Part 99: Bonus Series 1 - Part 2

Note: I follow the path the thread took in the last playthrough for all decisions made after week 18.





Like what?

You open your mouth to answer her, and -



- find yourself unable to speak or move.

My power isn't like your power, little princess. I control the absence of things. Sound. Light. Life. But you dying now would be too suspicious. Instead, you're going to have a very unfortunate accident. You will remain alive and helpless until everyone gives up hope of your recovery, and then you will die.



(That's what you think!)



Calling on your core of inner strength, you push your own magical energy into her spell, overloading it.

What? What are you doing -

There is a loud noise, and the smell of burning.

Music track: None

When you can move again, you find your aunt lying lifeless on the ground, a glimmering purple crystal beside her. Moments later, your father rushes into the room.

What happened?

Aunt Lucille was an evil Lumen. She attacked me.

It's all right. She's gone now.



You feel drained of all energy and can barely keep your eyes open. Leaving your father to clean up the mess, you crawl off to bed.

On week 18, we fail to impress Sirin and we fail to utilize our spies. Then...





Rushing outside, you find a young squire lying on the floor. An amorphous black shape, like the imprint of a monstrous hand, surrounds his neck. He is not moving. Before your eyes, the darkness fades away, leaving only ordinary bruises - and a body.

What...?



It doesn't feel like a spell... not a Lumen spell, anyway.



I don't know.



Everywhere you look, there are shadows... any one of them might be dangerous. It will take some time to sleep tonight.

Then we talk to Julianna about this during the weekend.



I'm scared...

What has happened?

First my aunt turned out to be a Lumen and attacked me, and now this mysterious darkness is killing people...

Your aunt? Tell me everything.

You explain the encounter with the Countess of Nix at the gala, how she tried to ensorcel you and you drove back her magic wth your own, killing her in the process. Then you describe the living shadow which strangled a squire and vanished before your eyes.

A creeping shade... I'll take care of it. Don't worry. No one else will die.

Wait!



What's a creeping shade? Why is it here? What am I supposed to do about it?

It is your responsibility to study and become a queen. It is my responsibility to deal with dangers like this. You are distracting yourself and me. You are wasting my time and putting others at risk.





... Sorry.

Go. Do what you do. I will do what I do.

At the end of Guinelle's birthday party on week 28...





Charlotte!

... Leave me alone.

What?

Don't talk to me! Stay away from me!

She runs away.

(Of course... I killed her mother, didn't I?)



(She'll never forgive me.)

There's nothing you can do about it now.

After we get to the ending in the same way as before (but without Lucille in our group of Lumens), we get this.