This volume feels longer at 18 chapters and 2 side stories. Like the light novel in the beginning. It supposedly has 234 pages (about 30 are illustrations and it is always helpful to include a map). My first impression is that the author and plot arcs aren't really going anywhere. Since about Volume 5 the main plot arc was getting his elf friends back to Aker, but in this volume 8 the main character and his all female monster retinue get side-tracked and go look for dragons. Author likes to include the point of views from the team members and mostly about their feelings and emotions. In this volume 8, the female monster retinue was designing their own brassieres. So yes, the story is slow and flat and really not going anywhere. Author also has an ongoing "contradictory" "alliance" with antagonist monster tamer. Yes, the monster tamer that destroyed and killed most of the students and soldiers at Fort Tilia. Main character has a dragon added to his all female monster retinue. Main character still fears the organized church and the rest of the hero students.