Someone on my post suggested that the owner of the Red Cardinal might be the woman from Victoria's diary entry. The one who'd been planning on opening a bar, and who said that "what the resort takes from each guest is dependent on the person."
I asked if she was the same woman, and that *did* turn out to be true, but she wasn't willing to share much because she doesn't know me. So now we're in the "getting to know each other" stage. And she wants me to do 2 things for her:
1. Eat her dishes for a month 2. Collect the memories of 3 guests and bring them back them back to her
She said all I need to do for the second one is have 3 people describe a memory. She didn't ask for a specific kind of memory, like "a childhood memory" or "a sad memory," so I guess anything goes. I'd try to choose something interesting just to be on the safe side, though.
I don't know for sure that she *can't* do magic, but she seems like a regular bar owner. That's why she stands out, really. She doesn't act like she's been brainwashed the way the rest of the staff do. But if you're still leery, you can always go with something that isn't too personal.
Or I can ask someone else, I guess. I'm good at talking to all sorts of people! I just thought I'd ask you since we're already sharing all this information. Plus I didn't get the chance to hear your "earliest memory" at the Hearts party.
( Hmm. Of course, nothing comes free. Hiyori's been sent on a task, it seems, and Esikko doesn't exactly want to stop him from it. Besides, he knows from reading through Hiyori's post that a certain bodyguard had leaked a little too much information already, so... )
Well, it won't be my earliest memory, but I will give a relevant one. There are some memories I could do without, anyway.
I remember snow falling on the side of my face being the first sensation after a long period of darkness and pain. It must have been the first snow of the season, but I was beginning to be covered by it. My body was bloodied, beaten and weak. I thought for certain I was going to die. I couldn't remember how I'd gotten there, in that forest, if I'd crawled myself or been dumped, but when I felt a foot nudge into my side, that spike of pain gave me an ounce of energy to look up.
That was how I met that bodyguard. He was peering down at me, looking surprised to see me move at all, and I used the last of my energy on a breath asking him for help before I passed out again. When I came to once again, he had taken me to a dingy little shack somewhere, but I was alive. Patched up and cleaned, even, as he was making food.
But at what cost? He's not sure what he expected to read, but it wasn't that.
A multitude of questions flit through his mind. But does he really want to ask them? And is now really the time? Probably not, so after a minute or so he just writes back:]
Thanks. That should work.
[And now he'll put the prince's unpleasant memories out of sight and out of mind!
... or so he'd like, but certain details are nagging at him. Remembering his Network conversation with Kirma brings up even more questions, most of which he does know better than to ask. But after another pause:]
[....... has anything ever gone right for this guy?]
If you say so.
It's fine if you want to reinvent yourself. I'd rather keep being me, though. And I'm sure you don't like being tossed around and forced to obey the House any more than I do, since it sounds like you already got enough of that treatment back home. So!
In order to make things better for you *and* for me, I'll just have to figure out what it is they're after. Why exactly they're doing this, and what exactly they value. Once I've solved that, I'll be sure to let you know!
I have a generous heart, you know. So I'm afraid there's just no helping how I feel sometimes. I'm not sure what lessons you were taught growing up, but my family always told me that it's our duty to help those who are less fortunate. That's what you call the principle of noblesse oblige.
Though I don't think they were talking about royals when they said that. Royals are supposed to be even more blessed. You're sort of an odd case!
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( Is someone gonna like, eat it? He's got plenty to spare, but... At the same time, he doesn't!! )
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Someone on my post suggested that the owner of the Red Cardinal might be the woman from Victoria's diary entry. The one who'd been planning on opening a bar, and who said that "what the resort takes from each guest is dependent on the person."
I asked if she was the same woman, and that *did* turn out to be true, but she wasn't willing to share much because she doesn't know me. So now we're in the "getting to know each other" stage. And she wants me to do 2 things for her:
1. Eat her dishes for a month
2. Collect the memories of 3 guests and bring them back them back to her
She said all I need to do for the second one is have 3 people describe a memory. She didn't ask for a specific kind of memory, like "a childhood memory" or "a sad memory," so I guess anything goes. I'd try to choose something interesting just to be on the safe side, though.
I don't know for sure that she *can't* do magic, but she seems like a regular bar owner. That's why she stands out, really. She doesn't act like she's been brainwashed the way the rest of the staff do. But if you're still leery, you can always go with something that isn't too personal.
Or I can ask someone else, I guess. I'm good at talking to all sorts of people! I just thought I'd ask you since we're already sharing all this information. Plus I didn't get the chance to hear your "earliest memory" at the Hearts party.
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Well, it won't be my earliest memory, but I will give a relevant one. There are some memories I could do without, anyway.
I remember snow falling on the side of my face being the first sensation after a long period of darkness and pain. It must have been the first snow of the season, but I was beginning to be covered by it. My body was bloodied, beaten and weak. I thought for certain I was going to die. I couldn't remember how I'd gotten there, in that forest, if I'd crawled myself or been dumped, but when I felt a foot nudge into my side, that spike of pain gave me an ounce of energy to look up.
That was how I met that bodyguard. He was peering down at me, looking surprised to see me move at all, and I used the last of my energy on a breath asking him for help before I passed out again. When I came to once again, he had taken me to a dingy little shack somewhere, but I was alive. Patched up and cleaned, even, as he was making food.
It was the moment he became my bodyguard.
That should be sufficient.
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But at what cost? He's not sure what he expected to read, but it wasn't that.
A multitude of questions flit through his mind. But does he really want to ask them? And is now really the time? Probably not, so after a minute or so he just writes back:]
Thanks. That should work.
[And now he'll put the prince's unpleasant memories out of sight and out of mind!
... or so he'd like, but certain details are nagging at him. Remembering his Network conversation with Kirma brings up even more questions, most of which he does know better than to ask. But after another pause:]
Mind if I ask one more thing?
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( It feels awkward, sharing unpleasant things like this, but... well. There's no point in refusing additional questions, he guesses. )
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The one you were both traveling towards, that is.
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Well, it's just as much an inconvenience as it is an opportunity, really.
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If you say so.
It's fine if you want to reinvent yourself. I'd rather keep being me, though. And I'm sure you don't like being tossed around and forced to obey the House any more than I do, since it sounds like you already got enough of that treatment back home. So!
In order to make things better for you *and* for me, I'll just have to figure out what it is they're after. Why exactly they're doing this, and what exactly they value. Once I've solved that, I'll be sure to let you know!
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How noble. I'm grateful that you're going to share things with me, and I with you, but try not to waste your sympathy or pity on me, either.
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I have a generous heart, you know. So I'm afraid there's just no helping how I feel sometimes. I'm not sure what lessons you were taught growing up, but my family always told me that it's our duty to help those who are less fortunate. That's what you call the principle of noblesse oblige.
Though I don't think they were talking about royals when they said that. Royals are supposed to be even more blessed. You're sort of an odd case!
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( haha!!!! )
Anyway, Hiyori. You can get back to me when you have more information, then.
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Yep, will do! I'm sure I'll have a breakthrough sooner rather than later. The truth is always one! 🕵️
[Here, Esikko, have one more reference you won't understand, just for the road.]