Isekai, Go Home! An Anti-Isekai, Isekai Fantasy Inquisition Quest

CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, APPRAISAL AT THE ACADEMY I
CASE II: No Otome Game, Appraisal at the Academy I

[X][roll] Pray to Sentinel, God of Law and Justice.

[X] Plan
Hang Bait and Netting
-[X] The brooding demon prince persona is a good idea, let’s go with that.
-[X] Theodore should be used as bait for Viponde’s hypothetical “Rotten Girl”
-[X] Yasmijn should focus on gathering rumours, gossip, etc from female students
-[X] Alizea should stay in the shadows, to monitor students acting suspiciously.

~~~

(Note: This is the original Uncensored Version, as such the Yankeevine Ambassador is Randy Rabbithorn, as in the QQ version and original SB version. The censored SB version has the Yankeevine Ambassador as Mr. Bob Chapman. The usage of the Uncensored Version was confirmed by Moderator Staff)

bStf-Rt3b4jm___NVwJpjEMpst-HrcTGTnRy0D4wAJDEo1HdLLDSrwZXPYcnINwWChs_7Cz7HL2dlCn2BmxaY6KVpv-DXHWxGfeQxhufEvtjOKhwdpl3sy6YDIU_j0FlI_p_gKaGnlc
Roll Result: Failure

Sentinel was a bit busy that day:

cpZOKDIKPsT_Q7zmL-mo6Tw8Bz-9qwT4qwG_jUOuFAuvWW-KwRnAm7J6qH8z-7QRyNnShbZwUVqRsqJXibiinqi01lHRMBiLh8v8tr3EbU6FHJ-IJMs5NCtERVUpmobFLp9z4q0iDDQ


You and your team were supposed to arrive at the front gate of the Academy of Light just as the Cathedral’s great clock chimed seven. At least, that is how it should have gone, had The Guard not, of all things, stood in front of your door and blocked your exit.

“Any news?” The Guard said repeatedly. It took twenty minutes for him to finally stop. When he finally moved, you almost wanted to yell at him, but he seemed to be just as confused as you were, looking around at the walls and roof of the headquarters as if he knew not where he was.

“I apologise, I know not what came over me,” he said. “I – I think I was supposed to tell you about a boon… but…” His voice trailed off as he moved aside. He was silent as he followed after you. He did not even ask if you had heard of the high elves.

As you rushed out to meet with Averink, you wondered what had happened. Was Sentinel displeased with you? Was this a punishment for some sin you had committed? The gods could at times be capricious and cruel, true, but Sentinel was often considered the most implacable of them. You looked often to The Guard, who, even faceless behind his ethereal steel helm, seemed sullen and apologetic.

It was then you realised that perhaps this was not a punishment or whimsy. It was a mistake of some sort. Perhaps it was blasphemous to some, but the devout often acknowledged that the gods were not infallible or all-knowing, at least behind closed doors. They certainly weren’t invincible, as the War in the Heavens had proven to all. While the revelation that the gods were not invincible had shaken the faith of many across the world, for others it was a relief – for we are all flawed beings, even you.

Why should the gods be any different?


~~~

With your arrival, you saw the red aura of annoyance even before you saw Pieter van Averink himself already waiting, arms crossed and tapping his foot repeatedly on the ground impatiently. With him was a young woman that you did not recognize. She was, most likely, the Appraiser that had been selected to accompany your case. In the distance, you could see another duo of people by the gate, arguing with the guard. One of them was a small boy, so you assumed it was, perhaps, a student and his minder.

“Punctuality is a skill I would expect an Adjutant-Inquisitor to have mastered by now,” Averink said, drawing your attention away from the bickering trio by the gate and towards your current client.

“I apologise for my tardiness. It will not happen again,” you said, wanting to avoid the fight that would certainly follow if you tried to explain that The Guard had blocked your path. Perhaps defending yourself would have been a better response, but you were an amiable young woman who typically tried to avoid instigating conflicts you could otherwise avoid.

A pause. You could feel his surface thoughts, his desire to continue berating you for the error – but he decided it was not worth it. You heard the click of metal as The Guard lowered his head in shame.

“Very well. Adjutant-Inquisitor Visser, this is Apprentice Appraiser Lotte Eikehouten, Deputy of Appraisal and Recordkeeping for the Inquisition’s Astoria Branch.”

You looked her over. She was, well, very young – a teenager much younger than you. Short and with pale blonde hair, wearing large heavy spectacles.

Ahem,” Averink drew your attention again. “As you can well guess, your error wasn’t the only fumble we have already suffered today. Appraiser Teunissijn was supposed to be here with us this later-than-specified morning, but he called in sick. He sent his regards… and his apprentice.”

You understood then, that with a less experienced Appraiser, you may have some difficulties in the Appraisal process. Holy Statistics were not so easily divined by merely possessing the Appraisal skill. From those who had spoken to you about it, it was an arduous task requiring much study and practice to master, and different levels revealed more information. The final level, the extremely rare Grand Appraisal, which was supposed to be possessed only by gods and perhaps Isekais, was said to be so powerful it could even reveal personality traits and hidden personal biographies written by authors from some eldritch dimension.

These small, mundane mistakes and setbacks were a humbling reminder that you were not like Braam… or Isekais. Your uncommon powers did not change the fact that you were merely a normal person, with a normal destiny, subject to the whims of circumstance and Lady Luck.

“It is very well to meet you, Appraiser Eikehouten.”

“And to you too, Inquisitor Visser,” she replied quietly, lowering herself into a slight curtsey.

“Are they supposed to be out here?” Alizea asked while pointing at the trio by the gate. Averink said something about having no idea and that it was probably just another student late for class, but you focused instead on the boy. The boy by the gate had noticed the agent pointing at him in turn, and then turned his eyes to you.

You suddenly felt a great surge of mental activity.

“Oh nice, they’ve sent the resident Saintess Girl for my tour guide. This dumbass guard isn’t even letting me through the front gate!” went the boy's thoughts.

Weird thoughts… and “Saintess?” You were an Inquisitor and Priestess, yes, but you were nowhere near being a Saint.

“Kinda flat, so probably a commoner. Still a cutie, 8/10,” the boy continued thinking.

You sighed internally. Even boys that young? Really?

At that point, during your moment of bafflement, Theodore suddenly grabbed your shoulder. You looked over, and then up, having to adapt to his glamoured new height. His face was angular, with sharp predatory eyes looking at you over a patrician nose, wide thin lips and chiselled jawline, all set in a cold frown. If you did not know who he was underneath the glamour, you would have been quite convinced of his act as a brooding demon, and only a day earlier you had met an actual demon.

“Inquisitor Visser. That boy and the woman with him. They are Yankeevine,” he whispered harshly in a false, deep baritone.

Your eyes widened in shock. Yankeevines? That didn’t make any sense! The Academy of Light does not accept students from the Yankeevine Empire!

“And her friends… What's with that? I guess they felt the tour guide needed a bodyguard escort for little ole me, huh. Big boy demon Chad is whispering to her about us. And she’s even got one of the NPC Guards!” The boy's thoughts kept coming at you rapid-fire even from this distance, a sudden broad smile appearing over his face as he joyfully skipped towards you.

“Holy shit man! Why are all the massive oppai girls in the evil kingdom? That’s some bullshit. Also, is that fucking Raphtalia?!” The boy’s thoughts flooded into your own mind while he looked over your teammates, a deluge of strange words and thoughts, and names that made no sense to you.

The boy now stood before you, with one of the adults walking closer behind him, a young woman with neatly cut straight brown hair and a very official-looking military uniform that Theodore had insisted was Yankeevine.

This boy wasn’t a student here. He couldn’t be. His thoughts were alien. You had come here searching for hidden Isekais and methods of tracking them after the storm, but this was…

“An absolute pleasure to meet you… Miss…?”

“Adjutant-Inquisitor… Visser.” You looked down at the boy. “And yourself…?”

“Well, shit. That’s not good,” he said. At first you thought you had heard that in his thoughts, but no, he actually had spoken out loud.

An awkward moment passed.

Ahem.” The boy cleared his throat and offered his hand. “What I meant to say is – my name is Randy. Randy Franklin Rabbithorn, Ambassador of the Yankeevine Empire to the Kingdom of Astem.”

More awkward silence as you nervously shook his little hand. You heard Averink sigh. It seemed a new, but considerably less mundane, obstacle had now appeared to foil his clean, tidy schedule.

“I take it you aren’t my tour guide then?”

“No, you stupid boy!” yelled Averink, finally enraged. “And you can’t be the Godsdamned Ambassador, you’re not even old enough to grow a beard!"

“That’s Ambassador Stupid Boy to you, sir,” the boy said, his smile disappearing and replaced by a glare. He motioned to the woman beside him, who had been standing silently at his side until now.

At that moment, the woman stepped in front of him, her hand on the rapier on her belt. From the corner of your eye, you could see Alizea behind you, ready to draw her own rapier.

“You will not raise your voice again, barbarian. That is truly the Ambassador of Yankeevine. Speak in such a tone again, or attempt to prevent him from carrying out his official business, and there will be consequences.”

Most of your group was paralysed with bewilderment at this unexpected turn of events. Averink was seething. Why is the Yankeevine ambassador loitering around the front gate of the Academy of Light?

It was only when you detached yourself from the stream of thoughts coming from the boy, Randy, that you could see the auras again with clarity. You had expected burning anger. Instead what you saw was the bright pink of love, lust and…. Devotion. The woman defending the boy felt intense awe towards him. This was not the ordinary love of a friend, lover, or even mother. You had only seen that kind of aura from the devoutly faithful in deep prayer or meditation, aimed towards the gods.

It was unmistakable. She felt religious awe towards the boy, as if he were a god. They were both Yankeevine. The boy, Ambassador Rabbithorn, was causing what could only be called lust to unnaturally arise in both Alizea and the Apprentice Appraiser – in the exact same manner your Otome Attractor affected certain men. "Ara ara!" you could hear Alizea say behind you. Lotte was looking at him with interest – far too much interest.

This boy was an Isekai. You had not even entered the gates of the Academy to begin your case investigation, and you had walked straight into an Isekai.

“Saintess Girl looks like she’s figured me out pretty fast. Telepath maybe? Maybe switch languages? Meh, it doesn’t really matter if she knows or not.” He looked at you again, and that strange lewd grin returned to his face, one a boy his age should not possibly have. “Weird that you aren’t being affected, eavesdropping Saintess. Got one yourself do you? The Saintess girls in all the light novels are usually massive sluts… Oh right, doesn’t this world even have Sacred Prostitutes to Ishtar or whatever? I guess it fits you then, huhuhuhu!”

The Boy Ambassador, as his thoughts spoke to you, almost shifted in tone. You could have almost sworn you heard his inner monologue deepen, before returning to that of his actual high-pitched, little boy's voice.

The Appraiser was blushing, covering her face while hiding behind Averink. Alizea seemed to have completely changed in demeanour. “Aren’t you a handsome little lad!” she said, stepping forward and bending over to pinch his dimpled cheek.

“Mmm, mommy milkers!” the boy Isekai thought, clearly enjoying the sight of Alizea bending down in front of him with her shirt half-opened.

Yasmijn didn’t bother to hide her disgust, sneering openly at the Yankeevine duo. You could barely hide your own growing anger. Theodore looked on coldly, but you could see the faintest flashes of amusement from him. The Guard did and said nothing.

"And what, may I ask, is the business of the Yankeevine Ambassador at the Academy of Light?" Averink finally snapped.

“Oh, yeah. That,” the Boy Ambassador murmured, annoyed that he had to speak with Averink again, rather than ogle Alizea. “I had asked permission a week ago for a guided tour of this fine educational establishment, and received it. But to my shock, I have discovered that the school is now closed to all visitors! How peculiar…”

His thoughts, rather than reveal his intentions or reasons for his presence at the Academy, merely continued to repeat further lewd, disparaging, and otherwise unprintable remarks about Alizea, yourself, the gods, and a host of other things. It was possible he was like Katermann and could create false thoughts, or more likely, he had training in resisting telepathy, given his high political position. Not by silencing his inner thoughts, but by drowning them in junk.

Still, you had to do something about him. He clearly had some kind of Attractor, was using it to harass you and your agents, and you could assume that whatever purpose the little heathen was here for, it was far from innocent.

You decide to:

[ ] Simply ignore him and enter the Academy of Light. You have no time for this nonsense.

[ X ] Try to get the attention of the gate guard. You're already late as it is. (this was chosen)

[ ] Denounce the Yankeevine Ambassador as an Isekai, threaten to arrest him and his bodyguard if they do not stop harassing your associates.

[ ] Denounce the Yankeevine Ambassador as an Isekai, attempt to arrest him for either harassing your associates or being an Isekai.

[ ] Denounce the Yankeevine Ambassador as an Isekai, followed by attacking him.

[ ] Write-in
 
CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, APPRAISAL AT THE ACADEMY II
CASE II: No Otome Game, Appraisal at the Academy II

[x] Try to get the attention of the gate guard. You're already late as it is.


~~~​

With great effort and will, you forced yourself to remain calm. You closed your eyes, breathed deeply, retreating into serenity and muffled prayer to give you fortitude against the annoying remarks of the Isekai Boy Ambassador and his harassment of your agents. The desire to threaten him with arrest or expulsion faded, and with them his rambling, lewd monologue and inner quips of "washing boards" and "landing strips."

Calm now, you understood that you could not act rashly here. You were no spy or diplomat, only a very recently minted Adjutant-Inquisitor on your second case. This was well above your expertise to deal with, and you suspected it did not have anything to do with your case. …Unless? Maybe it did?

No. Perhaps you were overthinking it. The Yankeevine often mocked and poked at Astemmian laws, tradition and faith. His seemingly deliberate attempts to provoke you could merely be this Isekai’s particular brand of humouring himself. Perhaps he was baiting a reaction from you, to make you – and hence the Inquisition you represented – look foolish. Or perhaps he was here in pursuit of some other agenda. You were not experienced enough in the shadowy wars between Yankeevine and Astemmian spies to say.

Not yet, at least.

Still, you had a case to work on, and while you were not an expert on matters of espionage, your agents certainly had their own skills in that area. They could monitor him if he was allowed into the Academy – although you suspected he was having difficulty actually getting inside – and gather any information on what he was trying to do.

In the end, it also gave you time to prepare, to inform your agents and superiors. Right now, you had neither the resources nor information needed to deal with this properly. If the time came when you had to exorcise someone like this, you would be ready then.

"Guard!" you shouted, lifting your arm up to wave over the guardsman by the gate. This guard, unlike your own Guard, was not an NPC automaton, but an actual man, who upon noticing you, hesitantly walked towards you and the others, an apprehensive aura surrounding him.

As the gate guardsman made his way over, you moved to grasp Alizea’s shoulder, hard. You understood it was not her fault that this was occurring, but you also knew that the Attractor trait was not absolute or all-powerful. It could be interrupted and resisted with some degree of awareness and willpower. Not every wealthy, handsome boy that could be targeted by your Otome Attractor became simpering slaves to it. Only most, you thought with a sigh, for you were likely about to witness it again very soon.

“Miss Arceneaux!” you shouted at her.

She froze, and finally stood up straight, no longer fawning over the Ambassador. She blinked, as if awaking from a long dreamful sleep, or from a trance.

“I was just… you know, adorable?” she muttered, not really understanding her own reasoning. Her eyes were vacant, not looking at anything in particular.

“What are you doing?” you continued. You grasped her by the shoulders again, adding a good hard shake.

“What am I doing?” she said to herself. Her eyes finally focused, she shook her head, and retreated back. Behind you, Yasmijn calmly gave Lotte a hard slap to the face, which had the same result of freeing the young Appraiser from the Attractor, though you rather disapproved of the method.

With some satisfaction, you saw a red aura of irritation rise up from the ambassador, even if he appeared calm and smiling, and his thoughts a constant stream of lascivious remarks.

It was then the gate guardsman arrived. “You called for me, ma’am?”

“Yes. The Yankeevine Ambassador, please take over dealing with him. I cannot continue my work with him harassing my agents.”

“The blighted little shit. So he’s had at you too?” the guardsman said, before realising he had just spoken in a manner that was not at all official or professional. “Uh… I mean, yes, I can deal with the Ambassador, Lady Inquisitor.”

The guardsman leaned in then, to whisper to you away from the Yankeevines, with Ambassador Rabbithorn now trying to provoke The Guard into a discussion.

“My superiors told me to stall him for as long as possible. This pest has been trying to gain access to the Academy for the last few weeks. No idea why, it's not like he cared before.”

You nodded slowly, the gears in your mind turning. Mr. Randy's purpose seemed specifically aimed at getting into the Academy right now. Based on his thoughts, you could have believed he would have wanted access just to ogle noble girls, but this would confirm your suspicion that something else, something deeper, was going on. It surely couldn’t be a coincidence that the moment the Inquisition decided to do an Appraisal on the school, the Yankeevine Ambassador started insisting on a tour of the place.

“We will need to pass through the gate, however I thank you for your assistance. Stay strong, there is nothing the Ambassador can do to you,” you said, trying to reassure him.

“Of course, Lady Inquisitor.”

He led you to the gate, with your agents in tow. All except The Guard. You motioned for your agents to go ahead, while you stopped to make sure the Ambassador did not attempt to harm The Guard. Although you were sure he could take care of himself, you knew that Isekais had powers far beyond those of common humanity, and there was no telling what the boy was capable of.

Randy rose up on his tiptoes, gesturing that The Guard should lean down to listen to him. You had not paid attention to the earlier remarks The Guard and the Ambassador had made to each other, but now you could see that The Guard leaned over slightly, glaring down at the boy.

“Is that all, child of church burners?”

“Yeah, sure,” he said, watching in annoyance as the gate opened for you and your agents. “Although, NPC, I know Sentinel is in there somewhere. Tell him that maybe if you stopped trying to genocide us, we’d stop burning down your churches. Also tell Ishtar she’s looking fine. Oh, oh, and The Bit– I mean, Enin too.”

The Guard fell silent, apparently lost for words.

You could still hear some of Randy’s thoughts. “Here it comes!”

“He’s gonna do the thing! Do the thing!”


After a moment, The Guard responded. “You elves are all the same.”

“Yesssss!”

“Oblivion dialogue? Ha, nice! ‘There are foul tidings from Skyrim. The Greybeards speak of the end of all times,’” Randy said, in his best imitation of an old man's voice. Then he burst into laughter.

Still laughing at his own incomprehensible joke, Ambassador Rabbithorn finally walked away, his bodyguard dutifully following after him. Breathing a sigh of relief, you catch up to your agents, Averink, and the Appraiser waiting for you past the now closing gate, The Guard behind you. Finally, no more distractions.

“Did you hear him? Did you hear him?! ‘You elves are all the same!’”

“Of course, Master Rabbithorn…”

~~~

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The walk to the Academy had been, thankfully, more uneventful. Averink continued to silently seethe over the interruptions, and Alizea and the Appraiser were still recovering from the momentary influence of what you were almost certain was another Attractor. Even Theodore had stopped his jokes and witty stories.

The grounds of the Academy of Light were just as you remembered it, of course. The gardens, full of neat rows of tulips – the national flower and symbol of Astem – and the green grassy fields, maze-like hedges, stone pathways and fountains. A track for horse-riding circled the grounds, and even the carved out pit of dirt and sand used for outdoor magical practice was just as it looked before, with its half-formed inanimate golems, burned and blackened walls, and even the large blast hole in the side from that duel you had witnessed your first year as a student.

Curiously, you noticed, there were no students to be seen anywhere on the grounds. At this time, they'd be walking across the campus in small groups, books in hand, or they'd be in the Pit, firing mana bolts at the golem targets, or in pairs practising with wooden swords. The silence and calm in this place that normally bustled with life and laughter seemed odd, almost eerie.

You would not be wondering for long, for no sooner had you entered the sparkling and richly decorated entryway of the Academy did a faculty member – a professor of pyromancy that you recognized but never attended for lack of Fire affinity – recognize you. He led you to the Academy’s assembly hall, where the entire student body of the Academy of Light had been gathered, waiting for you and the Inquisitors to inform them of why they were gathered today. He directed you and your agents to stand just behind and to the side of the Headmaster's podium at the end of the hall.

You clasped your hands and looked downward, and actually gave off a nervous laugh at your own anxiousness. Stage fright, of course. You shook your head, and reminded yourself you had just exorcised an Isekai not long ago.

Walking slowly, hearing the voice of a man who you remembered as the Academy’s Headmaster, you mentally rehearsed your purpose here. Assist in the appraising of students, search for discrepancies between current and past appraisals, and look for common traits and themes in those who match Averink’s victim profile, so it may be refined to better predict future Possession targets.

After a quick prayer, however, a new feeling arose in you. A primordial instinct almost, activated maybe from the moment you became an Inquisitor, or perhaps the moment you exorcised the Pied Piper Isekai. The hunter’s instinct. The innate aptitude that made you accept Mechtelt’s offer to join the Inquisition.

Catching Isekais: your actual purpose here, and anywhere. If you could, if they were even here in this place, you would find them.

“We give the Isekai no quarter.” It did not matter if they were hiding in a cave or in a school. You would find them.

The pageboy blew his trumpet, and announced: “We present to you – Lady Lijsbet Visser, Adjutant-Inquisitor First Rank of the Holy Order of the Inquisition!”

At that moment, you held your head high, and walked out onto the stage. It was akin to a strange re-enactment of your graduation ceremony. The middle-aged and portly Headmaster faced you, but this time he bowed deeply to you. The students did not give off polite if half-hearted applause, but instead very real, very acute fear.

With some resignation, you looked upon these students. The many auras of fear only confirmed to you the foolishness of the saying “nothing to hide, nothing to fear,” and to perils of false positives. You sincerely doubted that all of them were secret Isekai terrified at your arrival. Some perhaps were afraid of your station. An Inquisitor arriving anywhere was often considered a bad omen, a sign of future woe. Some, afraid of the by-product of your presence here, the inevitable upheaval, controversy, and accusations. Others were probably fearful of their own secrets and scandals being unearthed, ones unrelated to your purpose here.

And of course, for a few of the girls, the fear of reprisal. A less virtuous person than yourself would have sniggered in secret glee at having authority and power over one’s former bullies, to unleash one’s new-found powers to exact disproportionate retribution, as if one was a Grudge Isekai calling down all manner of dark and terrible powers to right both true and merely perceived wrongs against them.

Most of the students you remember had graduated already alongside you. The girls who feared reprisal from you were mostly younger hanger-ons of Lady Luttefmont-Furholjan or the Princess… although, now that you thought about it, shouldn’t the Princess still be here? Her Highness, Princess Circe, was a year younger than you, so she should not have graduated just yet.

You scanned the room quickly, searching the hundreds of students for that vaguely familiar cascade of pink. You found her sitting off near the back of the assembly, whispering with a fellow student, a girl you did not recognize as one of her friends. You did not know much of what had occurred at the Academy since your graduation, but you did find it curious that the Princess was no longer front and centre. Perhaps what Mechtelt had done – you grimaced as you remember that particular incident – had shaken her still, even a year later.

The things Mechtelt had got away with still shocked you to this day. A personal feud with a princess of one’s own country, and one involving a curse at that… It was a testament to the authority of The Church, and perhaps the mercy of the Queen, that Mechtelt was not in a dungeon, let alone an Inquisitor of the Second Rank.

After that, you decided it was time to speak.

“Ahem,” you said, after the whispering of the students had finally died down. “I am Adjutant-Inquisitor Visser, speaking on behalf of the Holy Inquisition. You have all been gathered here today because the Inquisition has deemed it necessary to perform routine Appraisals for this day and tomorrow. I will be overseeing this Appraisal, which shall be performed by my associate to my left, Appraiser Eikehouten.” You gestured to the Appraiser fidgeting beside you, who did a little curtsy in response.

“Unfortunately, we are on a tight schedule, so this appraisal is mandatory. You must see myself and Appraiser Eikehouten, regardless of your station or current circumstances. We may be required to ask you uncomfortable or inconvenient questions, or perform deeper Appraisal and testing if we believe it is appropriate, based on your routine Appraisement.”

A shudder flowed through the students… and, unfortunately for yourself, a few piqued interests from certain boys, their bright pink auras lighting up among the greys coming from most of the crowd.

It seemed, already, your Otome Attractor trait was doing its work, even subtly and from this distance.

“I will endeavour to do everything in my power to make this as painless and considerate as possible. Once again, I apologise for the inconvenience.”

You bowed politely to the student body, and withdrew from the stage. A short and simple speech. No need for flowery words that hid true intent.

You gave a nod to Theodore and Yasmijn, indicating that they should leave the stage and mingle with the student body, listening carefully for gossip, for even idle rumours may hold a grain of truth worth investigating further. The Guard stayed by your side, and Alizea was to stay unobtrusive, to watch for suspicious behaviours and report them to you. Averink spoke quietly to the Headmaster, Lotte standing by his side.

With that done, the routine appraisals would begin. Groups of students would be called by alphabetical order and led into an emptied classroom, from which Miss Eikehouten would Appraise them, write their Holy Statistics down, and cross-reference them with the records from the last Appraisal. Averink would assemble a list of students who matched his theoretical Fujo victim for closer scrutiny.

~~~​

The routine, basic appraisals will be performed for all students and faculty members of the Academy of Light, however you can select what appraisals you personally sit in on.

You decide to:

[ ]
Total selection, observe all routine appraisals, regardless of time or resource constraints.

[ ] Wide selection, observe a randomised selection of both girls and boys, students and faculty, without distinction.

[ ] Wide selection, observe a randomised selection of only females, both students and faculty without any other distinction.

[ ] Wide selection, observe a randomised selection of only female students without further distinctions.

[ ] Wide selection, observe a randomised selection of only male students without further distinctions.

[ ] Narrowed selection, observe a selection of only female students that match a basic requirement of Averink’s hypothesised victim profile, targeting girls of the high nobility.

[ ] Narrowest selection, observe only a selection of those who precisely meet Averink’s hypothesised victim profile, which may be difficult to determine without prior general questioning of other students or making subjective judgements on personality or physical characteristics.

[ ] Write-in
 
CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, APPRAISAL AT THE ACADEMY III

CASE II: No Otome Game, Appraisal at the Academy III

[X] Write-in: female students that match a basic requirement of Averink's hypothesised victim profile,
targeting girls of the high nobility, along with retainers, friends, and associates, as well as a random selection of other students and faculty.


~~~​

You sat quietly at a large desk covered in papers, scrolls, and binders full of yet more documents. You had attempted to sort through them and arrange them in categorised piles, with only partial success. Before you were numerous ornate wooden desks facing you, all of them empty. An unattended lectern and chalkboard at the front revealed this place as a classroom, but your presence here, as an Inquisitor, had instead marked it as a place of inquiry and suspicion. The first batch of appraisees had yet to arrive. Averink was elsewhere talking with the Headmaster, and Lotte paced back and forth with an aura of anxiety trailing behind her – performance anxiety, most likely.

You were not spending this time idle, however – you were whispering with your agents, Theo, Alizea, and Yasmijn, who were to inform you of what they could learn in the short time they could snoop around before the first students came to you.

“ – And yeah. The disguise worked alright, the problem is it worked a bit too well,” Theo remarked while shaking his head. “Quite a number of the female students were fascinated by my attempts to flirt with the male students. If they're all Fujos, we may need more Inquisitors…”

“Or more likely, they and the Fujos aren’t all that different,” Yasmijn mentioned. You nodded along, not particularly surprised by this result.

“And the boys themselves?” you asked, flicking through more papers, trying to find the old reports and Appraisals of the students that were soon to arrive. You needed the reports from the last Appraisal to compare to this one. The Isekai was an exceedingly cunning creature, but there were a few ways a possession could be detected – one of them was a sudden change in their Holy Statistics. Thus, the Appraisal process and the Baseline Test were invented to discover an Isekai possession before they could cause trouble. Not all Isekai spirits immediately started going on rampages, slaying monsters, or gathering harems upon arriving in the world – many attempted to lay low, living beneath the notice of authorities, or flee to a safe haven in the Yankeevine Empire or her allies. The Inquisition must be ever-vigilant.

“Mostly uncomfortable, so I doubt they'd be under the influence of a Fujo… or lean that way. I haven’t attempted it on that many, and it is very possible that one is here, and they're just being cautious.”

“It’d be pretty damn stupid for the Isekai to start using her powers around an Inquisitor,” Alizea added, crossing her arms.

“Most Isekais aren’t very bright,” Yasmjin countered.

“Only the ones stupid enough to purchase demihumans from slave markets the first day of their arrival. I'm guessing these Isekai are more clever than that.”

“They may not be able to turn it off,” you said quietly. You thought, of course, of your own Otome Attractor. It did what it did against your will, regardless of whether or not you were actually attracted to those boys. You did not use it as a weapon or a tool to exploit others, as many with the trait likely did, but it was very possible that others with the power, including even Isekais, may very well not be able to turn it off either, even when it would be wise to do so.

“So, do we have anything on…” You looked at the list of the first batch of appraisee candidates, ordered alphabetically. All of them fit, more or less, Averink's profile of a possible target of a Fujo possession. “Azaze och Behelial… Justitia van Fors, and Mariette Hendrikse?" The first name was certainly not Astemmian; in fact, you were quite certain that was a Demon name. The third was also an unusual addition – you did not recognize that surname as belonging to one of the Great Houses, nor did it have a nobiliary particle.

“As expected of human, ahem, no offence, aristocrats, the girls I talked to immediately took the chance to inform the Inquisition that all their rivals were utter harlots that could not be trusted, and probably possessed at that," Yasmijn said.

“Wonderful.”

“That said… Behelial is the daughter of the Ambassador of the Demon Empire," Yasmijn added, looking at one of the files.

“I think I have had my fill of ambassadors today,” Alizea said, clearly still embarrassed. You could only agree.

“Then you are going to enjoy meeting this spawn of one. Her greatest achievement in this Academy, which every girl mentioned to me when I asked about her, is that she was almost expelled after getting into a fight on the grounds with another girl, over a boy of course.”

“Aggressive, then?”

“Well, she turned into a dragon and threatened to eat the other girl.”

You heard Theo burst into laughter.

“What else?” you asked, noting "aggressive" down.

“That was what they all seemed to really remember about her. She is apparently something of a loner, since that incident.”

“I have something to add,” Alizea said, causing you to turn to her.

“When I was watching the girls' reaction to Theodore’s homoerotic antics, she was disgusted.”

“Yeah, I noticed that too, actually,” Theo added. “What is with that? Kept thinking she could see right through my disguise, maybe I got something wrong. Is it the horns? Should I adjust the horns?”

“Theodore,” Alizea started, “are you telling me you didn't know?”

“Know what?”

Alizea groaned and covered her face with her hand. “Couplings between the same sex are taboo in the Demon Empire. It's considered an offence to Ishtar. When I was in Dis, I saw someone arrested for it. They put him in the stocks, heated a pair of pincers until red-hot, and then they –”

“Okay, okay, Jesus, I get the idea!” Theo grimaced and crossed his legs. “So why does that matter?”

“It means in all likelihood, she isn’t possessed, or at least isn’t possessed by that sort of Isekai. According to Viponde's theory, at least.”

Quietly, you noted “unlikely to be Viponde’s Fujo” for Behelial. “How about the other two, then?” you asked.

“The Justitia girl is a Countess-in-waiting, according to the files. I caught a glimpse of her – seemed like a fighter, didn’t care for me much,” Theo said.

“What Theodore isn't saying,” Alizea added, clearly suppressing giggles, “is that when he tried to flirt with her, she picked him up, flipped him over her shoulder, and threw him on his back.”

You froze for a moment, mouth agape. Even the normally unflappable Yasmijn stared in shock.

Quietly you noted “also aggressive.” The girls of Astem had always been forceful, but you didn't remember them throwing around men in hand-to-hand combat.

“I mean, that's something I'd expect to see from a Yankeevine shieldmaiden, not one of you proper powdered Astem ladies,” Theo said. “No offence.”

“No offence taken,” you said. He was right about that. Such physically aggressive behaviour in a young noblewoman may be acceptable among the lady soldiers of heathen Yankeevine, but in the Central Kingdoms it was downright suspect. You wrote down, and underlined, “more investigation necessary.”

“As for the third girl. Mariette. She isn’t nobility, and the girls made that very clear to me. She’s the daughter of some kind of banker. Most of them seemed to look down on her for it,” Yasmijn said.

This was not surprising. Astem’s peculiar form of classism was almost distinct to its national culture. There were the Three Estates: the aristocrats, the clerics, and the peasants. Each were valued in their own way, but those who existed in the grey areas between them had it harder… and most of all, the traders and merchants were deeply distrusted. For many Astemmians, the burghers were only a step away from Yankeevine collaborators, where the burghers and bureaucrats ruled over all, and Aristocrats and Clerics were considered “The Dual Evil.” It would surely seem strange to some, but in much of Astem, a common peasant who worked the fields was legitimately seen as more moral and upstanding than a wealthy banker.

“She seems to have only one close friend – Nelleke van Vilwerp.”

This was a little surprising. Unlike Mariette, Nelleke was of nobility; Maurits van Vilwerp was the hereditary Marquis of Vilwerpen March. In fact, Nelleke herself was on your list of appraisees, further down the line.

“The other major rumour I heard, multiple times of course,” Yasmijn continued, “is that she Contracted with Ishtar for a bigger chest. They evidently felt this was of utmost importance for the Inquisition to know.”

“You can do that?” Theo asked. “And the Goddess will just… give it to you?” He folded his hands in mock prayer and imitated the voice of a teenage girl. “Please, O Ishtar Who Sparks the Passions, I want a pair of tig ole bitties –”

You nodded reluctantly. It was within the realm of possible Grand Boons that the Goddess Ishtar could provide… but it was highly unlikely she would deign to provide it to some random banker's daughter. Still, Mariette probably had a motive, what with wanting to fit in with the well-endowed aristocratic ladies, if you had to guess.

“You Astemmians will never cease to amaze and confuse me,” was all Theo could say to this.

“So says the man whose people sacrifice their children to the Black Gate, bathe their infants in Black Mirrors, and worship Isekais as gods,” Alizea snapped. Even Yasmijn, who you had seen mostly squabble with Alizea, nodded in agreement with her.

“A big reason why I left, by the way –”

“Enough, please,” you said quickly. “I don’t reckon that to be true, but if it is, we could remove her from the list of likely suspects. Someone with a Grand Boon from Ishtar is unlikely to be a target for possession, let alone already possessed.”

You wrote down “investigate further.”

It was then that you heard a knock on the door. You, your agents, and Lotte all looked to the door.

It was time to begin the first Appraisal.

~~~​

The three girls discussed earlier were led into the repurposed classroom by Averink. A tall girl with short but regally styled blonde hair and clear blue eyes entered first. She was still dressed in a close-fitting white suit designed for duelists, a rapier in a scabbard at her side, and defined but subtle muscles were somewhat visible through the fabric.

To you, she seemed stern. Her emotional aura was likewise one of determination and suppressed rather than uncontrolled fear, someone of a brave heart. Her surface thoughts were completely absent, meaning either she was an idiot or had carefully tailored mental training. You could safely assume it was the latter. She stood straight, head held high.

You did not need to be told who this was. You had a good idea that this was Theodore’s man-thrower. This was the Countess-in-waiting of Genestadt, Lady Justitia van Fors.

The second to enter was, being human, reasonably likely to be Mariette Hendrikse. She entered slowly and gracefully, her hands folded in front of her frilly blue dress. Between the expensive dress, long flowing blonde hair, white opera gloves, and sapphires, she looked every bit an aristocrat to you. And of course she possessed, as your agents had discussed, the outrageously voluptuous proportions of the aristocratic girls like Nacissa and Circe. She gave a short curtsy. "Lady Inquisitor…and Lady Appraiser. It is very well to meet you."

The difference was pronounced enough that you would have assumed Mariette was the noble, if she and Justitia had approached you together even a day ago.

“Well, best get this over with then…” were her thoughts, after a brief glimpse. She nervously fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist.

The final entrance’s aura preceded her. An intense wave of annoyance, anger and indignation, burning red before you.

“I am not here by choice!” yelled someone from beyond the door frame. The girl that appeared, huffing, was clearly your demon transfer student. Large, bladed horns sprouted from her head that could easily gore someone. Scarlet dragon's wings flapped behind her back while a scaled tail followed, swishing behind her in agitation and knocking over an empty chair. She wore a red dress, with accents of black iron and gold.

You should be glad at least, that she came here in a humanoid form. Lady Azaze och Behelial was, despite the draconic traits… surprisingly small and delicate in stature; in fact, you were certain you – who would never be called a tall person – were in fact taller than her. Her ash-blonde hair, eyes of molten gold, elven ears, and fangs pointed out her nature even if you were blind enough to ignore the wings and tail.

By the Gods, you hoped for everyone’s sake that this girl was not a secret Isekai. If she transformed into her body’s true form and was an Isekai at the same time… It would be an absolute disaster. A Nephilim Isekai, the worst possible opponent you could ever face. You would be lucky if the Academy remained standing afterward.

You silently prayed for this not to be the case.

“I apologise for the inconvenience, but it must be done for your and everyone else’s safety,” you said, repeating what you spoke of on stage.

“Mausan faavhas liwo daggog abouav avhiuk!” The demon girl hissed defiantly in a language so foul it caused some of you to flinch and cringe in discomfort. It was, of course Sarutish, the dark language of the demons. Invented by the ever-cursed Sarut for his children, to sound vile and terrifying for all those of Good alignments – and beautiful and sensual for all those of Evil.

“Do not speak that tongue here, demon!” Averink snapped, before you could say anything.

You wondered what it was what she said, supposing it to be some sort of disgusting insult, but did not need to wonder much longer, for Alizea suddenly opened her mind to you, her thoughts reaching out to your senses.

“My father will hear of this!” Alizea directed to you, her inner voice sounding like a parody of the demon girl's. You closed your eyes, so as to avoid rolling them. This was a threat you had heard many times, from Nacissa, and from Circe, and… if you had to hear that phrase one more time…

“I assure you, your father the Ambassador has already consented to this routine inspection by enrolling you in this institution. Do you think that you are an exception to something that even our Second Princess, the daughter of our Queen Regnant, must also sit for today? You are not. Now please sit down."

She paused. Surprised that you understood her, she eventually huffed a bit, but fortunately went silent and did not drag the argument on any further. It did make you think – why was she so ambivalent to Appraisal? On one hand, the obvious answer was that she had something to hide, but on the other… a smart Isekai would have known not to publicly protest in such an obvious manner.

With silence returning, the three students took seats. Appraiser Lotte Eikehouten took over. She instructed them on the formalities of the Appraisal Ceremony. They were not to speak or move, and they were to sit quietly and still, eyes closed, until directed. They were told that they would be Appraised together, however for the sake of their privacy nothing would be communicated until afterward, when they would be separated. They were told that they may be needed after their Appraisal, and that some of their retainers and friends may or may not be asked to speak with the Inquisition to give further clarity.

This last part had been your own addition. You had decided that it would be wise to check students associated with the profiled students for their own observations. Rumours and gossip were unreliable at best, but if you could coax information out of friends and servants, perhaps angling it as protecting the individual… you could make the research phase of this more effective.

With that, Miss Eikehouten stepped forward. White light surged forth from the floor. Once invisible, a magical circle now appeared below her and the three seated students, as you and your agents watched on from the professor's desk. The glowing circle had some similarities to your own exorcism circle, you realised with mild curiosity.

As the Appraisal was performed, you looked over the three documents you had separated from bulging and dusty binders. These were the three students’ old Appraisal forms, from some years ago. While Eikehouten concentrated on the current Appraisal, switching between holding out one arm towards the three students and trying to take notes on a new form clipped to a board in her other hand, you skimmed again through the old.

Behelial’s alignment in her Holy Statistics was listed as "LAWFUL EVIL." A momentary shock followed. Her behaviour was annoying, sure, but evil? You could only wonder if there was more to Behelial, or if as usual the alignments were simply being far too broad – an unfortunate reality that was too often the case. The complexity of the human experience could never be neatly sorted into merely nine categories, after all.

The other surprising element was, of course, the fact that evil was listed there at all. The Church forbade the listing of anyone as Evil in their Appraisal records unless lawfully condemned. This tradition had existed for centuries, ever since the power of the Southern Realms and Megasthenes receded with the Yankee’s conquests, the outlawing of slavery, and the end of the caste system.

Your history and Holy Statistics lessons had taught you that the League of the Megasthenes Raj, when its empire once stretched into the Central Kingdoms, enforced a vast system of slavery justified by moral alignment, where only those of Good alignment would remain in the ruling castes, those of Neutral alignment would be looked upon with suspicion, and anyone appraised as Evil would automatically be designated as Dalit, the untouchables, fit only for the lowest and filthiest type of labour.

The city-states of the Raj still followed this system even today, aspiring towards utopia. But in the Central Kingdoms, perhaps ironically because of the past rule of the Yankeevines, it was considered immoral. Moral alignment was not predestined; it was a statement of current reality, not eternity. Just as an evil man may one day repent and become good, a great hero may eventually fail and fall, becoming more vile and evil than any demon.

For this reason, Appraisal records listed all evil alignments as “REDACTED”... except this one, apparently.

Was it an oversight? Perhaps because she was a foreigner, and a demon at that? You then permitted Alizea to briefly look at the document. You silently pointed to the alignment, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

“She’s a demon. In the Demon Empire, having an evil alignment is like having a good alignment here; it is considered desirable and something to take pride in. She probably forced her previous appraisers to keep it from being redacted,” were Alizea’s thoughts, answering your unspoken question.

Well… that was interesting. Foreign cultures were confusing. Be it Yankeevines worshipping Isekais or gods that didn’t exist, or demons apparently believing bad was good and good was bad. It made one wonder how humans and demons could ever hope to maintain this peace and cooperation with each other.

You returned to scanning the document. What made it even more interesting than her moral alignment being public was that her title was not. A great big REDACTED stood in the place of where her Holy Title would normally be written.

This was not exactly helpful for your purposes; for all you knew, the new title could be the same – or different – from the past one. The downside of privacy was uncertainty, unfortunately.

After some further ruminating over the old appraisal results, the light before you faded. The Appraisal of these three students was completed, and Lotte was breathing heavily.

A pause. Lotte steadied herself, and then walked over to your desk. She took a glass of water and drank greedily from it. She placed the empty glass down.

“First batch is done,” she said simply, passing you the documents, the new Appraisal records. You had an official Inquisitorial seal of red wax ready to stamp onto the records following your reading. Averink bent over, looking at the papers himself before taking his own notes.

With both reports side by side, you could now begin your search in earnest. The search for Isekais, the search for patterns, either of Possession or for establishing a more clear victim profile. You would have to read carefully, but also remember not to quickly jump to conclusions. Many things in this world have reasons for being as they are that are not immediately obvious.

Azaze Urdeus och Behelial - [REDACTED]
Name: Azaze Urdeus och Behelial
Title: The REDACTED
Position: Student at the Academy of Light, Beylerbeyi-in-waiting of the Eyalet of Ctesilan
Sex: Female
Age: 83 years old
Level: 13
Classes: Lvl 8 Warrior, Lvl 5 Warlock (First Asc)
Nationality: Sarutishkin Empire
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Fire, Undiscovered Element
Race & Origin: Nephilim (Greater Demon) - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

Azaze I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: N/A
Alignment: Lawful Evil

False Form
Strength:
14
Perception: 15
Dexterity: 15
Constitution: 14
Intelligence: 13
Willpower: 15
Charisma: 10
Destiny: 15

True Form
Strength: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)
Perception: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)
Dexterity: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)
Constitution: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)
Intelligence: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)
Willpower: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)
Charisma: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)
Destiny: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)

Skills
-Weapon Proficiency: Bladed Claws (Below Average)
-Warrior: Taunt (Proficient)
-Warrior: Battering Ram (Proficient)
-Warrior: Bleed (Below Average)
-Warlock: Curse of Weakness (Average)
-Warlock: Otherworldly Patron [Nephemem] (Above Average)
-Warlock: Summon [Pride] Imp (Below Average)
-Warlock: Slave Crest - Bind Crest (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Demonic Pantheon Theology (Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [Demon] (High Proficiency)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [Human] (Incompetent)
-Knowledge: Geas, Bindings & Slave Crests (Below Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Demon Empire-centric (Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Demon] (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette [Demon] (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette [Human] (Incompetent)
-Knowledge: Protocols of Slavery and Ownership [Demon] (Above Average)
-Skill: Aerial Combat and Winged Flight [Dragon] (Above Average)
-Skill: Calligraphy [Demon] (Below Average)
-Skill: Deception (Incompetent)
-Skill: Intimidation, Coercion and Bullying (Proficient)
-Skill: Oratory [Persuasian, Negotiation, Rhetoric) (Incompetent)
-Skill: Poetry (Average)
-Skill: Foreign Language - Sarutish (High Proficiency)
-Demon: Drain Soul
-Demon: Demonic Stare
-Nephilim: Devour Soul
-Nephilim: Polymorph - False Form (Humanoid)
-Nephilim: Demand Absolute Obedience [Demons]
-Fire Nephilim: False Dragon’s Breath [False Form Self]
-Nephilim: UNKNOWN
-Nephilim: UNKNOWN
-Nephilim: UNKNOWN
-Resistance: Demonic Possession (Master)

Faith: Heathen / Demon Pantheon. Sin Trifecta is Pride, Envy, Lust. Patron Deity is Nephemem, Archdemoness of Pride

Racial Special Trait: Nephilim: This individual, Azaze, is a Child of Dragons. Most purest of demons, a direct line of descent from the Archdemons and Sarut himself with his blood far stronger than normal demons, who are excessively diluted from interbreeding with humans, monstrines, elves and demihumans. Unchained by diluted blood, Azaze has full access to her true draconic form and can switch between it and her humanoid false form at will.

FtxQLIxMw-J7tSPKPyURM_Aall7PyVhqDWOvMBpEkFAUAcUM8sL9D-_jJq-eC_zFCXhCAnKnBMHL5R7fE2qa-ShRCGFp65VlH8D5f5LSKFVun7a6JeYJWdOEdHO5sjDWcQ

I swear and certify with the Gods as witness that these records are true and accurate to the best of my ability.
Appraised by Nicholaas Teunissijn, Head of Recordkeeping
Approved by Fierro Dante, Inquisitor of the Second Rank, on behalf of the Holy Church.

Azaze Urdeus och Behelial - The Little Brat Dragon

vvOn83yaZsHMwXDsgBlwrfN9-otH6g9snXjXqDTc8s7CVpHJcylrGGG8CMIKnwk4qINhq8gsWKu5CZBzwrh51pdFbjU0P-VdyuHrGORY-PiNfVQJl93jBnZ58RVUb9VE1A
BII1DWowUf8879gJmCiIhwczwmxE5Fd1STnJlYvMNOI9vRk8nbTuzOTGlAh-FEYIbJ_B5u_JniGyr4iW82yvb0JRDT2IGTg8r_M_JyFGLdr1hMM_UzEDRHt-fM8cu5_QBQ

Name: Azaze Urdeus och Behelial
Title: The Little Brat Dragon
Position: Student at the Academy of Light, Beylerbeyi-in-waiting of the Eyalet of Ctesilan
Sex: Female
Age: 86 years old
Level: 19
Classes: Lvl 12 Warrior, Lvl 7 Warlock (First Asc)
Nationality: Sarutishkin Empire
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Fire, Undiscovered Element
Race & Origin: Nephilim (Greater Demon) - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

Azaze I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Azaze X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: Annelijn de Osveld
Alignment: Lawful Evil

False Form
Strength:
15
Perception: 15
Dexterity: 16
Constitution: 15
Intelligence: 13
Willpower: 16
Charisma: 9
Destiny: 15

True Form
Strength: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)
Perception: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)
Dexterity: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see
Constitution: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)
Intelligence: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)
Willpower: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)
Charisma: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)
Destiny: (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)

Skills
-Weapon Proficiency: Bladed Claws (Average)
-Warrior: Taunt (Proficient)
-Warrior: Stomp (Above Average)
-Warrior: Battering Ram (Proficient)
-Warrior: Bleed (Average)
-Warlock: Curse of Weakness (Average)
-Warlock: Otherworldly Patron [Nephemem] (Above Average)
-Warlock: Summon [Pride] Imp (Average)
-Warlock: Summon [Envy] Imp (Below Average)
-Warlock: Slave Crest - Bind Crest (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Incompetent)
-Knowledge: Demonic Pantheon Theology (Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [Demon] (Proficient)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [Human] (Average)
-Knowledge: Geas, Bindings & Slave Crests (Below Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Demon Empire-centric (Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Demon] (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette [Demon] (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette [Human] (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Protocols of Slavery and Ownership [Demon] (Above Average)
-Skill: Aerial Combat and Winged Flight [Dragon] (Above Average)
-Skill: Calligraphy [Demon] (Average)
-Skill: Deception (Incompetent)
-Skill: Intimidation, Coercion and Bullying (Proficient)
-Skill: Oratory [Persuasian, Negotiation, Rhetoric) (Incompetent)
-Skill: Poetry (Average)
-Skill: Foreign Language - Sarutish (High Proficiency)
-Demon: Drain Soul
-Demon: Demonic Stare
-Nephilim: Devour Soul
-Nephilim: Polymorph - False Form (Humanoid)
-Nephilim: Demand Absolute Obedience [Demons]
-Fire Nephilim: False Dragon’s Breath [False Form Self]
-Nephilim: UNKNOWN
-Nephilim: UNKNOWN
-Nephilim: UNKNOWN
-Resistance: Demonic Possession (Master)
(further skills requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)

Faith: Heathen / Demon Pantheon. Sin Trifecta is Pride, Envy, Wrath. Patron Deity is Nephemem, Archdemoness of Pride

Racial Special Trait: UNKNOWN (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)

Special Status Trait: Soul-starved: This demon is currently starving from being unable or unwilling to consume souls. Erratic behaviour, mood-swings, hypersomnia, nausea, and compulsive eating may result.

With this information [Azaze], you decide to:
[ ]
Approve the Appraisal without further investigation.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, and interview Azaze individually.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, interview Azaze individually, question Azaze's friends, servants, and retainers.
[ ] Command Appraiser Eikehouten to use a more intense Greater Appraisal on Azaze, which may provide further information at the cost of putting greater strain on the inexperienced Appraiser.
[ ] Write-in

Mariette Hendrikse - [Undeveloped]

Name: Mariette Hendrikse
Title: (Not yet developed)
Position: Student at the Academy of Light
Sex: Female
Age: 15 years old
Level: 10
Classes: Lvl 10 Human
Nationality: Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Water, Earth
Race & Origin: Human - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

Mariette I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
MarietteVI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Archenemy: Father’s hunting dog

Strength: 10 (Average)
Perception: 16 (Above Average)
Dexterity: 10 (Average)
Constitution: 10 (Average)
Intelligence: 16 (Above Average)
Willpower: 11 (Average)
Charisma: 14 (Above Average)
Destiny: 10 (Average)

Skills
-Knowledge: Arts and Culture (Average)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Average)
-Knowledge: Economic and Financial Theory (Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics (Above Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Above Average)
-Skill: Bartering and Trade (Above Average)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Below Average)
-Skill: Feminine Arts (Proficient)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Average)
-Skill: Musical Instruments (Above Average)
-Skill: Oratory [Persuasian, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Above Average)
-Skill: Riding - Horses (Below Average)
-Skill: Singing (Average)


Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is Enin, Goddess of Marriage and Children.

Special Flaw: Magicless: This individual lacks a Mana elemental affinity, and so is unable to use most class skills and magical abilities, at least without artificial aid such as mana batteries, soul jars, etc.

FtxQLIxMw-J7tSPKPyURM_Aall7PyVhqDWOvMBpEkFAUAcUM8sL9D-_jJq-eC_zFCXhCAnKnBMHL5R7fE2qa-ShRCGFp65VlH8D5f5LSKFVun7a6JeYJWdOEdHO5sjDWcQ

I swear and certify with the Gods as witness that these records are true and accurate to the best of my ability.
Appraised by Nicholaas Teunissijn, Head of Recordkeeping
Approved by Fierro Dante, Inquisitor of the Second Rank, on behalf of the Holy Church

Mariette Hendrikse - [Undeveloped]

0BBj-CYKC3ed3Yr8emTBzMZlNEeJ8bXyWN7tHWzbSzEG0cvp2Ltfnb8asRyOHnx5Z0D8NFICPjl7cySPoN5FAH-EE5OvtTbvPR_-gxKor9svqz4exnekNjSkz2FNMt0YmA

Name: Mariette Hendrikse
Title: (Not yet developed)
Position: Student at the Academy of Light
Sex: Female
Age: 17 years old
Level: 12
Classes: Lvl 12 Bard
Nationality: Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Water, Earth
Race & Origin: Human - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

Mariette I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
MarietteVI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Mariette X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Archenemy: Lisanne van Woolfen

Strength: 10 (Average)
Perception: 16 (Above Average)
Dexterity: 9 (Average)
Constitution: 11 (Average)
Intelligence: 17 (Proficient)
Willpower: 11 (Average)
Charisma: 15 (Above Average)
Destiny: 10 (Average)

Skills
-Bard: Cutting Words (Average)
-Bard: Buff of Rest (Below Average)
-Bard: Lesser Mimicry (Incompetent)
-Knowledge: Arts and Culture (Proficient)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Average)
-Knowledge: Economic and Financial Theory (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics (Above Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Astemmian] (Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Proficient)
-Knowledge: Statecraft (Below Average)
-Skill: Bartering and Trade (Proficient)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Average)
-Skill: Deception (Average)
-Skill: Feminine Arts (Proficient)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Proficient)
-Skill: Musical Instruments (Above Average)
-Skill: Oratory [Persuasian, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Above Average)
-Skill: Oratory [Public Speaking] (Below Average)
-Skill: Riding - Horses (Below Average)
-Skill: Singing (Above Average)
-Skill: UNKNOWN
-Skill: UNKNOWN
(further skills may require more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)

Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is Enin, Goddess of Marriage and Children.

Special Flaw: Magicless: This individual lacks a Mana elemental affinity, and so is unable to use most class skills and magical abilities, at least without artificial aid such as mana batteries, soul jars, etc.

Special Status Trait: Draughav ro gravid biravh (Permanent) - Mariette was born with an average commoner's body, which while perfectly acceptable in the social circles of low-level burghers and yeomen freeholding peasants, her parents, being very wealthy and ambitious Grand Burghers, feared that she would be ostracised by the Ishtari-blooded upper nobility and denied a favourable marriage because of it, particularly once she attended the Academy of Light. To avert this fate, her parents hired numerous occultists, sorcerers and eventually Witch Doctors from the Demon Empire, with the last group finally providing an extraordinarily expensive and rare solution, the Draughav ro gravid briavh - a concoction of numerous rare ingredients of the east. Normally designed to make barren women fertile again, the draught if taken regularly enough is capable of permanently altering one's hormones, eventually resulting in Mariette growing into a figure more expected of the typical Astemmian aristocrat. Side-effects will likely appear as she reaches adulthood however.

Special Status Trait: Hyperfertility: This individual is either blessed or cursed with hyperfertility, and will almost certainly birth numerous children, even bearing twins and triplets.

With this information [Mariette], you decide to:
[ ]
Approve the Appraisal without further investigation.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, and interview Mariette individually.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, interview Mariette individually, question Mariette's friends, servants, and retainers.
[ ] Command Appraiser Eikehouten to use a more intense Greater Appraisal on Mariette, which may provide further information at the cost of putting greater strain on the inexperienced Appraiser.
[ ] Write-in


Justitia van Fors - [Undeveloped]

Name: Justitia van Fors
Title: [Undeveloped]
Position: Countess-in-Waiting of Genestadt County, student at the Academy of Light
Sex: Female
Age: 13 years old
Level: 9
Classes: Lvl 9 Warrior
Nationality: Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Metal, Undiscovered Affinity
Race & Origin: Human - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

Justitia I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Alignment: Neutral Good
Archenemy: N/A

Strength: 12
Perception: 13
Dexterity: 13
Constitution: 11
Intelligence: 14
Willpower: 16
Charisma: 13
Destiny: 13


Skills:
-Weapon Proficiency: Unarmed Combat (Above Average)
-Weapon Proficiency: Swords (Average)
-Warrior: Sucker Punch (Above Average)
-Warrior: Rush (Below Average)
-Warrior: Flurry (Below Average)
-Metal Warrior: Mend Metal (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics (Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Military Tactics (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Above Average)
-Skill: Anti-Telepathy Techniques (Average)
-Skill: Hunting (Incompetent)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Incompetent)
-Skill: Oratory [Persuasian, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Average)
-Skill: Oratory [Public Speaking] (Average)
-Skill: Riding [horses] (Above Average)
-Resistance: Telepathy (Below Average)

Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is N/A

FtxQLIxMw-J7tSPKPyURM_Aall7PyVhqDWOvMBpEkFAUAcUM8sL9D-_jJq-eC_zFCXhCAnKnBMHL5R7fE2qa-ShRCGFp65VlH8D5f5LSKFVun7a6JeYJWdOEdHO5sjDWcQ

I swear and certify with the Gods as witness that these records are true and accurate to the best of my ability.
Appraised by Gertjan Kiefhorst.
Approved by Iwan Braamkolk, Inquisitor of the First Rank, on behalf of the Holy Church

Justitia van Fors - The Fighting Countess

p9Ppp1QyuWFrNh2e5ia0GeaqcEFKS1AhifVRMljRtFzlCGJwP-ooWnQ-0eSRCJyrIkB9YLhsaGcvbz8GkEJQHsVG5P_7j53grkF3TMMTl5vU8RWbJnuqwr0RHRapVvbtBA


Name: Justitia van Fors
Title: The Fighting Countess
Position: Countess-in-Waiting of Genestadt County, student at the Academy of Light
Sex: Female
Age: 16 years old
Level: 12
Classes: Lvl 12 Warrior
Nationality: Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Metal, Fire
Race & Origin: Human - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

Justitia I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Justitia X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Alignment: Neutral Good
Archenemy: N/A

Strength: 15
Perception: 13
Dexterity: 13
Constitution: 14
Intelligence: 15
Willpower: 16
Charisma: 14
Destiny: 13

Skills:
-Weapon Proficiency: Unarmed Combat (High Proficiency)
-Weapon Proficiency: Swords (Proficient)
-Warrior: Sucker Punch (High Proficiency)
-Warrior: Rush (Average)
-Warrior: Flurry (Average)
-Warrior: Stomp (Above Average)
-Fire Warrior: Spark Fires (Average)
-Fire Warrior: Cauterise Wound (Below Average)
-Metal Warrior: Mend Metal (Average)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics (Below Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Law - Astemmian (Average)
-Knowledge: Military Tactics (Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Proficient)
-Knowledge: Statecraft (Below Average)
-Skill: Anti-Telepathy Techniques (Above Average)
-Skill: Duelling (Proficient)
-Skill: Hunting (Average)
-Skill: Foreign Language - Megasthenese (Below Average)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Above Average)
-Skill: Oratory [Persuasian, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Average)
-Skill: Oratory [Public Speaking] (Average)
-Skill: Riding - Horses (Proficient)
-Resistance: Telepathy (Above Average)

Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is Sentinel, God of Law and Justice.

With this information [Justitia], you decide to:
[ ]
Approve the Appraisal without further investigation.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, and interview Justitia individually.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, interview Justitia individually, question Justitia's friends, servants, and retainers.
[ ] Command Appraiser Eikehouten to use a more intense Greater Appraisal on Justitia, which may provide further information at the cost of putting greater strain on the inexperienced Appraiser.
[ ] Write-in
 
CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, APPRAISAL AT THE ACADEMY IV
CASE II: No Otome Game, Appraisal at the Academy IV

[x] Azaze: Approve the Appraisal, and interview Azaze individually.
[x] Mariette: Approve the Appraisal without further investigation.
[x] Justitia: Approve the Appraisal, interview Justitia individually, question Justitia's friends, servants, and retainers.



~~~​


The three girls' Appraisal documents all sat before you, completed. The silence in the room continued, either from anxious worry or awkwardness. You did nothing but read the documents carefully, wondering, comparing, and finally deciding.

Mariette, you decided, could be ruled out entirely. Although her Appraisal had disproved the rumours that Ishtar had granted her a Grand Divine Boon – her aristocratic proportions apparently being the result of rare potions given to her by her parents – you thought her highly unlikely to be possessed by an Isekai. With this confidence guiding your hand, you melted your block of red wax with a candle, carefully dripping it onto the form. Before it hardened, you quickly stamped it with the official Seal of the Holy Inquisition, and wrote:


FtxQLIxMw-J7tSPKPyURM_Aall7PyVhqDWOvMBpEkFAUAcUM8sL9D-_jJq-eC_zFCXhCAnKnBMHL5R7fE2qa-ShRCGFp65VlH8D5f5LSKFVun7a6JeYJWdOEdHO5sjDWcQ

I swear and certify with the Gods as witness that these records are true and accurate to the best of my ability.
Appraised by Lotte Eikehouten, Deputy Head of Recordkeeping
Approved by Lijsbet Visser, Adjutant-Inquisitor of the First Rank, on behalf of the Holy Church


After applying seal and signature to the other Appraisal forms, you quickly wrote down some notes, reminding you to further investigate Justitia, and interview Azaze. With Justitia, you were somewhat suspicious. Anti-telepathy training was not entirely unheard of amongst the nobility, since it was not always legal or benevolent forces snooping around in the minds of the important and influential, but it being there still put you immediately on edge, since telepathy was one of the core methods you used to decipher the truth from others. Her Appraisal document wasn’t necessarily out of place in terms of its evolution and title, but it was still unusual… also, there was the matter of her throwing Theodore around like a ragdoll.

Regardless, even if you didn’t really think she was an Isekai, it would be useful to pick out one of them as a baseline – your very own Baseline Test, as it were. You stamped your approval for Justitia’s appraisal document.

Then there was the demon girl, Azaze. You highly doubted she was an Isekai, all things considered… but you decided to interview her privately anyway. Her appraisal had shown you some concerning things, most particularly her Soul-starvation, which was unhealthy and potentially dangerous… in fact, maybe not even potentially, as you wagered that her violent outbursts and incidents connected directly to it. You had decided to help.

You were an Inquisitor, yes, and your job pertained to Isekais… but that didn’t mean you could never fix other problems that revealed themselves to you in the process of your job. You were still human and a Priestess of the Church, with a greater purpose of serving the public good. Doing this was within your power, ability and right to do – and moreover, it was within your desire.

You again stamped the Inquisitorial seal into the wax, confirming Azaze’s Appraisal as approved. A momentary silence followed, until finally you spoke.

“Thank you all for your patience, we are done for now. You may leave. If you are required for further questioning, we will call for you, so please stay within the general vicinity for the day,” you said. You did not say who would be called back or not, to minimise the spread of rumours or gossip, which you knew full well how quickly would be spread in this Academy.

You would perform personal interviews for Azaze and Justitia later, but for now, however, you still had many more appraisals to go and so had to prepare for the next batch to arrive.

You looked at the list. “Our next batch is Madelein van Hoorn, Rosemarijn de Lievens, and… Princess Circe de Meer,” you finished with some trepidation, as the door closed and the last of the girls left the room.

“Worried about interviewing the Princess?” Yasmijn asked, noticing your hesitation.

“Yes,” you said softly, not even pretending otherwise.

“I would've figured you'd be excited? Don't Astemmians love their aristocrats and monarchs and all that?” Theo added. “You get to talk with an actual princess, not many can claim that. She’s a top of the line hottie at least, that seems to be what all the guys said when I asked about her. Hey, maybe you could get a good word in for me?” He winked and gave a thumbs up.

You ignored Theo, stuck in your own thoughts. This was not the first time you would be speaking with Princess Circe, which is where the trepidation came from. The last time you had spoken with the Second Princess was when you were helping her remove the curse that Mechtelt had put on her, which she had done in revenge for what Circe had been doing to you… mostly through Lady Luttefmont-Furholjan.

Since you chose this case, your thoughts had often wandered back to this incident, to your days at the Academy, to Circe, to Nacissa, to Mechtelt. But Mechtelt wasn’t here anymore. She, against all odds, survived her feud, even her assault on the Princess. What should have resulted in the oubliette for anyone else had done nothing to keep Mechtelt’s star from rising in the Inquisitorial bureaucracy. You had often wondered since whether it was her unique powers that protected her and made her invaluable to the Church… or if it was the Queen’s mercy, or even just the Princess being so mortified about the whole incident that she never spoke of it to anyone. Mechtelt had confided in you later that she had never expected the curse to manifest in the way it did – it was an ancient curse designed to strip those of Evil Alignments of what they valued most.

She thought the whole thing was comical, a fitting farce worthy of an Isekai’s brand of ridicule. For your part, you were just relieved it was easy enough to revert without Mechtelt maintaining it… or you were sure that no amount of mercy, or unique powers, or even embarrassment would have protected either of you from deadly reprisal.

“I can see why she’s afraid. I don’t like what the other students said about her, when I asked,” Yasmijn said, drawing you out of your thoughts.

“What did they say?” Theo asked.

“Nothing.”

“Huh?”

“They refused to say anything bad about her at all.”

“So she’s popular, then?”

“Think, Theo, think,” Alizea cut in. “We just spent a good while listening to gossiping teenage girls and boys speak at length about how every other girl and boy in this Academy is in some scandalous relationship, or some demeaning rumour about them or another as proof of them being an Isekai. I would have chalked it up to her being the Princess… but well, they were just fine bad-mouthing Duchesses. No, it’s fear. Not of a princess, but of this princess.”

The Second Princess of Astem, Circe de Meer, was a very… unique… individual. The moment you first saw her, you knew exactly who she was. There was a saying that one should not trust a book by its cover, and while it was applicable to everyone, even Circe, she certainly did everything in her power to prove it wrong.

“I know the Princess well enough. Did they mention anything unusual about her recently?” you asked, remembering that you had seen her sitting away from her usual spot at the assembly.

“No. Nothing. They were either gushing about how wonderful she was or said nothing at all.”

“Hmm,” you said, not willing to share your history with Princess Circe to the other agents as of yet. “Then what of the other two?”

“Well, the first thing I can say on Lady van Hoorn is that I’m pretty sure I recognise that name from somewhere,” Theodore said. “Just can’t remember where, for the life of me.”

You nodded. While most of the high noble families' names were recognisable to you, this particular name you had seen far more recently. You were quite sure that the Philanthropist Duke case, from the bulletin you saw at the Headquarters, concerned the very same family. Although only his eldest son was mentioned, you could guess this was probably his daughter, if not another very close relative. You explained as much to Theo.

“I was hoping to be requested for that case,” Alizea said, taking a silver case out from under her shirt. She opened it and retrieved a cigar, then lit it with your candle. “Could have had myself a pile of gold instead of questioning schoolchildren and watching you push papers.”

Well, if nothing else, this Appraisal may prove helpful for whatever Inquisitor took that case instead of you, small comfort that it was to Alizea, who was currently blowing great rings of smoke.

“Other than that – not much on her. She seems to be close to Katrijne van Vlissing. They are in the same duelling club, and often spar against each other, due to being about the same weight and build,” Alizea added.

“We seem to be getting a lot of fighters. And here I thought Astem’s ladies were all delicate, refined, and afraid of breaking a fingernail,” Theodore said, imitating holding a teacup with his pinky finger out and sipping from it.

“A lot of them go into Holy Service as knights and Templars,” you said. “A lady can operate a Siege Armour suit about as well as a man.” You did not mention that Lady Luttefmont-Furholjan’s usual means of dealing with a broken fingernail was to pummel the unfortunate perpetrator in a Siege-Armoured duel of honour.

“As for the third girl, Rosemarijn de Lievens…,” Yasmijn said, “from what the girls said of her, she is either one of the best magical students in her year, or a jumped-up bastard daughter of a strumpet who doesn’t belong in the Academy. Cannot comment more on that, as they didn’t bother to explain. I’m guessing she’s a bastard… Despite her surname?”

“That makes no sense, unless – Ah. I suppose they are insinuating that she’s the product of adultery,” Alizea said, herself a former noble.

“I am aware of some of the controversy surrounding the de Lievens, mostly from recent history or some of the things I overheard from Nacissa or Mechtelt. Rosemarijn I have not personally met, but her elder brother Joren I have heard of – and nothing good. He was disowned about two years ago, leaving her as the heir of the March of Woudmeer. Why he was disowned, I have no idea. Her parents are also quite scandalous, with both having known bastard children and a string of affairs that would make Johann the Caresser blush, which is probably where the insinuation comes from.”

“And they don’t just divorce? How has this kept on going?” Theodore asked, bewildered.

“Divorce is not something that occurs outside of Yankeevine. In the eyes of the Church, you are joined until death and whatever lies beyond, even if Amoroa herself is dead,” Alizea explained, although you could feel the bitterness in her voice. She crossed her arms and took another drag from the cigar.

“Came here to hunt Isekais, ended up slogging through the endless petty scandals of nobility instead…” was all he could reply with, shaking his head. “Guess some things don’t really change, whether it's Yankeevine or not.”

“Is that all, or should we have them brought in?” you asked.

They nodded. You actually wished they had prolonged the discussion further.

Just as you were ready to bring in the next batch, however, you heard shouting and commotion in the corridor outside the room. They were, it seemed, already here. You could hear the voices of Circe, Averink, the Guard, and a man you did not recognize.

“You are interfering with Inquisitorial business!” you could hear Averink yell.

“The interests of the nation overrule an Inquisitorial inspection!”

Then, a scuffle in the doorway. You could hear The Guard shout, "None shall pass!"

You waited, but after more commotion, realised they were not coming in. Sighing deeply, you walked over and opened the door to the corridor, to find several people staring at you.

By the door was The Guard, standing watch until he turned his head unnaturally towards you, rotating it like an owl. He had his palm out towards the group of people – a group that was quite larger than just the three girls you expected.

“None shall pass!” he said again, to the angry man before him. He was looking up at the armoured giant who had to slouch his helmeted head to avoid hitting the roof, but seemed otherwise undeterred.

The angry man was middle aged, quite tall with a thin moustache, a pointed goatee, wearing ruffled clothing decorated with ornate patterns of gold. He was clearly not a student. Standing next to him were various guards, no, knights, in neat white uniforms decorated with golden braiding and a sash of orange silk embroidered with the tulip of Astem, all holding glaives. There was another NPC Guard, like your own, further back, standing beside a partially hidden mass of candy-pink hair. And behind them, two blonde girls you presumed were Madelien and Rosemarijn.

Averink, looking quite tired, looked towards you pleadingly.

“Just… just let them in. Tell your Guard to let them in, the Princess is not coming in until you let them in.” From the way he spoke, it seemed that the brusque and quick-tempered researcher had finally reached his breaking point.

“We’ll be here forever otherwise, just let them in!” he thought.

“Who are all these people?” you whispered to Averink.

“The princess’ entourage. Knights acting as bodyguards, so the Yankeevines don’t assassinate her. Also… I am quite sure the man is my boss.” He gestured towards the goateed man. “I present to you Count Hendrik van Zottezen, the Minister of Education himself.”

“Oh, by the gods,” you muttered, before turning to The Guard.

“Let them pass.”

~~~​

And so, here you sat, at the professor’s desk. Even before the three girls had entered the classroom, a whole line of the uniformed knights had organised themselves at the back of the classroom, while others stayed in the corridor to stand watch. Count Zottezen, the Minister of Education from the Queen’s own Stadtsraad, stood by the door.

His reason for being here? To observe the Appraisal of the Princess, to ensure that there was no Inquisitorial overreach or attempts to… compromise state secrets. As the Princess herself liked to say: “Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous.” Did they not understand that your job here was to ensure that the nobility was not compromised by Isekais? Well, you would just have to grit your teeth and get through this.

The first of the girls, finally, entered the room. She was blonde, with fierce golden eyes, that glared once at the guards and then to you, before deciding to ignore you both. She first reminded you somewhat of Justitia, but with some key differences. Where Justitia was tall and graceful, this girl was short and wilder-looking, with loose straight hair. She wore a black riding jacket with a cravat pinned with a jewelled brooch and a ruffled shirt, and dark trousers. As with Justitia, a scabbard and sword were attached to her belt, a one-handed cavalry sword instead of Justitia’s rapier. This was Lady van Hoorn.

You eyed her and then Alizea, noticing a kind of similarity between them. Perhaps Lady van Hoorn is what Alizea would have once looked like, years ago, you thought.

Next to her was a delicate-looking girl, her golden hair arranged in two small buns and several of the grand ringlet curls so fashionable among the aristocratic ladies of Astem. She wore a bright pink dress trimmed with white lace that showed off the well-developed figure of a proper Astemmian lady. A pink ribbon around her neck bound by a sapphire pendant completed the look. She patiently waited, her hands behind her back, her eyes quietly observing everyone. This was Lady de Lievens.

And finally, Princess Circe, who was unmistakable. Her candyfloss-pink hair was worn in long, loose waves, with only two strands of hair curled at the ends framing her face, hanging from an exaggerated split fringe. Her jacket was in a shade of pink meant to complement her hair, decorated with golden epaulettes and a cravat with a ruby jewelled pin, and it exposed even more of her chest. She wore a corset of silvered iron, likewise decorated with rubies arranged into the shape of tulips, and matching gauntlets. Atop her head was a smaller, less ornate version of the Tulip Crown her mother the Queen wore. Hanging over a short skirt and garters was a belt that had a golden square buckle, but no scabbard attached to it. The buckle, you realised, was a constant in her attire, no matter what else she wore. You looked at the prominent darkened “X” on the buckle, and how familiar it was…

It was as if you had never left the Academy.

You fished the three girls’ old Appraisal forms out of a nearby binder, concentrating on their auras and surface thoughts.

“Ladies, please sit down at one of the desks in the front row. Your Appraisal will begin shortly.”

Circe wore a very familiar pout on her face, her expression indicating that she found this matter far too insignificant to be worth her time, but her aura showed fear – abject, naked fear. Her eyes widened when she saw the glamoured Theodore sitting next to you. You saw the burning red of anger, deep loathing from Rosemarijn. When you searched her surface thoughts, you could not hear the actual words spoken, but you could almost make out the venomous attacks, and at whom.

As Rosemarijn sat down as far away from the Princess as possible in the room, you realised her loathing was aimed not at you or the Appraisal, but at the Princess. Circe had apparently made some new enemies since Mechtelt.

You wrote down a few notes on their emotional states. Circe felt fear in general and at Theodore’s disguised demon form. Rosemarijn felt hatred towards Circe. Madelien van Hoorn sat down calmly between the two, oblivious to the invisible tension and drama only you could see, but her aura showed signs of great worry, stress, and distraction that she kept carefully hidden.

The Knights stood silently in the back of the room. The NPC Guards both stood outside of the door. Averink looked through the other binders, writing down his own research notes. Lotte nervously tapped her foot. The minister, your agents, everyone held an awkward silence. You flipped a page of the binder, withdrawing another document – Circe’s past appraisal. More silence, other than the shuffle of paper as you looked through the documents.

Eventually, a small cough. You signalled for Lotte to start.

Once again, Lotte gave them her instructions on the formalities of the Appraisal Ceremony. They were not to speak or move, and they were to sit quietly and still, eyes closed, until directed. She told them that they would be Appraised together for the sake of efficiency, but for the sake of privacy nothing would be communicated about it until they were alone, and that they may be needed afterward for individual interviews, and that some of their retainers and friends may or may not be asked to speak with the Inquisition to give further clarity.

At this point, the Minister of Education glared at Lotte in an apparent warning, and the young Appraiser’s voice faltered.

Meanwhile, you read. First, Madelien. There wasn't much out of place with her. Earth element. You wondered if there was a pattern with the affinities. The interest in wearing trousers and duelling were unusual, but not overly so. The Duke was widowed, and she had two brothers; it would be no surprise that she adopted their mannerisms for lack of feminine influence. But unlike Justitia, who had repressed her thoughts entirely, Madelien’s emotions and thoughts seemed to you like a roaring river held back by a great dam.

Regardless, you set aside the paper and looked to the next, Rosemarijn's. She had a fire affinity – like Justitia and Azaze. You also noticed that she had both of her affinities at a mere thirteen years old, not a very common occurrence. Her magical abilities were also worryingly developed for a young age… but otherwise, you didn’t find it spectacularly odd, and in line with what the other students had said about her. After all, you yourself were considered a magical prodigy.

With a gesture, the circle of white light appeared on the floor, lighting up with runes and magical symbols. Lotte squinted, reading words and numbers in the air that only she could see, quickly jotting down notes on the new Appraisal forms.

And then, the Princess’. This was, as you knew deep down, would be where things got… complicated. Even without all the guards gathered in the room, or the Minister of Education glaring down officiously at you and your co-workers, or the unexplained hatred of Rosemarijn, which, you notice, was not reciprocated by Circe, who seemed to ignore her presence entirely… just by looking at this old Appraisal, you knew.

First, the Princess’ old title was REDACTED. You could have no idea then if the old or new titles matched, not without trying to petition the Inquisitor who did the old Appraisal, who, apparently, was none other than the Lord Inquisitor himself, answerable only to the Pope and the Royal Family. Next, her Alignment was also REDACTED, which was of no surprise to anyone who had had the bad luck to encounter her.

Particularly damning was her appraised arch-nemesis. You looked down at the words quite clearly. “Mechtelt Vrooman,” it read. You knew they did not get along, but this was very bad. The fact that your Inquisitorial superior and close friend was on this document could put to question the impartiality of your Appraisal… which, now that you think about it… would explain the presence of the Minister of Education.

Other things of interest were her attributes. You had often heard from Mechtelt that the princess was “as bright as an old copper shield” and “was not the brightest candle in the lantern.” Looking at her intelligence stat, it seemed that Mechtelt’s assessment was tragically accurate, but it did put into question how exactly she was able to compete with you in test scores. You suspected some sort of cheating, perhaps cribbed notes hidden between her charisma stats.

And they were very, very big indeed. A score of 23 Charisma was well beyond the norm. This, too, would explain some things.

Next were her skills. The underwhelming nature of them perhaps now made sense with her, ahem, learning difficulties, however there were two things that stood out. Firstly, there were many demon-related skills here, which seemed peculiar until you remembered that she was betrothed to a Prince of the Demon Empire. So this made some sense.

And then you saw the Riding [Dragon] skill. Your eyes widened upon seeing it. It didn’t matter that her proficiency at it was “incompetent,” the fact it was even listed here meant that her experience with riding dragons was greater than zero!

One doesn’t simply ride a dragon, after all. How in the Gods' names did she manage that? Unless… perhaps it was the same Prince? It was probably the only answer that made any sense to you.

And then there were the special traits. Childhood illness, Silphium, Protective Crests… While these certainly shed new light upon Circe and the Demon Empire, you were not, after all, here to collect gossip about the Princess. But knowing all of this, though… you might very well be looking into much more than what most should be. You wondered how the Inquisitorial Appraisers felt, privy to so many secrets. Did they feel it was a burden to know so much that mortals were not meant to know?

Or perhaps… you realised, you should be concerned for your safety? Your position in the Church would protect you, surely. After all, even Queens and Princesses were subject to the authority of Gods and Church, and you were doing nothing more than a routine Appraisal as part of your ordinary duties.

With little fanfare, the light faded. Lotte handed you the new Appraisal forms, and went to the desk to pour herself another glass of water. She leaned heavily on the desk, and her breathing seemed a little more ragged. You handed the Appraisal files to Averink for him to look over, and reached out to give her a gentle pat on the shoulder. “Just three more Appraisals today,” you told her. You would have to make sure the young Appraiser did not overstrain herself, and it would give you plenty of time to follow up with interviews and further investigation before the next nine Appraisals tomorrow.

Averink’s eyes widened as he read the files. He quickly handed them back to you, glancing back at the Minister of Education.

“We must tread carefully!” he thought.

Clearly, the researcher had picked up on something. You took out your Inquisitorial stamp and wax, lit the candle, and resolved to find out what had startled him so.

Madelien van Hoorn - [Undeveloped]

Name: Madelien van Hoorn
Title: [Undeveloped]
Position: Student at the Academy of Light
Sex: Female
Age: 15 years old
Level: 11
Classes: Lvl 11 Knight
Nationality: Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Earth, ??? (Undiscovered Element)


Race & Origin: Human - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

Madelien I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: N/A
Alignment: True Neutral

Strength: 13 (Average)
Perception: 10 (Average)
Dexterity: 13 (Above Average)
Constitution: 14 (Above Average)
Intelligence: 11 (Average)
Willpower: 15 (Above Average)
Charisma: 13 (Above Average)
Destiny: 11 (Average)

Skills
-Weapon Proficiency: Swords (Proficient)
-Weapon Proficiency: Siege Armour Operation (Average)
-Knight: Mana Barrier (Below Average)
-Knight: Rebuke (Below Average)
-Knight: Riposte (Average)
-Earth Knight: Throw Dust (Average)
-Earth Knight: Dig-In (Average)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [human] (Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Astemmian] (Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Average)
-Knowledge: Statecraft (Below Average)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Below Average)
-Skill: Feminine Arts (Incompetent)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Below Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Persuasion, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Below Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Public Speaking] (Below Average)
-Skill: Riding [Horses] (Proficient)
-Skill: Hunting (Proficient)
-Skill: Riding [War-beast] (Average)

Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is N/A


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I swear and certify with the Gods as witness that these records are true and accurate to the best of my ability.
Appraised by Nicholaas Teunissijn, Head of Recordkeeping
Approved by Iwan Braamkolk, Inquisitor First Rank, on behalf of the Holy Church
Madelien van Hoorn - The Brick Wall Fencer
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Name: Madelien van Hoorn

Title: The Brick Wall Fencer
Position: Student at the Academy of Light
Sex: Female
Age: 17 years old
Level: 13
Classes: Lvl 15 Knight
Nationality: Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Earth, Earth


Race & Origin: Human - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

Madelien I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Madelien X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: The Philanthropist Duke Isekai
Alignment: True Neutral

Strength: 14 (Above Average)
Perception: 10 (Average)
Dexterity: 13 (Above Average)
Constitution: 15 (Above Average)
Intelligence: 11 (Average)
Willpower: 16 (Above Average)
Charisma: 13 (Above Average)
Destiny: 14 (Above Average)

Skills
-Weapon Proficiency: Swords (High Proficiency)
-Weapon Proficiency: Siege Armour Operation (Above Average)
-Knight: Fortify (Below Average)
-Knight: Mana Barrier (Average)
-Knight: Rebuke (Below Average)
-Knight: Riposte (Above Average)
-Earth Knight: Dig-In (Above Average)
-Earth Knight: Mud Carapace (Below Average)
-Earth Knight: Throw Dust (Average)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [human] (Below Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Literature and Poetry - Central Kingdoms (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Astemmian] (Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Average)
-Knowledge: Statecraft (Average)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Above Average)
-Skill: Feminine Arts (Below Average)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Below Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Persuasion, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Below Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Public Speaking] (Below Average)
-Skill: Riding [Horses] (Proficient)
-Skill: Riding [War-beast] (Average)
-Skill: Hunting (Proficient)
-Resistance: Earth Element (High Proficiency)

Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is Sentinel, God of Law and Justice

Special Trait: Double Affinity: This individual possesses a double affinity of Earth and Earth, making them highly resilient to nigh-invulnerable to any earth-based attacks or hostile effects and capable of performing incredibly strong Earth-based skills if also possessing a mana affinity. Non-Earth based skills may even sometimes accidentally take on characteristics of Earth affinity.

With this information [Madelien], you decide to:
[ ] Approve the Appraisal without further investigation.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, and interview Madelien individually.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, interview Madelien individually, question Madelien’s friends, servants, and retainers.
[ ] Command Appraiser Eikehouten to use a more intense Greater Appraisal on Madelien, which may provide further information at the cost of putting greater strain on the inexperienced Appraiser.
[ ] Write-in

Rosemarijn de Lievens - [Undeveloped]

Name: Rosemarijn de Lievens
Title: The [Undeveloped]
Position: Student at the Academy of Light
Sex: Female
Age: 13 years old
Classes: Lvl 13 Mage
Nationality: Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Light, Fire

Race & Origin: Human - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

Rosemarijn I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: N/A
Alignment: Neutral Good

Strength: 10 (Average)
Perception: 14 (Above Average)
Dexterity: 12 (Average)
Constitution: 11 (Average)
Intelligence: 17 (Proficient)
Willpower: 11 (Average)
Charisma: 14 (Above Average)
Destiny: 12 (Average)

Skills
-Mage: Channel Mana (Above Average)
-Mage: Lesser Enchantment (Average)
-Mage: Enchant Barrier (Average)
-Fire Mage: Heat (Above Average)
-Fire Mage: Ignite (Average)
-Fire Mage: Sparks (Above Average)
-Light Mage: Lamp (Average)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Proficient)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [human] (Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Astemmian] (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Magical Theory & Holy Statistics (Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Average)
-Knowledge: Statecraft (Incompetent)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Average)
-Skill: Feminine Arts (Average)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Below Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Persuasion, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Below Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Public Speaking] (Below Average)
-Skill: Riding [Horses] (Proficient)

Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is Wisp, God of Magic and Secrets


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I swear and certify with the Gods as witness that these records are true and accurate to the best of my ability.
Appraised by Nicholaas Teunissijn, Head of Recordkeeping
Approved by Gustaaf Holleveld, Inquisitor First Rank, on behalf of the Holy Church

Rosemarijn de Lievens - The Little Sorceress

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Name: Rosemarijn de Lievens
Title: The Little Sorceress
Position: Student at the Academy of Light, Marchioness-in-Waiting of Wouldmeer March [Disputed]
Sex: Female
Age: 15 years old
Classes: Lvl 15 Mage
Nationality: Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Light, Fire

Race & Origin: Human - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

Rosemarijn I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Rosemarijn X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: Circe de Meer
Alignment: Neutral Good

Strength: 10 (Average)
Perception: 14 (Above Average)
Dexterity: 12 (Average)
Constitution: 11 (Average)
Intelligence: 18 (Proficient)
Willpower: 12 (Average)
Charisma: 16 (Above Average)
Destiny: 12 (Average)

Skills
-Weapon Proficiency: Siege Armour Operation (Incompetent)
-Mage: Channel Mana (Proficient)
-Mage: Lesser Enchantment (Above Average)
-Mage: Enchant Barrier (Above Average)
-Mage: Mana Bolt (Above Average)
-Fire Mage: Heat (Proficient)
-Fire Mage: Ignite (Proficient)
-Fire Mage: Sparks (Above Average)
-Fire Mage: Fireball (Average)
-Light Mage: Lamp (Above Average)
-Light Mage: Light Wisp (Above Average)
-Light Mage: Flash (Average)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [human] (Above Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Astemmian] (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Magical Theory & Holy Statistics (Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Statecraft (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Literature and Poetry - Central Kingdoms (Above Average)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Above Average)
-Skill: Feminine Arts (Average)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Below Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Persuasion, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Public Speaking] (Average)
-Skill: Potion-Making (Average)
-Skill: Riding [Horses] (Above Average)

Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is Wisp, God of Magic and Secrets

With this information [Rosemarijn], you decide to:
[ ] Approve the Appraisal without further investigation.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, and interview Rosemarijn individually.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, interview Rosemarijn individually, question Rosemarijn’s friends, servants, and retainers.
[ ] Command Appraiser Eikehouten to use a more intense Greater Appraisal on Rosemarijn, which may provide further information at the cost of putting greater strain on the inexperienced Appraiser.
[ ] Write-in

Second Princess Circe de Meer - The [REDACTED]

Name: Circe de Meer
Title: The [REDACTED]
Position: Second Princess of the Kingdom of Astem, Betrothed Consort of Prince Soleiman Urzlong och Sarut
Sex: Female
Age: 15 years old
Level: 9
Classes: Lvl 9 Mage
Nationality: Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Fire, ??? (Undiscovered Element)


Race & Origin: Human Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

De Meer (Circe) I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: Mechtelt Vrooman
Alignment: REDACTED

Strength: 10 (Average)
Perception: 8 (Below Average)
Dexterity: 12 (Average)
Constitution: 8 (Below Average)
Intelligence: 7 (Below Average)
Willpower: 11 (Average)
Charisma: 23 (High Proficiency)
Destiny: 19 (Proficient)

Skills
-Weapon Proficiency: Swords (Below Average)
-Weapon Proficiency: Siege Armour Operation (Below Average)
-Mage: Channel Mana (Below Average)
-Mage: Mana Bolt (Incompetent)
-Fire Mage: Heat (Below Average)
-Fire Mage: Ignite (Below Average)
-Fire Mage: Fireball (Incompetent)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Demon Pantheon Theology (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Mixed Pantheon Theology (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [human] (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [demon] (Proficient)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Below Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Demon Empire (Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Astemmian] (Incompetent)
-Knowledge: Law [Demon] (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette [Demon] (Average)
-Knowledge: Statecraft (Incompetent)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Below Average)
-Skill: Calligraphy [Demon] (Incompetent)
-Skill: Deception (Proficient)
-Skill: Feminine Arts (Incompetent)
-Skill: Intimidation, Coercion and Bullying (High Proficiency)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Incompetent)
-Skill: Oratorial [Persuasion, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Above Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Public Speaking] (Above Average)
-Skill: Riding [Horses] (Below Average)
-Skill: Riding [War-beast] (Below Average)
-Skill: Riding [Dragon] (Incompetent)
-Skill: Seduction (Master)
-Skill: Foreign Language - Sarutish (Above Average)

Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is Ishtar, Goddess of Love and Sensuality.

Special Flaw: Residual Respiratory and Heart Ailment: Princess Circe de Meer was born somewhat prematurely and crippled by severe breathing and heart conditions that made her an intensely sickly infant and child. As a teenager, Circe is no longer crippled by this condition due to the successful treatment by one the world’s most proficient healers, the Saintess Dorianne van den Dumortier, who was also her caretaker. Despite this successful treatment, the disease has left its mark on her, including tiring easily. It also continues to appear in the form of Hyperventilation attacks that seem to only occur when Circe wants something from others.

Special Status Trait: Ingested Silphium: This individual is currently under the effect of Silphium, a plant often used in perfume, seasoning and in particular herbal medicine for its use as a contraceptive or abortifacient. It has further uses as an aphrodisiac.

Special Status Trait: Custodial Crest [Draco]: This Individual has had a crest tattooed to her by the individual [Soleiman] that ensures that the [monstrous beast - Basilisk] known as [Draco] will sense when she is in danger, harmed, in fear, poisoned, diseased, suddenly unconscious, drowning, falling from great height, buried, etc. Within a certain distance, the Grand Ascension-level Dragon Prince-skill ‘Grand Blink’ will activate, teleporting [Draco] directly to the vicinity of this individual.

Special Status Trait: Custodial Crest [Soleiman]: This Individual has had a crest tattooed to her by the individual [Soleiman] that ensures that the [Nephilim - Greater Demon] known as [Soleiman] will sense when she is in danger, harmed, in fear, poisoned, diseased, suddenly unconscious, drowning, falling from great height, buried, etc. Within a certain distance, the Grand Ascension-level Dragon Prince-skill ‘Grand Blink’ will activate, teleporting this individual directly to the vicinity of [Soleiman].

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I swear and certify with the Gods as witness that these records are true and accurate to the best of my ability.
Appraised by Nicolaas Teunissijn, Head of Recordkeeping
Approved by Eliezer Ignatius, the Lord Inquisitor of the Holy Inquisition in Astem, on behalf of the Holy Church
Second Princess Circe de Meer - The Foolish Princess
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Name:
Circe de Meer
Title (Actual): The Foolish Princess
Position: Second Princess of the Kingdom of Astem, Betrothed Consort of Prince Soleiman Urzlong och Sarut
Sex: Female
Age: 17 years old
Level: 11
Classes: Lvl 11 Mage
Nationality: Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Fire, Earth


Race & Origin: Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

De Meer (Circe) I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) II: Circe is extremely proud of her large chest. In retaliation for her schoolgirl bullying of Visser, Mechtelt cursed her with an ancient curse that removed what she cared for most. This was her body, so that her breasts shrank and almost disappeared. After begging Lijsbet on her knees to remove the curse and promising to never bully her again ever, the young priestess obliged. For this, Circe showed genuine gratitude for possibly the first time in her life.
De Meer (Circe) III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: UNKNOWN (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see)
Alignment: Chaotic Good

Strength: 10 (Average)
Perception: 7 (Below Average)
Dexterity: 14 (Above Average)
Constitution: 8 (Below Average)
Intelligence: 8 (Below Average)
Willpower: 12 (Average)
Charisma: 25 (Master)
Destiny: 13 (Above Average)

Skills
-Weapon Proficiency: Swords (Above Average)
-Weapon Proficiency: Siege Armour Operation (Below Average)
-Mage: Channel Mana (Below Average)
-Mage: Mana Bolt (Below Average)
-Fire Mage: Heat (Average)
-Fire Mage: Ignite (Below Average)
-Fire Mage: Fireball (Incompetent)
-Earth Mage: Earth Bump (Proficient)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Demon Pantheon Theology (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Mixed Pantheon Theology (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [human] (Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [demon] (Incompetent)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Below Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Demon Empire (Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Astemmian] (Incompetent)
-Knowledge: Law [Demon] (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette [Demon] (Incompetent)
-Knowledge: Statecraft (Incompetent)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Below Average)
-Skill: Calligraphy [Demon] (Incompetent)
-Skill: Deception (High Proficiency)
-Skill: Feminine Arts (Average)
-Skill: Intimidation, Coercion and Bullying (Below Average)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Incompetent)
-Skill: Oratorial [Persuasion, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Above Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Public Speaking] (Above Average)
-Skill: Riding [Horses] (Below Average)
-Skill: Riding [War-beast] (Below Average)
-Skill: Riding [Dragon] (Incompetent)
-Skill: Seduction (Master)
-Skill: Foreign Language - Sarutish (Below Average)
-Resistance: Alignment Curses (Average)

Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), No Patron Deity claimed.

Special Flaw: Residual Respiratory and Heart Ailment: Princess Circe de Meer was born somewhat prematurely and crippled by severe breathing and heart conditions that made her an intensely sickly infant and child. As a teenager, Circe is no longer crippled by this condition due to the successful treatment by one the world’s most proficient healers, the Saintess Dorianne van den Dumortier, who was also her caretaker. Despite this successful treatment, the disease has left its mark on her, including tiring and fainting easily.

Special Status Trait: Custodial Crest [Draco]: This Individual has had a crest tattooed to her by the individual [Soleiman] that ensures that the [monstrous beast - Basilisk] known as [Draco] will sense when she is in danger, harmed, in fear, poisoned, diseased, suddenly unconscious, drowning, falling from great height, buried, etc. Within a certain distance, the Grand Ascension-level Dragon Prince-skill ‘Grand Blink’ will activate, teleporting [Draco] directly to the vicinity of this individual.

Special Status Trait: Custodial Crest [Soleiman]: This Individual has had a crest tattooed to her by the individual [Soleiman] that ensures that the [Nephilim - Greater Demon] known as [Soleiman] will sense when she is in danger, harmed, in fear, poisoned, diseased, suddenly unconscious, drowning, falling from great height, buried, etc. Within a certain distance, the Grand Ascension-level Dragon Prince-skill ‘Grand Blink’ will activate, teleporting this individual directly to the vicinity of [Soleiman].

Special Non-Racial Trait: UNKNOWN

With this information [Circe], you decide to:
[ ] Approve the Appraisal without further investigation.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, and interview Circe individually.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, interview Circe individually, question Circe’s friends, servants, and retainers.
[ ] Command Appraiser Eikehouten to use a more intense Greater Appraisal on Circe, which may provide further information at the cost of putting greater strain on the inexperienced Appraiser.
[ ] Write-in


You stared at Circe’s new Appraisal document. Particularly the part where you could read one of the personality sections of Princess Circe. That shouldn’t be there, as you knew you could not read this list without Grand Appraisal, which Lotte certainly did not possess. You… shouldn’t be able to read this.

You were trying to fathom how this was possible, until it eventually came to you. You showed the document to Averink, pointing to the section labelled “Circe II.” His confused expression and mental shrug – “What about it? It cannot be seen.” – said it all. You could read it because you knew of it already, outside of Appraisal. Averink, and undoubtedly most other people on this earth, only saw “Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal.”

But something in the files had caught his eye – and it was up to you to find out what.
 
The Kingdom of Astem I - History
Atlas of the World, The Kingdom of Astem I
Excerpts from The World in Brief, Volume II, by Jules Ariksen, University of Aafensenn in New Hartford

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History

Astem is known by many names: the Home of the Church, for its proximity to the Holy City at the shores of the Silver Lake and the close relationship its royal family has cultivated with the Church hierarchy; the Land of Tulips, for the flowers with blade-like leaves that grow upon its highlands; the Land of Many Waters, for its location on low-lying river deltas and marshes; and the Country of Villainesses, for its noblewomen's fashion of wearing their flaxen hair in great ringlet curls – and for their support of the notorious Holy Order of the Inquisition, which persecutes Outsiders across the Continent.

The Kingdom of Astem, as we know it today, is a self-declared nation and rebellious former Yankeevine province that has come into and out of existence numerous times in the last two thousand years of recorded history. Unfortunately, the Astemmians' record of history is, predictably of the barbarian south, highly loose with both dates and facts, so we can only caution that their founding myths may very well be entirely fictitious.

Supposedly, the kingdom was founded when the legendary hero Braam Astem and a party of four adventurers slew the horrific monster-tyrant king, Thypah. Thypah, if a real individual, was claimed to be a grandson of the devil-figure of the Creator Pantheon, Sarut. This event, if even somewhat true, likely occurred at some point between 1400 and 1500 Before the Summoning of the Yankee. The current royal line, the de Meers of Astoria, claim descent from Braam Astem through a marriage between one of their ancestors and a maid who claimed to be the last descendant of the Astem line. Again, this story is likely apocryphal, a fiction used to justify their hold on the Tulip Throne.

The Kingdom’s murky early history moves on to a period of sustained war against Demonic states to its east. These wars moved back and forth in the manner of a pendulum, with the Kingdom of Astem and other proto-Central Kingdoms either advancing or receding against their enemies of the east. The earlier of these wars were in general aggressive invasions by an expansionist Astem, while the later wars turned defensive as this proto-Astem’s power receded.

Fascinatingly, these later conflicts would lead to significant Demonic influence over the Astemmians relative to even other Central Kingdoms, something that is mirrored by today’s modern politics and the unholy alliance between Astem and the Demons. For as war is often the engine and driver of Progress, these conflicts also brought trade, cultural exchange, and even interbreeding to the early Astemmians. It is strongly believed by academics of the University of Aafensenn that the Astemmian people’s peculiar genetics and high rate of magical ability is a direct result of this, and as such it could be strongly argued that Astemmian “Humans” are in fact not human at all, but are another hybrid race of Demonic Humans similar to the Emites of Cockaigne or Maytabbea. This goes doubly so for the Aristocracy of Astem, which even in their own lands are noted to be of significant Ishtari descent, Ishtar being the supposed Archdemonness of Lust of the Demonic Pantheon, if such an entity exists. Yankeevine archaeologists who study the family trees of Demonic and Astemmian aristocracy suggest that “Ishtar” was merely shorthand for a temple prostitute, who would impersonate this goddess for the purposes of coupling with kings and chieftains in a symbolic fertility rite, a “sacred marriage” between man and nature, as it were.

By the approximate year of 500BS, Astem was involved in another major war with Demonic adversaries, the Realm of Lethe, in what is now known as modern-day South Perdegehm. While narrowly beating back the Demonic forces, this large scale-war made the kingdom vulnerable to further invasions, such as the then-ongoing migrations of centaurs and other monstrines who had previously cut a swath through the Middle Kingdoms. The centaur horde did not conquer Astem but ravaged its north, passing through it to eventually carve out the lands of modern day Neu-Alaynia and Angoulogne. Astem, after decades of war with Lethe and the centaurs, finally accepted vassalage to the Megasthenes Empire beyond the Sea of Autumn to its south, in exchange for protection from attacks from its multiple enemies.

During this period of time, before the presence of The Yankee brought Enlightenment and Justice to this world, the preeminent powers of the world were the Megasthenes Raj to the south and the Yowee culture of the elven continent of Mu to the far west. While both of these tyrannical empires would be smashed by The Yankee during his second wave of conquests, during this period they reigned supreme. With vassalage to the Megasthenes, the Astemmian people would go on to adopt parts of the Moral Caste System prevalent in the realms beyond the Autumn Sea.

The Kingdom of Astem maintained its existence precariously, only resisting total annexation by the Megasthenes via periodic urban taxation revolts, a recurring annoyance that would frustrate our own army some centuries later. The Kingdom of Astem would remain a junior partner of Megasthenes until around 100BS, only a century before The Yankee’s arrival into our world. In the Battle of Arishaka, the Megasthenes Empire suffered a significant military defeat to the rising Sarutishkin Empire in the far off deserts of the southeast, eventually allowing Astem to re-establish itself.

This period of cultural reawakening in Astem saw the unfortunate rise of The Church. While the Union Church that now rules from Astem would not form until after The Thaw between their Creator and Demon religions, independence from Megasthenes while still following their laws and Moral Alignment System caused Astem to become a hotbed for religious fundamentalism and theocracy. Rather than a brutal battle between the ascendant Church and the hedonistic Ishtari-blooded aristocrats of Astem as any rational individual should expect, the two forces allied together, creating an early version of the Dual Evils that we Yankeevines fight against even today, known as the “Three Estates” in Astem and Tourine. At that time, the aristocrats of Astem were restrained by the Moral Caste System, so between the two, The Church was more powerful, eventually leading to the establishment of laws and traditions that saw priests, priestesses, and later Inquisitors possessing enormous power over the secular rulers of their own nation, even after the Moral Caste System’s abolishment.

This abolishment would come by 7AS, seven years after the arrival of The Yankee. The Kingdom of Astem, like many other Central Kingdoms, was systematically liberated by the armed forces of the newly born Yankeevine Empire under the leadership of Emperor Joseph the Yankee himself. The Astemmians' reliance on heavily armoured knights and mana-wielding priests may have made them formidable opponents to their neighbours, but they were no match for the newly invented Firearms that The Yankee taught his adopted people to build and use, and they were certainly unprepared for aerial assault by the first “Choppers.” Until then, airships were restricted to great lumbering warships in the sky mostly used as pleasure yachts, rather than the small propeller-levitated longboats The Yankee used. The Yankee’s personal theme and our national anthem, “Fortunate Son,” was burned into the collective memories of the Astemmian rulers following their defeat, and for centuries they did not dare challenge Yankeevine might.

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Above: an early Astemmian depiction of the Yankee’s Conquests.

Astem was considered a troublesome frontier territory even then, settled by particularly adventurous farmers and lumbermen who journeyed southward to make their fortune. Far from the watchful eyes of the Emperor in New Hartford, the colonists developed a unique culture and a streak of contrariness, combining it with resentment from the libertine aristocrats and fundamentalist clerics, now deprived of their slaves and ill-gotten wealth. Notoriously, it was a hotbed of pro-independence sentiment from the Empire's earliest days; Johnny's Rebellion started there, and the de Meers sheltered the rebel Outsider captain and even wedded a daughter to him. It should be said, at this time, some treasonous Outsiders fought alongside Astem, which may seem inconceivable today.

Just as Johnny's Rebellion started in Astem, so it ended there as well; at the Battle of Asterion Field at the Gulf of Questin, Yankeevine forces led by General Ulysses Grant Yankee, the third of The Yankee's sons, forced Johnny the Rebel into surrendering his forces and accepting exile. Taking his Astemmian wife with him, he fled to the Demon Empire, where his beliefs that some beings were simply ordained by the natural order to be slaves to others found much more fertile ground than the stony tundra of Yankeevine.

Agitation and rebellion from the wealthy elites of Astem did not stop there; during the Civil Wars and the Times of Troubles in the mid 200’s AS, it was a leading member of the “Central Alliance” of kingdoms in the southwest – along with Tourine, Wachstaat, Catatonia, and Neu-Alaynia – to rise in mass revolt against Yankeevine, driving deep into the Empire's territory in what is now called there the Reconquista. The Empire, already in a weakened state due to the political chaos caused by various Outsider cults, was forced to withdraw and grant them self-determination. The Empire's holdings in the southeast, however, collapsed into anarchy, taken by various petty warlords and demihuman separatists for as long as they could hold them.

Following its new-found independence, the Kingdom of Astem without the guiding hand of Outsiders – other than a few corrupt Outsiders who aided them in exchange for marrying into noble families, the likes of Johnny before them – would fall into old habits of tyranny, decadence and extremism. While the Astemmians would not entirely abandon all the lessons The Yankee taught, such as the equality of the sexes – King Cirano IV being the first ruler of the Central Kingdoms to institute absolute cognatic succession in the Royal Succession Decree of 386AS, or Year 81 of the Age of Watchful Peace, or, colloquially, the Age of the Thaw, in the Astemmian Calendar – or the value of expressing emotions and beliefs freely in discourse, they would reestablish an absolute monarchy under the leadership of a former insurrectionist, Cinrad de Meer, an aristocrat and progenitor of the current royal line, down to the current Queen-Regnant Cicada de Meer. The Church regained its seat of power in the Holy City, their Pope re-crowned there after years of exile in southern Tourine. While slavery and the Moral Caste System were not reinstated, the aristocracy restablished its dominance in society and the ascendant bourgeoise were suppressed. The Astemmian aristocrats, now without the Moral Caste System to restrain them, became the infamously decadent court we know of today. The birthplace of the “Villainesses,” as the Outsiders dub them, started here.

The Kingdom of Astem fought prominently during the Gnostic War against the former Grandmaster of the Guild of Heroes, Katsuro Nakamura, known there as “Katsuro the Destroyer.” Emperor John Adams Yankee took no official position on the Gnostic War offensives outside Yankeevine territory, only acting against supporters of Katsuro when they fired upon, and attempted to forcibly occupy, the Thinghall while Lawspeakers were in session, starting the Yankeevine Civil War. While our own brave Yankeevine loyalist soldiers fought against the Nakamura-aligned Gnostics in these battles, the broader war against the renegade Grandmaster stretched the scope of the world, where many Astemmians fought against Katsuro himself and even claim to have fought him in “the heavens,” interpreted to be on a mountain believed to be the home of their gods. This phase of the Gnostic War, known as the War in Heaven by Astemmian historians, fought around the year 305AS, is of immense religious significance to the people of the Central Kingdoms, and is the most likely cause of the following Outsider Genocide committed by the Central Kingdoms, as they justify their genocidal campaign by Katsuro’s alleged attempted murder of the entities they refer to as gods. The actual existence of these entities is debated even amongst Outsiders and our own faculty. If they are highly advanced and powerful mortals disguised as “gods,” magical projections of powerful sorcerers, or rogue Outsiders is still a matter of debate for these academics, however this book will continue to use the False God hypothesis, as we have seen no proof that these gods are indeed what they claim to be.

For further reading on this controversial and tragic figure, the biography by Akihiro Lindström, Katsuro: A Hero's Rise and Fall, is recommended.

Following the Gnostic War and the natural disasters that followed, the Kingdom of Astem and other Central Kingdoms used this opportunity to exploit the recovering Yankeevine Empire, and satisfy the fanatical fervour for war from their aristocracy and the Church, to engage in numerous aggressive wars and crusades against the Yankeevine Empire and its allies throughout the 320s to 370s. While the siege of the heavily Outsider-populated city-state of Generic City was liberated by Yankeevine forces, the realms of the lower Middle Kingdoms were lost to the crusaders, who formed three Astem-aligned kingdoms known as the Tripartite Kingdoms. The Crown Principality of Aarnau also originated as a successful conquest of these crusades. Its rule was given to a cadet branch of the de Meers, and with the marriage of its Ruling Prince to First Princess Cicilia de Meer of Astem, their infant child will most likely inherit both crowns.

Also of note in recent history, especially for Astem for reasons we shall soon discover, is “The Thaw,” the name referring to the end of hostilities between the Central Kingdoms and the Demon Empire. Considered by academics as perhaps one of the most absurd leaps of theological thought disguising realpolitik in recent history, the Central Kingdoms and Demon Empire claim their gods have made a truce with each other because of Katsuro Nakamura's actions, and have even integrated each other’s religions into one another’s pantheons. This syncretist fusion is seen with the “deaths” of Amoroa, their goddess of Love and Loyalty, and Fiscan, their god of Prosperity and Exploration, and their replacement with the Archdemons of Lust and Greed, Ishtar and Lot respectively. The Theology department of the University of Aafensenn strongly believe based on their research that there is a direct correlation between the rising power of the aristocrats of Astem relative to the Church, likely instigated by the abolishment of the Moral Caste System, and the adoption of Ishtar and Lot, the reasoning being that the Astemmian aristocrats needed a new divine system to justify their widespread libertine behaviour, adultery, out-of-wedlock births, and accumulation of luxuries; so “killed” their previous gods associated with fidelity and rational market efficiency, replacing them with the decadence associated with other backwards societies such as the tyrannical Demon Empire.

Others merely state that these religious changes were motivated by pure geopolitics, to justify the growing relations between the Kingdom of Astem and the Demon Empire, which by all accounts seem to be strengthening relations in an effort to maintain slavery and tyranny in the Central Kingdoms region against possible Yankeevine intervention, now that in recent years the Yankeevine Empire has revived much of its military and economic prominence. The Kingdom of Astem has done something previously thought unthinkable, even amongst their own kind: in the year 400AS, only two years from the publishing of this book, they have betrothed their Second Princess, Circe de Meer, to the “Black Prince” Soleiman Urzlong och Sarut, a decision met with controversy and disapproval in all but the most liberal circles of the aristocracy and government. Soleiman's military campaigns in recent years have been regarded as quite impressive, even by Yankeevine generals and experts, and he is considered the most likely heir to the Sarutishkin throne despite its infamously labyrinthine succession process; so it comes with some concern that should war come again against the southern barbarians, we will almost certainly face this fearsome opponent.

See The World in Brief, Volume III, for a more detailed account of the Demonic Empire, its history, and its culture and political system.

Regardless of reasons – for historical events rarely have but one cause – the religious upheaval that followed both the Gnostic War and The Thaw was vast and history-altering. Outsiders were exterminated en masse in the Central Kingdoms, and The Inquisition was formed from various veterans of the Gnostic War to hunt them down to this day. The Central Kingdoms, including Astem, themselves fought a series of religious civil wars known as the Brüderkrieg over disagreement on the inclusion of the gods Ishtar and Lot – a disagreement we believe originated with the Wachstaatian clerical class' attempts to block the libertine tendencies of the aristocrats from replacing their previously astute values. For more on Wachstaat, the “Brother Wars” of the Central Kingdoms, and their aftermath, see page 223.

Those who continued to follow the beliefs of Isekai Cults or worship of the Outer Pantheon were persecuted or forced into exodus into the Yankeevine Empire and Generic City – in particular the Kiristians, whose successful proselytization during the period of Yankeevine control saw resentful Creatorist priests launch a campaign of terror against them. During this period, the Kingdom of Astem also saw a large influx of migrants from the Yankeevine Empire, mostly followers of the various Creator cults of the north, who were legally labelled as dangerous cults following their attempts to attack Outsiders. This emigration has created significant ethnic changes along the southern border of the Yankeevine Empire and the northern border of the Kingdom of Astem, where its populations in essence switched places with one another.

In the current year of 402AS or 97 Thaw, it seems that war is inevitable between the Yankeevine Empire and the Kingdom of Astem. The Thing remains divided between pro-war and pro-peace factions, with the foremost advocate of peace, Chief Lawspeaker Junko Lovesong-Ikeda, predicted to soon lose control of the Upper House, the Gamer Faction in particular increasingly turning against her with claims of her being a “Thot” (see Outsider Glossary, page 420) and calling for a vote of No Confidence. At the time of writing, it appears that either Kazuo Bethune of the Intellectuals Faction or xX_H170K1R1_Xx of the Gamer Faction will succeed her, both of whom are advocates for war against the Kingdom of Astem.

With this in mind, it is only a matter of who shall gain the courage to fire the first shot – and when.
 
CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, APPRAISAL AT THE ACADEMY V
CASE II: No Otome Game, Appraisal at the Academy V

[X] Ask Averink if anything in the appraisals stands out to him.
[X][Madelien] Approve the Appraisal without further investigation.
[X][Rosemarijn] Approve the Appraisal, and interview Rosemarijn individually.
[X][Circe] Approve the Appraisal, interview Circe individually, question Circe's friends, servants, and retainers.



~~~​


After what seemed like the longest time, you looked away from the document.

There was silence, for a good couple minutes. Averink was looking at you with unblinking eyes. “You see it, right?” his thoughts raced.

You nodded, slowly.

What was written did not, without a doubt, signify anything. A routine Appraisal like this did not prove Possession with complete certainty. It was only a tool that indicated the need for further investigation. Few things absolutely declared someone possessed by an Isekai – the sudden change of an elemental affinity was one, for example. Unfortunately, elemental affinity shifts were not common, as Possession Isekais often possessed those with similar affinities to themselves. It was… almost as if Isekais were placed in a host suited for them. The horrible theory that there was some malign intelligence that watched over and controlled Isekai possession was one that some radicals in the Inquisition considered, but rejected by most as a blasphemous notion akin to Yankeevine Isekai-worship.

That said, the Second Princess’s appraisal document was, simply put, unusual. Her shift of Alignment from [REDACTED] to Chaotic Good within the timespan of a few years. The sudden drop in her Destiny attribute… her abandoning her previous patron deity… her skills. How does one go from proficient to incompetent in fashion so… so suddenly? You were not exactly… ahem, as fashion-conscious as the noble ladies, but you sincerely doubted someone could move so absolutely backwards.

Perhaps… perhaps her knowledge of demon culture came from her betrothed? You had heard that a Demon Prince had visited Astem some years ago, which you now assumed was Prince Soleiman. So perhaps her skill had deteriorated with time? After all, trends in fashion changed with the wind; perhaps she had simply stopped keeping up with them.

Even her class skills made you wonder. Why was “Earth Bump” of all things so high after just gaining the Earth affinity? Particularly when you knew from your own experiences with Circe that she was very fixated on those fireballs of hers, even if she wasn’t very good at aiming them.

Alone, one of these abnormalities could be ignored, but placed in context, combined with the others, even combined with your personal history with the Princess and how she should be acting, and how she normally was…

You froze. Time slowed down. If you tried to arrest her now… what would happen?

You looked once more at the document. Two protective crests. If Circe was in severe danger, a Basilisk would appear to defend her, or she would be spirited away to wherever the Prince was… The Appraisal files said it was within a certain distance, but you had no idea what that distance was or where the Prince was. The Basilisk you were quite sure was in Astoria somewhere, as you remember Circe threatening to sicc her “pet snakey” on those who displeased her.

If she went to the Prince… you, or more likely senior members of the Inquisition, could perhaps persuade him on the circumstances of her arrival. The Basilisk, though? That thing would kill you on Circe’s command, without it even. With these protections, you wagered this must be why Circe had not been assassinated. Lady Luck had dealt you a bad hand of cards on this case, it seemed. You had found an Isekai quite easily and then could do nothing about it!

Nothing yet, at least.

“What – what do you think of it, Mr Averink?” you asked him. “What do you think of the appraisal?”

He continued to look at you. He stuttered for a moment.

“It – it looks fine! Perfectly fine. Yes. We shall proceed as normal, I think.”

“Are you kidding?!” you could hear him think.

Meanwhile, the three ladies sat at the desks in silence, waiting to be dismissed. Rosemarijn had her hands neatly folded in her lap, but you still had the feeling that she was quietly observing and memorising everyone in the room. Madelein was more obviously impatient to be done, her arms crossed. Circe leaned over, her head in her hand, looking as if she was about to fall asleep from boredom. She raised her head and fluttered her hand in front of her mouth, giving you an exaggerated yawn.

“You may go,” Averink told them, motioning with his hand toward the door. “Please stay on school grounds for the rest of the day; you may be needed for further questioning.”

Rosemarijn did a curtsy, and as quickly as possible passed by the still sitting Princess, and left first. Madelein followed after a more formal leave-taking. The Princess stood and gave a dramatically exaggerated stretch, then walked out, followed by the line of uniformed knights and the Minister of Education.

“And good day to you, Pieter,” the Minister said, before closing the door behind him.

No one spoke for some time after the doors closed behind the guards, minister, and trio of students. There was a thick and heavy silence, as though someone had died. Averink finally got up and left the room himself to find the next three students on the list.





“So…” Theodore spoke first. “I take it that something really bad has just gone down?”

“From the look on her face, I'd say so,” Alizea replied. “The question is, what do we do next?”

You made a note to investigate the Princess most thoroughly, while you still could under the confines of this case, before this matter went… much higher than you. Question all retainers, friends, and paramours – a very large list, although it depended on who you could get your hands on. You also decided to interview Rosemarijn as well; given the burning anger she clearly held, perhaps she could provide further insight. Perhaps even a Mental Dive was in order, if you could get it.

Whatever action you took, you would have to handle it very delicately, before you became snake food – or worse.

As for Madelien, you saw nothing particularly unusual or worthy of further investigation in her Appraisal document. If you or another Inquisitorial Party took the Philanthropist Duke Case, perhaps she would be helpful then, but this matter was not of present concern.

You collected yourself, and breathed deeply, before applying seal and signature to all three of the Appraisal documents. “We will move on to the next batch of Appraisals. For now, that is all we will do.”

Your agents nodded.

You looked down at the paperwork, flipping through the binders. “Our next batch is Aoileann nic Murchaidh, Annelijn de Osveld, and… what random student did we select?”

Yasmijn looked through another folder of notes and supplied a name. “Stefan von Kürschner.”

That was quite the “random” student. “Of course it is…” you muttered to yourself.

“You recognise the name.” Yasmijn said. It was not a question.

“Yes. Yes, I do,” you said.

“Wow, really? Because I mean, I’ve been hearing a lot about this guy, and I did not take you as the type of girl to –” Theodore said, trailing off when you glared at him. “Okay then. You want us to pick someone else?”

“No. Keep him, he was randomly selected, it should not affect our decisions if I knew who he was or not. Also, he will almost certainly end up being interviewed by us later anyway,” you said.

Stefan von Kürschner. The Bastard Baron of Volkerheim, the Wachstaat Rooster, the Next Caresser, and a host of other ribald nicknames. He was one of the very special group of boys that would simply not leave you alone during your student years. Him, alongside those three other boys would follow you everywhere, constantly try to make… indecent requests, give you gifts…

You understood that it was your Attractor Trait that did this to them. That it was a false infatuation born of forces neither they nor you could control. But you did not consciously use it as others, like Isekais such as that ambassador, did. In fact, you considered the trait more a curse than a blessing. And Stefan was the worst of them all. While the others had subconsciously resisted the Attractor… he had basked in it. In essence, he was a rake, someone who would be acting that way even without the Attractor.

And of course, he did. With many, many girls. Outrageous rumours were sometimes more right than even the gossiper knows, unfortunately. You had never partaken in anything of that nature with him or anyone, perhaps because of the Attractor you held, the guilt and sense of responsibility over it keeping any romantic desires of yours at a distant arm's reach.

It was hard to love when you knew your very existence was a walking love potion, a living mockery of romance. How were you ever to know if another's feelings for you were genuine or the product of magical mind trickery, when not even your empathic vision could tell the difference?

Stefan at least may well prove useful. You could not say anything of him being a secret isekai or not, but he would certainly have a host of knowledge on… quite a few ladies on this list, of this you were quite certain.

“Isn't that a Wachstaatian name?” Theodore asked. “Thought Astem and Wachstaat were on the outs these days.”

“They are,” Alizea said. “But not all of their nobles supported the coup, or the treaty with Yankeevine.”

“Stefan’s father was the infamous Johann the Caresser, if I remember correctly,” you said. “Oh, and he was a royalist, even went into self-exile to the Demon Empire after the coup, and wrote several… very colourful books.”

“Yeah, okay. I know who this is now. Wow, we're meeting a bastard son of the Caresser, what a day.”

“So. About the rumours,” Yasmijn said, steering the conversation back on track.

“Most are probably true, if they're about Stefan.”

“Even the ones about him and the guys?” Theo asked. “I mean, he’s apparently sleeping with everyone in the school, you included, right now. Just sayin’, because if he’s with the guys too, maybe we’ve found our Fujo?”

You closed your eyes, as you realised you were being silly. “I apologise, I was exaggerating. No, I would not trust everything they say about him. From what I remember of him, he was never… interested in other men, so if this turns out to be the case, we may be onto something, although I admit I do not know everything about him. Honestly, I tried my best to avoid him.”

“What about the others? The other two?” Alizea asked.

You looked down at the list again. “Of Aoileann, I have no memory. Anneljin, I do not remember from my Academy days either, however I am pretty sure this is the appraised archenemy of Azaze,” you said, looking over that document to confirm. “It is.”

“So, I am going to go ahead and guess Annelijn is our almost dragon food.”

“She is. The girls kept mentioning it when I asked about her. The boy they were fighting over was of course von Kürschner. They also wanted to make sure that I knew she was a troublemaker and a delinquent who sleeps with stableboys, commoners, and demihumans and…” Yasmijn sighed. “Why are humans all like this? In Hirulia, we hold hands until marriage,” she said. You were not aware she was from Hirulia, or at least that was what she claimed.

“Too much Ishtar in them I’d say, we aren’t all like this in Yankeevine either… Except maybe the Isekais, not all that different than here,” Theodore shrugged.

“An excess of prudishness isn't exactly a good thing, either,” Alizea said.

“Of course you'd say that. Tourish are right next to Astemmians when it comes to being lousy with Ishtar worship.” Theodore checked the list again. “Oh, right. And Aoi… Aoileann. She’s a foreign student from Cockaigne and also… an Emite?”

“You don’t know what an Emite is?” Alizea asked, baffled. Theodore not knowing much about the culture of the southern lands made sense, but Emites were far more widespread than just Astem.

“I mean, maybe I do, under another name? I haven’t heard of anything called an Emite in Yankeevine.”

“They are basically just half-demon, half-humans. Crossbreeds, like Demihumans started as crossbreeds between Monstrines and humans,” you answered matter of factly.

“Oooooh. Right, I getcha. Okay, so, we don’t make any distinction between… Emites and, well, you guys,” Theodore tried to explain. “I mean, not Yasmijn, who’s Demihuman, but you two. Humans of Astem and Tourine are also Emites, to us, even if a lot more distantly. Our scientists say your ancestors mated with demons back in the day, that's why you all have those huge –”

“Thank you for enlightening us on Yankeevine… science,” Yasmijn cut in, rolling her eyes.

“But, yeah. So she’s an Emite from Cockaigne. Apparently she’s a big fan of your culture, loves art and painting, helps take care of the flower and herb gardens. Has her hair in the Astemmian style, you know the one. She has some rumours about her which make more sense now that I know what an Emite is, but otherwise she seems to be well liked, the girls didn’t seem particularly interested in insulting her – and not for the reason that Princess had them all silent either, they just liked her, I guess.” Theodore paused to think. “Oh. right, if she’s… an Emite, do we have to worry about her turning into a dragon on us? Another whats-her-name, Azaze?” he finished.

“Maybe… Some Emites can still transform, usually if they are the direct children of a Nephilim parent… I think they are called Eliouds then, though. If they are more human-descending, they should be listed as Emites. I can check the old Appraisal if need be,” you answered him. Theo did not look particularly reassured at this.

“Thank you, I think that they are here now,” you said as you heard a knock on the door. Despite your seeming annoyance, you found the back-and-forth bantering of your agents a relief. The alternative would be dwelling upon the absurd prospect of actually dying a horrible death in a routine school inspection… because a Princess, of all people, could be an Isekai.

Without your agents talking, your thoughts dwelled some more on the Princess. The door was opened and Averink walked in again, his face and aura showing stress from the revelation he too had noticed. The fear you felt entering the room was not a student’s, but his. As the three students walked into the room, you were distracted. Wondering about the princess, how she acted. Didn’t she seem different to you? Shouldn’t she have said one of her catch phrases, or done a tic of hers… or something of that nature? You felt as if you had been caught in a trap; everything you said or saw of her became a riddle, a riddle inspired by fear that whether you were wrong – or right – you may very well be in grave danger. You had to leave it to your superiors, you… this was just like the Yankeevine Ambassador. Just treat this like him, you reassured yourself. The Inquisition would see your report, and know what to do.

“Inquisitor Visser?” a voice asked.

You looked, and noticed the three students had already been seated. Appraiser Lotte was standing again, having silently rested for the short time she could. She too, had an aura of fear. She had read and replicated the Appraisal after all – she too knew what it could mean.

“Oh, right, yes. Sorry. I was…thinking.”

“Lizzy, nice and petite, the complete opposite… maybe… maybe I could get Circe and Liz in and…” were the first thoughts you heard from the students. You flinched, for you could almost see outlines of Stefan’s imagination upon hearing his thoughts. You would normally be proud that you were developing your telepathy skills further… if the first thing you saw was not a fictitious and lurid scene of that kind. You hoped that Stefan did not notice the pained, and vaguely nauseous, expression on your face.

From that Yankeevine ambassador to Stefan, you were getting used to reading men's lewd internal monologues. At least Stefan had the excuse of being under the influence of your Otome Attractor. You could feel an unnatural attraction rise in him, combined with a hyperfixation on you. He was staring at you with wide eyes, and his aura was the bright pink of devotion. It was not to the worshipful extent that the boy ambassador had caused, but you imagined it could be if you did not try to obstruct its influence over others.

Of course, part of it was also Stefan himself. He didn’t need you manipulating his emotions for him to be rakish.

Removed from your brooding over the previous Appraisal, you now had time to look over the new appraisees properly, having forgotten to do so as they entered.

Sitting to the left was Stefan. He was as you remembered him, if a bit taller and his face more matured as he was now on the cusp of adulthood. He had dark hair, and sharp blue eyes akin to those of a hunter. He wore a curious expression of something between stoic disinterest and smug self-assuredness. Even you had to admit he was quite handsome, and had that dark swagger that was reminiscent of Theodore’s demon disguise – although instead of the muscularity that Theodore projected, he had a lean, toned build. When you were in the Academy, it was gossiped that Stefan was an Emite bastard, or even a full demon, as his father was infamous for his many affairs with demon ladies. You knew this was of course not the case, and perhaps wishful thinking from the girls who fancied demon bachelors, but he certainly had the presence and demeanour of one.

There were even certain girls who chased after him for allegedly having a demon’s…

Oh.

And then it came to you. You just realised, after all this time, what it was that Theodore had altered in his glamoured disguise back then, what Alizea had giggled about and what Yasmijn called you a nun over. It seemed it always did come back to this, one way or another. You remembered overhearing Circe once, telling her friends that Stefan had made a Warlock's Contract with Ishtar for his… endowments. For your part, you were never interested in verifying this for yourself, even if he'd been happy to offer the chance. It was a common rumour spread about others, including the Mariette girl you had appraised not so long ago. While you yourself did not care for such matters, it seemed the entire world around you certainly did.

You looked over at the next desk, currently occupied by a girl with long, pale blonde hair neatly arranged in several grand ringlet curls and crowned with a circlet of braided gold. She sat calmly, hands folded in her lap, and looked every bit a typical Astemmian lady of the Great Houses, except that her white dress bared quite a bit more skin than was considered proper in Astem. Not only did it show off a considerable amount of cleavage, but the skirt of purple silk barely covered enough to make her decent, putting her hips and thigh-high stockings on full display. This must be Lady Aoileann nic Murchaidh; the Kingdom of Cockaigne followed the Church of the Mixed Pantheon, and had been ruled by a demon tyrant until only a few decades ago, which would explain the unusual choice of dress. In the Demon Empire, it was socially expected that both men and women would be in… a considerable extent of undress, with men showing off their bare chest and abdominal muscles, and women wearing what amounted to highly decorative undergarments. While Astem had taken on elements of their culture, it had not taken it as far as Cockaigne had, although under the circumstances it wasn’t as if they had much of a choice in the matter.

At the third desk, then, was Annelijn de Osveld. She leaned back in the chair, crossing her arms and placing her feet up on the desk. Her pink dress, trimmed in white lace and bows, also displayed cleavage but was much more representative of typical Astemmian fashion. However, unlike Aoileann’s curls, Annelijn’s long golden hair was straight, with some of it arranged in two buns, and while Aoileann was proper and ladylike, you saw in Annelijn why the other girls had apparently called her a “delinquent.”

You busied yourself with looking at the old Appraisal files and reading their surface thoughts and emotions. Aoileann showed curiosity, but was otherwise serene. Stefan… well, you preferred not to dwell upon his thoughts for long. You were not looking forward to the prospect of a personal interview with him.

The silence was suddenly interrupted.

“Excuse me, Lady Inquisitor… are you going to start soon, or are we going to sit here until Styx takes us?”

You looked up to see Annelijn, whose aura was the soft red of annoyance and boredom.

“The Appraisal will start when it starts,” Averink snapped. “And kindly get your feet off of the desk and sit properly.”

Annelijn rolled her eyes and slid her feet off the desk, but still leaned back in the chair. Once Averink turned back to his notes, Annelijn stuck her tongue out at him.

Once more, Lotte recited the formalities of the Appraisal Ceremony. They were not to speak or move, sit quietly and still, eyes closed, until directed; that they would be Appraised together but for privacy, nothing would be communicated about it until they were alone, and that they may be needed afterward for individual interviews, and that some of their retainers and friends may or may not be asked to speak with the Inquisition to give further clarity.

The circle of bright white lights and runes appeared once again, surrounding the students. Lotte alternated between looking up at the invisible information and writing it down. Annelijn fidgeted in her seat.

Meanwhile, you continued to read the old Appraisal files. First, Annelijn. Her skill at noble customs and etiquette was rated at “Incompetent.” You had only met her for a few minutes, but you were not surprised at all. Additionally, her charisma score was below average, certainly not a score you would have expected to see on the Appraisal file of an aristocratic young lady. Other than that, her magical skills were quite well-developed, and she seemed otherwise highly intelligent, which didn’t fit at all with the image of a typical “delinquent” your mind had conjured up. You wrote down “investigate further” in your notes, as you thought her behaviour might be worth looking into more closely. She was another fire affinity too.

Then, Aoileann. A mixed class, which was rather unusual, but not enough to raise suspicion of itself. She had an air affinity – one of the elements said to be “aggressive” rather than "passive."

Finally, Stefan. One thing in his file immediately stood out to you: “Otome Target: -25% resistance to Otome Attractor.” This certainly explained some things – such as why the Academy’s greatest womaniser had always been so infatuated with you. Another matter of interest you noticed, was his archenemy. Adriaan de Vandewiele, the bastard half-brother of Marijke de Vandewiele, whom you read just before as Annelijn’s archenemy. Adriaan you remembered from your student days. Very tall and muscular, brooding and stern – of similar demeanour to Stefan actually, now that you thought about it. He was older than you, so you did not run into him often enough to have him chase you too, fortunately. You were… pretty sure he graduated to become a Templar Knight, like Lady Luttefmont-Furholjan. You remembered that there was somewhat of a scandal when the Marquis de Vandewiele petitioned the Queen to have the taint of bastardy removed from Adriaan so he could become the heir to his lands.

Once again, the light faded. Lotte handed you the new Appraisal forms, and went to the desk to pour herself another glass of water, her hands shaking slightly. She slumped into the chair, and her breathing seemed even heavier. Beads of sweat slid down her face, as if she had just sprinted for miles.

“I am afraid that is all the Appraisals I have in me for today, Lady Inquisitor,” Lotte said.

“Don’t worry, you’ve done well,” you reassured her. “Please take the rest of the day to rest and eat.”

You looked out of the window. Since you started late to begin with, it was already late in the afternoon.

“Thank you for your cooperation,” you told the students. “Remember, you may be needed for further information, so please stay on the school grounds.”

Aoileann promptly stood, giving you a curtsy before walking out the door. “Good day, Lady Inquisitor,” she said in a lilting accent. “This was quite interesting.” Annelijn gave you a much clumsier curtsy before leaving.

Stefan was much more reluctant, his eyes fixed upon you and a soft smile on his face. He seemed not to have heard or noticed anything in the room but you.

“I would never wish to leave your side, Inquisitor Lizzy.”

“By the Gods, boy, don’t you see she has a job to do?” Averink snapped.

Theodore stood and walked over to Stefan. With his glamour, he was much taller than the young baron. Theo cracked his knuckles for dramatic effect. “Would you like me to escort Mr von Kürschner out, Lady Inquisitor?”

Alizea also stood, looking to you for instructions.

You sighed. Stefan was no threat to you, just a silly, lovesick boy. “I think Mr von Kürschner knows when his presence is no longer desired,” you said.

“Well, when you change your mind, you know where to find me,” Stefan said, giving you a wink and a friendly wave, and finally walking out the door.

As the door closed behind him, you turned to your agents.

“After I review and certify these Appraisals, let’s take an hour’s break for a meal and prayer,” you said. Everyone seemed extremely relieved to hear this. “Then, we will investigate today’s Appraised students further, and start personal interviews. I would like you to tour the grounds, observe the students, and gather as much information as you can. Meanwhile, Mr Averink and I will discuss his research and conduct interviews with… students of interest.”

With that, you lit the candle and melted the wax, unrolling the new Appraisal files.

Annelijn de Osveld - The Flameheart

Name: Annelijn de Osveld
Title: The Flameheart
Position: Student at the Academy of Light
Sex: Female
Age: 15 years old
Classes: Lvl 15 Mage
Nationality: Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Fire, ??? (Undiscovered Affinity)
Race & Origin: Human - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through Appraisal)

Annelijn I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: N/A
Alignment: Chaotic Good

Strength: 10 (Average)
Perception: 9 (Average)
Dexterity: 11 (Average)
Constitution: 10 (Average)
Intelligence: 17 (Proficient)
Willpower: 12 (Average)
Charisma: 8 (Below Average)
Destiny: 10 (Average)

Skills:
-Mage: Channel Mana (Above Average)
-Mage: Lesser Enchantment (Above Average)
-Mage: Enchant Barrier (Proficient)
-Mage: Mana Bolt (Above Average)
-Mage: Rapid Evocation (Average)
-Fire Mage: Heat (Above Average)
-Fire Mage: Ignite (Proficient)
-Fire Mage: Sparks (Above Average)
-Fire Mage: Fireball (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [human] (Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Poetry and Literature - Central Kingdoms (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Astemmian] (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Magical Theory & Holy Statistics (Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Incompetent)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Below Average)
-Skill: Intimidation, Coercion and Bullying (Below Average)
-Skill: Performance, Drama and Theatrics (Below Average)
-Skill: Feminine Arts (Average)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Below Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Persuasion, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Incompetent)
-Skill: Oratorial [Public Speaking] (Incompetent)
-Skill: Riding [Horses] (Average)

Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is Aoedia, Goddess of Musicians and Artists


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I swear and certify with the Gods as witness that these records are true and accurate to the best of my ability.
Appraised by Nicholaas Teunissijn, Head of Recordkeeping
Approved by Iwan Braamkolk, Inquisitor First Rank, on behalf of the Holy Church

Annelijn de Osveld - The Flameheart

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Name: Annelijn de Osveld
Title: The Flameheart
Position: Student at the Academy of Light
Sex: Female
Age: 17 years old
Classes: Lvl 19 Mage
Nationality: Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Fire, Light
Race & Origin: Human - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through Appraisal)

Annelijn I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Annelijn X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: Marijke de Vandewiele
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Strength: 10 (Average)
Perception: 9 (Average)
Dexterity: 13 (Above Average)
Constitution: 11 (Average)
Intelligence: 17 (Proficient)
Willpower: 13 (Above Average)
Charisma: 8 (Below Average)
Destiny: 14 (Above Average)

Skills:
-Mage: Channel Mana (Proficient)
-Mage: Lesser Enchantment (Above Average)
-Mage: Enchant Barrier (Highly Proficient)
-Mage: Mana Bolt (Above Average)
-Mage: Rapid Evocation (Proficient)
-Fire Mage: Heat (Above Average)
-Fire Mage: Drain Heat (Average)
-Fire Mage: Ignite (Proficient)
-Fire Mage: Sparks (Above Average)
-Fire Mage: Fireball (Proficient)
-Light Mage: Flash (Highly Proficient)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [human] (Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Average)
-Knowledge: Poetry and Literature - Central Kingdoms (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Astemmian] (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Magical Theory & Holy Statistics (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Incompetent)
-Knowledge: Statecraft (Incompetent)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Below Average)
-Skill: Intimidation, Coercion and Bullying (Average)
-Skill: Performance, Drama and Theatrics (Below Average)
-Skill: Feminine Arts (Below Average)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Below Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Persuasion, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Incompetent)
-Skill: Oratorial [Public Speaking] (Incompetent)
-Skill: Riding [Horses] (Average)

Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is Aoedia, Goddess of Musicians and Artists

Special Status Trait: Ingested Silphium: This individual is currently under the effect of Silphium, a plant often used in perfume, seasoning and in particular herbal medicine for its use as a contraceptive or abortifacient. It has further uses as an aphrodisiac.

With this information [Annelijn], you decide to:
[ ] Approve the Appraisal without further investigation.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, and interview Annelijn individually.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, interview Annelijn individually, question Annelijn’s friends, servants, and retainers.
[ ] Command Appraiser Eikehouten to use a more intense Greater Appraisal on Annelijn, which may provide further information at the cost of putting greater strain on the inexperienced Appraiser.
[ ] Write-in

Aoileann nic Murchaidh - The Flower Maiden


Name: Aoileann nic Murchaidh
Title: The Flower Maiden
Position: Student at the Academy of the Arcane
Sex: Female
Age: 14 years old
Level: 10
Classes: Lvl 7 Priest, Lvl 3 Hunter
Nationality: Kingdom of Cockaigne
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Air, ??? (Undiscovered Affinity)
Race & Origin: Emite - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through Appraisal)

Aoileann I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: N/A
Alignment: Chaotic Good

Strength: 11 (Average)
Perception: 13 (Above Average)
Dexterity: 10 (Average)
Constitution: 11 (Average)
Intelligence: 14 (Above Average)
Willpower: 12 (Average)
Charisma: 17 (Proficient)
Destiny: 13 (Above Average)

Skills:
-Priest: Lesser Heal (Below Average)
-Priest: Sense Disease (Average)
-Priest: Sense Poison (Above Average)
-Air Priest: Holy Incense (Average)
-Air Priest: Lighten Load (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Botany and Agriculture (Average)
-Knowledge: Mixed Pantheon Theology (Proficient)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [human] (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [demon] (Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Average)
-Knowledge: Poetry and Literature - Central Kingdoms (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Astemmian] (Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Cockaigne] (Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Statecraft (Incompetent)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Above Average)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Below Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Persuasion, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Public Speaking] (Average)
-Skill: Riding [Horses] (Average)


Faith: Mixed Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is Laeshaan, Goddess of Life and Nature.


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I swear and testify with all in the Heavens and Hells as my witness that these records are true and accurate to the best of my ability.
Appraised by Breas Ó Cuana
Approved by Róisín níc Muiris, Inquisitor Second Rank, on behalf of the Church of the Mixed Pantheon
Aoileann nic Murchaidh - The Flower Maiden
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Name: Aoileann nic Murchaidh
Title: The Flower Maiden
Position: Student at the Academy of Light
Sex: Female
Age: 17 years old
Level: 14
Classes: Lvl 9 Priest, Lvl 5 Hunter
Nationality: Kingdom of Cockaigne
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Air, Wood
Race & Origin: Emite - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through Appraisal)

Aoileann I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Aoileann X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: N/A
Alignment: Chaotic Good

Strength: 11 (Average)
Perception: 13 (Above Average)
Dexterity: 11 (Average)
Constitution: 11 (Average)
Intelligence: 14 (Above Average)
Willpower: 12 (Average)
Charisma: 18 (Proficient)
Destiny: 13 (Above Average)

Skills:
-Priest: Lesser Heal (Average)
-Priest: Sense Disease (Average)
-Priest: Sense Poison (Above Average)
-Air Priest: Holy Incense (Average)
-Air Priest: Lighten Load (Average)
-Wood Priest: Bloom (Proficient)
-Hunter: Hunter’s Hatred [Weeds] (Proficient)
-Wood Hunter: Forest Whisperer (Average)
-Knowledge: Botany and Agriculture (Proficient)
-Knowledge: Mixed Pantheon Theology (Proficient)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [human] (Proficient)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [demon] (Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Poetry and Literature - Central Kingdoms (Proficient)
-Knowledge: Law [Astemmian] (Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Cockaigne] (Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Statecraft (Below Average)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Above Average)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Persuasion, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Above Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Public Speaking] (Average)
-Skill: Riding [Horses] (Average)

Faith: Mixed Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is Laeshaan, Goddess of Life and Nature.

With this information [Aoileann], you decide to:
[ ] Approve the Appraisal without further investigation.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, and interview Aoileann individually.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, interview Aoileann individually, question Aoileann’s friends, servants, and retainers.
[ ] Command Appraiser Eikehouten to use a more intense Greater Appraisal on Aoileann, which may provide further information at the cost of putting greater strain on the inexperienced Appraiser.
[ ] Write-in

Stefan von Kürschner - The Bastard Baron


Name: Stefan von Kürschner
Title (Actual): The Bastard Baron
Position: Baron Presumptive of the Barony of Volkerheim, Student at the Academy of Light
Sex: Male
Age: 16 years old
Level: 18
Classes: Lvl 18 Warlock
Nationality: Union of Wachstaat (formerly); Demonic Empire of the Sarutishkin (formerly); Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Fire, Darkness


Race & Origin: Human - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

Stefan I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: Adriaan de Vandewiele
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Strength: 11 (Average)
Perception: 12 (Average)
Dexterity: 13 (Above Average)
Constitution: 12 (Average)
Intelligence: 13 (Above Average)
Willpower: 9 (Average)
Charisma: 19 (Proficient)
Destiny: 14 (Above Average)

Skills
-Weapon Proficiency - Firearms (Average)
-Warlock: Otherworldly Patron [Ishtar] (Average)
-Warlock: Curse of Weakness (Below Average)
-Warlock: Curse of Hunger (Average)
-Warlock: Summon [Lust] Imp (Proficient)
-Warlock: Blood Sacrifice (Incompetent)
-Fire Warlock: Lesser Fiend Fire Hex (Average)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Average)
-Knowledge: Demon Pantheon Theology (Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [human] (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [demon] (Above Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Average)
-Knowledge: Poetry and Literature - Central Kingdoms (Average)
-Knowledge: Poetry and Literature - Demonic Empire (Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Astemmian] (Average)
-Knowledge: Military Tactics (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Average)
-Knowledge: Statecraft (Average)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Above Average)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Persuasion, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Proficient)
-Skill: Oratorial [Public Speaking] (Average)
-Skill: Riding [Horses] (Proficient)
-Skill: Hunting (Proficient)
-Skill: Riding [War-beast] (Average)
-Skill: Seduction (Master)
-Resistance: Attractor Traits (Below Average)

Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is Ishtar, Goddess of Love and Sensuality

Special Flaw (non-racial): Otome Target - -25% resistance to Otome Attractor. This individual possesses a trait which makes him exceptionally vulnerable to girls with the Otome Attractor trait.


FtxQLIxMw-J7tSPKPyURM_Aall7PyVhqDWOvMBpEkFAUAcUM8sL9D-_jJq-eC_zFCXhCAnKnBMHL5R7fE2qa-ShRCGFp65VlH8D5f5LSKFVun7a6JeYJWdOEdHO5sjDWcQ

I swear and certify with the Gods as witness that these records are true and accurate to the best of my ability.
Appraised by Nicholaas Teunissijn, Head of Recordkeeping
Approved by Fierro Dante, Inquisitor Second Rank, on behalf of the Holy Church
Stefan von Kürschner - The Bastard Baron
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Name: Stefan von Kürschner
Title (Actual): The Bastard Baron
Position: Baron Presumptive of the Barony of Volkerheim, Student at the Academy of Light
Sex: Male
Age: 18 years old
Level: 25
Classes: Lvl 25 Warlock
Nationality: Union of Wachstaat (formerly); Demonic Empire of the Sarutishkin (formerly); Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Fire, Darkness


Race & Origin: Contracted Human - Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

Stefan I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan II: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
Stefan X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: Prince Ludomir Dąbrowski
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Strength: 12 (Average)
Perception: 12 (Average)
Dexterity: 12 (Average)
Constitution: 13 (Above Average)
Intelligence: 13 (Above Average)
Willpower: 9 (Average)
Charisma: 23 (Master)
Destiny: 17 (Proficient)

Skills
-Weapon Proficiency - Firearms (Average)
-Warlock: Blood Sacrifice (Below Average)
-Warlock: Curse of Weakness (Average)
-Warlock: Curse of Hunger (Average)
-Warlock: Fear (Average)
-Warlock: Otherworldly Patron [Ishtar] (Proficient)
-Warlock: Summon [Lust] Imp (Proficient)
-
Fire Warlock: Lesser Fiend Fire Hex (Average)
-Fire Warlock: Burn Mana (Average)
-Darkness Warlock: Embrace Sin [Lust] (Highly Proficient)
-Darkness Warlock: Curse of Pain (Average)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Average)
-Knowledge: Demon Pantheon Theology (Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [human] (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [demon] (Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Average)
-Knowledge: Poetry and Literature - Central Kingdoms (Average)
-Knowledge: Poetry and Literature - Demonic Empire (Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Astemmian] (Average)
-Knowledge: Military Tactics (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Average)
-Knowledge: Statecraft (Average)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Above Average)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Persuasion, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Proficient)
-Skill: Oratorial [Public Speaking] (Average)
-Skill: Riding [Horses] (Proficient)
-Skill: Hunting (Proficient)
-Skill: Riding [War-beast] (Average)
-Skill: Seduction (Master)
-Resistance: Attractor Traits (Below Average)

Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: UNKNOWN), Patron Deity is Ishtar, Goddess of Love and Sensuality


Special Status Trait (Permanent): Grand Boon of Ishtar - This individual has been bestowed a Grand Boon by the Goddess Ishtar in exchange for UNKNOWN (Requires more powerful Greater Appraisal to see). Ishtar’s Grand Boon has been gifted in the form of a UNKNOWN equivalent to that of a male Nephilim Lord.

Special Flaw (non-racial): Otome Target - -25% resistance to Otome Attractor. This individual possesses a trait which makes him exceptionally vulnerable to girls with the Otome Attractor trait.

With this information [Stefan], you decide to: (NOTE: Visser has already decided to interview Stefan as part of her decision concerning interviewing those connected to others)
[ ] Approve the Appraisal without further investigation.
[x] Approve the Appraisal, and interview Stefan individually.
[ ] Approve the Appraisal, interview Stefan individually, question Stefan’s friends, servants, and retainers.
[ ] Command Appraiser Eikehouten to use a more intense Greater Appraisal on Stefan, which may provide further information at the cost of putting greater strain on the inexperienced Appraiser.
[ ] Write-in
 
The Kingdom of Astem II - Map of Astem
Atlas of the World, The Kingdom of Astem II
Map of the Kingdom of Astem and surrounding lands, Circa 402 AS / 97 Thaw

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Note #1: The Holy City possesses a form of semi-autonomy within the Kingdom of Astem, with its head of state being Pope Lourens de Nijveldt.

Note #2: The 'City of Chains' within the Kingdom of South Perdegehm exists in a highly complicated state. The city itself is occupied and controlled by the Kingdom of South Perdegehm, while the Citadel at the heart of the city remains under the control of the final redoubt of the Kingdom of Lethe, which has been held for decades under a state of semi-siege. The city has widespread slavery despite slavery being illegal in the wider kingdom because the NPC Guards of the city continue to recognise the laws of the Kingdom of Lethe where slavery is legal, and so will attack or arrest police attempting to arrest illegal slave traders. The Police of the City of Chains thus act as a extra-legal guild akin to a Thieves Guild due to the invulnerable NPC Guards protecting the criminals from them in the open. Past attempts to end this by simply conquering the Lethe Citadel typically has resulted in horrific casualties. Due to the above, the City of Chains is a major hub of the slave trade moving between the Demon and Yankeevine Empires.

~~~
(As promised, a map, while waiting for more votes (this was for SB) for the next threadmark. This is just the regional map for now. Keep in mind that the Demon and Yankeevine Empires stretch far off this map, dwarfing Astem considerably).
 
CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, DELIBERATIONS I
CASE II: No Otome Game, Deliberations I

[x] [Azaze] Approve the Appraisal, and interview Azaze individually.
[x] [Rosemarijn] Approve the Appraisal, and interview Rosemarijn individually.
[x] [Stefan] Approve the Appraisal, and interview Stefan individually.
[x] [Justitia] Approve the Appraisal, interview Justitia individually, question Justitia's friends, servants, and retainers.
[x] [Circe] Approve the Appraisal, interview Circe individually, question Circe's friends, servants, and retainers.


~~~​

As you ate your Luncheon, you looked at the list of those students whom you intended to interview for the rest of today. Azaze, Rosemarijn, Stefan, Justitia and Circe… plus those who could be found from Justitia and Circe’s circle of friends and servants.

The Headmaster offered you a seat at the staff table, but you politely declined to maintain your privacy, particularly as you intended to use this time of reprieve to discuss your decisions and discoveries with Averink. He sat nearby, cringing at the taste of the Yankeevine coffee that Theodore had brewed for you both.

“Gugh,” he said, putting the cup of “joe” down. “Atrocious.” Theo surely would have laughed at his expense, if he was here with you rather than fishing for rumours with the students.

“You know, before the Yankeevine came, Luncheon did not even exist,” Averink suddenly said, breaking the silence that had swallowed you all since the Appraisals. His face suddenly turned soft and thoughtful. “It used to be a method for Witch Hunters to detect possession even, back before the Inquisition existed. If a peasant started asking ‘what's for lunch’ or whatnot, they could be caught. May as well be telling everyone that they’d invented Mayonnaise again.”

You looked down at your meal. It was far richer than your childhood meals of porridge at the church and the plain meals of your Inquisitorial career. There was no mayonnaise, but there was a collection of tropical fruits from Megasthenes, bread with butter and strawberry preserves from the southern duchies of Riehterssau, small pastries stuffed with roasted veal, quail eggs, and even a small bowl of Galato with pistachio nuts.

“The Yankeevines left a lot behind,” you said.

“Certainly. Firearms, concrete, mechanical looms… even integral parts of our culture. Did you know that the famous Astemmian war-song, The Mountains Home, may very well have been the invention of an Isekai?”

“I thought the song was written about the War of Astemmian Independence?” you asked, remembering the lyrics of the song. ‘Some folk, never forget. Some kind… never forgive…’

Ah. You suddenly understood. “The song was written by one of the defaced Isekais, who sided with the Astemmians,” you answered yourself. Averink nodded.

“The history of our world and that of the Isekai Realm have been intertwined for millennia. The Yankeevines were just the most… aggressive at spreading and enforcing their ideas and culture. They even claim our equal laws of inheritance are their design, that Queen Cicada de Meer owes her crown to their values rather than the grace of the Gods and the love of her father, King Cirano IV.” He paused and stared at you, no longer interested in his luncheon.

“I want to make this very clear. If the princess is truly an Isekai, then the legitimacy of the entire royal family may be at stake. You understand this, don’t you? That this is now a matter of national security, integrity, even? That whether we are right or wrong, this will attract the attention of forces far more important than a mere Adjutant-Inquisitor and an Isekai Studies researcher.”

“Of course I understand that.” You knew what he was implying. He was suggesting you keep quiet, perhaps even bury this. For the good of the Kingdom and the Alliance.

“But…?” he said, pre-empting a response from you.

(This is a Plan Vote)

A Motivation:


[ ] But, we cannot ignore our moral duty. If the Princess is possessed, we have to help her. It is the right thing to do.
[ ] But, we cannot ignore our obligations. If the Princess is possessed, we are supposed to free her. It is our duty.
[ ] But, allowing an Isekai to possess the Second Princess is an even greater national risk.
[ ] I agree, maintaining national integrity and avoiding civil strife is more important than the Princess being possessed… at least for now.
[ ] Write-in

An Action:

[ ] Stick to the plan. Interview both Circe and her friends, servants and retainers.
[ ] Agree to drop the attempt to investigate Princess’ Circe friends, servants and retainers. Still investigate her anyway.
[ ] Agree to drop all investigations on her, report her appraisal to the Inquisition.
[ ] Drop the case entirely. Let the sleeping dogs lie.
[ ] Write-in
 
CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, INVESTIGATION I
CASE II: No Otome Game, Investigation I

[x] Plan Iron Lady
-[x] Write-in
–[x]But leaving a potential isekai in possession of an innocent (at least compared to an Isekai) that is in line for the throne for the sake of political convenience while another stands outside under the guise of an ambassador trying to get in here while abusing his powers and the local citizenry is cowardly, foolish, morally repugnant, a dereliction of duty, and an incredible security risk.
-[x] Write-in
–[x] Interview Circe, her closest friends, her head servant and retainer (and if any have been replaced recently, them too).
–[x] Have someone look into the headmaster. While he could just be trying to avoid a scandal, he could also be compromised.



~~~​


You shook your head. “But leaving an Isekai to possess the Second Princess would be even more of a risk to the nation. The risks of not doing anything at all… someone so close to possible succession? We can’t just stand idly by to let that happen. And don't you remember that Isekai Ambassador hanging around the Academy gates – could that really be a coincidence?”

You remembered Averink’s own words, when you first met him to discuss his research. “Could you imagine what would happen if the Isekai were allowed to subvert our government? Our education?” he’d asked you. You, word for word, spoke these words back to him.

“A very wise scholar asked you that question when you took his case,” Averink said. “But this is different! This is the Princess! And I do happen to like keeping my head attached to my neck!”

“We are investigating Duchesses and Countesses,” you argued. “Is this not exactly the sort of thing your research was meant to prevent?”

Averink closed his eyes in thought. “You're right, of course. I just never expected this to happen during a simple research outing – but you have your duty, and I’ll assist and protect you however I can.” You could hear him think: “Even though I can’t possibly see this ending well for either of us.”

You turned back to your meal. “Then I will continue with my investigation as planned – interviewing the students whose Appraisals showed suspicious characteristics, as well as the friends and servants of Lady Justitia and Princess Circe.”

“Oh, and about the research,” you said.

“The research, right. Against everything else we’ve learned… ” Averink replied.

“Was this of any use to you? I can give you the notes on the individual interviews after they are done, if that will help any further.”

“I had developed a rough profile of my theoretical possession target, which I used to select the students to be Appraised,” Averink said, handing you a few pages of hastily scribbled notes. “Each of those young ladies exhibited one or more of those characteristics. I will of course make my research notes and my correspondence with Viponde available to you. Oh, and yes, the interviews should help.”

Averink paused.

“I was under the impression we would be preparing for possessions after the storm, not before. At the very least, if what we suspect is true... the Second Princess may be a shining example of my own theory of the Fujo Isekai and its intended victims.”

“You think that future victims could be built around Princess Circe’s Appraisal?” You remembered the different things you had noticed in her previous Appraisal. Fire affinity, bullying, seduction. You mentioned as much.

“We can only speculate now, but yes. If you find other girls with similar Appraisal skills and attributes, make sure they are listed in the at-risk category for future possession… hell, they may even be possessed already.”

You nodded.

“Is there anything else you need, or shall I return to my research?”

You looked at the notes, considering your answer. “I will need your assistance in one last thing, Mr Averink.”

“Yes?” Averink swallowed the last of the coffee, his expression that of a man facing the gallows.

“Can you look into the Academy’s Headmaster?”


~~~​


You walked to the Academy’s courtyard, to collect your thoughts – and the students needed for further questioning. The school hadn’t changed at all since you left – not that you’d exactly expected it to, after all. By now, the students would have finished the last of the day’s classes, free to mingle, read, and practice their skills before the night’s curfew.

You passed empty classrooms, ones you remembered attending. Magical Theory, Healing, Theology… You reminded yourself that you should probably speak with Father Cosmo, your former Exorcism teacher before you leave the Academy. He was a reclusive old man, and probably would be of little use in the investigation itself, but you were pretty sure you had levelled up since the Pied Piper Case, and he could help you further develop some of your abilities.

You entered the library, a vast room filled with tables, couches, and ladders that led up to great wooden bookcases two stories high. Books both small and absurdly large were stacked on tables or podiums, some even levitating behind mana barriers to prevent tampering or damage by clumsy – or overly curious – students. Mechtelt had, of course, still found a way to get through these fields so that she could read restricted grimoires and books on curses.

The students here read in silent solitude, taking down notes, or whispered very softly in huddled groups by tables or alcoves. It was, as you remembered from your student days, where you could run into many of the commoner students. Although students wore their white school uniforms to class, they could wear their own choice of clothing afterwards, and the commoners were often recognisable by their clerical robes, representing the fact that their allegiance was to the Church, whose patronage was why they could attend this school. Just like yourself, without pedigrees or connections to protect them, they had to instead rely on putting their all into academic success.

Of course, this was not to say there were only commoner students here, or that the noble students did not put any effort into their studies. You could see Rosemarijn in one of the alcoves reading, sitting next to another noble lady that you recognized. She had a tall wrap of flaxen hair surrounded with large ringlets in the Astemmian style, and was wearing a black corset with a fur-collared pink coat covering a typical aristocrat’s figure. This was Lady Linneke van Riehter. Not only was she one of tomorrow’s appraisees, but she was also a member of the school’s Council of Prefects, and now its head. She waved to you politely and smiled, which you returned.

When you first arrived at the Academy of Light, she had been dismissive towards you, however unlike most of the other nobles, she had eventually come around. You had never joined the Prefects, of course. This was not a Yankeevine school such as the University of Aafensenn, with its Student Councils who were either elected by the other students or selected by test scores. Prefects were appointed by the Board of Governors and had to possess pedigrees, of which obviously you lacked. Still, Linneke was a very capable student, and was an even better leader, so she probably deserved it.

If you remember correctly, her scores were… second of all the third years? In your own year Princess Circe was first, almost certainly through less than respectable means, second was yourself, third was Mechtelt, and fourth was a fellow commoner, a girl you vaguely remembered was named Annelies Rolthiof, who had since graduated.

You curtsied to the two young ladies. “It is very well to see you, Lady de Lievens and Lady van Riehter.”

Linneke nodded. “And to you, Lady Inquisitor Visser.”

“I must request the presence of Lady de Lievens for a private interview concerning her Appraisal, later tonight,” you said. You informed her of the time and place, and that Averink would send for her.

Rosemarijn’s face paled, and her aura suddenly shifted into a soft brown of anxiety. Nevertheless, she nodded. “I will, of course, fully cooperate with the Inquisition.”

You smiled, in an attempt to reassure her. Everyone in this Academy had their secrets, few of which were relevant to your investigation. “Thank you.”

“If there is any way I or the Prefects can assist you, please do not hesitate to call upon me,” Linneke added.

“Of course.” You curtsied again, and began walking out of the library.

Somewhere near the Magical Theory section, you heard soft footsteps following you. You turned around to see a young girl dressed in a nun’s habit. She was very young, and petite, the top of her head barely reaching your shoulder. Strangely, she was blindfolded – a strip of black silk, embroidered with runes and holy symbols, had been wrapped around her head, covering her eyes.

“May I help you?” you asked.

“A message.” She slid the blindfold off, and her eyes glowed white. The noise of distant voices faded. The wind rattled the closed windows of the hallway. Time seemed to slow. Her voice echoed.

“The third door you seek. It is hidden to you, and guarded, guarded by terrible shadows. If you move too hastily without the keys to the third door… the two doors lead only to the deepest abyss. Your hands will be stained in blood.”

You stood in silence, taking in the strange occurrence. You stopped your mana build-up, realising that this was not some sort of Isekai surprise attack. You knew that the Church chose commoners who were unusually talented, or had special and valuable gifts, to send to the Academy. After all, you yourself were one of these. Once in a very great while, the Gods blessed – or cursed – a person with knowledge otherwise hidden, or forbidden. Most of the time, such people joined the Church as Appraisers, Holy Oracles, Seers… or Inquisitors. Being the subject of such a… abrupt prophecy, if this was indeed a prophecy…

“You will only find the peace you seek if you find the key.”

You nodded.

The girl slipped her blindfold back over her eyes. “You understand, then?”

[ ] Yes.
[ ] No.
[ ] … Maybe?
[ ] Say nothing.
[ ] Write-in

The girl, oblivious to the world, walked past you until she disappeared around a corner, her unseeing eyes guided by forces beyond you.

You would think more on this later. For now, you had students to interview. If – if you were getting prophecies, you must be doing something important, perhaps more evidence on the matter of the Princess, or even something of which you could hardly imagine yet.

Your steps took you out of the library and back to the courtyard, towards the Pit and sparring grounds. You had the feeling that Justitia van Fors would probably not be in the library to study from dusty old books on theory.

At the sparring grounds near the Pit, you could see a small crowd of students gathered. You could feel a buzz of anticipation, of excitement in their auras. Curious, you pushed your way through them until you saw a face you recognized.

“Yasmijn? What’s happening here?”

Yasmijn pointed. The crowd, you realised, had formed a rough circle around Lady Justitia and another girl, both dressed in white, close-fitting duelling outfits. You did not recognise this other girl, who stood out even among the eccentric personalities of the Academy. She was olive-skinned, her black hair arranged into a neat braid, and matched the descriptions you’d read of those of the Megasthenes Raj – the hot, sunny coasts far to the south, on the opposite side of the Autumn Sea.

They bowed to each other, then dropped into a combat stance – legs slightly bent, leaning forward slightly, hands at eye level. They leapt forward, grappling with each other. They moved almost more swiftly than your eyes could follow, trading kicks and strikes.

“They’re quite evenly matched,” Yasmijn said. Justitia seemed to be more forceful, striking with her hands and elbows; her opponent was more nimble, preferring to kick and dodge.

Justitia sidestepped a high kick, and with the other girl off balance, moved to grasp her under the arm, flipping her over and onto her back – exactly as Alizea and Theodore had described earlier, you realised.

Justitia extended her hand, helping the Megasthene girl to her feet. They shook hands.

“Looks like the student has become the master!” Justitia said.

“Hmph. I allowed that to happen,” the other girl said. They became aware of your presence, and gave you a slight bow.

“Lady Inquisitor,” Justitia said. “I introduce to you Lady Heleneia Shah-Jahan, from the Metropol of Raj Makedovia.”

You remembered that name – she too was on your list of tomorrow’s appraisals. You curtsied. “It is very well to meet you, Lady Shah-Jahan.” You turned back to Justitia. “Lady van Fors, I must request your presence later tonight for a private interview concerning your Appraisal.” You again informed her of the time and place. Averink would send for her, you said, and explain what to expect.

“Of course,” Justitia said. “I have nothing to hide.” Her aura and thoughts betrayed nothing, just as it was when she was Appraised.

“I’m sure you don’t,” you said. “I hope I have not interrupted your…sparring.”

“It was no inconvenience,” Heleneia said. “Perhaps you or your associates from the Inquisition might like a lesson in pankratia yourselves? It is a noble art of combat, and our greatest Brahmins and philosophers are trained in it.”

So that was where Justitia had learned how to throw men around, you thought. “Perhaps after my duties here have been fulfilled,” you said, smiling politely. You highly doubted you would ever have to face an Isekai in a grappling match.

“After these Appraisals, we shall have a rematch,” Heleneia told Justitia.

“You clearly just want to be thrown again,” Justitia said.

With the day’s “entertainment” finished, the crowd dispersed, walking their separate ways. You and Yasmijn wandered the campus, looking for Azaze och Behelial or Princess Circe.


~~~​


“Do you really think you can get away with this!?”

Hearing that, you knew you’d found who you were looking for. You knew the voice belonged to Azaze och Behelial, and it was tinged with anger. You found her in a shaded corner outside the Academy, near the kitchens.

Also in the shaded corner…was the quite recognizable demonic-glamoured figure of Theodore, standing over even the actual demon.

“Yes…? Tell me, what do you think I am getting away with?” he said, his voice returning to the false baritone. There was a group of spying girls nearby, hidden except to your aura-seeing eyes, that sniggered and whispered with delight upon hearing his voice.

“You – you stupid…” Azaze hissed at Theodore. “Do you think I am the only one here who reports back to the Empire? You are a dead man! Or worse!”

“I do not care.”

“What Elayet are you even from? What faction?”

“I am just here for a job. I fled the Empire so I didn’t have to answer to people like you,” Theodore said, putting on a stoic disregard. “I like keeping my bits too.” If he was in his normal persona, he would undoubtedly be laughing now, but this was no laughing matter.

“Oh? And that’s why you left? Put your bits in someone you shouldn’t?”

“Why I left is none of your business,” Theodore said. “And unfortunately for you, I am under the Inquisition’s protection – bits and all.”

The hiding girls seemed to like him even more for this. You could hear Azaze still whispering in Sarutish under her breath, causing you to flinch even from this distance.

Well, you figured you should stop eavesdropping and step in now, to save your agent from having to keep making up more backstory for himself. The more he talked, the more chance Azaze had to trip him up. You walked into the open.

“Oh, there you are! And Miss Behelial too, good, very good,” you announced with excessive volume and exaggerated unawareness to their previous conversation. “Lady och Behelial, I was just looking for you!” You gave her an exaggerated curtsy. “I must request your presence later tonight concerning your Appraisal. I remind you, this is entirely routine, and something your family agreed to as a condition of enrollment in the Academy.” You provided her the time and place for her interview, and added that Averink would explain the process in further detail.

Azaze glared at the two of you. Finally, she growled: “Fine! As long as that deviant of yours won’t be there!”

She stomped away, curls of smoke blowing from her nostrils as she huffed.

The other girls walked away giggling – except for one, a delicate-looking girl with long waves of golden hair and large blue eyes. She seemed very sad, and paused to sympathetically pat Theodore on the arm before re-joining the group.

“I don’t think she bought it,” Theodore said once the three of you were alone.

“I thought you were a Bard and an actor,” Yasmijn teased. “You couldn’t come up with a better story?”

“I didn’t expect there to be a demon student!”

“I’m sure nothing will come of it,” you said, before your agents could start their bickering again. “Let’s find Princess Circe. And any of her friends or retainers still here.”

“Speaking of that, you’re not going to like this,” Theo said.

“What?”

“The Princess, or well, whoever she is now, they’ve apparently pre-empted our plans. I asked around, and all except one of the maids were sent away before the Appraisal inspection was even announced. I’d reckon it was a coincidence but… well, I highly doubt that.” Theo frowned. “You know, the Princess is being a lot more careful than a person who’s supposed to have a pretty damn low intelligence attribute, and whoever she is now isn’t much higher. Someone this dumb should’ve been caught by now. They shouldn’t be able to pre-empt and defend themselves like they have.”

You stopped to look at him. “Are you suggesting that someone is helping her?”

“Yeah. I know the saying that conspiracies tend to collapse the bigger they get and all that, but something veeeeeerrry fishy is going on here.”

“I’ve asked Averink to look into the Headmaster. He may not know anything…or he may, and is simply trying to cover up any scandal. Or –”

“Or he may himself be compromised,” Yasmijn finished.

“What about the guards?” you asked.

“Here, obviously since we just saw them… I wasn’t able to talk to them without drawing Circe’s attention, but I asked the students about them, and they say all of them are new.”

“She didn’t have guards before, or these particular guards are new?”

“She had a sworn knight before, but he’s gone and disappeared, according to the students. I have a sinking feeling that this is going to be a pattern here. Everyone of any use has already been removed, hence me thinking someone is helping this Princess Imposter. This was all planned.”

“Well, that in itself is not all bad,” Yasmijn said, nodding slowly. “If they’ve gone and removed everyone who can talk… that just tells us that they’ve something to hide. People don’t just go and purge all of their former associates all at once for no reason.”

“It's certainly a red flag,” you agreed. While you wanted to be optimistic about this, if Theodore was right about Circe purging her previous associates, it meant that gathering information here, while you still had jurisdiction, would be much tougher. Certainly, you needed more time than a two-day research outing and inspection.

Before you could respond or think of another plan, you saw a girl running as fast as she could across the field, holding the skirts of her purple dress in one hand, and a book in the other. You and your agents stopped in your tracks, to avoid bumping into her. She squealed in malicious laughter, her rose-gold ringlets flying behind her.

“Give that back! That’s personal!” you heard from a few feet off. You knew that voice – it was Lady Annelijn de Osveld, in hot pursuit of the girl who had apparently taken her book.

Theodore snickered, and Yasmijn watched as calmly as ever. You, however, knew what it was like to have your personal things stolen by bullies and pranksters, so you whispered a mana spell, preparing to help.

“Ignite!” However, before you could do anything more, Annelijn had hurled a ball of golden fire into the girl’s skirts. The girl gave a satisfying squeal as she stopped to put out the flames, dropping the book. You walked over to retrieve it, and handed it back to Annelijn.

“Uh, thanks, Lady Inquisitor,” Annelijn said, giving you another clumsy curtsy before scurrying off.

With a sigh, you recognized the thief. She was Lady Marijke de Vandewiele, whom you recalled as one of Princess Circe’s cronies. A mean and vicious girl, though not very bright and very much the second string to the Princess and Nacissa. She was on your list of appraisees tomorrow, and she would certainly have to be interviewed regardless.

“Why didn’t you stop her?!” Marijke snarled, holding up her skirt, now decorated with a smoking burn hole and singed at the edges. “Look at my dress!”

“You shouldn’t take other people's things, then,” Yasmijn said.

“Perhaps you could tell us where we could find Her Highness?” you asked. “I know you were friends.”

Were. She prefers gardening and flowers now. She ditched us after Nacissa graduated.” Marijke then turned away from you, ignoring the fact that you were an Inquisitor, and marched off. “I can’t believe she did that! My dress! I swear, she’s done for! I will have her sent to Saint Clortho’s for this one!”


~~~​


“Not only has she got rid of her servants and guards, she seems to be avoiding her old friends as well,” you said. “This rabbit hole goes deeper than I thought.” Everything you discovered seemed to damn the Princess more and more.

Just as Marijke had suggested, you eventually found the Princess by the gardens. She stood beside a crouching Aoileann de-weeding flowers. She actually seemed happy to do this messy work, humming a happy tune and her aura a soft gold. In all the ages, you never thought you would see Circe de Meer, the Second Princess of Astem and future Consort of the Demonic Empire, tugging vigorously at a ragweed.

You and your agents bowed. “Your Highness, I must request your presence later tonight for a personal interview concerning your Appraisal,” you said, giving her the time and place. “I assure you this is entirely routine.”

With one more tug, the roots of the weed finally loosened from the earth. Circe stopped to catch her breath, holding up the ragweed, obviously quite proud of herself.

Aoileann curtsied to you before walking off. “I’ll leave you to it then, Lady Inquisitor.”

“It didn’t take you long to come find me, huh?” the Princess asked you. “You know, I was always scared you would seek revenge for what we… I did to you. I didn’t think you would do it like this, though,” she said, frowning as she looked at the flowerbed.

“It is just routine, you have nothing to fear. It will actually help me a lot.”

The Princess paused, and in the blink of an eye, she smiled brightly towards you. A smile with warmth and heart behind it, a genuine smile. Something truly alien on her face.

“Oh, well then, of course I’ll come help!” she said, with a smile radiating compassion. True compassion, not sickly sweet or false.

“Thank you, Your Highness!”

“Ohohohoho,” she laughed… gently. A soft echo of what you remembered. This could not possibly be her, you thought. Your head spun.

“Good job,” you heard Aoileann say, arriving with a wheelbarrow filled with dirt just as you turned to leave. “Now we’ll spread the compost right onto the flowerbeds. Grab that shovel, will you?”


B-ivRdWY1BF4iN0kzyYa8o39OYgSsTsRqDeM-mKz2IW7i41l3XrVj2RN8AByN8MWfQAnqoWpyFutE7h_iDYi2Wfj4UA_ctI3QEdzqHw8iYsPhWmoZLF6PbKsuK7FY8wY9RXpmZRdDEg



~~~​


“Jesus,” Theodore finally said. “I see what you mean.”

“I take it she wasn’t like that when you knew her,” Yasmijn said.

“Not at all,” you replied. “We have to find the Princess’ friends, anyone still in this school who was close to her. We must also brief Alizea on what has happened.” You let out a heavy sigh, knowing what came next. “Yasmijn, can you please go and inform Marijke, the girl with the burned dress from earlier, that we will need to speak with her. Theodore and I… will go and tell Stefan.”

Yasmijn nodded, and walked away to chase after Marijke.

There were others, of course. The singular maid you could bring in. The guards, even if they were new, perhaps could help. Old friends of Circe like Marijke.

It took some time wandering the many halls, corridors, stairways and alcoves of the Academy before you found any sign of Stefan. While wandering in one of the more quiet areas around the walls of the Academy, you noticed Theodore had stopped, and had pulled out a strange object from his pocket. It was a flat rectangle, made of a glossy pink material that reflected the light from the sun. He poked at it, and it emitted bright white light.

“This is the… Isekai Black Box, right?” you asked.

“Yeah,” he said, absentmindedly looking at the light on the box. Numbered circles had appeared on the magical box. “1, 2, 3,” on the first row, down to a solitary “0” at the bottom. He frowned at the numbers. You understood that, from the numbered pattern and his evident frustration, it was a lock of some sort, the circles like tumblers waiting for a key.

A key that Theodore clearly did not possess. He waited for some time, looking at the screen, for something you did not understand. You had heard of these mystical Isekai objects from your Inquisition training, but had never actually seen one until now.

“Never mind. It didn’t pick up anything,” he said, placing it back into his pocket. “The smart– I mean, Black Box. I don’t know the code numbers to unlock it, but even on the locking part, sometimes a square called a notification appears for something called “Friendar.”

“And Friendar…?”

“It finds people nearby that have Black Boxes. I was thinking maybe the Princess had one. If she had it unlocked, then maybe that was why she knew what to do. Tough luck with that idea, though…” he said.

“Where did you even find a Black Box?” you asked, an eyebrow raised.

“Stole it from its previous owner obviously, right before I fled Yankeevine. I hope you don’t think I decorate all my possessions in pink.”

You nodded. It was a good try anyway.

“We still need to find Stefan,” you said. Theodore nodded, and you continued on.

That search would eventually lead you to a crowd of students gathering in an open-air amphitheatre. Unlike the Pit, this was a more official space for lectures and ritual events, or demonstrations. You would have thought it odd that the Academy of Light would have a demonstration this late, with classes supposed to be finished, until you noticed a few things.

First was thankfully Stefan, which you picked out by his aura and lewd thoughts without even needing to see him in the crowd. At least you knew where he was. He was currently acquainting himself with yet another well-endowed student, of course. If Stefan were the cause of this crowd, this could be over quickly; unfortunately, he was not.

Secondly, Alizea was also here, and immediately approached you, quickly informing you that she had noticed both Stefan and a large number of students all converging here from other parts of the school, but that she did not know why.

Next, you saw there were large cages in the amphitheatre, and those cages had… very large monsters inside of them. Some were scaled, others with fur. They had tusks and horns and all manner of gruesome things. They were war beasts procured by the Demonic Empire and used by the Army of Astem, knights and…

…Templars.





“OHOHOHOHO!!!” The amphitheatre echoed with an obnoxiously loud and all-too-familiar laugh.

For there, standing beside a dismounted and opened suit of Siege Armour and a submissively sitting war beast, was an all-too-familiar face.


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Nacissa van Luttefmont-Furholjan​


“Ladies and gentlemen!” she announced with a theatrical flourish. “I, Corporal Nacissa van Luttemont-Furholjan, have been called here to familiarise those of you contemplating Holy Service for the Church with the arms and operations of the Knights Templar! You may now applaud.”

The audience dutifully clapped. You struggled to grasp why she was even here.

Nacissa was never the sort of person to do anything in a quiet or modest fashion. It had seemed to you, back when you had attended the Academy, that everything she did was a calculated choice made to garner the maximum amount of attention to herself, even if it meant challenging Princess Circe for the spot in the centre. To your eyes, she hadn’t changed a bit since leaving school. Her golden hair was arranged in the typical Astemmian grand ringlets, and she wore a close-fitting blue and white duelling outfit highlighting an outrageous figure akin to Circe’s, but where Circe was soft from shortcakes and avoiding anything like effort, Nacissa was robust from riding, duelling, and marching. It was something you could never deny her – she really did put in the effort she boasted of and then some. She looked over the crowd, and for a moment she looked straight at you.

“The Order of the Knights Templar is, of course, the first and last line of defence between you and the Isekai threat! While the agents of the Holy Inquisition shuffle paperwork inside their cushy offices, only emerging to throw a mana bolt or two once we've properly beaten the stuffing out of them, we take the fight to their own lairs!”

You could hear a few snickers from the students, and you tried not to roll your eyes.

“And the most effective of the weapons we bring to bear against the Isekai is the Siege Armour suit!” She gestured to it, a towering contraption of steel and bronze, cogs, and bolts. A great steel barrel was hoisted behind its shoulder, this being a Mana Battery, originally invented in the Yankeevine Empire, which supplied the wearer with magical energy and allowed them to move its great bulk more smoothly and swiftly than would otherwise be possible. A monstrous fusion of a lance and smoothbore cannon was attached to its right arm that fired enchanted cannonballs larger than a human head, some of which lay at Nacissa’s feet. You could see Nacissa’s butler, a demihuman with copper-coloured cat ears and tail, dutifully polishing it until the metal plates shone as brightly as a jewel.

“Of course, such protection does come at the price of adding bulk and weight, so when needs be, we are carried into battle by our war beasts, generously supplied to us by our allies in the Demonic Empire,” Nacissa said, stroking the head of her mount. It looked like a bull with great golden horns and hooves, but it was larger than two carriages, and had a great pair of feathered wings. The Bull of Heaven, they called it in the Empire, sacred to Ishtar.

“I call this big fellow Fluffles. He’s saved my life on the field more times than I can count!” He snorted and licked her hand in response.

You were quite sure you did not select Nacissa for this case. She should not even be here. How was she even able to get through the gates, let alone set up this kind of demonstration during an Inquisitorial Appraisal? Your thoughts ran through these questions repeatedly, utterly befuddled by this turn of events.

“Now now, you will all get a turn with the armour, however I do have a little errand to run first!” The sweet cheer in her words hid the malicious glee that had built up within her upon seeing you. “If you all would just line up over there, you can take turns petting Sir Fluffles! Oh, and my faithful butler Igor, can you be a dear and tell these students all about him?”

At least Nacissa was acting how she was supposed to be acting, unlike the Princess.

“Your will is my command, Madame,” Igor said, bowing deeply.

Igor, as you remember him, was Lady Luttefmont-Furholjans’s perfect butler. Dressed in a black tailcoat, matching trousers, and a bowtie. The other girls looked on in envy as the pretty catboy slavishly did as instructed. He was perfect to all except you. You could see that his eyes were focusing on his mistress’ chest and behind, as usual, and the aura of bright pink around him.

Igor was certainly loyal to his mistress, but for reasons other than professional. If nothing else, your empathic power to see auras allowed you to see through such guises. That said, at least he was acting professionally and wasn’t being mentally manipulated, as was the case with Stefan, who was walking towards you, the girl he was previously trying to seduce entirely forgotten as the Attractor kicked in.

“Oh, what a surprise! If it isn’t little Visser and her squad of pencil pushers, ohoho.” Nacissa said upon approaching you. She let out a quick laugh, the back of her hand in front of her face. “I thought you didn’t need us?” she asked.

“Why are you even here?” You ignored her attempts at baiting you.

“Demonstrating Siege Armour operation for the next generation of Templars, clearly.”

“Why are you here?” you repeated.

“If peasants cannot even speak the language, how are we ever to teach them their letters?” she asked. “Teaching you a lesson,” she thought. Fortunately, while Nacissa was trained in anti-telepathy, she was too brash and arrogant to actually conceal her thoughts properly.

“You came just to annoy me, then? Just because I didn’t pick you for this case?” you accused her. “It’s not like you needed the money, perhaps you should have just lowered your fee.”

“This is why everyone hates you, Visser. You simply cannot keep your grubby little telepathy to yourself,” Nacissa retorted. “As for my fee – I just know my worth.”

“I don’t hate her,” Stefan suddenly said, gazing misty-eyed at you. You decided not to encourage him.

Nacissa looked at Stefan. She then looked at Theodore. “Really, Visser? Another one? My, you’ve managed to acquire quite the reverse harem.” She looked at Theodore again. The peasant has got herself a demon boytoy this time, if he’s as big as he looks… by the Gods, she really is trying to get herself killed by the Princess. Naughty, naughty little Visser, still stealing all of Circe’s toys, even after graduation…

You resisted the urge to say some very unprofessional things. “Since you are here, perhaps the Lady Corporal Luttefmont-Furholjan would like to grace this humble little Inquisitor with her exalted presence later tonight? I have some questions about the Princess, and thought that you might like to share your insight on the matter.” Nacissa is, after all, Princess Circe’s closest friend… or was.

She smiled, the expression a sickly sweet coating over poison. “You should have thought about that before you selected some… Tourish bandit over me.” She glared at Alizea, who glared back.

You Decide To:

[ ]
Ignore Nacissa
[ ] [roll] Try to persuade Nacissa into helping you with Princess Circe. [CHA] [Challenging]
[ ] Try to force her to aid you.
[ ] Try to bribe Nacissa into helping you.
[ ] Try to blackmail Nacissa into helping you (You possess minor blackmail material)
[ ] Write-in

She turned on her heel, and left, back towards the group of students examining the Siege Armour. “Ah, yes, of course I will explain how the gunlance works!”

“The Astemmian Villainess, everyone,” Theodore quipped. “Nice. A textbook example.”

Alizea nodded. “The Yankeevine propaganda almost writes itself, doesn’t it?”

You turned back to Stefan. “Perhaps you’d like to come by later tonight for a personal interview, Baron von Kürschner?” You smiled sweetly and fluttered your eyelashes. May as well speed this up.

“A ‘private interview’ at night with you is something I’ve been waiting for a very long time. You know I’ll be there.” Stefan replied. “I’ll just go and pick out my very best outfit for the occasion…” He winked. “Even if you’ll be taking it off me soon enough.”

After he had given you a bow and turned to leave, you grimaced. You were not looking forward to this.

It was time then that you started your investigation in earnest; however, the specific ordering may very well be of importance. You had given each of your intended interviews a specified time from evening to night. You looked down at a piece of paper you had written for yourself.

What was that ordering?

(This is a ‘ordering vote’, and as such you will not vote a singular choice, but instead arrange the available options into a hierarchy of choices from top being first to bottom being last, representing the sequence of interviews that Visser will perform)

The interviews are as shown (not ordered):
-Princess Circe de Meer
-Princess Circe de Meer’s retainers, servants, friends and possible paramours
-Lady Justitia van Fors
-Lady Justitia van Fors’ retainers, servants, friends and possible paramours
-Lady Rosemarijn de Lievens
-Lady Azaze och Behelial
-Baron Stefan von Kürschner


Ordered Vote
[ ] (1):
[ ] (2):
[ ] (3):
[ ] (4):
[ ] (5):
[ ] (6):
[ ] (7):
 
Articles on Faith - The Creator Pantheon I
Articles on Faith - The Creator Pantheon I (Expanded)


The Beginning of All Things

Before the Gods, there was only Chaos. There was no life, only anarchy; a formless, primordial mass of elements, wild and destructive, which spewed forth from the World Stream where all things begin and eventually end. The First Born and King of the Heavens, Eon, came forth from the World Stream already fully formed, and was immediately assailed by all of the elements of the cosmos.

The elements took forms, vicious avatars intent on only destruction. These are the True Affinities, and they struck Eon ceaselessly. The Affinities knew neither good nor evil, and they attacked Eon, who swung forth at them with mighty blows. They knew not of death, for they knew not of life, and no matter how many times Eon smote them, they rose again to attack, attempting to drive him back into the World Stream. And so the battle was arduous.

Seeking balance, the World Stream then brought forth Enin to be the Queen of the Heavens and Eon’s wife. They fought valiantly, yet still the battle was arduous. Thus the World Stream brought forth Sentinel, Protector of Innocents, and Styx, the Giver of Release. The four of them fought united for many days, and the first of the True Affinities were struck down – and yet not destroyed, for they are everlasting.

The True Affinity of Time was then imprisoned and tamed, tied to the eternity of Eon, its Warden, with unbreakable chains. The True Affinity of Light was warded by Enin, and the True Affinity of Darkness was warded by Styx. And thus each True Affinity was tamed, and a divine Warden chosen. The World Stream summoned forth further Gods, Laeshaan and Wisp, Fiscan and Iyuta, Nomos and Sarut, each created as a mighty Warden, and together they wrestled with the Elemental Avatars until no True Affinity remained untamed.

And so, with the Primordial Chaos defeated, Order was introduced to the universe. Eon divided Time into days, weeks, and years. Fire, Air, Water, Earth, Wood, Metal, Light, and Darkness would run their proper courses, all in their seasons, not too much, and not too little.

After resting from his labours, Eon called forth the making of the World. He said, “Behold, I shall create a great Work; for of what use is a song without listeners, a book without readers, or a game without players? Of what use is a creator without a creation? Then of what use are Gods without those to love and to worship us?”

He struck a thunderous blow with his hammer onto his anvil, and from the brightest sparks were formed Vyka and Hephcan, the Forge Twins. Following Eon’s dictates, they shaped a great circle of Earth and Metal. Enin set a bright Light to shine upon it by day, while Styx cloaked it in Darkness by night, so that all of creation could have sleep and rest. Iyuta covered it in soil, and Laeshaan seeded it with plants and blessed it with living creatures. Nomos divided the Waters into oceans, rivers, and lakes, while Sentinel moved the Airs high above and Sarut sparked Fire to give creation warmth and light.

Thus the World was created; but there were as yet no creatures with Mind and Spirit who walked upon it, none who could love and worship the Gods.

Enin bore two daughters to Eon, Amoroa and Reavanna; with their births the Affinities of Mind and Spirit came into the World. It was then the Gods knew it was time to create the inhabitants of the World, but they quarrelled over what form these inhabitants should take.

“We shall each create an inhabitant of the world, according to our own ideas, and let Eon judge which is best,” the Gods said. And so they each took clay from the earth and set about to create.

Laeshaan and Wisp created a creature tall and graceful, exceedingly beautiful, powerful in magic, and filled with love for the World and for the Gods. “I present to you, O Eon, our creation,” they said, “for an inhabitant of the World must live in harmony with Nature and with the Gods.”

Nomos and Fiscan created a creature sturdy in form, gifted in smithcraft and wise in all lore. “I present to you, O Eon, our creation,” they said, “for an inhabitant of the World must be cunning of hand, capable of mastering Creation and making great Works to please the Gods.”

But Enin and Iyuta came to the contest late, and the other Gods had taken the best clay. “No matter,” Iyuta said, “we shall take what was left over, and do our best work.” They moulded and shaped the clay as best they could, and presented it to Eon.

“I present to you, O Eon, our creation,” they said. “For an inhabitant of the World will be beset with many dangers, but they will have strength of will, and the ability to band together to face that which they cannot face alone. And while their lives will be short, they will still shine all the brighter, as a flower all the more precious and poignant in its brief bloom.”

Eon looked upon the efforts of the Gods, and could not decide which of their creations was the best. Finally he said: “All of your creations have pleased me well! I shall give the Spark of Life to each of them, so that they may each multiply and enrich Creation with their gifts!” Amoroa and Reavanna blessed each of the clay figures with Spirit and Mind, and the first of the Elves, Dwarves, and Humans opened their eyes and sang praises to the Gods.

Thus Creation was completed, and the Gods were happy.

All except Sarut, who could form no life with his clay. No matter how much he worked and shaped his clay, he could not produce a figure which pleased him. Bitterness followed, and resentment of Eon for birthing life through Enin rather than clay, and lust for Laaeshan, who after Enin was the most beautiful of all the Goddesses. All would lead to his future treachery. But that is another story…


~~~

A Hymn to Enin

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Hail the Goddess Enin, our Queen in Heaven!

Hail Enin, perfect in beauty and in grace, who rewards the faithful wife and punishes the unfaithful and treacherous husband.

Hail Enin, the Warden of Light, who set the brighter light above to shine upon us by day, and the lesser lights above to shine upon us by night.

Hail Enin, the Ever-Loyal, who saved her husband Eon from oblivion and took vengeance upon his murderers.

Hail Enin, the Conciliator, who made peace with the Children of Sarut and ended the War Between Brothers.

Hail Enin, victoriously crowned with stars, by whose decree we fight the Isekai, unto the ends of the earth!

~~~

Excerpts from Intermediate Comparative Theology, a textbook assigned to students of most magical schools in the Central Kingdoms, including the Academy of Light

Enin

Enin is the Queen in the Heavens and the highest ruler of the Creator Pantheon, with Eon’s maiming. She is the patron deity of the Kingdom of Astem as well as the warden of the True Affinity of Light. Of the races made by the Creator Gods that walk upon the earth, her creation was the race known as Humanity, and they are often considered her favoured people and surrogate children alongside the many other civilized races she now calls her own, ever since her own children by Eon, the Goddesses Reavanna and Amoroa, were murdered by The Destroyer.

Enin is said to be a proud, refined, and graceful goddess, soft and motherly to the righteous and loyal, while vengeful and unforgiving to the treacherous and unfaithful. Her implacable wrath against those who have wronged her or her faithful is great – perhaps even the Archdemon of Wrath would pale before it, for she never forgets a grudge. A patron of civilization, the family and community, she is known for providing her boons to communities and society at large.

Before the coming of Ishtar, what Amoroa abstained from love, Enin embodied. Fertility within motherhood, sensuality within monogamy, beauty within grace. Enin is well known for her scantily clad and voluptuous form but without the excess or prolivicities of Ishtar, for Enin has only ever given the pleasures of her body to her husband Eon, and expects others who are her faithful to conform to this example. With Amoroa’s passing and Ishtar’s ascension, Enin has transformed, inheriting the domain of chaste love and romance from her fallen daughter, even if some vestigial sensuality remains.

Enin is neither particularly in favour or against war – however she has famously engaged in both warmaking and diplomacy. Her personal intervention at the Miracle of Mädchennen led to the end of the bloody Bruderkrieg conflicts that raged in the southern half of the post-Thaw continent, and the subsequent deposition of the King of Wachstaat. In contrast, shortly after the War in Heaven’s end, not only did she decree the destruction of all Isekais, she personally led the assault on the Northern Heroes Guild Headquarters in the Yankeevine capital of New Hartford. Using the churches and cathedrals dedicated to her worship in the city prior to their banning, she summoned her own holy vessel of reckoning, the Sky Citadel of the Upper Firmament, and the great marble and crystal battlestation rained death upon the Isekai-infested Heroes Guild with both rays of the Eye of God and smaller Mirror Towers, such as seen in the Empire of Mu. After this bombardment, it is said that Enin personally appeared within the Heroes Guild, and individually slew every Isekai still remaining, before leaving just as suddenly.

The Yankeevine Empire officially rejects this as fact, and instead claims that the attack of the Upper Firmament was in fact a surprise assault by the Empire of Mu, and used this as justification for further attacks against said nation. This rejection is mostly due to the Yankeevine Empire’s official stance that the Creator Gods do not actually exist, and are instead mortals possessed of extremely advanced technology, although other factions of the Yankeevine Empire, in particular the Isekais of the Heroes Guild, acknowledge their existence as “Demiurges” or, in the case of Enin in particular, the “Bitch Goddess.”


BELIEFS


Enin is a strong supporter, and in fact the origin of, the notion of monogamous union and faithfulness within relationships. Societies that devote themselves to Enin are predominately monogamous in nature, and those that are not are instead orientated around strict harems with clear boundaries and rules of relationship. The notion of divorce as seen in the Yankeevine Empire is forbidden in such societies, and the Demon Empire’s permissiveness of simply ending harem obligations as quickly as they form is just as immoral. To Enin, a relationship is not merely one of love, but of obligation and responsibility – to one another and to one’s offspring, community and wider society… Those who would betray this bond and cast aside their responsibility shall be punished, and none other is punished more than those who commit infidelity, be they male or female.

Patriarchs and Matriarchs of strong, large families are provided great boon by Enin, and royal dynasties of the world often work hard to build families that impress her. In turn they are granted Divine Right to rule, strong monarchs and aristocrats given legitimacy by her hand, for just as Enin is the Queen in Heaven, her favoured are kings and queens on earth. Thus, republics such as Neu-Alaynia and Autumn tend to seek favour from other deities. Children are protected by Enin, and hospitals across the world are blessed by her intervention to rid the world of the child mortality that would otherwise afflict them. So long as Enin watches over the world, no mother shall ever see her child die from birth, nor will she suffer the same fate. For this reason, alongside Iyuta’s endless blessing of the world’s crops, the world is plentiful and abundant with peoples of all nations and races.

Alongside Wisp, the God of Knowledge, Enin is a patron of education. Whereas the winged and foresighted Wisp bestows boons and favour on those who seek knowledge for its own sake, Enin seeks to empower and protect children from future woes. While public education is not common outside of the Yankeevine Empire, many private schools and church-schools are devoted to Enin, from as prestigious as the Academy of Light to the lowliest orphanage mission. It is by her dictate that The Church sends talented students of the commoner classes to prestigious schools. Teachers, priests, and parents who teach their children are often blessed by Enin.

Enin is considered the special patroness of the Kingdom of Astem. Her great chryselephantine statue in the Cathedral of Saint Jacomina in Astoria depicts the goddess wearing not a crown of stars, but the mural crown of walls and turrets, symbolising her special protection against the Isekai invader. The Isekais are Enin's most hated enemy, for it was one of their number, Katsuro the Destroyer, who beheaded her husband, wounded her brothers, and murdered her daughters. After the War in Heaven she infamously demanded the deaths of all Isekai as a blood price for her slain family, leading to the founding of the Holy Inquisition and the purge of the Guild of Heroes. It is by Enin’s direct intervention that great manifested light protects cities in the midst of Isekai Storms. In the Central Kingdoms, she is regarded as the great shield and sword against the Isekai Spirits, and the most ardent avenger of the heavens and earth against their crimes.

Despite being the Goddess of Marriage and Children, Enin has never specified her position on the matters of couplings of the same sex and matters of gender, neither siding with Amoroa, who embraced these things, nor Ishtar who rejects them. That said, her priesthood does tend to have a negative view upon the use of Silphium, as its use is associated with hedonism and the worship of Ishtar, rather than the creation of children. Eninite nuns are encouraged to marry, although some Eninite priestesses paradoxically remain celibate, particularly elder Matrons who become surrogate mothers for orphanages.

Enin, outside the family and children, is also seen as a patron of wider civilization. Those who perform great or persistent virtuous service for their community may be granted boons from the Queen in Heaven.


RELATIONS


Enin was well known for her faithful and passionate love of her husband, Eon, as well as her motherly affection for her daughters, Amoroa and Reavanna, and whose deaths led to her vowing revenge against all Isekais. Enin remains now as Eon’s primary caretaker, the beheaded King of the Gods alive only by Enin’s direct intervention, and is also now the head of the Creator Pantheon. It was by her doing that Ishtar and Lot were brought into the pantheon to replace the fallen Amoroa and Fiscan. Enin is believed to hold Ishtar, the Archdemoness of Lust and now second Goddess of Love, in low regard, and only tolerates and works with her because the alternative would have meant the end of all things. Otherwise, Enin is known for her cooperative nature with the other gods, and it is she who binds them all together in common purpose.

Enin is associated often with swans, which mate for life, as well as wolves, who likewise mate for life and are known for their close family bonds. The pomegranate fruit and the rose are also associated with Enin, as is the great pole star which never strays from its course but always points north. Enin’s priesthood mostly are nuns, however include male priests as well. Those devoted to Enin or wish to have their marriages blessed by her often wear “marriage rings” or “marriage necklaces” bearing the Star of Enin to signify their monogamous union.
 
CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, INVESTIGATE AZAZE
CASE II: No Otome Game, Investigate Azaze

[X] Write-in: ABRIDGED: "We don't have time to deal with your petty BS, so take this money and either start helping or get out of our hair."

[X] Write-in: Not yet, but I imagine I will soon.

[X] Plan: Unobtrusive Middle Placement
-[X] (1): -Lady Azaze och Behelial
-[X] (2): -Lady Rosemarijn de Lievens
-[X] (3): -Princess Circe de Meer's retainers, servants, friends and possible paramours
-[X] (4): -Princess Circe de Meer
-[X] (5): -Baron Stefan von Kürschner
-[X] (6): -Lady Justitia van Fors' retainers, servants, friends and possible paramours
-[X] (7): -Lady Justitia van Fors



~~~

Once the demonstration was finished and the crowd of students had begun to make their way to their dormitories, you again approached Nacissa.

“I apologise for my untowardness, Lady Corporal,” you said, giving her the sweetest smile you could muster. “I did not mean to slight you; I thought that a Corporal of the Knights Templar and Duchess-in-Waiting would have more important things to do than to stand guard on a routine Appraisal and research mission with no prestige and little gold to offer.”

“Hmph. It would be below me, if Inquisitor Vrooman hadn’t insisted I hear the ‘collaboration’ she had in mind for me in Astoria. Do you know I had to come all the way from Gudenschau just to be told that it turns out I wasn’t selected for the mission anyway? And for an Academy Appraisal of all things!” Nacissa said, as her thoughts detailed her plans for petty revenge against Mechtelt, mixed in with inner shouts telling you to stop spying on her.

“But as you were clearly interested in coming anyway, I would appreciate any help you could offer. I have some reason to suspect one of the noble ladies in this school to be under Possession.”

“And how is that my business?” She waved you away, as if you were a servant taking her teacups back to the kitchens. “You are an Adjutant-Inquisitor First Rank; I’m quite sure you can handle one measly Isekai.”

She seemed to feel this was enough of a response, however you waited patiently. A few seconds passed, and then your understanding of Nacissa paid off.

“But, pray tell – who is the lucky girl?” she asked, an eager smile on her face. Nacissa, Circe and Marijke all had one thing in common: their love of gossip.

You needed to stand your ground. “Lady Corporal, you are not currently one of the agents on this case, and so you will not be privy to this information unless you choose to cooperate. If you are not interested in assisting with the investigation, I will have to kindly request that you take your Siege Armour, your butler, and… Sir Fluffles, and leave the premises, as it risks interfering with the study. If you wish, I will offer you two hundred gold shields and your listed Inquisitorial fee to either assist me or swear not to interfere with the mission.”

You could see the gears in her head turning. You knew she did not need the money; it was your humiliation that she was after. This need competed with her need for petty gossip, and her need to feel important by apprehending an Isekai. “I’ll take every last copper of requisition she has!”

“One thousand gold shields, plus my fee.”

“Three hundred.”

“Do you seriously think you can haggle with me, Visser?” she said, snickering.

“Yes, I do,” you said, unperturbed. “Five hundred gold shields, plus your fee… and –”

Nacissa continued to laugh.

“ – And all credit in apprehending any Isekai I discover through the investigation.”

Nacissa stopped laughing, appearing to genuinely consider this.

You smiled. “I do not need acclaim; only the knowledge that I have followed the decrees of the Gods by purging the world of Isekais.”

“Agreed,” she said.

After some time, you offered your hand. You didn’t expect her to accept it, but eventually to your surprise she extended her hand as well. You shook hands briefly. She gestured towards Igor; in a flash he reached into a pocket and offered her a silk handkerchief. She pointedly wiped her hand clean and handed it back to Igor as though it was contaminated with the Padoru Plague.

“Igor, take Sir Fluffles to the stables.” Igor bowed again and walked off, leading the great war beast by the bridle out of the auditorium.

Once he had left, Nacissa leaned closer to you. “So, spill the tea. Who is it?”

“The Second Princess Circe de Meer,” you said in dead seriousness.

Nacissa looked at you. The briefest flash of shock, followed by disbelief, and then, intense annoyance.

“You little wretch,” she spat out. “Do you think a stupid handshake and a little gold will bind me to your stupid attempt at revenge on my friend?”

“If you like, you may examine the Appraisal documents with your own eyes and question the Appraiser. I could hardly believe it myself.”

“You can’t be serious. The Appraisal documents? This is Princess Circe, do you honestly believe I would take whatever you’ve written down on Circe as anything other than some deluded attempt at… slander?”

“Slander is spoken. When written, it’s libel,” you said, unable to resist the urge to needle her a bit.

“Shut up, peasant!”

“Just read the Appraisal, and observe… the Princess. Please, you are one of the few people who will understand.”

You nodded to Theodore. “Theo, please escort Lady van Luttefmont-Furholjan to Appraiser Eikehouten, and thoroughly brief her on our investigation so far. In the meantime, I must proceed with my research interviews.”

“Fine, whatever,” Nacissa said, but reluctantly followed Theodore.


~~~​


With that out of the way, you could interview Azaze och Behelial. You expected this to be short. After all, she was not under suspicion of Possession; you merely wanted to help her with her Soul Starvation.

“Do you honestly think it was a good idea to bring that Templar on the case?” Alizea asked you as you walked back to the classrooms. “You clearly have a feud with each other, and she was friends with the Princess. If anything, she’ll spook the Isekai.”

“You’re right, this is a risk, but Nacissa is also powerful, with a pedigree and connections and all the things we don’t really have. If we eventually try to make accusations against whoever Circe is now, it’s probably better to have one of the few people who might actually believe us and can do something about it on our side now.”

“But she seems to hate you, hell, she suspected you of slander straight away. Why would she believe you?”

“Tell me. Based on what you have seen of Nacissa, what do you make of her?”

Alizea was silent for a while.

“Someone who has never been told no, I’d say. I’d say what I used to be like, but even then…”

“And when you were observing the Princess, what did you make of her?”

“So you're saying Nacissa will believe us because Circe should be more like her?”

“Circe should be much worse than her. That is the thing, Nacissa was Circe’s closest friend, but she knew how she really was. She views Circe like how I see her. She is one of the few people in this country who could tell you how truly alien the current princess is acting, and isn’t either already silenced or has grounds for an ulterior motive that will make what they say meaningless… like me.”

“What type of princesses do you have in this country…” Alizea murmured. A massive… rude one, you thought to yourself.

The two of you walked in silence, deep in thought. Alizea hummed a strange song, repeating the same line over and over. “You made a mess for Christ’s sakes, this rotten world. Shit out of luck. Go with my vision…”

You knew from your studies, and your time with Baudelaire, that Reclaimed Humans lived with a faint ghost of their former possessor whispering in their minds, and that they even heard their ‘songs’ on occasion. You idly wondered what song Baudelaire had… or Nacissa.


~~~​


You arrived at the empty classroom where you had held the Appraisals, just as Averink escorted Azaze in.

“Please take a seat,” you said. Azaze still looked suspicious, but obliged, sitting down at the desk. Averink took a seat next to you, writing down his own notes.

“We shall now begin the interview. Do you swear by the Gods above and the Archdemons below that your answers are truthful and correct, to the best of your ability?” you asked, giving the traditional Inquisitorial oath of testimony, with a slight alteration to reflect Azaze’s religion.

“I do.”

“What is your name?”

Azaze rolled her eyes. “Just look at the file.”

“Just say it,” Averink said, clearly exasperated.

Azaze gave a sullen huff of breath. “Azaze Urdeus och Behelial.”

“And your age?” you asked.

“Eighty-six years.”

You nodded, confirming these basic facts. Behind your mask of professional neutrality you smiled inwardly. It was quite odd to you that an eighty-six-year-old would act as Azaze did. Sure, they were demons and matured far slower – and lived far longer – than humans, but it still amused you that someone almost five times your age was in fact still a hormonal teenager in mind and spirit.

And being a hormonal teenager was hard enough.

You slid the current Appraisal file towards her, deciding it was better to get straight to the point. “‘Soul-starved.’ Why haven’t you been eating?”

Azaze looked down at the file, and then back at you.

“Are you stupid?” Azaze said. “You humans won’t let us consume souls in your country. You know, illegal, like slavery is? Did you really call me to a personal interview just to remind me of this? I thought I was under suspicion of possession somehow.”





You placed both of your hands slowly over your face in resignation as understanding dawned upon you.

“You… aren’t aware.” you said slowly.

“What?”

“Yes, the consumption of the souls of people is illegal. People.”

“What.” Azaze repeated. “No, that is nonsense. You humans all banned it, like in the Yankeevine Empire, you have the same laws! Why do you think there aren’t any Demons in the Yankeevine Empire?”

“We are not the Yankeevine Empire. This is the Kingdom of Astem, which your father is the ambassador of your country to.” You could not believe it. This girl… had gone on for what was possibly years thinking that Astem shared the same laws as the Yankeevines.

“Your laws are based on theirs… and…”

“And have changed drastically over the last two centuries. We are not a Yankeevine colony anymore. You must have seen the many other demons that live in Astem now, right? Do you think all of them would stay here if there were laws that made it impossible for them to live here?”

“Well… I have…”

“How are you still sane?” Alizea suddenly asked from beside you. This outburst was unusual, and Averink was about to shush her, but you held up your hand to stop him.

“I’ve seen soul-starved demons before, when I… saw slaves in the Demon Empire,” Alizea tried to explain. You caught an unspoken word: “worked.” “The demon slaves that were denied souls for long periods, maybe a bit over a year… They were deranged wrecks, clawing and biting at each other, even themselves… Do you mean to tell me you have been denying yourself since you arrived here?”

Azaze nodded silently. “I just thought… you’re all humans and, you know. I wasn’t allowed to bring my slaves either. Just my Monstrine butler.”

You looked down at Azaze’s appraisal. Her willpower of 16 was as impressive as her complete lack of any knowledge in Astemmian law and poor understanding of her own empire’s law was… illuminating in retrospect.

“Clearly, you cannot go on like this for much longer,” you said, as gently as you could. “In Astem, demons consume the souls of the non-sapient to live. Animals, some monsters. I understand that perhaps it may be unsatisfying compared to the souls of humans –”

Azaze made a face. “Vegetarians, my father calls them.”

“Regardless of what your father calls them, you will have to do it to keep yourself healthy. Eventually, you might snap and lose control altogether. You've already attacked one of your classmates.”

“I wasn't really going to eat her!” Azaze yelled. “I just wanted her to stay away from Stefan!”

“Be that as it may, you do not know what you may do next time. What happens if the next person you lash out at is Stefan? Wouldn’t you want to be in full control of yourself?”

“I am in full control of myself! I am not like one of those… filthy slaves eating themselves! I bet they aren’t even Nephilim. Probably some lowly Chortians or Cambions.”

“You don’t need to be at the point of trying to eat yourself to be dangerous to people you care about, or to do things you don’t mean to do.”

Azaze groaned, but nodded. You could hear trace thoughts of her mind fixating on her embarrassment at not knowing the laws and trying to justify reasons for not doing what you suggested. Her next counter-argument was going to be that eating animal souls was beneath her and would make her weak.

Before you could prepare a rebuttal, Alizea seemed to also tell that she was going to be unreasonably stubborn, so she stepped in again. She leaned forward, as if to impart a secret.

“You know, if you weren’t soul-starved and at your full-strength, the boys in this Academy might like you more. You’d probably have your own reverse-harem if you weren’t struggling with starvation all the time.”

And of course, just like that, Azaze was now receptive.

“Really?”

“Absolutely. Have you seen all the women here? Confident and self-assured. Just ask the Inquisitor here, she used to be a student here not long ago. Who were the girls who got all the guys?”

The demon girl looked at you.

“Uh…” you said awkwardly. “Yes. Yes, girls who were very… confident. Who ate properly, took what they needed, and didn’t have to turn into dragons to boss others around.”

“You mean girls like Circe, right? She’s always hoarding all the guys, or well, she used to. Now she’s just hoarding those four…” Azaze muttered. This piqued your interest.

“Those four?” you asked. You were quite sure from Azaze’s aura that Alizea’s words had mostly convinced her on the starvation issue, so you figured you may as well exploit this interview to get any more information on Circe.

“Yeah. You know? They hang around her all the time. Stefan, Prince du Valois, that centaur prince, Ludomir… and… that wannabe priest, I forgot his name.”

Oh no, you thought. You knew exactly who these four individuals were.

Stefan von Kürschner, Pierre-Antoine du Valois, Ludomir Dąbrowski… and you were willing to bet that the trainee priest was Kasper de Haarten. The four boys that hounded you everywhere when you were a student. The ones all drawn to your… Otome Attractor.

“What are your thoughts on the Princess?” you asked.

“What does that have to do with my soul starvation?” she responded, sceptical.

“Please, just humour me. It’s quite important.”

She paused, staring questioningly at you, her thoughts wondering if this was some kind of trap, to lure her into stating something that could be considered lesè-majesté.

“What you say here will not leave this room, you have my word.”

“I… just don’t understand your kingdom’s Princess. First she had Quintijn, then Stefan. I remember her saying that she thought Pierre and Kasper were too effeminate and, ahem,” she coughed awkwardly and held up her hand, her finger and thumb a few inches apart. “Insubstantial, for her. She’s been obsessed with the males of my race for as long as I’ve known her, was even betrothed to the Sarut-damned Black Prince.”

You nodded along, remembering the Princess’ fear upon seeing Theodore, which you could only imagine was because he was in a demon disguise. Something that obviously did not match up. The Circe you knew would have been all over him.

“She laughed at the girls who said Ludomir was handsome, saying they were… beast-lovers. Now she’s suddenly hoarding all the men she said were pathetic or gross? Can one woman really be so spiteful that she would create a harem around her of men she isn’t even attracted to, just to spite everyone else?”

“Did you talk to her much in the past?”

“Well, every now and then. She asked questions about the Demon Empire, our culture, fashion and so on. She wanted to impress the Black Prince when she married him, otherwise, not really. I was just the daughter of an ambassador, too lowly to be seen with the Princess.”

You nodded again.

“Is that all? I’d rather not talk about the Princess. I want Stefan, fine, but I understand enough not to pick a fight with your kingdom’s royalty… or the Black Prince,” she said with a shudder. “I’ll eat the stupid animal souls, ok? Is that enough?”

You closed your eyes. It was tempting to continue, but you could tell Azaze was getting increasingly uncomfortable, and that she likely didn’t know much else.

“That is fine, I was simply curious,” you said. “And I am glad to hear it. Eat healthy and I’m sure boys will flock to you like… badgers to honey,” you continued, a little embarrassed but confident that Alizea’s suggestion would motivate Azaze.

“That will be all,” you said. “This is the end of the Investigational Interview of Azaze och Behelial.” You applied seal and signature to your transcribed notes. After all, these would be submitted to the Inquisition as evidence.


~~~​


“Thank you for your help, Alizea,” you said earnestly. Averink and Azaze had left the room, so it was simply you and your agent.

Alizea turned to you.

“What, for helping the demon girl get over herself?”

“Of course, helping her might not have stuck otherwise. You gave her a reason to help herself.”

“You really are a Saintess, huh?”

“What?” you asked. This wasn’t the first time you’d been called a Saintess.

“I mean… you didn’t have to help her. You didn’t have to negotiate with that Templar and you don’t even really need to help the Princess, you could have just reported the Appraisal and washed your hands of this.”

“I’m just doing my job.”

“No. I’m sorry, but I know other Inquisitors. I don’t even think Mechtelt would have done what you are doing. You really are a Saintess, just doing good deeds because it's good to do, I guess.”

“Do… do you think I am too naive, then?” you asked nervously.

She laughed. “Yes. It's clear you… but no, nevermind. You shouldn’t worry. It's refreshing, actually. You cannot even begin to imagine the kind of sick, depraved people I have worked with, and not all of them were before I started working with the Inquisition.” As she spoke, you could see from her thoughts her words drawing the faintest image in your mind of… chains. Steel chains.

“That you are like this… it's cute. Maybe you won’t live longer, but you should hold on to it. It makes working for you feel more meaningful.” She smiled, and patted you on the shoulder.

You didn’t know if you should feel insulted or proud.

[Alizea du Arceneaux approves of your handing of the Appraisal of the Academy Case.]


~~~

Achievement Unlocked: The Greater Good is Made of Smaller Goods

Rewards: (First is mandatory, second is a choice of 1 pick)

First Reward

[x] [Azaze will remember that.]

Second Reward

[ ] Empathy: Trailing Aura
You feel as though your Empathetic vision is starting to see trails of emotion as Azaze left in a good mood. You can now see faint imprints left behind after someone has moved.

[ ] Telepathy: Alien Mindscape [Demons]
You feel as though you are getting a greater grasp of the thoughts of demons with this incident with Azaze, as you come to understand their similarities and differences to humans.

[ ] Priest: Soothe Spirit
You don’t need an appraisal, you can just feel it. The Priest Class Skill “Soothe Spirit” is within your grasp, allowing you to calm enraged creatures and men alike, remove berserk and terror effects and overall stabilise someone’s emotions and mind temporarily, as you have now done for Azaze.

[ ] Unlikely Goodwill
A foreign deity noticed your assistance for her foolish descendant and worshipper.​
 
Interlude - SALARYMAN II
INTERLUDE - The Salaryman II

Or,

Outsider, Outlander, Auslander… Isekai.



~~~


“Is this wise?” I ask, for the second time.

A woman lightly armed in steel and leather simply nods, and throws another log onto the fire before walking away.

We sit on old mossy logs around a campfire that threw soft orange light around our camp, yet did not make the depths of the deep and mountainous woods any less pitch black to my eyes.

They could be out there, watching us. Right now. He could be watching.

I wince. Even the slightest recognition of the girl’s ever-persistent father in my inner thoughts causes her to rattle in her ephemeral cage. As I have grown stronger and “levelled up,” as they say, my control over this body has strengthened, and slowly I have been able to ever-so-slightly subdue the girl within.

“Let me out!” I can hear her faded scream. “Just wait until my daddy’s here!” It is unfortunate, but I simply cannot silence her. But she can be more easily ignored.

All in all, I had decided to stay with the Underground Railroaders. As annoying as they may be, I understood that this world was incredibly dangerous, and I had more chance of survival by sticking with people who actually knew the rules of this world than to strike out on my own.

We were heading northwest, they told us, towards the Yankeevine Empire, where we would be given safe haven. Part of our route would pass through their ally, a country called Wachstaat. Some Isekai would leave the route here as Isekai were decriminalised in this country, but in practice, Wachstaat’s government only protected Isekai who joined their military and served it as Kriegsmagier – a War Mage, in their language. It sounded suspiciously like my world’s German.

I had no interest in being dragged into war against my will. Sure, I had once devoted my impetuous youth to the niches of war otakudom… but I matured out of such foolishness. War is horrible for the market, for human development. It is messy and inefficient. No rational man desires war, least of all to be a conscript in one. I’d traded in my guns and bombs for stocks and bonds.

I would be lying if I didn’t admit that some deeper, animalistic part of myself, something from my youth… was tempted. My foolish younger self would have jumped at the chance. To strike back, to prove my talent and knowledge, to lead others who looked up to me, to experience the thrill of victory again and again…

But such a fate was not for me. I desired safety at the rear.

And the furthest back I could get was the “Yankeevine Empire.” I cringe, of course. Not even in this anime fantasy world could I escape the damn Americans. Still, it was the safest place I could run, and it promised a safe and lucrative job. I have been told… any Isekai or “Outsider,” as they called us, that arrived safely there was immediately given a seat in their “Upper Thinghall,” which was their form of Parliament, as far as I could tell.

I would normally question the viability of such a system for efficient governance, but as it would benefit me immensely, I would milk it for what it was worth.

Another twist of fate – I’d never considered becoming a politician.

If I could make it there. I continue to stare out into the dark, seeing inquisitors and other crazy religious zealots from every rustle of leaves and bushes against the wind.

“You worry too much, chill!” said a voice from beside me.

I turn back to my campfire-side companion, the origin of the voice. Her face looked back at me – the round face of a girl a few years older than me, with short pink hair in pigtails tied with ribbons. She was eating a piece of cake and smiling an oblivious smile as if she were at a polite tea party, and not in this dark and foreboding forest.

“Scraaaaa!” clicked or hissed our other companion. A literal spider, as large as my whole body. I could not fathom if it agreed or disagreed, however the pink-haired girl apparently could, and nodded in thanks to it. It ate whatever it could find.

They were like me. Even, yes, the spider. I looked back at the old writing the spider had written into the dirt with a stick. Writing that was clearly, if somewhat messy, hiragana and kanji.

“We are being hunted non-stop by mediaeval lunatics straight out of the dark ages. Why should I… chill?” I asked.

“Because it's unhealthy. Pessimism will lead to premature balding, ya know.”

I raise an eyebrow. I thought for some time, until I realised what she was trying to say. She was of course warning me that as I inhabited the body of a pre-teen girl, I should be careful not to damage its appearance, lest I damage any future prospects for a marriage alliance.

How astute.

I smile and nod, accepting her answer as pragmatic and thoughtful. She was right, of course. I need to consider more than my pursuers; I need to consider my ambitions for the future, once I had reached safety. I need to learn as much as I possibly could about this world’s cultures, history, society and technology. How have people like me, with our modern ways of thinking, affected this world? Was anything I knew useful here? Could I leech off some sucker through a well placed “marriage?” It wasn’t as if this girl was ugly, and she would probably grow into a useful asset as an adult.

I was not even entirely certain why those maniacs were trying to kill us. The obvious answer was because of the screeching girl inside my head, but then what about the spider? Why are they in danger? Also, there was that creep I met at the safehouse, the fat otaku who kept making disgusting noises at me and calling me “Tanya,” as well as the fourth “Isekai” of our group, some scrawny idiot teenager who would never shut up and was off blabbering with the natives near the tents. Those two weren’t possessing anyone. Those otaku even looked like they walked straight out of a degenerate manga store in Akihabara, you couldn’t mistake them for possessed natives. And yet they still had to flee this place. To be honest, I would probably be fine with the creeps being hunted down, but it still begs the question.

I asked my fellow compatriots by the campfire about it earlier, and the spider-thing had just written into the dirt “The Church is always evil in Isekai.”

What does that even mean? Are they just trying to kill us because we exist? Or is this something about anime?

For the first time in my life, I actually felt regret about not asking my son what his degenerate shows were even about.

“At least coffee still exists here…” I say, to reassure myself.

“Thank goodness for that,” Pink-hair replied. Good, a coffee-lover. My opinion of her continued to rise.




k_TqaEJ1WmHzW-zrPbcsgMCeu0n6kLlkTqqCtsHOoWsMieRn8n8BrOMVcdBgOWU-vCoRqAUOfA8jYijp4WqldqIcAiRcHDa-uZamCY2Z4ud_r8ZUZILRawjDpbRflVGTOzIdgagTonI


A photo of us by the campfire, taken by that teenage dumbass with the smartphone.​



“You know, I never thought… this is how it’d be. When that… T— T… The thing killed me, the last thing I thought I’d be doing is hiding in the woods eating cake with you two,” Pink-hair said.

“Well… of course you wouldn’t, you didn’t even know we existed.” I reply, perplexed. That is just common sense, right?

“No no, I mean. You know. You’re Tanya, right?”





Again with that name!

“Who. The. Fuck. Is. Tanya!?” I screec– I mean, pronounce authoritatively.

“What? You… You mean you’re not her?”

“No, really. Who is Tanya? This isn’t the first time. I am not Tanya, this girl isn’t even her, her name was Marie–”

My vision starts to blur and distort as a sharp pain passes through my skull. The fucking girl again.

My vision returns with Pink-hair worriedly shaking me by the shoulder on the dirt. I nod in thanks, realising she must be concerned about the efficiency of our group's fighting strength if I was to perish here.

With her and the spider’s help, I sit back up. My vision is still blurry.

“How do you deal with the shithead inside your head?” I ask calmly, and in no way feeling anger, or wounded pride, over my stumble.

“Have you, you know, tried talking with her?” Pink-hair asked. “That’s what I did. We’re pretty cool now.”

“She just screams for her father.”

“Wow, you really did end up in a child, hmm. How about trying to barter with her? Maybe you could promise to send letters to him.”

“Her father is the guy with the eyepatch. You know, one of the ones trying to kill us. He helped kill all those guys in the safehouse before.”

“Oh. Well shit, sucks to be you then.”

“Thanks.” Her sheer naivety is almost endearing.

“Krrrkuuuuscraaa gblglglgl kaka!” the spider said.

“Yeah,” Pink-hair said. “We’re just meat puppets, driven by the ghosts of dead Japanese men.”

I nodded along, until something clicked.

“Do you mean that you’re a man too?”

“Sure am. Was pretty nice to get reincarnated in a cutie, although no one told me about the co-pilot. It's not supposed to go like that in most of the Isekais I’ve watched…”

I narrow my eyes. “You’re not one of those otaku perverts, are you?”

“What? No, I just liked to read manga now and then. You’re telling me you’ve never watched any anime?”

“Yes. I worked at MUFJ. I had no time to watch anime.”

“MUFJ?”

“Mitsubishi-UFJ Financial Group.”

Pink-hair burst into giggles. “Wow, seriously? A salaryman! Are you sure you’re not Tanya?”

I groan. I had the feeling that name would haunt me long into the future.

The skinny teenager walked back to our group, sitting down on a log. "Yo, I just totally invented Mayonnaise for these people," the dumbass explained, unsolicited. "I'm going to show them how to make Ice Cream next."

His next invention for this world: breathing through the nose, hopefully, I lament within my mind.

“You know what’ll cheer everyone up? A nice campfire song!” With that, Pink-hair pulled a large wooden lute from the tiny bag at her, well, his, side. He, or she, strummed at the strings a few times.

“Are you an idiot?” I snap. “They’ll hear us!”

“Chill,” he tells me. “If they’re close enough to hear us, then we have bigger problems, and we might as well go out with a nice song, don’t you think?”

I didn’t think, actually, but Pink-hair started playing in earnest.

“Today is gonna be the day that they’re gonna throw it back to you –” he sang in his girl’s voice.

Ugh. Any song but that! Everyone around the campfire groaned. Even the dumbass.

“I’ll have you know, this was a hit with all the girls – fine. I’ll pick another song.”

I tried to ignore Pink-hair now, turning to the spider. I refused to converse with the dumbass, who was currently trying to take photos of everything with his smartphone. The idiot had an actual working smartphone…

The spider and I, conversing through the dirt, started discussing what kind of technology could be useful in modernising this mediaeval people and making this world somewhat bearable. It seemed the spider had a more rational thought process than the idiot with the working smartphone. They even demonstrated a decent understanding of the Chicago School, to my delight. Were they a fellow capitalist? I dared to hope.

“Ich reise viel, ich reise gern / Fer und nah, and nah und fern…” Pink-hair started singing. He took notice of one of the Underground Railroad agents, a girl with long golden hair whose light plate armour failed to hide her figure.

“Ich bin zuhause überall / Meine Sprache: International!”

Eventually, our native company, those not on watch duty, were brought from the tents to the campfire by Pink-hair’s amateur, and yet surprisingly melodious, singing. Pink-hair grew more enthusiastic. The spider took a nearby match, lit it, and waved it around with one of their arms.

I begrudgingly listened along, surprised that Pink-hair could apparently sing what was clearly Rammstein.

“Ich bin Ausländer, Ausländer! / Mi amor, mon chéri!”

The skinny dumbass threw his arm around another of the female Underground agents, pulling her close for a selfie. Pink-hair leered at the blonde knight, who looked vaguely uncomfortable but was clearly staying silent out of politeness. I tried to strike up a conversation with the spider again about the necessity of the free market in modernising backwards cultures, and the comparative disadvantages of mercantilism, but the spider was now too busy waving its arms back and forth for any further discussion on Friedman or Hayek.

“Ausländer, Ausländer! / Ciao, ragazza, take a chance on me!”

Even I had to admit that Pink-hair was pretty good. If I’d found him busking at a subway station in Tokyo, I’d throw him some yen. Maybe.

“Ich bin Ausländer, Ausländer! / Mon amour, я люблю тебя!”

Was this… companionship? It feels… nice.

“Ein Isekai, Isekai! / Come on, baby, c'est, c'est, c'est la vie!”
 
CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, INVESTIGATE ROSEMARIJN
CASE II: No Otome Game, Investigate Rosemarijn

[x] Unlikely Goodwill
A foreign deity noticed your assistance for her foolish descendant and worshipper.



~~~​


After Azaze’s interview, you were in… quite the high spirits. A simple good deed, with no complications, no brutality, no deaths, either necessary or unnecessary.

When you had first told the priests and nuns that you wanted to be an Inquisitor, they immediately tried to persuade you against it. They warned you it was a dark and lonely path. It was perhaps their own fault they were unsuccessful, of course. Mother Gran and her stories always focused on the wicked Isekais who preyed on the children who wandered off into the woods, and who ate those who stole bread from the kitchen, but rarely did she tell stories of the Inquisitors, who protected people from those monsters.

You always insisted on hearing about them, the brave and holy warriors who fought off all these horrible Isekai monsters to save people from unspeakable crimes. You wanted to hear uplifting stories about Inquisitors who helped free those trapped inside their bodies, or swept away into the night.

You wanted to hear stories with a happy ending, to hear about how you could actually help these people. You were sick of hearing dark stories of monsters punishing troublemakers.

The problem was, of course… Mother Gran had good reason not to tell you of those stories. Inquisitors, as you’d found out, were hardly a shining order of gallant knights. It was convenient to use Isekais as a bogeyman to frighten the young orphans into proper behaviour, but stories of Inquisitors torturing an Isekai to death were not as popular as stories about a knight rescuing beautiful maidens from a Nephilim dragon’s harem, or even of Templars riding out to push back Yankeevine invaders.

The work of an Inquisitor was either dreary and mundane… or horrifying. So, to be able to help Azaze like this, for a simple yet profound problem… You were proud. You did something that the innocent childhood vision of your future self would have done.

It made you almost believe that you didn’t have to look into the abyss to defeat it. That feeling of pride stuck with you, so strongly that you could almost feel its golden aura around you like a beam of sunshine or a warm blanket, as if it belonged to someone else who was watching you, pleasantly surprised at your help.

The priests liked to say that pride goeth before a fall… but for now, why not bask in the simple pleasures of a job well done?

[Nephemem, the Vainglorious, approves of your handling of the Azaze Investigation. She will remember that.]



~~~​



You waited now for the arrival of the next of your interviewees, the Lady de Lievens. You expected this to be another simple interview. You did not suspect her of being under Possession, but from the strong emotional reaction she had to Circe, you thought she might provide useful evidence in your investigation of the Princess. It was simply a matter of coaxing that information out of her.

Averink escorted Rosemarijn into the room. She was calm, now that Circe was not in the room, despite the worries she had of being under suspicion. She curtsied, then took a seat at the desk. The researcher took his customary seat next to you to observe the interview.

“We shall now begin the investigative interview,” you said. “Do you swear by the Gods above that your answers and testimony are truthful and correct, to the best of your ability?”

Rosemarijn nodded. “I do.”

“What is your name?”

“Rosemarijn de Lievens.”

“And your age?”

“Seventeen years old.”

You nodded and smiled, while flipping through the Appraisal reports for the appropriate paper. Lady de Lievens stayed silent, sitting stoically with her hands folded in front of her. As with her Appraisal, her eyes wandered the room as she silently observed everything around her.

“Lady de Lievens, your Appraisal has, for the most part, conformed with the expected results of a lady of the Kingdom of Astem,” you said, while looking down the document. “Congratulations.”

Rosemarijn remained unfazed, her face one of calm and grace, however you could see her aura of confusion. Then why…? You heard her thoughts.

You were, of course, not going to immediately help with that confusion.

“There is just one peculiarity that stands out, one that leads on to my first question. How would you describe the Second Princess?”

Rosemarijn remained silent for a good dozen seconds. However, interestingly, the aura of confusion around her faded. It seemed she understood your line of questioning, and a tinge of anxiety followed this awareness that only grew stronger as she considered her answer.

“The Second Princess is an upstanding young lady, and a delight for the Kingdom. I am honoured to attend the same Academy as the Princess,” she finally said.

“And her personality?”

“Kind, generous, wise, chaste and faithful, all that can be expected of a proper young lady and more,” Rosemarijn said. She tried to hide it, but you could hear the sarcasm in her polite words.

“Your insights are appreciated, thank you. With all that said of the Princess, my second question is this: Why then does your Appraisal have the name of the Second Princess as your archenemy?"

Rosemarijn sighed. Resignation, without shock or alarm. She expected this.

“Does that make me an Isekai, or are you accusing me of treason?”

"Neither, however, to be listed on an Appraisal as such is a strong sentiment. The Princess’ life is often at risk from assassination, and if you could clarify your relationship with her, it would help to reduce any future misunderstandings.”

You had taken this angle of questioning very deliberately. You wanted Rosemarijn's information on the Princess, however you also wished to avoid clueing her in on the true purpose of this interview – that you suspected the Princess herself of possession. In due time, perhaps you could summon her as a future witness, but for now you had to be careful.

“Very well then, to clear any ‘misunderstandings’... I am no threat to the Second Princess.”

“And your archenemy status? Do you deny the validity of your Appraisal?” Averink asked.

“No. I accept it, but it is not like that. I hate the Second Princess for what she did to my family. She destroyed my family.”

“The Second Princess destroyed it, how exactly?” you inquired, sceptical. The de Lievenses were known to most for their controversies and…scandalous behaviour. The Duke and Duchess’ marital disputes had been a thing of public record for quite some time, so unless she meant…?

“My brother’s disgrace. It was her doing. He was guilty of only doing what she instructed, as… unsavoury as it was.”

Understanding came to you. This was not a fight with the Princess Circe of now, but the Princess Circe of then. Joren de Lievens was disgraced two years ago, disinherited and stripped of his title of Duke-in-waiting, before your graduation and at the time you certainly knew Princess Circe was still… herself.

“And that was…?” you asked. Joren’s reason for being disowned had never been revealed, so it was very much news to you that Princess Circe was, allegedly, behind it.

Rosemarijn paused again to carefully consider her words.

“May I speak freely, Lady Inquisitor, and confidentially?” she finally asked.

“I assure you that nothing said here will leave this room,” you said.

“While my brother was not supposed to tell anyone what occurred, as you can guess, he confided it to me. What he told me was that he was summoned privately by the Princess to the Starlight Inn for an illicit rendezvous of her making.”

“And so he was disowned… for this rendezvous that she planned?” you asked. You would normally accept this answer, considering Princess Circe's past behaviour, however you also knew that the Princess had numerous paramours who seemed to avoid any kind of punishment.

“Lady Inquisitor, I am aware you have attended this Academy previously. I believe you have a grasp upon how many of our noble peers act, how they treat the Academy of Light as a courtship service rather than a magical school?”

You couldn't argue with that. “I have indeed, and I attended the Academy with the Princess. I am aware of her… frequent paramours. Why was your brother singled out?”

“My brother was singled out because he was not the only one invited to that Inn. As they like to say, three can keep a secret if two of them are dead. To make a long and sordid story short, all three men were caught, put to the question, and blamed for the dishonourable conduct, although one of them, a Merchant-Prince from Prospero, was simply paid off to remain silent.”

“You are making extremely serious claims, to portray the Princess as… as some kind of common harlot,” Averink said, his tone a warning.

“She portrays herself as such,” Rosemarijn replied, more sharply than you would have liked. “You read her Appraisal file, right? She’s probably still worshipping Ishtar and all those… demon boys, right?”

You nodded silently, not correcting her.

“So you hate the Princess because, as you claim, she slept with your brother and a group of other men?” Averink asked, looking over at her from above his glasses.

“No. As I said, I hate her for destroying my family. My brother is an idiot and only thinks with his…” She cut herself off, not willing to say anything crass. “But, he did not plan that night at the Inn, or he did not plan for it to happen the way it did. He had never even met the other men there, let alone a Prosperean Merchant-Prince, and yet he was blamed for the incident. The court gossips even gave them a name, the ‘Indecent Trio.’ My father was shortly afterward dismissed from his post as the Queen's Minister of Justice, and forced to disinherit my brother.”

“Can you prove that?” Averink asked.

“No. But I can tell you this: My brother is not the first to have this happen to him, nor will he be the last, and nor is this the only kind of thing the Princess does. I don’t know who, but I can assure you that the Second Princess has made many enemies in this country. The way she treats people… It is unsurprising to me that there are so many assassination plots against her."

“I am quite sure those plots are more likely due to the Yankeevine Empire wishing to bring down Astem and the Demon Empire’s future marriage alliance, rather from any kind of personal grudge against the Second Princess,” Averink retorted.

“Assassination plots require assets inside the country of the target,” you say, surprising Averink by defending Rosemarijn. “Even if the assassin themselves is a foreigner draped in a cloak, they need insiders to give them the opportunity to strike.”

You weren’t an assassin or spy, but Inquisitors worked in a close enough field that you picked up some of the trade… and there was also Baudelaire.

“As the Lady Inquisitor said. I understand this may incriminate me, but I am trying to make a point. If you want proof of my claims, simply follow the trail of ruined lives the Princess has left behind. I am betting that you will find that I am not the only one who has this particular Archenemy.”

Silence followed. This was not exactly particular to your investigation into The Princess’ possession… however it was still information about her, perhaps even useful information.

You paused to write this down in your notes.

“The Second Princess is… possibly one of the worst people I have ever met in my life,” Rosemarijn suddenly said, unprompted by you or Averink.

You neither commented for or against her. Once upon a time, you may have even agreed with her, before you saw those caged children, crying and screaming in the cave where the Pied Piper once lived.

After that… Princess Circe didn’t seem so bad anymore.

“I – I have often wondered how she even exists. I have met the Crown Princess Cilicia, and she was the perfect image of what one would expect of a princess. Kind, graceful, regal, and wise. Queen-Regnant Cicada and her King-Consort seemed the very portraits of what is proper in a Royal Couple, at least to me. How could the offspring of such parents be so…horrid?”

“What is your point?” Averink asked.

“You wanted to know what I think of her, her personality. I just find it strange that such a… libertine, vain and cruel bully could come from such a family. I pondered it for a long time, although I think I might have an answer. Did you know that soon after the incident with my brother, the Second Princess was betrothed to that Demon Prince? The same year, declared only weeks later. Fascinating, right?”

“I am aware of the date,” you say. The Princess was indeed officially declared betrothed two years ago, celebrated with public ceremonies and feasts, however you also knew that the intended alliance had been in the works for quite some time before that, as far back as the reign of Cirano III. After all, the Empire was wealthy and powerful, with military might and magic capable of shielding Astem from the Yankeevine threat. “Do you believe that her behaviour is linked to her betrothal, then?”

“I think so, yes. I think the Second Princess has been moulded specifically to appeal to a Demon Prince. His people’s culture, traditions, what he would value in a concubine. And I’d say they succeeded. After all, the customs of demons are far different from our own. Do Nephilim nobility not collect harems of paramours in a sort of collective marriage arrangement?”

You nodded. This was true.

“After Joren was caught by the Princess’ guards and brought back to the Palace, my father was summoned to observe his judgement, as with the other young men. The Princess was brought in and asked whether she recognized them. According to my brother, she was unrepentant, even proud, as she confirmed the purpose of her rendezvous. The Princess intended to …have them all at once.”

“This is an Inquisitorial investigative interview, not a salon for the airing of petty palace gossip,” Averink cut in once more.

“I am getting to the point,” Rosemarijn said. “The Princess told the Queen and King-Consort that she was doing nothing that wasn’t done in the Demonic Empire, and that to avoid any shame she would simply marry them all and make a harem of them, like a demon princess in Dis. And only a few weeks later, the announcement came forth that she was betrothed to one of the Padisha Emperor’s sons. I do not think this was mere coincidence.”

“Thank you, Lady de Lievens, your insight has been very helpful,” you said. “One last question: have you noticed any changes in Princess Circe’s behaviour recently?”

“I have tried my best to avoid her since the incident,” Rosemarijn said, shrugging. “It was not hard. She left me alone, since she mostly harassed girls of common birth…” Her voice drifted off, as if noticing that you yourself fit the criteria for “girls of common birth.” She paused once more to think. “But from what I have heard, she seems to have gathered another harem again. I tried to warn one of them that Princess Circe would be his ruin, as she was my brother’s, but he wouldn’t hear a word of it.”

You sat up in your chair and leaned forward. If your hunch was true, Rosemarijn had just corroborated Azaze’s testimony. “Do you know who they are?”

“Prince Ludomir Dąbrowski of Neu-Alaynia, Prince Pierre-Antoine du Valois of Tourine – he was the one I tried to warn – Kasper de Haarten, I think he’s the nephew of some Arch-Cardinal, and Baron Stefan von Kürschner.”

The same four names. You’d seen from Stefan’s Appraisal that he had reduced resistance to Attractor traits; did the others have the same? What connected them to Circe, to each other, and to you? Did this mean that the Princess herself, or the Isekai possessing her, also had the Otome Attractor?

At any rate, they would have to be questioned, as would the rest of the Princess’ close circle. As with Stefan, the prospect of a personal interview with them was not a pleasant one for you, even if the others weren’t quite as rakish.

“If you have nothing more to add, that will be all,” you said. “I know this is an unpleasant subject for you, and I thank you for your cooperation.” You lit the candle, preparing to apply the Inquisitorial seal and signature to your notes. “This concludes the Investigational Interview of Rosemarijn de Lievens.”


~~~​


Lady de Lievens had since left, leaving you and Averink to look through your notes, while waiting for the return of your agents.

“I spoke with the Headmaster,” Averink said.

You looked up. “What did you make of him?”

“Apprehensive, maybe even flustered. I’m not exactly an investigator like yourself, but if I had to guess, he was not ready for this inspection, or otherwise is an exceptionally good actor.”

“What about the Minister of Education? Did he say anything about him?”

“The Headmaster claims his visit wasn’t his doing. Apparently the Education Minister forced his way in. Officially, the Minister is here to ensure the impartiality of the Second Princess’ appraisal… but if I had to guess, it’s to stifle the Inquisition.”

“Then who ordered the Education Minister to come here?” you asked. You considered the Princess herself, or whoever was possessing her… but then, Theodore was right; her intelligence was hardly any higher than that of the actual Princess. She didn’t seem clever enough to fake a believable impression of the Second Princess, yet was smart enough to have the Minister of Education run interference? You didn’t buy it.

“The Headmaster doesn’t know, or believes he was working of his own accord… or so he claims. Knowing what we know, I find it unlikely the Education Minister just decided to show up.”

“Mhm…” you murmured in agreement.

It was at that moment, as you and Averink pondered his discoveries, that the classroom door barged open. Nacissa strutted in first, her chest out and nose raised high. Fortunately, she was then followed by your agents and Appraiser Eikehouten, all filing into the classroom, with the exception of The Guard and Nacissa’s demihuman butler, Igor, who both stood silently by the door, their figures fading from view as Yasmijn closed the door behind her. The young Appraiser laid her head on her folded arms and slept; after all, while your investigation was chiefly concerned with those students who fit Averink’s profile of a theoretical possession target, every student needed to be Appraised before the Isekai Storm hit.

Nacissa stood in the centre of the classroom, looking aside to the windows, arms crossed, tapping her foot, her displeasure obvious. Her thoughts were relatively easy to read, fortunately, so you knew she was only angry that you were right.

“Well?” you asked. “Please share your thoughts, Lady Corporal.”

“The Princess… is clearly not herself.” Nacissa said hesitantly, not wanting to believe what she said…or what she’d seen.

“Then you know. This is not a personal vendetta against the Princess. I truly believe she has been possessed.”

“Bah, as if,” Nacissa huffed, waving her hand in dismissal. “Just because it seems real, doesn’t mean this isn’t some kind of plot of yours. Who’s to say this wasn’t yours and Mechtelt’s doing in the first place? I quite remember that the Princess was mightily hysterical about something you two did to her in our graduating year…”

You blinked in shock.

“Lady Luttefmont-Furholjan, please refrain from making wild accusations of weebery against myself or Inquisitor Vrooman. I assure you, that… incident, had nothing to do with the Princess’ current predicament.”

You couldn’t very well explain Mechtelt’s peculiar curse to Nacissa without either sounding ridiculous or slanderous, but you knew that while Mechtelt hated the Second Princess, she would never dare weaponise Isekais in such a manner.

Compared to her righteous indignation and zeal in ridding the world of Isekais… there could be no contest. To your friend, Princess Circe was simply yet another decadent aristocrat and bully, no different than any other of that ilk as could be found in every kingdom. Mechtelt had real monsters to hunt down. And so did you.

“Hm, so be it,” Nacissa said. While her voice was nonchalant, you could in fact see a tinge of guilt from her aura. You pressed on.

“Our current running theory is that her possession may well be because of who she is normally, her personality, behaviour, what makes her… her.” Averink added, defending your innocence. “We at the Department of Isekai Studies believe a new novel Isekai has made itself known to our ruling classes… the Fujo.”

“Averink’s research concerns the likely targets of the Fujo Isekai. We believe that, to speak plainly, the Fujo will target so-called ‘Villainesses,’” you explained.

You noticed how Nacissa’s eyebrow twitched at the mere mention of the term. You would say, even as a Reclaimed, that she herself may very well be at risk. But you said nothing, because even if the Astemmian aristocracy embraced the Yankeevine pejorative, you knew Nacissa would treat it as an insult coming from your mouth.

Even if unspoken, she understood the significance, and that was what mattered.

“The envy and bitterness of the Isekais really know no bounds… They cannot merely be the rulers of the world, they need our bodies too…” Nacissa muttered to herself.

“They always have,” Yasmijn responded. “Before, they took the bodies of girls and women like me, or Inquisitor Visser. Now it seems the aristocracy is finally experiencing what we have been suffering through for centuries.”

Rather than retort with annoyance or derision, Nacissa actually nodded… sympathetically.

“I know. My poor Igor was telling me all about how all the cute demihumans would be taken by Isekais and… It is too horrid to even discuss.”

This concern for demihumans was something quite peculiar about Nacissa, or her entire family, come to think of it. The Luttefmont-Furholjans adored demihumans. There had always been a certain degree of… strife, between man and demihuman, a sad reality that Astem was no exception to, but Nacissa was patently not of this camp – rather the opposite. Neither was her sister – you remembered the uproar and scandal after her sister, the Lady Ninneke, gave up her inheritance and title to marry her own dressing attendant – a handsome and cultured catboy, of course. The last you’d heard, she was living off her husband’s salary as a weaver and her lady mother’s generosity. No doubt Igor hoped for similar good luck.

However, there was also no doubt that Nacissa was far cannier than her sister.

“My service is yours, Lady Inquisitor,” she said, almost forcing herself to address you by the formal title. “But make no mistake: I shall drag that thrice-damned Isekai out of my friend myself and thrash it for its impertinence!”

“Lady Corporal, I think you will be most helpful by:

Vote:

[ ]
Sitting for a personal Investigative Interview, for your insights on Princess Circe’s personality and behaviour.
[ ] Accompanying me in interviews with Circe and her associates to ask questions.
[ ] Observing my interviews with Circe and her associates to inform me if anything seems “off” or concerning.
[ ] Not being directly involved for now, unless there is a direct danger to the Inquisitorial Agents.
[ ] Write-In
 
CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, Questioning of Marijke
CASE II: No Otome Game, Investigate Circe – Questioning of Marijke I

[x] Observing my interviews with Circe and her associates to inform me if anything seems “off” or concerning.
-[x] Try to set her up somewhere where she can give us real time commentary via telepathy without influencing the interviews with her presence.
-[x] Try to keep an open mind during the interviews. If there is a chance Nacissa is right, a false positive could be even worse than letting a possible Isekai go.



~~~​



The time was rapidly approaching. You could feel it, even if the door to the classroom was closed and the room silent. You anxiously tapped your finger on the desk normally reserved for the classroom teacher, as you waited for the first of the Second Princess’ associates to arrive.

You could hear a bored yawn through the partially opened window. While resistant at first, Lady Nacissa accepted your condition that she sit in on your interviews in a manner that would not affect or bias it with her presence.

She would stand outside, listen in, preferably in silence, and you would read her thoughts to determine her views on what was about to be said.

With you stood all of your agents, sans The Guard standing by the door, next to you sat Pieter van Averink, the Isekai Studies researcher, diligently writing all he would see and hear in his research notes. Finally Igor had left to accompany his mistress to not raise suspicions, and you could see flickers of his aura rising from the open window.

You couldn’t delay this any longer. You silently prayed to the Gods, and hoped that Lady Luck would finally favour you.

The door opened, and Yasmijn escorted the first of those on your list into the classroom, directing her to a desk in the centre of the front row. She sat down, but did not bother to give you a curtsy.

“We shall now begin the Investigative Interview,” you said, arranging your face into a cold, professional expression. “Do you swear by the Gods above that your answers and testimony are truthful and correct, to the best of your ability?”

“I do.”

“What is your name?”

“Marijke de Vandewiele. What is the purpose of this – Lady Inquisitor?” She didn’t say it, but Marijke almost slipped up by calling you “peasant” again, out of habit.

“We will be asking the questions here, young lady,” Averink said. “You are here to answer them.”

Marijke turned to Averink, startled, as if just taking notice of him. Her face softened, and she batted her eyes a bit. You could see her aura shift into a bright pink.

“Marijke is fond of handsome commoners,” you could hear Nacissa’s thoughts, directed at you. “Little surprise there. She likes to be the one in control.”

You leaned over and whispered as much to Averink, who nodded as if this was nothing new to him. The young researcher was tall and handsome, with fine features and long dark hair. You were sure that many young ladies must have shown interest – until he started talking, no doubt, you thought with some rueful amusement.

Well, Marijke was not going to be the one in control today, and you would have to make that very clear.

“Could you please tell us about yourself,” you asked. “Briefly,” you added. You already knew who Marijke was, as she had been an accomplice of Circe and Nacissa in bullying you in your Academy years.

She looked at you questioningly at the implication of this request, but nodded regardless.

“I am the Marchioness-in-waiting of Waadensteig.”

“Former,” Nacissa’s thoughts informed you. Averink seemed willing enough to protest this untruthful statement as well, but by the grace of the Gods he somehow had the common sense to remain silent enough for Marijke herself to continue. He even favoured her with a small smile.

Encouraged by this, she continued. “My father, the Marquess of Waadensteig, illegally legitimised my bastard half-brother Adriaan so as to avoid complying with King Cirano III’s Succession Decrees, the ones that would make me, the eldest of his trueborn daughters, his heir. Rest assured though, I am in truth the legitimate heir.”

Normally, aristocrats considered it impolite to air their own dirty laundry so openly, but you could see such frustration, anger and bitterness in her aura, even if she seemed to remain calm visually, that you could only conclude that her anger over it was enough to remove any inhibitions about revealing such personal information. What her father had done had not even been illegal, quite the opposite – a nobleman could always petition the Queen to remove the taint of bastardy from his illegitimate children by royal decree.

Also, Marijke was always a blabber-mouth.

“A travesty certainly, Marijke may be a bit on the dull side, but she is a fine lady, all things considered,” Nacissa’s thoughts ran.

You highly doubted the “fine lady” part from your own personal experiences with Marijke, but Nacissa seemed to almost pre-empt this.

“Not to mention, Adriaan was and is hardly a paragon either. He was one of Princess Circe’s paramours, you know, before Quintijn and Stefan. Arrogant and brooding. ‘Big in all the right places,’ just as the Princess liked them, even if he was golden-haired rather than dark. Not exactly a man that Her Saintness Visser would associate with. I of course have to deal with him now, since he joined the Templars too…”

It was… odd. Lady Luttefmont-Furholjan, your old Academy bully, explaining to you the complexities of her friends' relationships in a, well, relatively neutral manner, at least compared to before. Always eager to see the best in people, you hoped this trend continued.

That said, it was irritating that she did not inform you earlier about Adriaan’s connection to the Princess, though perhaps Adriaan was too far off to be of any use anyway, no doubt posted to some faraway border fort. Other than reading his name earlier in Stefan’s old Appraisal document, you had not seen the man in years, when he was a senior year to you in the Academy.

You could not communicate this with Nacissa telepathically either way, only listen, so she remained silent.

“Thank you for your answer. Next, I have been led to believe you have an association with the Second Princess. Can you please explain your relationship with her?”

“Of course! I am a close friend of the Second Princess. She trusts me with all kinds of things.”

“Such as?” you inquired.

“Well, uh…” she stammered. She looked at Averink, but there was no help to be found there.

You waited patiently.

“Marijke was always more of a hanger-on. She attached herself like a homeless puppy to Princess Circe’s leg to absorb even of a fraction of her royal eminence,” Nacissa’s thoughts elaborated.

“She used to… well, it doesn’t matter! I am a close friend. You should already know that, Viss– uh, Lady Inquisitor. Oh! And just ask Nacissa, she'll tell you! She’s at the Academy doing recruiting for the Templars!”

“Figures,” Nacissa thought.

“Let me remind you, I am here not as your former classmate, but as a representative of the Holy Inquisition, and you have sworn an oath before the Gods to give truthful testimony.”

Marijke looked like a wild animal caught in a trap. “We were close! Until she decided to abandon us and run off to her stupid gardens!”

Finally, you were getting somewhere. Like the animal in the trap, Marijke had decided to chew the limb off to save herself, just as you’d expected of her.

Averink nodded. “Please go on,” he said, more kindly than you’d ever heard him. “When did she abandon you?”

Marijke huffed, but slowly calmed down again.

“Late last year. Around when you and Nacissa graduated.” She paused, thinking. “Actually, it was even before that. It started when… whatever it was you and Vrooman did to her. The Princess never explained it to us… but whatever it is caused her to become distant, and then she just stopped talking to us altogether.”

“Is this what this is about?” Marijke asked, not verbalising the part of her thoughts wondering if you were trying to cover yourself from whatever horrible thing you did to the Princess.

From Nacissa too, you could hear thoughts wondering what it was exactly that you and Mechtelt had done. Clearly, Princess Circe had never informed even her closest friends about the curse Mechtelt put on her… body, the one you had removed shortly thereafter.

“This is an investigative interview for the Inquisition, not a matter of personal interest,” you said.

But really, was that entirely true? Marijke had just linked the Princess’ sudden abandonment of her former friends to what you and Mechtelt had done.

Could her sudden change really be attributed to that? Certainly, Princess Circe was so incredibly vain that not only did Mechtelt’s curse work in the way it did, but it reduced the Princess to a hysterical wreck… but to change her entire personality? To abandon her former friends? To change her skills and alignment and… to do all that?

Or… did the curse…. have other effects? Could it… could it induce possession by an isekai? It just didn’t seem right. Maybe the curse had other characteristics Mechtelt didn’t know about… or maybe… the explanation was much more simple.

Maybe the Fujo Isekai targeted… vulnerability?

When Baudelaire was possessed, he was merely a child and a street urchin. Someone isolated and helpless. The type of ladies that the Fujo Isekai targeted, if Averink was correct, were hardly such people. Confident to the point of arrogance, beautiful to the point of vanity. Hardly the type of person to be isolated or helpless… unless they were put in a situation that would induce it.

…Like humiliation. Public humiliation.

“How did she change after that, exactly? I have talked to Lady Luttefmont-Furholjan, and she didn’t seem to think you were particularly close. But I think she may be… mistaken.”

You could hear Nacissa fuming inside of your head at this impingement of her honesty. She needed to trust that you knew what you were doing.

“Of course that catboy-kisser is mistaken! But…”

“I assure you, what you say here will never leave this room,” Averink reassured her with another smile.

And then, after a few moments, Marijke did exactly as you expected her to. She talked. A lot.

Marijke listed numerous incidents and squabbles, barely pausing to take a breath. The Princess telling her off for making fun of Annelijn. The Princess removing her ringlet hair as “too much work for the maids.” Even an attempt to replace her outfit once, one that didn’t show off obscene amounts of cleavage and had a far more modest skirt, only coming to wearing her old attire again more recently.

Dumped paramours. Proper ladies exiled from her presence, Marijke and another friend, Lisanne van Woolfen, included. Pigging out on sweets, which while this was something she always did, was now done openly, not even bothering with table manners, simply grabbing a shortcake or four and gleefully shoving it into her mouth with her fingers. The whalebone-lined corsets she’d had made, to give the illusion of a small waistline. The sudden interest in taking care of the gardens. The harem of boys who followed after her, simpering over her every word and acting as though she were Amoroa raised from the dead.

After what seemed like forever, Marijke finally stopped talking. Averink and your agents, even Nacissa, seemed relieved.

“Thank you,” Averink said, smiling again. “You’ve been very helpful.”

“I’d be even more helpful to you, if we were to be alone together,” Marijke thought, blushing brightly. You were glad that Averink was not also a telepath, as Marijke had a lurid fantasy of herself and the researcher together in some sort of broom closet. This time, you did not grimace. Following Stefan and the Yankeevine ambassador, you were starting to get used to this now, or rather, reacquainted to how it used to be, inadvertently reading the idle and often lascivious thoughts of the students of the Academy of Light.

It was bearable because Marijke was willing to talk, and you needed to take advantage of it while you still could.


~~~​


You have many questions, but limited time to ask them all, particularly with the others to interview. You can pick 4 ask choices, or end the interview.


[ ] Ask about Circe’s personality and behaviour
[ ] Ask about Circe’s close relationships [Friends, Paramours, Family]
[ ] Ask about Circe’s distant relationships [Rivals, Staff, Officials]
[ ] Ask about Circe’s hobbies, skills and interests.
[ ] Ask about Circe’s career aspirations or future plans
[ ] Ask about Circe’s religious beliefs
[ ] Ask about Circe’s political views
[ ] Ask about Circe’s views on gender and sexuality
[ ] Ask about Circe’s views on other races (Demons, Demihumans, Monstrines)
[ ] Ask about Circe’s views on Isekais
[ ] Marijke is unlikely to provide more useful information, end the interview
[ ] write-in
 
CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, QUESTIONING OF MARIJKE/QUINTIJN
CASE II: No Otome Game, Investigate Circe – Questioning of Marijke II & Quintijn I

[X] Ask about Circe's personality and behaviour
[X] Ask about Circe's distant relationships [Rivals, Staff, Officials]
[X] Ask about Circe's hobbies, skills and interests.
[X] Ask about Circe's views on other races (Demons, Demihumans, Monstrines)



~~~​


“How would you describe the Second Princess’ behaviour? How she holds herself, interacts with others and so on,” you asked.

“The Princess treats people according to their station, as is her right. Other than abandoning and refusing to speak with us for utterly no reason I can think of, she has been nothing but unfailingly gracious to me and the other ladies,” Marijke explained.

You nodded. Some people loved to hear the sound of their own voices, and would go on forever if you let them. Marijke was such a person, so all you had to do was allow her to talk.

“The Princess is strong-willed and knows exactly what she wants. I for one respect that.”

“Would you say that changed after the incident that you mentioned earlier?”

“No.”

“No…?” you repeated.

“Other than refusing to associate with me anymore, she is just as loud and brash, I would dare say even more brash than before, if such a thing is possible.”

“How so?”

“Before, she was glamorous. Magnetic. Wherever she was in a room, that would become the centre of the world, and if it wasn’t… she’d force it to, as Nacissa would often find out… I learned to just stay in the back.”

“Princess Circe is quite the thrower,” Nacissa added in her thoughts. You glimpsed the briefest image of a… what could only be a screaming Princess, throwing some kind of jewellery box.

“But that said, back then she knew her place in the world. I understand if someone of your…” She gave a little cough, in order to remain polite on the record. “background, may contest that, but it is so. She acknowledged the standing of peers appropriately, followed rituals and tradition, she didn’t pursue the men claimed by others of high station. She was eager to perform her duty and obligations as a Princess, my, she was even eager to be married off and pump out spawn to that Black Prince. Now? Now she’s gone wild. Speaks to her maid as if a close friend, loudly proclaims her love of unlady-like activities and...” She paused.

“And?”

“That harem following her around? I am almost certain she now consorts with not just claimed men, but Princes! The demons might not have any notion of chastity or preserving one’s maidenhead before marriage, but she should know better than to court a betrothed prince of Tourine! And Neu-Alaynia… If I didn’t know any better, I’d dare say she was possessed…”

You stared at her. She had said this final line in either jest or without much thought, because after saying that, she looked at you anxiously, as if just remembering you were an Inquisitor now, and not a student of the Academy.

“I – I mean, that’s impossible of course! I wasn't making any accusations! I just think her behaviour has gone too far from how she was before. In my opinion. Her… appetites were manageable before, but now I fear she is going to cause a national scandal or catastrophe of some kind.”

“What about her bullying?”

“Oh please, that was just some harmless fun. You never could take a joke, could you?”

You gave Marijke the most disbelieving stare you could muster.

“It wasn’t as if we only played jokes on commoners, either,” she said, looking pleadingly at Averink.

“This is at least true,” Nacissa thought. You agreed, if what you saw of her interaction with Annelijn was any indication.

“I am aware,” you said curtly. “I mean to ask, did her bullying stop?”

“I would hardly call it bullying, but she is much less fun now,” Marijke grumbled. “You’d think she was a Druid, like that Aoileann wench, for how much she talks of flowers and peace and friendship. Absolutely improper, if you ask me. After all, the lessers do need–” She broke off again, remembering that she was on the record.

“What does she enjoy now? Besides flowers?” you asked.

“I… would not truthfully know. As I said, I have not spoken or been with her in some time. I see her in the gardens often. She seems to become taken with plants when not with men, I think I even spied her trying to climb a tree once. The Princess has never been… a particularly nimble or light person, so the results were as funny as you’d imagine.”

“What about…” You tried to remember what was listed in the Princess’ skills on her Appraisal. “Calligraphy? I think?”

“Calligraphy? I, well, the Princess was never one for letters… Oh! You mean her demon painting. Yes. I remember that. Perhaps? She was utterly enamoured with all things Demon when I was around. She would have brushes to paint demon words in, cosmetics from Dis, even would dress up in their clothing, if you could call it that. I cannot imagine her to have stopped, but as I mentioned, she did experiment with more modest dresses for a time.”

“What about duelling, and combat?” Averink asked, looking up from his writing. From what you’d seen of his research notes on the Fujo Isekai, he regarded a sudden interest in such pursuits as a warning sign of possession.

“I recall the Princess carrying a rapier sometimes, as is fashionable these days. As the Princess, she knew that there may one day come an occasion where she must lead others into battle. But that was just talk. Thankfully she is, to my knowledge, not some sort of freak like that horrid Justitia. Honestly, you should be interviewing her, if anyone.”

“You mentioned the Princess was fascinated with demons, could you explain that further?” you asked. “Also, what did she think of other non-humans? Demihumans, or elves?”

“Well, her love for demons… I would go so far as to call it a fetish, comparable to Nacissa and her demihumans, really.”

“Marijke hardly has standing to speak of fetishes,” you could hear Nacissa think. “She’d screw the stableboys, if she thought she could pin it on someone else!”

“As I said, a lot of her interests are orientated around them, as are her interests in men… until recently at least. Not sure what is with that.”

“Is there any reason why she might be afraid of Demons?”



“What?”

“Perhaps something happened to have caused her to have a negative experience with demons in recent history?” Averink added.

“I mean… not that I know of? I know she visited the Foreign Quarter sometimes, to see the Demon Bazaar there, and to look at their silks and jewels. I also think that demon prince, the one she’s betrothed to, he visited her again maybe sometime last year?”

This piqued your interest.

“When, last year? After or before… that incident?”

“Uh… I think a bit before. He stayed as a guest at the palace for a few weeks, then left. I honestly wanted to get a look at him, but he never visited the Academy, the Princess was always called to the palace instead.”

The demon prince. He was here in Astoria, just a year ago, at the same time you and Mechtelt had… done what you had done.

If you were right, if Isekais targeted the vulnerable and humbled, if the Princess had indeed been possessed just after Mechtelt had cursed her… Were the two of you to blame for it?

The thought that you may have inadvertently baited an Isekai to possess the Second Princess was too terrible to think about.

“Have you seen the Princess and the demon prince together, how they interacted? Is there any reason she would be afraid of him?”

“No, and even more, no. Nacissa and I have heard all about the demon prince from Princess Circe, and I would doubt any claims made about her being afraid of him… if anything, he should be afraid of her. The Princess was absolutely infatuated with him, practically trying to jump him at the shortest notice.”

"What are her thoughts on demihumans, or elves?"

Marijke shrugged. “At a banquet held by Duke van Woolfen, a catboy waiter offered us some cakes, and the Princess said, ‘No thank you, I don’t take food from animals.’ We thought it was funny. Aren’t demihumans descended from the Monster races anyway? Demihumans were always Nacissa’s… thing.”

Your lips thinned into the barest of frowns.

“So I take it the Princess’... peculiar xenophilia does not extend to other races beyond demons?”

“Well, ahem,” Marijke said, now becoming uncomfortable. While such racial views were not criminal or necessarily taboo, they were also not a matter of casual social acceptance either, especially since the Thaw, when much of the world had become more or less united against the Isekai threat.

“I don’t believe the Princess hates… demihumans. She just doesn’t care all that much for them. From what I’ve heard, to her they are just Demis, and nothing special. She had that elf maid she used to get along with… but then again, she fired her last year, so… maybe? And then the centaurs. She used to say it was disgusting how Lisanne was interested in that centaur prince and how it may as well be bestiality… but, I mean, I guess she is okay with centaurs now, what with Prince Ludomir being one of her paramours…”

From Nacissa’s aura and thoughts from outside the window, she seemed as if she were restraining herself from climbing through the window to throttle Marijke. You weren’t exactly enthused either, but maintained your professionalism. It was best to change the subject before she actually did it.

“Thank you. Can you please explain to us the Princess’ interaction with others not immediately connected to her? Staff, servants, the like?”

“Well, she talks with her maids all the time now. Treats them almost as if they were friends.”

“And before?”

“Before, she had a select few that she tended to bring along with her everywhere… what were their names... That elf, who was her dressing attendant, and what's-her-name who was her cook. But of course she maintained the proper amount of… distance from them. As I said, she knew her place within the world, and expected them to know theirs. That didn’t keep her from propositioning her personal guards if she took a liking to them, of course.”

You nervously took a glance at the window. The sun had set a while ago and you still had to interview the Princess’ paramours and servants.

“Do you have anything else you would like to add, Lady de Vandewiele?” you asked.

“That is all,” she said. “I’ve answered your questions. It is for the Inquisition to determine what to do afterward.” It seemed that for once, Marijke was tired of talking.

“Thank you for your cooperation. That will be all for now, though you may be needed for interviews in connection to others,” you said, relieved. “This concludes this interview of Marijke de Vandewiele.”


~~~

Everyone had to sit in silence for a few minutes, just to take in the sheer amount of information. No doubt most of it was petty gossip and tattle, but of course, in even the wildest rumour there was usually a grain of truth. Marijke had corroborated the testimonies of others, and provided much of her own. Finally, you applied seal and signature to the transcript.

“By Ishtar’s nipples… does this Fake Princess know what she’s doing!?” Nacissa leaned into the open window after Marijke had left. “Are you telling me she’s sleeping with all of your old puppy dog princes? At once?! Madness! This Isekai has no idea what she is doing. I always thought Princess Circe was out of control with her paramours, but at least she had the sense to go for the likes of Stefan, who would never be betrothed anyway. The princes… imagine the scandal if it were discovered! In fact, it has been discovered!”

It was a little surprising that Nacissa, Circe’s closest friend, had disapproved of her behaviour at all. But then, the Knights Templar swore oaths of chastity during their service, and from what little you had heard, she took even this oath seriously.

“At least we will not have to worry about bastards,” Nacissa continued, shaking her head. “From what I remember, Lisanne – that's Lady van Woolfen for you – has been handing out a brothel’s worth of silphium, else Princess Circe would have birthed a royal bastard ages ago. The demons might be fine with sleeping around, but a bastard to another nation’s prince…! That is a disaster if I’ve ever heard of one.”

Pick One:

[ ]
This is none of your concern, you are here to hunt isekais, not meddle in private affairs.
[ ] Consorting with those princes may cause international scandal, it doesn’t matter if Circe is an isekai or not.
[ ] Princess Circe consorting with foreign princes is concerning, but so long as no bastards come from it, the demons probably won’t be offended by it.
[ ] You remember something about Silphium from the Appraisal files… “About that…”
[ ] write-in

~~~​

Yasmijn returned to the classroom, escorting in the second of the students on your list of Circe’s associates. This time a young man, one of the Princess’ alleged paramours, or rather, past paramours. He was of the physical type you knew by now the Princess favoured: tall, well-built, with artfully coiffed dark hair and dark, sharp eyes. His silken white shirt was tight enough that the fabric stretched over the muscles of his chest, his black trousers were likewise fairly tight, and he wore several gold rings with large gemstones.

“We shall now begin the Investigative Interview,” you said once he’d sat down at the desk in front of you, leaning back in a deliberately careless pose. “Do you swear by the Gods above that your answers and testimony are truthful and correct, to the best of your ability?”

“I do.”

“What is your name?”

“Quintijn van Schooten.”

“Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?”

“Marquess-in-Waiting of Schooten-Worp, the most desirable bachelor in the Academy of Light, and obviously not an Isekai, and if they say otherwise it’s probably just another attempt at defaming me. Can’t accept I’m just better than them. What else is there to say?”

“And… who are they?”

“Whoever it is that got me thrown into this interview before I’ve even been Appraised. Probably low-lives and jealous hanger-ons,” Quintijn said. Probably Stefan, wouldn’t be surprised, you picked up from his unsaid thoughts.

“Meet Quintijn van Schooten,” you could hear Nacissa think. “Most desirable bachelor in Astem, according to himself.”

“No one has thrown you into this interview. We are here to simply ask some questions.”

“Undoubtedly.”

“Could you please describe to us your relationship with the Second Princess?” you asked.

“No comment.”



“No comment?” you repeated.

“That’s what I said.”

An awkward pause followed. You could read some of his surface thoughts and emotions, and while his face was one of haughty disinterest and superiority, a mild panic flowed behind it.

“You understand you are obligated to tell us the truth to the best of your ability, yes?” Averink added.

“I have,” he responded out loud. What? Do you think I’m just going to talk about laying the Princess? These incompetent Inquisitors… he thought.

“You have my word that what is said here will not leave this room,” Averink said.

“Right, and I’m sure you’re just writing down everything I say for your own personal record-keeping,” he said, folding his arms.

“Ugh,” you could hear Nacissa’s thoughts. “Just tell him you know. Stroke his ego or threaten him, whichever works. Quintijn is basically just Princess Circe with bits between his legs.”

You supposed it should not be too surprising that an alleged paramour of the Princess was of similar disposition to her.

“You really do not need to be difficult. Many of your fellow students have already confirmed your… let’s say, theoretical, past relationship with the Second Princess, and we are fully aware that she instigated all of these… hypothetical rendezvous with others. We will not punish you for the Princess’ actions.”

He sat quietly, still defiant.

You sighed.

“You must be quite the gentleman to woo the Princess. I’ve heard she has outrageous standards for men. How did you do it?” you said, actually following Nacissa’s suggestion. You supposed it was because Nacissa had far more experience with dealing with people like this, like the Princess… or herself.

“It was easy. Like I said, I’m the most desirable bachelor in this Academy. Where cads like Stefan have to resort to consorting with Ishtar, I just am.”

“So, theoretically, the Princess found you utterly irresistible?”

“Theoretically,” Quintijn nodded in agreement, a smug smile on his face.

You saw a faint puff of pink from him as his thoughts moved to the Princess, or rather her body, as he mentally reminisced about his time with her. This in itself was not particularly odd or surprising, until something finally came to you.

There was something odd about Quintijn’s behaviour, or rather there was something odd because of his lack of odd behaviour.

Quintijn was not reacting to you in any manner. Haughty demeanour, defiant words, disregard to your station, flashes of lust directed at the Princess, and nothing towards you. It was as if your Attractor had no effect on him at all. Not all men were affected by your Attractor, of course. It seemed to only ensnare “otome targets” of sorts – young, wealthy, handsome, and high-standing men, such as the exact four men that were now ensnared by Princess Circe, in fact.

Quintijn should meet that criteria, and yet he seemed to be totally immune. Was he secretly broke? You doubted that, considering the gold and jewels he wore and his family's reputation. Perhaps you subconsciously gagged at his over-reliance on sex appeal, in the same manner as toward most Demons, or even humans like Princess Circe? Or maybe he was not interested in the fairer sex… but no, that made little sense either, you just felt his emotions of lust for the Princess moments before. Maybe he was actually much older than he appeared and claimed? Well, now you were just clutching at straws.

You would normally be pleasantly surprised that your Attractor trait was not twisting the mind of another man against his and your will, but right now, in this circumstance, it was alarming. You could somehow feel that this young man should be affected by your Attractor, as if it was trying to tug at you because it wasn’t working. It compelled you to look closer now at his aura, to try and decipher the inconsistency. And that was when you noticed something else.

He had an aura of faint pink flare up briefly whenever he glanced at Theodore standing next to you, as if he was sizing your agent up.

You blinked. What was this? Did him being interested in both sexes make him immune to your Attractor, as little sense as that made? Was this the work of another Otome Attractor? But how? Was this the other one, the one hypothesised by Averink’s rival Viponde, the so-called “Rotten Girl” at work?

Or maybe you were just overthinking this… perhaps you were just spooked because of the fact that the Princess, a potential Isekai possessee, was coincidentally sleeping with all of the exact same people who were “targets” of your own Otome Attractor, and whom you just discovered could potentially cause an international scandal. There had to be some connection, you just couldn’t see it yet.

“Wow, what a hunk,” Quintijn thought, now that you were focused on his sizing up Theodore’s demonic guise. “Almost as handsome as me!”

No. Who were you kidding? If you were right about the Princess being possessed, then there was a good chance she possessed an Attractor. Attractors were rare amongst natives – you were very much the exception, not the rule. This was not the case for Isekais, where the opposite was true. You never remembered Circe possessing anything like your Attractor before. Sure, she was seductive, but she was so through much more mundane means. She didn’t need an Attractor to draw in her paramours, just her charisma… and her “charisma.”

But then… if Princess Circe had been possessed by an Isekai with an Attractor, who could bend the desires of men at will… was this the explanation? Otome Attractor? The theoretical Rotten Girl? Neither, both?

What on earth was going on here?

Regardless, you had questions to ask, and you sitting there in silence on this revelation was starting to draw the attention of the others in the room.


~~~​


You have many questions, but limited time to ask them all, particularly with the others to interview. You can pick 4 ask choices, or end the interview.

This is a Plan Vote

[ ] Ask about Circe’s personality and behaviour
[ ] Ask about Circe’s close relationships [Friends, Paramours, Family]
[ ] Ask about Circe’s distant relationships [Rivals, Staff, Officials]
[ ] Ask about Circe’s hobbies, skills and interests.
[ ] Ask about Circe’s career aspirations or future plans
[ ] Ask about Circe’s religious beliefs
[ ] Ask about Circe’s views on gender and sexuality
[ ] Ask about Circe’s views on other races (Demons, Demihumans, Monstrines)
[ ] Ask about Circe’s views on Isekais
[ ] Quintijn is unlikely to provide more useful information, end the interview
[ ] write-in
 
CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, QUESTIONING QUINTIJN II
CASE II: No Otome Game, Investigate Circe – Questioning of Quintijn II


[x] You remember something about Silphium from the Appraisal files… "About that…"

[X] Plan You Can't Keep Up The Act 24/7
-[X] Ask about Circe's close relationships [Friends, Paramours, Family]
-[X] Ask about Circe's hobbies, skills and interests.
-[X] Ask about Circe's views on gender and sexuality
-[X] Ask about Circe's views on other races (Demons, Demihumans, Monstrines)



~~~

“So then, is this what this is about? You just wanted to know about the Second Princess’ entirely theoretical relations?”

“Something of that sort, yes. We are here to ask you questions about the Princess, not to snoop into your… entirely theoretical private affairs,” you explained.

“So long as you aren’t accusing me, we’re all good,” Quintijn said. Although he seemed less agitated, his smug smile was still apparent from before. “What do you want to know?”

“What do you know about the Princess’ close relations?”

“Like?”

“The royal family, close friends… any other ‘theoretical’ paramours.”

At the mention of other paramours, Quintijn’s smug smile faltered for a moment, before returning again. He drummed his fingers against the desk.

“The royal family, hm. Well, I haven’t exactly got easy access to them, but the Princess had mentioned them at times, but not much. The nature of our purely hypothetical relationship wasn’t really built around long conversations, if you know what I mean.”

“What did she say, then?”

“She and her elder sister, the Crown Princess Cicilia, do not get along. She mostly just disparaged her over petty, feminine nonsense, things you would probably know more of than I do.”

Before you could ask him to clarify regardless of his dismissive summation of “petty feminine nonsense,” he spoke again. “I did not bother to pay attention and have since forgotten what it was she was whining about, but I assure you, she had nothing good to say of her.”

“Sisterly rivalry is the answer you are looking for. I have met Princess Cicilia before. She looks down on her younger sister. The Crown Princess is as straitlaced and proper as they come. If not for her station, you'd probably be friends,” Nacissa thought with a mental snicker.

“And the Queen and King-Consort?”

“She has said nothing of them. At least not to me.”

“And how long ago was this?”

“What do you mean?”

“Did she make these comments within the timespan of the last year?”

Quintijn looked at you with a raised eyebrow.

“I would like to point out, I was only hypothetically involved with the Princess in the past. Hypothetically, I chose to part ways with her.”

“He was dumped,” Nacissa supplied matter-of-factly.

“Was this before or after the month of Seroen of last year?” you asked, this being the month when… The Incident occurred between Mechtelt and Princess Circe.

“Before, I parted with her early in the year, around Janus. She came crawling back for me, though.”

You raised your eyebrow. Nacissa stifled a snort, which was luckily quiet enough that Quintijn did not notice it.

“She couldn’t get enough of me, so I gave her a second chance. While we remained separated, she would visit and beg me… around till about late Seroen, odd you would mention that. After that, she – I mean, I, decided to end things for good. We have not been together since, though I would consider giving her a third try.”

So, the Princess had separated herself from Quintijn along with all of her previous friends.

“And as for other… hypothetical paramours?”

“Oh you mean Stefan von Kürschner? Figured she’d rebound with him right away. He’s basically a discount version of me,” he said. You noticed another flash of bright pink in his aura when Stefan was mentioned, and a vague image of him in his thoughts, surrounded by…roses? “Anyway, Kürschner is a fake. He couldn’t satisfy the Princess, so he found religion. He’s only with the Princess now because Ishtar pitied him. He doesn’t even have any demonic heritage, by the Gods.”

“And the others? Prince Ludomir, Prince Pierre, Kasper?”

“Cannot rightly explain them,” he said, shrugging. “Stefan, sure, but them? I have no idea what she sees in any of them, honestly. Kasper is an officious puritan, Ludomir’s a centaur, Pierre’s a Tourish dandy. I was quite sure she found all three of them either too lacklustre for her royal highness, or, again, Ludomir is an honest-to-Gods centaur.”

You nodded, as he was repeating similar statements from your previous interviews, that it was unusual for Princess Circe to be with these three young men.

You were about to change the line of questioning when Quintijn spoke up again.

“But what’s truly bizarre is I was under the impression that those three were uninterested, even incorruptible.”

“Incorruptible?”

“More likely to compose a sappy ballad for a lady than roll in the hay.”

“I was under the impression that the Second Princess was quite talented in making such young men interested?”

“Sure, she can heave around some of the biggest cleavage in the Academy, make a pretty face and wink… but those three were not available or interested, certainly not the damn wannabe priest. They wanted pretty innocent maidens, ‘wholesome’ and chaste, you know, the exact opposite of Her Highness. I guess I underestimated the Princess. She can get even those who hate her into her bed.”

“Oh, but I do so remember that there was a certain petite peasant saintess that they chased after, that matched that description exactly… I wonder what happened to her,” Nacissa thought, her open stream of thoughts providing images of you in various states of undress surrounded by them. These were not memories of course, but figments of imagination. Even now, the Templar needed to provoke you.

With everything you heard of those four discussed, you became even more convinced that the Princess must have some form of Otome Attractor, just like you... though this still did not explain Quintijn’s unique reaction to you, or his reaction to Theodore or Stefan.

Perhaps you were mistaken, then, and there was another explanation?

“What would you say are the Princess' hobbies?” you asked, eager to change the subject. “What did she enjoy doing in her free time?”

“When I knew her, mostly eating and rutting.”

“Other… other than that, please.”

“No idea.”

“...Then did you notice any difference in her interests?”

“Not really,” Quintijn said with another shrug. “She seems to be just as interested in those things as before.” You supposed the rutting made up most of their hypothetical activities together, and their chief common interest. “The Princess was never interested in anything that requires real work, anyway.”

You sighed. “So, about the… rutting. What were Princess Circe’s thoughts and attitudes on relationships, coupling, and the surrounding customs?”

“She certainly thought the demons had it right,” Quintijn said.

“Yes, I have heard that she has a deep fascination with the Demon Empire.”

“An understatement. She’s a better demon than some demons I’ve known. No wonder the Queen married her off to the Black Prince. She’s in for a bit of a nasty surprise once she gets there – he certainly won’t let her take her little reverse harem with her.”

“I thought the demons were in favour of Harems?”

“They are, but only for the one in charge. They don’t care if it's a man or woman up top, but the others are part of the harem, and it’s one way only. Of what I know of the Black Prince, the Princess certainly won’t be the one in charge.”

Could that be why she feared demons now? She discovered that she wouldn’t be able to – as Quintijn had so crudely put it – rut with any handsome man who caught her eye? You didn’t think that entirely explained it. The sheer terror her aura reflected when she had seen Theodore hinted at something more.

“And what’s more, she’ll be expected to squirt out an heir and a spare instead of taking a boatload of silphium. Don’t suppose she’d like that too much, either. Funny that her patron deity is Ishtar – who’s all about being fruitful and fertile.”

Here, you were uncertain. Marijke had told you the opposite – that Circe was eager to be with the demon prince, however it was also true that her past Appraisal indicated she had ingested silphium. Nacissa had all but confirmed it, and you would certainly be asking her to elaborate.

“Fruitful and fertile?” you repeated. In the Central Kingdoms, even after the Thaw, Ishtar was associated by most people with hedonism and the pleasures of the flesh – which you supposed drew Circe to her worship in the first place.

Quintijn rolled his eyes. “Of course. Ishtar isn’t just a Goddess of Sex, you know. Her full repertoire also includes pleasure, beauty, and most of all, fertility. You know what the demons do to men who rut with one another, correct?”

“I have become aware of this, yes.”

“Well, Circe mentioned some Templar Knight she met once, who favoured the company of men. She said that in her opinion, he should have been dealt with the way the Demon Empire deals with such men.”

You could see a flash of anger and indignation from Nacissa, but this time she had closed her thoughts to you. This was clearly not something she would explain.

“Have her views changed in relation to… such couplings, in the past year?”

“Not that I know of. She seems to be just as interested in surrounding herself with men as before. Sure, the men she has around her now are hardly the macho type, especially Pierre, but she wouldn’t share them with other men. I cannot see the Princess being anywhere near something of that sort.”

This… was confusing. You were under the impression that Quintijn’s strange response to your Attractor was because of the Princess. Still, you continued with your questions.

“And what of other customs? For example, what did the Princess think about the proper role and duties of a young lady?”

Quintijn scoffed. “She can host a dinner party and soiree well enough, as long as all the attention is on herself, but she’s hardly the type to be a gracious homemaker. You’re more likely to find those Princes doing those kinds of tasks than her.”

“I have heard from others that she conformed to traditions and was eager to fulfil her responsibilities as a woman,” you said, remembering Marijke’s statements.

“Princess Circe doesn't know the meaning of the word responsibility,” he said, rolling his eyes. “You really think she's the type to take interest in the upbringing of children, or manage her lands and household? She's spent her entire life trying to avoid that.”

You certainly couldn't argue with that, from what you had seen and heard.

“Whoever that person was, they probably just meant the Princess is eager to get married off and go to a cushy palace in the Demon Empire where all she has to do is spawn more demons.”

Speaking of such…

“Earlier, you mentioned silphium. How are you aware that the Princess is taking it?” you asked.

“I don’t for certain, but you'd be a fool to think otherwise, considering how often she would need it.”

“Would you know for any reason why she would stop taking it?” you asked, trying to figure out something you had recently remembered — that her recent Appraisal showed no signs of silphium ingestion.

“Either what’s left of her brain has slipped out of her ears or wherever she’s getting it from has dried up. Can’t say either makes any sense though. The former is insane, even for her, as even she must know getting pregnant now would destroy her betrothal… and I mean, she’s a Princess, and one who’s been doing this for some time, I seriously doubt she would just ‘run out’ of the stuff, even if she never had much of a brain in the first place.”

“Thank you for your answers. Next, I would like to ask about her views of other races. The Princess’ attitude towards demons is clear,” you said. “But what of the other races of the world?”

Once again, Quintijn gave a dismissive shrug. “Again, I wasn’t very interested in her opinions, thoughts, or discussions.” He drummed his fingers on the desk again. “But it’s strange that she picked Ludomir of all creatures. I mostly tuned out what she said, but I vaguely recall her mocking van Woolfen and van Luttefmont-Furholjan for their love of the demihumans.”

“When the Princess found out that Lady Lisanne loved Ludomir, she told me that Lisanne may as well go to the stables and rut with one of the horses there instead, if that was what she liked,” Nacissa thought. This, too, corroborated previous interviews.

“Do you have anything else you’d like to add?” you asked. From what you could tell, you didn’t think he had much else in information to provide.

“No. And if I lived another hundred years before dealing with the Inquisition again, it would be too soon.” He was haughty as ever in his voice and gestures, but you could see a faint image in his thoughts – a young girl with dark hair and eyes. You guessed this must be the daughter of Marquess van Schooten whom Averink had mentioned when you had first met him. The one who had been possessed by an Isekai, and Quintijn's younger sister.

“Then you are dismissed, with my thanks for your cooperation,” you said. “This concludes the interview with Quintijn van Schooten.”



~~~​



Once more, Nacissa leaned into the open window after Quintijn had left.

“About what you told me earlier,” you said. “When we Appraised the Princess, her file did not show any signs of ingesting silphium. She has stopped at some point between her last Appraisal and today.”

Nacissa blinked, for once utterly dumbfounded. “...Well, your Appraiser must be incompetent, then! Even this Imposter Princess Isekai must know the shame that a royal bastard would bring upon her and the whole Kingdom! And the alliance with the demons…!”

“Lotte Eikehouten came highly recommended,” you said. “Even though she is still an apprentice, I trust her.”

“You always did trust too much, that's the problem,” Nacissa grumbled. “It certainly made it so easy for me to trick you into running across the Academy to find Circe's ‘breastplate stretcher’...” she thought, clearly relishing the memory of you frantically searching for a fictional tool. “Have you not performed a Greater Appraisal?”

“I haven’t, but I was considering doing so in the Princess’ interview.” The idea had been on your mind ever since your speculation that Princess Circe possessed Attractor traits.

“What if she just stopped taking it?”

You and Nacissa both turned to Theodore, who was looking at you both questioningly.

“Because then she would be with bastards already, obviously,” Nacissa replied. “Haven’t you been listening?”

“I have, but I think you’re jumping the gun. There could be heaps of reasons why it didn’t appear. Maybe the Isekai doesn’t know she needs to take silphium? Maybe she ran out? Hell, she might not even be sleeping with her harem – this is, after all, not actually the Princess.”

“There is also the possibility she is doing it on purpose,” Yasmijn added.

“That doesn’t even make any sense! Why would she deliberately get pregnant with a bastard? It will destroy her!” Nacissa retorted.

“Maybe she wants a child and isn’t thinking of the consequences, or maybe she wants to break the betrothal and knows that bearing a bastard will do it. Isekais are more devious and conniving than they are often given credit.”

“Her Intelligence stat says otherwise.”

“And yet someone is helping her avoid being caught, going off what we’ve seen. Who’s to say this isn’t some Yankeevine plot? They would benefit most from the Demon Empire breaking their alliance with Astem, and this way they don’t even need to assassinate the Princess. Also, there was that ambassador, right?”

“It does sound like something Yankeevine Intelligence would cook up…” Theodore said, nodding pensively. You felt the slightest aura of fear from him.

Alizea spoke up. “It certainly makes sense, and they have the motive… but this is all mere conspiracy. Also, I don’t think it makes much sense that the Yankeevine Ambassador would come to the school if they had your Second Princess as an operative. Wouldn’t that just be drawing more attention to something you want to keep hidden?”

“At any rate, we must question Circe’s other associates,” you said.

“Do you honestly think they’ll provide anything that we don’t already know?” Nacissa scoffed. “Enough of this. We know all that we need to know. Exorcise her already. What else are you Inquisitors good for? If I were acting as a Templar Knight, I would simply –”

“Lady Corporal, I know the Princess was your friend,” you said, “but I need hardly remind you that she is still the Princess, and I am still a commoner adjutant. We have to build an ironclad case against her. If I were to attempt to exorcise her now, we would all die, and likely be declared traitors posthumously.”

“Even with this evidence,” Alizea added. “Personality and skill changes might be obvious to you, but the Inquisition is a bureaucracy… When they get the evidence, it will take a long time for them to act on it, and there will be those who resist or doubt it. Even after it was obvious I was possessed, running around as a bandit and pirate, there were a good number of people who said I was not possessed.”

“I did not join this mission to dawdle while this Isekai brings dishonour upon our Princess and our Kingdom!” Nacissa shouted, already hoisting herself through the window with a speed and agility unexpected from such a voluptuous figure. “Igor, my rapier! I shall show the little saintess and her feckless bandit how we Templars deal with Isekai!”

“Feckless?!” Alizea put her hand on her own rapier, ready to draw if Nacissa escalated the situation further.

Faster than you would have thought yourself capable, you jumped between the two ladies before a full-blown duel – or worse – broke out in the classroom.

“Stop!” you yelled. “By the Gods, can we not cooperate for one day? This is an investigation, not a battlefield! Our enemy is the Isekai, not each other!”

The Guard slammed the door open, his attention drawn by the shouting. “Stop right there, criminal scum! Unhand the Inquisitor!”

“Everything is quite alright,” you said. “Just some… lively debate, Mr Guard.”

The Guard stood there, silently, for a short while. A translucent circle magically floated above his head, rotating in the air.

“Carry on, civilians, but keep watch – Isekais must surely lurk these halls,” he said, shutting the door again.

You sighed in relief. Like a spring storm, the argument was over as quickly as it had come. “Let us conclude the interviews and get to the bottom of this. Summon the Princess’ maid and sworn knight.”

“And the noble paramours?” Nacissa asked, her eyebrow raised. “I highly doubt they will be impartial in your presence.”


[ ] I’m sure an investigational interview with them will not be unduly affected by my presence.
[ ] You’re right. Perhaps I should observe while another agent conducts the interview.
[ ] We should interview them once in my presence, and once without, and compare their responses. However, while this will be more thorough, it will take more time.
[ ] write-in
 
CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, QUESTION KNIGHTS, MAIDS AND NOBLES
CASE II: No Otome Game, Investigate Circe – The Knights, the Maid, and the Nobles

[x] You’re right. Perhaps I should observe while another agent conducts the interview.


~~~​


In the end, you decided it would be best for you to keep your distance when interviewing those of Circe’s paramours whom you knew could be affected by your Attractor trait, and thus meddle in the accuracy of the interviews. Your agents would handle the interview alongside Averink… while you observed alongside… Nacissa.

However, the next batch of interviews had not been these paramours, rather, but the collection of guards.

The guards had filtered into the classroom in an orderly fashion, standing rather than sitting. You moved through the process of introducing yourself, themselves, and their relationship to the Princess, obviously, being her personal guards. They were stiff but disciplined, and you could see no fear within them, as they answered your questions.

It went… as expected.

None of them had any knowledge of or suspected any changes in Princess Circe. They had all been selected after the events of the incident last year. When asked to describe the Princess, they provided rehearsed answers as Rosemarijn did, but of those who did reveal their personal thoughts, they referred to her as free-spirited, easily excitable and without censor or restraint, someone difficult to pin down, but overall a kind and compassionate young lady. Their auras were of happiness as they said this, so you doubted they were lying.

“Can you tell us of the guard who was formerly sworn shield to the Second Princess? Who was he and what happened to him?” you had asked one of the knights.

They looked at one another, and then, reluctantly, they talked. And so you acquired a name.

Sir Lindert de Wijlen.

The reason for Sir de Wijlen’s removal was not clear to the guards who would replace him, but they had said that his removal was on the Princess’ orders, so they could only assume that he had failed or dishonoured her in some manner. When asked where he was, they said they did not know, but suggested the northern border forts owned by the Templars. After all, many disgraced knights ended up there, seeking their redemptions by fighting off Isekai adventurers and smugglers crossing the Yankeevine border to cause trouble in Astem.

You had heard from others that Princess Circe had a tendency of getting young men who she didn’t like or offended her in some way sent to the Templar forts. Marijke had also implied that the Princess romantically pursued her guards as well when she still knew her, suggesting Sir de Wijlen may have also been a former paramour of hers. This all could have meant his removal had been merely a coincidence…

…If Sir de Wijlen’s removal had not occurred in late Seroen last year.

The same month of Seroen that seemed to appear again and again when concerning the Princess.

Other than the identity of this former knight, the guards seemed sincere in how little they knew. You even interviewed the Princess’ own NPC Guard, who had started by asking you if you had heard of the High Elves. Not much else was provided.


~~~​


With the Guards interviewed, you moved on to the maids… or, rather, maid.

The interview with the one maid who had remained at the Academy with the Princess had been similarly disappointing. A bubbly young girl with long dark hair named Amity, she too had been hired after the Incident, in early Octobrin. She echoed the guards’ description of Circe as a kind, compassionate, and charming Princess.

It supplied more questions than answers. Those who only knew of the Princess after the incident described her as the sort of person who was kind to everyone regardless of station and always happy. Why? Was the Isekai trying to somehow avoid detection by masquerading as… such an upbeat person? It didn’t make much sense to you, as surely trying to conform to her past behaviour to go undetected would be more logical…

Isekais usually possessed most of the memories of their host, which is why Mental Dives against them were not, of themselves, a guaranteed way to detect an Isekai. Maybe she lacked that knowledge? Maybe she was just that dumb?

Or… maybe she was just that nice? No. You shook your head. It was best not to think such things, not in this profession. Isekais were never simply nice.

“Why did Circe send the other maids away before the Appraisal?” you’d asked.

Amity had shrugged. “She’d said she wanted some privacy.”

“What do you think she meant by that?”

“Well… I think she didn’t want the maids to gossip about what she did with boys.”

“Is that all?”

“Well, I don’t really know, but that’s what I think was why…”

“Then why were you left behind?”

She laughed nervously at that. You searched her aura for any signs of fear, however it seemed her response was more from confusion, even shyness, than fear.

“I don’t really know, I was just told by the Princess’ head maid, Miss Verity, that I would be left behind to keep the Princess’ things in order. Maybe because I am a novice? I honestly cannot say. I am truly sorry for the inconvenience.”

You searched for hidden emotions, surface thoughts contrary to her statements, anything that would suggest deceit… but all you got was what seemed to be mild confusion. This maid, Amity, only gave you her earnest sincerity.


~~~​


Once again, you found yourself crouching in the dirt during a case, this time in a well-watered, thorny flower bed at night. It was already enough for you to pray that this interview was going to be worth listening in on, and that was before Lady Luttefmont-Furholjan started pushing her bosom into your face.

“How am I supposed to listen in if you are hogging all the space, Visser?” Nacissa hissed at you. Fortunately the interviewees had not yet passed through the door, or Nacissa’s loud whisper could have been overheard.

“Hogging? You're bigger than I am!” you hissed back, something that would have probably started a fight in another circumstance, but here simply caused Nacissa to go still in silent fury, likely thinking of how she could insult you some more.

At least you could breathe again.

Outside the window stood not just Nacissa and yourself, but Igor as well, who seemed to be suppressing shivers after giving Nacissa his jacket. You had not spoken all that much with the demihuman butler, but you tried to smile apologetically to him. He did not seem impressed by you.

As Yasmijn escorted the first of Circe’s new paramours into the classroom, you hoped that these interviews would be more productive.

“Grubbing about in the dirt, are you?” Nacissa said, literally looking down at you. “Just as expected from peasant stock. It just proves that while you can take a girl from the –”

You shushed her, hearing the classroom door open and footsteps. The interview was beginning. Even Nacissa broke off to listen in.

“We shall now begin the Investigative Interview,” you could hear Averink say from inside the classroom. “Do you swear by the Gods above that your answers and testimony are truthful and correct, to the best of your ability?”

“I swear it,” replied three voices at once.

“What are your names?”

“Pierre-Antoine Clovis Jean du Valois,” said the confident, clear voice of the Tourish prince you remembered.

“Ludomir Dąbrowski, son of Stannisław,” joined Prince Ludomir’s soft melodic voice.

“Kasper de Haarten,” Kasper finally added, with his characteristic dry inflection.

From outside, you peeked into the window ever so slightly, so as to observe the interview and the auras around the three boys. There were auras of worry and anxiety about them, but from the surface thoughts you could siphon from them at this distance, it seemed they were more worried about the secrecy of their relations than anything concerning isekais. At the very least none of them showed the tell-tale signs of infatuation towards you, so it seemed that it was enough for you to be out of sight – and out of mind.

The three boys themselves were much as you remembered them since your graduation from the Academy of Light.

Prince Pierre still had his messy spikes of blonde hair, and his striking blue eyes still declared his boyish bravado. He had grown a little taller, although still only above average in height rather than towering like Stefan or Quintijn. He had a kind of self-contained, rugged confidence to him, as if he were an adventurer dressed in the trappings of a Prince Charming – you knew he was athletic and a martial boy in nature, an expert swordsman, a puissant knight, a warrior prince in the making who had already slain monsters and gained numerous levels. He would not inherit the Crown of Lilies, but he would surely do it proud.

To be honest, if you did not know that Princess Circe’s definition of masculinity involved towering demon-like men who rippled with bulges both muscular and otherwise, you would have thought her blind for calling Pierre “effeminate.”

Prince Ludomir, on the other hand, was quite different. While he was by far the tallest person in the room, his champagne-coloured centaur half lifting him above even Theodore’s façade of a demon, he was incredibly youthful, yes, even effeminate, in both features and demeanour. He had large, warm brown eyes, long wavy locks of sandy hair both on his head and in his tail, and a delicate build in both his human and equine halves. Where Pierre and Stefan were handsome, Ludomir was pretty.

It was because of this that it was no surprise to you that Ludomir was popular with some noblewomen of the Academy, even with him being a centaur. Even more, he was unclaimed, as he was the third prince of an elective monarchy that took pride in their democracy, unique amongst the Central Kingdoms. While not nearly as rakish as Stefan, Ludomir was an incurable romantic and could pursue these relationships with relative ease… when not obsessing over girls with Attractor traits, like yourself.

Finally, there was Kasper. His presence as a paramour of Princess Circe was by far the most questionable. When you looked at the tall and lanky boy and then to Averink, you could easily see a certain resemblance between them. Stern yet inquisitive, when not warped by Attractor traits, he would often express strong convictions and morals, and did his best to distance himself from the carnality of the Academy, instead preferring intellectual and theological pursuits. You recalled reading a paper he had written for your Theology class, and had been much impressed. Although no Inquisitor at heart, he would make a fine scholar, or even Isekai Studies researcher, someday.

Of all the boys who had been affected by your Attractor Trait, he and Pierre were the ones who always made you feel the greatest guilt. Kasper, because you had twisted his heart against his own beliefs and ideals, and Pierre, whose fidelity to his betrothed had been corrupted not through his own faithlessness but through the workings of unwanted magic. At least with Stefan and Ludomir, they already sought passion and carnality before you ever came along.

It was this guilt that, even without the other things you had witnessed, which drove you to believe that these boys were once again being ensnared by an Attractor Trait – one that you were certain that Princess Circe did not possess prior to your graduation.

“Could you please explain to me your relationship with the Second Princess?” Averink asked the three, getting straight to the point.

“Huh, so that’s what this is about. In that case, I’m surprised the Wachstaat Rooster isn’t here as well,” Pierre replied.

“Probably off ploughing some girl in the hopes Ishtar will give him another boon,” Ludomir said. You could see a brief flash of red from his aura. Personal rivalry aside, it was to be expected. Neu-Alaynians bore no love for Wachstaatians, considering the two countries had been at war on and off over the city of Danzeria for as long as you could remember.

You heard Averink sigh. “Please answer the question.”

“The Second Princess and I share interest in the blade. Her previous trainer disappeared, so she asked me if I could give her… private exercises, which I of course agreed to,” Pierre answered.

“Riding lessons,” Ludomir said. “After all, a noble lady is expected to know how to ride properly.”

“Private tutoring – she wished to have a better grasp of her Patron Deity,” Kasper simply said.

Auras of bright pink surrounded all three of them, auras that appeared with unnatural strength and immediacy… just as they once did to you, except here they did not even need to see Princess Circe for the auras to appear.

“Of course they’re not going to admit to it in so many words,” Nacissa thought at you. “Their own honour aside, none of them wish to become another Joren de Lievens.”

“And that is all?” Averink insisted, looking at them from above his spectacles.

Pierre and Kasper immediately affirmed the strict professionalism of their relationships with the Second Princess, despite their auras obviously saying otherwise to you.

“Well, one thing led to another…” Ludomir mumbled meekly, covering his face with his hands.

A loud sigh from Kasper, followed by Pierre groaning.

“By the gods, Ludomir is no better than Stefan…” were their thoughts, from both of them.

“I must remind you that you have sworn a solemn oath to the Gods to provide truthful testimony, and I have the feeling you are concealing the full truth of the matter,” Averink said. His exasperation was clear – he was a scholar, not an interrogator.

“Well… I mean, the Second Princess is destined for a Demon Prince, right? They have no qualms with, ahem, courtship prior to anything official… and I am also unclaimed and unlikely to inherit, so surely no harm was done…?”

Prince Pierre and Kasper looked at each other, but remained silent.

“If it is of any consolation, we are not here to judge or condemn any relationship, we simply wish to ask questions about the Second Princess herself,” you heard Alizea say.

Ludomir nodded, his relief clear, however the other two continued to be stone-faced. They did not confirm or deny anything, but they did nod.

“We can tell you about the Princess if you wish,” Kasper said, reluctantly.


~~~​


You have instructed Averink to ask the following questions, focusing on primarily two topics , or to end the interview.

Pick two topics for the questioning to focus on.

[ ]
You instructed Averink to focus on questions concerning their and Circe’s sudden change of view of each other.
[ ] You instructed Averink to focus on questions concerning Circe’s use of silphium.
[ ] You instructed Averink to focus on questions concerning unnatural attraction and unusual behaviour of other boys in the Academy.
[ ] You instructed Averink to focus on questions concerning Circe’s change in her views on race and religion.
[ ] You told Averink that the Otome Paramours were unlikely to give you useful information, and to end the interview quickly.
[ ] Write-in
 
The Kingdom of Neu-Alaynia - History

Atlas of the World, The Commonwealth Kingdom of Neu-Alaynia I
Excerpts from The World in Brief, Volume II, by Jules Ariksen, University of Aafensenn in New Hartford


_DlLEJA0lA50TO_4sYLy1bHbGG577sGwhjLF0IuSLe55DtcO3yw-5d1tVgZqbP3gUQCDXLOov1ld1f6aDMJSRf1MpuVgY1s_tjppRhUX0kJDp1uMphkg0VG3S1l_Rl0VDu4n7g1qAlI

The regnal coat of arms of the Most Serene Commonwealth Kingdom of Neu-Alaynia


History

The Commonwealth Kingdom of Neu-Alaynia is one of the several members of the “Central Kingdoms Alliance” to the south of our own empire. Its population is chiefly composed of centaurs, which form the ruling classes of their society and whose culture and ethnic history have formed the basis of the nation, with significant minorities of humans and demihumans.

Centaurs were not originally native to the Central Kingdoms. Their arrival was instead approximately five hundred years before the arrival of Joseph the Yankee, as part of several waves of large migrations and nomadic invasions from the north-eastern steppes and scrublands of Alaynia, the original homeland of the centaurs.

These centaur migrations cut a swath through what is now the demihuman Middle Kingdoms, then rampaged through the human lands of Aarnau and Astem before roughly a third of the migrating horde finally settled in the fertile grasslands that now make up Neu-Alaynia under the leadership of King Lech Jagaellon “the Lawmaker.”

The centaurs of this era, according to the histories of its neighbours, were described as violent and savage Monstrines with a love of drinking, brawling, and the kidnapping and rapine of human maidens. While the historical validity of claims from Central Kingdom historians should always be taken with great scepticism, it should be said that the other two-thirds of the centaur migrations would continue further south-west, eventually “settling” as a fragmented region of constant warfare and raiding between petty kingdoms, clans, and warherds for the following centuries, not unifying until very recently under Alfred Aethelstan “the Great,” and his foundation of the centaur-led Angoulogne Empire. This Empire still practises widespread raiding and the capture of war-brides, so while this does give some credence to the historical claims against the Neu-Alaynians of the past, such practices are certainly not the norm in Neu-Alaynia as of these more enlightened times, Wachstaatian propaganda aside. A more extensive history of the Angoulogne Empire and the conquests of Aethelstan will be discussed in Volume IV of The World in Brief, but for now we shall turn back to the story of Neu-Alaynia.

Unlike their Angoulogne cousins, the Neu-Alaynian centaurs quickly assimilated into the native cultures of the peoples they conquered, either replacing or fusing their old traditions with those of the proto-Tourish humans they had conquered. They also embraced the Creator Pantheon, leaving the worship of their original patron demi-god of monsters and supposed child of Sarut, “Tash,” as a remnant minority faith. As such, the first glimpses of romantic and chivalric centaur culture we know of today was born not long after the formation of Neu-Alaynia, as well as their system of government, unique among the Central Kingdoms.

The Commonwealth has a most unusual government – the country is ruled by a monarch, who is elected for a term of five years, can be re-elected for another five, and effectively rules in partnership with their parliament, the Senat. Each szlachta, or stallion of noble status, is entitled to a vote and the right to serve in the Senat as the representative of his centuria, an administrative district of about one thousand herds. The Book of Golden Liberty, the Neu-Alaynian code of laws claimed to have been written by King Lech the Lawmaker himself, contains a bill of rights and ensures all szlachta have equal rights and privileges, and all citizens have a rather unique degree of freedom, at least in principle. A former Chancellor of the Senat once described the Commonwealth’s political system thus: “Our King reigns, but he does not rule.” More daring voices in the Continent go so far as to claim, even in admiring tones, that Neu-Alaynia is more democratic than the Yankeevine Empire in some ways; however, such claims must be tempered with the understanding that Neu-Alaynia is still a regressive society that rejects Modernity – its democracy may provide more of its populace voting rights in its Senat than in our Thinghall, and the political powers of its kings more limited than those of our Emperor, but in truth its political representation is only for its male aristocratic class, with no say from commoners, humans, or mares.

Neu-Alaynia would establish and maintain itself as a major military power by virtue of its centaur population providing a highly experienced – but far more easily trained and cheaply maintained – force of cavalry than their human rivals, enabling Neu-Alaynia to achieve significant military expansion and even victories over the regional powers of the time – the Tzardom of Catatonia and the Empire of the Megasthenes Raj, the latter of which at the time stretched across both coasts of the Autumn Sea, well into the Central Kingdoms, and was considered the superpower of its day.

Neu-Alaynia would of course, like many of its neighbours, be welcomed into the Yankeevine Empire after its successful liberation by Emperor Joseph the Yankee. The lance-wielding winged hussars and armoured cavalry-archers of Neu-Alaynia were wholly unprepared for the onslaught of The Yankee’s firearms and Chopper gunships. Neu-Alaynia, unlike its neighbours, did not practise the Alignment Caste System and resisted Megasthenes through military force, but its liberation was nevertheless deemed necessary due to its repeated attempts to aid its former enemies against the rising Empire following The Yankee’s successful conquest of Astem, particularly through hit-and-run attacks. After the Battle of Drozia resulted in a rout of the Neu-Alaynian forces and the surrender of King Gościsław “the Kneeler,” the area became a Yankeevine protectorate under the benevolent yet watchful eye of The Yankee.

Although The Yankee was inclined to show mercy and even favour to the centaurs due to seeing their flawed yet commendable attempts at democracy as something to build upon, and even allowed them to continue voting for their Kings – so long as any regnal candidates swore allegiance to the Empire – the centaurs themselves were ever intractable, ungrateful, and almost as prone to rebellion as the Astemmians and Catatonians. Attempts by The Yankee, his successors, and Outsider advisors to broaden and deepen the inclusivity of the Neu-Alaynian democratic process proved to be disastrous; aristocratic mares who attempted to vote in regnal elections were oft physically restrained from casting a ballot, while ethnic and religious riots and rebellions followed attempts to increase the political representation of human Kiristian, Shinto-Buddhist, and Outsider Cult communities and their centaur converts, which had grown in some popularity since the arrival of missionaries from the larger heartlands of the Empire. Eventually, the limited autonomy Neu-Alaynians enjoyed under the client kings ended, and as in Astem, regional viceroy-governors were appointed in an attempt to demonstrate to the centaurs proper and Enlightened civil governance, both by example and education.

Following further democratic failures in Northern Tourine, and the catastrophic failure of the democratisation of Celestial Eidolon and the former Yowee territories in the Far West of the Continent, attempts at broadening democratic processes were halted, and instead efforts were made towards public education in conjunction with limiting the power of the Church and other religious institutions of the various colonies. Despite these efforts, revolts and resistance continued in Neu-Alaynia; the situation swiftly deteriorated in the chaos of the wider Yankeevine Civil Wars when a young centaur publicly assassinated the Yankeevine governor of the province as well as two centaur members of his administration – according to the popular telling, with throwing knives; according to contemporary witnesses, a crossbow – whilst they were in the town square of Danzeria to give a speech for the Day of the Yankee’s Landing. This audacious murder inspired a massive wave of riots that were swiftly put down by the next imperial governor.

However, general strikes and popular unrest continued, and leaders of the pro-independence movement gained assistance from the remnants of the Tzardom of Catatonia, always a thorn in the Empire’s side (for more on Catatonia and its strange history, see page 331). The assassin was swiftly apprehended and executed after order was restored, her very name lost to history, but she is celebrated by the centaurs today as the “Saint of Knives,” and her foolish martyrdom credited with starting the wave of wars for Southern independence now referred to by them as “The Reconquest.” The rebel forces of the self-declared reformed kingdoms of Astem, Wachstaat, and North Tourine, alongside the invading armies of South Tourine and Catatonia, allied with Neu-Alaynia, forming the first Central Alliance.

The Alliance forces took advantage of the internal political chaos and religious conflicts at the time, driving the Empire's overextended forces out of Neu-Alaynia. Despite the chaotic fighting, Neu-Alaynia managed to nevertheless hold a regnal election in 260AS, and General Eliasz Sobieski, a hero of the wars, was crowned as King by Election of the Most Serene Commonwealth Kingdom of Neu-Alaynia. After six years of war, Emperor Thomas Jefferson Yankee II agreed to peace terms, signing the Treaty of Achthoven along with King Eliasz of Neu-Alaynia, Cinrad de Meer of Astem, Merovin du Valois of South Tourine, Karl von Leomarck of Wachstaat, and Tzarina Annastazia Vasilievna of Catatonia.

Despite the victory, this was to be an inauspicious beginning for Neu-Alaynia – King Eliasz was considered a great warrior and general but poor administrator, leading him to be titled “the Disappointment” in the historical records, particularly as the ascendant Imperial Union of Wachstaat quickly surpassed Neu-Alaynia’s meagre post-independence economic gains. Neu-Alaynia’s stagnation would not be reversed until the reign of King Pitast “the Plentiful,” whose reign saw the building of Neu-Alaynia’s first Iyutan Plenty, attempts at expanding the textile industry to compete with Astem, and the development of the harbour district of Danzeria as an important hub along the Thinegeld River. Despite these economic gains, Neu-Alaynia would continue to struggle, particularly as the Thinegeld River was territorially disputed and its length ran through Wachstaat, who taxed Neu-Alaynian trade heavily in peace time.

Eventually, war would break out between the two nations, each claiming the Danzeria and its surrounding territory as their own. The Thinegeld River Delta had changed hands between them several times over the past centuries as the fortunes of each country waxed and waned, and ownership of Danzeria's port, which controlled trade to the Colonna coasts in the west, and Catatonia and Tourine to the south by way of the Vindicia River, was seen as the only long-term solution to add revenue to the lagging economy. For their part, the Neu-Alaynians claimed the Grand Duchy of Danzeria as perhaps second only in cultural importance to its ancient capital, Valašlová; heralded as the city where its revolutionary movements were founded, with an elaborate shrine to the so-called “Saint of Knives'' built near the town square shortly after the Central Alliance victory.

In more modern times, Neu-Alaynia participated in the Gnostic Wars against Katsuro Nakamura on behalf of the Creator Pantheon religion. During the natural disasters following the Gnostic Wars, Neu-Alaynia was temporarily overrun with numerous monsters and elementals, with the Creatorists claiming this was the result of Bettamis, the so-called Goddess of the Wild Hunt, “dying” to the swords of Katsuro Nakamura. It then played a minor role in the series of Bruderkrieg Wars fought between Creatorists over the doctrinal changes imposed by the syncretic fusion of the Creatorist and Demonic religions – most notably the adoption of the Archdemons Ishtar and Lot into the Creator Pantheon – following the Gnostic Wars. While the civil and national wars mostly took place in Wachstaat, Astem and Tourine, Neu-Alaynia took advantage of Wachstaat’s religious conflicts to regain Danzeria.

The consensus of historians holds that Neu-Alaynia itself avoided civil war during the Bruderkrieg due to differences in cultural values. While Amoroa, the Goddess of Love and Fidelity, who was “slain” in the Ghostic War and replaced by Ishtar, was popular amongst those who revolted, the worship of Amoroa never saw much popularity in Neu-Alaynia. This was due to the prevalence of polygamous marriages and strict gender roles, the centaurs being highly patriarchal. (King Jarosław “the Faithful” legally imposed a limit of five mares per stallion, with each stallion mandated to provide for his mares equally, to avoid civil unrest; this measure was considered unpopular, with his contemporaries speculating this was actually the idea of his mare, Szarlotta.) As such, Ishtar and her fertility rites were welcomed into the Creator Pantheon with relative ease in Neu-Alaynia.

Neu-Alaynia successfully held Danzeria until the post-Bruderkrieg government of Wachstaat retook Danzeria with Yankeevine support in response to the alleged persecution of the city’s human minority by the centaurs, ushering in Wachstaat’s realignment from the Central Alliance to the Yankeevine international community. However, ongoing partisan activity from the centaurs made it nearly impossible for Wachstaat to fully control the city; in 396AS, Neu-Alaynia began another campaign to retake Danzeria, with Astem and Tourine sending volunteer levies in assistance. The Wachstaatian governor of the city fled, and the city itself quickly and peacefully surrendered; but soon after the victorious centaurs marched through the White Gates, they discovered they had been drawn into a trap. Wachstaatian forces quickly closed their flanks and surrounded, besieging the city for eight weeks until a division of winged-hussars led by Major-General Stannisław Dąbrowski arrived and turned the tide, breaking the lines of the exhausted Wachstaatians.

Although the victory was brief – Yankeevine reinforcements drove out the Neu-Alaynian forces the next year, with Wachstaatian forces settling into entrenched positions only a few miles away – Dąbrowski won the next regnal election on a write-in vote and was duly crowned King Stannisław “the Shieldbreaker.” (No doubt thinking of King Eliasz’ example, Dąbrowski declared before the election: “If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve.” Of course, after winning the election, he accepted the crown with indecent alacrity.) As of this year, 402AS, the combat is still ongoing; some leaders have advocated for the Grand Duchy of Danzeria to separate from both countries altogether, and Kaiser-Marshal Frederick of Wachstaat has made plans to redevelop the city into a new, modernised capital, with centaur resistance becoming more fanatical and defiant in response.


SEb14GzJPjTw1wtVwwGi_RWUd58mGnym7po2lnwQkVS82wA8nb14MUS6YNhm1mKn53hq5rE0KtrN1TLvT3b3Kaz84nsKOHG9DerI5ki20lS4PJ1iY9RgHAotRlzkQy5O1INFf1MaShU

King Stannisław Dąbrowski the Shieldbreaker


Even as this book goes to press, Neu-Alaynia continues its territorial struggles with Wachstaat, now accepted as part of the wider war between the Central Kingdoms and our own International Community. It cooperates often with the Kingdom of Tourine and the Tzardom of Catatonia, which continue to send volunteer levies to the Danzeria offensives; however the Commonwealth Kingdom has perennial difficulty with maintaining long-term alliances due to its inability to arrange marriages. King Stannisław attempted to have his firstborn son, Prince Jan Dąbrowski, betrothed to the Second Princess of Astem or First Princess of Cockaigne, however was turned down in favour of the Demon Empire and Kingdom of Tourine respectively, eventually forced to betroth him instead to the centaur princess of the significantly smaller southern Kingdom of Pryda. It seems that the human members of the Central Alliance consider their centaur allies stalwart friends on the battlefield, but poor prospects for the nuptial bed, as there is of course no guarantee that the children of the current king will inherit the kingdom. (There is also the issue of the significant anatomical differences between centaurs and the human nobles of its neighbours – while centaurs, like other monstrines, can interbreed with humans, these couplings are often fraught with great difficulty, result in the death of a human mother more often than not, and the children of these partnerships will either end up as centaurs or equine demihumans – but this is likely a far distant second consideration for the aristocrats of the Central Kingdoms.) Despite these setbacks, the Shieldbreaker enjoys a popularity amongst his people greater than that of most of his predecessors, and is expected to win another term as King by Election.
 
CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, QUESTIONING OTOME PARAMOURS
CASE II: No Otome Game, Questioning of the Otome Paramours

[x] You instructed Averink to focus on questions concerning their and Circe's sudden change of view of each other.
[x] You instructed Averink to focus on questions concerning Circe's use of silphium.



~~~​


“Very well. Could you please explain how it is that you are now all in some sort of relationship with the Second Princess… professional or, ahem, otherwise?” Averink said, glancing at the blushing centaur prince. “I have been reliably informed that the three of you were not particularly close to the Second Princess before late last year, and may have even spoken of her with less than approving views. Why so sudden a change?”

“It was from getting to know the Second Princess better,” Pierre spoke slowly, as if to think over his own words. “I used to hate her, I admit it, but that was before I knew who she really was. She is just … misunderstood.”

You could see Averink blink in surprise.

“The Princess is no Villainess,” Pierre continued. “Not really. She is just a lonely girl who was unable to express her true feelings, so said harsh things instead.”

You could see a bright pink aura from Pierre as he said this. By the Gods, you could almost see a halo of flowers, sparkles, and sunshine around him. The other two nodded along, their own auras the same.

“The Princess used to feud often with another girl who used to attend this school,” Kasper said, just as carefully. “She had to hide her true self to appear strong and not allow her insulting words to get to her. Being judged as harsh and mean by only her appearance left her insecure.”

“And she is, after all, the Princess of the realm,” Pierre added. “She has an image to maintain. She cannot appear weak in front of her enemies, else they shall surely take advantage, and she cannot appear as one of the common people, else they shall surely take liberties. I assure you she wishes that this were not so.”

“I also think… I think she is haunted by the troubles of her past, and this made her act out,” Ludomir offered. “Deep down, once you get to know her, she really is a compassionate lady with a kind heart, who was hurt by those whom she trusted.”

“Those she trusted? Whom?”

“Perhaps her sister, or her parents, or her former friends. Her betrothed often cheats on her. He is a demon, after all. Oh, if only our parents had agreed for us to be pledged to one another! I would have treated her as she deserves,” Ludomir sighed.

Pierre scoffed. “A royal betrothal needs more than fidelity. But what would you centaurs know of that? You change your Kings more than I change my horse’s shoes.”

“As if you could speak of fidelity,” Ludomir whispered back, Pierre sneering silently in turn. “For all your vaunted Tourish chivalry, I seem to recall –”

“Stop bickering, you fools, we are being interviewed by the Inquisition,” Kasper reprimanded them. “And Stefan isn’t even here…”

At that, Averink finally spoke up. “And does the Baron agree with you three?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

“Absolutely not.”

The other two boys looked over at the dissenting centaur.

“What? It is obvious that he only cares about enjoying her body. He probably hasn’t even realised she is putting up a façade to hide her true feelings. He’s Wachstaatian – they care nothing for emotions or romance, only war,” Ludomir said.

While the Otome Attractor could distort a man’s mind towards the bearer of the attractor, it could not change the man’s view of anyone else, not by its influence alone.

“So, just to confirm: you claim that the Second Princess is merely… misunderstood?”

“That’s correct,” Ludomir said. The other two nodded in agreement.

You and Nacissa looked at each other for a long moment. Your thoughts were the same.

“What.”

Even Averink seemed nonplussed. “From what I have heard from other students and teachers, the Second Princess is a spoilt bully.”

“As far as that claim is true, she was likely pressured into behaving in such a way by that horrid Lady Luttefmont-Furholjan. She was always a viper.”

Once again, you and Nacissa looked at each other, eyes wide in shock, to make sure that you really had heard what you’d just heard. The paramours’ statements were becoming increasingly absurd, but this?

“I - I was - peer pressure? Really?” Nacissa thought, still trying to grasp what she’d just overheard.

“And her views on demihumans and monstrines?”

“Again, I lay the blame for that upon Lady Luttefmont-Furholjan.”

At that, rather than Averink, you could hear Yasmijn… laughing.

“I’m sorry, but… are we speaking of the same Lady Luttefmont-Furholjan? The one with the Demihuman butler? Whose own sister gave up her title to marry a demihuman and whose entire family lusts after my people? That Luttefmont-Furholjan?”

“It would not be the first time someone spread hatred of someone they secretly lusted after, so as to keep them to themselves,” Pierre smoothly replied. “She probably just wanted Ludomir to herself.”

“As if I would ever court that blonde harpy. Unlike some people, I have standards.”

“I concur, only a fiend like Stefan could see anything in her,” said Kasper.

“Have you seen how she wears that skin-tight duelling leotard, whether she’s in that stupid Siege Armour suit or not? Completely indecent – unlike the tasteful bustier of the Second Princess.”

“Perfection.”

Telepathic images of the Princess in her “tasteful” bustier of course followed as you read the thoughts of the noble paramours, until a red hot aura of rage suddenly washed over them. You knew Lady Nacissa had a temper, and had been concerned she would suddenly stand up and start shouting at the princes besmirching her name, or even climb through the window to demand an apology or a duel, but it seemed Igor had already foreseen this eventuality, and was holding her back, one hand covering her mouth. She struggled and kicked, and you were afraid that everyone could hear the muffled and indignant sounds she made.

“Thank you, we need not elaborate any further on the subject of the Princess’ bustier,” Averink snapped. “Now please, back to the subject of this interview.”

“Right, of course. But yes, the Princess looked down on my people only because she felt she had to, so as to be taken seriously by her friends. After all, that was what they themselves thought about us,” Ludomir replied.

“And her religious views? I suppose they were all a misunderstanding or some façade too?” Averink said, his disbelief only growing more evident in the sarcasm of his words.

“A misunderstanding, but on her part,” Kasper explained, ignoring Averink’s tone. “She did not fully grasp the doctrines of Ishtar. The Second Princess, forgive my impropriety, has never been one for serious study or reading. She… well, as far as I could tell, she seemed to have mistaken Ishtar for Amoroa, apparently unaware that the latter has been deceased for nearly a century.”

He paused, clearly thinking about whether he should add to this statement. “She… no, never mind. That is all.”

You tried to pick up whatever it was that Kasper thought at that moment, though it was slipping away quickly, as he himself disregarded it.

“She seemed to not understand Ishtar’s views on… what did Circe call it… Homo… Hobophone? Holo…???” Kasper’s confused thoughts disappeared again, like mists on the wind.

Averink raised an eyebrow, but did not investigate further on the question of religion, and instead moved on to the next primary subject, the one which you had instructed him to focus on.

“I would now like to ask you about the Princess’ use of silphium. Have you ever seen the Princess procure or use this herb?”

You were not naïve, so you had a good idea how this would go… but these three, plus Stefan, were among the few people who could actually tell you anything about it.

“Silphium? The demon herb? I would hardly be able to tell you. It isn’t as though sword practice involves it.”

“Of course,” Averink said flatly. He turned to Kasper.

“Or lessons on theology.”

From reading their emotions, the one observation you could make was that neither Pierre nor Kasper were surprised by the mention of silphium. This at least gave you confidence that they knew about it, even if they were not willing to say so.

Averink finally turned to Ludomir. His nervousness was obvious, since he couldn’t avoid the question like the other two, with what he had said earlier. The centaur prince’s face went pale.

“I have never observed her taking it myself… but she must be, right?”

“Has she ever mentioned using it… to you?”

“Well, uh, no. She did once mention having bought it, though?”

Buying silphium and ingesting silphium are two very different things,” Averink pointed out.

“Well… she must be taking it, right? She still has the stuff… and I mean, we’re still, you know.”

And there it was, out of the horse’s mouth, so to speak. A confirmation of your and Nacissa’s worst fears, and now Averink’s too. You felt the dawning horror in his aura as he realised exactly what was at stake. The Second Princess most likely had access to silphium and was partaking in… certain activities…

…yet the ingestion of silphium did not appear in her Appraisal.

You could only hope that the Appraisal was incomplete, or this meant that this situation could turn dire indeed. Not only could a royal bastard appear, if not already in the making… but the bastard of a centaur – a Neu-Alaynian centaur whose father may not even be King five years from now.

Even if Averink realised what you and Nacissa had, he showed no outward sign of it, and continued as planned.

“I have a final question to ask you. Have you noticed any strange behaviour from your peers? Fellow male students in particular?”

“Define ‘strange behaviour,’ otherwise I can provide many examples,” Kasper replied. “This Academy is filled with a lot of… characters.”

“Sudden change in relationships, friend groups… ahem, preference. Particularly near or around the Second Princess?”

“Well, I mean, the Princess jettisoned a whole lot of her old ‘friends,’ if you could call them that,” Pierre said.

“They were mostly hanger-ons anyway and, how did the Princess refer to them? ‘Toxic influences’? A good term if any, I’d say. They were toxic to her wellbeing,” Kasper said.

“Particularly Lady Luttefmont-Furholjan. Ever since she stopped having her around, Circe has gotten better with her laughter. It's bearable now, but by the gods, it’d break glass before,” Ludomir added, shaking his head.

You felt the aura of anger again, expecting it to come from Nacissa… but instead found it from Igor. Apparently the paramours mocking the laughter of his lady and the Princess offended him. Why that, and nothing else, was beyond your understanding.

“Now that I think about it…” Pierre spoke, looking out the window in thought. “I do remember something of the sorts you are talking about.”

“That being?” Averink asked.

Pierre turned to Ludomir and Kasper. “Do the two of you remember Quintijn’s antics after the Princess finally rid herself of him?”

“Whining up a fit, you mean? How is that unusual for him?” Kasper responded, rolling his eyes.

“No, no. I mean… I remember him acting quite queer around Stefan, and Stefan himself mentioned it to me once. The two of them were close friends once, then bitter rivals… and then, I cannot say. Quintijn never acted like that before. Stefan didn’t think so, so… does that account for strange behaviour?”

“I prefer to ignore everything about Stefan, so I can’t say I noticed,” Ludomir replied.

Kasper simply shrugged.

It wasn’t particularly helpful, but it did shed some light on what you had witnessed in Quintijn’s interview. Further, if Pierre was correct, Stefan himself had brought it up, and talked about how strange it was. You mentally noted that you should ask him about it in your interview.

“I see,” Averink said. “Do any of you have anything else to add?”

Silence followed, with only the shaking of heads in answer.

“In that case, you are free to leave, with my gratitude for your cooperation,” Averink said. “This concludes the Inquisitorial interview with Pierre-Antoine du Valois, Ludomir Dąbrowski, and Kasper de Haarten.”


~~~​


“How dare they!?” Nacissa screamed once they had left. “How dare they speak of me in such a low manner! Especially the centaur! If not for our Templar Knights and volunteer levies, his whole country would be speaking Wachstaatian!”

“Absolutely disgusting, milady,” Igor agreed, nodding. “If not for the valiant Templars, their tanks would surely be rolling through Valašlová as we speak!”

“In any other circumstance, I’d have him defend his slander with his sword and make him eat those words!”

“You would surely win, of course.”

After brushing the dirt from your clothing, you went back inside the classroom to discuss your discoveries with your agents and Averink.

Nacissa’s outburst and Igor’s talent for shameless sycophancy aside, you and your agents now had to discuss a far more important matter: the impending interview of Princess Circe de Meer herself.

“We will have to force her to accept a second Appraisal,” Averink said, to the soft groan of Appraiser Lotte, who had returned to the classroom in preparation for the Second Princess’ arrival.

“It won’t be easy. The Education Minister will likely be with her and will surely protest,” you replied.

“Why can’t we just, you know, ignore him?” Theo asked, shrugging. “I thought even your government was ruled by the Church.”

“We could,” you answered. “But doing so without a good reason or excuse will probably just be grounds for him to claim Inquisitorial malpractice or bias later on. Despite how it appears, Inquisitors do answer to others than the Gods.”

Averink nodded. “And there is also your own Attractor Trait. I cannot say for sure, but he is probably aware of it. The Education Ministry has a registry of students who have such traits.”

You nodded back. You hoped that the Education Minister would understand the importance of tracking if the Second Princess had an Attractor Trait, but you did not know if the Education Minister would agree.

Attractor Traits always had a murky place in the laws of Astem and the doctrines of the Church. It was not illegal to have one, since it was, for non-isekais, inherited from birth, but they were so often associated with Isekais that possessing such a trait often made one an immediate suspect of the Inquisition. You had, of course, been thoroughly investigated and cleared before you had even been allowed to sit the entrance examinations – in fact, your whole life had been a sequence of investigations as your Attractor Trait spooked one Appraiser or bureaucrat or another… and for good reason. The boys you had just interviewed were a testament to what you could have done, had you no restraint or principles.

It sometimes shocked you at how lenient the Inquisition and Church was where you were concerned. Were your skills really unique enough to justify the risks? Or perhaps they needed someone with an Attractor, someone who couldn’t be corrupted by an Isekai’s own version of it?

“Wait, wait – Attractor Trait?” Nacissa asked, staring at you as if she was seeing you for the first time.

Oh. Right. Nacissa was unaware of this little fact. You had thought she had put two and two together before, but perhaps not. Perhaps she had, until now, nothing more than suspicions or conjectures. Nacissa was no Circe, but that didn’t mean she was an investigator.

“Are you telling me… all this time, with those four…?!”

“No, Lady Luttefmont-Furholjan. I did nothing of the sort. If I had, I assure you, my head would no longer be on my shoulders.”

“And I’m supposed to just believe that? Maybe the Princes, but Stefan?”

You scoffed. “Have I ever once indicated I was ever interested in him? I am not Princess Circe. You should ask him yourself, how ‘hard to get’ I am. You cannot turn the Attractors off, only make them weaker.”

“Hmph,” Nacissa said, in that tone you recognized, the one she took when she knew you were right, but was unwilling to admit it. “We’ve done enough idle talk, just bring this False Princess in and do your job, before I think it best to take matters into my own hands.”


~~~​


This is a plan vote.

The interview of Second Princess Circe de Meer will include most questions, but the start of the interview can put focus on certain topics. You have different categories of questioning, and can pick one core theme of questioning for each category for the start of the interview.

Question Relationships
[ ] Focus on the abandonment of former friends and their replacement.
[ ] Focus on the change in paramour preferences.
[ ] Focus on the nature of the ‘reverse-harem,’ including Silphium.
[ ] Focus on the Black Prince, the Princess’ betrothed.
[ ] Focus on a theoretical Yankeevine conspiracy.
[ ] Focus on the disappearances of the Maids and Knight.
[ ] Write-in

Question Appraisal
[ ] Focus on sudden improvement of the skill ‘Earth Bump.’
[ ] Focus on change in skills revolving around Demons.
[ ] Focus on change in alignment.
[ ] Focus on the sudden decline in the Destiny attribute.
[ ] Write-in

Question Thoughts and Beliefs
[ ] Focus on change of views on Demons.
[ ] Focus on questions concerning ‘The Incident’.
[ ] Focus on usage of strange words.
[ ] Focus on changes in behaviour.
[ ] Focus on changes in religious beliefs.
[ ] Write-in

The decision to push for a Greater Appraisal* of the Second Princess is also available.

[ ] Push for a Greater Appraisal, regardless of resistance.
[ ] [roll] Push for a Greater Appraisal, persuade the Education Minister of the necessity. [CHA][Average]
[ ] Push for a Greater Appraisal, unless the Education Minister condemns the attempt.
[ ] Ask Princess Circe if she is willing to have a Greater Appraisal.
[ ] Do not attempt a Greater Appraisal
[ ] Write-in

The decision to push for a Mental Dive** of the Second Princess is also available.

[ ] Push for a Mental Dive, regardless of resistance.
[ ] [roll] Push for a Mental Dive, persuade the Education Minister of the necessity. [CHA][Tough]
[ ] Push for a Mental Dive, unless the Education Minister condemns the attempt.
[ ] Ask Princess Circe if she is willing to have a Mental Dive.
[ ] Do not attempt a Mental Dive
[ ] Write-in


* A Greater Appraisal may potentially reveal more information from Holy Statistics that were missed in a normal Appraisal. This is however not guaranteed, and may or may not provide the information desired.

** A Mental Dive skill will have the psychic user insert themselves into the lived memories of the subject, temporarily ‘becoming’ the consciousness of the subject by proxy. This is often used by interrogators and in particular Inquisitors, as it can potentially catch out Isekais by spotting gaps or inconsistencies in their memories, ‘double monologues’ (where there are more than one inner voice, suggesting possession), black-outs, or sudden and inexplicable changes in inner monologue.
 
CASE II - NO OTOME GAME, QUESTIONING CIRCE I
CASE II: No Otome Game, Questioning of Circe I

[X] Plan Leading Questions
-[X] Focus on the nature of the ‘reverse-harem,’ including Silphium.
-[X] Focus on the sudden decline in the Destiny attribute.
-[X] Focus on questions concerning ‘The Incident’
-[X] [roll] Push for a Greater Appraisal, persuade the Education Minister of the necessity. [CHA][Average]
-[X] Ask Princess Circe if she is willing to have a Mental Dive.

uJZC0yq9DvIOZUUIS8q49UecrT_ssaCGCUr1Ry2PBv2prON2JHd_FDgoaDyBIRQtSDkvmZGLTdsSFjJsfv0CWa7YUICxR1xqS_0eQKAsAX4OdYbWq7ksHnP4f9t-HYLT0-8cEqPJXvE

Result = 12 + 3 = 15

SUCCESS

(Note: Had to use a new dice roller because apparently Dungeons and Dragons put their online dice roller behind a subscription wall now)




~~~​


At this point, the unused classroom that had been given to you for interviews had become a courtroom, you thought.

Finally back in the seat and at the desk of the professor, rather than hiding in dirt and flowers, you looked around you at your various agents and Lotte… and unfortunately the Education Minister as well, who had shown himself in. All of your agents, save The Guard still standing outside the door, were present, sitting in chairs lined up against the wall.

If the Princess, if she was indeed possessed, wished to show her true colours, you would have all the tools at your disposal waiting for her. More even, with Nacissa and Igor. Igor had reminded Nacissa of her Siege Armour, so while it had not been moved so as to not draw attention by the noise, Nacissa could easily run over to the armour if a fight broke out.

Of course, there was a good chance that Circe’s guards would side with her, and she still had her basilisk… even the demon prince, though you could not be certain if he was in range or not. You understood that if they became involved, you would most likely lose such a fight, but you wanted to have a fighting chance if it came to pass.

You prayed that this interview would be useful… and not end in everyone dying.

The room was lit by only candlelight, as the night was now truly here, the faces of your agents half-hidden by shadows. The small flickering flames gave you a proper aura of solemn interrogation for when Averink returned with the Second Princess in tow. She had to have been summoned directly from her bed – she still wore her bedclothes, had not even time to brush her hair. You hoped this would unbalance her, perhaps make her more susceptible to what you intended to do.

Circe once more sat at the desk in the centre front row, facing you. She looked tired, and her face was bare, without her usual pink makeup. Actually, it was the first time you had ever seen her without any. Despite the common claims by your monastic peers, her physical beauty did not particularly diminish without it.

You offered a silent prayer, and steeled yourself for what was next.

“Princess Circe de Meer. Do you swear by the Gods above that your answers and testimony are truthful and correct, to the best of your ability?”

“Yeah, I swear,” Circe said, before yawning. Her voice was as sleepy as she looked, but seemed more confident than you expected from someone under suspicion of Isekai Possession. She felt some fear, you could see it, but considerably less than you would have thought appropriate. It was possible it was even just because Theodore was in the room, still disguised as a demon.

“Do you know why you are here?”

“You wanted to talk with me, right? Ask some questions? I’d hoped we could just have a friendly chat, but well, you’ve summoned me in the dead of night with all these people sitting here…”

“Indeed, we are here to ask you some important questions… as well as request certain things from you that may aid us in this…” You paused, noticing the Second Princess was no longer paying attention to you and was instead… eating a shortcake.

Where did she even get one?

“Mrrmrm, waat?” the Second Princess murmured, mouth still full.

You stared at her blankly.

She gulped it down. “Excuse me! I was just a bit peckish, please continue,” she said, trying to school her face into being stern and serious. There were some crumbs left on her face, so the attempt was not entirely successful.

“...May aid us in this interview, specifically, we may require you to undergo a more intensive Appraisal, and a Mental Dive,” you finished.

“And please refrain from further… snacking,” Averink added as Circe licked some icing off her fingers. “This is an Inquisitorial interview, not a tea party.”

“This is outrageous, why would you require a Greater Appraisal, let alone a Mental Dive on the Princess?” the Minister jumped in. “You already signed off on a previous Appraisal!”

Circe herself remained oblivious.

“We have come upon new information that has necessitated a second look, as well as further concerns we have had after looking back on the first Appraisal.”

“And what information is that? I do not see how this matters, unless you are making an accusation.”

“Of course not,” you lied. “We simply need clarification about other issues found in the process of our routine Appraisal. The technique itself is an art, and can oft be… imprecise.”

“Then? What information is it?”

“I will ask my first question, if the Princess is willing to answer…”

Circe held up her hand, and the Minister fell silent. “Ahem. I will answer any questions that are required of me, in my capacity as the Second Princess of the Kingdom of Astem,” she said, in a calm and carefully pronounced tone.

“Any question you are permitted to answer,” the Minister added, more to her than you.

You looked over to the Minister. This was going to be somewhat awkward, considering this man would now be listening to the following inquiries into all the things you now knew or suspected.

“We would like to ask about your relationship with Prince Ludomir of Neu-Alaynia.”

“Hm? What of it?” She asked innocently. You picked up “horse-riding” as a flicker of thought from her.

“We know it was more than just riding lessons,” you pre-empted her, sensing her shock. “We have been told of your intimate relations with the Prince.”

An aura of shock from beyond your vision swept the room, and fear from the Princess.

“What!?” the Minister shouted. It seemed he was not aware. “What preposterous… Who is spreading this nonsense?!”

“Prince Ludomir himself admitted to it in his interview, sworn to the gods,” you said flatly. “Do you deny it?”

“Of… of course the Princess would!” the Minister said.

...

...

“I do not deny it,” Circe said. “And I don’t see any problem either. He was romantic, and kind. My betrothal is to a demon who himself visits temples of Ishtar, and aren’t demons fine with getting it on before marriage?”

The Minister stared goggle-eyed. “Even if Prince Soleiman is a demon, this is still a serious impropriety…”

“I assure you that nothing said here will leave the confines of this room, Lord Minister,” Averink said. “We are not overly concerned with whatever… dalliances the students are carrying on.”

“We are only concerned with protecting the Princess,” you agreed.

“So then what is the issue?” Circe asked.

“The issue?!” the Minister replied.

“It's not like I’ve been doing anything new… you already know about the previous cases, like with the tavern. Rosemarijn probably told you all about that stuff with her brother. Why is this any different? Wasn’t that why I was betrothed to the Demon Prince to start with?”

“As I said, our business here does not concern the propriety of your relations, however, we can inquire about matters of national security, something I believe Minister van Zottezen would be quite interested in,” you said, knowing now was the time to strike.

“We wish to perform a Greater Appraisal due to a peculiar irregularity we discovered in the previous Lesser Appraisal. The previous Appraisal file of the Princess, signed by the Lord Inquisitor, suggested that she was under the effects of Silphium ingestion at the time, something that her peers have stated she took regularly and in abundance to assist in her… lifestyle.”

Upon hearing this, as you were hoping, the Princess felt intense fear… but also surprise. The former you could understand, as you had just revealed to her that you were aware. But the surprise… You tried to glimpse into her mind, a flurry of snippets of thoughts and images, and what you could pick up was confusion about Appraisal.

Perhaps she was unaware you could detect Silphium ingestion with Appraisal. Many things about Appraisal, what it could and could not reveal, were kept carefully hidden from the public by Appraisers, as a matter of security.

“However, the Appraisal we performed just today did not. This is in spite of the fact that, according to Prince Ludomir, the two of you are still in an intimate relationship.”

The Minister’s shock was no less intense. You could feel his dawning horror as he realised the same thing that you, Nacissa, and Averink had realised earlier.

“Now, our Appraiser, Miss Lotte, is merely an apprentice and could certainly have missed this important yet easily missed status trait. We would like your permission, Minister, to perform a stronger Appraisal that would certainly confirm it is there.”

“If this is… Yes! Absolutely!” the Minister said. “If she’s pregnant… with a centaur’s bastard, no less –”

“We’re fucked!” the Minister thought, your mind catching glimpses of what seemed to be hundreds of thousands of imaginary Yankeevine soldiers crossing Astem's border.

Circe’s eyes widened, and the aura of sheer panic returned. “I can explain, there’s no need for another –”

“This is our nation’s security at stake, child!” the Minister snapped. “Do you understand what you’ve done?!”

“By the gods, she’s done it again, another Indecent Trio,” the Minister thought. While you were now utterly confident that he would permit what you intended, this suggested something unfortunate: the Minister’s emotion of surprise and shock was replaced with… resignation and disappointment, recognition even. If you had to guess, it meant that he was not associating this with a possible possession, but of the past behaviour of the actual Circe.

“But I’m not, you misunderstand!” Circe whined, getting up from the seat. “This is all just a misunderstanding! You see, you see – I just forgot, okay? I forget to do things all the time!”

Silently, your agents tensed, ready to restrain the Princess, or fight her if necessary. Nacissa behind the window and Alizea inside the classroom both had their hands on the hilts of their rapiers. Circe frantically looked around, finally noticing your team of agents, all standing behind you. She looked at the Minister, but his face was hard and stern, and there was no help to be found from him this time.

“Pardon me, your Highness, but the Inquisition does not mean you harm, and we are not here to cast judgement, we simply wish to find the truth.” Your voice was steady and calm, but there was steel behind it. “Please, sit down.”

“Okay. Okay!” Circe flopped back down into the seat, tears in her eyes. “Let's just do the Appraisal then.”

You gestured for Lotte to come forward. “You have met Appraiser Eikehouten earlier today, and I’m sure you remember the procedure.”

“Your Highness, you must sit completely still, your eyes closed, and not move nor speak, until the Appraisal is done,” Lotte said. “You will see a bright light, which is normal. Do you understand?”

Circe sighed and nodded.

Lotte raised her hand, and the now-familiar circle of white light appeared on the floor, surrounding Circe. The light was brighter and stronger, new runes lighting up within it. Her face screwed up in intense concentration, and her teeth were gritted, but she was able to write down the information on a new piece of parchment.

After some time, the light faded, and Lotte handed you the new Appraisal file, before slumping back into her chair next to yours. Averink handed her the cup and pitcher of water; Lotte put the cup back on the desk and started to drink straight from the pitcher. She was halfway through it when you finished applying your seal and signature to the file.

You read through the paperwork. You were not completely sure what you were going to find. A Greater Appraisal did not guarantee any useful information to an Inquisitor, or even any more information than what could be known through a Lesser Appraisal. You hoped for an Attractor at least, something that could explain the paramours, or even Quintijn’s strange immunity.

Looking at the new document, however, the first thing you noticed was not an Attractor Trait. Her archenemy instead, was now finally revealed.

There, written clearly, was a name: Prince Soleiman Urdeus och Sarut. The Princess’ own betrothed. The one to whom, not even a year ago, she had been so eager to be wedded and bedded.

Well. That was certainly something.

And then, looking further down, you finally saw the special status trait.

Otome Attractor.

Finally, some relief. Finally, some hard evidence, plain as day. Something you could actually work with. Unlike a change in elemental affinity, this was still not considered an absolute, since Attractor traits were not as fully understood or researched as Affinities were…

…but trying to worm out of this would be very, very difficult for whoever was now inhabiting the body of the Second Princess. One did not simply generate an Attractor out of thin air and go without suspicion, and you seriously doubted she would be able to excuse it with a “change in views.” It also explained how she had enthralled Stefan, Pierre, Ludomir, and Kasper, just as your own Attractor had enthralled them years before.

When you provided your evidence to the Inquisition, you could confidently say that you had the foundations for a real case. Even the Inquisitorial Oversight Committee would agree that you had a reasonable suspicion of possession rather than merely the personal vendetta of a schoolgirl.

That said, she had Otome Attractor, not Rotten Girl. You were hoping an Attractor Trait would explain Quintijn’s behaviour. You still could not figure it out. He still felt lust and attraction to the Second Princess, so he fundamentally should not be immune to your own Attractor… unless maybe, her Attractor blocked your own?

No. That couldn’t be right, because your Attractor still worked on Stefan. How was she doing it then, how was she making Quintijn block your Attractor? And why only him and not Stefan?

After mulling over how it made no sense, you put the parchment down. You could think about such paradoxes later. “We can now proceed with the interview.”

“Well? Is... is she with child or not?” the Minister asked.

“I saw no status suggesting as such,” you quickly explained. “If she was, it would have been indicated on the Appraisal.”

“Thank Enin,” he said. An aura of relief immediately washed over the Minister. Fascinatingly, the Princess herself did not share this response, who instead was still seemingly recovering from you cornering her into the Appraisal. She gazed down at her hands, eyebrows furrowed as if in deep concentration, or lost in some other world.

“Your Highness… are you… is she still with us?”

The Minister walked up to the desk and waved his open hand in front of her face. It took some time for her to finally come out of her daydream.

“Oh, oh, right, sorry. Well, of course I’m not pregnant! I am a princess, after all, ohohoho~!” she declared. That had to be one of the fakest laughs you had ever heard from Princess Circe.

“Right… I would now like to ask some further questions,” you said. With the Greater Appraisal out of the way, you could return to digging for information. You had devised something of a plan from this point onwards: You intended to lure the would-be Second Princess imposter into a false sense of security.

“Can you tell me about any happenings of the month of Seroen last year that may have befallen yourself?”

“Seroen… why – why would you want to ask about that? Don’t you already know?” the Princess asked. There was recognition, she knew what you spoke of.

“It is quite possible that the changes in your… behaviour… could be explained from that incident, Your Highness. Is that not so?”

Quick to take this way out, the Second Princess went about explaining the events of last year. The bullying of yourself, the fight Nacissa and Circe got into with Mechtelt, Mechtelt cursing Circe’s… bosom in revenge, your own success in reversing the curse. Your agents looked at you with wide eyes, and from outside the window Nacissa’s aura showed the bright blue-green of shock. They’d never heard this story before, and Circe had never told even her closest friend.

“And then I said I learned my lesson and promised to never bully you again!” she finished, giving you a bright smile.

“This cannot possibly be her, she… she would never admit to something like this!” you could hear Nacissa think, the Lady Corporal having thought that and similar things numerous times now. You could only agree. The real Princess Circe would never have been caught dead admitting to this, least of all the nature of Mechtelt’s absurd curse and its effect. The real Circe, who staked so much of her identity on her physical beauty, would have lied, even to the point of absurdity, as if the sheer force of her will could change the reality of the past.

“Look, I know you must think I’m some kind of Isekai, but I promise you I’m not,” Circe said. “I’ve really changed! That’s it, I swear!”

You could also hear the Minister mumble “Over… bosoms…” repeatedly, in disbelief, before finally turning on his heel and walking out of the room, muttering something about needing a drink. You actually considered calling for him to come back, as his presence had seemingly become more a boon than a hindrance, but stayed silent.

“And so, like Prince Ludomir and his fellows, do you then claim that all your past behaviour were simply misunderstandings and such?” Averink asked.

“No! Of course not. What I did was horrible and not at all appropriate for a Princess. I know that. But Miss Visser helping me like that, when the alternative would have been my doom… It made me realise that if I kept acting that way, I was going to end up dead, or cursed, or exiled, or all sorts of nasty things… and I’d deserve it too.

“I swear, I am so sorry. I have done everything I can to change, to be a better person since then.”

“There is no need,” you said in the softest, gentlest voice you could muster. “You apologised when I lifted the curse.”

“Well, I didn’t really mean it,” Circe said, shaking her head. “I just said sorry to get you to lift the curse. I truly mean it now.” From her aura and thoughts, she seemed nothing but completely sincere. Her smile was pure and innocent. It was strange. It was as if… she herself felt intense guilt over the whole thing.

You could see a flash of intense teal in Nacissa’s aura, of utter shock, and you heard a sudden rustle in the bushes outside. You quickly turned your head towards the window – Nacissa had evidently fainted, probably over what she heard, Igor catching her before she could fall to the ground. He gave you a brief thumbs up from the window. “She’ll come to within a minute,” he thought to you.

"What was that?" the Princess asked, looking around.

"Alizea passing wind," Yasmijn explained, to the annoyed glare of the former. To your surprise, Princess actually nodded, satisfied with the answer.

Averink shook his head at the ridiculous explanation working, quietly taking the pitcher of water and handing it to Igor through the window. Theodore held his hand to his chin to appear as if he were in stoic thought, but you knew he was trying to stop himself bursting into laughter. Igor, behind the window, dumped the pitcher of water onto Nacissa's face, having dealt with his lady mistress' fainting episodes many times before.

“I must apologise to you as well,” you said softly. “I knew Mechtelt planned to curse you in retaliation for what you’d done to me, though I didn’t know the exact nature of the curse or its effects. Nevertheless, I failed to warn you. I thought you deserved it.”

Admitting this had its risks. The real Princess Circe, buried underneath the imposter, could almost certainly still see, feel, and hear everything the imposter could, like all the others that were possessed. But you were committed to your plan to have her lower her guard, and once this case was over, you reckoned you were unlikely to ever see her again.

“If not for that, I would probably still be the same terrible villainess I was, so don’t worry about it!” Circe said, giving you another bright smile. You looked out the window, to make sure Nacissa didn't faint again for the shock.

“Dear Queen in Heaven,” Nacissa could only think.

“Did you know, Your Highness, that in your Appraisal, your Destiny score dropped quite significantly?”

“Yes…?” she said hesitantly.

“I have been wondering about it. To have a high Destiny is to either have some great purpose or predestined fate. A young man I know with a Destiny of 29 lives a life of constantly being dragged around to some significant place or another by the world itself, it is inescapable for him. That your Destiny has gone down so greatly, perhaps whatever fate was in store for you is no more.”

“You think I am not doomed then?”

You smiled and nodded. “If you really have changed as a person, but are still you – still Princess Circe, that is. Yes. I think it could very well be so.”

You could catch the flicker of joy in her aura, as well as a fragment of a thought, before it quickly disappeared. You could distinguish the word “doom” which she seemed to fixate on. You supposed it was not too surprising. An Isekai backed into a corner would almost certainly feel a sense of impending doom.

“This is why…” you continued, “...I would like to ask you permission for a Mental Dive. I wish to see the proof that you, Princess Circe, are no longer a doomed person.”

You were not sure if this would really work. Logically, an Isekai who had something to hide, who knew they were not in fact who they claimed to be… would not accept a Mental Dive, particularly from an Inquisitor who was certainly searching for evidence of possession.

Logically, she would not accept.

Logically, she would fight.

Even though you had three Inquisitorial Agents, an NPC Guard, and a Knight Templar in full Siege Armour. An animal caught in a trap will chew its leg off to free itself, and you'd learned that an Isekai wasn't much different.

Your agents stood once more, hands placed on their weapons. Averink stood protectively in front of Lotte – no doubt making plans to take her and run for it if need be, as neither of them were trained fighters, let alone against an Isekai.

But it seemed, regardless if it were Circe or this imposter, logic was the last and least thing on their mind.

“I’ll do it, or well, you can do it. The Mental thingy.”

You looked into her eyes. The eyes were the windows to the soul, and what her soul bared open to you was not fear, or anxiety or guilt, but determination. Indeed, a resolute certainty flowed through her, a certainty you could not reasonably explain.

“After all,” she said, holding her head high.

“I am Circe de Meer.”



~~~​



Second Princess Circe de Meer has given you permission to perform a Mental Dive on her. The Minister of Education walked off following the reveal of The Incident’s details so was not there to protest. With Circe’s permission, you do not need to perform a roll to attempt the Mental Dive.

You must decide how you will approach the Mental Dive. This is a Plan Vote, choose one in each category or otherwise your own write-in option.

The content within the Mental Dive:

[ ] Do not interfere at all, Circe controls the memories you see.
[ ] Interfere enough to remove Circe's conscious control. Memories will be random events. [WIL][Easy]
[ ][roll] Interfere enough to nudge memories towards significant life events. [WIL][Easy]
[ ][roll] Interfere enough to nudge memories towards moments of significant emotion [WIL][Easy]
[ ][roll] Interfere in the memories to curate them towards only relevant events [WIL][Tough]
[ ][roll] Force a memory of a specific event [WIL][Challenging]
[ ][Write-in]

The time within the Mental Dive:

[ ] Allow memories from any time.
[ ][roll] Interfere enough to nudge towards getting some memories within the last three years. [INT][Easy]
[ ][roll] Interfere in the memories to curate them towards events that were within only two years[INT][Tough]
[ ][roll] Interfere in the memories to curate them towards events that were within only one year [INT][Challenging]
[ ][roll] Force a memory of a specific time [INT][Challenging]
[ ][Write-in]

Second Princess Circe de Meer - The Foolish Princess

jd-Y9A2zlfrOB-c6Whw84tAjROUNGT2h3GpyS800G9BR76q7TdAXnty-Dj2_Xfe15OxPfW8t7GZY1eI2kHxy1T-dBdjNOJWbk9w9B6tbs610ebdZIRzAM2Ni4Fg4WleLm13lYaV1Dle8


Name:
Circe de Meer

Title (Actual): The Foolish Princess
Position: Second Princess of the Kingdom of Astem, Betrothed Consort of Prince Soleiman Urzlong och Sarut
Sex: Female
Age: 17 years old
Level: 11
Classes: Lvl 11 Mage
Nationality: Kingdom of Astem
Elemental Affinity: Mana, Fire, Earth


Race & Origin: Unknown (Requires Grand Appraisal to see)

De Meer (Circe) I: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) II: Circe is extremely proud of her large chest. In retaliation for her schoolgirl bullying of Visser, Mechtelt cursed her with an ancient curse that removed what she cared for most. This was her body, so that her breasts shrank and almost disappeared. After begging Lijsbet on her knees to remove the curse and promising to never bully her again ever, the young priestess obliged. For this, Circe showed genuine gratitude for possibly the first time in her life.
De Meer (Circe) III: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) IV: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) V: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) VI: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) VII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) VIII: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) IX: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)
De Meer (Circe) X: (Requires Grand Appraisal to see through appraisal)

Archenemy: Soleiman Urzlong och Sarut, Prince of the Demon Empire
Alignment: Chaotic Good

Strength: 10 (Average)
Perception: 7 (Below Average)
Dexterity: 14 (Above Average)
Constitution: 8 (Below Average)
Intelligence: 8 (Below Average)
Willpower: 12 (Average)
Charisma: 25 (Master)
Destiny: 13 (Above Average)

Skills
-Weapon Proficiency: Swords (Above Average)
-Weapon Proficiency: Siege Armour Operation (Below Average)
-Mage: Channel Mana (Below Average)
-Mage: Mana Bolt (Below Average)
-Fire Mage: Heat (Average)
-Fire Mage: Ignite (Below Average)
-Fire Mage: Fireball (Incompetent)
-Earth Mage: Earth Bump (Proficient)
-Knowledge: Creator Pantheon Theology (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Demon Pantheon Theology (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Mixed Pantheon Theology (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [human] (Average)
-Knowledge: Fashion and Cosmetics [demon] (Incompetent)
-Knowledge: Foreign Language - Sarutish (Below Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Central Kingdoms (Below Average)
-Knowledge: History and Politics - Demon Empire (Average)
-Knowledge: Law [Astemmian] (Incompetent)
-Knowledge: Law [Demon] (Below Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette (Above Average)
-Knowledge: Noble Customs and Etiquette [Demon] (Incompetent)
-Knowledge: Statecraft (Incompetent)
-Skill: Choreography and Dance (Below Average)
-Skill: Calligraphy [Demon] (Incompetent)
-Skill: Deception (High Proficiency)
-Skill: Feminine Arts (Average)
-Skill: Intimidation, Coercion and Bullying (Below Average)
-Skill: Management and Organisation (Incompetent)
-Skill: Oratorial [Persuasion, Negotiation, Rhetoric] (Above Average)
-Skill: Oratorial [Public Speaking] (Above Average)
-Skill: Riding [Horses] (Below Average)
-Skill: Riding [War-beast] (Below Average)
-Skill: Riding [Dragon] (Incompetent)
-Skill: Seduction (Master)
-Skill: Foreign Language - Sarutish (Below Average)
-Resistance: Alignment Curses (Average)

Faith: Creator Pantheon (Faction: Unaligned), No Patron Deity claimed.

Special Flaw: Residual Respiratory and Heart Ailment: Princess Circe de Meer was born somewhat prematurely and crippled by severe breathing and heart conditions that made her an intensely sickly infant and child. As a teenager, Circe is no longer crippled by this condition due to the successful treatment by one the world’s most proficient healers, the Saintess Dorianne van den Dumortier, who was also her caretaker. Despite this successful treatment, the disease has left its mark on her, including tiring and fainting easily.

Special Status Trait: Custodial Crest [Draco]: This Individual has had a crest tattooed to her by the individual [Soleiman] that ensures that the [monstrous beast - Basilisk] known as [Draco] will sense when she is in danger, harmed, in fear, poisoned, diseased, suddenly unconscious, drowning, falling from great height, buried, etc. Within a certain distance, the Grand Ascension-level Dragon Prince-skill ‘Grand Blink’ will activate, teleporting [Draco] directly to the vicinity of this individual.

Special Status Trait: Custodial Crest [Soleiman]: This Individual has had a crest tattooed to her by the individual [Soleiman] that ensures that the [Nephilim - Greater Demon] known as [Soleiman] will sense when she is in danger, harmed, in fear, poisoned, diseased, suddenly unconscious, drowning, falling from great height, buried, etc. Within a certain distance, the Grand Ascension-level Dragon Prince-skill ‘Grand Blink’ will activate, teleporting this individual directly to the vicinity of [Soleiman].

Special Trait (non-racial): Otome Attractor: This individual is capable of enthralling young men to her will, causing them to fall in love with her regardless of previous inclinations or preferences. The trait activates within a certain distance from her and requires high willpower to resist. Wealthy, titled, and handsome young men seem the most vulnerable.


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I swear and certify with the Gods as witness that these records are true and accurate to the best of my ability.
Appraised by Lotte Eikehouten, Deputy Head of Recordkeeping
 

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