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-Royal Capital of Grancel-
The Republic was a wonderful place, too, but you can't beat the air here in Liberl.
You wouldn't believe all that stuff happened half a year ago looking at Grancel now, either. It's all completely back to normal. The people here sure are strong for what's usually such a peaceful country.
Well, it's a country ruled by a queen!
Everyone knows women are tough in the face of adversity.
I'm not sure whether you're a perfect example of that or the opposite...
You're right about the air here, though. It IS nice.
Nostalgic, almost. Makes me feel a little homesick.
Your home's in Arteria, right? The place with all the reeeally big churches and stuff?
Nah. I'm not actually from Arteria. Not many people are. It's actually pretty darn small--like, smaller than most states around the continent. It's where the High Seat of the Septian Church is, so lots of pilgrims and clergymen gather there, but few are actually born there.
Oh, really? Huh...
So where are you from, then?
Man's Voice: Doooroooooothyyyyyyyyy...
I'm home! Did you miss me?
Of course I MISSED you! What in Aidios' name have you been DOING?! I sent you to Bose! How did you end up in Calvard?! You were definitely on the west-bound liner! I'm sure of it!
I really don't know...
Oh, wait! I might actually know!
Go on, then. Spit it out.
I bet I'm a sleepwalker. After I got on the right airship, I fell asleep and then sleepwalked onto the wrong one! To think that all of this could turn out to be part of some elaborate murder plot.
Wowie! All of a sudden, I feel like I've walked right into a mystery novel!
Sleepwalkers don't change airships, you idiot!
*pant* *pant* Ugh... I'm all out of breath now...
A-Are you all right? I really do think you should cut down on your smoking... You're not as young as you used to be, you know.
Oh, right... Your 30th birthday was last Friday, too, wasn't it?
Happy birthday! I bought a cake over in Calvard and had a big celebration for it, too!
How is it that you can remember useless crap like that and not the things that actually matter?
I bet you were just looking for an excuse to eat cake all by yourself, weren't you?
You should've seen it, Nial! It was made with Eastern matcha, so it was unlike any cake I'd ever seen! That perfect blend of sweetness and bitterness was just SUBLIME.
I took looots and loooooots of cute pictures of it, so I'll show you them all later.
You brought me PICTURES OF A CAKE?! At least bring back a souvenir!
(M-Man... They always FELT like they could go into business as a comedy duo and actually make money off it, but they're even more of a crackup now.)
Wait a second...
Haha... Nice to see you again, Nial. You're lookin' same old, same old...though maybe you're not so happy about that.
Wh-What are you doing here?! Please, PLEASE tell me she didn't end up going to Arteria and causing trouble there, too...
Haha. Your wish is my command.
We just ran into each other on that airship by total coincidence, that's all.
O-Oh, good... You had me worried for a minute.
I was scared stiff she'd gone and smashed some super expensive stained glass windows in the cathedral there or who knows what...
I'm so sorry for what you have to put up with...
Pshaw! You're too much of a worrywart.
Whose fault do you think that is...?
Still, it's good to see you again, Father. What brings you to Liberl? Somethin' else happen here?
Oh, just a bit of work-related business I've gotta take care of. It's not part of a major investigation, so don't go getting your hopes up. Nothing of interest's gonna happen.
Haha... I'll be the judge of that.
Anyway, so where're you staying for the time being? Grancel Cathedral? I'll have to drop by and say hi some time when I get the chance.
Haha... Go for it.
In the meantime, I'm dragging your butt right back to the office, Dorothy! You're going to tell us aaaaaall about what the hell you've been doing these past two weeks!
Heehee. You betcha! I snapped photos of every meal I had while I was over in Calvard, so I'm sure if we develop them, I'll be able to remember everything!
I'm not talking about your gourmet report!
The moral of the story is: nobody wants to see pictures of your meals.
Thinking about it, I wonder how all the others here are doing? I know Estelle and Joshua are abroad at the moment, but I've got no idea what the others are up to.
Man's Voice: Is that you, Father Graham?
I'm pleased to see you've been keeping well since we last met at the banquet.
The same to you, sir. I gotta say, I wasn't expecting you to be the army representative who came to meet me, though. I figured it'd be Julia.
It may have been, but she's currently out on another mission, so unfortunately you'll have to make do with me. I didn't have anything better to do, so I came in her place.
There's no need to be so modest!
A little bird told me that you're going to be promoted to full-time colonel soon, aren't you?
I shouldn't be surprised that your people have such a good information network, but I still am.
Heh. Still, I'm afraid I still feel the position is too much responsibility for me as I am. Brigadier General Bright still has plenty of work left in him, too. I wouldn't want to take any of it from him.
Poor Cassius is still getting worked to the bone, huh?
Anyway, getting down to business... It's in Grancel Cathedral, right?
That's correct. It's being kept underneath it to be more specific, although I imagine you're already aware of that much.
I hear laymen like myself can't even enter without the knights' permission.
Pretty much. It's a...special place, you see. I'll fill you in on the details when we get there.
All right, then.
Well, we may as well head there right away. There's someone I want you to meet in the cathedral.
Huh? Who?
Let's just say...someone who's been assisting with this case. They'll be apprising you of the details on what you're dealing with here.
Were YOU able to find all the hidden Creepy Sheep?
Huh? And you must be...
How old are you?
Dwuh? Tw-Twenty two, but...
That's a lot younger than I expected.
Are the Gralsritter really so short-staffed that they're handing out their most important posts to kids? You can't blame me for assuming the Fifth Dominion would look like more of a veteran, can you?
...
There actually is a reason why this particular Dominion is so young--beyond 'it's a JRPG,' I mean--but that's something for another time.
Heh. Your surprise is written all over your face.
Someone in your position should have a much better poker face than that. Maybe you need to redo your training from scratch? Or are you just acting, I wonder?
How do you...?
*sigh* Professor Russell, please...
He isn't here for you to try and pick a fight with him. Please try and be a little less deliberately provocative.
Wha...?
Hell. No.
He's here to steal the thing we went through so much effort to bring up, and you want me to play nice?
And kindly don't call me THAT ever again. I don't want to be addressed in the same way as that old coot.
...Of course, ma'am.
W-Wait. Russell? Then are you...?
Heh. I suppose I should introduce myself.
I'm sure it's not a name you're going to be forgetting any time soon.