Huh! We were bamboozled! This isn't a complication I expected, but it's an understandable one. I wonder how she'll get to the orphanage now?

... oh! The maid! I bet she'll help somehow.

I feel that what happened to the mother may have something to do in the end with the villainess system. Though it may just be me focusing on my own theory too hard... but I've felt for a while that the "system" isn't actually any sort of remnant from a game or anything like that, but is rather something like the mare that possessed Elsa in the first chapter: a hostile spirit that is preying in Evie's fears, presenting itself to her in a form she expects.

That makes sense. In hindsight, it does seem a little weird that a system ostensibly designed to make the story follow its usual course would order its charge to either watch the main character presumedly die, or to actually play an active role in their death, like the system was in the first chapter. Your theory would help explain that bit of weirdness.

Heck, based on that theory, maybe when Evie got possessed by that succubus love potion a few chapters back, it wasn’t actually a true possession? Maybe the potion caused whatever was already inside of Evie to physically manifest, possibly in an (ultimately failed) attempt to have it removed completely? It would explain why older Elsa was willing to let her younger self use that on Evie.

last edited at Apr 2, 2023 11:33PM

I just keep thinking about how weird that time travel is... assuming the problem with her father is resolved and she does receive training and then goes back to the future at some point, will the swordsmanship skill of the "actual" kid Evie degrade? Will the instructor notice? I doubt it will be addressed though :P

last edited at Apr 3, 2023 2:57AM

It's good to see exposition time is over. This was a great and exciting chapter. I was wondering about the changes to the timeline if Yvonne is considered a genius with the sword and went through all that training as a child, but maybe it'll be a bit less dramatic if her dad is holding her back.

I feel that what happened to the mother may have something to do in the end with the villainess system. Though it may just be me focusing on my own theory too hard... but I've felt for a while that the "system" isn't actually any sort of remnant from a game or anything like that, but is rather something like the mare that possessed Elsa in the first chapter: a hostile spirit that is preying in Evie's fears, presenting itself to her in a form she expects.

That makes sense. In hindsight, it does seem a little weird that a system ostensibly designed to make the story follow its usual course would order its charge to either watch the main character presumedly die, or to actually play an active role in their death, like the system was in the first chapter. Your theory would help explain that bit of weirdness.

Heck, based on that theory, maybe when Evie got possessed by that succubus love potion a few chapters back, it wasn’t actually a true possession? Maybe the potion caused whatever was already inside of Evie to physically manifest, possibly in an (ultimately failed) attempt to have it removed completely? It would explain why older Elsa was willing to let her younger self use that on Evie.

The theory answers that first plothole, but leaves others open. Who caused Evie's family to be suddenly exiled if not the villainness system exactly as portrayed to us?

I was going to say that the first scene with the mare was just a plot hole from the beginning of the story. It's at least half a plot hole, because I feel like the mare possessing Elsa was a consequence of Yvonne not making pacts with demons like has been hinted happened in the original storyline. It seems from this chapter that her mother may have also had a similar thing happen to her.

Was that change in the maid’s eye color a deliberate little detail or am I just imagining things?

last edited at Apr 3, 2023 3:32AM

Maid seemed to have green eyes when she said "I'll let no harm", blue eyes after that.

Omg, I didn't even notice until you said that.

Definitely something up with that maid.

Maid seemed to have green eyes when she said "I'll let no harm", blue eyes after that.

Omg, I didn't even notice until you said that.

Definitely something up with that maid.

The last time someone's eyes changed colors like that (Dahlia, I think), it turned out she was a demon. Maybe the maid is actually some kind of angel guardian of the family?

Anyhoo, I think there is no deeper connection between Yvonne and her mother other than the latter was physically frail and when she used too much magic, she was possessed by mares, which eventually killed her. As much as I dislike the father's interference, he is certainly justified and, unfortunately, well within his moral rights to keep Yvonne confined, especially after the stunt with the magic sword. The idea that the Villainess System is a particularly nasty mare is quite appealing, but we will have to see more confirmation before taking it too seriously.

And she has now declared her goal as exactly the result we've already seen. I have no doubt she'll be able to go regardless of her father's resistance, it just remains to be seen how she'll manage this.

I just keep thinking about how weird that time travel is... assuming the problem with her father is resolved and she does receive training and then goes back to the future at some point, will the swordsmanship skill of the "actual" kid Evie degrade? Will the instructor notice? I doubt it will be addressed though :P

She's most likely taking the long way to get back to the future.

I just keep thinking about how weird that time travel is... assuming the problem with her father is resolved and she does receive training and then goes back to the future at some point, will the swordsmanship skill of the "actual" kid Evie degrade? Will the instructor notice? I doubt it will be addressed though :P

She's most likely taking the long way to get back to the future.

I don't think that will be the case, otherwise what's the point of that ring she got from the mage that lets her go back

It's good to see exposition time is over. This was a great and exciting chapter. I was wondering about the changes to the timeline if Yvonne is considered a genius with the sword and went through all that training as a child, but maybe it'll be a bit less dramatic if her dad is holding her back.

Well future Elsa provided some vague rules, saying that as long as nothing catastrophic happens, the present would remain the same and only that horrible future is what's being changed (or trying to be changed). I don't expect the sword issue will be seen as a catastrophic change (or else going back at all would be a catastrophic change already). If you watched Doctor Who, then it seems Evie's present with Elsa acts like a variation of a fixed point in time (short of extreme circumstances).

last edited at Apr 3, 2023 1:01PM

I just keep thinking about how weird that time travel is... assuming the problem with her father is resolved and she does receive training and then goes back to the future at some point, will the swordsmanship skill of the "actual" kid Evie degrade? Will the instructor notice? I doubt it will be addressed though :P

She's most likely taking the long way to get back to the future.

Highly unlikely, considering that she already lived in that future before. For her to take the long way would mean for her to get stuck in an infinite time travel loop where she's constantly being sent back to stop the wolves, meets Elsa, loses the memories of the time travel and meeting her, goes through the story so far, and then starts the loop again. It's much more reasonable to assume she'll accomplish her mission, establish herself as Elsa's destined soulmate, and then travel back, leading to the current situation where Elsa remembers her from her childhood (as does Dahlia), but she has no memories of the time this future version of her was in control.

That may have resolved a little too painlessly, but I appreciate that a lot of unimportant stuff was elided so the story could get moving

So Linda is an elf. I wasn't expecting that. I didn't even think there were elves in this game.

This arc has been...longer than it should be.

The warrior/paladin and the mage are bootstrapping each other in time. Elsa gets Yvonne free of the game, sends her back to rescue Elsa and train her, meanwhile Yvonne trained herself up to rescue Elsa, who trains herself up to rescue Yvonne, who breaks free of the game so as not to harm Elsa, who ...

The warrior/paladin and the mage are bootstrapping each other in time. Elsa gets Yvonne free of the game, sends her back to rescue Elsa and train her, meanwhile Yvonne trained herself up to rescue Elsa, who trains herself up to rescue Yvonne, who breaks free of the game so as not to harm Elsa, who ...

A paradox?

Demons disguising themselves so as to appear human... what if Elsa is actually a demon?? But she was left there by her parents who sealed her powers somehow and she doesn't remember? Could be possible, would explain the strange wolf attack.

Maaaann, I need to know what happens to Linda in the future.

Maaaann, I need to know what happens to Linda in the future.

Her contract with the Smollets runs out, she marries Thrud (the boy prince's sword instructor) and lives happily ever after.

So Linda is an elf. I wasn't expecting that. I didn't even think there were elves in this game.

at least she's gnot a gnoblin

Maaaann, I need to know what happens to Linda in the future.

Her contract with the Smollets runs out, she marries Thrud (the boy prince's sword instructor) and lives happily ever after.

I'll take it. It's canon to me now.

Small Evie is too adorable. ^_^

Maaaann, I need to know what happens to Linda in the future.

Her contract with the Smollets runs out, she marries Thrud (the boy prince's sword instructor) and lives happily ever after.

I'll take it. It's canon to me now.

Agreed