Speak with Alice.

After everybody clears away and returns to their business, you take Alice aside and sit down with her on a bench set along the cobblestone street weaving through the area within the walls. She's more than willing to come with you, especially after what you explained to everyone earlier. Her existence is a mystery, and after everything, it feels like that mystery has only thickened.

She speaks up first, much to your surprise. "Kyle, what do you think of me?"

You look to her--into her swirling blue eyes. She may be a magic android, but there's no doubt in your mind. "You're a cute, strong, kind-hearted girl. What kind of question is that?"

Her cheeks glow with energy. "Speaking so boldly will make me embarrassed."

"You're asking because of what happened, aren't you? Hearing there's a second you."

"Perhaps more. I am but a single creation of Elok Daven. Abandoned. For all I know he has a hundred others that are not only like me, but better than me. What if I am an out-dated model?"

"People don't become out-dated unless they let themselves be, Alice. You're not an object. And if there are a bunch of others, I guess they're kinda like..."

"Sisters?" she asks. "I would like to meet them one day. It is not impossible they have the same level of comprehension as I do. Though, it is equally possible that they are not sentient. Objects. I think we owe it to them to find out, however, when the time comes."

"I understand."

"What was he like?" she asks. "My memories are faint. In my mind, he was a wonderful, brilliant elf, capable of creating anything he put his mind towards. But the more I ponder, the more I worry that my thoughts are false. I can not trust my own memories if I was built by the same man in question."

"Cocky. Elitist. But he was calm and composed. In a way where it felt like he was planning a lot more than he was saying. The girl Breiah though talked down to him, like she was the brains behind it. I can't tell if they're manipulating each other or he's actually just a complete push-over and my first impressions were all wrong. I know Vivi once said her sister was trying to make him a Demon King. Weird team chemistry."

"Still brilliant enough to create all of those metallic creatures."

"And you."

"Yet without him, I may never find out more about my body. There is nobody here with the knowledge to do such a thing."

"You don't need him to learn about yourself, Alice. Screw that guy. We'll figure it out together. The fact that you're questioning right now proves that you're not just an object, and I know very well that you have emotions like everybody else."

After a moment of silence, she looks to you and gently places her hand on your leg. "Kyle... I have been selfish. It is not just me. Elok Daven may have created me, but it was he and Breiah that created you in a manner of speaking. Delphi too was partially their creation. We are all confused and uncertain about who we truly are. That is why I look up to you both. I feel as if I am moping around while you two continue to fight despite that uncertainty."

"I guess we're not so different, huh? The three of us have things in common we never really thought we'd have."

You look up to see the witch Vivi stroll down the path towards you--point of her cap bouncing along with her steps. The two of you cease conversation as the privacy comes to an end, but you doubt Vivi cares all that much. She's a mischievous one, sometimes almost childishly so, perhaps from many years of boredom. Though whenever you look into her eyes, you can see the gaze of one who has seen many things in her time.

"You lovebirds don't need to stop on my account," she jests. Then she sticks out her tongue.

"What? B-But, I... We just--" Alice stumbles over her words.

"Sorry, Alice. Didn't mean to interrupt. I overheard part of the conversation, and I just wanted to check in. I heard you met my sister, Kyle. My other one. The sister that didn't become a vengeful, perverted spirit."

"I did, yeah," you reply.

"You're probably hoping I have some insight, but I haven't seen her in a long time. All I know is what I told you last time. She was trying to build up some elven mage to the title of Demon King, who I guess is Elok Daven. It unnerves me. You talked about little automatons in your speech. Daven is known as a brilliant inventor, and he's worked along side Breiah enough to pierce through worlds and create their own classes, I worry about what we've yet to see. He made Alice here, and that was probably on his own. But were those other constructs as cute as her?"

"Oh, uh." You turn to Alice who is suddenly looking at you intently. "Of course not. They were like metal bugs."

She smiles and rests her hands calmly down on her lap. "Thank you."

"You could maybe explain how you and two other girls have lived for so long, still appear young, and are powerful mages," you say.

Vivi crosses her arms and scowls. "You can't ask for a girl's beauty tricks! We're not close enough to discuss such things."

I feel like I just failed a stat check prompt in a visual novel. "I don't know. We've gotten pretty close a few times," you mutter.

She sighs and speaks quietly. "Look, Kyle... I've lived a complicated life, and I'd really rather not talk about it. You wouldn't gain anything useful from that knowledge anyway. The fact of the matter is that Breiah is very intelligent, and those two have achieved ground-breaking feats. The only connections I have to seek more information is this ring that might not even be honoured anymore, but you've met a lot of people. If you want to know more about what you can do, maybe we should send word to the Circle. I feel like they'd want to know about this. Of course, that's only if you trust them enough with that information. We haven no guarantee there aren't members with connections to Demon Kings, or even Elok specifically."

"Perhaps it will help clear your name," Alice chimes in. "For them to be made aware of what you are."

"I'll sleep on it. There are a lot of things to think about between that, the other Demon Kings, and possible quests to find some treasure so that we can continue to sustain ourselves out here. I'm a little nervous about sending a letter with sensitive information, especially since there's a new king on the throne I don't fully trust."

"When I go check things out, I can leave a message somewhere," says Vivi. "Maybe with someone you trust more than the rest."

You think for a moment. "Lady Sulta. She can open portals, so maybe she'd be willing to come meet with me directly."

"Who's that?"

"The current Acting Grand Master of Redbloom Academy. She's the one that gave us the book to create the weapon that took down Sa'dis."

"At least she shouldn't be hard to find then. Just be aware I'm not exactly used to this stuff. I might have been around for awhile, but when you found me in the forest that day, I hadn't been to a city in so long. I don't really have any allies to speak to or knowledge that will help me. All I can do is speak to the guards of the royal castle and hope for the best. If they try to capture me, I'll make sure to get out of there."

You nod. "Just be careful."