I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World, Vol. 1

魔法世界の受付嬢になりたいです [Mahou Sekai no Uketsukejou ni naritai desu] (Comic) #1

by Yone (Adaptor), Mako . (Original Story), Maro (Character Design)

Ever since she was little, Nunnally has always wanted to be one of the graceful, capable receptionists of the Hall. As only first-rate mages are hired for the position, she enrolls in the kingdom’s magic academy to hone her skills, where she feels out of place in a classroom of nobles—including a genuine prince. She decides that despite being a commoner, she’s going to be the top of her class...but for some reason, she just can’t beat the one person she’d most like to—the snobbish boy seated next to her, Alweiss Rockmann...!

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Comics, Magic, Young Adult Fantasy

164 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 5, 2019

About the author

よね

Reviews

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 4 out of 5]

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ ACADEMIC RIVALS FANS, THIS ONE IS FOR YOU!

the heroine goes to a magical academy because she wants to train and learn more about magic and get a job as a recepcionist in a business where i think they assign you missions. there, she meets her rival, this boy who is sort of a noble and richer than her and you know they get into this rivalry where they are always competing against each other. she wants to be the #1 in the school rankings but it never happens, she always ends up being the #2. it sort of reminded me of special a!

there's magic, cute characters and friendships, like there is no one who is mean everyone becomes friends and they're so funny, that sort of reminded me of gakuen alice in a way as well because they all have different powers and they live in this academy where they also share rooms and it's very nice and cozy. this first volume is about them being in school - all their 6 years, so it's quite quick and you get a few scenes. i would have loved to see more about the school years in more volumes just so we can enjoy the slow-burn and the character development more? but it's fine i still enjoyed this volume either way.

next volume, everyone is already out of school and working, so i am excited to see how they will bump into each other!!! ESPECIALLY OUR MAINS i feel like he fell first and he has been pining after her idk I LOVE THAT AS ALWAYS.

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been such a long time since I've read a really good enemies-to-lovers story where the leads don't actually HATE each other, but are instead just extremely competitive! I truly had a blast seeing these two leads duel and how Nunnally is doing her all to beat her ultimate rival, Rockmann!

In fact, that was actually one of my favorite things about Nunnally! She doesn't want to lose to Rockmann specifically, but she doesn't want to lose to ANYONE and as a result, has given more than 100% to excel and fulfill her dream of being a receptionist!

I found her VERY relatable throughout this volume, but I definitely felt an instant connection with her in the beginning. The way the story captured Nunnally's deep admiration for the receptionist she met as a kid gave me an instant flashback to the teachers who deeply impacted me as a kid and planted the seed to want to become a teacher. While I'm not a teacher now, that dream carried me for a very long time until I realized there was a different dream I wanted to pursue manyyyy years later.

Not only did I relate to her in that way, but also her competitiveness! Oh my goodness, I deeply felt how frustrating it is to lose to your rival! I was the same way with this one boy in middle school and even now, I am deeply competitive against my husband! (While I don't think Nunnally can quite relate to this, but I tell people that I don't mind losing to anyone else, but I can't for any reason lose to my husband! LOL!)

Seeing her grow and change when at this magic academy really felt like a special occasion as a reader. All the time skips were well done and didn't leave me with whiplash about how many we had. Everything flowed extremely well and deeply loved all the characters we interact with along the way!

In fact, this is one of the few series where I loved ALL the characters in the cast! Things started a little shaky at first with a few certain characters, but I appreciated how compassion really can be groundbreaking in forming friendships. It's not an instant change overnight, but a gradual one that leads to deep friendship. I also loved Nunnally's two besties and despite how different they each were, they were all there for one another.

While the ending wasn't a huge cliffhanger, it is definitely one of the coolest endings I have read recently! It points back to the beginning and I am a total sucker for that! (No more details on that so I don't give spoilers!)

Very much looking forward to volume two and would recommend this story to those who like slowburn enemies-to-lovers (where there is NO actual hating of each other), great friendships in an academy, and a fun dose of magic that leaves you excited to see more!

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only 3 stars (so far) because for the first few chapters we kept having huge time skips. WTF happened to the journey? The whole point of starting out young is to see their progression towards their goal. Why even bother showing her time in the academy if the author will just skip through it? They just went through like a whole manga's 100 chapter plot in only 3-4 chapters.

The art, the story, the characters are all great but the flow of the story sucks big time. Hope it gets better now that they graduated and have 'normal' adult lives cause I like the romance and how pretty much everyone around them ship them ノ≧∇≦)ノ

[☽｡⋆ Naidah ₊˚ෆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raf is that you?? 🤣

4.5 ⭐️

I absolutely love the flow of the story. Has some cliches but it was funny and enjoyable.

Loved the enemies to potentially lovers trope and the fact that they have opposite elements to each other.

I need to know what happens next

[Azbaqiyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot - 4 🌟
Character - 4 🌟
Writing Style - 4 🌟
World Building - 4 🌟
Art - 4 🌟
Cover - 4 🌟

Overall - 4 🌟

[Winnie]

usually don’t add manga/manhwa/webtoons to my goodreads but this one has had me in an absolute chokehold for months for idk what reason, so i think it deserves some recognition

[Cindy ✩☽♔ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, it feels like they covered a large time span is such a sort amount of time. She’s now secured her dream job, so like what’s left? 🤔

[Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so much fun with this one, I can’t wait to read more! Love a good slowburn rivals-to-lovers! 🥰

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since she was a little girl accompanying her father to the guild hall for magic quests, Nunnally Hel has wanted something very specific—to be a receptionist at the illustrious Harre guild!

The receptionist there was so graceful and capable, a maestro in magic and able to pair mages with quests with deft expertise. The position captured Nunnally’s interest right away.

To be the receptionist at such a high-ranking establishment, Nunnally will have to herself be a first-rate mage. Which means, Nunnally must attend the kingdom’s magic academy and excel!

Once she arrives, she finds herself to be a commoner surrounded by nobles. There’s a literal prince in her class. No matter, Nunnally decides she will be the top of her class—she must be, if she wants to attain her dream!

Quickly, she rises through the ranks, proving herself to be intelligent and capable. Due masters her magic and hones her physical skills. She excels at everything she sets her mind to…

And yet, there’s one person she can’t seem to surpass.

The snobby and self-confident boy she’s seated next to in class, Alweiss Rockmann, always comes out on top. No matter what she tries, she can’t beat him. It wounds her pride.

Will Nunnally manage to best Alweiss or will this rival pair find themselves to be quite the match?

Ahhhhhhh

I do so enjoy a sweet little rivals to lovers tale—especially when you throw in some magical chemistry!

This is such a lovely and fun read. I really appreciate this story’s odd but coherent premise. Nunnally is a driven and passionate main character who really propels the story forward—and, readers can’t help but root for her. She’s an underdog with heart.

Her dynamic relationship with her rival, Alweiss, is the undercurrent that keeps the story in motion. Alweiss is an excellent balance to Nunnally. Their antagonistic but mutually respectful relationship makes for a satisfying read. Though some aspects of their dynamic are somewhat stereotypical, there is always going to be a certain allure to a rivals to lovers relationship.

I am excited to read more! Definitely would recommend for fantasy romance readers who enjoy a quaint tale that still packs a punch here and there~

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

not a bad start, though the pacing is a bit off...this first volume breezes through nunnally's entire 6 years of magic academy, which means we meet a lot of different classmates/teachers but only very briefly. the world is simple but also scratches some vague itch for me, being someone who grew up with harry potter and used to imagine magical academies like this...I loved how nunnally's hair changes color to match her ice magic, and they all have really adorable familiars that they can summon at will. the main romance subplot between nunnaly and rockman is definitely trying for the 'enemies to lovers' trope, with a strong focus on academic competition. that being said, the rivalry between them is a bit more violent than I like (they literally physically hit each other and he even attacks her with his fire magic at one point).

I do feel like there is a lot packed in here, including brief explorations of class and economic status, but the plot moves on so quickly that we don't really get a whole lot of commentary or true character development. I like the art in this a lot and the next volume seems like we'll get to see what a receptionist at Harre really does, so I'll probably continue this to see if it gets any better.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 1: (Prologue+ Chapter 1-4 + Classroom Scene)

I'm aiming to be like Haare's number one receptionist!

In a world filled with magic, from a young age, Nunnaly has always wanted to be a receptionist at Haare, just like that onee-san she saw as a child. Her parents told her she couldn't become one unless she enrolled in the kingdom's magic academy and became a top-class magic user. However, when she gets there she's surrounded by royalty and nobility. Nunnaly is determined to be the best amongst all the commoners! But the prince who sits beside her is always getting in her way!

After graduating, Nunnaly successfully became a receptionist at Haare, but each day is far more hectic than what she originally thought would be! On top of all this, that annoying prince who continuously bothered her has found a job and their paths seemed destined to intertwine. [x]

[Katharine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this story is very cute, but holy moly does the plot absolutely fly by at high speed! The "university years" are told in small chunks, with huge years-long time skips between events. It appears as if the story only wanted to establish the most important events to the main character, so you have the background for the potential romance. The huge time skips are a bit crazy though. Seeing "It's my first year" and then only a handful of pages later "I've been here for five years" is wild. I do enjoy the magic system, though the story doesn't go into heavy details. You know the basics of it, but nothing too deep. There are hints of the future romantic plot, and it is a bit intriguing. It could be that I'm just pleased that this story is ACTUALLY rivals to lovers type of story. I'm curious to see how this story develops.

[Susanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This manga adapation of a light novel follows Nunnally as she attends a magic school so that she can become a receptionist at the office of magical affairs. She needs to be the best, but her archrival, Lord Alweiss, always comes first.

This was a cute story and well-drawn, but a bit hasty. It breezes throught six years of education, showing snippets here and there. Friendships are formed—and rivalries. Nunnally is single-minded in her focus to her studies, whereas her friends concentrate on boys, especially Lord Alweiss. If there’s going to be a romance for Nunnally, it’ll happen in later volumes. The first volume ends with the graduation. I would read more.

I received a free copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

[Elley Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nunnally is entranced by her interaction with the receptionist when she accompanies her dad on a job/quest/adventure as a child, so she decides to study super hard at magic school so someday she can become a receptionists! This first volume shows a snapshot of Nunnally's years at magic school, and concludes with basically their graduation ceremony. A large part of the focus is on her friendships at school (and her rivalry with a certain fire mage), so I'm curious to see where the series goes from here now that she's graduated and working her way towards (finally) becoming a receptionist.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are unbiased and my own.

Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter

[Darcy Roar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meeeeh? The premise and general vibe are promising, but we move too fast to really see anything interesting develop character wise & the story itself isn't super interesting without relationship underpinnings. If I happen across book 2 I'll read it but I wont be seeking it out.

[Skye (Skye's Scribblings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The progression moved way too fast - this volume is just the highlights of the entire school attendance, which was very disappointing. But I'm just intrigued enough with the story to give the next volume a try.

[Jennica · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars; It would have been 5, but there were a few instances where the timing of things made me feel like I was missing something. Hoping future volumes don’t have that issue. Super excited to continue! It was so cute!

[Gaea · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute academic rivals volume! We really zipped through the entirety of school here, I found it a smidge too fast paced. Im so curious about the job situation.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Definitely wanna read the next one.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this!! I really wish we could have spent more time in the classes...so much happened and time passed so fast. I gotta get the next volume!!!

[Sheepy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Their dynamic is so fun to see!

[Chandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the academic rivalry but the pacing is all over the place

[LelandraTheLazyReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

we are speed running this origin story and I don't mind

[Courtney Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series became known to me via social media, and now that I’ve read volume one, I can understand why there’s a buzz!

Nunnally is a young woman who, as a child, met a receptionist at the Hall. She thinks receptionists are incredible, as only the first-rate mages of the kingdom are deemed special and intelligent enough to handle the tasks that come with the role. Nunnally makes it her life goal to graduate school and become a receptionist to prove herself. When she is of age, she enrolls in the magic academy of her kingdom and decides to work hard to become the top of her class to ensure her future.

The only obstacle in her way is her fellow classmate and rival, Alweiss Rockmann. Alweiss comes from an elite family, as do most of the people in her school, including the prince of the kingdom. She and Alweiss are constantly butting heads but respect one another’s talents and tenacity. The volume covers most of her school career, and Alweiss and Nunnally’s rivalry continues even after the two have finished their exams.

It’s clear the two have conflicting feelings for one another; both a crush and an academic rival. One would assume they will get together as the story continues, but who knows? It feels very reminiscent of any teenage magic story, so it has a comfort read feel to me. The one thing I found odd was how off the pacing feels. We start the book with a flashback to Nunnally as a child, yet by the time the volume ends, she’s already graduated from the magic academy. There’s approximately six years of schooling that is barely touched on, so it makes it hard to root for or understand any characters aside from our protagonist.

This will be a hit among teenagers, and the rivalry to lovers aspect will draw people in as well.
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[Aqua · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pacing here is awful and there are extremely weird conversational segues (may be translation errors not sure) and pretty much every opportunity for a cute moment between the clearly endgame couple is wasted, but I'm weirdly also kind of digging it and want to read more? It was a weird reading experience to be sure haha.

The story wants to get to the main character, Nunnaly, working as an adult really bad, and thus jumps through her school years so fast it's extremely jarring. Every few pages you will jump another year. The story desperately needed more time at the school to set up all the relationships as it does not do a good job at setting up any of them. Especially the main couple. They get shown fighting a few times, but they honestly don't have that many scenes together and any opportunity to show more depth to their relationship is wasted such that it's hard to believe they are going anywhere. It's a weird storytelling choice. If you are writing a generic slice-of-life romance/fantasy manga, you had better sell the character relationships as the story will live or die by them.

Characters will also say things that don't make any sense in context sometimes. Possibly a translation error, but I can't be sure. The segues between scenes are also not very well done. You're jumping through time very fast, so the scenes you get are very brief and you feel like they should be more fleshed out. At one point Nunnaly talks about the group of friends meeting over break to do an assignment and I was expecting to actually see this scene and some ensuing character development, but nope, the book just jumps to her next year at school. In general world-building is also severely lacking, we don't know much about this world except that there is magic in it, it's a kingdom, and demons exist.

For some reason though, despite a litany of complaints, I still want to read more? I feel like the main couple has a chance to be cute, and also it's so nice to read a fantasy that is NOT isekai, even if it's a lackluster fantasy world lol. Only two manga volumes are out so I'm going to check out the light novel as well to see if pacing and storytelling improves.

The light novel is published under a different name fyi: The Sorceror's Receptionist. It's digital only and has a different publisher than the manga, but this trend of releasing light novels and manga with different title translations needs to stop >_>

[Marek · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the promise looks good, and there are surely interesting points in the story, the novel as a whole is average at best. And poorly written one.

We speed trough unneeded school arc, because it's to short to be anything other then setting background of characters and there are better ways to do that. Adventurers guild usually make little sense in more serious settings, and here there also it's set up just because author wanted one. As of volume one her whole job is just a waste of people resources, just so our main heroine could become both receptionist and powerful mage.

World building with both social differences and magic system is also poorly connected to each other. Magic just goes with little though behind it, outside of current need of story.

But what's worst for me, it's characters. Both main character and rivals are just boring, annoying and painful to read, and secondary cast don't help with that either.

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced, rivals to lovers trope. really loved how the characters interacted. you could tell Alvis likes her but the girl is too dense lol because she focuses on her second place. Remind me of The Last Game. I wish we had a longer school arc, but the follows the light novel pretty well so I can see why it was fast. I hope to see more of these two and see how they are.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

Interesting premise, but this first volume had bizarre pacing. Every chapter had a huge timeskip, and I actually enjoyed the bonus story more than the rest of the chapters. I'm really hoping the pacing in the next few volumes will flow better. I'm looking forward to seeing more of these characters!

[Stas · Rating 2 out of 5]

On one hand - a story about a girl working hard towards a tangible achievable goal is enjoyable.
On another - please let her stay oblivious about this guy up to and beyond her own wedding to somebody who isn't him. Being a jerk because he can't deal with his feelings is not a good look.