Cassandra

Cassandra
First Appearance	Dragalia Lost
Year Created	2019
Created by	Cygames
Voiced by (English)	Cherilynn Fulbright
Voiced by (Japanese)	Ryoka Yuzuki

Cassandra is a playable character in Dragalia Lost. She is a former court sorceress who served the Alberian royal family.

Official Description

A former royal court sorceress with a carefree personality who served Aurelius from the time of his childhood in both an official and personal capacity. Her greatest concern is now the prince. While she looks young, she's actually over 60.

Official Description (Yukata Cassandra)

Garbed in a nostalgic yukata, the former court sorceress soothes wandering souls with her staff of healing. What drives her to wreathe herself in such bittersweet memories? Does she seek to overcome old regrets, or is her objective new?

Adventurer Stories

Cassandra

Adventurer Stories Episode 1 Cassandra's Tome Please note that this story contains spoilers for chapter 5 of the main campaign and the Fractured Futures event. Book: Hell, someone OPENED me? Ain't you a weird one! Elisanne: Might someone explain why this book is SPEAKING TO ME? Book: Might YOU explain why you're runnin' your grubby paws all over my pages? Looking for a love spell, maybe? Mmm? Book: Well, tough luck for you, sister, because I don't truck with that kind of thing. But I DO have something else interesting. Veeeery interesting! Muah ha ha ha! Elisanne: AAAAAAAAUUUUGGGH! Several hours earlier, at Cassandra's magical workshop... Cassandra: I brought you some tea, dearie. Drink it down before it goes cold. Elisanne: Thank you. ...Tsk! Hot! Hot hot! I don't think you need worry about this tea getting cold. Cassandra: So then! To what do I owe the pleasure? Cassandra: Surely whatever it is could have waited until my next visit to the castle, mmm? Elisanne: Well... Cassandra: Or is there some gentleman IN the castle who shouldn't overhear our chatter? Euden, perhaps? Mmm? Elisanne: How did you know? Cassandra: I'm a magical genius, dearie! Nothing escapes this watchful eye. Now then, spill your beans. Elisanne: You know how His Highness is, yes? Kind and cheerful... Eager to help... Cassandra: That's true. He's a model prince— not many boys his age are like that. Elisanne: But no matter how well he hides it, I know the sadness of losing his country and family must still burden him. Elisanne: I can't help but feel His Highness is suffering in silence. Elisanne: I wish to support him. Not just in battle, but emotionally as well. Cassandra: Because you love him. Elisanne: Th-that is not what I am implying at all! His Highness is my sworn liege lord— nothing more or less. Cassandra: If you say so, dearie. In any case, why come to me with this? Elisanne: I hear you once served King Aurelius as a court sorceress of sorts. Elisanne: And that you've known His Highness since he was a child. Which seems rather...um... Cassandra: You think I look too young for that, yes? Elisanne: Y-yes... Cassandra: And yet, I've rambled this old world three times as long as you, dearie. Elisanne: B-but that would make you... Cassandra: Ah ah ah! It's rude to speak of age. Let's return to the subject at hand. Cassandra: It sounds like you think I'll be able to advise you in this because I knew Euden as a child. Cassandra: But when I left the palace, he was a baby not even knee-high to a grasshopper! Cassandra: I don't know anything about his life once he started walking and talking and such, so I don't know how much help I'll be. Elisanne: I see... Cassandra: Sorry to disappoint, dearie. Elisanne: No, the fault is mine for jumping to conclusions. Cassandra: Oh, but I feel terrible turning you away with just a cup of tea after you schlepped all this way to see little ol' me... Cassandra: Say now! Are you a reader? Elisanne: I enjoy a good book, yes. Cassandra: Then I have JUST the thing! Let me lend you this. Elisanne: What is it? Cassandra: Oh, just a bit of light reading. But be sure you're alone when you open it, all right? Elisanne: I shall bear that in mind. Cassandra: Oh! I have some cookies and macarons in the pantry. We can have them with the tea. Elisanne: ...Heavens, is that the time? I must get back to the castle! Cassandra: Well, what a fine little party we whipped up here, eh? Cassandra: It's been a long time since I last sat down for some tea with a girl a third my age. I should do it more often! Now where did I put those hard candies...? Elisanne: (Urrrgh... If she keeps pushing food on me, I am like to burst open right here.) Cassandra: You know, I've not been part of the prince's troupe for nearly as long as you. Cassandra: But he's still a special person to me. Cassandra: All that to say, I'm happy you thought of old Cassandra for this little problem. Elisanne: I'm not certain I understand. Cassandra: Yes, well, off you go! Back to the castle before Cleo gives us both the business for you missing curfew! Elisanne: Yes, I suppose you're right. Good night, then. Cassandra: Poor child. I don't want her to experience what I did... Elisanne: I didn't expect her to say His Highness was special to her. Elisanne: What could she mean by that? Is she implying...? Elisanne: Ah! That book fell from the desk and gave me quite the fright! Elisanne: Oh, this is the one Cassandra gave me. The one I am supposed to read alone. Elisanne: Well, I certainly seem to be alone now. Might as well see what I'm dealing with. Elisanne: Oh, it's a diary. Goodness, this page was written 40 years ago!  ???: Did you just TURN MY PAGES? Muah ha ha ha! Elisanne: Who goes there?! Who speaks?!  ???: It's me! The book you're holdin' in those buttersmooth hands! Elisanne: I'm sorry. Are you a...talking book?  ???: Look at the big brain on this one! Zing! Elisanne: I beg your pardon?! Book: And hell, someone OPENED me? Ain't you a weird one! Elisanne: Might someone explain why this book is SPEAKING TO ME? Book: Might YOU explain why you're runnin' your grubby paws all over my pages? Looking for a love spell, maybe? Mmm? Book: Well, tough luck for you, sister, because I don't truck with that kind of thing. But I DO have something else interesting. Veeeery interesting! Muah ha ha ha! Elisanne: AAAAAAAAUUUUGGGH! Elisanne: ...What happened? Is this a castle? It doesn't look like the Halidom. Elisanne: Where am I?! How did I get here?! Book: Flustered, eh? Good! Veeeery good! Muah ha ha ha ha! Elisanne: You're that talking book! Book: Yep! But I also happen to be a NICE talkin' book, which is why I'm gonna skip all the guessin' and riddles' and just tell ya that you're in the palace of Alberia. Book: ...Oh, and it's 40 years in the past. Probably should mention that, eh? Zing! Elisanne: WHAAAT?! Episode 2 World of Memories Elisanne: First I encounter a talking book, and then said talking book somehow transports me 40 years into the past?! Book: Easy, sister! Take a deep breath or three and just relaaaax. Elisanne: *huff* *puff* Yes, that is a bit better. Now then, who ARE you? Book: Me? I'm Douleur—the coolest damn magic diary around! Elisanne: A magic...diary? Douleur: Yep! See, you've been transported inside someone's diary...with the power of MAAAAAGIC! Douleur: So this is the past, but only sorta. More like I gave life to the words somebody scribbled down on paper. Elisanne: This is somewhat difficult to believe. Douleur: Muah ha ha ha! You're one'a them types that needs proof, eh? Well, in that case, feast your eyes on THIS! Elisanne: C-Cassandra? What's going on?! Elisanne: Ah! My hand passed right through her! Douleur: That's 'cause she ain't real—it's actually the Cassandra from 40 years ago. NOW do you believe this is an illusion? Elisanne: Supposing it is true, whose diary are you, and what is your aim in bringing me here? Douleur: You really need to ask that first one? C'mon, you already know! Elisanne: I suppose I did suspect as much. Douleur: And as for the second question, I ain't tryin' to achieve a thing. Douleur: I'm just a tour guide for folks that open up the diary. Nothin' more, nothin' less.  ???: ＂Day 25, Month of the Stardragon The world has Dragonyule fever!＂ Elisanne: Ah! I just heard a voice in my head! Douleur: Those are the words written in this diary. They're bein' sent directly into your mind. Like I said...MAAAAAAAGIC! Diary: ＂This is a day when everyone sets aside their worldly cares for pleasure—with one exception.＂ Elisanne: Another illusion. Could that be...? Douleur: Oh, you know it—that's King Aurelius! Er, the one from 40 years ago, though. Douleur: Time for us to witness a little scene from our dear old Cassandra's past. Quiet on the set! Aaaand...ACTION! Cassandra: You look like you're going to stare a hole into those, Aurelius. Aurelius: Hello, Cassandra. Cassandra: That's quite the pile of documents and letters from the people you have there. Cassandra: You know it's Dragonyule, right? No one would blame you for putting paperwork aside and having a bit of fun. Aurelius: A holiday is no excuse to stop working for my people and country. Cassandra: Oh, you ARE a model king—so much so that I can't help but worry about you! Cassandra: Maybe your big sister should teach you some bad habits so you learn to get out and let your hair down! Hee hee! Aurelius: I think not. Stop treating me like a little brother. Cassandra: Someone has hit their rebellious teens! And I remember when you used to go on and on about how much you adored your big sister, the brilliant sorceress. Aurelius: That was a long time ago. Aurelius: But since you brought it up, I have long thought your lack of temperance to be inappropriate for a court sorceress. Aurelius: That fact is particularly apparent in your choice of dress, which many of my vassals have stated they find most improper. Could you not wear something else? Cassandra: Nope! Cassandra: I live the life I want to live, and that includes my ＂choice of dress.＂ Cassandra: Still, what a bunch of adolescents we have in court if THIS distracts them. Cassandra: You wouldn't be one of them, mmm? Mmmmmm? Aurelius: *sigh* Stop rubbing up against me— and don't even THINK about doing that to any of my vassals. You'd likely cause the poor things to faint dead away. Cassandra: Oh, boo! You're so boring. Aurelius: Enough of this foolishness. I have work to do. Cassandra: Oh, very well. Get to it, then. Aurelius: ...... Cassandra: ...... Cassandra: Er, do you think you'll get through that entire pile before the end of the day? Aurelius: Hmm... Cassandra: Because I heard about a delightful little cafe that recently opened up in town. Cassandra: Their Saint Lotier seafood soup is supposed to be divine. Aurelius: Hmm... Cassandra: Perhaps we could sneak down there together after you're done with...all this. Cassandra: You know? Just the two of us? Aurelius: ...... Cassandra: Aurelius? Aurelius: Hmm? Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought. What did you just say? Cassandra: ...Never mind. I'll leave you to your work. Cassandra: Honestly! That man... Diary: ＂When it comes to his people, Aurelius spares no effort. He is truly a model king.＂ Douleur: That was her memory from 40 years ago. Elisanne: I had no idea she was so close to His Majesty. Their relationship felt more like friends than king and subject. Douleur: Yeah, she'd been with him as a court sorceress since he was young. Douleur: So he saw her as a kind of big sister, despite what he claimed. Elisanne: Although it appears she thought of him in quite a different way entirely. Douleur: What makes ya think that? Elisanne: I suppose it's more of a feeling than anything. Douleur: Woman's intuition, eh? Well, let's put those instincts of yours to the test, sister! Elisanne: Whatever do you mean? Douleur: We're skippin' ahead a few years! Muah ha ha ha! Elisanne: Aaaaah! Episode 3 Monarch and Magician Douleur: Well, we made it! Oh, and this page is from a few years after that Dragonyule. Elisanne: Urgh...my eyes... So this is the Halidom years later. It does seem to be in a festive mood. Douleur: Well, it WAS a special occasion... Muah ha ha ha! Diary: ＂Day 18, Month of the Raindragon Today, the palace was even noisier than usual.＂ Diary: ＂Everyone's cheers of happiness grated on me, but I couldn't blame them for their joy. After all...＂ Vassal: Congratulations on your marriage, Your Highness! Elisanne: Ah, it's a marriage celebration. Lovely! Er, but where is Cassandra? Douleur: Look over there. Cassandra: Hard to believe someone actually agreed to marry you. Cassandra: Still, congrats and all that. I hope you both live long, happy lives. Aurelius: Thank you, Cassandra. Cassandra: *sigh* As for me, I never have been comfortable with crowds and...so on. Cassandra: I'm going to take a walk. I'll see you later. Cassandra: ＂Thank you,＂ he says. Bah! Cassandra: Still, what is he supposed to say? What did I even WANT him to say? Elisanne: Oh dear. She really did... Diary: ＂I always knew it was going to come to this. I'm a sorceress and he's a king—and nothing will ever change that.＂ Diary: ＂I need to cast aside these feelings if I'm to remain by his side in even some capacity.＂ Douleur: Oh, you nailed it, all right. Zing! To her, Aurelius was no little brother. Elisanne: Yet she chose to remain by his side and serve him for many years afterward, yes? Elisanne: She is a strong woman indeed to set aside such feelings and do her duty. Douleur: Wait, you think she's strong? Pffffft! Muaaaaah ha ha ha ha! Elisanne: Well, someone is amused. Douleur: Sorry! Sorry. It's just that you couldn't have been more wrong if ya tried! Douleur: Here, lemme prove it to you. Muah ha! Elisanne: We have arrived in the capital. Diary: ＂Day 7, Month of the Mistdragon.＂ Diary: ＂The palace maids can't stop gossiping about how the young twins have taken their first steps.＂ Diary: ＂I had to leave the palace to get away from their incessant chattering.＂ Elisanne: ＂Young twins＂? Then this was... Douleur: That's right. Over a decade ago, when Euden and his sister were but infants. Douleur: This is your chance to see him when he was an adowable widdle baby! Elisanne: I'll thank you not to tease me, book! Now then, where is Cassandra? Douleur: There, in front of the gate. Elisanne: Whyever is she dressed like that? Douleur: She was almost fifty at this point, so she's tryin' to hide all the wrinkles and crow's feet and gray hair you people get when you get old. Elisanne: But she looks younger NOW! Douleur: Oh, you'll see why in a minute. Muah ha! Cassandra: Thank you for carrying my things, dearie. I'll go the rest of the way by carriage. Soldier: Would you not at least wait for His Highness to return, ma'am? Cassandra: It will be easier for me to leave while he isn't here. Soldier: If I may, ma'am, he seemed deeply sad that you are deciding to retire. Cassandra: He's now a father of eight children but still needs his big sister around, eh? Cassandra: Still, I've made up my mind. Life as a court sorceress isn't bad, but there are SO many limitations on research. Cassandra: I want to be able to research magic in whatever way I choose, dearie—and to do that, I need to be on my own. Soldier: Do you have any message you would like me to relay to him, ma'am? Cassandra: Just tell him to write me occasionally. Cassandra: I said I was leaving to conduct whatever research I desired, but... Diary: ＂But that was a lie. I left because I needed to get away from Aurelius.＂ Diary: ＂In the end, I simply couldn't silence those annoying feelings inside of me.＂ Elisanne: Then she still... Douleur: Zing! She couldn't get over the guy, yet chose to stay by his side anyway. Eventually, she couldn't take it anymore. Douleur: What a whopper! What a zinger! What a terribly sad tale! Muaaah ha ha ha! Elisanne: What a cruel, unkind thing you are! The poor woman was simply— Douleur: What? Devoted? Loyal? Pffft! Spare me, sister. That lady was stuck in the past and couldn't claw her way out. Douleur: You want proof? Take a look at THIS! Douleur: This place look familiar? Elisanne: This is Cassandra's magical workshop. Er, but what is she drawing there? Some manner of magical sigil? Douleur: Yeah, this is four or five years ago, when she was about 60. Diary: ＂Day 13, Month of the Duskdragon. His first letter in some time finally spurred me to action.＂ Diary: ＂I knew full well he was busy with his duties in the palace, and that he may have just written about coming for a visit out of courtesy.＂ Diary: ＂But just the thought he MIGHT come was enough to spur me on to finish the spell I'd been working on.＂ Cassandra: Right then! Once I activate it, everything inside the sigil will be created anew. ...Er, theoretically, that is. Cassandra: If it fails, someone's going to find this old body festooned from the rafters like so many party favors... But that's a risk I'll take. Cassandra: ＂O ye who preside over the laws of the abyss! Grant the blessing of new birth to all who inhabit this sigil!＂ ...And give me the body I want. Cassandra: Urgh... Nnngh... Aaaaaaaaaargh! Elisanne: What's happening to her?! Douleur: She's rebuilding her own body with the power of MAAAAAAGIC! Elisanne: Then the reason she appears so young in the current day... Cassandra: AAAAAAAAAAAAARGHH! Cassandra: *cough* *cough* It...worked. Cassandra: I look just as I did before! But... Cassandra: But I am still nothing but a fool. Elisanne: Oh, Cassandra... Douleur: Hey, she's not wrong—she IS a fool. Douleur: Because after going through all that suffering to become young again, it ended up being all for nothing! Episode 4 Moving Forward Diary: ＂I don't even remember what day it is today, such is the confusion ruling my mind.＂ Diary: ＂The kingdom I served has suddenly become an empire, with him trampling the rest of the continent beneath his bootheel.＂ Diary: ＂He always cared so much for his people; what could possibly have happened to him? I need to meet him and find out.＂ Elisanne: Are we back at the palace now? ...No, things are too ominous for that. Douleur: Oh, we're in the palace—but it belongs to the Dyrenell Empire now. And guess who's sittin' in the big chair?! Elisanne: It is the king-turned-emperor himself. Cassandra: Hello, Aurelius. It's me, Cassandra. It has been a while. Aurelius: ...... Cassandra: Stunned into silence by my youthful good looks? Ah, can't say I blame you. Cassandra: Still you're not the only one surprised by things changing. This palace is NOTHING like I remember. Cassandra: The air is stagnant. Almost...oppressive. It's like I've entered a different world. Cassandra: I fear I may go mad if I breathe it for too much longer. Might I open a few windows? Aurelius: ...... Cassandra: You're a smart, devoted king, Aurelius. One so dedicated to your people that you refused to take even Dragonyule off. Cassandra: Yet now you expect me to believe you suddenly turned into a murderer who delights in violence? Cassandra: No, Aurelius. People don't work that way. No one changes into a monster overnight. Aurelius: ...... Cassandra: I hear you changed after entering the Binding Ruins. Cassandra: What did you meet there? And what did you bring BACK? Cassandra: Whatever it is, it's threatening you. Where in the palace is it? Cassandra: There's no need to be afraid, Aurelius. Just tell me what I need to know, and I will set you free. Aurelius: ...... Cassandra: Aurelius! Aurelius: ...... Cassandra: Say something. Cassandra: Gaaah! Cassandra: What malevolent energy... Have you been taken over by something?! Cassandra: Aaaargh! Elisanne: STOP! Haaaaah! Douleur: Give it up, kid. None of what you're seeing is real. Elisanne: I cannot stand back and watch this! Douleur: Well you're gonna have to, because nothing you do can change a memory. Elisanne: Urgh... Cassandra: Au...relius... Elisanne: What happened to her after this? Douleur: Oh, she got thrown into some dank dungeon where she lived on bread and rats for a while. Douleur: Eventually, she managed to escape and make her way back to the workshop. Douleur: That's when she learned that Aurelius had died while she was in the slammer. Diary: ＂I awoke from a nightmare.＂ Diary: ＂I couldn't stop thinking that if I hadn't left the palace, things might have turned out differently.＂ Diary: ＂I might have been able to stop him from going to the Binding Ruins to begin with.＂ Diary: ＂I could have gone with him. Protected him. Maybe even taken that evil in his place.＂ Diary: ＂But it was too late. Everything was too late.＂ Diary: ＂The next thing I knew, I was in one of the Binding Ruins. I must have made my way there without even thinking.＂ Diary: ＂I've no idea why. There was nothing I could actually DO there, after all.＂ Diary: ＂And yet I wandered there, day after day. Almost as if I was...looking for him.＂ Diary: ＂But he was no longer in this world. There was nothing I could do for him.＂ Diary: ＂Yet I still...＂ Douleur: ＂In the end, Cassandra was consumed by regret, and spent her days walking the earth like a living corpse.＂ ...The end! Elisanne: It is so terribly sad. Douleur: Sure, but it's also the truth. This is a diary, sister, not some sappy romance novel where you're guaranteed a happy ending. Douleur: Anyway, there's one more page left. What do you wanna do? Douleur: It coooould be even more depressing than all the other stuff you've seen! Muah ha! Elisanne: I fear to learn what is on that page... Elisanne: And yet, the Cassandra we know now seems much more positive than the one in this diary. Elisanne: If that last page holds the answer to that riddle, I want to see it. Elisanne: Because I could potentially face a similar future... Douleur: Muah ha... MUAAAAH HA HA HA HA! You're scared, but ya STILL wanna see! Douleur: All right, sister! You asked for it! Last page, comin' up! ZING! Elisanne: Oh, we're back in the workshop. There's Cassandra, and over there... Wait, is that Euden? Cassandra: It's good to see you again, young man. Euden: I came to thank you for what you did the other day. If not for your advice, Chronos would likely have... Cassandra: Fiddlesticks! I just gave you a nudge in the right direction. But never mind that now. Cassandra: Are you sure you're all right, young man? What with your father and your sister? Euden: It hurts. It hurts a lot. But so long as I have countrymen asking for my assistance, I have to hold my head up. Cassandra: You know it's Dragonyule, right? No one would blame you for putting paperwork aside and having a bit of fun. Aurelius: A holiday is no excuse to stop working for my people and country. Cassandra: You're so earnest—just like he was when he was younger. Cassandra: Although I fear you're TOO earnest. I can't help but worry that one setback may cause you to keel over and collapse. Euden: If I take a wrong turn, my friends will put me right. That's why I can keep fighting. Cassandra: Ah, yes. It's certainly important to have someone by your side. Cassandra: And the more allies you have, the better. Hmm... Yes, that's very true... Diary: ＂Today I resolved to join the prince's fight.＂ Diary: ＂The man I spent so much time with is no more. I can do nothing else for him.＂ Diary: ＂But I can still do for the son what I could not for the father.＂ Diary: ＂Perhaps this is all just an exercise to make myself feel better...but I can live with that.＂ Diary: ＂I just don't want any more regrets.＂ Elisanne: So that's what she meant about His Highness being special to her. Douleur: But it was only luck that gave her a second chance. Not everyone gets that. Douleur: So don't you go livin' a life where you hold everything back. Don't make the same mistakes she did, yeah? Douleur: Remember these memories, grab life by the lapels, and shake it till it pops! Elisanne: I fear this sudden wave of kindness, coming as it does from you. Douleur: Muaaaaah ha ha ha! Welp, storytime is over now, sister. I'll see ya around! Elisanne: See me around? What does—AAAAAH! Episode 5 Living Without Regret Cassandra: Here's some tea for you, dearie. Careful, now! It's hot. Elisanne: Noted, thank you. Cassandra: So what brings you here today? Elisanne: I came to return the book you allowed me to borrow the other day. Cassandra: Hmm... I see the spell I put on it has been activated. You must have given it a gander, then. Elisanne: If I may, just what IS Douleur? Elisanne: He referred to himself as a magical diary, but as soon as I finished reading the contents, he ceased to speak. Cassandra: Technically speaking, this is just a diary that I cast a spell on—one that shows an illusion to whoever opens it. Cassandra: Douleur is just a... Well, an avatar of sorts. But now the spell has been broken, so it's back to being an ordinary book. Elisanne: But what I saw DID happen, yes? Cassandra: Of course it did, dearie! What better way to while away the hours than with the story of a sorceress's wasted life? Elisanne: Please do not speak of yourself like that. After seeing it, I understand how you feel. I understand it most deeply. Cassandra: Ha! Then it was worth my lending it to you. Elisanne: But why DID you show it to me? Elisanne: I shudder to think of other people looting through my own memories. Cassandra: What did Douleur say when you finished reading? Elisanne: He told me to remember the memories and live a life without regrets. Cassandra: Then there's your answer, dearie! ...Still, do you know what I regret most? Cassandra: I never told the old fool how I felt. Elisanne: One can hardly be blamed for not telling a KING of their feelings for him. Cassandra: Oh, I know how it would have ended. But it still would have felt better to just be rejected by him directly. Cassandra: I probably could have stayed with him in that case, and not let it eat away at me like it has all these years. Cassandra: If you're not honest with your feelings, they'll keep weighing on your heart— and you'll find yourself wanting to run away from him. Cassandra: Now then, dearie! You first came to me for advice on how to support that prince of yours emotionally, mmm? Cassandra: But you need to decide how, exactly, you want to do that. Cassandra: Is it as a faithful knight in his service? Or is it something...more? Elisanne: I care about His Highness deeply. I know this to my very core. Elisanne: But whether my feelings are the same as those you had for King Aurelius, I cannot be certain. Cassandra: Oh, but you are a charmer! Well, dearie, you don't need to have that figured out right now—but you will need to eventually. Elisanne: Hmm... Cassandra: The first step on that road is to share whatever is making your face scrunch up like that. Cassandra: I'll fetch some snacks, then you and me can sit here and have a little jaw. Get it all off your chest! Cassandra: ...Goodness, is that the time? Today has really flown. Elisanne: Thank you for all you did for me today. I still don't have the answer I sought, but I feel much better after our talk. Cassandra: You won't find the answer in a day, dearie. Just keep your ears open and your heart full and it'll come to you. Cassandra: And whatever relationship you decide you want, I'll be just fine with it so long as you keep supporting him. Elisanne: I shall stay by his side to the bitter end. Cassandra: That's what I wanted to hear. Ta ta, dearie! Cassandra: Right then, Douleur! Time to get up. Douleur: Ya REALLY took your time wakin' me up! I'm just a normal diary without your mana, ya know! Cassandra: Such cheek! That's no way to treat the woman who just woke you up. Douleur: My personality is just a reflection of yours. Douleur: But that Elisanne? W-O-W! She's so pure and honest it makes me wanna puke! Muaaaah ha ha ha ha! Cassandra: Keep that talk up and I'll use you for kindling. Douleur: Well, ain't we a scary old witch! ...So how's the kid holdin' up, anyway? Cassandra: She's still searching for her answer, but I'm sure she'll be fine. ...Unlike me. Douleur: Good to know all my hard work wasn't for nothin'. Douleur: By the way, I sure got a lot of new friends while I was away, huh? Cassandra: You mean the books on the shelves? Yes, I'm delving into some new research. Douleur: Lemme see what we got here. ＂A Study of Mana and Personalities...＂ ＂The Encyclopedia of Ritual Magic...＂ ＂Communing with the Dead...＂ Douleur: The hell kinda research are you planning here, lady?! You ain't really gonna— Cassandra: Enough, book! Some things are much better left unspoken. Douleur: You really are an idiot. You know that, right? Cassandra: Oh, I'll not deny it. But even now, I still can't help but want to do something. Cassandra: Anyway, that's enough chitter-chatter. Open up! I need one of your pages. Douleur: I just woke up and you're already puttin' me to work? Whhhh-ksssssh! Cassandra: Please. Douleur: Fine, fine. What page? Cassandra: The day Euden was born. Douleur: Comin' right up. Diary: ＂After seeing the faces of his newborn twins, he returned to the throne room, busy as ever.＂ Diary: ＂But he must have been relieved, because while his other retainers weren't present, he drifted off to sleep on his throne.＂ Aurelius: ...... Cassandra: Heh. He looks so happy as he sleeps. Their births must have brought him no end of joy. Cassandra: That boy's far too kind when compared to your other children, Aurelius. Cassandra: But don't worry, I'll be there to ensure nothing comes along to steal his joy. Cassandra: So rest well...you old fool.

Yukata Cassandra

Adventurer Stories Episode 1 Summer Reminiscence Please note that this story contains spoilers for chapter 5 of the main campaign. Traveler: Let me out! Please, I... I gotta get out of this village! Traveler: N-no! Stop! Stay baaack! Traveler: Gwaaaaaugh! Douleur: Talk about a ghost town. There's not a soul in sight. Cassandra: Here's hoping incorporeality doesn't correlate with inhospitality. Oh, ghooosts! Cassandra thirsts—some water, please! ...Hm? Cassandra: Thunder. The rain won't be far behind. Cassandra: I suppose we'll have to wait it out in this abandoned house. And just when I'd finally gathered the last ingredient, too. Douleur: ...... Cassandra: Yes, Douleur? Out with it. Douleur: Water, lime, saltpeter, sulfur... I thought we were buildin' a human, not fertilizing the lawn! Zing! Cassandra: Really? This again? The theory is sound. My procedure should yield a perfectly serviceable vessel. Douleur: Then what? We get back to the workshop and you turn that hibiscus you picked into a batch of soul-summoner's incense? Bing, bang, conjure the dead, boom? Cassandra: His soul is fused with the Shadowwyrm's mana. If we tease it apart with the incense and transfer it into a waiting vessel... Douleur: You get a cool zombie that looks just like your old flame. Zing! Cassandra: What are you driving at? Douleur: We're not talking about tryin' to cram a soul back in its old box like a certain queen we won't mention. This is playing Frankenstein for your own selfish reasons. Douleur: Ain't sorcerer-ing supposed to be all about understanding profound laws and guiding nature along its course? What you're doin' here flies in the face of all that. Cassandra: I'm well aware it's taboo, thank you. That isn't about to— Douleur: I'm just saying, you've already GOT a guy. Cassandra: Who, Audric? He has his own dumb court sorceress in the world he came from. She gets dibs. Cassandra: Besides, no one could ever replace the man I spent all those years with. Douleur: So you're just gonna dive head-first into heresy? What happened to your pride as a sorcer— Cassandra: Douleur. Not another word. Please. Douleur: Feh! I see how it is. Silly me, forgetting you're a senile old bag with more wrinkles 'n I got dog-eared pages. Cassandra: I'm aware that my tenacity in this particular pursuit is unbecoming. But if there's any chance of this working, I'm going to try it. Cassandra: I won't give up again like I did that summer... Summer, 40 Years Ago Alberian Royal Castle Cassandra: You're inviting me to a festival? Aurelius: One of the villages I'm set to look in on is holding an event in Hinomotoan fashion. Would you accompany me on my visit? Cassandra: If you like. A court sorceress's place is at her king's side. Cassandra: Who all is coming with us? Raemond, I would imagine, and— Aurelius: No. I've other important matters to entrust to Raemond. Cassandra: ...Just me? Aurelius: My royal guard will be on security detail for the event as well. I'd hate to disrupt the locals by marching a grand entourage through. Cassandra: Ah, so it's to be a date! Never pegged you for the sort. This ought to be fun. Aurelius: We're there to work, Cassandra. I want your thoughts on this influx of foreign cultural influence. Cassandra: Fine, fine. I'm sure having a grumpy king wandering through their midst won't stop the locals from enjoying their party at ALL. Aurelius: You think it might? Cassandra: I think it's important to enjoy the festival as your people do, sire. Don't you worry— I will teach you to have a grand old time. Aurelius: Hmm... I suppose there's something to that. I leave the matter to you, then. Cassandra: Heh heh. There's a good boy. Now, run along. We've a big day ahead! Yukata Cassandra: Aaand there! Managed to get the obi tied. Yukata Cassandra: Quite the fetching look, these Hinomotoan yukatas. It was worth the trouble of hunting one down. Yukata Cassandra: This ought to drag a compliment out of him. Yukata Cassandra: Wait. Am I overdoing this? Yukata Cassandra: No. It's a Hinomotoan festival. There's no logical argument to be made against wearing a yukata. Yukata Cassandra: Besides, the man wouldn't know fun if it hatched from a dragon egg and called him "papa." Yukata Cassandra: It's going to be just the two of us... I'd assert that I'm showing remarkable restraint. Civil Servant: Pardon the intrusion, milady. I wanted to speak with you about the visitation plans. Yukata Cassandra: Yes, of course. What is it? Civil Servant: I'm afraid that heavy rains have flooded the roads. We'll need to adjust our departure schedule. Civil Servant: Regrettably, this means we'll have to give up on attending the festival. Yukata Cassandra: Is that so? Well, scheduling is up to you ministers and Aurelius. Why come to me? Civil Servant: His Majesty said we might still keep to our original plans if we were willing to risk it. Personally, I can't recommend it, but... Yukata Cassandra: Ah. He's being stubborn on my account. Yukata Cassandra: You go and tell him that if he does something stupid and the unthinkable happens, he'll have made fools of his entire court! Civil Servant: Yes, ma'am. Yukata Cassandra: Tsk. All dressed up and nowhere to go. His loss, I suppose. I played the good sport about it, but even now, regret lingers like a thorn in my heart. I wonder what he would have said upon seeing me in such fetching attire... Yukata Cassandra: Was I asleep? Goodness, I must have been tuckered out if—hm? Yukata Cassandra: This is...the yukata from back then! Why in the world am I in it now? I'd banished it to the back of my closet. Yukata Cassandra: Am I still dreaming? But the sensation is so real... Yukata Cassandra: Give me a reality check, Douleur. Am I wearing a yukata right now? Yukata Cassandra: Oh, stop your sulking and answer me. ...Douleur? Yukata Cassandra: Gone. I don't see how a mouthy diary could have sprouted legs and walked off on his— Yukata Cassandra: Hm. Voices. And not just a few... Yukata Cassandra: What is going on here? This village was completely deserted. Old Lady: Look at you, all gussied up! Come all the way to our little hamlet to take in the summer festival, have you? Villager: Oh, how marvelous! You enjoy yourself, now. Yukata Cassandra: Do you live here? I have a laundry list of questions. What is this place? Where... Yukata Cassandra: (Wait. This preternatural sensation... Ah! These people must be—!) Episode 2 Village of the Dead Yukata Cassandra: (Wait. This preternatural sensation... Ah! These people must be—!) Old Lady: Something wrong, child? You have the gravest look on your face. Yukata Cassandra: I'm just a bit lightheaded. Can you tell me when the festival begins? Villager: After sundown, of course. You can't enjoy the lanterns till after dark, love. Yukata Cassandra: Lanterns? Old Lady: Sure, the festival's famous for 'em! Isn't that what you've come to see? Yukata Cassandra: Ah, yes, of course. It would seem the long trip here has taken a toll on my memory. Old Lady: Oh, you poor thing. You're welcome to rest a spell at my home, if you like. Yukata Cassandra: That is terribly kind of you, ma'am, but I think I'll putter around the village a bit before the festival begins. Yukata Cassandra: (The dead ordinarily return to mana and flow across the world. But this...) Yukata Cassandra: (In rare cases, the soul cannot come to terms with death and instead lingers in the place where its body passed on.) Female Villager: You forgot the dinner I packed you, sweetheart. Good luck with the festival setup. Girl: You liar! You promised we'd always, ALWAYS watch the lanterns together! Village Girl: Again, I already said I was sorry. I just can't make it this year, okay? Yukata Cassandra: (The ebb and flow of daily life— the same as you'd see in any town. But everyone here is...) Yukata Cassandra: (It is said that the dead resent the living. If these people learn that I'm alive—) Traveler: Y-you there. You're not one of the villagers. Are you, er...real? Yukata Cassandra: I'm guessing you wandered in here too? Traveler: Oh, thank heavens! I was resting in this abandoned house I found, and when I awoke, I was here, among all these people. Then that THING attacked me! Traveler: P-please, you've gotta help me. I just want to go home! Please! Yukata Cassandra: Sorry, dearie, but I don't think that's going to happen. You're already— Villager: Now, now. What's all the commotion here? Traveler: Y-you! Get me out of here! I beg you! Old Lady: Poor soul. I think the heat's gotten to him. Come, love. Rest awhile. Villager: I'll take him to my house. It's right on the river, so it stays nice and cool. Traveler: N-no! Stay away from me! Villager: Aww, don't be shy. If you're too tired to walk, we'll carry you there. Traveler: Stop! N-no, let go! LET ME GOOO! Old Lady: The heat always drives folks a little batty. Sure you don't need to come rest as well? Yukata Cassandra: No, I'm quite all right. Yukata Cassandra: As I thought. Some sort of barrier is blocking my means of egress. Yukata Cassandra: It's safe to assume this place is a manifestation of these people's collective memory, fueled by their regret at passing. Yukata Cassandra: If what I've read is true, there's only one way out. Yukata Cassandra: I must ease their regret and guide them back to the source of mana where they belong. First, to discern the cause... Yukata Cassandra: ...Whoever is watching, I can feel your eyes on me. Yukata Cassandra: Hm. They're gone. Hopefully that doesn't mean they've realized I'm alive. Old Lady: Is that a weary festival-goer I spy? Yukata Cassandra: Hello, ma'am. I grew tired from my stroll, so I'm just resting in the shade a bit. Old Lady: Really, now. You should follow me, then. I have just the thing. Yukata Cassandra: (Was she the one watching me? Those weren't the footsteps of an elderly woman.) Old Lady: Are you listening, dear? Don't tell me the heat's sapped your hearing, too. Yukata Cassandra: (For now, I need to avoid arousing any suspicion.) Female Villager: There. A nice, frosty flagon of grape juice. We make it every year. There's plenty, so just holler if you'd like more. Old Lady: This drink's a festival tradition, you know. Yukata Cassandra: I really shouldn't, but thank you. Female Villager: It's the village's pride and joy. Surely a little taste wouldn't hurt. Yukata Cassandra: (I can't let this past my lips...) Old Lady: Come, come. Bottoms up, love. Or is there some reason you don't want to? Yukata Cassandra: (I've read the legends. Sup upon the offerings of the dead, and you'll be unable to return to the realm of the living.) Old Lady: You're a strange one, even for a stranger. Could you be— Yukata Cassandra: ...... Village Girl: Eek! Village Girl: S-sorry. Somebody pushed me from behind. Village Girl: Oh no! I got juice all over your pretty clothes! I'm so sorry! Yukata Cassandra: Worry not. I just need to wash it before it dries. Can you point me to some water? Village Girl: The village well is just over there. Yukata Cassandra: That will do nicely, thank you. Yukata Cassandra: Phew. That was close. Yukata Cassandra: But I can't let my guard down. I need to find what's become of Douleur, too. Village Girl: Um... I'm really sorry about before, ma'am. Yukata Cassandra: Oh, it's you. Don't worry, dearie. I'm not upset in the slightest. Village Girl: But you were planning to show that yukata to your boyfriend, weren't you? Yukata Cassandra: My boyfriend? Now what would make you think that? Village Girl: The way you're all done up, of course! I'm a romantic too, so I've got a sense for this sort of thing. Yukata Cassandra: Heh heh... Sorry to disappoint you, but this raven is flying solo today. Village Girl: Well, that's a shame. Oh, that's right! I wanted to offer you my handkerchief to clean up. Yukata Cassandra: Much appreciated, dearie. Yukata Cassandra: Folded crisp and even... She must have been quite the fastidious little girl in life. Yukata Cassandra: Mm? Something fell out when I unfolded it. A...torn scrap? Yukata Cassandra: Wait. What?! This village is trapped in a tragedy 40 years past. Please help us. Yukata Cassandra: A message? What's more, this paper... Yukata Cassandra: The page is infused with mana. This was a piece of Douleur! Episode 3 Daring to Defy Destiny This can't be happening. Voice: We've got to get out of here, NOW! Or we're all dead! This can't be the end. This can't be how it happens. Voice: No! It's too late! I still haven't ever— Yukata Cassandra: Another torn scrap... It's definitely Douleur. Yukata Cassandra: They've been laid out like breadcrumbs. Yukata Cassandra: And hopefully, at the trail's end... You'd better be more than a pile of confetti, you mouthy rag. Cassandra: They end here. I guess this shed is my destination. Douleur: Wha—Hey! Is that you, Cassandra?! Cassandra: Douleur! Where are you? Douleur: In here! The desk drawer! Douleur: *GASP* Finally, I'm a free book again! Ahhh, the air's so much sweeter outside of the slammer. Yukata Cassandra: Heh. Sounds like you're still in one piece. Douleur: Yeah, except for all the LITERAL PIECES that were torn out of my PERFECT, STUDLY BODY! Look at me! I'm a ragged mess! Yukata Cassandra: Keh heh heh. You poor dear. So, who do we have to thank for turning you into Douleur: The Abridged Version? Douleur: Don't ask me. I just ended up here outta nowhere. Couldn't see the perp on account of all the CLOYING DARKNESS. Douleur: I remember the feel of their hands, though. Tiny and smooth. Moisturized. Yukata Cassandra: A child, then. It must be the girl with the handkerchief. Douleur: Yeah, cool, handkerchiefs. So absorbent. Great for mild-to-moderate spills. More importantly, Cassandra, you mind telling me what the HELL is going on?! Douleur: An echo of some vengeful dead folks' memories? We picked a hell of a vacation spot. Okay, so how do we get back out? Yukata Cassandra: This message is the key. Douleur: "This village is trapped in a tragedy 40 years past." You wanna know what the REAL tragedy is? This penmanship. Zing! Yukata Cassandra: I surmise that an event four decades back explains why the town stands empty now. It must have claimed countless lives. Douleur: And now those victims are the ones keeping this crazy thrill ride going. But riddle me this: Why's one of those spirits dropping hints for you? Yukata Cassandra: The memories of the dead always return to the same time. Care to guess where? Douleur: ...The moment they kicked the bucket. Yukata Cassandra: The dead don't relive their final moments to relish the memory of being alive; they do it because they refuse to accept death. Yukata Cassandra: "I should have survived." "There must have been a way." They cling to that possibility. Yukata Cassandra: Few seem to escape this vicious cycle. They relive the agony of death eternally. Douleur: Yeesh. I'm starting to see why you'd welcome a little outside help. Douleur: Notice how I'm not asking why you're weirdly knowledgeable about all this dead-people stuff. Yukata Cassandra: Let's just say I've pored over a wealth of material on the subject. Yukata Cassandra: More to the point, we're probably about to witness the tragedy from 40 years ago firsthand. Yukata Cassandra: If we can get out ahead of it and save the villagers— Douleur: It'll dispel their resentment and break their ties to these final memories. Yukata Cassandra: And to that end, I need to ask a little favor of you. Voice from Outside: I'll just drop my tools off in the shed. You go on ahead to the riverside. Yukata Cassandra: We'd best continue this elsewhere. Douleur: Coast looks clear here. So, what do you need from me? Yukata Cassandra: Check in with the me in the diary from 40 years back. I would have made a note of any rumors or intel that came my way. Douleur: Ahhh, yeah. If it was bad enough, news of whatever happened here might have reached the castle. Let's see... Douleur: "Day 8, month of the Prismawyrm. Aurelius played a song for me today. The masculine line of his jaw as he sang was—" Yukata Cassandra: The GERMANE bits. Unless you'd like to become the ABRIDGED Abridged Version. Douleur: Ooooh, sooo scary! ...Ah! Here we go. "Day 13, month of the Blazewyrm." Douleur: "Flood took a small village southwest of the capital, claiming the better half of its citizens' lives. He's changed his schedule to make a consolation visit there." Douleur: "The day of the disaster, the villagers gathered at the riverside for what they call the Festival of Floating Lanterns." Yukata Cassandra: A festival of lanterns... Yukata Cassandra: I'm just a bit lightheaded. Can you tell me when the festival begins? Villager: After sundown, of course. You can't enjoy the lanterns till after dark, love. Yukata Cassandra: Bingo. Douleur: "A flash flood struck, brought on by days of heavy rains upstream. The village was all but washed away." Douleur: "It would have been a tragedy no matter where it happened, but when I heard the village's name, I stopped short. It was—" ...The rest of the page is torn. Yukata Cassandra: Did I...know this place? I can't recall anything of the sort. Douleur: Senility's a bear, grandma. Zing! Anyway, shouldn't we be hurrying down to the river? Yukata Cassandra: Right. Yukata Cassandra: So, these are the festival grounds. Villager: Ah, you made it, miss! Festival's just about to start. Yukata Cassandra: Mm, I can't wait. I couldn't help but notice, though—isn't the river running a little fast? Villager: Can't argue that. The rain's been nigh-torrential around here as of late. Yukata Cassandra: Then the water level must be high. Seems dangerous, doesn't it? It's a shame, but perhaps we'd best postpone the festivities. Villager: Hmmm... Better safe than sorry, I suppose. Especially with little ones around. Old Lady: Not happening. The festival's been held on this day as long as I've walked the earth! Yukata Cassandra: Tradition is important, to be sure. I'd argue safety is even more paramount. Old Lady: Today's the day, and there's not a dang thing anyone can say to change that! Yukata Cassandra: But if we don't stop this— Old Lady: You're actin' awful strange, child. You need to come rest a spell at my house? Yukata Cassandra: (I don't suppose pressing the point here will make any difference.) Yukata Cassandra: No. It wasn't my place to interfere. Douleur: You got a plan B, Cassandra? Because we're whitewater rafting our way to a massacre here. Yukata Cassandra: When the flood comes, I'll erect a barrier to shield the villagers. It's the only way. Douleur: You're gonna block a natural disaster big enough to wipe a town off the map? Alone? Yukata Cassandra: I understand the risk. But this is the only chance we've got. Episode 4 Festival of Salvation Villager: Welcome, one and all, as we celebrate yet another iteration of our beloved festival of floating lanterns! Yukata Cassandra: ...... Douleur: Easy, Grandma. Stay loose now, or you'll wear yourself out before things go down. Yukata Cassandra: Thank you, Douleur. But if you "Grandma" me again, I'm tossing you in the drink. Boy: I wanna float one too! Female Villager: Just a moment, dear. I'm getting one ready for you. Yukata Cassandra: They place paper lanterns on little boats and float them down the river. What a curious festival. Village Girl: It's supposed to be a ritual for laying the spirits of our ancestors to rest. Yukata Cassandra: Oh, it's you. Thank you for the handkerchief earlier. Yukata Cassandra: I got your message, by the way. Leave it to me. Village Girl: Message? What do you mean? Yukata Cassandra: (She wasn't the one who wrote it?) Village Girl: Do you mind if I join you? I've got some time to kill while I wait for someone. Yukata Cassandra: Not at all. And by "someone," do you mean that little sister of yours I spied you with earlier? Village Girl: I usually go with my sister, but this year, I'm actually hoping to spend it with a childhood friend. Yukata Cassandra: Ah, so that's why you two were arguing. He must be someone special. Village Girl: He's special to me, anyway. I couldn't tell you how he feels about me. Especially considering that he's LATE. Village Girl: Do you have someone like that, ma'am? Yukata Cassandra: I did, once. We were to visit a festival together, but I let my chance slip away. Village Girl: Because of the rains, you mean? I heard the royals couldn't come because of that. Yukata Cassandra: Someone from the royal family was meant to come here? Village Girl: That's right. Our lantern festival is based on an old Hinomotoan tradition, so they wanted to come see it for themselves. Aurelius: One of the villages I'm set to look in on is holding an event in Hinomotoan fashion. Would you accompany me on my visit? Douleur: "It would have been a tragedy no matter where it happened, but when I heard the village's name, I stopped short. It was—" Yukata Cassandra: He and I were to come here. I was to wear this yukata. Village Girl: Huh? What's that rumbling? It's coming from upriver. Yukata Cassandra: Here it comes! Old Lady: Aaah! The river! It's a flood! Villager: We've got to get out of here, NOW! Or we're all dead! Female Villager: No! It's too late! Yukata Cassandra: Everyone, get behind me! Yukata Cassandra: "Laws of the deep, thy mistress commands: let mana's flow form a dam to stem the raging tide." —Barrier wall, activate! Yukata Cassandra: (It's no use! The water's coming too fast! It's going to break through!) Yukata Cassandra: Huh?! What's—? Villager: The water's receding. Are... Are we saved? Douleur: AWRIGHT, GRANDMA! You actually did it! Douleur: Not gonna lie, I gave up hope there for a hot minute, but you came in clutch. Adrenaline's a helluva drug, I guess! Yukata Cassandra: How strange. I felt powerful mana surge through me. But where did it come from? Douleur: Aw, worry about that later. You just saved a whole village, woman! Douleur: Which means their grudge goes out the window and we get to BOOK it back to the land of the liv— Village Girl: I won't let you. Not until every last iota of the pain I felt wracks your feeble body. Yukata Cassandra: What...? Village Girl: I've been through this over and over, waiting to hear his answer. Village Girl: Over...and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and overnadoverandoverandoverandoverand Douleur: Uhhhh... I'm gettin' some reeeal psycho vibes from this one, Cass. Village Girl: You think some water hurt that day? ...Hee. Hee ha ha... Ah ha ha ha ha... aH ha hA Ha Ahh Ha hA HA ha ah HA AH HA HA HA hA Yukata Cassandra: Ngh?! This suffocating aura! So evil. Is she— Village Girl: Offer their lives as tribute to me, my people. Let them suffer as we have! Villagers: NroooOOOoooargh! Douleur: Okay, I'm all for a sensible costume change, but this is getting very NOT OKAY. Yukata Cassandra: We're running, Douleur! Douleur: All right, spill. What's WITH that chick?! Yukata Cassandra: A soul stained black by grief—a ghast. I was wrong about what's happening here. Yukata Cassandra: This place isn't a manifestation of the villagers' collective memories. It's the work of a single ghast. Douleur: Then what are the rest of them? Yukata Cassandra: Poor souls trapped in the prison of her memories, condemned to play their parts in the recurring drama of her final hours. Yukata Cassandra: Unless her grudge is dispelled, they can never return to where they belong. Douleur: What's the deal with ol' ghasty-gal, then? I thought she was all aggrieved from dying in the flood 40 years ago. Yukata Cassandra: No. Her real grief lies in— Douleur: Rgh, she's already caught up! What's the plan, Gran?!  ???: Over here. Yukata Cassandra: Who's there? Ah! You're—  ???: Hurry. This way... ???: This is my special place. It's a secret to everybody but me. Douleur: You don't say? Well, hopefully that buys us a little time, then. Douleur: Also, side note: Who the heck are you? Why are you helping us? Yukata Cassandra: When you led me by the hand, I couldn't help but notice yours was tiny and smooth. "Moisturized," even. Yukata Cassandra: The puzzle pieces are finally clicking into place. You were the one who put the note in that handkerchief. Yukata Cassandra: I have questions, little one. About your big sister. Girl: ...Okay. Episode 5 A Maiden's Sadness My sister changed once she died. She's been keeping all the villagers trapped here, forcing us to repeat that day over and over. The only thing worse than seeing her so miserable was knowing that I couldn't help her. But there was a glimmer of hope. Girl: Someone from the outside found their way in again? Girl: If my sister finds her, she'll make sure this lady shares our fate. Girl: Wait... But she's protected—by some powerful force. Maybe it's enough to keep my sister from noticing... Douleur: Easy with the mitts, babe. I'm a...feather duster kinda guy... Zzzzz...zing... Girl: It talked?! No way. That lady's not normal if she's got something like this. Girl: Maybe... Maybe she can help us. Douleur: So you figured Cassandra here was your best shot at de-ghasting your sister, huh? Douleur: But you couldn't let the little psycho catch wind of that plan, so you hid me in that drawer. Sure. Fine. I get it. Douleur: But tearing my body to shreds just so you can leave the old bag a HINT?! You're worse than a greasy-fingered toddler manhandling a picture book! Girl: Eep! I-I'm sorry. Yukata Cassandra: Oh, grow up, Douleur. She was desperate. Yukata Cassandra: Then you were the one watching me as I inspected the barrier surrounding this village. And when the old woman was harping on me about having a drink... Girl: I snuck around behind so nobody would see me and shoved my sister into you. Yukata Cassandra: You're my little heroine, you know that? I promise to fix all this. Sorceress's honor. Douleur: Let's back it up a second here. What's she so torqued about in the first place? Girl: I always thought she got this way because she was so sad about dying... Yukata Cassandra: ...... Village Girl: I've been through this over and over, waiting to hear his answer. Yukata Cassandra: Is your sister's friend trapped here in this world with you? The boy. Girl: No. I don't think so. Yukata Cassandra: Did you notice anything different between the two of them, leading up to the festival? Girl: Different? Hmm. Well, actually... Yukata Cassandra: ...I see. Thank you. That solves the mystery of what's spurring her to gruesome action. Douleur: It does? Yukata Cassandra: Yes. It's a sentiment I know well. Painfully so, even. Yukata Cassandra: I'm going to go talk to her. You two stay here. Girl: She should be at the riverside. I'll teach you a way to get there without being seen. Yukata Cassandra: Thank you, dearie. And don't worry. I promise I'll help your sister. Village Girl: You come willingly to the slaughter? Hee hee. What a foolish woman. Yukata Cassandra: It hurts to look at you. To see you clinging so desperately to such a fragile possibility. Yukata Cassandra: You've thrown all logic out the window, the perceptions of others be damned. ...It's like gazing into a mirror. Village Girl: Don't talk as if you understand. What could you possibly know about me? Yukata Cassandra: You told him how you feel. Your friend. You confessed your love to him before the festival. Yukata Cassandra: And he said he'd give you his reply today. Village Girl: How—How do you know that?! Yukata Cassandra: It's the curse of being a genius sorceress, dearie. I see everything. Yukata Cassandra: So you broke your little sister's heart and made plans to meet with him instead. Yukata Cassandra: But he never arrived. Then the flash flood came, and your time was up. Village Girl: ...... Yukata Cassandra: Still, you needed to hear his reply. And so you repeated that fateful day, again and again. But in the end... Village Girl: This time will be different! This time, for sure, he'll— Yukata Cassandra: He didn't come to the festival at all that day. Wasn't caught in the flood. He isn't among the dead here, dearie. Yukata Cassandra: But I suspect you knew that from the start. That he yet walks upon the earth. Village Girl: No! Yukata Cassandra: You couldn't face that truth. Couldn't bear to accept it. Even if it meant damning an entire village to suffer alongside you. Village Girl: Then what was I supposed to do?! Village Girl: Even if he turned me down, there would always be another chance so long as I lived to see another day. But now... Village Girl: There's nothing left—not even the faintest glimmer of hope! Sadness is an abyss, and it has swallowed me whole! Yukata Cassandra: I'm not so callous as to say "get over him." But think about what you're clinging to. Yukata Cassandra: Think of what he would say if he saw you now. Would he love what you've become? Village Girl: What I've become... Ha ha, who could love this? My soul's stained dark as pitch. Yukata Cassandra: But it need not get any darker. Village Girl: ...Maybe so. Maybe... You're right after all... Yukata Cassandra: In truth, I'm in no position to lecture. You and I are one and the same. Cassandra: Ah, we're back. Douleur: Once little miss psycho returned to the source of mana, we made it out. Looks like the other souls were freed, too. Cassandra: Good. That's good... Girl: Thank you, nice witch. And Mr. Douleur and the other guy, too. Cassandra: Heh. My pleasure, dearie. But who do you mean by "other guy"? Girl: The one who was protecting you. He was strong as a dragon! Cassandra: A dragon? No... Girl: I should be going, too. Bye bye, and thanks again! Douleur: She's returned to mana now, too. Cassandra: That's our cue, Douleur. The comfort of home awaits. Douleur: There's just one thing bugging me, Cass. Douleur: Why were you wearing that yukata in their memories? Cassandra: Maybe it was because of this. I had it stashed in my pocket. Douleur: A Shadowwyrm scale? Cassandra: It's one of the ingredients I need to bring that old fool back. It houses his mana. Cassandra: Perhaps that selfsame mana manifested as the yukata I wore—to keep me safe. Heh... Makes for a pleasant daydream, if nothing else. Douleur: Yeah, real romantic for a gal your age. ...Huh? Somebody's coming this way. Elder: Well, this is quite the chance encounter. Did you come from the old abandoned village, miss? Cassandra: Something like that. Do you have business there? Elder: Just paying my respects. An old friend of mine sleeps there—one I made a promise to a long, long time ago... Cassandra: Wait. Surely you're not... Elder: It was about four decades ago. Work had taken me to the next village over, and I was hurrying home to meet my friend, but the roads were closed due to heavy rain. Elder: Getting stranded like that wound up saving my life, but she wasn't so lucky. I lost her without ever getting the chance to tell her something important. Elder: So I come back every year to offer a prayer and repeat my answer to her. I can only hope it reaches her up in heaven. Elder: ...Bah, what am I droning on about? I'm sure you've no interest in hearing an old man's regrets. Cassandra: You might be surprised, dearie. And I'm sure she hears you loud and clear. Cassandra: Here. You can give this flower to her, if you like. Elder: Is that a hibiscus? That's mighty kind of you. You don't mind letting me have it? Cassandra: It's yours. I've come to realize it doesn't take a flower for one's feelings to bear fruit.

Official Profile

Posted by the Dragalia Lost Twitter account on May 7, 2022.

• Hobbies: Listening to young folk talk of romance
• Talents: Developing magic
• Likes: Tea
• Dislikes: Stuffiness