0. We love you, Manuela!
1. Ahh! Did you see that? Dorothea looked right at me!
2. Yeahhh! Woo!
3. Well, that crowd was amazing.
4. I thought they were going to faint on the spot the [cdb]moment you appeared.
5. Pretty impressive reaction considering how long it's [cdb]been since you quit the stage.
6. Don't sell yourself short, Dorothea—those people [cdb]were cheering full-throat for you as well.
7. That's also a fine reaction considering you left the [cdb]songstress life behind nearly two years ago.
8. But time passes quickly—and let me tell you, it has [cdb]certainly done a number on me!
9. Oh, stop it.
10. Time hasn't diminished your beauty, nor your voice.
11. Well, you're very sweet to say so.
12. But we both know I'm getting by with smoke, [cdb]mirrors, and the skin of my teeth.
13. I'm no longer fit to command the stage.
14. At best, I can serve as a bodyguard to our successors [cdb]in the Mittelfrank Opera Company as they look to [cdb]entertain our troops.
15. Yes, well, all kidding aside, we both know it was the [cdb]current songstress, Adrienne, who received the [cdb]loudest cheers from the crowd.
16. Remain silent.
17. Ask your burning question.
18. ...
19. ...
20. Feel free to join in the conversation anytime.
21. Yeah, all this is a bit outta my wheelhouse. Makes me [cdb]wonder what I'm even doing here, actually.
22. Yeah, all this is a bit outta my wheelhouse. Makes me [cdb]wonder what I'm even doing here, actually.
23. Hey, not to bring down the mood, but, uh... What am I doing here?
24. Hey, so not to bring down the mood, but, uh... What am I doing here?
25. I don't know the first thing about opera, and I'm sure [cdb]you had plenty of people clamoring to keep all of [cdb]you safe on this little excursion.
26. I dunno the first thing about opera, and I'm sure you [cdb]had plenty of people clamoring to keep all of you safe [cdb]on this little excursion.
27. So why me?
28. So why me?
29. We've already been over this, Dorothea. You and I [cdb]both know this kinda thing isn't my cup of tea.
30. We've already been over this, Dorothea. You and I [cdb]both know this kinda thing isn't my cup of tea.
31. Actually, your unfamiliarity is the reason we chose [cdb]you to accompany us.
32. If we brought along a bunch of star-struck fans to [cdb]serve as escorts, it would end in disaster.
33. Sadly, we've learned from experience that people will [cdb]use any excuse to get close to our singers.
34. Sometimes they even convince themselves that we've [cdb]reciprocated their feelings when we've clearly done [cdb]nothing of the sort.
35. Alas, we've all had to get quite good at close-quarter [cdb]combat as a result.
36. The opera company was where I learned my dagger [cdb]skills—though I admit it's hardly the most [cdb]appropriate weapon for a battlefield.
37. Sounds intense.
38. Sounds intense.
39. Indeed. Behind the glitz and glamor of the stage [cdb]swirl all manner of dark desires.
40. But when it works, everyone comes together to beat [cdb]back the darkness and create something magical.
41. Like most everything else, you just have to take the [cdb]good with the bad.
42. Heh. This kind of talk really takes me back.
43. Forgive our intrusion, my lady, but we're ready to [cdb]begin moving again.
44. We should reach the next town in a little over... Hmm? What's all that racket?
45. Sounds like we're up.
46. Sounds like we're up.
47. Don't let them harm any members of the company!