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D-Genesis: Three Years after the Dungeons Appeared, Vol. 4

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By KONO Tsuranori and ttl. Released in Japan as “D Genesis: Dungeon ga Dekite 3-nen” by Enterbrain. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Ian Sacks.

Because I didn’t get into this series until 9 volumes down the road, and I still have to keep up with everything else coming out, I’ve been reading volumes piecemeal, about 25 pages a day or so. This works well to get me caught up, but can make reviews tricky, as I try to recall what I was reading three weeks earlier. Fortunately, the bulk of the interesting things happening in this book are in the back half, so I should hopefully be OK. It also helps that the biggest nerd series J-Novel Club is putting out still includes things to appeal specifically to me. Miyoshi doing her press conference dressed as Yomiko Readman from Read or Die – no, really, she even namechecks her – just gave me a big smile. She and Keigo may not be able to escape being famous for much longer, but at least their attempts to avoid it are hilarious. They may want to lay off the huge discoveries, though.

Keigo and Miyoshi continue to try to set things up so they can do what they want without several nations attempting to kill them – again. They’re forming a company to be their business front, they’re starting a course in how to increase your stats for dungeon exploration (including a drill sergeant who finds herself in way over her head when she has to increase her agility via rhythm games), and they’re trying to see if they can grow crops in the dungeon (so far, limited success). The press conference itself goes very well, though the religious cult that was mentioned in the 2nd volume seems to recognize D-Powers as a threat to their livelihood. They also make another trip to the “haunted mansion” part of the dungeon, but end up being joined by their actress and model friends, leading to a very dangerous escape – one that gets filmed.

The mansion reveals a big secret, and I suspect that secret will continue to be relevant. We probably could have guessed that this is not a series where “and then suddenly, dungeons appeared one day” would be allowed to stand, and sure enough, the scientists who all “died” that day may have been trying to create something – and may not actually be dead. This leads to the other wonderful nerd reference in here, which is that part of the dungeon language appears to be written in pIqAd, which is to say Klingon. (The fact that they figure this out because Saito happened to be a “minor trekkie” and picked up a big of the language is perhaps one coincidence too many for me, but it’s not as if I expect anything else in this series to be realistic.) This actually makes things MORE difficult – it’s a lot easier to give out “dungeon translation” orbs than to say that the secret dungeon info is written in Star Trek. You’d lose credibility.

Next time I expect we’ll get the “dungeon training courses” going full blast, which will be nice. This remains ridiculous fun.

Heroine? Saint? No, I’m an All-Works Maid (And Proud of It)!, Vol. 4

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By Atekichi and Yukiko. Released in Japan as “Heroine? Seijo? Iie, All Works Maid desu (ko)!” by TO Books. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Matthew Jackson. Adapted by Michelle McGuinness.

This is still primarily a comedy, and it enjoys seeing its main characters be goofy. But with each volume, The Game is making itself known more and more. Now, this world may not actually literally be a game, but certainly something is trying to make sure that events happen the way that they did in the game, and if it has to create a new heroine from scratch – and make her evil – then so be it. Meanwhile, it’s becoming apparent that it’s not just Melody, Christopher, and Anna-Marie. Everyone on that plane that disappeared is in this world, and the more Melody works her huge magic, the more they suddenly realize it. Schue, the “smiling villain” I mentioned who showed up out of the blue last time, turns out to have a far nobler background… that he’s desperately trying to escape. And that also means that the incoming Prince from a foreign land is now a Princess, and she’s straight outta Takarazuka. This game is off the rails!

Melody, Luciana, etc. are done with saving Luciana’s holding and are ready to return to their mansion and to school… which is good, as they both completely forgot that the Summer Ball is coming up. Lect will be taking “Cecelia”, and Maxwell has invited an increasingly panicky and embarrassed Luciana. Lect, meanwhile, is very confused, as after returning to the Count he finds that… they found his missing daughter. Who has the hair, and the eyes. And is named “Celedia”. Not suspicious at all! What’s more, to the annoyance of Christopher and Anna-Marie, the game has thrown them another curve, as the handsome lothario prince who’s there to cause a war has been replaced with a handsome lothario princess… in male clothing… presumably there to do the same. Oh yes, and what about the monster attacks on the heroine? Still going on, unfortunately.

My favorite subplot of this series is that Melody has accidentally resurrected the soul of her dead mother and put it into a robot maid that she created. The doll seems to be 100% aware of this, but isn’t saying anything, but Melody does not consciously realize it. Consciously being the word, as one scene that is very heartwarming shows that she may be leaning that way anyway. I’m also amused at Anna-Marie, who the book can’t seem to decide if she’s just a massive game otaku who loves to look at the CG of the heroine or an actual lesbian… honestly, I think she’s not sure herself. She gets a full quarter of the book side story where she (in disguise) and Melody go on an extended date, but for the most part she’s unable to penetrate Melody’s maid facade enough to check to see if she’s really the heroine. And then there’s Luciana, who keeps attracting important nobles by virtue of hitting everything she dislikes with her giant harisen as if she’s Kaname reborn from Full Metal Panic!. Nobles like a feisty heroine that beats things up.

This remains a fun series that generally runs in the “villainess” genre at a fast clip, though the Villainess plot has been broken by Melody so much that the bad guys have to invent a new girl to start doing game things. For fans.

The Too-Perfect Saint: Tossed Aside by My Fiancé and Sold to Another Kingdom, Vol. 4

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By Fuyutsuki Koki and Masami. Released in Japan as “Kanpeki Sugite Kawaige ga Nai to Konyaku Haki Sareta Seijo wa Ringoku ni Urareru” by Overlap Novels f. Released in North America by Airship. Translated by Amelia Mason. Adapted by Shaenon K. Garrity.

It’s now Volume 4 and we’re getting the wedding cover art, which is very good for a shoujo light novel series, where the 2nd or 3rd volume not only has the standard wedding art but is also the final volume. This is not the final volume, but they’re running out of ways to put off getting our heroine married, so it’s time to bite the bullet and… what’s that, Lassie? The dreaded incurable disease? That killed off Elizabeth and Philia’s birth father? That’s right, we can’t possibly get married yet, not when there are still impossible things to do. Fortunately, she has Mia for help, who is equally powerful. And they have their friends Erza and Mammon, who do a little bit of their “I will cut off your head again” comedy routine but for the most part function as a very convenient taxi service, as this book takes place over multiple countries.

It’s almost time for Philia and Osvalt’s wedding. unfortunately, her birth father is dead, and her adopted father is in prison. She was going to have Mia walk her down the aisle, but apparently conservative tradition would balk at that, so they need to go ask Hildegard to stop being a terrifying drill instructor and be her mother again… even if mother and daughter are still being very awkward about rekindling that relationship. Philia also takes the time to ask for more anecdotes about her late father, and finds that he spent years trying to find a cure for devil’s seed, a disease which ended up taking his life and the life of Osvalt’s brother’s fiancee. But wait! Her father had a brother, who currently lives in not-Egypt and is an apothecary! Philia can go visit him to get more details! Gosh, I sure hope he isn’t dying of this as well…

It is fun watching the author try to retool a few characterizations on the fly. Having Philia’s natural lack of emotions be due to her trauma from childhood is all very well and good, but when you’ve saved the day, the parents are in jail and she’s getting a happily ever after, you need to move past that… unless it’s her defining trait. As it turns out, her mother is also very reticent and stoic, so it works well to leave Philia this way, and her reaction even when presented with near-death by explosion is basically “well, darn”. As for Mia, she has absolutely gotten over any guilt or trauma she had before. She’s almost become comic relief, with her sister complex coming out even further when she’s drunk, and her using her own engagement as a threat to get her fiance to agree to let her join her sister in near-certain death. Fortunately, it’s these two, so there’s no death by horrible explosions, just a cure. Cinderella did not go back to the stepsisters to suffer more after marrying the prince, after all.

Next time, the honeymoon! This remains a fun series about two sisters who can functionally do anything.

Dahlia in Bloom: Crafting a Fresh Start with Magical Tools, Vol. 10

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By Hisaya Amagishi and Kei. Released in Japan as “Madougushi Dahlia wa Utsumukanai” by MF Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by A.M. Cola.

After a volume of side stories that focused on other characters, we’re back to Dahlia and Volf. Who, you can be assured, are exactly the same. For better and for worse. Volf, at least, seems to be trying a bit harder to realize what his feelings for Dahlia are. Dahlia KNOWS what her feelings for Volf are, but he can’t possibly love her back, because there’s no way he can possibly get over the massive wall that is her low self-esteem. Fans of seeing Dahlia try to avoid getting credit for anything or paid for anything will be pleased to see that folks are kicking back against that on a regular basis now. Oh well, at least she managed to do well in her debut ball. Indeed, that’s the basic core of Dahlia. She’s beautiful, brilliant, and savvy, but refuses to see herself as anything but plain, basic, and doing the same things anyone could do. I hope a barony will help a bit, but I suspect she may need stronger methods.

It’s time for Dahlia’s debut, and that means learning how to dance. Fortunately, as with everything else she does, she picks up on it really fast – though she’s her own worst critic, as always. Unfortunately, Volf is called away to subdue a wyvern, and then take on giant bears, so may not be able to get there in time to dance with her. Fortunately, Gildo, his wife, and their staff are here to help, and it turns out Dahlia is a natural at making friends with noble wives almost without thinking about it. Later on she helps to invent a new kind of magical weapon just by thinking of the idea of insribing spell circles on both the inside and outside of the wand, and she and Volf go out for dinner at a high-class restaurant that specializes in monster recipes. But it’s not a date. Honest.

I do appreciate that it’s made clear every book that it’s not the readers. Half the cast assume they’re already dating, and the other half desperately want to do everything to make them date. And yes, this includes breaking the noble rules that say it’s too big a jump. Also, for all that Dahlia still occasionally reminds you this is technically an isekai by thinking about Japan, it’s made clear from the way others react that even without her memories from there, she is her father’s daughter, and would have been brilliant regardless. We haven’t seen Tobias for some time now, but it’s clear that his dumping her, along with her father’s death, really is responsible for EVERYTHING in this series, because Dahlia’s lack of desire for anything good to happen to her is painful. Fortunately, sometimes good things happen anyway. The ball is terrific.

Next time we might get a festival, which traditionally you invite a girlfriend or lover to. Volf has invited Dahlia. She’s already rationalized it. So has he, I think. For romantic masochists.

Love Between Fairy & Devil: Cang Lan Jue, Vol. 2

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By Jiu Lu Fei Xiang. Released in China on the JJWXC website. Released in North America by Seven Seas. Translated by Yu. Adapted by Ivy Fox.

As it turns out, the second volume of this series is the last one, and it’s also far more serious in tone. That’s not to say there aren’t funny moments, though. I haven’t seen the live-action drama based on this series, but from what little internet searching I did, it appears that it was “prettied up” a bit, with the books being seen as a dark fantasy with less humor and Dongfang Qingcang being purely evil rather than the brooding boyfriend preferred by live-action dramas. I have news for them, not only was there still a great deal of humor in this book (the side story about what happens to the legendary sword is particularly funny), but Dongfang Qingcang, while doing a lot of horrible things, is generally evil because he has no idea how to be anything else. The war between wanting to resurrect the Lady of the Scarlet Wastes and wanting to stay walking around with Xiao Lanhua is what drives this book, along with Xiao Lanhua’s crisis of faith. The character development is the plot.

We pick up where we left off, as Xiao Lanhua now has a body made from regeneration earth. Dongfang Qingcang also gives her a bone orchid to keep her safe. Unfortunately for him, the bone orchid also allows Xiao Lanhua to have dreams where the Lady of the Scarlet Wastes informs her that all Dongfang Qingcang wants is to use that body to resurrect the Lady, and that once that happens, Xiao Lanhua will be left to die. And this is not inaccurate, he really is planning this! It’s just, y’know, he’s wondering why he keeps wanting to have Xiao Lanhua always by his side. He’s much more comfortable when he’s allowed to beat the crap out of people and torture them by leaving their bodies crucified for weeks. Sadly, Xiao Lanhua loses her trust in him due to all this murmuring in her dreams, and is convinced to run away. Which is bad for everyone.

As I said, this is not really a book to read for plot. There’s a lot of supernatural battles. Cultivation is not specifically mentioned much, but you can feel its presence – this is a Chinese fantasy, after all. For those who want to read a love story between a very bad boy and a girl who really should not be falling for a very bad boy, though, this is like catnip. I can’t deny that Dongfang Qingcang tends towards being a terrible person, but as the book goes on he works his way towards being a terrible person but a good boyfriend. As for Xiao Lanhua, frankly, she breaks about halfway through this book, and most of the second half is devoted to getting her back to the point where she can snark at the side of Dongfang Qingcang while they tour the mortal world. By the end, they’re cute. Sort of.

This ended up being a lot of fun to read. Recommended for those who love shoujo manga with “I can fix him” love interests.

Zero Damage Sword Saint: I Enrolled in a Magic School and Wound Up in a Contract with the Demon Queen, Vol. 1

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By Isle Osaki and kodamazon. Released in Japan as “Kougekiryoku Zero kara Hajimeru Kenseitan: Osananajimi no Oujo ni Suterare Mahou Gakuen ni Nyuugakushitara, Maou to Keiyakusuru Koto ni Natta ” by Overlap Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Stephanie Liu.

Yeah, this was another “take a flyer” title, and this one did not go quite as well as the Gyaru Vampire Hunter book. That said, I’ve learned with light novels that start off with everything I hate to give them till the end of the volume and inevitably the quality will slide back towards ‘generic light novel that exists’. So it is with this title, which began with someone getting a bad magic gatcha pull and so his life is ruined, everyone now jeers and mocks him, and his childhood friend and girlfriend dumps him. Now, in the present day, all he has to look forward to is that his supposed loser magic is so incredibly powerful that he can visit the sealed demon queen every week and have sex with her. Fortunately, things pick up, and I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, when a young girl is isekai’d into this world.

So yes, Eugene was the son of a famous swordsman, he was tops at sword mastery in school, engaged to the princess, whole world in his hands. Then he got white magic, which can only be used for healing and barriers. And not with swords, which this world’s mechanics require some sort of attack magic to go with it. Flash forward a year, and he’s in the general course at the magic academy, where everyone regards him as a failure pile in a sadness bowl, except any character whose name we have to remember. They all like him. Unfortunately, he hates himself, so that doesn’t help. Then one day a disaster appears at the 5th level of their giant tower dungeon – a cute girl is there, and has set the entire floor on fire. It turns out she’s from Japan, she’s now an Ifrit, and Eugene, because he has barrier magic out the wazoo, has to be her guardian.

You’ll notice I didn’t bring up the demon queen in that summary, mostly as she barely appears, beyond the start and the final battle. She’s there to take his virginity and be a deus ex machina. The other big downside to this book is Eugene himself, a sad sack who we’re supposed to feel bad for but we can’t break in as he’s too busy feeling bad for himself. Or at least that’s what the writing is trying to convey, because he tends to lack any real emotional heft at all. At one point he’s drawn by the illustrator to look exactly like Daichi in the fake magical idol anime Hoshiiro Girldrop. Please don’t have the same personality as a parody the Pop Team Epic guy thought up. The bright spot in the book is Sumire, who is likeable, empathetic, and does all the right things. I hope for her sake this world has polyamory, though, as she has “losing heroine” written all over her thanks to our demon queen. Mind you, she does better than the Student Council President *or* Eugene’s ex.

This apparently takes place in the same world as Full Clearing Another World under a Goddess with Zero Believers, but I haven’t read that, so have no idea. For fans of light novels where the hero is betrayed by his high school classmates, but instead of seeking revenge he just goes to community college instead.

I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss, Vol. 11

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By Sarasa Nagase and Mai Murasaki. Released in Japan as “Akuyaku Reijo Nanode Rasubosu o Katte Mimashita” by Kadokawa Beans Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Taylor Engel.

Those who have read my reviews of this series know who my favorite character is, and I am delighted to see that this final volume gives her some wonderful things to do. After ten volumes where she has been a giant chaos gremlin, Lilia is now a mother, and has to face a situation where she will be deciding her own daughter’s fate for her. And there is a brief moment – it only lasts a page – where Lilia shows fear and regret over it. Now, Lilia being Lilia, she vows that she will raise her daughter to be the sort who can laugh at this sort of responsibility. She even manages to have praise for her husband and his actions in this book. that said, at the end of the day it’s the relationship between her and Aileen that’s more important. To both her and the narrative – this has always been a story that empowers women, and it does so right to the end, where the final fight literally takes all the men and puts them in a viewing room to watch the women fight.

Seven months after the events of the tenth volume, Aileen and Claude are headed off to a conference to decide the new ruler of Hausel, who needs to be able to predict the future, and also be a woman. She’s not concerned, as she is pretty sure that there aren’t any more otome game plots that can possibly kill her, off, right? Unfortunately, the antagonists of the tenth book are back, and Diana and Cattleya are determined to make Cattleya the new ruler by force, blackmail, and various other blunt object tactics… which of course include Cattleya marrying Claude and raising his new daughter, leaving Aileen to abdicate. This should be easy because, once she realizes what’s going on, Aileen goes back to the persona she put on for Book 10, which is an Empress with a button for a brain.

Honestly, it’s amusing how easy this is for Aileen and company to take care of. The antagonists are not only in the “this is a game” mindset that even Lilia has finally abandoned, but they also think that if things go badly they can destroy the world and get a reset, not understanding this is reality and it doesn’t work that way. It doesn’t help that they’re literally the only people not to immediately see through Aileen’s facade of stupidity, as all the other princesses and queen consorts are savvy enough to see what she’s doing. The ending shows all the women in the book working together to save everyone in the country, take out Diana and Cattleya, and also save Diana and Cattleya, because this is a book that has both its heroines and villainesses live happily ever after. Well, eventually. After some prison time, perhaps.

By the end of the book, we flash forward to the future, where Aileen and Lilia’s daughters are thick as thieves, and headed off on new adventures now that it’s time to go rule a country. Will we get more of the series set in the future? Probably not, this was a pretty excellent finale. One of my favorite villainess series. I’ll miss it.

Manga the Week of 10/1/25

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SEAN: Is it September? Or October? Who can say?

ASH: There’s what I believe to be true and what I know to be true. Unfortunately, they’re not always in agreement.

SEAN: Yen Press has a 12th volume of Final Fantasy: Lost Stranger and the 2nd volume of Kindergarten Wars.

Viz Media gives us The Art of Rumiko Takahashi: Colors 1978–2024, a 400-page hardcover artbook devoted to her entire career, from UY and MI through R1/2 and IY, and other series not so easily abbreviated!

ASH: Oh, dang! I didn’t know this was coming out until now. That should be a fantastic volume.

ANNA: Oh cool!!!!

SEAN: Titan Manga debut Gran Familia, a Weekly Shonen Champion series that combines vampires and gangsters.

ASH: I feel like I’ve seen that combination before, but can’t quite place where.

ANNA: Potentially a good combo!

SEAN: Steamship has a third volume of I’ll Never Be Your Crown Princess! – Betrothed.

Somehow we’ve hit a week with no debuts for Seven Seas. We do see The Dangerous Convenience Store 6 (the final volume), Dinosaur Sanctuary 7, Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi (manhua version) 11, HIKARI-MAN 5-6, Himegasaki Sakurako Is a Hot Mess 2, I’ll Forget You Starting Today, Senpai! 2 (the final volume), Karate Survivor in Another World 8, The Kingdoms of Ruin 11, Night of the Living Cat 6, Precarious Woman Executive Miss Black General 12, Reincarnated as a Dragon Hatchling 8, The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent 10, Succubus and Hitman 9, The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash 7, and Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games 8.

And danmei gives us Case File Compendium: Bing An Ben 6.

Retailers say KUMA is releasing Director Akasaka’s Princely Training Course (Akasaka Buchou no Prince Boy Ikusei Keikaku), a one-shot from Qpa. A successful handsome guy can’t find a good partner, so decides to build one from among his workforce. They’d better be ready…

ASH: Uh, oh.

SEAN: Kodama debut (what IS it with Raijin titles returning from the dead lately?) Baki the Grappler (Grappler Baki), coming out from the beginning, the 1991 Weekly Shonen Champion series, in 2-volume omnibuses. He will be the strongest fighter. That’s the plot. Fighting and fighting. It’s pretty great if you love that, mind you.

MICHELLE: Hm. I normally like sports manga but I don’t know if I like fighting and fighting. :)

ASH: Oh, did Raijin have this one, too? Yet another reason I should probably pick this one up. Martial arts manga is an interest of mine and the artwork in Baki is also striking. (See what I did there?)

ANNA: Glad to see more classic titles coming out!

SEAN: No debuts for Kodansha either, but we see The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride 4, A Condition Called Love 15, EDENS ZERO 33 (the final volume), GAEA-TIMA the Gigantis 3, Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards 5, Snow & Ink 4, The Spellbook Library 3, and Tsugumi Project 7.

J-Novel Club has one light novel debut, the latest title from the author of Reincarnated As a Sword and A Late Start Tamer’s Laid Back Life. The Accursed Chef and His Pair of Furry Foodies (Noroware Ryourinin wa Meikyuu de Mofumimi Shoujo-tachi wo Sodatemasu) has a lot of popular tropes. Guy who dies saving a child gets reincarnated with cool powers – in this case, he can cook monsters. Sadly, his new life is awful. On the bright side, he seems to like beast people like most other isekai’d folks do.

ASH: I’ll admit, I was not expecting “eating monsters” to become its own subgenre.

SEAN: Other light novels: Demon Lord, Retry! 10, Pens Down, Swords Up 3, and To Another World… with Land Mines! 11.

And for manga: Death’s Daughter and the Ebony Blade 6, The Oblivious Saint Can’t Contain Her Power 5, and Record of Wortenia War 11.

Hanashi Media has Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy 8.5.

Ghost Ship gives us Ero Ninja Scrolls 9.

Dark Horse Comics has an omnibus of all 3 volumes of Gantz G, the spinoff from Gantz.

ASH: I don’t think I got that far reading Gantz.

SEAN: Cross Infinite World has a new one-shot, Ayakashi Moving Service (Kochira, Ayakashi Ijuu Tenshoku Service desu: Fukuoka Tenjin 400-nen Okitsune Shachou to Watashi no Koi), which is another Makino Maebaru title. A woman who just wants to be normal is searching for a job… but the job she finds is anything but!

ASH: This could be fun.

ANNA: I’m intrigued.

SEAN: Also from CIW: The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor: Operation Records (a short story volume) and Expedition Cooking with the Enoch Royal Knights 7 (the final volume).

Airship has print for Reborn as a Space Mercenary 13.

Airship has an early digital debut. The Misdeeds of an Extremely Arrogant Villain Aristocrat (Kiwamete Gouman Taru Akuyaku Kizoku no Shogyou) is a male version of the villainess plot, as our hero tries to change his fate by being the most handsome, charismatic and strongest person around. I suspect fate will try to off him anyway, it’s that kind of series.

Also for early digital: The Devil Princess 2 and The Strange Adventure of a Broke Mercenary 13.

And finally, ABLAZE has the 5th volume of Gannibal.

What a tiny week! Anything appealing?

I Shall Survive Using Potions!, Vol. 11

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By FUNA and Sukima. Released in Japan as “Potion-danomi de Ikinobimasu!” by K Lanove Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Hiroya Watanabe.

My long-running thesis about the FUNA books is that Kaoru, the protagonist of this series, is the “advanced” version, the one you read after you’ve already dipped your toe into the water with Mile and Mitsuha. Naturally, this means that she is much more difficult to get into and accept. She’s a pain in the ass, to be frank, too smug for her own good, and let’s not forget the occasional atrocities. She’s also unthinking about important things, though that’s something she shares with her fellow FUNA compatriots. But this book reminds me that we are not, of course, supposed to be rooting for her, really. Oh, sure, we’ll root for Kaoru when she’s going after people who are pure evil. For the most part, though, she’s going after shysters, scammers, and lowlifes, and taking them for all they’ve got. It’s kind of … petty? As such, when we see her screw up, which she does a lot in this particular volume, it’s just fun. Seeing Kaoru suffer is fun. There, I said it.

Kaoru is continuing to try to spread the word of Edith, but has suddenly found herself surrounded by those who know her older self. Francette’s descendant Falsetto has been sent there to protect Kaoru. The Eyes of the Goddess are being sent to protect Kaoru. Birds and dogs directed by Mariel are being sent to protect Kaoru. And the King and his Chancellor are panicking whenever anyone comes near Kaoru who they have not already thoroughly vetted. Still, they go ahead with the plan, which also involves Reiko making a name for herself as a hunter by capturing a rare, highly prized ingredient, and Kyoko opening another store in the capital, which gets a grand opening by showing off how to butcher and auction off a wyvern. With all this going on, it’s perhaps no great surprise that Kaoru occasionally forgets to pay attention to “daughter dying” rumors.

I will admit it was morbidly funny seeing the subplot with the Earl’s daughter. I was pretty sure the author was not mean enough to have her actually die, but it’s signposted relatively early in the book that an Earl has a very sick daughter and is paying a lot to get cures that might help her, and Kaoru does not make the logical leap and think “maybe I should, y’know, go there as Edith”. And to top it off, when she does figure it out, we get an almost Looney-Tunes run where she storms the mansion, administers the cure, and takes off… forgetting to disguise ANYONE in her party. But the capper is seeing her rationalize this and think “it’s OK, this will be fine” and then be called out on it by everyone. Even Kyoko, who is the biggest ditz in a party of three ditzes. As for the rest of the book? Same old same old. They’re at least concerned that the orphans have work PTSD, but haven’t worked out a solution yet.

This series is not for anyone but FUNA obsessives, but if you are, it’s still fun.

Mercedes and the Waning Moon: The Dungeoneering Feats of a Discarded Vampire Aristocrat, Vol. 3

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By Fire head and KeG. Released in Japan as “Kaketa Tsuki no Mercedes: Kyūketsuki no Kizoku ni Tensei Shita kedo Suteraresō nanode Dungeon wo Seiha suru” by TO Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Maddy Willette.

This series has a tendency to do things that I find very interesting but also do things that annoy me a great deal, and this third volume does not break that tradition. Last time I said that I wished Mercedes had more friends, as without them she might get a bit too up in her own head and/or sociopathic. Clearly the author heard me and thought “I cannot give you a friend, but would you accept a predatory lesbian who lives in one of those “country ruled by women who treat men like scum worlds?”. The answer to that question is no, I don’t really want to accept that, though I suppose it could have been worse. But then we also get a lot more detail as to what this world really is, as well as what Mercedes’ goal needs to be, and while that reads very much as “exposition ho!”, it’s also a lot more interesting than seeing Mercedes murder a bunch of prisoners because she doesn’t really care about them.

It’s time for an exam at school, but the exam itself barely starts before Felix and Sieglinde are kidnapped by mysterious men in white uniforms and taken to the kingdom next door. That said, it’s not REALLY Sieglinde, as they had thought that something like this would happen. After finding out who was the traitor in their midst that helped it to happen (no surprise there), Mercedes heads over to the Beatrix Empire, named after its Empress. There, men are treated like dirt, while women are rich and arrogant. Even the men sent out to capture Sieglinde end up being degraded when they return. Fortunately, Felix is able to avoid being horribly executed by… erm, dressing up as a woman, but stronger steps are needed. Like overthrowing the Empress.

Leaving aside the bits I did not like (misandry country and its residents, including the obligatory woman who enjoys having rape fantasies), there are some interesting bits of writing here. Frederick being the traitor is such a non-surprise that I don’t even care I’m revealing it here, but I did like his ironic hell, a case of “let’s pretend that you’ve gone back in time to make things better, only you fail every time and all it shows is that you are bad and pathetic”. It was chilling but also very apt, given what a horrible person he was. Speaking of chilling things that are not really given much gravitas, the fact that Mercedes keeps the Empress Beatrix locked in her dungeon while a clone rules the throne… and that Beatrix is surrounded mostly by monsters who don’t like her much… is given very little examination. Particularly by Beatrix herself, who not only suggested it but doesn’t seem to mind? Admittedly, she fell for Mercedes once defeated, so this could be due to that, but it’s still kind of disturbing.

So, a mixed bag again. Fortunately, after a three-year-gap, a 4th volume of this just came out in Japan, so I get to have mixed feeling about it once more in a few months. For fans of stoic sociopathic loli vampires, and I wish I could say there aren’t many of those, but…

This Gyaru’s Got a Thing for… Vampire Hunters?!, Vol. 1

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By Wasan Kurata and Kewi Hayashi. Released in Japan as “Vampire Hunter ni Yasashii Gal” by GA Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Gwendolyn Warner.

I didn’t have any lights-out picks from JNC’s Anime Expo license announcements, so I decided to try a few titles that didn’t grab me but might be interesting, of which this is the first. I was curious as to whether it was a yuri title, and I think the best answer I can give is that it’s definitely a yuri title by 2005-2006 definitions of yuri. That said, the yuri or potential for yuri is not why I liked this first volume so much. We’ve had a lot of light novels featuring gyaru/gals lately, but almost all of them tend to be primarily from the POV of the male narrator, as the gyaru is a love interest (and sometimes, as is the case with An Introvert’s Hookup Hiccups, not quite a gyaru at all). This book, though, has the bulk of its first person narration come from Ruka, the titular gyaru, and she is fantastic, not only being a wonderful positive representation of the gyaru lifestyle, but even managing to tie that into the vampire plot. Because there are vampires. Or… there were.

Ruka is a high school gyaru who mostly lives on her own as her mom’s a nurse who’s usually on call. She’s having a wonderful high school life with her besties, Meiri and Hinaru. Meanwhile, Ginka is a vampire hunter who has spent much of her youth following in her grandmother’s footsteps and slaying every last vampire in the world. Now she’s succeeded, and the world is free from vampires. What’s a girl to do? Return to high school, of course, and naturally it’s Ruka’s school. Ginka, unfortunately, is blunt and socially inept, so things get off to a bad start, but Ruka is not only socially savvy but also a kind person, so she helps Ginka out. Then the two of them discover that maybe vampires are not quite as extinct as Ginka thought…

As the cover art might indicate, guys are the target audience for this book, but the bulk of it is dedicated to the growing friendship between Ruka and Ginka, and the guys who try to confess end up being jerks, losers, or both. Ruka manages to become Ginka’s best friend by virtue of being nice, outgoing, and caring about her. She’s also surprisingly OK with her occupation, possibly as Ginka saves her life more than once. As you’d expect, the plot takes a turn for the darker towards the back of the book, but I appreciated the fact that Ruka showing up in the middle of a battle was not just to get captured but that she used everything Ginka had given her to fight back as a gyaru against the supernatural, leaving Ginka to fight back as a vampire hunter. They make a terrific team. Also, I laughed when Ginka briefly did not recognize Ruka without her makeup.

So yeah, this was a terrific read for me, and I cannot wait to read the second (final?) volume. For fans of great female friendships.

From Two-Bit Baddie to Total Heartthrob: This Villainess Will Cross-Dress to Impress!, Vol. 4

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By Masamune Okazaki and Hayase Jyun. Released in Japan as “Mob Dōzen no Akuyaku Reijō wa Dansō Shite Kōryaku Taishō no Za wo Nerau” by TO Books. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Caroline W.

The gimmick for this book, of course, is despite it being a villainess novel, and Elizabeth genuinely being a woman, it is essentially a BL harem in all but name. Lilia is the sole exception, and for the most part she’s started to get reduced to a combination of comic relief and sole purveyor of common sense. Lilia is, like Elizabeth, a Japanese girl who has been brought into this game world. Unlike Elizabeth, though, Lilia seems to accept that things are different and she can make different choices, and also seems to have awakened her sapphic side, in a PG sort of way. Elizabeth, though, who seemingly does everything in order to try to seduce someone and/or hook up the “targets” with someone else, seems to be completely asexual. And is, frankly, a lot better at being a sexy man than most of the men. Thus, as I said with the first book, you get a BL series that isn’t really.

Much to Elizabeth’s horror, her older brother Frederic has gotten a marriage proposal from a nearby kingdom. Unable to tolerate her big brother vanishing from her life, Elizabeth immediately decides to impersonate him and break up the match… and she’s supported by her father and Christopher, leading to her and Frederic having their first ever fight. Now she’s off to the west, along with Edward (who is delighted to finally get some time with the woman he loves), Christopher (ditto), and Lilia (ditto). When they get there, they find Princess Diana is a knockout, but seems somewhat inexperienced in the art of love. Meanwhile, her sister Marie, who is, according to Elizabeth, a classic tsundere. Can Elizabeth find the time to charm two princesses, convince them she’s a terrible choice for a husband, and not annoy everyone around her? Signs point to no on that last one, especially when Lilia reveals they may be in a spinoff manga plot.

The series continues to have one big, big, drawback, and unfortunately it’s Elizabeth herself. Generally speaking I tend to enjoy when a villainess is cheerful and oblivious (see Bakarina) or stoic and oblivious (many examples), but it’s hard when they’re an arrogant ass and oblivious. Yes, she’s putting on a persona, but I think everyone in the entire series, including Elizabeth herself, agree that it’s stopped being an act and become her. This did make it somewhat amusing then it’s actually Lilia who manages to sabotage the marriage talks, as she ends up turning Princess Diana into a BL fangirl, which ends up getting a little bit out of her control but she’s quick to take advantage of it by advocating for gay marriage for women as well. She’s snarky fun, and I enjoy when she’s in the book. As for Elizabeth, at least she is coming to appreciate that she does not understand anyone’s hearts. At all.

There’s at least three more volumes in Japan, and this plotline will continue into Book 5. Christ, though, Elizabeth is annoying.

Spy Classroom Short Story Collection: No Time for Goodbye

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By Takemachi and Tomari. Released in Japan as “Spy Kyoushitsu” by Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Nathaniel Hiroshi Thrasher.

I do have to admit, and I apologize for the rude language, that when I saw that the bulk of this short story collection would once again be devoted to the late lamented spy group Avian, my first reaction was to scream “OH, FUCK OFF!” at the book. I appreciate their tragic death, and I get that the author regretted doing it so fast before they got to write all the stories they had inside them for the group, but come on, I feel like we have gone down this well about eight more times than was really necessary. At least, that’s what I thought when I started the book. As it turns out, though, this is probably the strongest short story collection to date. The series itself tends to hide a lot of its most pivotal moments as a writing conceit, and the short stories have been dedicated to filling in what we missed. This includes finally giving everyone catharsis for what happened to Avian. Who are, by the way, still dead.

The wraparound story in this volume concerns Lan, the surviving member of Avian, who has become something of a leech around the halls of Lamplight. As they discuss what to do with her, we get four short stories: 1) Lily and Sara return to Lily’s old spy school, to find that most of those she went to school with are still there… and are ready to bully the shit out of her again; 2) Thea and Grete visit Pharma’s brother Holytree, who is also a spy, and has an enormous sister complex; 3) Erna guards Amelie as Klaus uses her to try to resolve the last plot arc, and Amelia tries to bond with Erna; and 4) There’s a festival in town, and everyone is going… except Monika, who is too busy castigating herself for her traitorous actions. And avoiding Annette still trying to kill her. In the end, Holytree asks for a chance to duel Klaus to the death, and shows both Lan and Lamplight a path forward.

The most satisfying of these stories may be the first. The bullying that Lily went through (and goes through again when she returns) is vicious and attacks her physical appearance, as always, but she’s gotten stronger, as well as craftier – and Sara is now in her corner, and not about to stand by and watch her friend get stomped. It was VERY satisfying to see their revenge. Sybilla also really comes off well in this book, being the “big sister” of the group in more than one story, and reminding folks what it means to really be a big sister, more than anything else. We still don’t see the actual conversation between Monika and Lily, but we do see that Lily is taking it seriously, and agonizing over her response. My favorite story may have been Erna’s, though, as she shows that you can have compassion and empathy and let that lead you to the right decision… much to Amelie’s disappointment.

All this and a battle royale crying/punching match. If you’ve been skipping these side stories, this is definitely one to read anyway. Especially as the next volume’s not till next year.

Manga the Week of 9/24/25

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SEAN: Come on over, baby, whole lotta manga goin’ on.

ASH: My word!

SEAN: Airship has print volumes of The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen 9 and She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man 14.

And for early digital we see Heroine? Saint? No, I’m an All-Works Maid (And Proud of It)! 4 and the 5th and final volume of The Mimosa Confessions.

Dark Horse Comics debut Dur-an-ki, a title “supervised” by Berserk’s Kentaro Miura and written and drawn by his staff. Unfortunately, it got cancelled when he died, so this is the only volume. It ran in Young Animal ZERO. The story of a savior who is neither male nor female born of the gods, this volume also comes with notes about where the series was supposed to go.

ASH: I’m very curious about this one and will definitely be picking up a copy.

SEAN: Retailers say that Denpa has Baby Bear’s Bakery 4 out next month.

Ghost Ship has a 4th and final volume of Monster Marriage Shop.

Inklore have a 2nd volume of Wet Sand.

Ize Press debut Marriage of Convenience. An arrogant woman who ignored her husband and spent money like water dies cold and hungry. Now she’s back in time, and 19 again. Time to try to fix things!

ASH: If only it was that easy!

ANNA: I would like to die rich and not hungry.

SEAN: Also from Ize Press: Finding Camellia 5, I Tamed My Ex-Husband’s Mad Dog 4, Men of the Harem 4, My Secretly Hot Husband 4, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint 8, Radio Storm 2, and Tomb Raider King 12.

J-Novel Club have one print title next week, My Instant Death Ability Is So Overpowered, No One in This Other World Stands a Chance Against Me! 9.

Four new JNC digital titles next week. Even Exiled, She’s Still the Beloved Saint! St. Evelyn’s Weird and Wonderful Friends (Tsuihousareta Seijo desu ga, Jitsu wa Kunijuu kara Aisare Sugitete Kowain desu kedo!?) is a manga based on an as-yet-unlicensed light novel. It runs in Comic Earth Star Online. You can guess everything that happens in this from the title.

ASH: Are the weird friends the same friends as the wonderful ones?

SEAN: The first light novel debut is The Goddess Says, “Kill the Tsundere Witch!” (Tsundere Majo wo Korose, to Megami wa Itta). A man dies and is reincarnated as a magic staff discovered by Stella, a tsundere. He adores tsunderes! Unfortunately, if he wants to become human again, he’ll have to kill her, as the Goddess of this world says she’s evil.

This Gyaru’s Got a Thing for…Vampire Hunters?! (Vampire Hunter ni Yasashii Gal) stars a girl who used to be a vampire hunter, but is trying to be a normal college student. She befriends a gyaru, so she’s on her way, but her old life is slowly creeping back towards her.

Zero Damage Sword Saint: I Enrolled in a Magic School and Wound Up in a Contract with the Demon Queen (Kougekiryoku Zero kara Hajimeru Kenseitan: Osananajimi no Oujo ni Suterare Mahou Gakuen ni Nyuugakushitara, Maou to Keiyakusuru Koto ni Natta) is for those who read I Want to Be a Saint, But I Can Only Use Attack Magic! and wished it was the opposite and starred a guy. It’s also apparently in the same universe as Full Clearing Another World under a Goddess with Zero Believers.

Light novels coming from JNC: The Boy Who Ruled the Monsters 4, Dahlia in Bloom 10, I Shall Survive Using Potions 11, I’ll Never Set Foot in That House Again! 7, Mercedes and the Waning Moon 3, Take These Talents Elsewhere 2, and The Trials and Tribulations of My Next Life as a Noblewoman 3-1.

Manga coming from JNC: The Brilliant Healer’s New Life in the Shadows 4, Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill: Sui’s Great Adventure 8, Der Werwolf: The Annals of Veight -Origins- 11, I’m a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic 4, My Fiancé Cheated, But a New Love Rings! 2, and The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World 7.

Kana have two huge debuts, from the 1980s. The first is Cat’s Eye, the first big hit from Tsukasa Hojo! This Weekly Shonen Jump title stars three sisters who run a cafe… but at night they’re art thieves! This is a 3-in-1 omnibus, so should be 6 volumes total.

MICHELLE: This sounds fun!

The other debut is even more exciting: City Hunter, Hojo’s 2nd and even bigger hit. A killer/bodyguard who can’t stop going after women ends up with his dead partner’s sister, and together the two of them take on any assignment… when Kaori isn’t hitting Ryo with a giant mallet, that is. Also from Weekly Shonen Jump, this came out years ago but was never completed due to reasons that are still discussed today. It’s also a 3-in-1, expect about 12.

MICHELLE: And so does this!

ASH: I’m looking forward to both of these releases, but especially City Hunter. (I actually had a few volumes of the original translation.)

ANNA: Yeah, glad to see some old school manga releases!

SEAN: Kodansha Books has a 9th volume of My Unique Skill Makes Me OP Even at Level 1.

Kodansha Manga debut Sheeta’s Little Big World (Kobito no Shiita to Karigurashi no Mori), one of those “this runs on how adorable the main character is” titles. Our hero may only be 2 inches high, but he’s ready to go on an adventure to find his friend. This is a Comic Days title.

Also in print: AKIRA Hardcover Collection 2, The Darwin Incident 8, Last Samurai Standing 2, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime 27.

Digital only has Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You 10, Chihiro-kun Only Has Eyes for Me 12 (the final volume), A Couple of Cuckoos 25, Even Given the Worthless “Appraiser” Class, I’m Actually the Strongest 14, Fungus and Iron 7, Manchuria Opium Squad 8, and My Wife is a Little Intimidating 12.

One Peace Books debut The Ossan Newbie Adventurer, Trained to Death by the Most Powerful Party, Became Invincible (Shinmai Ossan Boukensha, Saikyou Party ni Shinu Hodo Kitaerarete Muteki ni Naru), a Comic Fire title based on an as-yet-unlicensed light novel. The title is the plot, provided you know what Ossan means.

ASH: I do!

SEAN: Four debuts from Seven Seas, though technically it’s three. Go For It, Nakamura-kun!! (Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!) is getting a re-release before the anime coming soon with a new cover – which, um, you guys do realize the old cover was one of the biggest memes around, right? That it’s iconic? You know, the one you’re NOT using here? I sense the hand of Japanese licensors telling people what to do behind this.

MICHELLE: Aw, that’s kinda sad!

ASH: I love this title so I’m glad to seeing it getting more attention, but those original covers were the best.

SEAN: Kaiju Kamui is a seinen title from Young Magazine. Giant monsters are destroying the world. The only thing that might work… is using giant monsters to fight them! With a pilot, in case you wondered about the dude on the cover.

Painter of the Night is a BL webtoon about a painter who used to create wonderful gay erotica, but now refuses to. Can a nobleman persuade him? Somehow?

ASH: There must be a way!

ANNA: I don’t know, this sounds like an impossible task.

SEAN: Wakaba Won’t Give Up! (Wakaba-chan wa Wakarasetai) is a seinen romcom from Monthly Action. Our heroine is a tomboy who is in love with her childhood friend. Will a feminine makeover help? Can she even change herself really?

ANNA: I don’t think she should have to!

SEAN: Also from Seven Seas: Free Life Fantasy Online: Immortal Princess 11, I Abandoned My Engagement Because My Sister is a Tragic Heroine, but Somehow I Became Entangled with a Righteous Prince 4, I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl 9, Killer Shark in Another World 5, Magical Buffs: The Support Caster is Stronger Than He Realized! 4, The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today 10, Monster Guild: The Dark Lord’s (No-Good) Comeback! 9, My Girlfriend’s Not Here Today 5, The Valiant Must Fall 5, and What It Means to Be You 2.

Two new titles from Square Enix. Dragon Quest: The Mark of Erdrick (Dragon Quest Retsuden – Roto no Monshou) is the original manga adaptation of Dragon Quest, which ran in Shonen Gangan back in 1991! It’s coming out in 2-volume omnibuses. Do I need to explain Dragon Quest?

ASH: Probably not? (Does 1991 count as classic manga at this point?)

SEAN: Mechanical Buddy Universe is a one-shot (though there’s a sequel/reboot) about the interaction between machines and humans. It was serialized on Twitter.

ASH: Sounds like something I would read.

SEAN: Steamship has a 2nd volume of Sweet Heat Before Falling in Love: The CEO and His Fated Omega.

Titan Manga has Atom: The Beginning 12.

Viz Manga has Fist of the North Star 18 (the final volume), How Do We Relationship? 13, and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Part 7–Steel Ball Run 3.

ASH: Oh, this is an excellent Viz week for me (but not my wallet). I’m still beyond thrilled that we’ll finally see the entirety of Fist of the North Star in print.

SEAN: Yen On has the 11th and final volume of I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss.

Yen Press have quite a bit. I Don’t Know How to Love (Koi no Shikata ga Wakaranai) is a one-shot from B’s-Lovey (and is BL, in case that did not clue you in). Everyone loves dating the hot guy… till they realize he’s kind of a jerk. But what happens when the hot guy gets jealous?

My Beloved Supper (Yoru-san no Itoshi no Bansan) is a one-shot from Aokishi. A vampire loves human food… but unless he drinks blood first, he can’t stomach it. He thus goes after bad guys, and then goes out for a meal right after.

ASH: That’s taste for you.

ANNA: I guess fine dining requires sacrifice.

SEAN: Rock Is a Lady’s Modesty (Rock wa Lady no Tashinami Deshite) is a seinen title from Young Animal, and had a recent anime. Lilisa used to love rocking out as a kid, but then her mother remarried into money, and she has to give it all up. Now pretending to be a high-class student, what happens when she runs into an even MORE high-class student who secretly rocks out on the drums? Can’t wait for this.

ASH: Oh, that does sound promising!

ANNA: The rocking out part sounds fun.

SEAN: What Do You Call This Trash? (Kono Gomi o Nanto Yobu) is a seinen one-shot omnibus from Comic Beam. A young man is in love with a girl… who’s dating his big brother. Then big bro dumps her, so he’s free to pick her up. Unfortunately for him, she’s obsessed with his brother and will do anything… including dating the little brother… to get back with him.

ASH: Oh, my.

SEAN: Also from Yen Press: Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian 2, Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside 11, Bocchi the Rock! Side Story: Kikuri Hiroi’s Heavy-Drinking Diary 2, Bungo Stray Dogs: Dazai, Chuuya, Age Fifteen 4 (the final volume), The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess 13, Daughter of the Emperor 12, Days with My Stepsister 4, The Eminence in Shadow 13, Gahi-chan! 4 (the final volume), Hell Is Dark with No Flowers 3, Honey Lemon Soda 10, If the Villainess and Villain Met and Fell in Love 4, Imitation 7, Lycoris Recoil Official Comic Anthology: Repeat, Mieruko-chan 11, Monthly in the Garden with My Landlord 5 (the final volume), My Oh My, Atami-kun 3, Nights with a Cat 6, No Longer Heroine 10 (the final volume), The Reformation of the World as Overseen by a Realist Demon King 7, A Returner’s Magic Should Be Special 5, Spy Classroom 2nd Period: Daughter Dearest 2 (the final volume), Stomp, Kick, Love 3, The Teen Exorcist 3, The Tiger Won’t Eat the Dragon Yet 4, To Sir, Without Love: I’m Divorcing You 2, and Touge Oni: Primal Gods in Ancient Times 7.

ASH: The list just keeps going!

SEAN: Fist of the North Star is ending the same week City Hunter starts? Raijin Comics must be spinning in its grave! What are you reading?

Lady Bumpkin and Her Lord Villain, Vol. 5

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By Ageha Sakura and Kurodeko. Released in Japan as “Imokusa Reijou desu ga Akuyaku Reisoku wo Tasuketara Kiniiraremashita” by Overlap Novels f. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Vasileios Mousikidis.

I’ve talked before about artifact titles, when you have a series with a title that was accurate for the first volume but proves increasingly wrong as the series goes on. Lady Bumpkin and Her Lord Villain is proving to be one of these, and not just because she’s now Madam Bumpkin. This series started with Agnes dressed in 80-year-old fashion and pancake makeup getting thrown to the wolves for the lulz by the “heroine”. Now, four books after that first one, Agnes is making everyone who meets her fall in love with her, much to the jealous annoyance of her husband, she’s able to use her powers to help the crops, throw yams that can take out an enemy, and still find time to research the legendary saint. Which she absolutely is not. Why, they have totally different names for their very similar sounding powers! There’s no way Agnes would be a saint! (cough)

Agnes is about four months pregnant, and is having to deal with everyone around her treating her like an invalid. Fortunately, her brother Paul will be graduating soon from school, so she and Nazel get to visit Polypstan… where they also plan to research some information about the saint, just in case. Unfortunately, Polypstan has been having trouble growing crops as well, so they are very interested in the sunchoke potatoes that Sutrena has been working on, which are able to grow without the help of Agnes and Nazel’s magic. Unfortunately, there are a few hiccups. Both a duke and the prince of Polypstan seem to have fallen for Agnes, and this is a nation that allows polyamorous relationships… even if all the parties don’t approve. More dangerously, Paul’s graduation test is interrupted by a swarm of what amount to very giant locusts who can punch people, and they’re possibly the ones responsible for the crop failure.

There’s a lot of cute stuff here, which is good given that I think that’s why most folks read this series. It’s nice to see Agnes meet several women and get along with all of them, even going so far as to make potato chips with the duchess. Nazel may spend most of the book being jealous, and trying to have Agnes sit and take it easy constantly, but it always feels fun rather than forced, and her flustered reaction whenever he gets too loving is adorable. That said, there are ominous rumblings for future books. Robin may escape soon, which is not great news for everyone who didn’t like his “mind control my way to power” ways. Moreover, I think it’s pretty clear Agnes *is* the saint, and they’re not going to be able to keep that secret forever, no matter how much they want to ignore it. Nazel needs to figure out a way to make it so Agnes cannot be taken away from him for the good of all mankind.

That said, escaped jerkass will likely come first. This is cute and fun, if not lights out.