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Hringhorni – Briefing Room
Wagner: We have received word from the South. They are open to preliminary negotiations for peace talks.
Yang Long: What are the conditions they’re offering to the North?
Wagner: First, a ceasefire, then the maintenance of the current borders and the establishment of a no-fly zone.
Tytti: And yet the North refuses to send a representative?
Guido: It can’t be helped. They’re wary as to the intentions of the South.
Guido: There is a possibility that this could all be a trap, so it’s only natural that they refuse to send a representative.
Masaki: I don’t blame them. With Ongaredd on their side, I don’t trust them much either.
Mio: They could at least send Rodney.
Tytti: Rodney already has many responsibilities as a senator.
Tytti: There are rumors that he could be a candidate for the Shutedonias Presidency, so he can’t act rashly.
Mio: I see…looks like pops has moved up in the world.
Xenia: Speaking of moving up, Akreid’s been promoted to Major. And he’s expected to make Lieutenant Colonel any day now.
Masaki: Huh? Wasn’t he just a lieutenant when we first met him?
Xenia: He’s been steadily climbing the ranks since then. In fact, his strategies are so effective, it’s a little scary.
Guido: Apparently he’s gained the moniker of “The Inscrutable Strategist Akreid”. I’d like to square off against him some time.
Masaki: I don’t. He’s a third-class pilot, but the troops he leads are a pain.
Gino: Masaki, you may be a first-class pilot, but you come up short as a commander.
Masaki: Geez, real subtle way of telling me I’m not that bright. Shut up.
Wagner: Alright, let’s head to the peace negotiations. The locations is on the outskirts of Soum City, near the provisional border.
*The Hringhorni flies from Delhat to Soum*
Bradroy: What’s going on here?
Colette: We’re currently making inquiries.
Masaki: What’s going on? Something happen?
Sharian: A large number of Masouki have been deployed at the site for the negotiations.
Masaki: So it’s a trap!?
Colette: Contact with the other party established! Putting it onto the main monitor!
（モニターオン）
Ongaredd the Diplomat
Ongaredd: I bid you welcome, members of the Antiras Squad.
Mio: I hate it when this creep talks like some sort of dictator.
Masaki: Ongaredd! So the Masouki gathered here are your doing!?
Ongaredd: Watch your mouth. I’m an advisor to the president. I expect you to address me by my proper title.
Masaki: Y-You…
Wagner: Presidential Advisor, would you care to explain this?
Ongaredd: Certainly. You’ve brought your own Masouki with you. Why should we not be allowed to do the same?
Wagner: Hm, I see. Very well.
Ongaredd: The negotiations will take place at the temporary camp. You are permitted to bring your Masouki.
Ongaredd: I hope that we will be able to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
Soum Suburbs
Wagner: Well, what do you think, Masaki?
Masaki: If we go unarmed, we’ll be playing right into his hands. I’ll take the other Masoukishin heralds, Lune, Xenia, Gaen and Wendy with me.
Bradroy: I’ll have the ship waiting at a distance. If anything happens, contact me right away.
Masaki: Right, we’re off.
Within the makeshift camp
Mio: They pitched this camp shortly before we arrived, right? The furnishings are strangely opulent, considering.
Xenia: Ongaredd’s the kind of man who likes to show off his authority.
Xenia: Even though this is really bad taste.
Ongaredd: Apologies for having kept you waiting.
Tytti: Thank you for agreeing to these preliminary peace talks, Advisor Ongaredd.
Ongaredd: We also wish to bring an end to this conflict. Now, let me begin by presenting our demands.
Ongaredd: Please take a look at the document on the monitor in front of you.
Masaki: …? What? Am I reading this number right…?
Xenia: Huh!? That’s…that’s crazy!
Tytti: !? Advisor Ongaredd!!
Ongaredd: Yes, what is it, Lady Tytti?
Tytti: …Are you sure these numbers are correct?
Ongaredd: Yes, it’s something we reviewed many times. See the president’s signature on it?
Wendy: Advisor, don’t you think that these numbers are rather unreasonable?
Ongaredd: Unreasonable? What do you consider reasonable, then? The entire reason for this war could be summed up as people being unreasonable, yes?
Yang Long: But to demand twenty years of GDP as reparation is borderline insane.
Ongaredd: Oh, so you’re saying that the people on the surface have never done something similar?
Yang Long: On the surface, it created a lot of resentment and eventually sparked a new conflict. Are you intending to do the same thing?
Tytti: And that’s not all. Ceding territory in resource-rich areas, limiting the sovereignty of the Northern States…
Tytti: Don’t you think your demands are unreasonable?
Ongaredd: Isn’t that why we’re holding these negotiations? If you want us to make concessions, you’ll need to provide us with the grounds to make those concessions.
Xenia: …In that case, I’d like to raise an issue of my own.
Ongaredd: By all means. I’ll gladly listen to anything you have to say.
Masaki: …Hey Wendy.
Wendy: Yes?
Masaki: At this rate, are the negotiations going to take a long time?
Wendy: Yes, certainly.
Masaki: …In that case, I’m going to the restroom first.
Wendy: O-Okay.
Ongaredd: …There’s no basis for those numbers. There are no such villains in our country.
Xenia: There is a basis. There’s also physical evidence…
Ongaredd: That’s an odd thing to say. Pardon my frankness, but it would be very easy for you to forge such evidence, wouldn’t it, Princess Xenia?
Xenia: I’d say that you have no basis to make such an accusation.
Ongaredd: If you have evidence that’s more macroscopic, I would like to hear it.
Xenia: In that case…
Ongaredd: Oh, before we go any further. I believe it’s almost time for lunch. I’ll see that something is brought to us.
Ongaredd: We’ll continue our conversation afterwards.
Xenia: …Very well.
Masaki: Ugh…it’s now twelve o’clock. We’ve been talking for three hours straight, how much longer is this gonna go on for?
Tytti: It’s only a preliminary negotiation, so things should be going faster than they are…
Masaki: Man…Ongaredd knows how to drag out a conversation. Anyway, time to eat.
Yang Long: The cession of territory is in clear violation of the Alliance Treaty. It’s impossible to accept that term.
Ongaredd: Oh? And yet it was done in the Four Seasons War.
Yang Long: That was not a cession, it was an exercise of municipal sovereignty.
Ongaredd: Officially, yes, but on the surface its the same thing.
Tytti: That’s too great a leap in logic. You can’t judge an event based on outcome without considering the process.
Masaki: …They haven’t made any new concessions since before lunch. I’m starting to think that they aren’t taking this thing seriously.
Mio: It’s been seven hours since we started negotiating…I’m completely worn out…
Xenia: ? Oh, excuse me. I’ve got a call coming in.
Mio: Ah, my guess is that everyone else is sick of waiting.
Xenia: Huh? O-Okay! We’ll be there ASAP! Masaki!!
Masaki: What’s wrong!? Did something happen to the Hringhorni!?
Xenia: They’re under attack by a group of terrorists! There’s even some members of the Volkruss Cult!
Masaki: Say what!?
Masaki: Hey, Ongaredd! Are you…!?
Ongaredd: Goodness, that sounds like quite the emergency. By all means go and defend your ship
Masaki: Rgh…
Lune: I have a hunch that you’re behind all this!
Ongaredd: That’s rather insulting. On what grounds do you make such an accusation?
Masaki: Tch…we don’t have time for this! We need to get back to the Hringhorni right now!!
Ongaredd: Oh, before you do that, I would like you to sign on the documents that we have agreed upon. I’d rather not have you renege on your decisions at a later date.
Tytti: …Fine. I’ll stay and sign.
Tytti: Everyone else hurry back to the Hringhorni!
Masaki: Right!!
Chapter 29: The Closed Road to Peace
*The Hringhorni appears in a field, surrounded by Masouki and undead spirits*
Demin: Oh, it looks like it’s true that the Masoukishin are nowhere to be found.
Erik: Fine by me, it’s easier this way.
Wulf: I should have liked to repay my debt to them…
Margaret: My feelings exactly. Still, don’t forget that we aren’t your allies beyond this.
Demin: My that’s harsh. But a contract’s a contract.
Tsurein: Of course they’d attack while Masaki and the others are gone…
Gino: No complaining, Tsurein. We’ll have to do what we can by ourselves.
Fang: We’re more than enough to take care of these guys!
Zash: I’ll do my best, for Lune!
Becky: The Volkruss Cult, terrorists…and mercenaries on top of that. It’s like a pseudo-multinational army.
Simone: Don’t let the Hringhorni fall, you guys!
Guido: We have about thirty minutes until Masaki and the others return…we’ll have to hold out somehow.
（作戦目的表示、出撃選択）
*Turn 4 Player Phase, Cybuster, Granveil, Zamzeed and one unit of player choice arrive on the scene*
Masaki: Sorry to keep you waiting!!
Yang Long: I won’t let you have your way!
Mio: Leave it to me!!
{Gaen VS Wulf}
Wulf: Hmph, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to cross swords with you…but this will be the last.
Gaen: That’s my line.
{Zash VS Wulf}
Wulf: Zashford Zan Valhalevia…
Wulf: Your father, Kirkus, was once part of our ranks. Why don’t you follow his example?
Zash: Don’t mock my father!
Zash: It’s true that what he did…was wrong.
Zash: But that doesn’t mean he was one of you!
{Fang VS Wulf}
Fang: I won’t let you get away!
Wulf: Hm…a man who can do nothing but charge ahead recklessly. This should be over with quickly.
Fang: Don’t underestimate me!
{Simone VS Margaret}
Simone: Margaret!! You’ve hit a new low if you’re allying with the Volkruss Cult!
Margaret: To avenge Colonel Rasetz, I would gladly burn myself in the fires of hell!
{Masaki VS Margaret}
Margaret: You! This time I will deliver your head to Colonel Rasetz’s grave!
Masaki: …You’ve been living on this hatred for a long time now, haven’t you?
Margaret: !? That pitying tone…don’t insult me!
*Defeat Wulf*
Wulf: The Antiras Squad…has only gotten stronger…we can’t let down our guard.
*Defeat Margaret*
Margaret: Tch…this isn’t over! I will avenge the Colonel one day, I swear it!
*Stage ends when all enemies are defeated*
Hringhorni – Briefing Room
Masaki: So what now? Are the negotiations off?
Xenia: That’s what they’re saying.
Wagner: So any agreements that you reached are also off the table?
Xenia: Yes, any agreements reached during the negotiations will be nullified.
Gino: I see…so our efforts to barter for peace have all come to naught.
Tytti: Based on the unreasonable demands he made at the beginning, it’s clear that Ongaredd had no intention of reaching any kind of settlement…
Guido: So there must have been some other reason for bringing us to the negotiating table.
Masaki: I don’t know about that, but…look who it was that attacked the Hringhorni while we were away…
Zash: But, there were Volkruss cultists in that attack. Does that mean the South has allied itself with the Volkruss Cult?
Guido: It’s a possibility that can’t be denied. Especially considering the position that Ongaredd holds.
Simone: But the South has the upper hand, right? There’d be no need for them to go to such lengths…
Xenia: That’s no longer the case. Ever since the fortress incident, the North has launched a series of very successful offenses…
Xenia: Now both sides are about at equal strength.
Masaki: Let me guess…Akreid’s handiwork?
Xenia: I don’t know for certain, but considering all that’s been going on, I think it’s highly likely.
Xenia: Oh, and there’s also the possibility that Rodney’s had a hand in all that.
Masaki: I see…that means the South can’t afford to get complacent.
Xenia: Oh, I just remembered. I’m going to be returning to Langran to conduct research.
Masaki: What kind of research?
Xenia: I can’t say just yet. It shouldn’t take too long.
Masaki: All right…be careful.
Xenia: Don’t worry. I’ll be bringing Fang along as a bodyguard.
Fang: Huh? This is the first I’ve of it, Princess Xenia.
Xenia: It’s not like you’re in the middle of anything. Just come along.
Fang: Fine.
Hringhorni – Mess Hall
Masaki: Hm? What are you guys doing?
Lune: Eh? Whoa! Masaki!?
Wendy: N-Nothing, nothing at all.
Precia: You need something, bro?
Masaki: Well, I’m a bit hungry. I though I’d pick up something to eat.
Precia: No way, it’s almost dinnertime. You’ll just have to wait.
Masaki: Okay, okay, sheesh. See you later.
Lune: Phew…that was close.
Wendy: I can’t believe he would be snack-running so close to dinner…
Precia: My bro’s something of a glutton. He usually eats something right before dinner.
Lune: I wish you’d warned us about that.
Precia: I gave him something to snack on earlier today…
Wendy: Considering he said that he was still hungry, he really must have a huge appetite…
Lune: Well, I managed to hide our “project”, so everything’s fine. Let’s continue.
Precia: Ah, yes. Now, just add a little pepper.
Lune: A little…is this enough?
Precia: Aaah!! Lune, stop!! That’s way too much!
Lune: Huh? Really?
Precia: Ugh…now its too spicy.
Lune: Don’t worry about it. We’ll just add more ingredients and water to balance it out.
Precia: That’s a really slipshod way of fixing things…
Wendy: I’m not sure how much constitutes “a little”. One shake? Two?
Precia: Umm…I’d say two shakes.
Wendy: Two shakes, then.
Lune: What’s next?
Precia: Hmm, a pinch of salt.
Lune: …That’s hard to measure. Is this enough?
Precia: Uh…well, we can always add more, so that’s probably enough.
Wendy: One pinch is…how many melmacs1？
Precia: Huh? Well…I’ve never measured it’s weight, so I can’t give you an exact number…
Wendy: Really? So there’s no way to reproduce it?
Precia: It’s about how much you can pinch between your forefinger and thumb.
Wendy: Could you demonstrate?
Precia: Eh? Uh, sure…
Precia: It’s about this much.
Wendy: Okay, now put it on this scale.
Precia: …Wendy, that’s a tool used for precision measurement…
Wendy: I need it for an accurate reading. Let’s see, 0.9273 melmacs.
Precia: You don’t need to be that precise…
Lune: Whoa! Why’s it spilling over the top!?
Precia: Ugh, no! Don’t turn the heat that high! I said to use medium heat.
Lune: Oh, uh, I thought it’d cook faster that way.
Wendy: How do I tell when the heat is at medium?
Precia: Hmm, I’d say when the flame on the stove just reaches the bottom of the pot…
Wendy: Um…eyeballing it isn’t exactly reliable. I’ll just use my excitation measurement device…
Wendy: If I average out the fluctuations…11.4 korgotz.
Precia: You really don’t need to be that precise…
Lune: Heheheh…
Lune: Done!
Wendy: 3, 2, 1…finished!
Precia: Hmmm…I’m not so sure about this.
Lune: Please give us your verdict, Chef Precia!
Wendy: Please do.
Precia: Uh…do I really have to?
Lune: Yeah, if you don’t, we won’t know if we reproduced that Precia flavor?
Precia: I don’t think you’ll be able to do that on your first try…
Lune: Please!
Precia: Ugh…I guess I have no choice…fine, I’ll try yours first, Lune.
Lune: Here you go!
Precia: Let’s see…hmm…
Lune: How is it? How is it?
Precia: …Hm?
Lune: “Hm”? What’s “Hm”?
Precia: Surprisingly tasty. A bit bland, though.
Lune: Eh? That means…
Precia: Yes, it passes. Though you should lessen the overall amount of ingredients next time.
Lune: Yay!
Wendy: Well, here’s my project, teacher.
Precia: …Feels kinda weird having Wendy call me teacher…
Precia: Well, Wendy measured the proportions and time more precisely than necessary, so it should be fine…
Precia: Hn?
Precia: Hngh!?
Wendy: What? What is it?
Precia: HNNNNNNGH!!
Precia: *gasp*…wh-what was in that?
Lune: Are you alright?
Precia: No I’m not alright! I thought I was going to die!
Wendy: Huh? Was it that bad?
Precia: How could it taste so bad when your measurements were so exact…?
Wendy: Uh…maybe it was that
Precia: What exactly is that!?
Wendy: Well, you know, Xenia said that one of the most important things with cooking is originality.
Wendy: So I…added a little something.
Precia: A little something…it must really be something if a little of it creates that strong a flavor. What exactly did you put in?
Wendy: …Tsilo fruit. They say it’s highly nutritious…
Precia: …How many did you put in?
Wendy: …Ten.
Precia: Oh no…no wonder it tasted the way it did.
Lune: What did it taste like?
Precia: Bitter, astringent, spicy, and numbing.
Wendy: …I’m sorry.
Precia: Ugh…this may take more lessons than I thought.
The Closed Road to Peace End
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