The Aegis, Agrathi: You should know, the Sadalfas family was once respected and praised just like yours, {Ramza}. But my grandfather was captured during the Fifty Years' War. They say he did something unconscionable. They said he sought to save his own skin by trading those of his comrades. But, as he left the bastion.... He was stabbed in the back, by none other than a squire just like myself. One of my grandfather's former comrades escaped and spread the lies around like Germinas wildfire. Of course, father never believed one word of it. But everyone else did, and he was deserted... whitewashed.... (tosses stone into fountain) With the rank I was born with... I would never have entertained the notion of an audience with Dycedarg....
Young Girl's Voice: Deeelllitaaa! Oh, Deeeeellliitaaaa!
Delita (turns): I heard ya the first time, Teta!
Ramza (turns, startled): Whoa! Alma, Zalbag! How long were you...?
(They approach together)
Alma: Hey {Ramza}, you never wrote anything about coming home!
Ramza: So brother, did you get my letter about me coming home?
Zalbag: What letter? (Pause) Never mind that; I only heard you lambasted those thieves in Gariland to a pulp! That's worthy of our name; I've no doubt our father above is pleased with both of you right now.
Ramza: ...Thanks.
Zalbag: Ha, ha... just the same as always. Still uncomfortable hearing that... (pause) do me a favor and never change. So, Delita, looking good; I did hear you're doing all the heavy lifting. (pause) Teta can't stop chattering about you.
(Teta approaches Delita)
Teta: Yeah, and I'm almost impressed you're still vertical, wearing that suit.
Delita: Heh, I'll take that as a compliment. You look good, too. How's school by the way?
Teta: Uh... it's all right. I am passing every class, and the teachers are nice....
Zalbag: Alas, I'd love to stay and chat, but I got suckered into another string of manhunts for prowlers and such. If I may take my leave....
Ramza: Good luck and God's grace, we shall pray for your victory.
(Zalbag waves goodbye and turns to leave, but pauses)
Zalbag: We've received a pigeon: they demand a ransom.
Agrathi (pissed, hence red text): What's this?!
Zalbag: 'Tis beyond my ken: (pause) these rebels preach death to the nobility and their servants. Their hatred knows these bounds; they'd have slain poor Elmdor at Mandalia. Why then would they abduct him for the sake of money? It runs against their idiom....
Agrathi: Absurd! They're no more than gil-per-grain brigands and beggars, I say!
Zalbag: The winds carry nothing from the grass planted in their midst. (Pause) Now, I voiced my concerns.... Yet, the nobles believe that our circumstances do not warrant further investigation....
Ramza: (to himself) A true Aquilor never abandons one in need. (To Zalbag) Brother, where did the grass blow last?
(Note: sugnuf used the Japanese euphemism for spy in the original text. I think it gives a flavor if you keep it in, and Zalbag and Ramza are among the girls, who might not catch onto the term.)
Zalbag: The Merchant Crossroads of Dorter, south of here, and east of the Abbey of Orbonne.
I dare say, guarding a castle is such a dull grind, eh {Ramza}?
(Zalbag leaves, having dropped his hint)
Delita: Looks like we have to cut our reunion short, Teta. We'll resume afterward.
Teta: W-Worry not Delita, I know. (Pause) Make sure we reunite with you in one piece, all right?
(They embrace)
Delita: It's all right, sis, we won't do anything stupid; try to be good and keep Alma outta fights, okay?
(They let go)
We had better move, Aegis.
(Note: sugnuf could not decipher how the first translation incorporated the term Limberry Aegis Knights from what he observed was simply being part of the Marquis' private guard. However, Aegis is synonymous with the word for guard, so the fancier term still makes sense in this context. Delita makes it into something of a pet name for the wayward squire, up until their falling out.)
(Delita, Agrathi/Algus/ARGATH/Cocksucker/Asshole, and Teta take off; before Ramza can follow)
Alma: She wasn't telling him everything, {Ramza}. (Pause) Not that she was lying....
Ramza: Don't tell me: you went and burned the schoolhouse?
(Figured that, since they're teenagers and in school, they have rapier wits of some kind. Ramza should not be as clueless as he is described in the game.)
Alma: We thought about it for real.... (Pause) see, those witches at school won't leave her alone for, you know....
Ramza: So, those fights....
Alma: Yeah, I shouldn't have said a word of this to a hothead cadet with a pig sticker. Listen: Teta will be all right, okay? I'll be there for her. Trust me.
Ramza: I'm not worried. If worse comes to worst, call me. Don't over-strain that fist.
Alma: Speak for yourself! You, the one pushing hard just to meet everybody's expectations! Be yourself. (Pause) Names are naught but shackles in love and war.
Ramza: Ha, ha, ha! A year passes by and you're already sounding like our mother, heh-heh-heh!
(Ramza splits; Alma takes the chill breeze in stride)
Alma Ramza....
