Ninoritch’s harvest festival has been a resounding success, but just as it’s wrapping up, Shiro gets accosted by a young woman claiming to be his grandmother—the very one who vanished years ago! Shiro’s not sure what to think at first, but he quickly realizes she’s telling the truth...even if she does look sixty years younger than how he remembers her.
Meanwhile, Karen has to trek to the capital to pay the town’s taxes to the lord of the region and attend his annual banquet. This proves a great source of anxiety for Ninoritch’s beautiful mayor. How in the world is she supposed to attend an exclusive high-society function when she has absolutely nothing to wear? Thankfully, Shiro’s there to save the day. For one night only, he’ll become her personal stylist and make sure she’s the most dazzling head-turner at the party!
I didn't enjoy this volume. And I'm definitely not satisfied with the ending. The world doesn't need two new annoying teenagers, we already have a bunch of them and they are already getting on my nerves. Also, the whole time there was talk about selling shampoo I kept wondering what about the plastic. Isn't that going to cause problems🤔 Shiro went and made enemies out of the biggest merchant guilds isn't he afraid that they will send someone to kill him. So many things bothered me that by the end of the book I just started skipping unnecessary drama.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Ok time to step away from this world for a while, maybe an extended while even. The first 2 books were pretty alright and enjoyable, but this actually was quite boring, and the female characters all came across damn annoying and irritating. Even little Aina was pretty much getting on my nerves. I can only tolerate Shiro, his Grandma Alice and the Blue Flash crew at this point, and the Blue Flash crew was pretty much absent from this book so imagine how pretty hard it was to finish the book.
Overall I still enjoy the peddling aspect of it, and the visit to the feudal capital was quite interesting, but the plethora of mildly detestable or annoying characters made it a chore to finish. Whether I will be venturing back remains to be seen.
Even in the fantasy world of this relatively cozy and easygoing wish fulfillment, neither taxes nor bureaucracy can be avoided. The tax collectors are too corrupt, so now a representative for the town brings all the collected taxes without a middleman. So ignoring all the issues with that, Karen, 26, the mayor takes Shiro, 25, along with her. There's nothing wrong with that. However, Aina, 8, also comes along. Oh, sure, there are reasons given, but it doesn't make it any less ridiculous to take her on what's expected to be a two week round trip at least. What about the parents? Her father's gone and her mother is barely there. In the first book, her mother told Shiro, who she literally just met, to take care of her daughter. That's just the sort of thing that happens though.
Before that though is some family drama. As is noted at start of the first book, Shiro's grandmother is an immortal witch from another world, which is why she has a portal in her house. Yet, Shiro is still shocked when he finds out she's an immortal witch from another world when meeting her again. In typical fashion of some Japanese media, she's presented as teenager, and one of Shiro's first thoughts is how great her body is. I'd like to say it takes a special sort of person to do this, but it's relatively common. The situation becomes even sillier, though still not atypical.
This volume leans much more into comedy, intentionally and otherwise, since if it can't be taken seriously then may as well try to have it be humorous. I don't think it really succeeds at that, but it's mildly amusing to see it try. I wouldn't call it so bad it's good, but it's similar to that. An example is the name, Bart Furst, an antagonist. Maybe it's my humor gone wrong since when the first letters are transposed it's Fart Burst, or Burst Fart in Japanese name ordering.
Business resumes and this time the featured products are soap and shampoo. Everyone is very excited. I don't know how much it is that the author think it is versus exaggeration for comedic effect. To be seen if the business continues and for how long. There's a lot of thematic contradictions involved, though I don't know if the author was oblivious to them.
There's the question of why read this and why now, as opposed to reading anything else in particular. I don't have a satisfying response for that. It's just what I'm doing for now and will be for some time.
Not as good as the first two volumes, this third volume of this Fantasy-Isekai (Teleported to another world) light novel series deals with the hard aches of mourning, death, disappearance of close family members. In the main character's (Shiro Amata's) case, it used to be his grandmother (Alice). In relation to Aina (Shiro's employee at his other world store), it's her missing and presumed dead, Dad. Is the disappearance of close family members a trend in this light novel series?? There is no real follow up to the recently introduced character, Patty the Fairy in this third volume. It seems that the author prioritized branching out towards the center of the territory that governs the town in another world, the selling of Shampoo and hair cleaning/styling products, and setting up valuable trading relations with reliable business partners. So, this third volume is a sad volume, with not so much action or sales worthy of praise. Main character, was reluctant to sell soap and shampoo products in this other world, because of the environmental damages, that cleaning products (shampoo, etc.) cause to the fresh water sources (rivers and lakes) because of lack of proper treatment plants (sewage removal and treatment) and then Shiro, main character, makes a "killing" selling all of the expensive Shampoo products anyways...so the environment came in second, behind the potential sales and profits of Shiro and his business partners. The author justifies it, saying that near the center of the territories, they have better drainage, but it's really not likely (no sewage/detergent/shampoo/soap treatment centers) because of their lack of technological advancements in this other world. I mean, they have magic, but they do not have plumbing, drainage, electricity, etc. etc. etc. yet. I feel the author is more worried about introducing new characters than giving the current characters places and purpose in this light novel series...
Reunited with his grandmother, Shiro has many questions, some of which are even answered. Still, no matter how touching a family reunion is, his work as a peddler in another world continues. This time he accompanies Karen to visit the city on her yearly delivery of the taxes providing a dress, but more importantly, selling soap and shampoo.
Much like previous volumes, the book is a light-hearted straight forward story of the life of a peddler from modern Japan in a fantasy world. The characters are likeable, and while the MC is not OP, nor does he face any big challenges or problems. Personally I find these kind of stories entertaining, but they are not for everybody. So, an entertaining read, but nothing thought provoking or special.
I really enjoyed the peddling aspects of this volume. He finally starts taking his business to other cities and discovers the challenges that come with a new locale. Lots of new characters are introduced but they don't appear to be long-lasting ones.
I like that we also see more of Shiro's family in this volume particularly his grandma who first made her entrance in the last volume. She's quite an interesting character but I'm apprehensive about the direction the author is taking their relationship since her youthful appearance can cause a headache of misunderstandings to the wrong people. While it would be funny in the beginning, a prolonged misunderstanding would be too cringey.