Naofumi gains a new ally in Ren last episode, but episode 7 sees him getting more people to help him in the fight against the Phoenix.
Which includes a dragon.
Growing a Village
A few episodes earlier, we saw how Lulorona Village is highly vulnerable to attacks whenever Naofumi and his party leaves. And while they could easily return, it is still a serious disadvantage that the residents are defenseless.
But that’s all in the past now. With Ren settling in, the village is in more capable hands. Better yet, more people are coming in, including the alchemist Ratotile Anthreya who specializes in monsters. And her arrival is just in time, for Naofumi receives a dragon egg from Siltvelt.
In any case, the village has improved a lot compared to the first time Naofumi took lordship over it, and it will continue to improve as he gets more allies.
Their Daily Lives
This season seems to focus primarily on Naofumi getting more inhabitants for his territory, a far cry from the adventurous story of season 2, and the darker plot of season 1’s first half. But unlike the first two seasons, season 3 also fleshes out some of the recurring characters and new ones as well. Ren, naturally, is one of them, who is growing ever closer with Éclair.
Then there’s Atla and Fohl. For the first time, we finally see the face of their mother in a flashback, and Atla does indeed look like her. But more than getting to see her face, we also catch a glimpse of her relationship with her children, which as we’ve expected—caring and compassionate.
Speaking of relationship, the dynamic between the two White Tiger siblings is interesting. While Atla is the younger sibling, she’s feisty and rebellious, unlike Fohl’s rather by-the-book nature. And it’s funny how she can outsmart him, evident when she constantly sneaks out of their room to sleep in Naofumi’s, as she has fully grown attached to the Shield Hero.
Because it’s so easy to like Naofumi. He may be strict and has a rough personality, but he genuinely cares about other people, even those he doesn’t fully trust, like S’yne. But more than that, he is a fair and capable father-figure and leader to everyone.
How To Raise A Dragon
Dragons have often served as enemies in the series. In fact, one such dragon is inherently tied to Naofumi’s dark side and his Cursed Shield, almost corrupting him despite giving him unprecedented power.
But our view on dragons is about to change. With Silvelt’s gift, Naofumi has a new monster to hatch. And the process is every bit as comical as it looks, making our fearsome Shield Hero act like a human incubator.
Oddly though, Naofumi isn’t the one taking care of the dragon when it finally hatches. Wyndia, a monster-loving demihuman, acts as the dragon’s caretaker, which she names Gaelion. It is a strange setup considering that it was Naofumi who took care of its egg, and it’s obvious that Gaelion loves his master; the poor dragon is often sad that Naofumi couldn’t play with it.
Thankfully, Gaelion is finally allowed inside Naofumi’s room to deter Atla from sneaking in. However, this proves disastrous as Gaelion accidentally swallows an emperor dragon’s core, transforming him into a vicious adult.
Final Thoughts
Just like some of the episodes, episode 7 has a slice of life vibe to it, though it doesn’t bore audiences due to a lot of funny moments and focusing on several characters. In fact, it may seem that a lot is crammed into the regular 23-minute runtime, which makes the pacing quite breakneck. Nevertheless, it is an entertaining episode and sets up an interesting subplot.
Episode score: 7.5/10