The Case Files of Jeweler Richard (Light Novel) Vol. 5

The Case Files of Jeweler Richard #5

by Nanako Tsujimura, Utako Yukihiro (Illustrator)

PART-TIME JOB, FULL-TIME CONCERNS

Back from England, Seigi must deal with the start of his third year of college—and with all his classmates starting to job hunt in earnest! Meanwhile, a familiar customer returns to Jewelry Étranger with a pale pink cameo he once received from an unrequited love, challenging Seigi and Richard to solve the mystery attached to the gift.

Genres: Light Novel, Mystery, LGBT, Manga, Fiction, Japan, Found Family

303 pages, Paperback

First published August 22, 2017

Reviews

[toria · Rating 4 out of 5]

disastrous bisexuals™️: the series. i love them

[lulu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seigi.

Seigi.

SEIGI.

I'M NO LONGER ASKING, SEIGI.

THERE'S LIMITS TO BEING DENSE.

my man Richard is suffering and smiling through it all, the poor thing



________

Apart from that, I'm so happy we get to know more about Richard's past and what a mess of a human being he can be! The image that he cultivates is so polished that it made me feel distant from him at times, now I know he's also fumbling in the dirt like the rest of us (albeit much more gracefully, for sure)

[Joan Kass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since the end of book 4, I was restless and counting the days until volume 5 comes out. I am so glad the publishing company continues to translate this series. There is something about the story that hooked me from the beginning. The complexity of characters. Their relationships. Their views of the world and the way they deal with life struggles. It’s all so well done.

Seigi and Richard’s relationship has evolved even further and I’m here for it! I love how the author isn’t quick in labelling it in one way or the other and emphasises the complexity of the ever-changing people and life in general. Everyone develops and grows at their own pace, and this series beautifully illustrates that.

I truly enjoyed the two major backstories from Richard’s past and how it’s all adding up together with each volume. I cannot wait for more.

[Bea · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Did I shatter your illusions about him? Did you think your beloved Richard was born carved out of magnificent, sparkling crystal?"

Thematically, this volume picks up where the previous one left off and touches more upon Richard's backstory - mostly the before and the after when it comes to the will and inheritance that posed as last volume's main issue. While the blurb at the back of this book talks about Seigi's struggle with the pressure of finding employment after graduation, to me that wasn't the focus of this volume and was only touched upon in very few moments.

One of the shortcomings of the - admittedly still enjoyable - anime was that it presented Richard as almost perfect, never faltering, never missing a step. The novels do present him in a similar way in the first few volumes, but as the series goes on and as Seigi grows closer to Richard, we - both Seigi and the reader - are allowed to glimpse Richard's human side. Not only does this volume show more of Saul and Richard's relationship, it also introduces Monica, whom I felt was a fairly significant character in Richard's past. Through these anecdotes, more and more layers of our "beautiful jeweler" are revealed.

As usual, this isn't a series I would necessarily recommend to anyone who is looking for something more fast-paced, but to me, if you watched the anime and enjoyed it even just a tiny bit, then starting the light novel series will probably be a fruitful experience. It just expands on this universe so much more since it is, of course, the source material.

That being said, I believe the next volume does pan the focus back to Seigi and his own personal struggles, including the big conflict touched upon by the last few episodes of the anime. I absolutely can't wait.

[amax · Rating 4 out of 5]

Format read: Paperback
Reading time: 4-5h
Tags: mystery, adventure, translation, friendship, found family, lgbt (bi, m/m, ace)
Own a copy: yes
Reread likelihood: 8/10

Summary
Vol. 5 features four cases and two short extras:

1. Citrine Undaunted: Seigi prepares for his post-graduation work and attends seminars with his classmates. One of his friends, Shinomura, asks him to help him move, and Seigi learns en route to the airport that Shinomura is leaving for Spain. After his departure, a lady approaches Seigi on the platform and asks for help carrying her bags, too. This lady turns out to be a famous jewellery designer, and Richard's work frenemy.

2. A Visage in Sardonyx: Richard and Seigi are visited by an old client, Mr. Otomura, who brings them a cameo with the face of a Japanese lady sculpted into it. Otomura explains that the lady is someone he loves deeply, but she doesn't feel the same way, yet she gifted him this portrait of her anyway. Otomura asks Richard and Seigi to uncover the meaning behind this strange gift.

3. The Majesty of Zircon: While Richard is away on business, Saul takes over the shop for the day and decides to tell Seigi all about his boss' past. Saul tells Seigi how he met Richard in Sri Lanka, and how Richard became his reluctant apprentice.

4. The Grade of Peridot: Seigi befriends a nice older lady at a coffee shop, and he ends up carrying her bags to her house. As a thank you, she invites him in and serves him a flan that immediately rings bells in Seigi's head. He puts two and two together and realises that the lady is in fact Chieko, Richard's nanny from when he was a child in England. However, Chieko quickly expresses her wish to remain anonymous, lest "Young Master" Richard hear about her.

Extra 1 - Andalusite on Christmas Eve: Richard and Seigi work at Étranger on Christmas Eve and share their family and love concerns during a downtime at the store.

Extra 2 - Tiger's Eye Lookback: Seigi explains the origin and meaning behind the tiger's eye after Seigi sees one of their clients wearing a bracelet made with the stone.

Review

"Don't worry, I'm not about to die or disappear. ... I would never see you again if either of those things were to happen. And I wouldn't care for that very much," Richard said, bringing a quarter of the cake slice to his mouth. ... His blue eyes looked at me as if to ask if I wanted something, but the color of his eyes was so incredibly rich in that moment that I completely forgot what I wanted to say. (p.97)

There were so many great moments in vol. 5, but they were all mostly from outsiders' perspective on the running saga at Étranger.

That being said, as much as I absolutely adore this series, vol. 5 wasn’t half as eventful as vol. 4, which made the book very slow in places. After the explosive events in 4, I expected more for the next volume, but it ended up being a bit bland. Of course, Seigi and Richard’s saga of will-they-won’t-they is as delicious as ever, but they didn’t share many moments in vol. 5 compared to the previous book.

Instead, around half the book were extra long flashbacks about Richard’s past. Although they were interesting, and we get to see Richard as more ‘human’ than before, I don’t think the flashbacks needed to be that long. For example, everything about Monica in Sri Lanka was interesting, but not really necessary for the plot in my opinion. The same is true for Chieko's misadventures with Richard's mother, but at least this story allowed us to see a very soft and loving Richard near the end of the chapter.

Other than that, the highlight was actually the side characters who all agree that Richard and Seigi are in love but are obstinately blind to that fact. It’s painful just how much others in their lives see the obvious, yet Seigi in particular is just so dense that he doesn't see it at all. Richard, on the other hand, is much more open with his feelings now that he's back from England. It's refreshing to see a more carefree Richard who has let go of his uptight persona. He's much more relaxed now, and thanks to the flashbacks about his past, he's also more relatable as a character.

All in all, I’m excited to see what happens in vol. 6. Hopefully there’s a bit more movement in it, but whatever happens, I'm excited to see more of Richard and Seigi.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous installment. I think what makes this series stand out among others is how much I slow down while reading because I don't want to miss a single word or nuance. It's a show of good writing (and translation) and character work when the reader is so engaged, it feels like there's not a word wasted. We finally got what I've been wishing for all along as well - a bit of time in Richard's head and seeing what he's experienced. It was just as heart-breaking and intriguing as I'd hoped. I really like the direction the series is taking with Seigi getting ready to jump into the adult world with job-hunting, and we get to be involved in the fears and uncertainties that come along with that. I can't wait for the next volume to come out.

[Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s fitting that during a time in Seigi’s life when everything feels like it’s shifting and changing and adult life beckons with all its responsibilities and demands that basically amounts to Richard’s origin story.

It’s a reminder that he wasn’t born perfectly poised and emotionally intelligent with a perfect response to every scenario. No one is. We change and we grow and we learn not just from our own experiences but from the people around us. It’s so funny because we see a Richard that’s so similar to Seigi it’s wild - he doesn’t think, he acts, and all because he wants to help someone who he feels has been wronged. He has no plans just his gut, sleeping pills and this vague sense of doom and existential dread. Seeing him get reprimanded by Saul? It’s like the world had turned on its head.

I also like that we’ve come full circle with chieko and Richard’s childhood. It’s a bittersweet meet, but I’m glad they finally had a chance to talk.

Also, new game: anytime someone thinks Seigi and Richard are dating or you know getting married lol you take a shot.

[Angelica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 5 of The Case Files of Jeweler Richard is certainly not as stressful or exciting at volume 4, but it does continue to reveal more and more of Richard’s past. Three of the four cases introduce a new character from Richard’s past, either from his childhood or his time in Sri Lanka. Tsujimura does some experimenting with perspective here, as the case “The Majesty of Zircon” is almost entirely a flashback from Saul told in the third person. Now that Tsujimura has set the precedent of POVs other than Seigi’s first person narrative, I really want to see something from Richard’s perspective! I know that would diminish the mystery around him and take away from learning about him as Seigi does, but I really want to know his thoughts in the moment he met Seigi. I’d love a re-telling of that first case from Richard’s POV.

While we’re dwelling on Richard’s past, Seigi is under a lot of about his future. He’s so focused on following the expectation to search for civil service jobs that he can’t see he would be much happier and better suited to continue working with Richard. Seigi’s lack of self-reflection is a running theme, but it’s truly infuriating!

I really just need these men to have another heartfelt conversation! Let’s hope we see some of that in the next volume. 🙏🏼

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time I put down this book when I come back to it, I'm reminded why it's a four-star read and not three, even if I haven't picked it up in some weeks.
I adore Seigi. He's so dumb, but I eat it up every time!
Book 5 had a lot of backstory in the middle, but I'm glad we got it. I can't be the only one sad about Richard's broken engagement and how Jeffery treated his ex-fiancee. Telling him she wasn't that pretty anyway 😡
The point is, I love this series so much. We're starting the 2024 reading season off strong!

[Nidhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, Saul having to lowkey adopt both of them was so on brand. Richard's backstory was so carefully fleshed out and does a delicate job of removing him from the pedestal he stands on, in seigi's eyes.

[mage · Rating 5 out of 5]

creo que The Majesty of Zircon es mi caso favorito de todo lo que vamos de saga. also, SEIGI, HIJO MÍO, NO PODÉS SER TAN BOLUDO. richard es tan obvio que hasta duele leerlo

[ReadWithKate · Rating 5 out of 5]

After last novel's "Rescuing Richard" drama, Seigi and Richard return to Japan, where they start working again. Everything seems to be going normal, until Seigi meets an unexpected woman from Richard's past.
I loved this novel! This is one of my favourite series, so I wasn't espexcting anything less.
Richard opens up about his suicidal toughts after what happened with Deborah. He's usually not so open about his feeling, so this was a huge emotional development for him. Seigi gets quite worried and tells Richard to call him if he ever felt like diying again, which was one of the sweetes moments between them. It's also acknowledged that Richard changed after he came back from England due to being free from his family and Seigi saving him. He's honestly such a mess, he's clearly jealous of Tanimoto, but still trying to help out Seigi get with her since that's what he thinks Seigi wants.
Segi is still learning about his feelings. He knows he loves Richard but he also thinks he loves Tanimoto. He's trying to understand what kind of love he wants for the future.This is also related to what career he wants to pursue. Part of him wants to work in a firm, like the degree he's getting, but another part wnats to work with Richard. I'm very interested to see how he'll deal with both of these huge choices.
Richard's past is revealed, including how he met Saul and trained under him. We also meet Monica, Saul's adopted daughter, who had been a victim of domestic abuse and child marriage. Ricard quickly took a liking to her and became protective of her, becoming like a brother to her. He was about to prostitute himself to get Monica's tiara back. He's so unhinged, now he just hides it better than in the past.
Monica turned out ok, I'm really glad the surgery went well and that she turned her life around! Now she's studying in college and left her past behind. Her abusers were also brought to justice!
Mr Homura makes an appearence, as he finally gets married! He's is just terrified of Seigi at this point. He's already ruined 2 of his engagements and he might just end the third. He doesn't, but he acknowledged just how much drama he's brought to Homura's life.
Yet again someone assumes Richard and Seigi are married and Seigi doesn't correct them. I hope Seigi realises quickly that the love he feels for Richard is true romantic love, otherwise Richard might just have a heart attack.
I can't wait for volume 6!
TW:mentions of death, fraud, child marriage, abusive relationship, attempted murder with acid, burns, suicidal ideation, prostitution (mentioned), sexism.

[zey ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

''seigi, what's wrong?''

''i'm fine. it's nothing. it's just... look, i swear i'm really trying my best, but please don't take it the wrong way if i look at you sometimes, okay? you're just so beautiful...''

''very well, i'll make it an effort not to. but i also expect you to make an effort on your end. they say that while you're captivated by beautiful things, your soul might be stolen away,'' richard said. then his expression shifted. his fake smile suddenly transformed into a blank mask before gradually becoming a bewitching smile. a terrifyingly beautiful face.

ucuncu ve dorduncu ciltte richard ve seigi'nin arasindaki iliskinin olaylarin akisinda biraz daha gelisimine sahit olmusken bu ciltte butun ilgi yogunlugu backstorylerdeydi. backstoryler sayesinde richard'in saul'un ellerine nasil dustugunu monica'nin da yasadiklarini okuyarak ogrendik. ilk ciltten beridir yazarin mucevherlere dair ogretilerinin yaninda ''kulturel'' seylere de deginmesini okumak bana cok zevk veriyordu zaten. ama monica'nin hikayesini okurken yasadiklari o kadar gercek geldi ki chapterin sonundaki tiara sahnesinde mutluluktan aglayasim geldi, en guzellerini hak ediyor monica. artik richard hakkinda bayagi bir sey aciga kavusmus oldu ama eski manitasina dair hala pek bir sey duyamadik, ben asil onu merak ediyorum. bu kadar seyi ogrenmisken herhalde devam ciltlerinde onu da ogrenecegiz. bunun disinda ilk chapterdaki unrequited love hakkindaki tartismalar da cok guzeldi, bana bir seyler katmis gibi hissettim okurken sakasiz. gecmis falan filan derken cok bir ''flortlesme'' gorememistik ama kitabin son kismindaki yanlis anlasilma tum o eksikligi basli basina kapattı ya, seigi gercekten kalin kafali olabiliyor cogu zaman da bu kadar olmaz hani...... richard nasil katlaniyor seigi'nin bu hallerine bilmiyorum ama artik fark etmesi lazim seigi'nin bir seyleri yeterrrr

[Laduska · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a much slower volume than the last one, and I admit that I was growing a little bored.

Getting to know more about Richard’s past was great, but I did start skimming through the pages during the flashback with Saul and Richard’s first meeting. Personally, the book switching to third person was not my favourite, as Seigi’s perspective makes everything much better and enjoyable, and I was definitely missing him there. Or, at least, it could have been a little shorter.

(Also, the lack of using names in third person was not working for me. I understand that the author wanted to avoid using Richard’s name at the beginning, but creating so many aliases like “dreamer”, “tenant”, “gold-haired boy” and stuff like that just wasn’t my favourite and always made me doubt if I even know who we’re talking about. Especially since she dad with others characters too, and you have to figure out who they are based on some little clues.)

I sure hope I’m not tiring myself of those two, because I desperately want to finish the series and read more. This volume was unfortunately a bit slow for me, and one of my less enjoyable ones. The slow burn and constant push and pull is great, but I would like more relationship development in this one between Seigi and Richard.

3.7 stars rounded up. Probably not gonna reread this one anytime soon. I heard that things pick up speed in the next volume, though!

[Lapiz Lazuli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume felt like opening a long-lost jewelry box hidden in the past—quiet, delicate, and full of truths that shine once the dust is wiped away. We finally get a deeper look into Richard’s life in Sri Lanka, his childhood, and the formative moments that shaped the man we've come to know. The narrative is rich with emotional depth and cultural nuance, and I found myself appreciating the calm, careful pacing that allowed each memory to settle and breathe.

However, I can’t help but feel a pang of disappointment. Having seen the anime adaptation before reading this volume, I now realize how much was stripped away. The anime missed not just a few emotional beats but entire character moments that would’ve added more richness—especially Monica and the matter of her tiara, which was entirely skipped. It’s a real shame, considering how that storyline could have added a different kind of brilliance to the adaptation.

Overall, Volume 5 is quietly powerful, offering some of the most intimate moments in the series so far. It’s a must-read for anyone who wants to understand not just Richard the jeweler but Richard the person.

[Heather’s Reading Bubble · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I have pretty much accepted that this series is about the mystery of jewels, which I have zero problems with. What I do have issue with is the non stop queer baiting. Seigi refers to Richard as beautiful 105 times(I checked on my tablet) and it’s annoying and beyond repetitive at this point. It’s not cute but I think the author does this to keep the shippers hanging on. To me the highlight of this book was Manik/Monica and her story. It was heartbreaking but also uplifting. At such a young age she was put through hell but despite that stayed strong. I loved that she went off to get surgery to fix the half of her face that was so badly burned and I hope to see her again. I also thought the part with Richard reuniting with Chieko was adorable. Let’s stick to the mysteries and character moments and stop the queer baiting. I’m going to give this series another chance but it is testing my patience.

[Tyas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 5 was a very enjoyable read! We still get our usual dose of bi-panic king Seigi swooning over Richard's beauty, but we also get a robustly written story about Richard's past with Saul in Sri Lanka that didn't make it into the anime. The story fleshes Richard's (and Saul's) character more, it's rich in cultural and social details, and Saul is just such a cool personality. It is actually the best Richard stories I've read so far, I think! (A status that might yet change again as I read the next volumes). However, I can also see why adapting it into an anime can be complicated, since the story also involves an Indian girl who's a survivor from an acid attack and all those talks about cultural practices. The story about Richard's previous tutor is also good, although it relies on a great serendipity to start things.

[Lydia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this extremely boring. It's back to 'other people's problems', but it did develop Richard a bit more. However, I didn't get into it. I practically skimmed the last chapter and nearly skipped the two extra chapters because I was just not invested.

Richard's chapter had a change in writing style. I was glad to see the change, but did not feel it was executed successfully. I found it confusing at time, but I see what it was going for: mysterious. Maybe the author is experimenting. The previous book was a change too.

[Aika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kinda acts as a filler-and-setup for the next. Def not a complaint- i gave it 5*!- , it’s a much needed moment of respite from the absurdity of the previous novel and the insanity of what’s to come. I really enjoyed getting to know more about Richard’s backstory- i loved Monica- and really recommend this volume for people interested in that!

[Arcel Valencia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realmente sentí mucha frustración al inicio de este volumen, pero en verdad disfruté los extras.
No creí que este año pudiera leer los 10 volúmenes, pero creo ir por un buen camino.

[Katja · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series so much.

[CJ L Hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.7

[Lazu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard never misses. Now that Richard is making more and more clear he is flirting and Seigi not understanding a thing... Oh I love the two of them.

[˗ˏˋ maddie ˊˎ˗ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting to hear more about Richard's past but that was so much of this book, I ended up missing seeing Seigi and Richard interact.

[Calden · Rating 5 out of 5]

the richard backstory go crazy.. also this one had a part in it that i thought i hallucinated but it turns out it was just in the anime

[Hacen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5

[luz · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.75 // more of richard's backstory!! i really do love how this series writes people (i'm ignoring mr. homura for the sake of my mental health).

[Kev · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25. Always love the interactions between the leads, it's the highlight of the work. Also much more digestible than the fast paced drama and the characters being separated from the previous volume.

[Ryofire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more of a 3.5 than a 3 star. I just struggle with this series. This volume was interesting because it goes into Richard's backstory with Saul and that part was the best part of the story. It's quite angsty and good. We also finally got the story with Chieko and Richard's mother, and it was neat to see how that was written originally.

I also really enjoyed the dives into Seigi's character in regard to how he views himself, his relationship with Hiromi, and his relationship with people generally. There's a story that is in the anime that I hope isn't anime-original, and might be coming up next volume, given the stories we see in this one, and I think a lot of things are going to fall into place there, so I'm looking forward to it.

That being said, there were maybe 5 overall stories in this volume, and 3 felt pointless and boring. I also want to say, while I loved the story with Chieko, the oddly positive reference to Margaret Thatcher of all people was bizarre. Does Tsujimura not know just how terrible Thatcher was or was this some weird failing in the translation, or just about characters in-universe being clueless? The opening story was entirely uninteresting and badly paced, and the last two stories were by and large completely uninteresting. So it starts and ends with incredibly uninteresting tedium and incredibly weird commentary about Christianity.

Continuous issues were the spelling mistakes and odd formatting. It was frequently hard to tell who was talking, and it sometimes seemed like characters were talking to themselves in verbal conversation. Scene shifts were also sometimes difficult to parse. I like to hope this is down to the translation, not Tsujimura's writing, but it made the reading difficult at times.

All in all, like most of the series, it's a mixed bag. High highs and low lows. I still encourage people to just skip the novels and watch the anime, and maybe give the manga a shot. They both are better than this in a lot of ways, even with Seigi and Richard's relationship being a lot more wonderfully blatant in the novels.