The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter (Light Novel), Vol. 2: Church Management Support Plan

The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter (Light Novel) #2

by Wakatsu Yatsuki, Kikka Ohashi (artist)

His heart and life are on the line! Seiichirou Kondou used to be a regular Japanese salaryman, but now he’s an accountant in another world! He is still a workaholic, but the handsome and doting Commander Aresh refuses to let him continue his unhealthy lifestyle. The young commander oversees everything from his diet to his working hours. Thanks to their special physical relationship, he also looks after Seiichirou in bed, tenderly wrapping him in protective magic and painstakingly filling the man’s body with magical energy. But make no mistake―this is not a honeymoon! Before Seiichirou can address Aresh’s deepening feelings, his caretaker leaves on a dangerous mission. And Seiichirou has his own harrowing assignment that involves an audit of the church―even if the profound levels of magic there make it a brush with death!

Genres: Fantasy, Light Novel, Romance, LGBT, Manga, M M Romance, Boys Love

272 pages, Paperback

First published July 31, 2020

About the author

八月八

Reviews

[V~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tender and easy read. The character development was real in this one. I loved how Seiichirou really saw how his addiction to work affects those around him negatively, especially his one and only life saver.

Aresh truly cares for him and loves him so much, so at times it was incredibley frustrating to see Seiichirou not reciprocate his feelings. But, finally! We got somewhere. The letters to each other were adorable!

The side characters are fun!

The plot to this volume, it was okay. It dragged a bit. Also, why does the author like to repeat themselves when it comes to who each person is? Didn't you just explain that a chapter ago and every chapter before that? 😂

I'm really starting to like Yua. My sweet girl! That's how you write a woman, one with perfectly good flaws, but excellent character development.

So far for this volume 4.6/5 🌟 it was a good read. :)

[Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one more than the first volume, but I'm sad the writing style isn't working for me. Despite that, things got quite interesting with Sei investigation about the Church and we got to learn more about how this world works, despite not liking it much. I'm happy Sei and the Holy Maiden are trying to change some aspects of that. I knew something was fishy in the Church. I suspected about the Priest at first but I'm glad I was wrong about that and the corruption (and killing attemps) were limited to the Bishop and the chief accounant. I would have been sad if the Priest and the child were involved too. I loved the part about Sei tricking the Crown Prince into help with the school for the orphans, and I like Sei and the Holly Maiden (which I didn't like at all at first but is growing on me, who could have guessed) are planning to teach these kids to help them have better futures. And I also liked that Sei realised he had feelings for Aresh (about time) and finally told him. I'm looking forward to see what Aresh is going to do now that he knows his feelings are reciprocated.

[Stacie]

Perfect book to read after finishing a 1900 page novel. I enjoyed this sequel however there was not enough Aresh and Seiichirou interactions (which the author admits in their Afterword). Hoping for a book 3 release date announcement soon 😬

*Love the illustrations ❤️

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

And once again, religious fanaticism ruins everything. Or nearly, anyway; one of the things I like about this series is how it grounds its isekai elements in recognizable universals.

[Susanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 2 of the light novel has a subtitle Church Management Support Plan. Kondou Seiichiro, the Japanese accountant who was accidentally transported to another world with the young girl who was their Holy Maiden, has his hands full of work that’s mostly his own doing. But he doesn’t know how to rest.

In this book, Seiichiro is sent to audit the church. It’s a dangerous place for him as it’s full of magic that he’s deadly allergic to, and Aresh Indolark, the young commander who has made it his business to keep Seiichiro alive, isn’t happy. The two are now living together, thanks to Aresh’s high-handed manners, but while the commander has feelings for Seiichiro, the older man’s feelings aren’t clear even to himself.

Aresh is right to be worried. Things don’t go smoothly and Seiichiro uncovers an embezzlement plot that leads to a magical attack on him. But Aresh, the only person who can heal him, isn’t home. It may be that a young, handsome priest who resembles Aresh will have to step up for the healing. And, as those who have read the books know, that involves sex.

This was a fun volume. Seiichiro is much like he’s been, fully focused on his work and ignoring his health. He’s growing accustomed to Aresh’s healing methods, but as he intends to return to his own world, he’s not willing to start a relationship. But feelings get in the way, and even Seiichiro is unable to ignore them. There were some sweet and heated moments between the men, and the end left them in a new place in their relationship. Will that lead to Seiichiro deciding to stay, or will he want to leave home anyway?

There were some new side characters that were interesting, and the old ones, especially Norbert, featured too. There’s a chapter at the end of the book from his point of view as he continues to report to the king. The ending wasn’t a cliffhanger, but it left things in an interesting place and I’m eager to read more.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was as good as the first one, maybe even better, because we get more lore and input about the kingdom and the land, Sei is working in.
Generally speaking the BL is quite cute still, but also not the main focus somhow - even tho everyone is really liking Sei a lot ;D especially the new priest and the prime minister. In that regard the novel is pretty typical BL-troped "Everyone wants the uke."
On the same note. Its really funny, that the holy maiden is pretty crushy on the two guys, that are in love with Sei. Its just like .. yeah girl, sorry, not for you. I liked that a lot, even tho the holy maid is a cute girl - she's actually well written for a 16 year old teen.

Overall the 2nd book is more story focused about the church and an evil plot that lies there. It was really nice.

The only meh one is, that in this one theres another chapter written from Norbets POV and its just ... unnecessary. It is a retelling of what happened in book 2 and its like copy and paste of what happened. Really not interesting at all.

And we have some of Seis letters to Aresh, which are sooo cute :3 because you don't need to say I love you to show someone how much you care. Even if Sei himself doesn't know it yet.

The story is finished in 2 books (sadly). I wish there were more.

[Luchia · Rating 2 out of 5]

interesting, fun and short. sadly, it seems to be aimed at a younger (and/or dumber) audience. prose is everything to me to enjoy reading a book, and in this one the explanations are too repetitive and the reintroduction of the characters every time they make an appearance is totally unnecessary. I mean, have you read volume 1 if you still don’t know who the holy maiden is? and who would find it necessary to reiterate how handsome the ML is every single time he opens his mouth? not to mention how absurd it is to assign a single trait per character and to state it with every appearance.
it being so silly got me out of my reading slump, though, so there’s that.

I like that the story focuses more on the worldbuilding than the romance, but I was hoping to see a development in the MC and ML’s relationship (being so plainly one sided as it was) before the epilogue, especially since there was no interaction between the two for the most part of the book.

I’m curious to know how the story evolves, but not as interested as before, so I might read the manga instead of volume 3.

[Benji · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun installment but not as enjoyable as the first volume. Aresh being an overbearing rabid dog is the highlight of these books but he was unfortunately absent for the bulk of the story. I’m hoping the third and final volume gets published in English at some point!

[Michelle Easton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The continuation of my favorite BL manga series! This volume was just as amazing if not more so than the one before.

Seiichirou continues to be a workaholic, but this time as an auditor to see what is happening at the church. With corruption about he falls into more harm in a place with too much magic that would kill him in a heartbeat. And it nearly does when Aresh has to leave for the final purification, but ends up staying away longer. And it's during some of this period of the other man being gone that he starts to realize just how much he cares for the other man.

Aresh continues to be a big puppy, but now that he is living with Sei, sleeping in the same bed every night it's even more pronounced. He claims he only sleeps in the same bed because it's easier to apply the barrier that way, but we all know he just wants to be closer to the man he loves. When he goes away it seems that all he can think about is Sei.

When we get these two together again Sei is finally ready to admit that he's in love, and in doing so seals his fate of being constantly ravished. I'm sure there will be more trials for these two in the future as Ist and the other royal sorcerers work on a way to send Sei and Yua home. I just hope that they choose each other above all else.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it very entertaining how a scene can very quickly switch from a rather steamy one to one talking in intricate detail about the inner workings of anccounting and financial reports and expenditures. The dichotomy is lush. At the same time, all the talk about magicules and how the structure of the church intertwines with the inner workings of the government can get a little bogged down. I appreciate the detail, but it can be a bit of a slog admittedly. I still enjoy the main characters and their developments both individually and as a couple, though, so I’ll be following the story into the next volume.

[Nitzan Schwarz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still love them. I was slightly worried for a second there the book was going to go in a direction I was decidedly unhappy with, but luckily that didn't happen!
I was very happy with the confession, too!

[Loveland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seiichirou is really out here pulling the two most powerful men in the kingdom plus a priest with his workaholic corporate accountant rizz

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I hope that you'll drift to sleep alongside my soul."

This series basically broke the reading slump I've been in since around May, and I'm super grateful. It's the kind of series that kept me really engaged and wanting to know more, not just about the romance but also about the world that our characters inhabit and even the relationships that the side characters have with each other.

For example, I really enjoyed that the worldbuilding wasn't dumped all at once in the first volume. (In fact, because Seiichirou isn't the "main character" in the isekai narrative, we only know the bare minimum about the whole Holy Maiden fuss.) We learn more about Romany alongside Seiichirou. In the first volume, it was more about how the Accounting Department - and the government in general - worked. In this volume, the focus shifts to the church system in the kingdom. Seems like, even in a fantasy world, institutions can have shady underbellies too. Conspiracies abound!

Of course, the romance takes a significant step forward - even if, by the author's own admission, Aresh doesn't appear much. (Though Seiichirou certainly thinks of him a lot!) Once again, I appreciate how Seiichirou isn't oblivious to people's feelings for him. Even though he spends a fair bit of time in denial about his own feelings for Aresh, it isn't because he's unaware of them. And even though they're not officially in a relationship for most of the volume, you still get a lot of sweet and domestic moments between them.

The third volume is the final one in the series, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what problem Seiichirou will tackle next!

P.S. One of my favorite parts of this volume - surprisingly enough - is the extra with Norbert. The way his biological family tries to lure him in through food is reminiscent of how most Asian families function. You can feel that there's still some kind of familial connection between Norbert and Yurius, and it certainly endeared me more to Yurius even though he's spent most of the two volumes being quite a brat.

[Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be the first to say it, I love this series too much. It's just so fun and entertaining to me. I love that Seiichirou just can't leave well enough alone so he keeps getting involved in these crazy political moments because he just wants to do his job the right way. His audit of the church was interesting and fun to read. It's also so funny to me just how many different people have a crush on him and he just doesn't notice. To be fair he's just trying to work through his feelings for Aresh. I was so happy how much their relationship evolved in this book. I'm kind of sad this series is only 3 books but at the same time it is kind of refreshing compared to the usual light novels I read that either have 12 books or are still being written with no end in sight. I'll be sad to see them go but I'll also be so excited to read the third and final installment of this series when it comes out.

[Ada · Rating 4 out of 5]

***zaterdag 6 juli 2024***
⭐️4 - I liked it
Translation: Jenny Murphy

I'm on a roll today. This was a very different reading experience than a 'traditional' English novel though. So. Much. Repetition. I don't know if it is because its a Light novel (and therefore supposed to be easier) or if it's some cultural quirk.

Even stranger is that I actually laughed out loud at times. Seiichirou is a workaholic little shit but he is funny. And snarky. His relationship with Aresh is a bit meh but maybe that will be developed later on. Because now I really don't see what they have in common besides the health stuff.

All in all this was exactly what I expected and just what I needed. Just a fun reading experience.

[V.ya · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

A bit slow and nothing much happened in the first half of the book. Fortunately the last few chapters made up for it, and the progress in their relationship was so, so sweet.

[Ryofire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Generally, a really fun volume in the series! There was fun story, great new characters, and some nice development of Aresh and Seiichiro's relationship. I also really liked a number of the art pieces.

Unlike volume 1, I think the novel actually explains a lot of things better than the manga does. The manga also modifies a lot more scenes in this part of the story, typically to make things more chaste.

If you're interested in where things stop, Volume 2 of the Yen Press novel release ends a little after manga Volume 5.

Last volume, I noted that Orjef's interest in Aresh's object of obsession was seemingly made up for the manga, which isn't true: the manga just introduces it a lot earlier. I think that works a lot better. An ongoing issue I have with this series (which is admittedly relatively minor) is its need to rehash stuff that's already happened from a different perspective, and having Orjef's stuff be introduced earlier and experienced gradually, as it does in the manga, just works. A similar change is how Aresh's sickness is portrayed: it's only indicated after the fact, when Seiichiro is about to leave the hospital. Whereas in the manga, you see it chronologically. I think the latter works better. And yet again, the letters are introduced more chronologically in the manga, rather than after the fact.

That being said, the pillow purchase plot is still seemingly manga original. I haven't read volume 3 yet, so maybe it just gets introduced there. But it isn't in volume 2.

If you've read the manga adaptation first, the novel plays out generally pretty similarly. There are extra details added, particularly in Norbert's perspective of events, and in how Seiichiro views their relationship. The novel is also very clear that Camile is not only professionally but also romantically and/or physically interested in Seiichiro.

The biggest difference in things I can recall is in Chapter Two: Consulted for love advice, and manga chapter 26: in the novel, it's very clear that Aresh is giving Seiichiro a hand job, but in the manga, there's some nebulous groping, face touching, and that's kind of it. I think the manga scene, while more chaste, is still pretty-looking. But it is a very different scene and the weird way the manga makes everything more chaste is kind of frustrating (e.g., there are references to Seiichiro giving Aresh blow jobs a lot, and more make outs, which are absent from the manga), especially when this is going to be adapted into an anime and I imagine they're going to mostly base things on the manga.

I don't personally think the sex scenes are the best written, so I feel a bit mixed being annoyed they've been cut down or basically removed, but I do generally enjoy them, and I'm not a fan of homophobic censorship. The scenes as modified in the manga aren't better written, per se, they're just enjoyable for what they are, so it's not a matter of improving the writing. Unless Wakatsu wanted the change, I can only assume this is censorship.

The story again does some surprising things with the societal sexism. At one point, Seiichiro thinks about how the differences in morals between Yua and Yurius come down to the fact that Japan (at least to a degree) has gender equality, so Yua is not going to be a fan of being tied down to be a baby maker for the royal family. He doesn't say this, nor does he elaborate much on it, and again, societal sexism isn't really brought up except for these rare sort of gotcha moments: at no point do Seiichiro or Yua comment on maybe focusing on the patriarchy and how female orphans might also benefit from being educated, despite the fact that societal sexism is canonical, and that's maybe part of why Yurius is so clueless. There's no comment about how, potentially, an entire chunk of the population - poor and wealthy - are being ignored, which might be why they're struggling so hard to bolster sorcerer ranks. A minor bugbear of mine is that Yurius' mother and Norbert's mother don't have names, and Yurius' mother is never referenced at all. Is she alive? Dead? If she died, when? Who knows?

I still don't think this series is trying to be a critique of societal sexism or chivalry (which holds women up on a pedestal as objects of worship, not as people), at least not a full-on one. And I don't expect it to be an isekai version of women's liberation or something. I do however question the inclusion of a sexist fantasy society that uses the tropes of sexism for particular scenes, and also leans towards progressive values - namely, teaching the poor - and does not at all question why precisely no one involved in a society that honors one woman in particular every hundred years is ruled entirely by men. Perhaps I wouldn't have been bothered by this if I hadn't just read "A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation", which has the same problem (though there is seemingly one woman involved in some maybe administrative capacity in Shadow's government, and women can be merchants, in charge of their own stores). If you're not going to use sexism for anything other than a random flourish, why do these authors view it as intrinsic on the fantasy? If the idea is "if society were equal, no one would allow Yua to be as isolated as it is", then people need to ask why there are plenty of women who run and support fascists organizations in real life. Plenty of women uphold patriarchy. I'm not asking that the story focus more on female characters. I'm remarking on how the novel and manga's simultaneous inclusion and fear of this structures of patriarchy and societal sexism makes the gender make-up of extras and the inclusion of these structures more glaring and weird. Yua is also an outsider, and can be othered in ways that don't involve gender. The story including societal sexism for no real reason - when the manga shows it can be removed without any real issue - makes me ask why it's a thing at all.

It also makes me question why a man isn't suggested for the savior role, especially when the main religion mostly hires priests and at least some of them are quite willing to accept Seiichiro as holy, too. You could argue that the point is that it's a criticism of chivalry: a woman is literally held up as an object of devotion, but not given agency. And the society around that is a mess as a result. I'm just not entirely sure it works.

But perhaps that's also intentional: Seiichiro is not a saint, he is not solving all problems. For all his expertise, one has to ask just how someone who knows math really well and can do accounting can really solve most of the big problems in the kingdom, especially when he doesn't even know what the things he's cutting are for (though he does investigate and try to learn: after all, his issues are mainly the bad bookkeeping, not that the things being asked for shouldn't be asked for). I imagine people might draw parallels between this and certain happenings in the U.S. in 2025, but the difference there is the people involved can't even do math, are led by a fascist agenda, and are purely self-interested, so Seiichiro is ahead of them. Seiichiro is also largely just improving bookkeeping methods, not entirely rewriting Romany's government, though he does push for that with the Holy Maiden stuff to a degree. One could also argue that his insistence on introducing some of the worse aspects of modern corporate culture into this world that doesn't have that is incredibly bad. But I think that's generally the point: he doesn't have all the answers, and his methods aren't always perfect. He may improve things to a degree - and seems to be improving things in some fashion - but he is also a product of a bigoted, capitalist society that creates corporate drudges like him, and he is, to a degree, pushing for the recreation of those structures. He wants to free Yua not because she's a woman and women deserve better, but because he thinks the system sucks and could work better, and he cares about her as a child who needs help. He is not there to fix the sexist problems in society (and it may never have even crossed his mind), and it's quite likely Yua, in her sheltered youth, is not one of those teenagers who cares about fixing the issues women face, either. There are many young feminists. It seems like she is not one of them.

(I do, however, appreciate that Yua and Seiichiro are friendly now, and supportive of each other.)

From a narrative standpoint, it is okay that Seiichiro is imperfect and that Yua is imperfect and that society is imperfect. The story is meant to have drama and growth. I just question why these story concepts are included and if so, if it's intentional, because I kind of suspect I'm editorializing way more than I should be and the societal sexism is just considered part of the chosen setting by default, without much thought given beyond that, and I just find that really frustrating. If you're not going to really engage with the societal sexism, and not purely because you need to surround the male protagonist with hot guys to please fujoshi, what is the point of including societal sexism as window dressing?

The writing itself is still a bit bland, again perhaps to mimic Seiichiro's mindset. I still like him as a character, and the story itself is a nice criticism of modern capitalism and Japanese work culture in particular. Perhaps the English translation also plays into the tone a bit, but that's the only thing I can judge by as I don't read Japanese. It's still one of the more enjoyable Japanese light novel translations I've read, and far more compelling than say, "The Case Files of Jeweler Richard", while the boys love aspects make it a lot more compelling than fantasy historical novels like "The Apothecary Diaries" or "The Deer King", and it's certainly better written than any of the "Bungo Stray Dogs" light novels I've read. That being said, if I had the option between this and say, a boys love manga, manhwa, or a number of English-original m/m novels, I'd probably choose those instead. This is still great for what it is, and I really love a lot of the tropes it plays on, as well as the cast and character dynamics. If you enjoy the manga, I would recommend giving the novel a try, too, particularly if you want more physical intimacy between the leads.

[L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so I technically didn't finish the book yet, but I'm about to, and I knew I had to write this review before "Norbert's Reports" completely tanked my view of the book -- I liked the first set of reports in the first volume; they were really fun to read. However, this set is just adding insult to injury and deepening my annoyance with one, very specific thing that kept happening in this book: repetition.

My god, the repetition.

I normally like stylistic repetition, where the same information is told multiple times but through different lenses or with new information added in. If it's done right, it can really help build out the world and a complex understanding of which characters/groups know what. However, this was not stylistic repetition. This was mind boggling, mind numbingly, "I don't trust my readers to remember what I just told them," levels of repetition.

Like, I am kind of at a loss. Was this author paid by the word? Was each chapter released independently in some kind of serial format, so the author felt like they had to constantly remind us of what just happened and what people look like and where the plot is going? Did the author just assume someone would pick up this volume without reading the first one, and that's why they summarize the events of the first book more than once? It is baffling. And really, really annoying. I could put up with it for most of the story, and I think after the initial summary of the first novel it was done sparingly enough that while it was distracting and tedious to read, it wasn't taking anything away from the story overall. However, then I got to "Norbert's Reports" and audibly groaned that I was reading THE SAME INFORMATION AGAIN just from a different perspective. (Which I did just go back and finish and yes, I enjoyed some it [the new information], but a lot of it... was just... repetitive again...)

My head is in my hands, I am sighing, I have a headache...

But other than that writing choice, god I love this series, and this volume was an excellent continuation. I love how Seiichirou thinks and how he bends the rules to get what he wants, and how he really is approaching things objectively and from a point of simplicity and efficiency. Like, I LOVE that he's not "a good person" who is there to selflessly save the world or make society better. No, he just wants to do his job and have his job go smoothly, and if part of making his job run smoothly is mass social reform, than so be it. Like??? It's so refreshing to read! He's not a bad or good person at heart; he's literally just some guy who is so pragmatic and clever that he's making waves and connections and has major political influence, but he never asked for any of this -- but he absolutely will use it to his own ends. And I really like how, as a consequence of his work mentality and world view, he is a little selfish and treats relationships as transactional -- and I love how this is changing. Even though he might not realize it, he's making friends and building relationships with those around him, and I hope he starts to realize that these relationships are more than just what that person can offer him. He's already taken the first step with Aresh, so I'm rooting for him! (The letters at the end???? Loved them so much, I can see why Aresh was so happy. But also like, Aresh barely exists in this volume, and like, it works because it feels like a political drama first and a romance second, but like, he's going to need to be around more now that we have this 'everyone's a little in love with Seiichirou' thing going on).

Now, on to other characters -- I really like the diverse cast we have in this volume. I love how Yua has evolved as a character, and what she did at the end was super cool, and I cannot wait to see how much more she learns and how her youthful perspective can help Seiichirou at times. I also actually like Prince Yurius; yeah he's a stuck up rich kid, but it's cute how much he's fretting over Yua, and I hope that in trying to please her, he does actually learn to see things her way and to see her as a person first and the holy maiden second. I ended up liking everyone at the church as well, and it was really interesting to read multiple character's stances on religion and how religion was interwoven with politics.

Once again, I love how complex the political, economic, situation is in this world, and I LOVE that it is the main focus of the story and we get to see all the moving parts. It's so fun and unique, and I hope every volume ends with Seiichirou passing out accounting data to oust corruption or propose a plan because that level of corporate bullshit is so, so funny to read in a fantasy setting, but that is also what makes it so great. Seriously, outside of the bold narrative choices, I have no complaints about this series.

[Akansha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aresh's absence for almost half the book made this book a bit boring. Not just for the sake of romance but also as a character I really like him and he is my favourite in this series...

The last chapter made up for some of it though and I am happy with the much needed progress but if the third volume doesn't give me anything substantial, I'll lose it.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume was a little bit more of a struggle for me, probably because Aresh isn't getting a lot of page time or development. I hope the manga potentially expands on that more, or the anime - it'd be nice if they animated some sequences of Aresh actually putting his skills to use and fighting off the magical beasts that kept him out of the action for so much of this storyline.

Aresh being separated from Kondou is actually intentional, though. The Prime Minister specifically assigns Kondou to audit the church so he can be in a place for a while that's entirely distinct from the Third Royal Order's influence - there are mutterings about Kondou leading them around by the nose, or potentially funneling money to them so they'll do his bidding. Which is funny when you know that he's actually the one who'd stopped that unquestioning money funnel...

Since the church is also heavily tied to the Holy Maiden, a lot of the people there look on Kondou suspiciously, as a "tagalong" who was trying to destroy her legacy. Kondou slowly but surely wins everyone over through his practicality, which he never sees as something he's doing for anyone's benefit: individuals or the kingdom as a whole. He's just trying to maximize efficiency. So when he latches onto Yua's suggestion that poor and orphaned children receive an education, he's only doing it because investing in education means investing in a future workforce.

Even though the first scholarship student in this new project is a boy in whose future Kondou has become personally involved, because he saw his intelligence and potential and wanted to help foster that.

Kondou's not very honest with himself, really, but those around him eventually see through him and start getting quite attached to him as a result.

Camile's interest in Kondou becomes explicitly romantic in this volume, which I didn't feel was strictly necessary. Can't he just value Kondou for his mind and kindred practical-minded spirit? The priest, Siegvold, is also written as developing a crush on Kondou, although neither he nor Camile try to act on it. It's mostly just used to create funny scenes with Aresh being jealous and protective. Which...I guess would be working better for me if we truly saw more of him and Kondou bonding.

The thing that frustrates me the most about this volume is that the entire confession from Kondou's end happens off screen.

Genuinely. What on earth.

There better be something much more concrete in the third volume, where presumably Kondou is going to be making his decision about whether to return to Japan or stay with Aresh. Because while I genuinely love these characters and this story and world - and appreciate that romance is just a part of the story and not its entire focus - I don't understand how something that massively important to both of their development can be left unwritten between chapters. It cheapens their relationship to some extent and leaves Aresh still feeling like the one who's pouring his entire being (sometimes quite literally) into someone who could've wound up with any number of other guys in the kingdom if they'd just found him passed out in that alley first.

I want to see what it is that Kondou values about Aresh. What's made him fall in love with him. The letters were a nice touch - like Aresh, I can certainly read between the lines to hints of his true feelings - but it's not enough. It makes Aresh seem a little...heavyhanded in pushing a relationship that doesn't seem mutual, until it IS, and we don't even get to see that conversation.

I did love the scene with Aresh's childhood butler talking frankly with Kondou about how putting himself in danger is putting Aresh in danger, too. Kondou does realize this is an issue and starts putting more thought into not throwing himself into situations where the guy he cares about will toss his own life aside to save his. Aresh draining all his magic power to clear the forest for Kondou's plans, then to save his life yet again, was a really big deal that honestly deserved a bit more breathing room.

Hard to tell at this point what Kondou and Yua would decide about going back "home." Now that Yua has more freedom to make her own choices, she's getting along better with the prince, who's valiantly supporting her plans for bettering the kingdom. But she's still young and might decide she doesn't want to stay around just to make a baby who can carry on the Holy Maiden tradition.

We did finally get an actual villain in this volume, with a "heretic" who was trying to destroy the church through siphoning off a lot of magical power created through prayer. Honestly, though, calming overpowered kids by taking away some of their magic without their knowledge or consent was dodgy to begin with, and there was no discussion of, say, actually training them how to use their powers and giving it back. So there are some holes in the story for me.

But it's an imperfect world, and Kondou isn't there to fix everything, especially when it comes to moral issues. He just wants to make everything run as smoothly as he can, and unfortunately (for Aresh), he can't seem to stop sticking his nose in every single corner of the kingdom to find inefficiencies he can solve.

As a final note, I didn't understand the whole deal with making the priest very obviously Aresh's unknowingly adopted out brother, and then deciding at the end that it was a mistake and they weren't related after all, since his parents were a high-ranking family.

Wasn't that exactly how Norbert had described it, though? That he was in a special situation because he was the king's son, while MANY other illegitimate children would simply never be told that they hadn't been born to their adopted families, who would be other nobles. (You're not going to dump your child in some lower-class family to live on the street - it's not how the aristocrats of this world behave.) Even if he and Aresh never found out that they were related, it didn't make sense for Kondou to just decide he was wrong about it and move on.

[Hikaoru · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just realised how ridiculous and somewhat forced their ?love, ?romance
It's cute that MC is an overwork accountant who is too competent so despite delegating, still has tons of stuff to do

[Maria Drago · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance doesn't feature enough!! Too much bureaucracy!! Also, the relationship comes on too suddenly from this lack of attention.
But, still. Fun stuff. I like the ship. I love a grump reluctantly accepting the stifling love of someone far too gung-ho/overprotective/emotional/lovey-dovey.

Notes (spoilers!!):
- Ooh, I love the new issue that arises with the possibility of Seiichirou going home. From where I'm standing, I can't see a reason why he'd want to go back--aside from his magical sickness business, I guess--but I know there's gonna be some fun drama.
- Norbert joking about how Sei must be scared of Aresh if he's so aware of his eating schedule hahaha. I mean, yes, but also, the situation is much more complex than you realize child. Sei is basically getting manhandled by an obsessive worrywart and can't breathe on his own (literally...), dude needs a break.
- With this priest guy, I get the feeling we just met one of Aresh's older brothers.
- Aresh's underling, Orjef, literally said it best: "Aresh's behavior toward the otherworlder went well beyond any normal standards of overprotectiveness."
- OHH WOAH OKAY just the prime minister casually coming on to the main character. Honestly I kind of like Camile; there's something so suave and dangerous about him, and I like that he respects our MC. Although I see that I may have misunderstood that respect, to a certain extent...
- kyaaaaaaa!!!! That love letter got me squealing like a dork!
- STOPPPPP NOT SIEGVOLD ALSO TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF SEIICHIROU. ARESH IS GONNA FLIP IF HE SEES HIS OWN BROTHER BABY-GIRLING HIS BOYFRIEND.
OOOOOOH AND HE INSISTS ON USING SEIICHIROU'S FIRST NAME. ARESH REALLY IS GONNA FLIP.
- Omgggg this grumpy bumpkin is worried about Aresh on his missionnnnn hehehehe. That's so cute. I figured we'd get some romantic advancements once Aresh got hurt or something on duty. And you know what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder.
- Okay first of all, Ist giving Sei tongue while he's unconscious is crazy. I understand the reason why, but that's still crazy. AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE ARESH'S BROTHER (status still unconfirmed but so, so obvious) IS ABOUT TO MAKE OUT WITH HIM??!
- The man looked so sinister that Siegvold unconsciously held Seiichirou closer to his chest, as if to protect him but as he did this, the man in black erupted with a magic power that could only be described as homicidal.
LET'S FUXKIN GOOOOOOOOOOO--
- Bruh, Siegvold was fully ready to go to pound town with the unconscious Seiichirou.
- Love love love Seiichirou waking up just to state how relieved he is that Aresh made it back. CUTE!
- Awww I actually love this, Seiichirou realizing that not taking care of himself is a detriment to Aresh's health as well. This is what's finally going to get him to be more considerate, I just know it. If you can't do it for yourself... do it for HIM! T_T
- The surly doctor might be my favorite character hahahha. "This isn't a love hotel." "You two should go home before you start flirting with each other."
- Oh we got some DEVELOPMENT happening. Seiichirou was pretty much throwing himself at Aresh, saying he'll pay Aresh back however he wants (wink wink), and all Aresh says is that he wants Seiichirou to be more casual with him (because he got jealous of how Seiichirou spoke to a ten year-old. AND SEIICHIROU FOUND THAT CUTE.
- "Their first lovers' quarrel" hahahaha! Honestly, valid concerns. It is very important to establish how often a couple will do the deed, mhm.
- Sei's letters at the end are such a cute addition!! No wonder Aresh was such a softie when he got back from his mission, even though Sei had put himself in danger again.

[Miele ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second volume of The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter shifts its focus away from the royal court and places the Church at the center of the narrative, expanding the worldbuilding and offering a clearer look at how power, religion, and corruption intertwine in this world. On paper, this should have been an engaging development—and while it does succeed in explaining more about how the system functions, the execution felt more like a necessary bridge than a fully satisfying story on its own.

As usual, Seiichirou cannot catch a break. He nearly dies twice in this volume, largely because he continues to overwork himself to the bone despite knowing better. At this point, it’s almost impressive how consistent he is in his refusal to rest. That said, Sei remains the emotional core of the story and by far the most compelling character to follow. His intelligence, sharp tongue, and ability to read people continue to shine, and watching him slowly come to terms with his own feelings—especially his growing yearning for Aresh—was one of the most rewarding aspects of the book. The confession at the end felt earned and genuinely satisfying, even if it arrived after a long stretch of emotional distance.

Unfortunately, Aresh himself is far less present in this volume, and his absence is felt. While it makes sense narratively, I did miss his dynamic with Sei quite a lot. Their relationship still works when it appears, and the emotional payoff at the end helps, but the lack of shared moments throughout the book made the middle sections feel a bit flat.

One unexpected (and amusing) development is Seiichirou’s steadily growing “unintentional harem.” It’s genuinely funny how many characters end up drawn to him, romantically or otherwise. Camile, in particular, continues to stand out, and I’ll admit I felt a small sense of vindication realizing I wasn’t entirely wrong in thinking he might be romantically interested in Sei. Norbert’s dry observations only add to the humor, especially his increasingly resigned acceptance of Sei’s inexplicable popularity.

This volume also softened my opinion of Yua and Yurius. While they were frustrating in the first book, their character development here made them more tolerable—and in some moments, even likable. The story does a better job contextualizing their behavior and showing growth, which I appreciated.

That said, the Church arc itself didn’t fully land for me. Cipriano, as an antagonist, felt underwhelming; his motivations were predictable, and the conclusion to that plotline—despite the literal explosion—felt surprisingly anticlimactic. Similarly, the hints surrounding Siegvold and his potential connection to Aresh were built up with just enough intrigue to make their lack of payoff disappointing. Learning about his background right before the book ends, without further exploration, felt like a missed opportunity.

Overall, this second volume feels like a transitional installment. It does important groundwork, expands the setting, and moves the characters into position for what comes next—but it lacks the emotional intensity and momentum that made the first book stand out. I enjoyed it, but mostly in the sense that it made me more curious about Volume 3 rather than leaving a strong impression on its own.

A solid 3-star read: necessary, occasionally enjoyable, but very much a bridge rather than a destination.

[Katerine CC · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Faith, for better or worse, affected the mind. If even destroyed reason."

Aunque llegué por el BL, me quedé leyendo estos libros por la historia que rodea a Seiichirou y las situaciones cómicas en las que se ve envuelto. Este segundo tomo, se va por un camino un poquito diferente, pero nos sigue dando mucho humor.

En este segundo volumen, Seiichirou se vuelve a enfrentar a un posible caso de corrupción, en especial en la iglesia. Él, que no puede negarse a un trabajo, termina haciendo una investigación allí, con el riesgo de intoxicarse por el poder mágico en el lugar... sin embargo, ya sabemos que tiene a un poderoso, fuerte y guapo caballero a su lado.

Historia y narrativa:
Aquí continuamos la historia de Seiichirou en otro mundo, vemos como han seguido sus días y su nueva rutina, pero nos presentan un nuevo spot y más personajes que le dan mucha vida a esta nueva parte. Eso si, no siento que avanzáramos mucho, pero veo que tampoco es un libro de grandes aventuras y eso me parece algo diferente para un Isekai.

En cuanto a narrativa, siento que es un poco más ligera que en el primer libro y es más divertida. La cercanía que Seiichirou logra con las personas de su entorno da pie a situaciones que si o si te hacen reír.

Personajes
Aquí el cambio más evidente es el de Seiichirou. Aunque lo vemos super volcado en el trabajo, igual que siempre, él empieza a entender que otras personas sufren por él, en especial Aresh. Así es como de a poco Seiichirou empieza a aceptar sus emociones y empieza a pensar en cosas que se negaba, lo que lleva a que se abra un poco más con los demás y considere una gotita sus acciones.

En cuanto a Aresh... pues es el mismo, solo que más intenso que antes y super meloso con Seiichirou. Lo curioso, es que no sale tanto en la historia, lo cual permite que el prota vaya conociendo más personas y meta más la pata.

Y Siegvold, el priest de la iglesia es super chistoso. El hombre pasa de ver a Seiichirou con recelo a estar a su lado para cuidarlo. En cuanto a Ist no es que ayude mucho en las situaciones críticas, este tipo también desencadena situaciones para reír.

Romance
Me encanta como Seiichirou empieza con la idea de: "voy a pensar en esto después", pero a ver, hombre, estás viviendo con Aresh y no es que él respete tu espacio personal. Así que a lo largo del libro lo vemos desviando sus pensamientos hacia su relación y considerando seriamente lo que siente... ¡POR FIN!

Para finalizar solo quiero decir que para este segundo volumen, me siento más inmersa en la historia y se me pasa tan rápido que quisiera que fueran más de 3 tomos. Ahora solo me queda uno y cuando termine, esperaré semana a semana para ver el anime, que por cierto, adapta la historia muy bien.

[Miles! · Rating 3 out of 5]

Norbert's pov and the letters at the end really made me want to give it five stars lmao

I enjoyed this 2nd volume better than the 1st one mainly bc Seiichiro is much more human here. Valdom needs a statue build in his honor because FINALLY someone knocked some sense into Seiichiro. For a moment, I was afraid he would try to come between him and Aresh, playing the overprotective father role, but he didn't!! He totally respects their relationship and wants what's best for both of them <33

Seiichiro's relationship with the kids is really sweet; he tries to hide it, but he clearly cares a great deal about Sigma (and it's a shame he lost the custody to Ist, but him being bitter about it is quite funny). Selio clearly grows fond of him, and even though Seiichiro himself might not notice it he does too, afterall he was ready to intervene when that monk moved to hit him. And then there's his relationship with Yua, which is one of the ones I enjoy reading the most. I would love to see them grow closer, maybe share a quite moment while talking about their world and what they miss about it. But I still enjoy the 'funky teenage niece and going-through-mild-life-crisis uncle' dynamic :)

In terms of the romance, I've read that people don't like how absent Aresh is through this volume, but I didn't really mind that much. Once they reunite they're the definition of 'distance makes the heart grow fonder', and their development towards the end made me go 'awww' fr. I hope we get to read Aresh's pov of the carriage scene, specially since we haven't gotten any of his pov's since volume 1 I think?

The translation still feels a bit wonky sometimes, that and just the overall writing style kept me from rating it higher, mostly.

That being said, it was a sweet read. The character's development is definetly the most enjoyable part of this volume and makes up for the lack of Aresh!

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thirty-year-old corporate slave Seiichirou is settling into his new life after being dragged to a new world along with Yua, a young girl summoned to be the Holy Maiden who can purify a dangerous miasma. An intolerance to the "magicules" in the air haven't stopped Seiichirou from overhauling the kingdom's accounting department -- especially thanks to the care and attention of the commander of the Third Order of Knights, Aresh Indolark. Aresh makes no illusions about his feelings toward Seiichirou, but the Japanese otherworlder finds himself increasingly conflicted.
However, his romantic back-and-forth is put on the back burner when the Prime Minister temporarily reassigns Seiichirou to audit the books of the powerful and mysterious church of Abran, which is the dominant religion in the kingdom. Along with a hostile reception, Seiichirou is in danger of the holy relic housed in the church, which contains a vast amount of magic that could seriously harm his health -- or worse, especially when Aresh is sent on an expedition to eliminate more of the miasma with the Holy Maiden. The relic is also shrouded in a mystery that reaches the top of the monarchy, but in the face of inconsistent numbers and gross inefficiency, Seiichirou will take the risk to do his job!

This series doesn't move at a fast pace, and the plot itself isn't an interwoven web of political schemes, but it's just fun. The characters are cute (even the awkward and somewhat aloof Seiichirou has his own charm), and I enjoyed reading about Seiichirou introducing improvements to the kingdom that stem from his corporate-slave nature. The romance is more fluffy than passionate, but I liked that for Seiichirou and Aresh, given their slightly cold outward appearances. If you want a cute, easy read, this is a good series to pick up.

[Alyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I continue to enjoy how simplistic Yatsuki Wakatsu’s style of writing is but I have to admit I find volume 1 to be a bit more enjoyable overall.

A lot of things happen in volume 2 but also not really? This felt very much like a break to do some fun things with world building and to let the relationship between the two leads marinate a little.

I continue to find charming how uncomplicated Aresh is. He clearly knows what he wants (even if he doesn’t know how to ask for it) and while he can be a little pushy, he still very much lets Seiichiro work it out on his own time emotionally (unless it’s regarding his health). My only complaint is they teased his darker side but there was no real follow through-especially in the climax of the main conflict. It felt a little forgotten and I hope that does get explored in later books.

I also really enjoyed how Seiichiro learned that his self destructive tendencies don’t just affect him and how it’s more of an internal revelation. While a third party reveals the info to him, he never calls Aresh on it. He finally understood the depth of the other man’s feelings in that moment and had to reflect on what that means for him. It’s a major turning point in their relationship- and it was written perfectly.

Otherwise the plot for volume 2 was pretty self contained so I’m interested to see where the author takes us next for volume 3

[mage · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75

por alguna razón este volumen es un poco más explícito que el anterior? no es que me esté quejando, pero sí me sorprendió que de la nada empezaran a describir las escenas sexuales con más detalle. esperaba más burocracia mágica y no calentura logística ajsja

pedí un poco más de desarrollo de Aresh y apareció menos que en el volumen anterior. trágico. el fuck or die se intensificó, y ahora sumamos a un cura con los mismos ojos de Aresh al harem de Seiichirou. mal para ellos, porque Seiichirou aceptó de una vez por todas sus sentimientos por Aresh (no esperaba menos después de las cartas extremadamente sappy(s) que se mandaban) (I hope that you'll drift to sleep alongside my soul? pedazo de puto)

todo el drama con la iglesia me dió bastante igual; se siente más como un obstáculo administrativo que como una verdadera amenaza. pero el final me gustó mucho, especialmente cuando Yua y Seiichirou reconocen la existencia de varios dioses y expresan que cada persona debería tener la libertad de seguir la religión que prefiera

en resumen, este volumen fue menos Aresh de lo que quería, más sexo de lo que esperaba y, aun así, bastante entretenido. queda un solo plot point importante por resolver, así que ya me estoy preparando para el final

[Meghan Brownjohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the arc, however, I'm starting to feel like Aresh is a little 2 dimensional as a character. I want to know more about him...

Also, how dare you deny me. The author completely skips over the moment where Seiichirou confesses his feelings to Aresh. I missed out on seeing (*reading) his reaction. I'm not ashamed to say that I even opened the next book to see if it was at the beginning of the next book. But no, it's just completed omitted. BRO! I WAS SO HYPED UP FOR IT. But fine. I'm obviously going to keep reading. Because I still love Seiichirou and the world and everything. ... I'm just saying... You've missed out on my fangirling. Lol.

[Eli A · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a bit hilarious to say that this book, where the love interest is gone for a huge chunk, is actually a great one for furthering the romance plot, but as our protagonist becomes more settled into this new world and his place in it, and is given some space, he really starts to confront his own feelings about this hot, dependable guy who is clearly ass-over-teakettle for him and accept them—albeit in a "uh oh, I miss him and worry about him? time to unravel a religious embezzlement conspiracy to avoid these emotions" kind of a way, lol.