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hmm there is also the fact that Eva did not announce her victory and convinced Rosa to be silent until the next day. If the murders would indeed stop from someone finding the gold it's possible the murderer just does not know it's been found yet.
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Dec 23, 2016 19:18
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My bets are still on Eva or Hideyoshi as killer in this particular twilight; they're both separate from the rest of the family, with a clear vantage point to Rosa, and a billion-dollar motive. Either one of them could improvise a way down from the window and shoot away. The only question is: Is Eva's fever part of the "magical" plot (in which case, as far as Battler-perspective reasoning is concerned, it isn't happening)... or the "mundane" plot, in which case Hideyoshi is the killer, spurred on by Eva blabbing about the gold in a fever dream.
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Dec 23, 2016 20:02
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Jeek posted:Thinking back to earlier in the episode, it is heavily implied that there were two human Beatrices, with one of them being Kinzo's original mistress and the other being her rape kid ok, hold on a second. yes, Kinzo sucks. But does anyone know what a mistress is? Because it's not, like, a woman that you rape sometimes. That's not how mistresses work. And there's nothing pointing towards original Beatrice having committed suicide, either. Kinzo's a poo poo person but maybe he didn't rape a woman and drive her to suicide???
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Dec 23, 2016 23:48
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. So maybe we can assume that the gold-storage room is where Kinzo locked up the first Beatrice, and the mansion being where the second one was raised after her mother's suicide?
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I think there might be confusion between the two different real-world Beatrices, which are original mistress-Beatrice and young replacement-Beatrice. Young replacement-Beatrice is the one where Kinzo seems the skeeviest, because he has kept replacement-Beatrice trapped in Kuwadorian for all of her life while grooming/teaching her that she is the reincarnation of his former lover. Thankfully there doesn't seem to be any rape in the history of events we've seen so far with original mistress-Beatrice, but replacement-Beatrice's situation is indeed skeevy looking.
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Dec 24, 2016 02:33
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resurgam40 posted:And then there's the weird bit about Eva and her "wishing" for things to come true which happened... That was the bit where she wished really hard, and worked really hard, and studied really hard, and in a shocking magical twist she did well in school? I think that someone who works hard doing well at something is definitely evidence that witches exist. Yup.
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Dec 24, 2016 02:40
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Oh, come on, Qrr, that isn't what I'm saying at all. Yes, Eva's successes are absolutely because of her own personal drive, I'm not saying otherwise. I'm just recalling the really elaborate theories some guys put forth about how Rosa believed the legend of the Golden Witch and this, combined with her abuse, created another, murderous personality, one which was (potentially) behind the murders of the second episode, and hypothesizing, that maybe the other sister is more likely to care about the witch stuff than Rosa. I mean, let's face it: with the revelations we've learned in this chapter, we've confirmed that Rosa isn't as much into the Golden Legend as much as Eva was, what with witches constantly remind her of that time she saw a girl die on the island and never told anyone... but Eva absolutely is, and for reasons that kinda dwarf whatever drive Rosa had, who doesn't really care about the family stuff anymore and just wants money. She wants the headship, wants it so badly I do think she'd kill somebody... and just last episode she voiced her fears to Hideyoshi that she fears her ambitions are consuming her, or is acquiring a life of its own, which would neatly serve as a metaphor for that great grand ceremony. You don't have to believe in magic to believe that ambition can consume a person, and plant delusion.
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Dec 24, 2016 06:44
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resurgam40 posted:Oh, come on, Qrr, that isn't what I'm saying at all. Yes, Eva's successes are absolutely because of her own personal drive, I'm not saying otherwise. I'm just recalling the really elaborate theories some guys put forth about how Rosa believed the legend of the Golden Witch and this, combined with her abuse, created another, murderous personality, one which was (potentially) behind the murders of the second episode, and hypothesizing, that maybe the other sister is more likely to care about the witch stuff than Rosa. I mean, let's face it: with the revelations we've learned in this chapter, we've confirmed that Rosa isn't as much into the Golden Legend as much as Eva was, what with witches constantly remind her of that time she saw a girl die on the island and never told anyone... but Eva absolutely is, and for reasons that kinda dwarf whatever drive Rosa had, who doesn't really care about the family stuff anymore and just wants money. She wants the headship, wants it so badly I do think she'd kill somebody... and just last episode she voiced her fears to Hideyoshi that she fears her ambitions are consuming her, or is acquiring a life of its own, which would neatly serve as a metaphor for that great grand ceremony. You don't have to believe in magic to believe that ambition can consume a person, and plant delusion. Yeah, you're right. I just thought it was funny that she credits her success to hard work, studying, and mystical magical powers beyond human ken.
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Dec 24, 2016 06:55
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Qrr posted:Yeah, you're right. I just thought it was funny that she credits her success to hard work, studying, and mystical magical powers beyond human ken. It's sad, actually. Be it a witch or a god, she's attributing her success to faith rather than effort. She was brought up being told that she's fundamentally worthless because of an innate characteristic. I remember getting similar speeches as a kid. Reminds me specifically of being told we should t have self esteem because we should believe in Jesus and authority. But instead of weird cult Jesus, these ladies got Beatrice the Golden Witch. This weird strain of authoritarianism and sexism is in play, and leads to this type of magical  thinking.
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Dec 24, 2016 07:03
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I'm back. After 2 weeks of vacation in a lovely 3rd world country with lovely internet. Holy gently caress I missed a lot. My gut feeling was also that the place where past-Beatrice lived was where the gold was, but there's no concrete proof of it yet. And like I said, just a gut feeling, no rain behind it. Still not sold on the key yet, either. Gonna need more data to back that up. When I'm actually awake enough to think, I'll try to help out again.
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Dec 24, 2016 12:02
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Rip Rosa, the epitaph's second place winner, first place loser.
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Dec 24, 2016 18:51
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EagerSleeper posted:Rip Rosa, the epitaph's second place winner, first place loser. Well, considering her now-evident cunning, I'm pretty sure that she was just waiting for someone else to find it first, so she wouldn't be the one Rudolf is going to now try and swindle.
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Dec 24, 2016 21:43
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bman in 2288 posted:Well, considering her now-evident cunning, I'm pretty sure that she was just waiting for someone else to find it first, so she wouldn't be the one Rudolf is going to now try and swindle. MonsterEnvy fucked around with this message at 00:57 on Dec 25, 2016 |
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Dec 25, 2016 00:53
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Dec 25, 2016 00:56
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 Merry Witchmas, everyone. oath2order fucked around with this message at 06:33 on Dec 25, 2016 |
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Dec 25, 2016 05:45
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Tell you what, thread. I always do morning updates, but tomorrow morning I'll be busy watching a 2-year-old discover the wonder of Christmas, so I probably won't have time to post an update (nor will many of you have time to read it, I expect). Furthermore, you've all been good boys and girls, so for an early Christmas present, have a slightly-early update.
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Dec 25, 2016 06:25
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  "I... I'm fine. Don't take your hand away... I'm begging you, don't take your hand away..."Eva was breathing wildly. Beads of sweat were appearing on her forehead. It certainly was true that she had stayed up all night last night, and that things had been rough since early this morning. It wasn't odd that her body wasn't keeping up. Even though he understood that, Hideyoshi suspected that this sudden fever was the sign of some serious illness. Several times, Hideyoshi decided to call for Doctor Nanjo, but Eva resisted firmly, pleading with him and saying that it was even more important that he didn't take his hand away...  "I understand... But you've gotta have Doctor Nanjo look at you by lunchtime. If you can promise me that, I'll stay here the whole time, grippin' your hand. Tightly, like this." "...Thank you... I'm fine... The magic of your hand will definitely take this fever away..."Even as she said that, Eva's harsh breathing didn't improve in the slightest.   She saw an umbrella moving from beyond the rose bush. Rosa threw away her umbrella and wildly lifted her gun... When she did, the shadow of a person beyond the bush... showed itself.  "...Uu-? Aunt Eva...?" "...You scared me. It's you, Nee-san? Do you have some business with me? Do you want to continue our earlier discussion?" BGM: Corridor of the Sands of Purgatory  "...Please, restrain yourself in front of Maria. I will keep my promise, okay? I won't get in the way of your conspiracy." "...Conspiracy? What's that?" "...Whatever you're thinking, that's up to you. I have no desire to get in the way. So please, not in front of Maria. As long as I get my share, that will be enough." "Your share? Heheheheh, ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha."Eva started laughing in a creepy voice... Rosa was startled, but Maria stared blankly... Then Maria said just one thing.     "Eva! Are you okay, Eva?! Eva! Eva!!" "Hold on...!! Don't let go!! Don't let me be dragged away by someone who isn't me...!! Hold onto my hand... Don't let goooooooooooooo...!!!" BGM: The Candles Dance  "All of that is mine! It's all mine alone, as the Head of the Ushiromiya family and the new Golden Witch, successor to the name of Beatrice!!" "...Beatrice. It's Beatrice!! Mama, Beatrice!"Maria jumped at her mother in ecstasy. Rosa treated Maria coldheartedly and raised her gun high. "...Hey, you're Nee-san, right...? You are Nee-san, aren't you...?" "Then who are you?!! Are you trying to say that you're Beatrice?! That's impossible! You died 19 years ago!!! "Yes, you were definitely dead, after all, I clearly saw how your head was split open. I can remember the insides flowing out like it was yesterday! How can you be alive and here right noooooooooow?!?!" "The concept of death does not exist to a Golden Witch. The Golden Witch and the name of Beatrice will be handed down for all eternity. Maybe the Beatrice you knew met with death, but that name is mine now...! And therefore, it's eternal! The concept of death does not exist for Beatrice!!" "...All I can see is that the gold has driven you mad. How pitiful, Nee-san...!" "Come on, you know I'm not your sister anymore. Well then, as the new Beatrice, I have been tasked with my own resurrection ceremony. Ronove! What should I do?!"  Video: Test Drive "...You worthless former sister. You should consider it an honor to have been selected as the first sacrifice I offer as a witch. On the second twilight, I'll tear the two who are close apart with my own hands...!!" BGM: Dance of the Moon Rabbits ...In particular, gravity. She wanted to become fully aware of her transformation into a witch by being released from those shackles. As the witch and Rosa stayed as they were... The ground retreated all by itself... into the distance below them. By now, their feet were no longer attached to the ground.   "...Huh...? ...Eeeek...?!" "Wh-Whoooooooooaaaa... Awesome...!"For a human shackled to the ground by gravity, there is nothing more unnerving that having their feet stop sticking to the ground. However, to Beatrice, who, in becoming the new witch, had learned the joy of being released from gravity, it was enough to make her whole body shake with delight.  "...Hey, Rosa. Do you remember, long ago, when we were small, when we used to talk about what it'd be like to become witches and fly around the sky?" "...That dream has been granted, hasn't it? I became a real witch and granted it for you." "...S-Stop it... if this is a dream, then wake me up..." "You said it yourself. You said you flew through the sky in your dream. And you also said you didn't want to wake up. You even got mad at me when I woke you up, right?" "...Don't worry. This time, you won't wake up, okay? Heheheheheheheheheheheheh!!" Didn't we both wish we could fly like seagulls in the sky...and escape the cramped and boring island of Rokkenjima...? Now, I'll make that dream a reality for you. I only want to share this joy with you, and no one else...! "Ahhahaha, ahhahahahaha!! It's so fun, Rosa, it's so fun!!" "Take a look below you! Look at how small our mansion is. I wonder how much time we spent in a place that small. Now I'm especially shocked at how cramped and tiny it is." "So feel. Enjoy. Rejoice...! That power we yearned for, the power to move through the sky at will! Come on, let's dance, Rosa! Through the rain, through the wind! Let's fly around like we're dancing! The lightning will shine on us and bless us!! Ahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!" ...However, it was only that way for the witch. Rosa was holding onto her head, voicelessly screaming over and over. "Stop iiiiiiiiiiiiiitt!! Forgive meeeeee, let me doooooooown!!" "...You're right, it's more fitting for Humans to crawl on the ground. Then why not go back there?"A slightly displeased expression rose to the witch's face when she realized that her own joy was not being shared. Then, she decided to listen to her former sister's request. "...?! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!"The whirlwind that had been making Rosa dance around grew weaker, then stopped. In other words, Rosa was once again bound by the restrictions of gravity, as a Human. Following the laws that were originally correct, Rosa began to descend towards the ground upside-down. No, she began to fall.  The witch hadn't intended to send Rosa plummeting. But she still wasn't used to using magic. After plummeting about 100 meters into a rose bush, as a very, very natural result, Rosa died instantly. But the witch hadn't intended to kill her. So she wished that Rosa hadn't died.  Rosa's body, which should have been spread out like a carpet of fresh blood, rapidly returned to normal. The broken and crushed bones returned to normal. The torn and smashed flesh returned to normal. How easy it is to break things in this world, and how difficult it is to fix them... Anyone can take a life. But no Human can revive a lost life! By surpassing the irreversable, one proves that they have surpassed Humanity. This surely gave her a much, much greater realization of her position as a witch than flying through the sky had. "...Awesome... I can even revive... an ended life...!"  "...To live and to die. To bring to life and to kill, all of it repeated endlessly. Beatrice-sama, the Endless Witch, is the queen who controls the cycle of life and death." "Ahaha, aha. One time, I knocked over a fishbowl. The fragile and beautiful bowl broke, and I couldn't put it back together again. I'd never see that cute pop-eyed goldfish swim again after it landed on the floor." "...No matter how much I cried, the servants shook their heads, saying that broken things and dead things could never be revived." "...That's when I learned something. You must not break things, you must not kill people. After all, you can't fix them!!" For a while, the witch became intoxicated with how terrible and wonderful the power she had inherited was. Her laugh was pure, innocent, and cruel.  Even though Rosa had been revived, she let out a cry of anguish at the pain from her fall. At that point, the witch landed and held out her hand. "Hahahahahahaha, sorry about that, Rosa. I didn't think flying in the sky would be so much fun. Sorry, I'm real sorry." "And I didn't know Humans could die so easily. But I've brought you back to life, so we're even. So get up, okay? Play with me some more, okay? *giggle*giggle*giggle* Hehehehaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!"What were those dreams you told me about when you were a kid...? Go ahead and tell me all of them without holding back. As I am now, I can make anything come true, no matter how absurd...! Even drowning you in a sea of jelly! Even having you get sucked into a mountain of cake! I can even even make you sprout butterfly wings and flit around the garden, okay?! I'll do them one after another. Let's start with the ocean of jelly, all right...?! "S-Stop it... urgg!!"Rosa was once again thrown high into the rainy sky. However, the sky wasn't filled with raindrops, but with drops of orange juice. When she looked down, Rosa had to doubt her eyes. The rose garden had disappeared, and the ground spread out beneath her was like a pastel-colored jigsaw puzzle.  The black part was coffee jelly. The red was strawberry, the yellow was pineapple, and the green was melon. What was the white part, apple...? Did Rosa even have the time to think stuff like that? Rosa fell towards that multi-colored ocean... And she sunk deep into a purple grape-flavored sea.  As Rosa sank, she was shocked to see a school of transparent fish swimming through the grape jelly ocean. They were probably made of grape skin. Then she sunk on and on, deeper and deeper, as deep as the Marianas Trench, crushed by the water pressure of the jelly ocean... as her ribs snapped, as her spine snapped. In the end, she became a small, frail meatball.  The instant I snapped my fingers, the meatball that had been Rosa was launched up into the sky. And after being wrapped up in a golden sparkle, she returned to her original form. It was as simple and easy as returning dried seaweed to its original form, and anyone could do it. If they were a witch! That absent-minded look on Rosa's face has to be the joy from having that dream she gave up on as a child come true. Definitely. Probably. Next is the mountain of cake. In an instant, the sky was covered... and became black and white in the shape of a chessboard. That almost transparent white part was her favorite rare cheesecake. The elegant black part was a slightly bitter Gateau au chocolat. That became the ceiling, became a mountain, and several billion cakes were thrown down towards Rosa. If you piled those cakes up, they would surely be taller than Mount Everest. So they probably weighed... I'm not too sure, but I'll bet it was heavier than all the cakes across Japan put together.  In less than a second, her bones broke throughout her body and her insides were all smashed and forced out, *squish*pop*slop*. Even so, an even greater number of cakes piled up on top, and Rosa ended up as a layer of jam wedged between them. She became as thin as a single hair... and was probably spread out over the area of a tennis court. That world swallowed up by cake was once again absorbed by a gold flash. Then, as though it had all been a dream, Rosa was revived once again. Of course, it definitely wasn't a dream. She had been revived after dying. By that point, death, which most Humans only have to experience once after they are born, had already been experienced repeatedly by Rosa. In other words, she gone through that which Humans cannot, the precious experience of dying more than once.  "P-Please, have mercy... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!" "No wa-y! Let's play more, let's play more...!! Kyahihihihahahahahahahahahaha!!"Laughing innocently, she pointed her gold staff at Rosa as she begged for mercy. When she did, Rosa glittered gold and rapidly began to shrink.  However, while a human body could withstand that wind, it was a different matter for a butterfly's body. The gold butterfly Rosa... was invited to dance by each gale of wind, and she spun in circles around the rose garden. "No, nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!! Ah...!"As her dance wore her out, she was caught by a gentle bed. It was a soft, knit hammock in the shadows beneath the roof of the arbor. The owner of that hammock lumbered into view, welcoming its rare guest who had wandered in on the night of a storm... That owner, which should have been small enough to crush in the palm of your hand, now looked as big as the top of a canopy bed to Rosa.  "Kyahhahahakyahhahahahahaha! What a klutz, you got caught in a spider's web! Ahhahaha, ahhahahahahaha!!" "This time, it's a dance with a spider. That takes me back. Remember the times we'd find a spider's web and play around by throwing pebbles at it? I've heard that spiders don't chew their prey, but insert their venom, and when the insides melt into a sticky soup, they suck them out." "...Hey, Rosa, remember? Remember how we'd throw butterflies into the spider's web on purpose, and play around by seeing how the spider would attack?" "Kyahhahahahahahaha, I guess you don't remember, do you? This happened before you got into grade school...!! Make sure you watch closely this time, okay? Very closely. Kyahihihahahahahahakya-hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!" "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, have mercy, Nee-san, help me, Nee-san!!   "Amusing, amusing, how truly amusing! You feel like laughing too, right, Battleeeeeeer?!" "Don't gently caress with me!!! Stop it alreadyyyyyyyyyy!! What's so fun, you're insane, you're insane!!! What's so fun about doing something like this?!?!" "Doesn't she look like she's having a blast? What do you expect, magic is fun!! I remember, when I first became able to use magic, I played around a lot! Aaah, I understand, I understand, I understand that kind of game from the bottom of my heart!" "...Looks like I won't be able to share this joy and passion with you, Battler. Aah, what a shame, what a shame!! If you accept me, I'll teach you magic anytime you want, see?! It's hard to describe the joy you receive in the instant you're freed from the shackles of Humanity!" "I want to teach you about it, that joy, that passion! I'd deeefinitely like to see the world of magic you'd give birth to, just once! Kihhihihihhihhi, hyahhyahhahahahahahahahahaha!!" "Isn't this starting to get fun? You've started wanting to use magic, haven't you?! It's pretty fun to be a witch, isn't it?! Just for you, I'll teach everything! About the joy of flying together in the sky, about the joy of diving together through the sea!" "I want to show you the passion that starts the instant you surpass the bounds of Humans and see how wide your world stretches! Wouldn't that be fun, wahhyahhyahahhahahahahahahahahahaha!!" ...It was hard to believe, but she was genuinely enjoying this cruel show. And she wanted to share that appreciation with Battler. Battler was shocked by that hopelessly different sense of values. "You're insane!! Stop it already, drat iiiiiiiiit!! Virgilia, make them stop this insane farce!! What should I do?!!" "...We exist outside the board. We cannot touch the board itself."Virgilia shook her head apologetically. Her body had already been 'killed'. Did that mean she couldn't interfere in any way...? As Beatrice continued to look amused in an insane sort of way, Battler lifted her up by the collar and yelled at her. "Stop it stop it stop iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!!! Quit messing around, witch!! Are you trying to tell me that's Aunt Eva?! That's impossible!! The Aunt Eva I know might be a bit mean at times, but it's completely impossible that she's the kind of person who'd do something this cruel!! This is all part of your deception!! Don't toy with Aunt Rosa!! Don't toy with Aunt Eva!! Stop this farce right nooooooooooooooooow!!" "I told you, I'm not the one playing with Rosa anymore. Like I said, that's the new Beatrice." "Is it really so terrible that you have to squeal like that? You're also pretty fond of stuff like this, aren't you?! You actually have just a bit of interest in magic and" "...ouch! Wh-What are you doing...?" BGM: None ...Beatrice didn't know why he had done something like that to her, and a surprised expression rose to her face. Battler especially couldn't forgive that expression, and he roared.  BGM: Black Lilliana "Stop it right now, stop this disgusting farce!! I won't forgive you!! How could you do something so cruel?!! I've sometimes thought you could be a bit funny, but I'll never make that mistake again! You're just a monster who's cruel on all levels!!! Don't show yourself in front of me!! Never again!! I won't accept you, I won't talk with you, I don't even want to look at your face!! Did you hear me?!! Don't show yourself in front of me, DISAPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAARRR!!!"   "...Owowowow... What are you talking about, isn't it an interesting show...?"She spoke defensively, but the target of those words, Battler, was no longer there. His figure had suddenly disappeared into the darkness... But Beatrice looked displeased and continued trying to explain herself.  "...I-It's not as though I'm completely blind to where you're coming from, but this is nothing more than an innocent prank, isn't it...? No matter how you kill them, they'll always be brought back to life in the end, right? I thought Humans were creatures who say all's well that ends well...?!" "H-Hey, Teacher, there was no reason for him to get so angry, right...?!"  "...I have nothing in particular to say. If you think this is fun, you can keep watching as long as you want. Call me when it's over. I will vanish until then."Following Battler's lead, Virgilia vanished into the darkness... Beato, who was now completely isolated and didn't have a clue what was going on, felt that they were making her out to be the bad guy. "...What's wrooong? Isn't it an amusing show...?! I-It might be a little vulgar, but it's quite interesting, isn't it...?!! Hey, Ronove...?! It's nothing to get so mad about, right...?!"  "Does he really... hate me that much? Well, certainly, we are enemies and opponents in this competition, but is our relationship really so bad that we can't laugh together at this display...?! Since I applauded together with Battler, I thought I could at least laugh together with him... Does he really reject me so much that we can't even do that...?" "...He doesn't have to accept that I'm a witch. We're challenging each other in this game, after all. And yet, he won't look at my face, he won't talk to me, and he'll probably do all he can to ignore me... Am I really hated that muuuuuch...?!" "The moves you've made up to this point have been more than enough to earn his hatred. Even a demon such as myself can understand a bit of Battler-sama's feelings. Perhaps you cannot understand because you are especially thickheaded, Milady. Pukukukukuku." "Sh-Shut up shut up shut up shut up!! Why don't you disappear too?!!" "Yes, certainly. Then, if you would excuse me."Even Ronove hid himself in the darkness, and Beatrice was left alone. The only one in the rainy rose garden.  And the fact that no one ever does is what makes them a lonely witch. "...What's going on? Why won't anyone play with me...? Am I really that weird, that cruel...? Someone, answer meeeeeeeeee!!"  "Let's all have a friendly walk together, okay? Let's swim in a pot of boiling chocolate, let's have a picnic in a cake-rising oven! Ahahaha, *giggle*giggle*giggle*giggle*!!" Behind the witch that was continuing her mad banquet, Beato showed herself. That expression was very rare for her. It was somehow restrained, unreliable, miserable.  "Oh, it's the Predecessor Beatrice-sama. Were you watching?" "The power of magic is truly wonderful! Until now, I never thought it'd be so fun to be reborn as a witch. It's like playtime that never ends...! Come on, let's play together, Predecessor-sama...!!" "But first, wait for a second, okay?! I cooked the two of them to death in an oven, so I have to revive them again!" "They're like bread rising from yeast! Like cookies expanding in an oven! *giggle*giggle*giggle*!!" "L-Listen to what I'm saying... Umm, well, isn't that enough for the sacrifice of the second twilight? Of course, there are no rules regarding how you kill them, but, umm... maybe you shouldn't toy with them any more than that..." "What are you saying, Predecessor-sama? I heard from Ronove a short while ago. Wasn't your magic much, much more wonderful, cruel, and crazy?!" "That Halloween party where candies poured out of six people's stomachs was truly wonderful! So maybe I'll act out Alice's tea party...! I'll invite everyone to a tea party in celebration of a completely pointless day, and entertain them one by one with my magic!" "I wonder if I can do it as wonderfully as you? "I wonder if I can be cruel in my own pop, cute style?! "Now that I think about it, all fairy tales are cruel, aren't they? Now that I'm a witch inside one of those fairy tales, I finally understand. Kyahhahahahakukyahyafuhyahahahahaha!!"  "...??? I don't get what you're saying, Predecessor-sama." "But there's one thing I do understand. No matter how hard I try now, I'm no match for how cruel you are. I've gotta try much, much harder. I've gotta become more cruel, and become an excellent Golden Witch...!" "L-Like I said, you've already done enough here...! A-Anyway, this is an order from me as your predecessor. That's enough for the second twilight. I'll show you how it's done. Stand back and watch..." "Yes, Predecessor-sama. I can't wait to see what brutal, cruel, and disgusting method of killing you use."The new witch grasped the sides of her skirt and gave a graceful bow, stepping back as an expectant gaze rose to her face. She was expecting an even more cruel magic that surpassed even herself.  "...Well, speaking of that... You're only half a witch if you can only kill with methods like that. I shall show you an elegant way to kill, worthy of the Golden Witch..." ...Compared to how the new Beatrice had done it a short while ago, it was slightly gentler. It was probably gentler than how Beato had done it herself up until now. Rosa's consciousness had already grown dim from the pain of so many repeated deaths. But even so, she pleaded that her daughter be spared...   "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh, Mama, Mamaaaaaa!!" "...Sorry. My disciple just... umm... acted without restraint for a bit. Umm... forgive me." "B-Beatriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice!! Waaaaaaaaaahh, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!!"When Maria realized it was the real Beatrice, she jumped onto her.  "...You promised, right, Beato?! You promised you'd take me to the Golden Land, right?! There, I'll be friendly with Mama, and everyone will laugh together...! You promised you'd take me there, right?!" " "...So, sorry. I can no longer keep my promise with you..." "Why...? Why...? You promised..." "...I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry... So at least... in apology for not being able to keep my promise..."...I'll give you a quiet... sleep that will never be disturbed again... Beato embraced Maria with a loving expression on her face...  ...Its redness grew bit by bit, and when it distinctly formed itself into the shape of a hand... Maria's neck tilted suddenly. Peacefully, as though she had fallen asleep. "M-Maria... Mariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!" "...Sorry. I won't apologize that you were the sacrifices for the second twilight. That is simply your fate. However, I must apologize for the vulgar way in which you were offered as sacrifices... This is your final sleep. Never again will it be disturbed..."Beato softly, gently lifted her finger, as though touching the empty air in front of her nose. ...When she did, a light breeze lifted up, making Rosa's body dance lightly like a feather. Then, Rosa's body floated softly... and right there was the garden fence, with its spear-shaped prongs.  ...Benevolently, without toying with her, in a single blow. Rosa's life was snapped out. Compared to the earlier innocent yet cruel events, it seemed to be over much too fast. It just looked like a doll shaped like Rosa was leaning against the fence. But, she had passed away.  Beato acted proud, but the new witch wore a blank expression, almost as though this was an anticlimax. Then, she said it out loud. "It's kinda plain... Not at all like the Predecessor-sama Ronove told me about." "...Well, you must use magic with dignity, right...? If it's too... umm... undignified, that isn't very elegant..." "...Even though you're lucky enough to have the magic to do wonderful things endlessly... How boring." "Hey, don't complain...! The path of the Golden Witch cannot be completed in a day. You are still incomplete until you finish the tenth twilight... For now, stay quiet and follow my instructions. Got it...?!" "..." "Wh-What happened to your answer? Your answer...!" "...Very well, that will do. Well, there is still much to do for the resurrection ceremony. You still have to kill five people... You should do it without toying with them too much, with beauty and dignity, and with at least a little restraint, okay...? What Ronove told you about how I did it... that was a bad example. You mustn't use that as a model. Engrave that into your heart." "...Yes, Predecessor-sama." "A good answer. Ronove, the Seven Stakes of Purgatory, arise...!"  "Lucifer of Pride, right here." "...Up until this point, umm, I've been a little flashy, but...umm, well, the dignity of the Golden Witch is also important, and about that..."As Ronove laughed at Beato's uncharacteristically flustered speech, he summed it up for her. "Certainly. From now on, we will be careful to act in a graceful manner, suitable for the name of the Golden Witch. Even the Seven Sisters of Purgatory will reform their bad behavior up until now, and we shall espouse to perform our task in the quickest possible manner. Would that be acceptable, Milady?" "I-Indeed. That's it, more or less. Everyone, take it to heart! Okay...?!" "Yes. Certainly." "That is all I wish to say. You may leave now." "Certainly. If you would excuse me." "Excuse us." "..." Acting awkwardly until the very end, Beato left that message and immediately became a cloud of gold butterflies, hiding her form in the empty air. Maybe it'd be more accurate to say she vanished in a hurry because she couldn't keep up the conversation. After that, all that remained was Maria's corpse, lying down and pounded by the rain, Rosa's corpse, propped up by the fence and staring up at the sky... And the figure of the witch. "...Show some restraint, you say...?"Her expression looked just a little bored. There was a popping sound. That was probably her clicking her tongue.   Leaving that last sentence behind, she once again vanished into the empty air... 
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Dec 25, 2016 06:29
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God loving drat. 
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Dec 25, 2016 08:10
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Well that went from kind of hosed up, to really hosed up, to sad, to pathetic, then to disturbing. Pretty eventful update if you ask me. Happy Holidays everyone! Edit: Guess what LP I just finished. 
Fabulousvillain fucked around with this message at 10:00 on Dec 25, 2016 |
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Dec 25, 2016 08:10
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This played out a little differently in the anime https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6kRmM6r390
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Dec 25, 2016 12:03
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ProfessorProf posted:Tell you what, thread. You're the best Santa ever, Prof!  Have a wonderful time; I hope that 2-year-old is breathless with joy right now.e:         In more or less that order too.Man, I just don't even know how to see Beatrice anymore. At first, I thought she was some sort of reactive spirit to people, then some eldritch abomination like an unseelie fairy, then a vengeful entity out to punish wrongs upon her person, and now a genuinely broken, pitiable person. I never thought I'd feel sorry for such an awful, vindictive being, but... I find myself wondering if anyone in Beato's entire life provided a good example for her to follow, gave her comfort and empathy and a stable environment. The closest thing is Virgilia, but apparently the ball was dropped somewhere there, which stands to reason, because the only real interaction between them I've seen is V fixing a vase B broke temporarily so that B would escape punishment- a scene which we see play out nearly verbatim when Beato gives Maria a rose at the beginning of this episode: an indulgence, a temporary surcease of pain meant to placate and bring happiness to a small child. But the legend of the Witch is more than just a Golden Rose for Maria, it's the finding of a real home, something that Beatrice, it is implied, never had; to see Beatrice flounder so much when Maria asked why she broke the promise of The Golden Land was one of the most  parts of the game I've seen so far.It's all fun and games for a bully until the other kids take their ball and go home, and it seems in that solitude Eva Beatrice held up a mirror to Beatrice... one that she is not really comfortable with at all. I thought I knew where this game was going, but... I have no idea anymore. If I ever really did. resurgam40 fucked around with this message at 15:35 on Dec 25, 2016 |
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Dec 25, 2016 14:18
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Wow, poor Rosa. But like resurgam40, I feel way worse for Maria. I can write off the wacky, "pop" deaths as some delusion, but Maria's feeling of betrayal rings true to me. Beato was probably the only person she could count on.ProfessorProf posted:
This must be Beato's lame attempt to be the warm, persuasive "sun" that Virgilia was trying to tell her about. Which makes the former seem even more unhinged, like she can't see or understand anything outside of sadistic violence. I feel bad for her. 
witchcore ricepunk fucked around with this message at 17:11 on Dec 25, 2016 |
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Dec 25, 2016 16:57
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Eh, wake me up when we get back to reality.
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Dec 25, 2016 22:12
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Fabulousvillain posted:Edit: Guess what LP I just finished. Heh, good reference, but...maybe it was the mood I was in, but all I could think of was pirates. "Arr, ye've insulted an' keelhauled me family fer th' last time, thou sea-hag! Taste me blade of denial! " 
resurgam40 fucked around with this message at 04:00 on Dec 26, 2016 |
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Dec 26, 2016 03:40
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So... the family gold was protected by lacing it with psilocybin?
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Dec 26, 2016 03:42
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Glazius posted:So... the family gold was protected by lacing it with psilocybin? Would not put that past Ushiromiya Kinzo.
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Dec 26, 2016 03:45
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oath2order posted:Would not put that past Ushiromiya Kinzo. What could be put past Kinzo at this point? 
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Dec 26, 2016 05:04
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 October 5th, 1986, 11:00 AM  "...Whew. Looks like she's finally calmed down..."Hideyoshi wiped his own forehead. For a time, Eva had seemed to be having a very painful nightmare, but it appeared she'd finally fallen asleep. As promised, he still gripped Eva's hand. He'd thought it might be time to let go pretty soon, but he faithfully continued to hold on. Every once in a while, his hand would get tired, and he would switch between his right and his left, but even so, as promised, he didn't let go of her hand... At that time, there was a heavy knock. Eva had finally been able to fall asleep, so Hideyoshi grimaced for just an instant.  It was Rudolf's voice. What could it be? Hideyoshi headed for the door, hiding his footsteps so that he wouldn't wake Eva. It was definitely Rudolf's voice, but just in case, he opened the door without removing the chain.  "What is it? Somethin' happen to Rosa-san?" "We can't find Rosa or Maria-chan. I thought they might be with you." "...I heard her scolding Maria-chan in the corridor. They got quiet after that, so I thought they'd gone back to the lobby, but did they...?" "...That idiot..."Rudolf clicked his tongue.  BGM: Mind Near the front door, Natsuhi pointed at the unset chain.  "...The chain isn't set. They must have gone outside to see that rose after all." "How extraordinarily careless, to go out and leave the door unlocked. What a troublesome person." "...I'm more worried about Rosa-san and Maria-chan themselves." "Right. Hey, brats. Where was this rose of Maria's?!" "I'm pretty sure... it was in the flower bed right in the middle of the rose garden..." "If that's where they are, we should be able to spot them pretty quickly if we go." "...Dad, shouldn't we bring them back here as soon as we can...?" "Of course. We'll bring them back and give 'em a good spanking. I'll dash out there and come back. Lock the door as soon as I go out." "...Dad, I'll go with you." "Don't be stupid. It's obviously a brat's job to watch over the house with Mama." "Sorry, did I wake you up...? It seems Rosa-san took Maria-chan outside. How reckless of her." "Rosa and Maria-chan are... outside...? In the rose garden...?!" "That's right. Oh, did you hear? Maria-chan was causin' a ruckus because she wanted to see this rose." "Th-There's no tellin' her to stop now, it looks like they left a while ago. Seriously, how reckless of them." "...That's not it... Not the rose garden... There's a witch there, and she's waiting for a sacrifice...! Rosa, you mustn't go... ooooooooooohhh..."...Eva cowered again, holding her head. Her complexion looked very bad. "What is it? Did the fever make you dream somethin' bad?" "...It's a dream, yes... In the rose garden, the witch, doing that to Rosa and Maria-chan... That's right. It's a dream... It must be..." "Calm down. I'm here in this room. And the chain is set. The shutter's closed on the window, and we've even got a gun. This room is just like a fort. There's nothin' to be afraid of."Hideyoshi beat his chest, trying to calm her, but Eva's insecure expression didn't change. Under the covers, Eva kept praying that the grotesque nightmare she'd just had was only a dream...  BGM: Voiceless "If we can trust Nanjo's examination, the cause of Rosa's death was a stab to the medulla oblongata with the pointed gate of the fence. It is thought that Maria's death was due to strangling with bare hands. However, due to the 'Devil's Proof', we cannot discount a misdiagnosis." "...I will say it in red. Rosa and Maria died. The causes of death were as Nanjo diagnosed. She wasn't eaten by a spider, nor was she crushed by a mountain of cake. Don't worry." "...L-Like I said, that wasn't me... I believe I gave them a much more peaceful death than the way she treated them..." "Shut the hell up. I'm not talking to you." "...It was stated that there are no more than 18 people on this island, and now that eight people are already dead, we can narrow the field of suspects down to ten. One of them probably killed those two." "...Or could it also be an accidental death? Like Maria was having a tantrum, and when Aunt Rosa tried to stop her crying, she misjudged how much power she was using and accidentally killed her. Then she was so upset that she slipped and fell, landed on the fence, and unluckily, died. How's that? That way there's no need for a witch or magic." "...Well, that's not quite true. Actually, Rosa and Maria..." "Shut up. Didn't I say I wasn't talking to you? You're an eyesore, so disappear. You monster." ...That strange behavior was something Beato had noticed right off the bat. In a fight, both of them could go at each other without restraint. However, he wouldn't even step into the ring. She could feel that coldness. Beato didn't find that amusing. She thought about flaring up, but she held back. Maybe even though she was innocent and childish, she had enough sense to realize that she shouldn't pick fights. "...Is that so? Then I'll vanish. Ronove, continue for me." "Certainly. Will that be satisfactory, Battler-sama?" "...There are no problems with her proposal. If Battler-kun doesn't want to see Beato's face, perhaps that will do." "Do what you like. If I can live without seeing that monstrous face, I don't care about anything else." "...Hey, wait a second. You keep saying monster, monster, but isn't that a cruel way to speak of me? Why do you instinctively hate me so much, Battler? Even though none of that was me, even though it was all the work of my disciple..." "...It's not like I'm only mad about what happened just now. It's been like that from the very beginning." "Hey, Battleer. Don't misunderstand, okay...? Aren't we just a pair of players confronting each other through a game? We look for moves to make things painful for each other, but..." "Don't get the wrong idea. I don't hate you because you're my rival in this strange game about whether I accept you as a witch or not. I just can't forgive how senselessly cruel you are." "Well, serial murders are a part of this game... It's probably impossible to avoid a little cruelty..." "...That's... well..." "When it comes to closed room murders and tricks and alibis, I'm willing to give you a pass. You want to claim that this is a murder done by magic, so I'll grudgingly accept that those complicated crimes need to occur. But what exactly is the point of all those grotesque murders?" "...Well, umm, nothing much..." "That's right. They don't mean anything. You're just fooling around by mangling the corpses for fun. That has nothing to do with whether you're a witch, or whether it could or couldn't be done with magic. You're just exploring the depths of cruelty for fun. This isn't about whether you're a witch, or anything like that. There are just some things I can't forgive as a human." "...Wh-What do you mean, as a human...?" "...It wasn't clear whether the weapon was a spear or a gun, but anyway, as far as killing goes, that was acceptable. It was much better than the nonsensical grotesqueness and cruelty from the first twilight last time, or the time before that." "...You were frantic to make me accept your existence, and I was frantic trying to deny it. We were both frantically doing all we could." "This may sound weird, but I've felt a faint sense of sportsmanship between the two of us. We exist in conflict, but I faintly thought that we might not be completely unable to understand each other's existence." "...But just now, that feeling was blown away without a trace." "Th-That's what you're misunderstanding...! That wasn't me-" "That's not it. That's not what I'm talking about! You watched Aunt Rosa being killed horribly over and over, and you sneered at it like it was an interesting show." When I realized that your decision to kill them in a slightly better way this time was nothing more than a faint whim, and that nothing had changed in your cruel character, I was deeply disappointed. On the contrary, you were even genuinely enjoying those brutal deaths. You weren't just acting as cruel as you could to bully me. You truly, genuinely enjoy cruelty. Your character lets you enjoy it.  You weren't joking. You enjoyed it from the bottom of your heart, wanted me to sympathize, and said that I'd probably think it was fun. In that instant, I lost respect for you and realized the truth.  "However, your pointless cruelty is absolutely unnecessary for that game. So I've decided that I won't accept you as my opponent. Ronove is a hundred times better. He doesn't have the same cruel hobby you do. Even if he does, he doesn't have the awful taste to show it off in front of me." "...That's right, you have awful taste. You're heartless and cruel, so you can't understand. That's unpleasant in an opponent. So I don't want to see your face again."As Battler went on and on by himself, Beato was shocked into silence for a long time. Maybe she couldn't understand what she was being told, and this was a sign that she was doing all she could in an effort to understand. For a while, she kept switching between angry expressions, frustrated expressions, bold expressions, as though even she herself didn't know what attitude she should take. In the end, she made her face into a candid expression, as though she had come to her senses, and shrugged her shoulders as though she was tired.  "...For the time being. But I definitely won't forgive all of your cruel actions up until now. And I definitely won't accept you. For that reason as well, I won't back down from this fight you've picked. And I definitely won't lose. That's all there is to it." "...Beato, no matter how many more excuses you give, his impression will not waver. I have something to talk about later. Until then, stay back." "...I-Indeed... Understood. Then I'll vanish until you call..."Looking lonely, Beato turned her back to them and vanished. Battler watched, a slightly displeased expression on his face. He thought his argument had been valid, but for some reason, his mood didn't clear up.  "...That's true. An idiot, and a straightforward one." "That idiot watched Aunt Rosa get killed horribly with me, then turned around with a huge smile on her face. She really believed that she could laugh with me at that cruel show. She really believed that I could sympathize with that emotion..." "Looking at that innocent smile, I felt just horrible. It would've been much better if she'd said it with her normal bullying face... drat it..." "Milady has never had the experience of having a friend. In addition, she has probably never had something spoken to her that strongly." "Madam and I are her attendants. No matter what we say, it will not reach her ears. For Milady, this is also-" "Don't screw with me. I don't remember ever becoming her friend." "...That's true enough. My apologies." She spoke words of gratitude, but for some reason, Battler made a displeased face. Then as though in self-derision, he chuckled. "Now that I've even got witches and demons thanking me, I'm screwed. Let's resume the game. Of course, I don't intend to go easy on you." "I wouldn't have it any other way. Unlike Milady, I do not get agitated." "...I've already made my move. If we suppose that Aunt Rosa is the culprit and died in an accident, I can deny the witch. I don't want to suspect Aunt Rosa, but I think I can bear to accept that premise if it'll beat the hell out of Beato." "I will deny it with red. Rosa's and Maria's deaths were homicides." "Okay. Let's start from there... drat, I'm just not getting fired up." As he shed tears, Rudolf scolded Rosa's corpse for being reckless several times, but Rosa would never respond to that again. They decided to place the two corpses in one of the guest rooms... and to seal it until the police arrived... The second murder... no, the murder of the second twilight had delivered a heavy blow to everyone. It had blown away the optimism that some of them had held, the thought that 'a crime didn't actually occur, and it was all a game or a farce by Kinzo and the servants'. Trying to distract themselves from the loss of the people they liked, George and Jessica had spent the whole time since morning talking about every possibility. And, they had distracted their hearts by supposing that these murders might actually have all been an act, and that Shannon and Kanon were only pretending to be dead. When the next murder occurred, it destroyed that thought, and they were once again struck by the fact that the person they liked had most definitely been killed... The tears that they'd thought had died away began to drip down once more, and Battler couldn't think of anything to say to them... After that, all of the adults checked that all of the rooms were safe and locked, just in case. They made certain that the shutters on all of the windows were down and locked, and they confirmed that no one suspicious was hiding anywhere. On top of that, they checked their weapons once again... and checked with each other to make sure they were mentally prepared, so that they wouldn't hesitate to fire off a preemptive shot if they saw the shadow of a mysterious person.  BGM: Dead Angle Someone had gone out of their way to leave it there, so everyone suspected that it was some kind of trap, but when Hideyoshi delicately used a fire iron to fire off test shots, it was able to discharge without incident. So, since the five shots loaded into it had discharged without any problems, they reloaded it with bullets and handed it over to the only adult male who wasn't armed, Hideyoshi. However, the fact that it had been able to fire off five shots gave rise to a certain paranoia. This short barrel Winchester could hold only five shots. In other words, Rosa hadn't fired even once. And yet, the two had probably been killed by someone with their bare hands. This meant there was a possibility that the crime had been committed by someone whose face they knew...   "...My apologies to Doctor Nanjo, but if he had actually been an accomplice, I thought the deaths of all the servants might possibly have been a massive, elaborate act by Father." "...After all, the closed room situation they were in couldn't have been created unless we suppose that it was all an act." "...We also... suspected that. No, I still want to believe that's the case." "...My apologies, but that is not so. I am quite old. I might possibly make a misdiagnosis. However, I would never mistake whether they were alive or dead..." "I get it! Don't go out of your way to say it out loud, Doctor Nanjo...!" "...My apologies..." That faint dream that it was all a farce, that the victims were actually alive... I'm sorry to say it, but that's impossible...  Of course, there was no way for them to know about that either. That claim of Rudolf's has also been denied in red. There are no more than 18 humans on this island...  "I might have a way to look at it that keeps things consistent, at least a little. Simply put, this person in hiding is someone who shouldn't really be on this island right now. And yet, there's a likelihood that they were someone Rosa-san knew, someone she'd let her guard down around." "...S-So, for example, could it be... a servant who wasn't on this two-day shift...?" "Hmm... It's hard to be certain about that one. When our servants finish their work and leave the island, it isn't as though we punch their ticket or something to make sure. If we're supposing that a servant on a shift from a few days ago only pretended to leave the island and actually stayed here, that would be hard to deny..." "...I don't think Rosa-san is such a fool. If a servant who wasn't supposed to be here popped up in front of you, who wouldn't be on their guards...?" "...I'm not even sure we should be assuming that it was someone she recognized. Maybe they suddenly attacked Rosa from the darkness and were about to steal her gun. Then Rosa fell, hit her head against the fence, and stopped moving. The guesthouse was nearby and they wanted to avoid the sound of gunfire, so they killed Maria-chan with their bare hands..." "...There's also that possibility. Still, even if that is the case, would they really intentionally leave Rosa's gun at the scene of the crime? We don't know what the culprit's armed with, but they've got to feel insecure about our guns. Wasn't that a perfect chance for them to thin out our supply? Why would they intentionally leave it at the scene of the crime?" "At first, I thought that gun was a trap. That's what chessboard thinking says it should be. By purposefully leaving it, they wanted to make one of us touch it. And they must have wanted to make us pull the trigger. I was sure that something dangerous had been done to it... to make it explode and cause massive injuries." "But, it was actually okay. The culprit probably panicked. I'll bet that right now, they're regrettin' that they missed their chance to steal a gun...!"  "...However, in any event, this is truly a fearsome opponent. Even at a glance, they should have been able to tell that Rosa had a gun. To think that they attacked her despite that. The fact that they are unafraid of guns should not be taken lightly." "Indeed... It's as Natsuhi says. We should probably be even more cautious than we have been." "This is just for peace of mind, but... at the time we think Rosa-san was attacked outside, where was everyone...?" "Natsuhi and I were here, along with Rudolf and Kyrie-san. I can guarantee their alibis." "Eva and I were together. I can guarantee that." "George-aniki, Jessica, and I were together. When Aunt Rosa yelled at us to return to the second floor, we retraced our steps back to the cousins' room, all dejected." "...Back then, if we hadn't let Maria go..." "Saying that isn't going to change anything..." "...Doctor Nanjo?" "I-I was reading a book in a room on the second floor. I was by myself, so no one can verify my alibi, but I believe everyone saw me return to the second floor with the children." "...Once I say this, it'll never end, but what if you jumped out the window, attacked Rosa, then climbed back up using a rain gutter or something...?" "D-D-Don't be absurd... How could I perform a feat such as jumping down from the second story or climbing up with this old body...?" "...Let us stop suspecting each other... It's more important that we trust each other and, for the children's sakes as well, defend this place until the very end." "You're right... It's like Natsuhi-san says. For now, let's stop suspecting each other." "That's right. We may be useless as far as searching for the culprit is concerned. We can only stay alive until tomorrow, inform the police, and follow their instructions. Because the police will definitely expose who the culprit is."  "M-Mother, what's wrong? Are you okay...?" "...Sorry. It looks like my fever is still strong. I'll be fine, so leave me alone..."When they looked, they saw Eva staring at the floor, her breathing harsh again. She had been able to act firm for a time, due to the urgency of their situation, but it seemed her body wasn't at its best after all...  BGM: Black Lilliana "...What have you done...?! There was so much of that gold, right?! Giving Rosa and the others their share wouldn't have been a problem at all, right...?!" "It would. That gold is to be passed on only to the Head of the Ushiromiya family. That's because it, as a whole, represents no more or less than the honor of the Head. To wound that even a tiny bit... is definitely not something that I, the new Golden Witch, Beatrice, will permit. *giggle*giggle*giggle*giggle*giggle*!" "...Do you plan to continue these murders according to the witch's epitaph...? Do you actually plan to become a murderer five more times...?" "Yeah. If I don't finish that annoying ceremony, it seems my power as a witch won't become complete." "Hey, 'me'. The power of the witch is really awesome. It really can make all the crazy things we imagine become reality. The power to make dreams more than just dreams...! Now that I've learned of this power, I can no longer stop being a witch. If I can finish the ceremony and make my power complete, I'm sure I'll be able to teach you that feeling too. *giggle*giggle*giggle*, *cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*cackle*!" "Stop acting like an fool...! Haven't you played at being a witch enough? We found the gold. And we've even been promised the position of the Successor. We'll probably need to tightrope walk just a bit, but by now, that's a dream that will definitely come true. Beyond that, what more could you wish for...?!" "I wanted to become a witch." "I don't give a drat about that dream...!" "That's right. Because I kept holding onto that dream, I've lived at this age forever. When you became an adult, you threw that dream away." "...No matter how long you wait, the rabbit holding a clock won't visit you, and you won't be able to meet Humpty Dumpty. Of course, you definitely won't be invited to the land of cards. Because you gave up and accepted all that, you became an adult." "So you don't want to become a witch or anything like that anymore. You've even forgotten that it truly was your own dream at one point." "...Anyway, stop it! I've already gotten my hands on two dreams! The gold and the position of Head. That's more than enough! So please, your dream has nothing to do with me! Stand down...!!" "...No waaay. Magic's too interesting. Also, those two dreams of yours both came true because of my magic. It wouldn't be fair if my dream didn't come true too." "I'm grateful for your magic, and I acknowledge that you're a real witch. So just stand down and return to the inside of my heart! And never appear again!!" "No wa-y. We're both misunderstanding each other, aren't we? That's right, I am not you anymore. You are Ushiromiya Eva. I am the Golden Witch, Beatrice. So it's not my responsibility to go back inside your heart. I guess I feel like a butterfly who's broken out of her cocoon, meaning you." "...Haah, haah... urg, the fever... is making my mind cloudy..." "My inexperience with magical power is forcing me support it with your vitality. Until I finish the ceremony and become a full witch, you might have to bear the burden. I'll take that as payment for making two of your dreams come true. It's fine, don't worry, okay? For the remaining five sacrifices, I'll avoid your family."  "...Are you okay? Let's take it easy and rest!" "Are you all right...? Doctor Nanjo, take a look at Eva...!"When Nanjo and George tried to approach, Eva made a gesture to stop them. "...Thank you. I'm fine, Doctor Nanjo. I'm taking medicine. I apologize for saying this during such an extreme situation, but let me rest a little longer..." "Mom, I'll lend a hand too..." "Thank you, but I'll be fine as long as your father watches over me. Go back to the second story cousins' room and don't come out no matter what. Understood...? No matter what happens, you must not leave the guesthouse... Outside, that... witch will... uuuu..." "Don't talk anymore...! Sorry, everyone, but I'll be watching over Eva in our room. Tell us if something happens." However, Eva wasn't the only one who wasn't feeling good. They hadn't gotten a wink of sleep since the previous night...and had been pressed by tension since that morning. They were mustering their energy to protect their families, but if they relaxed even a little, surely everyone would be down and out...  BGM: Golden Sneer "Difficult, meaning...?" "Mm. Normally, as the ceremony progresses and the victims increase in number, they begin to tighten their guard, and in most cases, they hole up in one place and stop moving. That is extremely inconvenient for us." "...Are you saying that we witches are inferior to a bunch of Humans in a group...?" "Witches are never inferior to Humans... However, perhaps you could say that times change, and that Humans have gotten their hands on a poison..." "...This wasn't a problem long ago, when people believed in witches, but just like that annoyance Battler, people in the current era deny magic on a fundamental level." "In other words, you're saying that the more Humans there are, the stronger that magic-resisting toxin gets, and the greater the disadvantage is for us witches?" "...The combined amount of power in their hearts that denies magic... in other words, their magic resistance power, becomes the denominator in the equation of your magic's power... Understand? Is that a bit too difficult for you...?" "You're joking. Actually, I understand it easily. In other words, you're saying that the more people there are who don't believe in magic, and the stronger their will is, the more the effects of our magic are divided. Yeah, if it's so formulaic, I'll have to rethink my method of attack." It can even make a rain of fire fall from the heavens or divide a sea, and reviving a lost life isn't impossible either. However, that power is extremely weak against the toxin that rejects it. And that toxin started piling up in Humans since the time they forgot to respect things sacred, until finally, this earth was covered with enough toxin that the miracles of magic could not be displayed. Thus, witches from across the world were chased from their dwellings. They had been forced to choose to throw away their magic and live as Humans, or else live in hiding in remote areas where the toxin of Humans didn't reach. In that sense, Rokkenjima, with its population of only a few dozen humans, was extremely favorable for witches. And even more favorable was the existence of the ghost story about the witch who lived in the Rokkenjima forest. In other words, by permeating the island with the fear that a witch might exist, the magic-resisting toxin from the Humans was weakened. A small population... and room for them to acknowledge magical beings. In other words, minds that were only weakly anti-magical. Only by existing in the valley where those two converged... could a witch live in modern times...  "The first is presentation. Create a murder scene that couldn't conceivably have been done by Humans, decorate it in an occult way, make it look very much like a witch exists, and permeate people with fear to make them believe that witches exist. As a result, the anti-magic power and the denominator for our magical power will be decreased. I see, so this is why the creepy magic circles of the first twilight were created?" "Th-That's right, exactly...! The gaudy scenes for the first twilight in each game are all for that reason. It's definitely not as though I like being cruel or am doing it for fun..." "...In that case, Predecessor-sama, you failed this time around. You killed them in a very plain way. It doesn't look like anything more than a simple mystery." "...I heard about last time and the time before that from Ronove. You should've damaged the corpses more grotesquely, like you did then, making it look more like fantasy and instilling fear in those people." "...W-Well, about that. I thought it wouldn't be artful to do that every time, you see...? Don't think too deeply on it, it's just a whim...!" No, would it be better to say that she had halfheartedly let Ronove decide? After all, she left the closed rooms of this game's first twilight to him. But if she'd had a cruel idea, then she would surely have explored the limits of atrocity even worse than in the previous game...  "...You told me to show some restraint when deciding Rosa's and Maria's deaths too, but that wasn't a course of action beneficial to us witches either, was it? In actuality, by now, none of them believe one bit that a witch actually exists. They're totally sure that it's a mystery, not a fantasy. This turn of events is a failure from a witch perspective. For some reason, you keep doing things in a kinda lukewarm way, Predecessor-sama." "Aah, l-like they say, things you learn when you're young will definitely help you out in the future...! This is a test passed on from my predecessor to you. Take it on with respect. Wahahaha...!"Beato tried to laugh heartily, but it was obviously the fake laugh of someone trying to cover something up, and the new witch shrugged with a sigh. "...At this stage, it's probably too late to create a scene and reduce the anti-magic power. In that case, there's another move. Getting the Humans to split up should work." "Indeed, that is probably the most effective way. The smaller the number of Humans, the more the denominator shrinks. As a result, the magical power functions instantaneously. In other words, it all begins from one point: how to destroy this barricade situation and have them split up into small groups." "However, they are already very cautious. The barricade won't be destroyed easily, right...? Both the barricade in Kinzo's study two games ago and the barricade in the parlor last time were very stubborn. Furthermore, most of the cunning adults still remain this time." "The situation is more difficult than all the ones before it, understand? If you wish, I could give you some special advice..." ...Funnily enough, not only do mystery authors and murder culprits worry about how to break that situation apart, but so do witches, who supposedly exist at the other end of the spectrum. For a while, the new witch poked her cheek with her pointer finger, and after acting as though she was planning something, she spoke. "...No, I'm fine. After all, it is a test. I won't borrow your moves." "Nn, really...? Still, it will be rather difficult to defeat this barricade, right...?" "I've already made my move. I'm pretty sure it'll work. And it'll definitely work on someone smart." "I-Is that so...? You really are excellent... I'm pleased to see that my disciple won't be causing me much trouble." "My motto is to study things myself before asking other people. Then, if you would excuse me. I have to wait for my prey to get lured out." "Indeed. Well then, handle it with care."As the new witch lowered her head, her face blank, she turned into gold butterflies and vanished.  "...Not one of them gives a fig for me... Hmm. You witch apprentice, acting so smart... I'll bet she makes some painful mistake and starts crying." "Then, without a doubt, she'll finally realize my greatness and beg me to teach her! *cackle* Until then, I shall watch from on high."She laughed loudly on the outside, but a laugh no one can hear is completely pointless. Beato gave up and quickly stopped laughing. Ronove chose that time to show himself.  BGM: Organ Short #200 Million in C Minor "...Nn, I see. Good work. What was the result?" "My sincere apologies. I was forced to resign. By saying in red that 'both deaths were homicides', I made Battler-sama revise his claim of 'Rosa strangled Maria to death, then died in an accident', but I could not repel his chain of moves placing Eva as the principal offender." "Wasn't Eva sleeping in her room the whole time as Hideyoshi cared for her?" "...He put forth the possibility that Hideyoshi was an accomplice, and that the two worked together to create an alibi." "He even suspects Hideyoshi...?! Couldn't you have struck back by saying in red that he was in the guest room at the time of the murder?" "...I also thought of that, but multiple important pieces might have been taken several moves later. And, because this move might be connected to the new Beatrice-sama's strategy, I acted out of respect to her. My apologies." "Strategy, you say? Her mind does seem to be sharp. Hmph, we can let her do as she pleases. It will be quite a show to see how far she can go." "Pukukukuku. I thought you would say that. I see that the un-cuteness of your disciple has left you in a bad mood." "That's none of your business. I wonder how that one plans to destroy this barricade going forward. I shall keep a close eye on her. Oh, and... h-how was Battler's mood?" "It appeared as though he had calmed himself down. He did say that he couldn't get fired up after all, without you as his opponent." "R-Really, well that's no surprise, no surprise at all! If I don't return for the fourth twilight and after, Battler will probably be lonely himself...!" "Pu ku ku ku... And with that, if you would excuse me. I need to go bake some delicious cookies. I must at least enliven the discussion between you and Battler-sama, Milady." "Indeed! That guy really was munching your cookies, wasn't he? It's no surprise that a boy can eat so much. Make a lot of them...!" "Certainly. I shall make enough cookies to bury the table." "That sounds great...!" It was obvious that she wanted to talk about something that she didn't want the others to hear. "Umm, I..." "Yeah?" 
Quinn2win fucked around with this message at 18:18 on Dec 26, 2016 |
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Dec 26, 2016 17:42
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You have Battler's portrait where Beato's portrait should be twice, just before Kyrie says she wants to go outside. Normally, I wouldn't suspect Kyrie, but I got a gut feeling right now telling me she's not entirely on the level. Now that that's out of the way, I think it's almost adorable that Beato's getting really attached to Battler. Almost adorable because she's still kind of a horrible monster who does horrible things on a whim.
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Dec 26, 2016 18:14
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Kyrie, now's not the best time to be taking an old-fashioned dook out in the wilderness.
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Dec 26, 2016 19:00
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Rosa's and Maria's deaths were much different then all the other deaths so far. No real mystery or locked rooms on them. No occult stuff ether. Rosa fell on a fence and Maria was strangled.
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Dec 26, 2016 19:19
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That wasn't the first thing I thought of, but I wonder why they're going outside as opposed to upstairs where it's much safer and warmer. After all, everyone's probably going to know what's up if they disappear anyway, so why bother with secrecy?  Can I say I really like this rendition of the big theme music, because it portrays the shifting power dynamics so well. It was filled with grandeur when we first heard it, but now it just seems kinda pathetic and childish, just as Beatrice has gone from a dark goddess who owned Battler as badly as it was possible to do so last episode to a bully who's favorite target has learned how to hit back and isn't afraid of her anymore in this one. Fair for us and fair for the witch, the difficulty level said in the beginning, and now I see that it's kinda true.
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Dec 26, 2016 19:29
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MonsterEnvy posted:Rosa's and Maria's deaths were much different then all the other deaths so far. No real mystery or locked rooms on them. No occult stuff ether. Rosa fell on a fence and Maria was strangled. It's also the first death(s) where the victims were left outside of a building.
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Dec 26, 2016 19:30
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Kyrie's chessboard thinking has an error here. The goal is not to say that someone shouldn't have done what they clearly did, it's to figure out why they might have done it. So why wouldn't you take a gun? One option would be that you were already armed. Another, though, would be that you might be caught with it. If anyone were to turn up with Rosa's gun, or to have it found among their possessions, that person would instantly be outed as the murderer. Since suspicion is high right now, that's something that needs to be avoided. Also, isn't it just super convenient that these "witches" can only murder people in ways that could be explained non-magically and are only witnessed by dead people? To be expected, of course, since they're only an elaborate fantasy. That said, if Beatrice really exists at all apart from as a fantasy of Battler's, and actually believes herself to be a witch, it would make sense for her perception of death to be different. It'd be more like killing people in Skyrim when they frustrate you, knowing you can just reload the game to put things back the way they were.
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Dec 26, 2016 19:35
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An easy reason why they didn't take the gun is that they don't need it. Obviously they could kill someone who had a gun, so why would they want a gun of their own? It is true that this is a pretty easy murder to explain, either via Nanjo or some collaboration. And if the murder list that Eva Beatrice gave proves accurate, Eva will be a strong candidate to blame, possibly with Nanjo collaboration to make the first murders possible.
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Dec 27, 2016 04:36
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I'm a little late to this but poor Rosa. Also Eva's quite a bit older than Rosa, right. How did they manage to play those games together? I imagine Eva would have gotten bored of putting butterflies in spider's webs.
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Dec 27, 2016 07:21
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Violet_Sky posted:I'm a little late to this but poor Rosa. Also Eva's quite a bit older than Rosa, right. How did they manage to play those games together? I imagine Eva would have gotten bored of putting butterflies in spider's webs. Eva is apparently 50 to Rosa's 33.
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Dec 27, 2016 07:48
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resurgam40 posted:But yeah, I've never believed that the endpoint of the Epitaph is an actual, literal pile of gold, although it does not surprise me that the gold is real. It just seems too thematically proper for the "Golden Land" to be a metaphorical place of harmony and the end of suffering, not necessarily Heaven or enlightenment or what have you, but the achievement of happiness and peace... and it's also thematically proper that a mountain of gold- the oldest and surest symbol of Mammon, of unearned wealth that leads to conflict born of greed- serves as an impediment to that peace, rather than the end point. Because wealth this extravagant, just found somewhere, tends to be cursed. I mean, it's not like this wealth has made Kinzo any happier or more stable, has it? With such wealth at his fingertips, nearly all of his potential troubles are over, but he spends his days getting drunk on absinthe and mourning the one thing he can't buy. He even made a "spell" to get that thing, so I highly, highly doubt this is where it leads. Thanks for the LP, ProfessorProf, I'd heard about this game a couple times before, but this is the first time I've ever actually seen Umineko. Basically all I knew going in was the red truth gimmick, and it's definitely been quite the rollercoaster. Not really digging the edgelord anime magic powertrips, but this game sets up some really interesting relationships between the characters, and it's been really fun seeing how they fluctuate in reaction to all these crazy situations.
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Dec 27, 2016 08:50
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Let's get this thread onto a new page. 2 more posts after this should do it.
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Dec 27, 2016 17:27
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If we believe in the witch, surely a miracle will happen and this page will travel to a beautiful Golden land.
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Dec 27, 2016 17:36
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Sure, that'll do it. Onwards, to page 49!
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Dec 27, 2016 17:43
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