The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter (manga) Volume 5 Review
Seiichirou Kondou – workaholic accountant/’bean counter’ transported by mistake from our world to the kingdom of Romany with a high-school girl Yua (chosen to be the Holy Maiden) – has been sent to investigate the accounts of the powerful Church. Instantly encountering hostility and curiosity in equal measure from the priests and their acolytes, his task is proving rather more complicated than at first anticipated. Why are children with uncontrollable magical energy left at the Church by their families? Worst of all is the fact that the church holds many powerful magical relics and as the magic of Romany is poisonous to Seiichirou, his life may be in danger. He’s been living with Knight Captain Aresh Indolark for a while now and although their intimate physical relationship began as one of necessity to save Seiichirou’s life, they have gradually become more than fond of each other.
Meanwhile, at the Church, Seiichirou’s work is impeded by young Selio who sees him as a threat and not helped by the over-devout Father Siegvold who is sure that the off-worlder must have been sent to their world by their god Abran and insists he must be the ‘Tribulated Disciple’, much to Sei’s annoyance. “Abran would never do anything without a purpose!” Will matters improve when Bishop Mateus arrives with the Church’s accountant, Cipriano? Or is the Church trying to hide errors in their books? However, Yua has some innovative ideas about how to educate the special children sheltered at the Church. Gaining Seiichirou’s support, she determines to establish a school for these children – although reactions to her plan are mixed, even when she says she will pay for it herself. But just when Seiichirou needs Aresh’s life-saving skills the most, Aresh gets news of a terrifying magical beast, a Nepomuk, that’s wreaking havoc on the borders and hurries away to deal with it. Sei waits anxiously for his letters, day after day…
The fifth volume of the manga version of The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter takes us into Volume 2 of the light novels and Seiichirou’s potentially life-threatening encounter with the Church of Abran. The beauty of Kazuki Irodori’s manga version is that it moves nimbly through the many chapters of the original light novel. It shows us many events that were rather laboriously told in prose, driving the story relentlessly and effectively onward. It’s a much better read, in my opinion, bringing the characters to life through Irodori’s gift at showing us how they are feeling and reacting with body language as well as facial expressions.
When it comes to the Boys’ Love aspects of this story, the manga is rated Teen by Yen Press, whereas the light novels are rated Older Teen. I still feel less than impressed by the ‘Get Out of Jail’ card played by author Yatsuki Wakatsu to explain the ‘sex as healing medicine’ relationship imposed on her main characters Seiichirou and Aresh. It’s all fine, you see, as Sei will die if he doesn’t have sex with Aresh! Isn’t it? This still seems a Stockholm Syndrome way to set up a relationship with a 30-year-old Japanese accountant who seems never to have even thought of having sex with anyone before (is he ace/aro?) and a hot-blooded, dark and handsome knight. Maybe the concept of gayness isn’t really a thing in this fantasy world as no one seems to be bothered – although I spy relationship problems on the horizon in the third (and final) novel volume from the publisher’s blurb.
Which brings me back to why I find the manga version so much of an improvement on the original novels. I realize this might not be the case for some other readers – but the way Irodori has focused on streamlining the story and bringing the characters to vivid life with such a wonderful variety of expressions will be – I fervently hope – the template for the upcoming TV anime.
The translation for Yen Press is again Emma Schumacker with lettering by DK and everything reads well (like many manga versions of light novels, there’s plenty of dialogue). Sadly, there’s no colour page at the front to showcase Irodori’s impressive art and just a single image at the end by way of Special Thanks from the mangaka (as well as a short bonus chapter).
One of the most significant and touching moments in this volume is when Seiichirou asks their servant Milan about a certain phrase in Aresh’s latest letter. He has been writing to Aresh but not sending the letters… so when he is puzzled by the phrase, ‘I hope you’ll fall asleep with my soul’ she explains that it means, ‘I hope you’ll fall asleep thinking of me by your side’ and Sei is genuinely moved, in spite of himself. Has this uptight workaholic fallen in love at last?
Volume 6 has recently been published in Japan so I hope we won’t have too long to wait to read it; for those eager to learn how the light novels come to an end, Volume 3 Magic Research Exchange Plan will be released by Yen On in March 2025.
Our review copy was supplied by Yen Press.
