Quesada's Swan

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Back to the woman in black. She gives us mabo curry and peach pie (N Gnyrf bs Erovegu ersrerapr, V guvax?) as lunch rewards.

Velvet wastes no time. She wants info now.

The woman in black tells us about the Empyrean's Throne, the new Abbey HQ up north. The Shepherd's staying there for awhile. She also says that the Abbey's doing a ritual to move Innominat's seat from the cathedral to the temple.

Every important figure in the Abbey's heading there too...Rokurou knows he'll find Shigure there as well.

But, as with very important events, security is also very high.

Velvet says they'll manage. Nope. There's also an arte-built barrier up as well. But how can the exorcists manage to get in? Velvet thinks the exorcists have a key to get in...

One of the Bloodwings are scouting for information concering that, but to get in, there's another price.

The woman in black hands us "the bill." We have to assassinate High Priest Gideon. Holy heck...

Rokurou smiles, arms crossed at the idea.

Rokurou: "Okay, now we're REALLY not being nice." Oh yeah, we're being sinful...

Velvet: "Consider it done."

The woman in black asks Velvet why she's not asking why she has to assassinate a VIP like a high priest...

Velvet closes her eyes, and guesses he's been smuggling Nectar...looks like this high priest isn't as pure as we thought. He's, in a way, a smuggler.

Velvet confirms it. Holy heck, this is deep. This is so deep...

Velvet: "The church is the sole producer and distributor of a highly addictive substance. They rake in huge profits while the common man along with you suffer for it..."

The woman in black is impressed.

So we are liberating people from a corrupt organization...

Velvet passes the Bloodwings' test.

---

Woman in black: "No matter how skilled you are, you have to know more than how to swing a sword to earn my trust."

Velvet reaffirms that she will do anything to get revenge for her brother...

Velvet: "I [tossed] my scabbard long ago."
Woman in black: (closes eyes) "I see. So you are an embodiment of a bare blade. A more formal introduction is in order. I am Tabatha Baskerville, leader of the Bloodwing Butterflies."

Velvet introduces herself to Tabatha. She asks her more about the high priest Gideon.

Tabatha delivers: High Priest Gideon prays every evening at the royal villa, alone, as per tradition. The best opportunity to strike...

To get in the villa, Tabatha gives us a writing pad with a peculiar insignia. So we need the Bloodwings' help for this one...

Velvet's stressed out now...

Laphicet asks if she's okay...purple flames blow behind her. It seems she's hungry, I think. But she waves it off as nothing, wanting to be left alone.

Rokurou: "Sneaking into the castle will be an all-night job."

---

Skit: Laphicet asks why the Cathedral's making Nectar if it's illegal. Rokurou gives a good point. There's going to be people who will skirt around the rules for some ulterior motive...

Rokurou: "Just because the powers-that-be say a rule is for the greater good, it doesn't mean that everyone will see eye-to-eye with them."

He brings up the thought of mabo curry being banned as an example. Oh, Rokurou...

Eizen points out that illegal things become rare, which means huge profit for people selling illegal stuff.

Velvet: "The world isn't a simple place. There's an underside to everything." Hear, hear...

Eizen lists the types of "underside" occupations. Pirates like him fit the bill.

Rokurou lists "dyeing chicks blue," and "alleyway bug fights" as "underside" jobs.

Laphicet asks about what kind of bugs fight. Rokurou's face, lol...

I wander around town a bit afterwards...

I hope we don't kill any Empyreans, though.