Yes, Natori, the plot proceeds as intended... now that the Heroine has unlocked the Villainess' Familiar route. :D
I wonder if the intended result of this chapter was for the entire readerbase to fall in love with Diana.
It definitely was. Chapter 6 is the opening of volume 2, and if you recall, Diana has been a rather flat and bland character in volume 1 (compared to Lapis), who suddenly started acting inconsistently and violently in chapter 5. I am pretty sure that the author and their editor received feedback from the first volume about it and went back to the drawing board on how they present Diana, effectively removing Lapis for an entire chapter to give Diana enough time to shine and to establish her as a credible rival to Lapis for Natori's heart. And I say they've achieved their goal admirably.
It is astounding to me and almost infuriating that somehow the conclusion Natori came to regarding her nature was that she's selfish and only thinks of herself. That's like Olympic-level mental gymnastics and self-deprecation that I really want her to pull herself from. Hopefully with the help of both Lapis and Diana.
The self-realization Natori had this chapter makes me think that she was either emotionally neglected or even abused as a child. Something like getting repeatedly called a disappointment by her parents and teachers would make a person hypersensitive to expressions of disappointment and disapproval in others, turning it into an emotional driver for the rest of their adult lives. From what I hear such treatment of children who do not immediately excel is common in traditional East Asian cultures.
EDIT: Another point to support my earlier assessment about Diana being a shonen protagonist: on page 13, she says to the prince "I want to become stronger!", which is the universal motto of all shonen protagonists.
last edited at Apr 14, 2023 8:40AM