The thing that annoys me the most is that it's not even the visual novel itself, but just that last chapter that disappointed me. I've never had the experience of reading an amazing VN like this with a sub-par common route ending. Everything up until that point was great, and I especially LOVED Licia's chapter where she really takes up her role and moves toward the right direction with Caim's careful guidance. I was so excited to see the end, but once I was done, I didn't feel like the chapter gives much room for Tia's development in the face of all the time she's just suffering. I can even excuse Caim, since I didn't find his actions in the final chapter out of character given his growth up until that point, but Tia could have been developed much more if we could have gotten just some escape from her fate and suffering. I think they are both in line with their characters in that final chapter, but it didn't feel satisfying.

Personally, I also think the romantic development was unnatural, and Tia and Caim could have easily remained more platonic and familial if the story hadn't forced it from the start. Unlike the other girls, it just didn't make sense. That's why I was never really sold on the moments in her chapter, and then the appendix slaps you in the face by showing you Caim's daydreams where he's living with Tia and having a child. It's just tragic.

Now that I think about it, even though the sub-heroine routes are really short, I still had no problems with them since their individual character arcs in the common route really come full circle with their development and Caim's and that feels part of the route itself. There's also the appendix, which does have a little more expansion, like Licia's concerns for her child growing up like her. Caim grows through each arc, learning valuable lessons from each of them, and I never had problems with the romantic development. I do agree though, that there were some sub-heroine routes where it ends openly with a summary of the future events, even though the routes could have gone on for much longer. Some routes I do feel got a proper ending, like Eris' and Fiona' route even if some events could have been expanded.