Part 52: This is from Joshua, isn't it.

-Royal Capital of Grancel-



Well, the city sewers didn't have nearly as many colorless fish as I expected. Maybe this sanitarium next door to the Bracer Guild will have some clues.



Ahhh, I get it. Fish prints.
Fisher: Ohhhh! Interested in my fish print, are ya? That's proof of my hard-earned glory, that is! Settle on down, and I'll tell you the tale of my valor!
Er, we'll have to take a rain check on that, I'm afraid...
Sir, did a girl in a white dress come by here?
Fisher: Ah, she's your friend? Cute girl, that one, if a bit of an oddball. She asked me a very strange question and then left, just like that!
I knew it...
Um, sir, what was the question?
Fisher: Hrmmm! If I remember rightly...'Do you know where the bitter, spicy, delicious store is?'
It's definitely another riddle.
Bitter, spicy, delicious, got it. All right! Time to hit the stores!

Bitter, spicy, delicious. So...not the armory. Probably.





Connor: The Liberl News is the Liberl News Magazine, of course. Hmmhmm. Finished my book. Time to go shopping! Here, you can have it.




Baral: Our best special's our coffee, of course. Our most popular item is our dark-roasted dragon bean blend. Our spice-heavy curry is also real popular!
Spicy curry and bitter coffee, huh?
It's a bitter, spicy, delicious store! ♪
Hey, has a little girl in a white dress been by?
Baral: Yeah, she was in here not too long ago. She ordered a Cafe au Lait and seemed to love it. Come to think, she did ask me a very strange question, though...
What would that be, sir?
Baral: What was it, now...? 'Do you know where they sell the sweets that disappear if you leave them alone,' I think.
Huh. 'Sweets that disappear if you leave them alone'...Okay, wrote that down! I think we're tightening the noose! I might know what this one is...

It has to be the classifieds. Let's check the latest Liberl News.





I get it!
Yes, if you leave frozen treats alone, they do 'disappear' by melting.
That's not disappearing! It's just a change of state! I call foul.
Sorbet: Oh, hey, you're the girl from yesterday! Your cute little friend just stopped by for an ice pop. You two aren't together today?
I thought so...
Um, miss? Did she tell you a riddle by any chance?
Sorbet: A riddle? I don't think so. She was very cheerful and told me, 'I'm gonna go see my friends at the landing port!'
The 'friends' being us, I bet.
*phew* Finally done with riddles, I hope.
Heh. For bein' a kid, she got us pretty good.
Seriously. Making us worry and run around like this? I am giving her the BIGGEST LECTURE when we finally catch her.
Um, E-Estelle? Please don't get too mad at her.
I think Renne is just kind of lonely...You've all been busy with work, and her parents are missing, and...
That's true...We have neglected her a little.
Aww...Way to kill my righteous lecture fury, Tita.
Either way, we need to get to the landing port.







Faye: What? Tita!
Well, well! Little Tita! And Estelle, too!
Hello, Gustav!
What's up? Kind of an odd place to meet you guys!
Heh. We're bringin' these things over.



Wait, wait! That's gotta be...
Yep. These are the samples of the XG-02. It's the new engine we developed for the Arseille. These're the real deal, too--just about as much performance as what we've got in the Lady Bird now.
So this is what it looks like? Neat!
Really?! Really-really?! Oh, wow! It's tiny for an engine, but it really produces as much output as the sheet Grandpa showed me?! The design is functional AND adorable, too!
It's amazing!
Uh, down, Tita, down.
Oh, brother. It's like showing a kitten some catnip or somethin'.
A pair of engines brought to the capital...These must be the engine samples that will be presented at the treaty signing, then?
Yeah! Guess word got around, huh? We just finished putting the Lady Bird back together, so we had to cart these over here.
I see...Thank you greatly for your hard work, sir.
Uh, okay...? Sorry, but you are?
Oh, my apologies...I guess there's no point in hiding it from you, sir.
I am Klaudia von Auslese.
Klaudia...W-Wait, as in PRINCESS Klaudia?!
Yep! She's Queen Alicia's granddaughter.
The Arseille is the property of the royal family, so...Allow me to offer my gratitude for your hard work in Grandmother's place.
W-Well, no, thank YOU, ma'am--er, Your Highness!
Haha! It's always kind of a shock to hear about Kloe, isn't it?
So where're you guys lugging these things off to, anyway?
There's a warehouse out near the water port we'll be using. They'll be stored there until the ceremony.
Fair enough!
Um, Gustav, are you going back to Zeiss after this?
Yep! We make trails as soon as these are locked up! Now, Tita, you behave yourself and stay safe.
I will! Stay safe too, Gustav!
Estelle, Agate. Take care of our little Tita, you hear?
You bet.
No worries.
Faye: See ya, bracers!





I still don't really get how it works, but it looks cool.
Yeah! Seeing that was amazing!
I hope I can make a machine that incredible and cute someday!
She's goin' for the orbal catnip again...
Well, ain't nothin' wrong with having a goal, shortstuff. Keep at it.
Haha! I will!






I don't know why I'm even bothering, but for goodness' sake, please stay out of trouble while I'm away.
Ah, such sweet concern! My heart, it soars! But fear not. Have I ever made you worry, my dearest Mueller?
At this point I can't bring myself to care enough to worry about you. Just...no international incidents. PLEASE.
For you, my beloved, I'll do my best.









Have you missed me so that you came to look for me? I am touched!
As if.
Anyway, wasn't that...Mueller?
What's the deal with an Imp officer taking a passenger liner?
Ah! It seems his duties have called him to Bose temporarily. You recall that gang of sky bandits, yes? He has gone to retrieve their airship.
Oh, yeah, that little green bucket they had. But, wait, why would Mueller care?
And why would he go to Zeiss? That's nowhere near there.
Ahh, the ship is of Erebonian manufacture, remember. And the bandits who abused it so are still at large.
The Imperial government would like to retrieve the evidence--that is, the ship--and assist in capturing the criminals. Or, at least, that is what they have told Liberl.
Uhhhhh...I still don't get why Erebonia should care. So the airship was made there, so what?
Well, the fact that the bandit leaders are former Erebonian nobility...tarnishes Erebonia's luster, shall we say. I suspect they'd like to have it well swept under the floorboards before the pact is signed. That is, before the Republic has a chance to comment on it.
The bandits are former--
Wait a minute! That tomboy and her brothers're...?!
You...were truly unaware?
They are the family of the former Baron Capua. He was a landholder on the Empire's northern march. Several years ago, the Capua lands were seized as collateral in payment for an enormous debt.
Whoa, I never realized.
That's...really sad, actually. I dunno what to say to that...
Pfft. They don't get any sympathy from me.
Regardless! I came to see my stalwart companion off.
I'm afraid none of this explains why you're here, though, if you did not come for the undeniable pleasure of my company.
We're looking for Renne...You haven't seen her, have you?
Renne? Isn't she standing right over there?
Uh...



Renne!
What...? When did she...?
Ergh! Hey, RENNE! You CANNOT just disappear like that, okay?! And not only that, but you ran away from us and confused a whole bunch of people in the process, and--
I'm sorry...but I was soooooooo bored!
Also, um, I bought some cookies and tea at the department store. I bought enough for everyone, so please don't be mad...okay?
Er...
Haha. Well...it WAS quite a bit of fun for us, too, Estelle. Let's just call it even and let it go.
*siiiiigh* I suppose.
Okay, you get to escape a scolding. For now, anyway.
Really?!
Yay, Renne! Good job!
Allllll right. With that out of the way, we need to head back to the guildhouse. Some new info might've come in.
Right.
Hm? Has something happened?
Apparently there's something going on in Bose...
Er, wait. Didn't you say Mueller is going to Bose?
...So he is. Come. Tell me the details as we walk.
Right, then, c'mon.







What's up? I'm not angry any more, don't worry.
Heehee! No, that's not it.
Besides, you aren't scary even when you ARE angry, Estelle.
If you WANT to see scary, little girl, I can totally arrange it.
But, um, what's up, then?
Well...While I was out, this boy gave me a letter. To give to you.
A letter?
Yeah. It was weird...Here, take it.

-Silence-

Huh...? It IS addressed to me...
Yeah! Like I said.
Who's this from?
Heehee...I think the letter might tell you. I, um, kinda peeked...
Oh, well, uh, let's see...







-Confession-

Heehee. Is it from who I thought after all? As soon as I saw him, I remembered you telling me that story and figured it was the boy you were talking about. ♪
Th-Th-This...Renne, who gave this to you?!
A really cute boy with black hair and amber eyes. He asked me to give it to you when I was at the landing port.
Of course...
That was the Joshua you talked about, right, Estelle?
I...Maybe...The writing looks like his, too...s-so it's got to be him!
Evening at the Gurune Gate, above the Ahnenburg...
Evening...Aidios, that's practically now!



Elnan's going to be running a briefing on everything soon.
Agate...What should I do...
Huh? What happened? You look like you got punched in the gut.

...
This is from Joshua, isn't it.
I think so...Renne said she got it from someone who looks just like him.
Hmmmmmm...
All right. Get goin'.
Huh?
It's cool, just get goin' already. I'll cover for you.
Right...
Agate, thank you!
You too, Renne. Thank you for telling me! Goodbye!
You're w--





Does she really want to meet Joshua that badly?
Definitely. Heh...Now what do I tell everyone else?





Above the Ahnenburg Wall, at the Gurune Gate...
I've got to hurry...!