With Menou and Akari now in Garm, the time has come for Akari to meet her fate. Meanwhile, Momo discovers something unsettling.
Menou makes a gift for Momo
This episode continues the adaptation of the fourth chapter of the light novel, titled “At the Ancient Capital”. The first part of the episode pretty much offers up the same experience as the light novel – Menou and Akari’s little sightseeing trip, and their stop for gifts. They meet with Orwell, before we switch over to Momo’s perspective.
Momo is less than thrilled about her reunion with Ashuna
Here’s a quirk of translation that I’m not particularly a fan of in either light novel or anime: the nickname Momo gives to Ashuna. The light novel translation opts for “Princess-poo”, whilst the anime goes for “Little Princess”. She’s saying “Hime-chan” in Japanese (edit: It’s “Hime-chama” that she’s saying), which I honestly prefer. However, seems both translations are avoiding Japanese honorifics, so I can see why they went with what they did. That’s a personal thing, I’d definitely take the anime’s “Little Princess” over “Princess-poo”, given the choice, though.
Momo’s ribbons were a gift from Menou
The anime deviates from the light novel slightly after Momo reunites with Ashuna. The subject of her ribbons doesn’t come up at this point in the light novel – in fact, it had been touched upon earlier. I wonder if we’re only ever going to get bits and pieces of flashbacks centred around Momo in the anime…
Akari cheerfully awaits her fate
Compared to the light novel, some events have been shifted around slightly. Akari going to the altar, and Momo and Akari discovering that secret under the royal palace do play out at more or less the same time, so it’s not like the order of events the anime offers up her make any kind of meaningful difference to what we get from the light novel.
Archbishop Orwell reveals her plot
This episode wraps up with Orwell revealing her hand, and Momo and Ashuna facing down a dragon and a demon. This stuff is in line with the light novel once more, although this adaptation still hasn’t reached the end of the fourth chapter just yet.
As such, I’m expecting plenty of action in the next episode.
This episode, though, is great. Of course, having read the light novel, I already knew what to expect, but it was great to see Orwell’s reveal animated. When it comes down for it, this episode is pretty much all set up for a mid-season climax. Doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy what was on offer, here, though.
It’s great to see Ashuna again, and the fact she’ll be fighting alongside Momo is something to look forward to.
Good setup episode here, I have particularly high hopes for the next one.
Rory Muses 
–Here’s a quirk of translation that I’m not particularly a fan of in either light novel or anime: the nickname Momo gives to Ashuna. The light novel translation opts for “Princess-poo”, whilst the anime goes for “Little Princess”. She’s saying “Hime-chan” in Japanese–
actually, she was saying “hime chama” which is a super mocking way of saying it. it’s like an even more childish way of saying “chan”. I believe it’s a matter of that’s how really young kids say it before they can properly pronounce things. Could also be a combination of “sama” and “chan”. “sama” being a very typical way to mock someone…except when used properly to refer to people of very high level of respect. But it’s not something you’d normally use for someone.
I do not know if the original light novel also did this, but this is definitely what the anime was saying.