Damn alright, looks like we've got another plot kicking off. Yuriel... I'm pretty sure she's also a transmigrator like Ria, and I tend to swing between sympathy (especially if what I suspect is true and she has to clear the game to escape) and then losing it when I remember her rejecting the 'Happiness as Is' ending where she gets to keep her life, love interests, and live out a good life while Ria keeps her throne and peace. I've also seen a lot of comments on the way she looks, which I think is def not the typical protagonist style, and I wonder if she has any connection to Velrod because of her eyes. I really hope the author is going to mold her into a more interesting antagonist if they keeps her around.
I do feel really bad for Ettsen, like on the least awful end of things that have happened to him it's still probably the mindfuck of the century to go from the original princess to Ria on top of all his trauma. I don't know how in favor I am of him being a love interest, but I am fully in favor of him finding a way to escape all the shit this country's put him through. I know the manhwa is from Ria's POV, she doesn't have the memories and definitely isn't the same person, but it's still really glossed over how awful everything has really been for him! Disappointed but not surprised to see he's still visiting Yuriel and trying to stay with her - boy got hit with that broken heart status whose game mechanics lit leave him unable to truly leave Yuriel's side unless it's destroyed, which is a) messed up and b) really makes me curious as to what's going on in the background with the game. (I had a theory for a hot second that the Emperor was a hidden route and that would bring Ettsen into conflict with him and Yuriel as a result, triggering the break between them, but it doesn't look like that's the case. Alas. Anyways, I'm still really suspicious of the Emperor.)
On a much happier note, YESSS BEST BOY NADRICKA RETURNS. 😍 (Okay he was never gone but it's been so long since the last update and I missed him!!) He is my favorite and I love him and he looks Very hot with those hickies, damn. I know Eclot is a pretty big fave and I do love a good true reverse harem endgame (mostly because it like... never happens) but if it had to be 1v1, Nadricka all the way.