English Dub Review: Though I Am an Inept Villainess “I Will Make Sure to Save You”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Reirin realizes that Kenshuu’s agony is that of a curse, which gives her an understanding of Gabi’s true objective.  Reirin asks Gyoumei if she can borrow the Bow of Warding once more, but he will not heed her request.  Unable to give up, Reirin heads over alone to see Keigetsu and have the swap cancelled.  Right as she passes by Gyoumei, a certain image catches his eye…

Our Take:
It’s no surprise that everything Gabi is doing is to assassinate the person she calls her friend.  You might be wondering why she would perform these heinous deeds, not just to Kenshuu, but also to the two princesses.  Based on the seventh episode, I originally thought it was because of Gabi’s jealousy toward Kenshuu for being the empress instead of her.  For this episode, my theory about Gabi’s jealousy was spot on, but what she was jealous of has proven to be much more troubling than I thought.  It turns out that Gabi is using all her hatred towards Kenshuu to hide her grief over the loss of her newborn, while Kenshuu’s child gets to live a healthy life.  It’s a tragic yet timeless tale of friends torn apart by anger and grief.  One that would put Gabi in a scenario far worse than a mere execution.
The episode also finally shows Reirin meeting Keigetsu face-to-face for the first time since the night of the swap.  It’s been a long time coming since the first episode, especially given how few times they’ve met through telepathic fire.  Though they might not be able to reverse the swap yet, their encounter greatly increases the chances they’ll cooperate to undo the venomcraft curse with a counter-curse.  It’s a reunion that’sworth waiting for after nine episodes, especially because Reirin and Keigetsu are willing to sacrifice their dreams to expose Gabi’s treachery.  We also see Gyoumei finally recognize the switch and, like Tousetsu, he’s overwhelmed by the guilt of not realizing it sooner.  These revelations make “I Will Make Sure to Save You” a solid pivotal moment for the characters, pushing them to prioritize what truly matters over their own needs and judgment, which may aid Keigetsu on her path to redemption.