Nathan Free, Natalie Bound

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

(First draft, watch this space for revisions! Updates daily or better!) I was sent into the video game to replace the main character just to amuse the goddess. I refused. My lack of cooperation has made me even more interesting. The first of many tactical blunders. Now I'm the unscripted twin sister in the dating sim, with game-breaking powers and knowledge of the future. But I'm not scripted as an [Ally], instead I'm listed as a [Rival]. She can'tforceme to betray my brother, can she? Winner October 2025 Writathon! Content warnings before chapters when appropriate. Otome isekai deconstruction. Inspired by the genre. VN romance tropes are the backdrop and framework for faction-building, power struggles, dungeon-questing, revenge plots, complex characterization and the secrets that will save or doom their world.

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2025
Author: JackValhalla

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.6/ 5.0
Followers: 414
Views: 199,435

What readers say about Nathan Free, Natalie Bound

“I am not the best at reviews, however the author deserves credit where credit is due. This story is captivating, a strong lead who gives so much but is also broken. The political intrigue gives the plot a depth and is written very well. As a reader i have…”
RonnyGrevling5060Royal Road5.0 / 5
“Never in a million years would I have thought a romance video game isekai would be as interesting as this one is. I came into this story off the recommendation from one of my other authors that I follow, not expecting much. I was delightfully surprised. Thi…”
TalanithusRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

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Community Reviews(8)

RonnyGrevling5060Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I am not the best at reviews, however the author deserves credit where credit is due.
This story is captivating, a strong lead who gives so much but is also broken. The political intrigue gives the plot a depth and is written very well. As a reader i have become emotional attatched to Natalies story and the way she is portrayed is more relatable than I would like to admit.
Reading this story is definitely my daily highlight and would probably be yours if you give a shot!
TalanithusRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Never in a million years would I have thought a romance video game isekai would be as interesting as this one is. I came into this story off the recommendation from one of my other authors that I follow, not expecting much. I was delightfully surprised.
This story is very well done, and I have quite enjoyed Natalie's journey so far. I am eagerly looking forward to future releases on this novel, and I would suggest for anyone to give it a shot. This is definitely not a genre I would ever have normally tried, but I am very glad that I did.
The magic system is quite interesting, the characters are well developed, and the author has done an admiral job in balancing foreknowledge with suspense. That's a particularly difficult trick to pull off with a storyline where your primary heroine has as much information about future events as she does.
Natalie doesn't really come off as in Uber powerful character, despite having Uber powers. She's weak and has blind spots, she's not perfect. But she knows what her job is, and she is really doing her best to get it done.
I find the academy and political intrigue sections quite well done. Normally, political intrigue tends to bore me, and your typical academy stories feel very formulaic. This story tends to break those stereotypes, and I am quite enjoying the pacing. I am very surprised that this story does not have more visibility on the site, and I think it deserves a lot more popularity than it currently has.
Once again, if you are on the fence, give the story a few chapters. It doesn't take long to rope you in.
Grimm0113Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I love the story so far though explaining why without spoiling things is tricky. The prose itself is great, if slightly flowery at some points. I spotted no grammar or spelling mistakes, though I did not look for them either. For me the combination of heavy emotional character development alternated by humor and silly moments really works. I recommend anyone who likes the genre or fantasy in general to give it a try.
Haru Desu KattoRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I have written a lot of reviews, but only rarely do they come out as straight 5s in every category. This is even better than that, so I wish I could rate it higher. The beginning doesn't do justice to what comes later, but after reading a bit more, I'm hooked.
Style - If you're a RoyalRoad author, you should be reading this book and taking notes. The text oozes with all sorts of style. Evocative imagery, clever metaphor, great banter, insightful commentary, plus interesting turns of vocabulary. Add to that historical accuracy and technical wording specific to the environment and culture and I can't believe that one person wrote this. It's astonishingly well put together. Throw in some foreshadowing and fulfillment and it's ready to go anywhere.
Story - Yes, the premise is pretty normal at the beginning - probably why it hasn't hit RR radar yet. It's the standard reincarnated into a known game or novel. However, that's exactly where the story shines. In the introductory notes, the author's intent was deconstructing the genre, and that's exactly what I see. All the cliches have been turned on their head. Likewise, it's a LitRPG, but the story is the king - not the stats and screens.
Grammar - There have been a few misspelled words, especially homonyms where the word sounds the same but is spelled differently. Likewise, there have been a few sentences that were garbled in construction - for instance missing a verb. However, none of that was glaring enough to draw my attention or distract from the action. It should be simple to clean up with the help of an editor.
Character - The characters are deep, well-defined, and easy to understand. The mark of a good author is to provide enough detail and depth so the reader knows what a character will do or react before written. Likewise, all the major characters have believable strengths and flaws - and future difficulties or problems coming for them. Exciting!
I see I'm the first posted review, but I expect more to come pouring
BeratBengisuuRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This series is an absolute standout in the isekai/fantasy genre, combining sharp intelligence, emotional depth, and a refreshingly unique take on magic and social dynamics.
At its core is Natalie, a reincarnated prodigy navigating aristocratic life with a mind far beyond her years. What makes her compelling isn’t just her intelligence, but her restraint—watching her carefully manage how and when to reveal her abilities adds a layer of strategy that keeps the story constantly engaging. She’s not just “smart”; she’s socially aware, calculating, and often genuinely funny.
But the real heart of the story is Nathan. While Natalie draws attention, Nathan earns affection—and the narrative makes it very clear that emotional intelligence and kindness may ultimately matter more than raw intellect. Their sibling bond is the emotional anchor of the entire series, and it’s handled with remarkable warmth and sincerity.
The worldbuilding is another major strength. Instead of rushing into flashy spellcasting, the story takes a grounded, almost academic approach to magic. Training focuses on cognition—memory, pattern recognition, mental discipline—which makes the eventual promise of magic feel earned and intellectually satisfying rather than arbitrary.
Social dynamics are explored just as deeply. From children’s parties doubling as political networking events to subtle commentary on class divides, the story constantly layers meaning beneath seemingly lighthearted scenes. Even minor characters, like Yheta, are given surprising depth, transforming from simple archetypes into nuanced individuals with believable motivations.
The tone strikes a perfect balance: witty and playful on the surface, but with an undercurrent of tension, foresight, and quiet emotional weight. There’s also a clever meta-awareness (hints of game mechanics, future routes, and “flags”) that adds intrigue without overwhelming the narrative.
If there’s one defining strength, it’s this: the story understands that grow
King of SaxonyRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
The premise sounds like it barely deviates from a really generic isekai trope, but that’s really doing it a disservice.
The author knows just how to trim the fat/tropes out enough to keep you engaged, and the conflicts (major ones but also tiny ones with minor characters) are really well-written and engaging. When the first major conflict hit I literally couldn’t put this story down.
The prose itself is a little… hit or miss? It’s a little fan-fic and kind of gives a self-insert vibe at times but I don’t think it’s jarring enough to actually detract from the experience much.
Author did a great job. Frankly better than a lot of the sources they cited as inspiration lol.
EisenYellsRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
I'm not going to say this is the best story on RR, i've not read enough to make that claim. I do not think that it is something crazy in regards to prose either: its not standing in the arena of Tolkien, Pratchett and Eddings, where the writing itself is art, nevermind the themes, plot, setting or characters.
What I will say that this is to-date, my favourite story on RR. Sure, the tropes used have by now become bloody corpses, with how they have been beaten to death into clichés. Sure, the magic systems and setting can be very handwavy to the point of deus ex machina. Why I love it is because the characters feel real/flawed and believable without getting too annoying, the interactions natural and organic, the motivations and conflicts sympathetic, and the plot riveting.
It's not high-brow literature, or a classic, but it is a page turner, and will live rent free in your head at *some* point.
sardonizRoyal Road
★★ 2.0
A standard premise (otome isekai), a standard start (thrown into a newborn body by a deity).So far, so good.But then, for some unfathomable reason far beyond my comprehension, the author decides that we simply must read the MC’s life storyfrom the very beginning. As in, we need to start from an infant doing infant stuff.Okay, maybe it’s just Chapter 1, right? Nothing too bad, it’s probably just this one chapter…Chapter 2, she’s still a little baby…Chapter 3, she’s still a little baby…Chapter 4, yep, she’s still a damn toddler.She hits her 10th birthday byChapter 9.Why? Just WHY?Also, what’s up with all those other mutant freak babies who also talk like grown adults?I’m really not a fan of this Kindergarten Otome. That was a terrible way to kick off the story.