Wanderings of a Lonesome Shadow

Wanderings of a Lonesome Shadow is a quest in .
==Steps==
# Return to Pardis Dhyai
# Find Tighnari
# Enter Pardis Dhyai
# Talk with Tighnari as you wait for the results
# Go to the northeast of Hypostyle Desert
# Go to the evacuation site
# Ask the villagers for information (0/3)
# Organize the gathered information with Faruzan
# Go to the makeshift camp
# Rest at the camp
# Go to the evacuation site
# Return to the temporary camp
# Talk to Faruzan
# Investigate the fallen Machine Wreckage
# Talk to Faruzan
# Return to Pardis Dhyai
# Talk to Tighnari
# Wait until one day later
# Enter Pardis Dhyai
# Talk to Faruzan
==Gameplay Notes==
* The is granted for reading all three letters sent to Faruzan during Thoughts That Wandered For a Century.
==Dialogue==
===A Greater Problem===
;(Return to Pardis Dhyai)
: Collei: Master, we're back! ...Huh? Where did he go?
: Tighnari: You don't have to shout. I can hear you.
: Tighnari: Well, you got here much faster than I expected. I thought you'd have a lot more business to take care of.
: Faruzan: Thanks to , I was able to, uh... pawn off various problems of mine onto others.
: Tighnari: Onto others? What does that mean...
: Faruzan: Uh... We can discuss that later. You're looking for me because of the "thing" you mentioned in the letter, right?
: Tighnari: That's right. Please, follow me.
;(Enter Pardis Dhyai)
: Karkata: Kolu...
: Karkata!
: Collei: A m—monster? Why is there a monster here!?
: Tighnari: Don't be scared, Collei. This is the mechanical life form and I saved a while back. Its name is Karkata.
: Tighnari: ...It's the final work of a late junior of mine.
: Faruzan: You mean Abattouy? He must've been a genius to create one of such polish all by himself.
: Faruzan: It's uncommon that a Spantamad researcher is able to create such an intricate machine. If he were still around, we could probably chat the day away. What a shame...
: Karkata: Kolu...
: Faruzan: Hmm? Something seems wrong here. Have you been maintaining it? Mechanical life forms are much more fragile than they look.
: Collei: Is Karkata... sick?
: Tighnari: Karkata has been lying down like this since a few days ago. It could be an old malfunction acting up again.
: Tighnari: I've taken a few courses conducted by Spantamad before, so I've managed to perform some... passable repairs on Karkata's energy supply module. However, it seems the issue this time is with its transmission.
: Tighnari: My knowledge can only prevent its condition from deteriorating any further, but Madam Faruzan, you should be able to find a way to repair it.
: Faruzan: Not necessarily. Mechanical life forms are created using techniques from alchemy, elemental science, and more.
: Faruzan: There are multiple modules here that influence each other. A simplistic knowledge of mechanisms will not serve here. You know that as well.
: Faruzan: Each mechanical life form is very different from the next, so even I cannot be sure if my understanding of mechanical life forms is going to be of any use to our little crab friend here.
: Karkata: Kolu...
: Collei: Karkata...
: Faruzan: *sigh* Can you all go outside for a minute? I need a bit of space. Before I do a thorough check, everything we've just said is but conjecture.
: Tighnari: Alright. We're counting on you, Madam Faruzan.
;(Talk to Karkata or Faruzan again, optional)
: Karkata: Kolu...
: Faruzan: Who knew that I'd encounter a mechanical life form in this manner after a hundred years?
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Faruzan, optional)
: Faruzan: (Mechanical life forms... are truly incredible.)
;(Talk to Collei again, optional)
: Collei: I didn't know mechanical life forms could get sick, too... You have to get better soon, Karkata!
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Collei, optional)
: Collei: (Hope you feel better soon, Karkata!)
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Tighnari, optional)
: Tighnari: (I hope Karkata will recover quickly.)
;(Talk with Tighnari as you wait for the results)
: Tighnari: We'll wait here till Faruzan finishes her inspection. In the meantime, I'd like to talk to you about her.
: I also wanted to ask about her past...
: Tighnari: Her past, huh? Quite a few people in the Akademiya know about what happened to her. Perhaps it'd be best if I'm the one to tell you.
: Tighnari: I've told you before that she had disappeared for 100 years, right? From her perspective, "trapped" might be a more apt description.
: Trapped?
: Tighnari: Her exact words were...
:
:
:
:
:
: Tighnari: She doesn't remember anything else, including the location of the ruin and how she finally managed to escape.
: Tighnari: When she was found in the outskirts of Sumeru a few years ago, she looked exactly the same as she did 100 years prior. However, she was in a stupor and struggled to form sentences. Only after a lengthy recovery period could she speak again.
: Tighnari: The Akademiya speculates that she must have gotten trapped in an unknown ruin while researching machines a century ago.
: Tighnari: And because of the ruin's special properties that halted her aging, she was able to use those 100 years to crack the trapping mechanism and then escape.
: Tighnari: Though she had finally broken free, one hundred years had passed — everyone she knew and everyone who knew her was already gone...
: Tighnari: In the end, even the Akademiya had to rely on century-old records in the Akasha to confirm her existence...
: ...
: Tighnari: Don't make that face. I'm not telling you this because I want to drum up sympathy. She wouldn't want others to pity her because of past events.
: Tighnari: Rather, she sees that period of entrapment as an experimental error. As a researcher, she must accept everything that results from her experiments, even if they don't fall within expectations.
: Tighnari: Even after going through so much, she's returned to Sumeru and still hasn't given up on her research.
: Tighnari: Due to changes over the years and drift in academic subjects, she holds some rather strong opinions about the current Akademiya, and she has no shortage of detractors herself.
: Tighnari: What I want to say is that no matter what era we're in, Faruzan is a true senior researcher — in every sense of the word.
: Tighnari: She has her own deep understanding of various ruins and machines. If there's a chance, you should talk about them with her. It'll definitely be helpful for your journey.
: I see.
: Collei: Master, Madam Faruzan's done!
: Tighnari: Oh? Let's head over. With any luck, she might have figured something out.
: Faruzan: Phew. I never thought that I'd encounter a Restitution Module once again after 100 years. Abattouy really installed quite a few impressive things on this.
: Faruzan: If my guess is correct, this mechanical life form has displayed attempts at "self-sustenance" before, right? Such as collecting parts to repair itself, for instance.
: It has collected parts before, yes...
: Tighnari: It used them for something else, but as far as its design goes, it does have a function like that.
: Faruzan: I knew it. If I'm not wrong, Karkata's issue lies with its Restitution Module.
: Faruzan: Abattouy's modified this module extensively, but the core parts and design philosophy are very similar to the principles as I know them — they are all based on principles learned from the ruins.
: From the ruins?
: Faruzan: The creators of the "ruins machine" once tried to create a perpetual mechanism that could replace life or even surpass it.
: Faruzan: The Restitution Module is the result of one of their countless attempts.
: Faruzan: It replicates the behavior of living things to achieve a self-repair function. However, the energy required and maintenance of the module became an issue.
: Collei: Energy consumption? Maintenance?
: Faruzan: For example, a living thing's heart can deliver nutrients and blood to various organs. However, the bigger the living thing, the more powerful the heart needs to be.
: Faruzan: Once the heart is damaged, it'll be hard for that living thing to heal itself, and even the function of other organs can be affected. Thus, the attempt wasn't widely adopted.
: Faruzan: Even 100 years ago, I'd only seen it once before... Oh dear, this is going to be a problem.
: Why's that?
: Faruzan: Based on my current research, I'll need to swap out the damaged parts in the Restitution Module to repair Karkata.
: Faruzan: But like I just said, the module is rare, even by the standards of ancient machines. Not only that, but there is very little related research documentation available.
: Faruzan: Finding suitable parts would be like trying to find a single gear in the vast desert, to say nothing of the difficulty in making those parts from scratch.
: Faruzan: *sigh* One can only wonder where Abattouy found the original parts...
: Tighnari: I might have an idea. Abattouy was, for a time, quite passionate about excavating the Great Red Sand. This was when he had just gotten expelled from the Akademiya.
: Faruzan: You mean to say he found a Restitution Module in the desert? Hmm... That is indeed possible...
: Collei: But the desert's huge! How are we supposed to find the parts that Karkata needs?
: Faruzan: According to the Akademiya's records, no similar parts have been found in the Great Red Sand over the past 100 years. If we want to try our luck, we'll have to explore ruins that have never been explored before.
: Tighnari: I do know that a Vahumana researcher formed an expedition team after the sandstorms and earthquakes subsided. They are now exploring areas of the desert that used to be difficult to access.
: Collei: Should we ask them if they've made any new discoveries lately?
: Faruzan: The chances are slim, but it's at least more effective than running around like headless chickens.
: What's the lead researcher's name?
: Where is the archaeology team currently stationed?
: Tighnari: His name is Raed. I think he's stationed at the northeast part of the Hypostyle Desert. Let's go look for him once Karkata settles down.
: Faruzan: Oh, you and Collei should probably stay. Karkata's condition may be stable, but it would still be better if some of us stay to look after it.
: Faruzan: Besides, you still need to take care of the "trouble" that the Akademiya left for me.
: Tighnari: "Trouble" from the Akademiya? I thought you said that you pawned it off to someone else. Wait, don't tell me...
: Faruzan: Hehe. I'll let Collei fill you in on the details. I look forward to seeing your work, Tighnari.
;(Talk to Tighnari, Collei, or Karkata again, optional)
: Tighnari: A "Fully Automated Irrigation System"... That's quite the task.
: Collei: Master, can I help with anything at all? I can go buy things, prepare pen and paper...
: Tighnari: Oh, you know, I seem to remember that you have a lot of homework today.
: Collei: Huh? O—Oh, yeah, I do...
: Tighnari: Well, hurry up and finish it so you can sleep early, or Faruzan will worry. That's the best thing you can do now to help.
: Collei: Oh... Okay...
: Karkata: Kolu...
;(Continue to The Ruin Wanderer)
===The Ruin Wanderer===
;(Go to the evacuation site in the northeast of Hypostyle Desert)
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Bakr, optional)
: Bakr: (What do these people want? I'll let Mr. Raed deal with them.)
;(Talk to the Chatty Villager, optional)
: Chatty Villager: That huge machine looks amazing!
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on the Chatty Villager, optional)
: Chatty Villager: (...Could the rumors really be true?)
;(Talk to the Tired Villager, optional)
: Tired Villager: Ugh... So we still can't go back to Aaru Village?
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on the Tired Villager, optional)
: Tired Villager: (So tired... I just want to go home...)
;(Talk to the Curious Villager, optional)
: Curious Villager: Just what are they digging for?
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on the Curious Villager, optional)
: Curious Villager: (They won't even let us go near the camp...)
;(Approach the machine wreckage)
: Faruzan: What is this?
: Bakr: Halt! Mr. Raed's permission is required to proceed any further!
: We're not outsiders.
: She's a researcher from the Akademiya.
: Bakr: That still won't do. Mr. Raed told us to keep people away from the ruins, so they don't damage the site.
: Faruzan: Damage the site? I've excavated more ruins than you've visited restaurants! Which batch of students is Raed from? I want to see him right now.
: Bakr: He isn't at the campsite now. You should all leave. Only he can give you permission to enter.
: Faruzan: Tsk. What a stubborn guy.
: We can't just waste our time here like this.
: Let's wait for that researcher to come back first.
: Faruzan: Mm, you're right. Even if there is new information, we still have to wait for him to come back so we can ask him about it. So let's just see what we can find out from the people here.
: Faruzan: Hmph. I'm going to give that Raed a good talking to when he gets back — starting from "who in the world mentored you."
;(Talk to Bakr again or approach the machine wreckage, optional)
: Bakr: Halt! Mr. Raed's permission is required to proceed any further!
;(Talk to the Chatty Villager)
: Chatty Villager: That machine looks amazing! Could it be the legendary Ruin Wanderer?
: Chatty Villager: The location seems to fit too... Might that legend actually be true?
;(Talk to the Tired Villager)
: Tired Villager: The ruins? Don't know anything. We were only hired to deliver water and supplies to them.
: Tired Villager: Forget excavation — they won't even let us get close to the camp where they're staying.
;(Talk to the Curious Villager)
: Curious Villager: This area used to be ravaged by frequent sandstorms, but it's been calm lately for some reason...
: Curious Villager: They say that this was done by a single traveler? But seriously, is such a thing even humanly possible?
;(Organize the gathered information with Faruzan)
:
: Faruzan: Well, I've found out everything I could. Is there anything that stands out to you?
: The hired villagers from Aaru Village...
:: Faruzan: The villagers were hired to deliver supplies, but they haven't been allowed near the campsite. That's definitely odd.
:: Faruzan: However, I'm more concerned about this "Ruin Wanderer" they speak of.
: The sandstorms dispersing...
:: Faruzan: To be honest, the ruins were difficult to excavate in the past, but they really are much safer now, thanks to you.
:: Faruzan: However, I'm more concerned about this "Ruin Wanderer" they speak of.
: This machine they speak of...
: Faruzan: "Ruin Wanderer"... That's the first time I've heard that name. But that wreckage did seem a bit weird...
: What's so weird about it?
: Faruzan: ...It's a bit far away, and I can't really say for sure from this distance. Perhaps we should ask the villager from before about the "legend" first.
: Chatty Villager: Huh? What are you guys doing back here?
: I want to learn more about the legend of the Ruin Wanderer...
: Chatty Villager: Haha, I wouldn't blame you for not knowing about it, youngsters. After all, it's a tale that's over a decade old.
: Chatty Villager: It's said that this monster, the Ruin Wanderer, traversed through various ruins for centuries! Many adventurers had claimed to see it while exploring!
: Chatty Villager: Some said that it was like a giant, while others said that it was like a beast. However, none knew why it wandered the ruins.
: Chatty Villager: Then, about ten years ago, we stopped hearing any news about it in Sumeru. No one has seen it since then, and the legend has since faded into memory.
: Chatty Villager: You youngsters probably don't know about the Ruin Wanderer nowadays, but it was famous for centuries!
: Faruzan: Centuries? Impossible! I heard nothing about it back then. It can only have been around for a few decades at most!
: Chatty Villager: Wait, "back then"...?
: Faruzan: Indulge my curiosity for a moment. Why do you think that wreckage is the "Ruin Wanderer"?
: Chatty Villager: Well, I had also heard that second-hand from—
: ???: You heard that nonsense from the Eremites after they got drunk, right?
: Faruzan: Hmm? Who are you?
: Raed: Madam Faruzan, it is a pleasure. I'm Raed, the one who organized this archaeological expedition.
: Raed: I'd heard of you at the Akademiya, but I didn't expect to run into you here. Truly, it is an honor.
: Raed: And this must be the famous , I presume? What brings the two of you here?
: Faruzan: Have you found any special contraptions and relics in the ruins that you've been investigating?
: Raed: Uh, I'm ashamed to say that we haven't found anything noteworthy, even though we've been investigating for a while now...
: Faruzan: Really? That "Ruin Wanderer" isn't noteworthy to you?
: Raed: Heh, I'm afraid those are mere rumors. Really, I sometimes wish that those people would put as much effort into their work as they do into gossiping.
: Chatty Villager: Uh, haha... You're right, sir. I'll get back to work now.
: Raed: The wise do not buy into rumors, so it is said. I believe that you too, Madam Faruzan, do not put any stock into such baseless talk?
: Faruzan: It is also said that real knowledge shall come from practice. I can help you research the excavated relics and see if I can find out anything new about them.
: Faruzan: You can take credit for any new discoveries — I believe this offer to be sufficiently attractive?
: Raed: Uh... In truth, I could ask for nothing better than your help with our research.
: Raed: However, you two must be tired after a long journey. I'd feel bad if I set you to work immediately.
: Raed: It's getting late and my subordinates and I are heading back to the camp to rest. Why don't you find a place to spend the night first? We can continue our discussion tomorrow.
: Raed: There's a tent that the villagers occasionally use to rest. It's a bit simple, yes, but I hope you won't mind.
: Faruzan: Since you need to rest as well, let's do just that.
;(Talk to Raed again, optional)
: Raed: There's a tent that the villagers occasionally use to rest. Like I said, it's a bit simple, yes, but I hope you won't mind.
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Raed, optional)
: Raed: (Tsk, why now of all times...?)
;(Continue to Suspicion Abounds)
===Suspicion Abounds===
;(Go to the makeshift camp and rest)
: Faruzan: Hmph, this is quite far away. Are they trying to prevent the villagers from eavesdropping on them? This suits us just fine though. This way, they won't overhear our conversations either.
: Faruzan: Now, I have my suspicions about this archaeological expedition team and that machine wreckage. I only caught a quick glimpse, and it was from a distance...
: Faruzan: ...But based on the condition of the armor and joints, it didn't seem like something that had been lying around for centuries. At most, I'd estimate that it only stopped moving about a dozen years ago.
: A dozen years ago?
: Faruzan: Yes. The timing coincides with the spreading of the legend. Now, assuming that it really is the "Ruin Wanderer"...
: Faruzan: How do you suppose it was able to maintain a relatively good condition despite high-intensity operation over the course of several decades?
: The Restitution Module!
: Faruzan: That's right. Technically speaking, the module shouldn't be able to move such a large machine chassis. However, I'm basing my knowledge on the mechanical life forms I've seen before...
: You've seen such life forms before?
: You've encountered others besides Karkata?
: Faruzan: Well, this was over 100 years ago. It was a machine about the same size as Karkata, actually. It couldn't carry heavy objects or fight, and was only able to help me record some notes.
: Faruzan: It also helped me deliver letters home. I found it near the desert, which is why I wondered if there might be more Restitution Modules buried around here.
: (A mechanical life form from 100 years ago...)
: (Is it no longer around?)
: Faruzan: Honestly, people in ancient times might have already solved the problem of providing enough power for all I know. I'll need to research this properly...
: Why didn't you go and investigate earlier?
: Faruzan: Had I confronted Raed right there and then, he would have said that he couldn't tell that the machine was special. Then he'd just hand it over to the Akademiya obediently... and he'd get away scot-free.
: Faruzan: If the wreckage were to be handed to the Akademiya, it'd be much tougher for us to do research on it or get spare parts for Karkata.
: Faruzan: Anyway, we should figure out what they're planning before making our next move.
: Faruzan: They insisted that we should stay the night, which means if they're trying to pull a fast one on us, they're likely to try it tonight. We must be vigilant.
:
: Faruzan: Are those sounds coming from the excavation site? Hah. I knew they wouldn't be able to wait. They must be scared that we might discover something tomorrow.
: Faruzan: Not a single person guarding the campsite? This must be quite the manpower expenditure.
: Faruzan: I'll see if they left any clues behind at their camp. Keep watch and help me stall them if it comes to that, would you?
: No problem.
: Faruzan: Alright. I'm counting on you.
;(Go to the evacuation site)
: Raed: ...Why isn't the "tent" here yet? We need to switch it out tonight!
: Bandak: I—It's still on the way. I'm afraid this is the first time we're delivering such a huge one...
: Raed: Hmph! You good-for-nothings are just a load of trouble, aren't you? We wouldn't have to deal with these interlopers if you had kept those lips of yours from flapping!
: Raed: Hurry up and hide our current "tent," and deliver the new one to me tonight no matter what it takes!
: Bakr: Huh? Who's there?
: It's me.
: .
: Raed: Uh, Ahem! I'm sorry. I'm just a bit upset because my subordinates aren't doing their jobs properly. When did you get here?
: What's the tent you mentioned, if I might ask?
: What's this delivery I hear you're having trouble with?
: Raed: Uh, it's nothing. Just a tent. We didn't pack up all our tents from the last campsite. Some of them, along with a few people, have been left there.
: Raed: Someone damaged our current tent, so I'm trying to get my subordinates to get one from that previous campsite delivered here.
: And you're discussing that over here because...
: Raed: The relics in the ruins are highly valuable, so I'm worried that Treasure Hoarders and bandits might try to steal them. Since the tent isn't here yet and I can't fall asleep, I came here to patrol.
: There are people who'd steal these relics?
: Raed: Heh. Well, these things are antiques, after all. There will always be people interested in buying them. I hired so many people precisely because I was worried about that happening.
: Raed: Speaking of which, I'd like to ask... Is the Akademiya really aware that you've traversed through the desert to come here in the middle of the night?
: Raed: Also, where's Faruzan? Why isn't she with you?
: Faruzan: I'm right here. Also, you forgot to address me as "Madam."
: Faruzan: ...
: Raed: Ahem! Sorry... Madam Faruzan.
: Faruzan: ...You were all making so much noise that I couldn't sleep, which is why I got to find out what was going on. But for some reason, that one task took forever, so I came to check in on the situation.
: Raed: Ah, I'm very sorry for disturbing your rest. I'll tell my subordinates to be quieter on patrol.
: Faruzan: Good. Come on, , let's head back.
: We're heading back already?
: Faruzan: Yes. We came to check out the situation, didn't we? Well, we've already done that.
: Faruzan: We should get better rest so that we'll have energy to investigate tomorrow.
:: (Hmm?)
:: (Was I mistaken?)
;(Talk to Raed again, optional)
: Raed: Ah, sorry for disturbing your rest. I'll tell my subordinates to be quieter in the future.
;(Examine the machine wreckage, optional)
:Machine Wreckage: (The wreckage of the huge machine remains motionless...)
;(Continue to Thoughts That Wandered For a Century)
===Thoughts That Wandered For a Century=== 
;(Return to the temporary camp and talk to Faruzan)
: Faruzan: Thanks for dealing with them.
: Faruzan: Now, I found something good on my end. These are the excavation records from their campsite.
: Faruzan: According to them, the ruins have been raided before, with numerous traps and contraptions having already been triggered.
: Faruzan: I also observed the wreckage up close earlier. The weathering is nowhere near as extensive as on the relics that have been buried for over a hundred years.
: Faruzan: There's no doubt that the wreckage and the ruins don't belong to the same era. Instead, it must have "wandered" into the ruins about a dozen years ago.
: Faruzan: It could've fallen into a trap or encountered a glitch within the ruins, remaining stationary like that until it was discovered recently.
: Faruzan: However, I still don't know why they'd want to hide it. I have no doubt that the researcher could definitely reach the same conclusion I did.
: Faruzan: The last few pages of the excavation records are written in code, which I still need time to decipher. The answer may lie within those pages.
: You can decipher coded messages?
: Faruzan: Heh. It's just wordplay — and if anything, that's my wheelhouse.
:
: Faruzan: Hmm... Just a bit more... Ah, I see now...
: Bandak: H—Help, please help!
: Raed: W—Why are you running away? Come back! Protect me!
: Faruzan: What's that sound? Is it—
:???: ...!!
: Faruzan: The Ruin Wanderer... reactivated!?
: Faruzan: That's impossible! Is this the work of some kind of hidden mechanism? ...Never mind, we have to focus on saving lives first! I'll cover them. You go stall the Ruin Wanderer!
:???: ...
: Faruzan: What? It ignored ?
: Bandak: Why is it chasing after us!?
: Faruzan: What could have caused it to reactivate? And to give chase...?
: Raed: Darn it! Hey, come on, you lot! It's clear that we can't escape, so let's just attack it!
:???: ...
: Faruzan: ...
: Bakr: I—It stopped?
: Raed: ...Hey! You guys! Get up there and tell me what's going on!
: Bandak: But what if it suddenly moves...?
: Raed: You... You good-for-nothings! Why is everyone I hired so useless? Move! I'll do it myself!
: Raed: Hmph. Looks like this thing's parts can't handle the load of functioning anymore after years of disrepair.
: Raed: Tch. When it first reactivated, I was wondering if it'd be as amazing as the legends had pegged it to be. I didn't expect it to be so much weaker than it looks. How disappointing.
: Faruzan: Disappointing, you say? Now, is that because you won't be able to sell it for much?
: Raed: Uh... Faruzan, you may be my senior as an Akademiya researcher, but that doesn't mean you get to slander me!
: Faruzan: You wrote these "excavation records," did you not? Or perhaps calling it a "ledger" might jog your memory a bit better...
: Raed: Uh... I—I don't recognize that thing...
: Faruzan: "January 3rd: Excavated five tents."
: Faruzan: "January 5th: Three tents sold."
: Faruzan: "January 10th, 1 special tent pre-sold. It must quickly be switched out with an old tent..."
: So "tent"...
: ...Is your code name for relics?
: Faruzan: You're supposed to be an archaeological expedition team, and yet here you are, secretly selling the relics and profiting from it.
: Faruzan: When you believed that you had found the wreckage of the "Ruin Wanderer," you tried to switch in wreckage that you had excavated previously to pull the wool over the Akademiya's eyes.
: Faruzan: After all, there would probably be many wealthy buyers interested in purchasing the legendary "Ruin Wanderer" in the black market, yes? And then we arrived, just before you could finish your work.
: Faruzan: That forced you to speed up your plan and you tried to complete the switch overnight before I could investigate the wreckage. In your haste, however, you accidentally activated the "Ruin Wanderer" instead. Did I get that all right?
: Raed: I—I don't know what you're talking about!
: Faruzan: You lack the curiosity befitting a man of knowledge, nor do you have respect for mechanical life forms. You're not fit to be a researcher!
: Raed: Ridiculous! Curiosity? Respect? I'm not here to hear you preach! Hey, we're leaving!
: Bakr: Mr. Raed!
: Bandak: B—Behind you...
:???: ...!!
: Raed: Aaahh... Ahhh!
: Bandak: Why is it moving again!? Ruuun!
: Faruzan: ...
: Faruzan!
: Watch out—
: Faruzan: ...
;(Flashback starts)
: Chatty Villager: Some said that it was like a giant, while others said that it was like a beast. However, none knew why it wandered the ruins.
: Faruzan: Technically speaking, the module shouldn't be able to move such a large machine chassis. However, I'm basing my knowledge on the mechanical life forms I've seen before...
: Faruzan: Centuries? Impossible! I heard nothing about it back then. It can only have been around for a few decades at most!
: Bandak: Why is it chasing after us!?
;(Flashback ends)
: Faruzan: ...So, you've been looking for me this whole time?
:???: ...
:???: ...
: ???: Kolu...
: Faruzan: Long time no see, Tamimi.
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Faruzan, optional)
: Faruzan: (...)
;(Read the Yellowed Note)
:Yellowed Note: "...Tamimi's remodeling is going smoothly. As it is now, it can learn how to deal with various dangerous situations in the ruins on its own. I wish you could see it with your own eyes."
:Yellowed Note: "As I worked, I kept thinking that you'd do a better job at this than I could."
:Yellowed Note: "After all, you're the most exceptional student I've ever met."
;(Read the Neatly-Penned Note)
:Neatly-Penned Note: "Dear Madam Faruzan..."
:Neatly-Penned Note: "The notes and manuscripts we found on Tamimi have been transcribed and organized, and every one of them has been marked with your name."
:Neatly-Penned Note: "I hope that even after a hundred years, future generations of students will still remember your name, Madam Faruzan."
;(Read the Oft-Corrected Note)
:Oft-Corrected Note: "... I told you not to... Now, look... So many people... Worried... Even... Tamimi..."
:Oft-Corrected Note: (The messy scribbling has been repeatedly canceled and edited, leaving barely legible phrases and a single neat message at the back.)
:Oft-Corrected Note: "Hurry up and come home for a meal. Your mom always makes an extra portion of food, you know?"
;(Investigate the fallen Machine Wreckage)
;(Talk to Faruzan)
: ???: "Dear Faruzan, I hope you're doing well."
: ???: "It has been over 20 years since you went missing. People from the Akademiya keep telling us to give up and that you're most likely dead..."
: ???: "But somehow, I feel like you're still alive — yes, that you live still, in some corner of this world."
: ???: "You've always been persistent, able to shine no matter what situation you face. I believe that this persistence serves you well in surviving and finding your way home."
: ???: "Unfortunately, I likely won't be able to welcome you home when you do. I don't have much time left, and my reflexes have slowed. Others keep telling me to stop exploring ruins..."
: ???: "Only Tamimi is still the same as before, always running off to places which you've been to."
: ???: "Your teacher and friends came up with an idea to remodel Tamimi so it can search for you in our place."
: ???: "You didn't like coming home back then, and would always get Tamimi to send a letter back. Now, we're leaving a letter with Tamimi. I wonder if it'll ever be delivered to you."
: ???: "I don't know the answer to that question... But if you ever read this letter, I hope it'll be when you've already found your way home."
: ???: "I regret not being able to say this to you myself, but I'll still feel sincerely happy for you, my dear daughter..."
: Faruzan: "Welcome home, Faruzan."
: Tamimi: Kolu...
: Faruzan: Look at you, Tamimi... you've changed so much after all these years. Thank you for waiting for me all this time.
: Faruzan: I've safely received the letters... Your work is done now. You can sleep.
: Tamimi: Ku...li...
: That's...
: Faruzan: Tamimi, the mechanical life form I encountered back then. When I would go on expeditions, it would follow me, take notes for me, and send my letters home.
: Faruzan: When I met with that accident, it was on the way to deliver a letter for me. I... I once thought that I'd never get to see it again.
: Faruzan: I didn't expect my teacher and others to remodel its Self-Repair function, upgrading it to "Self-Learning."
: Faruzan: And so, in order to plumb the depths of unknown ruins and overcome dangerous traps, it repaired and modified itself using parts it found along the way. One decade of wandering became many, and soon...
: Faruzan: Tamimi, which used to be incapable of even moving heavy objects, became the "Ruin Wanderer"...
: Faruzan: ...All so it could deliver these last letters from them to me.
: Even though they had all passed on...
: They still prayed for your safe return...
:Tamimi: ...
: Faruzan: The strain to support such a huge body must have turned out to be too much for your "heart," right?
: ...Tamimi?
: Faruzan: Even after the remodeling, its "Restitution Module" still can't function perfectly in perpetuity. It has been pushing itself beyond its limits over the past few decades.
: Faruzan: Just like a living being, mechanical life forms have a limited lifespan. It probably became trapped in the ruins all those years ago because its shelf life had run out.
: Faruzan: It most likely only reactivated because it detected my presence... and then it mustered up everything it had to deliver that last letter. Now, it can finally rest in peace.
:Tamimi: ...
: Faruzan: Tighnari told you what happened to me, right?
: ...I'm sorry.
: Faruzan: You don't have to apologize. It's not like this incident is a secret in the Akademiya.
: Faruzan: Besides, I've always treated it as a failed experiment. As a researcher, I must accept this result.
: Faruzan: However, finding out that so many people were affected by my failure... does make me feel somewhat conflicted.
: Faruzan: Can you head back to Pardis Dhyai first? We've been here for a while, and it's best not to make Collei and the rest worry.
: Faruzan: As for me... I want to stay with Tamimi for a bit longer. Just a bit.
;(Interact with Faruzan again, optional)
:Faruzan: (Faruzan's head hangs low in silence... The desert breathes gales of wind, and the only sound that can be heard is the scattering rise of spreading grains.)
;(Continue to Time to Decide)
===Time to Decide===
;(Return to Pardis Dhyai and talk to Tighnari)
: Karkata: Kolu!
: Collei: You're back!
: Tighnari: How was your journey through the desert? ...Wait. Where's Madam Faruzan?
: (Tell the whole truth...)
::
:: Collei: Oh no... She finally got to reunite with an old friend from 100 years ago, but...
:: Tighnari: As a researcher, she could perhaps accept it. However, as a friend, student, and a daughter...
:: Tighnari: We should give her some time. Let's just wait for her here.
:: Karkata: Kolu...
:: Tighnari: And in the future... I hope that we can be here to support her as her new friends.
:;(Proceed to A Promise to the Future)
: (Keep Tamimi a secret...)
::
:: Tighnari: So Madam Faruzan has some other things to settle... Alright. And to think that Raed was doing all of those things on the sly. It's good that you all got out of that situation in one piece.
:: Collei: Madam Faruzan will be able to repair Karkata when she gets back, won't she?
:: Karkata: Kolu!
::: (Currently, only Faruzan and I know about Tamimi...)
::: (I should let Faruzan decide whether to tell the others about Tamimi.)
:;(Proceed to Chat Under the Moonlight)
;(Talk to Karkata again, optional)
: Karkata: Kolu...
===A Promise to the Future===
;(Wait until one day later)
;(Enter Pardis Dhyai)
: Faruzan: I'm back! What, is there to be no welcoming party?
: Tighnari: ...We've all been waiting for you, Madam Faruzan.
: Faruzan: That's more like it. Now, here are some components I brought back from the desert. Switch these out with the ones Karkata is using right now, and it'll be back in ship shape!
: ...
: Faruzan: Hmm? Why do you all look so solemn? Come now, liveliness befits youngsters more.
: Collei: Madam Faruzan, did these parts come from...
: Faruzan: ...Heh.
: Faruzan: Come now, I thought that you must've encountered some major problem! This isn't something you have to worry about.
: Faruzan: Well, it looks like you already know everything... but no need to feel bad. Like I said before, as researchers, we must learn to accept our failures.
: Faruzan: Tamimi had been operating beyond capacity for a century, and I'm unable to repair it with my current abilities, not even with these parts. It would thus be much better to use them to extend Karkata's lifespan.
: Faruzan: As a senior, it is only right that I do something for the people who come after me. That holds true for both researchers and machines.
: Karkata: Kolu...
: Faruzan: Besides, I didn't say that I would be giving you these parts for free. They will only be used for Karkata temporarily. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to help me with my research.
: Faruzan: I'll be sure to revive Tamimi once I've fully deciphered and replicated the creations of the ancient civilization.
: Tighnari: ...Alright, I'll do my best to help.
: Collei: Me too! Although I'm not sure if I'll be much help...
: I'll help, too.
: Faruzan: Thank you. If they could remodel Tamimi successfully even back then, there's no reason why we won't be able to do even better.
: Faruzan: When that day comes, I'll be sure to say...
: Faruzan: "Welcome home, Tamimi."
;(Proceed to Ending: Start Over)
====Ending: Start Over====
===Chat Under the Moonlight===
;(Wait until one day later)
;(Enter Pardis Dhyai)
: Faruzan: I'm back! What, is there to be no welcoming party?
: Collei: Madam Faruzan, we're over here!
: Faruzan: That's more like it. Now, here are some components I brought back from the desert. Switch these out with the ones Karkata is using right now, and it'll be back in ship shape!
: Tighnari: So this is a relic of an ancient civilization? Unbelievable... Thankfully, it didn't end up in Raed's unscrupulous hands.
: Faruzan: Unscrupulous, huh? Hmm. Sounds like you already told them what happened.
: I told them about Raed.
: I told them about the archaeology team.
: Faruzan: Is that so...? Thank you. We will talk about everything else later.
: Karkata: Kulilu?
: Faruzan: It's nothing. I've already given all the evidence we have against Raed to the Akademiya. They're going to be very busy — too busy to bother us, I'd wager.
: Faruzan: I'll start repairing Karkata, then. Collei, can you help me out?
: Collei: O—Of course!
:
;(Talk to Tighnari again, optional)
: Tighnari: Faruzan went out after repairing Karkata. She seems to be looking for you for some reason.
: Tighnari: ...Well, I will not probe any further. However, if you need any help, do feel free to ask.
;(Talk to Collei or Karkata again, optional)
: Karkata: Kalu! Kalu!
: Collei: It looks fine, but even so, it needs to properly rest up.
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Collei, optional)
: Collei: (Will I be able to take Karkata with me on patrol duty in the future...?)
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Tighnari, optional)
: Tighnari: (Madam Faruzan seems to have a lot on her mind... Now's probably not the time to pry.)
;(Talk to Faruzan)
: Faruzan: Ah, you're here.
: Faruzan: Thank you for keeping Tamimi a secret.
: You don't plan on telling them?
: Faruzan: If I tell them about Tamimi, will they still feel happy for Karkata? Even if we could convince them to accept the components, they'll probably still feel bad about it.
: Faruzan: I don't want my past to affect people in the present. That applies to both me and other people.
: You don't have to shoulder all this alone.
: Maybe you'll feel better if you share it with the rest.
: Faruzan: It's fine. I'm used to this.
: Faruzan: I once believed that I'd never hear from my old friends and family ever again. Even their faces are getting hazier in my memories...
: Faruzan: However, I could remember them clearly again after reading the letter Tamimi handed to me and learning that they'd never given up on me. That's more than enough.
: Faruzan: I'd be disappointing them if I let myself fall into a slump because of this. Neither my teacher nor my mother would've wanted to see me like that.
: Faruzan: Besides, you're lending a listening ear to me now, aren't you?
: Faruzan: Oh, Pardis Dhyai looks pretty scenic at night. Will you take a stroll with me?
: It would be my pleasure.
: Faruzan: Once Karkata's condition stabilizes, I'll find a chance to tell Tighnari and Collei about all that.
: Faruzan: But for now, just help me keep this secret.
: You got it.
: Faruzan: Thank you. Hehe. Whether it's 100 years ago or now, I have people who worry about me.
: Faruzan: I suppose I should consider myself quite fortunate.
: Faruzan: The only time when I felt otherwise was when I had just returned to Sumeru. No one came to check up on me then. *sigh*
: ...
:: Welcome home, Faruzan.
: Faruzan: ...
: Faruzan: Yeah, I'm home.
;(Proceed to Ending: "Welcome Back, Faruzan.")
====Ending: "Welcome Back, Faruzan."====
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