Chapter 33: Lorraine’s Background The Lorraine from the game was made in a way that there were quite some routes for how things went out, Azel had individually saved and restarted to test out these routes... And in each of these routes... Lorraine died. If she didn’t die by the demon worshippers, she would undergo demonization and get killed by the Saintess... Like all important characters... Had a backstory, it was a brief backstory after she died, more of a flashback — Azel at the time didn’t know why the developers had even bothered to put such a scene when she was already dying, but now he was glad for it. Lorraine and her father were runaways from the western continent. It wasn’t due to the fact that they had stolen something they weren’t supposed to or they had attacked anybody, no, it was simpler than that. They were merely fugitives. Lorraine was wanted by her own family, and Dmitri wasn’t even their real name. The west adopted a matriarchal system where women were the patriarchs of the clan, and in the Ardent Crest Clan, Lorraine was meant to be the next successor. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮 Her mother was dead, and she had been next in line to inherit leadership, but her aunt coveted the position. Greed always bore blood. Assassination attempts followed. Countless times her aunt had sent killers, each more ruthless than the last. Eventually, Lorraine’s father had no choice but to take her and run. They fled the Aegis Empire itself, clawing their way past border patrols, braving the perilous wilderness between continents, barely surviving the gauntlet of hired blades. Even in Starbloom, they lived like prey in hiding. Nobles that were forced to live like commoners to stay afloat. But just because Lorraine was quiet didn’t mean she was weak. In the game, she had been a powerhouse — a mage whose sheer destructive ability could rival even the main heroines if she had been left to live. That was why Azel had to make sure she survived this time. He needed every shred of power possible if he was going to stand against the coming calamities. The carriage rolled steadily along, the soft rumble of its wheels on the dirt road filling the quiet. Azel leaned back against the cushioned seat, his sharp silver eyes occasionally flicking to Lorraine, who sat across from him with her arms folded, her gaze distant. Azel decided to break the silence. "You don’t look like you’re from around here," Azel said casually. It was a simple opener, but it had the intended effect. Both Lorraine and her father glanced at him sharply, their guard rising instantly. Azel smiled inwardly. Their reactions were exactly what he expected and carried a hint of killing intent — but if they were going to be running a carriage business like this, they really needed to work on their poker faces. "I don’t plan to tell anyone," Azel added quickly, raising his hands in mock surrender, his tone playful and disarming. "I’m just curious. I want to know what it’s like outside the Empire. What’s it like in the plsce where you corne from?" He layered his words with childish enthusiasm, enough that it seemed harmless, even innocent. Gerome’s tense shoulders relaxed first, and he chuckled heartily, pulling on the reins as the horses galloped faster. "We lived in the West side of the world." Gerome pleaded with himself but Lorraine didn’t look so good. Lorraine, however, wasn’t convinced. She punched her father lightly in the side. "Why did you tell him that? What if he’s one of Aunt’s spies?" she whispered sharply. Gerome laughed again, far too carefree for her liking. "I already checked, sweetheart. He’s clean." He cast Azel an amused glance. "Sharp boy though, I’ll give him that." Lorraine sighed, exasperated, before turning toward the window with a dismissive huff. "So?" Azel pressed lightly, leaning forward. "What’s it like over there?" Gerome grinned at the question, his deep voice carrying an almost wistful tone. "The western continent..." he began, "is nothing like Starbloom. Over here, you’ve got one emperor holding everything together. Over there? It’s the Aegis Empire, but don’t let the name fool you. It’s less an empire and more a nest of vipers. Power’s split between the clans, and each clan is like its own little kingdom. And those kingdoms are ruled by women — the matriarchs." "Women rule everything?" Azel tilted his head, feigning curiosity. Gerome nodded. "Aye. Men have their place — fighters, protectors, advisors — but the real power? That lies with the matriarchs. Each clan is bound by blood and strength. And when those women clash..." He gave a low whistle. "It’s like watching storms tear mountains apart." Azel’s interest was genuine this time. "What are the people like?" Gerome chuckled. "Proud. Fierce. If Starbloom is steel forged into order, Aegis is fire barely contained in a hearth. The west breeds warriors and mages who live for strength. Honor matters there, but only if you have the power to enforce it." He paused, his smile fading slightly. "Of course... with that kind of power comes blood. More often than not, it’s spilled by your own kin." Azel’s gaze flickered briefly toward Lorraine, whose face was still turned toward the window, but her fingers clenched faintly against her arm at those words. She was listening. Gerome continued, his voice softer now, almost reluctant. "Aegis isn’t all bad, though. The landscapes are breathtaking — the Skyfire Peaks, the sapphire lakes that stretch for miles. Magic runs thicker in the air there than anywhere else I’ve been. But it’s not a place for the weak." "Sounds dangerous," Azel remarked lightly. Gerome barked out a laugh. "Dangerous? Boy, that’s an understatement. Over there, if you’re not born strong, you learn quick — or you die quick." Azel smiled faintly, leaning back in his seat. Everything Gerome described aligned with what he remembered from the game but then he wanted to learn more, things that weren’t in the game... This was an open world after all.