At the start of the next moon, You make your way up to the cardinals' room. Seraphine speaks to You along the way.
Seraphine: I bet that we're going to have to talk about what happened during the previous battle… So much took place at the end before the enemy forces retreated. Now that Magnolia's had time to think about it, we have a lot of discussing to do.
You nod your agreement as You arrive in the cardinals' room. The Blue Lions are already there.
Magnolia: Alright… That's all of us. I guess that we should discuss what happened at the end of the last fight.
Nora: Yeah, we've all noticed that you've been acting off as of late. Go on and tell us what happened when you saw the enemy commander.
Magnolia: The one leading the charge was the person who killed my father… He said as much himself. He had already killed one king, and he wouldn't hesitate to do it again. He was from Albinea.
Cassia: I can't say that I blame him for growing angry enough to resort to violence… The previous king of Faerghus did such cruel things against the people of Albinea.
Aestlyn: I guess that he's still trying to exact his revenge against the royal family. Magnolia isn't like her father, but he doesn't have a way of knowing that.
Karim: Yeah. Many nobles are aware of her actions to help Albinea, but few are truly confident in the fact that she has Albinean blood. Perhaps that would be enough to change his mind.
Magnolia: I don't know if it would have done that much, if I'm being honest… He already made his choice about how he feels about me, and I don't think that I would have been able to change that. Still, even if he's upset with the way that Faerghus has operated in the past… That isn't going to stop me from making sure that nothing like this happens again.
Reese: Of course it won't stop you. We know how you are, and we're aware that you're trying to fight for change both within Faerghus and outside of it.
Luciana: I suspect that the leader of the enemy faction… You said his name was Marcus, I believe… I think that Marcus was working with the other Malice groups primarily out of convenience.
Illona: I bet so too. You know, he would have probably been forced to work with the other nobles that were trying to overthrow Faerghus for their own gains, but since we've gotten rid of most of them, that gives him free reign over his actions now.
Kyle: We're going to have to stop him before he completely tears apart the country, but… He's fighting for what he thinks is right. That much I'm sure of. He wouldn't be doing all of this if he didn't think that it was right.
Magnolia: I imagine that it isn't an uncommon sentiment among people from Albinea to hate Faerghus as a whole. I would feel the same way in their situation. In fact, there's a reason that I've been such an unpopular ruler among the nobility.
Reese: You've worked against the way that the country had functioned before you took the throne. That's not a bad thing at all.
Magnolia: In another world… I believe that we could have worked together to make this world a better place. In fact, I'm sure that it would have been possible. Instead, we find ourselves as enemies.
Nora: What are you going to do then? Are you going to fight against him even though you know how he feels?
Illona: I don't know if diplomacy would even be possible at this point. The damage has been done on both sides of the conflict. As much as I want for us to reach a mutual agreement, I don't know if we can.
Magnolia: I'm going to try, but I understand that it might not be possible. If he refuses my offers of peace, then I'll do what I have to in order to save my country and the people living there. Faerghus has made poor choices in the past, but I don't think that it's just to punish the common people who had nothing to do with this decision.
Kyle: The nobility of the previous generation made the mistakes that caused Albinea to fall to ruin. The common people weren't involved with the fights that caused everything to fall apart on both sides.
Cassia: I suppose that we know what we have to do now if push comes to shove… As much as we hate the idea, we know what's necessary.
Aestlyn: For the time being, we should dedicate our attention to invading House Goneril's territories.
Falon: I agree. Our fight there was held off because of the previous invasion of the monastery, but our chance to charge in that direction has come.
Karim: I know that I'm going to be looking forward to this after all of the bad things I've heard about House Goneril.
Falon: It's certainly going to be an interesting experience… We'll have to be prepared for what's to come though.
Luciana: If we've worked everything out, we should start to get ourselves ready once again to march on Goneril territory. This time, we aren't going to be attacked before we have the chance. We're more than ready to face another invasion if we have to.
Magnolia: Exactly. Everyone is dismissed. Be careful to stay safe so that we're ready for the battle to come.
You nod and watch as the Blue Lions leave the room. Soon enough, only You and Magnolia are left behind. You ask if Magnolia is alright.
Magnolia: I don't know, if I'm being honest… I don't like the situation that we've been placed in. Our enemy is someone who's understandably angry due to abuses that Faerghus played out without a shred of remorse. I could have very easily wound up on that side of the conflict if I was born in different circumstances.
You nod your understanding.
Magnolia: It leaves me with a lot to think about. I have to wonder… Is it even worth trying to save Faerghus at this rate? From a political standpoint, my country has done so much to harm others. Does something so twisted even have a chance of being salvaged?
You say that You cannot answer that for her.
Magnolia: I suppose that it's a choice I'll have to make for myself… I want to be the change in the world that everyone wants to see. I need to fix everything that's happened in the past for my own sake… I've already done so much to distance myself from the actions of my father. I've dropped the Josefa surname from my title, you know. I didn't think that it was right to wear something of that nature after all that's happened.
You tell her that You are proud she made the best choice for herself.
Magnolia: Thank you, Professor… I'm going to give it more thought for a while. It'll be awhile before we cross paths with Marcus again, I'm sure. Maybe I'll have found an answer by then. Maybe there isn't an answer at all since this is war, and there's never any good to be found in war… I'm getting a bit too philosophical now. Thank you for talking to me, Professor. I'll see you later.
You nod and leave the cardinals' room as Seraphine begins to speak once more.
Seraphine: I didn't realize that all of this was going to have such a large impact on Magnolia… But I know that this isn't exactly a nice situation for any of us. Given that she has heritage from Albinea, it's understandable that this would upset her in particular… I'm going to trust her judgement though. If she wants to work for change, then I'm going to follow after her no matter what. I can tell that you want to do the same thing.
You nod your agreement.
Seraphine: For the time being, let's see how everyone is doing around the monastery. Everyone new is getting settled in, and I'm looking forward to talking to them for the first time in so long. We certainly have a lot to discuss with them…
You arrive at your room just before You start your rounds of the monastery. You start by making your way to the Officers Academy. You find Adrian standing in the courtyard.
Adrian: Seeing everyone back here again is so nice… It's almost like we're back to normal. You know, the whole war situation aside. I guess that just kind of comes with the territory at this point though, huh? Oh, well. We're doing our best, and that's what matters most to me. I'll stand by you no matter what comes next, and I'm sure that everyone else feels the same.
Inside the Black Eagles' classroom, You cross paths with Aquillus.
Aquillus: My noble house fell recently in the coup led by our newly crowned emperor. I would be lying if I said that my parents didn't deserve what came for them. My siblings are currently waiting for me in Enbarr… It's been too long since I saw them. I can't wait to see how they've been doing again.
You see Nora in the Blue Lions' classroom.
Nora: Taking care of the monastery is much easier now that we have so many extra hands on deck. We're going to use their help to its maximum capacity, let me tell you. I'm sure that we'll be able to use their assistance in the coming mission as well. Goneril territory will fall this time, I'm sure.
Finally, You cross paths with Adeline in the Golden Deer classroom.
Adeline: Having everyone back here really does remind me of old times… I want to get all of my old classmates in here for a little while just to see them in a familiar space. I never thought this would happen again, but here we are… Fate sure does have a funny way of working, wouldn't you say?
You move to the training hall next. There, You see Piers.
Piers: It's so strange to see people here who we presumed dead at one point. Now, we understand that we shouldn't have been so quick to assume that they had perished. I'm glad to see them once again… I just wish that everyone who perished in the war could return to life…
You also find Cassia in the training hall.
Cassia: With everyone here, that should make our work from here on out even easier than before. Lady Aisa resurfacing makes this battle interesting, I must say. She hid away for so long… I'm not going to question why she did that. I don't believe that the details are important right now anyways.
Finally, You encounter Rodain there.
Rodain: I honestly don't know how I felt about Captain Torryn's chasing after Lady Aisa. I wanted to believe that she was right, but part of me always doubted her… I guess I learned now why I shouldn't ever think that the captain is wrong on this stuff, huh? She really was right in the end.
Outside the training hall, You find Derric.
Derric: While we were fighting our own battle here, the other groups were making strikes all over the continent too. I heard about it, yes, but it's different to be able to listen to them tell personal stories about what happened now that they're here fighting with us. It's like this war happened in a different lifetime.
On the bottom floor of dorms, You find William.
William: My noble house was one of those that supported Raithius all this time. I'm glad that I did that, you know. Everyone who tried to stand up to him and destroy the continent has been defeated since then. It's what they deserved if you ask me. They were the ones who tried to make everything fall apart.
You find Florence nearby as well.
Florence: Adrestia being taken back is going to make it a way safer place from here on out. I'm happy to hear that, to say the least. My family was struggling for years, but they'll finally be able to take a deep breath with the death of the previous emperor. Here's to hoping the future is a bit brighter.
Near the staircase to the second floor of dorms, You find Nesreen standing in the shadows.
Nesreen: Lady Aisa's return is going to change the fate of the continent forever. She'll be able to take her place as the leader of the church once again, and that will give us more than enough room to alter what happens after the war. I've missed her all this time, and I'm sure that others have as well…
You walk upstairs to the second floor of dorms next. There, You find Zelhira speaking with Liram.
Zelhira: Ah, Professor… I think that it's time you met my father.
Liram: I am Liram von Schlarzer. It's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard much about you from my daughter.
Zelhira: He's spent quite some time fighting alongside the resistance army, and he's going to be aiding us from now on.
Liram: I'd be more than happy to help. Just say the word.
You go back downstairs. Inside the greenhouse, You see Aestlyn.
Aestlyn: The monastery is so lively these days… It's been so long since we saw people around here in such plentiful amounts. I guess I had given up on seeing everyone back here ages ago, but… Here everyone is. I wouldn't have had it any other way. I just wish that we could have reunited sooner.
You find Cedric outside the greenhouse.
Cedric: I honestly don't know what to say about everything that's happened as of late. It all began so quickly, and now everyone is back together as if nothing happened at all. We're still at war, of course, but… I think that we all needed something like this. To see each other again, I mean. I know that I did.
You walk to the fishing hole next. Near the dock, You find Taiyin.
Taiyin: It feels like everything can finally go back to normal now that all of the Ashen Wolves are back in Abyss. Everyone missed having us together, I suppose. I'm happy that we're here again too. It'll certainly make it easier to fight in the upcoming segments of this war. I'm not looking forward to it, but at least we're together.
You also find Saias in the area.
Saias: The enemies who invaded Abyss five years ago have been taken care of once and for all now. We had a few issues with that before you came back here, you know. That was what prompted Eli and Quinn to set out in the first place. At least it's all over and in the past now. That's all I can ask for honestly.
You see Hegias standing on the edge of the dock.
Hegias: I heard from the Knights of Seiros that Evenor perished in the past five years… While they were searching for Lady Aisa, they crossed paths with her and defeated her. I don't really know how I'm supposed to respond to something like that, if I'm being honest… So far, I just feel numb…
You go to the sauna next. You find Niko standing outside.
Niko: Everybody's so much older now compared to five years ago. I don't think that anyone is as innocent as they once were either. Their eyes seem so old, like they've seen hell and come back from it with its fires inside of them. Call me dramatic all you want, but I really do think that they've changed.
Your next destination is the dining hall. You find Kyle inside.
Kyle: Defeating House Goneril isn't going to be an easy feat even with all of these added forces by our side. We're going to have to be careful. I've heard all sorts of awful things about the lady of the territory, and if that's not a reason for us to remain cautious, then I don't know what could apply.
You also find Karim in the dining hall.
Karim: All of our defenses have been set up in preparation for another potential assault against the monastery. I was sure that there were no weak points in everything that we had to set up. We shouldn't have to scramble against any giant invasions again like that, and I'm considering that a positive.
Finally, You see Sofia speaking with Conrad.
Sofia: Professor, it's good to see you. There's somebody that I want you to meet. This is my younger brother, Conrad.
Conrad: It's… It's nice to meet you.
Sofia: He's not exactly the most experienced with all of this, but we're looking out for him regardless. He's a nice kid, I promise. Raithius and Novalee have been helping me out by looking after him lately.
Conrad: …
Sofia: It'll take him some time to adjust to life here at the monastery, but he'll get used to it soon enough.
You walk to the marketplace. There, You see Tuncay.
Tuncay: There are so many new supplies here as of late… Look at everything that the Knights of Seiros were able to bring around when they came back here. I didn't realize that they had access to so much, but I'm not complaining. It'll be so much easier to forge amazing weapons from now on.
You also find Yuliya there.
Yuliya: The Knights of Seiros are back… I don't know how to feel about that, if I'm being honest. I'm not trying to say that I hate the Knights of Seiros or anything, but I certainly have opinions on the way that some soldiers feel they can act within the faction… You know what? Just forget I said anything.
You arrive at the stables next. You find Lev in the area.
Lev: There are so many more animals in here than you would expect… The monastery was abandoned for so long aside from the thieves that took up residence inside, and I'm glad that this area was at least mostly untouched. This would be a difficult space to repair if the damages were too heavy, after all.
You also find Gabriel there.
Gabriel: It's nice to come up here every once in a while, I have to say. It seems like everything is falling apart in the world outside, but at least there's some peace around here. The monastery is the one point of stability in this ridiculous world. I'm glad that it's like this, I have to say… We need this place.
You make your way to the entrance hall. You find Wolfgang and Calypso speaking there.
Wolfgang: There you are, Professor! I was wondering where you were. Allow me to introduce you to Calypso, my good friend and an informant of mine.
Calypso: I've heard many great things about you.
Wolfgang: She's been doing a lot for me lately when it comes to gathering intel from other sources.
Calypso: We make a good pair.
Wolfgang: Stop thinking something snarky about me. I can feel it.
Calypso: So what if I am? What are you going to do about it?
Wolfgang: Ugh… Ignore her, Professor. She's always like this.
Calypso: You act like you're any different.
Wolfgang: Oh, zip it.
You also see Raithius and Novalee together in the entrance hall.
Raithius: I'm still incredibly relieved that we decided to stop by the monastery instead of just heading to meet them at Goneril territory.
Novalee: I told you that I felt as if something was wrong, and I'm glad to see that my instincts were correct.
Raithius: Look at you, Nova, being such a smart little cookie. What in the world would I do without you?
Novalee: I don't know. You'd probably be a bit less organized for one.
Raithius: You wound me, Nova! I'm totally organized!
Novalee: Yeah… Sure.
Raithius: Nova!
You go to the knights' hall next. There, You see Cordelia speaking with Kaeta.
Cordelia: It's good to see that you're still doing alright after all this time, Kaeta.
Kaeta: I'm happy that you're okay too. I thought about you a lot after I came to the monastery.
Cordelia: I'm sure that you gained a lot of valuable experience here. You've changed in your fighting style, you know. I can tell.
Kaeta: Maybe I'll be able to actually join the Knights of Seiros officially after the war ends then! It's not as if anybody can join the ranks right now, but… Hey, there's nothing wrong with hoping!
Cordelia: I think that you've more than earned that honor, title or not. I'm proud of you, Kaeta.
Kaeta: Thanks, Captain Torryn…!
You also find Wynne in the room.
Wynne: Only Captain Torryn and Roy were able to talk with Lady Aisa at first… Or so I've heard. She wasn't even planning on coming back, but they managed to convince her that it would be a good idea. I'm glad they did. I'm sure that she's a terror on the battlefield. I can just tell.
Finally, You cross paths with Miriam.
Miriam: Lady Aisa's return implies that the Church of Seiros could rise to its previous state of prominence whether we like it or not. It's something for us to consider when we get ready for the world as it will stand after the war. We have a lot of thinking to do when it comes to the future, though I suppose it's only par for the course at this point.
Your next destination is the reception hall. You find Polly speaking with Morgana there.
Polly: Professor… That's right. You haven't met Morgana yet. This is my older sister, Morgana.
Morgana: It's a pleasure to meet you…
Polly: Trust me when I say that she's someone we can count on. Our brother is gone, so she's going to be taking over important duties of our territory after the war.
Morgana: You wouldn't believe how happy Polly was when he was finally struck down… But I suppose that isn't important right now.
Polly: We're together. That's what I'm choosing to focus on.
You also find Illona in the reception hall.
Illona: I've been doing as much research as possible over the past few days, you know. House Goneril probably was responsible for the attack on the monastery, at least partially. I bet they sent in a few troops to stop us when they realized we were targeting that territory next. It's a shame that won't be enough for them to escape what comes next… A shame for them, that is.
Finally, You see Luciana in the area.
Luciana: Magnolia has been doing a lot of thinking as of late about the enemy commander… I don't think that she entirely knows what she's going to do. Everyone is counting on her to be strong… But I'm positive that she's going to make the right decision. I have full confidence in her, and everyone else should too.
You make your way to the cathedral. There, You find Grey and Ansel engaged in conversation.
Grey: Finally, Abyss is back to normal… I've been looking forward to this day.
Ansel: No more missing people and no more attacks from outside forces… Perfect.
Grey: If not for the war, I would consider this a perfect outcome, but I guess we have a bit more work to take care of still.
Ansel: Oh, well. We'll get it out of the way soon enough. It's just a matter of time before everything goes down.
You see Magnus in the cathedral as well.
Magnus: The people of Abyss have felt safer roaming the monastery with the Ashen Wolves all back together now. I think that they needed to hear that everything was alright before they thought it was okay to leave. All this time, they were just underground, never wanting to just walk upstairs… Hmph.
You cross paths with Roy next.
Roy: I spent the past five years with Captain Torryn trying to track down Lady Aisa. When we finally did find her, she outright refused to help us in the war. We were able to convince her after a bit of pushing though, and I'm glad that we did. She didn't show up until the battle, but I'm still glad that she's here. We need her.
Finally, You find Callisto there.
Callisto: The nobles of Adrestia might have suffered a lot in the past few moons, but I don't think I care much. The common people have been through hell and back, but at least that's all over now. I'm sure that we finally have a ruler who cares about us now. Who would have guessed it would take so long though?
You make your way down to Abyss. There, You find Eli and Quinn speaking on Burrow Street.
Eli: Abyss again… It's been too long since we were last here.
Quinn: I've missed this place dearly since our departure months ago.
Eli: We took care of what we had to though. We don't need to fear any new invasions. Everything is alright now.
Quinn: May Abyss see peace from here on out. It's the least that these innocent people deserve after all the war has done.
Eli: I'm hoping for that too…
On Chrysalis Row, You find Tsubasa.
Tsubasa: I didn't realize that one battle was capable of changing so much. We were so sure that the Imperial princess and archbishop were dead, but here they are, alive and fighting. All it took was one fight for fate to change on its heel. This outcome was certainly for the best if you ask me.
Finally, You make your way into the Ashen Wolves' classroom. Ernst is inside.
Ernst: Lady Aisa's return is going to raise morale everywhere for us. Religion has been a pillar of stability for many, and Lady Aisa is the figure that the people will want to rally around on that front. I think that this is going to do far more for us than any of us had a way of assuming from the start.
With your business in Abyss finished, You go to the second floor of the monastery. You find Chris standing in the audience chamber.
Chris: After the Battle of Garreg Mach, Argades declared that I had died. It was his issue in the end. He never bothered to check for a body, too caught up in his own confidence to think of it. How funny that someone he thought he overlooked wound up destroying his empire from the inside out… In a way, it's poetry in motion.
You find Herwig in his room.
Herwig: The last battle showed me quite a bit about the war and what we thought was true, I have to say. I was so sure that it was impossible for us all to reunite, and yet here we are without any issues. This is our first step to changing everything for the better starting with the invasion of Goneril territory. That much I'm sure of.
You see Reese is in his room as well.
Reese: The enemy commander certainly does give you a lot to think about on top of the return of our old companions, wouldn't you say? Both sides of the last battle were fighting for the same thing, and yet, we came at odds with one another. War is a cruel beast through and through. Truer words were never spoken.
You walk into Jill's room and find her inside with Aisa. Note: this event will play out at the end of the exploration day even if it was not triggered manually.
Jill: Ah, Professor… You're here to check on Janae, I see.
You nod.
Aisa: She's been improving, but the injury she suffered from was still grave…
Jill: Evenor's been taken care of now, so she's been avenged. I'm sure that will be a relief for when she wakes up.
Aisa: I pray that she is alright when she does… After all, she has been unconscious for the past five years…
You promise to look after her as soon as she awakens.
Jill: That's good to hear. I know you two were close before she was attacked.
Aisa: I am sure that she would love that, Professor…
Jill: If anything happens, we'll be sure to update you as soon as possible.
You thank her for such.
Aisa: You are welcome… Feel free to enjoy the remainder of your day. We will take care of her.
You leave the room after your conversation with them has finished. In the commons' room, You find Falon.
Falon: My father was from House Goneril. He left behind his station when he fell in love with my mother and was subsequently disowned. He always tried to reach out to them again, to make everything right again, but… He died before he had the chance. It's cruel irony that I have to fight them now even if the rumors tell grand stories about how unpleasant they are.
Finally, You see Magnolia in the cardinals' room.
Magnolia: The next battle is what we should be focusing on first and foremost. I might not know what I want to do in the long term regarding our foe's leading commander, but I'm going to figure out when the time is right. For now, everyone is counting on me to lead the charge into Goneril territory, and not even the goddess will be able to stop me from carrying out that mission.
With your rounds for the day finished, You walk back to your room. Seraphine speaks to You on the way.
Seraphine: It's nice to see everyone back here at long last… It's been so long since everyone was here. I didn't even think that this was going to be possible after we heard about a few supposed deaths from others in the monastery. It seems that I was wrong in assuming that, huh?
You nod and say that You are happy it played out this way.
Seraphine: Me too… I just hope that we'll be able to speak with Janae again soon. If what Lady Aisa said is to be believed, we'll be able to see her up and moving around one of these days. For now though, I suppose that all we can do is go about our daily business, huh?
You tell her that You are going to fight back against House Goneril when the time arrives.
Seraphine: That's a good idea. We don't want to make this any more difficult for ourselves than it already is, huh? For now, we have our mission… And we're going to have to see how the battle unfolds against our enemy. Magnolia is going to have the final say, but we'll stand behind her no matter what.
You nod your confirmation.
Seraphine: For now though, let's go on and get some rest. This is going to be a big month, after all.
You settle down for the night soon afterwards. Your eyes shut, and You find yourself smiling at how excited You are to see everyone back together once again. Much time has passed, but things are somewhat back to the way that they were before. You vow to fight as much as You have to in order to end the war and save those who have suffered in the past, and You know that this mission is simply the first step. When the time comes, You will do anything to ensure that the innocent are saved from this chaos and pain…
We're back!
-Digital