Don't worry! I know not to wreck things in people's hearts! Everyone's always said not to break anything or hurt anyone. Not even if it's dangerous. Although I guess eating the cookies in Eve-san's heart didn't count because we were allowed to do that...
[She pauses. Tilts her head.]
I guess I am human, yeah. [Technically.] He doesn't like them?
It is maybe not a matter of "breaking"... in the literal sense. Though that is very good if you don't.
( "Shinou" had once indirectly offered ""Yuuri"" "food" within a dream himself in Shinou's fabrications, so Shinou's not exactly one to Talk there... )
[ beat-- ]
"Like" is truly an understatement. Until very recently, Wolfram -- and many of Wolfram's kind -- loathed them.
And for very good reason.
[ beat ] The humans of our world actively discriminate against Wolfram's kind.
Edited ({in Somarium AU} basically everything from animeverse including part 2 ending = Shinou's fabrications that Wolfram feels is Like A Dream now) 2026-01-02 02:19 (UTC)
And in some 4000+ years of our world's time, the humans hadn't changed at all.
They even have a type of stone they activelymine -- "Houseki" -- that can near completely seal the abilities of Wolfram's kind on ""their land"" and also cause them immensepain --
-- the stronger they are, the more painandill feelings they canfeel from it.
It's used as a 'sanctioned' method of torture in the human lands of Wolfram's world, though many of them do not view it as such.
A significant amount of them seem to seeno problem with this kind of thing, be it using it during war or inpersonalmatters.
That Wolfram's views changed from sheerloathing at all was honestly a hugely impressivefeat in itself, that mainly one other person has managed to achieve in "changing" Wolfram's views.
( and now here she has come in somehow... )
... But even their efforts are futile in the long run.
Edited ({+implied spoilers from "Seisa{koku}/{Country}" arc of novels aka arc with character Saralegui--}) 2026-01-02 02:41 (UTC)
[Rinku makes a worried noise. She shakes her head vigorously.]
I don't think it's futile to try and make things better. If people hate you or hurt you, it's better if they learn not to. And if hurting him would destroy the world, isn't that also a reason to not do it aside from that they already shouldn't?
I don't get which parts of my logic don't follow, though.
[Rinku shakes her head.]
Just because there are bad people doesn't mean there aren't good ones. I'm sure it's not just me working to save everyone out there. Davis-san's got people who love him. He told me so himself, he was surprised at how many people here trust him and like to be around him. So if a part of him's still around, there's got to be people fighting to save him! And save everyone else!
Not allowing such affairs of humans to interfere with your life at all.
( beat )
That was Wolfram's view, too. [ beat ]
Deep down, he probably still believesit, too. But he's been holding himself back.
What Wolfram showed you of himself before was a concentrated mask to conceal his known identity within Shin Makoku and his true feelings on these matters. Wolfram knows if you knew the truth, you wouldn't have wanted to befriend "one like him" at all. Much less entertain such fanciful ideas as "love" or especially "loving more than one person".
Because "loving" one like Wolfram comes with a huge responsibility attached.
[Rinku's eyes go wide. She takes some of it in, but when the person in front of her talks about hiding away from humans, about not taking risks and not making connections, she shakes her head.]
I don't care if he's marrying a king. Or if he's not human. Lots of people aren't human. And maybe I wouldn't've assumed that, but I wouldn't've just assumed it's not true, either. There are all kinds of things in all kinds of different worlds. Why would one seem like the only thing there could be?
What I do know is making friends, no matter what species they are, and reaching out so you're not lonely -- that's important. If you don't have any connections, it's too painful. And aren't you trying to protect him from pain? From things that would hurt him?
You claim you "do not care" if he is marrying a king, but the truth is, you would care.
You would mind if getting close to him would impact your own lifetoo much to return from.
It's expected of commoners. When they see the actual responsibilities attached to a position like Wolfram's, it's understandable they would rather no longer want tobe associatedwithhim.
( some of the stuff Wolfram mentioned back when they danced may make slightly more sense by here, now-- )
No one reasonable would blame you for turning your back to a life such as that. Not even Wolfram.
( Except Shinou is FAR FROM "Reasonable" most of the time??.... )
Moreover, you do not understand the true nature of even the Maou that Wolfram's "marrying".
There are also reasons why Wolfram concealed that information, but what Wolfram implied about it being a "marriage of convenience" was not wholly incorrect.
Because it's partly a political marriage. ( beat )
Because the half-human that the Maou has chosen to reside in refuses to deeply consider the fact that he could truly "love" Wolfram out of a constant, never-ending fear of how others would perceive them and the life they've begun to create with their daughter.
Others who live at Shin Makoku and this castle where Wolfram grew up see this fear in the king -- not knowing of the true situations behind it -- and they avoid Wolfram in turn, believing Wolfram to be involved in a loveless marriage to the point he's become a target of mockery amongst many citizens, even other demons who live at the castle. The rumors have even spread as far as to have reached the human lands.
Because "if even the Maou doesn't fully want Wolfram"...
The king that Wolfram's "marrying" knows this, too.
He knows that regardless of his "efforts", there's the lingering possibility that himself and Wolfram will always face discrimination in their shared world of Shin Makoku and especially his home world even far after he's gone.
... So "what's the point" of "trying" in those ways, as the king might ask himself?
[A lot of this speech seems to have some effect on Rinku. She goes through a series of expressions: worry, resolute frown, shaking her head, fretting again. But then the person in Wolfram's head asks his question.]
Why would it be pointless if it's hard?
[She gulps and continues.]
All this hate, stuff your world and my world and Wolfram-san's boyfriend's world from the sound of it have to go through, that's just causing more problems. If something is that bad, it's worth changing and fixing.
And of course it's possible that might last forever, but if you or I or they don't try, then it's definitely gonna. So why not work to make the world better? And if you do it, other people who are scared, other people who are struggling, they're going to think, "Hey, I'm not the only one."
I don't get some of the stuff you say, sure. Like how of course he's gonna have a lot of responsibilities. Don't lots of people have responsibilities? Why would that keep other people away? Besides, if you have a lot of friends and other people close to you, maybe they can help you if you let them. Being in charge of so much, you gotta let others help anyway.
So the answer to all your questions is the same. No one person can do it, but we're all people. We can work together, so we gotta. Being a person is all there is.
1/? Wait for It {+I can't resist this bit-} (My Face When I saw it was Kagepro lyrics...)
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Don't worry! I know not to wreck things in people's hearts! Everyone's always said not to break anything or hurt anyone. Not even if it's dangerous. Although I guess eating the cookies in Eve-san's heart didn't count because we were allowed to do that...
[She pauses. Tilts her head.]
I guess I am human, yeah. [Technically.] He doesn't like them?
1/? Wait for It
It is maybe not a matter of "breaking"... in the literal sense. Though that is very good if you don't.
( "Shinou" had once indirectly offered ""Yuuri"" "food" within a dream himself in Shinou's fabrications, so Shinou's not exactly one to Talk there... )
[ beat-- ]
"Like" is truly an understatement. Until very recently, Wolfram -- and many of Wolfram's kind -- loathed them.
And for very good reason.
[ beat ] The humans of our world actively discriminate against Wolfram's kind.
2/? (light tw: passing mention of torture+war)
They even have a type of stone they actively mine -- "Houseki" -- that can near completely seal the abilities of Wolfram's kind on ""their land"" and also cause them immense pain --
-- the stronger they are, the more pain and ill feelings they can feel from it.
It's used as a 'sanctioned' method of torture in the human lands of Wolfram's world, though many of them do not view it as such.
A significant amount of them seem to see no problem with this kind of thing, be it using it during war or in personal matters.
[ beat b e a t b E A T... ]
3/? (tw for images: blood from scratches)
That Wolfram's views changed from sheer loathing at all was honestly a hugely impressive feat in itself, that mainly one other person has managed to achieve in "changing" Wolfram's views.
( and now here she has come in somehow... )
... But even their efforts are futile in the long run.
4/4
... Because if the humans ever get their hands on Wolfram, in the wrong manner --
( or the other three ""keys""-- )
-- ... It could still end up destroying their world regardless of Wolfram's personal feelings.
They, for the most part, are in the dark, with almost no clue. It's better it's kept that way.
( His gaze continues to bore into her. Does she understand the weight of these words?? )
no subject
I don't think it's futile to try and make things better. If people hate you or hurt you, it's better if they learn not to. And if hurting him would destroy the world, isn't that also a reason to not do it aside from that they already shouldn't?
1/? Wait for It!!
Oh my. Well, you're not completely wrong there, but some of your logic does not appear to follow.
[ b E A T ]
( THIS will be FUN. To think he's found someone even more clueless than SHIBUYA YUURI on matters like These... )
2/? she gets Shinou Points for These at least--
For the reasons you state is correct, as well. "Because hurting him would destroy the world, ... "they already shouldn't."
( beat beat beat beat b E A T-- )
3/3
-- ... would agree to that?? ...
... Much less all the humans -- Otherworlders -- of this "Ellipsa"?...
... After all, you've already been directly harmed -- or you wouldn't be here right now.
If Wolfram had been in the area of your vicinity when that happened, it would have spelled immediate disaster.
( It might have even seemed standoffish that Wolfram hadn't shown at all even as support earlier, but now all this... )
no subject
[Rinku shakes her head.]
Just because there are bad people doesn't mean there aren't good ones. I'm sure it's not just me working to save everyone out there. Davis-san's got people who love him. He told me so himself, he was surprised at how many people here trust him and like to be around him. So if a part of him's still around, there's got to be people fighting to save him! And save everyone else!
1/? Wait for It
... And "if a part of him" wasn't "still around"??
If that "somebody" who harmed him was still around?
If that same "somebody" began hurting others you care for?? Perhaps, many of them??
[ BEAT... BEAT... BEAT... ]
2/?
{ That would have even more immediately spelled potential disaster -- and thrown a wrench in Shinou's plans }
[ if the Maou had been inclined to show up... ]
Your faith in your friend is commendable, but it is perhaps slightly misplaced.
You cannot trust everyone around you to act exactly as you expect they would.
Such "beings" -- humans, or those like Wolfram's kind -- have a way of defying your expectations when you least expect it --
-- which again will hurt you in the long run to presume such things of them.
3/? Wait for It
... Isn't there perhaps an easier way of handling such matters??
( beat )
{ beat }
[ b e A T-- ]
4/?
Or making more of an effort to not place yourself in such danger to begin with.
Or...
( Tense Pause-- )
5/? {And Shinou Continues To Be An Asshole-}
Not allowing such affairs of humans to interfere with your life at all.
( beat )
That was Wolfram's view, too. [ beat ]
Deep down, he probably still believes it, too. But he's been holding himself back.
What Wolfram showed you of himself before was a concentrated mask to conceal his known identity within Shin Makoku and his true feelings on these matters. Wolfram knows if you knew the truth, you wouldn't have wanted to befriend "one like him" at all.
Much less entertain such fanciful ideas as "love" or especially "loving more than one person".
Because "loving" one like Wolfram comes with a huge responsibility attached.
6/6
( beat )
That he's as good as officially "married" to "the Demon King" -- "Maou" -- of Shin Makoku.
{ Shinou emphasizes "Maou" as it'd sound in Japanese there }
[ beat ]
That HE'S a full blooded demon who only has a form similar to a human -- but is definitively not human.
-- Or he would have been "married" if it wasn't for this "Ellipsa" 'pulling' him from just moments before he could truly bind himself to the Maou.
( ... )
Is any of that things you would have presumed about Wolfram before this encounter?
no subject
I don't care if he's marrying a king. Or if he's not human. Lots of people aren't human. And maybe I wouldn't've assumed that, but I wouldn't've just assumed it's not true, either. There are all kinds of things in all kinds of different worlds. Why would one seem like the only thing there could be?
What I do know is making friends, no matter what species they are, and reaching out so you're not lonely -- that's important. If you don't have any connections, it's too painful. And aren't you trying to protect him from pain? From things that would hurt him?
1/? Wait for It~
... And is it really me trying to protect him...?
2/?
resting' on hands behind his back-- )-- Perhaps it's more like Wolfram trying to protect himself.
... Or, Wolfram's heart trying to protect him from self-destruction.
... Because he's been betrayed too many times in the past by both other demons and humans.
3/?
You would mind if getting close to him would impact your own life too much to return from.
It's expected of commoners. When they see the actual responsibilities attached to a position like Wolfram's, it's understandable they would rather no longer want to be associated with him.
( some of the stuff Wolfram mentioned back when they danced may make slightly more sense by here, now-- )
No one reasonable would blame you for turning your back to a life such as that. Not even Wolfram.
( Except Shinou is FAR FROM "Reasonable"
most of the time??.... )4/?
There are also reasons why Wolfram concealed that information, but what Wolfram implied about it being a "marriage of convenience" was not wholly incorrect.
Because it's partly a political marriage. ( beat )
Because the half-human that the Maou has chosen to reside in refuses to deeply consider the fact that he could truly "love" Wolfram out of a constant, never-ending fear of how others would perceive them and the life they've begun to create with their daughter.
Others who live at Shin Makoku and this castle where Wolfram grew up see this fear in the king -- not knowing of the true situations behind it -- and they avoid Wolfram in turn, believing Wolfram to be involved in a loveless marriage to the point he's become a target of mockery amongst many citizens, even other demons who live at the castle. The rumors have even spread as far as to have reached the human lands.
Because "if even the Maou doesn't fully want Wolfram"...
... who WOULD??
5/?
( and Shinou prominently sits back up as Shinou sat originally-- )
... Even knowing all of 'that'...
... It is immensely hard to change that many minds in such a lifetime, is it not?
Perhaps verging on the level of impossible for any one being to achieve.
6/6 {Icon more for Wolfram Feel}
He knows that regardless of his "efforts", there's the lingering possibility that himself and Wolfram will always face discrimination in their shared world of Shin Makoku and especially his home world even far after he's gone.
... So "what's the point" of "trying" in those ways, as the king might ask himself?
( and Shinou lets that question linger )
no subject
Why would it be pointless if it's hard?
[She gulps and continues.]
All this hate, stuff your world and my world and Wolfram-san's boyfriend's world from the sound of it have to go through, that's just causing more problems. If something is that bad, it's worth changing and fixing.
And of course it's possible that might last forever, but if you or I or they don't try, then it's definitely gonna. So why not work to make the world better? And if you do it, other people who are scared, other people who are struggling, they're going to think, "Hey, I'm not the only one."
I don't get some of the stuff you say, sure. Like how of course he's gonna have a lot of responsibilities. Don't lots of people have responsibilities? Why would that keep other people away? Besides, if you have a lot of friends and other people close to you, maybe they can help you if you let them. Being in charge of so much, you gotta let others help anyway.
So the answer to all your questions is the same. No one person can do it, but we're all people. We can work together, so we gotta. Being a person is all there is.
1/? Wait for It {+I can't resist this bit-} (My Face When I saw it was Kagepro lyrics...)
""Why"" would it "be pointless"?...
{ and Shinou again barks out a short chuckle, but this time, it definitely sounds... darker. }
... You continue to say such things, and yet, even in your ""duet"" "performance" --
( and Shinou mimicks the lyric, in the same drawling monotone, but it raises sharply at the end, almost as if he was singing it ):
"Don't even TRY to cry out, 'WHY'!!"
2/?
3/?
4/?
5/?
6/? Wait for Iiit
7/?
8/8
(no subject)
1/? (Honestly I wasn't sure if I could show him but if it seems okay I'll go ahead+be careful...!!)
2/? \o/ (if this is all okay so far!!-)
3/?
4/4
(no subject)
1/? Wait for It~
2/?
3/?
4/4
(no subject)
1/? Wait for It~
2/? Its a Best Yuuri Look/Reaction sorry-- /o\ \o/
3/? This Is Still ""Yuuri"" After All--
4/? This was a cute reaction style too hahaa... {He Can Get Quite Pouty}
5/?
6/?
7/? The truth Slipping Out
8/8 He's resorted to rambling....
(no subject)
1/? Yuuri Just Might Be Connecting Dots but his "mind" is Still Processing Everything-
2/? {Still Thinking It Through}
3/?
4/?
5/?
6/?
7/?
8/8
(no subject)
1/? (I at least kind of know why she does this now after seeing Ep1 hehee~)
2/?
3/3
(no subject)
1/?
2/? \o/ {He Is Having Epiphanies}
3/3 Yuuri Shibuya Is Still Slow AF
(no subject)
1/? (Wait for It)- {He's A Bit Conflicted}
2/?
3/? What Is Acknowledging Certain Other Feelings
4/?
5/? Wolf Why TF Aren't You Waking Up When He Needs You To?!??
6/? {Wolf is at least much more like icon right now currently}--
7/7
(no subject)
1/? {see the 'bAM' react from before--}
2/? Digging His Own Grave Too Possibly
3/?
4/?
5/?
6/?
7/?
8/8
(no subject)
1/? Wait for It
2/?
3/?
4/?
5/?
6/6
(no subject)
1/? /o\ /o\ \o\ \o/ /o/
2/?
3/?
4/?
5/?
6/?
7/?
8/?
9/?
10/10
(no subject)
1/? {Hold on-}
2/?
3/? Wait for It
4/? {In case it can ever become possible during future plots/events again hahaa....}
5/5
(no subject)
1/? Wait for It~
2/2