[SPOILERS] Clarification on Door 2's Plot Twist

...specifically on the scene with the famished merchant and the Beast. I've come across quite a few people who were confused by that scene in hindsight.
Obviously, don't read this unless you have COMPLETED DOOR 2

Visual Red Herring

We all knew how it went: hungry merchant came knocking on the door -> Yukimasa let him stay -> Yukimasa got triggered by his knife at the dining table and murdered him in cold blood with his katana

What's confusing is when that particular merchant showed up, he had the exact same sprite as Yukimasa, which makes no sense at all in hindsight. This is actually not the case; rather, it's a clever visual trick played on the reader by the author --- it's called a VISUAL novel after all ;)

It's important to note that the only characters to have a dialogue portrait in the early parts of Door 2 are the Maid and Yukimasa/Bestia; that other merchant's artwork is shown only once in the entire door---in the CG below getting sliced up :/



One can easily mistake the Yukimasa sprite (see below) that briefly appeared onscreen in the previous scene as the merchant he murders here (see above), which is exactly what the VN wanted you to think. It serves as both a red herring to hide the big plot twist of Door 2 AND subtle foreshadowing/characterization for Yukimasa.

Let me explain:

His human sprite (Yukimasa) briefly shows up in that scene due to him seeing a fellow human being (the famished merchant) for the first time since he was exiled from the village, causing his dormant memories of his human self to resurface. (This line of reasoning also implies something about the nature of the Maid)

He even wears a troubled/confused expression here after seeing the merchant:


"Nani?! I'm not a literal beast?"

That doubt is quickly suppressed as he reverts back to the Bestia sprite immediately afterwards:



Remember, the first half of this Door is presented as how Yukimasa perceives himself. This visual sequence displays Yukimasa's constant rejection of his own humanity, which is a prevailing theme throughout the rest of the tale. And you got a glimpse of it here likely without even realizing it. Pretty cool, eh?

Here is the full scene
*Credit goes to the original uploader; just using it here for reference.

Addendum: The Beast's Language

Remember all those "xxxxxxx"s in Bestia/Yukimasa's dialogue that was supposedly some kind of bestial language? Turns out it was just him speaking Japanese, albeit in a very incoherent way. Self-deprecating racism much, Novectacle? XD





(Note: Even though Pauline is half-Japanese, she can't understand Yukimasa's Japanese since she grew up with her Dutch mother and probably didn't have many opportunities to learn her father's native tongue.)

Sources

Q&A posts with the devs:
1) on Door 2's red herring[web.archive.org]
2) on the X's in Door 2's script[web.archive.org]

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If you want another example of this VN utilizing its medium in creative ways, be sure to check out the guide on the hidden content of Door 4.

[LucyCyucy]

Thank you so much! Bestia somehow killing himself had me really confused at the end(but I understood the speaking Japanese part)

[nara]

ty

[HolyThursdayBot]

Somewhat sadly I never confused Yukimasa and the merchant. From viewing the game's home page before I started playing, I had some idea that Yukimasa was the beast from the start.

[tokki.]

Thanks for this, it was confusing me why he had to kill her.

[innercaster]

I thought too the merchant to be Yukimasa. I was surprised to discover the truth. I thought the beast came in rage to kill being seen as a beast by the merchant. I'm confused abiout the beast sprite shortly following Yukimasa's.

[SoggySoup]

Thank god this exists. Both these things confused the fuck out of me but it makes so much sense now lol.

[LR | Stealthy]

Great read, I always wondered why I thought for a second that Yukimasa was the one who was killed in the beast's first encounter

[miniyorha]

AHH I had completely forgotten about this part, so I am thankful to have come by this post. Definitely clever. :)

[Missilepom]

Thanks

[Louis]

This is great, thank you! Never thought I'd be so compelled to give an award to a guide.