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Brian: Would either of you mind if we dropped by my son's house?
Leon: Oh, yeah, he lives here, doesn't he?
Brian: I should visit him more often.
Ralph: Oh, hey, isn't this the first time we're going to meet Pop's family?
Leon: Huh, you're right.
Ralph: Sh-should we call him 'big bro'?
Leon: Just act normal.

Nora: You've had quite the trip, haven't you? My husband will be back soon, so please rest up a bit.
Brian: We were on our way to the palace, but we thought we'd stop by first. By the way, is Karen doing well?
Nora: Oh, yes! As a matter of fact, she's busy playing dressup for daddy right now!
Brian: That so? I'm looking forward to seeing how she looks!
Nora: Leon, Ralph, please make yourselves at home as well.
Leon and Ralph: O-okay!

Dot's Footnote About Moon Runes

Nevermind, turns out her name is quite unambiguosly "Nora". Thanks, Polsy!

Karen: GRAMPA--!

Brian: Hey, Karen! You've gotten tall.
Karen: Uh-huh! And these are new clothes, too!

Brian: That so? They look very nice on you.
Karen: Yaaaaaay! (running over to Ralph and Leon) Hey, you guys? Am I cute? Am I?

Ralph: Heck yeah! [Says something that I cannot parse for the life of me.]

Karen: Huh? [Repeats what Ralph said Metal Gear style.]

Leon: What he means is you look really cute.
Karen: Yay! Thank you so much! (running over to Nora) Mama! They said I'm really cute!

Nora: That's great, dear! Oh, that reminds me, why don't you go get Papa for us?
Karen: Okay! (runs off)
Brian: Kasim tells me she's starting to learn magic.
Nora: She is. We thought it'd be just a phase, but the teacher tells us she's pretty gifted.
Brian: I see. That's good to hear.
Nora: I'd rather that it'll always be this peaceful and she never needs to use any magic.
Brian: It will. We're heading off to ensure it.

Dot's Footnotes About Moon Runes

In anime-land, very young children (usually not older than 1st or 2nd grade, though this can be used to signify childishness in general) like Karen refer to themselves in the third person. It's supposed to sound cutesy or whatever. The last I checked, American kids don't do this, so I'm not preserving Karen's verbal tic in translation.

Kasim: Father, I haven't seen you in such a long time and you're already on your way again?
Brian: Sorry, we're in a hurry...we'll swing by on our way back.
Nora: If there aren't so many monsters, then maybe you can take Karen with you...
Brian: ...we should go. Karen, next time I come by, I'll tell you about the capital. Be a good girl while you wait, alright?
Karen: I will!

Nora: There they go...
Kasim: I hope they can make it to the palace safely...
Nora: Can't Father take care of wild monsters just fine?
Kasim: It's not that...Father, he...has no sense of direction.

Video link

Leon: Where in the world are we?
Ralph: Pops, is Barth really in this direction?
Leon: Doesn't look like it.

Brian: S-sorry...looks like we've lost the way.
Ralph: 'The way'? Take a look around--there isn't even a road!
Leon: Oh, hey! There's one right there!
Ralph: Aww, yeah! Nice going, Leon!
Brian: Huh, sounds like there's a commotion going on over there.

Fam: No--! Somebody stop this crazy thing!
Ralph: Woah, what's with that blinged out carriage, flying down the road like they own it?
Leon: I think the horses broke loose from their reins...
Brian: That girl is...? Oh, no! They're in danger! Go after them, and hurry!
(Sound of tremendous crash is heard as the scene fades to black.)

Leon: What an awful noise...
Ralph: Don't tell me they fell off the cliff!
Brian: How could this happen...Princess Fam...
Ralph: What? That...was royalty!?
Leon: Oh! Dad, Ralph, look over there!

Brian: Princess Fam! And Marcia!
Fam: What? Did the enemy recruit new troops?
Marcia: Sir Brian!
Fam: Huh?
Marcia: Your Highness, they're on our side!
Brian: I am the Knight Errant Brian. When we last met, Your Highness was just a baby, so you probably don't remember me.
Marcia: I'll say! How many years has it been since you left the capital, Sir Brian? I haven't seen you in so long!
Brian: Now's not the time to reminisce about old times. We can handle things here, Marcia, go to the castle and get help!
Marcia: What? B-but, what about Her Highness?
Fam: Marcia, listen to this Sir Knight--you're the only one who can get into the castle right now. We can still hold the line for a while with him and his squires, so make it fast!
Marcia: O-okay! (flies off)
???: Hahahahahahaha...HAHAHAHAHAHA... (breaks down coughing)
Fam: Who's there? Show yourself, right now!

Dot's Footnotes About Moon Runes

Marcia shows deference to Brian by calling him "Brian-sama". We are never told what rank Marcia is compared to Brian, but given what's eventually revealed of him later, it wouldn't be surprising at all that he was once granted lands and titles. Still, for simplicity's sake I stuck with "Sir".
True to her bearing as a princess, Fam uses extremely polite verbiage--she even asks our mystery bandit to "please" show himself!

T. T.: Nice to meet you, Princess. My name is T. T.
Fam: Oh, so you know that I am Fam of the Barth Kingdom, you barbarian?
T. T.: That's right, and if I can get a ransom from your father the king, I swear that I will bring no harm to you.
Fam: Is that so? Well, if you surrender to me and allow me to give you a vicious beating, I'll forgive this transgression.
T. T.: Alas, that a person with such a bearing as yourself would speak of such vulgar things, what a pity...then again, like the woman I used to love, it's the stubborn ones that are truly beautiful.
Leon: Hey, Ralph, who is that guy up there?
Ralph: Who knows? Probably just some idiot.
T. T.: Hey, what're you peasants rabbling about?
Ralph: W-who're you calling a peasant!?
Leon: Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

T. T.: Anyway, Your Highness, though rumor has it that you're the coldest Ice Queen in the entire castle, I can't bear to see a scratch on that beautiful skin of yours, so why don't you come on over here and rest by my side?

Ralph: Dammit! The more I think about it, the more it pisses me off!
Brian: Your Highness! Please stay behind us!
Fam: Worry not. Against an enemy of this level...I won't even break a sweat!
T. T.: Oh, dear. It looks like the Princess still needs to be taught some manners. You all! Don't hurt the Princess--just chop the rest of them up for dinner!
Leon: Did you hear that, Ralph? He's going to serve us dinner!
Ralph: That's "for" dinner, you dolt! Are you deaf?
Brian: This isn't the time for a comedy routine! Focus and protect the Princess!
Ralph: Saving royalty's not really my thing, but that guy's way more punchable right now...alright, Leon! Let's show him what we're made of!
Leon: Of course!

Dot's Footnote About Moon Runes

In the original dialogue, T. T. calls Leon and Ralph "pumpkins and eggplants", implying that they're just fodder.
In the original dialogue, Brian states that it's not the time for "manzai"--this is a specifically Japanese version of the straight man/wise guy comedy duo that's sometimes more Three Stooges than Abbot and Costello, though it also features plenty of untranslatable word play.

Stage 2: The Elegant Challenger

Link to full battle

This battle features the objective "Defeat T. T.", so you could theoretically just rush up the mountain, ignore the three wolves at the base, past the three goblins, three demons, and two fairies, beat T. T.'s smug face in and end the battle, but then you'd miss out on all that sweet, sweet swag.

The devils and fairies can both fly, meaning most of the terrain isn't an obstacle for them, and the fairies can also heal from a distance.

However, we've just picked up a healer of our own. Even better, Fam (element: light) is much more like a traditional D&D CodZilla than your typical JRPG white mage: in addition to healing and resurrection she'll also pick up an impressive array of buffs, and she hits fairly hard with her staff (some of which can also pierce multiple tiles like Brian's spear) during the rare times she's out of MP (not an often occurrance since all characters automatically regain a bit of MP per turn) or she doesn't have any spells to cast.

I usually go pick up the on-field treasure at the foot of the mountain (a sword for Leon) first before slowly working my way up and eliminating all of the minions. Once we get into range, T. T. will taunt us ("Ha ha ha! Let's see what you're made of, chumps!") and will start slamming us with earth magic.

(T. T.'s decription reads: "An illusionist who proclaims himself capable of saving the world's women with his love. Uses the power of the earth to enhance his magic attacks.")

Fortunately, he is a proper squishy wizard (in this particular outing, he didn't even attack any one of us!) and it doesn't take long to flatten him.

Video link

T. T.: Not bad! Looks like I underestimated you.
Fam: Let me ask you again--will you surrender quietly, or will you continue your useless resisting?
T. T.: It'd be my honor to get my hands on a character such as yourself, and I'd love to grant your request...but if I lost to Larry, Curly, and Moe here, it'd ruin my reputation as a charming gentleman.
Ralph: Who're you calling a stooge!?
Leon: Not again...
Brian: Not planning to go without a fight even in this state, huh?

T. T.: Go ahead, don't hold back.
Fam: !!
Brian: You can't be serious!

Ralph: Looks like the cavalry's here.
T. T.: Hmph...all that does is add a couple more corpses...*chokes*
Dignified looking man: What's the matter? What happened to all of your big talk?
Fam: Sir Avi!
T. T.: This is bad!
Avi: Would you like to test the sharpness of my blade?
T. T.: *whistles*
*a vulture descends from the sky and picks up T. T. with its claws*
T. T.: Farewell! Hahahahahaha!!

Ralph: Woah...
Leon: You can say that again...
Avi: What next? Maybe send some troops to take a look, just in case?
Fam: No need. I don't think anyone would be able to survive a fall from that height. Nevermind that awful brute, I haven't thanked you for your help yet!
Avi: I didn't contribute all that much--your friends here did most of the heavy lifting.
Fam: True. I owe my life to you all; I'll have to thank you properly when I get the chance.
Ralph: Don't bother--it's not like we went out of our way to do anything.
Fam: ......
Brian: Ralph! Please forgive him, he's not familiar with courtly manners.
Fam: I don't mind. What's important is that I can't show my gratitude here. Would you accept my invitation to the castle?
Brian: It'd be my honor. By the way, I didn't get a chance to introduce myself properly--I'm Brian, and I used to serve your father the king.
Fam: Is that so? I had no idea. Forgive my previous rudeness, Sir Brian.
Brian: Don't worry about it. You couldn't have known about something that happened so far in the past.
Fam: Are these two gentlemen your sons?
Brian: They lost their parents in the previous war, so I adopted them. This is Ralph, and the one behind me is Leon.
Avi: ...!
Brian: ....
Fam: Alright, please look forward to being my honored guests and letting me entertain you.

Next time: What not to do when you encounter a dead body.