A New Painting in Pale Scarlet (Quest)

A New Painting in Pale Scarlet is the only part in the True Tales of the Violet Garden: Act III - A New Painting in Pale Scarlet during the Hues of the Violet Garden event.
==Steps==
# Wait until the following day (07:00 – 09:00)
# Go to the Ritou docks
# Talk to Kazuha
# Look for Albedo at The Five Kasen Plaza
# Go to Uyuu Restaurant
# Talk to Xingqiu
# Leave Uyuu Restaurant
# Discuss further plans at the entrance to Uyuu Restaurant
# Go to the pond
# Talk to Kazuha
==Dialogue==
;(Wait until the next day)
;(After waiting until the next day)
: Paimon: It's already time for us to be at the docks. Let's go!
: Paimon: The Arrival Schedule says: "Ship stopover, one person." Does that mean we're only welcoming one guest today?
;(Approach the docks)
: Paimon: Look, that figure on the wharf! It looks like Kazuha!
;(Talk to Kazuha)
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Greetings, and Paimon. I heard there would be guides for the Irodori Festival, but I didn't expect it would be you two.
: Paimon: Hehe, we didn't expect to see you either! Returning as a guest for the Irodori Festival, no doubt!
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I was a little surprised myself when I received the invitation. But after wandering the outside world for so long, it is good to have an opportunity to return to my homeland and pay respects to my old friends.
: Paimon: Kazuha, when we saw you in the distance just now, you seemed to be looking for something. What happened?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Ah yes, you see, when I came off the boat with everyone just now, I suddenly heard light footsteps around me.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I could tell they were not footsteps of a regular passenger, but by the time I turned around, the person had already disappeared. I only heard a splash come from below the pier.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Even though I didn't manage to catch a glimpse of them, I found this strange piece of paper by my feet.
: Paimon: Oh, does the paper happen to have a poem written on it?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Huh, how did you know?
:
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Fascinating. It's almost hard to believe such things could happen.
: Kazuha, can you show us that piece of paper?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Sure, here it is. Please, have a look.
;(Open The Five Kasen's Splendor: Akahito)
: Paimon: Last time, Aoi no Okina's poem ended with a reference to Akahito. And sure enough, this is a story about him.
: Paimon: The story this time basically says that Akahito got his name from his love of red seals. However, the Shogun discovered that he had committed plagiarism, and he was soon exiled...
: Paimon: Well, if Paimon were to rate today's story, it sounds pretty unfortunate!
: Well, the other stories weren't much better either...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with this story. I, too, was once wanted as a criminal by the Shogunate, so I'm not all that different from Akahito mentioned in this story.
: Paimon: But according to the story, Akahito was exiled by the shogun because of his wrongdoings. You did nothing wrong, Kazuha.
: Paimon: Huh? Traveler, what are you thinking about?
: The seal mentioned in the story...
: Maybe it can help Xingqiu?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Ah, by the way, you mentioned that your friend has been struggling because he's unable to sign his name quickly, right?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: In Liyue and Inazuma, there is a saying: "that which has been stamped has also been signed." Perhaps using a seal could be a feasible solution.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: While sailing at sea, I sometimes carve things to pass the time. If you wish to create a stamp for his seal, I might be able to help.
: Paimon: Wow, that's an idea! Quick, let's go tell Albedo.
;(Obtain )
;(Talk to Albedo)
: Paimon: Albedo, we've figured out a way to help Xingqiu!
:
: Albedo: Interesting... A story of The Five Kasen appears again, and with a timely solution.
: Albedo: A stamped seal, huh? Hmm, let me think.
: Albedo: Indeed, it is an efficient solution. If we use a stamp, then Xingqiu won't have to struggle with his handwriting anymore. However...
: However?
: Is there another problem?
: Albedo: Since Xingqiu's signature has been previously revealed to the readers, it would seem insincere if he only used a stamped seal for his new books.
: Albedo: But, I have another idea. Using a seal is a part of it, of course. Let's go to Uyuu Restaurant now to discuss my idea with everyone.
;(Approach Xingqiu and the editors behind the desk on the second floor)
: Hirayama: Yes, that's it, Zhenyu! Your writing has greatly improved today, which means yesterday's intensive training was effective!
: Xingqiu: My apologies, but I simply can't do it anymore. My hands are so sore that I can't even move them anymore... *sigh* I should've known better than to read novels during calligraphy class.
: Hirayama: You just had a ten-minute break. C'mon, you can do this!
: Onodera: When it comes to pushing a deadline, there is no one more brutal than Mr. Hirayama.
: Murata: No wonder Lady Yae would always send the editorial director to handle troublesome authors...
: Paimon: Whoa, this is getting scary! It hasn't even been that long and Xingqiu's already zombified.
: Albedo: Mr. Hirayama, we found a solution that might just solve our dilemma.
: Albedo: In both Liyue and Inazuma, seals are widely used as the equivalent of a signature. If we use a stamp to leave the author's seal on the books, then we could make the signature process a lot easier.
: Albedo: Of course, a seal on its own is not enough. So, I propose that each signature consists of two parts.
: Albedo: First, we'll use a personalized seal. We can simply carve one using Zhenyu's signature as the design.
: Albedo: In addition, I'll also design a simple but elegant pattern that's easy for Zhenyu to write. That way, he will only need to draw a simple pattern on each book.
: Hirayama: Hmm, let me think...
: Hirayama: Alright, I think that would work! Not only does it still involve the author's own handwriting, but the result should be very beautiful as well.
: Xingqiu: So what you mean to say is, I've been saved from this predicament?
: Onodera: Mr. Hirayama, it suddenly occurred to me that the reason we gave up on live book signings previously was because it would take too long for the author to sign each book.
: Onodera: But if we adopt Calx's proposed method, we might have enough time to do signatures at the live event.
: Onodera: And if all the authors signed their books in the same fashion, then Zhenyu's signature wouldn't look out of place.
: Albedo: If you think it's feasible, I would certainly be happy to design signatures for the other authors as well.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Yes, and you may leave carving the stamps to me.
: Hirayama: In that case, I shall contact the other two authors participating in the new release event.
:
: Satomi: It is a great honor to use a signature designed by Calx.
: Kadenokouji Kenzaburou: My pen name is quite complicated and isn't suitable for signing events. However, if we implement this new format, then it'll be a dream come true for me as well.
: Paimon: Great! Looks like everyone's on board with the idea.
: Hirayama: I'm sorry to have kept you busy for so long, Zhenyu. Please, take the next few days to have a good rest. We'll handle everything from here.
: Hirayama: The books that Zhenyu already signed can be used as special prizes in future events held by the Yae Publishing House.
: Onodera: Phew... we did it, the event is saved!
: Xingqiu: Thanks to everyone's efforts, Onodera and I are finally free of that mess.
: Paimon: Hehe, that's right! You're finally free, Xingqiu. Maybe you should step outside for some fresh air.
;(Talk to Onodera, Murata, and Hirayama again)
: Hirayama: Onodera, please inform Lady Yae of the changes in the event planning when you have a moment. She will surely like to hear about our new idea.
: Hirayama: You're a quick thinker, Onodera. As long as you exercise a little prudence, you'll be able to achieve great things in the future.
: Onodera: Uh, got it. Thank you very much, Mr. Hirayama.
: Murata: I suppose this is all a blessing in disguise, isn't it? I'm sure readers will be thrilled to hear that the release event will also have a book signing.
;(Leave Uyuu Restaurant)
;(Arrive at the entrance to Uyuu Restaurant)
: Paimon: Hmm, we still have some time to burn, where should we go next?
: Kamisato Ayaka: Traveler, there you are.
: Paimon: Oh, it's Ayaka and Venti... That's an interesting combo.
: Kamisato Ayaka: I was just going to the festival venue to prepare the ikebana lesson, when I found a strange piece of paper on a flower stand.
: Kamisato Ayaka: This bard just happened to be close by at the time. He informed me that you've also found similar papers recently. As such, we came together to find you two.
: Venti: But the paper she found isn't quite the same as the ones we found before.
: Kamisato Ayaka: Here's the paper. Please, have a look.
;(Open The Five Kasen's Splendor: Sumizome)
: Paimon: Huh, all the poems we found before were roughly the same length, but this one is only two lines!
: Albedo: And even though there are only two short sentences, neither of them are next to the title or centered on the page.
: Albedo: Hmm, the position of the writing seems to indicate that there is other content written on this paper besides these two lines.
: Xingqiu: If we take the poem literally, it reads, "Dip this paper in water, and see the truth naturally appear."
: Xingqiu: Speaking of which, I have an ancient text at home, specializing in ancient and exotic stories. It mentions a special ink that will show itself when wet, and disappear when it's dry.
: Venti: So, shall we give it a whirl? It just so happens that there is a pond nearby.
;(Obtain )
;(Approach the pond)
:
: Paimon: Wow, look! It's really working, more words have appeared on the paper!
: Paimon: Let Paimon see what it says!
;(Open The Five Kasen's Splendor: Sumizome)
: Paimon: Hmm, the story says that after Sumizome got the collection of poems from Akahito and put them into a stream of water...
: Paimon: The plagiarized words in the poem became blurry... Huh, why would that happen?
: Kamisato Ayaka: You see, Paimon, in the past, when printing was not yet well-developed, handwritten text could easily become smudged in books when exposed to moisture.
: Kamisato Ayaka: To ensure the text lasted longer, they'd either write using a special ink or coat the paper's surface with a waterproof coating once the writing was finished.
: Kamisato Ayaka: Such special inks are time-consuming and laborious to produce, and the waterproof coating could also prove just as difficult.
: Kamisato Ayaka: However, since Akahito's poetry collection was an important gift to be presented to the Shogun, surely one of those two methods was used to protect it.
: Kamisato Ayaka: But as for the plagiarized poems, not only would they lack Akahito's seal, but the words would also react differently when exposed to liquid.
: So this poem wasn't written by Akahito.
: It was added later by someone else.
: Paimon: *gasp* Which means Akahito didn't plagiarize his work! He was set up!
: Albedo: Yes, it appears that this is the truth that Sumizome's story is trying to convey.
: Albedo: Although the story is saddening, I've decided on the subjects to use for Akahito and Sumizome's portraits.
: Albedo: Kazuha, Ayaka, would you be willing to be the models for my paintings?
: Kamisato Ayaka: I would be delighted.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Yes, as would I.
: Paimon: There you go! The next two portraits should be ready in no time!
: Albedo: Yes, and now that all four stories have all been collected, the story of The Five Kasen is now fully completed.
;(A cutscene plays)
::Yae Miko: Long ago, Inazuma had five legendary poets
::Yae Miko: People bestowed upon them the title of The Five Kasen
::Venti: One Year
::Venti: The poet Suikou made his way to the Tenshukashu
::Venti: And presented the Kasen's work for the Shogun's perusal
::Venti: But a page from the works of Aoi no Okina had been torn out
::Venti: And Suikou was questioned regarding the matter
::Venti: Suikou pleaded guilty
::Venti: He admitted to drinking at the tavern the night before
::Venti: And vaguely recalled a mysterious figure approaching while he was intoxicated
::Xingqiu: That figure was none other than Aoi no Okina himself
::Xingqiu: This turn of events had begun with an unnamed individual
::Xingqiu: Under whose coercion Aoi no Okina was forced
::Xingqiu: To take drastic measures to retrieve a page of poetry
::Xingqiu: He knew nothing
::Xingqiu: Of this individual's true intentions
::Xingqiu: All he knew was that
::Xingqiu: The poem had to do with an old acquaintance, Akahito
::Kaedahara Kazuha: Akahito had once belonged to the Five Kasen
::Kaedahara Kazuha: Each poem he composed, he marked with a scarlet red seal
::Kaedahara Kazuha: Hence the "Aka" in his name
::Kaedahara Kazuha: Such a distinguished writer was he
::Kaedahara Kazuha: And yet one of the poems he had submitted the previous year
::Kaedahara Kazuha: Was found to be plagiarized
::Kaedahara Kazuha: Akahito was exiled for his crimes
::Kaedahara Kazuha: And only four of the Five Kasen remained
::Kamisato Ayaka: Sumizome went over Akahito's poems
::Kamisato Ayaka: And noticed that the plagiarized poem lacked his seal
::Kamisato Ayaka: She immersed his poetry in a stream nearby
::Kamisato Ayaka: And only on the plagiarized poem
::Kamisato Ayaka: Did the ink run
::Kamisato Ayaka: Aoi no Okina passed by
::Kamisato Ayaka: And witnessed Sumizome's doing
::Kamisato Ayaka: Which he then recorded in a poem
::Kamisato Ayaka: Thus transpired the events of Suikou's poetry submission
::Kamisato Ayaka: And this is where the story comes to an end
;(Cutscene ends)
:
: Paimon: Huh... *sigh*
: Paimon, what's wrong?
: You seem upset, Paimon.
: Paimon: Yeah... Ever since we completed the story of The Five Kasen, there's still one thing Paimon hasn't been able to figure out.
: Paimon: One of The Five Kasen is called Kuronushi, right?
: Paimon: It's just that... How could the story of The Five Kasen finish without him appearing at all?
: Venti: Oh, hahaha! Have you really not noticed?
: Paimon: Huh? Not noticed what? Ugh, this is no time to be playing games, Tone-Deaf Bard!
: Albedo: What he means is that the story of Kuronushi was already embedded within the four poems.
: Paimon: Huh, really?
: Venti: That's right. The key lies in the poem that Aoi no Okina wrote after seeing Sumizome rinsing the poetry collection.
: Venti: An average person could never understand the scene of a young girl washing Akahito's poetry collection in a stream.
: Venti: Even Aoi no Okina couldn't figure out the meaning behind Sumizome's actions. He was simply reminiscing and thinking about his old acquaintances.
: Venti: However, for the perpetrator who framed Akahito, it was completely obvious.
: Venti: He was worried that if this poem was seen by the Shogun, then the Shogun could discover the truth behind the plagiarism incident. If that happened, then he'd be finished.
: Venti: So in desperation, he threatened Aoi no Okina to make him tear out this poem.
: Paimon: Which means... the one who threatened Aoi no Okina is the same person that framed Akahito!
: The culprit is none other than Kuronushi.
: Paimon: What, Kuronushi!?
: Venti: That's right. Though there are only four poems, they still manage to tell the complete story of all five kasen.
: Venti: Since the Shogun mentioned in the poems is certainly not one of The Five Kasen, the only character left is the mysterious one with an unknown identity.
: Paimon: Ohh, okay... Paimon is finally starting to get it now.
: Albedo: However, this also brings something else to mind.
: Albedo: The story of The Five Kasen has more or less reflected everything that has been happening around us lately.
: Albedo: Which begs the question... Is there a Kuronushi in our world as well?
: Paimon: A Kuronushi... In our world?
: Venti: Speaking of which, I wonder if our dear Kazuha has come up with anything.
: Paimon: Oh right, Kazuha! He's been pretty quiet this whole time. Let's ask him!
;(Talk to Kazuha)
: Paimon: Hey, Kazuha! Are you okay? You've been standing in front of this blank canvas for a while... and you don't look so good.
: Albedo: Apologies for making a wild assumption, but has the story of The Five Kasen reminded you of anything?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Yes, a few things did come to mind, actually. However, they were nothing more than some past incidents regarding my family.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I don't mind sharing the stories, but I'd prefer not to bring you any more trouble.
: Paimon: Hey, we're all friends here, Kazuha. You can always tell us whatever's on your mind.
: Kamisato Ayaka: Kaedehara, please forgive my assumption, but perhaps you are thinking of the Raiden Gokaden?
: Paimon: The "Raiden Gokaden"? What's that?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: It appears that Miss Kamisato and I were thinking of the same thing.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: But it also has much to do with the Yashiro Commission. It would be improper to speak of it here without the consent of Miss Kamisato.
: Kamisato Ayaka: It's fine. Those of us here are all trustworthy, so there isn't any harm in it.
: Kamisato Ayaka: However, this matter is somewhat complicated and may be difficult to explain. Let me start with the Raiden Gokaden.
: Kamisato Ayaka: As you all know, the Yashiro Commission's primary purpose is managing ceremonial and cultural affairs, and Inazuma's art of forging swords is a very important part of our culture.
: Kamisato Ayaka: The Raiden Gokaden were once the top five schools of the forging art in Inazuma. Although these families were swordsmiths by craft, they also held many important positions in the Yashiro Commission.
: Kamisato Ayaka: Unfortunately, of the five, only the Amenoma Art still maintains its artisan lineage. The descendants of the Isshin Art are also still alive, but the craft has been lost to time.
: Kamisato Ayaka: The descendants of the Isshin Art are none other than the Kaedehara family.
: Paimon: Whoa! We knew Kazuha came from a noble family, but we had no idea about his connection to the Yashiro Commission and sword making.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Yes, but that's all part of the past now. The Isshin Art was lost with my great grandfather's generation.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: My grandfather was dissatisfied with my great-grandfather's lack of effort. When he was young, my grandfather traveled all over Teyvat to find a way to revive the family business, but it was to no avail.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: And in my generation, our last remaining family property was lost as well.
: Kamisato Ayaka: I heard my elder brother mention that the decline of the Raiden Gokaden happened very rapidly. In a span of a few decades, three of the families suffered various misfortunes and disappeared completely.
: Kamisato Ayaka: Later, there was speculation that all of these misfortunes stemmed from some background machinations, meaning that someone wanted to wipe out the Raiden Gokaden.
: Kamisato Ayaka: However, since not every family of the Raiden Gokaden came to ruin, such explanations were treated as nothing more than a conspiracy theory.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Indeed, I've also believed such ideas were just theories and rumors.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: However, I know that a major incident happened to my great-grandfather when he was young.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Not only did it affect the Kaedehara Clan, but it nearly jeopardized the Kamisato Clan's position in the Yashiro Commission as well.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: After reading the story of The Five Kasen, I can't help but feel like it's pointing me toward the truth behind that incident.
: Paimon: What exactly happened to your great-grandfather, Kazuha?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I still can't say, I need to speak with someone to verify the details. Let's meet here again at noon tomorrow.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I will tell you everything I know then.
;(Quest ends)
;(Examine Akahito's Likeness)
:Akahito's Likeness: (This is Akahito's likeness, as done by Albedo.)
:Akahito's Likeness: (Kazuha was the model for this picture, and it shows Akahito, his garments red in his trademark style, kneeling before the throne as he is being punished by the Shogun.)
:Akahito's Likeness: ("Won't this image bring ill luck?" Someone asked, but neither the artist nor the model thought that this was a problem.)
;(Examine Sumizome's Likeness)
:Sumizome's Likeness: (This is Sumizome's likeness, as done by Albedo.)
:Sumizome's Likeness: (Ayaka was the model for this picture, and it depicts Sumizome rinsing the poetry collection in water, with a little extra flair, of course.)
:Sumizome's Likeness: ("You know, the Sumizome drawn here really looks like the Shirasagi Himegimi," so most of the guests have said. This portrait has also proved the most popular in terms of photos taken with it.)
;(Examine Portrait Canvas)
:Portrait Canvas: (A blank canvas which will soon be used to draw a lovely picture of one of the Five Kasen.)
==Cutscene==
Story Teaser- Tale of the Five Kasen - Genshin Impact
==Soundtracks==
==Other Languages==
==Change History==
ja:薄墨淡朱の新しき絵画 (任務)
pt-br:Uma Nova Pintura Escarlate (Missão)
ru:Новый рисунок бледно-алой тушью