Kingdom of Beasts: 1-1 Blizzard

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Dahlia is awoken by a loud argument. She finds debt collectors demanding that her parents give up the manor to pay off their debt. They're looting every valuable item in sight...

Info

• Style:
• Gifts: Night of Farewell, Broken Shackles
• Event Logs: Tara Kingdom, Northern Mountains, Fort Hawke, Port Luke, Leto
• Recommended: Night of Farewell, Broken Shackles
• Perfect Score: TBA
• Rewards: 3,000 , 600 , 3 , 1 , 1 , Sunrise in Leto, Blueprint: Voyage of Dawn

Dialogue Choices

Note: Changing choices when replaying will cost 5

(Faced with my authoritative father, do I really have a choice?)

• Obey
  • No change
• Rebel
  • No change

Transcript

Expand for script.

• ???: A good-for-nothing count with gambling debts!

• The shouting and the shattering of crockery startles me awake.
• The angry voices awake some of my memories...

• You: (I'm Dahlia Joyce, their youngest daughter.)

• You: (The people downstairs being threatened by debt collectors are my parents.)

• The yelling is getting louder and the sharp words burrow into my ears.

• You: My parents don't treat me well, but I can't bear to let this continue.

• I sigh and rub my throbbing temples, throw on a coat, and head down the stairs.

• Debt Collector: The dilapidated manor is still worth something. It's a bit out of the way, but you can use it as collateral.

• Mother: We can't do that! It's the Joyce family ancestral home!

• Her voice is so shrill the fierce man covers his ears.

• Debt Collector: Have you gone mad, woman?

• Debt Collector: The man of the house hasn't said a thing and you act all high and mighty!

• The man yells rudely at my mother. I look darkly at my father.
• He is immaculately groomed and dressed as luxuriously as ever. Look closely, though, and you'll notice the piling on the worn fabric, indicative of our poverty.
• My father's gray hair is combed back and he stands ramrod straight. But he hides behind my mother. He does nothing in response to the man hurling insults at his wife.

• You: Watch your mouth!

• I stand protectively in front of her.

• Debt Collector: So you have a daughter, old thing?

• Debt Collector: If you don't want to give up your manor, then marry her off! Use the dowry to pay your debt!

• The suggestion turns my mother's fiery anger into ice.
• Her eyes open wide and her mouth works wordlessly for a while before she manages a complete sentence.

• Mother: If I could marry this girl off, you wouldn't be here!

• Mother looks at me reproachfully. My heart sinks.

• Debt Collector: Have you figured out who's the head of the family yet, old man? Where's your pride?

• The man waves at his lackeys. They head in different directions, looting valuable items from the house. My mother cowers behind me.
• My previously timid father rushes toward a lackey and tries to stop the ferocious-looking man.

• Father: No, no! This is my ancestor's seal...

• Father: No, no! That's my precious crystal lamp... Heavens! You've smashed it!

• Debt Collector: So what if we smash a lamp? This manor is mine. Get out, all of you!

• Mother: You can't be serious! Where would we go?

• Debt Collector: That's your problem, not mine.

• The dilapidated building suffers further from the deliberate wreckage. There isn't a clear spot on the floor to step on.

• You: (They're going to force us out. I need to think of something.

• My thoughts churn. I think of something after a moment.

• You: Stop!

• You: Do you think you're above the law?

• Debt Collector: Trying to stop me? I won't go easy on you because you're a girl.

• A vase flies at me.
• I back away a few steps and catch hold of the vase. The weight makes me stagger.
• Once I've found my footing, I place the vase down on the table and glare coldly at the debt collector.

• You: The ignorant do not know fear. I finally understand that saying now.

• Debt Collector: What did you say?!

• You: Private property is protected under the laws in the Tara Kingdom. Trespassing and stealing property are criminal offenses...

• You: I'm afraid you're spending the rest of your life in prison.

• Debt Collector: Are you threatening me? Even if Duke Cyrus came down himself, you still owe me money!

• You: If we go to Duke Cyrus, do you think you will escape unscathed?

• You: Duke Cyrus is known for being strict about the law. Yes, my father has a large gambling debt.

• You: However, stealing private property is an even greater crime.

• You: Based on your actions today, it's easy to judge you guilty.

• Debt Collector: You're threatening me?!

• You: That's right.

• You: Perhaps you've heard the news: an abandoned mine collapsed last month in the Northern Mountains.

• You: Duke Cyrus took a personal interest in the matter and visited the site to investigate.

• You: The Northern Mountains are only three days away from here.

• Debt Collector: We could take all three of you. It would be easy!

• You: We may be poor, but we're still members of the aristocracy.

• You: When there's a festival or an aristocratic meeting and Duke Cyrus notices the Joyce family is missing...

• The debt collector's expression changes. Frowning, he glares at me.

• You: Think carefully about the consequences.

• Debt Collector: You've got a pretty clever mouth, girl.

• Debt Collector: For Duke Cyrus' sake, I'll let you off today.

• Debt Collector: But if you don't pay in three days, I'll make sure you all end up in prison!

• He sweeps his gaze around the room before he and his men leave.
• When they're gone, I sigh in relief and collapse into a chair.
• Now that they're no longer threatened, my parents' cowardice vanishes and they question me wildly.

• Father: Why didn't you drive them away earlier? My precious things are ruined!

• Mother: Is what you said true, Dahlia? Can Duke Cyrus help us?

• The questions are hilarious.

• You: Do you really think Duke Cyrus would be on your side?

• You: You never pay your gambling debts, Father. The Duke won't let you get away with that.

• Father: Are you mocking me?!

• Father: If we could marry you off like your two sisters, we wouldn't be in such a sorry state.

• Mother: Speaking of which, those girls abandoned us as soon as they got married.

• My parents' accusations being up old memories.
• I was young when my older sisters were married, but I remember how red their eyes were.

• You: You have no right to talk about them like that!

• You: They were forced to marry people they didn't love to help you pay off your debts!

• You: They sacrificed their happiness because of you and have to spend their lives in the homes of strangers. And you have no remorse at all!

• Father: Know your place, Dahlia Joyce!

• Father: As your father, I have the authority to determine who you marry!

• Mother: You love to anger your father. Tomorrow, you shall dress up and visit Viscount Scott!

• Mother: Get married, move out, and you'll stop annoying us.

• Mother hurries to soothe Father, who has his nose up in the air.
• The doors and windows are shut against the cold wind, and the fireplace gives plenty of warmth.
• But I feel like I've been left out in the cold.

• You: (Is there anything worth my protection in this home?)

• I have a jumble of complicated feelings. I decide to visit a place that offers me some peace.

• After I change my clothes, I fetch a horse from the stable. I leap on the saddle and ride to my destination.
• I'll find a passionate, caring heart, cheerful jokes, and though it's not my home, a place that's a lot more inviting than the Joyce manor.
• It's a gather place my friends and I have set up together—Fort Hawke.

• I hear a familiar voice as I pull up the reins. It's my good friend, Martha Kirk.

• Martha Kirk: Why have you come on such a cold day? Frostbite isn't fun, you know.

• Martha is reproachful, but she takes my wet, icy cloak and warms my cheeks with her hands.
• I subconsciously rub her hand.

• You: Oh? I'm not welcome here? I can leave now, if you prefer.

• Martha Kirk: What nonsense. I wish you lived here.

• Martha Kirk: I'm living a good life now thanks to you, little one.

• Martha does look happy, a far cry from her previous desolation.

• You: You got out of your own. I only helped a little.

• I met Martha by coincidence. I was very independent in my thinking, and paid attention to regional news. It enabled me to purchase goods at low prices in certain cities to earn profit in other cities.
• I was heading to the inn to sell my wares one day when I ran into Martha. She'd been kicked out by her husband. They had run the inn together for many years.
• She was drunk and depressed. Feeling sorry for her, I tried to console her, and encouraged her to get a fresh start in life.
• When I met her a month later, she had pulled herself together, and suggested we start selling information together.

• You: (And that marked the beginnings of Fort Hawke.)

• Martha Kirk: What are you thinking about? You seem lost in your thoughts.

• You: Just... home. The debt collectors gave us an ultimatum.

• Martha Kirk: Did your parents try to force you to marry again?

• Martha Kirk: Your parents are such scum. They have no remorse after harming two of their daughters!

• Martha Kirk: And now they want to do the same to you?

• You: They want me to visit Viscount Scott tomorrow.

• Martha Kirk: Scott? He drove three dutiful wives to their deaths! Your parents are hurling you out of the frying pan and into the fire!

• Martha Kirk: That's despicable!

• You: You're right. I can't tolerate it any further.

• You: I came here to talk to you.

• You: Fort Hawke was originally based in Port Luke because it is a convenient location.

• You: But now that I've decided to leave, we should move to the bustling city of Leto.

• Martha Kirk: I agree wholeheartedly! The information we can get in Leto will be much more valuable than what we can get in Port Luke.

• Martha Kirk: We're going to be rich!

• You: Let's get our affairs in order and select a day for our journey.

• Martha Kirk: I can't wait!

• After talking to Martha, I return home to pack.
• As I step into the hall, I notice that things are already being packed. There are boxes open on the floor with various items of jewelry inside them.

• You: (What kind of a home is this?)

• As I walk in further, I see Mother trying on a sapphire necklace, and Father admiring a stone carving.
• Instead of reprimanding me for going out on my own, they talk to me in friendly tones.

• You: (This is weird.)

• Mother: Dahlia, my precious daughter, you don't know what great fortune has befallen you.

• She passes me a fine piece of lambskin parchment. It's a letter.

Esteemed Count Joyce

Your daughter Dahlia Joyce is a lady of excellent demeanor and virtue. Duke Cyrus admires her very much and sends the betrothal gifts. We await Miss Dahlia Joyce in Leto at the Duke's residence for the engagement.

House of Cyrus

• You: Why am I suddenly engaged?! When did this happen?!

• Father: I heard from a good source that the Duke is selecting a fiancée.

• Father: So I sent your portrait. That's how you got yourself such a good husband-to-be.

• His matter-of-fact tone has extinguished any last illusions I had about my family.

• You: I knew it. I'm just something to sell off in exchange for money and status to you...

• You: But I thought you'd at least warn me.

• Father: Why are you kicking up such a fuss over something so trivial?

• Father: Pack your things! You're going to Leto tomorrow!

• You: (Faced with my authoritative father, do I really have a choice?)

Obey

• You: (I guess my parents are bent on marrying me off.)

• You: (There's nothing I'll miss here anyway. And I won't need an excuse to leave.)

• You: (As for the engagement to the Duke, perhaps there's a chance of wriggling out of it...)

• I do my best to look sorrowful at my heartless parents, letting my eyes fill with tears.

• You: You don't care about me at all... but I can't ignore your safety.

• You: If I refuse the Duke, the Joyce family will fall into ruin...

• You: ... This is the last time I'm obeying you.

• You: As soon as I step out of this home, I will no longer be your daughter!

• My parents don't seem to mind how determined I am to sever ties. They're just happy I'm going along with the marriage.
• I eye the gleeful couple coldly, then turn and leave the hall to prepare for the journey tomorrow.

Rebel

• You: (Duke Cyrus is a talented and handsome young man, a rare catch indeed, but I do not wish to marry him.)

• You: (I won't let others decide my fate!

• I gaze resolutely at my stern father and my anxious mother.

• You: I won't go.

• You: You don't have the right to make this decision for me.

• You: If you try to force me, I'll run away, no matter what.

• Father and Mother don't know how to handle my open rebellion.
• They look at one another, then start reprimanding me, picking at what they consider to be my flaws.
• But I won't give in this time.
• I turn and leave the room, ignoring their harsh words.