The Holy Grail of Eris (Light Novel), Vol. 1

Actual rating: 4.5★

The Holy Grail of Eris puts a twist on the usual villainess story, turning it into something completely different. It starts with the main character catching her fiancé cheating on her, followed by her getting falsely accused of bullying and then getting her engagement dissolved... but not in the usual way. From there, the story just shoots off into an entirely different direction and honestly? I'm here for it.

Constance Grail aka Connie, our main character, isn't even a villainess. She's not blessed with good looks, remarkable intelligence, or outstanding athletic abilities. Connie is a normal, plain girl you could find pretty much anywhere, and even though she is a noble, her family is burdened by a large debt. The beautiful and smart villainess of this story is Scarlett Castiel, who is... dead. She got executed in public ten years ago, after she got accused of attempting to poison the crown princess, and now she needs Connie's help to find out who framed her.

Being the first volume, this book is laying down the basis of all the mysteries and political intrigues which may or may not be related to Scarlett's death. There's a lot of things going on, and there's also quite a long list of side characters. It may be difficult to remember who is who at first, but the story pulled me in pretty quickly. They also have a character sheet that's updated after each chapter, which can provide interesting commentaries.

Personally, I really like Connie's relationship dynamics with Scarlett. Scarlett is smart with a photographic memory, and while Connie seems to pale in comparison in every single aspect, she does have her own set of good traits. Mainly sincerity and kindness, which Scarlett is pretty much unfamiliar with. I also like Connie with Randolph, so I'm hoping the characters will be developed nicely as they try to solve all these unanswered questions.

Oh, and as for what the titular “Holy Grail of Eris” is? For now, your guess is as good as mine. Or Connie's. And Scarlett's. We know nothing about it LOL.