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Dimitri? We need to talk.
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What do you hope to accomplish once this war is over, Claude?
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Why, worried I have some nasty plot up my sleeve? Well, I don't—although I doubt you're gonna like what I do have planned.
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I'm just gonna come out and say it: After the war, I'm going to abolish the Central Church and depose the archbishop.
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The people of Fódlan have been shackled by this decrepit system for too long, and I'm ending it.
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You're going to do away with the church?
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That's right. Think about it. Who steals your freedom and gives you an endless list of duties and obligations simply because you have a Crest?
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Who forces you and your friends into a bunch of unwanted marriages and positions of power?
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The church even forbids any official contact with outside regions!
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Not exactly great for Faerghus, right? Being as close to Sreng and Albinea as you are.
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But to be clear, your quarrel is with the church, yes?
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But to be clear, your issue is with the church, yes?
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Not with Faerghus itself?
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Exactly. We have nothing to gain by fighting you.
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And really, our enemy isn't the actual church so much as the people at the top who make all the decisions.
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I understand where you're coming from, Claude, and on a personal level I actually agree with you.
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Buuut as a king you're opposed?
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Yes, for three reasons. First, abolishing the church would deny the king's right to rule Faerghus.
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Without one, the people will descend into chaos and war. Would you be able to take responsibility for such a thing, once it came to pass?
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Second, recklessly discarding the church will only incite discord among the clergy and its supporters.
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And finally, a revolution of this nature will not only mean casualties among the commonfolk, but will endanger your own life as well.
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Leaving the first two for a second, I have some serious issues with that last one.
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I'm glad you're concerned for my safety, but I can take care of myself.
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But don't you see? The people you wish to depose are human, just as you are.
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No matter what ingenious scheme you come up with or how careful you try to be, they will suffer.
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And their vengeance will eventually find you, no matter how hard you try to stave it off.
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I know full well the guilt that accompanies such actions...and the retribution they provoke.
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Everyone has to deal with the consequences of their decisions. If you let it rule you, Fódlan never changes.
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And if it doesn't change, it'll just fall apart.
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But not taking the time to look where you're going will only lead you to stumble and fall.
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And if there are those who would be hurt by this, I consider it my duty to help them.
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Heh. There you go, trying to save everyone again. You really are too good for me!
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To be honest, I'm jealous of how you're not burdened with the same restrictions.
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In the world I'm trying to create, you wouldn't be burdened by them either. You could even...
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No, forget that. I'm serious about what I said, though. And I really do admire how you want to save everyone.
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Honestly, if you weren't a king, I think we could've been friends.
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I feel much the same.
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Had I joined with you, I might have been able to see a different vision of Fódlan.