Shin no Nakama ja Nai to Yuusha no Party wo Oidasareta node, Henkyou de Slow Life suru Koto ni Shimashita – 08

「英雄になろうとした男」 (Eiyuu ni Narou to Shita Otoko)
“The Man Who Would Be a Hero”

Episode 08 seems to put a temporary end to Belial’s initial plan as his efforts to have Ademi executed go awry. But even as the stage is set for their next ditch effort to court the help of the hero Ruti, the most eventful parts of the episode were when they solidified Red and Rit’s love and lust for each other.

TREACHERY AND DRUGS

It’s crazy how, even though Belial’s plan to betray his way to militarize Zoltan seemed thought out, it fell apart due to factors they never took into account. They figured that Al would be easily peer-pressured to murder Ademi as a sacrificial pawn to have the citizens overthrow Zoltan. They also assumed that if Al couldn’t do it, they could default to having him fight a brain-washed Ademi who was still feeling the lasting effects of being drugged with the Devil’s Blessing drug.

I’m still not sure what to make of the whole Devil’s Blessing plotline. It felt like a neat twist to raise the stakes, but with everyone withholding their motivations and plans until it can act as a twist, it constantly feels like nobody involved with the plan is on the same page. Belial used Bighawk’s body and erased him just so he can spread drugs on the streets and become king to militarize the nation. But then, Albert has the same interest in leading the army as they militarize Zoltan.

That much makes sense since they both try their hand at allying with Ruti to help militarize Zoltan. But then, you have Shisandan, who is sitting on the fences to throw his hand in the ring for his own personal interests that have yet to be disclosed. It might be a neat way to throw obstacles in Rit and Red’s way that constantly test their resolve to retire peacefully together. But at the same time, some clarity would be a major help if most of your antagonists are using other people’s bodies to operate.

It doesn’t help that, while the angry mobs in Zoltan are calmed down when Al asks them to forgive Ademi, Al decided to be an adventurer around the same time. It’d be hard not to imagine a situation where Al will have to worry about more than goblin skirmishes if Belial, Albert, and Shisandan are all planning their next moves on the outskirts of town. They might be discouraged from leaning on Al after last time, but I can see it being a motive for the antagonists to manipulate or attack him out of vengeance.

HERE COME THE FIREWORKS

With American Thanksgiving around the corner, it’s nice to see that Red and Rit are trying to get some stuffing in. Honestly, the rest of this episode has nothing on the moments where Red and Rit are so close to consummating their relationship.

It was a bummer that they didn’t go all the way in the bedroom though since it’s not like seeing a loving couple do some hanky-panky should be seen as indecent. It was a bit of a letdown because it felt like it came at the limitation of trying to show them in love but not TOO in love. Like a mild kiss on a picnic is fine, but nothing more. Or kissing on the bed is fine, but we can’t possibly show them having a happy, healthy love life.

But unlike the picnic scene, both of these scenes in the bedroom and the bathtub were actually steamy considering how far we were watching them go and how it shows their relationship is on a far more intimate level. Well, it might’ve been steamy because of the new tub they are planning on christening in more ways than one.

It would’ve been one thing if it was kinkier, but Red uses Rit’s questions on whether he should’ve gone out adventuring to show her exactly what he wants. Red had a surprisingly powerful love declaration as he reassured her that he wanted to be there because he not only seeks out the comfort of the slow life but also because he was madly in love with her. Red’s been relatively robotic, but it was pleasant to see that Rit’s affection has been getting to him more.