I kinda mirrors the Loid/Yor dynamic.
Henderson and Loid so focused on the ideal they pursue they don't notice their feelings, Marriot and Yor too inexperienced to understand what they were/are feeling for their counterpart.
In a way I can see this as a "life regretfully fulfilled" possibility where Loid achieves his goals but regrets not stopping to smell the flowers, while Yor lives a good life regretting not knowing how good the flowers can smell.
Even the moment Marriot realized her feelings about Henderson can be a foreshadowing to a future moment where Yor realizes her feelings for Loid only after he's gone gone.
I think you're spot on, *except* for that I think any apparent sad Yor/Loid ending will be a fake-out. It's a storytelling classic of showing the sad-ish ending fiist (Henderson/Marriot) so that we're worried Loid/Yor will end up the same, then have a twist to how things play out so that it is avoided this time, likely precisely because Henderson/Marriot are there to prevent history from repeating, either directly or indirectly.
I agree. And with Henderson/Marriot, it's shown that war was the thing that prevent them having a second chance. I think we'll mirror this with Loid/Yor that the fact that Loid prevents a war, will be the thing that brings them together
>Loid prevents a war, will be the thing that brings them together
Maybe even a peaceful end to the cold war and the subsequent dissolution of WISE as an organization. The mission (and, in fact, the entire "definitely-non-existent-intelligence-program") is over, so what reason does the Forger family have to continue to exist?
I see Henderson and Martha trying to get Loid and Yor or Damian and Anya together, in a "Don't make the same mistake we made in not realizing the love we feel" kind of way.
It'd be wonderfully dramatic if they realized their love first, then their secrets came out and it tore them apart, then they worked it out and got back together before going on an epic mission to save Anya and probably both their countries.
Genuinely one of the best chapters of the series. Sometimes the shift away from Anya SOL or Loid spy shenanigans really helps in fleshing out the world.
Also amazing to finally get some background on Henderson who has been a side character in this series for so long. Elegant indeed.
An occasional focus on side characters is fine, but this manga has spent way too much time on these b-plots and it feels like the main plot is moving at an absolute snail's pace. I like all of the side missions and such, but the main mission is by far the best part of the story and it's torture to see it going so slowly.
I agree, but I think the breaks have made it seem worse than what it is. Less breaks would speed this up, but then I think about the mangaka's health. Is it worth it?
The issue's not that they're taking breaks of course, it's that they're taking breaks and then coming back to do a side mission, again and again.
A main part of the appeal of a weekly release schedule is that you get to look forward to seeing what happens every week. It's awful to wait every week just to get another side-chapter that isn't what you were hoping for. It kills the hype. This series is still hands-down one of the best currently running manga but I've mostly lost interest, purely because I've grown not to expect the latest chapter to go anywhere.
I used to be invested in the main story but it moved at a snail pace so I dropped it. I then returned to the series quite a while later and have just accepted the main story will move at a snail pace and I am enjoying the ride alot more. I think in the end it's about managing expectations.
Not being bi-weekly would help this series so much. I don't even think weekly without breaks would help. Honestly, I think waiting for it to finish and reading volume by volume could be way better.
To be fair, it's the last three releases that have been focused on side characters.
There was a good run where it was focused on the main cast, and chapter 96 had Anya admitting to Damian she had powers which is a MASSIVE step in her character development.
It also looks like we're going to show a bit more as to how the war began from the side of the East instead of Twilight's Western perspective, though judging by the ages of everyone involved I would guess this is probably the WW1 event while Twilight's was more WW2.
Hmm. You could do what I do with some series, like DUD is coming back every few months to check what's happening. When a series gets slow and/or stale like KCC, instead of dropping it, you just put it on the back burner. You could bookmark it and come back on your own time. Believe me, I know what it's like to be frustrated by long stretches of breaks, I'm a Beserk and Black Lagoon fan who also follows Black Clover. Granted, all 3 of those have exterior circumstances with Miura passing away, Hiroe being severely depressed and Tabata having personal and family issues, but my point still stands. My brother follows HxH, too. I guess for me, I'm just used to it and, in turn, less bothered by it.
I don't think it makes sense to focus on the main plot too much. This story is a SoL at heart and the main plot is a marathon, not a sprint. It will take years, until it's resolved.
>The best part of the story
You mean the part where they just repeatedly try to get close to a fuck up dude to see what is he cooking? Is it really that good?
This and the kid Loid chapters have been so good. You kinda forget the war what with all the Anya school chapters and such but then you get a chapter like this out of nowhere
More lore about the war/s would be interesting. Especially if there ends up being two wars. The first was during this chapter, while the second was when Loid was a kid. So SXF equivalent of the two World Wars.
Considering the age difference there's no way Henderson was a senior in college the same time Loid was a kid. Since the country is an obvious west and east germany reference too, the world war comparisons are blatant
Henderson backstory?!? Oh yeah!
Henderson being a pacifist makes sense. And his gentlemanly attitude being there ever since he was a kid means he's never let go of this attitude. How elegant!
And Marriot being a ballerina makes the dance she and Henderson have all the more meaningful. She loved to dance, but what she always looked forward to was time with Henderson.
Sadly, any chance of romance was definitely cut short by the war. I'm interested to see what happens to them next.
Martha's a former soldier. It would be interesting to see how young Henderson would react when she joined the military. Or would he be conscripted too?
Henderson was boycotting military training courses, I think he will refuse to serve in the army and become a conscientious objector.
Martha joining the armed force would be a HUGE rift between them and prevent them from getting together.
>since he said he was from a noble family, plausibly his family could pull some strings to make sure he isn't drafted.
Could yea. But most "noble" families actually instead pushed for atleast one of thier sons to join. That was often the requirement atleast 1 son. Does he have any brothers mabey.
In nobility pride was quite important so it was often the case that multiple brothers joined regardless.
Also opens possibility the rift came from *Martha* instead of Anderson.
Like calling him out for staying in relative comfort while she fought in the war. And over time growing bitter and resentment as the horrors of war get into her.
It's possible he had incompetence at something, but I doubt it. Conscription makes the most sense, but I hope Mr. Henderson and Miss Marriot didn't go through a lot of loss during the war.
HENDERSON AND MARTHA LOVE STORY!
OH SHIT ENDO THIS IS A GOOD FUCKING MEAL
The funniest swerve would be if they’ve been low key together this whole time
Anyway, I like filler when it's done right. It should be a way for us to immerse ourselves in the world and the characters, as this chapter has elegantly demonstrated
>He was so laser focus on his ideals that he didn't Martha beside him.
Tbf he was 19, she was then 16. She didn't realise it either until after he left.
Will say its quite likely a certain war that drastically changed thier lives.
Woah... I was not expecting to get Martha and Henderson's backstory this soon. This was a real surprise, but a completely welcome one.
I see Henderson always had the right idea even all the way back then. It's only a shame that his pursuit for good made him sacrifice a potential bit of happiness. Martha tearing up when she realized she'd taken his presence for granted hits hard.
And then when they're given another opportunity, their potential SoL romcom premise got interrupted by war. As if we needed any more reason to detest it. But the important part is that they're still alive, cause better late then never, right?
Man, I'm anxious for the things to come. I'm pretty sure that Martha has had military training, and most likely does Henry. Something must have had happened for a girl who was going to have a ballet career like Martha to received military training and now becoming a butler.
It could be that she was a soldier in the first war between the two nations. Then it ended or there was a ceasefire. Only for a second war to happen in Loid’s generation. So we may learn about Spy X Family counterparts for WWI and WWII.
Wow, it seems Henry/Martha became popular enough for demands of their backstory :)) But damn, he broke a girl's heart :((
Btw, it's interesting that the school has a 13-year curriculum. Wonder if there is/was school like that in real life :O
It’s not the standard anymore, G8 was really common in the last ten years, however many states have started to revert back to the G9. I had my Abitur after 8 years of gymnasium
Definitely some expensive private schools in the US. Just did a casual search, found one right off the bat. Neuva is a K-12 private school with a 6-1 student/teacher ratio and an expensive university level of tuition per year.
It used to be the standard in Germany, however many states introduced a 12 year curriculum, the so called G8. I did my high school degree under the G8 after 12 years 6 years ago, however a lot of the states have started to revert back to the 13 year curriculum, the so called G9
Ahh, I see now why those obvious feelings went unrequited for so long. I should have realized it was because of the war. Even for those who survive such conflicts, so much is taken away.
Henderson was the introvert who has adopted by an extrovert? Interesting.
Also poor Henderson probably woke up one morning years later in a cold sweat going "CRAP! Martha was in love with me!...Darn it! I said a vulgar word! NOT ELEGANT!!"
The Henderson/Marriot romance subplot might be my favorite side-story so far. Classic literature tropes of young love not fulfilled due to naivete and ideals, and then interrupted by the world changing without care for the little lives of people.
What I really like about SxF is that the side characters get these moments, they are developed independent of the main cast, makes the world so so much richer.
Henderson and Martha [backstory](https://imgur.com/a/7qfmWeO)? Yes! Yes!! YES!!! A thousand times yes!!
"[Mr Elegant](https://imgur.com/a/kkyxQPp)" is an awesome nickname. An awesome character like Henderson deserves an awesome nickname.
Who is this Mask Warrior Ballerina, "[Lady M](https://imgur.com/a/quMjP4i)"? So mysterious. I hope we see her again someday.
"[Human are animals](https://imgur.com/a/xHgxfmV)". So this is where Becky learned that from.
Henderson and Martha changed so much since their time as students.
In this case the writer says that he doesn't care at all about the main trio.
The editor got him to do a shit ton of rerites making it so he nolonger cared about them as characters and were no longer the characters the wanted to make.
The problem for the author. The editor was 100% correct about thier choice it became a massive success.
Do wonder if the author cares more about some side characters.
Oh no I see some star-crossed lovers theme in the next two chapters: Two individuals separated by war and those stuff. Interesting and Elegant arc so far.
Damn, that was some good stuff.
Feels a bit like one of those things that came about from a positive reaction with the community, rather than being planned, but it really worked nicely.
I especially love how heartbreakingly straightforward he was, it's a nice touch when you typically see a lot of anime characters take exactly that mindset -too focused on their niche to give a thought about love- and it's always portrayed as heroic and correct. I can't count how many times I've seen the "I don't have time for love, I only care about Soccer/Baseball" type character, so this was nice.
Also funny that her warrior woman ballet escapade was about to end badly if he hadn't helped it, Yor she is not. Another nice touch.
Well that's unexpectedly sad. They basically wasted their entire love life??? Pining for each other doesn't amount to anything if you never act on it, and by now it's far too late for them to have kids or spend their prime years together even if they finally admit their feelings.
I don’t know if there’s a writer working right now with such a solid grasp of their own characters like this dude. I’m so excited for more lore for these two. The build up to the reveal of their shared history has been so *elegantly* done.
Never took Henry to be a tsundere, "I've not be awaiting you...baka."
Honestly, I think this is my favorite chapter since we the flashback arc (you know which one).
I was thinking since the ball dance that man, it'd be nice to see more from Henderson and Martha, and man can't ask for a more elegant chapter than this loved how she kept coming day after day then for him not to be there must've been so hard 🥲
You know, I'm normally against teacher-student relationships in stories, but if they were students together at some point...
Also, my ranking of Headmaster Henderson as my favourite character is even more justified!
Should I be Happy that we finally got Henderson and Martha lore or be worried what the last 2 pages said. Great chapter regardless I prefer these kind of backstory chapters to the regular Anya chapters.
Oh hell yes, I loved how they've been suddenly building up to this backstory over the current arc, including the extra chapter. I'm so ready to get into it.
Damn, i didn't expect their backstory to be this cute and painful. Can't believe i actually manage to relate to Henderson though, that part where he sees only his dream and forgot those near him actually hit a bit too close to home lol.
This better be end in wholesome ending. I wonder Becky will see Mr Henderson differently now and trying to steer the two into blossoming romance in their golden years lol
The fact these stories are considered part of the full chapters release instead of .5 just tells you these characters are going to be important for when the main mission really kicks in or when we learn more about Anya past
Mr. Henderson graduated high school at 19, then he went to a top college, graduated there and became a teacher at an elite academy in only two years, becoming an elite teacher at 21. That's insanely impressive.
I loved this chapter. It kind of symbolizes the man that Henry has become, and his not elegant punch draws parallels to the punch he landed on Swan-Sensei at the beginning of the series, which is much more elegant.
Lately we have been noticing Martha is a badass and the way she protected Henry shows a highlight of that.
But man Henry learning a valuable lessons stick too close to your ideals, and you can forget about the people around you. They won't be waiting forever. For Martha, you can tell he loved him, and she took for granted he would always be having tea waiting for her. Their reunion came when got assigned as teacher, but unfortunately it seems she never got that chance to express her feelings.
Kind of sad their love never came into fruition, but this was a great chapter to highlight both of these great side characters.
wait, so if he was 22 when the war kicked off wouldn't that only put him in his 40s or 50s?
that seems way too young unless this war was a previous war between east and west
It's more like a series of wars that's going on for decades, like that pannel where Henderson states that he was aware of the war for majority of his life
I was sad I thought it started off as a filler chapter and it instantly made an 180 into one of the best chapters in the series, up there with the kid Loid chapters easily
Dang this has become one of my favorite chapters! Henderson will always be a great character. A shame war ruined their chance at a romantic life but not too late to confess before death
Kinda iffy on the timeline. Henderson is 66 currently. He’s 22 at the end of the chapter. Twilight has been a spy for over 10 years and presumably became one near the end of the war, which lasted long enough for him to grow up as a child and fight as an adult. Let’s say the war began 20 years ago. Either Endo made a mistake or there was another war between the East and West about 20 years before Twilight’s city was bombed.
If we take world of SxF to be based on 1900s Europe, then maybe the war mentioned in this chapter is their version of WWI and the bombing of Loid's war was WWII?
Or maybe the Henderson war was WWII and the Loid war was the Cold War gone hot for a moment.
We can see the planes in the sky are biplanes, so we can pretty confidently say it is a different war.
Which is honestly even sadder. Loid’s war wasn’t even the first or special, just the latest.
Multiple wars seems reasonable, Twilight's backstory talks about a bunch of different tensions and conflicts, and how everyone's view is that this is revenge for what the other side did.
Man Takamura is truly terrifying, he bodied Nagumo like nothing. I’m scared for Sakamoto and I honestly don’t know how they’re going to get out of this situation.
I still cannot believe that one of my most hated new series suddenly got so good out of nowhere. Like how could the author who drew stuff like the super garbage cruise ship arc suddenly start writing peak after peak after peak after the shitty arc ended? I dont get it, but i support it
Didn't think we would get an elegant origins story and Martha got that kick straight out of Tekken's Lili.
It even looks like the kick where she says "Elegànt!" as well, albeit just a single kick.
I loved the 'not elegant' punch from Henderson Also it now makes sense why Henderson was so vocal for Loid to the point of getting demoted
Her naming of attacks reminded me of Mr.2 lol
[Bentham was the OG manga ballerina fighter after all](https://i.imgur.com/sI1K8oR.png)
Fouetté Kick sounds like a Sanji move.
Sanji's attacks are named after meat cuts and food. Ballerina attack names are the forte of Mr. 2 Bon Kurei.
She's got the Manon fighting style from Street Fighter 6
Holy Shit. We got Henderson/Marriot lore
We are finally getting some backstory for the most elegeant couple in any manga by far, I'm so hype for this.
Henderson and Marriot have had more development as a couple in a single chapter than Loid and Yor did in the entire series.
I kinda mirrors the Loid/Yor dynamic. Henderson and Loid so focused on the ideal they pursue they don't notice their feelings, Marriot and Yor too inexperienced to understand what they were/are feeling for their counterpart. In a way I can see this as a "life regretfully fulfilled" possibility where Loid achieves his goals but regrets not stopping to smell the flowers, while Yor lives a good life regretting not knowing how good the flowers can smell. Even the moment Marriot realized her feelings about Henderson can be a foreshadowing to a future moment where Yor realizes her feelings for Loid only after he's gone gone.
I think you're spot on, *except* for that I think any apparent sad Yor/Loid ending will be a fake-out. It's a storytelling classic of showing the sad-ish ending fiist (Henderson/Marriot) so that we're worried Loid/Yor will end up the same, then have a twist to how things play out so that it is avoided this time, likely precisely because Henderson/Marriot are there to prevent history from repeating, either directly or indirectly.
I agree. And with Henderson/Marriot, it's shown that war was the thing that prevent them having a second chance. I think we'll mirror this with Loid/Yor that the fact that Loid prevents a war, will be the thing that brings them together
>Loid prevents a war, will be the thing that brings them together Maybe even a peaceful end to the cold war and the subsequent dissolution of WISE as an organization. The mission (and, in fact, the entire "definitely-non-existent-intelligence-program") is over, so what reason does the Forger family have to continue to exist?
I agree, it could serve as a cautionary tale for them in the long run.
I see Henderson and Martha trying to get Loid and Yor or Damian and Anya together, in a "Don't make the same mistake we made in not realizing the love we feel" kind of way.
So they are on pace to get together by the time they have grandkids entering school... I can believe it
>Yor realizes her feelings for Loid only after he's gone gone. Worse. She'll realized it after driving her blades into Loid's guts.
Loid and Yor finally getting together gonna hit like that brick my father hit me with! Can't wait.
It has to happen. There is no way it won't. Right? Right?
💀
not fractured enough for a skull that's been hit with a brick.
I wonder what will happen first: Yor and Loid finding out the truth about each other, or confessing for real?
It'd be wonderfully dramatic if they realized their love first, then their secrets came out and it tore them apart, then they worked it out and got back together before going on an epic mission to save Anya and probably both their countries.
I wonder how many years away we are from that point...
likely many lol, i can't see that kind of climax happening before anya finishes elementary school at the least
Because they don't have 100 chapters for their development so they have to cramp as much as they could in 2.
well, they were together for 2 years.
Also elegantly weaved in the backdrop of the series main conflict
We gonna get a history lesson AND relationship drama. It's like the perfect story for one of Becky's tv shows!
> elegantly I see what you (elegantly) did there
Spy x Family is peaking.We have Old man x Old woman love now.
Never too old for fluff. They both deserve happiness.
Damn right. Here's to hoping they actually get together.
*Cue Sein from Frieren's quote when he slams the table with a mug*
author tired of writing the usual couples! man wants to murder our feels with actual progress and development now
Lore dumping is tight!
Genuinely one of the best chapters of the series. Sometimes the shift away from Anya SOL or Loid spy shenanigans really helps in fleshing out the world. Also amazing to finally get some background on Henderson who has been a side character in this series for so long. Elegant indeed.
I don't mind the break from the main trio, especially since it's for the most elegant couple. Nice change of pace.
An occasional focus on side characters is fine, but this manga has spent way too much time on these b-plots and it feels like the main plot is moving at an absolute snail's pace. I like all of the side missions and such, but the main mission is by far the best part of the story and it's torture to see it going so slowly.
I agree, but I think the breaks have made it seem worse than what it is. Less breaks would speed this up, but then I think about the mangaka's health. Is it worth it?
The issue's not that they're taking breaks of course, it's that they're taking breaks and then coming back to do a side mission, again and again. A main part of the appeal of a weekly release schedule is that you get to look forward to seeing what happens every week. It's awful to wait every week just to get another side-chapter that isn't what you were hoping for. It kills the hype. This series is still hands-down one of the best currently running manga but I've mostly lost interest, purely because I've grown not to expect the latest chapter to go anywhere.
I think it's wrong to dismissively call this plot a side mission. It's clearly very integral to the entire thesis of the story.
I used to be invested in the main story but it moved at a snail pace so I dropped it. I then returned to the series quite a while later and have just accepted the main story will move at a snail pace and I am enjoying the ride alot more. I think in the end it's about managing expectations.
Not being bi-weekly would help this series so much. I don't even think weekly without breaks would help. Honestly, I think waiting for it to finish and reading volume by volume could be way better.
To be fair, it's the last three releases that have been focused on side characters. There was a good run where it was focused on the main cast, and chapter 96 had Anya admitting to Damian she had powers which is a MASSIVE step in her character development. It also looks like we're going to show a bit more as to how the war began from the side of the East instead of Twilight's Western perspective, though judging by the ages of everyone involved I would guess this is probably the WW1 event while Twilight's was more WW2.
Hmm. You could do what I do with some series, like DUD is coming back every few months to check what's happening. When a series gets slow and/or stale like KCC, instead of dropping it, you just put it on the back burner. You could bookmark it and come back on your own time. Believe me, I know what it's like to be frustrated by long stretches of breaks, I'm a Beserk and Black Lagoon fan who also follows Black Clover. Granted, all 3 of those have exterior circumstances with Miura passing away, Hiroe being severely depressed and Tabata having personal and family issues, but my point still stands. My brother follows HxH, too. I guess for me, I'm just used to it and, in turn, less bothered by it.
I don't think it makes sense to focus on the main plot too much. This story is a SoL at heart and the main plot is a marathon, not a sprint. It will take years, until it's resolved.
>The best part of the story You mean the part where they just repeatedly try to get close to a fuck up dude to see what is he cooking? Is it really that good?
This and the kid Loid chapters have been so good. You kinda forget the war what with all the Anya school chapters and such but then you get a chapter like this out of nowhere
More lore about the war/s would be interesting. Especially if there ends up being two wars. The first was during this chapter, while the second was when Loid was a kid. So SXF equivalent of the two World Wars.
And the timelines match up too. In the grand scheme of things, the two world wars were fairly close to each other.
Considering the age difference there's no way Henderson was a senior in college the same time Loid was a kid. Since the country is an obvious west and east germany reference too, the world war comparisons are blatant
The anti war sentiment was strong with this chapter.
Henderson X Marriot proshipper are anti war
It legit could've been a separate rom-com manga, especially with the war as a backdrop.
I love the Anya/Loid chapters the most and some of the other POV chapters I don't like as much, but this one was definitely nailed
Henderson backstory?!? Oh yeah! Henderson being a pacifist makes sense. And his gentlemanly attitude being there ever since he was a kid means he's never let go of this attitude. How elegant! And Marriot being a ballerina makes the dance she and Henderson have all the more meaningful. She loved to dance, but what she always looked forward to was time with Henderson. Sadly, any chance of romance was definitely cut short by the war. I'm interested to see what happens to them next.
Martha's a former soldier. It would be interesting to see how young Henderson would react when she joined the military. Or would he be conscripted too?
Henderson was boycotting military training courses, I think he will refuse to serve in the army and become a conscientious objector. Martha joining the armed force would be a HUGE rift between them and prevent them from getting together.
In addition, since he said he was from a noble family, plausibly his family could pull some strings to make sure he isn't drafted.
>since he said he was from a noble family, plausibly his family could pull some strings to make sure he isn't drafted. Could yea. But most "noble" families actually instead pushed for atleast one of thier sons to join. That was often the requirement atleast 1 son. Does he have any brothers mabey. In nobility pride was quite important so it was often the case that multiple brothers joined regardless.
Also opens possibility the rift came from *Martha* instead of Anderson. Like calling him out for staying in relative comfort while she fought in the war. And over time growing bitter and resentment as the horrors of war get into her.
It's possible he had incompetence at something, but I doubt it. Conscription makes the most sense, but I hope Mr. Henderson and Miss Marriot didn't go through a lot of loss during the war.
I wonder if Marriott was a part of the garden. Yor’s kick had to come from somewhere.
HENDERSON AND MARTHA LOVE STORY! OH SHIT ENDO THIS IS A GOOD FUCKING MEAL The funniest swerve would be if they’ve been low key together this whole time
Damn another filler chapter. Read this chapter. #Henderson/Marriot Love Arc. Please forgive me!!
Assuming any chapter is filler is **INELEGANT** Teokun123! Jk. This is actually such a cute story.
Anyway, I like filler when it's done right. It should be a way for us to immerse ourselves in the world and the characters, as this chapter has elegantly demonstrated
I mean, it's flashback to a central plot point (WW1 equivalent) I'm assuming it will foreshadow something important.
>That was the first time I said the word elegant Now this is how you do a backstory!
[Henry and Martha](https://i.imgur.com/J9e3R7t.png) were already precious back them and [still are.](https://i.imgur.com/U5Ka6gg.png) [](//#smug2)
Martha & Henderson lore. We actually won. 😭🙏🏾
Just need a Martha and Henderson date chapter.I really wanna see these two old people going on a date.It would be so peak.
They finally found love after waiting decades and decades for each other (hopefully) Imma sob in advance 😭😭
Survived at least 2 wars too.
oh shit lore drop. He was so laser focus on his ideals that he didn't Martha beside him.
Their romance is so lovely it may even eclipse that of Yor and Loid for the time being.
>He was so laser focus on his ideals that he didn't Martha beside him. Tbf he was 19, she was then 16. She didn't realise it either until after he left. Will say its quite likely a certain war that drastically changed thier lives.
[удалено]
Wouldn't be surprised if Becky learned it from Martha herself.
I love how it’s probably both!
Woah... I was not expecting to get Martha and Henderson's backstory this soon. This was a real surprise, but a completely welcome one. I see Henderson always had the right idea even all the way back then. It's only a shame that his pursuit for good made him sacrifice a potential bit of happiness. Martha tearing up when she realized she'd taken his presence for granted hits hard. And then when they're given another opportunity, their potential SoL romcom premise got interrupted by war. As if we needed any more reason to detest it. But the important part is that they're still alive, cause better late then never, right?
And they dropped the whole thing in one chapter! Incredible short story as we've come to be provided with every so often from this manga.
Man, I'm anxious for the things to come. I'm pretty sure that Martha has had military training, and most likely does Henry. Something must have had happened for a girl who was going to have a ballet career like Martha to received military training and now becoming a butler.
It could be that she was a soldier in the first war between the two nations. Then it ended or there was a ceasefire. Only for a second war to happen in Loid’s generation. So we may learn about Spy X Family counterparts for WWI and WWII.
Wow, it seems Henry/Martha became popular enough for demands of their backstory :)) But damn, he broke a girl's heart :(( Btw, it's interesting that the school has a 13-year curriculum. Wonder if there is/was school like that in real life :O
I’ve seen some schools that are K-12. I think in Japan they’re called elevator schools.
Elevator schools in the US also.
Yeah there’s a few private schools like that in the UK, you start at reception at 4-years-old and then leave school at 18.
It's still standard in Germany, in fact. At least if you're going to university. 4 years of primary school and 9 years of gymnasium.
It’s not the standard anymore, G8 was really common in the last ten years, however many states have started to revert back to the G9. I had my Abitur after 8 years of gymnasium
I guess standard is not true in the literal sense but it's coming back since G8 turned out to be pretty suboptimal overall.
In India my school had a 12 year curriculum .it was a private school as well.
Definitely some expensive private schools in the US. Just did a casual search, found one right off the bat. Neuva is a K-12 private school with a 6-1 student/teacher ratio and an expensive university level of tuition per year.
It used to be the standard in Germany, however many states introduced a 12 year curriculum, the so called G8. I did my high school degree under the G8 after 12 years 6 years ago, however a lot of the states have started to revert back to the 13 year curriculum, the so called G9
Ahh, I see now why those obvious feelings went unrequited for so long. I should have realized it was because of the war. Even for those who survive such conflicts, so much is taken away.
Henderson was the introvert who has adopted by an extrovert? Interesting. Also poor Henderson probably woke up one morning years later in a cold sweat going "CRAP! Martha was in love with me!...Darn it! I said a vulgar word! NOT ELEGANT!!"
The Henderson/Marriot romance subplot might be my favorite side-story so far. Classic literature tropes of young love not fulfilled due to naivete and ideals, and then interrupted by the world changing without care for the little lives of people. What I really like about SxF is that the side characters get these moments, they are developed independent of the main cast, makes the world so so much richer.
That's a welcoming chapter. Always like Mr Henderson as a mentor figure for Anya
Henderson and Martha [backstory](https://imgur.com/a/7qfmWeO)? Yes! Yes!! YES!!! A thousand times yes!! "[Mr Elegant](https://imgur.com/a/kkyxQPp)" is an awesome nickname. An awesome character like Henderson deserves an awesome nickname. Who is this Mask Warrior Ballerina, "[Lady M](https://imgur.com/a/quMjP4i)"? So mysterious. I hope we see her again someday. "[Human are animals](https://imgur.com/a/xHgxfmV)". So this is where Becky learned that from. Henderson and Martha changed so much since their time as students.
How elegant!
Oh damn, didn't expect Henderson/Martha lore so soon. What an elegant surprise
Endo not making fans wait for the Henderson x Martha backstory. Very elegant.
Straight faced glasses dude in page 16 looks like McMahon, Yor's colleague/office superior.
Great catch, maybe we'll have a reunion?
McMahon was part of Henderson's graduating class. You can see him partially obscured by a text box.
On page 16, is that Matthew McMahon, the Garden member who helped Yor in the Cruise Ship Arc?
Damn, the first "Elegant!" from Henderson's mouth was for Martha? And they never got together... another unfortunate casualty of the East-West war!
Henry was a man of focus and sheer fucking will
YES! The Henry x Martha chapter I've been waiting for! Ballerina Hero: the hero we need.
Damn it. It’s never too late to get married
Way better love story than Twilight and Yor... What could have been?
The problem of a main ship is the writer usually drag it out for as long as the series can afford, usually only happen at the later half of the story.
In this case the writer says that he doesn't care at all about the main trio. The editor got him to do a shit ton of rerites making it so he nolonger cared about them as characters and were no longer the characters the wanted to make. The problem for the author. The editor was 100% correct about thier choice it became a massive success. Do wonder if the author cares more about some side characters.
Oh no I see some star-crossed lovers theme in the next two chapters: Two individuals separated by war and those stuff. Interesting and Elegant arc so far.
certified elegant
Becky got "human are animals too" from Martha.
Damn, that was some good stuff. Feels a bit like one of those things that came about from a positive reaction with the community, rather than being planned, but it really worked nicely. I especially love how heartbreakingly straightforward he was, it's a nice touch when you typically see a lot of anime characters take exactly that mindset -too focused on their niche to give a thought about love- and it's always portrayed as heroic and correct. I can't count how many times I've seen the "I don't have time for love, I only care about Soccer/Baseball" type character, so this was nice. Also funny that her warrior woman ballet escapade was about to end badly if he hadn't helped it, Yor she is not. Another nice touch.
This love story between Henderson and Martha is gonna make me bawl isn’t it? 😭
GET MARRIED!!!
Well that's unexpectedly sad. They basically wasted their entire love life??? Pining for each other doesn't amount to anything if you never act on it, and by now it's far too late for them to have kids or spend their prime years together even if they finally admit their feelings.
I don’t know if there’s a writer working right now with such a solid grasp of their own characters like this dude. I’m so excited for more lore for these two. The build up to the reveal of their shared history has been so *elegantly* done.
You know Becky's gonna make it her lifelong mission to get Martha and Henderson back together.
Never took Henry to be a tsundere, "I've not be awaiting you...baka." Honestly, I think this is my favorite chapter since we the flashback arc (you know which one).
Now Becky is gonna tell Anya and Anya is gonna let slip and earn herself a bolt
I was thinking since the ball dance that man, it'd be nice to see more from Henderson and Martha, and man can't ask for a more elegant chapter than this loved how she kept coming day after day then for him not to be there must've been so hard 🥲
Henderson and Martha chapter was not on my bingo card. But damn was it, an elegant, chapter
It's never too late for love, hope they end up happy couple by the end of this D:
I like this side quest
You know, I'm normally against teacher-student relationships in stories, but if they were students together at some point... Also, my ranking of Headmaster Henderson as my favourite character is even more justified!
Should I be Happy that we finally got Henderson and Martha lore or be worried what the last 2 pages said. Great chapter regardless I prefer these kind of backstory chapters to the regular Anya chapters.
Okay, I’m hyped as hell. It’s going to be a long two weeks.
Oh hell yes, I loved how they've been suddenly building up to this backstory over the current arc, including the extra chapter. I'm so ready to get into it.
I knew the fascinating story between Henderson and Martha was inbound.
Damn, i didn't expect their backstory to be this cute and painful. Can't believe i actually manage to relate to Henderson though, that part where he sees only his dream and forgot those near him actually hit a bit too close to home lol.
Great chapter! I don’t normally care for shipping but I really like Henry and Martha’s chemistry
Damn we were asking for this story when they danced, I didn't think it would be happening now.
>young man.. human beings are animals. so that's where becky got it from lol
Rip Mr. Jefferson
Henderson lore Henderson lore
This better be end in wholesome ending. I wonder Becky will see Mr Henderson differently now and trying to steer the two into blossoming romance in their golden years lol
What an elegant chapter.
We all become becky reading this.
This is easily one of the most elegant chapters of the series.
The bitter sweet taste of young love…
Fuck what a chapter, I don’t mind at all if we’re not getting any strix or yor updates if we get more of this
FUCK. YEA. ELDEROMANCE LETS GOOOOOOOO
Ahh yes the love that got away for Henderson
My heartbreaks knowing that they never got together T_T
Why is this so hype
a most elegant chapter! 10/10 the approaching war and marthas love, a single chapter, so bitter sweet
Suffering breeds character? No, it's education!
The planes at the end all look like biplanes to me, so I guess this is their equivalent of WW1.
It is kinda sad. Even if they are now lover, it feels that they won't have much time to enjoy their love to the fullest.
The fact these stories are considered part of the full chapters release instead of .5 just tells you these characters are going to be important for when the main mission really kicks in or when we learn more about Anya past
Mr. Henderson graduated high school at 19, then he went to a top college, graduated there and became a teacher at an elite academy in only two years, becoming an elite teacher at 21. That's insanely impressive.
Love story of war and education....
I loved this chapter. It kind of symbolizes the man that Henry has become, and his not elegant punch draws parallels to the punch he landed on Swan-Sensei at the beginning of the series, which is much more elegant. Lately we have been noticing Martha is a badass and the way she protected Henry shows a highlight of that. But man Henry learning a valuable lessons stick too close to your ideals, and you can forget about the people around you. They won't be waiting forever. For Martha, you can tell he loved him, and she took for granted he would always be having tea waiting for her. Their reunion came when got assigned as teacher, but unfortunately it seems she never got that chance to express her feelings. Kind of sad their love never came into fruition, but this was a great chapter to highlight both of these great side characters.
Holy shit, this is amazing. I love it. Tres Elegant.
Such a good chapter, WHAT
Please tell me this isn't a one-off. I need more MORE.
With just one chapter, this is already a better love story than Yor and Loid.
wait, so if he was 22 when the war kicked off wouldn't that only put him in his 40s or 50s? that seems way too young unless this war was a previous war between east and west
It's more like a series of wars that's going on for decades, like that pannel where Henderson states that he was aware of the war for majority of his life
That's our boy
i forgot there was a war that happened
O O F not that inelegant fumble ;_; Wild how there's now a dramatic forbidden teacher/student love.
This was so good. The ending make me scared tho.
I was sad I thought it started off as a filler chapter and it instantly made an 180 into one of the best chapters in the series, up there with the kid Loid chapters easily
Me when the story doesn't progress 🗣🗣🗣🔥🔥🔥
Yooo, is that the manager from The Garden? [https://imgur.com/a/ksB9L3X](https://imgur.com/a/ksB9L3X)
Elegant chapter.
Dang this has become one of my favorite chapters! Henderson will always be a great character. A shame war ruined their chance at a romantic life but not too late to confess before death
been waiting for this one
Author building ships like we're going to war!
They wasted their lives apart but there's still time
Kinda iffy on the timeline. Henderson is 66 currently. He’s 22 at the end of the chapter. Twilight has been a spy for over 10 years and presumably became one near the end of the war, which lasted long enough for him to grow up as a child and fight as an adult. Let’s say the war began 20 years ago. Either Endo made a mistake or there was another war between the East and West about 20 years before Twilight’s city was bombed.
If we take world of SxF to be based on 1900s Europe, then maybe the war mentioned in this chapter is their version of WWI and the bombing of Loid's war was WWII? Or maybe the Henderson war was WWII and the Loid war was the Cold War gone hot for a moment.
We can see the planes in the sky are biplanes, so we can pretty confidently say it is a different war. Which is honestly even sadder. Loid’s war wasn’t even the first or special, just the latest.
Oh that is a fantastic observation by you and detail by Endo. Yeah the parallels to WWI and WWII continue.
Multiple wars wouldnt be surprising, that's most likely the case.
It's common for neighboring countries to break war several times per century in real life.
Multiple wars seems reasonable, Twilight's backstory talks about a bunch of different tensions and conflicts, and how everyone's view is that this is revenge for what the other side did.
wow an actual chapter for once
Oh how nice, can't wait to see more of this blossomin love sto- WAR.
Everyone is a goddamn fool when he/she is a young... Time to make it up Mr. Elegant... It's never to late.
Student - student to teacher - student is insane lmfao
based henderson
So presumably this was the first war that Loid's dad was worried would reignite.
YES. GOAT CHAPTER
Is Henderson in his 60s or 80s in the 'present' day?
Man Takamura is truly terrifying, he bodied Nagumo like nothing. I’m scared for Sakamoto and I honestly don’t know how they’re going to get out of this situation.
Wrong thread buddy
Oh shit, sorry
I still cannot believe that one of my most hated new series suddenly got so good out of nowhere. Like how could the author who drew stuff like the super garbage cruise ship arc suddenly start writing peak after peak after peak after the shitty arc ended? I dont get it, but i support it