Part 15: Perhaps I alone remain blessed

Prepare for a big ol' heap of conversation this update. Having spent the night at the inn, we may now enter Liligue proper; doing so triggers a cutscene.



What is the matter? Where does it hurt?

Son: ... I'm hungry...

Ahh... this is a problem easily remedied. I am sure we have something to eat. Please... a moment.

Son: Ooooh...

Elena offers the child a fruit, but he runs away at the sight of it.

Is... is the boy sick?



... What do you mean?

Man: The people of this town cannot eat normal food even if they wanted to. They can only bear that disgusting arum root.

I do not understand... What do you mean, they cannot eat...?

Elena, don't talk to strangers. Besides, they could be diseased.

... If so, we must help them!

She runs into the man's house; the rest of the party follows her.



Wife: ... I can't stand it anymore. If we have to keep eating only arum root, we're going to die!

Engineer: SHUT UP! You ask for too much. Here, eat THIS! ... Ooooh... Blecch! It's no use. I can't eat it either.

Wife: Dear, let's... leave this town. We can try starting a farm somewhere...

Engineer: But we don't know if we will be able to eat even IF we leave this town! ... I'm sorry. We will manage... somehow...

What exactly is going on in this town?

Engineer: You must be travelers... You ought to leave this town, quickly!

What is your difficulty? I serve Lord Granas, and I may be of some small help.

Wife: ... The people in this town have lost their sense of taste.

Their sense of taste?



Wife: My husband had been working on the Skyway. The work was hard, but the pay was good so we were never at want for anything...

Engineer: But just ten days ago, all food began to lose its taste. It was like eating sand or rocks... Soon we lost all interest in eating almost any kind of food... We thought that only we were sick, but before we knew it, everyone in town was suffering.

Wife: The only thing we could eat was the arum root, which was tasteless to begin with... But now no matter how much we eat, we never even begin to get full...

I've never heard of a disease that makes you lose your sense of taste. How about you, Ryudo?



Wife: ... Maybe this town is somehow cursed. I don't remember anyone doing anything against the will of Lord Granas...

You must be miserable. I wish there were something I could do...

You worked on the Skyway, right? How do we catch a lift?

Engineer: In the center of town, you will find the mansion of Mr. Gadan, manager of the Skyway. You can ask him, but I doubt he'll help you.

This is all we need to know to start making progress - our goal now is to go talk to this Gadan fellow. In the interest of fleshing out the city's personality, however, I'll be talking to a bunch of NPCs first. See if you can identify the general outlook on life in Liligue.



Why? Are you not able to leave this town? If you could eat good food again, your child would regain his health...

Engineer: This is the only town where my skills are needed. If I were to give up my job here, we wouldn't be able to afford the food anyway.

Engineer: Here, I've got a steady job and good social status. If I up and leave this town, I- I'll not be good for anything.

But still... Ryudo, is there not something we can do for them? I feel so sorry for their child.

Elena, look. We've got problems of our own that we need to attend to. I doubt there's anything we can do for the kid...



A machine to dispel the curse? Is such an invention possible?

Woman: Of course it is. All things are possible... with the right financial backing.



Sick Man: Oh... No, I'm OK. I was going to start working, but I got so hungry, I couldn't move... Heh, heh...

This is not a laughing matter, you know. You will wear yourself out if you push yourself too hard.

Sick Man: Yeah, but I can't stop working. If I do that, I'll earn less. And I can't afford to earn less, you understand?



Rude Man: The only people making money here are us engineers. Unless you have some sort of technical skill, you'd best move along.

Breaking a man's neck in five places requires SOME technical skill... But I've already got work to do. Shame...

Have you figured out what Liligue folks are like yet? I bet you have! Let's see some of the sights around town.



Kid: They're eating well again today... Look! Those critters are eating sand, and they don't care.

Huh? You mean those turtles? Oh, wow...! I have never heard of any animal that eats sand!

Actually, what they are really eating is tiny insects that live in the sand. We've always known them as "Liligue sand turtles."

They are one of Liligue's big attractions. Funny, while we cannot eat, those turtles are having a feast!



By transport, you mean the Skyway, don't you? It's true - other towns don't have that.

Man: Ha! Not just the Skyway! We've got other great transportation, too! The monorail, for instance!

We can also head over to the Skyway Station, but everyone there parrots the same greedy crap, while pointing us to Gadan. Let's pay him a visit.





MUSIC: Slurping...

I heard that you aren't letting anyone on the Skyway. I'm here to change your mind.

Yes, we are not letting anyone on right now. This is a vital time for business. Carrying people drops our efficiency.

I'll make it worth your while.

Ahh... I didn't notice you had a Sister with you. She must be headed to Granas Cathedral, hmm? Well. More business.

How much you want?



Deal. Let's go.

Ah, not so quickly, my friend. The last tram has already left. But do not fret - another will be available come the morrow.

Can't leave today, huh? Then...

Obviously, YOU can still stuff yourself with food! Why do you not share your secret with the townsfolk?

Elena, hush!



Well, no...

Ah, but I too am troubled by this cause. My employees all are stricken, which is hardly good for business. And with no cure...

Is that so...?

Even then, I am amazed you can eat so much...



[sniff] ? [sniff] ! Shlurp! Dear Sister, you smell quite nice. Were you aware that smell and taste are interrelated?

WHA-WHAT!?

He seems healthy enough, although I do question his taste in women.

How can you remain so smug and impertinent while others starve about you?



This problem is none of my doing. The townfolk would do well to thank me for seeing to bring prosperity to this town.

How could such a thing have happened...?

Indeed, this town was known by many to have been touched by the hand of Granas.

Perhaps he does not wish to soil his hand any further. But I am no expert; you should inquire within the church outside of town.

... Oh, but my, you do smell fine, my dear Sister. A sweet delicious peach... SHLURP!

Tomorrow, then.

MUSIC: Silence



I wouldn't know...

That Gadan's appetite is incredible! It is almost unnatural.

But I am more worried about the money we have to pay tomorrow.

He's working us. We'd better start digging in our couches for change.

Why don't we just waste him?



Uh, Ryudo... Like it or not, we do have a Sister in our party.

But... Ryudo. We have to do something for these townspeople. If they are really blessed by Lord Granas, how could this happen to them?

Like that... man said just now, we should ask the Father at the church.

Are we in a hurry to get you to the Cathedral or not? We don't have time for your church girl routine.



Look, princess, we don't need any more trouble than we already have.

Please, Mister Ryudo. We cannot leave until tomorrow anyway. What's wrong with just going to the church?

Shut your damn yap, kid. This is not a stroll to the altar, and we're not in the bloody church choir! I'm sick of all this!

... I-I am sorry, but still...

... Don't be so quick to apologize... Come on. Let's find the church.


Having exhausted all other options, we'll be heading to the church for guidance next time.

Official Art: Elena