Tracing the Footsteps of the Past
Last updated 2026-09-08
Tracing the Footsteps of the Past is the third part in the Teyvat storyline Archon Quest Song of the Welkin Moon: Act VII - A Traveler on a Winter's Night.
Steps
- Talk to your companions
- Wait for the next directive
- Collect the correct document
- Select the second document from the left
- Hand the document to Marionette
- Wait for the next directive
- Collect the correct document
- Select the third document from the left
- Hand the document to Marionette
- Wait for the next directive
- Collect the correct document
- Select the rightmost document
- Hand the document to Marionette
- Teatime
- Serve the refreshments to Marionette
- Meet up with Childe
- Defeat the opponent(s) before you
- Wave 1:
Radiant Glacial Wolf - Wave 2:
Radiant Antelope - Wave 3:
Tangled Vines: Frostnight Scion
- Wave 1:
- Talk to Childe
- Investigate the energy field
- Enter the energy field
- Investigate the energy field
- Leave the energy field
- Talk to Durin
- Continue exploring this space
- Find the entrance to the "memories"
- Touch the mysterious power
- Gather the mysterious fragments
- Enter the world in the mirror
- Confront The Doctor
- Talk to the Wanderer
Gameplay Notes
- During steps 2-12, the player will control Pulonia.
- During steps 13-16, the active character will be limited to a trial Arlecchino.
- During step 14, a trial Tartaglia also joins the party.
- Additionally, a friendly
Fatui Skirmisher - Electrohammer Vanguard and 
Fatui Skirmisher - Pyroslinger Bracer will assist the player. Healing orbs will also be dropped around the arena.
- During steps 17-20, the active party will be limited to a trial Albedo and Wanderer.
- During step 18, completing the first cutscene grants the Wonders of the World achievement The Heretic's Utopia.
- During steps 21-25, the active character will be limited to Columbina.
- Whenever the player is controlling another character, they will be in a Special Story Mode.
Dialogue
Quest DescriptionIn this unfamiliar world, with companions beyond reach... What path is there to take that leads back to their side?
- (Continues from previous quest)
- Marionette: Aaagh!!!
- (Marionette slams the table)
- Albedo: It appears that The Doctor's energy signature has changed to something similar to kuuvahki — but not like the kuuvahki we're used to.
- Albedo: Nod-Krai's kuuvahki devices will only have a limited effect on it. I can see why you've chosen to place your hopes in alchemy instead.
- Albedo: Also... I must say, these books are rather profound...
- Marionette: My subordinates just shipped them in from Fontaine. Some of them are from the Narzissenkreuz Ordo, some are incident reports from Petrichor, and then there's a few test reports for these junk machines. Heh.
- Marionette: Additionally, after some further scanning I've discovered something extremely annoying.
- Albedo: What's that?
- Marionette: Teyvat's skies contain multiple moons. A long time ago, when I did my first scan, I detected three — just as the legends say.
- Marionette: But when I checked again just now, I detected four moons.
- Albedo: So there's one extra?
- Marionette: Yeah. Originally, I thought that if I could still find three moons, that would at least mean Columbina's still alive.
- Marionette: But then it occurred to me that apart from the Frost Moon, Teyvat's moons are just husks.
- Marionette: And husks surely shouldn't show up in the scan, since they're not alive.
- Marionette: It's weird, isn't it? If we can't even distinguish between a dead and a living moon, how are we supposed to know whether a Moon Goddess is still alive?
- Marionette: ...Or does this mean that the Moon Marrows are equivalent to the moons themselves?
- Albedo: It's certainly possible. In which case, the fourth moon you detected may be Dottore's artificial creation.
- Marionette: So he wasn't bluffing. He really built his own Moon Marrow... Ugh, I'm so mad right now.
- Albedo: It's easy to get overwhelmed when you have too much on your plate. Maybe you need to relax? Perhaps try going for a walk, or simply take a few deep breaths.
- Marionette: Nothing can calm me down at a time like this. I need more time, and I need progress.
- Dodocommunication Device: Dodo! Dodo! Dodoco!
- Albedo: Hmm? It's Mr. Flins.
- (Marionette slams the table once again)
- Marionette: I really hate that ringing noise...[Note 1] Ugh! First the Four Orthants of the Narzissenkreuz, then Moon Marrows... Now what!?
- Flins: Oh, sorry if we're disturbing you. Might I ask what's troubling you?
- Marionette: What do you want? We're busy.
- Flins: Are you still at the Curatorium of Secrets?
- Marionette: Uh, yeah? Look, everyone else is still out, so there's no hurry. Plus, I'm busy, so I would appreciate if you gave me some space.
- Nefer: Even though we have crucial intel to share?
- Marionette: ...Hmph. Fine, I'm listening.
- Albedo: Do you intend to share it via the Dodocommunication Device?
- Nefer: Ordinarily I would, but this is a unique situation. I think it's best that we discuss it in person. See you at the Curatorium.
- (After some time, Nefer and Flins arrive)
- Marionette: Alright then. So what's the situation?
- Flins: The rest of the team is still out working on their missions and evacuations, but we've decided to fill you in on the most crucial information first.
- Nefer: Sandrone, you were right... Columbina is most likely still alive.
- Marionette: ...!
- Albedo: That's the best news we've received in a while, by a long way.
- (Nefer and Flins share the message they discovered at The Flagship)
- Marionette: Random locations... appearing in reverse order? Are you serious? Ugh. So not dying isn't enough for the Moon Goddess, huh? She has to show off too?
- Marionette: Anyway, does this mean we can deduce her condition from the Moon Marrows?
- Albedo: Miss Sandrone, there's nothing wrong with simply admitting that you're happy to hear the good news.
- Marionette: I'm not! And she's the least of our problems! We're facing a huge crisis.
- Marionette: If she can't control the flow of time in there, she's just gonna keep moving backwards. Different points in time won't intersect, and she'll never find a way out.
- Albedo: Let's say life begins with a drop of water... When did time begin? The moment this planet came into being?
- Albedo: No, that's not right. Her final destination would be the moment at which the space she is in was created.
- Nefer: But it doesn't seem like we can influence that space from the outside world. So, how can we help her?
- Nefer: Also, if she's alive, Rerir and Tholindis might be too — but as far as we know, neither of them have come back out... That space may not have an exit at all.
- Flins: I'm afraid I must concur with Miss Nefer in this.
- Marionette: Tch...
- Marionette: Can't exactly argue with that. Let's leave it there for now — I've taken notes on everything you said.
- Albedo: Will it help with your research?
- Marionette: I doubt it's gonna help with breaking Dottore's energy fields. But who knows when it might come in handy? Better to have it all written down than try to remember everything when I need it.
- Marionette: Alright, I need to get back to my research. Mr. Albedo has made a lot of suggestions that will require my undivided attention.
- Nefer: Sure. I'll stay here. I have things to work on.
- (After some time, Nefer enters her private room)
- Nefer: Paimon, are you there?
- Nefer: Oh, right — she went with Varka to Natlan, didn't she? Good thing we've moved her and (Traveler)'s luggage in here.
- Nefer: ...
- Nefer: Speaking of (Traveler)... where could they be...?
- Nefer: Hmm? There's a note... from Paimon?
- A Note: Paimon here. Not in at the moment, but if anyone needs to borrow her stuff, or (Traveler)'s, go ahead and help yourself. Paimon won't be mad!
- A Note: Also, (Traveler): If you get back before Paimon, make sure to get some rest. Paimon misses you a lot, but put your health first, alright?
- Nefer: Hah. How sweet.
- Nefer: Well, since you offered, Paimon, don't mind if I do...
- Nefer: (This is (Traveler) and Paimon's luggage. All the items they use day-to-day are here.)
- Nefer: (It's well organized. I wonder which of them is responsible for that?)
- Nefer: What do we have here?
- Observe Luggage: (Among the daily necessities, there's a photo.)
- (The photo shows the Traveler smiling and holding a couple of Sugar Sculptures)
- Nefer: (The Kamera captured a special moment that can only occur between people who are close to one another.)
- Nefer: (You can really sense how the photographer feels about their subject. I wonder why this picture was placed outside? Is it because Paimon recently looked at it?)
- Nefer: ...
- Observe Luggage: (There's also a thick Adventure Handbook in here — a record of (Traveler)'s achievements and memories in Teyvat.)
- Nefer: This must belong to (Traveler)... Perfect. I'll use this.
- Nefer: (Hang in there. We'll find you.)
- (In the main area of the Curatorium, Sandrone instructs Pulonia to move her belongings into The Flagship)
- (At The Flagship)
- Marionette: Pulonia, search keyword "world-formula" and bring me all relevant books.
- (Investigate the marked location)
Search Related Content
- (Enters Investigation interface)
- (Scan the first, third, or fourth books, optional)
-
- (Due to their length, transcriptions are located in the Irrelevant Books, Step 3 section)
- Pulonia: Keyword not located.
- (Scan the fifth book, found after scrolling to the right, optional)
- Pulonia: Irrelevant engineering blueprint. Keyword not located.
- (Scan the second book)
-
- Automnequi Sermon Dictation: Concerning the Apocalypse
...
In light of the formal and rigorous proof outlined above, I believe that the correct term for this situation is "Fortuna." It is an ancient Remurian technology, a wisdom unparalleled.
I never imagined that Remurian ideas would be so similar to the computation graph that I have named the "world-formula." This is strong evidence.
Human civilization is bound to lose its potential amid ongoing exploration and evolution. Humanity's decline is, in truth, unfolding at this very moment.
To put it bluntly, ladies and gentlemen, the apocalypse draws near.
This is not the hallucinatory babbling of some wandering monk from Sumeru. Rather, it is a logical deduction grounded in reason and natural philosophy.
Please, take a look at this diagram. Beneath the most hidden of all hidden, the number of cycles — that is, the number of higher particles — can now only be four. No new world cycle can be generated through reconciliation.
In other words, the end of this current samsara is the end of infinite light.
The sparks of civilization are all but extinguished, unless we begin to consider introducing "variables" beyond the existing system. After all, the world is itself the external manifestation of a dream, and therefore...
...
- Automnequi Sermon Dictation: Concerning the Apocalypse
- Pulonia: Keyword "world-formula" located.
- (Pulonia takes the relevant book and Investigation ends)
- (Interact with the marked location)
Place- Marionette: Let's see, this one is... "Automnequi Sermon Dictation: Concerning the Apocalypse."
- Marionette: "I believe that the correct term for this is 'Fortuna.' This was an ancient Remurian technology, a wisdom unparalleled."
- Marionette: "...I never imagined that Remurian ideas would be so similar to the diagram I have named the 'world-formula.' This is strong evidence that..."
- Marionette: "Human civilization should gradually shed possibilities as it continues to explore and evolve... The end of humankind may well be upon us right now..."
- Marionette: "The sparks of civilization shall run out unless we consider introducing variables from outside the system."
- Marionette: "Variables"? Surely that can only mean one thing?
- Marionette: ...Descenders?
- (Sandrone quickly sketches and writes down what she's thinking out loud.)
- Marionette: Dottore likely captured (Traveler) because of (his/
her) Descender status. But the three moons' authority comes from the world itself. Why would Dottore need anything beyond that? - Marionette: ...Where does this "variable" factor in? The world-formula calculates the fate of an entire world. Introducing a variable would therefore give us...
- Marionette: ...
- (On a large sheet of paper taped to a board, Sandrone has drawn a diagram to one side with notations.)
- (After the dialogue)
- Marionette: Pulonia, search keyword "pathway" and bring me all relevant books.
- (Scan the first, second, or fourth of the initially visible books, or the book to the far left, optional)
-
- (Due to their length, transcriptions are located in the Irrelevant Books, Step 6 section)
- Pulonia: Keyword not located.
- (Scan the third book)
-
- Automnequi Sermon Dictation: Explications on the Chymical Marriage
...
Fundamentally, what the ancient orders designated as "marriage" was, in essence, an interpenetration of ontologically distinct Orthants. As you can see, it is a magick set in motion by the three particles above the "Kingdom." Yet, its metaphysical origin lies in the emanations of the four particles beneath the "Firmament." The alchemists of Khaenri'ah are prone to disregard metaphysical sentiment and affect, pursuing instead the gold of the ignorant within the material world. It is for this reason that their crude inquiry cannot be compared to the great undertaking we are to achieve today, one that is founded upon ancient Remurian-style theory.
Three pertains to appearance, while four pertains to the intrinsic. Seven, obtained through their overlap, constitute the number of paths for vertical transcendence.
We designate this process of overlap as "marriage," for the union of the two through a mediating medium is akin to the matrimonial covenant of those bound in mutual love.
"Observe and compute the "pathway" displayed in the guidance diagram. Deconstructing and reversing its effects could generate potential ideas..."
Nevertheless, there is one thing everyone must keep in mind. Solve the first half of the equation, leave the second unattacked. But you have all in the clear light, and some, though not all, in the dark. This is not because they possess any sanctity that renders them untouchable, but because they offer no benefit whatsoever to the "world-formula." Only mediocre minds foolish beyond a certain measure would actively seek to trespass upon such prohibitions, because in the eyes of the ignorant, "taboo" and "precious" are semantically identical. They fail to recognize that, in most cases, taboo, like convention, lacks merit for deeper inquiry.
Take heed: what we speak of is the act of overlaying your dream upon the dream of gods; of overlaying your law, your will, and the starry sky, upon ineffable sacrifices and despair. We do not speak of following emanations to achieve ascension to the ranks of gods. This is a base dream doomed to perish within an eggshell. What I aim to teach you all is the principle of transcendence, the infinite expanse, and the innumerable stars within it. You, too, must act in this manner, unbound by any constraint. To choose division for the sake of convergence is the necessary path of "marriage."
At its core, magick is the science and art of effecting change according to the consciousness. "Marriage" is the instrument through which the art is realized. It is neither the subject that creates art, nor the object that art is created upon. The subject is always, and can only ever be, consciousness itself. One who is free from the weakness of consciousness bows neither to the gods nor death.
...
- Automnequi Sermon Dictation: Explications on the Chymical Marriage
- Pulonia: Keyword "pathway" located.
- (Pulonia takes the relevant book and Investigation ends)
- (Interact with the marked location)
- Place
- Marionette: "Automnequi Sermon Dictation: Explications on the Chymical Marriage"... These titles are pretty esoteric...
- Marionette: "Observe and compute the pathway displayed in the guidance diagram. Deconstructing and reversing its effects could generate potential ideas..."
- (Sandrone starts adding the diagram to her sheet.)
- Marionette: So it's one of Rene's draft lectures? Deconstructing the pathway... Hmm, I suppose that could lead to a breakthrough.
- Marionette: ...
- Marionette: Ugh, this is so long... This guy sure loves showing off his knowledge!
- (After the dialogue)
- Marionette: Pulonia, search keyword "tree model" and bring me all relevant books.
- (Scan the first, second, or fourth books, optional)
-
- (Due to their length, transcriptions are located in the Irrelevant Books, Step 9 section)
- Pulonia: Keyword not located.
- (Scan the third book, optional)
- Pulonia: Irrelevant mechanical blueprint. Keyword not located.
- (Scan the rightmost book)
-
- Great Detective Hurlock: The Alchemist and the Clockwork Saint
Chapter VI
"So, the story ends like this."
Hurlock sat down and lit his pipe. But the rest of us, whether it was Agent Gina, Miss Jacoba, or the commissioner Miss Ei Chiie, looked at one another in confusion.
"You must still remember that the locations of the four previous cases were equidistant. There was a symmetrical pattern between the time, space, and even the first letters of the four victims' names," Hurlock said. "This is also why Gina's deduction was completely off the mark. The murderer knew that she, possessing basic knowledge of the mystic arts, would assume that the followers of the Liliacruces Ordo would treat the patient as a necessary ritual sacrifice. So, the culprit let her believe that her assumption was entirely correct."
"But when Duke St. Germanus departed, he clearly said that everything was beyond redemption, and the next case would also..." Agent Gina protested, somewhat reluctantly.
"He's only a genius when it comes to mechanics; in everything else, he's just an ordinary person." Hurlock paused, then continued, "He's always been the type to like things he can fully understand. Just like you, Gina."
"Ah! I get it!" Miss Jacoba shouted suddenly. "My dear Hurlock! Now everything's crystal clear! The fourth victim's death wasn't a carefully planned murder. It was pure coincidence! He only wanted to kill those three unfortunate gentlemen to avenge his comrades from the Liliacruces Ordo. But the traps he set weren't limited to just those three locations. He was worried that the plan might fail, since the three victims were all well-protected figures, after all. So, he added a few extra traps. Yet, he never expected that, with Gina's interference, the plan would go far more smoothly than intended..."
"...Miss Jacoba! Please don't speak as if I were the accomplice!" Agent Gina's face turned as red as a sunsettia as she protested indignantly. How adorable.
"Indeed," Hurlock said calmly. It was unclear whether he meant that Miss Jacoba's deductions were correct, or that Agent Gina was indeed an accomplice. "Most of the experimental devices proposed by the Liliacruces Ordo are built based on simple, basic tree model logical structures. They do not recognize their own masters, following only the commands they were initially given, so they end up killing said masters. This is why I keep saying, 'Don't put too much trust in clockwork meka.' Unlike humans, machines have no heart."
"..."
I remained silent as usual, but Miss Jacoba glanced at me with what seemed like a hint of puzzlement.
"What's wrong? Why are you standing there in silence? Is there something on your mind?"
"...No, I just didn't expect the truth to be so simple."
Of course, my understanding of clockwork mecha cannot compare to that of the Duke St. Germanus, but I've done a bit of research. To suggest that those mechanisms were merely activated by Mr. Marcello's mishandling seemed a bit too contrived. But to imply that there was another mastermind behind it all felt like stretching into the territory of conspiracy theories. After all, no one besides us could've pulled off the operation I envisioned. So, I decided to abandon further speculation, choosing instead to enjoy the reactions of the adorable Agent Gina.
"Hehe, this is why you don't understand deduction!" Agent Gina seemed to have regained her confidence — not to mention her mild sense of superiority — over me. Excitedly, she raised a finger, "Isn't there a saying that goes something like, 'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however—'"
"Stop right there. That's Fanto-something-mas Rob-something's story. We don't have the publishing rights from their publisher."
Hurlock took another drag of his pipe. He seemed to be lost in thought once more.
Regardless, this case came to an abrupt close.
A person who did not manage to witness the end, a person who did not manage to achieve his ideals.
A person who indulged in fairy tales, who dreamt of following the hero he admired, yet never saw his dream fulfilled.
Someone who had everything, someone who lost everything, someone who woke up, someone who would never wake again.
Unstinting in sacrifice, unflinching in farewell, undaunted by pain. Yet, in the end, the sacrifices remained only sacrifices, the partings remained only partings.
Clocks tick through tranquil years, fish swim in crystalline springs. No matter how grand a dream is, it will fade away like this — forlorn, wordless, silent.
And after that...
- Great Detective Hurlock: The Alchemist and the Clockwork Saint
- Pulonia: Keyword "tree model" located.
- (Pulonia takes the relevant book and Investigation ends)
- (Interact with the marked location)
- Place
- Marionette: "Most of the experimental devices proposed by the Liliacruces Ordo are built based on the simple and basic logical structure of a tree model..."
- Marionette: Liliacruces... Guess they were trying to cover up the name of the Narzissenkreuz Ordo?
- Marionette: "When Duke St. Germanus departed, he said, 'It seems that there's no going back.' Alas, he is only a genius when it comes to machines..."
- Marionette: "In all other things, he is but ordinary." ... Excuse me? I'm sorry, that's just ridiculous. What kind of book is this?
- (She flips the book closed to check the cover.)
- Marionette: "Great Detective Hurlock: The Alchemist and the Clockwork Saint"!? Isn't this a novel? Come on...
- Marionette: Still, the author swears that they knew Rene well... Whatever. I guess it's not beyond the realms of possibility that Rene would say nonsense like that on occasion.
- Marionette: Memory, wishes, souls, and persona... Frankly, this sounds more like occultism, but if Albedo vouches for it, I suppose there must be some alchemical basis to these techniques.
- Marionette: The way Alain Guillotin saw it, the world was comprised of machines. The universe needed machines, and thus his technologies were created. That's why I was born.
- Marionette: Rene... His full name was Rene de Petrichor, if I recall correctly. Sounds like he and the town must be intricately connected.
- Marionette: That place was also the source of most of our information regarding Remurian civilization. Seems like some of his projects were based on their technology.
- Marionette: The cutting of souls and storing them in vessels... These seemingly unrelated techniques underpinned Rene's research. Assuming that the Four Orthants correspond to alchemical categories...
- Marionette: The Chymical Marriage model? Alain would've scoffed at that. He never would have let those theories or parameters anywhere near his mathematical formulas.
- (Sandrone adds the diagram within to her sheet.)
- Marionette: ...
- Marionette: What was Alain's view on Rene? I know he mentioned the name, albeit very rarely...
- (She gets up to walk around the table as she muses.)
- Marionette: Ah, now I remember! Alain's old notes are here too — they mentioned Rene once.
- Marionette: "Rene seemed most out of sorts when he spoke to me. A lack of sweet foods has dulled his mind, I should think. Either way, his words are not to be believed."
- Marionette: Yep, that sounds like Alain.
- Marionette: My subordinates actually did a half-decent job digging out all these materials. Makes a change. Good for them.
- Marionette: Some of Alain's old files are completely consistent with these records. He must've gotten them from the Tower of Gestalt... I never knew he got his hands on Rene's records that early.
- Marionette: Hah, he may have kept them, but he never even attempted to use them. Didn't believe a word they said.
- Marionette: Come to think of it, Rene's world-formula was filled with calculations of constants. That shows he believed that the fate of the world to be predetermined.
- Marionette: As for Alain...
- Marionette: Bah. It's been too long. I forget what he said.
- Marionette: ...What would he have said? A guy like him, fervent believer in machines, but not headstrong enough... "The world can be changed. It is worth persevering." Yes. That's how he used to think, at least.
- Marionette: He created that procedure to save this world. Yet, the scale of the world's fate proved too enormous. The result was beyond his ability to calculate...
- Marionette: He died having never seen the outcome. And there I was, left behind in the ashes of his dreams...
- Marionette: Did you really never take a close look at Rene's research? Or did you read it, but deem his philosophy incompatible with your model?
- Marionette: The very thought of trying to incorporate his ideas probably made you feel sick to the stomach. Well, don't worry — because there's a whole new category of lunatic in town... Next to Dottore, every other madman looks sane.
- Marionette: You once asked me what I wished for... Should've asked him instead! He's the one pining for things you'd sooner die than witness...
- Marionette: *sigh*
- (Sandrone returns to her chair and sits.)
- Marionette: "Even the tiniest variable can make big waves in the present."
- Marionette: Now then. Allow me to put these incompatible fragments together in your stead.
- Marionette: First, establish and verify the existence of the great circle.
- (In the middle of the sheet, Sandrone starts combining the dispirate diagrams into one, unified formula.)
- Marionette: Absolute nihil on one end, absolute reality on the other... Now, search between these two extremes...
- Marionette: Then, the construction criteria...
- Marionette: Variables.
- Marionette: "The sparks of civilization shall run out unless we consider introducing variables from outside the system."
- Marionette: ...Input variables.
- Marionette: Traverse the world, space-time, and civilization, then extract the essential nodes from the records to determine which variables they point to.
- Marionette: The primordial power that differentiated itself from the void... The power of light. Yes, "light."
- Marionette: Records... "Hyperborea"...
- Marionette: ...
- Marionette: Ugh, this is horrendously complicated. After all that, I'm still missing a few variables. I need to think this through again...
- Marionette: How do you think it looks, Pulonia? Like the frenzied scrawlings of a madwoman?
- Pulonia: ...
- Marionette: Fine, keep it to yourself. It's not like you can talk, anyway. I'll assume you gave it a passing grade.
- Marionette: ...I jest, but true madness does often start with trying to save the world. What would Arlecchino and Columbina think if they saw this incomprehensible henscratch? They'd probably have me institutionalized.
- Marionette: So would Rosalyne... She's been dead for a while now. Haha.
- Marionette: When I close my eyes and think back, I can still see her face... and that enormous dress she used to wear. Such a bizarre choice. What possessed her? Oh, and the clack-clack of those heels used to drive me insane!
- Marionette: No one's asking me, obviously, but I hope you all know that I never wanted to save the world. I'm not crazy, I don't have delusional ambitions, and that's a clinical fact.
- Marionette: The world needs a solution, but I don't need the world's validation. It's the world begging me for answers, not the other way around.
- (Interact with the marked location)
- Prepare tea
- (Investigation begins: Pulonia focuses on a box on the table)
- Take out the refreshments
- (A teacup, teapot, and a box with flowers appear on the table)
- Prepare tea
- (Tea is poured into the cup)
- Plate refreshments
- (The teapot disappears, replaced by a tray with the teacup and three Fortune Cookies in it)
- (Pulonia takes the tray and the box)
- (Interact with the marked location)
- Place
- Pulonia: ...
- Marionette: Oh... Cookies to go with the tea? Let's see... They must be from that person who brought those documents. I see they're from Hotel Debord.
- Marionette: Something's written on the box... "We are proud to present this homage to the Fortress of Meropide's fun-filled meal collection system: Fortune Cookies! Have a lucky start to your day!"
- Marionette: Sounds like a dumb gimmick to me... Hmm? "Be early to bed and early to rise, get plenty of sun and drink plenty of water. Then, things will surely go well for you"...
- Marionette: ...What? Are you kidding me? Somehow, I doubt that an early night and a glass of water is magically gonna save a world on the brink of existential peril.
- (The player is teleported to the beach east of Dreadshade Mire to complete the objective "Escort the evacuees to Snezhnaya" as Arlecchino)
- (After the transition)
- Illki: Lady Arlecchino. Word has reached us that Lady Marionette's troops are all in position. They are ready to act as soon as the order is given.
- The Knave: Excellent.
- Illki: The only thing is, they are fewer in number than we expected... It looks like many of them must have lost their lives at the hands of the monsters released by The Doctor.
- The Knave: Can't be helped. Allow them to join our ranks, and keep in contact.
- Illki: As you wish.
- (Approach the marked location)
- Childe: It's been a while, Arlecchino. You look well.
- Childe: Did Dottore really have to build his lab right on the sole path between Snezhnaya and Nod-Krai? I had to go on a huge detour to stay out of its line of sight.
- The Knave: Sounds like an arduous journey. I assume you've brought word from Her Majesty?
- Childe: Of course. All part of the job.
- Childe: Firstly, the Tsaritsa has authorized Fatui Internal Affairs to review Dottore's case. They will reach a formal verdict on whether he has turned traitor and whether he poses a threat to Snezhnaya.
- Childe: While they're working on that, I've been ordered to come and receive the refugees from Nod-Krai.
- The Knave: They are nearby. My team will escort you to them shortly.
- Childe: Great.
- Childe: Aside from that, Her Majesty has a message for you and Sandrone personally... Huh? Where's Sandrone?
- The Knave: She stayed behind to work since I was making the trip anyway. It seemed sensible to have one person on standby at base while the other came out to meet you.
- Childe: Alright, guess that's just how she rolls. In that case, tell her that the Tsaritsa's decree this time is pretty awesome-sounding. I think she'll like this one.
- Childe: Still, I wonder why... Wait, what's that?
- Childe: Did one of our troops... turn into a monster?
- (A Radiant Glacial Wolf appears)
- The Knave: Take him out.
- (After defeating the first enemy)
- Childe: You've gotten stronger, Arlecchino! Nice!
- The Knave: Stop that right now.
- The Knave: I appreciate the praise, but I am not fighting you today.
- Childe: *sigh* I knew it...
- (After defeating all the enemies)
- Childe: I can't believe it. He was a living, breathing human one moment, and the next...
- The Knave: Another fine piece of work by our dear colleague, I'm afraid.
- Childe: ...What in the world has been going on in Nod-Krai?
- The Knave: A lot. But long story short, Dottore stole two Moon Marrows that should have belonged to Columbina, then built a third Moon Marrow of his own to concentrate the tri-lunar authority in his hands.
- Childe: What!? What do you mean, he built a moon marrow? People build roads and houses, not moon marrows... What's his next DIY project? He's gonna build a god?
- The Knave: You could stand to be less surprised. We are Harbingers — the work we are engaged in makes the creation of gods seem mundane by comparison.
- The Knave: I tell everyone who asks that [sic] once crossed swords with Rex Lapis while serving as a key supporter for Rosalyne's plan... But right now, you're acting like a common adventurer.
- Childe: Haha, thanks for speaking up for me. Those two really took me for a ride back then...
- Childe: Then again, surely no common adventurer would manage to get tangled up with them the way I did... That's gotta count in my favor, right?
- The Knave: It almost sounds like you wish to repeat the experience. I might have to lower my opinion of you.
- Childe: Uh, no, no, no! I'll stop talking, hehe. Please, go on.
- The Knave: Dottore is currently still experimenting with his newfound power in ways that continue to corrode the outside world.
- The Knave: As for the human mutation, I believe this is simply a consequence of his experiments, and not a strategic move.
- The Knave: That Radiant Beast was once a subordinate of Sandrone's. I suspect he was only allowed to live so that he could become an experimental subject.
- The Knave: Also, those of us who fought Dottore have been afflicted with a curse. As such, I cannot leave Nod-Krai.
- Childe: This is so much worse than I thought... No wonder Her Majesty's decree is so extreme.
- Childe: "While these exceptional circumstances persist, the Harbingers are hereby authorized to use unilateral executive powers. Should Dottore pose a threat, Arlecchino and Sandrone are permitted to eliminate him."
- The Knave: My thanks to Her Majesty. I will pass these good tidings on to Sandrone.
- Childe: Her Majesty has also declared that she will refrain from launching an attack on the now-evacuated Nod-Krai, due to the presence of unretrieved research material.
- The Knave: A wise decision.
- Childe: By the way, how's my old partner doing? I'm assuming they're with you?
- The Knave: Partner? You mean (Traveler)?
- The Knave: I'm afraid I have bad news. (He/
She) was captured after our failed assault on Dottore's lab. (His/ Her) whereabouts are currently unknown. - Childe: What!? Why? Since when does Dottore have a bone to pick with (him/
her)? - The Knave: That is indeed the question. I'm not sure he does. He must have some other goal in mind.
- Childe: This won't do. I have to rescue (him/
her). - The Knave: You can't. We have no idea where (Traveler) is.
- Childe: Ugh... What am I supposed to do, then? Stand here twiddling my thumbs?
- The Knave: Sandrone is working on it. The best thing you can do right now is complete your mission.
- Childe: ...
- Childe: ...Fine. I guess I'll... leave this to you, then.
- The Knave: Mm-hmm.
- The Knave: One last thing. Tell The Rooster to get the message out to the gods and citizens of every nation in Teyvat: Beware, an uncontrollable pollution is spreading forth from Nod-Krai.
- The Knave: The source of that pollution is a madman drunk on the success of his experiments. The Fatui and our allies will endeavor to contain the threat.
- The Knave: However, if Nod-Krai falls, things are likely to escalate.
- The Knave: Considering Dottore is one of our own, all Fatui stationed in Nod-Krai consider it our duty to stay and fight him to the bitter end, whatever the cost.
- Childe: Hey, don't be too pessimistic. If it comes to it, I'm sure Her Majesty won't stand by and do nothing.
- The Knave: I hope you're right.
- (The player is teleported near Blue Amber Lake)
- (After the transition)
-
- (Albedo and Durin investigate the energy field)
- Albedo: You're right on time.
- Durin: Thanks. Hey, do you think I'll get that gliding exam exemption?
- Durin: I made sure I was on my best behavior in Mondstadt. I landed well outside the city and walked in through the gates...
- Albedo: I'll help you apply, don't worry. For now, let's see what we have here.
- Durin: What are The Doctor's energy fields even made from? The usual attract and repel principles that govern kuuvahki don't seem to apply to them.
- Albedo: They are very mysterious, but ultimately, they appear to be comprised of energies from the three realms.
- Albedo: Thanks to research by Master and the Hexenzirkel, we know that Teyvat's seven elements are derived from the more primordial power of the Light Realm, which is antagonistic with the power of the Void Realm.
- Albedo: Since you have the power of the dragon Durin within you, I'm sure you can already tell that this energy field contains no Abyssal energy.
- Durin: ...That's true. It's not Abyssal energy... it's something pure, wild and untamed.
- Albedo: I've been thinking about something. Do you still remember the device that Dori supplied from the Akademiya when you and Miss Columbina fought Rerir?
- Albedo: That was one of the most marvelous feats of ingenuity I've ever seen. The design, the craftsmanship, the material selection... I couldn't fault any of it.
- Albedo: Not to mention the operating principles — surely the most ingenious feature of all. Dori didn't go into detail on how it functions, but I have a working theory.
- Albedo: The clue was that Miss Columbina was somehow able to use the Pyro energy that you provided — despite the fact that, as a Moon Goddess, she should only be able to use Light Realm energy in principle.
- Albedo: Now, all elemental energy is, of course, derived from Light Realm energy to begin with. Hence, I suspect that the device works by restoring elemental energy to its original state.
- Albedo: This presumes a theoretical model of the seven elements akin to that of light refracted through a prism... Perhaps it is no mere analogy. Maybe there is indeed a prism in this model.
- Albedo: I almost wonder if the idea for the device was conceived based on direct observations of said prism? It would explain how such an ironclad design concept was achieved.
- Albedo: It is at once a masterwork of engineering and a groundbreaking application of the Akademiya's latest elemental theories.
- Albedo: I suspect only Lesser Lord Kusanali herself could have devised such an ambitious technology.
- Albedo: But back to the energy field before us. If this is pure Light Realm energy, its relation to elemental energy is one of integration versus division — or you could say that the former contains the latter.
- Albedo: Could this mean that elemental energy can dilute the power of the Light Realm?
- Durin: Should we give it a try?
- Albedo: We should.
- (Albedo unleashes Rite of Progeniture: Tectonic Tide, which causes a small crack to form in the energy field)
- Durin: It works!
- Albedo: Clear signs of disruption were detected at the periphery of the energy field. This indicates that elemental energy can disturb or even negate the field.
- Albedo: Now you try.
- Durin: Alright, here goes...
- (Durin uses Transmutation: Confirmation of Purity, causing the crack to widen slightly)
- Durin: It's working...!
- Albedo: Switch to Abyssal energy and attack again.
- Durin: Hah!
- (Durin uses Transmutation: Denial of Darkness, and the crack widens further)
- Albedo: No surprises there. Abyssal power drains the energy field to a significantly greater extent...
- Albedo: I now feel confident in asserting that the energy field is indeed pure Light Realm energy, and that elemental energy can dilute it.
- Durin: But the energy field is huge... how much elemental energy will it take to neutralize it?
- Albedo: We don't have to neutralize it completely. We can try other approaches.
- Albedo: That's all for theory. Would you like to continue watching?
- (The Wanderer walks out from behind a nearby rock formation)
- (Wanderer): So you knew I was here.
- Durin: Huh? When did you get here?
- (Wanderer): A while ago. But Albedo sounded like he was working on his thesis defense back there. Back in Sumeru, you can end a person's whole career by interrupting them mid-speech.
- Albedo: Very thoughtful of you — I'm truly touched. Could I ask you to lend me a hand?
- (Wanderer): With what?
- Albedo: A little test. Try using Anemo to unleash a concentrated assault with circular blades, with the goal of breaking through at a singular point.
- (Wanderer): ...!
- (The Wanderer uses his Charged Attack, which expands the crack significantly)
- Durin: Nice! This time, it tore through the field!
- Albedo: Tremendous. This is a major breakthrough.
- Durin: Should we go through?
- Albedo: We probably shouldn't risk having mutually antagonistic energies in such close proximity... Durin, you stay here and watch the entrance. Hat Guy and I will go in to investigate.
- (Wanderer): Sounds sensible to me. Keep your eyes peeled, Durin.
- Durin: Don't worry, I've got this. You two be careful in there. Just give me the signal if you need help, and I'll dive right in.
- (Wanderer): What do you mean, "signal"?
- Albedo: It's based on a new alchemical concoction I developed last month. When two bottles of it are smashed on the ground together, they emit a blinding burst of light. If it comes to that, remember to shield your eyes with your hat.
- (Wanderer): Glad I asked. Thanks for the heads-up.
- (Enter the energy field)
- Albedo: Like I thought... beyond a certain distance, we can't see the opening where we came in. Maybe that's to prevent people from escaping?
- (Wanderer): Sounds like Dottore's style to me.
- (Approach the small pond)
- (Wanderer): Not much has changed. Things are basically the same here as they were before the energy field appeared.
- Albedo: ...
- (Approach the people lying on the ground)
- Albedo: They have no heartbeat and they're not breathing... We can only assume they're dead. But there are no visible wounds...
- Albedo: Also, there's an animal squatting next to each body.
- (Wanderer): ...It's watching us. That's not an animal's gaze.
- Albedo: What are you trying to tell us?
- (Wanderer): Doesn't seem eager to talk... I guess maybe it is just an animal after all.
- Albedo: Let's keep looking around.
- (Approach the marked location)
- (Wanderer): Same situation everywhere. Not a living soul in sight... just countless bodies with animals standing watch over them.
- Albedo: Well... I think we can safely rule out the possibility that they're all pets.
- (Wanderer): ...Is skirting around the topic your way of showing consideration for other people's feelings?
- Albedo: Just being cautious. I don't doubt that you can handle the truth.
- (Approach the Blunthorn Rhino to the northeast)
- (Wanderer): Careful!
- (Apporach the Rimehorn Deer)
- ???: Please... help us... Please...
- Albedo: Over there. I hear a voice.
- (Approach the nearby platform to the north)
-
- (A Cinderneck Stork speaks up in a glitching voice)
- ???: Please... help us... Please...
- Albedo: What happened here?
- ???: ...I don't know... Suddenly, everyone collapsed... Then my line of sight got... lower...
- ???: I still... have some of my senses left... I gotta... get out of here... I... Ah, aah...
- ???: *cheep*
- (Wanderer): It looks like there's a huge experiment going on inside this energy field.
- (Wanderer): Maybe each energy field is its own giant experiment... Ugh. Vile.
- Albedo: He's swapping human minds with those of animals... Even without the other circumstances, this would still be an extremely radical experiment.
- Albedo: Those people may have lost their sense of selves, but they are not fully animals either. If they were, they would have left — but instead, their instincts are driving them to remain by their dead bodies.
- (Wanderer): We should go. No sense in sticking around here longer than we need to.
- Albedo: Agreed.
- (Leave the energy field)
- Durin: You're back! Everything okay?
- (Wanderer): We saw some things that take a strong stomach. Otherwise, we're fine.
- Albedo: We should share our findings with the others.
- (At the Curatorium, Nefer's Dodocommunication Device starts ringing)
- Dodocommunication Device: Dodo! Dodo! Dodoco!
- Nefer: Yes? Who is it?
- Albedo: Miss Nefer, it's me, Albedo.
- Albedo: We've found a way to break through the energy fields. With enough control, it's possible to tear them open using elemental energy.
- Albedo: Also, we managed to take a look inside. Dottore is carrying out his cruel experiments on an immense scale. Any residents who have failed to evacuate in time will likely meet a grisly end.
- Nefer: Sounds like he's living down to our expectations.
- Albedo: Might I ask how things are proceeding on your end?
- Nefer: I'm just about to get started. I'll be in touch once I have a result.
- Albedo: Understood. Stay safe.
- Nefer: I will.
- (A flashback begins)
- Lauma: Well, Nefer, I'll link up with you once my tasks are complete.
- Nefer: What makes you think I'd need you to do that?
- Lauma: I'll need it. And considering the way you approach certain matters, I think you'll be better off with me present.
- (Flashback ends)
- Nefer: Hmph.
- Nefer: Let's begin. Entering simulation mode...
- (Nefer holds up a chess piece, which begins to glow with green light)
- Nefer: (A vast wasteland. Is this (Traveler)'s inner world?)
- Nefer: (...I was expecting something more vibrant, to be honest.)
- Nefer: (Wait. Someone's there...)
- (Traveler): What are you looking at?
- (Traveler's Sibling): ...
- (Traveler): In that case, I'll look at it with you.
- (Traveler): I want to know all about everything you've seen and experienced.
- (Traveler): ...Is there somewhere I should return to? Or should I stay here and be the hero everyone says I am?
- (Traveler): I don't dislike my current life. Roaming the land, fighting battles, accomplishing missions, earning a living, looking after Paimon... It's not so bad.
- (Traveler): I guess the only thing that's missing is that... you're not here with me.
- Nefer: (This is the conscious layer, which contains a person's true feelings. It is filled with both longing and kindness.)
- (Traveler): (...I suppose anyone who lives long enough ends up wishing for someone who can't be there. Maybe it's the only way we can feel truly alive.)
- Nefer: (...)
- Nefer: (Time to delve a little deeper...)
- (Nefer closes her eyes)
- (After the transition)
-
- (Dottore and the Traveler stand in the shadow of the Kuuvahki Experimental Design Bureau)
- The Doctor: Nasha Town is hardly the optimal choice for a place to live, but it has character, and a reasonable population density.
- (Traveler): ...What are you trying to say?
- The Doctor: Oh, don't be nervous. I was just thinking where might make a good starting point for your journey.
- The Doctor: Perhaps I should send you further afield. Khaenri'ah, perhaps?
- (Traveler): Khaenri'ah ceased to exist long ago.
- The Doctor: Once again, you fail to understand the possibilities that the Trilune creates. Anything that has existed in the past, I can now recreate.
- The Doctor: You simply do not wish to see that happen. That might be because you miss your sibling and fear getting answers that you are not ready to learn... but this is not for me to judge.
- The Doctor: If we are to collaborate, we need to maintain an amicable relationship. In a moment, you will be able to...
- The Doctor: Hmm?
- (The camera zooms into the Traveler's eyes, revealing Nefer's presence within)
- Nefer: (Oh no!)
- (Dottore reaches for the Traveler, and their vision goes dark)
- (Traveler): What are you...
- (Traveler): ...!?
- Nefer: (...!)
- (A golden circle appears beneath Nefer, teleporting her away)
- (Traveler): What are you gonna do?
- The Doctor: Don't move.
- The Doctor: Something unwanted has crept into... Oh? Gone as quickly as it came.
- Nefer: *panting*...
- Nefer: ...Did you save me?
- Nicole: If I hadn't cut the connection, Dottore might have caught you from the other side and destroyed you.
- Nicole: This was a good idea, but once is plenty. You were exceptionally brave. Excellent work.
- Nefer: Thanks, but now's not the time for that.
- (Nefer activates her Dodocommunication Device)
- Dodocommunication Device: Dodo! Dodo! Dodoco!
- Albedo: Albedo speaking.
- Nefer: I think I know where (he/
she) is. - (Traveler): (What is this endless darkness?)
- (Traveler): (I can't see anything, even though my eyes are wide open... But why?)
- (The Traveler's vision clears up)
- (Traveler): ...What happened?
- The Doctor: Ah, sorry about that.
- (Traveler): ...
- The Doctor: I take it you didn't notice. Just now, a friend of yours took a little peek into your mind.
- (Traveler): (...Could it be Nefer? How did she do it? Did she use something as a medium to connect to me?)
- The Doctor: Do you think she's aware of your current circumstances?
- The Doctor: Oh dear, have I stunned you into silence? I only wanted to slow down your time a little so I could stop your intruder in her tracks. It would have been nice to capture the spy.
- The Doctor: I must say, I'm finding the ability to adjust the flow of time rather intriguing. The moment you closed your eyes, time seemed to grow impossibly viscous, didn't it?
- The Doctor: A whole month passed before you opened your eyes again — but only for you. No one else was affected. I daresay this is something only a god can achieve.
- (Traveler): Point taken. You've proven, once again, that you have god-tier powers.
- The Doctor: Oh, you misunderstand. This wasn't about proving a point — I was testing things out. I find I learn best by doing. And I have to admit, time is not the easiest dimension to control.
- The Doctor: I only wanted to make you sleep for a short while, but it ended up lasting a whole month... Clearly, some finesse is required to wield the authority over Time as I wish.
- The Doctor: I hope you're not angry with me. It was only a month's discrepancy — nothing too serious. Had I been off by a year, a decade, or even a century... That would have been quite a different story.
- (Traveler): You could've frozen me for millions of years... So much for collaboration. You aren't showing much sincerity.
- The Doctor: Millions of years? To what end?
- The Doctor: I wonder if you don't understand humans all that well. They are very pragmatic creatures who understand only that which they can perceive with their senses.
- The Doctor: If I had you sit here for a week, I imagine people might sympathize. But if I left you here for a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand years...
- The Doctor: The sheer size of that number would cause it to lose all meaning to them. They would not have the capacity to comprehend your suffering, and thus they could not empathize.
- The Doctor: Unfortunately, while gods do exist in Teyvat, it is ordinary humans that account for most of the population.
- The Doctor: Their lifespans are so limited, their bodies so fragile... Did you ever really hope that they could begin to understand someone like you?
- The Doctor: Your long life and unique origins make you fundamentally different from them. How long will it be before they start to treat you like the alien you are? Before you are ostracized, outcast?
- (Traveler): ...Alien...
- The Doctor: *sigh* Even I feel bad for you, sometimes. This world has made you into a slave. So many times, you have served its will ... and not once have the powers that be ever thought to grant you the one, simple thing you wish for.
- The Doctor: You have been treated most unfairly.
- The Doctor: I can change that. I will grant you special privileges, and give you back the status you rightly deserve as a Descender.
- (Dottore extends his hand in invitation)
- (A blue Moon-Prayer Blossom is showing floating down and settling on the water's surface)
- (After the transition)
- Columbina: (I've entered the past three times at this point, but I still have so many questions...)
- Columbina: (For instance, beyond each point being further back in time than the last, what determines the specific locations at which I can make entry?)
- Columbina: (So far, the common thread linking all three scenarios is that (Traveler) has been present...)
- Columbina: (But it's more than that. I know I sensed something familiar around (him/
her)... What was it?) - Columbina: ...
- Columbina: (I'll keep this question in mind as I carry on...)
- (Columbina enters the mirror once more, arriving at Starsand Shoal during the events of The Ashen-White Order Burns)
- "Rächer of Solnari": Humans... You never change. Always trying to use powers you neither comprehend nor control.
- Columbina: (This looks like Starsand Shoal... Was this before Rerir regained his physical form?)
- Paimon: You've messed with the cannon again, huh? Sorry, but this round's not gonna go your way!
- Columbina: (The cannon... That's right, I was at Silvermoon Hall and I sensed an abnormal kuuvahki fluctuation coming from Nasha Town.)
- Columbina: (And right after that came an ominous power emanating from Starsand Shoal...)
- "Rächer of Solnari": My body was once torn into countless pieces and hurled into the swirling chaos of time itself. But even so, my life and will were not extinguished.
- Columbina: (I wonder if I could try to prevent his resurrection...)
- Columbina: (But how would I do it? What can I do, here and now...)
- Paimon: (Traveler)...
- Paimon: Behind you... Look at that light...
- Columbina: ...!
- Columbina: (No! I won't make it in time...!)
- (Traveler): ...
- Columbina: ((He/
She)'s using the kuuvahki shield, like I taught (him/ her)... Is (he/ she) gonna use it to block the cannon's beam?) - Columbina: ((He/
She)'s strong — I'm sure (he/ she) can manage. But the force released when the beam impacts the shield might lead to collateral damage...) - Columbina: (...! Hiisi Island... The Frostmoon Scions will be exposed to lethal levels of kuuvahki...)
- (Flashback begins)
- Flins: A question, if I may, kind Miss Columbina.
- Flins: When the cannon's kuuvahki beam was deflected earlier, I saw several bolts of energy streak toward Hiisi Island, only to be blocked. Did you also have a hand in that?
- (Flashback ends)
- Columbina: ...
- Columbina: Maybe that really was me after all... Well, future me. But I don't know if I have enough power left...
- Flins: Let all mortal flesh keep silent before the light.
- Columbina: (There's no time...!)
- Flins: As I stood by the door of the Golden House, guarding the eternal flame.
- Columbina: (I have to make it...!)
- Columbina: O Frost Moon, O great land... O, slumbering moonlight of Nod-Krai...
- Columbina: If you can hear me, if you can sense my call... Then please, heed me once more!
- (Columbina gathers the power of kuuvahki in her hand)
- Columbina: ...!
- (She manages to create a kuuvahki shield, but immediately collapses out of exhaustion)
- Columbina: Did it... work...?
- (The Moon-Prayer Blossom is shown sinking beneath the water)
- (A flashback begins)
- ???: Hey... Wake up.
- ???: Hey! Did you hear me?
- Marionette: Columbina! I said, wake up! Now!
- The Damselette: ...
- The Damselette: ...Hmm? Oh. Good morning, Sandrone.
- Marionette: It's three in the afternoon, actually... And could you kindly not use my quarters as your personal nap room next time?
- The Damselette: Aw... But I feel so safe here.
- The Damselette: And your... coffee, right? It's so bitter, but it smells lovely.
- Marionette: Hah, it's like you were raised by wolves in a forest or something. What did you drink growing up? Grass tea?
- The Damselette: The Frostmoon Scions certainly lead a more frugal existence than the Fatui.
- Marionette: Then I'll bet you've never eaten one of these before!
- (Sandrone proudly presents a plate of Conch Madeleines)
- The Damselette: ...It smells delicious.
- Marionette: Hehe, that's because it's a Fontainian recipe. I had a little free time today, so I made a batch.
- Marionette: Rosalyne will be here shortly, but if you really can't wait, I guess you can go ahead and—
- The Damselette: *munching*
- Marionette: Hey! At least let me finish before you start eating! Did the Frostmoon Scions not teach you basic table manners!?
- Marionette: Or did the rules not apply to you, because you're the high and mighty Moon Goddess?
- The Damselette: Mmm... These are so tasty.
- Marionette: Of course they are. I made them.
- The Damselette: I was worried they might contain traces of machine oil.
- (Sandrone rises from her seat, indignant)
- Marionette: ...What?
- The Damselette: ...
- Marionette: ...Y'know, there's something I've always wanted to ask you. Why did you leave your old home and join the Fatui?
- Marionette: I mean, I'm sure their food was awful. But there's gotta be more to it than that?
- The Damselette: Well... Life there didn't go quite how I imagined.
- Marionette: What were you expecting? You're a god. Your followers are gonna make some demands of you, right?
- Marionette: Surely you can just answer a few prayers here and there in return for the free food and drink? How bad can it be?
- The Damselette: Well... Would you help other people, just for free food and drink?
- Marionette: Hmm?
- The Damselette: The Doctor told me that you were created by a great mechanic... Lord Something-Fisher...?
- Marionette: The "Lord-Artificer"... Bah, some people can't keep their mouths shut...
- The Damselette: Oh, Lord-Artificer. And didn't he have something to do with the, uh, narcissist...?
- Marionette: Narzissenkreuz Ordo.
- The Damselette: Yes, that was it. Narzissenkreuz Ordo. So, would you try to fulfill their wishes?
- Marionette: You must be joking. I wouldn't go even if they paid me — I don't even know them.
- The Damselette: Exactly. Well, I felt the same way. I did not know the people who made demands of me.
- Marionette: Huh. What do you know? We're on the same page for once.
- Marionette: In his later years, Alain did ask me if there was anything I wanted to do — if I had wishes of my own. Hmph, well, I don't. And I'm not in any mood to fulfill someone else's, either.
- The Damselette: ...Who's Alain?
- Marionette: He was the... You know what? Never mind. You're not gonna remember. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is, neither of us is the self-sacrificing type.
- Marionette: Lemme ask you this. What sort of place would you like to live in if you could choose?
- The Damselette: Hmm... A place where people don't ask me for things I cannot give them. Where they don't worship me, or fear me, but just want to chat with me like a normal person...
- The Damselette: I'd also like the freedom to come and go as I please. And ideally, it would be somewhere with the smell of coffee and snacks...
- Marionette: Hah. Not to burst your bubble, but no such place exists in the world. Now, take your snacks and scram!
- (Flashback ends)
- (When Columbina awakens, she is back in the moon's reflection)
- Columbina: ...
- Columbina: Did I... pass out?
- Columbina: (Of course. I'm back here again...)
- Columbina: (I dreamed of events from my past...)
- Columbina: Sandrone... (Traveler)...
- Columbina: (I miss you all so much...)
- Columbina: (Back there... I guess I managed to harness all the kuuvahki energy on Hiisi Island. But how did I do it?)
- Columbina: (Time is flowing backwards here, and I can use that familiar power to enter the world of the past...)
- Columbina: (That "mystery ally" everyone talked about... It was me all along.)
- Columbina: ...
- Columbina: (I can sense that there isn't much more power remaining up ahead.)
- Columbina: (What lies at the end of all of this? Will time keep flowing into the past?)
- Columbina: (And... Will I ever find my way back?)
- (Use Columbina's Charged Attack on the golden swirl)
- Columbina: Mmph... Ugh...
- Columbina: (It's getting harder and harder to use my power...)
- (While collecting the fragments)
-
- Hold to channel your power and aim at a fragment to collect it.
- Columbina: (I'm no match for the Abyss in this state. I need to avoid the contaminated fragments...)
- (If the player collects an Abyss-contaminated fragment)
- Avoid the tainted fragments of power.
- (Challenge resets)
- (After collecting the fragments)
-
- (The mirror reappears)
- Columbina: Phew... Time to go. I wonder where I'll find myself this time?
- (Enter the mirror)
- Enter
- (After the transition)
- Columbina: (The Final Night Cemetery... This is where Flins is based.)
- Paimon: ...Or not! How are we supposed to read through this many files!?
- Flins: Difficult, yes, but it is also our most efficient option.
- Columbina: (Seems like they're searching for information... Oh, I remember. Flins and Varka talked about some files on the Wild Hunt...)
- Columbina: (...Was this my doing, too?)
- Flins: To expose the true intentions of this Rerir, we need to dive into Nod-Krai's history.
- Columbina: (Are my actions changing the past... or are they simply completing a process?)
- Columbina: (Is all of this inevitable? Or am I the one making these decisions?)
- Columbina: (If I choose not to help them now, will it change how things turn out?)
- Paimon: *sigh* Hope we don't land on our heads, then...
- Columbina: (Haha... They're my friends. I can't not help them...)
- (Columbina uses her power to move one of the files on the shelf)
- Paimon: Ahh! Gh—Ghost!
- Columbina: (And the other one was... here.)
- (Columbina moves the second file as well)
- Paimon: Hey, another file's moving!
- (Some time passes as all four of them pore over the files)
- Columbina: (That should do it...)
- Columbina: Hmm...?
- Columbina: Luonnotar?
- Columbina: You... can sense my presence?
- Columbina: ...! Wait!
- (The gravitational force pulls Columbina back into the moon's reflection)
- Columbina: (Luonnotar... So she's that familiar presence I've been sensing all along!)
- Columbina: (She's always been by (Traveler)'s side. That explains why (Traveler) has been there each time I've entered the past...)
- Columbina: (But why Luonnotar? Is it because she has a connection to me as the Moon Goddess's familiar? If so, why not any other kuuhenki?)
- Columbina: That's...
- (Columbina follows the path of kuuvahki to another mirror)
- Columbina: ...
- Columbina: (I cannot sense any power up ahead. Just a void, stretching out into infinity...)
- Columbina: (This is likely my final chance to enter the past.)
- Columbina: (It's now or never. I have to find a way back.)
- (Columbina enters the mirror, arriving on Hiisi Island during the events of Where the Moon Returns)
- Columbina: ...Hiisi Island? How far back in time is this?
- Columbina: (Where's Luonnotar? I... can't sense her presence this time...)
- Paimon: Seeing Ineffa and Aino reunited like that sure was heart-warming...
- Columbina: ...! (Traveler), Paimon!
- Columbina: (No, stay calm... I don't have much power left to change things. I don't even have that much time left here.)
- Columbina: (Think, Columbina. How do I find a way back?)
- Columbina: A way back... to where?
- Columbina: (Do I... go back to Moon-Prayer Night? Or to the future that followed?)
- Columbina: (And if I return in my current state, what will become of me then?)
- Columbina: (Dottore's actions that day prove that he'd been planning that for a long time. He had already seized the power of two Moon Marrows before capturing me...)
- Columbina: (Even if I manage to get back, how can I fight against him when he wields the trilune authority?)
- Columbina: (...I can't. If I go back like this, I'll be playing right into his hands.)
- Columbina: (I have to find some way of rivaling the power he has usurped...)
- Columbina: Hmm? Wait, time flowing backwards... The trilune authority...
- Columbina: ...! Does that mean... I think I know what the final destination of this lunar reflection might be.
- (Columbina looks up at the moon in the sky)
- Columbina: ...
- Columbina: ...I know what I must do.
- Paimon: Speaking of homes, we must already be close to where the Frostmoon Scions live. The vibe here feels different, just like the scenery...
- Columbina: (But how do I communicate my plan to my friends?)
- Columbina: (Should I write it down here? No, someone else will see it...)
- Columbina: (I need something with a close connection to me... Something I can use as a medium to tell them what's happened to me in here...)
- Columbina: ...
- Columbina: Haha... Now it makes sense...
- (Columbina draws out some of her power and shapes it into a Moon-Prayer Blossom, which floats towards the Traveler)
- (The flower transforms into Luonnotar, who gently bops the Traveler on the head)
- Paimon: Hey, what was that? Felt like some sort of breeze blew by, and then the petals suddenly turned into... Eh?
- Luonnotar: ...?
- Columbina: (It was I who brought Luonnotar into being... I gave up a piece of my own soul to create her.)
- Columbina: (That's why I could sense a familiar power from the moment I entered this space...)
- Columbina: (It also explains why she's been present in every past location that I've entered...)
- Columbina: (Because we have a deep connection.)
- Paimon: Hey there! What's your name?
- Columbina: (And the reason why there are no more gates to the past after this point is that Luonnotar hadn't been born then...)
- Columbina: Hehe... No wonder I sensed the trace of a blessing when we first met, but I still didn't recognize the soul hidden within you.
- Columbina: Back then, I was just a little lost dove... I had yet to become Columbina Hyposelenia...
- Paimon: Go on, go on now... We've got stuff to do. Best you find someone else to hang out with...
- (Traveler): Hey, you scared it off...
- (Luonnotar disappears, then reappears in front of Columbina)
- Luonnotar: ...
- Columbina: I'll be counting on you.
- Luonnotar: ...?
- Columbina: Remember to stay by (Traveler)'s side. Guide (him/
her), and help (him/ her) in my stead... - Columbina: Oh, and bring (him/
her) to the garden where the Moon-Prayer Blossoms grow. There's a little lost dove there who will need (his/ her) help. - Luonnotar: !!!
- Columbina: Haha... Go on.
- Luonnotar: ~!
- Columbina: ...
- Columbina: You too... Go, and live your story.
- Columbina: As for mine... Mine must go in a different direction...
- ("Song of the Welkin Moon: Act VII Complete" is displayed)
- (Back on Paha Isle, Dottore continues to bargain with the Traveler)
- The Doctor: How would you like to experience the thrill of never being held accountable for your actions? You could crush people like ants without consequence. Or tear off their heads, or limbs, as you please.
- The Doctor: Believe me, such a life is but one small step away.
- (Traveler): (What point is he trying to make? Freedom? But... the freedom to kill? To do evil and get away with it?)
- (Traveler): Why would you offer me that?
- The Doctor: The creation of a world is the ultimate scientific experiment. I have taken my research to the highest level, where I shall be not just a god, but also a servant to many sacred spirits. I shall heed the truth and perform holy deeds.
- The Doctor: A god's laboratory is the perfect playground — but it needs the right occupant to explore its full potential.
- The Doctor: Mortals are found everywhere one looks. Not so with Descenders. I'd prefer my first guest to be a distinguished individual such as yourself, and I know you could make the most of the opportunities it offers.
- (Traveler): (So the condition for entering the new world is to take innocent lives. The same dilemma that Rerir once faced.)
- (Traveler): (Could I really bring myself to kill others for my own benefit? Rerir did... and look where it got him.)
- The Doctor: Have you made up your mind?
- (Traveler): ...
- (Traveler): I can't do it.
- (Traveler): Your playground is no place for me — you're putting your hopes in the wrong person. But we both know I'm not quite the hero you say I am either. I have my own reasons for the journey I'm on, and they aren't all selfless.
- The Doctor: You've grown a lot since we last met, but there are still things you are unwilling to compromise on. This will only hinder you.
- The Doctor: Why don't I lower my requirements a little, as a gesture of goodwill? I'll give you a little time to learn to be a less noble soul. That'll make things much easier for you.
- (Traveler): ...I... I really doubt I could live that sort of life.
- The Doctor: And yet you already sound less defiant than a moment ago. The benefits appeal to you, because you can read the signs of the times.
- The Doctor: Why don't we return to my research facility? Your last visit was so rushed. There is much that I have yet to show you.
- (Dottore turns to walk away)
- (A cinematic plays)
-
- The Doctor: Now to that question
- The Doctor: I...
- (The Traveler runs Dottore through with their Prototype Rancour)
- (Traveler): Heroes don't attack from behind...
- (Traveler): Guess I'm no hero
- The Doctor: This is most...
- The Doctor: Disappointing
- (Dottore attacks the Traveler, who fights back using the power of Hydro, Pyro, Anemo, and Electro)
- (Eventually, Dottore gains the upper hand and restrains the Traveler with the crushing force of gravity)
- The Doctor: Now then...
- (An explosion suddenly breaks through the energy field, and the Wanderer's wind blades come flying through the opening)
- (While Dottore is distracted, the Wanderer soars past him and grabs the Traveler)
- The Doctor: A new face... Interesting
- (Despite Dottore's attempts to stop him, Wanderer escapes the energy field with the Traveler)
- (Albedo and Durin, who were running towards the energy field, look over as he flies by)
- (Cinematic ends)
- (Wanderer): *panting*
Hat Guy? How did you get here?- (Wanderer): You're still gonna call me "Hat Guy" after that, huh?
- You came all this way just to save me?
- (Wanderer): I didn't see anyone else in there who needed saving.
- Thank you so much.
- Fair point. You just caught me by surprise... Thank you.
- (Wanderer): Ugh... *cough*
- Wait, you're injured?
- (Wanderer): It's nothing. I'll be fine.
- (Wanderer): Why are you looking at me like that? Is it that shocking that I'd come to your rescue?
- I'm more shocked that you caught The Doctor off guard...
- (Wanderer): I owed you a favor from back in Sumeru.[Note 2] Now, we're even.
- (Wanderer): Distracting Dottore was tough, I won't lie...
- (Wanderer): He's not gonna fall for the same trick twice. That was my one shot... I'd hoped to use it to take him out.
- (Wanderer): Ugh. I never wanted to obliterate someone more than I do right now.
- (Wanderer): Dottore doesn't recognize me, but his Segments were originally made based on an analysis of my operational principles.
- (Wanderer): I expect it's only a matter of time before he figures out what I am.
- (Traveler): (So Dottore doesn't recognize (Wanderer), because he deleted himself from Irminsul.)
- (Traveler): (...Did he really miss his only chance for revenge by saving me?)
- (Wanderer): Why the long face? Hey, I'm not blaming you, okay?
- (Wanderer): And I'm not complaining either. Rescuing you and killing Dottore are equally important goals.
- (Wanderer): Everyone would be pretty stuck without you. It's best you live to fight another day.
- (Albedo and Durin run up to them)
- Durin: How are you holding up? Are you alright?
- Durin: Hat Guy said to put safety first, so we agreed to run as far away as we could after leaving the energy field, and only meet up once it was safe.
- Albedo: You don't look injured. It seems that Dottore didn't do anything to you.
- Yeah, I'm fine, guys. Thanks.
- (Wanderer): Alright, rescue operation complete. Let's head back.
- (Wanderer): There's a lot more work to be done before this is over.
Irrelevant Documents
Due to their length, the irrelevant documents during Steps 3, 6, and 9 are transcribed here. Most of them are pre-existing interactables which can be found through Fontaine open-world exploration.
Step 3
The Ancient Notes and all the Ancient Logs (here and in Step 6) are located in the Institute of Natural Philosophy, unlocked by the World Quest Aqueous Tidemarks.
- (Scan the first document)
-
- Ancient Log (Carter Scherbius)
...
...We were assigned to the same lab. I was nervous at first, since everyone said that he was a child prodigy. Since the disaster, such people are more precious than ever.
I had thought that an Institute star recommended by higher-ups might be more full of himself, but he's much better than I expected. He's just not the most sociable sort...
No obvious symptoms.
...
...I made a huge mistake and knocked over an ancient geometry machine that took a lot of effort to bring back from the desert ruins. The machine came to life and made a huge mess of things...
...Though he's a lot younger than me, he's really smart. I can't believe that's how he managed to tame the machine. Maybe taming isn't the right word? Maybe the other engineers will look down on me for using it. But it really did feel like taming... I know modern clockwork machines well enough, so I can see the huge technological gulf between the two. Even disregarding construction, we will make little meaningful progress if we do not resolve the power issue...
...But I still have to be careful. I've never seen Alain angry, and I don't want to find out what he looks like when he gets angry.
A few minor symptoms.
...
Took the day off.
...
I can hardly believe it! Alain came to visit me, and even brought his sister! She's a lovely little lady, and unafraid of strangers. A fine day indeed...
...We discussed the idea of a thinking machine based on gems and tape circuits. I used the word "discussed," but actually, I just said things like "Oh!" or "That's really amazing" or "How will you do that?" whenever he paused, and didn't make any real contributions. He was really into it, though, and he behaved very differently than he usually does in the lab. His little sister is probably way smarter than I, a research assistant!
...It seems there are interesting upsides to having my disease flare up, but I'd prefer to return to the Institute and help as soon as I can...
...
...The additional machines got here. The previous ones are no longer usable since they were completely dismantled... But it did clear up a lot of things, at least according to him. Something about it being driven by the elements in the ley lines, an interaction we cannot recreate with our current level of industrial precision and material science. I helped to compile the report, but there's so much I couldn't understand!
...Apparently, lots of people are secretly unhappy that Alain is getting more research resources than they are... But if you ask me, everyone's smarter than me, and they should all get along. We'll make the world a better place that way.
...His sister said that some of their friends will be joining the Institute. I'm looking forward to meeting them...
No obvious symptoms.
...
...joined the lab as new partners! But now their conversations are doubly confusing! Oh, I understand every word on its own just fine, but once they string them all together, I can't make heads or tails of it! Jakob is really the only one even close to being on the same level as me... I feel ashamed just writing that. An adult looking for reassurance from a child as young as he is... I feel like I've lost all the self-respect a grown-up should have...
...Based on their research on Primenergy Machinery (seems like they decided to adopt this name), Alain and Rene are thinking about trying to use the characteristics of ousia and pneuma to construct a new kinetic core...
A few minor symptoms.
...
...I may have contributed! Well, maybe? I went on a picnic with Alain, his sister, Rene, and Jakob. It was technically supposed to be field research, but the idea came from Alain's sister and me. We thought they lived all too little outside of their research, so we asked the Institute's director to arrange something...
...Petrichor's not exactly the most exciting place, but the scenery's quite lovely, since you can see the great waterfall. I brought a Kamera from the Institute to take photos for them. I do hope we'll have more outings like this one, especially since that means more opportunities to take photos of his sister. After all, Alain is always working. Given how he will not be with his sister as she grows up, these photos will come in handy later when he begins to regret not spending more time with her. Then he'll be able to see how she was at different times, and it won't sting quite so much! If only my family had enough money for a Kamera... and if only things hadn't gone so wrong. I'm sure my mom would have taken lots of photos of me... Rene and Jakob like Alain's sister a lot, too. When the four of them hang out, she sometimes acts like an older sister to them, despite being the youngest. A fascinating dynamic...
...Seem to be interested in the ruins and the stone statues here. Rene also mentioned something about a troupe and seals... Even though we went out there to have a bit of fun for once, they were still thinking about research...
No obvious symptoms.
...
Took the day off.
...
...Alain's sister came to see me, along with Jakob. Alain and Rene couldn't make it because their experiment is at a critical stage. They didn't have to tell me any of that, of course. That I was able to help at all despite my limited abilities is already fulfilling!
...
I heard that Alain and the Institute's director came to see me (separately)! while I was unconscious. I feel bad that they came all this way for nothing. I wasn't even awake...
Still taking time off, but I hope to go back and help them again soon.
...
...I found out that they were graduates from the Narzissenkreuz Institute, and that made me really happy. They talked about the director and the vice director, as well as their adventures, and it made me feel like a kid again. The only detail that didn't make sense was the cake the vice director made, because it felt like punishment when we had it...
...After the disaster, I lost contact with pretty much all my friends. I'm so happy that they were able to find each other again. I wonder how my friends are doing. They're probably trying to rebuild the Narzissenkreuz Institute! I've got to go check it out next time...
...Talked about the thinking machine again. I had an idea about making a thinking Kamera, so that it would take photos of those precious to him while he's busy. He thought it was kind of pointless, but that it had security and surveillance applications...
...
...They did it! The light bulb came on! I was lucky to have recovered in time to witness this historical moment... It's quite a pity, but I hope Rene and Jakob will make the breakthroughs of their own in their own research topics! Ah, I also hope they get better assistants than me!
No obvious symptoms.
...
Took the day off.
...
There were several visits while I was unconscious. It's a shame, all I could do is read the letters they left behind.
Jakob left me a note, inviting me to his and Rene's lab. There's something they want to talk to me about.
I hope I can get out of bed soon.
...
Ann brought flowers for me, but they had already wilted by the time I woke up.
Took the day off.
...
I was able to get out of bed today.
This is where I first met Alain. For a time afterwards, I documented the experimental procedures and phenomena based on his oral descriptions while standing here for the first time. He was trying to start up the machinery below in an ill-fitting lab coat. Rene and Jakob later entered through that door, and Alain would temporarily forget to act the young genius, rushing towards them like an energetic kid.
Here I bore witness to the first successful controlled annihilation reaction. The brilliant light cast a deep, dark shadow, and I believe history was made in that moment. Will someone like me, so excited I knocked over the ink bottle, play a role in an event that will go down in history?
Behind the locked door on the other side is Rene and Jakob's lab. It seems access was limited due to the dangerous nature of their research. They are destined to become towering figures in history.
I guess Alain moved to another lab. Based on his plan, once the energy problem was solved, he would study kinematics. I'll go greet him later. I wonder how Ann is doing now? What manner of beauty will she grow up to be?
I'll stop writing here. I don't have much time left.
I hope everything goes well.
- Ancient Log (Carter Scherbius)
- (Scan the third document)
-
- Ancient Log (Alain Guillotin)
...
My assigned assistant doesn't seem very reliable.
Unlikely that the power sources of those war machines can be used at the moment. Cores far too dangerous.
I'll get them to seek out other such mysterious machines.
...
No progress worth reporting today.
Went out with Ann under my adoptive father's watchful eye to seek inspiration at sites where battles took place. Ran into Rene and Jakob.
...
The assistant doesn't seem reliable. Caused some accidents. Just another obstacle to overcome.
This kind of machine seems to take arbitrary external forms. Quite interesting. Research will focus on power source.
...
Researched primenergy machines.
Assistant took the day off.
Asked Ann for help.
Recommended Rene and Jakob to the director of the Institute.
...
Researched primenergy machines.
Assistant took the day off.
Asked Ann for help. Suggested she join the Institute, but she wasn't interested.
...
Researched primenergy machines.
My assistant still isn't back. I'll go to pay a visit.
Found Rene and Jakob's adoptive father with my own adoptive father's help.
...
The supplementary primenergy machines have arrived. Should be able to make progress now.
Assistant seems to be in good spirits. Probably just a minor illness.
...
Researched primenergy machines.
Rene and Jakob joined the Institute. They've been assigned to my project.
...
Field research today.
Interesting machine statue.
...
Researched primenergy machines.
...
Researched primenergy machines.
My adoptive father visited, but I was too busy to host him. Ann scolded me. I'll remember to apologize next time I see him.
...
Researched primenergy machines.
Assistant took the day off.
...
On the threshold of a major breakthrough.
Assistant took the day off. Too busy to visit. Ann scolded me. I'll go tomorrow.
...
On the threshold of a major breakthrough.
Forgot about the visit, am sorry. Will invite everyone to go with me.
...
Took the day off.
Assistant took the day off. Went to visit.
An idea: a virtual neural network based on a vast quantity of thinking units instead of logic trees.
Kameras?
...
Researched primenergy machines.
Assistant took the day off.
...
Researched primenergy machines.
Assistant took the day off.
...
Researched primenergy machines.
Rene and Jakob went to begin conducting their own research today.
Assistant took the day off.
...
A breakthrough.
Patent application process is too annoying. Forget it.
Assistant's condition seems alright. Still a little worried.
Considering the gap in medical technology, advised assistant to go to Sumeru.
...
Took the day off.
Researching machine kinematics next.
Must make a materials list.
...
Visit.
...
Visit.
...
Visit.
They said a bigger lab has been prepared for the kinematics experiments.
But I've decided not to move for now.
...
Visit.
...
Visit.
...
Visit.
Been urged to move the lab several times.
But if the lab is moved, my assistant might not be able to find it. A pain.
...
Visit.
...
Visit.
...
Visit.
Moved my lab.
- Ancient Log (Alain Guillotin)
- (Scan the fourth document)
-
- Ancient Notes
...
...Though it's a shame, we'll have to miss it. I was looking forward to Coppelius's new work. Ever since he was a child, he's always been incredibly talented...
...
...Out of consideration for everyone's safety, it has been decided that the Institute shall close. Driven by the energy and vigor of youth, the young ones are clamoring to go out and do battle. I hope someday they will understand the importance of prioritizing post-disaster reconstruction over marching off to die...
...
...I fear that it shan't be long before we must depart. We've chosen a good piece of land near the Fountain of Lucine as the post-relocation site... They even say they want to use the land to build an opera house — they'd sooner set faces aflame with shame and laughter! To think that anyone could be so comical...
...
...We're going to pay our respects at Basil's grave...
...I hope it all turns out like Emanuel said. However, it's the Institute's responsibility to support gifted and talented youths...
...
...Met with the newly-appointed Iudex. He has a peculiar temperament. Seems much more reliable than Leon and those other clowns...
...
...If all goes well, it has the potential to completely revolutionize our understanding of clockwork meka. The proposed methodology and plan are reliable. Worth paying more attention...
...
...The results of early phases have been satisfactory, we will increase our investment... Carter's leave requests have been increasing in frequency. Better have someone keep an eye on him. He may be having financial difficulties (not like it's possible for it to be a family matter)...
...
After some consideration, I've decided to enroll them and temporarily assign them to the same lab. However, I'm concerned about the impact of their joining after Alain on the mental state of others... must keep careful watch...
...
...Still unconscious during the visit, so couldn't speak...decided to take a blood sample and see if there's a cure, or a way to mitigate it...
...
Although the proposed research plan is expected to face challenges in obtaining recognition, I believe it holds significant practical value, so it justifies approval. Toxins remain in the soil and water and have not yet been fully neutralized... The water is producing deformed Oceanids... In a way, this could be a reflection of previous events. I only just learned that these are Karl's adopted children. It's a shame the Narzissenkreuz Institute no longer exists...
...
...This could be the biggest breakthrough in a century, it will change all of society...
...
...The report mentioned abnormal movements... I'll have to find a chance to talk to Emanuel about it...
- Ancient Notes
Step 6
Like in Step 3, the Ancient Logs can be found in the Institute of Natural Philosophy. The Research Notes of Master Ruggiero can be found in Bravais' Hidden Study, which is unlocked by completing the Hidden Exploration Objective Arkhium Forge.
- (Scan the book to the far left, after scrolling)
-
- Ancient Log
...
...Following Guillotin's instructions, the research went well... We've created a clockwork meka that can release energy. To be honest, we no longer need to call it a clockwork machine as it doesn't rely on elastic potential... It'll be compelling to see what results he achieves next in kinematics. There's no way old-fashioned clockwork meka can withstand such power output. Even young geniuses must stumble now and then...
...
...The thought of using this sort of unstable energy source is impressive. Though we have long observed these unique energies in Fontaine's atmosphere, water, and organisms, it has always been regarded as a latent threat, rather than a potential resource...
...
...Aren't there a few young geniuses too many nowadays? The director is pleased, sure, but won't someone spare a thought for us ordinary people? I mean, not all of us are as simpleminded as Scherbius...
...
...It received a very high rating. If the patent were to be granted, the potential financial gain would be considerable. However, I decided to decline the opportunity, because the machine was practically all Guillotin's work, and I can take no credit there. My family was quite angry about it, but as an engineer, one must have at least a little dignity and self-awareness...
...Still making improvements, and output efficiency has increased...
...
...Seems to have been specially recruited. That's good. Had he continued that line of research, who knows what horrors he might have unleashed...
...
...At this stage, we have to pull out. The director says everyone will be given a position and research resources after reconstruction, but I'm afraid if it were me, I would use this as an excuse for a major shake-up. People like me won't get recalled anyway. Never mind. I've been pretty happy these past few days, I guess I'll consider it my retirement. I'll go to the city and open a small workshop, repairing watches for folks, Kameras too. Right, I'll see if I can make a waterproof clock. With the way things are going, I might make a killing in the future.
- Ancient Log
- (Scan the first book)
-
- Ancient Log (Jakob Ingold)
...
...Anyway, when it comes down to it, our research directions are different, so I applied for a new research lab with the director. But there's nothing for it anyway. Alain is incredibly intelligent, but he only trusts himself, and doesn't trust our observations or accomplishments unless he reaches the same conclusions through his own calculations. Well, it's okay, since Alain is making the world a better place in his own way. I trust him, because this is the world that Ann lives in...
...Even though the Institute is full of people, I don't have many friends besides Carter. It feels like everyone kinda dislikes us...
...Rene managed to acquire something powerful to research. Apparently these appeared after the disaster, and are very dangerous for most people. But I feel okay, maybe my constitution really has gotten a lot better...
...I helped Rene out!
...When I visited him, I found out that he also attended Narzissenkreuz Institute. We didn't tell him about the Vice Director abandoning us, or it would have made him sad... If only we could have helped him just like I was helped...
...
...After discussing it with Rene, he finally agreed to give it a try. He said since it's dangerous everything needs to be made clear to Carter and he must make the judgment himself as it concerns his own life. But, if it's successful, then he'll survive just like I did...
- Ancient Log (Jakob Ingold)
- (Scan the second book)
-
- Ancient Log
...
...It seems the ordinary Dahri machines can no longer satisfy him. As a result, the director used national resources to obtain something truly horrifying. Rumor has it that someone was nearly killed! I hope this will help him achieve his research objectives... They even got him some rare Dahri mechanical parts being studied by Sumeru researchers as part of the package...
...
...Things went out of control for a third time! Guillotin may be willing to risk his own life, but that doesn't mean the rest of us feel the same... I came up with an emergency damage control strategy, and I hope we won't need to use it before he finishes his kinematics research. However, given his personality, it seems unlikely that he'll ever truly complete that research...
...
...It seems that his experiments into machines were intended to create a mechanical dog as proof of his accomplishments in kinematics and material science. It's actually a good idea and could be showcased in the city, and the creature is much more personable and likable compared to the automated turret next door...
...
...At least he lived long enough to be poached by the Marechaussee Hunters. It wasn't easy for us to survive this long, either. But what will we do with this blasted crazy killing machine that can repair itself!? Whatever... That's a problem for future generations...
- Ancient Log
- (Scan the fourth book)
-
- The Research Notes of Master Ruggiero
...About the Golden Troupe...
...Comparative studies have been conducted on the surviving ruins of ancient orders from across the land... While they all had different names, the scripts and images left behind support the conclusion that they share the same origin... Ancient scholars believed that all arcane arts originated from a pre-Remurian civilization, a belief that now seems to be much more than mere speculation...
..."Fortuna"... seems to be the name of a symphony... Remurian musicians call it the "Musica Mundana" or "the music of origin." In their eyes, the rise and fall of civilizations, as well as the fates of mortals, are all orchestrated by the movements of a symphony. And when a civilization perishes, a new one is always born in its wake...
...Their philosophical system is complex and enigmatic, bearing almost no relation to modern Fontaine's natural philosophy... However, this is hardly surprising. According to historical records, after Remuria was brought to ruins, the refugees fell under the Lochknight Erinnyes's sway. They willingly forsook their ancient faiths, tongues, and writings, embracing a life of devotion to the gods as our forebears once had...
...I hinted at the matter to the Golden Hunter in an oblique way (since the Marechaussee Hunters who first pledged themselves to his cause were all descendants of the Lochknights, praising the benevolence of Erinnyes seemed like the safest approach), and inquired about his knowledge of natural philosophy from that era... He was silent for about half a minute, then told me not to probe too deeply into those ancient philosophies, saying there was a reason they had been forgotten...
...Still, as a gesture of gratitude, the Golden Hunter was willing to tell me the names of these patterns...
...The "Seal of Chymical Marriage"... According to him, this symbol is even older than the Remurian civilization itself, and was one of the gifts bestowed upon King Remus by the Golden Bee (what exactly those were remains unclear)...
...The rise and fall of empires and civilizations, the ascension of mortals and the emanation of light (what is this?), even dreams of surpassing the gods (what is this?) — all of these can be represented by this formula... I cannot understand it at all. He declined to elaborate, and so I can only record these matters here, as they were told to me, in the hope that those who come after might one day decipher their meaning...
- The Research Notes of Master Ruggiero
Step 9
The History of the Decline and Fall of Remuria and Time Trekker are Books which can be purchased from Hubel. The Biography of Guillotin is newly introduced in this quest, but references and elaborates on a quote from Alain Guillotin which first appeared in Masterpiece's Overture's Artifact description.
- (Scan the first book)
-
- The History of the Decline and Fall of Remuria (Collected Edition)
Page 1/3
The ocean gave birth to all, yet also devoured everything.
Legend has it that in the first era, the earliest peoples were self-supporting in their virtue, needing no laws or authorities. The envoys of the heavenly city walked the earth, and with their guidance, the people enjoyed enduring peace, prosperity, and abundance from the ancient days.
This Heaven-blessed reign lasted countless generations until people grew tired of their inscrutable eternity. Their offspring ceased to listen to the oracles. Instead, they desired things never promised to them by the divine, trying to break free from their fate. Enraged by their behavior, Heaven sent gigantic waves to smash the settlers' cities. A hundred days of rain came afterward, and the roaring tides drowned all sin and arrogation, and thus were the early peoples brought to an end.
When the tide receded and the earth was revealed again, no cities nor civilizations now stood above the high waters. Survivors and the newborn alike lived amidst the forests and rivers, shorn of all knowledge and wisdom. Human lives were no different from those of wild animals on the earth or in the sea, driven on by the laws of nature — muddling through time with neither beginning nor end.
Untold years passed. The throne of Gurabad was established and overturned in the far south, and the noble kindred of the east once reached the rim of the high waters — all while our ancestors remained bound by ignorance and superstition.
Civilization and order were finally restored to the land named Fontaine the day the great king Remus descended upon Meropis in his golden Fortuna. He taught people how to farm and raise crops in the land, and built temples and cities with giant rocks to house the people. Most importantly, it was he who spread the beauty of music and art, which differentiated humans from other living things, causing them to see themselves as masters of all things.
With his immortal fleet, Remus conquered all the islands on the high waters. Even the great dragon beneath the abyssal depths submitted to his power. Those were the best days since the end of earliest peoples, and eternal prosperity seemed so near at hand.
The God King and his people indulged in the sweet dreams of carefree lives and fantasies of never-ending progress. However, the seers prophesied discord: "The greatest empire will face the most utter destruction, and this is Fortuna."
Thus did the God King derive the primordial plan from the seven-day rotation and the flowing winds of sea and land, and composed a harmonious symphony of prosperity. He believed that so long as all the cities echoed with this greatest of songs, they would escape the judgment of fate and at last reach the land of eternal bliss.
But thusly do the ancient writers concur — "Oceans will rise, empires will fall, and the only constant is change."
Page 2/3
Greatness and glory unto Remuria, and its immortal ruler, Remus, king of all under heaven and universal Harmost. Today, the glamor and luxury of the bygone Eternal City is beyond the imagination of even the most knowledgeable scholars.
As you sailed past the Ocean Pillars along the royal fairway to the giant port playing host to Fortuna the imperial ship, you would have first seen a lofty tower. The tower of Remuria was not built to receive heavenly oracles, but to guide ships traveling between islands in the high waters. It is said that the tower stood at the border of reality and dreams. Even if sailors were to be lured into slumber by sirens, they could follow the sound of the bell to break through the mist and find their way to Remuria.
Continuing along the royal fairway leading to Machimos, where the brave Remurian warriors lived. The grand temples and arenas were built with giant carved rocks to commemorate the city's glory and victory. The solid and towering walls are decorated with glaze and gold, bronze and marble statues arrayed the land, and gold, spices and specialties from the world over piled up in the markets.
Traveling through Machimos, you would arrive at Capitolium, the center of Remuria, overflowing with delightful aromas and beautiful melodies. It was a paradise for artists, where only the most outstanding intellectuals and musicians were allowed. Even among them, however, only a small fraction enjoyed the privilege of serving the God King. Here, all the theaters and palaces were established in shapes most harmonious, their beams and domes adorned with the most sumptuous and intricate carvings, and centered on a golden palace of towering copper pillars. The King, resting peacefully at the heart of the palace, listened closely to every melody and every note coming from every corner of the empire. Upon hearing any discord, the God King would correct it immediately with a pluck of his strings, bringing perfection to the symphony of his empire.
To keep all the people upon the high water from destroying the symphony of universal harmony, King Remus promoted four humans of great capability to high post. He shared his power and authority with them, making them his partners in governance, the Harmosts for all cities, to eliminate all discordant sounds.
To spread the harmonious symphony throughout the world, he built far-reaching fairways, which conveyed the melodies as never-ending ripples from Capitolium to every corner that sat above the high waters.
Yet fate's decree was not for even such as gods to defy, and to even attempt to escape destined judgment was a mortal sin. Amongst the God King's sins, the most terrible was the attempt to pass power that should have been reserved for the godly domain to humans. Thus, this power and status led to corruption and decadence, leading to violence and revolts.
Such is fate's cunning that it uses the very powers that rebel against it to its own ends. When the day of destiny arrived, Remuria, the grand immortal city, faced an inevitable end. Today, the God King's melody is played only in Capitolium, and his mighty reign has ended.
Thusly do the ancient writers concur — "Oceans will rise, empires will fall, and the only constant is change."
Page 3/3
Humans, in their naivete, once believed that the reign of the King Remus and his Eternal City would surpass time and fate to last thousands of years, just like the giant rocks comprising the ringed ritual sites.
Until that day, when the earth collapsed all at once, the tall tower was uprooted, and drowned in the titanic waves alongside the great hall of pillars. Until that day, when the royal fairways and temples were reduced to ruins, and the city, along with its residents, warriors, intellectuals, nobles, and even the golden palace, as glamorous as the shining sun, fell into a chasm of eternal darkness.
That was the moment when the absurdity of their "eternity" finally dawned on them.
Glory to our Noble Navigator, the Ruler of Rivers and Seas, and the Queen of All Waters. May she defend the law, and may her reign be long. Peace be upon all the realms of Fontaine, and all the people under the heavens. When the royal city collapsed, the great power shattered, and the people above the high water were perched on the precipice of barbarism and annihilation, it was our noble Queen who settled the conflicts between the tribes. Around the flowing springs we established cities new, and started a world guided by laws that has endured to this day.
The tragedy of Remuria occurred merely a century ago, but its history has already become concealed in legends and superstitions. This does partly come down to the fatal catastrophe that destroyed it — so ruthless and swift was the disaster that all the researchers and literature capable of passing down said knowledge now sleep beneath the waters with the Eternal City. Another key reason is the purposeful distortions created by the mysterious researchers who claimed to be descendants of Remuria. My job is to extract and reproduce the true, essential shape of this magnificent ancient civilization with the universal rationality of history.
In certain folklore that exists today, even the greatest of ancient scholars have been painted as soul-stealing magisters who entrapped mortal spirits within specially-made magical golems, binding them into service. To be sure, the Remurians did make such terrifying golems, which to this day may be found, ruined, out in the wild. But this may only be blamed upon the moral degeneration that came upon them in Remuria's latter days. Its people had forsaken their noble duties and embraced hedonism and debauchery, accepting the violence they inflicted on others — and thus were they also violently destroyed.
Just as the ancient writers concur — "Oceans will rise, empires will fall, and the only constant is change."
- The History of the Decline and Fall of Remuria (Collected Edition)
- (Scan the second book)
-
- The Biography of Guillotin (Deluxe Edition)
...
Chapter VII: Guillotin in His Later Years
"No one can know the root cause of every incident in the world. Humans are neither wise enough to predict the future nor able to stop unfortunate accidents from occurring. It's a shame. There's nothing more to say."
— Alain Guillotin, in response to a question about his early years from Nellie Cochran, Chief Editor of The Steambird
After retiring from the Fontaine Research Institute, Guillotin declined all invitations from the Palais Mermonia and civic organizations from the Court of Fontaine. Instead, he withdrew to the Beryl Region countryside, living in near-total isolation from society — notwithstanding, even prior to this, the reclusive old man had never formed any deep connections with others. If we were to take Madame Nellie Cochran at her word, then Alain Guillotin was, at heart, a lonely shut-in, always burdened by a profound sense of insecurity. It was for this reason that he maintained a detached attitude toward others, as if by pretending to be unperceptive, he could hide the keen sensitivity of his spirit. He could not ease his own pain, nor share it with anyone; all he could do was enclose it like a pearl within the shell of his heart, shaping and polishing it with his very flesh and blood. Of course, Guillotin's students would not accept such claims, dismissing them as attention-seeking nonsense and nothing more than a smear on their master's reputation. This was the main reason why Rogier Cotes, the third director of the Fontaine Research Institute, filed a lawsuit against The Steambird...
He never employed any servants to tend to his daily needs. There were rumors that, in his youth, he had created a mechanical device capable of independent thought and had used it to assist him in his work with Mary-Ann Guillotin at the Marechaussee Phantom. As a result, he had no need for servants — he only needed to create more of the same device. However, such claims were clearly at odds with the facts: the personal effects that Guillotin left behind after his death include nothing of this nature, and so-called "mechanical devices capable of independent thought" are entirely inconsistent with the ideas he expressed in his manuscripts. As he wrote in Hierarchical Calculating Machines and Intelligence,
"...The real question isn't whether machines can think, but whether humans can..." (Fontaine Natural Philosophy and Engineering Science Press, 3rd ed., Section 13, p. 5.)
We have every reason to believe that whatever contraptions Guillotin crafted in his workshop in his later years were deliberately destroyed long ago. After all, it's hardly uncommon for an engineer to discard their designs. Popular fiction has offered many flights of fancy about these contraptions, yet all such tales contradict the surviving evidence. Nevertheless, we must recognize that, as a cultural symbol, "Alain Guillotin's posthumous work" has been instrumental in stirring the imaginations of the young...
...
- The Biography of Guillotin (Deluxe Edition)
- (Scan the fourth book)
-
- Time Trekker (Collected Edition)
Page 1/3
This is a story from many years ago. After the evening banquet, Ms. Aviva (who today would be Lady Nenonen) was, as always, theatrically grousing to us about the all-too-swift march of science. Though her grasp on engineering is even less firm than her knowledge of Watatsumi Island's soil quality (and of course, she knows nothing about the latter either), but self-proclaimed interest in engineering was in vogue amongst some ladies and gentlemen at the time.
"Our ancestors had already conquered this land thousands of years ago," she said as she cleared her throat, twirling her jade-plumed and blue-gem-encrusted folding fan while endeavoring in vain to wear a visage of despondency. "And a few hundred years ago, they conquered the oceans with ease using new diving equipment. Today, some noble young folk have suddenly got it in their heads to use a so-termed gravimeter to break free from the earth's shackles and conquer the skies — and surely, I fear, their dream may yet become reality in the near future."
"Indeed, it is just as you say. Humans — ah, what a mighty and energetic species, with such great wisdom! No matter the circumstances, humans ever seek to change their living conditions with unimaginable passion," The Steambird editor immediately opined. "In truth, when it comes to mechanical engineering and theory, humanity is already on par with the creator. They have conquered most of the natural world, and by their will, they can shape this world anew."
"Ah, that's... not what I meant to say," Ms. Aviva said with an affected sigh. "Those distant and dark unknown continents, those ruins hidden deep beneath the seas, all that romantic exploration and trailblazing — such great achievements, that which has put the glorious achievements of our sciences and reasoning on full display — have all but become lost to our civilization. Our forebears reached too high and achieved too much, leaving too little for us to explore or conquer. Could there be a sadder fate to befall those ladies and gentlemen amongst us who were born to crave the exploration of the unknown?"
Here, her pretentious invocation of the legendary King Argeadai's words seemed an attempt to prove how truly this state of affairs hurt her. However, everyone simply sat around lazily, at most giving polite nods. Lady Elle lightly yawned.
Seeing how no one answered, Ms. Aviva's enthusiasm faded and she proceeded to switch the topic to next week's ball. This was, evidently, a more popular topic, and the stiff atmosphere once again grew lively. Monsieur Ratar was just about to regale us with a tale he had heard in Sumeru regarding a tower, a mage, and a glass ball, but before he could begin, Mr. Ciric, who had remained silent till now, interrupted.
"Good Ms. Aviva, the things you said certainly left an impression on me." He lit a cigarette. "However, you need not worry. There is still one space that has yet to be subdued by humanity — indeed, if the required techniques do not emerge, I fear it will never be."
"Where's that?" Ratar asked, a sullen look on his face. He had been so very confident about his monkey story, after all.
"Time."
The room fell silent momentarily before all present broke out into laughter.
"What preposterous talk!" Dr. Reinier declared, trying not to laugh. "Firstly, how can time be considered a part of space?"
"Can you separate yourself from time and exist independently in space alone?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean to, at this moment, still be speaking to me, and in the next disappear without a trace. Is this possible?" He waited for a moment, as if waiting for the others to think. "Obviously, anyone with the capacity for rigorous thought would know for certain that much like length, width, and height, time is also a dimension of space. As such, it is a part of nature, and can thus be conquered."
"Utterly preposterous..." The doctor muttered, but did not refute the statement.
"I have been involved in research of this sort for some time," he continued, "and I have come up with a machine that can allow people to travel through time as they please. This machine will be ready in two months. At that time, Ms. Aviva, I invite you and all the ladies and gentlemen present here to my workshop, to bear witness to humanity's next great achievement: the conquest of time."
Ms. Aviva did not speak. In fact, from her expression, our noble friend did not understand Mr. Ciric's words at all.
Page 2/3
Two months later, we — The Steambird editor, the doctor, Mr. Revilo Oliver, and others who had attended that evening banquet — came to Ciric's workshop as agreed. Ms. Aviva was not there, for she never had much interest in such things, but instead found more meaning in attending a social ball at Salon Caritat.
Surprisingly, Ciric had grown older and more frail in just two months. In the dim light of the lamp, his once enthusiastic, arrogant expression had hardened into something indifferent and solemn, almost like the emaciated ascetics of Sumeru.
He welcomed us to take our seats, speaking in a calm tone.
"Well then, how is your plan to conquer time progressing?" The Steambird editor asked directly. "Where is the time machine you spoke of?"
Ciric did not reply. Instead, he pointed to the desk next to him. Our gazes followed, and in the middle of that table was a gold-plated whale-shaped model airship about the size of a small clock. Even a non-professional eye could readily discern that the model was of exquisite craftsmanship. Beneath its clear crystal shell, an indistinguishable and formless color flowed ever so slowly, glowing faintly in the lampshade's shadow.
"So," the doctor said, "it took you two months to make this little toy that would amaze even Lepaute's artisans?"
"It certainly looks like nothing special," Ciric said, an inscrutable emotion shining in his eyes that could almost be called pity, "But this is simply a projection the object has left in this moment, just as one can only see a thin line when viewing paper from the side."
"Blithering nonsense."
For some reason, Ciric did not refute that statement, merely asking us in a calm tone to hear him out concerning his time travel experiences. We agreed, and so he began to tell the story I shall now relate below, without interruption from beginning to end.
For all of you, it was two months ago when I first told you of the idea of a time machine. Similarly, it must have been a week ago when I finished constructing said device and stepped into it, initiating the very first instance of time travel in human history.
The strange sensations that came over me as I traveled through time are beyond words, just as there are no words with which one can impress the stars' brightness upon a blind person. About twenty minutes after this — though describing time travel by using subjective time is quite meaningless — the machine ceased operation. I looked about me then, and realized that I was in a Remurian imperial settlement. The grand temples and arenas carved of titanic stone would make the Opera Epiclese hang its head in shame, while the creations of Alain Guillotin would be little more than a child's wind-up toy before the towering Remurian golems. Just as I was beside myself in awe, a few patrolling troops discovered me. Seeing my strange style of dress, they took me to be a spy for the barbarian tribes. They seized me, naming me a lowly slave, a degenerate believer in a false god, and threatened to throw me into a deep cistern to feed the vipers.
Fortunately, the local Aedile — I later found out that her name was Aidia Anavana — realized that my identity was anything but ordinary, and had me sent before her. She endured my calamitous grammar and catastrophic accent (at that time, I could not even pronounce "Remuria," with it coming out something more akin to "Emuia") while asking me many questions, which I answered truthfully. Quickly, she accepted the fact that I was from the future and showed me a stone slate that the slaves had recently dug up.
The slate was a perfect square, each line and column engraved with seven symmetrical sequences of symbols — these were not in Remurian script, but rather the characters we use today. Regardless of the manner in which the text was read, or the order, or direction, the information within the text did not change — it was an elaborate riddle involving dogs, pastures, cyan finches, the summer rains, the song of the roses, a Rishboland Tiger's stripes, and the ordered patterns of rocks. Despite my long-time love of wordplay games, this endless cycle of riddles made me terribly dizzy. For some reason, I knew that I must solve it, no matter the price. I spent half a year doing so alongside Aidia — and as it turned out, the key to deciphering it lay with the name of a slave now thirty years dead, while the answer was a date, set several hundred years after the empire's fall.
I bade Aidia farewell and stepped back upon the time machine, forwarding myself to that date in hopes of finding the secret behind that stone slate. There, I met several Marechaussee Hunters, and they showed me another stone slate, which again had 49 mirrored characters on it that formed another riddle. Again, the answer was a date, one set in a future still further off.
Following these stone slates' directions, I cris-crossed the fabric of past and future, shuttling back and forth 13 times. Each stone slate's riddle was trickier than the last. One of them could only be cracked using a bad romance novel that would only be published 300 years hence — the 5th word of the 37th page of that book would form a conjugate with the full name of the 375th Maison Gardiennage officer from 375 years ago. Another riddle's cipher was based on a white flower that will only bloom several millennia in the future — I know not its name, and its pistil structure is very strange indeed. It might be a mallow of some sort, but I cannot be sure. That flower is nourished by skylark calls, and so one of the clues to its cipher was the number of ribs on a skylark during Remurian times. I suppose that is, generally speaking, just how the riddles worked.
The final stone slate came from the underground storeroom of the Basil Elton Memorial Museum, and had naught but one number on it: "0."
I do not know what I was thinking at the moment. After all, setting my destination to "0" is an action utterly devoid of meaning. But I punched the number into my machine all the same and pulled the control lever. After who knows how long, the machine stopped. I sensed that I was floating atop a sea with no waves or tides, for even the wind did not exist at that moment. The sky that loomed overhead was not blue, but a dark red adorned with countless stars, pale and distant, like salt frost lining the shore.
I stared at this very first of oceans, transfixed, and several minutes passed before I realized that there was something shadowy hidden beneath the placid surface. It was the Palais Mermonia, which should not be there.
At that moment, I could hear someone call me by name — Neven Ciric, the voice called. I turned, and it was like looking into a mirror. A man, identical to myself, looking me dead in the eye, just as I did to him.
"Neven Ciric," he continued, "you wish to conquer time. No one can do that."
"It was you who left those riddles behind?"
"It was you who left those riddles behind." He repeated my question as if it was an answer. "Those riddles are part of time, and every matching symbol is time itself."
"So, the final answer to the riddle of time is zero."
"Zero is not an answer. Instead, it is another mystery, for the answer cannot be found in the riddle," he said. "The answer to time's riddle is a mirror — or perhaps I should say that this is the answer that is simplest to comprehend. When two mirrors face each other, time is the infinite reflection of light therein. Countless diverging, converging, and parallel lights form the illusion we call time. There is no past or future, for the past is the future. As you stand here at Moment Zero and look forward along the gap between the two mirrors, all beams of light fall along the same plane, and not one may escape. The Palais Mermonia had already sunk long before it was ever built, and the sunken Palais will be raised anew. Joy, sorrow, tears, and death must infinitely recur, for this is the nature of a mirror. Similarly, you can never conquer time, just as you can never grasp your shadow in your hand."
Perhaps it was horror or momentary frenzy, but when he finished, I whipped out the firearm I kept for self-defense, leveled it at his head, and pulled the trigger.
The room was silent.
"I do not expect you to believe me," Ciric said as he stood up, his eyes sweeping the room. "Just take it as a bunch of bunk that I made up to cover up for my inability to make a time machine. Make of it some lame tale, a dream born purely of delusion. In any case, ladies and gentlemen, I shall take my leave of you — my future self awaits a riddle that I must set him."
I never saw Ciric Neven again.
- Time Trekker (Collected Edition)
Soundtracks
Gallery
Cutscene Animation- "Escaping 'Utopia'" - Genshin Impact
Notes
Other Languages
| Language | Official Name | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | Tracing the Footsteps of the Past | — |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 循着过往的足迹 Xúnzhe Guòwǎng de Zújì | Tracing the Footsteps of the Past |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 循著過往的足跡 Xúnzhe Guòwǎng de Zújī | |
| Japanese | 過去の足跡を辿って Kako no Ashiato wo Tadotte | Tracing the Footsteps of the Past |
| Korean | 과거의 발자취 Gwageoui Baljachwi | |
| Spanish | Siguiendo las huellas del pasado | |
| French | Sur les traces du passé | On the Trail of the Past |
| Russian | По следам из прошлого Po sledam iz proshlogo | In the Footsteps of the Past |
| Thai | เดินตามรอยเท้าในอดีต | |
| Vietnamese | Lần Theo Dấu Chân Của Quá Khứ | |
| German | Auf den Spuren der Vergangenheit | |
| Indonesian | Napak Tilas Jejak Masa Lalu | |
| Portuguese | Rastros do Passado | |
| Turkish | Geçmişin İzlerinin Peşinde | |
| Italian | Sulle orme del passato |
Change History
Released in Version "Luna IV"
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