=== Céline & Lapis ===
--- C ---



[Céline]
Oh my. What is that you're drinking, Lapis?
It smells heavenly.
[Lapis]
Princess Céline?! Uh... This is regular tea. Yep.
Nothing special about it.
[Céline]
Do you mind if I have a sip?
[Lapis]
What?! No! You're a princess. You shouldn't be
drinking this sort of thing.
[Céline]
What's the harm in it? You seem to be suffering
no ill effects.
[Lapis]
It's not that. It's... Well...
[Lapis]
See, I didn't get the tea leaves from a shop.
I harvested them from a wild plant nearby.
[Céline]
Do you mean that you make your own tea?
That's wonderful.
[Céline]
Now I must insist that you let me try it.
[Lapis]
Uh... All right, if you insist. Here.
[Céline]
Thank you.
[Céline]
Oh! This is bracing indeed! I wasn't quite
expecting the taste.
[Lapis]
You like it? I actually made the tea set by hand
as well.
[Céline]
You made this? Its finery would shame some
artisans I know.
[Céline]
I'm very impressed that you're able to make so
many things all on your own.
[Lapis]
I appreciate that, but really, it's nothing special.
[Céline]
Nonsense, Lapis. If it's not too much trouble,
could you teach me to brew tea like this?
[Céline]
I'd be interested in learning which wild plants
to pick and how to brew tea from them.
[Lapis]
I'd be happy to. Let's go to the forest together
sometime and I'll teach you.
[Céline]
Excellent. I shall pay close attention, my teacher
of tea.
--- B ---


[Lapis]
Let's see... The shrub over here is edible.
[Lapis]
Its leaves are delicious when boiled. You can
eat them or dry them and make them into tea.
[Céline]
Very interesting.
[Lapis]
See these berries? Now, you can't eat them.
But if you crush them, they make a nice salve.
[Céline]
I've seen these grow everywhere and somehow
never knew they had such uses.
[Lapis]
This moss here is great for treating burns.
[Lapis]
Dry it, crush it into a fine powder, and mix it
with water to make a soothing ointment.
[Céline]
Will wonders never cease!
[Lapis]
If you're really that interested, there's much
more I can teach you.
[Lapis]
I'm from a regular, well-to-do village, but I have
friends from impoverished lands.
[Lapis]
Everything I know about scavenging, I picked up
from them.
[Céline]
I ought to thank those friends of yours. They─
and you─have taught me so much.
[Lapis]
Thank you.
[Lapis]
I have to say, I'm surprised to see a princess so
interested in this sort of thing.
[Lapis]
Surely there's no need for you to find tea in
the wild. You can just go to a shop.
[Lapis]
Medicine too. You can just buy whatever salves
and ointments you need, right?
[Céline]
Under normal circumstances, yes. In times of
peace, what you say is very true.
[Céline]
But in this time of hardships, nothing is certain.
Your knowledge may prove useful.
[Céline]
I suspect you have much more to teach, Lapis,
and I am eager to absorb it all.
[Lapis]
If that's what you want, Princess Céline...
[Lapis]
I'd be happy to share what I've learned over
the years.
[Lapis]
Uh! From my friends' experiences, that is!
[Céline]
Haha, I shall hold you to that.
--- A ---


[Céline]
Let's see... This herb should be dried and then
restored with water when it's time to ingest.
[Céline]
This moss can be dried and powdered, and it is
consumed to treat stomachache. I think that's it.
[Céline]
And of course, these leaves make a very
interesting tea when brewed.

[Lapis]
Princess Céline? Are you writing something?
[Céline]
Ah, hello, Lapis. I was just recording the wisdom
you shared with me thus far in this journal.
[Céline]
I thought you might read it over and let me
know if I missed any details.
[Lapis]
I'd be glad to. But I have to ask...why are you
doing this?
[Céline]
Preparing for the worst, I suppose.
[Lapis]
What do you mean? There's no shortage of
food or medicine in the stockpile.
[Céline]
Oh, not for us. For my people.
[Lapis]
Why would they need to know all this?
[Céline]
Firene is a fertile nation, but I cannot rely on
that being true forever.
[Céline]
Any number of events could despoil the land.
[Céline]
If that happens, I think the knowledge you've
imparted could prove useful.
[Lapis]
I... I didn't realize you had such grand plans for
the information I was sharing.
[Céline]
I don't intend to wring you dry by any means.
I shall interview others as well.
[Céline]
You have your own duties that demand your
time, so I'll try not to impose too much.
[Lapis]
No, it's all right. I'm glad to help however I can.
Please, impose to your heart's content.
[Lapis]
If the skills I used to survive in a barren land
can come to good use...
[Lapis]
Well, I'm happy to share them!
[Céline]
Thank you, Lapis.
[Céline]
But, uh... I thought that you learned all this
from friends.
[Lapis]
AHH!
[Lapis]
I... I'm sorry. I've been lying to you. These are
all things I learned firsthand.
[Céline]
Truly? Don't apologize, then. Firsthand
experience is much more valuable to me.
[Céline]
Thank you for your honesty. Your cooperation
in this matter means a great deal to me, Lapis.
[Lapis]
Thank you, Princess Céline. I'm happy to be of
service to you and your people!
--- S ---