I really like Lillias as a setting. It's very distinctive from the palace, both in how obviously cold it is, but also there are subtle differences in how people behave more relaxed and there's a more mix of cultures and various types of people. This volume is also a good contrast to the earlier similar plotline of Shirayuki having to solve the case of a mysterious illness happening in a confined place -- this time, she is completely separated from Zen, and while she has people who will help her like Obi and Izana, it is mostly through her own force of will and determination that she is able to push through and not only solve the mystery but also take the necessary bureaucratic steps to close off the city. It shows how much she has grown as a character, and also how much value she places on pursuing a path that will put her on a more equal level as Zen.