The Truest Thing

The Truest Thing is the third part of .
==Steps==
# Wait until the next evening (18:00 – 20:00)
# Watch the magic show at the opera house
# Go somewhere quiet and ask about the truth
# Watch the high-altitude escape trick
# Meet Lyney at the cemetery
==Dialogue==
;(Upon obtaining quest)
: Paimon: Wait... Paimon feels like we're forgetting something...
: Paimon: Oh yeah, Cesar's diary! We never found out if the two kids Cesar taught magic to were Lyney and Lynette or not.
: Paimon: Lyney changed the topic back in the workshop, so we didn't get a chance to bring it up. Oh well, guess we'll just have to ask Lyney tomorrow evening.
;(Talk to Charlotte in the Opera Epiclese, optional)
: Charlotte: Here I am, as we agreed!
: Charlotte: I wonder what kind of show Lyney has prepared for us this time? Oh, the anticipation, it's killing me!
: Charlotte: Oh, and how could I forget — thank you both for capturing Lorenzo. Now that this decade-long case of The Phantom Weasel has finally been put to rest, I'm gonna go through my notes and put it all together into the most spectacular special column piece to ever grace the pages of The Steambird!
;(Approach Jemma and Lynette in the Opera Epiclese)
: Paimon: Hehe, Paimon's excited to see another of Lyney's magic shows. Wait... Lynette, shouldn't you be on stage by now?
: Lynette: Not this time. My brother's going solo today.
: Lynette: So I'll be watching with you.
: Robert Houdin: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! I hope everybody's ready, because the show is about to begin!
: Robert Houdin: The great magician Lyney has prepared a spectacular show for us all tonight, concluding with an all-new grand finale that no audience has ever seen before!
: Paimon: Wow! A new trick!
: Lyney: Thank you all so much for coming. Now, prepare to join me on a journey through the mystical and miraculous.
:
: Jemma: ...
: Lynette: Exciting stuff, isn't it?
: Jemma: Yes, it's just... It reminds me of him.
: Paimon: No wonder. Cesar was a famous magician, too.
: Paimon: So how did you two first meet, Jemma?
: Jemma: Hmm? Well, I was out on the street once, and I saw him performing for little children.
: Jemma: Children love magic, because they're willing to believe in things that can't be rationally explained. Cesar had this amazing way of bringing them into a dream-like world.
: Jemma: And somehow... I felt drawn to him, too. So I went up and asked him to do a trick for me.
: Paimon: Aw, that sounds so romantic... What trick did he do?
: Jemma: It was... with a flower. He took it in his hand, snapped his fingers, and it magically appeared on my head.
: Jemma: I was so happy that day. No one had ever given me a flower before that.
: Paimon: Aw, that's so cute... Actually, now that you mention it, Lyney's done that one before.
: Jemma: Is that right? Then I suppose he's a romantic at heart, just like Cesar. So let's treasure the time we have with him.
: Jemma: After all... You never know when the people dearest to you might... be gone.
: Don't be sad.
: The killer has been caught.
: Paimon: That's right. It's all over now.
: Paimon: Um... Paimon doesn't really know how to comfort you, but at the very least, no one's gonna be intimidating you from now on. You can breathe easy at least, right?
: Lynette: ...Right.
: Lynette: Yes, you can breathe easy now, Phantom Weasel.
: Paimon: See, even Lynette says— Wait, what!?
: Paimon: The Phantom Weasel? Lorenzo escape? Where is he?
: Jemma: Wh—What do you mean, "Phantom Weasel"?
: Lynette: As Lyney once said... A performer's job is to commit fully to their role, and put on a flawless performance for their audience.
: Lynette: But once the bag of tricks is empty, and the curtain falls, it's time to end the show. The spotlight is no place for someone with no more cards up their sleeve.
: Lynette: It's been ten years, Jemma. Aren't you tired of the grieving widow act? I think it's time to put an end to it.
: Paimon: What are you talking about? Paimon doesn't like this riddle...
: Paimon: , Paimon doesn't like where this is going... C'mon, say something!
: Jemma: ...
: Robert Houdin: Ladies and Gentlemen! I hope you're all enjoying the performance so far!
: Robert Houdin: There will now be a brief intermission, after which Lyney will perform the most electrifying act of tonight's show — the one we've all been waiting for!
: Robert Houdin: The final performance will take place outside of the opera house, so please make your way outside in a calm and orderly fashion.
: Lynette: The Phantom Weasel never did like public places, did they?
: Lynette: Don't worry, this place will be quiet soon. Let's talk somewhere else for now.
----
;(Approach Jemma and Lynette)
:;(After a period of awkward silence between the four, Lyney approaches)
: Lyney: Dear me, this is awkward, isn't it? And unfortunately, I'm all out of gadgets, so I'm afraid I can't do any tricks to liven up the mood.
: Lyney: This is a big mistake for a magician to make. But thankfully, I do have a backup plan... Now, who wants to hear a story?
: Paimon: Uh, Lyney, don't we have more important things to address right now?
: Paimon: Lynette accused Jemma of being the real Phantom Weasel a moment ago. What the heck's going on?
: Lyney: All in good time. Magicians are good at guessing what people are thinking. I know the questions you want to ask... and as it happens, the story I'm about to tell might answer a few of them.
: Paimon: Really? Well then, let's hear it! Paimon's dying of curiosity here!
: Lyney: Let's go back to the very beginning. A decade ago, when The Phantom Weasel was terrorizing the Court of Fontaine. She never missed a target, never left a trace, and no treasure was safe from her thieving hands.
:
: Lyney: But as her infamy grew, so did the readiness of the police, and her opportunities to act became ever fewer. Every day, she ran the risk of being exposed for who she was.
: Lyney: Of course, she could not simply take this lying down, and before long she found her ticket to freedom: She would create a scapegoat, a false Weasel to close the chapter on her behalf.
: Lyney: After weighing her options, she set her sights on a renowned magician — Cesar. After all, magic and theft shared enough similarities for people to buy the story when the "truth" came out.
: Paimon: So... So then what?
:
: Lynette: Being the master deceiver she was, The Weasel easily earned Cesar's trust. Now all that remained was to frame him for her countless crimes.
: Lynette: But as she was considering how to make her move, she noticed Cesar's aggrieved pupil, and a new thought entered her mind: "Maybe I don't need to get my hands dirty after all"...
:
: Lynette: At her encouragement, Lorenzo tampered with Cesar's magic box, causing him to fall to his death.
: Lynette: Afterwards, Lorenzo seized his master's property, and The Weasel set about tarnishing Cesar's reputation. Two co-conspirators committed the perfect crime.
: Jemma: I've gotta hand it to you, you're both exceptional storytellers. It's enough to make even me wonder whether there was really another mastermind behind all this, pulling the strings.
: Jemma: But I just have one question. You seem to think that I am the villain in this tale. What's brought this on, Lyney? Is it something that Lorenzo said?
: Lyney: Don't worry, Lorenzo said nothing at all.
: Lyney: But I never believed that he was The Weasel, and in fact my investigation only made me more certain of that. He was too forthcoming with his confession — as if there was something else he was trying to hide.
: Jemma: How disappointing. So you'd sooner trust Lorenzo than me, even without a shred of evidence?
: Lyney: A magician is an expert at playing the audience to get the result they want. And I have no doubt that you, Jemma, are equally talented in this regard.
: Lyney: With a little help from Lorenzo, you put on a very convincing performance. The lovesick fiancée, whose devotion to her betrothed is unshakable even under threats of violence...
: Lyney: Cesar was maligned and hated by all for ten years, but you? Everyone sympathized with your plight.
: Lyney: Who would suspect for one second that the lovely young lady always seen weeping in front of Cesar's grave was actually the mastermind behind his demise? No, not that poor lady. Perish the thought!
: Paimon: Wait, so you mean... The whole intimidation thing was just a hoax? Jemma and Lorenzo were both in on it?
: Paimon: But why would Lorenzo agree to that? And why didn't he sell her out, even at the end? Instead of admitting to being The Weasel himself...
: Lyney: Yes, why indeed? Maybe Jemma herself could enlighten us on that question.
: Jemma: Well, Lyney, if you're so confident in your version of events, then I think the answer should be obvious.
: Jemma: Having killed Cesar with his own hands, Lorenzo was plagued by overwhelming guilt.
: Jemma: Revealing The Phantom Weasel's true identity would serve no purpose. But if the Weasel remained free, then she could take care of Lorenzo's loved ones.
: Lyney: An excellent answer... Though sadly, a little dull.
: Jemma: Is that right? Well don't let me bore you. If you'd care to change the topic to something more interesting, I'd be much obliged.
: Lyney: As a matter of fact, there's one thing I'd really like to understand.
: Lyney: Why would the real Weasel have targeted things that only have value to other people? Could you shed any light on that?
: Jemma: Of course. After all, we're just telling stories here, aren't we?
: Jemma: If I had to guess, I would say that the real Weasel must have had a terrible childhood.
:
: Jemma: Left to fend for herself after her parents died young. Betrayed. Scorned. Beaten...
: Jemma: She'd scrounge waste paper from garbage bins to draw on, using twigs and dirt for lack of ink and pen. She'd sew ugly ragdolls from whatever scrap material she could get her hands on.
: Jemma: This was her only source of happiness in life. But it was all she needed, and she was content... until the world decided that even this was too good for her.
: Jemma: Once again, she was betrayed, and this time everything was taken from her. She felt like life was a miry pit that dragged her further down the more she struggled to escape. At that tender age, she should have been happy... Instead, she stood in the shadows and watched with envy as all good things in the world passed her by.
: Jemma: This was a fate too cruel for anyone to bear. Her pain became a breeding ground for dark thoughts, thoughts which festered and grew into a twisted solution to her troubles:
: Jemma: "I detest the happiness of others in all its forms alike."
: Jemma: "I will rob them of everything they hold to be good and true, and it will fill the void in my soul."
: Paimon: That's some pretty heavy stuff...
: Lynette: ...Now it all makes sense.
: Jemma: Does this story satisfy you, Lyney?
: Lyney: Yes, it is quite to my tastes. Thank you for helping to clear up my confusion.
: So what was with the warning letter?
: Paimon: Huh, that's right. What drove you to write that letter, Jemma? What were you trying to achieve there?
: Paimon: Cause without that, none of this ever would have come to light...
: Lyney: She didn't write the letter.
: Jemma: After ten long years, I'd hoped that The Phantom Weasel would be consigned to the history books by now. But it seems like someone still wasn't ready to let her finally be at peace.
: Jemma: Lyney... Or should I call you The Phantom Copycat now? You were the one who posted that letter outside the opera house. But why?
: Lyney: Very sharp, Phantom Weasel. Still as shrewd as ever.
: Lyney: Well, no need for me to be coy about it. Our goal was to clear Cesar's name.
: Lyney: The most straightforward way to change the public's impression of Cesar was to force The Weasel to show themselves.
: Jemma: That's it? You had no other agenda?
: Lyney: Of course we did. We made it quite clear in the letter, I believe? "I shall take from you that which you hold most dear, just as you did to me ten years ago."
: Jemma: Ten years ago...? You mean Cesar's death? You... met him?
: Jemma: Wait... Oh, I get it! You were those two obnoxious kids! It's been so long, and you're all grown up now... I didn't recognize you.
: Jemma: He taught you magic back then, didn't he? For what, ten days or something? ...And you went to all this trouble... why, because you feel like you still owe him something?
: Lyney: We remember all our debts, however great or small.
: Lyney: Ten years ago, Cesar's reputation was torn to shreds and his legacy was thrown out. Ten years on, and no one cares what the truth is anymore.
: Lyney: But we did not forget, and so we came to find you.
: Jemma: And? What exactly did you take from me? I'm still standing, as you can see. Lorenzo has admitted to everything — I'm free.
: Lyney: "Free"? ...Do you really think so?
: Lyney: Cesar once told me that even though the world is filled with lies and falsehoods, we must find our own truth.
: Lyney: I think that applies to you, too. Truth can take many forms — prized possessions with nostalgic value, fervent hopes and dreams... and irreplaceable people.
: Lyney: Life took many things from you, and those wounds never healed. When they ached unbearably in the dead of night, stealing became your way of numbing the pain.
: Jemma: What are you trying to say?
: Lyney: I'm saying that for the last ten years, you've been living a rather uneventful life. Perhaps that's because you've found something other than a life of crime to fill the hole?
: Lyney: Back to Lorenzo for a second: He murdered his own master, played along with your act, and took pains to make sure any suspicion would be directed towards him. But what did he have to gain from all that?
: Lyney: He knew who you were and the things you'd done, and despite that, he was willing to give everything up for your sake. He's the reason that you haven't felt the compulsion to steal in all these years.
: Lyney: You're more than just accomplices in murder — you're the only real friends each other has. So I think you know, deep down, that he is the only "truth" you have in your life.
: Lyney: But that truth is gone now. And I guarantee you, you'll never see it again.
: Jemma: ...
: Lynette: Congratulations on your freedom, Jemma.
: Lyney: Your freedom will cost you dearly. From now on, you'll be all alone in a world full of lies and falsehoods. I do hope you'll be able to bear it — you've still got a long life ahead of you, after all.
: Robert Houdin: Gather 'round, one and all, the time has now come for the amazing Lyney to perform his final act in tonight's show!
: Robert Houdin: I'm sure you're all wondering what he has planned for the grand finale? Well, wonder no more, for the answer is... A death-defying high-altitude escape!
: Paimon: A high-altitude escape!?
: Ten years ago...
: The trick that Cesar died attempting...
: Robert Houdin: I'm sure you all remember the magician Cesar. This was the very trick that led to his fatal fall, after which he was dubbed The Phantom Weasel.
: Robert Houdin: But we have now learned that Cesar was wrongly accused, and that the real Weasel has now confessed to their crimes...
: Lyney: Guess that's my cue to leave. Whew... I've been practicing this one for ages now, but I'm still a little nervous.
: Lyney: , Paimon, I hope you enjoy the rest of the show. There may be a lot of people watching tonight, but you alone are my true witnesses.
: Jemma: Lyney, wait.
: Jemma: You two hid a lot from Cesar — he went to his grave without ever knowing your secrets. So what about now? Are you an open book — or are you still the same as ever?
: Jemma: You don't have to tell lies to end up isolated and alone. One day, you'll end up exactly where I am today — maybe then you'll finally understand.
: Lyney: You're wrong. I'm nothing like you.
: Jemma: ...
: Paimon: So, uh... What are we, uh... doing now?
: Lynette: Like Lyney said — when you're ready, let's head outside and watch the show.
: Paimon: But what about Jemma...?
: Lynette: She'll figure out what's best for her soon enough. Oh — and if you'd like to see Lyney after the show... You know where he'll be. The usual haunt.
: Paimon: Alright, well let's go and watch Lyney's finale then! This trick's a pretty dangerous one... but he should be able to pull it off, right?
;(Talk to Jemma, optional)
: Jemma: What is my truth...?
: Jemma: Sometimes, I think I'm like a gambling addict... All I care about is winning, and it doesn't matter what's at stake.
: Jemma: By the time I come to my senses, I'm left with nothing. Oh, if I had my time again...
;(Talk to Lynette, optional)
: Lynette: Magicians are not like thieves.
: Lynette: Thieves only tear things apart. But good-hearted magicians... They put things back together.
;(Exit the Opera Epiclese)
:;(Lyney waves from the roof of the Opera Epiclese with Lynette and the high-altitude escape box behind him)
;(A cinematic plays)
::Cesar: Magic should be mysterious, surprising...
::Cesar: And defy logic
:;(A young Lyney practices card tricks and drops a few cards)
::Cesar: Magic is hard work
::Cesar: Every single movement has to be practiced thousands of times
:;(A young Lynette practices pulling a pigeon out of a hat but it flies out)
::Lynette: It's alright. We're used to that
::Lyney: We're sorry. You've taught us so much
::Lyney: But we can't tell you the whole truth
::Cesar: It's okay. Do you still remember what I told you?
::Cesar: This world is full of lies and falsehoods
::Cesar: I only hope that one day, you can find your own truth...
::Lyney: What about you?
::Lyney: Have you found your truth?
::Cesar: Magic is my truth
::Cesar: I want to perform a magic trick so great
::Cesar: That people will always think of me
::Cesar: When they talk about it
::Cesar: For a magician
::Cesar: What greater honor could there be?
:;(Cesar walking into the high-altitude escape box transitions into Lyney performing the same trick)
::Intrigued Audience Member: Look!
::Robert Houdin: Behold! Lyney is sealed inside the box
::Robert Houdin: Will he manage to escape?
::Robert Houdin: Ten years ago, Cesar attempted this very trick, and it was at this precise moment that...
:;(One of the cables holding up the box suddenly snaps)
::Paimon: Lyney!
::Concerned Audience Member: Watch out!
:;(Lyney begins to fall from the box with a smile on his face)
:;(As he falls, he flies by various memories of Cesar)
::Lyney: Mysterious
::Lyney: Surprising
::Lyney: And logic-defying...
::Lyney: Isn't that right?
::Lyney: This honor belongs to you
::Lyney: Cesar
:;(As he falls, he disintegrates into a flurry of flower petals)
::Lyney: I'm just sorry it's a little late
:;(Cinematic ends)
: Janet: Did you see that? One minute he was falling... And the next, he turned into flowers!
: Randolf: How could he possibly have done that?
: Olivia: How mysterious! I didn't blink once, he just... vanished, right in front of my eyes!
: Charlotte: What a heart-stopping magic show! This was really worth the trip.
: Charlotte: Cesar's name has finally been cleared, and Fontaine's new star magician, Lyney, has fulfilled a wish on his behalf... Ah, I couldn't ask for a better grand finale. It will make a great headline for The Steambird tomorrow, even if I do say so myself!
: Paimon: Whew... Looks like everyone really loved Lyney's grand finale!
: Even though they don't know the full story...
: Paimon: Paimon doesn't see Lyney anywhere. Where'd he go?
: Paimon: Oh, Lynette said he'd be waiting for us at the "usual haunt"... But, um... Where is that?
: The cemetery...?
: Paimon: Oh, you mean the one where Cesar's buried?
: Paimon: Yeah, that's probably it. This whole magic show kinda seemed like Lyney's way of saying goodbye to Cesar. So it makes sense that that's where he'd be afterward.
: Paimon: Alright, let's go look for him there!
----
;(Approach Lyney at Cesar's grave)
: Paimon: Lyney, there you are!
: Paimon: Are you alright? Paimon was scared to death when the chain broke... Paimon was sure something had gone horribly wrong.
: Lyney: Magic is a performance art. A magician has to get creative to keep the audience on tenterhooks — that's our job. So I tweaked Cesar's original setup a little to keep it fresh.
: Lyney: I was honestly a little nervous during the live performance. The thought of falling, suddenly feeling weightless, seeing the sky and the ground spinning and spinning...
: Lyney: Sometimes, I can't help but wonder what Cesar thought in those final moments.
: Lyney: Did he regret taking Jemma and Lorenzo on? Or... Did he believe that it was his own slip-up right until the end?
: Paimon: Y'know... Paimon's been wanting to ask you about something ever since we were in Cesar's workshop. You learned magic from Cesar once, didn't you? When was that?
: Lyney: After I joined the House of the Hearth. To be honest, Lynette and I had an agenda when we approached him.
: An agenda?
: Lyney: I told you about my past before, remember? As a young boy, I survived by secretly learning magic from street performers. I'd watch their tricks and try to figure out how they were done.
: Lyney: But I quickly realized that observation alone could only get me so far. What I saw was the polished final performance, but the rigorous training they put in behind the scenes remained invisible to me.
: Lyney: I needed to learn how to improve my sleight of hand, hone my misdirection skills, and make niftier props...
: Lyney: We were gifted enough that we'd made some progress by ourselves. But without proper guidance from a professional magician, we quickly plateaued.
: Paimon: So that's why you sought Cesar out?
: Lyney: Yes. We figured there was no harm in asking — but it took us by surprise that he was so willing to teach us.
: Lyney: In all, we only spent ten short days together, but he was very good to us. By contrast, we hid so many things from him...
: Lyney: For instance, when he asked why I wanted to learn magic... I answered "It's my passion."
: Lyney: But in truth, there was already a lot more to the story by then. After being taken in by an aristocrat for our magic talent, then betrayed soon after... This was no longer about me doing what I loved.
: Lyney: What amazed me was how the lie escaped my lips even as I was hesitating over whether to tell him the truth.
: Lyney: Trust is a beautiful thing. Sadly, I'd forgotten how to trust by then.
: Paimon: Lyney...
: I don't blame you.
: That wasn't your fault.
: Lyney: Still worried about the way I feel? You really are a gentle soul, aren't you?
: Lyney: But don't worry, I'm used to it now. From the mansions of the elite to the House of the Hearth, lies and selfishness have followed me and Lynette everywhere we go.
: Lyney: After Cesar went on tour, we became busy with our missions. The next we heard of him was that he'd fallen to his death and was now declared to be The Phantom Weasel...
: Lyney: That night, I remembered his smile... But as I lay there, I didn't know what to say to him.
: Lyney: To keep secrets is to put up walls. The longer you keep them up, the less you let people in. Then one day, you look around and realize your life is like an empty auditorium after a show — full of seats once occupied by all the people who left... But I guess that's the price we have to pay.
: Lyney: You only realize how much someone really meant to you when you lose them completely. That's why I was so confident this would hurt Jemma... because I've felt it for myself.
: Don't be sad.
: We're in your "auditorium," and we're not going anywhere.
: Paimon: Yeah. Cheer up, Lyney.
: Paimon: We've had to say our fair share of goodbyes during our journey, too... But whatever happens, Paimon always believes in what tomorrow brings.
: Paimon: Delicious food, fun toys, and by my side... Paimon just needs to focus on things like this, and all the unhappy stuff goes right out the window.
: Paimon: Y'know, ... Doesn't that kinda make you Paimon's "truth"?
: Lyney: Exactly. It's the same for me and Lynette — we are the truest thing each other has in the world, and nothing can replace that.
: Lyney: Life has taken plenty from us, like it did from Jemma. But at least it left us with each other. That's what gave us the strength to get through the darkest days.
: Lyney: That's why the darkness never consumed me, and why it never will. Maybe we live in the shadows too, but we remember every precious ray of light that shines through.
: Lyney: Alright, time to lighten this conversation up a little! What did you think of the show tonight? Were you happy with it?
: Paimon: It was amazing! Paimon just wishes we hadn't been so distracted with the Jemma situation... We spent most of our time in the opera house just talking, and pretty much missed the entire first half of the show.
: Paimon: Um, Lyney... Could you do just one more trick for us?
: Lyney: Whoa, that's a bit of a tall order I'm afraid. The show's just finished, so my sleeves are decidedly card-free right now...
: Paimon: Aw, c'mon... Surely you can think of something! The Lyney Paimon knows can do anything if he puts his mind to it!
: Lyney: Oh, alright then. I'll give it a go — but only because it's you.
: Lyney: Watch closely. I have a flower in my hand...
: Paimon: You liar! There's nothing in your hand! We ain't going along with this!
: Lyney: Huh? My goodness, you're right! But I could've sworn I brought one here with me... Okay, try this. Count down with me: Three, two, one...
: Paimon: Three, two, one!
: Lyney: Now have another look around — maybe the flower's appeared somewhere else.
:;(A Rainbow Rose has appeared on the Traveler's chest)
: Paimon: Really? Let's see...
: ...
: Paimon: Wow, there it is! This is a different flower from the one last time, right? This one's called... oh yeah, a Rainbow Rose!
: Paimon: But more importantly — Paimon has to know how the trick is done! Please, Lyney, pretty please?
: Lyney: Well, if you want to learn magic, you'll have to start by addressing me as "Teacher"...
: Paimon: Uhh... Fine, pleeease, Teacher, please!
: Lyney: *sigh* Since you asked so nicely... I'll share one little tip with you. Namely, the student of magic cannot solely rely on others being prepared to reveal their secrets. You have to observe, think, and find the answers for yourself.
: Paimon: ...Is that it!?
: Lyney: Ah, look at the time — we shouldn't linger here too long. Thanks again for coming to see my show. I bid you both good night!
: Lyney: ...I look forward to seeing you again.
: Paimon: Alright, fine... See ya!
: Paimon: Shall we head back now too?
: Paimon: Hehe, Paimon can't wait to read The Steambird tomorrow. Paimon bets Lyney and Cesar will be plastered all over it!
: Paimon: Let's head to The Steambird's offices tomorrow morning and see what we can find out!
:;(Obtain )
==Soundtracks==
==Gallery==
Story Teaser- Glory Endures in Legacy - Genshin Impact
==Other Languages==
==Change History==