- Well, this is great.
- Having some trouble there, Jeralt?
- I wanted to replace the clasp on my gauntlet,
[cdb]but I can't quite get the blasted thing to stay.
- Here, let me try.
- Well look at that. You got a real knack for these
[cdb]things. Thanks, kid.
- I'm surprised you've survived this long with those
[cdb]ham hands.
- Being a good mercenary isn't all about dexterity,
[cdb]you know.
- Besides, when you've lived as long as I have,
[cdb]your body just doesn't work as well as it used to.
Trust me.
- You don't look that old to me.
- You can't judge a book by its cover. I might not look
[cdb]it, but I'm practically an ancient tome.
- Not to mention I've lived pretty hard. Might just be a
[cdb]gut feeling, but...
- I've started feeling like the goddess might call me to
[cdb]her side before long.
- Come on, it's not like you're at death's door. Besides,
[cdb]you really think the goddess would be calling you of
[cdb]all people?
- You don't hold anything back, do you? If the goddess
[cdb]won't have me, then I'll just have to make do in hell.
- Do you think you'd have any regrets if you died
[cdb]right now?
- Not one. Except maybe living too long.
- What about leaving your kid behind?
- Can't say I wouldn't be worried. Especially because
[cdb]that kid isn't exactly normal.
- Yeah, that's a good way to put it...
- [BYLETH_MF] is unusually powerful.
- [BYLETH_MF] isn't very emotional.
- [BYLETH_MF] thinks out loud a lot.
- I've never seen a power like that before. Not even
[cdb]generals with Crests measure up.
- True. It's not like my training was all that rigorous
[cdb]either. But before I knew it, my kid had become
[cdb]the Ashen Demon.
- I gotta say, your kid's always real calm and aloof.
Not one for emotion, huh?
- You're telling me. Born without so much as a peep,
[cdb]that one.
- Your kid sure likes to think out loud. Though, I guess
I don't have room to talk...
- It's a weird habit. Almost like there's someone
[cdb]else there...
- Just a personal quirk, I guess. Makes it tough to find
[cdb]friends though.
- In that sense, I'm glad we're here. There's tons of
[cdb]young folks around.
- And maybe the kid'll take a shine to you, since you're
[cdb]both mercenaries.
- Who knows? I've been hoping we could talk more,
[cdb]at least.
- Is that so? I'm glad to hear you say that. Takes a
[cdb]load off my mind.
- Now you really sound like a dad.
- I was never much of a parent, but I do worry all the
[cdb]same.
- You know, I think we were meant to end up on the
[cdb]same side. Would you do me a favor and look after
[cdb]my kid?
- When you put it that way, it really does sound like
[cdb]you're about to die.
- Hey, it's possible. Tomorrow's never guaranteed in
[cdb]this line of work.
- I meant what I said. Can I count on you?
- Yeah, sure. I'm not gonna refuse a dying man's wish,
[cdb]after all.