PLEASE STAY CLOSE TO ME, YOUR MAJESTY.
DON'T THE LAPI HATE GETTING CAUGHT IN THE RAIN?
OF COURSE WE DO,
BUT THE RECON UNIT HAS TO GO OUT IN ANY WEATHER, SO WE'VE SIMPLY GOTTEN USED TO IT.
HMM...
YOU REALLY HAVE IT ROUGH, DON'T YOU?
WELL, NO MATTER HOW HARD IT RAINS, IT DOESN'T REACH OUR DOWN FEATHERS, SO IT'S FINE.
GO AHEAD AND WAIT UNDER THE PAVILION.
THANK YOU.
ACK, IT'S SO COLD!
OH...
I LITERALLY JUST TOOK A BATH...
WITH-THAT EXPENSIVE ROSE OIL TOO...
I DID THAT OUT OF HABIT...
I'LL HAVE THEM HEAT UP SOME BATHWATER.
CENTRAL COMMAND CHAPEL
ATLIND KIEL
I HEARD YOUR EYESIGHT IS POOR, BUT IT SEEMS READING ISN'T A PROBLEM.
!!
GREETINGS, YOUR MAJESTY.
ONE OF MY EYES IS FINE, SO READING POSES NO DIFFICULTY.
I SEE.
HAVE A SEAT.
I WAS HOPING YOU COULD SPARE A BIT OF YOUR TIME.
OF COURSE.
A THEOLOGICAL TEXT OF THE NAMELESS GOD, I SEE.
SINCE MY FATHER IS STAYING AT THE TEMPLE, I NATURALLY BECAME INTERESTED.
THERE ARE QUITE A FEW FASCINATING PARTS ONCE YOU START READING.
GODEL KIEL SEEMS TO BE DOING WELL.
AFTER LETTING GO OF EVERYTHING, HE SAYS HE ACTUALLY FEELS MORE AT EASE.
MY FATHER HAS ALWAYS ADAPTED QUICKLY. HE IS PROBABLY GENUINELY AT PEACE.
THAT'S A GOOD TRAIT TO HAVE. I'M MUCH MORE PETTY THAN HE IS. IF SOMEONE WRONGS ME, I CAN'T EVEN SLEEP UNTIL I GET MY REVENGE.
LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING, ATLIND KIEL.
DO YOU RESENT ME FOR BRINGING DOWN YOUR FATHER AND BECOMING QUEEN?
THAT IS THE VERY QUESTION I WISHED TO ASK YOU, YOUR MAJESTY.
DO YOU RESENT OUR FAMILY?
IF I DID, I WOULDN'T HAVE SPARED YOU.
IF THAT IS HOW YOU FEEL, THEN I HAVE NO REASON TO RESENT YOU.
YOU DON'T HATE ME?
IF SO,
LET'S CALL A TRUCE.
PARDON? A-A TRUCE?
I NEED GODEL KIEL, BUT HE STILL DISLIKES ME,
SO I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO HELP ME CHANGE HIS MIND.
MY FATHER...?
EVEN IF HE WAS A TRAITOR, I CAN'T OVERLOOK HIS PAST ACHIEVEMENTS.
HE NEVER EMBEZZLED MONEY OR ASSETS,
NOR DID HE SECRETLY MANIPULATE POLITICS THROUGH PERSONAL CONNECTIONS.
MY FATHER COMMITTED TREASON, AND YET SHE'S... PRAISING HIM?
IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE?
NO MATTER HOW BRILLIANT ONE MAY BE, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO RULE ALONE.
A CAPTAIN MIGHT KEEP A SHIP AFLOAT,
BUT IT TAKES A CREW TO SAIL IT.
YOUR FATHER HAS THE POWER TO UNITE THE SAILORS.
...!
MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE MUST APOLOGIZE FOR HIS REBELLION,
BUT HE SEEMS TO BE LIVING QUITE COMFORTABLY AT THE TEMPLE,
WHICH SIMPLY WON'T DO. I FIND IT IRRITATING.
I'M THINKING I'LL NEED TO GIVE YOUR FATHER A LITTLE MORE WORK TO DO.
HEHEH
HA... HAHA... BUT I'M NOT SURE I'LL BE ABLE TO PERSUADE HIM.
SEE IF YOU CAN TEMPT HIM WITH THIS WINE.
HE'S A DRINKER, SO HE'LL KNOW ITS VALUE.
!!!!!
TH-THIS IS...!
TELL HIM IF HE JOINS ME, I'LL GIVE HIM A HUNDRED CRATES OF IT.
A-A HUNDRED CRATES...?
WELL THEN, I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING GOOD NEWS.
?
UH...
I GUESS HER MAJESTY IS LEAVING.
WHY ARE YOU STANDING THERE?
??????? ???????? ???????
W-WHAT'S THIS?!
HEY!!!
W-WAIT!!!
STOP!!!
RELIVING A NIGHTMARE
TEMPLE OF THE NAMELESS GOD
ARE YOU UNWELL?
YOU'VE BEEN ACTING STRANGELY THESE PAST FEW DAYS.
WORRIED
NO, I'M FINE. I WAS JUST LOST IN THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT.
IT'S NEARLY TIME FOR AFTERNOON MEDITATION. YOU SHOULD GET GOING.
OKAY!
I NEED TO GET A GRIP.
FAAATHER...
NOW I'M EVEN HEARING THINGS.
FAAAATHER...
I MISS YOU SO MUCH, ATLIN--
FAAAAATHER!
THUD
On a rainy day, the queen chats with Lapies from the scout unit and takes shelter in the gazebo. She then meets Atlind Kiel at the Central Command Chapel. They discuss his father Godel Kiel's situation at the temple and their mutual grievances, and the queen proposes a truce. To win Godel over to her side, she asks Atlind for help and promises him a hundred crates of precious wine. The chapter continues with an uneasy wait at the Temple of the Nameless God.
