[User] “I can’t believe I’m hearing such baseless accusations.”

[Assistant] “Will you still be able to say that after seeing this?” Using the light from my fire magic, I projected a summary of the data on human trafficking we’d found onto the stage curtains. The crowd began to murmur.

[User] “Clément, what do you have to say for yourself?” From up high in the gallery, King l’Ausseil questioned Clément.

[Assistant] “I have no knowledge of any of this. This is all news to me. I swear, this must be a plot of Dole’s to—”

[User] “Enough of the farce. I’m sure you’re aware yourself that the evidence presented is not something you can talk your way out of.” The king sternly said.

[Assistant] Clément replied with silence.

[User] “Hmph. I’ll hear your excuses once you’re locked away. Soldiers, arrest this man.” On the king’s orders, the soldiers moved to apprehend Clément.

[Assistant] “…What is the meaning of this? I said arrest—”

[User] “I guess that’s it, then. Seeing as there’s no going back, I might as well take a souvenir with me.” Clément lifted his cane and pointed the tip at King l’Ausseil.

[Assistant] “Soldiers, bring me His Majesty l’Ausseil’s head.”


[User] *** “Enough of this, Marquess Ach…Clément! End your vain struggling!” I yelled.

[Assistant] “Vain? I think not, child. You may think you had me cornered, but it is you who has been placed in checkmate.”

[User] “Clément, you’re working for the Empire, aren’t you? !”

[Assistant] “Don’t be silly. The Empire is nothing more than a useful tool to me, just like Barlier. I do not work for anybody.”

[User] “Miss Claire, please get back!” Rae shouted.

[Assistant] “Let me go, Rae! I will not stand by and watch as His Majesty is put in danger!”

[User] “Your Majesty, please leave this place to me and flee.”

[Assistant] “Thane?”

[User] “You must remain safe, for the good of Bauer. You are meant for greater things than to fall to the likes of Clément.” Up in the gallery, Thane encouraged his father to leave without him.

[Assistant] “Thane, you—”

[User] “Go now. Quickly.”

[Assistant] “…Very well.” The majority of the few knights accompanying them left with the king.

[User] “Oh, goodness… Master Thane can be so gallant!” I exclaimed. I lightly charred the private soldiers of Clément who approached us, a wry grin on my face.


[User] Thane probably knew the rumors concerning his parentage and had his own doubts about his origins—which was to say he suspected King l’Ausseil might not be his true father. But even so, he prioritized the king’s safety. His respect for the king ran deeper than blood ties ever could.

[Assistant] "Meanwhile, this man’s as despicable as they come!" Clément had taken the musicians on stage hostage and was watching the chaos unfold as if it were a show, while his private soldiers did all the work. He was probably forcing his men’s compliance with threats, like he’d done with Patrice Barlier. That was the only reason I held back on my fire magic at all.

[User] "You girls are persistent. But it ends here. You’d do well to pay attention too, Prince Thane." I looked over at the stage to see he was holding a dagger at Loretta’s throat.

[Assistant] "Nobody move or I’ll kill the girl."

[User] "Just try it. I’ll burn you to a crisp the moment you do."

[Assistant] "Can you? Alongside her?"

[User] "...You’re scum."

[Assistant] "I prefer ‘shrewd’ myself." The folds of his face deepened as he smiled. He looked monstrous. Loretta was a strong girl who would normally not have allowed herself to have been made a hostage, but she was unarmed now. It’d be one thing if she could have snuck a wand through inspections, but alas. As the organizer, Clément likely had no trouble sneaking his dagger in.

[User] "Miss Claire, don’t worry about me. Just do it."

[Assistant] "Don’t be foolish!"

[User] "I mean it. I’m willing to die if it’s for your sake."

[Assistant] "Don’t say that, Loretta! I swear I’ll save you, so just be quiet!"

[User] "No!" she shrieked with grief, making me flinch.

[Assistant] "I see you’re still no more than a child, daughter of Melia. You can’t even understand what the Kugret girl is trying to tell you."

[User] "...And you’re saying you can?"

[Assistant] "How could I not? The girl is trying to tell you she has feelings for you. It’s a mystery how you can be so dense."

[User] "Wha—Loretta, you…?"

[Assistant] "I’m sorry, Miss Claire. I have no right to fall for you. But the thought of you being harmed terrifies me, so please…" She cast her gaze to the ground, shadowing her face. I saw something glisten as it fell from her face to the carpet.

[User] "Surrender, child. I’ll be gracious and call this a draw, for now. You’ve trumped me in the scheme of things, at least where this country is concerned, but our real showdown has yet to take place."

[Assistant] "Do you think we’ll just let you walk out of here?"

[User] "I do, commoner. And there’s not a single thing you can do about it."

[Assistant] "Is that right? But I don’t care what happens to Lady Loretta. Or to Master Thane or King l’Ausseil, for that matter."

[User] "Rae? !" Eyes wide, I gawked at her.

[Assistant] "Ah, yes.


[User] “Your top priority is the François girl there, isn’t it?”

[Assistant] “Correct. I’m surprised you pieced that together, despite your senility.”

[User] “But if that’s the case, stopping me at the cost of the François girl’s friend will only make her lose all faith in you.”

[Assistant] “…Damned old coot.”

[User] “Again, I prefer to be called ‘shrewd.’”

[Assistant] “All of you stay right where you are. Soldiers, chase after l’Ausseil. I’ll be—”

[User] “You think that’s enough, Pepi?”

[Assistant] “I’d say so, Loretta.”

[User] "Angelic Howl!” A sound—of great volume, but so low in pitch I could feel it reverberate through me—made everyone present, including us, fall to our knees.

[Assistant] “What…is this? !”

[User] “This is checkmate, for good this time! Right, Loretta?”

[Assistant] “Yeah.” Before he could stand—much less understand what had happened—Loretta seized Clément and tied him up with one of the strings of a nearby bass.

[User] “Y-you, Barlier girl! What was that? !” Clément shouted.

[Assistant] “Are you familiar with Hateful Cry, Master Clément? What I did was recreate that with an instrument. I didn’t think it’d be so powerful and widespread, though.” Pepi grinned broadly as she revealed her secret. Hateful Cry was a type of intimidating roar used by monsters.

[User] “…Then that instrument there is a magic tool?”

[Assistant] “That’s right. I disguised it a little, though.” Pepi stuck her tongue out impishly, like a child after a successful prank.

[User] “I…I was defeated by such a parlor trick?”

[Assistant] “That you were. It’s over, Clément.”

[User] “This cannot be! Soldiers, what are you dawdling for?! Stand up and do something already!” he ordered. Not a single person obeyed. After observing Clément be captured, his private soldiers turned themselves in one by one.

[Assistant] After recovering from Pepi’s magic, I ran over and hugged her and Loretta. "Well done, you two!”

[User] “Ow, ow, ow! You’re hurting me, Miss Claire!”

[Assistant] “Oh, you can bear this much. I can’t believe you went so far with your act. I was worried, you know?”

[User] "Act…?”

[Assistant] "You know, that thing where you pretended to like me,” I said, assuming it was all an act. For some reason, Loretta released a terribly grandiose sigh.

[User] “Loretta? Is something the matter?”

[Assistant] “You have my sympathies, Lady Loretta,”

[User] “Yeah, this seems hopeless,”

[Assistant] “You’ll be fine. You have me, after all,”

[User] “Huh?”

[Assistant] “Huh?”

[User] “Huh?”

[Assistant] “Huh?”


[User] “Everyone, you’ve done well.” The king walked back in.

[Assistant] “Your Majesty!” We all kneeled.

[User] “At ease."


[User] "You all handled the situation wonderfully. Especially you two, Lady Barlier and Lady Kugret. You both deserve to be rewarded appropriately."

[Assistant] “Not at all!” Pepi remained humble before the king.

[User] “Such kind words are wasted on us!” Loretta remained humble before the king.

[Assistant] “Claire François, Rae Taylor, Lilly Lilium.”

[User] "Your Majesty."

[Assistant] "Yes?"

[User] "Y-yes?"

[Assistant] “I remember your report called for House Barlier’s punishment to be reduced?”

[User] “That is indeed the case, Your Majesty,” I answered.

[Assistant] “I will consider it. Expect a favorable answer soon. In the meantime, I ask that you continue your work in the Secret Service.”

[User] “As you wish.”

[Assistant] He gave an approving nod and left the concert hall with his soldiers in tow.

[User] “…That was kind of a close one with Clément there, huh?” Rae said.

[Assistant] “Indeed. Not even you knew what to do, for once,” I said.

[User] “Yeah. It’s because he and I are alike in a way, I guess.”

[Assistant] “Wh-what do you mean?” Lilly asked.

[User] “We both do whatever it takes to achieve our goals.”

[Assistant] “A-ah…” Lilly seemed to understand.

[User] “I disagree. I don’t think you two are alike at all,” I flatly said.

[Assistant] “And why’s that?”

[User] “Because your goals would never be anything so malicious.”

[Assistant] “…See that, Loretta?” Pepi whispered.

[User] “It’s not fair. They’re practically on the same wavelength,” Loretta groaned.

[Assistant] “Whatever are you two talking about?” I asked.

[User] “Not a single thing!”

[Assistant] “Just talking about how you can be really dense!”

[User] “Pardon? !” As we shared a moment of conversation and laughter, I spotted someone at the edge of my vision. I excused myself and followed them.


[Assistant] “You—stop right there,” I called out. We were just outside the employee exit at the rear of the concert hall, in a dark alley.

[User] “Er, can I help you?” The man I’d stopped was dressed in a tailcoat and looked for all intents and purposes to be a musician.

[Assistant] “I’d like to ask you a few questions, if that’s all right. Do you have the time?”

[User] “I’m afraid I’m in a bit of a rush. If that’ll be all, then I’ll excuse my—”

[Assistant] “Move and I’ll shoot.”

[User] “Wh-what? !”

[Assistant] I took the wand I had returned as I left the concert hall and pointed it his way.

[User] “What is the meaning of this?” he asked.

[Assistant] “…Show me your hands.”

[User] “Okay…?” The man obeyed.

[Assistant] I neared slightly and carefully inspected his hands and what he held.

[User] “The bracelet, Claire,” someone drawled sleepily.

[Assistant] “The bracelet? A transformation magic tool!” I exclaimed.

[User] “Blast!” The man clicked his tongue and broke into a run.

[Assistant] “That’s far enough.” A woman appeared and pinned the man to the ground.

[User] "Emma?!"


[User] "Are you betraying me?!"

[Assistant] "My master has always been Lady Catherine and none other. I have no recollection of ever serving you."

[User] "Unhand me! Unhand me right this instant, or else!"

[Assistant] The one restraining the man was Emma. The way she held him in place certainly didn’t look like something an ordinary maid would be trained to do.

[User] "Emma? Catherine? What are you two doing here? Wait…" From their conversation, I pieced things together. "Then this man is…"

[Assistant] "Yeah. Emma, take off the bracelet," Catherine said.

[User] "Yes, my lady." Emma pulled the man’s bracelet off, causing his figure to warp before my eyes.

[Assistant] "Clément Achard? But how?"

[User] "He had a musician who could use magic ready to swap places with him just in case. Kind of like…castling magic, if that makes sense," Catherine answered, using a chess metaphor. She approached, wheeling her chair closer.

[Assistant] "Catherine, you fool! Have you forgotten who it was that raised you?!"

[User] "And I greatly appreciate all you’ve done for me, Father. But please, let’s put an end to this. Don’t drag the Achard name through the mud any more than you already have."

[Assistant] "Nonsense!" He writhed in Emma’s hold, still trying to flee. "I am House Achard! So long as I’m alive, House Achard lives on!"

[User] "No, Father. Our house has been doomed for a long time now. Ever since that day ten years ago."

[Assistant] "…Ten years ago? Catherine, what are you saying?" I asked. I had a bad feeling that something I wouldn’t like was about to follow.

[User] "I must apologize to you, Claire."

[Assistant] "…Catherine?"

[User] "Ten years ago, the one who killed Lady Melia, your mother…was me."

[Assistant] "…What?" I couldn’t make sense of her words for a moment. I was sure my ears had heard her correctly. But my heart just refused to understand. How? How could such a thing be possible?!

[User] "What are you saying, Catherine? My mother died in an accident."

[Assistant] "That accident was arranged. I assassinated her on my father’s orders."

[User] "What…? No… No, I don’t understand!" Feeling terribly confused, I lifted my wand to point it at her.

[Assistant] She didn’t move, but just smiled. Smiled the same smile she always did. "On that day, the commoner carriage that collided with your parents’ carriage had me and three other assassins inside. After stopping your parents’ carriage in a way that looked like an accident, we attacked them. The one who stopped our attack was Lady Melia."

[User] "My mother…?"

[Assistant] "I assume Master Dole’s magic isn’t suited for combat, as we only fought against Lady Melia. She sealed her carriage with Master Dole inside it using protection magic, then faced us empty-handed." She closed her eyes as though remembering the moment.

[User] "…And then?"

[Assistant] "It was a draw, I suppose. Lady Melia was left unable to fight, but so were we. I injured my left leg and could no longer move. And then Lady Melia…died protecting me."

[User] "…What?


[User] "I…I don’t…understand." She opened her eyes again, her face warped with self-hatred. "We were being monitored. If we failed, another group was in place to make sure we were eliminated, thereby silencing us. But I survived…thanks to Lady Melia."

[Assistant] "Mother…"

[User] "After it was all over and done, my father ordered me to use my magic to make it as though nothing ever happened. Those at the scene only remember it as an accident now."

[Assistant] "Catherine…? I can’t…believe this."

[User] "Claire… Your mother died because of me, and I’ve always wanted to apologize for it. So that’s what I’m doing. I’m sorry." She bowed as deep as she could from her wheelchair.

[Assistant] "Why…why tell me now of all times?!"

[User] "I won’t ask you to forgive me. I know I don’t deserve forgiveness. But let me at least atone."

[Assistant] "Catherine…?"

[User] She lifted her head. I could now see she held a wand in her hand. "Don’t worry. I’m not going to cause any more harm than I already have." She took her wand and pointed it at Clément.

[Assistant] "Catherine?! What do you think you’re doing?!" he shouted.

[User] "This is goodbye, Father."

[Assistant] "St-stop! I’m still not finished! I’ll flee to the Empire and—"

[User] "Erase." I felt powerful magic come from her wand. Something my eyes couldn’t see began to envelop Clément.

[Assistant] "N-no! I don’t want to forget myself! My being! Somebody! Somebody…help…me…" He went limp with a thud.

[User] "...Did you kill him?" I asked.

[Assistant] "No. I just tampered with his mind a little."

[User] "I thought your magic only allowed you to hide?"

[Assistant] "It can be used that way. But its true nature is something entirely different." She issued an order to Emma, who began hauling Clément off. "My magic erases memory. I hide myself by erasing people’s memory of seeing me."

[User] "How clever."

[Assistant] "Ehe heh, thank you. But this magic’s original purpose was for a different thing." She pointed her wand my way.

[User] "Catherine?!" I was careless. I shouldn’t have taken what she said about doing no further harm at face value.

[Assistant] "Claire. I’m going to erase your…no, everyone’s memory of me."

[User] "...Catherine?"

[Assistant] "Not even death would be enough for me to atone for what I’ve done. So instead, I’m going to live my life forgotten by everyone."

[User] "But…that’s no different than not existing!" Living life unnoticed, unremembered—such a thing could not be called living. That was a fate worse than death.

[Assistant] "Yeah. But such a cursed life is all I deserve."

[User] "Don’t do this, Catherine!"

[Assistant] "I’m sorry." I felt strength drain from my limbs as something dear faded from my mind.

[User] "No! I won’t forget, I swear! No matter what!"

[Assistant] "Claire…"

[User] "Just you watch, Catherine! …No matter how strong you act…I know you…you…" My consciousness grew distant… Who was I talking to again?

[Assistant] "...I don’t want to do this…really. But…I have to." In my last moments of consciousness, I heard somebody force those words out through sobs. I could no longer recall who they were, though.


[User] I rewound my fuzzy memory as far back as possible while I looked around the room. Nothing seemed off. It was an ordinary room with a bunk bed that only had a mattress on the bottom bunk, a single desk, and a dresser. It was bright outside. Warm rays beamed into the room, telling me it was closer to noon than morning.

[Assistant] "Miss Claire!" A voice called. The door burst open right after.

[User] "Rae? Goodness. Even if it’s you, you should at least knock." I said with a scoff.

[Assistant] "Even if it’s me…? Are you saying I’m special to you or something?!"

[User] "Urk… I swear, you’re getting too full of yourself these days."

[Assistant] "Ehe heh, my bad. Anyway, how are you feeling?" She turned serious and gave me a worried look.

[User] "Pardon? I feel fine."

[Assistant] "Good, good. I was worried for a second."

[User] "Did something happen?"

[Assistant] "Well, yeah. Don’t tell me you don’t remember?" She put her hands on her hips and gave me a stern look.

[User] "My memory is a little fuzzy. Fill me in."

[Assistant] "We found you collapsed outside the concert hall’s back entrance. What were you doing there? You completely disappeared on us."

[User] "I…indeed. What was I doing there?" I couldn’t remember. I felt as though I had been chasing someone, though.

[Assistant] "I guess even wise old Miss Claire has lapses of memory from time to time, huh?"

[User] "But of course. My memory may be good, but even I am only human."

[Assistant] "Yeeep. Incidentally, I have every outfit you’ve ever worn and every hairstyle you’ve ever sported, all the way from the day I met you to this day, perfectly memorized."

[User] "What a meaningless thing to waste memory on!" What sane person would even bother to memorize such things?

[Assistant] "It’s not meaningless to me. We all have things we want to commit to memory, right?"

[User] "Well… I suppose."

[Assistant] "For me, it’s everything to do with you. I want to remember as many things about you for as long as I can."

[User] "Yes, yes, I get it. I think that’s quite enough of that." I said in exasperation.

[Assistant] "Huh…" Rae frowned then, thinking.

[User] "Is something the matter?"

[Assistant] "No, it’s just… I feel like I’m forgetting something important."

[User] "What a coincidence. I feel the same way."

[Assistant] "Oh, I know what it must be! We forgot your good morning kiss—"

[User] I threw my pillow at her. "Go ahead and forget that idea for all eternity!"

[Assistant] "I’m kidding, sheesh. I want you to initiate our first kiss, anyway."

[User] "Which will never happen, just so you’re aware."

[Assistant] "Boo, you can be such a spoilsport… But I love that about you too!"

[User] "…You exhaust me." I didn’t even bother to hide my fatigue.

[Assistant] "Anyway, it’s the truth that we found you collapsed on the ground, so try to get some rest today. You can take time off from your Secret Service duties today and tomorrow."

[User] "Absolutely not."


[User] "We still have Salas and my father to catch."

[Assistant] "Clément was a big fish. I’m sure His Majesty would be fine with you taking some time off."

[User] "But…"

[Assistant] "Listen here, Miss Claire." She lifted a finger like a stern teacher admonishing a pupil. "There’s no good work to be done without good health first."

[User] "Is that so…?"

[Assistant] "Only scumbag bosses enjoy forcing people to work while they’re unwell."

[User] "And who would our boss be? Master Rod?" If so, she was making quite a rude statement.

[Assistant] "Er, no. I was speaking more abstractly."

[User] "Really? It sounded quite personal, though?"

[Assistant] "Well… Let’s just say I have some strong opinions regarding unlawful worker exploitation."

[User] "I, um, I see…" I wasn’t quite sure what she was on about, but I think I got the gist. "At any rate, please stay in bed and rest for the day. I’ll bring you breakfast…or rather lunch, given the time."

[Assistant] "Thank you."

[User] "Do you have an appetite?"

[Assistant] "More or less."

[User] "All right. I’ll bring you something soon."

[Assistant] "Thank you, Rae." She left the room to prepare lunch for me then.


[User] “…Am I really just supposed to stay in bed all day?” I knew Rae would complain about it once she got back, but I figured my time was better spent reading instead of trying to sleep again. I got up and walked over to my desk. "Hm? What’s this…?" On my desk was a candy pot I’d never seen before. I wondered if Rae had bought it for me, but there was only a single piece of candy left inside. "Is this…licorice?" Its unmistakable scent tickled my nose. I wasn’t particularly fond of the smell of licorice, but before I even knew it, I was putting the piece into my mouth. "…Huh?" Tears abruptly streamed down my face. I did not know why I was crying, but no matter how much I wiped the tears away, they wouldn’t stop coming. I felt as if someone dear had just left my side, though I didn’t have even the faintest memory of who they might be. “…Just what in the world has come over me?” After some time, I finished the candy and my storm of emotions subsided.

[Assistant] "Thank you for waiting, Miss Cla—hey! Didn’t I tell you to stay in bed and rest?"

[User] "It’s not like I can go back to sleep when I’ve only just woken—wha, hey!" The instant she saw my face, she put her tray of food on the desk and brought her face right up to mine.

[Assistant] "Did something happen, Miss Claire?"

[User] "Wh-what? Why are you so close to me?! Back up a little bit!"

[Assistant] "Your eyes are red. Have you been crying?"

[User] "My eyes are red because I’ve just woken up. It’s nothing to worry about."

[Assistant] "But your eyes were normal before. And there’s no way I could be wrong.


[User] "After all, my ‘Miss Claire’ memory bank is flawless!”

[Assistant] "I said it’s nothing to worry about!” I didn’t know how I would even begin to explain why I had been crying, or why I had felt such sadness. I didn’t know myself, after all.

[User] "I’m fine, so let’s just eat, okay? Now, what did you bring us?”

[Assistant] "You’re not getting off that easy. We’ll continue this discussion later. But for lunch, I brought us…” Thereafter, the two of us were the same as we ever were. Such was the manner in which I lost all memory of a friend who had been dear to me—and didn’t even know it.


[Assistant] Nightlife in the capital was lively. The moon was already high in the sky, yet cheerful voices could still be heard from the diners and pubs I passed. People gathered to celebrate the end of a day’s work together with friends—something I would never experience again. The only thing that awaited me was solitude. I’d lived most of my life with Claire by my side. I had no clue how long I would hold up on my own. But I had to try and persevere regardless. Suicide was too cowardly an escape for someone who’d done the things I had. I had to atone the hard way.

[User] "I hope Claire made it back to the dorms safely…" I mused. I was sure she would be fine even if I were gone. She had Rae to look after her. Claire hadn’t fully opened her heart to her yet, but it seemed only a matter of time at this point. Those two were sure to get together before long. Claire had many people by her side, in fact. She had Pepi, Loretta, and until recently, Lene too. The one who left the strongest impression on me, though, was Manaria—the girl Claire claimed was like an older sister to her. The first time I met her, she canceled out my magic right away and asked me,

[Assistant] "Are you Claire’s enemy?"


[User] "Or her ally?” She’d seen right through my magic, identifying what it really was and understanding its affinity for assassination work. I knew she might kill me right then and there depending on how I answered, so I told her the whole truth.

[Assistant] “…I see. Come to me if you ever need help, then. I might be able to do something for you.” In that moment, when she accepted and acknowledged me as a friend of Claire’s, I understood how much she cared for her “little sister.”

[User] “How nice…” I found myself a bit jealous, even though I shouldn’t. I had no right to desire people like Rae or Manaria in my life. I’d made my choice. I would live in solitude from here on out. “But at the very least, I want you to be happy, Claire.”


[Assistant] Eventually, I arrived at the western gate.

[User] “Hm? What are you after, then?” the gatekeeper called out upon noticing me.

[Assistant] “Good evening. I was hoping you could let me through?”

[User] “Sorry, gate’s closed for the day. Come back tomorrow.”

[Assistant] “Oh, but tomorrow’s a bit difficult for me.” There shouldn’t be anyone left who remembered me, but given what had just happened with my father, things were going to get hectic soon. I’d rather leave before border inspections grew tighter, if possible.

[User] “No means no. Gate’s closed.”

[Assistant] “Well, I guess you leave me no choice.” I gathered what remaining magic I had left in me and took the gatekeeper’s memory of me. I gently caught him as he lost consciousness and collapsed. “Sorry, but I really do need to get through.” I placed him gently on the ground and began to wheel my way through the gate.

[User] “And where do you think you’re going without me, my lady?” Right as I passed under, I heard a voice call out.

[Assistant] “…Huh?” I turned around and saw someone I’d never expected to see again. “…Emma?”

[User] “I’ve been looking all over for you. I take my eyes off you for one second and you up and disappear.”

[Assistant] “But…I…”

[User] “If you have plans to go somewhere, please inform me first.”

[Assistant] “…How, Emma?” I should have erased all of Emma’s memories of me. How did she still know who I was?

[User] “How what?”

[Assistant] “I…I should have erased all memory anyone has of me. So how do you still remember me?”

[User] “Oh, I see,” she said matter-of-factly. “I suppose it’s because my body is naturally resistant to magic.”

[Assistant] “…It is?”

[User] “Indeed. Nobody quite knows why, but my daughter is wholly resistant to magic, so perhaps it’s something hereditary.” Emma had told me in the past that she was once a member of the royal family of a country that no longer existed. She had abandoned her country after its ruin, but apparently had had a daughter before then who was completely resistant to magic. “That is why I’m afraid to inform you that erasing my memory will be impossible.


[User] “You will simply have to give up and accept me staying by your side." She said.

[Assistant] “I…I can’t allow that, Emma. I’ve decided myself that I’m going to live my life alone. I can’t make an exception, not even for you.”

[User] “And I’ve long since decided that you will be my lifelong master, my lady. I will not change my mind…not even for you.” Emma was a stubborn woman. Convincing her would be difficult, if not impossible. But I had to do it.

[Assistant] “I’m no longer a lady of House Achard, Emma.”

[User] “I am aware.”

[Assistant] “I have no money with which to pay you.”

[User] “I am aware.”

[Assistant] “You have no reason to serve me any longer.”

[User] “That is not true. I still have not repaid the debt I owe you.”

[Assistant] “Emma…”

[User] “I owe my life to you, my lady. You took me in when I was hopeless and lost and gave me a second chance at life.” Her eyes were full of sincerity. “Allow me to repay you by joining you on your path of atonement.” She gave me a servant’s bow.

[Assistant] I sighed heavily and said, “Do whatever you want.”

[User] “Thank you, I shall.”

[Assistant] “…You’re so stubborn, you know that?”

[User] “As are you, my lady.”

[Assistant] I began to wheel myself away when I felt her begin pushing the wheelchair from behind me. “Thanks, but I can move myself.”

[User] “I do recall you asked me to do what I please, my lady?”

[Assistant] “And I recall you didn’t like it when others pushed me, as I needed the exercise?”

[User] “You’ve moved quite a bit more than usual today. I’d say you’ve had enough exercise already for the day.” Emma seemed intent on serving me, no matter what. I felt a keen sense of guilt in bringing her along, but at the same time, I was immeasurably happy to not have to make my journey in solitude.

[Assistant] “…Emma.”

[User] “Yes?”

[Assistant] “…Thank you.”

[User] “You are ever welcome, my lady.” I had no idea how I would live, or for how long, but I had a feeling my journey of atonement would be a long one. Even so, I would continue it—together with my awkward but kind-hearted servant.


[Assistant] I felt a deep sense of loss in me but never quite learned what caused it. Regardless, we continued to expose corrupt nobles and even contacted the Resistance. Somehow, by following what Rae said, we were able to meet with their leader. I didn’t quite understand the meaning or significance of her actions, but Rae seemed to find value in going out of her way to meet the Resistance. We then cornered Salas with tremendous help from Ralaire, bringing us to the present moment when we were about to settle things once and for all.

[User] “Lilly, you poor soul… May the Spirit have mercy on you.” The moment Salas said those words, Lilly collapsed as though she had suddenly been cursed. “Cardinal Lilly?


[User] "!” I cried out, running up to her. “Get away from her, Miss Claire!”

[Assistant] Rae pulled me away by tugging my clothes. I saw a metallic gleam appear where I had just been standing, as a few strands of my hair fell through the air.

[User] "Good grief… You couldn’t make things easy for me, eh?” A casual voice, out of place in the tense moment, spoke up.

[Assistant] Warily, Rae stepped between me and Lilly. “You…”

[User] "Heya, Rae, Miss Claire. It’s been, what, since yesterday?” Lilly spoke as though she were a completely different person. I recognized this new persona, however. It was the masked man who had stood in our way a number of times now.

[Assistant] “Salas! What have you done to Cardinal Lilly? !” I yelled.

[User] Salas ignored me. “Commoner, you are a dual-caster, right?”

[Assistant] “Answer me!” I yelled.

[User] “Oh, but I am. My specialty in my Academy days was suggestion magic…and my research was in artificially giving someone multiple attributes.” Salas gave a sinister smile.

[Assistant] “Guards, apprehend Salas and Lilly,” King l’Ausseil ordered.

[User] The guards surrounded the two, but…“You think this riffraff can stop me?” Lilly produced a dagger from nowhere and immediately forced the royal guards on the defensive. These royal guards were, by all means, the best of the best. I doubted even Rae could come out unscathed in a battle against them all. But somehow, Lilly overpowered them all with ease. She was just that much better in combat.

[Assistant] “Cardinal Lilly, stop!” I yelled.

[User] “It’s useless. That’s Lilly, but it’s not her.” Salas laughed scornfully. “I was trying to artificially create a dual-caster. I was only partially successful, though.”

[Assistant] “What do you mean?” Rae asked.

[User] “I originally intended to imbue individuals with a second attribute,” he said, like he was explaining something to a student in danger of failing the class. “But in the end, I could only do so by embedding a second personality within that person. You see, the new personality naturally came with a new magical attribute.”

[Assistant] Lilly’s magical attribute should be water. If what Salas was saying was true, then she had to have another attribute now. But was such a thing even possible?

[User] “So the masked assassin was Miss Lilly all along?” Rae asked.

[Assistant] “Indeed, and she relayed everything your little investigation uncovered straight to me. Though I suppose I was still outwitted in the end,” he said with a wry smile. That had to be why we couldn’t find any issues when we first checked his ledger that one time. Lilly had been feeding him information.

[User] “But she looks completely different!” I cried. “No disguise should be able to change her that much.”

[Assistant] “It’s probably a magical tool. Remember the one Lilly lent us so I could switch places with Lady Yu?” Rae said. I recalled exactly what she was talking about. I had only thought it was awfully convenient Lilly had such a thing, but now I understood it was what she used to disguise herself.


[User] “Does the original Lilly know about this?” Rae asked. From her stiff tone, I could tell she already half expected his answer.

[Assistant] “No, she doesn’t. If she did, I imagine she would try to take her own life,” Salas answered.

[User] "Now, Lilly," Salas ordered. "It's time to kill all these people."

[Assistant] “That’s quite an ask. Claire and Rae won’t go down easily.”

[User] “I’m sure you’re up to the task.”

[Assistant] “Of course I am. But who’s to say I’ll be able to keep you safe at the same time?”

[User] “Hmph…” The two talked as Lilly defeated the royal guards one after another. There was no hesitation in her strikes. I couldn’t bear to watch her hurt others so casually.

[Assistant] “In that case, prioritize my escape,” Salas said.

[User] “As if we’d let you get away!” I yelled, already preparing my Magic Ray. I didn’t want to fatally wound Lilly, but the situation being what it was, I was prepared to do what I had to. I moved to a spot where I could keep my eyes on them both and warned, “Salas, Cardinal Lilly. I cannot modulate the effects of this spell. Surrender, if you want to live.”

[Assistant] “Well, what now?” Lilly asked as she defeated the last of the Royal Guards surrounding her. She began working on the Royal Guards surrounding Salas next. She seemed to be ignoring my threat entirely.

[User] “Cardinal Lilly, stop!” I warned her. “If you make one more move, I will fire!”

[Assistant] “Go ahead and try.” She ignored me, continuing to swing her dagger. I couldn’t allow her to do any further harm.

[User] “…Forgive me!” I steeled my will and fired Magic Ray at Lilly. Four beams of light shot forth toward her small frame, but…

[Assistant] “Wh-what? !” My magic scattered like mist before reaching her.

[User] “I forgot to mention, but Lilly here is my masterpiece,” Salas said with a wide grin. “She’s not on Princess Manaria’s level, perhaps, but she can rival her in one particular regard.”

[Assistant] “…Is that Spellbreaker?” Rae asked.

[User] “No, no, nothing as grand as that. This Lilly has high aptitude in wind magic. Her specialty is manipulating time.”

[Assistant] Manipulating…time? Then my Magic Ray must have been rewound to a time before it was structured into a spell—when it was just the component magical energy. What an absurd ability.

[User] “You called her your masterpiece,” Rae said. “Does that mean there are others?”

[Assistant] “Of course. What parent would test an unverified process on their own child? I didn’t start on Lilly until I’d perfected my technique. Let’s see, how many orphans did I break before I got here? Ten? Twenty? No, maybe more,” Salas answered coolly, despite the horrific nature of his words.

[User] “You fiend!” I changed my target to Salas and fired Magic Ray once more.

[Assistant] “Whoops."


[User] "Not so fast." Yuki says, but Lilly canceled it out. "Rae! You get Salas! Rapid fire!"

[Assistant] "Got it!" Rae conjures twenty ice arrows to surround Salas.

[User] "Whoa. You’ve done this before, huh?" Lilly clicked her tongue, staying by Salas’s side to nullify the ice arrows.

[Assistant] We continued to rain magic down on them while Lilly defended.

[User] "Give up, Cardinal Lilly!"

[Assistant] "Why?"

[User] "At this rate, you’ll run out of magic before we do."

[Assistant] "Miss Lilly, please, let’s put an end to this."

[User] "Heh. It’s not like I’m doing this because I want to, y’know."

[Assistant] "Then why?!"

[User] "Because…" She gave us a self-deprecating smile and pulled out a potion. "He may be a bastard, but he’s still my father."

[Assistant] "No—is that cantarella?!" Rae shrieked at the sight of the potion.

[User] "What? Of course not. It’s a superior magic restoration potion."

[Assistant] "Sounds valuable. I doubt you have many."

[User] "Maybe not, but I’ve got a little trick up my sleeve." Lilly downed the potion, then stared hard at the empty bottle, which refilled before our eyes. "Voilà—just gotta think outside the box."

[Assistant] I gritted my teeth.

[User] "Sorry, but this fight’s gonna be a long one."

[Assistant] I racked my brain, trying to think of a way out of our predicament. Then suddenly, the earth began to violently shake. While I was left bewildered by the sudden shaking, somebody suddenly pushed me down. Not even a moment later, the window glass in the audience chamber shattered.

[User] "What in the world…?" I began to say, before realizing it was Rae who’d pushed me down.

[Assistant] "...It should be safe now." She said, rising to her feet and then helping me up as well. I looked around the audience chamber in confusion and astonishment.


[User] The beautiful room was in tatters. Furnishings lay broken, and stones were scattered on the red carpet.

[Assistant] “Your Majesty!” A royal guard cried.

[User] I looked around to see somebody run over to the throne. I felt myself go pale. King l’Ausseil lay collapsed there, bleeding profusely from a wound to the head. “Rae, heal him!”

[Assistant] I cried. Before I could even finish my words, she ran over to him and tried her healing magic, but…

[User] “…It’s no use. He’s gone.”

[Assistant] “That can’t be…” Bauer had lost its wise King l’Ausseil. This was a crisis unlike anything the country had ever faced. “Wait, where are Salas and Cardinal Lilly? !” I looked around but could not see the two. They must have escaped during the chaos. I fought to calm myself and assess the situation. I could only speculate at this point, but it was likely Mt. Sassal had erupted. There were historical accounts of such an event taking place before. But if that were the case, then what followed the eruption was what we truly had to fear. Dark times awaited Bauer. As for what I could do at this moment… While in thought, I noticed Rae had fallen to her knees with a distant look in her eyes. I couldn’t blame her, given the situation. But we needed her strength right now. “Rae… Rae! Get it together.”

[User] Rae’s eyes slowly regained focus. Her mind still seemed elsewhere, however. “Forget about Salas and Cardinal Lilly for a minute. Right now, there are much more pressing matters we must attend to.”

[Assistant] “Miss Claire…”

[User] “The last time Mt. Sassal erupted, it caused a massive famine and water shortage.” Volcanic rock and ash would have a significant effect on crops. If we just stood by and did nothing, many in the kingdom would starve. We had to take action to prevent such a thing. “The kingdom will soon be in crisis, and King l’Ausseil isn’t here to see us through it.” Our wise king was now gone. We had to choose a new king, and fast. “Guards, contact the head of the House of Lords. Call an emergency meeting, then ensure the safety of Master Rod and Master Thane.” I temporarily ignored Rae, who was still in a daze, and issued orders to the Royal Guards who could still move. This would be a race against time. The Royal Guards seemed bewildered as well, but they held themselves together and obeyed my orders, their training keeping them sharp. Rae was still out of it. I didn’t want to have to go this far, but she left me no choice. I slapped her cheek and said, “Get it together! You said you would support me—was that a lie? !” I was practically pleading for her to come back to her senses. I needed her. I could not stand up alone against the coming trials. I needed Rae by my side.

[Assistant] She rubbed her cheek, still in a slight daze.


[User] Gradually, however, light returned to her eyes. "I apologize. I’m fine now.”

[Assistant] “Good.” I briefly hugged her, as though to make certain she was truly here with me. “We shall overcome this.”

[User] “Yes, ma’am!” The two of us wasted no time getting to work. While we’d responded with acceptable promptness, a certain piece of bad news arrived to stop us in our tracks: Rod could not be found.


[Assistant] “Honestly…what is my father thinking?” I inadvertently clicked my tongue in irritation as I read the newspaper in my room at the Academy.

[User] Rae turned to look my way.

[Assistant] I had insisted we keep investigating the issue of my father’s corruption, but Rae objected, claiming we needed his power right now. Corrupt he might be, but my father was a skilled politician with no small degree of clout. Rae had said he was a necessary evil at the moment. But that same father of mine was doing something utterly ridiculous.

[User] “What does it say?” She seemed to sense that I needed to vent or I’d explode.

[Assistant] “That Master Thane’s coronation was canceled!” I spat. I tossed the newspaper her way for her to look at. According to the article, talk of Thane taking the throne had gone nowhere. Instead, the faction of nobles supporting Rod, helmed by my father, would run the government. Utterly preposterous. “The ruler of a kingdom must be a king. The only thing the House of Lords should be doing is working to select the next king as quickly as possible.”

[User] The article’s author shared my opinion. Some newspapers were even accusing the nobles of staging a coup d’état. Of course, not all nobles agreed with the decision to cancel Thane’s coronation. But many of the members of the House of Lords who’d died in the eruption were part of Thane and Yu’s factions, and with Yu conceding her claim for the throne entirely, many of her supporters had gone on to join Rod’s faction instead.


[User] "We should be working as one to overcome this crisis. Feuding amongst ourselves will only frighten the citizenry."

[Assistant] "I’m going to see Thane. Rae, go ahead and send word." It was my plan to appeal to Thane.

[User] "...I don’t know if that’s possible."

[Assistant] "Why?!" I inadvertently yelled.

[User] "Miss Claire, you are the daughter of the man blocking Thane’s ascension to the throne. Thane’s supporters see you as their sworn enemy."

[Assistant] "Argh…"

[User] "Miss Claire, please go easy on yourself. Ever since the eruption, you’ve been working too hard."

[Assistant] "I only did what needed to be done. If only my father would do the same…"

[User] "You have done everything you possibly can. You need to take a break. You’ve barely slept at all these past few days."

[Assistant] "I’m fine. Really."


[User] "But…" I stood up and moved closer to her. "…I suppose I’m just a little tired. May I stay like this for a little while?"

[Assistant] "M-Miss Claire?!"

[User] Gently, I leaned against her shoulder. "I’m glad you’re here, Rae. I wouldn’t have been able to do this alone."

[Assistant] "Miss Claire, are you all right? You never act this lovey-dovey with me. Is something wro—"

[User] "I’m showing you affection. Isn’t that what you call it?"

[Assistant] "Umm, I suppose…" She seemed bewildered by my actions.

[User] "Lene used to let me do this."

[Assistant] "Oh… I see."

[User] The thought of Rae also leaving my side one day made my heart sink. "I’m proud of my noble lineage, but sometimes…really, only sometimes…I dream of being freed from this sense of duty."

[Assistant] "That’s an understandable desire. You could do it, you know. Quit being a noble."

[User] "I can’t do that. I’ve lived in the lap of luxury my entire life. That means I have a duty to serve the people as best as I can, especially in this time of emergency."

[Assistant] "You’re such an earnest person, Miss Claire." She smiled wryly. "All right. Just as a what-if, if you weren’t a noble, is there something you would want to do?"

[User] "Well…" I thought for a long moment. What a question. Being a noble was the most natural thing in the world to me. It was hard to envision a life where I wasn’t one, but… "I should like to learn how to cook and sew."

[Assistant] "How unexpected. You want to do peasant things?"

[User] "You’ve taken good care of me. If I were no longer an aristocrat, such tasks would be the only way I could repay you."

[Assistant] Her eyes went wide.

[User] "What does that look mean? Oh, I haven’t taken a bath in days. Do I smell?"

[Assistant] "No, not at all. You actually smell nice."

[User] What an absurd thing to say. "Liar. This is perfect timing, actually. Let’s take a bath."

[Assistant] "As you wish."


[User] Together, we made for the baths. Unfortunately, the spring water had been disrupted by the eruption, so the dorm baths were out of order. "Oh, curses!"

[Assistant] "There, there, Miss Claire. There, there."

[User] In the end, I had Rae wipe my body down in my room. I let out a contented sigh, basking in the hot towel’s warmth, and thought about what was to come. There must be something we can do… Something… Unfortunately, my thoughts only went in circles, and no way forward made itself apparent.


[User] "VERY WELL THEN. Does anyone object to the proposed Restoration Tax?" I asked. I waited a moment and met everyone’s eyes, but everybody seemed fully on board.

[Assistant] "Then let’s call the session there. Gentleman, let us reconvene tomorrow." After I called the session to a close, the parasites who’d taken the bait and joined my provisional government left, one by one. I watched them go with emotionless eyes.

[User] "That was splendid, Master Dole!" One of the two men that approached said.

[Assistant] "Hmph. I’m simply doing what is natural, given my position. Restoration is costly. We nobles are prepared to shed our blood, sweat, and tears to overcome this trial, of course, but the common folk must shoulder their share of the burden." I’d long since grown weary of all the vain attempts at flattery put on by these people, but I returned the man a cocksure grin all the same. I was accustomed to maintaining this farce.

[User] "I owe you two thanks, Count Ardouin, Earl Lelong. Your support for my proposal was a great help." I didn’t even hesitate to dish out hollow gratitude.

[Assistant] "Oh, but of course we’d be in agreement with you, Master Dole! Why, we’ve always believed that there is no noble who has the kingdom’s future in mind better than you!"

[User] "Yes, yes, indeed!"

[Assistant] "I do not deserve such kind words, but I thank you all the same. I shall take my leave here, if that’s all right. Oh, and thank you for your financial contributions. I shall make great use of them." Before I left, I made sure to thank them for their “financial contributions,” which were nothing more than bribes.

[User] "Yes, yes, absolutely!"

[Assistant] "Have a swell day, Duke François!" The two continued to flatter me as I left the assembly hall. I felt a slight pang of guilt over having used what should be sacred ground in such a manner.


[User] I returned to my estate and sank into a chair in my study, leaning back. My fatigue was mounting. While I was fully prepared to sacrifice myself alongside the rest of the corrupt nobility, I could not risk bringing the common people down with me. Handling the aftermath of Mt. Sassal’s eruption would require everything we had to give. Rae’s warning had allowed me to make some preparations beforehand, but the damage was far greater than I’d expected.

[Assistant] "Hmph. Those fools. How can they so blindly support the Restoration Tax? Do they know nothing of governance?" I mumbled. Raising taxes now, of all times, was guaranteed to invite backlash.


[User] "...Having my own daughter look at me like that was quite painful, though."

[Assistant] "...But it won’t be much longer. Just a little while, Melia," I whispered, voice filled with emotion, to the photo frame on my desk.

[User] "May I have a moment of your time, Duke François?"

[Assistant] "Will you shoulder my ideals with me?"


[User] And then the incident happened. The whole thing was concluded to be a carriage accident, but I knew better—it had been an assassination, plotted by House Achard. My memory of the incident itself was unclear, but I could never forget what Marquess Achard said to me when I returned to my duties.

[Assistant] “Ah, so you lived. Such a shame.”

[User] Not killing him in that very moment was both my greatest regret in life and the most important decision I’d ever made. I could have used my influence to have him secretly assassinated in turn, but I chose not to. I held myself to a higher standard. Returning to being the conceited noble I once was would make everything meaningless. It would make Melia’s death meaningless. I chose not to give in to my rage. It was only then that I truly understood the weight of the ideals Melia spoke of, and how cruel they could be. I began to plan a different form of revenge. I decided I would purge the corrupt system of nobility as a whole. House Achard and the rest—all of it. That goal became the only thing I lived for. Since then, I’d done much to make myself deserving of the things people whispered about me. Before I knew it, I’d become a villain to rival Marquess Achard. I committed wicked deeds but made sure I never fell into the grip of vice—though the temptation had anguished me numerous times. Now, at last, I was nearing my goal. It would take one more step… Just one more step.

[Assistant] “It won’t be long now, my love. We shall meet again, soon.” As soon as I said those words, I thought better of it. Melia was virtuous and noble. A man steeped in sin, like me, was not meant for the pearly gates she’d passed through. Men like me were destined for hell.

[User] “Ah. Perhaps I won’t be seeing you again after all, Melia.” The thought was a little…no, greatly disheartening. But I could not change my course now. I had to see things through.

[Assistant] “At the very least…let Claire come out of this unscathed.” I had entrusted my daughter to Rae. Rae swore she would protect her, but I couldn’t help but worry. Claire took after Melia greatly. Far too much, in fact. Would she allow herself to live on in disgrace?

[User] “It seems I have no choice but to stake it all on you, Rae Taylor.” Rae Taylor was an enigma of a girl who claimed to be from another world. I found that hard to believe, of course, but her achievements were undeniable. She was different somehow, and she was slowly becoming someone irreplaceable to my daughter. Perhaps she could change the fate my Claire was headed toward?

[Assistant] “…I could wish for nothing more.” It was my wish that my daughter live on, not be martyred for her ideals. Seeing someone die for their ideals once was more than enough for me.


[Assistant] Protests broke out in the Royal Capital only days after the provisional government announced they would be raising taxes. I opened my dorm room window and looked out to see angry commoners marching down the capital’s main thoroughfare with placards raised. “Of course it came to this…” I sighed. Most of the kingdom’s crops had been ruined by the eruption. Merchants bought up all the food on the markets, causing prices to rise exponentially. Life had already been hard for the common man, and it was only going to get worse. It was no wonder they were taking to the streets. “Will the rationing be enough?” I wondered out loud. Acting on Rae’s suggestion, and with Yu’s help, we’d been distributing rations and free meals to the needy. I’d received many words of gratitude from the commoners, but an equal share of hurtful words too. A major reason for their suffering was the very provisional government my father led, after all.

[User] “I don’t know, but let’s do what we can anyway.” Rae consoled. “I’m sure things will work out. And if they don’t…at the very least, we should make it so we can look back and say we tried our best.”

[Assistant] “You can be so hopelessly optimistic sometimes, Rae…” I closed the window and sat down. Rae began making me tea. I didn’t have it in me to be as optimistic about the future as she was.

[User] “And you’re too pessimistic at times. Looks like we balance each other out perfectly.”

[Assistant] “…Perhaps so.” I had to admit she was right about me being a pessimist. I often demanded perfectionism, but at the same time, I knew all too well where I fell short. My disappointment with my own performance had sapped me to the point where that pessimism was deeply rooted in me. There was always a voice within me telling me not to even bother trying because failure was guaranteed. But Rae was different. She saw things for how they were and accepted that. For better or worse, she always kept her frivolous attitude. She never overestimated things, but she never belittled them either. Perhaps it was that power that allowed her to accept someone as hopeless as me?

[User] “Miss Claire, are you thinking yourself into a negative spiral again? Your brow is creased with worry.”

[Assistant] “…Nothing ever gets past you, does it?”

[User] “Only when it comes to you. Now, have some tea and relax.”

[Assistant] “I shall.” I picked up the teacup and inhaled its sweet fragrance. “What a lovely smell.”

[User] “It’s chamomile. It has a calming effect.” Serving such luxurious tea in the current economic climate would seem galling to most, but I knew this was actually something Rae had cultivated herself.


[User] She’d predicted the coming crisis and rented out a flower bed here at the Academy to grow various plants. "It’s just what I needed. Thank you, Rae. I feel better now.”

[Assistant] “…Do you really?” she asked, worry on her face.

[User] “Pardon?”

[Assistant] “It’s not like you to be this meek. You usually say something with more of a bite to it, like ‘This is surprisingly tolerable, considering it was made by you.’”

[User] “Excuse me? I’m capable of showing proper gratitude every now and then. The only reason I have to fuss at all is because you always say such crass, uncalled-for things.”

[Assistant] “Is that right? Then maybe I should try saying some of those crass, uncalled-for things right now. Maybe it’ll lead to a little bit of this, or a little bit of that…”

[User] “I respectfully decline.”

[Assistant] “Decline what, Miss Claire? Just what were you imagining? Perv.”

[User] “Wh-what?! I, but you…wha…” I grew flustered and annoyed, but then realized what she was doing. “…You’re trying to cheer me up with all this, aren’t you?”

[Assistant] “Aww. See, you really aren’t your usual self. Normally, you’d play along like the gullible noob you are.”

[User] “I haven’t a clue what a ‘noob’ is supposed to be, but I can tell you mean no harm.”

[Assistant] “Oh, come on! You’re no fun to tease when you’re being like this!” She made a face and stamped her feet in irritation. My shoulders felt a bit lighter than before.

[User] “Anyway, I believe today is the day we negotiate with the provisional government and the revolutionary government?”

[Assistant] “That’s right. We will be meeting with Master Dole and the other heads of the provisional government in the morning, then Arla and the other revolutionary government leaders in the afternoon.”


[User] If we gave the commoners of Bauer suffrage, allowing them to influence government matters, the revolutionary government would be able to say they had succeeded and that their efforts weren’t in vain. It would be a compromise on the provisional government’s part, but this way of doing things allowed them to retain their status of nobility. Neither side would be perfectly satisfied, but this was the only compromise I saw that could be made… The only problem was that it was currently infeasible. The provisional government would laugh at the idea of giving commoners suffrage, and the revolutionary government seemed hellbent on overthrowing the current government. There would be no attempt at a compromise from either side until things escalated and blood spilled. “What do you make of things, Rae?” Realizing my thoughts were spiraling yet again, I sought Rae’s opinion.

[Assistant] “Hmm… Personally, I don’t think either side will relent until they take some damage. They’re both too worked up right now, they’ll get even more worked up once things get violent, but eventually they’ll realize things can’t go on.”

[User] “But it’ll be too late by then!” Without thinking, I stood up and raised my voice. “If things turn to conflict, then it’ll be the powerless who suffer the most—the women and children!” There might be a few commoners who could use magic to defend themselves, but they were the overwhelming minority. One couldn’t use powerful magic without a magic stone, and even the cheapest magic wand was prohibitively expensive for most commoners. “We must end things before it reaches that point.”

[Assistant] “All we can do is give it our best effort.” Rae put her hands on my shoulders from behind, gently pushing me back down onto the chair. “I don’t want to see blood spilled either, so let’s just do all that we can.”

[User] “Will you help me, Rae?”

[Assistant] “Of course. Your wish is mine.” She smiled, making my heart race slightly. Looking back on things, however, I realize Rae was off at this moment. Despite her smile, what she was really saying amounted to nothing more than a “Just do what you please.” Rae always thought ahead, anticipating events and planning countermeasures. It wasn’t like her to be so dismissive. Her mind had already moved to other matters. And like a fool, I put my full faith in her, suspecting nothing.


[User] Every newspaper reported things as being in the revolutionary army’s favor.

[Assistant] "I was too late…" I watched the mob fight the kingdom’s army from my dorm window, feeling powerless, useless, and bitter about it. I clenched my teeth. It was too late to do anything about it all.

[User] "You did everything you could, Miss Claire. Things were just too far along to be stopped."

[Assistant] "But if I had only tried harder…"

[User] "You tried as hard as you possibly could." She tried to comfort me, but I was inconsolable.

[Assistant] My head was full of what-ifs—what if I had started working sooner? What if I had found a better compromise? The thought of commoners, the people I had a duty to protect, being hurt this very moment tore at my heart. And yet, I had no right to play the tragic heroine. I was a noble. If the times had chosen to move in this direction, then I had only one duty left to fulfill. "Now that things have come to this, all that remains is for me to graciously admit defeat, as a noble of the old era."

[User] The commoners had chosen to rid themselves of the nobility. It was our duty as nobles to accept the wishes of the commoners. House François was the most prominent of the noble families. Thus, as a representative of the nobles, it was best for House François to announce our time had come to an end before the damage on both sides mounted any further. I was aware this would probably end in our deaths, just as it had in Phrance. The wrath of the commoners was simply too great. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid of death. But I didn’t want to go so far as to hurt commoners to cling to my position. I was ready to accept the choice the commoners made.

[Assistant] But Rae could not say the same. "No, Miss Claire. You will stand on the side that denounces what came before."

[User] "…What?" I couldn’t believe my ears. I gave her a questioning look, making her straighten her posture. "Rae, whatever are you on about?"

[Assistant] "I’m saying you will stand in support of the new era and see off the old."

[User] "You’re being ridiculous. I am the daughter of House François. I am the quintessential symbol of the world that preceded this one." Rae was talking nonsense again. Her expression was serious, however. This didn’t seem like one of her usual jokes.

[Assistant] "You aren’t. Master Dole is."

[User] "What’s the difference? We’re both François."

[Assistant] "There is a difference. Because you will be the one to spearhead the movement to convict Master Dole and the old ruling class—the nobility."

[User] "Wh-wha…what are you saying?!" Upon finally understanding what she meant, I raised my voice. She wanted me to forsake the nobility. "You want me to depose the architects of the old era, then brazenly live my own life free of any connection to them?! Absolutely not!


[User] "Never!” I didn’t want to die in vain either, but I still had my pride as a noble. There was no meaning in living a life of disgrace. I was just about to try and make her understand that when she said something I could never have expected. “This was Master Dole’s design as well.”

[Assistant] “…Huh?! W-wait a second. My father?” I was in shock. Why was she bringing up my father now, of all times? Was he not one of the corrupt nobles who only acted out of self-interest?

[User] “I…I don’t understand. E-explain yourself, Rae!”

[Assistant] “The one who put this revolution into motion was none other than your father, Master Dole.”

[User] “I don’t understand a single word that’s coming out of your mouth!”

[Assistant] “Then let me start from the beginning. This’ll be a long story, so please take a seat.” Despite how worked up I was, Rae remained calm. After she made me sit down, she slowly began to reveal everything. “As you already know, our kingdom’s government is corrupt. Most of the nobles only care about personal gain, vying for power with no intention of allowing meaningful change.”

[User] “…I’m aware. But I don’t see what that has to do with this.”

[Assistant] “There were a few nobles who still worried about Bauer’s future. One of those nobles was Master Dole.”

[User] “My father? But he sidelined the royal family to take power himself…” I knew this fact better than anyone else. After running back and forth between the two sides for weeks, it was apparent to me that my father didn’t have the country’s future in mind. He couldn’t even consider what tomorrow might hold.

[Assistant] “Master Dole sacrificed himself to gather all the corrupt nobles in one place. He did so to ensure the commoners could finish it all today.”

[User] “…What? No, that’s…preposterous.” All my father’s wicked actions had just been an act?

[Assistant] “There was a time when your father unquestioningly accepted the superiority of the nobility. That all changed after what happened to your mother, Melia.”

[User] “…After the carriage accident?” That day had left me with a deep wound that would never heal. Just what had it done to my father?

[Assistant] “It was no accident. The incident was contrived by another powerful noble. It was murder.”

[User] “No…!” I said in disbelief.

[Assistant] “That day, Master Dole decided things had to change. He continued to play the role of a corrupt noble while secretly supporting the revolution.”

[User] Then the father I knew and loved hadn’t actually gone anywhere. Even now, he was still the same patriotic man I once knew.

[Assistant] “Do you remember the day I became your maid?”

[User] “…I do.


[User] "I recall you said something to my father, causing his demeanor to change.”

[Assistant] “This is what I said to him at that time: ‘Irvine Manuel, March 3rd, five hundred thousand gold.’ That information pertained to the financial support Master Dole was secretly providing to the Resistance.”

[User] According to her, that was information only my father should know. The amount of monetary aid given to the Resistance’s treasurer, Irvine Manuel. She’d hinted at the fact she knew about my father’s secret plans to convince him to hire her. “After everyone else was cleared out of the room, I told him I found his cause admirable, but I was worried you would get caught up in it.”

[Assistant] “Why would you think that?”

[User] “Master Dole planned to sacrifice not only himself, but you as well, Miss Claire. He loves you from the bottom of his heart, but he had given up on saving the country any other way.”

[Assistant] That was understandable, given our duty as nobles. Even after hearing my father planned to have me die alongside him, I held no grudge against him. If anything, I thought he was right to make such a choice. “So I offered him another choice. I gave him an option that would let you live even when the nobles were overthrown. And he took it.”

[User] That must have been where the plan for me to split off from the nobles of the old world and oppose them came in. “Everything up to this point was all to make this possible. We’ve improved your reputation, distanced you from the rest of nobility—all so you could live in the era to come.”

[Assistant] “So, then—you! You knew this from the beginning? !” I had trusted her. I had trusted her to the point life without her became unthinkable. She had stayed by my side to support me all this time…but it was all for a lie?

[User] “Yes. I knew that the revolution would happen, and the result would be the downfall of the aristocrats. None of that could be prevented.”

[Assistant] “But I—I trusted you!”

[User] “I’m so sorry, Miss Claire. I will accept any punishment you choose.” She sounded so indifferent that I unwittingly raised my hand in anger. I swung my hand at her cheek…but I couldn’t bring myself to hit her.

[Assistant] “…I can’t believe you two.” Rae and my father had lied to me. A tremendous lie too. Not one I could easily forgive. But I wasn’t so foolish that I couldn’t understand why they did what they did. They lied for my sake. They lied so I could live, even if the nobility met its end. It was a fatherly lie. It was a lover’s lie. It was a lie that made my emotions overflow and stream down my cheeks. "I want you to join the revolutionary government now. I’ve already arranged things with Arla.” I didn’t say a word. Rae seemed to have everything planned out for me.


[User] “…Soon, the royal family will pass the Royal Standard to the revolutionary government. When that happens, the aristocracy will become the rebels. You will convict them.”

[Assistant] But she forgot one important, important thing… Oh, Rae. How could you forget…

[User] “…Miss Claire?” I ignored her and stood up, nearing the window.

[Assistant] Nothing had changed. The fighting still continued outside.

[User] “Hey, Rae? What sort of life do you think I would have if I became a commoner?” It was an impossibility. But I still wanted to know what she thought.

[Assistant] “Well… At first, there will be a lot to learn. Like when you spent time at my house during vacation.”

[User] “Indeed.” I nodded without turning around to face her. It hadn’t been that long since I visited her family home, and yet it felt like an eternity ago.

[Assistant] “But you’ll get used to it quickly. And I’ll always be there to take care of you.”

[User] “I see… So you will live with me?”

[Assistant] “Of course. I’ll work hard and do everything I can for you.”

[User] “Yes. I think I will need that.” The life she spoke of would be a pleasant one, I was sure. So long as she was there to support me, any life would be joyous.

[Assistant] “Let’s get a dog.”

[User] “I prefer a cat.” We would live a modest life.

[Assistant] “Maybe start a garden?”

[User] “So long as I can grow some flowers.” A life humbler than what I knew, but peaceful.

[Assistant] “How many children should we have?”

[User] “We can’t have children.”

[Assistant] “Then let’s adopt.”

[User] “I want two cute little girls.” I answered her questions, then paused. Eventually, I said, “I believe you would never let me be unhappy.” But I was not meant for such a thing, Rae.

[Assistant] “I…”

[User] “Huh?” she said. My voice had been too shaky for her to hear.

[Assistant] “Miss Claire?”

[User] “I said I refuse. I refuse to join up with the revolutionaries.” I turned around and looked at Rae head-on, my voice firm now.

[Assistant] She seemed taken aback, making a face I couldn’t help but find comical.

[User] “What are you saying, Miss Claire? This is the only way.”

[Assistant] “No. There’s another way. I can choose to fall with the old era and my peers.” Rae, I understand well how you and Father feel. But this is who I am.

[User] “No… It’s pointless! That wouldn’t make anyone happy!”

[Assistant] “No, probably not.”

[User] “Master Dole—and me too, we did all this for you, so you can live—”

[Assistant] “Yes, and I am grateful for that.” I was calm. Calm enough to put my true thoughts into words. It was all so clear to me now. Rae…I…

[User] “Wait…wait a second. Are you angry with us for not telling you what was going on? Please, I apologize. But if we had told you—”

[Assistant] “I’m sure I would have refused.” I loved you more than I even knew.


[User] "I know you and my father had my best interests in mind. I’m not angry."

[Assistant] "Then why?!"

[User] "Because…" Forgive me, Rae. “…I am a noble."

[Assistant] She was at a complete loss for words.

[User] "An aristocrat enjoys their stature and luxuries in exchange for acquitting their duties when called upon to do so. The reason I have been allowed to live such a selfish life is so I could, once more, when this day came, fulfill my duties.”

[Assistant] “You don’t have to! Not anymore!”

[User] “No. I will see to my final obligation—and that is to submit to the will of the people, as an aristocrat and as a relic of the era coming to an end." Rae…you were more than just someone I admired. You are my first, and only, love.

[Assistant] "Miss Claire, please think this through. Wouldn’t you like to live in the new era together with me?” I could hear the sorrow in her voice.

[User] “I’m so sorry, Rae. I cannot grant your wish.”

[Assistant] “But you…you promised me. You said you wouldn’t give up until the very end.”

[User] The days I spent with you were a treasure I wouldn’t give up for the world. “Ah, you’re right. I remember that. It feels like so long ago.”

[Assistant] “No…no… Miss Claire, don’t leave me!” she begged me, like a child. So unlike her.

[User] “I’m very sorry, Rae." I put my hand on her cheek, then gently…stole her lips. “To apologize for breaking my promise, I offer you my first kiss.” With this, I had no more lingering regrets. “Farewell, Rae. Be well.” I departed the room then, leaving her in a daze. Rae, Rae, my dearest Rae. I’m sorry. I cannot sacrifice everything for love like you. I won’t ask for your forgiveness, but please… “Live on in the new era.”


[User] "THE BACK GATES are about to be breached!" a soldier from House Kugret yelled.

[Assistant] "Don’t falter! We’ll stop them here!" Loretta yelled back. She and I were situated at the back gates of the Royal Academy to defend the school.


[User] Loretta’s father, Count Kugret, took command of the provisional government forces. Loretta was assigned to protect the back gates, and I was designated as her aide.

[Assistant] "Pepi, you don’t have to force yourself to stay with me if you don’t want to." Loretta forced a smile despite her nerves.

[User] "Aren’t you the one forcing yourself? Just say what you really think. You want me to stay with you, don’t you?"

[Assistant] "Ngh…" She blushed red.

[User] "C’mon, Loretta. Enough zoning out. The soldiers are awaiting your orders."

[Assistant] "Oh, right. Squadron three, advance!" The soldiers of House Kugret began moving on her orders.

[User] "Death to the nobles!"

[Assistant] "Freedom for the common man!" I heard the commoners’ angry shouts and began to think.

[User] I don’t care if the nobles are stripped of their status… House Barlier is already a thing of the past, anyway.

[Assistant] But Loretta was the lady of a military family sworn to protect the nobility. She had a duty to do battle here—while I wanted to avoid her coming in harm’s way, however possible.


[User] Maybe I should knock her out and forcibly remove her from the battle…? I considered it, but it wasn’t realistic. The battle was currently evenly matched. If I removed Loretta, the acting commander, the commoners would breach the gate and make escape difficult. Ah, jeez! Then just what am I supposed to do? I felt like stomping my feet in irritation.

[Assistant] “The mob is only getting bigger! We can’t hold them off forever!”

[User] “Damn…” Panic showed on Loretta’s face. I didn’t blame her.

[Assistant] “Lady Loretta, please permit us to use offensive magic!”

[User] “It’ll only be a matter of time before they get through!”

[Assistant] “No!” Loretta had forbidden the use of offensive magic. If we used it, there was a chance we could win, but…

[User] “It is our duty to protect commoners, not harm them. We must hold out by using our magic only to strengthen and heal ourselves.” Once again, she ordered them to refrain from hurting the commoners. Perhaps she had adopted the same ideals as Claire…or perhaps it was our experience over the summer that changed her.

[Assistant] “Not good! They’re breaking through the gates!” Just as that report reached us, the back gates collapsed. The commoners pushed their way through the opening like an avalanche. The soldiers were swallowed up by the mob, which soon laid eyes on us. Was this the end?

[User] “Lady Loretta, please, permit the usage of offensive magic!”

[Assistant] “Never! If you call yourself a noble, then live as one until the end!” she yelled. She seemed prepared to face death.

[User] “Well said,” commented a wise voice. A mist began to rise from the ground. It seemed to have a life of its own, moving to envelop the commoners, who began to go limp.

[Assistant] “Don’t worry. They’re just asleep.”

[User] “Master Kristoff!” It was Kristoff. With a magic wand, he manipulated a magic mist and put the commoners into a deep sleep.

[Assistant] “You saved us, Master Kristoff!”

[User] “No need to be so formal, Lady Loretta. I’m just a viscount now.”


[User] "Look out. There’s more coming." He pointed his wand toward some commoners who seemed a bit different from the rest.

[Assistant] "Adventurers!" Adventurers were what we called people who undertook requests, big and small, for the adventurer’s guild. Being familiar with combat, they were somehow able to resist the effect of Kristoff’s mist.

[User] "Let’s get ’em, guys!"

[Assistant] "Yeah!" Somebody who seemed to be their leader shouted, and a dozen or so adventurers charged forth.

[User] They were few in number but clearly more skilled than the other commoners, based on the way they worked in concert. They couldn’t overwhelm us with numbers, but they could prove to be a bigger problem in another way.

[Assistant] "Please fall back, Master Kristoff!"

[User] "Leave this to us!" A young man and a young woman, not far in age from us, appeared before Kristoff.

[Assistant] "No, you two should be the ones to fall back,"

[User] "This is my fight as a noble."

[Assistant] "Nonsense!"

[User] "We owe you, Master Kristoff! Let us repay what you’ve done for us!"

[Assistant] “…Hmph. You’re all just children.”


[User] The adventurer leading the charge, a man wielding a well-worn short sword, came to a stop upon seeing who he was up against.

[Assistant] "You’re that man we met in Euclid…"

[User] "Seems we meet again, Barlier girl."

[Assistant] "I don’t mind fighting you, if that’s what you want."

[User] "Hmm, naw… I don’t mind most jobs, but…" The man reached into his pockets and took out a heavy-looking bag. He tossed it toward the man who seemed to be their leader.

[Assistant] "Huh? What’s this for?"

[User] "Payment for breaching the contract. Should be three times my promised reward."

[Assistant] The leader scoffed.

[User] "The hell? Are you abandoning the job?!"

[Assistant] "I never would’a taken it if I knew it’d have me killing kids! An adventurer’s got the right to pick what jobs he does, surely." One after another, the other adventurers quit as well.

[User] "Where do you guys think you are going?! These guys are nobles!"

[Assistant] "You don’t say. But y’know, this lady here may be a noble, but she’s different from the rest. She cried for our fallen comrades before."

[User] "That was probably just an act!"

[Assistant] "No noble would go so far as barfing just to put on a show. Right?" The man looked Loretta’s way.

[User] She averted her gaze uncomfortably.

[Assistant] "You’re pulling back?"

[User] "For the time being. We don’t want to see blood spilled either, if we can help it." The adventurer sheathed his sword.

[Assistant] "Still…I get the feeling this revolution won’t be done anytime soon."

[User] “…As do I.” Though we had avoided conflict here, the battle was not going in our favor.


[User] “…What’s going to happen now?” Loretta uneasily asked.

[Assistant] “I don’t know, but I’m sure things will work out so long as we’re alive.” I squeezed her hand, swearing to myself that I’d ensure we both made it through this.


[User] Right this way, Lady Claire." A soldier of the revolutionary government brought me to the out-of-use second building of the House of Lords

[Assistant] "Father!" My father got up off the sofa, rushed over, and hugged me.

[User] "I was so worried about you!"

[Assistant] "I'm sorry."

[User] “Please wait here in this room. Feel free to ring the bell if you need anything.” Saying no more, the soldier left the room.

[Assistant] “I take it Rae failed, seeing as you’re here?” He avoided revealing any information with his question, instead probing to see how much I knew.

[User] “She tried until the bitter end to follow through with the plan the two of you devised. But I have my pride.”

[Assistant] “…How foolish.” My father grimaced, as though that answer told him everything he needed to know. He tightened his embrace

[User] “As a noble, I am proud of your decision.”

[Assistant] "Thank you, Father."

[User] “But as a father, I cannot help but be disappointed. You should live freely, Claire.” In a pained voice

[Assistant] “This is how I’ve chosen to live.”

[User] “Then I’ve forced a terrible life onto you.”

[Assistant] “Not at all. I accept my fate as a noble. I’m fine with this.”

[User] “My, my. You noble folk sure take defeat graciously!” The door swung open without a knock, Alter gave us a sarcastic smile that would never have been seen on Lilly’s face.

[Assistant] "Cardinal Lilly…"

[User] “Call me ‘Alter,’ would ya? I’m not quite the Lilly you know.”


[User] His true identity was the alter ego of Lilly, created by Salas’s magic. “Leave it at that, Alter. There’s no point in explaining anything to these two when they’ll soon be dead.”

[Assistant] “Salas! How dare you show yourself here?”

[User] “Ah, Dole. I’ll miss you, you know. The world needs capable politicians like you.”

[Assistant] “Spare me,” my father spat.

[User] Salas smiled calmly. “No, I mean it. I really do. Though, I suppose it’s true I’ll be more relieved than anything to see you gone. You always were a bit of a thorn in my side, weren’t you?”

[Assistant] “Salas… Do you understand what you’re doing? You’re selling out your own people for your ambitions.”

[User] Salas sneered.

[Assistant] My father, by contrast, maintained his earnest politician’s face the whole time. He wanted to stop whatever Salas was plotting. It was my father who put the revolution in motion, but it was not in his design for the Nur Empire to take advantage of it. “Why should I care about the people of Bauer? All my politicking has been for my own sake, not theirs. And I’ll have both Bauer and Nur dancing in the palm of my hands soon enough,”

[User] “…You’re incorrigible. Not being able to bring you down was my greatest failure.”

[Assistant] “Ha ha, say whatever you like. There’s nothing you can do at this point. Or would you like to challenge me now, alongside your daughter?” Salas darted his red eyes tauntingly at us.

[User] “Why you—”

[Assistant] “Don’t, Claire. Ignore his cheap provocations. He may be weak, but the same can’t be said for his experiment there.”

[User] “Heh heh. Why, how mighty kind of you.” Alter bowed like a performer would.

[Assistant] “What do you intend to do with us then, Salas?” my father asked. “Hand us over to the Nur Empire?”

[User] “No, no. Your heads aren’t worth that much. I’ll have you two executed as symbols of the old order.”

[Assistant] Executed. The word made me grow pale. Belatedly, I realized how real this all was. I was going to die.

[User] “Oh? Is something the matter, Claire? You’ve come a bit too far to start fearing death all of a sudden, don’t you think?” Salas’s taunting was insufferable, but he was right. Suddenly, I was afraid of death. If I were lucky, I’d be beheaded. That would be over quickly. But I could just as well be burned alive. I trembled at the thought of the agony. “No matter how brave you might pretend to be, you’re just a child. You can’t help but fear death. Perhaps I should be merciful and grant you an alternative.” He grinned. “Become my puppet, like Alter, and I’ll let you live.”

[Assistant] “Wha—don’t be ridiculous!” I shouted, incensed at the idea. I wouldn’t work for Salas, no matter what terms he offered. …But with my life hanging in the balance, I had to admit I found the offer ever so slightly tempting. As a noble, that hurt my pride.

[User] He laughed, seeming genuinely amused.


[User] "Ha ha ha, Is that so? What a shame. Then I suppose you’ll be departing this world, together with that haughty, noble pride of yours."

[Assistant] “…Talk about bad humor." Alter muttered under his breath.

[User] "What a waste of our time. Leave at once." Claire said with a scoff.

[Assistant] “Oh? Should you be taking such an attitude? I do believe your life is in my hands at this very moment.”

[User] “Claire is my flesh and blood. She’s prepared for whatever you throw her way.”

[Assistant] “Is that right? The thought of death seems to terrify her, if you ask me.”

[User] “All people fear death. But a noble finds meaning in death, despite their fear.”

[Assistant] I gasped at my father’s words.

[User] "No. No, it certainly wouldn’t. My death would help mark a new era for the commoners—one in which they lived under a government that treated them properly. Rae was a commoner. My death would pave the way to a brighter future for her as well. Gifted as she was, I was sure she would get along just fine. No…I was certain she would thrive in the new world." Gradually, my trembling came to a halt.

[Assistant] “Oh? Putting up a brave front, are we, little lady?” Salas teased.

[User] “Say whatever you like. Your comeuppance will come sooner or later.” I replied.

[Assistant] "Perhaps it would be Rae who’d deliver Salas’s punishment. I believed she was capable of putting a stop to him and saving Lilly."

[User] “…Hmph. How dull. That’s enough, I suppose. Let’s be off, Alter.”

[Assistant] “Later then, you two. Don’t do anything hasty now, ya hear?” Salas left the room with Alter in tow.

[User] “Are you sure about this, Claire? I’m sure you could easily escape if—”

[Assistant] “I’m sure, Father. My will is set."

[User] "Now I can finally apologize to my mother for that day. My mother might be cross with me for dying so young, but I was sure she would praise me for staying true to my noble ideals until the bitter end."

[Assistant] “…I see. I understand.” My father hugged me once more.

[User] Several uneventful days went by. Salas dropped by to taunt us every now and then, but my father and I were hardly bothered at this point. I fought to keep my heart calm for my impending death, but…

[Assistant] “It’s Rae Taylor! Stop her!” Her arrival was more than enough to shake my resolve.


[User] I hadn’t eaten much these past few days, nor slept much, for that matter—perhaps because I kept seeing her in my dreams. I was at my limit, physically and mentally, so I couldn’t help but be excited at her arrival. I got up, about to burst through the door and break out of the room—then stopped. I turned and saw my father’s gentle but sad expression. My heated emotions cooled all at once. …If I leave, my father will be all alone, I realized. Of course, he probably wanted nothing more than for me to go. But I could not bring myself to let him die alone. “Father, come wi—”

[Assistant] “I’m afraid I cannot, Claire.” He turned me down before I could even say the words.

[User] “Why, Father? !”

[Assistant] “The people need something to make the end of our era feel real. My death is perfect for marking the end of the old world.” He stood by the window and looked outside. “You are loved dearly, Claire.” His tone was hard to describe, a complicated mix of exasperation and envy.

[User] I neared the window and looked out as well. I was not surprised by what I saw. “Rae…” She’d come alone. Salas’s private soldiers blocked her way, their bodies clad in magic armor. Her expression was one of desperation as she flung her magic outward like it was the last chance she’d ever have to do so.

[Assistant] “It’s not too late, Claire. You can still go to her.” His gaze remained fixed on Rae.

[User] I didn’t say a word in response. I couldn’t.

[Assistant] He sighed. “I was ultimately unable to do so myself, but a life lived solely for the sake of love is by no means a poor life. I can shoulder the sins of the old world well enough on my own.” Feeling his gaze on me, I turned to look at him.

[User] “…Father?” On his face was an expression I had never seen from him before.

[Assistant] “I haven’t been a very good father to you, have I, Claire?”

[User] “That’s not true!”

[Assistant] “No, it is. Ever since I lost Melia, I devoted myself to nothing but trying to bring down the nobility.”

[User] I couldn’t make sense of what he was trying to say. Did he feel like he hadn’t been there for me? But I’d never once begrudged him for anything.

[Assistant] “To that end, I’ve sacrificed many things. My beliefs, my ideals, my money, my pride…even my one and only beloved daughter.”

[User] “Please stop, Father. I understand very well why you did what you did. I’ve never once doubted you loved me.” I grew up spoiled. I was a selfish noble, and I was not afraid to admit it.


[User] "I raised you as a noble should, Claire…but I cannot say with confidence that I have raised you with the love of a father."

[Assistant] "Father…"

[User] "I planned to have you die with me for the sake of my scheme, for crying out loud. Even a complete outsider like Rae could see plain and clear how wrong of me that was." This was the first time I’d ever seen my father so vulnerable. He doubted the sincerity of his own love for me, and whether he’d been wrong to place his grand plan before my life. He’d probably never shared these thoughts with another living soul. He’d kept them bottled up inside for who knew how long, being tormented by them.

[Assistant] “…Father, could you please step away from the window for a moment?"

[User] "Claire?"

[Assistant] "Quickly, please.”

[User] “…Of course.” Though confused, he obliged.


[Assistant] …Rae, thank you for coming. I’m happy I could see you one last time before dying. I raised my magic wand up high. Salas hadn’t had our wands confiscated. Perhaps he had predicted this far?

[User] "Claire? What are you doing?”

[Assistant] "Light! Magic Ray!” Four beams of light shot from the François family crests I summoned. The light tore through the window and seared the ground of the courtyard, leaving a mark. Just past the point of impact, Rae looked up at me in a daze. I was certain she understood what I meant to say.

[User] "Claire…"

[Assistant] "This is my choice, Father." I watched Rae collapse to her knees. Manaria appeared out of nowhere, scooped up Rae, and fled with her in her arms.

[User] "I, Claire François—beloved daughter of Dole François, Bauer’s great Minister of Finance—shall meet my end in November of Kingdom Year 2015." Once Manaria and Rae were completely gone from sight, I turned around and faced my father.

[Assistant] "Father, you were the greatest man Bauer has ever known, both as a noble and as a politician."

[User] "Claire…"

[Assistant] "You were also the most loving father there ever was, and the greatest father I could have asked for."

[User] "Oh, Claire…" He wrapped his arms tightly around me.

[Assistant] "It is my honor to die as a noble. This pride I hold on to is something I’ve inherited from you and my late mother. I wouldn’t give it up for the world."

[User] "Thank you, Claire. I understand what you mean."

[Assistant] You truly are Melia’s child,” he said. With all my love, my resolve as a noble, and everything else, I hugged my father back.

[User] "Of course. Let’s go apologize to her together once this is all over.”

[Assistant] Indeed… She deserves an apology.” For a brief, brief moment, my father frowned. Before I could think much of it, however, his usual dignified expression returned. I assumed I’d simply been mistaken about what I saw.

[User] "Mother is kind, though.


[User] There was a great commotion downstairs. I later learned Rae’s raid had almost been successful. Salas’s private soldiers were defeated, as was Alter. In a panic, Salas came by and announced our execution was being moved up.

[Assistant] My lingering doubts were gone. Rae should have given up after the message I’d just sent. My resolve should have been made clear to her. Manaria had come to take her away, and I was sure I could count on her to comfort Rae when I was gone. I could meet my end with no regrets now. I wouldn’t realize how wrong I was until much later. But for now, in this moment, I genuinely believed I was ready.


[User] AFTER RETURNING from Bauer, I was thrust straight into the frustrating mess that was my family’s power struggle. The rotten nobles were fixated on predicting who the next ruler would be and which faction they should support to line their pockets as much as possible. They thought only of themselves, not their citizenry. I was by no means a virtuous woman, but I was still royalty. I had little interest in tawdry politics, but I’d been raised to love my people. So when I returned to my country and saw it on the precipice of ruin, I did what I knew I must—I announced my candidacy for the throne. I was reluctant to return to this life, but I could not allow the people to suffer. As someone with the means to do what was right, I had a responsibility to take up the mantle. That was what it meant to be royalty.

[Assistant] “…But what is it that I can do?” Having been exiled once, I received little support. The memory of my womanizing scandal was still fresh in the minds of the citizens. But I persisted in my campaign, promising to pass policies that would help the common man.

[User] "Manaria Sousse, is it? Nice to meet you.”

[Assistant] The tides turned when Sousse’s largest newspaper interviewed me. Until then, they’d only interviewed the candidates higher in the line of succession for the throne. A young journalist named Bettina Ermini sought me out, though. It was surprising to see a woman in such a male-dominated profession. She wore black-rimmed glasses and had disheveled hair. At first, I was a bit unsure if she could write a proper article for me, but my doubts were dispelled in moments.

[User] “Allow me to get straight to the point. Are you an ally to women?” Even though she was speaking to royalty, she did not mince her words. She possessed a biting eloquence that ran contrary to her slack appearance. My opinion of her reversed in an instant. She was the real deal, unlike the many journalists who were only capable of writing puff pieces. She was the kind who’d show up on the scene and drag the truth into the light herself, pen in hand. Her questions were numerous and varied. Obviously, she asked about the scandal. But she also asked about what kind of government I hoped to run, what kind of person I was, and what kind of future I envisioned for Sousse. The interview took a whole five and a half hours, and she never let up once. It took all I had to match her pace. Looking back on it, I doubt I’d ever talked about myself at such length to anyone else. Among the questions she asked were a few personal ones that I would normally have declined to answer, but I understood right away that she wasn’t asking out of curiosity.


[Assistant] Then one day, unexpected news reached me.

[User] "Your Majesty! A volcano has erupted in the Bauer Kingdom!"

[Assistant] To honor the terms of our alliance, I began at once to prepare to send aid to Bauer. A chill ran down my spine when I learned the nobility of Bauer had put themselves in power by establishing a provisional government. They were trying to depose the royal family, all while continuing to ignore the people’s wishes—and they were led by Dole François, of all people. I couldn’t understand why he would do such a thing—but I didn’t have the time to try and consider his motives either. There were signs of the Nur Empire at work here, acting from the shadows. Prepared for the worst, I took the Sousse army and set out for Bauer. Despite a few complications, we reached Bauer. Both the provisional and revolutionary governments seemed troubled by our arrival. I could understand the revolutionary government’s hesitation, given they were secretly backed by Nur, but it was odd for Dole’s provisional government to not want our aid.


[User] I tried to meet directly with Dole to talk, but the revolution kicked off right then, with me as its direct witness. Dole was apprehended by the revolutionary government, and Claire surrendered herself shortly afterward. The unease I had felt only grew greater. “Something’s not right…”

[Assistant] It was strange to think Dole would both allow himself to be vilified and not try to help Claire. But it was even stranger to think Rae would not stop both of them. I gathered information as carefully as I could. Eventually, I found Rae—just as she was in the process of trying to save Claire. Though she fought hard, Claire ultimately shot her down. It was then that I understood: This whole revolution was staged. In all likelihood, it was Dole who planned it. Rae might have had a hand in things too. But it was ending with both Dole and Claire dying, and Rae wanted none of that, so she was trying to save Claire…and Claire had just made it known she didn’t want to be saved. Rae fell to her knees in a daze, staring at a broken window on the second floor of the government building before her. She was completely out of it.

[User] "This way! Back Master Alter up!"

[Assistant] "Don’t let her escape alive!"

[User] There was no time to dawdle. If Claire would answer even Rae this way, then there was nothing I could do to sway her mind. The only smart decision was to get out of here. I picked Rae up. She was surprisingly light. It was hard to believe this small frame had shouldered so much. Dole really could be as cruel as his daughter. I carried Rae away to the inn the Sousse forces were using, but she was still out of it. I didn’t blame her. She truly loved Claire. She had proven that to me beyond a doubt. Back then, I’d thought leaving Claire in her hands was for the best…but it seemed I was wrong.


[Assistant] It took days for Rae to come back to her senses.

[User] "Lady Manaria…? What are you doing here?" Her eyes, however, were still clouded with despair. I could see just how important Claire was to her. To tell the truth, I was tempted. Part of me thought of taking advantage of Rae’s vulnerability and making her mine. She was a captivating woman. I hadn’t lied when I claimed to have feelings for her, back when we fought over Claire with the Scales of Love. …But even if I did take advantage of her vulnerability and confess my feelings for her, what would be the point? A Rae without Claire wouldn’t be the same. Claire was already an irreplaceable part of who Rae was. If I made Rae mine here, she would just be an empty husk. The Rae I liked was the Rae who was hopelessly in love with Claire. So I decided to encourage her, instead.


[User] AFTER WE WERE EXILED, a harsh world awaited my brother and me in the Alpes. Our family was able to use their connections to continue doing trade, but my brother and I were disowned, left with no one to rely on.

[Assistant] “We have to hang in there, Lene.”

[User] “I know…” I understood this was a fitting punishment for what we’d done, but the two of us needed a way to make a living, regardless. After much asking around, we were lucky enough to find an inn willing to let us be live-in staff. The innkeeper was a cranky man, but he was kindhearted. My brother and I would never forget the debt we owed him for taking the two of us in. At the inn, my brother handled customers and office work, while I cooked. My brother had always been the amicable sort, so he quickly got used to the work. I did my best too.

[Assistant] “…I’ll write you a letter of introduction.”

[User] After some time, the innkeeper referred us to our next place of employment. Our original agreement had only been for us to work at the inn until we saved up enough money, so it was a stroke of fortune to have another opportunity land in our laps. What’s more, he was introducing us to a famous, high-class Alpecian restaurant. I knew this was the time to go all out. At first, all I did was handle odd jobs. I had to learn how the restaurant and people worked before I tried anything. My chance came soon, however. Once a month, the restaurant held a contest where the employees submitted their own self-made dishes. I took the opportunity to use one of the recipes I’d gotten from Rae.

[Assistant] “What is this flavor? !"

[User] “I’ve never eaten anything like this before!”

[Assistant] What I made was shrimp and broccoli mayonnaise stir fry. Mayonnaise was still rather uncommon—even in Bauer, only Broumet had adopted it—so my dish was well received. The recipe was added to the restaurant’s official menu, and I was put in charge of preparing the core components. From there on, my streak of good luck continued. The shrimp and broccoli mayonnaise stir fry dish became an overnight sensation, bringing in a flood of customers. One was a wealthy gourmand by the name of Edgar, who was thinking of someday opening his own ideal restaurant. He offered me money multiple times to one day run that restaurant, but I dismissed it for a scam at first, thinking it sounded too good to be true. I had my brother, who was studying clerical work and Alpecian law, investigate Edgar a bit—and it turned out he was indeed a famous gourmand, and had invested in a number of chefs who went on to establish their own restaurants. My brother and I decided to take up Edgar’s offer.

[User] “We did it, Lene.