Title

Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss But I'm Not the Demon Lord

Also known as: Akuyaku Reijou Level 99: Watashi wa Ura Boss desu ga Maou de wa Arimasen, 悪役令嬢レベル99～私は裏ボスですが魔王ではありません～, ชีวิตไม่ง่ายของนางร้าย LV99, 反派千金等級99～我是隱藏頭目但不是魔王～, Akuyaku LV99

by Nokomi, Satori Tanabata

Score from AniList: 73/100releasing

Comedy Fantasy Romance More like Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss But I'm Not the Demon Lord

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A college student finds herself resurrected as Eumiella, an evil daughter of the nobility in the world of an Otome RPG that she played in her previous life. In the RPG, Eumiella isn’t worth thinking about at first, but in the endgame content she returns as a hidden boss, complete with ridiculous stats that put her on par with even the game’s heroes. After being essentially abandoned by her parents at their family domain, the flames of Eumiella’s former gamer soul are ignited, and she takes to leveling, and leveling, and leveling, until...at the time of enrolling in the Royal Academy, she discovers that she is level 99. Though she’d originally planned to live a peaceful and discreet life, the game’s heroine and her love interests suspect that Eumiella is in fact the infamous Demon Lord. These ridiculous powers invite all manner of trials and tribulations. So begins the fantasy tale of a most powerful, evil hidden boss (who wishes she could just live a life of peace and quiet). (Source: One Peace Books)

Type: Manga

Hoard Verdict

The StoryHoard editorial verdict

★ 3/5

A video-game villainess who becomes a hidden boss, a fun power-fantasy premise with plenty of gaming jokes and a familiar reincarnation setup.

Pros

Fun game-knowledge premise
A villainess with a hidden-boss angle
Lively, comedic energy

Cons

The otome-game reincarnation setup is common
Power-scaling jokes can get repetitive

Read this if you liked:Villains Are Destined to Die Beware the Villainess!

Read the full take

Villainess Level 99 has a clever twist on a crowded genre. A college student who played an otome game in her past life wakes up as an evil daughter of the nobility, and the game knowledge she brings helps her see a hidden path. The premise is funny and gamer-friendly: a character no one bothered with turns into a secret boss with ridiculous stats. That contrast drives much of the comedy and the power-fantasy fun. The lead's energy keeps scenes moving. The downside is familiarity. The otome-villainess setup is common, and readers who have read a lot of these will recognise the beats. The power-scaling jokes can also repeat over time, so the novelty can fade. Still, it's an entertaining, upbeat read for anyone who likes game-logic reincarnation stories. If you like a lead who turns her underdog status into a weapon, this one is worth trying.