Reed: The rift here is partially how I found this place.Reed: After Aria ran off, I mean...Reed: I faintly detected something, and realized she was running towards it.Reed: So, lucky for us indeed, you two happened to be right where it is.Nino: Huh... so there really was a rift nearby after all.Nino: I'm glad that turned out to be true!Reed: ...Yeah, but... how did you know?Nino: Oh... I'm actually not sure.Reed: Amnesia again? That's getting old, man.Nino: It's not a bit! And I don't think it's that, but...Meimona: Ummm, somehow... Meimona: I just realized I knew that there might be a rift here too!Meimona: Buuuut I dunno who told me, really.Meimona: Maybe Nino did, and then we both forgot?Aria: That's even more unbelievable than the amnesia explanation!Aria: This is news…

Aria: Uuuu...Meimona: Whew... I'm so glad we didn't leave the room keys behind.Meimona: Oh, don't worry, guys!Meimona: She made it to the sink safely. :'3Nino: Whew! I'm saved.Aria: Aaaah, I can finally relax a little...Five: Aria, so tired... Aria, must rest now!Five: But Five's so happy, because everyone is together again!Nino: Yeah, I can tell...Nino: You haven't stopped clinging onto me since you got here.Meimona: Waaaaaah! I'm really happy too!!!Meimona: I missed you soooo much, my adorable little Boyfriend!Boyfriend: Meoooooooow!!!Five: Kitty miss Mei too! Kitty, so sad before...Five: But now, everything is better, for everyone!Five: Even Reed's baaad ouchies are all gone!!!Nino: Yeah, thanks to yours truly, of course.Meimona: Couldn't heal heatstroke though, could you...?Reed: ...So. Let me wrap my head around how this happened. Aria: Refrain from cursing heat.…

Nino: Crying? I'm not, I... what the-?Nino: Oh jeez! I really am tearing up!Meimona: Nino, you...Nino: Sorry, I-I don't know what it is...Nino: M-maybe something fell in my eyes.Nino: *Sniff*.Meimona: Huh? As if I'd believe that cliché excuse!Meimona: Were you affected by what I said...?Nino: ...Um. No.Nino: My eye pipes just leaked water.Nino: It's not tears. So no. I'm not crying.Meimona: That's the same thing, though.Nino: No! It's not!Nino: I-I'd never cry in front of a girl!Meimona: ...Awh.Meimona: You're very bad at hiding it. Nino: Why are you crying? W-who knows!? This is freaking you out! Was Mei's story just so sad that it affected you this much? Well, it is very painful picturing a tiny baby Mei fending for herself and her pet, but... you never thought it'd make…

What would it mean to accept the offer laid before you? If you do, Meimona might unquestionably go along with whatever you ask of her. But she would also clearly never treat you like she did before. If she wouldn't complain about anything you do at all... would she even joke around with you at that point? Wow, it'd be incredibly boring if Meimona behaved like that! Screw that noise! You don't want this at all. You never asked for to have any kind of power over her, and you most certainly will not accept it - even if she pushes herself into that sort of position. Nino: If she's so indebted to you, then she should listen when you tell her to be more true to herself in times…

An unsettling scene unfolds right before your eyes. A horrible sight you never ever wanted to see. Nino: What the hell is this!?Nino: Stop, stop it!Meimona: Auh... d-do you believe me now?Nino: ... Does that mean this'll just keep going if you don't believe it? That's... that's just insane. Why would Meimona be so desperate to gain your trust? And why use this method out of ALL options? Meimona - the Meimona you know - should really know better than do this! Regardless if it is or isn't her, this just has to stop now. Nino: Think back to Helios proving himself with just a small cut to the hand. Look at Mei's wound closely, to verify if she's real. That's right. At that time, Helios seemingly expected you to…

Nino: ...Ugh. I shouldn't have insulted you after all.Nino: It's just that... you made me so mad, okay.Nino: But I didn't really mean it, you know...?Nino: I lost control for a sec is all.Meimona: Oh, no, I understand!Meimona: I did do something reaaally stupid.Meimona: I totally deserve to be scolded for it.Nino: ...You really are okay with it?Meimona: Yep! It's all fine! Don't worry.Meimona: I can see where you're coming from.Nino: ... What's with this attitude? Seriously, nothing seems to phase her at all. And her easygoing mood really isn't helping here... Meimona: Anyways, I have an idea...Meimona: Maybe if I put the stick back in place, it'll become a horn again?Meimona: Lemme try it, Nino! Can I, can I?Nino: ...Uh...Nino: That couldn't possibly make the situation any worse than…

Nino: Um, so, I brought food...Nino: Wait, no, that's not important now!Nino: You're feeling better already, Mei?Meimona: Yup! I'm as good as new!Nino: You sure? It's, uh, kind of a quick turnaround.Meimona: Yeah, I'm totally fine!Meimona: I just needed a nap, really.Nino: ...Well, if you say so, then...Nino: Anyway, look, there's something urgent.Nino: You were asking what took me so long, right?Nino: Well... I almost got exposed as a human.Meimona: What!? By who?Nino: Helios. That's the guy who helped us.Meimona: Oh jeez! How'd that happen?Nino: It's a long story... we don't have the time to go over it.Nino: We need to get the heck out of here fast!Nino: That guy could return any second now.Nino: And I'm not sure I can slip by again if he does.Nino: Since Aria's illusion…

Yeah, you're done for. ...If you weren't ready to fight back, that is. There's no way you're dying in a place like this. Nino: Be ready to draw your sword at a moment's notice. If he's talked with you so much thus far while also suspecting you, then he may still be willing to do so. Yeah, yes... yes. It's okay. All you actually have to do is escape. Nino: What's the quickest way out of here? The nearest exit is right by this inn. That's where you entered from. You just have to book it there. Maybe hit the guy with your sword just once, and do it hard enough to throw him off your trail, and then rush off. You can do that. You can. However... You'd have…

There it is. He just came out and said it. Finally. No more beating around the bush. Now you can safely begin to address that little topic. Nino: Stop smiling so creepily! You're not actually doing that! You're only preemptively smugly celebrating your victory on the inside, okay. Because this is already as good as done. Really, how stupid can he be to just say it? Now he's the weird one for bringing up humans out of nowhere. It'll be so damn easy to use that against him. Nino: Isn't you avoiding your "possible" humanity to get him to admit it exactly what a human avoiding detection would do? Your continued dishonesty only raised suspicion, and pushing him on what he refuses to say only fed it more. Still, now…

Nino: I'm honored you'd go that far for us!Nino: Really, though, we wouldn't want to trouble you any more than we already have.Nino: To be honest... I'm a bit exhausted from the trip.Nino: I'd rather stay a bit longer and rest well before leaving.Nino: Might as well take the opportunity to relax, I figure!Nino: We'll go home later, so...Solis: Sure.Solis: So, I'll escort you after you've rested plenty.Solis: That's perfectly fine.Nino: Huh, really? But we might be staying here a good while...Nino: Plus, I thought you had patrol work to do!Nino: Did I hear you wrong earlier?Solis: No... but it's perfectly fine to postpone things to tend to guests.Nino: I see, I see. How kind of you.Nino: That reminds me of something, though.Nino: When you said you'd lead us to…

Wow. The nerve of this guy. So all that hospitability was an act, huh? You were mistaken to assume he'd believed anything. Now that it's come to this, you'll push against it. You'll make him feel like he's disrespecting you. Like he's being inhospitable. That should go against his honorable standards and get him off your case! Nino: ...You think I was lying the whole time? Why?Nino: I'd say you sound overtly wary now!Solis: Call me whatever you like, Mino,Solis: I still think your actions here were just a bit off.Solis: And I don't think it's strange to seek an explanation for them.Nino: Right, well, that's fair.Nino: But I feel like you're being a bit rude!Nino: You're accusing me of lying about everything...Nino: Just because I acted a little awkward?…

You nearly give out a fake name, but you recall at the last second that Meimona had definitely called you by your real name in front of this guy already. You believe that she did it only once, and not very loudly, but still... There is a chance he heard it. If that's the case, could asking this question be a test? He might think the name "Nino" sounds too human. Or, he might've already gotten your name from someone else, somehow, and he's trying to check your truthfulness now. Or... are you being too paranoid? Well, no matter which it is, you can't risk anything. However small that chance is, you'd better play around his question just to be safe! Nino: Be truthful, but keep it vague. If using…

For a start, you decide to take a better look around the place. This is a nice room... clean, stylish, and its furniture seems quite comfortable. You then peer outside the window. Your room's on the third floor, so from here, you can actually see the whole town! "Buried Oasis", was it? Surprisingly, there aren't a lot of people outside. Red Tulip felt more populated than this, even though it was a smaller town... Perhaps most people are having lunch indoors around this time? Who knows, really! Nino: What's in that gift box? This gift box is not a gift box at all! It is in fact the first-aid kit you recieved from the inn's staff. You didn't actually need one, but you had to say something to get past…

After a quiet, uneventful trek through the desert, you make it... somewhere. It's strange, but there were no spirits at all this time around. In a way, it's kind of disturbing that there wasn't even a hint of a single spirit, after you'd just seen dozens upon dozens of them appear out of nowhere... In your mind, there are two possibilities. One: this guy just killed all the spirits that were there. Two: all of the remaining spirits have hidden away because of this guy. Either way... you sure are glad you're not his enemy right now. Solis: ...Here we are.Solis: Welcome to Buried Oasis, my hometown.Solis: Under different circumstance, I'd have loved to give you a tour, but...Solis: Getting your friend treated takes priority.Nino: Ah, yeah...Solis: Please, follow me.…