Would you speak with a queen? Or a cat? (AUDIENCE HALL)

[twinverses]

Need something? Want to complain more directly to your cute hosts or maybe you want to bargain with your memories? Maybe you just have a favor. Regardless, this is the place to do it! Just knock on the Audience Hall's door or just call for the Alices and they'll answer.

Of course, if you want to speak with a particular Alice just note that in your toplevel as long with the date and rough time it's happening. They can be contacted IC-ly throughout the day.

For the final week, in person meetings with the Storyteller (formerly known as the Cat) aren't possible. Alice, obviously, isn't talking to anyone either. However! The Storyteller can be called to talk throughout the castle so just say where you're yelling at her from.

Comments are screened until the game is over.

Comments

[strictura]

Is it? I can understand why her feeling better would be a positive thing, but you indicated before that the previous group was a failure because they kept breaking the rules. Ours has had just as many die over broken rules [ though questionably in Ib's case ] as to the game itself at this point, so I'm not sure I see how we're any more of a success than they were.

[twinverses]

[She seems to think on this, crossing her arms and even tapping her cheek.]

Well, that's the thing, isn't it? What's the difference between your group and theirs? Certainly, some of them broke the rules like some in your group did. A thrown punch here, some destroyed property there. It happens in games. There wouldn't be a need to disqualify everyone if that was the case. I'm not unreasonable.

[She taps her cheek again.] If you stabbed me now, that doesn't mean I should punish, say, the dogs for stabbing me when he's probably playing a math game in his head. Would it? [A pause.]

But if all of you that are alive right now attacked me, that would be different, wouldn't it?

[strictura]

[ Frowns... ]

Well, yes, but only the ones who were alive and involved would be disqualified in that case, right?

[twinverses]

Normally, yes. [She shrugs.] Some things can never be forgiven.

[strictura]

What...? Do you mean that even someone like Sasaki -- who was seemingly murdered without having done anything wrong herself -- is being punished for crimes that occurred after her death and were perpetrated by other people?

[twinverses]

I wouldn't put it in that way but yes, that's true. Though, I wouldn't worry too much about it happening again to your group. I won't let it get to that point this time.

[strictura]

[ ...It's not like he doesn't sort of agree with this in principle. He's argued himself that you sometimes have to destroy decent people along with bad to ensure a victory. But this is all for one girl's wish for herself; they're not trying to ensure peace for all kids or anything that would justify this much unwilling sacrifice. ]

Meaning what?

[twinverses]

[A book doesn't choose it's reader. A single story is loved by many. Most children are raised by fairy tales and rhymes, even if they're through television these days or the internet. They shouldn't be able to choose a favorite person among the many.

Yet, sometimes, it just happens.]

Even if someone among your group does that forbidden thing, I doubt the majority of you would act on it as it well. If a non-majority of the living are involved, only those individuals will be disqualified.

[strictura]

That's not reassuring! What if we get to a point where only three are left and two of them break your rule? Are you seriously going to blame everyone for a stupid decision that such a small number of people make, that the dead don't even get a say in?

[twinverses]

I'll just make sure that the game ends before that happens this time.

[strictura]

What determines when it ends? And please don't just tell me you aren't going to spoil the story. We're far enough in that I think it's reasonable to know what the base conditions are.

[twinverses]

When the condition for the Queen's Glass Game to be activated.

[Sadly, Nagisa, that's an actual spoiler for the last week.]

[strictura]

[ That bracket text can't stop him because he can't read it! ]

And what is that based on? Not on the number of remaining participants, it sounds like. Is it when she's restored to a certain level of power?

[twinverses]

There are two things: either all of you are dead except a culprit because a culprit wins a trial or the forbidden action has been taken.

[strictura]

So if only one person takes that forbidden action, that would be viewed as a good ending on our part...? Everyone besides that person would theoretically be revived when that time came and not disqualified?

[twinverses]

I didn't say it would be good, only that the game would come to a close and that everyone would be revived.

[strictura]

I know you didn't, that's the inference I'm making based on our known options. If you were in my position, would you not consider that the better one?

[twinverses]

Of course. Unless you managed to get away at trial.

[strictura]

[ ... ]

One other thing. Were you that "Storyteller" from last time?

[ From the way Allen had reported his conversation on that topic, it hadn't been clear to him whether there had been an outright denial or not. ]

Or is there actually someone else involved in this?

[twinverses]

[Hmph.]

There might be someone else involved but they didn't go by that name. I'm Alice now. If I went by that name then I wouldn't tell you.

[strictura]

Isn't it more of a title than a name anyway?

[twinverses]

Its is but why would a book choose that name for itself? I can't tell if you I've ever used it for myself but solve that riddle and it might help you out.

[strictura]

Telling a story is essentially what a fiction book does, is it not?

[ But fine, he'll think over some other possibilities.

...In any case, he's a little surprised that she'd even give him that much of a clue. Since when is she interested in anything that might help him out? ]

[twinverses]

[She giggles. That's all that he's going to get out of her.]