Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord Volumes 4-6 Manga Review

In Volume 1-3, we were presented with a kind of manga The Sims scenario, as Van gathered around him people willing to help him transform this “unnamed” village into a prosperous town.

In Volume 4-6, the story continues to build on Van's blueprints, as the town builds defenses, weapons, and a military capable of wielding them. It also takes some time to delve into honestly interesting facets of city-building.

First, of course, there is architecture. Defensive walls and offensive ballista, buildings, roads, water supply, and sewers. Then there is the economy. Traders, stores, goods, and services. And with prosperity comes people running from poverty, war, and devastation. Van is forced to rethink his city to give space for an influx of new people and an opportunity to be a valued part of the city's life.

Next comes the political. A boy in a prosperous city is going to become a target. More importantly, to set up trade outside the corrupt trader's guile, Van has to become a noble. He gains assistance in the form of Viscount Panamera, an absurdly busty, but extremely competent noble who accompanies yet another unwanted child, Count Ferinetto's daughter Arte, whom the Count has sent to formalize an engagement.

While building up his city, Van runs into yet another problem—a dungeon has been found. Adventurers are arriving, and they need somewhere to stay. The Van municipality grows by a second village for them.

While never forgetting the political landscape, this story helps Arte find herself with Van's help, of course, and, as if it's not taking on a lot already, faces the subject of slavery head-on. Van may be 8 years old, but he is from our world and is appalled at the idea. His town is growing, so more people can find a place. To some small extent, that is a handwave. Opportunity to move up in the world has always been easier when one has nothing but space and time. Magic and political power help as well. But I was glad to see the story at least take a shot at addressing the issue at all.

Honestly, this tends to be a pretty serious story wrapped in a facile isekai premise. While the manga more often focuses on the details of building—from a hand-cranked multiple-bolt crossbow, to a beautiful doll that can perform a sword dance, to the right kind of gate for a dungeon—it never really lets go of Van's political vulnerabilities. This is important because at the end of Volume 6, his political stability may be threatened with the worst possible kind of threat, a jealous royal.

But, of course, we're pretty sure from the beginning of the story that Van and his people will be all right. We're not really worried about war or privation or natural disaster any more than we are worried about armored lizards (and you thought the ballista on the ramparts were silly, didn't you? Admit it. Well, hah on you) or the cyclops boars or whatever other giant near-undefeatable monsters will be defeated. And of course, because we know that Van has built a safe water supply, we don't need to concern ourselves with disease.

The biggest worry we have is when (not if) Van's detestable father tries to take his town away, which the Marquis almost certainly will do. Dad is the final boss here, not the King. And it is equally obvious that an “easygoing” life is nowhere to be found in the future for this series.

The seventh volume of the manga will not be out until spring. I think I'm going to miss this series. It's not entirely ridiculous, but just silly enough for you to relax into it and let all the powerful fighters and magic users beat the scary bad things without too much emotional commitment. There's just enough of a playing house with dolls feel too it, that we can like it when we read it, put it down when a volume ends, and pick it up again later when it suits us. What new uses will Van and Arte find for their unwanted magic? I look forward to finding out.