Secrets of the Tomb Main Story 1-1: First Sight of Mien
Overview
- Stage Cost: None
- First Clear Rewards:
Astral Memory x10
Guide
- Hover to view spoiler content.
Script
Based on Yehya's suggestion, you do some essential preparation in Mien's central business district before going to Hessu Ruins.
You: Finally, we've arrived at Mien's central business district! This place has such a quaint atmosphere...
You: Oh, are those stone troughs along the street planted with lotus flowers? How beautiful.
Vyn: I am going to take the Jeep to a nearby gas station for servicing. [Player], why not use this time to explore the streets?
You: Sure, that sounds great. I was just thinking of exploring the place!
Marius: Alright. There isn't much food and water left in the car. Does anyone want to come with me to replenish our supplies?
Luke: I'll go with you.
Luke: I think we can buy more emergency food and the like. Just in case we are forced to camp in the wild, you know?
Artem: With that in mind... we should also prepare some camping gear just in case.
Artem: After all, the climate in the desert area is complex. The equipment we brought from Stellis city might not be sufficient.
Marius: How about we split up? Things'll be faster that way.
You: Well... If that's the case, I'll try and have a chat with the locals while shopping. Who knows, I might glean something useful.
Artem: [Player], you...
You: Don't worry, I'll contact everyone immediately if anything happens, okay?
Vyn: All right. Please take care of yourself and keep in touch.
You: No problem.
Mien Central Business District
While everyone else is busy preparing physical resources, you ask the people in the CBD about the local conditions.
Emily: You know what? I've seen the actual face of the Pharaoh in person yesterday in the Holy Land.
Emily: She is indeed as gorgeous as they say!
Karen: Have you really seen Hepharet?
Emily: Goodness gracious, how can you directly call Pharaoh by her name? How rude. You should at refer to her as "Her Majesty!"
You: (Huh? Are they talking about... the Pharaoh of ancient Khaimit... Hepharet?)
Karen: So, uh... what did... her highness say to you?
Emily: She told me that as long as I gave my sincere offerings at the holy land... then my wishes will surely be granted!
You: Excuse me for interrupting. About the holy land that you mentioned...
Emily: Oh, that's none other than the Hessu Ruins in the northern part of the Ita Desert.
Emily: Are you a traveler coming to Khaimit in search of the Holy Land? Do you need me to show you the way?
You: No, it's okay. I was just a little curious...
You: (Looks like we should go to Hessu Ruins as soon as possible and have a look at what's happening there.)
Nate: Behold, I have received the holy relic of the Pharaoh as proof of my devotion!
Apho: This is... Seth's Bone!? The legendary holy relic of the God of Storms!
Nate: Yeah! It is said that only those in possession of the Seth's Bone are qualified to listen to the Pharaoh's oracle's edict.
Nate: *Sigh* I had to pay a hefty price, but my wish will finally be granted.
You: Excuse me for the interruption, about the hefty price you talked about...
Nate: From the way you're dressed... you're probably a tourist from abroad, right?
Nate: *Sigh* a foreigner like you wouldn't get it. The Seth's Bone isn't something that an ordinary joe can get their hands on!
Nate: To get mine as soon as possible, I had to spend a large sum of money to steal it from under another wealthy businessman's nose.
Nate: How about that? That's what people call the power of money!
You: ...
You: (Looks like the locals are very keen on obtaining a Seth's Bone, and are even willing to pay a huge sum of money for it...)
You: (Don't tell me... Are there are some black market operations behind this incident we are investigating right now?)
Elderly Person: *Sigh* Some people are still too young... How could an old man lie about what he says?
You: Sir, you... Who did you say was lying?
Elderly Person: I told my son earlier that my heart disease has been completely cured. He didn't believe me and insisted that I should go to the hospital for another checkup.
You: I think your son is right. Heart disease isn't a trivial matter and more tests are still necessary.
Elderly Person: Eh, I already drank the miracle water bestowed by the Pharaoh. Why do I still need to go to the hospital...
You: Miracle water!?
Elderly Person: Yeah... A few months ago, when I went to the Hessu Ruins, the Sirius star happened to rise on that same day.
Elderly Person: That day, I had the privilege of meeting the immortal Pharaoh Hepharet. It was her who bestowed the miraculous holy water to me.
Elderly Person: I feel so much better now. I don't need to go to the hospital ever again!
Elderly Person: But my son still nags me about it daily. *Sigh*... I didn't bring him up to be that annoying.
You: (What!? There's no way he's fine!)
You: (Hopefully, his son can persuade him to go to the hospital for a checkup as soon as possible...)
You: (The stone statue in the stall looks exquisite.)
You: (Huh, there seem to be some words by the stone sculpture... "The Great Pharaoh Hepharet"?)
Shop Owner: Dear Customers, may the Pharaoh bless you. Would you gladly welcome a statue of the Pharaoh into your home?
Shop Owner: If you are bathed in the glory of the Pharaoh, you will receive endless blessings.
You: Oh... No thanks.
Shop Owner: Hmph, what a narrow-minded customer!
Shop Owner: A few months ago, a couple of devout guests dressed similarly to you welcomed a statue of the Pharaoh into their home.
You: Oh?
Shop Owner: They talked about taking it back to Ste... something city and spreading the benevolence of our Pharaoh throughout their country.
You: (Ste...? Could it be Stellis city!?)
Mien Central Business District
It's about time to return to the meeting point. Everyone seems to be finishing up as well.
After arriving in Mien, you instantly realize the graveness of the situation from the information gleaned from the locals.
You couldn't wait to share what you just learned after everyone gathered...
You: That's pretty much what I currently know.
You: That so-called holy water sounds really suspicious.
You: *Sigh* Hopefully, that old man's family can persuade him to head back to the hospital for another checkup...
Marius: I've actually gotten ahold of some of that holy water you just spoke of. I was planning to show it to you guys.
You: Huh? How did you get it?
Marius: I came across a young man claiming to have the holy water of eternal life from the Pharaoh. I bought it out of curiosity.
Marius reaches out with a small bottle in his hand.
There is some liquid of unknown composition swirling around in the bottle.
Luke: Uh... So you went and bought it just like that?
Marius: Yup. You can even buy immortality as long as you have the right funds for it.
Luke: That statement alone is enough evidence to prove how suspicious this whole immortality thing is.
Vyn: But... this could be a reliable clue for us, at the very least.
You: Is there anywhere we can identify the composition of this liquid?
Artem: I know of a chemistry professor who works at the Rubis chemistry lab. Perhaps... we can get him to analyze the composition of the liquid for us.
Artem: It takes about two hours or so by jeep to get to Rubis from Mien.
Artem: We should have enough time to investigate Hessu Ruins again after returning.
You: Artem, how about... I go to Rubis with you?
You: After all, it is a foreign country. The two of us can take care of each other.
Artem: Alright. Let's go there together.
Artem: Would it be okay if everyone investigated Mien's CBD a little more for any potential clues?
Marius: Okay, it's decided then. We'll wait for you guys to come back.
Vyn: Be careful on the road, and contact us immediately if anything happens.
Luke: [Player], make haste.
You: Don't worry, I will.
After a brief conversation, all of you start separate investigations.
Despite being on the streets of a foreign country, and potentially facing countless unexpected occurrences, you feel oddly at ease.
This is because you know that the ability synergy of NXX is the biggest key to resolving this case.
