When the next moon begins, You move towards the cardinals' room for the regular meeting with the Golden Deer at the start of each month. Seraphine speaks to You along the way.

Seraphine: I wonder what we're going to jump into now… After all, we know that we have a few other noble houses to take care of, but I somehow doubt Raithius is going to be heading into that right off the bat. Maybe he's gotten distracted with the map we found at House Goneril. It certainly wouldn't surprise me… Still, I guess we won't know until we go and ask.

Seraphine stops talking as You arrive at the cardinals' room. The rest of the group is waiting for You inside, and Raithius is leaned over the map that You uncovered on the previous mission.

Jill: Hello, Professor… It's good that you're here. We've figured out something important.

Cedric: Raithius was able to find the reason behind the map feeling odd. He says that this will lead us into the next mission.

Raithius: That's because it will. I realized what I found so strange about this map, and it's important for us to take care of it.

Novalee: This is a map of where Malice forces are located across the continent, but there's a stronghold in Leicester that we weren't aware of.

William: I think I understand what you're saying now… We've figured out where the stronghold is, so we've got to head in and see what's going on there, right?

Wolfgang: Exactly. It will cut off reinforcements from the remaining territories we have to take back, and we'll be able to seize what's left of Leicester with ease.

Lev: I think I see the stronghold you're talking about… It's right there, isn't it? By House Admoderor?

Adeline: Yes, it is… In other words, we're getting closer to toppling my home territory.

Sofia: If you need anything, all you need to do is say so. You know how supportive this group is.

Adeline: You would know it better than anyone, I would say… Still, I appreciate hearing it.

Raithius: This stronghold has to bear some sort of significance. I can't imagine why else it would be marked here.

Jill: We should make it our next priority then. I assume that's where you're going with this, yes?

Novalee: It is. We're going to dedicate this moon to planning our invasion of this stronghold.

Wolfgang: Sounds like a great plan to me. We can totally take care of that.

William: Still, I think it would be a good idea to exercise caution going into this. You can never be too careful.

Lev: You're right on that for sure… We'll do what we have to in order to succeed and stay safe.

Sofia: In other words, we've got ourselves a plan, so I'd say we're making progress.

Cedric: Now, I think there's one other important matter for us to cover before this meeting draws to a close.

Jill: I would agree. Wolfgang, have you heard anything new from the rest of the continent?

Wolfgang: I have, as a matter of fact… Enbarr has been seized down in the Adrestian territory. The city has fallen to the rebellion.

Cedric: Are… Are you being serious?! The rebellion actually managed to win the battle there?!

Lev: I don't know what I expected to hear, but it most certainly was not that.

Novalee: Hm… Judging by the grim look on your face, I would say there is still bad news.

Wolfgang: There is. A few nobles have evaded capture, but the resistance is putting full attention on catching them.

William: Who exactly got away…? I already have a bad feeling about this.

Wolfgang: I don't have all the specifics, but I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Thaddeus Bazler is at large.

Sofia: Great. Good to know that one of the biggest headaches on this continent is still out there somewhere.

Raithius: I'm sure that he'll come up sooner or later… If the rebellion has charge of Enbarr though, they're at a serious advantage.

Adeline: If they took over Enbarr, that must mean that Argades von Doroftie is…

Wolfgang: Dead? Yeah. He is. News of his execution reached me just this morning. The battle was over quickly, and all the nobles who were allied with him went running as soon as they heard he had gone down.

Raithius: Wow… I suppose that takes a huge weight off our shoulders. We can start targeting territories closer to the border of Adrestia now. We don't need to worry about reinforcements coming from the south.

Sofia: That's true… With strongholds from both Faerghus and Adrestia taken out, that means that our next step is just to keep on pushing throughout Leicester.

Cedric: There isn't anything else for us to do… That's quite a relief, actually. We're going to be able to press without any issues, so the war should grow easier from here on out.

Jill: We shouldn't grow stagnant though. There is still a lot for us to do, and it would be best for us to not grow overly confident because of this spike in power.

Lev: We're making progress at the very least though… I still want to mark this down as a victory.

Adeline: Hey, Wolfgang… Have you heard anything about the leader of the Adrestian resistance? Are they still remaining anonymous?

Wolfgang: I'm afraid so. It's impossible to get into contact with them, but I can say that there are some operations being done out of House Riverbane.

William: House Riverbane… That's where Polly comes from, if I recall correctly. Does that mean she's in control?

Novalee: It must… She has to be working with the resistance somehow, and I can only imagine that she's been contributing to its successes.

Wolfgang: The rebellion is making lots of progress… On the other hand, Faerghus hasn't been able to act much as of late. The aid from Luciana is the most that I've heard of from there in quite some time.

Raithius: I suppose that's to be expected… Still, I think that Magnolia will start moving once again soon.

Lev: You're likely right… Until then, we should focus our attention on the invasion of Leicester. The stronghold awaits.

Jill: This is unfamiliar territory for us, so we're going to have to be ready for whatever they can throw at us.

Novalee: Raithius and I are going to get into planning as soon as we can. With that said, this meeting is over.

William: In that case, we'll leave you to it… I know that I've got a lot to think about with all we've learned.

Cedric: I feel the same… I wish you luck in planning for our next attack on Leicester. We're all here if you need us.

Adeline: Thank you again for the updates on all of this, Wolfgang. We really do appreciate it.

Wolfgang: No problem. You don't need to thank me. I'm happy to help.

Sofia: I'll see you all later.

You start to leave the cardinals' room with the Golden Deer, and Seraphine speaks to You as You make your way back to your room.

Seraphine: I can't believe it… This past moon, so much has happened for all three nations… All we can do is keep on pushing though. There's a lot riding on our success, and we can't back down now. I hope everyone is ready for this mission… It had better not end in disaster.

You begin to look around the monastery upon arriving back at your room. You start by going to the Officers Academy. In the Blue Lions homeroom, You run into Karim.

Karim: You know, coming back in here… It's a reminder of simpler times, I guess. I suppose I sort of miss how basic everything was back in our school days… But this is war now, and we can't get stuck in the past… There's too much waiting in the future for us to look back now.

Next, You walk to the Golden Deer homeroom, and You find William and Lev speaking inside.

William: I must admit, I'm concerned about Adeline… She mentioned today we might have to fight her family.

Lev: She's never seemed too overly fond of them, but I can still understand her concern.

William: She doesn't have to deal with this alone though. We're all here for her, and that's not going to change.

Lev: If we were able to help Sofia and Novalee, we're going to figure out a way to help her.

William: Exactly. She's counting on us.

Lev: Even if she doesn't say it, she is.

William: You're right there… We're going to help her through this.

Lev: It's the least we can do for her.

You go to the training hall. Inside, You see Kaeta and Yuliya engaged in conversation.

Kaeta: Hey, Yuliya… How are you doing? You've seemed down ever since our last fight.

Yuliya: It's nothing… Don't worry about it.

Kaeta: Okay, you don't want to talk… That's okay.

Yuliya: You aren't going to pester me? That's new for you… I'm so used to you bothering people all the time.

Kaeta: First of all, rude. Second of all, I know that you understand that I'm here for you. If you want to talk, you can come to me.

Yuliya: How oddly mature of you.

Kaeta: Again, rude. Still, it's true.

Yuliya: ...Thanks, I guess.

Kaeta: No problem.

You run into Wynne, who is also in the training hall.

Wynne: It's weird how much we've come to rely on this rebellion in Adrestia… It's too much for us to handle, so we're leaving it to people we don't even know. Without their support though, who can say what trouble would be waiting for us in the future? I'm not complaining.

You move to the bottom floor of dorms. Standing outside the rooms is Nora.

Nora: The news of Enbarr's fall does not come lightly… The one who started all of this five years ago was Argades von Doroftie, and he's dead now. He was the one who plunged this land into war. He deserves everything that happened to him… What a monster.

Further down the row, You encounter Zelhira.

Zelhira: My father has sent me letters about the rebellion. He's been doing as much as he can on the side, and he's going to work on rounding up the missing nobles too. That's just like him… He's always been kind this way, and I'm really thankful for it now.

You go to the second floor of dorms. There, You find Cassia standing by herself.

Cassia: Toppling House Goneril was an important step for Faerghus. Even if we helped with it, we did something significant with Luciana last month. She and Magnolia are going to have to take things from here, but I know any Malice allies within Faerghus aren't going to be surviving long if those two are on the case.

You go back downstairs and move to the greenhouse. Inside, You run into Falon.

Falon: The death of Josephine Goneril… I can't stop thinking about it. She deserved all of that and more, but there's nothing I can do about it now… My father has been avenged, but what does it all mean? I just… I don't know what to do now. I hate that woman for what she did though. That will never change.

You find Nesreen standing at the edge of the dock at the fishing hole.

Nesreen: Maybe Lady Aisa is involved with the rebellion in the Empire… She's always been a good leader, able to inspire awe from everyone she meets. It wouldn't surprise me if she was wrapped up in that. I pray that's the case and not just a pipe dream of mine…

You move to the dining hall. There, You find Wolfgang and Calypso speaking.

Wolfgang: I'm glad that you're starting to enjoy yourself around here, Calypso.

Calypso: You've all been generous to let me stay here. Plus, the accommodations are incredible.

Wolfgang: Still, it's nice to see you so happy. I don't think I've seen you smile this much in quite some time.

Calypso: And to some degree, you are to blame for that.

Wolfgang: Yeah… I know.

Calypso: Don't look so down. I'm over it.

Wolfgang: I know, but…

Calypso: It's fine. Really.

Wolfgang: Thanks, Calypso.

Calypso: You're welcome.

You also find Miriam in the dining hall.

Miriam: I suppose the advantage to the resistance of Adrestia is that it's harder for the leader to be tracked and attacked the way the queen of Faerghus was… Still, their secrecy is a bit concerning. I can't help but wonder just what they're hiding.

You next go to the marketplace. You find Tuncay standing there.

Tuncay: I don't know who this revolutionary is down in the Empire, but they've certainly earned my respect. I've never been fond of nobles, and to know that they've got the upper class on the run… That's definitely something I can get behind. I can't wait to meet them.

You also run into Aestlyn in the marketplace.

Aestlyn: Luciana seemed to enjoy her time with us last month. I've collaborated with her a few times, and she really does have a heart of gold. I hope that we'll be able to cross paths with her again when Magnolia joins in on the fighting. She truly is a lovely person.

You move to the stables next. You find Cedric standing there.

Cedric: The progression of success throughout all three countries is finally being felt, and it's incredible to know how much of this we did ourselves. We've come a long way, and it's amazing… Still, we have a lot left to do, and I'm ready to face it head-on.

Your next stop is the knights' hall. Inside, You run into Derric and Niko.

Derric: I haven't heard anything about our parents either being in captivity or on the run, I'm afraid…

Niko: Thanks for asking around, I suppose… How did you know that I was going to ask that though?

Derric: You're just as curious on the matter as I am. How can I not look into it?

Niko: Good point… I can't tell how I want this to unfold, if I'm being perfectly honest.

Derric: Yeah… You aren't the only one who's conflicted.

Niko: I figured… All we can do is wait and see what comes next… Unfortunately.

You decide to go to the entrance hall next. You find Sofia speaking with Conrad there.

Sofia: You've been asking around a lot as of late, Conrad… Is there anything you're curious about?

Conrad: When do you think the war is going to be over?

Sofia: I… I must admit that I don't know, but… We're fighting as hard as we can to make sure it ends as soon as possible.

Conrad: Thanks, Sofia…

Sofia: ...It's alright. We're going to figure something out. You don't have to worry about what's coming next. Everything is under control.

Conrad: I hope you're right…

You also find Callisto standing in the entrance hall.

Callisto: The nobles going on the run in Adrestia… It's not something I expected I would want to happen, but I'm pretty happy that it did. I mean, there are so many people who have suffered under the reach of the nobles for generations. This is the least that they deserve.

Finally, You run into Piers in the entrance hall.

Piers: The stronghold in Leicester is undoubtedly deceptive in its small appearance… It's likely meant to seem unassuming to hide its true nature beneath the surface. Maybe we'll find something unexpected there… This step is going to have to be taken with caution.

You move to the reception hall next. Inside, You find Adeline.

Adeline: I know that we're going to have to take out my home territory soon, but… I don't know if I'm ready for it. I don't like my parents in the slightest, but disliking people and marching to battle against them are two entirely different beasts… I'll need time to think on it.

You run into Rodain in the reception hall as well.

Rodain: Empire society is heavily based around its nobility. Each of the primary noble houses is responsible for an important topic under the Empire's rule. To think that they're all scattering… The rebellion has to have a plan for what to do next. Nothing like this has been done before.

You also find Illona standing in the reception hall.

Illona: I worked as a spy before coming back here for the class reunion, you know. I did whatever I had to wherever I was needed. Still, all of this talk about the rebellion in the Empire… It's entirely new to me. It must have started after I set out for the monastery… In other words, that's an impressively quick turnaround.

As You move to the cathedral, You find Adrian standing on the bridge.

Adrian: Seeing Luciana again was rather nice… Back in the day, she attended the Officers Academy the same year that I did, so one year before you came to teach here. She's come into her own significantly, and it's incredible to see how much she's grown… I'm proud of her.

Within the cathedral, You find Herwig.

Herwig: I can only imagine that my family's house has already fallen… Either way, I can't complain. My parents have done nothing but hurt people, and it's precisely why I abandoned them in the first place. I pray my siblings were left unharmed in the fighting though…

You also run into Reese.

Reese: I remember Luciana being a student here years ago… She was a nice young woman back then, if not a bit deferential. She didn't know how to stand up for herself back then, but last moon, she was commanding an entire battalion without batting an eyelash… I'm impressed, I must admit.

You find Hegias in the cathedral as well.

Hegias: With all of the activity in the Empire, I have to wonder if anything has changed with Evenor… Last I heard, she was in Adrestian territory. Still, we won't know for sure where she is until further news comes back… How upsetting.

You decide to go to Abyss next. You descend into the space beneath the monastery and head for the library. You find Ernst inside.

Ernst: The woman who aided us in the battle last moon… Her full name is Luciana Daphne Arellan. She was part of a noble house that fell shortly before your arrival at the Officers Academy. I suppose she has been living in Fhirdiad ever since that day… Interesting.

You also find Saias in the library.

Saias: It's so strange to know that Luciana was so kind last month. I've heard about her mother… Well, I did in the past, back before her death anyways. She was such a rotten woman that her subjects rebelled and executed her. I never would have expected such a nice young woman to have come from… That.

You move to the Wilting Rose Inn next. Tsubasa is standing within.

Tsubasa: I must admit that I thought the Arellan line died years ago. I didn't realize that the noble lady of the house had any children, much less any who weren't monsters like her. Then again, I suppose that fate has a way of surprising you…

You move to Burrow Street, spotting Gabriel near a wall there.

Gabriel: I still can't believe that we were able to take out House Goneril… We're all excited about what's to come, yes, but we've just accomplished something great. If the war wasn't going on, this would be the perfect time for a celebration, but I guess it'll have to wait.

You head for Chrysalis Row next and find Magnus in his room.

Magnus: I heard rumors of a Sreng man with blonde hair traveling through the Empire recently… I have to wonder if that could be Eli. Maybe he was involved with the resistance somehow. It certainly wouldn't surprise me… He's too kind for his own good.

You find Grey standing in the hallway between Chrysalis Row and the Ashen Wolves' classroom.

Grey: I still find it strange to think that we were able to defeat House Goneril so easily. It's incredible that we managed to pull that off given their military might. Who can say what we'll do next? It's a mystery, and I'm rather excited to hear the answer.

You walk into the classroom properly and find Ansel inside.

Ansel: I imagine that my family has descended into madness with the disruption down in the Empire… Somehow, I can't bring myself to feel sympathy for them. Harsh, yes, but I don't think they deserve my compassion. It's their problem, not mine.

You also encounter Taiyin within the classroom.

Taiyin: Lady Josephine was apparently responsible for countless murders while she was in power, you know… She had amazing poisons at her disposal to take out those who stood against her. The records have been brought to light at long last, and… They're so unsettling that I can barely sleep at night.

With your business in Abyss finished, You move upstairs and head for the second floor. First, You find Jill sitting within her office.

Jill: It doesn't exactly relate to our work in the war, but… We did find quite a bit of paperwork on the Goneril estate showing that Lady Josephine had been responsible for the deaths of many people through poisoning. I've been sifting through the records, and there are so many of them… What a disgusting woman.

Next, You go to the audience chamber. You run into Florence standing in the office area near the main chamber.

Florence: I wonder what this new rebellion is going to mean for Adrestia's future. I mean, with the nobles gone, we're going to need an entire new structure for society. I don't know what I'm expecting, but… I'm a bit worried about it no matter how much I try not to be.

You head for the library once finished in the audience chamber. Kyle is standing alone inside.

Kyle: I must admit that I wish I could be in the Kingdom with Magnolia right now, but… I suppose that I'm just going to have to count on Luciana to look after her. She seems to know what she's doing… I doubt we'd have met her last moon if she didn't, but… I'm worried anyways.

You head up the stairs to the third floor. Aquillus can be seen standing on his own in the garden at the top of the monastery.

Aquillus: The rebellion's first job in the Empire is to stamp out any remnants of Malice that have been left behind by Argades' rule… With how effective they've been, I assume that they have a plan for taking care of it. Who can say what will be left when they're done though? I doubt it will be much.

Finally, You head to the cardinals' room. Raithius and Novalee are together inside, both looking over tactics for the next fight.

Raithius: This stronghold wouldn't be marked on the map if it wasn't key to the forces with the Alliance…

Novalee: You're still trying to figure out what's inside, aren't you?

Raithius: I can't help my insatiable curiosity.

Novalee: If you want my opinion, I believe it's a commander of some sort. We haven't met a leader yet, and that's as good a place as any to find one.

Raithius: Maybe this will allow us to see the truth behind all of these 'true leader' comments.

Novalee: I'm praying that's the case, but we won't know until we get there.

Raithius: You're right… Alright, let's get back to planning.

Novalee: Of course.

With your exploration finished, You head back to your room. You begin to prepare for the night as Seraphine speaks to You.

Seraphine: I don't know about you, but I have a bad feeling about this stronghold… Things have been going a bit too well lately, I suppose. Maybe I'm just paranoid after how bad life was before the war started, but… Well, it wasn't exactly bad, but a lot happened. That's what I'm trying to say. I feel like we're going to be met with a nasty surprise when we get to the stronghold.

You nod your understanding.

Seraphine: Still, I guess that worrying about it won't do anyone a lick of good. Let's just get some sleep, alright?

You agree with her before heading for your bed. You cannot help but wonder what is set to come next between Seraphine's paranoia and the news of Enbarr's fall within the Empire. Seraphine's words have worried You, and You cannot help but feel anxious as well. Your sleep that night is restless, and You pray that the mission to come does not end in disaster or tragedy…


I'm uploading this at midnight and that's the tea

-Digital