These are my notes as I read through the novel. This story depicts the flow of events that links directly with the original DOD1 timeline, which I tend to call DOD3’s “Branch E” storyline.

Please be warned of possible spoilers and foul language. Also please note that I use the original names of some characters over the English rendition.

＊ I’m sorry these notes have been incomplete for years. I have every intention on finishing them; simply, other things have come up to keep me busy… so this has been a relatively low priority. *sigh*

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Preface

DOD3 “Story Side” novel takes place in the year 1017, exactly 17 years after the events of DOD3, from the perspective of Brother One as he’s retelling the events to an unknown audience.

ONE: The Little Sisters’ Chapter
Part 1

Zero thinks that Mikhail smells like baby vomit. Not all dragons, just Mikhail…or so she says.

Zero does not attempt to commit suicide; rather, she is merely attempting to remove the Flower that took root in her heart. Since she was already dead by the time it invaded her body, the term “suicide” is not possible.

She recounts how her sense of touch and of pain changed from that point onward. The flower sprouted out of the gash in her chest when she stabbed herself. She lost all feeling in her limbs for a moment during this…as she was overcome by violent screaming (imagine Five’s end) and the huge flower coming out of her chest. It began spewing blood, and from that blood came the other Utautai. They appeared to be either 3 or 4 years old.

Zero mentions how the faces of the children seemed so familiar to her, but she couldn’t recall from where. This is probably a direct reference to the women who were killed while Zero was in captivity during the rebellion, although their personalities do not necessarily relate to those specific women. I think we can now firmly confirm this connection and how the Flower probably used—maybe even *ate*—the memory of these women to use as models for the Utautai girls.  Two was the first to call Zero “sister”, before she was even able to articulate words properly.

Zero contemplated on why the girls called her “sister” since she felt “mother” or “father” was more accurate.  She thought it was “slightly misleading” to call them all sisters. Zero thought that she needed to dispense of the girls while they were still young and weak, and as she moved in on Two, One intervened, stepping between them, screaming, “NO! You traitor!!” That’s when the girls escape. Zero could hardly even move a single finger to stop them. She literally could not move. She understood that it was through her own error that allowed the Flower to multiply through the birth of the Utautai girls…and it is her responsibility to correct that mistake.

It apparently took the girls less than 3 months to grow to adult size. This part makes no reference to specific events in Utahime Five, but it mentions Zero’s eventual reunion with the girls in the Cathedral City a year later.  This is accurate with the timeline listed in the World Inside book and allows time for One to create Brother One, as well.

Zero saw how the girls, born from the flower of destruction, began to use their powers to “save the world” as some sort of sick irony. She didn’t care if they might actually be able to bring peace to the world; the fact still remained that Zero caused them to be born from her mistake, and she had to pluck them out of existence. It had nothing to do with “good” or “evil”.  And that’s why the younger Utautai hated and called her traitor.

Part 2

Zero remembers where she’s seen Five’s face before… It was when she was running around, stealing and killing for food. She broke into an Abbey to steal food and killed all of the nuns. It was one of these nuns that shared Five’s face.

Five’s Face: A nun whom Zero killed.

It was indeed the power of the Flower that took Zero’s memories of women she had met throughout her life and created the body and personalities of the Utautai girls. There’s no mistaking this language here. However, each one of the Utautai girls resemble a part of Zero herself. More on that and some additional speculation below:

Not only did the Flower use these other girls as a base, but it mostly used fragments of *herself* to create them… almost like those are the bits and pieces of herself that she somehow lost when they were created. It doesn’t really say that she “lost” any part of herself per say, but it would be an interesting view… so say that Zero is actually trying to find herself by killing them and reclaiming–and accepting–that dark and neglected part of herself… in order to move on. UnnUnn. It may just be my brain going crazy with ideas, though.

Four reminds Zero of herself as a young girl who was thrown into the brothel and how she tried to hold on to the smallest bits of pride (self-importance) she still had left.

She says that Two and Three are too freaking “out there” that she can’t bring herself to find any similarities with them… but she admits that there is a fragment of their madness within herself. Zero thinks that Two is what she could have been like had her life been different… she could have learned to love the world and be carefree…and find true love herself.

One totally puzzles her, though. She doesn’t understand where her strong sense of justice, her seriousness and intelligence, come from… The Flower might have “thought” it would be a good defence mechanism, “thinking” that Zero wouldn’t have the guts to face herself and kill them to get rid of it….and herself.

That dying girl with her eyes gouged from torture that Zero knew is the basis for One. Same voice and hair, but she could never be sure of the color of her eyes due to the torture she had endured.

Five can talk directly into Zero’s head…? Like telepathy? That was never in the game. Maybe it was too hard to demonstrate. During the battle with Five, Zero hears her taunts inside her mind. So even if she didn’t want to hear it, there’s no way to shut out the words in her mind.

It seems like when Five and Dito summon the Angel… Five sort of “becomes” the angel?? After Mikhail defeats it, Five suddenly appears in the same spot where Phanuel was…

That one line that was censored from the original cutscene with Dito kicking Five was printed in the book. I couldn’t really hear what he said well from the video…but now it’s pretty clear. Here’s my translation (the one line is quite graphic but I think is pretty telling of her character):

“You worked me hard up until now, you hag! You say and do what you please because I’m an Apostle. “I love you”?! You play and toy with people to your heart’s content. I wonder which mouth you say that with! You disgust me!”

Part 3

This is a short segment of Five’s consciousness/soul crying out after her “death”, saying “I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!” over and over again. She prays to continue living, even if she loses her voice and loses sight of who or what she is… even within the pitch black abyss or buried beneath the cold earth… She wants to live, just to live. Because she has yet to be content, she wants more. Much, much more. She decides that she will not die, she refuses for her life to end because there are so many more things that she wants. Desire and obsession began to give her Strength, Strength from the Flower enough to be reborn anew.

She then wonders where Zero might be. She mentions how much she wants to meet her again…so Zero might finally become hers. Zero, her dragon, anything and everything…

TWO: The Dragon’s Chapter
Part 1

This portion of the chapter details Four and her un-relationship with Decad. First of all she talks about having a recurring nightmare of falling from the sky night after night, always screaming awake in the middle of the night in a cold-sweat. If she would change her sweat-soaked night clothes, she would only have the same nightmare again and awaken in another cold-sweat, repeating this cycle over and over again. At first she didn’t have the dream all that often, but suddenly the number seemed to increase so much that she actually spent more time being troubled by nightmares than actually sleeping.

She doesn’t understand why this is happening to her. She’s never done anything wrong to deserve it, she’s always done the right thing. As the bitterness grew within her, she would unconsciously bite her nails. It’s been half a year–maybe closer to a full year–that she’s suffered from these nightmares and she believes that it’s because her sisters seek to kill each other. That’s why Four wanted to stop fighting. She told this to Zero and One but they wouldn’t listen to her.

That’s when there’s a knock at her door. “Lady Four, have you had another dream?” It was Decad. Every night he would wait outside Four’s door to protect her. He would always hesitate to call out to her or not…and it’s this apparent weakness that Four hates. She understands that it’s the duty of the Apostles to protect their respective Utahime, but to camp out in front of her bedroom door, without sleeping all night, is stupid. So if he’s awake all night, why doesn’t he call out to her the moment she screams from a nightmare? Like he could sleep next to her or something…so he could be there to comfort her when she wakes. She doesn’t think it makes any difference whether he’s outside or inside her room if he’s going to stay awake the whole time. She doesn’t understand why he’s so oblivious.

Out of her own frustration, she throws a water pitcher to the floor, the sound of it shattering echoes through the small room. Hearing the crash, Decad asks what happened, which only causes Four to become more irritated as she tells him to shut up. That good-for-nothing pervert! she screams in her head. He might have a large body but his brain isn’t any bigger than the tip of one’s pinky finger. What good has he ever done her?

He again calls out to her, possibly seeking to ask permission to enter her room, but Four only gets more and more angry.

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!!”

She springs out of bed and dashes over to the door, opening it abruptly with such force that somehow Decad hits his forehead on the hard wood of the door. It must have hurt, but he shows no reaction. Four scowls at him for this, his masochistic love of pain.

“You good-for-nothing!” Four yells as she kicks him in the groin. He groans like a squashed bullfrog and falls to his knees. “Lick the floor, you fucking impotent asshole!” She steps on his head, pinning him to the floor, and then kicks him in the ass over and over again. Although she couldn’t see his face, she knew he was enjoying every moment of her abuse.

“Just die already! Drop dead! Die!”

As she continued kicking him she began to feel doubt. What if it was Decad’s intention to let her express her anger? What if he was pretending to be obedient all the while intending to rub her the wrong way to make her irritated? He would get her tired and make her lose her calm…and then what?

That’s when she remembers that Decad had been a secret agent. She couldn’t imagine them winning over an Apostle to their side, so she dismissed the idea and let her guard down. She had discovered the “enemy” just before the nightmares began. The cooks had poisoned the food and were all executed for it. But the reason the poison was never found was because the evidence was probably disposed of beforehand. It was Decad who had objected before, saying that it was just our imagination and that we should reexamine everything again. Maybe he was doing that to protect the real culprits. The lower level female workers must have been conspiring and plotting something, hiding their real intentions. The soldiers, too, must have been planning a rebellion. She had no intention to forgive a secret agent of the “enemy” regardless of her opinion of him.

When Four seemed to stop kicking Decad he looked up at her with a questioning look. Normally she would kick him over and over, growing all the more irritated and strengthening the blows until she grew tired. But this time was different.

“Get out,” she said. When Decad only answered her with wide-open eyes, she continued. “Didn’t you hear me? I said get out of here. From this country! Don’t ever show yourself in front of me again! I will not be deceived any longer. We execute more and more people, but these secret agents continue to find their way in.”

“Lady Four, that’s–“

“I didn’t kill you because I wanted you to send a message to the “enemies” to leave this country. Alright? You must tell them.”

“You’re mistaken. I would never–“

“I said I will not be deceived!”

Still on his knees, Decad reached out and held Four around her own. “Please, can you find it in your heart to forgive me? If I am not near you, there will be no one left to protect you! Besides, you cannot summon the Angel without my help. You would put yourself in danger if–“

“Shut up!” Four said, setting off on a rage of slaps and punches to Decad’s face and ending by kicking him down the stairs.

What an irritating man! No one left to protect me? I can’t summon the Angel on my own? What nonsense! When did I ever say I wanted to be saved by you?

“I want you to leave this country within the day. If I ever see you again after today, I will kill you. Do you understand me?”

Finally, with the expulsion of Decad, all of the secret agents would have been dealt with. Not a single one of them would remain. No one would remain in the fortress.

I wonder if I should go hide, someplace where the “enemy” cannot find me? It would be simple to hide if it were just me. I could fool the eyes of the “enemy”.

The “enemy”? Who was the “enemy”? No, the “enemy” is the “enemy”. That’s right. The “enemy”. Everyone is the “enemy”. That’s why they all must die. Everyone. Anyone. They all must die…..

Part 2
Zero, Mikhail, and Dito are on the way to the Land of Mountains. Much of the dialogue remains the same as the video below. Dito complains about how much he hated being under Five’s command even more than he hated being stuck in the Land of Seas, with its sickeningly hot and sticky air. Mikhail says that Dito shouldn’t speak such way, since he is an Apostle. Mikhail scolds him for speaking ill of his own Utahime. Dito says it’s got nothing to do with him now that Five is dead and has been reduced to nothing more than a sack of tattered flesh.

Then later Zero talks with Mikhail who comments how he’s against siblings fighting each other. He doesn’t understand why Zero wants to kill them, especially when Five was crying before the very end. This is because Mikhail is still quite young and not ready to hear the full truth. In an aside, Zero thinks it’s so strange how Mikhail seems to have obtained some virtuous standard that Michael never had—she wonders where Mikhail could have gotten this idea into his head.

DOD3 – Chapter 2, Verse 1

Part 3
This section is a flashback of when Zero met Michael for the first time. It is basically a retelling of the events that occur in Zero’s DLC chapters. Michael tells Zero that the race of dragons and the Flower have been natural enemies for as long as anyone can remember, but he mentions that it could have just been the same old story that the Elders always recount. If there is no basis for this thought, then there is also no proof to validate it. Of course, the Elders he’s referring to are the Red and Black Dragons… and possibly others. He concludes his thought on this topic by calling this ancient legend suspicious or rather dubious. Apparently, Michael was also in the middle of trying to figure out these things like, why does the Flower exist, why are dragons the only ones capable of destroying it. For Zero, however, these answers mattered little. She didn’t have much time to lose…

Part 4
In this section we see Dito asking Zero about what sort of person Four is, by which she replies bluntly, “She’s a virgin.” Dito waits, expecting Zero to explain on that thought, but when she doesn’t he speaks up, asking if that’s really all there is to say about her. Zero again replies, “Isn’t that good enough. She’s a virgin Utautai.” When Mikhail asks, “Hey hey, what’s a ‘virgin’?” Dito replies that he is too young to know. That’s when they spot Decad in the distance, alone.

He tells them that he had been banished by Four. In this sequence we learn that the other Apostles know of each other, but have not met face to face before; however, Dito was able to tell that Decad is an Apostle at first sight. So, they are able to recognize each other even if they had not met previously–they also do not know each other’s names.

Also, from Decad’s speech, the others find out that Four’s mental state has completely shattered. She began to believe that everyone is her enemy and must therefore die. She killed everyone around her, leaving no survivors behind. Zero asks Decad to lead them to her, but he hesitates. He knows that Four will be killed…but then Zero says that she will “put her to rest.” Although, ultimately this is the same thing, begins to understand. He is finally convinced to help when Zero mentions that Four will eventually kill everyone in her entire land.

Part 5
This scene takes place at Four’s mountain fortress. Pretty much the same events occur as in the game: Branch D, Verse 2.

Four goes on and on about how everyone has turned on her and joined forces with the “enemy”… The entire world is her enemy, all except for Zero. Ah, but then again, she, too, has joined ranks with the enemy… And then she recounts the false memories she has of Zero being the good big sister. “When I cried, you comforted me. When people bullied me, you protected me. When we lived together, you treated me the most kindness, above anyone else.” Of course, we know, these are but false memories from the Flower.

Zero thinks about how much Four resembles her past self, before the Flower brought her back to life. She hated, cursed, and envied the world. That black feeling drew the weakened Flower to her. She then thinks about the last moments of Michael’s life–how he tried to protect her, how Zero tried to tell him to leave hear and go escape on his own… but her words could never reach him in the end. She recalls how she could never thank him or ask for his forgiveness. Her cascading tears served as the replacement for her unspoken words…

Part 6

Two: Cen…t……?

Oh, it’s my Cent. My dear, sweet Cent. Why is he crying… Why is he smiling even while tears are pouring down his face?

Cent: Lady Two! Ahh!

The two embraced as a flood of memory washed over Two. So, that’s what happened.

The days she lived together with her Apostle—and lover—Cent. All the conversations they shared with the orphaned children—like a real family. The warm-hearted kindness of the people of the Land of Sands, and the willingness of the soldiers who vowed to give their lives to protect their ‘Utahime’. It was frightening how happy those days were.

Two: ……I told you…not to…call me…Lady.

Through his unrelenting sobs, Cent nodded in answer.

Perhaps I had been asleep for a long time. Maybe I had even lost my mind. Whichever it was, it was obvious that Cent must have been in utter despair, believing that I would never return again. What more could possibly happen after such a tragedy?

How long had it been, since Cent suggested to use my Power of Song to strengthen the soldiers of our land? Or when he said that I could heal the wounds and sickness of the children?

It was all for Lady Two. The soldiers were given added strength to protect Lady Two. The children were healed so that she could find peace enough to give into sleep at night.

But every single one of them turned into beasts, savage monsters, affected by the very same Power of Song.

‘It’s all my fault! My own power changed everyone I loved into monsters.’ It was this shock that must have shattered her heart to pieces……or so he must have thought, but he would only be half right.

Deep inside, her heart whispered that it hadn’t shattered—because she was able to come back again, like this. If just for a moment…

Two: Thank you…… It’s all…because of you.

Because he had continually called out to her. Through the pitch black silence of nothingness, she heard her dear Cent calling her name.

Cent: Here, let me get you something to eat. No, maybe something to drink first.
Two: No, there’s……no time.

Two took his hand as he stood to walk away.

Two: Please… listen to me.

It bothered her how slowly the words found their way from her lips.

Two: It’s…not your…fault. I could…never tell you…that.
Cent: Two?
Two: I was…fighting against…my own power. It was so…excruciating…the whole time. Like at any moment…it would swallow me whole……

In the beginning, she believed that her power was right and never doubted it. She believed that it was through this power that the world could find peace. The power to protect her loved ones could not possibly be evil… or so she thought.

Before long, she had gained a massive amount of power so rapidly that it was difficult to stay in control. She tried to repress it will all her might.

She told herself that this power wasn’t evil and that she simply couldn’t use it well because her mind was weak—that’s all. If she could only strengthen her mind, she could stay in control. But if she was swallowed by her own power, what would happen to Cent? The children and all the people in her land?

Once everyone across the entire world could smile and simply be together with their loved ones, then her duty would be finished. She tried so hard to wait for that time to come.

But she could no longer wait, not after that moment when she had to kill the monster that her beloved soldiers and children had turned into…with her own hands. She was swallowed whole by that black power. There shouldn’t have been any way back from that…

But Cent was there. He kept calling out to her. Just once more, I wanted to see him.

Since that day, she had refused to eat anything. Her body had become so weak, it was at its limit. Perhaps it was because of this, the power within her also grew weak and that’s how she could hear Cent’s voice. The moment she heard his voice, she remembered all the people she would gladly give her life to protect.

Two: This power….. should not exist.

This is my only chance. While my body and this power is at its weakest, it must be now.

Two: If I die, then this power will…disappear. That’s why…
Cent: You mustn’t! Lady Two!

I’m sorry, Cent. To make you sad, to make you suffer… I’m so sorry. But, I want you to live.

Two: This is… an order… from your Utahime.
Cent: Two! You can’t! Please, anything but that!
Two: Protect them…in my…stead……

There’s no more time. Hurry. I have to be quick. While I am still in control……

Two: And…… Cent, you mustn’t die…

The voice calling my name seems so distant. But I won’t give in. I will protect him and the others.

Two: This is……my wish….as your girlfriend.

I love you, Cent. I’m so glad I met you… and could see you again, at least this once.

With everything she had, while fighting against the power threatening to overtake her consciousness, Two smiled.

THREE: The Apostles’ Chapter
Part 1

This segment shows One and Brother One trying to find out what is happening in the Land of Forests. These are just the dialogue parts for right now.

It’s said that a demon lives within the forest since ancient times. One remembered reading in a book somewhere that said that people ought not to live in such places.

She couldn’t remember who wrote that book, but it wasn’t very old. It had been a little more than a year ago that she returned in triumph to the Cathedral City after defeating the Lords of the Land of each area with her other four sisters.

It wasn’t that the book didn’t cover this information, but rather since this land mostly consists of densely packed forests, making it difficult for humans to make their home, instead other races flocked to these areas such as faeries, elves, and other monstrous creatures. The only human village lie just on the outskirts of the forest.

Brother One: Sister, are we still going further into the forest?

Brother One: C’mon, let’s go home.
One: There’s no need to worry because there is nothing scary here.
Brother One: But this forest… There’s something strange about it.
One: You…think so? Maybe you’re right. We’ll only go a little further and then we’ll head home.
Brother One: Really?
One: Yes.

One: Three……

Brother One: Sister? Hey, Sister! Are you listening to me?
One: Oh, sorry. I got thinking about something. What is it?
Brother One: The sky just turned a strange color. I don’t think the sky is supposed to be that weird color, is it? C’mon, let’s get out of here.
One: There’s nothing odd about the sky. It often has that hue during this season.
Brother One: Really? Wow, I would never have imagined the sky could turn such a color……

Brother One: Sister, what’s that smell? It seems to keep getting stronger, too…
One: You sense it, too?

Brother One: Are they dead……?
One: No. They’re both still breathing. We have to get them out of the Forest quickly and tend to those wounds.
Brother One: Can we help them?
One: Yes.

One: Is this Three’s handiwork?

Brother One: Sister, somehow… I feel really sick.
One: Hold your breath! Don’t breathe any more of it in!

One: Gabriel!
Brother One: : What was that?
One: Some kind of…poison.
Brother One: Is there some monster that breathes out poison?
One: No, that’s not it.
Brother One: Then maybe there’s some kind of poisonous weed that started to grow in the forest?
One: No, that’s not it, either.
Brother One: Hmm, okay, well… What about… Um, what was that thing you taught me… What was it? Something like a fiery mountain that has poisonous gas coming out of cracks in the ground…?
One: It feels like something different from that. I heard that the poisonous gas inside of a volcano can have a very piercing smell, it’s quite strong and dangerous. But this wasn’t nearly as bad. Of course, the smell was pretty bad, but it didn’t feel that strong. Still, being more precise, this wasn’t exactly a smell.
Brother One: What do you mean?
One: It was more like a sign or omen.

One: Anyway, that’s it on the poison for now. More importantly we need to get these people to safety out of the forest.

Part 2

Decad: Please kill me. My Lady is now dead. There is no reason for me to live now.
Zero: It isn’t over yet.
Zero: There may still be some use for you yet.

Decad: That may be so, however I have nothing more to live for……
Dito: Yes, you do.

Dito couldn’t help but speak up.

Dito: You can be a nighttime play toy. It’s not like you *can’t*, right? You’re an Apostle, after all. Oh, actually, you know what? You’d be perfectly suited for Zero when she’s in a bad mood. You’d get all punched and kicked and stuff.
Decad: Punched… kicked…? Uuuhh…
Dito: Hey! Hey! On top of it all, how’s it feel for a manservant like you to get your Utahime slaughtered like that?
Dito: Maybe even your naughty bits will rise up in anticipation, eh?
Decad: OOoooh
Zero: Don’t look so freaking pleased, would you!

Zero: C’mon. We’ll have you lead the way for us. To the Land of Forests. There’s a safe passage there, right?
Decad: Ahh! Not only will you not allow me to sacrifice myself for my Lady Four, but you’re so merciless as to command me to do your bidding…?! How… How… …I’ll show you where you want to go.

[Skipped some sections here for the time being…]

Part 5

The beginning portion of this section is pretty much the same as in Branch D, Verse 4

Battle with Five & Dito / Galgaliel & Phanuel

The Flower had been sealed within the Cathedral City—probably behind the Mercurius Gate. The Flower did not only exist inside of Zero with its parasitic connection to her, but it also existed elsewhere. It is unknown who or from whence they came, but somebody sensed the threat that the Flower posed to the world and they sealed it away, deep within the Cathedral City. That was also in the far, distant past.

More than likely, the “Flower” that escaped from Zero also planted false memories into the other Utautai with the intention of releasing the the sealed “Flower”. Once it was released, it took control of the four girls and had them summon their respective Angels, it exhausted the limit of destruction. Although the strongest of the five, One, was able to remain in control, there was no way to stop the four Utautai.

When Zero and Michael rushed into the city, she realized the situation was far worse than she imagined, and there was little she could do. She thought if she simply killed them that something would work, but it turned out not to be that easy. It proved to be far more difficult just getting close to them let alone killing them.

Desperate to stop their rampage, Zero instantly created the four Apostles. She hoped to use them as means to tip the scales back into her favor by stoping their raging power and absorbing it. In order to do this, she needed a living creature—anything she could find nearby would do. The only thing she could find were a few white birds.

At the time, she only intended on borrowing a little of their power, but within a short time, it was almost as though the birds had been completely imprisoned within a “cage”. If the birds could help change the situation enough that she might be able to kill the girls, then the birds’ task would be complete. If they had understood what they were being made to do, perhaps they would have flown away. …They should have flown away.

Zero’s miscalculation was that she ultimately could not finish the four Utautai off right then and there. She simply lacked the power. When the five Utautai girls split from Zero, they each took a part of her power. Although by this time, Zero had begun regaining the power she had lost but was still far from par. By creating the Apostles, stopping the girls’ rampage, and destroying the released “Flower”, she had exhausted all of her power. Even though it was the perfect chance to kill them, she inevitably had to escape without completing her mission. She was so completely incapacitated that she didn’t even know where she was. When she opened her eyes again, Zero found herself clutched within Michael’s jaws as he flew away to escape the scene.

After that, the four girls continued on with their lives like nothing had ever happened. The Apostles, on the side of the Utautai, acted as a device by which to regulate their power.

Zero didn’t know when their forms started to change, but she knew that the longer they continued to absorb the power of the Utautai, eventually they would evolve into human form. In the process of creating them, for an instant Zero “saw” a flash of the Apostles in human form. That is how she was able to identify them upon first sight.

Once they gained human form, the Apostles served and obeyed their respective Utautai. This another big miscalculation. Even though Zero never meant to rob the birds of their freedom, it was no different than as if she had locked them away in a cage.

Not only that, but the Apostles became sentient. If they were to return to their original forms, it would be the same ask killing their newly created personalities. It would have seemed ridiculous to them. Neither she did intend for them to become human, nor could she let them remain as such.

The reason why Zero brought the Apostles along with her even after she managed to kill her other sisters was because they would not have been able to remain in their human forms otherwise.

If she could have killed the other Utautai before the Apostles became human, none of this would be an issue. Everything was her fault……

Part 6

And the next is the same as in Branch D, Verse 6 – Battle with Ezrael

There’s a great aside by Zero as she thinks about the personalities of Dito and Cent were essentially killed when they reverted back into birds:

What am I talking about all of a sudden? What capability do I have to be unwilling to part with someone? Is it difficult to lose my companions? What am I saying? They were never my companions. I created them of my own volition. I allowed them to be used by my younger sisters. And I would be the one to destroy their consciousness…… Who would call such beings companions? That’s why I will not lament for their loss, even if I’ve made a mistake.

I just… Wish I could have at least said one thing. Even if these words could never reach them, maybe it would be just for my own peace of mind…

With her back turned, Zero whispered, “Good-bye” as the two white birds took wing.

Part 7

This section is from Three’s POV, a stream of consciousness during her final moments.

She talks about her instant fascination with the dolls that Lord Bass made from real human flesh. She eventually began constructing her own nightmarish dolls made from various pieces of flesh. She used corpses from cemeteries and battlefields. She used parts from those still alive and parts from multiple people. She combined parts from humans and beasts. She combined parts from humans and monsters. She made a countless countless countless countless countless countless countless countless countless countless countless countless countless countless countless countless countless number of dolls.

But One did not approve. She told her to stop making any more and to destroy those she had already made.

My perfect, cute dolls! One always tried to take away my dolls. She always tried to get in my way. She is so mean!

She poisoned my forest! She sent a fog of poison through my forest as means to make me stop making my dolls! I tried to neutralize the poison, but nothing worked. I could never figure out where it was coming from. Many Ogres, Gigas, and Trolls died. Many humans died. All of the materials I needed to make my dolls died.

That’s why I wanted to kill her. That’s why I tried to lure her into my forest. I thought if I killed her, I could make my dolls again–stronger and cuter dolls.  It was so exciting to imagine what I could make next…

What could I use that’s bigger than Trolls, Ogres, or Gigas?

I wonder… Dragons? Dragons would be great! I would make my next doll out of humans and dragons. I will make a huge, powerful doll that can fly anywhere!

At least that’s what I thought.

I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you, One! Give back my dolls! Give back my materials!

I hate Zero, too! Hurry and kill One! I hate the Ancient Dragon, too! Hurry and kill Zero! I hate dragons, too! Because…

The last image Three witnessed was Mikhail’s red maw and white teeth.

 

Chapter 4: The Flower’s Chapter
Part 1

The next section shows One and Brother One discussing Zero’s eventual arrival toward the final battle. This is when One reminds Brother One of his task–to finish Zero if One should fail. He also realizes that One never intended to survive after defeating Zero, either.

One gives him a sword forged out of one of Gabriella’s teeth. Gabriella had given it to her before she willingly underwent the Angelification process to become Gabriel. Although Gabriel no longer had the ability to speak or think on its own, the Angel could still perform its designed task. Simply, the loss of Gabriella–a dear friend that no other could compare–changed One forever. She became rather nontalkative and would never smile again.

Part 2

This section is pretty short, but it depicts Zero and Mikhail arriving at the Cathedral City and Zero asking for Mikhail to kill her once everything is finished. He replies with a simple, “Okay.”

Part 3

The next section is a continuation of the previous section, and shows the appearance of Gabriel.

Branch D, Verse 6

First Gabriel appears to fight Zero and Mikhail, then suddenly several Wyverns seem to enter the fray to protect Gabriel. It’s clear that Mikhail hates these lesser dragons (they are incapable of rational thought or speech like him). The section closes with Mikhail lost in the frenzy as he finishes off the last of the Wyverns while Gabriel retreats.

Part 4

Next Zero and Mikhail arrive to the Cathedral and Zero instructs Mikhail to smash in through the large stained glass window to enter the building. That is when Zero and One again trade words as in Ending A.

But the main difference from Branch A is in One’s speech:

One: The “Flower” was originally sealed away here, in this land. Who sealed it away? And why here? If we find the answers to these questions, then we might also learn about our Power of Song and us Utautai. What are we? And why do we have such power……
Zero: And what will you do once you learn this? There is no point in understanding it, is there? It’s just a waste of time.
One: Perhaps I should just call it folly. Maybe you’re right. If I had to choose whether it’s important or not in the end, maybe I would think the same as you.

One: I wanted to know the truth, ever since I realized there was such inconsistency in our memories. Two had fond memories of her parents, so loving and kind. Three disliked her parents while Four hated hers. And Five had memories of her father who had sadly passed away. While me… I had absolutely no memory whatsoever of my parents. Nothing. Instead, I had the memory of all six of us living together.

One: That’s why I started scouring for answers. I read through everything I could get my hands on that still remained in these walls. What are we? Where did we come from? What purpose do we have in existing? What must our role be for this world? What is it this world demands from us? The world……
Zero: And did you find the truth?
One: Nothing I could be satisfied with. But. There was one thing I learned. This world does not need us.
Zero: Then that makes this conversation brief. Will you die then?
One: Sing. Abdiel.

Just like in Branch C, One summons Abdiel.

But quickly after they defeat Abdiel, One summons Raphael like in Branch B.

One: Bless us, Raphael.

After discovering the poison in the Land of Forests, One got the idea to use poison to help weaken Zero and her dragon. Of course, the poison couldn’t kill them out-right, but it would lower their abilities enough to give her a significant advantage. Zero was quite taken aback when One manages to summon not just one but two Angels without any assistance from an Apostle. Unlike Four whose mental stability quickly shattered from summoning an Angel on her own, One still remained in control.

Zero: She’s a monster……

Once they defeat Raphael, Mikhail is greatly affected by the monster’s poison. She tells him to escape out of the same stained glass window they had come in through but One formed a magical barrier during the battle with Abdiel that closed off the area, not allowing anyone in or out. There was no escape.

Then lastly, One summons Gabriel. The reason why she waited to call Gabriel was to protect him–the least he had to be exposed to the poison, the better, since he would be affected as well. Mikhail goes to fight Gabriel while Zero takes care of One. During the battle, One shouts at Zero:

One: Even if we might be artificial life, we still lived! Two, Three, Four, Five! They lived! I swear on their souls I will never forgive you! Did you think that we would just roll over and let you kill us? You brought us into this world, so therefore you think you can take us out, huh? How can I ever be satisfied with that?

This is where they realize what One had been searching for. She wasn’t looking for the truth but rather a satisfactory answer to her fate and inevitable death.

That’s me, Zero thought for the first time. I am One.

The moment I was judged as a criminal and faced death by execution, I thoroughly hated the world in its entirety. How could I be satisfied? How could I ever be satisfied with a life where I was continually betrayed and stolen from? I couldn’t understand such a world in which good people were not rewarded for their deeds, and instead only the corrupt reaped the profits. I couldn’t understand a world in which a girl—more pure, noble-hearted, and gentle than anyone else—could be killed like a filthily insect.

Why? Someone, please tell me! Please, give me an answer!

In that moment between life and death, I wished for an answer. I kept screaming it with a voice that could not be heard. With the same strength as I cursed the world, I equally inquired to know. That was One’s true nature, something which I never thought I would come to understand.

It was a simple solution to the riddle. It wasn’t necessarily about One’s strong sense of justice as much as it was that she simply could not be satisfied with wrongdoers. That’s all. She wrote it off because she could not be satisfied, just like with the Lords of the Land who oppressed the people or with the putrefaction of the nobles.

[ This is where I originally stopped writing the summary/translation. The last update before now was made on August 30, 2014. omg ]

Zero: I am the one who created you girls. That’s why. I was never looking for forgiveness, from the very beginning!

Both One and Zero activate their Power of Song and rush at each other, but Zero quickly wins the duel as she slashes her sword through One’s head. From behind, she hears the sound of Gabriel’s body hitting the floor.

Zero: It’s over.

She then turns around to see that Gabriel wasn’t the only one who had fallen to the ground: Mikhail had as well.

Zero: You’re kidding… right?

Apparently, both Gabriel and Mikhail had dealt fatal blows against each other at the same time, and both fell to the ground together. That’s why she only heard one instance of someone hitting the ground.

Zero was in denial at the sight of Mikhail’s lifeless body. He was just sleeping, that’s all. But when she ran to him and touched him…

Zero: It…can’t be.

She removed her hand from his chest and placed them over his closed eyes.

Zero: Wake up! You can’t sleep all day!

She punched him in the chin, the very spot he Zero would him whenever he was sleeping–he hated it. And that’s where she hit him now, over and over and over.

Zero: I said wake up! You piece of shit dragon! How dare you… How dare you… die on me!

But his eyes remained closed, unmoving. Even if she punched him. Even if she kicked him. Even if she shook him. He merely remained silent.

Zero: You think you’re going to leave me again, do you? Again… You’re… Why……?

Flashes of the past wash over Zero as she remembers how innocent Mikhail became after his reincarnation. Everything in the world was brand new to him. Every sentence he uttered was in the form of a question. “Why?” “How come?” “What’s that?”

Everyday he’d have fun playing in the mud, making Zero mad. There was a moment when the road caved in beneath their feet and Zero fell into the ocean below. A moment when Mikhail went off to find food for Zero when she was suffering from her injuries.

It all happened in just one year. Looking back now, it was such a brief moment. There had also been moments of cruelty. She could hardly count the number of times she was ever gentle to him, and yet he stayed, like a baby bird imprinted on its mother. He had neither Michael’s memories nor could he remember the promise they had made, and still he stayed by Zero’s side.

They had set out to fight against the Ancient Dragon. Mikhail was initially struck with fear, but he was able to overcome it thanks to Zero’s words. That is how much he trusted her. That burden confused her, and yet it was somehow comforting.

Mikhail would never in a million years betray her. Not only Mikhail, but Michael, too. For all the people she had betrayed, the first person she finally felt she could place her trust in wasn’t in a fellow human like herself but in a member of the noble race of dragons.

Zero: Mikhail…

A pang of regret struck through her heart as she thought how obstinate she had been, rarely if ever calling him by name. It wasn’t she distasted the name. Rather she was afraid. If she called Mikhail by name as she had done with Michael, he would forgive her soul like Michael had, and she would lose him…

Zero: Why couldn’t it have been me!?

Why must she always be the one to survive? Why must she always lose those important to her? Why?

Zero: It’s all its fault!

Zero tightly gripped a hand around the flower in her eye. As long as she had this “flower”, no matter how much she may want to die, she could not. It was all due to the regenerative power of the “flower”.

Zero: This… this fucking flower!

She suddenly stayed her right hand that was about to rip the flower from her eye.

Zero: The flower…

If she used the power of the flower, perhaps she could restore Mikhail back to life. And she knew how to do it. It wasn’t something she needed to learn from someone else; she simply learned on her own as one would learn how to walk or run. In her current state, she could do it. However, by resurrecting him that would also curse him with the flower. Would Mikhail really want that?

She knew it. This was a mistake. She was only acting due to her own selfish feelings… A sin. She was merely afraid to be abandoned again, and since she didn’t want to be left alone, she was trying to bring Mikhail along with her.

Zero: I’m sorry…

Even so, she didn’t want him to die. In all her days, this was the first time she ever wished for someone to live.

Zero: I command thee!

She placed a hand on Mikhail’s still chest.

Zero: As one with the Power of Song, in order to save this dragon’s life… I shall forge a “pact”. The god of the east, the goddess of the west… In exchange, I give this flame of my life. And he, in exchange for renewed life, will be this flower… his curse.

Her consciousness was sucked away as her vision filled with pure white light.

 

Part 5

The remaining poison as well as the magic barrier trapping them in the cathedral was nullified by Zero’s Power of Song. The light came pouring in through the broken stained glass windows. It should be night by now. The light was reddish and soft.

Zero stood up and stretched, then placed an ear on Mikhail’s chest. His heartbeat was calm yet strong. As she let out a sigh of relief, her adult-sized clothing slipped from her now childlike body. Picking it up, she wrapped the clothing around herself although haphazardly. There was no way she could wear her adult-sized clothing now…

She never imagined that her body would be returned to that of a child. When she lost her powers and her sisters were born, she was only left unable to move. Her body remained the same. That’s what she thought would have happened this time as well. Apparently, giving her power to another causes a change in her own physical form.

Zero: Hey!

The voice of a little child escaped her lips; the sound of it was terrible. Since she was much shorter now, Mikhail appeared to loom much larger above her. She kicked him with her little legs, hardly causing any greater pain than getting bit by a mosquito. Even so, he must have felt it. Slowly, Mikhail began to awaken.

Mikhail: Zero?

Mikhail looked down at her from what seemed much higher up than usual. As he gazed upon her, a look of confusion washed over his face, his one left eye blinking rapidly.

Mikhail: Um… You’re Zero, right?

The flower blossomed out of his right eye. Although she expected to see it there, still the sight of it caused her heart to ache. She was overwhelmed to see Mikhail alive and well again and yet a part of her still regretted forcing this upon him.

Then suddenly her chest rose and her mouth fell open.

Mikhail: Zero!

Mikhail screamed. She didn’t know what happened. It wasn’t until she was on the ground when she realized what had happened.

Mikhail: How dare you… How dare you do that to Zero!

She could see Mikhail bear his claws at something. She knew he was striking out with great force, but whoever was at the receiving end of the attack must have dodged out of the way.

As some warm liquid welled up in her throat, she tried to swallow it back down and noticed it tasted like blood. She suddenly realized the pain in her chest and she couldn’t breathe.

She finally understood: she had been stabbed. She could see it was blood that she was vomiting. She could see Mikhail breathing fire at something…

Who was it? Who stabbed me? Who is Mikhail trying to burn to death?

She tried with all her might to turn her head to see who it was.

Zero: O…ne…!?

Why is Mikhail trying to burn One? 

But the fire never struck One. Mikhail’s body tilted, and the subsequent vibration of his body hitting the cold floor reached every inch of Zero’s body.

Why did Mikhail fall? Why have I fallen? Why?

I don’t understand. I don’t understand.

The thoughts in her head felt as though they were all getting mixed up and mashed together.

Why is One suddenly alive even after I killed her? Why is Mikhail suddenly dead even after I revived him? 

???: I’m not One.

It was a male voice.

???: I am her younger brother. One’s younger brother.

Shut up. That’s not what I want to know, is what Zero wanted to shout, but she no longer had the strength to form the words and could only look at him for the answers she sought.

Brother One: Just as you created your sisters, One created me.

It’s not what she wanted to hear, but she understood the words. In an instant, her head was cool.

One had said that she couldn’t create Apostles. That wasn’t a lie. That is why she created a copy of herself, a “younger brother” in place of an Apostle.

Brother One: Should you manage to kill Sister One, then I would be the final trump card.

A painful voice crying “Zero, Zero” reached her ears. It was the coarse breath of the dying.

He should have just been brought back to life. It was because she didn’t want Mikhail to die that she called upon the restorative power of the flower and created the new magic known as “pacts”. Zero’s power was split between herself and the dragon; two bodies, one life. Mikhail was resurrected but thusly cursed with the flower.

But this entirely backfired. Because she was reverted back to the body of a child, she was unexpectedly struck down and reaching the end of her life. And since they now shared one life, the newly reborn Mikhail would also perish…

It appeared as though the male One was still saying something, but Zero could no longer hear anything.

Zero: Mik…hail… I’m sorr…

She wasn’t even able to convey a satisfactory apology. Suddenly, her surroundings grew dim. With all her remaining strength, she wanted to burn the image of Mikhail to stay forever in her mind, and that’s when she saw her. It was that girl, Accord, standing quietly beside a pillar, watching Zero ever so intently.

It’s amazing that she survived after falling that great distance into the sea. Zero thought that she had surely died.

The girl she was going to kill is alive, while her one friend she wanted to live is dead. I hate such frigid words like “fate” and “destiny,” but what other words can better express the sarcasm of my life before and later death?

Zero saw as Accord turned to walk away. Perhaps, she only came to confirm Zero’s death. Quickly thereafter, darkness enveloped her vision. She could no longer see Mikhail. She could no longer feel the coldness of the cathedral floor. Nothing.

This is the end, Zero thought. Whether I’m forgiven or not. Whether I’m saved or not. In the end, everything returns to nothing.

She knew there was no comfort in the darkness of death, but nevertheless, Zero eagerly awaited for that moment to come.