This volume of The Devil is a Part-Timer! is a bit of an odd duck. Technically, not much happens. There are no epic showdowns, shocking revelations, or new antagonists. With Laila being formally introduced, this would normally be the time for the big picture to come into focus, to learn just what she (as well as the enemy) is planning. But with neither Emi nor Maou anxious or willing to talk to Laila, all those pieces of the puzzle are left ungathered.
On one hand, that’s disappointing. As a reader I want to know more about the Sephirah, the angels, and the connection between Earth and Ente Isla. There has to be a reason why Laila’s been flittering here and there for all these years, rescuing a young Satan and leaving her baby girl. Whatever the cause, you won’t find it here. This book is almost exclusively showing the characters talking, but yet very few mysteries are clearer here than in the previous volume.
So with all the characters just chatting, it’s easy to consider volume 12 filler. Yet it’s more than just watching the MgRonald crew kick off their delivery service or Emi hanging out with a couple of friends. Volume 12 is very character-driven, cementing the developments that have been building since the first chapter. The most significant changes are found in Emi. Her burning desire for revenge has ebbed ever since she was the Devil King working at a fast food joint and mostly disappeared once Nord appeared. Now she’s starting to think about what she, Emi, not Emilia the Hero, wants to do. Even when the story isn’t following her point-of-view, Emi is usually on everyone’s mind as she takes some time to think. Whether she (and Maou) should have let Laila say her piece will probably spark some discussion among readers.
I’ve mentioned this in the last couple of volumes, but characters like Ashiya continue to play second fiddle. Everyone else is mostly circling around the Maou-Laila-Emi situation. The truly important discussion happens at the end between the two main characters; for everyone else, it’s a waiting game. Emeralda, for instance, worries about Emi while Urushihara whines about magical energy being stored in his closet instead of being put to use as a power source. There are a few conversations about the Sephirah and other magical mysteries, but I’m sure the few tidbits will be revisited in the next volume and beyond.
So while The Devil is a Part-Timer! isn’t quite ready to move on to the next stage just yet, volume 12 does well as a sort-of season finale for the series. The author is keeping plenty of cards close to his chest to make you return, but seeing how far the leads have come since that first volume fills you with a warmth.