Part 13: Meeting

Chapter 12: Meeting

Hello children, welcome back!
Back hello, children welcome!
Last time I told you how Croix came to become a member of the team for good. Today, we'll meet another of our friends while we go to meet the Queen and get our next mission.
Meanie, it's too long for Lujei to twist...
Why is she still here?
Yeah, doesn't she have anywhere else to be? Preferably someplace far away?
Just because Lujei is crazy doesn't mean Lujei doesn't know when Lujei's being talked about. Now Lujei's not going to talk to you.
That turned out better than I could have ever hoped.
Simmer down, pipsqueak.
Down, pipsqueak simmer.

Anyway, as I was saying, Father Salade wanted us to report our success to the Queen. We headed down to Cresson Castle to meet with her.

VIDEO




Everyone here is so stuck up and formal... I can't stand it!
I certainly didn't think my first job would be to meet the Queen.
What if I was an assassin from a foreign country or something?
All of you! Remember where you are! Behave yourselves!
Sorry, Sister Alouette.
I'm glad they decided to hire you, Mr. Croix.
Just call me Croix, Miss.
My name's Prier. I'm a demon hunter now, but soon I'll be the Maiden of Light!
(That's what she thinks...)
That's my little brother Culotte.
And that loudmouth is Sister Alouette, as you know.



I think she's jealous of my talent...
Just because I'm going to be the Maiden of Light, she gets all huffy...

Lujei knows who becomes Maiden of Light! It's...
Lujei won't say because she's not talking to you! So there!
Lujei, back at the kid's castle there's a couple humans you could play with.
Oooh! Lujei loves to play with humans, even if they break too soon!
La la la!
Brilliant! Way to shift the burden onto Gordon!
Still, that wasn't very nice.
It got rid of her for now, didn't it? Now, where was I? Oh yes.



W-what is it? Is there something on my face?
......
(Hey! He's not planning on putting the moves on Prier too, is he?!)
No, nothing... It's just that---
Please be quiet everyone. Her Royal Highness is coming.



We told Eclair the story of what had happened.

I see... So the Church of the Divine Mother was involved...
That's right, Princess Eclair.
My mother has been worried about them for some time.
I'll talk to her about this personally.
Thank you for solving the case. I know it was tough.
Not at all. It was all thanks to the protection and guidance of the Goddess Poitreene.
Oh come on! What kind of goody-goody line is that?
Give me a reward!
Hey, it doesn't hurt to ask!



Wait, I'm confused too.
Are you a Princess too?
Why don't you let me finish?



Prier... They'll be starting soon...
I know! Just a little longer!
One, two, three! One, two, three!
Precision... 2, 3! is very important... 2, 3! for this kind of thing... 2, 3!
If I'm going to become... 3! the Maiden of Light... 2, 3! It's gotta be perfect! 2, 3!



Hey, who are you?
...E-Eclair.
What are you doing around here? Did you get lost?
Ordinary people aren't supposed to come in here, you know.
This... is my house.
Wha-? Your house?
Prier... You don't think she's the Queen's daughter, do you?
I think her name might have been Eclair...
Hey, are you the princess?
How old are you?
...Nine.
Why were you looking at us?



Friends?
Don't you think so? She's the Queen's only child.
And I bet all the other kids are too scared to play with her.
I see...
Hey, do you want to play with us?
Really?
Sure. But you have to call me Big Sister, OK?
Why?
Well, because I'm older than you, that's why.
OK... Big Sister.
Great! So, we're friends now!



How have you been lately, Eclair? We haven't seen much of you. Are they keeping you busy?
Yes, well... I do have a lot to do.
I have to prepare to become Queen, and train to be the Maiden of Light...
Hmm, I guess being a princess isn't easy, huh?
Are you still planning on becoming the Maiden of Light, Big Sister?
Absolutely! It's all I dream of.
I see.
If you would just become the Maiden, I wouldn't have to go through all this training...
Are you OK, Eclair? You seem a little run down.
No... It's nothing.
But I'm afraid I have to be going now. You must excuse me.
Big Sister, Culotte, I hope you'll come and see me again.
Please say hello to Father Salade for me.

Eclair seemed to be having some problems, but we were too busy with our own issues to realize how great they were. We returned to Pot au Feu city to report back to Father Salade.

VIDEO




It's coming from the infirmary. I wonder if something's happened.
Let's go see.



They were so panicked that they haven't been able to tell me...
But from what I can tell, they were walking in Meuniere Forest when a monster attacked them.
A monster!?
It sounds like a very dangerous specimen. Go and check it out.
Oh come on! Us?!
I can tell by their faces that they're a couple of criminals!
I bet they were doing something evil in the forest and the Goddess punished them for it.
Yep. I'm sure of it! We don't have to go all the way out there!



You call yourself a sister?! How can you speak so lightly of the Goddess' punishment?!
The Goddess' punishment is a sacred thing, used to wash away people's sins!
It says so in the Holy Book! And you...
What? Are you really angry? I was just kidding!
(She's much too flippant and disrespectful to serve the Goddess...
Much less become the Maiden of Light...)
C-come on, you two.
Let's just go and check things out. OK? OK?

And so, even though I was sure that those creepy thugs were in fact creepy thugs, we headed out to see what was going on in the forest.
Finally, the talky part is done.
You know, something seems awfully familiar about all this.
You mean there being large portions of talking in between strings of fights? Yeah, it's oddly similar to some of our adventures.
That's why I started tuning you guys out in between fights.
Wait, what?
Laharl!
Anyway, children, that's all our time for today. I'm going to go find a hotel to stay in while Lujei's haunting your castle. Next time we'll journey into the woods and possibly discover some horrible secrets!