Malaya

"*An incredibly bright and gifted apothecary. She once saw Castti as a rival, though this rivalry was gradually eroded by Castti's genuine concern for her patients. She now stands beside Castti as part of Eir's Apothecaries.*" —*Inquire*
**Malaya** is a character in *Octopath Traveler II* and a member of Eir's Apothecaries.

## Profile

### Appearance

During her life, Malaya wore a Eir's Apothecaries uniform a blue cloak over a dark blue tunic and brown boots.

As a figment of Castti's memory, her cloak was grey and her tunic had a faded greyish-blue look.

## Prior to Story

Malaya was a former rival of Castti's before she became a member of Eir's Apothecaries alongside Castti, who led the group as the chief. They were known to go all over the world, saving many lives. One day, after returning to their village from a mission, she, along with the group, discovered that a couple of children from the village had been killed, and that the villagers were suddenly ill themselves before collapsing. Going up the mountain near the village, they discovered Trousseau, another member of the group, at the summit, where he was burning a poison in the air that changed the rain purple. When Cassti fell ill confronting him, she took her from a village to a nearby harbor, where she sent Castti out to sea on a skiff away from the poison, feeling that she "was capable of saving lives", before succumbing to the poison herself.

## Story

Some time later, an illusion of Malaya appeared to Castti, who had been found by a ship out to sea and brought ashore in Canalbrine, trying to help someone who collapsed due to illness. After getting him home and treating him, they introduced themselves before the brother of the ill man came in, immediately recognizing Castti's uniform, demanding to know what she had done. Despite "Malaya" calmly explaining it to him, he immediately told them to leave his home.

Outside, both apothecaries were angrily confronted by some of the townspeople, who told them about Eir's Apothecaries and the damage they caused. As Castti asked them about the illness going around town, one of the townspeople collapsed, prompting Castti to treat him immediately. After doing so, the two apothecaries split up, with "Malaya" going to the inn to check up on the people there. After all of the ill were treated, both apothecaries were confronted again by the townspeople, who apologized for their past actions. They then reveal about those that fell ill saying that the water "tasted funny" before it was deduced that the water source was likely contaminated. "Malaya" then stayed behind to monitor the townspeople while Castti went to the water source to investigate the problem.

After Castti returned from the water source, "Malaya" spoke to her again about what she planned to do next before Castti started inquiring her about Eir's Apothecaries, collapsing when she did so, as it revealed her role in Castti's situation in a flashback. Before Castti could ask further, "Malaya" left the area.

Later, after Castti visited both Sai and Winterbloom, "Malaya" appeared to her again, telling her to meet her Healeaks. There, she revealed that she was a part of Castti's memory and that she, along with most of the other members of Eir's Apothecaries, were killed by the effects of a poison rain caused by Trousseau. With Castti's memory fully restored and her resolve clear, the illusion of Malaya disappears.

After Castti defeated Trousseau in Timberain, "Malaya" appeared to her yet again while Castti was feeling the effects of the poison rain and reminded her of the ingredients she used during her travels to help her make a cure for the poison, which she successfully did. After Castti administered it to the sick and went to a nearby tavern to sleep, "Malaya" appeared one last time, disappearing for good with all of the other memories of Eir's Apothecaries after asking Castti to soothe her and the others.

## Trivia

* Hints that "Malaya" was a figment of Castti's memory were shown in the following parts prior to the truth being revealed:
	+ Sesque not acknowledging her when she tried to tell him to calm down.
	+ In a travel banter with Osvald, where he noticed that she was talking to herself, though no one was there.
* An apothecary bearing resemblance to Malaya is seen in Oresrush's tavern during Partitio's first chapter, where medicine must be purchased from her to continue the story.
* Her age at the time of her death remains a mystery, as both the inquiry during the first Healeaks flashback (which is confirmed to take place 2 years prior to Castti's story), and the inquiry in Canalbrine display her age as 27 years, meaning that one of them contains incorrect information. However, it is likely that she was 29 when she died, since it would put her at the same age as Castti and is consistent with the Healeaks inquiry.