Part 65: Adopting a New Outlook

Entry 62: Adopting a New Outlook



As is this arc, now that the crystal is saved and the Eternians are once again foiled.



I'll never let him out of my sight again.

For all the bad stuff that's happened, things have ended happily for many.

Seems this long, hard war is finally coming to its end.



The party's actions in the war, understandably, were only known by a few.



But that's fine; they're doing it for justice and the sake of the world, not for recognition.



Anyway, the party has a kid to drop off before they go bash more Eternian heads in.



You hear that, Egil? That's great news. You couldn't wish for a better family than the Goodmans.

......



I would hate to see you end up a soldier.

I believe your husband has what it takes to make that happen.

Thank you for your kind words.

Well, then, Egil. You take care of yourself. We'll be back to check on you, so be on your best behavior.

I will... Goodbye, everyone...

Tiz and the others leave. Egil makes to go after them...



...then stops, waving goodbye. Phew.



Although it's not like there weren't signs, too.

You could see it in his face as far back as when Commander Goodman said they'd take in the boys.

Hmm, I suppose, now that you mention it... Hm? Airy...?

Is something wrong? You've been staring off behind us. Are you expecting something?

......The kid, Egil.

Egil? What of him?

There's no way he stayed put! I won't believe it, and I WON'T be tricked!

Ah ha ha! Once bitten, twice shy, eh, Airy?

Hmm, he did seem to take those orders from Eleanor awfully well, considering his usual tone.

Exactly. Something is fishy here, and I refuse to be duped!

You seem like you almost want him to show up.

Ha ha ha, she and Egil have an epic rivalry going by now.

(You can't fool me twice, brat...)

Before leaving for good, the party checks up on Eleanor and Egil again.



It's okay, you don't have to worry about me.

Despite the party's concerns, Egil shows no signs of following them. Last time, he had the higher goal of helping the fire vestal. Now, he'd only be running away for himself.





And from the lady nearby:

It sounds like the war is finally ending. Once peace is finally here, I'm going to eat until I burst.

The townsfolk at night are doing better now, too, though for some, peace is more bittersweet than others:



I suppose all I can do now is to live on, enough for the both of us. I have to keep my husband's memory alive. I'll find what happiness I can. He'd have wanted that, I know.





Back to the Eschalot, then to Grandship. Nothing's really changed...



Except for one particularly loud patron at the bar.

Hmm? I'm loud? ...And irritating? Apologies! Ha ha, apologies. It's just a shame, is all.

You see, the little inn in Caldisla I use as my base of operations is, well... It's going out of business!

Seems the old innkeep finally succumbed. Poor man can't keep the inn going.



You got it. One trip to Caldisla later:



Huh? Uh... Who are you?

I'm a distant relative of the innkeep. He's too sick to get up and about, so I'm filling in for him.

He's bedridden? Is it serious?

Not at all! The doctor says he doesn't need to stay in bed. But...well, you should see for yourself.

Well, we'd better go see him, then.

The innkeep is where we last saw him.



Uhhrm...

He's having a nightmare.

...Owen...

......



His son was everything to him...

It must be hard to deal with it alone.



She has to go back to her home soon, I hear.



Oh, it just came up...

Let's check my journal before things take a turn for the worse, hmm? "We'll bring the orphan to the inn we set out from." That sounds relevant, no?

Oh... This is the inn we set out from, and the orphan... I guess that means Egil?

That's nonsense! Mrs. Goodman has given him a good home...

Come to think of it, Egil's parents were guards, just like Owen. He said he was raised by his kind grandfather after they died.

But...

It doesn't have to be permanent. Just until the old man gets better. Do you think we could have Egil stay here a while?

I guess that's up to Egil.



Let's ask around, get a better gauge of how things are going at the inn.







Sounds like Karl's not going to pull out of this on his own. It may just be time for outside intervention.



In the meantime, his distant relative maintains the policy of not charging the party to stay, luckily.



As some commenters noted earlier, chapter 3 requires a ton of traveling from continent to continent. I've been cutting it out, but this time I'll include a brief summary of what that involves for reference's sake.










Let's all give a big hand to the Eschalot for carting the party all over the world, multiple times, at the breakneck speed of 30mph.



Eleanor got a new outfit for Egil when she took him in.

Hello, Egil. You look happy.

He's been bouncing off the walls ever since this morning, when he heard you were coming.

He isn't always this way?

No... Since you left, he's been moody most of the time.

Is that true, Egil?



But I... I still want to travel with you.

......

Hey, Egil. Can I tell you something? It's about a captain of the guard, who lived in a far off land.

He died in battle, fighting to protect his kingdom.

Just like my mother and father...

And this man's father, he lies sick in bed at the shock of his loss. The captain's father has been of great help to all of us. We owe him a great deal.

I was thinking...

If you would spend some time with the captain's father, I believe it might help him get better. What do you think, Egil?

What? So you didn't come to ask me to go with you? That's a shame...

Hmm...

Okay, I'll do it! I can't say no to you!

Thank you so much, Egil!

If this is Egil's decision, I won't stop him. But you come back anytime you want, okay?



Egil bows to Eleanor, packs his stuff, and leaves with the party.









Hm? Oh. Yeah, a bit, I guess.

Thinking about Egil?

He's just gotten settled at the Goodmans', and now he's being shipped off to a foreign land...

Yeah... There's that, too.

That too...?

You mean Eleanor... Don't you?

Yes. The two of them had decided to take him in, and now...

They had just enough time together to make it painful to part. I feel terrible.

I feel the same. She mustered a smile to see him off, but inside...

Can't be helped, I'm afraid. We can encourage him to write her once he's settled in Caldisla.

I wouldn't mind ferrying the boy to the Goodmans' every once in a while, either.

Ooh, seconded!

And aren't we forgetting someone here? We brought the boy along on a lot of good intentions and not much planning.

What happens if the innkeep says no? It all hinges on him.

I might have a backup plan. Let's pay the king a visit before the two of them meet.





On docking the ship they head straight to the king, who luckily has had no pressing commitments since the local Eternians were disassembled.

The situation is explained off-screen.



A fine idea, I must say. I have been concerned about the innkeep myself.

Egil, it is admirable of you to agree to follow in the innkeep's footsteps. The Kingdom of Caldisla welcomes you!

Ah... You see... I...

I want to be a powerful soldier one day, like my mother and father before me! Like Tiz.

I want to be a mighty warrior with a kind heart, who can protect the ones he loves!



Very well, then! You shall be given access to our training hall, Egil. And I would be honored if you would accept this gift...



What is it?

A badge we give our young soldiers. My captain of the guard, Owen, also wore one once.

This marks you as an apprentice soldier for the Kingdom, Egil. I hope to see you train hard, and become a first-rate soldier.

Wow, thank you!

Thank you, Your Highness!

By the way, Tiz, how is the reconstruction of Norende Village proceeding?

With all your travels to save the world from peril, you must find little time to return, no? Perhaps you could put Egil here in charge of the reconstruction?

Not sure letting an eight-year-old build a village is the best--



Note Egil's title change.

You would be acting on Tiz's behalf.

I'll do it!

Are you sure you can handle all of this at once? Helping out at the inn, training to be a soldier, and supervising the reconstruction... That's a lot to take on.

No sweat for me!

You have unlimited potential, Egil. When the time comes, you shall choose your own path. Until then, be fearless, and follow your heart wherever it may take you.

I will! Thank you!

Luckily, despite the Norende change in office, the Norende minigame is unchanged.

Tiz and Egil rush over to the inn.



Ah, you have a young boy with you. And what's this...?



He wears the badge of a young soldier... That takes me back. My son treasured his above all else... You remind me of him a bit, you know.

I want to be like your son Owen one day. My mother and father were guards as well.

You don't say? I'm sure you'll get there one day.

What a nice family mome--



What better time to check up on Bad Guy Fortress?



Yes, not long ago.

I was told you have an urgent report. Can it not wait until the Council of Six convenes?

No, it cannot... It appears the Fire Crystal has been awakened.

......

The remaining Black Blades continue to fight alongside the Swordbearers. However, no word has come from Commander Kamiizumi. It seems that morale is plummeting.

Our only option left is an all-out defense of the Earth Crystal. We must cut our losses in that realm.

You propose that we abandon the Black Blades? The forces of the duchy's First Division?

We have underestimated the wind vestal. We shall not make that mistake again, you or I...

If the Earth Crystal were to be awakened, there would no longer be hope for this world, and our ideals would fade to nothingness.

But the wind vestal has no way of traversing the highlands that surround the duchy.

Only the heavy airships helmed by our cadre have the propulsion necessary to make the journey.

Note, the line about Kamiizumi not responding is the same even if he's still alive. Kamiizumi pretty much gave up once the Fire Crystal was awakened.



Shucks, it was no big deal.

Summon Victor and Victoria immediately. It seems the Council of Six may have to deal with the vestal personally!

Allow me to interrupt...



On that intriguing note, we switch back to the party in Caldisla. Don't want to get too exciting, now.



Egil said he looks so much like his late grandfather it's scary.

Enough about that! We must go to awaken the Earth Crystal!

But we have no way of entering the Duchy of Eternia.

......

Perhaps it's time to get out that creepy journal of yours, Ringabel?



Earth Crystal, Grandship, engine room. Those are the words that seem to be coming up.

Grandship? Perhaps we'll find a lead there...

The party spends the day gathering supplies in Caldisla. As they prepare to leave, they visit the inn one last time.



This final scene is only available if you visited the innkeep earlier in the chapter.

I will! Piece of cake, I tell you! You be careful, alright?

Hold on a second there.



Thank you for coming all this way to see me... I'd like you to take this as a token of my appreciation.

What is it?

A memento of my son. He's be happy knowing it was in your hands.

You should give this to Egil. It should be for the one following in Owen's footsteps.

Egil is still not ready. Owen would want it used by the one who needs it most now.

I see... Thank you. We'll make good use of it...



Most importantly, this scene shows you have Karl's complete friendship.



But it also...



...rewards a nice stat-boosting accessory which otherwise won't be available for a while.


Next: An unexpected side quest? It was Agnes in the Conservatory with the Axe!

--

Event Viewer
Main Scenario:
Egil and Mrs. Goodman
Looking In on the Innkeep
The Innkeep's Sickbed
Discussion at the Inn
Egil's Journey
The Badge of a Young Soldier
A New Family
Just the Earth Crystal Remains
A Lead in Grandship
Owen's Memento

Party Chat:
Wary Airy
Tiz's Thoughts