i want more XD

maybe i should read the LN,should i read from the beginning?

Remind me, who is Lord Lambert?

Honestly, I have to side with the commoners here, the nobility are a bunch of assholes.

I seen people give u answers to who he is but no one said he's most importantly, Lene's older brother.

last edited at Jan 27, 2022 11:47PM

maybe i should read the LN,should i read from the beginning?

I'd at least skim from the beginning, the manga is a solid adaptation but IIRC it skipped over a few fun details. Plus it'll help if you stick around long enough to read She's So Cheeky for a Commoner.

i want more XD

maybe i should read the LN,should i read from the beginning?

Lol. Most people here I've seen have read the LN already. I think it's super fun seeing what you've read adapted in manga form, so I'd say it's worth reading, especially if you're already invested in the characters. 10/10 yuri read imo.

Lene: "Don't tell me you're also..."

Is she a reincarnation too????

Thanks for the refresher on Lambert, everyone. So Lene's brother, eh? That won't end well.

last edited at Jan 28, 2022 12:25AM

Trying not to sound condescending here, probably failing.

I just find it interesting that some people are completely disregarding the idea of character development, despite it being one of the most fundamental parts of story-telling.

It's just my impression, but people seem to be assuming that Claire and Rei are going to be the same at the end of the story as they were at the beginning. That because Claire is classist at the start of the story, and is not going to grow or change at all.

I can clearly see her starting to fumble around a change for the better... but its more so like she's from what we understand pretty anti-commoner within the bounds of the original game, and rei's presence has been softening that. Claire is the villainess! of a story that sets her against the low class hero. So whatever version most likely retained that opposition to the very end unless like a tropey, badly written "oh ill help you in the end" turn which i dont have any indication to believe is the case? As like its more riffing tropey isekai rather than riffing otome tropes. It's that version that rei initially fell in love with which i take umbrage with, and her affection has preceded any significant character growth. And not like in a "liking bad characters means your bad" type of way, but rather like if you like the classist/racist/etc villain romantically that is a step further, and when you don't have an immediate objection to that once they've become isekai'd into a real person... yeah? Like a real person is absolutely is capable of changing those views and deserves a second chance after the verbal abuse / bullying (which rei seems to indicate was a recurring part of the original game's iteration of her).

IDK. There could have been more care and concern done with this to where like, there's a disconnect between the game versions of these characters, who are dramatized and exaggerated, compared to now they are real sentient people and aren't so melodramatic. their attributes dullen, the princes aren't as perfect, selfless and hot for MC, the villainess isn't so villain-like or as trope-ishly himedere, just haughty and a product of her upbringing. They've KINDA toed this. but it would have been a way better story had this been seriously engaged. Had Rei been like oh shit, that classist shit is actually fucked up, and she has to rebuild and rekindle this idealized fictional character into a real person she can love.

last edited at Jan 28, 2022 1:32AM

i want more XD

maybe i should read the LN,should i read from the beginning?

Lol. Most people here I've seen have read the LN already. I think it's super fun seeing what you've read adapted in manga form, so I'd say it's worth reading, especially if you're already invested in the characters. 10/10 yuri read imo.

i will then,and i think i'll understand the character more by reading the LN

in this case Claire is still 100% her "Ohohoho"-ing himedere self

Please, please, don't remind me of that hideous laughter, it's a blessing we haven't had to see it in the recent chapters. Seriously, every time I read that, my brain automatically recalled that annoying Nanami from Revolutionary Girl Utena and god, do I wish to forget her...