❝ The conflict you watch may be one you believe to be between two “mortal” lovers, settling their differences. However, it is much greater — the conflict between Change and Stagnation, Everything and Nothing. Those mortals are simply mirrors to the true stars of the show. ❞

📖 STORY SUMMARY 📖

This section is to catch up without reading literally EVERYTHING. The best effect will be had if you read the threads yourself, but I won’t blame you at all if you want a written summary version to catch up on the chronology as of right now.

It will be long, I apologize! I want to get the full effect of the story without missing too much context. This will include basic analyses. If you want to get caught up or understand what’s going on, this is the place to go.

ACT I : PROLOGUE - PHASE 6

🤍 PROLOGUE

Echo — 9.17

It starts with Echo telling the story of how the Triad came to be. Every vessel starts the same — the main difference begins after a specific day, depending on who shows up to the vessel.

She’s trying something new in combining the three archetypes of vessels into one, and giving her the gift of clairvoyance — knowing she meant something to everyone, and this is not her first time walking this earth. Echo hopes that the world will be much kinder to the triad going forward.

Echo then starts explaining why she makes her vessels. She tells the story of a flower. trapped in a cycle of loss, trying to understand herself through new perspectives she longs for.

A meta-explanation of Echo’s Story.

This is in case the allegory falls flat and you still don’t understand.

Echo herself is the flower. She was ‘born’ in a void as the origin of existence, yearning only for warmth and connection. Her existence is a blessing, but also a curse: everything she loves eventually comes to die.

The light was Schweigen — her first “love,” a kind older brother meant to care for her. When the light fades, it’s the first time the flower — Echo — experiences loss and death, something that defines her from then on.

Echo’s curse is that everything she loves dies. However, her gift is that she can love — and love itself creates new life. In trying to offset how much death comes around her, Echo tries to create “seeds” (vessels) that will bear her likeness.

The first creation — a beast, or Suzuka — is born in the Outskirts. She was born into suffering itself, death having claimed his family before he could know what family was.

The second creation — a human, or Celia — was made in Echo’s image. Echo admired humanity, and she wanted to find meaning in the human plight. In creating Celia, however, death still claimed everything around her, and the world offered no comfort for even a human girl trying to understand her grief.

From here, Echo started recreating the human over and over. Each time something went wrong, she’d destroy the world by covering it in torrential rains, flooding, and eventually freezing the world over before trying again.

The 11th time Echo tried to make the human again, the 11th time around a third seed was born — an angel, or Alice — though Alice suffers all the same, she instead chooses to be kind and help others instead of herself. Though Echo was upset with how little the world cared even about this pure soul, she couldn’t bring herself to destroy the beauty she made this time.

She remains ever-present; the moon in the sky, the rain that falls, the unseen force that both nurtures and destroys. Her tears become the rain that nourishes life but also ruins human joys. Her light is beautiful but only shines in darkness — symbolizing her isolation.

Her vessels (”seedlings”) now live among the people.

They still carry her curse — death follows them — but they have more freedom than she ever did. They can choose how to live, love, and die.

Despite her vast “garden” of creations, Echo herself still exists in the void — surrounded by all she made, but ultimately still alone, enveloped in nothingness.

TL;DR — Echo’s story tells about how after losing Schweigen, she tries to process her grief by making various vessels. However, they also share her pain, and aren’t treated much kinder in the process. She’s hopeful that someday she’ll have a vessel treated with love, even if she herself will forever live in isolation.

███████’s Rebuttal

███████ writes a response to Echo’s story, from the perspective of being the “Nothing” she writes about.

Though Echo seeks warmth, love, and meaning, ███████ is meaningless itself, asserting that her attempts at creation are temporary defiance. It’s quite literally opposition: though Love gives life, Echo is not life — she is death, and death gives way to Nothingness.

It claims that Echo’s birth wasn’t any kind of blessing, but an act of rebellion against its will. Existence is a wound in the void, blasphemy against entropy — the very antithesis to ███████.

Though Echo sees herself as innocent, a victim in this case, ███████ views her existence as a mistake, a contamination. She directly impedes its will with how easily she gives into her emotions, destroying worlds with “shallow rains” and “horrid blight” — mirroring her tears, the rain that flooded worlds to ruin.

Its words aren’t much of a direct argument, but more a warning — that her attempts at trying to make things right will result in the inevitability of nothing.

███████ isn’t wrathful towards Echo, it is resigned and patient. It’s merely waiting her out, agreeing to make yet another vessel to entertain her plan, knowing eventually it won’t matter.

Both Echo’s thread and ███████’s response in the prologue set up the conflict between the two — the true backdrop of the story, the heart of conflict. :)

🌙 PHASE 0 - OPEN HOUSE

Vessel: Celia — 9.17 to 9.21

Celia is the first vessel to emerge. Her return is met with familiarity and warmth — many recognize her and welcome her back fondly. Yet not all faces are friendly; some are new, and others greet her with less kindness.

Suzuka, restless beneath the surface, begins to stir — her impulses occasionally breaking through Celia’s control. This comes to a head when Laurent provokes Celia one too many times. Suzuka’s frustration takes over, forcing Celia to headbutt him. Shaken and bleeding, Laurent retreats, leaving her alone — though Celia herself begins to bleed from the impact soon after.

Seeking help, Celia turns to Sinclair — one of the few who’s consistently shown her kindness. He gently helps her wash the blood from her hair, their quiet conversation tinged with awkwardness and an unexpected intimacy.

But Suzuka’s presence grows stronger. Her hunger seeps through Celia’s senses — an insatiable craving for flesh, paired with sharp irritability that leaves Celia exhausted and emotionally frayed.

In the midst of it, Celia notices a small marble statue she received upon joining Mephistopheles. It resembles one Yuri owns — and another that rests in the back of the bus. She soon realizes the statues are linked, allowing her and Yuri to speak privately through them.

Not long after, Sinclair offers Celia a custom nametag as a welcoming gift. The gesture touches her, and she proudly fastens it to her uniform.

However, Suzuka’s growing agitation begins to interfere with the vessels’ usual cycle. The shifts between them come earlier than expected — even Echo, who anticipated each vessel’s turn with the moon, is caught off guard.

As the new moon rises, Celia feels her time coming to an end. Her consciousness begins to fade, and Suzuka’s reign is about to begin.

🌑 PHASE 1 - THE NEW MOON

Vessel: Suzuka — 9.21 to 9.29

When the new moon rises, it ushers in the king of Hircine beastkin — Suzuka.

The first thing Suzuka does upon taking control of the vessel is hunt down a long-time enemy. Without hesitation, he tears through Mephistopheles and seeks out his true target.

When the battle begins, Suzuka reveals a long-buried truth: he and his opponent once knew each other. Long ago, Bishop’s kin drove his family from their home, leaving them to starve. The stranger pleads innocence, claiming they were traveling with a human at the time. The denial only fuels Suzuka’s fury, and though the urge to kill nearly overtakes him, he restrains himself — knowing revenge won’t ease the pain.

The stranger introduces themselves as “Bishop” and, to Suzuka’s surprise, begs him to finish the fight and end their life. Suzuka refuses. It was his choice to stop — no matter how angry he was, killing Bishop would bring no peace.

After the fight, Suzuka is left injured and despondent. Friends check on him in their own ways: Sinclair visits as Suzuka sings alone; Bishop tries to provoke him again; and Franz offers quiet comfort.

Eventually, Echo heals most of his wounds and praises Suzuka’s decision to spare Bishop. Frustrated by her implications, Suzuka brushes her off.

Later, Echo notices Bishop growing close to Melusine. Jealous and resentful, she masks her emotions behind false congratulations and sends them jeweled statues — secretly rigged to explode. Melusine keeps hers, but Bishop destroys the rest.

When Suzuka confronts Echo about her vindictive behavior, she’s forced to admit she’d been manipulated. The “Bishop” she saw was merely an overlay — an echo of an identity driven by a death wish, not the real Bishop.

Echo confesses she only wanted to see how Alice would handle her first heartbreak. Suzuka warns her it would end badly, and that any punishment would fall on him and Celia, not Alice. Echo urges him to let things unfold — even if it demands a great sacrifice.

When Bishop finally regains awareness, Suzuka teases them about what happened. Bishop takes the comments too literally, and upon realizing how deeply Suzuka was hurt, tries to make amends. Suzuka recoils, lashing out when Bishop reaches for her.

News of an impending Rapture spreads through the bus. Knowing he won’t be taken, Suzuka urges everyone to drink and be merry. He and Bishop share drinks — and at one point, Suzuka steals a kiss, claiming the right to the alcohol Bishop drank.

Later, they go out again for proper drinks. Suzuka begins to warm up, realizing Bishop might be his only true ally — the only other being who can understand him and perhaps mend his strained bond with humanity. As they drink, he admits he hasn’t had good liquor since Bishop’s kin drove his family to starvation. The mood softens; Bishop cheers up, and the two enjoy each other’s company. A drowsy Bishop calls them friends, to which Suzuka replies they can be whatever they want — even more than friends. Bishop falls asleep, and Suzuka carries them home.

That night, Suzuka awakens to find Bishop watching him. They share a heartfelt conversation about loss and loneliness. Bishop sincerely asks for forgiveness, and Suzuka grants it. They speak about humanity’s fear of them, and Bishop vows to stay by his side. When the talk turns back to their drinking, Bishop shyly asks if they can kiss, even if they’re not together. They share several tender kisses, then drift to sleep before finding an answer.

By morning, Bishop brings a gift — and with it, the decision to start officially dating. Suzuka accepts, quietly overjoyed.

Before parting ways, Suzuka meets with Jia Xichun. Knowing she’s unfamiliar with many Hongyuan customs — particularly after refusing the anamnaworm — Suzuka sets out to bridge the divide between Hongyuan, the Heishou, and the Twelve Beast Families of the outskirts.

In the end, Suzuka feels his time running short. Though he struggles to accept it, he finds solace in knowing he’ll see everyone again soon.

🌓 PHASE 2 - A SWEET RETREAT

Vessel: Celia — 9.29 to 10.06

When Celia returns, she finds much of the chaos Suzuka left behind. Still, her friends are overjoyed to see her again, and she spends time catching up with everyone she’s missed.

As she reconnects, Celia realizes her heart is pulling her in many directions — she’s begun to develop several crushes. One day, while confiding in Sinclair about her feelings, she nervously blurts out a confession. Unfortunately, Sinclair misunderstands her “I like you” as a platonic admission, thinking she only sees him as a friend.

Later, Jia Xichun speaks with Sinclair and learns what happened. Shocked — and more than a little frustrated — she urges him to reflect on his own feelings and make things right if he truly cares for Celia.

Not long after, Celia receives a mysterious letter signed only with the initial “F.” Alongside it are small gifts, and the writer expresses a wish to know her better — asking Celia to share the things she loves, should her memories ever return. Celia hides the letter away for the moment, unsure how to respond.

Despite her return, Celia avoids opening her own room. When she admits this to Sinclair, he offers to stay by her side to give her courage. Together, they open the door — revealing the same castle from Celia’s dreams. But this time, she stands at the very top, realizing she must descend to reach the bottom. After playing the piano for Sinclair, she recognizes that her feelings for him remain as strong as ever.

Bishop, noticing Celia’s struggles, steps in to help her heal. His methods are surprisingly intimate, but Celia embraces the moment as a chance to open up to him. The two grow closer and share the night together.

When Celia returns afterward, Sinclair approaches her. She asks if it’s wrong for her to have feelings for more than one person — subtly hinting at her growing affection for Bishop. Sinclair admits he would be jealous, but says he doesn’t think loving many people is a bad thing. Hearing this, Celia presses him to explain what he means, and in his flustered attempt to clarify, he ends up asking her out — confessing that he wants to date her. Celia accepts, overjoyed, and the two finally become a couple.

Watching all of this unfold, Echo reflects that her vessels often struggle to distinguish friendship from love. As the full moon draws near, she notes that the time is coming for Alice to take center stage once more.

🌕 PHASE 3 - TIL DEATH DO YOU PART

Vessel: Alice — 10.06 to 10.13

When Alice returns, her attention is immediately drawn to the door. She watches Yuri open the same one, only to have it lead somewhere entirely different — a detail that fascinates her and gives her an excuse to spend more time with her. Curious, she decides to open her own door. To her surprise, she finds herself standing on the top floor as well, and notices the door behind her is covered in thick vines, as though sealing something away.

Not long after, Alice begins receiving letters from an old friend, Sania. In her messages, Sania expresses astonishment that she managed to reach Alice at all, wishing her well and noting that a reply isn’t necessary. But Alice wants to write back — she’s eager to share her new life. She sends Sania a photo of herself with her friends, smiling together. When Sania receives the picture, though, she’s startled: the girl in the photo, with messy hair and a mask, looks more like Celia than the Alice she remembers.

Mumbling to herself, Alice begins to open up about her “mask” — how, following Sania’s advice, she’s learned to fake confidence in the hope that someday it will become real. Yuri gently urges her to drop the act and be herself, but Alice insists she must keep pretending — that she isn’t ready to let go of the image she’s built.

Later, Alice decides to test something: she calls out the names of those she wants by her side, noting who answers her call. Her choices set off a chain reaction among the others, but in the end, she accidentally calls the wrong name. The mistake enrages Bishop, who lashes out, frightening Alice so deeply that she breaks down in tears.

Echo and ██████ discuss what happened. Echo condemns ██████’s response as cruel, but ██████ insists it was deserved — that Alice brought it upon herself through her own fear. Echo counters that nothing ██████ has done has given Alice reason not to be afraid. At that, ██████ reluctantly admits its worry: Bishop is growing too attached to the vessels this time. When Echo presses for details, however, ██████ refuses to explain further.

Back in the present, Bishop regains their composure and tries to comfort Alice as she sobs. She apologizes for her mistake, calling it foolish, and Bishop reassures her softly.

Despite the pain, Alice begins to find herself genuinely enjoying her time — laughing, smiling, and wishing she could stay forever. But the moon is shifting again, and as the half moon begins to rise, she knows her time is almost over.

🌗 PHASE 4 - THE ILLUSION OF MIND

Vessel: Celia — 10.13 to 10.21

Celia wakes in Bishop’s arms, disoriented and trying to gather her bearings. As they talk, she admits she wants to stay by Bishop’s side forever—being with them makes her feel safest. But when she quietly asks if Bishop would protect her, the question hits too close to home. Bishop is overwhelmed, developing a headache and beginning to cry. Celia realizes she has likely asked this before; the reaction feels uncomfortably familiar.

As she tries to piece things together, frustration sets in. Everything seems to happen the moment she’s gone, and when she’s present, no one says a word. Tired of feeling shut out and isolated, Celia flees Mephistopheles entirely.

She has no destination in mind. She wanders on impulse, eventually heading toward the Outskirts.

The journey is grueling. She encounters a monster along the way and tries to choke it to make it leave her alone—only for it to bite off her arm. The injury slows her, and not long after, she loses her eyes as well. Blind, maimed, and barely alive, she still manages to reach the Outskirts, where she collapses into a conversation with Echo.

Celia is bewildered. Echo tells her she isn’t meant to go yet—that she’s incomplete—and urges her to return only when she is called. With the last of her strength fading, Celia is sent back home.

She ends up sitting motionless at the top of the stairs in her room for a long time. Eventually, Faust and Sinclair go searching for her. Faust suggests checking Celia’s room first—and there they find her. Faust calls Dante and requests a rewind to restore Celia to a safe state. They comply, but the result is a terrified, mute Celia, shaken into silence. Given paper and a pen, she apologizes repeatedly, explaining she just felt the overwhelming urge to run.

Soon after, letters arrive addressed to Celia under the title “Lady Alice,” sent by Mayumi, one of her butlers. Apparently Alice had instructed Bishop to borrow a servant for something, and Mayumi is now working for them. Upon learning Bishop is Celia’s suitor, Mayumi immediately disapproves and criticizes Celia’s choice in allowing them so close.

Celia slowly recovers as her phase nears its end. Echo remarks that running away and miscommunication are typical patterns for her. She wonders what chaos Suzuka will inherit next—and whether this world will end well for any of them at all.

🌑 PHASE 5 - WILY BEAST AND WEAKEST CREATURE

Vessel: Suzuka — 10.21 to 10.29

Suzuka enters his next phase with Halloween approaching fast. Sinclair and Yuri help him finish the costumes; he’s not much of a seamster, but he puts in his best effort.

Before long, Mayumi arrives with Bishop. Knowing Mayumi can’t perceive him, Suzuka disguises himself as Alice to maintain the illusion. The butler’s distrust of Bishop hasn’t waned; she immediately begins scheming to drive Bishop and “Alice” apart. Upon learning about the kissing booths—and Bishop’s habit of “inspecting” them, even kissing participants to ensure they’re providing legitimate services—Mayumi seizes the opportunity. Armed with this information, she goes to “Alice.”

She warns “Alice” that Bishop has wandering eyes and shouldn’t be trusted. Hearing this, “Alice” feels betrayed, both by Bishop’s supposed disloyalty and the secrecy around it. Suzuka grows furious, while Alice herself is devastated. The emotional strain fractures them, and Alice forcibly takes control of the body after Suzuka has spent so long posing as her.

Alice confronts Bishop, intent on ending things. She unleashes her anger, accusing them of using “inspection” as an excuse to kiss others behind her back. She insists Melusine is their mistress, citing Mayumi’s claim that they shared multiple kisses. Bishop tries to defend themselves—arguing that they should be allowed to have feelings for others—but this only upsets Alice further. She ends things, telling Bishop they’re free to pursue whoever they like.

Afterward, Alice encounters Echo, who introduces herself as “The Composer.” Echo shares a story about a little girl who lost her entire family and grew up believing she was unlovable. Alice quietly admits she might be that girl. When The Composer asks if she can forgive Bishop, Alice says she could—but she cannot forgive herself.

Suzuka soon wrests the body back, shaken by who The Composer truly is and telling Alice she’s taken a dangerous risk. When Bishop returns with a bouquet of flowers, Suzuka snaps, tossing them aside. He pushes Bishop away, saying they should be with Melusine instead. The argument escalates as Suzuka reveals that he avoids getting close to Yuri or Sinclair because he knows he’ll outlive them, and admits he feels inferior to Melusine—believing Bishop is replacing him with another animal and giving her the future he wanted.

In his frustration, Suzuka lashes out by challenging Sanzang. He accuses Bishop of being unable to let her go, insisting he can’t compete with Melusine or the memory of Sanzang. His anger spirals until he’s suddenly shot—flower petals bursting from his head as he collapses. He rises moments later, shaken, and walks away from Bishop.

Hours pass before Suzuka finally looks at the discarded bouquet. Echo reprimands him for the outburst, revealing she fired the shot merely to pacify him and prevent him from killing Bishop. She adds that his attempt to make Bishop hate him was clumsy, and that true hatred would require much more effort.

Later, Suzuka speaks to Bishop again. Exhausted and hopeless, he assumes Bishop must hate him. Bishop counters, saying they love Suzuka so deeply that—if it were possible—they would overwrite their memories of Sanzang with memories of him. Still unconvinced, Suzuka continues to push them away, insisting Bishop will always hold Sanzang above him. His wound refuses to heal, and he collapses, telling Bishop he loves them and apologizing, convinced he’s dying. Bishop offers their arm for Suzuka to feed on and recover.

Melusine arrives then. Though Suzuka is distant, she notices his wound and becomes concerned. When Suzuka asks what Bishop means to her, she answers with sincerity—and admits she does love Bishop. That alone is enough to make Suzuka want to leave.

(NOTE: All 3 of these technically happen at the same time, but assume that it goes as Echo --> Bishop --> Melusine. It makes more sense that after hearing Melu's true feelings, Suzuka makes his decision.)

Soon after, Bishop is confronted with Melusine’s confession. Suzuka is unwavering; he tells Bishop they should be with Melusine, who loves them more fully than he ever could. Another argument follows, ending with Suzuka walking away again. He heads to Mephistopheles’ backdoor, intent on finding Echo and severing himself from the body entirely.

Bishop, desperate, decides to bring Suzuka and Melusine together and leave them both behind as they return to the Outskirts. The plan shocks and upsets both Suzuka and Melusine. Suzuka erupts again, masking his pain behind chivalry and insisting Bishop should stay with Melusine to keep her happy. In the chaos, he chooses to detonate the rubies Echo gifted Bishop—hidden within a statue—leaving the room to protect Melusine from the blast.

Bishop follows him, attempting to take the rubies back before Suzuka can swallow them. A gruesome struggle breaks out. Suzuka starts tearing into Bishop as he tries to consume the rubies. He orders Bishop to get off Mephistopheles. They make it only a short distance before one ruby detonates, blowing a hole through Suzuka’s abdomen. Bishop is thrown by a second explosion moments later. Both lie crumpled in blood and viscera.

In his fading consciousness, Suzuka cries and consumes what little of Bishop he can reach before going completely rigid. Hours later, Faust discovers him by following the blood trail. She injects him with an ampoule, stabilizing him, then returns him to the bus.

Wracked with guilt, Suzuka begins sending Melusine bouquets as apologies, unsure how or if things will ever resolve. With Melusine now aware Bishop has feelings for someone else, Suzuka hopes it will at least bring some clarity.

Echo, meanwhile, worries about the upcoming party—and quietly admits she’s grateful Suzuka and Bishop survived at all.

🌓 PHASE 6 - BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Vessel: Celia — 10.29 to 11.06

Celia returns just before Halloween and finds that Suzuka has finished her costume for her. She’s deeply grateful. Bishop soon meets with Celia and asks whether she would be alright if they fell in love with someone else. Unlike Alice and Suzuka’s intense reactions, Celia responds with mild indifference—she would simply expect Bishop to tell her. Still, she wonders if someone is already on their mind. When Bishop admits it’s Melusine, Celia questions the nature of their feelings. She urges Bishop to be absolutely sure—whether they truly love Melusine, or if they’re only feeling obligated to reciprocate after learning Melusine cares for them.

There’s little time to dwell on it as the Halloween party begins. Celia attends with Sinclair and Yuri, sipping punch and sticking together while enjoying the festivities. Meanwhile, Bishop approaches Melusine and admits they want to understand their feelings for her—and will cherish her regardless of what they discover. It comes across as a near-confession, wrapped in the elegance of a knight.

Later that night, Bishop encounters Echo in disguise, attempting to flirt for their attention. But Bishop is fixated on being in Melusine’s room by midnight. Offended, Echo pushes them away, insisting Bishop is “promised to another already.” Bishop argues it isn’t true, but Echo refuses to hear it, angered at the idea of being treated like an afterthought.

The next day, Sinclair and Celia plan to go candy-raiding. Echo, upset and brooding, makes it rain—but the weather doesn’t deter them. Echo stews over Bishop’s dishonesty with Celia and considers using the dangerous gifts from long ago: statues packed with explosive gemstones.

As the rain intensifies, Celia returns to her room. The Triad discovers that when entering, they split depending on who currently has control of the vessel. During their discussion, Yuri walks in, forcing Suzuka and Alice to hide. Celia and Yuri talk about the party, and Celia eventually gathers the courage to confess her feelings to Yuri.

Bishop finds Celia afterward. Celia is cold, brushing them off at first since it’s Saturday and she knows Bishop spent the whole party with Melusine. Bishop explains that they’re best suited to help because they can read minds—unless Suzuka wants to step in, who immediately refuses.

As they talk, Celia grows visibly bitter and jealous. She calms when she realizes Alice is feeding into her emotions. She then shows Bishop the room’s strange mechanism, revealing how different Suzuka and Alice are compared to her. Alice stands silently, seething and glaring at Bishop.

When Bishop asks what’s wrong, Alice erupts. She reveals that Echo showed her everything Bishop had been doing—and Alice took it the hardest. Suzuka tries to stop her, but Alice continues, accusing Bishop of not loving her enough, of preparing to replace her now that Melusine has entered the picture.

Bishop tries to explain and reassure her, but Alice refuses to listen and commands Suzuka to attack. Suzuka resists at the last moment, turning what should have been a vicious strike into a shallow wound.

Alice breaks down, voicing her fear that Bishop has always loved others more than her. Bishop takes this as a challenge—inviting the Triad to show what they believe Bishop has been missing. They agree to stay the night, letting the Triad prove their devotion.

The day after, Celia turns inward, deciding to finally explore her room fully. She opens the long-avoided door and finds it exactly as it appeared in her childhood dreams, untouched and suspended in time. She wanders through it in a haze of nostalgia but hesitates at the foot of the castle staircase and ultimately retreats.

Before she leaves, Bishop returns to Melusine’s room and ends things formally. They tell Melusine they would rather remain friends, leaving her upset. Alice, however, remains largely unaware—still convinced the two were planning to be together and that she is moments away from being replaced.

ACT II : PHASE 7 - PHASE 12

🌕 PHASE 7 - MAY DEATH NEVER DO US PART

Vessel: Alice — 11.06 to 11.12

With only fragments of the past phase to guide her, Alice begins her phase by setting out to kill a beast. It’s clear she intends to handle matters on her own. Spattered in blood and viscera, she eventually admits she had been hunting a Leviathan to “practice,” in case her own life was ever threatened—hinting that she had intended to kill something, or someone, that reminded her of one.

Alice’s mental state begins to unravel. She slips into delusion, consumed by obsession. She plays a familiar melody on the piano again and again, and hallucinations twist her perception: Bishop tenderly holding someone else, Bishop’s face becoming Sinclair’s, Sinclair turning into her father. Shame and confusion sink into her as she sees echoes of past wounds everywhere she looks.

Her spiraling thoughts eventually lead her to a conclusion: to keep Bishop with her forever, she must break the tragic cycle that claimed her parents. If she marries an immortal, then neither of them can die—at least not in a way that separates them. And if she goes first, Bishop won’t follow her into death.

Determined, Alice clings to the plan. Not even Yuri, Finn, or the others can dissuade her. She seeks out Bishop and makes a brave, trembling attempt at a proposal. But her hopes collapse when Bishop gently tells her they aren’t ready for marriage yet—that she’s rushing far too fast. Alice takes the rejection harshly and flees, distraught.

Alice then confronts Echo, crying and putting all of her rage towards her. She demands to be let go of the body and given death, tired of the rejection and never being loved. Echo merely concedes until the very space the two occupied starts to shift, in which Alice is forced back home, and Echo takes time to recover.

Alice’s delusion shatters in the aftermath. Empty and hurting, she turns to Deemo, seeking comfort—someone who will love her when she feels no one else will. Bishop eventually returns with sweets in hand, explaining that Deemo had asked for them. Alice is bewildered that Bishop can hear him, but lets the question slide. Sharing the sweets lifts her spirits, and she notices Bishop is wearing the ring she offered. Bishop admits they had intended to give her one of their own when the time was right, when they were truly ready to marry.

The reassurance brings Alice relief—but also the sting of impending separation since her phase was to end soon. She confesses that she’ll miss Bishop dearly. Bishop promises to visit whenever possible, and Yuri adds her own promise: she’ll take Alice somewhere special once she returns.

🌗 PHASE 8 - SUGAR AND SPICE

Vessel: Celia — 11.12 to 11.20

This phase stays relatively inactive—at least until its final stretch, when Celia and Bishop become overlaid with the E.G.O. manifestations of two candy-obsessed princesses.

Under this influence, the pair begin tormenting the Sinners of Limbus Company, throwing extravagant tantrums whenever their cravings aren’t satisfied. Celia is especially fixated on a jewel-like apple, which she carries everywhere. She murmurs to it, listens closely to its whispered replies, and then repeats its words as judgments she casts upon others.

As they prepare for a grand performance, Bishop eventually asks to hold the jewel. Celia snaps at her, and the two argue fiercely—until the struggle makes her lose her grip. The jewel hits the floor, and at that instant the E.G.O. overlay breaks, dissolving to reveal Suzuka beneath it.

🌑 PHASE 9 - THE CRUCIBLE OF LIFE

Vessel: Suzuka — 11.20 to 11.28

After Celia’s candy binge fades, Suzuka is left nauseous and irritable. He tries several ways to sober up—forcing himself to vomit, overwhelming his senses with familiar flavors, and even submerging himself in a pool of oil.

Before long, Suzuka begins receiving letters from the other Ancestral Beasts. They write about how much they miss her, assure her they aren’t upset about her choosing to live in the City, and ask after Bishop’s wellbeing—referring to them as “Sun Xingzhe.” Not long afterward, Bishop receives a Thanksgiving invitation to dine with the Ancestrals, with Suzuka included on the guest list.

The thought of returning home makes Suzuka anxious. He fusses over his fur constantly, worried they’ll find something to criticize. Bishop is just as tense, convinced they’re being summoned to their doom. Suzuka insists the Ancestrals really do miss them—and soon Bishop begins receiving letters of their own, full of excitement about reuniting after hundreds of years, only proving Suzuka right.

While packing for the trip, Suzuka finds an old set of prayer beads. When he asks Bishop about them, their mood drops; they had been planning to gift The Triad a new set. They recall that these beads were once given to Celia long ago, though Suzuka wasn’t present at the time.

Eventually, the two depart. The events of Thanksgiving aren’t shown, but when Suzuka and Bishop return, they seem to have enjoyed themselves and expect to visit again for Christmas. Upon returning, Bishop goes to speak with Finn—who then confesses he has a crush on them.

Suzuka overhears the admission and grows irritated. But he also sees an opportunity: the perfect moment to sabotage Celia in retaliation for the miserable candy hangover she left him with. He tracks Finn down and devours him whole, leaving Celia to deal with the aftermath when she arrives.

🌓 PHASE 10 - AN UNFINISHED MELODY

Vessel: Celia — 11.28 to 12.04

After Suzuka chooses to devour Finn, Celia arrives moments later. The sudden meal doesn’t sit well with Celia—her body rejects it violently, expelling everything as a thick, black sludge. The only thing left recognizable is Finn’s necklace.

Celia begins to realize how much she’s been chasing pain lately. She eventually links this to the way Alice’s deteriorating mental state has been bleeding into her own—intrusive thoughts born from rejection that she can’t seem to shake. Wanting to drown it out, she buries herself deeper into the recesses of her room.

Her next stop is the Second Floor. There, she discovers drawings she made as a child and old notes her father had written to her mother. Even though she never knew her parents, a wave of nostalgia washes over her as she wanders the castle halls and reads their words.

But the heaviness returns soon after. Celia finds herself wanting to run away again—until Yuri intercepts her and offers to take her outside under supervision. In the snow, the two bond quietly while building a snowman.

Still, it isn’t enough.

Celia’s thoughts spiral toward self-alteration—dyeing her hair, changing how she acts—anything to become someone different. She feels increasingly lost, painfully aware of how little she matches Bishop’s supposed preferences, especially while watching others find success in their own relationships. When she finally voices this, Bishop reassures her: they love her exactly as she is, and they want her—not a version of her pretending to be someone else.

Celia then recalls the bucket. She asks Bishop if they ever checked it, only for them to realize it’s missing. They piece together that Faust likely has it. Celia goes to confirm, and she’s right. After she asks Faust to analyze the remains and identify the victim, Faust returns with the answer: it was Finn. Celia, however, forgets to report this back to Bishop.

She only remembers after the two of them have been intimate. The thought resurfaces, and Bishop explains that before Suzuka approached Finn, Finn had confessed to having a crush on Bishop. Celia wonders aloud if Suzuka was afraid Bishop might grow too attached—or the other way around—and admits she never thought a relationship with Finn would work, given how little Finn understood. She also urges Bishop to go see Faust and return the bucket to the Library, warning that it isn’t safe for her to handle.

Finn’s remains are eventually returned to the Library, leaving Angela baffled. Meanwhile, Celia begins to worry about what consequences might fall on her next—and questions whether she even wants to remain human at all.

📚 LORE ENCYCLOPEDIA 📚

Confused on all of the lore? Want to know how things work?

This is the section for it, where I explain it in as much plaintext as possible. If you’re still confused, feel free to shoot a DM or ask in the form (if you’re too scared to confront me yourself, lol).

I may avoid publicly answering some questions just to prevent even more outright spoilers, however.

👤 CHARACTERS

🤍 S.M. (Echo)

Also known as Shattered Memory, Shifting Mound, or Mei Zhang (alias).

Echo is death, change, and transformation itself. She rules over romantic love, the sky, and music as well.

Emotional and flippant, Echo is the creator of Alice, Celia, and Suzuka, as well as the realm dubbed “Nephele.” She adores humanity, and longs to be close to it.

After losing Schweigen, she created vessels to try and manage the pain of her loss. Over time, though, she began to find entertainment in their variations.

The alias “Mei Zhang” was made up on the spot to prevent mortals from attempting to worship her or trace her presence.

Symbols

• Rain, Thunderstorms
  • Non-forecasted rainfall or thunderstorms are usually a sign that Echo is upset.
• White petals
• Blinding white light or black water
• Hands
• The Moon

🕯️ S.M. (Schweigen)

Also known as Samsara Mirage or Stagnant Melody.

Schweigen was a kind god. The concept of life, nurturing, and fortune, he ruled over familial love, the earth, and music as well.

Living a promising existence to bless the world with beauty, his life was cut short as death soon laid its claim. Unfortunately, the creations left behind — every Hans, and every Deemo born from their consciousness — would soon wither or fall into eternal silence all the same.

Symbols

• Tree branches and Silver leaves
• Wind
• Candles and wax
• The stars

🪞 S.M. (███████)

Also known as Smoking Mirror or Tezcatlipoca.

NOTE: 🦞 can’t make many spoiler-y comments about this character because it may go against 🪷‘s wishes. I am only providing the most basic information in proportion to my own writing.

The empty sun that sought to devour the endless sky. It is the progenitor of every tailed vessel, and the antithesis to existence.

Its dominion is emptiness and providence, ruling over carnal love, the sun, and conflict.

Though it exists in a cycle of conflict with Echo, it holds no hatred towards her — on the contrary, it is the love the two have for one another that keeps them in conflict.

The Triad

The Triad is a unique, experimental vessel made as a way for Echo to try and get a different perspective after failing to see a good resolution from her prior vessels. Alice, Suzuka, and Celia are put into one body and function as one.

The form of the vessel shifts depending on the lunar phase. Suzuka on a new moon, Alice on a full moon, and Celia every half moon between. They each represent a form of grief or struggle unique to themselves.

Anyone who knew of the vessel before they joined Limbus Company only sees Celia, unaware of the other two.

Celia

The Sinner — this is the outcome that happens when, instead of facing her grief over losing her family, she buries it in the recesses of her mind. She’s the second kind of vessel that Echo created, in attempting to make a human in her visage.

Celia is awkward, blunt, and tends to not understand people or social cues very well.

Some Celias fall so deep into their grief that they become passively suicidal, having a disregard for their own livelihood.

Story Notes

• Within the Triad, Celia represents repression. She’s hidden her pain for so long that it almost doesn’t exist — though it eats away at her silently, to the point her original personality has faded away in favor of pushing down what truly hurts.
• When she is active, the other two are able to interact freely. However, activity is stunted when Celia is not in control of the body, so as to not leak too much information.

Alice

The Angel — the “perfect” outcome for a vessel. Someone kind and resolute, able to soothe the hearts of others. She is what Echo believes her perfect vessel to be, the ideal image of what her human self could look like.

She loves as much as she wants to be loved, and will quickly give her heart to those who desire it so long as their intentions are true.

Alice, however, simply hides her residual pain behind her smile, feigning confidence and charisma.

Story Notes

• Within the Triad, Alice represents insecurity. The second-born, second-favorite in all things considered, she was never the true prodigy or star of the show.
• She tends to cover herself in romantic endeavors to cover up the fact she has felt unloved for so long, and wants to be adored.
• Alice is prone to overeating.

Suzuka

NOTE: Suzuka uses both she/her and he/him pronouns.

The Devil — the very first vessel created by Echo, one of a kind. Unlike Alice, who is the ideal, Suzuka is more of the reality of who Echo really is when her sweet demeanor fades.

He deviates the furthest from other vessels as a prototype, aggressive and animal-like.

Suzuka is the originator of the Wei Heishou bolus, and one of twelve “Ancestrals*,” or beastkin hierarchs of their respective families.

*Original lore of the Outskirts, made by Nekomun.

Story Notes

• Within the Triad, Suzuka represents rage at the loss of family. Born without it, having it taken away again, and being robbed of the ability to create a family, Suzuka has shunned the idea of closeness or any kind of acceptance.
• The equivalent of Bishop being a monkey beastkin in a certain mirror world. With the implication that there is a Bishop who is human in his world.
• Actually exists in every mirror world as a discarded vessel, able to fulfill his role as a Zushou within the Outskirts.

Bishop

NOTE: 🦞 can’t make many spoiler-y comments about this character because it may go against 🪷‘s wishes. I am only providing the most basic information in proportion to my own writing.

A mere monster-hunter from the outskirts, or so they claim.

Inexplicably linked to Celia in every world, whether they’re foes, friends, or lovers.

Lost a loved one long ago.

Hans

Celia’s older brother. A masterful pianist with a bright future, he died when Celia was around 6 after being struck by a truck.

A vessel created by Schweigen to look over whatever vessels Echo creates. Although both meet the end of their life, Hans’ influence remains to this day.

The image of Hans reflects in many of the masculine figures Celia keeps around to-date. She misses him dearly, even if she’s yet to properly acknowledge it for herself.

DEEMO Side Characters

With their own section because they all fall into one category.

Sania

An old school friend of Alice. She’s a jazz pianist at a local bar in her free time, but a loyal feather of WARP Corp on the same team as Akari. She’s tomboyish and happy-go-lucky, and the one to push Alice to travel on her own and live life confidently.

Rosalia

An old school friend of Alice. Sweet and unassuming, Rosalia always wanted the best for her friends. She lives with Sania, working for Liu Association as one of her fixers. She wants Alice to live a long and fulfilling life, and indulge in gossip with her so long as it helps her feel ‘normal.’

Gino

An old school friend of Hans. He gave up his dreams of being a pianist to help Hans with his own dream, picking up a part-time job to ensure Hans never gave up music.

After Hans’ death, he fights to make sure Alice doesn’t ever consider giving up her dreams. He works for the LCCA as a deal to ensure he can keep an eye on her in her new job.

Akari

An old school friend of Hans. She was always second-in-place to him in everything. After his death, Akari gave up music and took up a job at WARP Corp to make ends meet.

She worries often about Alice, arguing with Gino about how to care about her, knowing of her struggle.

Lukas

Lukas die Regentraum was Alice’s father. Formerly from Calw (District 11), he left at a young age to travel. Upon meeting Emma, a young university student, he immediately fell in love with her and chose to settle down in Emma’s hometown.

Lukas died from a heart attack due to overworking shortly after Alice was born.

Emma

Emma die Regentraum (née Hayashi) was Alice’s mother. A gloomy girl who’s only love was music, the first time she felt true happiness was upon meeting Lukas and marrying him.

When he died, Emma couldn’t handle the pressure of the grief. Although their firstborn, Hans, was merely 11, and her second was a year old, Emma eventually took her own life.

In her note to Hans, she apologized for being a terrible mother to her children, having not loved them as much as she loved Lukas.

Mirai

Alice’s plush cat. It was picked up by Hans in a toy store, and has stayed with Alice the entire time. Nowadays, it seems like Mirai may a bit more conscious than he outwardly appears to be...

Mary

Mary is a family friend, and the head butler of the Regentraum estate. She took up an active role in watching over Hans and Alice, working hard to make sure that the grand losses of the family were not too impactful.

Prof. Valensky

A music professor. He was formerly Hans, Gino, and Akari’s teacher — soon eventually being Sania, Rosalia, and Alice’s teacher. After Hans died, Valensky started to take care of Alice alongside Mary to be a father figure to her.

Elena (+ Her Brother)

Elena was one of Alice’s few friends in school. The two only had a music class together, which they sat next to one another. Alice used to have a crush on Elena’s brother, daydreaming of him taking her away and saving her.

💡 TRIVIA

• Will be updated later. :3 Have patience please!

💭 IDEAS AND FAQ

What is the timeline of Celia’s life, if DEEMO doesn’t show much after she wakes up from the Hospital?

I made a little timeline graphic about this back in 2024, that still largely applies today.

To note: Celia turns 21 between Canto III and Canto IV (984-04-06), but her onboarding began before her birthday.

Why did Limbus Company hire Celia?

Who can know Faust’s true reasons. But the answer that makes the most sense to me is that it’s clear with how unique of a person she is (before you even find out about the god stuff), and the fact there was clearly something going on with her dreams, she was a good candidate.

Besides, she was clearly in need. She seemed normal, but was downcast and had no family, just living life in a transitory state. Faust offered the promise of healing her pain and helping her move forward to a better future — and Celia knew she had to take it.

Where IS Deemo?

In this rendition, somewhere deep in the castle. Given the room opens on the top floor, it will be much longer before Deemo is seen.

I didn’t want to make him a physical being as much as he is a manifestation of the E.G.O., reflected in the deepest recesses of the mind. After all, he initially appeared in a dream, didn’t he?

Update: He’s been seen!

Deemo will be taking a subtler, quieter role in this. But to an extent, after a certain point in the story, he will be more present. This isn’t a girl wanting to go home, this is a girl who has returned home and is trying to get her memories back again.

What’s with the heterochromia?

It’s Hans’ eye, given when she lost hers due to the accident. Her last piece of him. But also a nod to the inconsistent designs between DEEMO and its other renditions. Sometimes Alice has light eyes and dark hair, sometimes its light hair and dark eyes, sometimes both of one. On occasion, her hair is just gray?

What is Nephele, and where does the name come from?

Note: This is regarding some canon that exists largely just between myself and my partner, lol.

Nephele is the colloquial name of the realm in which Echo collects her vessels when she believes they’re “primed." All variants of Bishop and Alice/Celia reside here in an endless ‘paradise,’ while Echo watches over them.

It’s meant to resemble Celia’s hometown of Horizon, particularly the main WARP Train station (Central Station, DEEMO II).

The name is derived from the “Heavenly Healing Voice” ID/EGO for Bishop and Celia, two cosmonauts sent on a voyage from a soon-dying earth to a cosmic entity dubbed “Nephele.” Although the existence of the true “Nephele” is not confirmed, the pair called the realm they woke up with by the same name, as it was their presumed destination.

The source for “Heavenly Healing Voice” the short story “The Earth was Black,” a story in combination with the song “Seed of Fate” by Aitsuki Nakuru. I wanted to honor a song/story I loved!

Why is Suzuka a Goat?

The short answer is because it just fits.

The long answer is, it’s a bit complicated.

Firstly, it is largely due to the CV. A lot of the art in Takashiro Miyo’s music features an adorable little goat character, and with the recent album, I noted how her longer hairstyle kinda resembled Celia’s hair. From there, the association began.

I ALSO associate everyone in the Sun-Sinclair-Regentraum family with an animal of the Chinese Zodiac. Some are more obvious than others, but it generally goes like this.

Bishop : Monkey

Sinclair : Rooster

Celia : Goat

Tenko : Rat

Yunkong : Snake

Sania Eve : Rabbit

Suzuka’s actually the equivalent to Bishop — there’s an implied human Bishop to match the beast Suzuka, but given the nature of this subset of writing, a human Bishop is not seen right now lol.

But with choosing Goat specifically, a lot of the imagery and qualities in the research I did fit a lot.

The fourth Trine consists of the Rabbit, Goat, and Pig. These three signs are associated with the element of wood, said to have a calm nature and a somewhat reasonable approach. They seek aesthetic beauty, are artistic, well-mannered, and compassionate, yet they can also be detached and resigned to their condition. The three are described as caring, self-sacrificing, obliging, sensible, creative, empathetic, tactful, and prudent. However, they can also exhibit traits such as being naive, pedantic, insecure, selfish, indecisive, and pessimistic.

Sounds like Celia, doesn’t it?

Why did you introduce a God into the story?

Another complicated answer. I had the idea for a while, because I was struggling with the way to interpret the cycles of the same story and the various interpretations of Alice and how her story is told. From DEEMO to Last Recital, to Last Dream, Prelude, Sakura Note, and Memorial Keys… there’s many ways to tell the story of Alice, though most important details stay the same: Hans dies, her parents also die, and she goes through amnesia.

You can read more on how I interpreted the various media in ✧ 04. Archive - Mutilating My Childhood Interest

Where does a God fall into this?

Why else would various interpretations of the same character exist, going through the same thing, only to have a natural wrap-up to her story? Honestly, you can chalk it up to many things.

DEEMO II came to mind. You start out the game believing you’re playing as some normal young girl trying to stop the endless rain in a mysterious but beautiful world full of little blob-like characters, but over time as you meet other humans, a lot of them follow the same patterns. There’s also the Composer, who’s revered as a god-like figure in being the creator of the world and the only person able to stop the torrential rain.

In the end, it’s revealed that the entire world was created by an elderly woman (with possible Dementia?) named May Zhang, who was starting to drift away from her husband and children and forget about them. The other humans were reflections of May Zhang and her husband Kai. Them as kids, as young adults in love, as new parents to twins, and then lastly — Echo and Deemo, being their elderly selves. The Composer is the true May (if I remember right), linking her entirely to the creation of the world.

I also played Slay the Princess sometime in early 2025, and it clicked to me that the Shifting Mound’s methods felt a lot like something I could make sense of. Shifting Mound and May end up in similar positions, with various avatars of themselves that are the key to making themselves complete.

Admittedly, I didn’t like that Rayark went with another “it was a dream” amnesia plot with DEEMO II, but I’ve come to accept and appreciate it as it is. I also wasn’t sure if I really wanted to go all-in with the way StP goes about its writing, but seeing the resemblance between TLQ, SM, and the way that Echo and Tezcatlipoca counter one another… it made a lot of sense. Plus with death being the thing that constantly surrounded Alice, and the loss of family being a major thing in both DEEMOs, it lines up a bit, doesn’t it?

Not to mention that Slay the Princess itself has a theme of cycles, too. :)

So, in short: The cyclical nature of DEEMO’s story + DEEMO II having a god-like figure create various avatars of herself and a whole world to manage her mental pain + Slay the Princess involving the collecting of vessels that resemble the god, and a conflict between life and death =

Echo.

Why is Alice so … romantically inclined?

The implication has been that so far, she’s struggling to identify whether she likes someone as a friend or romantically. However, she has had a streak of being a bit of a romantic — her forwardness about it is nothing more than a facade she puts up to try and gain some confidence, although it’s clear she very much struggles with being upfront.

Losing your entire family is a very traumatic ordeal that comes with many complications. Alice is hellbent on the idea of not losing more family by making her own, and finally having what she never got to enjoy in the first place (as she was very young when Emma, Lukas, and even Hans died).

Although Alice appears like a bold, almost too-romantic or nearly-perverted young woman, behind it all she’s holding a lot of pain and merely trying to cope with it in the ways she knows how. I want that to be remembered most.

Why is Bishop around so much???

The two characters are associated largely because my partner and I like them together. 🥺 But as of late, we’ve intertwined their lore. There is a Celia that exists without Bishop, but that is not the one I focus on.

But they have parallels. MANY parallels.. They’re both weird little cannibals, they’re outcasted by society as less-than human, they have endless love in their hearts, and both have a lot of self-hatred brewing in their hearts.

Oh, and they both lost someone extremely important to them.

Bishop is also like, by virtue… an OC of mine as well. I (re)designed them, and I put a lot into their writing. It’d be a shame if I HAD to shun them, like some may want me to.

You can enjoy Celia’s story by itself or Bishop’s story by itself, but both stories are exemplified and complete with the other included. They’re an inevitable package deal, whether you like it or not.

That’s that, and this is this.

Are Sanzang and Celia supposed to be likened to one another?

Yes.