Part 54: Run 2 - Part 2

It's growing late, though. I should return home.


So when we return, not only are we super late, but we spent the money we saved at the inn. I apologize to seem like the obedient doormat canon Cinderella is supposed to be, and... it does not go well.


I... apologize. There was a lot of commotion in town, and I sort of got caught up in—


Enough with your excuses. They make you look so pathetic. If you chose to ignore my orders, at least have the pride to stand by your decision instead of simpering like that. The child you once were is gone. You must be a woman now. Have more pride in yourself. Otherwise, you are nothing more than a lazy and useless little girl. At least you managed to finish the task appointed to you, though I take little solace in that. Is it too much to hope that you managed to keep some of the money I gave you?




Why am I not surprised? I suppose it is foolishness to expect more from a girl as disjointed from reality as you. You never take the first offer! Anyone who conducts business—No! Anyone in their right mind knows that.


But Tobias is my friend. He would not—


Enough! I am not interested in your excuses. What a disaster! You are more useless than I could have imagined. If I stopped feeding you, it would be exactly what you deserve. But I suppose I would be arrested for petty crime if I did that.


But I—


Silence! Get out of my sight. Just looking at you makes me ill. You will go to your room, and you will stay there until you are summoned. Is that clear?

So yes. That happened. That night, the Shady character shows up being Super Discreet, and again, since we need to find out as much as we can about this stuff, we follow him again. We soon discover that Carmosa has been paying him and Tobias a fee to sell her jewelry and such discreetly.




Unless you have the right stats and previous choices, confronting Tobias here is likely to backfire, hurting our relationship with him and gaining us no useful information. Going home and using it later is the safer path.


So then he wakes up in the forest with a hangover, then hides as the Prince and Perrault approach, discussing the Ball. Only this time, we've actually met the Captain by this point, so he has some words about us. Blatantly false words, but hey, it's something.




Even yesterday, I met a young woman who had a quick wit and a fire in her eyes. She did not seem like a woman of nobility, though.


A shame that is, for I would gladly have gone to see any woman that you hold in such regard.


And yet you must choose a wife from among the nobility, regardless.

A Ball!

Then Gloria and Sophia argue.


The "correct" choice here is "You sure told her!" since that increases relations with Sophia, but doesn't decrease them with Gloria, because she's gone. But the other option gives us more niceness points, and we'll have plenty of opportunity later to sway Sophia

We then have the dinner preparation scene with Sophia. When she asks what Cinders' life was like...


The answer she "likes" the most is "It was too dreamy", and she hates all the nice-girl options in this scene. So we have to break character for a minute and tell her what she wants to hear in order to get her on the Hug Train.


"For political gains" is Sophia's preferred option.


Telling her she's not worthless is still the right way though.




Cinders next decides to go visit her mother's grave, where she meets awesome maybe-witch Madame Ghede.




So you're really not a witch?


Now, I never said that. Only that the stories about me have been exaggerated. Besides, some people consider it magic when they find their way back home from drinking all night. It really depends on your perspective.


Well, even in gossip, there's got to be a grain of truth.


The only truth is that I'm intelligent, independent, and I take care of myself without a husband. If the townfolk want to call that witchcraft, so be it. It makes their own lives so much simpler.


True... but, still.

They discuss dear old Mum a bit, then:




Maybe a little. My father raised me to believe, and I suppose I do miss my childhood, when I could believe wholeheartedly. But there are so many strange and wonderful things in this world, maybe magic really does exist.


Your reasoning makes sense.


And?


And what?


Does magic exist?


Well that depends on what you consider magic. Years ago, people thought medicine was magic. Some still think that way. We label things we don't understand as magic, but then what does that mean? People call fairies magical, but we could also consider them normal creatures who live in the world like we do. Birds fly, and fish breathe underwater, but we don't consider them to be magical. What makes fairies different?




Haha, well it would certainly be unwise to claim otherwise while we're in this forest. Perhaps you would like to come visit my shop the next time you're in town. Tomorrow, maybe?


Come home to find Shady meeting with Carmosa, but none of our stats are high enough to get him to spill anything, so I just go with the "nice" option.


Since we're trying to get Gloria on the Hug Train this time, let's go ask her about this.


Maybe Gloria will know something. She always tries to make Carmosa's business her own.




I don't sulk, Gloria.


Oh! There you are. I've been looking for you everywhere. Dinner is about to be served. You're needed in the kitchen.


I was just washing up. I saw a strange man in the front hall a moment ago, though. Do you have any idea who he is or why he was here?


I suppose there's no real harm in telling you. The man said he had some information that might be of interest to Mother. I wanted to send him away, but Mother let him in. I still don't know why!


Interesting. Carmosa must have recognized him if she let him in.




I suppose that depends on what they were talking about.


Unfortunately, I don't know that part. Mother has her secrets as any head of a noble house does. It could be earth-shattering or it could be trivial... Considering how poorly he was dressed, he couldn't have been anyone of consequence.

Oh, Gloria. You were to close to having an insight, then you ruined it.


Well, thank you for telling me.


I suppose you're welcome. I don't really see how this is of any use to you at all. Either way, don't forget that dinner will be served in a few minutes. Be in the dining room by then.


That night... a strange dream!




Hello...? Is someone there?


Who could that be!?


Who are you? I can barely see you.


Oh, but we can see you quite well.


What is this place? Where am I?




So this is a dream?


It is.


Then none of this is real.


Why? You're real, and so are we. That's real enough.


But who ARE you?


You don't remember us?




We know you. You don't know us, but you know OF us. If you want to meet us, come to The Lake.


The lake?


And don't forget to bring a gift. It would be improper if you didn't. Now rest, darling. You deserve it, and you'll need all the strength you can get for tomorrow.