Almost 3 years later, and I'm back. Mainly because I'm bored and have no creative outlet, so I need some way to occupy myself.
I've recently gone on a webtoon "binge". I was into Doctor Frost and some others (more like guilty pleasure romance manhwa if I'm being honest) back in highschool, but I stopped reading in college, save for the rare webtoon that caught my eye. If I'm being honest with myself, this "rare webtoon" was some garbage I saw on Mangadex that looked entertaining.
Interestingly enough, the catalyst for my webtoon journey was an Instagram ad. Nullitas looked like some generic crossdressing romance, which I usually am not a fan of. I just find the trope kind of boring. We've all seen Mulan - I don't need much more riffs on the same trope. But something did call out to a very stupid and horny part of my brain. I'm not gonna lie and say it was because I thought the story looked like high art. My dinosaur brain is very powerful and influences a large amount of what I read.
Nullitas surprised me. I'm very glad that the ad decided to be stupid and horny because I wouldn't have read it otherwise. The story's protagonist initially does not have a name. She is born to a maid working in the castle. She is disguised a boy her entire life for reasons we don't know until our protagonist's true identity is revealed.
The Count in the story is a serial rapist (a trait that his son also inherits) and he fathered our protagonist. In this family, the true heir to the throne has silver hair (as does the count), but none of his children with his wedded wife do. Our protagonist's true hair color is silver - a trait which her mother relies on in order to get our protagonist medical care that she desperately needs, given that royals are the only one that receive medical care in this kingdom.
Once the Count discovers that he has an illegitimate heir, he is ecstatic. Because he has to marry off a daughter of his (as decreed by the king) to a Duke that is feared in the entire kingdom, he decides to marry off a daughter of his he does not care about.
Nullitas is a story of redemption. A character who received nothing throughout her entire life is finally given a good life and someone who cares about her. The Duke she is married to is righteous and morally strong.
But the story isn't simply one of romance - it is one of politics and retribution. Nullitas makes you feel with your heart and your head. It is something I wholly recommend to readers who enjoy romance and politics alike.
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