魔法先生 ネギま！Volume 21 Chapter 194

Summary: Negi and company continue their investigation to find Natsumi, whom they believe may have been taken by slavers. Elsewhere Natsumi indeed is a slave complete with a collar, dressed as a maid and thinking about this strange world with flying whales and how she came to be here, having snuck with Yuuna and the others. During her break, she drops in on Ako, who’s ill and being nursed by Akira. The three of them had found themselves in a wasteland with Ako ill, but when they tried to get medicine for her, the price was slavery until they could pay off the Dp1-million cost of the medicine. Natsumi and Akira ponder the possibilities of their being in a dream or even a VR game somehow.

Two days later, Negi and Kotaro are angry when they find that Akira, Natsumi, and Ako are officially slaves. Kotaro handles an official roughly and gets the information needed for where they are, but reminds them that if they take the slaves by force, they’ll be criminals. Kotaro isn’t worried about that since they already have prices on their heads. He tells an agreeing Negi that they should raid the place just he same, but a voice tells them it isn’t very wise. That voice belongs to Asakura, who’s dressed as a made and has the Sayo doll with her.

Ako is up and while still weak, is working. Their owner is a “stuffed animal” who reminds them that she won’t allow any slacking. Natsumi tells Akira that if they were in a dream, a prince would come riding to their rescue. Three thugs arrive and knock Ako over. They do their thug talk around her, leading Akira to come forward and warn them to not lay a finger on Ako. The leader of the trio activates her collar, causing her great pain, and tells them they have five or six years of work to pay off their debt. The lead thug handles Ako roughly but is grabbed by Negi (still in older teen form) who punches him and tells him not to lay a finger on his students. Ako sees her rescuer and recognizes him — Nagi-san.

Thoughts: Ah. Akamatsu-sensei has to point out where Natsumi was in the earlier chapters. Heh! And now we tie back to the School Festival Arc with Ako and Negi as his cousin Nagi. Well, that will be interesting because as I see it, Negi is going to have to confess somehow that he’s not Nagi but Negi. Still, that would be a killer for Ako though.

With the people found thus far, it looks like Akamatsu-sensei is going to spend some time with some people who don’t get as much face time, which doesn’t bother me.