For the first time in a long time, Dahlia is able to return to her workshop in this episode, away from any business obligations or pesky divorce proceedings. What follows is probably best described as a real-life episode in which not much happens. Well, things happen – there are scenes, conversations are had and meals are eaten – but there is no real conflict to speak of. The could works under the right conditions and isn’t outside the norm for such a low-key show, but it just feels like something is missing.

Part of it is that while Dahlia and Wolf are perfectly compatible as friends (and probably more, no matter how much they protest), they’re also a bit too similar. Pretty much every discussion they have is friendly, calm, and without even a small difference of opinion. Even when Wolf shows an aversion to green peppers, he immediately gives in to the gentlest of prodding and realizes he loves them now. Wolf is slightly concerned when Dahlia suggests using a dangerous element in their crafting session, but nothing comes of it because he simply trusts that Dahlia is safe. None of these decisions are bad creativity, but it does mean there’s no room for friction when the two are together. Wolf’s penchant for spending too much money on gifts is the closest thing to a disagreement, and even that is resolved through quick, professional negotiation. I don’t need a ton of over-the-top bickering between unlikely pairs, but even the most compatible people are still different Guys, yeah? Even a little gentle teasing would go a long way in making these two more interesting throughout the day.

Things get a little more exciting once the pair start working on their magical sword project. For one thing, it’s interesting to see people with little magic skill try to construct a solution that would normally be achieved through sorcery. I wish there was a little more hand-work involved, rather than Dahlia simply magically hollowing out perfectly placed notches for magical stones. However, it’s still neat to see her run into unexpected problems and try to find new workarounds. The process of finding and testing solutions is fun to watch, even if they ultimately fail and end with a magical biohazard. I have a lot of questions about exactly how magic works in this universe and what sets Dahlia apart from those fabled wizards and alchemists. But as an example of the central idea of ​​the entire show, it’s a solid sequence.

From there, though, things just kind of happen. Dahlia and Wolf write this attempt off as a failure, then go back to eating huge meals for just two people before moving on to a new “prototype” that Dahlia has apparently been holding onto for years. You know, maybe her dad was right when he said to find her someone to help her in the business, because this girl is sitting on several new inventions without even trying to put them into production. For example, you invented a cure for athlete’s foot and there’s an entire army of smelly boots just waiting to be magically cleaned, but you never thought about selling it? Come on! Show some initiative!

If that sounds over the top, it’s only to make up for the complete lack of conflict in the second third of this episode. There’s no narrative or character dynamic to take us to the next level, so I have to poke around to find something interesting. Like, “Hey, am I hearing some damn lesbian yearning from Lady Althea as she stares at her counterpart of Wolf’s mother?” I can’t say for sure, but I can say that I’d love to explore her story and her relationship with Wolf in five solid minutes of random soldiers talking about their little piggies.

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Blooming Dahlia: Creating a new beginning with magical tools is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.