OKAY. NO. WHAT THE @#$! IS THIS. I’ll tell you what it is. The worst thing I’ve ever read in an otome (barring creepiness/rape). Holy crapppp.
Alyn’s Ever After actually starts out on a pretty strong note. Alyn and MC are insufferably cute together, Alyn is insufferably sexy, and all is well. Until the current Wysterian king decides to step down, that is. So the way royalty successions work in this world is that the prince consort is first coronated as king, and then the princess is coronated as queen. Seems a bit out of order considering the princess was chosen first, but hey, not my country! In any case, complications arise: “bureaucrats” don’t like the idea of having a commoner princes (aka MC), and they plot to have Alyn take on another queen after he’s coronated. They even have a candidate all lined up for him!
Enter Cosette, a short-haired, kind noblewoman who, in a turn of events that I greatly appreciated, a) doesn’t want to be queen, and b) gets along super well with MC. At some point in time, she even sends MC on a date with Alyn in her stead! I had super high hopes for the Ever After route at this point, and was totally prepared to read a rousing and inspirational tale of female friendship, true love, and political intrigue.
But alas. I should’ve known better. Cosette ends up catching feels for Alyn, because… okay, I’m not even sure why, tbh. They exchange like 5 lines total before she falls in love. In any case, she’s not looking to steal MC’s man, but nonetheless, for no reason whatsoever, MC decides that she should step aside and let Cosette be queen. WHAT. Alyn doesn’t want this. Cosette doesn’t want this. MC doesn’t want this. LITERALLY NOBODY WANTS THIS. But MC insists, BECAUSE SHE’S A BLOODY IDIOT.
After some random side plots with Leo and Louis, MC is called to an inquiry over her princess status. In a suspiciously convenient moment, Alyn arrives with Byron/Stein and Laurelia, who save the day by insisting that they won’t conduct trade with a queen that isn’t MC. Which is bizarre foreign policy, but hey, maybe they just want a puppet queen in power who has no spine (because that’d be an accurate description of MC…!). Who knows. In any case, due to no effort of MC’s whatsoever, the day is saved and she and Alyn live happily ever after.
Barf. This route was nonsensical. What did Giles even see in MC when he picked her, all those months ago? Why does Cosette pull a DtL Takasugi and get ill at random times? Why does Alyn, a perfectly competent and intelligent individual, love MC?!?! And you know what the worst part is? A few tiny changes would’ve made this route decently interesting:
- Cosette doesn’t randomly fall for Alyn.
- MC plots actively with Alyn, Cosette, and the rest of the gang to enact the trading embargo threat plan.
BOOM. There we go. (Most) problems fixed. …Ah, well. In any case, this route was a disappointment. I have regrets.
Personality: 8/10. Yes Alyn, you’re still awesome (but I sincerely question your taste in women).
Appearance: 9/10 Yes Alyn, you’re still stupid hot.
MC: 1/10. MC isn’t just useless this time, like in the main route. She’s actively self-sabotaging. Good lord.
Plot/Payoff: 1/10. See above rant.
Personal enjoyment: 1/10. Not even Alyn’s sizzling sexiness was enough to save this dumpster fire of a route…!
Otome Reviews 