link Shez volume_up
Never thought I'd see the day you shut yourself in your room to read. I hear you've been poring through every book on magic you can get your hands on.
link Sylvain volume_up
Hey, I read sometimes! Anyway, I had this great idea I needed to do some research for.
link Shez volume_up
I'm afraid to ask. Wait, what's that diagram?
link Sylvain volume_up
A perceptive question! This here is a blueprint I came up with for a new kind of fire orb.
link Shez volume_up
Uh, really? You're talking about those flame-flinging siege weapons, right? Because that looks pretty small for a fire orb.
link Sylvain volume_up
Well, that's the point. I want to make it so that our knights can carry one around as easily as they do their swords.
link Shez volume_up
What would that accomplish? Knights don't have the training to use something like that.
link Sylvain volume_up
Right you are. The wielder needs both special training and some natural magical ability to use one. At least, that's the case with our current fire orbs.
link Sylvain volume_up
Which brings me to my main goal—making it so that anyone can use them, no matter their background.
link Sylvain volume_up
I mean, think about the havoc we could wreak if your average knight or myrmidon could also blast out some fire magic whenever they wanted.
link Shez volume_up
That's actually a great idea, Sylvain. I bet we could come up with some amazing battle strategies with those things.
link Sylvain volume_up
Right? I knew someone as special as you would understand.
link Shez volume_up
Is that really gonna work? I feel like knights and myrmidons are better off just using the weapons they already specialize in.
link Sylvain volume_up
You only think that because everyone keeps getting shoehorned into just one weapon. All we have to do is expand their horizons a little.
link Sylvain volume_up
Either way, it won't be ready any time soon. I'm not sure when I'll finally be done with it, honestly.
link Shez volume_up
If you don't hurry, the war'll be over before you're finished.
link Sylvain volume_up
Battle's not the only place it'll come in handy. People who don't have any other training could use it for self-defense.
link Shez volume_up
Huh. Come to think of it, that's the same reason you were so interested in my sword.
link Shez volume_up
Does this have to do with House Gautier? I know your family's been dealing with Sreng for years now.
link Sylvain volume_up
Yeah, more or less. We've gone through some pretty tough times.
link Sylvain volume_up
My father's first wife, Miklan's mom... She died in a Sreng raid.
link Sylvain volume_up
We've managed to hold the border for about a hundred years now thanks to the Lance of Ruin...
link Sylvain volume_up
But they keep pushing our limits. Frankly, I admire their determination.
link Shez volume_up
It did seem like Margrave Gautier was pretty used to fending off their attacks.
link Sylvain volume_up
It's not like he's had much choice.
link Sylvain volume_up
Once I inherit his title, I'll keep doing whatever I can to hold them off. But it's going to be tough without a stronger military.
link Sylvain volume_up
If the king had forces of his own, he could send them in at a moment's notice whenever we were in trouble.
link Sylvain volume_up
Problem is, the last king already tried something like that. It ticked the local lords off to no end.
link Shez volume_up
Makes sense. If the king grows stronger, everyone else loses a little bit of their own influence in comparison. Anyone would have a hard time swallowing that.
link Sylvain volume_up
I'd say it's worth it if it means the Kingdom won't descend into chaos. Whatever the case, any reforms we enact will need to be peaceful and well-founded.
link Sylvain volume_up
Which is exactly why I want us to be able to fight on our own, without having to rely on our Relic or on other lords.
link Shez volume_up
Wow, Sylvain. You actually sound like a real heir now.
link Shez volume_up
It's a nice change from all the skirt-chasing you used to do.
link Sylvain volume_up
Hey, the future of my house is on the line here. Even the laziest guy in the world would be worried about that.
link Sylvain volume_up
Sure, the Kingdom might be a half-frozen stretch of dirt, but it's my half-frozen stretch of dirt. And it's the only home I've got.
link Shez volume_up
Home, huh?