Tears of Themis – Dates with Marius

In this post, I will summarise the dates or outings with Marius that are only available through the card stories. The focus is on uncovering new aspects of Marius’ personality that can help us to understand him and his backstory better. The stories are listed in the order that I got them.

Background: Marius is the younger son of Austin von Hagen, owner of Pax Group, one of the world’s largest company. Having completed his university education overseas, he has been called back to Stellis City to lead the company as CEO while pursuing his Masters after the mysterious disappearance of his older brother. Marius is a talented artist but has to shelve this pursuit while he shoulders his responsibility to his family and also thousand of employees. Marius loves his family though he never had the chance to know his mother who died shortly after giving birth to him.

Hobbies: Marius loves to draw and paint. While he is unable to pursue his own passions, he enjoys supporting budding talents in all fields so that they can pursue their own dreams without the worry of money. He has never been to an arcade before as he spends his time between school, work and his painting.

Feelings about MC: Marius calls you jiejie (older sister) in a very affectionate way and perhaps he does want you to dote on him without any hidden agenda. He finds solace in your companionship, away from a business world where people worship him for his wealth, fame and power. He flirts with you in almost every exchange and it is hard to distinguish if he really means it or he just gets the kick out of seeing your livid expressions. He doesn’t think that you regard him romantically but your words that hint at them whether on purpose or not, catches him off-guard most times.

Feelings towards Marius: MC admires his tenacity to balance his CEO role with his student life; his confident disposition but never overly arrogant; his well meaning intentions which is often misconstrued by others (and he doesn’t care); and his lonesome struggle to give up his dreams. Though she doesn’t feel like she belongs in his world, MC cares deeply for Marius and will do whatever she can to help him hold on to that last shred of dream. It is obvious that his flirtatious advances endears her (and me!) to him even though she fights hard to deny it.

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Dream of Thebes (SR)

This afternoon you have been tasked to prepare a termination of management agreement for Marius. Marius had insisted on selecting a model that no one had ever heard of as the lead model at Pax’s fashion week, a highly coveted position, but the model was now fashionably late.

“You got me. Have you been sneaking glances at me the entire time? Don’t worry, I’m not mad. I’m just thinking about what to do about this. I should take responsibility for this since I did choose the model myself.”

“It’s okay, just do as I say. I’ll explain to you later. Who says I’m not worried? I’m just confident that I’ve got this.“

When Marius is not happy with any of the proposed replacements, you remarked that one of the shortlisted model is very popular with the girls, gentlemanly, has good physique and knows how to pose.

“I get lots of attention too, that’s not good enough. Why do I feel like you’re talking about me?“

When you decided to tease him to go ahead and be the model then, Marius gamely agrees. While the crew prepares the attire for Marius, you hear an argument outside. When you recognised the manager making a ruckus over contract termination, you realised that Marius was right that he had employed underhand tactics to increase the value of the model.

“If I terminated his contract now, he will most definitely hate you. Plus… you and I are close… I’m afraid he will buy the media over and make a scene. I personally don’t mind this, but it will affect you too. Better to give him a chance… that way, he won’t be prejudiced towards you.”

When Marius takes the stage, the whole crew was stunned silent by his confident aura and even you were mesmerised by his disposition as he mouths his lines and beckons to you. As if enchanted by magic, you placed your hand in his as he led you away from the shoot. Marius tells you there’s something wrong with his eye.

“No, don’t leave. That’s not necessary. You can… you can just blow into my eyes and it’ll be fine.” When you comment that he was leaning in too closely to you, “So what? Isn’t it much more convenient this way?” with a faint smile playing at his lips.

Seeing that his own model was no competition for Marius, the manager reluctantly bowed out of the lead model position. However Marius was willing to give the model another chance, provided he terminates his management contract. Placed in a Hobson’s choice, the manager relented and left the premises. The model thanked Marius for helping him escape an unpleasant contractual arrangement.

“Tired of how I look already? Sigh… I thought you liked it, you even put your hand on me back there…” You broke the awkward silence by pretending to stroke Marius’ pharaoh dog which he had raised himself.

“Having a dream is a good thing. I hope you can hold onto your dream and soar to new heights.”

“Yeah, I admire people like that… people that can give up everything… to fulfil their dream. I have responsibilities that I need to shoulder. So, I cannot, and will never, leave it behind without a care like he did. But it’s comforting to know that I was able to help him in the pursuit of his dream.”

“You’re right… However, I can do much, much more than just this. With you by my side, I’m free to do what I want to do… Thank you.”

On the day of the fashion week, you decided not to attend as you are not comfortable in such settings so Marius calls you.

“You won’t come here, so I guess I’ll just have to come to you. I’ll be there soon, bye.”

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Overtones (SR)

One weekend afternoon while you were taking a break from work, you bumped into Marius who was also taking a break from work, while observing a street performer play the guitar before a crowd.

“I’m actually quite a busy man. Do you know how much of an effort it is for me to make time to see you?“

“So, listening to other people play the guitar is relaxing for you, how about I play for you instead? You’re not going to turn me down, are you? I bet I can play better than that guy over there.”

“Do I look like someone who throws money around to solve my problems, no matter how convenient that may be?”

Marius convinces the performer to lend him the guitar and then leads you to another side of the park.

In response to what you recently read about Marius on the news, “I watch entertainment news sometimes. They can say whatever they want as long as it’s not over the top. How about you? Do you also think that I’m dreamy?”

“There’s more where that came from. I’m full of surprises.”

It soon appears to you that Marius doesn’t know how to play the guitar at all and you forced him to admit it.

“It’s because you liked it, so I… “

“Don’t go.. I’m just a little tired. Can you stay here with me for a little longer?… I’m a better actor than I am a guitarist. If I kept going, I’m sure I would’ve gotten you to comfort me. But I really couldn’t go on anymore. I really am tired, just not at the point where I would break down yet.”

“Alright, alright, I suppose it’s worth me embarrassing myself if it made you happy.”

Having decided to stay and cheer Marius up, you decided to play a tune for him instead on the guitar. He locks eyes with you as he bask in the music.

“To find peace, in the midst of chaos. I guess this is the epitome of it… “

When you learnt that Marius had never learnt to play a real guitar and had only been practicing the song on an air guitar, you told him it’s not too late for him to learn now but he replied that it wasn’t necessary anymore with a forlorn look as if he was recalling a bitter memory.

“Being able to be spontaneous in life is the stuff of dreams.”

“Everything might be different now if I chose the guitar instead of painting back then. But often times, the less you’re allowed to have of something, the more you yearn for it. However, you’re different.”

After parting ways with Marius as he had to go attend a board meeting, he sends you a gift. It appears to be a 10-year old guitar.

“I once thought I could carry this guitar and travel around with it. But in reality, it’s been in the guitar store, never once having left Stellis. I thought that in this lifetime, I wouldn’t have the chance to take it out again, until today. Creating your own wonderful memories with something borrowed feels odd. Will you play for me again with this guitar next time? You, me, and the guitar. We can wander off far away.”

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Twilight Beauty (SR) – Summer Breeze event

Marius invites you to accompany him to the outskirts of the city one weekend so that he can buy you a potted plant and also complete his nature painting assignment at the same time. He had asked you to empty both days of the weekend. After arriving at your destination, Marius revealed that he had actually wanted to surprise you by giving you an epiphyllum he grew himself so that you would be obliged to spend an extra day with him to help him find his inspiration. Turned out that the epiphyllum would be blooming this very night instead hence you will get to witness a rare nature phenomenon.

“Although, now that you’ve asked… there is something that I want to draw, but I can’t say it or else I can’t draw it. Yeah, I might even be flat out rejected.”

While drawing near a lotus pond, you learnt that the scenic garden belonged to Marius’ older brother. In his absence, Marius is helping to tend it and also comes here to relax. He also shares that the epiphyllum were grown by his brother in memory of their departed mother.

“There’s an epiphyllum painting of my mother’s hanging in the hallway of our old home… That painting only had a single epiphyllum blooming quietly in the night. I fell in love with it. Often when painting, the painter will inadvertently put their own feelings into it. I want to know what she was thinking when she saw that scene.”

Later when the wind blew off your hairband, Marius offers to braid your hair for you.

“Want me to teach you? Sigh… I’ll do it for you. I’ll just braid it for you if you can’t learn it… Trouble me? Then, I’ll require a teaching fee. How about… you be my model? That’s acceptable for you right? I’m just teaching you how to braid your hair. Why are you making it seem as if it’s a life or death matter? … Are you embarrassed to accept my offer? Then…how about you give me an answer?”

Before you can mumble a reply, the paintings that Marius had been working on fell. As you bent down to pick it up, you realised that Marius had been painting you! You had originally wanted to tease him by confiscating the paintings but later returned them since he’s unlikely to make a profit out of it, and he told you he would never sell it anyway.

After dinner while waiting for the flowers to bloom, you complimented Marius’ brother for doing such a good job tending to the garden.

“I planted the epiphyllum that I gave you. Shouldn’t I be the one you’re complimenting? At least give me some credit? After all, the one who invited you here was me” as he leans in and whispers into your ear. You covered your ear with one hand and pushed him away with the other. “Haha, I had to get closer for you to hear me.”

As the night drags on, you start to become drowsy.

“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have taken you to go nature painting since we had plans to see the epiphyllum at night. I told you. I’ll admit my mistakes when I’m in the wrong, so…” Marius embraces your shoulders and gently puts your head against his shoulder. As you tried to resist,

“No more talking. Ah! Could it be that you want a lap pillow? Since that’s not the case, then just accept my apology.”

After you drifted off to sleep,

“No defenses whatsoever….? You trust me a little too much.” As Marius lowers his head towards your face, you shake your head to move a strand of hair away. He quickly raises his head, as if snapped out of a trance flustered.

“I’ll wait for you to wake up.”

When the epiphyllum finally bloomed, Marius wakes you up. You are mesmerised by the ethereal looking flowers and wished that the moment could last forever. Marius wonders if this was exactly how his mum had felt when she saw the flowers bloom.

“If you like it, then I won’t let it be just a memory. I will let it bloom forever and let it remain forever by your side. I just want to do everything I can to seize this moment. I can’t and won’t let myself regret it.”

A week later, Marius couriers the potted plant to you together with a epiphyllum flower preserved in an amber. The gifts were accompanied by a card.

“Sorry, I lied to you back then. I also wished that time could stop that night, at that moment. Now, I’m giving that moment to you.”

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Child at Heart (SR) – Thus far, the best Marius date.

You join Marius in a board meeting. When you mention how nervous you are to be in the meeting with these important looking people, he remarks,

“Well, about meeting important people, aren’t you with me everyday? You don’t seem to be nervous around me.”

Marius helps you ease your nerves by instilling courage and confidence in you.

“Ordinary attorneys don’t have the chance to become legal consultants for Pax, let alone be on a case like this. If Themis trusts you to come and help me, that means you have the capabilities to do so. I believe in you, so you should believe in yourself a little more.”

The meeting commences with Marius’ proposal of working with an overseas anime company in order to incubate Pax’s own new IPs. His idea was met with rejection but he continues to persuade them. Seeing that everyone was feeling a little tired, Marius calls for a break. He asked you to accompany him somewhere to relax. The location was an arcade in a mall but it wasn’t due to open till a day later. Marius manages to persuade the lady to open the store for both of you.

“What are you looking at me like that? You think I bought the place? The entertainment area in a mall makes barely any money. The profit can only help them break even, so based on all that, there is no reason for me to purchase an arcade.” Only rich people can afford to think like this!

Inside the arcade, your attention is drawn to the claw machine containing a character that you like. Marius tells you this character is from the company he intends to work with and he had specifically chosen to come to this arcade for the stuffed toys. With that he hands you a basket of token, wishing you luck with the machine as he has never played it before. After several attempts, the truth is revealed.

“I thought you’d be an expert, but you’re actually pretty terrible at this.” When you try to explain your way out, “I see. That sounds like an excuse to me.” Annoyed you told Marius to try it himself, shoving the tokens back to him.

“Can you teach me how to play first?” You told him he should have figured it out after watching you play for so long. “I wasn’t focused on the machine… Come on, teach me. Please?” Awwwww…..melted into a puddle. “I rarely ever get to come to places like this… “

After you gave him some pointers, Marius concentrates on the machine and manages to win a rabbit plushie which he smugly passes to you. When you complained that he lied about not knowing how to play,

“I really didn’t. That’s why I asked you to teach me. How can you bear to be mad at poor, little me who has never been to an arcade, jie jie.”

Later Marius tells you that he intends to catch a plushie for each of the board member so that they can better understand his proposal. When you suggested just buying off the soft toys, he repeats your words back to you.

“Nope. It’s a process I want to experience so that I’ll feel a sense of accomplishment when I finally catch it.”

Marius goes on to catch one of every type of plushie leaving only the puppy that you wanted. Handing the controls back to you so that you can relish the process, you failed again at trying. You don’t understand how Marius does it, it’s not supposed to be so easy!

“If you really want it, why don’t you just ask me for it?” You sighed in resignation and decided to play another machine, but not too long after, Marius flashes the puppy before you. You took it gleefully. Marius offers you any of the other toys he had caught but you told him you only wanted this. Without thinking further, you commented that the puppy was beginning to look like Marius.

“Since you think it looks like me, if you hug it while you sleep, won’t you also be thinking of me? Eh, I didn’t think you would actually think of me in that way. Really? Well, whatever the case, you’ll definitely be thinking of me every time you see that doll. You said it, not me.”

When Marius gifts each of the board member with one of the toys, they suddenly realised that they had been consumers of the IP when they bought similar merchandise for their children and grandchildren. Finally recognising the potential, they quickly agreed to Marius’ proposal. You worked through the next two days on getting the legal documents ready for the contract.

A few days later, Kiki invites you to go with her to the arcade. While there, you bump into Marius. He presented the shop clerk with a gift for enabling him to create beautiful memories with his sister whom he had been separated from before she had to go off to somewhere far away. With that, he walks out, holding your hands.

Once outside, you quickly let go of his hand. You complained that because of his cover story, you’d never be able to go back to the arcade again but at least he didn’t pretend that you were his girlfriend. Marius blushed uncontrollably at the thought.

“Ahem, if you’d like to go again sometime, we can still go together. Who cares if it’s profitable or not. I’ll go and buy the arcade right now. There’ll be no problems then.” I can’t stand it! Marius von Hagen has the best lines!

With that, he takes your hand and brings you out for dinner. This time, you didn’t let go of his hand.

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In the Darkness (SSR) – Mysteries of the Lost Gold

While staying at the base camp after the conclusion of the treasure hunt, you and Marius met a treasure hunter named George who is out looking for his friend John who had gone missing the night before. They had stayed behind to look for another treasure. Though Marius wasn’t really interested in the treasure, he agreed to help.

“Anyways, I don’t really care if the treasure is real or not. I’m sure you’re well aware, but I don’t really need any money. But as the host of this event, I have the responsibility to look for every participant, so I couldn’t turn a blind eye.”

The first clue pointed to a location on the peak of a mountain. When you got there, you were feeling the fatigue of a sleepless night so Marius asked you to rest by the tree. When you refused, he countered,

“If you dislike the environment, I don’t mind sacrificing myself a little. How about it?” His sacrifice probably meant letting you rest on him or something.

Not wanting to figure what that meant, you listened to him and rested by the tree. When you remained restless, Marius tried to ease your nerves with a leaf whistle but it created an opposite effect with its choppy notes. (I conclude that Marius doesn’t really have any musical talent, though got to give him A for effort.) He apologises for how it turned out and promised to keep practicing. When you commend him for his persistence,

“I can’t help it. It’s in our family genes. I’m born with it!”

You find the clue to the next location tied to a branch on a tree on the peak. Marius climbs up effortlessly to retrieve it. He also pulls you up the tree next to him so that you can also read the clue. You suspect the next location can be spotted from this vantage point. As you survey the surroundings, Marius speaks.

“I really didn’t expect you to be so brave.” You told him you used to climb trees when you were young until you were told by your parents to behave more ladylike. “Ladylike? What’s the use of that? That’s living your life for someone else.” Marius tells you that used to climb trees when he was young but also stopped as he grew older.

“Every time I climbed a tree as a kid, people would gather around the base of the tree. Panicking as they told me to get down. I knew they were only afraid that I would fall out of the tree… but I couldn’t understand why they didn’t want to come up with me instead of making me go back down. I later understood that not everyone can climb a tree, and not everyone is willing to take the risk. Finding someone with whom you can connect is a truly difficult feat. From then on, I promised myself that if I ever found someone like that, I wouldn’t let her go, ever.”

Marius spots the next location and guides you there. When you realised that you have overlooked this field of flowers as your attention had been on Marius, he used the opportunity to tease you again.

“Were you distracted just now? What were you distracted by? Was it… me?”

Marius finds the next clue in a wooden chest that had already been dug up and emptied. You realised that both the chest and the clue in the tree seemed to have been planted recently but nobody had visited the island until this treasure hunt event. It appears that George may be hiding some truth from you. As you worry over this, he places a flower wreath he had just made on your head to ease your concerns.

You follow the tracks left behind by John. While walking, you examined the wreath and complimented Marius for his handiwork.

“Yeah. I used to often take Rella out to the flower fields back when I was studying overseas. I would make them as a gift every time we went there. That’s when I learnt how to make wreaths.” Thinking that Rella is a girl’s name, you felt an ache in your heart. “What is it? Aren’t you even a bit curious as to who Rella is?” When you rebutted that you don’t care to pry into his business,

“Jie jie, can’t you be even a little more curious about me? Not everyone has the chance to pry into my business. Then I’ll just tell you myself. That doesn’t count as prying, right?” Marius goes on to recount that Rella was a stray dog that he picked up and looked after when he was overseas. However he had to send her away in the care of a friend because she was often bullied by those who didn’t like Marius.

“But… if I could do it all over again, I probably wouldn’t have sent Rella away. Eventually, I came to realise that if I became strong enough, then the safest place for her would be by my side. So next time, I won’t make the same mistake.” Marius tells you to throw away the wreath as he realises that the language of starflower was not appropriate. Thinking about it, you realised it meant ‘I will always support you with my love’ as he looks meaningfully at you.

You break the awkwardness when you spot scraps of clothing on the ground. You soon find John collapsed on the ground, apparently suffering from some hallucination. Since John has been located, you contacted George and got him to reveal the truth behind this treasure hunt. He admitted that he had set up the hunt as part of a birthday surprise but didn’t expect him to get hurt in the process. When Marius asked why he didn’t say so from the beginning, George said he didn’t think that Marius would help since he is known to be heartless man who is greedy for only women and riches.

“Whoa whoa. I know I just asked you to be straight with me, but you really do have some guts.”

George had been part of the archaeology team sent to Nosta to search for the mysterious ruins. He had designed the treasure hunt according to a ritual that needed to be followed based on Nosta legends in order to locate the ruins. However he didn’t believe it himself so he had placed a birthday gift for John at the end of the route. You agreed to help him retrieve it while he escorts his friend back to camp to recuperate. When you asked Marius why he didn’t let you in on his suspicions earlier,

“The more you know, the more you must consider. Rather than think about unnecessary things, I just wanted you to enjoy the treasure hunt. Don’t you think that’s better?“

Following the last clue, you are led to a cave where you found ancient murals depicting the ritual that needed to be followed – playing music at the edge of the cliff, exchanging gifts in the flower field, and eating the fruit that would cause hallucinations to reveal their truest self, thus impressing the mountain god to reveal the ruins.

While searching around the cave for the last step to the ritual, Marius accidentally slips down a hole into a lower level. He assures you he is alright but you sensed panic in his voice. Though he told you to stay up there, you decided to jump down after him after firing a signal flare at the entrance of the cave together with your belongings.

“Common sense dictates that I should tell you that you shouldn’t have done that… suddenly, I’m glad you’re here.“

As you continue to hunt for the exit in the cave, you noticed that Marius’ breathing was becoming rapid and irregular, hinting that he wasn’t feeling well. You pulled him down to a sitting position to check if he was ok. You parted his hair and lower your forehead to feel his temperature. He feels cold. When you opened you eyes, Marius is staring right at you as countless fireflies danced around both of you.

“Let me stay like this for a while longer…” Momentarily stunned by his rare display of childish behaviour, you complied as he moves closer to you, his hair brushing against your cheeks. He tells you that he is feeling panicky because he had been pranked when he was younger. A group of kids had trapped him in a similar environment and this circumstance had brought back bad memories. You put your arms around him slowly stroking his back to ease his trembling. He hugs you back while whispering in your ear that it wasn’t so bad that his bad memory led to this special moment right now.

After Marius has somewhat recovered, you continue the search for the entrance following the fireflies which seemed to be guiding you. Hoping to ease Marius’ discomfort, you voluntarily held him hand as he guides you forward. Your thoughts shifted to the previous clue and an uneasiness overwhelms you. Marius assures you that he will never leave you behind. Soon you arrive at the mysterious ruins that George mentioned. Though you couldn’t read the inscription on the stone tablet, Marius decides to make a wish.

“I want to be with the one I love forever.” His eyes fall upon you with an unspeakable enthusiasm. After making your wish as well, you continue following the fireflies until you arrive back at the entrance. The original stone wall that had blocked your path earlier was no longer there, confounding you. Marius takes it as a sign that his wishes would indeed be heard.

After returning back to the mainland, your relationship with Marius deepened. He got somebody to translate the inscription on the tablet and true enough, it was a love ritual to receive the blessings of the gods.

“I will do my best to fulfill all your wishes and respond to all your expectations. I will never let you go all so easily. I hope that you won’t let me go either.”

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Fabulous Feast (SSR) – Symphony of the Night

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Will of the Trees (SSR) – Romantic Rail Getaway