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accirax · 5 months ago

Note

I think I remember you making a theory about who would die and when in Eden’s Garden. Now that the title of chapter 1 has been revealed, (and the title usually at least loosely relates to the themes/victim/culprit of the chapter), have your options on who might bite the dust this chapter changed?

Project: Eden's Garden Chapter 1 Killer/Victim Theory

Ooh, an Eden's Garden ask! It's been a while since I've gotten to talk about this game, so, thanks :D

Funnily enough, the inciting incident of this ask isn't actually real. I haven't made a full death prediction for P:EG, mostly because of how little information we have as to the characters' full personalities and, perhaps more importantly, their bonds with each other. Your memory might be a combination of my mastermind ranking (and its update), that one time I rambled about different fangan writing styles (including the logic behind a first victim), and some off-the-wall speculation about what a ch2 victim Eva might look like in another meta discussion post mostly focused on DRDT. I made some offhand comments about potential victims and killers (especially in the early game) in all of those posts, so given my history of discussing DRDT's death order, I can see how that post might have formulated in your mind. Alas, it does not actually exist.

Still, with the first chapter of P:EG coming out soon (ish), I'd be delighted to spare some speculations as to who might be on the chopping block for the first chapter, least! My usual apologies for this taking so long, but this time, I also wanted to replay the prologue since I was kind of hazy on what actually happened in it. However, this extensive writing period has given me additional time to think of what I want to say, and hopefully come up with a convincing theory as to what may happen.

(Spoilers for Trigger Happy Havoc, SDR2, and V3, as well as some very minor spoilers for SDRA2 Chapter 2. You only need to worry about them if you wanted to go into SDRA2 completely blind.)

The Title

The first step here is obviously to take a deep dive into what the title could actually mean or imply. I keep wanting to think that the title refers to death, but that phrase is "beyond the veil," not "beneath the veil." "Beneath the veil," as far as I can tell, isn't a commonly recurring phrase. Plus, it's not like saying that there's going to be a death in this chapter is anything mind blowing, nor does it help us narrow down who would die.

So, let's take a step back. "Beneath the veil" implies that somebody is hiding something, because there's a piece of fabric concealing their face, and therefore their true intentions. However, it's not necessarily a super successful concealment, because (according to a quick google search) most veils are transparent. The character(s) this title refers to may only be partially concealing their hypocrisy from the group, as opposed to being fully undercover. Notably, veils are often (in Western culture, at least) associated with weddings. The choice of the word "veil" could implicate our local Matchmaker as the beholder of the hypocrisy.

Speaking of hypocrisy, I think that's the key word in this title that can help us pin down the central characters and themes of this chapter. As defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, hypocrisy is "a feigning to be what one is not or believe what one does not, especially the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion." In simpler terms, it's lying about or double-crossing something that you believe in to make it look like you have the moral high ground.

Therefore, in order for a character to fit the themes of this chapter, they have to have something they're actually hypocritical about. Take Ulysses, for example. In what way is he pretending to be better than the others around him? What core beliefs has the game shown us that he has that could be weaponized against others? I don't yet see anything compelling, and therefore, he might not be super important to this chapter.

Combining the title with the way the prologue ended, I definitely think that this first chapter is going to be about Damon's point of view being proven correct. Meanwhile, the rest of the students will secretly struggle with morality and their desire to kill while pretending that everything's cool. You know, like how most killing games start! (Other than the protag being such a downer.) It'll be interesting to presumably witness this typical group dynamic from the perspective of an outsider. Being someone who's used to tearing others' arguments apart, I wonder if Damon could be better than the average person at finding the hidden meanings and opinions behind others' words. I just think it'd be super funny if he were listening in on a breakfast conversation and it was just like--

Ingrid: Keep your chins up, everybody! If we can keep our heads on straight and trust in one another, I'm sure we'll start figurin' out how to get out of here! Damon: ("We'll start," implying that no progress has been made thus far. Combined with that if clause, Ingrid's frustrations that no one is thinking clearly and she's found no one to trust become obvious.) Eloise: Right...! It's like my dad always said: "in union, there is strength." I'm sure he'd be happy to hear that all of us are on the same page. I wish I could tell him... Damon: (Sounds like someone has been obsessing over the thought of going home.) Wolfgang: There's no need to worry, Eloise. I won't let any of the despicable killers in this academy keep us from our families. You can count on me. Damon: (Jesus Christ.)

Anyways, victims and culprits! I'll be discussing the top 5 most likely students that I can see filling each role.

The Killers

As much as I'd like to talk about the culprits second for the sake of drama, it'll be a lot easier for me to talk about potential blackeneds first. I think I've said this somewhere on this blog before, but who a victim is really depends on who the killer is. After all, the victim was only targeted because of the killer's rationale. A victim can be random, but a killer is pretty much never random. So, who could be filling our first blackened spot?

#5: Diana

Despite her placement as #5-- AKA, above 11 other students that I won't be talking about in a role as the killer at all-- I actually don't really like putting Diana here. To me, her fears and hopes for the future read as genuine. And, while a character who starts off fully sipping the hope Kool Aid can obviously come to murder in the end, for Diana, I don't think it would happen so fast. If she isn't secretly evil, I think it would take at least one murder to make her crack under pressure.

However, I can't argue that Diana has a compelling argument for the title of hypocrite. Simply put, she's the character in the prologue who seems most invested in everyone working together and being friends, without any personal power-seeking agendas. Therefore, if the veil in question is that of promoting friendship, Diana would be the most extreme example to use to prove the point that friendship in Eden's Garden Academy (at this point in time) is a fruitless endeavor.

#4: Wenona

After discussing my reasons for suspecting Diana, Wenona might come as a surprise. Does she really fit the theme? Out of all of the characters who could be hiding behind a guise of teamwork and being a good person, is she really the best fit?

Well, while I think it's likely that the main crux of the hypocrisy this chapter will be about remaining unified and trusting one another, that theme can always be interpreted in multiple ways at once. We could have characters who are hypocritically pretending to be nice while harboring ill intentions, and characters who are hypocritically pretending to be meaner than they are looking down on the nice folks while secretly being soft inside.

That's more of what I'm getting at with Wenona. If she were the blackened, I think the hypocrisy would be "pretending to be strong and better than other people while actually being just as weak as the rest of them." As the Ultimate Entrepreneur, Wenona seems to take a lot of pride in herself and her skills. She has the same sort of snobbish demeanor that Damon has when it comes to assessing the less academic of the talents recruited to Eden's Garden Academy.

Wenona is a cutthroat genius when it comes to social politics and financial practices. Even if this killing game wasn't in her initial plans, she'll obviously be able to crush it. She isn't trapped in here with Tozu; Tozu is trapped in here with her. That's what she wants everyone to think.

But, if she does become the blackened... how much of that attitude is really real? I'm imagining a scenario in which Wenona's reason for killing is less "fuck this shit I'm out" and more genuine fear for losing her life at the hands of the killing game and/or never returning to her regular life. When asked why she killed the victim, she tries to fake ruthlessness, but in the face of her execution, the clear truth is that she was just afraid of dying. Thus, Wenona would spend the majority of the daily life hypocritically sneering at the "weaker" students like Toshiko or Diana for not being tough enough to cut it in the killing game, before ultimately proving herself as the weakest link in the end.

#3: Eva

From the Prologue alone, we can already tell that Eva is a character who easily has strong enough opinions to potentially become a hypocrite. But, wait-- wouldn't her killing someone actually line up perfectly with the argument she made?

How is that hypocrisy?

Well, although Eva is certainly of the opinion that someone will kill, she acts as if she's above it herself. If it's been a while since you've seen the Prologue, that could be easy to forget. However, after she makes her initial statement that someone here will kill because they have too much to lose, she starts talking about how pretending that everything is fine will only make people more vulnerable to being killed. She directly accuses Wolfgang of doing this purposefully in order to better his own chances of succeeding as a blackened.

Most of her statements use the pronoun "you," which, whether referring to anyone in the group or Wolfgang specifically, does not include Eva herself. You, Wolfgang, are making a mistake that will lead others towards their deaths, murders that will happen by your guys' hands. Me, though...? (I'm tight as fuck!!!)

After criticizing Wolfgang so harshly, Eva would be the biggest hypocrite if she was actually the one to be the first killer. Even though Eva was doing the other students a favor by telling them the harsh truth, she did so in a way that put herself above them. She's let everyone know that she's smarter than them for immediately seeing straight through the killing game, and for not falling for Wolfgang's obvious manipulation tactics. If the rest of the students then learned that Eva played directly into the killing game's hands by becoming its first killer, I think they'd have every right to call her a hypocrite.

As for Eva and Damon, I think that making Eva the first killer could be really interesting for Damon's character. That's because, whether he'd admit to it or not, I think that Damon does align with Eva more than anyone else at this point. They were working together to promote the idea that pretending that nothing is wrong is dumb at best and harmful at worst. Damon doesn't seem like the type of protagonist who would be super vehemently against the idea of killing another student himself.

Thus, if Eva did become a killer, it would give him a startling window into what he would look like if he had decided to forsake this academy and kill. Every assertion he's internally made suddenly sounds flaky and desperate when coming out of the mouth of someone on death row. And, now that he's been betrayed by Eva too, why do some of the counterarguments the other students are making against Eva's claims sound more and more legitimate...? I think Eva's death as a killer could be the perfect wake-up call to Damon that his cold and calculating demeanor might not be as perfect of a plan as he acts like it is now.

However, much like Diana, I do think that Eva's reactions are genuine-- in this case, genuinely coming from a place of wanting to save the other students as opposed to wanting them all dead. Even if it would be compelling if Eva turned out to be some massive hypocrite, that doesn't mean that the setup for that being the case is actually there. We've seen so little of all of the characters so far that it's hard to provide textual evidence as to why I think this is the case, so unfortunately we'll just have to rely on my gut feeling. Every day I have to remind myself that it's okay to say "it's just my opinion" in the Just My Opinion essays. Sigh.

#2: Wolfgang

I feel like (as compared to something like DRDT) I have so little of a finger on the pulse of the P:EG community in terms of knowing what's popular opinion and what's not. Is Wolfgang's placement here a surprising take? Are people surprised to see that I have Wolfgang listed as a potential early killer as opposed to a final boss antag/survivor? Are people surprised that he's not #1???

Anyways. Hypocrisy. Wolfgang. It's so obvious that I feel like I don't even need to say it. I mean, I already did say it in this very post. Eva has already called Wolfgang out for hypocritically claiming to protect everyone while actually increasing the odds that someone could be taken advantage of. Wolfgang claims to be a defender of the people, but as soon as he hits the Trial Grounds, he seems to fixate on proving his viewpoint correct over all else. In the Chapter 1 demo (really mild spoilers for that, I guess), the literal last thing we leave off on is Damon calling out Wolfgang for being a hypocrite when it comes to investigating the school. Wolfgang Akire, Ultimate Laywer? Nah, I only know Wolfgang Akire, Ultimate Hypocrite.

Going back to my analysis of how early deaths work (here's the link again if you didn't read/refresh on it before but want to now), if P:EG is a project that wants to make their early deaths out of characters that are really visible, then Wolfgang is perhaps the best choice for that. The only other possible rivals he has in that regard are Damon or Eva.

Given how visible Wolfgang has been, it feels inevitable that this chapter will revolve around his hypocrisy somehow. The question is whether that would result in him dying or not. And, part of that question for me returns to what I mentioned at the beginning: how much does the fandom expect that it would result in him dying?

Make no mistake, this isn't an effort to people please by going along with what most people believe to be true. It's an effort to deduce which option would read as a more surprising and satisfying answer to a mystery posed in this mystery series. If the fandom is really caught up on the idea that "Wolfgang is P:EG's Byakuya/Nagito/Kokichi antag character, and that character MUST make it to the end after opposing the protagonist all the way through!!!", then it would work as a successful subversion to have that character die early, and leave the audience questioning who will come to fill the void in the story that Wolfgang left behind. However, if the audience has already broken free of those expectations and see Wolfgang as someone whose biases and neuroses could easily lead to him snapping early, then actually making him the first killer could turn out kinda boring.

I think I'm of the latter opinion at this point, although I could obviously just be biased in thinking that others share my opinions because my opinions are the main ones I've heard. Even if Wolfgang is a really obvious fandom's favorite edgy antag archetype, I can't deny that there's a lot of really good thematic setup in the Debater vs Lawyer department that I feel like the writers will want to reap the payoff from. It would be a shame to let whatever twisted worldview Wolfgang is cooking on "go to waste" by having him exit the story so early. But, I'm also always a fan of riffing wildly and unexpectedly off of the preconceptions of a killing game that Danganronpa fans have built up in their minds, so I would neither be too surprised nor mind at all if the writers did wind up letting Wolfgang flame out early, as long as they have a plan for what happens next prepared.

#1: Jean

Despite what I was just complaining about in Wolfgang's section, I'm almost certain that this will come as a surprise to people. Does that make me a hypocrite, too? Yay, how thematic!

Jean does not seem like the typical first killer. He's way too silly and entrenched in his theming. He's an oddball character! Accirax, weren't you literally the one who said that oddball characters don't die in Chapter 1?!

Oddballs tend not to die in Chapters 1 or 2. This is because oddball characters are generally created to supply a very niche kind of comedic relief[...] Any character deemed worthy of being included in a fangan occupies one of 16 highly contested slots. So, if you include a character for the purpose of making jokes with them, you'll want to get your bang for your buck! It’s hard to fit every joke you have in mind into only a chapter or two. The best example I could come up with for a (canon) oddball who dies early is Teruteru. In his case, the writers likely anticipated that his hyper-flirtatious nature would get tiring if it continued on for too long, and thus, exhausted all of the jokes they wanted to make in Chapter 1 before his exit. An oddball who dies this early has a limited shelf life, and is likely accompanied by other oddballs who can pick up the comedic slack.

Why, I sure did! Thank you for remembering that one niche argument in a really long post about a completely different series, imaginary person. However, that logic is why I initially wasn't suspicious of Jean either. With a bit of investigation, however, I've landed on him as my most likely choice.

Let's start with the hypocrisy. Although not necessarily the loudest voice on the subject, Jean, too, is someone who has strongly advocated for unity and friendship in the face of the killing game. It was easy for me at least to forget, but he has a bit of a leadership position in the Prologue, a bit behind Wolfgang. Even Damon can surprisingly attest to the command he can wield when he needs to.

It makes sense that, as a Ship Captain, he's all about getting people to work together under his leadership to accomplish amazing feats. Therefore, while not as obvious about it as Diana or Wolfgang, Jean would also be someone who could only commit a murder hypocritically.

Like, you can't just say this and then selfishly try to win the Class Trial to protect your own life. Well, not without speaking from beneath the veil of hypocrisy, anyways.

However, as I just admitted three sentences ago, the argument for Jean fitting the hypocrisy theme is weaker than someone like Diana or Wolfgang. So, what chose me to pick him over those two, or someone else at a similar level? Well, for that, we'll have to go over my...

Project: Eden's Garden Chapter 1 Murder Theory

HA HA! You thought we were merely conducting narrative analysis, but we're taking a look at evidence as well! It is a bold choice to try to predict who the blackened will be based on the murder committed when said murder hasn't even been committed yet, I'm aware. However, it's the choice of location that made me lean towards Jean. And, while it's no guarantee...

... I find it really likely that this will be the site of the murder. It screams murder location to me. Why the hell is there all this water on the floor if it won't be relevant in some way somewhere down the line? It's also locked in as the first area that you investigate closely. This doesn't have to mean that a murder will happen here, obviously-- none of Makoto's classroom, Hajime's beach, or Kaede's classroom become murder locations-- but it still does mean that this location will leave a lasting impact on your mind. The first time you ever get to wield the controls in this fangame is to investigate this room. And investigate it, we did.

I feel like locations that become murder relevant are often investigated in a much more specific way than ones that aren't, especially in cases where aspects of the room are critical to solving the mystery. This often includes them having CGs and/or cutscenes to illustrate the location's functions at work, and potentially be art used for a truth bullet in the future. Off the top of my head, I can remember a couple of times this happened in v3.

To use a fangan example, it also happened at least once in SDRA2.

(translation by Johnny Youngster)

The P:EG basement area was investigated to hell and back during Eva and Damon's first introductions. Like, can't you imagine this being truth bullet art?

Anyways, down in this basement that no innocent student has any good reason to visit, there's a conspicuous vent we've investigated in detail that looks over the Dining Hall, which several students are inclined to visit at various points in the day.

It has gaps in it that are wide enough to see through, and perhaps wide enough to use a weapon through. Even beyond something like a poisoned spear or the like, if you could shoot a gun through these slits, it could be enough to take someone out. Damon has very conveniently already removed one of the grates in the way, which will make it easier for the killer to do their malicious deed, and perhaps even make it easier for them to figure out that they could remove the other vent as well.

Now, it is true that Damon and Eva had to work together in order to reach this vent, which could make it difficult for the killer to utilize. However, it's obviously not impossible. If the killer were tall-- say, six feet tall, an entire half foot taller than Eva-- then it's possible they could access it on their own anyways, especially if they possessed any sort of climbing ability. The killer could also have an accomplice with which to create the same sort of setup Damon and Eva made (although, to Jean's credit, if this were the case, he'd probably be the one on the bottom -> not the one holding the weapon -> not the actual blackened). Or, they could use the cardboard boxes and duct tape that have conveniently already been identified in this room to make some stairs.

Although, that raises a problem, doesn't it? The entire floor of this room is covered in water.

A cardboard box would likely have structural issues if you put it in the water and then tried to stand on it. Maybe it could work if you put several cardboard boxes inside of each other...? Or if you just quickly used them as steps to hop up before fully leaning your weight on the generator. Regardless, we have other problems. Even if Eva has proven that the water won't electrocute you if you step in it, it's still an issue. If you step in the water with your shoes on and then try to quickly flee the scene, you'd leave wet footprints and damning damp ankle evidence behind. You could take your shoes off and roll up your pants like Damon does, but that could cost you precious time.

If only there were someone out there who was already wearing waterproof shoes...

... and maybe even a cloth or sash of some sort to wipe them off with before leaving the room.

Even Jean's character conception makes sense to me from this perspective. For your first chapter, you need a character who can be a kind and friendly leader type whose betrayal will rattle the more friendship-inclined of the group, and you need them to wear waterproof shoes. Leader plus waterproof shoes... well, that could be a ship's captain, couldn't it?

In this case, Jean's oddball nature is actually a boon to him in pretty much all manners. Despite relying so much on the gimmick of "I'm not a pirate!", Jean does seem to have a serious side to him. That duality gives him some clearly articulated character depth, even if it may not be explored much in the main plot. The striking nautical gimmick makes it harder for him to fade into the newly introduced crowd. He's quickly recognizable at a glance, making it easier for the casual viewer to remember him in the long gulf between chapters.

Speaking of being memorable, Jean is placed right in front of the tree when the characters in the Tree of Knowledge room are introduced.

He also stands there before the 0th Class Trial.

(Using this screenshot even though it's blurry just to show that these are different points in time.)

It's not as memorable of a spot as Eva, Grace, Wolfgang, or Toshiko (who go around and introduce themselves with Damon and thus get top billing), or even as Eloise and Desmond (who at least get their own room), but it's still notable. Between my own playthrough and others', I've seen people go around the circle with Ingrid first or Ulysses first, but everyone always talks to Jean right after they enter the room. The dark trunk is a great contrast against Jean's bright orange design, so he's really striking standing against the door. When I think of this room, I know exactly where Jean is, while the others are... somewhere back there. If I'm right, it's a subtle way to make sure that all players have at least some connection to Jean before he dies, and possibly even to make the first post-Trial gathering feel a little emptier with that super-highlighted spot empty.

I do want to touch on the narrative again, though, because that's more important than the murder plan that may or may not just be my own invention. I maintain that, right now, Diana or Wolfgang make more sense as someone who would illustrate the hypocrisy of pretending to be friends while actually murdering for their own purposes. However, depending on how Chapter 1 plays out, I think that Jean could be just as good as them, if not better. There's been some foreshadowing that Jean might take on a leaderly role in the group, but at the moment, it's been pretty focused on Wolfgang alone. However, if Jean starts to take on any sort of leadership position, even if it's mostly in the background or as the heart to Wolfgang's brains, I think he could work just as well as Wolfgang.

So, that's my prediction for now! The most likely blackened is Jean, with Wolfgang and Eva as backups, and Wenona and Diana as backups after them. But, in the case of any of them being the killer, who would they kill? Obviously, the answer may differ slightly depending on which of them (or someone else) it is, but I'll try to come up with a good aggregate answer.

The Victims

While my victim ideas will still be roughly ranked in order of likelihood, know that there's a lot less difference between #1 and #5 here than on the killers list. And, along that line of thinking, I'm a lot less confident in these predictions than in the killers', in the sense that I would be less surprised if the victim was none of the five characters discussed below than I would be for the killer. But, at any rate: the five most likely victims.

#5: Kai

I could definitely see some personal bias coming in to me placing Kai here. Not because I dislike Kai-- actually, he was quite possibly my favorite character coming out of the Prologue. I love a funny pathetic drama queen. I just remember, after first playing that Prologue, having the fear that Kai would turn out to be the first killer, thus eliminating my so-far favorite from the game. Obviously I've since removed him from my likely killers' catalogue, but I still can't shake the feeling that he could be an early death.

Kai is an easily recognizable and memorable character. You know who he is near-instantaneously-- take one look at him and you're already saying, "oh god, the influencer." He's really talkative, already having taken up a lot of screen time in his "arc" of being terrified by the body to being too lazy to participate in the Trial to eventually blabbering his way through it anyways. He also already has a defined dynamic with Damon. Even if I can't necessarily say that Damon would be sad to see Kai gone at this point (sorry Kaimon shippers), he'd have to have some sort of personal reaction to it. I could see him eventually recognizing something along the lines of, "it's weird to not have Kai around bothering me anymore."

It's no surprise that Kai is a popular character in the fandom, because he has all the traits to take on a role like that. However, that sort of characterization is a double edged sword. When considering the killing game as a whole, it's hard to come up with a first victim who will still be remembered and celebrated by the end of the entire saga (assuming that's what you're going for). However, despite not being a super critical character to the story*, I could see Kai continue to be featured in fanart and included in fanfiction due to his humor and pretty boy appeal long after his demise.

(*I'm not saying that Kai couldn't be a super relevant character if he survives Chapter 1, I'm just saying that, if he is the Chapter 1 victim, I don't think it would be in a Mukuro/Twogami/Rantaro Early Mystery kind of way.)

Kai is definitely one of those characters that I see in a crux position, where they're either going to be a super early game character or a super late game character. And, to be honest, despite what I've said here and what I believed after playing the Prologue, I actually now think Kai might have the legs to go long game. Although he could just be a bit of a cowardly funny guy who can't handle the circumstances and instantly drops dead (sort of like what was originally planned for Hiro in THH), Kai does seem to have a lot of... issues. While I originally thought those might just play out in his FTEs-- which is still theoretically possible-- I think the story might take more time to dive into them. There's also a clear arc before him of initially not rising to the killing game's challenge, but eventually being forced to take things seriously and give it his all.

There're also the comments that Grace made in Kai's introduction about him a dictator. From what we've seen of Kai so far, that label seems really hard to believe. If his character ever needs to rise to that dictator status, he'll probably need more time to do it.

I'm also applying some... meta knowledge here. I'm pretty sure I remember from watching some of the San Japan interviews that Kai is at least one of the writers' favorite characters, which is a bold take if he does die literally first. Also, I just learned from trying to look up what Kai and Damon's ship name is that apparently three of the staff artists ship Kaimon. Could that indicate that Kai and Damon might survive together...? I could definitely just be looking into things too much with both of these, but it's hard for me to not consider all the evidence at hand.

Anyways. Kai could really easily be taken out first, or he could have a major role to play yet. In either case, I'm sure this speculation will be fun to look back at in the future.

#4: Toshiko

Hey, maybe I can make that wedding veil thing have meaning after all.

Part of what I was considering when coming up with my list of potential victims is what sort of rationale the killer would have when choosing who to kill. Obviously, with the method I described in Jean's section, it's possible the criteria would be "whoever walks into the Dining Hall alone first," which is essentially random. However, that doesn't give me much to work with, so I tried to assume something more specific than that. However, I also didn't want to make it too specific-- like Peko targeting Mahiru in SDR2 Ch2 due to a prior conflict-- because that forces me to pin down my killer too hard, and might rely on information I simply don't have.

Instead, we're looking for a broad category, like "Sayaka wanted a manipulable man." Honestly, the "I want to kill but I don't have a specific image in mind of who" apparently doesn't happen too much in canon, but I think it's a really useful one to consider. Would the killer want to target an unpopular person so that anyone could have a motive to kill? Would the killer want to target the smartest person around so that they'll have fewer hurdles to deal with in the Class Trial? Would the killer take out the weakest and most vulnerable target because that's all they could manage, or even because they want people to believe that's all they could manage?

To go along with the hypocrisy theme, I think that the killer taking out an easy target for simplicity's sake is a very plausible option. Especially if the killer is a strong person like Jean, there's that added injustice of, "dude, you couldn't even pick on someone your own size?"

If that is the case, Toshiko is an obvious choice for someone who's small and easy to beat in a fight. (Kai follows these guidelines too, to an extent.) Other than her small size potentially making her harder to hit, I could imagine anyone being able to overpower her with relative ease. This part is more of a shot in the dark, as we haven't seen any daily life play out yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if Toshiko's notably younger age leaves her with few friends around the school. Thus, she might more often be found alone, making her easier to ambush and giving the killer more time before somebody realizes something is wrong.

Toshiko is also in the group of Eva, Grace, Wolfgang, and herself who got additional focus via conducting introductions with Damon in the Prologue. Including the first victim within that group would be a great way to give their character with the least screen time a bit more before they die off.

However, I also have my doubts that this will happen. It's just... such a bold move to kill the literal child as you're drawing first blood. Like, obviously I picked it for the hypocrisy-themed chapter because that kind of thing would make you look like a monster, but, would anybody really bite?

I also just kinda get the vibes that Toshiko is set up to be more than the first victim. While uniquely making her a child could be intentional, if the first killer is meant to look extra heartless, I don't understand where the Ultimate Matchmaker talent would have come from in that case. I guess she could matchmake or otherwise psychoanalyze people in the Chapter 1 daily life before she dies...? Maybe the killer could be worried about her figuring out how they're feeling and want to silence her. Actually, okay, that's convincing enough.

Picking Toshiko goes against my gut instincts of where Eden's Garden is headed, but I can't deny that there are sensible arguments behind Toshiko dying first as well. Or, maybe I'm just delusional. I'll leave that up to y'all's judgment at this point.

#3: Diana

Uh, kind of the same things that I just said about Toshiko, as well as my arguments for Diana being the killer. Diana also appears to be pretty weak, so it wouldn't be too hard for others to overpower and kill her. I also didn't forget that she too is a child, although she appears much more mature than Toshiko due to 1) being a high school senior as opposed to a high school freshman and 2) having an industry job rather than however Toshiko's business functions. You could still use the argument of "why would you kill someone who still has so much life left to live," although it might feel a little awkward when characters like Mark are only one year older than Diana and Toshiko is (presumably) still standing right there.

Really, though, the main reason why Diana ranks this high is because she's so darn nice. Even if people might see her as a little ditzy, I still feel that she'd have the most unilaterally "why did you choose to kill such a sweet person" response across the board. Depending on who the killer is, that choice could be hypocritical. If it's someone like Jean or Wolfgang who had been trying to convince everyone to work together and shaming those who didn't conform, eliminating someone who was happily following along with your plan could be considered hypocritical.

However, I still think that Diana is more primed to have a surprisingly deep run than a surprisingly short one. If Diana died first, then her character is "nice girl," and that's it. What about all of that weird mastermind coding?! My new theory is actually that Diana will be killed at some point because people think she's the mastermind, even though she's actually innocent. (That, or The_Humbugg is right and Diana has autism, and the mastermind coding is a galaxy brain method to ensure that viewers are wary of her for reasons that are entirely not her fault, much like how neurotypical people might instinctively find autistic people unsettling/shifty even when they aren't trying to be. I love The_Humbugg's video everyone should watch that.)

I was actually at first worried for her in Chapter 1 for that reason, until I remembered that (currently, at least) the students haven't been told that there's a mastermind among them. (Assuming there even canonically is, I might add.) Obviously, they could learn about that in Chapter 1, but at that point, just put it in the Prologue. Then the fandom could be sure in the long hiatus that speculating about a mastermind had a point, and potentially start thinking about how a killer could react to that information.

Still, Diana's extreme friendship stances make it easy for me to fit her into the hypocrisy theme in either the killer or victim position. But, if she can use her chameleon skills to fade into the background for just one chapter, I think she might have a long life ahead of her.

#2: Wolfgang

Anybody think this dude is just... flying too close to the sun?

Perhaps this placement is a remnant of the past: when my sister and I were first playing through the Prologue, we totally thought that Wolfgang gave off first victim energy. Except, funnily enough, we thought it was because he was kind of a bland, friendly character who clearly didn't have much going for him, if he was burning one of his voice lines on "Miss Madison!". We were fully taken aback when he popped off in the Prologue trial, and agreed that he wouldn't be a first victim for those reasons anymore. However, he could still die first for other reasons.

Other than Damon, it's hard to argue that any character gets more of a spotlight in the Prologue than Wolfgang. Hell, he might even beat Damon in that regard. It may just be the fandom's penchant for fawning over pale, skinny, antagonistic men, but Wolfgang certainly felt like the most after-the-fact-discussed character to me. However, it's possible that Wolfgang is being set up as a huge figure in the Prologue and Chapter 1 daily life because that's all the time he has to shine. It's possible the Prologue trial was conceptualized under the rationale that the Ultimate Lawyer should have to attend at least one Trial.

While Wolfgang isn't necessarily easy to overpower, it's easy to see how any killer would want to off him so that they don't have to face him in the Class Trial. Even if Damon did a considerable amount of heavy lifting, the majority of the Class sees it as Wolfgang's skills that got them through the Class Trial. He certainly displayed how ruthless he was willing to become against those who spat in the face of what he called justice. If I were becoming the blackened, I'd be worried about facing off against him in the Class Trial. One easy way to prevent that from happening is to cancel his attendance.

Also, while I said I didn't want to get too into the details of any killers in particular, should Jean be the blackened, things could get extra spicy. If I'm right that Jean and Wolfgang could come to lead the group together, then killing your co-leader because you're afraid he could properly bring you to justice is just extra salt in the wound.

But, now it's time for the counterarguments, naturally. Everything I said about the lost potential of having Wolfgang cap out at first killer is probably even more true if he's the first victim. The whole "lawyer versus bargain bin" thing would only actually be applicable to one Trial, even if the memory of Wolfgang's Trial prowess would probably hang over Damon's head for a while. More decisively, if the game is going for an ethos/logos/pathos thing, I have a hard time seeing who would fill the ethos shoes quite as well as Wolfgang did. I guess Damon could eventually step into that role, coming to embody all three...? However, it might be a little early to set that arc in motion.

Again, maybe it's just an inability to shake my initial assumptions, but I still have the vibe ingrained in my mind that Wolfgang will be a shockingly early death. Well, shocking to some people. Not me or Venus, though. But, I won't be shocked if he lives, either. Wolfgang will be a narratively important character, we just need to see how exactly he'll go about it.

#1: Eva

Wow, Eva gets to be the third character included who introduced themselves alongside Damon and the third repeat character from the killer's list! Unfortunately, it seems like I'm not predicting that she's going to make it even as far as the third death in this killing game. Tell me that statement's a lie...!

I think I'll actually start out with some of the counterarguments this time, because they relate to things I've said about other characters. Like Diana, I did initially call Eva to mind because I thought people would think she's suspicious, and perhaps kill her under the assumption that she's the mastermind. However, that's once again probably not going to be the case, because the students don't currently know whether there's a mastermind among them or not. Also, going back to the ethos/logos/pathos thing, I think there's a pretty decent chance that Wolfgang will be ethos, Damon will be pathos, and Eva will serve as logos. There are... probably better options for a replacement logos (including Damon just double wielding with truth and pathos bullets) than a replacement ethos, but Eva is probably still be the best fit. Given that no one trusts her (ethos) and everyone thinks an emotional argument would be a lie (pathos), all she has to convince people is the cold hard facts (logos).

Also, you can't ignore that Damon, Wolfgang, and Eva could just be a really obvious protag/antag/support trio that will all make it to Chapter 5 or whatever. I'm hoping for something a little less vanilla than that, but, hey, that's just me. It's their game and they can do whatever they want.

However... The_Humbugg comes in clutch once again! I won't fully reiterate all of their points, but basically, they bring up a lot of solid arguments about how Eva might have additional information about the prior killing game in which Cara died. Even beyond the possibility that Tozu might stack the killing game in a way that could subtly target Eva, unlike Kai, she does feel like she's being written as the Early Mystery. Also, if she's the one bringing up information about the prior killing games, it's possible another student could "connect the dots" themselves and assume she's somehow behind this one.

Beyond those more far-reaching speculative points though, I do also think that Eva being a victim would fit with the themes of hypocrisy. Specifically, the veil part. Given that the killer is (probably) "beneath the veil of hypocrisy," they aren't just hypocritical, but they're hidden beneath their hypocrisy. They might not even know that that veil is there. So, essentially, killing Eva-- the one who's been directly calling people out for their poor assumptions-- would be the killer succumbing to vice and doing anything to shut up the nagging voice that's accusing them of wrongdoing. They can't come out from under the veil of hypocrisy and confront it face-to-face, so they wind up only furthering their hypocrisy in an attempt to hide from it.

Eva is also in the top three most highlighted characters of the Prologue, between introducing herself alongside Damon (bonus points for meeting Damon first and in special circumstances) and her little speech at the end of the Class Trial. Even more than Wolfgang, to me, her heightened involvement in the Prologue feels like an inclusion to get her more content before an early death, rather than setting up a major character with other relationships and plot threads down the road. That's just my gut instinct, though.

Final Thoughts

And with that, Eva's section is over. I do want to make quick mention of Cassidy, though, because I know a lot of people think that she'll be the first victim. I think it's because of where and how much she's appeared in promotional material...? To be honest, I don't really see it, but I probably would have listed her sixth for lack of other ideas. She is another character whose jokes made her very memorable after only one chapter, and I could see her getting on someone's nerves enough for them to choose to strike back against her. Again, won't be super surprised if it is her-- because, to reiterate, I don't have incredibly strong feelings about who the victim will be-- but I didn't have much of my own to add for Cassidy speculation.

Well, you askers have done it again (/pos). You got me to ramble for way too long about Fangan Possibilities. It's fine; I think that geeking out over various fangan theory essays is important for my account and my personal ecosystem. Perhaps next time, I'll have a bit more evidence to look over if the first chapter is out by then. Or, maybe I'll have a thought of my own after rewatching/replaying the prologue again, or somebody will send me another ask that I take WAY too long to respond to.

Thank you again for the ask and your patience, @thefandomenchantress! I hope you and everyone else enjoyed. Until next time!

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maboroshi-no · 1 year ago

Text

Hamefura LN13 Chapter 3 Summary

I am currently reading Hamefura LN13 and will post summaries after each chapter.

Previous Chapters:

Chapter 1: The Foreign Study

Chapter 2: The Prince Of Ethenell (Part 1)

Chapter 2: The Prince Of Ethenell (Part 2)

Chapter 3: The Sightseeing Outing With Cezar

Preparing for the Sightseeing Outing

Katarina is back home. She is working on the program for the sightseeing outing. Even though she has accepted to be Cezar and Jean's guide tomorrow, she is not confident that she is up to the task. Unlike Nathan, Cezar and Jean don't seem to have a poor sense of direction, so they will probably not get on the wrong path. She could actually get lost herself since she doesn't know the streets so well.

Katarina has recommended a lot of places, so they won't be able to cover it in one day. She should focus on the places they might like, but she doesn't know their tastes. In retrospect, today she should have talked about their likes instead of their siblings stories. In her past life, she could have used her smartphone to ask them, but in this life, she can only send letters, which is less convenient.

Katarina tries to select several places that Cezar might enjoy and be interested in. She also picks vacation-like spots to make him rest.

After deciding on a program, Katarina falls asleep right away. She is tired after her busy day.

Before the Sightseeing Outing

In the morning, Anne wakes Katarina up and helps her get ready.

While half-asleep, Katarina heads towards the carriage. On the way, she meets Keith, who asks her if she is going out in town. Katarina replies that she will act as a sightseeing guide today. Keith asks her who she will guide around. Katarina vaguely answers "Ethenell people" since Cezar and Jean want to go out incognito. Keith still guesses that she is referring to the Prince of Ethenell. He shockingly asks her how she became his guide. Katarina simply replies that it somehow happened. Keith is not satisfied with Katarina's explanation. Keith is protesting but she leaves him behind because she doesn't want to be late.

Meeting Cezar

Katarina will meet Cezar and Jean on the outskirts of town. They don't want to openly go out through the castle gate because they would be assigned lots of guards if they did.

Katarina arrives at the meeting place. Cezar calls her out. He is dressed the same way as on their first meeting.

Katarina notices that Jean is not there. Cezar awkwardly explains that Jean had a sudden business coming up and couldn't come. Katarina thinks it is a shame, but they can buy lots of souvenirs for him. Cezar is surprised that Katarina is okay with them being alone together. Katarina doesn't understand why. After all, they were alone together when they met.

Katarina wonders if Cezar is feeling uneasy because Jean is not here to protect him. Katarina tries to reassure him by telling him that this area is safe and that she is also very strong despite how she looks. Katarina has a dark familiar, the magnifying magic tool created by Larna, and the antique magic tool that she keeps on her as a charm, she is all set. Cezar makes an awkward smile while listening to her. After all, he is also strong himself. So strong that some people run away upon seeing him. Katarina remembers that Cezar is a former mercenary. There should be no problem in that case.

Cezar mutters to himself that he can understand why the people around Katarina worry so much. Even so, he won't hold back and have Katarina be his guide today.

Cezar asks Katarina not to speak so formally with him since he is dressed as a servant.

Visiting the Bookstore

They start sightseeing.

Katarina takes Cezar to the biggest bookstore in town. She thought it would be a good place to show him since Cezar wants to study all kinds of things. Cezar seems to enjoy the place, so she is glad.

Katarina explains to Cezar that this bookstore has a large selection of books, and they also receive new releases quickly. Herself, she purchases novels and agriculture books there. Cezar wonders why a noble lady like her would read agriculture books. Katarina explains that it is her hobby. On her days off, she changes into farming clothes and works the fields. Hearing this, Cezar bursts laughing. He laughs hard while holding his stomach. They attract the attention of passersby who are curious about a handsome young man laughing so hard. Katarina asks Cezar what is so funny with farming. After all, you get to work out, stay in good health, and eat vegetables. Cezar laughs even more. Katarina really wonders what makes him laugh.

After he has finished laughing, Cezar explains that there is nothing wrong with farming. What is funny is just the idea of a high-ranking noble lady in farming clothes working the fields. Especially since he can easily imagine her doing it happily. Katarina shrugs it off since she is used to people getting surprised by this.

Moving on, Katarina explains that she has taken him here because she thought this place would be useful for his studies. Cezar thanks her for her solicitude with a grinning smile. Katarina feels relieved that she made the right choice.

They enter the bookstore and look at the books. Katarina usually only checks romance novels and agriculture books, but she feels unusually captivated by the other genres of books that Cezar is interested in. She enjoys herself in a different way from browsing romance novels with her friends.

Katarina's stomach rumbles. Cezar proposes they go eat something.

Visiting the Restaurant

Katarina and Cezar head to a small restaurant that Katarina often visits incognito. It serves food that tastes nostalgic to her. It isn't the kind of place fit for royalty, but she has included it in the program since Cezar wouldn't mind it.

Katarina is nervous about whether Cezar will like the food. Cezar loves it, so she feels relieved. She excitedly tells him that it is one of her favorite restaurants. Cezar is happy she took him to her favorite place. He gives her a natural smile, different from his princely smile.

Despite Katarina being his guide, Cezar actually escorts her and acts like a big brother. He pays the restaurant bill and buys her some snacks at the street stands.

Katarina tells Cezar he is like a reliable big brother. Cezar is surprised since he is heavily taken care of by his older brother. It feels new and nice to him to be called a reliable older brother. Cezar is making a mischievous smile.

Visiting the Farm

Cezar would like to study farms and agriculture. It seems like today's outing will include an observation trip.

They head out of town to the closest farm. After getting permission, they look at the fields.

There is a large field with abundant golden crops. It looks like a sea of gold. Katarina excitedly tells Cezar the field is the same color as his eyes. Cezar has golden eyes but he usually hides their color with black lenses. Cezar doesn't think his eyes are so beautiful since people are terrified of them. Katarina assures him they are. Cezar smiles.

While looking at the fields, Cezar mutters to himself that Ethenell still can't produce crops well since the fields have been burned during the civil war. He would like Ethenell to have abundant fields like that soon.

Katarina remembers that her international affairs lesson mentioned that Ethenell had been plagued by a civil war up until the current king ascended the throne. Fields had been burned down during the civil war.

Katarina doesn't know what to say so she keeps watching the fields silently with Cezar. After a while, Cezar snaps out of it and goes to the farmers to ask them questions. The farmers kindly answer them. Katarina and Cezar thank them.

Cezar and Katarina go back to the carriage. Katarina regrets that she couldn't prevent Cezar from working during his holiday. But since Cezar seems to have enjoyed himself, she guesses it is fine.

Arriving at the Orphanage

Next, Cezar would like to visit an orphanage.

Katarina thinks it must be because they are building orphanages in Ethenell after many children lost their parents during the civil war. Incidentally, Sora's childhood friend, Arnaud, has started working in one of these orphanages. Katarina would have preferred their next destination wasn't related to work, but she still wants to fulfill Cezar's wish.

Katarina takes Cezar to the orphanage where Cyrus delivers his crops. Upon arriving, Katarina is warmly welcomed by the kids and the teachers. They all know her because she has come back several times after Cyrus took her there. The kids are curious about Cezar since they are not shy of strangers. The precocious girls even are sparkly-eyed looking at him since he is a wild type.

The small kids (the age of kindergartners) ask Katarina to play with them. Whenever she comes over, Katarina always takes on the job of playing with the small kids since she can't teach the other kids anything. As a result, she is popular with the small kids. Also, when she comes with her beautiful friends, the precocious boys get careful about their appearances and keep glancing at her friends, while with her, they just ask for treats and leave. Except for one boy.

Liam is shouting at the small kids to let Katarina rest since she has just arrived.

When she first came here, Liam was a foul-mouthed kid with a bad attitude. But now, he is a serious, diligent, and considerate boy who is proactive with his studies and work. Only Liam doesn't ask for treats and leaves.

Liam invites Katarina to rest in the dining hall. He will make her some tea. Katarina is impressed he can make tea. Liam says he can handle this much, though he can't make fine tea that would satisfy a noble lady.

Only the director and Liam know that Katarina is a noble. All the others think she and her friends are from merchants' families. Because of this, she has introduced Cezar as an acquaintance from a foreign merchant family.

Katarina tells Liam that it will be fine but if the tea is too bitter, she might spit it out on his face. Liam is surprised, then replies with a grin that in that case, he will run away before she spits it out.

Katarina calls Cezar over not to leave him alone. She also tells the small kids that she will play with them after having tea.

Tasting Liam's Tea and the Girl's Cookies

Katarina sits in the dining hall with Cezar. Cezar looks at the kids around them chatting away and thinks it is a good orphanage. Katarina tells him that the orphanage is well-equipped thanks to the donations of the nobles. Cezar is surprised that nobles in Sorcier make donations to orphanages. Katarina replies that they do that out of duty. They allocate a donation portion in their work budget. Cezar is impressed that there is this kind of system in Sorcier.

Liam and a girl arrive with the tea. Katarina is pleasantly surprised that they have brought cookies with the tea.

Liam explains that these cookies were made by the girl. She wants to have another person taste them and give them their opinion. The girl is about the age of a grade schooler. She shyly explains that she is learning baking from Maria. Everyone here says her sweets are good but she would like the opinion of another person. Liam adds that the girl was already baking sweets before but she has greatly improved after learning from Maria. In his opinion, her sweets are as good as the ones sold in shops. Hearing Liam's praise, the girl blushes. Katarina realizes that Liam has not only become considerate but also popular with girls.

Katarina thinks it is indeed a great advantage to have learned from Maria. After all, Maria is a pro baker whose delicious sweets rival those of the shops around.

Cezar discreetly asks Katarina if, by "Maria", she means Maria Campbell, the Wielder of Light. Katarina says yes and remembers that Cezar knows her. Cezar only knows her because she is famous, they are not acquainted.

Katarina realizes that Cezar and Maria haven't met yet. They were supposed to meet at the International Assembly, but she may have prevented their meeting. This sightseeing outing could also be a game event that she has unknowingly stolen. She may have already been acting as the villainess who gets in the way of the capture target. Still, she wonders if Cezar will really fall in love with Maria if he meets her.

Katarina tastes the tea made by Liam. She tells him it is good. Liam smiles. Katarina tastes the cookies made by the girl. She excitedly shouts that they are delicious and that they will definitely be popular. The girl's face lights up. Liam happily tells the girl that, since her cookies have gotten the stamp of approval of a noble lady, she should be able to work in a pastry shop. The girl blushes. Katarina can tell that the girl loves Liam.

Comparing Orphanages in Sorcier and Ethenell

The other kids in the dining hall approach them and tell them what they want to be in the future. A girl is learning sewing and wants to work in a clothes store later. A boy likes learning new things and wants to be a scholar. A boy is learning swordplay and wants to become a knight. Katarina feels like a grandma as she is looking fondly at the children expressing their dreams for the future.

Cezar is impressed that the orphanage not only gives an education to the children but also teaches them all kinds of things. Katarina explains that in addition to giving them an education, the orphanage also teaches the children practical skills like cooking and sewing so that they can live by themselves once they are adults. The occasional visitors also teach the kids, and the kids can further their studies with them. Cezar finds it amazing that orphans can further their studies and have dreams. Cezar is smiling fondly.

When Katarina asks why he is making that face, Cezar explains that the orphanages in Ethenell have their hands full looking after the kids so it is difficult for them to give them a proper education. Cezar feels frustrated over the difference between Ethenell and Sorcier. He mutters to himself with a pained face:

Cezar: What should I do for the people of Ethenell to be able to live more happily?

Katarina can tell Cezar is really concerned for his people and that's why he keeps working relentlessly. His concern is a wonderful thing, but she is worried he might overwork himself to death. Katarina doesn't know the answer to his question but she can tell him one thing.

Katarina: I don't think this is something you should think about here alone. When you return to your country, please talk about it to your older brother, His Majesty the King of Ethenell, and to the people you rely on. If you talk about it and think about it together, it should be enough. It should not be an issue that you can take on by yourself.

Cezar is frozen in shock, then smiles. He thinks Katarina is indeed right and will follow her advice when he returns to Ethenell. Katarina encourages him to do so or else he will make lots of mistakes. Cezar thanks Katarina with a smile. Katarina is embarrassed that Cezar takes her opinion so seriously.

Cezar Discusses With Liam

Liam asks Cezar if he is from Ethenell. Cezar says yes. Liam says he is from Ethenell too. He asks Cezar if he lives there. Cezar answers he is in Sorcier for work but he will return to Ethenell later.

Liam asks if the war is over in Ethenell. Cezar says it is not completely, but mostly over. Liam is glad since it means that there will be fewer robbers. His dad said that it was because the war was going on that the number of robbers increased. Cezar agrees since the people who lost everything because of the war would become robbers to survive. However, there should be less damage now. Liam is glad that there won't be more people like him.

Katarina remembers that Liam's parents were killed by robbers.

Cezar awkwardly asks Liam if his parents were killed by robbers. Liam replies that his father, mother, older brother, older sister, and the people of the villages all died protecting him. He was the only one to survive. Then he lived like an animal in the slums, got caught, and after various things happened, he was taken to Sorcier.

Liam has said it in an unconcerned way unlike before, when he said it in a painful way. When Katarina asks him why, Liam tells her it is because he has decided to face forward and live. Liam is such a strong boy.

Cezar's eyes cloud and he apologizes to Liam. Liam doesn't understand why Cezar apologizes to him. Cezar probably wanted to apologize to him as a royal, but he is a foreign trader at the moment. He suddenly realizes he is supposed to hide his social status and tries to fix his mistake. He tells Liam he is apologizing to him as an adult who is supposed to protect children like him. Liam says he doesn't need excuses and would rather Cezar make Ethenell a better place so that there won't be more children like him. Cezar says he will work hard for it.

Cezar asks Liam if he plans to stay in Sorcier forever. Cezar looks like he expects Liam to say yes. But Liam says that he plans to return to Ethenell once he is an adult and has saved money. Cezar is surprised since Sorcier is a wealthy country with better life conditions. Liam explains that he hasn't returned to his village ever since it burned down. He would like to go back there and see with his own eyes what it has become. He has also heard that the new king is working hard on making Ethenell a good country, so the situation should be better once he goes back there. He also would like to use what he has learned in Sorcier to get a job where he can make Ethenell a way better country. It is his dream.

Liam has said it in a little bashful way. Katarina is impressed to see how much Liam has changed since the first time she met him. He told her before that it was his plan, but it is the first time she has heard him say that it was his "dream". Katarina is glad that Liam has a dream.

Cezar has been oddly silent. Looking at him, Katarina realizes that he is trying hard not to cry. Cezar is probably trying to hold back tears of joy. Liam is confused by Cezar's reaction and asks him if there is something wrong. Cezar pulls himself together and tells Liam that he is just happy hearing his words. He thinks Ethenell will become a way better country with people like him. He will have Liam work hard for it. Liam shyly says yes.

Katarina Gets Questioned by the Girls

Cezar and Liam are now talking about Ethenell. Katarina wants to listen too, but she is discreetly called by a girl.

When she comes over to her, she gets surrounded by girls. Katarina has often been surrounded by small kids, but this is the first time she is surrounded by girls of this age.

-----------

Katarina: Umm~ Is there something wrong?

When I asked this to the girl who called me over,

Girl A: Big Sister Katarina, what is your relationship with that mister?

...she asked while leaning forward.

Katarina: Umm..... A friend?

I couldn't possibly tell them he was a foreign prince and that I was his guide showing him around, so I replied this.

Girl A: Oh, I see. Since you have come together today, I thought he was your real boyfriend.

She readily said this. I was so shocked that my mouth was wide open.

While I was frozen like that, the girls continued talking.

Girl B: As I said, Big Sister Katarina's boyfriend is Big Brother Geordo. Am I wrong?

Girl C: Whaaat~? Her boyfriend is Big Brother Keith, don't you think?

Girl B: But Big Brother Keith said they were brother and sister.

Girl C: No, when I asked him, he said she was his adoptive sister. So he can be her secret boyfriend.

Girl D: In that case, Big Brother Alan too!

Girl E: What about Big Brother Nicol?

The girls happily chatted while I felt so embarrassed I wished I could run away.

For these girls to look at my relationship with my brothers and my friends that way, girls these days really are precocious.

Girl B: But Big Brother Geordo definitely loves Big Sister Katarina!

Girl C: Big Brother Keith too!

After saying this, the girls looked at me.

Uuuh, I still hadn't tackled this topic yet, it was a delicate period for me.

To begin with, how come the girls here are so perceptive and notice things that I haven't noticed for a long time myself? How are girls these days?

Girl B: Hey, Big Sister Katarina, who do you like?

Girl C: Did someone confess to you?

After she had said this, a lot of girls turned their sparkly eyes towards me. I...

Girl B: Ah, wait!

Girl C: She ran away!

I ran away full speed.

----------------

Katarina ran away from the dining hall because she couldn't handle the girls. She feels relieved that they didn't chase her.

Katarina Plays Tag With the Small Kids

Katarina sees the small kids playing tag in the garden. She feels like she is more suited to interacting with kids that age rather than more grown-up girls.

Katarina comes near the small kids. They surround her and all talk to her about playing tag. Katarina asks them if they can join them, which they happily accept.

Katarina starts playing tag with the small kids. They are unexpectedly nimble so Katarina must go at it seriously.

After a while, Katarina is out of breath while the small kids are not tired from running around. She takes a break while sitting on the grass. The small kids ask her if she wants to play hide-and-seek.

Cezar arrives and asks her if she is alright. Katarina says she will once she catches her breath.

Katarina asks Cezar if he has finished talking with Liam. Cezar smiles and says they have talked about lots of nice things. Katarina remembers that Cezar was about to cry of happiness earlier, and feels happy for him.

Katarina Holds a Baby

Katarina and Cezar hear a baby crying. Katarina is confused since there are not supposed to be babies in the orphanage. When she looks in the direction of the cries, she sees one of the female staff members holding a baby in her arms.

The staff member comes towards Katarina and thanks her for playing with the kids

Katarina asks the staff member about the baby. The staff member explains that the baby's mother hasn't recovered well after giving birth and thus can't look after the baby. As a result, they will temporarily look after the baby instead. Katarina didn't know that the orphanage could temporarily look after kids. Though, now that she thinks about it, there are some kids that she has never seen again. Cezar is impressed that the orphanage can also temporarily look after kids. Katarina feels the same.

Katarina looks at the baby. She can't believe how small they are. The staff member chuckles and says it's because the baby was just born this month. The baby was crying but now he is silently looking at Katarina with round eyes. Katarina finds them cute.

The staff member chuckles and asks Katarina if she wants to hold them. Katarina flusteredly refuses since she has never held a baby before. The staff member insists. After all, Katarina may be blessed with a child in just a little while. She will also thoroughly teach Katarina to hold them, so she should try. The staff member is a little pushy, but Katarina also wants to hold them, so she accepts.

The staff member gives her directions and Katarina holds the baby. Katarina is holding the baby well. The baby is so soft and warm, and he smells so good. Katarina is overwhelmed by an indescribable feeling while holding them.

Katarina excitedly calls Cezar over to see them. For some reason, Cezar is a little distant from her. He still comes over but he has an awkward face.

The staff member tells Katarina that the baby has fallen asleep. Katarina looks down at the baby in her arms and can see they are sleeping peacefully. The staff member thinks it must be because Katarina is holding them well. Katarina thinks it is rather because the warmth and the nice scent of the baby have put her in a good mood.

The staff member will take the baby to a quiet place so that the small kids won't wake them up. Katarina softly gives back the baby to her. Now that the warmth and the softness of the baby is gone, Katarina feels somewhat lonely. The staff member leaves with the baby.

Cezar Thinks He Is Filthy

Katarina comes close to Cezar and asks him if he doesn't like babies. Cezar replies that it is not that he dislikes them, it is just that sometimes, he feels like he shouldn't get close to pure beings like that baby and the small kids. Katarina is surprised. Cezar explains that ever since he was 15, he has taken the lives of many people as a mercenary. It is not only his hands that are filthy with blood, his whole self is filthy. So he feels like he must not get near beautiful things so that he wouldn't soil them.

Cezar looks like a different person as he says this while looking at his hands. Katarina thought Cezar enjoyed his former mercenary life, but after hearing this, she realizes that it was actually hard for him. When she thinks about it, it must have been hard to suddenly become a mercenary after leaving the inner palace at 15. There must have been some circumstances behind it.

Just by spending some time with him, Katarina can tell Cezar is a gentle person. Since he doesn't seem like the kind of person who would keep hurting people, the mercenary life must have been hard for him. Cezar was feared because of his golden eyes, he had to fight painful memories. Behind his bright smile, there is actually a wounded heart.

In the game, maybe he fell for the heroine after she had healed his heart. In that case, she should maybe introduce Maria to Cezar. Katarina is afraid of her doom but she can't possibly leave Cezar like that. As a villainess, she can't heal his heart like the heroine would. She will introduce Maria to him and let her handle the healing. As for her, she will just express her own feelings on the matter.

----

After I had decided this, I held Cezar's hands tightly. Cezar had a very surprised face. I told him...

Katarina: Your hands supported me when I was about to fall. They are warm and gentle, I don't find them filthy. I am sure that Mister Jean, your older brother, and all the people who cherish you think the same thing. That's why I don't want you to say that your hands are filthy.

Cezar: ........

Cezar was silent while gazing at me with wide eyes. I continued.

Katarina: I think the people who cherish you would be sad if they heard you denigrate yourself like this.

After saying this, I held Cezar's hands even more strongly.

Katarina: Your hands are warm and gentle. And you are too.

As I had talked one-sidedly, I thought I might have upset him, but when I looked up at him, he had an even more surprised face.

He didn't seem angry. His face gradually broke into a gentle smile. Then Cezar said...

Cezar: Thank you.

Thank goodness, I didn't upset him.

When I relieved my grip on his hands out of relief, this time, Cezar was the one to grasp my hand. Then for some reason, he approached it towards his mouth.

----

Maria and Cezar's Standoff

Katarina is confused about the situation when someone suddenly calls her out. When she turns around, she sees Maria.

Maria usually looks lovely, but for some reason, she has a sharp stare and a stern expression.

----

Maria: What are you doing?

She didn't say this in her usual gentle tone but in a stern resounding one.

What we were doing, huh? Well, I didn't know myself.

Until a while ago I was speaking my mind to Cezar, I was holding his hands and he is the one holding mine right now. I also would like to ask about this situation.

I was full of questions, but Cezar was the one who started speaking.

Cezar: We were just talking a little.

After saying this, he quickly released my hand and faced Maria. He had the smile I saw him making when he was standing up to people as a royal and noble.

Cezar: Could you be the famous Wielder of Light, Maria Campbell?

Maria: I don't know whether I am famous, but I indeed am Maria Campbell. You must be Prince Cezar Dahl from Ethenell?

Cezar: Yes, that's right.

Ah, it seemed like the two of them each knew about the other.

It felt like they knew about each other but were not acquainted with each other. And that it was their first meeting right now.

This handsome boy and pretty girl gazing at each other… It was such a beautiful sight. This must have been a game CG.

Now that they had met, these two would fall in love with each other, and...

Maria: And so, Prince Cezar Dahl, why might you be alone with Lady Katarina here?

Cezar: I have asked her to show me around the towns in Sorcier and following this, I had her take me here. Also, just "Cezar" is fine.

Maria: Then I will take you up on your word, Prince Cezar. If you want to engage in sightseeing of the towns in Sorcier, you can find people who serve as guides. I shall advise you to ask these people next time.

Cezar: Well, with my position, I just won't hire people I can't trust. And since I show myself plain like this, it can't just be anyone.

Maria: Is that so? Still, Lady Katarina is someone you have just met.

Cezar: Well, actually, I met her at the International Assembly and we hit it off.

---------

Katarina is confused since, despite their smiles, there isn't a sweet mood around Maria and Cezar. Rather than sweet, it actually feels electric. Katarina didn't expect a sweet mood right away since Maria was playing hard-to-get but she at least expected Cezar to take interest in her and gradually get charmed by her. But however she looks at them, Cezar doesn't look charmed at all. And Maria is colder than usual.

Cezar and Maria's conversation goes on. While listening, Katarina learns that Maria came here because she had a mission outside, and since the location was close to the orphanage, Cyrus asked her to deliver vegetables there for him. Then she saw Katarina and Cezar alone together without any servants and she thought that it was dangerous. Katarina also thinks it was dangerous for Cezar to go out without a servant but he insisted that it was fine.

Since they had their encounter, Katarina wonders if Cezar and Maria will interact with each other from now on. Katarina thought earlier that she should have the two of them deepen their relationship for Cezar's sake, but their relationship doesn't seem to deepen at the moment. It bothers her but she won't cut in their conversation.

After a while, it is time for Cezar to go home. Maria wishes him a safe trip back. The encounter event seems to be over. Despite only watching, Katarina feels exhausted.

Cezar tells Maria he is going home with Katarina. Hearing this, Maria offers to take him back home since the ministry and the castle are in the same direction. It will also be convenient for Katarina that way since she can directly go home. Cezar accepts Maria's offer with a princely smile.

Katarina goes back home alone. She is completely exhausted.

*** Cezar's POV ***

Maria's Hostility

Cezar is riding a carriage back with Maria.

Maria is so famous that rumors about her have reached Ethenell. Cezar has seen her at the International Assembly, so it doesn't feel like a first meeting for him.

He doesn't mind riding a carriage with someone he has just met, but her sharp stare makes him feel awkward. She has directed full hostility towards him ever since she has called out to him. He finally had some alone time with the girl who opened his eyes, and it turned out like this. This isn't funny.

Cezar tells Maria she doesn't need to show him so much hostility since he won't do anything to Katarina. Maria is surprised. She wasn't aware that she was making a hostile face. Cezar wonders how much Maria loves Katarina for her to unconsciously pour hostility on him.

Maria Asks Cezar About His Bride Searching Plans

After pulling herself together, Maria asks Cezar if it is true that he has come to Sorcier to search for a bride. Cezar sharply asks where she has heard that. Maria chuckles and replies that her superior at the Ministry of Magic cautioned her about Cezar approaching her. Though, she hasn't told anyone since he asked her not to. Cezar guesses that her superior must have been worried about Cezar taking Maria as his fiancée.

Maria looks so lovely and beautiful that some men could fall in love with her at first sight. She looks like an honest girl and she must be pretty smart since she always scored high at the Academy of Magic. Even if she is a commoner, it wouldn't be strange for a foreign royal to propose to her.

If Cezar hadn't met Katarina, maybe he would have taken an interest in Maria and gotten fascinated by her. But this is just hypothetical and in this reality, he does not have such feelings for Maria, and Maria probably doesn't have any for him either.

-----

Maria: Prince Cezar, I have heard that if your desired partner responds favorably, you can take her back to Ethenell as your fiancée. However, Lady Katarina is the fiancée of one of the royals of this country. I don't think she would be a suitable partner for you.

Maria said this while firmly staring at me. I could feel a strong determination in her defiant eyes.

As expected. Maria was wary of me seducing Katarina and taking her away to Ethenell as my fiancée.

I could see this look too, earlier. I could tell that she would think that if she knew about me searching for a fiancée. However, I really shouldn't make an enemy of Maria right now.

I put on a gentle smile on my face, then...

Cezar: Of course, I have no intention of making a pass at the fiancée of the third prince.

I decisively said this, like it was all but common sense.

All while shooting sparks from her eyes,

Maria: Is it true?

She asked this while still suspicious of me.

Cezar: Yes, of course.

I asserted with a smile.

She must have been an honest girl. She relaxed her guard after I had said this without thinking any of it.

She didn't seem to notice that I add secretly added "For now" in my heart.

-----

Cezar Listens to Maria Talk About Katarina

Maria has relaxed her guard and is now looking gently at Cezar. Since Cezar has asked, she is happily talking about Katarina.

While listening, Cezar realizes that Maria loves Katarina from the bottom of her heart. If he made an enemy of her, she would be an opponent as troublesome as Geordo. He is all smiles while listening but he actually has cold shivers.

Cezar Is Back at the Royal Palace

Cezar has arrived at the royal palace. He can finally relax.

Cezar returns to his room. Jean has been waiting for him and asks him with a grin how it went.

Jean has pretended to have something to do today so that Cezar and Katarina could be alone together.

At first, Cezar wanted to tell Jean "Mind your own business", but since he actually had a good time with Katarina, he considers telling him "Thank you. It is thanks to you that I could have a good time" but it was embarrassing, so he ends up saying "It was okay" before entering his room. He can faintly hear Jean giggling behind him.

Cezar Can't Ignore his Feelings for Katarina Anymore

Cezar dives onto his bed. He is thinking of Katarina.

He took an interest in Katarina back at the International Assembly when she was not scared of his golden eyes and said they were pretty. He could contain his feelings when he learned that she was the fiancée of a royal of Sorcier. However, when she told him with her gentle voice and warm hands "Your hands are warm and gentle. And you are too." he felt his heart getting healed.

When he was a mercenary, he had relationships with female nightlife workers. Despite this, when he thinks of Katarina, his cheeks turn hot as if he had just reached puberty. It is the first time he has felt like this.

He has fallen in love with the woman named Katarina Claes.

He can't contain his feelings with reason anymore. Katarina's fiancée is a prince of Sorcier who is infatuated with her. And the people around Katarina are all infatuated with her, including Maria Campbell. He won't be able to freely make a move on her.

Even so, these newborn feelings will be painful when he has to end his relationship with her at the end of the foreign study. He would hate not to see her ever again. He wishes to have some kind of connection with her. And to this end, he will need to make Sorcier indebted to him. This is what he intended in the first place for Ethenell's sake, but now he also has personal reasons.

Something Liam told him about the incident in Ocean Harbor Town bothers him, so he will investigate it. By doing so, he feels like he will uncover information that will make Sorcier indebted to him.

Cezar shakes off the fluffy feelings in his head and switches to work mode.

#hamefura light novel #hamefura #my next life as a villainess: all routes leads to doom #katarina claes #cezar dahl #maria campbell #jean hamefura #keith claes

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