Late at night, Radiel was sitting in front of a wooden doll when she abruptly turned around.
“Excuse me, my apologies, Young Master. I didn’t know you were here!”
She never thought he would come directly. Or maybe Radiel had been avoiding him all along, especially considering the boy from the past who had hurt her deeply.
But she quickly composed herself; she couldn’t greet him in such a state.
Radiel turned her head and stood up, wiping away her tears. She also adjusted her voice so that sniffling wouldn’t be heard.
Then she turned her body back to its original position.
“So late… Why did you come looking for me, Young Master?”
Carsein, who had been watching Radiel, fell into a brief silence.
It was clear she had been crying. She sat down in frustration, but as soon as she saw him, she quickly smiled again after a few seconds.
As if nothing had happened.
“Asking me to go inside and talk for a bit sounds good. Oh, I wasn’t doing anything special by training at this hour. Just felt stiff.”
She tried to change the topic, avoiding criticism about her training. But in the process, she ended up answering questions unasked.
“Come on in, Young Master. Let me show you some of my skills.”
Radiel showed the gesture of rolling up her sleeves, making the conversation seem less like a monologue.
If she were like before,
“-Trainee Carsein, why have you come?”
Such words might have come out of her mouth.
Though she seemed fine on the outside, she was actually panicking.
Finally, the silent man spoke.
“Why did you treat me like that, even after hearing everything?”
“What?”
“I heard everything. Didn’t you?”
At the heavy rebuke, Radiel’s lips quivered.
“I heard you came, Young Master. I thought you wouldn’t visit anymore, so I was really surprised when you did.”
“…”
“Let’s go in, Young Master. I’ll show you my stance like old times.”
Carsein launched another heavy rebuke.
“Are you going to keep pretending like you don’t know?”
Even though she tried to play it cool, she gasped for breath halfway through. This action didn’t escape Carsein’s notice, and she pointed it out.
“You knew what happened to me today, right?”
“…”
Radiel couldn’t lift her head after those words left his mouth, and her face became wet with tears.
“Yes, Young Master. I knew. Ever since I first came to the training hall, I heard it from Mark.”
Tears fell under her hidden eyes. Radiel’s voice began to tremble.
“Although pranks are common for new recruits, yours isn’t just a prank. It’s malicious.”
It’s clearly malicious, trying to drive Carsein out of the training hall again. Even Carsein felt it was enough to be considered malicious.
“I know.”
Radiel raised her head suddenly.
“You know? Then why aren’t you holding me responsible? Your reputation dropped because of me in the knight order. It’s all because I couldn’t explain myself.”
“…”
“Give me an order! Punish them severely for daring to do such things against the House of Bargrand! Kick them out!”
She cried out desperately.
Even if she knew that this command might be based on emotion and not rational, even if she understood it was an abuse of power as a captain, even if she knew punishing subordinates out of personal feelings would tarnish her honor,
“My arm can no longer punish them directly. But with my position as Captain, I could still take revenge, couldn’t I?”
Please.
“Even if I have to take all the blame. You, Young Master, should be able to stand up for yourself. Please, at least pretend to do something for me…”
Expel them.
Punish those who framed you.
And…
“Even if it’s the last flame burning, I could use you as a disposable tool to get revenge!”
For revenge, please give me an order.
“Please, Young Master. Sentence Theo Lamstair and his gang. This is my final wish!”
Radiel was now sobbing heavily, her face drenched in tears.
Back then, Carsein was wrongly accused, and even knowing the whole story, she couldn’t help or protect him. Now, she could only become a disposable tool.
Carsein listened to Radiel’s cries until the end without saying a word.
Finally, he spoke.
“If you’re going to say such foolish things, don’t come near me, Radiel Grupein.”
***
Because of the sub episode, when first seeing Radiel, her affinity box was completely hidden.
Instead, this message appeared:
▶This person feels guilt towards Carsein.
[Radiel Grupein]
[Affinity: ???]
The message of feeling guilt.
She was the only one in the squad who felt guilt towards Carsein.
Due to this, her affinity box was white instead of gray.
While it was natural for her to hold affection, it was currently hidden for some reason.
The key to completing this sub episode was finding Radiel, but after that, it was simple.
Just choose the sub episode-specific choice.
[1. If you’re going to say such foolish things, don’t come near me, Radiel Grupein.]
[2. You haven’t changed. When did I ever expect you to?]
[3. You’ve suffered, but going out there won’t change anything. It will only be a release of anger.]
As it stands now.
All three choices consistently advise Radiel not to get involved.
And from the second choice onward, the player has the option to decide.
Whether to give her moderate advice not to get involved.
Or to scold her harshly and amplify her guilt.
Persuade her first and then solve things in the main episode.
When playing the game, I chose to amplify her guilt based solely on the hint of guilt.
By answering that way, I faced no penalties, and conversations with Radiel ended here, allowing me to prepare for the episode without any hindrance.
If I were to scold her harshly as before, the same situation would unfold. Now, with free action time, searching for the Memorial seems fitting, but…
“That choice brings the dead trigger. It’s unavoidable.”
Radiel’s amplified guilt leads to her suicide during the main episode, and in her rage, Mark kills Carsein.
In other words, the sub episode and Radiel’s death are the dead triggers of this episode.
The hints were guilt, the past false accusation on Carsein, and revenge.
Blocking Radiel from taking certain actions was the best approach using these three keywords.
“Don’t come near me, Radiel Grupein, if you’re going to say such foolish things.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Do you think I came back to the training hall to force you to seek revenge?”
She replied, unable to understand.
“Don’t you hate me, Young Master? It’s all because of me! Then why not me too…!”
“So stop. In your current state, you won’t be able to properly avenge yourself on them.”
“…What?”
Radiel questioned as if doubting what she just heard. I repeated my words clearly.
“You watch. I’ll crush them. So thoroughly they won’t be able to rise again.”
“…!”
Though the targets for revenge are the same, Radiel’s method is wrong.
Thus, I firmly stated here.
“I’ll do it. So stay out of it, Radiel.”
▶Sub episode cleared. Mark and Radiel cleared.
▶With Radiel’s intervention gone, Mark’s affinity freeze is lifted.
Radiel watched me with a slightly softer expression, and the sub episode was cleared.
The key point was reducing Radiel’s guilt.
Reducing her guilt now would make the main episode’s plan easier to execute.
It’s time to return.
With free action time granted, I need to find the Memorial.
This free action time is quite tight.
I need to find the Memorial and return in time, or else I might run into Bruce or Theo’s gang, causing trouble.
So as I turned to leave,
“Hold on, Young Master!”
Radiel hurriedly blocked my path.
“I can help too!”
“What?”
“There must be something I can do for you in this revenge. Definitely!”
Carsein left after clearing the sub episode without further conversation. After the scene shifted to the player’s perspective, free action became possible.
Will Radiel follow and block the way?
An unseen scene.
Like a skipped part of the main episode.
This kind of variable is not good.
I needed to stop it.
“You already endured the treatment in the duke’s house. That alone significantly reduced the damage. That’s enough. You don’t need to get involved any more.”
“No, I… I…”
*Beep*
▶Error occurred!
▶You cannot intervene at this point.
▶Alternative decision in progress…
…
…
▶Switching to forced event. Main episode conditions have changed.
▶Sub episode converted to main episode.
▶Re-decision of branching!
▶Result calculation in progress…
‘What? Wait a moment!’
This sudden change is unexpected.
A major variable.
Sub episodes were just meant to prevent the dead trigger.
But if it suddenly becomes a main episode, it becomes a necessary task. And without any information.
A few words were enough.
If I could calm Radiel, who carries so much guilt, this growing danger wouldn’t escalate.
But my body wouldn’t move.
Red warning lights flashed, and time froze like before.
“Damn!”
When I finally voiced my frustration internally,
▶Branch selection completed.
▶Proceeding with the episode ‘Broken Wings.’
▶Radiel’s affinity status revealed!
[Radiel Grupein]
[Guilty: 92%]
Radiel’s affinity box, once white, now displayed the word “guilt” in brown, with question marks gone.
And.
▶Lower Radiel’s guilt to convert it to affinity!
[Death upon failure!]
The status window presented me with a new objective.
Long lines of text vanished from the status window, and control returned to my body.
I had to focus.
The message stating “death upon failure” was prominently displayed. Since I entered this branch, I couldn’t turn back.
I needed to think hard.
‘Where did the branching go wrong?’
There’s a high chance that the branching changed due to meeting the conditions for the sub episode.
“I couldn’t do anything despite knowing your situation. Carrying this burden will only lead to eternal regret…”
▶Lower Radiel’s guilt to convert it to affinity!
[Death upon failure!]
[Guilty: 94%]
Damn, 2% more guilt.
My heart raced. What else could I recall?
‘Did I act differently than before?’
The obvious time frame would be today.
Arina, who defeated Bruce and returned, made me realize something.
I got the warehouse key and met Radiel, proceeding with the sub episode.
…Anything else?
Where could that be?
“This arm is the cost of my complacency and ignorance. So please, please, I beg you!”
▶Lower Radiel’s guilt to convert it to affinity!
[Death upon failure!]
[Guilty: 96%]
Another 2% increase in guilt.
With each 2% increase, two chances remain. I needed to stop it here.
“So stop. You’ve already made the best judgment. Right?”
“…Young Master.”
“After you made me, who caused your arm to be like this, subject to a ban from the training hall, I’m here now. It’s almost like I gained an opportunity. Because you, who knew my innocence wouldn’t be proven, made the right decision!”
But once again.
▶Lower Radiel’s guilt to convert it to affinity!
[Death upon failure!]
[Guilty: 98%]
Her guilt increased.
No, this isn’t it.
Just talking won’t solve it.
I needed to fully convince her.
This was my last chance.
Within seconds, I thought hard.
What was different about how I played today compared to the game?
Why does Radiel continue to feel this guilt?
How can I lower Radiel’s guilt?
When the heat in my head reached its peak,
I found one difference.
“Emma Urnen.”
“…!”
“All the knights moving behind the scenes are following Emma, the Head Maid’s orders.”
*Beep*
▶Condition met!
▶Radiel’s guilt decreases!
[Guilty: 68%]
▶Guilt lowered to affinity!
[Affinity: 35%]
That was another truth about the incident, which Radiel might have already realized.
Emma’s existence.
“Young Master, how will you deal with…”
Explaining wouldn’t be difficult.
But.
*Thump.*
One more guest arrived.
![[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come](https://i3.wp.com/darkmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1737407792-8993-TS-The-end-of-magical-girls-has-come.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come")
