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Ah, Your Majesty. Tending to your weapon, I see. My apologies for interrupting you.
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It's all right, I just finished. Is there something you need, Rodrigue?
link Rodrigue volume_up
Yes, in fact. I received this from Matthias when I was in Gautier territory the other day.
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From the margrave? But this sword is...
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He said he'd borrowed it from Lambert years ago, and had long since forgotten about it.
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What sort of laggard keeps a loan so long he has to return it to the lender's son? Thirty years!
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That would've been around the time you all attended the Officers Academy together, correct? Would you mind telling me the story of this sword?
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It started when our class was given a mission to eradicate a bandit encampment.
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Foolish as I was at the time, I dashed in ahead of the others, leaving me and my entire unit stranded behind enemy lines.
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Apparently, your father and Matthias started arguing about whether or not it was worth coming to save me. Broke out into a full on fistfight before long.
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That's a surprise. I wouldn't have expected that of my father, much less the margrave!
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Well, they were both pretty feisty in their day. Neither of them wanted to back down, I'm sure.
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On one hand, you had Matthias insisting they wait for aid from the church. Supplies were running low, so charging in could've gotten everyone killed.
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On the other, Lambert was so determined to come to our rescue he'd have gone all by himself if he had to. No idea whose plan won in the end, sadly.
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All I know is they fought their way through the enemy lines together. And lucky for me, they found us before the bandits did.
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So my father tended to charge in recklessly as well. Or perhaps he was just naïve in his youth.
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Story goes, Matthias's lance broke while they were fighting their way toward us, so Lambert lent him this sword.
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As he was giving it to me, he couldn't help but laugh about how it slipped his mind for all these years.
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Considering what I know of the margrave, I have my doubts that he actually forgot it at all.
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You're probably right. This is just my opinion, but...
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I don't think he ever really managed to accept Lambert's death until you ascended the throne.
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Perhaps. In any case, please tell him I've received it.
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And...thank you for relaying that story to me. It seems even in his youth, my father was willing to do whatever it took to see those close to him safe.
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Yet here I've gone and started a war, knowing full well it will hurt those I care about most. He'd likely call me a fool if he were here today.
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I'm not so sure about that. Yes, he did treasure his friends.
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But I don't think he would've been too keen on abandoning the church either, considering all they've done to protect the people of Faerghus.
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Rodrigue, you knew my father well. Could I ask you to do something for me?
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If I ever attempt anything that would bring shame to his name, please...
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Say no more. I'll stop you, even if I have to lay down my life to do it. I already promised him the same thing, actually.
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You have my deepest thanks.