The Emperor’s Lady-in-Waiting Is Wanted As a Bride, Vol. 1

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By Kanata Satsuki and Yoru Ichige. Released in Japan as “Koutei-tsuki Nyokan wa Hanayome Toshite Nozomarechuu” by Ichijinsha Bunko Iris. released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Emily Hemphill.

There are various ways to conceal things in books, and some of them are harder to pull off than others. Common in mystery stories is keeping the viewpoint character and the reader in equal ignorance, revealing things to both when the time is right. Rare is when everyone except the reader knows about something, and they all talk around the subject. Then there’s the reader knowing something that most of the cast do not – we get a bit of that here in this novel. Unfortunately, we also get “everyone else knows what the viewpoint character does not, including the reader”. This is the hardest to pull off, and the most frustrating. You start to wonder what in the world is wrong with the main character. Still, it’s not impossible. That said… and I don’t mean to spoil, but I must to a certain degree… when it turns out that a magical mind-controlling device is the reason that your cast has not noticed things that are obvious to the reader, you have a problem.

Qatora, a knight in charge of protecting the young prince and his friend, ends up sacrificing her life to save the latter, falling into the “Light of Origin”, a seemingly religious artifact. Reincarnated in a different country several years into the future, she is Lyse, the daughter of a baron, who tries her best to fit in in this country where being strong as an ox and good with a sword is NOT appreciated in its young ladies. She’d much rather be back in the Empire, but knows the secret of the Light of Origin after falling into it, so avoids the country. Then one day the Emperor and his retinue pay a visit to their land, and she’s chosen to not only be Lady-in-Waiting to the Emperor, but also fiancee to his knight, Sidis, who seems mysteriously fascinated with her. Oh, and did I mention that the Emperor is… slowly tuning into a dog? Lyse is going to need strength and smarts to get out of this dilemma.

The author of this series also writes I Refuse to Be Your Enemy!, which I highly recommend, but I found myself struggling to get into this new series of hers. It is very clear to the reader from the start who Sidis really is, and hearing “but that can’t be, he doesn’t have blond hair” over and over is frustrating. Likewise, the villain of the piece is about as subtle as a boot to the head, to the point where there is literally a mind-controlling device meant to convince people that ISN’T what it is. I also wish we got to see a bit more of Lyse’s past abilities – she’s known as the “boar-killer”, but we don’t SEE that, and mostly she just kicks a lot of guys. (Who, admittedly, deserve it.) On the plus side, the Emperor and his ongoing problems are amusing enough, and Sidis makes for a good love interest, though again, you get the sense that Lyse is not interested in him because the writer doesn’t want her to be yet more than anything else. She needs to pick up on things better.

The book also feels complete at one volume, which is unfortunate as the series is at least four books in Japan. If you really enjoy romantic fantasies, give this a try, but honestly you’d be better off with I Refuse to Be Your Enemy!.

Girls Kingdom, Vol. 3

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By Nayo and Shio Sakura. Released in Japan by GL Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Philip Reuben.

This series, in general, should not be taken seriously. I know that seems like a really obvious thing to say, but we are dealing with something written for a yuri audience, and yuri audiences have been conditioned to take things Very Seriously Indeed a lot of the time. This works on a 2005 yuri level, but it’s also clearly being written around 2020, and knows that too. So no one is going to be using the words lesbian or queer in this book anytime soon, but bathing together – complete with tickle fights – is still on the menu. Likewise, there are no canonical couples in the book, and yet the entire book consists of plotlines like “what is the perfect present I can give to my mistress” or “I am obsessed with my mistress to the point where I have become a living ghost story”. It’s a lot of fun to read. It also has Misaki, who still makes for a great protagonist, since she is, as I’ve said before, Yumi without all that self-doubt.

In the first part of the book, Misaki and Kirara, along with the other first-year maids, get that most important of things – their first paycheck. It’s tradition that part of that check should go to their mistress, but it’s up to them to figure out what the perfect present would be. After this, there’s rumors of a ghost on campus, and the student council president is trying to see what’s really going on, though it’s Misaki who has already worked things out. All of this is going on, of course, while Misaki and Kirara are still trying to learn how to be the best maids out there, and realizing they still have a LONG way to go. Especially if they want to compare themselves to Sara, whose mistress, who had been in England, is finally arriving to join the school. Will she upend the salon system? Or just create chaos? Probably, it’s that kind of series, but I expect all will work out in the end.

My favorite parts of the book are when you’re able to spot the tongue lodged firmly in the author’s cheek. Sometimes this is obvious because Misaki, our “common sense” character, points it out, such as student council president Angelica pulling a map of the campus out from between her breasts. And sometimes it’s obvious simply because it’s too ridiculous not to giggle. Sara’s past is tragic, but it’s tragic in a “Little Match Girl” sort of way that makes the denouement that much funnier. I’m amazed Sakura didn’t find her abandoned in a box with dog ears on her head. And sometimes the ridiculousness is actually a plot point, such as Sara’s “very English” mistress being named Sakura, which is noted by the characters but which we might have to wait till next time to actually figure out why.

Next time promises a 3-way Salon War – at least- and, I suspect, will have a lot more of Sakura and Sara, a relationship I can see going in several direction. Still, this was an excellent volume in the series, if only as I made it through the entire book without wanting to kill Kirara with my laser eye beams. Also, thanks must go to Angelica, for adding another common yuri trope the the overflowing stack already on the table.

The Devil Is a Part-Timer!, Vol. 19

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By Satoshi Wagahara and 029. Released in Japan by Dengeki Bunko. Released in North America by Yen Press. Translated by Kevin Gifford.

(I discuss the climax of the book more than usual here, so spoiler warning.)

A lot of the last volume in this series focused on Chiho and her concerns for the future, and that doesn’t change here. Chiho is in many ways the glue that holds everyone’s relationships together, which is sort of nice, but not when it leads to her being everyone’s social secretary. She’s starting to get the feeling that all teens get at that age – that everyone around her is more grown up than she is. Maou is still calling her “Chi” like a kid, and of course is still ignoring her confession(s). Suzuno and Emi are adults with real world concerns, and they’re all out to save the world. And worst of all, she’s the only one in the group not tied to Enta Isla. When all this is over and that world is saved, will everyone just return there and leave her behind? It’s got her in a quandary… until a conversation with Suzuno (who, like Maou, has decided to run away from her problems) convinces her that it’s time to simply blow everything to tiny little bits.

There are, of course, other issues. Suzuno is stunned to find that she’s been promoted to Archbishop, which is actually pretty terrible news for their little conspiracy. It doesn’t help that the rituals that she has to do in preparation for her investiture all seem rather shallow and self-serving. Can you really have a crisis of faith when you’re becoming one of the leaders of that same faith? That and she’s also decided to confess her love to Maou… who reacts the same way he’s done with Chiho – avoid, avoid, avoid. Emi and Alas Ramus spent most of the novel away in Enta Isla helping with demon castle prep, meaning this is yet another Emi-lite book. Her fans, already grumpy from last volume’s ship sinking from Rika, might be even grumpier. Oh yes, and in Alas Ramus’ absence Acieth suddenly starts needing to eat a LOT more than usual… or else she starts firing lasers from her mouth.

This leads to the climax, as Chiho gathers everyone at McRonald’s. Maou, who’s been completely out of the loop on this, guesses it’s to feed Acieth… but how will they keep her nature secret from the McRonald’s crew? Or Kisaki, who’s also been invited? Or Chiho’s mom, who’s *also* there? I was wondering this myself, and the author does a great job of keeping everyone on tenterhooks. Then we find that Chiho’s plan is simply to rip the bandage off – Acieth’s growing hunger causes her to fire a laser AT Kisaki, which Emi and Maou must stop using their powers. Now the cat’s very, very out of the bag. On the bright side, they can feed her properly now. But there’s also the reaction from all the other normal humans to the Enta Isla story (which involves a visit TO Enta Isla as well) and also the reaction of everyone to Maou being such a wuss. Given that the demon castle/invasion timeline has been sped up vastly thanks to Suzuno’s promotion, this is probably not the ideal time, but it’s as if Chiho looked at the author and yelled “OK, endgame now!!”.

And indeed we only have two volumes to go. Thankfully for Emilia fans, the next volume’s blurb promises she’ll get more focus. That said, Chiho’s clearly in charge here, as not only Japan but also Enta Isla sees her as the only trustworthy person. Can she save the day? And even harder, can she get Maou to man up?