Part 55: Episode LII: Go-To Man

Episode LII: Go-To Man

Music: Village Tunes


It'll be nice to see how Emil has been holding up in the last five years. At least he still sounds fairly peppy in the letter he sent us. But, let's not get ahead of ourselves...


After obtaining our first main quest goal of Part 2, sidequests have now unlocked in the village. Oh joy... There is not too many available at the moment and the bulk are getting shelved for the time being. But let's just see what is available at the moment, hmmm?

Sidequest: Contract for a Contractor


"What's the problem?"
"See, I was cooking and I... Well, I managed to start a fire that ruined my kitchen and equipment. I can't repair the kitchen without metal, but the only place you can find that much scrap is the Junk Heap..."
"I see. You want me to go for you?"
"I need a lot of material, so you'll have to brain a whole bunch of robots. That's okay, right?"
"I trust that you plan to offer us adequate compensation?"
"Don't be greedy, Weiss."
"Well, I'm not sure what you mean by 'adequate,' but I'll do my best."


Holy fucking shit dude... Are you post apocalyptic Bobby Flay...?! How would you even craft anything with this junk? Who is going to smelt titanium for you?! Why do you even need stuff like that for cooking?!


Seriously, guy... You've got to be taking the piss. Besides, we're not sequence breaking and going to the Junk Heap until we have a reason to do so. And honestly...good grief...


Yeah, we'll get back to you on that one, chief...


Oh well, that's a bust for now. Let us see if the pair of merchants in the market district has anything more fruitful to task Nier with accomplishing.

Sidequest: The Creaky Waterwheel


"Maybe."
"Our waterwheel is on its last legs. I'd like to shore it up, but the insides are so complicated..."
"This is a wise thought on your part. That wheel is a machine of not-insignificant age. Better to repair it now than wait until it fails completely."
"You got any ideas? I'm not much for this mechanical stuff."
"Replacing the axle and the paddle boards should suffice for now. I believe the strange-thing store in Facade should have everything we need."
"Okay. Well, if you can handle the repairs, I can pick up the materials."
"Oh, thank you. I'm sure I can find someone to take care of the actual repair work."


Meh... Stop giving quests requiring visits to other towns! We'll go visit Facade when it is time to visit Facade, alright? On that note... I wonder how the King is doing these days. He's got to be a teenager by now, eh? Huh...Yonah would be fifteen by now too, wouldn't she? That is gonna be weird if we ever find her...

Sidequest: Thieves in Training


"Buncha sticky-fingered bastards keep taking my merchandise!"
"That bad, huh?"
"They don't take a lot, but when they strike, it's always food. And in some ways, that's our most precious commodity!"
"Maybe I can help you out."
"...Really? Well, I'd certainly appreciate it."
"Do you have a plan, or are we going to walk up to every person we see and shake them until stolen vegetables fall from their pockets?"
"Let's try asking around the village."


"You could call it a sign of the times. Rare is the man who steals out of choice as opposed to need."


Time to do a bit of sleuthing about town to uncover these thieves. The nearby town guard is rather useless.


Poking around a bit will reveal we're looking for a duo in this crime spree. Alright, that's a bit more helpful. Maybe someone can give us a vague idea of what size people to be on the lookout for in the shadows.


"Judging by what we've found, we're dealing with two thieves...probably children."
"Remember the pair of brothers that loiter near the waterwheel? I fear they may be hiding something from us."
"Yeah...I don't trust 'em. Let's go have a talk."


Indeed, there are a pair of children skulking about down by the dock. If we talked to them earlier, that would have just acted rather sketchy but mostly harmless. Now we know they're up to no good. It's time to have a stern talking to with the thieves.


"....."
"If you're so confident, why are you even asking me?"
"Your tone betrays your guilt! Confess! Confess now, lest my muscle-bound friend here become angry!"
"You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."
"Okay, okay! We did it. My brother and I."
"Why?"
"...'Cause Dad told us to."
"Your father demanded that you steal!?"
"What kind of bastard forces his own children to a life of crime!? I think it's time he and I had a little chat..."
"He's probably in the tavern. That's where he spends all his time."
"Got it."

I guess Nier has just kind of forgotten about that kid he dragged back home five years ago and ended up being forced into a life of crime. Oh well... Let's have a talk with this deadbeat dad.

Nier storms over to the tavern...


"Huh? Whassit...whassit to you, huh? Why ya gotta ashk me all thesh...QUESHTONS!?"
"You're forcing your kids to commit crimes, aren't you?"
"CRIMES!? No, no! Ish not like that. I jusht...I jusht told 'em to go find shome food for the family! Now shut yer mouth before I...before I shut it for ya! Buncha no-good MEDDLERSH!"
"Our time is wasted on this drunken scoundrel."
"I oughta cut that guy in half and save his sons the trouble..."
"How shall we explain this to the client?"
"We'll tell him the truth. And then we'll decide what to do with the kids."

Nier returns to the questgiver...


"Yeah. But it's...complicated."

Nier explains the situation...

"...I see. A pair of children driven to steal by an abusive father. Well, I certainly didn't expect this."
"I don't think the kids are entirely without blame, but they certainly never had much of a chance. Maybe we can go easy on 'em this time?"
"Agreed. I'll talk to the other shopkeepers and make sure they understand."
"You know anyone who might be able to take them in? There's no way I'm sending them back to their father."
"People are barely getting by as it is!"
"....."
"Oh, all right. I'll spread the world and see what I can find out. Ah, yes, your fee. Well, us shop owners passed the hat and came up with this. I hope it's enough."


Nier receives a meager sum for this investigation and fun times in child abuse. If we come back later, the shop keeper will tell us that Popola has taken the kids in for the time being. That said, I have absolutely no idea where Popola or Devola lives and sleeps. They both seem to be paper filing and music singing redhead robots. Oh well, that's one quest out of three down...


"And yet it's the reality the village faces. Things are more desperate than I knew."
"if we hope to restore the lives of the villagers, we must cull as many Shades as we can."
"...Yeah."


That is it for unlocked sidequests thus far. Let's take a bit of a rest before heading off to the Haunted Manor, mmm?


"I know she's alive. She has to be. If she isn't..."











Thief Sidequest Highlights




Post Timeskip Brother Nier Illustration