Volume 9.5 of The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess offers fans a playful detour through five compact romantic stories. Each tale explores protagonist Iana’s tangled relationships with her various love interests in the fantasy world she once wrote herself.
While the premise remains self-aware and charming, these vignettes feel more like whimsical side quests than core chapters. The standout entry is a heartfelt date with Isaac, grounding the humor in genuine emotion. Other tales—including an undercover mission at a girls’ academy and Iana falling ill under Sol’s watch—lean on series-typical chaos and parody.
Translator Kei Coffman and letterer Rachel J. Pierce maintain the consistent tone of the main series, preserving the wit that makes Iana’s constant panic endearing. The art and dialogue remain lively, but brevity limits emotional depth.
Still, for long-time fans craving more of Iana’s misadventures, this collection is a pleasant companion volume. It doesn’t advance the main plot, but it reinforces the comedy, chemistry, and absurd self-insert energy that define this meta-romantic franchise.
