This covers through the end of what's currently out of the anime (and maybe a little beyond with the bonus stories). So, the last volume I knew the events of.
However, it's amazing how many plot twists I forgot about. XD I guess I was just so focused on the heartbreak (and I'm still not over it).
As for this volume itself, it's actually much shorter than it appears, as there's a lot of bonus stories. The prologue is from the High Bishop's POV, so trouble is set up right at the beginning. The bit of this story before the trouble drops is fun but also with it's occasional tense moment.
Then, once things kick off, there's a high amount of tension and stakes. It's a good thing I decided to do some reading at home, as there was no putting this book down for a good chunk. Then, there are plot twists aplenty that changes the entire dynamic of everything that has gone on since the temple arc kicked off. Then the heartbreak.
It's hard to talk about this volume in a review because this is a turning point for the series. Everything is setup really well, and I love the way it all plays out even as it breaks my heart.
The Epilogue was told in Lutz' POV, which worked well as he's essentially the connection to Myne, the Gilberta Company, and Myne's family, which allowed all those aspects to be shown. It's also easy to forget just how little most people know about Myne, though. XD
Then the bonus stories. Some of them take place at the same time, showing various characters/viewpoints and what was going on with them during the climax and shortly after. It was a nice way to let the reader know where these characters now stand with things. I'll be vague on most of these because of major spoilers for the climax.
First was Freida's story. It was nice to see more about the noble she has a contract with, and it was fun to see her smartness on display.
Then Sylvester's story. It was nice to see his personal thoughts on the situation and to know he felt somewhat bad about things. It's also nice to see who is in on a certain secret, as well as how extraordinary Myne really is.
Then Arno's story. This is also the first glimpse at the new future. Though, the ending bit of this story makes me want to punch Arno, and I feel so bad for Fran.
Benno's story. This is my favorite one out of the bunch, though Benno is also one of my favorite characters, so that was to be expected. Poor Benno, though. As the title states, he has so much work thrust upon him. XD It's also great to see a conversation between him and the High Priest without any secrets needing kept from the reader.
Fran's story. We get a glimpse into how he handles his workload, but there's also a follow-up to what Arno did in his own story. It's nice to see how Fran is handling that as well.
Effa's story. It's basically impossible to talk about this story without spoilers, but it's nice to see how they're handling things.
Josef's story. This one takes place earlier in the novel. I'll admit it, I honestly forgot who he was, so it took a few paragraphs to be reminded. I just didn't pay him much mind in the novel because he didn't seem too important. However, after reading the author's note at the end about him and Heidi, it's actually kind of sweet, and I can see why this story was included.
Leon's story. This one also takes place earlier in the novel. This one cracks me up, but, again, I won't say much on it because of spoilers.
Finally, there are a few short comic panels at the very end of the book. I don't really have opinions on the first two comics, but the last one made me laugh.
The artwork was amazing and beautiful as always. I also love the color palette for the cover image. It's very pretty yet almost muted, which works well for how serious things grow in this volume.
Overall, a great volume of the series. Everything that has been building up comes to a head here, and the payoffs are excellent. The fallout of it is heartbreaking, and I'm not ready for the new future, but I'm also excited to finally see what comes next. Most of the bonus stories at the end were great for setting things up further for the next volume.