Part 28: Ace Detective

Ace Detective

Music: Town (Day)


Today is a very important day - Gaius' birthday!


What?
...Because it's Gaius' birthday.

Curry Udon is one of his loved items, but there's something easier to give to him.


Too bad, you're getting a gift anyway!


Gaius' other loved items are platinum and gold. If you're really hard up for gifts, he merely likes the other ores(including scrap metal for some reason).



Getting this on my birthday, is there something you want to tell me...?
No, there isn't any deep meaning.
Yeah. I knew that.


With that out of the way, let's see what Marjorie wants.



I'm scared to even guess...Wheat sleeves? Pickle pants?
Or maybe it all comes full circle at that point and becomes "normal"!
Normal? You mean like wheat sleeves and pickle pants?
Okay, I guess not.
I guess it goes PAST full circle and becomes "abnormal" again!
If pickle pants are "abnormal," I don't want to BE normal!

I think this entire convo was just an excuse to say 'pickle pants.'



Oh, yes.
Well, Could you deliver this to Gaius?


Way to shove it into Link's hands before he has a chance to say yes or no.

Then again this is Link, so at worst he'd stutter a lot before agreeing to it anyway.

I see...Well, I'll go get this to him right now.
Oh, thank you. But, if you lose it...
Lose it...?
Well, Do something about it on your own.
I-I see...
Well now, Thank you for doing this for me.



Oh, that! I completely forgot about it.
Did you really remember just now?
Yes, it has something to do with Marjorie's prized possession..I have to be careful.
What's her prized possession?
I can't tell you that.
...
Anyway, I got it now. Could you let Marjorie know?
Ah...

Back in "I forgot to screenshot the first line of this conversation" land:

Oh, Link. It seems like you gave him the Toyherb.



Most important? Let's see...a container, I guess.
Container?
Oh. A wonderful container that will accept my heart.
...?
Anyway, thank you for today. This is for your trouble. Well now, thanks again.


I can't believe Gaius is repairing Marjorie's horcrux.


I think the mermaid would win this one by default, but maybe that's just me.



Well, I've put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears of my own into it. To meet cute monsters.
That's why?!


Now that we've beaten the third boss, Sakuya has a new feature for us!

Yes, it's a tradition from my homeland! I can tell you how your day will go! "Excellent" is the best reading, followed by "Great," "Good," "Average," and "Uncertain." However, if your reading is "Poor" or "Horrible," something bad will happen!
Wait...something bad?
Well, the chances of that are low, so I think it's worth the risk! I think so, at least.
Sounds, um, interesting.


Let's give it a whirl!



Um...Okay. It says "Good."
That means you'll have good luck today.
In what way, exactly?
Uh, try smashing rocks? It might go better than usual.
I see.

The other possible results are Excellent(higher spawn rate of treasure chests in dungeons), Great(higher rate of monster drops), Fishing Luck(fish bite more often), Average(easier time befriending monsters), Uncertain(no effect), Poor(you do less damage in combat), and Horrible(Sakuya takes an extra 800 gold from you). Money's easy enough to come by that I might as well get a fortune every day, but in reality I'm lazy and won't do it that often.


Alvarna is the town from RF2. I have no clue what Lillyland is and google isn't helping either.


Ooo. I take a few. Sadly medicine bread isn't as useful as the other breads, simply because there aren't as many recipes to learn from it.


Next!


But first let's get distracted and buy a bunch of stuff from Evelyn.


All of the stuff sold here is for decorative purposes only.






But it's all pretty cheap, so hey, if you want to decorate, then decorate. I don't buy any of it though, since what I'm really here for is...


...new clothes.


Specifically, I'm going to make Link run around in a swimsuit and you can't stop me.


Although maybe I should have stopped myself.


I also pick up a blue outfit for when I inevitably get sick of running around in bright red swim trunks.


The swimsuit is the only outfit that changes Link's portrait, too. How is someone who mines, chops wood, fights monsters, and farms all the time so scrawny? Is this the power of anime?

Lean in close.
Uh, okay...
(It's about Evelyn's tears!)
EVELYN'S TEARS?!
Don't yell, you nincompoop!
Ah. Sorry about that. But why would you need me to investigate that?
I looked into Evelyn's room the other day and she was just bawling, tears streaming down her face in front of her workbench!
Do you know what she was upset about?
I know. But I thought we should go around town and ask some people. Think you could help? You can be my hard-boiled private investigator!
Well, not sure how "hard-boiled" I am. But I'll try. Do you have any leads?
Well, she was focused on her clothes. I'm sure that's partly the reason.
Well, that's not much to go on.
Let's ask around town. Someone must know something. Just don't blab that I saw Evelyn crying. Mum's the word!
Sure thing. Mum's the word.
Let's hit the road, P.I.!

I can already tell this is going to be a fantastic quest.



I really want one. Anyway, have you noticed anything different about Evelyn?
Different? I think she's coming up with even better design concepts. I might want to incorporate some in my own work! Right, Link?!
Danger...



Well, I mean, you are a grandpa...
Hmph, it's the same meaning.
Do you know anything about my sister?
Yes, she was growing a Ironleaf. You need a lot of patience for that one. I don't know why she did, but she's got a good eye for picking a Ironleaf.



But I think I saw her planting Ironleaf in front of her house.
That's Evelyn. I can't believe she was doing something so fun without me...
Sofia. Your legs are shaking.
She was worried they couldn't breathe, so she carefully pulled each one halfway out.
...



What? Let's see...oh! She said that she was growing Ironleaf for some inspiration on flower designs.
I see.
I wonder why she picked Ironleaf.

Because the world just wasn't ready for pickle pants?



She said she was going to grow more vegetables to make new outfits.
That's a usual conversation from her?
Yes...


That's even less helpful than what everyone else has been saying!



No.
I see.
...



I see...
Maybe you should ask someone who is close to her?
You may have a point. Thank you, innkeeper.

Nah, let's keep asking the entire town.



Wait, did she start selling to another store?! What's going on?!
No, please calm down.



Not even close.
We wanted to ask you about Evelyn--
FISH AREN'T CLOTHING MATERIAL!
Can't disagree with you there.



Why isn't Evelyn growing Ironleaf in our garden? Is it all part of her vile plot to prevent me from sneaking in food?
That's a pretty smart plan, actually.


...does Sofia actually know anyone's name?

Lemme think...she's ice-cold with the zingers. I got served the other day.
Uh, that doesn't really help us.



Oh, no. I'm just getting hungrier!!
Sous-chef! A query. Have you seen Evelyn?
What?! I didn't eat Evelyn! Speaking of Evelyn, do you have 11 helpings of chicken on you, Sofia?
Your appetite never ceases to amaze me! It's so very annoying!
Uh, is that a compliment?
I think so...but maybe not.



Did you notice anything strange about her behavior?
Not especially. She cast an anti-poison spell on my food, like she always does.
Does that actually work?
It's for peace of mind. Evelyn explained it to me one time. Basically, it's to ensure my innocence in the event of a poisoning.
She's got good intentions.
Yeah, she does. She just doesn't need to go to all that trouble.
I don't think I ever knew that about Evelyn.

We're really not getting any leads here, are we?



Did you want another shot?!
Y-Yes!
I knew it! Then let's--
W-Wait! I just came to ask about Evelyn--
I know! Evelyn never comes around, but you like shots, don't you, Sofia?
I love them!
Okay, just roll up your sleeve--


In retrospect Marian was probably a bad person to ask.



I don't know! I only look at Carmen!
...



Have you noticed anything normal about Evelyn lately?
That's a good question. When I called to her when I went fishing...
She said that if I caught a big one, she could use it as clothes. Yes. So, nothing strange.
I see...
...



Evelyn was crying in front of her workbench.
Huh? Is it okay just telling her?
It's only Karina.
Well, she did mention making pants for someone. (Or I thought...)
Oh.
What is it, Link? Wait, did you--
No. Do you think that's the thing Gaius ordered?
The iron man?
Yes. I helped gather materials with her the other day.
Very suspicious.
Well, let's go see Gaius.

Before we go, let's talk to Evelyn for shits and giggles.



Evelyn?! I-It's nothing!
Help me out here, Link!
Uh, yeah. Like she said. Nothing. And there's nothing between us.
Okay. But you guys look awfully suspicious. You've got that whole "private investigator" fashion going today.


Wait, Gaius isn't at the blacksmith's? Hmm.

In fact, he's nowhere in town. Instead...


...he's off in the desert. In the middle of a typhoon, no less. ( my crops)


I find an elusive desert tomato on the way.

Music: Gaius' Theme



We've been looking for you, Iron Man!
Huh? Oh, to see me? Well, how about we go back to my shop and talk.
There's no time for that!
Sofia, calm down. What are we gonna solve chatting all the way out here in the desert?
...Fine. Lead the way, Iron Man.



Well, we were just--



I've been looking all over town for you! Sorry for the wait. Your outfit's finally done!


Well that's certainly not the dread most people have towards her outfits!

Oh, Sofia. I didn't see you there.
That outfit!
What about it!
That's the same outfit I saw from before! I saw her, Iron Man! She was sprawled out on her workbench, bawling her eyes out!
Bawling...? Oh, yeah. I guess I was. It's because I was using Onions.
Onions?!
Onions?! Then you weren't crying over Iron Man?
Why would I cry over Gaius? We're good friends. Nothing more than that.




Anyway, I'm in a rush. I need to get this outfit to Gaius before it spoils!
What's the point of an outfit that spoils?



Well, see you later!
Wait, something still seems odd here...




Also we now own one of those monkey things from Evelyn's outfit.



What's that?