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.
When I reviewed the 7th book in this series, I had not realized that this 8th book would be the final one. It does its absolute best to cram everything in so that we’re not disappointed, though. There’s lots of Nazelbart spoiling Agnes, being overprotective of Agnes, and trying to seduce Agnes. (There is a joke made here that if Agnes dies, Nazelbart will destroy the entire world, only to everyone but Agnes, it’s not a joke.) There’s Agnes saying that she’ll be careful and wait right there, and then heading into battle anyway. There’s another guy who’s so evil it’s almost comical, and of course he ends up getting caught and being put to manual labor. We see Robin again, he’s a schmuck. We see Mia again, she’s so hung up on her past actions that she fails to realize how much she’s changed. And there’s the next generation, who are very shippable. A bit earlier than I would like, admittedly.
About two years after the last volume, there’s a fresh new disaster: giant hoppers are attacking their domain, and no one is quite sure how they got there. Fortunately, everyone is able to work together to take them out, but there’s some crop damage. They then head to the capital, where the King is getting ready to marry his younger brother off to a foreign princess. She’s arriving with her older brother. He seems… like he’s trying to hide his evil. She seems like she’s desperately trying to be normal. Both are true. When Nero (the brother) offers then a horribly mercenary plan to help them after their lands have been mysteriously ravaged by hoppers, everyone smells a giant rat. Are these new characters really responsible for all the natural disasters of the last few books?
Starting off with a bit that made me uncomfortable, they’re both so young it shouldn’t matter, but the 3-year-old falling in love with the 1-year-old at first sight, and remembering this even when he’s an adult, smacked too much to me of gender reveal parties and parents whose friends talk about their babies marrying right after said babies have been born. Other than that, this is a fun “victory lap” sort of book, where Agnes gets to show off, be sweet, and finally has to give in and become the next Saint (we all saw it coming). I also really liked Beatrice, the bug-loving princess who gets to turn traitor against her homeland and have it all work out, because (the funniest part of the book) all her brothers, sisters, parents, and evil nobles killed each other in a throne war while she was away. That sure was lucky! We also get several flash-forwards, where we see Agnes’ daughter Luna and her insecurities about her power, which is the opposite of her mother’s.
As Agnes and Nazelbart re4mark, we’ve come a long way from the pancake makeup and 200-pound dresses of Book 1. Agnes is living her best life now. Good for her! Fun series, glad I read it.