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Florian and Noir embark on a journey to Florian's relative's castle to acquire some antique artworks. During their visit, Florian reconnects with Eleonora, a childhood acquaintance who is unhappy and somewhat bewildered. Eleonora decides she wants Florian all to herself and takes him to an underground cave, holding him captive. Now, Noir must rescue Florian, but with killers pursuing him relentlessly and a complex dungeon filled with numerous hidden trapdoors, will Noir manage to succeed and escape with Florian? (Source: DMP)
Gorgeous Carat: Galaxy does not continue directly from where the first series ended, but instead picks up an unspecified amount of time after the main characters' return to France. The North Africa arc is completely ignored as if it never occurred, which was quite disappointing for me since a lot transpired in those volumes—over half of the original series—and these events should have significantly impacted Florian, Ray, and their relationship. However, aside from the societal rumors about Ray and Florian’s relationship, nothing seems to have changed.
The story itself reads more like a segment from a larger series rather than an independent sequel. A relative of Florian's, facing hardships, reaches out hoping that Florian's wealthy patron can help by purchasing some heirlooms. Florian convinces Ray to investigate, and together with Laila, they travel to a remote mountain estate. There, they meet Eleonora, the daughter of the previous estate owner, who has been infatuated with Florian since his visit ten years ago and aims to separate him from Ray. Her tale is undeniably tragic, so readers looking for light-hearted content might want to avoid this.
Anyone picking up Galaxy after the first series likely wants to see the progression of Ray and Florian's relationship. In this aspect, Galaxy falls short. While it presents a decent mystery/action story, there is minimal room for character development or emotional expression. Their relationship remains ambiguous, with little to no character growth for anyone besides Eleonora. Even attempts to link this volume’s storyline to the Black Hand plot from the previous series feel awkward. I did enjoy Galaxy, but I couldn’t help wishing for more; the pacing was too rapid to allow proper development. Spreading the same story over two volumes could have provided better breathing space and conveyed the characters’ experiences more effectively. Fortunately, there are still a couple more sequels ahead, so perhaps they will bring closure to the overarching story of Gorgeous Carat.