Chapter 12 Preview, Part 4: R Friendship/A Romance, D Friendship/X Romance

More friendship scene previews!! With romance variations!!

I'm having a lot of fun writing this scene even though the branching is a nightmare. For each Friend LI they discuss the Crown's main romance, including variations accounting for an unsteady/low romance or a steady/high romance. That's, uh... quite a lot.

At least the scenes are all pretty short!! So I've got that going for me lol.

Anyways, here's the first preview for if the player chooses R's friendship scene while romancing A, specifically on A's low romance route:

“Do you think I was in the wrong?” you ask, and R gives you a long look.

After what feels like hours of silence, but what must have only been a few tense seconds, they say, “It doesn’t matter what I think. What does your conscience tell you?”

R refuses to absolve you or condemn you, at least for the time being—perhaps able to see in your face what you already feel.

You look down at your lap and try to ignore the way your stomach lurches.

“I was careless.” You remember the look on the children’s faces as they were carried out of the burning building. Silent and wide-eyed with terror. “All I could think about was A, whether they were safe. I gambled with the lives of others because I forgot, for a moment, my responsibility.”

“Becoming the Crown so suddenly is a great change, especially for the life you’ve lived,” R muses. “Most Crowns have years of tutelage from their predecessor to prepare, and you had none of that. As true as that is, however, it does not change the fact that you must adapt. There is too much at stake.”

Innocents, who could end up collateral damage to your impulses and whims. The masses of people you spent your entire life avoiding suddenly seem so fragile to you now, so easily taken with the power you wield.

“I know,” you finally say, letting out a sigh. “I should write a letter to apologize to them, the family from that fire. I would invite them to the palace, but…”

“It would draw too much attention.” R nods. “A letter is the wisest course of action.”

Another brief silence falls between you.

“Do you think A hates me now?”

R’s gaze softens, and you can’t stand to look at it, so you avert your eyes. “No, I don’t think so. They are disappointed, I would say.”

You wince. “That’s almost worse.”

“It may take some time to win their trust back,” R reassures you, “but I’ve never known them to hold onto grudges, so long as your intentions are earnest. Give them time.”

You sincerely hope time will be enough.

Man I really love writing angst lmao. I promise the high romance variation of this is much sweeter.

And here's a preview for D's friendship scene while on X's romance:

“Have you ever seen X in a relationship before?”

“No,” D says immediately. You think it is an answer to your question at first, but then they continue vehemently, “No, we’re not doing this.”

“Not doing what?”

D looks exasperated. “I am not giving you courtship advice, least of all for X.”

You sputter. “I wasn’t asking for courtship advice, we’re not even courting anyway! I was only curious about… you know, how they usually act when they like someone.”

The long-suffering look on D’s face only increases with intensity. “If you are seeking reassurance about their interest in you, why not simply ask them? Playing guessing games with past behavior will get you nowhere.”

Shifting a little on the couch, you cast D a questioning look. “You think they’ll answer me without getting... skittish?”

“It may be different with you,” D considers, eyes wandering in thought. “From what I’ve learned about their past lovers—all against my will, I assure you—X has always been open and honest about their intentions. With the Crown, however…”

D casts you a meaningful look. They must be aware of what happened to X’s village as well, and how that affects them even now.

“How do I navigate that?” you ask, reclining into your seat. “I don’t want to say the wrong thing or accidentally cross any boundaries, but it’s not as if I wanted to become the Crown. I don’t know what could set them off, or make them feel smothered, or…”

D stares at you, and you trail off halfway through your ramblings.

“What?”

“Why don’t you just ask them?”

Your brows furrow. “That’s… hmm. That’s actually a fair point.”

D sighs, looking like they aged ten years during the conversation.

That was it for this time!! See you on the next one 💖