The day before your mission to track down the soldiers in black, You stand in the Golden Deer homeroom with the students and Jill.
Jill: We have received new information from Nesreen. The soldiers in black are moving on a village in Aster territory. It's a Faerghus province governed by the family of our own Aestlyn. We're going to rescue the village in tomorrow's strike.
Adeline: Aster territory… What could they want there?
Cedric: We won't let anything bad happen. I refuse to let more innocent people suffer.
Raithius: Enough people from Faerghus have seen harm by these people. Let's end it once and for all.
Wolfgang: They're incredibly selfish for attacking others to gain something.
Sofia: We took care of last month's mission without any problems. We have this all under control.
William: This is bound to be a relatively easy mission. I'm sure of it. We're all rather skilled now anyways.
Novalee: Looking at it that way might put us in danger. We can't go in too confident. It could be the death of us.
Lev: We've been training for this. We can do it… I hope…
Sofia: We've grown a lot since our last battle anyways. The training has really been helping us out a lot.
Adeline: I hope you're right…
Cedric: We should try and be confident, right?
Lev: Getting too cocky could hurt us a lot more than we expect… Try not to think that way, alright?
Wolfgang: It's getting late now anyways. I think we should all turn in now to get ready for the mission.
William: Night, everybody.
Jill: We don't have a moment to lose. Be sure you're prepared for when we set out.
Novalee: These cowards deserve all we can give them for going after innocent people this way…
The students all leave alongside Jill save for Raithius. He stays behind and whispers to You before departing.
Raithius: I wonder if they're really responsible for the death of Franz Josefa… If so, we're dealing with some incredibly dangerous people. We'll need to be on our guard. Sleep well, Professor. We'll need you to be ready for tomorrow.
As Raithius leaves, Seraphine appears at your side.
Seraphine: He's acting much more serious than usual… I can't blame him though. You should get some rest before tomorrow. We don't have a moment to lose. Tomorrow is a big day.
You nod your agreement and make your way back to your room before falling asleep for the night, wondering what the future will hold…
The next morning, You arrive at the class's homeroom, ready to set out on your mission.
Jill: We're going to finish our last preparations and then set out.
Raithius: We can't stick around for too much longer and all that, right?
Cedric: I think it's time for us to eliminate those soldiers in black permanently. They can't be allowed to harm anyone else.
Adeline: It's happened enough already…
Sofia: Then let's just kick them out. They'll be running away and licking their wounds before they know it.
Wolfgang: Off we go then! Alright. In that case, let's take care of business!
Novalee: Don't get too excited. We have to be cautious. Confidence is good, but too much of it is a bane rather than a boon.
Lev: Do you really think we can pull this off?
Wiliam: Of course we can. It's not like we can change our minds at this point anyways, even if we wanted to.
The group leaves the Officers Academy and Garreg Mach behind to walk to Aster territory. The whole way there, You can't help but think about the mission at hand. Could this faction truly be involved with the assassination of the previous king? What could their goal be?
When You arrive in Aster territory, You see a group of soldiers in black raiding a village.
Jill: That's them. They're going after that town. We have to save the people immediately.
Adeline: We can't let this go on for any longer.
Cedric: For the people in there, let's fend them off!
Raithius: Deer, we fight!
The battle begins. The Golden Deer are already seeming more experienced than the month before. You cast your gaze to the leader of the force, a man wearing all black with a mask to hide his face. The mask shows a variation of the Crest of Blaiddyd. His name is Marcus.
Raithius: You must be the leader of this motley crew. Who are you?
Marcus: Forgive me for interrupting your duties, Prince. I'm simply doing what I must to make a living around here. Does it conflict with your morals?
Raithius: I may not know what your full plans are, but that won't stop me from bringing them to a close.
Marcus: Make as many empty promises as you wish.
The battle continues around You. You and your class fight back well, saving many villagers along the way as You attempt to cut through the enemy forces to take on Marcus.
If You initiate combat with Marcus, this dialogue plays out.
Marcus: You're sticking your nose where it doesn't belong… I don't know what you're playing at here, but by allying with the royal family, I'm going to have to end your life. My apologies.
If Raithius initiates combat with Marcus, this dialogue plays out.
Raithius: I'd like answers, if you don't mind. Who do you think you are?
Marcus: You're just a child. How can I expect you to understand? Our plans are far too great for you to comprehend.
Raithius: Don't change the subject!
Marcus: I'm done talking. Let's get this over with.
If anyone else initiates combat with Marcus, this dialogue plays out.
Marcus: Pests, the whole lot of you… You know what we do with pests? We squish them!
When Marcus is defeated, this dialogue plays out.
Marcus: Ugh… This is not the end… It will not be over until we decree it is…
After the battle, Raithius stands over Marcus with the rest of the Golden stand nearby as Raithius points his sword at Marcus' throat.
Raithius: Tell me what's going on. Now.
Marcus: It's none of your damn business…
Raithius: It clearly is since we're here fighting you.
Marcus: I'm finished with this… If you get in my way again, I'll end you once and for all, just like I did Franz Josefa. Consider that a promise.
Marcus pulls a sphere from his pocket before throwing it onto the ground. Smoke fills the area. The Golden Deer begin to cough wildly, and You do the same.
Seraphine: Hey! Come back! You can't get away that easily!
Your vision begins to fade to black. You fall forwards, unconsciousness taking over your mind…
You feel You are dreaming when You next see something. You are standing in the village You just helped to save, though You look much younger than You are currently. You look around, seeing many people bustling around in excitement. You look at your hands, seeing they are rather small. A woman appears nearby, and You look up.
?: Come on, Rion… Join me, please. We have to find a place to stay for the night.
The woman has an air of familiarity to her, and You feel as if You have met her recently. Her voice is similar to Evenor's, making You gasp in surprise. You see a shadow dart past, and when You look, You see a child no older than three running around. She has green hair, and it takes You a moment to realize this is Seraphine.
Seraphine: Rion! Come on! Play!
You look in between Seraphine and Evenor. Seraphine disappears into thin air when You do not follow her. Evenor takes your hand and drags You into the town. Your vision turns to mist, and everything fades to black…
When You open your eyes once again, You see the students standing above You alongside Jill. You are in a hotel, as far as You can tell.
Jill: Thank the goddess you're finally awake…
William: You really did worry us for a moment there.
Wolfgang: I think they used some kind of dark magic to make that gas. It knocked us all out immediately. It could be possible if you dabble in the right things.
Adeline: I'm just glad they're gone. If we hadn't been taken in by the people of this village, I don't even want to imagine what would have happened.
Novalee: They used the gas as a distraction to retreat. There aren't any of them left.
Raithius: Their leader… He dropped this when he was running away. I was lucky to grab it before I passed out.
Raithius hands You a piece of paper. On it, the word 'MALICE' is written in threatening capital letters.
Sofia: What is that supposed to mean?
Cedric: Perhaps it's the name of their group.
Lev: Malice… I'm sure they had a reason for this. I just don't know what it is.
Raithius: Professor, are you alright? You look ready to pass out again.
You say You had a dream while You were unconscious, and You believe it to be a sign of a lost memory.
Jill: Really? Go on.
You explain the dream, starting with the woman who You believe was Evenor. She was treating You like a mother would her child. After that, You explain a girl with green hair running off into the woods near the town, though You intentionally choose to not mention that You have been seeing this girl for some time.
Lev: You knew Ms. Hepius before we met her last month?
Adeline: On top of that, you were here in this village when you were younger… What could it all mean?
Wolfgang: How old were you in the dream?
You say You were likely around fifteen years old. You also mention how nobody else seemed to be able to see the girl with green hair.
Cedric: The goddess… She has green hair as well, or so the legends say. Maybe she, or at least some version of her, was the person you saw.
Jill: You dreamt of the goddess…
William: I can't say for sure what this could mean, but if you ask me, that probably happened years ago, back before you lost your memory.
Lev: I never would have imagined that sort of event to trigger a memory…
Novalee: We should remember it for future reference. Between hearing about the group's name and that dream, this is a lot of valuable information.
Raithius: Malice… Do you think they could hold a grudge of sorts? I mean, I don't know why else they'd attack. They were clearly more than regular bandits.
Novalee: If you want my opinion, they're connected to the mercenaries from last month. They wore the same armor.
Sofia: How could they be connected?
Wolfgang: They went after Ms. Hepius first, and now, they're targeting a village she visited years ago with the professor… Maybe she's why the village is being attacked.
Adeline: I wish I had the answer so easily.
Lev: Ms. Hepius must be involved with the lost memories… It's the only reason she'd appear in a dream alongside the professor…
Raithius: I'm sure it felt hyperrealistic for you to come to the conclusion that it was in the past… How else would you dream it?
Lev: We need to report back to the archbishop as soon as possible. We've learned a lot here today.
Jill: The church owes this village compensation for what happened today. We'll head out shortly, assuming there are no objections to that idea.
Sofia: Professor, do you think you can walk back to the monastery? I'm happy to help you if not.
You stand up and see if You feel dizzy. When You do not, You nod.
Sofia: Phew! We don't need you getting sick on us or anything after all we've already gone through.
Jill: Come on. We need to go.
Raithius: In that case, off we go.
Everyone begins to leave the room, and You follow behind them. Raithius walks alongside You.
Raithius: I don't know what these men could have possibly wanted, but I feel as if they had a plan. They knew what they were doing, and when we got in the way of fulfilling it, they ran… I would like to know the truth as soon as possible. Plus, they… I'm sure they were connected to the death of the king of Faerghus. They have to have been involved.
You tell him You will find out the truth together.
Raithius: Yeah… You're right. We'll have a chance to show them what we're made of soon enough. Until then, have a nice day.
Raithius walks away, and Seraphine appears next to You.
Seraphine: This is too much for me… Those men were involved in the assassination plot for sure. It's too much of a coincidence. They hate the Faerghus royal family and happened to be seen in the battle that took the life of Magnolia's father…
You nod. You have discovered a lot today.
Seraphine: I hope it's not selfish of me to be thinking more about what we saw in that dream though… Was that truly a memory? It would explain why Ms. Hepius asked if we remembered her, but… I don't know why we would be with her in a Faerghus territory… And that little girl was me, but I was so young… You seemed to be a teenager at the time. What could have happened? I don't understand, but I want to know…
You don't hear Seraphine say anything on the way back to the monastery. She seems to be lost in her own thoughts about what You saw in that dream. You do not ask her about it. After returning to the monastery, You go to report what You have learned to Aisa.
Aisa: Ah, Professor… I see you have returned. Did you learn anything new today?
You explain how You saved a village from being attacked by the soldiers.
Aisa: I am glad to hear no one was killed in today's battle… Is there anything else I should know?
You tell her your suspicions about the group, which called itself Malice, being involved in the death of the previous king of Faerghus.
Aisa: Ah… It appears you know the truth about Franz Josefa's death… I assume Raithius told you… After he died, I was told the truth about what happened when he was killed. I didn't realize it would ever come to this… The group who killed him disappeared soon afterwards and wasn't seen again up until recently. I had my suspicions they were tied in with the group that attacked Ms. Hepius last month, but I had no proof… Thank you for telling me this.
You ask her if there is anything else she needs of You.
Aisa: No… Not that I can think of. The church will do its best to investigate the two parties you have fought up to this point. Until we come to a conclusive answer about what should be done, we are going to go on as usual. You should return to your students. They are waiting for you.
You nod to Aisa and leave the room, not saying a word about the dream You had. You do not know if it is a good idea to tell the truth to her until You know the truth. You walk to the Golden Deer homeroom silently, seeing the students inside once again.
Jill: And with that, the mission is done. It's time for us to rest after all that happened.
William: We figured out a lot more than I expected to, but I still feel unsure…
Adeline: We got rid of the soldiers from Malice, but I don't think that's all we'll hear of them.
Sofia: I have a horrible feeling that you're right… That we will see them again.
Wolfgang: Well, there isn't much we can do until they appear again. Until then, we need to get ready for the next encounter.
Lev: If this really isn't the end, we'll have to be on our guard.
Cedric: I don't like that we'll have to deal with them once more, but… Oh, well. We'll just have to take it in stride.
Novalee: Preparation is the key here. It's time for us to get ready, as we don't know when they'll next appear.
Raithius: I always assumed this school year was going to be about finding our places in the world and making a name for ourselves… I guess life is just a bit more complicated than that.
Sofia: I think we deserve a moment of peace after all we've had to put up with. That's the least the universe can do for us, if you ask me.
Jill: I've been teaching for a while, but I've never had a year turn out like this.
Novalee: But there's not much we can do to fix it at the moment. The church is going to have to see if they can find any further details. Until they come to us, all we can do is wait and continue on with our training.
Cedric: Still, no more training for tonight. I'm going to bed.
Wolfgang: Gods above, I agree… I've had enough of all this. My stomach is a knot because of all that happened.
Adeline: I pray for the people of the Aster territory… May they be allowed to recover from all of these tragic incidents.
William: They're probably finished with Aster lands. They won't go back if they think there's a chance we'll show up.
Sofia: Unless they want another close call like that, they're done.
Lev: I hope you guys are right… The idea of seeing them again makes me sick.
Novalee: We'll find out more soon enough. For now, we all need to rest.
William: I'll be seeing you all later.
Raithius: Night, Professor.
Raithius looks at You oddly on the way out, and You can tell that he is thinking of the death of the king of Faerghus. You do not dwell on it though, instead watching the students leave. You follow them out before heading back to your room. Seraphine appears again once You arrive.
Seraphine: I thought I had a pit in my stomach after last month, but this takes the cake… I just want all of this uncertainty to be over… But it doesn't look like that's going to be happening anytime soon. Why don't we try and get some sleep until then? Yeah… Yeah, that sounds like a good idea… I can't tell if I want to find out the truth about our shared past or not at this point. That dream scared me, you know… I don't know what to think about it… I'm sure we'll have to face it one way or another, but… I'm not ready. Until then, goodnight, Professor… May we figure out the truth together soon.
You go to sleep soon after, though it takes You quite some time to drift off. The uncertainty of the future is too much for You to immediately fall unconscious. What could that dream have meant? What is the truth behind this faction called Malice? What does Malice want, and why did attacking a village suit their goals? You eventually fall asleep, though it is restless. No new memories are gleaned from your rest, and You feel sick. Thankfully, You have the next day off. That is a minor blessing, but it is all You seem to have in this time of turmoil and fear…
And there's chapter three over fellas
-Digital