I’m going to venture Sasuke is referring to the girl that has Blaise’s scarf, the one that you can overhear, iirc, at a meal saying that since Blaise has been expelled and isn’t returning and isn’t going to ask for it back, the scarf is hers now.
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Aha, perfect! I remembered Marguerite from an earlier scene but had forgotten that particular one. Thank you!
I think you’re right, increasing Direct rather than Manipulative for that choice makes more sense. I’ll drop Abby a line.
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Thank you This a huge help cause I couldn’t figure out How 
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I just have one last question
How many characters can you even have in a polygamous relationship?
You can be with Max and Delacroix in a polyamorous relationship, and you can make decisions about whether or not two of you would like to get married as part of that (Westerlin doesn’t have legal marriage between more than two people). Some characters (Florin, Max, Freddie and Delacroix) are OK with being dated on the side but that’s more of a casual setup.
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Does Rosario and Auguste mind multi - romancing?
That was precisely it, thank you. I didn’t know how to blur it if it was too spoiler-esque, so was trying to be as vague as possible.
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Glad I got it right. For future reference, blurring a spoiler can be done by selecting the text you want to blur, clicking the little gear icon, and picking blur spoiler.
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Thanks.
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I just found another instance. If you go to the first dance with Hartmann (I took Hartmann as a friend in this playthrough) and choose to tell him enthusiastically that it went well, the choice raises the manipulative stat. However, his reply mentions specifically how it’s nice that MC said it so directly. Ok, I went back and made a different choice (give Hartmann a hug, if amenable), but I still lost direct so it may be that hugging Karson and having it mean more than friendship causes the bump in manipulative, in which case I’m confused. How else do you start a romance with Karson (I’m trying this route for the first time)?
Hi! I’ve spent the last few days trying to get through a full playthrough - i’ve made it to chapter 8 so far! Is there a list of the choices that INCREASE your stats, rather than rely on them? I’m wondering because for example I’m happy with my wit & spirit, but I want to work on my poise.
Does Max’s steadiness need to be high for the poly route, or is that just her solo route?
Steadiness only affect Max’s fate, the romance isn’t affected
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Can anyone tell me how to win the gallatin vs archambault battle in the beginning. I get it 43% to 57% need help here please
Sorry for not seeing this before! There isn’t really one particular scene for this I’m afraid - it’s spread out a lot across the game. In particular, if you succeed in interacting with Auguste’s speech during the Archambault visit, do well at sports day, and in general succeed when doing anything with the Archambault students in front of people (such as when Florin visits Mrs Benton’s shop), that will help you.
On an entirely other topic, I guested on the Talking Simulator games podcast and the episode came out today! So if anyone wants to hear me chatting about Crème de la Crème, interactive fiction, and writing romance, please jump on over there and have a look!
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Ohh i listened to the podcast yesterday! You’re very interesting to listen to, and oh boy, your voice is amazing, so energetic and powerful, literally doesn’t allow the listener to get distracted.
I’m sorry for pestering you in every single thread about your games (i hope it doesn’t look annoying - but i just can’t stop playing them again and again, a year ago i played CDLC 7 times, and now i’m playing it again, that’s why) and i know your head is in RA now, but can i please ask for some CDLC ROs trivia? For, uh, headcanon and fanfiction purposes?
Yesterday in my dream i saw an ask where you said that Hartmann is the best caregiver, and i was so amuzed, i woke up immediately without reading the whole answer lmao. Now i really need to hear from you just how good of a caregiver Hartmann is. Could you please rate CDLC and RA characters from best to worst caregivers? And the other way around, best to worst patients, like when you’re trying to take care of them when they’re sick, who obediently accepts care and who is max?
One more burning question, would Hartmann prefer their spouse to become Hartmann, or they would like to take their surname, or they’d rather each of them keep their own? For better context, in the ending, Saeran’s parents were on their way to social redemption and were invited to super elite and exclusive club, so i guess they aren’t pariahs anymore… I mean, people will still remember the scandal, and i can kinda imagine that non-rebel Hartmann would still feel uncomfortable about taking MC’s surname, and rebel Hartmann might do just it, to show MC that he isn’t afraid to be associated with them (but still only if MC’s parents aren’t outcasts). But i really need your resolution to not headcanon something terribly OOC here…
Also: how comfortable you will be with mild NSFW questions about ROs? Not something kinky. Stuff like “who’s vocal, who’s quiet, who keeps asking if they’re doing good, who is sure they’re doing good, who is not sure but won’t ask”.
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Had a chance to listen to the podcast yesterday. Good to know that the author themself have trouble with how Archambault is supposed to sound like too. It was ‘arch-chem-bout’ in my head, for whatever the reasons 
Now I’m imagining an aside where both the CdlC and RA cast discussed about its pronunciations, maybe with all of them disagreeing and such!
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ar-cham-bow for me! 
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Caregiving in order from best to worst:
Freddie: warm, cuddly if the patient wants that, knows what’s needed, and isn’t squeamish or overly worried
Hartmann: is strict about the patient not doing too much, and would make sure to have EVERYTHING on hand to help. They get a bit overthink-y at times
Karson: practical, not afraid of discomfort, would be a very solid helper
Delacroix: very happy to be a quiet supportive presence, wouldn’t get bored and would just bring a pile of books to read while holding the patient’s hand
Rosario: kind and gentle, but not super practical, and worries a bit too much to be entirely relaxing
Gonzalez: heart in the right place, tries to cheer up a patient but doesn’t have the smarts to know when to let the patient rest
Max: gets a bit anxious-restless but would totally enjoy keeping the patient from getting bored
Blaise: a little impatient, mostly because of wanting the sickness to be done with, but affectionate
Auguste: brisk, efficient, would get servants to do what’s needed but doesn’t really get hands on and doesn’t have much of a bedside manner (they’re a bit uncomfortable with vulnerability)
Florin: hates being around discomfort, would get stressed and probably would tell the patient to get well soon and catch up with them once they were better. But they might play them piano if the mood took them
If they were ill: here’s an ask I answered a while back about that topic!
Hartmann and surnames: yes, I think non rebel Hartmann would be a bit more worried about changing their name than rebel Hartmann, though I could see them going for it if it felt right, especially if the MC had recovered the family reputation. They’d be pretty happy either way to hyphenate or similar.
I did use to answer mildly nsfw questions but I got less comfy with it over time so I prefer to keep it on patreon these days, where I can keep it in one place and ensure that only people who want to see it will, and people won’t accidentally stumble on anything that they don’t want to 
Thank you so much for the kind comments, it amazes me that after two years Crème de la Crème is still bringing joy to people! And I’m so glad you enjoyed the podcast - Jordan was a lovely interviewer and made a great atmosphere to chat. Honestly I tend to say “Arsh-am-bow” to rhyme with “snow” when I’m talking aloud, but I’m not used to saying it out loud with anyone except my wife, so I panicked and chose whatever felt right at the time 
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Thank you for your answers!
Hah, i thought CDLC was just a fond memory of mine by now, but nooooo, i’m replaying again and again, i’m head over heals about hartmann AGAIN, commissioning an artist to draw him, thinking about him 24/7.
Not only his personality was made for me, but he’s also objectively really amazingly and consistently written. And i absolutely love the kissing scene in chapter 6. Seriously, three lines tell so much if you see the difference, and it’s genuis! Compliant Hartmann tries to lead even though he doesn’t do that quite strongly enough, and basically he does what he wants to be done to him, like he’s trying to experience it through MC when he can’t allow himself to ask for what he wants. Rebellious Hartmann consistently encourages you to lead - instead of, you know, not really voicing his actual desires and trying to do something that he thinks he “must” do. When he becomes emotionally stronger, he can allow himself to be less strong if that’s what he wants. Amazingly written scene, and i loooove Hartmann’s preferences.
(even though tbh it triggers my OCD when the kiss on the compliant side is “sending chills down your arm”, because… just one arm? why just one? I feel awfully asymmetrical when i read this, heavier on one side… especially since he touches your neck and hair, not your arm… but oh well, rebel is my canon anyway, and emotion-wise it’s a perfect scene nonetheless).
About surnames, i was just thinking about it when i wrote a post about them as teachers, and they try to hide they’re married, but… i guess they can use their old separate surnames for students, right? It’s not like anyone except for the headteacher saw their papers.
A request: Hartmann’s parents’ names, i beg you. Invent them on the spot if you don’t know them, i really need something canon here, hlep. 
More questions: how good is Hartmann’s eyesight? Does any of ROs have a need to wear reading glasses?
How developed is medicine in this world, what kind of meds/surgeries are available?
Also, Happy New Year! I wish you to stay inspired and motivated, and be surrounded by people who bring you the feeling of safety and comfort. Thank you for your games <3
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