Assassins Pride

Episode 10

Intrigue concerning Melida Angel is one of the foundations of the series' premise, so the series would have been remiss if it hadn't returned to that following the three-episode jaunt to Sangrata. Indeed, the episode wastes no time in finally getting to an issue that probably should have come up sooner: that Melida Angel's mana signature not aligning with Paladin class is mightily suspicious. (Presumably this is because such signatures are hereditary?) Hence a cabal of nobles has taken it upon themselves to eliminate Melida before any whiff of a scandal can break out. A couple of familiar faces are present among that bunch, too. The one mild surprise about this otherwise-uninspired turn of events is that Melida's nominal father, the Duke, doesn't seem to be involved in it and may even be oblivious to it. In fact, he actually displays something close to genuine parental concern about Melida, even if it is also clear that he does not in the slightest understand her wishes and feelings.

And hence the plot unfolds. What's not at all clear at this point is whether this Guild Grimfice is the group of masked people or not. The latter's dialog seemed to be targeted at Melida directly, so endangering Elise as well would seem strange. That masked figure is certainly part of their plot, and using him is a sly move; even if he seems quite suspicious himself, just bringing the matter up in such a bold way will put the thought about Melida's illegitimacy back in people's heads. Getting people to have doubts at first will make the job of discrediting her easier later on. But that seems pointless if they are also trying to get her killed in the Vibria Goat excursion. Not sure of what to make yet of the return of the two girls from St. d'Autriche – Mule and Salacha – and their involvement in this. They ended up getting chummy with Melida and Elise back during the La Lumiere affair, so them coming to help out in the Labyrinth wouldn't be out of line. But how did they know to go there and that the two girls would be in trouble? Salacha was involved in the masked meeting because her brother was a central figure, but what about Mule?

Why the name of the library is what it is also raises some questions. The naming conventions for the series have been erratic, and associating Goat with a library makes little sense unless it's intended as an anagram for “greatest of all time.” If it's got millions of volumes then it could certainly fit that description. The mazelike nature of it, while interesting, is a standard fantasy library gimmick, and the undead librarians is an interesting idea even if it does seem a bit counterproductive.

The fight scenes still leave a lot to be desired, but the one continuing positive is Melida's continuing development into a more confident individual. That's what's keeping this series afloat on an entertainment and quality level even as it is very mediocre otherwise.

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Assassins Pride is currently streaming on Crunchyroll and HIDIVE.