Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, School Life, Villainess, Isekai

Sub-Tags: Otome, Game Elements, Misunderstandings, Romantic Subplot

A Caged Fake and an Unravelling Mystery!

The Consequences of Strength in the Time of a Curse

Quelling the last supports of the former saint and once again making the continent a liveable place after centuries of its population living under the horrors of the witch’s curse, Fake Saint of the Year’s sequel has Ellize discover that there’s more than one party looking to stop her from discovering a way to stop the curse.

Upon unveiling the truth behind the curse – that saints who defeat the witch are doomed to become her- it comes as little surprise when the start of the second volume sees the higher-ups at the height of anxiety about the prospect of life under a witch version of Ellize. As a result, events from the original game are brought forward, with the continent’s kingdoms jointly deciding that Ellize should be imprisoned for her safety. What follows is a heated and in-depth debate featuring characters from all walks of life. 

On this issue, the main characters are almost equally split between keeping her caged and having peace for a relatively short period or allowing her to live freely and potentially solve the curse. It isn’t a question that can easily be solved, and the novel makes a success of this through the painstaking detail of several characters’ motivations, either built up from the first volume or first introduced here.

Moments of particular note involve the deep characterisations of King Aiz and Supple Ment. King Aiz’s flashbacks make it somewhat understandable as to why he locks Ellize up – losing the saint he loved as well as his son to the witch made him cold and utilitarian. Supple Ment’s characterisation as a result of the debate takes a more positive light. Known for being a pervert obsessed with the saint, his revealing that he’d rather see Ellize living free shows that even he has his limits. 

Under the Fate of the Unseen Hand

Eventually solving the debate through her saintly charm, the second half of the volume starts the long enthralling journey to unravelling the larger mystery of the game world turned reality and whether there’s more to the curse than meets the eye.

In an attempt to end the mystery, both versions of Niito end up on the case. The Japanese version of Niito begins his search at the Otome game’s headquarters only to find the mystery deepens further, with only the CEO unaffected by the ever-changing game scenario. By the end of the volume, their only hope lies in meeting the reclusive story’s writer.

Through this side of the mystery’s twists and turns, we’re given some of the first major insights into Niito’s original character. Strangely enough, these insights come from Niito himself. Almost in a self-deprecating way, he view’s himself as cold and detached. These views of himself translate even better under the guise of Ellize – viewing the world as nothing but a game, wanting for nothing other than to see his two favourite characters live happily, even at the cost of his own life. 

On Ellize’s side of the mystery, she plans on visiting the prophet that predicts the birth of a new saint. Whilst this doesn’t end up being all that helpful, Ellize does gain an intelligent turtle who can see the future.

Owing to the intricate and detailed world-building created in its opening story, Fake Saint of the Year’s sequel is thus able to continue to keep the story fresh by adding interesting philosophical debate and an enrapturing mystery.

Sealing the deal on the series’ strength, the second volume also focuses heavily on character and motive. King Aiz and Japanese Niito are particular highlights here, each given an in-depth look at their past and their traumas and how that dictates their decisions in the present and the future; in the case of Niito, it becomes understandable why he’d be so fixated on the happiness of two characters from a game.

Fake Saint of the Year is a rarity. Expertly mixing zany comedy, serious drama and an ever-twisting mystery, it is a series that deserves my hearty recommendation.