By Akira Iwafune and Sunaho Tobe. Released in Japan as “Potion, Waga Mi o Tasukeru” by Hero Bunko. Released in North America by Hanashi Media. Translated by Harris Hayes.
I sometimes feel guilty that I don’t read more Hanashi Media. Aside from Observation Records of My Fiancee/Wife (now with an anime!), most of their output has basically looked like things I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole. They had a recent round of licenses, though, and a couple of them jumped out at me, including this one. Slow life! Cute female protagonist! Struggling to get my in a world she knows nothing about! And sure enough, all those things are here. It’s mostly a cute book. It’s content to coast along, and Kaede is something of a female Potato-kun, but it’s nice enough. That said, when I started it I read the table of contents and said “uh oh”. Sure enough, this ends up being another in a long line of “welp, guess I gotta buy a slave” books. Yes, I’m sure she and Kaede will become bestest friends. Yes, Kaede treats her wonderfully. Don’t really care. Stop with the slavery shit.
Kaede wakes up, not on her way to high school as she had been, but in an alley of a fantasy world. She has it easier than some – she can speak and read the language – but she has no money, no food, and no idea how this world works. But she finds a book in her backpack – it tells her how to make potions, and the easiest uses just grass and water. Gradually, using the potions she makes, she gets food, a room and a guild card that gives her ID. She could theoretically make stronger potions, but the ingredients are much harder to find. Then she runs into a party of dragon hunters, who tell her – try to contain your shock – her normal potions work MUCH better than others. What’s more, the way she makes them is unheard of. If she can just survive the massive dragon that landed right in front of her, maybe she’ll become someone really special!
As I said, for the most part this is earnest slow-life stuff. Kaede makes potions, buys things, makes more potions, meets adventurers, takes out a dragon with a one-shot crystal she just powered up that day… you know, the usual. By the end of the book she’s moved to the capital, has made friends with a woman so terrifyingly powerful everyone rushes to obey her (she thinks Kaede is really cute – Kaede suffers from “I’m 17 but look 12” syndrome), she’s got a great cabin in the middle of nowhere, and she’s befriended a fairy. Unfortunately, “make a ton of money selling potions then walk back alone to my remote cabin where I live alone as a young woman” carries dangers that you can probably guess. And guards are expensive and also won’t be live-in guards. Hence: welp, guess I gotta buy a slave. Kaede feels uncomfortable, but is shown that you don’t HAVE to abuse your slave, so treats the 6’5″ gorgeous wolfgirl she buys well. I’m sure they’ll be besties. Nevertheless.
I was sort of hoping to add this to my list of “cute girl does OP things”. It’s 11+ volumes in Japan, so looks popular. But I really try to avoid “welp, guess I gotta buy a slave” books these days, no matter how nice and non-harem the relationship is.
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