Middle Note: Blood Due

Middle Note: Blood Due is the second part of .
==Steps==
# Wait until the next day (07:00 – 11:00)
# Head to the vicinity of the hotel
# Enter the hotel
# Talk to Sylvain
# Investigate the scene (0/5)
# Talk to Emilie
# Enter Sylvain's room
# Return to the area near the inn
# Enter Lucien's room
# Talk to Collei
# Point out where "Auguste" is
# Talk to Shyam
# Pursue Kirya
==Gameplay Notes==
* During step 10, the active party is limited to the Traveler.
==Dialogue==
;(Pass time)
: Paimon: Well, it's been a day. Wonder if Tighnari discovered anything...
: Paimon: But, things weren't looking good with Emilie's Master yesterday... We should check on things at the hotel first!
;(Approach Emilie)
: Paimon: Emilie!
: How's Edgar?
: Emilie: No longer in critical condition, thankfully. He's still very weak, but with a bit more rest, he should regain consciousness soon.
: Emilie: My chemical analysis of "Auguste" also went smoothly, although it certainly raised some questions...
: Questions...?
: Emilie: Mhm... I was able to identify the components that give the substance its fragrance... but I also noticed an abnormal trace of elemental energy in the sample.
: Paimon: Elemental energy!?
: Would that have an effect on the body?
: Emilie: ...Hard to say. It was such a minute amount, proportionally speaking... like mixing a single drop of perfume into the ocean...
: Emilie: I had to use one of the newest tests developed in recent years to even detect the traces present in the sample.
: Emilie: Unless you were abnormally sensitive to elemental energy, I doubt it would have any effect, even if you used the product every day for ten years.
: Emilie: As for whether Master's condition was caused by the elemental energy present in the sample or some other component of the perfume... It's still too early to say.
: Paimon: That reminds Paimon, did Tighnari come and find you? Maybe we could ask him to take a look!
: Emilie: Hm, I received a message from him last night, but I haven't heard anything since. The message said he was looking into some information at the Akademiya.
: Paimon: Oh, Paimon thought he might've stopped by to see you first...
: ???: Um, excuse me... Is Miss Emilie here?
: Collei?
: Collei: Oh, perfect! Familiar faces! , Paimon, you're here too!
: Emilie: Collei... Ah, of course, Tighnari's apprentice! He's mentioned you many times. It's a pleasure to finally meet you!
: Emilie: And, please... No need for formalities. Emilie is just fine.
: Collei: Oh, uh... O—Okay! Nice to meet you too, Mi— *ahem* Emilie.
: Paimon: Did Tighnari send you here, Collei?
: Collei: Yep... Master and the others went through decades' worth of records last night, and still haven't had a chance to rest... I'm fast on my feet, so it only made sense for me to come and give you an update.
: Collei: Anyway, based on what they've reviewed so far, they believe there's no indication that a researcher by the name of "Vijava" ever passed through the Akademiya.
: Could it have been an alias?
: Collei: Master considered that possibility as well... But, the name wasn't the only dead end. Master tried to track down people with a similar research direction or background, but also couldn't find a match.
: Paimon: How is that possible...
: Maybe her identity as a researcher from Sumeru...
: Was a ruse all along.
: Emilie: It's starting to seem very likely. If we want to figure out her true identity, I'm afraid another conversation with those two merchants might be our only...
: Sylvain: Hey...!
: Sylvain: Lucien...!
: That voice! It's...
: Paimon: It's Sylvain! Wait, you don't think Kirya came back, do you?
: Emilie: That seems impossible... If someone came in or out of the hotel just now, we would've seen them...
: Let's go inside and check!
;(Enter Edgar's room and talk to him, optional)
: Edgar: Aw...
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Edgar, optional)
: Edgar: (I... I'm still alive...)
;(If the player entered Sylvain's room)
::
:: Emilie: It's locked?
:: I'll try to break it open.
::
:: Collei: There's no one here...?
:: Sylvain: ...Lucien! Lucien!
:: Paimon: That's Sylvain's voice! Hurry, let's check next door!
;(If the player entered Lucien's room)
::
:: Emilie: It's locked?
:: I'll try to break it open.
::
;(If the player entered Lucien's room from the outside, after breaking into Sylvain's room)
::
::
::
;(Enter Lucien's room)
: Sylvain: ...Lucien! Lucien! Come on, wake up!
: Collei: Ah...!
:
: Emilie: ...!
: Is he going to be okay?
: Sylvain: Emilie... Emilie! My brother... He's gonna be okay, right? He's just unconscious... like what happened to Edgar?
: Emilie: ...I'm sorry, Mr. Sylvain, but... we were too late this time.
: Sylvain: No... No... That's not... That's not possible...
: Emilie: ..., Collei, Mr. Sylvain has gone through a huge shock...
: Emilie: He needs some space to calm down. Could one of you take him next door? It's not good for him to look at his brother's body like this.
: Collei: ...Of course. Leave it to me.
: I'll notify the sheriff.
: Emilie: Thank you both.
: Emilie: ...Mr. Sylvain, let's get you up. Here, take my hand. Nice and slow.
: Sylvain: A—Ah... Ah...
: Emilie: We'll take things from here. Just focus on getting some rest... Here, this way...
: Sylvain: ...
:
: Paimon: Poor guy... He's like a shell of his former self...
: Paimon: He may have made some bad decisions in life, but... Right now, Paimon can't help but feel sorry for him.
: Emilie: Good person or bad... The death of a loved one is equally painful.
: Emilie: All the moments he shared with his brother, every hardship and triumph they endured together... are now memories he has to carry alone.
: Maybe that's what Kirya wanted...
: Paimon: If Kirya really was behind this, then what exactly did he do to Lucien...?
: Emilie: ...Lucien can no longer speak, but the traces left behind by his death most certainly can.
: Emilie: , I've got things covered here at the scene. I'll leave you to contact the sheriff.
:
: Shyam: Who would've thought... Yesterday's case is still up in the air, and now this happens...
: Shyam: Miss Emilie, I heard you're an experienced forensic doctor. Have you been able to discover anything?
: Emilie: ...Oh, I'm not actually a forensic doctor. I just happen to have some relevant knowledge.
: Emilie: I did take a look, though... Judging by the temperature and rigidity of the body, it appears the time of death was sometime last night. I'd have to do a more thorough investigation to find out more.
: Shyam: Then... would you mind helping us investigate? Before he left, Tighnari said we could trust your judgment if something like this were to happen.
: Emilie: Of course. I appreciate your trust. Many of the traces left behind at the scene will fade with time, so the sooner we investigate the better.
: Paimon: We'll help too! We don't know much about dead bodies... But, you can leave the other clues to us!
;(Talk to Shyam, optional)
: Shyam: To tell you the truth, the exhibition has left us quite short-handed... We're lucky to have your help.
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Shyam, optional)
: Shyam: (It's just one problem after another...)
;(Talk to Emilie, optional)
: Emilie: Pupils are dilated, skin is flushed... No overt external injuries or signs of a struggle...
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Emilie, optional)
: Emilie: (...Did he pass away while he was unconscious?)
;(Attempt to enter Sylvain's room, optional)
:Door: (This door leads to Sylvain's room. I can hear faint voices coming from the other side...)
: Sylvain: Lucien... Why...
: Collei: I'm so sorry for your loss...
:: (...Sylvain still needs more time to calm down. We should finish investigating Lucien's room first...)
;(Investigate the flowers)
:Flowers: (The corners are filled with flowers from different nations. The fragrance is incredibly strong.)
;(Investigate the incense)
:Incense: (The incense slowly rising into the air... It seems familiar somehow.)
;(Investigate the door)
:;(If Lucien's door was broken)
:::Door: (This door leads to the hallway. The lock broke when we forced our way in.)
:;(If Lucien's door wasn't broken)
:::Door: (This door leads to the hallway. The lock is intact, and there are no signs of damage.)
:: This door was probably locked last night...
:: Paimon: And the windows are shut tight too... Seems like the only way to get in would've been through Sylvain's room...
;(Investigate the luggage)
:Luggage: (This bag is stuffed with clothes and other daily necessities. It's quite heavy.)
;(Investigate the cabinet)
:Cabinet: (The space inside the cabinet is divided into various compartments... It doesn't look like a person could hide in there.)
;(After collecting the clues)
: Paimon: Well, looks like we've investigated as much as we can. Let's go report back to Emilie and Shyam!
;(Talk to Emilie after collecting the clues)
: Shyam: So, did you find anything?
: There are no signs of forced entry.
: The only way in would've been through Sylvain's room.
: Paimon: Paimon can show you... Here, it'd be something like this!
:
: Shyam: But... Entering through the room next door without alerting Sylvain... Wait, you don't think Sylvain could've been the one who...
: Emilie: ...No, his reaction to the loss of his brother seemed genuine, and he doesn't have a motive.
: Shyam: Then, what could've happened last night... I know Sylvain is still in shock, but he's our only available witness. We have to take his statement.
: Emilie: I agree. Also, I've made some new discoveries, so we might as well head next door and go through everything together.
;(Interact with the body, optional)
:Examine the body: (The body has been cold for some time already... And there are no signs of a struggle. No further clues have been found yet.)
;(Enter Sylvain's room)
:
: Shyam: ...Mr. Sylvain, I need you to tell me everything you and your brother did since yesterday afternoon. Did you see or hear anything strange?
: Sylvain: ...After Kirya attacked Edgar, my brother and I were incredibly careful...
;(Flashback begins)
: Sylvain: We returned to our rooms and decided to lock all the doors leading to the hallway.
: Sylvain: The only door we kept unlocked was the one connecting our rooms. That way, if we heard any commotion coming from the other room, we could help each other...
: Sylvain: ...But, I didn't hear any sort of commotion last night! Not a single noise! I woke up this morning, opened the door, and Lucien... Lucien was...
;(Flashback ends)
: Shyam: ...So, no movement from the room next door, no forced entry via Sylvain's room...
: Shyam: No signs of a struggle at the scene, and no external injuries on Lucien's body... What kind of cause of death are we dealing with here?
: Emilie: I did notice a few things about the body: Lucien's pupils were dilated and his skin was flushed... Very similar to Master's symptoms after the attack yesterday.
: Emilie: There weren't any traces of liquid in his mouth or nose, so it's unlikely he was forced to ingest anything... The more plausible explanation is that he inhaled a substance without knowing it... and I'd say that substance was likely "Auguste."
: Sylvain: "Auguste"...? No, that's not possible... Inhaling "Auguste" won't kill you! And, anyway, it would have been for just one night!
: "Just one night"?
: So, you're saying prolonged exposure is dangerous?
: Sylvain: N—No... that's not what I meant...!
: Sylvain: Emilie! You ran your tests, didn't you? Go on, tell everyone whether you found any poison!
: Emilie: ...No, I didn't find any common toxins.
: Sylvain: Hah... See? "Auguste" is harmless... The market response proved that years ago!
: Edgar: ...That may be true for most people, but not for everyone.
: Emilie: Master...!
: Paimon: Edgar! You're up and about already?
: Edgar: ...*cough*! Thanks to Emilie, I'm out of the woods for now.
: Edgar: ...Sylvain, no matter how hard you may try to hide it, the truth will always come to light.
: Sylvain: Edgar...!
: Edgar: Even if we could keep it a secret for another ten or twenty years... Do you think Kirya would just let us be?
: Edgar: No... He would never give up... not if he's doing all of this for Yelena.
: Yelena...?
: Edgar: ...
: Edgar: That's "Vijava's" real name.
: Edgar: ...Yelena wasn't a scholar from Sumeru. She was an exiled Fatuus from Snezhnaya.
: Collei: ...A Fatuus!?
: Emilie: The Fatui... That means, the elemental energy present in "Auguste" was...!
: Edgar: Ah, so you already detected it... Well, Sylvain, looks like there's truly no reason to hide things now.
: Sylvain: ...
: Edgar: The Auguste flower... was created with the mutative and distorting power of a Delusion.
: Paimon: A—A Delusion!
: Emilie: The Fatui, Delusions... I never would've thought "Auguste" was hiding this many secrets...
: Edgar: Born of a Delusion, "Auguste" contained distorted elemental energy... Prolonged exposure over many years could have a harmful effect on the body... *coughing*
: Sylvain: ...That's enough, Edgar. I'll take it from here.
: Sylvain: At first, Yelena wanted to keep refining the perfume and the flower, but no one knew how long the "Perfume Mania" was going to last back then.
: Sylvain: It didn't have an effect on ordinary people, anyway. Every day we postponed going to market was another day of lost earning potential...
: Paimon: So you decided poisoning people was worth the risk?
: Sylvain: Listen, it's not like it was good for business! But, all that talk about "Auguste" being harmful over time... Yelena was just speculating! The impact was practically negligible...
: Sylvain: Unless you were particularly sensitive to elemental energy, or had an entire bottle shoved down your throat like Edgar, you could use the product for decades and be completely fine!
: Emilie: It may be true that there are no records of "Auguste" poisoning in Fontaine...
: Emilie: But, even if no one was acutely poisoned... Willfully bringing a product to market despite explicit knowledge of its harmful effects is still a serious crime!
: The divine and noble "Auguste" originated from a Delusion...
: If the truth came out, the market for your product would be destroyed.
: Sylvain: Hmph...
: Emilie: That explains why you were so intent on keeping Yelena and Kirya's involvement a secret all this time, despite readily confessing to all your financial crimes...
: Emilie: The Fatui, Delusions, "Auguste"... If the Marechaussee Phantom discovered the connection between the three, there would've been enough evidence to send you to the Fortress of Meropide for life.
: Sylvain: Hah... If I'd known coming to Sumeru would put a target on my back, I would've been more than happy to stay there... At least that way, Lucien would still be alive...
: Sylvain: All these years without any sign of Kirya, and he pops up out of nowhere the minute my brother and I get out of prison... It couldn't be any clearer who the kid's after!
: Sylvain: "Auguste" was harmless before... The fact that it's killing people all of a sudden must be his doing as well...
: Collei: So, there's bad blood between you...
: Emilie: ...What about Yelena's death? Was that a cover-up, too? A way to destroy evidence?
: Sylvain: ...I'll admit, we thought about it at one point.
: Sylvain: We took care to disguise the products circulating on the market, and no one was questioning Yelena's fake identity...
: Sylvain: But, if the Marechaussee Phantom decided to look into the flowerbeds, it would've been the end. Yelena's ties to the Fatui, the role of the Delusion... everything would've been exposed!
: Sylvain: Before we could even put our plan in motion... Yelena beat us to it. She burned all her flowerbeds... and threw herself into the fire as well.
: Collei: But... But if her goal was to destroy evidence, there would have been no reason to do that to herself...
: Paimon: Yeah! She could've just burned the flowerbeds and fled with her brother...
: Sylvain: ...I thought about it for a long time, but it wasn't until just now that I finally understood her reasoning.
: Sylvain: Everything she did... it was for her brother, Kirya.
: Edgar: ...
: Sylvain: One of the reasons they defected from the Fatui was the deterioration of Yelena's body due to her excessive use of a Delusion... She didn't want her brother to follow in her footsteps after her death.
: Sylvain: After arriving in Fontaine, Yelena continued using the Delusion to cultivate the "Auguste" flower, weakening her body even further. There were times when she couldn't even walk.
: Collei: ...So, she couldn't flee with her brother because she was afraid of holding him back...
: Sylvain: ...If her true identity was exposed, she and her brother would face pressure from both Snezhnaya and Fontaine.
: Sylvain: The Auguste flower and Yelena's own corroded body both bore the mark of a Delusion. There would've been no way to avoid suspicion.
: Sylvain: So, in the end, she burnt it all to ash, including herself. With all the evidence erased, Kirya was free to take the Mora and run...
: Emilie: So, the wealth you earned from "Auguste"... It wasn't destroyed in the fire. Yelena gave it to her brother?
: Sylvain: Most likely. Before Yelena died, she said if anything happened to her, she was going to leave everything to her brother... We just didn't realize she meant our cut as well!
: Sylvain: That's why Lucien and I were searching for Kirya — to take back our Mora and the Auguste flower... We just didn't realize Kirya was baiting us the whole time... It was all a trap, haha...
: Paimon: But, why is Kirya out for revenge, anyway? Doesn't he know about Yelena's decision to sacrifice herself?
: Edgar: ...I don't think he knew his sister was nearing death.
: Edgar: Yelena always wore heavy makeup around him to conceal her deteriorating appearance. She kept herself busy with work to keep out of sight. That way, her brother wouldn't notice how she could barely walk...
: Paimon: Then, all we need to do is tell Kirya what really happened, and then he'll give up on his revenge!
: Collei: ...I'm not so sure.
: Collei: Even if he knew the truth, he'd still find someone to blame. He might think Yelena was forced into using a Delusion to cultivate Auguste... or something like that.
: Collei: It's hard to pull yourself out of that kind of hatred... especially when you've been living in that headspace for so many years.
: Edgar: Very true... Even if Yelena's death was her own choice, I wouldn't call myself innocent either.
: Sylvain: Edgar...! What are you talking about?
: Edgar: Think about it, Sylvain... If we hadn't been in such a hurry to capitalize on the "Perfume Mania" all those years ago, do you think Yelena would have elected to take those risks?
: Edgar: If we hadn't been so blinded by greed, so insistent on increasing the scale of the flower cultivation, do you think Yelena's health would have deteriorated as fast as it did?
: Edgar: If we hadn't invited the Marechaussee Phantom to our doorstep by breaking the law at every turn... Yelena could have survived...
: Sylvain: Hmph, she knew her limits. She knew her days were numbered! Maybe it was for her brother, but she was in it for the Mora just as much as us!
: Sylvain: We were just trying to earn a bit of Mora... and, what, we deserve to die for that? Target me for being the mastermind, sure... But, what about Lucien? He was just following my orders!
: Sylvain: Lucien's crime... Was it really so extreme that he had to pay for it with his life?
: Edgar: ...
: Emilie: ...The only person that can answer that question is a judge.
: Sylvain: Ha... Haha...
: Sylvain: *sigh*... Fine. I've said my piece, anyway. Drag me back to Fontaine to stand trial, I don't care.
: Shyam: *sigh*... Three people from Fontaine, one from Snezhnaya, and a crime committed in Port Ormos... What a headache...
: What's going to happen?
: Shyam: ...Well, we can only wait until the Akademiya sends someone to deal with it. I'm guessing we'll have to contact Fontaine as well... In any case, we won't really know anything until tomorrow.
: Shyam: *sigh* With the exhibition, we don't even have space in Port Ormos to detain anyone... Such a headache...
: Edgar: Hmm... The hotel could suffice? You could station a few officers to keep an eye on Sylvain and myself.
: Edgar: Although, with Sylvain's mental state and my physical one... I don't think you need to worry about a jail break.
: Shyam: Mr. Edgar, are you saying...?
: Edgar: ...If Sylvain is to stand trial, then I deserve the same fate. A crime is a crime, accomplice or not.
: Edgar: I'd just like to take care of a few things before I go... say goodbye to my plants and all that.
: Edgar: As for Sylvain... I'm sure he also has some goodbyes of his own.
: Sylvain: ...
: Edgar: Would you be willing to grant that request, Sheriff?
: Shyam: Well... Alright. I'll talk to the Akademiya. No matter who you were in Fontaine, or what crimes you committed...
: Shyam: The man we grew to know in Sumeru proved himself to be a good person. Your request is granted.
: Edgar: You have my thanks, Sheriff.
: But, if we wait until tomorrow...
: Doesn't that mean something could still happen tonight?
: Emilie: Happen tonight...? Ah, you mean the possibility that Kirya might try to finish what he started?
: Paimon: Yeah! All we know is that he uses "Auguste" to poison people, but we still have no idea how to catch him in the act...
: Paimon: If he targets Sylvain or Edgar again, we might not be able to stop him!
: Edgar: That may be true, but what if we can take advantage of his desperation?
: Desperation?
: Edgar: If we take advantage of this situation and lure him in on purpose... We might finally have the chance to talk to him.
: Emilie: Master, no! That's too dangerous...
: Sylvain: Ha... Haha... So, that's your plan.
: Sylvain: If Kirya learns we're being taken away tomorrow, his last chance to enact his revenge... would be tonight.
: Sylvain: In other words, you want to use us as bait to capture him!
: Edgar: ...Capture, not necessarily... I just want to talk. What, are you afraid of him?
: Sylvain: Afraid? Hah, this is my only chance to make him pay for what he did.
: Sylvain: I'm spending the rest of my life in prison, anyway... I can't just sit back and let him ride off into the sunset with our fortune! There's no way I'm letting him get away with it, not after what he did to Lucien!
: Sylvain: Hmph... As for the danger, everyone else just needs to make preparations in advance to protect us.
: Shyam: ...I'll admit, it could work. We'd just need to spread the word that Edgar and Sylvain are leaving tomorrow...
: Shyam: And then I'll station some of my men around the hotel... If we have your assistance as well, our chance of success would be even higher.
: Emilie: I still have some reservations... But, if you insist on carrying out this plan, I won't deny you my help.
: We can help stand guard.
: Collei: I'll also keep watch.
: Edgar: ...Although, I think Sylvain and myself should remain alone in our respective rooms.
: Edgar: If Kirya noticed another person in the room, he might decide to turn back... And, besides, it's possible he's already transformed "Auguste" into a potent toxic gas.
: Paimon: Ahh, you mean, if he doesn't see a way to get his hands on the two of you, he might get so desperate that he'll just start using "Auguste" on everybody?
: Shyam: If that were to happen, everyone standing guard... even the innocent citizens in Port Ormos, would all be in danger!
: Edgar: That's why everyone else needs to keep to the shadows... *coughing*
: Emilie: ...You're still recovering. You need to rest.
: Edgar: *sigh* This old bag of bones doesn't bounce back like it used to... I suppose I'll just have to leave the rest to you.
: Shyam: Alright, we can figure out a plan to keep watch later. Right now, I say we split up and start spreading that information before it's too late.
:
: Crowd in Spirited Discussion: ...Have you heard? Mr. Edgar's been detained! He's being taken away tomorrow!
: Crowd in Spirited Discussion: What!? He's the one who helped craft all the fragrances for our shop...
: Crowd in Spirited Discussion: He taught my child how to make perfume... How could this happen...
: Crowd in Spirited Discussion: ...He hasn't been convicted yet. Let's just wait and see what the court has to say...
: Paimon: Everyone on the street is talking about the rumors... No matter where Kirya's hiding, he must've heard them by now!
: Paimon: Let's head back to the hotel and take a break. We can see how the other preparations are going while we're at it!
----
;(Approach Emilie near the hotel)
: Collei: Emilie! Sheriff Shyam wants to talk to you and about our plans for the night watch...
: Emilie: Thank you, Collei. But first... Here, I prepared a kind of herbal tea that helps calm the spirit. Why don't you have some?
: Collei: Oh, that's very kind of you, but I'm okay...
: Emilie: It's not good to be so tense, especially when we've got a long night ahead of us. I don't mean to put you on the spot, but I couldn't help but notice that something seems to be on your mind.
: Collei: Was... Was it that obvious?
: Emilie: You seem very preoccupied with Kirya's "revenge"... If there's anything you want to talk about, I'm happy to listen.
: Collei: Oh, uh... I...
: Paimon: Hey! Emilie, Collei... Oh, are we interrupting something?
: Collei: No, not at all. This will be easier to talk through with you here, anyway.
: Collei: I've just been thinking... If Kirya has the capacity to commit murder while remaining completely undetected... Why didn't he target Sylvain along with Lucien last night?
: Collei: There was just a single door separating them. If his intention was to target both brothers, then there was barely anything standing in his way, don't you think?
: Collei: When I accompanied Sylvain to his room after Lucien died, and saw how distraught he was... I suddenly realized...
: Collei: Maybe Kirya did that on purpose. Maybe he wanted Sylvain to experience the pain of losing a loved one before he completed his ultimate revenge...
: Paimon: So, did he attack Edgar as a warning, then? To scare Sylvain and Lucien?
: Emilie: Based on what we've heard about Kirya, that may very well be the case.
: Collei: Losing his sister all those years ago... What has been going through his head? What has he been forced to endure?
: Collei: Whenever I get to thinking like that, I just can't help but wonder... If I were in his place, would I be able to let go of that hatred?
: Collei...
: Collei: I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't think like that, not after everything he's done... But, I just can't help it.
: Emilie: ...There's nothing wrong with the way you're feeling. Empathy is a part of human nature.
: Emilie: In all my years of cleaning up crime scenes, I've witnessed countless families mourn their loved ones. Their cries of devastation and anger still echo through my mind, even now.
: Emilie: Some of them even try to stop me, begging me not to erase the last remnants of their loved ones... But, getting swept up in those emotions will corrupt your judgement.
: Emilie: Surround yourself with fragrance for too long, and your sense of smell will become dull... Allow yourself to be consumed by your emotions, and you lose the ability to think rationally.
: Emilie: So, while you hold onto that sense of empathy, you also need to ask yourself...
: Emilie: Do Sylvain and Lucien really deserve to die? How much did they truly know about the Fatui and the Delusion? Did they force Yelena to make those decisions?
: Emilie: Answering those questions requires a lot of time and evidence, while a single act of vengeance can put those answers forever out of our reach.
: Emilie: I've witnessed a lot of deaths in Fontaine. When someone dies, a certain amount of information can be inferred from the traces left behind at the scene.
: Emilie: But, generally speaking, death will just leave most questions unanswered, and the whole picture ever incomplete.
: Collei: ...Once you're consumed by hatred, it will become next to impossible to think about things that way. For someone like Kirya, I'm sure right and wrong lost all meaning a long time ago.
: Emilie: You're right. The fact that we can approach these questions from this perspective isn't because we're more rational than them... It's because we're fortunate enough not to have suffered that kind of loss.
: Emilie: But, that also makes us perfectly positioned to stand on the outside... and try to pull them back from the brink before it's too late.
: Emilie: I understand Kirya's decision, but I still want to stop him. Master, Sylvain, and Kirya... They all deserve to survive.
: Collei: Huh, the fortunate... and the unfortunate...
: Edgar: ...
: Shyam: Emilie! ... Huh? Edgar, you're here too?
: Paimon: Oh, it's you two! Didn't you head back to your room to rest, Edgar? Is it really okay for you to be out and about like this?
: Edgar: Aha... A little exercise never hurt anyone.
: Edgar: Besides, I don't have much time left in Sumeru, so I'd like to take care of my plants while I still can.
: Emilie: We could do that for you, Master.
: Edgar: No need. I've grown attached to these flowers, and this is my last chance to say goodbye... Come tomorrow, I'll be happy to entrust their care to you.
: Edgar: ...I would imagine Sheriff Shyam is here for a more important reason?
: Collei: Ah, that night watch! You mentioned earlier, we still need to confirm our plans...
: Shyam: That's right. I've stationed some of my men around the surrounding area, but we still don't have anyone standing guard next to Sylvain's room.
: Next to Sylvain's room...
: You mean, in Lucien's room?
: Shyam: Exactly. After some discussion, we concluded that Sylvain has the highest risk of being attacked next. You're the most skilled fighter here, ...
: Shyam: And Emilie's expertise is sure to come in handy in a pinch... That's why I want you two stationed next to Sylvain's room. So, are you up for it?
: Fine with me. What about you, Emilie?
: Emilie: Sounds perfectly reasonable. I'll be glad to have your help tonight, .
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Collei, optional)
: Collei: (I wonder how it really felt for Kirya, finally getting his revenge?)
;(Talk to Collei or Shyam, optional)
: Shyam: My men and I will be stationed nearby to monitor the situation. A warning will be issued if any unusual activity is detected.
: Collei: I'll head into the mountains to keep an eye on everyone coming in and out of the area. Just leave the wilderness surveillance to the Forest Rangers.
;(Enter Edgar's room and talk to him, optional)
: Edgar: ...*coughing*
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Edgar, optional)
: Edgar: (I've done... what I set out to do.)
;(Enter Sylvain's room and talk to him, optional)
: Sylvain: ...Shouldn't you be standing guard in the room next door? I would hate for Kirya to notice you here and abandon ship.
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Sylvain, optional)
: Sylvain: (We can't let Kirya get away...!)
;(Enter Lucien's room)
:
: Paimon: Huh... Not a peep! Has Kirya given up on his revenge?
: Just like that...?
: Paimon: Hmm... Guess we'll just have to keep at it!
:
: Paimon: Still nothing unusual... Paimon took a peek into the room next door, and Sylvain's already sleeping!
: Shyam hasn't issued a warning either...
: Emilie: Perhaps Kirya's true motive was simply forcing Sylvain to confess his crimes?
: Emilie: No, that can't be right... If all he wanted was for Sylvain to be convicted for his true crimes, he could have tipped off the Marechaussee Phantom years ago...
: And he already killed Lucien...
: There's no reason to stop there.
: Emilie: There must be something we're missing... something extremely important...
: Paimon: Maybe we just need to calm down a little... How about some tea? That herbal blend from earlier was pretty tasty...
: We can't abandon our post.
: There's nothing here that we can use to make tea.
: Paimon: You're right... Um, maybe we can look for a different distraction, then? Like... Like looking at the flowers!
: Paimon: Oh, there's a Glaze Lily here? Paimon didn't notice it earlier!
: Because they don't bloom during the day.
: Because they only bloom at night.
: Emilie: Flowers... Glaze Lilies... Incense...
: Emilie: Oh no... Sylvain's room! Quick!
: Paimon: Wait, what—
:
:
: Crowd in Spirited Discussion: Hey... Did you hear? Someone was attacked again last night!
: Crowd in Spirited Discussion: ...It was the older of the merchant brothers, right?
: Crowd in Spirited Discussion: I think his name was Sylvain... Poor guy was murdered in cold blood!
: Crowd in Spirited Discussion: First it was Mr. Edgar, then that merchant named Lucien, and now this...
: Shyam: ...Listen up, everyone. This is an active crime scene. Please, no loitering!
: Crowd in Spirited Discussion: ...It's been three days, and they haven't even caught a glimpse of the guy... What is going on...
: Crowd in Spirited Discussion: Do you think it could be the work of an evil spirit?
: Crowd in Spirited Discussion: I mean, how do you get away with something like that with so many people watching?
: Shyam: Keep it moving, everyone... No loitering!
:
: Edgar: *coughing*
: Edgar: ...I suppose I'm next.
: Emilie: ...
: Emilie: ...You don't know that. Kirya already attacked you once, and you survived... Perhaps he doesn't consider your crime to be worthy of death...
: Edgar: You were the only reason I managed to survive, Emilie... Ah, I never did thank you for that, did I?
: Emilie: Even if I wasn't there, Tighnari was also in the vicinity. He would have been able to help.
: Edgar: Is that so...? I suppose I'm a very fortunate person, then...
: Edgar: I have exceptional students, caring friends, and the respect of my peers... If it is, indeed, my time to go, then I'll die without regrets.
: Edgar: But, Kirya has nothing... Yelena is gone, and, now, his enemies are too.
: Edgar: ...It really makes you wonder... if there's even a reason to keep on living.
: Emilie: If you really want an answer, I suppose you'll have to ask Kirya himself once we finally catch him.
: Edgar: Ah, well, I hope it all goes well.
: Edgar: ...Emilie, there's something else I'd like to ask of you... With everything that's happened, holding the exhibition is off the table now.
: Edgar: But, so many flowers were transported here for the show, some of them thousands of miles away from their homeland... I can't let them wither away with no one to care for them.
: Edgar: Whether Kirya gets to me first, or I'm sent back to Fontaine to stand trial, I won't be around to look after them.
: Edgar: I know it's a lot to ask... But, could I entrust them to your care?
: Emilie: Of course, Master.
: Edgar: Really...? I'm glad to hear it.
: Edgar: Now, I truly have nothing to worry about...
: Emilie: ...Sheriff Shyam still has some questions for me, so I've got to go.
: Edgar: Hah, go ahead. Best not to keep him waiting... He can be quite impatient.
: Emilie: ...I'm sorry, Master.
:
: Edgar: ...
: Edgar: Ah... Hmm...
: Edgar: *sigh*...
:
: Paimon: *yawn*... Another all-nighter... Paimon sure hopes Emilie's plan will go well...
: Paimon: ...But Collei still looks quite worried. Let's go talk to her!
;(Talk to Innam in front of the Hotel, optional)
: Innam: Phew... The crowd is finally gone...
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Innam, optional)
: Innam: (Please, no more surprises...)
;(Talk to Oguz in front of the Hotel, optional)
: Oguz: Can we even go forward with the exhibition...?
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Oguz, optional)
: Oguz: (I was actually looking forward to it...)
;(Try to enter Edgar's room)
:: (We need to hurry. Now is not the time to wander.)
;(Talk to Collei)
: Collei: Emilie still isn't back... I hope she didn't run into any trouble...
: She's extremely meticulous...
: I'm sure she's prepared to handle anything that might come her way.
: Collei: Yeah, that's true...
: Shyam: , I had my men start spreading the information you requested. The crowd is gone now, too... But, I have to admit, I'm not really sure what's going on...
: Shyam: After listening to Emilie's plan, I started getting the materials together and arranging personnel... I barely had a second to spare last night...
: Shyam: To be honest, I'm still not sure how the crime was committed that night...
: It's pretty simple, actually...
: Paimon: The key clue was right in front of us the entire time!
: Feel like you've been waiting to say that for a while...
: Paimon: Hehe, let's go! We'll show you where the culprit hid "Auguste"!
;(Talk to Collei or Shyam, optional)
: Collei: I only have a basic idea of what happened, to be honest. I haven't really worked out the details...
: Shyam: Ah, so you're saying I'm the only one who's completely in the dark...
;(Investigate the incense, optional)
:Incense: (The incense slowly rising into the air... It seems familiar somehow.)
:Incense: (...Emilie checked last night. Turns out, it's Spirit Borneol.)
: Paimon: Wasn't this incense originally in Lucien's room? It must've been moved here before nightfall yesterday...
;(Investigate the flowers)
:Flowers: (The corners are filled with flowers from different nations. The fragrance is incredibly strong.)
:Flowers: (The Glaze Lily is swaying gently, its petals closed. There's a ring of moisture around the rim of the petals that feels sticky to the touch.)
: Paimon: This is it!
: Shyam: ...The Glaze Lily? Huh, I think I've heard of it before. It's a flower from Liyue, right?
: Emilie: Well, did you know... it only blooms at night?
: Collei: Emilie, you're back!
: How did it go?
: Emilie: Exactly as expected.
: Shyam: A flower that only blooms at night... Ah, like the Nilotpala Lotus!
: Emilie: Exactly. Although, the Nilotpala Lotus wouldn't be a good substitute in this scenario. When it's closed, the gaps between the petals are too large.
: Emilie: That's why "Kirya" chose the Glaze Lily as his mechanism... He would start by preparing an "Auguste" sample...
----
;(The Traveler enters contemplation)
:In order to set up the mechanism, he took "Auguste" and...
;(Interpret - Daubed it on the outside of the petals)
: : If applied to the outside... You would still be able to smell "Auguste," even in the daytime...
;(Interpret - Poured it into the flowerpot)
: : If poured into the flower pot, the liquid would seep into the soil... That might prevent the substance from taking effect...
;(Interpret - Soaked the area around the petals)
: : There's a sticky substance on the edge of the flower petals. It's one I recognize...
:;(Unlocks option - Sealed it inside the petals)
;(Interpret - Sealed it inside the petals)
: : If you stick the petals together with Slime Condensate, then, in the daytime, the Glaze Lily would act almost like a hidden container.
;(Submit the wrong conclusion)
: : That doesn't sound right... I need to think about this some more.
----
;(Submit conclusion - Sealed it inside the petals)
: Emilie: That's right. He applied a diluted form of Slime Condensate to the petals to stick them together, and enclosed a sample of "Auguste" in the center.
: Emilie: That way, the "Auguste" would remain trapped inside during the daytime, unable to seep between the petals and evaporate into the air. This also allowed the culprit to plant the poison well in advance while his targets remained oblivious.
: Emilie: However... the diluted Slime Condensate wouldn't be viscous enough to prevent the petals of the Glaze Lily from opening at night. So, by nightfall, the flower would bloom, thereby forcing the target to inhale the "Auguste" trapped inside...
: Collei: And Kirya could execute his revenge without having to step foot inside the room during the night...
: Emilie: By the next morning, the sample of "Auguste" would have nearly fully evaporated, the Glaze Lily would have already closed its petals, and any lingering odor would be concealed by the fragrance of the other flowers in the room.
: ...And his mission would be accomplished.
: Shyam: Wait a second... You're telling me this version of "Auguste" is so toxic, inhaling the minute amount trapped inside a flower is enough to kill a grown man?
: Shyam: Then, how did Edgar even survive ingesting a whole bottle of the stuff?
: Emilie: That's because "Auguste" is just as dangerous now as it was all those years ago. The level of toxicity has never changed. Only a small subset of people are truly at risk.
: Shyam: Ah, you mean... people who are sensitive to elemental energy! So, it's just some sort of happy coincidence that Sylvain and Lucien are allergic to the stuff?
: Shyam: That can't be right... They were involved in the operation all those years ago... If the stuff gave them a bad reaction, they would've known from the very start!
: Emilie: I wouldn't use the word "allergic," necessarily. It's more like they're "susceptible" to its effects... But, that distinction isn't important right now.
: Emilie: You can think of it this way: It's not that Sylvain and Lucien are innately sensitive to elemental energy, but that "Kirya" found a way to ensure that they would be...
----
;(The Traveler enters contemplation)
:He executed the poisoning using...
;(Interpret - The Primordial Sea)
: : In Fontaine, I experienced how drinking Primordial Seawater made me more attuned to the element of Hydro... But, that substance would be hard to get around here.
;(Interpret - Various essential oils)
: : All kinds of essential oils commonly found in alchemical products can temporarily increase elemental affinity... But, it would be difficult to force someone to use them without knowing it.
;(Interpret - The incense in the room)
: : The incense I smelled earlier seemed familiar... Thinking back on it, I'm almost certain it was the scent of Spirit Borneol.
:;(Unlocks option - Spirit Borneol)
;(Interpret - Spirit Borneol)
: : In Sumeru, scholars use Spirit Borneol to aid meditation and stimulate their connection to the Dendro Archon...
;(Submit the wrong conclusion)
: : That doesn't sound right... I need to think about this some more.
----
;(Submit conclusion - Spirit Borneol)
: Emilie: ...Alchemically-produced essential oils, the Primordial Seawater that caused unrest in Fontaine not too long ago — all of those are substances that can heighten your sensitivity to elemental energy.
: And Kirya chose... Spirit Borneol.
:
Top Note Floral Debt Quest Still 1 Aether.png
Top Note Floral Debt Quest Still 1 Lumine.png
: Paimon: That stuff gave us a lot of trouble when we first came to Sumeru...
: Collei: Ah, yes. I definitely remember that.
: Emilie: In Sumeru, it's not uncommon to use incense indoors, so its presence wouldn't arouse suspicion. The flowers in the room could also serve to mask the scent...
: Shyam: Flowers were pretty important to his plan, huh... The Glaze Lily is native to Liyue. It would be completely unnatural to have one here in Sumeru if it weren't for the exhibition. What a coincidence...
: Emilie: ...Actually, it's not a coincidence at all.
: The exhibition, the hotel...
: It was all a meticulously designed trap.
: Paimon: No wonder he was willing to pay a small fortune to rent out the hotel...
: Collei: He probably used the Mora Yelena left him, don't you think? That money was supposed to set him free...
: Collei: But, in the end... It was just a tool for his revenge.
: Emilie: There's a saying among forensic doctors in Fontaine: "Every step you take leaves a mark."
: Emilie: But up until this point, we haven't been able to detect any trace of Kirya's activities. That's not because he was coming and going undetected, or because he's some kind of evil spirit.
: Emilie: But because he's been disguised as someone else this entire time.
----
;(The Traveler enters contemplation)
:The real murderer is...
;(Interpret - Edgar)
: : Creating such an intricate mechanism out of a Glaze Lily... setting up the Spirit Borneol in advance... and arranging for Sylvain and Lucien to stay at the hotel...
: : ...It all points to one person — the "expert" in charge of the entire exhibition.
;(Interpret - Kirya)
: : The Mora spent to rent out the hotel... the way the Auguste flower was cultivated... the "method" used to disguise his appearance...
: : ...It all points to one person — the boy who inherited Yelena's legacy, her younger brother.
;(Associate - Edgar and Kirya)
:;(Unlock option - The real murderer)
;(Interpret - The real murderer)
: : Kirya and Edgar... are one and the same.
;(Submit the wrong conclusion)
: : That doesn't sound right... I need to think about this some more.
;(Associate the wrong options)
: : Hmm... I can't seem piece this together in a way that makes sense.
----
;(Submit conclusion - The real murderer)
: Shyam: But... Kirya was only in his teens back then. He wouldn't even be forty years old by now!
: Shyam: Edgar's lived here for so many years. Even if he changed his appearance, going that long without giving anything away... It would be impossible!
: Innam: ...B—Bad news, Sheriff! Mr. Edgar was attacked!
: Shyam: What!?
: Innam: A dark, shadow-like figure just ran out of his room! It was giving off a really ominous aura...
: Innam: But, before we could even react, the figure up and disappeared, like some sort of ghost or something... By the time we got a look inside the room, Mr. Edgar was gone!
: Innam: Do you think Kirya kidnapped him?
: Shyam: I need you to think very carefully about this... Are you certain that figure wasn't Edgar himself?
: Innam: Uh... I mean, Mr. Edgar was so frail... I don't see how he could've moved that fast...
: Emilie: It would seem Master decided to tap into an ill-advised source of power.
: Collei: What? But, that's so dangerous with the condition he's in. It's...
: ...Suicide.
: Shyam: But why... Why would he do that? He has already accomplished his revenge!
: Emilie: No... If his aim was to target "everyone" who had a hand in Yelena's death...
: Collei: If he left Sylvain alive yesterday, not out of a desire to see him suffer, but to confirm the truth about why Yelena chose to die...
: Emilie: Then, there's still one target left!
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