The Dragon Knight's Beloved (Manga) Vol. 3

竜騎士のお気に入り [Ryuukishi no Oki ni Iri] #3

by Ritsu Aozaki (Artist), Asagi Orikawa (Story)

Melissa has been kidnapped! Eleanor and her servant are behind it, and both want to use her as bait for dragons Melissa cares for. However, each has a different plan for the dragons when they arrive. The safety of the wild dragons, especially the newborn king of dragons, is Melissa's biggest concern. Any cry for help plays into Eleanor's and the poachers' plans. Hubert and the Dragon Knight Corps need to act quickly to save her before she is used against all the dragons in the valley!

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Romance, Dragons, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Fiction

180 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 30, 2020

About the author

蒼崎律

Reviews

[Sarah Ryder · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited to continue this story as I really liked the first two volumes but this one was just…all right? It was honestly a little boring and I’m so disappointed!

The rescue I thought would be most of the volume and it wasn’t? Which was super weird not to mention anticlimactic as Melissa kinda just gets rescued and they’re done. Even the confession between Hubert and Melissa was super short and not very romantic in my opinion which is also weird. And then the rest of the volume is spent talking about dresses???? Huh? I honestly have no idea what happened! Also some lines were super confusing and the characters suddenly felt bland which I don’t like.

At least the art is still gorgeous!

I’m so disappointed but I’ll continue reading if my library gets the next volume before I decide to quit. I hope this is just a dead spot in the story and not how the rest of the series is going to go.


‼️Content‼️

Language: dumbass; dammit; damn

Violence: a character is pushed off a cliff, bangs against it while dangling from a rope, and eventually falls when the rope snaps; injuries and blood (nothing over PG)

Sexual: a kiss; a mild suggestive hint

Drugs/Alcohol: in the past a character’s brother was poisoned and died

Other: a character is kidnapped and tied up; dragon poachers; dragons have a “magical” bond with their knights; dragons cursed a woman

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am SO glad I kept reading this series despite not absolutely loving the previous volume because this volume was SOOOOO good!

It picks up right where the last volume ended and had me on edge about what would happen to Melissa! Not only that, but the secret that comes out! :o :o :o I was SHOCKED! It resulted in me having a lot of compassion for a certain character.

The story was a whirlwind (though I mean that in a positive way!), especially when it comes to the romance, which I was very excited about! It seemed much more of a natural progression in this volume than a rushed one and very much appreciated that. It's still interesting how huge of a role dragons play in their love story, but I really really enjoy it and can say it's one of my favorite parts. Definitely different and unique!

Speaking of, THE BLUE DRAGON IS SO CUTE!! I have LOVED seeing the dragons in action and always deeply enjoy learning more about them. Makes this series a joy to read because dragons are always so rare in manga it feels.

Overall, I can definitely recommend this series again! While I still would have recommended it before this volume, I am looking forward to reading more of their love story! Glad I have volume four on preorder!

[Princess Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that this series has a lot of dialogue, but there is also a lot of filler and a lot of unnecessary and repeated information. It still makes my heart swoon.

[Karissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

so she was 5 when she met him.... and the seamstress made his clothes when he was 15. So he's 10 years older than her? I... don't know how I feel about this

[Nymphie (Cynthia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume greatly progresses the relationship between Hubert and Melissa! Blue is ever the adorable, if disobedient, little dragon. There was definitely a considerably larger number of dragons in this volume compared to prior ones. I hope this trend continues!

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yasss my heart ❤️

[Katrin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, that was better. I don't know if it was because I'm a sucker for love stories (even rushed ones apparently), cause everything still felt a little flat, but I am intrigued now what will happen with Blue :D

[Kirinna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Besser als der 1. und 2. Band, hier passiert endlich richtig Action und es wird aufgelöst, was es mit der dubiosen Dame auf sich hat, die hinter Markgraf Hubert her ist.
Das Artwork ist auch wie gewohnt gut, wir bekommen endlich mehr Drachen zu sehen, die Landschaft in der sie Leben (Klippen und Höhlen), der blaue Drache ist sehr putzig und ich hab ihn sofort ins Herz geschlossen.

ABER:
Altersunterschied und "Grooming":
- Es wird klar, dass die Protagonistin schon mit fünf (5!) Jahren vom Drachen "weiße Königin" gesegnet wurde, als Love Interest Hubert sie auf dem Arm hielt. Es wird immer nur eine Partnerin des Drachenreiters gesegnet, das ist quasi wie eine Heiratserlaubnis in dieser Welt. Ich fühle mich stark an die Verbindung zwischen dem Werwolf Jacob und Bellas Tochter aus dem letzten Twilightband erinnert und das ist nicht gerade positiv.
- Die Protagonistin wiederholt, dass sie in Hubert immer einen großen Bruder oder sogar Vater (!) gesehen hat. Brr. Zusammen mit den Kindheitserinnerungen. Wieso muss sowas jeden Band wiederholt werden? Es ist nicht romantisch und reißt den Leser aus der Situation.
- Der blaue Drache und der weiße Drache kommen schon jetzt so rüber als würden sie ebenfalls ein Pärchen werden. Dafür spricht dass sie auf ein "Date" gehen und dass der blaue "der König" genannt wird und der weiße "die Königin". Der blaue Drache ist ja gerade erst geschlüpft und wurde vom weißen bemuttert, außerdem gehört der weiße Drache zu Hubert der ja wie ein Vater/Bruder für Melissa war. Klar, es geht hier um Drachen, aber es ist halt schon stark, dass sich das Verhältnis der beiden Menschen einfach nochmal spiegelt bei den Tieren.

Die Drachen sind sexistisch:
- Aus irgendeinem unbekannten Grund haben die Drachen wohl noch nie eine Frau erwählt. Klar, das ist wahrscheinlich drin damit Melissa irgendwann die erste Drachenreiterin wird, aber ärgerlich ist es halt schon dass es anscheinend an den Drachen lag und nicht an der Regierung/der Gesellschaft.

Pacing:
Die Romanze wirkte bisher eher nach Slow-burn für mich, aber hier schreiten wir aufeinmal mit Riesenschritten voran und nachdem der zentrale Konflikt mit der dubiosen Frau aufgelöst wird, endet das Buch nichteinmal mit einem neuen, weshalb es sich schon sehr "abgeschlossen" anfühlt für eine Serie.

Fazit:
Es ist wirklich der beste der drei bisher erschienen Bände, es gibt Action und man erfährt sehr viel. Melissa zeigt endlich mehr Charakter und beißt in schwierigen Situationen die Zähne zusammen, um nicht die Drachen in Gefahr zu bringen.
Aber diese Punkte sind halt einfach ärgerlich und ich sehe langsam nicht mehr, dass sich das noch bessert für den Rest der Serie.
3/5 🐲

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today's manga post is on The Dragon Knight's Beloved (Manga), Vol. 3 by Ritsu Aozaki (Artist) and Asagi Orikawa (Story). It is 178 pages long and is published by Seven Seas. The cover has Melissa, Hubert, and the blue dragon on it. As it is the third volume in the series, you need to have read the first two volumes of the manga to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes high fantasy, romances, and shojo manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close following Melissa. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the manga- THE END OF THE POACHER’S ROPE
Melissa has been kidnapped! Eleanor and her servant are behind it, and both want to use her as bait for dragons Melissa cares for. However, each has a different plan for the dragons when they arrive. The safety of the wild dragons, especially the newborn king of dragons, is Melissa’s biggest concern. Any cry for help plays into Eleanor’s and the poachers’ plans. Hubert and the Dragon Knight Corps need to act quickly to save her before she is used against all the dragons in the valley!

Review- The manga starts with Melissa trying to get away and stop the dragons from panicking and destroying everything around them. The poacher's were using Eleanor for their own reasons and she is crushed by the betrayal. After Melissa is rescued, she has to deal with realizing that Herburt is serious about marrying her because the blue dragon has boned with her. I hope that we stop getting into the politics of dragons and their impact on the world around them. With how powerful dragons are, the empire wants more control of them and that puts Hubert and Melissa into their line of sight. A good volume but I want more from the plot, so I am curious about what's going to happen next.

I give this manga a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

[Ashley Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The volume opens up with a dramatic rescue from our handsome Dragon Knight Lord Hubert, who sweeps in and saves the heroine, Melissa from the evil poachers and wanna be fiancee. I must admit I am a huge sucker for these types of tropes in stories and I relish every minute of it. It seems these days most heroines are written in a way that they can help themselves and are in no need of any "man" to save them. I may be the only one who is screaming in the corner wanting to see a handsome knight come swooping in to save the damsel in distress, but dang it, I want what I want! So, it's refreshing to finally find a story that checks all the boxes I've been searching for.

Volume 3 also has more of the dragons in it than the previous 2 volumes had. And oh my goodness, how cute was 'lil Blue in his blue bow tie! I can't wait for the big party and I get to see all the characters dressed up in their finery!

I'm enjoying this series so much and I can't wait to see what happens next!

[Erin Rogoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh, the only bad thing about this saga is that I have only the first three books and not the whole saga in paperback form! I love the dragon lore, the protective nature and developing personality of little Blue, and everything else. I thought Melissa's history with Hubert was romantic even when it was revealed there was no romance to give into. The way Hubert professed his love for Melissa was swoon-worthy, and though Lady Eleanor deserved a slap in the face and forced to be put back in line, I genuinely felt bad for her when she got her karma. Bad as she is, she was just a pawn in a game of power and control. I want more than just this series, I want a whole darn anime show of this turned to life!

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Blue! I just want to give him all the bows and sparkly things. As far as Melissa... I'm not gonna lie. I forgot they were fake lovers. Oops.

Whenever there are scenes with Melissa caring for a bunch of dragons, all I can think about are books like Fourth Wing. Yes, Melissa is a rarity. The dragons in this manga are, in fact, similar in temperament toward the dragons in Fourth Wing. It's like a "reality" check whenever I think about it. This manga, in particular, really emphasizes how special Melissa is to the dragons. (And I know this one goes into her blessings a bit more... But I feel like this is a sign that Blue will want her to be his Dragon Knight. Wouldn't that be precious? Or maybe a future child of hers?!)

Honestly, I love this manga! I can't wait to continue on!

[Moriah Venable · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has been sometime since I read volume two so I kind of forgot that it ended with Melissa being kidnapped.

I am not sure how I feel about Melissa and Hubert especially because she mostly saw him as a father figure or older brother and now that is a romantic interest so it is a little weird for me.

The death of Hubert's brother comes more to light and for me it is a little sad.

Baby Blue Dragon is so cute. I will continue reading but it is nothing a series I will need to read right away as volumes come out.

[Natalie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

April 2025
Kindle edition

I binge read these so no idea where one starts and the other finished. 1-8. All I know is I went another clicked clicked and clicked until there was no more. Damning thing is that this wasn't a completed series and the wait for the next one goes on. I liked it. Tons of dragons. Age gap romance and pretty much arranged marriage set by a dragon. I liked Blue, he grew up so quickly. The decorating bit was the sweetest. Loved how the knights follow suit. The prince was cool, he deserves his dragon. Liked how he gained a daughter too. Cute series with pain in the ass powers that be not taking a hint.

[R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, the emotions are out in the open now and still thoroughly enjoying this series. Curious why it is that dragons never bond with women as it seemed like perhaps the story could be leading towards Blue bonding with Melissa beyond just having the White Queen's blessing, especially with how the dragons all flock around her and she adores each of them. Everyone really is just in the nick of time here, but so far, it's all working out for the better.

[✨Rebel Fairy Hiatus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is turning cuter by the minute. . . I love Hubert and Melissa's relationship - fine she did see him as a father figure/ older brother but she is seeing him in a different light and with the white queen who had chosen her since the beginning . . . makes destiny so beautiful. I cannot wait for volume 4.

[Tia Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art is still this Manga's main strength, and while the first part of this book was exciting and romantic, it does gradually wind down and the rest feels a little bit like filler. If they are building to Melissa becoming a Dragon Knight herself though with Hubert riding White Queen and Melissa the Blue King, then that's enough for me to keep reading.

[bibi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume was so much better than the previous one! The development of the story was so good and there was more focused on the dragons and I loved that. The romance is still a bit basic but I like it more now <3

[Kimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The blue dragon is just too cute. It's interesting getting more of this story and how the dragons work as well as why the dragons are so attached to Melissa. These cliffhangers are killing me though. I guess it's so you feel compelled to immediately but the next book as I shall.

[Bee C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Melissa gets rescued! We get a love confession! And that’s about the gist of it. It’s a nice read. We see them get to know each other a bit more. We get a kiss. I’m hoping to see where their relationship goes because it’s already after the confession but nothing much has changed.

[Shelly Argeneau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Auch dieser Band hat mir wieder sehr gut gefallen 🥰 Dieses Mal fing es spannend an und wurde dann sehr romantisch und süß ❤️ Endlich kommen sich Lord Hubert und Melissa näher und gestehen sich sogar ihre Gefühle sowie darf Melissa endlich der weißen Königin reiten 🙈 Fand den Teil sehr schön 🥰

[Librarian Jessie (BibliophileRoses) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly surprised that vol. 3 was this enjoyable. Here's to the kidnapping troupe for saving it lol. It was really fun and I'm looking forward to vol. 4.

[Chesney Infalt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had more action than the others, and the romance is developing! I like seeing the interactions between dragons and learning more about the world.

[Kati · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dropping a star because seeing a character as first a father figure and then a love interest is just squicky.

Otherwise I like the story. I just wish that line wasn't there.

[Paola · Rating 4 out of 5]

so cute!!

[BreAnna (Bre'sBooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the story, but the chemistry in the age gap romance is a little lacking for me.

[Aurora · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series continues to be Odd, but I’m a sucker for dragons so here I stay, I guess. 😂

[J-Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blue’s face looks weird in some panels. Honestly, it looks a bit like a malformed human face, and I can’t unsee it after I realized that’s what I saw.

[Azbaqiyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot - 5 ⭐
Character - 5 ⭐
Writing Style - 5 ⭐
World Building - 5 ⭐
Art - 5 ⭐
Cover - 5 ⭐

Overall - 5 ⭐ / 5 ⭐

[Izzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This continues to grow into an easy favorite. Their relationship and growth to be together has just been adorable