Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation – 13 – Behind the Magic Eight Ball

This week’s first half or so consists of watching the same day as last week, only from the perspective of Roxy. She and two of the Fangs of the Black Wolf are canvassing the town, looking for clues as to the location of Paul’s family. It’s always nice to spend time with Roxy! Alas, her fear of Superds leads her to inadvertently avoid Rudy and Eris, and she just misses Rudy as he’s dealing with his Demon Eye.

Roxy’s Dwarven traveling companion Talhand seems amicable enough…while Elinalise quickly demonstrates her love of group sex with brigands she met in an alley. Thankfully the episode doesn’t slut-shame Elina, who is instead portrayed as a tough-ass adventurer who knows what she wants. Instead she’s used as an extreme contrast to the extremely chaste Roxy and her storybook romantic ideals.

Rudy had similar storybook designs for his sea voyage with Eris, including being shipwrecked alone together on a remote island, gradually falling in love and starting a new life there. Alas, the ship doesn’t crash, but Eris does get horribly seasick. Thankfully (I seem to say that a lot with this show), Rudy keeps his hands to himself and merely helps reduce Eris’ discomfort with healing.

Of course, Rudy and Eris took one ship while Ruijerd was smuggled aboard another by Gallus. When they arrive in the new city (I believe the same one Roxy & Co. are headed next), Rudy is escorted to the smugglers’ hideout to pick Ruijerd up. There, he learns all manner of despicable things, including that among the smugglers’ “goods” are six beast children, one of whom is killed for crying too much.

When Rudy meets him in his cell, Ruijerd tells him that in order to liberate the children, they’ll most likely have to kill all of the smugglers. But Rujerd isn’t worried about the reputation of Superds in this instance; he simply cannot abide these criminals hurting kids, and so tells Rudy he won’t have to dirty his hands. Most of the carnage occurs off-camera as Rudy locates and heals the children, who hiss at him at first, but as he can speak their language they decide trusting him is better than staying.

They’re all home free back on the surface when the kids mention the dog that was left behind. Rudy tells Ruijerd to watch the kids while he goes back to the dungeon. There, he frees a giant white dog that thanks him by pouncing on him and licking him. Rudy is luxuriating in the beast’s wonderfully fluffy fur when he’s interrupted by two demihuman warriors.

One of them heads to the city, following the children’s scent, while the younger of the two takes the giant dog and Rudy to their village, where Rudy will be given the “ultimate punishment” for the crime of “fondling the Sacret Beast”. Neither Rudy nor Roxy had much good luck this week, but even if he can’t clear things up with these tribal beast people, once their kids return home perhaps they’ll vouch for him.

Arte – 08 – Finding Her Footing

After assuring Angelo and Darcia that she’ll be back, Arte prepares to step into Yuri’s wagon and the next chapter of her life. Before she does, Leo impresses upon her the importance of using that chapter to think more seriously on how she wants to make her way in the world, and whether that aligns with her continued apprenticeship with him.

Arte is certainly excited by her impending adventure, but can’t hide the worry in her face. Was she only ever holding Leo back from his work? Would he prefer if she didn’t return? Matters aren’t helped when Yuri presents her a portable altarpiece Leo told him to give to her, and she can’t help but see it as a parting gift.

One little check back on Leo sitting alone in his workshop makes it clear he’s become accustomed enough to Arte that’s it’s suddenly “too quiet” for him. Once on a boat to Venice, Arte is impressed by everyone else’s ability to not only stand and walk steadily on the heaving deck, but spar on it as well.

Alas, Arte finds herself on unsteady footing both physically and emotionally, as she can’t stop thinking in circles about Leo. That’s when she forgets she’s on a boat, where everyone must be responsible for their personal safety, gets up too fast, gets woozy, and falls overboard.

She wakes up warm and dry, in new clothes Yuri and his servant put on her (though Yuri assures her he has “no interest” of that kind young girls like her), and Yuri reveals he’s known Arte has been worried about having been a burden to Leo, but finds her so fascinating to watch that he let her be.

While that almost resulted in her accidental drowning, Yuri tells Arte that she worries needlessly. Leo didn’t discourage her from returning beacause she’s in his way, but because he might be in her way. As a noblewoman, she’ll have more opportunities (like this one) that he didn’t as a former beggar, and that she shouldn’t overlook them out of deference to him.

When the boat arrives in Venice, Arte is overwhelmed and delighted by all the new sights and sounds, the diversity of people all over the world—and how good Venetians are at balancing on boats! She’s also wowed by Yuri’s impressive collection of Oriental objets d’arte

While there’s a lot of exciting new things for her to see, Arte shows Venice some new things too, like a noblewoman carrying a heavy chest up four flights, or shaking the hand of a handmaiden while politely declining her service. She projects modernity and confidence even a former tutor warns her that Yuri’s niece is “unmanagable.”

When Arte finally meets Yuri’s sister-in-law Sofia, she can’t help but agree with his belief that she’s one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her daughter Katarina is equally striking, like a delicate shy fine doll hiding behind her mother’s skirt. But she’s only shy when Sofia and Yuri are around.

Once it’s just her and Arte, Katarina reveals her true willful nature, haughtily reproaching Arte for her unrefined activities since arriving and expressing much doubt she’ll be any different from the previous tutors. Having heard all she cares to know about Arte, Katarina curls up for a nap, warning Arte not to wake her.

Looks like her usual method of simply being nice and friendly ain’t gonna cut it for Arte. She may now be on (relatively) dry land, but finding her footing with this young lady may prove far tougher than lugging heavy loads up four flights!