I like the premise but I wish the drawings leaned into the edge a bit more. The expressions especially feel kind of stiff

Question, is it just me, or has Diana become super hate-able?
Diana just decided she wanted to show off and don't listen to her team. And just keeps trying to do weird things.

I'd say both Lapis and Diana have become hate-able recently.

God forbid women do anything

last edited at Mar 21, 2025 11:03AM

A little too subtle for my tastes, wish we'd seen something more, but love the characters and the concept.

Yeah it just kind of ended before it got anywhere. It was kind of a Flowerchild-ian setup too, bummer.

last edited at Mar 21, 2025 10:51AM

If I had a nickel for every yuri couple that had a puke-flavored first kiss, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice.

Sigh Okay, I'll bite. What's the other one

You might wonder how fucked up you'd have to be to ship these two characters together, given the circumstances, and that would be a great question to ask Intelligent Systems, who made Rhea a completely real and valid romance option in the game. Meaning that this doujin is, in fact, almost completely canon-compliant, magical disappearing penises notwithstanding.

The lore made it better thank you

Hell yeah this was really well done. Worth the wait

It might bear mentioning that even beyond the title itself being a blunt summary of how the two meet, Lapis and Natori have always had the more complicated dynamic in the abstract. Natori being in her mid-20s and an "oracle" gives her considerable leverage over both Lapis and Natori who are teenagers. But Lapis is a high ranking noble and Natori's villainous employer, while Diana is a commoner hero whose main leverage over Natori is being her 'bias' (which she doesn't know). Natori with Lapis vibrates with conflict and drama just from its basic description.

Then as the story goes on, Lapis further establishes herself as the other romantic lead and -putting aside any moral concerns- a believable target of Natori's affection, in part because the context of the relationship provides Natori with excuses to pretend that her motivations are pure. Natori can tell herself that Lapis just makes her feel valued as an employee, and inspires her to do her best. And later, that she just wants to bring Lapis back from the brink so she doesn't destroy the country and herself for revenge. This kind of denial of feelings, a sublimation of desire into a greater 'mission', is a staple of romance.

None of that is to say that Diana is boring, in fact I find her pretty compelling, and I look forward to where the story will take her. And Lapis being Natori's romantic counterpart does not make their relationship inherently compelling, as that depends on how well it's executed. (I actually wasn't fully on board with them until around volume 3.) I just felt like talking about the ways an endgame pair can be recognized. Most (if not all) of us can do this without thinking about it, but I think it can be helpful to be aware of the underlying logic.

As a Diana fan, I am most relieved by the introduction of a new love interest.

Me too! I figured something had to give eventually, but I'm still pleasantly surprised. I wonder if this quiet girl will be able to reveal a side of Diana we haven't seen before. I do also want to see her befriend the other girls on her team because they seem nice and I don't think she has any friends other than Gran and the love triangle she's involved in...

last edited at Mar 15, 2025 2:55PM

Hoyoung is adorable but she should be with a girl who actually likes her

Remember men, if you don't pay attention to your wife, another woman will.

But the husband didn't suffer any consequences here. Lesbian sex is not seen as 'real' sex by most people, and his wife still loves him even after this woman gave her her first orgasm. She will continue to do all the childcare and domestic labor for him, and he can continue to neglect her. It's pretty sad actually.

last edited at Mar 12, 2025 7:36PM

This kinda cliché "I trust them anyway" development doesn't really feel earned at this point. There should've been a bit more development to make such a statement feel substantiated with something besides "those are the protagonists so of course".

I mean, her life was literally saved the knight, no? We’ve seen Frost go out to fight and try and save ppl (albeit not in the best way, but still)

It’s obvious Frost isn’t as malicious as ppl paint her, and trusting the person you’re married to and share a roof under over a person you literally just met (and also confessed they don’t know WHY frost even killed “his” dad) makes enough sense to me

And it’s not even blind trust—“I’ll just ask Frost what happened instead of immediately leaving “him””— is basically what happened lol

Yeah a hugely important part of this exchange is Do you know why Frost did those things? No? Okay then, I will uncover the truth myself. Combined with this exact line "I refuse to make assumptions out of fear". I don't think this is cliché or unreasonable. Our protagonist entered into a marriage with someone that people judge without knowing the whole picture, and she wants to determine the truth for herself without giving into rumors based on fear mongering. She's being level headed and reasonable, especially as she knows this woman selling her these claims has an agenda because it's obvious, and she's known this woman for even less time than Frost.

This chapter was great in my opinion, especially as there was no real reason for her to go against Frost here anyways. She has decided to trust Frost up to this point as a wife, why would she fold easily now? That would be absurd.

One other reason Clarice's choice makes sense to me is that she was definitely hesitating a bit. She admits to herself the possibility that Frost has been misleading her, but she chooses to have faith in Frost's humanity (almost in the literal sense, because everybody else only knows the Black Knight as a silent, walking armor). Clarice knows she is in a unique position that makes her possibly the only person at this time who can advocate for Frost in this way, and she is a kind girl to a fault.

And another one is that throughout the story Clarice has been shown to be bold, bordering on reckless. She volunteered to be the bride of the Black Knight, despite his terrifying reputation, because she just loves her family that much, and perhaps does not value her own safety quite enough. And since then, she has been rolling with the punches. "The Black Knight is a woman? No problem, we can still consummate the marriage. She threatened to kill me to protect her secret? Well, maybe she will reconsider if I pretend to be in love with her. All the chefs resigned? No problem, I'll be the chef." And so on. We could say that Violet's warning that Clarice's life is in danger comes a little too late.

I think the revelations from Violet upset Clarice more because she does not see her marriage to Frost as just a scheme to save her family anymore. If the marriage was still pure business, it would be easy for her to say no to Violet, as it would just be the next step in the scheme. Clarice is a kind girl who does not like to see the townspeople suffer, but even if Violet is right about Frost, running away from Frost would not by itself help the townspeople. So the aspect of irrationality in this exchange is not that Clarice says no to Violet. It's that she wants to believe that people are wrong about Frost, even though dismissing Frost as a bad person could make her feel better about trying to use Frost's wealth to help her own family. Cliché or not, that kernel of irrationality is kind of unavoidable in a yuri/romance plot, especially of this type.

Now, this is just speculation, but I have some ideas for how Clarice started to feel something so quickly, in this crazy marriage. I mentioned above the unique position where she might be the only one who knows who Frost is when the armor comes off. Frost may be an impulsive and insecure person with a horrible temper, but she is a person, and on top of that a really tall and beautiful woman (a "ridiculously hot" "mythical goddess"). I think that contrast alone, between the silent war machine everyone sees vs the weird but still human woman only Clarice can see, is messing with her head a little bit. It's more than just a humanizing effect because Clarice has had to shoulder the knowledge alone. And given her terrible first impression of Frost's personality, every small concession (praising the food Clarice makes, the chess game, the "date" in Lübeck) Clarice has been able to get out of her becomes magnified. She noted to herself that she has gotten better at "handling" Frost, and I think having that exclusive ability to influence Frost is part of why she is no longer that scared of her. As the plan to seduce the Black Knight feels like a more and more real possibility, it starts to feel like more than just a means to an end.

I have this weird feeling like the mangaka introduced a character intending them to be one way and then lost control and let them talk until they were another way.

So far I see nothing here except a basic case of the first impressions about the character being challenged by new information. Even if the price gouging ends up being completely swept under the rug -which is not something I'm inclined to assume yet- it would not be "weird" because wrongdoing being overridden by backstory or one big heroic act is a pretty common thing in more pulpy media.

last edited at Mar 9, 2025 5:08PM

I don't usually care about fandom polls, but @asterist really cooked with the character descriptions. God bless

It stood out to me that the Mom had short, dark hair when she made an appearance in this chapter, after having seen her only with long, dyed hair in the flashbacks. So I figured she would receive some focus, but of course I didn't expect a sudden hospitalization. Still, that cough in chapter 4's flashback might have been a shorthand for her being in poor health from working too much.

Mmm... I love the premise but the contrast between the two wasnt enough to support (see what I did there?) such a dramatic reaction. I'd rather the boss was a bit bigger; even by realistic Japanese standards those are no G-cups.

The newbie's boss is really strict with her at work, and then she encounters the same woman outside of work, not just naked but with her hair down, glasses off, sweaty, and less scary (she's not scolding the newbie). I would find her reaction believable even if the boss turned out to be flat chested. A straight girl would not have reacted like that in any case. Sure, slack jawed and openly staring is a little out there, but this much exaggeration should be permissible given how short the comic is.

last edited at Mar 7, 2025 11:32PM

It's hard for me to evaluate the light novel on its own merits quite yet, given that all the parts I read so far were already covered by the manga, but I do feel like I unlocked a whole new layer of a story I already knew, and I have been looking forward to every update since I took the plunge. Comparing it to its SFF yuri light novel peers, the relationship writing in TCR is as delicate and high-definition as it is in MagiRevo (if not more), while the world building is as meticulous as it is in Executioner; the latter already shines through mostly unimpeded in the manga version, but the light novel really helped me fully appreciate the former.

It really is, I'm not sure how else to say it, "more" gay. Of course, reading the manga you can tell something is going on between these two, but reading the same story beats in the light novel feels almost like reading ahead of the manga because the romance is so much more upfront.

last edited at Mar 7, 2025 10:56PM

Go see a psychologist girl, you really need one.

if these two go to therapy, this manga would be cut to about ¹/¹² of its length.

basically, rn, we are their therapists
(but they don't listen to us)

now that i think about it, this is probably a good model for half the manga labelled Introspective.

Having made the jump to the web novel, I'm impressed with how much mileage the story can get out of keeping these two in the pressure cooker they made for themselves, especially with the minimalist cast. I was a little skeptical when I saw people gushing about it, but it really works.

I think the situation is delicate in a way that therapy not being on the table is something I find easy to accept, at least this early. The thing about therapy is that -except when mandated by court order or you get committed/taken in by ambulance- it's voluntary and requires some level of willingness. And it can be hard to realize that you need it if nobody around you suggests it in an encouraging, non-judgmental way.

The vibe of this ship feels like a throwback, in a good way

Yeah, chapter 8 is massive! From Diode moving in and slowly getting more comfortable, to visiting Terra at the archive, then finally the kidnapping attempt.

Diode secretly doing ninja training was funny to imagine, but I'm not clear on how she was planning to hijack the ship. Was she trying to buy a digital hacking tool on the black market?

I did not expect that the lap pillow moment after the kidnapping attempt was actually the reversal of an earlier, even more tender lap pillow moment where Terra is the one being comforted. And she really is right on the cusp of seeing the full picture! Diode dropped the bombshell about Eda and Magiri soon after, so I wonder if getting some confirmation that Terra doesn't want to get married gave her the final push.

Honestly I don't think this is subtext this would just a be a slowburn romance starting at the very end of this. I do hope we get some kind of follow up to see if these two continue to get closer. Both of them are beautiful without their masks that was a fun reveal at the end. Though part of my honestly wanted Mizuno to have like meth mouth with no teeth or something just for a silly ending haha.

On a reread, I can't see this as anything but an emotional affair; works have been tagged as yuri here for less. The characters seem to believe this is platonic but they both look like they are experiencing the same high as a pair of people with a massive crush on each other. The nervous yet burning excitement that never fades away and the near bliss when they get that 15-minute-long fix for the day. The way they stick to this routine without a proper introduction, exchange of contact info, and dropping of the mask; afraid of taking the next step yet yearning for more. Miyashita fantasizing about Mizuno's smile, being jealous of Mizuno's friends, and feeling guilty about the story she wrote. Mizuno submitting a response to Miyashita's story as a scheme to reconnect, bursting into tears from relief, and absolutely stunned when Miyashita dropped her mask, making her even more nervous about what Miyashita thinks of her face. Then that final line.

I don't really mind the subtext tag, I just don't see ambiguity here lmao

Falling into a gas giant is pretty scary... I wonder if their ship was totally annihilated? It can't imagine a reason they would eject the cockpit by itself.

We're nearing the climax so I'm really excited for the next chapter (I really like this part in the novel), but almost certain now that the adaptation won't go past the first volume. I'm guessing we'll only be seeing 3 more chapters at most. orz
I hope that I'm wrong though... but with the amount of things that were skipped, I'm keeping my hopes low.

Yeah given that the novel series ended I'm not optimistic either :(

Incidentally, why was Takahashi there? Does she suddenly care enough about Itou to stalk her? Then she must have followed them from the school to Mr. N's apartment. So much for not infringing on another monster's territory.

https://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/normality_and_monsters_ch10#3

I guess by territory she meant Itou? Takahashi saw her first after all

Kohaku is really growing on me. Just look at that face

Thank you so much for the chapter! I was a bit surprised that the winning catch was just summarized in a conversation. And that “what am I to you” line... Diode wants to be somebody for Terra so bad!

Also, I caught a few typos a while ago; I'll put them here if that's okay.

---

Prologue

Not single mountain or tower jutted from that sea of clouds.

• suggestion: "not a single mountain"

The real-time transmission from the 150mm refractor pointed downwards from the dome Insidious' lower decks incited the same reaction from the bridge crew.

• suggestion: "from the dome of the Insidious' lower decks" or "from the dome to the Insidious' lower decks"

She went into more detail about very unusual composition, as well as the structural differences between fish on Earth and FBB.

• suggestion: "about their very unusual composition"

Ch. 4

“Sort of, but how do you know that?!” Diode voice raised into a near-shriek and —Gah!—covered her face.

• suggestion #1: "Diode's voice rose to a near-shriek and —Gah!—she covered her face"
• suggestion #2: "Diode raised her voice to a near-shriek and —Gah!—covered her face"

You may laugh at Wakaba taking the finger bite so seriously, but is that fair? Each girl in that other transactional yuri series laughs it off when her not-girlfriend leaves a mark on her body, but proceeds to obsess over the mark anyway and gets sad when it disappears. Maybe Wakaba is actually ahead of the curve...

like just...can they both run away?

I have a feeling the story might take that path, but probably not at this point, more likely as the plot intensifies. The way the story is unfolding reminds me of many historical yuri-themed manga and manhwa, like Ghosts of Grey Woods, Her Tale of Shim Chong, and Goodbye, My Rose Garden.

bruh! what plot intensified do you mean? when she get to fuck her new husband? hope NOT!
ugh i just feel my blood boiling at the whole thing

I haven't read the first of those three but there was no such plot point in the latter two. Shim Chong is supposed to be blood boiling at times, but not it that way. And Rose Garden is relatively chill for a historical Yuri manga.

You're using some pretty awful language by the way; "fucking her husband" makes it sound like getting married is something Ayano is actively choosing to do. Marital rape was also not a crime until very recently in most of the world, meaning that a woman's right to deny sex from her husband was not recognized by the law. Ayano is being groomed into a marriage as a teenager, and if it goes through her husband may try to get her to consent to sex through coercion, but he will have no legal obligation to do even that much.

last edited at Feb 20, 2025 8:51AM

@AdvancedBreadFruit damn I hope this turns out to be true