Dec 27, 2025
Oh wow, I didn’t expect to like Mele this much, this fast.
This chapter was quieter and more emotional. The contrast between the polished, rich crowd and Mele’s inner bitterness is so well done, you can feel how trapped she is by fame, expectations, and that awful nickname. “The Reaper’s Songstress” hurts every time it comes up, and the way the media clings to it feels cruelly real.
Her memories of the frontlines absolutely wrecked me. The image of that tent full of laughing soldiers, followed by the empty chairs the next night, is haunting. It explains everything about her without spelling it out, and it makes her exhaustion and resentment make so much sense.
The veterans’ concert thread tying back to Fali, lets go... Now I’m genuinely excited to see them meet. That feels like it could either heal them… or tear everything open again.
This chapter made the world feel bigger and deeper, and Mele instantly feels like a character I’m emotionally invested in. (I wanted to dislike whoever would steal my Fali).... 
and I can’t wait for the meeting.
