Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, Harem, Slice of Life, Isekai

Sub-Tags: OP, Strong Lead, Family

Monsters of the Black Forest!

A Monster of Stagnant Magic

Surviving a noble’s wedding and with the membership of the forge growing by the day, my latest review follows Eizo’s journey as the Black Forest plays host to some unwelcome guests.

With summer in full force, the eighth instalment of My Quiet Blacksmith Life finds Eizo and the rest of the forge members sent on a mission. During their time in the forest, Eizo’s forge has started to make a name for itself, and important figures in and out of the forest have begun to take notice. One such figure is the Master of the Black Forest. Mysterious and mystical, they’ve come to Eizo to get help in stopping a terrifying monster of stagnant magic that threatens the very ecosystem of the forest. 

In a shake-up of the mostly slice-of-life series, the latest volume forces the members of the forge into action as they agree to help stop a potential monster problem. At the behest of the Master of the Black Forest, the overall goal of the volume finds them going face-to-face against a Troll controlled by stagnant magic.

The resulting segment only spells good news for the series. With a vicious creature on the loose, it’s up to Helen to take a leading role, given her former career as a mercenary. In this volume, Helen is completely within her element, a testament to her achievements as one of the nation’s strongest fighters. Moreover, with the troll requiring a team effort, the battle between the forge and the monster reveals how well the members work and fight as a group. 

Master of the Forest

This volume also has some important revelations for Eizo as, for the first time, someone knows about his previous life. Willing to keep his visitation a secret, The Master of the Black Forest only asks that Eizo impart some of his knowledge to keep the world progressing.

Whilst this request would ordinarily break Eizo’s cardinal rule to not interfere with the makings of the world, the author has come across a clever little loophole. By giving his knowledge to the fairies, a species barely believed by humans, he thinks that the impact on the fantasy world will be minimal at best.

Overall, the latest outing for Eizo and the gang offers an interesting action reprieve from the usual slice-of-life antics.

Through its action-heavy segments, the story provides some much-needed character development. For the most part, this is seen in Helen as her inner-mercenary brings new dimensions to the character. Eizo also has some interesting moments. His interactions with the Master of the Black Forest provide a framework as to how far he’s willing to interfere with the workings of the fantasy world.