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The reason the Good Endings all have Katarina being exiled was because the hidden route involving Sirius Dieke/Raphael Walt would have been revealed, Katarina would have been revealed to have been under his influence during her bullying of Maria, and Katarina would have been given a Redemption Arc in the sequel game, having had a HeelRealization during her exile and working to be a better person overall as a result. The revelation that she had been manipulated by Sirius Dieke/Raphael Walt would have forced the kingdom to allow her to return in the interests of fairness, and she would have spent her time trying to make amends to Maria. It's simply that Monkey Girl's interference with the events of the first game meant that Katarina had no envy or malice in her heart for Sirius/Raphael to manipulate in the first place.
to:
The reason the Good Endings all have Katarina being exiled was because the hidden route involving Sirius Dieke/Raphael Walt would have been revealed, Katarina would have been revealed to have been under his influence during her bullying of Maria, and Katarina would have been given a Redemption Arc in the sequel game, having had a HeelRealization during her exile and working to be a better person overall as a result. The revelation that she had been manipulated by Sirius Dieke/Raphael Walt would have forced the kingdom to allow her to return in the interests of fairness, and she would have spent her time trying to make amends to Maria. It's simply that Monkey Girl's interference with the events of the first game meant that Katarina had no envy or malice in her heart for Sirius/Raphael to manipulate in the first place.place.
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[[WMG:Why is Sophia written to have albinism.]]
''(Note: This WMG is a speculation of the author's intent, so DeathOfTheAuthor applies. In addition, the troper who wrote it only went up to the sixth novel)''
Since getting into ''Hamefura'' in 2021, I have been somewhat annoyed at the lack of realism regarding the portrayal of Sophia's albinism--the issue of being ProneToSunburn isn't even raised beyond a line in the "Demo" (where she says she's "not good with the sunlight") despite this being a well-known fact regarding the condition, and since the universe mostly runs on Earth rules, I can't really ignore it, unlike the case of [[Franchise/IsItWrongToTryToPickUpGirlsInADungeon a certain albinistic-looking protagonist in a major fantasy LN]], where I can chalk it up by saying the biology there runs on different rules. As a result, I'm thinking of why that is written as a plot device.
Of course, in this series, there are two layers of intent in a work this ''Hamefura'': one of the intent of ''Fortune Lover'''s creator, and the other being the intent of Yamaguchi the novelist. I'm presenting the intents of both here.
* '''Intent of the ''Fortune Lover'' developer''': Nicol is intended to be a platonic siscon, or, as I have previously written here, having a codependent relationship with Sophia, so the player (as Maria) needs to crack open a way for Nicol to notice her (mostly through Sophia, of course). But the creators need a plausible reason for the existence of such relationships. IRL, the most likely reason is the LittleSisterHeroine being either disabled or is DelicateAndSickly. However, being set in the MedievalEuropeanFantasy universe, especially one set in a school, means she can't be ''too'' sickly or disabled, given the lack of accommodations of that era. This is why albinism is chosen as Sophia's affliction--it's a [[DiseaseByAnyOtherName condition known to the audience]], being visibly ''not'' normal, even realistically written she doesn't need a lot of support in school, as albinism does not significantly affect exercise capacity, mental function, or mobility, and the TruthInTelevision trope of AlbinosAreFreaks gives extra reason for Nicol to be anxious of Sophia's well-being.
* '''Satoru Yamaguchi's intent''': This part relates to the fact that Sophia is Acchan's reincarnation. It's obvious that Yamaguchi intends to make Sophia similar to Acchan ''to some extent'', but not to the extent of making Sophia ''into'' Acchan. The most obvious similarity is that they're both ''huge'' geeks in {{romance}} fiction (and mostly defined as such), but they're, by the series' standards, also relatively introverted and socially isolated, probably to fit into certain geek stereotypes. In Acchan's case, this is mostly explained by her neurodivergence (she states at the beginning of her side chapter that she has problems understanding social interactions) and could hardly make any friends (there's an implication of the Wild Monkey being her only friend that isn't an {{otaku}} in the strict sense). However, similarly neurodivergent characters are not common in romance (especially [[DoubleStandard for girls]]). As a result, Sophia isn't neurodivergent, her social isolation being explained through [[AlbinosAreFreaks discrimination]]--in novels after Catarina's graduation it's stated that while the latter repaired Sophia's self-image, Sophia's still wary of the discrimination against her.
----
----
[[WMG:Why is Sophia written to have albinism.]]
''(Note: This WMG is a speculation of the author's intent, so DeathOfTheAuthor applies. In addition, the troper who wrote it only went up to the sixth novel)''
Since getting into ''Hamefura'' in 2021, I have been somewhat annoyed at the lack of realism regarding the portrayal of Sophia's albinism--the issue of being ProneToSunburn isn't even raised beyond a line in the "Demo" (where she says she's "not good with the sunlight") despite this being a well-known fact regarding the condition, and since the universe mostly runs on Earth rules, I can't really ignore it, unlike the case of [[Franchise/IsItWrongToTryToPickUpGirlsInADungeon a certain albinistic-looking protagonist in a major fantasy LN]], where I can chalk it up by saying the biology there runs on different rules. As a result, I'm thinking of why that is written as a plot device.
Of course, in this series, there are two layers of intent in a work this ''Hamefura'': one of the intent of ''Fortune Lover'''s creator, and the other being the intent of Yamaguchi the novelist. I'm presenting the intents of both here.
* '''Intent of the ''Fortune Lover'' developer''': Nicol is intended to be a platonic siscon, or, as I have previously written here, having a codependent relationship with Sophia, so the player (as Maria) needs to crack open a way for Nicol to notice her (mostly through Sophia, of course). But the creators need a plausible reason for the existence of such relationships. IRL, the most likely reason is the LittleSisterHeroine being either disabled or is DelicateAndSickly. However, being set in the MedievalEuropeanFantasy universe, especially one set in a school, means she can't be ''too'' sickly or disabled, given the lack of accommodations of that era. This is why albinism is chosen as Sophia's affliction--it's a [[DiseaseByAnyOtherName condition known to the audience]], being visibly ''not'' normal, even realistically written she doesn't need a lot of support in school, as albinism does not significantly affect exercise capacity, mental function, or mobility, and the TruthInTelevision trope of AlbinosAreFreaks gives extra reason for Nicol to be anxious of Sophia's well-being.
* '''Satoru Yamaguchi's intent''': This part relates to the fact that Sophia is Acchan's reincarnation. It's obvious that Yamaguchi intends to make Sophia similar to Acchan ''to some extent'', but not to the extent of making Sophia ''into'' Acchan. The most obvious similarity is that they're both ''huge'' geeks in {{romance}} fiction (and mostly defined as such), but they're, by the series' standards, also relatively introverted and socially isolated, probably to fit into certain geek stereotypes. In Acchan's case, this is mostly explained by her neurodivergence (she states at the beginning of her side chapter that she has problems understanding social interactions) and could hardly make any friends (there's an implication of the Wild Monkey being her only friend that isn't an {{otaku}} in the strict sense). However, similarly neurodivergent characters are not common in romance (especially [[DoubleStandard for girls]]). As a result, Sophia isn't neurodivergent, her social isolation being explained through [[AlbinosAreFreaks discrimination]]--in novels after Catarina's graduation it's stated that while the latter repaired Sophia's self-image, Sophia's still wary of the discrimination against her.
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It mentions he became more and more sickly every day, which fits Sirius' backstory, and he's mentioned to have red hair. Whether or not this is connected to her eventual slavery to the Dieke family, or will lead to a confrontation between her and Raphael, is more uncertain.
to:
It mentions he became more and more sickly every day, which fits Sirius' backstory, and he's mentioned to have red hair. Whether or not this is connected to her eventual slavery to the Dieke family, or will lead to a confrontation between her and Raphael, is more uncertain.uncertain.
[[WMG: The Developers planned for a Redemption Arc for Katarina in Fortune Lover 2]]
The reason the Good Endings all have Katarina being exiled was because the hidden route involving Sirius Dieke/Raphael Walt would have been revealed, Katarina would have been revealed to have been under his influence during her bullying of Maria, and Katarina would have been given a Redemption Arc in the sequel game, having had a HeelRealization during her exile and working to be a better person overall as a result. The revelation that she had been manipulated by Sirius Dieke/Raphael Walt would have forced the kingdom to allow her to return in the interests of fairness, and she would have spent her time trying to make amends to Maria. It's simply that Monkey Girl's interference with the events of the first game meant that Katarina had no envy or malice in her heart for Sirius/Raphael to manipulate in the first place.
[[WMG: The Developers planned for a Redemption Arc for Katarina in Fortune Lover 2]]
The reason the Good Endings all have Katarina being exiled was because the hidden route involving Sirius Dieke/Raphael Walt would have been revealed, Katarina would have been revealed to have been under his influence during her bullying of Maria, and Katarina would have been given a Redemption Arc in the sequel game, having had a HeelRealization during her exile and working to be a better person overall as a result. The revelation that she had been manipulated by Sirius Dieke/Raphael Walt would have forced the kingdom to allow her to return in the interests of fairness, and she would have spent her time trying to make amends to Maria. It's simply that Monkey Girl's interference with the events of the first game meant that Katarina had no envy or malice in her heart for Sirius/Raphael to manipulate in the first place.
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** And '''My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! The Pirate Known as "Trouble"''' exists for the Nintendo Switch.
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It mentions he became more and more sickly every day, which fits Sirius' backstory. Whether or not this is connected to her eventual slavery to the Dieke family, or will lead to a confrontation between her and Raphael, is more uncertain.
to:
It mentions he became more and more sickly every day, which fits Sirius' backstory.backstory, and he's mentioned to have red hair. Whether or not this is connected to her eventual slavery to the Dieke family, or will lead to a confrontation between her and Raphael, is more uncertain.
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And of course, Catarina solves this without knowing ''due to'' her influence on Sophia. Catarina's action effectively puts Sophia into her social circle, rather than Nicol's. On the other hand, Nicol is convinced that Catarina is genuinely good to Sophia. This mean Nicol no longer needs to consume most of his time worrying about Sophia, since this means he doesn't really need to worry about her well-being when she's with Catarina (and/or Mary), leaving him some time and space to think about other things, such as his career path. His story in the fifth novel/[=S2E08=] shows this, where his train of thought is more about Catarina than Sophia, while Sophia treats Nicol like a brother, rather than a LivingEmotionalCrutch as in the case of ''Fortune Lover''.
to:
And of course, Catarina solves this without knowing ''due to'' her influence on Sophia. Catarina's action effectively puts Sophia into her social circle, rather than Nicol's. On the other hand, Nicol is convinced that Catarina is genuinely good to Sophia. This mean Nicol no longer needs to consume most of his time worrying about Sophia, since this means he doesn't really need to worry about her well-being when she's with Catarina (and/or Mary), leaving him some time and space to think about other things, such as his career path. His story in the fifth novel/[=S2E08=] shows this, where his train of thought is more about Catarina than Sophia, while Sophia treats Nicol like a brother, rather than a LivingEmotionalCrutch as in the case of ''Fortune Lover''.Lover''.
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[[WMG: The boy Sarah knew in her backstory was the real Sirius Dieke.]]
It mentions he became more and more sickly every day, which fits Sirius' backstory. Whether or not this is connected to her eventual slavery to the Dieke family, or will lead to a confrontation between her and Raphael, is more uncertain.
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[[WMG: The boy Sarah knew in her backstory was the real Sirius Dieke.]]
It mentions he became more and more sickly every day, which fits Sirius' backstory. Whether or not this is connected to her eventual slavery to the Dieke family, or will lead to a confrontation between her and Raphael, is more uncertain.
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** Remember this is written by Japanese, and WeAllLiveInAmerica sets in. In Japan, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_adult_adoption adopting for the sole purpose of heirs]] is such a standard practice that the Imperial Household Law [[ObviousRulePatch specifically bans it]] within the imperial family.
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** Remember this is written by Japanese, and WeAllLiveInAmerica CreatorsCultureCarryover sets in. In Japan, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_adult_adoption adopting for the sole purpose of heirs]] is such a standard practice that the Imperial Household Law [[ObviousRulePatch specifically bans it]] within the imperial family.
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Ambiguous Disorder dewick.
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## It has been rather clearly stated at the beginning of Acchan's side story that she [[NoSocialSkills had problems understanding social interactions]], and had always been that way (which smacks of AmbiguousDisorder to me). Sophia doesn't seem to have the same issue.
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## It has been rather clearly stated at the beginning of Acchan's side story that she [[NoSocialSkills had problems understanding social interactions]], and had always been that way (which smacks of AmbiguousDisorder to me).me sounds like she needs to be assessed for developmental disorder). Sophia doesn't seem to have the same issue.
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** I am also of the opinion that Sophia's love of romance novels is ''not'' in ''Fortune Lover''. Based on TheLawOfConservationOfDetail, any of her attributes must be relevant to the gameplay or the story-telling. In context, this means it must be relevant for ''Maria'' to bond with her (so that the Nicol route can start). Yet, there's no evidence of Maria having any interest in romance novels before meeting Catarina. This means one of defining attributes has ''no real purpose'' in ''Fortune Lover''. This means the attribute is unlikely to be there in the first place, and it's only there because of... Acchan's influence.
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** I am also of the opinion that Sophia's love of romance novels is ''not'' in ''Fortune Lover''. Based on TheLawOfConservationOfDetail, any of her attributes must be relevant to the gameplay or the story-telling. In context, this means it must be relevant for ''Maria'' to bond with her (so that the Nicol route can start). Yet, there's no evidence of Maria having any interest in romance novels before meeting Catarina. This means one of defining attributes has ''no real purpose'' in ''Fortune Lover''. This means the attribute is unlikely to be there in the first place, and it's only there because of... Acchan's influence.influence.
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[[WMG:Nicol's ''actual'' issue in ''Fortune Lover''.]]
Canonically, Nicol's hangup in the ''Hamefura'' timeline is one of DontYouDarePityMe. While I recognize this is most certainly a genuine issue, especially when considering Sophia's albinism counts as a disability.[[note]]recall AlbinosAreFreaks is in the DisabilityTropes index.[[/note]] However, reading Nicol's POV chapter carefully, I noticed these pities are an indirect consequence of ''Catarina regaining her PastLifeMemories'', or, more directly, Sophia ceasing to be a {{Hikikomori}} and thus both Ascart siblings are more frequently in the public than before.
This is not remotely close to what Maria is likely to do in ''Fortune Lover''. So Nicol's hangup in ''Fortune Lover'' has nothing to do with pity. It must be something else. But what?
Reading Nicol's POV up to (and including) Sophia's first visit to the Claes mansion, what I can see is he's fixated on Sophia to an unhealthy degree. No, I don't mean BrotherSisterIncest, I refer to codependency between the two. Sophia's dependence on Nicol is obvious, but Nicol also had dependency issues with Sophia: the opening portions of his POV, other than a few line about the twin princes, is all about Sophia. He's supposed to be 11 at the time, and it's starting to become abnormal at this point (this is not even considering the fact ''Hamefura'' characters often think older than they should). Put simply, Nicol ''fixates'' on Sophia too much to be normal.
And of course, Catarina solves this without knowing ''due to'' her influence on Sophia. Catarina's action effectively puts Sophia into her social circle, rather than Nicol's. On the other hand, Nicol is convinced that Catarina is genuinely good to Sophia. This mean Nicol no longer needs to consume most of his time worrying about Sophia, since this means he doesn't really need to worry about her well-being when she's with Catarina (and/or Mary), leaving him some time and space to think about other things, such as his career path. His story in the fifth novel/[=S2E08=] shows this, where his train of thought is more about Catarina than Sophia, while Sophia treats Nicol like a brother, rather than a LivingEmotionalCrutch as in the case of ''Fortune Lover''.
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[[WMG:Nicol's ''actual'' issue in ''Fortune Lover''.]]
Canonically, Nicol's hangup in the ''Hamefura'' timeline is one of DontYouDarePityMe. While I recognize this is most certainly a genuine issue, especially when considering Sophia's albinism counts as a disability.[[note]]recall AlbinosAreFreaks is in the DisabilityTropes index.[[/note]] However, reading Nicol's POV chapter carefully, I noticed these pities are an indirect consequence of ''Catarina regaining her PastLifeMemories'', or, more directly, Sophia ceasing to be a {{Hikikomori}} and thus both Ascart siblings are more frequently in the public than before.
This is not remotely close to what Maria is likely to do in ''Fortune Lover''. So Nicol's hangup in ''Fortune Lover'' has nothing to do with pity. It must be something else. But what?
Reading Nicol's POV up to (and including) Sophia's first visit to the Claes mansion, what I can see is he's fixated on Sophia to an unhealthy degree. No, I don't mean BrotherSisterIncest, I refer to codependency between the two. Sophia's dependence on Nicol is obvious, but Nicol also had dependency issues with Sophia: the opening portions of his POV, other than a few line about the twin princes, is all about Sophia. He's supposed to be 11 at the time, and it's starting to become abnormal at this point (this is not even considering the fact ''Hamefura'' characters often think older than they should). Put simply, Nicol ''fixates'' on Sophia too much to be normal.
And of course, Catarina solves this without knowing ''due to'' her influence on Sophia. Catarina's action effectively puts Sophia into her social circle, rather than Nicol's. On the other hand, Nicol is convinced that Catarina is genuinely good to Sophia. This mean Nicol no longer needs to consume most of his time worrying about Sophia, since this means he doesn't really need to worry about her well-being when she's with Catarina (and/or Mary), leaving him some time and space to think about other things, such as his career path. His story in the fifth novel/[=S2E08=] shows this, where his train of thought is more about Catarina than Sophia, while Sophia treats Nicol like a brother, rather than a LivingEmotionalCrutch as in the case of ''Fortune Lover''.
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***No, she doesn't in regards to the spoiler, [[spoiler:she is both conscious of and aware of both Geordo's and Keith's feelings, and the guys themselves. She says she will take both her and their feelings in her hands, after she solves a certain crisis. So nobody is endgame yet. At least as far as the end of volume 11 of the LN.]]
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Changed line(s) 82 (click to see context) from:
* Nearly a month ago, @/SpaceDrake, through their edits on ''Hamefura'' pages, raised the issue regarding the relationships between Acchan and her reincarnate Sophia. This happens to be something I had thought a bit, mainly because I'm a bit partial--not in the shipping sense--towards them. \\
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** If we can say Catarina ''is'' the Monkey Girl, then I'd say Sophia is ''not'' Acchan. This is because:
### It has been rather clearly stated at the beginning of Acchan's side story that she [[NoSocialSkills had problems understanding social interactions]], and had always been that way (which smacks of AmbiguousDisorder to me). Sophia doesn't seem to have the same issue.
### Sophia's demeanour does not match Atsuko's. At the beginning of Acchan's side story, she was extremely social-phobic. Catarina's recollection of high-school Atsuko shows she's a rather outgoing person who may occasionally be a bit smug about her hobbies (well, Monkey isn't that great in video games, as we all know). Novel Sophia is mostly rather demure (although S2 seems to make her more forward than before), but hardly qualifies to be a ShrinkingViolet.
** The idea that Acchan has been influencing Sophia was first inspired by [[Fanfic/MirrorMirrorMyNextLifeAsAVillainess a fanfic]] that, I admit, violates the source material at that very point[[note]]Sophia's obsession with romance novels is said to be due to her dreaming Acchan reading shoujo romance manga. The novel text says otherwise, as I quote below[[/note]]. Yet, I noticed one thing in the novel text that can only be explained by Acchan influencing Sophia by some means (I personally suspect a mild BedtimeBrainwashing). \\
### It has been rather clearly stated at the beginning of Acchan's side story that she [[NoSocialSkills had problems understanding social interactions]], and had always been that way (which smacks of AmbiguousDisorder to me). Sophia doesn't seem to have the same issue.
### Sophia's demeanour does not match Atsuko's. At the beginning of Acchan's side story, she was extremely social-phobic. Catarina's recollection of high-school Atsuko shows she's a rather outgoing person who may occasionally be a bit smug about her hobbies (well, Monkey isn't that great in video games, as we all know). Novel Sophia is mostly rather demure (although S2 seems to make her more forward than before), but hardly qualifies to be a ShrinkingViolet.
** The idea that Acchan has been influencing Sophia was first inspired by [[Fanfic/MirrorMirrorMyNextLifeAsAVillainess a fanfic]] that, I admit, violates the source material at that very point[[note]]Sophia's obsession with romance novels is said to be due to her dreaming Acchan reading shoujo romance manga. The novel text says otherwise, as I quote below[[/note]]. Yet, I noticed one thing in the novel text that can only be explained by Acchan influencing Sophia by some means (I personally suspect a mild BedtimeBrainwashing). \\
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--->'''Sophia Ascart''': ''In my quiet room, I read book after book. The wondrous, beautiful stories within transported me away from my cruel reality. When I was reading, I could forget about all my troubles. [...] [Sophia and the Emerald Princess] was a splendid story... one that a cursed child like me could not possibly experience. This was why I continued locking myself up in my room, fantasizing about becoming Sophia — the Sophia in the stories with Princess Emerald. In my imagination, at least, I could be popular and loved by those around me.''
--->'''Atsuko Sasaki''': ''If I imagine myself slipping into these stories as I read them, I can forget all about my loneliness. I pretend that I’m the protagonist of these stories. That way, even someone who is lonely, shy, and unhappy like me can become a popular girl who everyone loves.''
--->'''Atsuko Sasaki''': ''If I imagine myself slipping into these stories as I read them, I can forget all about my loneliness. I pretend that I’m the protagonist of these stories. That way, even someone who is lonely, shy, and unhappy like me can become a popular girl who everyone loves.''
to:
** I am also of the opinion that Sophia's love of romance novels is ''not'' in ''Fortune Lover''. Based on TheLawOfConservationOfDetail, any of her attributes must be relevant to the gameplay or the story-telling. In context, this means it must be relevant for ''Maria'' to bond with her (so that the Nicol route can start). Yet, there's no evidence of Maria having any interest in romance novels before meeting Catarina. This means one of defining attributes has ''no real purpose'' in ''Fortune Lover''. This means the attribute is unlikely to be there in the first place, and it's only there because of... Acchan's influence.
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Changed line(s) 84 (click to see context) from:
My view can be summarised as "Sophia is not Acchan, but Acchan is subtly influencing Sophia. I base my speculations on the following:
to:
My view can be summarised as "Sophia is not Acchan, but Acchan is subtly influencing Sophia.Sophia". I base my speculations on the following:
Changed line(s) 88 (click to see context) from:
** The idea that Acchan has been influencing Sophia was first inspired by [[Fanfic/MirrorMirrorMyNextLifeAsAVillainess a fanfic]] that, I admit, violates the source material at that very point[[note]]Sophia's obsession with romance novels is said to be due to her dreaming Acchan reading shoujo romance manga. The novel text says otherwise, as I quote below[[/note]]. Yet, I noticed one thing in the novel text that can only be explained by Acchan influencing Sophia by some means (I personally suspect a mild NightimeBrainwashing). \\
to:
** The idea that Acchan has been influencing Sophia was first inspired by [[Fanfic/MirrorMirrorMyNextLifeAsAVillainess a fanfic]] that, I admit, violates the source material at that very point[[note]]Sophia's obsession with romance novels is said to be due to her dreaming Acchan reading shoujo romance manga. The novel text says otherwise, as I quote below[[/note]]. Yet, I noticed one thing in the novel text that can only be explained by Acchan influencing Sophia by some means (I personally suspect a mild NightimeBrainwashing).BedtimeBrainwashing). \\
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This is based on my PM to Space Drake; I'm sharing it here.
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* When I first read the novel, I noticed Sorcier doesn't have any idea of primogeniture, the royal heir is just the son the current monarch chooses (which is why it's still possible for Catarina to become a queen consort). We also see that both Geoffrey and Ian has their share of supporters, and it's just a matter of time Geordo would get his, whatever he wants it or not.[[note]]Alan is so uninterested in politics that if I were a Sorcier noble, I won't see him as a serious contender[[/note]] Furthermore, we know that there already was one for the current king and it was bloody. So I guess this series will end in something related to a SuccessionCrisis, probably by Catarina preventing or resolving it.
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* When I first read the novel, I noticed Sorcier doesn't have any idea of primogeniture, the royal heir is just the son the current monarch chooses (which is why it's still possible for Catarina to become a queen consort). We also see that both Geoffrey and Ian has their share of supporters, and it's just a matter of time Geordo would get his, whatever he wants it or not.[[note]]Alan is so uninterested in politics that if I were a Sorcier noble, I won't see him as a serious contender[[/note]] Furthermore, we know that there already was one for the current king and it was bloody. So I guess this series will end in something related to a SuccessionCrisis, probably by Catarina preventing or resolving it.it.
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[[WMG:Speculations on the issue of Acchan and Sophia.]]
* Nearly a month ago, @/SpaceDrake, through their edits on ''Hamefura'' pages, raised the issue regarding the relationships between Acchan and her reincarnate Sophia. This happens to be something I had thought a bit, mainly because I'm a bit partial--not in the shipping sense--towards them. \\
\\
My view can be summarised as "Sophia is not Acchan, but Acchan is subtly influencing Sophia. I base my speculations on the following:
** If we can say Catarina ''is'' the Monkey Girl, then I'd say Sophia is ''not'' Acchan. This is because:
### It has been rather clearly stated at the beginning of Acchan's side story that she [[NoSocialSkills had problems understanding social interactions]], and had always been that way (which smacks of AmbiguousDisorder to me). Sophia doesn't seem to have the same issue.
### Sophia's demeanour does not match Atsuko's. At the beginning of Acchan's side story, she was extremely social-phobic. Catarina's recollection of high-school Atsuko shows she's a rather outgoing person who may occasionally be a bit smug about her hobbies (well, Monkey isn't that great in video games, as we all know). Novel Sophia is mostly rather demure (although S2 seems to make her more forward than before), but hardly qualifies to be a ShrinkingViolet.
** The idea that Acchan has been influencing Sophia was first inspired by [[Fanfic/MirrorMirrorMyNextLifeAsAVillainess a fanfic]] that, I admit, violates the source material at that very point[[note]]Sophia's obsession with romance novels is said to be due to her dreaming Acchan reading shoujo romance manga. The novel text says otherwise, as I quote below[[/note]]. Yet, I noticed one thing in the novel text that can only be explained by Acchan influencing Sophia by some means (I personally suspect a mild NightimeBrainwashing). \\
I compared the opening paragraphs of Sophia and Acchan's POV chapters in the novel, and noticed both of them used very similar language (at least in the J-Novel translation) to discuss their own {{escapism}}. These POV chapters are just 2 chapters apart, which means it's likely to be intentional on the author's side. It's would be a complete coincidence if two random people happened to be {{cute bookworm}}s, but it's hardly coincidential if they use similar wording for their similar reasons.
--->'''Sophia Ascart''': ''In my quiet room, I read book after book. The wondrous, beautiful stories within transported me away from my cruel reality. When I was reading, I could forget about all my troubles. [...] [Sophia and the Emerald Princess] was a splendid story... one that a cursed child like me could not possibly experience. This was why I continued locking myself up in my room, fantasizing about becoming Sophia — the Sophia in the stories with Princess Emerald. In my imagination, at least, I could be popular and loved by those around me.''
--->'''Atsuko Sasaki''': ''If I imagine myself slipping into these stories as I read them, I can forget all about my loneliness. I pretend that I’m the protagonist of these stories. That way, even someone who is lonely, shy, and unhappy like me can become a popular girl who everyone loves.''
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[[WMG:Speculations on the issue of Acchan and Sophia.]]
* Nearly a month ago, @/SpaceDrake, through their edits on ''Hamefura'' pages, raised the issue regarding the relationships between Acchan and her reincarnate Sophia. This happens to be something I had thought a bit, mainly because I'm a bit partial--not in the shipping sense--towards them. \\
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My view can be summarised as "Sophia is not Acchan, but Acchan is subtly influencing Sophia. I base my speculations on the following:
** If we can say Catarina ''is'' the Monkey Girl, then I'd say Sophia is ''not'' Acchan. This is because:
### It has been rather clearly stated at the beginning of Acchan's side story that she [[NoSocialSkills had problems understanding social interactions]], and had always been that way (which smacks of AmbiguousDisorder to me). Sophia doesn't seem to have the same issue.
### Sophia's demeanour does not match Atsuko's. At the beginning of Acchan's side story, she was extremely social-phobic. Catarina's recollection of high-school Atsuko shows she's a rather outgoing person who may occasionally be a bit smug about her hobbies (well, Monkey isn't that great in video games, as we all know). Novel Sophia is mostly rather demure (although S2 seems to make her more forward than before), but hardly qualifies to be a ShrinkingViolet.
** The idea that Acchan has been influencing Sophia was first inspired by [[Fanfic/MirrorMirrorMyNextLifeAsAVillainess a fanfic]] that, I admit, violates the source material at that very point[[note]]Sophia's obsession with romance novels is said to be due to her dreaming Acchan reading shoujo romance manga. The novel text says otherwise, as I quote below[[/note]]. Yet, I noticed one thing in the novel text that can only be explained by Acchan influencing Sophia by some means (I personally suspect a mild NightimeBrainwashing). \\
I compared the opening paragraphs of Sophia and Acchan's POV chapters in the novel, and noticed both of them used very similar language (at least in the J-Novel translation) to discuss their own {{escapism}}. These POV chapters are just 2 chapters apart, which means it's likely to be intentional on the author's side. It's would be a complete coincidence if two random people happened to be {{cute bookworm}}s, but it's hardly coincidential if they use similar wording for their similar reasons.
--->'''Sophia Ascart''': ''In my quiet room, I read book after book. The wondrous, beautiful stories within transported me away from my cruel reality. When I was reading, I could forget about all my troubles. [...] [Sophia and the Emerald Princess] was a splendid story... one that a cursed child like me could not possibly experience. This was why I continued locking myself up in my room, fantasizing about becoming Sophia — the Sophia in the stories with Princess Emerald. In my imagination, at least, I could be popular and loved by those around me.''
--->'''Atsuko Sasaki''': ''If I imagine myself slipping into these stories as I read them, I can forget all about my loneliness. I pretend that I’m the protagonist of these stories. That way, even someone who is lonely, shy, and unhappy like me can become a popular girl who everyone loves.''
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* Some games have an option of playing through the game again after beating it, but with a harder difficulty and changes to the gameplay. After the Catarina of the original world dies (somehow), the Monkey Girl is dumped into the Verge of Destruction world as New Game+ with her previous Catarina life's memories erased. In a sense, the original was Easy Mode while Verge of Destruction is Hard Mode.
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* Some games have an option of playing through the game again after beating it, but with a harder difficulty and changes to the gameplay. After the Catarina of the original world dies (somehow), the Monkey Girl is dumped into the Verge of Destruction world as New Game+ with her previous Catarina life's memories erased. In a sense, the original was Easy Mode while Verge of Destruction is Hard Mode.Mode.
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[[WMG:Catarina will end up resolving or preventing a SuccessionCrisis.]]
* When I first read the novel, I noticed Sorcier doesn't have any idea of primogeniture, the royal heir is just the son the current monarch chooses (which is why it's still possible for Catarina to become a queen consort). We also see that both Geoffrey and Ian has their share of supporters, and it's just a matter of time Geordo would get his, whatever he wants it or not.[[note]]Alan is so uninterested in politics that if I were a Sorcier noble, I won't see him as a serious contender[[/note]] Furthermore, we know that there already was one for the current king and it was bloody. So I guess this series will end in something related to a SuccessionCrisis, probably by Catarina preventing or resolving it.
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[[WMG:Catarina will end up resolving or preventing a SuccessionCrisis.]]
* When I first read the novel, I noticed Sorcier doesn't have any idea of primogeniture, the royal heir is just the son the current monarch chooses (which is why it's still possible for Catarina to become a queen consort). We also see that both Geoffrey and Ian has their share of supporters, and it's just a matter of time Geordo would get his, whatever he wants it or not.[[note]]Alan is so uninterested in politics that if I were a Sorcier noble, I won't see him as a serious contender[[/note]] Furthermore, we know that there already was one for the current king and it was bloody. So I guess this series will end in something related to a SuccessionCrisis, probably by Catarina preventing or resolving it.
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* This ending is first hinted at when Catarina reveals that a reverse-harem ending does exist in ''Fortune Lover'' where Maria ends up with all 4 of her capture targets. If Maria can end up with all of her possible love interests, it makes sense that Catarina could do that same, especially since their suitors are the mostly made up of the same people. Plus all of Catarina's possible suitors do love each other to varying degrees. The Ascart siblings in particular plan to "share" Catarina should either one of them win her over. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rekj5TqbmM Mother's Basement]] gives a compelling argument of why this ending could work.
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* This ending is first hinted at when Catarina reveals that a reverse-harem ending does exist in ''Fortune Lover'' where Maria ends up with all 4 of her capture targets. If Maria can end up with all of her possible love interests, it makes sense that Catarina could do that the same, especially since their suitors are the mostly made up of the same people. Plus all of Catarina's possible suitors do love each other to varying degrees.degrees, mostly in the platonic sense. The Ascart siblings in particular plan to "share" Catarina should either one of them win her over. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rekj5TqbmM Mother's Basement]] gives a compelling argument of why this ending could work.
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* In a future story arc, Catarina will be framed for a crime and then punished, or tricked into believing that she committed a crime resulting in a self-imposed exile. Catarina would spent the arc using the skills she developed to survive, while her harem spends a good chunk of the arc clearing her name and/or tracking her down. Funny enough, when they do find Catarina, some of them would actually try to live with her in exile. The arc would ultimately be resolves once Catarina name is cleared or the same advent that allowed Catarina to return in Fortune Lover 2 occurs.
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* In a future story arc, Catarina will be framed for a crime and then punished, or tricked into believing that she committed a crime resulting in a self-imposed exile. Catarina would spent spend the arc using the skills she developed to survive, while her harem spends a good chunk of the arc clearing her name and/or tracking her down. Funny enough, when they do find Catarina, some of them would actually try to live with her in exile. The arc would ultimately be resolves once Catarina Catarina's name is cleared or the same advent that allowed Catarina to return in Fortune Lover 2 occurs.
