Quesada's Swan

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Back to Loegres now, where there's a lot of rumors about the Lord of Calamity spreading.

From a boy, I learn the Shepherd's card rank in Exorcist Cards is 10, and it's been banned in official tournaments!?

Two girls sitting on crates tell their adults to get their acts together...

At least the prince is now calling his citizens to action...a nobleman and a priest are aware of the Suppression's effects.

Near the tavern now, we pick up our bounty for fighting the Weighty Witch!

If I were to do this in order, I should've started with Magilou's sidequest before Eleanor's...

The merchant and the young man agree about keeping things in moderation, but they understand they need to have relief sometimes. So their next move is to start up a restaurant.

Laphicet's curious about the food they'll serve up. They're working on it. But they have mabo curry as their starting point.

Laphicet doesn't like being called a kid by the merchant.

The merchant apologizes, saying he was focused on his "mission statement." Laphicet asks what he means by that. They want a family-friendly restaurant, "feeding [their customers] from cradle to grave."

Velvet points out the flaw in mentioning graves. Eleanor mentions courage in eating in such a place. The merchant takes their advice pretty well.

Velvet: "Are you sure you're up for starting up a restaurant?"

The merchant and youth can't think of a slogan for their dining establishment...

Eleanor and Magilou jump in with their ideas.

Velvet: "They've got a looong road ahead of them."

Inside the tavern we go, where a Bloodwing soldier mentions that the prince has tons of leaked info now, mentioning that Tabatha and Prince Percival have made strides in managing the city.

A Bloodwing agent asks Eleanor...

...to sign an Exorcist Card of her! A Rank 5! She's a bit shocked! Plus, it's a rare card since it got "recalled" after her betrayal!

Eleanor feels "a bit honored."

Tabatha's looking at her stocks of wine.

She's more concerned about her tavern...noticing the food's dusty and the wine emptied out...

Laphicet asks if they have supplies for mabo curry.

Tabatha: "You just focus on what you have to do. Just make sure you don't have any regrets."

---

We talk to her again. She knows we beat legate Shigure.

Tabatha: "As I understand it, succession of the Rangetsu Clan goes to the one who kills his predecessor. That means you're the successor, Rokurou. Or have you taken the name Shigure, now?"

So Shigure Rangetsu is more or less the head of the clan's name than the actual name of the person.

Eleanor: "You have to kill the head of the clan to succeed them?!"
Rokurou: "I don't intend to step up as the new head. But how do you know about my family's customs?"
Tabatha: "We're all part of the same underworld...a long time ago we tried to assassinate another Shigure, but we lost 30 of our number instead."
Rokurou: "Naturally. It'd take more than that to do a Shigure in."
Tabatha: "I wonder if even 300 men would've been enough. You Shigures are a tough bunch. Look at your brother, he was a legate."
Rokurou: "Yeah, he was probably the strongest head the clan ever had."
Tabatha: "That being said...did you know there's a daemon out there not even he managed to cut down?" What!?

Tabatha explains further: "a swordsman who looked like a dragon"!? That must be a malak turned malevolent!

She mentions it was near the Empyrean's Throne...hmmm...

Rokurou: "Sounds like a job only I can handle."

Magilou tries to stop him, Laphicet tells her don't. Eleanor agrees.

Eizen: "Besides, I think we're all fools here." True.

Rokurou: "A dragon swordsman not even Shigure could kill...I'm getting excited just thinking about it."
Tabatha: "Good luck!"

From the agent, the dragon swordsman's formal name is a Dragonfolk!

A girl near the fountain's crying, saying she misses her mother...

A believer mentions the Lord of Calamity again, and another mentions the losses of life all because of the Suppression, but they need to "smile in the face of sadness."

Rokurou: "Now that's a real man. The old guy knows what's what."

The believer believes even a tinge of joy is a necessity to have. He points to the fountain as "a symbol of hope."

He works to keep the fountain running...

In place of this "necessary" practicality, what the Lord of Calamity unintentionally gave the citizens was hope.

Along with unity...

Even malakhim of their own free will vow to fight for humans...

The youthful merchant mention how Percival "used to be so perfect it was creepy." Prince Percival's learned a lot from the crew...

We make weapon upgrades and buy Legendary Tofu from the shop here!

---

I have Velvet cook up the Mabo Curry Bun...

One townsperson mentions that it's the Shepherd who's the only high-profile exorcist left...

In the inn, another client got locked out of his room again!

Back to the weapon shop, and I'm surprised that we've collected a lot of pendants for Eizen!

After some more weapon dismantling, we meet with a maid who has a lute on her back! She's started up her band: the Fantaskicks!

In the sanctuary, one woman's afraid of malakhim attacking humans. Many others are cheering themselves up praying to the Shepherd to finish off the Lord of Calamity...

The soldiers are worried about the Empyrean's Throne left unprotected, but that's the Shepherd's orders. He knows Velvet's coming...plus he wants the city to be safe.

One priest and a couple of exorcists are realizing that malakhim are people too.

Priest: "We have made a grave shameful misunderstanding." No kidding.

Another priest mentions good truth: "Prayer brings solace to the one praying."

The Bloodwing soldier mentions Prince Percival is at the villa.

Velvet: "Nuh uh. No way. I'm not going to assassinate him for you." Don't, Velvet.

The soldier tells us that the Prince and Tabatha are now "drinking buddies."

We talk to a young man, who's actually the bandit we met at the Brigid Ravine! He's now about to open his "bandit cuisine" restaurant!

Rokurou thinks he stole the money. Oh, Rokurou...look at yourself in the mirror...

The reformed bandit worked too hard, helping the city.

Eleanor believes him, and knows that "good things will come his way."

He's trying to expand his menu. And he's trying to beat out the tavern's mabo curry. Eleanor suggests adding in dessert such as a Creme Brulee tart, or a "Theft By Chocolate Cake". Looks like the Bloodwings are getting competition...

Velvet: "Well, that's certainly aggressive..."

He asks for her hand in marriage.

Eleanor giggles, telling him not to "tease an exorcist."

Eleanor wishes him luck on the restaurant.

Magilou: "Miss-holier-than-thou delivered some just desserts."
Laphicet: "Sweet Rejection... it'd make a good cake name."

The reformed bandit throws a cake and a pie pun as we leave.

---

Now to the villa...

There's Prince Percival reading at the library...

There's an aristocrat shaming a Bloodwing agent...hoo boy...

Another rich man tells us that Percival will be "the fifth king of Midgand."

He also mentions that the prince "intends to revise the calendar to help the people make a fresh start."

Laphicet explains that the game's world's using the "Desolation Calendar."

The aristocrat mentions that the new calendar's called the "Greenwood calendar."

One priest says the Church is going to reorganize itself...

Some are not too comfortable with the alliance between the royalty and the Bloodwings, but they still think the mabo curry is delicious.

After exploring the villa, we talk to the prince. He mentions what he plans to do next after the Shepherd's been taken care of by the crew.

Percival: "I intend to eliminate all mention of the Shepherd and his exorcists from the official histories."

Oh my god!

Percival: "...but the memory will live on in the hearts of the people. They will be saviors, wizards, swindlers, according to how people remember them."
Magilou: "An echo of how people remember those born with resonance in the past. Those who bear both power and ideals walk thorny paths indeed."
Percival: "Indeed they do. But that is how it should be. I believe that those who can bring hope to the world are those who accept—love, even—humans' chaotic nature."

Velvet tells him if she loses, then what the Prince will do next won't be useful.

Percival: "Hah. Even so, I will resist until the bitter end. I have words for the Shepherd and Innominat. 'What's wrong with being a flawed human being?'"

Strong words there...