>>6447593
Placeholder before proper post, I have to have some stitches removed.

>>6447594
Welcome back QM!

>>6447594
Welcome back! Looking forward to the next adventure.

>>6447594
Get well soon

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Previously, you completed a rescue mission with the assistance of your fellow group therapy members. It's a job well done with Kiyotaka Chie reuniting with her young son Asato and driving off to Hokkaido. It ended with a rich reward and increased trust from the girls.

But the assistance comes at a price.

You have to tell these girls the history of your yearlong service to Lady Hathor of love and madness. A touchy and extremely personal story with some elements you've resolved to never share, not even with your godmother.

Then there's the fact that there's a gang war going on. Former members of the Sumi gang have allied themselves once more with the predatory Arkadian Kingdom. Given what happened last year, you would think gangsters would stay the fuck away from magical stuff. Any respect you had for the 'elder brothers' Kiyotaka Hisato, Maeda Sekine, and Kimura Toshimichi died. One of them might actually be physically dead too. Given the news reported a gas explosion that destroyed Maeda's office.

You're not sure which of the illustrious nobility supports the group. Could it be Lord Martel of agony and faith? His eternal wounds bleeding and anointing his victims to give their very lives and sanity for their desires? Or perhaps it is Lady Gracia of sorrows and patience? Her burning tears wetting those who tirelessly and insanely strive for just one thing they want? Maybe it's Lord Tieno of despair and courage, granting those he smites with burning audacity to reach secret goals locked within the Heart?

It must be one of those three. The Fool may craft magical tools and advise the great Lords and Ladies, but he prefers to tinker and caper about in the Arkadian Kingdom.

And it cannot be Lady Hathor...

Ah, you're doing it again. Mentally glossing over her faults and sins, magnifying her better qualities and virtues. It could be her. It's been a year. People can change in a year. She fervently believed Arkadia could change. A believer in change can certainly change themselves.

And her madness taints and twists everything.

Idle speculation will not bring you any closer to the truth.

The meeting breaks up and everyone bids each other good night. It's a weekday, and some members have school tomorrow. You decided to go back to Takamichi Group Home and go to bed. It's been a long day. The journey back unexpectedly has a fellow traveller.

"I want to look at that house the magical girls were using. My ability might randomly activate and learn something," 'Police Girl' Shinoda Takeo explains.

"Do you really want to explain how your abilities work to me? It seems like everyone is keeping that close to their chest," you ask while guiding her to the abandoned observation point. The house looms ahead, the strange illusion that distracted eyes away from it gone.

"I think it's fair since I know about your regeneration ability from Lord Tieno."

"Ah, that old gossipy fart."

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>>6448235
You share a chuckle with Shinoda. The other girl knows what you mean. Tieno, who told tales about his fellow nobles while recounting his glory days. As the oldest noble, he took it upon himself to be the quintessential Arkadian in the service. He embodied the loyal, ruthless, and arrogant manner of a true blue-blooded aristocrat can only be.

Shinoda begins to talk to you about what she knows about old Tieno. His sangfroid in the face of danger left a strong impression. She recalled no matter how hopeless the situation or the odds, Lord Tieno could summon ample resolve to face it. But his despair drove him to black moods of depression and fatalism, and he could infect humans with it too.

At the abandoned house, Shinoda wanders the empty rooms in the hopes her ability will activate. You carefully observe her eyes and catch sight of her pupils growing large.

Law and Order - I know the crime and the culprits!

"Did you really have to rob this place?" Shinoda exasperatedly asks.

"Other than knowing we looted the place, what else did you learn?"

"The Court of Stars stalked you intermittently from this location. Seer and Cygnus visited the most. I can't sense anything else," the short-haired girl answers. Her fingers touch the part of the wall where the enchantment used to be.

"That lines up with what Sword said." It's good to know that the main damage dealer of the Pretty Star Warrior still doesn't like lies.

"I learned you asked Sword directly about our Heart Crystals. I don't quite believe her on that. If it was something that simple, why not tell us? It would certainly make Aoi calm down," Shinoda states while wandering about the empty house for more clues.

"Or maybe Sword believes that is what the Court of Stars is doing. It's as you said; why wouldn't those magical nutters not tell anyone? You can't rule out the possibility of something more behind the scenes, and Sword doesn't know about it." You go outside to the overgrown garden. The thistle flower that marked the entrance when it was cloaked in illusion feels dry and crumbly under your finger.

You bid good and promise once more to attend the meeting tomorrow.

When you return and fall asleep in the dormitory, you dream of your time in Arkadia. You remember the recovery from your injuries; then, wandering through the streets of the Arkadian Kingdom, you talked with her and then earned the title of Chevalier after a harrowing test in the darkness...
>You were tested by The Fool...
>You were tested by Lord Tieno...
>You were tested by Lady Gracia...
>You were tested by Lord Martel...

>>6448236
>You were tested by Lord Tieno...

>>6448237
+1
Surely not all in the Kingdom are fucked in the head? No complete Lawful Evil here, right? Tieno seems like a super cool old badass, surely he could see the way the wind is blowing from on high?

>>6448236
>You were tested by Lord Tieno...
ayy last one mentioned first one remembered

>>6448236
>You were tested by Lord Tieno...

Vote called for Lord Tieno.

What do you guys think the last two ??? are? I think one might be another Arkadian thing and the other is another vanguard ability.

>>6449791
Not sure, but I picked Tieno to bond with our best friend a bit.

>>6449791
One is Arkandian
One is probably a side-effect from the PSW

>>6449801
I picked him because Tieno sounds like the most based noble in the entire Arkandian Kingdom

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Memory came stealing in through the door of sleep. That encounter with Sword at the illusion house after remembering the injuries that near killed you only encourage further remembrances of Arkadia. To that time just after Lady Hathor took you to her home and healed you from near death.

You were weak and sickly for days. It was a novel and unsettling experience. You had been entirely free from sickness since childhood and any minor wounds inflicted simply healed away without a trace, meaning each day you were full of energy and vigor unceasing. That is until you got stabbed in the chest by 'Celestial Dawn'. The physical unwellness was an alien experience, an undiscovered country of discomfort and slow recovery.

The numerous ghostly and living servants minding the house tended to everything you needed. There was nothing for you to do, but it didn't matter, you worked. Sweeping floors, making tea for the many visitors, carefully folding origami flowers to decorate, and whatever else came to mind that would please the mistress of the house and give her comfort.

"Sweetheart, get back to bed," the Lady of love and madness gently orders and smiles as though speaking to a stubborn child. Her wide and perfect smile immediately informed you how badly annoyed she truly was. She hadn't been home often after you woke up, much of her time was spent at the palace where she did whatever a Noble of Arkadia does. Even when she did return, she was tired and there was never a moment of privacy.

Fierce Loyalty - No, I will not go to bed.
Unnatural Toughness - I'm getting better! I feel a bit tired, that's all.

"My lady, aunty Eirene needs this hot water for her dyes. And I promised run another poker game for the kids. Probably will run a game for the adults after. Someone said they'll bring in tokens to make it a proper gambling session," you gesture with the kettle in your hand to the courtyard where numerous people sat about to gossip, sip tea, make bargains, or do a bit of needlework under the warm glow of stolen mana. The courtyard was safe and perpetually lit, and always crowded. Your lady invited all to enjoy it whether she was in residence or not. Practically the entire neighbourhood takes advantage of the invitation.

You had learned much from these gossipy people. It is comforting to know that old aunties and uncles in Arkadia are pretty much the same as old aunties and uncles in Japan. The conversations have the same rhythm of work and family, arguments and conversation, talking of the doings of the great and listening to the petty drama of the small.

"Aunty should know better than to order around my servant who needs to rest. Is it not enough I allow her and the others full access to my father's house and my mother's workshop? Next they'll be asking I pay guild dues," Lady Hathor petulantly pouted and folded her arms like a teenager.

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>>6449827
"I heard that! The barbarian wants to make herself useful, so let her. It's a good thing she earns her light and room," a brassy woman's voice in the courtyard carries over the sounds of work and conversation

"My name is Azami."
"Her name is Azami."

Both you and Lady Hathor shout back at the same time to correct the other woman.

Back then, no one called you 'Chevalier'. The very thought of it had yet to occur to anyone, including yourself. In fact, the Arkadians weren't quite sure what to call you at the time. Most settled on 'barbarian'. Apparently, that was them trying to be polite, and they failed spectacularly. They didn't want to use term 'traitorous rebel' since it seemed a touch too rude to place upon a Noble's servant.

"'Sblood. Very well, my ladyship. Now get over here, Azami. I need that hot water," Eirene ordered without looking up. She was a tall, thin woman with arms dyed blue and had been sweating over a cloth she dipped over and over in a pot filled with something dark. When you first saw it, you assumed it was a black dye since damn near everyone wears black and dark-coloured clothing. But the cloth dipped and pulled upwards was soaked with a pale blue colour akin to the skies of Earth. You carried the heavy brass kettle and began pouring a thin stream of hot water into the pot.

"Gentler and slower, love. Don't want to overflow the pot... There, that's it." Eirene ordered a stop to the water and then continued her dye work. It was fascinating how the white cotton fabric dipped into the mixture and came out pale blue.

Then the children who wanted to play poker came trooping in with fistfuls of small candies and a set of cards in hand. For the last few days of recovery, you decided to follow Master Kohaku's bakuto advice and entice the locals to come to you. A new novel game definitely attracted the attention of children who knew no better and adults who knew too much. Rather than being a remote and threatening 'barbarian', you disarmed them by being a helpful and entertaining 'barbarian' with strange new forms of entertainment. You even learned a few things about Arkadia from them.

The deck of cards they had was similar yet different from Earth. Cups, swords, wands, and shields are the suits with thirteen ranks. No King exists in the entire deck. Instead, the Queen replaces it as the thirteenth card. Curiously, depending on the suit, the twelfth card bears the title "Lord" or "Lady." A Lord on the red wands and red shields suit and a Lady on the black cups and black swords suit. They called the eleventh rank, the Chevalier. You mistook the Fool for the joker card at first, but the children taught you that it represents the ace instead. They called the joker in the card set 'Arkadia'. The drawing on the wildcard was a palace under a yellow sun, and there is only one of them.

>>6449828
"I must return to the Queen. Let me listen to your steadfast Heart," Lady Hathor says. She placed a hand over your chest, and the familiar sensation of her Domination washes over you. Your entrancement renewed once more, for she cannot bear the idea of letting you slip from her control and escape.

Fierce Loyalty - Damn it, another few hours and...

You need at least twenty hours away from the Arkadian noble. Your ability to resist is growing stronger each day. Before, it took twenty-four hours to break free from the magical control that chained you to obedience, and she knows the interval was growing shorter.

In time, you might be able to break completely free despite the full force of Domination bearing down upon you.

"Be good sweetheart, I'll be back."

"I look forward to seeing you soon, my lady. We can't stay away from the gang too long and must go back. They must be having a hard time without us." You then take her hand and bow; the locals taught this was proper manners toward a noble. The sudden use of Arkadian etiquette takes your lady off guard, and for a moment, she doesn't know what to even say.

"If you want to be a proper gallant, kiss her hand and then bow," a mischievous boy mock whispers for everyone to hear, and the crowd in the courtyard bursts out in laughter.

A strange look passes over Lady Hathor's face, not of embarrassment but something more like guilt. At the time, you had no notion why guilt would show. It was a mystery that would be solved afterwards, you were in utter ignorance as you watched your noble lady leave with a troupe of servants for the palace.

You had a poker game to run.

"Okay, kids, place your bets and get ready. Remember this for fun. If you need help with understanding the hands or rules, ask."

Deception - No need to make the kids sad. Master Kohaku said that a game needs to be kept tight and loose at the right moment for a good game.

Three anons, roll 1d20+4 to entertain the kids...

Rolled 17 + 4 (1d20 + 4)

>>6449830
Gambling

Rolled 1 + 4 (1d20 + 4)

>>6449830
Welcome back

ACK!!!!

Rolled 1 + 4 (1d20 + 4)

>>6449830

wow this is fucked up

>>6449854
>>6449860
Now these are the rolls I remember from MSVQ. Zero surprise. God I hate how cursed this QM's quests are

>>6449889
We just need to channel his winter one shot. The rolls there were good.

>>6449890
Link?

>>6449891
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2025/6291043/
Sofia, my beloved vainglorious runner

>>6449889
It's 3d20, there's a 14.2% chance of at least 1 nat 1 every time...

Hey OP I just recently found out about this game called Magical Girl Witch Trials (Manosaba) and what little I've been told about it makes me think you would be VERY interested in what this has. This is, so I'm told, a "DUDE TRUST ME" sort of game where you need to be as blind with as minimal knowledge as possible going into it.
Here's the english patch and here's the usual link
https://www.mediafire.com/file/v4vuqe0553a2zm6/Manosaba_ENG_Patch_V1.54.rar/file
https://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6745999

>>6449953
Once you get the patch, you have to go into the game settings and change it to English yourself

>>6449855
>>6449861
>>6449889
>>6449889
At least it's just for a poker game, with children, in a flashback.

>>6449954
Oh thanks, sounds super interesting.

Also don't worry about failing so badly on this roll. As someone said, it's a poker game with children in a flashback.
Complete utter failure actually brings out another important character of the Arkadian Kingdom.

>>6450031
Do post your thoughts when you eventually play it. I'm curious what you'll think

>>6450042
I'm concerned of downloading it because it's posted on a russian forum. As for playing, man, do I even have time?

>>6450043
>it's posted on a russian forum
Just have a VPN, have a torrenting program, and use the magnet link. It's not hard, and I can confirm that download is safe because somebody else I trust verified it
>man, do I even have time?
Yeah good point...

>>6450043
It's rutracker
It's one of the main forums for piracy

>>6449953
>Recommended:
>Memory: 16 GB RAM
>Graphics: GeForce RTX 2060
Taken from steam
Holy shit

>>6450214
I haven't played it yet to judge if those specs are appropriate, as I have a 1650 Ti, but I have been repeatedly and emphatically told that this game is "peak fiction"

Sorry for the delay. My mother accidentally food poisoned the household. Niagara falls through a straw was the general state of the household.

>>6451631
Yet another instance of the QM Curse being real and targeting you specifically. I hope things get better for you QM

>>6451631
Yikes. Feel better soon.

Now that my mother and father has recovered. I can start writing again.
I now understand how much work it takes to take care of an entire family all day everyday. It's an astonishing drudgery.

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Children are smarter than most people think. This doesn't mean children are sensible or very discerning of what is truly important. Only time can grant that sort of wisdom through experience. They love to brag and show off, particularly to someone older and ignorant. A rare opportunity to be a teacher, and they lecture you on the many names of darkness and light. Arkadians appear to have as many terms for it as some natives of the far north would have for snow.

Umbra, a profound darkness from which dangerous creatures form. Light a wick immediately.
True Light, the protective mana-infused light that wards off Umbra. Arkadia and its people cannot survive without it.
Penumbra, the greyish border between light and shadow. The last warning before the failure of true light.
Gloam, a wandering white fog floating about in the air and lightens the darkness. Wicks lit within the fog have enhanced range.
Sepulchrave, a darkness that only ghostly forebearers can safely pass through. The living should avoid it lest they get touched with Disquiet.
Half-light, a non-magical light that grants no protection from the umbra. Only wicks lit with mana protect.
Greater Darkness, the devouring abyss chewing away at the very edges of the Arkadia. There is something in there looming over the Kingdom.

There was so much to learn. Your education entertains the adults because they're watching someone blunder about blindly about things they take for granted. This must be how Lady Hathor felt when she first arrived in Tokyo and explained most of her oddities like refusing to turn off any lights after dark.

Eager to tell you more, they talked of Arkadia. The campus where ecuyers learn the ways of the warriors; the port where the great galleys await their Noble patrons setting off to the dangerous rebellious provinces; the courtyard of the Palace where a constant stream of brave lamplighters go forth to the darkened city and so much more.

Arkadian Favor - You are always welcome to return to the Arkadian Kingdom. You're able to live in the city.
Fierce Loyalty - Silence! You were granted it at the Winter Ball, and not before that time.

During this give and take of information, you ran a poker game. It didn't go well. It felt like two players were keen on losing more than winning. One girl seemed immune to understanding the rules of poker. She constantly showed her cards to others and asked for your help. Her pile of candy disappeared quickly, which made her sad.

A more baffling player was a boy who seemed a trifle slow and completely unaware. No matter what he did, he just couldn't win. Your attempts to discretely deal winning cards and give decent hands on the sly always ended up a lost cause. At one point, you arranged to deal three Queens to end up in his hand, but somehow he would tilt and lose those cards.

Deception - What the hell? Why aren't these two losers winning any hands at all? Now they're out of candy!

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>>6453505
"I don't think I like this game." The clueless girl muttered as she looked woefully at her now empty candy pouch.

"Four Queens should always beat four Fools," the other loser announces with a vapid smile. No matter how badly he lost each round, he kept on smiling.

Despite your clandestine assistance, the three other competent players took everything. At the time, you were glad it was just a casual game over candy. In a real game, the two losers would be prime marks. You felt sorry for them and decided to keep the game going until they won a hand at least. You ask the servants to bring out sweets to replenish the stockpile of the losers. Being utterly ignorant as to what sort of candy exists in Arkadia, you asked the children for their preferences.

All eyes gleamed with greed, they couldn't hide their glee at the fine sweets brought forth, and that should have tipped you off that something was up. Instead of taking their joy as a sign to be wary, you reasoned they were only children excited about the game continuing. Lady Hathor basically said not to worry and ask for anything, so you asked the servants to bring out a large quantity of fine cookies, colorful candies, glowing sugar crystals, and creamy tarts from the manor. On silver platters, they placed the small mountain of tasty treats besides the two children who lost everything, and the game continued. The next rounds didn't go any better for the two losers, who soon lost it all again. The superior-quality confections disappeared into the piles of the other three players.

You stopped the game.

"Don't feel too bad, you'll do better next time. Just remember the hands," you tried to assuage the two kids who lost. Their shoulders were shaking and trembling, trying to contain themselves from laughing and crying.

While you patted them on the shoulders reassuringly, a piercing cackling laughter arose from your right. Startled, you turn to see the aged face of the Librarian. It's been months since you last saw the man, and nothing about his person had changed. His wide eyes and disconcerting smile directed at you only emphasized how off-putting he looked. You likely made a face, and that triggered a greater burst of laughter from the man that silenced the entirety of the courtyard as Arkadians turned to stare.

The Librarian was wearing his multicolored outfit with feathers, sequins, and strange, ever-shifting patterns. You tried not to stare too deeply at his clothing because looking too closely at the wriggling images caused nausea. He looked timeless, as though he had been old and never known the pleasure of youth. His neatly trimmed white beard and long white hair rippled with unsuppressed mirth. The last time you saw this man was at the end of the Great Hunt some months ago. You handed over the remains of a terrible monster you hunted for his personal experiments.

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>>6453508
"Oh, it's you. Shouldn't you be in that tower and ripping apart monsters?" You ask with boredom. An audible intake of breath from the onlookers showed you had just fucked up again somehow.

"How could I stay amongst my books and works of wonders when I see that you are auditioning for my title? What a riot! What a trick! What a conspiracy!" He whoops and then turns his gaze upon the five shocked children. You noted they looked incredibly chastened for some reason. The boy who lost every hand had discarded his glassy, unfocused look. Instead, he was sharp and alert, looking like the craftiest fox of foxes.

"Barbarian, you shouldn't address Ser Fool so familiarly," the boy coolly comments, unsurprised at the presumptuous familiarity displayed by you to a member of the nobility.

"Fool?" You turn to gaze upon the strange old man who leapt from your side to take a seat amongst the players.

"Indeed, I am the jester of nobility. The mocker of ritual. The keen eyes and ears of the Queen. For her, I laugh in anger, for her, I weep with mirth. What? Did you think I was a mere reader of books and peddler of trinkets? Nay, my credulous foreign acquaintance."

Here he plucked a card cast away from a player and pointed to the corner. You had not noticed a subtle pattern there until that moment. You slowly realize that the Fool was holding a marked card.

"I must say, you're not a deep thinker. Do you understand the situation now? No? Then how about this?" The Fool plucks a card out of the apron of the girl who lost every hand.

Then he plucked out another card from under the cushion of another boy. Then another card. Then another card. Then another card.

Deception - Well I'll be damned.

These children had conspired to fleece the shit out of you. You should have been suspicious the moment they brought in the cards. A casino would never allow players to bring in the deck of cards they want to play with. Not only are the cards marked, you realize the boy and girl who always lost were a distraction, and these sneaky kids swapped spare cards between themselves. They played on your kindness and sympathy, guessing you would take pity and give extra sweets to allow the losers to continue playing. The plan was to divide the gain between all five conspirators. They played you like a fiddle.

Children are indeed smarter than most people think. The scammers immediately begin stuffing their pockets and lunchboxes with their ill-gotten gain.

"You're dumb enough to snuff the lanterns and let umbra in before going to sleep. So I knew you'd be dumb enough to fall for our tricks," the boy states as his friends scrambled to get away. He plays his role as a distraction to the hilt and continued to shill.

"Shouldn't you gloat when you're not in arms reach?" You could not decide whether to admire the audacity or get annoyed at who you assumed was the ringleader.

The boy thumbed his nose and smiled.

>>6453509
"Nah, you're a softie. Not the type to hit women and children is my guess." The cheeky brat had your number and measure. The group flees as though hell were on their heels with their loot. You didn't bother to chase after them; they deserved those sweets for managing to pull a fast one.

"What a comedy. How dearly would I have loved to see it to the very end, but things are moving apace, and I would have words with you," the Fool said while twirling his fingers in the air idly. The cards the children abandoned floated up into the air and danced. "Has your mistress said a word about her doings at the palace? Ah, that look tells me all that I need to know. Tsk, tsk. So naive and trusting that her accomplishments and title will ward off harm."

"Harm?" You asked with surprise.

"The Queen doesn't allow outsiders to reside in Arkadia. The most she'll tolerate is a brief visit. Your stay here for many cycles has caused uproar. You lived on sufferance for one reason. While the young mistress asserts her rights and argues before the throne, residents of the quarter and I was here to ward off the assassin's dagger away from your Heart. Even the boldest Ecuyers would loath to harm a fellow Arkadian to just get at you," the Fool said while tilting his head towards the street with a sharp jerk.

"Why didn't she tell me!?" You cast your eyes past the courtyard as the murmurs of the crowd built again and the gossip flowed between Arkadians. Outside the limit of the courtyard, there is a wide cobblestone street with lit lamps lining it. Under the protective true light of the lanterns, a number of uniformed Ecuyers were standing and waiting. They had been there a few days, but they never attempted to enter the courtyard nor speak. You recognized a few of them from the Great Hunt and tried to approach them, but Lady Hathor firmly ordered that you remain well away from the street. Those were the daggers waiting and watching patiently for you to exit the noble estate to murder you. Your open association with the Fool clearly made them nervous and their hands rest on their sheath.

"Bah, you've been in her service for months. You know why. The young lady thinks she has it all under control. What need is there to inform you of the danger when her charms will save you? The pride and arrogance of youth aren't strangers to her. However, in this case, it is justified. I am honored to report, you won't die under the daggers of eager Ecuyers seeking to defend Arkadia and make a name for themselves," the Fool stopped playing with the deck of cards and tossed it aside.

"Good to know. I better get ready to go back to Tokyo. The faster I get out of here, the less chance some glory seeking punk will do me in to impress their boss." You glared hard at the silent group of would be assassins outside in the street.

>>6453510
"Oh dear, you don't understand. You've been granted your life, not your freedom. You've seen too much, and can never leave. As a servant of Lady Hathor of love and madness, you will reside in her estate and serve in Arkadia forever. Let me be the first to congratulate you on this most singular honor and make an offer. You did well during the Great Hunt. I could do with another hunter seeking out materials for me in the dark regions. Good pay, plenty of opportunities to learn, and first choice of my wonderful toys. Well, how about it?" the Fool asked smiling. The crowd in the courtyard take an intake of breath and openly cheer to celebrate. The Arkadians press to congratulate your salvation and make you welcome.

Amidst the tumult, you didn't know how to react. Abandonment in the Arkadian Kingdom was an appalling idea. Now it became clear why she always avoided the subject of going home and looked guilty. She was going to abandon you here in a strange land of darkness without family. You aren't worthless, you're useful and she has no right to throw you away. You had served her so well. You fought the Pretty Star Warriors, gathered mana, advise her, took care of her and more.

Fierce Loyalty - Who cares about that! If she's willing to fuck us over, then she'll definitely fuck over Godfather Sumi and the gang despite making a deal with us.

"Come now, are you willing to work for me? You can start right away," the Fool asks once more.

You make a decision.

You need to get to the palace and demand an answer from Lady Hathor. You immediately get up and start marching towards to the street. Behind the Fool squawks with surprise and he tries to stop you. He reacted too slowly, for you came out of the courtyard and fully on to the street. Several young Ecuyers await with their hands on the hilt of their dagger but none dared to make the first move. Each of them waited for their comrade to first draw blade.

Threatening Aura - I have nothing fear from cowards who didn't have the balls to come right at me. They stood around for days waiting for me to come out.

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>>6453511
"I am Senjou Azami, associate of the Sumi clan led by Godfather Sumi Masatoshi! I don't have time to deal with those who don't properly introduce themselves and confront me like someone with honor. Out of the way or pull out your dosu knives and fight! No matter what you do, I'm going to the Palace." You grimly announce and walked straight through the crowd of cowed Ecuyers who didn't know how to react. The target they had long waited to leave the protection of the noble estate simply didn't care about their presence and strode forth without even glancing back. At any point, one of them could have stabbed from behind but instead they tamely parted to let you through. They lost their chance and now simply looked ridiculous as they began to trail after you, unsure quite what to do. Behind these Ecuyers, curious Arkadians from the courtyard followed upon hearing your intent to go to the Palace. The procession was large but silent as they tramped on cobblestones.

>>6453377
I'll post the rest later.

>>6453505
This Arkadia lore makes me wonder if their entire realm is such shit with monster spawning darkness hell all over on a daily basis, and if other magic worlds like the ones the PSW come from or are tied to exist, then why don't the Arkadians locate a prospective one that doesn't have ultra advanced pure evil darkness inhabiting it and simply move their entire population over? Surely it'd beat having to stay here and suffer in collective shadow. Even then Earth is a huge place. Surely there's an uninhabited area somewhere that can easily support a whole kingdom of immigrated magic beings from a different world? Surely there have to be certain nobles or maverick men of magic and science eager to investigate easier options for the kingdom's survival, morality be damned.

>>6453508
>>6453509
This Fool guy seems reasonable. Also as a certain man once put it:
>Kids are cruel, Jack. And I'm very in touch with my inner child.

>>6453510
I love the bit of the courtyard civilians reacting to all this drama and plot going on in front of them. I wonder if the truth of Azami being a loyal captive held against her will will be made known eventually, and how the regular population of AK will feel about her in light of everything else. Based on what the AK is based on, I don't think the Queen or AK have lesbian marriage legal or viewed favorably here. Too bad for Lady Hathor and her plans for Azami

>>6453511
>>6453512
I love how the Fool is straight up trying to hire Azami on the spot knowing she's trapped there with the Arkadians forever. He's 100% right that Lady Hathor is in over her head.

>>6453632
> simply move
I would guess the Queen has a madness that prevents her from leaving her kingdom and is a fisher king deal where her status afflicts all citizens.
> regular population of AK will feel
I think they’re operating on dark age morality. They might honestly not bat an eye since it’s happening to a ‘barbarian’/slave.
>No marriage
Huh?

>>6453512
The audacity and recklessness of this march to the Palace didn't occur to you at the time. The heat of indignation and fear of abandonment screened any thought of stepping back and thinking things through. The Godfather and Godmother always tried to teach the value of discipline and keeping your cool to consider strategic options, but they also largely accepted that a teenager was going to do exceedingly stupid things.

You marched straight up to the main gates of the Palace where confused guards barred your path. The crowd of Arkadians who followed watched with anticipation for further entertainment. They were not disappointed.

"You there! Go find Lady Hathor and tell her to come out!" You order one of the guards.

"Wait, I know you! You're Lady Hathor's servant. The one from the rebellious provinces. How dare a mere servant presume to give orders!" One of the guards bellowed; he was bewildered at your nerve. The other guards laid their hands on the hilts of their swords and watched. Things didn't escalate, luckily.

"By the light and the missing stars! Forgive this ignorant and reckless fool in training. She just has a spot of Disquiet staining her Heart and she's manifesting mania," Eirene lies while grabbing the scruff of your neck with her callused, indigo blue stained hands. The powerful grip tightens just enough to show that if you tried anything, then you wouldn't like it. The older woman drags you away from the main gate of the Palace, scolding you with a salty tongue equal to any hostess club manageress handling a stupid working girl. The crowd of Arkadian onlookers dispersed or went back to their work since it appeared your antics were over.

"Her Majesty the Queen has granted you life and honor to remain in the Kingdom. What are you doing throwing that all away!?" Eirene bawls at you and grounds her knuckle on the crown of your head. "If you wanted to have a private word with your Lady, then I could have easily arranged it!"

True to her word, the dyer guides you to a humbler gate of the Palace where seemingly never-ending streams of lamplighters issued forth with fresh tanks of mana to refuel the lanterns with true light throughout the city. The place was bustling with so much activity that for a moment you doubted it was even a part of the Palace at all. The deathly serene and cold silence of the grand edifice from the front made you wonder if anyone alive actually lived or worked inside. You watched with fascination as the lamplighters called out for refuelling, cut new wicks, updated the status of lamps on the city map and polished their brass equipment. Eirene urges you to enter after speaking with a number of hardened-looking lamplighters who hurried away to places deeper inside.

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>>6453799

You did not have long to wait; there was a sudden rush of voices. Striding down the hallway amongst a crowd was Lady Hathor of love and madness. She smiles and laughs with the lamplighters, and you immediately went to greet your Lady. You can tell she was displeased despite the geniality she showed to everyone. You got the feeling the displeasure centred mainly on Eirene, who staunchly remained standing outside.

"Right, I'll leave you two be. Remember to use words, my Lady. You can't just leave your servant in complete ignorance." With those words, Eirene swiftly retreated and did not look back.

You learned Lady Hathor used to be a lamplighter, and that there was a tradition. If someone passed through the Lamplight Gate, then they had the right to demand a specific lamplighter they know to train them. Tradition was strong in Arkadia and your Lady felt the oppressive weight of it. For the first time in days, you could speak with your Lady in private and walked the streets of Arkadia with her.

You learned you possessed a single unique ability....

>Illumined: The umbra banished by true light! You know how to use the lamplighting equipment. You also have the unique ability of using your own raw mana to provide true light without lanterns since you aren't Arkadian...
>The Stones of Arkadia: Sometimes in the quiet, the Kingdom talks. More practically, it tells you of secret paths and hidden treasures if you come close to them. Don't listen too closely though, you might hear something you don't want to...
>Ghost Calling: Arkadians sometimes don't rest peacefully after death. They return as ghostly forebearers and linger in the Kingdom until they mysteriously depart. Not all ghosts are made equal, some are quite mindless. Ghosts listen to you for some reason...
>Fearsome: The creatures of umbra are savage and swift. You discover that your Threatening Aura can work against them if you use mana. It makes the creatures hesitate. That moment of indecisiveness gives you a chance to escape or attack or do some other action before they can react...
>Piercing the Veil: Darkness is everywhere and hides things from view. Usually... By concentrating and using your own mana, you can see in shadows and darkness and umbra. One reason why you knew precisely what Takeoka stole...

>>6453801
>The Stones of Arkadia

>>6453801
>Illumined: The umbra banished by true light! You know how to use the lamplighting equipment. You also have the unique ability of using your own raw mana to provide true light without lanterns since you aren't Arkadian...

to be a light in the dark

>>6453801
>>Illumined: The umbra banished by true light! You know how to use the lamplighting equipment. You also have the unique ability of using your own raw mana to provide true light without lanterns since you aren't Arkadian...

>>6453801

>Illumined: The umbra banished by true light! You know how to use the lamplighting equipment. You also have the unique ability of using your own raw mana to provide true light without lanterns since you aren't Arkadian
Then can't any human with mana do this?

>>6453632
I don't think Hathor wants/wanted to make an honest woman out of us, or would be allowed to do so even if we were a male barbarian. I think her intent was to keep us as her loyal bodyguard and/or sex slave indefinitely.

>>6453801
>Fearsome: The creatures of umbra are savage and swift. You discover that your Threatening Aura can work against them if you use mana. It makes the creatures hesitate. That moment of indecisiveness gives you a chance to escape or attack or do some other action before they can react...
Fits our vibe best IMO.

>>6453801
Changing vote from >>6453903 to
>Fearsome: The creatures of umbra are savage and swift. You discover that your Threatening Aura can work against them if you use mana. It makes the creatures hesitate. That moment of indecisiveness gives you a chance to escape or attack or do some other action before they can react...

>>6453935
>indefinitely
Completely untenable. But it fits how she is, making grandiose plans and gestures and coasting on by with a smile while everything crashes around her.

we have a tie between being scarier than the monsters and becoming a human night light

>>6453976
Truly the duality of a magical girl.

>>6453801
lurker tiebrek
>Fearsome

>>6453801
>Illumined: The umbra banished by true light! You know how to use the lamplighting equipment. You also have the unique ability of using your own raw mana to provide true light without lanterns since you aren't Arkadian...

Rolled 2 (1d2)

I guess I will have to roll
1 for illumined
2 for fearsome

>>6454342
The in-character choice WON

>>6454342
The extreme flanderized choice WON

all choices are good for the quest, the QM wouldnt put them there otherwise

>>6454310
>>6454674
(sorry, didnt mean to samefag, both of these are me, phone posting is a bitch)

I won twenty dollars betting against my cousin. The negotiations between Canada and US collapsed. I'm working as a minimum wage jobber while living with my parents so I'm probably not going to lose my job and become homeless.
I am writing and mostly done, but man I don't really feel like writing...

>>6455665
Feel better soon, QM.
Unless you're in an industry directly impacted, it's only a few tenths of a percent off Canadian GDP. I don't think this is going to be a catastrophe by any means.

>>6455665
At least you're not dead, right? Please don't leave us

>>6455665
I’m sorry to hear that, qm. I do hope things get better for you.

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"You choose to become a lamplighter?" You asked once more, just to make sure you heard Lady Hathor correctly.

"For the last time, yes. You sound like my father when I first told him I walked through the Lamplight Gate," the Noble answered with exasperation.

"You choose to become a lamplighter," you repeated in disbelief. Less of a question and more to convince yourself that the answer given was true. It seemed unbelievable because the job of a lamplighter was everything that the neat, fastidious and physically unfit Noble hated. It was smelly, dirty, and, most of all, physically demanding. You rapped the tank with a knuckle and heard something liquid slosh around inside. It was finally half-full, but still incredibly heavy. There was no way the other girl could walk around with even a quarter-full tank of mana on her shoulders.

"I didn't want to spend the rest of my life sewing. I became a lamplighter to walk the path of honour. Only those willing to sacrifice and endure danger can change their rank," Lady Hathor answered.

Your lady was in a rare mood to explain and teach. Not only did you learn the basic operations of the lamplighting and the equipment, but also a bit more about her mysterious past.

You had always been curious.

How could the daughter of a mere embroiderer become a Lady of the Arkadian Kingdom? You inquired into Lady Hathor's life before she was ennobled. Not with any deep or sinister intent, or even with any particularly good one either. Your intent was with the inexhaustible curiosity of a devotee, for whom every last detail of the beloved's life is precious and charged with meaning.

If you couldn't be equal to the Arkadian noble, then at least you could know more about her.

"If it's supposed to be the 'path of honor', then why the hell won't anyone help your fellow Arkadian? The ghost of that old man's wife is supposed to pass on tomorrow, right? It'd cost only a tank of mana to show some jingi and compassion to delay moving him out for one more day," you say while manipulating the long lighting pole. You pull the trigger so that the striking mechanism sparks a flame of true light at the end and then moved that flame towards the lamppost to refill. Fuel dripped into the lantern above while you pumped.

"The Queen agreed with the lamplighters that residents of this quarter need to leave to a safer area nearer to the Palace. They should be honoured and grateful for the compassion shown to them by her majesty. Also, the cost of this isn't just a tank of mana. Every round you do is dangerous. A lamplighter shouldn't do a task like this because it has little merit and comes at their own personal cost," Lady Hathor impatiently explained.

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>>6457233
She turned and looked behind her to see former residents of the quarter scrambling to take advantage of the extra time by moving out more belongings from their homes. They had months to devote themselves to the task, but moving an entire life away was difficult and time-consuming. When they had heard that a lamplighter was willing to illuminate the streets of their former city quarter for a bit longer, they scrambled to call upon friends and former neighbours to help remove more things.

The street was full of carts pulled by determined Arkadians with small personal lanterns. They spoke in hushed voices and never stopped to rest, for this was the final round of lamp lighting. After today, the Greater Darkness shall conquer yet another part of the Arkadia. They entered their homes and began their work.

Unnatural Toughness - Getting tired is a problem for other people.

"Good thing I earned a bunch of mana before and don't care for merit."

The lantern burned bright with true light. The sensation of danger lingering around the circle of illumination rushed away. The glaring eyes of the monsters lurking in the umbra snapped their jaws, hungering for the feast of flesh parading before them.

Then one of those monsters decided to strike despite the glaring true light warding it away. A thing with too many eyes, arms, and mouths slithered into view. Its skin sizzled like fat in a pan under the protective circle of light. You immediately put yourself between it and Lady Hathor as the thing prepared to strike.

"Fuck off," you growled. A strange feeling burns as the words escape your mouth. Within the depths of your Heart Crystal and soul, something invisible pours forth. It is as though you were spitting invisible fire at the monster.

Fearsome: The creatures of umbra are savage and swift. You discover that your Threatening Aura can work against them if you use mana. It makes the creatures hesitate. That moment of indecisiveness gives you a chance to escape or attack or do some other action before they can react...

You had never done that before.

The thing faltered and coiled like a snake in confusion. For the first time in its unnatural life it was afraid and didn't know how to react. It smoked under true light until it made a belated attempt to retreat into the umbra to reassess the situation. But it never made it back to safety. A flash of black crystal whipped past from behind and pinned the stunned monster to the ground. The creature whined pathetically and attempted to rip out the Black Thorn. It was all too late.

You pulled the trigger of the fuel pole and made the wick at the end flame brighter. The lamp lighting equipment doubled as a miniature flamethrower and doused the monster in burning mana. The ugly squeals and screams soon stopped, and it became a pile of ashes.

>>6457235
"I also don't care about danger either." You say to Lady Hathor. The Arkadian Noble dismissed her weapon, a Black Thorn crystal she held in her hand.

"If you don't care about danger, then there's a place I want to go. It's close by." She pointed down a darkened street where an abandoned quarter lay. You were surprised to realize that Lady Hathor made no comment on your new power. She must not have noticed because it was too subtle. You decided to keep it a secret, a nice ace in the hole when needed.

Fearsome - You'll never make me talk!

You had more than ample fuel for the side trip, and it was indeed a short one. The evidence of decay and entropy was evident. Gaping holes in the street, roofless buildings, and rusting lampposts were everywhere. Though living beings were a few streets away, it felt like you had entered a dead world far away.

"I remained in Arkadia by order of the Queen because it's the anniversary of my ascension. We're about to visit the place where it happened," Lady Hathor spoke lightly.

"Congratulations, my Lady. I'm surprised you aren't celebrating such a happy occasion," you said while lighting a rusty lantern hanging on a lamppost.

"Happy? Ah, that's right. I always forget you know nothing about Arkadia and its ways," the other girl said, taken aback by your comment.

"Now you know how I feel when you're in Tokyo. Remember when you asked if the turtle in the pond was a fearsome monster?"

You share a quick laugh at the memory with her. Her laugh was brief, though; she soon had a somber smile. You entered a stone square broken with dark gaping holes of pure blackness. The true light of your wick was unable to penetrate the bleak darkness. Looking at it made you ill, and unnervingly you could feel something moving beyond your sight. Some living thing was swimming out there in the blackness unseen, readying to strike.

And it did strike somewhere. A stone cracked loudly in the square and crumbled into a heap. Pitched directly into the maw of darkness and disappeared from existence. You saw nothing but felt it, heard it, and smelled it.

"Where are we? What is this place?" You ask while frantically pumping more mana to brighten the area. You lift the flaming fuel pole high in a vain attempt to cover more area with true light.

"This is where I ascended. My predecessor committed suicide here."

She had said it so casually. You stared at the Arkadian noble and saw the soft, delicate curl of an unsettling smile. The young noble reached into her robe and pulled out a paper flower. It was one of the origami flowers you had folded to adorn her bedroom.

"Predecessor?"

You couldn't think of anything intelligent to say.

"Lady Hathor of madness and love. She couldn't endure any longer and cast herself into the Greater Darkness."

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>>6457237
As though to demonstrate what had happened, she carelessly tossed the paper flower. It glided in the air towards the perfect blackness, chewing at the edge of Arkadia. The luminous whiteness of the paper reflected the true light of your wick until it winked out of existence. Quick as a flash, like it had never been. You immediately reached out to the Arkadian noble's scarred hand and held onto it tightly.

"What's this, sweetheart? Scared I'll do the same?" A soft chuckle and the unsettling smile disappeared from her face and morphed into an eerie calmness.

"What was your name before you became Lady Hathor?" You quickly asked to change the subject.

"Only you would be so daring to ask my old name. Do you want to hear something interesting, Azami? My old name had a meaning. The willingness and readiness to submit to whatever finished shape of fate is allotted to me. Whatever share of glory it dictates and what limits I must not pass until my appointed end. My name was Moira." Here the girl once named Moira laughed drily and then continued. "My dear predecessor wasn't mad, you know. The 'madness' in the title was a lie to her. She was perfectly sane. Too sane. She saw too plainly, and that denied her the shelter of insanity. It was her greatest failing. It's why she chose me to light the lamps to her death."

You led her away by hand from the crumbling square as quickly as possible. Away from the hypnotic oblivion wearing away at the stones of Arkadia, away from that place of death and loss. Back to where there was more light, back to where life was still sweet. The stones echoed with your footsteps, and you glared at any idiotic monsters who looked at you funny.

"Sweetheart, it's okay."

"It's not fucking okay. Let's go home. We have plans in Tokyo, and---" You began but didn't get to finish.

"I have plans in Tokyo. You have a new job as an honorable lamplighter. Congratulations, my dearest Azami."

You had a hard time believing what you heard and stopped. This Lady Hathor of love and madness was going to abandon one of her enthralled slaves? Nonsense, she once ordered the Sumi gang to hunt down an absconding associate who fled to Malaysia. The amount of money spent to force him back to Tokyo was absurd, and it was all because she couldn't stand the idea of even one mere underling escaping her power.

"Moira, do you realize that I will be free from your control once you leave?"

"Oh my, how bold. Using my old name so freely. Know your place. I am your mistress. Show me proper respect. You will remain in Arkadia and serve here," she smiled, and you panicked at the sight of her resolve. She was really going against her obsessive madness and leaving you here. The idea of never seeing the sun, or your godparents, or her filled you with dread.

>>6457238
The Fool had warned you that this was going to happen. You had been cudgeling your brain to formulate a desperate plan. You weren't sure how Lady Hathor would react, but you decided it was worth a gamble.

"My lady, I learned from the Arkadians that changing allegiances is possible. If you no longer require my service, I shall accept your decision and swear an oath to another august person," you began without skipping a beat. Your response surprised the other girl. It had gotten her full attention.

"What nonsense is this? You swearing to someone else?! Just who do you have in mind?" The annoyance in her voice was undisguised.

It was time to trigger the lurking madness within Lady Hathor

"Lady Gracia. You know my weakness to blondes. I heard she's looking for some Ecuyers. If I become her Ecuyer, then I can become a Chevalier and leave Arkadia. Since you no longer have need of me as a useful tool, I should go where I'm wanted. I am going to be free at last."

Triggering her madness did not go the way you thought it would. It was like touching a live wire and discovering that you were touching death itself.

There was a long pause of silence from the noble and then----

Obedience - I will not be defied. I will not be denied. I am your mistress. A single word commands thee.

"Kneel."

That single command dropping from Lady Hathor's lips was the first clue that her powers had increased somehow. This new power-up took you completely by surprise. You fell on your knees roughly, a shock of pain shivering through as you hit the cobblestone and palms smack the ground. The wounds from the sudden drop healed instantly, and pain disappeared. When you looked up, you saw the silvery glow of madness shining from her eyes and her delicate hand at her cheek.

"How dare you? Swear loyalty to Lady Gracia? That old bitch who keeps on weeping and moaning about the terrible conditions of Arkadia but doesn't consider how to improve the Kingdom's conditions?"

There was more to the rant, but it seemed your Lady prioritized punishment.

"Crawl."

You resist the order and---

Fierce Loyalty - Oh shit.

Then succumb. Stunned by the command and the sudden obedience, you crawl like a loyal dog. Lady Hathor began physically quivering with joy at the submission she so long craved and now realized. You reached the feet of the girl once known as Moira and stopped just before her.

"Oh, I see what you're doing. Clever girl. You're right. Of course, I couldn't abandon one of my precious tools. You're too useful! Too amusing! I want you as my devoted, thorny defender. That matsuri festival plan was a brilliant one."

>>6457239
A mad giggle of ecstasy echoed through the darkness and empty streets. A delicate foot pressed down on your back and forced your body to the ground. You could feel the muscles of her foot flexing and shifting through the sandal as it pressed and twisted. Like she was stubbing out a cigarette on the ground, the pressure was almost comforting, and your skin tingled from the friction. Then suddenly the point of her big toe dug sharply and viciously between your shoulder blades. The pain was brief, and soon the feeling disappeared as the foot lifted off your back. You moaned from the abrupt change in sensation and longed for its return. It was the worst moment to learn interesting aspects about yourself.

"See how good it feels to just obey and give in? My sweet pathetic flower, why not just let me Dominate every thought of yours and let me command? You want to be a good girl and earn praise for being so clever and smart. You are such a glutton for approval."

You hate how right she was. Praise, to feel important, and to earn the approval from your superiors were things you desperately desired. That she knew was more than a little terrifying. Did she deliberately use that knowledge to manipulate you?

"Stand."

She was just giving one-word orders for the sheer joy of it. You stood up immediately. The wounds on your knees were gone, but the blood still stained the cloth of your pant legs.

"Beg."

Fierce Loyalty - Wait a second. Ah, there we are. So if she uses it too many times in too short of a time, it has no effect. Good to know. Usually, I'd suggest slapping her for humiliating us like that but we need her crazy desire to keep us under her thumb.

You remained silent and looked steadily at the Arkadian noble. Her transformation from joy to confusion to anger was unforgetable.

"Beg," Lady Hathor softly ordered, sounding like a child denied a toy. She gripped the collar of your shirt and pulled it with a vicious twist. She intended to draw you closer, but you stood firm, and the cloth tore instead.

"Moira, you overplayed your hand." You used her discarded name and that seemed enough to bring Lady Hathor to her senses. She reluctantly let go of your shirt and rubbed her forehead, the silver in her eyes fading away to red. The Arkadian took deep, calming breathes and looked straight at you.

"You win, Azami. You probably already learned about it from Eirene that there's a way to leave Arkadia with me. Become a Chevalier. I will declare you my Ecuyer and allow you a chance to become a Chevalier through a trial. Try not to die, sweetheart, because I can't be the one overseeing your test."

"So who will oversee it?"

"Lord Tieno."

You blink. A noble who sent Ecuyers to wait for an opportunity to assassinate you. A noble who sent one of his Chevaliers to kill you during the Great Hunt. A noble who argued for your immediate execution when you first visited Arkadia.

>>6457240
"You say 'try not to die' but choose the guy who tried to kill me several times before. Choose someone else. Like Martel. Or even better, Gracia. She doesn't seem hellbent on killing me. Is it because I joked about serving under her? Really, I only said that to piss you off."

"Don't be ridiculous; you did not anger me. It has to be Lord Tieno because he is the only one planning to test Ecuyers for possible promotion this year. You're in luck. The test begins tomorrow. If you want to leave Arkadia, then we need to return to the Palace so I can sponsor you. If we don't, you'll be left here until the next time they want to promote more Chevaliers and I happen to be back at the same time to sponsor you. Come along, Ecuyer Azami, your trial awaits."

The test was a thing of nightmares. Lady Hathor did not foresee the severity of Lord Tieno's test...

>You had to kill one of the Ecuyers to become a Chevalier...
>You had to kill a number of Corrupted human to become a Chevalier...
>You had to kill a Denizen of the Court of Stars to become a Chevalier...
>You had to kill a fallen Chevalier to become a Chevalier...
>You had to kill several Ecuyers to become a Chevalier...
>You had to kill a human to become a Chevalier...

>>6457241
>You had to kill a Denizen of the Court of Stars to become a Chevalier...
I can't resist such drama given the PSW.

>>6457241
>You had to kill a fallen Chevalier to become a Chevalier...
One for one. A seat for a seat. A knight for a knight.

>>6457239
>You know my weakness to blondes.
Real or fake? There are no blondes in Japan outside of hair dye delinquents, and there's no sympathetic Arkadian noble with blonde hair here. So much for a straight romance option for Azami, unlike Haruka back then. Guess all that awaits her the yuri tragedy of
>forced to fight Moira 1v1 duel to the death
>win and impale her through the heart
>kiss her (with or without tongue) as she's bleeding out on the blade
>exchange mutually not-entirely-genuine "I love you"s
>watch the life leave her eyes forever
>break down into tears
>warp into a grief-fuelled final boss monster requiring all the PSW and the therapy group to work together to return to normal

>>6457256
>hair dye delinquents
Is that still a strong Japanese perspective nowadays?

>>6457241
>You had to kill a fallen Chevalier to become a Chevalier...
How does one even fall?

>>6457241
>You had to kill a fallen Chevalier to become a Chevalier...

>>6457263
Japanese delinquents do dye their hair and tattoo themselves.
However, it's hard to know since Japan is in a period of flux and I'm not connected to their culture as much as I used to be. I'm definitely a decade behind their times and also Japan is becoming more like south east asia (ie thailand) because they're falling behind economically. I seriously offended by Japanese relatives with a casual observation of how poor Japan is. Pride is a huge thing and they haven't been coping well with the rest of Asia's rise.

The decades of stagnation and this current energy/oil crisis amongst other things seem to be really transforming the place.

Anyways, time to kill a Chevalier.

>>6457565
Can't believe Japan is turning into SEA.... no wonder japs like gacha so much