Sylvain & Mercedes C

Sylvain
Mercedes! You look divine, as always. Are you off to pray?

Mercedes
Oh, hello, Sylvain. I was just on my way to pray. How did you guess?

Sylvain
Well, because I've been watching your lovely—

Mercedes
Oh, I get it. You're the type who's always looking at girls, aren't you?

Sylvain
I won't lie. I do enjoy beholding women...

Sylvain
But I don't mean it like that with you. I know I sound like a dope. I just— I think you're special.

Mercedes
Oh, really? You think I'm so clumsy that I need someone to watch over me? Is that why you can't take your eyes off me?

Sylvain
You're beautiful. And I mean that. You're... Uh, how can I put it without sounding even worse?

Sylvain
OK, here goes... I want to get to know you better, as friends, I mean.

Mercedes
I don't know where to begin.

Sylvain
Well, what's something you like?

Mercedes
I like to pray. I've been praying regularly since I was a child.

Sylvain
You grew up in the Empire, didn't you?

Mercedes
That's right. I was raised in House Bartels.

Sylvain
Bartels? I thought you were born to House Martritz?

Mercedes
It's a complicated story. I'm not sure that it's a very interesting one, but I'm happy to share it with you.

Sylvain
I don't mean to be nosy...if it's too personal.

Mercedes
Oh, no. I don't mind. I wasn't trying to hide anything from you.

Mercedes
House Martritz fell shortly before I was born.

Sylvain
Oh...

Mercedes
My father passed away while my mother was still pregnant with me, so she had nowhere to go.

Mercedes
After I was born, my mother ended up marrying the head of House Bartels.

Mercedes
Shortly after, my mother bore a true Bartels child who bore a Crest. She and I were treated as though we were no longer useful to the family after that.

Sylvain
You think the Bartels were just using her to secure a Crest?

Mercedes
They must have been. My mother and I were removed from the family and forced to flee to a church in the Kingdom.

Mercedes
I abandoned the Bartels name and took up our old family name again.

Sylvain
So you grew up in a church. OK, it makes more sense now why you're praying all the time.

Mercedes
Yes, I—oh! Praying! I forgot that I was on my way to pray!

Sylvain
Right...and I interrupted you. Well, see you around, Mercedes.

Mercedes
Yes, see you!

Sylvain
House Bartels wanted a Crest and ruined other people's lives to get one. These idiots are all the same.