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Hringhorni – Mess Hall
Guido: May I sit with you?
Simone: Sure, I don’t mind.
Guido: Thank you. Ah, I see this is authentic French cuisine.
Simone: That’s right. I asked Ms. Sato to make some for me. I take it you prefer German food?
Guido: Yes, potatoes, sausages and sauerkraut are essential staples.
Simone: Potatoes…well, that’s certainly German.
Guido: What? Do you hate potatoes?
Simone: I don’t hate them, I just find them unrefined.
Guido: Well, potatoes are very hardy plants. They can be used in a wide array of dishes. Simple yet sturdy, they are the embodiment of the German spirit.
Simone: But they’re so stale.
Guido: You’ll gain weight if you keep eating all that butter and cream.
Guido: Here, I’ll share some of my sauerkraut, so you can get your veggies.
Simone: I don’t want it. I don’t like it. And are you being sarcastic? All that cabbage stomping1 must lead to thick legs, right?
Guido: Yes, that’s one way of putting it.
Simone: What, are you saying my legs are thick?
Guido: You’re reading too much into it. But you really should think about balancing your diet. It’s fine now, but it’ll come back to bite you when your older.
Simone: Don’t be so meddlesome. I’m not the type to gain weight.
Guido: Such confidence.
Simone: …Quit arguing with me.
Guido: You’re the one who’s arguing. I’m just giving advice.
Guido: It’s statistically proven that once French women enter their 30’s…
Simone: Ugh, you Germans are so argumentative. Just shut up and eat your potatoes.
Guido: Then why don’t you eat a frog?
Simone: …You eat one!
Guido: Tit for tat, is it?
Becky: Hey, hey, calm down you guys.
Guido: Your entire country has no sense of taste.
Simone: Get out of here!
Becky: Uh-oh!
Masaki: Hey, what are you two arguing about? It’s almost time for the briefing.
Guido: Oh, right. We’ll finish this another time.
Simone: Tsk, whatever…
Hringhorni – Briefing Room
Guido: The Shutedonias Civil War is currently in favor of the North. A total of four states have switched allegiance from South to North.
Guido: The ratio of their armed forces are approximately 3-to-2
Wagner: If things continue like this, it won’t be long until the North wins the war.
Simone: Akreid certainly is impressive. Some of our own strategy officers could stand to learn from him.
Guido: Don’t start taking shots at me. Are you still mad because you lost that argument?
Simone: We never finished it! You’re the one who…
Yang Long: Put is aside. We’re in the middle of a briefing.
Xenia: Incoming transmission from Rodney.
Masaki: Rodney? What could he want? Put in on the main screen.
Rodney: Sorry! I need your help! Please help me!
Masaki: If you’re coming to us for help…has the South launched an attack?
Rodney: Yes, I was completely taken by surprise. Northern reinforcements won’t get here in time!
Masaki: An surprise attack…where are you right now?
Rodney: Wident City.
Wagner: Wident City? There aren’t any military bases there…
Rodney: They’re attacking a factory!
Wendy: A factory…that’s a violation of the armistice!
Rodney: Yeah, I’m plan on reporting this to the Federation. But before that, I really need some help!
Masaki: Let me get out a map. Wident City is…got it, about twenty minutes from here.
Rodney: You gonna lend us a hand?
Masaki: You bet! We won’t let them get away with threatening civilian lives!
Wagner: Precisely. We need to get to Wident City as soon as possible.
*The Hringhorni flies from Hiduka to Wident*
Chapter 31 – Inhumane Tactics
Wident City
Masaki: This is terrible…the whole place is in ruins.
Sharian: We’re picking up quite a few injured people. The Hringhorni will anchor here. Our first priority is to rescue the injured.
Bradroy: Right. Hringhorni, drop anchor!
*Enemy Masouki appear*
Ongaredd: Oh, so you’ve finally arrived. You’re late, Antiras Squad.
Tytti: Is that…Ongaredd!? So the presidential advisor has decided to appear in person?
Yang Long: You monster…what were you thinking!? Attacking urban areas is prohibited by the armistice!!
Ongaredd: It’s more important to violate the armistice and win the war than it is to lose the war by abiding by it.
Yang Long: That’s despicable!
Ongaredd: You surface-dwellers have no right to lecture me. I’m just following your example.
Ongaredd: “History is written by the victors”…isn’t that how you say it on the surface?
Tytti: Is that how you justify something like this!?
Ongaredd: This facility was responsible for manufacturing important parts for Northern Masouki. In that way, you could call it a military facility.
Masaki: Don’t try and rationalize this! You’re putting non-combatants in the line of fire!
Ongaredd: In an all-out war, there is no difference between the home front and the front line.
Fang: So you’re only going to mimic the worst aspects of the surface!? Then what’s the point of an armistice!?
Ongaredd: We cannot afford to lose! We know firsthand what happens to those who lose!
Masaki: You…I always knew you were rotten to the core, but this is the lowest you’ve sunk!
*Prep Screen, Battle Starts*
{Zash VS Ongaredd}
Zash: Neither my father nor Rasetz went so far as to attack civilians! You, on the other hand…!
Ongaredd: General Kirkus’ son…your father was too bound by his cause. He was not ruthless enough to win
Ongaredd: That’s why he lost.
Zash: You monster…no, you demon! I can’t let you leave here alive!
{Fang VS Ongaredd}
Fang: Have you no sense of honor!?
Ongaredd: I only care about efficiency.
Fang: Are you planning on repeating the horrific wars waged in ancient times!?
Ongaredd: Better that than losing this war.
Fang: You bloodthirsty warmonger!!
{Masaki VS Ongaredd}
Masaki: You’re nothing more than a terrorist! One of the most important laws in this world is to leave civilians out of military conflicts!
Ongaredd: The consciousness of the people of La Gias changed after the Summoning Incident. So it’s only natural that the way they wage war would change as well.
Masaki: !? Are you trying to pin the blame on Prince Feil!? Take responsibility for your own actions!
*Shoot down Ongaredd or reach Turn 5 Enemy Phase*
Ongaredd: …That’s enough time spent here. I have other places to be.
Masaki: Hey! You trying to cut and run!?
Ongaredd: I don’t have any more time to spare on your group. I’ll leave the rest to them.
Leffen: …..
Ongaredd: Well, it’s now in your hands, General Dusdresh.
Leffen: Understood.
Ongaredd: I’ve granted you use of my precious Euleed. I expect to see results.
*Ongaredd withdraws*
Riko: …General.
Leffen: I never thought I’d have to take part in such an atrocious operation…
{Gino VS Riko}
Gino: Riko, you needn’t worry about me…just don’t overextend yourself.
Riko: Understood, Sir Gino.
{Masaki VS Riko}
Masaki: Riko Sandleave…talk about a tough opponent.
Riko: Don’t hold back!
{Rosalie VS Riko}
Rosalie: This is awful…I hate that I have to fight Riko like this…
Riko: Yes…if only this were another swordfight match…
*Defeat Riko*
Riko: I didn’t want to do this at all…but now I’ve done all I can. I’m retreating.
*Riko retreats*
{Gino VS Leffen}
Gino: …General, if I may offer a suggestion.
Leffen: Enough. This conversation is being recorded. If either of us says too much, the entire unit will be held responsible.
Gino: …So Ongaredd has gone that far…?
Gino: I understand. But please, don’t rush headlong into your death.
Leffen: Yes, I shall not throw my life away without good cause.
{Tytti VS Leffen}
Tytti: General Dusdresh…is it that you are unable to retreat?
Leffen: Yes, Ongaredd has created a supervisory force. If anyone, including myself, hesitates in battle, they’ll be shot in the back.
Tytti: So Ongaredd is the one behind all this…I cannot abide by this…
{Masaki VS Leffen}
Masaki: General Dusdresh…I can’t believe you’re participating in this
Leffen: I’ve been given my orders. All that remains is to carry them out.
Masaki: …So you can’t disobey those orders?
Leffen: I don’t mean to try and avoid responsibility for my actions, but I did everything I could to oppose this.
Masaki: …Guess this isn’t easy for you, either.
{Rosalie VS Leffen}
Rosalie: Mister Leffen…not even you could stop this attack!
Leffen: Forgive me, Rosalie…I could do nothing.
Rosalie: Mister Leffen…
*Defeat Leffen*
Leffen: …Fight to the last man, eh? What an unreasonable order…we’re retreating.
*Leffen retreats*
Hringhorni – Briefing Room
Wendy: Ongaredd is getting desperate…
Xenia: The Federation has passed an emergency resolution. They’re levying sanctions against the South for their actions.
Xenia: It looks like they’ll be making a formal request for us to perform an armed intervention.
Wagner: The Federation certainly made up their minds quickly. They must have run out of patience.
Masaki: We don’t need any resolution from the Federation. Ongaredd has to be stopped.
Tytti: Exactly…we can’t let him threaten the lives of any more civilians.
Mio: Plus, there’s our rather heavy suspicions that he’s allied with the Volkruss Cult.
Yang Long: Lady Xenia, do you know what Ongaredd is up to?
Xenia: I’m looking into it…but the information on the South is scarce at best. We need more people gathering intel.
Masaki: That can be done later. For now, just
Xenia: Yeah, well, I’ll do my best. Mefil, I’ll need your assistance.
Mefil: You can count on me.
Masaki: Xenia, Mefil, we’re counting on you guys. And Ongaredd…we’re coming for you.
Tytti: Have all the injured been taken aboard?
Becky: We’re almost finished. But we’re shorthanded in the onboard medical facilities. We need to transport them to a hospital.
Tytti: Right, someone please contact the nearest hospital immediately. I’ll head down and lend a hand with the medical treatment.
Hringhorni – Mess Hall
Guido: Whew…finally I can sit down.
Simone: We’ve finished moving the injured, so the Northern soldiers can take care of the rest. Now let’s eat. I’m starving.
Guido: Hm? There seems to be some sort of commotion in the kitchen…
Simone: What? Huh, you’re right. Some kind of shouting or screaming…what the heck is going on?
You know how to cook?
Yang Long: Hah! Hup! Hiyaaa!
Simone: Yang Long!? What are you doing?
Yang Long: Isn’t it obvious? I’m cooking.
Simone: Cooking…you can cook?
Yang Long: Yes, and it’s my belief that I’m pretty good at it.
Masaki: Something smells good.
Mio: Is that Chinese? What? Yang Long?
Yang Long: That’s quite a few patrons. Oh well, I’ll just have to make a lot.
Masaki: Yang Long, you…you can cook?
Yang Long: My goodness, everyone’s asking me that question. Is it that surprising?
Mio: Yeah, it’s a real shocker.
Yang Long: Fire is the foundation of Chinese cooking. Very appropriate, since I have the blessing of the Spirit of Fire.
Mio: Uh, I don’t think one has anything to do with the other.
Masaki: Still, you’ve never shown this side of you to me before.
Yang Long: I used to do it quite often. Even when I was in training, I would cook like this.
Ranshao: I can personally vouch for my master’s skill.
Some time later…
Yang Long: Okay, it’s ready. Stir-fry oysters on half-shells.
Mio: Wow, Cantonese cuisine.
Yang Long: I’ve heard it’s quite popular in Guangzhou.
Mio: Hey Yang Long, are you from Shanghai?
Yang Long: No. But when I was in training, I journeyed to many different places.
Mio: When you say training…I take it you don’t mean in cooking?
Yang Long: In martial arts. Anyway, come and get what I have ready. There’ll be more to come.
Mio: Coming!
Masaki: OK.
Masaki: Wow, this looks delicious.
Simone: No kidding. But, why did you suddenly decide to cook something, Yang Long?
Yang Long: Oh, I overheard you and Guido fighting about cuisine.
Yang Long: Since you were arguing about whether French or German cuisine is better, I thought the best way to resolve that was with Chinese cuisine.
Mio: Usually it’s France and Italy that are arguing…but this looks amazing, so who cares?
Guido: Mmm…it tastes as good as it looks. Thank you for making this, Yang Long.
Simone: Wow, I should pick fights with Guido more often if it means getting food like this.
Yang Long: Simone you’re putting the cart before the horse. You’re too narrow-minded about food culture.
Yang Long: For instance, throughout it’s 4,000-year history, Chinese cuisine has absorbed the recipies, ingredients and cooking techniques of several other societies, along with the philosophy of medicine and food having the same origin, or if you would rather, being one and the same…
Masaki: STOP! Don’t go in to a lecture now! The food’ll get cold!
Yang Long: Hm…I see your point. I’ll resume after we finish eating.
Simone: …Guido, as soon as you’re done eating, let’s make a run for it.
Guido: …Good idea. Hearing a lecture after a big meal could ruin my digestion.
Simone: Heehee, looks like we’re on the same page this time.
Guido: That we are.
Inhumane Tactics End
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1This supposedly refers to part of the process of making sauerkraut, but none of the research I did could confirm that sauerkraut was made in this way, so take it with a grain of salt (and no, that’s not a food pun).
