#Final fantasy viii eyes on me

[offlinetarget]

Final fantasy viii eyes on me

I still think the cutscenes and backgrounds look good, and far better than they should, but the new character models do draw sharp contrasts with their flaws. The new character models magnify these flaws because they look so good. The real issue isn’t the aspect ratio, but the fact that these cutscenes are old, and can start to show their age in some places, with noticeable jaggies and fuzziness. Square would have had to redo every background and cinematic in the game. There’s no way to avoid this because of the pre-rendered nature of the game’s backgrounds and cinematics. They largely still look fine, and like the rest of the game, are presented in their original 4:3 aspect ratio. The final visual bugaboo is the game’s pre-rendered cinematics. I didn’t see it that way – again, the pre-rendered backgrounds largely hold up – but the contrast is more noticeable now. One person who watched me play, and has never seen FFVIII before, remarked that they looked pasted over the background. Another major issue is that the new character models stand out against the pre-rendered backgrounds. Still, this likely won’t be a huge deal on smaller screens (I didn’t notice it until I played the game on a 55” TV). This isn’t frequent I only really noticed it in bigger environments, like Deling City, but it was jarring.

They’re of noticeably lower quality than the remastered character models, and it hurts the game visually when you see the beautiful new models moving around in an area contrasted with the static pre-rendered characters. Most of the time this looks fine, but it can be an issue when the pre-rendered backgrounds also include characters you can interact with. Similarly, the pre-rendered backgrounds, while rendered in 1080p, are still more or less how they were in 1999. That means that while characters have pretty new character models that look really, really good, their mouths don’t move when they talk. Beyond that, this is FFVIII as you remember it. The PC version will also feature the ability to max out your items, abilities, GF level, gil, magic, Limit Breaks, and cards for Triple Triad. All of these abilities can be toggled by pressing down on the left or right analog stick (or both at the same time). The menus have received an HD facelift, as have the character models, and Square has added the ability to turn off random encounters, play all scenes at 3x speed, and turn on battle assists that max out your HP and ATB gauges and give you constant access to Limit Breaks. It’s a remaster, which means that a lot of it is the same as it was in 1999. Final Fantasy VIII Remastered isn’t a remake. Let’s get something out of the way from the get-go. It’s a remaster, which means that a lot of it is the same as it was in 1999." "Let’s get something out of the way from the get-go. So when I tell you that Final Fantasy VIII Remastered made me reevaluate my view on the game, I hope you’ll understand that I don’t say it lightly. For a long time, I believed it was one of the worst Final Fantasy games, an aberration that soiled the otherwise incredible run that was IV, V, VI, VII, IX, and X. It’s also a game that I didn’t like very much the first time I played it. It is still a radical game and a bit of a series black sheep, especially because it followed the massive success of Final Fantasy VII. Final Fantasy VIII spends a lot of its time upending your expectations of what a Final Fantasy game can and should be. The epic fight you witness is little more than a schoolyard brawl between moody teenagers and the teased romance initially starts off as two characters that can’t stand one another. The game that follows it isn’t at all what you’d expect. The music crescendos and the scarred man and the woman in blue step forward to embrace one another as the screen cuts to black.įinal Fantasy VIII’s opening is iconic. Several images, mostly of the woman in blue. One slashes the other’s face, and the one who has been scarred retaliates. A woman in a blue dress faces a clear blue sky.

[hyperfocusfeatures]

(Mon) Ami artwork by John McGuinness

https://twitter.com/mcguinnessjohn

[foxtrottcantfindshit]

More Sketches. One relaxing Squall and I was fooling around with Selphie as a grown lady

[silalcarin]

Final Fantasy VIII has two option scenes that are actually canon

In Disc 2, it's not required for the player to put Rinoa in Squall's team to Balamb Garden. Instead, you can choose to send her with Selphie's team to the Galbadia Missile Base (which I've already discussed in my previous post).

If you choose to put Rinoa in Squall's team — which, as I stated before, a lot of walkthroughs on YouTube tend to do — there's an FMV of her being mesmerized by the view outside after Garden becomes mobile and she turns around to smile at Squall:

This FMV still appears during Squall's hallucinations in the ending FMV, even if you chose to put Rinoa in Selphie's team:

During the ending FMV, it doesn't make sense for Squall to try to recall this memory of Rinoa smiling at him when Garden became mobile, unless you chose to put her in his party to Balamb Garden.

Thus, choosing to put Rinoa in Squall's party, and, as such, viewing the FMV of her admiring the view, is the canon choice, because it matches up with the ending FMV.

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Later on in Disc 2, you can choose for Squall and Rinoa to have a good date or a bad date at the Garden Festival in Fishermans Horizon.

The good date happens when the party plays Irish Jig/Let's Dance.

The bad date happens when the party 1) plays Eyes on Me/Maybe Yes, Maybe No, 2) mixes up the scores with two instruments each, or 3) mixes up the scores with three instruments from one piece and one instrument from the other piece.

During the bad date, Squall and Rinoa don't have a conversation about the future. Instead, she gets angry with him because she can tell he's not being sincere in his "effort" to trust the party more often, and she leaves in a huff (#1):

Or, he walks away and rejects her, and she leaves in disappointment (#2 and #3):

However, during the good date, Squall and Rinoa do have a conversation about how there are no guarantees in the future, and they find that they have something in common — they would prefer to not talk nor think about the future:

Fast-forward to the romance scene in the Ragnarok in Disc 3. Squall tells Rinoa that no one can predict the future and there are no guarantees, and reminds her that those were her words.

Squall's dialogue still happens during the Ragnarok scene, even if you chose for him and Rinoa to have the bad date:

During the Ragnarok scene, it doesn't make sense for Squall to directly reference Rinoa's words about the future not being guaranteed, unless you chose for them to have the good date.

Thus, choosing for Squall and Rinoa to have the good date at the Garden Festival is the canon choice, because it matches up with his dialogue in the Ragnarok.

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TL;DR: Whether you like the couple or not (I'm aware that Squinoa is still considered divisive in some parts of the fandom, mainly the Western fandom), it's better to let their relationship progress in a positive way — by choosing to put Rinoa in Squall's party to Balamb Garden and choosing for them to have the good date at the Garden Festival in Fishermans Horizon — because both options correlate with canon events and dialogue later on in the game.

P.S. — Shout-out to @ethernalium for your amazing GIF!

NOTE 1: View the screenshots from left -> right.

NOTE 2: I originally had more screenshots, but Tumblr only allows up to 30 pictures per post, so I had to cut down on the number of screenshots (and the one GIF) to exactly 30. Unfortunately, that means I had to cut out a lot of dialogue. Here are the two videos from which I got the screenshots.

[ethernalium]

Faye Wong singing Eyes on Me

[vgtrackbracket]

Video Game Track Bracket Round 2

Eyes on Me from Final Fantasy VIII

vs.

Spat's Theme from Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Heartbreak

Propaganda under the cut. If you want your propaganda reblogged and added to future polls, please tag it as propaganda or otherwise indicate this!

Eyes on Me:

I like the song better than the game

Spat's Theme:

This is one of those types of songs I can hum constantly without it getting annoying.

[angelosearch]

Overthinking "Eyes on Me" and it's 3 AM and here is my crackpot theory with cited sources:

In an interview with Nobuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy VIII’s composer, in the 2005 Ultimania Omega, Uematsu says Celine Dion was considered for the Final Fantasy VIII theme, “Eyes on Me” (GameFAQs). This fact has been rolling around in my head since I learned it a few weeks ago. I started to listening to “Eyes on Me” with fresh ears. Sure, I thought, I could imagine Celine Dion singing this. It would be great.

Tonight, I was listening to Celine Dion (to be completely transparent, stoned) and “Eyes on Me” doesn’t just sound like something Celine would sing. It is a Celine song. Sonically, it sounds a lot like “My Heart Will go On” (1997) – especially the opening of both songs. Listen to them back-to-back.

Also similar in sound is “Beauty and the Beast” (1991).

I wish I knew more about music theory to explain what else sounds similar about these songs. But anyway.

It’s not just that these songs are sonically similar to “Eyes on Me.” The vibe is the same. The love stories, especially the ones told on her “most critically and commercially successful album” Falling Into You (1996), have the same intensity and drama as Squall and Rinoa’s love story (Wikipedia).

And isn’t that what Final Fantasy VIII (1999) is all about, an epic love story? Look at the logo. It’s literally Squall and Rinoa holding each other. The other Final Fantasy logos are not like that.

Celine is at the top of her career in the mid-to-late 90s. She is internationally known as the “Queen of the Power Ballad” (MTV). She tours in Japan in 1998 on her “Let’s Talk about Love” tour (that’s the album my “My Heart Will Go On” is on) and her tickets sell out in a day (Wikipedia).

And this videogame, where the love story is the focus, has the special opportunity of being the first Final Fantasy with a full-length live-recorded vocal track, something Squaresoft had been wanting to do for years (finalfantasy.fandom.com). This is a moment that needs to blow people’s mind.

Celine Dion would be the perfect choice for this song, from a marketing perspective. I believe she was a strong contender for the performance, and, honestly, I think they tried to get her but couldn’t.

Why do I believe they shot their shot with her and failed? Okay, this is where I go full conspiracy theory.

Because the song was such an integral part of the game, the developers wanted Julia to share similarities with the actual singer of the song. This is why, in the final game, Julia was animated to look like Faye Wong (finalfantasy.fandom.com).

But it turns out Julia has some things in common with Celine Dion. Celine started her career singing in a piano bar. Like Julia, she became an instant success with her public debut. Celine first got famous singing in French, and while I know she is French-Canadian, I find it interesting that Galbadia has a lot of French symbolism. Deling City, where Julia performs, has the Arc de Triomphe after all (finalfantasy.fandom.com).

Those are the strongest comparisons. But also, for your consideration:

The first song that she recorded ("Ce n'était qu'un rêve" which translates as "It Was Only a Dream" or "Nothing But A Dream" – also Final Fantasy VIIIish title) was sent to René Angélil who first became her manager, and, later, her lover. He was 26 years her senior. To me, this has a lot of tonal similarities to Julia/Carraway’s relationship.

Does anyone else think this red cut-out Versace gown at the American Music Awards in 1993 kinda looks like Julia’s dress? Even if not, look through Celine Dion’s outfits from the 90s. This is the kind of thing she would have worn, and also red seems to be her color (BAZAAR).

Final Fantasy VIII also SEEMS like it was heavily influenced by “My Heart Will Go On” and/or Titanic in general. I think there’s a reason there are dozens of “My Heart Will Go On” Final Fantasy VIII AMVs on YouTube – The song fits the game perfectly. Have you SEEN the official music video for this song? I don’t know, I see lots of parallels.  

Some of the most romantic scenes in Final Fantasy VIII either take place on a balcony or in view of the ocean, just like in Titanic. Titanic has a dance scene too, though I cannot speak to how similar these are. This seems too outlandish to be relevant but I am going to throw it out there: River Phoenix, who Squall’s facial features were based on (Wikipedia), was considered for the role of Jack in Titanic (IMDb). Maybe the developers wanted a “Jack” of their own.

And DO NOT GET ME STARTED on the Final Fantasy VIII/Beauty and the Beast parallels. I’m just going to link to these gif sets: [x] [x]

And then in FREAKING 2007 Celine Dion comes out with, GET THIS, “Eyes on Me.” But it’s a completely different song. So if you Google “Celine Dion Eyes on Me,” you can’t find anything about them considering Celine for the videogame theme under all the other search results. CELINE WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?!

So here is my stupid conspiracy: I think the game was written, at least in part, as a love letter to Celine Dion in an attempt to do anything to get her to sing for them. I am pretty sure videogames did not have big artists featured at the time, and she was literally the artist of that moment. It would not be easy to convince her to work with them, so they put in Celine easter eggs to try and get her to agree. Because imagine how much bigger Final Fantasy VIII could have been if they could say Celine Dion was attached to it? Hell, I am pretty sure my mom would have played it if that was the case.

I know that the story is that they went through CDs and Faye Wong was the top choice—and don’t get me wrong, she did a great job, and she still made the song super famous—But I just think this is A LOT OF PARALELLS to just ignore.

All I am saying is, what the fuck is Final Fantasy VIII about if not “The Power of Love”?

Thank you for coming to my TedTalk.

[appears]

25th Anniversary

Faye Wong: Eyes On Me (1999.02.24)

While I'm not much of a gamer now, I used to play video games a lot when I was in grade school, and my top two favorite game franchises of all time also reflect two of my favorite video game soundtracks of all time: the original Spyro the Dragon trilogy, composed by Stewart Copeland (and famously, tragically, never officially released in either physical or digital format until very recently), and Final Fantasy VIII, composed by the prolific Nobuo Uematsu, who wrote the music for the Final Fantasy franchise in whole or in part through Final Fantasy XI.

Besides the gorgeous orchestral arrangements that make up the bulk of the soundtrack's sprawling four discs, there was also a notable vocal version of the central love theme. The central romantic story line in FFVIII was a notable game-changer for many young people who might not have found any reason to play video games before, bringing in many new players who would grow up to help expand the demand for alternative gaming, so its importance cannot be understated. The love theme between the characters Squall and Rinoa (and Laguna and Julie/Raine) was sung by ultra-popular Hong Kong-native Faye Wong, one of the most well-known figures in Asian pop culture at the time. Besides a storied career in films, Wong also had a history in popular music, having recorded several of her most well-known albums throughout the 1990s. I'm not sure how Uematsu was able to snag her for this soundtrack, but it created that delightful moment when the perfect song meets the perfect singer. "Eyes on Me" was released in Japan in February 1999, about two weeks after the release of the video game, and is a sweeping love ballad expanding upon the themes heard throughout the game, notably with cues like "Waltz for the Moon" and "Julia" (in fact, Wong is singing as the character Julia in the game, who is confessing her feelings toward Laguna during a performance). Wong's voice is lithe enough to keep the song light and sweet, rather than moody, which is perfect for the tone of the game, which is exciting, occasionally dangerous, and sometimes sad, but never dark or grim. There are many beautiful instrumental iterations of this theme throughout the game, but the song plays in its full vocal glory only twice: once toward the back half of the game, and again with an expanded orchestral arrangement upon the game's completion. They're all fantastic.

The single's c/w track is "ACACIA no Mi," a ballad composed by Jim Lau, this time sung in Mandarin. It's a pretty, though somewhat anemic, slow number that fits the mood of the disc, but of course comes nowhere near the grace and beauty of the A-side. The single finishes with the instrumental version of "Eyes on Me."

The single came in standard 3" mini-disc packaging, with the lyrics and credits written on the back of the cover. Not surprisingly, this song ended up being one of the most popular video game songs of all time, second only to Hikaru Utada's "Hikari," written for Kingdom Hearts. It hit #9 on the Oricon chart, which was also pretty impressive at that time for a song from a video game. The entire soundtrack to Final Fantasy VIII is incredible and merits many more words of analysis and praise, but this post is just for the game's most well-known song -- the four-disc soundtrack proper was released one week later. Like the rest of the OST, "Eyes on Me" has aged incredibly well, and still sounds as beautiful as the day it was released, a testament to both Faye Wong's impeccable vocals and Uematsu's bottomless capacity for moving melodies.

Catalog Number: TODT-5271

[mothonice0]

As bizarre as the space arc felt back then, that scene of Squall desperately reaching out to Rinoa, and her fully snapping back to consciousness after seeing his ring was— jhgfj,bjhgkvhjhjgjghgb 😭 *cries, screams*

[lightningblade1994-blog]

“Eyes on Me” by Faye Wong

[Verse 1] I never sang my songs On the stage, on my own Whenever said my words Wishing they would be heard I saw you smiling at me Was it real, or just my fantasy? You'd always be there in the corner Of this tiny little bar

[Verse 2] My last night here for you Same old songs, just once more My last night here with you? Maybe yes, maybe no I kind of liked it your way How you shyly placed your eyes on me Did you ever know That I had mine on you?

[Chorus] Darling, so there you are With that look on your face As if you're never hurt As if you're never down Shall I be the one for you Who pinches you softly but sure? If frown is shown then I will know that you are no dreamer

[Verse 3] So let me come to you Close as I wanna be Close enough for me To feel your heart beating fast And stay there as I whisper How I loved your peaceful eyes on me Did you ever know That I had mine on you?

[Chorus] Darling, so share with me Your love if you have enough Your tears if you're holding back Or pain if that's what it is How can I let you know I'm more than the dress and the voice? Just reach me out, then You will know that you are not dreaming

[Chorus] Darling, so there you are With that look on your face As if you're never hurt As if you're never down Shall I be the one for you Who pinches you softly but sure? If frown is shown then I will know that you are no dreamer

[ffviiicharacterweek]

My mind (9/11), by Alessia Heartilly

My mind

Only on the train, she feels like she can breathe again. An intense perfume of iris fills her nostrils, and somehow, even as alone as she has ever been, even as lonely as she has ever been, she feels at home, because it's her mother's perfume, and maybe it is a sign, and she needs to be strong and independent and confident and smart, now. She will spread her wings, and fly.

Characters: Rinoa Heartilly, Zone, Watts, Squall Leonhart Pairings: Rinoa Heartilly/Squall Leonhart Additional tags: none so far Chapters: 9/11 Prompt: Eyes on Me Author: @aleheartilly

Part 9 on AO3 and FF.net

[onehundredstatesofme]

I can see the stars in your eyes...

[aphroditelovesu]

Yan!Husband Henry VIII Headcanons (Romantic)

❝ 👑 — lady l: This has been in my draft for a while but I decided to finish it now lol. Hope you like it! Forgive me for any mistakes. ❤️🧡

❝tw: obsessive and possessive behavior, toxic relationship, mention of death perhaps.

❝👑pairing: yandere!henry viii x female!reader.

You had already dreamed of marrying a King, of becoming his Queen and giving birth to his heirs, a romantic fantasy that you and many other young women have dreamed of. They were mere fantasies of romance that you made up, but never really thought it would happen or become the obsession of one of the most infamous Kings in the history of England.

Your dreams remained as they were, dreams of a young lady. The King of the country where you lived was already married, so there wasn't much chance of you marrying him. Your family was of noble enough origin and had considerable wealth, but nothing too extravagant.

Until your older sister's marriage to a powerful man, close to the King. With that, your family immediately moved to the English Court, excited about their new status. Your father was particularly eager to marry you off to a powerful man as well.

Henry was dissatisfied with his wife, Anne, she had failed to conceive the much-desired male heir he so desperately wanted. His wandering eyes began to wander to the young women of the Court and when he laid eyes on you, he knew you would be the one to give him what he wanted.

Henry's captivating gazes seemed to follow you wherever you went and it began to unnerve you. A hint of excitement perhaps, but you knew it was a dangerous game to get involved with the King, especially when he was married.

Your parents were immensely happy with the King's interest in you. If you became his mistress, it would bring benefits and riches to your family. And when Henry got tired of you, you could perhaps marry a man with a noble title. Maybe a Duke or a Marquis.

But you didn't want to be his mistress or anyone's mistress. You wanted a husband and not a mere toy that he could always discard later. Your resistance angered your parents but attracted Henry even more. Your rejecting him has stirred him up, and bewitched him even more. Whenever you were in a room, Henry's eyes would be on you.

All of Henry’s attention was on you and you would be lying if you said you didn’t like it. He didn't even try to hide his affection for you, he sent you gifts and letters constantly. You reciprocated, sending him letters in return, but always remaining firm in your convictions.

Before long, Henry was deeply in love with you and quickly got rid off his current wife, Anne. When he asked you to marry him, shortly after his separation from Anne, you hesitated but accepted. You would finally become his and his alone.

Once you were married, Henry became more possessive than ever. He already didn't like the looks other gentlemen gave you, but now that you were officially his, it would be considered a crime of treason. And we know how he deals with betrayal.

You were his perfect Queen, so sweet and so, well, perfect. Henry makes a point of reminding you of that every day, about how perfect you were for him. He really was in love, so he kept on your side the whole time. His eyes remained only on you.

Henry truly values ​​you and your opinion. It is not a custom, but he would be willing to listen to your wishes and political opinions (if you have any) on matters of state. You are his Queen, after all. If it was your wish, if you were Catholic, Henry could even try to restore Catholicism in England.

He really loved you, maybe not in the conventional way, but he did. Henry would listen to your wishes, fulfill them and all he wants in return is his love. He will not tolerate people speaking ill of you and will condemn anyone who does so for treason.

Henry would be loyal to you, he would take care of you until your death. He wants to have children with you, a family, a male heir, but he also wants to be with you. He could be himself and not the King of England.

And when you finally gave him his long-awaited male heir, Henry knew he would never let you go or let anything happen to you. After all, you are his wife and his Queen. And Henry doesn't handle treason very well.

[batshieroglyphics]

Surprise self-rec time! Pick 3 of your favorite things you’ve written and share them here, then put this in the inbox (anonymously or not) of your fellow writers to spread the positivity and help celebrate already written fics 💞

I feel like this is a trick question, mostly because I am multi-fandom, and I tend towards favs per fandom, as opposed to favs of all time, lol So, uhhh, how about a fic from 3 diff fandoms that...I don't know I'd call them my 'fav', but they're the ones I'm most inclined/tempted to reread in that fandom on a whim.

For Fullmetal Alchemist, I'm going to say Colours in Your Eyes. It was a Big Bang piece, and I really, really loved how it turned out. Playing with soulmates is always interesting, but I loved the chance to fuck around with this one. I had a lot of fun playing with the ideas of cultural differences and how when you discovered your soulmate could change things. And I was just so, so happy with the ending. I think the last ending I adored as much as I did this one, was Reclaim. It just....hit that sweet spot.

Picking one for Final Fantasy VIII, lol, okay, that's...rough. I going to go with Noblesse Oblige, I think. I did so much work on developing the world in this fic, and building out original characters that were able to join as part of the main cast. It's also my only fic that really looks at how the events of canon might have unfolded in the following months. It was very much a labour of love, and I remain very proud of it.

I'm going to cheat, for Star Wars, actually, and pick a series: JasBen Save a Galaxy Far, Far Away. Because it has the healing and the happy ending that Obi-Wan—Ben— deserves. It's also got Jaster being an awesome and supported Mand'alor, and Tor not going batshit, and Xanatos getting the healing he deserves, and little baby!Obi-Wan being the cutest fucking thing. And it manages to be both pro-Jedi and pro-True Mandos, without shitting on either one, or shitting on the New Mandos (although it's pretty clear they're less than respected, oops), which is...such an achievement in this fandom, I am so proud of myself for it. I am sad that the clones aren't in it, but the series feels to me like healing and acceptance, and that's almost always going to be my go-to when I'm trolling my fic, looking for something to read.

[ethernalium]

Faye Wong - Eyes on Me cover

[louellaby]

FORGET-ME-NOT

REPLACED!MC AU

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

W A R N I N G

May contain bad grammar, limited vocabulary, and OOC characters. Please mind that English is not my first language, and it takes a lot of courage for me to post due to my anxiety and paranoia.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

taglist: @books-and-catears @owl778 @yourlocalgrass @kaiserkisser @hhurric4ne @amberheavendremurr @yu-ulda @bk-4-trash-fire

PROLOGUE | CHAPTER I | CHAPTER II | CHAPTER III | LOUE'S LETTER | CHAPTER IV | CHAPTER V | LOUE'S LETTER | CHAPTER VI | CHAPTER VII | CHAPTER VIII | CHAPTER IX | CHAPTER X | LOUE'S LETTER | EPILOGUE

F I N A L C H A P T E R

「 Forget-Me-Not 」

"M—MC...?! Wh-What are you doing back here in the Devildom? Aren't you supposed to be in the human world?!"

Everyone's eyes were fixed on Soley as she tried her best not to panic at the sight of you. Then, she set her gaze on Lucifer.

He saw the expectant look in her eyes as she was clearly pleading for help. She wanted him to shield her with his body, just like how he protected her from harm multiple times before. She wanted him hold her tightly against him and stroke her head while he questioned you about your unexpected appearance.

But nothing like that happened.

Lucifer didn't move an inch.

"What am I doing here?" You repeated her question as if it was the most stupidest thing you've ever heard. "I am the proud owner of this mansion, you see. Of course, I haven't had it built myself. This was a gift from Dia."

The prince walked into view and stood to your right while his butler Barbatos followed suit and stood to your left. Diavolo had a smile on his face. It was you who put it there the moment you said you were proud of the property.

The three of you walked down the stairs of the hall balcony so you could face the others on the same level. "I haven't left the realm at all, Soley. You clearly didn't know your place, and you still don't, so I thought I could... help you see it."

"You were too wrapped up in your own fantasies about being the only one who's loved that you didn't even notice you were being brought straight into a trap."

"W-Wait.. you mean.. since when—"

"Did you really think they're here to celebrate your birthday after the way you treated their beloved family?"

"I hope you don't mean you." She spat, rolling her dainty little fists. "You're not their family. You're just a human they didn't care enough for."

You smiled in response. She was finally starting to show her true colours.

"You see, that's where you're wrong, Soley." You took a step towards her, an action that made her take a step back. The anxious look on her face fueled you, making you grin like a mad person. The brothers did nothing but watch. They were all looking at you, completely proud of their precious human.

"I've always been their family even before anyone knew it. They care about me more than they made you think they care about you. Remember that in this place, Soley, you're nothing but a powerless little ant surrounded by a group of children with magnifying glasses."

The more you approached her, the more she stepped back. Her mind kept racing, trying to figure out every step of your plan. Too bad for her that you're already at the very last step.

Because she was distracted, she tripped over her own feet and stumbled on the marble flooring, yelping in pain. By the time she opened her eyes and came to, you were already standing in front of her, towering over her helpless figure. You could all hear her breathing getting more desperate; it was echoing through the halls. As she trembled in your gaze, she failed to realise that she was already surrounded by the same demons who made her believe she was special. Mammon and Satan were right behind her, waiting for you to give command.

You held your staring contest with Soley, ending in her failure as she tried to hold back her tears. She tried to look around for a way to escape.

That's when she realised her situation.

"Y-You can't hurt me! Any one of you! I'm important to the Devildom!" She exclaimed, glaring at everyone but mostly at you.

You knelt down in front of her with an amused expression on her face and asked, "Is that so? Please tell me your worth in this realm."

"I'm an exchange student of Diavolo! He said that I'm protected as long as I'm in the Devildom!"

"And who were supposed to be your protectors, hmm?" You added, smiling warmly as if to mock her. She tried to think of something when she realised the very answer to your question.

"That's right, Soley. The Seven Rulers of the Devildom and the ambassador from the Human Realm. Those eight were supposed to be your knights in shining armour; to take care of your every need and protect you when harm comes. But... they can't really do all that when they're the ones hunting you down, now can they?"

Soley felt small. She tried to hide her furious trembling, but she couldn't. Even her own body betrayed her. As she hung her head to keep you from seeing her pooling tears, she croaked, "S-Since when have you been... been planning th-this..?"

Her eyes widened, her head tilted upwards, and all eyes were suddenly directed at the source of someone's laughter— yours. You apologised for the sudden giggle and stared at Soley's watered green orbs. "I guess I can tell you now since, well, we're all trying to be nice here."

"You're not being nice here at all, MC."

"Now, now, Soley. There is no need to point out the obvious. I'm about to answer your question, so it's best if you just shut up and listen to me."

Silence fell onto the girl. Her eyes were focused on yours, waiting for you to continue talking. You were amused by how cooperative she was being, so you thought to reveal what you had been planned from the very beginning.

"I don't have a good feeling about that human," Mammon mentioned once again as he kept pacing back and forth. The others in the room, his younger brothers, just ignored his pacing and gathered all their thoughts.

"Isn't it obvious?" Levi asked, which got everyone's attention. The demon didn't look up from his game console and just kept talking. "That human doesn't like MC, or any of us for that matter."

"Levi's right." The fourth-born leaned back on his chair and nodded along with his brother's comment. "It's certainly possible that she'll do something to MC."

"What?!" Beel panicked, almost dropping his food. His twin brother, who was resting his head on Beel's lap, woke up because of Satan's statement.

"Do you think she'll really do that here?"

"Hey, by "do something to MC", I didn't mean she'll hurt them. At least not physically." The six of them shared worried glances before someone entered the room. It was you.

"MC, did you..."

"I heard every word from the beginning, Satan, and I agree with you. Soley was jealous, and it was clear as day when I went out with her earlier. She tried to ask me for help getting along with you guys, and I'm warning you that she'll be hanging around you all in the upcoming days, maybe even for the whole year."

"What?! MC, you can't do that to us!"

"Yeah, we don't want to be stuck with her! Especially not for a whole year!"

"Guys, I need your help here. I need to show her that I'm not someone she can mess with. And certainly not someone she can replace."

"S-So, everyone— everything.. they were all—"

"—lies, yes." You cut her off with a nod and an amused smile. "Ever since that day, the day we last went out together, everything had been planned by me. Of course, I can't really take all the credit; all of the demon brothers, as well as Diavolo and Barbatos; they all helped prepare everything. It wasn't scripted or anything, but it was all done as it should be. Would you like for me to list them all?"

"No, ple—"

"First, the brothers making you feel like you were the most special person to them. I'm sorry, but in all honesty, they couldn't bear your presence. None of us could. I'm impressed that they managed to continue their act for almost a year."

"Of course, MC! We didn't want to disappoint you!"

"Thank you! I'm so proud of all of you!"

"Wh—

"Hush now, Soley, I'm not done talking." You snapped and continued counting with your fingers. "Second, the brothers made you think that I was no longer important to them by stopping to be around me. It hurt all of us, but it will all be worth it by the end of today."

"What do you mean by th—"

"I said, hush," you snapped again. "You're a noble lady, Soley. You should know better than to interrupt a higher ranking person." The girl's brows narrowed, but she held her tongue. You continued to speak.

"Third, the brother's overprotection. I mean, our overprotection of you. You know that we tried to keep you safe, right? Of course, we needed to do it for our plan to succeed. If you got in trouble with another demon, well... that would spoil our fun, wouldn't it?"

"Fourth, that farewell letter. Let me guess, you somehow destroyed it before any of the brothers could read it. Oh, but not to worry, I sent them a picture of it before leaving it to you. I needed to make sure it was believable enough. And it sure was when one of them thought it was actually real."

The brothers all looked with smirks on their face at the Avatar of Greed, who glared at the rest of them, but he did his best to keep quiet for you.

You scoffed in amusement the moment you saw the deep terror in Soley's face. You reached out and squished her cheeks together. Her body flinched at your sudden touch. "All of that, my dear, all of it— was just a bunch of planned lies. Do you know why? It's because no one, and I mean no one, could ever replace me."

With one look from you, Mammon and Satan grabbed her arms and pulled her up on her feet. She struggled to no avail. She kept struggling, and you just shrugged it off, getting up on your own feet and leaning in closer to her ear. With a low voice, you whispered, "Oh, and by the way, my favourite flowers are scorpion grasses. They're otherwise known as forget-me-nots."

You retreated your head back to see the horrified look on her face. "So please, Lady Soley..."

"... don't forget me."

「 CHAPTER IX | LOUE'S LETTER 」