Connie has managed to avoid being branded as a criminal thanks to her display at the ball, but “she” wasn’t behind her stunning legal drama-style reversal: she was possessed by the by the ghost of the kingdom’s notoriously wicked woman! Now Scarlett wants repayment for the incident, but of course, money means little to a spirit. But revenge? Now that’s a different story!
…If only Scarlett knew who to take revenge on.
I checked, and The Holy Grail of Eris‘ first manga volume covered about 38 pages of its source material. Volume 2 covers about 56. That can be considered a significant increase, but some readers who are just following the manga may feel like that number will be higher. Volume 1 was basically limited to one long (but important!) scene, but in volume 2, quite a bit happens. Connie is formally introduced to Scarlett, declared her minion, goes on her first investigation, and meets her former fiancé. Plus, Connie is visited from her best friend, has the image of her idols crushed, and is preparing for the next step in her assignment. That’s quite a list considering volume 1 is pretty much just Connie being possessed and avoiding a scandal!
So some readers may prefer the slower, more deliberate pace of volume 1. Especially since while Connie is guilted by both Scarlett and her own conscience to helping the dead girl out, it’s still quite a jump for her to put on disguises and pretend she’s a maid and then a nun.
Still, though, fans get a better feel for the direction of where The Holy Grail of Eris is headed, especially since Connie and Scarlett uncover their first major clue. But just as important as discovering the mastermind behind Scarlett’s death is the interaction between her and Connie. Villainess stories are in no shortage in Japanese fiction, but few have heroines/protagonists who so fully lean into the trope. And Momoyama absolutely takes advantage of that with Scarlett’s visuals — her haughty laughs, snooty grins, brusque dismissals, narrowed eyes. And yet there are times when the bossy queen bee is on the defensive, including losing to Connie’s sincerity. Signs of friendship start to bloom, but between Scarlett’s expression and being able to float around, you really feel the yuri undertones between the two.
But based on the cover (and in the next volume preview), you probably can assume this won’t be a girl x girl story. Who he is and the role he plays in the tale will seem perhaps the hastiest part of the manga. I kind of wish the cover and the next volume preview had chosen a different character/excerpt and kind of played him up a bit, but oh well. The Holy Grail of Eris volume 2 still has many redeeming traits, and all in all, this is an example of a light novel-to-manga done right.