#milgazia

Mostly a lot of riveting battle scenes in this update and I don’t have much in the way of profound observations. 

-Gourry needs Lina to charge up his sword. Sorry, couldn’t resist.

-Lots of foreshadowing with Luke and the Ruby-Eyed Blade and grabbing Dulgoffa.

-Gourry really does a lot of good fighting in this novel. Lina refers to him as “my man” again while watching him work, and the contrast to the comments about his stupidity at the end just seem bizarre as a result, though as Lina did specify, she does tease him about it. Perhaps she’s realized the value of having people underestimate him.

-I gotta say, I love Gourry and Milgazia battling it out to be king of the Dad humor.

-Novel Lina is rather magnanimous towards Mephy’s attitudes humans. Anime Lina wouldn’t be.

Hoping J-Novel keeps on this pace!

-“When you’re feeling shy it’s time to act domineering.” And thus we have the explanation for Mephy and Naga. I will say that people who are on one extreme of the spectrum can gravitate towards the other before learning how to navigate the middle. If they ever find out how.

-What’s with Gourry asking Lina if she has to go potty? Unless he is so observant he notices her facial expressions when she’s gotta go and when she thought about Dynast it gave her an “oh shit!” moment that he misread? I mean I think realizing they would have to face Dynast would cause most people to shit their pants, so…

-Gourry doesn’t even need to state he’ll follow Lina, it’s just assumed, but he says it anyway.

-Demons are the ultimate put your mind to it beings. That said, Gourry really isn’t interested in the complicated details but the practical bottom line.

-Milgazia panics!

-And we learn that Lina asks questions to distract herself from her terror

-Dynast sees Sherra as a tool and shows that demons feed off each other’s emotions as well, draws a parallel to how he and Greater Beast named their minions which implies that Greater Beast also sees Xellos as a tool. I find it fascinating to think of how demons structure their relationships and it does seem very pragmatic ownership with no affection from the top down and overwhelming loyalty from the bottom up.

-It is interesting that Lina has empathy for Sherra, even as she clarifies it’s not pity for Sherra but anger over what a jerk Dynast is. I wonder if having a name so similar to her sister’s is aggravating to her and she feels for Sherra as a result. And I also think it says a lot about how much Lina cares. Even when she knows that the person in question would kill her without a thought.

-Dynast called Mileena pathetic. This is unforgivable.

-Lina describes Gourry as “defiance born out of sheer foolishness.” They both use his idiocy as a cover for his effectiveness. And there is a nice throwback to her fight to win speech.

-Lina’s comment about buying Gourry’s meals indicates they still have their finances separate.

-And a lovely Gourrina moment at the end!

-Luke is an ass. And another instance of either his lack of empathy or general hard time relating to people who are closer to the civilian end of the spectrum with Maias.

-Mephy is also a bit of an ass.

-And the whole group accepts that Lina is responsible for Gourry. Everyone knows they go together.

-And Luke sure wishes he were as cozy with Mileena as Gourry is with Lina.

-Mileena seems to be trying a new tactic with Luke’s romantic advances in this novel, which is to ignore him completely. Lina notes that when she shoots him down he’s despondent but when she “leaves him hanging” he acts neglected. And this implies that he is seeking attention. There’s the whole soggy potato chip concept in child development circles, which is that if you are starving a soggy potato chip will look good. Which translates to if you never receive positive attention from someone you will settle for negative attention. Being ignored is far worse than being yelled at, scolded, hit, etc. The opposite of love is not hate but indifference. Used correctly and in the right circumstances it can be a good way to extinguish undesirable behaviors, and I think it says a lot that Mileena is embracing this approach.

-It is worth noting because of the questions over Gourry’s intelligence that he is the one who challenges the plan to go to the western tower when he notes that other places have their lights on. First, this means he can determine which way is west. Second, it means that he is smart enough to recognize when new information means changing the plan. Gourry also successfully breaks the ice with the palace soldiers. Mileena takes it from there with the plan to be arrested but to keep their weapons and gear so they can find Jade.

Still, both he and Lina almost seem to be colluding to spread the he’s an idiot narrative. And I tend to suspect they do it to give him a tactical advantage.

-Adding confusion to the timeline, General Allus says the fire in book 7 was a year ago. Granted, given the circumstances, General Allus might not have the best memory at the moment. Lina runs with the whole it happens a year ago thing.

-You go Milgazia! You help that captain find his power! Milgazia is awesome!

-I really wish we could see Mianzo animated. So creepy!

-OMG! I loved this chapter so much and had so much fun reading it! For the first time you see Lina team up with good guys who are much stronger than her and the conflicts that results, particularly in the dynamic with her relationship with Mephy. There is also a lot of good world building in this chapter, from information about dragons and elves, to how the first Incarnation War started, to Zanafa armor and chaos words.

-I’m not sure if this has been clarified before, but just in case, it does specify that Milgazia is the leader of the dragons at Dragon’s Peak. We can also deduce that he is at least 1000 years old, likely older, as he provides first hand testimony about the first Incarnation War.

-Also of note, dragon’s lose the need to eat as they get older and absorb ambient energy.

-Elves have good night vision apparently and can see well even on a moonless night.

-Mephy’s full name is given as Memphys Rhinesword. Her nickname is Mephy and she refuses to let Lina call her by her nickname in this chapter. And while not explicitly stated, I do have to wonder if the inferiority complex Lina has with her sister replays in her relationship with Mephy.

-Milgazia gives an overview of what he knows about the history of the Incarnation War, and it is good fanfic fodder as well as things to think about with Dynast and Gaav’s minions currently infiltrating Dils. You also get more of a feel for the Mazoku’s strategy of dividing humanity and diverting their attention from important matters. Finally, it looks like Aqualord Ragradia was specifically targeted.

-Specifies that Hellmaster’s priest had already been destroyed when the war broke out. Xellos then decimated the dragons and weakened the people fighting for the gods. Then Shabby was revived. Gaav fell, then Hellmaster’s general, and then the Aqualord sealed Shabby in ice as he died.

-Talks about the existence of dwarves but Milgazia says their numbers have dwindled and they are unlikely to be much help.

-Specifies that Lina slew Shabby the for the first time two years ago.

-Gourry casually drops the information that they took down Shabby together, causing much surprise with Milgazia, Memphys, Luke and Mileena. Luke is disbelieving and Mileena is all, “I don’t think he’s the type to lie though…” I just loved this scene to pieces.

-So, legit, when I was reading the part when Mephy was freaking out when she learned how Lina had taken down Shabby with a Giga Slave combined with Gorun Nova, “Always a Woman” just happened to be playing, and I could not think of a more perfect song for the moment.

-It’s worth noting that Milgazia is stunned speechless when he learns that Lina had taken down Shabby and how she’d done it, and despite the danger of her methods he still asks her and Gourry for help with the current situation. Perhaps Milgazia, being older than Mephy, is aware that desperate situations calls for desperate measures or perhaps he thinks that since she has been so successful he might as well take the risk. Whatever his reasons, it does say a lot that despite the danger of her methods he still asks her for help.

-Milgazia offers weapons developed by dragons and elves in exchange for their assistance.

-Luke is the one who grumbles about working for free. Mileena glares him into it.

-Lina knows she has to help, but doesn’t want to, which is really indicative of her attitude to trouble after the Hellmaster mess. “I gotta do it. But I don’t wanna…”

-We get some interesting thoughts from Milgazia about the differences between living creatures and demons. He suggests that “living creatures” are more adaptable than demons, as in living creatures grow and mature and develop while demons do not.

-Given how Lina is portrayed in the anime, there is something amusing about Lina being aghast at Mephy’s casual destruction of the inn.

-Gourry mentions he signed the inn logbook, along with Lina, Luke and Mileena (once again this is evidence that Gourry can write, granted, in some societies a person’s name was the only thing they could write). I guess Lina never noticed Luke and Mileena’s last names while perusing a logbook though.

-The first time the demons specifically seem to be looking for Lina.

-Milgazia says that it is unlikely for demons to be motivated by sentimental emotions like a desire for revenge after Gourry suggests they may want revenge for Lina killing Sherra, and Lina agrees.

We are so close to getting the first 15 officially translated! So exciting!

-Yeah, the Mazoku in the second arc definitely would fit right in with a horror movie.

-Lina is a bit interesting with defending Gourry with the big lizard comments, saying he doesn’t mean harm with them.

-Yeah, Memphys is the walking force of destruction in the novels

-Merry Master Mil! The dragon humor and his interactions with Gourry are hilarious!

-We are definitely seeing signs of Lina’s battle fatigue and how she does not like being the Mazoku magnet.

-I can’t stop laughing thinking about Milgazia sitting there, stone faced while Lina talked to the waitress, wondering if she really did have a twin sister.

-Wow, Milgazia hits Lina hard with pointing out the hostage thing, especially since he knows how Hellmaster drew Lina to Sairaag the last time. He knows a bit more then he lets on I suspect!

-And Lina must be very triggered. And as @savvyliterate pointed out, she no longer thinks of this as her history and her victimization, she thinks of it as her and Gourry’s history and victimization. Their we-ism is strong by this point. These types of shared experiences are the things that create a strong glue between people.

-I greatly appreciate the fan translation of novel 15. I also have to say, this all makes so much more sense now!

Gungnir Knight is now the official translation of Gunginiel Knight…and I have to update a bunch of fics.

-OK, so this clarifies that it was a woman of the royal family in Saillune who organized raiding parties against the demons, which leads me to think Amelia was behind this and not Naga. It also clarifies that there is only one Knight of Ceifeed and not a group of people known as the Ceiphied Knights in Zephilia and that the Eternal Queen’s special forces were dispatched with her. Lina does leave the question of the accuracy of the rumors open though.

-I do sort of wonder if this is where Lina learned where Gourry is from. He hears the rumors about the Gungnir Knights and how much he knows about them ends up betraying him.

-Oh, I’m actually happy to know that Rubia was staying in her own shop rather than that big empty mansion with all the memories of Halciform.

-Lina references being a former sorcerer’s assistant where she likely helped to cultivate herbs used for sorcery.

-Lina and Gourry geeking out over the greenhouse is simply wonderful. And I wonder what price Lina would make Gourry pay… ;-)

-Damn, Xellos just held Milgazia’s spell, that was hurting another demon, in his hand and negated it like it was water.

-Xellos does not seem to want Lina to tell on him to Greater Beast about him not paying her back for the coppers. Granted I wouldn’t see why she would care…

-Damn, Xellos hits Lina with a one helluva guilt trip over the greenhouse.

-Regarding Xellos’s appearance, I want to clarify that I like Xellos. Unlike a lot of his fans though I like him as a demon who does not have human emotions or sentiments and strongly feel that the novels and interviews reinforce that. And his appearance in novel 15 has only cemented that for me. I strongly disagree with the tendency to view his behavior and the behavior of other demons through a human lens (though I think that given that part of his duties seem to be fooling humans into believing that he is human, he succeeds rather well in that regard to his credit).

In this chapter we see that some demons, likely those aligned with the Demon King of the North, are trying to kill Lina and Gourry while others, those likely aligned with Luke, are trying to lead them to Luke. The former attack Lina and Gourry, the latter, such as the red muscle demon, defend them. Xellos’s actions are consistent with the latter group, and thus with Greater Beast.

He makes a comment about emphasizing with the bat from an old story, and I checked with a Japanese fan, Yuu-san, who kindly explained that this is a reference to a well known bit of Japanese folklore. The birds and beasts started fighting with each other and the bats would go between the two and side with whoever had the upper hand. She also explained that the term “bat-bastard” refers to someone who does not take a side and behaves well.

So what I assume is that Xellos and Greater Beast are siding with Luke because he is stronger at the moment and not because they sympathize with him or agree with him. Given that power is a big factor in relationships among Mazoku this makes sense. They are drawn to whoever is more powerful at the moment even if they don’t agree with the plan to bring Lina and Gourry to Luke.

He does not want to fight Bradu, and he has good reasons for this which he brings up. The demon race has had a bad run and he doesn’t want to lose anymore of them. And Bradu agrees with the reasoning and flees, and thus Xellos is able to do his part to ensure that Lina and Gourry get to Luke safely. By his actions I would say he is clearly aligned with Greater Beast here.

As for his comment about being neutral, I think it’s more of a reference to not agreeing on a personal level more with the Demon King of the North or Luke but siding with whoever has the upper hand. I think it’s obvious Xellos does not like the situation the demon race finds themselves in, and truly it does suck for them.

In the end, I’m not seeing any evidence that Xellos can go against Greater Beasts’ orders, or that there’s human or familial sentiment between him and Greater Beast.

If anything I see the inklings that Xellos might be similarly as fearful of Greater Beast as Sherra is of Dynast. This is speculation and there are other possible explanations, but I wonder if Greater Beast had ordered that when Xellos interacts with humans he better ensure he’s never in their debt or something similar.

I think the Mazoku in the Slayersverse are fascinating because they aren’t human and to me it is very clear that HK intended them to have different ways to relating to each other. There are certain rules I’ve gleaned from this (perhaps I’ll write that up sometime later in the future). I think it is fascinating to think of and untapped potential basically.

-And I also have to say, the tension between Xellos and Lina, Gourry, Milgazia and Mephy is something else. Lina and co are terrified of him and doing what they can to get at him. Milgazia is rather brave with confronting him. When he leaves Lina “wipes the cold sweat” forming on her brow. He is a very effective enemy.