Part 23: CH18: Perhaps we're starting to smell a bit cheesy ourselves.
CH18: Perhaps we're starting to smell a bit cheesy ourselves.Skit Video: A Wyvern's Diet
: The wyverns weren't as scary as I thought they'd be. 
: I'm just glad they didn't eat you. 
: Hmph. 
: Too bad they didn't eat Alvin the traitor! 
: Oh, did I forget to mention wyverns only eat children? 
: But they don't eat their flesh. They nibble away at their souls -- so gently that the kids don't even notice. 
: While you were enjoying soaring through the sky, most of your soul could have been chewed away. 
: That's a lie! That's total nonsense! 
: Gyaahhh! I was right to be afraid! 
: Haha, they make it too easy. 
: It was time to get this show on the road and take the fight to Fennmont.
: Thank you for everything. Please return home safely. For my brother, as well.
: You have my word, young madam. 
: Then let's be off. : No more big flying monsters attacked them, and they landed near the outskirts of Fennmont, well into the night clime.: I believe we just need to follow this road to reach Fennmont. 
: Yeah, let's go. Skit Video: Parting with the Wyverns
: I'm sure you can see why it wouldn't be practical to ride the wyverns into Fennmont. 
: You'd get spotted right away! 
: Yes. There'd be no avoiding a battle, and civilians would get dragged into it. 
: Yeah, I guess that makes sense. 
: But is it really okay to leave the wyverns alone like that? 
: They shouldn't have anything to fear from the monsters. : Because the monsters are their friends? : Oh, no, no. The wyverns may look docile, but they can be quite tough when they need to be. 
: Monsters aren't their friends. Monsters are their food. : Really? : Ahhh! I was right to be afraid! Skit Video: Master Seamster
: Be done in just a jiffy here. 
: Wow, as good as new! Thanks! 
: Nice job. Those are Jude's best clothes, you know. He spent days fretting over exactly what to get. He bought them for his move to Fennmont, because he was terrified he'd look like a country bumpkin.
: That's surprisingly adorable of you. 
: Go right ahead. Blab all my secrets. : That's a fine story. Please, take good care of them. : How did you get to be so good at sewing, anyway? : I learned it when I was in the military. : Originally, it was just so I could sew up the lips of any of my men who leaked vital information. : After that, I took up needlepoint as a hobby. 
: Oh, that's such an embarrassing story, though. Let's keep that a secret between us. 
: Mmm! : Guess that's one secret she won't spill. Skit Video: Rowen's Fears
: Yeah, Driselle really kept things together. : Oh, I knew Lady Driselle would do fine. I have great faith in her strength of spirit. : Then what were you so concerned about? : I couldn't stop worrying that I had forgotten to shut off my bedroom lamp. : You were that worried about a lamp? 
: What if it had caused a fire? I couldn't get the thought out of my mind. 
: I can relate to that. Once the worry sets in, it never leaves. : Ever since I left home, I've been wondering if I remembered to close the lid on my bottle of dried gels. : I certainly hope you did! Dried gels swell up and burst if they absorb too much moisture. 
: Maybe I should send a letter home and ask Dad to check? 
: We're on our way to pick a fight with a king, and this is what keeps you up at night? : The scene when they reached the city wasn't quite what they were expecting.
: What's going on? 
: Hey, look! 
: Isn't that-- : The lab! : The Lance of Kresnik is in there. Let's go! Skit Video: Return to Fennmont
: All thanks to you and the others. 
: Can you believe this is where we first met? That feels like forever ago. 
: I suppose it does. : This probably isn't something I need to say again, but-- 
: I know. "There's no time for waxing sentimental." : Right. Plenty of time for sidequesting though!
Grieving Woman: What to do, what to do?
System: Accept the request? Yes
Grieving Woman: Really? You'll deliver it for me?
Thank you so much. The addressee is my father. He's one of the sentries stationed there.
He should be working at the west gate. When you see him, please give him this letter.
I guess with things the way they are, there's nothing I can do.
Fort Guard: Who goes there?!
What? You say you've got a letter from my daughter?
......
Thank you for taking the time to bring this to me. Would you mind delivering my response to her?
Tell her that I can't leave my post without permission.
Not even for her mother's death. That is what it means to be a soldier.
Grieving Woman: So, he won't come home after all. Mother said she knew that he wouldn't.
She said that's just the kind of man he's always been, and that's why she married him. Then she died with a smile on her face.
I wonder if I'll ever be able to understand why.
: Uh-oh. Girl: Hey! I know you too!
: Not again?! Girl: You were on that poster! The one for bad people!
: It's called a "wanted poster". Girl: Yeah, that poster!
: Can we skip the vocabulary lesson and run away now? : But why are children the only ones recognizing us? 
: Children are still pure and innocent. You can't fool them so easily. : You make it sound like I'm some kind of monster disguised as a human. 
: We don't have time to argue about this! 
Manager: I messed up my order and now I don't have enough Meadow Crystals! And they're the season's hottest item!
I need more! Somebody get me more!
System: Accept the request? Yes
Manager: You'll get me more Meadow Crystals? Really?!
Thank you, thank you! Oh, and please don't tell my boss about this, okay?
Manager: You did it! Thank you, thank you! Now I won't have to worry about my boss yelling at me!
Here's a token of my appreciation. Don't tell my boss I gave you this!
For this we get the Tiara accessory, which I don't think I had before. I toss it on Jude, since he's the heroine of this game.
Grad Student: I'm right in the middle of working on my graduate thesis, but I don't have the materials I need to complete my experiments.
I know this is a long shot, but I don't suppose you could help me with that, could you?
System: Accept the request? Yes
Grad Student: Thank you! All I need is some Monster Fluid.
With that, I should be able to prove a new hypothesis I have about mana lobes.
Please do your best. My life is riding on this!
Grad Student: Yup, that's the Monster Fluid I needed. I should be able to finish my thesis with this.
Just between you and me, if I can pull this off, I'll get to be the lead assistant to Haus' replacement.
Once that happens I'll be set for life! Seriously, thank you.
This one is really out of the way, I can't imagine people finding it without a guide. On the other hand, it's totally worth it.
: My lady, I couldn't help but notice that you appear a bit flushed. I hope you haven't caught a fever? : I have caught a fever! A fever born from great passion! I was so moved by the poetry you wrote in "Mad Screams of Love".
: What! You don't mean... You were the one who bought that book?! : Yes! I must have read it aloud dozens of times! The passion you exude in your screaming about love and pain is just incredible!
: I, uh... I was quite young back then, and... Well... : We need to republish this, and make it available for all the world to read! : No, please! Anything but that! 
: Are you sure? : I am quite adamant! : Then, would you at least do me the honor of signing my copy? : Only if you promise never to read it aloud again. : Very well. It will be our little secret. OK finally back to the main plot.
: Are you okay? : Mr. Eldin? 
: Doc... Doctor Jude? : Lie still. You're hurt pretty badly. : Listen to me, doc. She tricked us. One of the researchers was actually an Auj Oule spy.
When I tried to arrest her, she blew up the entire testing chamber.
Man: We'll carry the wounded to the hospital. Come with me.
: It sounds like Gaius is making his move. : We can't waste any more time. : There were enough random people helping with the wounded that sneaking in was trivial. Getting to the Lance's location had a slight obstacle: a blast door.
: Now what? Doesn't sound like knocking will get us in. It's actually hard to get a screen cap of this, but Milla starts smacking the door with her sword.
: The Lance of Kresnik is just beyond this door! : There's got to be another way in. Let's look for it. 
: Jude heard some mysterious sounds from the same room he met Milla in earlier.
: Rowen and the others weren't really prepared for the creepy dead body room.
: You okay? 
: I don't know anything. I'm sorry. : Isn't she-- : It's the mayor! 
: Hang in there! : The mayor of Hamil? They did say that the Rashugal army invaded the village.
: Ah! All the villagers. Frozen solid! No! No!
: Hey! Come back to us! Don't give up! : Ugh... Ergh... Ah... : Oh no, mayor! : It's Professor Haus all over again. 
: The villagers were frozen solid? What could that mean? Is this what Gaius' henchwoman meant when she said the power of a Great Spirit?
: This woman was knocking on death's door. She might've been delusional. : Either way, this is unforgivable. 
Skit Video: The Mayor's Death
: Are you thinking about the mayor? 
: ...... : I understand how you feel. My teacher at school was killed by that same awful machine. : It's not that. It's that... I'm not actually sad at all.
: Is Elize a heartless monster? : Elize... : Do you think she got what she deserved? : Of course not! The mayor suffered horribly! What happened was so awful.
: Would a heartless monster get so mad about what happened to the mayor? Would she shed tears over it? : No, I guess not. We have to destroy that stupid Lance! : Can this contraption help us? : It might let us look in on the Lance. Here's the video feed.
: That's remarkable, Jude. 
: Huh? : The Lance of Kresnik is gone. Did that explosion destroy it? : Surely it would leave some wreckage behind. : Perhaps the Lance was moved before the explosion occurred. That's the only logical explanation.
: But moved to where? : Milla, look! I found a recording of what happened.
Is that the spy Mr. Eldin talked about?
: You're right. She was the one that attacked us. : Hey, what's she got there? : It looks like someone discovered her ruse, so she detonated a bomb. : But isn't she an Auj Oule spy? If I were in her shoes, I wouldn't risk my life like that even if my cover was blown.
In the game of espionage, a dead body can still provide valuable intel.
: Then how about this: Maybe she planned to blow up the Lance all along, and Mr. Eldin finding her was just a coincidence. : If Jude's theory is true, then it's likely that the girl didn't know the Lance had left the facility. : That means she's now either on her way to the location where the Lance was taken... : Or trying to find out where that location is. : In either case, we might find out something if we can catch her. : According to the time stamp on the video, the explosion only happened half an hour ago. : Then she's probably still in the city. : We need to find that girl. Skit Video: Tales of School - Part 1
: Ah, young students burning with passion, living their dreams. I bet you miss those days. : Not really. We studied and trained all day, every day. I never did anything particularly memorable. 
: Pfft. Lame. That is so you. : Even those days of toil will one day be treasures to you. : I would have liked to have gone to school myself. 
: You should have! Maybe you'd have learned how to behave like a normal person. : Did you go to school, Leia? : Sure did. I was the class vice president! 
: Ah. Then going to school doesn't seem to help with behavior at all. : Heh heh. You might be right about that! : Hey, wait a minute! : She hadn't gone far.
: I know you. Yes! Yes! Yes! I finally get to finish you off! And it's not even my birthday!
: Sorry to interrupt your little psychotic episode, but we really need to ask you something. : Ah ha ha ha! Why would I answer you clods? : Wait, I have seen you before. Is it possible? Are you Lady Nadia of House Travis?
: Huh?! : I seem to be correct. But what would compel an heiress of one of the Six Ruling Houses to spy for Auj Oule?
: I dunno anything about that stinking house. I'm Agria the Shadowless, of the Chimeriad!
: The Chimeriad again?! : So you're working for Gaius. : What's it to you? : You tried to destroy the Lance of Kresnik. 
: Well, duh! Ha ha ha! : We want to destroy it, too. That makes us allies. If you know where the Lance was taken, tell us.
: Ah ha ha ha! Like I'd tell you anything. : Please! You want to destroy it for the same reason we do, right? 'Cause it's dangerous? : You reek. Ah ha ha ha ha! Oh, I've got an idea!
Before I destroy the Lance, I'll use it to blast Rashugal to itty-bitty bits!
Ah ha ha ha ha!
: What is your problem? We're working our butts off to save the world, and you think it's funny to stand in our way?
: Ah ha ha ha ha! You really do stink! : What are you? Five? : You think you can fill the world with rainbows and kittens just by working hard? Ah ha ha ha ha! That sweet reek of yours is giving me brain decay!
: What's your beef with hard work? : Zip it, you little pimple, or I'll pop you! : E-Excuse me! 
: I still remember the agony you caused me that day! : This girl is making my head hurt. 
So if you remember from WAY WAY WAY back Agria is the fire-elemental one of the boss squad. I have thus purchased Red Cloaks for all my guys and put the fire resist skill on them too.
Those guys that join with her are pieces of trash. Also this is Elize's Dark Wings spell, which summons black butterflies that turn into swords or something.
OK starting from now, sometimes enemies will have the camera zoom in on them as a white aura surrounds them. That's overlimit. Watch the hell out.
I'm deliberately NOT watching out, though.
She has a move called "Summon Spirit" that summons these guys. They're chumps, and also you can steal a Treat from them, which is an item that heals your whole party for 30%. NOT BAD.
So the RED exclamation point indicates that the boss is using an Arcane Arte, which aside from the Summon and Milla's Flame Ring is the only move she has we didn't see when she first showed up. Note that she's in Overlimit. That means it's time for the...
MYSTIC ARTE! 
Agria's stats are kind of low for a boss, and I came in with massive resistance to her element, so it's not very dangerous.
Oh, Alvin and Milla have a new Link Arte.
I don't think my encoder likes a really bright light.
Honestly I probably could have done that fight on a higher difficulty. Everyone gets two levels and 8-10 points for their orb.
: Huh! 
: I should warn you: I'm still not used to the sensation of sweating during exertion. Couple that with my somewhat clumsy sword grip and, well... You might consider being a little more cooperative.
Where is the Lance?
: Hmph. A secret passageway runs under the laboratory. It connects to Orda Palace.
: And that is? : That's the palace Nachtigal rules from. : I've never heard of this passageway. : Is it still usable? : Only if you're a worm. It's caved in now. : So we can't use it. Hey, get back here!
: Agria did some kind of weird crab-crawl out from under Milla's sword. I saw Leia try it once, it looked ridiculous.: Maxwell, one of these days I'm going to rip that pretty face of yours to pieces! And you, pimple! Listen up.
Work, work, work as hard as that scrawny body of yours can handle, and you'll still wind up with only two things: jack and squat!
: Why do you say stuff like that?! That girl has serious issues!
: Orda Palace. The enemy stronghold. : We should be careful. : I know. Let's check things out first. Skit Video: Agria the Shadowless
: Is that wretched little urchin actually nobility? : Yes, I do believe that she is the scion of the Travis family. : The Travis estate was destroyed by arson a few years ago. Most of the Travises died in the blaze. : She lost her whole family? No wonder she turned out that way. : How interesting. You can sympathize with someone you despised mere seconds ago. : Yeah, I guess that's the kind of thing Agria would say "reeks" of naivete. : Perhaps she would. But I find it to be a kind and gentle smell. : I agree. : Oh dear, perhaps we're starting to smell a bit cheesy ourselves. : Haha, thanks you guys.