Spoiler For Stella

Discussion in 'Spoilers' started by lilacforyou99, Jul 5, 2021.

  1. Zeref_96

    Zeref_96 Well-Known Member

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    I would like to add more to the answer of the person above that Arcane was hesitant in breaking his engagement with Dana and he only did it because Dana told him to, he was even unsure to confess his love for Stella because he had Dana in his heart too and as someone said before he was in love with the idea of being in love with Stella.
    He was an idealistic person and very immature after the events he woke up to reality and realized what kind of person was Stella and questioned himself about what could possibly made her likeable .
     
  2. Jung-shi

    Jung-shi Well-Known Member

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    I wish there'smore spoiler than discussion here
    :blobReach:
     
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  3. xxxyoshino

    xxxyoshino Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for your responses!

    Either way I decided to look into the novel. So here is a passage about the second timeline and the original novel blended together.

    (I translated this and I don’t guarantee complete accuracy. This is a part chapter 1 so there could be more along the story. I think someone previously mentioned how there are 3 timelines [1 = original novel], [2 = when Dana tried to follow the plot and what Arcane saw in his dreams], and [3 = the current timeline where the story is starting]. I’ll think about maybe continuing translating this though I haven’t completely made up my mind yet)

    “Aru!”

    The scream cut through the air. Stella’s pained voice coursed through his ear as Arcane was drove off to the edge of a cliff and his body leaned towards the space beyond.

    As his body was violently and speedily falling, his eyes became filled of a person who shouldn’t have been there.

    “Da…na?”

    Even before Arcane finishes his words that were in a scattered and in a sigh-like voice, Dana gripped his hands with all her strength as she grit her teeth due to the burning pain on her back.

    It was a wound she had expected. She already knew that her back will be slashed by Edgar’s sword, however, the pain was much more than what she had expected once she had experienced it in reality.

    Just like in the novel, Dana received a long sword wound on the back.

    From her right shoulders until her waist, a long and sharp sword wound tore through her back. A chilling sensation together with the extreme pain coursed through her back yet she didn’t let go of her grip on Arcane who had a shocked expression. They both continue to fall entwined to each other.

    From above, the mix of Stella’s screams, Edgar’s shouts, and the knights’ roars could be heard somehow from afar and just in that moment she met Arcane’s eyes.

    The dark blue eyes that was similar to a deep sea reflected Dana’s figure.

    Within those eyes, an extremely radiant smile was also reflected.

    Faced with the violent winds against her rapidly falling body, she raised her other free arm and embraced Arcane’s head. Now, now it’s almost finished.

    She can now die.

    In that moment Dana’s role will end.

    Dana Borchen’s appearance is only until then.

    She is the childhood friend of Arcane who was the main lead of the novel “For Stella”. The girl who loved him. The girl who entrusted him to Stella. The girl who left his side yet could’t help but go back.

    A girl who was used as a tool further emphasize the pitiful love shared by the main leads, Arcane and Stella. A supporting role who leaves the stage as she help the male lead in a life and death crisis when he became embroiled in the schemes of Edgar, the man who one-sidedly love the female lead.

    In the earlier part of the novel, Dana Borchen was connected to Arcane’s family, the Krueger Dukedom that’s why from early childhood she has frequented their mansion.

    The elders from both houses have the two as potential fiancés on the back of their heads, where they will hold their engagement party when they reach the age of 18 and when they turn 20 years old, naturally, they are expected to be wedded.

    However, at the age of 15, Stella appeared before the two of them when they entered the academy. Arcane was with Dana, Stella with her childhood friend, Edgar. The four men and women became the best of friends in the academy.

    At first, Arcane and Stella did not get along well at all and even just meeting each other led to fights. But when Stella became 16 years old, a year before they graduate from the academy, they both confirmed their feelings and became lovers.

    Through that process, the icy and machine-like Arcane became more like a human and Stella who looked at the world in a crooked way, grew while carrying honest beliefs.

    And the other two of the four men and women.

    Dana who loved Arcane and Edgar who loved Stella. Even though each of their unrequited loves can never bear fruit, they still supported Arcane and Stella’s relationship and went on their own way as the four of them graduated from the academy a year after.

    The novel’s male lead Arcane strengthens his hold as the successor of the duke, all the while making lots of preparations to welcome Stella, who is a mere daughter of a powerless count in a subordinate country, as the mistress of the empire’s most powerful ducal household.

    Dana helped him both in materially and morally. She truthfully wished for their happiness and did her best to help out the two of them. Especially when the count’s daughter and a low-ranked noble, Stella, was to be engaged to Arcane, the successor of the empire’s most powerful dukedom.

    Dana leaving from Stella and Arcane’s engagement party, shed the tears that were hidden within her heart while looking at Arcane’s happy face. Even though her engagement with Arcane fell through, being a child from a historical count family, it was decided that she’ll immediately be appointed as the fiancé of the crown prince and quietly become a part of the royal family.

    Meanwhile, Edgar, who was to succeed a count in his kingdom, was in anguish and could not forget Stella, thus in the end he started forming plans to bring her back.

    As Arcane was spending a dream-like time with Stella, his family was accused of treason and were then relentlessly driven off to a tumultuous fate, inevitably leaving him alone.

    At first, Stella resolutely believed in him, however, due to Edgar’s constant brainwashing, her heart soon wavered. Soon after she confided Arcane’s location to Edgar, he was soon encircled by knights and soldiers.

    Only then did Stella realized what she had done wrong and when she had just helped Arcane escape with difficulty when he was sent to the capital to be imprisoned, Edgar together with a group of knights soon caught him by the neck and drove him off by a cliff.

    Stella asked Edgar for the reason behind his actions as she violently and furiously resisted, however, there was nothing she could the with the strength she had.

    Arcane was mentally tired and his body messed up from the torture he had received when a confrontation concerning life and death broke out between him and Edgar, thus he was greatly overpowered and was completely charged towards the end of the precipice. Arcane could no longer fend from Edgar who only had to finish him off with a single blow that will send him on the path of death.

    On the moment of death, Dana, dressed in a soldier’s attire and hid among those who were chasing after him, came out and enveloped Arcane’s whole body to protect him. She received a lengthy cut on her back through violent stroke of Edgar’s sword and fell with Arcane towards the violent rapids of the deep water in the valley beyond the cliff. She clenched her teeth from the pain brought by her wound to bear it and desperately embraced Arcane who lost consciousness.

    After a thorough search of below and around the valley, no bodies were found and Edgar brought the mourning Stella back. After that, Arcane and Dana were declared to be dead.

    When Arcane gained consciousness, they were inside a certain cave halfway through the valley.

    He immediately shook Dana who has enveloped him in his arms from earlier on, however, she was not gaining consciousness, thus he desperately tried to wake her up. For a moment, she gained consciousness and smiled at him.

    She told him to live a long and happy life. After uttering those words, Dana closed her eyes.

    Arcane was able to survive through Dana’s sacrifices and after overcoming various struggles, a moving reunion of him and Stella who was imprisoned by Edgar followed. However, due to their hearts that have grown distant, they became estranged and only continued to bring pain to one another. It was not until the end through Edgar’s monologue did the whole proceedings became known regarding all of the disagreement that took place between the two.

    Like that, Edgar met his end and the two reconfirm their feelings for one another and had a happy ending. It was a novel that truly belonged to the romance genre.

    She recalled the novel’s story like it was a film rolling in her mind. Cold wind stormed through the depths of her heart. Dana arched the corner of her lips as she felt the burning pain. From then her role is finished and she can now take her exit.

    She realized very early on that she has possessed a character from a novel and ever since her first meeting with Arcane, she has lived while following the novel’s storyline as ascribed in her head.

    Only then can she go back to reality.

    That’s why she continued to engrave the the book’s plot in her head. Even though the dialogues did not completely match the original, she fretfully worked to make sure that the major events occurred.

    Fortunately, the end of her role is approaching without a hitch. She has an inkling that she will be able to return once she completes Dana Borchen’s role.

    No one assured her regarding this, but if the story flows as expected and Dana dies while embracing Arcane, she was sure that she will be able to return to her own reality.

    Dana firmly embraced Arcane and struggled to protect him from the imminent collision against the surface of water. She maneuvered their position so that she was the first to plunge towards the water which had an impact that felt like crashing against asphalt yet she strove to maintain her consciousness. She absolutely did her best to swim and find the cave mentioned in the novel while holding tightly to Arcane.

    She slowly lost her consciousness upon arriving at the entrance of the cave. She then brood over the parting words she will leave to Arcane at the end.

    I feel sooo bad for the original Dana and Dana herself, I could really feel her pain yet she was just a side character all this while so I can’t help but think the huge plot armor behind the original Stella.
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2021
  4. Jung-shi

    Jung-shi Well-Known Member

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    I think it's better for Dana to go back to her own world leaving Arcane... Because in the first place there feelings isn't mutual... In every time ... Love with a touch of guilt and sympathy isn't really the love shared by the two people... It seems like Arcane only thinks of himself... Well its just my opinion
     
  5. its0k

    its0k Well-Known Member

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    I think if you imagine them as a group of school friends in modern life without any magic it’ll be a typical story about teenage first love that didn’t succeed, and there will be no need to feel bad for Dana being a second choice or being selected out of guilt.

    A son of a successful businessman Arcane falls in love with a new classmate Stella, who’s a rare beauty, knows how to use it perfectly even though she comes from a working class family. She falls in love with a rich handsome and serious classmate, because previously all guys who had paid attention to her were not as cool and promising as he is.
    They experience everything together for the first time which makes them feel more attached to each other and consider all partner’s flaws as cute and lovable.
    They both have childhood friends who also have feelings for them. It’s first love for all 4 of them and they don’t know about relationships and expressing their feelings, so they make a lot of mistakes moving forward, but in the beginning they forgive each other because the life at school is simple and easy.
    Dana would give up her unrequited first love for Arcane and wish him all the best to move forward with her life while Edgar would be jealous and would do small things to break them up. Dana would be go study abroad because her family can afford it and wants her to see the world.
    But because Stella and Arcane are a mismatch in the first place (character wise and family background wise), they would break up eventually after they graduate from school, because when yesterday’s kids have to deal with real life problems they become adults and their life values change.
    Arcane’s family business would be on a verge of becoming bankrupt so his parents would engage him in their company to help and he would be spending less time with Stella. She would start hanging out with college friends more, going to the parties to have fun while her boyfriend would be working his a$$ off to keep his family business alive and for their imaginary future. She would spend more time with Edgar, and he would be saying how she’s worth more than just being a girlfriend of an emotionless workaholic, and how she’s spending her youth in vain waiting for Arcane to succeed and finally pay attention to her. This would get into her head and the couple would start fighting more and more, hating each other’s characters more and more, and the behaviours they previously thought were cute now would look like huge shortcomings. Serious Arcane now would look like a money hungry sociopath who doesn’t even care to remember their anniversary date, while Stella’s easygoing and blunt attitude now would look like she’s simply a stupid selfish beauty who’s only good for her face. One day after a huge fight they would break up because their values are too different. Stella would go to Edgar and find comfort his arms, while Arcane would focus on his business without any distractions. In a couple of years when his family business finally gets back on track he would meet Dana during a school reunion again and realize that he was a fool not to notice her, because in his eyes she would look like an ideal woman with good education, manners, respected at her job and having an emphaty of a saint, basically a treasure and the best woman he’s ever known. He would start courting her and she would slowly open up to him and eventually they would start dating. Their parents would be very happy about their relationship because their kids would be a great match and have the same values, similar background and good chemistry. And this would be an adult love story, where they would already have experience and wisdom and work hard to keep their relationship working. And there is nothing wrong with the fact that they didn’t start relationship in the high school and that they are not each other’s firsts, because they got a chance to experience other relationships, learned from their mistakes, widened their horizons, saw the world and achieved something to bring it into their new relationship.
     
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2021
  6. Jung-shi

    Jung-shi Well-Known Member

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    Ahrgggg! I don't know but I really feel bad for Dana... I was hoping for someone who can love her without being the second choice... Because I know the feeling of being unrequited and being only a choice for someone who is dear to me... That is sucks!!!

    Dana is too precious... It is truly hard to find someone like Dana and arcane only took her as a second choice huhuhuhu... I hope you all understand me!
     
  7. its0k

    its0k Well-Known Member

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    I understand your frustration, but Dana is not a second choice for him. He didn’t decide between two girls. He liked Dana as a friend before and now he loves her as a woman after he had gained experience in his unsuccessful relationships. When he was with Stella he didn’t know Dana had feelings for him before, for everyone their relationship looked like a friendship or sibling affection. It seems that even Dana herself didn’t realize she had romantic feelings for him until later, so it’s not like she was waiting for him to select her. She just cared for him unconditionally which makes it look like he’s ungrateful by selecting another girl. But Dana didn’t expect anything from him, she even encouraged their relationship with Stella because she had her own agenda, so it’s not like he betrayed her trust or hurt her feelings.
    He was just young and stupid to fall for a flashy beauty Stella as a teenager in his previous life. But now he has a brain of an adult and understands who’s worth something and who’s not. And this is why he wants to give his all attention and affection to the person who’s worth it without being distracted by a fleeting crush, which is a healthy adult attitude.
     
  8. xxxyoshino

    xxxyoshino Well-Known Member

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    Here’s another passage about their childhood in the third timeline and Arcane’s reaction to her death.
    This is honestly heartbreaking, well for both Dana and Arcane. I got so emotional while reading this.
    I was surprised as well because a lot of the lines or emotions were omitted or shortened in the manhwa. So it kinda hit differently ig.

    (Again I translated this and I don’t guarantee complete accuracy. This is from chapter 2 of the novel)

    “Duke Krue…?”

    “Arc! It’s Arc!”

    Dana swallowed her words hearing his sorrowful tone.

    Dana was talking formally to him, refusing to call his name, and was keeping a distance, acting like they barely know each other and tearing his heart to pieces. It is almost driving him crazy how her manner of speech and actions are making him realize how the relationship shared between the two is so distant.

    He wanted to get closer and reach out his hand to confirm her existence. Failing to hide the desperate expression on his face, he slowly drew closer and stroked her forehead. He passed his hands from her round forehead to the rim of her eyes then a little roughly caressed the bridge of her nose down to her lips. He then continue to stare at her blank golden-brown eyes.

    “Da…na.”

    ‘His voice was shaking?’ As she was thinking that she was suddenly wrapped within Arcane’s arms.

    Dana who was small and petite compared to the tall Arcane was completely enveloped by his embrace.

    “Ar… Arca- Arc?”

    Dana was confused by the sudden hug so she called out to him. His body that was encircling her was trembling a little. Due to the coldness that dripped on the crown of her head, Dana lifted her head that was buried on his chest which led to a greater confusion making her body stiffen.

    ‘He’s crying?’

    ‘Is he crying right now?’

    ‘Arcane is crying?’

    When they were really young, the little Arcane would frequently have a huge smile or sobbing cries. But since that incident that took place in the night market during the anniversary commemoration of the country’s establishment, he never once again shed any tears in front of her. Yet that Arcane was now hugging her tightly right now and was sorrowfully crying. He was crying and incessantly calling out her name so Dana, who was stunned as she was buried on his chest, raised her arms to hug him back and started patting his back lightly.

    Once, twice, and another one. Saying ‘I want you to show you that the person you’re calling for is right here’, thus the small hands comforted him for a long while.

    “Ah… Uhm… Duke Krueger?”

    “Arc. Call me Arc.”

    When he corrected her address to him to his name, Dana’s arising question became stuck on her throat.

    Why is someone like him who seemed just fine not letting go of her hands? Why was he asking her to call out that nickname which she had never heard since that incident when they were young. It was when they were 12 years old when he claimed that they should no longer hold hands nor call each other by nicknames.

    Just what strange wind blew that led to this situation?

    During that time, she already had a matured mentality due to her reasonable age at her original world which didn’t match the age of her current body. With a content heart, she watched over the growth of her childhood friend and the novel’s male lead, Arcane.

    In the original novel, her role has a one-sided love for him who was supposed to be her friend, however she could not look at such a little kid in a romantic way. That’s why she partly treated him with the love adults give to adore little children and kept him by her side. It was a different love from that in the original novel but it was surely still a form of affection. That was how Dana loved Arcane during their early time together.

    Then on a certain day in winter when they were officially making a debut in society during their 12th year of age, Arcane declared to Dana that they it is no longer proper for them to act so intimate with each other. She readily conceded.

    She didn’t witness herself the incident which occurred with him that day, however, after hearing roughly about the whole proceedings, she somehow understood him. Despite Arcane’s fiery words, Dana wasn’t immature to have reactions like ‘How can you say such mean things! You’re just gonna inform me one-sidedly that we should set a distance between us?! Am I nothing to you?’. Since Arcane’s declaration, their meetings dwindled and they gradually became indifferent to one another.

    It was a scene that did not differ from what took place in the novel, ‘For Stella’.

    Of course the ties between their families did not stop there and Arcane would still occasionally escort her in parties, however, they no longer frequented each other’s homes unlike they were children and neither did they spend their idle time with each other any longer.

    Because of that, the Dana in the novel was not able to have much encounter with Arcane, thus her anxiety from her unrequited love started bubbling up. Nevertheless, the Dana now was not like that. For starters, the love she felt for Arcane was a different form of affection so she only acknowledged that she will no longer see much of him.

    This continued until they have become 15 years old when without notice, Arcane who kept a strange and vague distance between them, suddenly visited the Count’s home without prior notice and hugged her as he wailed without uttering a single word. That’s right, wailed. When he finally stopped crying and let go of her, he still didn’t return home. He held her hands tightly and intently stared at her face. Dana was puzzled and lost as to what to say.

    “Well… Arc?”

    “Yeah.”

    “…No.”

    “Yeah.”

    She wanted for him to free her hands yet she couldn’t utter those words. Dana struggled to hide her slightly frightened expression as she tried to pull her hands from him. Arcane’s eyes immediately flickered as a response to her action.

    The moment her hands were withdrawn, Arcane felt a familiar sense of loss so he immediately grabbed her shoulders. Because of the strength of his hands, Dana let out a cry from the pain.

    “Ugh?”

    Arcane’s expression once again twisted into one seemingly close to crying. Dana was trying to say something but he didn’t give her a chance and blocked her mouth with an embrace.

    If he didn’t hug her, it felt like Dana would disappear in the blink of an eye. His hug seems as if something is making him cling on to her so urgently, effectively silencing her. She was confused and at a loss but Arcane’s feelings were more important. Arcane was desperate and were trembling unceasingly hands as he caressed her back out of uneasiness.

    It was only right to comfort him who was a significant and beloved person as much as he yearns for it whenever he’s wounded or facing difficulty regardless of the reason.

    “Da…na. Dana.”

    “Yes?”

    “Hug me.”

    “Okay.”

    Dana extended her arms and hugged him back. The arms stroking his back was so affectionate that it his tears threatened to spill once again.

    Dana.

    Dana.

    Dana Borchen.

    His Dana who had light brown hair and golden-brown eyes and was always kind and endlessly affectionate.

    “It’s cold. It’s so cold.”

    The chill that can make one’s teeth chatter is piercing through his depths. The feeling as if his fingertips are frozen solid made him unable to move.

    “Arca— Arc? Are you really fine? You’re shaking so much, we should take you somewhere warme—“

    “Just, just stay like this.”

    There was that time where the freezing cold within the cave permeated even through his marrows. When the moment Dana took her last breath comes to his mind an anguishing pain seeps through his heart. It was a pang of pain that is as if someone is gripping his heart, squeezing it without a moment of rest which then proceeds to course through his whole body.

    She died.

    She died as she saved him.

    She took the blow when Edgar was playing with him with his sword and she jumped with him towards the rough and swirling torrents in the water flowing through the valley. Even when they plunged into the water, she saved him until the end before she died. She left him and died. (Well sorry hun that jeez she couldn’t help but die from the wound, water impact, and probable profuse bleeding)

    Until the end she smiled tenderly at him and told him to live happily, to have a long, long, happy life as she finally breathed her last. Both blood and energy flowed out of Dana’s body that was in his arms. Her last breath could not be stalled. The eyes that were focused on me closed and would never open again.

    Her voice.

    He would never hear her voice once again.

    “Dana. Dana. Dana.”

    “Yes. I’m here.”

    Her voice which was a bit low compared to other women reverberated through his ears. Such dainty and small built did not match the husky and clear voice which Arcane listened to as he strengthened his hold on her, as if ensuring the presence of her warmth through the hug.

    The warm and soft body within his arms is different from the cold and stiff one that he could only hopelessly look at during that time. They were not in that cave where there were no longer words that could be said and nothing could be possibly be done but stare blankly as he send her off miserably.

    She is soundly breathing and alive. She was giving him a pat on the back just like any other day when they were young.

    Could it possibly a dream? Arcane ceaselessly doubted as he continued to hug her. Am I just seeing a dream of the thing I am most desperately hoping for? This place where you and I are both in, will it melt away in any minute and disappear? Will I be soon left alone again in that cold and dark place?

    Arcane was so afraid that if he lays his eyes on her she’ll disappear, that maybe she’ll die once again and leave him alone, all of this he would no longer be able to bear furthermore.

    I tried reading again and again if I miss what ‘incident’ happened with Arcane but it seems to not be detailed here in this chapter. I tried using mtl as well if I missed something but nothing came out either. Maybe it’ll be mentioned in other chapters.

    Honestly, I feel bad for both of them. From here, Arcane doesn’t seem to miss her out of pity or guilt, and if he does, perhaps by only a small percent. But I still can’t fully say if she’s not a second choice. It also seems like something drove them apart when they were young unlike what was shown in the manhwa where they seem to be so ever close with one another though. This can be the reason why ig he didn’t pursue her along with how she keeps pushing him to proceed with the storyline in the 2nd timeline and also in 3rd timeline. I hope he makes it up to her reaaally good though, I really felt the pain when she took the hit, slammed into water, and still brought him to a safe space.
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2021
  9. its0k

    its0k Well-Known Member

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    I’m now curious about what had happened at that time. Could it be that he was ridiculed by someone jealous of their relationship and took it to heart or was it something more serious.
     
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  10. Mae Rogel 82

    Mae Rogel 82 Call me Mae _ [Red step-siblings(Eldest)]

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    What is the ending?
     
  11. papapa

    papapa Well-Known Member

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    i also think there's a gap in their childhood years which didnt fully portrayed in the manhwa (they looked closed as ever in the manhwa which confused me), but now it does make sense if they have a 'distance' before entering the academy.

    yes yes! i wished to see arcane and dana chara's development in the future! its rare to see novel with both ML/FL's pov written so well :blobuwu:
     
  12. Le_Tired

    Le_Tired Well-Known Member

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    ***SIGH I deleted my previous post b/c I messed up a link and have to start over
    **** I'm editing my past posts on spoiler threads and labeling them as misplaced discussion so people know when to skip if they're looking for spoilers

    The story starts from when they were ~15yo I believe and I was pretty dumb when I was 15 (more than a decade later I'm not sure if I'm any better when it comes to choosing relationships but I've learned many lessons the hard way). I was attracted to loner types w/ dark brown hair who had "good" taste in "obscure" movies, music, books, etc. (yes, I'm cringing....) and part of that attraction stemmed from the novelty of meeting someone who I believed was "unique" and went against the expectations of "mainstream" society. My worldview and point of reference at the time was small and limited, I didn't have the hindsight to understand that "aloof" could mean emotionally stunted, inability to communicate, weird trust issues, etc. or "possessive" could mean insecure and potentially lead to various forms of abuse & isolation. When you're a bored, cynical teenager who grew up seeing everything as uniform, a person that would ordinarily be seen as "eccentric" or "evasive" or "strange" or "tactless" could be interpreted as "exciting" or "different" or "interesting" by that naive, teenager filter.

    In that way, I understand some of the reasons why Arcane was initially attracted to Stella. She was "not like other" noblewomen who adhered to strict societal expectations and went against the norm by being unashamedly rude, which he saw as "brave" and "different" when in truth she's impractically self-righteous w/o clear aim. She was also the type of beauty he hadn't seen elsewhere (how would he have had the experience to see other people who were similar to her when his environment was strictly controlled by the duchy and his main interactions w/ women were Dana). When you combine all of that w/ teen hormones, you get an Arcane that pursues a dumb b*tch that expects people to cater to her whims b/c of her beauty.....
    Just to clarify, Idt she is evil incarnate. However, I'm particularly harsh w/ her despite the fact that she's a teenager b/c she contributed to breaking off her "best friend's" engagement for her own self-interest. My main gripe is her expectation of Arcane treating her like she's special in his life. Also, if you're continuously unable to make friends w/ other women, you may be problem.... This doesn't apply to all situations but it's annoying she's confused when people don't like her when she surrounds herself w/ enablers (Edgar & Dana)

    1. 1st meeting during entrance ceremony 2nd TL
    Stella and Edgar neglected proper introduction as dictated by strict etiquette w/ Dana and Arcane when they should have been more conscientious considering that they're attending a famous academy filled w/ nobles of esteemed household. Arcane was a bit harsh about it but Edgar recognized his mistake and immediately apologized for breaching etiquette while Stella became indignant when someone pointed out her mistake....Instead of taking it as a teaching moment, she becomes defensive and even proceeds to take out her frustrations on Dana when they meet in their shared dorm room

    2. 1st TL flashbacks w/ Arcane and Stella
    In the manhwa, there was one scene of Arcane complaining to Dana about Stella's behavior and telling Dana to correct her behavior then Dana responds by suggesting him to confess to Stella b/c she knows of his attraction to her. It is weird to me that he is still attracted to Stella when she basically got into a heated argument w/ a random stranger and he had to mediate the argument / come to her rescue b/c she had no impulse control. IRL, what she did is also frowned upon in our world, anyone would stare at a person that gets in a fight w/ a rando - not only does it make you look like a damn fool, it also shows emotional immaturity and inability to regulate emotions for picking the wrong fight at the wrong time.

    3. Arcane shielding Dana from the rain 2nd TL
    Stella was shocked when Arcane picked up Dana in one arm and shielded her body from the rain w/ the other and doesn't try to show that courtesy towards her. Why are you surprised Arcane is not paying attention to you when you have no ties to each other? He's clearly emotionally invested in his FIANCE. Arcane was even explicit about his engagement w/ Dana during the first meeting w/ Edgar & Stella.

    4, Ch 13 raw manhwa - Field trip event w/ Arcane and Stella tending to the sick & injured 2nd TL
    He did enough w/ defending her against that belligerent patient and even (strangely, I guess it was more out of reflex / habit from 1st TL) wiped her tears. When he walked away, she was so crushed he didn't show any further care towards her like how he treats Dana. She considers Dana to be a dear friend of hers at this point but still has the gall to feel frustrated Dana's fiance is not treating her like his loved one......It's suggested that she feels like she lost something b/c it could be tied to her unconscious feelings from 1st TL but dude, again, why were you interested in your alleged "best friend's" fiance in the 1st TL? You can't help human attraction but you can limit your interaction w/ that person so emotions don't further develop.

    5. CH 14 raw manhwa - 1st TL flashback of Stella reunion w/ Arcane post Dana's death
    She may have been brainwashed / manipulated by Edgar into revealing Arcane's location which led to Dana's death, but even if it was unintentional, there were still massive consequences for her actions. Any person w/ a conscience would have recognized what they did and distanced themselves from their lover out of guilt, but no, she runs back into his arms when it turned out Arcane was alive and wants to continue their relationship from where they left off. Dude just had everything taken away from him and you prioritize your feelings in this situation??? How much more does she want to take from him ???
    ***If I'm being honest w/ myself, part of the reason why I dislike Arcane is b/c I feel like I'm looking into a mirror and seeing my past self make stupid choices, except my choices didn't end w/ being framed for treason, the fall of my family, and the death of my aides & friends. It feels hypocritical to point out Arcane's mistakes but take this as me lecturing my former self.....

    I don't really see the appeal w/ Stella so while I may understand why he is attracted to her, I don't understand why he overall chose to start a relationship w/ her. There are too many negatives that counters the positive aspects of her personality. As I've stated before, she is impractically self righteous w/o clear aim, which is the same as wanting to win an argument for the sake of winning an argument. Who would want to spend their life w/ a spoiled brat screaming "ME ME ME, PAY ATTENTION TO MEEEEE"? I wouldn't blame someone for thinking I'm questionable if I just came out of a relationship w/ someone stupid, so by extension, I would be wary of being in a relationship w/ Arcane. I would maybe consider him if 1-2 yrs have passed by and saw firsthand that his judgment has improved.

    MAIN GRIPE: It's pathetic of him to finally realize how indispensable Dana is to his life until her death. Dude. It took her death for you to understand that? She's been consistently kind and caring towards him compared to the stupid, self-centered Stella who needs people to clean up after her or save her from the situations she creates (picking fights w/ randos). If I were Dana and discovered that he regretted only after I died, I wouldn't want to be in a relationship w/ him. Dana may not care b/c she doesn't treat her current world as "reality" but it still looks bad. Who would want to be w/ someone that sees your value only after a major event, your DEATH, happens?

    While he does have genuine feelings towards Dana and loves her wholeheartedly, it still feels like Dana is 2nd choice in this story. Why? It's not like he cheated on her b/c he didn't formally pursue Stella until Dana gave him her blessings and he really does care for her even in the 1st TL. He also never expressed something along the lines of "Stella sucked, oh well, let's try Dana next". It just feels like that b/c Arcane doesn't interact w/ a lot of women in his personal life other than Stella and Dana, and when he discovered how selfish the true Stella was, he went back to his former relationship w/ the ONE other girl who cared for him w/o much time in between to process his feelings.

    Idk how much time passed by between Dana's death and the start of his regression, but it's definitely not enough time for him to work though everything before jumping into a new relationship. It looks like he has PTSD judging from the difficulty he has in staying happy or finding purpose in his day to day life in 2nd TL and he's still bitter w/ Stella. If his actions are looked at from a different perspective, it can be seen as him rebounding from his 1st relationship despite how earnest his love is for Dana.
    I wish she had been more proactive w/ her life. The MC in "Circumstances of Switching Bodies" developed contingency plans after fully understanding her situation as the character she was transmigrated into. She wasn't idle in the years of her life before the start of the novel and instead researched various solutions (herbs, curses, magic, etc.) and acquainted herself w/ people who could help her, like Killian and the information guild.

    What does Dana do????
    "Errr I think I will go back to the real world if I die. This is just a conjecture of mine but I will hold on to this during my entire life here. Do I know for certain that it will work this way??? No, I haven't done research or tried to ask the professor about this. Why do I need to? I have blind faith that I will go back to my previous world :) " WTF. She also doesn't seem to think that the people in her current world have free will when she's surprised by the changes in Arcane, Stella, and Edgar even though she didn't try to test out by deviating from the default settings of the world.

    It's also not cute she enables Stella's b*tchy attitude. How does one outgrow their sh*tty behaviors as a teenager if no one is around to tell them that its discourteous and rude to others to act that way???

    Not including a "thoughts about edgar" section b/c he's a simp b*tch that framed people for treason and plotted murder due to unrequited love. Glad to know he is ashamed after recovering his 1st TL memories but my disrespect for him is too great to have any positive opinions towards him.
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2021
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  13. its0k

    its0k Well-Known Member

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    I think if Arcane and Stella had more time together in the first TL even without major drama Arcane would have eventually realized Stella’s type of character and would have understood how stupid he was to bid everything on her. Their relationship would have eventually gotten worse and colder, though during those times people didn’t have many justifications for breaking up or divorce because it was the last resort if something really unpleasant has been uncovered, and not just some difference in views, so they would have probably stayed in the unhappy marriage for the rest of their lives.
    And to be honest when life is easy and simple it’s really hard to judge someone’s character quickly, this is why different cultures have variations of a proverb “a friend in need is a friend indeed”, because you really get to know a person’s heart during the bad times.
     
  14. Le_Tired

    Le_Tired Well-Known Member

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    ****Editing past blurbs on spoiler threads and labeling as discussion for anyone who wants to skip to spoilers

    Yes I totally agree w/ you that I don't think they would have divorced, at this point my impression of him based on the available content from manhwa and spoilers is that he was pretty blind to Stella so my speculation is that he might have made more excuses for her considering he wasn't completely turned off by her bratty behavior in the 1st TL, but I believe he would've remained loyal regardless b/c of the imposed norms in their upper class society.

    It's just such a shame that it would've taken Arcane a looooonger period of time to finally understand who Stella really was as a person had there been no dramatic developments. His rose colored glasses were pretty strong; despite the issues he may have had w/ how she conducts herself in the 1st TL, it seemed like he reframed everything in a positive way and just chose to see the "good" in her (like "oh that's just how she is, she's so quirky!!!!").

    I also agree that it's extremely hard to get a picture of the essence of a whole person, which is why I cannot completely fault Arcane for being a dumbass when I was totally one at his age. It's one of those unfortunate lessons you have to learn while young that most people go through. Thankfully we live in an age where people aren't expected to be engaged by the time they are 18 or in their early 20s so there's more time to assess your relationship and that person's character before making the decision to commit to spending your life together smh.

    IN CONCLUSION: At this point, I am just projecting my resentment onto him from Dana's pov in the event that she discovers that his regret was from after her death. Like I said before, she doesn't give a sh** but I DO. DAMN. It's one of those things where you can forgive him for it over time but it's just a dealbreaker in a relationship. Imo, if he really loved her, he would've supported her from the background instead of pursuing a relationship w/ her in the 2nd TL.
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2021
  15. xxxyoshino

    xxxyoshino Well-Known Member

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    So the new chapter in the raws for the manhwa is out
    It’s basically about how Arcane went through struggles after the whole treason accusation and the aftermath. He doesn’t seem to hate nor resent Stella it’s just that he realized that even after going through all of those for their love, it all turned out that his happiness did not lie there. He was not happy even after reuniting with Stella so he felt sorry how he could not fulfill Dana’s dying wish. So it was then implied that he turned back time.
    Then at the end of the chapter he said to Dana to live.

    I’m just basing this from the manhwa and I’m still halfway chapter 3 of the novel but it seems that for Arcane, Dana is a part of him. Like somehow she always guided him on what to do, thus greatly influencing him and she was always there for him literally and figuratively. Maybe that’s why he felt such extreme loss from her death because a part of him became lost. His lines when he was witnessing her death seemed more like he could not accept her death, and not he could not accept how she died for him although this can be part of it either. She was also the first one he looked for when he regressed, even though he was surrounded by his family, close attendants, and his servants. Aaaaand it seems like he turned back time just so he could be with her. Maybe he did love her before, but it just never bore fruit because of what happened during their childhood or because Dana kept pushing him to be with Stella. She did say that she did everything she could to ensure that all the major events of the novel take place. Or maybe he really didn’t have any romantic feelings for her but still hold her special.
    I honestly don’t mind him if his ‘love’ for Stella were real or not since everything probably matched then, like how she’s beautiful, maybe fun to have been with, and even how his friends support the.
    My doubts with him, however, is that I just don’t exactly understand his main motive for pursuing Dana now. I get that he was unhappy with Stella but that doesn’t mean he has to actively pursue her now, cause that will just make him selfish by sticking on to people who seems to give him any form of positive emotion. He can just remain as friends while being close to her or make sure everything goes well with her if he’s sorry with how she had to die because of him. Unless he truly did love her before and just realized he was in love with her when she died. But I’m not sure if any mention of that has been made since so far all I’ve read is him referring to her as ‘My Dana’, or he was just unhappy even after reuniting with Stella, or that he just want to be by her side. He doesn’t even seem to mind how she’s close so close with Irube or with Edgar as seen in the latest chapter. It kind of seems like he just wants her to be next to him or alive, making me question whether he really loves her or it’s kind of a possessive affection towards her. Well I just hope that it will be explained more later on.
    Well as for Arcane and Stella being still together if the tragedy did not happen, I do think they’d still be together. The manhwa said that his time with her was somehow always shining and novel said they were having a fairytale like time together up until all the chaos took place. I’m not sure whether that will continue or he will realize how naive Stella is. Aaand honestly he didn’t seem to mind how Dana was away from him during this time nor her engagement with the crown prince so again, so again I’m somehow doubting his intentions for Dana.
    I don’t hate Arcane or anything, I just think his character should be explained more especially since basically there’s only 14 chapters in the manhwa yet so I can’t really set everything into stones yet.

    Then with Dana, to be honest all still seems dubious at this point because not only does she not want to be with him at the manhwa right now, it’s actually alright for her for Arcane to experience all of that hardships again like his family and whole people of the duchy dying. Also, it’s still unclear whether Arcane is really in love with Dana or just ‘Dana’ from the novel since she has been following the same choices and routes as the novel Dana, although she seems heartfelt in what she does for Arcane and she is as nice as the novel Dana.
    My take on this though is that Dana seems to be looking into this world as merely a ‘romance novel world’ and not a real world. She even said this in the novel when Arcane came to her after his regression: “Maybe he had a bad dream. Did he dream of someone dying? And that was me? That’s why he dashed over here? It is true that I’ll die, but if he can’t handle it well if it’s just a dream then it’s worrisome if he’ll be able to recover when the time comes for it to happen in real life. No, that time he’ll have Stella so it’ll all be fine. Everything can be overcome with love. Especially in a romance story like this where everything is set until the end with love aiding everything.” Here, I kinda feel bad for Arcane but I totally get Dana though since she wants to go back to her previous reality and she thinks somehow that’s fate of the world she is in now so how can she mess with that. I think she also stated in the previous manhwa chapters when she talked to Irube how she does realize that she is being selfish but can’t help it since she really wants to go back to her reality and this was she how could do it. Although she does seem hesitant now because of this.

    Well I honestly said a lot of stuff when I ship Dana with Irube since they’re just so cute together. Lol don’t hate me for my ship.
     
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2021
  16. Athenite

    Athenite Well-Known Member

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    I get your pov but, i do agree with some people that arcane kinda treated dana as a second choice, i mean he loved Stella cause she was 'exciting' which i think is kinda shallow compared to what dana has done for him like getting beat up when they were little to save arcane, I know that just cause your friend is nice doesn't mean you have the obligation to love them but, it feels like he liked the new exciting girl for nothing and decided to pursue her but, even then he was still reluctant to break his engagement even though he loved Stella (dude decide what you want, don't string people along) and until Dana died does he realize her worth. When he regressed he wasn't embarrassed or like feel a bit reluctant and just started acting really touchy and chummy with Dana, weren't you just dating Stella a min ago? And now you switched sides so quickly and hate Stella?? There was no closing statement or like 'moving on' phase.
    For me what redeems arcane is the fact that dana and arcane were like friends even though they were engaged so, he wasn't cheating and playing with Dana's feelings. But, it's true that it feels like he's switching between the girls so quickly, he realized that the new girl isn't all that and prefer the nice girl instead.
     
  17. its0k

    its0k Well-Known Member

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    From what I understand there was a long period of time between Arcane being with Stella (trying to live happily ever after and failing) and turning back time. Otherwise he would have been a real sociopath liking Stella yesterday and hating her today.
     
  18. Athenite

    Athenite Well-Known Member

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    Yeah but even then he was still trying to be with Stella an hour or minutes ago and then he suddenly doesn't even want to look at her as much as possible, and just act really close with Dana like real lovers, it feels like he doesn't feel guilty for Dana who died because of Stella. If Dana remembered and Arcane knows she remembered, wouldn't he apologize profusely to her for still dating someone who kinda caused her death? And he wouldn't be touching her like they were real lovers kinda shamelessly. He's just lucky that she actually intended to die and doesn't remember so, he can pretend that nothing happened with Dana.
    It's not like I hate him, i find the story interesting but, i think that the author did make Dana act like a second choice for arcane for the plot which i understand.
     
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  19. Celebrianna

    Celebrianna ❤️‍Solo Leveling❣️

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    This is such a level-headed response. Sometimes I forget that this type of relationship mistake is also prevalent in drama shows and Japanese manga. Not that I have anything against Arcane though. People live and learn and there’s a reason why Asian writers like to point out that a fruitful love needs the right timing in order to blossom.
     
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  20. autumn_leaf

    autumn_leaf Well-Known Member

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    it was shown at the starting of the chapter that Edgar proposed to Stella with ice tulips which Dana had prepared and Arcane brought to Edgar. Then we see that the things from Arcane's Krueger was being moved. Lthe mtl was not so good so i think it was being moved to the imperial palace. Um i think Arcane became the crown prince. Arcane went to meet Dana and she asked if the proposal was successful. He said it was and she was really happy. It was also confirmed that Edgar and Stella's families are moving to the empire for good(Arcane said to Dana when she asked)
    In the side stories we get to see that Arcane proposed Dana in a dandelion garden which was made by his aides , Edgar and himself. He proposed her and the wedding preparations were held very fast. Dana did not want a big fat wedding. So it was a small wedding in the garden 9f the imperial palace and it was shown that the place was decided after much running.Dana looked beautiful and after the wedding vows Arcane not only kissed Dana's lips but also her eyes , cheeks and forehead , on top of her head. They were very happy.