Snow Globe
Inside Liv's M.I.N.D.
Time Unknown
The last cluster of attacking thorns shatters under the lotus wheel and gunfire, and silence temporarily returns to the palace gates.
Just as you are about to crouch down for a closer look, Liv grabs your wrist, stopping you with an almost prescient caution.
Let me inspect it first, Commandant. It's better to be cautious.
Liv picks up a piece of thorn, and the pale spikes slowly dissolve in her hands before transforming into a delicate branch that seems to be carved from ice.
The moment Liv withdraws her hand, sharp thorns reclaim the delicate branch.
So the purification isn't permanent...
She gazes into the dimly lit palace, then retrieves a broken mechanical component from behind her and releases it. The part rises on its own, trembling as it drifts toward the grand doors.
Within the doorway, a small mechanoid with damaged legs and glowing red eyes stumbles out from the dark. Catching the flying component, it emits a series of noises before scurrying back into the palace.
Yes. And... I remember them.
Liv looks up, gazing thoughtfully at the intricate cluster of buildings. Her eyes drift over the frozen lake and the swan statues along its shore as she begins to speak softly.
This palace, this lake... they're from a dream I used to imagine for myself when I was little.
After saying goodnight and slipping under the covers, I'd enter another world: housekeeping robots would host tea parties, ice crystals would grow like plants, and there were so many dancing swans...
This place was meant to be a sanctuary without danger.
Before you can gather your thoughts, a bundle of black feathers comes plummeting down from above.
Look out!
Sob... Princess, I've finally found you again...
Liv catches and gently sets down the girl in butler attire. The moment her little legs touch the ground, she lets out a soft cry and hugs Liv's legs.
I am! Thank you for saving me!
After she thanks you, Othilde turns her gaze back to Liv, stepping back to look her up and down before blinking twice.
Princess, you've grown so much... You look like you've traveled a very long road. Has... has it been a long time out there?
...Yes. So long that I... I thought I'd forgotten how to find my way back.
Liv bends down to meet Othilde's gaze. The black swan butler shakes her head, steps forward, cups Liv's face in both hands, and her eyes suddenly are filled with determination.
That's not true! This world was created by your wish, Your Highness. No matter how much you change, you will always find your way back here, for I promised to always wait for you.
We care for each other, which means we always face our challenges together! I... I'm not afraid of the Red Sorcerer anymore. We will fight back!
Two pairs of sparkling eyes, one at adult height and one much lower, turn toward you. Othilde tugs at the hem of Liv's clothes and becomes flustered, as if suddenly remembering something.
I'm so sorry! I forgot to ask your name, my kind savior. Her Highness has never brought anyone from the outside world here before.
A hint of surprised amusement flashes in Liv's eyes, seemingly not expecting you to adopt the Snow Globe's vocabulary so quickly. She lightly touches her fingertips to her lips and gives a soft smile.
This is Gray Raven Commandant, a powerful wizard who the people outside adore.
Whoa! What kind of magic can you do? Appear in multiple places at once? Turn back time? Don't tell me... you have magic that can save the world!
The commandant's greatest magic is a heart full of hope.
The silver-haired girl folds her hands over her chest, her eyes gazing at you with both tranquility and pride.
In the darkest depths, in the blackest night, the commandant's heart shines like a beacon in the storm, guiding everyone toward salvation.
It was the commandant who reawakened my ability to wish.
The black swan butler widens her eyes and nods, her small face growing serious as she straightens her coat and extends her hand toward you.
Since Her Highness says so, that makes us comrades-in-arms!
Let me start from the beginning. A long time after Princess Liv was gone, a crimson tide seeped in from the outside, bringing with it the Red Sorcerer.
Wherever the Red Sorcerer walked, plants mutated into thorns that blocked paths, guardians turned into thugs, the lake froze solid, and other swan fairies disappeared!
Liv's expression darkens for a moment before she leans close to your ear and softly shares her theory.
I'm afraid that the Red Sorcerer... is the embodiment of what's happening outside the Snow Globe. Not the Punishing Virus itself, but rather its reflection cast within my M.I.N.D.
No way! The Red Sorcerer already controls this world. If you go after them directly, you'll face endless waves of trouble coming to disrupt your plans!
These troubles keep regenerating because the Red Sorcerer has sealed away the three magical wishes Her Highness used to create this world.
If we defeat all the corruption the Red Sorcerer caused and help Her Highness reclaim those wishes, defeating the Red Sorcerer will be much easier!
I know their locations. The [Wish of Progress] is sealed in the thorny labyrinth, the [Wish of Home] is sealed deep within the palace, and the [Wish of Union] is sealed beneath the frozen lake.
I'm not quite sure how to unseal them though... Since I couldn't defeat the Red Sorcerer and couldn't let go of my frustration, I've just been scouting ahead...
Noticing the black swan butler's dejection, Liv cups the swan's tiny face in her hands and gently strokes her with a smile.
You've already helped us tremendously. Don't worry, the commandant and I are quite good at adapting to whatever comes our way.
For Operation Wish Recovery, I'd like to hear which of these three locations you think we should tackle first, my trusted Scout.
Othilde nods eagerly at these words.
Your Highness was so elegant when cutting through those thorns earlier! Your gardening skills clearly haven't gotten rusty! How about we make the labyrinth our first stop?
Her lotus wheel orbits around her as she smiles at you with confident eyes, giving a determined nod.
It's time for a thorough cleanup of this place.
The entrance to the thorny labyrinth resembles a giant beast's throat, with twisted branches forming an archway. Thick mist shrouds the space, and light can barely penetrate.
Othilde takes a tentative step forward, but quickly pulls back the moment the thorns begin to writhe. She looks as if she wishes she could transform back into a swan on the spot and fly away.
Don't force yourself if you're scared.
B-but a proper butler should always remain by Your Highness' side...
In my opinion, doing what you're capable of to the best of your ability is what it means to be "proper."
You've explained this place very clearly, which makes you a proper guide, doesn't it? Now it's our turn to do what we do best.
Okay!
Be careful! The labyrinth might create illusions to trick you. Whatever you do, don't get separated!
You and Liv wave goodbye to Othilde as you enter the labyrinth. Immediately, thorns behind you grow wildly, forming an impenetrable wall in the blink of an eye and completely cutting off your exit.
The paths in this labyrinth shift, and with this thick fog and those illusions Othilde mentioned... We should stay connected, just to be safe.
Liv tilts her head and reaches back to pull a ribbon from her hair. Wrapping it securely around her wrist, she extends her ribbon-bound hand toward you.
We just need to tie our wrists together. Would you mind raising your hand, Commandant?
Liv wraps the ribbon with the focused fluidity of someone applying a bandage, thoughtfully leaving enough slack for both of you to move independently before securing it with a knot.
Of course.
A faint pink blush rises to her cheeks as she lifts your connected hands.
Her movements are focused and fluid as she ties the ribbon. When it proves difficult to do so one-handed, you assist silently. Relying only on understanding, you bind your clasped hands together securely and snugly.
As the ribbon is secured, light flows from both your palms, winding down to your feet and transforming into a radiant golden thread that pierces through the thick fog ahead, as if creating a path just for the two of you.
Perhaps in my M.I.N.D., the right path is wherever the heart leads.
And I can always see the path to get there clearly when I'm by your side.
You follow the golden thread side by side. The winding path remains peaceful, with the soft crunching of footsteps on snow the only sound you can hear. Trying to reorient herself, Liv speaks up quietly after a while.
Seeing this palace surrounded by thorns reminds me of an old story.
In the tale, a princess was put under a sleeping spell by a spindle, and everyone in the castle fell into a deep slumber.
When my mother told me this story before bed, she would always raise her index finger, pretend it was the needle from the story, and gently tap my forehead.
Her eyelashes flutter gently as the warmth of her memories is reflected on her face.
Strangely enough, I would always fall into the deepest sleep whenever she did that.
As if surprised by your childlike response, Liv lets out a delighted laugh.
Next time you stay up all night working on documents, I might just try it on you.
Just as you're about to raise your hand and promise that you've been following a healthy schedule lately, you notice the maze walls beside you begin to subtly distort and emit an almost imperceptible humming sound.
The humming grows into continuous waves. It sounds so close that it seems to press against your ear, yet so distant it might be coming from another dimension. Layer upon layer, the same voice speaks over and over again.
I'm so sorry...
...What else is there to offer?
[player name]... Commandant...
Commandant!
Your vision suddenly clears, and you find Liv's gem-like eyes just inches away from you. She is holding your face in her hands, her expression filled with concern.
I can feel the seal close by. The maze's will has been provoked by our golden thread, and now it's trying to disrupt our perception.
You heard me... my past self, didn't you?
The understanding in the girl's eyes clearly conveys that she too heard the same voices as you. Just as her words fade, the painful whispers within her M.I.N.D. begin to echo faintly once again.
It's all in the past. We've made it through that difficult journey together, and I'm right here by your side.
...Your eyes tell a different story.
No.
Her voice remains gentle, yet as firm as a river stone that even the torrents of time cannot erode.
No one, in any form whatsoever, will be allowed to make my commandant feel sad in my world.
Her fingertips caress just below your ear, gently guiding you to lower your head until your foreheads touch.
Close your eyes, and imagine you can only hear me speaking to you right now.
For the final stretch of our journey, it's my turn to guide you forward.
With your vision gone, your other senses become infinitely heightened.
The warmth of her palm, the familiar honeysuckle fragrance in her hair, the slight tickle of her breath against your skin as she speaks.
Your ribbon-bound wrist is gently pulled forward. The whispers and illusions are shut out, and the universe shrinks to contain only Liv's guidance and her voice.
Three steps forward, then two steps to the left.
That's it.
Liv leads you by the hand with gentle, unhurried steps. You've lost all sense of how long you've been walking when she finally comes to a stop.
You can open your eyes now.
A meadow untouched by snow gradually comes into view. Pale blue, almost translucent flowers scatter like stars above the green foliage of early spring, as if forgotten by winter and forever suspended in a single moment.
In the center of the meadow lies a bed made of flower petals, perfectly still and completely empty.
Do you remember the story I just told you? The princess sleeps peacefully, waiting for the destined hero to brave the thorny path and wake everyone from their slumber.
I don't want to wait anymore. I've already found the strength to wake up on my own.
—Instead, the hero and I have braved the thorns together to reach this place.
She leads you to the center of the clearing and kneels down.
Together, your bound hands rest upon the flower bed.
In an instant, the flower bed dissolves into specks of light, stirring gentle breezes that swirl around you and Liv. The winds gather petals from the meadow and carry them toward the maze.
Wherever the wind and petals pass, sharp thorns transform into leafy branches, tangled knots unravel into vines, and curses lift from the sprawling brambles, as they make way for the life that should have always existed.
As it turns out, ice crystals growing into towering trees and snow blossoming into flowers create a beauty that rivals even the splendor of spring.
The [Wish of Progress] has come true.
