English Dub Review: From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman “The Old Country Bumpkin Guards a Princess”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
The Vice Commander of the Holy Order of the Church of Sphene is Beryl’s former student, Rose, and he renews his ties with her.  When the delegation arrives, Beryl is assigned to guard two royal families as they tour the capital.  But a shadow looms over what is supposed to be a joyous event.

Our Take:
Beryl has found himself in another tight spot as his latest mission reunites him with yet another former student he trained: Rose Marbleheart.  Of course, this also means that Allucia has another rival for Beryl’s heart, despite the age difference being a significant detractor.  Rose happens to be the Vice Commander of the Order of Sphene, arriving in Baltrain to welcome a delegation from Sphenedyardvania.  Yes, it’s a difficult name to spell out, and no, I don’t have much energy to pronounce it correctly.  Along with Commander Gatoca, Rose is tasked with protecting the third princess of Sphenedyardvania, Salacia, and Prince Glenn, with Allucia, Beryl, and Henbritz accompanying them.  Unfortunately, it’s far from a simple task, especially when a group of assassins arrives to crash this harmless tour.
Considering the show’s concept, it’s unsurprising that the episode tried to include at least one more former female student in the mix before the season concludes.  Rose may seem like another worthy fighter amid her cute and perky personality.  However, her deadly approach in dealing with one of the assassins proves otherwise, as her dishonorable murder has raised more questions about the Vice Commander compared to Beryl’s other students.  If that’s the case, it could give the season an extra push in intrigue towards the end, but whether it pays off remains uncertain.
Additionally, the series still struggles with the direction of the sluggish CGI effects in its violence, particularly during the characters’ confrontations with the assassins.  While mostly tolerable, it further demonstrates why 2D animation remains the preferred method for highlighting stylized action in the medium.  Besides that, it’s an okay set-up for what could be Beryl’s final task for him to conquer this season.  The only reason for its tolerability was Beryl’s growing relationship with Mewi, who had grown more confident in communicating with her guardian, especially when she asked him for help with her textbooks.  The fact that the moments between Beryl and Mewi are more interesting than Beryl’s bodyguard duties shows how the later half of the series didn’t impress me as much as it should.