I’m glad that Lana didn’t turn out to be a bully despite being somewhat… judgmental about Monica’s choices of literally everything. It seems to me like she wants a friend after being ostracized by the others, but doesn’t know how to start a conversation if it’s not about fashion?
The book continues to slightly subvert my expectations.
そこには、柔らかな手触りのリボンが揺れていた。
Aw! Even an accessoire!
……否、一人だけいたけれど、その友人とも最後は決別してしまった。
Huh. After being introduced like this, I guess we will meet that friend later at some point?
Lots of good points. I assume he knows something that he (for whatever reason) doesn’t let on? Or maybe he really believes that a “seven sages” level mage is necessary to deal with something that was able to destroy the tool he made for the prince and the other members just wouldn’t work because they are too old, well known etc etc. I’m curious what his plan for “no overlapping classes (because of different year) nor the same accomodation (because of different gender)” is though.
I guess there is a chance she’ll somehow despite being Monica join the school council and see him there, but that cannot possibly be something that Louis is betting on.
(Plot twist: Louis is the antagonist and recruited Monica as a guard because he thinks she will be terrible at it and recruiting one of the seven sages will look great to everyone else. It backfires. めでたしめでたし。)
（……ここなら、人が来なそう）
The chance of someone coming is close to zero I’m sure!
Oh, I forgot that this chapter was supposed to be split and read the whole thing. Now, what can I safely comment on…
This week
What a wild first school day for poor Monica. Oh well, I guess no-one was expecting it to be painless for her.
Isn’t that something she always does when she has to deal with people?
Same. I liked the mood twist we get in that scene the moment the other students start talking about Lana behind her back. And Monica got a free ribbon out of her ordeal .
I sure hope so.
I don’t really think this’ll turn out to be true, but in a way it seems like the most plausible explanation, so I expect this possibility will hang in the room as a red herring for awhile. Another possibility is that Monica is just a Plan B or a decoy for Louis and he’s got another, more reliable observation method.
It sounded to me like she usually doesn’t have to remember people so she just came up with it now, but I think you are right - she didn’t always live in her hermit cabin and probably had to remember faces in her own school days etc, so this is likely an old strategy of hers.
Yeah! In the beginning I thought the whole Lana thing would be a “top girl of the class asserts dominance over the country bumpkin newcomer” kind of scenario. When others chimed in I was so sure they were going to pile on Monica to the point that I couldn’t even properly understand the sentence at first. Imagine my surprise!
I was just joking, I don’t think it’ll turn out like that at all - but it does make a frightening amount of sense
Plan B would still assume that she can make contact, and I’d still like to know how Louis thinks that will happen (and if he has a plan for that she might as well plan A, there’s no need to make the story more complicated).
I don’t think she’s flashy enough for a decoy.
So… I’m not sure what’s up with all of that. But since Monica is wondering about it too it’ll probably not end up as a plot hole.
Maybe he just has a lot more confidence in her than she does herself.
Okay I didn’t expect to suddenly get into the zone and finish reading this week’s pages in one sitting, but I’m not complaining (although I am very exhausted now)
Also, really love the notes and discussions! Helps me recap what I’ve read :')
ch 4
I think so too
I feel like he’s putting her at real risk (like this is already obvious), but he had to choose her for a very specific reason, and no one else would’ve been perfect for the role - but why her?
His most obvious reasons (which as far as I remember he also mentioned when he first recruited her) is that he needed someone at the right age to pass as a highschool student who hasn’t made enough public appearences to be recognized by the other students. But I also wonder if his feelings towards her were another factor. Like either he resents her and enjoys making her suffer or he secretly likes her and thinks forcing her to interact with other people will be good for her.
I’m still behind, but just finished Week 6 and am now reading all these great comments. Hope to catch up soon…
This is not super important plot-wise, but
Summary
I had trouble with the whisperings of classmates while Lana and Monica interacted. Were they belittling Lana as the daughter of a nouveau riche baron (成金男爵)? Or Monica? or both? So is Lana a country bumpkin nouveau riche?
Also, if I read it correctly, the school cafeteria meals are checked for poisoning before being eaten by the students. So it seems that there is some concern for the safety of all the noble children and not just the Second Prince…
Yeah, but I don’t think that they are in a heightened state of alarm or are expecting any concrete attacks. It’s probably just their normal state of concern for noble children.
Home Thread
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