Part 56: Promise to Estelle

Before we rest, I buy/synth some stuff at the local store:


Combo Plus
Evade 2


O.L. Boost: Increases the duration of Over Limit.
Combo Force: Mitigates damage from a basic combo attack.


Spirits
TP Condition 2: Increases physical defense when TP is less than 25% of the max amount.
TP Condition 4: Increases magic defense when TP is less than 25% of the max amount.


Spell Charge: Hold the Arte button after casting a novice spell to move freely while delaying the spell.
Stat Boost: Increases the effect of magical status boosts.


Happiness
Happiness 2
Happiness 3


Guard Artes: Cancels guard motion and performs an arte. Invincible to attacks for a short period of time.
Guard Reflect: Reflects 1/5th of the damage taken during guard.
Roll: Decreases damage taken by half when staggering.


Combo Plus


Attachment for Karol. In the PS3 version, everyone can equip this, leading to some ridiculous-looking scenes.


Alright, let's rest already.





Hello. Welcome to the desert oasis, Mantaic.
What's with this knight?
Well, ummm...
Knight: ...
...Will, will you be staying the night?
Yeah. We're going into the desert, so we came into town to gather provisions and get some rest first.
Oh, so it's you who wanted provisions for going into the desert. You know, it's...
We know it's dangerous.
Oh, I see... In that case, I'll get your provisions together before you set out. Your stay will cost 400 Gald. Have a nice stay.




All these knights stick out like sore thumbs.
Anyway, time ta get some sleep! Sleepy times!
But man, I just can't relax with a knight standing out at the entrance.
It bothers you?
It does, it does.



All right everyone, let's get some sleep.
Mmm...




Umm...I don't know your reasons for going out into the desert, but... It would really be a good idea for you to stay in town...
Thanks, but we've already put a lot of thought into it.
I see. Well, as I promised...



Looks like enough to me.
Yeah, we should be able to get more water from certain types of cacti growing in the desert.
Right, if we use them to fill up our canteens whenever we need more water, we should be fine. You sure know a lot.
Thank you very much. You've been a great help.
It's the least I could do. I'm giving that to you, so don't hesitate to use it as much as you like. Go out and turn right where the road forks. You'll find a lake at the end of the road. You'll be able to fill up your canteens there.
Gotcha.
By the way, what was with the knight who was here?
He was guarding me all night. I was so nervous!
One lie after another...



Why would they do something like that?
I don't understand the reasons, but it's on the magistrate's orders. People other than merchants like myself aren't allowed out of their houses.
I see... That's why we didn't see any townspeople outside.
I wonder if there's a crooked magistrate here, too.
There was no magistrate in this town until recently, and then finally he arrived...
Really?
Yes.



It seems they may've already gone in to arrest Belius. The appointment of a new imperial magistrate to our town seems to be related to that, as well.
The Imperial Knights are going to arrest Belius?!
They say that Belius had something to do with engineering the Great War behind the scenes.
Belius did that...?!
That's what they're saying in town. Well, I don't think the empire will be able to do much so long as Palestralle's there, but...

The door opens and a knight enters.





Thank you very much for your business!
Wait...but...
Yeah, thanks for the help. Let's go fill up at the lake.


We'll do exactly that.






Right.





No way, we're going to look for Mommy and Daddy...!



Knight B: Stay out of this, stranger!
Please, forgive these children.



Knight A: Hey...wait, aren't you...
Knight B: My deepest apologies...!

The knights leave.

Do you think that maybe...I could've handled that better?
Hey, it worked, didn't it?



What are your names?
My name is Alph! My sister's Layla.
What happened to your mom and dad?
They got taken into the desert in the magistrate's big wagon! Someone told me they're going to look for Phaeroh!
Phaeroh...!
Yeah...



And using the townspeople to do their dirty work? It's despicable!
Hey...big bro, are we going to go look for Mommy and Daddy?
No, you're not. If you kids go into the desert, you'll die for sure.
Ack!
Judith!
We'll look for your parents. You kids can't go out into the desert.
Really?
I don't lie. ...You don't mind, do you, Karol?



You're surprisingly agreeable.
His guild is guided by justice, after all.
Thanks, everyone!
Here, take this, 'cause you're so nice!



The kids run away.



It's a precious gem.
It's our reward for taking the job.
Now that we've gotten paid in advance, we've got our work cut out for us, don't we, Karol?
Yeah, you're right.
...But what concerns me...




With that done, we still have two sidequest scenes to take care of, both of which require us to rest at the inn.





The moon's so pretty, so I thought I'd go out and take a walk.

Some sounds can be heard from outside.

...What? What was that sound?
...What strange sounds...
So noisy... What's going on...?



Ugh, now we're all awake. Stupid noisy son of a...



...Mrngh mrngh... No, no more tapioca...
...What happened?
There was some weird sound outside the door. Like someone carrying something heavy.
...This late at night? That's strange.
Anyway, you want to go and see what it was?
Yeah, good idea.
Hey, Estelle, get up. We're going out for a bit.
Huh...? A party, for me...?
She's still dreaming...
I'm sleeping too...
Argh, I swear...
Repede's also asleep. We should just let them rest.



...You're coming, right?
Yes.




Knight A: Yes sir... But...how could such an object like this possibly be used...?
Knight B: You ask too many questions. This is a special assignment...
That looks heavy. Want some help?



That's a hoplon blastia, isn't it? What are you going to use it for?



Knight A: Y-you want me to run...?
Knight B: You fool, hurry up and run away!
Let's go after them!



Knight A: They've caught us...! ...Our orders were to eliminate all witnesses, no matter what...!
Knight B: B-but...
Knight A: Enough grumbling, do it!
Knight B: Yes sir...!
Knight A: I'll just use this...



Knight A: Agh!







Knight B: Eeeek!
Knight A: Damn it, you just wait...

The knights get up and run away.

Rita, it's not safe!
B-but... Oh no, the core is burnt to a crisp...
It's too late...




Did your walk have to do with going after this blastia, by any chance?
What could you possibly be talking about...?
Well, it ended up destroyed in the end, anyway.
...
It's gotta be hard doing it all by yourself, trying to keep it all a secret from everyone.
I know... You can't even go for a nice walk without someone butting in.
...You still won't tell us your reasons for going around and destroying blastia?



...


Judith learns Moonlight Talon (base arte) from this event.


Resting once more...



...Oh... Yuri.



Yes, it's a memento of my mother.
Your mom... She passed away?
Yes, when I was still a child. ...What about your mother, Yuri...?
It happened when I was a baby. I don't even remember what she looked like.
I see... I thought that I was special, to never have a father or mother while I was growing up. But you, and Karol, and even Rita...you all grew up by yourselves, too.
Well, in my case, everyone in the lower quarter helped raise me.
Everyone in the castle helped to raise me, too. But I still felt lonely sometimes. Whenever that happened, I would look at this memento and think of my mother. It helped bring my spirits up a little.
What're you doing trying to give away something so important to you? You should keep it safe!
After I started this journey, I completely forgot about the memento of my mother. I think, because I was with you, Yuri... I didn't need it anymore... I had stopped getting lonely...
...Are you going to get rid of it...?
We all have to leave our old memories behind. Everyone else is living fiercely and not worrying about the past. I need to learn how to grow up and move on, too.
If you don't want it, let me hold onto it for you.
Yuri...
The time will come when you're going to need it. You're going to want to reevaluate who you are. You'll need it to remind yourself who you were, and how far you've come. You don't want to make any rash decisions now that you'll regret later.
Maybe...you're right...



If I lose sight of where I'm going, I may have to fall back on it.

Estelle leaves.





You can use this item in battle as often as you want, and it restores a small amount of HP to the whole party. I dislike it though, simply because it orders itself after the Magic Lens, which previously was the last item in the list. Don't be surprised if you see me accidently using this instead of a Lens in battles.


The next morning, we can actually leave for the desert.




I was just thinking about what the magistrate here could be planning. It's so strange that he'd be looking for Phaeroh. Though I guess it'd make sense if the empire wanted to eliminate a monster that was trying to kill the princess.
But they don't know that he's after Estelle yet, do they?
So why are they going after him, then?
How should I know?
And we still don't know why there's a curfew in the town.
Anyway, first, we should go to the Sands of Kogorh.
Right. We can look into the mysteries of this town once we come back.
If we don't rescue those kids' parents soon, they'll keel over in this heat!
...That's true.
So then, to get to the middle of the desert, we should go through here, right?
Yes. I think the parents of those children were probably taken this way, too.




Next time: The Sands of Kogorh.