act35side

But you always kept yourself busy... back in the day.

How about you? You must have gotten a lot of good stuff out of your travels.

More than you can imagine.

Hmm. Sounds like your report's going to be a lot longer than you can imagine as well.

Oh no. It's so hot here. Feel like I've got sunstroke. I'm gonna stay here and cool down in the breeze.

Save it. Do you know how many times I used that excuse to help you ditch class?

You've been sitting there quite a while, hanim, and the sun is rather fierce. Would you like something to drink? We have our specialty liquorice juice, freshly made. Only five dinars.

Or how about an apple and roselle tea? Two dinars a cup.

No.

Perhaps a glass of apricot juice then? Only one dinar.

I said no.

Very well then...

Hold on, waiter, not so fast. A pot of your best coffee, if you will, and add some local cardamom and cloves.

And a glass of liquorice juice for the lady.

Right away.

Coming to Menat-Ha'mait for the Flood Festival, anyone should have filled their wallet. You won't get much out of your trip like this.

No offense, but I have always been of the belief that man should live within his means. If your funds are insufficient, there are plenty more other places to enjoy a holiday.

I've heard that Dossoles in Bolívar is rather pleasant. Cheap, with beautiful scenery, suitable for those of more... frugal means.

You speak wisdom. A truly educated man you must be.

You flatter me. And yourself? Broadening your horizons on the road?

On the road...? I suppose so. I seek my own road to follow.

Your coffee, effendi.

Here, please.

Your liquorice juice, hanim.

(Drinks it up in a single gulp)

I thank you for your hospitality.

(Quietly) Hmph.

Waiter, could you tell me of some particularly fun activities during your Flood Festival—

Why the look?

Forgive me, effendi. I am simply amazed that the hanim was so hesitant to part with her money for a drink, yet gave me a sizable tip...

Ah, it appears my fellow traveler was of small means but great pride.

No matter, I shall find some amusements by myself. The bill please, waiter.

Fifteen dinars in total, effendi.

Effendi?

Err... Wherever has my coin-purse gone?

May the river wash away these gilded scraps of metal. May those who need them find them as its waters rise.

Enough time wasted. I nearly lost sight of my target.

I've heard the City of Radiance is adorned in jewels, and that countless brave souls have sought out its treasures without success.

And so I walked the long road and arrived here, only to find miser after miser bickering over a few gold coins.

A dark cloud floats by, blocking the glaring rays of the sun. The red-maned woman pours coins out of her purse, tossing them into the river with an even hand. The ripples tear apart the sun's reflection.

Then she disappears into the crowd, whistling.

Ahh... The Grand Bazaar's apricot juice still hits the spot. Tastes pretty much the same as it did back when we were in school!

This is where I thought you'd be, but it took me some long, fruitless searching to remember that we would only ever come here the three of us.

When you were alone, you would always go to...

The river. I love strolling along the river by myself. Didn't think you'd run all over the place to find me.

You are an honored guest, Pepe.

We're friends, you don't need to be so particular about all this...

You didn't organize some toe-curlingly cringey performance to welcome me back, did you?

That would be the proper rites and ceremonies.

Save it! I can hear the cogs in your brain grinding away as you cook up your evil machinations.

So what big discovery got you coming back here?

A jewel.

A jewel?

Sapphire bracelets, necklaces and earrings, make a set of your choosing, only two thousand dinars a set! If you like it then buy it, no haggling, no bargaining. Only two thousand dinars and they're yours!

Dear customers, we are now offering a lovely selection of hand-selected emerald rings. Enjoy a discount if you buy an entire box!

Guaranteed quality and weight, while still economical. Every one fifteen carats! Buy some to send home to your family and friends, only four thousand five hundred dinars for the box!

Rubies, sapphires, chrysoberyl, amethysts, rose quartz, olivine! For gems, come to the Grand Bazaar, where we offer bulk trade and low prices, all day every day!

Menat-Ha'mait's drowning in all sorts of jewels. I don't think you're turning heads if it's any regular old gem.

Hey, this jewel's pretty extraordinary, okay?

Extraordinary?

I recently bought a piece of pink kyanite. They say it was once used for purifying water. The Originium circuit carved into it is incredibly delicate, a work of art in its own right.

Sounds rather valuable. I bought a similar tourmaline just last month. The power of my Arts improved substantially after laying it into my cane.

Both cannot compare with this treasure of mine. Look.

Isn't this a limited edition gemstone belt from last year? I remember the peddler said it could rejuvenate your skin and slow your aging.

Do you feel anything wearing it?

I <i>do</i> feel rather more refreshed...

Eh, compared to the ones going around the Grand Bazaar, the one I found can do something <i>really</i> special.

Special how? These Originium-etched jewels being sold here are already pretty special for anyone coming from outside the city.

Let's get walking first, Titi.

Don't tell me there's some kind of dirty secret behind it?

No way! Relax, I'll tell you, but—

Before this scorcher of a sun gets too high in the sky, I want to run by Septagram Avenue to buy an idol. Even research needs the blessing of the gods, right?

You best walk quick then. That road's going to be too hot for your feet real soon.

The target is moving toward the museum in the heart of the city...

Considering she was personally welcomed by the vice-curator, it appears my information was correct. She is no ordinary woman.

What?! The jewel you found was a relic of the Shah?

Man... I shouldn't have worn open-toed sandals. I'm going to have sandal-patterned feet later.

Seriously? You're thinking about your <i>sandals</i> now? Where did you find that jewel?

I got a clue in a place once known as Szubat-Arsalan. After a few twists and turns, I finally found it in the territory of a Lord Ameer.

<i>The Lionpride's Ancient Throne...</i>

I also saw some ancient images left by the Shah himself in a cave full of crystals.

And I wrote everything down in this journal. It'll make public the true location of the great trove, and prove that the Shah's promise to the Nightzmora was more than just a legend.

Just think what might be waiting for us among all those riches?

Yet no matter how valuable that stuff may be, the true treasure is the clues that will help us reconstruct the truth of that era.

We'll find the answers to the Shah's unsolved mysteries one by one, Titi!

Why would he make such a crazy declaration of war? Or what really happened in the legendary clash with Kharanduu Khagan in the south! Or his final resting place!

These discoveries will shock the people! All Shar-Agade, the entire City of Gold, will be looking my way!

If you know where it is, just take a team there to excavate it. It's just—

No, there's one last trail to follow. I need to borrow an artifact from the museum.

You're the daughter of a Padishah. The museum storehouses are open to you, anything you want that isn't on public display.

Thaaaaat's the issue.

Wait. Don't tell me you want...

Pepe looks at the facade of the museum, a banner slowly unfolding across it.

The banner depicts a slender mummy draped in golden armor, its face hidden by a death mask.

And at the end of that banner is written in great, big script:

Landmark Exhibit Commemorating Varjavandabad Museum's Anniversary—The Nameless General of the Shah's Very Court!

The General? No, he is the guardian of the trove.

No matter who it actually is, it's Anat's most prized exhibit. I don't think you're going to borrow it that easily.

Well, a jewel with clues won't prove anything by itself. I can only show my worth to my father and the Shahanshah by finding the Shah's trove.

If I do that, I can go to the City of Gold, become the Shahanshah's Historian of Shar-Agade, and write an account of all Sargonian history.