I love the rewrite as it gives more depth to the characters! Super love what you did to Yusuha because you made him more grounded. Love, love the tidbits in the past you included with our Eli. Did I mentioned that I love the story? I can actually spare a thought for Tahlia in the rewrite and actually considers her actions to be acceptable. Even us working for her to be believable after the rewrite because we are given a negotiation!
I wish there’s a stat counter for our mage’s personality when they were children so that Eli could comment (hint: tease) our mage for it because I made my mage a crybaby when she was little and now she’s just a cynical reserved person. (It’s hard not to pick crying when it’s an option because I love how Eli would react to it haha)
The personality thing is interesting because, potentially, the character could have three, how they acted as a kid, how they acted during game one, and how they act now
“Stop ruining my cool stoic persona! I worked hard on this!”
So I’m assuming, from the ambiguity of their accents and their reference to the continent as a “backwater” that our current enemies are Imperial. Or perhaps a rival power thereto. It’s the only country named that isn’t on our continent (forgot how to spell the name) but they’ve been mentioned as expanding into other countries so presumably there’s still others left in their neck of the woods.
Edit: Another thing I was thinking about is whether our choice of business could be used to benefit our cause of choice. As soon as I realized we were essentially hijacking one of the biggest names in black market goods and information brokerage and making him sell magic artifacts, I immediately got the idea to start leveraging our artifacts to get us sources of intel and political allies to form a massive spy network and/or arm our side of the ongoing Silantar power struggle with powerful weapons.
Didn’t one of the twins survive in the original demo? That’s the one bit I actually did prefer. I was looking forward to seeing more of her. I know necromancy is really hard and you need to wait a year, but it WOULD be interesting.
Alright. I’ve finished the new demo and I must say, the changes make the Arcadian crew a lot more likable. Even Tahlia; in the previous demo, she was a tyrant with poor social skills, and I hated her. But now she is a reasonable person, even if she is still a ruthless leader.
She actually revived the MC because she felt responsible for the MC’s death at Sister’s hands, and promised to let the MC choose their own path once the Song of the Dead is completed in a year (the way the Song of the Dead works has also changed in this demo), even if she did express that she hopes the MC will join the Arcadian cause of their own volition. Because of this, I find it hard to dislike Tahlia now, even if I may still not completely agree with her.
It makes me happy to know that after a year, the MC will be free to stay or leave as they wish, like Eli did. For now, my MC is happy to stay in Thulrum with his little botanical shop selling flowers and alchemical ingredients when he isn’t required to go on missions with the Sabers.
Edit: I forgot to add, after all these years, I still want the so-called “spymaster” Ante dead.
Alright. After going through the recent comments after the demo update, I realize that people are conflating the Sienan Capital and the whole nation/kingdom of Param together.
Please remember that it was the people of the Sienan Capital (excluding Saine and Ilya) who wanted the MC dead, not the whole Parami people. And please remember that Aunt Bess is a Parami as well who lives in Leaf End, and she definitely didn’t wish the MC dead.
It’s ok if you want to burn the whole Sienan Capital down in revenge, but please don’t burn the whole Parami kingdom. Saine, Ilya and Aunt Bess don’t deserve to be punished.
This year has been really difficult for me so far, but to see this book come back after so long made me incredibly happy I’ve been silently following AMR ever since the 1st book was just a demo, and I consider it one of my favorite pieces of fiction. Thank you for not giving up on the rewritte! I missed my son (my mage Vaan) so much KDKDKE
Some random spoilery thoughts
I finished reading a few weeks ago and I LOVED the new perspective on Arcadia and it’s people. While I liked the way the story was before, I feel like getting to actually know how Arcadians live makes for a much more interesting story. No more Thalia threatening the mage into missions freshly out of the abyss lol. I still don’t fully trust her tho, has she really been as “open” as she wants us to think?
AND WE HAVE A HOUSE NOW, AND A STABLE JOB, AND NO MORE PEOPLE CHASING US SINCE WE’RE “DEAD”, FINALLY. This is as close as the mage will get to a normal life I hope it lasts for a good while before everything inevitably goes to hell (again). Mage can’t catch a break fr.
I miss the White Fangs a lot but i’ve also been having fun getting to know the Arcadia gang, I think I like Y more and F a lot less than before KSKDKS I feel like I can now see better how truly loyal F is to Thalia and her cause and that… may tick my mage a bit. But maybe that’s just me.
And the option to remain dead at the start, to not go into the light. I though the game was going to loop infinitely until I picked the other option and then I got hit with a “thanks for playing” KSKFKENFND little detail but I loved it.
My english is not that great but I wanted to leave a message anyways. Thanks for everything you’ve done up until now author, i’ll be waiting paciently for whatever comes next
Wasn’t a typo but I may have worded that wrong ^^“. It’s not that I like F less as a character now, I think I felt them more- agressive? in this new demo. That’s the reason why “i like them less”. The hole conversation they had with my mage about their first mission and the mage’s resurrection felt really hostile to me idk. And I don’t remember feeling like I wanted to fight them so bad before KSJDSND.
I just find it easier to actively want to antagonize them this time around. Hope that makes sense!
I did play the old demo a looong time ago, so I may have forgotten some details about the “old” F when making this comparison :”)
After reading book one again I still can’t forgive what Leon did but at the same time I understand why leon did it, like sure killing the saintess was unavoidable and the number one taboo for paraam but killing the guards that follow Ante to stop MC and were just trying to imprison them can not be justified especially when we are supposed to be this powerful mage that have been learning magic for some years and didn’t choose a safer magic from there vast collection of spells to deal with the guards, sure the moment forced they hands but doing this, is what partially sealed our fate, Leon’s actions also can’t be defended even if the MC deserve a death sentence, but what Leon did ticks me off considering the MC literally fought for Leon’s war, avenged Leon brother death and have been friends or intimate partners with Leon for atleast 4 or 5 years, despite everything they went through Leon didn’t give our MC a benefit of a doubt or a chance to understand why our MC will suddenly kill the saintess out of everyone, what Leon did wasn’t in the bloody name of justice but just blind anger and stupidity that even illya the woman who almost made MC choose a option that would not successfully save all kidnapped orphans and was just ready to abandon sick arcadians can practically see that the situation with MC was bullshit
The reason MC just blasted ante’s entourage (if I’m remembering correctly) was because there wasn’t time to play it safe. If mc had time, they probably could have even saved the saintess but she was literal seconds from blowing up
Just read the rewrite all the way through, and I find it much harder to hate Tahlia.
I’m looking for a reason to hate her like I did in the old demo, but I never got one. I’m no longer forced to leave the abyss, so I can’t hate her for stealing my peace. She no longer presumes full control over me lording her ability to end my life over me as a threat. She still has the ability to end the resurrection song. However, it’s far more pragmatic in nature than before. No longer a “I brought you back to life, so you owe me your soul” kinda vibe, but a “hey sorry I got you killed, please accept this resurrection as an apology. Also, this costs me a lot, so if you could help me out in the meantime that would be appreciated, and if you threaten what I built I’ll take back my apology and your resurrection.” Vibe. Her ruthlessness is far more justified as well, no longer is it over sins of the past against a long dead kingdom driving her, but current attacks against her people in the here and now.
My mage is still loyal to Param. He sacrificed to much for it’s survival to ever turn against it. However, he also wants to help the Arcadians as well now.
I really hope at some point my Param loyal mage gets a chance to visit the White Fangs, and try to persuade them to make an alliance against the imperial threat. (and get to decide whether to reveal his resurrection)
Imagines the scene:
Leon: “I don’t negotiate alliances with masked strangers, remove your mask and state your name before I lose my patience or you may face my blade.”
MC: “Geez Leon, calm down killing me once, I can forgive. However, if you kill me twice, I might just stay dead out of spite.” Removes mask “Also, seriously? You couldn’t have at least fired Ante? Honestly, killing me was some serious egg on your face. I would have thought you’d want a Spy master that actually gathers valuable Intel, before you decide to burn someone at the stake.”
I’ve been silently following AMR ever since the 1st book was just a demo, and I consider it one of my favorite pieces of fiction. Thank you for not giving up on the rewritte! I missed my son (my mage Vaan) so much KDKDKE 
