To Claim the Crown

To Claim the Crown is the first part of A Parade of Providence: Act III - Gatherings and Partings during the Event.
==Steps==
# Wait until the following day (07:00)
# Learn about the situation from Aarav
# Go to the kidnappers' camp
# Investigate the truth behind the kidnapping
# Go to the main venue and find the staff member
# Retrieve the Diadem of Knowledge
# Return to the finish line and observe the situation
==Dialogue==
;(Pass time)
: Paimon: Paimon just heard that the matra have arrested some Eremites who snuck into the city. Maybe they were the ones plotting to kidnap Sachin?
: Paimon: Let's go to the Akademiya and check with Aarav!
;(Talk to Aarav)
: Aarav: Ah, you're here. Sorry, I was just about to send someone to inform you. I only just finished interrogating the suspects.
: Paimon: What did you find out?
: Aarav: Well... Lots of unexpected details, let's put it that way.
: Aarav: The mercs themselves were surprisingly easy to catch. We just had someone dress up as Sachin, and they took the bait.
: Aarav: But then it starts to get messy... During the interrogation, we learned that they were hired by Sachin's own child.
: Paimon: What? Why would someone wanna kidnap their own father? What's up with that?
: Aarav: It's anybody's guess at this point... In any event, apparently the guys we caught are just the tip of the iceberg. Most of them are still snooping around outside the city.
: Aarav: We're diverting manpower as we speak to try and round them all up. Would you like to come along?
: Paimon: Sure. Let's go get to the bottom of all this.
;(Approach the camp)
: Paimon: Aarav, are you sure this is the right place? Something feels off...
: Aarav: I'm positive. But I don't understand why they're all unconscious on the ground...
;(Approach the Eremites)
: Levi: Boss, we got more company...
: Mazaar: Look, we were just doing what we were paid to do. You're punishing the wrong people here. You want the real culprit? It's this guy. He hired us to kidnap Sachin.
: ???: ...
: Paimon: What happened? Who beat you all up?
;(Aarav walks off-screen)
: Mazaar: ...Wait, you mean you aren't with them?
: Paimon: With who? Who did this?
: Mazaar: First there was this flying brat. Didn't bother asking any questions, just started throwing punches. After that, some guy wearing green came along and interrogated us for a bit.
:;(Aarav returns)
: Aarav: I've got the confirmation I needed. This is the one who masterminded this whole plot — Jiwani, Sachin's son.
: Aarav: If you have any questions for him, now's your chance to ask them. When you're done, I'm arresting them all and taking them back to the Akademiya for further interrogation.
: Paimon: So, why did you hire people to kidnap Sachin?
: Jiwani: Hmph. Why do you think? Twenty years ago, he upped and left to go and live a carefree life, not giving a second thought for my welfare.
: Jiwani: As if that's not bad enough already, he went and put his entire fortune in the care of the Akademiya, along with a contract saying that one day he'd pass it all on to a genius he admired.
: Jiwani: That's my inheritance, by rights! You expect me to sit back and watch it go to someone else? If he won't give me what's mine, I'll just have to take it from him.
: Were you seriously planning to...
: Jiwani: Of course! Didn't he say he would be here somewhere, watching the Championship from the shadows?
: Jiwani: So I figured I get some people to nab him, then I make him change the contract. And if the Akademiya doesn't agree to hand over the goods, I make him publicly announce that I'm his chosen genius!
: So did you find him?
: Jiwani: No. The old fart knows how to stay hidden, I'll give him that. He's probably cooped up somewhere watching all this go on and laughing to himself.
: Jiwani: I already thought he'd gone mad twenty years ago. And who knows what a madman is truly capable of...
: What do you know about the Diadem of Knowledge?
: Jiwani: Diadem of Knowledge? You mean that thing he donated to the Akademiya?
: Jiwani: Well, I can tell you that it's very expensive. He sold a lot of assets to purchase it back in the day.
: Jiwani: Weird things started happening after he brought it home, too. For example, sometimes, we'd hear a high-pitched voice coming from the storage room.
: Jiwani: Also, before donating it to the Akademiya, he once shut himself in that same store room and researched it non-stop for days.
: Jiwani: Something was already seriously wrong with him by that point. Nothing he did shocked me.
: Paimon: What do you mean, something wrong with him?
: Jiwani: I only have a vague memory of it, since I was very young at the time. But I have the impression that he went out into the desert for research, and didn't return for many years.
: Jiwani: When he finally did return, he was a changed person — he would mumble incomprehensibly and write essays day and night.
: Jiwani: I asked if I could see what he'd written, but he chased me out of the room. Later, he went out somewhere and took his written essays with him. When he got back, he signed his contract with the Akademiya.
: Jiwani: ...Part of me wonders whether he'd already stopped being my father by that point. Perhaps the man we called "Sachin" was a demon from the desert who was wearing his skin.
: Paimon: Okay, you can stop now! You're creeping Paimon out!
: Jiwani: You can believe me or not, doesn't matter to me — I've told you all I know. But if you do see Sachin, tell him this for me.
: Jiwani: Whatever it is that he's researching out there, he'll always be garbage in my eyes.
: Aarav: You finished? In that case, come with us.
: Aarav: Well, we finally caught the guy behind all this. Thanks for providing us with the critical information.
: Aarav: Do you still have any lingering concerns?
: The "Diadem of Knowledge"...
: Paimon: Yeah, Alhaitham's notes do mention that item...
: Aarav: ...Scribe Alhaitham looked into this matter?
: Aarav: Hmm... Understood. Well, if you believe there to be an issue with the diadem, I'd suggest contacting the organizers and getting them to pause the competitions while we investigate.
: Paimon: That makes sense! Okay then, let's get back to the venue! We need to tell Kareena what's going on!
;(Approach Kareena)
: Paimon: Kareena!
: Kareena: Whew... You're finally back.
: Kareena: Where have you been? I looked everywhere for you... The third round's already started.
: Paimon: We were out capturing some bad guys who wanted to kidnap Sachin...
: Paimon: But that's not important right now! We think there might be something wrong with the Diadem of Knowledge, and we'd like to investigate it!
: Kareena: The Diadem? That seems unlikely.
: Kareena: The Diadem of Knowledge has been used in every Extravaganza over the last two decades, always without incident... Why has this come up now?
: Some new information has come to light.
: Kareena: Hmm. This is pretty serious. Let me think...
: Kareena: Okay, here's the situation: The diadem is currently in Mawtiyima Forest. We moved it there before the third round began.
: Kareena: In the third round, contestants have to go into Mawtiyima Forest, find the diadem, bring it back, and place it on the stand. The first person to do this gets 4 points.
: Kareena: Considering how close the scores are between our contestants, whoever wins this round is very likely to be the winner of the whole competition.
: Kareena: As such, I suspect competition to be very fierce. You might not make it in time...
: We have to give it a shot.
: Kareena: I'll mark the diadem's location for you. Please head there immediately. Let's hope nothing happens...
: Paimon: Alright. Let's go!
;(After the dialogue)
: Paimon: That's weird... The locator's stopped working. Is the forest interfering with it? Ugh, let's just go grab the diadem!
;(Talk to Kareena again, optional)
: Kareena: Why this year...
;(Talk to Alhaitham and Nilou northeast of the Lokapala Jungle Statue of The Seven on the path at ground level, optional)
: Paimon: Alhaitham, Nilou, have you seen any of the other contestants?
: Nilou: No. No one's completed the task yet... Why, has something happened?
: Paimon: There might be a problem with the diadem... Oh, but Alhaitham, you must know something about it, right?
: Alhaitham: Whatever do you mean?
: Paimon: You...! Forget it! We'll go find it first. We'll ask you again later!
:
NPC 3.6 To Claim the Crown Location Alhaitham and Nilou.png|Alhaitham and Nilou's Location
NPC 3.6 To Claim the Crown Location Alhaitham and Nilou Context.png|Additional Context
;(Approach the marked location)
: Paimon: Uh-oh, this place looks empty!
: Paimon: Did someone already take it? Well, we might as well head back and see if anyone's turned it in.
;(Approach Alhaitham and Nilou)
;(A cinematic plays)
::Alhaitham: Huh, looks like Layla has seized the diadem...
::Alhaitham: But getting to the goal won't be easy
:;(Layla defends against Faruzan but loses the Diadem of Knowledge to Wanderer)
::Nilou: Hat Guy enters the fray
:;(Wanderer smashes Faruzan's device out of the air, dodges Tighnari's arrows, and begins to fight Cyno)
::Nilou: Faruzan's device has gone haywire...
::Alhaitham: The competition is heating up
::Alhaitham: Oh?
::Alhaitham: And here's Kaveh, bringing up the rear
:;(Kaveh grabs Faruzan's device when it flies toward him and is rapidly pulled by it toward Wanderer and Cyno)
:;(Wanderer blasts Kaveh)
:;(Cyno knocks the Diadem of Knowledge into the air)
::Nilou: It's Kaveh's toolbox!
::Nilou: Throwing the diadem to its owner...
:;(Kaveh crashes into the ground with the Diadem of Knowledge)
:;(The Diadem of Knowledge begins leaking black wisps)
::Sachin: Yes
::Sachin: That's right
::Sachin: Put the diadem in place...
::Sachin: ...And you shall gain all you desire
::Kaveh: Who are you?
::Kaveh: I need you to get out of my head...!
::Sachin: I am confident
::Sachin: That you will not disappoint me
::Kaveh: What just happened to me...
::Cyno: Something's wrong...
:;(Kaveh places the Diadem of Knowledge onto the stand)
:;(The mysterious man appears in front of Kaveh)
:;(Cinematic ends)
: ???: At long last... Someone to inherit my estate... and with it, my research.
: ???: Come, Kaveh. Come to me, my child...
: Kaveh: ...How do you know my name? Who are you?
: Sachin: I am Sachin. Well, to be precise, I am but a fragment of Sachin's mind.
: Sachin: Fate is a curious thing... Seeing you reminds me of another I once met. But you are made of sterner stuff than he, more cognizant of the trials and tribulations of this world. It is you who are worthy to inherit all that I once owned.
: Sachin: We meet for the first time, children. But what I mean to say now is of utmost importance. So please, pay attention and bear witness.
: Sachin: You have all performed outstandingly in this Interdarshan Championship. The Akademiya has many rare talents among its ranks, and you are the creme of the creme.
: Sachin: But if I were to choose a successor, I would choose you, Kaveh. Not only because you were victorious, but also due to our similarities in character.
: Kaveh: ...Me? Similar to you?
: Sachin: Why, yes. Both of us have the misfortune to be idealists — and that is the source of our misery.
: Sachin: Twenty-eight years ago, I came to the desert and lived there for eight full years. What do you think I saw there? Alas, endless strife and slaughter...
: Sachin: Conflict over water sources, robbing of merchant caravans, exploitation of the people... relentlessly, day after day. Beyond the Wall of Samiel lay a completely different world from the one I knew.
: Sachin: The things I witnessed there tormented me greatly. I wished desperately to find a way to save them.
: Kaveh: ...So? Did you find a way?
: Sachin: As a Vahumana scholar, I tried to use Vahumana knowledge to find the answer.
: Sachin: I researched history and anthropology, performed countless experiments on human nature, and even sought out the scholars living deep in the desert who call themselves the "Lost Darshan"...
: Sachin: But in the end, I found that the answer I sought simply did not exist.
: Sachin: It was not possible to simply assign blame for these transgressions to any one party, for the sins are carved into humanity's very nature. Our nature begets conflict, and conflict begets destruction. This is the inexorable truth.
: Sachin: The aim of my research was to draw lessons from history, but what I discovered was that history offers no such guidance... Things can only ever go from bad to worse!
: Sachin: After this realization, I could no longer see the meaning in anything that I had ever learned. Consumed by an overwhelming sense of emptiness, I could no longer bear to face life... and so I decided to bring my life to an end.
: Sachin: But before I went through with it, a strange twist of fate led me to come into the possession of this diadem, which has the ability to preserve part of one's consciousness. Into it, I placed my experiences, before requesting that the Akademiya manage my estate.
: Alhaitham: As I thought, the contract you signed with the Akademiya was, in essence, your will.
: Alhaitham: But if you'd given up hope on this world, why did you feel the need to do this?
: Sachin: I mentioned that I had performed a great many experiments concerning human nature... You may regard this as the very last experiment of them all.
: Sachin: The Akademiya has no shortage of genius talents, nurturing the brightest minds of every generation. And so, with a handsome reward to draw out the worthiest of individuals, my hope was that one day, I would find one who could untangle the mystery of human nature once and for all, and help to move the world onto a better path.
: Alhaitham: I see, so you desired a successor who was not only a genius, but who also understood the suffering of ordinary people. Such a person would have a clearer understanding of humanity, society, and the world.
: Kaveh: ...
: Alhaitham: But did you ever consider that wealth numbs the human heart to the pain in the world? Even an idealist may be incapable of following through on your wishes after inheriting your wealth.
: Sachin: You are highly intelligent... Yet you are not the sort of person who would understand my line of thinking. To me, this is also part of the experiment — part of my investigation into human nature.
: Sachin: Whether my successor suffers as a consequence of my research or succumbs to an indulgence in pleasure-seeking, my research will have progressed.
: Sachin: I grieve the fundamental sickness of the world, I regret the unbearable weight of its history, and I lament the research that I failed to complete.
: Sachin: And this, Kaveh, my dear child... is why you will be of great utility to me.
: Kaveh: You're... you're absolutely certain that you want to give me everything you owned, for me to do with as I please?
: Sachin: I have faith in what I see in you. Now, wear the diadem, Kaveh, and complete the journey that I could not.
;(A cinematic begins)
:: Sachin: Will the verdict I reached cause you suffering?
:: Sachin: Or will this newfound wealth numb your heart?
:: Sachin: I look forward to your answer.
:: Sachin: All of my research materials are being stored at A—
:;(Kaveh throws the Diadem of Knowledge to the ground, breaking it into pieces)
:: Kaveh: I've heard enough.
:: Kaveh: My life's enough of a mess already.
:: Kaveh: The last thing I need is more suffering.
:: Kaveh: Keep your Mora, I don't need it.
:: Kaveh: Didn't you say that you saw a lot of people in pain?
:: Kaveh: Well if that's the case, then your wealth can go to them.
:;(Sachin dissipates with a smile on his face)
:;(Cinematic ends)
: Kaveh: I guess that'll be the end of that.
: Paimon: Kaveh...
: Tighnari: Are you alright? Any physical discomfort?
: Kaveh: I'm... fine... Ugh...
: Kaveh: Thanks, Tighnari. Don't worry about me.
: Tighnari: Don't push yourself too hard.
: Nilou: Kaveh...
: Alhaitham: Kaveh may have broken the diadem, but he successfully completed the task prior to that.
: Alhaitham: According to the rules, this makes him the victor of round three. Points-wise, this also makes him the winner of the Interdarshan Championship.
: Alhaitham: As the champion, and Sachin's personally designated successor, Kaveh has obtained the rights to inherit the entirety of his estate.
: Alhaitham: For the avoidance of doubt, can you confirm that it is your intention to donate all of Sachin's wealth?
: Kaveh: Like I said... he thought that the world is a bad place. Well then, let's use what he left behind to change it for the better.
: Kaveh: Rejecting the world will achieve nothing. He and I... We're not the same.
: Alhaitham: Alright. As the scribe, I will make a record of this incident on file.
: Alhaitham: The sages will contact you in person for details on how exactly Sachin's estate is to be used.
: Kaveh: ...That sounds fine.
: Kaveh: I don't know if his research findings were right, nor would I know how to finish his research for him.
: Kaveh: But what I do know is that by ending this here, no contestants will have to suffer.
: Kaveh: We won't be the last. There will be more championships to come... and countless future scholars will follow in our footsteps.
: Kaveh: Sachin's words can only cause pain. But... not anymore. No one else has to hear them now.
: Kaveh: We're all scholars here. I know full well that shutting down his views like this is autocratic and arrogant... Fine by me. I'll bear that responsibility.
: Kaveh: It's the least I can do. And, well... it's the only thing I can do.
: Alhaitham: ...
: Alhaitham: Well said. What you've expressed is a sense of justice and idealism that many aspire to, but few dare follow through with.
: Alhaitham: I say this despite the fact that, in my view, it's quite ridiculous. You have long been aware of what your flaws are, but your pride alone prevents you from admitting it.
: Alhaitham: Nevertheless, your perspective is well-suited to appearing in a victory speech. Contestant Kaveh, on behalf of the organizing committee, it is my honor to congratulate you on your victory.
: Kaveh: What? Please. I don't need your insincere praise.
: Kaveh: Anyway, this isn't the time or place for debates. Keep your commentary focused on the competition, not my views.
: Nilou: Congratulations, Kaveh! Also, you'll need to prepare for the award ceremony...
==Cinematic==
A Parade of Providence Event Cutscene Animation- "Crown of Glory" - Genshin Impact
==Soundtracks==
==Other Languages==
==Change History==
es:Lucha por la corona
pt-br:Conquista da Coroa
vi:Cuộc Chiến Vương Miện