For Dalmore
As Dalmore bustles with Valentine's cheer, the crew encounters a woman troubled by love. Gawain confidently offers to solve her worries, but the others can't help but wonder if he's really up to the task.
On Valentine's Day, Dalmore's main avenue bustles with the excitement of a grand celebration.
Along that lively street, Gawain and the crew stroll at an easy pace, taking in the sights together.
Vyrn: Florence was right about comin' to check the town out. This place is burstin' with energy.
Lyria: There are so many couples around. Maybe because it's Valentine's season?
Gawain: That may be part of it, but most of all, we've just triumphed in a great battle, and the afterglow of victory hasn't faded yet.
One day, talks arose between the nations of Dalmore, Wales, and Feendrache to form an alliance in opposition to the cabal.
As a condition for the alliance, Aglovale asked Gawain to investigate the cabal's covert activities within Dalmore.
Through the schemes of the knight commander Pete, who allied himself with the cabal, Dalmore was plunged into a crisis...
But thanks to the efforts of Gawain and his sister Florence, the crisis was overcome.
As a result, Gawain was once again hailed as a hero of Dalmore, and the alliance between the three nations came to fruition.
Gawain: That we were able to overcome the crisis and safely establish the alliance is due in no small part to your help, so allow me to thank you again.
Vyrn: Gawain actually thankin' us? Phew, never thought I'd see the day when we first met.
Gawain: Humph. I'm perfectly capable of expressing my gratitude properly, and I'm not the man I was back then.
Lyria: Yeah, Vyrn—you shouldn't tease him.
Lyria: That said, Gawain, you look great in your new outfit.
Gawain: Oh, this? Florence prepared it, saying my usual armor would clash with the atmosphere of the city.
Gawain: I'm not accustomed to clothing like this, so my shoulders end up stiff.
- It really suits you.
- Everyone will notice your charm.
Choose: It really suits you.Gawain: Out of all the outfits Florence prepared, I chose the most reasonable one.
Gawain: The others had far too many frills or revealed an unsettling amount of skin, which gave me quite the headache.
Gawain: Honestly... does she think I'm some sort of dress-up doll?
Choose: Everyone will notice your charm.Gawain: Don't tease me. But if you really mean that, then I'll take the compliment.
Gawain: I'll pass your thoughts along to Florence as well. She'll surely be pleased.
Continue 1And so, as the crew continues walking through Dalmore's bustling streets...
Dalmore Woman: Sigh... What am I to do?
Lyria: She looks like she might be in some kind of trouble.
As Lyria watches the troubled woman from afar...
Gawain: What's wrong? If something's troubling you, we may be able to help.
Dalmore Woman: Y-you're... Sir Gawain!
Without hesitation, Gawain speaks to the troubled woman.
Vyrn: Huh? Now that's a surprise...
Lyria: Hehe... Gawain's become so much kinder compared to when we first met, hasn't he?
Dalmore Woman: I'm honored that a hero like you would worry about me, but my troubles are nothing worth mentioning...
Gawain: Go on and tell me—regardless of whether I can resolve the matter, just speaking about it can ease the heart.
Dalmore Woman: Sir Gawain!
All right, I'll tell you what's been bothering me...
Dalmore Woman: My problem is... a matter of love.
Gawain: Love, you say?
Dalmore Woman: Th-this really isn't something I should be consulting a national hero about! I'm sorry—please forget I said anything...
Gawain: No... It's fine.
Love, huh... This is a tough one.
Dalmore Woman: Um, Sir Gawain?
Gawain: Humph. Very well—love or otherwise, I'll resolve it all myself!
Lyria & Vyrn: Wha?
With his overwhelming strength, Gawain has defeated countless foes until now.
But can that same strength truly resolve matters of the heart?
Peerless Hero vs. Love's Dilemma
Gawain takes on a woman's romantic troubles, only to offer blunt, misguided advice. Recalling a childhood scolding from his mother, Gawain realizes he may not understand a woman's heart after all.
Vyrn: H-hey, Gawain! Since when are you an expert on romance?
Gawain: I'm not. This is my first time dealing with matters of the heart, but now that I know she's troubled, I can't simply ignore it.
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, Gawain takes on the task of resolving a love-related dilemma in Dalmore.
However, (Captain) and the others can't help but worry whether Gawain is truly capable of handling the issue.
Gawain: And I won't be doing this alone—you're here as well, a renowned skyfaring crew that has solved countless impossible challenges.
Vyrn: So you're countin' on us too, huh? Welp, I figured as much.
Reassured that Gawain's companions will also help, the woman relaxes and begins to speak.
Dalmore Woman: With Valentine's coming up, I was thinking of finally telling the man about my feelings for him.
Dalmore Woman: But when I imagine being rejected, I get terrified...
Lyria: So that's why you've been struggling—you can't find the courage to say how you feel...
Gawain: Humph. How ridiculous.
Everyone: Wha!
Gawain: Have you never considered that while you hesitate, someone else might snatch him away from you?
Gawain: If you have time to worry, then act. Don't concern yourself with the possibility of rejection—take what you want by force if you must!
Lyria: Forcing things doesn't seem right... You have to think about the other person's feelings.
Gawain: What I'm saying is, what will you do if all that consideration only leads to regret?
Gawain: To begin with, I don't understand why you feel the need to confess simply because it's Valentine's Day.
Gawain: If you have feelings, you can express them any day you like, so why cling to Valentine's?
Vyrn: (Th-this guy doesn't have a clue about romance! He's the last person you'd want advice from about Valentine's!)
Lyria: Really now! It takes an incredible amount of courage just to tell someone how you feel!
Lyria: And Valentine's Day can give people that extra push of courage.
Vyrn: I had a feeling this would happen, but boy, Gawain really is clueless...
- You really don't get women, huh?
Choose: You really don't get women, huh?Gawain: Gah! Don't mock me! I had my own experiences back—
Gawain: Back in the day? Come to think of it...
It is a time when Gawain, still a knight-in-training, spends his days immersed in relentless drills.
Morgause: Sigh... I heard the news, Gawain.
Gawain: Hm? About what?
Morgause: I heard you shared the chocolate you received on Valentine's Day with your fellow trainees.
Gawain: Yeah, we all ate it together during a training break. Chocolate's easy to eat and fills you up, making it ideal.
Morgause: Really now... Of all things, you chose to split up your Valentine's Day chocolate with others.
Gawain: How I consume a gift meant for me is my choice, is it not?
Morgause: Goodness... At this rate, you're going to have a difficult time later in life.
Morgause: What's done is done, but you'd better make sure to give a proper White Day gift in return.
Gawain: I have to give something back? But I didn't ask for the chocolate in the first place...
Morgause: Gawain?
Gawain: Y-yes, I'll make sure it's done!
Gawain: Guh... So that's what Mother meant!
Vyrn: Lemme guess—you said something similar as a kid and got chewed out by your mom, huh?
Gawain: H-how did you know!
Vyrn: That look on your face says it all.
Just as (Captain) and the others had feared, it seems impossible for Gawain to offer proper romantic advice.
Peerless Hero vs. Love's Dilemma: Scene 2
Though Gawain's advice misses the mark, his earnest attitude inspires the timid woman to confess her feelings. To help her succeed, the crew sets out to make the special non-melting chocolate once tied to the romance of Gawain's parents.
Dalmore Woman: Though Sir Gawain does bring up a fair point. Hesitation often leads to regret later.
Dalmore Woman: Thanks to you, Sir Gawain, I've found the resolve to share my feelings.
Dalmore Woman: But instead of forcing the issue, I think I'll try approaching him with a gift... Hehe.
Gawain: I see... Well, handle it the way you think best.
Lyria: What kind of person is he?
Dalmore Woman: He's a childhood friend who lives nearby and works as a traveling merchant. He's back in Dalmore right now...
Lyria: A traveling merchant? If you're giving a gift, it should be something he'd really appreciate!
Dalmore Woman: Do you have any recommendations?
Gawain: If it's a gift for a merchant, I have a good idea.
Vyrn: Not about to say somethin' outlandish again, are ya?
Gawain: Just listen! This is something my mother once gave my father before he set out on an expedition...
Morgause: All right, then. I have the ingredients ready; shall we get started?
Gawain: Mother, what are you doing?
Morgause: Ah, Gawain, perfect timing. Would you like to help me make non-melting chocolate?
Gawain: Non-melting chocolate?
Morgause: Before your father and I were married, I made it for him every Valentine's Day...
Morgause: It doesn't melt from body heat in your pocket or from hot weather, making it perfect to take on expeditions.
Morgause: I always gave it to him with the hope that it would bring him a bit of comfort, even on the harshest of expeditions...
Morgause: And in the end, I finally captured your father's heart.
Gawain: Hm... Now I'm curious what this non-melting chocolate tastes like. You have my assistance, Mother.
Morgause: Haha, I'm glad to hear it. Let's start by teaching you how the chocolate's made. First, you prepare lots of sugar...
Vyrn: Non-melting chocolate, huh! Sounds perfect for someone like a traveling merchant who's away from home a lot!
Dalmore Woman: Yes, it sounds like a wonderful gift... I'd love to give some to him. But how do you make it?
Gawain: I was but a child when my mother taught me... I don't recall the exact method, and there's likely no recipe left.
Gawain: I suppose we'll have to rely on my memory and try different approaches until we find the right one.
Vyrn: Wait, you're seriously plannin' to make some?
Dalmore Woman: Then please come to my home. It happens to be just around the corner.
- We've also got time to spare.
- You can do it, Gawain!
Choose: We've also got time to spare.Gawain: You'll lend a hand too? Thank you. Sweets aren't exactly my area of expertise.
Lyria: Let's do our best making chocolate together!
Vyrn: Yeah, leavin' it all to Gawain would make me nervous too. Guess we'll come along as well.
Choose: You can do it, Gawain!Gawain: C'mon now... Don't speak as if this has nothing to do with you.
Gawain: Once you stick your neck into something, it's only right to see it through to the end. You're in this with me.
Vyrn: Sheesh... It wouldn't kill ya to say you'd like our help, you know?
Vyrn: Anyway, we'd be worried about leavin' it all to Gawain anyway. So we'll tag along.
Continue 1Dalmore Woman: Thank you all so much!
And so the crew stock up on ingredients and visit the woman's home.
Lyria: We also made sure to pick up some snacks, so we can take breaks along the way.
Vyrn: This could take a while, after all. There's some for you too, Gawain. These candy drops look tasty, don'tcha think?
Gawain: Hey, stop that. Don't stuff things into my pocket without asking.
And so the group begins making all sorts of chocolate in pursuit of concocting non-melting chocolate.
Lyria: The cooking utensils are up there...
As Lyria stretches to grab the utensils on the shelf above...
Lyria: Ah!
Gawain: You all right?
Lyria: Gawain! Phew, thanks...
Gawain stretches his arm over Lyria's head and takes the utensils from the upper shelf.
Gawain: Here. This is what you wanted, right? Next time you need something from up high, just let me know and I'll grab it for you.
Lyria: Yes! Thank you very much!
Vyrn: Phew... Anyone else wanna take a break? Whippin' cream is harder than I thought...
Gawain: How about I take over the whipping? You help with melting the chocolate instead.
Vyrn: You sure? Appreciate it, Gawain!
Gawain: Heh... Unlike you, I have the stamina to handle a bit of strain.
Gawain snatches the whisk from Vyrn and begins stirring the cream.
Lyria: Compared to when we first met, Gawain has really changed. He's so much nicer to us now.
Vyrn: Yeah, I was thinkin' the same thing. He's still got a bit of a potty mouth though.
Gawain: You two—move your hands!
Vyrn & Lyria: Got it!
On it!
And so the attempted production of non-melting chocolate resumes.
Vyrn: No luck. Adding cream just made it melt faster. How about you guys?
Lyria: Same... I tried adding salt, but it still melted...
Dalmore Woman: I mixed flour into the chocolate... and now it's turned into something entirely different.
Gawain: I see... then let's try a different method. Luckily, we still have plenty of ingredients.
(Captain) and the others resume their attempts at making non-melting chocolate, but things still don't go well...
Vyrn: Guh... We went about it all sorts of ways, but non-meltin' chocolate might just be outta our reach...
Gawain: I tried referencing other sweets and experimenting, but everything just turned into a completely different dessert far removed from non-melting chocolate.
Lyria: Hmm... This isn't going very well...
Dalmore Woman: I'm sorry. I've put you all through so much because of my own circumstances. It's already late, so maybe we should stop here.
Gawain: Don't lose heart. In battle or in life, the moment you stop struggling is the moment you've lost.
Dalmore Woman: Sir Gawain, you truly are a hero. Thank you so much.
Gawain: Humph...
And so, their kitchen activity continues late into the night.
Lyria: Zzz...
Vyrn: Mmm...
Mumble...
When (Captain) and the others take a break, they end up drifting off to sleep.
Gawain: (Since I've involved the crew in this, I can't let this request end in failure...)
Gawain: (But until I figure out how to make non-melting chocolate...)
Gawain: (Hm?)
Gawain absentmindedly slips his hand into his pocket and feels the sensation of a candy drop.
Gawain: (Those candy drops they bought earlier... Heh. Thoughtful as ever.)
Gawain moves to pop one into his mouth, only to stop short.
Gawain: Come to think of it, candy doesn't melt easily at room temperature, yet melts readily in the mouth.
Gawain: Strange... Both chocolate and candy are sweets that melt, yet their properties are so different...
Gawain: Hm... Now I'm curious what this non-melting chocolate tastes like. You have my assistance, Mother.
Morgause: Haha, I'm glad to hear it. Let's start by teaching you how the chocolate's made. First, you prepare lots of sugar...
Gawain: That's it... I remember now. When we made non-melting chocolate back then, there was a huge amount of sugar involved...
Dalmore Woman: Sir Gawain? If it's sugar you need, we have plenty right here...
Gawain: All right, I want to try something.
Peerless Hero vs. Love's Dilemma: Scene 3
The crew completes the non-melting chocolate and sees the woman off to confess her love. Afterward, Gawain gifts (Captain) and the others handmade chocolates as a token of his affection and gratitude.
Gawain: You're up?
(Captain) had fallen asleep with Gawain's shoulder as a pillow.
- Sorry.
- You could've woken me up.
Choose: Sorry.Gawain: Don't worry about it. I kept you up late—lending you my shoulder is the least I can do.
Gawain: Besides, you were so relaxed that you were snoring away.
(Captain) hurriedly denies snoring.
Gawain: Heh... I'm joking. No need to take it seriously.
Choose: You could've woken me up.Gawain: Given how capable you are, it's easy to forget—you're still young.
Gawain: Kids grow by eating and sleeping well. I just thought I'd let you rest.
Hearing those words, (Captain) expresses gratitude.
Gawain: I'm the one who should be thanking you. I kept you all up late.
Continue 1Vyrn: Mm... mmnngh?
Vyrn: Aw, crud! We fell asleep?
Lyria: Yaaawn... H-have to make chocolate...
Dalmore Woman: Please rest easy. The non-melting chocolate is finished—look, it's on the table.
Just as she says, the table holds a container filled with colorful, bite-size chocolates.
Vyrn: Whoa, these are the little things we were tryin' to make all along? They look cute!
Lyria: You figured it out—thank goodness! So what were we doing wrong?
Gawain: The clue... was this.
Gawain takes several small candy drops out of his pocket.
Vyrn: Huh? Aren't those the candy drops I gave ya?
Gawain: Yes. Candy doesn't melt easily even when carried around for a long time, but once you put it in your mouth, it melts readily, doesn't it?
Gawain: They're both sweets that melt, so thinking about the difference between candy and chocolate sparked that memory in me.
Gawain: When my mother and I made non-melting chocolate, we had a huge pot of sugar nearby.
Lyria: But just mixing sugar into the chocolate didn't make it harder to melt, did it?
Gawain: You don't mix it in; you coat the chocolate in melted sugar.
Vyrn: Ah! I thought the chocolate looked glossy, but that shine is all sugar?
Gawain: Exactly. The sugar forms an armor, protecting the chocolate inside from both body and environmental heat.
Gawain: Even if the chocolate melts slightly, the sugar coating keeps it from staining your hands or clothes.
Gawain: Honestly I cannot give enough praise to the idea, even if it did come from my own mother.
Dalmore Woman: I'm sure she experimented over and over again until she perfected it, all to make your father happy.
Gawain: Hah. Yes. That may very well be the case.
Dalmore Woman: Thank you so much for everything. I'll be on my way to tell him how I feel.
Vyrn: You got this, miss!
Lyria: We're cheering for you!
Worried for the woman, (Captain) suggests going with her.
Dalmore Woman: No, you've all done more than enough. All that's left is for me to find my courage.
Gawain: Don't worry. It's going to go well. The chocolate you're bringing is what my mother used to win my father's heart.
Dalmore Woman: Hehe... Thank you!
With the request resolved, (Captain) and company return to the Grandcypher.
As the airship lifts off, Gawain gazes at Dalmore fading into the distance.
- Do you miss Dalmore?
- What are you thinking about?
Choose: Do you miss Dalmore?Gawain: Hm? No, that's not it.
Choose: What are you thinking about?Continue 2Gawain: I was just thinking... Will I also marry someone and have a family of my own someday?
Vyrn: Huh? I sure didn't see that comin' from Gawain!
Lyria: What brought this on so suddenly?
Gawain: I'm no stranger to love, you know. Seeing Dalmore so alive with Valentine's festivities just got me wondering.
Gawain: But... if I do marry someday, it won't be anytime soon.
Gawain: More importantly, accept this as a token of my appreciation—chocolate for all of you.
Vyrn: Ooh, I've been wonderin' what they taste like! Let's dig in!
Lyria: Mm-hm! I'll go prepare some tea!
Gawain: There's some for you as well, (Captain). Here, enjoy.
Gawain hands the captain a small pouch delicately adorned with a ribbon.
Gawain: You've helped me time and time again, not just this once.
Gawain: As thanks, I've prepared this specially for you.
Gawain: Of course, I figured you'd be curious about the non-melting chocolate too, so there's some of that inside as well.
Gawain: You're well-liked by the crew, and on Valentine's Day, you probably had plans to spend time with them, didn't you?
Gawain: And yet, I dragged you into this assignment out of my own selfishness... I apologize.
Gawain: Ever since we started going around listening to the worries of fellow crew members and the people of Dalmore, I haven't been able to ignore those in need.
Gawain: Seems a certain captain's meddlesome nature has rubbed off on me.
- We're the same, then.
- That doesn't ring a bell.
Choose: We're the same, then.Gawain: Oh? So you were aware? I never said I was talking about you specifically though.
Choose: That doesn't ring a bell.Gawain: Oh? Where's your self-awareness? Shall I remind you of everything you've accomplished until you're sick of hearing it?
Continue 3Gawain: Strange, isn't it? I used to find it bothersome, but now I find it... comforting, even.
Gawain exhales softly, then looks the captain in the eyes with a serious expression.
Gawain: (Captain). Just as I rely on you, I want you to rely on me too.
Gawain: No different from how I would defend Dalmore, I wish to protect you and be of help when you need it.
Gawain: Perhaps think of it as me paying you back, if nothing else. I've caused you plenty of trouble, after all.
Gawain: So... don't forget it, (Captain). By your side stands a man known as a hero of the realm.
(Captain) meets Gawain's earnest gaze, then nods firmly.
Gawain smiles back—quietly, with clear relief.
