The Golden Scheme

Each time we take a step forward, more blood is spilled...but by spilling that blood, we're able to take yet another step forward.

War is always a cruel affair, but luckily we have each other to lean on. We've steeled our hearts. We won't be broken.

Oh, and about taking the fort... I'll need a tad more time to prepare our plan.

It's called an impregnable fortress for a reason, after all. My contingencies need contingencies this time, or we may not pull it off.

Dimitri, the late prince of Faerghus. He despised the Empire with all his heart.

He should not have tried leading an army while his emotions were holding him captive.

No. If a leader's emotions overcome them, others must step in to prevent poor decision-making.

Why did his followers not intervene? His attendants?

I used to call Edelgard my leader, and now she is running amok. I am duty-bound to stop her.

There's word that Claude has developed a rather interesting stratagem to capture the fortress.

You know Fort Merceus's nickname, I assume. The Stubborn Old General?

But there must be one or two gaps in its defenses...

Fort Merceus is next, huh? Ah, the memories.

It's a huge stronghold in my father's domain. The town's completely surrounded by high walls.

I used to run around there when I was a kid...

Way back when a fortress was just a playground for me. Yeah, those were the days.

It's always so peaceful coming back here. But it's hard to relax knowing we have to go out on another expedition again so soon.

And assaulting that huge keep? That sounds hard. Oh, really hard! Don't you think it'll be hard?!

So many people died in the battle at Gronder...

And here we are, preparing for the next battle, as if nothing happened the day before.

It's almost easier to think about war as theater, with the stage an entire continent.

Everyone just pretends like everything is fine... focusing on their role in the play.

I have excitement in my heart for secret tactics! I enjoy attacks that are surprising.

Surprise attacks are safe with friends. Fewer injuries.

My relationship with the boar prince began even before I was born.

He was always by my side. You might even say that, at one time, we were best friends.

I couldn't fathom the depth of his hatred for the Empire. So much anguish.

Could I have saved him? Could I have stopped him?

I've heard Dedue's passed on. Just like His Highness.

If, somehow, he's still alive...I hope we'll meet again.

Ya know, Professor, laying siege to a keep is like asking a girl out on a date.

First, you get past her defenses...then you make your move.

Anyway, you know more about tactics than me, so I don't know why I'm offering you advice.

Oh, Goddess, hear my prayer. Please bless the deceased with peace everlasting...

And may his soul rest in tranquility.

You know, I used to see him praying quite often when I would come to the cathedral at night.

I wonder who it was he prayed for back then...

After the battle at Gronder, some people claim they saw my father.

They said he walked off the battlefield clutching... His Highness's dead body...

So long as Father's alive, I don't need anything else. I just... I hope to see him again one day...

Among our prisoners of war, there were quite a few people who served His Highness.

One of them stated that the Empire was involved with the Tragedy of Duscur.

If this is true, His Highness's motives seem clear. I can't help but feel that perhaps I should have been fighting by his side...

Those of us still on this plane of existence will carry the torch. The inhumane actions of the Empire must not be repeated.

Fort Merceus is old and strong. Its reputation for durability is equal to that of Arianrhod.

Are we really going to leave this to Claude? With a plan concocted by Hilda, of all people?

Let us hope the end result is not too outlandish.

You know when you work your muscles and they start screaming? That means you gotta be nice to them.

If your muscles are hungry, you gotta feed them, and let them rest when they're tired.

What's with the confused face, Professor? You look like you don't get a word I'm saying!

The battle at Gronder Field was gruesome, wasn't it?

But perhaps it's irresponsible to look away—to close our eyes to the horrors of war.

As survivors, we must ensure that all these lives were not lost in vain. We must see the tragic foundations upon which we'll build our future.

May an age of peace rise from the ashes, so that all this sacrifice means something.

As I suspected, they seem to be supporting the Imperial army now.

Though I don't quite know who "they" are yet...

Nor do I know what tricks they'll use against us next. We can't afford to let our guard down...

I never used to care whether I lived or died...

But after seeing so much death firsthand, I now realize how precious life truly is.

I'm ashamed of how arrogant I was to think that death could mean so little...

I wonder how far we can get with this plan. Dressing up like Imperial soldiers to sneak in.

Claude said it could use some refinement. Any ideas?

On second thought, let's just stick to the plan as originally conceived. That seems safer.

Claude takes care of the strategy, you direct the troops, and the rest of us focus on the fighting.

As long as the system keeps working, we can win any battle, no matter the odds.

That's what everyone's saying anyway. Hope you can keep up with our expectations, Professor.

Fort Merceus is a keep that was constructed to defend the Imperial Capital, Enbarr.

We cannot enter the capital without first capturing that fort. But once we have it, the city should be almost entirely at our mercy.

Whatever strategy you have in mind, I have faith that it will lead to victory.

Standing face to face with those whom I went to school with. On the field of battle...

How inhuman war is—how horrifying. My heart feels shattered.

It is my hope that this war marks the end of such foolish behavior.

Fort Merceus is the Empire's single most fortified military installation. Utterly impregnable, they say.

I wonder, do you happen to know the nickname given to Fort Merceus?

Seems Fódlans give everyone and everything a nickname. Why, you were called the Ashen Demon!

Myself, I have been called the Father of Crestology, which is a nickname as well as a title, I suppose...

Each step closer to Enbarr, I'm reminded of another part of my past.

Riches and poverty, glory and failure, that city has it all! And if I'm honest...sometimes I miss it.

That's how the past works though, isn't it? It's always a different story than what you really lived.

Hilda's quite a tactician! Disguising ourselves as enemy soldiers to sneak in, undetected. A stroke of brilliance.

With this strategy, we can really snatch victory from the jaws of...deceit!

I hardly recognize everyone... Their faces have changed so much. More experience in the eyes, and more pain.

I'm glad that they're stronger, but I hate to think they've all become hardened killers.

Look after them, OK? Try to keep 'em on the straight-and-narrow.

Please tell Claude not to give us any more ridiculous orders.

I've reached out through all of my channels, but there are limits to these things.

I'll have to recruit an entire town's worth of people if I ever plan on making enough Imperial uniforms.

Guess what I noticed. I can see further than most other people can see.

But I can't figure the point of seeing further than an arrow can fly, since I can't shoot what I see.

Thanks, Professor. I think I get it now. I'm gonna put my eyes to real good use.

Ah, Professor. I have a question for you... Have you heard of the Death Knight?

I'm referring to that Imperial general who has been operating under that moniker.

Nothing is certain yet, but I get the feeling we'll have to face him soon enough.

Greetings, Professor! Nothing to report!

Is it true that we'll be assaulting Fort Merceus next? That doesn't sound like the brightest idea...

I've heard that it's built to withstand an attack from even the largest of armies!

Not to tell you how to do your job, but don't do it! I'm not ready to say my final good-byes to everyone...

Things we can't obtain here are likely obtainable by way of the underground.

Are you unfamiliar with Garreg Mach's underground? The place is an absolute paradise for those who can't stay above ground.

Those Abyssian idiots. All they ever do is cause trouble.

We'd best purge the entire underbelly of Garreg Mach.

Doesn't matter how sturdy the keep, if the commander defending it is incompetent, it can fall as easy as anything.

That's what they say, at least. I wonder if that applies to Fort Merceus...

All I know is if I was the emperor, I'd never in a million years assign an incompetent commander to a fort as important as that one!

I've come to deliver vegetables we harvested in the village to the monastery's dining hall.

Because of the season, I couldn't really pick that much, but I wanted to help you guys out, even just a little bit.

We're busily planting seeds, so when things start to grow, I'll be back.

Some say they saw Gilbert, who used to serve in the Knights of Seiros, at Gronder.

Apparently, he was originally a knight of the Kingdom who served Prince Dimitri.

He was an exceptional knight. I wish I could have fought by his side...

Hey, there! We merchants of the Alliance territories were excited to hear of your victory in the last battle.

We don't much like the prospect of doing business under the heel of the Empire.

The Alliance is what we know and love, but more than that, it's low on regulations, which is great for business.

Please keep up the good work, Professor! The merchants of the world are on your side!

The fish in this pond get fed every day, so they're swimming all lazy and serene...

But the only reason they're kept here is so that they can one day be used for food.

But the fish don't know that, so they just swim around happily...

It's a bit of a miserable thought, but aren't soldiers much the same?

I've come here after getting chased out of the Empire. There's no place for our kind there anymore.

But there are still many inside Empire territory who haven't abandoned their faith in the Church of Seiros.

I pray that one day we'll get the chance to rebuild the church within the Empire...

After that great battle earlier, the balance of power in Fódlan has shifted greatly...

To get revenge for all our fallen friends, we'll have to stake our lives on the fight that lies before us.

Edelgard, Dimitri, and our own Claude...

All the house leaders from way back when assembled again at Gronder.

I wonder what their thoughts were as they headed out to the battlefield...

If the Empire rallies its forces and attacks Garreg Mach, I'm not so sure Abyss will be OK...

If we're not careful, it'll end up buried in rubble.

Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I want to ensure there is still a refuge for people to escape to.

I hear Hilda proposed a genius plan. That right? Heh, we've got a little strategist on our hands.

Not too long ago, she was just a tiny girl who couldn't do a thing on her own. Now look at her. She's the fiercest of the fierce.

I wonder what Holst would say if he saw her now. I bet he'd be proud...just like me.

It's not that I don't sympathize with Lady Edelgard's goals, mind you.

But perhaps not to the point of shedding blood for her ideals.

Peace in Fódlan and a restored House Nuvelle shall be my guiding star as I blaze my own trail!

People have always fought, I guess. Bandits and nobles clashing over territory. Things like that.

So before the war, when folks talked about how peaceful everything was, I thought, "What continent are you living on?"

I get it now. A few isolated skirmishes here and there are nothing compared to a full-blown war.

The one truly peaceful place I've known was the village where I grew up.

Hey, Professor. How's it going? Making lots of coin?

I'd love to catch up, but I'm super busy right now. Working. For money. You understand.

Hey, Professor. How's it going? Making lots of coin?

I'd love to catch up, but I'm super busy right now. Working. For money. You understand.

A class reunion on the battlefield? That's...bleak. That must have been so hard on everyone.

You gotta keep looking after them all. I mean, they still look to you for guidance, you know?

There's unrest everywhere these days. All of my fellow merchants seem to be endangered.

I hope things go back to normal soon. People need more to smile about, aside from my great deals.

Abyss? You're interested in that place, are you?

Ancient sprawling remains deep below Garreg Mach... That's Abyss.

Some folks have made their home there. Obviously they all have their reasons and tales to tell.

But only the most enterprising merchant would venture near it. My advice? Avoid going there yourself.

Hey, you. Listen up. I've got something to report.

I hear there was a huge battle recently. Glad to see you made it back safe and sound.

Maybe there's life after death, or maybe that's just a bunch of pretty words. Either way, we should live like our time here is all we've got.

Got a wager for ya. My friend says there's twice as many women in Abyss as men. You think he's right?

Good eye. You win. Here, have a little something.

No way. You got eyes? Take a look around.

I hear there was a pretty spectacular battle up there recently, but we don't hear a lot about that stuff.

There was a lot of talk when it first started, but five years on... It's just a fact of life.

What? There have been lots of battles on the surface recently? I hadn't heard! See what I mean?!

Please, you can't tell anyone you saw me here. I'm in hiding from the army.

I couldn't stand the war. The violence. I had to get away... But now that I've deserted, I can't go home.

Justice, ambition—what does any of that matter if you're dead? I just want to live. Is that so wrong?

Ah, I see. So you are Jeralt's child. You so resemble your mother.

I've been gone from the monastery for some time now because... Well, it matters not.

Might I...ask a favor of you?

Do you mind terribly picking up some fresh flowers to place upon your mother's grave?

I am certain she'd be deeply moved to receive a gift from you.

Thank you so much. This is just the type of flower she once loved so dearly.

I can rest easy now.

I must be off. Take especially good care of yourself, won't you?

Please, look after Jeralt. She'd have wanted that.