By Shiki and Wan Hachipisu. Released in Japan as “Jishō Akuyaku Reijō na Tsuma no Kansatsu Kiroku” by Regina Books. Released in North America by Hanashi Media. Translated by Ethan Holms.

Since I last reviewed this series, the anime has debuted, and a few things are becoming clear. First of all, like many light novel adaptations, the anime is speed running things a bit, so I suspect we’ll get into the “wife” part of the series before the end of the season. Secondly, I’d forgotten how some of the characters looked at the start of the series compared with now. In the first volume, Zeno was a beleaguered but relatively calm butler who normally served to snark at Cecil when Cecil was being particularly evil. In this sixth book, Zeno is an absolute wreck of a spirit, constantly whining and yelling at everyone around him. Part of this is due to the dreaded “oh, his partner looks really young, ha ha he’s a lolicon” joke we get in light novels, which is never funny and isn’t here either. But partly it’s because family, no matter how much you may try to avoid it, will always be embarrassing.

Cecil and Bertia are home from Seahealby, and everything seems relatively peaceful. So it’s now time for Zeno to go visit the spirit kingdom, so that he can ask permission from Kuro’s parents to marry her. This isn’t required, but he wants to be polite about it. Bertia is going as Kuro is very attached to her. Cecil is going as Bertia is going. And everyone else is suffering, because Cecil was already gone for an extended period and now he’s leaving again. When they arrive, they have to deal with Zeno’s parents, who are merely very embarrassing, and who also set up the plot of the 4th book in this series, when we’ll meet his seemingly overbearing sisters. The main plot, though, has the “ha ha he’s a lolicon” jokes hit at exactly the wrong time, meaning he and Cecil are now locked out of her parent’s castle till he completes some herculean tasks. No worries, Cecil is here to help. Wait, no, here to observe.

I have to admit, the stakes in this one are pretty low, mostly because you know all that has to happen is Kuro putting her foot down and the problem is solved. Also, Bertia is mostly sidelined in this book, as she stays behind while Zeno and Cecil go off to do the plot, staying behind mostly to try to be villainous again, as Kuro’s mother hits a bunch of her “so cool!” buttons and she goes off into la-la land. (I will admit, Bertia trying to have herself get tied up is a very funny bit.) The bulk of the heavy lifting goes to Cecil, though, as is appropriate. here he’s smug, a bit sadistic, and also accidentally helps Zeno save the day. While Cecil is pretty much an expert at anything he’s ever done, he also has a fair bit of “golden boy” luck, which helps him out here. I also appreciated that Kuro’s parents end up being just as socially awkward as she is, and it explains quite a bit.

This series feels like it’s coasting, but I still like the cast, and it’s fun most of the time.