Synopsis

Stella’s departure from Ninoritch to search for her long-lost husband has thrust the responsibility of looking after Aina onto Shiro until her mother returns, but just as he is finally starting to get used to his new role as guardian to his young assistant, Kilpha comes along and drops a bombshell on him by asking him to be her husband. Once Shiro has managed to recover from his near heart attack at this shocking request, Kilpha clarifies that she is planning a trip home to the cat-sìths’ village and the only way to give her family—in particular, her grandmother, the village chieftain—some peace of mind is to show up with a partner in tow. Eager to visit the home of the cat-sìths (otherwise known as “cat-ear paradise”), Shiro agrees to pretend to be in a romantic relationship with Kilpha, and the two of them set off to visit Kilpha’s home. But will it really be the kind of fluffy paradise Shiro envisions in his dreams? (Source: J-Novel Club)

Kilpha’s Unwanted Homecoming!

Firstly, I want to preface this review by saying I enjoy this series despite its ups and downs. Unfortunately, much like with Saori’s introduction all the way back in the third volume, Peddler’s latest volume finds the series back on a downward trajectory.

Taking place in the aftermath of Stella’s decision to go on a journey to find her husband, the eighth instalment in the slice-of-life series sees Shiro turn his attention to Kilpha’s recent problems. Having received a letter from home, she asks Shiro to help sell a lie. She wants Shiro to return to her home village and pretend to be her fiancé to prove that she’s made something of herself out in the big, wide world.

For the most part, the beginning of this volume starts out well. The story reiterates why Kilpha and Shiro are one of the best ships in the series, as they easily manage to slip into their engaged personas. Moreover, the page time between the two gives the author ample opportunity to dig a little deeper into the unique abilities of the Cat Sìth race.

As the story progresses towards Kilpha’s village, however, it is derailed by the book’s central conflict and the real motivations behind the village asking her back. In the interim since her departure to become an adventurer, the village and the demi-humans more broadly have fallen on hard times. Harsher measures from the neighbouring city-state and a spate of ogre attacks have left them in disarray, and the only thing keeping them from death’s door is the only tribe friendly with Humes.

The problem lies with one of the key deal-makers between the Hume-friendly tribe and the rest of the Demi-Humans, Saijiri, who is threatening to cut the aid his tribe provides unless a marriage between him and Kilpha is performed. 

While this conflict isn’t necessarily a bad idea, it falls apart when any thought is put into the situation. Kilpha’s final and serious decision about Saijiri’s proposal makes little sense given how long she’s known Shiro and the miracles he can work. This might’ve worked early in the series, but the two have already been through so much together, and that’s not even calling into question the fact that she knows Shiro brokered peace between humans and demons as well as tamed a dragon. Furthermore, it’s made less than subtle to everyone that Saijiri is a bad guy, and several passages hint towards him being more than a little involved in the recent series of ogre attacks. It’s strange that none of this ever gets called into question, leaving the ending feeling confused rather than the shock and awe it was going for.

Overall, Peddler in Another World’s latest volume is an inevitable blip in the road. Coming in too late to create the necessary impact, the volume’s central conflict falls apart upon closer inspection, leaving all but a bad taste in the mouth. Taking the focus away from these events, however, there are still some enjoyable moments to be had. This volume provides the best chemistry between Shiro and Kilpha in the series so far, and there are plenty of interesting tidbits about demi-humans to unpack.

I Give Peddler in Another World Volume 8: 6/10