I think it's both entering the name and figuring out what's going on with Argos, but with how many playthroughs I've done trying different options I can't remember. It may be just entering the name.
Also it's unclear from your post, but if you haven't done the ruthless route yet I'd highly suggest checking it out. It's not what it seems and quite good.
Thanks for the insight! You're right, I haven't yet, but with the truth of Argos coming out, I actually plan on doing it now! I tried the ruthless route previously before it was finished/had endings, and I just didn't want to see any more of it. Now that I know it's not all grim (even if it's not going to be sunshine and rainbows) and that it honestly does have important insights to learn, I'll do a run of it soon.
Whelp. I'm back after the ruthless route. I'm glad the point of view shifted for the second chapter cuz it was still pretty rough. Still, you are correct I was wrong in assuming the Narrator was/were the 3 Fates! Made a big assumption there on the 'my sisters' line, this is definitely more interesting and personal. Makes even more sense now why the narrator talks to us as she does here, why she would find humor contrasting Athena's deeds back then with what she put together now, and how it all flies in her face. Cool stuff!
Ehhhhhh, you're taking someone that is very obviously traumatized right now and heaping more problems on top of it. Deliberately causing a panic attack with your ordering him to come join you to eat is really shitty and kinda evil in my mind. And you're taking the one good thing Asterion had, the hotel, and turning it into its own form or torture with how closely you interact with him in all the commanding, ruthless ways.
If there wasn't a narrator and we didn't hear into Asterion's thoughts, it's easier to dull the empathy and just play the mustache-twirling villain MC to see the content. But that's exactly the point the VN is making in the normal route, that you're doing basic human empathy to Asterion and he thinks you hang the moon because of it.
I don't disagree that it tells a fascinating tragedy if you go down it, and it shows a lot of things that couldn't be told if the master of the hotel was good, but it was still really rough and I'd say evil, personally.
Oh, what i mean to say is that it's not "about" being evil. It happens, yes, but most of the route is learning Nikos background and motivations, along with aspects of the labyrinth and the divine beings. Plus, i was expecting MC to be relishing more in Asterion suffering, yet it felt to me like MC just didn't care about him or anyone. Then again, this opinion is due to a contrast with expectations, which are subjective.
