Warning: If you havenāt read it yet, please skip my post.
There are a lot of things I want to say about this chapter, but since itās full of riddlesāand unfortunately Iām not really good at solving riddlesāI need to reread the story. For now, I just want to talk about the ghouls in this chapter that I found interesting, along with some questions that still confuse me.
First is Haku. In this chapter, we finally learn a bit more about him. From what Professor Dante said to him in the staff room, I think Haku is the type of person who isnāt good at relying on others and prefers to do things by himself. As far as Iāve read, especially in Hotarubiās episode, he rarely asks for help. For example, in episode 5 he worked alone to gather information about the shrine and contacted his acquaintance by himself. And now, in this chapter, he again chooses to check the staffās name by himself. It seems kinda suspicious why he wants to do it alone this time. But aside from that, I think itās just his habitāhe forgets he can solve things together with others. I donāt think itās because he doesnāt trust anyone. Looking at his background as the heir of a prestigious shrine, where heās expected to do everything perfectly, it makes sense that he developed the habit of working hard and not relying on others. And if the theory about Haku being a spy is true, it also makes sense that he wouldnāt want to risk involving others in his actions. If thatās the case, itās kind of sad. Maybe thatās why Professor Dante reminded him to ask for help when needed. Haku boy, donāt push yourself too hard to carry all the weight alone. I also feel relieved that Haku isnāt on bad terms with Haru and Jiro. You know Haku is one of my favorite ghouls, and since we still donāt know much about him, Iām really curious about his relationships with the ghouls from other dorms. So far, after this episode, it seems like he only has bad tension with Tohma. Iām not sure about Jin. And Yuri? Iām not sure either.
Haku initiated a conversation with Yuri in this episode, but Yuri looked surprised and nervous. I donāt know if it was just Yuriās reaction to suddenly seeing Haku, since it seems theyāve barely met in person after moving from Frostheim.
Second, I really liked the unexpected banter between Haru and Taiga. At first, I thought Haru was a little afraid of Taiga, because sometimes when he talked to him he seemed scared. But actually, it turns out he was just anxious about Peekabooās safety whenever that cute little furball was near Taiga. In this episode, without Peekaboo around, I finally saw another side of himāhe was more stern toward Taiga.
Based on Rui and Hakuās comments about their past, it seems Haru and Taiga were like this from the very beginning. I think heās actually on good terms with Taiga, but because of Shion, their relationship looks strained. Now I really want to know more about the relationship between Dionysia and Sinostra students from a year ago. Maybe weāll get more answers in the second season?
Third is Taiga. I knew this guy would be more cooperative in this episode. Before his memory impairment, I believe he was just as smart as Jin and reliable when it came to missions. You can see several times he gave logical opinions during their discussions. Also, I donāt think heād cause a big ruckus this time, since this mission is the MCās last chance to break her curseāand because he knows something about this mission. Every time his chat box shows the āā¦ā I feel like heās planning something. Please, Taiga, just tell us your plan already! Donāt stay silent all the time. And about his relationship with Haku, I think I finally found the answer. Some people say Taiga doesnāt like Haku, pointing to his reactions in the prologue and during the second Sinostra mission. But I think their relationship isnāt good or badāitās just neutral. His reaction to Haku seems the same as his reaction to everyone. So I donāt think the claim that Taiga doesnāt like Haku is valid. It's just Taiga is being Taiga.
Next is Rui. If we look at it without context, Ruiās statement in this episode almost sounds like a typical āpoor second male leadā who unfortunately isnāt chosen by the FL, LOL. But aside from that, I really liked the way Rui treated us in this episode. He genuinely cared for and prioritized the MC. His quick reactions whenever the MC yelped or seemed in danger, and the way he volunteered to join the mission and give the effort to keep the team togetherāRui, you are the man! But what surprised me is why no one, especially the MC, asked about his clothes. I mean, is it okay for him to wear loose clothes that reveal so much skin in such a crowded place? In previous episodes, Rui was always cautious about both his clothes and being in a crowd. Maybe Iām just overthinking, but it feels odd.
Also, in the last chapter when he told the MC he had something to do, it seemed Rui was suspicious of Haku and decided to follow him.
Another interesting thing is the female staff member. Iāve always believed side characters in this game have deeper connections with the plot. And after finishing the story, I found her really suspicious. Nancy said humans canāt see the denizens, but based on her reaction, the female staff could see the mice. That makes me think sheās not an ordinary human. Could she be connected to the denizens or Kyklos? Could it be... she is the denizen? What if sheās the one who killed Robin, the oldest brother mouse, and Humpty Dumpty? Maybe she was the denizen disguised as staff who entered the storage room before the mice brothers went in, as Nancy mentioned and then poisons the mouse. And since she was in human form, she could have pushed Humpty Dumpty from the wall.
Also, when Haku said the denizens seemed harmless, Taiga looked doubtful. Could it be that Taiga knows something about the female staff or the denizensāthat they arenāt as harmless as they seem? Hereās another absurd theory: what if she is Kyklos herself? She said she had just started working at the park recently, and we know Kyklos has been around the park not long ago. The timing feels too strange to be a coincidence. She might even be the āsomething horribleā Nancy said was watching her. And maybe itās just me, but her voice somehow feels similar to Kyklosās.
Oh, and about Professor Hyde. When he appeared after Haku and the MC left, he said Professor Dante was āwalking on the ice.ā Could it be that Dante wasnāt supposed to give advice to Haku and the MC, because it would help them catch Kyklos, which goes against Darkwickās plan? Iām not sure.
Finally, the ending. I still felt the tension when the MC picked up the phone, Hakuās voice wasnāt clear, and suddenly the MC returned to Kisaragi. Honestly, it scared me because all of a sudden, she was alone. Where are Taiga and Haru? Does Kyklos have the ability to open a domain that isolates someone, like the anomaly in Waves of Love? If so, then why were Taiga and Haku able to enter Kisaragi station in the prologue?
We finally in the climax of the story. It's really a long time to reach this point. I hope sheās okay, and the ghouls can save her. Or maybe weāll finally get a conversation with Kyklosālike why she decided to show herself to the MC now?
There are so many questions left in this episode. Hopefully, weāll get answers in the next one. For now, Iām still confused, but I really enjoyed reading it.
