Synopsis

Now that she’s defeated the Demon King and become the country’s greatest mage, Lacey has officially fulfilled her life’s purpose. All that’s left is to spend the rest of her days in a loveless political marriage. But when her engagement is broken off, Lacey realizes that all she wants is to live freely. Her wish is granted, and she moves into an empty mansion near a sleepy village. Settling in is hard for her; shy and self-effacing, Lacey doesn’t know anything about living on her own! She can fry legions of monsters, but frying up a meal? She’d rather starve. Luckily, her friends have her back; with the support of the community, her former party member Wayne, and a monster pet, Lacey slowly learns to take care of herself and come out of her shell. Meanwhile, Lacey’s worth becomes clear to the townspeople when she solves their problems with magic that’s both unconventional and spectacular. So begins Lacey’s newfound calling as a magical handywoman! (Source: J-Novel Club)

Lacey’s Journey to Live for Herself!

Written by Hyogo Amagasa and illustrated by Kyouichi, Lacey Longs for Freedom, one of J-Novel Club’s newer titles, is a journey to discover inner confidence. 

Following the protagonist, Lacey, a member of the hero’s party, her story takes place after having helped to defeat the demon lord. Allowed her freedom as a reward, she’s given a place to live and the time to do whatever she pleases. Having been afforded this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Lacey wants to use her time to better herself. No longer wishing to be the meek and timid mage, she’s determined to travel on a new path to live for herself.

The bulk of the volume focuses on Lacey’s first months as a new resident in a small village on the capital’s outskirts; her new environment and neighbours are considered the first challenge towards her independence. With each villager she meets and new job she takes on, the author does well to showcase Lacey’s slow progress towards a more confident version of herself as her meek silence turns to strong answers and the occasional pushback.

Of course, Lacey isn’t alone in her journey, and several friends and allies help her on her quest. The most important of these relationships revolves around Lacey’s friendship with Wayne, the aforementioned hero of the hero’s party.

From the outset, it is clear how much the two mean to each other. Through their conversations together, the level of trust and care between them is obvious, as Lacey feels comfortable opening up to him in a way she doesn’t with others. To this effect, Wayne makes for a good stopgap in Lacey’s quest in case anything becomes too much.

Alongside Wayne, Lacey also has help from some of her other friends from the former hero’s party. This volume introduces the readers to Brooks, the party’s martial artist. He’s a boisterous and unstoppable force, making him perfect to challenge Lacey’s resolve. Partying together once more towards the climax of the novel, without the demon lord hanging around their necks, Lacey’s able to see that beneath Brooks’ quirky personality lies a man with her and her friend’s best interests at heart. Moreover, their scenes together offer valuable insight into the workings of the hero’s party and what their dynamics were.

Finally, Lacey is also helped by some furry friends. While they don’t offer much in the way of substance, they do offer moments of lightheartedness and the means of an easy conversation when Lacey gets out of her depth.

Overall, Lacey Longs for Freedom’s first instalment makes for an interesting read. Managing to successfully show the beginnings of Lacey’s transformation towards confident independence, the series brings with it a spate of memorable characters and light-hearted moments.

I Give Lacey Longs for Freedom Volume 1: 8/10