Private Tutor to the Duke’s Daughter: Volume 3

Private Tutor to the Duke’s Daughter (Light Novel) #3

by Riku Nanano, 七野りく, cura (Illustrator)

Duke Howard’s eldest daughter Stella was beginning to believe that she could live up to her family name. Despite her failure to master her family’s hereditary magic and falling out with her father, she managed to work her way to the top of her kingdom’s most prestigious academy. But after seeing her idol the Lady of the Sword in action and realizing that her once magically impaired younger sister has overtaken her in a matter of months, Stella’s newfound confidence comes crashing to the ground. Worse still, she has a gnawing suspicion that she only outranks her best friend at school thanks to racial prejudice. Allen, the gifted tutor who enabled her sister’s miraculous growth, may offer her only way out of her mounting depression. But can Stella bring herself to seek help, and can Allen give it in the face of an ever-growing list of demands for his time?

Genres: Light Novel, Romance, Comedy, Fantasy

247 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 26, 2022

Reviews

[Iroha Miyumi · Rating 5 out of 5]

アレン達はジェアルド王子の危険事件に超えました。けどティナ殿下の功績は派手過かもしりません。ティナ様は実の姉・ステラ殿下の立場や栄光やなどは既に超えました。結果として、ステラ様の心の中に深い闇があります。三ヶ月前に、ティナ殿下は魔法ができないです。けど、突然に、ティナ様は魔法ができことや学校の一位は取ることやジェアルド王子の魔力を超えることです。そして、当然にステラ殿下は自分自身とティナ殿下に比較しまう。優しくて濃っこい姉として、彼女は皆んなにこの気持ちを必死隠しました。しかし、アレンさんはこの状況を突入しました。「今日は学校をサボって、僕と王都をデートしましょう」。アレンさんの目的は何ですか？この結果は本当にステラ殿下に救いますか？この答えはステラ殿下の動力次代です。

相変わらずに、この設定は素晴らしです。魔法という能力は単純なコンセプトですけど、難しいですね？例えば、火魔法はただ火ですが、起動儀式は多分簡単じゃないですね？この世界で大体全国民は魔法を使いことできます。然し、優秀魔法士が居ます。この差はただ努力と才能です。ステラ殿下はこの点はまだ知りないので、とても凹むになりました。然しアレンさんのおかげで、ステラ様は強くなりっと思います。興味があれば、是非読んでください！

Allen and the others have overcome the dangerous ordeal of Prince Gerald. But, perhaps, Princess Tina's achievements stand out too much. Tina has already passed her actual older sister, Stella, ('s) position, honor, and many other things. As a result, Stella has deep darkness within her heart. Three months ago, Tina couldn't use magic. However, suddenly, Tina could use magic, take the number one position in the school, and overcome Prince Gearld's magic. Of course, Stella would naturally compare herself to Tina. As a kind and cool older sister, she desperately hides these feelings from everyone else. However, Allen rushes in this situation. "Today, skip school, and let's have a date in town." What are Allen's objectives? Will the outcome really save Stella? The final answer depends on Stella's hard work.

As usual, the setting is wonderful. The ability known as magic is a simple concept, but it's also very complicated, right? For example, fire magic is simply fire, but the activation rituals are bound to be hard. In this world, the citizens of the kingdom can use magic. However, there are superior magicians. The difference between them is merely hard work and talent. Because Stella doesn't know this point yet, she becomes very depressed. However, thanks to Allen, I believe she becomes much stronger. If you are interested, please read it!

[Darren · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5. The book/series is OK.

Story is compelling enough for me not to drop it but the writing could definitely use some improvements.

A lot of phrases are recycled a few times which gets slightly exasperating.

I don't know if this is a translation issue but the perspective switches are very sudden with no indicator which made me confusedly reread the lines before more than a dozen times.

All in all, pretty decent. I can see how this series can appeal to a certain type of reader but it's not my cup of tea.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Allen is trying to patch things up with Lydia and Caren while tutoring Tina, Ellen, and Lynne. However, he has been roped into a project by Lydia's mother that leads to him interacting with Caren's friend Felicia. And then Tina's older sister, Stella, goes into depression and needs to learn her own self-worth. So Allen keeps getting stretched thinner and thinner. The curse of competence strikes again! And then there is Gill and his maid to wonder about. More fun to come, I am sure!

[Jesus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great volume

I really appreciate this volume focusing on another person. Stella needed Allen to propelled her higher. Gil is truly an amazing friend. He knows the true value of Allen. I honestly can't believe there's a storm brewing in the horizon.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Random thoughts:

This continues to be a fun series. I think the author does a good job of playing the oblivious protagonist trope for humor, but the way every random girl around acts infatuated towards him (often with no real reason behind it) is still grating at times.

So much in these books is played very loose and larger-than-life in the way that so many Japanese light novels do, but the author seems to be very serious about his world-building and foreshadowing. It makes the world in the books feel real while still maintaining the veneer of unreality that all the silliness engenders. Can't wait to hear more about the hero and the older adventures of Allen and the albatross in hopefully in future volumes.

This is a series where it feels like I'm missing quite a bit by reading a translation without having Japanese cultural context. Every once in a while a character will say something or react in a way that makes no sense to me but is seen as perfectly normal and meaningful by characters in the book. If it was an English-language rather than translated novel, I would just assume it's poor writing; maybe the translator isn't quite as great as the best I've seen from J-novel club (the translator for Piggy Duke does a marvelous job).

[John-Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn't thrilled with the volumes synopsis, so I had been putting off reading it, but was very happy with the story. Only complaint was Allen adding to his harem. Would have preferred Stella resolving her problem without his direct aid.