Inkspot Fancy

Jesus, you guys, this book is so cute.

1. CUTE.

Wendy is off on her first solo (sort of) mission for Fairy Tail. I say sort of because Carla, as one could expect, isn't about to let her go on her own. So the two of them set off to a village which is facing a strange phenomenon that they need help with. But when they get there, they find people are missing, and the spirit of a dragon killed long ago is the main suspect. Fear and suspicion are running rampant.

But in the midst of all this, Wendy encounters another girl her age, named Yoshino. She also has magic, and the two girls quickly become fast friends while trying to work out what's happening to the village.

Yoshino is a happy girl, and she doesn't for a moment believe a ghost is responsible for what's happening. I guess this makes sense - her father was injured by one of the ghost's attacks, and I imagine in part, she just wants to find whoever's behind it. But it might also be that she mostly seems to be a rational child, in her way.

If you've read Fairy Tail, you'll notice a change in the art here. For lack of a better way of putting it, it's very shojo. Features are softer and cuter. Rui Watanabe is the artist here, and their art captures the look of Fairy Tail while giving it a sweet, lovely look. You get pretty regular bubble frames and overlays, and comedic chibi asides. It's very... cute. :)

The story feels very Fairy Tail, though you'll probably work out at least part of what's going on pretty easily, and the book neatly ends this arc while offering a clear way forward for the next volume. It's a lovely little side story to Fairy Tail's monstrous main story.