Nora: “And there is no need to be anxious.”
Shuri: “That's right, my family's knights are strong. In any case, our next Imperial Commander-”
Nora: “No. Because I am.”
NORA VON NUREMBERG, WHEN DID YOU GET SO SMOOTH, YOU DOG 😭💞
Ludovika: “Throw away the pride and respect you have wrapped yourself in and go to war with Maximiliam.”
okay so ludovika knew all along johannes was in love with her but she seems to resent him for choosing honor & duty and not pursuing her because of maximilian???
Jeremy: “Because we're family, I should know better... Shuri doesn't say anything to me. Does she have to hide even from me?”
SHURI IN JEREMY'S POV 😭 THIS IS HOW HER SUFFERING LOOKS IN HIS POV-
Shuri: “Thank you, Nora. For helping Elias, as well as thinking of Jeremy.”
oh, how bittersweet this is. i love it when shuri thanks nora so sincerely. he makes her smile like a child 😭💞 but it hurts that she doesn't realize that nora's choice affected jeremy differently....
Nora: “I will gladly do it (become the guard dog of the lion's den) if that's what Noona wants.”
and if i tell you that this is probably the moment when jeremy truly realized how much nora loves shuri, the moment he *knew* nora was the best for her, then what 🥹
Ayna: “What lies beyond the sea, do you think I'll ever be able to see it?”
Ranon: “When that day comes nobody will be standing in your way. I'll make sure of it. From the desserts in the northwest to the ends of the forest in the east, the whole of Akrana will be your home.”
There may be a lot of NoShu supporters in the ASM novel, but nobody comes even close to Rachel's level tbh.
Our girl basically planted the idea of "babies" in Shuri's head while there was a war going on 😭
Rachel: When your and Nora's baby comes, don't forget about us, mama 🥺
god, orka is a genius for drawing this sequence of panels. please, nora basically swallowing nervously because he realizes he is touching shuri and then realizing how intimate the entire moment is when he sees how affected shuri is by his touch 🤌🏻
Albrecht: “Commoner children have come to visit.”
Nora: “What have you done-”
Albrecht: “What I'm saying is-”
Nora: “-TO THEM! What on Earth have you done!?”
I'M GOING TO JUMP 😭 I COULD *HEAR* NORA'S FEAR AND PANIC AT THE PROSPECT OF ALBRECHT HURTING HIS FRIENDS 😭
Me, seeing bloody Ranon at the beginning of the chapter: 💀 Oh God, don't tell me he k*lled his kids...
Ranon: “My anger didn't subside after k*lling her village friend-”
Me: Oh, thank god, it was just Arthur 🤧
Shuri: “The golden trophy was something that no one could resist admiring... but the most precious thing in the world... I was just greatful he returned without a single injury.”
HE'S SO PRECIOUS TO HER, BYE I'M SOBBING 😭💞
Jeremy: “What I'm saying is that I don't plan on letting emotions get involved with you. I want to make it clear that I'm only doing this because father wanted me to get married and it's the only way I'll become Head of my family.”
the fact that his words made ohara so happy🧍🏻♀️
Shuri: “Maybe it's because you drew it, but this time it doesn't feel awkward to look at myself in a portrait. It feels soft and warm. It'd be a waste to send it.”
a soft noshu moment before everything goes to hell 💃🏻
Jeremy: “What do you know about Shuri?”
Nora: “I want to say I fully understand, but I know there are still a lot of things I don't know. [...] I'd like to talk with her more, so I can better understand her. And I want to spend more time with her.”
*you* asked, jeremy 😭🤷🏻♀️
it amazes me how natural it was for them to sit down like this and start discussing their feelings. how easy it was for nora to disclose his doubts about his family's reactions if he had won. how intimate it felt when shuri confessed she knew about what he did in the duel.
“You always made me nervous, Jeremy. You never knew that in the past, when you were with a high fever, I spent countless nights beside you, and thought that I would be happy to trade my life for yours. I didn't even know myself that I would think that about someone.”
so penelope gifted callisto a cufflink made of ruby with healing properties (because this crazy man is always in danger 😭), and he literally just made a makeshift earring out of it. right then and there.
callisto, the crazy man you are 😩🤌🏻
Ali: “This is embarassing for the Empire.”
oh my god, he said literally one line throughout the chapter, and he ate, slayed, left no crumb 🤌🏻
look at his little pleased smug smile 🥰
god bless the artist for drawing such a good non-explicit love scene — because making the ml kiss the fl's inner wrist? excellent choice 🗣️
that's how you know when an artist is good at building tension: when they focus on creating intimacy through more subtle touches 🤌🏻
quick question: y'all do realize that nora being the neuschwansteins' dad is just a *joke*, right?
i love the messed up neuschwanstein family tree like the next person, but that's an affection-starved teenager boy who's jeremy's friend first and foremost (+)
Shuri: “Just for a moment, may I sit down with you?”
just look at her blushing 😭 shuri, sweetie, i think nora would let you stay forever. you just have to ask!
rereading novel parts about characters' povs on shuri, and this really cracked me up okay 🤣
1st tl nora 🤝 1st tl jeremy = in awe with shuri von neuschwanstein's stunning otherworldly beauty, ohara "the most beautiful woman in the capital" who?
Ayna: “You know, Ranon... Perhaps it would be best for me to go back to the village.”
Ranon: “Did they say something? [...] They're just being mean because they think you're an outsider that's weaker than them.”
this man is too good at what he's doing 🤧
How Johannes looks at ASM fans from hell, knowing he managed to manipulate not only Shuri into believing that being a wife & a mother at 14 is normal, but also the fans of the manhwa/novel as well:
i'm honestly disturbed by the way johannes overlapped ludovika & shuri in this scene parallel - especially by looking and talking to shuri and seeing a pink rose instead of a simple girl at first 💀
not ludovika looking downright evil 💀 to be fair though we don't know the context so i'd rather not assume or theorize anything yet... but it's interesting to see ludovika in this light when in all other panels we had she looked so sweet and harmless
Ludovika: “Okay, Johannnes. Then, prove your love once and for all (...) Throw away all the pride and respect you wear like an armor and go to war with Maximilian.”
... and it's extremely disturbing that johannes did exactly that after ludovika's death - but with shuri instead🧍🏻♀️
The different reactions to Nora and Shuri dating in the novel were so funny though 🤣
On the one hand, we have Jeremy's & Rachel's approval, Elias's dramatic rejection & Leon's tentative acceptance-
And then there's Empress Elisabeth: “So, how far have you two gone? 🤧”
Penelope: “... Do you love me?”
Callisto: “Don't you think a naïve word like that doesn't suit people like us?”
remember: all men do is lie, penelope – he'd literally k*ll himself if you asked him, i promise 😭
my god, they really look alike 💀 i remember seeing the earlier panels from the manhwa with them and thinking "oh, i don't think they're thaaaat similar-"
me right now: 🧍🏻♀️🤡
shuri almost having a panic attack in her carriage after figuring out that the church has prepared to attack the entire neuschwanstein house with a holy trial, and that the pope is part of the scheme- AND NOW SHE TOLD ALBERON TO TAKE HER TO THE VATICAN 😭💀
“I won't disappoint you again. I'll do my best. Please... Please, don't leave me.”
ppl still wondering as to why shuri is so *devoted* to protecting the neuschwansteins after johannes's death when it was clear from the start imo: abandoment issues & a side dish of grooming 🚶🏻♀️
Church servants: “The Marchioness of Neuschwanstein and the eldest son of the family, Jeremy von Neuschwanstein. Come outside and receive a message from the Holy Father!”
shuri's hopelessness... jeremy's rage... what a way to end this chapter, god, i can't process all this 😭
Nora: “Jeremy, you're important to me. All of you are. I wouldn't trade you all... for anything. That's why I have to ask.”
i can't do this again omg 🚶🏻♀️ nora and his speeches are going to be the death of me, i swear 😭
Jeremy: “Shuri was sold to us. Married against her will. Just like that, she became our mother. What is Shuri thinking about? Have we ever thought about it seriously? [...] Have you ever been put in the position where you had to make sacrifices? Answer me, Elias!”