Part 92: Update LXXXVIII: An Apprentice and the Memories

We soldier on with another update. To start things off, let's get our final DLC character recruited.



One, two, three...hmm. This is not good. Oh, hi Rorona.

What's wrong, Hanna? You got a tummyache?

More like a headache, actually. I have a lot on my mind right now.

Oh, Hanna. And Rorona? Hello! ...Huh? The always cheerful Hanna has such a sour look on her face! What's wrong! You got a tummyache?



Are things not going so well?

Oh no, the opposite, in fact. Sales are really high, but it's clearing out my inventory. I've been thinking about looking for a new gathering place, but it's a bit too much to handle on my own.

Yeah, there's only so much you can do by yourself. But why don't you just wait for more stock from Arland?



Ooh, you're so cool!

I know. But I don't have any escorts like May here, so it's risky to head to areas with really tough monsters.

Hanna doesn't have any friends...?



But what I don't have is any adventurer friends. May's like the only one!

We don't really have that many adventurers in Arls yet, anyway.



Huh? You mean, go with May as HER escort? Hmm...now that's a plan!

That's true. Hanna, you've helped me out so much up until now...

I know! This is when you work together! Meruru and Hanna, work together!

Aw, thanks May! Then just stop by whenever you want to head out. I'll be ready anytime! And since I need to find someplace new to gather, definitely let me know when you head someplace new!

And that's the final one. Hanna is...interesting in battle, but we'll have enough chances to see what she can do later this update. But first, an event in Artisan's Way. Video goes until Meruru says "Okay!"





Huh? It's Uncle Gio... Why is he staring out into the street like that?

Oh, it's you. What are you up to? Did you need something from me?

N-No...I was just wondering what you were doing.

Oh, I was just...looking at the street. You can get a good sense of a place by observing the movement of its people.

Ooh, sounds just like something the King of Arland would say. So then, what do you think of our kingdom?



R-Really...?

However, you do have unlimited possibilities. Arls has just begun to take its first real steps. Looking back, Arland wasn't much different when it was first founded.

It wasnt'? That's kind of hard to believe.



So that's where they started...and now it's such a magnificent country.

I'm sure it took a great deal of effort, but I imagine it was incredibly rewarding and enjoyable, as well. To stand shoulder-to-shoulder with everyone, building the castle, laying the streets, plowing the soil...



The same path...as Arls.

Exactly right. You understand, yes? Arls is undergoing the same transformation that Arland went through. I don't mean to sound overbearing, but I always did my best to help make sure our republic flourished.

I wonder...will I be able to do what you did?

There is no need for you to do what I did. You must do what YOU bleieve is best for your kingdom.

So I just have to do what I think is best for Arls?



As long as you believe in it, that seed will grow, and the flower of your land's future will blossom.

Okay! I'm gonna give it everything I've got to make it happen!

It's not an easy path, and it's not over when the flower blooms. What matters is what you do...when the flower dies.



After I'm gone...I-I can't even imagine that far into the future.

There's no need to just yet. But i would be overjoyed if you could recall my words again when you're older.

Uncle...thank you for your wise words!

Work hard, Meruru. I can't wait to see the flower that blooms from your efforts.

Okay!

Once a king, always a king. A scene at Pamela's next.



Oh, welcome. I have anything and everything you need. Please feel free to browse.

Ahh! Ms. Astrid! Wh-Wh-What are you doing!?



But - no, this is Ms. Pamela's stroe. What have you done with her?

Pamela is just hired help. I haev every right to tend to the store while she's away.

Oh...well the Chims are here too, so I guess it can't be too bad...

You're missing the point, Pupil #3. Why do you think this store carries so many synthesized goods?

Oh, um...I never really thought about it. Why?



Because of that, I can sell those items or use them as I need. It's the perfect alchemy setup.

That IS useful...it'd save time and effort to register items that are hard to make, or that you use a lot.

You got it. Which means...



Whatever, just...please, PLEASE stop trying to be like Ms. Pamela...



So back on the subject of Hanna, she has a nice passive skill that keeps her alive during tough battles, but the Merchant's Eye is why Hanna is a valuable party member, indeed. What it does is that it raises both trait levels and item quality after battles. That stacks with the Bunny Tail's effects, so getting 100+ Quality items is far more commonplace.

As for her basic attack, it's a boomerang throw that hits every enemy on the field. Fairly powerful, and properly equipped she can level trash mobs quite easily by herself. But make no mistake Merchant's Eye is Hanna's most useful ability.





Hagel's requests are all finished up. But before I drop them off, I got another newspaper notice.



Oh come on! All this stuff happened so long ago.



Now we can drop them off. You get a scene for each, but let's start with the Fireproof Plate.



Wow, this is tremendous! Great job, young miss. Now my furnace is hotter than ever! I'm gonna try it out right now. Take a seat and watch. You're sure to be amazed!





H-H-H-Hot! Hot hot hot! It's too hot! Mr. Hagel...you work like this every day? Uwah...the heat's making me dizzy...

Oops, sorry! I guess I got a little carried away.

You just gave me such a great toy to play with, I got a little overexcited. Here, have some water.



I suppose it was a little too intense for you, but you got to witness its potential. With this much heat, I can temper any material in the world.

I thought I was gonna melt away! Working at a weapon shop sure it tough.

Perhaps, but once you're hooked on the beauty of the craft...I just can't resist its siren song!



Anyway, my forge has been utterly perfected. I'll accept any jobs you can throw at me!

After this, Hagel can work with any material in the game. We'll be getting the highest tier of ingot items within the next five months, but actually using those items in synthesis is a little far off. But even so, when the time comes, we'll be glad we did this.

The Synthesis Piece gets us a voiced scene. Video goes until Hagel says "Use this to do that!"



Oh, thanks! Actually, I can use this to do jobs that'll be easy on your wallet.

Huh? What do you mean?

From now on, you'll be able to disassemble weapons and armor back into their original materials.

Disassemble tutorial, but we've done this song and dance before. Disassembly is pretty nice in this game, actually, because it disassembles the equipment into one ingot / cloth, instead of the (possibly) two that made the item in the first place. That means if I were to disassemble Esty's second weapon, I'd get all four of those traits on the resulting ingot, even though I used two to make it in the first place.



Wow! That sounds just like alchemy! But if you already melted everything together...how can you put it back to the way it was?

That's my little trade secret. I can tell you, if you're willing to jump ship and become my student...

I think we can safely file this away under "Video game logic". Hagel knows the score.

That's...hmm. It's very tempting... But I'll have to pass.

Waahahaha! Shot down! Well, I was just kidding anyway. Materials aren't unlimited, right? Sometimes you'll want to get those rare items back. Use this to do that!

A valuable service indeed, but I decided to give Meruru some new armor.



Well, at least it's more tasteful than the Rose Maiden. And hey, if you can't fight in style, you have no business fighting at all.



Meruru also gets a weapon upgrade. It'll do. A short while later, a scene at the atelier. Video goes until Totori says "just like my sister looked after me"





Oh no, it's gonna explode! Waaah, better toss in a Supplement! That should get it to stop!

...I hope?



Whenever I see her panicking and trying to keep things from exploding, it reminds me again she's your apprentice.

R-Really? Come on, I don't think I caused that many explosions.

How can you say that with a straight face? Have you forgotten how often Ceci had to clean up your workshop?

Well...when you put it that way...





I don't know, she has a point. She was in that Ozean Kaiser fight. Nothing wrong with being a pyrotechnic if it gets results.





Just calm down, Meruru! Panicking now will only make things worse!

O-Okay, I'll try! Hooo...haaa... Hooo...haaa... Man, I just don't get it. What did I do wrong? I'll just have to retrace my steps and figure it all out.

Ah! Meruru, now you're too calm! You have to put out the fire first!

Oh! R-Right, I'll get some water!



Whew. I think we're safe now. I was worred there for a second.

Grr...I'm really sorry. I messed this one up big-time.

Every failure is another step closer to success. I can't even count how many times I messed up when I started out. So clean up and try again! I'm sure you'll be fine if you're just a little more careful.

O-Okay! Thanks!



Th-That's not true. I'm nowhere near as strong as my sister.

I know you're not exactly the same, but as sisters you do share similar traits.

Ceci...I wonder what she's been doing with herself.

Hmhm. I imagine she might be thinking the same thing, no?

Hmm...so what's your sister like?



Oh, Meruru? What happened to your synthesis? Are you all done cleaning already?

Oh! Um...well I was just curious about your sister, and...sorry!

*Meruru leaves*

Goodness, your apprentice is a real whirlwind. But I suppose that's part of her charm.

That's true. But I need to look after her...just like my sister looked after me.



But now we're on the road again, and we got our first payment. It's 937 now, but by the end, assuming roughly consistant Popularity, it'll be thousands of Cole.



The reason we want to stop by is because there's a scene with Gio, now that Ent has appeared. Video goes until Meruru says "If I could just find a way to stop it..."



Hi, Uncle Gio. Accomplishments? I've just been using alchemy to help develop the kingdom.

Haha, you're too humble. But it's the people at large who assess your actions. Always bear that in mind.

You're right. I'll keep working as hard as I can!

I've also heard that Ent has appeared near Arls. It's been causing some problems, apparently.

You got that right. Do you know anything about the forest, Uncle?



Ent was once just a battered old tree. It didn't move, of course, nor was it nearly as big as it is now. But one day, a giant crystal was found stuck in one of the limbs. And it's said that once that crystal appeared, the tree known as Ent began moving on its own.

I see...so what's the deal with this crystal thing?





So if I bust that crystal apart, Ent might turn back into a normal forest?

It's possible. But regardless, I'm sure you will face resistance. Are you really so curious about that forest?

I am. I was taught to be scared of Ent when I was a kid. But now i know it's not that bad as long as you stay away.

That's right. Consider your choices well. Crystal or no crystal, that place is full of dangerous creatures.



You're an adventurer and alchemist, so I can't tell you not to. But please, think carefully before you act.

I understand...thank you, Uncle. (If the Forest of Ent keeps on moving, it's gonna make development tough. If I could just find a way to stop it...)

It'll be a while before that happens, so don't worry too much about it, Meruru.



Totori already gets her final non-Super Move skill. Chim N/A is a pretty powerful fire elemental attack, as its namesake would imply, but it involves a Chim going on a kamikaze run against the target and blowing itself up. But don't worry. Totori hasn't yet become a butcher who throws human life away for the sake of a little extra damage.



See? The little guy is a little charred, but he's fine.



Well, at least this time I didn't forget about my duties. For bringing Hanna here, a scene.





Oh wow. I had no idea. How come?

I just have this feeling there's something hiding here I've never seen before that I could add to my stock. So we'd better fully investigate the area!



Hard to communicate in screenshots, but Hanna here is blazing off at the speed of light.

Uwah! Hold on, Hanna!



Hmm...this should be enough. But I still wanna go a little bit further...

I'm so tired...can we take a break first before we start up again?

I gotta say, after running around with you like this, being an adventurer doesn't seem half bad! Go out, fight some monsters, find some stuff...it's got lots of stuff that's missing from the merchant business. I wonder if I should just become an adventurer on top of a merchant...



Yeah...with you around, I feel like I could do it for sure. Two gorgeous girls on a meteoric rise to fame! It'll be a huge hit in all the papers!

Ooh, that sounds fun! The "gorgeous girl" part is a litlte embarrassing, though... But if we make the news, maybe that would get more people to come to the workshop and make requests...



Wooow...you've still got a knack for salesmanship, huh?

Hahaha, maybe so. Well, enough daydreaming. Let's get back to work!

What, already!?

You can stay here and rest if you want. That just means more for me!





*Hanna leaves*

Hey, no way! I'm not gonna let you keep everything!

Unfortunately for those two, basically all I did here was just drop off those Cloths to complete the final part of the first request. Well, it's fine, because I'm not going to be hurting for things to do for the next few months.



Next up, I believe it's been enough time to check out the changes up here.





Okay, all done here! Now there's no more fear of flooding, and good clean water can flow all across the kingdom. I should head back to town and check in. I hope they're all as excited as I am!

What you wonder is impossible, Meruru. Anyway, as you can see, they've constructed a tiny dam across the water here, and at the gathering point on the other side is...



A whole mess of materials. Well, you spend the same time at each gathering point, regardless of the number of materials, so go nuts.



Further east at the River Mist Grove, we have another task to clear a path from Quelei Forest to the eastern part of Arls. The bugs here are kinda dangerous, especially one move which inflicts pretty bad Earth damage on the entire party, but it's not too much to worry about. Since they're weak to Fire, Totori, and Bombs, are a good thing to bring along.



Next area is the Foggy Forest. Well...foggy is right. There's three enemy groups lurking around here, and they can be kinda tough to see, but it's not too bad. Just pay attention and they shouldn't be able to sneak up on you.



Because I'm an idiot and forgot how these things go, you want to go to Cape Ichijo and then you'll get the letter request for that area. I forgot about that, and was confused why I didn't get the message. Well...we'll have plenty of business in these eastern territories, and I can just do it later.

For now, though, we're headed back to Arls. Upon returning, this scene.



Yup. And you?

I'm on my way back, too. I was swamped today. I had to escort some merchants, then help map the developed areas.

I know you said you became an adventurer to spread your family name, but it seems like you do all kinds of tough jobs.

Well, I can't really complain. All my accomplishments so far stem from a steady stream of hard work. Besides, I haven't really thought about my family name much lately. I've pretty much fulfilled my initial goal.



It's true, I initially became an adventurer just so I could increase my family's reputation... But as I went on more adventures with Totori, seeing all these different things, my attitude started to change. I think about this every time I go on an adventure, but the world is really huge. So big, it makes me want to laugh.



Maybe... It's like...when I'm walking through that vast wilderness, it just pops into my mind. No matter how famous I get, the path through the wilderness will never get any easier. My name can't help me there. I need to rely on my own strength to get back safely. I need to rely on my own two legs to carry me home. That's all.



I'm sure you'll understand someday. I didn't even realize it myself at first.



I'm sure Miss Totori would be overjoyed to hear you say that!

Th-That's not something I can just tell her! Good grief, why do you torment me so? I need to get going.

Oh, wait up. Would you like to come to the workshop for dinner tonight? Miss Totori will be there, too.



*Mimi leaves*



She's grown up so much in-between games, don't you think? Another scene on main street.





Chim, chim chimim!

I see...the number of stores has increased, and business along with it.

Chim...

That is a problem. You must improve working conditions without increasing downtime.

Chim, chim?



With more workers, the burden on each will be lessened. Although it won't always be that simple...

Chim!?

Yet...the best solution for now is to increase the number of Chims.

Chim!

Indeed. It is possible with our abilities. Please leave it up to us. When the workshop is not otherwise in use, we will use it to make more Chims.

Chim, chimim!



Unfortunately, we'll have to rank up the kingdom again before Pamela bugs us about getting more Chims. Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Back in the atelier, another scene is ours.



Wow, thanks a bunch. And I'm really sorry! The apprentice should be doing stuff like that!

Don't worry. You looked like you were concentrating so hard, and I had some free time anyway.

*knock on door*

Oh, someone's here. Meruru, could you go help them?



Oh, do you have something for me? Do you have a job request!?

No...nothing like that. I just have a question for you.

Then you DO have something for me! So, what is it you wanted to ask?



Oh, yeah. He's managing all the development stuff, so I go talk to him about my job all the time. Last time he lectured me about how I still have so much to learn, and he had this big scowl on his face...

I see...and did he say anything about me?

Huh? Umm...no, I don't think so.

Really? No message to pass on to me, or about how I've been doing my job, nothing like that?

N-No, nothing. It was basically just development directions, and then a lecture...



*Lias leaves*

I wonder why he came all the way down here to ask you about Rufus...

They work in the same castle. He could have just gone and asked him. Maybe there's some reason he couldn't...?

Hopefully, she'll understand someday. At the castle, I got this scene. Video goes until Meruru says "Does Arls have someone like that?"







Oh, hey Keina. Whatcha up to?

I'm just fixing this window. It's pretty beat up.

Yeah, I remember it used to make an ugly squealing sound every time I opened it.



And the mountings for the water pipes have started to wear, as well. There's all kinds of upkeep to do around here.

Yeah, now that you mention it, I've been noticing a lot of damage around the castle lately.

Well, it's been standing since way before we were born. We just have to be kind and take care of it properly.



Meruru! You can't do that - what would people say if they saw you doing manual labor? Plus, fixing things isn't your strength. Remember when we made that birdhouse and you kept hammering your fingers?

Oh yeah, I forgot all about that. I guess the memory was just too painful...

See? So just leave this to me.

But can you really fix everything by yourself? I feel like you're gonna need some extra muscle.



Man...from doing chores to looking after me, and even learning carpentry... you work so hard, Keina!

Well, all of our soldiers and workers are really busy, so just do whatever I can myself. And...done!

*rusty window creaking*



Ohh no! I didn't fix it at all! I made it worse! Now what do i do!?

Calm down, Keina. It's not your fault. See? It's completely rusted.

I didn't even realize...I thought it would be enough just to oil the hinge.

Maybe we could say we did it for a better view and extra ventilation?

...Maybe not. We just need to find someone who looks like they're good at carpentry and ask them. Does Arls have someone like that?

I wonder, but we've got a scene in the Study. Let's not bring up that window while we're here. Video goes until the screenshot of Meruru outside the castle, thinking about Totori and Rufus.



So what do you think? Should I do something, or...?

Hmm. Naturally, I was aware that this might become an issue, but I didn't expect you to speak up about it.

Well I'm fine either way. But I thought it would be better to resolve this earlier rather than later.

There's no need to rush just yet. This is something she'll have to decide on her own when the time comes.



Oh, Meruru. No, of course not. I just had some issues with the workshop. But everything's fine now. Rufus, thank you for your advice.

Of course, Ms. Totori. Enjoy the rest of your day.

*Totori leaves*



Nothing that need concern you, Princess.

How come? She said it was about the workshop, right? I wanna know, too!

Idle hands are the busybody's plaything, you know. Do you not have anything better to do, Princess?



Then you shouldn't have any free time to worry about other people's business. Take care of your own duties first.

Hmph. Fine, fine. I guess I'll head back now. Sorry to bother you.

*fade to black*





And for one final scene after trying to go to the Study. This is one of many scenes that only occurs on New Game+, since it's related to a plot thread that goes nowhere on a new game, but gets quite a bit of development otherwise. Video goes for the rest of the update.









It's - you! ...I mean, - no, I'm sorry.

What's wrong, Uncle? Is there something on my face?

I didn't mean to stare. You just...look very much like an old friend of mine.

He's not referring to Rorona, even though she's known Gio for quite some time, and Meruru also has pink hair and blue eyes. I only mention this because I can't be the only one who thought he was talking about Rorona.

Ohh, she looked like me, huh? I'd love to know what she was like.



...Heh. It's not like me to let my emotions run wild. Please forget what you just saw.

*Gio leaves*

O-Of course.

...I've never seen Uncle act like that before. Someone who I remind him of...



Yup, I was right, that the only mention Meruru's mother gets was a throwaway line like that. Pretty sure she's not brought up again, but hey, I haven't memorized every scene in this game.

I wonder what kind of people they were. Man, now Uncle's got ME feeling all sentimental!

Well...hm...I suppose this is an odd place to stop an update, but I've left my main save off at a pretty good juncture, and I have enough content left on this recording for another fairly good-sized update, so I might as well finish it all off next time. Another time, same place.





Pamela's Store
Study
Throne Room