I checked the official translation of Vol 1. and the art is pretty much the same as the previous chapters, if MC's dick is blurred/whited out it's the same in the official. There's some wording differences and name changes but kinda w/e for an erotic story.
---
Assume nothing.
He cast the spell with hands behind HIS back
That's pretty wild then, no one will even notice that it's happening if he does it that way, and he also doesn't even require an incantation for it. (except for incantation for the wooden dummies/walls in the goblin quest)
I'm getting the feeling that being able to use magic or being a Wizard/Mage in this world setting is pretty overpowered. It's like having the strength of 2-3 people or another party in one person.
---
snip...
Seems more to me that the brainwashing part was added there by the author to give the girls a tiny bit of an out for their behavior.
"THEY'RE STILL GUD GIRLS DEEP DOWN!! IT'S THAT EEEVOOOL BRAINWASHING BAD GUY'S FAULT THAT THEY ARE HORNY SLUTS!!"
Yea I agree, the author's usage of manipulation/suggestion is kinda meh for me atm. It's like only using the tip of an iceberg of a dark mature theme or using it in as vanilla a way as possible. It also diminishes my enjoyment of MC's sweet talk/charm process in tempting the girls, since if brainwashing is being used I prefer when the target is aware of it but inevitably falls/corrupts.
I do enjoy seeing MC's smooth moves and all that but the author reminding me that he still uses those spells for the most innocuous things is annoying. Author could've made MC an even more charming person with a silver tongue who can sweet talk or tease the truth out of the girls (easy) vs using a spell to make them say it for him (easier).
Also Renka's case is a bit interesting for me, since it's hard for me to view her current situation as cheating or being a slut. It's like a form of cheating but not to anyone but only towards herself. Renka might feel that falling for another person despite continuing to choose to hold onto those unrequited feelings as a form of "cheating", but she can still be a supportive big sister towards her childhood friends whilst finding a lover of her own. (unless the childhood friends are okay with a harem angle).
I like Renka's design and it'd suck if MC weren't here since she's portrayed as the type of person who would put the happiness of others over her own personal happiness and she may never find that happiness if she kept up the status quo with her childhood friends.