Guardians of Azuma, Spring Journal, Year 2
This is my journal for the game where I have defeated the Enemies of Azuma, restored life to the land and am completing subsidiary quests. I completed the main quests in early Autumn of the first year.
Instead of completing only the quests of eligible bachelors I might wish to marry, I decided to wait to experience the quests of all the eligible girls as well. This has delayed my marriage for more than a month. In the middle of Spring I believe I have only one more date to experience.
While completing all the dates, I have been trying to catch all fish, find all Frogs and raise all four Villages to Level 10. I never lack for activities!
Go to the Winter Village early in the morning but not to Watarase's Fishery. Also, although the Festival kicks off at the Winter Shrine, it is Zaza and not Fubuki who is in charge. Speak to her at 9.00 a.m. sharp to start the contest, then warp instantly to Watarase's Fishery and start casting. I was able to catch a total of 20 fish and 4 items of rubbish (2 boots, 1 cab and 1 rare cqn) before all four areas were fished out before 6.00 p.m. Had to wait for the clock to run down staring at empty waters. I won a Lobster Level 1 cooked dish and a rare Medal for being Number 1. Every one cheered.
I caught Watarase before he left and showed him my Pesca whatever. For 41 fish, he gave me a recipe for the Seafarer's Fishing Pole and some fish recipes, namely:
Fancy Seafood Hot Pot
Flounder Meuniere
Marlin Sauté
Sweet Fish
I thought I had the best rod. Perhaps now I finally will catch a Flounder!
14 Spring: I took Ulalaka to see the Aurora Borealis in the Winter Village for out final date. What a lovely woman she is as befits the Goddess of Soring.
Then came my date with Iroha. Let us look at the hostory first. My White Dragon and I actually handed out hundreds of flyers throughout the land to promote her dango. The gods use her venue for their banquets. We all have been supportive of hwr culinary dreams.
So I ask her for a datr and she tells me she has no time. I thwn offer to help in the restaurant. Here I am, recent davioue id Azuna, taking on the lowly job of doing her bidding as waitress and whatever she might need.
What happens at the end of the day? She lays into me for a very 'small discrepancy' in the receipts and declares that I must be to blame!
Admittedly, I despise bookkeeping and accounting, but do I deserve to be treated this way after I willingly acted as her servant for a day, only because of my affection for her?
My unlikely rescuer here was Murasame. He said people should not make unfounded accusations. I doubt I ever will forgive her completely for her boorish behaviour... I never had any intention of marrying her, but the whole business has left a bitter taste that will linger. So very sad!
The next date event occurs automatically the next day if you walk towards the teahouse.
What on earth persuaded me to work for her again?! There we are, Ulalaka and I, working submissively for Iroha... I will be happy when I no longer need to woo her. It is NOT a match made in heaven!
On 20 Spring, I experiwnced the last of Iroha's Events. I went to a Shrine and planted the Plum Sapling. So far, on 21 Spring, nothing has changed.
On 17 Spring, I see Croakie again. He tells me I have found 170 Frogs and gives me three recipes. One is a Snow Wolf Doll Recipe, and another is the Zweibelkuchen, the 'Happiness Cake' of Clarice.
I make another date with Iroha for the 18th. She is fretting about Suzu's wandering ways.
22 Spring:
Subaru: Murasame and I went fulishing together. He sat so still I thought he had fallen asleep.
Kusatsi gave me Flounder Sashimi in return for Matcha Smoothie. I still have not caught a Flounder!!!
Preparing for Marriage
***********************
I am hoping that, even when the Sacred aplum Teee is fully grown and even with two splendud Sacred Drinks in my backpack or portfolio or whatever I use to carry my Inventory, I shall not be forced to maje a proposal to any one.
Ideally, I would like to save multiple files at that point, then move forward as I choose. While I vaguelt comprehend that the Fateweaver option alliws one to swirch partners, I would prefer separate lives running parallel to one another.
The creators of this game envisuoned an ability to live in this Marvelous universe forever. May it be so. I never have experienced a more loving, careful construction of any universe than this.
23 Spring: Each morning now, I go first to the sapling to see how it has grown.
I have over 12,000 000 in my coffers, 26 Villagers, with all Villages close to Level 10. The only impediment to attaining Level 10 is that I have the ability to cobstruct onkt 98 Decorations.
There are two pesky Frogs I yet must reach. One is in the Serwndipity Dungeon. The other marooned on a tiny high isle in the Heavenly realm. To reach either requires a lot of jumping!
23 Spring: The Plum Tree is fully grown and begs me to pluck or cut a branch from it. I am filled with a mixture of excitement and dread. I was so impatient to reach this point and yet now wonder if I should wait.
I have spoken to a friend about the Crop levels. Neither of us have been able to grow a Level 10 Crop. They stop at Level 9 even when I cut them from their earthly bonds with the Sacred Sword. I wonder if marriage is required.
The fiollowing is of no interest to any one but me:
25 Autumn, loads at the point where Kai confronts Ura again if I go through the entrance. Indtead I go home and look at my Quests. Getting to Kniw Kai 6 is on the board. To experience this, I must advance the main story. I need to travel back further in time to experience my favourite event again.
24 Autumn is saved in the Village at 11.00 a.m. but the requirements are the same for Kai and Mauro as well. What I see on the side of the screen is:
He and his Dragon, Wait until 30 Autumn. Evidently that will be my first date with Subaru.
Meanwhile, on the agenda, the following dates:
Today, 24 Autumn, Cuilang, Azuma's Secret Springs
26 Autumn: Ikaruva, Heart Pounding Target Challenge
27 Autumn, Kurama, Becoming the Wind
29 Autumn: Murasame, Murasame's Special Talent
29 Autumn, Fubuki, What Matters Most
A good file to keep if I wish to see some of these Events again. There is a second file, File 7, saved at the same date but 6.00 a.m. I overwrite that one with my current date, and time. The Plum Tree is ready... in this new File 7, I will take a branch, keeping the other file for 23 Spring where I will leave it alone for now just in case.
On 23 Spring, I have a new option to Cook wirh some one:
Zweibelkuchen: with Clarice, I can make:
Felicity Cake
Oh the irony! I did not want to do anything majorr today, because my fate is set now in this file...
But I went to the Sage of Sweets Island again to fish, and finally caught a Flounder!
So I can bring a Flounser to.my marriage with Kai. I may hate being married to him... who knows?
26 Spring: I am at Level 101 so with my Party that includes Kai, Murasame, Mario, Fubuki and Clarice, all Monsters have been cut down almoat inarantly like Butter. In fact, iy is impossible to tane any Mobster as my fang finushes them off too quickky. So today I disvanded my Paety and webt alone to Glacial Island to tame King Wooly. I had to get rid of the littlr Woollies firat as tgey get in the way and take the blesding meant for the King. I gave him a Large Fur and he nnow he lives in the Autumn Vilkage. I cleared a space in my Dev Zone for a new Large Barn. Not certain if he needs it all to himself. I guess I need one of those Monstrous Spiders as well. While still on Glacial, I tamed an Oni Archer. I think he accepted Quality Cloth. Will test again later.
Kai to Kurama: Oho, feel like trying for once. Well, let's see you put your money where your mouth is.
As for my marriage, it is the first morning after the wedding and I have had, not one but two conversations with Kai about drinking less! That never works in real life but he pronised to try for my sake.
It is fun having Kai and Kurama together in my Party. When I fish, Kutama takes out a book and reads!
Kurama: Kai, don't go rushing in without a plan!
Kai: How about this? I punch 'em, you slash 'em. Perfect plan, right?
Kurama: Why do I even bother?
Kai: You know what? You fight pretty well, Windbag, for a nerd.
Kurama: Certainly better than you at least!
Kurama: In fact, I've lost count of how many times you almost met your demise!
Kai: Gah! No commentary out of you!
Kai to Kurama: See, crawling out of your hole for some fresh air ain't half bad, huh? Feel free to thank me for that any time, by the way!
Kurama: Hmph! Perhaps I'll send you flying again sometime instead!
Kai: Piece of cake!
Kurama: Well, you could have fooled me. To be honest, I think I have lost count of the many times you nearly met your demise.
HEY! No commentary out of you!
30 Spring: we went to the Fateweaver Shrine this morning to pray to have a child.
Afterwards, we went to Serendipity to try to reach that pesky Frog.
Kurama remarked: I sense a tedious endeavour!.
1 Summer:
Today is Matsuri's Birthday. I gqve hwr Hibiscus an d celebrated her birthday in the usual way, despite every one, including my dear husband, hoping for a LOUD drunken orgy.
It is kind of an auspicious day in that I finally reached Lecel 10 in Spring, Autumn and Winter Villages. Summer alone lacks required Missions. I was too focused on dating to grow all the flowers needed snd I wvidently organised a Sumner Contest only in another file.
I set the Quick Meal Contest for 13 Summer. If my labour pains cancel it, so be it, but as I am having a quarter divine child, I have heard the pregnancy is five days only. I still go out daily to fight and leap about trying to reach the last rwo Frogs I see on the Map. There must be others after I unlock the Forest. I have not reached the total given in the Quest Menu by any means.
I found Yachiyo today walking towards the Sumnwr Shrine and hshe said: when I pray I only ever ask for one thing: to keep my lirtle izakaya chugging along for as long as possible.
How guilty that makes me feel. Kai's tab cannot be helping but she refused to let me pay it off on his behalf. I remember how she urged me to be patient and kind with him when we were dating. To give him credit, he never is unappreciative. Just penniless!
When I gave her a favourite Preserved Bonito today: 'Are you sure it's all right for me to accept something so nice? I hope this windfall of good luck doesn't come back to bite me tomorrow.'
This insecurity ... is it because of Kai's enormous debt?
Speaking of whom, at 6.30 p.m. I saw he had retuened to the Shrine. I wanted to see what he was doing.
He was seated at the table in fact. When he saw me, he said:
Kai: Yo! I was gettin' tired of waiting for ya! C'mon, I got dinner ready and everything. Wanna eat?
I can choose Yes or No. Yes, of course!
Kai: Time to chow down! Geez. Who woulda thought I'd wind up cookin' dinner for some one every night. Course it's for you, so you're damn right I'll do it.
I went to the Abandoned Island to fish and tried to tame a black horse but got a Spider instead. Tamed it with a Quality Fang. It rejected the Quality Thread after sjowing a Heart.
Okay. I thoyght what appeared to be a pond had to be freshwater but everythibg I have caught at the Abandoned Island pool has been an ocean fiah. So not mixed at all.
2 Summer: I was awakened this morning by an event. All the inhabitants of Autumn came to thank me for restoring the Village fully.
3 Summer: went to bed at the Winter Shrine and ai was awakened with a similar Event there. Even Veyron was present.
Kusatsu gave me a Mushroom Hot Pot as a return for a gift. Will have to see if he likes it.
A SOLO ADVENTURE AT THE DRAGON'S TOMB
I disbanded my Party today, on the hunt for specific Monsters.
The Poisonous Soiders in the Dragon's Tomb give Mysterious Thead. That is used to make the best defwlensive headgear in the game. I tamed one with a Mysterious Fang, but it may not give the best trophies when tame.
I had disbanded my Party because they slay the Monsters before I can send them to the Barn. So annoying. I really wanted the Golden Gatling. The Spider was a bonus. He did not like the chalcophile fragment but accepted an Exquisite Branch.
I am alone but not really. Woolby and his commentary in the background always. He tells the Poisonous Spider:
'Welcome to the team. Always good to have a little more help.'
The Iron Tengu always knocks me off my perch but after defeating it and the Foreign Soldier, calmer without my Party, I finally manage to glide to the last chest and obtain a Crimson Jewel.
I suspect one cannot tame those Foreign Sildiers although they obeyed Clarice without question. I suppose it smacks too much of slavery although the Onis are sent to the Barn regularly. Wonder how Kai feels about tgat! Perhaps I need to set them all free.
I donned the Star Pendant to see if I could raise my Level faster. I am doing well enoufh at 101.
I suddenly see it is a few minutes before 8. Ia my husband waiting at home?
I look at the Map and Kai is nowhere but when I warp to the Spring Shrine he is there and twlls me: It's getti g dark. Be careful on your way home. He is at the table and tells me dinner is ready... always brings a tear to my eye. Here is this fierce Oni who shows such tenderness and consideration towards me. I think about what set him above the others and made me choose him. It is the surprising nature of some one whose appearance made him NOT very approachable.
The Onis with the Colissal Oni apoeared to give aMysterious Fabric but ai wuped thwm iut accidentally with the Sacred Sword instead of equipping Iroha's Fan. I tamed a Blue Oni with a Strong Clsw but it probably gives sonething different. It was the last monster standing in the Dragon's Tower. Time for bed.
Side by side futons with my darling Kai.
I make certain we sleep in tge Spribg Village tonight.
At dawn, I am awakened by the enrire village expressing their gratitude.
Kai gives me a Garluc Cutlet for my lunch. I ask for his request:
Kai Request 2
Defeat 5 Level 65+ Oni
Reward: 5 Turnip Seeds
Obviously should have taken these Requests long ago, but I see again that the order is random.
I decide to upgrade the weapons and armour of my friends.
Clarice really gave us all the best Recipes. I use her sabre and her Commander's Cap. I provided them to Murasame as well.
Clarice's Sabre: ATK 2980
Commander's Cap: DEF +550 M.DEF +550
She always speaks of me admiringly as the one 'who bested me' but frankly, she is amazing as a fighter.
There are so many errors in online guides. I am missing two mushrooms but did find the Bear Toppler. It is used in a forging recipe.
It is said you can find them and the Oni Toppler in the Autumn Fields, Limestone Cavern, Heavenly Realm, Winter Wilds, and Forest of Endings. I will confirm these locations if possible.
Looking for Frogs I missed:
Sky Pirate Island had a Frog with a Curry Bread Recipe. I found 4 on Dawnbreak Island. Drop down for Cherry Blossom Bonsai, glide acroas for Grand atorii Gate, then a Wayside Sgrine for Gold Juice Recipe and next to it flour plots of Gold Turnips.
From there glide down to a long island with a Frog beneath a Canopy that has Meat Croquettes Recipe.
At the end, use the fan dance to dispel mist for a chest that contains HP Magatama I.
I have found 189 Frogs now with the one today finally from Serendipity.
When I talk to any one now, they talk about the Tanabata Festival. Kai asked me what wish I would make this year.
On 5 Summer, Woolby suggests there is another presence and we go to Fateweaver Shrine where I choose a boy who is charismatic. Because he is the cutest? What kind of a reason is that?
5 Summer:
After all the drama of discovering we will have our first child, I returned to the Dawnbreak Island where the Forgotten Grove is located reach the red Wayside Shrine that remained on the Map.
I actually was qble to g l ide there although there is a circular warp there as well.
I found a chest in front of it that contained RP Magatama I and then at the Shrine:
Topaz Pauldron Recipe
Farmer Hat Recipe.
I then diligently went for the last chest on the map:
Tamahagane Fragment.
Now this is a lesson in tunnel vision. So desperate was I to push ahead and not lose Kai for any length of time that I missed a very visible Red Wayside Shrine in the Underworld to the left of the Underworld Crossroads Save Point.
It gives:
Platinum Bow Recipe
Arcane Light Talismans Recipe
Celestial Crown Recipe
Then taking the Rear Ebtrance to the Underground, I am able to clrar Quests to defeat Loony Lanterns and find another Wayside Shrine in a little hidden alley containing:
Izuna Blades Recipe
Yatagarasu Bow Recipe.
7 Summer: Tanabata Festival
7.00 p.m. Summer Village
Ikaruga Request 4
Defeat Lv 35+ Tanuki
Reward: chestnut Sapling
Kusatsu loves Ice Cream. I gave him the one he gave me as a customer appreciation gift. So then he gave me a Matcha Smoothie. I daresay he likes those as well.
