This was a great read. I read the light novel not that long ago and I love the manga adaptation. It just seems to make the story richer.

Another light novel with potential that just didn't click with me. The artwork is beautiful but doesn't account for much when the story is lackluster.

I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A dark and action packed light novel centering on a Prince's quest to break the curse that has been placed upon him and an all powerful witch who aims to help him through their shared contract. Witty as well as intriguing - this story had a level of murder mystery to it as well as general magic quest. I enjoyed the characters and the story, the writing at times became a little repetitive but overall I enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Yen Press, and Kuji Furumiya for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a translation of a Japanese light novel. For a light novel, it didn't have quite as many images as I would like in a light novel. There were maybe only five at most, so that was a bit disappointing. The novel and concept itself? Feels like your usual Japanese anime fantasy plot.

The royal line has had a curse placed upon it by a witch. The curse: unable to have an heir, thus leaving the last of the royal line to diminish into nothing.

Prince Oscar believes if he can find a witch, perhaps he can find a way to get the curse lifted so that he may continue his family line. When he takes the challenge to battle through a tower and reach a witch, he succeeds, much to witch Tinasha's surprise. Tinasha goes back to Oscar's kingdom, Farsas, with him. They have a one-year contract that she will keep him safe and help him find a way to break the curse.

Over the course of the novel, both Oscar and Tinasha find themselves in predicaments where they must fight for their lives or the kingdom. All the while, Tinasha helps Oscar find a girl that might just be able to bear a child through the curse, but Oscar finds he wants Tinasha the witch to marry him! The other catch is Oscar is in possession of a legendary sword, a rare item that can kill Tinasha. Will he need to do so?

While there were certainly serious elements to this novel, it was full of light-hearted moments and the quest to break the curse occasionally gets lost under more dire, in-the-moment situations. It is a decent light novel that I already know who to recommend to and wouldn't mind reading the next one to see if Oscar and Tinasha ever find a resolution for themselves.

I feel as though this one has a lot of potential, but that it wasn't fully achieved in this volume. While this is the first book, and therefore a fair amount of worldbuilding, character and plot needs to be established, the structure somewhat let it down, and it felt as though there was a lot being drawn out much more than it needed to be. Sometimes, with points being brought up and then only reoccuring quite a bit later, which made it a little challenging to really become invested in the world and story. I did however enjoy the characters, and the promise of the slow burn romance, and I am certainly interested in seeing where this one goes, and whether that potential can be polished into something more in future volumes.

The first book in a series, the story follows a prince and a witch as he journeys to break the curse that will kill any woman he takes for a wife. They enter into a one year contract and Oscar finds that the beautiful Tinasha is more than just a wish and hopes to convince her to marry him. Tinasha has other plans and though she agrees to break his curse and live in the castle with him for one year she refuses to marry him. So begins the journey of two people, a curse, secrets, and a journey into a magical world. The story was a fun one to read and a good start in the series. I am interested to see where these characters go and how their relationship devleops.

*Thanks Netgalley and Yen Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*