Disease, political intrigue, and hot men~ LP: Koezaru wa Akai Hana

Woman: "What have you done, Tooya-sama!?"

We're back in a dream-flashback again.

On this day, too, I find myself observing a completely different place.

In this place, I'm not reflected in anyone's eyes. As if I'm transparent, I gaze at that scene.

Tooya: "What, you ask--is there something wrong?"

A boy with the same name, face, and voice as Tooya inclines his head as if in doubt. As he faces his maid who's scolding him, he smiles innocently.

The person in front of him closely resembles Mother...... Or rather, she looks to be Mother herself.

Tooya: "After all, they were bullying you."
Samar: "I-is that why you intervened and killed all of them......"
Tooya: "Yeah, that was interesting. I was able to obtain wonderful research results. Those guys gradually stopped moving and in their final moments they died while twitching like insects."
Samar: "Tooya-sama!"
Tooya: "Why are you so angry? Ah, are you worried that someone will blame me?"
Tooya: "If that's the case, there's no need. Father has kept everything about me a secret. This time, too, he'll take care of all this behind the scenes."
Samar: "That's not the problem!"
Tooya: "Come on, these kinds of things don't really matter, so let's go play, Samar."
Samar: "......"
Tooya: "What's the matter, Sa――"

Samar slaps him on the cheek and the sound reverberates throughout the cold basement room. The boy who looks like Tooya blinks and has an expression that shows that he has no idea why this was done.

Tooya: "This is the first time I've been struck......"
Samar: "Your Highness."

Despite having just struck him, Samar hugs the boy closely. She sheds tears, too.

Samar: "You who are so prodigally intelligent, why is it only this that I cannot teach you...... This makes me very sad."
Tooya: "......why are you sad?"
Samar: "Your Highness...... Life is a very precious thing. When a life is lost, someone will shed tears."
Tooya: "Is that so? Noll didn't tell me anything like that."
Samar: "If I die, won't Your Highness be sad?"
Tooya: "I will be sad. If Samar is gone, the person who is always with me will be gone. Father and Noll, those two will still be here, but..."
Samar: "Like that, there are people who are sad and mourn the loss of those Your Highness has killed, too."

Tooya still doesn't really get it. Samar says that if Tooya passes away, she will cry. She'll cry so much that she might die.

Tooya: "That would be unpleasant......"
Samar: "Then please promise me, Your Highness. With that knowledge, never again kill a person. That power isn't for killing, but to keep you/others alive."
Tooya: "......"
Samar: "Please promise me."
Tooya: "......I understand. If Samar says so, I'll obey. I understand that life is precious."
Samar: "......someday, you will come upon a life that you truly find precious. I will pray for that."
Tooya: "Samar is precious."
Samar: "That is no good. After all, I will die before Your Highness."

The woman's feelings are transmitted into the air--she is seriously praying sincerely for that boy's happy future...



Naala wakes up, puzzled to have seen another strange dream. Last night, she slept with her mother's stone placed on the bedside. She feels restless and wonders if Tooya's already working. Naala feels heavy because they uhhh went kind of overboard last night. While she's laying on the bed groaning, there's a knock on the door. Naala wants to ignore them and sleep, but that's no good so she sits up and tries to energetically tell them to come in.



It's Uru. He inquires after her health, as apparently he though he wasn't summoned because she has a cold. He seems to have misunderstood after seeing her so tired. (LOL) Naala smiles to reassure him, but thinks that she can't tell him the real reason why she's tired. (DOUBLE LOL)

She lets out a yawn and Uru says that if she just lazes around forever, Burafuka will come and try to tempt her. Hearing that name, she remembers about their interrupted conversation and asks Uru what he was going to say. Uru is confused and Naala prompts him to explain about how the spirits of the fire and flame are different.

Uru then tells her that Burafuka was the younger twin brother of the spirit of flame.

Naala: "......younger twin brother?"
Uru: "Yes. Burafuka protected Nasura together with Braise, but one day he fell in love with his sister-in-law and abducted her."

This is the first time they're using the name, but I'm guessing Braise (or Brice? I have no idea how to romanize it) is the spirit of flame.

Uru: "In addition, in order to obtain her heart, Burafuka plotted to destroy both Nasura and Braise."
Uru: "However, Braise's side won and Nasura was protected..... It's an ancient legend."
Uru: "I have heard that in the royal family of Nasura, because of this they abhor younger twin brothers and consider them dead at birth."
Naala: "............"
Uru: "? Is something the matter?"
Naala: "Eh, ah...... It's nothing."
Naala: "Nothing......"

Shiiiiiit that's totally it, isn't he.

Anyway this VN has made loving consensual sex in between married couples into an outright kink. Daisuki at each other more, please.

Edit: OH GOD

...So Loving Husband is probably the younger twin. The only question here is whether he's the bitty flashback psychopath or is it his brother.

Tooya is totally the younger brother. That's why he thinks he's worthless.

Goddamn it royal family you suck for giving Tooya this massive inferiority complex that haunts his adult life.

New chapter. This one means Decision or Determination.

Since sending Olli her letter, one month has already passed. While she's anxious that he hasn't responded yet, she thinks that perhaps on his side he's also troubled about how to reply.



In the meantime, Tooya is brooding, as usual. Naala asks him what's wrong. With a bright smile, she approaches him where he's sitting next to the window. Tooya wryly says that if only these migratory birds could also bring news from the Luce king, that would be great. When he says that, he reminds Naala that it's that season. Naala looks out the window and watches the migratory birds. They go between Luce and Nasura when the seasons changed. She thinks that they are remarkably wise, patient birds who are able to endure a long flight time. Because of that characteristic, they are often used as a means of communication and spying on enemy countries. Naala tells Tooya not to joke, but he says he's being serious. Naala just laughs weakly.

Recently, Tooya hasn't joked around as much. Every evening they pass time staring at the sky towards the south. No matter how Naala tries to justify it, their response is too slow. She suddenly wonders what Noll is doing at a time like this. Even though Noll should be supporting Tooya, she hasn't seen him for this whole month. It seems he's up to something confidential and only Tooya knows what he's up to.



Tooya: "......how do you think the king of Luce will act?"

Naala says it'll depend on the opinions of those around him. She adds that though the king himself is intelligent and wise, she doesn't know what his retainers will say. She tells Tooya that he probably knows this already, but in Luce the royal prerogative isn't as strong as in Nasura.

Luce was a country that united multiple clans and tribes, so it's impossible for one person to assume total power. Though there are still some areas that are a bit sloppy in regards to this, in general there is a lot of equality. The king has to do what everyone wants because if he abuses his power, surely the other clans/tribes will be discontent.

Tooya: "But the opinion of the king is strong, isn't it?"
Naala: "That's true. When you're talking about the government partitions, you could say that his voice is the strongest. But still......"
Tooya: "Even so he cannot overstep his bounds, you mean......"
Naala: "......yes."

Tooya then asks what she thinks as his relative. Naala hesitantly replies that he is wise, so surely he's already considered things and well knows the cost of receiving help from the western continent. Wryly, Tooya says that he's already heard that (sort of compliment). Naala senses that Tooya knows she's trying to evade commenting on Olli directly. Finally, Naala says that Olli is very intelligent, but also very passionate/emotional. He seems calm most of the time, but he's very active on the inside.

Though she used to think back fondly on her brother's gentleness, now she's just filled with bitterness.



Naala relates that when she was younger, she was almost kidnapped. She'd let her guard down because the other person was female, but it turns out she was a slave trader. Olli came running and even though the woman was of a child-bearing age, Olli without hesitation ordered that the woman be beheaded.

Tooya: "! He had a woman beheaded......? Did no one criticize him?"
Naala: "I was a princess, after all, and the other person was also a slave trader, so that doubled their sins. He was able to convince everyone else."
Tooya: "......he really didn't hesitate?"
Naala: "Yes. He didn't have a bit of sympathy or pity. Olli and his father, above all...... They hated anything that hurt me."

Tooya concludes that in other words, since Naala was kidnapped, he won't hesitate here, either. However, Naala says that Olli is no longer the prince like he was back then. Now, she feels that as king he'll listen to what she has to say. However, her words are closer to a prayer, she thinks. In truth, she has no idea.

Tooya: "......I'm sorry."
Naala: "Eh?"
Tooya: "Even though right now as king I should retain my peace of mind......I'm causing you to be unsettled, instead."
Naala: "It's all right. As you are king, I am also a queen and I'm happy to support you as your wife."
Tooya: "Naala......"

Naala closes her eyes and Tooya kisses her on the cheek, causing her to involuntarily tear up.



Tooya: "......if I'm this happy, someday I'll be punished for it."

QUIT THAT.

Tooya's voice is completely serious but Naala misses the meaning of it and just feels happy and shy that he'd be this happy over her/her words.

Naala: "There's no person who can punish you, King of Nasura."



Tooya: "That's not true."

Not like he needs anybody else. He punishes himself just fine.

Naala: "Haha, then give me an example of someon--"

There's a knock at the door and Muru on the other side apologizes for interrupting their rest. Because Muru sounds rather strained and desperate, Naala tenses up. She has a bad feeling in her chest. Tooya bids Muru to enter. Muru comes in and Tooya asks him what's happened. Muru's face stiffens. He glances at Naala briefly before looking down and reporting:



Muru: "We have received news from the troops deployed at the border that Luce's army has invaded the country from the west side."

WELL GREAT.

AGFSDHFSD TOOYA, BABY! it's not your fault the royal family is a bunch of jerks

Sorry, I- so many feels- head not making words-!

EDIT: oh bugger.

Oh hey, I'm not sure if we've ever seen Nuru's portrait before. Why hello there handsome.

Naala is about as pleased about this as I am--that is to say, not at all.

Her legs give out and she sinks to the floor, but Tooya catches her before she completely collapses.



Tooya: "Inform Suren and make haste with preparations for departing to the battlefront."

Oh HEY we're even farther along than I thought. Hell, I might be able to finish Tooya's route tonight.

Anyway, Muru says yes and Tooya adds that this time he'll come, too. Muru hesitantly accepts and excuses himself. Muru leaves the room and a tragic silence falls upon the room. Naala chokes as if she's swallowed lead.

Naala: (Olli......is this your decision?)

She still can't believe that this is reality--she doesn't want to believe it. Seeing her suffer so, Tooya looks down at her.

Tooya: "Naala."
Naala: "Wh......at?"
Tooya: "You might not wish to hear this, but......if something happens to me, I want you to protect our research."
Naala: "!? Are you saying this seriously?"
Tooya: "Yes, I'm serious. If I die, it's possible the entire system of our country will change. At that time, the only one who will be able to protect those research results would be you, the queen."



Naala: "N-no. Even if we're talking about hypotheticals, I don't want to think about you dying. Both of us will protect that research."
Tooya: "Please listen to me, Naala."
Naala: "No!"
Tooya: "Listen!!"
Naala: "Nngh......"
Tooya: "......though this might be treacherous of me as king, right now the thing I want most is your happiness. More than the country, more than anyone else, your life is most important."
Naala: "Tooya......"
Tooya: "That's why if something happens to me, you don't have to think about doing your duty. Whether it's with the king of Luce or another man...... You can take anyone's hand as long as you become happy."

The military might of two countries combined is this much of a threat, Naala thinks. Still, hearing these words that sound like he's given up, Naala's tears overflow.



Naala: "Wh-why can't you say 'I'll definitely come back'.......? At a time like this, making such a promise would be fine, wouldn't it?"
Tooya: "......right now I can't say anything other than that I'll make an effort."

Naala cries as she remembers Tooya telling the Luce women before that he will never make a promise that he isn't 100% sure he can keep.

sglkjS:LGK;lhgk:SORhjk;kg:OSK;lSDKF

Even though he's being honest, at a time like this it's just painful and sad. WE KNOW HOW YOU FEEL, NAALA.

Tooya: "......then, I'll go and prepare to depart for the front now."
Naala: "! W-wai--"

He quickly leaves before Naala can finish. Her hand is stretched towards the door, but it's too late. As soon as he's gone, her knees give out at last and she falls to the ground, her whole body trembling. She cries out his name over and over in agony.

THIS IS SO PAINFUL TO LISTEN TO, I'M JUST LIKE.......... NO STOP...................... AND THEN TO SALT THE WOUND........ Naala describes this as feeling like her happiness is sand falling through her fingers, leaving her with nothing but despair and lamentation. For the first time, like so long ago, Naala is overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness...

IT'S ALL RIGHT, I DIDN'T NEED MY KOKORO, ANYWAY. THANKS.

I know for sure I showed it when he first appeared, but I think I've just skipped over him since then. XD

Anyway, after the report, everyone's running around making preparations as if the castle's caught on fire. Once Naala's made sure that the women have all made it to shelter and safety, she goes to the throne room. She peeps inside through a crevice in the doors.

Inside, a councilman is pleading with Tooya to reconsider. Another one agrees and says that it would be better for Tooya to stay in the capital and leave it to Suren. He can issue instructions from the capital.



However, Tooya says that it'd be pathetic for the king to hide behind the military commander during such a dangerous battle. He needs to go with everyone and raise morale with his presence. He asserts that it's what his late father would have done.

TOOYA YOU DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE YOUR FATHER, DO YOU? COME ON, DON'T GO.

Naala thinks that for Nasura, a rich country, this is a situation they're unaccustomed to. They're not used to being the disadvantaged force. Facing a war where victory or defeat are uncertain, all of the councilmen are trying to stop the king.

One councilman reminds Tooya that it was that bravery that killed the late king. Tooya says he hasn't forgotten--when barbarians attacked, his father fought without looking back. With that bravery, he died honorably and it riled everyone up. The councilmen argue that this was only okay because the king died leaving Tooya, a wise and competent heir, behind. So that's why nobody lost hope. However, Tooya has no heir. While the councilmen shout at him, however, Tooya just stands there perfectly composed--even smiling.



Tooya: "At that time, make Suren king. That's what my late father would have wished, as well."

OKAY, TWO THINGS... ONE, SUREN IS ALSO GOING TO THE FRONT LINES SO DON'T YOU THINK HE MIGHT DIE, TOO? TWO................. STOP WITH ALL THIS SELF-LOATHING, YOU'RE KILLING ME.

The councilman yells that it's impossible for them to give the throne up to someone of a commoner's lineage.

Tooya: "Ha, so you're sticking to lineage, are you?"

The councilman says that with all due respect to Tooya, 600 years of history and tradition can't be washed away so easily. It's because of these traditions that the country has lasted so long.

Tooya: "Then, this might be a good opportunity to change this system that relies on blood relations. Then no one will be able to say absurd things like twins being abominable."

TOOYA.

;______________________;

The councilmen are all freaking out, but Tooya finally tells all of them to get out so he can finish his preparations. He calls his guards to escort the councilmen to safety. As they're dragged off, the councilmen say that they will pray for Tooya's good fortune in this war.

The councilmen pass Naala as they leave the throne room. Perhaps for the moment they find her distasteful because she's from Luce, because as soon as they see her, they look away.



Naala thanks them nonetheless. Some of them ignore her and walk away, a few glance at her just once before leaving... But a few stop and ask why she's doing this. Naala thinks that she still hasn't forgiven everyone in Nasura, but...

Naala: "For worrying about His Majesty, I thank you. As His Majesty's wife, I give you my deepest gratitude."

Naala bows her head and the ministers tense up. Finally, one of them asks if she was able to conceive a son. It sounds like it'd be a rude question, but Naala hears warmth in the councilman's voice. She looks up without flinching. She says no. The councilman, quite old in age, just looks at her with a wry smile.

Councilman: "If it's the child of milady and His Majesty, I want to see it one day."
Naala: "!"
Councilman: "So that His Majesty can return safely, please do not have any regrets."

With a smile, she says she hopes so and walks into the throne room.

okay as much as I would love to press on and finish, I know we're close to the end but not THAT CLOSE, so I'd have to stay up for at least another 3 hours or so to complete this route (and possibly a non-rapey bad ending) and my eyes are starting to glaze over so that's probably not a good idea and less than 5 people who normally keep up with this thread are awake so I'd hate to finish while they're sleeping

SO TOMORROW! I WILL FINISH THIS ROUTE TOMORROW. GO FORTH AND DISCUSS CONSPIRACY THEORIES.

here have some more naked Tooya while I recover my sanity and brokoro kokoro

Once this LP finishes I would love to see the sprite pack, it seems inspiring

Twins Twins Twins -

Poor Cutie Tooya... T A T
So he is insecure all this time because the one who met little Naala and made an oath with her was actually his bros. /biting handkerchief

ALL OF MY FEELS Mdfhaklsflkahsflkaslfja;sljkf;lsf;lg;algjajskjg;adjgadl;ladg;alks;fkas;lfas;fkas;jfjg;sdjg;sdg

GOD I'M SO GONNA LOOK FORWARD FOR SUREN'S ROUTE SINCE TOOYA'S WAS SOaslfka;lskf;lafjk;lajsf;alsf;lfj;sf-FULL GAAAAAAAAH

MY BATTLE CRY!

TOOOOOOOOOOYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Oh my god, that thought didn't even occur to me.

When Naala walks in, Tooya's asking Muru how much longer until preparations are complete. Muru uses some weird phrase that I think means he'll be done in half an hour. Tooya says he understands and then asks Muru to take care of the women. Muru agrees and Tooya's about to say something else, but then he makes eye contact with Naala and stops. Muru, noticing this, lowers his head and leaves the room quietly.

Naala: "......am I intruding?"
Tooya: "No, because all that's left are things I have to tell you, so it doesn't matter anyway."
Naala: "Please don't tell me you're going to say foolish words like 'go find another man' again."
Tooya: "......I'm not throwing my life away. I, too, want to live together with you."
Naala: "Then......!"
Tooya: "But you never know what will happen in war. Just as I might capture your brother Olli, the same might happen to me."
Naala: "......"

Naala stares at Tooya's shoes, unhappy and not sure what to say. Tooya slowly embraces her gently.

Tooya: "......Lord Olli is a wise and intelligent person who looks to the future of his country. That's what you said."
Naala: "? Yes......"
Tooya: "You said so, so I also believe it. However, he is trying to seize you despite that profound prudence...... He must love you as a man."
Tooya: "I have taken you away from such a man. That's why I want to confront him personally."
Naala: "That's why you're going to the front despite there being no chance for success?"
Tooya: "......it's not absolute."



Naala: "You really are a cruel person, aren't you...... You can't even lie at a time like this. That's why you say terrible things like telling me to find a new husband."
Tooya: "I'm sorry......"
Naala: "Rather than apologizing, take me with you. If it's me, I can run all the way through the battlefield to where Olli is."
Tooya: "I want you and the women to protect the research. That's what I said before."
Naala: "I know!"
Naala: "I know.... I already know that I am powerless and the fighting has already started......"
Naala: "But still! Even so......"

There's a choice here between "From a long time ago until now, my husband is only you" or "My husband is the only the you who is in front of me". I think you guys have started getting an inkling of who Tooya really is, so it's probably no surprise that the second one is correct. There is another bad end split-off from here, but the only difference from the good ending is that Tooya gets killed by Olli and then Naala gets dragged back to Luce while mentally shell-shocked. The lead-up is all the same and the pay-off really isn't worth it, so there you go. We'll go with the second option.

Naala: "I only want the person in front of me right now as my husband, Tooya!"
Tooya: "But if that oath didn't exist......"

WHAT DID SHE JUST SAY, OMFG.

Naala: "That oath has nothing to do with it! We met again, shared our struggles, and fell in love...... The present you is most important!"
Tooya: "......!"



Naala: "Why won't you understand...... Idiot."
Tooya: "Naala......"
Naala: "Already, it's impossible for me to choose a husband other than you......"

Naala starts crying and making Tooya's clothes wet with tears. For a while, Tooya just continues stroking her back as she convulsively sobs. Gradually, the hand on her back becomes less hesitant. Tooya clenches his hand into a faintly trembling fist. When Naala looks up, wondering what's wrong and her eyes swollen from crying, Tooya has an awkward smile on his face. Even though he's smiling, his voice is awfully hoarse/cracked/weak.

Tooya: "......it's all right, Naala."
Naala: "Wh-what is......what is all right? Nothing's all right at......!"
Tooya: "Because you have already loved two men."

STOP ITLSKDJflghLAEJGlaejgfklsdjfklj I'M GOING TO PUNCH YOU I am so annoyed oh my god Naala was so wishy-washy on Noll's route and never really told him she truly loved him and here she's saying it over and over and you're just like BUT SUREN!! BUT RUJI!!! BUT MY DEAD BROTHER!!! KNOCK IT OFF



Naala: "......? What are you saying, Tooya. The one I love, from long ago, has only been you----"
Tooya: "That's not true."
Naala: "?"
Tooya: "It wasn't......only me."
Naala: "I don't understand what you mean. What kind of......"
Tooya: "I am....... I am not the man who promised to marry you! The one who swore 'let's make a world where women are not kidnapped', too...... That was......not me......"

WELL I'M SURE YOU ALL SAW THIS COMING BY NOW, RIGHT? BUTSLKDjflJGSLEjlksdfj siiiiiigh oh, Tooya ;_________;

Naala is shocked. I would be, too. :C

If you go back to the beginning of Tooya's part of the LP and pay close attention, though, there really have been hints from the very beginning. Little ways he talked about Suren and "that person", things he didn't seem to remember, times his personality was totally different... The writers did a really great job so that when you play through Tooya's route a second time, you pick up on all this stuff that you just dismissed before.

Naala slowly tilts her head, not comprehending what he's just said. However, seeing Tooya's body trembling like this, she knows he's telling the truth and that this is serious to him.

Tooya: "I am......"
Tooya: "......"

There is a long, long silence. Finally, Tooya says:



Tooya: "I am......the younger brother of the man you promised marriage to."
Naala: "......you......nger brother?"
Tooya: "......"
Naala: "What does that mean......? Tell me, Tooya......"
Tooya: "......"
Naala: "Then, are you saying that you are not Tooya? Such foolish......"
Tooya: "I am also Tooya. My older brother and I were both Tooya."
Naala: "Both of you were...one......?"
Tooya: "......do you know the legend of Burafuka?"
Naala: "Y-yes......"
Tooya: "When twins are born in the royal family of Nasura, the rule is that the younger brother is killed. Because the younger brother will become a demon......will become Burafuka."
Tooya: "Though that's what they say, the true purpose is to avoid conflicts of inheritance and succession, I suppose."
Naala: "You are......that younger brother?"
Tooya: "That's right. ......the one who swore to marry you was not me. It was my older brother."
Tooya: "I was confined deep underground and not allowed to go out."
Naala: "Then, isn't that strange if that's the case! Because you lived and weren't killed!"
Tooya: "My father was not a man of faith. Therefore he didn't believe in curses at all and thought the legend of Burafuka was also ridiculous from the start."
Tooya: "However, if he ignored the custom, he'd lose the confidence of his vassals. That's why my father...... He decided to raise me as insurance in case anything happened to my brother. Without allowing anyone to see me......"
Tooya: "Education, training, even friends...... All of those things were identical for us. That way we would be a perfect pair of Tooyas."
Tooya: "When I met your mother Samar, it was at that time. Samar was my exclusive caretaker and both sympathized with and admonished the me who lived in that environment. In that way, it was exactly like a mother's love."
Tooya: "Towards a boy with the dangerous hobby of cultivating and creating poisons, Samar patiently persisted with her guidance."
Naala: "Poison......?"



Tooya: "No one stayed by my side. That's why at first, I only wished for someone to stay with me...... Without killing, how to make it so they could not move...... I desperately researched it."
Tooya: "At first I used birds, then eventually tested them on malicious caretakers to see the effectiveness...... Gradually the formation of poisons itself became my hobby."

TOLD YOU GUYS HE WASN'T USING MICE, GEEZ.

Naala: "......"
Tooya: "The only person who would guide such an immature me was Samar. Others saw me as only a 'substitute', after all......"
Tooya: "――I am Tooya's substitute, but also the 'Burafuka' with ugly feelings."

The Tooya who was happy to be free. The Tooya who was gleeful like a child. The Tooya whose eyes were shaded in wisps of darkness. Suddenly, everything connects in one line for Naala.

Naala: "......you."

An inexplicable, intense sadness wells out and one tear slides down her cheek. Naala's trembling voice questions:

Naala: "......then why did you know of my and Bayaru's past......?"
Tooya: "Tooya......My older brother pitied me and always told me stories about the outside. Those stories were my only connection with the outside world."

I think the part that makes this really painful is that his brother actually cared about him and was actually a really nice person. It'd have been fairly easy for the writers to just make the older twin this evil figure and paint Tooya as this TRAGIC YOUNGER TWIN OH NOES but the fact of the matter is both of them were good men who were forced into unpleasant situations because of the culture and family they lived in. That's just awful. :C

Tooya: "And then, many times he told of how he met with you...... I, who had never seen or touched this girl...... I yearned for her. I felt strongly that I wanted to meet her."
Naala: "Me......?"
Tooya: "That's right, you. My older brother took my feelings into consideration and changed places with me for one day."
Tooya: "The outside world I saw for the first time, the you I saw for the first time, they shined brilliantly. I was deeply moved by how wide, interesting, and wonderful the world was."
Tooya: "I felt that I never again wanted to return to living underground. After that, while training with our swords one day......"



Tooya: "......I stabbed Tooya."

sdlkgj;lak:SDKjg;skg;Sjh;sekG:OEJg;lskdf _(:3」∠)_ if only you all could hear the voice acting here......................................

"I don't want to kill my son so I shall raise him underground where he will have no real exposure to people and never see the sky! This will surely not go wrong in any way."

Well, this is also the king who decided to pass a LAW requiring Nasura to periodically raid Luce and take their women, so I think he was just a dude who had no foresight whatsoever.

This latest twist kind of reminds me of certain parts of Higurashi and Breath of Fire II. All the messed up clan/royal family policies.

EDIT: Yeah, it somehow seems like the guy didn't have the greatest foresight, huh...

I want to play this game so badly right now.

My brain-->

WOW OKAY I JUST TYPED UP THIS ENTIRE WALL OF A TRANSLATION/COMMENTARY AND THEN I ACCIDENTALLY CLOSED THE TAB AND LOST EVERYTHING AND NOW I'M RAGING AND I HAVE CLASS IN 15 MINUTES

GODDAMNIT _(:3」∠)_ I keep telling myself to write the LP outside the browser like I do for Toki no Kizuna, but this is so much more convenient for me to translate/upload screencaps as I go, so I got lazy and arghslkdgjliJSGlkdjflSJDG

ARGHSLGKJleigjIESHJ:SKG:EOkh;sROKH:OWEJG:OSKf I will be back................................................ later.......................... I wonder if I can even remember all the commentary I wrote................ *SIGHS FOREVER*

:( I'm sorry Chamomile, that sucks!

It's always a bummer when stuff like that happens but just remember; there is always pie. Or cake, depending on your preference! ;P

That is the worst feeling. What's your browser? Lazarus is kind of a godsend in situations like this.

Ugh, this is my one qualm with Koezaru. The fact that almost all of the main love interests have yandere rapists ends that don't even add onto the story, and even with being a bad end - it was still horrible to see. Some of the depressing bad ends did add onto the story and I liked a few of those, but those yandere ends.... I tried my best to ignore them because the characters became so horrible in those endings. Maybe it has to do with this being the first r18 game I've fully played, and since it's supposed to be on the better end of the spectrum for these type of games, I don't even want to know what a typical bad r18 game would even be like.

I remember when I was using a guide to play Ruji's route and both of his endings had ambiguous titles so I guessed and thought I was on the good ending, until I actually got to the end. It wasn't as bad as some of the other bad ends, but it was still pretty shocking. And I learned to not to ever play the yandere ends, no matter how curious I get T_T

Normally the sheer revelation of Tooya's darkness would be "AHHHHH TERRIFYING YANDERE CHILD/MAN", but considering we're in a medievalish setting and the sheer level of inhuman trauma/childhood ostracism at work, Tooya having these yandere tendencies is 100% understandable. I don't think I've ever seen a more sympathetic and justified yandere in my life.

That being said, I understand the rationale behind why the choices that lead down the yandere bad end path are the way they are, and that those bad ends = push their insecurity buttons full-throttle, but yeah, that still doesn't make it right.

I use Chrome. :C

Okay so in every other R-18 game, imagine the plot going like... Starts out the same as Koezaru, but then in the middle of the route there's yandere rape bad end type stuff... And then the heroine magically gets over it and there's a happy ending. So even if you're on a guy's good path, he rapes the heroine at some point anyway. Or it's in the common route. You can't escape it at all.

In Koezaru, the heroine only gets raped in the bad endings and you seriously have to TRY to get those endings, I feel like. The choices that branch off into the yandere ends are like:

• say something nice
• say something reasonable
• FLIRT WITH SOME OTHER GUY RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM OR DOUBT HIS INTENTIONS

So yeah. Not that it justifies what the guys do, but there is a reason for it and it's not like they just snap for absolutely no reason like they do in other stories. Keep in mind that some people like yanderes and have rape fantasies--so the bad endings are for them. Plenty of people, especially those who are interested in R-18 games, have darker kinks. I think it's perfectly fine to include that sort of content as long as it's not something you're required to sit through. And the only time you really have to in Koezaru is when you have to see Suren's yandere ending to unlock Naran--and even then, you can force skip if you want to, so nobody's forcing you to see it? (I HATED THAT ENDING SO MUCH, IT WAS SO PAINFUL) Trust me, other R-18 games are much worse. XD; You appreciate Koezaru even more when you know what its contemporaries are like.....

Though honestly, when I saw those yandere bad endings, personally, it was like...... It made me appreciate the good endings more, if that makes sense? They showed me how bad it could have been and how broken these guys are--and how much Naala saved them in the good route. So I wouldn't go so far as to say that they didn't add on to the story at all. They all showcased the guys at their absolute worst.

Just my 10 cents, though. /)_(\ Everyone has a different threshold for this sort of thing.

Given the way he grew up, I'd say it'd be weird if he wasn't a yandere. /)_(\

(just checking the forums between classes... I'll continue the LP tonight when I get home in about 3 hours?)

FFFFFFFFFFF Three hours is midnight.

Looks like I'm getting no sleep tonight!

Sobbing
Sobbing forever
I hate being right
This game is giving me too many feels, take them all back. TAKE THEM, I DON'T WANT THEM.

COME HELL OR HIGH WATER I AM FINISHING TOOYA'S ROUTE TONIGHT so if you want to be there as it happens................... n_n

IT'S OKAY, I'M NOT GETTING ANY SLEEP, EITHER.

Sorry no, I've suffered so much already because of this game... It's high time I spread these feels around and lessen my own burden. _(:3」∠)_

If most R18 games follow that format, then I think it’s best if I do stay away haha. Putting it that way makes me appreciate Koezaru for keeping the yandere/rape in separate endings for those who do enjoy that sort of fantasy. I have to remind myself that since it is R18, the audience mostly isn't the same as say a Cero-B game or something…lol

For me, I can usually take a bit of yandere but I guess having all the main characters hold yandere tendencies felt a bit too much. But I understand that they turned out that way because of the bad decisions in the route that you could say ’drove them to madness’? And since those endings show us the worst of the character, it was difficult for me to separate the character from that ending at times. It made me feel a bit uneasy towards them because those endings show us what they’re capable of. I definitely understood that I didn't have to sit through it, but my curiosity got the best of me

Don’t even get me started on the Secret Confessions/Broken Bird ending; it just made me an emotional mess ;_; I felt bad for everyone involved and it was one of the endings that I still remember the most from the game and I’ll stop now because I’ll end up rambling on about it….

It was kind of the opposite for me; it made it hard for me to dissociate the character from the bad ending because by seeing the worst, it made it hard for me to accept the best if that makes sense? Those endings added more to the characters than the story in my opinion, so I feel like you don’t have to play them unless you want to know everything about the character or if you like the fantasy that ending portrays.

But I appreciate your reply and thank you for it, gave me a lot to think about. I played this game before DL and both look at so many different aspects of both relationships and people’s tolerance levels on how far games can go to get a point across so it's all really fascinating to me.

Sorry for the thread hijack everyone! Now back to your regularly scheduled LP whenever Chamomile posts ^_^

:C I started working on the LP and was like, "why is this so familiar" and then I recalled that business with losing like 3,000 words' worth of translation and commentary earlier today and got annoyed again but WE ARE SO CLOSE TO BEING DONE AND ABLE TO RUN HAPPILY INTO SUREN'S WELL-CHISELED ARMS, so I must press on. And this time I'm doing my LP in Evernote and then copy-pasting it into my forum post like I do with Toki no Kizuna, so that frustration shall plague me no more. _(:3」∠)_

Also, randomly, I opened the PSD I have to make saving screencaps of this game easier and saw Noll (I never saved over him) and was reminded of this... ARGH would you guys believe that the other day I saw someone auction off his tokuten CD for the equivalent of $135 USD?? Someone really paid $135 to hear Noll talk for 10 minutes. (ok well there's sexual content, too, but still, $135??) I guess I'll just be happy I managed to get Suren's for far cheaper and stop trying to buy Noll's because it's futile. _(:3」∠)_

ANYWAY.



Naala: "......it wasn't on purpose, right?"
Tooya: "When I think about it now, I still don't know whether it was deliberate or an accident. At that time, I terribly, desperately wanted to become Tooya."
Tooya: "And I wanted to meet you."
Tooya: "I wanted only to meet......"
Naala: "......"
Naala: "......what happened to your older brother?"
Tooya: "Older brother......in front of Father and I, he committed suicide......"



Naala: "! Su...icide......?"
Tooya: "Immediately after you succumbed to fushi, my elder brother tried to start a rebellion against Father. In order to liberate the women and keep his promise to you......he acted."
Tooya: "Before it could be executed, the plans of the rebellion were leaked to Father...... Father brought Tooya underground and told him――"
Tooya: "'Tooya, from now on you'll be living underground. Hey, Burafuka, you are my heir.'"
Tooya: "In that moment, Tooya chose death and slit his own throat. As a result, I...... I became the only heir, the only Tooya. Really, it was sadly ironic."

As sorry as I feel for the older twin, this is really................ If Tooya could bear living underground, so could he? There's no way he can keep his promise to Naala if he's dead. :/ This is just tragic all around. Then again, I guess once you're used to living above ground, the prospect of being stuck in that room for the rest of your days is fairly awful.

Naala: "......"
Tooya: "......I was afraid. After all, because I was Burafuka, I killed both you and my older brother."
Tooya: "Every day I regretted that I was born and was tormented by the reality of my existence. ......even so, I continued to live, trying to atone for killing my brother and the young girl in the flower garden.....to atone for you."

Now we know why he was so shocked when he found out who Naala really was. D:



Tooya: "That's why I...... I cast away my self. To become my older brother, to bear my brother's dream, to speak my brother's words...... Until death, I wanted to continue to atone like this."
Naala: "......why didn't you say anything?"
Tooya: "There's no way I could say it! The one you loved was my older brother! It wasn't me!"
Tooya: "Even so, despite that...... I hid the truth and embraced you. No matter what, by any means, I held myself back......"

I guess what he means is he held back his true personality and thoughts. Errr because he didn't seem to hold back much on the "embracing" aspect. :'D /shot



Tooya: "Even just saying 'I love you' made me experience deep feelings of guilt, but even so I couldn't help but seek you out......"
Tooya: "You, who believed without a doubt that I was my older brother, loved me who was not my brother......"

That is one of the most confusing sentences I've ever had to type. Hopefully you get what I mean, though...

Naala is at a loss for words. The truth she's been given is too heavy. Towards the Tooya in front of her who uses "watashi" to refer to himself, she has confused feelings.

Tooya: "......really, I am sorry."

Tooya lets go of Naala, but she continues staring at him, unable to do much else. Even though she is panicking, thinking, "I have to say something--if I don't say something--!", her voice is stuck in her throat.



At just that moment, Muru comes in and informs Tooya that the preparations have been completed. Tooya says to divide the army in two with him heading one and Suren heading the other. Tooya himself intends to head for the plains/moors/prairie. Muru then runs off to obey.

Tooya: "Naala......"

Tooya reaches his hand towards her and is about to touch her cheek, but he pulls back at the last moment.



His face then forms a smile that seems to also be crying at the same time.

Tooya: "......I'm going."

Tooya then goes out the door quietly before Naala can stop him. By the time she startles and tries to chase after him, the sound of the large double doors shutting echoes through the throne room. Naala begins to cry, overwhelmed by these feelings she doesn't understand.



Naala: "Tooya......"

FEELS.

After some time--Naala's not sure how long she's standing there numb and stupefied--she can hear light footsteps approach.



Uru: "......Your Imperial Highness."
Naala: "Uru......"
Uru: "Is it all right to leave things like this?"
Naala: "Eh......"
Uru: "Your Imperial Highness loves His Majesty, right?"



Naala: "Yes, but......"
Uru: "Please get ahold of yourself. Your Imperial Highness, right now which Tooya-sama do you love?"
Naala: "Which......"
Uru: "Between the older brother or the younger brother, you chose to be by the side of the present Tooya-sama and became his queen. That is what I understood, but...... Was that wrong?"

YOU TELL HER, URU!!

Naala: "! ......did you hear it?"
Uru: "I'm very sorry......"
Naala: "......"
Uru: "Tooya-sama can't go on alone. Right now, the reason why he is fighting is also probably because he wishes to atone."
Naala: "Atonement......"

Naala tries to find the words to say... She understands the meaning of the word atonement, yet the actual word fills her with such sadness.

Naala: "Uru, I......"

And then the final choice! You get to choose between "I don't want compensation" or "I'm sad that I stayed silent". The second choice is referring to how she didn't say anything to Tooya before he left. But the most important thing here is that Naala doesn't believe Tooya has anything to atone for--because she loves him, not his brother. So the first one is correct.



Naala: "I don't want to be compensated......"
Naala: "For Tooya to suffer in such a way, I, who love him, am sad......"
Uru: "......yes."

Hearing that short answer, somehow Naala's tears overflow more. It was so simple.

Naala: "To Tooya...... To that Tooya, I want to properly tell him 'I love you'......"
Uru: "Then you should tell him."
Naala: "Eh, but......"

Tooya already left the castle a while ago, she thinks. Naala's puzzled at Uru's response, but he smiles, his face full of an unusual mischief.



Uru: "If there isn't a road, you simply have to make one."

URU IS THE BEST CHAMBERLAIN EVER.

Naala still has no idea what he's talking about, but Uru runs past her and goes behind the throne. He then squats down and draws back one of the legs of the chair. Naala watches as he pushes a depression in the ground and slowly, a cavern opens up behind the throne.

Naala: "!"

Uru apologizes for not telling her about this sooner even though he said he was her ally. However, he truly believes, though this might be overstepping his bounds, that Naala will be happiest by Tooya's side.

sdlkfgsjglsj;flk;eogk;sldkf URU.... ;______;

Uru explains that this is a secret passageway for the royal family. He was instructed to tell her about it if there was an emergency and she needed to escape/hide. Naala is so shocked that she can only blubber Uru's name. He tells her that if she uses this passage, it will take her outside the capital. He tells her to leave the Luce women to him and not to worry.



Uru: "And then somehow...... Please save His Majesty."
Naala: "I-I can't! If it's found out that you did this, don't you know what sort of trouble you'll......!"
Naala: "And to leave them to you......what are you going to do?"
Uru: "That is still a secret. However, I am Your Imperial Highness's ally......if you can believe only in that, I will be happy."
Naala: "Uru......"

URU.....skdfjlskjfsf ;______________; YOU LOVELY CHILD I LOVE YOU LET ME SQUISH YOU I'M SO SORRY YOUR ROUTE SUCKS

Uru: "Now, please go. There is no time to waste."



Naala: "......I will come back, without fail."
Uru: "Yes."
Naala: "Thank you...... Uru. To me, you really are the best servant."
Uru: "......just those words are enough."

Naala tries to kiss him on the cheek, which he dodges emphatically, and then Naala runs down into the pitch-black underpass.

Holy crap! I mean, I got the gist of what was about to happen but, the father! What an ass! First he locks up the younger twin as a spare and then he wants to swap them out as if they were interchangable/disposable?!

What the F?!

No wonder Tooya Mark 2 is so messed up!

Naala runs through the dark underpass as fast as her legs will carry her. She falls several times, runs into the walls many times, and comes close to collapsing more than once, but she can't stop. She thinks that even if she can't stop the war, she doesn't want Tooya to die. He's necessary for the future of this continent. She yells that she can't give him up in a time/place like this!

She runs for an hour, then another hour... After that, she loses track.

And you guys have to realize how amazing this is because running this fast for this long?? It's only possible because Naala's so athletic. YAY PROTAG-CHAN. She continues running through the passageway--it's so long that it seems endless. No matter how far she runs, she can't see any light. The picture shows light, but it's said in the text that the path is pitch black, that's why she keeps running into walls. :/ Poor Naala, omg...

Just as her chest becomes so painful that she feels that her lungs might collapse--

Naala: (!? A dead end......? No, this is......)



Naala rams against the "dead end" with all her might and at last, light overflows. Her eyes, so used to the dark after her hours of running, well up with pain. After scrubbing desperately at her eyes, Naala desperately looks around, trying to gain her bearings.

Naala: "! This place is......"

Her ears pick up a sound on the edge of the forest--it sounds like the earth itself is opening up. Horns of war are calling and the sounds of clashes can be heard. As she approaches, she can hear men yelling, swords clanging against each other, and the sounds of horses' hooves running against the ground.

And there, at the center of the battle--



Naala: "! Tooya and......Olli!?"

The two of them are crossing swords... And then we switch to Tooya's POV.

(THIS WHOLE SCENE IS REMINDING ME OF THAT SCENE FROM POCAHONTAS LOL)

Tooya is wondering if the depth of his sins invited this current reality. In case you were wondering if he was done brooding. :C Poor guy.

Tooya: (Do they outnumber us after all......)



Tooya: "Luce King Olli! Will you not lay down your sword and heed your younger sister's words?"
Olli: "You who violated that younger sister---how dare you speak!"



Tooya: "Nngh, that's wrong, we......!"
Olli: "Surely that letter, as well...... You ravished her and forced her to write it, didn't you!?"
Olli: "You boundlessly foul villain! Bravely face judgment!"

The Luce army, having borrowed power from the western continent, came across the border with a force greater than they expected or ever imagined. Moreover, Olli's strategy and the power of his sword is strong. The Luce army gains morale from that and their momentum pushes onward. Even Suren's army on the other side seems to be losing ground.

Tooya thinks that he has to endure and hold out until "that notice" is received... If they lose ground here, all that's left behind them is the capital for the Luce army to overrun. They're desperate to hold their ground here on the plain. However, Tooya's forces are outnumbered and his own physical strength is being pushed to its limits. His arm was injured from before and blood is dripping from his now semi-useless arm.

It's all he can do to defend himself against Olli--he can't attack with enough power and soon enough his sword is knocked out of his hand. It goes flying through the air and pierces itself into the ground a distance away.

Olli: "Die------!"

Though Tooya tries to evade, Olli still manages to cut him and fresh blood spills forth from the new wound. His strength drained, Tooya almost falls to his knees. Olli swings again and Tooya jumps backward, avoiding this swing by a razor-thin margin.

Olli: "Pushed back this far and you're still trying to run!?"
Tooya: "I only want you to listen to what I have to say!"
Olli: "I have nothing I want to hear from you! Now atone for your sins bravely!"

AWWW NO DON'T SAY "ATONE". e___________________e

Tooya grabs a spear off the ground and just barely manages to block--but as he's moving backwards, he trips over a stone. This is a chance that Olli won't overlook...



As Olli brandishes his sword in a large arc, Tooya sees it occur in slow motion. In that brief, yet long moment, that glittering blade approaches his chest and Tooya first fears death, then feels impatience, and finally......resignation.

Tooya: (Compensation......is it?)

Perhaps in this way he will be able to redeem his life. Because he existed, his older brother died. Fearing that crime, regretting it... He found meaning in continuing to live as his brother. He thinks that in this way, too, by dying, he can redeem himself. Or rather, him dying like this is a natural course of events.

Just then, his mouth curls into a smile of self-derision.

Olli: "Die and atone for my younger sister!"

There is the sound of a sword being swung and then you hear Tooya gasp. In that moment after he finally let go of his life, Tooya opens both of his eyes upon hearing Olli shout. In his mind's eye, he can see it--that dazzling gold light. The color of "that person", his queen, his beloved.

Tooya: (If I die......will this be able to compensate her?)



Naala: "Wh-why can't you say 'I'll definitely come back'.......? At a time like this, making such a promise would be fine, wouldn't it?"

Naala: "I only want the person in front of me right now as my husband, Tooya!"

Tooya suddenly remembers her words.

How stupid of me----there's no reason to compensate.

Tooya: (I......)

I...



Tooya: "I can't die yet!!"

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

FINALLY

That last picture. Those eyes...

~melts~

POWER UUUUUUUUUP

TOOYA! you have no idea how beautiful that backbone is!