Part 46: Part H4-1: 'Til Death Do Us Part
'Til Death Do Us Part
Let's talk a little about getting the A Ending. Aside from some specific plot events we'll have to trigger and see, one of the requirements relates to Lenneth's Seal rating. To qualify, we have to get it below a third of its maximum (so below 34) sometime in Chapter 7.
There are a few ways to affect the Seal rating. For the more generic ones, keeping the Niebelungen Ring equipped during a Sacred Phase increases it by 2, while not equipping it decreases it by 2. Recruiting an Einherjar will lower it by 2 in most cases, while sending one up to Valhalla increases it by a whopping 12. Thus far, we've been on the ball and sending an Einherjar up regularly, and our Seal level is at maximum.
We're going to send an Einherjar right at the start of Chapter 4, so those 12 points don't go anywhere. Fortunately, anyone can meet this requirement. I would have done a poll to decide between Nanami and Yumei (the two Einherjar we haven't sent up to Asgard yet), but I'm not sure it would even have been close.
We only have one returning Einherjar to recruit, Aelia. That'll bring us down to 98.
For the main event of the day, we're heading to Flenceburg to get that Einherjar we missed last time.
You go on ahead. Do not let them retrieve the woman!
Yes master!
Listen: Lezard
Ye know me! And if ye do not, ye shall be made to know me! It shall be engraved on thy very soul. Lezard Valeth!! If ye shall accept the brand of Hel upon thee, thy sanctions will in turn be lowered. ...I shall grant thee the deliverance of thy soul, and ye shall come now upon me!!It might shock to hear that after voicing Arngrim - who was already quite a departure from her signature role as Meowth - Maddie Blaustein also voiced Lezard, and the extent of her range is amazing.
I'm afraid this mad little interlude is over.
Halt!
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...?
(Yes, just like that.)
GHAAAAAH!!
I thought you might realize. That's right. This construct is a homunculus... a man-made lifeform. A homunculus... What a naughty little puppet you are... What was that, some sort of bewitchment charm? However, as you have seen, the very fabric of a homunculus' psyche differs from that of humans. That is why poor Bellion here went mad, I'm afraid. Heh heh, how unfortunate for you.
Did you use your charm hoping for a little... action? How... how dare you!! I thought so. You can speak the human tongue if provoked. Ah, well.
But then, since Bellion here is a homunculus, you two puppets would be perfect for each other! Ah ha ha ha ha ha! Go to hell!
...!!! Surprised, my dear? Then listen well.
The Philo...sopher's...Stone...!! However, the wisdom sealed within the Stone cannot be gleaned so easily. Sadly, the legends were a bit off... the Stone does not transmit all the world's knowledge instantaneously. How did a devil like you...!!
Ugh... Perhaps it was being irreverent in its own way, but the first thing the Stone told me was this... Anything which claims to be "All" is nothing more than a deception, it said. Yet still, my seeking out of the Stone was quite worthwhile indeed. You shall become a sacrifice, a sacrifice to satisfy all my desires!
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Thank you. I do so appreciate it, you know.
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Ah, I'm finally home. He must be asleep by now...
Are you lost, little one?
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So why, what could possibly make you do a thing like this?! You went so far as to kidnap my husband! Why? For some sort of... revenge?! If that is the reason, then... please! Let my husband go! He has nothing to do with this!! Revenge? Do you think I bear you such ill will because you expelled me from the Academy? If not that, then why?!
You two have a lifetime of love behind you, don't you? And even now... What... what are you trying to say?! I too, covet love. And so...
With that much power at his command, how did the boy go wrong...? Lezard, Lezard... Lezard!!Lorenta isn't voiced here, but her VA is Megan Hollingshead - who also voices Lenneth. Coincidence? Probably.
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Yes, it's me, dear. You're going to be all right.
Lorenta. I... I... something's not right. That man gave me some sort of potion... it feels almost like I'm in someone else's body... GAAAAAH!!
I... what's happening to me?! I'm... Gods, forgive me... There is nothing I can do for you... No matter how powerful my students think I am, I cannot help you... Forgive me...
I can't... I can't stand... You know I can't do that! You're the most important person in the world to me, and nothing can change that...---
Listen: Lezard 2
Can you not hear it... The mad wailing!! Oh, goddess! Surely you cannot allow any more desecration... Come to me... I burn. I burn. I burn with passion for you...
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Aaah... Come back to me... I love you, my... dear...
...Huh, this isn't the World Map...
Lorenta character art. Decidedly not a Ballista Mom.