Part 84: Chapter L-5: The Goddess' Realms

Part L-5: The Goddess’ Realms

So you had the far outskirts of Merveille in mind for foraging this week?

Yeah. We can find some real primo materials out there. It’s dangerous, of course, but… in for a penny, in for a pound!

You said it! So… to the Morrakis Range first!



Hm? Does the mountain man want something with us?

Probably just another dumb question… but we might as well check in with him, I guess.



Hmm… interesting… thanks, Mister!

Could it be…? Well, only one way to find out!


The Painting in the Snow

Hey, you’re right. What’s it doing here? Well… finders keepers!



Eh?!

Lydie? What’s wrong?

N-No, it’s nothing… I’m fine.

If you say so… Hey, hold on! I bet this is a Mysterious Painting! Being left on a snowy mountainside like this, it just reeks of mystery!

Hahaha, I’m not sure that’s the same “mystery” as in “Mysterious Painting”, but you might be right!

I know I’m right! Come on, let’s take it back and show it to Mireille!

Yes… okay. Let’s do that.



Lydie…?

Ah, since we’re all the way out here, we should check out the Dawn Realm too! Maybe we’ll find something special there as well!



Nothing unusual yet…

Hmm… maybe further in, then!


The Goddess in the Dawn Realm

Huh? Is that someone calling to us? Or am I just hearing things?

No, I hear it too. Sounds like it’s coming from over there.



Hehehe, welcome. I’m so glad you are here.

What’s going on here? Was that you, just now?

Yes. I’m so bored, I was wondering if you’d play with me?

Sure, I think we can play some…

Hehe! Great, that sounds perfect! In which case…

Hahaha! You haven’t changed, Palmyra!



Palmyra…? You know this girl, Firis?

Yes, she’s my friend. Palmyra, this is Lydie and Sue. They’re alchemists too.

Wow, alchemists! Now this sounds like a fight worth fighting!

…What? A fight? I thought you just wanted to play…



W-Whaaaat! You should have started with that!


Music: Shooting Star (Lydie & Suelle Ver.)

Come on! Let’s have some fun!



Hmph. If you insist…





This should be good for assurance…



The Dawn Realm looks pretty and all… but you know what’s prettier?




We could do without the meteors, th-



Here she comes!!

Eat this!



Nngh…

And again!



No way…

Alt!! …Let’s hope for a miracle…!



Thanks for the save.



Now, you’re up, Lydie!





And now, for the main event…



Hehe! Let’s go, Palmyra!




Uwah!!




Oh, I actually lost…



Phew… You’re tough!

H-How did you get to be so strong? Are you some kind of warrior from history or something?

Hahaha, she’s not a warrior. Palmyra is more like, well… a goddess?

Did you say a goddess?!



So being rude to her could, what? Get us turned into two Puni?

Uwah, no thanks! Goddess Palmyra, I’m so sorry!

Enough of that. You can still just call me Palmyra, please. We’re friends now, after all!

That makes me happy to hear, but I don’t think we should act so familiar with a goddess…

If I’m the goddess, then I decide the rules, right? So please, do as I ask! In fact, if you do keep on being all weird, I’ll turn you into spider crickets!

Spider crickets! Uwah, that’s worse than Puni! Alright, alright, Palmyra it is!

Good, that’s the way! This is the start of a long friendship, Lydie, Sue!

Yes! We hope so too!

Wow, anyway, after all this fun I’m exhausted. Sorry, I’m going to take a break. I’ll be wandering around here when I’m awake. Come and play with me anytime. Goodnight!



H-Hahaha… I didn’t expect to find a goddess in our circle of friends!

I was surprised too, at first. After spending some time with her, though, I can say she’s just a regular girl. Don’t think about it too much, just relax and enjoy!

Right, Firis. Speaking of relaxing… we oughta catch some shut eye when we get home. Before presenting Mireille with our discovery…

Some days later…


A Sketchy Restoration

Wow, you’re even more smiley than normal! I didn’t think that was possible. What’s up, Sue?

I’ll tell you what’s up! We’ve found something that looks a lot like a Mysterious Painting!

What? You have?

Yes. It’s right here. Will you please take a look?

Let me take a look, then. Hmm… I see…

Oh! This is so exciting…



What! I thought you were using some special royal power to identify them!

You’re kidding! I’m still only human. I’ve used research to identify paintings until now. In any case… How about we restore it and see what happens?

So if we can go inside it after we Restore it, then it’s a Mysterious Painting? That’s pretty simplistic!

Easy to understand, I’d call it. Mireille! Will you please hang it in the gallery? We’ll Restore it at once and give it a try!

Alright, I’ll get it up on the wall. You handle the Restoration! Thanks!



Hmm… Let’s try something like this…

“Paint of Sinking Evil Darkness”… with bugs as an ingredient… Lovely recipe you’ve come up with…



Gulp! Now for the moment of truth…


Voices and Threats

Hmm, I think that’s it. That should complete the Restoration.

It does? Then I guess this isn’t really a Mysterious Painting.

Yep. Just some weird discarded art form… !!



What’s wrong, Lydie?

I can hear a voice from the painting. Not Mom’s voice, but someone else’s… It says they won’t guarantee our safety if we try to go inside.

What! If that’s true, I think we’d better stop this investigation at once!

No way! I was thinking the complete opposite. I want to get in there and investigate at once! Threatening Lydie isn’t allowed! I don’t care who’s doing the talking, I’ll go and defeat them!

Sue…!

Very well. You found this painting, so you can decide what to do with it. But don’t take any big risks. Prepare carefully before you go inside!

Yes, we understand.



Let’s get straight to the bottom of this!


Music: Decaying Crown -Last Light-







…What is this place? It’s dark, and red, and scary!

Yeah. Maybe we should leave, after all?

It’s too late now. We’re here, so we’re going to explore!



Sue! Okay…!


Music: Decaying Crown -Dark Night-

Even aside from the oppressive atmosphere… All the flowers are poisonous, and the water looks positively poisonous…



And the monsters look really powerful… it’s like this painting world is doing everything it can to get us to leave!

Sure. But we can’t back down! Not until we find whatever threatened you and set it straight!

Sue…!



This looks like the only way forward. Lydie, be careful not to fall off these planks…

Uwah, no need to tell me twice!



Lovely.

Somehow, this world feels even more ominous than the Black Horizon…



Everywhere we go, it looks like something went on a rampage. Houses sinking into the swamp, shacks crumbling into oblivion…



Second time’s the charm, huh?



Somehow, I don’t think THAT’S the thing that threatened you… and I don’t want to waste any time or energy on it regardless…

But we’ve no choice but to engage it if we want to advance further… so let’s just run past it once we engage it!



There we go! Now, we just have to make it to the end…


The Goddess in Crimson

Ugh?! Where are you!





I am Termina. I have nothing else to say. Humans, leave this place. Leave now and I will forgive you. If you will not leave, then I will take your lives.

Oh. You’re the one who threatened Lydie, aren’t you? Lydie didn’t do a thing to you! You speak of forgiveness? Well, I don’t forgive you!

H-Hold on a moment, Sue! That makes me happy, but I don’t think threatening her is a good idea!

…Hahaha! You don’t forgive me? Pathetic! Come on then! Let’s see what you can do!


Music: Losaria



Forget fighting in a world like this! Let’s even the field!





Hmm… No need for the N/A… so I can skip straight to this!





Hmm… Ah, Lydie!

Take this!!





Here’s what you get for threatening Lydie!










Hahah! You can’t hope to defeat us! Come on, Termina! Time to apologize to Lydie!

Hah. To a human? Never.



No more bombs! Gah, then I have no choice… I’m sorry for being too harsh on you. But that doesn’t change that this is all your fault!

What? What do you mean?

I left the painting somewhere no one would find it. But you carried it back into town! W-What if lots more people come? It will be such hard work getting rid of them!

…Why do you sound happy about that?

You’re imagining things! What a pain you both are, honestly.

I’m sorry, Termina… We’re the ones who should apologize. Sue… let’s take the painting back to the mountainside. That’s what Termina wants.

Oh.

Hehehe! You’re right, that’s what she said. I guess we have no choice!



This painting is large, so it can’t be easy to carry around. I’ll let you leave it where it is.

You will? Like this?

Sure. But in exchange, I want you to come and fight me again. I’m always alone… I mean, I have so much free time. It’s nice to have something to do.

Sure, if that’s your story. You’re really easy to read, you know that!

Hah. I’m going to take a rest. I expect to see you again. Swear to me!



Hmm. She’s still a bit of a strange one, isn’t she? Termina…

You think so? She’s the same as Lucia, that’s all…



Hey, you’re right. Do you think Termina is like Fuoco, inside the painting? Or do you think…

I don’t know. Let’s ask her next time we meet.

Good idea. She said she wanted us to come again, anyway. We’ll have another chance.

Bloodstained Fragments obtained.

That night…


Swole Lydie Mk. II

Lydie… come here for a moment. There’s something I want to check. Just flex your arm for me for a moment, will you?

Ah, sure. Alright. …Huaaah!

Whaaaaat!

Hahaha, what’s up?



Hey, I think that’s overstating it a little. My training is paying off, though!

Tell me, Sis, just out of curiosity. How much have you been working out recently?

Umm… 3000 push-ups, 5000 sit-ups, 2500 each of squats and back stretches… I’ve been wrestling dragons, too. Although I send them flying with a single attack.

…Why? Why has it come to this? Where did I go wrong…?

Right, I need some protein! Some raw eggs could be good!



What?

Come back, Lydie! Come back to your lovely, delicate self! You don’t need to be any stronger! I’ll get strong enough to protect you! So… please! Come back, come back to your old self, Lydie! You don’t need all those muscles!

Oh, Sue… I feel so sorry for you. You talk like that because you’ve got no muscles.

Hold on! Lydie…?



No… Nooooooooooooooo! Stay baaaaaack!

…Sue, Sue! Wake up, Sue!



Sue! I’m sorry for hitting you so hard!

Lydie! Lydie, please… Just stay weak!