The witch who had massacred thousands of people and destroyed the capital of the kingdom.
Elaine was considered a dear family to the witch.
But that night, a tragedy happened.
Elaine loses everything and wakes up to the world 20 years later.
Possessing the witch’s heart in her chest.
“Please protect him and my child…Ash.”
It was the witch’s last request.
She set out to find Asher to protect him and fulfill her promise, but the young and innocent child had become a stony, cold-hearted man.
A pair of purple eyes stared at her dryly.
”Dame Elaine, was it?”
“I advise you in advance, you’d better give up.”
However, Elaine draws her sword to keep her promise and seek revenge.
Before Elaine, the truth about the witch’s death begins to unravel…
***
A glimpse of annoyance showed in Asher’s eyes.
“Dame Elaine, what are you doing?”
“Oh, well, the lid looks a bit sharp.”
“…I can open the lid myself.”
The faces of the knights around them were struck with amazement.
She dares treat the Duke of Killiard, the best knight in the kingdom, a man who is compared to the sharpest blade, like a child.
The knights thought in unison.
‘That woman, she’s not ordinary!’
What makes the story compelling are the questions it raises. Is Zen more or less evil than those who commit wrongs with a purpose? Is there a difference between being a murderer with a "noble cause" and just being an ordinary killer? Others kill for their country, for their loved ones... Zen simply acts on his impulses. It's who he is. The real plot begins when Zen starts to doubt whether these urges are truly natural. He suspects that someone might be manipulating him, and for the first time, he becomes curious about his own past.
This part of the story is what makes Zen such a remarkable character. He is a villain. He doesn't mind being a villain. It's in his nature, it's part of him, and he can accept it—as long as his actions stem from his own free will. The theme of free will permeates the story, leaving you questioning whether it even exists.
I would give this story an overall rating of 7, and here's why. While the ending was somewhat surprising, it felt rushed compared to the rest of the story, which developed smoothly and naturally. There were certain elements at the end that seemed unnecessary and lacked purpose. Instead of preserving the philosophical ambiguity that hangs over the tale, the conclusion attempts to explain everything in a straightforward manner. An open-ended resolution would have been far more effective. In my view, an ambitious story like this one should have stayed bold and left us pondering.
Akusaga takes an innovative approach to the narrative until the very end, where there seems to be an insistent need to provide closure at any cost. That said, this manga has more strengths than weaknesses. I thoroughly enjoyed grappling with the questions it raises, and I genuinely liked Zen, who is original, intriguing, and highly entertaining. <p>