At the start of the next moon, You make your way to the cardinals' room. Seraphine speaks to You on the way there.
Seraphine: I'm hoping that we'll be able to take care of the assassins that have been causing us grief as of late… I can tell that everyone's still a bit bothered by the fact that we only dealt with lackeys as opposed to the leaders last moon. I can't blame them in the slightest. The fact that the leaders of the group are still out there wandering is bothersome and concerning… We'll just have to keep going though. Maybe we'll find results soon enough.
Seraphine falls silent as You arrive at the cardinals' room. The Blue Lions are waiting for You there as expected.
Magnolia: Ah, Professor. We're all here now. Time to go over the mission for the coming moon.
Karim: I hope that we're going to be finding a way to go after the assassins that threatened to go after House Chevalier last moon. We can't allow them to roam freely. They understand now that we're going to be working with Lady Chevalier, so that has to give them a motivation to send their stronger forces that direction.
Magnolia: I'm afraid that we can't do that quite yet… Another house within the Kingdom is starting to stir, and I suspect that it's because of our recent actions in Chevalier territory. We need to go and take care of that issue as soon as possible.
Falon: I don't like the idea of leaving this matter alone for any longer than we have to, but I suppose that we don't get much of a say in who we go after right now. We simply go where we're needed.
Luciana: The targets this time are from House Schweighen. The territory has been somewhat troublesome for many years now. They're volatile and tend to keep to themselves, almost as if they're afraid of the others in the Kingdom.
Reese: I don't think that it's being afraid as much as it is simply having brazen confidence. I know the leader of House Schweighen all too well, and he's far too cocky for his own good. We have to be careful moving from here.
Kyle: I suppose it would make sense that you're familiar with the dealings there… You do come from Schweighen territory. Your surname makes it clear that you were involved with the house at some point.
Reese: It's a long story, so I won't bore you with the details. I'll simply say that we need to be cautious.
Cassia: We won't ask you to continue. We should be careful as we move forward. If House Schweighen is as volatile and unpredictable as we've been led to believe, then we'll have to move cautiously.
Nora: We can use this moon as a chance to gather information on the matter of the assassins that caused so many problems for us last time we were out. That way, we'll know exactly where and how to strike when the time comes.
Aestlyn: Perfect. We can direct as many soldiers as we can spare to gathering information, and we'll use everything that we find to our advantage. I'm sure that will do us a lot of good given how much we have left to get done.
Illona: It sounds to me like we've got a plan for what to do next… Is there anything else that we should talk about before we split up? If you ask me, there's at least one other thing that we need to focus on.
Magnolia: As a matter of fact, yes. I want to take this chance to discuss how the other nations of the continent have been doing. A few things have changed since our previous chat.
Luciana: I know what you mean… The current leader of the Alliance is making significant progress on the journey of eliminating Malice forces. It's much faster than anyone could have anticipated.
Nora: In other words, there's a chance that we'll be able to expect Alliance reinforcements when that front of the war has been won.
Illona: I heard that the Knights of Seiros are still looking for Lady Aisa. There are some who think that they might have finally found something that could lead to her current location.
Reese: I must commend the Knights of Seiros for holding on this long. I don't know if I would have been able to force myself through this after running into as many dead ends as they have.
Kyle: Things have been happening in the Empire as well. The rumors of a resistance growing there are only mounting now.
Aestlyn: At first, I didn't want to give them much credibility. I didn't want to place hope without purpose, I suppose… But we can't ignore it now.
Cassia: The idea that someone could be creating a rebellion force within the Empire… I didn't think that anyone had the nerve to stand up to the new emperor in such a way.
Karim: I wonder who their mystery leader is… Perhaps it's a noble who was forced out of their house by the war. That sounds realistic enough, right?
Falon: I wish that I could tell you… I don't even know if the soldiers within the resistance are aware of the true identity of the one they're following.
Magnolia: That's another thing we'll simply have to be careful about listening for. I believe that such information could do us quite a bit of good to have on our side, but we'll have to be careful with it. We don't want to potentially ruin the chance of an alliance between the Kingdom and Empire by stepping on their toes. Leaders can be fickle when insulted.
Luciana: We'll do what we can. For the time being though, we don't have any other pieces of information to provide, so this meeting can be considered over. Thank you all for your patience. If we learn anything else of note, the message will be passed on as soon as possible.
Magnolia: Until we meet again.
You follow the Blue Lions away from the cardinals' room. Seraphine speaks to You as You navigate the familiar journey back to your room.
Seraphine: A rebellion within the Empire… I don't know what I'm supposed to think of that, to be honest. I can't be the only one wondering about who the leader could possibly be. We haven't heard much of the Empire since we returned, but… I don't know. I suppose that I have a bad feeling about it all. After all, as far as I'm aware, the current emperor is the one who led the assault on Garreg Mach five years ago…
You say that You won't allow such a series of events to repeat once more.
Seraphine: I know… It's just intimidating to think about. We might have to face him one day… And if we don't face him, then this resistance force is going to have to, and that could result in immense destruction. I suppose that all we can do is wait until we hear more about what's going on in the Empire… For the time being, let's go on and make our rounds of the monastery. I could use a distraction so that I don't overthink everything that's going on around us.
You nod your understanding as You arrive back at your room. You begin to walk around the monastery soon afterwards, and Seraphine's voice fades from your mind. You start by moving to the Officers Academy, and You find Aquillus standing in the Black Eagles classroom.
Aquillus: Malice has been trying to stamp out all signs of resistance within the Empire for some time… I know that much firsthand. I can't believe that someone managed to get through all of that despite the forces working against them. It's rather impressive. Whoever the rebellion leader is, they're certainly not wanting for confidence.
You see Kyle in the courtyard of the Officers Academy.
Kyle: You know, I never knew my parents all that well. They passed away before I could get the chance to bond with them properly. I was about eight when they died, but… It changed my outlook on life. I guess that I've wanted justice for a while, but I was distracted by other matters first… It bothers me that the culprits are still out there. I hope we find them soon.
You find Karim standing nearby.
Karim: Falon seems to be feeling better now that we've saved her mother from the Malice attackers, but I can tell that she's still on edge. I understand it completely. The sooner that we're able to eliminate those attackers, the better… I'm getting nervous about them too.
You move to the training hall, and You see Rodain standing inside.
Rodain: Captain Torryn is nothing if not stubborn when it comes to determination. She never falters in the face of adversity, and the fact that she's continuing the search for Lady Aisa after all this time is proof of that. I wonder what the new lead could be… I hope it leads somewhere.
You also find Piers in the training hall.
Piers: I don't understand how anyone can remain optimistic regarding Lady Aisa. She's been gone for so long, and there might not even be proof that she's dead or alive. All that we have is a lock of her hair from the Battle of Garreg Mach… That's not exactly evidence in either direction.
You make your way to the bottom floor of dorms. There, You see Lev.
Lev: I heard that Novalee has been working with Raithius on the tactics needed to charge through the Alliance houses that have sided with Malice. They're two of the best strategic minds that I've ever known of. I have no doubt that they'll win, and soon enough… We'll see them again.
You also cross paths with Sofia in the area.
Sofia: My home territory has already been taken over by Raithius' forces from the capital. It was one of the first to be taken out as far as I can tell… I got a letter from Novalee saying that she's taken my younger brother under her wing. She said that he reminded her of me… I'm glad that he's okay, but… I guess part of me wishes that I had been the one to seal the deal with my father. Oh, well. There's nothing I can do to change it now.
You move to the second floor of dorms. There, You find Zelhira standing alone.
Zelhira: My father is starting to work with the resistance force within the Empire. He isn't telling me who's responsible for leading the group though… He seems to think that it could be dangerous to talk about. That scares me a bit, I have to say… Who could be so important that he has to keep their identity secret?
You go back down the stairs and find yourself in the greenhouse. You find Adrian inside.
Adrian: Many years ago, Brigid and Dagda waged war against the Empire, and it was only by mercy that they weren't completely annihilated by the emperor of the time… It was a grab for revenge due to Empire interference with our culture. Likening that situation to the current battle with Albinea makes sense, but that doesn't mean that I like thinking of it that way…
You also find Niko in the greenhouse.
Niko: The resistance force brewing within the Empire could lead to the fall of the noble house I come from… I don't know how I feel about that. My relationship with my parents has always been complicated, but… I suppose that if they do pass away, they did this to themselves by siding with Malice and bringing pain to so many people.
You make your way to the fishing hole. There, You see Falon standing at the end of the dock.
Falon: I'm still suffering from the ending traces of my nerves from the previous mission… Even though we were able to save my mother, I'm still anxious about it all. I suppose you can blame that on the fact that my father passed away in the past few years… I don't want to lose anyone else. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to her.
You move to the dining hall next. There, You find Aestlyn and Nora engaged in conversation.
Aestlyn: Between Illona's uncle and the assassins from last moon, it seems like there are all sorts of people we need to find but haven't crossed paths with yet…
Nora: You're right. It feels like we're trying to balance a thousand different things at once already.
Aestlyn: I'm hoping that this month's mission will end in success at the very least. I believe that would be a huge load off our shoulders.
Nora: You're right… But we won't know until the time comes for us to actually set out and take care of it.
Aestlyn: Yeah… Ugh, I hate that…
You also find Derric in the dining hall.
Derric: The fall of House Dragoste has always been an intriguing subject to me… My house fell in a similar way, though my birth parents were still nobles when they passed on. My life before becoming Niko's brother was most certainly something unique, and the idea of the assassins returning… It certainly doesn't sit well with me, but I know that I have no say in the matter. It's unfortunate, but… Oh, well.
You approach the last person in the dining hall, Wynne, next.
Wynne: Everyone's been so jittery ever since we crossed paths with that guy who was responsible for a lot of experimentation… It's a nasty topic. I don't get how anyone can be so obsessed with power structures like that. If it's done nothing but hurt people, why not just get rid of Crests so that nobody does this at all? Well, you can't get rid of Crests, but… Oh, you know what I mean.
You walk to the marketplace. There, You cross paths with Tuncay.
Tuncay: The idea of a rebellion growing in the Empire most certainly is interesting to me… Anyone with the nerve to go toe-to-toe with the current emperor has earned my respect and then some. He's strong, though I suppose you knew that given that he was able to run over the monastery without any issues five years ago. Here's to hoping the resistance ends in success.
You also find Illona in the marketplace.
Illona: I might finally have a lead on where my uncle is. I've been trying so hard to figure out what I can, but it's difficult because of how secretive he's been. He's always been good at hiding things like this, and he was able to keep it hidden from my parents for years. I just hope that we're able to find him and bring him to justice after all he's done… It's not even just for my sake. I want this for others. They deserve better than this.
You move to the entrance hall next. There, You see Callisto.
Callisto: I want the resistance force in the Empire to throw out the current emperor more than anything, but I know this takes time. War takes a long time to fester, and it takes even longer to get rid of. I wish that wasn't the case, but all we can do is wait for now… Maybe we can finish on our front while we're watching the Empire from afar. That sure would be great, huh?
You also find Adeline in the entrance hall.
Adeline: The invasion of Malice-infected territories of Leicester has already begun, but it'll be quite a while before it's drawn to a conclusion. There's a much higher ratio of problematic houses within the Alliance when compared to the Kingdom, as much as I hate to say it. I know that from personal experience even though I wish that wasn't the case… Raithius and Novalee have a lot to take care of yet.
Finally, You encounter Taiyin.
Taiyin: I've heard lots of things about House Schweighen. Some people in Abyss left the area behind ages ago. The previous lord and lady of the house were murdered in a coup, and the current leader was instated during that process. The current leader of the territory is far from being peaceful though, and not many people are fond of him… I guess he's had this coming for a while.
You walk to the reception hall next. There, You see Saias.
Saias: I've been trying my best to keep updated on what Eli and Quinn have been up to in the past few months. They left to do something, but they still haven't really given us any new information on their endeavors. It's unfortunate, but I know I can't just fix that with the snap of a finger or anything. I'll do my best to keep the people of Abyss as optimistic as possible though. It's what they deserve.
You also find Wolfgang in the reception hall.
Wolfgang: Rebellions in the Empire, charges in the Alliance, and attacks in the Kingdom… Sounds to me like everyone is making progress these days. The war finally seems like it's about to be over. Well, we've still got a long way to go, but we're headed in the right direction, and that's what matters most to me. Who would have thought we'd get here? Certainly not me.
Finally, You cross paths with Tsubasa.
Tsubasa: I've been to Schweighen territory a few times before, you know. It's not exactly a pleasant place. Sure, it's not the worst land to find yourself in across the continent, but it's not what you would specifically want either. The lord of the territory is hostile at times, and not many people are fond of him. I'm sure you'll figure out why soon enough.
You walk to the knights' hall next. Inside, You see Yuliya.
Yuliya: The war with Albinea has been getting easier to bear ever since the conflict ramped up over here. It's ironic how Faerghus only stopped being a problem when a bigger fish got involved. Magnolia might not want to start conflict with Albinea, but other nobles most certainly do… How frustrating. Don't they know when to just keep out of the business of others? Apparently not.
You also find Kaeta in the knights' hall.
Kaeta: All this talk about Lady Aisa being found really has me excited. That could help us to get back to how things were before, and I think that's what we really need right now. Besides, Captain Torryn might come back if Lady Aisa is found! I've really missed her in the past few months, and it would be great to see her again, especially if she brought Lady Aisa with her. Imagine the possibilities…!
You move to the stables. There, You see William.
William: I've been supporting Raithius as much as possible within the past few years for the sake of helping the Alliance recover from Malice influence one day. I offered him as many soldiers as I could spare from my home territory, and I can only hope that he's using them well… Then again, I don't think there's anything to worry about. He's an amazing commander, and he'll no doubt do great things for all of us.
You also find Miriam in the area.
Miriam: Malice's connection with the experimentation groups most certainly has me intrigued… I wonder if there's a reason that they wanted that specifically. It would likely align with their general goals, but I still find myself curious… Just who is responsible for all of this? Why are they acting in such a way? Questions, questions…
You walk to the cathedral. Inside, You find Florence.
Florence: The current emperor really does make me wonder about the previous rulers of the Empire, you know. I've only lived to see Argades von Doroftie and Chris' father on the throne, but both of them were awful. I want the resistance to overthrow the current ruler. The Empire can't recover until after he's been taken away from the throne, and I want that to happen as soon as possible.
You also find Cedric in the cathedral.
Cedric: Raithius has been taking great strides already. It truly does show how far he's come as a commander and a fighter in the past five years. I've seen his progress firsthand, and yet, he still manages to impress me. My previous doubts for him were clearly unfounded, and it relieves me to know that he's capable of so much. He truly is a fine ruler.
Finally, You find Cassia.
Cassia: My home territory has been allying with Magnolia for the time being, but they'll switch teams as soon as they think it could benefit them more. They've sided against Albinea in the war there because they believed they could benefit from such. My parents are selfish people through and through. There's a reason I left them behind. We can't trust their alliance to be limitless, if you want my opinion. We need to be careful.
You make your way to Abyss next. You find Grey standing in the library.
Grey: The idea that Lady Aisa could return soon… That sure is interesting. I had honestly given up hope on her even still being alive a long time ago, but I'm not at all objecting to her taking up her position of power again, even if it's just temporary. The continent needs some stability right now above all else, and she can provide that for us. She had better come out of hiding soon…
You also find Magnus in the library.
Magnus: All of this recent activity truly is exhausting… I don't know how a war can be so uneventful for so many years before exploding in activity. Then again, I suppose the continent as a whole was like that too. Everything appeared to be normal for a long time, and then there were historic events back-to-back leading up to the start of this war. It truly is interesting how history works, hm?
You see Gabriel on Burrow Street when You leave the library behind.
Gabriel: The potential for a rebellion in the Empire really does excite me. I want them to get rid of Bazler as soon as possible… Ah, I shouldn't say his name too loudly. Nobody in Abyss is particularly fond of him, though I suppose that makes a lot of sense after all that he's done. He deserves to die for his previous actions, and I'm never going to back down from such an idea. You can count on that much.
You find Ansel on Chrysalis Row soon afterwards.
Ansel: It's nice to see that the Ashen Wolves are growing more comfortable with heading above the ground. You have no idea how much they stuck around here in the past five years. Nobody wanted to leave, as a matter of fact. They deserve some fresh air every once in a while… Oh, I sure am a hypocrite for saying something like that, huh?
With your business in Abyss finished, You move to the second floor of the monastery. You find Hegias standing in the audience chamber.
Hegias: I still can't stop thinking about everything that's been going on involving Illona's uncle… Suddenly, the two of us sharing a Crest makes a striking amount of sense, and her overall anxious nature makes sense too. I don't know what I'm supposed to think of all this, but… I do know that I have to stop Evenor before any of this can happen again… It's my obligation to do that… Yeah…
You move to the second floor of the monastery, and You find Nesreen standing in Aisa's chambers.
Nesreen: You can call me excitable all you want, but I came up here as soon as I heard that Captain Torryn might have found a lead on where Lady Aisa is. Nobody comes up here anymore aside from the rogue visitor once a moon or so. It's nice to see everything is still intact, but I want to make sure that it's in good condition in case we find her again. It's the least I can do to make myself feel useful around here.
You make your way back down to the second floor, and You find Herwig in his room.
Herwig: My house has been involved with Malice ever since the war first broke out. My siblings all abandoned the base house in the aftermath of the war's declaration if they weren't gone already. My parents are the ones behind all of House Wessin's actions at this point… I can't say that they're going to get out of this war unscathed, and… It's certainly difficult to think of things that way, to say the least.
You find Jill in her designated area as well.
Jill: I have no evidence to back up such a theory, but I have to wonder if perhaps Lady Aisa was the one who took Janae McCreary with her after the Battle of Garreg Mach five years ago. Lady Aisa's magic was what allowed Janae to remain suspended and alive, so it would make sense if they were together… Of course, I thought that she was likely dead up until recently, so I didn't think to consider it until now… That would be something special, wouldn't you say?
Finally, You see Reese standing alone in his room.
Reese: My relationship with House Schweighen has always been complicated… I'd rather not discuss it right now, if that's alright with you. I have too much to think about with us moving in their direction over the next moon or so. I'll tell you if anything needs to be communicated, but this isn't going to be pleasant for any of us. Then again, what part of war actually is fun in the first place?
You walk to the library, and You find Ernst inside.
Ernst: It's nice to get a break up here every once in a while. As much as I love Abyss, I need to step away from time to time, and the collection here truly is impressive. I can't believe that it took me so long to start investigating the volumes found here. I could spend years sifting through all of these books… Imagine being able to do that instead of fighting in the war… Oh, that would be a dream, but it's hardly feasible now. Too bad.
Lastly, You find your way to the cardinals' room, and Magnolia and Luciana are engaged in conversation within.
Magnolia: House Schweighen abruptly changed hands many years ago, and that was when Professor Schweighen was expelled from the territory.
Luciana: According to my research, his uncle was responsible for the upheaval, and it ended with Professor Schweighen's parents being killed.
Magnolia: I can tell that the idea makes you feel nervous… I can hardly say that I blame you given your circumstances.
Luciana: I… I'm going to do my best to keep my emotions from getting in the way of what we must do. We have a mission, and I'm going to ensure that I carry out my part.
Magnolia: I understand… If you need anything, I'm here. It's the least I can do after all you've done for me in the past five years.
Luciana: I'm alright, but I appreciate the offer. Thank you, Magnolia.
With your rounds of the monastery finished for the day, You move back to your room, and Seraphine speaks on the way there.
Seraphine: I do hope that the coming mission ends in success… I know that's a natural wish, but I can tell that this is going to be a big battle. This is our first time trying to defeat a noble house since we returned from our slumber… I guess that there's a lot more riding on this fight than one would have expected at a first glance.
You say that You're determined to find victory.
Seraphine: I had a feeling you were going to say that… But we can't win quite yet. We have too much to take care of right now. Go on and get some rest. We'll have more time to discuss this another time.
You nod as You settle down for the night. You wonder if Reese will be alright given his personal stake in the coming battle, and your thoughts are cast back to Drake de la Brache and the assassins responsible for the fall of House Dragoste. You hope that they will show their faces once again in the future, and You vow for the sake of your students to defeat them once and for all this time. As You drift into slumber, You hope that everyone endures the coming battle, and You strengthen your resolve once again, vowing to not fail regardless of what comes…
We're getting close to the halfway mark of this path now!
-Digital