Second Tower (Normal)

> Diplomacy is never easy, but shared objectives naturally make it less difficult. At times like these, a ruler's judgment is as important as their strength.
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## Summary

Lord of Avillon and Lucilicca La'elaya discuss how Lumisade can repay Avillon for their help. The group is confronted by Laphlaes, who does not appreciate Avillon entering the country and attacks. The group manages to defeat him and "Lord" has him question his actions by bringing up his meeting of a suspicious woman.

## Character List

### Major Characters

* Lord of Avillon
* Lucilicca La'elaya (Dark)
* Laphlaes Selkena (Fire)

### Minor Characters

* Mu
* Fram Berge (Water)
* Johan Talede (Light)
* Schneider (Earth)

## Dialogue

**(Lord):** Lucilicca.
**Lucilicca:** Yes? Interesting, by the way, that you called me by my name, (Lord).
**(Lord):** Do you really want to resolve this crisis so badly that you would be willing to make such an extreme deal?
**Lucilicca:** ...I love this country, and its people. I want to protect them.
**(Lord):** Despite the fact that many of those people view you as a traitor who’s betraying her country? If we fail, you are not going to meet a pretty end. Even if we are able to bring the First Archmage back to his senses, what happens if the public vehemently opposes you repaying us? Have you thought of that?
**Lucilicca:** ...
**(Lord):** What, so you were planning on using Avillon to help you get what you want, then pretending like nothing happened?
**Lucilicca:** Of course not! I’ve never thought such a thing.
**(Lord):** Does that mean you haven’t thought of the worst-case scenario?
**Lucilicca:** No. I was going to take full responsibility to make sure such events do not occur. Should the public protest, I was still going to repay you for your help, even if it meant becoming the worst leader in elven history.
**(Lord):** That’s a pretty careless plan. Did you really think it would work?
**Lucilicca:** ...
**(Lord):** You have to consider whether what you think is right is really right for everyone. Let me ask you something. What do you want for elfkind?
**Lucilicca:** I... I don’t want the elves to be locked in a birdcage.
**(Lord):** ...
**Lucilicca:** I don’t want us to be trapped here in Lumisade, doomed to be surrounded by our values and no one else’s. I don’t want us to reject the outside world and lose our identity. I want us to seek once again after harmony and to try to become better.
**(Lord):** ...
**Lucilicca:** ...
**(Lord):** Sounds like an answer a child would give.
**Lucilicca:** Be quiet. I know better than anyone that I am not a “wise” leader. The only reason I’m in this position is because I’m stubborn.
**(Lord):** It was a good answer.
**Lucilicca:** ...What?
**(Lord):** We have similar goals for the world. I want us to become better, too.
**Lucilicca:** What do you mean...?

**Mu:** Master.
**(Lord):** Mu, did you find anything?
**Mu:** Yes. I will send you the data.
**(Lord):** ...I was right. She really did come to Lumisade, and even stayed in the First Tower for quite some time. With this data, I’m all but certain she had a hand in the sudden changes in the First Archmage and the people of Lumisade. But what could she want? Chaos and upheaval throughout Lumisade...? Or... throughout the entire western continent...?

**(Lord):** For now, let’s consider the treaty you mentioned to be in effect. We can work out the details later once this is all finished.
**Lucilicca:** Are you sure? What if I can’t deliver on the promises I made? To be honest, even if we succeed, I have no idea what will happen next. I was planning to grit my teeth and work through it.
**(Lord):** It’s good that you’re prepared for the worst, but I don’t think it will come to that.
**Lucilicca:** But many of our people are already in pure-blood frenzy. Do you know of any way to resolve something so wide-spread...?
**(Lord):** The circumstances around the pure-blood frenzy are already suspicious. What could change the perspective of so many people, other than some sort of mass hypnosis?
**Lucilicca:** So you think the cause is something magical, some sort of spell?
**(Lord):** If things go well enough, I think we can resolve this entire situation. I’m going to make it so you have no choice but honor your end of our deal, heh.
**Lucilicca:** I don’t see how you can be so confident...
**(Lord):** You should know, too, that I happen to like stubborn people. They keep the promises they make with themselves. Isn’t that right?
**Lucilicca:** Well... Yes, I mean, that is true. We’re almost at the Second Tower. How long has it been since I last came here...?

**Lucilicca:** Ah...!
**Laphlaes:** So this is where you were, Archmage Lucilicca.
**Fram:** Who’re you?
**Laphlaes:** You must be the one mentioned in the report, the Monarch of Avillon. Is that correct?
**(Lord):** It is. My name is (Lord): And you are the Archmage of the First Tower of Lumisade, Laphlaes Selkana. Correct?
**Laphlaes:** Indeed. Now, I imagine you’re tired from your long journey, but first, a question. What are you doing here with the Second Archmage?
**Lucilicca:** Archmage Laphlaes, these are my guests. I am sure your inquiry can wait until they’ve had sufficient rest.
**Laphlaes:** Guests...? Our borders are closed, and you have brought the Monarch of another nation—a human, no less—into our land as a guest...? I’m having a hard time understanding the situation. If you do not present to me a good reason for your actions, I will have no choice but to detain or imprison these people for the safety of our country.
**Lucilicca:** Surely you have not forgotten that I am also a representative of Lumisade, and that on the day you decided to close the nation’s borders, you did so without my full agreement. As Second Archmage, I am fully within my rights to unilaterally exert my legal ambassadorial authority.
**Laphlaes:** Hmm... I feel the situation here is quite serious. Or perhaps I’m simply imagining things? Leading a foreign human into inner Lumisade without the permission of the Council can be interpreted as an act of rebellion.
**Lucilicca:** I would like to take some more time to discuss this matter, so that we may both fully express our thoughts to one another.
**Laphlaes:** Even so, it is illegal for non-elves to simply waltz into our land. I’ve no choice but to have you all detained.
**(Lord):** That is a shame. I would have liked our first meeting to have been more civilized.
**Laphlaes:** I shall interpret that to mean you are resisting arrest, in which case the use of force will be required. Guards, arrest them. If they resist, you are free to treat them as hostile. You may even kill them if you must.
**Fram:** Whoa, whoa. Comin’ off a little strong, don’t you think?
**Johan:** Seems he is fit to wage war at any moment. Clearly, he never intended to have a talk in the first place.
**(Lord):** Knights, protect yourselves first! Only protect me if you are able!
**Schneider:** I shall do just the opposite, Highness!

**Laphlaes:** You’re putting up quite the resistance. Archmage Lucilicca, how am I supposed to interpret this situation?
**Lucilicca:** For now, know that these are my guests. I will not stand idly by if you insist on troubling them.
**Laphlaes:** Ha ha! I don’t know what you were thinking when you called them here, but Lumisade does not need them. Not now, not ever. Elves can protect themselves. We can cut through the clouds that cover us and fly into clear skies. There is no room for non-elves in Lumisade. This is our land.
**Lucilicca:** ...
**(Lord):** Sorry to cut you off, but do you really believe what you just said?
**Laphlaes:** Of course I do.
**(Lord):** Are you sure? Because I can’t even muster a guess as to why you feel you have to act this way.
**Laphlaes:** I don’t know what you’re talking about...
**(Lord):** Wasn’t there a human mage who stayed at the First Tower for a while?
**Laphlaes:** That would never happen. The Arcane Towers are only available to elv— Ngh...?!
**Lucilicca:** What is it...?!
**Laphlaes:** My... head....
**(Lord):** Feel a sharp pain in your head right now, did you? You were trying to access a forcibly locked memory.
**Laphlaes:** What... What does that mean...?
**(Lord):** Think long and hard. Before you started speaking of nationalism and “pure-bloods”, remember how you accepted a human mage as a guest to the First Tower.
**Laphlaes:** Ngh... Erk...
**Lucilicca:** What is happening...?