An Odd Textual Mystery

An Odd Textual Mystery is an Event Quest during the Summertide Scales and Tales Event.
==Steps==
# Go to Sumeru City
# Go to the Akademiya
# Search for clues nearby
# Talk to Layla
# Find Kaveh
# Go to Treasures Street
# Talk to Tighnari
# Go to Treasures Street
# Go to the House of Daena
# Go to the Palace of Alcazarzaray
# Return to the House of Daena
# Catch up to Kaveh as he leaves
==Gameplay Notes==
*During the quest, Wanderer and Nilou disappear from the open world. They will appear again when the quest is completed.
* If the player has not yet completed A Forest of Change, they will not be able to speak with Tighnari.
* If the player has started Annals of the Scarlet Sands, but never finished it Dehya will be busy.
==Dialogue==
;(Approach the marker)
:Paimon: Oh, right! Didn't Collei say Sumeru City has been pretty lively lately? Aren't you even a little curious?
: Eh... Not really.
::Paimon: What—Hey! C'mon, don't be so cold, show Paimon your passion, your passion! You can just think of it as accompanying Paimon to the party, okay...
:: Okay, okay, Paimon. I'll be your chaperone.
: Sounds fun to me.
::Paimon: Right!? Paimon agrees!
:Paimon: Then let's go see what's going on! Um... For our first stop, maybe start with the Akademiya? That's where all the info is, after all.
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Faruzan, optional)
:Faruzan: (Hmph! Next time you borrow books, try to be a bit more careful.)
;(Approach Faruzan)
:Faruzan: ...
:
:Paimon: Look, that's Faruzan over there! Do you think we should ask...
:Faruzan: ...Hmph!
:Faruzan: Ugh! Even just glancing at the borrowing records gives me flashbacks to how awful that book was... How irritating.
:Paimon: Faruzan! What are you doing talking to yourself over here?
:Faruzan: I am Madam Faruzan, after all. It's not out of place for me to mull things over out loud, wouldn't you say? But in this case...
:Faruzan: *sigh* Never mind, forget about it. Why'd the two of you suddenly decide to drop by?
: Well, er, about that... we heard something about a party, and didn't want to miss out...
:Paimon: Collei told us that Sumeru's the place to be now! Apparently tons of interesting things are happening, so we thought we'd ask around. Any idea what she was talking about?
:Faruzan: Interesting things... What might Collei find interesting? Tighnari's tail getting so fluffed up like a ball of tumbleweed? Or Cyno climbing a tree and getting his hood caught on a branch?
:Paimon: Whoa, we really missed all that...?
: Seriously? And nobody thought to tell me?
:Paimon: Still, she said there was something big everyone's been talking about. Can you think of anything... slightly more significant?
:Faruzan: More significant...
:Faruzan: Ah!!
: Is something the matter, Madam?
:Faruzan: Umm, well, err... Ahh! Now that you mention it, it must be what I think it is!
:Faruzan: Recently, rumors have been going around about "a certain book."
:Paimon: Eek, that's a classic horror story opening! It's not some kind of forbidden tome or anything like that, is it?
:Faruzan: Forbidden tome? Ha! As far as I'm concerned, it might as well be. Tell me, have you ever read one of those really, really, really badly-written detective novels?
:Paimon: Uhh...
: Uh... I don't think I have...
::Paimon: Paimon has, Paimon has!
: Ugh... I unfortunately did...
:Faruzan: Tell me exactly how bad it was.
:Paimon: Oohhh, leave this to Paimon! For example, the type where you start off thinking it's a locked room murder mystery, but it actually turns out that the whole building was just moved...
:Faruzan: That's right! Or it's supposed to be based on pure reasoning and logical deduction, but at the end, it turns out that the culprit has some kind of superpower...
:Paimon: Exactly! Or it starts out suuuper serious, but in the second half, it just reveals that everyone lost their memories out of the blue!
:Faruzan: Or it's set in a mountain village in the middle of a snowstorm, and the police officer who's been portrayed as a serious figure throughout the whole story suddenly turns out to be the murderer, without even the slightest hint of foreshadowing!
: You're both being way too specific...
: You'll offend half the crime novelists in Teyvat if you keep going...
:Faruzan: Ahem... My apologies, I let myself get a bit carried away there for a moment. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I did borrow a book like that a few days past.
:Paimon: So you borrowed a badly written book... But that happens to the best of us!
:Faruzan: No, that's the problem. Blizzard-swept mountain villages, superpowers, police officers who turn out to be criminals... This book had it all, and more! Reading it was tantamount to torture.
:Faruzan: And despite how complicated it was, it wasn't engaging in the slightest!
:Faruzan: But there have been all sorts of rumors circulating about this book. Because of the strange marks drawn over all the pages, people are saying that it must be concealing secrets.
:Paimon: Do you think there's treasure involved?
:Faruzan: I'm not sure, but there must be many who believe so. Not only have more and more people been borrowing it, but they've all been specifically asking for "the marked-up copy."
:Paimon: Have you borrowed it too?
:Faruzan: Yes, I have! As you well know, I am a scholar, so it's only natural to have a bit of curiosity.
:Paimon: So, just what secrets does the book at the center of the rumors actually hold?
:Faruzan: I read through carefully from start to finish. Most of the marks are circles, but the beginning and end points of each stroke differ, as does the color of the ink used...
:Faruzan: Most importantly, all the names of people in the book have been circled. Not only that, many of them are adapted from famous figures in Sumeru's history.
:Faruzan: Some speculate that these marks must have been left by different scholars over the eras, each researching the book's secrets, each searching for a name they believed in.
:Faruzan: Others believe that they are a kind of notation made by different people belonging to the same organization, and that the names circled are their code names.
:Faruzan: Still others think that it is some kind of encryption cipher, but even after finishing it, I came no closer to uncovering the mystery. Not only was reading it a complete waste of my time, but sheer absurdity of the shoddy excuse for a plot several times over...
:Faruzan: I was so angry that I returned the book immediately. And when I came to the House of Daena today, I found lots of people skulking around — I suppose they're all still looking for that... thing.
:Paimon: No wonder you zoned out like that. Paimon's guessing you won't be borrowing any more detective novels anytime soon...
:Faruzan: Indeed... *sigh* ...Paimon, , surely the two of you must understand how I feel?
: Yes, I do.
: Don't worry, Madam. I feel your frustration.
:Paimon: What's the book called? We'll borrow it and take a look ourselves.
:Faruzan: It's called "Reasoning Knows Not Time of Day, but Suspense Always Follows a Blizzard."
: ...
: You sure it's a detective novel?
:Paimon: Sounds more like the title of a light novel!
:Faruzan: *sigh* Tell me about it. Anyway, read it at your own risk. It truly is unbearably boring...
;(Talk to Faruzan again, optional)
:Faruzan: Hmm? You want to know what kind of books I like?
:Faruzan: The spectrum is just so broad, I don't know where to start...
----
;(Approach the marked location in the House of Daena)
:Paimon: There's so many books with long titles here, let Paimon have a look... "Working Hard and Vacationing Harder," what the heck?
: "An Atlas of Rare Rainforest-Dwelling Species, Professional Edition"...
: "The Art of the Construction of Coffee Machines"... Who exactly reads these?
:Paimon: "Secrets of the Elemental Sciences"... The book jacket even says, "Expert approved! The former Sage Cyrus praises this as an excellent entry-level book"...
:Paimon: And this one, "A Compilation and Summary of Common Basic Grammar Rules for Rare Languages of Ancient Desert Peoples"... Urk! Now Paimon's dizzy, it's just... so... so many... words...
: C'mon, Paimon! You can learn twenty different...
:Paimon: Huh? Is that Layla over there?
:Paimon: Let's just ask her! She may know something.
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Layla, optional)
:Layla: (But, I was working so hard for so long... Why is there still so much left to be done? Oh no... *sobbing*)
;(Talk to Layla)
:Layla: , Paimon, it's been so long... *yawn* I'm still a bit tired...
:
:Paimon: Didn't sleep well last night?
:Layla: Mmm, I was reading a novel, so I stayed up late.
:Paimon: It wasn't that detective novel that everyone's been talking about, was it?
: The one with the super long name...
:Layla: Huh? Uh, no, if you're talking about "Reasoning Knows Not Time of Day, but Suspense Always Follows a..." ... Umm, follows a...
:Paimon: Blizzard.
:Layla: Oh, right, yes. No, it wasn't that one. Madam Faruzan said it was really dull, so I didn't borrow it.
:Paimon: Oh, so you're not that interested in the book's secrets?
:Layla: I haven't even been able to keep up with my own work, even though I'm up late all the time these days...
:Layla: But way more people have been interested in the book than I ever imagined, seven or eight in a single morning... I feel like a living signboard sitting here like this.
:Layla: Kaveh asked me the same question, so he must be looking for it too? He was even hiding behind a ladder before, looking for something... He looked really embarrassed...
:Paimon: Searching for something, hiding behind a ladder... He must be after Mora! That's gotta be it, so he can hurry up and pay off his debt to...
:Paimon: Wait, no no! Let's just pretend Paimon didn't say anything! Layla, you're really sleepy, right? You must be dreaming this conversation, hehe.
:Layla: I didn't really get it anyway, but if you say so, it's a dream...
:Paimon: Thank you, we'll keep on looking!
:Layla: Okay, see you next time! ...*snore* ... *snore*...
:: (It's not often Layla falls asleep so quickly. Good for her...)
:Paimon: Paimon thinks we should go ask Kaveh now. If he's searching for the book, he must know something.
: But where is he now?
:Paimon: Uh... Good question... But we can try hanging around where he might show up! There's a good chance he's there right now, right?
;(Talk to Layla again)
:Layla: Zzz... Zzz...
----
;(Approach Alhaitham's Home)
:Paimon: ...
: ...
:Paimon: D'you ever think we seem like a pair of thieves? Hiding here to ambush Kaveh, it almost feels like we're here to extort him or something...
:Paimon: Paimon's not sure why that is though, we just want to ask him a couple of questions, that's all...
: Don't make it sound like we're the baddies...
: When have you ever been bothered by your conscience?
:Paimon: Eh? That sounds like footsteps! Quick, let's take a look!
:Paimon: Stop right there, Ka...
:Alhaitham: ...
:
:Paimon: Huh? Alhaitham? What are you doing here?
:Alhaitham: Good question. Surprising indeed — I was under the impression that you knew I lived here.
: Good morning.
:Alhaitham: Good morning. What can I do for you?
:Paimon: Uhh, we... Umm... Nothing, never mind!
:Alhaitham: Oh? Goodbye then.
:Paimon: He just left... Does he have work to do or something?
:: (Footsteps, again? They're heading towards the door.)
: Stop right there, Kaveh!
:Kaveh: Waaah! What in the... What are you two doing here?
:
:Paimon: Good question. Surprising indeed — Paimon was under the impression that you'd know the only reason we'd be here was if we were looking for you!
:Kaveh: Paimon, you don't sound like yourself.
: Looking for a certain book, by any chance?
:Kaveh: Wait, what!?
:Paimon: Here's the deal...
:
:Kaveh: ...How is it you guys know everything? Gah, and there I was, thinking I'd been super discreet the whole time. No one should even have noticed...
:Paimon: C'mon, get real! You really think that no one knows you live here?
:Kaveh: Hey, that's not fair! Of course nobody knows, except for Cyno, Tighnari, Collei, and the two of you... right?
:Kaveh: Friends are friends, so if they know... well, they know! But what if a stranger overheard us? It would be a disaster! It might even impact my career...
:Kaveh: Anyway, about that book...
:Paimon: You believe it contains intel about hidden treasure, doncha? Looking to get rich quick, are we?
:Kaveh: Uh... Umm... Yeah... Are you offering to help find it?
:Paimon: Shucks, why didn't you say so earlier! So there really is treasure! How about this — we help you find it, then split the loot 50-50. It's a deal!
:Paimon: , after all we've been through, it's finally our turn to get rich! No need to keep yapping — hidden treasure, the Paimon-probe's homin' in on ya!
:Kaveh: Huh? Hey, Paimon!
----
:Paimon: Huh? Is that... Dehya?
:Dehya: Must be my lucky day, running into you like this.
:
:Paimon: Dehya, you mercenaries are pretty tuned into the grapevine. Have you ever heard of a book called "Reasoning Knows Not Time of Day, but Suspense Always Follows a Blizzard"?
:Dehya: Wait, you guys are looking for it too?
:Paimon: By "too", you don't mean... you're looking for it, too!? Darn, it does... so, does that mean we're finally gonna have to square off against Dehya?
:Dehya: ...Wait a minute, would you mind telling me exactly why you're looking for it?
:
:Dehya: ...
:Dehya: If it really does turn out to be something important, I'll be sure to let you know if I hear anything.
:Paimon: Whoa, r—really!? From your reaction before, Paimon thought you were after it too.
:Dehya: Don't worry. A client had asked me to get her the book, but her attitude seemed off somehow, so I didn't take the commission.
:Dehya: She's a smart cookie, though, and it was like she was hiding something, so I thought she must have had an ulterior motive. Besides, I have other things to look into right now.
:Dehya: Compared to some commission, it's more important that you uncover the truth behind that book. Anyway, no time to lose — I've gotta get going.
:Paimon: Alright then, good luck! And don't forget to tell us if you hear anything!
:: (I wonder who Dehya's client could be?)
:Kaveh: Hey—!
:Kaveh: *panting* Ha... *panting*... How are you so fast?
:Paimon: Flying's faster than running?
: Sorry, it's a "traveler" thing...
: Having been through so much, I run fast...
:Kaveh: Alright, listen to me... *huff*... It's, it's like this...
:Kaveh: Paimon... don't get your hopes up. That book... It isn't some kind of treasure map. It's just an unbelievably unremarkable, surpassingly ordinary detective novel.
:Paimon: Huh? But... Didn't you just say there was treasure? If most people backtracked like that, Paimon'd just think they'd changed their mind and wanted to keep all the Mora for themselves... but that's not something you'd do!
:Kaveh: No, that's... I, uh... *sigh* I'm sorry, I just couldn't bring myself to tell you earlier, so I played along with what you were saying.
:Kaveh: Here's what happened... I borrowed the book a month ago. When I opened it to the first page, I discovered one of the names was printed incorrectly.
:Kaveh: That night, I'd been drinking — just a little — and I was starting to feel drowsy, so I picked up a pen, and circled the name.
:Kaveh: As I'm sure you know, the House of Daena allows borrowers to annotate the books they take out. I'm in the habit of doing that too, so at the time, I didn't give it a second thought.
:Kaveh: But after I was a dozen or so pages in, I realized that the names of all the characters in the book had intentionally been written slightly wrong.
:Kaveh: Maybe it would be more accurate to say that the novel itself was... quite strange. All the characters' names were based on real historical figures, but rather than using their original names, they had been tweaked ever so slightly...
:Kaveh: Most people would assume that the author had made a mistake or that there'd been a printing error when they saw spelling mistakes like that.
:Kaveh: I didn't find the content particularly appealing, so I returned it before I finished reading it.
:Kaveh: But later on, I heard that the book had suddenly become the talk of the town, and that there were rumors about mysterious treasure or something...
: And you thought it had something to do with you?
:Paimon: It certainly does sound like it.
:Kaveh: Yeah... And I also heard that now, all the names in the book have been circled, not just one.
:Kaveh: I just haven't been able to figure out what in Teyvat must have happened after I returned it.
: Did you tell anyone else that you borrowed it?
:Kaveh: Let me think... Uhh, Tighnari?
:Kaveh: Last time we met, I also told him all about how poorly parts of the book were written. He said I'd made it sound pretty funny — so much so, in fact, that he suddenly wanted to take a look himself.
: You made it sound like it was "so bad it's good"!
:Paimon: In that case, let's go find Tighnari!
:Kaveh: That's fine with me, but I still have some work to finish up, and it's pretty urgent. How about I head back first and we can meet up again later once I'm done?
:Paimon: No problem, hope your work goes well!
:Kaveh: Me too, thanks! See you later then.
----
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Tighnari, optional)
:Tighnari: (I've been wanting to read some popular science books lately...)
;(Approach Tighnari in Gandharva Ville)
:Paimon: Over there, over there! Hey, Tigh—na—riiii—
:Tighnari: I heard you, I heard you! How's it going, and Paimon? You guys sure look excited.
:
:
:
:Tighnari: Ah, that one... Yes, I did go to the House of Daena to borrow it. Kaveh said it wasn't worth reading, but I was curious, so I went and read it anyway.
:Tighnari: The problem was, there were already two names circled in the book I borrowed, and the style each circle was different.
:Tighnari: It was like some kind of game — someone had drawn a red circle around the name of the first character that appeared, then someone else had drawn a green circle around another name.
:Paimon: So, in the time between Kaveh returning the book and you taking it back out again, someone else had already annotated it?
:Tighnari: That's right.
:Paimon: Paimon's sure that the first circle was drawn by Kaveh.
:Tighnari: Yes, no surprise there.
:Tighnari: If you stop and think about it for but a second, guessing the identity of the second annotator should be trivial.
:Paimon: Wait, you mean it was...
:Tighnari: If there are two people living in a house, and one of them drew the first circle, then it's highly likely that the other person left a mark too.
: Good point.
:Tighnari: *sigh* Sometimes, those two really are too much. In the end, it is as I suspected from the beginning. The first character whose name had been circled on the very first page turned out to be the murderer.
:Tighnari: Surely that's just a blatant spoiler? Like that joke where someone opens a novel and bam, there's a note in the margin that spoils everything right from the start.
:Paimon: What kind of a joke would be so cruel...?
:Tighnari: That was one of Cyrus's. And it wasn't just a joke — he said he actually pulled a stunt like that when he was younger.
: ...
:Paimon: ...
:Paimon: Who was unlucky enough to borrow the book after he'd scribbled all over it?
:Tighnari: My Master, Naphis, and Professor Zaha Hadi, who had a seminar with him that very afternoon.
:Tighnari: Cyrus said that Master once threatened to give him a good beating by the side entrance of the House of Daena. It was only thanks to my mother and Professor Zaha Hadi intervening that it didn't happen...
:Paimon: Paimon doesn't sympathize with Cyrus at all! Not one bit!
:Tighnari: The House of Daena has never stopped people from annotating books, but this seemed like a special case. I didn't think the book could be allowed to keep circulating like that.
:Tighnari: So, I circled several names myself, laying a false trail.
:Paimon: Uh...
:Tighnari: The best place to hide a leaf is in the forest. It's a simple principle.
:Paimon: Uhh, well, when you put it like that, but still...
: How many names did you circle, Tighnari?
:Tighnari: Let me think... Not too many, about three or four? I chose them all randomly.
:Paimon: Then who circled the other names in the book?
:Tighnari: There must have been others who borrowed it and did something similar, I'm just not sure why.
:Paimon: Who'd have thought borrowing books could be so complicated...
;(After the cutscene)
:Paimon: Alright, let's go see if there's any other clues. We'll definitely be able to find out more by asking around.
;(Talk to Tighnari again)
:Tighnari: It seems there's a story behind that story...
----
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Candace, optional)
:Candace: (I haven't been around here in a long time. It hasn't changed a bit.)
;(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Dehya, optional)
:Dehya: (Sure didn't expect things to turn out like this. I'll have to be a bit more careful next time.)
;(Approach Candace and Dehya at Puspa Café)
:Paimon: Look, there's Dehya! Let's tell her what the real story is.
:Paimon: Huh? Candace is there too.
:Dehya: ...So, I need to reflect a little on what I did.
:Paimon: What happened?
:Candace: To meet you here today is surely due to the guidance of the gods.
: Greetings.
:Paimon: Candace, is this a personal trip?
:Candace: Today's trip to the city is to buy provisions for the people of Aaru Village, as well as help Miss Setaria deliver a message to the sages of the Akademiya while I'm here.
:Candace: On the way, I happened to see Dehya sitting in the cafe looking down, so I came over to chat with her.
:Dehya: Don't worry, it's nothing serious. It's just that I suddenly remembered a few details about that book after talking with you.
:Dehya: Before that client had even contacted me, I'd heard rumors of an exciting novel full of undiscovered secrets. Out of curiosity, I asked Cyno to take it out for me.
:Dehya: As a desert-dweller, and a mercenary to boot, the idea of solving a mysterious treasure map is pretty exciting.
:Paimon: Mm-hmm, Paimon totally gets that.
:Candace: We inherited our custom of searching for the gold and wisdom in the sands from the gods themselves.
:Dehya: But that book turned out to be dry as dust. A bunch of names had been circled, but I still couldn't figure out what the puzzle was supposed to be despite reading the whole thing through carefully from start to finish.
:Dehya: In the end, I started to think it was some kind of ritual, or game, or something, so I picked up a pen and drew a circle of my own.
: ...
:Dehya: But later on, Miss Dunyarzad asked her parents to find a way to borrow it for her. She said the mysterious markings fascinated her, even though she couldn't get into the book itself.
:Dehya: If they were just regular annotations, it wouldn't be anything out of the ordinary, but these strange circles... You can't help but want to try and figure out what they might mean.
:Candace: That's true. So, Dehya, what you're reflecting on is having accidentally interfered with other people's reading experiences, is that correct?
:Dehya: Mm-hmm.
:Paimon: Wait, hold on a second! Why did you tell Candace?
:Dehya: She's a warrior, you know. Sometimes she has to interrogate criminals and other things like that too. Everyone recognizes that her job is sacred, so when we need to think over what we've gone wrong, we'll talk to her about it.
:Candace: Please, don't be too surprised, my dear . To me, listening to other people's mistakes is just another way of protecting them.
:Candace: By speaking of your own mistakes and hearing sincere advice in return, improvement will come, over time. That's the way we do things.
:Paimon: But... all she did was draw a circle, and it's not like she was deliberately trying to mess with anyone... Beside, everyone agrees that the book itself is just bad. Don't worry about it, Dehya.
:Dehya: Hmm, that's true. I was just telling Candace how bizarre it is...
:Candace: But be that as it may, it doesn't change the fact that it just ain't right to mess with someone else's enjoyment of a book. That's the bottom line.
:Candace: Anyway, Dehya, please have faith that the gods will forgive your transgression.
:Candace: Besides, you told me about a part of the story where one of the suspects in the case ended up crawling out of the village on his hands and knees, and he was named... "Al-Ahmal."
:Dehya: That's right. The detective in the book argued that he must have leapt across the broken bridge like a frog. Of course, you find out later on his conjecture was totally off base.
:Paimon: Why's that?
:Dehya: Because it turns out that "Al-Ahmal" has a superpower, so he could float right across the broken bridge.
:Paimon: ...What the heck is the book even about? It sounds completely ludicrous.
:Candace: "Al-Ahmal"... It's simply too reminiscent of the good name of King Deshret, don't you think? Though considering how transgressive this book sounds, I don't think it's worth overthinking it.
:Dehya: You're right. *sigh* Y'know, I can't help but wonder what our friends at the Temple of Silence would say if they somehow got their hands on this book.
:Candace: I'm sure those sages would be able to unpack interesting ideas from the text we ordinary people could scarce dream of.
:Paimon: It's normal for there to be bridges outside blizzard-swept mountain villages, and normal for them to get broken, but for a person to cross one by floating through the air... Why resort to such a lame plot device?
: Is it really a serious detective novel?
: Sounds more like something out of a comic strip...
:Paimon: Paimon's starting to get where Faruzan was coming from. If you'd gotten all excited about reading a detective novel, but ended up reading tripe like that instead... Ugh, better not to even think about it.
: So, where's the book now?
:Dehya: Not sure. I returned it after I was done reading it, and back then, there weren't as many markings inside as the rumors say there are.
:Paimon: Alright, then Detective Paimon is still on this case!
;(After the cutscene)
:Paimon: Paimon's feeling lost... Maybe we should head back to the House of Daena?
;(Talk to Candace or Dehya again)
:Dehya: *sigh* Who could've predicted this?
:Candace: It is precisely because it is unpredictable that you shouldn't blame yourself.
----
;(Enter the House of Daena)
:Paimon: Hello! Has "Reasoning Knows Not Time of Day, but Suspense Always Follows a Blizzard" been returned yet?
:Katayoun: There are two copies of this book — one's been marked up, the other hasn't. I'm guessing you're looking for the one with the marks?
:Paimon: Oh! You saw right through us...
:Katayoun: Many others have asked for it too. I apologize though, it seems it hasn't been returned yet. Please come back again later.
:Paimon: Can't you at least tell us who borrowed it?
:Katayoun: Well... As long as it isn't overdue, we'll wait patiently for it to be returned.
:Katayoun: Disclosing borrowers' identities without proper reason for doing so would be a violation of professional ethics, so you'll have to forgive me for keeping that information confidential.
:Paimon: You've got a point. It would be terrible if someone looking to steal a book started harassing whoever had borrowed it...
:???: Hey, you two look as confused as a couple of Aranara who've just run into each other headfirst. Are you looking for something? I can help.
:Paimon: That's Nahida's voice!
: Hi there!
:Paimon: Nahida! Have you heard of a book called "Reasoning Knows Not Time of Day, but Suspense Always Follows a Blizzard"?
:Nahida: Such a long name... But, yes, I know the one you mean.
:
:Nahida: I heard that everyone was looking for it, and it sounded fascinating, so I found a brand-new copy to read myself.
:Paimon: By "brand-new," do you mean it wasn't the copy with all the markings on it?
:Nahida: Yes, that's right. I was more interested in the content of the book itself than all those rumors about hidden treasure, so an unmarked copy was all I needed.
:Nahida: Speaking of which, it's funny — there's more than one copy of this book, but everyone's looking for the one where all the names have been circled. Are they all afraid of spoilers, or do they actually crave them?
:Paimon: Ohhh, then do you know who has the copy with the markings right now?
:Nahida: I just so happen to have seen it in the hands of one of your friends. If you're looking for the copy that's sparked all the rumors, you should look around near the Palace of Alcazarzaray.
----
;(Approach Cyno, Dori, and Sethos)
:Paimon: Is that... Huh? Dori, Cyno... and Sethos?
:Dori: Aaaaah! Darn you, General Mahamatra, entrapment isn't gonna work! You can't do that!
:
:Sethos: Hey, what do you mean by "entrapment"?
:
:Sethos: You were the one who said you had the book. I said I wanted to read it, then you agreed to meet me here. Cyno showing up too was just a coincidence, pure coincidence!
:Dori: You, you... Don't play games with me, I know who you are! You're that new kid Sethos, right? I know you're a friend of Cyno's.
:Sethos: Huh, so you do know who I am.
:Dori: I saw how Cyno was chasing you around, trying to get you to play cards, and how you found an excuse to run off after a couple of rounds right after. That left quite an impression.
:Sethos: You didn't have to mention that...
:Cyno: No, I think Dori's right about that. You always look for a way out when it comes to playing Invokation — it's becoming quite a problem.
:
:Cyno: and Paimon, you've been standing there for quite a while.
:Dori: Oh! I—If it isn't... if it isn't my dear and Paimon! What brings the two of you to the Palace of Alcazarzaray?
:Dori: Might it be that you have come to do business with me, the Lord Sangemah Bay? Hahaha, of course, of course! Please, give me a moment to conclude our business here, then I'll be with you straight away.
:Dori: Anyway, General Mahamatra, as I am sure you are well aware, the means by which I had someone borrow this book from the House of Daena were both completely legal and perfectly reasonable.
:Dori: Seeing as it isn't yet time to return it, you have no right to forcibly seize a book I borrowed!
:Cyno: That would only be the case had you not engaged in any irregular activities.
:Cyno: Yet just now, a buyer — Sethos — came to the Palace of Alcazarzaray on the basis of a mysterious message to meet a seller, hoping in vain to purchase a detective novel.
:Dori: What do you mean, "buyer"? He's one of your people! You sent him here to deliberately try to buy it and entrap me!
:Cyno: That is not something I can acknowledge. What I can tell you is that I've had my eyes on this book for some time. Remember, it is forbidden to transfer or sell books from the House of Daena without explicit approval from the relevant authorities.
:Dori: Hmph! I'm not selling anything, just to be clear. I'm just making the most of an opportunity. If someone pays me a little something on the side, I lend them this mysterious little novel to "browse" for a bit.
:Dori: If you don't believe me, just ask any of my custom... Er, I mean, curious readers! Yes, that's right, you're readers. Anyway, I was just showing him the book.
:Cyno: ...Is that so? And here I was thinking you were really going to go through with an illegal transaction like this, Sethos.
:Dori: Huh? Wait, what? You two really aren't together?
:Sethos: ...*sigh* I was just really curious about this book. I finally managed to track it down, but Cyno... It's true that Dori never actually said she wanted to "sell" the book.
:Cyno: ...Tsk. So she isn't the mastermind who started all this?
:Dori: The mastermind...? Hehehe, so by your own account, it looks like you might've jumped the gun a bit, General Mahamatra. I'm not handing the book over.
:Cyno: Hmph. You may think you've played an ace, Dori. But when you opened the book just now, I saw the truth revealed before me... the book's return date is today!
:Dori: Ugh...!
:Paimon: That Cyno's sure got sharp eyes!
:Cyno: That's right, I do have good vision. You have less than half an hour before the book is overdue. Give it to me, and I will return it.
:Dori: Hmph... How could I... Just hand it over to you like that... This is a mysterious, super awesome mega-amazing paragon of illogical detective novels that is practically a treasure! I'm gonna make a fortune off of it!
:Sethos: Should you really be admitting that out loud...?
:Dori: I didn't say I was going to sell it! It's not like I was being serious.
:Sethos: Then how about this? Dori, Cyno, why don't you two play a little game, with the book as the stakes?
:Cyno: That's one way of solving it. How about it, Dori? Do you dare accept the challenge? If you win, I'll turn a blind eye to the book for the time being. And if you lose, you have to hand it over.
:Dori: Oh? Sounds interesting. Very well, I'm in. What's the contest?
:Sethos: Are both of you confident in your powers of mental recall?
:Dori: My memory's not bad.
:Cyno: Yes.
:Sethos: And you have both read the contents of this book, correct?
:Cyno: That's right.
:Dori: Huh? Cyno, you've actually read it? Oho! Well, needless to say, so have I.
:Sethos: In that case, I'll just open up the book and flip through a few pages, and you tell me how many names have been circled. Best out of three wins. Sound good?
:Dori: Ehhhh!? That's nuts!
:Cyno: What, chickening out?
:Dori: No, it's game on. Let's go!
:Sethos: Good. In that case, the first page.
:Dori: Six!
:Cyno: Six.
:Sethos: Both correct! Next, the second page.
:Dori: Hmm... I think it was four?
:Cyno: I'd say four.
:Sethos: Oh! Both of you are right again! Two draws, so it all hangs on the next question. Listen up!
:Dori: Oh?
:Sethos: —Page 61.
:Dori: Ehh? What!? That... I... uh... I... don't quite remember... um, seven?
:Cyno: I know. The answer is... five!
:Sethos: Absolutely correct! The answer is five.
:Dori: Urk! Cyno, i—is your memory really that good? I'm not buying it!
:Paimon: How did you do that?
:Cyno: It's not actually because I have a good memory, but because the circling of the names left a deep impression on me.
:Cyno: After I borrowed it, I noticed the names on the first few pages had been selectively circled by different people.
:Cyno: Each person's penmanship was different, and moreover, I recognized three of the circles as having been drawn by Tighnari. Few others use the same color of ink as he does, so it was instantly recognizable.
:Paimon: You even know that?
:Cyno: Yes, I learned of that habit of his long ago. At that time, I had just been promoted General Mahamatra, and would go to a secret base when I wanted to get through all the trivial tasks in my in-tray at once with minimal disturbances.
:Cyno: I would often find Tighnari hidden away on a tree there, doing his homework. Noticing the writing implements he favored wasn't exactly detective work. In all these years, he's never once changed the ink he uses.
:Cyno: Back to that book. Anyone who's read it knows that the first name circled is the real murderer. Perhaps Tighnari did not want the plot to be spoiled for anyone else, so he circled other names.
:Cyno: Annotating or marking a book is not in itself a violation of book-borrowing regulations. But why are all the other marks there? Is there some conspiracy behind them? What do they have to do with Tighnari?
:Cyno: I want to get to the bottom of this, even it's just for the sake of my friend. And to uncover the secret, you must become a part of the conspiracy. So, I circled all the other names that were left in the book!
:Dori: Wha—!? To think you'd do such a thing... So there's no treasure at all, it was just you guys all along!
:Cyno: That's right. Should you wish to hide a grain of sand, bury it in the desert. And in that grain of sand, I can catch a glimpse of the truth.
:Cyno: And so you were drawn to it, making your plans, yet in a twist of fate, were discovered by me. No matter how vast this world is, you cannot run from the long arm of the law.
:Dori: Wow, you're making a meal out of this, aren't you? You really, really... have way too much time on your hands. Okay, I give up, you win.
:Dori: *cough* Ahem! That's enough for today. It is time for Lord Sangemah Bay to return to her room for some repose. Farewell, all!
:Cyno: So, do you intend to take this book back to the Temple of Silence?
:Sethos: I'd heard there was treasure hidden inside, and thought it might have something to do with the Temple. I never thought that was the real story behind it.
:Sethos: But when you agreed to compete, I had already surmised you were familiar with this book. That's why I chose that particular format.
:Cyno: Brilliant move, bro!
:Cyno: Hmm? What's with that look?
:Paimon: We're just thinking... There have been more twists and turns in the story behind the book than in the actual story itself...
:Sethos: Well, as long as you got it back! I'll leave uncovering the rest of the secrets to you, and take my leave for now. See you later, everyone!
: Can I borrow the book?
:Cyno: Of course.
:
:
:
:Cyno: ...How unexpected. But still, it does make sense. And it is far better than the existence of an actual conspiracy.
:Cyno: In that case, I still have other plans. Last time I was at Caravan Ribat, I promised I'd meet Dehya and Candace for drinks. , could I trouble you to return the book for me?
: Sure, leave that to me.
:Cyno: Thanks, friend.
----
;(Enter the House of Daena)
:Paimon: Well, we're finally back. Now, let's return this book...
:Kaveh: You really found the book? Amazing! I've been waiting here for it to be returned, so I could see it as soon as possible!
:
:Kaveh: Ah!? Seriously? How is that even possible? I... I... I circled the actual murderer!?
:Paimon: Paimon's pretty surprised by this whole thing too...
:Kaveh: ...Let's just take care of the book problem first.
:Kaveh: Hello, this book, it, um... It's probably all my fault for using permanent ink to mark a page, since that caused a whole mess of other things to happen...
:Kaveh: Now it's all marked up like this, and there's even a risk of those marks spoiling the story, so I'd like to buy it. The whole issue should be avoidable if the Akademiya uses the money to buy a new copy.
:Kaveh: Would you please consider my proposal?
:Katayoun: ...Mr. Kaveh, your idea has merit, and it is indeed a good way to resolve this situation. I'll confirm the book's price now, and then you can pay over there.
:Kaveh: That's great. Thank you so much!
:
:
:Kaveh: What a blunder... Regardless, thank you so much for all your help.
:Paimon: It was nothing, we were just kind of along for the ride! Still, Kaveh, it'd be better if you used something more erasable to make notes in the future...
:Kaveh: I understand! I'll never let myself subconsciously correct typesetting errors, ever again...
:Kaveh: No! I mean, I'll never again borrow a book with such a long name... At least for a while!
----
:Kaveh: Ah, Alhaitham! You're here! I was looking everywhere for you.
:Alhaitham: What is it?
:Kaveh: Haha, guess what I've got in this little bag here?
:Alhaitham: If I had to guess— A young man's tears of regret.
:Kaveh: And what would you know! It's "Reasoning Knows Not Time of Day, but Suspense Always Follows a Blizzard."
:Alhaitham: You actually bothered to memorize a ridiculous and boring name like that?
:Kaveh: That's just because when I was filling out the paperwork to buy it back at the Akademiya's office, I had to write it out over and over.
:Alhaitham: Then it looks like this book has a new owner.
:Kaveh: Only because I subconsciously marked up the book with ink!
:Kaveh: Did you know that Tighnari, Dehya, and Cyno all circled names in the book? And it all started because the name I circled was the real killer.
:Alhaitham: Ah. To be perfectly honest, the moment I first saw the murderer's name circled, I knew this would happen.
:Kaveh: Wait a second, how come you've read the book too?
:Alhaitham: I had the pleasure of reading it in the House of Daena. The logic is a mess, it's just poorly written.
:Alhaitham: And you left the book out in the study.
:Kaveh: So you knew I circled the killer? Then... then did you circle any names in the book?
:Alhaitham: What do you think?
:Kaveh: ...So you did?
:Alhaitham: The second one is mine.
:Kaveh: Why!?
:Alhaitham: The best way to avoid spoilers is to add a red herring.
:Kaveh: Then why just one? Tighnari circled three!
:Alhaitham: I already significantly reduced the probably of the murderer's identity being spoiled for the next reader, that's more than enough. No need to worry about things that are beyond saving.
:Kaveh: And just why isn't it necessary?
:Alhaitham: Using permanent ink to circle a name on the first page. That's obviously beyond saving.
:Kaveh: What kind of logic is that? I bet you just drew your circle for fun!
:Alhaitham: If I must say so, then it's because the circling of the names is far more interesting than the book itself.
:Kaveh: ...*sigh* Fair point.
:Kaveh: In the end, I only have myself to blame for using up all my pencils... I need to go buy some more.
:Alhaitham: Congratulations. This one-of-a-kind, out-of-print book, personally penned by the hands of so many, is now yours.
:Kaveh: Do you think I look happy about it!? *sigh* I don't even want it...
:Paimon: Ahaha... If it was Paimon, she wouldn't want it either!
:: (That's a no from me too...)
==Trivia==
* The premise of this world quest was teased by Kaveh's 2024 birthday mail.
==Other Languages==
==Change History==
es:Un misterio entre líneas
pt-br:Mistérios Estranhos
ru:Тёмная текстуальная тайна