#radie

Zafora

Seeing as I play the guys I’m most interested in first, I’m going to be clear and obvious with my bias here. I picked him first because he seemed like a mix of Ulrik from Steam Prison and Hanzo from Nightshade, with Ulrik’s information broker occupation and younger looks, and Hanzo’s “allergic to friendship and trust” schtick. Basically, I want to see this guy humbled.

What was surprising was the second time you can choose to meet him. Obviously Zafora is openly annoyed with Tifalia and realistically a MC like that wouldn’t keep insisting to be with Zafora despite him, so I was prepared to consider this point earning scene out of character and merely a scene for the reader to be more used to him/ to earn a point to get onto his route under the Doylist line of thinking. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Sure Tifalia gets the idea to see him for a reason like being suspicious, but she ends up not being able to find him, resulting in her running an “errand” for someone resulting in her bumping into Zafora and him revealing that she’s been smuggling drugs, which felt like a more natural progression and a feeling that continues to the rest of the route.

The city of Cultura is Zafora’s “stop” of the common route so getting there, while typical development in “he’s actually connected to the town” was very organic. So even in the common route the changes he goes through are already believable.

After that in the third city he is more kind and friendly. So I was pretty much on his route since when I meet up again with him in that city, I get a CG. Tifalia is charmed by him holding her close in the water, how heart thumping. So Tifalia’s romantic feelings are believable, but there was a time where I thought Zafora wasn’t quite developing them. Sure there was the barrette gift and the early reveal that it was a very intentional gift on Zafora’s part, but after that there weren’t really many signs of interest on his part while Tifalia was just infatuated with him. It’s not a dynamic I really enjoy. More of their relationship developing happens when plot and Balto being evil kicks in, which was enough for my purposes.

Then finally we’re at the end and Zafora finally confesses to Tifalia, a scene that is eyebrow raising because Tifalia thinks he’s drunk for… no reason. Well there IS a reason, but it’s because she allegedly can’t believe he would say sweet things? It makes no sense because she knew him since the common route and witnessed how he slowly changed. She was teased by others about his change, such as when she was told of Zafora grabbing Alast’s collar to know where she was. Really out of nowhere and put a damper on the confession scene.

Now we’re past the credits. Lmao Tifalia literally tells him that he ghosted her in the localization. Apparently he’s been away on business and blah blah blah he supposedly couldn’t even write anything to her. He gives the vague reason of not contacting her because “he didn’t know what to say” (???)  and I lmao’d at Tifalia accusing Zafora of wanting her to be his mommybangmaid.  Zafora ended up implying he didn’t let her live with him earlier because he “wouldn’t be able to control himself” lolllll. MC’s aren’t pure maidens (in the sense they have no sexual desires), so fuck off, Zafora. Unfortunately as much as I want to call this “bad writing” this is something that would happen. Or maybe it IS bad writing that this was wrapped up so easily. The choice is thine own.

Objective score: 6.2/10

Enjoyment score: 5.9/10

Ion

There are cute interactions before the route properly starts, but when we actually get onto there, Tifalia has pretty much already caught feelings. On Ion’s side however, while he has bonded with Tifalia the most there’s no signs of romantic feelings. Radie even jokes about it after saying he’s in a love triangle with Ion and Tifalia where Tifalia has unrequited love for Ion.

So they spend a little more time together. After the show, they’re walking and Tifalia tells him to never leave without letting her know. Then Ion bends down and kisses her hand, saying he’ll go wherever she goes... I couldn’t really believe he would do and say all of that so suddenly, especially because he doesn’t have a knight/servant background where he has to be respectful. This route isn’t on the best start.

So the plot happens and Barto fucking dies after all that happened in Zafora’s route and Luna is a mind controlled killer. This is all relieving for reasons that are “so won’t Zafora be busy with Cultura like in the previous route” that I was preoccupied with before (so what about cultura on other routes where this presumably doesn't happen, whatever, enough about Zafora).

Something that was at least a little compelling was how Tifalia knew that Avi was the only one who could fully understand Ion and his past. However she then resolved to drag him out of that world, because he expressed that he wanted to live an ordinary life. Usually the strongest bonds in romances form when the couple actually do share a lot of the same experiences, but I like how this game tackles coming from completely different lives and Tifalia is really "ordinary."

Zafora, Jinnia, and Tifalia head to Ferus to meet up with the rest of the gang who aren’t answering their calls. There they see Paschalia fighting Zion. He gets his ass whooped and Ion is about to kill him but resists at the last moment. I love how brainwashed Ion can resist for motives other than The Power of (Romantic) Love, it’s also for friendship (though to be fair he has the stronger bond with Tifalia). Unlike last route, I thought that Colivus’s admiration of the LI made more sense because he actually spent time with him and was touched by the things he said early on. In Zafora’s route he wanted to star with Zafora for no reason.

Avi had rather strange motivations of wanting the underground arena to continue despite everything he and his friends suffered in there, which was really hard to believe. But oh well. He still saw Ion as his friend in his own twisted way.

Luna is great too. From the reveal that she was used to assassinate Balto to apologizing to Tifalia for telling her that she didn’t understand her and finally working at the capital café awaiting her sentence. The conclusion to her character being “I’ll turn this symbol of courage into the truth” was good and it was surprising that such a simple story with straightforward characters managed to be so satisfying.

Despite all this good stuff, in the end I couldn’t quite buy the romantic feelings on Ion’s side. The only evidence that supports his romantic feelings are being embarrassed after kissing Tifalia’s hand in the form of threatening to beat up Jinnia if he tells anyone what he saw lol. Even so his scenes were still heart racing, and the after credits scene didn’t end out of character like Zafora’s did. And all his “you deserve better” put a damper on any chemistry especially because the narrative didn’t portray his alleged romantic feelings in any way.

Artwise the CG’s were great, but Ion’s side profile looked weird at times and I felt like he was in the same hunched over pose a lot. His sprites are great.

I’m a little uncomfortable with his circus outfit because of course the tan guy has to have the revealing BDSM leather strappy outfit, this is the 3rd otome game I’ve played where the tan guy either wears the most revealing clothes, or has the only shirtless sprite in the game (even if tempest and Olympia Soirée respectively). I'm not well versed in the subject, but I'm getting the message that it's okay for men to be provocative to women if they're dark skinned. Clothing also sends the message that only dark skinned men can be animalistic/brash, only pale people can be elegant and sophisticated.

Objective score: 7/10

Enjoyment score: 6.4/10

Paschalia

You know how I said earlier that I play the guys I’m most interested in first? Paschalia didn’t fit the bill because he seemed generic elegant softboi with a boring voice actor (I can’t tell him apart from Ion sometimes) but over time he grew on me and I wanted to see how he would be like if he were romanced.

In the “common” route the relationship that developed between them was so sweet. As always Tifalia falls first and it’s believable and all, but again, she gets friendzoned when the route properly starts.

He has a degenerative disease. So he dies in the other routes, what the hell. ANGST.

There's a break from all that angst, and Tifalia gets the opportunity to go to Paschalia’s house uwu. While waiting for her room to be prepared cause they’re not sleeping in the same room, Tifalia confesses to Paschalia and he’s like “thanks.” RIP Tifalia holy shit this is the most friendzoned you’ve been so far. So she leaves the house crying to Radie. Kind of rude to Paschalia parents ngl (also it just bothers me how unimportant they all, especially given Paschalia's general disposition. I'd have wanted a talk with his parents to give some depth and memorability to the route).

Finally the first non MC POV of two LI’s being friends happens, and Vilio shows he’s concerned for Paschalia. This is especially heartwarming because before that Vilio said that he was his first friend and they had a lot in common and they spent much time together (I was wondering why something like this didn’t happen in other routes with other LI’s but the idea that they all saw each other as nakama and didn’t pry into each other beyond what is revealed in the common route was natural, also for a setting like this where MC can form romantic relationships with each of the members, this allows the romances with MC to be more interesting beyond “we’re together yay.”).

Ok so I’m going on another one of my rants. The gang goes to get the Lacrima earrings and upon touching it Leve the great water spirit appears. She says she’ll cure Paschalia and allow him to live without synchronization as a normal human if he can clear a trial to show her “true love.” First of all, it still bothers me that Oriens the City of Love (Ai, a general term for love) and the strongest vows are for romances, and only at the end Leve specified “koi” (romantic love) once for her trial. Whatever, I’ll just use the Olympia Soiree copium explanation and chalk this up to supernatural beings making the rules regarding which love is better. But wait! When all the members of CIRCUS and the entire city send them a Flora courtesy of Paschalia’s best friend Vilio, and that’s the thing that gives Paschalia courage and helps him and Tifalia find each other, the route really peaks. “Caring for another is love (ai)” says Leve. Yay finally. However, I’m not very satisfied with the idea that their fate rests on the arbitrary worldview of a supernatural entity. But that’s the charm of this game, romanticizing these sorts of things. Everything that happens here is consistent with the vibe.

Art wise, the CG’s were great except for the kiss CG where Paschalia’s eyes are hidden, really disappointing. Paschalia’s sprites are wonderful too and really convey his graceful yet airheaded vibe, especially with his weird smile.

Objective score: 8.3/10

Enjoyment score: 7.4/10

Radie

He’s the oldest, has known Tifalia forever, is obviously in love with her, is a furball but also a handsome looker with playboy aesthetic. But the most important part is the “childhood friend” part, more specifically, her guardian and self proclaimed parental figure. As always, with childhood-whatever LI, the question always arises why the protagonist doesn’t get with him over the other LI’s, a topic that is handled excellently from the start because Radie had always been in animal form and you can’t be attracted to an animal. The first time he showed his true form to Tifalia was later in the common route.

From the so-called “common route” scenes Tifalia and Radie do develop good romantic chemistry as usual, as expected of this game. Radie teasing Tifalia is gold. Then in the 5th chapter when the gang goes back to Liber, Tifalia, Radie, and Spirea talk again. Spirea tells Radie to spill the beans, and he does. He reveals that he actually knew her parents and witnessed their deaths as he tried to save them when they came home on the brink of death and Tifalia was there too. And from then on she was like a doll, so Radie changed his name from Ralida and kept in his Fey form even after he recovered enough power to transform for fear of reminding her of those painful memories. Naturally Tifalia doesn’t care about any of this, except for the part where Ralida is like “so that’s why I’ve been trying to be your parent substitute and own it up to your parents” and Tifalia has the nth  “running away and crying because the LI friendzoned me” scene because 1. she’s obviously attracted to him and wants him to look at her as a woman uwu, and 2. She wants him to be with her because he likes her as a person not out of duty. Which is a compelling conflict.

So Tifalia is all angsty due to all of this, and bumps into Liyan. He notices that she’s down and consoles her and makes her realize that she’s in love with Ralida by caressing her cheek as if for a kiss. Ralida barges in at this time and gets her away. As they talk Ralida mentions how she needs to find a worthy man and if she’s interested in the CIRCUS members. Aaand then. Holy shit. This game is legit Friendzone Simulator. Tifalia straight up confesses as usual, complete with a CG of her hugging him, asking him to try seeing her as a woman and not a family or child, and Ralida bluntly draws the line and rejects her. Now here my enjoyment was lessened because of how little Tifalia knows of Ralida while being in love. I’m not saying it’s bad writing, romantic love doesn’t require that deep of a bond or understanding. It’s just that on top of being rejected, there’s still some oooh, mystery going on with him that he makes painfully obvious. Like with remembering his “parental figure” while training Colivus, like Christ. None of this are things I particularly like seeing or find appealing but it’s still interesting to read about, at least. However from a writing standpoint I felt led on. Ralida was flirty in the common route, even on other routes, and then he chickens out when the girl he has a close bond with develops feelings? Will this get addressed? (It doesn’t)

Later on things are finally revealed about him. He wasn’t somehow Celius the Great Earth Spirit like I guessed, but a homunculus created by him who can turn into a Fey to avoid suspicion of being immortal. He’s also part Core Item so he has to fulfill his national duty and produce Flora seeds, bye. So Tifalia and him sleep next to each other with him in Fey form. He continues monologuing his “I can’t give you a normal life” spiel and does that while he leaves in the night. At this point I really forgot if he had any chemistry with her, because there’s just no angst in his POV’s beyond that, even Paschalia had that and mentioned how his heart stopped at her confession in his route. The route is just dragging on at this point.

Then he leaves and becomes 99% the wand. And his body is an old husk with no emotion. Another stupid thing from Ralida again thinking removing himself from her life will make her happy even though he stated over and over that he’s family and no shit she won’t be happy without her family. Whether this is addressed or not, I’ll find out.

Honestly, Emotionless Husk Ralida is more interesting as an LI. Maybe if we have an LI like that who we teach about the kokoro and he falls in love, would make a better story. But of course we need to bring the real Ralida back, the guy who led us on and dragged out this route.

Oh right I keep forgetting that Tifalia’s parents are alive and they allegedly reunited. That was glossed over so badly because Tifalia is instead obsessed with Ralida uwu, oh well at least it got a CG of her hugging them.

Ok so the thing I complained about earlier was addressed. Turns out that Ralida was obsessed with blood bonds which is why he kept bringing up family nonstop. And now that Tifalia reunited with her parents he can fuck off. The little shit didn’t consider that, maybe he’s breedable, and can create family that way uwu. Will this ever be addressed? Or did Celius not give him any of that sweet male gamete??? Light jabs aside, it still makes no sense. So this girl will be happier with her parents, therefore you kill yourself? Even platonically, the reasoning is stupid and out of character. What about the whole thing about Celsius’s mission? And the other thing I preferred to happen, happened too. It turns out that kuudere Ralida is the new LI, because he gets CG’s lol, and gradually falls in love as he ponders the philosophies of emotions and kokoro’s.

As always I have my complaints about media professing romantic love to be the ultimate form of love, and this is what Celius implies when the conclusion to his research is kuudere Ralida realizing his romantic love for Tifalia and that he wants to be with her. But maybe you can argue it wasn’t, because when Celius tells Ralida what the basis of all emotion is, he says “love” (Ai) and his description of it isn’t exclusive to romantic love. Also, the circus act’s story involves the main character wanting to be with the child she grew to love as family (although this is what happened with Tifalia and Ralida lol, at least Tifalia grew up). Let’s say this is just my copium and I’m wrong. Even so, is this the opinion of Celius or the writers? Makes sense what I’m trying to get at?

Moving on, Ralida comes back with his full personality because something something the wand was pointing to him (???) and Kuudere Ralida turns back into Boring Ralida. So does that mean the Core Item Earth wand can continue to manufacture Flora or something? This point is never addressed. I even tried to replay some scenes after Vilio’s route but I still have no idea what the idea with the wand was. Why did he activate again if he gave his personality to the wand? It felt like two separate people developed and then converged into one because plot.

And the after credits scene is a Zafora 2.0. Ralida apparently hasn’t told Tifalia he loves her yet, and Tifalia is pissed the fuck off. Then he finally reveals the reason: he’s a man too, and has to keep his desires in for Tifalia’s sake uwu. Lame lame LAME. Ion and Paschalia could immediately throw themselves at Tifalia, why couldn’t YOU??? Unfortunately, just like with Zafora’s route, I can’t get on my high horse and say “silly writers, that’s bad writing and out of character.” No, this is something that would happen. It’s just eye rolling and absolutely not to my taste. Or, again, maybe it IS bad writing. Why couldn’t he tell her he loves her when she was crying on his chest? Surely he’s not horny all the damn time right? Christ. Way to pad the route out, they clearly had no ideas for the after credits scene.

Overall, this route was really dragged on and wasted my time, which is a shame because there was actually a lot it could have expanded on without me feeling that way, like you know… Tifalia’s parents and their reunion.

In the end I couldn’t really buy the romantic feelings on Ralida’s part. Sure they developed during the Common Route scenes, but after he rejects her there’s just none of that angst on his part if he really wanted to be with her romantically but couldn’t because he’d hurt her (or get hurt). For example, there was the CG and scene where he kisses her forehead before leaving in the night. There was no sign of physical attraction form his own damn PoV, but as Kuudere Ralida he claims that “that kiss could not have been familial affection” nah boi this isn’t it. And by the way I don’t care if he’s her adoptive family and is way older than her and she’s sixteen etc. And I like those tropes, so it looks even worse on this route. Oof.

Also this route just had the worst pacing so far, especially regarding Tifalia’s parents. Oh well at least this means her parents are alive in the other routes and Tifalia and her LI can meet them. Hopefully this happens in the fandisc.

Artwise the CG’s are great as always. I don’t really have specific complaints. I like Ralida’s sprites.

I'm sure he'd age well, Tifalia. But yeah not all men look good in beards.

Objective score: 6/10

Enjoyment score: 4/10

Vilio

After Ralida’s route, all panels are unlocked after the “Fin” ending card. This time the unlocked LI panels have voice lines with each LI saying something along the lines of “you gave me courage” and then Vilio at the end says “time to raise the curtains.” Huh? Are they talking about Vilio or me? I’d be a little pissed if they’re talking solely about Vilio because why is he so important? Why did he meddle so much in the previous routes?

However in the Vilio common route, it seems that Vilio apparently investigates everyone’s issues in the common behind the scenes which warms their hearts. Now I get why the mini LI’s were touched by him. Also, Paschalia can be saved!

The parents wake up in this route, of course. Ralida was able to save her parents without doing the whole emotionless husk business, somehow, why didn’t he do that in his own route? No seriously I am so confused. They paid lipservice to how Ralida might have to sacrifice himself to complete the wand later but that never happens. Someone please explain.

After a lot of other things happen, wow Tifalia finally gets possessed by a fiend. In this state she’s able to tell Vilio her true feelings, that she doesn’t care about the world if he dies etc etc. and this is a unique development that I appreciate, but damn. Really, I don’t believe that she has such a strong connection with him to warrant those feelings. What exactly makes them that special to each other besides an alleged romance? At least Vilio has more reason to feel this way, because the most important bond to all dragons is a romantic one, and Tifalia is the one who became close to him through circumstance.

And then he kisses her… sure. I don’t believe it. While I did say earlier that I believe his attachment to her that doesn’t mean I believe his romantic feelings. Sure, to dragons, their mate is the most important person to them, but given his personality they should have been shown more. The only instance was when he blushed when Tifalia touched his hand early in the common route, then the same issue as Ralida’s route happened and the friendzone simulator began and I forgot any trace of chemistry there was. So disappointing. I was already dreading the shounen protagonist character to not be a good romance, and it turned out just as I feared. Compare and contrast with Noritsune from Birushana who plays on the same tropes and actually has physical attraction to MC.

Tifalia, now a Dragon Bride, can live forever and see spirits etc. And she gets time to talk to Ralida, the guy who she was supposed to care for (and not destroy the world over) but nothing much came out of that because she’s on Vilios route lol. I thought this would be opportune time for Ralida to reassure her and say that he’ll be with her since he won’t age and die of old was as well, but no. Man these routes have no room for platonic relationship development do they? Do they threaten romance that much?

In order to save Vilio from his eating disorder, Tifalia then enters a dungeon with Colivus to find this crystal which was apparently made after the previous Archdragon Ragulus was sealed and finished purifying all the fiends. But it has immense power… why wasn’t it used before? This point was never addressed.

So after completing trials and elaborating more on about the themes of friendship and regret, how Ragulus didn’t have to eat all the fiends and how humans had grown greedy and the industrial revolution and its consequences were a disaster for the human race and spawns more fiends (things that could be compelling but given the convoluted plot I don’t care that much), Ragulus finally allows us to use the crystal. That returns everyone’s negative emotions to them, which makes no damn sense. I thought it was like in Jujutsu Kaisen where Fiends were spawned from negative emotions and fears, so why do they have to be returned? Huh?

Then they have a wedding but it’s worse than Paschalia’s because of everything lol. The end. I finished the game.

Artwise, the CG’s and sprites were great. My only complaint is Colivus. His clothes were able to magically supersize but they couldn’t change his stupid haircut? His bowl hair only looked cute as a kid, not an adult.

Objective score: 4.9/10

Enjoyment score: 4.5/10

Tifalia/Common route/ other thoughts

No route for Jinnia ;-; I thought he was an LI

Finally for once in an Otomate game the NVL style text display does not say Monologue when you check the text history/backlog.

This game has a similar route structure to Jack Jeanne. Long “common” route but a lot of LI exclusive scenes in between to build a believable relationship and romance between LI and MC. That’s why the romances felt natural, but especially from MC’s side in Radiant Tale because she’s less bland due to actually having thoughts. This makes for a verrrry slow burn unlike in JJ where most of the LI’s are in love with MC by the time their route starts. Moreover the route structure is better than Code Realize due to the LI exclusive scene that make it so you’re basically on their route already, making the romances and attachment the MC has for a certain LI believable.

I love how sure, there’s the typical countdown-to-the-poster-boy-route after each completed route typical of these Otomate writers. However, instead of revealing a piece of a picture of the poster boy like in Café Enchante, Collar x Malice, and Code Realize, the pictures you unlock are cute Adventure Time style chibi versions of the LI whose route you just completed, and not a piece of Vilio’s picture, who’s already on there. So many improvements that aren’t even in the writing sector.

Nobuhiko Okamato’s kuudere voice is so sexy. Imagine if he voiced Hanzo from Nightshade, kuudere Ralida uses the same pronouns and speech patterns.

It was fun to copium my own way of looking at relationships into aligning with this game.

Yuuichirou Umehara grew on me as Paschalia. I love how gentle his voice is.

VERDICT

So after all of this how do I rate Friendzone Simulator— I mean, Radiant Tale?

Uhhh. In general, not exactly outstanding, even if Paschalia’s route is the highest scored I’d say this is a 6.5/10 game. Which is good enough for me.

I’d say this game is underrated, especially compared to the more popular games and their wack plots and interesting character executions. Moreover, this game was able to keep a consistent vibe to it despite everything that happens which is very hard to do. It's Radiant PEAK enough for me to want to buy the fandisk.

(Although I’m sure we’ve walked together like this countless times in the past. …..Should I have held her hand…..?)

—I had never thought that going “back to normal” would be this difficult.

Our relationship was now that of “lovers”.

But at the same time we were also “family”, just as we had always been—

‘Ralida, you’ve been staring at my hand for a while now…..is something the matter?’

‘Oh, ah…it’s nothing.’

‘..........’

I felt my heart skip a beat as Tifalia peered in at my face. Even though I must have seen her with a pouty look on her face many times before now—

(Why is everything about her just so damn cute…..?)

Maybe it was because I was in human form right now, making Tifalia seem smaller in comparison?

No…..during our journey, I had stood at her side in human form plenty of times.

I knew something like that wasn’t the reason I felt this way.

‘.....Don’t act weird and hide things from me anymore.’

Looking dejected, Tifalia averted her gaze from me.

I had intended to protect her with the things I hadn’t said, but in the end all I had done was hurt her. Even though I had always acted so that nobody would ever hurt her again, I had been the one that had caused her the most pain.

‘.....I’ll never hide anything from you again. So don’t make that face.’

No matter how much I did to make up for it, it would never be enough.

Wanting to reassure her, even if just a little, I patted her head.

(.....Hm?)

And, in that instant-

Lightly travelling on the wind, an unfamiliar scent tickled my nose.

‘—H-Hey, Ralida, you’re going to mess up my hair.’

‘Ah, my bad. You just happened to be in the right spot.’

‘Aw, come on…..!’

When I removed my hand from ruffling her hair, the sorrowful expression on her face from a moment ago was gone, replaced with a seemingly happy anger.

(.....Heh, she’s an easy read)

Somehow or other repressing my sudden desire to hold her tight, I made myself look nonchalant and began to walk forward once more.

‘Oh hey, they’ve got some pretty tasty looking stuff over there. Looks like it might go well with the booze I bought not too long ago, maybe I’ll go check it out.’

‘Don’t tell me you plan on drinking more again?’

‘Nothing wrong with a little every now and then. I’m sure Spirea will be pleased too if I share some with her.’

‘.....In that case, let’s go take a look.’

‘So it’s alright for Spirea but not me, huh…..’

‘I wouldn’t have anything to complain about if you just knew how to take it easy!’

We exchanged the same kind of conversation that we always had. I completely forgot about the scent I had momentarily caught a whiff of until a few days later.

* * *

—And then, on a different day-

Today, Ribelle was temporarily closed as Spirea had gone out on a rare overnight errand. The two of us were enjoying our first day off in a while.

‘You sure about this? You could have gone with her.’

‘It’s fine. Although it’s not often, Father and Mother do come to visit the shop sometimes. And, I was also thinking Spirea might be able to kick back and and relax more if she didn't have me to worry about too.’

A few days ago a message from Meria and Lyzel in Kalida had arrived. They had written that they were worried for Spirea since it had been so long since she’d taken a break, so she had given in and taken time off to go stay with them.

‘Well, if you’re alright with it then.’

I was making sensible sounding replies, but-

‘............’

I couldn’t help but give a quiet sigh, but not so loud that Tifalia would be able to hear me.

(.....So it’s just the two of us, huh)

Truth be told…..I was feeling conflicted.

(I do get that they’re trying to be considerate…..)

‘.....Ralida, you know you didn’t really have to stay behind here on my account too, right?’

Apparently taking my silence as discontent, she spoke, this time with that adorably pouty look on her face.

‘Idiot. There’s no way I’d ever leave you on your own. Have you already forgotten that I said I’d never be apart from you again? C’mon, let’s go.’

So saying, when I held my hand out to her-

‘Okay!’

-She took it, her face lighting up.

Her smile was unreserved and from the heart.

Surely from now on too, she would react to each and every single one of my actions, and show me all kinds of expressions.

Thinking about the fact that I would be shown such things any number of times until tomorrow…..and that I would have to “hold back” the desires that seemed to overflow each time, I couldn’t help but feel even more conflicted.

(Dammit….Looking all happy like that….-Hm? What is this scent….?)

‘—And so, from what everyone was saying, that cafe’s cheesecake is supposed to be super delicious.’

It was then, on the path to our destination-

(.....Just as I thought, I smell something sweet…..)

‘Ralida? What is it?’

(I feel like….I’ve smelt it somewhere before recently…..)

‘Hey, are you listening to me?’

‘Huh? Oh…..You wouldn’t happen to smell something sweet too, would you?’

‘Something sweet? Maybe the crepes they’re selling over there?’

‘.....I see…..’

(No…..I feel like it’s different from the sweetness of a crepe…..)

‘Let’s go quickly, before it gets too crowded!’

As she spoke, Tifalia took firm hold of my arm, pulling me forwards.

It was at that moment that the scent brushed against my nose once more.

‘Alright I get it, quit yanking so hard already.’

(This scent…..is from Tifalia….?)

—A scent different from the one Tifalia normally had.

(.....Perfume? When did she start wearing something like that…..)

Until now, she had never once shown an interest in perfume, saying it would only get in the way of cooking and working in a place that served food and drink.

To be sure, in the royal capital, wearing perfume was popular enough with men that it wasn’t seen as anything unusual, there were a wide range of varieties available. For a girl of Tifalia’s age, to have an interest in such things was something “normal.”

(She’s done nothing for me to criticize her for)

I knew that. I should know that, but-

(Why now, after all this time……)

Tifalia and I were family. We had always lived together in the same house since she was little, always using the exact same shampoo.

It was the reason why, whenever I held her, she smelled of the same scent of soap as I did—along with her own individual scent.

But that scent had now suddenly become something different, and that nagged at me somehow. I couldn’t accept that she had changed in a place that I didn’t know about.

And once that murky feeling started, it continued to build within me undissipating, even after we returned home.

* * *

After that, soon after we had returned to a completely silent house.

‘Hey, Ralida. Are you mad about something?’

Watching my facial expression, Tifalia asked me.

(Crap….did it come out on my face….?)

I hadn’t intended to let what I was thinking show, but it appeared I hadn’t done nearly a good enough job of it.

‘.....You told me you wouldn’t hide anything from me anymore.’

Giving it up when I saw Tifalia speaking as if angry, I brought up the topic of the perfume.

About how I had been puzzled as to why she had suddenly started wearing it. And when I asked, I was unprepared for her reaction.

‘.....Do I need to say it…..?’

‘Is it the kind of thing you can’t talk about?’

‘.....Not, necessarily…..’

I felt another wave of negative emotion at this vague manner of speaking.

(—So that means there’s something she can’t tell me?)

I knew that it wasn’t possible to talk about absolutely everything together, whether we were family or lovers. I didn’t want to place restrictions on her.

Still…I hadn’t expected to feel so irritated just because there was one small thing that I didn’t know.

(Talk about hypocritical…..)

This was nothing at all compared to the things I had once hidden from her.

Confronted with my own small-mindedness once more, I was again full of self-loathing.

‘.....Tch-’

‘! ….That’s-…..’

Her shoulders jolted slightly at my unthinking tongue click.

‘! I’m sorry, just now- that wasn’t directed towards you…..!!’

Cutting across my flustered explanation, Tifalia took a deep breath and spoke.

‘—It was because I wanted you to be more conscious of me, Ralida.’

‘............Huh?’

‘I thought of it when I overheard some of the regular female customers at the restaurant talking about perfume. That maybe if I did something different…..it might make you feel more conscious of me, Ralida.’

Her cheeks were red, yet she spoke seriously, without averting her eyes from me.

‘.....Even though we’re l-lovers now, nothing has really changed much from before. That’s why I thought that I had to do something, that if something about me changed you might…see me as…more womanly….’

Getting redder and redder the longer she spoke, I listened as her words gradually tapered off, still slack jawed.

‘B-But, I had it all wrong! I’m sorry, I’m sure you have a much stronger sense of smell than I do, so it must have been uncomfortable being next to me, right?’

‘.............’

(....She wanted me to see her as more womanly? It was for me?)

And the instant I thought that, there was no way I could hold back anymore.

‘I won’t wear it anymore, so….. …..Wha-!?’

I gave into my impulse to embrace the adorable and lovely creature before my eyes, pulling her close to me.

‘U-Um, Ralida…..? Don’t you hate this scent…..?’

‘.....When did I ever say that?’

‘But….H-Hey, wait a moment, don't sniff my neck-…..!? That tickles….!’

Ignoring her flailing around in my arms, I continued to breathe it in. The delicious smell that was like sugar candy, a blend of Tifalia’s scent along with a soft sweetness.

(.....It was created for me….)

Desire was whispering within me, saying, “Since this candy was prepared for me, shouldn’t I just go ahead and eat it right up?”

‘............’

‘.....Ralida?’

(.....No, what the hell am I thinking? Of course I can’t.....)

Coming back to myself at Tifalia’s voice, I loosened my hold on her and looked her in the face.

‘Um.....?’

And then I pressed a light kiss.....to Tifalia’s forehead.

‘-!’

‘.....I really like this scent on you too. But when Spirea gets back tomorrow evening, you’ll be going to help Lian again, right? Magical beast children have strong senses of smell, so it’s probably best you don’t wear any perfume so they don't get overwhelmed. They might think you’re candy and end up licking you.’

‘.....Alright, I understand. But.....I am glad you didn’t dislike it.’

The shy look on her face as she spoke had to be against the rules, I thought to myself.

‘Right then, time for a bath, and then let’s eat dinner. I’m starving.’

‘Okay!’

—At the same time that I thought that I wanted to treasure the scent she had put so much thought into choosing for me, I also felt an urge to overwrite it with my own as soon as possible.

Expressing such a mixed up bunch of emotions to her straight up was something I must not do.

While feeling a sense of relief that she had answered me as she normally would when I spoke to her in my usual tone, we returned to our “normal” life.

(.....Emotions really are so difficult, Serius.)

Knowing there was no possibility of my words reaching him, I spoke to myself inside my mind.