If He Wanted To, He Would
Episode 2 of Pass the Monster Meat, Milady! proves that Aristide is not playing around about Melphie. This man immediately writes to the count, Melphie’s father, to ask for her hand in marriage. At first, Melphie is shocked and thinks that the Duke has ulterior motives, but I think it’s clear that he does not. He was truly captivated by their meeting and couldn’t stop thinking about her. Melphie also can’t stop thinking about him!
I loved that Aristide could not wait for a letter back and immeditely took off to see Melphie. And not only does he arrive looking dashing, riding on dragons, but he also brings Melphie the perfect gift for her. (A monster, of course.) It’s so nice to see a character really be about it. They might still be getting to know each other, but Aristide has grasped what makes Melphie special, and he wants to continue to nurture that. In addition, he even makes it clear to her father that he knows she loves monster meat and he doesn’t care about the rumors. He wants to be with her no matter what.
The Meanings Behind Monster Meat
In this episode, we also learn some of the reasons why Melphie has been eating monster meat. Her mother was researching ways to feed the barren lands they live in. Now, Melphie has inherited her research and has promised to continue her mother’s work. If Melphie were just a crazed person who wanted to eat monsters for no reason, that would be fine. But adding this backstory creates another layer for Melphie. She’s a smart, young woman on a mission, and she won’t derail her goals for a man or marriage.
This also makes for a good reason why Melphie is hesitant about Aristide. She does like him and is captivated by him, too, but she has things she wants for herself. Towards the end of the episode, she questions whether he will continue to like her when he learns all her reasons for researching monsters. I think she’s prepared no matter what and is okay with letting him go to continue on to her goals.
What’s Next
This episode also introduces Aristide’s older brother, the crown prince! He seems like a fun, doting older brother, and I hope we get to see more of him in future episodes. Overall, this was another fun and charming episode. I love Aristide and Melphie’s chemistry and how they’re so forthcoming about who they are with each other. I love how they can be confident one minute and then shy and flustered the other. This anime is so cute and I can’t get enough.
Pass the Monster Meat, Milady! is streaming on Crunchyroll, with new episodes on Thursdays.
