This series dealt with some mature themes very well. I love the emotionally packed chapter with no dialog. Hits hard.

There's not really any exploration or detail on how the coup was planned over years--it's all about the journey of the MC who was not a major participant in the coup until his role at the end.

... Last updated on April 1st, 2024, 7:27pm

... Last updated on January 28th, 2023, 8:15pm

Bruh this is a must readdd. It’s already extremely rare to read a bl in a European historical setting. And the plot is just 10/10 bro. Like so much tension and like you get to really understand the characters.

(EXTREMELY MILD SPOILERS AHEAD, SKIP TO CONCLUSION IF U WANNA AVOID)
Also, Shin (glasses mc) is such bes boi potential, he’s smart asf, he manipulated other people so that his king can get a shit ton of benefits and not die. Like bruh and also when Wolfgang rescues Shin it was like so damn satisfying. And the two mls are also technically childhood friends and as adults they have unconditional trust with each other (despite shin doing so much suspicious stuff Wolfgang still trusts him since he knows shin does everything for him :’D)

CONCLUSION=
READ IT! there is no other story like this!! The plot, tension, and drama is so damn well constructed and there is so much character development broo.

... Last updated on August 22nd, 2020, 11:30am

Needs more women that aren't fridged since the authors write them fantastically, while alive that is. Also requires a bit of suspension of disbelief to stage a rebellion when adults are lead by a bunch of teenagers (very capable, nonetheless). Full Metal Alchemist and My Hero Academia did this quite well with balancing the responsibilities of the adults and the younger generation.

Despite that, it's well-drawn, well-written, and well-executed. But this isn't just a story about a shadow manipulator intent to take down the current PoS king with his own chosen pawn (hence the title), it's a love story on the human condition--the good and the very fucked up.

Super excited for the second season.

Edit: Well, now that there's no evil villain, that part about me saying that the characters are teenagers staging a rebellion? Now it's even more obvious they're still young because that's not how diplomacy works, people! Though I suppose that's on the authors and not the characters themselves. Removed my rating since I haven't read beyond the first few chapters of Season 2 and I'm no longer interested in reading beyond it.

... Last updated on April 27th, 2021, 6:19am

Starts off reminding me of the first story from Shin Mizukami's "Rikara."

This is the kind of BL we could only dream about in the 90s. It's a very serious Shounen-type story about war, rebellion, & revolution, while also being about romance between men without any of the trappings of Japan's most cliche BL tropes. it's like a BL artist & a Bara writer came together & compromised.

Fujoshis, gay men, & people who enjoy stories about war & kingdoms but also don't care that the romance is only between men will enjoy this.

I'm not sure whybthis is listed as Yaoi instead of BL. There is no sex or nudity, but occasional bits of fully clothed dry-humping, unfortunately.

... Last updated on November 18th, 2020, 3:03pm