Of course - I love seeing each new update and how the game has progressed since Kickstarter. I think you develop a special fondness for a game you've watched grow since conception, or at least I do. Maybe I'm just a sap. lol :)
Btw, hope you've overcome long-COVID and are feeling better these days, and taking time for all-important relaxation of the ol' brain. :D

Okay, thanks for clarifying. Sounds good! :)

I love the feature of changing past-choices to italics - it may seems a small thing, but to me it shows a attention and care to detail, and I find it really useful!

A question about the 'Sexy Bad Decisions' achievement - does this mean our Marion gets to kiss all the characters regardless of who she's romancing in any given playthrough? Will this affect her romance path in any negative way? lol

Ah, thanks for letting me know! I'm relieved to hear it's still going. :)

Is this game still being worked on, or is it abandoned? Anyone know?

Loving this a lot so far, and interested to discover why we get the ring over our older siblings.
Also, I really shouldn't as enthusiastic as I am about the 'controversial' ROs, but heck it, bring 'em on! :D

I'm quite enjoying this story! It has a really interesting and original concept that doesn't feel like it's just a copy of what a bunch of other IFs are already doing. Your writing style is engaging and though there's a few spelling mistakes and incorrect phrases, I'm still thoroughly invested in the world you've created.
... and that sex scene near the start of the game (that dictates your sexuality?). Whoa. Hot! Very *chef's kiss* - you have a talent for writing smut and I can't wait to see more. :D :D

Three things (?) I thought I'd mention. 
First, although the Warden being (fake) blind is an awesome concept, it seems hard to believe anyone would actually believe the Warden could kill ANY monster blind (as they think he is) when he can't even get around the city blind, or at least struggles to. If the Warden used some sort of magical means (like a sonar/echo-locating spell) to assist him through the city, thus having no issue being misdirected or bumping into things, people would just assume he uses magic to 'see', and that he uses that same magic to help him 'see' while fighting monsters, and so wouldn't question his blindness at all. THEN it would actually be alarming for the Warden if anyone seriously hinted he was faking it, especially if they could sense the magic rolling off the Warden - so much so that the Warden might be seriously on edge around that person.
As it currently is I'm surprised everyone seeing him be assisted or randomly stumbling into walls isn't seriously doubting how he could possibly hit anything, let alone kill a formidable monster. lol

Second, I'm playing a stoic/cold/closed yet confident (including with sex) male character, but there are no real "flirt" options that fit such a personality. one is shy, one is bold, and the third is sort of jumpy and nervous. As a result I only have the choice to either not flirt at all and miss out on the ROs (which sucks cos MC is horny and secretly wants that good lovin lol), or to break character just to get one of them. I realize it's a lot to ask, but is there any chance you could add an option that specifies an unexpected/unwanted sexual attraction, or sexual tension, indicating our MC is interested in the person despite themselves?

Lastly, in the scene where you're in Hestia's house, just before she joins your expedition, would it be possible to add an option not to react at all when you learn of the spirits crowding around your character, or pretend it doesn't bother you even if it secretly does? Both the existing options or excitement or panicking are a little dramatic if roleplaying a stoic/cold character (funny though - especially the panicking one!).

Anyway, hopefully you read this far (if so, thanks for bearing with me). All in all this is a really great start so far, and I'm looking forward to all future updates! :)

EDIT: OH! And one thing I forgot to mention, I LOVE the character customization. I don't think I've ever gotten an option for nipple or genital piercings, but I'm here for it (and chose them, of course! lol). <3

Yesssss - so glad to hear that this awesome IF has gotten an update. Bring on the Harry! 😁

Is there romance in this game? Can you romance the characters shown?
EDIT: Okay, I noticed it mentions romance in the extremely fine print. The sheriff is a bit of a hottie, so yay!

For RO's, so far there is one non-binary character (the best friend), two male characters (cold bookish elf and tough vampire second-in-command) and one female (mercenary). We haven't met the last one yet (I don't think?).

All romances are MC-sexual, I assume.

This is really good so far, I'm thoroughly intrigued and can't wait to check out more. ❤ Your writing is also very good for someone who's first language isn't English - nicely done!

Just one bug I came across. I played as a cold/stoic male MC, but got this:
"While waiting for the decision you think about your heiress destiny. Two kingdoms. Yours. But you can only have one, well, at least that's what they say."
'Heiress' should be 'Heir' as my character is male ('Heiress' is female). I guess the coding didn't recognize the MC's gender here?

Also, I really like that cold male bookish elf (his names starts with N), but as I'm playing a cold/stoic and confident character who cares about politics and power, and thinks they don't need anyone (but is intrigued by N and his motivations, and hopefully that will lead to romantic interest further on), I didn't choose the flirt options as they didn't fit. Instead I chose the option that is most in line with my MC's personality, which is warning him not to turn his back on a prince, and to respect me. (Oh, just to add in here, I really loved that part of the story, it was really well-written and fit perfectly for my cold MC).
I sort of imagined a sexual tension there too, but I think that was just wishful thinking. LOL.
Basically, will there be ways for more stoic/cold character to show romantic interest in their own way (usually unwillingly, sometimes accidentally, sometimes even borderline threatening because they don't know wtf they're feeling and it bothers them)? Mostly because the usual bold-and-flirty or shy-and-stuttering options really don't work with a cold/stoic character, but obviously I love the idea of rivals-to-lovers and would love to romance someone with this character. And cold/stoic boys need to get their awkward interest across too. 😄Just wondering!

Oh, and on the note of romance. I told the best friend character that I was only interested in political marriage. In truth I would have loved an option not to answer and instead to change the subject, or to say that despite the urgency it's not a priority in their mind just yet, as my MC isn't forthcoming like that (and also is using their 'best friend' lol). I did originally choose 'not interested in marriage', but the tone of the reply didn't fit my MC, and I was also afraid that might lock my MC out of marriage later on or something? My MC would definitely marry for political reasons above all else right NOW, but my MC doesn't know what it's like to love someone yet, at which point his opinion would probably change quite a bit.

Anyway, great job so far! Keep going!🍀

As someone who has been following this games development since the Kickstarter, I can only wish you the best going forward with your current condition.

I'd say most people are happy to wait for as long as it takes for a great product to be made, so please don't be too hard on yourself over something that is frustratingly beyond your control (I had long COVID myself, as mentioned in a previous comment, though not quite as long as yours). Work at a rate that gives you the results you want.

Also, remember to take regular opportunities to chill and turn your brain to less intense, more relaxing activities so it can reset for the next time you tackle the project.

Whatever happens, I'll still be looking forward to each update leading to the game's release. :)

Just played this again recently and wanted to mention a couple things. Originally I played (and replayed) as a straight female, and romanced Dara and Azad. This time I decided to play as a masculine male MC.

First, is there any chance we could get the option before the game to choose the LI's gender? I say this because I'm playing a straight male who's interested in Rozerin and Xelara, but want to keep Dara and Azad as male (and not romance them). Yet when I choose to play as a straight male they automatically become female, and the only way I can get them gendered the way I'd prefer is to choose my MC as liking both genders (which isn't true).

Second, when Xelara captures the MC for the first time, she refers to my (as I envision, handsome) male MC as 'a beauty'. Is there any chance of coming up with a different term for male MC's like 'handsome' instead of 'beauty', or even give the reader a chance to dictate if their MC is more handsome or beautiful in the MC's own opinion?

Ah okay, thanks!

What does the title of this story mean? I've been trying to figure it out for a while.

I think saying 'I love you' to yourself is the hardest.

Thanks for letting me know. Looking forward to more! :)

Not a bad start - my curiosity is piqued and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next!
Hopefully we can customize our MC's personality as a vampire, too - they were pretty pitiful at the start, which made me cringe a bit.
I would also suggest getting a good editor, as there is quite a few mistakes with syntax and phrasing. If you can get those sorted out it would read a lot better.

This is pretty interesting so far, if incredibly short; I'm looking forward to more! I hope that you plan to make the demo longer, as I feel it's way too short to be asking money for at the moment. I'll probably buy it once the demo is long enough to give a reasonable idea of the romance and nsfw content, and after we've met some of the other characters, so I can make sure there are at least a couple that I find appealing.

Also, if possible, could we get a choice for dark blond hair added to the list of hair colors?

This isn't too bad, but there were several problems with my playthrough. Keep in mind that this is just me speaking of my experience playing an MC the way I wanted/envisioned. I'm not saying all people will feel this way.

I chose to play as a cold male MC, and every stoic choice seems to boil down to 'say nothing, show no expression, and do nothing', which gets old and boring real fast. There is no ability to roleplay 'numbed by the traumatic experience yet harboring deep-seated feelings of hostility toward my family/the world'. And even if you choose the stoic choices the MC still acts like they have absolutely no agency over themselves; they're just 'tired and want to be left alone'. I want my MC to to have cultivated this cold, hard shell, not be completely defeated. Like we're talking, messed in the head to the point where they would murder their family in their sleep if he could, and most certainly will try for some pretty brutal revenge in future, if he can.

There is also no ability to note your interest in someone (like the prince) that fits a stoic character. Like you could be attracted to the prince despite yourself when you first meet him, and not understand what the feeling means, and so feel subconscious anger over the vulnerability. Yet neither of the 'flirt'/romance choices we get each time fit: being shy/flustered/stuttering (which my MC isn't) or actively flirting with him (which my MC definitely wouldn't). It would be nice if there was a more understated way to show my cold MC feels something for the annoyingly attractive prince, even if he really wishes he didn't.

I just found that coming from a position where my (technically, everyone's) MC has not felt any actual love or care since they were six years old, and even been outright mentally and physically abused, the game offers precious little choices that truly reflect how damaged the MC is.

Where is the game? It's not uploaded here, and the actual page where the game is already hosted only has the files from 2020 on it.

Roushk ❤

S'all good! It's not as if it's game-breaking; you could still click the links, just missed the context. lol.

Thanks for this - can't wait to check it out! Best of luck with working on the next update too. 🥰

Sure, when Milo broke me out of the cage I chose not to go with him and made my own way to Hazel's house. TBH I can't recall if I locked him in the cage in my place or not (in this playthrough), just that I parted ways with him before ending up at Hazel's. Hope that helps!

Replaying this game form the start, I came across a bug in Hazel's shop the morning after you first meet her and Gabriel shows up. See the image below: After he arrives, when you press 'next' it leads to a completely blank page with three options. Also, this is when I chose the option to just stand up from the table to process the news (about potentially infinite gates and that I might not get back home), instead of accepting Hazel's comfort.

EDIT: And if you pick either 'be honest with him' or 'don't answer him' they both lead to other blank pages.

EDIT2: Checked, and you also get the blank pages to these choices if you choose to 'let Hazel comfort you' on the previous page.

Great! Hope things go well for you in the meantime. :)

Just thought I'd mention that I've gotten seriously invested in the delicious hot-and-cold angst that is my broody male MC x male Lea romance. Our hunter is such a freaking mess, and I *love* it. Moarrrr, moarr I say! :D

Thanks for letting us know - I'm really glad this game isn't abandoned! Any rough estimate you could give on when the next update will be?
Still hanging out for that juicy scene where we reunite with Harry! >:D

Hi! Just  finished reading your story so far. It's pretty good so far, and I'm curious to read more. :)

I did want to point out two 'bugs' I came across.

First, if you choose Zariah to me a male, while following him up the stairs it refers to him once as 'they' instead of 'him'.

Second, if you choose your prized item as a necklace with a charm, and you choose hematite as the type of charm (or any stone other than Jade, I assume), it regardless still refers to your necklace as being a 'necklace of Jade' when you're in your room and wishing you had it.

Also, I really hope we can customise our character's appearance and build in the next update. I always enjoy doing that. :)

Just a heads up, person writing this story. I noticed this:

'Espers were even rarer, making up 27% of all catalysts.'

But 27% is not rare - that's saying almost 1/3 of anyone who's a catalyst is an Esper, which is incredibly common. Now, if it were 2%? That would be rare.

Looking forward to more Sawyer and Rowan! 

Sexy! Hope to see more soon! :)

First let me say, oh my goodness, I absolutely love that Worthington snippet! It's so well-written and bittersweet. He's the gentleman I'm most intrigued to romance in the game, mostly because I love mannered, older/more mature types. The type that desperately hides his love behind the ol' faithful 'propriety' (the type a young lady needs to carefully charm out of his shell), frequently feeling he ought just give up this young persons' game, until he catches sight of the young lady in question and his heart clenches and the world he feels he knows is somehow refreshed and sweetened just by her existence, and he abandons all hope of forgetting her.

He's the type who tells himself it's wrong or foolish to even entertain the idea of pursuing this eligible young lady when there are other suitors closer to her age who would surely be the lady's preferred option. What could she possibly want of him, a man set in his habits and nigh old enough to be her own father?

And yet this 'forbidden', perhaps even foreign depth of feeling only grows more constant and more insistent as the days pass. It is tempered, thankfully, by his ever-present common sense that advises it best he keep it hidden, lest it prove unrequited and thoroughly embarrass himself and the lady both. After all, what indication has she given that such a feeling would ever be returned - he, who is surely akin to little more then a trusted uncle?

So he contents himself in simply cherishing a moment and a word shared with this clever young woman, even in a room full of people. He staunchly refuses to think upon how the shining of her eyes and a mere smile on her pretty lips as she speaks captures his attention so completely that for a moment he forgets the topic they were discussing. And when she falters on her words and colour blossoms on her cheeks at his darkened gaze; when she reaches out to softly rest her gloved hand upon his arm and squeeze ever so slightly, a fleeting touch, he tells himself it's all just the gaiety of the evening, and nothing more. He drags his eyes away and feels a pang in his gut. When a tune is struck up thereafter, he excuses himself for a drink, and as he takes up a glass for her along with his, he sees her dancing in the arms of a young man - one of her suitors. Their forms suit each other perfectly, they of similar heights, so unlike how he towers over her petite form. The idea that he too might invite her into his arms as her younger suitor has, to hold her as that man does and it be welcomed with something other than mere polite regard, makes him feel an utter fool. Of course not. He smiles sardonically, shakes his head, then drains his glass and hers both. Coward. Such a coward.

He feels a sense of relief when he's promptly given a reason to leave, and makes his excuses so he can just as promptly take it. If the young lady searches for him with bright eyes when her dance is done, and if her eyes dim and her exuberance melts away when she cannot find his tall, handsome form among the room, realising shortly thereafter that he did not find her company pleasing enough to wait upon for even a single dance, well, he is used to feeling regret, what is one more?

IDK where I was going with that, or why it got kind of depressing... LOL. Anyway! I just wanted to leave this note to let you know how much I enjoyed that snippet, and that it makes me want to experience more of Mr Worthington's romance as soon as it comes.

I've followed this game from the start, and I really do wish you luck in your continued efforts! :)

Thanks for replying! I'm really glad to hear you're considering offering some more flirt options for MC's with different dispositions.

I felt my MC was quite naturally guided into the stoic & confident personality, chiefly because of the whole growing up alienated by everyone in the village and never really 'clicking' with his dad (both of them having personalities that are not the easiest to get along with), but having a strong survival instinct and having no one else to really lean on, trusted in himself (and yeah, he's lonely af, but he buries that deep deep down under many layers of denial). It ended up fostering an MC who knew what they wanted (at least goal-wise) but was really not used to dealing with being interested in someone romantically, and being completely out of his depth if/when someone actually showed an interest in him, so naturally diverted to what he was comfortable with: acting like a stoic/cold b*stard. The sort of guy who seems like he'd rather be anywhere else but beside the RO, and yet the next minute would risk his life for them (cos deep down he's just relieved he's not alone, and that the RO hasn't already left his sorry ass, but he's kind of socially stunted and way too afraid of being vulnerable and hurt to admit how he feels). ANYWAY...

As you can probably tell, I got quite invested in this story thus far, hence why I thought I'd ask if a 'stoic/unflirty' flirt could be added. On that topic, I also really love me some sexual tension ramping up between characters, particularly when one (or both) are unwilling to admit how they feel/what they want. That's always fun to read!

Since posting my last message I also tried out Oren and the Queen, and they both seem really interesting so far, too. The sparring session with Oren was great! I'm looking forward to finding out more about both of them and pursuing them in parallel playthroughs in future. :)

Good luck with the game going forward!

Hi, I'm really loving this so far (especially Irus!), but is there any chance you could add flirt options for an MC who is more stoic? My male MC is stoic/acerbic and intro but confident and 'unwillingly' attracted to the Ro/s, but the existing flirting options always feel really out of character for him - the shy/intro flirt (he's not shy), or the flirtatious/brazen flirt (he's not flirtatious) - when often the more 'denying how I feel' or 'deliberately being an unpleasant ass because I really hate how I'm unexpectedly feeling right now' option which would suit him better is not a flirt and gives friendship/normal responses. I realise this may be asking a lot, but is there a chance an additional 'flirt' option could be added to accommodate a character who shows their interested in a less obvious way (like, instead of blushing they get annoyed or snippy), with the RO/s catching on and teasing it out of the MC in their own way?
Also, how tall is the prince? because there is a moment where it mentions him tipping my MC's chin up to look in his eyes (when I tried a shy flirt) and I have my MC's height set to 'very tall'.

Awesome! Thanks for your hard work. :)

Hi, I have a problem with the latest update. I noticed that I'd lost all my saves between updates so I started again (not sure why this happened, I hadn't cleaned my browser cache - is it because of a change to earlier chapters?).
Anyway, at the point where you go to Hazel's house and wake up the next morning and go down to breakfast, and are given three options in how you respond to her, all three responses lead to this page. However, as you can see, there are no links to continue, and this is the case with all three options from the previous page so I can't get any further in the story.
I'm not sure if this makes any difference, but I chose the route where you leave Milo in the cage, trick the guards and eventually get directed to Hazel's house by the food stall owner, rather then the route where you leave the cages with Milo and end up at Hazel's that way.
Also, I'm running this on Chrome, but I also tested it on Edge with the same problem.

I just finished reading chapter 3, and something stuck out as I was reading. I noticed that while in the presence of two of the characters (any two) they tend to refer to the MC as 'they', regardless of whether they're male, female, or NB. Now, while I'm not usually that fussed about pronouns, it reads really weird to be referred to as 'they' when playing as a male or female, mostly because it makes it feel like they're talking about you as if you're not even there despite literally being right there. I was wondering if it's possible to add, perhaps in a future update, the ability to verify our pronouns at the start so you can code it to say 'she', 'he', or 'they' in the instances where they're talking about you. Alternatively, maybe you could have them just say your name in those instances, instead?
Also, one typo I came across - when Belladonna comes to Hazel's house, it mentions that she's missing the usual 'willow wisps' around her (or something like that), whereas I assume you meant 'will'o wisp' or 'will'o the wisp' (no 's' at the end even when plural)?
Anyway, I also wanted to say that I really enjoyed chapter 3, and all the insight into gates and the importance of the MC. As usual I'm pursuing our dear Warden, Gabriel. I'm enjoying slowly finding out more about him and the other main characters.
Can't wait for more content! :)