Part 123: Lethal Cuisines

Update 32: Lethal Cuisines





Huh? Something wrong, Regina? Not every day you come to us looking for advice.
Maybe. But... I've been asking some of the customers what they usually enjoy on their birthday. I have a couple ideas now, but I'm not really sure which one to choose... So I thought I'd ask your opinion.
Which would you prefer: someone sing a song for you, or bake a cake for you?



Cake.
Hm, I thought so. It's only natural to have cake for a birthday celebration...

A song.
H-Hm... so you think a song would be good? I suppose singing a song is an old tradition of birthday celebrations.

Both.
Oh, of course...! There was no reason to restrict myself to one!
B-But... a song would be...

Dialogue merges here.

So... you're going to have the Sitoth Trading owner's birthday here?
Y-Yes. They're planning on having a celebration at this cafe... so I was hoping I could do something for them.
Hey, that sounds like a great idea! I agree wholeheartedly!



I hope they like it.
Yes... so do I. Thanks for your input. I still have some time, so I'll give it a little more thought.

You can do this, Regina.
Y-Yes. I'm not very used to doing things like this... but I want to do something for them. Thanks for your input. I still have some time, so I'll give it a little more thought.

Oddly enough, that didn't cause the townsfolk to have new dialogue. But while we're here, why don't we get to some more cooking?



Alright, it's done. Could you try eating it now?
......
Oh, but it's meat. Is something the matter, Dame Chloe?
You're being quiet for once. Not gonna sing the meat song?
Do you have a fever or...? Maybe you have a stomachache!
I'm not sick. Chloe is simply... moved.
The meat is so big and juicy... It's a waste to eat it...



Good for you, Chloe.
Chloe cannot thank Regina and Apicius enough for this...
I want to just gaze at this dish all day...
Er, eat it, by all means. It's good cold, but it'll be a different taste.

Then, I'll go first.
!!!?!!!
...Hey, don't do it. You'll be hated for life.
Yeah, if you take the meat from Chloe right now, I don't think even I could back you up...
Same here.
Oh, everyone...! Sir Knight would never do something so heinous as that.
You think so? He sure looked serious to me.



Of course I was joking.
*giggle* Of course. I believe in Sir Knight!

I'm sorry.
*sigh* Make you you apologize to Arianna for believing in you, too.
Huh? ...Um, what do you mean? Why are you apologizing...?

All paths converge here.

Well, take your time to enjoy it. I'll add it to the menu, so order it again. I'll be waiting.
Yes, I'll take my time to eat it. ...I'll savor it.
She really does look happy...



Increases the party's Panic resistance by 80%. This would probably be a good food effect if you didn't have to kill the strongest FOE in the Stratum to unlock this, as chances are the Great Moths are nothing at this point. And there's not much else in the game that can inflict Panic, so this food is really situational.



Alright, it's done. Could you try eating it now?
You know, this looks too simple... Is it me, or do I have a right to be wary?



It's just you.
Huh, it's just me? Really?
It's true we've been served some bizarre dishes, but there's never been a problem with the taste, right?
Exactly. We have faith in Dame Regina's cooking abilities.
Only Flavio is wary.
U-Urgh...

Actually, me too...
Yeah, right!? There's no telling what's what with her.
Well aren't you two rude. I simply prepared the ingredients you brought.

Worrisome Flavio.
Wha-- Don't give me weird names! Treeclimbing Flavio is enough as it is!
Hey, you two! Stop making a ruckus during the meal!
S-Sorry!

Dialogue merges here.

I'll add this to the menu, so order it whenever you feel like it. I'll be waiting.



A 10 point increase to AGI does a lot of things for the party. Increases their action speed, accuracy, and evasion. Not only that, if you have a Survivalist or Gunner in the party, it's a pretty massive boost to their damage.



Alright, it's done. Could you try eating it now?
Wow...! Since High Lagaard is a cold country, I'm sure warm food like this is welcome.
Yeah, a lot of customers order warm dishes. This recipe is perfect.



I hope they like it.
...Yeah, I hope so too. Lately, I have been having fun imagining the looks on the customers' faces as I cook.
Dame Regina...
Wh-What's with those eyes, Arianna? Don't look at me like that.
What do you mean “like that"? I was just gazing at you out of joy...
Stop that, I said! I'm still not use to that aspect of you...
Regina... Do you hate Arianna?
That's not what I meant...
Argh, I'll just add this to the menu! Come eat it whenever you want!

Seconds, please!
Haha, that's the spirit. I'm hoping everyone thinks it's good enough for seconds.
Oh, this'll definitely become popular! I want seconds, too!
Me too.
＊giggle＊ Eat as much as you want. I still have a potful.
I'll add this to the menu, so order it whenever you want to. I'll be waiting.



This food increases the item drop rate by 15%. It's not a bad effect, and can be handy if you're really hunting for a specific drop. But I don't find this food all that necessary since the drop rates in this game are pretty reasonable. Also if you have the DLC teas, this food is completely redundant.



Alright, it's done. Could you try eating it now?
Meat!
Calm down, Chloe! First, take a look at what's below that!
...A shell? And, it's cooking the meat?
But it has nothing to do with the meat part. Chloe says this is edible.



Something might seep out.
Whoa, that sounds a bit scary!
What do you mean by “something"? That's rude to say that in front of the person who made it.

There's no problem.

Dialogue merges here.

I'm just using that in place of a grill. It's no different.
Then why don't you just NOT use the shell?
...I thought that too and tried it in a normal pan, but… The taste turned out differently.
So maybe something IS seeping out!
Huh? But it's delicious.
Meat paradise.
You're already eating it!?
...I can vouch for the taste. Could you order it when you feel like it?



YESSSS! I can feel the power flowing into me!

This food increases the chance of paralyzed enemies not acting from 50% to 99%! Effectively this takes enemies out of the fight completely. They won't be able to evade any attacks since the Paralysis will almost always kick in, and this prevents them from using non-damaging skills such as buffs and ailments as well, and shuts down skills that skip the game's accuracy checks. So this food makes Paralysis a much stronger ailment than Blind. The main downside to this food is that Paralysis is a much harder ailment to inflict than Blind in most cases. Still, expect to see this food in action very soon.



Alright, it's done. Can you try eating it now?
...... That's huge! THIS is half!? It's as big as my head!



It's all-you-can-eat.
I guess you can say that. It's not often when you can eat all you want. Let's give it a try!
Ooh... You kids have young stomachs, too. This old man'll just take the strawberry part.
Then I will take the filling part! *giggle* I'll take a lot.
I'll take all.

Can we finish this...?
Well, we have Regina, so maybe the six of us can take it on...?
That's right! We can do it!
Hoorah.
You young'uns have young stomachs, too.

I wanted one for myself.
Wha-- You're not going to order another, are you!? This here is one Flavio; you gonna eat two Flavios!?
We need to be challengers.
Yes, if we work together... we won't lose to anything!
Was the conversation this epic!? This is dessert we're talking about here!

Dialogue merges here.

Hrm, just as I thought... This dish is perfect for groups. I'll add this to the menu, so order it whenever you feel like it. I'll be waiting.



That description is a big fat lie. It doubles attack item damage, not triples it. This isn't the result of a mistranslation either, the game says the same thing about this food in the Japanese version, so I have no idea what's going on there.

Anyway to elaborate on how much of an effect this has, the AOE Jars deals 220% TEC damage. The Alchemist's AOE formulas deal 320% TEC damage at level 20. Of course eating this food increases the AOE Jar damage to 440%, which actually makes them the strongest elemental attacks in the game. Even stronger than (postgame spoilers) the Dragon breaths! Which deal 380% damage at max level. Add in a level 20 Compression and you're looking at 880% TEC damage there. Which is pretty nuts and is a must have food if you're using a Compression Alchemist.

Unfortunately since the Story party doesn't have an Alchemist, this food is useless to us.



Alright, it's done. Could you give it a drink?
Hrm... Gotta love tea. I like black tea, but green tea isn't bad, either.
...Come to think of it, I see you drinking tea all the time instead of eating. Are you a tea-lover or something?
Ahhh, well... I guess you can say that.
...Trand, you're not going to tell him?
......



Let's ask.

...Well, I guess I should tell you.

Let's not.

Oh, don't make that face. It's not anything serious, I tell you.

Dialogue merges here.

It seems my body changed a little since the last ritual. I don't get very hungry. I tested it out one time. I can live off of just water for two months.
So there you have it. After that, it's been a habit of mine to drink water and tea.
The last ritual...
...The reason you always shared your meal with Chloe was because you weren't hungry?
Yeah. Useful body, eh?



It is useful.
Yeah, it was a valuable trait back when I was traveling alone.

...Not really.
...Yeah, maybe you're right.

Dialogue merges here.

It's hard to believe... You said you don't get hungry, but what about taste?
Hm? I can taste the difference. I can smell, too... That's why I prefer tea over water.
......
Regina, don't worry. Trand isn't a fan of eating... but he's having fun eating here.
Ah... is that so?
Well, I suppose. It's not a bad thing eating here with you kids. I used to skip out because eating was a pain, but now... not so much.



Let's eat together more.
Yeah, at this restaurant... right?

No skipping out anymore.
Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'll eat with you kids at this restaurant.

Dialogue merges here.

...I see. ...I'll add this tea to the menu, so you're more than welcome to come eat, even if it's just for tea.



Grimoire chances have a 40% chance of becoming a Passive Chance. Not all that great. But if you do have the DLC Grimoire Tea, you can't exactly control which passive you want to get, so I suppose it's a bit more situationally useful than the other Grimoire foods.

That's all the food I can cook for now, as I'm only missing one more ingredient. So, let's go back into the Labyrinth.







Words alone will not suffice. That is the Star's decree.

In answer to the man's persistent request, you raise the pendant entrusted to you by Lady Gradriel.

Almighty Star! Just as you foresaw, the lord of the pact has appeared before us!

The winged one calls out excitedly before unabashedly staring at you with intense curiosity.

Allow me to ask you this, earthbound ones. What is your name?



......

Your reluctance to state your name elicits a questioning look from the winged one.

I wonder, earthbound ones... are you wary of me? You are free to keep your name to yourselves, but we are bound by duty to guide you from here on. This will prove difficult if we do not know your names. I would appreciate it if you told us.

The winged one waits patiently for you to reveal your name.

...Are we stuck here until we say it?
He strikes me as quite stubborn...



Alright alright.

I'm Knight of Guild.
Ah. That has an odd ring to it. Knight... of Guild. Knight of Guild... Yes. I shall remember it well.

After repeating your name a number of times, the winged one delivers an odd bow and resumes his speech.



We obey our fates and live within the forest. We do not mingle with earthbound ones and live by the Star's will. As chief of the winged ones, I accept that you are given the right to return to the heavens.



Very well... Can we go now?
Indeed. All is as the Star decreed. But hear me. Our duty is to present those with the proper credentials to the path leading into the heavens. Listen, and think on my words. Do you truly have the resolve to throw yourself on the sky's mercy?

Canaan points to the forest behind him, speaking slowly.

The path to the heavens is the path to the Star. It is real enough. Yet at the same time... it is a pathway to death.
Well, that's ominous. What in the world's waiting for us there?
There is a winged beast perched before the sacred gate. We call it the Queen of the Skies. It is a dire threat to my people, and so we named it after our dread of the demon bird who hunts us as prey. If you would venture to the castle in the heavens, you must face the Queen of the Skies...



I'd rather avoid it.
If that is the Star's wish, it may not be impossible. But only a select few of our people have slipped past the Queen's vigilant eyes.

Canaan, having said what must be said, spreads his formidable black wings.

Farewell, Guild. If the Star wills it, then we shall meet again when you have reached the path to the heavens.



The winged ones fly freely through the sky and travel as they like through the Labyrinth...
That sounds real useful.
They still won't let me ride them.

You are free to proceed on or head back to High Lagaard.



I should note that if you aren't going to kill these birds on the floor, then it's in your best interest to lure them to the other nest in the room. Eventually I head back to town to restock. Upon heading into Cafe again...





Oh, about her dad's birthday...? Did it go well?
Yes, it certainly did! I baked a special cake, and... I even sang a song with Abigail for him.
Th-Then the other customers joined in the singing...
...Well, I don't mean to brag, but we ended up throwing an excellent birthday celebration.



Good job, Regina.
...I wouldn't have been able to do this without your help, so… thanks, Knight.

I wish I was there...
O-Oh, really? I'm sorry--it didn't occur to me to invite you all...
*giggle*... Then, how about we celebrate our birthdays here one day?
We may be busy with exploring right now... but one day, we can make the time.
A birthday party, huh...? Yeah, sounds good!
Yeah, not too into the whole party thing... but I wouldn't mind hearing Regina sing.
I want to see that too. I can't imagine what it's like when you sing.
W-Well, I'm not going to sing by myself! I'll sing along if someone else sings though.

Dialogue merges here.

*giggle* But I'm glad you had fun.
I really did. It's been such a long time since I've participated in a birthday party... There was a lot of preparation involved. The first person to tell me that I was a good cook was my Grandpa... It was his birthday, so I decided to cook for him.
He praised me so much, then... I was just so happy... ...I suppose I started cooking because I wanted my Grandpa to be happy.
Now... I remember why I started in the first place.



That's a touching story.
I had forgotten about it completely until now... That's so bizarre.

There's that smile.
Haha, thanks... It must be how I smiled when I cooked, back then.

Dialogue merges here.

Well, that's all I have to say... Sorry to take up your time.

And this scene actually triggers new Cafe dialogue.



Oh, sorry. I just... remembered something funny. It really is nice... to see others happy.





Yeah. She used to look irritated all the time, but now she doesn't at all!
But she gets mad whenever I steal food from the kitchen.
And she gets mad at me for loitering around in the cafe.
Well of course she'll get mad at you for that.
Cooking food to prove some point to others...
That's what she used to say, but I feel that she thinks differently now.



I doubt she remembers.
*giggle* Perhaps you're right. She looks so cheerful when she's cooking these days.
Well, hope she gets more customers now. Looks like the birthday party got a lot of attention... maybe word'll spread.





Seems like everyone had a really good time! Now that I think of it, Quona's been acting a little strangely since then... She's been asking how much it would cost to eat at Cafe, and what kind of foods I like to eat... Bahaha! She's so adorable when she thinks she's being subtle. Haha... If you notice her acting strange, just pretend you didn't see anything, okay? Oh, she is just the cutest when she does that. Bahaha!



M-My mom likes fish. I wonder how much it would cost to get seafood... What do you think...? ...Oh! Y-You have to keep this a secret from Mom... you have to swear, okay?





Regina always seemed so scary to me... but she even sang the birthday song wth me. She's so pretty, and she's such a great chef, and she even has a beautiful singing voice. I really look up to her... Hee hee... I think I'll go to Cafe again when we have another celebration. And it's all thanks to your help, Knight. Thank you so much!



Haw haw haw, can't really hold a heartwarmin' little thing like that at the Stickleback! It's all fine by me so long as we can satisfy the folks who come in here.



*sigh*... What is this strange feeling...? I've been frequenting Cafe only because their food is so delicious... but recently, the place feels different. I can't put my finger on why... but it's just not scary anymore. In fact, it's... really relaxing. Comfortable, even. Just the other day, someone held a birthday party there, so the chef came out to the dining area, too... And the chef even looked at me, and asked if I wanted to sing happy birthday with everyone... Th-That adorable face... It's just not fair!





Hmhm, I'm rather jealous... Hm? Of who, you ask? ...Well. Who do you think?





...Hrm. I suppose it's nearly time. Hm? Nearly time for what? Oho ho ho, no need to worry! This is nothing that concerns you... At least, for now. I'll be counting on you to continue helping Regina.

I also got my hands on the last ingredient for the Stratum, so I go ahead and cook the last of the 4th Stratum food.





Alright, it's done. Could you try eating it now?



Chloe.png. Again.

Hey, this jam is made from that humongous strawberry, right? Wouldn't you have an incredible amount of jam if you made it from that?
Come to think of it... you're right. Is the kitchen jam hell right now...?
You don't have to worry about that. It's a watery fruit, so boiling it reduces the amount by quite a lot. Plus, there are plenty of ways to use the jam, like including some with bread. ...Or maybe filling up small jars to give to customers to take home.



Crafty, eh?
Y-You think? ...I just thought of that because there were customers that asked me if they could take home some spices...
*giggle* Dame Regina always thinks about her customers.
It's no big deal. But, well... I think the same about you.
Alright, I'll add this to the menu, so order it again whenever you feel like it. ...I'll be waiting.

You should charge.
I thought about that, but I figured it'd be a good advertisement for the cafe to give them out for free first.
I see...! You have to lose in order to gain, right?
Yeah. I know of a few customers that'd like to use my spices, so I think they'd advertise for me. Alright, I'll add this to the menu, so order it again whenever you feel like it. ...I'll be waiting.



Not a bad food effect, but VIT is probably the least important stat to be concerned about giving a boost. It only decreases physical damage taken in most cases, but there are a few situations where 10 extra VIT can help.



Alright, it's done. Could you try eating it now?
My, this is quite a refined taste. The potato is nice and hot... *giggle*
I cannot help but smile!
...Arianna really eats food so deliciously.



She's cute, huh?
Yeah, I agree. She is a cute person.
......
U-Um... Is something the matter, you two?
It is hard for me to eat while you two are staring at me...

I won't lose either.
Haha, I see you're not. You and Arianna make a great couple.
Urgh!?
What's wrong, Arianna? It's not like you to choke on food.
Th-That's because... Um...

Dialogue merges here.

You're a strange one. But, as long as you like this dish, there's no problem. I'll add this to the menu, so order it whenever you feel like it. I'll be waiting.



Doubles the chance of getting added effects on your Grimoires. In all honesty, you don't really need them, the effects are pretty negligible. The important effects are obtained through an alternative method. And if you have the Original Sin DLC, this food effect is completely redundant.



Alright, it's done. Could you try eating it now?
This is...
Wow, that looks good! I like that look of it: as rich as it looks!
Flavio. That is not the problem at hand.
Dame Chloe...? Is there something wrong with this dish?
Something really wrong. This dish... it is difficult to remove the vegetables.
Oh my...!
Would it not be a problem if you simply ate them together?



Don't be so fussy.
He's right. Dame Regina's vegetables are also very delicious.
Urgh...
I've always thought this, but you're too picky with your food, Chloe. Eat before you pass judgment.
I'll add this to the menu, so order it whenever you feel like it. I'll be waiting.

Let's work at it.
Sorting the vegetables out, one by one... When the ritual is over, I feel like something good can be summoned.
What do you mean ritual? Stop eating like that too, Knight.
*sigh* I shake my head watching the fanatics of you two meat worshippers...
I'll add this to the menu, so order it whenever you feel like it. I'll be waiting.



Increases the party's Curse resistance by 80%. I suppose there are a few bosses this might be handy for.

That was the last of the food we can cook in the 4th Stratum, so let's make our way to the floating castle.





Truly, we are atop the very clouds. It's none the less fascinating for having climbed here on foot, isn't it?
Yeah. We haven't been keeping track of how high we've been, so it's kind of neat to see.
Hrgh... Though now that I'm looking down at it all, I'm getting vertigo...
......
What would happen if we fell?



We'd get stuck on a branch.
Oh. Maybe. Yggdrasil has lots of branches. We might be okay?
How do you not see the gap in that logic!? There's no way we'd be okay!
Easy, fella. The air's thinner this high up. You're gonna wear yourself out if you keep yelling.
Oh... This is true. The air does feel different here, like when I once climbed a tall mountain.
Thinking more about it... we now stand taller than any mountain in Caledonia.

It's at this moment that you realize how unusual your position is, and you all take deep breaths. Bertrand is right about the air seeming a bit thin, but it also feels pristine compared to the surface air... If you wish, you can rest from your long walk here and spend some time enjoying the breathtaking sight.



Let's rest.

That sounds wonderful! Let's enjoy this view while we can.
That's fine and all, but make sure not to fall, okay?



I can't promise that.
C'mon, it's an easy question! Why, what were you thinking of doing?
Don't try anything funny, Knight. Hey... speaking of which, where's Chloe?

Flavio's question causes you to look about for the girl... only to find her leaning over the edge, gazing below!

H-Hey! What're you doing!?

All four of you quickly move to pull Chloe back to safety!

I was about to touch a cloud.
What...!?
What do clouds feel like? Are they as soft and fluffy as they seem...?



Let's try and find out...
Shall we!?
No one's touching anything! You people are going to give me a heart attack!

Idle chatter holds sway as you enjoy the cool breeze and the peaceful moment spent together.

C'mon, let's get going. If we stay here too long, we'll get cold.
Trand's calling time on a break? That's rare.
I'm freezing. When you're stuck in metal armor like me, you get cold real fast.

This does seem like the time to be on your way. As you stand back up, you feel refreshed from the leisurely rest.



All agree that it was a well-deserved break, but just as you prepare to resume your trek...



What...!?

Suddenly, you feel a piercing gaze directed toward you from the area's center!





A winged creature flies out and settles on the platform in the center of the floor.

You look to see a monster with giant wings descending from the heavens! Though it is still far away, the sight of it chills you to your core!

Could that be... the Queen of the Skies!?



You draw your weapon at once and stand ready for any attack it may unleash! But though the monster seems aware of your presence, it comes no closer.

It's not coming.
Seems that way... Even if we wanted to fight it, we can't get at it from here. If we're going to beat that thing, we'll need to find another way to reach it.
Yeesh, that's scary. And that's the thing we're trying to get CLOSER to?

You must first find a way to reach the Queen of the Skies. Knowing this, you must brace yourselves and continue to proceed deeper into this floor.



There's something over there.

You squint and can just make out a small animal. The animal shows no sign of fear in your presence. It chirps brightly and comes closer to nuzzle your feet.

Yeah, it's cute... but haven't we seen this routine before?

You may reach out to this suspiciously familiar animal, or ignore it and be on your way.



I'm sure that suspicious feeling is nothing.

You kneel down and gently reach out a hand so as not to startle it. But at that moment...!

Eek!
What the--That thing just got into our stuff!

With surprising agility, the small animal slips into your belongings and runs off with something in its mouth!

It took something...



Of course.

Didn't something like this happen to us before...? It was a different animal then, but...
Betrayed again...

Arianna, who seemed eager to finally pet the adorable animal, slumps her shoulders.



I'm sure it'll happen someday.
True... If we are persistent enough, it's sure to bend to our wishes one day.
Uh, I don't think that's in the cards. Every one we've seen has been different.
Don't be such a wet blanket, old man!

You each harbor different emotions about the small animal that vanished into the trees as you resume exploring...