Just finished Bahadurs play through aaaaannnd I honestly think its one of the best Otome games I've ever played. Story is huge for me, and most of the mainstream Otomes that I've been playing have consistently been letting me down story wise. Then I saw this and...the story is interesting, the characters have depth and aren't stereotypes (something Otome has a problem with in my opinion--always with the same personalities and romances just in different settings with different names...) I honestly couldn't stop reading it. What especially surprised me was Lamya and how, though a villain, she is fleshed out to show she is also a person. I took her rapey rich lady persona at face value and kinda dismissed her as a plot device for drama in the beginning, but the ending surprised me by booting BOTH her parental figures out of their 2dimensional stereotypes (the 'good' and 'bad' parent personas). It proves that humans can be awful even when they are perceived as good people, and that those who are generally selfish and awful are still capable of doing good things.
Anyways I love this story, love the twist, love how the relationship develops and all the moral and consent issues that are brought up and agonized over. Ending was great, although I haven't played through the bitter ending (I'm so awful with unhappy endings but I am curious...) I'll probably go back and read through Rans next, who I didn't do first since he's just not really my type of guy...but I love the protagonist and the story and I want to see more of the characters and world that are in that story so I'll buy it anyways :)
Some constructive criticism: The scenes at the farm: I feel like you need an inside of the house background and a sprite for the blind woman, but I understand why you didn't have one (time/budget constraints probably). She feels like such an important part of the story though that its a bit of a disservice to not even give her a face. The romance CG that you get in the barn also felt a bit awkward compared to the other ones in the story, maybe because its the only one that shows the MC and also it was framed a bit awkwardly with her creepy blank face (I know thats something a lot of Otomes do, but I personally think its better when shots are just framed so you see the MC from the back or something). The others were lovely though, and Bahadur always looked gorgeous. Also when they go into the town the background and music for the town really jarred me from the setting of the story. It was consistently eastern inspired architecture and music and then suddenly you're in western europe? I mean I get they went over the mountains but...maybe you should change up the background pic or at least add additional dialogue that addresses the change in culture a bit more?
Altogether seriously a great game, it has pulled me from my Otome slump with its originality, fleshed out and interesting characters, and a protagonist that realizes her flaws and works to better herself (or not maybe in the bitter ending lol?). Can't wait to try out Ran, and especially to see the romance with Royo! I really liked her, although I have no idea how these other romances are going to happen since you have to run away with either bahadur or ran in the beginning to avoid capture and imprisonment...and you don't meet Royo until you journey to Umar. Does she escape with one of them and then get captured? Is there a version where the shah doesn't die and she ends up going to Umar for political reasons or something? I'm excited to see what you come up with!