To start this quest, you will have to have Grissenda as your companion (well, duh!), completed Call of the Blood, and at least 50 Reputation (Hero) in Varsilia. Once you enter Freeport, you will encounter some slaves which, according to a Legionnaire there, most of them used to be Varsilia's soldiers. Grissenda saw not only some of the soldiers who used to train with her, but also her trainer himself, Sir Malfoid, who is just a broken husk of his former glorious self, but still looks surprisingly healthy and fit despite being a slave. You can approach either Malfoid first, or Praetor Bierman who was in charge of the slave. Either way, you will chat with Malfoid, and learned how he and his troops lost against the Mercian forces and how terribly most slaves are actually treated, including him. This shocked Grissenda, and you can see her hands trembling from rage, no, wrath, and her eyes looking like an angry demonic Ashen minotaur. You will be given two options: a. Let her go on rampage against the Mercian soldiers on, or; b. Calm her down, and talk to Praetor Bierman. There are two options here:
Option A.
You are just as angry as Grissenda, or maybe even angrier. Attack every soldiers that you can find, but these soldiers don't actually die, they may kill you, though. Once you defeated all of them, Praetor Bierman will ask you.
Praetor Birman: Travelers, cease this madness. Your rages can only do little against the might of Mercian Empire. Please, cease this pointless farce.
You:
a. No. (Leave)
b. Fine, we will talk. Grissenda, please, calm down. I understand your anger, but maybe I can talk this through.
If (a), you will fight them the second time, and once you defeated all of them, Bierman will once again ask you.
Praetor Bierman: I can... see the might, the same might, you two have displayed against my soldiers. You displayed the same might that sir Malfoid have shown us, especially the lady knight over there.
Grissenda: SILENCE, MONSTER! I HEAR NOTHING FROM HE WHO WILL BECOME A CORPSE BEFORE ME! JUST WAIT TILL I CUT YOUR HEAD WITH MY BLADE!
Praetor Bierman: Then I ask your companion over there, will you please cease this pointless fight? We will talk, and I will even offer you a place for both of you to rest.
You:
a. A fancy offer you give us there, Praetor, I would love to consider your request... But I refuse! (Leave)
b. That's... surprisingly kind of you. Very well, let's talk. And Grissenda, please, calm down. Perhaps we can talk this through.
If (a), once again, you will fight them the third time, and once you defeated all of them again, Grissenda will charge towards Praetor Bierham, but Sir Malfoid will intercept.
Grissenda A: Sir Malfoid?! WHY?! GET OUT OF THE WAY! HIS HEAD SHALL TASTE THE SHARP EDGE OF MY BLADE!!
Option B.
Calm Grissenda, and talk directly to Praetor Bierman. Perhaps your silver tongue can talk this through.
Praetor Bierman: How may I help you, travelers? I see you pay a visit to a slave that I consider my equal.
Grissenda B: Your... equal? You defeated him, made him your lowly slave, and tortured him... Is this Mercia's idea of honor?!
This line below is Sir Malfoid's respond to either Grissenda A or Grissenda B's lines:
Sir Malfoid: This man is an honorable warrior, Grissenda. Sure, he defeated me, and made me a slave, but this is the best thing he could do without having me suffer, either in the hands of Mercian nobles or, worse, Mercian torturers. He would have freed me along with my... my... grand-daughter... but the Emperor and the Legate would not allow it as they know of my military reputation and my feats in battle, so he begged the Legate to make me, and my soldiers, his slaves.
Grissenda: Wha... What...? (You can see total confusion in her and her rage is suddenly gone)
Praetor Bierman: Yes, I... I couldn't bear to see my equal in battle, and his gallant soldiers, to be in such lowly position, to be tortured by those snot-nosed noblemen who couldn't even raise a fist. In fact, I couldn't stand the slavery and how those slaves are treated, Varsilian or Varannar alike. I considered this man as my brother, and freedom is what I wished the most for Malfoid and his soldiers, but the Legate would never allow me to free someone that would potentially become a threat to the Empire.
Grissenda: I.. I see, but...
You:
a. (INT 4) But you could go to the most dangerous place, or a place where there are diseases, and tell the Legate that Malfoid died from the place's dangers saving your life, or due to the disease.
b. (PER 4) But you could have, you know, asked the Emperor or the Legate to have Malfoid train your soldiers.
c. But sir Malfoid would have break through this place and escaped, or you would have silently freed sir Malfoid and his soldiers.
Praetor Bierman:
a. That... is actually an excellent idea. Sure, the Legate's scouts at the tower over there may get suspicious, but if we faked Malfoid, some his soldiers, and some of my soldiers' death, the scout will think it was purely an accident. The thing is, *whispers* I wish to join Varsilia ranks, overthrew Mercian Emperor, and replaced him with a better one. But I have yet to find a better emperor than the current one.
b. Heh, I think of that, too, young one. But my brother Malfoid here preferred to either die honorably or even live in shame rather than making Mercia's military more powerful than ever before. You may not notice it, but the Legate's scout is here spying on us from afar. Rather than Malfoid joining Mercia, *whispers* I wish to join Varsilia ranks with Malfoid, overthrew Mercian Emperor, and replaced him with a better one. But I have yet to find a better emperor than the current one.
c. No, you see over there at the tower? That's one of the Legate's scouts. They would report the Legate immediately whether if Malfoid tried to escape or if I even try to free just one of the soldiers, let alone Malfoid himself.
You:
a/b. Wait... What?! That's... a big plot twist on your part. Alright, how about this: we BOTH fake all of your deaths in Varsilia, make it as if you all died by our hands. Tell the Legate that you will invade New Garand, and the scout will report to the Legate that you, Malfoid, and all you two's soldiers were single-handedly killed by the infamous Varsilian Hero, and his/her companion, the Valiant Warrior whose rage rivals even the likes of Minotaur and Ursan altogether.
c. (back to the previous option of either a or b)
Grissenda: Umm, minotaur and ursan...? Well, that's... Uhh...
Praetor Bierman:
If you choose Option A from the start.
You... You are the Varsilian hero? Hoho! After seeing you and your companion fought my men, you truly deserve such title. Aah, if only Mercia also has a hero such as yourself, young one. Well, I can see both of us being defeated by you two, what do you think, Malfoid?
If you choose Option B from the start.
Hmpf, you are telling me, Bierman the Fierce, to fake my death against you? Young one, I know who you are, but do you really deserve your name? Come! Duel with me and prove your worth against one of the finest Mercian warrior! (Leave) (You, the developers, are free to have the player fight him alone or with Grissenda, more epic if alone, tbh. Anyway, Praetor Bierman is a level 20 Human.)
After defeating Bierman
Praetor Bierman: *pant* *pant* Incredible! *pant* You bested one of Mercian's finest! Very well, travelers, I can definitely see myself, and Malfoid, and even our men together, being defeated by two of you. What do you think, Malfoid?
Malfoid's respond is whether you fight Bierman's soldiers or Bierman himself
Malfoid: I... don't know, Bierman.
Grissenda: What's wrong, sir? Is something still bothering you?
You:
a. (INT 4, optional) Your grand-daughter, isn't it? Is she a slave in Sydarun?
b. Your grand-daughter, isn't it? We will try our best to find her whereabouts, and free her.
Praetor Bierman:
a. Oh... Umm, you may want to convince Praetor Jenard to free her, or maybe buy her from him.
Malfoid:
a. Yes, how did you... Doesn't matter. Please! Save my grand-daughter! She is the only family I have left. My wife died before I became a Lieutenant, my sons died in battle, his wife died as a slave, and their daughter was born to be a slave as well.
b. Please! Save my grand-daughter! She is the only family I have left. My wife died before I became a Lieutenant, my sons died in battle, his wife died as a slave, and their daughter was born to be a slave as well.
Grissenda: Okay, but where will sir Malfoid and sir Bierman stay in New Gar-... Ah, I see! In Eirenda's place! Yes! Sir Malfoid and sir Bierman can teach the children of my sister how to fight!
Praetor Bierman: Alright, it's settled, then. I wish you luck, Hero of Varsilia. (Leave) (Quest Updated)
Have yet to make a dialogue until here. But you will either convince Praetor Jenard to free Yamiba (INT5 or PER 5 check) or buy Yamiba for 10.000 Gold, give her freedom, and you will be able to see her again in New Garand. You will return to both Bierman and Malfoid.
Talking to either of them will always have Bierman talking first.
Praetor Bierman: Greetings, hero of Varsilia. Any luck in freeing Malfoid's grand-daughter?
You:
a. Yes, she is in New Garand, now.
b. Greetings, Praetor Bierman and Sir Malfoid. (Leave)
Malfoid: Oh... *cries in happiness* I... I can never thank you enough for your kind deeds, young one. (Bierman also cries and then hugs Malfoid)
You: So? What now?
Praetor Bierman: *Bierman unsheathed his sword and pointed it at your face, surprising you and Grissenda, but also smiled and winked at both of you, and you and Grissenda played along with it* *whisper* The scout can't really hear us talking, but if I point my sword like this, he will think I threaten you to leave this place. Meet us at the southernmost part of Northern Inori, we will... Ahem! *loudening his own voice* BATTLE there! *His men escort you out of his place.* (Leave)
In southernmost section of Northern Inori.
Praetor Bierman: Here we are, Hero of Varsilia, I can see the scout is looking at us from afar. Are you ready to strike fear into the forces of Mercia?
Malfoid: You know, young one, seeing you fight makes me want to fight you myself. I, too, wish to test the might of my own pupil. Sure, you two will "kill" all of us here, but we will battle both of you for real.
Grissenda: Yes, sir. I will prove that I'm one of your finest students.
You: I have always wanted to say this: *take a deep breath* CHAAAAARGE!!! (Leave)
If all went well, interact (Bury) with the lying bodies of every single "enemies" you fight there. You can't leave the area until you have interacted with every single one of them. Once you do, go to New Garand, the house behind Latimer is Eirenda's house. You will see Bierman (no longer Praetor), Malfoid, Yamiba, and Eirenda there.
Eirenda: Gris, there you are! I have heard everything from sir Bierman.
Bierman: Aah, there you are, both of you! Come here, and drink with us!
Grissenda: No.
Eirenda: I have heard about Sir Malfoid, I never expected to have them to train my children in the future. But Sir Bierman the Fierce? How strong have you become, sister?
Grissenda: Tough enough to go against both minotaur and ursan. Both sir Malfoid and sir Bierman have to lay low. Can they stay here for gods know how long?
Eirenda: Sure! I would feel safe with them in this house. And Yamiba would keep me company. So you need nothing to worry about, sister. You can still go to more adventures with your dear companion.
I leave the dramatic family reunion dialogue between Malfoid and Yamiba for y'all's imagination. Quest completed. Grissenda learned more Advanced skills, had 4-5 trait points, and 3-4 skill points.