Well, time to head back to Kaipo, and then we should be able to go to Baron. Into the Underground Waterway again. Eugh.
As we climb our way up through Underground Lake B1, Edward notices something...
Edward: Hmm!?
He's surrounded by others.
Bandit: My, my, my. This is a rare visitor, isn't it?
Bandit: Who would've expected a rich nobleman coming through here?
Edward: Sorry gentlemen, but I don't have anything you'd be interested in.
Bandit: You liar! What about that shiny thing in your hand?
Bandit: That must be worth a mound of gold in the marketplace!
Edward: Wait! This is desert fever medicine! It would serve you no purpose!
Bandit: Ah! So it is something valuable!
Bandit: Valuable enough to give up your life for it?
Edward: Ah...!
He pushes one of the bandits away, and in the process, falls off the bridge they're on.
Edward: !!!
And down the waterfall he goes.
Bandit: Oh, great.
Bandit: I didn't do anything! He just jumped right in!
When Edward comes to, he's in Waterway Entrance South. See Edward, you can jump down waterfalls!
Edward: Oof... Where am I? (The waterfall must've sent me all the way here. The exit's straight ahead. I hope you're still hanging on, Harley!)
While we're here, we trade in 5 Bronze Tails for out third Silver Tail. Let's head to Kaipo now. We then head to where Harley is.
Edward: Harley!
We use the Sand Pearl.
Harley: Ngh... Ugh... Your Highness...
Edward: Harley! Thank goodness I made it in time...
Harley: My deepest apologies. This is all my fault...
Edward: No, Harley. You did... nothing wrong...
Edward then collapses. Crap.
Harley: Your Highness!
Some time later...
Edward: Nnngh...
Harley: Your Highness! You're awake!
Man: Luckily, this doesn't look like a case of desert fever to me.
Edward: Now it's my turn, is it? I apologize for worrying you.
Harley: You've gone halfway around the world for me, my lord! Why did you put yourself through this?
Man: You're the one who's pushing herself too hard here, my lady. You've just recovered from illness yourself and yet here you are, staying up all night by his side.
Edward: What?
Harley: You promised me you wouldn't tell him!
Edward: Harley, you didn't have to do that.
Harley: O-of course I did. You brought me the Sand Pearl and... er, I mean, it is my duty as your secretary, my lord...
Edward: ...Thank you, Harley.
Well, the party is back together, with Edward at level 22... the guards at level 15... and Harley at level 14. Crap. We buy some stuff for Harley, and head for where the dock is.
Captain: You wanna go to Baron? Well, you've just made it with seconds to spare! All set to go?
We better be. We get on the boat.
Captain: Off we go, then! Raise anchor, men!
Sailors: Aye-aye, sir!
Off we go.
Edward: How are you feeling?
Harley: J-just fine, my lord! But what about you?
Edward: I could hardly feel healthier right now. Indeed, healthier than I've been in many years...
Harley: Sir?
Edward: Oh, sorry. Just reminiscing about the past a little.
Harley: I see...
Edward: Is something the matter?
Harley: Your Highness... what do you think about that moon?
We see the two moons again. I really should have set up a counter of how many times we see that damn image.
Edward: ... (Is that really that same moon? That same moon from before? The Lunarians...)
Harley: Golbez...
Edward: !?
Harley: The man in black. The one who once took Baron hostage and used it to take the Crystals. In the end, he left the planet, along with his moon.
Edward: You know about that?
She's clearly more that 17 years old, Edward. She lived during it, and you guys weren't exactly keeping secrets. The giant killer robot is kinda hard to cover up.
Harley: So it is true.
Edward: ...
Harley: I simply conducted a little research of my own.
Edward: How much more do you know?
Harley: I know of certain theories regarding magic and airships... ...claiming that they were gifts from the moon, not discoveries made by people here.
Edward: Impressive.
Harley: But this moon... It looks different to my eyes. It is not the same one as before... Not the one I remember seeing in the past.
Edward: I must agree...
We meet up with Yang's ship.
Sailor: Captain! Fabulian ship off our port side!
Captain: Haha! Let's show 'em what we've got, my lads!
Sailors: Aye-aye, sir!
Edward: Fabul? Is that... Yang!?
Harley: The king of Fabul?
Edward: Yes. You could not find a stronger or gentler monarch... nor one half so brave.
Yang: Edward! Are you sailing for Baron as well!?
Edward: Yes, that's right!
Harley: Their destination is the same as ours?
Edward: Indeed. Fabul has picked up on the signs as we have, no doubt. Ah, what a shot of confidence, knowing that he's on our side!
Not so much a sign as a declaration of law.
Harley: so something must be afoot in Baron after all...
The Fabul ship then runs out of fuel for its sails and falls behind, because obviously a sailboat must remain well oiled or it can't travel anywhere.
Who writes this shit?
Harley: My lord, Master Yang's ship is falling behind.
Edward: What happened to them? Could there be some trouble on board?
He looks away.
Harley: What's wrong, my lord? Are you cold?
Edward: No... I'm all right.
We arrive in Baron. We find a Bronze Tail in the lake and a Silver Tail in the weapon shop, then head to the castle.
Baron Soldier: Who goes there?
Harley: How rude of you! You fail to recognize King Edward, ruler of Damcyan?
Baron Soldier: What...?
Edward: I am here to see King Cecil. May we pass?
Harley: We wish to speak with His Majesty personally to discuss the reply we received from his messenger.
Baron Soldier: ...Very well. You may proceed.
In we go. Nowhere to go but the Throne Room.
Edward: It has been lond since we last met, Cecil.
Cecil: It certainly has, Edward. Quite a long time indeed.
Edward: ...
Cecil: Is something bothering you, Edward? You can take it easy here.
Edward: I... I appreciate your kindness.
Cecil: Come now, Edward. To what do I owe the honor of a visit from the king of Damcyan?
Edward: I have come to speak of the meteor.
Cecil: If that is why you are here, then the answer is the same as the one my emissary gave to you. You have nothing to worry about. Please let Baron handle the matter.
Edward: ...And why should Baron handle it?
Cecil: Do we have a trust issue here, Edward?
Edward: ...Of course not.
Cecil: Superb. I'm so glad you understand, Edward. I knew I could count on that.
Edward: ...
Cecil: Something the matter?
Edward: What are your thoughts on that moon, Cecil?
Cecil: ...What do you think about it?
Edward: I believe it portends ill times ahead for all of us. It reminds me too much of past events that haunt us to this day.
Cecil: Hmm.
Edward: ...
Cecil: All the more reason, then, that I hope you will allow us to handle the matters concerning the fallen meteor.
Edward: I see.
Cecil: Baron has a mandate to govern over this land, to keep it at peace.
Edward: ...Of course. But if you ever need to consult with me, please do not hesitate to do so.
Cecil: Thank you so much for taking the long journey to my domain, Edward.
Edward: If you'll excuse me, then...
Edward starts to leave.
Harley: (Your Highness?)
Edward: Ah, one more thing. I could not help but notice that Queen Rosa is not with us today.
Cecil: Yes. She's not feeling very well, I'm afraid.
Edward: Is that so? That is troubling news.
Cecil: There's no need for alarm. It is nothing life-threatening.
Edward: Is Prince Ceodore doing well?
Cecil: Absolutely. He is out of the castle for training right now.
Edward: That is good to hear.
Cecil: My wife and I would expect nothing less from our son, after all. Now then, I wish you a safe and pleasant journey home.
Edward: Yes, my lord.
Cecil: Ah, I just remembered. Guards, please present King Edward with the gift we discussed.
Baron Soldier: Yes, sir! From the king, Your Majesty.
We're given a small box.
Edward: What is this, my lord?
Cecil: A token of our friendship and of my appreciation for your visit. Please accept it.
Edward: I appreciate your kindness. In that case, I have also brought a souvenir from Damcyan.
He puts a vase with the Damcyan Flowers in the corner of the room.
Cecil: Flowers? How befitting of you, if I may say so.
Edward: (...)
Cecil: Is something the matter?
Edward: Oh, nothing. I am glad you like them.
Cecil: Until we meet again, Edward.
Edward: Certainly. Do take care.
We head out.
Harley: (Your Highness! What is the meaning of this?)
Edward: We're going home.
Harley: (Your Highness?)
Edward: Let's go.
Out we go, then. Back to the port so we can go back to Kaipo.
Captain: Well, that was certainly quick! We're ready to go when you are. Shall we shove off?
Yes. We get on the boat and leave.
Harley: Your Highness, what was the meaning of your behaviour in front of King Cecil?
Edward: That person was not Cecil.
Harley: What!?
Edward: The real Cecil would have known what my gift really was.
Harley: What do you mean?
Edward: I mean this.
He takes out one of the flowers.
Female Voice: (Are you sure that was wise?)
Harley: The voices are coming from the flower!?
Edward: Shhh.
Male Voice: (There is nothing to worry about. Though he was acting extremely suspicious of me... It appears that he came here personally just to check up on matters.)
Female Voice: (Weaker creatures need to be more cautious.)
Male Voice: (Damcyan is a hub of commerce, not of war. Its military is no more than mere ceremony. Seizing it would be a simple matter.)
Female Voice: (I see. So the Fire Crystal...)
Male Voice: (...Is ours anytime we wish to take it.)
Harley: What is this?
Edward: It's called whisperweed. You can use it to hear voices and sounds from faraway places. I put a bloom of it into the flower arrangment that I presented to Cecil.
And so Edward outsmarted every single other person in this game. Except for maybe Edge.
Female Voice: (Overconfidence is ill-advised.)
Male Voice: (It is not overconfidence. My plan is already underway.)
Harley: Plan?
Edward: The gift Cecil gave us. You must be curious about it.
Harley: Of course.
Edward: Well, I must disappoint you, for this box can never be opened.
Harley: Are you already aware of its contents, Your Highness?
Edward: If my hunch is correct...
Harley: Yes?
Edward: ...then this contains a Carnelian Signet... It is the very item behind the tragedy that once befell Mist... by Cecil's unknowing hand.
Harley: Your Highness?
Sailor: Captain! Up ahead!
Captain: Whoa! What's that!?
Harley: My lord!
Edward: Did... did Yang's ship run into that? Oh, no! Leviathan!
We see the whirlpool, and that marks the end of this tale, and the end of the individual character tales. After the Challenge Dungeon, we'll be returning to the main story. See you next time.
Stats:
Edward: Lv 22 HP:721 MP:88 Strength:15 Speed:18 Stamina:9 Intellect:19 Spirit:21 Attack:33 (3x95% Accuracy) Defence:21 (2x35% Evasion) Magic Defence:16 (1x19% Evasion)
Harley: Lv 14 HP:386 MP:60 Strength:14 Speed:11 Stamina:11 Intellect:21 Spirit:18 Attack:36 (2x58% Accuracy) Defence:22 (1x35% Evasion) Magic Defence:16 (1x18% Evasion)
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