A rare double-helping of Otoyomegatari graces our table this week. It’s like waiting a half-hour for a bus and then two of them show up bumper-to-bumper. It’s a good sign that Mori-sensei’s health issues are under control, at the very least. And she certainly isn’t showing any signs of urgency in her plotting, so presumably she plans to be at this series a while.
As we left things, Mr. Smith’s racist mother had effectively given him an ultimatum, dump Talas or be cut off from the family. We know what he chose, and that Henry’s father and brother are not nearly bothered enough (and not at all surprised by) the eccentric Henry’s choice in women to allow him to be disowned. Fortunately Henry’s friend Mr. Hawkins has a “little hunting lodge” he hardly ever uses, and the happy couple retreat there to wait out Mom’s wrath.
This change of venue lands Otoyomegatari squarely in Mori’s comfort zone – no mangaka does Victoriana like she does. It’s also a reminder of how far removed from the world of real people the British aristocracy are. The little lodge is a huge mansion (Henry says he needs a sign on the door to find his chosen bedroom), with a dining hall and library and large barn. It also comes with a part-time caretaker named George, and Hawkins offers more servants but Smith declines. “No third wheels, eh?” is the older man’s pointed jibe, but so far it’s strictly separate bedrooms for Talas and Henry.
As befits this development, these are quite low-key chapters. The big twist is that barn, because it allows Smith to buy “20 or 30” sheep (George handles the logistics) for Talas. This immediately puts her in her comfort zone – Talas knows sheep. And one gets the sense that the pair of them would be very happy with this status quo indefinitely, if it came to it. Henry could compile his journals, Talas could tend her flock, and they could slowly grow closer. The problem is that Henry will want to do things the proper way, and marry Talas – and that can’t happen until his mother caves (or mimics the Norwegian Blue).
We also get a brief check-in with Talas’ mother-in law back in Turkestan. And she gets a visit from Talas’ (briefly) second husband. And we’re once again reminded that this guy is basically a saint. What he did for her was beyond compassionate, and happily he’s found another himself and gotten remarried. But he makes sure to seek out the mother-in-law to share the news that Talas is alive and well, and blames her not for the twists and turns her life has taken. Just one more deposit in this guy’s Karmic account, which must already be overflowing.
Now well over two years since the last appearance of Karluk, and Amir, I can’t help but hope we’re going to get another one soon (better chance of that than a Gon sighting in the new HxH chapters coming up). Hopefully Mori is healthy and able to get back on a steady 6-8 chapter per year schedule – if so, the chances of that happening look a hell of a lot better.
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