Stories take time to breathe, especially when you have a manga series that will span multiple volumes. This means in the case of the second volume of the the The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor manga, it really gets into developing characters like Jill and Hadis further.
We had a general sense of who both of these characters are in the first volume of The Do-Over Damsel. At least, we did for their older selves. Much of the first volume is a frenzy of activity. We learn about Jill’s fate at the hands of her villainous prince fiance. We discover she’s been sent back in time to the night she would have gotten engaged to him, at which point she proposes to the first man she meets: the Dragon Emperor Hadis that is cursed. He was a terrifying, deadly individual in her original life, but seems to be a genuinely good, mysterious figure who cares about her here.
The two are separated as the events of the first volume begin. An alleged invasion means the Marquess of Beilburg’s daughter Sphere, who was also originally considered a candidate to marry Hadis, is kidnapped, and Jill is in disguise alongside them. It’s then that we get to see the intelligence, military expertise, and magical abilities of Jill. She knows what could happen here. Namely, a Murder-Suicide of Beilburg led to disasters in her first timeline. So throughout this latest installment, we’re seeing her plotting.
At the same time, Hadis remains a focal point in spite of the action being more focused on Jill and Sphere. We learn more about his past, and how he was mistreated and considered a pariah. It makes his sudden attachment to Jill and delight over her actually showing concern and care for him much more understandable. There is a moment when Rave is reporting to Hadis the state of events and how Jill is doing. He’s genuinely proud, brings up how things may be solved without a “reign of terror,” and brings up how Jill “might actually make you happy.” Hadis’ reactions to these statements and insights melted my heart a bit.
However, while we are seeing his softer side and trust in Jill, there are also some moments that sow seeds. We see reactions to certain situations and people with him, especially ones who might mean Jill harm, that show exactly why he was so feared in the original timeline. It almost seems to suggest how close things could still be to going wrong and not changing in the way Jill wants, which makes you want to keep reading to find out how things go.
Though, to be fair, most of my favorite parts happened after the halfway point of this volume. We get to see some quieter moments between Hadis and Jill, which is appreciated. It helps really emphasize that he has goodness inside of him, and makes it even more curious how he got so crazed in the original timeline. Volume 2 of The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor also gives us a chance to see more of supporting characters Camila and Zeke throughout, Jill’s new knights and former associates from the original timeline who are now dedicated to her and her causes.
Again, the second volume of theThe Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor manga setting things up to make someone want to learn and see more of its characters and world. We really get to see both Jill and Hadis especially stand out more here, with her showing more of her military expertise and strength and him displaying both the calm and uneasy sides of his personality. It’s a fascinating way to lead further into the story.
Volume 2 of The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor is available now, and Yen Press will release volume 3 on April 16, 2024.
