Kotori: Explain all that you can. The Prince may be safer with Solis knowing.

• Solis: Uh... then, with that info in mind...
• Solis: Do you somehow know who this assassin is?
• Kotori: ...Not really. I only know that it's a single human.
• Solis: Huh...
• Solis: And, you said that you don't have any tangible proof to believe such an assassination attempt might happen?
• Solis: ...As well as that it would succeed, to boot?
• Kotori: Unfortunately...
• Kotori: I can't show you anything that would prove my hunch.
• Kotori: But I still trust it a lot, no matter what.
• Kotori: If asking you to trust in something so unreasonable is too much, then...
• Solis: ...No, it's okay.
• Solis: Kotori, let's assume that this will indeed happen.
• Solis: Since it's something you were keeping to yourself, I'm curious...
• Solis: What exactly... will you do to stop it?
• Kotori: ...Nothing.
• Kotori: I don't mean to say that I don't want to stop it,
• Kotori: It's just that there's nothing I can do about it anymore.
• Kotori: Not only is it an unbelievable problem, it's also one that I haven't found the right solution for.
• Solis: Is that why you didn't want to tell anyone?
• Kotori: Yeah...
• Kotori: See, I have nothing to offer besides hopeless answers.
• Kotori: First, I dare to present you this unrealistic issue, and then, all I can tell you is to give up.
• Kotori: So... I'm sorry.
• Solis: ...

• Solis: ...Well, I wasn't expecting to hear such a thing tonight, but...
• Solis: If this really was going to happen...
• Solis: Then you'd be the only person who has been aware of it.
• Solis: Which seems like a lot of responsibility for just one person.
• Solis: And also...
• Solis: Keeping it to yourself must've felt pretty lonely.
• Kotori: ...
• Solis: But... now, I know this too, so...
• Solis: Let's not give up on everything just yet, huh?
• Kotori: ...
• Solis: Uhm, I apologize if those assumptions were wrong.
• Solis: You're awfully quiet...
• Kotori: ...Sorry. It's not your fault.
• Kotori: It's just that every response that I could think of sounded hopeless.
• Solis: Come on, there's no reason to be that way.
• Solis: I mean, what's the worst damage that one human could even cause?
• Solis: There's still something we can do ourselves, too.
• Solis: For instance...

Solis: Sounds like a reason to attend those festivities to try to prevent it from happening.

• Solis: Should we both be at the celebration site for more protection, then?
• Solis: If we're with his highness, then surely...
• Kotori: No. That will not prevent it.
• Kotori: Neither of us know the assassin's capabilities.
• Solis: Oh.
• Solis: Uh, then...
• Kotori: And warning the prince won't do any good, if you're thinking of that.
• Solis: ...
• Solis: Wait, why wouldn't it do any good?
• Kotori: Uh..
• Kotori: Because...
• Kotori: It... it just doesn't end well to do that.
• Solis: ...And why not?
• Kotori: Um! I'm not sure...!
• Kotori: I think it's because I don't know how the assassin will be sneaking in...
• Kotori: So letting the prince know of their arrival alone doesn't help.
• Kotori: Sorry, really. I don't know the right solution.
• Kotori: I just know one thing...

• Kotori: That waiting by the prince's side doesn't work.
• Kotori: At that point, the assassin would've already infiltrated so deeply in...
• Kotori: And it would be too late for anyone to detect their presence.
• Solis: ...Even with the level of protection surrounding his highness?
• Kotori: Yeah...
• Solis: Well, it could always be higher, then.
• Solis: If it's to protect his highness, no number of soldiers is overkill.
• Kotori: No, that's not going to work either.
• Kotori: In fact... trying to increase security will only backfire.
• Solis: Why is that...?
• Kotori: I think that the more soldiers you try to guard the prince with...
• Kotori: The easier it makes this attempt for the assassin.
• Kotori: I'm not sure why...
• Kotori: Maybe it becomes easier to blend in with a crowd?
• Solis: Still... wouldn't it make the assassin hesitate if there's plenty of capable, armed soldiers around?

• Solis: Not to mention that plenty of powerful, high-ranking monsters are already present there by his highness' side.
• Solis: The regional lords, the royal guards...
• Solis: And let's not forget Corona herself.
• Kotori: I know that, but...
• Solis: Kotori, his highness is always surrounded by the best of the best from every region. There's no way any of them would allow the prince to be harmed.
• Solis: Many of them are far more capable in combat than either of us are.
• Kotori: I know! I don't doubt their strengthes...
• Kotori: But you're thinking from the perspective of someone who wants to live.
• Kotori: I believe this assassin doesn't actually care what happens to them,
• Kotori: As long as their target is dealt with.
• Kotori: So it doesn't matter if they're placing themselves at risk.
• Kotori: Even if they were to face the four regional lords and their numerous guards, none of that would deter them.
• Solis: ...Huh...
• Solis: I suppose... that would remove a lot of hesitation from their part.
• Solis: It does complicate things more than I initially thought...
• Kotori: Yeah... see how it is?
• Kotori: I really don't know what's the right thing to do.
• Kotori: If I did, I wouldn't be so hopeless right now.
• Kotori: I only know... about the options that don't end well.
• Kotori: So...
• Kotori: Forget about telling his highness, or letting him handle this himself.
• Kotori: The prince won't always have the best judgement on how to deal with a given issue. And... I know for a fact that it won't end well to tell him.
• Kotori: It's the one time where I dare to say that I know better than his highness does, for sure.

Kotori: Question.

• Kotori: Besides...
• Kotori: Will his highness really trust us if we told him all of this, Solis?
• Solis: What are you talking about?
• Solis: Of course, he...
• Solis: ...He would...
• Kotori: You don't sound so sure.

Solis: Answer.

• Solis: It... is a direct threat to his life.
• Solis: So at least, I think he'd take that part seriously.
• Kotori: Sure... just that much, though.
• Kotori: But if we tried to guide the prince on how to treat it, he'd reject us.
• Kotori: I don't think his highness would trust me to that degree, Solis.
• Kotori: ...And that's okay.
• Kotori: If I can do the right thing, and protect him, then...
• Kotori: I'll happily do it in my own way.
• Kotori: And if I get scolded for acting on my own afterwards, that's fine,
• Kotori: Since it means that his highness survived well enough to scold me!
• Solis: ...
• Kotori: And what about you, Solis?
• Solis: I... have an obligation to never deceive his highness.
• Solis: Regardless of my standing, regardless of his trust in me...
• Solis: I can't just act without his approval.
• Kotori: Ah, that's not what I'm asking about.

• Kotori: Solis...
• Kotori: Do you trust his highness more than you trust yourself?
• Kotori: I think you underestimate your own judgement sometimes...
• Solis: That's not it, it's just...
• Solis: How could I dare to think my word matters more than the prince's?
• Kotori: Well, how could you dare to make your word appear so insignificant?
• Kotori: To me, your choices do matter on their own.
• Kotori: Correct me if I'm wrong, but... I don't think it's his highness who told you to come here today and lend me an ear, right.
• Kotori: That was all... Solis' choice.
• Solis: ...
• Kotori: So, just for this once...
• Kotori: I want you to judge for yourself, and help protect the prince in your own way,
• Kotori: Just as I intend to do here.
• Kotori: Because, if you ask his highness on what to do,
• Kotori: It won't be as good as what we choose.
• Kotori: I am certain of this fact.
• Solis: ...Tell me, then.
• Solis: Given what you know, what do you intend to do here?

• Kotori: Well, when it comes to the assassin...
• Kotori: I'm lead to think that I shouldn't lie in wait where I expect to see them.
• Kotori: Instead, I should go after them, to find them where they don't expect.
• Kotori: That's the only solution right now.
• Solis: ...So, in other words...
• Solis: You plan to detect them before they get too far into our world.
• Kotori: Oh... yeah!
• Kotori: You get it now!
• Solis: Let me consider your input first.
• Solis: Even though you say you've already given up on many ideas...
• Solis: I want to hear what you've given up on.
• Solis: You must've thought about this at least a fair amount before coming to the state of "nothing besides hopeless answers", right?
• Kotori: ...Right.
• Kotori: I thought about it a lot!
• Kotori: Every day, for a long, long time.
• Kotori: For this case, I do have some ideas...
• Kotori: You see, I'm sure I'll find the assassin if I stand guard near their potential entry points. The further they are from the royal tower and site of celebration, the easier it will be to detect them.
• Kotori: And, the more time I'll have to try and stop them.
• Solis: So, you'd try to keep watch somewhere near by the barrier?
• Kotori: Yeah...
• Kotori: This is something I must do myself,
• Kotori: But once again... I feel that I won't succeed.
• Kotori: I'm really powerless... and I'm full of failures.
• Solis: ...So you say. Alright then.
• Solis: Kotori, think as if you have me on your side now.
• Solis: What do you think the two of us could do here to find this assassin?
• Kotori: If I had your help...? Well...
• Kotori: I may have one last chance to do something here.
• Kotori: But then, you'd be at risk, Solis.
• Kotori: So, really... it's not a good choice.
• Kotori: Everything I think of always feels so hopeless like this.
• Kotori: ...I'm sorry.
• Solis: ...

• Solis: Kotori, just how long have you been thinking about all of this?
• Kotori: What do you mean?
• Solis: I mean, you're talking as if you're aware of an inevitability here.
• Solis: So, for how long was this the case...?
• Kotori: Oh... that's a tough question.
• Kotori: I can't really gauge.
• Solis: Then, how long have you been trying to do something about it, at least?
• Kotori: ...One year.
• Solis: ...So, all this time...
• Solis: Really, could you not even trust me with it...?
• Kotori: O-oh, uh... I'm sorry.
• Solis: Dammit, Kotori.
• Solis: You worry too much about troubling others, don't you.
• Solis: Why didn't I realize that sooner.
• Kotori: Sorry, Solis...
• Solis: Stop apologizing.
• Solis: Look, I get it. There are some problems we can just deal with on our own.
• Solis: Some things are too petty to make a big deal out of... but not this.
• Solis: These are the sort of things you don't have to keep to yourself.
• Solis: This... this is what friends are for, Kotori.
• Solis: Instead of pushing us away...
• Solis: You should have just told me everything the moment you started fretting about this possibility, regardless of its feasibility.
• Kotori: But, if I had done that, then...
• Kotori: ...
• Solis: You think I would've turned a blind eye, since you have no proof?
• Solis: As long as it's something about his highness...
• Solis: Then neither me or Corona would've ignored your plight. Don't underestimate how seriously we take his safety.
• Solis: Or... did you hesitate because you thought you'd trouble me?
• Solis: Kotori, I'm sure it would've been goddamn nothing compared to keeping everything to yourself for this long.
• Kotori: Are you... upset with me?
• Solis: ...Yes. And you should be upset, too.
• Solis: Be mad that you were so unfair to yourself by not thinking to seek anyone's advice or help, even if just to get this off of your chest,
• Solis: When it clearly was more than what one person could handle.
• Kotori: ...
• Solis: But... I'm even more mad at myself.
• Solis: Really, I'm the one who should be apologizing.
• Solis: I can't believe that I was such a shitty excuse for a friend, that you didn't even want to rely on me for something like this.
• Kotori: No, no, Solis!
• Kotori: Don't... don't say that.

• Kotori: You're... you were a good friend.
• Kotori: You always were.
• Kotori: The reason I didn't tell you, or anyone else...
• Kotori: It's not because of troubling others, or my lack of proof, no.
• Solis: Then why?
• Kotori: Solis...
• Kotori: Didn't I say that I only know about the options that don't end well?
• Kotori: Well, it would not have ended well if I told you about this before now.
• Solis: What...?
• Solis: Why would that be the case?
• Kotori: Because, in the past, I couldn't have really trusted you with any of it.
• Solis: Then... tell me why you can't trust me.
• Solis: So I can change that part about myself, and ease your worries.
• Kotori: It's not you who I couldn't trust.
• Kotori: But it's because you, Solis, don't trust yourself when I expect it.
• Kotori: You're always like that. You ask to be relied on, but...
• Kotori: You think only of seeking his highness first and foremost.
• Kotori: So if you tell me to rely on you, then...
• Kotori: Let me really rely on you, and on you alone.
• Kotori: Not on your reliance on his highness.
• Kotori: Otherwise... it really is going to end badly with this reaching the prince.

• Solis: Hold on, Kotori...
• Solis: This is just some hunch, isn't it?
• Solis: You can't know the outcome for sure unless you give it a try first.

• Solis: So how can you be sure that...
• Solis: ...

Solis: Dial it back a little.

• Solis: ...Ugh.
• Kotori: Solis?
• Kotori: What's wrong?
• Solis: ...
• Solis: It's nothing.
• Solis: Sorry, I said that I would listen,
• Solis: But here I am, trying to talk back against your concerns.

Solis: You're gonna prove yourself here.

• Solis: Uh, man.
• Solis: I'll be honest here.
• Solis: Hopeless this, hopeless that...
• Solis: This kind of talk sounds like a whole load of nonsense to me.
• Solis: Let's see. If the most critical opportunity is during the celebrations, then that means there's two days to go for the assassin to make their move.
• Solis: Afterwards, things return to normal, with every guard back into position... no more distractions from safeguarding every area.
• Solis: There is still time left on our hands until then, and yet...
• Solis: Kotori, you really were thinking about giving up already?
• Solis: Even though, it would be so easy for us to prevent such a thing.
• Kotori: H-huh... what!?

• Kotori: Really, Solis!?

• Solis: If telling others will only end badly...
• Solis: Then we can just do something on our own.
• Solis: You said you had one last thing you could do if I'm on your side, didn't you?
• Solis: And I'm plenty capable, you know.
• Solis: So don't give up just yet.
• Kotori: Wait, first of all...
• Kotori: You don't think it's stupid that I'm worried?
• Kotori: About a possibility that I can't even prove to you?
• Solis: Not really, it's not stupid.
• Solis: The more I think about it, the more I feel you might actually have a point.
• Solis: A celebration is sort of like a huge distraction, isn't it...
• Solis: People are already distracted, actually. They'll be that way for a while.
• Solis: That'd certainly make things easier for a particularly crafty assassin.
• Solis: So, let's think of what to do about it together.
• Kotori: Are... are you just humoring me?
• Solis: No.
• Solis: ...Okay, well... I don't want to lie.
• Solis: So, is half-and-half an acceptable answer?
• Solis: The circumstances do seem inviting for something to happen, at least.
• Solis: Perhaps not of a magnitude as terrible an assassination, but still, something criminal in nature.
• Solis: So I'm taking you up on that bit, at least.
• Kotori: Well, gee...
• Kotori: That's still really, really good.
• Kotori: Oh, I'm not saying that to dissuade you!
• Kotori: I'm just...
• Kotori: ...Really glad I found someone who can believe me, I guess.
• Kotori: But...

---->

• Solis: ...Kotori, listen.
• Solis: This time, please rely on me.
• Solis: Others might dismiss what you're saying because of your status, or lack of proof, but... I won't.
• Solis: You're worried that I won't allow myself to judge soundly, right?
• Solis: Well, don't be. I'll take your warnings to heart.
• Solis: Even if I'm someone who doesn't usually act on unfounded ideas...
• Solis: We can agree that his highness' safety is important to the both of us.
• Solis: So I won't belittle the importance of your concerns.
• Kotori: ...
• Kotori: You're right... I've gotten used to giving up too easily.
• Kotori: Thanks for the encouragement.
• Solis: If we're friends, then... let's work together here.
• Solis: You're not alone.
• Kotori: Okay...
• Kotori: How funny, this reminds me of an old friend.
• Kotori: I've always been too quick to give up, but my friend would tell me...
• Kotori: As long as I'm alive, I should keep trying.
• Kotori: And with that, a way forward is bound to show itself.
• Solis: That's a nice thing to say.
• Solis: Although, it sounds rather unfounded, honestly...
• Kotori: Yeah, right! I bet they feel like empty words to you!
• Kotori: It feels like you're the type of person who wants to give reasoning behind everything... even encouragements!
• Solis: Shit, I guess I can't deny that...
• Kotori: That's okay too, though.
• Kotori: It makes you reliable, after all.
• Kotori: Well... I've got an idea.
• Kotori: If you'll help, would you hear me out?
• Solis: Of course.
• Solis: I promised to listen to your worries all the way through, didn't I.