Talk:Mercedes Marten/@comment-179.222.4.239-20160122210501/@comment-75.71.140.110-20160123225733

The way your beloved is decided is this:

1. Whoever has the highest affinity is your beloved.

2. If multiple have max affinity (blush, chimes, etc.) then the last person you spoke to before the main quest Deny Salvation is who your beloved will be.

If you do all of Madelene's and Aelinore's quests then they will both have max affinity (Quina and Reynard, as well, just fyi). This is problematic because both of their quests are after Mercedes leaves due to Pride Before a Fall. The best option to lower their affinity is to gift Liquid Effluvium (lowers affinity to zero), but this requires some time spent on Bitterblack. Otherwise, attacking or startling (run by them repeatedly) will do the job, as well.