link Balthus volume_up
...
link Hilda volume_up
Whatcha doing, Baltie?
link Balthus volume_up
Shh! Quiet! You'll give me away.
link Hilda volume_up
Huh? Give you away to who?
link Balthus volume_up
OK, they're gone. Phew! That was close.
link Balthus volume_up
Hey, think you two could lend me a little coin?
link Hilda volume_up
Are you seriously going to pretend nothing happened just now?
link Hilda volume_up
And asking us for money on top of it? Ugh. You were obviously hiding from debt collectors.
link Balthus volume_up
What, them? Yeah, basically.
link Shez volume_up
Must be pretty deep in the red if they followed you all the way out here.
link Shez volume_up
Must be pretty deep in the red if they followed you all the way out here.
link Balthus volume_up
Well, the debts of a man like me tend to leave those of your average deadbeat in the dust.
link Balthus volume_up
Still, pretty bold of them to think I'd fork it over so easy! Haha!
link Hilda volume_up
The only bold one here is you, Baltie! You should pay back the money you borrowed.
link Balthus volume_up
...
link Hilda volume_up
Hey! Are you listening to me?
link Balthus volume_up
Uh, no, actually. Sorry. Anyway, gotta go!
link Hilda volume_up
If you're heading to dinner, we'll come with you.
link Balthus volume_up
No, I've got some...business to attend to. You can buy me dinner some other time.
link Hilda volume_up
Well, that was weird.
link Shez volume_up
Right? The guy actually thought we'd buy him dinner.
link Shez volume_up
Right? The guy actually thought we'd buy him dinner.
link Hilda volume_up
Oh, that's not what I'm talking about. He always does that.
link Holst volume_up
Ah, my dear Hilda! You bear the countenance of a maiden most troubled. What's the matter?
link Hilda volume_up
Oh. Holst.
link Holst volume_up
I hope you aren't bothering my little sister, merc.
link Shez volume_up
What? Oh, no, you've got the wrong idea! We just ran into Balthus is all.
link Shez volume_up
What? Oh, no, you've got the wrong idea! We just ran into Balthus is all.
link Holst volume_up
I see. And what did he want?
link Shez volume_up
What, me? I wouldn't dream of it.
link Shez volume_up
What, me? I wouldn't dream of it.
link Holst volume_up
See that you don't. Because if you do bother her...
link Hilda volume_up
Oh, knock it off, Holst! We just ran into Baltie is all.
link Holst volume_up
I see. And what did he want?
link Shez volume_up
Some debt collectors were after him. He seemed pretty worried about it, actually.
link Shez volume_up
Some debt collectors were after him. He seemed pretty worried about it, actually.
link Holst volume_up
Curious.
link Hilda volume_up
Right? I mean, Baltie shakes off debt collectors the way other people change their underwear.
link Holst volume_up
Yes, he usually manages to drive them hence with some combination of threats and outlandish excuses.
link Holst volume_up
Perhaps this time they've sent more formidable bounty hunters after his hide.
link Shez volume_up
Wait, there's a price on his head?
link Shez volume_up
Wait, there's a price on his head?
link Holst volume_up
Sadly, in addition to racking up and running out on debts far and wide, our friend Balthus has also been picking more than his usual share of fights.
link Shez volume_up
Huh. I knew the guy liked to gamble, but I didn't know he'd taken it that far.
link Shez volume_up
Huh. I knew the guy liked to gamble, but I didn't know he'd taken it that far.
link Shez volume_up
Why did we let him in our army again?
link Shez volume_up
Why did we let him in our army again?
link Hilda volume_up
...
link Holst volume_up
I would be happy to help the man settle his debts.
link Holst volume_up
But he stubbornly refuses each time I ask. I think he sees it as a twisted sort of pride.
link Hilda volume_up
So long as he continues his drinking and gambling, his debt is only going to grow.
link Holst volume_up
And as he's too stubborn to give those up either, I'm frankly at a bit of a loss as to how to proceed.
link Holst volume_up
He's a talented fighter. If he went straight and worked hard, he'd have enough coin for a comfortable life.
link ??? volume_up
My lord, we have a problem!
link Holst volume_up
An enemy raid?
link ??? volume_up
It's Balthus, sir! He's under attack not far from here!
link ??? volume_up
The enemy's ranks are massive, so I ran back here to secure reinforcements.
link Holst volume_up
You did right. I will go there at once.
link Hilda volume_up
And there he goes. My brother certainly can move fast when he puts his mind to it.
link Shez volume_up
So...guess we just wait for him to come back?
link Shez volume_up
So...guess we just wait for him to come back?
link Hilda volume_up
What? No! Don't be a jerk! We have to go help him!
link Shez volume_up
Guess we should go lend a hand, huh?
link Shez volume_up
Guess we should go lend a hand, huh?
link Hilda volume_up
We certainly should. C'mon!