In Mystic Square you can choose between "FM", "Beep" and "off" as sound effects.

In the trial version, when you selected one of these options, the change would not take place immediately, you'll still hear the previous effect. In order for the sound effect to update, you'd have to either start the stage or use the Quit menu option and restart the game (I've tried to close the window from the X button and it didn't save the setting, I had to specifically exit through Quit).

Harriet barely manages to keep herself from spiraling again by focusing on her breathing and the comforting presences near her. It feels like the darkness is closing in, no choice but to send countless innocent people to their demise, only for another option to show itself. Something she hadn't considered. It was so easy for to assume there was no way negotiation would ever work, but... Calum was gone. Calamity was in shambles. If there was any time to try and work out a more peaceful resolution, it was now. Harriet perks her ears up and pays attention to what the others have to say, and against her better judgment, starts to feel like there is a chance.

...She does chuckle when Frank beans Manami with his rock, though. Get owned.

Briefly, she glances at the huge sword leaning against her desk. Harriet can feel her sword paw twitching, eager to pick up the blade and do what she does best. But that wouldn't solve anything, would it? It'd just cause an already fraught situation to escalate further. Instead, she sighs and looks towards Esmée. Towards Manami.

"...If it is possible to talk with the Demon King and figure a solution peacefully, that's what I want to do. The things that they've done disgust me, I can't lie about that. Just like everything Calamity's done to us disgusts me, too. But it's more than just the people in charge, right? it always has been. And at this point, I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of killing. I just... I don't want anyone else to have to die."

The Deputy isn't her friend. The Deputy only cares about doing what her master ordered, regardless of the cost. She can't be reasoned with, not when she's so devoted to her cause.

But Manami was Harriet's friend. In some ways, she still is. And maybe she'd be willing to listen.

Shin mentioned the sealing ritual, and Germain’s ears perked up. They hadn’t considered it a viable option, at least, not initially. Even without their domain screaming at them to not even dare, it didn’t seem possible. Germain didn’t have a clue how Cass had done it. Germain didn’t know there was a fucking instructional manual.

“We c-can’t!” They blurted that out on instinct, before they made a long, low groaning noise. “S-Sorry. I d-don’t mean that. I th-think it’s a viable o-option. It would m-mean d-defeating the Demon King f-first, but that would b-be possible. In the end, he’s an I-Incarnate just like a-any other. It’s… g-good that you brought that up Shinjuku. It is a p-possible end to th-this… this threat that we’re c-currently facing.”

They’d already stripped sixteen odd people of their freedom. What was one more, at this point?

One too many, that’s what.

“S-Still. I’m n-not trying to shut anyone out. I’m with F-Frank, Manami. This isn’t about n-negotiating with me. Hell, I already admitted I d-don’t know what I’m doing! We c-can come together to f-figure out s-something better.”

Avery and Esmée get an affirmative nod from Germain.

“T-Take it f-from someone who’s b-been on the ground. S-Someone who knows the p-people of Calamity. They c-can change.” That was what the others had believed, at least. “M-Most of them have n-no love for the r-royal family, and their f-fear of the D-Demon King s-stems from propaganda. You c-can show them th-that they’re wrong, c-convince them that the Demon King is a b-better option for them.”

“And then the Incarnates in the c-capital. Your m-master c-claims to want to h-help them, but d-destroying the c-capital would s-send thousands of I-Incarnates to th-their death… and… f-for what? You want to s-stop the creation and abuse of m-more Incarnates, but how c-can you d-do that when it c-comes at the c-costs of the ones already here, who’ve d-done nothing wrong?”

Germain stared.

“Like Esmée s-said. To d-destroy Last Haven would undermine your own g-goals. It m-makes me wonder what th-this is really about. Helping the Incarnates? Or… g-getting revenge on the p-place that hurt the D-Demon King? N-Not even the p-people, but the p-place they’d called home?”

Yuliya had a point. Even Germain was all too willing to give themself over to bloodlust, lately.

“Razing the c-city might feel g-good in the sh-short term, b-but taking the t-time to take integrate the i-innocent people and Incarnates into your k-kingdom would be much more b-beneficial in the long-term. It’ll t-take a f-few more t-turns… er. It’ll t-take longer.” Beat. They had it better the first time, they realized. “But it leaves you in a s-stronger position.”

“Especially when you have to c-consider what other c-countries will th-think. As much as they hate C-Calamity, I d-doubt the m-major shift in power balance it g-getting destroyed will cause is s-something they’ll f-find amenable. You’ll be t-torching a lot of important r-rels, if you d-do that.”

“S-So… I th-think it’s advantageous to you, and your leader, if we c-can negotiate. F-Find a peaceable option. And… th-that way we won’t even need to s-seal the Demon King. B-But if he r-refuses to t-talk, there’s n-no reason we c-can’t… um. R-Rock it, s-so to speak. The s-sealing ritual, that is.” They gagged as they talked about it, raising a hand to cover their mouth. “I m-mean it. Even if my d-domain protests, th-that doesn’t mean I n-need to s-stand in the way of it. We’re t-trying to work out a m-mutually advantageous s-situation… hell, a Demon K-King advantageous s-situation. B-But if you’re n-not gonna work with us, M-Manami, I'm n-not going to sit idly b-by while you put the p-people of Last Haven in d-danger. Not when th-there’s a way to s-stop it.”

Words have all blurred together into a heap of white noise, yet not once has Yuliya moved her gaze away. She hasn’t put her head down, nor has she buried her face in her hands. No, this isn’t the time to look away and despair under the face of it all, even when this exhaustion continues to cling onto her like a parasite. Not here, and not now, when there are people still fighting. People that are still trying.

She sends as many feelings of comfort she can offer for the time being in her mind. Something steady and strong. She’s here for you. Until she finally speaks, her gaze level.

“... All of this talk here. Wiping this out. Wiping that out. Murdering this and murdering that. It’s like that’s all you can talk about. Killing.”

So casually and nonsensically. It’s not just about a moral compass that Yuliya’s standing by here. She’s not preaching to a choir about how it’s wrong to kill or what not. But…

“I’m tired of it.”

Weeks upon their stay watching death after death as they continue to grow stronger and stronger. She wonders of the blissful irony of it all, as being forced to bide your time while hiding away the true version of yourself. 

She’s already tired of death. She wonders how Germain and Manami are as well with the number of years on them instead. Shouldn’t it already be exhausting?

“Look, I’m not one to talk about justice or anything. But what kind of message would that send to what’s left of the common people? Just by confirming how inconsequential their lives are? Because that isn’t justice. That isn’t an eye for an eye. That’s vengeance.”

All collateral damage - people with hopes and dreams for a better tomorrow, likely to be snuffed out because of mere convenience. Such an imbalance of power is enough to make her feel sick.

“And to those that are left, they won’t see that as justice either. I can assure you that they won’t. No, they’ll be angry. they’ll be infuriated. And when people are angry and infuriated they don’t take things lying down - they fight back. And by which means would they do so? The one effective means that’s shown how they can consistently fight back your beloved army?”

“More potential summonings. More potential rituals. But this time, likely in secret. Angry people mean more drastic results, especially when you’ve turned them against you and proved the king ‘right.’ I shouldn’t have to spell this out for anyone. And that doesn’t make matters any easier for us. I don’t want that kind of future for any Incarnate.”

Being forced to fight. Forced to live and die in the Domain you were ‘blessed’ with. Puppeteered to fight and fight until you dropped dead unless your Domain killed you. This isn’t peace.

“You bring up so much talk about peace, about how it will come. But that’s only for afterwards. When is that?”

“The king is dead. Do you realize the amount of possibilities there are now for an actual conversation instead of more death? People grow in the environment they’re brought up in. So of course there are people that truly do believe in his bullshit. That’s expected. 

"But in order to make that change, to truly make a peaceful future for Incarnates like us, you have to work for it. Not just to kill because you can, because they’re against you. With nobles that are stuck in their ways or just civilians who happen to live on the other side… because reform is hard. Negotiation is difficult. But it’s more productive in comparison to this short-sighted sense of justice I see here.”

Short-sighted in the message that will be sent. How easy would it be to kill them just for disagreeing? It’s a recipe for disaster, asking for another rebellion in the making this time against you. Another power vacuum, and another message to only continue this war, continue this cycle of violence. Strike them down simply because you say that you are right.

It’s the easy way. The simple one. Only because you said so. Yuliya doesn’t want the easy way.

“... I don’t want quick and easy results. I don’t want a better tomorrow to happen now. What I want is results that can last for the generations to continue after us, so they never have to go through what we did again. And if that fight has to continue long after we’re gone, I’m willing to go through that myself.”

They may never even see the fruits of their labor. It could last forever. But that’s what she wants. Not a flimsy, nonsensical hope, but a guarantee. She’s okay with that.

As Manami proclaims the full plan, Esmée’s grip on Harriet tightens. Something to ground herself when she tried to be the grounding force. Then Shin pipes up, and she could hear herself breathing again. Some semblance of a plan, a step forward, even as it was causing him worry- if it means a future..

Then Vee Speaks and it boils over into anger.

What do you mean you hid an important piece of evidence? So it may not happen again- what if by studying it we could reverse it? Why would you hide something so-

Harriet would hear the quiet grinding of teeth as Esmée failed to restrain her wild glare. Moving from a cuddly to a vicious bear about to attack in the span of seconds; so was the nature of these damned trials.

They just needed a way forward. They just needed a talking point. They just needed something- anything- a hook. Something to negotiate; when she had spoken to the pixies in their war it was so much easier. Sure the stakes were high but she was calmer then, now she felt as though she was being hunted. Chased. She needed a way out.

She needed to talk her way out. THEIR way out. Frank was at Shin’s side; so she offers him a small glance, a quick message, and then she turns to Manami. She needed to move forward.

“For Our Sakes, Manami taking the fall in regards to killing the King is our best option.” 

Her voice warbles slightly, as she sucks in a breath to try to steady it. Keep moving forward. Make your plea.

“Germain admitting the truth would get us outcast, crested, or worse. In terms of that topic we need to prioritise ourselves. However…” 

With that, she turns to Germain, looking to them for help before she finally faces the ‘foe’ head on. As Manami recovers from that rock being thrown, Esmée walks on over. The opener to negotiation is a simple thing; catch them off guard and make them listen.

Her hands grab one of Manami’s pairs of hands as she forces the other to look her in the eye. 

“Casting Last Haven into the Abyss would be a terrible decision politically for the Demon King’s Lands.” 

Never undermine the value of shock factor. Make your point and mean it. Hear her, listen to her, in terms of the spoken word, Esmée is not to be underestimated.

“It’s as Avery said. Many innocent people there hated Calum and Summoning too. Hells, even summoners hate summoning. Some of them, anyhow. You want to hurt those people? You want to cast away thousands who agree with your ideology?” 

She can’t panic. She can’t show anger. She needs her resolve to be steady, fluid, to shine bright as a guiding star in the night sky.

“Here let me…you consider it to be hostile territory, all enemies right? When really the large amount of ‘enemies’ are just tied down by the boss monsters of the area. Ykno. The Nobles.” She cringes a bit as she speaks, fully aware at how simplified this version is, but she needs Manami on her side. If she’s correct about her personality never wavering, then… “Rid those boss monsters without hurting a neutral enemy on the field then that 'enemy' becomes an ally. They may even praise and rejoice at seeing the downfall of the nobles who caused this whole mess.” 

“You’re sending lands into the abyss that could prosper. You are sending thousands upon thousands to their deaths when they are simply lovely people forced into a bad situation; like us. Unlock them with the right choices and the dialogue and future events will show that.” 

What was the last point? Oh. Right. She’s been thinking this for a while…but now would be the best time to bring it forward. The way to avoid a disastrous plan is to give an alternative; and cover all the same bases in a different light. 

“If you’re worried about future summoning, we all know those in summoning schools are exploited students. There is far more they’d rather work on; just outlaw the practice. People are aware of the Demon King’s Power, outlawing it would definitely slow it down if not grind it to a halt. Magic Users can be taught in school to instead help Felyn’s cause in helping Bound. A form of ‘repentance’ in terms of direct action rather than needless slaughter.” 

A glance then, goes over to Vee, and then back to Manami.

Frank hadn't spoken up for a minute as the proceedings went on. Either way you sliced it, as a musician or a mason, the fate of nations was way above his pay grade. All he could think was the naive, idealistic sentiment to minimize as much pain as possible. Who deserved it, who didn't? Even that they couldn't agree on, with Manami still wanting to reduce anyone cajoled into becoming a Summoner into less than a blood smear if she had her way.

And Germain... Frank couldn't find it in his heart to hate them - mostly because if he was in Germain's lack-of-shoes, he can't say he wouldn'tve done something similar. Something dramatic, damn the consequences. If there's a problem, you cut it off at the head and everything else is just... cleaning up the fallout.

It still pissed him off. These two, these two extremely flawed, extremely powerful people just made this a living hell for the remaining number of them. Whatever decision they came to was going to come at a Cost - either to themselves, or to others. This was too much, too much...

"And who's to blame?" Hissed a voice in Frank's ear. One he hadn't heard much of since he came back. For better or worse, dying splashed some cold water on the fire building and burning in his heart - but the coals were still warm. They had been stoked over and over by what just happened, and Patty was the one with the poker."Who the FUCK is responsible for this, huh?"

Calum, obviously, but there was no use beating a dead lord now. "Are you fucking satisfied with that? He's not going to FEEL it when you BUST his face in for making you his personal fucking clown, Frankie."

"But one of them will."

Frank's eyes look up. Manami and Germain. Germain was the reason he was brought here - the reason he looked like this, the reason he lost his memories, the reason he fucking died. Why didn't he hate their fucking guts? And Manami, taking this so fucking un-seriously he wanted to slam her into the ground. But it's when she talks about attacking Last Haven, about the causalities so casually - that's it, that's the last straw. He can't even hear the chains that have been rattling in the back of his head since the trial started anymore. All he can hear is Patty whispering encouragement and the rush of anger in his ears.

Frank grips the rock that appeared in his hand. Scrapes his nails against it. He makes a choice, and pitches the rock. It flies straight and true, nailing Manami in the forehead. She hears a mental chorus of "FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU" for the brief moment the two make contact.

Frank stares at her with wild eyes, heaving breaths as the anger leeches back out of him. "Don't- don't fucking treat this like a game, Manami!" Everything that had been said while Frank was in his rage-induced fugue rushes back to fill the silence. "Avery's right - it's not just fucking you and Germain here, you both aren't the only ones who can do something here!"

"...we can do a lot more, if you actually let us."

At first, as Germain is talking, as they momentarily find themself caught up in bloodlust before apologizing, before pulling themself out of it… It’s a little disappointing that they DON’T have a plan, in all of this, but if even they’re endorsing Manami’s plan then… well, they won’t go with it just because of that, but it IS something to note they seem on the same page for. Though… Avery gives a quick glance towards Perry who… well, she’d know why.

But then… it’s once MANAMI talks about her plans, about the Demon King’s army’s plans for the capital that their face goes deathly pale. The first parts of what she says doesn’t bother them, they’re fully aware that this is a war and that some form of bloodshed being involved is… well. They expected it by now, knew that certain bastards may even deserve it, even if they still disliked it personally. But as she starts talking about sending them to the Abyss… talks about Last Haven, and then, ultimately, reveals… 

Ah. Ahaha… A ‘big boom’ of casualties, huh? To destroy Last Haven and those in it after all. Avery just stares at her as the words die in their throat in the moment. …Before a low growl comes from their chest as Shinjuku speaks, their inner fire burning with fury and fear and more as they try to process the situation here. 

  “Last Haven… Manami, Last Haven isn’t just a city, isn’t just where dukes and nobles live with a few civilians to guard them, it’s where 70% of the population of Calamity has been driven to. The people outside of there are either being killed by bound or harassed by your army into fleeing to the capital already. There’s barely anyone left outside of it. Do you know how little of a percentage the people in power are to a population? And you’re telling us now that your big plan IS to wipe out nearly everyone there, and send them to the Abyss? Am I understanding that right? To kill nearly all of the population too, just like they’ve always feared?”

But somewhere in there, Manami’s… hesitating? She’s asking why… Germain should negotiate with her. Offering it out to just Germain, right? Avery can’t read people well, can’t ever know for sure what others are thinking until they say it, but… even if she wasn’t talking to all of them, Avery takes a slow, deep breath. In and then out, calming themself in an almost meditative position even as their tail gives the occasional thumping flick on the desk behind them.

Avery knows she needs to gather herself, to clear her head, part through her fears she knows will continue to pain her regardless and THINK. And after a moment… Their tail calms a bit, and they straighten up a little as they sit on their desk, and look to Manami head on without flinching away. Their voice is calmer now, but also… firm, in a way they’ve only recently been able to be.

  “…If Germain doesn’t have their own solid plan already, that doesn’t mean they can’t make one. That we ALL can’t make one, or contribute if we want. I’ve… told you a little of my own thoughts before in private, right Manami? And… you keeping asking if there’s any alternative, any other way for all of this, and I can’t tell if you really mean to look for one or not. But if you do, then please listen to me and everyone else too. Because there ARE other ways to handle all of this.”

“So… I asked you before if you had all ever tried making actual demands to Calamity to stop summoning, and I then I asked the past-Sakura we met before just earlier today too. It doesn’t seem like there has been, at least not with an out that they WILL be okay if they stop summoning incarnates. It seems like every attack the Demon King has made makes them fear you just want to do exactly what’s now being planned and kill them All, not trying to get them to stop incarnate summoning.”

  “This is your chance to make that claim. The common people of Calamity are suffering, and have been for a long time but especially right now as the internal war between nobles in the streets. They’re desperate, they want someone to help them. So many of the ‘junk’ letters in the mail room and spilling into the hallway were just normal citizens trying to reach out to us to help them, who they’d only ever seen in that tournament or by word or mouth.“

"And… you’re right, most people seem like they always hated Calum and his policies. A lot of them even DO despise the summoning of incarnates. They’ve tried to rebel about it before and been killed for it by those in power in Calamity in the past. They’re still at risk of it every time they try to help us all, and a lot of them still try.”

“So if you offer HELP to all of the people who really don’t want this system to continue, REAL help and affirmation that they won’t be hunted down if they’re so much as related to an incarnate summoner, for daring to try and ASK if the population can be spared like I know has happened, if they agree to condemn the practice. I think there would be a very real possibility that those desperate people would be willing to side WITH you against their own oppressors, at least. I really don’t think you need to aim to kill them all.”

Truthfully, Vee had mentally checked out of the trial once Germain had revealed themselves. It wasn't apathy, or at least it wasn't the majority of what they were feeling, but their exhaustion had won out and Vee simply decided to let those with more stakes decide the future of the Kingdom of Calamity and what to do with Calum's murder. It's not like their opinions mattered much, as far as they cared to think about it. They just wanted to leave.

Until Shinjuku brought up a certain book, which... well, there was a reason Vee hadn't exactly been keen to talk about it the Book™️ and its properties. "I... was h-honestly hoping to find a way t-to reverse engineer the ritual in this b-book for the souls in our w-weapons who might want to move on b-before I brought it up here, but I s'pose n-now's as good a time to b-bring it up as any. Yes, I... When we d-defeated Raven, they dropped it a-as loot, and I wanted to s-seal it away in the S-Shadow Realm so no one could r-replicate what they'd done to the o-others." They murmur quietly, reaching into their shadow and withdrawing a nondescript tome from their room of requirement within. "The ritual s-specifically binds a soul to an object that t-they already have a particular affinity with, a-and can only be p-performed when the soul has been w-weakened, which is why I assume R-Raven was so deadset on bringin' us d-down. Can't become further Bound or L-Lost if your consciousness is trapped where it can no longer... p-pass."