Wow... you guys are terrific!

I'm speechless, I love this story, it's really interesting

Keep writing please!

Finally I caught up to the story! Hehehe~~~ the last chapter was loooong... but it was the best... :3

At first the pairing was 'weird' to me.. hehe... but now I think I like it

Now... Azusa, open that letter! xD

"The young woman and her lover" who are/were they? I wanna know! XD

"my prayers are nothing but words of selfishness if they were only for me" Oh man! That phrase killed me! It's very interesting... I think it's like a contrast... A 'spectre' praying...? And for the Azusa's sake? God... I wanna hug Ui! 8D

So, Miss Aki is Ui's mom? Just who is she? What is she thinking? The last scene was a little scary xD

I'm confused... mainly for the Miss Aki's behavior... ah! and for Mugi's death, too... Why Mugi-chan is dead? D: (that girl was Mugi, right? .-.)

Oh, so, this is the first arc? Great! We don't know how many chapters will have though... well, for me there's no problem... I'll wait patiently

Great work, Athyra-san and ghikiJ-san! :D

Ah! Before I forget, where is my Mio and her Ritsu? ._.

PS: I know I shouldn't tell this in the review... but... here I go... I told you in my first review I can wait looong time for Timeless... even a year or two... take your time, I hope that fic come back

a long chapter DX I don't remember what I wanted to say in the first place but even though there are so many sweet moments I can't help but feel melancholy (spelling?) throughout the whole chapter! Mugi nooooooo T_T why why why?

Finally we see some UiAzu and I can't wait to see how it develops!

Someone really needs to exorcise Miss Aki :(

My favorite lines are:

Am I not your treasure too? - this makes the scene gazillion times more tragic than it already was!

Archangel Raphael continued to smile as the sky darkened further, the rain falling harder on his wings, and somberly listened to this demon who dared to pray to God for the sake of a fallen angel. - such an amazing imagery!

"Hello, you~" - I don't know why. Those are two very normal words but they aren't anymore...

I can't wait for more!

I was going to wait until analysis but looks like it isn't going to happen DX beautiful illustration, Athyra-sama, just looking at it makes me want to cry. The part about Countess and Duchess is really unexpected. I mean after the not so secretive hint of Mio and Ritsu from last chapter, I was waiting for Mugi to play a role but OMG! Why, why would Yui? She doesn't look like she wants to do it either! Who's forcing her? Why does it have anything to do with her sister? I sense something forbidden going on...

And for some reason, Ui saw those memories, huh.

Well, what comes next really heals me. Thanks to Azusa's food, Ui was able to remain herself and we finally see what a confused but kind girl she is. I can just see her waiting by the clock, waiting for Azusa to return...so cute and it really makes one's heart go out to her. Then we see how much she tried to save Azusa who, because of the crazy parasol lady, was practically on the brink of death.

In spite of the seriousness of the situation, my mind couldn't help but wonder at the bath scene 8D...is what I really like to say, but Ui is just too pure and innocent for me to even dare thinking of such a thing! Shame on me! Anyways, cleaning and grooming the brave cat makes me smile, especially the part with Ui brushing her fingers through Azusa's hair. This gentle gesture contradicts strongly with her claws and I really like the image.

All those flashbacks with the-still-sane big sister are evil. I tried to read those normally but DX how could you do that to Mugi! Although the actual memory fragment really touched me too. THAT Yui was still sane and the caring, adorable airhead we love. It makes me wonder just how sick Ui really was before she became...this horned Spectre.

Azusa is so adorably M, even though she didn't get to speak much at all XD I supposed the hairtie (or ribbon) is the S or M converter. Either way, she's still cute and most importantly, she brings out the best in Ui. All those torture implications in those flashbacks...just what was Ui's dad doing in his studies? He seems like a nice guy, like the mom whose name I'm not even going to attempt wondering...

The Prayer scene was breathtaking. A miracle can happen! It really can! Which is why I'm crossing my fingers for nicer things to happen...even a horror story needs its romance component. And I'm saying this despite the very ominous ending there to this arc. 'Deceptive' and 'psychotic' are the only two words I have for this so-called Miss Aki... wait, no, 'creepy' is the winner here. I don't know what to make of those piles of bones and the skull she was holding. I have an inkling but I prefer not to think about my speculations.

There are many many things to talk about but I'm forgetting half of them already XD awesome (morbid) end to arc1! Athyra-sama sounds serious, foreshadow?

ghikiJ-sama, congratulations! Hope to read more soon!

Another long chapter but you guys don't need to worry about the length at all :D Us readers will enjoy it no matter what.

I guess in a way, I've been waiting for a chapter like this because we've seen Azusa's perspective and a mix of the Spectre and Ui, but this the first time we see the 'real Ui'. The gentle, shy, compassionate sweet girl trapped in this monster-like body. The way Ui cared for Azusa is just so sweet, I love it! She's so shy and maybe even afraid of Azusa but she fought against her instincts to save the very person who saved her from that monstrous Spectre. Now we just need Azusa to be conscious to see what a lovable person Ui is :D The prayer part is beautiful :'D

I'm sure I have more to say but everything fell out of my mind at the creepy end. All those cute moments between Ui and Yui are just thrown out the window X( I don't know what to say. Did the Spectre kill Yui or something? So Yui became this Aki who also has the same name as their mother? what? so really Miss Aki is THE Spectre? What is she planning? Who's skull is that at the end, if her skeleton's back in the dungeon?

And just when I thought I could forget it, clicking the review button brings me back up to the page. QQ must you kill Mugi? with the end part, Miss Aki is for sure psychotic, and the Countess in this beginning is half of her and half of the Yui we love QQ but how is she still my favorite character?

anyways, congratulations ghikiJ-san, though your definition of a present is slightly strange QQ And take your time Athyra-san I can't get enough of those amazing illustrations :D

Can't wait for arc2!

ahhh! i'm finally here, ari-chuan! i'm reviewing it. XDD well, commenting on it rather since it's so seldom to get myself in the mood to do an analysis. and it's not like you still need mine *looks at the others' analyses*

anyhow, I LOVE UIAZU! thank god, it's NOT YUIAZU. LOL. i'm not even a fan of those two together. XDD and i'm pretty glad kakifly's torn them apart, temporarily. XDD uiazu is going to shine more! MWAHAHAHAHAA!

So yeah, mindfcking story is always delicious. i love how you played with our minds, your readers. But one thing's for sure, I'm going to kill you if this turns out as yuiazu, got that? LOL

jk.

But i'm quite serious. LOL.

hoping for azusa and ui to end up together. 3

(Back to the "LADY AKI" portion of my supposed "analysis"!)

In this line: "The parasol twirled and whirled, forcing Azusa to lean closer to the lady to ensure the rain did not land on her.", I felt as though the parasol was promising false safety, and therefore dragged Azusa into the spell. That freakin' parasol, making me over-analyze every little thing and whatnot, lol.

I mentioned earlier how I would explain why I say "(original) Spectre" when referring to Miss Ui. We started out this story referring to Ui as "The Spectre", and it was also written that way. However, I don't like to believe that anymore. Ui is Ui, and I think she's a beautiful person, with her kindness, despite her abnormalities and the supposed beastly persona that tends to emerge. You know how in some horror movies, one person is OBVIOUSLY made out to be the threat/bad guy but it actually ends up being the least-expected person? Well, I like to think that the Lady is the true Spectre of the story. She seems to be a threat, and I definitely do not trust her after this chapter. After all, this is in the "Horror" category, isn't it? Expect the unexpected. I believe that the reason why Ui was referred to as "The Spectre" in the preface was because it had been a part of her own POV, and how she believes herself to be a monster, rather than her literally being the main Spectre of the story. Everyone is a Spectre in their own way, but I think that this "Aki" Lady is the true Spectre.

I feel a bit assured about this by the actual definition of the word "Spectre", which is "apparition: a ghostly appearing figure". The only apparition/ghostly appearing figure that we've seen thus far is the Lady herself. Ui doesn't spontaneously disappear, lack footsteps, or cause Azusa to suffer from illusions. She's just as human as Jun, except she's isolated, driven insane by a long time of hunger and loneliness, and has odd additions to her body like the horns and claws. The history behind the Lady herself is still unknown, and we would probably get a definite answer as to who and what she is when we find out what her story is, exactly.

But then again, everyone is a Spectre in this story, aren't they, in some little way?~

I believe that's all I had to say about the Lady... I think. Not too sure, but I'll continue.

OTHER

The courier and her lover. I love how you didn't specify the gender of the lover, lol, so now I'm afraid I'm dragged into the groups that are believing it's Mio and Ritsu. Hardworking and a joker. Sounds familiar. If this truly is a reference to Mio and Ritsu, then where is Mugi? Hehe, I'd like to think that she's involved someway somehow, though I doubt it. I wonder if we'll ever see this female courier... After all, I can't help but wonder what she could possibly be delivering to this Lady. What did the Lady need delivered? I'm hoping this mystery courier has the answer that could POSSIBLY put a few things into perspective, and that we see her soon.

"Shadow". Twice, this popped out at me in this chapter.

Jun: "To you, I'm just a shadow, right?"

Lady: "You're just a shadow too…"

I dunno', I felt as though it held importance. ESPECIALLY when the Lady used the same word. What does it all mean? A shadow to what, the world? Reality? Existence? Like I said, this was an opinion. I FELT as though it was an important choice of wording.

Schizophrenia... Now originally, I thought this actually meant a disorder where one develops multiple personalities. However, I actually looked it up (I'm a dork.), and found out that's not quite the case. At least, that's not what the technical term means. "Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that makes it difficult to tell the difference between real and unreal experiences, to think logically, to have normal emotional responses, and to behave normally in social situations." Is it just me, or does this apply to not only Miss Ui, but to Azusa as well (socially and mentally)? They are not similar just by loneliness. Two examples:

"Symptom: Hearing, seeing, or feeling things that are not there." (Azusa, who is constantly feeling and/or seeing things [whether or not the reader knows if they're real or not])

"Symptom: Problems paying attention." (Ui, who can't remember Azusa mentioning the letter or what needs to be delivered)

Schizophrenia also can develop, you don't have to be born with it. I'm not saying this is totally what's going on with the characters, but perhaps there is a possibility of Azusa developing it herself. I have no idea, I could be WAYYY wrong, but I feel like throwing things out there. It's not like any of us HAVEN'T thought of Schizophrenia when reading this fic so far.

~~~~

I think that's all I got. Not particularly proud of this "analysis", to be honest. XD But I do enjoy pointing things out and/or putting my opinion out there.

But thank you for another magnificent chapter! 'Twas crazy yet so well done! I enjoy that these types of stories can make their way into these type of fandoms. Can't wait to see the next chapter, you two! (It'll probably end up being another behemoth, XD).

Woops, Chao is a bit late (almost ten days? HOW DARE - *impaled*)! This chapter was great and written so well, as usual! You two never cease to amaze me, lol. I'm sorry if my usual analytic skills (which are amateur at best anyway, haha) are off-tune! I'm a bit rusty, I'm afraid, and I probably won't cover a lot of things... So I apologize!

I felt that this chapter was a bit, or perhaps a lot, more straight-forward than the first chapter and the preface. It's probably because of the amount of dialogue and simplistic interactions in the town that make it so different. I feel as though there isn't as much to analyze here, yet perhaps there is more than meets the eye! Either way, I'll probably ramble logical or illogical nonsense in this review. Let's gooooooo!

"MISS UI"

First off, I firmly believe the (original [ I'll explain why I say this later]) Spectre is definitely Ui, haha. Thanks to Azusa's rationality, I'll just take the last line from chapter 2: "Like she was not certain if that was her own name." as a way of saying that Ui thinks so lowly of herself as a "monster" that she does not even believe she deserves a human name or perhaps she hasn't been regarded as such in so long that she almost forgot her name. Or that, as a lot of us have been suspecting since the beginning, there is an identity crisis going on or that Ui is suffering from schizophrenia.

Either Ui is a liar (so she doesn't have to burden others with guilt), has some sort of crazy health-regenerating power, or she's simply numb from the pain by now after all these years. How can she not feel her wounds? Strange. Perhaps she simply doesn't want Azusa to feel bad... and yet she genuinely didn't seem to notice the wound. Anyway, I felt that it was a bit odd.

Oh, how Miss Ui's kindness gets me weak in the knees! She's so sweet and shy, I just want to hug her... Truly a huge transformation from her opposite persona. I really worry for her because it's SO DIFFERENT. Just how much of that "monstrous" persona takes over?

Indeed Azusa, WHAT happened to her? WHERE is her family? WHY does she live there alone? HOW long has she lived there? All very important questions that are lacking answers. We seem distracted by other things going on, like the Lady, that we forget our destination, which is to find these answers. Ghiki and Athyra are like "Aki", in a way. Distracting us... haha.

Miss Ui did not play as big of a role in this chapter (besides the driving force behind Azusa's determination the whole time, but besides that, not quite as much as usual). Forgive me if there isn't as much said as there should be about her, but I didn't feel that much could be said. Jeez, I feel rusty, haha.

"JUN"

How can you not love her? She's a great friend, honest, caring, and optimistic. She fits her role very well, and I'm glad you chose her.

Let me say something. I like to imagine what I'm reading, y'know? Who doesn't? Imagination is what makes stories and books what they are. I would like to express how EVERYTHING in this story had a surreal and dream(/nightmare?)-like quality to it when I picture it in my head. Like there's a fog or haze disorienting my vision ever so slightly while I'm watching as things transpire. From Azusa's flashbacks to whatever happens in the forest/mansion. Curse that moon of yours... It's so deceiving when I imagine the setting. Night, darkness... But anyway, everything has a surreal and dreamish quality to it.

Which brings me to my next point... The scenes within the town felt REAL. Like a crispy clear, safe type of real. I feel like Jun is an escape, or rather a firm base, to reality. At least for Azusa. Jun helped her escape that "fake" and overly-colorful noble life and brought her down to Earth. And she escaped the dark and supernatural forest and its residents, and made it back to town and Jun and was suddenly safe in her friend's arms and in the doctor's care. It's like everything goes from creepy and mysterious to normal, light-hearted, and safe almost instantly. The town and Jun are like a grip on reality, in my opinion. Jun is the only sane (main) character so far.

"AZUSA"

Stubborn as always, our lovable little courier. I understand her being reserved a lot of the time... I'm like that too. But her pain is worse, and I think she should open up at least a LITTLE more, at least to Jun. Or perhaps... Ui, at one point? Either way, to see her open up a bit more would be comforting. Heheh, a messenger who can't convey her own feelings. Truly, a great line.

Her past. Gah, I re-read the journal from the preface. Perhaps the date you used was merely to purposely throw us off a bit... I have no idea anymore. In her flashback, Azusa remembers how she put a journal in clear view in a drawer. I went back to read the entry from the preface, and I think it makes a bit more sense now that we know more about Azusa that it could be in Azusa's old mansion, rather than Miss Ui's. However, the entry speaks of grief, despair, and hopelessness. Sure, her parents died... But what happened, if it's as bad as she made it sound? (If we found out and I just can't remember, I blame it on all the confusion that these twists do to me! Haha) Or does she simply believe that her suffering from her parent's death and from having to live up to a certain expectation reflect the atmosphere of the house? I have no idea anymore, but it doesn't matter because I believe the journal is minor compared to the other things that have been happening in the story at the moment.

And that supposed "nightmare" she had... Those short lines were very to say the least... foreboding. I'll be honest and say that "Look at this pretty color! It's even richer than the one in our veins, isn't it?" is probably the creepiest line in this entire chapter. Who uses that as a comparison, I mean really! That's legit crazy, XD. It's definitely something to keep in mind, but I'm not quite sure what to say about it just yet... Haha, actually, I was thinking a little too technical because I thought: "Wait... blood only turns red when exposed to oxygen...". But then I remembered, this is not the appropriate time so I doubt they realized that scientifically yet PLUS I'm going to assume the "conversation" in this nightmare involved a YOUNGER Miss Ui, whether it was her who spoke that line or not, so she wouldn't have known either.

I fear for her infection...

Azusa's ability to push herself to reach Miss Ui is honorable. However, she always gets easily distracted by that Lady... Which brings us to our next subject.

"LADY/AKI"

No! I refuse, as a stubborn reviewer! She will ALWAYS be "Lady" to me, I tell you! Heheh, I don't think I'll get used to "Aki". Especially considering that I seriously doubt that is her actual name. I still think of her as Yui! ... A very demented Yui. I still think she's some sort of apparition, not a physically-existing being.

She ALWAYS appears first at the pond. It's like a broken record, except the song is different every time. The pond is her residual area. Perhaps she had died at that pond, this "Aki"? Even when she told Azusa she was going to go home, she mentioned that she had to stop by the pond again. Is the turtle that important? Or is the turtle an excuse for her consistent presence at that one location, when she speaks with Azusa (or any mortal in the past who may have come in contact with her)? The pond itself feels key to me, but perhaps I'm off-base.

The Lady is always distracting Azusa from the path, in a way. Or rather, stalling her from her duties (with seduction~, hehe). She's like a serpent, with her persuasive and hypnotic tongue. Her quotes were my favorite of this chapter, such as the ones regarding winter.

Like another reviewer, I actually think it was Adrena herself, mentioned, the articles of clothing (the scarf and gloves) resemble the Hirasawa sisters' Christmas gifts to one another from canon. I wonder if it's simply a fun reference or if there's a purpose behind these particular objects. Knowing you two, there's probably a purpose.

The whole scene (that was supposedly described as a "dream") about the seasons felt like a hazy nightmarish... blur, from the glow of the embers of the torch to the icy chill of the Lady herself. Who is this Lady? The Lady who had helped Azusa when she was first bit and covered up her wounds is now suddenly teasing Azusa's wound by enjoying the color of its blood and harming her, stating that she's delicious? I wonder if the whole scene would have happened if Azusa didn't bring up seasons, for perhaps it's a sensitive subject for the Lady. WHY did the Lady do that? Azusa asked for help, and "Aki" responded with "I am~"? How in the hell was she helping her, if she truly believed she was? I'm certain that that "nightmare" actually happened, at least in some respect. After all, how else would her coat be stained with blood, her hair down, and her stitches be bleeding when she never tripped?

Just want to say that the Lady's line of "Oh, aren't you a puppy" made me laugh. I thought that was funny.

I will continue this in another review. Pardon me, I shall return momentarily~

~Chao

Okay, lets see how well I can write this review that is worth two chapters of analyzes. I will warn you I'm still learning to "read between the lines" so it won't be the greatest... but here goes nothing.

When we begin the actual chapter one, the first thing I notice off the bat is Azusa's dream within a dream. I say this because in the dream Azusa is recalling a nightmare to her mother which depicts what she witnessed in real life, but there are many little hints of foreshadowing within this as well as the snippets of what Azusa hears her mother say throughout the chapter.

The first hint: Azusa never being alone.

Azusa puts up a pretty harsh front even around friends as we see in chapter 2, with Jun, and doesn't seem to stick around one place too long and takes her job very seriously. I envy her for this and wish I was so stubborn, but that's beside the point. We haven't seen much of what Azusa thinks of her own solitude, but if I had to guess, she's probably pretty oblivious to the fact that she feels alone or just bottles it up, which brings me to my second point.

Second hint: Azusa bottling up her emotions.

When she faces the Spectre(AKA Miss UI) for the second time we can see her try to rationalize with her as well as keep her fear at bay, but of course, like every respectable human she breaks once the Spectre tries to feast on her. Thankfully she is able to calm the beast within Ui and bring her human self back to the light. Now during Azusa's stay in Ui's Mansion([prison) I can't help but feel like Azusa really doesn't understand herself like she should, her emotionless facade she puts up when she "works" apparently frightens not only Ui but Jun as well. She realizes this later in chapter 2, but it takes a while. I think alot of this bottling up emotions comes from whatever happened to her parents. Her parents died, and in respect for them, Azusa took her parents teachings to heart. I don't think she got to properly grieve for them as well so that may also be part of why she is so stoic most of the time.

Lets move on the other main character of this story, the Spectre or Miss Ui.

Maa, how you've made me wreck my brain over this little creature. I've come to the conclusion that you, Athyra, and Chibi have all just got it into our heads that the sisters are suffering from identity crisis of some sort. Because the Spectre seems to Ui, but at times something else. I'm not entirely convinced that Spectre is a monster in itself... Ui did say at one point "Why can't I be one or the other?"... so that leads me to believe that whatever happened to her also might have happened to Yui as well. I'm almost tempted to say they somehow got fused together to create said monster. But then again, I could be so very wrong. XD These are just the thoughts that go through my head as I read. Then again we don't have much to draw on since Spectre's past and Ui's past seem so hazy even to her.

Oh and I want to say that the rat part, like I think all your other reviews have commented on, was absolutely disgusting and horrid...and oh so deliciously evil. I'm an artist and the way you described it easily put the images in my head. (CURSE YOU ARTIST IMAGERY!)

And I anxiously await what will happen since it has been a while since Azusa went back to the mansion. I do hope Ui is still waiting, and I hope Ui is still... Ui.

Oh to my most favorite character of all so far in this story (other then Azusa and Ui) and perhaps the least complicated in my opinion to analyze!

JUN!

Oh, you did such a lovely job characterizing sweet Jun, I love how she still retains her quirky self, being a stubborn friend all the way to the end it seems. And in my opinion the only person Azusa should trust with the secret of Ui. Yes, I can see Azusa telling Jun about Ui sometime in the future, wether of not you actually do is completely up to you. And maaaaaaaa, Jun/Azusa is canon! I love how the two interact with each other, Jun teasing Azusa... such a refreshing scene change from all the dreary deathly images that we usually got. I really hope to see more of Jun in this story, but if not I'll still be happy either way.

And now for the mysterious Aki.

Oh I had so many theories and thoughts running around in my head about her and I think someone else probably already pointed out the things I felt about her too, but I do hope you dont mind me repeating them.

Autumn incarnate.

You have Ui and Aki. Suffering and Hope. Fitting in a way.

I seem to be stuck on the idea that Aki is also a way for Azusa to get hope out of this horrible situation she has gotten herself into... but then you tossed us into that fever dream and I started rethinking my theories... what if everything is opposite of what it seems. Azusa's mother's advice is still ringing in my ears after all "Don't judge based on appearance" and Aki is by far the most out of place character... she seems kind and sweet. She almost mirrors our precious and late Yui (Maybe late Yui? still thinking she isn't dead) but I don't trust her fully. She is up to something I just know it.

Whew... I think that is it... for now anyways. I hope I did well... probably not since I just wrote what was on my mind and what was on my mind was all jumbled up. But there you go Ari! You got your long ass review from me! I look forward to chapter 3~ :3

*waits every so patiently*

I...I like this. To a point where I automatically doodled. What have you done to my laziness!

Er..I mean...uh...I love UiAzu, and this is certainly an exquisite read. I apologize for the lack eloquence, but I'm still dumbstruck over the rat scene. Brrr...

So here you go, my random doodle as I read...

: / /imgurdotcom/nOjLE

what an amazing chapter XD I feel like we really got to know Azusa, through her interactions with Ui, Jun and the doctor (the people belonging to the none-business related category), and that creepy creepy Aki.

Everything is all really well done, especially how Azusa changed from a lady to a courier, but like many other people I still want to point out the unknown factor that is Aki. She is still ojou-sama like, with bits of Yui-like behavior here and there, but when the illusion starts? Now that's what I call a Spectre XD The horned Spectre in the mansion is scary too but that one has a solid body and can be injured, but Aki...oh man, can't really tell if she wants to eat Azusa figuratively or literally, or both. Like the stairs scene, this hypnotizing bit between Azusa and Aki is also, you know 8DD

and Athyra-sama strikes again with those amazing illustrations! Yes, the background is quite woah. At this rate, I'm convinced JunAzu is going canon (I can see a jealous Jun in the future already) but UiAzu is still lovable~ like Adrena-sama said Ui is just like a puppy XD

~spinning unagi biting its tail and spiraling out of control in this endless fandomwhirlpool of Yui-Ui identity crisis, and bleeding everywhere

I love this chapter so mucho(・・o)(o・・)o! It’s just so pretty 83 All the symbolism, imagery and even just the dialogue really throw you into a different era. It’s like, the reader is right there in that timeline and universe! Yes the chapter is long so it took me awhile O(*д)o″))(I can hear you two laughing already). But every single word is worth it! Okay, like before, onwards to my fail analysis…yes, I’m flootzering because senpai fed me cheesecake (ｏ)ノ So excuse the ramblings, blame her!

So, I see this chapter in three sections even though it’s practically one huge scene, all in Azusa’s perspective. First up is the exchange between Azusa and Ui…or should I say between the Courier and the Critter. The nervousness is in the air as both characters struggle to interact but are unable to because of their lack of experience to socialize with…human beings. Ui only has the clock and occasional rats as companions while Azusa never views the senders and recipients as ‘actual humans’. They are just faceless shadows. I think Azusa is quite courageous to try to rationalize the situation to be as civil as possible. Different persona or not, this horned stranger did try to kill her. I’m happy and relieved to see Azusa treating Ui nicely though. Someone really needs to give her a hug because she’s like an abandoned puppy (the waiting by the door scene didn’t help either XD)! I even got this mental image of a injured black cat going out to hunt food to bring back some food for this shy brown puppy , hence my random sketch ()ノ Totally going off topic but I’m always high reading this story . Anyways, it seems that Ui heals fast, doesn’t she? An impaled hand should be wrapped by something thicker, not just some strip of clothes. Unless Ui has really high pain tolerance (which is possible), there is no way that “she did not seem to be bothered by it”. Instead, she is more affected by the smell of blood coming from Azusa, yet she valiantly hangs onto that last thread of humanity, the thread that was strengthened by the courier’s simple yet meaningful act of kindness. Like last time with the biscuit, Azusa gave Ui food again. It’s almost as if she’s taming a puppy or chimera with food, even though she is not exactly ‘domesticated’ herself83. Another sense of understanding is reached when Ui voluntarily touched Azusa’s shoulder, and those claws are emphasized. Is Ui slowly returning to humanity? I suppose we will find out more about her psyche and ‘the Spectre’ later. (ノロ)ノ

Next part, JunAzu. It’s JunAzu, don’t deny it, I can feel it. It’s nice to see a closet pairing of mine done so well83 Their dynamic is just so fun to read and it certainly lightens the tense atmosphere since the beginning of the story. Jun’s lines are just so funny: “I thought you were practically dragging your carcass here!” “you look absolutely pooped!” *giggles* Oh how she makes me laugh (ωO ) I want to see them as a pairing but it also feels like best friends or siblings even. Like Salem-san said, it’s like Azusa has a new family who all cares for her in their own way. Unfortunately, their feelings did not really melt the icy barrier around her. “She was a messenger who was unable to convey her own feelings”, a line I particularly love. Distressed Azusa is easily cheered up by Jun. I can practically see them bantering like…Mitsu, yes. They did meet when they were really young, right? When Jun waited for Azusa down at the balcony, I almost saw poor!Romeo and rich!Juliet for some reason (ω；；). The Lady Azusa flashback is just amazingly written. Her sense of self as a count’s daughter is slowly stripped away like autumn leaves, like her intricate dress, like those blue diamond earrings. Azusa has chosen her path. When she donned that trenchcoat, LadyAzusa effectively ceased to exist, and the spectator courier is born. She left behind the garden filled with flowers she and her mother loved and cared for: purple tulip (royalty, for she is a mere commoner now), daisy (innocence, something she lost when her life was touched by death), hibiscus (delicate beauty, since she became a simple, inconspicuous courier). When she finally stepped over the threshold into the outside world, she could no longer remain indifferent about her decision. She was homeless and orphaned. Jun comforted her the best she could, and Azusa listened. “She needed to break before she could attempt to pick up the pieces.” Why isn’t this JunAzu again? o(_)o The bit with the perpetual red is rather confusing. At first I thought Azusa was hearing things from Yui’s memories because of her interaction with the Lady, but then there was Ui’s image at the end. So this nightmare could be a result of the Spectre’s bite too, a mark of some sorts left on Azusa’s body and connecting them together. Again, when Jun tries to stop Azusa from leaving, it makes me wonder why it’s not JunAzu ( ) “I'll make a fur coat out of it!" I mean, Jun is awesome! XD

But no matter how awesome she is, the Lady or Miss Aki is still the best character in this story so far. She’s just so…eccentric! She’s pretty much foretelling the future and hinting events from the past at the same time. It’s not that far off a stretch after all, since the spiraling parasol has no beginning or end. “Hunger can make people do crazy things!" If my theory from previous chapters is correct, then yes the horned creature inside the mansion killed and ate the skeleton in the dungeon. But, what is Miss Aki’s connection to this event? The fact she keeps lingering around the pond and steering Azusa away before she could approach it really makes me suspicious. And I was right to be wary of her! She seems to be brainwashing Azusa with information about herself, autumn and winter, mask and truth, life and death. A ghost is not solid, but Miss Aki is a ‘Spectre’ isn’t she? She is definitely not a normal human being because she said “I am glad to hear that you managed to regain your sense of time and came back,” meaning she did not regain her sense of time. Time means nothing to her. “You’re pretty”, something the Spectre said during the stairs scene last time, is now spoken by this winter!Miss Aki. The way she said “you’re delicious” makes me worry because it seems like she’s really eating Azusa, like how the Spectre was last time as well. Then there was that bit with the vines choking Azusa, like the scarf she supposably asked Azusa to deliver. And this time, she’s asking the courier to deliver gloves. What’s going to happen to Azusa’s hands next time? Besides, the letter was originally addressed to 'Yui', so why would Miss Aki remind Azusa to deliver it? Unless my theory of "Miss Aki is Yui and the Spectre is Ui" is wrong, this whole delivery business smells really fishy DX Also, pink gloves and pink scarf (I think that’s the color) sort of reminds me of the presents the sisters exchanged during Christmas… Mou, evil evil stop torturing them! (;Д)Though I’m not one to talk ( oo)ノ

Finally, the chapter ends with the ever present (and annoying and nerve-wrecking and insanity-inducing) tick tocks ｏ)ｏ. The rain worsened Azusa’s fever, made her wounds bleed. Once again, water and blood are mixing together. What will she find behind the closed double doors?

No update until June? Outrageous! Σ((*)What kind of cliffhangar is this? …I didn’t say anything :3;;;;;;;

~Cheesecake! AdrenaVeris

P.S. the letter appears to be the decisive point of a conflict… 8D

P.S.2. There are so many lines I love but people have already mentioned it so...but those lines are just so...X3

Again another amazing chapter, and a chilling one at that. This Miss Aki seems to be a real character, and I look forward to what you have in store for us readers in the future with her. The back story on Azusa was nice too, and I'm unsure if you've covered everything that you deem necessary to her story or if more will be presented in future chapters. Otherwise I'm looking forward to the next installment.

I will be brief and to-the-point:

MOAR.

I confess I was waiting for Athyra’s illustrations to be up before reviewing so I can comment on them too lol. Anyways, words fail me to say how amazingly written this chapter is. It’s like reading a painting, basically. No visualizing is necessary because you can just see the events play out. There are just so many things to talk about in this chapter but I'm sure I've forgotten many along the way.

Like other people, I have many lines that I particularly liked:

Those tears were merely outlet for such clashing juxtaposition.

The conflicting childish innocence and sophisticated intelligence cried out Miss Ui's abandonment.

The entire section of Azusa’s memories.

"I love autumn too. It does not hide anything yet it hides everything. The world is shrouded in this exquisite ambiguity that makes people pause to appreciate the changing season, don't you agree?"

Raw truth. Winter. Ice is like clarity. There is nothing and it melts away into nothingness.

…Really, Aki said so many lines, so many foreshadowing. And maybe I was just paranoid but I thought I saw SpiralYui (and who knows if she’s Yui or Ui) but a version that is more seductive and creepier… Really, you three, neither sisters are safe lol but I digress. As usual, excuse my ramblings.

Azusa’s characterization is really smoothed out, from her conflicting morals to her innate wariness about Ui. This strange human attacked and almost killed her, twice, yet here she was, weak, hungry and abandoned. Azusa simply cannot leave her alone. The courier saw the loneliness in the brunette and found a kindred spirit, which fueled her conviction to return. Ui’s genuine concern and guilt also emboldened Azusa’s mind to make a promise to return. This act of kindness should, hopefully, keep the beastly persona at bay. However, the meager rations Azusa left probably cannot last for a week (the duration I assumed Azusa was sick), so one can only wonder which Ui will answer the door next chapter to receive the sick courier. Ui’s character has a breakthrough as well. She willingly touched Azusa’s shoulder, out of worry and gratitude even though she feared human contact so much. This simple but very human gesture must have done wonders to her psyche as well. Like Azusa said, Ui is like a lost woodland critter, or even an abandoned puppy waiting for her owner to return. I can certainly imagine her expectant and anxious expression as she faithfully waited for the courier’s return. Again, hopefully, Ui’s human psyche is strong enough to ward off the beastly one during this waiting period.

I expected Jun’s appearance as soon as I saw ‘her one and only friend’. Jun’s the only person I thought of who could fit this role, and she did her job very well too. She is like Azusa’s opposite; she is optimistic, expressive and talkative, the perfect balance for Azusa. The black-haired girl seemed to have a problem conveying her emotions through facial expressions, but she did so just fine around Jun, such as scowling, blushing, crying or even smiling during the flashback. Jun is like an outlet for Azusa, basically. She brought out the hidden parts of her friend by being herself and this makes Jun a very important and stable presence in Azusa’s life, just like the building which was like her second home. The illustration of young Jun and Azusa really does their first meeting justice lol The rich lady’s bemused, almost bored expression and the ‘lowly’ courier’s cheery salute…it’s pretty much what I pictured in my mind anyways when I read the section. Jun’s father and the doctor are nice and protective as well. In a way, Azusa has a new family in this town but of course, they cannot replace her real parents no matter how caring they are. It’s obvious from chapter 1 that Azusa loves her mother very much and her father as well, from the flashback in this chapter. It’s not really explained but after the count’s death, there are probably a lot of legal issues or land ownership issues to work out. I assume that unless Azusa marries someone of equal or higher status, she would not be able to keep her mansion so it is not such a bad idea that she left her home.

Like I said above, I really like the entire section with Azusa’s memory, and even more so with that… painting-like illustration of Lady Azusa. I mean, the words painted an illustration by themselves already, but with the visual? Wow. I am speechless. Anyways, we saw Azusa’s delirium and confusion during her bouts of fever. Another clue presented itself during this period, a clue about what happened in the past between the sisters. I’m not even going to attempt to identify the speakers lol. I’ll just keep this at the back of my mind until more clues are given. Also, judging from the context of this chapter, I assume Azusa was the one who wrote the journal in the preface. Then again, it doesn’t really matter who wrote it anymore. What matters is what the act itself represents. Azusa left a memento of some sorts behind, a piece of herself that she casted away in order to become a shadow. Her connection to her past is severed, or so she thinks. I’m sure we’ll see more of her past self emerging as the story goes on.

Finally, Yui’s section…or this Miss Aki, autumn. Just this name itself is enough. ‘Aki’ is when she is all nice to Azusa, but when the hallucinations began, it was all…’winter’, after the mask fell off and after everything was stripped away. As I’ve already said, this entire section feels off, not in a bad way. The ‘off-feeling’ is because of Yui’s…peculiarity. The words she said all have deeper meanings, like she knew something none of us do. I was certain she was just a phantom, a ghost last chapter but here, it was as if she had a solid form to be able to touch Azusa. The spinning or ‘spiraling’ (this word really gets me lol) parasol seems to cast the spell, to draw Azusa into an illusion. The rain enhanced the effect as well, muffling all other sounds and practically isolated the two from the rest of the world. They were basically in a different dimension under the tree. The abrupt change in Aki’s behavior really made my eyes go wide. Just as I thought she is human, reminiscing about her past of her family going on the picnic together, then she pulled the creepy-seduction card and changed the season to winter. Aki is a trespasser through and through, invading Azusa’s senses and mind, and body as well by making her bleed. “You’re a shadow too…” she’s freely admitting she’s a shadow, and wants to assimilate the courier? What did she do to Azusa indeed…

Lastly, like other reviewers already mentioned, I’ll talk about the part about the senior courier working at the company as well. Jun admired her, and she delivered something to Ui’s mansion, accompanied by her lover who is ‘quite a joker’. If both of you are just like Adrena who dislikes use of OCs, I will assume the senior courier is Mio and her lover is Ritsu based on the subtle hints and descriptions of them. It seems that Mio and Ritsu delivered the package successfully and eloped. But is that what really happened? Just the fact Aki was the one confirming their ‘safety’ is worrisome. Instead of thinking the beastly persona of Ui possibly eating them, I think Aki…did something with them. Of course, I will need to read more to unravel this mystery.

Fail. Sigh.

I understand that you’ll both busy, as I will be too since I’ll be graduating as well. Hopefully, I will also be a proud holder of a Bachelor’s Degree when Spectre gets updated lol. I wish you both the best of luck. It’s a very enjoyable read, especially this chapter with its ‘truth and deceits’, spring and autumn. I shall look forward to ‘Wounded Angel’ then.

~SalemXYZ