I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World Manga Gradually Makes More Sense

I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World is one of those manga series that might give someone pause at first glance, even though it is a shojo series that is a lot of fun. Nunnally Hel wants to be a receptionist at the adventurer’s guild Harre. However, in this world that’s a very coveted position that requires someone to essentially have top marks at school and be quite magically gifted as well. The pacing in the first volume is great, since it covers her education and getting started, but it doesn’t really help us understand why it is necessary. Now that we’re already up to volume 6, the series makes much more sense and is more enjoyable as a result. 

Editor’s Note: There will be some very light plot references for I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World manga volumes below.

So in the very first volume of I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World, we see Nunnally attending the prestigious Kingdom of Doran Magic Academy, even though she isn’t nobility. This is because of natural talent and a drive to become a receptionist at the Harre’s adventurer assisting organization. That’s a place that helps with investigations, assignments, and other things associated with quests. There, she develops as an individuals, ends up with the rare ice magic Blood Type, and grows as an individual. It also sets up a rivalry with Alweiss Rockmann, an actual noble and love interest who is equally magically inclined and gunning for a role with the kingdom’s knights.

It’s only once we get past that initial volume that Harre’s demand makes sense. This is because, while I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World is a shojo manga, there’s also a bit of adventure to it. As a newcomer, a lot of Nunnally’s time at the job involves learning practical skills. While some of that is typical paperwork, it also shows that insight into what explorers will deal with is a necessity. While figuring out new assignments and taking requests from common people for the knights and other experienced warriors, they’ll need to figure out what’s going on. Maybe identify a creature involved in a situation. This requires them to be strong enough to do some light exploration on their own for investigations for the assignment. Basically, they need to know what they’re talking about, and have a wide range of immediately familiarity and information to pull from due to everything Harre handles. We see Nunnally do some tracking and use a memory detection on folks with requests about incidents to help properly figure out what’s going on and pair them with folks who can help.

Another element that suddenly makes it believable that a “simple” receptionist would need to be so experienced and skilled is the adaptability. Part of I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World heading to different locations in the manga does feel designed to offer more backstory and insight into Nunnally and her family’s past and offer more sorts of shojo setups for interactions with her friends and Rockmann. However, part of it also shows the range of the individuals working for Harre. One of her assignments takes her outside the one major location in Doran to other branches. So a part of that sends her to the south to Solieu. So since she does need to go around the kingdom, it reasons someone would need to be strong enough to travel and handle themself in any situation, regardless of environment.

Two of the more recent examples as to why Harre needs such talented and strong employees is hinted at in the sixth volume of the manga, leading into the events of the seventh. The first involves a major event and competition called Walhelnus. Harre sends representatives to compete alongside other sorcerers. Nunnally isn’t participating that year, due to her being relatively new. However, part of Harre’s tasks involves also assisting with running it, which she’ll be doing. That involves even more magical assistance than her daily job. The other teaser suggests now she is experienced enough to work the night shift. This again involves more danger and critical situations, as well as doing so without senior staff around.

It basically feels like every volume of I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World gradually showcases more and more why Nunnally needed to be such a talented sorceress to work there. When the manga began, it didn’t properly show or tell why what is essentially an adventurer’s guild would need top-of-their-class students as employees. However, as the series continues, it’s doing a much better job of laying that out. I really appreciate it!

Volume 6 of the I Want to Be a Receptionist in This Magical World manga is available now, and Yen Press hasn’t noted when it will release volume 7 yet.