This series just gets lovelier with every volume. I love the conclusion of the action-packed Sea of Claws arc. The reason why the *handsome* young lad was chasing after Shirayuki was revealed and it's quite endearing. We get to see Shirayuki and Zen get closer, only for Shirayuki to look on below, on the commoner level, as Zen fulfills his royal duties from above, which is always an excellent way to demonstrate the vast gap in status between two people hoping to be a little more than acquaintances. There were also what I would classify as "filler" chapters in this volume, though they do add to fleshing out the side characters and are a fun read. We get to see just how deep Mitsuhide's absolute loyalty to Zen runs, but we also get Obi and Kiki bringing him back down to earth in a style very adherent to their individual personalities.