(Originally posted on September 29th, 2025. Edited for clarity. Cut out a few parts as they were either no longer relevant or took away from the post too much. I also don’t necessarily agree anymore with everything written here but still kept some in for the sake of keeping records of my past opinions and analysis.)

Despite the fact that a lot of people have seemed to move on from the affection system, I haven’t and with Cage of Yesteryear just around the corner, I think it’s an apt time to yap like an obsessed lunatic about some quotes I think about a bit TOO much from the affection system.

This post will just focus on Norton since he says some…interesting stuff that is more understandable and easier to wrap your head around than “Orpheus” enigmatic self and Melly who is better but due to the face she loves to talk about her interest in entomology in rather technical jargon, she’s also kinda difficult to comprehend at times.

Anyways, let’s start from the beginning:

400 Affection:

“You ain’t welcome here.”

“Get the hell away from me!”

“Back off…”

“…”

That’s literally the only 4 things Norton says to Alice when he has little to no affection points with her. Now, it’s pretty straight forward that he wants no part of her and is literally hissing at her to leave him alone.

Granted, it’s just his nature but I find his behavior a sharp contrast against his faux cordiality towards her in the opening cutscene of the affection system. I guess it just exemplifies what it says in his lore of Norton being polarizing in temperament and being gloomy and sullen one minute and then being hot-tempered the next minute.

I also do wonder if it has anything to do with having just the teeniest tiniest ounce of guilt over his actions towards Alice from before. Y’know, where he chased her through the Darkwoods with a pickaxe and then roughly forced her to drink some drugs that affected her memory back at the manor…yeah, that.

I say this cause once you remember Norton has been wrestling with his own morality and conscious since the Golden Cave incident, I don’t think Alice approaching him the way she is, is helping him remain in the “I’m just here to make money and kill that woman and everyone else is nothing to me” mindset he’s trying to stay in.

Bro is probably internally going through this throughout the whole affection system possibly. Especially if Alice is the one is supposed to kill. Hmm…

700 Affection:

_{“That nasty smell of burned meat. Is that from you?”}

I basically wondered if this quote had anything to do with the Golden Cave incident. After I go over being offended for Alice, I realized I was equally baffled at how specific he was. Like, okay, maybe he’s just being a crotchety surly man wanting to insult Alice in a way she’d leave him alone, but it feels a bit more than that.

Considering 13 other miners died in the explosion caused by Norton setting off explosives, it makes me wonder how those charred bodies may have smelled like? And especially considering the fact that Norton was stuck there for 2 days until he escaped, one can only imagine what the smell was like (not to get too morbid).

Since he’s still haunted by the incident, it’s perhaps plausible to consider his memories still vividly recall the scents and sounds from that time. Yet, this is just a theory.

1400 Affection

_{This is from this year’s summer event, but no matter the universe, this man craves the sun.}

“Every day could be your last, who knows if you’ll see the sun tomorrow.”

“My dream? To stand in the sunlight, just like you. That’s it.”

I probably sound like a broken record at this point when I talk about Norton’s yearning for the sun and warmth, but I think the affection system is perhaps the first time NetEase and Joker Studio really starts to hammer this fact into our heads. I could be wrong but they’ve at least hinted at it in previous years.

2100 Affection

_{His board game grew on me honestly. I quite enjoyed it. It’s funny to imagine Alice getting genuinely caught up in his game that it even mystifies Norton.}

“Save your love and curiosity, I’m just a regular miner.” (technically this should be under 1400 Affection)

“You? You wanna talk to me?”

“No, really, who gives a damn about a miner?”

“Aside from my labor, what the hell else you think I’m good for?”

Besides this affection phase being riddled with Norton sounding quite acerbic, if not somewhat passive aggressive, towards Alice, these stood out to me as him expressing probably genuine confusion.

The attitude Alice shows towards Norton is definitely a new experience for him and his wariness and suspicion towards her is at an all time high here because besides answering her questions about the incident like any other journalist and seeking him out for his labor like his former bosses, what in the world does she want from him?

It’s super weird that this lady keeps coming to play his “crude” little board game and trying to have actual conversations with him to…just get to know him? Nah, she definitely has an ulterior motive…they all do because he’s just a small time miner, no one special. People only seek him out when they want a job done, usually something requiring physical labor.

Like literally, at one point if you talk to Norton, the subtitles just say: “(Glares at you suspiciously, his face darkens)”

No words. He just glares suspiciously at Alice because what is her deal???

_{Bringing this back cause it fits. Also, doesn’t he look a tad bit like a pouty kitty?}

These quotes also reminded me of how self-conscious Norton can be. You guys have to remember that he’s rather an anomaly in this game and is surrounded by people far more successful than him in life: an accomplished novelist, a well-respected entomologist, a rich young lady who’s a dedicated journalist, and a famed composer. I think even the most strong-willed would be deflated being surrounded, no, suffocated by higher class folk who all seem to look down/dislike you in some way except one…

Anyways, we have to remember that each manor game usually has:

1. A theme (i.e. Game 10: Inventors Galore, Game 2: Criminals and “Justice”)

2. Prior Connections/Relationships (Game 4: The OG Survivors, Game 8: The Closing Night)

The “final” manor game is said to have a theme around “shocking rumors that can’t be proven,” which is said by Alice in Norton’s 2022 birthday letter. She goes on to say that “all these games seem to have a similar objective. However, he was an exception…” <—this…this right here is another thing that I think about constantly. Cause I always wonder why is Norton in this particular manor game? I mean, sure, you can say…but the Golden Cave Incident! Surely, there must be rumors of his involvement?

_{Well, there are rumors about the cave itself, but not Norton specifically.}

Actually, I don’t believe they ever suspect Norton. His lore reads as if he just returned to work without issue after he recovered from his injuries. It only seems like Alice (and “Orpheus” of course) suspect there was more to the incident than met the eye.

Considering Norton has been a playable survivor since the dawn of IDV’s birth, I gotta wonder why they saved him for this specific manor game when it seems he’d fit in a better game especially if you consider that the decision was probably not just “Orpheus” decision but the “sponsors” as well…

Anyways, went on a tangent, moving on!

Bonus: “Look at you, dressed all fancy. Bet you’ve never seen a mine, have you?”

I just wanted to add this because he sounds so freaking snarky here. I just find it funny that Alice has been to a mine, the Golden Cave in fact, but evidentially Norton wasn’t there anymore.

Although, she is dressed rather fancy. Also, NetEase, where’d that lil beret go? I want it back! Por favor~!

Affection 3000 (Max affection)

_{“Sitting in a bright house” also counts because what’s lighting up that house? The natural light of the sun, of course~}

“We climb in when the sun rises, crawl out when it’s dark…Hell, even rats need a little sunlight.”

The sun mentioned again! Ok, next!

“Lazy bastards just lie around drinking cat piss and eating coal dust. End up choking on it, or drunk and falling off the edge.”

A gentleman of the Victorian era would probably be appalled at how crude Norton speaks towards a lady of refined upbringing like Alice. (Note: Just being a lil silly here, but it is funny he has no filter whatsoever)

“What do I like to eat? Bread, milk, tea…Uh, what the hell is foie gras?”

I talked about this one before in its own dedicated post so I will just link that. But you guys wonder if Norton would like milk tea? Boba? Hmmm…

“I can recognize a few words but I can’t stand all that whining nonsense. Folks who write stories don’t know a damn thing.”

I can’t help but think this is a rather blatant jab at “Orpheus” here. It appears clear that Norton doesn’t seem to like or particularly care about “Orpheus” and the feeling appears mutual if you’ve seen what I wrote in my previous posts. But it’s a little contradictory to what he says back in the “Orfeo’s Game” event where he tells Orfeo that some of his fellow miners would read aloud his stories and Norton took quite an interest in them.

“We have no entertainment in the mines. But there’s an old man who would read your novels to the other miners. I sometimes listen with them. In a sense, they are very interesting.”

-Mining Director Norton to Orfeo.

_{My God, look at him. He seems lowkey insufferable in this AU.}

Granted, it is an AU where Norton is far more successful in his pursuit of bettering his life so perhaps in Orfeo’s world he does have the time to be idly entertained by stories. Regardless, still funny he calls writing “whining nonsense”…I can only imagine the big words and intricate ideas “Orpheus” stuffs in his novels.

By the way, if that’s his opinion on novelists, I wonder what he thinks of the writing journalists do? In a sense, some do believe journalists concoct stories. I mean, they also do tell stories—usually factual stories but still stories. It kinda makes me wonder if he’s kinda dissing her too but at full affection, Norton is noticeably less biting towards Alice so who knows?

“The bosses I’ve worked for? They all want to squeeze every last drop outta you, like a damn orange.”

Speaking of “Orpheus,” I wonder if this is another one slight insult towards the novelist (and/or “Nightmare” I guess). Most people who follow the main story lore know full well that Norton is working for “Orpheus” evident by his 2021 birthday letter, the fact he chases Alice (cause let’s be real, the man seems to blase to care enough to do a thing unless ordered to) and drugs her in “Orpheus” secret cellar laboratory. If Norton knows about THAT particular room then yeah, he’s in kahoots with our dear novelist over there.

_{Norton drugging Alice in the secret basement lab. This man doesn’t know the definition of “gentle.”}

Note that Norton has already been used for quite a bit of labor around the manor so he’s work with “Orpheus” is probably not too much different than his previous bosses (except, y’know, drugs, experimentation and murder are involved). There’s also the weight of having to kill for money bearing on his shoulders, too.

“Those rich pricks? Always making the poor suffer while they act like they’re sprinkling love.”

Just adding this one here because again, “Orpheus” jab maybe??

Also, does this mean Norton doesn’t put Alice under the umbrella of “rich prick”? Since he did call her young rich lady in the opening cutscene of the affection system. Alice herself notes in his 2022 birthday letter that: “I personally think his hatred his reserved for the rich.”

Which is funny cause I’m like…girl, he thinks you’re a little rich princess. He probably thinks the same way about you as he does those rich jerks he’s dealt with all his life. But I think by the end of the affection system, Norton’s perspective of Alice has changed (I’d sure hope at least).

“A little sweetness can make a desperate man lose his damn mind.”

Well, this one little line is the culprit in sending a certain part of the fandom in a tizzy and by a certain part, I mean the nortalice shippers, of course.

_{This tweet is something I always think of when I see this line and it’ll never not send me.}

But for real, what…sir…what do you mean by that???

Who is on the writing team??? I just wanna talk…

BUT God, this was the moment I wished these lines were voiced and expressed cause I want to hear his tone of voice and see his facial expression as he says it. Ain’t no way you’re saying that with a straight face and a flat tone of voice, my good sir.

Listen, the pragmatist in me wants to say, well, he probably just means that when he’s faced with a sweet sweet opportunity to better his life then he’ll blindly pursue it because he’s that desperate to change his wretched fate of poverty, pain, and being used as a tool for labor.

On the other hand, my guy may be lowkey flirting with Alice. He could be hinting that her kindness and patience to deal with him (and his rude butt) while genuinely seeming to listen to him talk about his life, dreams, and complaints is enough for him to go a little loco.

_{Or it’s neither and he’s just saying that to mess with her.}

Who knows man. It just kills me that Norton really went from sneering at Alice to stay the hell away from him to sharing his dreams (and being a tad poetic about it— “To stand in the sunlight, just like you”) to now saying… *bats eyelashes* you know~ A little sweetness such as yourself is making me go a little crazy.

Anyways, let’s move on before I type something else I regret.

“The sunset? It’s like a gunpowder going off in the mines. Boom!”

Probably the first and only instance Norton sounds a little playful? The “Boom!” is what really sells it. He’s either being playful or trying to jumpscare her or both. But at the same time, I’m like…my guy, you just recently blew up a mine killing 13 people. Aren’t you being a bit too blase about it saying it like that?

Then I’m like, I wonder if that’s a little bit of “Fool’s Gold” bleeding through. I feel, at least for me, it’s easier to imagine hunter Norton saying it over prospector Norton, but eh, it could go either way I suppose.

“You ever hear of the old nursery rhyme? Two kids went to get water, one tripped and the other rolled down the hill…”

Okay, this one sticks out. This is mainly because it feels rather enigmatic. If this was “Orpheus” saying this then that’s nothing new because if you’ve done his affection system, that novelist will be saying stuff that makes you wonder exactly what is he going on about. Norton is by far more straight-forward but suddenly talking about a nursery rhyme is a bit weird.

If you don’t know what nursery rhyme he’s talking about, it’s “Jack and Jill” which goes like this usually:

| Jack and Jill went up the hill

to fetch a pail of water

Jack fell down and broke his crown

And Jill went tumbling after |

Very simple, very short. Very confusing Norton brings it up and explains nothing about why he did so. I’ve asked others before and some seem to think he’s lowkey warning Alice about the dangers of the manor. That’s plausible.

Then is she supposed to be Jill? Then who’s Jack in this case? “Orpheus”? Or is Jack and Jill supposed to be Norton and Melly? Or Norton and Alice? Or Melly and “Orpheus”? Heck, let’s throw in Frederick in there as well.

Again, still clueless about this one but it’ll live rent-free in my mind until there’s a more solid answer on why he brings this up because again, Norton doesn’t beat around the bush usually, so for him not to get straight to the point is…strange.

——————————————————————————-

And that’s it! That’s all the quotes I dare go over because this post is running it’s length and I thought it wouldn’t get this long (foolish of me knowing full well the yapper I can be).

With that I bide you all farewell.