If there's something I appreciate from the specials alternating with full chapters, is that we get more downtime with the characters without needing to finagle a way to involve magic/lewd shenanigans at some point during it. Can afford to just chill a bit and see their normal lives playing out.
Not that I'd be against a special about, say, Utena and Kiwi having a conversation during their lesbian smex, but it is still nice.