"Flustered in the face of a ragged Maomao... 'The Apothecary Diaries', can't take your eyes off Jinshi overflowing with emotions!"

In episode 19 of the anime "The Apothecary Diaries," the story took a dramatic turn. Particularly, many fans were captivated by the special ending where Jinshi (CV: Takeo Otsuka) carried Maomao (CV: Aoi Yuki), who had protected him with her own body, and they exclaimed, "I can't take it anymore... I love it..."

Maomao discovered that ritual tools were stolen during a previous commotion involving a small fire. She sensed a strange connection that seemed more than mere coincidence among the series of events, such as the death of the ritual tools' manager and the bureaucrat who collapsed from seaweed poisoning. Upon reinvestigating the incidents, she realized that the life of a noble participating in the ritual might be in danger.

Learning that the ritual was being held that very day, Maomao hurried to the venue. Merely a maidservant, Maomao was stopped by a military officer at the entrance and ended up in an argument, getting hit in the process. However, she was determined, saying, "It's too late after something happens." With a helping hand from her father and adversary, Rakan (voiced by Takuya Kirimoto), she managed to rush into the building, badly beaten but just in time to save the noble from a falling pillar.

The noble conducting the ritual was Jinshi. Confused by the situation, Jinshi was flustered upon seeing Maomao, whose face was swollen and who was bleeding from the leg because of the pillar. Jinshi carried the unconscious Maomao out of the building. Surrounded by people bowing their heads, indicating his high status, Jinshi walked with a resolute expression. Passing by, Rakan showed an intense expression as he looked at Jinshi and Maomao in his arms.

As the insert song "Soku no Hono" played like a special ending, what was Jinshi thinking as he walked straight while carrying Maomao? Online, fans were thrilled with comments like, "I want to be princess-carried too," "He looks like a prince and so cool," "I felt the love," "I can't take it anymore... I love it..."

"The Apothecary Diaries" is an anime adaptation based on the light novel of the same name by Hyuganatsu. It has been serialized in two monthly magazines, and the series' cumulative number of copies in circulation has exceeded 38 million. The TV anime aired for two consecutive cours starting in October 2023. It gained significant attention with its mystery drama centered around Maomao, who works as a food taster in the imperial court, and the comical interactions between Maomao and the handsome eunuch Jinshi. The second season began airing in January 2025.

(C)Hyuganatsu, Imagica Infos/"The Apothecary Diaries"Project