Though I Am an Inept Villainess ‒ Episode 11
I almost feel sorry for Gyoumei. That's not easy, given that he's at the heart of the problem with the Maiden Court and the entire inner palace system; as the crown prince, it's him that all of the maidens are trying to snare. His affections – and attractions – are what can make or break a maiden's life, and as we saw with Gabi and Kenshuu, there are very real consequences to what happens based on a crown prince/emperor's choice. But Gyoumei didn't ask for this any more than anyone else did, and if he's not got the wherewithal to look at what's going on and say, “Huh, you know, this is kind of a terrible way to do things that doesn't treat women like people,” well, he wasn't exactly raised to think that way.
And despite his inability to see that the system he was raised within isn't great, I think he really thinks he loves Reirin. The sheer desperation when he throws himself in front of her after Gabi's curse rebounded lets that shine through – he really, truly believes he knows and loves this young woman. But Reirin's unwillingness to let him in on her secret (even after Keigetsu removes the restriction about speaking of it) tells us that she has her doubts. She seems to like Gyoumei, and she recognizes his situation, but she knows that he doesn't really see her. That's why she puts the condition on him: if he can figure out each time she and Keigetsu swap bodies, then she'll entertain his feelings. But that it took him so long to realize what was going on, even when presented with the evidence directly to his face…that doesn't suggest that he truly knows who this woman he professes to love is. Because Reirin is more than her frail body – she's a full person and she deserves to be adored for that.
Being unable to see past the artifice of the inner palace is a theme for this season. Gabi's machinations were all brought about by her inability to recognize that the Kin consort was being catty and trying to foment rivalry between the two most favored consorts. Gabi became blinded by the idea of her friend Kenshuu having “won” and becoming empress to the point where she couldn't see Kenshuu for who she was, instead allowing the bitterness and jealousies of the inner palace to rule her worldview. If there's a real villain(ess) in this story, it's the cycle of petty gossip and women trying to take each other down. Between Keigetsu and Gabi, that's done more than enough damage, and if Seika is smart, she'll recognize what her patroness tends to do and learn to tune her out.
That's why Reirin and Keigetsu's friendship is the most important development of the latter half of the series. Because they've lived a week in each other's bodies (forget walking a mile in their shoes!), they understand each other better than most. They've worked together to take out two major curses, they've learned how each other lives, and that means that they're less likely to fall into the trap that Gabi did. Keigetsu may have resented Reirin at first, but now she knows that the other girl doesn't have it easy. The chances of Seika or another Maiden getting in between them in the same way that Gabi was pushed into jealousy are slim.
This world needs both butterflies and rats. Some butterflies are gross; some rats are brilliant - we can't lump them all together any more than we can people. What the body swap has really shown Keigetsu, Reirin, Leelee, and Gyoumei is that no one is a single trait. I still think that Keigetsu is an interesting riff on Thackeray's Becky Sharp, but the more important takeaway is that Reirin and Keigetsu are happier when they have the freedom to be themselves, even within the strict system of the inner palace. If Gabi had been allowed that, maybe she wouldn't have ended up the way she did. And in all fairness, Reirin always knew the lesson that Kenshuu tried to impart to her friend: that the only person you can ever count on to save you is yourself.
That's true for everyone, even crown princes. And since Reirin's brothers have just arrived, I think that's a skill he might want to start honing before the series continues in another season.
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Though I Am an Inept Villainess is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
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