link Raphael volume_up
There you are, Lorenz! That took so long, I thought maybe that bandit general got you.
link Lorenz volume_up
We had much to discuss—which I will share with all of you now.
link Ignatz volume_up
Did you uncover the reason for their grudge against your father?
link Lorenz volume_up
Indeed. As we suspected, they were once mercenaries in his employ.
link Lorenz volume_up
At first, they were used in the ways one might think— keeping villages safe, guarding the border, and so on.
link Lorenz volume_up
But one day, they were given very a strange order by a supposed envoy of my father.
link Ignatz volume_up
What was the order?
link Lorenz volume_up
They were told to threaten any merchants heading toward Riegan and force them to turn back.
link Shez volume_up
Yeah, that's a weird one, all right.
link Shez volume_up
Yeah, that's a weird one, all right.
link Lorenz volume_up
The mercenaries felt the same, and balked at the idea of raising their swords against unarmed merchants.
link Lorenz volume_up
Instead, they decided to chase a pack of wild monsters into the merchants' path and scare them that way.
link Shez volume_up
Hey, smart thinking!
link Shez volume_up
Hey, smart thinking!
link Ignatz volume_up
I'm not so sure about that.
link Shez volume_up
Sounds like a good way to get everyone killed.
link Shez volume_up
Sounds like a good way to get everyone killed.
link Lorenz volume_up
Indeed, you see the matter already.
link Lorenz volume_up
The plan worked—at first. Then one day, they caught wind that merchants were approaching and loosed monsters on them per the established method.
link Lorenz volume_up
An ordinary group of merchants would have simply run away and lived. But one among this group drew his sword and began to fight.
link Lorenz volume_up
This was Lord Godfrey, who at the time held the title of Duke Riegan.
link Lorenz volume_up
He fought valiantly, but ultimately in vain. Sadly, he perished along with the merchants he had hoped to protect.
link Ignatz volume_up
Merchants that included Raphael's parents...
link Shez volume_up
So the former Duke Riegan and Raphael's parents all died because of your dad, Lorenz?
link Shez volume_up
So the former Duke Riegan and Raphael's parents all died because of your dad, Lorenz?
link Lorenz volume_up
So it would seem. I am terribly sorry, Raphael. Please, accept my apology in my father's stead.
link Raphael volume_up
Hey, knock it off. You didn't do anything wrong.
link Ignatz volume_up
As it happens, my parents were meant to accompany Godfrey that day.
link Ignatz volume_up
But they had a scheduling conflict and recommended that Raphael's parents go instead, which means...
link Raphael volume_up
Not you too, Ignatz! Look, everybody—kids aren't responsible for what their parents do.
link Shez volume_up
Lorenz, do we know for sure that the order came from your father?
link Shez volume_up
Lorenz, do we know for sure that the order came from your father?
link Ignatz volume_up
I was wondering the same thing.
link Ignatz volume_up
Your father was always protective of the nobility's reputation, and it seems strange he would do something so sneaky—and so anti-merchant besides.
link Lorenz volume_up
Based on what the bandit said, I suspect it was someone from our house acting alone.
link Lorenz volume_up
By the time my father realized what was happening, the culprit had vanished, along with any hope of ever sussing out their true motives.
link Lorenz volume_up
Only the mercenaries remained, and my father had no choice but to punish them.
link Shez volume_up
I bet they didn't care at all about what happened behind the scenes. Far as they were concerned, their employer betrayed them.
link Shez volume_up
I bet they didn't care at all about what happened behind the scenes. Far as they were concerned, their employer betrayed them.
link Raphael volume_up
But I don't get how any of this has to do with you right now, Lorenz.
link Lorenz volume_up
A feudal lord is responsible for all that happens within their realm. Therefore, anything left unresolved by my father falls by necessity to me.
link Lorenz volume_up
I would also like to pay appropriate reparations to both you and your family, as is fair and proper.
link Raphael volume_up
But I don't need anything from you! I can take care of my family plenty well on my own.
link Raphael volume_up
Besides, I made my peace with what happened to my folks a long time ago.
link Raphael volume_up
You can't change that now—all you can do is stir up a bunch of old, painful memories.
link Lorenz volume_up
Yes, but still...
link Raphael volume_up
But nothing. I'm done talking about this.
link Raphael volume_up
I'll still take my reward for beating up the bandits, though! Meat party, remember?!
link Raphael volume_up
You promised me the finest ham in all the land, and just thinking about it's got me drooling!
link Lorenz volume_up
This does not sit right with me. What should I do?
link Shez volume_up
I don't think there's anything else you can do. If you keep at it, you'll just make Raphael upset.
link Shez volume_up
I don't think there's anything else you can do. If you keep at it, you'll just make Raphael upset.
link Shez volume_up
Same goes for you, Ignatz.
link Shez volume_up
Same goes for you, Ignatz.
link Ignatz volume_up
Right...
link Shez volume_up
I think you'd better quit wallowing in the past and go fetch that ham you promised.
link Shez volume_up
I think you'd better quit wallowing in the past and go fetch that ham you promised.
link Shez volume_up
Best to just leave it be. You too, Ignatz.
link Shez volume_up
Best to just leave it be. You too, Ignatz.
link Ignatz volume_up
Right...
link Shez volume_up
Less talk, more ham. And you better have enough for me and Ignatz, too!
link Shez volume_up
Less talk, more ham. And you better have enough for me and Ignatz, too!
link Ignatz volume_up
Oh, uh, right.
link Lorenz volume_up
Very well. In that case, I shall arrange for the finest spread of meat the world has ever seen.
link Lorenz volume_up
I stake House Gloucester's very reputation on it! Hahaha!
link Shez volume_up
Now that's the right thing to do.
link Shez volume_up
Now that's the right thing to do.
link Ignatz volume_up
Still feels a little weird to leave it like this, but I guess this is for the best...