#I'm again rambling about Clavis

[dicenete]

Okay okay, how in the world Belle, in this chaotic gremlin's route, can still deny how charming this guy is. My MC would totally admit their admiration of Clavis quite quickly. Also I don't know if I can play Chev's route anymore after this, he was on a thin ice from the start, since I'm not too fond of his character type. And I'm feel like Clavis's route will be my favorite from all of them. My MC would follow this man to ends of the earth. If you insulted him, they would be ready to start a war. Heck, Cyran is a mood. I liked Nokto's route, but I would have hoped more interactions with Licht and see the relationship between the twins. Then I got that in Licht's route and I was happy. It was nice to see them develop and process their trauma together a bit. But Clavis's route just has very interesting moral thesis going on and it comes across so nicely in his character and ideals. He really feels like a very active character who exists outside of Belle.

Also I created a new sketch brush and I'm quite pleased with it ^^

[yukina-otome]

Chevalier Romantic route rantings

Warning: This post contains spoilers about Chevalier Michel's route. More specifically his Romantic ending.

Sooooo, it is extremly rare for me to criticise Cheva's content. After all, as his absolute stan, i love everything this man does.

BUT i admit that I am not a fan of his romantic ending.

The reason is simple. But first of all a little summary of the events, for does who do not remember or for does who have not played the route but dont mind spoilers.

MC is with everyone at the battlefield. The campement where she is, is attacked and this is when the two ending branches.

In this I will only discuss the romantic one.

So, in the romantic ending, MC gets stabbed by a poisoned knife by the anti war faction and obsidian. They use her as a hostage and says 'if you want the antidote you gotta hand her off'. But Genius Cheva figures out the poison and have the antidote made badabim badaboum.

(Honestly I would have prefered it here if Clavis was the one who found the antidote, and Cheva being impressed by his brother's abilities, after all Clavis was the one who has been studying poisons. But this is not what this post is about so let's no dwell on that)

So MC is cured, Cheva goes to beat the anti war faction with his FIST, because MC says no Stabby stabby. And he somehow makes Obsidian sign a peace treaty and VOILA, war is over.

(Yes, the political plot of this game is extremely stupid, DO NOT start me on that, or this post will never end)

Soooo, MC and Cheva goes back to the castle, where MC is healing. Chevalier stays by her side most of the time as they spend quality time together. And before they know it, there only very few days left before MC has to choose a king, leave the castle and never see cheva again.

So MC asks Chevalier for one last favor, she wants him to dance with her. He accepts and they head to the ballroom where they have a very impactfull moment where MC tells him she is gonna choose HIM as a king and she tells him her reasons which leaves him speechless and i would say touched.

After that there dance ends, and MC start acting like Booboo the clown as she starts rambling, she tells cheva they should have a meal together sometimes before she leaves and turn away from him to hide her tears.

As of now, everything is fine. I have no objections to this developpement. But this is where it ticks me off.

Cheva hug MC from behind and literally ask her TO SLEEP WITH HIM!

Yes yes, he says dinner but he says he is famished and his hand touch mc's body subjectivly.

MC might be as dense as the mariana trench but she's not stupid and she agrees to the hanky panky.

And BIM BADABOUM they smash, in the trill of the action, mc asks him if he will remember her and he says NO which is obviously a lie. And that's literally it. They separate for a year and you guys know the rest.

Now you might ask, what do you not like about this, Yuki?

And i would say many things:

First, HOW DARE HE ASKS HER FOR HER FIRST TIME JUST LIKE THAT, MY CHEVA WOULD NEVER WTF. Remember everyone, this is not 21st century, it's literally around 1500 and around then a woman virginity was EVERYTHING to her. I was like well maybe the ikepri author created the ikepri universe differently and its not a big deal but silvio's romantic ending proved otherwise. I'm not gonna go into the details, i'll just say a woman first time is IMPORTANT. And Cheva most likely knew that. He would never ask her for it in such a way. Specially knowing he could not be her lover. It was one night only between them.

Also it is very irrational and the way cheva asked for it seemed calculated which i hate. I mean, there are no contraception during that era. Surely both knew what could happen after that night.

Then there is how that first time was written. It was only a few sentences and during the whole act MC was crying and all while Cheva was all smug saying 'You like that, don't you?'. I would have liked it if he showed some vulnerability in that moment. And don't tell me 'This is cheva we are talking about, he is not capable of doing that', he actually did in the dramatic ending.

This was supposed to be such an angsty dramatic scene, if only they gave it more attention it would have gave his route more dept and made the ending all the more satisfying.

THIS is how I think things should have happened:

-After the dance, MC still acts the same and says they should have a meal together.

-Chevalier agrees and says then let's have dinner together.

-MC accepts and they have dinner in his room. MC is nervous since this is her first time alone with him in her room since he knows of her feelings and it makes her hyperaware of him. Specially that whenever she look up at him she sees he is already staring at her. Like he wants to commit her to his memory.

-Cheva sees that and starts talking about a new book to calm her down.It works and soon enough they are sitting together on his bed and reading the book together in silence.

-Chevalier's reading speed is higher than hers and whenever he is done he just stares at her as he waits for her to finish the page.

-MC finish a page and look up toward Chevalier to see if he's done with it, but when she does he is already looking at her and there eyes meet.

-They stare at each others soul for a very long time in silence before they kiss, none of them knowing who made the first move.

-The kiss soon turn into a full makeout session on Chevalier's bed and the book fall to the floor in a tud.

-This bring Chevalier to his senses, it is not like him to act so irrationnaly.

-He pulls away from MC, but she pulls him back and that was all he needed for his logical facade to snap.

-They make love and as MC cry her heart out she sees that Cheva's usual ice cold expression is nowhere to be seen.

-His walls are completely gone and at that moment she has the REAL Chevalier in front of her.

She says she loves him but he does not answer her back. He knows that if he says it, it's gonna make even more difficult for her, so he just hugs her to him instead.

And that's how it ends.

What do you guys think? I'm really interested in you guys's opinion on this topic.

[thenovelartist]

Ikemen Prince boys as fathers - Jin, Luke, and Clavis

I've done the twins already, and that post surprisingly took off. I know the other boys would be different, AKA less heartbreaking, but I still got inspired to do them.

And this is only Jin, Luke, and Clavis as I've played them recently. I'll get to the last three boys once I play Yves' and Leon's routes.

Jin

When he learns Emma is pregnant, he's surprised but earnestly happy.

Of all the boys, he's the most prepared to be a father. He's already Second Dad to all his brothers, anyway. (The first being Sariel; I will not hear otherwise.)

That eagle eye is 100% on Emma throughout her pregnancy. He'll have anything from tea and sweets brought up for her to a doctor called before she even asks for them.

And he'll always make sure there's a bucket for her morning sickness as well as a chair designated for her in every room she frequents.

Jin about had a heart attack when Emma was surprised by the first kicks of their baby.

The way she clutched at her stomach, her eyes wide with surprise had his heart racing in fear for a good moment before she insisted the baby was just moving.

"You're gonna make me go gray early, aren't you little one?" he teased, resting his hands on her stomach even though the baby wasn't moving by then.

"I'm shocked your brothers haven't made you go gray now," she teased back.

Of course, he's got the normal worries about becoming a father lingering around in the back of his mind.

However, there is one fear that overshadows them all. Sadly, he's too good at hiding it behind either a smile or long winded rambles of how excited he is to be a father.

But his pupil is too good at catching things like his true inner feelings.

"Hey, you're gonna be a great dad. Just like you're a great king. And no matter how fat I get, I'll still be able to shoulder your burdens. It's the least I can do as your wife."

He chuckles, because the love and concern she constantly pours out for him reminds him just how indulgent a luxury true love is and how sad he is for his parents to have been torn apart.

"You're not fat," he'll always point out. "You've just got a little extra sand in your hourglass."

"A lot of extra sand," she'll correct with a smile, resting her hands on her bloated stomach.

Jin sometimes wonders if his mother looked like that: excited for him, a child made and born out of love, to come into the world.

The thought always makes him want to reach for Emma, as his father likely would have wanted to do with his mother before they'd been torn apart.

"But Jin," she'll always finish as he took her into his arms to hold, "I want you to know I'm not going anywhere. No one is going to make me. And I'll be right by your side as we watch this little one grow up, together."

She always got to the heart of it. Because, yes, he was worried about how people would perceive their king knowing he'd fallen for Belle like his father. The nasty rumors were already circulating, no matter how he tried to quench them.

But he was more worried that, like his father before him, there would be a group of people ready with a plan to chase his commoner bride away from him at the drop of a hat.

Sariel, faithful minister he was, was always there to assure Jin that he'd do everything in his power to make sure a tragedy like what happened to Jin's parents never happened again.

Jin was already prepared to go to battle, metaphorically, to protect what was his. But Sariel's support and moments like this only served to strengthen his resolve.

When Emma goes into labor, Jin is in silent worry the whole time.

Everyone knows it, too. Because Jin stays close by the room, getting mounds of paperwork done at a rate unheard of.

Yves bakes his favorite chocolate spice cake, Leon is there for moral support, Sariel continues bringing him paperwork while assuring Jin that the more he gets done now, the more free time he'll be able to spend with his newborn.

The moment Jin is informed he's allowed into the room, he promptly abandons everything to Leon.

(Leon doesn't mind. He just watches his older brother with a soft grin as he cleans up the paperwork to take back to the office.)

With quick but sure steps, Jin hurries inside the room, where he's greeted by his tired wife and newborn daughter.

The first thing that comes out of Jin's mouth was praise for Emma, how amazing is and how thankful he is to have her in his life.

Which turns into spoiling his little girl with words of how happy he is to have her in his world now.

"You'll grow up here with me and your mama," he whispers to her. "I promise."

Growing up

Jin ultimately has his one eldest daughter... and the rest are boys. (I'm thinking 3).

His poor daughter, she is the watchful eye over all of them and the cleaner of all messes. She has the patience of a Saint.

She's a lot like her father, actually. Minus the rebel streak of sleeping around or not believing in true love. She has her mom to thank for those things.

She's the reason Jin teaches all his boys to not be like him and have a bit (read: a LOT) more respect for women than he had.

Sariel is her favorite honorary uncle, actually. It used to be a tie between Yves and Leon, but as she grows up and matures, she connects with Sariel.

She studies under him as a teacher, but she also likes learning about his work.

"She's much more productive than you were, Jin," Sariel will occasionally tease over a drink.

Jin just smiles proudly. That's his little girl.

And she'll always stay his little girl, even when she's of marriageable age.

No man is going to be good enough for her.

"You can do better than that." "Trust me, dad, I know."

While still strong and kicking in his old age, he and his daughter come to an agreement about the next Belle process.

Due to the rules, it's unclear if she as a woman has right to the throne.

So he appoints her into Sariel's position, and she will have the task of choosing the next Belle.

Secondly, it is her job to ensure that Belle does not fall love with a prince a third time around. Though people may be more receptive to it than they once were, it will still be met with hardships and questions about fairness in the system.

But if it does happen despite all her best efforts, she is to fight tooth and nail to make sure that transition happens smoothly.

And he fully believes she will make that happen.

As for his sons, he loves all them even though sometimes... they take after him a little more than he'd like them too.

Yes, they make him go gray early...

But he's still a stud. ;)

Luke

Luke's world revolves around Emma and Emma alone.

So when that world changes and Emma announces she's pregnant, he's got some mental reconfiguration to do.

Because there's not just him and his wife anymore. There's another little life that Emma is bringing into the world. He's going to be a dad, and he's going to have another person to protect.

Once that clicks, protective bear mode activated. He stays within a certain radius of Emma at all times.

Not even honey works to lure him away. Those green eyes of his just turn dark as he stares them down with a ferocity that makes said unsuspecting person duck away with their tail between their legs.

It takes a combination effort of Emma and Jin to get him to do other duties out of the castle away from Emma.

And that's only because Jin and Luke have a gentleman's agreement that Jin personally watches over Emma while Luke is away.

For his adorable little brother, Jin agrees. He also is sure to add that he will protect Emma with his life as well as swear to give his life to Luke if anything were to happen to Emma.

Their relationship is still a little strained, but for the most part, they've gotten to the point they're on good terms.

And if Luke was being honest, Jin is the one person in the castle he trusts Emma with the most. He's not sure how to reconcile that in his mind, so he kinda just ignores it best he can.

On the other hand, Clavis is not allowed near Emma. There was a very... interesting meeting between a bear and leopard in the darkest hours of the night towards the beginning of Emma's pregnancy.

And Clavis has since decided to... well, not poke the bear.

He's much more adept to dealing with a brutal yet predictable tiger than a bear on the edge of it's sanity. And he'd like not to die today.

As Emma gets further along in her pregnancy, Luke uses her as an excuse to get out of work. Because she needs a break but she won't take one, so he's gotta make her do it. And it's valid because he's got to protect her and the baby, right?

Emma quickly becomes aware of this tactic and hence has had to either make a show of taking breaks frequently so Luke does not have an excuse to stop working or get creative and do work behind his back. She's enlisted many princes and Sariel to assist her in this.

It's a task and a half to get Luke to keep working, nowadays. But the one time she does let him take a break is when the baby is kicking. He gets a couple minutes to feel it move around before she forces him to go back to work when the baby settles.

At night, he always has an arm draped over her belly. He will protect this little life and his wonderful wife.

There is no getting work done when Emma's in labor. Luke is right there outside the door, waiting for the news.

And when he is allowed in the room, everyone knows to step out of the way of the towering bear making his way over to his newborn cub.

Emma hands him his baby girl, one with the beginnings of red hair like him.

He can't help but stare at her with reverence, a new love surging through his heart as he cradles her close as if he could protect her from the world.

"So, I was thinking," Emma starts, saying this only after she gave much consideration to this throughout the course of her pregnancy. "Is Leyla going to be her first or middle name?"

Luke is shocked to say the least, as Emma had never let on what she'd been thinking.

But as Luke looks down at his daughter, the name rolling quietly off his lips, tears start to from in his eyes.

"Either way," Emma continues, soft smile on her lips. "You're required to live the best you can for her, you hear me?"

It takes a moment for Luke's mouth to catch up to his mind, but when it does, he's crying when he responds. "Understood."

Growing Up

Leyla is spoiled with more teddy bears than one could fathom.

And she's always carrying one around with her. Furthermore, she gets bigger ones the more she grows so they're always very huggable.

Her dad is wrapped impossibly tight around her finger.

But it's not just Leyla; it's all Luke's kids.

Leyla was followed by a boy and then another girl.

Can you spell spoiled, because these kids are doted on by their dad.

It's up to Emma to make sure they don't become brats about it and actually do their work.

When he's not spoiling them, Luke is extremely protective. Heaven have mercy on anyone who messes with them because Luke won't.

Their honey sweet tooth runs deep. They start a bee farm in the back gardens. The special castle honey is basically a delicacy when foreign princes come to visit.

Yves and Emma both are constantly thinking of new honey recipes.

As the kids get older, Luke tells them about their aunt and how he wished he could have introduced them to her, how much she would have loved them, and why he's so sad during Bloodstained Rose Day.

But the exact circumstances around Jin's part in that are never told. All that's known is she passed in the action that day.

It's not until Leyla is much older does she question why Jin comes with them to Auntie's grave every year.

And while Jin's hard to crack, Leyla is persistent and doesn't give up. She's a red-headed Belle, through and through.

Eventually, she wears him down, and they go together to the grave for Jin to confess the whole story.

He tells her he's not seeking forgiveness for what he's done. He knows the gravity of what he did.

Leyla doesn't look at him for a while as she processes everything. She lays roses on the grave, roses she grew herself from the gardens she loved so much.

"Why."

"Huh?"

"You said that you did. But you've never said why."

"I took a life. Is the reason going to make that better?"

"I just want to know, because I just can't believe that my uncle is simply heartless."

The only reason Jin gives an answer is because this is his precious niece whom he can't say no to. "I thought there was no way to save her, and I didn't want her to suffer."

Leyla simply nods. Just as Jin thinks she's going to run from him, she hugs him instead.

"I forgive you," she whispers. "I can't force my dad to do anything, but I hope he'll forgive you, too."

Jin's heart breaks in ways he didn't know was possible. It takes him a second to regain his composure, but he'll eventually wrap this girl in a bear hug. Not that he can give bear hugs like her dad, but he tries best he can.

"Right, dad?" she calls out, very loudly.

Jin chuckles. So he's not the only one who knew Luke was around.

As Luke comes out of hiding from behind a tree, Leyla lets go of her uncle to give her father a hug.

"Don't kill uncle, okay, dad? He's trying."

Luke props his chin right on top his daughter's head as he stares Jin down. A weak "okay" is all he can muster.

When they get back to the castle, Leyla disappears off towards Sariel's office for her lessons, leaving the two men alone in the foyer.

"Her love is wasted on both of us," Jin says, deciding not to beat around the bush and just cut straight to the heart this time.

As much as Luke wants to deny it, he can't. "Yeah. I know."

His world may only include his wife and children, but there is a part of him that thinks it's for the best his children aren't like that.

And that's because of the small, heartbroken part of him that believes his sister would truly be proud of the people her nieces and nephew had become.

Clavis

When Emma learns she's pregnant, she does not tell her lovely gentleman of a husband, the King of Lelouch (provincial) immediately,

No. Instead, she ropes a poor, unsuspecting Cyran into her chaos.

He is nervous, not because he does not like the idea of pulling the wool over Clavis' eyes for once, but because he was the first to learn the Queen of Lelouch (provincial) was pregnant.

This would not bode well for Cyran later, he knew full well.

Emma swears to cover for him.

Anyway, they somehow pull this prank off without Clavis learning about it, and neither Emma nor Cyran knew how they did it.

After all, they took all the furniture out of the master bedroom and turned it temporarily into a nursery.

So, when Clavis comes in at the end of the day, a little before Emma so he can set up a bit of a prank for her, he stops and takes in everything.

At first, he's amused. The furniture was completely gone, and he had not a clue.

Good gracious, he was definitely overworking himself if he missed this.

He's clued in immediately that Emma had help doing this, and it was likely Cyran, considering all the heavy lifting and the small list of people who would dare to pull a prank on Clavis himself.

But then he kinda got offended because... were they calling him a baby? Yes, he was whining about work lately, and Cyran was joking that he was exhausted from hearing a baby's wailing, but...

Emma appeared right as her husband was about to have a mental breakdown. And she only knew something was off because that smile said "I'm hiding behind a mask".

"Sweetheart?"

"I've been betrayed!" Clavis cried dramatically, that mask of a smile still not leaving his face. "You went to Cyran, didn't you? My wife is sneaking around with another man. I'm hurt."

He made a show of pantomiming being stabbed through the heart.

"Clavis," Emma deadpanned, cutting past his dramatics and simply resting her hands over her abdomen as she glared at him.

"If you're so lonely that you're seeking out the arms of another man—of my closest companion, even!—then I..."

He trails off, realizing by Emma's glare that she's done with his theatrics, but his mind slowly starts working.

Hand over her lower abdomen, the bedroom turned nursery, the image of "Welcome, Baby Lelouch," on the wall.

His smile disappears, and now he's looking at Emma in wonder. "Are you..."

As much as she wants to, she can's stay mad at him when he looks at her like that. "Well," she says with a smile. "There's only one man I spend that kind of time with."

The smile he's wearing as he scoops her up into the air is a genuinely happy one. No mask in sight as he holds the love of his life tightly while spinning her in circles.

Clavis is in such a good mood that he even forgives Cyran for being the first to learn. "But it better never happen again." And despite his smile, that was a valid threat.

It's not announced to the province, yet. First, he'd like to announce it to his brothers.

That, and rub in King Chevalier's face that his dashing gentleman of a younger brother got married AND produced an heir before he did.

Emma knew that she had to follow closely along... as damage control.

As the news is announced, there is a round of congratulations, but mostly, there is a cloud of terror hanging over the castle.

A little Clavis... lord have mercy on them all.

"May you be blessed with a daughter," Sariel commented, watching as Clavis pranced off to find Chevalier.

"No, no, no," Emma warned. "Have you ever heard the wives tale that first-born daughters are a copy of their fathers?"

Sariel blinked a couple times, and Emma simply nodded.

"May you be blessed with a son just like you."

"Thank you."

Chevalier does not give Clavis the attention he desires. Most he gets is a split second of maybe surprise, but that is all.

When Emma finally makes an appearance, Chevalier does turn to her.

"My condolences for having to bear his child."

Which, with that smile, was as close of a congratulations as they were going to get.

When they return home, it is announced that a royal heir is on the way. Which the town is happy for... but also terrified. The King and Queen of Lelouch (provincial) are still swarmed with genuine well wishes whenever they go out, though.

It takes Emma some time to realize that Clavis' pranks, traps, and chaotic shenanigans have disappeared since she'd told him the news.

He'd actually cleaned up his act for her sake, and for that, she makes a point to reward him with attention and love.

To the point there are times he reconsiders this whole "pranks on Emma" thing.

In reality, he simply doesn't have time for pranks and traps when he's busy researching nutrition for pregnant woman as well as any baby information he can get his hands on. There's so much to learn in so little time.

He will not fail as a father, that is for certain.

He's constantly cooking Emma food with medicinal herbs to help her along through the various stages of pregnancy.

He's honestly in awe watching Emma grow and progress. He does make fun of her a little when she waddles or struggles to do things with her belly, but for the most part, he's a doting gentleman husband.

He does a lot for her, but she's the one who's always having to drag him to bed at a decent time. Otherwise, he's going to stay up late working on a self-rocking crib or delving into more research.

When Emma goes into labor, it's one of the rare times that Clavis' smile disappears. It is not a frequent occurrence, as he can smile through anything. But the longer time wears on, the less he's able to keep that fake smile in place.

However, upon hearing the news that a healthy son was delivered and Emma was fine, a real smile crossed Clavis' face that wasn't going to disappear any time soon.

He practically skips into the room, excited to see his son.

But once he's there, he softens because of the love that overwhelms him upon seeing the tiny baby in his wife's arms.

And when it's his turn to hold his son, he actually grows worried.

No longer does he have to beat his brother to prove his own worth, but now, he has to be better than Chevalier for his son's sake. He would not disappoint his child, that's for sure.

But that's... a lot of pressure to put on a broken man.

Luckily, he is married to an incredible woman who somehow knew how to make him feel like the best and only in the world when he felt inferior to everyone.

And that woman was telling him now, "you'll be the best father ever."

Growing Up

The First Prince of Lelouch (provincial) was very much like his father: incredibly hard-working, persistent, and, most proudly, a gentleman.

However, a reign of terror, he was not.

The provincial kingdom rejoiced.

The First Princess of Lelouch (provincial) however...

Oh, she would charm you, prank you, then make you feel guilty for hating her all in the span of half an hour.

Clavis is very proud. Of both his children, of course.

He spends a lot of time with them, so they pick up his habits. Like that of always smiling, of pulling pranks, and of the value of hard work.

Clavis' son wants to help people and be the best second king of Lelouch (provincial) he can be. Because they are a tiny province between Rhodolite, ruled by the scariest uncle around, and Obsidian, a kingdom with a... reputation.

But because of that, he's constantly pushing himself to be better and better for the people he's come to love that inhabit the kingdom. They will not suffer if he's got anything to say about it.

He will be the second gentleman-liest gentleman (second only to his father) there ever was.

It brings a tear to Clavis' eye whenever he sees such a marvelous spectacle.

Clavis' daughter, despite her chaotic streak, becomes the inventor of the century.

It actually becomes a security issue as Obsidian has their eye on her. Not that Clavis or Clavis's son would let anyone lay a finger on her.

She has accidentally blown up parts of the castle more than once. And Clavis is always so proud, though he can't understand the high staff turnover rate after every incident.

Because of those... unforeseen incidents, she is only allowed in Rhololite castle under specific conditions.

Emma is sure that between her kids and her husband, she will go gray early. Clavis assures her he is working on a potion to keep her hair that color forever.

Chevalier is the preferred uncle.

You see, Clavis' daughter is a bookworm at heart, thanks to her mother. So she stays on Chevalier's good side to gain access to his impressive library. And she's allowed to stay if she's quiet and un-destructive.

Clavis' son takes after his father in one other specific way: he's determined to be the best. So he's constantly challenging uncle Chevalier, partly because that's what he's seen his father do, too.

"Fool, you think you can beat me?"

"No, but I'll never get better if I don't test myself against the best!"

At that, Chevalier's stunned, but he'll entertain the boy for no other reason than amusement now.

"Of all the uncles they have, and they chose you as the favorite," Clavis has bitterly commented more than once.

"If you were any smarter, you'd realize why."

"Go to hell."

[rinaririr]

Oh, oh, oh! Okay!! *may the rambling begin* (Please, ignore it if you so please, I just saw an opportunity and ran with it -- no hard feelings if you save yourself from my rambling, haha.)

Hmm... It's not much flower symbolism, but I personally associate Masamune with cornflowers ^^" Partially because they match his colour scheme, but also because they're... a bit rough yet still beautiful? They're wild, growing in the wheat fields, unbothered by wind and sun alike... And so, they add so much colour to what otherwise would be bleak, while also having a hidden side -- below that blue, there lies a possibility of them turning pink. (Quite fitting, considering Masamune's hidden softer side?; They're lovely pH markers.)

Ieyasu... He reminds me of marsh marigolds. The yellow matches, but again, that's not quite it -- I've went to pick them quite often when I was little, and it often was quite a trip. That "marsh" bit isn't an exaggeration, they were always surrounded by puddles upon puddles, if not a river itself... So it wasn't exactly easy to get anywhere near them.

I have some for Chev... White lilac and lilly of the valley... Maybe blooming elderberry too... But those all are mostly there because of my OC.

When I think of Clavis, it's... foxgloves. I mean, they're kind of bizarre, aren't they? They're persistent. They will plant themselves wherever... And they can be both an enemy and a friend -- a medicine or poison, depending on the dosage.

Ay, I better stop now ^^" It's really showing that I'm mostly familiar with wild flowers, eh. Oh well ^^"

I hope you're having a lovely day!

Loreiii!! I don’t mind the rambling~ i love reading your inputs, and this has been a goldmine of ideas! I hope you also don’t mind the rambling that’s going to follow haha

Masamune with cornflower is *chef’s kiss* I personally also associate cornflower with him, altho mine is purely for aesthetics reasons 😂 The blue of the cornflower just matches his blues so well o(—( I didn’t know that they can be use as pH markers! Learnt smt new today~

The symbolism of the marsh marigold for Ieyasu sounds perfect i think… The hassle to get through the water to get to the flowers is kinda like how we gotta see through his prickly side to get to his softer sides haha

With Chev, we kinda geeked out about lilly of the valley before. I also strongly associate him with easter lilies (partly because of their colour). They’re so pretty and elegant (like Chev 😂) and they make their presence known in the room before you see them because of their strong fragrance.

Clavis with foxgloves is GENIUS!! I can’t believe i missed this. They’re sooo pretty, and i always love seeing them on my hikes! The associations you’ve drawn there is *chef’s kiss*

Sorry about the long reply, i hope you have a good day too~!

[solomons-poison]

Everyone's caught up in the Gilbert simping, but I'm still over here in the clutches of Chev once more, especially as I read his romantic route ch 23 again... (spoilers/summary and rambling)

The worry that he'll revert to a beast once Belle leaves the palace, and then trying to impress his beast-like tendencies to reduce her emotional hurt/regret over her love by saying he will forget her while simultaneously doing things to make sure she remembers him, sharing such a bittersweet first time together that betrays just how much Chev cares for her. Dancing with her in an empty ballroom without even any music simply because she asked. Belle wanting to leave before she cries but he stops her from leaving by holding her. Chev thinking he's doing her a favor by letting her leave so she can move on and find someone else.

And then Clavis, who has clearly sworn Chev to be his enemy, still helping his brother out by trying to reconnect them over a YEAR??? Knowing that she doesn't want to hear about Chev but continuing anyway, even telling her about the engagement party, just trying to get her to make some sort of move. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh I have so many feelings about his route

[scorchieart]

You're totally right, sometimes I wonder if our Emma was even the right choice for Belle because honestly she seems so exceptionally clueless for someone who's lived in the flippin' capital her entire life. Some things I can let slip, like how she's never seen the previous king or how she doesn't know much about Bloodstained Rose Day or about their relationship with the other nations. But like, girl, how you not know Yves's ancestry, or the stigma against the twins, or Clavis's shenanigans, or Jin or Leon popping into town every other night when literally EVERYONE ELSE in town knows? There were more instances I can't remember off the top of my head that seemed like things she should have known about, and it's getting kinda ridiculous for her to hide behind her "well, I spend 99% of my time reading, so how am I supposed to know about the real world?" schtick. Sariel must really have his hands full with this one, but he only has himself to blame, judging her based off of 1 slap smh.

I guess that's another reason they keep her identity a secret, cuz imagine waking up and finding out the neighborhood bookstore clerk is going to choose the next king? I'd probably go:

"Wait, you mean the girl who spent an hour recommending romance novels to me the other day when I just wanted to ask to use the restroom? The one who lives alone and has that crazy friend who's always giving me the stink eye whenever I walk past?"

I'd probably pack it up and move to Benitoite tbh.

(No hate against her tho, she's fun to follow around. But sometimes it feels like she's written to be as clueless as possible to get in some exposition to the player or to get the princes to react and that seriously breaks the immersion for me)

But back to what the post was originally about (lol, rambling again), Chev's faction probably has more to do because the main unifying threat in pretty much all the routes is Obsidian like you said and that's more under their purview. They do sneak in some domestic problems, but tbh those seem to pop up more in the Chev, Nokto and Luke's routes than the others. I think only Licht's route had more of a show of domestic problems and they actually showed his faction members working on that which was nice, but that's 1 out of 4.

I guess it's also cuz there are more chances to tell conflicting stories with Chev's faction since they each have sort of conflicting ideologies when it comes to the future of the kingdom while Leon's faction is pretty much in agreement. Another reason I'm loving Luke's route so much, it actually feels like all the princes are taking part in the action as opposed to just the main guy and like 1 or 2 others.

And on that note, Leon and Chevalier were set up from the prologue to be this big time rivals or something, but they barely interact even their own routes? They should have the most opposing narratives, but it's rarely utilized and that makes me sad 😕

Luke's route really wants to show how ruthless Chevalier is, but that makes me love him all the more.

Between the two factions, it seems that the one given more thought on politics is Chevalier's faction. They really have shades of the IR theory of realism, especially when it comes to the balance of power among the kingdoms. Sorry, Team Leon, but I personally find Team Chevalier to be more interesting lol.

Nokto's skill as a negotiator makes him an efficient diplomat; Clavis's goal of expansion to troll more people equally is ridiculous, though I see hints of anti-monarchy in him. How carnivalesque. Luke I haven't finished his route so I reserve my judgement of him. Chevalier's goal of conquest, though, reeks of imperialist ambitions. Oof. Uncomfortable. I think it will just remain a goal, however; Chevalier is better off redirecting his energy to investing in a competent diplomatic corps. Besides, I don't think Leon's faction will allow Chevalier to invade other kingdoms. Chevalier is smart; he's just ... straightforward in his methods -- quick to produce results. I don't think he's patient enough for subterfuge, which is why Nokto's skill is important and Chevalier should utilize him effectively.

To be honest, I see Leon as a leader and Chevalier as a manager haha. Leon is charismatic, a crucial quality in a leader. People are inspired to follow his example. But it's Chevalier who's better at handling the tasks. He's going to plan and implement projects in a streamlined manner, less bureaucracy and more results. He's the one you want when you want the system fixed (because he's straightforward and has no patience in the tortuous hahaha). Leon is charisma, Chevalier is competence.

Anyway, this post is originally just a love post on Chevalier lmao I rambled on and on though.

[dicenete]

Hey, I'm rambling about IkePri again

Okay, I just need to get these thoughts I have about Gilbert von Obsidian out because I enjoy predicting stuff and overthinking design and narrative choices even tho they might not be right. :P But there really isn't that much predicting other than me overthinking about narrative and design choices. This time there will be most likely spoilers of Gilbert's route so far, and route of Clavis and some thoughts I have just gathered while playing the game in general. I try to put these thoughts in cohesive order, but well... I don't know if I can really, because I just need to get these out of my head. These are my thoughts, ramblings and opinions. Feel free to form your own and certainly disagree with me! I apologize about the lack of art in this post. I'm busy with work currently so no fanart for a while. I'm also not native English speaker, so there might be grammatical errors and such. Sorry about that. Everything under the cut.

To start with Ikemen Prince is a romance visual novel first and foremost. That doesn't mean it can't be deep (and it certainly has been deeper than I initially expect, which left me positively surprised). I suppose there is somesort of thematic vibe that there is no prince whose ideals are the main thesis of the game itself. But that also kinda leaves that fact there is no huge catharsis regarding the world and it's state. Everything so far has been left quite open. And the more I have learned about lore of the world, I really feel like anti-monarchist here xd Clavis really sold me the idea for real. Or atleast throw away the absolute monarchy. That's where I think things should go, but that's my own belief. (really, the last king of Rhodolite... He umm... I have some opinions.) Chevalier and Gilbert First things first: I don't hate or dislike Chevalier as a character. There are just some things that give me Deus Ex Machina feels. But I know it is what they are going for with him. This genius that so far ahead of everyone that it is so alien concept to rest of the people. And well that is a very hard concept to pull off without being a genius yourself as a writer. Or that is what I feel like. But what I do love is what the writers are doing with him and Gilbert in thematic sense! (Hence why Chev x Gilbert sounds so juicy to me)

I really took steps to the deep end as I started to think about why I have enjoyed Gilbert's route or was interested in his story to begin with, but have little interest in trying Chev's one. Because they are so similar but they really aren't.

How I would describe it is that where as Clavis is the complementary to Chev, the purple to his yellow, the emotionality vs rationality, the heart vs the brain, Gilbert is more like right brain to Chev's left brain. If it makes sense like that xd Their color schemes are harmonious. Not opposite. Almost like how Nokto and Licht's color schemes are harmonious with each others.

(Nokto (Blue + white + gold) vs Licht (Blue + black + gold)) Not to mention that their names clearly are meant to mean light and dark. (Licht: variant for light, Nokto: comes form latin nox or noctis, meaning night = dark) But that is a rambling for another time.) Both their crests are tigers. White and black tiger. Chev's color scheme is White + gold and black. Whereas Gilbert's is Black + gold and white. But then the overall color that game devs use to signal about the characters baffles me a bit. Gold/Yellow vs Black/dark red. They don't seem to have too much connection or that of which comes to my mind quickly and without digging deeper. (because I believe that if you dig deep enough, you have digged yourself into a trap of overthinking about things. (Justifying things because you want to justify them, which I'm not big fan of. And sometimes things don't need meaning and we have to live with that. As much as it pains my overthinker brain.)) But here is my impressions about Gilbert so far. I'm at the point where MC has left the Clavis's party (I loved it btw). Gilbert really does give me toxic INFJ villain feels, but let's not get too hang up on terms such as that. But he is someone who is driven forth by his own ideals and desire to change the world better. He, like Clavis, seems to cloak himself in this idea that he is the villain and is okay, even happy, to take that role. He is the one who, like Chevalier, has thrown away emotional attachment out of the window (or so they say) unlike Clavis who makes his choices based more on emotion rather than rational thinking. Maybe that's why I like Clavis and Gilbert, they push MC out of their black and white thinking. That things are not so easy peezy as "choose a right king and everyone will be happy". There will always be someone who is mad about it. That's why I really loved the scene with Gilbert with the orphaned kids and the Clavis's party. He seems to enjoy the company of children (who are not morally corrupted or tainted) and he really empathically listens to those who are angry. He believes in the idea that "no one remembers what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel". (A quote with debatable origin, people say that it was coined by Maya Angelou. But I really love this quote, because I think it is the truth.) Gilbert isn't trying to rationalize against someone's choices with pure intellect. He uses empathy to guide him to the most rational outcome in that emotional scope. But he also uses this to manipulate people with fear. He uses fear extensively and he does it actively. Where as I feel like Chev just has that aura about him automatically. Hence my next thought: Action vs Stasis!

Gilbert and Clavis are action oriented. They shake the gameboard, they make the first moves. Gilbert probably more than Clavis. They both want change. Is it change for the better, we will see, I still haven't finished Gilbert's route but he really gives me this "I'm willing to become the greatest threat so that people unite to defeat me." or "I will conquer all so there will no longer be wars.". Chev, on the other hand, symbolizes stasis. His goal is to keep the kingdom of Rhodolite going. That's his duty and he is willing to take it. (even tho we can debate if that is something he really really believes in or even thinks about that much. I feel like it is out of obligation rather than of personal ideal. But alas, I have not played Chev's route yet.) Chev is reactive rather than proactive. He waits for the opponent to make the first move and reacts accordingly. (I'm not saying he is not reactive once game is on. More like "if there was not threat to deal with, he wouldn't create one".)

Chev doesn't care what you think about him. Gilbert does. He might seem like he doesn't but he is really there to prove a point. (I will pick up his dislike for lying later >.>) Chev is not. Chev knows that his way is the right way for him and that is enough for him. Chev also actively makes a "gettaway plan" for himself in Clavis. He knows that Clavis is the final thread that keeps him from going overboard because he understand that he has to be blind for "individual people" aspect to be a good ruler. Gilbert probably understands this about himself too, but he is trying to prove a point. So he needs to go overboard. Because masses of people need absolutes to react to. If it is something banal, it won't do. His evil actions need to shake the very foundation of ideas. The people have to face those things head on and see it for themselves. They cannot be sheltered. Gilbert gives me the vibes that he is willing to sacrifice himself not for the kingdom, but for the betterment of all mankind. He is happy to become the villain #1 if that means that other people will rise and take down the corrupted Obsidian or the corrupted idea. I would say that he is Lawful Good going on about things like Lawful Evil.

Gilbert asking questions means that he wants you to think, he wants to challenge your opinions and how you look at the world. Same as Clavis. They yearn for change. They want to change the world. Where as Chev wants to maintain things as they are. Chev "If it is not broken, we don't need to fix it" Michel. Where as Clavis and Gilbert want to improve the system. They are idealistic. Gilbert and lying

This is something very interesting. At first I thought that he was all "I dislike when people lie to me." but he really is "I dislike lying in all its forms." And he does say that he doesn't lie. And I'm starting to believe that is really the case. All the things he says are true. But because how other people see him, they are suspicious anyway. Like MC is. Like we all probably are when we start the route and think "So what is your trauma, baby girl?" When he is unsure or knows that he shouldn't say the thing he really thinks or that is true, he will deflect or give a very vague response. Which makes me quite happy to replay his route at somepoint with this in mind. In conclusion: Welcome to my TED talk, with no head or tail, just me overthinking about things about a otome gacha game. If you read this far, thank you for your time. Remember, if I ramble about it, it just means that I'm invested. Have a good day~