I thought the "us" and "we" meant Mini Michi and Aizawa

Funny how last chapter it felt like we were running straight into the end game but now it seems like were back to slowly walking towards it.

And boy, whatever is inside Ange is seriously fucked up.

This series is fascinating and the author is knocking out of the park for her first serialization.

Considering the way Lapis almost idolizes Natori, the chances of her being willing to share her affections are pretty much zero even after any potential character development kicks in.

Well, Lapis is painfully aware that her affections are harmful to Natori and is willing to push her away when her plan starts to save her, making it somewhat healthy, ironically enough. A true toxic relationship would have Lapis care only for her desires without regard for Natori's wishes or well-being, and the goal of the story is to stop Lapis' plans anyway.

Diana on the other hand comes off as the more toxic of the two, making a very interesting subversion of the usual love triangle dynamics.

The main thing supporting in the text right now is Natori doing dokidoki for both Diana and Lapis (obviously with the latter having far more emphasis). I just think that kind of unexpected plot development would go in line with the story's recurring theme of their lives being divergent from the otome game in surprising ways. Additionally, given all the emphasis on her and her feelings, her ending up as a third wheel would retroactively feel like a harem manga trope character, a pretty girl who falls for the mc without it going anywhere because that's just what pretty girls with a third place prominence in the plot do.

I don't see anything that suggests Natori is developing romantic feelings for Diana, her heart only has eyes for Lapis even if she is too dense to realize it. She obviously likes Diana but her affection for her is filial at best, Diana is a beloved friend but not someone she considers as a potential romantic partner. The story also tends to portray Diana's crush on Natori as something negative, pushing her right into Rubeous manipulative hands and potentially taking over Lapis' role as the villainess.

I really like this direction, it's very interesting (even though the Rubeus thing did develop unusually fast), but I also feel I'm losing the plot a bit - why did Vino-kun even speak in code words to Lapis about Diana fighting some random commoner as if it's all according to their plan? I thought if anything, they're scheming with some nobles or whatever :P And if it's not some kind of spark to begin the evil scheme or purge or whatever the fuck is she even planning at this point, why didn't the servant simply say that Diana is stirring some shit up and you should take a look (not like that's a secret at this point, they're clearly making a public scene?) It's extremely minor but just doesn't seem to make any sense to me.

... but I guess it may be explained in later chapters?

I think the game is adapting to Natori's interference to keep the plot from going off the rails, plus, Lapis' coming to Diana's aid puts Lapis closer to getting Diana's gem, that is the entire reason she approached Diana in the first place.

Is amazing how fast Rubeus went down the villain route, and I can't be the only one getting some serious repressed gay vibes from him, can I? He's coming off as a mirror of sorts to Diana's attachment to Natori, in the sense that they're fixated on the person they built in their mind but not on the real person.

As an aside, I don't get why so many people want a poly ending, I feel like that would cheapen the themes of the series and feel like a cheap copout.

By the way, the series is in the Anime-Japan poll for "the series you want to see animated" of this year, WataOshi was in a previous year's vote and was eventually made an anime so it wouldn't hurt to support this series now. You only need an email account.

https://www.anime-japan.jp/activities/ajranking/vote/

The series is option number 17

No.17 限界OLさんは悪役令嬢さまに仕えたい

I read through this in a sitting and I don't understand what was all that about. It was like watching a Mexican telenovela with the way the plot kept getting contrived and at points, outright dumb. It left a lot of plotlines without a satisfactory resolution or a resolution at all but it still had some weird charm.

Rissa's face in the last panel tho

The timeline where Kiara and Callia actually swapped models.

Funnily, this pic is supposed to be set in their student days.

I keep mixing them up with Shino and Ren

Oooooh, so THAT is how Kobo got conceived

By the way, this one got licensed and will be published in Mexico next year

I love Noefure's reaction in this

Great news everyone! I've started a Tropes page for this work: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Manga/TheFedUpOfficeLadyWantsToServeTheGreatVillainess

Awesome! I'll make sure to help adding examples later.

I enjoyed the subtlety with which Lapis let Diana know that Natori is hers, just the perfect degree of pettiness and veiled threat that is so fitting for a ruthless villainess like Lapis. Very curious about what Gran is planning, he seems to be aware of Lapis' plans and I'm guessing that is what he revealed to Rubeus and if they are planning to use Lapis' newfound affection for Natori and Diana's crush as a way to stop Lapis' plans.

Since Diana's crush is being framed as something "darker" I wonder if her character arc will be about learning to deal with those feelings and ultimately give up on Natori.

Also, my headcanon is that Lapis and Natori did more than sleep that night.

I'm surprised at how much I'm liking this series, having a villainess actually being an evil bitch is a refreshing change of pace. And is funny how Natori is turning Diana gay by accident.

Plus you know, that delicious age gap

I get the impression that Shinohara would be a lot more affectionate if Heke weren't as irresponsible and lazy.

Just so you guys know, the fanbox pics have confirmed that Ursula (the blonde) has a dick.

The only thing we know for sure (because Sabu herself has mentioned in the afterwords of the volumes) is that she is busy.

Yuzu so gay, she can't even remember boys' faces.

I laughed out loud at this part, is so Yuzu.

Still, I find it interesting this is the first time we are tackling the School Festival scenario, which is a staple of mangas set in HS so it is curious that only a decade into, citrus is finally having it. Besides that, I wonder if this is part of a larger plan to have both Aihara Academy and Arata's school merge into a single, mixed institution. From previous chapters, it seems like funding has been a growing worry for both schools so combining them, does make sense.

So, how many chapters are left?