Maddies Manga

Quinta tries to suppress her growing feelings for Nestor, the man she’s meant to be guarding. The more time they spend together, the more difficult it becomes. Thankfully there are quite a few factors that distract her, like an unexpected betrayal.

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You can check out a sample of this series for yourself below!

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My thoughts on this volume (Slight Spoilers!)

This volume was packed full of so many big emotions that I had to sit in silence for a while afterward, digesting everything.

While the past few volumes have been focusing more on Nestor and Quinta’s slowly growing relationship and the witches who are after Nestor’s research, this one takes an emotionally dark turn. While this volume does also feature some relationship progress between Nestor and Quinta, it’s his relationship with his adoptive brother that has the spotlight.

Through his brother Jude, this volume brings about several new themes that made for a very engaging read. We always knew that Nestor was a prodigy—his biggest characteristic is being the most clever person in any room. This is accepted by everyone, and not all that much time is spent talking about it. But, how would you feel if one day, as a child, your parents came home with a new son, proclaiming him to be their new pride and joy?

We see Jude talk about how it felt growing up with Nestor, and the more he reveals, the more difficult it becomes to see him as an “evil” character. While Nestor was able to accomplish everything on his own and earn his keep purely through his own merits, Jude was forced to use his connections to even work in the same department as Nestor. While Nestor, in Jude’s eyes, was able to able to talk freely with anyone, never seeing anyone as competition, Jude was always deeply aware that he would not be where is was had it not been for their father.

This resentment built up in Jude, culminating in him doing what he does in this volume. When Nestor up and left the department with no warning, it broke the already downtrought Jude. Already battling complex emotions, in an emotional state he did the unthinkable: hiring an evil witch to help him fulfil an immoral task. While one could say this is a one-off, uncharacteristic act he did while in an emotional state, he keeps contact with her throughout seemingly the past five volumes.

To me, it seems like Jude understands what he is doing is wrong—he still has his head on enough that he stops the witch from killing anyone—but is still broken enough to keep going to fulfill his mission.

I was a bit surprised that Nestor didn’t catch him in the act a few volumes prior, however I wonder if he had his suspicions. There’s no way that Nestor had no idea Jude was planning something, as this volume had a few hints sprinkled throughout prior to the big reveal. Perhaps he was just too blinded by love for his brother to catch on? I really felt for him when he was inquiring Jude as to why he didn’t just talk to him if he was having doubts. Though Jude grew up jealous of Nestor, in Nestor’s eyes, it seems like they grew up the best of friends.

I hope Jude is able to come to his senses and return what he stole before it’s too late…

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My favourite parts of this volume (Spoilers!)

🖤 Ambrose accepting the fact that his assigned fiancee is a lesbian, and helping her make the big announcement via crashing her family’s fancy party—Ambrose is my favourite side character, and I love seeing him just do whatever he wants.

🖤 Quinta and Nestor subtly holding hands at the fancy party—they’re in that ~will they?~ ~won’t they?~ stage, and I’m eating it up.

🖤 When Nestor’s asked about the first thing he wants to do after completing his task, indefinitely extending Quinta’s contract comes up..! It should have been his first answer, but I’ll forgive it.

🖤 Ambrose giving Jude every chance to come clean and talk to him—he’s genuinely such a good guy, why didn’t Jude take him up on the offer… He could have helped him!