How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family

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A black poison with a blue tint swayed before my eyes.

My brother, with a gentle smile, softly spoke.

“Drink it now, Luka.”

When I opened my eyes, I became an extra character destined to die at the hands of my brother.

To make matters worse, I can’t even use magic and I’m universally disliked?

First, let’s regain my strength.

Associated Names
One entry per line
마법명가 차남으로 살아남는 법
마차살
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
Betrayal Knight’s Joyful Faith (1)
Swordmaster’s Youngest Son (1)
I Became Strong At Night And Weak At Day Inside A Game (1)
Duke’s Son: Re (1)
Ex Rank Supporting Role’s Replay in a Prestigious School (1)
In a Fantasy World as Cannon Fodder, I Got Entangled with the Heroine (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Novels I enjoyed
  2. Novels I've Read and Liked
  3. for my fellow bromance fans
  4. Fantasy + academy/school life
  5. Banger KR Novels with Male Protag

Latest Release

Date Group Release
06/06/25 SoloTL c200 part2
06/06/25 SoloTL c200 part1
06/06/25 SoloTL c199 part2
06/05/25 SoloTL c199 part1
06/04/25 SoloTL c198 part2
06/04/25 SoloTL c198 part1
06/04/25 SoloTL c197 part2
06/03/25 SoloTL c197 part1
06/02/25 SoloTL c196 part2
06/02/25 SoloTL c196 part1
06/02/25 SoloTL c195 part2
06/01/25 SoloTL c195 part1
06/01/25 SoloTL c194 part2
06/01/25 SoloTL c194 part1
05/31/25 SoloTL c193 part2
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17 Reviews sorted by


Huynhter
New Huynhter rated it
June 4, 2025
Status: c68
I'm pretty sure that a lot of the reviews for this novel are fake. Very similar structured reviews, even with the same order on how they review the novel. Seems like someone wrote something then put it into chatgpt to switch it up a little.

I'm on this website a lot looking for something to read and I was shocked when this novel with such a high rating, high number of reviews and high number of chapters came out of nowhere and slipped from my radar. I was instantly suspicious when... more>> I read three "this is a masterpiece" reviews in a row. But I gave it the benefit of the doubt cause there's also a part of me that wished what the reviewers said were true.

Well, I'm 68 chapters in and I am not impressed at all. I think I was really put off by the ‘masterpiece’ reviews and came in with somewhat high expectations only to constantly be asking “when does this get good?”. Its average at best. I would more accurately give this novel a ‘turn off your brain and don’t think too hard about it’ kind of rating.

Honestly a pretty boring novel, action is meh, dialogue is meh, side characters are meh, MC is supposedly this super weak guy with all these negative stats but the system gives him all these op abilities and he’s actually really strong, but he’s not meant to be!? Oh he’s meant to be under the radar to avoid raising suspicion from his brother but hes really strong, beats people up and is doing really well in class!?

Everything just seems really convenient and forced.

I guess the one thing I like about this novel is the premise and the relationship with his brother who seems to be like the final boss.

I’m honestly dissapointed by the fake reviewers, like ihas this what our community has come to? Come on team, lets do better. Don’t do the actual ‘masterpieces’ misjustice cause this definitely does not deserve a 5/5. <<less
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Lunalucent
New Lunalucent rated it
May 31, 2025
Status: --
Constant POV changes every few paragraphs, with no indication of whose perspective it is when in a group setting. Like something happens, then it jumps back in time to the same thing happening just from another perspective, but not even for dramatic effect like in other novels. The worst is when it's done with literal no name characters who have no impact in the story at all. You don't care about these people so why is the author forcing you to read their perspective for a few paragraphs when we... more>> know it's inconsequential. There's also no indication of when it happens, you just figure it out when the

The novel is also very sparse in descriptions and world building, which sorta makes it a boring read. You just have read this with your brain turned or else you'll get mad at all the questions/conundrums that pop up.

I also cannot believe people are saying this novel is a masterpiece, it in no way deserves the praise. Like, are some of these reviews fake or what. <<less
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Hanyeonha
Hanyeonha rated it
July 7, 2024
Status: c459
Edit:- I am so mad! Who called our passionate writings bot or copied from chat gpt!!! I even have their fanart as profile!!

This novel is a masterpiece. Words are too less to describe how good this novel is. It makes me so frustrated how good this novel is and how underrated it is.

Let's start with the main character. Lucas our MC.. is a transmigrated 21st century person. He is very smart. Sometimes I wonder how did he live normally with a brain like that. He makes me question if my... more>> IQ is enough to live in this world. He is handsome, charismatic, and has a brain that works too well and is too good at acting.

Spoiler

He was an actor that's why.

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The characters of this novel... they are too good. Every character has their own personality and charm and they all are smart. The IQ of the main cast and the villain is also too high making me question the average IQ of the novel. But every character is well played out and the scenario doesn't seem forced. Everything that the characters do are well explained and well reasoned.

I especially like the bond between Lucas and his friends. The original protagonist is one of my favourite. I won't go into detail about other characters as I might start rambling like crazy but just give this novel some time and a few chapters to pick up it's pace. I promise it won't be a disappointment.

The villains... what should I say about them. They are crazy yet too smart and almost becomes obsessed with the MC. As the story continues on the novel gets better and better. And though our MC has op abilities... whenever he uses them it's us who is hurt. The angst is really something and when you realise what is happening it really hurts. The male lead is a bit... no a lot sacrificial. And somehow his pain receptors and emotion receptors seem to be slightly broken. The second one is getting better but the first.. it almost seems impossible to fix.

The pros of this novel is that the characters are very smart. The cons is also that the characters are too smart. At least the main character explains his reasoning slowly so that we reader's aren't left in the dark.

Overall this novel is a masterpiece. Every arc and every plot is well thought out. And don't be disappointed if you don't see any female characters. The reason will be explained later.

Spoiler

The people or mostly the nobles are new humans and are made by magic. So they are something between male and female. They don't really define genders.

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And please don't misunderstand the anti-social tag or the cold protagonist tag. Our MC knows how to socialize and has friends too and is a warm person... but he is kind of a closed off person..

Spoiler

He even let Elias hang onto his back and cling to him without complaining.

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Spoiler

Now I feel more bad for him. Because of his constant sacrificial shenanigans even his personal room and office was taken and became one with Leo's

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Edit:-

I read the latest reviews and damn who are you calling bots or copied from chat gpt! Well most reviews feel same because you will notice that the later chapter is not something everyone can enjoy! It is filled with dense texts! It's obvious similar mind of people enjoy such novels! And most of the good reviews who call it a nasterpiece are from those who stuck around till latest chapters! The start was not that great and average at start I agree but it surely developed into something more!! Especially Don't call characters bland if you haven't even read ch 439!! And if you read till ch 439 or 440 and didn't fall in love with Eli you are not human. You are alien. I will agree that to others it may seem the novel is slow and has been dragged out. I will admit it. But every chapter I read leaves me wondering and feeling unexplainable emotion. Really.. I know it's not others fault for thinking so having only read less than 100 chapters but still it makes me sad..

Spoiler

And **** you. His brother ain't even the final boss! Hell he doesn't even hate Lucas!

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StR.
StR. rated it
August 29, 2024
Status: c76
Yes, This novel has a slow start. Yet, There's a charm in that. The world described by the author feels real, It reflects the love author has for this novel. You should definitely give it a try, You won't regret it. And, The Translator is really good at his job!!
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Payalsaka
Payalsaka
July 29, 2024
Status: c512
A 10/10 Novel and definitely recommended. The start of this novel may be a little slow and may not seem interesting but it slowly picks up it's pace. As this novel continues it becomes better and better. I am always surprised at the author's knowledge of History, Philosophy and Physics.. Though not too detailed the author seems to have done his resarch.

The Male lead is a very smart man. He uses his brain well and is a good strategist. As the novel progresses the characters complexity is brought to light.... more>> But not only the male lead but every single character. Though slow every character get their time to shine and it shows how different a person's thought process can be from others. Every minor detail is focused on as the story progresses interwining past and present events.

The male lead is not perfect nor are any of the characters yet at the same time they have the power to draw a reader in. Even the villains have their own goal and so do every characters.

I totally fell for the bond and relationship which developed slowly but precisely between the protagonists. I loved how it explained that not all human can understand each other no matter how close since a person many times can not even fully understand themselves. Yet just because they don't understand each other fully doesn't mean the bond they built disappears. Lucas, Elias, Leonard and Narque... they take a lot of time to slowly get closer with each other and getting their time to shine. Though it takes a long time for each of their turn to come they all are very well written.

The novel takes place in the original world in late 19th century except a century back magic appeared. It's just a few years before the first world war and the setting is in Germany. It talks well about history and philosophy and as a humanities student it was fun to read it all.

Overall this novel is very good as it delves into many societal problems too. Every arc is made with great care. The novel progresses and gets better slowly as the world building and many events come to light. <<less
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Baccharis Trimera
Baccharis Trimera rated it
August 7, 2024
Status: c411
This novel is extremely underrated. Yes, it has a slow start, but I don't think that should be considered a flaw at all; it's simply a literary choice by the author. Even this slow initial arc is still pleasant to read. The protagonist is excellent—a very intelligent and manipulative young man, but he's not apathetic towards other people at all. An interesting universe and lively characters are all used to build the setting of that world before the story really takes off. After that, the story just gets better, arc... more>> after arc. I recommend giving it a chance; read it slowly and without haste, and before you know it, you'll be completely absorbed by the story. <<less
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eardun
eardun rated it
August 28, 2024
Status: c76
I read 76 chapters and I'm hooked! I've seen a lot of korean fans praise it on twitter so I'm really excited about the future chapters!! It gives me slight Harry Potter vibes (magic wands, school and various organizations) but it's more about strategy and tactics, especially when it comes to fighting villains and various organizations. The atmosphere is also really nice, there's action and drama but it gives you a good feeling because the main characters are tenacious and have fun personalities. Give it at least 50 chapters, and... more>> you'll see how fun it is!! <<less
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Khush4621
Khush4621 rated it
January 1, 2025
Status: c528
I usually don't review and this is my first time writing a review but I couldn't stop myself.

The novel is really well written and thought out. At first I was slight dismayed and almost dropped it after 20 chapters because it seemed so generic but I picked it up again and I am glad I did. The novel has a slow start but it's a story that gets better with every single arc. Especially at the end of the Pentalon Incident around ch 260 it became my all time favourite.

I... more>> liked how smart and capable all the characters are. It's not just that the main character is smart but even the side character and villains are very smart and have their own personality and thought process making me admire them.

Spoiler

Especially the Stalker. She is my all time favourite. Though a bit crazy I love her madness and it truly showed how a naraccist and a great strategist act. Honestly I was rooting for her to end up with the male lead even though she is a villain when I read the Pentalon arc but at the end of the arc I was so shocked by the twist and reveal that I wondered how crazy they were.

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I like every single character and especially the Eszett members. It takes a long time for their complex personalities to be brought to light but I loved every single one of them no matter the differences. Especially Elias the main protagonist.

Spoiler

Around Ch 450 I was again blown away with Elias pov. How complex his emotions are and how he really feels. Honestly I don't want him to become the emperor because of what he wants but I can't stop him. The author really pulled at our heart strings in this arc.

[collapse]

And though our MC has some very op powers I like how he doesn't use them to solve all his problems and how well he uses his brain.. and I have really mixed feeling about Adrian..I Don't like him but I can't seem to hate him.

Spoiler

Can you imagine? Adrian who we thought will be our biggest villain was not a villain? The author pulled a sudden twist and I was so flabbergasted. He didn't really hate his brother?

[collapse]

And our MC is truly one of a kind.. It may seem alarming why he is so smart when he was a normal person in the original world... but the answer is surprising too. The reveal really broke my heart. The author really plays with philosophy. How he didn't even reveal Lucas real name and anything about him until now yet the small snippets are already enough to make me cry.

The world building is a little messed up as it slowly reveals itself making the reader's confused but honestly the novel was worth it. All the characters have their own complex emotions and their own values giving them life and it's shocking how every incident connects itself. As I said about the Pentalon incident, it was shocking how the starting incident connected itself so far. It's a truly great novel which gets better and better as you read it. <<less
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seutelar
seutelar rated it
November 16, 2024
Status: c78
This is so painfully boring.... I don't think this novel is for me.

Let me say this first, this novel full of prolonged unnecessary stuff. Like, the problems feels like dragged out for farrr too long. It makes me grumble and sigh, like when is this going to end? I get that the author try to touch on detailed explanation but seriously it was way too much.

Now, I don't hate detailed obsessive writing. In fact I love it. But I feel like the author jump into details without giving us the... more>> big picture first. I genuinely feels like I'm reading bunch of nonsense. The setting of the world is already generic enough, now at least the author can do is set up some general rule how the world works. To put it simply, this novels feels like reading an instruction manual from the middle rather from the first page.

Now let's talk abt the MC. He's so frickin capable? Just who is he?

When he get thrown into the novel, it feels like he already planned up 10 notebooks to counter any conflict ahead. This MC def not your average dude. Man must have kinda superpower before he gets transmigrated. It would totally be nice if we were told what MC background before all this hullabaloo. Srsly, we're missing some contexts here.

Now side chara. MC friends, leo, elias, and narce? (hope I spelled the name right) They're so..... Boring. Painfully so. I get that leo is the serious one, elias is the playful one, and narce is the kind one. It seems like they're interesting bunch yeah? WRONG.

Let me tell you that their banter with eo is so utterly boring that I wish we can just focus on MC journey stayin alive without being killed by his bro.

I don't feel any excitement, tension, enjoyment, or anything from this. I don't understand where this novel is going to. If it's action then, well then I gotta say that the magic system is sh*t bcs it's so f*cking all over the place that I can't make my heads around it. Just what the hell is going on? Is what I think everytime MC use his power

Common sense be damned when reading this novel. Or maybe the author should've just focus in informing us abt the normal 'common sense' that was expected in thus story. Idk, I feel dumb reading this story lol.

Well, that's my opinion. If you like jumbled words of shit. You might want to try to read this one. Others said that this novel is amazing, so it doesn't hurt to give it a try. <<less
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adc123le
adc123le rated it
August 15, 2024
Status: --
The plot feels wierdly forced. Its like the author is trying to think of everything he can on how to make the MC look like a pitiable person that is oh so unfortunately hated by everything. This just makes the whole story feel very unnatural as a whole.

The bullies are 2 dimensional, paper-cut archetype. The characters have emotional management issues (like wth??). Have adrupt outburst that's unnecessary af. Also the quirky remarks are cringe af.

The problems presented in this story is also superficial and unrealistic. It's the typical MC 'hides... more>> his power and reveals only when plot is needed.' The reason to hide his power is because otherwise the villianous brother will find out and kill him. Which is pretty uh... how do I put it? Weirdly convenient? (Go see the story and you will find out what I mean) It feels weird because MC keeps jumping around between hiding his power to showing off alot.

And goddammit do I have to stress? So many pop-up problems presented into the story is painted like its a behemoth of a struggle. Either that or it's the "unfortunately MC isnt going to have his way because why not". This sucks ass because author keeps making these pop-up problems seem hard and tense (not tense at all btw), but sh*t is just solved so immaturely and easily and then forgotten afterwards. No reflections, no character development. No tension at all.

The recruitment of side characters is so easy makes me think MC is a human magnet. Sympathy for the MC is just there for the sake of being there. Unluckiness for the MC is just there for the sake of being there. Misunderstandings is just there for the sake of being there. MC getting rekt is just there fkr the sake of being there. This whole story is just a plethora of easy plot conveniece, really. Cliche even. There's no real genuine link or connection that makes me want to root for MC. <<less
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hypersniper159
hypersniper159
July 26, 2024
Status: c34
This novel is good, but it's a little bit too one-note. For the first few chapters, there is only one goal, and it spans the entire week without focusing on anything that could be interesting.

Overall, the characters have personalities, but not character arcs. The world-building seems okay and the plot is one note. Another issue I have with the plot is that everything is managed by the system - just read Chapter 1 for example. Basically, I do not see the benefit of having the system in this story and... more>> instead, I think it would be far more beneficial if all the system ideas/suggestions were Mc's own. Decent if you have nothing else to read.

Spoiler

I also don't like how quickly MC overcame his illnesses or how he recovered from it - it would be interesting to see how he could adapt to such a situation without magic kinda like a smart persona but super weak but ehh personal gripe, I guess.

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Dorson
Dorson rated it
April 22, 2025
Status: c157 part2
This is quite unique one. World building is thought-out, no overused cliché. IQ level of MC and his team, as well as villains is sky high. Characters fleshed out. Action is tense and mysteries are hard to comprehend. On a con side - plot is a bit dragged out. Not without a reason, but still. For example, MC needs to investigate sth, so he wants to build a relationship with a suspect under the guise. And as you know, you can't build relationship in a day, so here we are,... more>> watching a bit frustratingly, how our MC bullshitting some villain for quite a few chapters. Anyway, although there are some cons, pros are way bigger, so give it a try, if you are into school, friendship, politics and action <<less
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Yefa
Yefa rated it
May 21, 2025
Status: c708
5th of June, 2025

After taking in consideration from other reviewers, I think I'd like to make some points clear for new readers:

  • Plot: This novel is NOT action-focused. It started off very generic, but gets better as time goes on. This is about the journey of 'Lukas' finding his humanity and protecting what he loves. This novel reflects the real world, so it will touch on sensitive topics (gender inequality, personal identities and beliefs regarding races, physical appearance and many more). There's the concept of New Humans and Old Humans in this novel, so if you see changes in pronouns too often, it is because the character may be a New Human (whether their name is feminine or masculine, it doesn't matter).
  • Characters: All of the major characters will experience their own steady growth, even the MC, 'Lukas'. They are not 1-dimensional characters. All of them are fleshed-out characters with their own personalities and thoughts. Personally, I find the growth of characters most easily seen through Leonard, Elias and Albert, with a special mention of Ulrike.
  • Theme: Identity and self-discovery, as well as social justice, are running themes of this novel. The bible will be mentioned a lot. There are no clear lines of good or evil in this novel.
    Spoiler

    Even Adrian Askanier, Lukas's older brother, seems to be a morally ambiguous character.

    [collapse]
  • Writing style: The author does the 'show, not tell' aspect really well. The narrative will sometimes be switched to other characters besides Lukas, but it is done with clear indicator of who is speaking (besides, before the POV switches, there will be the 3 asterisks acting as a cut in narrative. It doesn't just suddenly cut to other characters in the middle of Lukas's POV).
  • Pacing: This is where some readers may find troubling. This novel has a really slow pace. When I said really slow, I mean it. Technically speaking, it is not a weakness of the novel. It's just that most webnovels tend to have fast pacing, so suddenly changing it will be quite difficult to get used to. However, I think, for such a plot (heavy on philosophy and societal issues), the pacing is suitable. As for when it starts getting really tense, I think it'd be around Primrose Path arc.
    Spoiler

    My personal fave is Mimesis incident arc, I was wondering why we were looking through Albert's POV for more than 1 chapter, which was pretty unusual, but damn did it hurt. I love you, Luka. Please take good care of yourself...

    [collapse]
  • Overall impact: I was really moved by this novel. The author is bold to have chosen controversial topics to discuss in the novel, but it is so well thought out and well-written that I feel entirely persuaded by no matter what the author writes.
Yes, this word has been repeated many times in other reviews, but 'masterpiece' is still what I think of this novel. I was so engrossed that I translated all 708 chapters myself within less than a month (my sanity only allows for 10-20 chapters each day, lol) to read it in full. As of now, the novel is nowhere near finished. This may goes on for more than 1000 chapters, even. But whatever the case, I'd still follow it till the end. I hope this was helpful. Happy reading, everyone! ^^

Spoiler

Do prepare tissues if you're a sentimental person (like me). I cried all night for chapter 439 and 440... And those are not the only chapters...

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Edit: It's pretty shameless to say seeing many people praising the novel as a 'masterpiece' is suspicious if you didn't bother to see that almost each of them said it has a slow start. I believe this novel should have been a book instead of a webnovel. Reading it in bulk is the best way to read it, from my experience. Even from the Q&A session of author, they said that there are some chapters you shouldn't read completely until you have read the next one as well. The answer of why the story is seemingly 'convenient' and 'forced' are in the future chapters, which are tied to 'Lukas's' identity.

As for the problem with Adrian, Lukas's older brother:

  • Lukas is a person who had been framed a villain for more than 10 years. He cannot act recklessly around others even if he had amazing powers (he's not so omnipotent that he can just beat anyone in his way, mages in here are not so powerful). In fact, people already felt suspicious of (and still is) him from the moment he changed overnight.
  • Adrian is a highly influential figure, not just nationally but internationally. The public will obviously trust the words of such a person should he ever say Lukas is a definite threat and needs to be locked up/killed.
  • Doesn't the 'doing well in class', 'beats people up' are explained clearly in the novel? 'Lukas Askanier' is obedient to his older brother, so 'he' adhered to his brother's advice to do well at school. That is not to be said that Adrian isn't aware of Lukas's changes (it is depicted in many chapters to come). He had covered up the incident with the bullies already, if you didn't skim the chapter.
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townportalscroll
townportalscroll rated it
May 11, 2025
Status: c175 part2
First of all, this is peak!!!

I've read hundreds of novels, but this is the first time I'm leaving a review for any of them. I finished this novel in just about two and a half days—literally.

In most novels, there are usually two or three smart characters. But in this story, every single character is high IQ. Like, if Lucas uses 100% of his brain, these guys are using 200%.

Bro, this is something out of the box. If you don't believe me, just check online—people are praising the world-building like crazy.... more>> You'll be blown away.

A solid 4.8/5.

By the way, I don't want to spoil anything, so just read and enjoy. That's all.

See you in the comments section! <<less
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Linh Scarlet rated it
May 8, 2025
Status: c134
In my opinion this novel is quite good. So it is surprising that it is underrated.

But if you continue reading for a while you will find this novel is very coherent and well constructed unlike the others, although the story line is a bit slow. So I recommend you to give it a try because it is really good (≧ ◡ ≦)
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DaydreamNighttime rated it
May 1, 2025
Status: c165 part2
I'm addicted. I read this story in one go and now I can't stop checking the page for new chapters every hour. It's truly brilliant.

If you like "tr*sh of the count's family" or "Ex rank supporting role's replay in a prestigious school", you will definitely like this novel as well.

I like the main character. I'm starting to see the pattern here: intelligent, caring and sacrificial. Plot has got me hooked and the characters are charismatic and lovable, even the villains.

I also like how frequently it is translated. The translation is... more>> good too. Sometimes genders are mixed up but that's all. If there are any mistakes, they are not noticeable.

Please, translator-nim, don't ever abandon this work!!! It's a hidden gem and I don't think anyone would pick it back up, not for years at least ಥ⁠_⁠ಥ <<less
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EmiAsMana
EmiAsMana rated it
May 20, 2025
Status: --
Although I haven't completed this yet, I have to say this was very well written. No character is done without any consideration, the author has written them very well. Every character is distinct and smart, not just the main character. It's very engaging to see their thoughts and processes. Even the world building is just immaculate and so intriging. It's deeply saddening that this is such an underrated piece of art, the story is made so well, even though it's a little "slow" at times, I think the pacing is... more>> just write. There's a reason for every plot or event that happens. It's not one of those simple and very predictable novels you see nowadays regarding this genre.

I also love the bonding and relationship with the main characters and his friends, it's a very refreshing and gradual process. I like that it's not instant but with reason and cause. I can't wait to read further, I simply love this novel, thank you author and translator for you hard work. It's highly appreciated 😊👍. <<less
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