Part 126: The Ignorance of Knowledge
SILENCE 
So Cyrus (and his party members, though they don't matter here as much) are trapped in an abandoned house with no apparent method of escape. So how is Cyrus going to get out of this predicament?
By doing nothing and letting the situation resolve itself! Truly a genius at work.
So of course...
That voice...could it be!?
Yes, despite the fact that nobody should know that Cyrus is trapped here in this abandoned house under an invisible trap door, someone still knew to rescue him.
And as for who that person is...?
Music: Bonds of Friendship 
Did you come all the way from Atlasdam? But...but why?
I...I knew you were in danger. And so I came to warn you...
Music: Tension 
I knew Cyrus would come, but you...you have pluck for a girl your age...
It is clear hostage negotiation never factored into your scholarly pursuits.
Therese has rescued us only to be kidnapped by Yvon. So our next course of action is obvious.
That's right, banter!
Music: Forbidding Corridors 
I don't care who you are, kidnappin' and holdin' someone hostage ain't right! Alfyn, my friend. I oft find you overly hot-headed and temperamental...
Why, no man who pretends to integrity and virtuousness can let such wrongdoing go unpunished! Shucks, Professor. Never seen you get so hot under the collar afore.
All right, if you say so. Either way, let's get goin'!
I love Cyrus and Alfyn banters. They're so different, yet fundamentally the same as far as wanting to help others, whether through medicine or by spreading knowledge.
Yvon's Birthplace is at least a bit different from your usual manor dungeon. First off, it's a lot more dimly lit.
For an abandoned home, there certainly are a fair share of researchers.
Ones that can debuff your elemental stats and throw soulstones, no less.
The other major difference is that the majority of this dungeon takes place in Yvon's spacious basement.
While fighting a researcher and a couple Flame Guardians, I steal this, which...as far as I can tell, has no real use whatsoever.
The Dark Remnants hit hard, but otherwise they're most notable for letting me do a near-max strength Last Stand (albeit only spending 2BP).
The purple chest contains a Sturdy Quartz Rod, which has mediocre ElemAtk and a small Evasion bonus. I'd consider backtracking for this if we weren't about to start Chapter 4 and thus get access to a whole wave of new loot, especially with all the cash I have saved up. Better staves will come sooner than later.
While wandering, I finally get 5000AP for Ophilia and thus pick up Aelfric's Auspices, which causes most skills to trigger twice. It's as great as it sounds.
And with that, we have reached Yvon. It's time to save Therese!
Video: Yvon's Transformation SILENCE 
Pro...fessor... You just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you?
Headmaster Yvon. What do you intend to do with her? The girl went poking around in my secrets. I fear she can't be allowed to live. Music: For Truth 
You'll not lay a hand on my pupil. I'll see to that! You seem terribly agitated, Cyrus. It's not good for the humors...
It's one of those blood-crystals...!
Video: Boss - Yvon Music: Decisive Battle II 
Today we're fighting a transformed Yvon and some researcher lackeys.
Despite being a scholar himself, the transformed Yvon only uses physical attacks. Granted, he hits like a truck, and his sidekicks can use wind magic.
Some of his attacks do have side effects, like Intimidate inflicting Silence and Shatter Soul inflicting SP damage.
Physical bosses are generally easy to trivialize, and Yvon is no exception. I don't have Hired Help, but I do have Shackle Foe.
While the adds aren't protecting weaknesses or anything, they can do some nasty damage with Tornado, so better to wipe them out sooner than later.
And this will help with that!
In one turn, Cyrus has taken the adds from max shields to broken state.
The adds won't respawn, and we also broke Yvon.
You know what that means!
Yvon is surprisingly light on gimmicks. He gains more shields every time he comes out of break, but alongside that he also gains a new weakness. This first one is fire, and later it's ice.
Max Boost ElemAtk Buffed Lightning Blast x2, for around 14k damage. That's...fine, I guess.
Yvon now has a Crit buff for the rest of the fight.
And the rest of the fight is over, because Cyrus wipes the floor with him. It's all a damage race and, well, I have Cyrus.
Music: Creeping Dread 
Immortal...?
Lies...? Who lied to you!?
...And so Yvon is defeated, though his dying words raise more questions than answers...
But we have bigger priorities for now.
...
Oh, Professor... Professor, I'm so glad you're...
(But I can reflect upon my failings another time.)
-----
Video: Back at the Inn Music: Enveloped in Kindness 
Yes, Professor. Therese...
...Yes, Professor. One day, I heard the headmaster talking to someone in his office. I couldn't make out the other voice, but they were talking about you.
And so I...I... ...You came all the way here to warn me. Yes, Professor. I see. Well, Therese...
I understand, Professor. But one thing is also clear: were it not for your actions, I would have died in that dark pit.
But you must promise me one thing. What is it, Professor? In the future, pray consult someone you can trust before embarking on such a dangerous course of action.
Professor, I...
... ...?
But I think we've talked enough for the day. You should rest. Wait, Professor. The headmaster...he said one more thing. SILENCE 
He said that once you were out of the way, there was a place he would go... ...Intriguing. And where might that be, pray tell? ...
In a way, we are not so different--the headmaster and I. Professor...? That unquenchable thirst for knowledge, bordering almost on obsession...
The headmaster used his position and prestige to hoard knowledge for his own foul ends. As an academic, I cannot forgive this. Knowledge is for one and all. ... Music: Cyrus, the Scholar 
Headmaster Yvon believed true knowledge should begin and end with him. He was wrong.
A...bounty? The more of us that possess true knowledge, the richer we all become. Those who seek knowledge must never forget this--that is what I believe. And those who would use their knowledge for nefarious ends must be stopped. ...So it would be wrong of me to keep this to myself.
...I see. Thank you, Therese.
When I act, I will exercise due caution.
Please do, my dear girl. If you say so. Then I shall see you when you return. You have my word.
Our only lead now is the town of Duskbarrow, up in the Woodlands. If we can find where Yvon was heading there, perhaps Cyrus will find the answers he seeks and put a stop to all this madness.
As we head out, some more banter.
She's got spirit and pluck, and would follow you to the end of the world and back, it seems. I remember times when I've been as filled with passion as she. ...?
I'm afraid I'm not sure to what you are alluding... I'm just saying, she's come all this way for your sake... Oh, indeed. She is a most dedicated and conscientious student.
I think you're missing the point... Nothing thrills a scholar's heart quite like a student so utterly dedicated to her studies. ... Is something the matter, Primrose?
While the joke here is supposed to be "Cyrus is incapable of discerning when women want the Hot C", part of me thinks this banter is Cyrus being (perhaps finally) aware of Therese's obvious crush and trying to deflect things in a clever matter.
Of course, this is Cyrus we're talking about, so him being this oblivious is still entirely possible.
We're done with Stonegard. But as we leave, we still have a bit more to ponder...
Video: Journeying On 
(Whatever did the headmaster seek there?) Music: Despair 
(Is it possible that the tome holds not only the secrets to death, but new forms of life?)
(After all, did he not say he was betrayed? And the original copy of the tome is still nowhere to be found. So many questions remain...but now I know where I can find the answers.)
And so Cyrus travels to the final point of his journey, much as the rest of our party travels to theirs'...
We do have one last banter to end this chapter with, so let's do so.
Music: Among Stately Peaks 
You speak of Headmaster Yvon.
Yes. H-he seemed just a normal person, and then... Some monsters are created in laboratories. So it is certainly possibly [sic] to transform a man into one. There will always be people prepared to use knowledge for vile ends... I never thought knowledge to be so...frightening.
You mean, it all depends on who uses it. Precisely. That is why, you see, the pursuit of knowledge demands virtue and integrity. Knowledge nobly won can be shared for the benefit of all men. I warrant that if it had been you who'd found that knowledge...
A good discussion on the goods and evils of knowledge that serves as a great capper for this chapter.
So we're essentially done with Chapter 3. I'll do another two side stories to close things off, and then we will jump to Chapter 4 and begin the finales of each character story.
Naturally, who shall we tackle first? Recommended level for all of them is L45. Since Chapter 4 is the end game, this will be the last series of polls we'll have, so I hope you have a good acronym ready! Though it looks like that won't be a problem...
Next time, we knock out the last couple of side stories available. And then we'll start Chapter 4...