[User] Behind him stood rebel soldiers, mostly made up of Salas’s private security team—and Lilly. We needed to proceed cautiously from here. Arla and Irvine, strangely, were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps Salas had taken over the diplomatic side of things. "What are the revolutionary government’s requests?" Claire said abruptly.

[Assistant] "Now, now, let’s not jump ahead. I think it’s customary to start negotiations like this by laying some groundwork, don’t you?"

[User] "I believe all parties involved are already quite familiar with each other. Let’s get to the point." Salas was at an overwhelming advantage in these negotiations. No matter how exposed Claire had been to politics as the daughter of the Minister of Finance, Salas was the former Chancellor. It was likely he’d outmaneuver her if these talks lasted too long; Claire moved forward with speed in the attempt to deny him that chance.

[Assistant] "Fine, then. Our demands are simple. Abolition of the aristocracy and sovereignty for the people."

[User] "I thought the people were demanding the monarchy be restored?"

[Assistant] "At first, yes. But now, they’ve realized this is their chance to actively participate in governing the country." Such was the goal of the Commoner Movement. I found it ironic that King l’Ausseil’s commoner-focused policies and the aristocratic backlash to them had inspired a movement that aimed to strip power from nobles and royals alike.

[User] "Do you really think those demands will be met?"

[Assistant] "We intend to make sure they are. No matter what it takes." Salas said, undoubtedly implying they were prepared for an armed uprising.

[User] "The provisional government has the army."

[Assistant] "We have more people. And justice is on our side."

[User] "Are you telling the people to die for justice?"

[Assistant] "I would never ask such a thing of them. After all, if they die, it will be the army killing them, not I." In fact, imperial soldiers had infiltrated the revolutionaries, including a number of former private guards of the aristocrats arrested during Claire’s investigation. Combined with the peasantry, the revolutionaries outnumbered the kingdom’s army by a long shot. A number of them could even use magic, making them a truly formidable force. The army commanded by the provisional government, on the other hand, would be hesitant to attack their own people, whom they were sworn to protect.

[User] "Salas. What is your ulterior motive?" asked Claire.

[Assistant] "What do you mean?"

[User] "The revolution is but a means to an end for you. You don’t care for the people; you only want their power, don’t you?" Salas remained calm, despite Claire’s acidic tone.

[Assistant] "Even if I did, there is no question that this revolution is good for the people. If I were to end up at the top of the new administration as a result…that would merely be a bonus." He stared us both down. "Please tell Dole to cease his selfishness and hand over power for the people’s sake."


[User] We stood in the assembly hall, waiting to meet with the head of the provisional government and convey what we’d learned.

[Assistant] Unsurprisingly, once Dole was brought up to speed, he denounced the revolutionaries’ demands as “idiotic.”

[User] “These impertinent peasants misunderstand the goodwill of the king.”

[Assistant] “Precisely. We need to teach the peasants a lesson here, once and for all.”

[User] “But, Father,” Claire argued.

[Assistant] “The revolutionary government has the support of the people. If we attack them, we disregard the people’s wishes.”

[User] “The support of common folk does not confer righteousness. It is the nobility who decide right from wrong.” Even Dole was uninterested in what Claire had to say.

[Assistant] “Father! You are out of line. Sovereignty lies with the king. Why must you block Thane from ascending to the throne? Why take the government into your own hands?”

[User] “You know very well that this is only a temporary measure, Claire,” Dole said in a tone that sounded like he was talking to a whiny child.

[Assistant] “Thane is still young. In order to overcome this conflict, the nobles have been obligated to offer their assistance.”

[User] “If that’s true, then all you need to do is put Thane on the throne and select a prime minister from the House of Lords!”

[Assistant] “Claire, there was no time. With the eruption of Mt. Sassal, and the commoners in revolt, the situation required urgency.”

[User] “Father…” I wondered if Claire noticed that all Dole did was repeat the same excuses he gave the public. He had never had any intention of giving up power.

[Assistant] “At any rate, how is the provisional government going to respond?” Claire asked.

[User] “We demand an end to the protests and the immediate dissolution of the revolutionary government.”

[Assistant] “You have to meet them halfway, or there will be war!”

[User] “Then so be it. We have no desire to hurt the people, but for the restoration of order, it may be inevitable.” The other nobles in attendance nodded in agreement with Dole.

[Assistant] Claire kept at it, trying desperately to sway their minds. “If you wish to address the root of the problem, the dissatisfaction first arose when the provisional government increased taxes. Can you not reverse the increase at the very least?”

[User] “Of course not. The impact of the eruption only grows, even today. We need money for restoration.”

[Assistant] “In that case, isn’t it up to the nobles to donate their own coffers?”

[User] “We are already doing just that. The nobles’ taxes have increased as well.” But the rate at which the kingdom taxed the aristocracy was identical to that for the commoners. Taxation that registered to them as mild hardship could devastate a peasant family.

[Assistant] “Father… We are nobles because of the people.”

[User] “No. The people endure because of we, the nobility.” With those words, I could tell from Claire’s face that, at long last, she had lost all hope for her father.

[Assistant] “Rae, you said the negotiations would be difficult.


[User] “But this…this is beyond what I ever imagined.” We were in the dorms again, and Claire flopped onto her bed.

[Assistant] “Both sides dug in their heels. Is compromise even possible?” She sounded like she might cry; a vanishingly rare moment of weakness from the normally stone-stubborn Claire.

[User] “There may not be. In which case—”

[Assistant] “I know. Armed conflict. I want so terribly to avoid that if we can… Oh, Rae. Come here.” Claire motioned to me.

[User] I approached, wondering what she wanted.

[Assistant] “Aaagh! Adults are the most selfish people in the world!” she cried out, grabbing hold of me as I approached her. Then she hugged me tight, as if I were a body pillow.

[User] “M-Miss Claire…this makes me very happy, I assure you, but I can’t breathe.”

[Assistant] “Mmm!” She had her way with me like that for three whole minutes. My honor was besmirched forever. Oh no, how terrible.

[User] “The negotiations have only just started. Let’s not lose hope yet.”

[Assistant] “Mmnn. I’m thirsty, Rae. Please get me some tea.”

[User] “Yes, ma’am.” For her, I headed to the kitchen. I’m sorry, Claire. No matter how persistent you are…I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.


[Assistant] Claire worked incredibly hard. She went back and forth, again and again, between the provisional and revolutionary governments. She listened patiently to the unyielding demands on both sides, searching for a point of compromise. I hated seeing her so worn out, but I put up with it, knowing that this, too, would soon come to an end. And then the day came. November 10th, 2015 in Kingdom Years. The protests escalated to an armed uprising, and conflict broke out between the revolutionary army and the forces of the provisional government, which numbered only half the former’s size. All of the newspapers reported that the revolutionary army had the advantage.

[User] “I didn’t make it in time…” Claire said, deflated, as she watched the crowd battling imperial soldiers from her dorm room window.

[Assistant] I grabbed her hand and squeezed tight, trying to comfort her. "You did everything you could, Miss Claire. You couldn’t help that this happened.”

[User] “But if I had only tried harder…”

[Assistant] “You tried as hard as you possibly could.” My attempts to comfort her weren’t working. Claire had a strong sense of responsibility, and as someone who understood the sentiments on both sides, this was too much for her heart to handle.

[User] “All that remains for me to do now is admit defeat as a noble of the old era.” Claire said resolutely, the color returning to her face.

[Assistant] “No, Miss Claire. You will stand on the side that denounces what came before.”

[User] Claire looked at me strangely.

[Assistant] As I met her eyes, I straightened. The time had finally come to tell her everything.

[User] “Rae, whatever are you talking about?”

[Assistant] “Miss Claire, you will see off the old era from your place in the new one.”

[User] “You’re being ridiculous. I am the daughter of House François.


[User] "I am the quintessential symbol of the world that preceded this one." Claire said through a stiff smile.

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

[User] "It’s the same thing."

[Assistant] "It is absolutely not. You will spearhead the movement to convict Master Dole and the old ruling class—the aristocracy."

[User] "Wh-what are you saying?!" Claire was furious.

[Assistant] "You want me to depose the architects of the old era and then brazenly live my own life free of my connection to them?! Absolutely not, never!"

[User] "This was Master Dole’s design as well."

[Assistant] "Huh?! W-wait a second. My father?" Her fury washed away in a second.

[User] "Wh-what do you mean, Rae?!"

[Assistant] "It was your father who set the course of this revolution."

[User] "Just what are you trying to tell me?!"

[Assistant] "Let me start at the beginning. It’s long, so please, take a seat." Rae motioned for her to sit down.

[User] Claire did as I said, hungry to hear what I had to say.

[Assistant] "As you already know, the politics of the kingdom were corrupted beyond repair. Most of the nobles cared only for personal gain, vying for power with no intention of allowing meaningful change."

[User] "Yes… But what does that have to do with this?"

[Assistant] "A few nobles were still devoted to ensuring the country’s future. One of those was Master Dole."

[User] "Father? But he sidelined the royal family to take power himself…"

[Assistant] "Master Dole sacrificed himself to lead the corrupt nobles. He did so to ensure the commoners could finish it all today."

[User] Claire was speechless.

[Assistant] "There was a time when your father unquestioningly accepted the superiority of the nobility. That all changed with your mother, Melia."

[User] "When she died?"

[Assistant] "Melia’s accident was contrived by another powerful noble. It was murder."

[User] "No…!"

[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] "Do you remember the day I became your maid?"

[Assistant] "Yes… You said something to my father, and from that moment, his demeanor changed."

[User] "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."

[Assistant] Only Dole had known of the money he’d given Irvine, Arla’s younger brother and treasurer of the Resistance. He couldn’t fathom how I’d come by that information, but I’d used it all the same to make him agree to my being Claire’s maid.

[User] "After everyone left the room, I told him, ‘Master Dole, your cause is admirable. But I am concerned that Miss Claire will be caught up in it.’"

[Assistant] "Why would you think that?" Claire demanded.

[User] "Master Dole planned to sacrifice not only himself but you, 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 where I’d come in.

[User] "I offered Master Dole another choice. I gave him an option that would let you live, Miss Claire, even when the aristocrats were defeated. Master Dole accepted my plan, as long as it meant his daughter could survive."

[Assistant] What I presented to Dole was the scenario in which Claire would separate from the old era of aristocrats and join the new era, those who convicted the old.

[User] "Everything I’ve done up to this point was for this plan. It was to improve your reputation, distance you from the rest of the nobility, and find a way for you to live in the new era to come."

[Assistant] "So, then—you! You knew this from the beginning? !" Claire’s face was pained.

[User] An echoing pain sharpened in my chest, but I continued.

[Assistant] "Yes. I knew the revolution would happen and that the result would be the downfall of the aristocrats. None of that could be prevented."

[User] "But I—I trusted you!"

[Assistant] "I’m so sorry, Miss Claire. I will accept any punishment you choose."

[User] The moment I said that, Claire lifted her arm toward me in anger. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the blow. But the pain in my cheek never came. When I opened my eyes, Claire held the same position, but she was crying quietly.

[Assistant] "You and my father… You didn’t even consult me…"

[User] Claire wasn’t stupid. She couldn’t forgive what Dole and I had done, but she couldn’t easily blame us either, knowing we’d acted to protect her.

[Assistant] "Miss Claire, you need to join the revolutionary government now. I’ve already arranged it with Arla. Soon, the royal family will pass the Royal Standard to the revolutionary government. When that happens, the aristocrats will become the rebels. You will convict them."

[User] She remained silent.

[Assistant] "Miss Claire?"

[User] She stood and walked toward the window. Outside, the battle continued.

[Assistant] "Rae… What sort of life will I have, once I am a commoner?" she asked suddenly.


[User] I was taken aback, but I thought for a moment. “Well… At first there will be a lot to learn. Like when you spent time at my house during vacation.”

[Assistant] “Yes.” Claire nodded without turning around.

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

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

[User] “Of course. I will work hard and do everything I can for you.”

[Assistant] "Yes. I think I will need that." Claire said, and she fell silent again.

[User] I was uneasy, so I kept talking to fill the silence. “Let’s get a dog.”

[Assistant] “I prefer a cat.” She responded to my useless suggestion.

[User] “Do you want a yard?”

[Assistant] “Yes, and flowerpots.”

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

[Assistant] “We can’t have children.”

[User] “Then let’s adopt.”

[Assistant] “I want two cute little girls.”

[User] As long as we kept talking, I could tell myself she was on board. Then, abruptly, she said, “I believe you would never let me be unhappy.” It was like a dream come true. A…dream? “—‘no.’”

[Assistant] “Huh?” I had missed the rest of what Claire was saying. “Miss Claire?”

[User] “I said ‘no.’” Claire said, turning to look at me with a clear expression, like a burden had been lifted. Her cheeks were still wet with tears, but her eyes were strong and shining.

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

[User] “No. There’s another way. I can choose to fall with the old era and my peers.”

[Assistant] It was my turn to be confused. “No… It’s pointless! That wouldn’t make anyone happy!”

[User] “No, probably not.”

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

[User] “Yes, and I am grateful for that.” Claire smiled.

[Assistant] A chill ran through me. “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—”

[User] “I’m sure I would have refused.”

[Assistant] No, no, no. I had done something wrong, I must have. I hadn’t seen this coming. “I am sure you and my father were thinking of me the entire time. I understand that. And I am not angry.”

[User] “Then why? !”

[Assistant] “Because—” Claire paused for a moment and looked at me directly in the eye. “I am an aristocrat.”

[User] I didn’t know what to say.

[Assistant] “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.”

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

[Assistant] “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.”

[User] I had underestimated her. I should have known, but I had failed to understand Claire as a person.


[User] “Miss Claire, please think it through. We can make a future together—”

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

[User] “But you—you promised me. You said you wouldn’t give up, until the very end,” I said, referring to the promise she’d made me on the day of the Academy Knights entrance exam.

[Assistant] “Ah, you’re right. I remember that. It feels like so long ago.”

[User] “No…no… Miss Claire, you can’t go!”

[Assistant] “I’m very sorry, Rae.” Claire came closer to me. She brought her lips to mine. “To apologize for breaking my promise, I offer you my first kiss.”

[User] That was when I realized it. Claire was really leaving me.

[Assistant] “Goodbye, Rae. Be well,” Claire said, and she turned to leave.

[User] I wanted to follow her, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t think of a single word to make her stay. “Miss…Claire…” I had done every last thing I could to keep this from happening. The only thing I had ever thought of was how to save Claire’s life, and now it was all for naught. I remembered what Dole had said to me when I presented my plan to him. He said, “Your plan is perfect. But…I don’t know if my daughter will accept it.” The thoughts I couldn’t capture in words trickled as tears down my cheeks. I couldn’t even tell you the taste of our first kiss.


[Assistant] I allowed myself a single day of devastation after Claire left me. Shocked as I was, I wasn’t ready to give up so easily. I went first to the palace. To prove the righteousness of their mission, the revolutionary government had declared their intent to reinstate the royal family and their support of Thane as King l’Ausseil’s heir. In response, the royal family had passed the Royal Standard—the symbolic right to rule—to the revolutionary government. Much as they resented the brazen aristocrats who had challenged their rule, the royals would never have legitimized the revolutionary forces who aimed to abolish the monarchy if not for the Nur Empire. Word had reached the capital of imperial troops closing in on the empire’s border with the kingdom. On hearing this, the royal family acquiesced to the revolutionary government in hopes of swiftly resolving the domestic situation and thereby averting a civil war the empire would take advantage of to invade. As a result, Thane currently sat on an unstable pedestal. The revolutionary government supported his succession, but Dole and the other nobles still blocked his way to the throne.

[User] “I see,” Thane said when I spoke to him. “So Claire chose to fall, herself.”

[Assistant] “Claire isn’t like those other, corrupt nobles. She shouldn’t be executed.” I pleaded with Thane with my eyes, begging for Claire’s life. In the past, a commoner would never have been allowed to meet with royalty, but Thane had granted special permission for us to speak.


[User] "But it is a difficult issue." Thane wore a bitter expression.

[Assistant] "Regardless of Claire’s individual character, she remains the daughter of Dole François, leader of the noble faction. Even if I forgive her, I doubt the revolutionary government will do the same."

[User] "But—"

[Assistant] "The royal family is in a precarious position at the moment. We have next to no real power. For all intents and purposes, the revolutionary government is calling the shots."

[User] "But the Nur Empire backed the rebels. Did you know that?"

[Assistant] "That’s not exactly right," Thane gently corrected. "Salas and his followers have ties to the empire, yes. But the leaders of the Resistance, Arla and Irvine, are strongly opposed to the empire."

[User] "But…!"

[Assistant] "Well, listen. Do you know how the revolutionary government is distributing rations to the people?"

[User] "Of course."

[Assistant] "The reason they can do that is because the Nur Empire continues to provide them supplies. If we force them to cut ties with the empire, the people will starve."

[User] "Arla’s people aren’t exactly letting Salas run rampant either. They’re using him. When the time comes, I believe they’ll find ways to expel Salas and the other imperial sympathizers." Thane gave me another tight smile.

[Assistant] "Again, I have very little power here. I may be the next king, but that’s more symbolic than anything, now. I do wish I could do something for Claire, though…"

[User] "I see…" I said.

[Assistant] "Forgive me. Would that I could help you more."

[User] "No, I’m sorry for asking for the impossible. Thank you."


[Assistant] I visited the convent at the Spiritual Church.

[User] "Hey, Rae. Thanks for coming."

[Assistant] "It’s been a while, Rae."

[User] I had come to see Yu and Misha.

[Assistant] Yu was still theoretically confined for her health by order of the royal family.

[User] I was pleased to see Yu looked healthy and happy. Likewise, Misha looked so perfect in her habit that it was like she’d been born to wear it, and she and Yu seemed like a perfect match, side by side.

[Assistant] "I can guess why you’re here. Is it Claire?"

[User] "Yes," I nodded.

[Assistant] "I want to help, but like Thane, there’s not much I can do," Yu said, furrowing her brow apologetically.


[User] "The eruption and civil strife have caused many commoners to turn to religion for comfort, and as a result, the Church is rapidly consolidating power. I don’t think the revolutionary government can afford to ignore us."

[Assistant] "In that case—!"

[User] "But, Cardinal Lilly holds ultimate authority in the Church—and, of course, both Salas and the Nur Empire back her power. I’m sure this was Salas’s intent all along."

[Assistant] "I believe Master Thane is being optimistic. There’s a real risk that the revolutionary government will be taken over by the Nur Empire."

[User] "Can’t you advise Thane of the danger, Yu?"

[Assistant] "I have, many times. But he won’t listen. My brother is naive, and the people around him won’t give him accurate information. Nevertheless…I don’t quite understand. He’s normally so clever. Why would he dismiss the threat of the empire?" Yu frowned. "In any case, I will keep pleading Claire’s case to him, but to be honest, I wouldn’t count on Thane. Dole and Claire have come to symbolize the aristocracy and aristocratic politics. From the revolutionary government’s perspective, they’re the ideal scapegoats. And even if they weren’t, the Nur Empire surely has them at the top of their list of aristocratic threats to eliminate."

[User] "I’m sorry, Rae."

[Assistant] The conversation had lowered my spirits. But my friends had promised to help me. That had to be enough for now. I thanked them and left the convent. I visited a number of other places after that, trying and trying to devise a way to save Claire, but I struck out on every count. Salas and the Nur Empire’s forces were rooted deep in this country, and people turned me away wherever I went. I was powerless and alone. I didn’t want to give up, but I was stuck. I ran all over the capital, stopping only when I made myself sick with exhaustion. "This must be how Claire felt when she was facilitating negotiations between the aristocrats and the people…" I’d done nothing but watch as she worked herself to the bone, certain it would all be resolved in the end. I’d been so sure that Dole and I were going to keep her safe. "Miss Claire…" It had only been a few days since I last saw her, but it felt like months. The person who had always been by my side was gone. I thought my chest would burst. "I want to see you, Miss Claire." As I sank into terrified doubt, an epiphany struck me—I knew where Claire was being held. This was my last chance.


[User] Claire was being kept in the Second Hall of the former assembly hall of the House of Lords. It was a historical building that had been designated a national treasure of the kingdom. Gothic ornamentation adorned the main gate, and four guards stood outside.

[Assistant] "You there! Halt!" one of the guards called out to me as I casually walked toward them.


[User] I ignored him and headed toward the gate.

[Assistant] "You’re Rae Taylor, right? You are not permitted to approach this building. Leave." The soldiers formed up, clearly trying to intimidate me. I suspected their armor was magic-resistant and that the swords they held were magical tools, unusual as it seemed to bedeck regular soldiers with powerful magic items.

[User] "I just want to see Miss Claire. Will you let me pass?"

[Assistant] "No. We were given strict orders not to."

[User] "I see…" That left me no choice. "Then I will go through you." I opened up a pitfall with earth magic.

[Assistant] The heavily armored soldiers disappeared into the ground—and rose back up into view right away. Not only that, they now floated in the air.

[User] It reminded me of Thane’s fighting style.

[Assistant] "You can’t get by that easy!"

[User] "Stop this pointless resistance!"

[Assistant] "Pointless resistance? No." I held up my wand and cast water magic. "Judecca! Earth Spike!" I froze the four guards in place and then impaled them with earthen spikes. It was the combo magic Cocytus that had I used when fighting Manaria. She had responded with ease because she was Manaria, but no one seeing it for the first time could counter it in time. The four soldiers succumbed immediately to this, the strongest spell available to the player character. If they hadn’t had magical armor, it would have killed them.

[User] "What?! What’s going on?!"

[Assistant] "Intruder!" The soldiers inside the building heard the commotion and rushed out. Every single one of them wore magic-resistant full-plate armor.

[User] What a pain. Massive tiger traps emerged from the ground, ensnaring the guards’ feet and sticking them to the ground.

[Assistant] "Ergh…!"

[User] "Just stay where you are," I said, passing by them into the building.

[Assistant] It wouldn’t be so easy.


[User] "Hey, hang on." said a familiar, cheerful voice.

[Assistant] I watched the traps dissolve back into the ground.

[User] "I’ve been waiting for you."

[Assistant] "Miss Lilly…" Lilly appeared in the entranceway, looking as if she had just taken herself on a casual stroll.

[User] "We knew there was no way you wouldn’t show up after hearing Claire was captured. That’s why I was sent here."

[Assistant] "Give Miss Claire back to me."

[User] "Don’t be ridiculous. Claire came here on her own. And we promised we wouldn’t touch her. How are we supposed to ‘give’ her back?" Lilly cackled.

[Assistant] The sweet Lilly I knew was gone. Now, she just looked hateful.

[User] "Say what you like. If you don’t let me pass, I’ll force my way in."

[Assistant] "Go ahead and try. Time to make these guards earn their keep," Lilly said.

[User] At her command, twelve guards rushed at me.

[Assistant] "Judecca!" The guards stopped, frozen. I immediately followed up with Earth Spike.

[User] "How cute." However, Lilly canceled out my freezing magic before I could complete Cocytus. Once able to move again, the guards quickly avoided Earth Spike.


[User] "Wait—I’ve got it!" I cried. "Erk…!" I blocked the sword swinging at me with my magic wand.

[Assistant] “Judecca!” I sent freezing magic at the guards again, but Lilly countered it in a second.

[User] “Ralaire!” I scooped Ralaire out of my pouch and cast Judecca on her. The magic didn’t freeze Ralaire—instead, it made her rapidly expand to five times her original size.

[Assistant] Mm-hmm! Water slimes had the special ability to absorb water magic.

[User] “Wh-what is that? !”

[Assistant] “A monster!”

[User] “It’s a water slime!”

[Assistant] Ralaire let out her Hateful Cry, paralyzing the guards.

[User] “Ralaire, swallow Lilly!” I ordered.

[Assistant] “I told you it’s useless.” Lilly avoided Ralaire with ease.

[User] “Absolute Zero!” This was the ultra-high-aptitude water-attribute attack spell that I hadn’t yet been able to use when I’d fought Manaria. It was violent magic that instantaneously froze the target and then shattered it into pieces. I aimed at Lilly’s wand as I cast.

[Assistant] “I told you it’s useless.” Lilly closed in on me with terrible speed, grabbed the arm that held my wand, and threw me to the ground. “How many times must we do this?” she laughed, standing over me.

[User] Ralaire tried to pounce on her, but Lilly returned my familiar to her original size with a graceful flick of her wand.

[Assistant] “Now, I suppose I could just kill you here.”

[User] “Ugh…!” There was no escaping. I bit my lip in frustration, feeling helpless. “Erk…you!”

[Assistant] Suddenly, Lilly let me go and seized her head, face twisting in agony.

[User] I didn’t know what was happening, but I wasn’t looking a gift horse in the mouth. I knocked her away with an ice bomb, scooped up Ralaire, and ran into the building. Finally, I— Wait…


[User] "Miss Claire?" I turned my eyes up to the window, broken, on the second floor directly overhead.

[Assistant] Claire stood there, her expression resolute, as if denouncing me. Her Magic Ray had burned the line into the ground. This…this… This is rejection. Claire didn’t want to be rescued. It didn’t matter what I did—all my struggles were in vain.

[User] Another flash. As I stood there, shocked to my core, another ray streaked across the ground before me. She was sending me away. "Miss Claire, do you…do you hate me so?"

[Assistant] Claire disappeared from the window, not answering my question.

[User] I fell to my knees in despair. I don’t remember what happened after that.


[Assistant] After being so thoroughly rejected by Claire, I descended into a kind of half-life. I left the Second Hall in a daze, walking like a living corpse, not feeling the passage of time, nor seeing what I did. When I finally came to, I lay in a room I didn’t know.

[User] "It seems you finally woke up." Manaria pinned me with a stern look.

[Assistant] "Lady Manaria…? What are you doing here?"

[User] "I heard revolution was brewing in Bauer, so I rushed over. What happened to Claire?"

[Assistant] "Miss Claire…" I haltingly explained everything: How I’d tried to break Claire away from the aristocrat forces and almost succeeded, and how Claire had decided she couldn’t go along with it and would instead accept her fate along with the rest of the aristocrats.

[User] "I see. No wonder you looked so down in the dumps."

[Assistant] "I’m sorry…" Her provocation made me feel nothing at all. Nothing mattered, not anymore.

[User] Manaria looked discouraged by my lack of response. "You’re giving up? You just told Claire not to do the same thing, but it’s okay for you to throw in the towel?"

[Assistant] "But…there’s nothing else I can do."

[User] "Jeez…if I’d known you’d end up like this, I would never have entrusted Claire to you. I could have done a way better job."

[Assistant] "You probably could have." I wasn’t taking the bait.

[User] Manaria let out a huge sigh. "I asked you before, and I’m going to ask you one more time. Is your love truly so weak?!" Her tone wasn’t inflammatory anymore. If anything, it sounded like she was trying to soothe me.

[Assistant] "No matter how much I love her, some love is just never returned," I said, though even I could hear my sulking.

[User] "I see. Well, you should have no problem forgetting Claire, then." Manaria pulled me close and put her face up to mine. She had boyish features but a beautiful face. She slowly moved closer, and I became vaguely aware that my lips were going to touch hers. I remember, now. Claire did that too… It had been a nightmarish kiss, one absent of any emotion or feeling. That—that kiss— Is that my last memory with Claire? The moment that thought crossed my mind, I realized I had thrust Manaria away.


[User] “That’s right…” Manaria smiled like the Cheshire Cat.

[Assistant] “I’m sorry, Manaria.”

[User] “Don’t worry about it. Now, if this were anyone else, I’d probably tell them to give up. But I believe that you and Claire have a bond that can’t be put into words.”

[Assistant] “Why would you think that?”

[User] “Because I lost to you—to both of you.” Manaria smiled mischievously. “A couple to whom I gave my blessing? There’s no wall you can’t climb.”

[Assistant] “But Claire and I—”

[User] “Did you tell Claire you love her? Did you tell her everything that’s in your heart?”

[Assistant] “I thought I did…”

[User] “Really? I’m sure you told Claire what you did for her, but did you ask for her to be yours? In your own words?”

[Assistant] I didn’t know. That parting conversation felt like a bad dream in my memory. I wasn’t sure of anything anymore.

[User] “As you’ve seen, logic can’t stop Claire now," Manaria said. “If anything can, it’ll be your own selfishness.”

[Assistant] “My…selfishness?”

[User] “Rae, you’re extraordinary. I don’t think I could engineer half the plans and preparations you have, let alone devise a way to save Claire and then actually execute it. But you should allow yourself to fight with Claire. Even just once. You may act the clown, but you’re an intensely rational person while Claire is an emotional one. You did your best to stay calm for her, didn’t you? Don’t do that, not this time. And don’t try to fix things—just let her see your raw emotions.”

[Assistant] “My raw…emotions?” Would that make Claire come back? I didn’t know. But it was my last chance.

[User] “So, what are you going to do? If you say you’re going to go rescue Claire, you have my aid.”

[Assistant] “I…”

[User] “Yes?”

[Assistant] My numbed heart began to beat again. “I…am going to save Miss Claire.”

[User] Manaria laughed, looking satisfied at my response. “That’s my Rae.” She patted me on the head.

[Assistant] “I am not yours, Lady Manaria. All of me belongs to Miss Claire.”

[User] “If you can talk to me like that, you’re doing fine.” Manaria gave me a tight hug and said, “Let’s get started, then. Operation: Take Back the Princess.”


[Assistant] The newspapers reported that Claire would be publicly tried alongside Dole. The trial was a sham, of course—just a flimsy facade for what would be a public execution. Claire and Dole were kept under heavy guard at all times, making today our only chance. The trial was to take place in the district court, separated by a fence from the courtyard of the assembly hall. I stood in the front row of the gathered crowd.

[User] “There they are!” someone in the crowd called out.

[Assistant] “Miss Claire…” Claire and Dole were led on stage, both garbed in expensive-looking mourning attire—perhaps to highlight the fact of their nobility. Their faces were resolute.

[User] “Announcing His Majesty!” Thane, who had been officially crowned the day before, entered the hall.


[User] Thane showed no emotion, but that was par for the course for him.

[Assistant] "Let this trial by the people begin!" Salas made that declaration. I saw Arla and Irvine by the gate too. Salas scanned the crowd and continued speaking.

[User] "Dole François and Claire François stand before you, charged with the crime of using their status as aristocrats to exploit the people!"

[Assistant] "They also betrayed the royal family, attempting to seize power for themselves! These are unforgivable acts!" The crowd roared as Salas fanned the flames of their discontent.

[User] Salas read out the list of crimes Dole and Claire were charged with and deemed them guilty on all counts.

[Assistant] Salas asked Dole if he had any objections.

[User] "I have nothing. I dedicated myself to the kingdom. If the kingdom is to fall, then I shall fall with it." Dole said, closing his eyes.

[Assistant] "He admits to the crime! There will be an execution!" The soldiers entered at Salas’s signal, swords in hand. Dole knelt and faced the crowd, head bowed to expose his neck. The closest soldier lifted his blade to swing it.

[User] "I object to this trial!" A challenge echoed through the court.


[Assistant] "Who is that?"

[User] "A student from the Royal Academy. What was her name? Rae Taylor?"

[Assistant] "Why is she speaking up now?"

[User] Amidst the clamoring and commotion of the crowd, I climbed the fence and dropped into the courtroom. It wasn’t graceful, but I didn’t have time to worry about that.

[Assistant] "Guards, throw her out." Salas ordered.

[User] "Wait." Said a young man in the audience. "This person has been an invaluable contributor to the Resistance and revolutionary government. You’ll not force her out."

[Assistant] "But, Lambert…"

[User] "This is a time of transition. Shouldn’t we address any potential seeds of future discontent?" Lambert said loudly and then turned to face me. "You have your stage. The rest is up to you."

[Assistant] "Thank you kindly."

[User] "I object to this trial. An even more dastardly villain has taken the stage—one who has exploited the people and caused national disaster!" I looked to the crowd and raised my voice.

[Assistant] "What is this idiocy? Who would you accuse of such crimes besides Duke François?"

[User] "I will show you now. Lene!"

[Assistant] "Yes." Lene stepped forward from the crowd, causing another wave of commotion. Claire opened her eyes wide in surprise.


[User] "Isn’t that the young lady who owns the Frater Trading Company?" someone whispered. "And isn’t that her husband, Lambert?"

[Assistant] "Dole François is not a rebel but a true patriot."

[User] She went on to list all the details of Dole’s political accomplishments, including the secret actions he had taken to support the revolutionary government by destabilizing the provisional one. She also described Claire’s arrests of corrupt nobles and Dole’s financial contributions to the Resistance—all of it information I had given her, of course. Dole and I had chosen my investigatory targets with care. Yes, they’d been engaged in illegal activities, but social reform hadn’t been our only goal—we’d also taken down families we knew would get in the way of the revolution. Dole had always planned tens of moves ahead, just like a chess grandmaster.

[Assistant] "When Miss Claire, Rae Taylor, and Cardinal Lilly brought corrupt aristocrats to justice, it was with Dole’s support and guidance. He has also donated funds to the Resistance under the name XX since the start."

[User] "Dole François is a true patriot who would do anything for this country."

[Assistant] "Ridiculous! He still tricked the provisional government into betraying the royal family!"

[User] "Are you in a place to make such accusations, Salas?"

[Assistant] "Yu!"

[User] "I thought she had lost her mind!"

[Assistant] "She looks so beautiful."

[User] Yu appeared in the courtroom, wearing a habit and flanked by nuns. Her fluffy blonde hair had grown out a little. She looked radiant, finally allowed to be the woman she was.

[Assistant] "Yu, what are you doing here?"

[User] "Funny that. I have the same question, Salas. After all, you’re the real criminal here." As Yu dropped this bombshell, the entire court was shaken into whispers.

[Assistant] "Criminal? Salas?"

[User] "Maybe Yu really did go insane."

[Assistant] "Maybe, but I can’t read her at all—”

[User] "Salas Lilium is a traitor. He has been working with the Nur Empire, trying to seize control of the country for himself." Yu’s accusation pierced Salas directly, but he was a canny old politician.

[Assistant] As the crowd settled, Salas spoke.


[User] "What are you talking about, Lady Yu? You still seem to be suffering from some manner of hysteria. You ought to return to the convent, where you can find some peace."

[Assistant] "Our investigation is already complete. Rae?"

[User] "Yes." As Yu gave me my cue, I produced my final trump card.

[Assistant] "This magical tool holds proof of all Salas’s dealings with the empire. Everyone! Do not allow him to trick you!" I turned the volume up all the way and played back the incriminating conversation of Salas’s treachery. Misha used her wind attribute to amplify the sound for all to hear.

[User] "What is the meaning of this? !"

[Assistant] "I thought the revolutionary government were our allies? !"

[User] "What’s going on? !" The crowd erupted in commotion, like a nest of hornets that we had kicked. Salas did his best to make excuses, but no one could hear him over the din. Then, abruptly, he pulled what looked like a whistle from his breast pocket and blew on it, hard.

[Assistant] Salas blows a whistle, the sharp sound cutting through the roar of the crowd, and a group of men appeared as if summoned.

[User] "Salas’s private army!"

[Assistant] "Take control." His private troops were composed of the former personal guards of fallen noble houses. They were fully armed, and now, they surrounded the court.

[User] "Not so fast!" An awe-inspiring voice rang out across the courtroom.

[Assistant] "Master Rod!"

[User] "He’s alive!"

[Assistant] The missing prince was back—and leading the royal troops. Upon closer inspection, Rod was missing an arm, but his expression was energized. "Sorry I’m late. But the hero has to make a dramatic entrance, right?" Rod said, and he let out a cocky laugh.

[User] "Hey, Salas,"

[Assistant] "Give it up. Most of your men have already bent the knee to me. You just can’t compare, you know?"

[User] "Heh heh… Are you going to keep getting in my way until I kill you?" Salas snarled venomously. "I’m still not done! Lilly!"

[Assistant] "Ah, this again?" Lilly appeared from the shadows at the back of the court, garbed in pliable black leather and a black cape.

[User] "Kill Dole, Claire, and the princes!" Salas ordered. "As long as they’re gone, we can get away!"

[Assistant] "You make it sound so easy. I mean, I’ll do it, but…" Lilly drew her knife, looking fed up. I knew she had poisoned the tip of her blade. The room fell into utter chaos as Salas’s men faced off against the soldiers commanded by Rod, and commoners rushed to get out of the way.


[User] “Shame on you, Salas, for turning a girl into this! Spellbreaker!” Manaria appeared in front of Lilly.

[Assistant] “The spell is too complicated…!”

[User] “Stop,” she croaked. “Stay in there! This is my body!”

[Assistant] “Miss Lilly, please come back!”

[User] “Rae… No, stop!” Lilly broke free of Manaria’s hold and closed the distance to me in the blink of an eye.

[Assistant] Lilly spasmed and then collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut. “I-I…tried…” That was all she said before losing consciousness.

[User] I gently laid her body down, stroked her hair, and then stood. “Now even Lilly has deserted you. This is the end, Salas!”

[Assistant] “Argh… Damn it all!”

[User] “Rae Taylor!” he snapped. “Open your eyes!”

[Assistant] “Ha ha ha!” he cackled. “You will be my second Lilly—”

[User] “You think I’d let that happen?” Manaria’s voice cut through my daze, and my vision cleared again.

[Assistant] “Once I learn how to counter a spell, I never forget. Pitiful,” Manaria said. She aimed the tip of her magic wand at Salas. “This is truly the end, Salas Lilium.”

[User] Salas wailed and shrieked, resorting to alligator tears in his final desperation


[Assistant] “What’s going on?”

[User] “Who’s the bad guy here?”

[Assistant] “Who are we supposed to execute?”

[User] “Silence!”

[Assistant] “So Salas was a villain, then. So what?” roared Arla Manuel. “He didn’t create the revolution—we did! And the revolution didn’t create him!”

[User] The crowd murmured in agreement.

[Assistant] “The aristocrats abandoned us,” Arla continued, gesturing at Claire and Dole. “They left us to starve!


[User] "Someone must pay for their crimes, and who better to represent all noble scum than these two?”

[Assistant] “Kill the aristocrats!”

[User] “Long live the revolution!” The crowd cheered along with Arla, gathering strength and conviction.

[Assistant] I yelled out in concern, but Arla wasn’t listening. “You, the people, listen—”

[User] It wasn’t working. There was so much I wanted to say, but no one could hear me over the sound of people baying for Claire and Dole’s heads. As I struggled to figure out what to do—


[Assistant] I heard a quiet sound in the sea of noise. The pluck of a beautiful string.

[User] Thane was playing the harp. At first, the sound was drowned out by the anger of the crowd, but then it started to reach people close to Thane, and then their silence spread. Like a wave flowing outward, the harp’s melody gradually replaced the jeers throughout the court. Some people threw rocks at Thane, while others sneered, but Thane ignored them all and kept playing. He just sat there and played, blood dripping down his face, and eventually, his harp was the only sound anyone could hear.

[Assistant] When he finished the song, he said quietly, “My people. Listen to this girl, just this one time. She has something to say.” His deep baritone was befitting of a king. Now the crowd, and even Arla, were quiet and listening.

[User] “Rae Taylor, what do you have to say?” Thane prompted me.

[Assistant] “Thank you, King Thane.” I turned to face the crowd again. “Beloved people. What is your desire?” I selected my words carefully, controlling my facial expression, as I looked to the people around me. “Do you just want to kill aristocrats?” I asked. “I don’t think you do. What you truly desire is stability. Am I right?” The crowd looked restless. Murmurs of objection trickled through them. I continued, “Do you want to kill Dole and Claire, who worked harder than anyone to bring peace to us, the people?” As I’d expected, the objections started at once.

[User] “We the people—!”

[Assistant] “You can’t fool us with empty words!”

[User] “What’s your name?” The boy I addressed clammed up at once. I switched targets. “How about you, then, who threw the rock? Or you, next to him?”

[Assistant] “Uh…”

[User] “You have names. You’re citizens of this kingdom. I want to hear what you have to say. Do you really want to kill Master Dole and Miss Claire, right here and now?” There were more murmurs, but no direct objections. Asking individuals for their names had temporarily disrupted the mind of the mob. “Certainly, many aristocrats disregarded the needs of the commoners. But these two are different.” I could tell the people were finally starting to listen to me. “If you execute them, will you be able to tell your children what you did with pride?


[User] "Will you be able to tell them of the righteousness of the revolution?” The person who’d taught me how to talk like this, to hold a crowd’s attention, was, of course…"

[Assistant] "Miss Claire, you too."

[User] "Huh?" Claire looked like a pigeon nailed by a BB gun.

[Assistant] "Once peace is restored and everyone lives happily, if Miss Claire were dead, who would remain to appreciate Dole’s sacrifice?"

[User] "Th-that…"

[Assistant] "Is it noble to take the blame for a crime you did not commit?! Is it noble to die like a dog? !"

[User] "Wait, Rae. Let me speak—”

[Assistant] "Instead of dying for temporary honor, why don’t you live for me?"

[User] "Rae, I—”

[Assistant] "Shut up!" Rae looked Claire directly in the eye. "Listen to what I want for once!"

[User] "R-Rae…"

[Assistant] "Shut up! Miss Claire! Shut! Up!" Something snapped inside of me, and I found myself unable to say anything else. So, instead, I just cried, sobbing like a spoiled child. Claire looked bewildered, but I didn’t care one bit.

[User] "If you’re going to squabble, do it somewhere else." Arla said, making a face like she’d just swallowed a fly. "Someone get her out of here."

[Assistant] "No! I won’t leave Claire, not ever again. If Claire is going to die, then so am I!"

[User] "W-wait, Rae!"

[Assistant] "Augh!" Arla groaned. "All right. Fine, all right, stop with the screaming and crying. No one’s going to be executed."

[User] "Huh?"

[Assistant] "See for yourself." Arla pointed to the crowd.

[User] "You’re right…I guess if the aristocracy is abolished, they won’t be a problem anymore."

[Assistant] "Miss Claire saved me from starvation, you know."

[User] "Me too. The aristocrat I served was corrupt, but Miss Claire found me a new post after she had him arrested. She saved my whole family."

[Assistant] Once again, things were changing. Arla cut Claire’s bindings and continued to look off in the distance.

[User] "The people have started thinking for themselves. I don’t need to pull them by myself anymore."

[Assistant] "Arla…"

[User] "My mission is complete. As long as the system of titled nobility is abolished, I don’t care what else happens. I won’t take your life. Most of your lot aren’t going to make it in this new world, anyway." Arla laughed. "I look forward to the day I see a former aristocrat begging a commoner for a loan. Well, get out of here. You can’t welcome the dawn of a new era dressed in mourning clothes.”

[Assistant] "Thank you very much…" Claire said and led me out of the court.


[User] "You really are impossible." Claire scolded me. We were in a park near the assembly hall, and I’d been made to sit on my knees. "You should be sorry for causing so much trouble to so many people."

[Assistant] "Umm… Miss Claire? You usually look like you secretly want to praise me when you do things like this, but you didn’t actually say thank you or apologize…"

[User] "What are you whining about? !"

[Assistant] "Nothing!"

[User] "You’re always so reckless, Rae!" Claire lectured angrily.


[User] "How had I ended up here?"

[Assistant] "Well, don’t be too hard on her, Claire."

[User] "Master Thane—no, Your Majesty!"

[Assistant] "Is the trial over?" I asked.

[User] "It’s been canceled, yes."

[Assistant] "It was Salas’s idea to make an example out of you in the first place."

[User] "That reminds me, Your Majesty. I forgot to thank you."

[Assistant] "For what?"

[User] "The harp. You were incredible."

[Assistant] "You truly were."

[User] "Everyone was mesmerized."

[Assistant] "Oh, that… That was nothing. It was just a gamble." Thane seemed reluctant to talk about it.

[User] "Who taught you to play like that?"

[Assistant] "My mother… When she was still alive, on her sickbed."

[User] "I see. Your Majesty…you are still so very loved by your mother."

[Assistant] Thane’s eyes widened in surprise at my casual, unthinking comment. He wiped a tear away.

[User] "Y-Your Majesty—" I stammered.

[Assistant] "Your Majesty, what’s wrong?!"

[User] "It’s nothing. Nothing at all… It’s just…she’s always by my side." He said it almost as if he were talking to himself.


[Assistant] "Rae, Claire, great job. I knew I had a good eye." Manaria said, approaching us.

[User] She was accompanied by Lene.

[Assistant] "Sister! And Lene!" Claire smiled, looking delighted to see them both.

[User] Lene grabbed Claire and held her tight, crying.


[Assistant] "Are you jealous, Rae? You’re still welcome to be my wife." Rod said as he joined our growing gathering.

[User] "I refuse."

[Assistant] "I know." He laughed. His cheerful, positive attitude seemed completely untouched by the traumas he’d endured.

[User] "Rae… Miss Claire…" Lilly stood some distance away, flanked by a soldier on either side.

[Assistant] "I wanted to apologize."

[User] "No. It wasn’t your fault, Miss Lilly."

[Assistant] "Rae is absolutely right. Salas used you." Claire added.

[User] But Lilly shook her head. "E-even so, what I did was unforgivable. I will accept whatever punishment the people decree."

[Assistant] "Very well. Be sure to atone for your crimes, then."

[User] "Miss Claire, that’s harsh—" I started.

[Assistant] "And once you’ve done that, be sure you come back to us. We will always be waiting for you."

[User] This made Lilly smile. Tears started to pour from her eyes. "Thank you, Miss Claire," Lilly said as the soldiers led her away.

[Assistant] "Please let me come join your fights again someday."


[User] "This is quite the party, huh?" Rod said, looking about at the assembled cast of characters.

[Assistant] "It means the union between Miss Claire and Rae is blessed." Misha said, sounding emotional.

[User] "Not quite."


[User] "It’s more accurate to say that everyone here was saved by Rae and Claire. We are the fruits their relationship has borne." Lambert and Lene nodded in agreement.

[Assistant] Hmm. Claire and I had certainly been through a lot together, and we had done a great many things. Maybe this was their way of telling us none of it had been a waste.

[User] "Hey, Rae. Wasn’t there something you wanted to tell Claire when you saw her again?" Manaria said teasingly, pushing Claire forward.

[Assistant] Claire slowly walked toward me. "Oh, ummm… Miss Claire?"

[User] "Wh-what do you want?"

[Assistant] "Er…it’s nothing."

[User] "If you have something to say, say it." I steeled myself. "Miss Claire!"

[Assistant] "What do you want?"

[User] I took Claire’s shoulders with both hands and said it. "Please marry me!"

[Assistant] Claire looked startled for a moment. Then her face turned red. "You’re asking me this n-now? In public? Isn’t that something you’re supposed to do when we’re alone?!"

[User] "Really? Then let me try again."

[Assistant] "Fine. I’ll allow it."

[User] "No, not that."

[Assistant] "Huh?" I ignored the confused look on Claire’s face and put my lips to hers. She froze. Everyone around fell silent. "I wanted a first kiss whose taste I could remember." I said, laughing.

[User] Claire blushed crimson all the way to her ears. "Ahhh. You are so, so, so! Rae you are so Rae, you’re always so—so Rae!"

[Assistant] "I think you’ve turned my name into a strange adjective." Coming to her senses, Claire smacked me lightly. Ah, it was such a way to remember I was alive.

[User] "I won’t forgive you if you don’t make me happy…" she mumbled. I gazed at her. Everyone around us watched with bated breath. "What? Say something!" she demanded.

[Assistant] I released my own breath, and everyone around us broke out in cheers of celebration. Embarrassed by all the smiling faces around us, I took Claire’s hand and tugged her away until we were running. "Where are we going?!"

[User] "Anywhere! We can go anywhere if we’re together!" I’d kicked that tragic ending in the pants. Now we could go write our own story. Claire and me. Just the two of us.


[User] “MOTHER RAE!” I was reading through my journal on the terrace when I heard my daughters calling to me. It was evening, just around sunset.

[Assistant] “Come quick!”

[User] “May, Aleah, what is it?”

[Assistant] “Mother Claire—”

[User] “—messed up again in the kitchen.”

[Assistant] Oh dear, not again. Just when I thought she was really improving. "Thank you for letting me know."

[User] “What are you going to do?”

[Assistant] “Please don’t scold Mother Claire…”

[User] I didn’t know what to make of our five-year-old daughters already worrying about their mother, but I lifted Aleah into my arms. I looked into her big, round, concerned black eyes and said, “It’s okay. I won’t scold her.”

[Assistant] “Wheee!”

[User] “No fair! Pick May up too!”

[Assistant] “Okay, okay.” I lifted May high into the air and then ushered them both inside the house.


[User] When I entered the kitchen, Claire was despondently wiping the floor. A small pot waited on the stove, speckled with the remnants of an egg, and milk and cream sat next to that. I also spied sugar and liquor on the counter.

[Assistant] “I was trying to make crème brûlée. And then the pot exploded…”

[User] “As usual, I have no idea what you did. Show me your hand.” Rae says to her.

[Assistant] Claire held out her hand for me to check. “You’re not burned. That’s a relief.”

[User] “No, it’s not. I still can’t get even a single dish right.”

[Assistant] Claire was normally good at everything she tried, so she was having a hard time with the fact that she couldn’t cook. She was practicing as much as she could, but with no success as of yet. "Well, that’s only one thing you’re not yet capable of doing perfectly, Miss Claire. If you were a perfect cook on top of everything else, you wouldn’t need me anymore.”

[User] “It’s not just cooking. I’m a terrible seamstress too. I never thought embroidery would be so difficult.”

[Assistant] She said that, but at least when it came to embroidery, her standards for herself were impossibly high. In truth, Claire’s embroidery decorated our living room, and whenever Dole or Rod came to visit, they always asked if it was professional work. Selfishly, I hoped she never learned to cook.

[User] “Mother Rae, Mother Rae?”

[Assistant] “What is it, May?”

[User] “Why does Mother Rae call Mother Claire ‘Miss Claire’?”

[Assistant] I hadn’t thought about that. It had been habit at first, and then it had just stuck.

[User] “See? It’s weird. We’re partners now, so you can just call me by my name, you know?”

[Assistant] Claire said, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. For some reason I was embarrassed to call her just “Claire” out loud.


[User] "Hey, Aleah, look, Mother Rae’s face is bright red."

[Assistant] "It really is. She looks like an apple, May."

[User] "Both of you, stop your teasing." I scolded. They were good girls, but they had a mischievous streak—like someone else I knew.


[Assistant] After the revolution, Claire and I moved away from the capital to begin our new life. While I’d proposed to her, and she’d accepted, same-sex marriage wasn’t yet legal in the country. The new government under Arla was in the middle of drawing up a constitution, and Claire and I had been invited to provide our expert opinions, but while there was a lot of support for popular democracy and a pacifist foreign policy, we couldn’t drum up much momentum for same-sex marriage. There had been some confusion caused by the transition to constitutional monarchy, but we’d at least managed to stave off invasion by the Nur Empire, mostly because Salas and his accomplices had been arrested, and Manaria had brought reinforcements from Sousse. Of course, our problems hadn’t ended there. The Mt. Sassal eruption had done a lot of damage, particularly to crop yields. Fortunately, we’d received enough aid from the Alpes and Sousse that it looked like it would get us through the winter. Claire and I had decided to stay at the Academy—not as students, but as instructors. Even though Claire was no longer a noble, she was an exceptionally skilled mage. The times were changing, and proficiency with magic was a valuable skill. The school had been searching far and wide for someone like Claire to train the exceptional mages of the future.

[User] "What’s wrong, Mother Rae?"

[Assistant] "Is there something on our faces?"

[User] "No, it’s nothing."


[User] Apparently, the person he’d had his heart set on didn’t return his feelings. As a king with a love for culture, he continued to hone his harp skills, and tickets to hear him play in concert were near impossible to secure. Yu had finally been released from confinement, and she had set to work helping the kingdom regain its losses. It went without saying that Misha also dedicated herself to this work. They were a harmonious couple, and they were inspiring many other similar couples within the Church. That meant that some people who tried to join the Church for less than religious intentions, creating a bit of a headache for the elders. Lene was making good use of her uncommon shrewdness as the proprietress of Frater. She was still attached at the hip to Lambert, who handled the business side, and their goal was to beat Broumet. She had mastered all the recipes I shared with her and was now thinking of completely original dishes.

[Assistant] Lene bragged to me about how she had discovered watermelon, certain I had never heard of it.

[User] I’d told her that salt brings out the sweetness, which had frustrated her. Lady Manaria was now the queen of Sousse. There had been some concern about the succession when she revealed that she had no intention of marrying a man, but I was certain she would have no problem finding someone capable to follow her. As a side note, the court of Sousse had suggested Thane as a possible suitor for Manaria. Lilly was ultimately not prosecuted for her crimes, due to the extreme circumstances of her situation. When she was officially pardoned, she disappeared from Bauer. She probably couldn’t forgive herself, and I suspect blamed herself more than anyone else. I didn’t know when she would be able to forgive herself, but I believed in my heart that she would come back to us.

[Assistant] At which point she’d ask me if I were looking for a mistress, probably.

[User] Dole lost his title and status, being reduced to a commoner, but he was brought on as an unofficial political advisor for the new government. The revolution meant his position couldn’t be made official or public, but apparently, he was contributing quite a lot. He’d shed his villainous persona in favor of being a good father and father-in-law to us. He doted on May and Aleah, who only knew him as their kindly grandfather. Execution was considered for Salas, but he possessed enough valuable information that the new government decided to imprison him instead. Locked in the lowest level of a state prison, he served as advisor to the new government as well, much like the plot of a certain movie about a criminal psychiatrist. He had a perverse personality, much like the psychiatrist in the film, and was more likely to talk if the government agents sent to draw on his knowledge were women. I wasn’t sure how I felt about this turn of affairs.


[User] "Mother Rae, Mother Rae."

[Assistant] "What is it, May?"

[User] "Ted's saying strange things."

[Assistant] "Hmm? Like what?"

[User] Ted was a boy who lived in our neighborhood. He was sort of the ringleader for the children in the area.

[Assistant] "He said having two mothers is weird. He said that there has to be a father."

[User] "Ohhh… Er, ummm…" Rae tripped over her words. She wasn’t sure if this was an appropriate age to teach a child about queer families. As she hesitated, Claire looked May in the eye and said,

[Assistant] "There’s nothing weird about it at all. Don’t worry, May."

[User] "Really?"

[Assistant] "But Ted’s right. None of the other children have two mothers. And they all have a father." Aleah, the more mature of the two, wasn’t letting it go. Both girls were at an age where they asked a lot of questions.

[User] "What matters isn’t whether you have mothers or fathers. What matters is being with someone you love. That’s the most important thing. Would you rather have a man here instead of me or Rae, Aleah?"

[Assistant] "No! I want Mother Claire and Mother Rae!"

[User] "May too!" And the two girls rushed Claire for a hug.

[Assistant] "Heh heh. You two are so spoiled."

[User] Seeing Claire smile made Rae smile too, and she reflected on her own happiness. "C’mon now, Rae will have dinner ready soon. Why don’t you play outside until it’s ready?"

[Assistant] "Okay!"

[User] "Let’s go!" May and Aleah ran outside like the wind.

[Assistant] "They really don’t tire easily, do they?"

[User] "Why do you sound so old suddenly? We aren’t even really old enough to have our own children."

[Assistant] "Do you regret taking them in?"

[User] "Don’t be silly. I can’t imagine a life without them now."

[Assistant] "But Miss Claire…do you regret becoming a commoner?" Rae asked offhandedly. Rae couldn’t help but remember the time Claire had said she didn’t think she could handle commoner life.

[User] "I don’t. Not for a moment. Besides, it’s not like I could have stayed an aristocrat, whether I wanted to or not. The world changes, and things must change with it." Claire looked off into the distance as she said this. She’d once been willing to martyr herself for her sense of duty and family, but now, she was by Rae's side.

[Assistant] Rae wondered if she could be vain enough to think that, if given a real choice, she’d have chosen to be with her rather than live as a noble.

[User] "For better or worse, humans are adaptable creatures. People can get used to anything."

[Assistant] "That’s true. Then, I hope I get used to this soon. Right…Claire?"

[User] "What? Really?" Claire looked closely at Rae.

[Assistant] "What did you say?"

[User] "It’s nothing."

[Assistant] "Again! Say it again! I’ll listen!"

[User] "It’s fine! I’ll say it again after I’m used to it!"

[Assistant] "I can’t wait that long!"

[User] "Waaah, Miss Claire, you’re so dominating!"


[User] "I love it, please don’t stop."

[Assistant] "Don’t talk like that where May and Aleah can hear you!"

[User] We were back to squawking at each other the way we always did.

[Assistant] "Hey, Miss Claire?"

[User] "What is it?"

[Assistant] "We’re so happy."

[User] "That’s right."

[Assistant] When I hugged Claire to me, she hugged me back gently. "I love you, Miss Claire," I whispered.

[User] Claire looked surprised for a moment. "Yes. I love you too, sweet Rae." And then she smiled, sweeter than crème brûlée.

[Assistant] In that moment, I believed, from the very bottom of my heart, that I could never be as good as she was. I never have been, and I never will. Time passes. Hearts change. No one knows the future, and yet—I was certain that my love for Claire would last forever. Now and for all eternity, I choose the villainess.


[User] I opened my eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling. Groggy from sleep, I didn’t know where I was for a moment, but then it started to come back to me. I sat up and took in the new furniture and the fresh, pristine wallpaper around me. This was my new home. The building was old, but I’d had the interior reform—er, renovated?—before I moved in. Something moved next to me, and I looked down to see a serene, blonde angel nestled deep in the covers. Claire wasn’t a morning person, but I was, which made it my job to get breakfast ready. I climbed carefully out of bed without waking her, changed into some simple clothes, and headed to the front door. I regretted not putting on another layer when I felt the first winter wind wrap around my skin, but I decided I could handle it, young as I was. I drew water from the well, washed the sleep out of my eyes, and got started on breakfast. Today, we’d be feasting on rye bread, winter vegetables, and bacon with scrambled eggs. I wouldn’t have minded some more variety, but this was easy to cook up, and I was done before I knew it. I returned to the bedroom, sliding the door carefully open so as not to make a sound. Claire was still asleep. Her petite face was serene, framed by her golden curls—a world apart from the forceful person she was when awake. As I drank in the sight of the person I loved, I noticed a blush creep across her skin.

[Assistant] “Miss Claire…would you happen to be awake?”

[User] “Miss Claire, please wake up. Your breakfast is getting cold.” No answer. What was going on?

[Assistant] “If you won’t wake, I’m going to kiss you.” I was sure that threat would rouse her, but she said nothing. Huh.

[User] “Miss Claire, could it be that you want a kiss?” She remained silent, but her face looked like she was waiting for something. I leaned forward.

[Assistant] “Okay, then. Please wake up, Sleeping Beauty.” I leaned in and slowly pressed my lips to Claire’s forehead.

[User] “Rae! Shouldn’t you be kissing my lips?!”

[Assistant] “Good morning, Miss Claire.” I smiled at Claire as she threw the covers off her, eyes narrowed in displeasure.

[User] “Good morning?! Is that all?”

[Assistant] “I prefer not to ambush people while they’re asleep,” I said, then pulled her slender shoulders toward me and put my lips to hers. Caught off guard, Claire didn’t even have time to close her eyes. Our gazes locked at close quarters, and, feeling mischievous, I held her there. Claire rolled her eyes in surprise and anger for a moment, then gave in and closed them. I drank in the kiss, enjoying it to the fullest.


[User] "I would like to try and become a teacher."

[Assistant] That was a sound option.

[User] "A teacher?"

[Assistant] I don’t intend to brag, but I’m confident in my ability to instruct people. I know the ins and outs of teaching etiquette too.

[User] "I bet you do."

[Assistant] "I also understand magic, which is almost certainly going to become a core subject in the future."

[User] "Definitely."

[Assistant] When she put it like that, I couldn’t think of a job better suited for her. I started to picture her wearing glasses…

[User] "I actually just heard from Mr. Torrid."

[Assistant] "Oh?"

[User] "Yes. He asked if I would stay at the Academy as a junior instructor."

[Assistant] So she had connections too.

[User] "Let’s do it! Miss Claire, you should definitely take that offer."

[Assistant] "Me? But what will you do?"

[User] "I…hmmm."

[Assistant] I thought it over.

[User] "Maybe I should become an adventurer."

[Assistant] "An adventurer?!" Claire’s smile turned upside down at my answer.

[User] "You can’t go around being a hired goon!"

[Assistant] "Adventuring is a respectable profession."

[User] "I am aware, but someone with your abilities should be doing more for society."

[Assistant] "Really? If you set aside the magic, I’m not really good at much."

[User] "What are you talking about? I haven’t forgotten that you beat me on the academic test at the Academy."

[Assistant] Ah, true, I had done that. It felt like a lifetime ago, though it hadn’t even been a full year.

[User] "I cheated on that test with the aid of the prophecy I told you about before."

[Assistant] "Still, isn’t it true that you have extraordinary academic and magical abilities?"

[User] "I guess so…"

[Assistant] "More than anything, you are my partner. You must remain beside me."

[User] "It’s really hard for me to handle you doting on me like that."

[Assistant] "Don’t make fun of me! Ugh." Claire took a sip of coffee and continued. "Anyway, Mr. Torrid said he wanted me to approach you too."

[User] "To be a teacher?"

[Assistant] "You don’t like the sound of it?"

[User] "It’s not that, just…"

[Assistant] "Say it."

[User] "Honestly, I don’t think it suits me."

[Assistant] "Beggars can’t be choosers. We’re lucky to have job offers at all, so stop complaining."

[User] "Is there a test to become a teacher?" Ira wondered out loud.

[Assistant] "You’re skilled enough that I’m sure they’ll hire you as soon as you accept. There is some initial training, though."

[User] "In that case, I guess I can’t say no."

[Assistant] I’d never thought of myself as a teacher, and honestly, I was filled with apprehension at the thought—but as Claire said, we couldn’t afford to let this opportunity slide.

[User] "Let’s do it."

[Assistant] Claire smiled with relief, which just made me want to kiss her.

[User] "I’ll get us some more coffee."

[Assistant] "I’ll do it—"

[User] "Let me do this much. I can’t do anything else." Claire took our cups into the kitchen.

[Assistant] Moments later, I heard her exclaim in surprise.

[User] I jumped from my seat and ran to the kitchen to see her standing stock-still in the center of the room.


[User] "What is it?"

[Assistant] "Rae, look at that…" She pointed with a trembling hand. This was certainly an unusual sight. Our sink, pots, frying pan, and metal furnishings were covered in rust.

[User] I picked up the frying pan to examine it more closely, and the pattern of the rust clearly wasn’t natural. It almost looked like bite marks. "I know what this is."

[Assistant] "What?"

[User] "A rust monster." Some game or another had, in a play on words, spelled the name of its final enemy as “rust boss” instead of “last boss.” This monster made metal items rust and then ate them. Unsurprisingly, it was the bane of adventurers everywhere.

[Assistant] "And it’s in our house?!"

[User] "Yes, I think so. It doesn’t hurt people, so don’t worry. I’ll have Ralaire take care of it."

[Assistant] "You’re always making Ralaire eat weird things… She doesn’t need more attributes." As suggested by the undine ability, water slimes could acquire the attributes of what they ate. Ralaire was a quick learner, and smarter than a cat or dog, so she had already acquired a variety of monster attributes. Not just cute ones either.

[User] "What are you going to do if Ralaire starts eating frying pans?"

[Assistant] "She’s too well trained for that, don’t worry."

[User] "I wonder…" Claire peered at me with doubt in her eyes.

[Assistant] "Anyway, let’s get this cleaned up. We’ll have to buy replacements for the rusted stuff too."

[User] "Yes, let’s—" Just then, there was a knock on the door.


[Assistant] "H-hi, Rae. It’s been a long time." Our visitor was a young girl with silver hair and red eyes. Cardinal Lilly Lilium.

[User] "You’re on a journey?" I asked Lilly as I poured her a cup of coffee.

[Assistant] "Y-yes. I wasn’t prosecuted because of the extenuating circumstances, but I know what I did is unforgivable."

[User] Claire looked like she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. She couldn’t even tell Lilly she was wrong. It was a fact that Lilly had taken the lives of many. Others might forgive her, but Lilly’s faith made it hard for her to forgive herself.

[Assistant] "I-I’ve decided to go on a journey of atonement. Maybe that’s naïve of me, but…" The Spiritual Church had a story about a sinner who went on a journey of atonement and was forgiven by God at the end of it. Lilly was trying to face her sins in her own way.

[User] "I understand. When do you leave?"

[Assistant] "Right away…but I had one last thing I needed to do, so I came to consult you."

[User] "M-many people who were impoverished by the disaster are coming to the Church for aid."

[Assistant] "We’ve heard. Children who lost their families, people who lost their homes… Right?" Claire confirmed.

[User] "Are you asking us to help the Church?"

[Assistant] Lilly shook her head. "I-I have a different request."


[User] "There are these two twin children…” She told us about a strange rumor that had begun making the rounds after the eruption—a rumor of cursed children who turned everyone and everything that came near them into magical stones. At first, the Church had dismissed this as fantasy, but then people with items of clothing and even body parts transformed into magical stones had started showing up. The Church investigated, and they had found the culprits—twin girls—living in a corner of a slum in the capital. “Th-they have a special power in their blood." Anything their blood touched turned into a magical stone. They were making a living by cutting themselves and using their blood to make magical stones they could sell. “I-It took a long time for them to talk to us. They are quite traumatized…”

[Assistant] The twins, who were only four or five years old, had been abused by the rest of their family after their parents passed away. They’d been treated like geese that laid golden eggs, used to turn a profit, and told that their parents would come back for them if only they behaved. When those relatives were killed in the eruption, the girls had taken shelter in the slum. At least no one could hurt them—anyone who tried got turned into a magical stone. “I-It’s not like their blood can transform anything, though," Lilly explained. "People with powerful magic of their own are unaffected.”

[User] After a great deal of effort on Lilly’s part, the Church had taken in the orphaned twins. Soon, however, they’d proved to be too much for the Church to handle. The girls were mistrustful, had a nervous habit of self-harm, and posed a threat to the clergy around them. Some people were even pushing for their execution. “I-I can’t leave them behind. But they’re too young for me to take on my journey… R-Rae, you have special knowledge. Do you know anything about their condition?”

[Assistant] “I’m sorry. I don’t.” I was honored that Lilly would ask me, but unfortunately, I had never heard of anything like this.

[User] “I-I see…” Lilly looked visibly disappointed. “Don’t give up just yet. Can I meet them? I might know more once I see them in person.”

[Assistant] “That’s right." Claire chimed in.

[User] “You’ll help me? !" Lilly’s eyes shone at our words.

[Assistant] “We’ll do our best. I can’t guarantee we’ll find a solution, though.”

[User] “Th-that’s plenty! Do you have time now?”

[Assistant] “Today… Sure, why not? We can buy kitchen stuff on our way home.” And that was how Claire and I came to meet the strange twins.


[User] “Hello, there.”

[Assistant] “Hi, girls.”

[User] We greeted the twins warmly, but they just stared at us. They looked exactly alike; I could only tell them apart because one of them wore her blonde hair long, and the other had it cut short. Their brown eyes peered warily at us from behind Lilly, probably evaluating whether their power would work on us or not.

[Assistant] “H-hey, both of you!"


[User] “Say hello." Lilly chided.

[Assistant] "Hi.” "Hello…” Their voices were exactly alike too, though the girl with short hair might have had a fractionally higher tone. Neither girl showed any real emotion, but the one with long hair seemed more guarded than her sister.

[User] I kneeled so I was at eye level with them and asked, “What are your names?”

[Assistant] “Name…?” "I don’t know…”

[User] Surprised at the answer, I looked up at Lilly.

[Assistant] “Th-they won’t tell us their names. Or perhaps they were never given any… We’ve been calling them Un and Deux…”

[User] “That’s horrible!” Claire burst out. The twins looked startled, but she continued, “Listen to me. A name is a very important thing!” She thought for a moment. “You with the cute short hair! We will call you May.”

[Assistant] “Cute…? May?”

[User] “And you with the lovely long hair—your name is Aleah.”

[Assistant] “Lovely…? Aleah?” The girls looked at Claire as if they were under attack.

[User] “Why those names?” I asked.

[Assistant] “Ah…uh. They were names I thought of long ago—for if I ever had daughters, so…” She was an angel. A perfect angel sent from above.

[User] “Cardinal Lilly,” said Claire, “do you think we could keep the girls at our house for a while?”

[Assistant] “Uh… I don’t object, but…is that okay with you, Rae?”

[User] “I will never defy Miss Claire’s wishes. But what are we going to do with them?” I was as confused as Lilly.

[Assistant] “We’re going to teach them how to live normal lives, of course!” Claire answered.

[User] “I-I appreciate the thought, but is that doable?”

[Assistant] “I don’t care—we’ll do it all the same. I can’t stand by and let these children suffer like this!” It seemed Claire’s maternal instincts were in high gear.

[User] “But what about the issue with their blood?”

[Assistant] “We’ll have to address that eventually, of course. But first, we must make sure that May and Aleah can live as normal children. Rae, you look like you have doubts?”

[User] “No… Not at all.”

[Assistant] “You can’t fool me. Listen, if we can’t even take care of these children, how can we be teachers?” I had my reservations, but Claire was so excited.

[User] I kept my mouth shut and just nodded.

[Assistant] “Is that okay with you, May and Aleah?” They were silent. "Respond!"

[User] “Yes.”

[Assistant] “Yes…” They nodded stiffly in unison, like a matching pair of robots.

[User] What were we getting ourselves into?


[Assistant] Claire and I cleaned up our spare room for the girls’ use. It was on the small side, especially for two children, but we’d deal with that later.

[User] “How did you two spend your time at the Church?” The girls looked quizzically at Claire, like they didn’t understand the question. She tried again. “Did you read books or play with blocks?” They shook their heads in unison. “You didn’t do anything?” This time, they nodded together. Claire put her head in her hands. “What was Cardinal Lilly thinking…”

[Assistant] “Lilly has been very busy since the revolution." I said. Mostly because of Salas.


[User] "That’s right… It’s not her fault." "May, Aleah, is there anything you want to do?" I asked, kneeling to look them in the eyes.

[Assistant] "Rae, what are you doing? You did it at the Church too," Claire asked, motioning toward my knees.

[User] "Children can feel intimidated when adults loom over them. If I come down to their level, it puts them more at ease."

[Assistant] "You should tell me things like that sooner!" Claire hurriedly knelt too. "Now, can you think of anything?"

[User] They nodded again. "And what is that?" I asked as gently as I could.

[Assistant] "Magic stones."

[User] "Make them."

[Assistant] Claire and I were speechless. “You don’t have to do that anymore…” Claire said.

[User] “Isn’t there something else you want to do? Are you hungry?” I asked.

[Assistant] The twins shook their head.

[User] "We can…" "...only do this."

[Assistant] We didn’t know what to say. This was serious. “Okay. Then how about you play with us?” Maybe teaching them that would be the best start. “May, Aleah, do you like to play inside or outside better?”

[User] "Outside."

[Assistant] "Outside…"

[User] Good thing I’d asked instead of trying to push something like playing house on them. “Okay. Then let’s play tag.”

[Assistant] "Tag?"

[User] "What’s that…?"

[Assistant] I couldn’t imagine what kind of life they’d lived, to have never heard of tag at this age. “One person is ‘it’ and chases the others, while the others run away. If the person who is ‘it’ touches you, then you become ‘it’, and you have to chase the others. ‘Do you understand?”

[User] The girls nodded flatly.

[Assistant] With that settled, Claire and I took May and Aleah to the yard. “I’ll be ‘it’ first,” I said, but the girls didn’t move. I gestured. “C’mon, you have to run away.”

[User] Claire nudged them from behind to create some distance between them and me, but they moved sluggishly. “Hey, I’m gonna catch you!” I warned as I started chasing the twins very slowly.

[Assistant] They still didn’t initiate movement on their own, so Claire pulled their hands to run away. Their expressions remained unchanging. “I got you!” I announced as I tagged May.

[User] She looked up at me, but she just stood there. “Now you get to chase people, May,” I urged. “C’mon, Aleah, let’s run away.”

[Assistant] May stood there for a little while, but eventually, she finally started moving toward Claire—slowly at first, but when she got near Claire, Claire ran away faster, forcing May to run a bit before she allowed herself to be caught.

[User] “Well done, May. That was great!” said Claire.

[Assistant] "Great?"

[User] “That’s right. You’re a wonderful girl, May.”

[Assistant] May probably hadn’t been praised much before. She took some time to reflect on Claire’s words with a strange look on her face.

[User] “Now I’m ‘it’,” Claire said and started chasing Aleah.

[Assistant] Aleah ran slowly, and she was caught right away. “Now it’s your turn to chase, Aleah,” she said.

[User] "Yes…" Aleah nodded and started chasing Claire like May had.

[Assistant] Honestly, I felt a little left out. “Oh, you caught me!


[User] "You run so fast, Aleah.” I wasn’t sure if Aleah realized she was being praised. She took in Claire’s words with a strange look on her face. “Well, this is worrisome…” I said, uneasy. And yet, a few minutes later, I had to eat my words.

[Assistant] “M-May, let’s take a break." Claire says breathlessly.

[User] “No.” May clung to Claire, who stumbled, at which point Aleah tackled her. “Run away.”

[Assistant] “Run away…” At some point in time, the rules to our tag game had changed, and May and Aleah had become “it” together, both chasing Claire. You can’t underestimate kids. They had boundless energy.

[User] Claire had smiled at first, but they had rapidly exhausted her. She was really relying on the reserves built up by her years of training in self-defense and ballroom dancing.

[Assistant] “Let’s take a break, girls." I called out to them. I had been making snacks in the kitchen since they left me out. I had tea in a pitcher, and my plan was to entice them with sweets.

[User] “More tag.”

[Assistant] “More…”

[User] Well, it looked like the girls liked the game.

[Assistant] “In that case, I’ll trade with Rae—” Claire started.

[User] “No.”

[Assistant] “We want this…” The girls had already grown attached to Claire. I struggled to pretend not to be jealous.

[User] “Aleah, you mustn’t call people ‘this,'" Claire says, crouching before them like I had taught her.

[Assistant] “Why?”

[User] “It isn’t polite.”

[Assistant] “Polite?”

[User] “That’s right. People shouldn’t be treated as objects. Treating them poorly is just as shameful as not wearing clothes.”

[Assistant] I was sure the girls didn’t understand everything Claire was saying to them, but Aleah nodded in response anyway.

[User] “Then what do I call you?” Aleah asked.

[Assistant] “We don’t know your name.”

[User] Oh dear. They were right. I didn’t remember telling them our names. Due to their circumstances, we had completely forgotten that formality. “I am Claire. She is Rae.”

[Assistant] “Let’s be friends, both of you.”

[User] They nodded—far less tentatively than before.

[Assistant] “Then let’s play tag again.”

[User] “Huh? Miss Claire, are you all right? You look so tired.”

[Assistant] “I’m not, no—but apply some of your recovery magic and I’ll be fine.”

[User] I hadn’t thought of that. I quickly cast some of the requested water magic on Claire, and her body rejuvenated.

[Assistant] “Claire, are you okay?”

[User] “Can you still play?”

[Assistant] “I can! This time, I’m going to chase you. You better run, run away!” The girls took off, and Claire pelted after them.

[User] “They look like they’re having so much fun…” I murmured. It was a simple game, but the girls seemed to be having the time of their lives. Their expressions were still completely void of emotion, but there was something lighter in the air that made me suspect they were feeling better. They probably enjoyed Claire’s reactions. I certainly understood that feeling. In that case, I would set up the snacks and let them play as much as they wanted.


[User] “Ahh—” May cried out as she fell down.

[Assistant] “Are you okay? !” Claire ran up to her.

[User] I also stopped preparing the snacks and flew to May’s side.

[Assistant] “You scraped your leg a little." Claire said, checking for any other injuries and finding none. We were keenly aware of the curse coursing through this girl’s blood. It would always be our obligation to check her for injuries. "That must have hurt,” said Claire tenderly. “You’re so strong for not crying. Rae, hurry and heal her.”

[User] “Why?”

[Assistant] “Wh—why?” Claire demanded.

[User] “Claire, you look sad."

[Assistant] "Of course I am. You’re hurt, aren’t you?”

[User] “When we get hurt, everyone is happy." Aleah said, coming up from behind us. Claire’s face froze at Aleah’s words.

[Assistant] “Here.” May broke a piece off of her skirt—the part that had turned to stone due to her blood—and presented it to Claire.

[User] "Thank you.”

[Assistant] “What are you thinking? !” Claire burst out angrily.

[User] “What…” murmured May.

[Assistant] “Thank you…”

[User] “This is not reason to show thanks!”

[Assistant] “Why? We—” "—were born to bleed.” They spoke in eerie unison. This was the curse. This was definitely a curse. “When we get cut—” "—everyone is happy.”

[User] “No!” Claire interrupted their heartrending words and pulled them close to her. “You were born to be happy! Never think that you were born to be injured!”

[Assistant] “But we—” "—are cursed.”

[User] “Forget the curse! May, Aleah, you were always in pain, right? It was hard, right?” Claire was crying. It was really such a rare thing to see her cry at all. But cry she did, embracing them and stroking their hair.

[Assistant] May and Aleah remained confused for a bit, but finally, they started to change. Their first true expressions were impatient, like they were trying to recall something but also were resisting the recollection.

[User] “We—” "—remember this."

[Assistant] I had an idea of what “this” was. They remembered, somewhere, somewhen, that they had been embraced.

[User] “Do you mean your mother?”

[Assistant] “Mo—” "—ther?” At that word, the hard masks they had maintained suddenly cracked. “Ooh…” "A-ah…” As one, the girls began to sob. “W-we—” "—were waiting…” They spoke in tones of delirium, crying all the tears they had saved up for years.

[User] “It’s okay. It’s okay. You’re both such good girls… You really are so good…” Claire diligently comforted them, but they didn’t stop crying, and neither did she. They sat there, all three together, crying for quite some time.


[Assistant] “May, Aleah, I want to tell you something,” Claire said, letting go of them gently. They blinked blearily at Claire. “This is good luck to sing when you’re hurt,” Claire said, tending to May’s scrape.

[User] “Ouch, ouch, nope, nope, pain, pain, fly away.” They tilted their heads quizzically at Claire.

[Assistant] “How is it? Does it still hurt?” Claire asked, and May shook her head.

[User] “Really? Perfect.”

[Assistant] “Do it to me too.”

[User] “You too, Aleah? Okay."


[User] "Ouch, ouch, nope, nope, pain, pain, fly away.” Claire’s chant was the most important kind of magic, the sort that worked not only on May’s scrape but also on the deep heartfelt pain the twins had endured.

[Assistant] “I remember that,” Claire recalled contemplatively as I poured her tea. We were having a little picnic in our yard. May and Aleah were playing tag with Ralaire. Claire and I had decided to officially take the girls in. I say “officially,” but since same-sex marriage wasn’t recognized in the kingdom, all we could do legally was take them in as fosters. But they had long since become a critical part of our lives.

[User] “Do you remember when the Academy was in an uproar over the Commoner Movement?”

[Assistant] “I remember everything that happens with you, Miss Claire.”

[User] “Don’t make fun of me,” Claire flicked my forehead. It hurt. Ah, to reap the rewards of love.

[Assistant] “During that commotion, I saw a beggar child in the town, and all I could feel was disgust.” She had really grown, although she now looked disgusted at her past self.

[User] “Oh, I remember. I saw her not too long ago. She was wiping windows in a church. It seems like she’s being taken care of.”

[Assistant] “Is that so… I’m glad to hear it.” Claire closed her eyes, relieved. She glanced at me.

[User] “May and Aleah are finally showing their emotions, but if you hadn’t done something about the curse, they wouldn’t be laughing right now. But goodness, I never imagined rust would be the answer.”

[Assistant] “Who could have?” That day May and Aleah finally cried, I’d noticed their tears didn’t turn Claire’s clothes into magical stones. Tears and blood are elementally related, magically speaking, so I realized the issue was tied to some unique element of their blood. Furthermore, if we could isolate what component of their blood needed addressing, we could resolve the issue. As I’d contemplated, I’d remembered that red blood cells are made of iron. So, I’d wondered what would happen if we “rusted” the cells. After I had Ralaire eat the rust monster, I asked her to mimic its ability to generate rust in proximity to May and Aleah. With this consistent help from Ralaire, the curse in their blood had, for the time being, been alleviated.

[User] “Well, it’s only a temporary solution.” In the end, I planned to ask Yu to use the Tears of the Moon. We had used the Tears of the Moon for Yu’s own curse not a year ago, so it needed to gather more moonlight before it could be called on again. Normally, folks outside the Church would never be allowed to deploy the Church’s most closely guarded relic for such a thing, so we had to leverage our connections and past contributions. But Yu owed us one, and the Church now owed us another because of Lilly, May, and Aleah. I was sure I could negotiate.


[User] "Cardinal Lilly is still traveling, isn’t she?”

[Assistant] “I hope so.” Lilly had gone off on her journey as soon as May and Aleah moved into our home. She had been so grateful to both of us and still sent us letters from time to time. It seemed she was in Euclid, so she was visiting my mother to get some clothes made. That girl really was so adorable.

[User] “Now that we have the twins, we really need to ensure some stability in our lives."

[Assistant] “Let’s do our best to be good teachers.”

[User] “Yes, but I was thinking on a more fundamental level.” I frowned, confused.

[Assistant] Claire cleared her throat, a most mature look on her face. “We need to show we are prepared to live happily ever after, as a family of four. So, I swear to God: I will always love May, Aleah, and Rae.”

[User] When Claire said this, she broke out into a tremendous smile, and I found myself once more overflowing with love for her. I held her close without saying anything.

[Assistant] “Mothers, what are you talking about?” The girls had come looking for hugs too. These days, they didn’t at all resemble the emotionless girls we had met months ago.

[User] “We were just talking about how much you both laugh now."

[Assistant] “We laugh because it’s fun.”

[User] “You’re weird, Mother Rae.” They looked at each other and laughed some more.

[Assistant] Augh, they were so cute! They hadn’t warmed up to me for a good while, but once I resolved their curse, they’d slowly opened up to me as well. It had been way harder for me than it had been for Claire, though. I still got pretty depressed when I realized that even Ralaire was more popular than I was.

[User] “Ralaire, hurry up!”

[Assistant] “You’re so slow." Aleah scolded.

[User] Ralaire meandered up to us. She looked exhausted, probably because I’d made her play with the girls for so long.

[Assistant] “We don’t lose to Ralaire anymore.”

[User] “We’ll be able to beat Mother Claire and Mother Rae soon too.”

[Assistant] Because my thoughts were full of how they’d been when we first met, my heart ached so fiercely now that I got to hear their innocent laughter.

[User] “Mother Claire, what’s wrong?”

[Assistant] “Are you hurt somewhere?”

[User] Claire was clearly thinking the same thing, because tears pricked her eyes. She brushed them away.

[Assistant] “Oh, it’s nothing.”

[User] May and Aleah still looked worried. “May, Aleah, why don’t you do that magic for Claire?”

[Assistant] “What magic? Do you know, Aleah?”

[User] “Oh, I know, May.” They whispered together.

[Assistant] Claire tilted her head in confusion.

[User] “Mother Claire!” May and Aleah said in unison, laughing. “Ouch, ouch, nope, nope, pain, pain, fly away.”


[User] "DON’T JUST SIT THERE! Out with it already! What are your thoughts on my cooking?" When the young lady with golden curls spat those words at me, I didn’t really understand what was happening. She looked at me as if the very sight of my face infuriated her. I told myself to stay calm and assess the situation. Nothing good could come of panic. I was seated in an average-sized house—well, I say average, but it was really quite spacious compared to the house I’d grown up in. I was with the young lady with golden curls and two adorable little girls, all seated around a table. The problem: no one I could see, including the young lady, looked even remotely Japanese. Putting the young lady aside for the time being, I racked my memory to retrace the steps I’d taken to get here.

[Assistant] “Ahh.”

[User] I remembered now. I’d been transported to this world resembling medieval Europe (with strange touches of Japanese influence), where I’d met her.

[Assistant] “Miss Claire?”

[User] “Well, I never! You’re back to using ‘Miss’ again! How many times have I told you to just call me ‘Claire’? !" That shrill voice was unmistakable. The girl with the golden curls was Claire François, a character in one of my favorite dating sims, Revolution. She was also my beloved wife.

[Assistant] “Miss Claire.”

[User] “That’s better,” Claire huffed. “I much prefer it when you’re not so formal—wait, you haven’t changed a thing!”

[Assistant] “Do you remember my name?”

[User] “Whatever is the matter with you, Rae Taylor?”

[Assistant] I was beginning to understand what had happened. On the table in front of me sat a plate piled high with food—if you could call it that. Based on the circumstances, my guess was I’d suffered something akin to an out-of-body experience after eating Claire’s cooking. My original name was Rei Ohashi, but Rae Taylor was the name I had in this world. As of this moment, I lived a life of domestic bliss with Claire and our sweet twin daughters, little May and Aleah.

[User] “Yahoo!”

[Assistant] “Wh-what? Are you feeling all right? And don’t use vulgar expressions like ‘yahoo.’ You’re setting a bad example for May and Aleah.” Claire began to spout complaints, but I paid her no mind. For a moment, I’d almost thought the past year had all been a dream—that meeting Claire, the bond we nurtured, the friends that supported us, the near-insurmountable wall known as revolution, and even the days of peace after it were all over. But it hadn’t been a dream.

[User] “Miss Claire.”

[Assistant] “What is it? And don’t you think it’s about time you dropped the ‘Miss’?”

[User] “I like you.”

[Assistant] “Huh?” Claire looked puzzled.

[User] “Miss Claire, I love you.”

[Assistant] “Wh…wh-wh-what…? !” As my words sank in, Claire rapidly grew flustered. She was too cute. Undoubtedly, the person I loved most in this world.


[User] “What in the world are you saying, Rae?! And in front of the children, too!” Claire says.

[Assistant] “Is it bad if we’re here?” May asks.

[User] “Why?” Aleah questions.

[Assistant] “Ah, no, don’t worry about it, my dears. You’ll understand when you’re older. Honestly, Rae… There’s a time and place for these things!”

[User] “What’s the matter?” I asked. “I’m just saying ‘I love you,’ that’s all.”

[Assistant] “H-hmph! You think saying that will get you on my good side? Well, it’s pointless. My affection for you is already as high as it can be!” Claire turned away in a huff.

[User] “You’re so cute…” Oops. The words fell out of my mouth before I could stop them.