The warm afternoon sun, shining on the lexicons I had open in front of me, was making me terribly sleepy. I, Katarina Claes, was doing my very best to stay awake. I never liked studying theory, and even back at the Academy of Magic I often had to fight with sleepiness… The sleepiness would usually win. It was especially difficult to stay awake right after lunch, when I was full and cozy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When I was tasked with cleaning or making deliveries for the Magical Tool Laboratory, at least I was always moving, but all I had to do right now was to read through this boring Dark Covenant. Using my head at this time of the day was the worst. I thought back with nostalgia to my recent mission at Ocean Harbor, where being undercover as a waitress meant that I didn\u2019t have to worry about sleepiness at all. Of course, I knew that every minute I spent reminiscing was a minute that hadn\u2019t gone toward completing the task at hand, but I couldn\u2019t continue at all unless I did something about this drowsiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe visualizing mother\u2019s angry face would wake me up,<\/em> I thought, but I was so used to her being mad at me that it didn\u2019t work. The things one can get used to… Oh, I know, thinking of the ever-impending doom constantly casting its shadow over me, threatening my life, will wake me up!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n True enough, I was indeed constantly threatened by catastrophic doom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It all started when, as an eight-year-old girl, I tripped and hit my head on a rock. The impact made me recover the memories of my past life, when I lived as an otaku high school girl in a country called Japan. Those new memories made me less of a spoiled brat, but they brought with them a terrible realization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What I realized was that I was now living in the world of \u201cFL,\u201d Fortune Lover,<\/em> the otome game which I was playing right up until my untimely death in my previous life. This, by itself, wasn\u2019t that terrible. The problem was that I\u2019d been reincarnated as Katarina Claes, daughter of Duke Claes, the game\u2019s evil antagonist who was destined for doom! The only reason Katarina Claes existed was to hinder the protagonist in her romantic endeavors with the romanceable characters… Learning all that was quite the shock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the time, I was eight years old, but the plot of FL was set to start when I, at fifteen, would join the Academy of Magic. I spent seven years preparing for that, and someway, somehow, I managed to escape all of the catastrophic endings that the game had in store for me. Relieved, I was already dreaming of the safe, calm life that was to come. I\u2019d even started working at the Magical Ministry, one of the kingdom\u2019s governmental institutions, together with Maria, the game\u2019s protagonist, who was now also my friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So far so good… What I didn\u2019t know back then was that there was actually a sequel to FL, Fortune Lover II: Love at the Magical Ministry<\/em>! In this sequel, Maria would try to romance new and returning characters, while Katarina came back once again to make trouble for her! And of course, Katarina was still headed for catastrophe no matter what happened in the game! After all that effort I\u2019d put into avoiding doom… What happened to the future I\u2019d envisioned? What happened to my peaceful retirement, relaxing on a rocking chair with a cat on my lap?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n But even though I was disappointed, I swore to myself: I won\u2019t lose to you, game developers! I\u2019m going to get my peaceful retirement whether you want it or not!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I started looking for ways to avoid the aforementioned catastrophic endings, aided by dreams I sometimes had that showed me a friend from my past life playing FL2 and a mysterious note I\u2019d found which had information about the game written on it in Japanese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To be honest, though, it wasn\u2019t going that well. I looked at my shadow, inside which Pochi, my Dark Familiar, always hid. He was a cute puppy, but he could turn huge when he needed to. Then I looked back at the Dark Covenant in front of me. Dark this, Dark that… I couldn\u2019t get any more villainous if I tried. I even remembered, in one of those dreams, seeing Katarina, with Pochi by her side and the covenant in her hands, laughing evilly. Maybe this was the game\u2019s doing, somehow forcing me to follow its plot, and that made me fear that I\u2019d actually turn into the evil villainess I was supposed to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But wait… If the Katarina in the game was laughing while holding the covenant, does that mean that she could read the ancient script on it? How can she be smarter than me?! Where does she find the time to study between stalking Jeord and being evil?!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLady Katarina, is everything fine?\u201d Maria, my beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed friend, asked. \u201cYou were making such a pained expression… Could it be that you are hungry?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, don\u2019t worry, I was just thinking about stuff,\u201d I reassured her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cStuff… Would that be the covenant?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After all, I had the covenant open in front of me. You\u2019d never guess I was thinking about the information on my evil destiny that I got through a mystical connection with my past life. And I certainly couldn\u2019t tell her about it either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cY-Yeah, the covenant. It\u2019s so hard to read, you know. I\u2019m not making any progress,\u201d I replied. No lie there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was never the smartest girl around, and I\u2019d promptly forgotten all that I\u2019d learned at the Academy of Magic the second I was done with my exams. As a result, this ancient script that I was looking at right now was completely unreadable to me. Even Maria, who was <\/em>smart, was having trouble reading her own covenant, since the script it was written in was even older than the ancient script we\u2019d learned about at the academy, and it used very difficult grammar. What chance did I stand?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The worst part was that the Dark Covenant had some sort of magical copyright protection applied to it, meaning that I couldn\u2019t write down the text as I saw it and let someone else read it for me. This was why I was having so much trouble reading through the thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Between the International Assembly and my undercover mission right after that, I hadn\u2019t had a lot of time to actually work on it, and the only parts that I\u2019d deciphered were the long foreword and the basic magic for mind control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat about you? How far have you gotten?\u201d I asked Maria, who was doing the same thing as me, but with the Light Covenant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHmm… I have been able to read further than last time, but this latest section only described how to amplify the spells I already knew, so I have not actually learned any new ones.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike me, she\u2019d already learned spells from the book and even used some of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, that sounds interesting,\u201d I said, surprised that the Light Covenant wasn\u2019t just a collection of spells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt surely is. For example, there are instructions on how to make healing magic more powerful. That sounds like it would be very useful,\u201d she said with a smile as the sun shone behind her. Once again, she was the very definition of a likeable otome game protagonist. \u201cMost likely, your covenant also says how to make your spells more powerful,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou think so?\u201d I replied skeptically, unable to comment either way as of yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She talks about her magic being useful, but my covenant is the <\/em>Dark Covenant. Even if I can make the mind control spells more powerful, I wonder if that could ever be useful… Wait a second, mind control?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHey!\u201d I shouted, jumping out of my chair. \u201cNow that I think of it, I can\u2019t use any Dark Magic to begin with!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Startled, Maria blinked, then answered, \u201cBut you have the Dark Familiar Pochi, do you not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, yeah. But I don\u2019t know any actual spells.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s more, Pochi didn\u2019t always come out of my shadow when I asked him to. Could you even call that a familiar? Maybe he just saw me as someone who provided him a place (my shadow) to live in. That would mean that I, all things considered, wasn\u2019t really a Dark Magic user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI believed that you could use Dark Magic but chose not to,\u201d Maria said, \u201cbut if that is not the case, then…there might be no point in reading the Dark Covenant.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indeed! No point in deciphering this stuff! What\u2019s all this effort for?! And after all the time I spent hunched over this desk! <\/em>I was in despair, holding my head in my hands, when I heard the door open and saw a familiar face step in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, how is it going? What\u2019s with the long face?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That was Larna, my superior. Since she was here, I decided I\u2019d tell her about the issue I\u2019d just identified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd that is why deciphering it could all be for nothing,\u201d I concluded, pointing at the covenant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Larna nodded. \u201cYou sound like you just realized that, but I\u2019d already predicted this,\u201d my superior announced. \u201cIn fact, I knew you couldn\u2019t use Dark Magic since back when we experimented with you and Pochi.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cReally?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe asked you about that during the experiments. Don\u2019t you remember?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI… Y-Yes… You did ask me about that, I think…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To be honest, that was such a stressful period that I barely remembered anything at all, but now that she mentioned it, we\u2019d done that kind of experiment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs we see it,\u201d she went on, \u201cyou have a Dark Familiar living inside your shadow, but you can\u2019t use Dark Magic per se. Our plan is to have you decipher the covenant for research reasons. If there are any spells that look safe, we\u2019ll have Sora, who can actually use Dark Magic, test them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, I see!\u201d I said, glad to know that my effort at least wasn\u2019t going to be in vain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maria, however, didn\u2019t look relieved. She addressed Larna. \u201cI just learned about Lady Katarina not being able to use Dark Magic spells, so I did not know about your plan until now… Unfortunately, I believe that it will not work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHuh?!\u201d I shouted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy would that be?\u201d Larna asked, looking worried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAfter deciphering a spell, I can explain its effects to other people, but if I try to explain how it is performed, I find myself unable to speak,\u201d Maria explained, furrowing her brow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know about that! How did you discover this phenomenon?\u201d Larna asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUp until now, I have only reported on what the spells I have found are able to do. However, yesterday I was told that the Ministry would assemble other Light Magic users so that I may pass on the knowledge to them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat makes sense,\u201d Larna commented, \u201csince we wouldn\u2019t be able to use Light Magic even if you explained it to us. That\u2019s why they\u2019re going to call people who can.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019d never heard anything about that…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes. This was not an issue for me. The problem, however, was when I tried to organize the information I had learned so that it would be easier to explain it to others. I tried writing it down, but the pen would not move. Then I tried to practice saying it aloud, but no sound would come out of my mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou just learned about that yesterday? And did you report on it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes. Yesterday, as soon as I learned about it, I reported to Mister Cyrus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As expected of Maria.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo that\u2019s why I hadn\u2019t heard of it yet… I skipped today\u2019s meeting,\u201d Larna said, mumbling the second part under her breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As expected of Larna.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut if you can neither write nor tell other people about how to perform the spells, then it means that only the owner of a covenant can use the magic inside it. That must be why there was no document giving details about them. A really interesting couple of books, aren\u2019t they? I wonder how I could get one myself,\u201d she continued, obsessed as usual with all rare and mysterious kinds of magic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut, if this is true, then…doesn\u2019t it mean that there\u2019s no point in me deciphering this?\u201d I asked, scared of the answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat could be the case, yes,\u201d Larna replied, looking disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo way!\u201d I shouted in despair, thinking of all the effort I\u2019d wasted on this cursed book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, you can at least tell what kind of spells they are, so it won\u2019t be completely useless,\u201d Larna tried to comfort me to little effect. Basically, she was saying that it\u2019d just be only mostly <\/em>useless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All this ancient script that I\u2019ve painstakingly deciphered… All this time and effort… Okay, I barely went past the foreword, but still…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHmm… I\u2019ll go confirm something with Cyrus. You rest for a bit and wait here, okay?\u201d Larna said, patting my shoulder before leaving the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I felt so exhausted that I dropped onto the desk. The sleepiness from before came back even stronger, and since this time I\u2019d been told to rest, I decided not to fight against it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLady Katarina…\u201d I heard Maria call me, probably worried about me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m a bit sleepy… I\u2019ll rest my eyes for a second…\u201d I told her as I slipped into a dream. Pink walls, a black table, and a metal-frame bed with azure duvets and blue cushions: I was in a place that I\u2019d become accustomed to seeing in my dreams, the bedroom of my friend Acchan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Great! Finally I get to dream this again.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Since I started working at the Ministry, every once in a while I\u2019d have this dream where Acchan played FL2, a game that I never managed to play myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I knew next to nothing about this sequel, and I needed more information in order to avoid its catastrophic endings. All I knew was that the new male characters were Sora, Cyrus, and Dewey, that Katarina was back to interfere with Maria\u2019s love, and that the game\u2019s happy end would see me thrown into jail, while the bad end would see me dead. I\u2019d meet a sad fate either way. I needed to learn as much as I could in order to escape both of these scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Acchan put the disc into the console, and the opening sequence started playing on the TV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you, Acchan, please let me see something useful as you always do,<\/em> I thought as I stared intently at the screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Music played as the twin princes and the count appeared. Apparently, in the sequel, you could also try to get closer with the characters from FL1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The three familiar faces gave way to those of the new characters: Cyrus, Dewey, and Sora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This was just a normal intro sequence to an otome game, but seeing the people I knew so well on the TV screen felt kind of weird. Acchan was the type to skip the opening after seeing it just once, but today she was busy opening a bag of chips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chips… I wonder when the last time I had chips was… They look so tasty…<\/em> No! I have to concentrate on the game!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n After showing the characters, the opening movie switched to some still images from the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh, this must be the scene where you find out about Cyrus\u2019s field. This one shows Dewey, but I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen it. Maybe I will in the future. Ah, this one with Sora near the sea looks familiar. Right, it\u2019s Ocean Harbor. So that was an event in the game too. Wait, does this mean that I took Maria\u2019s place in the event? There I go again, playing the villainess…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n After those images, the screen showed two silhouettes with question marks in place of names. I remembered seeing something similar in the first game as a hint toward hidden characters. I hadn\u2019t actually cleared FL1 one hundred percent, so I was very surprised when, post-reincarnation, I found out that Raphael was one of the hidden characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So there are hidden characters in the sequel too. There are two silhouettes, so it must be two of them. Good to know… No! That\u2019s not good! Why am I so calm?! I need to know who they are! What if they\u2019re somehow related to my doom?! Raphael\u2019s bad end was the most catastrophic one… What about this time?! Tell me, Acchan, please!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Acchan, as if my thoughts had reached her, took the controller in her hands. \u201cJust a bit more and I\u2019ll have cleared the hidden characters\u2019 routes!\u201d she exclaimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perfect timing! Now I\u2019ll be able to see who the hidden characters are. Thank you, Acchan!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n She chose the \u201cLoad\u201d option on the screen and started playing the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll always protect you, Maria,\u201d said the character on the screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I noticed that Acchan had left the protagonist\u2019s name to the default of \u201cMaria,\u201d but, more importantly, I noticed that the character speaking so romantically to her was someone I knew very well!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why is <\/em>he here?! Is it just someone who looks like him?!<\/em> I thought, but the name above the dialogue box on the screen left no room for doubt. That was Cezar Dahl. Cezar is a romanceable option?! But he doesn\u2019t even live in the same country as Maria! Oh, right, maybe he was supposed to get to know her during the International Assembly! And he was at Ocean Harbor, too, so it could make sense that he knows her. Not that I\u2019ve ever seen the two of them talking.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n As I kept thinking about this, Acchan went on playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYour Highness, I don\u2019t want to have you protect me all the time. I want to protect those close to me as well!\u201d Maria, in the game, declared. This was the same Maria that I knew in person. She was a compassionate girl, but she wasn\u2019t just a damsel in distress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI guess you\u2019re that kind of girl. In that case, should it become necessary, we\u2019ll fight side by side,\u201d Cezar replied with a smile, showing his pointy teeth. I nodded in agreement. Maria was definitely<\/em> that kind of girl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All of a sudden, the screen got darker and scary music started playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFinally we meet. I have been looking for you,\u201d spoke the figure of a woman hiding her face under a hood. The name just showed up as a series of question marks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWho are you?\u201d Maria asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cezar shouted, \u201cShow yourself!\u201d Both of them looked positively scared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They didn\u2019t know who the mystery woman was, but, thanks to my past dreams and the note about the game, I did. I knew her very well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow, now. The same cannot be said for that young man, but surely Maria has met me enough times to remember me,\u201d the woman told them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI do not understand… Who are you?\u201d Maria, taken aback with fear, wondered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI must say, it is most impolite of you to forget me,\u201d the woman grumbled as she removed the hood from her face, showing herself to Maria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maria was dumbstruck for a moment, then shouted, \u201cLady Katarina Claes!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt has been a while, Maria Campbell,\u201d Katarina replied with a grin and evil stare befitting a villainess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI thought you had left the kingdom… Why are you here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was exiled, yes. And because of you, at that. But now, I am back!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t! Don\u2019t come back! <\/em>I screamed at my counterpart inside the screen. Just stay there in Xiarmah and live as a peasant farmer! You\u2019d be able to eat rice every day without worrying about doom!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, FL\u2019s Katarina couldn\u2019t hear me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI have come back,\u201d she paused to cackle, \u201cfor revenge!\u201d Her evil grin grew wider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cezar stepped in front of Maria, as if to shield her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis girl is mine. I won\u2019t let you touch her,\u201d he proclaimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou fool. Do you really believe that you stand a chance against Katarina Claes and her Dark Magic? Heed my call, Cerberus!\u201d Katarina shouted, and a huge wolf jumped out of her shadow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cerberus… Is that Pochi?!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOkay, now I just have to defeat Katarina and bring her to the authorities, and the route will be complete!\u201d I heard Acchan say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What?! Katarina is going to be defeated?! And…<\/em> \u201cWhat kind of stupid name is Cerberus anyway?!\u201d I screamed as I woke up to the faces of three beautiful girls staring at me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLady Katarina… Are you all right?\u201d Maria, worried by my sudden outburst, inquired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI, uh, yes! I\u2019m fine!\u201d I was still confused, having just woken up from the dream, but seeing my friends\u2019 faces had calmed me down a bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat happened just now?\u201d Sophia wondered, confused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd what did you mean by \u2018Cerberus\u2019?\u201d Mary added, perplexed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, I just had a weird dream. I didn\u2019t really mean anything in particular! Hahaha…\u201d I tried to laugh it off since I certainly couldn\u2019t tell them about what I\u2019d just seen, nor could I come up with any believable excuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both of them kept staring at me questioningly. I realized that my best bet was to change the subject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnyway, what are you two doing here?\u201d I asked. Neither Sophia nor Mary worked at the Ministry (to be honest, it was rare for any noble lady to work at the Ministry), so it was weird to see them here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLady Mary and I are both here to help today. We just wanted to pass by and say hello to you,\u201d Sophia replied, unfazed by the sudden change in topic, \u201cbut then we heard that you were sleeping, so we decided to wait for you to wake up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, I see, so that\u2019s why you were here,\u201d I replied, relieved that I\u2019d managed to steer the conversation away from my scream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both Sophia and Mary sometimes came to the Ministry to help however they could when they had free time. They said that they did that to broaden their horizons and improve as ladies. For someone like me, who preferred to spend her free time sleeping, that was unbelievable. I had so much respect for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry I was asleep! I didn\u2019t know you\u2019d come,\u201d I blurted out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNot at all,\u201d replied Mary with a smile. \u201cI\u2019m actually happy that I could see your sleeping face for the first time in so long.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sophia nodded in agreement while she smiled as well. They were probably saying that just so that I wouldn\u2019t feel bad. They always were so kind, my friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd are you done helping out for today?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, although all we did was help sort some documents. We are ready to go back home now,\u201d Sophia answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAw, going home already? You know, back at the academy, when we lived in the dormitory, we were always together, but lately it\u2019s been so hard to meet each other,\u201d I remarked. I knew that it was an unavoidable part of growing up, but, \u201cIt\u2019s a bit sad, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll wait until you\u2019re done with work! I\u2019ll even spend the night with you! I\u2019d love to!\u201d Mary proclaimed, suddenly enthusiastic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI-I couldn\u2019t ask you to, you know,\u201d I replied to my friend\u2019s uncomfortably passionate offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPlease calm down, Lady Mary. Lady Katarina seems taken aback by your fervor. And did you not say that you had important matters to attend to later in the evening?\u201d Sophia commented, pulling Mary further back from me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUgh, I almost forgot about that. It\u2019s just that no matter in the world is as important as Lady Katarina…\u201d Mary grumbled, puffing up her cheeks in discontent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For all her reputation as the perfect model of an elegant lady, Mary, when she was with us, could act a bit childish sometimes. But knowing that she did that because we were all so close made me happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTo tell the truth, we were discussing the same issue moments earlier. We, too, are saddened that the time we can spend with you has become so scarce. Spending the rest of the night with you today is not a realistic proposition, but we would love to get together with you on your next day of rest from work,\u201d Sophia explained as the sadness showed through her lowered brow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hearing that Sophia felt the same way simply added to my joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOf course! Let\u2019s all meet!\u201d I declared, excited at the idea of being able to play with my friends on my next day off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The three of us and Maria agreed to have a tea party the next time that we all had a day off, and if we had consecutive days off, to have a sleepover. It was then time for Mary to attend to her business, which turned out to be helping Alan with preparing for a concert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Go to your fianc\u00e9, Mary! That\u2019s way more important than me!<\/em> I thought as I saw my two friends off. Just after they left, Larna came back, bringing Cyrus with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cyrus was as coolly handsome as always, as one would expect of the director of the Magic Powers Department, the most respected department of the whole Ministry. Incidentally, he also was one of FL2\u2019s romanceable options. Despite his good looks and aloof attitude, however, he was actually a pure-hearted country bumpkin who was scared of talking with girls. He even happened to be my secret farming mentor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He stood before us and spoke gravely. \u201cKatarina Claes, I would like to thank you for your excellent work deciphering the Dark Covenant. I am here to request your cooperation in an additional task. I would like you to study Dark Magic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cStudy Dark Magic?! Really?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes. Thanks to the findings of your colleague Maria, we now know that it is impossible to relay the content of the covenants to other people. In order to further progress our research, we would like you to become able to use Dark Magic yourself in some capacity. This would, of course, only be to an extent where no one would be at risk of harm. Would you help us?\u201d he asked, confirming the suspicion I\u2019d had since Maria explained about how only the owner of the covenant can learn its spells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I already have enough trouble deciphering the stuff, and now learning actual Dark Magic? That\u2019d be even worse. But, as a Ministry employee, I can\u2019t refuse a request from a superior.<\/em> I stared silently for a moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI will,\u201d I begrudgingly assented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe other people couldn\u2019t tell, but I\u2019d spent enough time in the field with Cyrus to tell that his expression had changed ever so slightly, showing that he was sorry for imposing this new ordeal on me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Larna, on the other hand, sounded almost giddy as she requested, \u201cTry it out on me as soon as you\u2019re able to use it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I personally thought that using it on her would be a terrible idea, but I had to admit that her love for magic knew no bounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut who\u2019ll teach me?\u201d I asked, pouting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s obvious!\u201d Larna replied, surprised that I would even ask. \u201cThere\u2019s only one other person who can use Dark Magic in the Ministry right now. You\u2019re going to learn from him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh! That\u2019s right!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike other types of magic, Dark Magic was not something that one was born with. It could only be obtained through a gruesome, forbidden ritual, and, as a result, Wielders of Darkness were few and far between. Raphael, who graduated the Academy one year earlier than me, used to wield it, but now he\u2019d lost that power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The only two people in the Ministry who could still use Dark Magic were me, who\u2019d obtained that power completely by accident, and Sora, who was hired by Sorci\u00e9 nobles and forced to undergo the human sacrifice ritual. Of course he was the only one who could teach me. Guided by Larna and Cyrus, I went to see Sora, my colleague, fellow Dark Magic wielder, and romanceable character from FL2. He was waiting for me in a room specially prepared for me to learn Dark Magic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThank you for teaching me,\u201d I told him as I stepped inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy pleasure,\u201d he answered, slightly lowering his brow. I could tell that he was acting as polite as he could because Cyrus was there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe laws of this kingdom forbid the use of Dark Magic,\u201d Cyrus explained, \u201cso remember that what you are doing here is exclusively for research purposes as a member of the Magical Tool Laboratory. Most importantly, you shall never use it outside of here unless you have a very, very, very<\/em> good reason. Now, sorry, but I have a lot of work waiting for me. I will come check in on the two of you later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He left the room, hurrying to whatever other tasks he had to attend to. Not only was he a department director, but he also had some administrative duties in the Ministry, which is why he was always busy. The fact that he found enough time to keep a field was more impressive than any magic power. I should learn from him.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOkay then, Sora. Ready to teach some magic?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This question wasn\u2019t asked by me, but by Larna. She looked very excited at the idea, but she was as much of a department director as Cyrus and, in theory, should have been just as busy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cExcuse me, Miss Larna, but…is it okay for you to be here?\u201d I wondered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry! My talented subordinates are taking care of all of my work,\u201d she replied with a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For a second, I pictured her talented subordinates working to exhaustion, dark circles under their dead blank eyes. That wasn\u2019t the least bit pleasant, but I knew that convincing Larna to leave would be impossible if she was so enthusiastic about it. In my heart, I apologized to all my colleagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMight as well start then,\u201d Sora declared. Now that Cyrus was gone and it was all Magical Tool Laboratory department members in the room, he\u2019d gone back to his usual informal tone. Larna was our superior, of course, but she didn\u2019t really care about that kind of thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPlease do!\u201d she eagerly responded (again, her<\/em> instead of me).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou see, when you\u2019re using Dark Magic, you have to concentrate it in your hand, like buzzzz<\/em>, and then let it go like whoosh<\/em>, all at once,\u201d he explained, putting out his right hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I assumed that I was supposed to follow his instructions, but… \u201cSorry, Sora, I have no<\/em> idea what you mean,\u201d I grumbled. I\u2019ll admit that I wasn\u2019t particularly smart, but being told to make magic go buzzzz<\/em> and whoosh<\/em> made absolutely no sense to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHmm, this is the first time I\u2019ve ever thought about how to teach anyone to use magic…\u201d Sora mused, scratching his head as he thought of a solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most magic wielders in the world belonged to Sorci\u00e9\u2019s noble families. Exceptions were very rare, but existed. Sora happened to be one of them. When a child from our kingdom first used magic, their ability to do so was reported to the Academy of Magic, which the child would then have to attend for two years as soon as he or she turned fifteen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sora, however, not being from Sorci\u00e9, never went to the academy. Moreover, he hadn\u2019t known any other magic users as he grew up. He learned how to use Fire Magic completely on his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow did you learn how to use Dark Magic?\u201d Larna asked him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen they forced that magic into me, they just told me to use it. I didn\u2019t know how to do it, but they insisted so much that I just tried doing it the same way as I did for Fire Magic, just to shut them up. And that worked,\u201d came his wishy-washy response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell then, why don\u2019t you try doing it as if you were using Earth Magic?\u201d Larna told me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I cocked my head to the side, concerned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen I use Earth Magic I focus on the earth, like ziiip<\/em>, then I release it like kaplow,<\/em>\u201d I explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat should work. Instead of the earth, just concentrate on, say, those papers over there and then just go ziiip<\/em> and kaplow<\/em>. Maybe that\u2019ll work,\u201d Larna suggested casually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I tried it out, just in case, but unfortunately, nothing happened. I even tried taking a better look at the papers to see if they had changed in any way, but no. Nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt isn\u2019t working…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI knew it\u2019d end up being hard. How do you even switch between Dark Magic and other kinds of magic?\u201d Larna addressed Sora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, when I want to use Fire Magic I go whoosh,<\/em> and when I want to use Dark Magic I go whoosh<\/em>,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those sound like the exact same thing to me…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKnowing how they sound doesn\u2019t really help,\u201d Larna, who had probably thought the same, pointed out. \u201cCan\u2019t you explain it in more detail?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, but I\u2019ve never actually explained it to anyone… How do you use Wind Magic, Larna?\u201d Sora asked back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She thought for a while before eventually replying. \u201cI kind of make it go swish.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s just as useless!\u201d I shouted, unable to contain myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut your explanation was also just a list of sounds,\u201d Larna countered, albeit with a slightly awkward expression on her face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She\u2019s right!<\/em> I thought, and the expression on my face turned awkward as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet\u2019s just agree we three aren\u2019t the best teachers in the world…\u201d Larna correctly commented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019d never even used magic that much in my life to begin with. I could barely do anything with it. Larna was slightly better, but she was self-taught. Indeed, none of us was in a position to explain magic to anyone else. We need someone who has a more logical, systematic understanding of magic,<\/em> I thought, and just as I did so, we heard someone knock on the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCome in,\u201d Larna called, and the door squeaked open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve looked all over the Ministry for you, Miss Larna. I need your signature on this document,\u201d said Raphael, looking dreadfully tired as he stepped into the room. As vice-director of the Magical Tool Laboratory, he was in charge of covering for Larna when she wasn\u2019t in the office, and since that was the case most of the time, he was constantly exhausted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, sure…\u201d But then she started silently staring at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Raphael\u2019s expression grew more and more worried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSomeone who knows Dark Magic and is good at teaching people! Here he is!\u201d Larna burst out excitedly, looking at Raphael\u2019s even more worried face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd so I need you to teach Dark Magic to Lady Katarina, Raphael,\u201d Larna concluded her explanation of what had brought us to this point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Raphael pondered for a while before replying. \u201cWell,\u201d he finally spoke, \u201cI, too, am self-taught, and therefore I do not know how well I will be able to teach her. If, knowing that, you still wish me to do so, I will accept. However…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHowever…?\u201d Larna echoed, curious about what he was going to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI will be able to spend less time in the office, meaning that I will not be able to cover for you. You will actually need to work like you are supposed to. Is this fine by you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTsk,\u201d Larna replied, saddened. \u201cI was looking forward to seeing Dark Magic and asking about it…but I have no choice. The higher-ups ordered that she must learn Dark Magic, so that\u2019s our top priority… Still, after you\u2019re all done, I want to see it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Larna and Raphael had reached an agreement, but since the work day was almost over and Raphael still had some work left to do in the office, we decided that he would give me my first lesson on the following day. He departed the room, dragging Larna with him, and I was left with Sora, who saw me off to the carriage that had come to get me at the gates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry I couldn\u2019t really teach you anything,\u201d he apologized as we walked together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry. I wouldn\u2019t be able to teach magic to anyone either. I think it\u2019s a talent that only some people have,\u201d I told him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah, me too. And I definitely don\u2019t like teaching in the first place. I mean, I never liked being taught either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat?! You don\u2019t?!\u201d I asked, surprised that someone as talented and resourceful as Sora didn\u2019t like having things be taught to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI mean, I\u2019m all for learning stuff that I care about. But if it\u2019s something that I couldn\u2019t care less about, I just won\u2019t bother.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m exactly the same! My teachers would always say that to me!\u201d I exclaimed, happy to unexpectedly find that I had something in common with a person who I had assumed could do just about anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHa ha ha, I can imagine. The person who used to teach me scolded me all the time too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat person?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBack when I lived in the slums, there was this adult who taught me how to read and do math,\u201d he replied, and I remembered that Sora grew up as an orphan in Ethenell\u2019s slums. The fact that he was so talented despite never going to school just made it that much more impressive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI see. What kind of person were they?\u201d I asked him, seeing the sparkle of nostalgia that had illuminated his eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe weirdest adult ever! You could never tell what that nutcase was going to do next. When I was a kid, I thought that maybe that was because he was from a different country than mine, but even after growing up and traveling the world, I never found anyone like him,\u201d he replied, sounding like he was having a lot of fun reminiscing about that. I could even see a hint of a smile on his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou must really love him,\u201d I told him, and he looked at me in surprise. That was so unexpected that I gave him the same look back. Sora was less self-aware than I\u2019d thought. \u201cC\u2019mon! It\u2019s written all over your face!\u201d I added with a laugh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After thinking it over, he agreed, \u201cI guess you\u2019re right,\u201d in a flat tone. Then he mumbled something else under his breath. \u201cHow can you be so dense when it comes to romance and then read people so well at times like this…?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHmm? What did you say? I couldn\u2019t quite hear you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNothing,\u201d he answered, and started ruffling my hair while I squealed for him to stop. \u201cNow that I think of it…you remind me of that person from back then,\u201d he continued, laughing to himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIs it the villainous face?\u201d I asked, confused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat does that even mean? But no, it\u2019s not the face. Just your behavior in general.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow so?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re both so weird.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHmm? I think I\u2019m pretty normal…\u201d I dissented. I was a high-ranking noble, sure, but other than that I was just an ordinary girl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He looked at me as if he had problems with what I\u2019d just said, but I remained convinced. If it wasn\u2019t for this evil-looking face, I\u2019d be the definition of an average girl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou know,\u201d I told him, \u201cI was surprised to hear that you don\u2019t like studying or being taught, but I guess that I can imagine you not paying any attention to things you aren\u2019t interested in.\u201d In the back of my mind, I envisioned a younger Sora sleeping through a boring lesson. \u201cBy the way, how old were you when you learned how to read and write?\u201d I asked, trying to better define the scene I was picturing in my head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWho knows? I was an orphan for as long as I can remember, so I have no idea about my actual age,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cReally?! So you don\u2019t even know your birthday?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I knew that he was born in the slums, but I had assumed that he somehow knew when<\/em> he was born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cExactly. No idea,\u201d he casually responded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut then, when do you celebrate?\u201d I asked him, more curious than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCelebrate what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYour birthday, of course!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, right, I guess some people do celebrate that,\u201d he said, uninterested, but to me that was a crucial issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAw… But I wanted to celebrate your birthday, since you\u2019ve done so much for me up to now.\u201d I would have liked to set up a huge surprise party for him, but I couldn\u2019t have imagined that he didn\u2019t even know his birthday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo need to do anything like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve got it! If you don\u2019t know your birthday, you can just make one up!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He gaped at me in confusion. \u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, when should it be? What\u2019s a date you like?\u201d My enthusiasm seemed to just confuse him all the more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, really, I…\u201d he sputtered, but seeing that I wouldn\u2019t step down, he eventually conceded, \u201cI don\u2019t know. Pick one for me, won\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat? Me?\u201d I gaped. \u201cOkay then… Let\u2019s make it the day that the two of us first met! It was during the school festival last year, around the end of September. The day was…er…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe twenty-fifth.\u201d Sora still sounded disinterested, but I was really happy that he remembered that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPerfect! Then your birthday will be September 25! It\u2019s not that far away! And when it comes around, expect a nice celebration!\u201d I announced with a smile, but he evaded my gaze and started ruffling my hair once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not again! <\/em>I thought, but the happiness of being able to celebrate Sora\u2019s birthday won over the mild annoyance of having him mess up my hair. After walking and chatting like that, we eventually reached the Ministry\u2019s gates, where the carriage was waiting for me. As I started riding home, I saw Sora\u2019s face tinged completely red by the sunset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the trip back, I was finally able to get some rest after a long day of work. I was tired, but I was also glad that Sora now had a birthday that we could celebrate. I spent some time excitedly daydreaming about the various ways that I could surprise him come September 25th, but I eventually remembered that I had a much more pressing issue at hand: Dark Magic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next day, Raphael would start teaching me how to use Dark Magic spells, and I had to concentrate on that. This wouldn\u2019t be the first time that Raphael had taught me something, since he had also helped me prepare for tests back at the academy. His explanations back then were always detailed and easy to understand, so I imagined that my lessons on the next day would not involve any whoosh<\/em>ing or kaplow<\/em>ing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But I was also afraid that learning Dark Magic would take me one step closer to being a villainess. Not having played FL2, I had no idea how things were supposed to work out in the game. I needed more information about it…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course! That dream I had earlier!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Right after waking up I spoke to Mary and Sophia for the first time in a while, and then Larna and Cyrus told me that I had to take Dark Magic lessons. I was so preoccupied by those things that I\u2019d almost forgotten about my dream. Why am I like this?<\/em> I thought, saddened by my constant lack of concentration, and then started recalling all I could about what I\u2019d seen during my short nap. Meeting chairwoman: Katarina Claes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meeting representative: Katarina Claes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meeting secretary: Katarina Claes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet the meeting begin. Today, we shall discuss the information obtained from our latest dream.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, ma\u2019am. I was very surprised to learn that Pochi\u2019s real name was supposed to be Cerberus!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA name like that doesn\u2019t fit that cute little puppy, does it? He doesn\u2019t look like a Cerberus to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI agree, but this is not relevant at the present time. Please try to discuss things that could actually be helpful to us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, since Acchan was so busy eating her chips, we were able to see the whole opening sequence for Fortune Lover II<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThose chips looked delicious…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey did, but please, let\u2019s try to concentrate here. By watching the opening sequence, we were able to ascertain that this time there are supposed to be two hidden characters in the game!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd one of them is Cezar, the Prince of Ethenell who became friends with Katarina!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWho would have thought that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe first time we met him, I thought that he was just as handsome as the romanceable characters in the game… Turns out that there was a good reason for that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere was no ruggedly handsome character for Maria to choose so far, so maybe that\u2019s why they added him in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat could be. If so, we could theorize that the other hidden character also fits an archetype that wasn\u2019t present in the previous game. Who could that be?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have already met Cezar. Do you think that we have already met the other hidden character too?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat is indeed likely.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCould he be someone from the Ministry?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHmm… If he was, then maybe he\u2019d be someone from the Magic Powers Department, since that\u2019s full of cool, talented people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut Cyrus and Dewey are already there. Wouldn\u2019t that be too many just in one place?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen could it be the Magical Tool Laboratory? But the people there are just…weird.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut that narcissistic guy is kind of handsome in his own right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2018Kind of\u2019 won\u2019t cut it. All the other romanceable characters are totally <\/em>handsome!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSure, but think about our department colleagues for a second. There are people with tons of makeup, people who hide their face behind their hair, and people who\u2019re covering their faces under a hood. Even the department director is a master of disguise. We know nothing about how any of these people actually look! Maybe some of them are actually much more handsome than we imagine. Even the one who\u2019s always wearing the tank top, who knows?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat would give us a lot of options, but currently we cannot even assume that this character is someone working at the Ministry to begin with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhere would Maria meet them? Since we already know Cezar, we probably already know about the other one too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMaybe he has already met Maria, but not Katarina.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI see… That could be true as well. That\u2019d leave us completely in the dark.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn that case, our best possible course of action is to ask Maria for more information. In any case, are you two not forgetting about the other important thing which we have learned today?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRemember what Acchan said!\u2018I just have to defeat Katarina and bring her to the authorities, and the route will be complete.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cB-But that means that Katarina is also the antagonist in Cezar\u2019s route…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cExactly! And the same could be true for the other hidden character too!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo we risk being killed or imprisoned if we interfere with the romance between Maria and any of the other new characters?! Any of those five?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut in FL1 Katarina always meddled with Maria when she was going for Jeord or Keith! Did she get promoted as a villainess or something?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat would be one terrible promotion… Anyway, all we know is that we are in danger.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd we haven\u2019t even played FL2, so we don\u2019t know what situations to steer clear of and what catastrophic endings to avoid! At least last time we had years to prepare…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWh-What if we became really good at Dark Magic and were able to fight back?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFight back…? You don\u2019t mean…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI do. I\u2019m sorry for Maria and the others, but we could learn, like, a spell that turns everything dark and then just run away while nobody can see us!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cY-You coward! Not even a villainess should ever stoop so low!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSay what you want, but I\u2019m going to run away! I\u2019ll run and run until I can settle as a farmer in a far away place somewhere!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhile I cannot say that it is a good plan… At the moment we have no other option. We should at least learn the bare minimum of Dark Magic to allow us to make a quick escape and then go on living as a farmer. We need to practice. Any objections?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo ma\u2019am!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo ma\u2019am!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was so tired from the meeting that I held inside my head that I planned to sleep until I was home, as I usually did… However, unexpectedly, I couldn\u2019t sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I remembered my dream, and thought of the things that Maria and Cezar said inside the game, and the way they looked at Katarina. They weren\u2019t even strangers, let alone friends… They were enemies. The fear in Maria\u2019s eyes and the anger on Cezar\u2019s face filled me with loneliness. I knew that what I saw was just the game as it was normally supposed to play out, but I couldn\u2019t help feeling sad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, I was going to start studying Dark Magic. Since the only thing I could do so far was to summon Pochi, and that didn\u2019t work all of the time either, I was optimistic that I wouldn\u2019t become like the Katarina from FL2… But now I had been ordered to learn how to actually use dark spells, bringing me closer to being an actual villainess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some time ago, when I talked to my friends about how I feared being taken over by darkness, they told me that they\u2019d stay by my side no matter what, and they\u2019d stop me if I was going to do something bad. I couldn\u2019t have been happier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But what if I hurt those who stood by my side, or Maria, who wasn\u2019t there that time? My kind, hard-working, genuine friends… I didn\u2019t want to hurt them. If I became Maria\u2019s antagonist, I would end up doing exactly that. I was scared of becoming evil and ending up dead or in prison, of course, but much more than that I was scared of becoming evil and hurting any of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sitting in the carriage by myself, I rolled up in a ball and tightly hugged my own legs. \u201cLady Katarina, we have arrived,\u201d the coachman announced, and I, still overwhelmed by fear and anxiety, got off of the carriage and entered the mansion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My mood was so gloomy that my body felt heavy. I wanted to go to bed. If only this house was smaller… This mansion is so big that getting to my bedroom takes forever… <\/em>I thought as I dragged my feet through the hallway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWelcome back, Big Sister,\u201d Keith greeted me, coming out of the room opposite mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I would normally be happy to see him, but today I simply couldn\u2019t muster any enthusiasm to properly greet him back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh. Keith. Hi…\u201d is all I managed to say in a deep, tired voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keith, who knew me so well, obviously immediately noticed my mood. \u201cWhat is wrong? Are you tired?\u201d he asked worriedly, staring at me. He\u2019d been working with father, going here and there all day long, and I was sure that he must have been pretty tired himself. Still, he found the energy to worry about me. What a sweet brother I have…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, a bit. Work was really hectic today. But I\u2019m sure that a good night\u2019s sleep will fix that,\u201d I claimed with my best attempt at a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, something\u2019s happened to you. Come, tell me all about it,\u201d he insisted, pulling me into a nearby room before I could even reply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He sat me down on a chair, with him facing me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, what happened?\u201d he asked. His blue eyes, staring directly into mine, told me that there was no point in lying. Keith always knew what I was thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell… I had a dream. A dream where I used Dark Magic to do bad things to my friends,\u201d I explained, ignoring all the details about the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTo be honest, I can\u2019t even imagine you hurting a fly, but now that I think of it, you already mentioned something similar once before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah… Everyone told me that it\u2019d be fine, and I was happy about that… But actually, starting tomorrow, I\u2019ll have to learn how to use Dark Magic spells…\u201d I continued, and then I went on to explain how it came to that, and how I was scared that knowing those spells could result in me hurting my friends. He carefully listened to my long explanation with a serious expression on his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI understand. As we told you that time, I plan to\u2014no, we all<\/em> plan to stay by your side, no matter what happens, and we will also make sure that you won\u2019t do anything bad. What you are saying is that you are scared that, by staying at your side, that would give you the opportunity to harm us?\u201d he asked me, perfectly summarizing my feelings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes. I don\u2019t want that to happen to any of you,\u201d I replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHmm… You know, I wouldn\u2019t mind facing harm because of you, but that would make you sad in turn, wouldn\u2019t it…? In that case, I\u2019ll make sure that I can fight Dark Magic. Both I and all of the others. If we do that, you won\u2019t be able to harm us even if you wanted to. Then, there\u2019ll be no problem,\u201d he declared, smiling at me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keith was almost too kind. When my friends told me that all would be fine, instead of trusting them and forgetting about the problem, I kept thinking of how things could go wrong, placing the burden on them. Despite that, my brother kept listening to me, doing his best to find a solution. Knowing that he was there for me made me happy…incredibly happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKeith!\u201d I shouted, jumping out of my chair to hug him. Since he was still sitting down, I ended up hugging his head against my chest. \u201cKeith! Thank you so much! I love you, Keith!\u201d I kept shouting, but I know that nothing I said could ever fully express the gratitude I felt for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He let me do that for a while, but eventually… \u201cBig Sister… Could you let go of me…?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I immediately stepped back, noticing that his face had turned bright red. Oh no! I must have hugged him too hard!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m so sorry, Keith! I hugged you so hard that you couldn\u2019t breathe, didn\u2019t I? Don\u2019t worry, I\u2019ll bring you some water!\u201d I offered, hurrying to the door, but he quickly grabbed my hand and stopped me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s fine. I don\u2019t need water,\u201d he told me, still completely red in the face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cB-But…!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI could breathe just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHmm?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. Now just go get some rest,\u201d he ordered, leading me to my bedroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I felt sorry for expressing my happiness by hugging him so hard, but on the other hand I still felt immense relief thanks to the things that he\u2019d told me. Every time the memory of that dream popped up in my head, I\u2019d just need to think back to Keith telling me that there would be no problem. Back in the carriage, despite being so tired, I hadn\u2019t managed to sleep. But this time, as soon as I hit the bed, my mind immediately switched off and I enjoyed several hours of good, peaceful rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/p>\n\n\n\n I, Keith Claes, was alone in my room trying to regain some amount of control over my face, which was still ablaze. However, every time I remembered how Katarina\u2019s embrace had felt and the words she had whispered in my ear, I could feel the blood rush to my cheeks once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Katarina didn\u2019t seem to understand that she was a woman, with all that it entailed. If she did, certainly she would think twice before hugging a man against her bosom while telling him that she loves him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Had it been Jeord instead of me, who knows what he would have done! And honestly, who knows what <\/em>I could have done? <\/em>I voiced my disdain for my sister\u2019s actions inside my heart, shaking my head as if to wash away the feeling of her body against it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe has probably already forgotten the confession I made to her… And to think of how much effort that took me,\u201d I mumbled to myself with a sigh, saddened by my own words.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The warm afternoon sun, shining on the lexicons I had open in front of me, was making me terribly sleepy. I, Katarina Claes, was doing my very best to stay awake. I never liked studying theory, and even back at the Academy of Magic I often had to fight with sleepiness… The sleepiness would usually […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tak-berkategori"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3655","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3655"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3655\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3656,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3655\/revisions\/3656"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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