Sari gets abducted by the “King of Wolves.”
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Yu Tomofuji
Translation/Adaptation: Taylor Engel
What They Say
With the insurgency in Bolstobas settled, Sariphi makes haste to return to Leo’s side. But the ocean is wide, and the dangers are many-soon pirates capture her ship! Rescue seems impossible as a mysterious army invades Ozmargo, leaving Leo torn between his duties as a king and his love for his queen. Will Sariphi survive her captivity and see her true love once more…?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
I was pleasantly surprised by how interesting this volume is. Volume 9 gave a glimpse of the masterminds behind the trouble brewing in Ozmargo; now we get a really good look at them. Fenrir is a former prince who bears an old grudge against Leo, and Nir is his faithful and very powerful servant. Unlike other adversaries, their main interest is taking down the kingdom, which is a nice change from the tired storyline of Sari’s suitability as Leo’s mate.
This installment is also less about Sari and Leo’s relationship and more about the friendships they’ve built with others. Yes, once Sari gets kidnapped, our main couple suffers tremendous mutual anxiety and heartache, but because circumstances prevent Leo from going to Sari, others must come alongside them to assist. Thus, we have Anubis and Jormungand going beyond the call of duty to bolster Leo’s weakening position in Ozmargo and Lante relying on Bennu to locate Sari. In fact, I would say the relationship that develops the most in this volume is Sari’s relationship with Lante.
Oddly, the second runner-up for most development in a relationship is that between Fenrir and Sari. Unfortunately, much of Sari’s interactions with the Wolf King feel out of character. Her sacrificing her safety to save the Simians, I can see. Her being alternately sassy and sympathetic toward Fenrir in a way that makes him fall in love with her, not so much.
Fortunately, much of the narrative is focused on shows of force between the opposing sides, which is definitely more clear cut. Nir in particular has an intriguing fighting style and gives both Anubis and Jormungand a chance to show why they’ve been entrusted with the positions they hold.
Extras include embedded author’s notes and the bonus manga, “The Fallen Country’s Exiled Prince and His Attendant.”
In Summary
Ozmargo is beset by the forces of the King of Wolves. Rather than the political squabbles that usually preoccupy our characters, an adversary bent on ruining the kingdom erupts on the scene. While the Wolf King’s fascination with Sari feels a bit too convenient, the trouble he causes for everyone else gives the cast a rare opportunity to show what they’re capable of.
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: B
Packaging Grade: B
Text/Translation Grade: B
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: July 28th, 2020
MSRP:$13.00
