Part 6: No Minister

Before actually advancing the plot, there's a little optional that can be done right now in Mothergreen. That's required to ensure you don't fuck up, so instead let's go dungeon diving and explore the Ancient Forest...

...Is what I'd say if there was actually anything there of worth. Instead, I just ran through it grabbing the treasures (i.e. a few healing items and a small amount of Inotium) and getting out. Later on, there's an optional boss fight there so we'll actually give it a decent once-over then but for now? I just gained more than enough levels to last through to Chapter 4 (you really don't need a high level for most of the game).



Holy is a light elemental spell, naturally. It's basically the multi-target form of Saint and costs over twice as much SP.



Miracle Horn is a full party heal; it restores about 60 HP to everyone. It's... not that great. Using the full party full buff still proves to be more cost effective for prolonged battles (of which there are none for a long while).



MegaSaint is to Light what MegaLightning is to... Thunder. A slightly more powerful version with a disproportionate SP increase; the increase for MegaSaint costs more than double Saint's SP but less than Holy.



Trick Wind is the first debuff we've gained though it isn't actually that great. It just lowers the agility of one enemy. It could pose useful in some prolongued battles but most fights don't last long enough to make worthwhile. At least it has a low SP cost... though Kid has barely any SP so that, well, makes sense.



Lastly, Storm is - as you may have guessed - the multi-target version of Lightning. Bizarrely, it costs just under thrice as much SP despite not being as effective as MegaLightning which you get 6 levels earlier.

Nothing else to note here, so let's head on over to Mothergreen at the last possible opportunity this chapter.



Fanclub Girl: Please write your name and address here... Alrighty then Miss Cornet of Orange; we'll be sending you a newsletter soon.

This is way more important than it seems. The payoff, in the end, isn't that great but it's one of the few things you can easily and accidentally screw yourself out of if you're not careful.



: Wow, let me taste it!
: Hey! Get your grubby little hands off of that! I made it especially for the Prince!
: Gimme just a little bite! ... Hey, it takes REALLY GOOD!
: Really?
: Yeah, really! It has this fruity aroma and elegant flavor that tickles your tongue.
: I'm so glad you like it. I'm a pretty good cook, aren't I?
: Now, the question is... How are we going to bring it to the Prince?

You can actually just walk into the palace through the front door whenever you want to. There's no real point to doing so, since you have access to maybe a third of it at best and can only get a few low end items anyway.



: Hey, Cornet! Catch up with me outside the church later!

Kururu's preferred route is much more divergent and requires using a side-path that... well, you'll see.



: I thought if I do this...







: Surprised? It's an old waterway. It's not in use anymore. So called ruins, I guess.
: Ruins...
: Yup! You could take this thing all the way to the castle if you wanted to. It's kind of like an escape route for the people in the castle. But not many people know about it, even the ones living in the castle.

There's a surprisingly good reason for that. Though if what Kururu says is true, it begs a simple question... and it's one that even Cornet knows to ask!



: Oh, you ask too many questions. Let's go!

So, yes, in order to get to the castle, we have to use an underground waterway/ruins that are underneath the church cemetary of a different town altogether.



Whilst following a horribly linear path that has no divergence whatsoever. The only thing of interest along the way is...



A locked door that we have no means of opening right now. We won't be opening it for a long, long time; so long, in fact, that the payoff is probably not worth it at all.

Let's not dwell on that for now; instead, let's just head on to the final room to the topleft and see what lies in store there.



: Huh? It's stuck... There! Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you about the secret of this switch...



: ...Monsters will appear, just like that, so be careful!
: Why didn't you say that before you turned it on!?



This fight is... well, it's a random encounter in this area (both enemies and this specific formation). It's not made any stronger here.

After the fight, the door opens and you walk inside.



: What did you expect!? It's dark in here, duh! Besides, we can't use a torch. The room seems to be filled with gas.
: Gas!?
: Yeah, gas!
: ...What kind of gas?
: ......
: ......Something really stinks... Hey Cornet! Did you...
: No way!
: Eww, we finally made it! It doesn't smell great but you can't have everything.



: ...Eww, we came out of a toilet?
: Sure looks like it...
: How do I let you talk me into these things!? Do you really expect me to meet the Prince, smelling like this!?
: Calm down. It's not being used anymore.



: Oh...yeah.
: Sigh... You don't have to yell... I wonder what the Prince would think if he heard you!
: Excuse me, Kururu!



...This guy... Well, uh, you'll have to see it to believe it.

: Hmm... What are you doing here?
: Kururu! T...This is the men's bathroom!!
: That's not something that we should be worried about now...
: I've never seen you before. You must be..
: Uh...Uh... We were just...
: Well, don't just stand there! Say something!
: You must be...



: ...Huh?
: Oh, it's so hard being me... Women just can't get enough of me. Sneaking in like this... How adorable. Hmm... What is that pleasant smell? Oh, I see!
: Huh? This is...uh...
: Oh, you shouldn't have! A present for me! Mu hu hu hu hu...
: Yes, you're right! She made it, just for you, Minister Golonzo! She talks about you all the time, and...



: Oh, is that so...
: (What are you doing? I made this for the Prince...)
: (Shh! We'll get arrested if we don't do this!)
: What are you guys mumbling about?
: (Come on, just play along! Follow my lead, okay?)
: (...Alright already! I'll try!)
: We're glad that we can talk to you face to face! Right, Cornet?



: Is that so, huh? Hmm? You're pretty cute. Let me see your face... Come here so I can get a better look at you, my dear.

...Yes, he really is as creepy as that smirk and this scene makes him out to be. I am not making any of this up, I swear.

: (Do what he says, Cornet! Just think about your Prince!)
: Come closer, my dear... Don't be shy...
: (Come on Cornet! Just do what he says!)
: Hmm? Why are you so shy? Come here. I won't bite... Are you nervous? How adorable.





: Huh!? I can't see! Help!!! Somebody help me here! I'm being ambushed! Come get them! Hurry!!





This fight is the last one of the chapter. It's also a complete and utter joke, so rather than do it any normal way I opted to use it as a means to demonstrate one of Cornet's more unique skills... which ended up dealing about twice as much damage as the enemies have max health. Needless to say, using her Kansha skills is more than a little overkill against almost everything.



: Hurry! Let's get outta here!!



: Yeah... I guess.
: That old pervery! How dare he!!! He ruined our plan!



Next time: Contest Rhapsody