Is life ever simple … or does it always come with limitless complications?
Creative Staff:
Original Story: Usata Nonohara
Illustrations By: ox
Translation: Erin Husson
What They Say:
Everyone has their secrets…
Teen alchemist Mariela’s new life in the Labyrinth City is going swimmingly so far: She’s purchased a home of her own, opened an apothecary, and befriended people from all walks of life, starting with a former penal laborer named Sieg. Only a select few know she’s one of the last remaining alchemists, but that secret’s proving harder and harder to keep under wraps…
Between a startling discovery about the fearsome Labyrinth and the emergence of a powerful family of potion researchers, a quiet city life is easier said than done!
Content (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
As the Black Iron Freight Corps find themselves returning from another dangerous trip through the Fell Forest, Lieutenant Malraux now begins to recall how they first met a mysterious girl name Mariela. While they may now have a safer passage across the treacherous woods, it is only thanks to her monster warding potions do they have this option, however due scarcity of this precious commodity he still questions why she would sacrifice these resources for people who are essentially strangers. The ley line which spans Labyrinth City is the key for new alchemists to form a pact with the Nexus, but thanks to the Stampede of two hundred years ago this region is now the property of monsters, and thus none can create a pact to fully utilize Drops of Life which are necessary to potion creation. Although magical tools have been created to lengthen the viability of these elixirs, none have lasted past a few days, and even the wealthy only used them as emergency first aid kits. Even the Aguinas family, who were once lead alchemists of the Kingdom of Endalsia and oversee all the potions within the city, have to construct massive storage facilities which consume numerous magical stones to keep their products from deteriorating, thus the enormous cost of their concoctions. The only other scenario for her liquid fortune would be an urban legend spread by children: over a hundred years ago a group of alchemists hid a cache of potions within the Fell Forest, and if Mariela had uncovered this treasure that would explain her products, but this plausibility seemed as unlikely as anything else Malraux could think of with his limited knowledge.
It was evening by the time the Black Iron Freight Corps reached the southwest gate of Labyrinth City, and as they requested permission to enter, they greeted by a former comrade from the Labyrinth Suppression Forces who informed the captain and lieutenant they were summoned to the estate of the Golden Lion General, Leonhardt Schutezenwald. This charismatic commander was highly respected by all within the city, even more so by his men and former associates such as Dick and Malraux, so much so he helped them to establish their escort company and while they may have been from different social standings, he considered them close friends and they would not hesitate to listen to his requests even at the cost of other contracts. Leonhardt is the eldest son of the Margrave Schutezenwald, and along with his younger brother Weishardt, they swore like all other members of their family, they would conquer the Labyrinth and take back the territory from the monsters for humanity within their lifetime. But even with this familiarity, neither should have been able to see such a noble man in their current state, disgusting traveling clothes and armor covered with filth and both being denied a chance to shower, that is until they saw their dear friend reclining upon his bed with his sibling by this side … and half of his body had been turned to stone.
As his friends were now stunned by the horrific scene presented by their former commander, it was up to Weishardt to explain his circumstances – the Golden Lion General had been afflicted by a malediction from the formidable basilisk. Although they knew of this terrifying monster armed with thick scales and powerful claws, its most punishing weapon was its petrification which lasted even after its own death. The only known cures were a high-grade curse removal potion or a spirit assisted curse removal within the victim’s land of birth, which was impossible since Leonhardt was born within Labyrinth City, where no ethereal beings could be communicated due to the monster’s control of the city. And though the former seemed more likely, the younger brother already informed the pair they previously had contacted the imperial capital and no ingredients or elixirs where available in such a short time. It was only thanks to magical healing which had slowed the disease’s progression that allowed him to talk to his companions, but Leonhardt knew he only had a day at most. With this death quickly approaching, the leader of the Labyrinth Suppression Forces had made up his mind to pass command onto the A-ranked adventurer Dick and also asking Malraux to assist, with the Black Iron Freight Corps to continue supplying potions for their further progression to the fifty-second stratum. They knew they were the only ones who had a reliable merchant for these wondrous concoctions, since the Schutezenwald’s and other noble families were too running low, and even the vaunted Aguinas could only offer a limited supply and all they were willing to sell were lower quality manufactured medicines and other lesser materials.
It was only then when did Dick came to the realization there may be another option to finding the panacea, and while the desperate brothers considered this improbable since the materials were exceedingly rare and none grew in Labyrinth City, the general agreed to their request to putting off their answer for one day. Via telepathy Malraux communicated their plan to Lynx and asked for directions to Mariela’s shop, including in his instructions for the scout to intercept any likely pursuers to their supplier’s location. Quickly mounting their raptors the pair raced off to Sunlight’s Canopy, doubling back on their path several times to fool any followers, and walking the rest of the way on foot. After pounding on the door at this late hour, they were surprised to be greeted by the formerly scrawny slave who was now so muscular they hardly recognized Sieg, but promptly asked to talk to his master. While the short redhead exchanged pleasantries in seeing her friends come back safely from their trip, and the lieutenant attempted to do the same, it was the captain who frantically got went straight to the point: they needed a high grade curse removal to cure the petrification from a basilisk. Mariela began to ponder this seemingly impossible request and after thinking for a few seconds quickly agreed, telling the men to wait for a few minutes then rushing off with her helper to a room behind the storefront. The normally calm man was astonished by her answer, immediately thinking they were scurrying off to some secret storage site within the Fell Forest, but even with a monster ward and the aid of Sieg, to go out this late at night would be extremely dangerous, which made him worry even more.
With his imagination now running wild, Malraux could not but think the worst, that the pair were escaping without giving the life saving potion they so gravely needed. Not paying heed to Dick’s warning to go any further, the lieutenant burst through the back door and walked up the stairs to the only area of the house which had any signs of life, hearing voices coming from a room at the far end of the hall. Consumed by a sense of duty and not caring for the rudeness he now showed, Malraux burst in and witnessed something which he thought should have been impossible – potion transmutation. Mariela was panicked by this man who had entered without knocking, quickly telling Sieg to hide everything, not embarrassed by someone finding out she was a pact-bearer, but instead ashamed for a guest to see the utter mess her workshop was in, with clothes, dirty dishes and used tools lying everywhere to her complete shock. Promptly scolding the bad manners of someone she had invited into her home, this newly found out alchemist quickly escorted him from the room, with Sieg leading them downstairs before reminding both Dick and Malraux of their magical contract of confidentiality. Thinking back to his tales of urban legends, the lieutenant asked his captain if he knew of this girl’s secret, only to be surprised that this normally unaware man had recognized her skills, reasoning that was the only way she could rehabilitate a slave who was so near death. However now that they knew her amazing secret, thanks to the agreement they had signed after their first meeting neither one could tell anyone Mariela was the last remaining alchemist in the whole of Labyrinth City … and perhaps their most valuable asset in their fight against the monsters.
In Summary:
I don’t know how many times I re-read the first volume of this unusual story waiting for this second book, but writer Nonohara-sensei has managed to create a world which seems so foreign, and yet at the same time it is extremely welcoming with the heartfelt emotional attachments you immediately form with these charming characters. Now that we are able to reconnect with Mariela and Sieg, one cannot but wonder how their lives have changed since the opening act of introductions and establishing Sunlight’s Canopy, and we are overwhelmed once again by the warmth these partners share between themselves plus old and new friends. However as we soon learn, it is not easy to keep a secret from her only buyers for her potions, and yet due to the magical contract but more thanks to the relationship of trust she has engendered with the Black Iron Freight Corps, their association grows ever broader and she begins to develop new ties with people she may have never met from her previous sheltered life. And yet it is this expansion which adds so many new enjoyable story elements which make Nonohara-sensei’s narrative so enticing for the reader, allowing humorous and innocent people like Elmera and Carol to be welcomed into Ela’s world, all as we delve into center point of Labyrinth City – the monster infested maze itself.
To think this formerly overlook background setting could have so much complexity, with many factions vying for control of the Labyrinth, its resources and most of all, the main protagonist Robert Aguinas wishing to reclaim his family’s former glory as exclusive supplier of potions and thus, dominion over everything in within the city due to that underlying power; but of course if you understand the meaning behind his surname, most likely the Spanish word anguila for eel, you begin to understand how slimy this man truly is, with his underhanded dealings to reclaim his family’s past by any means necessary. And while the battles from the Labyrinth Suppression Forces against monsters and Robert’s scheming manipulations are exciting and thrilling, one cannot forget this story is about how the story rotates around Mariela and her comical antics of trying to adapt to this world which is new to someone who has been asleep for two hundred years. You cannot but crack a smile, giggle or reread a section to fully understand her ridiculous escapades with Sieg, all as her world expands daily to encompass more delightful incidents, all as we struggle to understand how she has survived without getting into trouble everyday.
The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life continues to delight us with wonders expanding from the interaction of an ever growing circle of friends within Labyrinth City, all as Mariela and Sieg try to live every day to the fullest, all while trying to avoid getting into trouble. You cannot but smile with each page as we watch our young alchemist become embroiled within the fight for control, all while knowing she is clueless to the daily dangers around her, but that is what makes this story so amusing and enjoyable at the same time. The only thing Mariela is concerned about is taking care of her business while having fun with her friends, and while you would think someone so smart is also shortsighted, as long as Sieg is watching over her, we know we can have the best of both.
Content Grade: A+
Art Grade: A+
Packaging Grade: A+
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: 13 & Up
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: December 31, 2019
MSRP: $15.00
