Raspberries (Chapter 17)
As Laios recovers from his parasitic meal, Marcille thinks back to her time in magic school and how she came to befriend a lonely but powerful mage named Falin.
Grilled Meat (Chapter 18)
Just before the group can move on with their quest, Marcille is ambushed by a powerful undine that leaves her in a weakened state. And with no other resources available to improve her health, Laios and Senshi hold a barbecue.
"Raspberries" contains the following tropes:
Raspberries
- All of the Other Reindeer: Falin was an outcast among her peers as she rarely interacted with others and was quite messy with her personal appearance.
- …And That Little Girl Was Me: Inverted. It is not until Marcille finishes her story about how she met Falin that Laios realizes that Marcille is the friend that Falin talked about in her letters to him while she was in school.
- As You Know: Marcille briefly ponders to herself (and the audience) that adventurers are often contracted to fend off monsters out of fear of them over-populating the dungeons and attacking the surface dwellers as a result.
- Call-Back: Marcille mentions to her classmates how harvesting mandrakes is a dangerous practice.
- Class Princess: In the magic academy, Marcille was recognized as the honors student who was part of the graduate course and had the potential to be a court magician. Her presence alone was enough for her classmates to be in total awe over her. Chilchuck finds it hard to believe this.
- Comically Missing the Point: After Marcille wraps up her story on how she came to understand the dungeon ecosystem and the roles certain creatures play, Chilchuck questions if she was really a popular girl in school or if she's just being an Unreliable Narrator.
- Following in Relative's Footsteps: Marcille clarifies to her fellow witches that she was going to be a court magician because her mother was one.
- Goal in Life: When she was in school, Marcille dreamed of making a new dungeon that was safe and beneficial to the surface dwellers.
- Hypocrite: Despite his vocal disdain for all things magical, Marcille openly points out to Senshi that the dungeon system he loves so much is made of magic too. He tells her "mind your business" as a retort.
- The Minion Master: One of the foundations of summoning magic involves creating spirits so they can be used in future spells. Marcille and the other students partake in a spirit cultivation assignment.
- Mood Whiplash: Marcille wakes up in a panic over not using her healing spell on Laios. When she goes to check on him, she becomes terrified over not hearing his heartbeat. Chilchuck reminds her that she can't hear while he's wearing his armor.
- Once an Episode: Fitting the overarching theme of food, the food of the segment are raspberries, which Falin gifts to Marcille during their trip to the dungeon.
- The Pig-Pen: Falin is described as being covered in dirt all the time. The reason is because she ditches class to hang out in a secret dungeon.
- Taught by Experience: Falin's dungeonium looks mediocre and sloppy compared to Marcille's, who followed the instructions to a T, but Falin's has a greater concentration of spirits, as she based hers on a real dungeon she discovered while skipping class.
- This Is Gonna Suck: The dog who has to pull out the mandrake is clearly not excited to play their part.
- Whole Episode Flashback: The segment changes into a flashback as Marcille recounts what she learned in school along with how she first met and became friends with Falin.
"Grilled Meat" contains the following tropes:
Kelpie yakiniku
- Bathos: Laios and the guys have comically exaggerated expressions while they try to save Marcille from the undine.
- Given Laios' expression, the posing, and how the positioning makes it unclear what Senshi is grabbing to hold him up, it reads a little like Laois is suffering a Hanging Wedgie while saving Marcille.
- Bittersweet Ending: The group is unable to advance in their journey after the assault by the unrelenting undine leaves Marcille severely low on mana, but she and Laios are able to recover from their respective injuries, and another adventurer party, along with an ex-party member, are likely going to meet them soon.
- Cliffhanger: The Touden Party succeed in helping Marcille regain her blood, though they now ponder how they'll get her mana up. As they think about it, another party wanders by with an ex-party member in tow.
- "Eureka!" Moment: While discussing the idea of using kelpie meat as a potential bargaining item, Laios realizes that they can give Marcille some of its liver to build up her blood and mana.
- I Regret Nothing: Senshi doesn't regret using up the mana herbs in their basilisk roast.
- Murder Water: Marcille unintentionally enrages an undine which appears as a floating ball of water. They're difficult to see when they submerge underwater and can deliver fatal shots to their targets.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Marcille pours her remaining hot water in the mystical lake, which enrages an undine who attacks her and leaves her in a critical condition that nearly jeopardizes the party's quest.
- Once More, with Clarity: Marcille thinks back to how her other party members broke off from the group after escaping the Red Dragon. This time around, we see when they leave in person (instead of just their note).
- Tactical Withdrawal: Once Marcille has recovered and is away from the lake, Laios orders his party to run away from the enraged undine.
- You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: Chilchuck has this reaction after Marcille insists on washing up before they travel on.
