Part 25: Business School for Dummies

"That's.. uh.. that's nice, Taloon. Anyway, I think it's time we went looking for Mintos."

"Always glad to help!"



"Do those rays have giant dorsal fins? I thought that kind of defeated the entire purpose of being a ray?"

"I'm more surprised by the plesiosaur. I thought they'd all gone extinct from evolving necks that were too long for them to properly eat."



"I think that's it!"

"It certainly looks like a bustling metropolis that all the young people are drawn to."



"Gah! Cover your mouth when you do that!"



"Look at that poor man, sleeping out here. He must be too poor to afford a room at the inn.."



"Nope, just a terrible student. Or possibly a narcoleptic."



"I wonder if they still grow Padequia."

"How does it compare to Endor kush?"

"That's where all our money went!"



"Oooh, a rugged man.. I like the sound of that."

"You're probably just going to get your hopes dashed again."

"The cards say that as long as you're not looking for an intellectual conversation, it's safe to get your hopes up."



"Our mistress, Princess Alena, went to get medicine alone. I'm very worried..."

"Mistress? For you and that young guy? That's just icky."

"Feminine version of master mistress, not the other meaning."

"You look kind.."



"Umm.. thanks. Glad to have another hand along."

"I must ask the people of this inn to take care of Cristo."

"We've got a wagon. We could just shove him in the back and take him with us."

"I SAID I must ask the people of this inn to take care of Cristo."

"I'll meet you outside later."



"On second thought... yeah, he can stay here."

"Yeah, I think that shouldn't be oozing there at all, much less anything that color."



"I've made enough money already. I don't need any more treasure."

"Blasphemy! You always need more treasure."



"When I told this to the Princess at the inn, she darted out."

"Impetuous sort. Do you think we'll catch up to her?"



"See sis, I told you it was medicinal."

"That excuse doesn't work when you were never sick."



"Everything."



"I think we might develop a cash problem at this rate."

"I've got an idea about that.."

"Taloon, I'll level with you. If your plan doesn't involve beating monsters until they explode into golden coins we're probably not going to do it."

"Damn."



"That's leading the question if I ever heard it. Something tells me you want to talk about being an expert on the seas."

"You idiot! I'm not only an expert on the seas but on the whole world also."

"And on putting people to sleep talking about your expertise, evidently."



"Don't sell things, sell hearts! I'm struck with admiration by this idea!"

"I'm struck with the thought that this sounds like sales gibberish. Either that or like it'd be very messy."



"It's what I've always dreamed of.. but there's probably more money to be made with a business that moves products instead of selling inn space."



"You're bringing a tear to this old man's eye.. I hope my son will be as good a student as you are!"



"I... guess?"

"Here's the quiz. What's most important in business?"



"???"

"I'll give you the Treasure Map."

"I discovered it when I was young but haven't been able to uncover its secret..."

"Please accept it!"



"I guess you don't really have to be brilliant, you just have to be first."

"I feel as though all my hard work has been a waste compared to just getting lucky."



"You're special. Now shut up."



"It turns out the right answer is to stare at him blankly until he gives you something."

"FFFFFUUUUUUUUUUU"

"I think that's our cue to leave."

"Speaking of which, let's take a look at that treasure map."



"This doesn't seem complicated.. we're here, the treasure is where the 'X' is."

"If we had any doubts about Howden being a blithering idiot, the fact that he hasn't figured this out his entire life proves it."

"Hey, are we going after that root or what?"



"Strange countryside. Magic using toadstools and more flying rats than you can shake a stick at."

"Oh, I think there's exactly enough to shake a stick at."



"Or to throw sand at.."

"Hey look, three blind mice!"



"Do you think the Princess would have stopped in there?"

"Worth a look.."



"Hmm... doesn't look like it."

"Unless she's the reason it's so broken down."



"I take it your princess is a violent type?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. And she doesn't deal well with frustration."



"It seems like they have one hell of a lizard problem around this place."

"Well, actually salamanders are amphibians.."

"I think it's immaterial at this point."



"A bit late, but they don't seem to have much in the way of gates.."



"How amazing. It looks just like a peasant farmer."



"Hey, that's actually pretty good."

"Thanks! I been working on it for weeks hoping somebody who wasn't from around here would come by."

"That's very nice, but do you happen to have any padequia root?"

"Padequia roots? The drought five years ago destroyed them all."

"That's why I now grow carrots, radishes, and such."



"I think we met her. She seemed to be doing pretty well."



"He must have been pretty tired to be to sleep this early.. you'd think most kings would be living up into the night."



"And that the chancellor wouldn't usually be using the throne room as an impromptu bedroom."

"The weasel we met in Keleon certainly wouldn't have."



"Yeah, it looks like this kingdom is in a pretty bad way."

"It seems like the only thing they had going for them was the padequia.. well, I suppose the princess won't be here in town, then."



"Would anyone care to make a small wager about where she might be?"



"Have you considered.. perhaps.. a different country?"



"She had three men with her. One was rugged and another snobbish."

"Huh. What about the third one?"

"He was.. just kind of there."

"Could the rugged one be the Ragnar we've heard about?"

"That'd be entirely too convenient."



"You know, I sympathize with their plight, but.. it's been 5 years. You'd think they'd have something else to talk about by now."

"Maybe I can find a way to sell them some food and such? I don't think they could pay very much, though.."



"The record states the former King kept a Padequia seed in the southern cave as a precaution against catastrophe..."

"Unfortunately, monsters now lurk in the cave and we can't get in."

"Sorry I can't help you. If I had the Padequia Seed, I could..."

"Well, that settles it.. the princess is definitely in the southern cave."



"This country is so poor even the King must work."

"Okay, let's go get this seed so they'll talk about anything else besides how much their lives have sucked for the past five years."