What are you playing this week of September 8, 2024?

This might be because I just skip voices usually, moving on once I finish reading the text, but I had to replay some of Alan's flustered noises after Katarina falls asleep on him. At first I thought he was moaning! I also wonder if any of the other guys have flustered noises...

When they talk about cutting the water supply, Alan says the royal family cannot use magic. I felt so disappointed because earlier in the route a pirate brings up the restriction on the royal family using magic when Alan is using magic in self-defense, and Alan brings up that they can't use magic recklessly. Self-defense is a valid use. Although they're not in immediate danger this time, it would still be use of magic in order to try to get out of the trapped-on-a-ship-with-pirates situation, not exactly reckless use... maybe I'm just confused on how strict the restrictions are?

Ryle says...

I wanted to prove to everyone that I…

then he admits to human trafficking. He talks about proving himself as worthy as his motive. I knew from Keith's route about the trafficking and that at least part of it was from his hatred for mages. I was wondering if there was more behind it than just hating mages, and what the full story was. What a let-down, because this just doesn't make sense to me. Not satisfying.

I understand that a character might human traffic a group that they hate in order to make them suffer. But I don't understand a character human trafficking a group to try to prove themselves worthy of anything. I don't see the logical connection there. I do not like that. It feels like a "I want to be a baseball player when I grow up, so I decided to learn to bake a cake" level of connection. At best, a disconnected action and goal, at worst the action hinders your goal. Ryle does not prove his value to the nobles of Sorcier by trafficking them, he gives them a valid, non-bigoted reason to look down him...

I found parallels to S2 of the anime in Keith and Geordo's routes. I honestly don't remember enough to know if Nicol has a parallel. But I found another one in Alan's! When Liliana talked about Ryle not loving her back I immediately guessed this parallel would exist and I was proven right. In S2 of the anime, Ian Stuart, a prince, has a fiance, Selena, and their marriage was arranged. Ian loves Selena, and Selena loves Ian, but Selena thinks her love is unrequited. This is Selena's driving motive for having Katarina kidnapped—it's part of some misguided scheme to try to benefit Ian. Liliana and Ryle also have an arranged marriage. Liliana thinks her love for Ryle is unrequited, but Ryle loves her. I do not think I would have called it a parallel just off of that, so there were probably other factors I am forgetting. I know that in season 2, Selena thinks her love is unrequited because of Ian's stoicism. In the game, it is possible Liliana said something similar, about trying and him not being receptive? Him being aloof? I forget.