I have a serious affection for the reincarnation/body swap/regression type of manhua that has been popping up, and I had a concept that I came up with that I felt might be interesting to explore, but I wanted other thoughts on it. I don’t have a proper title, so this will have to do for the time being.
Twisted Mirror
You had been a bit of a tyrant, to put it lightly. As the crown prince(ss) [and later ruthless emperor/ess] of a conquering nation. However, in your unilateral focus on growth, you did little to faster any meaningful connections in your life. Your wives/husbands do not lie by your bed, your children are too busy arguing over inheritance rights to pay you any proper attention, and you realize that in pursuing everything you have earned nothing. This is where your story should end– But no.
You wake up, an unfamiliar ceiling overhead, hands unmarred by age and battle. First believing it to be a dream, you only later discover that in reality you are now in the body of a peasant in a rural village of your empire. If you want to make the most out of your life, you are going to have to do so with the insight you gained from your first life, while attempting to right your many wrongs with ***yourself as your worst enemy*** [Also the peasant would have had their own life, prior to you coming along, what does it mean for you to be taking them over? Is this something you truly have a right to do, in the first place? ]
Obligatory poll, because why not. I don’t have ROs or anything planned, this is just a concept I had thought up when thinking about how much it bugs me how people are always in positions of power, easily able to change from the future they had written in stone themself the first time. I think a big part of this would be that the main character doesn’t suddenly have an epiphany and is a perfect person, they’d still have a lot of problematic behavior, which might need addressing throughout the course of the novel when you are no longer able to use your title to justify your actions.
- Yes, this definitely seems interesting!
- I could see it working–
- I am not sure…
- No, I don’t really think it would work.