Part 9: Claus Encounter

This is perhaps a tad more helpful than the average World Map. If you check a town on it, it shows you the shops and what they sell given that you've already viewed them. This is kinda nice if you're looking for a specific item and know it's buyable somewhere. It's not much, sure, but it could help.

Skit: Klarth the Eccentric



: Lenios said he was a bit of an eccentric.
: An eccentric... For some reason, that really worries me.
: Everything will be all right. Once he hears the situation, I'm certain he'll understand.
: You're right. Okay, let's hurry to Euclid Village!

Before heading out for real, let's take a quick detour to the Belladam weapon store!



Wait, no not there. Go through the passage hidden in the wall to the right first!



This one is basically a freebie so long as you know its here. You will eventually too, since an NPC in a later town tells you about it which is nice. The problem with getting it now, though, is we can't use it; it requires a base arte we don't get until level 15.

...If we were to buy anything from this store, it'd be a new weapon for Mint and nothing else. We'll be getting a far better weapon for Cless than anything we can buy here within a few minutes anyway.



At level 12, Mint gets her second title. It's probably the most interesting thing that could happen on the journey to Euclid.

Skit: Dreams of Futility



: W,what's wrong!? You're soaked in sweat.
: Was it... was it just a dream?
: He was begging me to save him... But I couldn't do anything at all...
: It must be exhaustion catching up with you. Why don't we rest here a little while longer?
: Yeah... Thanks.
: Everything will be all right. I'm sure that we can save them both.

While we do have to pass through the mountains area to the north again, there's nothing particularly interesting there. There aren't even items or anything so there's no point to taking the longer path this time other than for extra EXP or gald.



At least Euclid's in the same place as ever, and we do need to come here to meet Klarth.



So, instead let's go to this place we couldn't reach before since the bridge was out.

Skit: Optimism



: I don't believe that we can undo that which has already been done.
: I see...
: I'm sorry!
: It's all right.
: Then, do you think we can save the other two?
: I think... no, I'm sure that we can save them!
: Yeah. Morrison sent us to this era, we can't let this chance he gave us go to waste.



Hamel's a pretty small place and we won't be sticking around for long since we're here for two things (well, three but whatever) before moving on.



This guy's just chilling near the middle of the city village and gives us another recipe. This one cures 20% of the party's HP and removes poison so it's pretty nice.



We also need 1 Pickaxe and 1 Rope for a later; you'd be forgiven for thinking that's not enough but you'd be wrong. They'll stay in our inventory for the rest of the game or until we sell them; whichever comes first (the end of the game).

Skit: Klarth the Assistant



: I wonder if he'll be willing to co-operate with us.
: Don't worry, I'm sure we can convince him to help us.



We're here making a minor detour just to pick up a few things before meeting Klarth. We'll be able to get one of them for free much later but it's better to get it now since it saves waiting. Also we can use it to beat a boss way earlier than we should if we get it now.



At the Armor Store, we can buy this from a random NPC for 3,000 gald. This costs almost all of our funds at the moment but it's more than worth it. Once we master both Thunder Claw and Autumn Sandstorm, this one arte is pretty much going to be a permanent staple of Cless' reportoire until we get a better version.



The Corseca is the first spear we can get for Cless but it's easily the best weapon for quite a while. It's around this point the three weapon types for Cless diverge accordingly; the swords are most balanced and thus are easy to use, axes prioritise slash and are more powerful than swords but are kinda slow and aren't really worth using if you don't love slashing things a lot and spears, naturally, focus almost exclusively on thrust and are usually the best thing to use since thrust related artes have a tendency to be multi-hit.



Who cares though; the Corcesca outclasses everything in Slash other than maybe the Crescent Axe but that's got an inate thunder element and there's not much point to using that when we have Thunder Claw.

Since I bought Cless' third arcane arte first I didn't quite have enough to buy it outright but I had some stuff I could sell anyway and I don't need to cart everything around for no reason where I can avoid it.



And, finally, in the grocery store we can get another new recipe. Sushi's a 15% HP restoration but it also cures Paralysis and Stone so there's that.



Now we have nothing left to procrastinate with, let's finally go to Euclid again. There's a few items we can find but they're all mainly just lying around in the open. There's only two that are a bit tricky to get.



This is probably one of the best hidden chests in the entire game since unlike most of the "hidden" ones you can't see even a pixel of it. Of course, even if you know it's there then it's not going to help you... since it sometimes doesn't spawn. This time it did the first try, so that's nice.



The only other item that's not particularly easy to find is one stood out in the open but can't be accessed without using this long-winded hidden passage. At least here we're given anime sweatdrops to indicate roughly where Cless is. The item we get for this is just a Charm Bottle so it's nothing great.



You probably noticed this woman when we first entered Euclid but she doesn't say anything. She has a unique sprite though, so maybe we just need to come back later. Okay, fine, let's go s-



: That girl, she looks like she a bad case of it...
: Really? She doesn't look all that sick to me...
: You have it all wrong.
: Cless, don't you understand?
: That girl is lovesick.
: Lovesick!?
: That vacant stare and that suffocating tension...
: Why don't we see if we can help her out somehow?
: I don't think we should get involved.
: Cless, did you say something?
: No, nothing...

Okay, so fine this is a pretty long-winded sidequest that we'll finish quicker than you think but it involves a lot of walking back and forth. It's really not that fun but the reward for it is more than worth it.



: Please, don't be afraid. I'll listen to whatever you have to say.
: There's someone that... that I'm in love with...
: I thought so...
: Who is he?
: His name is Elwin... I believe he's in the equipment shop right now.

Since we need to do a fair bit of this before advancing the plot too much, it'd be a good idea to get as much of this done as possible. We'll be able to tell which is Elwin immediately; he too has a unique sprite... and wants to know mystery woman's name. Only, Cless doesn't know it!



Okay, he does now because I skipped ahead to after running back and forth a fair bit since it's really uninteresting and the whole "name? iunno!" thing adds nothing.

: I see, the gorcer's daughter, Nancy... Unfortunately, I cannot meet her.
: Why is that?
: I'm the heir to a trade company in Venezia. Right now, I just happen to be visiting this village on business, but it won't be long until I have to return to Venezia. And also, the president, my father, he would never allow it.
: But can't you at least try meeting her?
: No, if I met her even once, it would only make it more difficult when we could not meet again. Please give the young lady my regards.

Fortunately, running back to Nancy again is the last part of the sidequest for now so we can just get this out of the way now.



: I figured that it would be like this. I mean, he's the son of a company president, I'm just the daughter of a grocer... No matter how you look at it, we just weren't meant to be.
: Nancy...
: Thank you, I'm okay now. I'm all right! Don't worry about me...

Okay, with that done we can get on with things at last. Wait, no, there's one thing left first that I almost forgot about.



NOW we're done with all the optional stuff! All that remains is to go nag this Klarth guy.



: I am, but do you have some business with me, princess?
: Klarth, we were hoping we might be able to learn something about the research you have done on magic.
: Magic? Oh, so you're here about my series of lectures on magical studies? If that's all, you can talk to Mirald inside. You'll have to pay the 10,000 Gald tuition up front.
: What? A payment? We can't pay that much...

Note that getting 10k at this stage is a joke. The elixirs sell for 5000 gald a pop and you'll easily have at least one by now, if not both. Even if it was 10,000 per person then 20,000 is still nothing. In other versions to compensate Klarth's payment is 100,000 gald instead... and, of course, some people will probably grind that much first. It doesn't matter though; Mint's line doesn't change.

: Well then, I suppose I have nothing to teach you. Come again some time, princess.
: Please stop calling me that.
: I'm so sorry. You see, you never bothered to give me your name in the first place! And this is our first meeting... or am I mistaken about that?
: Oh! I, I, I'm so sorry!
: My name is Mint Adnade. This is Cless.
: Klarth, the ability to use magic is absolutely essential to us! We must have it to defeat Dhaos!
: To defeat Dhaos? Are you serious?



: What!?
: That's so cruel...
???: Klarth! Is this how you treat people when I'm not around!?
: Mirald!



: You've just met these people, right? Did you even ask why they came here? Can't you muster even the slightest bit of social grace? You're an idiot! A complete fool!! Honestly!

I like Mirald. She's an incidental NPC, but at least she has a pretty clear role. It's just a shame she only really gets to show it the once.



: He's got the maturity of a little kid. Oh, I know! You should just forget about a guy like this. How about I introduce you to someone more dependable? A-guy-like-this... isn't needed, right?
: Why! Hey!! What do you mean by a guy like this!? What's that supposed to mean!?
: You don't like that? For someone unreliable like you, <<a guy like this>> is just fine!
: What the hell does that mean!?
: Unreliable...
: Just who was it that followed me all the way to this remote area!?
: Oh my, I just can't seem to recall.
: (I can't believe her...)



: Um, we...
: No matter what, we still need Klarth's cooperation.
: Cooperation?
: Yes, that's right.
: If that's the case, you should have just said so in the first place...
: Anyway, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?

A quick fade to the black here while Cless and Mint explain, well, everything. Again. Also we're sat at the table now rather than stood in the door way. Hurray!



: As I'm sure you can see, I am neither Elf nor Half-Elf. I'm just an ordinary human.
: We came here after hearing about you from Belladam Village's elder.
: He seemed sure that you would have some kind of power that could help us.
: Actually, there is a kind of magic that isn't limited to those of Elven lineage.
: By borrowing the power of the Spirits, it is possible to obtain a power that is equal to that of Sorcery. That has been the focus of my research, searching out the means necessary for a humn to harness the power of the Spirits. That power is known as Summoning.
: But you still can't actually use it, right?
: The theory, at least, is sound.
: There's no reason it wouldn't work.
: All that's left is to actually form a pact with a Spirit and I should be able to control a power equal to Sorcery.
: However, attempting to form a pact can be a rather dangerous undertaking. You see, Spirits have a tendency to live in places where humans cannot easily tread. Now then, if my cooperation is what you truly seek...
: You'll need me to be able to use the power of Summoning to achieve your goals, correct?
: If you understand my intent, I assume that's acceptable?
: Yes!
: Thank you so much!
: In that case, we should make our way to Lone Valley without delay.



: Mirald, could you pass me my hat? I probably won't be back for a while, so...
: If you're worrying about me, I'll be all right. You know, when you get back, I'll have to let you try my newest pie recipe.
: In that case, I'd better give it my best, huh?
: Well then, I'll be off.
: Don't forget to take this with you.



It's basically a catalogue of every item you've acquired in the game. Nothing fancy, but much like with the Monster Encyclopedia there's a title for Klarth for finishing it.



Sorry, Klaus. For most names, I don't have to change anything since the name is identical in all versions. For Klaus and Klaus alone his name is different (well okay Cless kinda too but that's not the same) depending on the version you're playing. The GBA version named him Claus but that makes three main characters with a "C" for their first initial and that's pretty annoying, to me at least, and I just find "Klarth" too weird in comparison so a happy medium was born. Don't like it, feel free to bitch enough at me and I can change it back to Klarth at any time via the status screen.

Anyway, Klaus is awesome and since the first Spirit is Sylph, I'm sure you can guess what the others are going to be eventually if you know anything related to the Tales series.





Skit: Klarth the Summoner



: Didn't I explain this? It comes from the same source and has the same effect as Sorcery.
: Then it should be able to defeat Dhaos.
: Yes, but before I can use it, we first have to make our way to Lone Valley.





Klarth F. Lester official render.