Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation - Episode 16 Review - Rudeus Reunites with Paul
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
Continuing after Mushoku Tensei Episode 15, Rudeus’ party makes it to Millishion, the capital of Millis. Geese unexpectedly says he has to part ways with them right before they enter the city. Odd, I expected him to stick around with the party longer. But we’ll probably see him in the future.
Oh, Eris demands Geese teach her how to cook. When he asks why, she gets quiet and looks embarrassed. It’s obviously for Rudy. It’s a cute moment, and Rudeus catches it, too.
In their room at an inn, Rudeus holds a Dead End meeting with Eris and Ruijerd. He announces that it’s been a year and a half since Eris and Rudeus were stranded in the Demon Continent after mysteriously being teleported there. They finally made it to Milis, human territory. But they’re not quite home yet. Rudeus says they’ll stay in Millis a few months earning the necessary funds before moving on. Rudeus also suggests that they take a day off the next day, and each member should go off to do their own thing. It will give him a chance to write a letter to his family.
This is the first time in a year and a half that he’ll try to reach out to his family after the teleportation disaster. Honestly, that doesn’t make much sense. Someone as sharp as Rudeus should have sent a letter or a bulletin out long ago. But you’ll see that this has a consequence. It’s all for the sake of drama in the story. Pretty bad plothole, if you ask me.
While Rudeus is writing his letter, he notices what looks like a kid being kidnapped. To help Ruijerd’s reputation, he feels obliged to save the kid. He sneaks up on the “kidnappers,” but accidentally reveals himself.
This leads to a fight. Rudeus can handle all of them. But their leader comes out. And after an evenly matched fight between Rudeus’ magic and the guy’s agility and sword skills, we learn that the leader is… Paul! And he looks like crap. He’s drunk too, I think.
It’s not the heartwarming reunion I expected. Paul asks what’s happened all this time. Rudeus makes light of his adventure and tries to make himself sound cool. This really pisses off Paul. He can’t believe Rudy never saw his messages. And that Rudy never tried to writing any messages to find his family (see what I said earlier). He thinks Rudeus has just been goofing off.
Paul starts ridiculing Rudeus about being too into Eris. And Rudy retorts back that Paul’s hanging around with a big breast girl. It’s totally foolish of Rudeus to not read the situation. This is a poor time to tease.
It gets so heated that they start fighting. Rudeus starts whaling on him with his fists but Norn comes and defends Paul. Then the real heartbreaker - Rudeus learns his mother, Sylphie, Lilia and Aisha all disappeared that day too.
