Filthy Casual for Life

Episode 1 Recap: We’re introduced Noel and his party, Blue Beyond. Noel, the main protagonist, is the grandson of the world’s greatest Seeker who also happens to be the weakest class that depends on the party’s skills to survive. Noel proposes that the party start their own clan or he is leaving the party. The party’s leader, Lloyd agrees. Unfortunately, Lloyd and another party member runs off in the middle of the night with the party’s funds.

Episode 2: This Talker is Ruthless

Walter and Noel find out that Lloyd and Tanya had embezzled the party’s funds. Tanya and Lloyd slipped out of town before the gates closed for the night. Noel asks Walter what he intends to do. Walter wants to punch Lloyd in the face and call it square. Noel tells Walter that the level of betrayal can’t be forgiven. Noel tells Walter they have to be ready to fight to the death. In discussion, Noel surmises that Lloyd and Tanya are gambling on Walter and Noel not chasing after them because the money is gone. However, Noel has other plans.

Noel takes Walter to the Orc Club where other Seekers hangs out. He puts a bounty on Lloyd and Tanya’s head. All the parties in the bar accept his request and clear out. However, Noel had a hunch. He is approached by an older man who tells Noel he knows where they are. They negotiate payment and the old man tells Noel and Walter where Lloyd and Tanya are headed. They agree to meet at the south gate. Noel asks Walter to go with the old man and that he had some business to take care of before he meets them all at the gate.

Lloyd and Tanya are almost to a small village, but Noel catches up and stuns them before they could flee or attack. They’re surrounded by Walter, Noel, and the old man’s four-member party. As Walter confronts Lloyd, they find out that Lloyd actually gambled the money away and got into debt. Lloyd tries to put the blame on the other party members for putting all of the pressures of leadership on him. Noel kicks Lloyd straight in the chest.

Noel keeps kicking the crap out of Lloyd. Tanya begs for Noel to stop. Noel asks if Tanya would rather take the kicks as he does not discriminate against women. Then, Noel casts “confess” on Tanya and asks if she was gambling with Lloyd.

The old man demands his money. Noel tells him to wait, but the old man grabs Noel prompting Noel to punch the old man in the chest. Then, a horse drawn carriage arrives carrying slave trader Finocchio Barzini. Noel plans to sell the two embezzlers to the slave trader instead of turning them into the military. Tanya begs for forgiveness, but Noel is unforgiving. Tanya begs for Walter to help her, but as he stands there, she begins to insult him.

Walter and Noel make their way back to the capital. At the bar, Walter admits that he is going to quit being a Seeker. The next day, Noel shows up at the gate to give Walter a parting gift of alcohol. As Noel walks off, Walter whispers that Noel was the best brother-in-arms a guy could ask for. Noel decides it is time to rebuild Blue Beyond.

THOUGHTS

Yep. I am in love with Noel. He is my ideal character. Ruthless. Strong. Determined. Red eyes.

What a great turn of events. Instead of letting Lloyd and Tanya go, he paid them back in kind. Selling them to slavers is genius. Not only did he get his revenge, but he got some of their money back. Noel’s crafty and a tactical genius.

It’s sad that Walter decided to quit being a Seeker, but he was too weak mentally for the pressure of being a part of a party. As a warrior, he needed to be more than just physically strong.

I am looking forward to what Noel does to rebuild Blue Beyond. Will continue to monitor.