The Toy War: Heating Up

The Toy War: Heating Up is an Event Quest during the Mega Meka Melee Event.
==Steps==
# Wait until two days later
# Go to Leschots's workshop
# Talk to Caron, the shop owner
# Go back to Leschots's workshop
==Dialogue==
;(Talk to Arbon or Alberre)
:Arbon: The feedback on the board doesn't look right. Shouldn't we be receiving naught but high praise? It wasn't like this before.
:Alberre: Quite unexpected, yes — I suspect foul play!
:Arbon: Fortunately, our boss has, in his wisdom, prepared a contingency plan!
:Alberre: Well, of course he has. Why else do you think he's the boss?
:Paimon: Arbon, Alberre, is Livre in? He's got something for us, apparently.
:Arbon: Ah, right on time. Here comes the contingency now!
: What contingency?
:Arbon: Well, that's you. That's what the boss said, but he's not here right now, so let us explain.
:Alberre: Just a short explanation, once again.
:Arbon: During the last two days, we released the results of our Champion Duelist Plan to the public.
:Arbon: We've also started pre-orders that will allow people to pay half the price as a deposit and thus qualify for early access.
:Arbon: We also placed an evaluation column — that is to say, the message board at the door of our store — upon which people could leave their profuse praises.
:Alberre: This is what they call "building hype."
:Arbon: Just as the boss expected, our store really did get very popular — but very few people placed pre-orders, and the amount of praise left in the other column was also lamentably low.
:Alberre: "You lack sincerity" this, "where's the internal quality control" that, "get with the times"... Such are the reviews we've gotten.
:Paimon: Looks like the market wasn't quite what you expected, huh?
:Arbon: I fear things are not so simple. We have a saying around here, that where there's smoke, there's fire — that is to say that something never arises from nothing!
:Arbon: In other words, someone is spreading rumors!
:Alberre: Baseless, scurrilous rumors that smear us!
:Arbon: That smear us irresponsibly!
:Alberre: That irresponsibly invent disparaging fictions and defamatory fabrications!
:Arbon: The boss is sure that his brother is the only one who can be behind the smear campaign. Lepaute Horlogerie has the most to be worried about if this plan succeeds, after all.
:Paimon: So, what do you wanna do? Hire us to smear them right back?
:Arbon: Lady Furina above! How could you ever think such a thing?
:Arbon: Our boss is Caron's elder brother, after all! Even if they might stoop to such low and vulgar means, we will defeat them fair and square!
:Alberre: Exactly! Only this way can the elder brother reform his wayward little brother.
: What are we needed for, in that case?
:Arbon: To get them to reveal what they mean by "sincerity" and "internal quality control," of course!
:Paimon: Reveal what now?
:Alberre: Is that not fair? And is Fontaine not the nation of fairness?
:Paimon: That's not what "fairness" means!
:Arbon: The boss said that since everyone seems to think that the other party's packaging has been done with sincerity, we should keep pace with them.
:Arbon: We shall package our Champion Duelists as they package adventurers. Adding that to our wealth of data will guarantee us a comeback victory!
:Paimon: Packaging? Nah, they just turned an adventurer's tale into a toy, that's all.
:Arbon: Ohh, that must be it! Please, ask them what it is! That story must be the packaging we speak of.
:Alberre: I, too, have heard a little something. It seems that while Caron was drunk, he accidentally let slip that this toy was made due to a certain person.
:Arbon: Imagine what a grand tale they must've shared, to inspire such words from him!
:Paimon: Huh, really? Y'know, , Paimon's suddenly kinda curious as to what that story might be. Why don't we try going back and asking?
:Arbon: Will you? Oh, splendid, splendid! We shall leave this in your capable hands, then, Ms. Paimon, .
;(Talk to Arbon or Alberre again, optional)
:Arbon: Did you ask about the story?
:Alberre: I'm counting on you.
;(Talk to Caron)
:Caron: Hello again, dear customers. How have you been? Have you tried out the adventurer toy, by the way?
:Paimon: Hey there, Caron. Actually, we've got some things we wanted to consult you about, and yeah, it's about the toy.
:Caron: Ah, a happy coincidence, then. I enjoy those — like a fortuitous opportunity to nap, or just happening to have enough Mora to buy what you'd like to. Ask away.
: I'd like to hear the story behind this toy.
:Paimon: That's right. We've heard that you based this toy on someone — that's gotta be the adventurer who's the star of this tale, right?
:Caron: Haha, I see, so that's your question. Well, that adventurer did indeed leave a deep impression on me.
:Caron: I met an adventurer in Springvale when I was about to leave Mondstadt. It appeared that he had messed up some sort of meal delivery commission.
:Caron: Apparently, he had encountered several waves of monsters on the way there, and not only had he missed the timing, but the food had also been bumped about. Knowing a thing or two about cooking, I helped him make a new serving.
:Paimon: Well, that sure was nice of you!
:Caron: Well, but that's not all. You might find it hard to imagine, but that one attempt at cooking resulted in all manner of accidents.
:Caron: The firewood got wet... a big hole got gouged in the bottom of the pot, and while I was plating up, I was hit by some flying stones from out of nowhere... One of them even bounced onto my head. Now that one really hurt!
:Caron: Well, the job did eventually get done, albeit with a complaint from the customer that they had cracked a tooth on a stone while eating.
:Caron: Lady Furina above... Surely it wasn't the stone that hit us on the head?
: Uh, was this adventurer's name...
:Caron: Bennett? That was his name — wait, do you two know him as well? Interesting fellow, that one.
:Caron: Later, he took me to all sorts of rarely-visited places in Mondstadt to show his thanks. It was a pretty rough journey, but the uncommonly beautiful sights made it worth the effort.
:Caron: I would've taken him for a travel enthusiast had he not told me that he had discovered those places by losing his footing during adventures, or from getting lost.
:Caron: On the day of my return to Fontaine, he came to say goodbye, and there I asked him if he considered his unlucky disposition bothersome.
:Caron: He just gave me a thumbs-up and said: "The world is full of all sorts of people — and maybe I just happen to be the unluckiest."
:Caron: "But thanks to that, I've also become the bravest person — and that's given me access to sights only I can see."
:Caron: What a brilliant way of putting things. Walking the path of misfortune with a big smile on one's face — perhaps that's the spirit of a true adventurer.
:Paimon: That's right, Bennett's the most adventurous adventurer for sure!
:Caron: Hehe, if bad luck can be infectious, perhaps that adventuring spirit could be too — and with any luck, the latter can spread far further than the former.
:Caron: Heh. I wonder, will this story give you enough material for your report?
:Paimon: Um... How did you figure that one out this time?
:Caron: Where there's smoke, there's fire. That's what we say in Fontaine.
:Caron: If you really wanted to know about this story, you'd have asked the first time. But since you're only doing that now, I can only guess that my brother put you up to it.
:Paimon: So you really did know! Y'know, Paimon doesn't get why Livre would have such a dim view of you. You're pretty smart, and you seem like a nice guy...
:Caron: It's anger, I think. He's probably still mad at me for what he sees as a betrayal.
:Paimon: Eh? Betrayal!?
:Caron: Our family is well-known for our skills in making clockwork devices. I've always been good at making toys of that sort, and while my brother isn't quite as good, he's got a real knack for doing business.
:Caron: Since we both loved toys, we agreed that when we grew up, we would set up the best toy store ever. But it was only when we grew up that we realized that someone had to succeed the family business — that is to say, this shop.
:Caron: My brother had a big fight with our father over that, and he went to strike out on his own. I, on the other hand, was convinced to stay — and is that not a betrayal?
:Paimon: Uh... Does that really count, though?
:Caron: Well, it wasn't a show of adventurousness, that was for sure. I was afraid that if I failed to make a name for myself out there, I'd have to come crawling back to the family business... I just couldn't take that pressure.
:Caron: I've always been like that. I'd be the first to cry when we encountered some hooligans on the streets, but my brother would have me get behind him with a "don't worry, watch me send them flying with my knuckle sandwich!"
:Paimon: Your relationship seems kinda complicated...
:Caron: Well, I suppose that's how things played out, eh?
:Caron: In any case, I'll be here if you have any other questions. You're always welcome here in my store.
;(Talk to Caron, optional)
:Caron: Do you have any other questions?
;(Approach Leschots Clockwork Workshop)
:Arbon: Boss, our two guests have returned.
:Livre: Quick as ever, I see. I suppose you gained much from your investigations?
:Paimon: Huh. Y'know, Livre, why do you always show up later?
:Livre: Heh, well, I suppose I am remiss. I shall strive to come earlier next time. Anyway, about that toy...
:
:Livre: A toy based on an adventurer named Bennett? I see...
:Paimon: And another thing. We didn't ask him, but Paimon thinks your brother didn't badmouth your shop. He doesn't look like the type.
:Livre: Oh? How so?
: He seems to be sorry about something concerning you.
:
:
:Livre: Hmph...
:Livre: If you ask me, I don't think that idiot would do something like that either...
:Paimon: Wait, so what was this whole contingency thing about?
:Arbon: The boss was just looking for an excuse, I suppose.
:Alberre: More likely than not, I say.
:Arbon: Well, he is a businessman. Businessmen have reputations to consider.
:Alberre: And he's the big brother, is he not? A big brother's got a name to uphold, you know.
:Livre: Say any more, or you'll eat my knuckle sandwich.
:Paimon: Haha, Livre's exactly what Caron said he'd be like.
:Livre: Well, dear guests, I was just thinking that I should go pay that idiot a visit.
:Paimon: Whoa, are you gonna put your differences aside and go ask him for advice, then?
:Livre: Of course not. But if he thinks he's betrayed me and feels bad about that, shouldn't I give him the opportunity to apologize to my face?
:Paimon: He did say that... But Paimon doesn't think that that's the sort of betrayal someone needs to apologize for...
:Livre: Well, it's decided... Arbon, there's no need for any further pre-orders. Return all deposits as needed, and keep that evaluation board.
:Arbon: What? Boss! So we're not executing the plan anymore? What about the data collection?
: There's still time to make adjustments.
:Livre: No, the data collection continues. I have other plans for that. And you've got payments to collect, don't you? I always do honest business.
:Paimon: Suspiciously honest, in this case!
:Alberre: Ah, the boss is the boss, even when he's being stubborn.
:Livre: Hmph. I wouldn't call his attitude toward toys completely worthless.
:Livre: I'll pay a visit to Lepaute Horlogerie once the next two days of data collection are complete. I'd like you two to come too, good customers.
:Livre: I've got some other things to settle here in the shop, so if you'll excuse me.
:;(Livre turns and walks into his store.)
:Paimon: Livre's got such an odd temper... He's not really going to ask for an apology, is he?
:Arbon: Well, would you look at that? Our third party has brought about an opportunity for change once again!
:Paimon: Third party?
:Arbon: That's the two of you, of course. Thanks to you, the differences between the two shop owners may yet be resolved. That's what happened previously, too!
: Previously?
:Arbon: Aye! Have you noticed how this shop is separated from Lepaute Horlogerie by the Northland Bank?
:Arbon: Boss originally wanted to set up shop next to Lepaute Horlogerie to compete with them directly.
:Alberre: Now I doubt that they knew about the boss's history when they reserved that space, but in some way, they became a mediator in the conflict, didn't they?
:Paimon: That's super interesting! The Fatui love to meddle in other people's business, but this sort of meddling's a first for sure!
:Arbon: And that's the importance of third parties, just like how a double act still needs an audience.
:Alberre: Well, what about solo acts? Would things work with just one actor and one audience?
:Arbon: Wait, are you trying to betray me too? You'd better watch out for my knuckle sandwich, then!
==Other Languages==
==Change History==
pt-br:Guerra de Brinquedos: Aquecimento!
ru:Игрушечная война: Накал