The Truth of What Was

The Truth of What Was is the fourth part of .
==Steps==
# Take a look around the Court of Fontaine
# Go to the place you agreed upon with Sigewinne
# Talk to Sigewinne
==Dialogue==
;(Approach the group)
: Calcagni: The wait is over, everyone! The sale of our new skincare product, Romaritime Essence, will now begin!
: Paimon: Another skincare promotion? And it's selling as fast as last time! Wonder what people would think if they knew what was in that last batch...
: Paimon: Oh, Sigewinne's here too!
: Paimon: Hey, Sigewinne!
: Sigewinne: Oh, , Paimon, hello! I hope you two got a good rest yesterday after all your hard work?
: Paimon: Of course! Nurse's orders, right? ...Anyway, are you here to take notes for your next article?
: Sigewinne: Actually, I'm mostly here to help Officer Morgane wrap up yesterday's case.
: Paimon: Ah, that reminds Paimon... That stuff sold like crazy, didn't it! Is it gonna cause huge problems?
: Sigewinne: Nope, there's nothing to worry about. Unless modified, Butterfly Dew is an excellent skincare product that's completely safe to use.
: Sigewinne: Besides, officers have already retrieved all Butterfly Dew purchased on the market. Now, it's just a matter of disposal.
: Sigewinne: After consulting Monsieur Neuvillette, I came up with a way to neutralize any harmful effects, so it'll evaporate naturally without polluting the water or soil.
: Paimon: Wow! It's Sigewinne to the rescue again!
: Morgane: Thank you for serving as our consultant, Head Nurse. All the Butterfly Dew we recovered has been disposed of according to your instructions.
: Sigewinne: Great. Good job, everyone.
: Morgane: Also, you mentioned you wanted a copy of Rawat's interrogation records... Well, technically Potton's records... Anyway, I have them with me. Here.
: Morgane: After he saw his mother for the last time, it was like all his mental defenses came crashing down. He put up no resistance during the interrogation, and answered all our questions. We learned a lot.
: Morgane: Apparently, the formula was something he discovered by chance while helping the criminal gang produce Sinthe. Later, he came up with the idea to dilute it and use the resulting substance as a skincare product.
: Morgane: Their supplier was Vacher — but you could also argue that they were the ones doing him a favor. His operation helped Vacher's gang dispose of an enormous amount of evidence.
: Morgane: It made for a seamless collaboration. One man's trash was another man's treasure, and there were no loose ends. It's no wonder we never noticed what Potton's gang was up to.
: Paimon: Vacher again, huh... Is there still no end to the harm he caused?
: Morgane: Make no mistake, the crimes of Vacher and his accomplices will come to an end. It's only a matter of time.
: Morgane: Since the flood cut off their supply of Primordial Seawater, they've been forced to resort to riskier methods — like using their private reserve to attack people on the street. Naturally, those attempts all ended in failure.
: Morgane: After receiving numerous reports, we were able to zero in on the gang and eventually round them up.
: Paimon: That sounds more like it!
: Morgane: Based on what he told us in his confession, we pretty much had him backed into a corner, even though he made a point of distancing himself from the gang while disguised as Rawat.
: Morgane: He tried to throw us off his tail by reporting his accomplices, giving him enough time to transform back into Potton and see his mother one last time.
: Morgane: But, there was one thing he hadn't anticipated... Even though "Potton" had been missing for a long time, we were very much still on the lookout for him. So the moment he appeared in public after changing back to his original appearance, we caught him.
: Paimon: So he tried this once before, huh? Guess he really did want his mother to see him again. But in the end...
: Sigewinne: ...Looking at the interrogation records, it seems like he spent the first sum of money he earned as Rawat on his mother's treatment.
: Morgane: Yes, which is why I suspect that his initial motive for using the potion was not personal greed, but a desire to become somebody who had the power to save her.
: Morgane: Even so, he went too far. In the end, he got what he deserved.
: Sigewinne: I understand. Thank you for bringing me these records.
: Paimon: Why did you want them, anyway?
: Sigewinne: Potton was one of my patients, so I need to put together a medical file for him. My teacher always stressed that a person's life experiences are just as important to their file as their medical history.
: Paimon: Why are you still treating him like your patient? Isn't he kinda beyond redemption now?
: Sigewinne: That may be true, but a patient is a patient, regardless of the choices that bring them to my care.
: Morgane: Ah, one last thing, Head Nurse. Please keep everything you know about this potion a secret.
: Morgane: It would be for the best if most of Fontaine knows nothing of its existence. I know my fellow officers and I will be able to sleep easier if that's the case.
: Sigewinne: Of course. Not to worry.
: Morgane: Thank you for understanding. I'll take my leave, then.
: Paimon: So Sigewinne, did you really use that potion yourself?
: Sigewinne: Why do you sound so surprised, Paimon? I told you all about it. It was quite a while ago now.
: Paimon: Uhh... You mean that story about the witch and the potion? So it was really, actually, genuinely a true story?
: Sigewinne: Yes. It really, actually, genuinely was.
: Paimon: But...
: The process of making that potion...
: Sigewinne: I know. There are some secrets I can't tell anyone about. But considering everything we've been through together, I know I can trust you with them.
: Sigewinne: Before I tell you, though, could you follow me somewhere? I want to pay my respects to an old friend.
: Paimon: Of course!
;(Talk to Calcagni, optional)
: Calcagni: Stocks are running low, so purchase soon to avoid disappointment!
----
;(Approach Neuvillette and Wriothesley)
: Paimon: Oh... Neuvillette and Wriothesley! They're here too!
: Neuvillette: Good to see you, , Paimon. I trust all has been going well for you.
: Wriothesley: Big news, everyone: The Iudex is out of his office on important business.
: Neuvillette: Hmm? Is that genuinely something people would consider "big news"?
: Wriothesley: Why wouldn't they? Important business is a big deal.
: Neuvillette: Ah... Yes, you're quite right. When someone you care about requires emotional support, being there for them at the right time and place is of the utmost importance.
: Neuvillette: After reading the Marechaussee Phantom's reports, I had a feeling a trip here might be in order.
: Wriothesley: Take note — that, my friends, is how Monsieur Neuvillette shows that he cares. We're both here for the same purpose, actually — to accompany Sigewinne as she pays her respects to her late teacher.
: Paimon: So the old friend she mentioned was her teacher then? The "witch"?
: Paimon: Uh, sorry, sorry, Paimon didn't mean to be rude! It's only 'cause Sigewinne calls her that all the time, so...
: Wriothesley: I doubt she considers that title to be offensive, Paimon. Don't worry.
: Neuvillette: Indeed. In fact, I believe Sigewinne would take it as a sign of affection. She has spoken of this doctor on many occasions, and it sounds like she was a truly generous individual.
: Neuvillette: In those days, many people harbored prejudices against Melusines. She was the only teacher willing to take Sigewinne on as a student.
: Paimon: Wow, it's really nice of you two to be here for Sigewinne! Guess you guys really look out for your younger colleagues, huh...
: Wriothesley: Younger colleague? That might be true for the Iudex, but I'm not sure I can say the same.
: Wriothesley: Sigewinne served a sentence in the Fortress of Meropide hundreds of years ago, and after she did her time, she decided to stick around. She's been an integral part of our administration ever since.
: Wriothesley: Strictly speaking, the head nurse has been around longer than most people in the Fortress, myself included. Pretty sure that makes me the younger colleague.
: Paimon: She served a sentence?
: She committed a crime?
: Neuvillette: Yes. Long before I became Iudex, there was an ancient law in Fontaine that prohibited any attempt to transform another species into a human.
: Neuvillette: Initially, I and most researchers believed this law to have been imposed due to ethical concerns.
: Neuvillette: But now, it seems more likely that the law was nothing more than an insurance policy — a way for Egeria to ensure that her people would remain insulated from the truth, thus enabling them to lead more straightforward, happier lives.
: Wriothesley: Ignorance is bliss, as they say.
: Neuvillette: Sigewinne had her reasons for choosing to obtain a human form, but the act was nonetheless in clear violation of the law.
: Paimon: Could you tell us a bit more about what happened back then?
: Neuvillette: Certainly. Sigewinne does not object to her close friends learning about her history. In fact, I first learned of it myself because she confessed the truth to me of her own volition...
: "The Witch": Even with their daughter so ill, they kicked you out? Stubborn as always... and prejudice isn't a disease I can cure, either.
: "The Witch": *sigh* Shame that I don't have the energy to get over there. You're laughable, you old witch. You want to save everyone in Fontaine, but you can't even save the patient before you.
: Sigewinne: Master, what are you...
: "The Witch": I discovered a strange disease, one I suspect that every Fontainian suffers from. But without witnesses or proof, no one will believe me.
: "The Witch": I had no choice but to experiment on myself to find a cure, but I hit a wall — and as you can see, it took a wretched toll on me.
: Sigewinne: Then... I'll find a cure for you, and then you can go cure her!
: "The Witch": There's no need... I'm beyond saving now. There's nothing you can do.
: Sigewinne: But Master...
: "The Witch": As I said before, a doctor's duty is to treat whatever ailments they can.
: Sigewinne: I know... But, they don't trust me at all.
: "The Witch": *cough* That girl... She's your first ever patient, isn't she? ...Tell me, what cost are you willing to bear to see her cured?
: Sigewinne: I'll do whatever it takes.
: "The Witch": Even if it means breaking the law and being punished for it?
: Sigewinne: ...As long as I don't hurt anyone, yes.
: "The Witch": Haha. Spoken like a true student of mine.
: "The Witch": Then I shall make one more final gamble... and see my experiment through to its end. Leave me for now, and come back in two hours.
: "The Witch": If I am able to work this miracle, then I will have found a way to save all Fontainians, and I shall be able to help you treat that girl.
: "The Witch": If not... Then it means there is one more disease in this world that I cannot treat. In that case, do not come looking for me.
: "The Witch": I will leave you a parting gift — an accidental discovery, happened upon through my study of this strange disease. It has little use, but it will at least help you cure this one patient you can reach.
: Neuvillette: When Sigewinne returned, the miracle had not occurred.
: Neuvillette: She found a potion bottle and a note on the table. After using the potion as instructed, she gained her current form, breaking Fontaine's law in the process.
: Neuvillette: And after I had confirmed the veracity of the events, I gave my verdict.
: Paimon: So that's what happened...
: Her teacher sacrificed herself.
: And left that potion behind.
: Neuvillette: I fear Sigewinne only understood the full story after the truth about the dissolution of Fontainians was uncovered.
: Neuvillette: When I reflected on all this with that knowledge in hand, I felt a deep sense of regret... As I use the law to uphold justice, there are times when I cannot help but acknowledge its ruthlessness.
: Neuvillette: After the final details of the events surrounding Sigewinne's transformation came to light, I checked several sources and, thankfully, the legal code does not require Sigewinne to shoulder any additional punishment.
: Paimon: Hmm, wonder how she feels about all this...
: Neuvillette: Since she invited you here, I imagine she intends to speak of these matters with you, no?
;(Talk to Neuvillette and Wriothesley, optional)
: Neuvillette: On behalf of the Marechaussee Phantom, I would like to once again thank the Fortress of Meropide for your assistance in the response to yesterday's prisonbreak.
: Wriothesley: Our Head Nurse and and Paimon did most of the heavy lifting, I would say.
: Neuvillette: Sigewinne seems to be in good spirits. I trust work hasn't been too hard on her lately?
: Wriothesley: Well, she might be the only permanent medical staff in the Fortress, but there's plenty of people with medical knowledge willing to help her out.
: Neuvillette: I am most relieved to hear it.
: Wriothesley: Haha, the way you're asking after her wellbeing makes you sound like a concerned parent.
: Neuvillette: Ah, well, I won't lie... I've always seen myself that way.
: Wriothesley: Showing your age a bit there, don't you think...
: Neuvillette: Indeed. Actually, I often forget just how much older I am than you...
: Wriothesley: Well, while we're on the topic... What did you do before getting this job, anyway? Spend all day swimming in the sea, from east to west, then south to north?
: Neuvillette: Yes, and uh... from the surface to the ocean floor, on occasion.
: Wriothesley: Wow. Impressive.
: Neuvillette: ...Apologies, that was merely an attempt at humor. You can disregard what I said.
: Wriothesley: Hah, that's impossible, I'm afraid. My imagination's already running wild.
;(Talk to Sigewinne)
: Sigewinne: You're here.
: Sigewinne: The old friend I mentioned was my teacher. When she passed, her body was nowhere to be found. All that's left of her is an empty tomb, and even that's deep underwater now.
: Paimon: Sigewinne... The witch who gave you the magic potion, she was your teacher, wasn't she?
: Sigewinne: Ah, sounds like Monsieur Neuvillette filled you in.
: Paimon: After learning the truth... it must've been hard to process, huh?
: Sigewinne: Well... To be honest, after I realized what really happened that night, my first thought was that it kind of made sense. It seemed exactly like the sort of thing she would do.
: Paimon: But, she was planning to sacrifice herself, and never told you!
: Sigewinne: That's just who she was. If lying is what it took to get a kid to take their medicine, then that's what she'd do.
: A truly great doctor.
: A truly odd doctor.
: Paimon: Alright... But, why did you turn yourself in?
: Sigewinne: I broke the law, simple as that. My teacher made her choice, and I made mine.
: Paimon: True, it's just... The way Potton framed it when he was asking you all those questions, it made Paimon really mad!
: Paimon: You're not like him at all, and everything Neuvillette said confirms that...
: Paimon: And yet you were still convicted and thrown in prison... It just feels so unfair.
: Sigewinne: Unfair? I happen to think just the opposite. If I hadn't served that time, I'm not sure I would've been able to stay strong when he was questioning me.
: Paimon: What makes you say that?
: Sigewinne: I knew you'd be curious. Let me tell you a story...
;(A cinematic plays)
:
::Sigewinne: The verdict came down: This Melusine is guilty
::Sigewinne: The Iudex defended the authority of Fontaine law
::Sigewinne: But he did not confiscate the Melusine's medical kit
::Sigewinne: And so, the Fortress of Meropide gained a new little doctor
::Sigewinne: She still wore her hood and raincoat
::Sigewinne: Even though it never rained in the Fortress
::Sigewinne: Perhaps thanks to her human appearance, no one refused her treatment
::Sigewinne: She treated more and more patients, and her sentence grew ever shorter
::Sigewinne: Finally, the people of the Fortress could not live without her
::Sigewinne: And though her sentence ended, she did not leave them either
::Sigewinne: Then one day, she received an invitation from the outside world
::Sigewinne: The location seemed familiar, and when she arrived, an old lady was waiting for her
::Sigewinne: She saw right through the Melusine's disguise, but didn't reveal it
::Sigewinne: Instead, she asked a question
::Old Woman: Tell me, why do you think you gained the respect of so many people
::Old Woman: Despite being a Melusine?
::Sigewinne: Because...I look like a human?
::Old Woman: It's been 50 years, Sigewinne
::Old Woman: And you haven't aged a day...
::Old Woman: I think everyone knows you are not human
::Old Woman: I've finally found you, after all these years
::Old Woman: I still remember, you know. It was you who saved me that night
::Sigewinne: But how? I was no longer a Melusine by then
::Old Woman: Does it really matter if you're human or Melusine?
::Old Woman: I remembered the warmth of your palm
::Old Woman: It's quite unmistakable
::Old Woman: And you know what? It hasn't changed one bit
::Old Woman: You don't have to hide anymore, Sigewinne
::Old Woman: These days, everyone wants to make friends with Melusines
::Old Woman: And I think it's all because of you
::Old Woman: I'm sorry I couldn't say this until now, but...
::Old Woman: Thank you, Doctor Melusine
:;(Cinematic ends)
: Paimon: Now that's an ending Paimon can get behind!
: Sigewinne: After hearing everything Potton said, I wanted to tell him that it didn't matter who he looked like on the outside... But it was too late — the warmth in his palm had already disappeared.
: Sigewinne: I tried to treat him, but... The roots of his problem had nothing to do with his face.
: No need to feel too bad for him.
: It does feel like wasted potential.
: Sigewinne: I understand... Thanks, you two. I appreciate you being here for me while I talk this through.
: Paimon: Oh, it's nothing! Our pleasure.
: Sigewinne: Oh, there's one more reason I invited you here. It's about time I finally give you what I promised.
: Sigewinne: In order to restore the appearances of the face-swapping victims, the Marechaussee Phantom gave me special permission to make a few bottles of that potion. And... I made one extra, just for you two.
: Paimon: Huh? We don't need it, though... Shouldn't we destroy it?
: Sigewinne: Well, even if you chose to destroy it, I still thought I should give it to you first. You two did so much for me — how could I break my promise?
: Paimon: Well, fair enough. But anyway, Paimon's definitely not interested in this stuff anymore.
: Paimon: Still, if this is the very last bottle in all of Teyvat, getting rid of it would feel like kind of a waste... Maybe we can give it a special meaning somehow... Ooh, Paimon's got it!
: Paimon: Melusine physiology wasn't affected by the great flood, right? So that means the potion should have a permanent effect on you. In that case... Whaddaya say, Sigewinne? Ever thought about transforming back to the way you used to look?
: Paimon: After all, from a Melusine point of view, Paimon bets Melusines look the cutest of all!
: Paimon...
: Sigewinne: Paimon, after everything, do you really think it matters whether I'm a Melusine or a human?
: Paimon: Uh, well...
: Paimon: Heh, what was Paimon thinking? You made up your mind a long time ago. Yeah, let's just destroy this thing.
: Sigewinne: Leave it to me.
;(Talk to Sigewinne, optional)
: Sigewinne: I'd like to stay here with my teacher for a little longer.
==Soundtracks==
==Other Languages==
==Change History==