CH12 Preview, Part 2: X Snippet

Today's preview is specifically a little tidbit featuring X, including a romantic variation!!

I'm aiming to show off little LI tidbits once a week next to more generalized previews, so we're starting off with the Pale Sword this time. Again, this one takes place on the route where the Crown has chosen to talk to the peri trader directly, but players who chose to speak to Kham will also have a little moment with X in that one!!

I've taken out the coding terms and have shortened the names to the initials and the pronouns to they/them for this one:

“Forget the cloaks and the eye glamor,” R says to the servant, seeming to confuse the poor worker even further. “Ask Master Keko to fetch a body glamor instead, the one in the red jar.”

D’s jaw tenses. “I’d rather have a cloak.”

“A cloak is not going to hide your armor,” R replies. “A full-body disguise works better. I know you dislike magic, but I promise, you won’t even feel it.”

“When did you get a body glamor?” you ask. “I thought we only had eye glamors.”

“I figured you would want to head out into the city eventually,” R reasons. “You can’t be expected to be cooped up in the palace forever. So, I asked Perjin to brew some just in case. It’ll hide your eye color as well, of course.”

“Thank you, R,” you say, appreciative of their forethought.

It doesn’t take the servant long to fetch it, quickly returning with a glass jar of a thick, deep red powder, glittering gold when angled towards the light.

Using the body glamor is surprisingly less fanfare than you expected it would be. In front of the entrance to the tunnels, R sprinkles some of the glittery powder over your face and body. You don’t understand the effect until they do the same to X and D, who appear to morph into different people before your very eyes.

[[Continue]]

You blink at X standing beside you, now dressed in cheap, simple layers of rugged cotton, wearing frayed woven sandals. Some things are the same, like their stature and the shades of their eyes and skin, but everything else is completely different. Their facial features have morphed to make them look much older than they are, their complexion deepened and aged with wrinkles and age spots, and most of their hair turned gray. Their body seems to have softened around the edges as well.

IF X IS A FRIEND

“X, you look… old?” You can hardly reconcile the notable crow’s feet and laugh lines to X’s true face.

X grins, not seeming to take offense. “So do you!”

IF X IS THE MAIN LI

Is this what X will look like, decades from now? You take a moment to really look at them; the sight is a strange one for how out of place it is, but they still look as pretty as ever. Just in a different way.

X notices your staring, giving you a sly smile, as if $xthey can tell exactly what you’re thinking.

“[Name], don’t tell me you’re weak to a silver fox?” X's gaze trails over your form, leaving heat in its wake wherever it touches you as mischief curls in the corner of their mouth. “I think I certainly am.”

I know in CH10 it was mentioned that A and R were going to accompany the Crown to meet the peri trader, but with D and X back in the picture, they took on that role instead! Had to make up for some of the screentime they missed out on in CH10, after all.

Hope your weekend went/is going well, see you next week!!