The Apothecary Diaries Volume 6

Title: The Apothecary Diaries 薬屋のひとりごと Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, “Apothecary’s Soliloquy”

Volume: 6

Mangaka: by Natsu Hyuuga (Author), Nekokurage (Author), Itsuki Nanao (Compiler), Touco Shino (Designer)

Translator: Julie Goniwich

US Publisher: Square Enix Manga

Age Relevance: High School & Up

How Essential Is It?: Essential

Curricular Connections?: Medicine, Critical Thinking

Reader’s Advisory Tags: Mystery, Romance, Based on Imperial China, Seinen

Anime: Crunchyroll (Second Season Confirmed!)

Content Warnings: Allusions to sex, poison, violence, sexually transmitted disease

Publisher Synopsis: Maomao has proven her worth to the denizens of the palace time and time again, but she’s got her work cut out for her on this occasion!

When the ever luminous Jinshi asks for Maomao’s help in disguising himself to take care of business outside the palace walls, Maomao must dig deep to mar her employer’s heavenly charms! And to make the ploy believable, Maomao herself is roped in to a spot of theater as Jinshi’s companion.

But Jinshi’s “business” takes him right to the gates of the pleasure district! Has all Maomao’s hard work been for a mere assignation, or is there another mystery afoot?

Review:

While volume 5 was the setup, volume 6 is all of the payoff. Starting off with a request from Jinshi to disguise his gorgeous looks so he can make a meeting, this volume sees Maomao and Jinshi head into town. Various revelations about Maomao’s past unfold- Lakan, the scheming military official from volume 5, is Maomao’s father. Her mother was a Verdigris courtesan who was devalued by Lakan, and now she lays in a bed, completely overtaken by syphilis. It seems Lakan has taken an interest in his daughter, but Maomao treats this interest with absolute disgust and contempt.

There’s little time to contemplate this revelation, though, as Maomao quickly pieces together that a series of fires and other mysteries she has solved are actually part of an overarching plot to harm a member of the Imperial Family. Sprinting to prevent a horrible incident, Maomao is violently struck by a guard when she mouths off, only for Lakan to show up to her aid. Managing to knock the target of the attack from harm’s way just in time, Maomao looks up to find that it is Jinshi she has protected. The volume ends on a cliffhanger as Maomao falls unconscious in Jinshi’s arms.

This volume is a palpable stakes-raising, and readers start to get a better sense of who both Jinshi and Maomao are within the world of the series. This is ultimately where the plot thickens, making it a memorable volume for fans of the series.