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.

I suppose if you’re going to have a romantic age-gap romance, you might as well lean right away into the fact that it’s very problematic. From the moment that Philia hears about Lena’s engagement to the knight Elmhardt, an engagement that was arranged right after Lena was born, and when Elmhardt was already a young man, her reaction is essentially the reader’s: what the heck? As it turns out, the engagement mostly comes down to a whole heaping helping of guilt from almost all parties – even Lena, whose innocent question to her fiance several years ago led to him just giving up and avoiding her. But Lena’s an adult now, at least by the standards of this world, and the book makes it very clear that everyone’s been going around doing things without asking what she wants. Fortunately, Philia, who is learning about this strange thing called friendship, is different.

Despite the fact that things are still fraught after the events of the last book, there’s a pilgrimage coming up, and Osvalt is in charge of it. The neighboring country of Alectron journeys there for religious reasons. Unfortunately, Philia also hears that assassins are plotting to kill her – again. So they’re adding lots of extra security, including knight (and friend of Leonardo) Elmhardt, who it turns out is Lena’s fiance. Though both of them seem very uncomfortable about it. After an attack on Philia (maybe?) by monsters, it turns out that the assassin is using a magical tool that’s been stolen from the kingdom’s vaults… a tool that was also used years ago, when there was a coup attempt. Which also involved the current king of Alectron. And Elmhardt.

I mentioned the friendship thing earlier, and it may be my favorite moment of the book. Lena’s been around from the start, but she’s basically been fulfilling a “maid/bodyguard” role. Philia has her mother and sister, she has other saints who are more like disciples, and she also has Erza, but she hasn’t been around for a while. More importantly, Philia is still having to deal with normal human emotions after repressing them for her entire life, so the idea that she cares about Lena and wants what’s best for her is more important than it normally would be. There’s also a convoluted plot and backstory here, which mostly checks out fine, though it feels like an excuse for romantic conflict more than anything else. If there’s a flaw here it’s probably Lena, who’s simply too nice about the whole thing – yes, even when she’s furiously attacking near the end – and who I wish would at least kick back a little against a setup she’s had since birth.

Still, overall this was solid. And next time we have Mia’s wedding. Which I’m sure will be trouble-free and totally boring. Right.

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.

I always enjoy it when a series that has long since evolved away from its title decides to backtrack and remind us of it. Sure, we remember the “tossed aside’ part, mostly as her fiance is such a clown, but it’s easy to forget the ‘sold’ part, especially because she was sold for a lot of money – money that had to come from somewhere. It’s never really come up since then, mostly as the purchase of Philia as the Saint turned out to be the best one they’ve ever made, but it does make you wonder where the money to pay for her came from. As it turns out, their world is not all that different from our own, and it turns out that a lot of the money came from grants being given to various research and development facilities around the kingdom. Which can be a problem if some of those researchers are, shall we say, a bit obsessed.

Having finally wrapped up the wedding (and sent Mia home, so alas she is not in this book), Philia and Osvalt are finally ready to embark on their honeymoon… but Philia is still Philia, which means their honeymoon involves a lot of research. She’s touring the ruins of the country to try and figure out if there’s a way to stop the magic fluctuations in the volcanic area so that they can get more flowers. While there, unfortunately, they come across what seems to be an attempted break-in… and then, at another site, they catch those responsible. The main culprit is a merchant named Harry, who smiles but seems to lie as easily as he breathes, has been selling arms to the country just in case of foreign invasion, and has a far closer connection to Philia… or rather, Philia’s attendants… than anyone realizes.

Leaving aside the spoilery relationship that makes up the bulk of the last half of the book, it is entertaining seeing Philia actually coming to terms with herself as an emotional being. Getting married seems to have freed up her body to actually do things like smile and cry, and I don’t think she’s come to terms with it yet… nor has she come to terms with losing somebody near and dear to her, which we come close to this time around. She’s mirrored by Osvalt, who his brother doesn’t trust to deal with tense political situations because he’s too empathetic, but he ends up doing really well here, showing off that empathy can also be “really good at reading people”, which is actually quite handy for political situations. Lastly, a brief wish: I really hope we’re not suggesting Grace will marry Reichardt when she grows up. I like her as the little sister of the group, and hope she stays in that role.

That said, if she keeps saying things like “I’ve never seen a magic tool that large before”, I may have to reconsider. Oooooh, Matron!

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.