I feel like everyone keeps missing the point of Cliff's ending. Out of all of them, he was the one the author had projected to the most, and he was also the one the author had the most influence on so til the end, he couldnt let go as his entire existence revolved around what the author made him to be so he literally doesnt know what he is without the author which is why he's pitiful.
Anyways, I feel like ppl love to just discredit the yuri elements to this one. Besties, you dont try to overturn the rules of your world repeatedly again and again even while failing too many times just for friendship. Yall say og rhyse didnt get a happy ending but she looked pretty damn ecstatic that she gets to reincarnate with edith and that og edith waited for her for all these years. She died young but she was also happy and content knowing that she finally succeeded after too many failures. She got her happy ending. Just bc it's not with some man doesnt mean she's not happy.