Part 21: XVII: Pages of Snowy Mountains
Chapter XVII: Pages of Snowy Mountains
Well, if you're going to go up to the snow-covered mountains, gotta be prepared to melt some things, right?
Maybe when you're older, Lulua. Heat Enhance L completely negates the ability of enemies to inflict Burn on Eva and enhances the power of all Fire attacks by 20%. This will mostly affect Flare Bastard, but thankfully that's one of her more powerful abilities.
But first, another riddle to be solved. This riddle unlocks the Sack of the Wind God and Light Bug Catcher Net. Any insect can be caught with the latter, as well as increasing the number and quality of the bugs aside from what the normal net can do. As for the Sack, basically does the same thing, just with that item that shakes the branches of trees loose for easy gathering of good quality items. Not strictly necessary to upgrade to either of them, but if you're going to, make sure to get those Effects as high as possible since that's the final upgrade of both those Exploration Tools.
Careful with making a Sylph Breath, which is necessary for both recipes, since you likely won't have many Breath of Winds lying around. If you need more, well, time to head back to Quelei.
Yep, this is fine.
When you're ready to get back on the road, let's check out the Forest Far From Home, at the very edge of the continent. About where it was in Totori, so this holds up. This place was particularly important because one of the materials you needed to make the ship could be found here and nowhere else prior to unlocking this location, which made this area the major roadblock between the first and second halves of the game.
Yep, nice to get away from civilization for a bit. But that doesn't mean the locals will be too friendly...
Like the Mellowshroom here. This is the only mushroom in the game not weak to Fire, so it may catch you off-guard just based on that. In fact, it has one level of Fire resistance and nullifies all Earth damage. It's actually vulnerable to Ice.
So Sterk and Meruru have a Primal Art together where Sterk guards Meruru and becomes resistant to status effects (stat debuffs and the like notwithstanding). What does this mean in gameplay terms? It means single-target attacks that might normally target Meruru, such as this one the mushroom is doing, will instead target Sterk. As you might expect, this can be pretty hazardous to his health, but if it's lore appropriate, I'm fine with it. However, only seriously use this if you have a really really tanky Sterk.
Well, it's a mushroom, so even being first among its ilk, it's not a very dangerous enemy. As long as you aren't fighting with the elements this thing is strong against, you'll be fine. We mostly fought this thing to fulfill the first part of The Secret to Good Fortune.
If you made a Super Mining Bomb along the lines of the one I made, make sure to nuke these crystals. They contain very high quality Wispstones, in the 200+ Quality area, is how high. In fact, in general, the materials around here are very very high Quality, especially with a DE Tonic in effect.
Also, check out the date: it's been more than a year since Lulua's adventure began. It's been quite a year, gotta say.
If you saw that Sour Apple King scene with Wild earlier, here you go. It's just nice to gather a special ingredient, you know?
Collecting high Quality Green Bamboo is important, too, to solve another riddle. We're starting to snowball with these things, I gotta say.
Fast-forwarding a few hours to show some of the most dangerous enemies in the game, gotta say, this place looks suitably hauntingly beautiful at night.
Extreme caution is to be advised around these wolves. Sure, we've fought lots of wolves before, but these ones have a very nasty trick.
It's not that, but that's not helping.
It's this, Blood Moon. The enemy can use an AOE insta-death attack that can trigger if you don't have Angel Charm or Runestone that can block such an effect. I gotta say, this fight was close as hell. The only reason I survived was because of these things being vulnerable to insta-death as well. I probably wouldn't have won if it were otherwise.
They are good for a nice bit of change, but they are a dangerous bunch, just because of that one move. Wouldn't advise grinding them for money or anything.
Meruru's little "bwee!" at the end of her "level up" line is great.
We're all counting on you. I'm mostly here to gather Black Ore from the now-breakable crystals. Boom. Once I was done... The face
*knock on door*
Coming! Who is it?
Hope I'm not interrupting... ... ...
What actually happens is the camera flashes between Lulua and Sterk after he enters, then this screenshot. "..." seems close enough to me to communicate the unspoken exchange.
Hm, what?! A monster?! Oh, it's just you... You startled me, Mr. Sterk... ... S-Sorry! I-It's because I wasn't expecting you! It's not like you have a scary face or anything, not at all, yeah?! No, it's fine. I'm used to it.Aw, now I feel bad in Lulua's stead. Sterk's the very picture of reliability, but he does have a pretty unfortunate face.
Huh, you are...? Yeah. Well... People have always told me that I have a scary, scowling face... O-Oh... Hehe. Rorona and Totori... I've lost track of the number of people who said it to me. So... Don't worry about it. As I said... I'm used to it, hahaha...Apparently he's also had small children cry upon seeing his face. It's a tough deal.
Mr. Sterk... Even if you're used to it, I'm not used to it at all... Urgh! I wasn't expecting you to be so blunt... I see. I am sorry. No, no, please don't apologize. It's just that I'm not used to it, so... I'll just have to get used to it! Hehe... Mr. Sterk, please keep stopping by! If we talk and spend more time together, then... You'll get used to my scary face. Is that it? Hm, yes, maybe. Then it's a promise. Yes, please! By the way, what brings you here today? Oh yes... It's quite a trivial matter. There's something I would like to ask you... M-Mm. But I no longer feel the need. Let's try for another day. See you.*Sterk leaves*
Huh, he's gone... Hmm, I wonder what that was about. Next time, I think I'll go ask him. ...I feel bad for Mr. Sterk, but it is scary to see his face all of a sudden. All right, where was I? Do this and then like this...I know, Lulua, but some things are better left unsaid.
Alright, that's the second part of that one Riddle, time to... The fourth generation
Oh. Ms. Piana! ...Are you drunk?
Drunk? Me? Ahahahahahaha! What ever makes you think that?! You are! You really are drunk, aren't you! Why did... Eh?! This wrapper... It's from those liqueur chocolates! D-Don't tell me... You really can't hold your liquor, can you?! Stop your babbling, Lulua! Ungh! S-Stop hugging me! Lulua... You're so cute! I've always thought so! Hehehehehehe! Let me give you a little kiss! Hey, stay away from me! How embarrassing!
Whaaaa?! What's with you? You're not acting like yourself! *loses 12 hours of life*
Ungh... My head hurts. Just what did I do... Oh... Hi, Teacher. You're awake. L-Lulua? Why are you looking at me like that? It's probably better if you don't know. By the way, Teacher... I've made up my mind about something. Oh really?! Wh-What is it...? I've decided that even when I'm an adult, I'm not going to drink alcohol. I won't drink, so it doesn't get the better of me. See you later! *marches off* Hey, wait a second... What happened?! Lulua! You've got to tell me!Some things never changed around here... So how many Atelier protagonists end up drinking? Quite a few, actually, but I think Ayesha is the only one who drank in the same game she debuted in. She was a total lightweight. It was a disaster and she ended up having to be carried back to her atelier by a third party.
But as for that riddle, we unlocked the second tier of explosives for Ice/Lightning: the Rocket Ice Bomb and Grand Lightning Bomb, respectively. Now the only thing we have to do to finish all the riddles this chapter is get a Dragon Eye drop. Great. Hardest for last.
Before we get harassed again by any drunkards, let's get back to the plot at last. Mountain high
This place hasn't changed a bit. There's even a treasure chest where there was one before.
*A-A-ACHOO* Gah, I shouldn't have come dressed like this!
Ahahahaha. Should we find you some kind of coat? Nah, I'm good. I'll tough it out. Don't worry about me--worry about her.
*achoo* Urghh... *pant* *pant* Stia, are you OK? You're burning up! I'm...fine. You'll cure me in no time, Lulua. Stia... Heh. You'd better make sure you live up to that, Lulua...Eva seems to be getting a bit jealous.
Of course! We have to get our hands on that feather! Wind Stone roosts in the furthest reaches of the Highlands. Be wary of monsters on the way.
I'm well aware! You don't have to tell us! Let's go! Hey, what's wrong, Aurel? You seem a little on edge... You're imagining things. Come on! Dawdlers get left behind.*Aurel leaves*
Waiiiit! ...Ready, Stia? ...Yes.
Music: Wind's Valley: For Lulua
Next time, the both of you. Luckily, the Ster Highlands have been mostly cleared of the rather dangerous enemy hordes that populated this area in Rorona. The paths are also wider, so it's easy to dodge enemies in your way if you don't want to fight them. But don't move so fast that you forget to grab at least a few Star Pieces from nearby piles of rocks. Those are good for both an Alchemyriddle entry and Sunlite, the next tier of weapon upgrades.
Dragoon Coat is in that aforementioned chest. It's...probably the highest tier of armor you can make right now that anyone can wear, so slap this on someone if they're lagging behind in the armor a bit.
Most dangerous enemy groups are here are the rabbits, because they'll use that annoying as hell Corner Missile a lot. Gets very old. Extreme prejudice is the best answer to such a situation, of course. Omega Crafts completely destroy these guys. In addition, Sterk/Aurel's Primal Art negates the ability of enemies to delay your allies' turns, so that can take the edge off the most dangerous part of Corner Missile, where the rabbits just keep spamming it and you never get any turns to fight back.
Other than that, the traits you'll find on things around here are the usual stuff, a tier below the things you can find in Quelei Forest. You do eventually have to defeat a group of these for an Alchemyriddle entry next chapter, so you might as well take them out while you're here.
In the next area, as well as two more of them in the final one, are dragons. As I've mentioned, these dragons do rarely drop Dragon Eyes, and we need to get one. Now, if you really don't feel like grinding these fellows, you can presumably wait until the Arland Fair rolls around again and buy one then, but that's a long time to wait to finish a single riddle if you ask me.
If you want to get it now, the recipes you get from finishing this riddle are good. If you're really committed to getting the item via drop, Rorona's current highest-tier weapon, made from Ster Metal, does give double item drop chance with a maximum Fire value. I'm not sure if Rorona has to land the killing blow on an enemy, she has to be on the field, or if neither of those make any difference to make the item drop rate increase, but keep it in mind. Of course, if you're really struggling, switch the difficulty to Easy. Pretty sure that doesn't affect drop rates a bit.
As for me, I actually cut this recording short because I didn't want to have like an hour of fighting dragons on Very Hard just waiting for that drop. So this is the only riddle I finished off-camera, after like...7 or 8 dragons? Something like that. On my second playthrough, this was much worse. I probably defeated 30+ dragons before I finally got a drop. Behind this dragon is a chest with a White Haze Symbol that has some nice traits on it. Luckily, if you don't want to fight, you can just squeeze around the dragon's left to avoid fighting it.
Princess' Edict is a good skill for your DPS, because it significantly increases the target's ATK (but kills their defense) but be wary on using it on Meruru herself; using it costs a significant amount of WT and she won't be moving anytime soon. In a case like this, slap it on Aurel and let him go to town.
He is using Resting Spirit Stance in addition to Meruru's skill, but those are some damn fine ATK numbers for this point in the game. And the advantage with Aurel is that his Evasion is pretty high, so powerful attacks won't always get through to him. One thing I will note that is that don't try to increase his DEF while he's like this; I think the DEF penalty goes along with the ATK buff, and if the DEF is somehow alleviated, he loses all that extra ATK.
Valuable materials lie at the summit. A gathering point next to a pile of bones means you can find Dragon materials: a Horn and/or Scale. If, for whatever reason, you need a lot of Dragon materials, this is the go-to place. Particularly if you're making lots of Dragoon Coats, since those need a Horn and a (Dragon) material. In addition to that Lesser Draco in the distance, there's a teal dragon just off-camera that you also need to fight and defeat for some Alchemyriddle entries. Best to take care of it before we finish our business here. Determination
Oof, this blizzard's intense! Don't tell me--Wind Stone's causing it? They say it can raise storms with its wings. Seems likely this is Wind Stone's doing. Stay on the path, people! It's just a little wind, nothing to-- ...! Where's Lulua?!It does figure Stia would be the first one to notice.
She's gone! Lulua! Lulua!!*fade to black*
Stia?? Wh-Where is everyone? Guys? Guys?!
... Oh, poop. Are you...Wind Stone? Indeed. Ah! Um, I have a favor to ask! If it's not too much trouble, can I have one of your feathers? Er, please! I'm so sorry...I know it's rude, but... Is there any way you could give me one? Answer me this. "What fulfills thine life?" Oh...? You mean...what am I living for? I...I don't know! I've never thought about it! This is not the time to think about things like that! Right now, I need to help Stia! I have to do it no matter what! Please, Wind Stone. All I need is one of your feathers.Personally, I'd say she just answered the question, but she seems fairly discombobulated at the moment, so maybe she isn't thinking entirely clearly.
No. Those who answer not, deserve not my aid. Thou mayst leave, Frail One. ...! No! ...
She's important to me! If you won't give me a feather, I'll...I'll take it by force! Hmm... So be it. If thou willst not depart, then by the strength of my wings shall thou be swept aside!
So we're really doing this shit. First off, I hope you prepared, because...
Just kidding. Wind Stone will just spam Whirlwind over and over again before you can do anything. You'll be lucky if you survive a single hit. Also, there is a new song here, but I won't post it just yet. Not very appropriate when you'll get stomped in under 30 seconds.
Last actually unwinnable fight in this series? Uhhh, think it was Sterk vs. Gino back in Totori. Every other fight is ordinarily winnable, just barely winnable in that the game nonetheless very much expects you to lose Keithgriff in Hallos Village in Ayesha, or essentially impossible without carrying over powerful equipment and/or items on a NG+ Ultimate Falgior in Lydie & Suelle.
... *pant* *pant* I won't...give...up... Not...yet... Stia...needs me...*Lulua collapses*
...Fate-burdened child. Thou are still unformed, yet something shines within you. One opportunity shall I grant you. I hope thou findest thine answer ere long.
Lulua! I found her! Are you all right?! My Lulua...*Lulua gets up*
*groan* ...! Th-Thank goodness...! What's...what's happening...? You got lost in the blizzard. Everyone's been looking for you. You're very badly injured! It looks like a monster attack. I'll heal you right away!
Wind Stone's feather? Huh? If you've got that, that means... Lulua...! Yeah... I fought Wind Stone.Well, "fought" in the sense that we did go to the battle screen. What happened after that was just the details.
On your own? You idiot girl! You could have died! I'm so sorry... But Stia needed me. (Did Wind Stone...listen to me? I must be imagining things... It asked me, "What fulfills thine life?" It wanted to know my purpose in life. The next time we meet, I want to have an answer to that question...) *achoo* Oh, are you all right, Lulua? If we hang around here, you're going to catch a cold too! Now we have the feather, we can head back to the workshop, right? Yes, let's. Once we're back, I can make the medicine to cure Stia! I'm sorry, Stia! Just hang on a little while longer! Of course. Thank you, Lulua... *cough* *cough* Right. With this feather, I'll be able to get it done. It'll all work out! ...Probably.I would hope so, given we were reduced to 1 HP in this endeavor. And yes, in spite of Rorona's healing in that prior scene, Lulua resumes normal gameplay at 1 HP, so heal her up. The teal dragon, Draconia, that's also hanging out at the summit gets two turns in a row and is in general much more dangerous than a Lesser Draco, but uses many of the same abilities. This fight actually turned out pretty exciting, so we're making a video of it. This was really close, but by defeating it, we get clues to two riddles in the bag.
Finish your business as you see fit, then return to any atelier. I thought this next scene popped up when Lulua was Battle level 50, but she's level 46 for me on this file, so that must not be true.
Hm? Looks like "Alchemyriddle" is glowing. Let's see... "Unlocking the Mysteries of Ultimate Attacks." ...Whoa! Sounds amazing!Finally, this thing is paying off. Everyone except Sterk learns their ultimate attack at level 50, and how it works is that, as your characters take actions and you get attacked by enemies, the Ultimate Gauge in the top right of the battle screen fills up. Once it hits 100%, anyone with an Ultimate Attack can use theirs to try to tip the scales in your party's favor. Ultimate Gauges reset after battle ends, so unfortunately you can't bank it on easier fights to save for harder ones. The only two exceptions to this 100% rule are the two swordsmen, Aurel and Sterk. Both need to get the Gauge to 200% to use theirs. 200% is the max the Gauge can go, but the advantage of that is that if you use anyone's Ultimate but theirs, everyone's but Aurel/Sterk's only drains the Gauge by 100%, so you can use two in a row if you feel that's most advantageous.
For the record, Sterk gains his Ultimate at level 90, so it's going to be quite some time until we can use that. Should be worth it, though.
Hmm. Yeah, I get it now! Wow! "Ultimate Attacks enable you to turn the tide of a battle." *puts Alchemyriddle away* Hehe. "Ultimate Attacks" has such an impressive ring to it! I can't wait to make use of these!Just four more levels. Well, I think that was all in all a successful trip to the Highlands, so let's stop in at Parliament for a quite memorable scene. The truth
Thank you, Mimi! So the next class should be fine.
Hehe, I sure hope so. Are you taking proper breaks? Yeah, I'm fine. I'm going to watch you make sure you do so...
Um, Lulua...? Why are you hiding? Oh, don't worry about it. It's a strange habit of hers. This isn't a habit! The point of observation is so that the subjects don't notice that they are being observed! Anyway, that's not the point! Umm, Ms. Totori? Mimi?
Well, she's hardly wrong. They've been together for about 20 years now.
A married couple?! W-W-W-W-Why would you say that?! Huh?! I mean, the way you guys speak to each other. It's like you really care about each other... Well, of course. Because Mimi's my best friend. ...! Ever since I went searching for my mother, she's been by my sisde and has taken care of me. We've spent a lot of time together. And I usually know what the other one is thinking...right? W-What are you saying, Totori?! I-I don't think that at all! Oh, really? So it was just me thinking one-sidedly, huh... That's a bit of a shock... And we've been such good friends until now... *sigh*...Some hardcore emotional manipulation. Totori has grown up well.
T-Totori...! *choke*
You definitely always know what I'm thinking! Aha...ahahahaha! Ahahaha! I guess you guys really are that close, aren't you? And it looks like Totori wears the trousers... ...Haha. Lulua? You shouldn't let Mimi catch you saying things like that. We're friends! A beautiful close friendship. Right, Totori?? Right??Well, Totori's manipulation aside, it is pretty close, still. Obviously always hanging around each other, and remember: Totori's still the only person we know Mimi told the story of her mother and upbringing to. And true to form, Totori's sworn to secrecy on that one.
Finally, Rorona's time to shine is not far away. Ancestral Recall L is pretty great (and requires a Star Piece, which is why I hadn't made it up to now), because it increases MP by 30 and doubles the item drop rate. Again, with the above caveats of me not knowing exactly how it works, but hey, can't hurt. For whatever reason, there's no scene with Cole after making one of Rorona's weapons. Well, I can actually hazard a guess about that, but give it a few more updates before I explain why I think this might be the case.
But there is one for making at least one weapon for every normal party member, but we'll get to that next time.
Ah, so that's how Ficus did it. Classic technique.
Did Benon and Rorona raise her wrong? This is a concerning development.
And that'll do it for Chapter 7. Our reward is the Witch's Salve, which you may remember from prior games as a so-so early game debuffing item, but here it's quite powerful. Again, something that'll have to wait for next time. Completion of all this chapter's riddles brings us to an even 60% Alchemyriddle completion, but that doesn't count riddles yet to appear, so that number isn't quite accurate.
Hm, that actually looks okay to me... You almost certainly don't need me to tell you what these Effects do, and of course, strictly speaking EXP gain is more valuable, especially since I have more money than I could possibly spend, but I just like bringing in the big bucks, okay? I also don't like the Battle level and Alchemy level going too far out of sync. Yep, this'll do.
It's called...the Fate Talisman!Yep, again, you don't need me to tell you what it does. Just make sure to equip it, since it doesn't do anything just sitting in your Container.
All right! Let's try it out! Pretty soon, I'll move the fate of the world! Luluaaa, are you home? I made way too much curry today. Thought you might like some. Incredible. It works even better than I imagined. Coming, Eva! Hehehe. With power of fate itself in my hands, I'll be unstoppable! Henceforth, I shall dine only on the finest curry in all the land! Mwahahaha!Well, so far we only have evidence of its power over curry-related matters, but for Lulua, that should be all that's necessary. As for the one I made, Great Learner L is a +30% boost to EXP, Great Fortune XL is a massive +70% Cole earned. Yep, easy money.
I think it's time to fulfill Mana's request for a high quality Mont Blanc. She waited a long time to get this, I feel this is an appropriate reward for that patience. I also took on a few requests for Lisa and managed to get the second rank-up scene. She's asking for a Styrom Board of >50 Quality to level up the job board for a second time. We don't have the recipe for this just yet but we've actually fulfilled the riddle for this already, so it's really just a matter of decoding it. In time, in time. Ordinary tastes
Oh, wow! Thanks a lot, Lulua! Without further ado...! *crunch* *munch* *munch* Mm! This is amazing! The best! Ha ha ha! Just as I expected! Hehe! Right? Well, I'm just glad you're satisfied. I'm more than satisfied! Thank you! I always knew human food was the best... Hehe... What was that...? Ohh! Just mumbling to myself. Don't mind me. Here! This is for the sweets. Go on and take it! *gives three Globes*Hey, she was probably so overcome from the food that she wasn't thinking straight. Makes sense to me.
Wow... Thanks, Mana! Hehe, it's no problem! Especially after delivering such delicious sweets! If you get a chance, can you make more? I'll be waiting, Lulua! No problem! I'll see you later!Well, even if she says a lot of weird stuff and finds herself just about anywhere, I guess in the end she's still just a normal girl.
Or uh...something like that, at least. Another batch of Lisa requests got me this coming scene. A true connisseur
Uh-oh, I don't think I have ever heard you sigh, Lisa. What's up?
Oh, Lulua... Hm...I guess I can talk to you about it... You see, I'm a little worried about something. The whole overeating thing... ...Eh? You're actually worried about it? Y-yes... Well, actually... My father wanted me to work here to learn about homemaking, but... There's another reason. He thought that if I was surrounded by food all the time, I would stop overeating... Ohhh...
She's stopped eating with me recently... Remember the last time you dropped by...? Yeah... I think she left because of what I was about to eat. She's too ashamed of me...That doesn't sound like good ol' Refle, but this could be serious.
Oh, Lisa... Please, Lulua... Help me fix my eating habits! Find a way to stop me from overeating... Do you have any suggestions...? Hm... Let me think... Oh, I have an idea! What if you eat something that tastes terrible?? Maybe the shock from the bad food will help... Maybe. I see... That just might work. I've never eaten food that didn't look delicious. We should definitely give it a try, then! I'll bring you something that looks terrible. Something that looks terrible... Ugh. BUt if it'll help with my overeating...! Lulua! Please help me out! Just leave it to me! You prepare yourself until I get back...! S-sure... *gulp*...
So instead of actually making some lousy food, we have to give her three Med Tree Roots which are apparently disgusting. I'll, of course, be giving her the lowest-quality Med Tree Roots I have. Even a big eater must have her limits, right?
Thanks, Lulua...! This is... This is a thing... Yes... And I even tried a little. It's uh...impressive. Th-that bad...?! This could...be just what I need. Yeah... Once you eat this, I'm sure you'll never want to overeat ever again! So go on and dig in! OK! H-here I go...!
Whaa...?? Really?! Here, give me a bite--Oh my god, that is terrible... Is it?? I thought it tasted quite nice! I could eat a whole mountain of it! Th-there's no way...! How, Lisa?! Are you the type that thinks everything tastes good?! Ahaha, that might be true! Say, Lulua...? Do you have more? It's not use... I don't think there's anything I can do to cure Lisa's overeating... I'm a complete and total failure... *sigh**Lulua begins to leave*
Huh? Lulua?! Where are you going, Lulua?! Hey! Powerless... I'm completely powerless against her... *grumble* *grumble*Did you really think you stood a chance against The Demon Devourer of Worlds? This is yet another important step on the road to being an alchemist. Some problems have no solutions. Guess we'll just have to keep doing requests for Lisa until we get some kind of resolution.
Isn't it great how we don't really need cutscenes anymore to describe what these Exploration Tools do?
"Harvest Gloves"? As in for harvesting? Yeah. Think of them like...Again, simple concept. Depending on the Effect, you can gather more ingredients per gathering. The third level gives you +3 items per harvest. I don't think this applies to bug hunting or fishing or special exploration tasks, though. Just normal gathering. For one item in particular that becomes available in Chapter 9, you'll be glad you have a +3 Harvest Gloves.
See?! With this, no harvest will go to waste! Wow! Hey, Lulua, think you could make a few more of these for the orphanage?! Sure! No problem. I'll whip 'em up right now. Let's see, now...Well, with that, all of our business in Chapter 7 is pretty much done. Of course there's more we can do, namely by leveling up job boards or whatever, but we're not going to dwell on this chapter when there's much more work to be done.
Because this item uses a Windslice Feather, which is a special item, this is our first Important item. Important syntheses use one-of-a-kind materials you get via cutscenes and are impossible to fail. It would highly awkward if we could. Along the way, I'd recommend making high quality Polish Powder and a Rota Fortunae to fulfill a couple of riddles down the line. No sense in not, you know.
And if you were curious about the name, well...
All of these intermediate syntheses are like Alchemy level 29, so that's where you should be right now. I'm a few levels higher than that.
And here we go with the recipe Lisa wants. This is the first (Lumber) item we can make that's a Synthesis item, meaning the (Lumber) category of items is much more versatile.
See? No Effect bars. You couldn't fail this if you wanted to. This synthesis also put me at level 34, so that's nice. The following few scenes are all part of the same video, which takes us to the official end of Chapter 7. The ties that bind
Well done, Lulua! Let's hurry! Yep, Stia's waiting for us! We're coming, Stia!
I'm really sorry this took so long! But I made it! I made the medicine that'll cure you! Oh... Thank you so much... *cough* *hack* You can thank me later! Enough chatting!For some reason there's a gap between the above scene and the next one, where you have to actually give the gear to Stia. As to how Lulua does that, eh, I'm sure she can figure it out. Maybe ask Mana if there are any complicated assembly instructions.
... How does it feel? This is amazing... My body feels so light.
Wha--?! Why are you crying, Lulua? Isn't it obvious? I thought I'd lose you... *sniff* I'm so glad... I'm so glad you're still here! Lulua... Um, I--
Thank goodness you're better, Stia! Isn't this great? You both did amazingly well!Sterk is here too, as well as Piana and Chim Dragon. How embarrassing for Lulua, but seems like that was Stia's problem, not Lulua getting emotional there.
Mom?! And everyone else?! Wh-Where did you come from? Ahahaha. We wanted to see how it turned out... We were keeping an eye on you to see how it went. Looks like another happy ending! K-Keeping an eye? So that means... You saw me bawling like an idiot! Yup. You really are still just a child, aren't you? Hey, don't be mean! You big...meanie! Hahaha, it's all good. There ain't no shame in tears of joy! Now, I reckon this calls for a celebration. Whadda y'all say? Oh, what a lovely idea! I'll cook up a feast! Ahh, me too! Me too! Let's prepare it together! Um, er... This all seems to be escalating a bit quickly... Ahaha! Just go with it, it'll be fun! Count me in for helping to cook! Stia will help as well. Right? ...Yeah.
Hm, looks like Stia wants to play with Ficus' cards there. Probably a bad idea.
Everyone: Cheers!
Hehe, help yourselves. I really made a lot, so don't be shy! Nooo! Eva, Eva, Eva! Don't tell me you didn't make any curry? Hehe, about that... All done, Lulua! Sorry to keep you waiting. Here's my speciality curry! Yay! Your curry is the best! This is great! Hey, Stia, come eat this with me! Of course, thank you. Hey, I want some too! Save some for me!
Hah hah hah hah! Lulua certainly looks happy. A lot happened recently. We all deserve to have some fun, eh? Ha! Ow! That hurts, Niko! Are you already drunk, you great lunk? Ow! Stop it! Looks like everyone's having a great time. And this wine is of exceptional quality.
Very kind of you to say so. I had to go a long way to find it. So, Sterkenburg Cranach. How long are you planning on tagging along?Aurel has an interesting way of saying "Cranach". Maybe it's the seiyuu's particular way of thinking how the name should be pronounced.
Hmm? Oh. Well, work's settled down a bit. I thought I'd see if I can help Lulua for a while. ...I see. This should be good. A contest, then, for the place of Lulua's mightiest compani-- *hrk* Hah hah hah! What's with the intensity, matey? Let's just enjoy ourselves, eh? Hahaha! Ow! Ow! That hurts, you fool! Cease and desist! *chuckle* This curry is amazing! Yum yum yum. Right, Stia?
What was that, Stia? I didn't catch it. Oh, nothing! Ms. Rorona, do you think I could have a little more?Goodness, Stia's becoming more human-like all the time.
Ahh, me too, me too! Mooom, I want seconds as well!
(Somehow, she had already become one of the most important beings in my life. The thought that one day she might not be there was almost unbearable. That's why... That curry we ate after curing her cold...was the best I've ever tasted. A lot was going on, but for that moment there was one thing I was sure of. And that was that Stia was already...a deeply inseparable part of my family. And so marks the "Chapter of Bonds" When I noticed the precious ties that bound us.)