The Fed-Up OL Wants to Serve the Great Villainess - Vol. 2 Ch. 7

[Abbythegay]

If things keep up at this rate Natori-San is going to end up as the MC of a harem 😭😨😨

 

[NGenius]

thanks for tl

 

[___DEKU___]

lol is that the prince shipping them? lol

 

[Shtoops]

lol is that the prince shipping them? lol

he's obviously a burgeoning himejoshi

 

[___DEKU___]

he's obviously a burgeoning himejoshi

Don't we all stan a good boi himejoshi just like that friend from a certain green manga

 

[SkyVentus]

There's been more than enough from Lapis' private moments to suggest that she does indeed have growing feelings for Natori. Lapis also has her own backstory that explains the way she is and she also needs someone to break down her boundaries, a thing that Natori has proven able to do more than anyone else. We also do not know why Lapis does what she does. It will likely be much more complicated than just desiring genocide if that is even still what she wants. She clearly has a lot on her mind and that affects her ability to be carefree. Diana is likely not dealing with the same level of stress and has much more time to do as she likes with less potentially depending on her. Things are not going as they did in the original game (and these isekai generally flip these things on their head).

We are getting to see what she's actually like compared to what the game generally described. Remember that in Lapis's first interaction with Natori, she mentions another who had the foresight and she does so with sadness (likely her dead sister, whose death I imagine plays a part in all this). There is more to her character and we already know that there are things happening in the background that has made her reserved. Natori is also not dense, but aware of this different side to Lapis. She's verbalized this in the earlier chapters, that her perception of Lapis based on the game does not seem to fit the girl she sees before her.

Even with that, she has shown moments of that wall cracking when around Natori. For example, think of the summoning cage where they keep their summons. Initially, Lapis would put Natori there, but in this recent chapter when Natori did so on her own Lapis clearly disliked it and wanted to say something but prevented herself. Or think of when Natori nearly died, and how shocked and anxious Lapis was at that moment (likely related to her sister again). I mean re-read that ending of chapter 2, how Lapis shakenly melts in Natori's embrace and notice the revelation that Natori comes to (the narrative is hinting at their being more here). That went well beyond the manipulative, scheming employer character. Or consider Chapter 4, when Lapis specifically tells Natori to betray her if she feels she is evil, as she reminisces about this other young sister again (and Natori rejects). ETC.

So their relationship is not a one-way street. Lapis isn't just a bland dominating character, she also has depth there and Natori is helping her as much as she is helping Natori. I also do not agree that Diana has said the same things as Lapis but that's a whole different thing. Diana is nice for sure, but that is partly why Lapis wants her around Natori in the first place, as Lapis says in this chapter, to help Natori learn her self worth.

Finally someone with functioning eyes

 

[yoshiii]

Poor prince and MC. Caught between a hard place and a rock lol.

 

[SrNevik]

Poor prince and MC. Caught between a hard place and a rock lol.

The prince is happily snug between them.

 

[kaptenkeren]

That was fast. Thanks.

Mimicry. She's like kakashi/obito but better because no need contact lens. Lol.

Also, mimic-thing is attributes? First time I heard that. Usually it just a regular skill. Welp, whatever. Lol

 

[Shygig]

The all yuri harem route is the only true route now

Nobody can change my mind, I will die on this hill

Also, goddamn step on me Diana

 

[Elyone]

We're talking about how Diana and Lapis feel about Natori, but we can't forget about how Natori feels about both of them.
Natori says since the first chapter, and still says that Diana is her favorite character in the game, and in almost every moment that Diana tried to cheer Natori up, the plan worked, and Natori always stressed how much Diana did her well even when she was just a game character, and now, Natori definitely likes Diana, the problem is, is it possible that Natori only sees her as a child/teenager, when Diana first freaks out about realizing how powerful she was and that this power could hurt others, before comforting her, Natori mentions that Diana is just a 15 year old girl, so it is clear that Natori sees Diana as someone immature and pure, and at all times that both are alone, Natori shows us that she only sees Diana as someone naive who doesn't realize that she might be being suggestive with some lines and attitudes, even though that's what Diana planned. For Diana to have a chance, she needs to show Natori that she is not just a good and innocent girl, something that can go right or wrong depending on how this is approached by her.

Now the way that Natori saw and sees Lapis, from the beginning we hear from Natori that she knows the type of person that Lapis is, totally the opposite of Diana, Lapis has always shown herself to be more mature and decisive, something that Natori points out at various times in the manga. Natori sees Lapis not as an ordinary 15-year-old girl, but as someone more mature than that, and this goes from being Natori's observation to admiration. Natori's interest in pleasing Lapis came from her desire to be a good employee who would do anything for her employer, but over time Natori, even without realizing it, began to understand Lapis on a level that even Lapis herself comments, and something that also makes Lapis a little uncomfortable, because her intention is not to let herself be carried away by her feelings, which also causes several moments where it seems that Lapis is rejecting Natori, when she is just trying to distance herself so as not to be carried away by emotion . Natori sees Lapis as not only her employer and someone she admires, but someone she intends to save, while she herself is being saved by the way Lapis treats her (even though she is cold and manipulative, Lapis seems to genuinely care for Natori, demonstrating that Natori is important to someone, something Natori had been questioning.)

For Natori, the game's Villain is someone who deserves admiration for her maturity, and the fact that someone like that demonstrates positive things for someone like Natori makes her happy and fulfilled.

For Natori, the Heroine of the game is someone extremely good and naive, so for her, Diana showing appreciation and care for her is not uncommon coming from a character who inspires her so much, Natori does not realize that Diana only treats her like this, because she still sees Diana as the kind Heroine of the game, not someone real who has more complex feelings.

at least she hasn't realized it yet.

 

[OnewingedMasios]

he's obviously a burgeoning himejoshi

himedanshi*
姫女子 (himejoshi) literally means princess (hime) and girl (joshi). 姫男子 (himedanshi) on the other hand is princess (hime) and boy (danshi). It's the whole reason fujoshi (腐女子) is used for BL fangirls (the male equivlent is also 腐男子 (fudanshi)) since it's 腐 (fu) meaning rotten and 女子 meaning girl but is also a pun on 婦女子 (also fujoshi) meaning a lady like 清楚 (seiso) girl (seiso meaning very innocent and submissive)

 

[Cytus99]

So Lapis, when you said 'haven't lost anything' are you reffering to the Diana's magic Gem ?

 

[PIXEL5]

Thanks you for the chapter

 

[frogxdor]

So she's a blue mage

 

[ForTheJerusalem]

Prince shall protect the yuri.

 

[Hyacyon]

bothisgood.jpeg

Spoiler: !!

i wanna be natori lmfao

 

[OnewingedMasios]

(I had to split it because character limit so sorry about the triple reply (its almost 30 000 characters, but is in depth. Enjoy))

We are getting to see what she's actually like compared to what the game generally described. Remember that in Lapis's first interaction with Natori, she mentions another who had the foresight and she does so with sadness (likely her dead sister, whose death I imagine plays a part in all this).

This isn't even true though. Not only is her face hidden off panel when she mentions another not letting us see any emotion, but the pannels before and after it both show her surprised rather than sad, and the following page after that only shows her having a scheming face as she realizes how well this would work for her. None of these are sadness. That is simply you looking too deep into lines we can't even hear how are said nor see the emotions meant to be conveyed as she is symbolically hiding her true self.

For example, think of the summoning cage where they keep their summons. Initially, Lapis would put Natori there, but in this recent chapter when Natori did so on her own Lapis clearly disliked it and wanted to say something but prevented herself.

This doesn't actually support your argument, as we see even back in ch1 Lapis hates anyone disobeying her orders. But this will take some explaining so bare with me.


She only lets Natori slide in ch1 when she sees that Natori's meddling is useful. It is very obvious if Natori was not, and instead messed up, that she would not have forgiven her. It's also partially due to Natori praising her for her love of her family after the fact. She has a tendency to complain about Natori's meddling and disobeying her:

• Ch1 p38 she furiously says

"You dare disobey my orders?"​

directly to Natori when she disobeys her, but lets her off after seeing Natori's usefullness as a person who is skilled at organizing paperwork and data​

• ch2 p6 she gets annoyed and complains that Natori directly disobeys her order to give her a potion to relieve her tiredness

"That'll just make me even sleepier."​

to which she simply takes it out of Natori's hand after earting part of a sandwhich to show her stubbornness towards Natori saying​

"You'll die if you drink these caffeine shots on an empty stomach!"​

Which off topic, but this is not actually true so don't worry about it. At most it will upset your stomach.​

ch2 p8 is also the first time Lapis has been shown to ever be reminded of her sister outside mentioning it to Diana in the original story flashback from Natori on ch1 p28 which she is shown either lying about her sister being a commoner (given we see her next to her sister at a tea party in noble wear) or somehow her sister really was a commoner which implies her sister betrayed her due to the next panel on the same page turning around to Diana full of callousness to say

"sister? That thing died a long time ago".​

Notice the specific wording she says here is thing, showing she is openly disgusted by her sister. Which this is noteworthy since directly after that pannel on ch2 p8 is the first time when she mentions commoners in this timeline. And directly after that on ch2 p9-11 she does nothing to hide her open disgust in commoners

(Ch2 p8): "It seems like the commoners of your world are quite different from the commoners of this world"​

(ch2 p9): "Here, they barely know enough to read and write, as well as to do basic arthmetric. As a result they're all so barbaric and selfish. Easily angered. There are some who passed the magical power exam and attend the academy; but, no noble would be foolish enough to associate with a stray dog by choice. Therefore,​

(ch2 p10): It's incredibly simple to get a nice, convient pawn to use just by simply being nice to them. Their barbaric, quick-angered nature makes them nice guard dogs with a little training. Even those foolish mutts of the so called anti-noble faction... Just show them that they could never win if they go against you, and they'll obediently fall in line."​

(ch2 p11): "To sum it up, commoners are far more dangerous to accociate with than you think. Ensure you don't carelessly get close to them without me around."​

There is a few things to note through this.

• This is all indirectly being directed at her younger sister who we have no idea what has happened to yet. She could be dead, but could be alive and betrayed Lapis trust and as such is dead to her in a figurative and emotional sense instead (and no ch2 p31 is not proof given we don't see anything of the person besides hair, and a right hand fist. This could just as easily been her mother which would then make sense why she might find her younger sister a "thing" while finding commoners to be atrocious. At most it only shows someone she cherished was killed staining her hands (literally) with blood. And if it does turn out to be her sister it could have also just been she accidently killed her sister in an argument ("easily angered" "quick-angered nature"). We have so little to go off with this that it could be practically anything and the theory would be just as valid when there is no evidence to back it yet). Either way her sister that you claim she cherishes to point of seeing her in Natori doesn't make sense when she speaks about commoners this way; yet, seperates Natori from them herself in the same monologue. Implying she sees Natori as someone seperate from the commoners of this world, but still despises the commoners of this world even now with Natori here.
• She says "There are some who passed the magical power exam and attend the academy" showing Diana is not the only one to have attended the school as a commoner, but is not even the only one currently attending it as Lapis talks in present tense here not past tense. Diana simply is the strongest of them.
• She refers to commoners who do attend the academy, as "stray dogs" which not only shows how she views Diana; but, is also important when taking into account how she acts towards her. Since you claim that she wants Diana around Natori because she is friendly and nice, but here we get word from word evidence that her actions in ch7 p21 where she shows affection towards Diana are just manipulation as she admits here herself all she needs to do is be nice to Diana and she gets "a nice guard dogs with little training" which is exactly the sentiment the Prince uses later in ch5 p28 when he comments that they (Lapis & Natori) have a protective knight guarding them. Exactly the thing Lapis said is the only reason for a noble to associate with a commoner. Its not a coincidence if the character in question just admits to it being the case. This is also the case when she magics the knife out of Diana's hand while the Prince tells her on ch5 p29

"Lapis is stronger than you anyway. You're not needed here."​

showing another part of Lapis monologue. And this is not me looking too into it too much given on ch2 p12 where Lapis formally introduces Diana to Natori, and is the introduction of Diana as a main character, we see she not only has dog ears and a wagging dog tail, has わん in the background which is the hiragana for ワンワン being the onomatopoeia of generic dog noises in japanese (think woof in english), but Natori herself states herself​

"She's been trained..."​

Showing that it is indeed intended to be taken as Lapis' monologue stated: that commoners are just stray dogs to be trained. So when Diana shows her affection it is very obvious that she is training Diana to be either her own guard dog, Natori's guard dog, or both. Notice she gives her the affection and praise after she protects Natori in ch7 p20-21 and never before hand. It's not even subtle foreshadowing.​

• On ch2 p20 she tells Natori

"Do not move. No matter what."​

to which she gets mad at Natori on ch2 p28 saying​

"I told you not to move!"​

in actual genuine anger given on ch2 p29 she slams her foot down before staring down at Natalie with a face of silent cold rage before grabbing Natalie by the collar and saying on ch2 p30:​

"You could have died!! It hurts doesn't it? Without any magic you get cut easily. And you were going to take a magical attack with such a frail body? On top of that you sacrificed yourself knowing what was coming? You belong to me. If you try to sacrifice yourself without my permission then-"​

clearly showing her fury without holding back until the end when we see she has a flashback to some type of trauma somewhat implying someone died because of her, but not doing more than subtly suggesting it could be the case when she says​

"Then in that case... I can't protect you."​

Where this can be taken two ways. The first way being in which she is not directly saying this to Natori but instead is saying it to the person she lost and is using Natori as an outlet as she hugs her. Or the other way where she overlaps Natori herself as the person in her memories she lost; and, views her as a facsimile of the one she lost and is losing track of reality in her triggered moment unable to seperate Natori being physically in front of her having nearly suffered a similar fate from the person she already lost but can never hug again. Personally I feel it is the latter rather than the former as her response to Natori hugging her back after a moment is to be shown she loses herself in her memories (which we see is the case on ch2 p36 panel 3 where her eyes cloud over giving a subtle way to tell the reader Lapis is not seeing the world around her with sublte imagery of her being blind in that moment. Which immediately after Lapis is shown to recognize Natori as Natori here in the present with her saying on ch2 p37​

"That's why I said I would protect you."​

With her fury at being disobeyed returned in full force as even Natori comments on how she looks angry; yet, finds her angry face cute completely ignoring why she is angry in the first place. Instead just calling herself a failure as a secretary instead of a familiar given secretaries normally don't go into duels even in this world where as familiars do (that's the whole reason she is even there in the first place after all as this is implied to be the fifth period familiar exam mentioned on ch2 p16). Diana is also shown to be shaken while saying​

"She could have died..."​

in a shakey voice panel while looked visibly disturbed at the notion she almost committed murder on a defenceless person (the key word being defenceless here as she doesn't have qualms about attempted murder and threats of harm later to those with power to defend themselves).​

Then on ch3 p3 she is shown to still be mad at Natori, with a glare and telling her

"Your wound... does it still hurt?"​

in demanding text before giving Natori a look of disdain hearing her belittle herself (with it not being stated here, but instead by the prince later on ch5 p18 that her of such low worth makes her useless to Lapis. As why would a noble have a poorly to moderately skilled servant when they can easily get a skilled one. And as a servant is a representative of the master/mistress this reflects poorly on Lapis). She then comments after a moment

"..... I feel your precognition is a rather wonderful talent though?"​

which while intially seeming to be caring or gentle words towards Natori, we see that immediately after she starts to "train" Diana just as she described in her monologue bringing into question if she isn't training Natori too as we have no Lapis PoV to prove or disprove that notion. This is further exacerbated when Natori goes on a tanget to herself on ch3 p6 to tell us, the readers, and remind herself of what Lapis' true personality is like

"Since she lacked the strength to fulfil her plan to purge the commoners, Lapis-sama set her eyes on Diana-chan's magic jewel, which had unusually strong powers within. By using the familiar examination as a chance to get closer to her, she spent time building trust together until she could get her hands on that brooch. And then Lapis-sama betrayed Diana, which eventually lead to her death!"​

Which is exactly the scene we see playing out in front of Natori before she interrupts and causing Diana to notice she is there on ch3 p7 which ruins the plan for Lapis as Diana is shown to clearly been traumatized to some extent over the idea of murdering a defenceless person (in an exam no less). This is further reinforced on ch3 p8 where she notices an opportunity when Diana is struggling with school work, helps Diana with a question on ch3 p9 while subtly making a jab at commoners Diana doesn't realize, before the plan backfires when Diana avoids Lapis' after the teacher unknowingly triggers her trauma causing her to insist to do it on her own and fleeinf from the trigger (Lapis and by extention Natori outside the door). This is important because immediately after this on ch3 p10 we see Lapis is annoyed with her plans failing saying to Natori

"How troubling... I don't know why she's being so reserved, but... at her level there is no way she can keep up with the academy's lessons."​

before turning to Natori with a face of silent anger and ordering her

"Natori. See if you can lend that girl some support."​

with the text in the background saying

"TAME THAT WILD DOG"​

Yet again not even subtly showing Lapis openly being manipulative and malicious as she is in the original story, scaring even Natori in this scene

 

[OnewingedMasios]

This is where we are shown Diana about to break her jewel in a way that symbolizes suicide, with it even implying as such as they say your very soul will be cursed even after death showing a sentiment the catholic chuch has regarding suicide where your soul will never be able to enter heaven if you commit it, trapping you in limbo for eternity even if you cleanse your sins in purgatory. (Which oddly enough is one of the few times christianity overlaps with judaism since in judaism there is no hell. instead you suffer the fate of being a ghost haunting the world for eternity never allowed to entire the realm of god which is seen as a hellish existence in itself). Which I mention due to their instructor on ch3 p9 being shown to be wearing clergy attire which makes sense given in irl dark ages, the church was the one responsibly for teaching everyone theology and general church approuved information. Commoners would have to come to a nearby church and pay for lessons outside mass, and nobles would normally have a priest come to them specifically to teach them outside mass (in these settings the nobles are often taught by the clergy via a modern school setting in a aristocratic france which wasn't a thing till after the revolution in 1833 aka over 500 years after the dark ages ended (from 5th century to the 14th century). Not really important to this, but always find it weird how authors love doing that...).
After Natori stops her we get Diana's side which is meant to be parallel to Lapis' side. Diana was kidnapped when younger, rescued, and feels indebited while finding wonder and strength in magic that saved her; yet, after she nearly kills Natori she gets traumatized by paralleling the same people who kidnapped her: she nearly killed someone who could not fight back, while hurting them in the process. And just like then where Diana was an innocent unable to defend herself, here Natori is also an innocent unable to protect herself. The parallel here to Lapis is where Lapis sees her own power in the present as a source of superiority as well as a sword to punish others she deems to be destroying society, Diana on the other hand sees her power in the present as a source of pain and suffering as she has the power to protect others now; but, due to being unable to control it is just as easily capable of hurting those around her. So where Lapis projects her hatred outwards to lash out at the people around her, Diana instead does the opposite and turns it inward forming self-hatred and disgust for herself.
Yet both are just two sides of the same coin as we see Diana and Lapis both becoming fiercely protective of things they do not wish to lose after being given a second chance in Natori, while also becoming the very thing they wish to destroy. This is further exacerbated by Dina's seemingly yandere tendencies, since it's not actually Dina being a yandere. She is acting in the exact same obessive manner as Lapis is. It's just while Lapis has years of experience to learn to control, Diana only has a few weeks at best by ch5, and more prevelantly in ch7, to learn control which she clearly hasn't. The key difference is what they obsess over. Both seek to destroy their enemies to protect something they hold dear (Natori for Diana, and society for Lapis). But where Diana is extremely defencive acting as a shield, Lapis is the other end of the spectrum being extremely aggressive, malicious, violent, and ruthless towards those she deems to be tearing down society (Anti-noble faction and the commoners she lumps together as evil) acting as a sword against evil (the exact thing Natori tells Diana her sword is meant for). They're really not as different as people make it seem at the end of the day. Its just how they respond to the same trauma (of someone dying directly or indirectly by their own hands) that makes their unique perspective on Natori.


Which finally gets back to what you said:

For example, think of the summoning cage where they keep their summons. Initially, Lapis would put Natori there, but in this recent chapter when Natori did so on her own Lapis clearly disliked it and wanted to say something but prevented herself.

where we now know this isn't accurate to what you said since on ch2 p14 she states to Natori while walking away

"I'll ask if you can use the waiting room for attendants from tomorrow on."​

So when Natori takes it upon herself to lock herself in the cage in ch6 p5, she is doing it against Lapis' direct orders to not to, as Lapis' already told her she will be using the waiting room for attendants (servants). Something clearly established to be something she dislikes greatly, yet Natori continues to insist on doing. Doubley so in this case due to Natori being seen as "not like other commoners"; yet, by acting this way and ignoring Lapis' wishes she instead is acting just like other commoners: not obeying nobility. This goes even further since we see in ch2 p12 that when Natori calls out to Lapis, seemingly about to argue against this treatment, Lapis' immediate reaction is to look back at her with a stern face of anger. And after seeing Natori was trying to care for her as a busybody she still ignores Natori's requrest, instead feeding her the sugar cube, and then walks off after giving an arrogant heh to Natori. The arrogance here being neither proof of disdain, nor appreciation. It is just seemingly her personality as a noble. It's after this she gives Natori orders to work with her later during fifth period and walks off off frame. So unlike the previous times when she disobeyed it was for Lapis' well being in mind (including the first time she was caged), this time it's a completely selfish desire on Natori and goes completely against Lapis' desires instead without regard for how it might affect Lapis having her attendant being locked away in a cage either (it reflects poorly on her). That is why Lapis gets upset. If Lapis truely cared for Natori as much as you claim she would not have ran to Diana first to give her loyal dog (in her eyes) praise, but instead would have bolted to Natori to see if she is okay.

I also do not agree that Diana has said the same things as Lapis but that's a whole different thing.

I never said she said the same thing. I said they said the same sentiment ("a view of or attitude toward a situation or event; an opinion.") on the matter of Natori seeing her self-worth as low. Diana says on ch6 p24-25

"I'm not being so kind because I'm a 'nice girl'. I told you. I want to 'protect the smiles of the people important to me.' I'm kind because you're important to me. ... So... don't say things like 'someone like me.'"​

"someone like me" being a very common sentiment people with low self-esteem share as they view themselves as lesser individuals; and, don't realize how that reflects on those around them or how it makes those who care about them feel. In this case how Diana feels seeing someone she cares about belittle herself, which indirectly is also reflecting back on Diana for caring about someone so "insignificant" (in Natori's eyes). Diana wants her to see that she is cared about, and is worthy of affection and cherishment. That she isn't a lowly servant she keeps trying to claim she is. She is Natori, and Natori is someone Diana wants to protect and make happy. So Natori saying she isn't worthy of these sentiments is the same as telling both Lapis & Diana that their feelings don't matter. This same sentiment Diana holds is then expressed by Lapis in ch7 p24-26

(ch7 p24): "Heh. Don't misunderstand me. I've just asked his highness to take on quite a troublesome job. Isn't it only natural that I lend him my most trustworthy and capable attendant?"​

(ch7 p25): "Of course. 'If you can learn to accurately evaluate yourself, then that will be nothing but beneficial to you.'"​

This being a line she says to Dina in ch7 p21 where she expresses the exact same sentiment to Diana first. Even going as far as to quote what she said to Diana to Natori later.

To Diana: "I don't think it's a sin to not know things. As long as you continue to study and learn, that's fine. Learn more about this world around you, and yourself. If you can learn to accurately evaluate yourself, then that will be nothing but beneficial to you. After all... you haven't lost anything yet."​

This here letting her true feelings leak out at the end with it being implied she is seeing her past self in Diana in this moment. So she is simutanously praising her guard dog, is enacting her plan to try and further bring Diana to her side for the inevitable conflict with commoners, and is seeing her younger more innocent self in Diana before she learned the "truths" she has seen. But she does all this to Diana first before expressing the sentiment to Natori where she contiunues on

(ch7 p25): "I want to say that to you as well, Natori. You often say self-deprecating words. I'm sure I'm not the only one who values you highly."​

Which we then get shown Natori flashing back to what Diana said in the previous chapter on ch6 p25 showing not only is it the same sentiment shared between Lapis and Diana (it's not even hidden. The author is quite literally slapping you, the reader, in the face with it); but, Natori is fully aware of this shared sentiment and is able to understand that what Lapis is saying is exactly the same sentiment Diana told her not that long ago (in universe). They both are telling her she matters more than she is letting on and that her self-deprecation is invalidating their feelings. Lapis continues further

(ch7 p26): "If you understand how everyone else sees you, broaden your horizons, and see the world around you, then you will come to know yourself."​

very clearly outlining what Natori's revelation here at the end of ch7 is where it shows a reflection of ch2 p36 panel 3 from earlier where Lapis' eyes were blind to the world around here and the pain it caused others. Here we see on ch7 p25 panel 5 Natori's eyes open wide with the revelation coming to her symbolically representing that her eyes are no longer clouded unable to see past her own inner demons just as Lapis' was, and can see the pain she is causing others. The only difference here is that Lapis worded it in a way for Natori to better understand (or in other words she incredibly blunt about it, where Diana tried to be gentle towards her feelings while not giving up her sentiment). Even the mangaka disagrees with you that their sentiment isn't the same given they go out of their way to specifically show a scene from ch6 p25 (specifically panel 3 of that page) while reinforcing it by making Natori remember the line Diana said

"don't say things like 'someone like me.'"​

There is no need to put both of those there in that scene where Natori has a revelation if it is not relevant to what the mangaka is trying to convey in that moment.

Or think of when Natori nearly died, and how shocked and anxious Lapis was at that moment (likely related to her sister again). I mean re-read that ending of chapter 2, how Lapis shakenly melts in Natori's embrace and notice the revelation that Natori comes to (the narrative is hinting at their being more here).

This isn't even what happened at all. Yes, Lapis was shocked, but she was not anxious at all. She was furious instead which I already talked about. She isn't anxious per say but borderline having a panic attack given she is reliving trauma which is very apparent due to what I explained before. The part I want to hightlight here instead is the "revelation" you claim Natori has. She doesn't have a revelation at all unless you count Natori finding a traumatized person in the middle of a traumatic episode to be cute as a revelation. She's that's all that happens here. She says on ch2 p37

"Ah.. She still looks angry. She still looks angry... but... it's kind of cute."​

which is just messed up in general on Natori's part. At best she is being oblivious and mildly sadistic. At worst she is being willfully ignorant given she tells us, the readers, about the fact Lapis sister is either dead or missing and previous even remarks on ch1 p39

"I understand that you've been doing your utmost for the sake of your family, Lady Lapis"​

showing she does know full well Lapis cherishes her family or the very least holds her family in high regard, is completely disregarding Lapis' feelings by either being unwilling to understand why she is angry at her in the first place or simply doesn't care about why she made her angry, and ofc is still mildly sadistic given she is calling a traumatized person in distress "cute". Natori in this scene specifically is a horrible person and any revelation she may have gotten is simply that Lapis looks cute when furious at her.

 

[OnewingedMasios]

Diana is nice for sure, but that is partly why Lapis wants her around Natori in the first place, as Lapis says in this chapter, to help Natori learn her self worth.

I'm going to ignore the first part as I've already explained why that is wrong in great detail. Instead I'm focusing on the second part; for, as I just outlined it is not true. Lapis never once mentions Diana to Natori in this scene. The only point she ever even alludes to Diana at all is when she suggestively brings up how she isn't the only one who cherishes her. And even then, we know she is actively manipulating Diana to be on her side, wants Natori to "tame" Diana to which being close is beneficial towards that goal, and that she is willing to go against Natori for the sake of her mission if push comes to shove. Which all of this is noteworthy given she went not to Natori first (albeit she did protect her), but to Diana first showing her dedication to her mission takes precedant above all else even in this situation where someone who she is shown to potentially care about nearly got hurt or potentially die yet again.


You can like Lapis all you want. I think she is an interesting character too. But that does not mean you can cherry pick information, and act like being a malicious, manipulative, murderous person, and being someone who cares for others are mutually exclusive concepts. Lapis is both and to ignore one or the other is to not understand her character as it's meant to be. The same is true with Diana and calling her a yandere. People are multi-faceted. To ignore facets you don't like is no different from Natori ignoring the well wishes of those around her, of Lapis being willingfully blind to the plights of commoners and the reasons they might have for doing things she dislikes, and of Diana being unable to see how much harm she is causing by being over-zealous in her desire to shield Natori from any negativity. Diana even says on ch6 p18

"So I was wondering if I could... cut through all your worries and negative feelings."​

showcasing not only her over-zealousness (as she tried to "cut" them with a broom, terrifying Natori in the process), but her innocence and cherishment in the same motion. She does not know many things about the world which is why Lapis directly tells her to learn about the world around her. So her not knowing ways to go about helping a friend and someone she has a crush on is not unexpected, but agiven instead. Lapis simply has more experience than her at the end of the day. It is also something that Lapis lets slip to Diana when she tells her she hasn't lost anyone yet. Showing she knows full well her path will cause many to lose someone if not someones.