The Knight and Her Emperor - Ch. 32

[Eberbach]

The biggest tsun dere ever was.

 

[Aslinn]

Haahaha, she likes bullying the little brat (he deserves it, tho). I hope he will call her noona next chap.

 

[Gabagu]

@Panzercracker No, it comes from people with royal blood that have power. That girl has no power and the king can easily make sure it stays that way without having to kill her. This isn't a war over succession rights, if it was then there would be a need for worry.

 

[Purpled]

I’m actually happy with the decision that the princess has to die. This is not only punishment for what the king did, but it also sends a message about what happens to those who goes against the emperor. It’s easier to disregard your own safety than it is to also disregard those close to you. Story-wise, I also loved how it mirrored the main character‘s situation near the beginning, and how it wasn’t just a one time thing. Which this might sound weird, but to have a pattern of giving a respectful death to his enemies I think does well in showing his character

Anyway, thanks for the chapter!

 

[Zephyr]

The whole issue with having the king's entire family slaughtered because it's too dangerous to have surviving royal blood around, though? No matter how "historically accurate" it is? It wasn't a problem ten minutes beforehand, when the country had just surrendered over a jousting tournament.

Like, forget some distant scion of the old order potentially causing a problem down the line, the literal crowned king of the country was going to walk off and retire unscathed, and nobody cared about that or worried about him potentially becoming a political enemy back then. The only thing that changed was the murder attempt. It's got nothing to do with quashing a possible rebellion - it's collective punishment, pure and simple.

At that point, saying "it's just the way things were done" is meaningless - because fine, okay, if that's the way things are done, and the emperor is just going to keep doing things the way they were done, then there's no reason to root for him anymore. He's just another despot, like all the other corrupt kings who rightfully deserve to be overthrown. That's the problem with half-assedly throwing vaguely "medieval"-sounding tropes around without actually thinking through what they add to your world or what they mean for your story.

 

[Tensaitkuroneko]

Are we really supposed to be thankful they didn't sexually assault the princess before killing her?

I get that the world is harsh and Pauliana is used to killing people on the field...but I feel so much pity for the naive princess who didn't do anything wrong.

And the fact that the comic isn't consistent... The author writes romcom stuff and mixes it with dark and dreary medieval issues. I don't like the king. I do like Pauliana because she's trying to survive. I sure as heck hope they don't end up together.

 

[Suckerforshipping]

Cute

 

[Bibobilabilux]

what the fuck dude

 

[blazing_boz]

This chapter is tone deft
Im not interested in seeing a cute “princess carrying” seen after watching someone kill themselves
It would be more realistic to just say the Emperor is cunning instead of being nice. The time period of constant war in Europe is interesting but not romantic IMO
Fun fact: In real European history only people of “low birth” got shameful death ie: Hang, drawn and quartered. Nobility was suppose to get a trial [while still extremely biased it was a trial ]and beheaded which is a “respectful death.

 

[Nep]

@Cynic I have reached the point where i stop bothering about people bringing their real life 21st century brain cells into a fictional or historical setting and then assume those brain cells are like a virus that could infect every character in the story.

@Zephyr This

The whole issue with having the king's entire family slaughtered because it's too dangerous to have surviving royal blood around, though? No matter how "historically accurate" it is? It wasn't a problem ten minutes beforehand, when the country had just surrendered over a jousting tournament.

Like, forget some distant scion of the old order potentially causing a problem down the line, the literal crowned king of the country was going to walk off and retire unscathed, and nobody cared about that or worried about him potentially becoming a political enemy back then. The only thing that changed was the murder attempt. It's got nothing to do with quashing a possible rebellion - it's collective punishment, pure and simple.

is such a good argument that I wish more people responds like you in an argument.

Though I disagree with this part

At that point, saying "it's just the way things were done" is meaningless - because fine, okay, if that's the way things are done, and the emperor is just going to keep doing things the way they were done, then there's no reason to root for him anymore. He's just another despot

for this particular story since everyone else seems to be waging war for sport making them worse in comparison.

 

[missmercurial]

This chapter gave me whiplash from how quickly it tried to change tone/direction. The author did deliver on the more nuance front that I was expecting, but it was still... Not satisfying, for reasons other people have already said.

@Zephyr: Re: quick death, carotid artery would actually probably be slower than stab in the heart area (up and through the ribs).
https://www.quora.com/What-happens-to-your-heart-once-it-gets-stabbed-with-a-knife

https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/55220/exsanguination-time-from-damage-to-major-arteries
(Isn't the internet a great place? I'm always amazed at the info out there.)

 

[Ladyalexia]

One person messes up the whole damn family pays for it. Glad I don't leave at those times.

Edited: I'm surprised a lot of people forget that the emperor isn't a super merciful or a good guy. Paulina got lucky cause she was strong and useful. That why she's alive.

 

[Zephyr]

@missmercurial

Re: quick death, carotid artery would actually probably be slower than stab in the heart area (up and through the ribs).

It would absolutely be faster - but if, and only if, she could actually reach it in one smooth motion. That's my nitpick. People aren't made of jelly, and it takes a bit of force and momentum to stab someone, especially with a dagger made for combat. Pressing it in from point-blank range is going to be slow and agonising - and then she's got to rip it out again, because, as that quora link points out, getting stabbed is dangerous, but it's bleeding out that kills you.

A cut to an artery is less immediately lethal in comparison, but the cut itself could be made quickly and sharply, and all she'd have to do is wait. Still painful and terrifying, certainly, but I would argue that pushing a dagger into your chest while you're bewildered and shaking would be much worse.

 

[Wofat18]

Reminds me of Hamlet's Soliloquy.

"Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles. And by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep..."

The princess chose to end her suffering but, like most of Shakespeare's tragedies, the answer doesn't seem to be clear cut.

Like Hamlet, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet, Effie the Princess committed suicide not from her own decisions, but from the pressure of the situation she was in.

Was it right? She clearly could have lived a life in destitution or exile. The Emperor gave her a choice to commit suicide or suffer through the supposed "shaming" Paulina alluded to. She would have to suffer the consequences of her father's actions and carry that burden with her.

I don't think it was right, if the Emperor knew her innocence. Again, as someone said in the comments, it just paints him in the same light as the other despot Kings. No better than the man he just killed. Forcing her to commit suicide is just murder without getting his hands dirty, low in my eyes. I cannot say I can continue to root for him from this point onwards.

Death is final. And innocent blood cannot be unshed. Does this make the Emperor more complex? Perhaps, but it has come with the cost of his integrity as a character. He doesn't have morals and looks as though he cares only for people if they are of use. That's far from what I would believe a leader or protagonist of any sort should be.

It goes against the ideas shown throughout the series: that everyone deserves a second chance at life and happiness (i.e. Paulina).

The tonal shift was unnecessary by the way. That made me drop this, not the suicide. Makes everyone look like psychopaths rather than humans by doing romcom stuff right after slaughtering everyone.

Unless the Emperor was Deadpool or something.

 

[theilikepie]

You guys are confused. Killing the whole lineage was a eastern thing. Not a European thing. I dont know why manwha set in European society have customs from eastern ones.

 

[owlette]

Donau is growing on me a lot

 

[Gameruru]

She has to die first is because killing a guest as a host is a no no (period).
Second even if she's exiled & not used as cause for revolution she would only suffer worse than death cause she practically know nothing practical. Iirc in most cases for nobles, humiliation is worse than death u know.

 

[TheGoodFella]

Goddammit i was enjoying this too, then he made an innocent girl kill herself, fuck, ill find something else to read

 

[Wolfwhistler]

@TheGoodFella It's just a moment of darkness in it. Hasn't been dark since. No need to abandon it. It's not a sign of things to come.

 

[yellow6000]

love that guy