Checkpoint? The last time I got a checkpoint I was murdered. I glance over my shoulder at Poppy and see her humming a little tune while cleaning up. Yeah, I don't think that she is going to kill me. Just in case though, I should pick up my pace and get out of her sight.

As I walk I try to remember the way to get around. Luckily in the game you were able to have your character walk around and do a bit of exploring. That's one of the ways that I went searching for the secret route. I also did this so many times the I have the map nearly burned into my mind.

Okay, I must project confidence and I guess a slight air of superiority? Is that right? Does she always have an air of superiority? I don't want to always seem like an arrogant stuck up annoyance. I suppose I have to for at least a while, until I have some affection built up between me and the other characters. Okay, I suppose I shouldn't think of them as characters anymore.

Okay so my next move should be to feel out the people that I thought might be the hidden route. Who were they again? Okay they were the pastry chef, the castle's butler, Iris's adopted brother, the librarian, the knight captain and the Iris's tutor. Oh dear, many of these are not going to be easy to talk with and feel out. I get a sense of dread in my stomach at the prospect of some of these people. I can start with the baker I guess. I will also stop by other stores and see if I might have missed something.

Seeing if I missed something has nothing to do with the fact that I have the sinking feeling that I will be murdered by these men. Okay, maybe not all of them will murder me? Is that a possibility?

I will start my search with the shopping strip. The bakery, jewelry store, tailor, alchemist, smithy and artifacts and magical do-dads. Okay I will tackle these stores in that order. Hopefully I don't have bad will built up with all of them.

As I make my way to the bakery a thought decides to lodge in my mind. What if I end up falling for someone who is not supposed to be a route at all? Will that doom this world? I don't want to do something that will doom this world. Especially since I was brought here to help save it. Me. Save it. I don't want to think about that.

It takes a bit longer than I was thinking to reach the bakery. I suppose I should have expected that though. It wouldn't be fun to make the player spend a long-time walking between destinations. However, in reality it wouldn't make sense for everything to be so close together. Here, it is an actual kingdom after all. Again, I need to remind myself that this is real, this isn't a game. I am Aria Brightburn and not Elia Liddel.

I tip my head up high instead of looking at my feet like I would have done previously. I am a sexy villainess, not a failed med school dropout. And this villainess is talented and smart as well. I can make a life in this world.

Before I get too far, I hear a pitter-patter behind me. I turn and Blizzie leaps into my arms and nuzzles beneath my chin. Did I ever see Aria with her cat in any of the GCs she was in? Any of the scenes? However, I know how much she loves her cat.

"Hi Blizzie. Are you coming with me today little one?" I ask him and set him on my shoulder. He purrs loudly in response, and I feel my heart melt a bit. I reach up and pet his little head and scratch underneath his chin. If possible, he purrs even louder.

Looking sexy and with my kitten equipped I walk into the bakery.

"Hello, welcome to Crepes, Custard and Creamery Cafe!"

Huh, did it have a name in the game? Maybe I just didn't notice.

"Hello." I say in response and look at the board.

"Are you here for your regular Aria?" the man behind the counter asks me.

My first impression of the baker is that he is cute. I can tell he is the same person because of his name tag "Bobbie". He has short, curly and slightly fluffy brown hair, brown eyes and freckles. He seems to be a short king, If I had to guess I would say he is 5'7".

"Sorry Bobbie, I was hoping to look around a bit before I decide on what I want. Or maybe, are you willing to give me a recommendation?" I ask in the most seductive voice that I am able to.

Is this going to work? Can I flirt with him and get some information to see if he is possibly the hidden route? If he is will something special happen with his affection bar.

"Something I would recommend? Well, I was just about to go on break. I have been test cooking some things in the back. If you have time, would you like to come back and taste some?" he asks.

Well, that was easy. Was it too easy? Why do I have a bad feeling about this. Who gets bad feelings about baked goods!

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"If you are offering, I would love to!" I say and flash him a bright smile. Oh, that couldn't be right, I doubt Aria gives bright smiles. Should I try to make all of my actions slightly sinister? If I do though, that won't be doing anything to change people's perspectives on me.

I look at the bars above his head and see that both his suspicion and his affection bars increased a bit. What could that mean? Although I am confused, I don't let it show on my face or in my actions.

"Thanks for being willing to do this for me Aria. You always give me such good advice and feedback. I know that part of it is because of your potion store. You know how to mix things together to make something better than the sum of its parts, which is similar to baking.

"For this new creation I am trying some unique ingredients. Do you mind helping me take it out of the oven? I'm worried it might have turned into a pudding or something equally unique."

I get a strange feeling, but again I ignore it. His words do sound a bit cryptic though. Is that intentional? Is this just part of his personality? Maybe he is Aria's friend in a strange way, and they share some off beat personality traits?

"Sure, I don't mind helping you. Can you show me which oven?" I ask him, as there are ovens of differing sizes. Even one big enough for a person to fit in. I wonder what he bakes in there. Large cakes for weddings or special events?

"It's in the large oven. I will take the other sweets for you to try out of the other ovens if you want to pull that one out for me." he requests.

"Sure Bobbie. I'll go do that now." I tell him and walk over to the oven. I see oven mitts hanging from the front of the stove and slip them on. I then carefully open the oven. I am expecting a blast of hot air to hit me when I open it, but it doesn't. How strange. I look into the oven and wonder what he could have made in here.

While I am looking into the oven, I feel hands on my back shoving me. I topple forward and find myself inside the stove. Was this a practical joke that he was playing on me? If it is I don't appreciate it. It isn't a funny joke. I actually find it mean spirited.

"What the heck are you doing?" I ask him, trying to get out of the oven. He fights back against me and slams the oven door shut and latches it in place. "Just how far are you going to take this joke?" I shout to him.

"A joke? Are you kidding. Poppy's little stunt ruined business for me for a few days! Do you have any idea how much work I had to do to clean the taffy bomb? I didn't even know there was such a thing as a taffy bomb? And who else could have made it aside from you?!" he screams at me. I wish I had any idea what he is talking about. What is this world?!

"Now you can't make anything like that again. Nothing that stains clothes and skin, nothing that sprays glitter and goo everywhere. No more potions that manipulate feelings. No more teasing me and the others. I'm sick of it. I am doing this as a favor not just for myself, but for everyone who has ever been wronged by the things that you created. And you know what Aria? I wouldn't be this mad had you just apologized!"

And with that he turns on the oven.

"Bobbie, what is this Hansol and Grettle BS? Let me out!" I say and start banging my fists against the door of the oven. I keep banging my fists even after the metal gets so hot that my skin blisters. The skin then burns off of my hands and I keep banging. I hate the feeling of this heat, of burns forming all over my body. My dress catches on fire and I feel all of the air in my lungs burning away. I start to asphyxiate as well as burn. This is the worst death by far. I keep slamming against the door until I physically can't anymore. I close my eyes and feel my eyelids melt shut. So much for the pretty makeup.

The worst part of it? I can hear Blizzie crying from outside the oven. His meows are deafening. I could hear the pain in them. That poor cat. Lost his original owner and is now seeing the person who inhabits her body burning to death in front of him. At some point I expect him to leave my side, but he doesn't. I hear him the entire time, his meows sounding like screams, like he is screaming and crying while I am screaming and crying. My heart breaks alongside of my body. I will have to do better. For me, for Blizzie.

This better not be the secret route.

That stupid death screen pops up. Death - Cooked Alive.

I know I was cooked alive! Why can't get the screen only instead of having to have this experience. Who goes through this and comes out the other side all sunshine and rainbows, still wanting to continue?! Me apparently. Though I am not including sunshine. Or rainbows.

"I knew I set that checkpoint up at the right place." I hear Alias say to me. I open my eyes and notice that I am laying on the floor and staring up at him. That's new.

"Alias, why am I on the floor?" I ask him as he reaches down to help me up.

"I don't always know how or where you are going to spawn, so who knows."

"I don't like how many things there are that are just not explained or doesn't make any sense. When we fix this world, you need to sit down and make a hard magic system. Not knowing what magic is supposed to do or how it is supposed to work is driving me crazy." I say, my voice raising into an almost manic state.

"My dear, what you are describing is science and not magic. Magic is magical. It doesn't need a reason to work, it just works!"

'No. Just no." I say and face palm.

"Yes. Just yes." Alias said. "And I get to make this decision. So there!"

"You don't know how to come up with a system do you?" I ask him, crossing my arms.

"It's magic. Magic is magic. I'm letting it stay magical."

I roll my eyes. "Whatever you say Alias."

"Exactly." he says and gives me a very bright smile. Oh, he is pretty. Is it possible that he is the hidden route? Can I make him the hidden route?

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Just wondering if you are putting me through all of this torture when you were the hidden route all along. That would just be too cruel. You wouldn't do that to me would you? I mean, part of me wouldn't mind, but this is torture if you are, so...." I tell him.

"As far as I know, I'm not the hidden route. This route appears to be hidden to me at the moment as well. I'm sure as soon as you find it, we will both know."

"Oh, thank goodness it isn't that self-righteous baker. I mean, what even is a taffy bomb?" I ask, genuinely curious.

"Truthfully? It's something that Poppy made. She has seen you craft things before, so she broke into your crafting room while you were sleeping and made it. Bobbie wouldn't date her, so she wanted to get even with him. It's gelatin, glitter, sugar, some oils, and who knows what else. Magical ingredient thing. I think that's even what it is labeled as. You make a wish on it while mixing and hope it does what you want."

"If I didn't know that she made it, then why does Bobbie blame me?"

"Because you didn't stop her, apologize, or help him clean it up. Thus, you are culpable in his eyes. Try apologizing when you go in and offer him one of your charms or potions on the house. That will make him happy. There is a lady that he likes, his apprentice. However, he is worried she will say no to him. It's a whole big stupid thing."

"So, he really is a jerk then?" I ask.

"He wants to drug a girl into loving him."

"Do my potions work like that?" I ask, horrified.

"Naw, they can only build upon feelings that are already there, even if they are only a grain of sands worth of feelings."

"Still. That feels gross. I have to keep making and selling them, don't I?" I ask.

"It is how you get your money. You are getting a lot of correct thoughts and feelings about Aria. Keep exploring those."

"Where is she? How am I in her body?" I inquire.

"She gave up. She gave up her body. She died and didn't want to come back. She was tired of everything. I might be able to get her soul to come back, but not to her life or body. Just think of her as gone, and you are helping her by doing this. She wanted you to have her life or something. I don't know. I'll tell you know if I figure it out. Again, I didn't make this world."

"Just, keep me in the loop? You are all I have to talk to."

"I promise. Time to go back now." he says, kisses my forehead and I am back at the checkpoint.