What do you think?
Rate this book
ループ7回目の悪役令嬢は、元敵国で自由気ままな花嫁（人質）生活を満喫する (Novel) #5
7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! (Light Novel) Vol. 5
WHEN OLD FLAMES ATTACK!Now that Rishe has resolved the counterfeiting scheme and renewed her vows to Arnold, the couple is all set for their wedding. The two slip away to attend an opera, only for the prima donna to collapse at the start! Later, the distressed diva gushes to Rishe about her knightly paramour, who happens to be a key figure in future-Arnold's plans. Could it be more than coincidence? And why is Rishe's former fiance here, sticking his nose in her business?!
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2023
105 people are currently reading
438 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
March 29, 2024
So. Romantic! THAT EPILOGUE!! The feels, the feels!!
So thankful this series hasn’t jumped the shark like my past favs have, at least not yet anyway.
5, yes please give me more, stars!
So thankful this series hasn’t jumped the shark like my past favs have, at least not yet anyway.
5, yes please give me more, stars!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2024
In some ways a plot-light volume, in other ways, it gives lots of context to the previous volumes! I love how sweet on her Arnold is in this volume!!
October 12, 2024
3.5⭐ Their relationship is progressing but the plot is dragging.
I love them enough to keep reading though 😅
I love them enough to keep reading though 😅
June 1, 2024
Did she have to redeem Dietrich. I was perfectly happy thinking he would be stripped of his role of crown prince. Is he seriously trying to excuse his accusing Rishe of a false crime and humiliating her in public for her own good since he thought she wouldn’t be happy as crown princess?
I don’t feel sorry for Hermity king if he only apologizes to Rishe because of Arnold.
Sigh. The main couple are horrid at romantic communication
I don’t feel sorry for Hermity king if he only apologizes to Rishe because of Arnold.
Sigh. The main couple are horrid at romantic communication
May 10, 2024
I unashamedly love this series.
July 29, 2024
Rishe (and Arnold) clearly needed to live through all of the loops before this one in order to fully understand the complicated international politics going on - Arnold perhaps became a warmonger because he didn't have Rishe to offer perspective, and she wouldn't have that perspective unless she'd experienced (and learned) so many different careers. Does that make this the smartest light novel series I'm reading? Maybe not, but it certainly is a top contender.
June 12, 2024
peak slow burn romance
ABSOLUTE PEAK
and my fifteen year old self is so here for it
ABSOLUTE PEAK
and my fifteen year old self is so here for it
November 9, 2024
I’m in love with Prince Arnold…
At that instant, they shared another soft kiss.
We know
At that instant, they shared another soft kiss.
We know
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2024
I definitely love this two, but this volume had a lot of unnecessary stuff. Even though, I loved this last scenes and I’ll be waiting for the volume 6 to be translated 🤗
December 6, 2024
As per usual, the final chapter and epilogue are amazing and wonderful and make me wanna start the next volume immediately!!!!!!! Rishe is super oblivious to Arnold’s love, and Arnold is hanging on by a thread with her innocent inquiries and actions. Love them! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧
December 7, 2024
Show-stopping. Phenomenal. 10/10 excellent intrigue and fun lore drops that I didn't expect as well as tying back to things I'd nearly forgotten about. Is it insane to call a light novel series genius?? Either way, I'm constantly grinning while reading this series. I think about it all the time.
May 27, 2024
I'm liking the couples progression along with the new threat.
July 4, 2025
The plot of this one was...disappointing. The reading process was a lot slower for me this time, which I thought might've just been oversaturation from spending too much time in a single series, until I got deep enough into the story to realize very little was making sense.
Arnold and Rishe are back at home now, preparing for the wedding, which I'd honestly thought would take place in this volume, considering it's only a short time away now. Instead, they take a break to attend an opera performance, which turns into an elaborate spies-among-us plotline with the least interesting new characters in the series thus far.
Prince Dietrich's return was surprising but fun. I enjoyed seeing more of his over-the-top personality and the truth behind his relationship with Rishe. Since they'd essentially been engaged since birth, she thinks of him as a childhood friend, and holds very little resentment towards him. Some of that's likely due to the number of exceptionally interesting lives she's been able to lead since he broke off their engagement. She's significantly more mature than her ex-fiance now, although that was pretty much always true.
Rishe's backstory isn't as horrific as Arnold's, but it seems like this may be the first lifetime where she really lets herself think about how difficult and oppressive the first fifteen years of her life were. Dietrich was loud and selfish and jealous, but it was her parents who were truly at fault: the people who should've supported and encouraged her but who'd told her repeatedly that she had no value as her own person.
She was born to be the crown prince's wife, which meant she had to be perfect in all the proper wifely ways, but not too perfect, because it was unacceptable to be better than the prince at anything. So things like horse riding and swordsmanship lessons were halted once she showed too much skill. It's no wonder, then, that as soon as she got her freedom, she threw herself into learning everything and excelling in all the ways she'd never been permitted.
This element is one of the really good parts of this volume. Each so far has been set up as an opportunity for her to revisit one of her past lives and fold it into her current one. Instead of moving from her fifth (hunter/spy) to sixth (knight killed directly by Arnold's blade), we take a break in this volume for her to dip back even more, to the "crown prince's fiancee" role she'd never really emotionally dealt with.
In the process, she helps to save Dietrich from his future fate - trying to overthrow his father and failing badly - but more importantly, she truly realizes what it is that she values about Arnold and her relationship with him. And she's finally able to tell him that in the epilogue - expressing her gratitude for how much he trusts her and not only "allows" her to be true to herself, but pays attention to what it is that she wants and finds ways to help her achieve her goals. It's an incredible partnership.
With that in mind, one of the things I'd initially felt was a plot hole turned out to make a decent amount of sense. Which is to say, it was utterly absurd for Rishe to stand on a brightly lit stage, acting as bait for all the assassins in the shadows. There is absolutely no way Arnold would ever permit such an idiotic, dangerous plan, I thought. But...that's kind of the point. That within the context of this world, where training and skill allow someone at the height of their powers to identify people in an audience by "sensing their malice," or to unerringly knock away arrows flying at them, Arnold is simply showing faith in Rishe's abilities.
Still a little bit over-the-top, but I'll accept this as fun hero and heroine bonding times and let the logical bits go.
Not so with a lot of the rest, though...including that entire theatre setup to begin with.
So, the storyline now is that there's some sort of shadow power trying to manipulate things behind the scenes. They were most visible in the previous volume, with a little country trying to topple a superpower's economy by counterfeiting their money. But it turns out this has actually been going on for a while, all the way back to Rishe and Arnold meeting at her engagement-ending ceremony.
I appreciate that this series takes a lot of very specific genre tropes, like a prince throwing a public party to shame his "villainess" bride, and tries to work them backwards into a far more complex plot. Dietrich got manipulated into these actions by someone whose main goal was to pull Arnold to a small country with narrow roads where he might be more vulnerable. This explains Arnold being at the party to begin with - he'd only gone because he was suspicious and curious by such a direct and pointless invitation - and the bandits' attack on their return journey.
Still, some of those threads seem to be left hanging. For instance, Rishe had specifically pointed out that Arnold hadn't killed any of those bandits, but their fate after that was never mentioned. If Arnold was trying to track down a big foreign spies plot during that journey, he would've taken them into captivity to interrogate them, right? Did he try, and get nothing out of them?
That brings us to the present, where the renowned opera singer who faints onstage at the start of her performance, then forms a romantic attachment with the knight who carries her to the doctor, turns out to be the spy Arnold's been searching for.
Well, one of them. And...not a very good one?
I get that with the way each volume has been structured, it has to be set up for Rishe to rescue/redeem Sylvia, showing that people aren't inherently evil just because they've been caught up in bad circumstances. But so much of Sylvia's existence seemed pointless. And she just wasn't very interesting as a character.
Her introduction seems, initially, like she's a fairly mature performer, known around the world - Rishe had seen her operas before. She's known as a bit of a vixen type, but not in a bad way; she forms a lot of relationships with men she meets during her performances (on stage or off) and channels those experiences into deepening the maturity and depth of her performances. She seems very confident and experienced. She also, as it turns out, is a key figure in a spy organization rather like Raul's, with skills that are honed enough for her to trick Rishe and bypass her keen senses.
This was all pretty neat. But she very quickly devolves into a weak, crying, sit-by-the-sidelines character who falls in love with one of Arnold's knights after literally two days - "the only time she's ever truly been in love in her life" - and then accomplishes absolutely nothing while Rishe charges on stage in her place.
Maybe Sylvia was only trained in secrecy and seduction, not combat, but it was still kind of grating. I love Rishe being an extraordinary character, but it would've been nice to have another female character mixed in here who could shine in her own way, and even provide Rishe with a bit of mature guidance. The only thing they do is talk a bit about what love is, and about how nervous Rishe is about her upcoming wedding kiss. But after that, Sylvia somehow comes across as wildly inexperienced in romance, too, which is...strange. She blushes and hides her face as much as Rishe does, even though she's supposed to have seduced dozens of men around the world.
She also didn't seem to have any helpful information about the organization she was working with, either? At least, she doesn't share any of that during the long conversations where Arnold and Rishe confront her about her true role in the opera. Which...makes it truly absurd when the entire organization shows up to her opera performance to try to eliminate her so she won't share any of their big secrets.
She...would have already if she'd had any to share? And if their whole concern is "oh no, if the shadow power that hired us found out one of our agents spilled too many secrets, we'll get in big trouble"...how is this helped by sending every single one of their agents onto the opera stage to be captured????
The entire setup of this was truly absurd. Sylvia was not important enough for that big of an all-out attack, for one. Then, no matter what, you would never ever send all the members of your group into a bottleneck location. The leader, at least, would be stashed safely somewhere. It's just. It's completely and utterly illogical. And it doesn't even line up with the entirety of the previous volume, with Rishe and Raul's experience working way more effectively in a similar type of group.
And then! If they were going to try to take out their operative, why wouldn't they just, y'know, poison her again? Like they did that first night, when she collapsed on stage as a warning to fall in line? They could've very easily snuck something into her food or clothing and taken care of it without putting 20-something archers in an opera audience to fire at a singer on stage.
I get that Arnold was intentionally keeping the security checks at the door lax, but no secret spy organization is going to be stupid enough to think they can smuggle twenty people carrying bows and arrows into a theatre performance???
And why did not a single one of them realize that Rishe was very obviously not their target, once they saw her on stage, with her veil down and her unique hair color clearly on display?
And as a random sidenote, where were Dietrich's royal knights? They weren't mentioned a single time in this volume, and he seemed to be mainly wandering around the city on his own, which he would never do, first of all...even if it hadn't been very clearly mentioned before that he has twice as many knights directly protecting him as Arnold does.
There were just a lot of pretty bad gaps in this story, which made it frustrating, because up until this point, it's felt very tightly and thoughtfully plotted. This one was just a mess.
I did like finally getting a brief glimpse of Arnold's father. The terror he was able to inflict, even from a distance, was fantastic. I loved the double-whammy of Rishe instinctively trying to draw a sword to protect Arnold from the perceived threat, and Arnold's complete and utter panic over how badly that would've gone if she'd succeeded or if his father would've noticed.
The epilogue was good, too. I'm glad Rishe finally accepted her feelings and has acknowledged to herself now that she's in love with Arnold. And the kissing "practice" was handled really nicely. I'm hoping for a bit less oblivious-about-emotions blushing and embarrassment in the next book...which will maybe carry through to the wedding?
The emperor would have to be in attendance for that, right...? I'd think Rishe's parents would come, too, although I don't know if she's technically still banished and disowned and all that. I'd like to see Arnold speak to them face to face, though. His interactions with Dietrich were great.
Arnold and Rishe are back at home now, preparing for the wedding, which I'd honestly thought would take place in this volume, considering it's only a short time away now. Instead, they take a break to attend an opera performance, which turns into an elaborate spies-among-us plotline with the least interesting new characters in the series thus far.
Prince Dietrich's return was surprising but fun. I enjoyed seeing more of his over-the-top personality and the truth behind his relationship with Rishe. Since they'd essentially been engaged since birth, she thinks of him as a childhood friend, and holds very little resentment towards him. Some of that's likely due to the number of exceptionally interesting lives she's been able to lead since he broke off their engagement. She's significantly more mature than her ex-fiance now, although that was pretty much always true.
Rishe's backstory isn't as horrific as Arnold's, but it seems like this may be the first lifetime where she really lets herself think about how difficult and oppressive the first fifteen years of her life were. Dietrich was loud and selfish and jealous, but it was her parents who were truly at fault: the people who should've supported and encouraged her but who'd told her repeatedly that she had no value as her own person.
She was born to be the crown prince's wife, which meant she had to be perfect in all the proper wifely ways, but not too perfect, because it was unacceptable to be better than the prince at anything. So things like horse riding and swordsmanship lessons were halted once she showed too much skill. It's no wonder, then, that as soon as she got her freedom, she threw herself into learning everything and excelling in all the ways she'd never been permitted.
This element is one of the really good parts of this volume. Each so far has been set up as an opportunity for her to revisit one of her past lives and fold it into her current one. Instead of moving from her fifth (hunter/spy) to sixth (knight killed directly by Arnold's blade), we take a break in this volume for her to dip back even more, to the "crown prince's fiancee" role she'd never really emotionally dealt with.
In the process, she helps to save Dietrich from his future fate - trying to overthrow his father and failing badly - but more importantly, she truly realizes what it is that she values about Arnold and her relationship with him. And she's finally able to tell him that in the epilogue - expressing her gratitude for how much he trusts her and not only "allows" her to be true to herself, but pays attention to what it is that she wants and finds ways to help her achieve her goals. It's an incredible partnership.
With that in mind, one of the things I'd initially felt was a plot hole turned out to make a decent amount of sense. Which is to say, it was utterly absurd for Rishe to stand on a brightly lit stage, acting as bait for all the assassins in the shadows. There is absolutely no way Arnold would ever permit such an idiotic, dangerous plan, I thought. But...that's kind of the point. That within the context of this world, where training and skill allow someone at the height of their powers to identify people in an audience by "sensing their malice," or to unerringly knock away arrows flying at them, Arnold is simply showing faith in Rishe's abilities.
Still a little bit over-the-top, but I'll accept this as fun hero and heroine bonding times and let the logical bits go.
Not so with a lot of the rest, though...including that entire theatre setup to begin with.
So, the storyline now is that there's some sort of shadow power trying to manipulate things behind the scenes. They were most visible in the previous volume, with a little country trying to topple a superpower's economy by counterfeiting their money. But it turns out this has actually been going on for a while, all the way back to Rishe and Arnold meeting at her engagement-ending ceremony.
I appreciate that this series takes a lot of very specific genre tropes, like a prince throwing a public party to shame his "villainess" bride, and tries to work them backwards into a far more complex plot. Dietrich got manipulated into these actions by someone whose main goal was to pull Arnold to a small country with narrow roads where he might be more vulnerable. This explains Arnold being at the party to begin with - he'd only gone because he was suspicious and curious by such a direct and pointless invitation - and the bandits' attack on their return journey.
Still, some of those threads seem to be left hanging. For instance, Rishe had specifically pointed out that Arnold hadn't killed any of those bandits, but their fate after that was never mentioned. If Arnold was trying to track down a big foreign spies plot during that journey, he would've taken them into captivity to interrogate them, right? Did he try, and get nothing out of them?
That brings us to the present, where the renowned opera singer who faints onstage at the start of her performance, then forms a romantic attachment with the knight who carries her to the doctor, turns out to be the spy Arnold's been searching for.
Well, one of them. And...not a very good one?
I get that with the way each volume has been structured, it has to be set up for Rishe to rescue/redeem Sylvia, showing that people aren't inherently evil just because they've been caught up in bad circumstances. But so much of Sylvia's existence seemed pointless. And she just wasn't very interesting as a character.
Her introduction seems, initially, like she's a fairly mature performer, known around the world - Rishe had seen her operas before. She's known as a bit of a vixen type, but not in a bad way; she forms a lot of relationships with men she meets during her performances (on stage or off) and channels those experiences into deepening the maturity and depth of her performances. She seems very confident and experienced. She also, as it turns out, is a key figure in a spy organization rather like Raul's, with skills that are honed enough for her to trick Rishe and bypass her keen senses.
This was all pretty neat. But she very quickly devolves into a weak, crying, sit-by-the-sidelines character who falls in love with one of Arnold's knights after literally two days - "the only time she's ever truly been in love in her life" - and then accomplishes absolutely nothing while Rishe charges on stage in her place.
Maybe Sylvia was only trained in secrecy and seduction, not combat, but it was still kind of grating. I love Rishe being an extraordinary character, but it would've been nice to have another female character mixed in here who could shine in her own way, and even provide Rishe with a bit of mature guidance. The only thing they do is talk a bit about what love is, and about how nervous Rishe is about her upcoming wedding kiss. But after that, Sylvia somehow comes across as wildly inexperienced in romance, too, which is...strange. She blushes and hides her face as much as Rishe does, even though she's supposed to have seduced dozens of men around the world.
She also didn't seem to have any helpful information about the organization she was working with, either? At least, she doesn't share any of that during the long conversations where Arnold and Rishe confront her about her true role in the opera. Which...makes it truly absurd when the entire organization shows up to her opera performance to try to eliminate her so she won't share any of their big secrets.
She...would have already if she'd had any to share? And if their whole concern is "oh no, if the shadow power that hired us found out one of our agents spilled too many secrets, we'll get in big trouble"...how is this helped by sending every single one of their agents onto the opera stage to be captured????
The entire setup of this was truly absurd. Sylvia was not important enough for that big of an all-out attack, for one. Then, no matter what, you would never ever send all the members of your group into a bottleneck location. The leader, at least, would be stashed safely somewhere. It's just. It's completely and utterly illogical. And it doesn't even line up with the entirety of the previous volume, with Rishe and Raul's experience working way more effectively in a similar type of group.
And then! If they were going to try to take out their operative, why wouldn't they just, y'know, poison her again? Like they did that first night, when she collapsed on stage as a warning to fall in line? They could've very easily snuck something into her food or clothing and taken care of it without putting 20-something archers in an opera audience to fire at a singer on stage.
I get that Arnold was intentionally keeping the security checks at the door lax, but no secret spy organization is going to be stupid enough to think they can smuggle twenty people carrying bows and arrows into a theatre performance???
And why did not a single one of them realize that Rishe was very obviously not their target, once they saw her on stage, with her veil down and her unique hair color clearly on display?
And as a random sidenote, where were Dietrich's royal knights? They weren't mentioned a single time in this volume, and he seemed to be mainly wandering around the city on his own, which he would never do, first of all...even if it hadn't been very clearly mentioned before that he has twice as many knights directly protecting him as Arnold does.
There were just a lot of pretty bad gaps in this story, which made it frustrating, because up until this point, it's felt very tightly and thoughtfully plotted. This one was just a mess.
I did like finally getting a brief glimpse of Arnold's father. The terror he was able to inflict, even from a distance, was fantastic. I loved the double-whammy of Rishe instinctively trying to draw a sword to protect Arnold from the perceived threat, and Arnold's complete and utter panic over how badly that would've gone if she'd succeeded or if his father would've noticed.
The epilogue was good, too. I'm glad Rishe finally accepted her feelings and has acknowledged to herself now that she's in love with Arnold. And the kissing "practice" was handled really nicely. I'm hoping for a bit less oblivious-about-emotions blushing and embarrassment in the next book...which will maybe carry through to the wedding?
The emperor would have to be in attendance for that, right...? I'd think Rishe's parents would come, too, although I don't know if she's technically still banished and disowned and all that. I'd like to see Arnold speak to them face to face, though. His interactions with Dietrich were great.
May 30, 2024
The best volume in this series by far. While the shojo-ness continues to rear its head in the form of Rishe’s allergy to literally anything romance related no matter how small, she and Arnold’s relationship gets some palpable development this time around, especially in the epilogue chapter. I also really enjoyed seeing a key character in the time loop’s catalyst get some fleshing out, and as always the background politics and discussions were delightfully intriguing.
December 18, 2024
The epilogue, the last chapter, THE KISS AAGH
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2024
Eh. This review got too long, but since we have time until the next one comes out - definite spoilers included:
Overall — it’s totally fine with some mostly forgivable issues. The epilogue might be the best chapter.
The dialogue was exceptionally distracting throughout this one. It’s an odd mix of trying to sound like “old” vernacular and modern, and doesn’t seem to be the result of translation. Particularly with Dietrich and Arnold, it got in the way of taking the characters seriously.
In general, I am losing Arnold as a character in my mind. Not because he’s growing away from who we first met, that would be fine — but he’s just becoming a little 2D. Save for a few (great) moments, he is uncharacteristically dense or petulant in this book, and “Casting Call for Brooding Hot Guy #27” is not the Arnold I want to keep reading about. — side bar to this, I did laugh out loud when he scolded Dietrich to “quit making so much noise”. The way Annoyed Arnold is written is pretty charming.
Also, of ALL the traits I love about Rishe, she was absolutely contrarian this time around! Frankly, I don’t need her to be right 100% of the time. Learning and growing from her interactions with Arnold, Oliver, Elsie…all of that would have been totally welcomed. It’s just a stronger narrative when a character gives room for other characters to have their own worldview.
And the shame is that this author allows some interesting concepts come up like self-sacrifice, and the sins of a father befalling the son; but those conversations will inevitably be squashed by either something slapstick or Rishe forcing the topic back into her personal outlook. So frustrating! My suspicion is this is meant to be endearing for her perseverant character, when actually it makes her far less relatable.
What *WAS* great were the peppered-in reminders of how intense Arnold and Rishe’s respect for one another can be, and how sweet their relationship can feel. When they go for a “walk” to scan the castle perimeter or when they fight together on stage, *chef’s kiss* such a chapter of learning these characters’ motivations and intentions!
And I definitely wanted more of that - the incident with the Emperor in particular is the closest they’ve come to being honest about how they feel for each other (which I need? Because I’m kind of confused by the contradictory things they say and do when it comes to their physical and emotional relationship). The Epilogue makes a little bit of headway in this department, but isn’t truly part of the narrative, so hard to know what to make of that.
All said, this is my second least favorite (next to Book 4) in the series. But I ate it up.
And do I already have Book 6 on pre-order? Absolutely.
If I do revisit this story for a re-read in the future, it’s probably going to only be for Books 1-3.
Overall — it’s totally fine with some mostly forgivable issues. The epilogue might be the best chapter.
The dialogue was exceptionally distracting throughout this one. It’s an odd mix of trying to sound like “old” vernacular and modern, and doesn’t seem to be the result of translation. Particularly with Dietrich and Arnold, it got in the way of taking the characters seriously.
In general, I am losing Arnold as a character in my mind. Not because he’s growing away from who we first met, that would be fine — but he’s just becoming a little 2D. Save for a few (great) moments, he is uncharacteristically dense or petulant in this book, and “Casting Call for Brooding Hot Guy #27” is not the Arnold I want to keep reading about. — side bar to this, I did laugh out loud when he scolded Dietrich to “quit making so much noise”. The way Annoyed Arnold is written is pretty charming.
Also, of ALL the traits I love about Rishe, she was absolutely contrarian this time around! Frankly, I don’t need her to be right 100% of the time. Learning and growing from her interactions with Arnold, Oliver, Elsie…all of that would have been totally welcomed. It’s just a stronger narrative when a character gives room for other characters to have their own worldview.
And the shame is that this author allows some interesting concepts come up like self-sacrifice, and the sins of a father befalling the son; but those conversations will inevitably be squashed by either something slapstick or Rishe forcing the topic back into her personal outlook. So frustrating! My suspicion is this is meant to be endearing for her perseverant character, when actually it makes her far less relatable.
What *WAS* great were the peppered-in reminders of how intense Arnold and Rishe’s respect for one another can be, and how sweet their relationship can feel. When they go for a “walk” to scan the castle perimeter or when they fight together on stage, *chef’s kiss* such a chapter of learning these characters’ motivations and intentions!
And I definitely wanted more of that - the incident with the Emperor in particular is the closest they’ve come to being honest about how they feel for each other (which I need? Because I’m kind of confused by the contradictory things they say and do when it comes to their physical and emotional relationship). The Epilogue makes a little bit of headway in this department, but isn’t truly part of the narrative, so hard to know what to make of that.
All said, this is my second least favorite (next to Book 4) in the series. But I ate it up.
And do I already have Book 6 on pre-order? Absolutely.
If I do revisit this story for a re-read in the future, it’s probably going to only be for Books 1-3.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2025
With her birthday only a week or so away and her wedding in less than a month, Rishe is keeping busy. She and Prince Arnold attend the opera, where the star singer suddenly collapses. After dealing with emergency, Rishe comes face to face with her ex-fiancee, Prince Dietrich. With everything going on, the last thing she needs or wants to to have to handle Hermity's crown prince! Plus, Prince Arnold really doesn't seem to tolerate him...
Rishe has been so busy living and learning new things in her past lives that she never really gave a thought to love (or the study of, according to her). This is why she comes off as so oblivious - and while her honesty drives Arnold to distraction at times, it can also be quite a blow to other people's ego. Will Rishe every realize her feelings or will she remain oblivious for a little longer?
As usual, Arnold has secondary reasons for attending the opera and allowing Dietrich to shadow him. There's trouble brewing in the background as an unknown power attempts to infiltrate and weaken Galkhein; Arnold and Raul are looking into stopping the spies. Rishe gets involved and has her first encounter with Arnold's father, the Emperor. It will be interesting to see what happens next now that the conspiracy has been further uncovered.
Rishe has been so busy living and learning new things in her past lives that she never really gave a thought to love (or the study of, according to her). This is why she comes off as so oblivious - and while her honesty drives Arnold to distraction at times, it can also be quite a blow to other people's ego. Will Rishe every realize her feelings or will she remain oblivious for a little longer?
As usual, Arnold has secondary reasons for attending the opera and allowing Dietrich to shadow him. There's trouble brewing in the background as an unknown power attempts to infiltrate and weaken Galkhein; Arnold and Raul are looking into stopping the spies. Rishe gets involved and has her first encounter with Arnold's father, the Emperor. It will be interesting to see what happens next now that the conspiracy has been further uncovered.
April 23, 2024
La verdad que la trama no es muy buena y se repiten algunas cosas que ya vimos en otros volúmenes, pero PERO se merece esas 4 estrellas por todo lo relacionado a ellos que hay.
El crecimiento de la pareja es impecable, la pelea fue fantástica y ESE EPÍLOGO!!!!
Sufro por Arnold que no puede expresar lo que siente, pero creo que avanzamos un montón.
Y nuestra bella Rishe al fin entendió lo que siente. Todos ganamos.
Grite mucho en todo el libro. Realmente espero que renueven el anime así podemos ver todo esto animado
El crecimiento de la pareja es impecable, la pelea fue fantástica y ESE EPÍLOGO!!!!
Sufro por Arnold que no puede expresar lo que siente, pero creo que avanzamos un montón.
Y nuestra bella Rishe al fin entendió lo que siente. Todos ganamos.
Grite mucho en todo el libro. Realmente espero que renueven el anime así podemos ver todo esto animado
May 7, 2024
Lo ameeee xD Dios, esos besos a media noche me mataron, la inspección en el pasillo se llevó mi corazón, ame esta novela como ninguna otra.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2024
[4.5] sinceramente esto va acabar conmigo marica primero ese final??? y dios mío me muero por saber lo que le dijo arnold a raul no estoy soportando
July 10, 2025
The plot for this volume is lighter compared to the previous ones, but it revisits a lot of past events that actually hold more importance than they seemed. So far each volume has always focused on one of Rishe’s past lives, and this one highlights her original role—her life as a duke’s daughter. It also showcases her combat abilities alongside Arnold’s, but by now we already know they’re a pair of monsters in battle.
As shown by the cover, this time Rishe is dealing with an opera songstress while also investigating Arnold’s future retainer, Sir Gutheil. It’s just she didn’t expect that her former fiancé, Prince Dietrich, would enter the picture as well, and he’s… quite a character. He seems to have run away to Galkhein since his current fiancée is trying to educate him into acting like a proper crown prince, but as is always the case with this series, that’s not the only reason and everything is actually linked to each other.
Even if there isn’t much progression in the overarching plot, Rishe and Arnold’s relationship does get a major development. Arnold has become so much more open with showing his affection for Rishe, even if she still gets all flustered by it. He does get concerned whenever she throws herself into dangerous situations, but he trusts her enough to let her do whatever she wants. Rishe also turns 16 in this volume, so the day of their wedding is fast approaching. In relation to that, the birthday present she asks from Arnold is so adorable. It wraps up the book with a saccharine tone that reminds me of otome games at their peak.
This was fun, but I’m taking off one star for the usage of “sardonic grin”. It’s really not a term that can be used interchangeably with “wry smile”, and it really ruins the immersion.
As shown by the cover, this time Rishe is dealing with an opera songstress while also investigating Arnold’s future retainer, Sir Gutheil. It’s just she didn’t expect that her former fiancé, Prince Dietrich, would enter the picture as well, and he’s… quite a character. He seems to have run away to Galkhein since his current fiancée is trying to educate him into acting like a proper crown prince, but as is always the case with this series, that’s not the only reason and everything is actually linked to each other.
Even if there isn’t much progression in the overarching plot, Rishe and Arnold’s relationship does get a major development. Arnold has become so much more open with showing his affection for Rishe, even if she still gets all flustered by it. He does get concerned whenever she throws herself into dangerous situations, but he trusts her enough to let her do whatever she wants. Rishe also turns 16 in this volume, so the day of their wedding is fast approaching. In relation to that, the birthday present she asks from Arnold is so adorable. It wraps up the book with a saccharine tone that reminds me of otome games at their peak.
This was fun, but I’m taking off one star for the usage of “sardonic grin”. It’s really not a term that can be used interchangeably with “wry smile”, and it really ruins the immersion.
July 20, 2025
Supposedly on a whim, Arnold escorts Rishe to an opera to see a famous singer that Rishe likes. In the middle of the performance though, the lead singer, Sylvia, faints on stage, and Rishe rushes into action to help her. That same night, Rishe comes into contact with two familiar and unpleasant faces: the first is Sir Gutheil, who is set to become one of Arnold's chief retainers and help him lay waste in the future war Galkein wages; the second is Prince Dietrich, who claims to have come to Galkein to "rescue" Rishe from a loveless engagement, but who has obviously run away from Hermity in a tantrum. Ever the standard-bearer of justice, Rishe decides to simultaneously help Sylvia grow closer to Sir Gutheil, watch Sir Gutheil and possibly move him away from Arnold, and babysit Prince Dietrich -- a duty mostly foisted onto Arnold. If that wasn't enough, Rishe also figures out that Arnold suspects a spy is in their midst and takes it upon herself to help root them out. In the process, she discovers that many of the recent events are intertwined in a larger plot, and she'll have to rely on her wits as well as help from Arnold and her friend from her fifth life, Raul, to take down the enemy.
Shockingly, I found this volume to be pretty boring. There was too much attention giving to Rishe's growing feelings for Arnold, and too little action. Much of the book is just Rishe's ponderings: about Gutheil, Sylvia's romantic feelings, Arnold, and trying to get into the mind of the spy. Some is fine, but I felt it was too heavy-handed in this installment, and I hurried through it more so to finish the book than due to enjoyment. It's nice to see Rishe and Arnold's cute romance, but I prefer it to take a backseat to a well-placed plot. Hopefully, the sixth book will be better.
Shockingly, I found this volume to be pretty boring. There was too much attention giving to Rishe's growing feelings for Arnold, and too little action. Much of the book is just Rishe's ponderings: about Gutheil, Sylvia's romantic feelings, Arnold, and trying to get into the mind of the spy. Some is fine, but I felt it was too heavy-handed in this installment, and I hurried through it more so to finish the book than due to enjoyment. It's nice to see Rishe and Arnold's cute romance, but I prefer it to take a backseat to a well-placed plot. Hopefully, the sixth book will be better.
April 7, 2024
Sugar sweet feels
It was delightful to watch the two of them grow closer in tenderness and love. I deeply liked those developments. The rest of the story, i.e the plot, was kind of boring. I have this nagging feeling I've read it before... So it's not a fresh feeling, and kind of dragged in a boring manner. The reappearance of her ex-fiance was obnoxious as well. I almost feel like this volume is completely skippable, except for the fact that the romantic developments were well worth reading. If it weren't for that aspect that kept me reading to the last epilogue page I would have given the book three stars. Since there was enough to make me want to still recommend reading it I gave it four stars. You could probably get away with skipping this one if you really want to... But it'll at least tie you over until the next one comes out?
Side note, I believe they leave the story off one month out from the wedding. I'm wondering if the conclusion to the series is going to be the wedding day...? So it's possible that the next volume might be the last one. I always had my suspicion though that there would be seven volumes for seventh time loop. So it's possible they might drag it out in the next volume. There were some loose ends tied up with this volume, and also some interesting confrontations. They felt more like foreshadowing then necessary plot device. I can't help but wonder if the stuff that was kind of foreshadowed in this volume are the hints to changing the future.
It was delightful to watch the two of them grow closer in tenderness and love. I deeply liked those developments. The rest of the story, i.e the plot, was kind of boring. I have this nagging feeling I've read it before... So it's not a fresh feeling, and kind of dragged in a boring manner. The reappearance of her ex-fiance was obnoxious as well. I almost feel like this volume is completely skippable, except for the fact that the romantic developments were well worth reading. If it weren't for that aspect that kept me reading to the last epilogue page I would have given the book three stars. Since there was enough to make me want to still recommend reading it I gave it four stars. You could probably get away with skipping this one if you really want to... But it'll at least tie you over until the next one comes out?
Side note, I believe they leave the story off one month out from the wedding. I'm wondering if the conclusion to the series is going to be the wedding day...? So it's possible that the next volume might be the last one. I always had my suspicion though that there would be seven volumes for seventh time loop. So it's possible they might drag it out in the next volume. There were some loose ends tied up with this volume, and also some interesting confrontations. They felt more like foreshadowing then necessary plot device. I can't help but wonder if the stuff that was kind of foreshadowed in this volume are the hints to changing the future.
July 15, 2024
I love this series so incredibly much!!
It’s not only my favourite light novel series, but one of my all-time favourites period.
I just love Rishe & Arnold so much!! Individually they are amazing but their relationship is just so beautiful. The respect & competence & genuine care they have for each other… I love them so much.
I love the writing of this series. Each book is perfectly constructed, with beginning, middle, climax. Clever politics, subtle hints & just so engaging.
There were so many times throughout reading this book that I was giggling & kicking my feet. I love this series so so so incredibly much.
Also shout out to Amy Osteraas who did the English translation of this volume (& presumably the earlier ones too, but I haven’t checked that). A lot of the time translated novels can feel clunky, but from the beginning of the series the writing is so well done, if you didn’t know it was translated you wouldn’t be able to tell. Furthermore, the writing is better than a lot of books I’ve read from native English speakers. All the props to both Amy and Touko Amekawa (the original author).
And of course, I cannot go without giving all the praise to Wan*Hachipisu for their absolutely stunning covers & illustrations for this series. Truly, I am in love.
It’s not only my favourite light novel series, but one of my all-time favourites period.
I just love Rishe & Arnold so much!! Individually they are amazing but their relationship is just so beautiful. The respect & competence & genuine care they have for each other… I love them so much.
I love the writing of this series. Each book is perfectly constructed, with beginning, middle, climax. Clever politics, subtle hints & just so engaging.
There were so many times throughout reading this book that I was giggling & kicking my feet. I love this series so so so incredibly much.
Also shout out to Amy Osteraas who did the English translation of this volume (& presumably the earlier ones too, but I haven’t checked that). A lot of the time translated novels can feel clunky, but from the beginning of the series the writing is so well done, if you didn’t know it was translated you wouldn’t be able to tell. Furthermore, the writing is better than a lot of books I’ve read from native English speakers. All the props to both Amy and Touko Amekawa (the original author).
And of course, I cannot go without giving all the praise to Wan*Hachipisu for their absolutely stunning covers & illustrations for this series. Truly, I am in love.
March 24, 2025
I binged books 1-5 this past week. I love all the romantic moments. Every single one of them. I love that the author almost always starts and ends the book with fluff because it gives me even more motivation to keep reading.
I do get a little tired of Rishe overreacting every time Prince Arnold touches her but I’m hoping with what happened at the end of this book (*squealing*), it’ll lighten up. 🥹
At this point too, I’m wanting more of the plot to move forward. To find out even more about Prince Arnold. I have a similar theory to many that he’s also been looping/that they’ve been married in one of his past lifetimes, which is why he keeps calling her his wife. The premise is reminiscent of a Webtoon I had read last year. I just want to see it played out with these two.
IMO, they’re both a little too perfect? Like they can always predict/read what the other is trying to do and resolving the issues of each book without any major incidents. I’m okay with it up to this point but if there are a lot more stories in this series that are the same as this, I may start skimming more just to get the romance and gist of plot.
Overall though, I’m enjoying my time with the series and can’t wait to read the next one, even if it is the last one that’s out for some time. 🥲
I do get a little tired of Rishe overreacting every time Prince Arnold touches her but I’m hoping with what happened at the end of this book (*squealing*), it’ll lighten up. 🥹
At this point too, I’m wanting more of the plot to move forward. To find out even more about Prince Arnold. I have a similar theory to many that he’s also been looping/that they’ve been married in one of his past lifetimes, which is why he keeps calling her his wife. The premise is reminiscent of a Webtoon I had read last year. I just want to see it played out with these two.
IMO, they’re both a little too perfect? Like they can always predict/read what the other is trying to do and resolving the issues of each book without any major incidents. I’m okay with it up to this point but if there are a lot more stories in this series that are the same as this, I may start skimming more just to get the romance and gist of plot.
Overall though, I’m enjoying my time with the series and can’t wait to read the next one, even if it is the last one that’s out for some time. 🥲
June 3, 2024
I'm done reading all of it, now i don't know what to do with my life... I'll be waiting for the next volume huhuhu. I do hope that in the next book, their romance will be romancing since in this vol it's going soooo well. There's finally progress in their relationship! And also the guy who suddenly came out from nowhere, Rishe's ex-fiance. I can't really hate that guy, he is so ridiculously funny 😔😔😔
-SPOILER-
I feel like I’m going to cry when he says my name, but I want him to say it more. It’s painful being with him, but I don’t want to leave.
Celebrating a birthday meant celebrating the fact that you’d been born. Rishe had died again and again, her life scattering in the wind, but she felt like a new beat was pulsing in her heart now.
I’m…
Putting a name to the sensation she was feeling for the first time in her life, Rishe closed her wet eyes.
I’m in love with Prince Arnold…
-
OH MY GOSHHH RISHE FINALLY, ARNOLD'S CONFECTIONERY FINALLY ADMITS IT EVERYONE
Ps. Rishe is hungry for more kisses..!
☆☆☆☆☆ ( five stars )
-SPOILER-
I feel like I’m going to cry when he says my name, but I want him to say it more. It’s painful being with him, but I don’t want to leave.
Celebrating a birthday meant celebrating the fact that you’d been born. Rishe had died again and again, her life scattering in the wind, but she felt like a new beat was pulsing in her heart now.
I’m…
Putting a name to the sensation she was feeling for the first time in her life, Rishe closed her wet eyes.
I’m in love with Prince Arnold…
-
OH MY GOSHHH RISHE FINALLY, ARNOLD'S CONFECTIONERY FINALLY ADMITS IT EVERYONE
Ps. Rishe is hungry for more kisses..!
☆☆☆☆☆ ( five stars )
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2025
OH. MY. GOD. I just finished Volume Five and let me tell you — that ending was EVERYTHING. I couldn’t have asked for more (well… okay, I am still desperately waiting for the wedding 😭). Let’s just hope Volume Six finally gives us that moment, because I need to read about it.
The kisses?! THE KISSES. Rishe realizing that all the fluttery feelings and warmth in her heart whenever Arnold is near are because she’s actually in love with him? PERFECTION. And the way she’s so logical about it, saying she needs to “practice” kissing — that’s so Rishe of her, and I adore it.
Arnold, though… I truly believe he loves her too, but I don’t think he fully realizes it yet. He’s so guarded, and the way he expresses himself is so subtle that it makes every moment between them even more intense.
This volume gave me everything I wanted — slow burn, tension, emotions, and finally some payoff — and now I’m counting the days until Volume Six. PLEASE let it be the wedding. 🥹💖
The kisses?! THE KISSES. Rishe realizing that all the fluttery feelings and warmth in her heart whenever Arnold is near are because she’s actually in love with him? PERFECTION. And the way she’s so logical about it, saying she needs to “practice” kissing — that’s so Rishe of her, and I adore it.
Arnold, though… I truly believe he loves her too, but I don’t think he fully realizes it yet. He’s so guarded, and the way he expresses himself is so subtle that it makes every moment between them even more intense.
This volume gave me everything I wanted — slow burn, tension, emotions, and finally some payoff — and now I’m counting the days until Volume Six. PLEASE let it be the wedding. 🥹💖
May 13, 2024
Estaba ante un dilema, porque no sabía si darle 4 ó 5 estrellitas.
En primer lugar, como fan de esta serie de libros (sobre todo de la pareja protagonista ^^) la novela me resultó placentera y muy entretenida en su mayor parte.
Ahora bien, aunque hay avances en la trama y revelaciones estupendas, no me estaba produciendo las mismas sensaciones que el anterior (volumen 4), al que le puse la calificación de 5. Pero habiendo leído más del 80% de la lectura, en el último capítulo y el epílogo, la acción se incrementó y mis emociones se descontrolaron; es que sólo la escena en la azotea del teatro se lleva, por sí sola, la nota máxima.
Tendré que practicar mucho la paciencia y la contención hasta que salga el siguiente volumen.
En primer lugar, como fan de esta serie de libros (sobre todo de la pareja protagonista ^^) la novela me resultó placentera y muy entretenida en su mayor parte.
Ahora bien, aunque hay avances en la trama y revelaciones estupendas, no me estaba produciendo las mismas sensaciones que el anterior (volumen 4), al que le puse la calificación de 5. Pero habiendo leído más del 80% de la lectura, en el último capítulo y el epílogo, la acción se incrementó y mis emociones se descontrolaron; es que sólo la escena en la azotea del teatro se lleva, por sí sola, la nota máxima.
Tendré que practicar mucho la paciencia y la contención hasta que salga el siguiente volumen.
June 19, 2024
SOOO adorable!! i love it sm. it's only fueled my love hate relationship w reading. i love reading bc i can only experience what i wish to experience through reading only; but i hate it bc ik i'll never get to experience it fr 😭😭😭 im crying but whatever
world build & plot is superb; it goes at the right pace, enough to keep me drawn in but enough for me to let go when i need to to tend to irl duties (unfort :') )
i am more of an action suspense girlie tho so i do wish there were more moments where i am gripping the seats, but this story is more so for the romance i guess ahahahah
i love the theme it has goin for it; an exploration not into her past 6 live, but in her life as a duke's daughter as well & now she gets closure too w her homeland 🥹🥹 i luv it !!!
world build & plot is superb; it goes at the right pace, enough to keep me drawn in but enough for me to let go when i need to to tend to irl duties (unfort :') )
i am more of an action suspense girlie tho so i do wish there were more moments where i am gripping the seats, but this story is more so for the romance i guess ahahahah
i love the theme it has goin for it; an exploration not into her past 6 live, but in her life as a duke's daughter as well & now she gets closure too w her homeland 🥹🥹 i luv it !!!
June 16, 2025
DAAAA BESSSTTTT!! i forgot to put start date but it was like a week ago.. ANYWAY FINISHED! I LOVE THIS LN SO MUCH ITS JUST SO EPIC AND AWESOME AND ITS CRAFTED SO WELL SO MUCH UNFOLDING SO MANY SECRETS AND REVELATIONS AND SO. MUCH. WELL. WRITTEN. ROMANCE! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️🥹 AH HES SO DOWN BAD HES SO KIND!! oh and she’s so EHEHE SHES SO WHAT IS THIS FEELING!
oh rishe is the coolest ever. she can do everything ever and she’s awesome she can sword fight and fight and they come up with strategies together and she’s so kind she’s friends always and is so smart and considerate she’s everything to me. i’m so happy in this life she’s finding peace and making amends with all her worries from her past AND SHE GETS ROMANCE?!!!?? YES!! 7th lifeeeeeeeeeee ~~
oh rishe is the coolest ever. she can do everything ever and she’s awesome she can sword fight and fight and they come up with strategies together and she’s so kind she’s friends always and is so smart and considerate she’s everything to me. i’m so happy in this life she’s finding peace and making amends with all her worries from her past AND SHE GETS ROMANCE?!!!?? YES!! 7th lifeeeeeeeeeee ~~
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews