I Want You to Keep On Living.

May I present: Leda and the Swan Princess! It's based on this post about a swan princess who refuses to go quietly in obscurity when cursed. (If you liked this one you will probably also like my other comics which you can find on my pinned post).

If you enjoyed and want to support a queer art student, you can tip me over on my Ko-fi! Tips help me out dramatically while I'm still in school!

General Advice:

-Keep a close eye on your stats and Enishi’s predictions. The guide should list at different points where your stats should roughly be. There’s a bit of wiggle room given the random nature of the stat bonuses (if you don’t hit 30 by the time the guide does, it tells you to keep with the skill until you reach 30 anyways, then you can switch back). You may need to reload to an earlier save if your stats are too low or high.

-Stay consistent to the guide as much as possible

-Keep running notes of where your saves are and any other issues you may come across (eg. if you were forced to deviate from the guide)

-Ion has a ludicrous amount of dialogue. You must talk to him every weekend he’s available about the same song for every single song because he has unique dialogue for each one (unsure about final play songs). These are split up between Suzu’s gold route, Ion’s route, Mitsuki’s bronze route, and Neji’s bronze route. Mona also has different dialogue for every single day he’s available.

-Generally you only pick one option per playthrough but for some that might be hard to get again, you should save before the event, play through it fully with one option, then you can load and replay it with the other ones, using skip read to go through the old dialogue. To be extra safe, you can save in a separate slot after completing the event then reload.

-Keep Kisa's name as the default. I've seen people say online that this can affect completion metrics for lines where her name is said.

About save files

You should be prepared to give up at least a good 30 save slots. If you’re gonna play it super minimalist route by route you could maybe get away with around 6, but 30 seems like a good amount to play comfortably and not risk missing things. I would strongly advise you hold off on collecting those special save slots until you are close to finishing as they use over half of your slots (50 is nowhere near enough ahhh). There is a list of all the numbered save slots at the end for reference.

Overall Guide

Step 1: Finish playing the game however you would most enjoy playing it The guide will dictate all your choices and some of them would feel pretty unfulfilling for a first playthrough of a route (eg. spending all your time with Mona or Ion instead of the LI). It’s best not to deviate from the guide choices as it can create more issues later on in not remembering what was picked or not. There are a small number of choices with lines of dialogue much later and those can be a tremendous pain to go hunting for.

Step 2: Gold Runs

I call these the ‘gold route runs’ where basically you play through each of the LI routes with both Quartz and Kisa winning gold. As you play you will set up save points to pick up later for the silver runs and for the bronze runs. This will probably retread a lot of the same content you saw in your first playthroughs as it’s mostly Kisa hanging out with the specific LI and raising his skills and not much else. Skip read is your friend. You do NOT have to play these routes in the designated order. You can if you find it easier, but as long as you keep track of which saves are where, you should be okay. 

On these routes, you will make saves on the following dates (exceptions noted): *6/1 (pickup for bronze runs, not for Mitsuki), 7/13, 9/21, *12/1 (*11/27 for Kai) There’s also a 12/25 save for Mitsuki.

Suzu | Sou | Mitsuki | Kai | Fumi | Neji

Some of the routes also set it up for other endings. Suzu’s gold run 12/1 save is the pickup point for Ion’s route and Mitsuki’s 12/25 is the pickup for Chui’s. So it’s recommended to keep those saves still until you complete those endings as well.

Ion | Chui

Step 3: Silver Runs (can be done with Step 2)

When you’ve completed a character’s gold route, use the silver medal guides to get Kisa the silver awards based on picking up your previous save points and sleeping basically all the time until the performance day. The guide recommends that you complete the designated days, save the next morning, then you can load the next save point. These generally take far less time than the gold runs.

Suzu | Sou | Mitsuki | Kai | Fumi | Neji

Kisa (side characters) also has mostly bronze/silver medals. This route can be used as a basis for getting the hidden Christmas expulsion endings (will try to write a guide for this in the future).

Step 4: Bronze Runs (complete after 2 and 3)

These are where you will use those 6/1 saves. You’ll need to save over all the rest or you’ll likely run out of slots and confuse yourself. If you’ve been trying to play with as few save slots as possible, you can also just restart from the beginning using the gold run guides up to this point. (Note: Mitsuki’s bronze route must be restarted from the beginning)

These saves are on a wider variety of dates so it’s highly recommended you check with the guide or with the save number list at the end. 

But generally they are around: 8/16, 10/12, 12/14, 12/25

Suzu | Sou | Mitsuki | Kai | Fumi | Neji

Step 5: Scenario Cleanup

Even after all this, you still aren’t done! In addition to the Mona route, there’s another Kisa route required. After this, you should have completed: every iteration of medals for Kisa with each LI, all the class medal ranks, all of Ion’s dialogue for every song, all of Mona’s events, every possible weekend event, every RNG event, and every branching dialogue option.

I didn’t see any link for the two expulsion events (this may be part of the bronze runs) but I did find an explanation about them here (JP) if you’re stuck at 99%. Basically, there are two versions of getting kicked out by the principal on 12/25, with poor grades and with both poor grades and poor affection scores. I tried to summarize it.

Grades version: 

Newcomer/summer: Kisa comes in 3rd or 4th; keep your highest stat below 22 and your other stats 3 or lower

Fall: 10/26 dialogue with principal; overall score on individual awards for the year should be B or lower

11/24 dialogue with Enishi

Winter: if your cumulative individual awards score is C, you will be expelled after the winter play (I went with bronze, silver, 4th, 4th for this score)

Affection version:

Still seems to require ending with an overall C score but there’s additional dialogue if affection is also low. 

10/26 principal dialogue if you have not seen any of the second character affection events. (note: if you haven’t seen the first one, all character affection event flags disappear after the fall play)

Winter: cumulative score of C and no affection events at 2 or higher

Hopefully, HOPEFULLY once you get to that point you will finally reach 100%. Again, I really do not recommend it unless you're really diehard about it. No idea if I'll ever get there myself before JJ2 comes out but at least having a path can help for whatever foolish souls (me) want to attempt such a feat.

List of Saves

Since the saves in the guide are referred to solely by number, I made a guide to keep track of them all for ease of reference. Saves should be made at the beginning of the day before any actions.

Ion songs: (plane tree, ms. robin, ghost party; Ion route: havenna)

1 - Suzu 7/13

2 - Suzu 9/21

3 - Suzu 12/1 (Ion save)

temp save before final song of last performance; get C for silver class award; can save over after (do this for all routes)

4 - Sou 7/13

5 - Sou 9/21

6 - Sou 12/1

*Mitsu’s doesn’t seem to pickup for bronze run on 6/1, have to restart 

7 - Mitsu 7/13

8 - Mitsu 9/21

9 - Mitsu 12/1

10 - Mitsu 12/25 (chui save)

11 - Kai 7/13

12 - Kai 9/21

13 - Kai 11/27

14 - Fumi 7/13

15 - Fumi 9/21 

16 - Fumi 12/1

17 - Neji 7/13

18 - Neji 9/21

19 - Neji 12/1

20 - Kisa 12/25 (side chara run)

21? cannot find - Mona route?

—

22 - Suzu2 7/13

23 - Suzu2 8/16 (before onsen)

24 - Suzu2 10/12

25 - Suzu2 12/14

26 - Sou2 8/16 (before onsen)

27 - Sou2 10/12

28 - Sou2 12/14

29 - Sou2 12/25

Ion songs - Mitsu2 (fortune color, great galleon, friend without a name, confession)

30 - Mitsu2  8/16 (onsen) *note there’s a typo that says save 1 but I believe it’s save 30

31 - Mitsu2 10/13

32- Mitsu2 - 12/14

33 - Kai2 8/16 (onsen)

34 - Kai2 10/12

35 - Kai2 12/14

36 - Kai2 12/25

37 - Kai2 1/31 (after reloading from save 36)

38 - Fumi2 8/16 (onsen)

39 - Fumi2 10/12

40 - Fumi2 12/14

41 - Fumi2 12/25

Ion songs - Neji2 (compass line, hallelujah, faded color)

42 - Neji2 8/16

43 - Neji2 10/12

44 - Neji2 12/14

45 - Neji2 - 12/25

46 - Neji2 1/30

Scenario cleanup

47 - Kisa2 12/19

COMMON ROUTE

In the scene at the shrine, when Chuza says, "Oh, you must think I'm some flashy con artist, don't you? Take a look at the school's website. Here."

In the scenario that occurs during the first singing lesson, when Tancho's line, "Life must be dazzling! And so too will you dazzle, my little diamonds in the rough!"

Tues April 14th - In the conversation scene after rehearsal, when Neji says, "Well, just leave it to me. I have confidence from polishing the 'dull Quartz' after Tsuki Tachibana left."

Sat May 30th - During the "Newcomer Performance", when Otori's line "…………………… Gah." (Scene where Otori's event illustration is displayed)

During the preparation period for the summer performance, during the 5th Weekend with Ion'', the line "I mean, I'm now a match for Kiito with his incredible physique." (before starting song practice)

In the additional scenario that occurs when you visit Mona Star School 10 times during the preparation period for the summer performance , when Mona 's line “Oh, yes! I was known as Univeil's Brown Rose, you know?''

Sat July 25th - During the "Summer Performance", when Kai's line "Don't play dumb. It's as if… " (Scene where Mutsumi's event illustration is displayed)

During summer break when selecting "Go Out" with Kasai at Onyx Dorms (playing soccer/football) - Kasai says, "Or so you think…!"

Mon Oct 12th - In the scene during rehearsal, when Orimaki 's line "Gotcha! Hup. Hahaha."

Sat Oct 24th - During the “Autumn Performance,'' right after choosing to speak to Fumi from the wings of the stage, his line “Wow, that really ticks me off!!!"

Sat Oct 24th - During the “Autumn Performance'', after choosing the option to speak to Suo, his line "I'll kill you… I'll kill you, I'll kill you, I'll kill you, I'll kill you!!" (Scene where Sou's event illustration is displayed)

Tues Dec 22nd - After rehearsal at the theater (at night), in the conversation scene with Mitsuki, his line “No matter who you are, I accept you."

Thurs Dec 24th - During the "Winter Performance", when Kisa's line "Aaaaahh… agh…!" ( Scene where event illustration with Mitsuki is displayed)

KISA ROUTE

Sat Jan 16th - when Ao says, "I'll be rooting for you. If times get tough, just remember Ao is here. I'll always be with you."

Wed Jan 27th - when Kisa 's line "The central nation of Kielce is my entire life" (Scene where Kisa's event illustration is displayed)

Sun Jan 31st - In Kisa's route , when Chui’s line "Come with me. I’ll take you as far as you want to go" appears. This is a scene after going out.

Sat Feb 27th - Before the play begins, in the scene in the theater/corridor, Kisa says, "So watch me, okay?"

SUZU ROUTE

In Suzu's intimacy scenario 3, when Suzu's line " ... " appears. (Scene where event illustration is displayed)

Mon Jan 4th - In the scene in the Rhodonite practice hall, when Mare's line "Whaaaaaaaa?!” (the second time)

Sat Feb 27th - After the Final Performance on Suzu’s route, when Kamiya 's line “I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry'' appears. (Scene inside the Universal Theater)

MITSUKI ROUTE

In Mitsuki’s Intimacy Scenario 2, when Mitsuki says, " Do you guys mind…?" (Scene in the rehearsal hall at the beginning of the scenario)

Fri Feb 12th - In Mitsuki’s route, when Kaido says , "I was waiting for you to say that! Sugachi, I want you to be Onyx’s victorious dancing princess!"

SOU ROUTE

Mon Feb 1st - In Sou’s route, when Momonashi says, “I want to consume Chui Tanakamigi. I want to take him, swallow him, and turn him into myself.” (Scene at Mt. Odate)

Wed Feb 24th - In Sou’s route, when Sou says, “Your ability to think about yourself gets warped and you can’t see the world for what it is.” (Scene where event illustration is displayed)

KAI ROUTE

Fri Jan 29th - In Kai’s route, when Kai says, “What is it?” while talking to Mitsuki as he’s looking for Kisa.

FUMI ROUTE

Fri Feb 19th - In Fumi’s route, when Fumi says, “Sorry… I wasn’t careful and I got sick.” when visiting Fumi in his room.

NEJI ROUTE