Let's Play Atelier Rorona! Update 9, Part 3
Continued from Part 2...
So I decided to try making an Elixir.
Even if we fail, it gives us a ton of alchemy xp, so it's not a bad way to use up some time.
They can have all kinds of effects depending on what materials are used.
And this time we succeeded. This one cures status effects, gives a large HP restore, and a large HP regen.
Still, it only has one use... The right traits can add a second use though. It might be worthwhile for some really difficult fights, if we ever run into any again.
To fill in the last day, I made a Shellper Horn. Ailment Reduction+ "greatly reduces the power of status ailments." In most cases they weren't that powerful to begin with, making this less than impressive. Another possible effect reduces damage, but I've never tried it so I don't know how useful it is.
And with that, it's time for the assessment.
I wonder if he's as busy as he was last year...?
*huff* *huff* Sorry to make you wait...
Uh, are you okay?
Yes...I mean, not really, but I'll be fine.
I don't have much time, so let's make this quick. Let's see...
This is the power of having a lot of money!
You're welcome...though, it's kinda weird to be thanked for doing this...
Anyway, sorry to hassle you, but I must move on to your next assignment.
Sorry, but I don't have time to explain it right now. Just trust your instincts on this one!
...He seems really busy.
I wish I could've asked more questions. Oh well, I'll figure something out.
Practical means gemstones... I guess.
Should I look around?
Much like last year's festival, leaving just skips the rest of the year with nothing happening.
It only happens once a year, right?
I should enjoy it.
Hey, good timing...I mean, are you going to the festival?
Yup. Wanna go together?
I guess...if you really want to.
Oh wow, look at all the people. I wonder what they're doing this year?
o.O
Aghhh! Esty!?
And Cordelia, too!
H-hey, get off Rorona!
Aww, don't get so mad! But I'm not letting go of her. We need more young girls to participate!
Wh-what are you...?
Where are you taking me!?
I said, let her go!
Sorry! We only have room for Rorona. You can cheer her on from over there.
What happened to "need more young girls"? Wouldn't that be "more than one"?
Wh-what? H-hey! Come back here!
C-Cory, help me!
And we're dragged off to this place.
Hello, everyone!
Are you all ready for this year's main event, the Martial Contest!?
Martial Contest!? You didn't tell me anything about that!
Oh, I didn't? Don't worry, the rules are simple.
Just defeat your opponent to get a point. Earn three points in a row to win the contest. Simple, huh?
I'm not sure how this tournament is functionally different from a single-elimination tournament, given what seems to happen.
That's not what I meant!
Why am I...?
Where'd you come from? o.O
No, it's a mistake! I was forced...
Rorona's less surprised than I am...
Yeah, I know what you mean. Just go with it, or it'll only get worse for you.
...
...That's the most wrong line ever...
*sigh* No...
Alright, is everybody ready!?
Round 1, begin!
What? Already?
...Fine, I'll do what I can!
And we're sent into battle against this "Adventurer"... who looks a lot like a bandit.
Like bosses, the numerical HP is hidden for other contestants. Unlike bosses, most of them don't have a lot of HP.
Here's the Convert Damage trait in action. With +2, we get healed for 5% of the damage we do... with normal attacks. If skills activated it too, it'd be great. But since they don't, I'm not too enthusiastic. It does make it easy to stay topped up when you're fighting weaker enemies though.
Also, that was enough to one-shot this guy.
She did it! That's one point for Rorona!
But this is only the beginning...
Get ready for Round 2!
The next opponent is named "Engineer", and looks like one of Cory's bodyguards.
Also, our HP is restored between rounds. Not that it matters yet, since a normal attack one-shots this guy too.
Rorona has advanced to the finals by defeating two powerful opponents!
They weren't powerful.
*huff* *huff*
What? The finals? Me?
She will be going against our kingdom's shining knight...Sterk!
I never imagined this would happen...
Um, me neither...but...um...
Let's have a good match!
You got it.
I can't go easy on you, since I'm representing the knights. Don't take it personal.
What a couple of good sports we have here! Is everyone ready? The Final Round begins now!
Sterk isn't like the first two guys.
For one thing, he can actually hit pretty hard.
A normal attack takes a pretty noticable chunk of his HP off, but proportionally he's way ahead.
A skill, however, will promptly give us the win.
And now, it gets really talky...
Huh? I...won?
Congratulations!
Rorona, do you have anything to say?
Oh, um...well...
Uh...
Just say anything. Like...
"All the men in this kingdom are scum!" or
"If you wanna die, come challenge me any time!"
No!
Oh-hoh, are you my new challenger?
...Huh? Who are you?
Hey, what's going on?
No one told me about this.
I'm sorry, but you can't become the strongest in the kingdom so easily.
Come on, she wasn't even going to say "The people are like garbage!"
(That's a real contender for "most obscure reference I'm going to put in the LP", right there.)
...The hell?
Whoa!
Esty, who is this guy?
What do you think you're doing!?
You're ruining the event...
...Hey! What are you doing here!?
I assume that last line is supposed to be whispered. There's no voice though... at least in my recording.
I coulda sworn I remembered there being voice here before...
It's so obvious! You're not even trying to hide it anymore!
Obvious enough that I'm not going to bother making new icons for him.
Umm...do you guys know each other?
Of course we do!
Rorona, you should...
W-wait! Come on, we have an audience. Just go with the flow...you know what I'm talking about, right?
Hmm...that's true, but...
Please do me this one favor.
Hello...? What are you guys doing...?
Umm...ahem.
Whoa! It looks a mysterious person has come to join the fray!
Rorona, as the winner of the contest, you must accept his challenge!
What!? Why!? Besides, who is this mysterious person?
Oh, you're right...we should make up a name. This is...
The Legendary Masked Master Swordsman, Mask de G!
Mask de G!?
...Couldn't you have come up with a better name than that?
Consider it your punishment!
You don't have a choice in the matter! Now, come on! Hurry up and start!
Are we really doing this?
I don't even know what's going on...
...Is his mask... winking? o.O;;;
But, I'm not the strongest!
Sorry to keep you all waiting, everyone! The extra round of the Martial Contest will start now!
Let's have a fair fight!
Let's not.
*sigh* Fine, whatever!
So, the fights before this weren't even a challenge. Gio, however, is different. He's got a lot more HP, and hits incredibly hard. On top of that, he's getting two attacks for every turn Rorona gets.
Put those two things together, and this is what happens. And that's just the damage he did in one cycle. (Thankfully, it usually isn't quite as bad as this.)
There are various strategies for winning this fight, but here's what I went with.
Step 1: Use a Mystery Ankh.
Step 2: Delcare victory.
Well, okay, there's also some fighting involved. But I've got just enough HP that he can't KO me in one turn, plus enough of a margin to use Angel Heart.
My favorite moment?
You're not fast enough.
I am fast enough. (But it hit the next time he used it...)
Two Angel Hearts, plus one normal attack were enough to finish the fight.
Since this fight is pretty cool looking (and Gio isn't going to get much more screen time), I've decided to provide a video of this too.
It's kind of funny how different the stats are here... If the recruitable Gio had the HP of this one, and did the same damage, he'd be junk.
*huff* *huff* Huh?
N-no way... Th-the...the victory goes to Rorona!
She scores a total victory!
I know it's shocking, but you better go now...
Hrm...thanks.
Umm, are you sure I really won?
Of course. You should be proud of yourself. Everyone is cheering for you.
Okay...umm...thank you very much, everyone!
Anyway, a Sun Cloak will be given as a prize to the winner, as well as...
What.
What is with you!?
That's worse than Cabbage Girl...
And that's all for this year's main event!
I hope you all enjoy the rest of the Annual Festival!
Are you listening to me, Esty!?
Hahaha...I don't know, but I guess I did it, huh?
And think, you're the girl who used to cry after getting bit by an ant...
I guess some people do change.
o.O
(Though with some ants that'd be pretty justified...)
D-don't bring that up!
Well, I think it's pretty amazing.
A girl who is weaker than an ant has become the champion of the Martial Contest...
Enough already!
Haha, I'm sorry.
Let's go eat something to celebrate your victory.
Received Sun Cloak.
The Sun Cloak is not very good.
Once again, the rest of the festival passes in a flash...
o.o
It's the end of another year, which means time for more reflection...
Or, to put it another way, more cutscenes.
...Okay, now I just have to mix this in and...good! This is turning out great.
*yawn* ...You look like you're working hard.
All that noise woke me up. What are you doing, working so early in the morning?
Well, um...I realized that there's only one more year left, so...I just couldn't sit still...
One more year? It's been that long, huh? It's hard to keep track of time when I'm having so much fun...
You're having fun...?
Well, she must be doing something with her time...
Huh? Did I say that?
Yes, you just said it!
I see...hmmm...is this a contradiction? No...it's a dilemma.
???
Oh, don't worry.
I'm just talking to myself.
Say Rorona, why do you practice alchemy?
Huh? Don't you remember? You forced me into doing it.
I see...is that the only reason?
Well, no, umm...because if I don't do it, the workshop will be taken away, and I'll have to leave town...
Yes, yes, I know what our situation is. What I wanna know is the reason why you're doing alchemy.
That's not enough to satisfy you?
Let me change the question.
Do you like alchemy?
... So, you actually wanted to know the answer to something completely different.
Although given how you've actually watched her devour alchemy books like a kid in a candy store, I'm surprised you'd feel the need to ask.
What!? Well, um...
I'm not sure...
...You're not sure?
Isn't this all about you?
You could interpet it that way, but I think it'd be wrong.
But...I've never looked at it like that.
I see...
Umm, Master? Why are you...?
*yawn* ...Sorry. My mind doesn't feel clear yet. I better go back to sleep.
Master...
She didn't look that out of it...
Do I like alchemy? Hmmm...
Given the way things have gone, I started to wonder about turning the question around...
Astrid, do *you* like alchemy?
Before you go out to gather, please note that your party members have been removed since the Annual Festival.
This time I put everyone back in my party right away.
Well, "right away" as in "after the next cutscene".
Hehe. It's been over two years since I started.
Yeah, I guess so... Can you make different kinds of potions and medicine?
Mmhm. Most of them, anyway.
Why?
Well, you know, would you be able to make, for example...
Like a potion that will make me taller?
Isn't that the kind of potion that only leads to suffering in most stories?
(Also, I can't help but wonder how many people were expecting "make my breasts bigger"...)
...Cory.
What!? I said, "For example!"
...
Don't give me that look of pity!
But Cory...you haven't gotten any taller... *sob*
o.O
Why are you crying!?
Besides, I am taller!
Really...? By how much?
Like...two millimeters.
You measured precisely enough for that?
*sob* I'm so sorry.
And I'm sorry for even asking...
Stop apologizing!
And can we stop talking about this?
Just forget it, okay!?
Okay, fine... I don't know how to make it right now, but I promise I'll figure it out eventually...
Seriously, I don't think that's a good idea.
And would it be that unusual for her to still have a growth spurt coming, given the character's original ages?
Ugh! I told you to forget it!
...
Okay, I'm just going to come right out and say it. This seems like a really abrupt and anticlimactic place to end the update. If I'd thought of it back when I did the original captures, I'd probably have held the cutscene with Cory for the next update, even if it violates my usual self-imposed rules. At this point though, I just want to get this one done.
Next time on Atelier Rorona: Where the heck did *you* lot come from?