Scenario:Arriet - Da Capo
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Da Capo
One day a few years ago, a village is raided by a group of bandits who want to establish a base there. While their boss is busy threatening the resident chief, a pair of henchmen take three hostages—one of whom is the traveling musician Arriet—and lock them away in a small cabin deep in the mountains. Without skipping a beat, the lyrist begins to negotiate with her captors.
A few years ago...
On a small but quaint island, a gang of notorious bandits raided a village and stole three of its women.
After locking the hostages away deep in the mountains, the bandits demanded that the village chief allow them to use the settlement as their home base.
Village Girl: Sob... Sniffle...
Simple Bandit: ...
Savage Bandit: Tch... Shut up already!
Village Woman: I-I'm sorry! I'm doing my best to calm her down, so please don't hurt us...
Village Girl: Sob... Who are all these strangers? I'm scared...
Village Woman: I understand, dear. But please, stop crying... Otherwise...
Simple Bandit: We're just here to guard you. We don't plan on hurting you all.
Savage Bandit: Hmph... We'll see what happens if your chief refuses to listen.
Village Woman: Eep...
Savage Bandit: We clear? Now hurry and shut that damn kid up.
Arriet: Excuse me... Do you have a moment?
Savage Bandit: Huh? Are ya deaf? I said shut it!
Arriet: Fine, but you're planning on using the village as your base, no? I thought you'd appreciate the extra information...
Arriet: But you're right. I suppose I should just keep quiet.
Savage Bandit: ...
Simple Bandit: ...
Arriet: ...
Savage Bandit: Tch... What is it? You'll pay with your life if it isn't anything useful.
Arriet: I appreciate the candor.
Arriet: I'll preface by informing you that I'm a traveling musician—not a village resident.
Arriet: I'm an innocent victim who just so happened to be abducted while resting there.
Arriet: In other words, I have no value as a hostage.
Simple Bandit: What? So we should let you free?
Savage Bandit: But if you've got nothing to do with the village, it's okay for us to kill ya now.
Arriet: I suppose that's one way of interpreting it.
Village Woman: Wait... Wh-what are you—
Arriet: It's okay.
Simple Bandit: I don't get it. Why are you telling us that?
Arriet: What I mean to say is, I'm the most neutral among us.
Savage Bandit: Neutral?
Arriet: That's right. So please, listen to me—for the safety of both parties.
Simple Bandit: Are we in danger or something?
Arriet: Hehehe...
Da Capo: Scene 2
Arriet skillfully navigates her way through a conversation with the two bandits to extract information. She manages to convince the more compassionate of the pair to turn on his comrade, giving the three hostages an opening to escape.
Traveling musician and a smooth talker, Arriet skillfully navigates her way through the conversation.
Arriet: You there. Where are you from?
Simple Bandit: Where am I from? What has that got to do with anything? Hurry up and tell us how we're in danger—
Arriet: Probably somewhere in the north... Let's see... What about Hokai Island?
Simple Bandit: ...!
Arriet: It appears I'm right. You do a good job hiding your accent, but I'm still able to tell. Is your wife still there?
Simple Bandit: H-hold on!
Simple Bandit: How... How did you know I'm married?
Arriet: Your ring finger. The wedding band may be gone, but the mark is not.
Arriet: Your clothes are all ragged though. You also look malnourished—which means you don't live together now.
Arriet: This is just a guess, but... are you hiding your occupation from your wife?
Simple Bandit: ...
Arriet: You remove your ring because you feel guilt toward your wife back home.
Arriet: Which can only mean that you used to engage in honest work.
Arriet: So tell me. Why have you stooped to the point of becoming a bandit?
Simple Bandit: What do you know!
Arriet: Has this got to do with the mining accident three years ago?
Simple Bandit: ...!
Simple Bandit: That's right! If it weren't for that damn accident... I'd still have a proper job!
Simple Bandit: There's nothing else for me to do... My only skill is the strength I built during my mining days...
Villagers: ...
Savage Bandit: You idiot! Enough with the yapping. That's our hostage.
Simple Bandit: Ah... Sorry...
Arriet: We're simply chatting. What's the harm in that?
Arriet: Although... I do wonder what the village chief will do.
Savage Bandit: The chief? What about him?
Arriet: Hm? Well, I'm sure you already know about his connections with the neighboring country, no?
Village Woman: Huh? Ah, right... He's the younger brother of their military commander.
Simple Bandit: What?
Arriet: ...
Arriet: In other words, the village chief has direct access to an order of knights.
Arriet: Assuming he sent them a secret message, they should be showing up pretty soon.
Savage Bandit: Hmph... You should learn to tell better lies...
Arriet: Lies? What would a neutral third party like myself stand to gain from lying?
Simple Bandit: Well...
Arriet: Should your comrades make an enemy of those knights, they'll be forced to make a hasty retreat.
Arriet: Leaving you two behind.
Savage Bandit: Wha!
Arriet: Or are you foolish enough to believe that they'd go out of their way to search the mountains for you both?
Arriet: See? I'm speaking for the well-being of everyone here.
Savage Bandit: You! Let me be clear—our boss would never abandon us!
Arriet: Are you sure? I think our chat has made it plenty clear what kind of group you are.
Savage Bandit: Hrk...
Arriet: You there, bandit from the north.
Arriet: You should carefully consider what your wife would think if you were to be captured or killed.
Simple Bandit: ...
Simple Bandit: Mary...
Savage Bandit: What? Are you seriously taking this lady for her word?
Savage Bandit: What if it's all a big lie? Our boss'll personally see to your death.
Arriet: ...
Simple Bandit: Damn it! Damn it all!
Simple Bandit: Raaagh!
Savage Bandit: Hurgh!
Simple Bandit: Pant, pant, pant...
Simple Bandit: Go... I'll handle the rest myself.
Arriet: Thank you. In return, I'll tell the villagers that there was only one guard watching us.
Simple Bandit: Okay...
Arriet: All right, you two. It's about time we head back!
Da Capo: Scene 3
On their way back, Arriet draws her blade and questions the identity of one of her fellow hostages. Just then, Monika appears, explaining that the woman is actually a spy from the Crew of Enforcers and the entire incident was a trap set to catch the bandits. Impressed by Arriet's eloquence, insight, and wit, Monika invites her to join their ranks—to which the wandering lyrist agrees.
After leaving the mountain hut, the three hostages set off for the village.
Arriet uses a sword she had swiped to defend the group against the bandits attacking them along the way.
Arriet: Haaah!
Traveling Bandit: Hraaagh!
Village Girl: You're so strong, miss! And cool too!
Arriet: Thank you. I've learned a thing or two about self-defense during my solo travels.
Village Woman: I see the village lights in the distance! Once the chief knows we're safe, he won't have to give in to the bandits' threats!
Village Woman: Let's hurry!
Arriet: Very well. But first, I have a question.
Arriet raises her sword, pointing its tip directly at the villager.
Arriet: Who are you?
Village Woman: What? I'm a resident of—
Arriet: Earlier, this young girl mentioned being scared because she was surrounded by strangers.
Arriet: She was also directing that statement toward you. Furthermore, when I made up that story about the village chief, you played along without a second thought.
Arriet: I'll ask you one last time—what is your true identity?
Village Woman: W-well...
Monika: Wait.
Arriet: And you are?
Monika: I am Monika of the Crew of Enforcers. I'd like to thank you for your help in this operation.
Arriet: An operation?
Still protecting the young girl, Arriet places her sword down and listens to what the two women have to say.
Arriet: I see... That explains things.
Arriet: You predicted the bandits' next target, then planted this woman in the village as a trap.
Monika: That's right—with the chief's permission, of course. We've already arrested the bandits within the village itself.
Monika: I'm sorry for putting you in danger's way.
Arriet: Not a problem. Although I will admit I didn't expect the Crew of Enforcers to be behind all this.
Monika: You're not the only one who's surprised. To think you'd actually take down the guards and escape...
Monika: Arriet, the traveling musician... It appears the rumors of your intellect, eloquence, and wit are true.
Arriet: You know of me?
Monika: Indeed. We had our eyes on you as a potential candidate. Even our meeting here is no coincidence.
Arriet: A candidate for what?
Monika: Arriet, how would you like to work for the Crew of Enforcers as a spy?
Arriet: You want me... to be a spy?
Monika: The Erste Empire's rise has pushed Phantagrande to its limits.
Monika: With other forces now seeking to move, it's critical that we find like-minded comrades to aid our cause.
Monika: I need someone with your skills—so please, join us.
Arriet: ...
Arriet: Ettie.
Monika: Hm?
Arriet: You may refer to me as Ettie. Likewise, I'll call you by your name—Monika.
Monika: Hehehe... Sounds good to me!
And so, Arriet joins the Crew of Enforcers as Monika's shadow, gathering intelligence throughout her musical travels.
Though both a musician and a spy, the lyrist is, above all else, a dear member of the Grandcypher's crew.
Not even she knows where her journey will take her next—that is for fate to decide.