Part 6: You're a hero, you should know better.
Music: Theme of Madril
But I do sense a strange mood in the air. Slave! Stop loitering about and go and gather information for me!
Welcome to Madril, the city of machines! It's suspended over an infinite pit, and the whole place looks really cool. It's got this cool gear theme, and everything is constantly moving. I'll make sure to get an animated gif put together before we leave.
Since we're here to gather information, first we talk to these nearby people.
Whispering People: this town, too? But I'm sure that...
Hello, what's going on?
Did I miss the party?
Guy with Frowning Face: What boy? Where did you come from? Tenel? Sorry that you had to come here from so far away in the countryside but we've got big trouble in this town. Go on back home!
Well that didn't tell us much. I'm not good at this whole "gathering information" thing, maybe Stan has some advice.
I've already told you that it's a fundamental of conquest! Do you listen when your lord speaks!? Now quit dilly-dallying around here! Get cracking!I forgot to mention sooner, but we can press the square button at any time to get advice from Stan. He's mostly just there to remind you of your current objective, in case you forget.
Well I guess we'll just search the city. First we go into the building directly next to the whispering people.
Looks like we've found the City Office. Seems like a good place to gather information.
First we talk to the man over by the poster.
Young Man Looking at Posting: "I am doing evil things in Madril's underground sewer. Currently wanted: Evil Monsters. Young people with cool haircuts, come apply." Evil monster... Maybe I should apply...
Classifying Officer: Well, you see, I just received the latest classification table from the royal capital. Would you believe, there is a new category in the classification table called "Evil King"! And it looks like there isn't just one, but several! My, we're living in troubled times! Hmmmm. Ummm.
Sleepy Town Manager: The heroes have jurisdiction over them. We let the Hero's Club handle it. (Yawn)... I think I'll go home early today.
There's also a man guarding a door in the rear of the office.
Guardsman: You want to ask the heroes something, boy? Usually, I would just let you in, but it's crazy in there right now with everyone preparing to go on a Sewer Evil King punishment expedition.
There doesn't seem to be anything for us in the town hall, so we head across the street into the inn.
We can get an update on our compatibility here, but there's nothing else to do.
Fotune Teller No. 2: Here we go! Come to me, my dear fairy... Come on, now, easy now... Ah, here it is! You get along the best with... Whoa!
Okay, so far we've learned that there's an Evil King in Madril, and we're most compatible with a swordswoman.
I'm not very good at gathering information.
We continue down the street, in search of information.
Bossy Kid: I may not look like much but I'm a member of the Spotted-Cat Team, the ruler of the shadows in Madril!
Grow up, Stan!
Just ignore him.
Bossy Kid: Whoa! Hey, what's that? How cool! That shadow looks bad! Oops, I mean... Um, you with your shady tricks! You must be a Whisker-Mole Team spy! I will report to my leader later! This town will never be yours, Whisker-Mole Team!
Posting: "To help take over the world just like I've taken over this elevator. How would you like to engage in such powerful activities with me? Must be into: world conquest, punk music. Positive attitude, a plus."
After checking the elevator, we continue down the street, but we're soon stopped.
Militia Soldier 1: no one from the general public is allowed beyond this point. So beat it! Man, that felt good. I've always wanted to boss people around like this.
There's nothing else we can do outside, so we start going into buildings. First we enter a building immediately next to the guards.
Looks like a bar. The bar is always the best place to gather information!
Mr. Know-it-All: What would you like to know, my son?
About Evil Kings in MadrilSorry, nothing.
Mr. Know-it-All: An Evil King who calls himself "Sewer King" apparently lives in the town's underground sewer. Lately, there have been posters hung up all over the town about some plan to conquer the world. I call myself Mr. Know-it-All, yet I had no clue an Evil King lived in the town's sewer. I'm ashamed!
About dealing with Evil Kings
Mr. Know-it-All: Oh, that? Don't worry. I'm sure "heroes" will defeat the Evil Kings. If you want to know about "heroes," go to the "Hero's Club" in this town, behind the Town Hall.
We've learned a lot, but I think we could learn even more if we barged into residences and talked to the people inside.
Rough Old Man: I was born and bred on the 1st level! I prefer slugs to the pretentious folks on the 2nd level, you hear?! Why, just the other day, a rich punk from the 2nd floor had the nerve to tell me he wanted to marry my girl when they grew up. So I slapped his little head and chased him away! Gwa ha ha ha ha!
We also investigate a small house beside town hall.
Alright, I think that's all the information we need. Let's head back to the city hall, maybe we can convince that guard to let us into the Hero's Club.
Music: Theme of Madril R
We've been listening to Madril's theme for awhile now, so here's the indoors version to mix things up.
Oh, a familiar
You'd better let me in or else!Guardsman: Hey, don't get mad at me but we're not accepting any more applicants. No use going in there.
Never mind, let me in!Guardsman: Y-yes, ma'am! But wait, your parasol-
He resumes guarding the door, and we speak to him.
Guardsman: This is the "Hero's Club." You want to ask the heroes something, boy? Usually, I would just let you in, but it's crazy in there right now with everyone preparing to go on a Sewer Evil King punishment expedition.
Guardsman: Huh? What's that shadow? Besides, Hero Hopkins is the name of the Great Hero from 300 years ago. I don't know what you're thinking but that person's been dead for a long, long time now.
What? So who is the hero today?Guardsman: Well, it's hard to say who... There are more than a dozen heroes in Madril alone right now.
Wh-what did you say? You fool! There can only be one hero! That's just the way it is, isn't it?Guardsman: Oh, whatever, I don't really care. Here, I'll let you in, so you can check it out yourself.
Nasty Hero: She's the hero who is the laughing stock of town... Heh, heh, heh.
That won't do! How many times do I have to tell you to get you to understand? Let me pass through the Management Office NOW!Clerk at Window: Well, let me just say this. You should just be grateful that I'm giving you a number at all. And besides, you shouldn't have an umbrella open indoors, you know. You're a hero, you should know better.
Well, it's b-because...Clerk at Window: Of course, I understand why it bothers you so much. Heh, heh, heh... Everyone knows your shadow is p...
Oh dear. I wonder if he's okay.
Who is that?Whatever.
Clerk at Window: Oh, her? I believe her name is Rosalyn. I hear she's really good, but, you know, she's got you-know-what. Ha ha ha! Well, why don't you ask for yourself why she uses a parasol. Be careful you don't let her hit you! Ha ha ha ha!
Nasty Hero: Heh, heh, heh.
Interesting. It appears that the pink hero's parasol is more than it seems.
Town Hall and the Hero's Club are just full of assholes, so we leave.
Why is it that he's the only one that the heroes are after when I'm the true Evil King?! What an insult! That's the way it goes.
(Uh, you were in a bottle for centuries.)
Watch it! When your master is upset, you must say "Exactly as you say, Master"! What an ingrate servant! Anyway, it is moi who will defeat this so-called Sewer Evil King! I will show those lamer heroes who the true Evil King is! Slave! Go and begin your search!
Alright, let's find our way into that sewer!
Bossy Kid: It's not fair for you to act so big just because you have a curious shadow! I know everything about this town but I won't tell guys like you anything!
Oh, but do tell me!Whatever.
Bossy Kid: Humph! I will never tell you that there is a back-way that goes through to the east side of town that only we know about! I won't tell you even if you torture me that Toby watches the secret entrance!
Thank you.That wasn't hard at all.
Bossy Kid: Oops. But I'll never tell you as long as I live that my name is Dill!
Oh, I met Toby earlier today! He was in this house beside the town hall.
Spotted-Cat Team is the best!
Toby: Yeah, the Spotted Cats? They're great. Maggie's so pwetty, you know. Go on, you can pass.
I don't know if that's actually the password, or if Toby is just nice to anyone who compliments the Spotted Cats.
The door puts us out here, and we can shimmy along this pipe to our destination.
The pipe leads us around to the opposite side of the guards from before, and...
A building with a bunch of heroes queued up in front of it. It looks like we're getting close to the Evil King.
What? What are you staring at? Go away! You have a great parasol.
That's some cutting edge headgear.
...... Now, go away. I'm busy right now.
Maybe that wasn't the most affectionate thing to say, but I just can't resist making fun of that stupid belt on her head.
............What? What's wrong with you? What do you want from me? Where did you get your parasol?
I've seen headbands, but yours...
Where would you even get that idea? I am directly mocking you for your poor fashion choices, your parasol has nothing to do with it. (Those options were probably "......" in Japanese.)
You have no business staring at me like that! B-but
Oh, I'm sorry. I just lost my temper... I usually don't get mad this easily, you know? Yes, once I was a gentle beautiful girl leading a fabulous life as an elite of the Hero's University...Music: Shadow Contest
Since then, I've been looking for that guy who ruined my life. It's been a long and difficult journey. You can't blame me for losing my temper from time to time, I guess. But that has nothing to do with it.
Yes, so I finally searched him out! This Sewer Evil King must be the detestable enemy I've been looking for! How can I just sit and wait for my turn? But of course! There must be a back route to the sewer somewhere in this town! Yes, there must be! Look for it, Rosalyn!
Look at that guy's dead stare. Staring directly into the camera. Staring directly into you.
File Clerk: Phew. I've been the file clerk here for several days now.
File Clerk: It couldn't be the Sewer Evil King, could it? Yikes, brrrrr!
Oh, well that seems promising. We should investigate that manhole...next time.
Today I've got some Madril concept art to show off. It still has the gear motif from the final game, but it looks like they originally planned for all of Madril to be in the sewer, rather than suspended over an abyss. I think the in-game version is a lot more interesting than the concept art.