Further Investigation

Further Investigation is a quest in .
==Steps==
# Go to the place mentioned in the letter
# Look for the clues the Wisdom Seelie left behind
# Go to the next place mentioned in the letter
# Look for the clues the Wisdom Seelie left behind
# Go to the next place mentioned in the letter
==Dialogue==
===Further Investigation===
: Layla: We should be close. This is the way I came when I first traveled to Sumeru City.
: Layla: *sigh* It's been way too long since I last visited home...
: Layla: No, no, this isn't the time for that kind of talk. We have to hurry and find the clues that the Seelie left behind.
: It's a pretty big area...
: Layla: It is... Relying solely on what the Seelie said might not be viable.
: Layla: Hmm, assuming the Seelie is intentionally linking the clues to my past, ah, I think I have an idea.
: Let's hear it.
: Layla: Um, so this is a little embarrassing. At that time, the sight of Sumeru City was absolutely mesmerizing. I was anxious, but also excited about all the things to come.
: Layla: I was distracted and... accidentally stepped on an Avidya Leopard's tail.
: The price of being distracted...
: Layla: I didn't notice it at all... The poor thing was sound asleep, and after I stepped on its tail, it bolted straight up. I freaked out and ran as fast as I could.
: Layla: There were actually more Avidya Leopards sleeping nearby, and they were all faster than me... I almost got bitten a couple of times.
: Layla: Good thing someone from the Eremites heard me shouting for help. They managed to scare off the leopards.
: Good thing you weren't hurt.
: Layla: Yeah, but when I finally managed to calm myself down, I noticed that the talisman my mother had made for me was missing.
: Layla: It's extremely precious to me. Ever since I was little, I would always carry it with me whenever I'm doing something important.
: Layla: I also had it with me when the Akademiya conducted its selection exam at my village. I checked my bag at least a dozen times to make sure the talisman was in there.
: Layla: I feel much more at ease knowing that I have it with me. I had thought that it would also help me calm my nerves in Sumeru City.
: Layla: But I ended up losing it before I even finished registration at the Akademiya...
: I can sympathize with your feeling of loss.
: The peace of mind it gave you must be irreplaceable.
: Layla: Yeah, and that's when I started having sleeping problems... I just began to sleep less and less each day.
: Layla: Losing a talisman like that is definitely a bad omen...
: Layla: Oh, sorry, I'm starting to ramble again. What were we talking about before...? Oh right, why the Seelie led us here.
: Layla: I think we should look around where the Avidya Leopards attacked me.
: Layla: If the Seelie is trying to make me remember things that happened in the past, it would make the most sense for it to hide clues in memorable locations.
: Layla: Hope the Seelie's clue wasn't also torn to shreds by Avidya Leopards...
: Let's look around first.
:: Layla: Yeah... That's the only way we'll know for sure...
: Relax. No need to be so pessimistic all the time.
:: Layla: I'm sorry, you're right. It's a bad habit of mine.
:: Layla: I suppose any progress is a step in the right direction. Let's go.
;(Go to the place mentioned in the letter)
;(Near the rock formation)
: Layla: We should be close...
;(After destroying the rock formation)
: Layla: Sure enough, it's here, and in a really obvious place. That pretty much confirms my hunch about the Seelie's intentions.
: It seems like the Seelie knows you really well.
: It feels like the Seelie is trying to provoke you.
: Layla: I dunno... but how did it know about all these details? I've hardly told anyone about this stuff...
: Layla: It's not hiding somewhere and spying on me, is it? Oh, that's a scary thought...
: Layla: *sigh* Anyway, let's look at the clue we've found.
: Layla: "Seems like you haven't forgotten about your very first failure."
: Layla: See? It knows everything.
: This might be too much, even for the Wisdom Seelie.
: Layla: I have no idea what's going on... No wonder this Seelie is becoming legendary. Let's keep reading the clue.
: Layla: "I've placed the second clue where heaven meets water. The answer, seemingly amongst the stars, was ultimately washed to some unremarkable place downstream."
: Layla: Just as I thought, it's something to do with me again.
: You already got the meaning?
: Layla: If the first clue was any indication, then the location described in this clue should also be related to my life experiences.
: Layla: Most Rtawahist research is related to studying the stars. My own thesis work often requires me to go in the field and collect astrological data.
;(Stress Value +1)
: Layla: And... *sigh* Let's just say there's another devastating and unforgettable failure I had.
: Should we still keep following these clues...?
: Thinking about these things will only make things worse for you.
: Layla: But that can't be helped, right? We do many things not because we want to, but because we have to.
: Layla: Let's keep moving. It might be hard to believe, but being out and about is making me feel a lot better than usual.
;(Continue to Underlying Meaning)
===Underlying Meaning===
;(Go to the place mentioned in the letter)
: Layla: We're here. Th—That's the spot.
: Layla: That's where I performed my first field observation after enrolling at the Akademiya. I borrowed some equipment from the school and came here on a perfectly clear day.
: Layla: Everything was ready to go, and I was positive that I'd be able to get some great data.
: Layla: But the equipment was a little heavy, and I didn't notice that the ground was muddy and some spots were unstable.
: Layla: After I finished setting up everything, part of the ground suddenly shifted, and my equipment started teetering over. I rushed over to grab hold of it, but I ended up tripping over another piece of equipment...
: Layla: The next thing I knew, everything was covered with muddy water... me, and all my equipment.
: Layla: You must be wondering how someone can be so clumsy...
: Oh, not really...
:: Layla: You wouldn't be wrong for thinking that... I don't sleep much, so I get light-headed pretty often.
: We're all prone to mistakes when we aren't well-rested.
:: Layla: Thank you for understanding. If I were the one complaining about not being well-rested, it would just sound like an excuse.
: Layla: It's a vicious cycle... the less I sleep, the more mistakes I make. The more mistakes I make, the harder it is for me to sleep...
: So what happened afterwards? Were you injured?
: Layla: I just got a minor fracture, so I had to rest at Bimarstan for a while.
: Layla: To pay off the damages to the equipment, I took some part-time jobs. I just went to work whenever I couldn't sleep. It took me forever to pay off what I owed.
: Don't tell me, your insomnia got worse after that?
: Layla: Bingo... *sigh* The pressure from my studies and debt was crushing me, and I didn't want to tell my family about any of it.
: Layla: After all, I am the legendary Layla who made it into the Akademiya at a young age and had never failed an assignment in her life...
: Ever consider taking a break?
: Layla: Of course. I've even considered giving up on my studies completely and returning home to help care for the Sumpter Beasts, but that would be kind of embarrassing...
: Layla: I don't mean that I'd be embarrassed in front of others... I mean that I'd be ashamed of myself. After all, everything I've done up till now is only a result of my own decisions.
: Layla: Although it hasn't always been smooth sailing and sometimes things don't go my way, I made it this far on my own. There haven't been any major incidents with my studies, and I even managed to pay off the equipment damages...
: Layla: Ahh, but I guess I'm exaggerating a bit... Most of it is still due to the help of some unknown person, rather than my own work... hehe...
: Your parents would feel bad if they knew what you were going through.
: Layla: And that's exactly why they mustn't ever find out. Once I've finally managed to acclimate to life in Sumeru City, I'll show them my success... I hope that day will come, eventually.
: Layla: Anyways, let's continue looking for the next clue. It should be around here somewhere... an "unremarkable place downstream" was the description.
;(Go to the place mentioned in the letter)
;(Near the rock formation)
: Layla: Hmm, that "place downstream" could be somewhere close by.
;(After destroying the rock formation)
: Layla: Here, it's over here! Whew, good thing it's dry. I was worried the message might be wet.
: Layla: Let's see... "Have you found it? The unremarkable place downstream?"
: Layla: Well... of course. How else could I be reading this message...? Seriously.
: Layla: "I've placed the third hint at a crossroad without a cross. You can turn left or right, but turning back shouldn't be an option."
: It feels like the clues are getting more and more vague...
: Layla: Hmm... they're actually getting clearer for me. I was sorta expecting this, even before I read the message.
: Layla: I dunno if the clues are following a timeline or if they're based on the amount of regret I have... Either way, this incident was bound to come up sooner or later.
: Sounds like this is getting personal.
:: Layla: Hmm... would someone really go to all this trouble just to pull off some prank? I can't make heads or tails of it.
: Is the Seelie stalking you?
:: Layla: A—Ahh... Don't say that... That sounds horrible.
: Layla: Anyway, just follow me. I'll save the story for when we get there.
;(Continue to The Road to Failure)
===The Road to Failure===
;(Look for the clues the Wisdom Seelie left behind)
: Layla: This is the place that immediately came to mind when the hint mentioned a crossroad.
: Layla: I came here to conduct some astrological observation once. Everything went smoothly on the way, and I thought I was starting to get used to life at the Akademiya.
: Layla: But just as I was about to set up the observation equipment, I heard a strange sound coming from nearby. I made my way here and discovered a bunch of bandits robbing someone.
: Layla: They were a group of Treasure Hoarders, and the family that was being mugged looked completely helpless. They definitely wouldn't have been able to escape, and simply handing over their Mora might not have been enough to make the bandits go away.
: So you wanted to help, but couldn't?
: Layla: Not exactly. I already had a Vision by that time.
: Layla: Someone with a Vision should technically be really powerful, right? Handling a group of Treasure Hoarders should be well within my abilities.
: Layla: However, I didn't know how to channel the power of the elements to fight at that time, and I was super scared. *sigh* I wielded immense power, but I didn't feel any stronger than just an ordinary person.
: Then what happened?
: Layla: Then... I ran away. I scrambled towards Sumeru City looking for help.
: Layla: Eventually, I managed to return with a few adventurers I ran into along the way.
: Layla: It took longer than I had hoped, and by the time we made it back here, the Treasure Hoarders and the family were gone...
: Layla: I don't know if the family only lost their belongings in the end, or if something worse happened to them.
: Layla: I've faced a lot of problems after coming to Sumeru City, but this incident is one that I regret the most. I sat on the ground and began to cry.
;(Stress Value +1)
: Layla: I could've stepped in to help that family... "Would it have ended differently... if I were just a little braver?"
: You did the right thing.
: You can't solve every problem with just courage alone. Being rational is just as important.
: Layla: Thank you for trying to comfort me, but I can't stop myself from thinking that way.
: Layla: It's just as the Seelie said, "Turning back shouldn't be an option." However, I can't help but think about running away whenever I'm faced with a challenge.
:
:: Layla: You're right. The more challenging it gets, the harder I should try.
:: Layla: Hmm... I'm feeling calmer now... Okay, let's go look for more leads nearby.
:;(Proceed to One Final Step)
:
:: Let's take a break from searching and rest for a bit.
:: Layla: B—But what about my thesis? We still haven't found the Seelie's answer yet...
:: Forget about the thesis, you need to get some rest first.
:: Your health is more important than your thesis.
:: Layla: *sigh* Sorry for causing you so much trouble...
:: Let's find someplace to rest.
:: Layla: Alright. I... actually don't have much stamina. I've been stressed this whole time, and I feel exhausted...
:: Layla: I'm really sorry.
:;(Proceed to An Exasperating Prank)
==Other Languages==
==Change History==