Commence! A Suspect Genesis

Commence! A Suspect Genesis is an Event Quest during the Duel! The Summoners' Summit! event.
==Steps==
# Go to Mondstadt
# Ask Diona about the tournament
# Ask Margaret about the tournament
# Follow Charlotte to the columnist's address
# Go to the competition venue
# Talk to Kaeya
# Talk to Charlotte
# Follow the suspicious person
# Go to the side gate and follow the suspicious person
# Go past the city gate and follow the suspicious person
# Fend off the Treasure Hoarders 
# Talk to the suspicious person
# Return to the competition venue
==Dialogue==
;(On obtaining quest)
: Paimon: It's been a while since we last played cards at The Cat's Tail... Wonder how Diona's doing?
: Paimon: Well, since we have some time on our hands, let's go check up on her!
;(Approach the gate to Mondstadt)
: Eichendorff: *sigh* What a disaster — I didn't even make it through the qualifiers! How'd you do?
: Lennard: I didn't do any better... I was beaten by that little Timmie kid.
: Lennard: I've only ever seen him out there feeding pigeons... No clue how he got to be such a good card player.
: Eichendorff: The next round's starting soon, right? Let's head over and watch the matches. I'm curious to see who'll win the grand prize.
: Paimon: Did you hear that? A grand prize!
: Paimon: Sounds like they were talking about a card competition. They must be talking about Genius Invokation TCG!
: A Genius Invokation tournament, huh...
: Do you think there'll be any tasty food at the venue?
: Paimon: Should be! But let's go ask Diona for details!
;(Approach Diona)
: Diona: Wh—Wha... Am I seeing double!? Do you have TWO tails!?
: ???: Your eyes are working just fine — yes, I have two tails. You wanna pet them?
: Diona: Wow... Um... Does it hurt where your tail splits into two? Which one did you grow first? Oh, and what do you do when they start moving around while you're asleep?
: ???: Oh... Well, uh...
: Diona: Oh, ah... sorry if those were tricky questions. I've just never seen anyone with two tails before!
: Paimon: Who's Diona chatting with? Hmm, from her outfit... Paimon would guess she's probably from Inazuma.
: ???: Hehe, aw, don't worry, kid! I'm sure you'll be growing a couple of tails of your own in no time!
: Diona: Huh? ...You think I can grow two tails as well?
: ???: Sure! You're a youkai too, right? Your youkai power must be really strong if you can already take on human form.
: ???: I was just climbing a tree one day when another tail popped out, just like that. People started calling me a... um, a "nekomata," I think?
: Diona: Youkai? Nekomata? ...Ah, no, no, no, you've got it all wrong. My ears and tail are part of my Kätzlein bloodline.
: ???: Oh. So... you're not a Mondstadt youkai?
: Diona: Mondstadt doesn't have anything like youkai. Is this your first time here?
: ???: Yup! Fortunately for me, the company I work for's been expanding, so I'm now getting the opportunity to travel to cities all over Teyvat. ...Oh! It's been such a pleasure chatting with you that I almost lost track of time! I'd better get going, or I'll be late for my next customer!
: ???: Diona of the Kätzlein Clan, your pick-up is complete. Thank you for choosing Komaniya Express!
: Diona: Great. Feel free to come hang out any time!
: Diona: Hmm... Do only youkai have tails in Inazuma?
: Paimon: Hey, Diona!
: Diona: Hmm? Oh, and Paimon! Hey, what brings you back to Mondstadt?
: Paimon: Well, we figured it'd been a while since we visited The Cat's Tail, so we thought we'd come and say hi! Oh, and by the way — who was that just now?
: Diona: Oh, she's a courier from Komaniya Express. They're an international delivery service operating out of Inazuma.
: Paimon: Huh? Is The Cat's Tail doing international business now!?
: Diona: No, no, no, no. A customer left some goods with us and arranged for Komaniya Express to pick them up, that's all. I didn't mind.
: Diona: You've been to Inazuma, right? Did you... see lots of youkai like her there?
: We saw some with wings on their back.
: And others with fox ears.
: Paimon: Right! But this is actually the first time we've ever seen one with two tails.
: Diona: Wooow... I'd love to go see for myself one day... Hmm. Anyway, what were you two here for again? Did you need me for something?
: Paimon: Oh yeah, Paimon almost forgot. Do you know anything about a Genius Invokation TCG tournament? Apparently there's prizes and stuff!
: Diona: A tournament? Oh, you must mean the one being organized by the Adventurers' Guild. It's a pretty big event. They even had posters imported from Inazuma.
: Diona: But I'm busy with things here, so I didn't sign up. I don't know all the details... Maybe try asking my boss.
: Paimon: Got it. Well, with any luck we'll win some Mora, and then we'll treat you to some yummy food!
: Diona: Hmph! Whaddya you mean, "luck"? I'm the one who taught you how to play, after all!
: Thanks, Coach.
: We'll make you proud.
: Diona: That's meow like it! Okay, you two should probably get going now. Head to the fountain plaza — my boss usually takes a walk around there at this time of day.
: Paimon: Alright, we'll go there right away.
;(Approach Margaret)
: Paimon: Hey, Margaret! We thought we might find you here.
: Margaret: Oh, if it isn't and Paimon! It's been a while, hasn't it? Lemme guess — back to play some cards?
: Paimon: Uhh... It's not like we only ever come back to Mondstadt to play cards...
: Margaret: Oh, really? I just assumed you were here to take part in the King of Invokations Grand Prix.
: Paimon: King of Invokations Grand Prix...? Oh, that must be the Adventurers' Guild one that Diona mentioned.
: Margaret: Mm-hmm, that's the one. Genius Invokation TCG has been attracting more and more players lately.
: Margaret: The Adventurers' Guild arranged for venues in every city to hold a regional tournament for the King of Invokations Grand Prix. The rewards are quite substantial.
: Margaret: Mondstadt is already at the finals stage, so I'm afraid you might be a little too late to get that prize...
: Paimon: Really? Darn... We already promised Diona we'd treat her to some food with the Mora we won...
: Margaret: It's alright! There's bound to be a next time. This card game came out of nowhere and has already taken the world by storm... Who knows where it'll go next?
: Margaret: The game's creators must be ecstatic with all this success, don't you think? It's unbelievably popular.
: Paimon: Yeah. And it only gets more fun the more people there are to play it with.
: I really want to play now...
: I want to win that tournament...
: Margaret: Well... You may have missed the boat on the official event, but there's also an unofficial tourney organized by some players. Would that interest you at all?
: Paimon: Unofficial tourney?
: Margaret: That's right. With all the excitement surrounding the main tournament, players can hardly contain their enthusiasm. So they've set up an unofficial tourney aimed at a larger player base.
: Margaret: You can sign up at any time and play however many matches you want. They even have pre-built decks for players to use. Oh, and the rewards are pretty generous, too.
: Paimon: Ooh, Paimon likes the sound of this! Thanks for the info, Margaret. We'll go check it out!
: Margaret: You're welcome. There are plenty of booths at the venue offering food and other fun activities, so it's definitely worth a visit. Who knows, you might even bump into some old friends there.
: Margaret: Right, if there's nothing else you needed, I'll be continuing my walk now.
:;(Margaret leaves. A girl with pink hair can be seen in the background at Mondstadt General Goods)
: Paimon: *sigh* Paimon still thinks that with your abilities, winning the grand prize in the official tournament would have been as easy as pie!
: Paimon: Just imagine it: "Honorary Knight Defeats Foes and Emerges as Tournament Champion"! The headline practically writes itself.
: ???: Hmm? Do my ears deceive me... Or do you two have some breaking news to share with me?
: Paimon: Whoa! Wh—Who are you? And why the heck are you eavesdropping on us!?
: ???: Ah, sorry — force of habit! I tend to keep my ears peeled at all times... Didn't even realize I was listening in.
: Charlotte: Let me introduce myself. I'm Charlotte, a reporter for The Steambird from Fontaine. I've been posted here to cover the King of Invokations Grand Prix.
: Paimon: The Steambird?
: Sounds familiar.
: Never heard of it.
: Charlotte: The Steambird is a major news outlet headquartered in Fontaine and widely acclaimed all over Teyvat. We even have regular columnists based right here in Mondstadt.
: Paimon: Ooh, okay. Paimon's name is Paimon, and this is . What was that you were saying about some breaking news?
: Charlotte: Oh, looks like I've managed to pique your interest. Well, the truth is that my keen reporting senses are telling me that this competition will be chock-full of huge news stories!
: Paimon: Huge news stories? You sure your senses are reliable...?
: Charlotte: Absolutely! After all... I've seen it with my own eyes! There's a criminal who's been slinking around the competition venue, and his name is the Card Snatcher!
: Paimon: Card Snatcher?
: Charlotte: Mm-hmm. He stole his opponent's cards when they weren't looking. I was about to try and chase him down, but the next moment, he'd disappeared into thin air.
: Paimon: But why would someone wanna steal other people's cards?
: Maybe to gain an edge over his opponents?
: Perhaps he just wants to throw off the other competitors?
: Charlotte: Hehe, whatever the truth of the matter — it's my job as a journalist to dig up all the gory details and turn them into my very own exclusive news piece!
: Charlotte: So, what do you think? Wanna join me in my quest to uncover the sensational story that's hiding behind the scenes?
: Paimon: That does sound interesting, but... why us? Any reason you singled us out in particular...?
: Charlotte: Are you kidding me?
: Charlotte: It's a no-brainer, considering you're the Honorary Knight who saved Mondstadt, the hero of Liyue who fought alongside the adepti, a key player in the repealing of Inazuma's Sakoku Decree, and the redeemer of the Sumeru Akademiya...
: Paimon: Okay, okay, point taken... Yeah, it seems like we've ended up making quite a big name for ourselves, huh.
: She really did her homework...
:: Paimon: Yeah, kinda scary... Does she research all her new friends before meeting them for the first time?
: Let's hear some more of our accomplishments...
:: Paimon: Hey, we've got better things to do than listening to that!
: Charlotte: I promise you, teaming up with me will be a great move for you. For starters, when my exclusive news article is published, you'll be credited as contributors.
: Charlotte: Not to mention that being in a news agency makes me pretty well-connected. That'll come in real handy if you're ever traveling in Fontaine. And if you ever wanted to run an ad in the paper one day, no problem. I could make that happen.
: Paimon: That actually sounds genuinely useful... What do you think, ?
: Why not? We've got some time on our hands.
: And this "Card Snatcher" sounds interesting.
: Charlotte: Great, then welcome to the news crew! Ah, I've heard that the Traveler always lends a helping hand, so it's nice to know that you live up to your reputation... but even nicer to experience it for myself.
: Charlotte: Now then. Before we start investigating our card snatcher, I have one other small task to take care of first.
: Charlotte: That Mondstadt columnist who I mentioned earlier is a long-time favorite of The Steambird's readership. Management thought that a cash bonus was in order, so I brought it along with me.
: Paimon: Oh, so we're gonna go meet them now?
: Charlotte: Yep, I have the address right here. We just need to make a slight detour to drop off the Mora, then we'll be on our way.
: Charlotte: Heh... I thought you would have figured out who it is I'm talking about by now. From what I've heard, you're quite well acquainted.
: Paimon: Oh, it's someone we know? Hmm, that doesn't narrow it down much — we know lots of people in Mondstadt...
: Paimon: Eh, never mind. Just lead the way, Charlotte.
;(While following Charlotte)
: Paimon: Hmm, who could it be?
: Charlotte: One of your rich friends, I'd assume. After all, you gotta be pretty well-off to live in the city, right?
: Paimon: That still doesn't really narrow it down... We know lots of people with lots of Mora...
: Charlotte: Wow... I guess being a national hero earns you friends in high places...
;(Approach Mona's Laboratory)
: Charlotte: Here we are! Wait here a moment, I'll go hand over the cash.
: Paimon: Huh? Oh, so it's...
: Mona: Who is it? Can I help you? ...Oh, and Paimon, what brings you here? And... I'm sorry, I don't believe we've...
: Charlotte: You must be Mona Megistus, the Astrologist. It's an honor to finally meet you.
: Charlotte: I'm Charlotte, a reporter from The Steambird. Your columns have been so well-received by our readers lately that our management asked me to present you with this cash bonus.
: Paimon: She got Mona's full name and title right on her first try... She really does do her homework!
: Mona: Ah, you must be Charlotte? Welcome, welcome... Please, just call me Mona. Gosh, this is a long way to come from Fontaine. I hope it wasn't too much trouble...
: Charlotte: No trouble at all. It was on the way.
: Paimon: Wow, sounds like your articles are a real hit with readers all over Teyvat, Mona!
: Mona: Hmm? Have I never told you? I've been writing my column "All Things Astrological" for The Steambird for a long time now.
: Mona: The chief editor wrote to me a while ago about the bonus. Thank goodness it's finally here, I was wondering when it would arrive. Thank you, Charlotte...
: Charlotte: Huh, you make it sound like you really needed this... Are you pressed for money, Mona?
: Mona: What? No, of course not! It's just that once I knew the bonus was coming, I re-allocated some funds that I'd previously set aside for daily necessities, and purchased some expensive equipment... That's all.
: Paimon: Hehe, classic Mona...
: Charlotte: Aha, perfect! "Renowned Astrologist Broke and Starving — Do the Stars Really Have All the Answers?" ...The article practically writes itself!
: Actually, that does sound like an interesting read.
:: Mona: ...Aw! I beg your pardon!?
: Sounds a little exaggerated, don't you think?
: Paimon: Mona's actually super rich — it's just that astrology research is really expensive.
: Mona: "Super rich" is a bit of a stretch... Ugh, anyway, enough about that. What brings you back to Mondstadt this time, and Paimon?
: Paimon: Originally, we just came to catch up with a friend of ours... but some things have come up, and now we're helping Charlotte investigate the case of the Card Snatcher.
: Charlotte: Speaking of which, will you be competing in the King of Invokations Grand Prix? Word is that the prizes are pretty stellar.
: Mona: I'm much too busy with my research these days to dedicate time to a competition. Besides, even if I did enter, there's no guarantee I'd actually win a prize, is there?
: Charlotte: Isn't there? I'd have thought you'd be certain to win with astrology on your side. You'd know all of your opponents' cards ahead of time.
: Mona: What do you take me for? No self-respecting astrologist would dream of abusing their beloved art for such crude purposes. Besides, it wouldn't be fair to the other contestants.
: Charlotte: Well said. Spoken like an accomplished academic and a conscientious citizen.
: Mona: Well yes, obviously. Anyway, if past precedent is anything to go by, you're the ones who ought to be wary of what's around the corner. Especially if you're chasing after this... Card Snatcher, was it? Sounds like bad news — shall I take a glance at what you're up against?
: Charlotte: Thanks for the offer, but there's no need. Relying on your astrological skills for all the juicy details would make this story a Mona-exclusive... but that's not quite the kind of exclusive report I'm going for here.
: Charlotte: But don't you worry — they call it "investigative journalism" for a reason... We journos have our ways!
: Mona: Alright. Well, best of luck with your investigation then. Thanks again for bringing the bonus, Charlotte. Do give my regards to the chief editor.
: Take care of yourself, Mona...
: ...Also, we should play another game of Genius Invokation TCG sometime!
: Mona: I will — and yes, we should. I'll hold you to that.
: Charlotte: I think it's about time we started heading to the competition venue. The Mondstadt regional final should be starting shortly.
: Paimon: Alright! Paimon can't wait to find out who the finalists are.
----
;(Approach the venue)
: Paimon: Wow, so this is the venue, huh? Seems pretty lively here!
;(Charlotte falls back to a nearby fruit stand to observe two people)
: Kaeya: Well, if it isn't and Paimon. What a rare surprise. Did you really come all this way just to watch Timmie and me in the final?
: Paimon: Kaeya? You made it to the finals? Wait... What about your work with the Knights of Favonius? You'd better not be slacking off again...
: Kaeya: Hey, c'mon now. That's no way to talk to a friend. Naturally, I wouldn't have considered entering the competition were I not already on top of my work.
: Kaeya: Ah, enjoying a drink while playing a few rounds of cards... I can't think of a better way to relax outside of work, can you? Oh, just be sure not to tell Diona I said that.
: Paimon: Well, since you're in the competition... Have you noticed anything suspicious going on so far? You know, like... people stealing other players' cards, that kind of thing?
: Kaeya: Stealing cards, you say? I'm afraid I haven't seen anything of that sort — not while I've been playing, anyway. Why do you ask?
: Paimon: Well, we just ran into this journalist from Fontaine, and she... Huh? Where'd Charlotte go? She was right here, wasn't she...?
: Paimon: Grr... Paimon bets she snuck off to go find some tasty snacks for herself!
: Kaeya: Journalist from Fontaine... Oh, you mean the one from The Steambird? I do recall seeing a Steambird reporter listed in the Knights of Favonius' visitor log.
: Paimon: Yeah, that'll be her. She said that she saw a Card Snatcher at the tournament venue, so we're helping her investigate.
;(The two people Charlotte is watching leave)
: Kaeya: A "Card Snatcher"? ...Hmm, how very interesting. But, one question, Paimon... Are you sure that cards are really what this "snatcher" is after?
: Paimon: Huh? What makes you say that?
: Master of Ceremonies: Hello everyone, your attention please! The final is about to begin! Now, let's give a warm welcome to our two contestants!
: Kaeya: Guess we'll have to leave it there. Let's continue this conversation another time.
: Good luck, Kaeya!
:: Kaeya: Thanks, Traveler.
: Give it your best!
:: Kaeya: Don't worry, I will.
: Paimon: Go get 'em, Kaeya! We'll see you in a bit!
: Paimon: So , who do you think's gonna win?
: Pretty sure Timmie will win.
:: Paimon: Yeah, Timmie seems to be a pretty strong TCG player.
: I think Kaeya will win.
:: Paimon: Yeah, Kaeya's quite the crafty one. He must have some tricks up his sleeve.
: Paimon: Either way, whoever wins is bound to make headlines... Wait, speaking of headlines, isn't that Charlotte's job!?
: Paimon: Huh... maybe she got caught up trying out all the delicious Mondstadt snacks? Let's go look for her.
;(Talk to Eichendorff and Lennard, optional)
: Lennard: I sure hope Timmie wins the finals... At least then, I could say I lost to the champion...
: Eichendorff: I understand where you're coming from, but don't get your hopes up. It's gonna be tough for him to beat the Cavalry Captain.
;(Talk to Huffman, optional)
: Huffman: You've got this, Captain Kaeya! The Knights of Favonius are counting on you!
;(Talk to Kaeya, optional)
: Kaeya: Everyone's quite fired up... Whew, it's even making me a little nervous.
;(Talk to Timmie, optional)
: Timmie: I'm bringing my A-game today, and I'm gonna win this thing!
;(Approach Charlotte)
: Paimon: Charlotte! What happened? You just disappeared without saying anything!
: Charlotte: Oh, I just didn't want to bother you while you were catching up with your friend.
: Paimon: But Kaeya's one of the finalists. Don't you wanna interview him, or something? You did say you're supposed to be covering the competition...
: Charlotte: Ehh, I could churn out that kind of soft news piece in five minutes if I had to. Personally... I'm more interested in those two.
: Charlotte: From the moment things kicked off, they've been acting very strangely, like they're trying to stay out of sight... I'm sure they must be plotting something.
: Paimon: Hmm? *gasp* You mean, there are two Card Snatchers!?
: Charlotte: Shh! Keep your voice down! We don't want to scare them off! We need to wait until we've got something concrete, then we can use my Kamera to catch them in the act...
: Charlotte: Huh!? Wait, where'd the other guy go?
: Paimon: He's on the run!
: Charlotte: After him!
;(While looking for the suspicious person)
: Paimon: Huh... You seem like you've done this before. Do you spy on people often?
: Charlotte: Haha, you're too kind. You should see the celebrities in Fontaine — the lengths they'll go to to try and avoid the public eye... Compared to that, this is nothing.
: Paimon: That wasn't supposed to be a compliment!
----
;(Approach the marked area by the Teleport Waypoint)
: Charlotte: He's heading towards Mondstadt's side gate. Let's follow him, but quietly. We mustn't let him spot us.
;(Approach the marked area by Hertha)
: Paimon: Now he's heading away from the city. How long are we gonna follow him for?
: Paimon: Ugh, at this rate, we're going to miss Kaeya and Timmie's match.
;(Approach the marked area outside the side gate)
: Charlotte: Ah, there — looks like he's stopped. Let's sit tight and see what happens.
: Paimon: Why'd he come all the way out here? Is he gonna hide something?
: Paimon: And now he's crouching down with his hands above his head... Wait, Treasure Hoarders! He's in trouble!
: Paimon: Quick, we need to rescue him!
;(At the beginning of the fight)
: Adrian: Help! Someone save me!
: Paimon: What are the Treasure Hoarders doing so close to the city?
;(After defeating the Treasure Hoarders)
: Paimon: Are you alright?
: Adrian: Oh thank goodness! I thought it was all over for me.
: Charlotte: Those Treasure Hoarders, did you know them? It sure looked like they were here just for you.
: Adrian: Why would I know them!? I was just... uh, out for a walk. Minding my own business, and then the next thing I knew, I was surrounded!
: Charlotte: Oh, really? Then why did they target you? It wouldn't be because of some dubious deal you were involved in at the tournament, would it?
: Adrian: Huh? A deal? I, uh... I don't know what you're talking about.
: Charlotte: Well that's a shame. You see, I'm a journalist, and I just happened to snap a picture of you and one other individual in the middle of a deal back at the tournament.
: Charlotte: I was only going to ask you for an interview, but that was before you caused all this trouble... and now you're feigning ignorance of the deal in question...
: Charlotte: Hmm, maybe I'm just wasting my time? Shall I just cut my losses and hand over the evidence to the Knights of Favonius?
: Adrian: Whoa whoa whoa, no, please! I'll talk! But you gotta believe me, there's nothing shady going on, I swear!
: Paimon: Wow, that was some serious bluffing on Charlotte's part... she didn't take any pictures at all.
: Adrian: Back at the tournament, I was approached by some random guy who said that he wanted to buy a card back off me. I said, okay, how much are you offering... and when he told me the amount, my jaw practically hit the floor!
: Charlotte: Really? What kind of card back was it?
: Adrian: Uhh... Nothing special, I just picked it up at a general goods store. It had a treasure chest design on it. I only bought it because it was dirt cheap.
: Adrian: This guy offered me three times what I'd paid for it, and handed me the Mora right then and there.
: Adrian: I could hardly believe my luck, so I decided to head somewhere less crowded and check the Mora was real. That's when I ran into the Treasure Hoarders...
: Charlotte: Did you ask him why he wanted to purchase this item from you?
: Adrian: No, I didn't... Genius Invokation TCG has been getting pretty popular lately, and some people will pay good Mora to make their decks look flashy. It didn't strike me as that unusual.
: Adrian: But after I gave him the card back, he let out a sigh of relief and said something about, uh... "That's all the Mondstadt ones. Next stop, Liyue," or something like that...
: Charlotte: ..."Or something like that"? He either said that or he didn't, how certain are you?
: Adrian: I'm positive! I know what I heard. Once the card was in his hands, he suddenly relaxed, like a huge burden had been taken off his shoulders. It was genuine relief! ...Could that card back really be as valuable as he thought?
: Charlotte: That I don't know. But in the interests of your personal safety, I suggest you report all of this to the Knights of Favonius.
: Charlotte: After all, you weren't doing anything against the law, were you?
: Adrian: Right, yeah, no, that makes sense. I'll go speak to the Knights of Favonius right away.
: Paimon: It sounds like that guy's just collecting rare card backs. Are you sure this is the person you're after, Charlotte?
: Charlotte: Well, it definitely doesn't add up. You really think someone out there's going from nation to nation shelling out huge sums of money for a few card backs bought from a grocery store?
: Charlotte: My gut tells me that there's more to this story than the card back alone. Hehe, this entire situation reeks of exclusive news!
: Do you think there's real treasure involved?
:: Paimon: Ooh, treasure! Maybe the card backs make a treasure map? You know, collect all the pieces, put 'em together, and they reveal where the treasure is buried!
: Maybe it was designed by a famous artist?
:: Paimon: Oh, you mean someone like Albedo? Hmm, that would explain why only some people understand the true value.
: Charlotte: Who knows... but wherever this leads, we're definitely onto something.
: Charlotte: Even though I didn't manage to get a good look at his face, his physique and the way he moved were identical to the Card Snatcher I saw last time. I'm sure it's the same guy.
: Charlotte: He was much more discreet this time, though. I guess he didn't want to risk trying anything with so many potential witnesses around.
: Paimon: From the sounds of it, we need to head to Liyue next, right? Paimon can't wait — we have tons of friends in Liyue, too!
: Paimon: But shouldn't we check in with Kaeya before we leave? Paimon at least wants to find out who won the final.
: Charlotte: Good idea, let's go.
----
;(Approach the venue)
: Master of Ceremonies: I hereby declare the winner of the Mondstadt regional final of the King of Invokations Grand Prix is... Timmie!
: Paimon: Wow! Timmie won, that's amazing!
: Kaeya: *sigh* I was beaten by the best. Timmie's a tough opponent — he had me on the back foot the entire time.
: There's always next time.
: At least you are gracious in defeat.
: Kaeya: Haha, it's alright, you don't need to comfort me.
: Kaeya: This must be the journalist from Fontaine you mentioned earlier. Charlotte, was it? Enchantée.
: Kaeya: I'm Kaeya, Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius. I trust you're enjoying your time in Mondstadt?
: Charlotte: The pleasure is all mine. Mondstadt's reputation as the City of Song and Freedom is truly deserved. The mood here is simply delightful.
: Kaeya: Haha, I'm glad you're liking it. By the way, I couldn't help but notice you all rushing towards the city's side gate earlier. Did you find something? I couldn't get it off my mind, even during the competition.
:
: Kaeya: Hmm, I see...
: Paimon: So it seems we have an answer to Kaeya's question from earlier: What the Card Snatcher's really after is these card backs. But we still haven't figured out why he cares so much about them.
: Kaeya: Hmm. Well, while I'd love to accompany you all to Liyue Harbor, I'm afraid I still have my Knights of Favonius duties to attend to.
: Kaeya: In fact, our top priority right now is strengthening Mondstadt's defenses. Treasure Hoarder activity has been increasingly rampant lately.
: Paimon: Hehe, don't worry, we'll keep you in the loop if we find anything. In fact, if Charlotte's journalistic instinct is on point, you'll probably be reading her exclusive report in The Steambird before long!
: Kaeya: Wonderful. Then I look forward to reading all about it.
: Charlotte: Haha, thanks for supporting quality journalism. Okay, let's take tonight off and head to Liyue Harbor tomorrow. It'll give me a chance to write down everything that's happened today.
: Paimon: Oh, Paimon wanted to ask... See the two people on this poster? Are they the inventors of Genius Invokation TCG? They look so young!
: Charlotte: Maybe, but very little is known about either of them.
: Charlotte: Whether they've been living under a rock this whole time or just aren't interested in the fame, I don't know. But hardly anybody has ever seen them.
: Kaeya: The poster's probably just an artist's impression to capture the general look and feel of the duo. Beyond that, I doubt it's very true to life.
: Paimon: Sound like they're a couple of socially reclusive scholars. If Paimon were in their shoes, she'd be showing up to all the events, signing autographs, selling cards... and probably getting complimentary food and drink!
: Kaeya: Haha, I approve. And to top it off, you could play a few rounds of Genius Invokation with everyone.
: Charlotte: I was reading up on the game's inventors before I came to Mondstadt. I was originally hoping to arrange an interview with them.
: Charlotte: But I soon discovered that there's no mention anywhere of where they live or of any Genius Invokation events that they've attended.
: Charlotte: It's as if they designed the game and then never played it again.
: What a mysterious couple of game designers.
: Kaeya: Either they don't want to play the game, or they're unable to. But they must have their reasons.
: Charlotte: I wonder if they'll show up at all during the King of Invokations Grand Prix...
: Kaeya: Maybe, if you get lucky... and based on my experience, seems to have no shortage of that.
: Charlotte: Oh really? Well, that gives me one less thing to worry about.
: Hearing that that put you at ease puts me at ease.
: Hopefully my luck won't run out any time soon...
: Charlotte: Anyway, our focus is still on tracking down the Card Snatcher.
: Charlotte: I heard Snezhnaya has an old saying: "If you try chasing two rabbits at once, you'll only end up empty-handed."
: Paimon: Well... and Paimon can always split up and chase one rabbit each!
: Paimon: Okay, now Paimon's feeling hungry. We can worry about all this later — right now, it's time to get some grub.
: Kaeya: Haha... You can always trust Paimon to know where life's priorities lie. If it's food you're after, I recommend taking a look at the nearby stalls.
: Kaeya: The tournament has brought quite a crowd, so there's a lot of fun to be had around the venue.
: Paimon: Sounds great! Thanks, Kaeya!
----
;(Talk to Charlotte, optional)
: Charlotte: "City on the Lake Teems With Talent in TCG Tournament as Young Prodigy Bests Favonian Cavalry Captain"...
: Charlotte: Hmm, this title saves face for the Knights, but lacks a little "oomph"...
: Charlotte: "Top Strategic Mind of the Knights of Favonius Outsmarted by Bridge Boy in Five-Round Failure"...
: Charlotte: "Captain's Championship Hopes Crushed in Dazzling Dark Horse Defeat"...
: Charlotte: Hmm... Maybe I should stick with my first draft...?
;(Talk to Eichendorff and Lennard, optional)
: Eichendorff: What an amazing tournament. That Timmie, huh... He really has a gift for this.
: Lennard: Yeah, who saw that coming... But at least I can feel a little better about losing to him now.
;(Talk to Huffman and Mika, optional)
: Mika: Wait, why's everyone leaving? ...Did I miss it...?
: Huffman: Ah Mika, too bad you weren't here to see it. I'm afraid that... Captain Kaeya lost.
: Mika: What!?
: Mika: Tell me everything! What happened?
: Huffman: Well, I don't know much about Genius Invokation myself, but I did try to follow along by listening in to what everyone was saying...
: Huffman: Captain Kaeya took out one of Timmie's character cards right at the start, giving him an early advantage.
: Huffman: But I guess that was all part of his opponent's strategy...? In any case, Timmie spent the first few rounds stocking up cards in his hand, and then swung the game with a brutal offensive right at the end.
: Huffman: Hmm, but y'know, maybe the match was already over from the moment they flipped the coin and determined that Kaeya would go second...
: Huffman: *sigh* I need a drink...
: Mika: Calm down, bro. Now's not the time to start drinking your sorrows away.
: Mika: Knowing Captain Kaeya, he wouldn't want to see you upset over his loss.
: Mika: Hey, why don't we learn how to play, too? Maybe then, we'll get to play against Captain Kaeya some day! Hehe... Though, I'm sure we'd lose pretty badly to him.
: Huffman: Hah, yeah, you're right, Mika. Not a bad plan.
;(Talk to Kaeya, optional)
: Kaeya: Hey there. Something else you wanted to discuss?
: About Genius Invokation TCG...
:: Kaeya: The game's really caught on lately. It's a part of everyday life now — everywhere you go, you see people playing it.
:: Kaeya: In fact, some people have even given up drinking in order to keep a clear head during the game.
:: Kaeya: Hehe, I'm sure Diona will be happy to hear that.
::;(Return to option selection)
: How are the Knights of Favonius holding up?
:: Kaeya: Don't worry, everyone's just fine.
:: Kaeya: I actually managed to convince Jean to join me for a game, but we only got part of the way through before she was called away. I ended up having to finish the match for the two of us. *sigh* What can you do? Everyone has to put their work first.
:: Kaeya: But seeing how successful the tournament has turned out and how much fun everyone's had, I'm hoping that she at least has one less thing to worry about.
::;(Return to option selection)
: Let's catch up another time.
:: Kaeya: Sure. We should have a game of Genius Invokation TCG when you get the chance.
;(Talk to Timmie, optional)
: Timmie: I won, I won!
: Congratulations, Timmie!
:: Timmie: Thanks. I can't wait to tell my mom... this'll make her really happy, won't it?
:: Timmie: Mom was the one who kept telling me I should join the tournament, so I'm gonna give the prizes to her!
:: Timmie: I really wish my dad could see me now...
: Bye, Timmie.
:: Timmie: Bye! Ah, Genius Invokation is sooo much fun...
==Other Languages==
==Change History==
es:¡Inicio! El germen de la sospecha
pt-br:Comecem! A Suspeita Surge
ru:Дуэль начинается! Первые подозрения