#obyuki

[obiyuki-beebs]

masterpost

All of the obiyuki content by le me. I had this on its own page for a while but having a link no one sees is much less effective than sharing ...... a pOsT! Ta dah! 

I sincerely hope you enjoy my mad ramblings.

Graphs n shit

Shipping panel count / graphs to illustrate change *

Fics

all exceedingly short, wee!

stuff n things - compilation of event submissions but on ao3

gothic lit au

cinders underfoot: ao3 link 

unspeakable things: prequel to cinders underfoot (coming soon ... eventually..)

chronic illness au

harry potter au

hacker au

less we say one

less we say two

Discussions n Asks

ignore these hehe

Theory on the original hair pin from Obi *

Ch 66 basically just squee about how cute they are

Ch 86 thought re glow stone *

Ch 90 SUPER feels *

Ch 115 ObiYuki *

Ch 115 theorizing *

Ch 116 Theorizing n Discussion

Foreshadowing? Heavy discussion *

Theory on what Liera is up to at the balls / lead up to 119 knights ball *

Parallels HisaMitsuKiki ObiZenYuki, link to another post *

ObiYuki endgame!? / some foreshadowing discussion *

ObiYuki endgame traction

ObiYuki I understand the fear of believing this too hard

Shirayuki uncomfortable alone with Zen!? *

Shirayuki doubts and development? *

Shirayuki finding out Obi loves her because of the perfume!? *

- pt 2 / revisited here

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Ask box is open but I am le sleepy

[obiyuki-beebs]

AAAAHHHHHH

Volume7 came in the mail  ♡♪~ ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ

[fairytales-magic]

@onoheiwa replied to your post:

Girl you are the reason Obyuki went from being simply “aw how sweet, but Zen x Shirayuki forever” to a full-on guilty pleasure ship!

[bubblesthemonsterartist]

#JOANNA WHY MUST YOU PERSIST#I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU WANT PAIN#OR PORN#obyuki#ans ( @sabraeal )

[sabraeal]

Shirayuki hopes being rescued by princes is not becoming a habit.

[obiyuki-beebs]

Your blog is my favorite!! Your posts give me hope for obiyuki! Do you think Shirayuki is at least starting to have doubts about her relationship with Zen? Do you think this will factor in later on in the arc?

(☆ω☆)  Hi and thank you SO MUCH! That makes me very happy.

I wasn’t expecting much in starting it -- it’s still a very new blog (3 months? ish). After watching the show, I binged the manga twice and the whole time I Just CouLD NOT stop the internal commentary to myself. That’s when I decided to share! I know I’m late to the fandom ..... so just having followers and people I regularly interact with is *super enriching.*

I love sharing my thoughts. I love seeing peoples reactions. I love finding other great content to share. Adzuki has created an amazing story and world for us to fall into and it’s been so lovely exploring it with you all.

I hope that I can continue to live up to standards in the future! 

not that we’re grading I’m just a self loathing perfectionist don’tmindthispart ughanxiety  ( ಠ ͜ʖ ಠ)

Okay!

I do think she is having doubts, and the reasons why are

1) her insanely close relationship to Obi 

-and- 

2) this scene in Ch 112:

Shirayuki is surprised that Zen thinks she hasn’t changed (she honestly looks let down in the panel where he says it) and this disquiet keeps her from reacting to his kiss. Zen picks up on this and that’s why her eyes being open is significant. 

Zen (through no fault of his own) has not been around to see the path she has been taking and the way it’s changed her. I don’t think he understands her character as she is now. She is proud of who she’s become and the fact that she is visibly disappointed by him saying that is ..... telling.

Idk  I have too much to say for one ask .... will return to this topic

Re doubts factoring into the arc ...I absolutely believe that Obi’s love will factor into a main arc of the story at some point, and that Shirayuki’s doubts and new notice of Obi will be the catalyst to resolving such an arc. 

Obi is not just in love with her. They are as close as you can get to a friend, in the way that they understand and see each other in the soul-sense.

Imagine ... there is something deep down inside of me, a buried part of myself, that I recognize in you. That is an incredibly powerful and bonding type of love. I’ve discussed it before. Honestly I think I bring it up every time I talk about their friendship. ? sorry (not)

I think that kind of feeling is the foundation for the perfection relationship. So just keep that in mind IRL and you’re wondering if the relationship you’re in is good and right for you. YOU ALL DESERVE THE BEST. HOLD OUT!

Back to AnS.....

ObiYuki must be addressed. Shirayuki is just recently starting to really see Obi as a man. She witnessed that he is sought after as a marriage partner (twice! the sister of the knight and then the knight who wanted to pair them! obi was holding shirayukis WRIST DURING THE SECOND ONE!!!!!). She blushes when she overhears him saying she is the most beautiful person in Lyrias. She CRIES when they are literally pretending to be in love and gazing into each others eyes with mere inches between them!!!!!! Gnah! GLASKDJFLKSJ!!!!!!!

I JUST

(╮°-°)╮┳━━┳ ( ╯°o°)╯ ┻━━┻

I LOVE OBIYUKI!!!!!

I mean... especially being so new to the manga, I was able to read almost the whole thing (1-114) without ANY delay. I got to experience so much of it with context and was able to consider the relationships with 114 chapters to peruse as I pondered. My personal conclusion is that Obi is not some secondary shoujo love interest that will be tossed to the side easily.

thank you so much for the ask, anon!

<3 le beebs !!!

[obiyuki-beebs]

I found this in chapter 56 and I thought it was kinda interesting. While Zen is comforting Shirayuki as she's crying, Mitsuhide says,"But this is about Zen and Shirayuki. I don't think this sudden distance is a big problem. It's not like being apart would cause their existence to become smaller in each other's lives." Maybe it's foreshadowing they will separate? What are your thoughts on this? Do you think ObiYuki still has a chance or is it just the author toying with us?

hi anon!!  (￣ω￣)

Short answer:

Yes, Whoaboy get ready I have some THOUGHTS, YESS!! and No.

I have been sitting on this ask for a long time sorry for le wait

The vast majority of this post is below the cut. I hope it is not too much / addresses what you meant. 

Here are some notes before I subject whoever reads this to my madness:

These little moments of “It’s okay to do what you want to do” always strike me, and I think about them when I’m considering Zen v Obi endgame because it opens up the possibility that things can change.

Yes it’s a shojo and shojo protagonists tend to stick with their initial love interest... blah blah blah. I don’t think this preconceived notion of how shojo manga ‘always goes’ is a valid point anymore.

So .... I think the comments we are both thinking of usually refer to Shirayuki’s Path and how she must be able to Stand By Zen’s Side as an Ally, etc. So I’ll kind of be thinking of this from the angle of a Journey. 

Everything discussed is also after The Play We Believe is Foreshadowing (except for the panels pulled from ch 9 and 20) which I think should be considered for the context of the plot. 

If it is actually foreshadowing for an eventual Obi & Shirayuki story arc -- which tbh we might be in the midst of (currently) at ch 117 without realizing it -- then it’s relevant to how we frame the comments made afterwards. At the end of the day, Akizuki-sensei is an author. She is telling us a story. I think it’s reasonable to seek out clues to foreshadowing in fictional stories. So I’m operating under a 90% certainty that the play is foreshadowing.

I have found that the best (fictional) stories are ones that have been planned carefully. I have no way of verifying if AnS has been so precisely crafted to weave in so much foreshadowing that we speculate over, but damn it sure feels like it was. 

The manga was originally just the first chapter, so we can assume that after writing that chapter and deciding to make it into a series, there was some planning done.

ANyway............... strong speculation ahead. I think I was ~60% thorough in my search to find material relevant to Foreshadowing of a Separation.

Please enjoy! 

1) So we’ll start with a panel from ch 9, 

where Zen is considering his relationship with Shirayuki and his growing crush. 

This panel is, as stated above, part of the story that Akizuki expanded on after the original one-shot. In the first chapter, we get a lot of cute fate-chitchat between Zen and Shirayuki, but I think -- after deciding to continue the story -- Akizuki changed the tone to allow for more character development, and to challenge the Fate tropes often seen in romance. 

Thus, the statement above from Zen that they may not always be together.

foreshadowing ?!   ( ˙▿˙ )

___________________________ 

2) In Chapter 28,

we have the crew essentially saying they are all growing stronger for the sake of each other, and lending their strength as needed.

Within the story, Akizuki-sensei has established a theme of moving forward and changing as needed as a way to get stronger.

Mitsuhide says this to Shirayuki, also in Ch 28:

Why .... does Mitsuhide look so serious as he says this to her? Is he reconciling the fact that Shirayuki and Zens paths may diverge at some point, as they do for the Lyrias arc?

He follows up the above statement with:

He goes on to say, 

“I want you to follow your heart so you can stand on your own wherever Zen takes you.” 

So... maybe that context takes away some of the significance for fellow lovers of AnS. But I don’t think we should just ignore the statement.

I think she’s being given permission to change her mind; that it’s okay for her to have feelings for Zen, but it’s also okay if she chooses to end things. Mitsuhide will support her either way.

Even though the the full remark still has to do with Zen, she is being encouraged to stand on her own. She is her own person. She has friends who will still be there even if she chooses something different from what people expect of her.

In this case -- pertaining to AnS as a whole, from the perspective of everyone who ‘knows’ about ZenYuki in-story and also (meta!) the manga readers -- Shirayuki is expected to someday marry Zen. 

After this, in Chapter 29, Izana is a bit derisive to Shirayuki after she gets the title from Tanbarun. I think his comments are intentionally made to make her uncomfortable. He says,

“Hahahaha! What an unusual title! Amazing!”

- cue confusion from Zen and Shirayuki -

“I wasn’t poking fun at it, it’s just a bit strange. Hmm... before, I said a nobody like her at your side would sully your name, Zen, but with this you can be friends without any such worry, right?

“Shirayuki, I’ve never asked what kind of relationship you want to have with Zen. And I don’t know if it’s something that can be said.”

Alrighty. So. Izana says in front of Shirayuki that he had described her as a nobody. This seems like something said meant to disquiet her, and her initial reaction is, “taken aback,” so we can safely say it was at least temporarily disconcerting for her to hear. I imagine it’s hurtful to hear you were once thought of as someone unworthy of notice.

Don’t get me wrong, I think most of what Izana says and does is in relatively good faith. I think the fandom has come to a general conclusion that he’s testing their relationship. 

Obi finds her in the early morning and he notices that she’s upset, commenting that she’s making a strange face. She is still thinking about what Izana said, and Obi asks,

“Is it about the path you want to take?”

“....No. It’s that I haven’t given it any thought.”

Zen already wishes (though I don’t think he’s explicitly stated it the way he does later in ch 33) to marry Shirayuki, and we see her here facing emotional turmoil because that part of her future isn’t something she has thought about yet. Interesting, to say the least.

I’m not really sure about this, but it seems like she either means where Zen is taking her and / or where she can stand on her own.

And then .......

“Obi, will you lend me a hand?”

“Didn’t I tell you before that I’ll take you wherever you want to go?”

This part of the story is still heavy ZenYuki, but I think Obi saying this to her right now is significant. Akizuki has repeatedly weaved Shirayuki’s path into the themes of the story so far, while contrasting that Zen will meet her at her destination, while Obi will be at her side for the journey. 

Zen and Shirayuki meet and talk. They basically address that Shirayuki doesn’t really know what the future holds, but that she still wants to stand by his side, and says that even though he’s a prince she wants to think it’s okay for her to feel that way. 

You almost forget about the significance of Obi and Shirayuki’s relationship when it’s followed up by this ZenYuki scene. I wonder about the aforementioned nature-of-planning involved in the story and the future of the characters at this point.

gnah how did this post get so long already

___________________________

3) Zen has presumably given his blessing for Obi to be happy in love

In chapter 31, while the group is stranded outside Wistal due to rain, Zen and Obi are in the bath talking about the possibility of Kiki and Mitsuhide getting married.

“It’s fine with me as long as they can say that they’re happy. I intend to make sure of that.”

“You’ll make sure of that?”

“The same applies to you too, Obi.”

More foreshadowing? Presently it seems that the MitsuKiki ship has sunk, so contrasting this conversation to current-manga-events is titillating to me. ESPECIALLY because Zen says that he wants to make sure Obi is happy when Zen knows how Obi feels about Shirayuki. So it’s established that they will support one another as friends.

Later, Kiki and Mitsuhide are talking after dinner and discuss how the nature of Zen and Shirauki’s friendship never changes (that’s the impression I got from it). Mitsuhide recalls when he and Zen talked about the same thing:

I think what Kiki and Mitsuhide are referring to is that Zen and Shirayuki have made a conscious effort to become friends despite the barriers they’ve encountered so far, by way of them showing the strength of their mutual respect and desire to aid one another. I get a similar feel from the conversation between Zen and Mitsuhide. 

And then .....

“The two of us will always be friends.”

ahem

Zen saying this -- in context to everything from the past four chapters -- implies that Zen is okay if their relationship is not romantic. If it is true that the mangas plot was deliberately planned out, these chapters will become increasingly interesting to look back on as the plot progresses. 

The direction of the story has changed since then if we are only looking at the big turning point of Mitsuhide rejecting Kiki.

And despite that rejection, the group is still a group despite their physical distance. 

___________________________ 

Brief note to say that in Ch 33 Izana says to Zen,

“Let me be an ally as you and Shirayuki follow your own path.”

While this is a ZenYuki comment, I see it as Akizuki reinforcing that each character is following their own path and they will be supported as they do.

___________________________

3.5) After this point is the first Lyrias arc, 

where obiyuki shippers are starting to salivate over how much is packed in just for their relationship. I mean .... remember when she pushed him to the ground because she thought he would get hit by snow? And he gives her those moony eyes just like it didn’t stop ... my heart

UGH JUST SAYING IT BECAUSE context! Shirayuki’s path is changing slowly, and Obi is still by her side.

___________________________

4) A period of transition

I think this is around the time the Bergatt arc is actually beginning, leading up even to current-manga-events.

In Chapter 53

And thus, they head towards the path that a new wind blows upon.

The times are changing.

While Shirayuki is preparing for her and Ryuu’s move to Lyrias, Zen and co. are at Wilant meeting with Haruto, who describes fools aiming to throw the country into turmoil. This is a seed for the plot that develops, ie, the Bergatt arc that was not actually resolved when Touka gets taken down at Sereg in ch (?) 86. I bring this up because I think it shows the level of planning that Akizuki has put into the story at this point.

In chapter 55, after Shirayuki has finally been able to tell Zen she’ll be away from Wistal for 2 years, and they have this conversation (slightly paraphrased) after he’s processed for a short time:

Zen -

“Sorry. The fact that you would be leaving the castle was something that I’d never considered. So my reaction was a little slow.

“I’ll hear it. I’m sure there was more you wanted to say.”

Shirayuki -

“I’m really glad that I got to meet you and come to the castle! I’m where I am now because I wanted to become Zen’s ally; and i achieved that by coming to the castle and becoming a royal pharmacist.

“I’m sure that, like how it’s always been, there’s something ahead connecting to my path now. That’s why, because there’s a place I have yet to go, I want to be there.”

This is Zen’s face after she says the above:

What is he thinking? Is he worried about their romantic relationship? I interpret it as preemptive disappointment that they may not stay together.

Shortly after we get to the point you made in your ask (sweet anon) re ch 56 with Mitsuhides comment. This adds to the reinforced theme that change is okay and they will all still be friends and allies regardless of where life takes them.

BUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER Mitsuhide says that in reference to Zen and Shirayuki, Obi responds:

Is Akizuki drawing a parallel between MitsuKiki and ZenYuki? No idea. maybe. But somehow I do not find it coincidental.

This seems like a MitsuKiki hint, meant to fuel the ultra-shippable pair that we all loved... but after the rejected proposal, it’s hard not to see the whole situation differently re: zenyuki / obiyuki and mitsukiki / hisakiki.

Then the first true ObiYuki hug, and this:

“It feels as though Obi might suddenly appear in Lyrias!”

girl you already knew. Shirayuki knows that Obi will follow her.

Obi deliberately postpones going to Lyrias, though, in order to consider his feelings for Shirayuki and how to tell Zen.

Then!! in 58-59 we get long-awaited confirmation from Obi that he has feelings for Shirayuki, and after this beautiful moment Obi goes to Lyrias to be at Shirayuki’s side, and after everything that has happened so far that is a clincher for me regarding our beloved Foreshadowing.

While discussing Obi’s crush on Shirayuki, Obi asks Zen

“Aren’t you going to propose?”

“.......................Well, I’m.. making her .. wait.”

“Master ... I don’t recommend postponing it, you know.”

I wonder about this comment. Is this a clue for us that Zen postponing engagement is going to be a negative thing in the future? 

idk maybe ╮(￣ω￣)╭

Either way ........ This transition period, in between Lyrias 1 and 2, shows us that the story is changing.

___________________________ 

I have definitely not covered all of the possible moments of foreshadowing and am actually going to leave off on that topic for the time being. I might do a part 2 as its own post. 

But for now I will switch to previously mentioned point that...

5) Obi and Shirayuki’s paths are walked together

I think the following two panels are a great way to frame their relationship. Chapter 20 in early Tanbarun arc:  

And then, much later in chapter 106 as they stand by the fire and Shirayuki tells Obi he’s handsome in the light:

“... because you come with me.” ( ╥ω╥ )

And then more delightful talk from chapter 104 that I think is ... gasp 

foreshadowing !!!!!

They are having this discussion after they’ve found out about Kiki becoming engaged to Hisame.

“It’s necessary to have the courage to make a decision and take a step down that path, isn’t it?”

Shirayuki is possibly saying this due to the implications of Kiki’s letter. Kiki has made the choice to take a new path from the one she had been on by marrying Hisame. 

So what about Shirayuki’s journey? Has her growth led her to a path she didn’t expect, and now it will take courage to step down it?

In recent chapters Shirayuki is shown to be seeing Obi differently and as a man:

overhearing him calling her beautiful and being surprised that he is embarrassed she heard

witnessing him going to a marriage meeting

that little moment where he is holding her wrist as a Lyrias knight tells him that the knights sister wishes him luck in love

the firelight comment oh my god

realizing she lost the pin Obi gave her and tearing up as she literally stared at him; upset that the gift she cherished is now missing and potentially realizing how very dear to her Obi actually is

fake dating and the 10 seconds of ... just... I still cant even 

Obi is the one who is by Shirayuki’s side. They developed a bond through years friendship that is now being reframed by Akizuki. The nature of their relationship has been slowly changing and I think we approaching a time in the manga where Shirayuki will realize it.

___________________________

To answer your last question ... I do think ObiYuki has a chance and I do not think the author is just toying with us. I’ve talked a lot about my ObiYuki Endgame feels in previous posts/asks. I could probably talk about it forever but this post is absurdly long .... sorry

Thank you so much for the ask! and wow thank you so much if you actually read this whole thing! 

<3 beebs <3

[obiyuki-beebs]

otp.... Otp....OTP!!!!!

I don’t really have any comments except I love this. They have just come in from the rain with Zen, Kiki, and Mitsuhide while oot and aboot in ch 31 and Obi is seen earlier in the chapter (maybe ch 30 actually) thoroughly enjoying himself as it pours on all of them and Shirayuki is holding tight to his back

mehehrhehe

٩(♡ ◡ ♡)۶

[obiyuki-beebs]

Shirayuki relying on Ryuu

you are important to the team ryuu   ｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡

[obiyuki-beebs]

Akizuki please we need an Obi kabe-don

complete with shock

blushing Shirayuki

and a somewhat desperate attempt not to get closer

the almost touch

thank you that’s all

[obiyuki-beebs]

Hi! So I recently discovered this amazing manga (after watching the anime) and now I’m obsessed with it, especially Obi and Shirayuki. I was so excited when I found your blog, because I love your take on things & theories! Question for you: what do you think will happen if the perfume makes Obi confess his feelings for Shirayuki? How do you think Shirayuki will react? Do you think it will cause a rift between them? Also do you have any idea when chapter 118 will be published? Thanks! :)

HELLO! 

What I think you most want to know is ...... 118 is out in Japan :) Scanlations will be coming soon. I personally choose to wait for a specific scanlator who takes a bit longer but it’s worth it for the quality of translation. I’ve seen the raws; I order e-Lala on hakusensha enet because I feel bad about reading scans. 

Mangaka is taking a break and I believe ch. 119 is coming out sometime in the Fall, probably October or November (to be safe let’s assume Nov). 

welcome to the obiyuki fam!  (つ✧ω✧)つ

we have meta and great fic. !!!

there is also a great discord server that I highly recommend for even more obiyuki content and squee! spoilers galore and discussion 4ever! cats and art!

Okay soooo for your Obi & Le Parfum question ....

I sort of get into that question in this ask 

And Shirayuki already knows how Obi feels, even if she hasn’t had the ‘eureka’ moment of, ah, this is real.

Obi and Shirayuki are close enough to know, at least subconsciously, what is going on with the other.

I think this supposed and hypothetical confrontation – where Obi is hypnotized and gives himself away, either through action or words – will mean we may see a hurdle for their relationship. Will Obi panic and leave before they acknowledge it? Will he avoid her? Will there be witnesses?

Or will they talk about it? Will he confess after he comes to his senses? I have so many thoughts on where that kind of conversation would go that I’m getting confused on what I think will happen.

This would be a good plot device to begin addressing Obi’s feelings for her, because if she is conflicted the way we think she is it will create tension between Obi, Shirayuki, and Zen. I don’t doubt that they will all remain friends and make up regardless of any issues re: who Shirayuki chooses (I do think it will come down to that). 

Further notes on if this magical event of an ObiYuki x Masquerade Ball moment actually occurs:

There will probably be a lot of subtle flirting in the coming chapters and I am SO READY FOR IT

I think Shirayuki will appear shocked if Obi confesses under the influence of perfume but later say she already knew. 

I also think she would cry about it in private, for similar reasons to whatever made her cry when they were literally gazing into each other's eyes for 10 seconds. good grief that scene.

It’s also possible Obi would forget about such an occurrence, leaving Shirayuki the only witness. She may hide from him what he did/ said until she has processed what happened and decided what to do. I definitely think she would tell him about it at some point, but might be too embarrassed that her longtime best friend is legit in love with her. She would have a lot of memories to assess.

Actually I think both of them will be shocked by any Confirmation of Love if Obi shares it under the influence of Le Parfum de Libidineax gasp

I think his force of will would stop him from giving in to the perfume and actually kissing her, though. He would stop himself and then they would both just be like omg with a side of panic. Would he pass out and forget? Is amnesia always part of it?

maybe he would be relieved that she knows / finds out? I can’t imagine it not being awkward until they talk about it.

thank you sweet anon for the ask! :) questions like these help me extrapolate on my own ideas. I always think of something new so it’s great to have these opportunities  \(★ω★)/

<3 le beebs <3

[obiyuki-beebs]

CH 116 thoughts / discussion

mkah spoiler / discussion and no cut.

I’m going back to thinking about the 115 post (reblogged directly below this one or in the obiyuki content page on my blog) I did and how that bottle is just like the one Touka Bergatt told his brothers “wont work on him”. So now we know that this bottle of perfume (and is perfume, not poison as I had previously thought) that is basically hypnotic pheromone juice. Touka apparently cannot be influenced by it. Was that what was used to lure in and kill Touka’s father? I think so.

Remember in the early days (ch. 28) when Mitsuhide smelled that smashed potion and went nuts over Zen for a chapter? 

While it may not be the same potion, it does have similar hypnotic properties. This potion is described by Garack as being associated to what we are thinking of at the time, or more particularly, producing a strong reaction to a deeply held loyalty (a type of love). Mitsuhide is worried about Zen, who he already has a strong relationship with. This potion seems to have enhanced feelings that were already there.

That was the same instance that was used as the final test for Shirayuki’s court herbalist apprenticeship, which she passed. I think that counts as a strong memory that may influence this arc as well if she and Ryuu recall the test in their brainstorming and investigation.

We did not get a name for the plant, and it is simply referred to as the blue flower drug. While I’m not supposing Sorata was planting an easter egg so early, I do think she may be using a similar premise of hypnotic (at the very least).

Back to 116....

You can see in this depiction of Yozumi that his eyes are blank. We get confirmation that he was hypnotized, but I think we should remember this look for future encounters as it provides insight to the effect the perfume has. 

After she hits him to get him away, he looks shaken. Shirayuki sees how strongly his emotion is affected by this. Yozumi is tearing up with obvious pain in his eyes. What happened to his lover? He asks repeatedly for Shirayuki to leave, facing away from her, clearly fighting the hypnotic temptation. Look at his face in the next image. Why is he so distraught? What about his lover and the perfume are so upsetting? This might also provide some insight on why he’s so protective of the perfume bottle. Is it all he has left of his lover? Did she die? Missing? Was he betrayed?

“I took it with me in secret.” 

Did he steal the perfume from her?

Yozumi -- who will not name his lover but we can almost definitely infer is Mm. Liera or in some way connected to her -- reacts to some of the perfume that Shirayuki placed on her collar. This means that the perfume is not the same as the potion described in ch 28, so is it the same plant in a different formulation? Or is it a different plant that also has hypnotic effects?

(as a side note, I wonder how effective washing out the perfume is? Washing off of your skin, sure, fool proof that eventually the substance will be gone. But with fabric? It might be much more difficult to clean. Maybe Shirayuki is using the pepper Ryuu gave her to wash her collar? If there is somehow leftover potion on her clothes, will some unsuspecting gentleman get a whiff of trace potion and be swayed to make a move? I would like to see shirayuki in proximity to obi for this hypothetical... this whole paragraph seems silly now that I’m editing but I’m leaving it). 

“When I was beside him, he seemed like he was in pain.”

Emotional pain? Physical pain?

Yozumi seems to have been ‘addicted’ to his lover by means of this perfume, and describes withdrawal symptoms when he was separated from her for more than a few days. 

Withdrawal -- physical withdrawal -- is serious and a sign that the body has become accustomed to a stimulus, that being in contact with the stimulus is the bodies new normal. 

However..... I’m not sure how closely we are supposed to compare that to withdrawal in the real world. I (used to) work in healthcare and still think like a nurse... I can’t help but apply that line of thought when Shirayuki is also a health care professional. Court Herbalist seems to cover sides of modern nursing and modern pharmacy. I think it’s more likely that the perfume is a vehicle for manipulation -- a lure for an assassin to exploit -- rather than so severely addictive that it incapacitates someone. 

That being said, Yozumi is still addicted to the smell of the perfume. Addiction psyche will often have you rationalize and seek out the source of your addiction, even if you know it’s the wrong thing to do. Will he try to seek his lover out? Is she alive? Is she a villain!? All I’m sure of is that she is associated with the Bergatt scheme (re same bottle, etc), and is part of the untrustworthy faction in the North that will try to reclaim Wilant and its territories. 

Can Yozumi be trusted out and about? Lol no. Probably not. Who does he kinda look like? Obi bb..... Spy time? Will the knights ball be a masquerade?! WILL OBI AND SHIRAYUKI GO TOGETHER WEARING MASKS?! ahem I hope so. With close proximity dance & perfume. I hope we get some Obi x Shirayuki confronting the tension between them. Maybe the perfume / knights ball will be the catalyst? 

Then. Yozumi is contacted by someone he has never met and invited to meet, and this woman has the same scent. This woman is connected to the original lover, and whoever supplies the ‘perfume.’ Probably the Bergatts and their loyalists. This encounter with the perfume alerted Yozumi that he should be suspicious of the lover and the scent, which catches us up to the present and why he has come to see court herbalists. 

So this perfume ... basically makes people horny .....there’s going to be a ton of temptation shit going on and I am so here for it. 

this post is already so long ...... my arthritis is so bad rn but I’m so pumped about the chapter I’m popping 800 mg ibuprofen and trucking on thank you so much for reading up to this point

So ... the identity of the lover. We know she is high born, and is the daughter of a Viscount. We can assume she’s from the North. There seems to be a network of women working with and / under Mm. Liera to tempt and manipulate chosen parties (Yozumi, Touka’s Father, etc). 

Shirayuki and Ryuu plan to send their observations to the pharmacists of Lyrias, with “people they can trust.” Eisetsu became a little more suspicious to me in this chapter. His reaction to people we can trust was odd when you reflect on it, especially after he OBVIOUSLY LIES ABOUT KNOWING MM LIERA at the end of the chapter. Obi can tell that Eisetsu is hiding something. 

Bullet points from here on out because handswristselbowsandshoulders are literally on fire haha arthritis !!!!!

Other thoughts:

I wonder what Mitsuhide and Kiki were talking about on their walk in the woods? How curious. Maybe they are discussing the state of the North and theorizing similar to how we are? IS THIS META SORATA (p not)

I love the interaction between Ryuu and Shirayuki when she has finished washing off the perfume and she thanks Ryuu for coming with her and Obi ... happy family ... peers who trust ... coworker you can rely on .. ♡(｡- ω -)

lol Eisetsu “vetoed” but I mean he seemed to get a clue after Yozumi mentioned her being from a Viscount family. 

Another suspicious Eisetsu moment ... Does he know who Yozumi Iriz is? Apparently so. 

I might be totally off base in suspecting Eisetsu. Maybe he’s one of the good guys. It’s too early to just explicitly trust, especially in a part of the country that is known to be hostile to ProWistalFamily. I am pretty back and forth about if I trust him, though. I want to. I think he’s funny and that he seems genuinely good. But idk. My hackles are raised.

It brought me SUCH JOY that Obi came back after the rains, with the flowers blooming.  (((o(*°▽°*)o)))

Wasn’t that little agreement clap between Shirayuki and Eisetsu much like the high five that Obi and Shirayuki do? Maybe Yuki did that to put herself at ease, almost like she too is trying to trust Eisetsu. 

d r a m a ? ? ! !

People are covering for Mm. Liera and her crew. They are associated and probably working closely with the Bergatt loyalists. What will be next?

We will hear more about the upcoming Knight’s Ball

More research conducted on effect of perfume and its properties

Will it be related to the blue plant from ch 28?

Will a spy be sent to Lyrias to intercept research on the perfume? This is more of my Hackles Incorporated TM business mentioned before re Eisetsu and if he can be trusted. 

BACK TO WAITING!

<3 beebs <3

[obiyuki-beebs]

Do you think there’s a parallel between hisakiki and obiyuki? And have you read Hirunaka no Ryuusei? There are some similarities so far with the development and hints. It gives me hope for an obiyuki endgame.

hi anon! I read an amazing post by @purgatoryandme​ that described the Kiki, Hisame, and Mitsuhide situation as a foil for Shirayuki, Obi, and Zen. Read it here I linked one that has been reblogged / tagged to express the nuance of the situation presented. please enjoy this beautiful analysis I love it so much. It was probably one of the first posts to give me true conviction that ObiYuki can be endgame.

In hindsight, I think it’s very interesting to examine how Sorata portrayed the potential and very shippable Mitsuhide x Kiki relationship. She is an author at her core, and the argument that she is using a literary device -- this potentially intentional foil -- is very compelling.

In ch 104 Kiki writes to announce her engagement. Obi was given the task of explaining what happened between Kiki and Mitsuhide to Shirayuki. Afterwards, they have this conversation:

I love how they’re sitting at the table. And he uses his hand to get closer to her.

whole panels because I think they are worth the context

UGH THE PROXIMITY

then we get this which is honestly such a tease

“We have to do something over here so we can surprise them all too, young miss.”

In my mind, Foil = canon. A few chapters after the above, Shirayuki tells Obi she’s always thought the firelight suits him, and that she can be who she is because he comes with her. And THEN at Eisetsu’s soiree we get the 10 seconds in ObiYuki hell good lord I still have a physical meltdown whenever I go back to that scene

Thank you for such a fascinating ask! I really enjoy the analytics that’s shared amongst shippers. 

I have not read  Hirunaka no Ryuusei but I will take that as a recommendation. I am also intrigued by the mention of parallels between the stories .... love me some parallels.

<3 beebs <3

[obiyuki-beebs]

I like your ans posts! If Shirayuki finds out Obi loves her because of the perfume, what do you think will happen?

obi falling under spell of hypnotic pheromone juice and just barely stopping himself from making a move but too late bb his face is an inch from hers; and neither of them will forget this moment; wide eyes and hot breath, but he can't let himself do this; and the spell is broken when he steps away....

(ง ื▿ ื)ว haha wow what a thought to think thank you for reminding me of my brainwerm

I have been fantasizing about that very real possibility for a few days now. 

Shirayuki probably understands subconsciously that Obi has feelings for her, and they both know that they cherish each other as close friends. I would even call them best friends. They have an absolute trust that allows for that security. They know each other. 

I say this because the ObiYuki relationship and dynamic are comparable to something I experienced; that is, I became best friends with someone unavailable and I fell for him, hard. It’s hard not to fall in love with the person who sees your soul and accepts you wholeheartedly. To know that they love you in the most pure way. To know you both feel that way. It is so powerful.  

“Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused.” �� Alan Cohen

That is the kind of love they have.

They know each other.

And Shirayuki already knows how Obi feels, even if she hasn’t had the ‘eureka’ moment of, ah, this is real. 

I think this supposed and hypothetical confrontation -- where Obi is hypnotized and gives himself away, either through action or words -- will mean we may see a hurdle for their relationship. Will Obi panic and leave before they acknowledge it? Will he avoid her? Will their be witnesses?

Or will they talk about it? Will he confess after he comes to his senses? I have so many thoughts on where that kind of conversation would go that I’m getting confused on what I think will happen.

Either way, we know there will be d r a m a re the perfume and the knights ball / banquet. Obi is a potential target; he was a bit conspicuous at Eisetsus soiree, and revealed he is Zen’s first knight to the Oriold checkpoint. 

After that, I’m trying not to get my hopes up but ..... i mean c’mon something will probably happen

(✧ω✧) thank you for the ask anon!!!

beebs

[obiyuki-beebs]

If Zen showed up at the knights ball, do you have any ideas what might happen? Thanks!

hi anon!

I guess I should call this a conjecture / prediction ? I think it’s likely Akizuki will have Zen show up at the knights ball, not guaranteed but likely.

possibilities:

gets hit by the perfume (drama)

witnesses obi / and or / shirayuki getting hit by the perfume

jealousy re: obiyuki and perfume possibilities

probably jealous in general that Obi gets to go to a ball with Shirayuki, even if it is for a mission

not that i think that jealousy is in bad faith. he’s very conscious of his friendships and so far as I’ve seen hasn’t actually reacted badly to the obiyuki friendship

Zen would try to sneak Shirayuki away to have a quiet moment with her but she is on a MISSION no time for kissing sweet Zen

more likely possibilities:

sneaks around with Mitsuhide because of course they would be together acting like spies

obi and shirayuki will probably be doing the same thing but they are supposed to be there for the sake of the mission while Zen does not have to be

Maybe Zen conspires with Tsuruba / Tariga in order to attend the ball because they are friends

idk Kiki and Hisame might be there too

if Kiki is there she would probably be upset with Zen for going 

Kiki would recognize Zen even with his identity hidden

pretty sure there has to be an invite and they seem exclusive 

Honestly I don’t really know! I don’t think he’ll be at the ball but he would definitely meet up with them as soon as possible afterwards. 

luckily 118 isn’t too far away and we should know the answer to this question soon :)

Thank you for the ask, anon! I’m sorry if this post seems low-effort .... I was sitting on the ask for a while because I’m kind of at a loss as I don’t expect him to be at the ball.

<3 beebs <3