Emi hasn’t returned to Earth, and Chiho’s school is under attack. But when a surprising figure helps end the conflict, the gang returns only to find Ashiya and Emi’s dad gone too! Who would want the Hero, her father, and the Devil King’s #1? And why are they unable to return to Earth?
Well, you’ll only find a few answers here, mostly regarding Emi (and Alas Ramus, of course!). You will see reinforcements to Ente Isla on their way!
…But you’ll have to wait until the next volume for them to actually arrive.
The Devil is a Part-Timer! volume 16 is roughly two-thirds of Maou and the gang trying to figure out what’s going on and one-third Emi in Ente Isla. The latter is straightforward: Emi, despite being hailed as a savior, has to keep a low-profile in her homeland. Being forced to camp out makes her appreciate Japan’s modern conveniences…and those who are there (read: Maou). As she heads to her village, both Alas Ramus’ innocent questions and things she finds there lead her a little closer to the mysteries of the Yesod fragments. But Alas Ramus’ child-like behavior also jeopardizes their undercover mission.
As for the other section, Maou shows up at Chiho’s school ready to fight. And he along with his new partner Acieth are ready to push the invaders back. But when things there are quickly resolved, there’s the situation at the apartment house. Amane fortunately prevents Rika from being captured, even though how or why she’s able to do so is a mystery to Maou and others. That situation causes Rika to learn the truth about the gang, and she soon offers support as Maou and the others try to figure out how to get to Ente Isla.
Pages dedicated to Sariel swearing to protect the shopping district and such are important for characterization, but these scenes also delay Maou’s arrival in Ente Isla just enough for it to not be shown. Farewell and good luck scenes are often slow, but there’s usually an exciting payoff right after. Here, we trade that excitement for a mom-and-baby camping trip.
At least the opening scene provides much-needed hype. The mysterious figure reacts when (transformed) Maou arrives, and Maou tries out his new sword (aka Acieth). When a certain angel pops up, Acieth tries to go after him, a strong reaction from the food-obsessed Yesod spirit. This ties in well with Alas Ramus’ questions and outburst toward the end, and audiences will have fun theorizing about angels and demons.
I spotted a few instances of Emi and Rika looking as if they’ve aged-down a bit. Otherwise, the art greatly helps in a story like this to visualize all the different races/species, especially as there are hints of alliances and/or blackmail going on. Answers regarding as to why that’s happening aren’t going to come any time soon, but volume 16 is starting to put the puzzle pieces together.