The House in Fata Morgana

"Our lives shall be forfeit to the witch's curse. Nevertheless, we must lay bare those with sin upon their souls, for the redemption of those whom are pure."

"You were able to bear them because they weren't your tragedies."

"Michel: If the tale you showed me was the whole truth... then I would have said you could revile those heartless men as much as you pleased. But I refuse to believe that's the whole story. The men I saw beyond the first three doors had genuine concerns and worries. They felt things—real, human emotions—even if those things ultimately led them down a path of destruction. Wanting to do something nice for the one you care about, being disgusted at things you've done, hiding your urges from those around you. You certainly couldn't call them good men, but they were real people with real conflicts. The Witch, Morgana: So you're saying I'm lying? Well, I can't say I blame you. Who would believe the word of a witch? Michel: I don't think you falsified your account, Morgana... The tragedy—no, the grisly reality you described—I don't doubt any of that happened. You wouldn't be here otherwise. The Witch, Morgana: ... Michel: But I've learned something in my years... "reality" exists from more than one perspective. The Witch, Morgana: That doesn't change what happened. That two-faced young man deceived me, the beast severed my arm, and the greedy, power-hungry lord used me for his own personal gain. Michel: Events by themselves do not tell the whole story. Only when you take into account their circumstances, what they thought and felt, their perspectives—only then can you say you've reached the truth."

"Barnier: In this world, only those who can win others' favor make it anywhere. Only those who can make themselves look good and their peers like fools. Those who can claim others' achievements as their own, who can appear to have more power than they actually do."

"Barnier: Fear is a wonderful thing—an incredibly effective silencer that spreads like a plague. Sufficient application would preemptively stop everyone from interfering. Fear strips man of all his will. When it became apparent to me that one did not have to be a great leader to rule effectively, all the time I had spent in my younger days working to improve myself felt like an incredible waste. Fear became the centerpiece of my rule, and as I continued to employ it, I began to derive great pleasure from the despair it instilled in others. Men trembled at the sight of me. They bowed their heads and abandoned their dignity. They begged me to spare their lives. And what an exquisite sight it was, every single time."

"Barnier: You were born into your madness, Ceren, but I was molded into mine. Ceren: Huh... That's neat. But Lord Barnier, wouldn't that make me a bad match for you? I'm not scared of you at all. Barnier: Heh heh... Man is a curious beast, you see. Once everyone feared me, I then came to seek those who did not. Ceren: You sure are hard to please! Barnier: Hah. You make it sound like I'm merely a picky child, though I suppose there's little difference in your eyes."

"Odilon: Your diligence has been invaluable in earning the counts' favor, Lord Barnier. They think quite fondly of you. Jacopo: Is that so? 'Cause that's certainly not the impression I'm getting. They put on a façade of friendliness, but beneath the surface, they're all laughing, trying to figure out how to best use me— or just outright scoffing. Not a one of them sincerely trusts me. I am just a pawn to them. Odilon: We are all pieces on another's boards. Jacopo: What's that supposed to mean? Odilon: 'Twould be most prudent to consider that unqualified friendship simply does not exist in high society. All interpersonal relationships are built upon a foundation of mutual benefit, save for exceedingly rare short-lived exceptions. Nonetheless, you should not consider being used as a bad thing. We all climb atop each other's boards, offering ourselves up as a powerful piece. And so do they offer themselves to us. Should you wish to survive in high society, you must always ensure your peers see you as a piece worth playing."

"Michel: Do you believe that if you tough it out, one day your valiant efforts will pay off? That there's light at the end of the tunnel? Because that's all fairy-tale nonsense. Imeon: You're right—The real world doesn't work like that. Michel: ... Imeon: We just tell ourselves it does because it makes it easier to get through the day. But the fact is, life's a big ol' swamp and no one's got a map. One wrong step and it swallows you whole, like a game designed by a goddamn five-year-old. The odds're stacked against you, but like hell I'm gonna go down without a fight. I've got nothing to show for it yet, which is exactly why I'm not ready to kick the bucket. Michel: ... Michel: You will never have anything to show for it, either... Your desire to make something of your life... will only serve to drag you deeper into the depths. The more you tell yourself you can, the greater pain when you realize you can't."

"The vast, vast majority of happenings in this world are not recorded in stories. Either too trifling or adding no "meaning" to our lives, these facts of life are coldly cast aside, with only the tiniest sliver deemed “worthy" enough. Each day, we relentlessly discard unnecessary fragments of our lives—fragments forever lost to the ether. And we continue to the very moment of our death. It’s a certainty as inevitable as death itself."