By Tsuta Sonehara and Lemon Natsume. Released in Japan as “Konse mo Todome o Sasareru no wa Gomen nanode, Saiai no Otto wa Mou Iranai” by DRE Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Hunter Prigg.

I decided to go with the lack of a “Volume 1” in the title. The book seems very much finished, with no real sequel hook in sight, and the cover art does not have a 1 on it. On the other hand, the credits say Vol. 1, and Dre Novels are known for releasing 2-3 volume series, not standalones. If it does get more, and I decide to read it, I’ll edit the review. As for this volume, it was good! Definitely more on the serious end of the Disgraced Noble Lady genre, the bad guys are very bad, but they do at least get interiority, which is more than I can say for a lot of series of this kind. As for the main couple, their adorable and relatively innocent romance is meant to be the light relief (and the justification for the Heart imprint) – you want to see these two succeed, because frankly, the alternative is absolutely dreadful.

The first chapter is called “The Queen Is Run Through By Her Beloved”, and it’s not lying. Etoile has already dealt with the death of her father, a weak and conciliatory king, and an ongoing war against another country that they are losing. Now her fiance Isar, the Knight Commander, has announced they’re going to surrender, he’s been sleeping with and is marrying the saint Posenia, and what’s more, he’s going to kill Etoile. And then he does, running her through with a sword just like the title suggests. Another knight, Reigh, who has essentially been her only friend and ally, discovers this and uses forbidden magic to kill himself and throw Etoile back in time five years. Now she’s given an opportunity to avoid her fate… but Isar and Posenia have already been turning everyone against her for a while now. Can she change their opinions and win more allies? And what about Reigh?

The author also wrote The Villainess Is Dead! Long Live the Empress!, which I liked but wasn’t wild about. This is a step up, especially if it sticks to being a single book. Etoile is absolutely not interested in trying to hide the fact that she’s become a new person overnight, and she absolutely will take advantage of future memories and training to her her way in public. This is because she really does have a LONG way to go – no one trusts her or listens to her except for Reigh. This genre tends to have time-traveled noble ladies either be silly or serious, and while this doesn’t hit the heights of I Swear I Won’t Bother You Again!, it’s definitely serious, and has a high body count. I did very much like the POV sections from Isar and Posenia. I know better than to expect sympathetic villains in this genre by now, but at least they gain a dimension by letting us see inside their nasty little heads. Great final art of their end as well.

For those who like their noble ladies with a bit of bite to them.