The Underworld gang hosts a welcome party in Elysion, Colette helps a young traveler reconcile with his mother, and Hades brings a human invention into the underworld—much to the skeleton’s pleasure. Be warned though—this volume will make you cry.
** While this series is being published in English, this volume has not yet been released **
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My thoughts on this volume (spoilers)
I’m not going to lie, this volume gave me emotional whiplash. It starts with lighthearted festivities—the Elysion group and the Underworld group are finally becoming friendly with each other, and Hermes finds someone on his level business-wise. There were a few especially funny scenes in this portion of the manga, with Colette’s appreciation for climbing trees making a reappearance, and Hades admitting himself to be a dog person.
All of this lightheartedness had me lower my guards emotionally, which I would soon come to regret.
Once Colette returns to the human world, she, Hermes, and Dio continue their travels. I am still really enjoying this trio’s dynamic, as they’ve grown to be a really cute friend group! All three of them have unique relationships with one another, so leaving any two of them alone will drastically change the mood. At first I think Hermes really only tagged along out of concern for Dio, but now I like to think he’s come to genuinely think of Colette as a friend.
During journey we see them join a group of traveling merchants, one of whom had run away from home 10 years prior. We hear his story, with him describing his mother as the reason he left. According to him, his mother is more wild beast than human, with supernatural strength, and an attitude to match. That’s the image of his mother that he’s kept with him the past 10 years but, a lot can change in 10 years.
Thanks to a gentle push from Colette we get to see the reunion between son and mother, and boy was it devastating. In the past few years she came down with a mysterious illness, and became a shell of the person she once was. The son takes this as a great shock, and runs away. This scene had me emotionally devastated as a reader. The son’s feelings are conveyed so clearly and so sadly, that it’s impossible to not cry as you read.
This isn’t to say that the majority of this volume was soul-crushing. As while this mother-son portion was incredibly emotional, sadness wasn’t the only emotion it evicted! As while the mother was ill, she was still alive. And even though the boy was regretful for staying away from home for all those years, he was able to discover himself—something he has been unable to do at home.
As for Colette and Hades, we see little romantic scenes sprinkled throughout this volume, but it isn’t a big focus. As their relationship is so strong, the two of them have no difficulties spending a little time apart. As Colette loves everyone in the underworld as well as Hades, oftentimes she chooses to spend time with everyone, rather than spend alone time with Hades. Typically I would see this as a lack of romantic development and would be a little annoyed, but as we’re 16 volumes in, their relationship is already well-established. Likewise, all of the Underworld side characters are just so lovable, I’ll never complain about being shown more of them.
Things I particularly enjoyed (spoilers)
❤️ Colette climbing up Kronos’s treehouse. Also, just Kronos’s treehouse in general—it’s quite literally the coziest house I’ve seen in my life!? And it’s surrounded by a flower garden!? I don’t understand why he left in the first place.
🧡 Dio getting drunk with the enemy and then sharing their battle strategies with his team—he didn’t even realize he was being helpful, he was just drinking to have fun!
💛 The scene where Hades admits he’s a dog person—I don’t think I’ve ever seen him enjoy talking to someone that much (besides Colette, of course).
💚 Colette’s brother describing her to strangers as a wild boar—I mean, it’s not all that inaccurate.
💛 The son being able to get over his feelings of guilt and sadness and act like his old self with his mom again. She’s still the same person, even if she’s sick!
🧡 Hades taking an interest in the lantern festivals, and then having lanterns brought into the Underworld! Watching the skeletons bathe in the heat of the flames was really something to see.
❤️ After Colette has a particularly rough day she goes to visit Hades. Even though things were tough for her, she tries to put on a normal face, but Hades sees through her right away! (he knows her so well!)—this whole scene shows how strong their relationship is, I love them so much.
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