I'm annoyed by the "ugly duckling" trope
You can hate me for what I'm about to say, but as a woman with average looks, it was very important for me to have a character who looks average and gets what she wants through her exceptional charisma and intelligence in solo. However, MaoMao's unattractive features include freckles that she painted herself and the absence of breasts, which is not a significant drawback as it serves as an important beauty standard primarily for the emperor. She's incredibly beautiful and all that, but there are too many heroines like her who hide behind a mask of unkemptness, and there are damn few heroines with ugly/ordinary faces. Yes, it's a shame. The monologue is an interesting piece of writing, I won't argue with that, but it's an unpleasant detail for me. Anyone who feels the same? (sorry, english is not my native language)