Is it bad that I really like Diana?

No, it's not. She is a good person, if easily manipulated by those of not-so-good intentions.

https://x.com/nekotarou0721/status/1879472226657063404

Cool Lapis animation made by Nekotarou to remind people to vote for the series in this year's "manga we want to see animated" poll

Seven Seas has licensed this one as part of their Yuri V-day catalog: https://bsky.app/profile/sevenseasentertainment.com/post/3lhz335ewkj2e

I know. That there's no way that this'll end off so simply as "Diana stops being a LI after the sports match". Look at it from a meta level: Three volumes in, and the covers have gone from Lapis and Natori, to Diana and Natori, to Lapis and Diana. In addition, the mangaka continues to make art of Natori with Diana, and with the three together. The mangaka has passed up chance after chance to cut off Diana's branch. When there was an inkling of Diana and the prince possibly ending up together after all, they chose to reject the possibility, and even went so far as to say that Diana would end up with NO male character. Instead of Diana showing any jealousy at all towards Lapis, Diana has repeatedly treated her interactions with Natori as special and a good thing (except when Lapis does something dumb that hurts her), while flipping out at the thought of Gran getting too close to Natori. They avoided turning Diana into an antagonist, and then even went so far as to have Diana try to outright admit defeat and entrust Natori with Lapis, but she got stonewalled and ended up not being able to let go.

At this point, I think it's safe to say that Diana's not going anywhere: not in terms of plot, and not in terms of romance either. So the way I see it, there's two ways for this to end up: either we go full harem anime and make Natori choose Lapis at the last minute, or we go poly - and I'd like to make it clear that IT STILL COUNTS AS POLY REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT LAPIS AND DIANA ARE DATING - and I have faith that the mangaka won't go as far as to do the former.

I don't care what islamophobic anecdotes you bring up or what statistics you dig out of studies of patriarchal systems, it's still 'legit' poly and it can be perfectly healthy. You don't even need to go in from the start under the framework of heavily pre-negotiated poly with schedules and such, especially not with just 3 people (though it's not like that'd be a major obstacle with Little Miss Accounting involved).

To toss my hat in the ring of "people in polycules with hanging links" along with that earlier poster, I'm happy to be in one of those hanging lines - I'm in a relationship with a girl I love, and she's in a relationship with a few other people, and or two of them have or used to have a partner of their own, whether that partner has a relationship with my girlfriend or not. My relationships with my metamours range from close friends to minor acquaintances to vicarious crushes, and that's fine to me. I might end up closing a vertex or two as I get to know them better, but I'm happy as I am now, being able to be in a relationship with a girl I love, and knowing that she's getting plenty of affection even when I'm not able to contribute to that myself, and this is something we all just happened to slip into a little at a time. Nothing unhealthy about that.

Anyway, I feel like people have been missing the signs of a spark between Diana and Lapis; the fact that Lapis' initial facade toward her had her basically calling them soulmates, the way that Gran observed that Diana mentally put Lapis and Natori in their own special category, the touchy-feelyness that Lapis shows in one-on-one conversations with Diana, Diana getting blushy when Lapis gets close to her, the art with the two alone together... Don't count the final component ship out just yet. Even this upcoming sports plot could become a way for them to get closer - what better way for them to bond than a (relatively) low stakes sports rivalry?

last edited at Feb 15, 2025 7:13AM

Actually, it seems that Diana has a new love interest

https://x.com/nekotarou0721/status/1890300375233958211

last edited at Feb 18, 2025 12:18AM

Erm, I am happy for her, but who even is that girl? O__o

Erm, I am happy for her, but who even is that girl? O__o

They meet during the recent volumes' magical sports tournament and Diana helps/inspires her when they team up. They form a duo basically and have been the focus for the last couple of chapters. She's catching feelings and is becoming Diana's "Diana," basically.

As for the previous longer comment, Diana is one of the 3 mains. Nekotarou will always show her in the material but Natori has still not really shown any romantic interest in Diana. It has been mostly an "oshi," favorite character, best friend relationship thus far (you can blush, have touching moments, and be happy around friends).

A clearer example of this dynamic is "Gal Maid & Villainess: Only Milady's Happy End Will Win!" That series is basically an extreme, comedic spoof of the "Fed Up Office Lady" series, with the same difference between " oshi/friend love" for the "hero character" and the MC's deeper relationship with her Villainess.

Most importantly, even Diana understands that she's viewed differently than Lapis, which is a core part of her struggle and her desire to find creative ways to "take" Natori away and compete. The story has not been shy about that reality. Natori's feelings and behavior for Lapis and Diana have not been the same and this new character could be the offramp I expected to see eventually, though this is earlier than I thought. I do expect more chaos but in the end, I've never seen it going Diana's way and I feel the author hasn't yet hinted otherwise. If things change, I'll comment on it but that's how it is as of chapter 24.

last edited at Feb 18, 2025 11:13AM

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

As Nevik and others have mentioned, Natori was not showing the same romantic attraction for Diana as she was for Lapis. Diana could see that and was suffering for it.
Diana never had a chance at beating Lapis in the Natori Bowl and poly seemed unlikely.
I wasn't looking forward to reading more chapters where Diana continues to suffer more and more from this doomed love.

But now there is light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully the author can create some convincing chemistry between Diana and this new character.

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

As Nevik and others have mentioned, Natori was not showing the same romantic attraction for Diana as she was for Lapis. Diana could see that and was suffering for it.
Diana never had a chance at beating Lapis in the Natori Bowl and poly seemed unlikely.
I wasn't looking forward to reading more chapters where Diana continues to suffer more and more from this doomed love.

But now there is light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully the author can create some convincing chemistry between Diana and this new character.

I think we still have more problems between the 3 coming but this new character is very cute, for sure. That was a Valentine's picture from Neko too. She always seems to have fun with those.

last edited at Feb 18, 2025 11:11AM

just found this manga last night and all caught up now. im so invested and loving the story. last update was Nov last year. hope this is still on-going T_T.
Waiting for the release of the 1st vol. I'm so buying this one.

The series is still going, the Japanese raws are up to chapter 25.

I definitely read this chapter before, why is the translation so slow?

Translations are back!

So, Diana's new girlfriend is a noble, eh? That Lapis is pretty cunning.

Diana is a sweetheart, I do not want her to experience any of the heartbreak she is heading for. ;__;

So, Diana's new girlfriend is a noble, eh? That Lapis is pretty cunning.

Huh, it seems that way. I was certain that it was going to turn out to be her new captain (whom I really like by the way, for saying things like they are and not giving a shit), but the hairstyle is pretty unambiguous. Can't say anything about Alexandra at the moment, but if she is an agent of Lapis, her job may be to ensure that Diana wins the tournament, so Lapis can hand Natori off to her. Too bad that for all her cunning, Lapis does not seem to understand how feelings work at all.

last edited at Mar 14, 2025 5:51AM

Oh, Lapis is schemin'

I really really really hope Alexandra doesn't turn out to be a baddie, or a spy or anything like that.

She's so cute, I love her already.

The author has made Diana too likable for how much of a doomed ship she is.

Reminder that "Real demo Shiawase ni Shite Kudasai ne?" exists as a manga where the main VN heroine earnestly pursuits the protagonist and actually has a chance.

The author has made Diana too likable for how much of a doomed ship she is.

Reminder that "Real demo Shiawase ni Shite Kudasai ne?" exists as a manga where the main VN heroine earnestly pursuits the protagonist and actually has a chance.

That one is officially a harem though, so everyone has a chance (and will probably succeed in some way). The styles aren't the same.

last edited at Mar 14, 2025 1:52PM

Well, that was interesting...

I had a bit of a chuckle when the Captain immediately folded and let Diana on the team, blushing as they shook hands.

THE GOAT IS BACK

(⁠・⁠o⁠・⁠) so Diana san is having a new interest in the future..
Lapis sama sounds like she's heading for her old route to become the villainess.
As for Natori san, her presence has indeed change the story, however not the way she intended, it seems.

last edited at Mar 14, 2025 10:04PM

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

Polycule ending with all 4 or I riot

(at least it seems Diana can have some happiness too if this goes the expected route)

oh you can just block the whole damn goal, that seems balanced