ハヤテのごとく！/Hayate no Gotoku Chapter 384
Hayate the Combat Butler chapter 384

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

In order to free Hayate from his obligations as a butler, Ruka tells Hayate that she will help pay off his debt, despite the fact that their combined debt is around ¥300 million. Ruka decides to press forward anyway since she loves Hayate.

At Mikado’s palace, Mikado asks Nagi how things are at the apartment-house. Nagi is fine, thanks to Hayate, but Mikado wonders how she’ll be if Hayate leaves, considering how lazy she is and how socially withdrawn she is (hikikomori). Maria jumps in, pointing out that Nagi makes messes, can’t use the bathroom on her own at night, and points out other flaws. As such, Maria wonders if she and Hayate left, would Nagi be able to survive, or would she be like a silkworm and die without people helping her. Mikado asks if they leave Nagi, wouldn’t she need the Sanzenin inheritance to survive. Nagi ponders this for a moment, then realizes that though her grandfather had suggested she might die in the fight for the inheritance, he was in fact referring to himself.

Their conversation is interrupted by a call from Sakuya, who informs Nagi that Ruka and Hayate are lost on a mountain thanks to a terrible guide (Isumi). Nagi says that she’ll head out to help with the search.

Meanwhile, as Ruka sleeps, Hayate ponders Ruka’s love confession, recalling other love confessions by Ayumu & Athena.  He also ponders what would happen if he paid off his debt to Nagi, not having thought about it for a while since he’s been enjoying life with his ojousama. He wonders if Nagi can survive without him.

Nagi shows up, letting him know this isn’t Rainbow Village. After small talk about Mikado and his desire to give Nagi the inheritance, Hayate asks what would happen in the event of Mikado’s death. Nagi figures the inheritance would go to someone named Hisui (Hatsushibara), her friend Jenny’s older sister, who’s the daughter of Mikado’s younger sister. However, Nagi isn’t worried since she has Hayate.  Hayate is worried, since he doesn’t think she can survive if he and Maria were to leave her.  So, he asks her what she would do on her own if he left her.

Thoughts/Review:

I’m glad to see Hata-sensei continue to push forward on plot a bit.  I’ve often maintained that he could do the gag humor and continue pushing the plot forward.  That happened in this chapter.

On the comedy front, the gag about Isumi getting the group lost continues, made funny by the fact that she’s acting like she wasn’t involved in the whole mess. Plus, there were moments of comedic conflict between Mikado and Nagi.

On the plot front, it is pretty impressive to see how aggressive Ruka is.  To offer to take on Hayate’s debt as well as her own is a way to show how serious she is on wanting to be with Hayate, but it also is a rash thing to say, considering how much she owes. After all, where does she get the money to pay off Hayate’s debt when she’s in as much debt?

Nagi’s chat with Mikado was interesting. The series has often joked about Nagi’s laziness and her utter dependence on Maria and Hayate, but as Hata-sensei is wont to do, even in the jokes, he’s establishing a foundation (howbeit very slowly). While it is commendable that Nagi wants to become a manga-ka, and she does have some abilities on the business side (as seen in her being the landlord of Yukari-chan House), she really needs to learn life skills and not need to be dependent on others. Maria’s analogy of Nagi being like a silkworm is pretty good.

Hayate asks Nagi the question on what she’d do, so I’m interested in seeing what her answer will be. Considering she didn’t get all angry when Mikado and Maria challenged her, I don’t think she’ll get upset with Hayate for asking, and may even take it seriously in light of her conversation with Maria and Mikado.

Well, I guess I’ll find out soon enough. ^_^