Part 25: Episode XX: I Am Having a Difference in Opinion

Back to Royburg we go. Hopefully this visit will be more eventful than our previous excursion.


Music: March to Rebirth



As for our next move...

A knight member of the knighthood runs onto the scene...



What are you doing here, Lilus?
*sweats* What am I doing here? I wanted to help you...
Help me, you say? That shall not be necessary.
But you asked me to... You asked me to help you... Do you not remember?
You were like “I need you to help me with that thing” and I was like “sure, I’ll help you with that thing” and now I’m here to help with the thing.

Julienne turns to face Lilus...



If I allow myself to be deceived by your falsehoods, I shall be unable to take lead of the knighthood!
! Falsehoods!? What are you talking about!?
Fabrications. Deception. Perjury. Erroneous statements.
I know what I means. I meant... Ergh...
*sweats* Julienne... Why did you change?
*runs up to Julienne* What happened to you on that day!?



Away with you!
Ha! Rekt.

Julienne turns back to the party...



That’s a pretty extreme way of getting’ your opinion across...
I dig it.
It was unavoidable, lest I set a precedent for others. Anyway, it is of no importance.
No importance...?
I shall arrange for a guide to lead you across the Floeberg Waters. In the meantime, rest yourselves here.
How long is this gonna take?
The arrangements shall take a time. The town is in disarray after that monster’s actions. Order must be restored.
Make us feel welcome, then!
Yes, of course... Very well. I shall have a banquet prepared immediately!
What did you say that for, Endir!?
This is like the fourth f’n town we’ve had to help out now. I’m sick of doing all this charity work pro bono. It is literally causing me pain as a mercenary. Least we can do is get a free meal out of the deal this time.

Julienne nods and departs the scene...



Let’s just take the opportunity to rest up and recover our health.
I’m gonna find a nice place to pitch a tent.
Gross.
Yeah, this is the first chance we’ve had to take it easy... And anyway, I’m kinda excited to be in a new village! I’m gonna have a look around.
Don’t get kidnapped. You’ve already used your get out of jail free card.
Yeah, yeah. It only happened the one time.

Aeterna, Nidr, and Kir all exit stage left. Though the scene sort of bugged out on me and you could hear all three of them trudging through the snow at once just off-screen while the rest of the scene played out...



You seem down.
Not gonna stare at some random wall repeating a single line of dialog like the others?
*sweats* Huh!? Oh... Sorry... You don’t usually say things like that, so you took me by surprise, Endir...
Yeah, well... Might as well vent while there’s nobody else around to give annoyed insistence that there is nothing to be done, or aloof non-commitment, or youthful enthusiasm. Jaded detachment, that’s the ticket.
...If you say so.
*shakes head* I can’t stop thinking about that boy from the cave... I must stop, though... I don’t have any regrets. It’ll do us good to be around some cheerful people... Let’s talk to the villagers.
Think we should talk with that guy that got bitch slapped 10 yards?
I think that man could use some time alone...
Good call.



So Aeterna, Kir, and Nidr have all departed the party for now. It’s just Endir and Setsuna. Which is real annoying since this is the first time we’ve gotten in three enemy filled areas to resupply and upgrade everyone. Oh well. We’ll just have to make do.



Word around town is mostly split between talk of the old fallen kingdom, of which still has a royal lineage floating around despite its collapse and idle commentary on how rad the knights are and how they keep protection of the town. Except for that time everyone got kidnapped by a single motivated child earlier that day.



Also, there’s about 5x as many people in the village now as there were people we rescued. Don’t ask me how that works. Video games. Other than idle banter, there are a handful of new recipes we can pick up from villagers. One is squatting in a nearby house...



Would you young folks like to try an ancient dish from the old kingdom? Do you have them?
Yes.
Well, I am surprised! Where on earth did you get your hands on these? These ingredients are so hard to find, I never thought I’d ever get a chance to make it again...
Don’t ask me how. Trade secret.
Right! Time to get to work! Just wait here for a little while...

A short while later...

It’s ready... A Horse Oak Casserole! I’ve written down the recipe for you, too. I don’t want to see it forgotten along with my generation, after all!
Oh... You shouldn’t have. Really.



Horse Oak Casserole is apparently a crunchy casserole with a creamy filling. It has the usual EXP & drop boosts, but this also buffs magical defense power too. Could prove useful if you want something filled with horse meat and tree bark or whatever the hell.

If we head over to the western entrance of town and head south behind a house, we’ll find another aspiring chef...



I’ve been looking for them everywhere... If you can give them to me, I’ll be sure to repay you.
Sure.
Really? You’ll really give them to me?
Your life has no meaning if I do not.
Thank you! Wait there a minute...

A minute later...

Sorry to keep you waiting. Here you go, this is to say thanks. I’ll give you the recipe, too. For years now, my mom’s been saying how she wants to drink Royburg Tomato Juice... But it’s really hard to get hold of the ingredients... I’ve asked lots of travelers, and no one else had them.
Wait... “Lots of travelers”? I thought the whole reason none of these towns had any inns was because there weren’t enough travelers around for ‘em...? Tch.
I’ve very grateful. Thank you.



The most disgusting juice you’ve ever tasted! Boosts the usual stuff but also time-elemental resistance. Great for hangovers!



Towards the center of town we find a pub with Weppy & Tali’s merchant camped out front again. Dude really needs to stop getting kicked out of bars.



There is a new assortment of weapons, as well as the couple we are lagging on for Setsuna and Kir. Since the party isn’t around at the moment to equip any of ‘em, we’ll hold off on most of these. I will go ahead and pick up the two older weapons for our casters.



Setsuna gets a finely crafted meteorite crafted star head ornament/chakram. What’s radiation? Never heard of it. Does it make things shiny? Whatever. Lemme just stick this space rock metal in my hair.



The town pub is looking lively now that we rescued three people all the citizens of Royburg. Aeterna is hanging out in here. But all she has to say is she is iffy on the knights and doesn’t see what the big deal with Julienne is supposed to be. The woman with the giant hair ball affixed to the back of her head is the one we want to speak to here, as she has the final recipe for our impromptu culinary fest.



Do you have a Snowbell Mushroom, a Sunset Citron, some Icicle Kelp, and some Lampwort? If you do, I’ll cook up a special treat!
Yes.
It can’t be worse than the rancid tomato juice...
You do? How lucky! They’re very hard to find! All right! I’m going to make you a delicious treat, just you wait!

A short while later...

Here you are! A Royburg specialty... Snowbell Mushroom Stew! Dig in! I’ve made lots, so you can take some with you, too! I might as well give you the recipe, as well! I hope it warms you up on your long journey!



A flavorsome stew with a mellow aroma. Same usual buffs, with the unique one being a boost to magical attack power. You know, it took me a few days to get around to writing this update because I got into playing Stardew Valley. All of this vegetable collection and ingredients crafting is not helping draw me away from it...



Back towards the western entrance of town, where we initially entered during the kidnapping phase, we find Kir staring at a snowman. He has aspirations to hit the town and chat with folks. But alas, he cannot peel himself away from inspecting this snowman.

The house behind the snowman is where we want to barge into in order to advance the plot here...



Thanks to you, I didn’t end up as monster food... so I can continue with my research! Thank you so much! I love looking into ancient texts and records, you see... I’m far more at home with a book in my hand than a blade. Some of the knights tease me and call me Professor Papyrus, and stupid names like that... oh well... Doesn’t bother me!
You getting to a point, Dr. Wingding? I’m getting more and more antsy to stuff you into a locker...
*sweats* Yes well... You see, the knights...
They’re descendants of the ancient kingdom, so I understand that they have their pride.
The ancient kingdom?
*rubs eyes beneath mask* Who are they and how many stupid ancient trap and monster filled ruined temples do they have?
It fell long ago... but it was the only kingdom to ever rule over this whole island. They reached a very high level of civilization, and many remnants of it still survive. By looking through various old texts, I’ve ascertained that the location of the ancient kingdom... was what are now known as the Last Lands.
So there was once a kingdom where the Last Lands are...
This ancient kingdom wasn’t called Zanarland or something, was it?
...What? No. Its name is lost to the ages. Why?
Just reminded me of another place. Forget about it...
I’ve never actually been there... But it’s definitely possible that some traces of the ancient castle may remain. One day I’d like to go and see for myself!
Uh huh. We’ll give you a trip report in a couple months.
*frowns*



Now that we’ve learned of the inevitable ruined city we’ll find at the end game, we may as well go see if Julienne has prepared that feast yet. Her house is, by regulation, in the northern center of the village. Just in front of th—hey...



I am Lady Julienne’s second-in-command, Cornelius. It is a pleasure to make your...
*turns around* ...acquaintance...



(Balls!)
(Oh hell...)
*looks at both of them* Endir? Is something wrong?
*sweatdrop* Nothing.
Just uhh... his eyebrows. They’re really bushy. Caught me off guard.
...I see.
*sweats and turns to Setsuna* So, you are the travelers who rescued the people of our village! It is thanks to you that no lives were lost. Thank you. I am very grateful...

Cornelius sidles up to Endir...



Most especially in front of Her Highness... Do we have an understanding?
What mission?
! You have forgotten!?
You can’t see with the mask, but I am giving you *such* a stink eye right now...
*sweatdrop* Oh... Ahem... You are quite the thespian... You had me hook, line, and sinker, as they say... Very good. Keep it up.
Dude, keep it together... Cornelius.
We shall soon depart. Make preparations immediately!

Julienne storms out of her house...


Music: Feeling of Unease



We must ensure that nothing like this can ever happen again during our absence... Mobilize the knights and have them eliminate all nearby monsters!
!
As you wish. I shall have the knights prepare for departure.
*nods and returns to her house*
*brushes off snow and exits stage left*



Something wrong again?
Yes. But perhaps we should discuss it with the rest of the group.
Yeah, yeah... I’ll go fetch ‘em in a min—



Pilgrimage Pals Assemble! All at once! Without any prompting! That’s not weird or anything...



Did she do somethin’ to you? Want me to give her a piece of my mind?
How about I give her a blast of my magic, instead!?
*sweatdrop* Be quiet, both of you.
You’re acting like Endir.
Please don’t infringe on my brand.
*to Setsuna* What’s the matter?
She said she was going to have the knights eliminate all the nearby monsters... If they do that, that little boy will...
Please, Setsuna... Try and forget about that boy.
He may be seemingly cute and naïve... but at the end of the day it is a human flesh eating monster...
That’s not a fair accusation, Aeterna.
The boy said its mother got nourishment from eating people. I think it is fairly safe to assume it wasn’t raising its child to be vegan.
She’s got a point. That little guy has almost definitely bitten someone’s face off at some point for supper.
......
You have an important duty to fulfill, remember?
Yes, I know...
Hey...


Music: March to Rebirth



Kir...
I mean, he’s just like us rare-bloods, right?
Wait you guys are CANNIBALS?!
What?! No!
Aww... geez. Now all the fire magic makes sense... I can’t believe I didn’t see it sooner. Cooking the flesh with magic... That's messed up.
We’re NOT cannibals! What I meant was...
He’s not quite human, and not quite a monster. I’ll bet he feels all alone in the world... If I could just talk to him, like Setsuna did, I think we could become friends...
*shakes head* Augh... Not you, too, Kir...
Gonna trade recipes, huh? Got a book on How to Serve Man stashed under that robe?
Ignore him.
Are we going to help him, then?
I’m against it.
I was okay with letting that monster kid go because frankly screw this Podunk town. That the e—
Let’s just give up, Endir...
Huh?
Wha?
*shakes head* We can argue all we want; it isn’t going to change anything... Setsuna can be pretty stubborn when she wants to.
*jumps* I’m stubborn, too! And I’m putting my foot down!
I think we’d be better off just agreeing to help, before they end up doing something reckless...
Plus you know the big softie’s swing vote is going to go with whatever Setsuna wants. Don’t fight it.
Hey, I was still undecided.
No you weren’t.
Yeah, fine. You got me.
*nods* Thank you, Aeterna...
Anyway, we don’t want any bad blood between us... It might hinder our journey’s success.
Won’t this potentially piss off the knights and ruin our guide acquisition?
Not if we’re careful.
Mhm. Yeah. That’s gone great so far...
All right, it’s settled then. Come on, we need to hurry!
Thank you, everyone...
So we find that li’l monster before the knights do, and help him escape... Have I got that right?
*nod* Yes, please...



Well, that’s all settled then. Now the party has rejoined and off we go... to the same exact place we just left. But first things first...



Hey Kir, hold this mace with your tail. It’ll somehow make you way stronger. Don’t ask questions, just do as you’re told.



And with that, the party departs Royburg to... once again go straight back to the Blackwhelm Cave to deal with the same exact monster again. Sure, why not?