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