I don’t know the origin of this phrase, as I’m really only familiar with the takes on it within the Looney Tunes universe, like Space Jam. But it turns out it is pretty darn good advice for Rose in the second volume of Hello, I am a Witch and my Crush Wants me to Make a Love Potion!:
“Oh, uh, look out for that first step, doc, it’s a real lulu.”
Or, I guess to be more accurate, Lulu. Because Rose is finding all of these first steps as the intended for her beloved knight, Harij, a real lulu. And that’s even before she meets an actual Lulu, who is unlike anyone Rose has ever met before!
Rose is a witch. Witches don’t follow human laws or customs. Those are facts the novel loves to remind readers of, as even though she sells concoctions to people, Rose is rather ignorant of human society. It’s how she ends up being mistaken for a maid on her first day at Harij’s mansion and questions what a wedding dress is. As you could imagine, Harij generally just sighs at these information gaps, but even he finds his self-control tested at times since Rose isn’t used to affection!
And there’s a lot of that in this volume. There is a mystery hinted early that ends up involving the main couple (well, mainly Rose), but it’s resolved later in the story without taking up too much page time. In fact, while there are other conflicts and misunderstandings, very few drag on. This is mostly a string of episodes building up toward the wedding. And surprisingly, it avoids some of the plots you might expect like meeting Harij’s family or trying to fight into high society. While others are surprised by his choice of bride, it’s mainly Harij’s boss, Prince Yašm, who has a problem with Rose being a witch. Normally, being rejected by your significant other’s best friend would be an emotional blow, but Rose’s lack of interest in him makes Yašm even more irritated.
His hostility is one of the longest plot threads in the story, but it’s his younger sister who had the most interesting role in the novel. Unlike everyone else, Princess Lulu is a fan of witches, and her youthful enthusiasm is the perfect antithesis to the muted Rose. I can understand why Lulu wasn’t involved more considering how the story develops, but considering Lulu is passionate enough to write Rose some long letters (of which we see/hear very little about them), her appearances were fewer than I liked. If there is/will be a third volume, more Rose-Lulu interaction is what I want most.
However, I can imagine the flirting and affection between Rose and Harij will become even more brazen. That’s where Hello, I am a Witch and my Crush Wants me to Make a Love Potion! shines brightest. You hardly ever see a light novel where the couple is firmly established and lacks an epic blowout that puts their relationship on the line. Readers might even read the story with suspicion for the proverbial shoe to drop, but, happily, it never comes. That doesn’t mean things are hunky-dory between them 100% of the time, but it’s rather close to that. For Harij, he simply wants to express his love for Rose in all sorts of ways, but each new step is a giant hurdle for Rose. Which, again, in case you didn’t catch it the hundred times before, the novel reminds us she’s a witch! And witches don’t normally find someone to love and to want to spend the rest of their life with!
Despite that repetitive reminder, Hello, I am a Witch and my Crush Wants me to Make a Love Potion! volume 2 is about as rare as witches in the world. It’s not a follow-up for readers who hope Rose and Harij would be heavily involved with the world-at-large or are annoyed by couples who constantly swoon over the adorableness/handsomeness of their partner. But for those who think light novels need to more fluff and less magic or drama, this will satisfy your sweet tooth.