MY DRUNK OTOME GAME — THE NIFLHEIM+ PALE GHOST 08

So, at the end of chapter 7 Nick decided to be the brave/noble idiot and jump onto the tendril of the vortex in order to save MC from being absorbed.

He stands upon the tendril giving MC an “ephemeral smile,” and I cringe involuntarily because during my tortured phase in high school my AIM username was “EphemeralGrace.” Don’t you judge me.

MC decides to just straight-up jump and grab onto Nick so he’ll stop getting away to put himself in danger. Nick is displeased, but MC reasserts that she’s not going to accept either him being swallowed or Niflheim being swallowed. By God, she’s gonna find an alternative. She starts crying, acknowledging internally that she sounds not unlike a child throwing a tantrum. Nick insists that these are the only options, and that he’d like to stop acting pathetic around her and keep her safe.

MC blurts out, “If you love me… stay and protect me!” This gives Nick pause, and he gets out an “I love you” right as a tendril wraps around his legs.

Out of nowhere, the entire vortex rocks back and forth. The tendril starts writhing around before beginning to disappear from under them altogether. Both MC and Nick are confused, and then they hear King Jean’s voice from below:

Brother?!

There’s no explanation, because Jean is busy ordering archers to shoot at the vortex. It appears to be working. As the tendril disappears further, Nick grabs MC and jumps back onto the tower. He sets her down, and they immediately begin asking questions: Why do the arrows effect the vortex, when nothing from Niflheim was supposed to work on it? What the hell did King Jean mean about “brother?” Why do men have nipples? etc.

King Jean rushes up the tower to join our confused couple. MC immediately wants answers, but King Jean says to save it for when they’re in the clear and sweeps her up in his arms. [Jean touches MC without permission – 2 sips] Nick and MC both react to this with some hesitation, and Jean decides to taunt Nick about it.

You’re a lil’ shit, Jean, but you’re an amusing lil’ shit.

Once they’re out of dodge, MC asks to be put down. Jean pouts about it, but at least he does what she asks. MC and Nick want answers, dammit, and for once Jean is willing to give them. He’s remembered some things about his life before death. Specifically, he and Nick were the same person when they were alive.

All together now!

Back when Jean was floating in the void shortly after his death, his wishes created Niflheim. However, when that happened, his soul split in half. It also created a counterpart to Niflheim called Helheim.

King Jean: “Basically, Nick is my other half. We’re like twins.”

MC wonders if there’s any resemblance, so she looks at Nick. Then at Jean. Then at Nick. Finally she’s like

MC asks if this is why the king can hear Nick, and he just responds, “Prolly.” Nick is busy repeating over and over that he’s part of the king, clearly in disbelief. Suddenly he’s bathed in a blinding light, only to reappear… solid and no longer translucent?!

The King immediately sees Nick and flips out, in a positive way. He drops this pure gold reaction:

Nick immediately looks disappointed, saying that he can’t possibly mean him if the person he’s seeing is good-looking. Oh lawd. MC tries her best not to call him dumb and just assures him the king doesn’t mean anyone else. Nick tests Jean by asking how many fingers he’s holding up, and Jean’s not especially amused. [Nick can’t believe he’s not invisible anymore – 2 sips] Orlando joins them, and he can see Nick as well. Nick can’t believe it. [2 sips]

MC wonders why this happened, and Jean says that Nick’s inner acceptance of their relation to one another made him more real in Niflheim.

Orlando suggests Nick and Jean team up to get rid of the vortex, but Nick doesn’t seem to eager to do so. He still thinks the vortex probably won’t disappear unless he does. MC notes that the vortex appears to have gotten smaller, and Jean takes this as an excuse to just not do anything for the time being. Great.

Aside: Slap my ass and call me Betsy, Jean actually knows the plural form of “vortex.”

Jean’s like, “Whatevs, I dunno how to fix it anyway.” That’s paraphrasing, but it’s pretty close. Everyone’s dumbfounded, but also not surprised. Orlando laments having gotten his hopes up about the king’s competency in the first place, and I guess he’s technically justified there. He walks off mumbling about how he’ll handle it himself.

MC thinks on all this new information for a moment before snapping out of it and looking at Nick, who’s a nervous wreck. She tells him to stop freaking out and try to find some joy in being reunited with family. Jean agrees, saying that he’ll never let his brother disappear. He confidently proclaims he’ll find a solution to this whole debacle. (Um, didn’t he just give up on that? ) As he walks off, MC muses inwardly that she’d actually be attracted to the king if he acted so resolute and reasonable more often. Nick is much more impressed than she is.

…

Nick continues on to say that he totally can’t believe people can see him now. [2 sips] Suddenly, they hear a bunch of noise from down below. The people are all discussing the king’s new brother, smiling and holding one another’s hands. Cute! We get the choice to say they’re rejoicing or marvel at the commotion, and I choose to be sunny and point out that they’re rejoicing. Nick is in disbelief, but he seems quite happy. He points out that the people must love Jean because he “looks and acts cool.” He asks MC if she agrees.

MC: “He did seem that way a bit today.”

MC goes on to say that she actually thinks Nick is more wonderful, and that she appreciates how he vowed to protect her. She leans against him, and Nick can’t help but smile.

MC and Nick head back to the castle, and people keep nodding at both MC and Nick as they pass. Nick can’t believe it. […2 sips ] Just then, they run into Skeletiano. Skeletiano looks right at Nick. Nick TOTALLY CAN’T BELIEVE IT. [2 fucking sips for the love of-] Skeletiano’s reaction is, as always, complete gold. He claims he thought he was looking in a mirror for a moment.

Nick doesn’t believe he’s good-looking, and MC’s already tired of hearing it. Skeletiano explains that they’re having a ball to celebrate the king’s new sibling.

…Er. Y’all just gonna ignore the massive swirling void threatening to consume all you hold dear? Okay, have fun at the party I guess.

Orlando comes to order MC to change into a dress he picked, so she can be “properly attired.” Apparently he’s not gonna say fuck all about Nick’s nipple scarf, though, and he even calls him “Lord.” Even Nick thinks it’s awkward. [Orlando is an asshole – 1 sip] MC and Nick head back to MC’s room, and he stands outside while she gets changed. Her dress is sedate and lovely, but she can’t help but feel sad and uncomfortable. It’s clear the title of “fiancee of the king” doesn’t sit well with her now, if it ever did to begin with. Nick comes back in and responds in a very lukewarm fashion when she asks how she looks in the dress, which only serves to depress her further.

She’s visibly upset, and Nick immediately softens. He admits she actually looks wonderful, and that he just responded the way he did due to jealousy. Just then, Skeletiano knocks at the door and announces that he, the most handsome man in all of Niflheim, is here as the princess’s escort. Oh, Skellie, you’re the true prize and you know it.

Upon arriving at the ball, Nick realizes he’s the guest of honor and is quite confused. Man, this dude takes clueless to a new level. When he asks if it’s true, we have the choice to answer with “of course” or “ostensibly.” I don’t need to depress Nick further, so I went with “of course.” Nick is still in a bit of a daze, but he seems very happy. As he sits next to Jean, MC can’t help but look at the two fondly. Jean has to ruin that, of course, so he asks her to sit in his lap. She refuses, and he muses that he’s shy. Whatever you need to tell yourself, hon.