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Completed Nails -Beginning of Your "Heart Beat"- (NSFW)

abnaxus

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Dec 31, 2010
Messages
10,849
Location
Fiernes
I hope there's an exterminatus ending for those nail furries.
 

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
Onwards, to the restaurant!

We brought Kemmy to Marga, as we promised, and stepped inside.​

Kemmy followed without saying a word.​

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Ah, how about sitting here? I always sit here when I come to this place.

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...Okay.

We sat down at the table Kemmy suggested, and waited for a messenger of Salvatore.​

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d30HWT2.png
.............

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What's wrong?

Kemmy asked, puzzled.​

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Ah, er...

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Just that there's no real feeling of tragedy here, even though you are likely to be sold further to cover the debt. ~~

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Oh? It's not always selling further, you know? They could keep me for their own amusement, or maybe they'd use me for dodgy scientific experiments, or maybe as a heretical sacrifice...

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...............

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I'm joking.

Well, I guessed so...​

Heretical sacrifice, eh...​

Minvi popped into my head for a moment.​

I hope she's all right...​

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Heya, Kemmy! Long time no see!

Suddenly a shout that overpowered the tumult of the town disturbed my thoughts.​

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I'll join you if you don't mind.

The owner of that voice navigated nimbly to the seat next to Kemmy and sat down.​

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How've you been?

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Delford... So it was you? Were the others busy?

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So these people are the ones, right? I'm a messenger of Salvatore. Guess you heard my name already, but I'm Delford.

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...Yeah. How do you know Kemmy? ~~~

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The next order... the last order, comes here.

Delford evaded my question, and presented me with a small package.​

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...What's this?

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Some of the latest information we've come across. Please give it to Salvatore.

d30HWT2.png
...But I don't actually know Salvatore?

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You should have met him today already. So good luck!

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Met him today? It could be you for all we know.

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Nah, well, as a hint, I'll reveal that I'm not Salvatore.

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...............

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Kyaaaaaa!!!

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...!?

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!?

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!?

The sudden scream lead us to look around.​

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...............

A group of masked claw people had invaded the place.​

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*hisssssss*

They were heading straight this way.​

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...!

Were they aiming for me? Or for Delford, Salvatore's messenger?​

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Kemmy! Stay behind me!

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Okay!

I found it curious that he didn't tell her to run away.​

But we didn't have time to think of that now, but drew our swords and faced the enemy.​

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Over in three turns...

Jamrock 150/150 HP

Sandrake 176/180 HP

Pamela 101/110 HP

Minardi 123/130 HP

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Phew...

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Are you okay?

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Yeah, mostly.

Delford didn't escape the combat unscathed, but the wounds he had sustained were all shallow, and didn't need further attention.​

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What about you? Are you okay?

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Yeah, nothing serious over here.

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Good, then.

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Anyway, I hope you succeed with your last order and get to meet Salvatore.

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We'll be waiting here, so let us know what happens.

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Yeah...

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Bye then.

We left the restaurant...​

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Salvatore ... who on earth could he be?

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How about the old man, Zehed? Could be a blind spot for us.

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Judging from the standpoint of age, and then the physical traits too... I didn't notice anyone who looked like he could match those...

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We can't exactly search blind here either.

GT: I do not think that it is translated as a mushroom.

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Well, no use worrying about it here. We should go elsewhere to search.





So we search around. We're given an option to offer the package to every person we meet. But once they hear that it's meant for Salvatore, they refuse to touch it. (Or in some cases, are irritated, and tell us to use our heads a bit.)

Side note: the pub owner is closing shop. Says he's lost his crowd magnet; the place will no longer be profitable.

So, who's Salvatore? I know you haven't seen every person I've talked to, but you can try giving it a guess.





Guesses ready? Revelation ahead.





...In the prologue posts, I mentioned that the menu screen has four background images. I haven't shown you two of them yet. I'll just use them here as spoiler space. First the morning...

rqYy34Y.png






And then the evening...

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The view of misty Altamina (?) is kind of pretty, really.





We entered the restaurant named Marga.​

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Heya, have you given it to Salvatore already?

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No, not yet.

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Oh... Well, I'm not Salvatore, anyway.

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...............

Kemmy and Delford were before my eyes.​

Could either of these be Salvatore?​

I thought for a while and then...​

  1. Give the information to Delford
  2. Give the information to Kemmy
  3. Leave the restaurant

I gave the package we were given, to Kemmy.​

5pb9Leh.png
..............

Kemmy accepted it and smiled sweetly at us.​

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There's a mansion in the north, out of the way. Come there.

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Shall we go then, Delford?

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All right.

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With the brief discussion, Kemmy and Delford left the restaurant, accompanying each other.​

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She was Salvatore, it seems.

Anyway, we should go to the mansion she spoke of.​

We left the restaurant...​





At the mansion...

*knock knock*​

*creak*​

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Oh, you? Come in.

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vaxlOCi.png
Thank you for following the three orders.

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Thank you for the help at Marga too.

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Anyway, Salvatore is waiting for you in the other room, so go in.

Delford was nodding towards a door.​

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What about you?

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I'll wait here.

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I see.

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Welcome!

Unlike the previous room, this one was clean ... or rather, organised efficiently. Kemmy was there alone, waiting.​

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So, you were after all ...

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Yup.

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I am Salvatore.

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Whaat? You were Salvatore?

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Huh? Didn't you notice?

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No, I didn't. How about you, Jamrock?

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Well, she did accept the package...

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I'm of the second generation, you see.

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The first Salvatore was my father. He died some time ago.

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Anyway, the town is like this, as I'm sure you've seen, so you need to have some unwritten 'laws' in addition to the written-down ones.

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So, the subordinates of my father, including Delford, spent their days protecting this town, and once in a while saving this unworthy daughter of his.

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I see...

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Me? Dancing is more in my nature, really.

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Sorry that we made you run around with those three orders.

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I've heard of the situation with the abduction of the miko of the royal temple, and we took the liberty of investigating your character, to see whether you were responsible. ~~~

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I don't particularly mind that...

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You were as we expected.

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...............

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You, we will help in any way we can. ~~~

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Thank you for the kind offer.

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So... you were searching for information about the Order of Dark, Blood, and Claw, right?

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...yeah.

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We don't know much either, but ... well, it turned out that we have a pressing need for information on that subject too.

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As an organisation, they are large. Almost unimaginably large. I'm surprised that we didn't notice them earlier.

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They have chapters in almost every town, but we don't know where exactly they are located. According to the rumours, the chapters are for quickly gaining control of the town when needed.

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Of course, this town is no exception. We're having frequent brushes with them here too.

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I see...

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I think they have recently uncovered me too... That's probably why they sent assassins to Marga -- to get me.

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...............

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Well, that's about everything I can tell you. Sorry, I know it's not much...

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It's plenty. Thank you.

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What do you plan to do now?

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Well, more investigation is our only ...

*slam*​

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...!?

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...!?

Suddenly, there was a loud sound coming from the other room.​

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It's the Dark, Blood, and Claw! Kemmy! Jamrock! Run!

Delford's warning was for nought, as the next moment, several masked claw people barged into the room.​

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How did they find here?

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Stand back!

I took the sword from my back, keeping Kemmy behind me.​

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Combat with the religious assassins ended on the fourth turn.

Jamrock 138/150

Sandrake 179/180

Pamela 91/110

Minardi 115/130

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Kemmy! Jamrock! Are you all right?

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Yeah... How about you?

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Yeah, they went straight to you. I was unharmed.

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Oh.

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Er... Thank you.

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Don't mention it. But ... If these guys weren't aiming for us, then...

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Yes... then we have a betrayer.

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................

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Well, that is something we can handle ourselves.

Kemmy laughed lightly after saying that.​

Unworthy daughter, she said, but perhaps she has inherited some skills from her father too.​

GT: She said that she was a non-daughter, but perhaps the skill of the neighbor is a father.

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You're in a hurry, aren't you?

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Yeah.

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If you stay here much longer, I don't know what else you'll get involved in. Maybe you should take your leave while you still can?

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Yeah... Thank you for your hospitality, then.

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You're welcome.

We left the place...​

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You are Jamrock-san, aren't you?

Hi. Is this a party member encounter?

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...!?

I was considerably startled by someone suddenly speaking out to me.​

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And you are...?

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I apologise. I am a messenger from the Zeinhad temple. My name is Joseph Moore.

Apparently not.

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I was tasked to bring you new information the Zeinhad temple had received.

Now that he said it, this man ... Joseph Moore ... did indeed look like a priest from the temple.​

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Did something happen?

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There has been a flurry of action in the neighbouring countries, and it is somehow related to the claw people. That was the message. ~~

How useful.

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In the neighbouring countries?

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That is correct.

But ... at present, it doesn't really seem like information we have use for...​

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...........

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...?

Joseph Moore did neither leave nor continue talking. He just stood there, looking intently at my face.​

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Sigh...

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Really, what was the head priest thinking...

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...?

What... on earth?​

He made a slight grimace, and continued staring at me.​

...........​

Well, we can't stand here forever either, right?​

  1. Ask him, "What's wrong?"
  2. Bid him farewell.
  3. Silence.

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What's wrong?

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...............

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When I first saw you, I immediately wanted to say something to you!

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...?

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Why did they give someone like you the task of rescuing Minvi-sama? I just do not understand.

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And the head priest himself, of all the people, would rely on a savage such as yourself for this! Has he lost his mind?

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..............

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Does such an act not deny the power of our faith itself in the first place? ~~

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The power of your faith...?

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Yes!

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This for sure is the correct time to calm our hearts and fervently pay for Minvi-sama's sake!

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With that, she will undoubtedly return to us! We need not rely on the barbarous strength of swords!

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Trying to save her like this -- Zeinhad himself must be lamenting!

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...?

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Hmph... How uncool.

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...?

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It's 'that', right? That man, he's jealous of you and this girl called Minvi, isn't he?

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...? Is that how it is?

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That's what I'm saying.

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Huh...

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Are you listening to me, Jamrock-san!?

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Yeah...

I can't really stand this man much longer...​

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To begin with, shedding blood for the sake of a goal, is the most foolish possible way for man!

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That the church would choose such a method ... and to top it all, give it to a man of no faith like you...

Good grief...​

  1. Argue against.
  2. Ignore him.

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You said that shedding blood for the sake of a goal is foolish, right?

I interrupted Joseph Moore, not knowing how long his tirade would take.​

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Yes, I did say that. Concerning your actions...

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Putting aside our actions for now, I do agree with the thought. There is nothing better than resolving things without bloodshed.

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Then...

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However, if I can avoid shedding Minvi's blood through shedding some of my own blood and the blood of those who kidnapped her, I will not hesitate to do so.

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That is the view of someone who has no faith. If we but devote our lives to God...

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Then, go ahead and continue to pray. That is the best method you have. But my best method is the wielding of my sword.

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...!!

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...............

He suddenly looked exhausted.​

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Are you all right?

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M--Mind your own business!

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I see.

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Then, are you finished?

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...Yes.

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Very well, we shall excuse ourselves then...

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Ah!!

Joseph Moore looked like he still wanted to say something, but we decided to flee from this place as quick as possible.​

...What on earth was that...​

Indeed. At least we didn't have to take him into our party.





The scenario is over, we can exit now, but we still browse around for tidbits.

The young woman that recognised us earlier invited us over for tea, but Jamrock refused. Sandrake wished to accept though, asked us to go ahead without him.

Hm, found an event.

8chujPv.png


*knock knock*​

We knocked on the door of the old man, Zehed.​

...........​

Though we knocked on the door, there was no response from inside.​

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He must be out...

I turned the handle, just to try.​

*creak*​

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...?

Surprisingly, the door opened easily.​

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Is the old man not home?

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The house was filled with a strange silence.​

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...!?

I saw the old man lying on the floor in a corner of the room.​

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Hey! Hello!?

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A stab through the heart...

A knife had been thrust deep into his chest. It was clear that he was now dead.​

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? What's this?

What next caught my attention was a mask, placed right next to Zehed.​

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This is one of theirs, right?

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Yeah...

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Was Zehed the betrayer?

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Then ... then... Did Kemmy do...?

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...Yeah, probably.

"That is something we can handle ourselves."​

That is what Kemmy said when we were leaving.​

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It's probably best to just leave this place quietly...

We decided to leave this place as is, not touching anything...​





And one more event found. Infodump time!

(Sorry, I probably butchered the translation. It mostly whooshed past me the first time I read it.)

We opened the door and entered the building.​

Inside, there was a mix of smells of various ointments, the combination forming a peculiar reek.​

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Welcome!

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Does Kemmy come here often?

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!? N-no, not really...

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Oh.

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Ah... but recently, there was a second stranger -- apart from you -- who came to buy the Fragment of Immortality.

The merchant spoke in a flustered way for some reason.​

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She was completely wrapped in cloth, looked like a human woman ... and she bought quite a few other things too.

This woman gives little privacy to her customers.

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She did ask for some rather strange things for a human, I found myself thinking... Come to think of it, she may have been a 'Nails Seeder'...

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Nails Seeder?

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Are you unfamiliar with the term? Nails Seeder is ...

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No, I do know it, but...

Nails Seeder is one of the kinds of mixed-race child that are born between parents of claw people and humans.​

The child, depending on whether he gets the traits of humans or claw people, is given different terms.​

If the traits of claw people are apparent, the term given is 'Nails Baby'. Almost all children fall into this category.​

Then, in extremely rare cases, when human traits overpower those of claw, they are called 'Nails Seeders'.​

Of course, Nails Babies have the varieties of quarter blood and three fourths blood. If there is much human blood in them, the traits become less apparent. ~~~

But even if so, as long as there are traits of claw people in the child, he gets classified as a Nails Seeder.​

By the way, I have never met a Nails Seeder myself.​

Well, I probably wouldn't know it even if I had, unless the person explicitly told me that he was of Claw blood.​

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But, couldn't she have been just a Nails Baby with less claw blood in her?

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No ... well... how should I put this... We claw people just know. It's in the atmosphere.

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Oh, that's how it is...

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Excuse me! Our kid got the flu! Do you have any medicine for that?

Suddenly there was a shout from the outside.​

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We seem to have stayed long enough here. Well then, thank you.

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Ah, yes. Please visit us when you need something!

We left the apothecary.​

One more encounter. We chatted with Kemmy a bit. She thought we were useful and invited me into a life of crime. Sandrake wanted to come along too.

All right, I can find nothing more. Let's end this.

Sandrake :4/5:

Pamela :4/5:

Minardi :5/5:

Minardi and Pamela didn't get embarrassed by the high ratings I gave them.

Enemy breakdown:

  • bounty hunters x 3
  • guards with horses
  • regular guards x 2
  • wild dogs x 5
  • poison wasps x 3
  • out of control horses
  • ruffians who wish to borrow money from us
  • ruffians who believe we're on their turf

Nothing really interesting. This time I killed the guards too.

Activity point tally for today:

Sandrake: 21

Pamela: 10

Minardi: 19

I have no idea how Pamela collected that few points. I think it's related to combat performance ... but she is the fastest in our party so she definitely did land hits.

Stars = 3 + [Activity points] / 2

Total stars collected:

9pRrOZx.png


As you can see, Sandrake and Minardi maxed out. I suspect surplus stars are still counted, even if not displayed.

Back to the base camp!
 
Last edited:

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
DG8LeJX.png


Sandrake has a new move.

[Two screams] Attack skill that releases at a stretch because of the spirit. It is effective against 3 enemy front rows, but after striking for rigidity, it becomes impossible to move one turn. Required work points: 6

Attacks three enemies, loses one turn. As opposed to the previous skill which only attacked two enemies.

Also, Sandrake has something to talk to us about. (I think getting the face icon yellow is related.)

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Sandrake, are you there?

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Oh! Jamrock, is it? Come in!

A merry-sounding voice greeted me from inside the room.​

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What's up, Jamrock?

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Ah, nothing, I just thought that you'd helped us a lot today.

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You don't have to thank me about that. It was nothing!

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But anyway, Jamrock. Do you have time?

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...? What's with the sudden offer?

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Ah, nothing particular. I just had some left of this sake I bought a while ago. Was thinking that drinking it alone would be a waste. How about it? Will you share a cup with me?

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............

I don't know when he did it, but on the table there was a sake bottle and two glasses.​

  1. Accept the offer.
  2. Decline the offer.

I may have mentioned this before, but you can only visit one party member per night who has something to talk to you about. This is the point where you can backpedal.

I nodded, after taking a look at the table.​

d30HWT2.png
Hmmh... I guess I'll join you then.

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How happy that makes me! I was afraid you'd have a problem with alcohol.

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...I indeed try not to drink much. Makes my judgement cloud.

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Those of us who have warfare as our trade, we must enjoy every moment we can! Or we'll just have regrets left. ~~

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Is that how it is?

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That's how it is.

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Well, let's stop this chatter and first have a drink!

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Yeah...

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Here we go...

Sandrake grabbed the bottle, and filled my glass to the brim, and then his own glass likewise.​

The rich fragrance tickles my nasal cavities.​

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This is good alcohol.

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You can tell? Not bad...

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This is made from first-class sugar canes, grown on the island of Periya, in the south.

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Oh?

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Anyway, go ahead and drink!

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Yeah, thank you.

As I take some into my mouth, I feel a rather strong bite for this kind of sake.​

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How's it?

d30HWT2.png
Rather strong.

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Well, yeah.

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It's stronger than the sake brewed around here. That's what makes Periyaram Periyaram.

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Oh...

The rich flavour drowned out the bite of the alcohol, and the drink went surprisingly easily down my throat.​

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You just can't let a good sake go to waste by drinking alone...

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Well... yeah...

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Your cup's empty. Still want some?

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Hm? Ah, yes, please.

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Mine's empty too. Here we go...

As soon as he finished filling his own glass, Sandrake suddenly gulped it down.​

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*glug glug glug*

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Phewww!

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Fwew.

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Quite a way of drinking you have.

I said, quite impressed.​

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What're you saying? Haven't you gulped down quite a bit, yet you still look sober?

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Mm... It's just that I'm not that weak...

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Now if we just had a pretty girl or two here...

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Hmm?

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Hey hey, don't tell me that you can't handle women?

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..............

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Which reminds me... that girl that was with you when we met... er, Kalderina, was her name? How's she?

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She's a miko, no? I don't think they can have alcohol.

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That's not what I meant.

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...?

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I was asking what you think about her.

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What?

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Hey, don't tell me that you really have no interest in women?

Sandrake was watching me with disbelief.​

I found it bothersome, but responded:​

  1. I just don't have interest in her.
  2. It's just that a lot has happened.
  3. She's kind of plain.

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I don't particularly have an interest in her.

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Don't tell me that ... you prefer men? I don't go that way, you know.

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That's not it. Just that it'd be complicated, and I'd hate that.

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Whoa, if you're calling women complicated, you won't have any important things left in this world. ~~~~~

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If you live your life like that, it's just going to be boring all the way.

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I'm not going to deny that.

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...Why are you still living if you find life boring?

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Just because I haven't died yet.

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Hmph... What a pity for the sake, being drunk by someone like that.

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.............

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Jamrock, I'm not saying that you need to go head over heels over women, but just that what you just said reeks of desperation to me.

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................

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Just think a bit of what you're after, what you're living for. Okay?

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'cause if you don't, even good sake is going to lose its flavour to you.

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Well, if I drink too much now, it's not good either. I guess I'll leave it at this.

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...The sake was really good.

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Yeah. Well, see you later then.

d30HWT2.png
Yeah...

I mostly translated that because there wasn't much else to have for this mini-update. I was hoping Minardi or Pamela had something to say to us, so we could get the ball rolling, so to speak, but...

Anyway, the priest...

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I think that you actually acted in a positive light.

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Also, in my assessment, it seems you handled the situations in a safe way.

Blah.

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I'm already tired...

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Guess I should sleep...

As I lie down on the bed, my consciousness easily gets enveloped by the drowsiness.​

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Why did they give someone like you the task of rescuing Minvi-sama? I just do not understand.

In my half-asleep state, the priest we met today... Joseph Moore, was his name? ... his face floated briefly to my mind.​

Someone like me, eh?​

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I was thinking that... I don't ... have to get my ... memory back...

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I don't remember at all what happened when I was with you, but...

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But I'm sure that it was fun.

I'm sure that I've myself thought so too, that someone like me would not be worthy of approaching her.​

And because of that thought, when she got her memories back, I must have been avoiding her on purpose.​

Yet now, I'm frantically searching for her... ~~~

Of course, I do not feel an inconsistency with how I am acting now, to save her.​

Just that... Before the situation went this way ... I feel that there were things I should have spoken to her of...​

...........​

As I idly think such thoughts, my consciousness finally recedes to a deep sleep.​

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Ah, good morning, Jamrock-san.

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Oh, morning.

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Still 10 days to go...

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Yes.

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I'd like to get my hands on some good information...

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That's right...

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But ... It seems that the influence of Darkness, Blood, and Claw has rather deep roots...

GpiCAfW.png
...............

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Anyway, no use in thinking of it now.

d30HWT2.png
We had three more places we haven't investigated yet, right?

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Ah, yes, that is right.

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In the town of East Comet, there is a textile mill where the majority of workers are claw people.

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I am told that many of the workers there have an uncertain past.

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In a place like that, we may be able to get some good information.

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In the town of Old Comet, there is a famous scholar called Gainsborough. He studies the claw people.

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If we meet him, we may be able to get detailed information on the Order of Dark, Blood, and Claw.

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In the port of Jakash, we have received a report that some suspicious claw people came ashore on a small boat.

GpiCAfW.png
It is possible that the claw people who left the village of Temze with Minvi-oneesama on boat came to the port of Jakash. We could get some leads there.


Okay, the situation here is that we have two more days we can explore these places. That means we cannot go to one of them.

I would like to go for Old Comet either on day 5 or 6, I haven't decided yet. For the remaining two places, I'll have you vote.

East Comet or Jakash?

Party is going to be Sandrake / Pamela / Minardi, unless we meet someone else in the meanwhile.

Deadline sometime next week.
 

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
I checked Sandrake's character sheet in the morning and for some reason, it had fallen back to green again and he had forgotten the new move he had just gained. Odd.


DAY FIVE

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What a great morning! I look forward to working with you today again.

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I'll be counting on you too.

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The members of the exploration team come along with me, and the rest are on standby at the local temple church. Come, let's depart!

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TOWN OF OLD COMET



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So this is the town of Old Comet...

The worn brick roads signal of the length of the town's history.​

It used to be a flourishing town, but currently, the towns of East Comet and West Comet have taken its position, and there is little left of its past glory.​

d30HWT2.png
Well then, I guess we should find professor Gainsborough.





Ask-around time. What can we learn of this town and the professor before actually meeting him?

  • He's got an office here.
  • He's a bit quirky.
  • There's a 'science district' in the north.
  • ...That's where his laboratory resides.
  • ...But he is not there.
  • He's a bit irregular in his movements (no clear office hours.)
  • Two elderly claw folks appear a bit offended and snub us when we ask about Gainsborough.
  • There is an odd walled-off area (looks a bit like a fort) in the southwest with guards posted at the entrance.

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But then we find him...

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As I approach the door of the building, suddenly, an ageing man came out.​

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Excuse me. Do you have a bit of time?

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What's the matter?

The voice sounded a bit stiff.​

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We are looking for Professor Gainsborough.

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For me?

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!? Are you Professor Gainsborough?

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Indeed, I am Gainsborough.

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Good... Actually, we are looking to get some information on the claw people. Could you help us with that?

We showed him the letter the temple church had provided us with.​

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Oh? If the temple church requests this of me, I cannot just outright refuse. Very well, I shall help you.

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But unfortunately, I have an experiment I must attend right now. Can you come later to the laboratory?

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It is located in the science district.

After finishing with the bare necessities, the man -- Gainsborough -- walked off.​

d30HWT2.png
The science district, eh...

We decided to leave this place...​





Hm, well, guess we have some time to kill. Let's ask around again.

  • The professor's laboratory is filled with biology books, but he is not there.
  • People do not know where this experiment of his is taking place.
  • One man says the professor is single-handedly responsible for keeping the town alive and vibrant.
  • One old claw woman says this town isn't doing well, but leaves it at that.
  • There has been a wave of kidnappings in this town, mostly claw people.
  • One claw woman (who is a recent arrival to the town) says that the claw people in this town seem to be afraid of something.

Let's take a look at the walled-off area.

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The two guards stood there, watching the surroundings.​

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.............

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.............

Though they are standing guard, they have quite a few blind spots...​

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..............

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Jamrock...

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...Hm?

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Don't you want to see what's in there?

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Well... yeah...

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How about we do it then?

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...Do what?

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Pat those two gently on the head and take a peek inside.

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..............

  1. It's dangerous, don't do it.
  2. Sneak inside.

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All right, let's do it then.

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That's the spirit!

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Let's go!

As he said that, he broke off into a run.​

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Oryaa!

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...!?

I started running too, slightly late.​

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Haa!

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...!?

The guards, being struck by the back of a bardiche and a sheathed sword, promptly fainted.​

They probably never saw it coming.​

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Good show, good show! Nice synchronisation we had there.

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And with no planning too... Quite surprising.

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Hey, if you couldn't match this much, I wouldn't trust you.

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...Phew. ~~

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Well, let's go, Jamrock!

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...Yeah.

We snuck inside through the gates.​

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...What is this?

At the back of the cordoned-off area, there were wooden posts nailed together in a cross shape. ~~~

I had thought that the fence must surely be to prevent people from getting in, but...​

It was to prevent people from getting out.​

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...Is this an execution site?

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Smack in the middle of the town?

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Yes, but still...

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.............

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...! Isn't that...?

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Minister Galiba!?

There were around ten soldiers behind Minister Galiba, accompanying my former superior officer.​

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Why on earth would he be in a place like this?

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...!

Next, several claw people entered, bound head and foot, being dragged by men who appeared to be subordinates of Galiba.​

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.................

The soldiers, without saying a word, tied the claw people they had brought, into the wooden posts.​

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................

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Company number one, forward!

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*rustle*​

Under the orders of what looked like the commanding officer, the soldiers formed a line, about twenty steps away from the poles.​

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This is...!

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Aim!

Ba-ba-ba-ba-bang!!​

Our surroundings were now filled with the furious sound of explosions and the stench of smoke.​

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...uugh...

With the thunderous roar, blood spurted out from the bodies of the claw people.​

In just a few seconds, every single one of the claw people bound to the poles lay still.​

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Guns, eh?

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Guns...? Isn't that...

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Do you know of them?

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Ah, yes... I've heard of such weapons on my travels.

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But ... to kill a faraway enemy in just an instant -- I thought that was just a fairy-tale or something...

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Indeed, I've only seen them a handful of times myself too...

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To add to that, isn't that the new model, just recently developed in the west?

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...I've never even heard of this many guns being in Altia...

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.................

This weapon, which drives a lead bullet into the opponent's body with the force of gunpowder, was in use in some countries.​

Better than a cannon against the lone enemy, finer in aim, farther reach than any spear, protected against by no armour...​

On the other hand, once the shot is fired, the soldier is defenceless.​

However, with that many soldiers, and on top of it, with a thorough training...​

But ... what on earth does this mean?​

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Is Minister Galiba scheming something...?

As I was thinking such things, a clapping sound came from the tent.​

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Wonderful! The power of that gun!

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Isn't that... Professor Gainsborough?

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Was this... the experiment?

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Professor Gainsborough, thank you for coming.

Do they know each other...?​

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Well, please come this way.

The two walked farther away, and I could no longer hear their voices.​

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...............

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You! What are you doing there!

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...!!

One of the soldiers had noticed us and was already close to us.​

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Did we get too careless!?

On the spur of the moment, I swung my sword at him to fend him off, and we rushed for the gate.​

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Guh...!

We rushed out of this place.​

But as I took the last glance behind...​

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................

I think my eyes met with Minister Galiba's for an instant...​





Hm, well, off to the professor's laboratory. We had an appointment there.

*creak*​

As I try the handle, the door opened easily.​

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Oh, you? I was waiting for you.

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...Yes.

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So, I was supposed to help you with something?

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We'd like to ask something of you first.

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And what would that be?

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The experiment you performed here, with Minister Galiba.

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I did think there was some sort of commotion in there... was that because of you?

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The experiment was not very important. Just a bit of business.

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Business?

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Yes... I offered to provide him information on the claw people, and he offered me fresh material for experiments in return.

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Material for experiments!?

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Dead claw people, you mean?

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Yes, that is correct.

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I do not know what those claw people had done, but I am happy that I have more material to perform my research on.

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...................

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What's wrong? Don't tell me that you have problems with using the corpses of claw people for research?

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You aren't exactly fond of the claw people either, are you? Jamrock-kun?

Gainsborough called me by my name, despite me never having introduced myself to him.​

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...How do you know my name?

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Kuh kuh kuh... But you're famous!

That's supposed to be an evil suppressed laugh.

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Actually, I would like your cooperation too. I would like you to collect samples of the claw people you kill from now on.

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Claws, ears, that sort of thing. If you cooperate, I'll give you everything I know about the claw people.

I don't think biology works that way, Prof. Mengele.

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What!?

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It's not a bad offer, is it?

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Either way, just bring me the corpses of the ones you kill, and you'll learn the secrets of the claw people -- that regular scholars but dream of. ~~~

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............

Certainly, in a previous life, I would have accepted the deal without much thought.​

But now, I have changed...​

No matter how much I fight, no matter how many enemies I kill, it won't bring Tim Timaya back...​

And now, I am working towards saving Minvi.​

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  1. Accept the professor's offer
  2. Decline the offer

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I refuse.

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...What?

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I said that I refuse.

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Oh? What is this change of heart?

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Me and my opponent's lives are the same in value at the very least. I have no plans to let someone else -- someone who has not shed such an opponent's blood themselves -- freely use them like that. ~~~~

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Oh? That's not what I'd expect from the slayer of hundred.

Hm, I've heard that phrase somewhere...

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You bastard!

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................

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...?

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Jamrock...

The impulse had lead my fist to a clench.​

  1. Punch Gainsborough
  2. Hold it in

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.................

I stood still, with my fist still ready.​

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Oops, if I offended you, I must apologise.

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However... wouldn't you like to reconsider?

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................

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All right then. If you change your mind, come to my office.

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I plan to be there once I'm done here.

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..............

We silently turned our backs to Gainsborough and left the place.​





I can't find a better place to split this post than here. Remember, voting is still open. Details in my previous post.
 
Last edited:

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
Let's see what the townspeople say of Professor Mengele now.

  • One woman calls him a genius but then sort of clams up.
  • One old man says that he's viewed as the genius scholar of the town, but it's mostly just keeping up appearances.
  • One young woman says he is a gentleman and very enthusiastic about his research.

So, with little else left to do, we go to his office.

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This is Professor Gainsborough's office...​

d30HWT2.png
...?

The door was slightly ajar.​

The thought, that he was of the type that he would be careless enough to forget to lock his door, had crossed my mind, but leaving the door open did feel a bit unnatural...​

*creak*​

We opened the door and stepped in.​

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As we entered the room, a strong, unpleasant smell hit our nostrils.​

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This is...

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The smell of blood...

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Jamrock! Over there!

On the floor lay the corpse of Professor Gainsborough, his throat slit.​

The blood was still flowing out of his throat. It must not have been long since he was killed.​

Didn't I tell you that important NPCs die if you leave them alone?

*rustle*​

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...!?

As I shift my eyes to the direction of the sound, I saw a masked claw person about to leap out through the window.​

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...!

There are female assassins too, I see.

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Halt!

We ran towards the door.​

That moment...​

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You! What are you doing here?!

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...!? Professor Gainsborough!?

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...Bad timing!

The door we were rushing for was suddenly blocked by two guards.​

  1. Try to convince them.
  2. Bulldoze the way through.
  3. Draw my sword.

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Wait a bit! It wasn't us!

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What're you saying? The corpse of Professor Gainsborough is plenty of evidence!

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...............

That was expected...​

As I was thinking how to proceed ...​

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U-uwaa!?

The guard had tripped on Professor Gainsborough's research materials, and tumbled down.​

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Hey!

*slam*​

The other guard too collapsed onto the floor, triggered by the first one's tumbling.​

The writing in this game...

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Now's our chance!

We hurried out of the door.​

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Anyway, we should probably stay away from this place...





So we ask around, has anyone seen suspicious claw people?

We receive some responses that one was heading west. There's only one place we can visit in the west.





So, to the west we go. To the walled-off area, specifically.

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Huh?

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...!

The guards who had been standing there were now on the ground, dead.​

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These wounds are done with claws...

It's evident by the cuts on the throats -- the same kind as on Professor Gainsborough's.​

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Let's go inside.

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...It's quiet here...

Inside, there was not a soul visible.​

It was eeriely quiet.​

It was clear that the claw people who had killed Professor Gainsborough had come inside ... but had they run away already?​

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*hiss*

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...!?

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*hissssss*

Just as I had avoided the claws by a hair's breadth, a second attack from a different opponent was already coming.​

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...kuh!

We were soon surrounded by claw people...​

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................

One of them I could recognise.​

The one I had seen in Professor Gainsborough's office.​

It seems that she had let out the claw people that had been imprisoned here, and they were now attacking us. ~~

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.................

We should capture her and hand her over to the guards... but that's hard to do in this situation.​

  1. Run away.
  2. Fight.
  3. Demand their surrender.

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ビャ、フティメイスデティガ。 (Stop resisting and surrender yourselves!)

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...!

For a moment, the claw people seemed restless due to my Claw speech, but that subsided soon.​

To be expected... If they had the mind to surrender, they wouldn't have attacked us already.​

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ツァヤ! (Get them!)

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...!

With the shout, the claw people attacked us all at once.​

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Hey, this time we've got a tiny bit of variety in enemies.

They managed to get a poison hit on Pamela on the first round, which dug well into her HP reserves.

Jamrock: 139/150 HP

Sandrake: 178/180 HP

Pamela: 50/110 HP

Minardi: 123/130 HP

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We somehow managed through that...

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Ah... you!

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Uwah! What's with all these dead claw people?

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You! You murdered Professor Gainsborough, didn't you!

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...If you check the wounds on his neck, you'll know. The real murderer is one of those claw people.

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What!?

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But... what are claw people doing here?

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Don't you know what this place is?

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This place is a military secret. It is not something we guards need to know.

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Well, you too might be in danger then...

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Eh!? What...!?

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Anyway, please investigate these claw people for the murder of Professor Gainsborough.

We left the place, leaving the guards behind.​





*thump*​

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!?

As I lower my gaze a bit,​

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Oops... Sorry, Mister!

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It's all right.

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Bye then!

The girl who had bumped into me had vanished into the town's bustle before I had a chance to say anything more.​

..............​

...Something's odd about this...​

I felt some strange discomfort.​

I feel lighter...​

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What's wrong, Jamrock?

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...We were had.

The purse I had hung on my waist had come missing at some point.​

No, not 'at some point'.​

When the girl bumped into us.​

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What a bummer...

The money we needed for the rest of the journey was in that purse...​

Well, if we have to, we can probably request the church for more...​

  1. Give up.
  2. Search for the girl.

Now that I think of it, she was probably a pickpocket...​

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All right, I'll try to find that girl!

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Jamrock!?

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Just wait there!

I ran off into the crowd alone.​

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I think she went this way...

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Kyah!?

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!?

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Ah... wait!

[In this sequence, she disappears and re-appears all the time, after a few lines.]​

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She's rather nimble...

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Ahaha... Mister, you surprised me! You're pretty quick!

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! Stop!

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There's no thief in the world who'd stop when told to!

[disappear]​

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!?

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.............

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Are you giving up already, Mister?

d30HWT2.png
...!?

I dashed into a run, trying to grab a hold of the girl.​

RdozZhL.png
Wow! Mister, you'll make a good thief someday!

RdozZhL.png
But you still can't catch me!

The girl danced around lightly, and effortlessly disappeared again.​

d30HWT2.png
...! She's nimble...

At this rate, this game of tag is going to take until sundown...​

Rather than blindly continuing to chase her, I decided to go after her in the shade of the buildings. ~~~~

M5WGTkS.png


The girl was amusedly watching me from a distance.​

It's as if she was playing a game.​

No, she must be playing one. With me.​

d30HWT2.png
It seems she hasn't noticed me yet...

................​

If I just circle from the back and surprise her from the rear...​

.............​

d30HWT2.png
But... these back alleys are rather complex too...

d30HWT2.png
She should be somewhere around here...

I turned a corner and came onto the road again...​

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...!!

d30HWT2.png
...!!

The place I had come to was right next to her.​

w9J4koX.png


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Kyah!?

d30HWT2.png
Ah... wait!

The hand I had reflexively extended managed to grab a hold of her arm.​

RdozZhL.png
Kyah!?

d30HWT2.png
Phew...

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Aah, you got me!

d30HWT2.png
You could give me my purse back.

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If you just let go of me first, I'll give it back.

d30HWT2.png
No way.

RdozZhL.png
Then I won't give it back.

I could take it from her by force, but... well, she's just a child, so I'd rather not...​

d30HWT2.png
Do you do this often?

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If I don't, I don't get to eat.

d30HWT2.png
What about your parents?

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I don't have any.

d30HWT2.png
.................

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Hey, Mister. It hurts. Let go of me already.

d30HWT2.png
Ah... sorry.

I let go of her without thinking it through.​

QsZut9F.png


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Phew... that hurt...

But the girl next to me did not run away, but instead, just looked at me with a slightly bitter expression.​

d30HWT2.png
...................

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Here, have your money.

The girl tossed the purse to me.​

d30HWT2.png
.................

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Well, what are you going to do?

d30HWT2.png
What do you mean?

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Usually I'd expect people to drag me to the guards, or to hit me...

She said, in a slightly cheeky tone.​

d30HWT2.png
................

Indeed, what should I do about her?​

I pondered a bit.​

  1. Hand her over to the guards.
  2. Let her run away.
  3. Give her the purse.

I've been picking stupid options all day long...

d30HWT2.png
...Here.

I tossed the purse to her once more.​

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Eh!?

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What are you doing?

d30HWT2.png
Just a whim.

RdozZhL.png
I'm not a beggar!

d30HWT2.png
...I didn't mean it like that.

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Either way, the whims of people aren't enough for me to live on.

d30HWT2.png
That's true...

RdozZhL.png
Here, you can have this back.

This time, the girl came to me and handed me the purse, not throwing it like before.​

d30HWT2.png
How long can you keep on doing this?

RdozZhL.png
Eh!?

d30HWT2.png
Ever thought of working somewhere?

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Even if I wanted to, they wouldn't hire me.

d30HWT2.png
Why?

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Isn't that obvious? People won't hire me because I'm an orphan and they think I'll sooner or later make off with something from their shop.

GT: That is not decided. Orphans, if you do not know when to shop at stores, do not normally hire.

d30HWT2.png
.................

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And then, once I stole to get something to eat once, they all were like 'oh, that's how she was' and now definitely won't hire me...

RdozZhL.png
Anyway, this is better than starving to death. Didn't you know all this, Mister?

d30HWT2.png
Yeah... I didn't know. I'm sorry.

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W--Why are you apologising?

d30HWT2.png
I was just thinking I had said some rather disrespectful things.

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Oh, you didn't.

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Mister, you're weird!

d30HWT2.png
...Really?

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Yeah! Really weird!

d30HWT2.png
..............

The girl was for some reason laughing gladly when she said that.​

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Well... I'm in the middle of a journey so I'm a bit in a hurry. Bye.

RdozZhL.png
Ah...!?

pQ1jUi5.png


I turned around and left the place.​

*clack clack clack clack*​

*step step step step*​

*clack*​

*step*​

*clack clack clack clack*​

*step step step step*​

*clack*​

*step*​

:desu:

This is too cute.

d30HWT2.png
...What are you doing?

35H9PpJ.png


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Ehehehe...

d30HWT2.png
What's wrong?

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Well, Mister. You said that you were on a journey, right?

d30HWT2.png
Hm? Yeah. What do you mean by that?

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I was thinking that you'd take Suu along...

d30HWT2.png
Suu?

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Ah, didn't I mention it already? That's my name.

d30HWT2.png
Ah... oh, er, right... Did you say take along!?

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Yeah!

d30HWT2.png
Why'd you want something like that?

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Er, well, one reason or other.

d30HWT2.png
.................

*turn*​

*clack clack clack*​

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Aah! Wait a bit!

*step step step*​

*clack clack clack clack clack*​

*step step step step step*​

YgBfwuZ.png


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Wait, I said!

*clack*​

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Phew. I finally got you to stop... You have a fast pace, Mister.

d30HWT2.png
..............

d30HWT2.png
I'm just going to say this once, but our journey is no sightseeing tour. You can't join just because you want to.

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'Our journey'? Are there other people on it?

d30HWT2.png
Yeah.

I said, as short and curt as possible.​

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That's no problem at all! I can take care of myself! ~~

d30HWT2.png
We'll get attacked, and we don't know when, where, or by whom. It's a dangerous journey.

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I'm fine! This town isn't safe either, so if I can protect myself here, I can protect myself anywhere!

d30HWT2.png
.................

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Please... Mister...

d30HWT2.png
Why do you want this so much?

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Eh? As I said, one reason or other...

*clack clack clack*​

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Aah! I'll tell you, I'll tell you!

d30HWT2.png
...............

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Er, well... Mister, you were the first.

d30HWT2.png
...?

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Er... the first person who didn't make fun of or view Suu with disdain...

It's a very common Japanese trope for childish characters to speak of themselves in third person.

d30HWT2.png
What do you mean?

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Well... with this line of work, everyone in the town treats you bad.

d30HWT2.png
...............

I had nothing to say to that, so I stood quiet.​

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Yet still, I need to keep on living, so I'm doing this...

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But, the way they all look at me hurts me.

I noticed that her smile was forced.​

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And then, the kids that do the same thing as me, we all get along, but that's only because we're the same.

d30HWT2.png
I think that's a worthwhile thing to cherish...

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No, that's not how it is...

d30HWT2.png
................

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You see, they do it only because they pity their own situation and the others' too.

d30HWT2.png
..................

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But, you are different, right? You didn't pity Suu...

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But instead, you accepted that Suu lives here, in this town...

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So, that's why you... apologised to me and stuff, right?

d30HWT2.png
I didn't think of anything that complex when I did it.

d30HWT2.png
Just that I thought I had behaved poorly, so I apologised. That's it.

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But still.

d30HWT2.png
................

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So, I... I'd like to be with you, Mister.

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Right? Please!

Anyway, I understood that this kid... Suu, in her own way, asked me to think about it in earnest.​

Besides, if she's an orphan, as she says, she probably needs a guardian to take care of her...​

But, on the other hand, it's not good to get her involved in a dangerous journey...​

After worrying about it, I...​

  1. Take her with.
  2. Do not take her with.

d30HWT2.png
I won't care if something happens to you then?

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Eh? Then...?

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Can't be helped, I guess...

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Yaaay! Thanks, Mister!!

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Sheesh...

Suu joined our party!​

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Then... Then... I'll go pack, okay?

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...Pack?

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Yeah! Suu's got some special mixes she made. If they hit something, you get smoke or an explosion... They're pretty handy.

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Explosion? Er, possession of gunpowder is illegal in Altia.

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Ahaha, I just made them for fun, so I don't have many.

d30HWT2.png
..............

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Oh, right, Suu.

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Yes, what? Mister.

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Ah, just that me and my companions will be in the church, so you might as well as come straight to the temple church.

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Eh? The temple church!?

She clearly did not like the idea.​

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What's wrong?

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Well, because... the temple church, the people there are all haughty and preachy...

d30HWT2.png
We'll be spending our nights at temple churches all the way...

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Eh!?

d30HWT2.png
Want to call it off?

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No! I'll come!

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Oh. We'll be waiting for you then.

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Yeah. Mister! Wait for me!

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Yeah...

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I got this feeling that I've walked or ran around a lot today...

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Jamrock... where were you?

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Ah, well... I got my purse back...

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That's... nice, but...

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And then, the kid who stole the purse...

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Oh? What happened?

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Er, she'll be travelling with us.

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Hey...

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Well... I've got my reasons... I hope you don't mind?

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If you're okay with it, I'm not objecting.

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If you're fine with it...

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Not really... if you're fine with it ...

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Thank you.

d30HWT2.png
She should be coming to the temple church later on, so...

d30HWT2.png
Anyway, let's go.





We can end the adventuring for today, but we go around telling Prof. Gainsborough is dead first. Reactions:

  • One old man said that he got his just deserts.
  • One woman said she'd pray for him.
  • One old claw man (the one that snubbed us earlier) said that now they can get some peace of mind since they don't have to be so worried about their relatives.
  • The man who said the professor was the lifeblood of this town, thought that the town's future was now very bleak.

No other events that I can find.

Sandrake :3/5:

Pamela :4/5:

Minardi :4/5:

Yeah, I'm picking these ratings a bit at random.

Activity point tally (if I counted correct):

Sandrake 9, Pamela 6, Minardi 14.

Only new enemy was a giant snake. Which was pleasant to kill since there was only a single one of those per encounter so you usually managed to end it on the first turn.



Voting for the next destination still open (not sure I have the chance to play it this week). Jakash or East Comet?

And I'd like to know whether we want Suu in our party. Probably replacing Sandrake or Pamela. She's not a good damage dealer but all the others we have are heavy hitters so that's not a problem in itself.
 
Last edited:

Dayyālu

Arcane
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Messages
4,465
Location
Shaper Crypt
Jakash?

I don't know if we should add ADHD orphan to our roster. She sounds better than the knife girl, but whatever. I'd vote to keep Proud Warrior Guy and Not!Rei on the team, all the others are kinda meh.
 

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
Yeah, can't say I'm enamoured by Suu's default expression either.

I understand the desire to keep Sandrake too... He does seem to get quite a bit more dialogue than the others so far in this game.

Q0EgUB2.png


HP/90 WP/120 Atk/16 Def/8 Spd/18

Suu is the Fragile Speedster whose damage output is 1 HP unfortunately often.

【Smoked Balls】 Throw the balls with the medicine you brewed, sow smoke, reduce the number of turns, the hit rate of enemy attacks. Effective for all of the enemy front row, back row. Required work points: 5

Smoked Balls reduces enemies' to-hit chances.

【Make a map】 A command to swing around around Suw and to create a surrounding map while searching. Fill in a map of part of the town. Required work points: 5

Suu can reveal unexplored areas of the adventure map. Range is around two squares. Unfortunately, you still need to actually visit the squares to see whether there is anything useful in them.

mwfXx9Y.png


And Minardi is yellow and has gained a new move.

【Whirlwind sword】 Attack technique to attack the same enemy multiple times. Attack one enemy of avant garde three times. Surplus attack deals damage to the back enemies. Required work points: 5

Yeah, the previous attack was the same, except this one attacks thrice instead of twice.

Oh right, Sandrake was yellow and had the second special attack again too...





d30HWT2.png
Suu did arrive at the church, I heard...

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I should probably show my face to her...

I knocked on the door of her room.​

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Who's there?

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It's me, Jamrock.

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Ah... Mister!?

KqgyCmM.png


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Eheheh, Mister! Suu came!

It dawned on me that Jamrock never actually told her his name in the previous conversation. Not that it matters, since she doesn't call him by name anyway.

Suu calls him 'oniichan' which I'm sure you know the meaning of. It translated nicely as 'Mister' in the last update, but now that she's in the party, it sounds rather awkward...

d30HWT2.png
Yeah.

d30HWT2.png
I thought I should tell you some things first...

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Ah, yeah. Suu still doesn't know anything!

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Yeah...

Then, I talked to her about what had happened previously.​

Suu was listening to it without saying a word.​

d30HWT2.png
...Well, that's about it.

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Hum...

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That must've been a lot of trouble.

d30HWT2.png
Well, yeah... It's been dangerous, and I won't blame you if you want to quit.

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Nuh-uh! I don't!

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But... may I ask you something?

d30HWT2.png
...? What do you want to know?

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Er, well... Why did you take Suu with you?

d30HWT2.png
...Because you asked to?

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Er, yeah, that's right but...

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If you really didn't want me in, you could've left me there too, right?

d30HWT2.png
Well... yeah...

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Then, why?

She was watching me with upturned eyes when she asked.​

d30HWT2.png
..................

I thought for a bit and then...​

  1. It's because I couldn't leave you alone.
  2. You looked like you could be of use.
  3. One reason or other.

d30HWT2.png
You looked like you could be of use, I guess?

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Yeah, just leave it to me! I'll show you that I'm useful!

d30HWT2.png
...Yeah.

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Well, I'll be with you starting tomorrow, Mister!

d30HWT2.png
Yeah.

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All right, then, I was thinking I'd go to bed now!

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Oh... bye then. Good night.

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Yeah! Good niiight!

Note that Suu doesn't completely invoke the immature trope -- she does use real personal pronouns about half of the time.





Sandrake wants to drink with us some more, but we're going to embark on the Minardi route due to popular demand.

I knocked on the door of Minardi's room.​

JzpUVKS.png
...Who's there?

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It's me, Jamrock.

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Oh, Jamrock?

d30HWT2.png
May I come in?

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Ah, yeah...

xEZieWy.png


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...What's up? Coming at this hour.

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Ah, no particular reason.

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...............

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You're not injured, are you?

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I didn't get injured much to speak of. The way I train is different.

d30HWT2.png
...That's right.

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Do you have a bit of time?

Minardi said, seemingly hesitating.​

After thinking for a short while, I responded:​

  1. I have time.
  2. I don't have time.

d30HWT2.png
I don't mind...

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Oh...

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..............

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I think it's been quite a long time since I've last talked properly with you.

d30HWT2.png
...Yeah... That's right...

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Since that time... about five years ago...

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...Yeah...

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However, we both were in the chivalry for two years, so I think we had many times we could have talked...

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You seemed to be avoiding me back then?

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...Was it like that?

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No, that must be right...

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After it happened... I wasn't sure how to act towards you...

d30HWT2.png
................

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And I kept going on for five years...

d30HWT2.png
...Yeah...

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Somehow, it feels like time has turned back now that we're talking like this...

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I know the gist, but...

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That temple priest candidate girl... Minvi, was it? Sounded like quite a situation...

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Yeah...

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...............

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...Jamrock...

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...What?

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Erm...

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...Well...

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I was wondering whether she's an important person to you. This girl, Minvi, that is...

Minardi said, in a quiet voice.​

d30HWT2.png
Important person, eh?

I thought for a moment, still keeping my eyes on her.​

YaY6LZw.png


  1. I indeed think that she's important to me.
  2. I don't particularly think so.
  3. I have other girls like that too.

I guess the first one is for the Minvi ending...

d30HWT2.png
...I have other girls like that too.

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...!?

d30HWT2.png
...?

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Ah, er, well... That's the first time I've heard such from you... I was a bit surprised, that's all.

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Oh, that's how it was?

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Yeah... Since that day...

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Oh... Right...

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And... well...

d30HWT2.png
...?

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Who... is she?

d30HWT2.png
................

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Well... I guess I should keep it a secret for now.

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...!?

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T--That's right, I must've been too forward...

d30HWT2.png
Ah, no, please don't worry about that.

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...............

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Well... I guess I'll excuse myself soon...

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Ah... oh...

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Bye then... I'm glad that we could talk like this after such a long while.

d30HWT2.png
Yeah... I'll come visit you again.

JzpUVKS.png
................

Crap. The Minardi route seems to be filled with uncomfortable silences. And them ellipses.

Ethics check with the priest.

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I think that you actually acted in a positive light.

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Also, in my assessment, you handled the situations calmly.

Well, at least I got 'calmly' this time...





No other option left than to sleep now.

d30HWT2.png
Well... I guess I'll go to sleep now...

I lay down on the bed...​

My tired body easily let my consciousness recede to slumber...​

Memories... from the good old days... I felt them suddenly caressing me...​

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Hey, Jamrock. Is this... really okay? An amethyst this pretty?

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Yeah. When I got into the junior corps, I decided to buy this someday for you.

d30HWT2.png
By the way, Tim Timaya... This mark...

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Ah... Yeah... It's been there for as long as I can remember... I can't see it myself so I keep forgetting about it... you know?

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It's ugly so I've been hiding it so far...

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It's not ugly.

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But...

d30HWT2.png
So, am I the only one who knows of this then?

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Yeah... I always cover it with my hair...

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Hmmh... I found out your secret then. It was worth buying the jewel for.

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Oh, Jamrock...

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...Wasn't it expensive?

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Mm? Yeah... well... almost everything I had, I guess?

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Hey! ...If you really mean that, your mum and dad'll ...

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Actually, it was their idea.

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...Huh?

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You've used your share of luck for your whole life if you're going to be with that girl, so keep a good hold of her. That's what they said to me.

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...Oh, sheesh...

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Dad too said to me, that for once-in-a-lifetime things, be ready to pay for them.

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Once... in a lifetime?

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...Marry me.

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...!

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I wanted to properly propose to you only after I got accepted into the chivalry. But before that, I just wanted to know how you felt about it...

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Jamrock...

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...What do you say?

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*chuckle* ... Well...

cztatjj.png


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Of course, I'll accept.

d30HWT2.png
...My life just shortened a bit... ~~~

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That's something I wouldn't expect to hear from the 'swordsmith of Altia'... ~~~

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You're using that phrase too?

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Fufu...

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*Nh*

[I think that's supposed to be a kiss.]​

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I love you, Jamrock...

IhLj5vF.png


MEANWHILE



.....​

..........​

...............​

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Nn... Ngh...

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...san...

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Jamrock-san!?

*sits up*​

hJHLFUa.png


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...?

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This place...

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Right... I was... kidnapped by the claw people... in the Zeinhad temple...

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...Jamrock-san...

ssCn6dK.png


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So, you woke up?

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...!?

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Don't be so afraid. I do not plan to do anything to you.

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Besides, the other claw people too will not hurt you in the coming nine days either.

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Nine days? ... So, will you... er, sacrifice me...?

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That's right... That's how it looks.

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...........

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But... Fear not. I will rescue you.

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Ah... er... You... aren't a claw person, right? Why, then...

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..........

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...I must go soon.

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I'll save you for sure... So please, believe in me...

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Ah... er...

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...What is it?

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Er, I'd like to... know your name... Ah, I'm...

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I already know your name, Minvi-san.

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My name is... Tim Timaya...

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Eh!?

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I'll come again... Minvi-san...

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.................





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Tim Timaya... wasn't that... the name Jamrock-san mentioned...? Could it be?

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All right, let's head to the chapel to prepare for the departure.​

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Ah, good morning, Jamrock-san.

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Oh, morning.

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Still nine days to go...

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Yes.

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We really can't spend too much time any more...

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.............

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We had two more places we haven't investigated yet, right?

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Ah, yes, that is right.

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In the town of East Comet, there is a textile mill where the majority of workers are claw people.

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I am told that many of the workers there have an uncertain past.

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In a place like that, we may be able to get some good information.

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In the port of Jakash, we have received a report that some suspicious claw people came ashore on a small boat.

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It is possible that the claw people who left the village of Temze with Minvi-oneesama on boat came to the port of Jakash. We could get some leads there.

I might be able to play the next scenario tomorrow, but voting is still open until then.
 

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
DAY SIX

GpiCAfW.png
Jamrock-san, you seem down this morning...

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Hm? Really?

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The members of the exploration team come along with me, and the rest are on standby at the local temple church. Come, let's depart!





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THE PORT OF JAKASH



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So this is the port of Jakash...

The stone-paved streets have worn smooth from the comings and goings of the people of this town.​

It is, after all, the number one port city in Altia, and the only international port too.​

This is not to say that Altia is closed off to foreign merchants, but just that this is the only port large enough to provide moorings for the large sea-going vessels.​

d30HWT2.png
...We should first investigate these suspicious claw people who were said to have come ashore here.





Knocking the doors a bit, we find an event.

*knock knock*​

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Coooming!

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What's the matter?

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I'd like to ask something, is that okay?

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Yeah! Okay!

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Have you heard of suspicious claw people with masks here?

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Ah, those? I saw them too!

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Where?

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Erm... I've seen a lot of them so I don't remember it well, but they were near the sea! ~~~

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Oh. Thank you.

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You're welcome.

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Ah, by the way, I'm going out soon so we won't be able to see for a while.

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...? Oh...

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*chuckle* You have a funny reaction, Mister!

The girl laughed a bit and then disappeared inside her house.​

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...?

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*chuckle*

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What's up?

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Ah... no, it's nothing.

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...?

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................

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Just that... I was thinking that you never change...

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...Really?

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Yeah...

Minardi nodded at me with a strange vigour. I ended up responding with a puzzled expression.​

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What on earth...

I felt discomfort, and scratched my cheek...​

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Well, staying here can't help...

We decided to leave the place.​





We explore and ask around. There's a warehouse in the south. There's a guard inside who wants an identification document of some sort, and chases us out since we lack one.

Someone finally tells us that we're looking for a man called Lambert. Then we go around asking whether anyone knows this Lambert, but no luck.

Until someone mentions that we want Captain Lambert...

So another round, asking for a Captain Lambert... Until we stumble upon someone who doesn't know him but says that if he's a captain, he might be at the Umitsubame-tei which appears to be a tavern of sorts.

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So this is 'Umitsubame-tei'...

We heard that the man named Lambert might be here...​

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Guess we should first enter...

The place seemed like a tavern, full of noisy jabber.​

As I look over the people, of whom many had been drinking since noon...​

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Hey, Mister!

Hello, generic mook (white headband variant).

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...What do you want?

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Bringing women in here? Aren't you all high and mighty...

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I'm sure there are others in here who've come with women too...

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I don't like your kind, bringing women here!

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Well, I'll forgive you if you you let us borrow them...

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...Sod off.

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...You heard her.

He seemed of the hopeless kind, unable to be reasoned with.​

...I suppose we incited him a bit though...​

I decided to just ignore him and go past.​

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Hey, don't you ignore me!

Well, he didn't seem to be of the kind who'd know when to give up either...​

But, I can't really get myself involved here now...​

What should I do...​

After thinking for a while...​

  1. Punch him.
  2. Draw my sword.
  3. Do nothing.

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What are you, showing off?

*whack*​

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Uggh...

The man simply swooned, with just a simple punch to his face.​

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...Pathetic...

Now the place was silent, and a waitress approached us.​

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E-err... Do you wish to order something?

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No, actually, we're searching for someone.

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Do you happen to know a man by the name Lambert?

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Lambert...? Ah, the captain? If so, he's sitting right over there.

I looked in the direction the waitress was pointing at, and I saw a lone man sitting at a table, drinking alcohol.​

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Bring the captain a pint of the same stuff he's having.

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Ah, will do.

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...? And you are?

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I'm called Jamrock.

As I introduced myself, the waitress was just serving the pint to Lambert.​

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Sorry for the wait.

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Guess I'll accept this.

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Please do.

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Wait a bit, miss. Bring me a pint too.

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Will do.

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Hey, Sandrake...

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It's just a pintful, I'll be fine.

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..............

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So, Jamrock-san, do you have something you want of me? If it's a job, I'm afraid I can't accept now. I just came back home, you see.

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No, not that kind of business.

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We heard that you had seen some suspicious claw people with masks.

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Yeah, I did.

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Could you tell us about it in detail?

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Yeah... I can do that... Right...

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It was at dawn, when I went to see how the waves were that day... I saw some claw people with strange masks, coming ashore in a small boat.

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Well, that alone would've been plenty strange by itself, but just as they had come ashore, they loaded the boat with food and water, and left the port straight after that.

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................

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And... Was there a human woman on the boat? Around 18 years of age...

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I don't know... They indeed left right after coming ashore...

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Oh...

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Could you tell us where you saw them?

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It was the third pier. That's where my current job is too.

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Oh.

We should probably check it out.​

Thinking so, I was about to stand up...​

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Yeah! Hey, Jamrock! When's there been two of you?

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Sandrake...

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Uwah... One, two... that's a lot of pints...

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When did he drink all that?

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Yeah...

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................

We decided to stay here for a bit longer, to get Sandrake to sober up.​

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But, well, that job I'm having right now, I need to wait for someone, so I'm a bit bored right now.

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I'm glad you came and talked to me.

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................

Lambert continued to speak, perhaps spurred on by the alcohol.​

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This one was an outside contract, so now after a long while I finally got to drink some from my hometown.

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Outside contract? Do you mean that you sailed to some other country?

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Yeah, a bit here and there. And now I'm supposed to hand off the cargo I came back with.

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Well, right now, I'm thinking that I'd rather not accept any work for a while, so waiting idle like this is nice too...

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The thing I'm slightly worried about is that the man the contract is with is a claw person.

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A claw person?

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Yeah, that's right.

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...............

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Recently, it's been kind of common that the claw people are buying things in bulk from humans, but from a foreign country? That's rare.

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...Indeed.

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Oops, it's soon the time I'm supposed to meet him...

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Well then, thank you for the treat, young one. I must head to the warehouse now.

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Lambert staggered out of the tavern, the alcohol having given him a reddened face.​

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Hey, Sandrake.

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Yeaaaah?

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Can you walk now?

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I'mmm fiiine....

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You sure?

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Yeah, but my head's spinning a bit. But I don't think they'd let me sleep it off here...

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...That's pretty obvious.

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Well then... We should investigate the third pier for now...

We stood up from our seats and left Umitsubame-tei...​

So our next job is asking where the third pier might be. It's the southernmost pier in the west. (Just west of the highlighted square.)

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I think there's a fourth (short) pier in the south but the view is always oriented north so I can't get a proper view of it.





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So this is the third pier...

Lambert said he saw the masked claw people here.​

Did they really land here? The ones from the Order of the Dark, Blood, and Claw, who kidnapped Minvi?​

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................

There was nothing that stuck out in the place.​

Just that it was the least conspicuous place, relatively far away from the town's centre.​

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There's nothing in particular here...

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Yeah...

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They're not the kind of people who'd be nice enough to leave behind clues for us...

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That's true too...

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...............

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What's wrong?

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Ah... nothing...

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Just... I remembered something...

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Remembered?

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Yeah, the first time we went on a campaign by sea...

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Ah... That time?

The sea was a new acquaintance for both of us, so we should've been in high spirits...​

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We both got hit by a bad case of seasickness, right?

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Yeah...

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Was that... six years ago already?

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Yeah...

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...............

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We don't get seasick much any more these days...

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Mm... That's right...

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If we have a chance... it'd be nice to go abroad for some reason other than fighting... ~~

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....................

Foreign countries, huh... Now that I think of it, I haven't been abroad except for fighting.​

I wonder how humans and claw people live in the other countries...​

In Altia, the claw people aren't allowed in the military and they aren't allowed to own, make, or even sell weapons.​

Well, for them, their best weapon is their own body, so it shouldn't really matter much to them...​

Yet, if it's weapons they're buying, they must be procuring them from other countries...​

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...............

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The thing I'm slightly worried about is that the man the contract is with is a claw person.

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Recently, it's been kind of common that the claw people are buying things in bulk from humans, but from a foreign country? That's rare.

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...That can't be, right?

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...............

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I think Lambert said that he was going to the warehouse...

We should probably visit the warehouse too...​



Stay tuned for more dealings with the claw people.
 
Last edited:

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
d30HWT2.png
All right, let's go inside the warehouse.

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What do you want? You can't get in unless you have identification documents.

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Sorry, we'd like to investigate a bit here.

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No way. You can't walk in with that alone.

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Then... Right. Could you ask Captain Lambert to come here? I hope you won't mind if we are here to assist him?

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...? Well, I guess I don't mind...

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Then, can you call Captain Lambert?

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...Wait there for a bit. No moving, understood?

After waiting for a bit, the guard came back with Lambert.​

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Oh, what's wrong, young one?

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Ah, sorry to trouble you, but could you let us inside the warehouse?

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All right... It's not that big a request, but if you're supposed to be with me, I'll have to work you a bit, okay?

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Okay... We don't particularly mind...

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Okay, then follow me. Okay with you too?

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I'm fine with it. Just don't cause any trouble.

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Understood.

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Over here. My contact should be coming soon, so hurry.

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...Yeah.

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Do you do your business here?

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Yeah, well, sort of. The inspectors here inspect the cargo, and sign the receipts and invoices. Just assorted stuff like that.

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I see...

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Then, shall we move the cargo a bit? Before my contact arrives.

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Young one, could you load those crates over there onto the cart?

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Crates...?

In the direction Lambert was pointing at, there were several crates, sized so that one could be carried by a single person.​

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Hey, Jamrock. I'll help you.

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Yeah... Thanks.

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Oops... This one's quite heavy...

No noise was coming from inside the crate when lifted. It must've been packed well.​

So... probably not weapons in it.​

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...What on earth is in these?

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Well... I don't know either.

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What!?

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Just that I was asked to deliver these, and the pay was good, so I accepted without arguing any further.

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Besides, I'll get to know what's inside when the inspector here looks over it.

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Really?

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Hey, Jamrock! Some effort from you too would be nice!

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Ah, yeah. Sorry.

Thanks to Sandrake's help, the work was finished quickly...​

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Ah, looks like my contact just arrived.

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...Sorry for making you wait.

The contact was an elderly claw man, accompanied by three claw men.​

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Ah, but it was as was agreed on.

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Did you load the cargo on the carts, as requested?

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Yeah... But we must show them to the inspector first...

The two started going on about their business.​

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...?

...Have I seen that old man somewhere?​

I'm getting a strange sense of deja vu for some reason...​

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...Probably just my imagination...

As I was thinking such things, a man who appeared to be the inspector approached us.​

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I'm supposed to inspect the cargo here. Is that all right?

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Yes, go ahead.

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................

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Then, I'll start.

Just as the inspector laid his hands on the crates...​

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Kyaaaaaaaaa!?

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Uwaaaaaaaaaah!

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...!?

I could hear screams from all around the warehouse.​

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What? What's happening?

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W--What on earth...

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H--Help me...

The man guarding the entrance staggered his way here.​

And behind him was...​

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*hisss*

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Guh...!

The blow from behind the masked claw person delivered, caused the guard to fall down, unmoving.​

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That's...!

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Jamrock!?

I still kept hearing screams and bellows from every direction. It looked like quite a few members of the Order of Dark, Claw, and Blood had invaded this place.​

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..............

And in the confusion, the claw people next to us were staying calm.​

And then, the old man inserted his hand into his clothing, and took out something wrapped in a cloth.​

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...!?

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Ha!

The next moment, the old man threw it at his feet.​

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What...!?

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Smoke bomb!?

The smoke coming from his feet spread around in an instant, and clouded our view.​

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Uwaaaa!

The screams continued to echo around us.​

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D--Damn! They're coming this way!

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Lambert!?

The smoke was not thick in Lambert's direction, and I saw that he was about to be attacked by claw people.​

It seems quite a few claw people had reached our position too.​

  1. Fight here.
  2. Try to save Lambert.
  3. Search for the old claw man.

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...Where did the old man go!?

I searched for the old claw man as I pushed through the smoke.​

...But the smoke blocking my vision just kept getting thicker as I pushed deeper.​

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...Is this futile?

The moment I thought so...​

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...........

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...!

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フェイ・・・トゥカンジャ・・・ (Oh? You came after me?)

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*hisss*

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...!

And right then, as if trying to intervene, masked claw people attacked us.​

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Again, not a terribly difficult fight. Jamrock provides the final blow on the third turn. Suu loses 12 hp, the others even less. Mind you, I haven't used a special attack a single time in this playthrough so far. (Not counting the time I used Kalderina's healing.)

Right after, we get assaulted a second time. I forgot to document it, but I'm sure the result was similar.

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Finally over, I think...

My sword was slippery from blood, and looked like it could slice no more.​

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...Phew...

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Hey, are you all right?

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Yeah... So you made it too?

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Yeah, I was hiding the whole time.

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Aaaah!? Where's my cargo!?

There was nothing in the place where the cart used to stand.​

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...The old man's gone too...

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So in the end, we didn't learn the contents of those crates...

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Damn it! If you just wanted to avoid the inspector's eyes, do it after paying in full! Good grief!

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Well, as long as you're alive, there's hope, as they say.

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...Well, that's true...

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Phew... Right, no use crying over spilt milk. Guess I'll just have to do a new gig to make up the loss.

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What about you? What are you going to do now?

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...Yeah, we have some stuff we need to do.

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Oh... I don't really get what you mean but...

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We'll excuse ourselves then.

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Oh, good-bye then! Be careful!

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Yeah. Thanks.

We left the warehouse behind...​

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...!?

I suddenly felt someone watching us...​

What's this...?​

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..............

As I looked around, I saw a ... woman standing.​

She had her head covered with a sun-protecting cloth and I could not see anything apart from her eyes, but somehow it gave me a strong sense of deja vu.​

Lots of deja vu's today.

d30HWT2.png
................

Our eyes had met... from the moment I first sighted her...​

.............​

It was a gaze that felt like it could see right through everything... and yet show everything... ~~~

With those eyes in my mind, I...​

  1. Avert my gaze.
  2. Stare back at her.

...I kept staring at her eyes.​

The vague feeling of deja vu filling my head...​

Why... is she looking at me?​

That fundamental question only passes through my head as a blur.​

.............​

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...What's wrong, Jamrock?

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!? Ah, nothing...

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...!

Suddenly, the woman disappeared into the crowd...​

Who on earth... was that woman?​

I feel like... something... important...​

  1. Run after her.
  2. Don't run after her.

...No. It must've just been my imagination...​

I shook off the feeling coiling around my heart, and tried to move on. That moment...​

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Mister? Are you Jamrock?

A girl suddenly appeared into my view and asked thus.​

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...? Yeah, that's me?

I suddenly regretted having said that. Not a good idea saying my name here in the middle of the town...​

But the girl continued, not caring about my thoughts.​

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Good! I was given a letter. Here!

Having said that, the girl thrust a folded-up paper at me.​

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A letter...? From whom?

As I accept the letter, the girl appeared first to be working her memory, and then said:​

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Er, well... She said that you'd know if I just said 'Tim Timaya' to you.

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Tim Timaya!?

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Y--yeah.

The girl nodded, surprised at the sudden raising of my voice.​

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Tell me where the woman went! Please!

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E--err... That way...

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...!

I dashed off in the direction the girl pointed at.​

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!? Hey, Jamrock!?

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I'll be right back!

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................

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What's up with him...?

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Ah... Well...

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Somehow... it feels like that other time...

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...?

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Sorry, never mind.

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..............

But, I could not find anyone who even looked like her there.​

...............​

Was it really... Tim Timaya?​

The piece of paper in my hands...​

I carefully unfolded it and took a look.​

"Tomorrow, under the tree at Zaurusride."​

The plot thickens.

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................

That was all there was written.​

Zaurusride was... a day's horse-ride away from this place...​

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.................

I re-folded the piece of paper and put it in my pocket...​

...Let's go back... And... I better get my head cooled off...​

I suppressed the desire to head to Zaurusride immediately...​

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Jamrock!

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...Sorry about that...

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Er, we're fine, but...

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Minardi was worried about you.

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Ah, not really...

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She's of the type that takes affairs of love seriously, so watch out.

GT: If you are a type, love love will take seriously, so why do not you take care?

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Hey! Shut up!!

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Oops, I'm scared!

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...Sorry.

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N--No need...

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Well then... Shall we go?

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...Yeah.

We left the place...​





Aaand we can end the scenario now. I tried searching for post-scenario events but the following one is the only one I found.





*knock knock*​

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Comiiing!

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What's up?

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I have something I'd like to ask. Is that okay?

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Yeah! Go ahead!

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When you saw the claw people with masks, didn't they see you?

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Yeah, they saw me. But they didn't seem to care about me.

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...I see.

There's a lot of traffic from other countries here, so I guess they didn't stand out too much...​

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Thanks.

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You're welcome! Mister, come see me again!

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Y--Yeah...

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Sheesh! You're not supposed to stammer in response!

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She's having lots of trouble with you, you know?

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...!?

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Having this much of a blockhead as a sweetheart!

GT: My unfashionish older brother is a lover.

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Ah!? No, I...

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Wait, do you mean that he hasn't even noticed how you feel about him yet?

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Er, no, as I was saying...

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Mmh... He does seem slow...

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Hasn't anyone told you not to make fun of adults?

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Ahaha, I know! Bye then!

The girl rushed back inside, as if running away.​

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Good grief, what a troublesome kid...

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Eh!? Ah, yes... I agree...

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...?

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...............

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...Shall we go?

We left the place...​

Minardi's getting less Rei-like.

There was one door we couldn't open. There was a man inside who said it was not his habit of meeting unknown people. I was hoping that there was something that could trigger a proper event, but no luck so far.





d30HWT2.png
Well then, I guess I'll say a word or two to the people who helped me today.

Sandrake :4/5:

Minardi :4/5:

Suu :2/5:

evLSHkt.png


I solved a bit of the mystery behind the activity points. You see, the game treats them as the counter of how well the party member did. And this links with the performance ratings: If you rate them too high or too low, the respond with a script that shows their dissatisfaction.

I think that makes a total of 5 x 3 = 15 different responses per character.

I got Sandrake's rating just right, Minardi's rating was too high, and I'm not sure about Suu.


I like the word 'unfashionish'.
 

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
We visit Pamela and Suu before our main target, Minardi. Pamela is having knife-throwing practice in her room since she got the day off. Not sure the church is pleased with having such damage to their walls.

I knocked on the door of Minardi's room.​

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...Who's there?

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It's me, Jamrock.

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Oh, Jamrock?

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May I come in?

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Ah, yeah...

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...What's up? Coming at this hour.

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Ah, no particular reason.

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...............

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You're not injured, are you?

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I didn't get injured much to speak of. The way I train is different.

d30HWT2.png
...That's right.

Yeah. They go through this script every time. Here starts the new content:

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...............

A somewhat unnatural silence flowed between us.​

  1. Stay here for a bit more.
  2. Leave the room already.

I decided to stay here for a bit more.​

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...Minardi...

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W--What!?

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If I'm not a bother... can I stay for a bit?

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Y--Yeah...

My eyes stopped on the bandage on Minardi's leg by chance.​

Well, actually, I've noticed it before, but I've been hesitating to bring it up.​

...Because its cause was with me.​

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...? What's wrong?

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Er... That bandage...

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Oh, this one?

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Has it still not healed?

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Of course it has -- the wound's from seven years ago. It's healed a long time ago.

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Oh...

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Just that there's the scar left... It looks ugly so I keep it wrapped.

d30HWT2.png
................

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................

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In those days, we were both little more than newcomers in the junior corps...

GT: In those days ... I and you, too, were only a battlefield of soldiers' battle rice ...

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Yeah... That's how it was...

Seven years ago...​

That was still the time my thoughts of marching to the battlefield as a soldier, being expected to kill enemies, were naïve in their optimism. ~~

Fighting with a sword in my hand, in my thoughts was no more than the next level to a common contest then...​

Minardi had been encircled by the enemy in our first battle. I tried to rescue her somehow, but did not make it in time. She got that wound then.​

It was the consequence of my own naïveté...​

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...................

Minardi too perhaps was remembering the same things as me. She was looking slightly downwards, and looked like she was thinking of something.​

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  1. Apologise to her for that time.
  2. I'm glad it wasn't serious.
  3. Stay silent.

d30HWT2.png
...I'm sorry...

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Eh!?

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If I just... had had some more strength back then...

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It's not like that, Jamrock!

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...?

Her sudden angry scowl rendered me speechless for a moment.​

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Ah... er... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to ... shout...

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...It's okay...

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But... That's a bad habit of yours. Blaming yourself right away.

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...Really?

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Yeah...

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Besides... You don't need to... think of this wound like that.

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This wound is... a memory to me...

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...?

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Ah, never mind...

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...It's growing late.

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It is... I guess I should be heading to bed.

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Yeah... You should...

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Mmh... Sorry for intruding.

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You're welcome. Bye then. Good night.

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Mm... Good night.





Priest's appraisal.

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I think that you acted in a manner that caused no offence.

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Also, in my assessment, it seems you handled the situations in a safe way.

Oh, good. A new line. About time.





Off to bed.

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...Phew...

I sighed deeply as I lay down onto the bed.​

d30HWT2.png
Was that really... Tim Timaya?

Affirmations and negations formed a dizzying swirl inside me.​

My intuition said yes...​

My reason said... that it was no more than a childish hope.​

Most of all, I was afraid that... if I put weight in my hopes, I will just fall down harder.​

I knew that such reasoning too was childish...​

But... If...​

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d30HWT2.png
Tim Timaya...

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Fufu...

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...? What's up?

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Can't believe I'm doing this with the formerly little Jamrock...

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You were little yourself too back then, you know.

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Boys and girls view their partners in different ways.

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I wonder about that...

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And then, the age difference too... ~~

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...That's not something I can do about. ~~~~

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*chuckle*

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.................

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Hey... Jamrock...

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Mm?

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How long will the campaign take?

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Ah... About three months... I think.

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Oh...

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Sorry, for making you worry.

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You know I've been prepared for that from the start.

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But... Jamrock... Don't do more than you can handle.

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...Yeah.

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I won't see you off tomorrow.

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Eh?

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You wouldn't like it if you saw me there with my worrying face.

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...................

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But in exchange... let's stay like this for a bit longer...

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...Yeah... All right...

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d30HWT2.png
...............

That was the last time I saw Tim Timaya...​

I brought the letter's contents back to my mind once again.​

"Tomorrow, under the tree at Zaurusride."​

d30HWT2.png
.................

...............​

In the end, I had not had a wink of sleep since first reading the letter yesterday.​

Was it really... Tim Timaya?​

With such a thought in my mind, I could not stay still.​

It might be a trap...​

But...​

And then... Before the sun rose, I headed for the stables, and straddled a horse, alone.​

I mustn't let others get involved in a thing as personal as this.​

Let's go there...​

I rode my horse through the darkness...​





Z4p8RZT.png


The location of Zaurusride, finally revealed.

Speaking of which, I'd like to rename it to Zaurusreid since that form looks a tiny bit less stupid...




I'm surprised I've made it this far...
 

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
Hm. The next update seems terribly long so I'm going to split it into three parts. It has pretty good split points that way too.

Though if I go by line count, it's pretty average in length. I wonder what's up with that...

Anyway, lots of plot revelations coming up. Perhaps a bit too many for a single day, really. Have you kept track of the hints the game has been giving?
 

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
DAY SEVEN

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THE VILLAGE OF ZAURUSRIDE



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..................

It was a bit past noon when I arrived at the village of Zaurusride...​

My home town I did not wish to return to again...​

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Anyone here!?

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Dad!

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Mum!

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Anyone alive?!

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Ti...

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..........

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Tim Ti... maya

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Tim Timaya...

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Tim Timaya!

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Tim Timaya!!

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Aaaaagh!!

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Aaaaaah!!!

Stop it already!​

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................

After that, nothing remained here, nor did a single soul live here.​

The place had not even been cleaned up. Just the scars left by the marauders remained.​

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...............

I slowly stepped into the village of Zaurusride...​





We can visit Jamrock's old home...

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d30HWT2.png
..............

This is the house I used to live in...​

The house where... Dad and Mum used to be...​

Dad, who made me practise swordsmanship at the drop of a hat, and Mum who just took care of us, never saying a word against our habit...​

Though I was standing in mere ruins, the memories of those days long past flooded my mind.​

d30HWT2.png
...................

After taking a few looks at the place, I turned around.​

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...Dad, Mum...

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I'll come back... when this is all over...





...and Tim Timaya's house...

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I don't understand what sort of attack caused that literal hole in the wall. Did they come to the village with cannons? Or is the architecture here just really weird?

d30HWT2.png
This is...

Though the place was completely in ruins, my feet spontaneously directed me here.​

This is Tim Timaya's house.​

The time I thought that "I can meet her any time if I just come here" ... ~~

............​

Strangely enough... I'm not feeling any strong emotion inside me now.​

Just... the jumble of anxiety and hope inside me...​

Was Tim Timaya really alive?​

d30HWT2.png
................

And, were the ones that attacked the village really claw people?​

Is there a link with what is happening now and what happened five years ago?​

d30HWT2.png
...No use of thinking through it now...

...............​

I left the place...​





...while battling a handful of wildcats and skunks. Skunks are nasty since their special attack eats straight into work points.

But let's go to the Tree of my Memories. (That's the way the game calls the place.)





ClDs3ZK.png


I guess I should go up to the tree...​

The letter read, "under the tree at Zaurusride" ...​

In this village surrounded by nature, the only place that could be referred to with a plain 'tree' would be this one...​

As I walked up the gently-sloping knoll, the tree grew in size too...​

The two of us often met here...​

Would Tim Timaya be waiting there for me, once more?​

d30HWT2.png
....................

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Little was left of the tree. The large tree stood there burnt, rotting away.​

............​

...Is there someone here?​

I noticed a female figure near the tree...​

...Could it be?​

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Tim Ti...

When I was about to call her name, the figure turned around.​

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...!? Who... are you?

The one who stood there turned out to be a slender claw woman...​

...No, she looked like a claw woman at first, but her build and skin colour were closer to a human's.​

A mix of human and claw person... Was she a 'Nails Baby'?​

fQlywRI.png
Nice to meet you.

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.................

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I have come here in Tim's stead. I am called Shamirnarsa.

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Tim...!?

Only the closest friends of Tim Timaya called her that.​

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Is... Tim Timaya really still alive?

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Yes. Just that she couldn't come here to meet you today, so I...

She, the woman who introduced herself as Shamirnarsa, was smiling gently when she said that.​

I've actually been calling her Samirsarsa because I misread her name at first. It sounds better to me. (Katakana names longer than about three or four syllables cause an unfortunate amount of dyslexia for me for some reason...)

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.............

I did not completely believe her, yet I still felt indescribable relief at her words.​

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...Really?

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But, why? You seem like a Nails Baby...

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Yes, that is correct.

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Then, why did you...

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A good question... It is a long story...

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I'd like to say something to you first.

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...?

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I understand that Tim Timaya too is like me -- a mixed child of claw people and humans. ~~

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What!? That's not...

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Indeed, most of the children born between a claw person and a human are like me, having strongly inherited the traits of claw people.

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However... I guess you know this already? In very rare cases, some inherit the traits of humans.

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'Nails Seeders'? I've heard of them, but...

The game is being inconsistent and calls them 'Nail Seeds' here.

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But... If someone were to tell me that Tim Timaya is one, I'm not going to accept it that easy.

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Nails Seeders have just a single feature that reveals their nature.

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..................

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A faint diamond-shaped mark at the nape of their neck.

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...!?

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Have you seen Tim Timaya's mark?

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...............

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...That alone is not proof. It could be a coincidence; nor do I have a guarantee that what you claim is true.

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Indeed... Then, it is up to you whether you choose to believe me or not.

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..............

I was disturbed, to say the least, by the abrupt revelations.​

But, it was clear that this woman -- Shamirnarsa -- knew Tim Timaya in some form.​

Not only of her mark... but also of me. She couldn't have learnt of these things otherwise... ~~

d30HWT2.png
...All right. You indeed seem to be somehow connected to Tim Timaya.

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You don't need to be so formal. You may call me just Shamirnarsa, Jamrock-san.

I guess my translation makes no sense here. Jamrock uses the second-person pronoun 'anata' which is fairly polite, to refer to her. She instructs him to use her name instead, which would feel less distant.

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...All right. Shamirnarsa.

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That's right.

Shamirnarsa said that in the manner of a mother praising her children for their performance in a game. ~~

The gentle impression and the calm air she gave off eliminated the discomfort to me from the act, but it did feel like she was treating me like a child.​

d30HWT2.png
...............

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What's wrong?

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No, nothing...

That moment...​

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...!?

Suddenly, I could feel bloodlust surrounding me.​

I moved my hand to the sword on my back, as through a reflex.​

The bloodlust did... not come from Shamirnarsa.​

One... two... ...eight people?​

This is bad... One against eight like this...​

Might even be one against nine...​

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...They're assassins of the Order.

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...So it seems.

The moment our brief conversation finished, the enemy attacked us from every direction.​

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*hiss*!

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...!

I drew out my blade and swept it at one attacker's torso.​

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Guh...!

Her whole body took a shock, and she fainted.​

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*hissssss*!

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...!

Claws of a second assassin were already closing in, and I had no chance of a returning strike with my sword.​

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...!!

I felt a chill shoot through my body, as if my blood was flowing in reverse.​

...I'm going to die!​

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Jamrock-san! Duck!

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...!?

I did not understand why she told me to do that, but I obeyed her.​

The next moment...​

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Hah!!

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*boom*​

As I heard the thunderous sound, the enemy was blown back.​

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Jamrock! Over here! Come now!

I heard her voice from the thickets on the knoll.​

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Got it!

I jumped into the thickets, as she told me to.​

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Over here! Hurry!

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Did you just... use gunpowder?

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That's right. It was bought from abroad.

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From abroad...? But...

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I don't have much of it, of course, but I prepared some for today, just in case.

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Come! It was not a large blast; it didn't lead to a fatal injury, so hurry!

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...Right!

We ran at full speed through the thickets...​

I could still feel them behind us. In fact, they were slowly closing in on us.​

We have no chance to win against the claw people without so much as a horse.​

Excuse me. You've been beating them black and blue for the past six days. (You had a party then though.)

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...While in such thoughts, the thicket suddenly disappeared and our field of view was now unobstructed.​

This is bad... being visible is nothing more than a disadvantage for us.​

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...!

Was there... a tunnel there?​

It might just be a product of the house here sinking.​

No! That does not matter now!​

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It's all or nothing...

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...?

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Let's hide there. It's a better option than running like this, I hope!

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...But...

... *rustle* ... *rustle* ...​

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Hurry!

fQlywRI.png
Y--Yes!
 

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
0M8RPE7.png


.............​

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...............

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...............

We bated our breaths as we entered the underground.​

.....​

..........​

...............​

In the airtight chamber with little light, the body's internal clock distorts by no small amount.​

Has half a koku passed? Or four and a half? Or have we been here just for a moment?​

We kept hiding, unmoving.​

I estimated that... at a minimum, perhaps four and a half koku had passed...​

I decided to speak to Shamirnarsa.​

d30HWT2.png
...Have they left already?

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...Yes, probably. It's been more than four and a half koku already...

What's this deal with exactly four and a half koku in this game?

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Er, the sense of time gets distorted when in a dark and cramped place like this, so you might...

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I know.

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...?

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I used my pulse to count. I counted 2948 heartbeats, so it's been at least four and a half koku, no matter how quick my heart beat.

Hm. Would that be around half an hour then?

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I... see...

Well done.​

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What's wrong?

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I was just admiring your thinking. Figuring out such a method with a snap decision...

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Ah, no, a teacher of mine taught me this.

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Teacher...?

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Ah... Yes. I travelled with my teacher to several countries, and learnt a lot in the process... ~~~~

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Oh?

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Then... Did you learn of gunpowder then too?

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Yes. The gunpowder is from that time.

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................

I had some interest in Shamirnarsa's story, but right now...​

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Would you tell me of Tim Timaya?

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That's right...

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Before that, I'd like to ask you a few questions.

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...?

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Why did you get involved in this affair?

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How does that relate to my question?

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Please just answer the question for now.

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................

Shamirnarsa's tone told me that I had little choice.​

So... Why did I get involved in this affair?​

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  1. Because I want to save Minvi.
  2. To prove my innocence.
  3. Just going with the flow.

Let's be consistent. The same answer we gave to Sandrake. (The other options were different then though.)

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Just going with the flow, I guess.

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With the flow?

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Yeah. I just happened to meet Minvi, and once I had brought her to the temple, I got those charges on me... I didn't have time to think things through at all. All just with the flow.

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...............

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I see...

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Next...

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Still more?

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Yes. Please bear with me a bit longer.

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...............

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What I'd like to ask next is, what do you right now think of Tim Timaya?

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................

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Can you answer that?

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...Are we assuming here that she is alive?

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Yes. You can answer on the assumption that she is; it is not a question of whether you believe what I've said.

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..............

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I thought for a while, and then responded.​

  1. I still love her.
  2. She's a thing of the past for me.
  3. I don't know.

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...I don't know.

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..............

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To tell the truth, I do not know.

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Just that, I would like to see her once more, if such a thing is possible. I thought I couldn't see her again, but if I can...

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I cannot give any answer until I meet her again, I believe...

fQlywRI.png
................

fQlywRI.png
...That's right...

fQlywRI.png
Those were my questions.

d30HWT2.png
...What sort of meaning did they have?

iBwnAK7.png


Codex, help me out here. Is that an incline or a decline? :M

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Ah, I was just wondering what sort of person her sweetheart was.

Shamirnarsa looked like she was judging me when she said that. ~~~

d30HWT2.png
.................

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...What's wrong?

d30HWT2.png
That's what I was about to ask.

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...Jamrock-san.

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...What?

fQlywRI.png
I have something I'd like to ask of you...

d30HWT2.png
You do?

fQlywRI.png
Yes.

fQlywRI.png
I'd like to come with onto your journey.

d30HWT2.png
...!?

fQlywRI.png
If you let me, I could guide you to where Tim is, to the best of my ability.

fQlywRI.png
What do you think?

d30HWT2.png
...............

Shamirnarsa had a faint, somehow confident smile.​

  1. Accept her proposal.
  2. Refuse her proposal.

My readers have been expressing dislike for my current party members. Perhaps they'll like you?

d30HWT2.png
All right... I'll trust you.

fQlywRI.png
Really?

d30HWT2.png
Yeah.

dhCys9v.png


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Thank you very much!

Shamirnarsa smiled happily, and bowed her head.​

There's a 'Shamirnarsa has joined your party!' message missing here.

d30HWT2.png
By the way, I have something to ask of you...

fQlywRI.png
Ah... Yes. What is it?

d30HWT2.png
Er... First... Does this situation with Minvi... have a relation to... Tim Timaya?

fQlywRI.png
..............

fQlywRI.png
Yes, it has.

She replied tersely.​

d30HWT2.png
..............

Such an answer did not come as a complete surprise to me.​

It was reasonable to think that her contacting me now had some sort of meaning.​

d30HWT2.png
First, I'd like you to tell me about that.

fQlywRI.png
You know of the Order of Dark, Blood, and Claw, right?

d30HWT2.png
Yeah... They're the ones who kidnapped Minvi.

fQlywRI.png
That's right... Tim Timaya is the next leader and shaman of the Order... of Dark, Blood, and Claw.

d30HWT2.png
...What!?

d30HWT2.png
How can that be? Why would that be?

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That is because of the blood that's flowing in her.

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...Blood?

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Have you heard the name Timirtos before?

d30HWT2.png
Timirtos...?

It did faintly ring a bell...​

fQlywRI.png
He is the founder of Dark, Blood, and Claw.

d30HWT2.png
What does that have to...? ~~~

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I told you that Tim was a Nails Seeder earlier, right?

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...Yeah.

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Timirtos is Tim's grandfather.

d30HWT2.png
...!

De5B8Ty.png


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The women in Timirtos's family lineage seem to be getting stronger in magic every generation, and he is trying to harness her power for his own purposes.

d30HWT2.png
...That sounds dubious at best.

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Timirtos likely doesn't believe in it himself, just that he's using it to rouse the troops of the Order... or so I hear.

d30HWT2.png
And sacrificing Minvi...

fQlywRI.png
Yes...

fQlywRI.png
Of course, Tim is against such an act. But, if she were to reveal her objections in public, few in the Order would listen to her.

GT: Of course, Tim opposes such a thing. However, no one will hear even if you cast another person from the other side of the cult.

fQlywRI.png
And because of that, Tim Timaya put her faith in me, that I should come and ask for your help.

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...I see...

Whether true or false, this all does make sense to some extent.​

d30HWT2.png
There is something else I'd like to ask of you.

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Go ahead.

d30HWT2.png
What is your relationship with Tim Timaya?

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................

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...I was a member of the Order of Dark, Blood, and Claw myself too, until three years ago.

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...!?

Shamirnarsa continued, ignoring my surprise.​

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Me and Tim met five years ago.

d30HWT2.png
Five years... ago?

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Yes. After that incident...

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That incident, where the claw people attacked this village, I believe?

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...Yeah.

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That is not the truth.

d30HWT2.png
...!?

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I still do not know the particulars, but the ones who attacked this village were human, armed to the teeth. I heard that from Tim.

d30HWT2.png
What?

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And then the way they talked -- they sounded like military troops with a formal training.

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...That... can't be...

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Of course, my information is not first-hand, but... ~~~

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...............

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When the attack happened, Tim Timaya was rescued by the claw people Timirtos sent.

d30HWT2.png
................

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When I first met Tim -- when I was working for Timirtos -- she was terribly frightened, and wouldn't speak to anyone.

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I was the person responsible for Tim's training.

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Anyway, Tim opened herself up to me relatively quickly. Me being the hybrid of claw person and human must have played a part too.

fQlywRI.png
And then I offered her the knowledge I had acquired during my travels around the world. ~~

fQlywRI.png
She's a bright girl... The more I taught her, the more she learnt... And sometimes, she absorbed even more knowledge than I had given her. ~~~

tlRgH5M.png


Shamirnarsa was smiling gently. It seems she was reminded of something... probably of Tim Timaya.​

fQlywRI.png
I'm sure that girl will someday usher in an era where claw people and humans can live in peace, one that I've dreamt of.

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That is... my belief.

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..................

She asserted, with an earnest look.​

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We seem to have gotten side-tracked a bit. Shall we go now?

d30HWT2.png
...I guess so...

We decided to leave the ruins...​
 

Dayyālu

Arcane
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Messages
4,465
Location
Shaper Crypt
We'll get the full collection of socially stunted blue-haired women.

And Sandrake.

I swear this supposedly "porn" game has less sex than your garden variety 80ies fantasy American movie.
 

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
Eh, I didn't exactly pick this game to LP because I aspired to be a translator at Harlequin Books...
 

Dayyālu

Arcane
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Messages
4,465
Location
Shaper Crypt
Eh, I didn't exactly pick this game to LP because I aspired to be a translator at Harlequin Books...

The scary thing is that I discovered that that "Harlequin Books" thing manages the same kind of books in my country. Globalization, I swear....

That said, I forgot....

iBwnAK7.png


Codex, help me out here. Is that an incline or a decline? :M

I suggest that this is what the sages call "incline". Maybe.
 

abnaxus

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Dec 31, 2010
Messages
10,849
Location
Fiernes
Blue hair Elf should not have been allowed in the party.

Also with a name like Tim Tamaya I expect :codexisforindividualswithgenderidentityissues:
 

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
I was thinking that if she was standing up and then bowed down, it'd be a :decline:

aieHT94.png


But her back does form an :incline: when I think about it.

2Yf5V2k.png
 

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
We get to move again. But not for long.

d30HWT2.png
...!

There was someone blocking our path.​

GT: There was a single shadow on our side.

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That's...!

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...An ambush?

I put my hand on the sword on my back.​

It at first appeared that his pose was relaxed, but I could see that his every muscle was in fact filled with strength...​

No weak spots at all...​

He... may perhaps be a tougher opponent than the eight together earlier.​

kEySmVj.png
Shamirnarsa...

He ignored my thoughts, and instead called out her name.​

I don't really get how someone can ignore your thoughts, but whatever.

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Badrusso...

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...Do you know him?

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...Yes.

I could see slight tension in her expression.​

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...Wait a bit. I'll go talk to him.

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...You sure?

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...I think so...

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チライ、シュダニシャミルナルサ。 (... ... persuade ... ... Shamirnarsa.)

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............

He spoke rather rapidly, so I could not make out much of what he said.​

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フィシャ、ジャタジャオタ。 (... the Order ... go back...)

Shamirnarsa too spoke with equal speed.​

...?​

Her command of the human language was so good that I assumed she had been living in the human areas but... now her Claw speech...​

kEySmVj.png
チシャフェライジュティ。 (... go back ... please ...)

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チェシェメイス。

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シェヤフィナイタ・・・

fQlywRI.png
タラン。

I wonder how consistent this language they are speaking is. Could someone playing the game figure it out?

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...................

After a short silence, the claw person suddenly turned towards me.​

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You too... You shouldn't go any further, for your own safety.

His command of the human language was not as good as Shamirnarsa's, but he still spoke fluently.​

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...I refuse.

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...............

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I cannot stop until I rescue Minvi and meet Tim Timaya.

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...Think through it once more. Do you really think that the claw people have a future if we obey Timirtos?

Shamirnarsa spoke in the human language, probably so that I could understand the conversation too.​

Her tone of voice didn't betray any emotion, but her expression was stern, like I hadn't seen before.​

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I'll leave my claws sheathed for now, out of consideration for you, Shamirnarsa.

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But... If I meet you again, we'll have a proper test of your mettle... Jamrock, the slayer of hundred...

d30HWT2.png
...................

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And if you keep pursuing the Order, we will meet again. I am expecting a proper reply from you then, Shamirnarsa.

I thought that he briefly showed a pained expression, but then he spoke to us over his shoulder, and left.​

Igfpdt3.png


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...Badrusso...

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He seemed like a formidable foe...

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...............

Shamirnarsa was now silent, and I should have let her be, but I decided to ask something of her anyway.​

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By the way... Shamirnarsa, I thought that you surely had been living in the human areas, but was I mistaken?

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Ah... yes, you were.

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I was brought up in a tribe of claw people... but we travelled a lot... and that's why...

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I see... I was thinking that, I've been studying the Claw language for about three years, but that it's no match to your Standard Altian...

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...You're being too modest.

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On another note... If we are together, I think we'll just stand out more...

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Mm... That's right...

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How about we separate and both head for the village's entrance, our own ways?

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I... don't particularly mind, but... You sure?

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Yes. I think we can stay low better that way.

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...All right. I'll be waiting for you at the entrance then.

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Good... See you, then...

Shamirnarsa ran off after saying that.​

d30HWT2.png
All right... I guess I'll start moving too...

And that was the game's code for "Sorry, no combat support for you just yet."

We only have something like six squares to walk through, but the place is suddenly swarming with enemies. Not animals as before, but never-seen-before types of claw people.

For example, this wildcat tamer. His whip has a long reach.

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And then this guy.

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He has a sleep-inducing hypnosis attack. And he can use it repeatedly to extend the sleep time.

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Jamrock falls to sleep on the first turn. (Before that, he managed to score a regular hit (25 damage) on the foremost one, but these guys can heal themselves too.)

Fourteen turns later, he's still asleep. Not a single action I could perform.

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On turn 21, Jamrock finally wakes up, and I decide to use my first heartbeat attack of the game. I use Killing Squirrel on the guy. 114 damage. He falls down.

The very next turn, the other guy manages to lull Jamrock back to sleep.

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Turn 29, still asleep...





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Turn 34, still asleep, and getting low on hit points...

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Turn 43 I finally get a chance to act. A second Killing Squirrel for 135 damage. Combat over.

I used both of my heartbeat attacks for the day.

By the way, the amount of heartbeat attack points per day seems to vary. So far I've seen amounts between 2 and 6 IIRC, but I understand it can be as high as 16 points. The amount varies whether I use them or not. Guess it's hardcoded to the scenario.

Was going to explore the place a bit to show you a few more enemies but fuck that, I'm going straight for the exit.





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1 Jamrock's house

2 Tim Timaya's house

3 The tree

4 Where we hid

5 Where we met Badrusso

6 The entrance/exit





I finally got to the entrance...​

The idea that a village in ruins has an entrance does seem funny to me.

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Jamrock-san!

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...!? Kalderina!? How did you...

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Ah, er... when I noticed you weren't there in the morning... I went to your room and found this...

She held up a piece of paper.​

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That's...

That was the letter I received yesterday.​

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Oh... I'm sorry for any trouble I caused.

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Ah, no need to apologise.

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...Sorry for keeping you waiting.

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E--err... Who is this ...?

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Ah... She's Shamirnarsa. I met her here, and she will be travelling with us.

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I'm pleased to meet you.

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E--err... Right... I'm Kalderina.

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Er... The others are waiting at the temple church in the village of Newca nearby. Let's head back there.

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...All right.

Once we got a horse for Shamirnarsa, we started heading to the village of Newca. ~~~
 
Last edited:

shywn

Savant
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
436
ruD7EAc.png


HP/120 WP/128 Atk/20 Def/12 Spd/12

What can I say? Shamirnarsa is well balanced. She also looks terribly tall and slender.

【Flame Bomber】 A technique that throws a bag containing explosive and explodes it and deals damage to the enemy. Small damage against one from the enemy as a whole. Required work points: 3

Flame Bomber is a gunpowder pouch attack that deals some damage to an enemy.

【Examine enemies】 A command to examine enemy damage points during battle and to display several turns. Also display enemy leaders. (Frame becomes red) Required work point: 3

You get to see the hit points the enemies have left.

Also, leaders. Knowing the leader is useful for Jamrock's Persuade skill (you're supposed to use it on a leader). And some enemies actually run away if you kill their leader.

That said, that part of the skill is not of much use, I guess.





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Phew...

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I'm tired today...

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.................

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I guess I'll go talk with Shamirnarsa for a bit more...

I knocked on the door of her room...​

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...Yes?

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Oh, it was you, Jamrock-san.

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Yeah. May I come in for a bit?

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Yes, please do.

Shamirnarsa opened the door slowly, and gestured me to come inside...​

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...............

I came to her room, but I didn't know what to talk about...​

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Is there something wrong?

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Er, no...

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Right, I saw a woman called Minardi.

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? Oh.

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She somehow seemed wary of me though...

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It's because she's been dealing with the claw people of the Order... She's a bit of the worrying type too... So don't take it personally.

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*chuckle* You know her well, don't you?

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Well... we've known each other for a long time...

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Fufu...

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Anyway, I'll be glad to be working with you, starting tomorrow.

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Yeah...

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So, I'll be leaving now.

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All right. Good night.

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Night...





Minardi's room.

This starts with her 'You didn't take me along today' script.

I knocked on the door of Minardi's room.​

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...Who's there?

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It's me, Jamrock.

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Oh, Jamrock?

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May I come in?

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Ah, yeah...

uxmfPkq.png


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I guess today was pretty tough too?

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Yeah, well... as usual, I'd guess...

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....................

Minardi looked at me with worried eyes.​

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...If you need my support, you can just ask...

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...I know.

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...By the way... Jamrock...

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...? What's up?

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I'd ... like to talk with you a bit. Can you lend me an ear?

Minardi asked me, gauging my response for a bit.​

GT: Minardi listens as she asks you to visit this place in a minute.

  1. Listen to her.
  2. Don't listen to her.

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Go ahead, I don't mind.

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O--Oh...

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So... what did you want to talk to me about?

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Mm... right...

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.................

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Actually, this happened a while ago...

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...I was recommended as the next captain of the chivalry.

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...Oh?

I was surprised, to say the least.​

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Isn't that great? You'd be the first woman for that post!

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Yeah... that's how it'd be...

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...?

Minardi had a long face. I must've shown a puzzled face in response.​

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Ah... er...

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What's wrong? You don't look eager by the prospect.

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...............

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Mm... well... yeah...

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...? Why? Isn't this the opportunity you've been waiting for?

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.................

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You declined the post, didn't you?

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...?

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Why did you bring that up now? How does that have an impact to your situation?

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...!

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That's right! What did I expect when I thought of bringing this up with you! ~~~

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...?

Minardi's flare-up of anger made me stand dumbfounded for a moment.​

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Just a moment, Minardi...

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  1. Scold her.
  2. Ask why.
  3. Say 'Do as you like' to her.

Number one sounds good. Angering people, I've found, has a better effect on relationships than trying to be understanding. Sometimes.

EDIT: That turned out to be the wrong option, or mediocre at best. Since I don't want to bomb this route, I reloaded and selected the correct option. The old text is in spoiler tags. The new text is in my next post.

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I don't know what you're thinking, but this is not like you!

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...!

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...Sorry...

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...Ah... I didn't mean it like that...

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But... it really isn't like you at all. What *is* up with you?

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...No, really, never mind...

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Look at the time...

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Mm... Right... I guess I'll head back now.

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Yeah...

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Night, then.

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...Night.

If my count is correct, this was the third nighttime meeting with Minardi. If the game is consistent, we should be getting something on the fourth meeting. That is, tomorrow.





Priest evaluates me thus:

yDgBVZX.png
I think that you acted in a manner that caused no offence.

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Also, in my assessment, it seems you handled the situations in a safe way.

I wonder if those are actually yesterday's evaluations. I only had two choice points today, and they didn't seem to be ethics-related.





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...............

I guess I'll head to bed for now.​

But...​

Was Tim Timaya still alive, like Shamirnarsa claimed?​

d30HWT2.png
................

vFJ3Vzx.png


...Was that woman Tim Timaya after all?​

d30HWT2.png
Anyway... This is not the time to think about that...

Right now, I just need to push forward...​

For the sakes of Minvi and... Tim Timaya too...​





I must warn you that the following translation may have some major errors in it, mostly because the language used is both quite difficult and on the vague side. Besides, it might be clearer to me if I had actually finished the game...

IhLj5vF.png


MEANWHILE



mms70Bp.png


I suppose you can't read the name tag for the old man in the screenshot. It's Timirtos.

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...How are the preparations for the ritual going, Badrusso?

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Actually... We have yet to hear from the ones tasked with getting back the stone mask.

GT: That's ... the group headed for taking the stone mask is refusing.

b2gqpcx.png
...What?

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We don't know the reason at present. But, if we don't have the stone mask in time for the ritual...

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...It doesn't matter. The ritual is but a fancy name for a method of rousing the troops. You need not worry that much about the stone mask.

GT: It's fine. Even though it is a ceremonial ritual or anything, it is not a form of morale awareness that you mind.

kEySmVj.png
...Yes, sir.

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Anyway... Are the transport preparations for that in order?

that = the thing we received, the thing that was delivered.

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Yes. There were no problems whatsoever with the fire dragon...

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...Is there something wrong? You seem somehow dissatisfied.

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..............

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You are right. I do not think it is a good idea to use the aid of humans, even if it is for the sake of our goal... ~~~~

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Time is of utmost importance here! If we waste this opportunity, our chances of success are nil!

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Besides, they are not just 'humans'. The aid comes from foreigners, who lament the treatment the claw people of this country have had to bear. ~~~~

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So, if you have gratitude towards them, you don't need to add suspicions to that. ~~~~~

I think this means something like, 'don't mix suspicion and gratitude' ... I guess.

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But...

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That is enough.

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Yes, sir.

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Anyway, I heard that the traitor asked the humans for assistance, right?

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...Yes...

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Oh well... I don't know what the traitor can do, but I will not let anyone foil this plan.

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That is enough. Dismissed.

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...Yes, sir.

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...Is this... really all right? Can we... continue like this?

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Tell me! Tim Timaya! Shamirnarsa!





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All right, let's head to the chapel to prepare for the departure.​

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Good morning, Jamrock-san.

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Ah, good morning, Jamrock-san.

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...Oh... Morning...

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What's with both of you here?

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Ah, just that... Now, we're supposed to contact Tim Timaya and somehow stop the sacrifice... right?

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...Yeah.

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So, I was thinking I'd leave the guidance to Shamirnarsa from now on...

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...I see.

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So... Please go ahead.

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...All right.

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...............

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So... How are we supposed to act now, concretely speaking? ~~

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That I cannot help you with much, but...

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For now, we need to contact Tim Timaya if we wish to prevent the sacrifice seven days from now.

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...Yeah.

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For that, it's been arranged that a contact of mine will be in the village of Ruzoi, in the middle of the mountainous region, two days from now. She's my contact with Tim Timaya.

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And then, the road to Ruzoi...

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There are two paths that lead there. One starts with Reymond Ruby which is within the human influence area, and the other passes through the Claw village of Kaimr.

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I cannot judge the danger nor safety of either place right now though.

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Rather, it would be better to assume that the hands of the Order have, in some form, reached both places.

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Either way, whatever we do, I'm sure the Order is watching us...

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...Yes, probably...

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If so, we have nothing to fret about. Let's just use the opportunity to gather information on our opponents.

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Yes.

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So, do you have any information on the paths?

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Right...

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The village of Reymond Ruby used to have a flourishing gem mine, owned by the kingdom of Altia.

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I hear that it still operates to some extent, but it does not have the vitality it used to have. The place is inhabited by humans, with a claw people minority.

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The village of Kaimr is located right next to the mountains and it is known for its large hokora. Only claw people live there, and they seem to have quite a bit of animosity towards humans.

Hokora would be a Shinto shrine, typically in the middle of nature, that in real life looks something like a small stall (at a marketplace). How that relates to the in-game thing, I do not know.

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Which village we start with, I shall leave the decision to you, Jamrock-san.

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...All right.

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The map is getting crowded. It'd be nice if the paths we've taken were highlighted in some way...

Anyway, there's a mountain blocking our way. We either go over from the south, through Reymond Ruby, or go around from the north, through Kaimr.

Where to? Reymond Ruby, or Kaimr? Your vote matters.

Also, party composition. Kalderina, Sandrake, Pamela, Minardi, Suu, Shamirnarsa are the choices.

That's like enough people for two parties.

Guess you want Sandrake + Minardi + Shamirnarsa?

Voting ends on Wednesday or Thursday...
 
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