At the start of the next move, You wake up with an increased sense of purpose. Seraphine appears before You, examining her hands with wide eyes.

Seraphine: It still feels odd being able to move on my own, but… I think I'm going to stick around with you just like before. It would be best if we didn't have to explain how this is working to the rest of the group anyways. I think everyone is under enough stress as it is, and I don't think I want to add to that more than I have to.

You nod your understanding.

Seraphine: I must admit that I'm feeling revitalized after what happened last moon though… Granted, it ended incredibly poorly, but that's alright. We're going to press on regardless. Raithius is counting on us, and the rest of the Golden Deer are going along with it too.

You walk to the cardinals' room as Seraphine disappears.

Seraphine: It's all going to be alright… I'm sure of it.

You arrive in the cardinals' room when Seraphine falls silent. The Golden Deer are waiting for You already, and You sense a new type of energy buzzing in the air that You didn't feel before.

Jill: Morning, Professor. We're getting ready for our next outing into Alliance territory.

Adeline: I know exactly what point you've marked on the map, and… I'm ready for it.

Raithius: I'm glad to hear it, because we're moving towards your home territory this moon. House Admoderor's leaders have been causing issues for us for quite some time, and we have easier access to them now that we can travel by the stronghold from our last mission.

Lev: Are you sure that you're feeling good enough to run back into action right away, Raithius…? You seemed to be bothered by all of this before…

Raithius: I'm not going to let the actions of my father hold me back anymore. He's not going to control me just because of our shared blood. I'm walking this path on my own with the rest of you, and he can't change that sort of decision just by waltzing right back into my life after being gone for so long.

William: We're proud of your decision, Raithius… We'll listen to whatever you want from us, alright?

Raithius: Thanks, William.

Novalee: We're going to have to be careful as we press on. There's a lot at stake by invading Admoderor lands.

Cedric: I'm sure that we'll be able to find a solution despite all of this though…

Wolfgang: It looks like they're already working on finding the perfect strategy for us to use.

Raithius: And you would be right about that. We're going to find success in this mission. That much I can promise you.

Sofia: Is there anything that you need from the rest of us?

Raithius: There is one thing, but… It's a bit of a personal thing rather than involving the mission. I do hope that's alright with all of you.

Jill: Go on and tell us. We've been following your advice this long, and you haven't led us astray yet.

Raithius: I'm glad to hear that you have so much faith in me… I want you all to look after each other.

Sofia: We've been doing that for a while though… It's sort of our thing, I like to think.

Raithius: Still, it never hurts to remind each other of the support system that we've got here.

Cedric: I suppose not… We've accomplished a lot since coming to Garreg Mach, but we're still fighting in a war, and that's not easy to deal with.

Lev: We understand your words, Raithius. And… If you need anything in return, all you need to do is say so. We're here for you as well.

Raithius: Thanks for that, Lev. I just want to make sure that we all know where we stand with each other.

Adeline: I… Thank you, Raithius. I'm glad to have the reminder.

Seraphine's voice echoes in your mind.

Seraphine: Adeline's always been the type to hide her issues rather than mention them up-front… That's definitely the reason behind this whole speech. Still, I think she needed to hear it.

You nod as Seraphine's words disappear from your head.

Novalee: I'm sorry to shoo you all away so soon, but we have to finish the rest of our strategy meeting.

Wolfgang: Don't worry about it, Nova. We understand completely. Let's get going, Golden Deer. We have a support system to establish, after all.

Raithius: See you later, everyone!

You watch as the rest of the Golden Deer leave before turning your attention to Raithius and Novalee. You tell them that You intend to check in on Adeline before the day ends.

Novalee: Thank you, Professor. I know that she's going to need as much of our aid as she can get in the coming month, and it's best if we establish that she can come to us sooner rather than later.

Raithius: We won't keep you any longer since I know that you've got other business to take care of, but feel free to come by later. We'll give you updates about what's been going on up here. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day, Professor.

You nod and walk away from the cardinals' room. You head back to your room as Seraphine speaks to You once more.

Seraphine: It's so nice to see all of them supporting each other through difficult times… I think my heart is feeling lighter now that I know that they have each other. I remember, years ago, we were worried about them all the time. Now… Even if they're still young, they've learned how to lean on each other. None of us really feel alone fighting through all of this. It's oddly beautiful, and… I didn't expect to say that.

You say that You feel the same.

Seraphine: War is just as cruel, twisted, and ugly as always, but… At least our little deer have figured out a way to grapple with it. It's… Reassuring.

You nod.

Seraphine: Anyways, enough of my babbling on. I know that you've got a lot to do today, and I don't want to keep you for any longer than I have to. Let's start looking around, alright?

Seraphine's voice disappears from your head as You begin to look around the monastery. You start by moving towards the Officers Academy. You find Nora alone in the courtyard.

Nora: The Malice leader we've been fighting against all this time is Raithius' father… What a cruel twist of fate. He used his assumed death to hide beneath the radar all this time… It's a smart move, but I can't say that I respect him for it.

Next, You head into the Golden Deer classroom. You find Adeline inside by herself.

Adeline: Hey, Professor… Do you need something?

You say that You are there to check in on her.

Adeline: Thanks… I'm doing as good as I can be, honestly. I've certainly been better, but I'm going to try and work through this. I know that I have the rest of you to count on should I need you, and… I'll keep it in mind.

You nod in her direction before leaving the space, sensing that she wants to be alone. You head to the training hall and find Kaeta standing inside.

Kaeta: I want to beat the stuffing out of that man now! Julius Origo was a loved leader at the time, but I don't think I can respect him in the slightest anymore. All that he's done is hurt people, and I can't forgive that. He's going to face my blade and suffer.

Next, You approach Rodain, who is also in the area.

Rodain: There were many who assumed that Julius Origo survived somehow… Of course, their beliefs were often dismissed due to the fact that he was declared dead by the royal family. I wish I had listened to those people now… A body was never found. This was always possible.

You head towards the lower floor of the dorms, and You find Aquillus standing outside of the rooms.

Aquillus: As far as I can tell, we haven't received any new pieces of information from the Empire. That could mean that the rebellion is either progressing smoothly or has begun to struggle after claiming control… Neither outcome is good.

You see Karim standing further down the row.

Karim: I spent the past five years thinking a lot about how the current rulers came to power… It seemed as if all of the cases were because of the previous ruler shuffling off this mortal coil too soon. I guess I jumped to conclusions there… Damn it.

You head to the second floor of the dorms, and You see Aestlyn alone in the area.

Aestlyn: House Admoderor shares the same Crest as House Aster… At the very least, it did, but… That's not the case anymore. I don't know what I'm going to do in the coming month, but I… I'm going to try and press through. That's all I can really do at this point.

After heading back downstairs, You move to the greenhouse. Inside, You find Cedric.

Cedric: My father worked with Julius while he was at his prime. He told me about how he was truly an incredible man, but… Something must have happened to change that. When he went missing, everything began to shift, and it certainly wasn't for the best.

You head to the fishing hole once your business is finished in the greenhouse. You find Calypso standing there.

Calypso: I heard that the man responsible for this war was blaming House Columbus for this outcome… It always seems to go back to Wenlock Columbus. He was a disgusting man, and I'm glad that he's gone. I don't know if we can trust the words of our enemy, but it wouldn't be out of character for the former Lord Columbus.

Your next destination is the dining hall. You find Conrad inside.

Conrad: My father spent a lot of time working with the supposed 'true leader' of the Alliance, but I never suspected it would be the former archduke. I was so sure that he had died. I was told that he was dead for most of my life, but he fooled all of us…

You also run into Herwig in the dining hall.

Herwig: The sudden silence from the Empire is leading me to believe that the coup was successful. The nobles can't send out any further distress signals if they've been caught and defeated… As for what comes next, nobody can say for sure. The future is uncertain, and that's putting it delicately.

The final person You find in the area is Kyle.

Kyle: I can't believe that a man everyone once thought to be so noble has become this twisted… Even in Faerghus, people praised Julius Origo for his kindness and skills with diplomacy. I didn't think I would ever be forced to fight against something like that…

You head to the marketplace next. Sofia stands in the area.

Sofia: I don't know what you and Raithius talked about last moon, but… He seems to be taking this rather well. I was pretty worried about him when that face was revealed to be behind this, but he's only become more determined to end this war. He always finds new ways to impress, huh?

You also find Zelhira in the marketplace.

Zelhira: I received another letter from my father this morning. He says that the nobles are being caught and arrested now. The Empire has been a bit of a mess since the coup was finished, but everything is starting to piece together now. It's relieving to hear, to say the least.

You move to the stables. Florence stands in the area by herself.

Florence: Julius Origo is still at large after the fight last month. He somehow managed to disappear through a tunnel, and I really don't know what to think of that. Oh, everything is such a mess right now… I hope that we're able to sort it out soon.

You make your way to the knights' hall. Yuliya can be found inside.

Yuliya: Another ruler falling to corruption… Tch. Why am I not surprised? When someone becomes a ruler, they should understand that protecting their people is part of the package. Destruction of their own territory goes against that, but I guess my words don't matter. When have nobles ever listened to people like me?

You also find Piers in the knights' hall.

Piers: House Admoderor is located right on the border between Leicester and Almyra. We're going to be traveling rather far to secure it, but we should be able to secure an alliance with Almyra after crossing that distance.

You go to the entrance hall, and You run into Jill inside.

Jill: It's strange to think of how much has changed in such a short amount of time… I met the Golden Deer when they were still children, but they've really grown into their own over the past few years. I must admit that I'm impressed. They really are good kids.

You also find Reese in the entrance hall.

Reese: As far as I've heard, the kingdom is recovering from the assassination attempt last moon. I believe that Magnolia is starting to turn the tides. It's not significant progress quite yet, but it's still a step in the right direction, and I'm happy to have that information.

The final person You encounter in the entrance hall is Cassia.

Cassia: I've learned much about the leaders of the continent in the past… I heard that Julius Origo went missing while in Columbus land, but nobody was ever able to find out much beyond that. Lord Columbus was more than happy to cover up such information… How suspicious.

You move to the reception hall next. Inside, You find William and Wolfgang speaking to each other.

William: You didn't give us an update on how things are going elsewhere during the meeting…

Wolfgang: Not much happened, so I didn't feel the need to. I think Magnolia is pressing on in Kingdom territory though.

William: That counts for something… I wonder what she's going to be doing next.

Wolfgang: We won't find out for a while, so I guess we'll just have to see.

You also find Lev in the reception hall.

Lev: Julius Origo came up when we were students as well… I must admit that he crossed my mind after our previous mission, but… I didn't quite want to believe that it was the case. Knowing that it was the truth just makes me feel sick, in all honesty…

Next, You run into Falon.

Falon: The fall of House Goneril seems to be helping Magnolia to make progress in fully taking back Faerghus from the clutches of Malice. I would say that it's an incredible victory for us… Still, we have too much to worry about now to offer much aid to her…

The last person in the area is Wynne.

Wynne: I remember hearing a lot about Julius Origo back in the day, but everyone sort of forgot about him not long after he went missing. I guess the memory of him was too painful to bring up… Why else would such an important figure suddenly be abandoned by the people?

You move towards the cathedral next. Inside, You find Callisto.

Callisto: The knowledge that Julius Origo is still out there really makes me upset… I guess it's normal for me to dislike it, but I feel sick imagining what he could be doing. He doesn't have a base anymore, but I doubt that matters all that much to him…

You also run into Illona.

Illona: I rarely passed through Alliance territory in the past few years, centering my attention instead on Faerghus… Still, it's impressive that such a great secret as the former archduke being alive managed to be kept down for so long. It's strange, in all honesty…

Finally, You cross paths with Miriam.

Miriam: Another ruler falls to his corrupted ways… Giving power to the wrong people is what gets us in situations like this in the first place. The former king of Faerghus was like this, and the same applied to the emperor… It's food for thought, I suppose.

You decide to head into Abyss before moving to the upper floors of the monastery. You head to the library first, and You find Taiyin inside.

Taiyin: I can't stop thinking about what happened during the mission… The idea of him being alive stuns me, but I guess it really shouldn't at the end of the day… After all, people come to Abyss all the time if they want others to think of them as dead. Why should I be surprised that he was hoping for the same thing?

You also find Grey in the library.

Grey: House Admoderor has been involved in shady business for quite some time, you know… I don't know what they've been up to, but I can say that it's far from being anything good. Be careful when we head for that territory, alright?

You move to the Wilting Rose Inn next. You find Gabriel standing inside.

Gabriel: House Admoderor once shared a Crest with House Aster, but the latter fell to assassins around the time of the Battle of Garreg Mach… I can't help but wonder if House Admoderor was tied in that somehow. They always had a sense of toxic elitism, and it could have driven them to murder…

You also find Saias in the tavern.

Saias: I feel so weirdly tense after hearing about all of this… I know that we should have expected someone powerful to be behind Malice, but this is still something that I didn't see coming. Part of me wishes that he was actually dead rather than slipping into these habits.

You leave the tavern and head for Burrow Street. You find Magnus standing next to a vendor there.

Magnus: Julius Origo's legacy transcends generations. Everyone loved him as a ruler, and he was once thought of as so great… That's the problem with putting people on pedestals though. When they fall, it shatters your world even more than you ever could have imagined.

You move to Chrysalis Row next. You find Ansel standing in the hallway there.

Ansel: Julius Origo's actions do nothing but frustrate me, in all honesty… What am I supposed to think of him after all this? For someone who once acted so incredible, he sure did crumble rather quickly… It's almost sad.

You arrive at the Ashen Wolves' classroom and come across Ernst inside.

Ernst: House Admoderor is our next target… That will put us in a strong position to reclaim all of Leicester from the clutches of Malice. I believe that this siege will be an important one to our cause. It's all the more reason to be careful in the coming battle.

You go to the Pagan Altar last, and You cross paths with Tsubasa there.

Tsubasa: I never would have expected the former archduke to sink so low… Then again, heroes aren't always what they're cracked up to be. Still, it doesn't matter what happened to lead us here. All that matters is that we take care of him now.

With your business in Abyss finished, You move to the second floor of the monastery. You find Hegias standing in the audience chamber.

Hegias: Wolfgang hasn't received any new information regarding Evenor yet… With each passing moon, I grow more curious, but I don't know if I'll ever have the strength to ask her to look into it. Would that even be a good idea after everything that she's done? We can't allow her to roam at large, but… The idea of pursuing her just bothers me, I suppose… It's complicated.

You move to the library next. Niko and Derric are deep in conversation inside.

Niko: I remember reading a lot about the former archduke years ago… His disappearance truly intrigued me.

Derric: I have to wonder what happened regarding his disappearance… Did he really go missing, or did he plan such from the beginning?

Niko: There's no way for us to be sure of what happened until we can find a way to drag the truth out of him, but that's going to be far easier said than done.

Derric: I just hope we're able to figure out a way to do it… Raithius is going to need it for his peace of mind…

You move to the commons' room next. You find Tuncay standing inside.

Tuncay: I've never had much faith in nobles or royals, in all honesty… The truth behind the former archduke coming out is not helping that at all. I guess that Radius knows what he's doing, but… He's one good apple in a sea of bad ones. Ugh… Disgusting.

You also run into Adrian in the commons' room.

Adrian: I'm not sure what the former archduke is trying to obtain at this point, but it has to be something big… I doubt that his views are quite as easy to explain as general destruction. Something must be driving him to press down this dark path, betraying his subjects in the process… I just wish I knew what it could be.

You decide to head to the third floor before checking in with Raithius and Novalee. You find Nesreen standing inside of Aisa's room.

Nesreen: An archduke who faked his death… I don't know why he would go so far. His goal is already disgraceful to me. I'm not used to nobles staying true to their word, but you would expect someone so 'honorable' to follow through with defending his people. I can't believe his subjects actually praised him at one point…

Finally, You move to the cardinals' room. Inside, You find Raithius and Novalee deep in discussion.

Raithius: House Admoderor is the last of the major territories to continue resisting us by siding with Malice… All other soldiers are hiding beneath the surface to keep from being defeated.

Novalee: Afterwards, all that we'll have left to do is stomp out the remains of the Canis Mafia. They've served us up to this point, but it's time for all that to end.

Raithius: Still, we had best keep from getting ahead of ourselves… We're going to need to track down my father too.

Novalee: I'm already trying to reach out to informants, and I'm sure that Wolfgang is doing the same. We'll find a solution.

Raithius: You're right… Until then, let's focus on the current task.

Novalee: Of course.

With your exploration of the monastery complete, You head back towards your room. Seraphine speaks to You once You arrive after manifesting at your side.

Seraphine: It seems that taking House Admoderor is going to be one of our final significant steps… Finding the former archduke is going to be an important task as well, but I think we should remain focused on the goal in front of us.

You nod your agreement.

Seraphine: Why don't we head to sleep? We're going to need to be ready for this fight if it's truly going to be so important.

You agree with her once more as she fades away. You lay down on your bed and close your eyes, wondering what the coming month will bring. Despite the lack of orientation brought on by the previous mission, You are determined to face the fight in Admoderor lands with passion and readiness. You slip into slumber easily, wondering where Julius Origo could possibly be just before sleep takes You into its warm embrace…


I finished writing endgame yesterday so it's all about posting now oh heck

-Digital