- "A Cursed Pledge; Twisted Emotions"
Priyet, also known as the Werebeast, is a memory character in NieR Reincarnation first introduced in the second story arc, The Sun and the Moon.
A strange beast who wishes to become human above all else.
Appearance
Priyet is a large, cat-like creature with black fur who wears a white sheet to cover their body. The sheet is cut to reveal their white eyes and a long, fluffy tail is visible from underneath.
Before turning into a beast, Priyet had the form of a young girl with short, light hair and glasses. Being a member of the same magick school as Saryu, she also wore its uniform with a black witch's hat.
Story
- "I wish I had never been born..."
- — Writings found in a ruin
Priyet's story is explored in Curse of the Rift and Broken Children.
Character Story
I look nervously around the classroom, surrounded on all sides by other newly enrolled students. With backs straight and eyes wide, they listen intently as our professor explains about life at the school.
Currently, the professor is talking about roles students can take in order to show their independence. Clever kids join the student council. Athletic kids take up sports. Good-looking kids are hall monitors. Everyone around me had something they're good at,
and they volunteer for their new roles with enthusiasm.
As roles are chosen and students depart, I find myself growing increasingly sullen.
I'm not a fast thinker, you see, nor am I especially pretty or active.
Honestly, I don't know what role I could take.
I attempt to justify by telling myself I don't have anything to be proud of anyway.
You're going to be last, I think.
You're going to be last because you're ALWAYS last. Always have been, always will be.
Someone always stands in the center of the stage, but that someone is never me. I'm too dull. Too plain. Whatever role I have in this world, I know it will be a minor one.
The clock hands tick, tick, tick, the moments away from my life,
and for some reason I cannot explain, I begin to panic.
I bolt out of my seat and throw open the classroom door,
only to realize I have absolutely nowhere to go.
The school is a maze, and I wander its hallways without a clear destination. After turning this way and that, I finally find myself standing in front of the library. The room is empty. Silent. It's as if time as simply...stopped. After a long moment, I slowly exhale and take my first steps inside.
I feel a deep affinity for the untouched, dusty books that line the shelves, and without thinking, I reach up and take one of them down. I have time. I have all the time in the world. So I begin to read—and as I do so, I realize I have finally found my place of solace.
Eventually, the library becomes my second home—one where I always take the seat one removed from the window.
But one day, I'm, startled from my familiar solitude when someone calls from across the room.
"Hey, you're that girl who's always here, right?" says the student,
either unaware or ignoring the shock and confusion on my face. "Well, I need your help."
It turns out the student is in my class, and has been having trouble with a particularly tricky assignment. I pick out a few books that I think could help and think nothing more of it, but a few days later,
she sends me a thank-you letter. Almost without realizing it,
I become the go-to person for any and all things library-related.
The word was out: If you needed help finding any kind of book,
go ask the girl near the window.
And while I still don't have much in the way of confidence or pride,
so long as I can help other people with something, I feel like it gives me just the slightest bit of courage.
Other Stories
Lost in a Beautiful World Part 1
Crunch... Crunch... Crunch...
The sound of feet on fallen leaves echoes through the forest.
Two girls blaze a noisy path through the tall, shadowed trees.
When they laugh, they sound like a pair of merry songbirds.
Suddenly, the girl with silver hair poses a question to the girl in glasses:
"Hey, so why are we out in the forest anyway?"
"Um, I guess I just wanted to come on a walk with you."
"Seriously? That's it?"
The girl with silver hair chuckles as she waits for a response.
Though she sounds slightly annoyed, she's actually quite content—for any time spent in the company of her best friend is precious to her. Both girls are witches in training at the local school of magick. They have been inseparable since they first met. Their life at the school is a stressful one; the professors are harsh, the research topics difficult.
And this is why they are both so pleased to spend an afternoon in nature, where nothing is demanded of them except to be in the moment.
Rays of gold spill through gaps in the stalwart trees.
The two girls weave in and out of the light, enjoying its gentle warmth.
This moment—though fleeting—enfolds them both in a dreamlike calm.
The bespectacled girl compliments the way her friend's silver hair glitters in the setting sun.
In response, the friend plucks a marble-sized piece of fruit from a nearby tree and holds it in her hand.
"Wanna know the secret? It's this. I put oil from this fruit on my hair every night."
"Really? Oh my gosh, you have to teach me how to make it!"
"Wait, hang on a second. Isn't it your birthday today?"
Though the bespectacled girl blushes and turns away, the joy at her friend's remembering is clear.
She has never been one to speak about herself, so most of her birthdays come and go without fanfare or celebration. But this day, she woke up wishing only for one thing: To spend time in nature with her best friend. That moment—that memory—would be present enough.
Suddenly realizing she has forgotten until this instant, the silver-haired girl pauses, her hands frozen in midair. "Uh, sorry. I didn't really...get you anything?"
"I'm just happy you remembered," replies her friend. Her smile is genuine. Radiant.
Seeing her joy, the silver-haired girl begins to feel guilty all over again, and quickly asks her friend if there is anything she wants.
The other girl stares at her, thinking.
Finally, she decides to speak what has been on her mind all afternoon.
"Could you...take me to the Land of Magick?"
Lost in a Beautiful World Part 2
Two girls walk through a forest bathed in the light of the afternoon sun.
One wears a pair of thick glasses, while the other boasts a head of beautiful silver hair. As they walk, the silver-haired girl ponders what her best friend said to her a moment before.
She wants to go to the "Land of Magick"? How am I supposed to take her there for her birthday when I don't even know what it is? The bespectacled girl had always been a bit of an odd duck compared to the rest of her classmates, so having her blurt out such a request wasn't totally unexpected.
"I'm sorry," she says. "Was that a weird thing to ask for?"
"I mean, I guess I've heard weirder," replies her friend with a small chuckle.
"So tell me about this Land of Magick. What kind of place is it?" The girl pauses before replying, considering what the place means to her.
"It's... Well, I guess it's a place where everyone can just live as themselves. There's no war. No fighting.
No poverty. It's a place where people can live out their dreams, no matter who they are!" Uncomfortable with talking at such length, the girl hastens to finish her tale.
"I know it doesn't really exist. I just thought it might be fun for us to...you know? Pretend?"
Her friend nods as she considers this, then grips her staff with enthusiasm.
"Well, if we're just playing pretend..." A brilliant light suddenly floods out from the staff.
A rainbow of colors explode in the air, winding their way around the trees.
After a moment, an archway shimmers into existence before them.
The bespectacled girl is captivated by her friend's ability.
Lowering her staff, the other girl stands in front of the arch and extends her hand. Her friend takes it shyly, almost as if she's afraid it might fade out of existence.
As they step through the archway, they find themselves in an infinite white space without borders or decoration. "So, um...here you go!" says the silver-haired girl.
"This is where we'll found the Land of Magick!"
The pair erupt in a series of giggles as joy floods across their features.
Then they lift their staves and begin to paint. Fish swim across the sky. Flying carpets explode into view. Rainbow canopies hang overhead.
We can do whatever we want. There's no one here to stop us. I can sing as loud as I like. I'm free here. We're FREE!
The arch connecting them to the real world grows smaller and smaller as they cavort through their new playground.
Finally, they both collapse on a flying carpet, lying on their backs and looking up at the multicolored sky. "This is the best present ever," says the bespectacled girl.
"I'm glad you like it," replies her friend.
Time becomes a slippery thing as they lie there. One minute passes, and then many more.
The silver-haired girl thinks back to when they were standing in the wood. She recalls what her best friend said to her. She wanted this to be a place where you could just live as yourself.
If that kind of thing was possible, what would it be like for the people who lived here? What's it like to really embrace your true self? To have that kind of freedom? And how would I feel if I had a chance at that kind of life? Having considered this, she turns to her friend and props herself up on an elbow.
"I think living in the Land of Magick would make me super nervous."
Her friend makes a small hum of response. "I'm already nervous all the time. I guess I've never been much good at...you know? Living.
Especially at school—nothing ever goes right for me there. I think that's why I wanted to just get away from it for an afternoon."
An easy silence settles over the pair. In it, the bespectacled girl's mind whirls.
The future is so big and scary, but I'll have this moment forever.
But I wish there was a way I could make it perfect—the kind of perfect where
I could always look back on it without any regrets.
Lost in a Beautiful World Part 3
A disembodied melody drifts through the air. The scent of flowers floats on the breeze. Soft sunlight envelops them like wisps of cotton candy.
The bespectacled girl is walking with light, airy steps.
The silver-haired girl follows close behind. They are in the Land of Magick—a place created by their own hands.
They used their magic to paint the land however they liked, filling it with vibrant color and images.
A rainbow canopy stretches across the sky, illuminating the world in colors so beautiful the mind lacks words to describe them.
As they walk, the girls leave two sets of perfect footprints in the star-shaped sand covering the ground.
"So how far does this go?" asks the bespectacled girl. Her friend considers this for a moment.
"Actually, I don't even know." The other girl nods and keeps walking, as if the answer was inconsequential one way or the other.
Her friend smiles to herself and maintains her pace.
As they move, the scenery slowly begins to change.
Ten minutes ago, they had been walking on the shoreline of an endless blue ocean.
But now it has transformed into a field of brilliant white flowers that stretches off to the horizon.
The flowers are shaped like little trumpets.
Halting for a moment, the bespectacled girl plucks one and tucks it behind her friend's ear.
The other girl reaches up to touch it, a sense of wonder on her face. "It looks great on you."
"Really?"
"Oh! That gives me an idea! We should make a flower crown."
The girls grin at each other and clasp each other's hands tightly.
They then drop to their knees and begin assembling their new creation.
It begins taking shape in a flurry of petals and stems and roots.
The expression on the girls' faces is one of utter joy. As always happens with simple, repetitive tasks, they begin to talk as they work.
The volume soon heightens as they chatter on about this and that.
But eventually, the topic turns to the Day of Pledging. It is a traditional ceremony for all who practice magick. The purpose is to bring two magick users together in order to share their talents and create an even more powerful system. But for a pledge to work, the pair must already share a deep spiritual bond.
They must have each opened their hearts to the other.
The two girls imagine what that day will be like. A picture of the occasion forms in their minds. Two people dressed in ceremonial finery stand across from each other.
They exchange Avowal Rings, the symbol of the pledge.
Perhaps they even kiss when it is complete.
This is all speculation; pledges occur in secrecy, so neither girl has ever seen one.
But that secrecy only encourages their imaginations to run even wilder.
As they talk, the flower crown comes to a sort of completion.
While not the prettiest thing ever made, it comes from the heart, which makes it precious.
The silver-haired girl gently places it atop her friend's head.
"It looks lovely on you. I bet you'll wear something like this on your wedding day."
The other girl smiles clumsily in response. "Hey, so maybe we should practice our own Day of Pledging?" she says in a rush.
"I mean, since we're here and all."
"Didn't some dead guy decide that a pledge can only be made between a boy and a girl?" responds the silver-haired girl.
"Well, um, I could be the boy. I mean, if you want?"
The other girl nods, and the pair climb to their feet. They then begin preparing for the event.
Lost in a Beautiful World Part 4
In the Land of Magick, existence is limited only by one's own imagination.
And as the two girls stand facing each other with staves in hand, a new reality begins to emerge.
After a moment, a white chapel slowly comes to life in the middle of the flower field.
This is where they will practice for the Day of Pledging.
"So what do you think?" asks the silver-haired girl.
"It's nice," responds her friend. "But I might change one thing..."
She offers a suggestion, and her friend responds with one of her own. In reality, neither of them have any idea if pledges are sealed in a chapel or not. But that unknowing does not bother them in the least. After a bit of back and forth, they decide to create a slightly more formal setting—one that holds a better sense of atmosphere.
They end up simplifying the chapel, giving it a cozy gabled roof and a series of bright windows.
The light filtering through the glass plays over the girls' features as they stand at the back of the chapel.
Smiling nervously, they begin walking side-by-side up the aisle. "It's comfortable in here," says the silver-haired girl. "I really like it."
Her friend nods, then turns to face her. "Hold on," she says. "You need a different outfit."
She imagines a beautiful dress, one both classic and shapely.
Seconds later, the garment materializes on her friend. "Holy wow," breathes the silver-haired girl as she looks down at her new finery. "I look...good. Hold on. I'll make something for you."
After a pause, a formal, princely garment shimmers to life on the bespectacled girl.
It looks like something from a fairy tale, and is so perfect she begins to giggle in spite of herself.
"What?" demands her friend. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"N-nothing, I swear!" says the girl between giggles—but her words do not seem to reassure her friend.
To the bespectacled girl, her best friend is someone wiser and more mature than she could ever be—so seeing her childish imagination take flight fills her with indescribable joy.
"I'm sorry for laughing," she says. "Can you ever forgive me?"
As she says this, she produces a silver Avowal Ring and holds it out to the other girl.
It is the most beautiful thing she is capable of imagining, and it takes her friend's breath away.
She can do nothing but stare at it, enthralled.
"It's...perfect." she says finally.
"It makes me feel like this will actually happen someday."
The bespectacled girl smiles and slips the ring onto her friend's finger.
The other girl holds it up to the light, turning it this way and that. "Perfect..." she murmurs again.
"It's like I can actually feel it in my heart. This must be what it's like to get a real Avowal Ring."
Her eyes sparkle. Her smile beams. It is the exact moment the other girl has been hoping for.
But then, the smile shatters.
The chapel, the dress, the windows—all of it breaks apart into tiny motes of light before vanishing.
The bespectacled girl reaches out. As the tips of her fingers brush her best friend's cheek, it too melts away into the dark. And when it is gone, all that remains is a pitiful beast standing in the gloom of an endless twilight wood...and a small silver ring. The silence is deafening.
The beast drops to her knees, scoops up the ring, and clasps it to her breast.
A pained smile crosses her face as she does so. "I'll see you again," she whispers.
"I'll see you again when the sun rises."
The End of Everything Part 1
- Note: the following is official story material from Priyet's unreleased Recollections of Dusk in the NieR Reincarnation Official Material Collection, released only in Japan.
It felt as if the world had denied her, the girl thought. The room scattered with broken objects was just like her heart. If it was going to feel like this, then perhaps...
Leaning her upper body against the bed she had torn apart with scissors, the girl still could not curse the girl with curly hair, who could even be called the entire world to her.
—Three days ago.
The girl confessed to the curly-haired girl, her childhood friend. Despite spending years together and not conveying her feelings until then, the fear of rejection had held her back. At the school where the girl and her curly-haired childhood friend lived, children with the potential to be skilled magicians honed their abilities under the guidance of their teachers.
At a certain age, they were required to undergo a "contract." The contract was a ceremony in which two people who shared a deep connection would become partners and inherit magic together.
The girl gathered her courage and asked the curly-haired girl to form a contract with her, but the response she received was, "I wish you'd just disappear..."
The girl's true feelings, which she had never expressed before, were swatted away and vanished as soon as they left her. The kind, strong, and beloved childhood friend—she had spent more time with her than anyone else and believed that no one understood her better.
Compared to the curly-haired girl, the girl was timid and not skilled in magic, but surely, they shared a bond unlike any other student.
Staring lifelessly at the ruined room with eyes emptied of tears, the girl wondered what she had done wrong.
In her exhausted, sorrow-filled thoughts, a conclusion emerged.
"Maybe she likes boys..."
It was a possibility the girl had never considered. The curly-haired girl, who had a mature atmosphere, had secretly garnered attention from the boys at school. However, she never paid any attention to the passionate gazes of the boys. Instead, she always came straight to the girl and smiled at her.
—So, she must like me. I thought she had no interest in boys. This new realization shocked the girl. But strangely, she found some light in it.
—If she likes boys...
Then, if I become a boy...
Maybe my feelings could reach the curly-haired girl in the way I want. Maybe she could accept me.
Suddenly, the girl felt a surge of strength, and her lips curved into a smile.
Yes. What a good idea!
The girl stood up and nodded vigorously. Surely, the curly-haired girl would be moved by her effort and like her even more. Thinking this, the girl felt as if the world, which had been denying her until now, was suddenly pushing her forward.
"But... how can I become a boy...?"
—Change my gender.
There was no doubt it would be a high-level form of magic.
She had read many books in the school library, but none of them specified how to accomplish it.
The thought that surfaced in her mind was the teacher's materials room. There, there might be forbidden books that students weren't allowed to view.
That night, after the students and teachers had gone to sleep, the girl waited until the school was quiet. She then stealthily stole the key and snuck into the restricted materials room.
She pulled out a random book from the shelf and began flipping through it.
Among the books, she found one with edges stained completely black—it seemed to be a book on black magic.
Black magic was a dark and dangerous form of magic, often involving the use of corpses or summoning demons. It was dangerous even for the practitioner. The students at the school had been repeatedly warned by their teachers from a young age not to use black magic.
The book itself felt ominous, and the girl swallowed nervously as she turned the pages.
And then...
"Transformation magic..."
Magic that changes one's appearance. In it, the girl found the spell she had been looking for...
"With this... I can..."
But just as her heart swelled with excitement, the girl saw one of the ingredients she would need for the spell and sighed heavily.
—This is something I can't possibly obtain.
The day to form the "contract"—the "oath ceremony"—was fast approaching. She couldn't think of a way to make it work by then.
But... the girl shook her head as tears fell.
She absolutely couldn't give up on that girl. With a strong resolve, she made her decision.
The End of Everything Part 2
The feelings the girl had been carrying for her childhood friend for so long. In order to fulfill them, she decides to become a boy.
To research advanced magic that could change her body, she sneaks into the teacher's materials room. There, she finds forbidden books on dangerous black magic, which are not allowed for students to access.
The following day, the girl visits another childhood friend.
The three of them, herself, the curly-haired girl, and the spiky-haired boy, had always lived happily together. But now...
The spiky-haired boy invites the girl into his room. She had been called here by him, but she also had something she wanted to say to him...
It concerns the "emotional difference" between her and the boy.
The boy had fallen in love with the girl, harboring feelings of affection. But the girl's feelings toward him were those of friendship, as childhood friends. Neither of them had realized the difference in the kind of affection they had, which led to an unfortunate misunderstanding.
"I want to stay with you forever."
The words the boy had said to the girl before. She had taken them at face value and replied, "Me too." And the boy had misunderstood, thinking the girl had accepted his feelings.
She only wanted to remain friends with him, as they always had, but...
Since that misunderstanding, the boy had believed they were in a relationship.
However, the girl liked someone else, not the boy, but the curly-haired girl. The girl had tried many times to correct the boy's misunderstanding, but because of her weak personality and his strong confidence, the misunderstanding continued for a long time.
Naturally, the boy planned to perform the "contract" with the girl and become her partner. The girl, having been pushed by the boy's feelings, could never explain the misunderstanding.
Now, she had come to his room, determined to clear up the misunderstanding and explain that they could not enter into a contract.
The well-known room of the boy... a room she had visited many times since childhood.
When the girl entered, the boy was sitting on his bed, with his arms crossed, looking troubled. He looked up when the girl entered, gesturing for her to sit next to him, but she, unusually, did not respond and stood firmly at the doorway.
The boy, confused by her behavior, gave up and started speaking without waiting for her response.
"Today, I told the teacher we would be entering into a contract."
The girl was shocked by his words.
"Why?"
"Well, the day of the 'oath ceremony' for the contract is coming soon, but you weren't making any moves, so I went on my own."
"... Why did you do that without asking me?"
The boy smiled when he saw her reproach him in a small voice.
"Don't worry. I understand you wanted to handle this together and report it. But the most important thing is the contract itself."
The girl stood speechless, lost for words. Their hearts were completely out of sync.
The boy, noticing her silence, furrowed his brows and continued speaking.
"Anyway, that's fine. The real problem lies elsewhere."
What other problem could there be? The girl thought, but the boy continued speaking.
He spoke of the curly-haired girl. The girl had confessed that she liked him, asked him to enter into a contract, and become partners...
The girl's mind was confused as she tried to process what the boy was saying. But the words didn't make sense. Her head, her heart, rejected the understanding.
She liked him...?
Why...?
This is impossible!
It must be a lie!
Furiously shaking her head in denial of reality, the boy continued speaking.
"But it's okay. I told her clearly. I said I couldn't enter into a contract because I already have you."
"Wh... What...?"
The words the curly-haired girl had said to her last time came to mind.
"Go away."
So, at that time, to her, I was really... really someone she wanted to disappear...?
"Aaaaaaah! Aaaaaaaaahhh!!!"
By the time she realized it, the girl was screaming at the top of her lungs. She grabbed a nearby vase and threw it at the boy's feet.
"If it weren't for YOU!!! If it weren't for YOU, this wouldn't have happened!!!"
The girl roared and began throwing anything she could find at the boy.
"I wanted to contract with HER, not you!! Only her!! But because of you, this is how it turned out!!"
The boy was taken aback by the girl's sudden change in attitude and words. Shielding himself from the flying objects, he stared at her in astonishment.
"The one I like... The one I love... is her, and only her, in this world...!!"
Her voice was fierce but filled with sorrow.
When the storm of noise and shouting finally stopped, a heavy silence enveloped the two, as though time itself had stopped.
The End of Everything Part 3
Three childhood friends, closely bonded. However, the feelings they each harbor for one another become tangled and fail to reach the other, ultimately leading to a tragic ending.
In the boy's room, broken objects were scattered. This was the result of the girl's furious outburst after hearing that the boy had been confessed to by the curly-haired girl. The boy, staring at the shattered vase beside him, widened his eyes at the girl's reaction—this was not the same gentle and delicate girlfriend he was used to.
The boy, unsure of what to make of the situation, nervously called out the girl's name. "Shut up!!!!" Her voice was wild, almost beastly. The boy trembled involuntarily, wondering where such a sound could come from the girl's slender throat.
"Well, what does it mean that you wanted to make a contract with your childhood friend?" The boy braced himself for more yelling as he asked, still unable to fully grasp the situation. "Don't you understand yet?" she replied, as if blaming him for not understanding despite how many times she had tried to explain. "The only person I want to contract with is her!"
"Then, what about everything we've been through until now...!?"
"It was all your misunderstanding!!!" she yelled. Even though she said no, he kissed her. When she tried to push him away, he said she was just shy. He never truly listened to her words of denial.
As the girl confessed, the boy felt his blood drain from his face, realizing how foolish he had been to believe that his one-sided love was mutual. How much had he hurt the girl in his ignorance?
But even so, his thoughts began to protect him, trying to convince himself that he was still right. "...But she likes me." His words hurt the girl's already broken heart even more. "I don't think your love will be successful. Maybe you're just overwhelmed from your heartbreak right now, but you should think more calmly." This was the tone the boy used when arguing with someone, trying to outwit them. It used to be something the girl admired, but now, after being dragged into his misunderstanding, it had become one of the things she hated most about him.
"We should live more wisely. Even if you don't feel this way now, I'm sure we will be great partners in the future." "What... are you talking about...?" The girl couldn't keep up with the unexpected turn of events. She had finally conveyed her hidden feelings, the emotions she had been holding in, and believed the boy had understood.
"Hey," the boy called her name softly. The moment he did, the girl felt goosebumps rise on her skin. "Your feelings are just an illusion. You just misunderstood because of your strong admiration for her..."
"Misunderstanding...?" The boy nodded, convinced that this would convince the girl.
"Because it's strange, isn't it? Witch contracts are rarely seen. Your feelings are fake. It's not real love." The last words, delivered with a shallow smile, were the final blow. After that, the girl's memory went blank for a while.
"...Why...?" The next thing she knew, the boy was lying on the floor, blood spreading from his body. The girl stood, holding her wand, unable to react.
"Hey, hey..." She approached cautiously and called out to him, but there was no response. Even when she shook him, he remained limp. "I... No..." Why had this happened...? Sitting down, crying, the girl suddenly realized something. Her wand still held traces of magic.
Yes, she had been hurt. She had heard terrible things. And yet, to do this to her beloved childhood friend...
In her desperation, as she cried and covered her face, the girl remembered the book on black magic she had taken from the staff library. "Transformation magic." It was the way for her to gain a boy's body. An evil forbidden magic... The book's instructions mentioned a single ingredient that was difficult for the girl to obtain. "Fresh human flesh..." She looked once more at the motionless boy. Somewhere along the way, he had stopped being just her "childhood friend" and had begun to take on the role of "a material for her dream to come true..."
The End of Everything Part 4
After a series of misunderstandings, the girl ended up killing her childhood friend, the boy. She stood alone in front of his bleeding body, shocked by her actions. At the same time, however, a new, darker desire began to swirl inside her.
Her own wish...
"To become a boy and be loved by the one I love."
To make that wish come true, she needed to use this dark magic to transform into a boy.
The girl's past feelings for the boy, the one with the curly hair, no longer mattered. In fact, she felt as though if she became a boy, she could be loved by her crush.
With unwavering resolve, the girl believed in this nonsensical idea. To be loved by her, for her feelings to be accepted...
The girl took out a black-covered book from her bag and opened it to the bookmarked page.
It was a forbidden book on dark magic.
The "Shape-shifting" spell was something even the girl, who wasn't good at practical magic, could perform. The materials required were mostly things she could gather from around the school, with one exception: "fresh human flesh."
And that, for some unknown reason, was right in front of her now. The boy's corpse, in the girl's mind, was shifting between being "the body of her childhood friend" and "a material for dark magic."
After a brief hesitation, the girl wiped away her tears and began her preparations. Though she knew the likelihood of obtaining fresh human flesh was low, she had collected other materials just in case. She took them from her room and sprinkled or placed them on the boy's body.
"Done..."
Everything was ready. Now, all she had to do was perform the spell.
While chanting the long incantation from the book, she raised her wand and, even though she was at a point of no return, her heart still wavered.
The girl and the boy who had died... and the curly-haired girl, whom the girl had loved since they were small.
The excellent boy and the curly-haired girl had always stood out at school and gained popularity, and as they grew, that became more apparent. Yet, despite that, they had stayed close to the quiet and average girl, just like when they were young.
After the boy had confessed, she had spent difficult days unable to express her true feelings. But it was clear that he had always tried to take care of her.
Still...
What if, what if she could really transform into a boy as she imagined? How would the curly-haired girl look at her?
The expression of surprise on her face, followed by a melting smile...
If the feelings she had for her were returned, she would sacrifice anything.
—That's what the girl thought.
To love and be loved by her ideal future.
The heavy and dark guilt of taking her childhood friend's life and using his body as magic material.
As her emotions fluctuated, the magic grew unstable.
But when the girl spoke the last line of the spell, a bright light enveloped her and the boy, and the room turned white. In the next moment, the girl's appearance changed into an unfamiliar boy.
"No... Really...?"
In the mirror, the boy appeared to be wearing glasses, quiet and reserved... His features were very similar to hers, but his bone structure, his voice, were definitely those of a boy.
She touched her body, feeling it, confirming that it was now her real body.
Immediately, a sense of elation rose from deep inside her, followed by an overwhelming joy that made her want to cry.
Surely now, the curly-haired girl would look at her. She would want to form a contract with her.
"Happy... huh?"
But when the girl tried to smile in the mirror, she twisted her expression.
Black hair had sprouted from her smooth, white cheek.
"What... is this...?"
As she gently touched it, black hair sprouted violently from the other side of her temple, growing through her skin at an alarming rate.
"Ah!!" The boy with glasses gasped.
Like a signal, black hair shot out from all over his body, tearing through his skin.
That wasn't all. His slender outline contorted, and his body expanded like dough, growing in size.
"Ahhhhhhh!! Ahhhhhhh!!"
The pain and fear were so intense, the boy screamed. No, this could no longer be called a boy.
A monster—or perhaps a beast... That was the more fitting term.
His hands were covered in jet-black hair, his sharp claws hidden beneath. His large mouth was filled with fangs. His body grew so large it could no longer be contained by the mirror.
The girl gasped at her own reflection and, horrified, realized what had happened.
The boy's body, which had been used for dark magic, was still lying there, unchanged. The girl realized her magic had failed.
"Dark magic uses not only your own power, but also the powers of demons and spirits. It can do things normal magic can't, but the cost is great. If it fails, there's no turning back," her teacher's words from long ago echoed in her mind.
"Why... Why did I want to be loved?"
The ugly beast in the mirror began to cry.
It was as though her heart, which she had tried to hide for so long, was now revealed as a dark, grotesque monster.
Ch. 1: Will I Be Like That One Day?
Every student in school is looking at the girl with wavy hair. She stands tall and bold on the podium as she receives a commemorative gold watch from a professor.
She is my best friend.
"You used the knowledge and power you gained from your lessons to save the townsfolk from monsters. Everyone here is proud of your bravery."
She stands at the center of the world as the students give her a generous round of applause. She shines under the auditorium spotlight. She is breathtaking.
...And she feels so distant.
When the teacher dismisses us, students crowd around her and sing her praises, but I can't bring myself to approach her. After all, I'm a klutz. I'm stupid. I'm gloomy.
I'm not the person for her at all.
Dark feelings slowly consume me, and the next thing I know, I'm dashing out of the academy. With nothing better to do, I wander about the courtyard. It's not much of a courtyard—more like a forest with overgrown trees everywhere—but the crisp air helps me feel a little bit better. Sometimes all I want is to be in empty places like this.
"Hmm?"
I suddenly spot a building I don't recognize beyond the trees: a shabby stone hut. It's too large to be a toolshed, but just big enough for someone to live inside. And since the door sits ajar, I decide to peek inside. It's dark and cool, with a faintly weird smell. I need to go farther in to get a better look, so I step forward and...
"My my!" says a voice as candlelight blooms in the dark. "It's not every day a student from the academy finds their way in here."
"Eeep!" is my clever reply. The speaker is an old man in a chair sitting next to a table with a small candle on it. He looks at me and lowers his eyes in a somber fashion.
"Welcome to the house of the dead, dear girl. Welcome to the morgue."
"The...morgue?"
"Indeed. This is the resting place of all former students who die in battle and have no one to claim their remains."
As he says this, my eyes adjust to the light enough for me to realize the room is filled with rack after rack of bodies. There are so many, and some are horribly mangled. To think they all used to go to this school...
"Poor things. There's no one left to mourn them."
I'm terrified, but my feet are rooted to the spot. I know many students at the school are estranged from their families—including me and my two best friends—and I never once considered that after I finally leave the school, we would simply end up right back here in death.
As I roll this thought over in my mind, a loud thud rings out from beyond the candlelight's reach. I squeal again as I see a number of former students' corpses emerge from the dark. Their lifeless bodies stagger and groan as they march slowly toward us.
"Ah, but this is no good," says the old man. "Run, little one! Run now!"
I do just that, burst out of the morgue and into the safety of the trees. I hear corpses groaning behind me, and the sound terrifies me.
And yet...
It almost sounds like weeping.
Ch. 2: Trusting My Power
Even after I returned to my room, I couldn't shake the image of the corpses I saw in the morgue. I tried to understand what had happened, and how it was possible for them to be moving. And then, a thought sprang into my mind:
Black magick.
Black magick is a set of forbidden spells used by only a small number of mages. And while the price for their failure is great, they can accomplish things regular spells cannot. When we learned of black magick in our History of Magick class, our professor told us of a spell that enslaved deceased people to the will of the user, then went on to claim some opposing nations take great joy in wielding such horrid spells.
The look on my best friend's face when she heard that was one of utter disgust. She shook with anger as tears spilled from her face, then balled her fists and swore to never engage in so foul an undertaking.
Her tears were beautiful, and the sentiment perfectly her; she never could ignore those who suffered from injustice. If she had found the morgue instead of me, she wouldn't have run away and left them to their fate. Instead, she would have used her amazing spells to undo the black magick and permit the poor dead to have their rest.
If only I could be like her...
I remember how brightly she shone under the auditorium spotlight. She was so far above me, even the thought of reaching her was laughable. But if I could save the poor corpses in the morgue? If I could help people in need? Well, maybe I could be one step closer to her.
It was an idea powerful enough to inspire even a coward like me.
The next day, I went in search of my other best friend. Though I hated to admit it, I couldn't take on the corpses in the morgue alone. I needed his help for my plan to work.
Thankfully, he was easy to find; his spiky hair made him stand out almost as much as his talent. Upon tracking him down, I walked up and said, "You're good at dispelling magick, right?"
"Better than any other student in this dang school, that's for sure!" he said with a wry smile and a charming air.
"Can you dispel black magick?"
"Never tried, but I know the theory behind it.
Why do you ask?"
"I need to dispel some, but I don't think I can do it alone, so I was wondering if you—"
"Don't need to ask me twice!" he cried with delight.
After class, we went to the morgue. It lurked quietly in its corner, just like the day before—and as we stood before it, the same familiar fear came creeping over me.
The inside retained its distinctive smell, and was dark as a black cat at midnight. As we stepped across the threshold, we immediately heard a series of groans—and when I raised my staff to light the room, we saw the dead were already shambling toward us. But my best friend wasn't worried; he immediately began to ready his anti-magick spell, humming quietly.
I knew such things took time to prepare, so I worked to draw the corpses away by setting off little fireworks at their feet. It was a pretty pathetic display of magick, and nearly useless in a fight. But if I lost heart now, I'd never be able to consider myself equal to my best friend in the entire world, which is what gave me the courage to keep going.
Suddenly, a corpse lunged at me, sending me toppling to the ground. I couldn't bear the thought of what was about to happen, so I shut my eyes and covered my head with my arms. But then...
"Here we go!"
My friend lifted his staff in the air, where it began to emit a brilliant golden glow. The spell quickly manifested around the corpses in an intricate circle, and as it grew brighter, he recited the final words of the spell.
"Okay. We're good now."
The light faded. The corpses were now motionless in the darkness of the morgue. Their faces looked to be resting peacefully, as opposed to the enslavement that had plagued them not moments before, but perhaps I just imagined that.
"Our magick has finally given them true rest."
The next thing I knew, my companion was standing beside me. For some reason, it made me think of my other best friend. Together, we prayed from the bottom of our hearts that our senior mages could finally rest in peace.
Ch. 3: The Unthinkable
Noticing the light from the dispelling incantation, the guard approached the morgue.
"I just can't believe it," he muttered. "Two students undoing that dark magick?"
After the shock of seeing corpses lying still as they were meant to finally faded, he praised us for being brave, kind students.
My plan had gone so well that I felt like I was in a dream, and my best friend and I remained in high spirits as we walked back to the dorms. The old guard's words made me forget that I was usually weak and timid. Instead, for a moment, I felt like I was someone special. And I thought that maybe—just maybe—I'd grown one step closer to her.
I wanted to tell her what happened today. Would she compliment me like the old guard did? I could feel my heart race as I pictured that happening, but my reverie was interrupted by my best friend.
"I don't feel like going home yet," he said as he pointed to the tallest building on campus. "Wanna go up the bell tower?"
"Sure," I replied. We'd gone up there many times when we were younger, and I knew the views to be quite beautiful. High as I was on the thrill of victory, the idea of being above the entire world was something I was eager to experience again.
We reached the top of the tower, which contained a bell that was enchanted to ring at certain times throughout the day. From there, we could see the forest that surrounded both our academy and the neighboring city of mages.
"It's such a lovely view," I said. I'd been scared of the height when I first came up here, but it didn't bother me anymore. I felt like I was stronger in that regard, which only added to the joy that I currently felt.
"Hey, listen," said my friend as he sat beside me and stared out blankly into the distance. "I'm really glad your plan worked. I was a little nervous about it, but we made a pretty great team in the end."
"I couldn't have dispelled that black magick on my own," I replied. "Thank you."
He shook his head. "That's not what I mean. I think you're incredible for wanting to do it in the first place."
"What?"
"Those dead students were being forced to move, and you wanted to save them. It was so...kind, and I think that's a great quality to for a person to have."
I recalled how angry our other friend was at the prospect of black magick, even going so far as to shed tears over it. But now it felt like I and the boy beside me had grown even closer, which caused me to blush in delight.
"We really are amazing together, huh?" he continued. "I mean, we were friends right out of the gate, and now we've been together all this time. I don't think I've ever stopped thinking about you."
My two best friends were so talented. So capable. They were always the ones helping me. Luck had brought me into their orbit, but I never felt like I belonged there. And hearing him speak to me now, I almost couldn't believe I deserved it.
"I think it's destiny that we met," whispered my friend. He was always so relaxed, so calm, but now he seemed nervous. "Um, do you think so? It can't be coincidence, and so I want us to be together for as long as we can."
I'd only ever wanted the three of us to be together forever, and his words strengthened that resolve in me. "Yes!" I cried. "Yes, I want that!"
His eyes snapped up to mine as a brilliant smile bloomed across his face. "That makes me happy—it makes me so, so happy."
I meant to return his smile, but before I could, his face was approaching mine, and I felt a tepid warmth pressing lightly against my lips.
Ch. 4: Not Supposed to Happen
It was a morning like any other. I stepped into the classroom, rubbing my sleep—deprived eyes, and sat down next to my best friend.
"Morning!" she said. "I didn't see you at dinner last night. You okay?"
I nodded, which seemed to sate her curiosity. A moment later, a new, chipper voice rang out.
"Morning, you two! You study for your magick history test?"
It was our other friend. The boy.
"Obviously," she replied. "My review was perfect."
"Oh ho! Sounds like it's on."
"Give it up, champ. There's no way you're beating me."
Their back and forth was as flawless as always, and I was much too slow to keep up. It was odd how things seemed so normal.
"Oh, yeah. We should check out the new general store once class is done today."
He suggested this as if the idea had just come to him, but my other friend shook her head.
"Sorry, I've got something to do. But you two go on ahead."
My chest clenched when she said that. Oh no. As I floundered for something to say, she spoke up again.
"I'm obviously going to ask for a souvenir, though."
I accepted this with a swallow and a nod, not wanting to upset her.
The new general store was so full of things that I almost didn't know what to get. And though I felt uncomfortable walking next to him, I still had fun picking out something for our other friend. But as we walked home, he said something that made me freeze in my tracks:
"I was glad she didn't come with us today."
"Why?" I whispered.
"Because we could be alone. You feel the same, right?"
"I, um..."
I knew what I was going to say next would wound him, but I absolutely had to clear up this misunderstanding before it went any further.
"I'm sorry. I can't be with you. There has to be someone out there who's a better match than for you than me."
My friend was silent. When I finally summoned the courage to look at him, I saw him smiling faintly—which was not at all what I was expecting.
"You really should be more confident, you know?"
What is he saying?
I don't understand.
"You're the perfect partner for me."
What!?
"Still, it's cute when you worry like that," He chuckled at this, then opened his eyes wide. "Oh, hey! I have a present for you."
He reached out and placed a flower-shaped pin in my hair. I flinched in surprise and jerked back, but he leaned forward and whispered into my ear.
"What? You thought I was going to kiss you?"
"I..."
"We'll save that for some other time."
His eyes belonged to a stranger. His gaze felt sticky as it moved up and down and across my body, and it took everything I had not to vomit on the spot. It reminded me how no matter how many times I'd rinsed out my mouth recently, I still couldn't scrub the feeling from my lips.
"No..."
His whisper played in my ears over and over and over and—
"No! I hate this! I HATE it!"
Every place he touched me was covered in filth. Every glance caused my hair to stand on end.
"I'm gross! I'm dirty! I'm disgusting! I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I'm going to be sick!"
I took a pair of scissors and jammed them into my bed over and over. By the end of it, my room was a disaster and my throat raw from screaming, but I still felt no better.
"Why...?"
If things went bad between the two of us, what would happen to me and her? Oh, but I knew. She'd take his side—of course she would. And then we wouldn't be friends anymore.
"I don't want this..."
I was a fool to think I'd gotten closer to her after releasing the corpses in the morgue from their curse. I'd been happy in that moment, but it now felt so very, very, very long ago.
I grabbed the flower pin and threw it against the wall as hard as I could. When I pictured how things would go in the days to come, I began to sob as an ocean of tears raged down my cheeks.
What Hides in the Folds
Do you know the tale of the horribly ugly monster that lives in the deep, dark wood? The one that killed a hundred mages?
What sort of terrible form does it take, you ask?
Well, they say it covers its entire body with cloth—and that no one has ever seen its face!
...Goodness, it looks like me? Like Mama? Oh, you!
This white sheet is fashionable, I'll have you know.
But no matter how you try to hide your own inner ugliness from others, you'll never be able to hide it from yourself.
And if you never face that part of you, you'll never find salvation or an escape from it.
I wonder if the poor dear will ever realize that...
The Mirror Spirit's Incantation
This could turn YOU into a witch too! Give the incantation a spin and summon the spirit!
1. When the moon is full, open the window and fill your chosen room with fresh air.
2. Cleanse yourself thoroughly in the bath and wear your favorite clothes.
3. Once you are prepared in body and mind, lay a clean handkerchief on the floor and set a polished mirror atop it.
4. Stare intently at your face in the mirror.
5. Solemnly repeat this incantation: Popolo Karosteral. Popolo Karosteral. I bid my true friend to show themselves.
6. At that moment, the image in the mirror will take on the form of the spirit.
7. The spirit will be a good friend and always protect you!
Stop immediately if you begin to feel sick. If the spirit doesn't appear right away, keep at it. Be patient!
The Children's Rumor
"Yo, listen to this! I saw the weirdest thing yesterday-a big monster in a white sheet! It was walking around outside all night!"
"No way! Prove it"
I swear it's true! It was dragging around this big sack and rubbing its eyes. I think maybe it was crying?"
Actually, my mom once told me about a monster that brings disaster and another monster that brings happiness. Both of them wear white sheets, but the one that brings disaster is supposed to have the ugliest face in the world."
"Huh. I wonder which one I saw yesterday? Maybe I'll catch it next time and see! Ha ha ha!"
Matchmaking in the Library
The voice was too loud for the library, and it annoyed me.
"Hey! Have you heard the library rumor!?"
"Which one? There are over twenty or something."
"Nuh-uh! There are over a hundred!"
They giggled as they talked, which was even more annoying than the volume. I furrowed my brow lightly as it continued.
"The one I'm talking about is the good luck for pledges!"
"Never heard of that one."
"Yeah, so you carve your name and the partner you want on the edge of the bookshelf at the very back of the library. One of the older students did it, and they next day she made a pledge with the person she always wanted!"
The shelf at the very back of the library? Which one do they mean? And if I etched my name and her name on its face, could we really...?
Even after the noisy girls left, I had a hard time concentrating on my books.
What Lives in the Ruin
I went a little deeper into the woods than I usually do for our herb-gathering assignments, and now I've lost my way.
As if I needed this today—especially with so many other students having gone missing lately.
As I wander, I come across what looks like a ruin. It's a dreamy and beautiful place, and my unease quickly melts into joy as I step inside.
Suddenly, I'm overwhelmed by the stench of rotting flesh and an absurdly large swarm of insects. Among the chaos, I see the scattered bodies of students who wear the same uniform as me.
Shocked, I leap backward and collide with a large mirror. The enormous shadow within lets fly a fearsome howl as it brings its fist down upon me. For some reason, it strikes me as being so very sad...
The Tavern's Love Coach
I SEE PEOPLE EMERGING FROM THE SHOP AND HIDE IN THE SHADOWS.
"Y'all know how to get a woman to like ya?"
"Hoo-eee! I know you know, 'cause yer wife was the prettiest thing on two legs back when we was young!"
"Haw haw! Sure was! She wouldn't even look at us back then, so what in the hell did you do?"
THEIR WORDS ARE INARTICULATE. THEY CACKLE LIKE ANIMALS.
BUT MY ANTICIPATION REMAINS SKY HIGH.
"There's a flower that glows red, one what only blooms on the night of a new moon. Pluck it, put it in some alcohol, and give it to the girl ya like. Then, once she's drunk and yer pretendin' to look after her, ■■■■ and ■■■■■■ ■■■ over her ■■■■■. Hell, last time I did this, the girl ended up wantin' ME!"
"That's right awful! God, but yer just terrible!"
THOUGH THE CONVERSATION WAS DIFFICULT TO LISTEN TO, I KNEW THEY WERE SPEAKING ABOUT MAGICAL PHARMACOLOGY.
ONCE I SEE THEY'RE GONE, I QUIETLY POKE MY HEAD OUT.
IF I USE THAT TECHNIQUE ON HER, MAYBE SHE WILL FINALLY PURSUE ME.
AND ONLY ME.
3 Records match the category selection:
| Banner | Title | Event Character | Other Character | Duration(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Happy Home | Priyet | 8/17/2022-9/8/2022 2/5/2023-2/19/2023 8/3/2023-8/17/2023 2/28/2024-3/17/2024 | |
|
The Pumpkin Box | Saryu | Priyet | 9/29/2022-10/12/2022 3/21/2023-4/9/2023 |
|
Forest of Temptation | Priyet | 1/30/2023-2/12/2023 5/25/2023-6/11/2023 |
- Note: the following is a short summary for a Drama Recital performed for the NieR Reincarnation 1.5th Anniversary livestream, translated on YouTube by Cabbage Channel.
Costumes
Variations of characters and weapons can be unlocked through the in-game gacha system.
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Verboten Werebeast (★★)
Force: 11585
Character Skill: I Will Break You
Character Abilities
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Guardian Werebeast (★★★)
Force: 19175
Character Skill: Go away!
Character Abilities
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Abstract Werebeast (★★★★)
Force: 17992
Character Skill: Contrarian
Character Abilities
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Celebratory Werebeast (★★★★)
Force: 16569
Character Skill: So Shiny
Character Abilities
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Yuletide Werebeast (★★★★)
Force: 32060
Character Skill: Snowman!
Character Abilities
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Shadowbound Werebeast (★★★★)
Force: 23231
Character Skill: Swipe
Character Abilities
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Abyssal Werebeast (★★★★)
Force: 27562
Character Skill: LET'S PLAY
Character Abilities
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Reborn Fiend (★★★★)
Force: 22397
Character Skill: You Can't Escape
Character Abilities
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Costume Updates
Abstract Werebeast
3/30/2023
- Character Skill: Contrarian
Enter a provoke state for 2 turns and increase own defense by 50% for 60 seconds.
↳ Enter a provoke state for 2 turns. Increase own defense by 50% for 60 seconds. Recover 20% of all allies' HP when own affinity is water. - Character Ability: Icewater Rush
Increases the stats of equipped water-affinity weapons by 40%.
↳ Increases the stats of equipped water-affinity weapons by 50%. - Character Ability: Aegis
Defense up by 15%.
↳ Defense up by 20%.
Memoirs
Priyet's Memoir Set
Small Set Bonus: All allies' HP up by 5%.
Large Set Bonus: All allies' HP up by 10%.
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Spell for the Eyes | Forbidden Tomes of Thaumaturgy | For when obstructive vermin threatens to approach the one you love. I. Pluck hair and nails from vermin—if flesh comes with, so much the better. II. Add a wasp to the above and grind into paste. Boil until venom evaporates. III. Have the one you love drink it. The cursed individual will no longer acknowledge existence of vermin. "Guide to Acquiring a Partner" |
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Spell for the Limbs | Forbidden Tomes of Thaumaturgy | For when stubborn grime adheres to the one you love. I. Acquire the item or individual you wish to keep from the one you love. II. Gouge out a portion with a blade and char with flame used to burn a pigeon corpse. III. Have the one you love inhale the smoke. This will prevent them from touching items or individuals involved in the spell. "Guide to Acquiring a Partner" |
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Spell for the Heart | Forbidden Tomes of Thaumaturgy | For when you wish to keep the one you love nearby at all times. I. Cast "Spell for the Eyes" upon the one you love. II. Cast "Spell for the Limbs" upon the one you love. III. Repeat steps one and two until ingredients are depleted. The cursed individual will no longer be able to live without the help of another. "Guide to Acquiring a Partner" |
Other Memoirs Including Priyet
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Knowledge Potion | Magical Pharmacology | I. Make the Magical Enhancement Potion detailed on page 13. II. Make the Infatuation Potion detailed on page 628. III. Make the Eternal Youth Potion detailed on page 2574. IV. Mix all items together at midnight in the library. Oh, if only you'd put this much effort into your studies. "A Great Witch's Guide to Potions" |
Voicelines (English)
- "No matter where I go, or what I do, I don't think I'll ever be my true self. Or maybe, my true self just never existed to begin with."
- "I've always liked being by myself, so solitude comes naturally. But after losing the person most precious to me, I realized living without her is a pain I may not be able to bear."
- "It wasn't all sadness and pain, there were happy things too. Joyous things. Those are all in the past now, and they'll never come back."
| Entrance Dialogue | |
| New Wave | |
| Attacking | |
| Counter | |
| Receiving Damage/Debuff | |
| Receiving Healing/Buff | |
| Giving Debuff | |
| Healing | |
| Giving Buff | |
| Companion Skill | |
| Revived | |
| Death | |
| Quest Complete (Unused) | |
| Enhancement (Unused) |
Trivia
- Priyet is similar to Levania in that both of their goals are to become human.
- Priyet also resembles Louise from NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139... and The Little Mermaid. Both befriend someone while disguised as a human, then kill others in an attempt to become human.
Gallery
References
- ↑ @NieR_Rein (April 1, 2023). Priyet Character Observation. Twitter.
