Quite the fucking rollercoaster there, friends. One part of me is happy since I'm a simple dude who loves happy endings for all parties involved. Another part of me generally fucking hates endings on a personal, visceral level, and I'm kinda bummed. Definitely still one of the better stories I've had the pleasure of experiencing, though.

So, is the implication that the head butler hired the shorty for personal reasons?

Personally not seeing anything that would imply that but if I'm really looking for windmills to swing at, let's say that head butler encountered one who looked like an efficient, enthusiastic worker, who also incidentally was hella cute, and decided to take them in when the fates allowed. Doesn't sound all too bad, really. Also rather plausible.

Nobody ever can write a story that's about getting to together and then just continuing afterwards. It's either or. It's a law of the universe.

Such a shame, too, especially in this story where the universe itself offers so much to tackle and explore.

Ending in two chapters? Butbutbutut it's so cute and pretty, and I love the art style and characters... even with the foreshadowing, I was hoping that this would keep going for a little while longer. :'(

Man... same...

My read of Yuzu on that last page is closer to her probably not having a "proper" swimsuit and resolving herself to ask their other friends for help in choosing one. But I also want to believe the anger-at-being-clam-jammed theories so let's go with that.

I don't really have much to say this time other than that this chapter is adorable and I love everything about it. Especially page 11, transitioning from the gorgeous upper-left panel to the blobbed and confuzzled one is simply chef's kiss.

Oh actually, one thing I do have to say is that if it wasn't crystal clear before that the feelings were mutual, it absofuckinglutely is now, and will be a really hard sell to claim otherwise. Like another comment so skillfully describes, there absolutely is no heterosexual explanation here.

last edited at Feb 13, 2023 6:31AM

I'll be hoenst. There's something about this that makes it impossible for me to actually read. Something about the denseness of the text and the denseness of visual information in the series, I cannot maintain focus and I cannot digest the words, but it is so incredibly enthralling simply by virtue of the insane visuals that I often don't feel the need to comprehend the text, and that makes it an incredible ride in and of itself, and I'm thoroughly amused.

last edited at Feb 12, 2023 9:26AM

It's actually the Qlipot... so they actually correspond to Yesod and Chokhmah... I think

You might be correct, so good catch on that. edit Yeah, you're probably right, I missed the parts of the pendant that are missing at first. Also, yeah, the top part seems to be Yesod (foundation) and the other is Chokhmah (wisdom/intelligence but in a different manner to that of Binah)

I still can't be too certain about the whole qlipoth thing, since it doesn't seem to have a representation like the sephiroth's tree and no set-in-stone opposites as far as I'm aware. I'm also not sure why Malkuth (majesty) is completely absent, but I guess we'll see.

I mean, honestly, the whole thing is messily introduced to say the least lol. With how gibberish the Hebrew is, I can't take it all too seriously, really.

Reading a bit and holy crap the whole concept of the qlipoth is arbitrary to a wholly separate level of amusing. For some reason, Fire is in direct opposite to the sephiroth. God is pyrophobic, I guess.

last edited at Feb 8, 2023 10:43AM

I can't believe Wamura didn't kiss her as soon as they got into the purikura box. I know I would have...

I don't think the series is anywhere near the point this could happen yet but I wholeheartedly concur.

In any case, this is so goddamn cute. Just 8 pages of fun and sweetness.

I think that one thing that stands out to me is that in this sort of story, the outgoing one is often overbearing and almost invasive while the introverted one is often wholly passive and fully against the other's advancements, but the dynamic here feels completely different. There's an actual back-and-forth between the two, especially in this chapter, and the playing field feels leveled, or something like that. Their dynamic is also very natural and organic which is a big plus.

last edited at Feb 8, 2023 10:58AM

Blue Archive's Kayoko is the villain now. Intriguing.

Fun chapter, love the over the top gay shit and impressed by the tragic backstory actually fitting in, somehow. I guess it was because it wasn't played for pity or laughs or anything. Looking forward to seeing Kayoko conquered taken down by the Great Yuri Kisser.

Page 33 has a wall covered with what I believe is markings trying to mimic the 10 sephirot, which is in broad strokes of the brush bullshit Jewish mythos (disclaimer: am Jew) about the grace of god or some such, and a bunch Hebrew letters that are scrambled in an absolute mess and make up no coherent anything, except for the top-left one that spells out what translates to... fishing rod. I'm pretty certain it's at least written properly, with proper nikud and everything. The item on the sephirot its location parallels is that of Binah, or intelligence/wisdom, which makes sense because the Hebrew word would be חכמה, so they missed a letter yeah, no. this was gibberish the whole time and nothing was planned lol.

The parts of the wall that are fucked up parallel the locations of at the top Keter, literally crown - probably refers to god themselves, and at the bottom-left Hod, or grace/regality. That means nothing to me as of now. Maybe god is dead and the new god is yuri? Would be amusing.

last edited at Feb 8, 2023 7:33AM

Firstly, I acknowledge and even appreciate the misdirection in the first couple of pages, but also you do not fucking do this to a person.

Secondly, my heart is warm and my day has been made. This is the good shit right there. I adore how naturally and organically Asako realized her answer's been under her nose the entire time. I also love the specificity of declaring that she's family but not like her brother. Shout out to MVP sister-in-law, too. The bit with her recognizing Miyako is also appreciated.

The confession scene was incredibly fucking sweet, and absolutely gorgeous too. Huge fan.

I will say though, that it's incredibly relieving and refreshing to not have convoluted drama and third wheels and "you don't know what you've got until you've lost it" kinda shit and inject the fluffy goodness right into my veins por favor, but part of me is, like, almost disappointed at how smooth the sailing has been. In a "that's it? just like that?" kind of way. I'm too used to stories having a give-and-take relationship with their readers, stories that just give almost feel like a trap.

But hell, yes, just like that, and I'm a big fan. I also love that it doesn't seem like the story's going to end, which is also cool. Everyone thus far has been very supportive, I'm expecting their parents to be so as well. I'm somehow imagining her mother being an insane fangirl like Hato is. Also now Ruri and Hato please and thank you.

last edited at Feb 6, 2023 5:43AM

I don't get what people see in Riri...

Obligatory this is my opinion disclaimer. First and foremost, I'm gonna say I'm just biased in favor of the "cute/pure/good girl" archetype. The Onodera type, you know?
I don't really agree about her being generic primarily because to me it seems that she's constantly developing and learning, she has that "chick that hasn't hatched yet" feel to her and a lot of room to grow because of that, so the more she sees and learns, the more she tries and becomes bolder, and I'm a massive fan of that as well. That "oh no, I really like this" type realization she's bound to have. Also, her design is among my favorites, second only to Ms. Teacher.

Anyways, I'm die hard team Karin...

Understandable. Just wanted to acknowledge that.

In any case, about chapter 16 itself. Hot. Pretty good for monkey brain, really. Kaoru has been my least favorite of the bunch because she had this not-exactly-that-but-kinda stuck-up attitude, so seeing her break down to her most primal is incredibly satisfying. Thinking about it, this may have been the intended result by Tamamusi.

last edited at Feb 6, 2023 5:01AM

This is just good for the soul. No words can express how good this chapter was and how much I love this series. Usui Shio is a master of fluff. I just can't get over how Kurumi blindsided Ruriko and how precious gobsmacked Ruriko is.

I know people are gonna talk about the end more but…

You have done this community a great service, and I appreciate you. That was the first thing to come to mind.

last edited at Feb 1, 2023 6:41AM

I legit thought there was going to be at least some "will they, won't they" with these two, especially playing around Kana's supposed innocence, but no, it's full speed ahead motherfuckers and I'm all here for it.

I think what I like most is that you usually don't see the "adults" become these bumbling messes, but Granny here practically ceased all functions. The chapter was both adorable and heartwarming. Hoping it goes big.

(Other poster, in response to me punching my furniture)

In a good way or a bad way?

Listen... I can't. I just can't. Look, okay, sometimes when the blood is rushing to your face, sometimes you need a little forehead bloodletting. Okay?

I'm gonna go and say it's in a good way, then.

...I disagree with the idea that she just wants to apologize to Mai...

The way I read it is Asumi wants to make things clear. where did the kiss come from, does Mai still feel the same, are those feelings that Asumi reciprocates, if they share another kiss how would it feel? So long as there's this cloud over her I don't think she'd be able to even think bout actually dating.

Fact: Asumi isn't in love with anyone. Asumi isn't looking for a girlfriend. Asumi has discovered the pleasures of lesbian sex and is now focused on having sex with as many attractive lasses as possible...

As mentioned above I also think that there's a bit more to chew here than just that, but I can't say you're wrong about most things you mentioned. Either case, I just want you to know that I love this take.

... think if the story does end up with Nanao and Asumi as a couple it will be a story where they might just actually continue going to lesbian brothels as part of a healthy relationship which would be both incredibly fun and something I haven't really seen before.

I also love this take. It would make so much sense contextually, dude. It's pretty much the perfect development.

I'm not gonna lie. Main reason I've been following this is that I love the artist's style and works, and this is really fucking hot, especially some of the stuff I've seen in subsequent chapters. That said, I do not know that I still have it in me to keep following this. This absurd trainwreck isn't really what I'm looking for, though I cannot say it isn't entertaining.

I will say that in all honesty, I prefer that Yuni and Fuuka end up together in the end. They actually have chemistry and some sort of dynamic going. If only it could develop in a more wholesome manner, I'd be ecstatic. Conversely, Natsume has not done a single thing in what I've read to actually redeem herself or even make an interesting character of herself, which is big reason for my preference. In any case, we'll see what's what.

... Asumi is right in her self-assessment...

I think that she's constantly selling herself short, and we see it plentifully with how pretty much everyone falls in love with her one way or another. Even this chapter with the umbrella thing.

In any case, I loved this chapter and its developments. I love that Nanao went for it, and especially that she did it the way I hoped she would with the "and they're sitting next to me" line. I love that both were honest and actually talked it through. And I also think the practice date with Serin was a great way to show exactly that Asumi sells herself short on the whole dating aspect of things. also was hot, which I personally like both because it's thematically consistent and... uh... hot.

I can see why some folks are on the fence and stuff. But honestly, I don't see any major heartbreak happening; I don't see anyone being particularly insensitive to another or any other major turbulence. This isn't the series' flavor, simple as that. If anything Nanao and Asumi came to a mutual agreement of sorts in a mature manner that we will now see play out, and I think Serina's situation is interesting because I think that she's more quick to develop attachments in general (which was core part of her chapter) than full-on in love with Asumi, so her reaction and subsequent teasing are more in good taste than one would expect. I definitely agree with most of what flowsthead has commented. I'll add that I do not take Asumi's reaction to Nanao as flat-out rejection; rather it was her simply being honest about her situation which might complicate things, and it seemed to me that she is open to the idea, but is hesitant and still needs closure.

In any case, loved the chapter, and I'm looking forward to seeing how things play out. I'll say that I want these two to get down at some point at least, but this being the endgame or part of the endgame wink-wink nudge-nudge is more than welcome.

As sort of an aside. I'm really impressed by how implicitly explicit the sex scenes are. Clever angles and framings that leave no room for doubt but plenty for the imagination. Big fan.

edit: "It's tough, huh? You want it, huh?" I'm going to break my desk, my nightstand, my bookshelf, my bed frame, and every window in the vicinity

In a good way or a bad way?

last edited at Jan 30, 2023 4:20AM

Wonderful chapter all around. Shion's fire and passion were finally lit once more, and I'm interested in seeing if this impacts her dynamic with Mona and how. Will we get a side ship? Methinks so.

Seeing the continuous development of the dynamic between Kiki and Michiru is also great. I think Michiru came to some big realization at the end there, and I'm excited to see what exactly it is and how it plays out. I'm betting it's something related to love. Not necessarily romantic, but hopefully so.

The fact that there's actually some sort of rivalry developing between the former pair and the latter is also really exciting. I'm a big fan of the fact that it is Kiki who made Shion remember and reignite her passion. Really looking forward to what comes next, hopefully some romance-related developments.

Also, my keyboard doesn't have the letters W, A, Q, and Z due to my severe drinking problems and this comment was hell to write.

...A pair that was essentially slacking off...

Pretty certain that at this point, they haven't slacked off in a good while, and both have been practicing pretty seriously. To me, it feels like both have earned it, especially now with Shion's fire reignited.

last edited at Jan 29, 2023 7:52AM

Ayyy lessgo! I love Rurika's energy. She goes all in and I appreciate that. For some reason, I do not expect Komugi to have gotten the memo even after all that, but we'll see if that happens. Also, part of me expects the new girl, whose design I love by the way, to go something along the lines of "oh shit, I am digging this..." Hopefully, that's the game plan here.

last edited at Jan 28, 2023 10:13AM

Really surprised by the overreactions, but also generally happy with the counter-reactions. I'm gonna try not to repeat points that have already been raised. BreadBunny, Uranus, and Blastaar made some excellent points, as well as others that chimed in. so if I do repeat, I'll try to blaze through these. Also, to be honest, I'm not gonna touch on the subject of realism or history-aligned authenticity. I do not think these matter much more than serving as the setting of the story.

Firstly, it's pretty clear that Momo's mother was not coerced into anything, and that both she and Juju are at the very least content with the arrangements they've made and the lives they live. Saying that this represents a statement of sorts is a wild exaggeration. Do I hope for a happy ending for the two of them? Absofuckinglutely and I don't think that given that well-established vibe of the story and competence of its characters, it will be all that tragic or devastating. Like, hell, I can fully imagine the queen being inspired by Momo's tenacity and going "you know what, I still love her and I want to make it work" or something along those lines.

I am not worried about a bad ending, this author has consistently been dodging the angst and heavy drama.

Not to mention, this story, and its author, have been very consistent in their approach to conflicts and in the lightheartedness of the story. It's been a fluff ride since page 1, and I see no indication of it changing. They've also made it pretty clear that the characters are communicative and can get points across, which made for swift and effective resolutions to conflicts, and I do not see this changing either.

This leads to the biggest point, the folks jumping the gun have done so while the story is still laying the groundwork of the current plotline. The supposedly ominous letter from the queen and how it plays out are huge parts of it, and will wholly dictate what direction this ride takes. I do not expect any harsh turbulence, but I do expect clear communication between characters;

That said, anybody who hasn't picked up on all the foreshadowing that Aki's temporarily embarrassed wolf royalty is reading a different manga than the one I've been reading...

I also expect this as the most likely way the story plays out. I've been of this opinion for the longest time, it was rather clear that Aki has been of some noble status at the very least, and that whatever drove her from her home must have been significant enough for her to completely ditch that status. I hope this finally comes into play.

I also expect the conversation between the wreck Aki is going to be and the queen to be mightily amusing. So yeah, in short, I actually am pretty fond of those developments and excited to see how they play out. I don't expect heavy or long-lasting drama, I'll say that with confidence.

As an aside, while writing this the power went out in the entire block, but Firefox was a true G and the text remained when I booted the PC again. Big fan.

last edited at Jan 28, 2023 8:44AM

"We'll bang, okay?"

-- Mashiro, probably.

Not gonna lie, I was certain this would actually be this chapter's crux. Thought (and still riding the honesty train, hoping) they'd both (or Mashiro at least) be a mess of horny not sure what to do with itself. Like seriously, page 3 sets this up quite probably on purpose in the way that it does. But we got a good dose of fluff before the nitty gritty, so I'm a big fan. I do hope they directly tackle the subject, though. I don't need this to turn R-18 or anything, but go big, not home. Honestly the series has consistently been going big, so I'm optimistic.

Nagisa's half pragmatism half naivete is also infinitely amusing, by the way.

Also:

Seriously Mashiro's expression when she calls the choker on her adorable is chefs kiss

Absofuckinglutely. Dropped my jaw at that. Also the choker look was chef's kiss in itself.

last edited at Jan 24, 2023 4:46PM

I could very well be wrong but I think what it is with the young Lady is that she does like Mia, she just also wants Chloé/wants Chloé bc she doesn't have her or bc she's her moms maid

Rereading through the chapters and it seems like young lady's focus is solely on Chloe. I can't say if that's because Mia is already hers, as shown in the first chapter, or due to anything else. She's also upset with Chloe being very clearly attached/attracted/yes to her mother, whom she's already upset with. That's why she mentions something along the lines of her mother stealing everything she wants. Actually, looking at chapter 1 again, it does seem like she's upset about her mother and Chloe's closeness.

In any case, for some reason I find this series incredibly fucking hot. I was pretty firm on my pairings before, and I still expect, hope, and almost demand more Mother/Chloe shit, but seeing the two sisters in this chapter just made me fucking cast any reason aside. Also I didn't necessarily expect either of the involved parties to be as proactive as they are, or more simply - shit's escalating hella fast, and I'm definitely all for it.

"...there's still space for me to get between them..." is a very interesting way of phrasing this.

Pretty sure this is a very common phrasing when trying to drive someone apart.

I'd say that "space for me" is what changes it. It's probably me reading more deeply into it than I should, but I read it as a phrasing that implies, alongside the visuals of the panel, that she quite literally gets in between rather than straight up trying to separate them. Like, it doesn't really seem like she wants to completely remove Nadesihko from the equation, or rather that she doesn't necessarily mind if she stays around.

last edited at Jan 20, 2023 12:26PM

Man, at the start I was like "here we go! this is it!" but I guess not. We're getting there, though. I'm particularly amused since Jun obviously does not mind Nadeshiko, and in this chapter "...there's still space for me to get between them..." is a very interesting way of phrasing this. In no scenario is Nadesihko actually removed from the equation. Like, really, I'm pretty much inclined to believe that the endgame is a menage a trois, and that at the very least there will be a threesome.

Each chapter makes my eyes wet, it's always a feeling of what could have been. I really like this one, can't wait for more.

Right? I'm seriously dreading and looking forward to more. Aizawa clearly is playing what she wanted her life to be and yet it never will. Also think about how lonely she must be after everyone goes home and she's just stuck there.

Yeah. I love how this series is legitimately incredibly sweet and heartwarming while contrasting with Aizawa's death and loneliness and, in my eyes, voicelessness, as well as the 'what-ifs' both she and Michi are missing out on. It's perfectly bittersweet in the best sense of the word, which makes me both anxious and excited about every new thing we see.

This chapter too was incredibly sweet which actually made me tear up a bit as well. Michi getting closer to Kasumi and Reona was wholly adorable. I just also want to point out that Kasumi is absurdly cute and I simply cannot. And Michi giving Aizawa a piece of the cake was also a terrific moment, I liked how Aizawa started getting jealous and afraid again, but how her face lit up when she saw the cake was simply amazing.

Two things caught my eye. Firstly, I'm inclined to believe Reona's friends have shunned her for befriending "the weirdo", we'll see if it comes to play. Secondly, page 15 - "...maybe turn into a girl..." the dude responded with a "well okay then". My boy's gonna do it, I guarantee.

last edited at Jan 20, 2023 5:20AM

Big fan of quick-on-the-uptake mother, only thing that would've been better was if she actually went to Hinoka and told her "wait, if it's Tsukushi we're talking about..." or something like that. I also absolutely love going back to previous chapters, so many things have a completely different light to them now that we see things from Hinoka's point of view, and I'm very much inclined to believe it's intentional.

So we're clear, I fully understand why some are incensed by this, and that the girl was definitely being sus, to say the least.

Specifically in this story, though, contextually, I don't see any harm being done or having been done. I'm in the camp that says if both parties are okay with it, then they can knock themselves out, which is pretty clear what this story depicts. It all ended up being rather wholesome, really.

This would feel more compelling if it wasn't all based on a silly misunderstanding on Minami's part, but it's cute so eh.

I feel that the series is playing with the misunderstanding pretty well, especially since no one knows what goes through Yuzu's head, any potential route is at the very least plausible, so there's always tension. Also, I mean, I feel like I can wholeheartedly empathize with Minami, which makes it more compelling to me.

In any case, about the chapter - I'm actually really liking the way things developed. This misunderstanding was dissolved as quickly as it was raised and gave place to dive a bit into Tsubasa's character. I love seeing these stoic, aloof characters' icy exterior melt, and Tsubasa getting flustered was cute.

Also I love all those panels in which Minami just becomes a blob of gushing over something, and I was wondering, specifically in the case of page 18's "what a freakin' supernova of cute", how do lines like this or the earlier "gosh darn..." appear in the original text?

As an aside, for some reason, pages 16-17 made Still Loving You by Scorpions play in my head.