Lost Gold Marius Investigation 02-02
Overview
- "Don't worry, I'll make him agree. Playing games of negotiation with middle-aged men is what I do every day."
- Stage Cost: None
- First Clear Rewards:
Astral Memory x20
- Unlock Condition:
Emergency Medicine x64, 
Lumber x96, 
MRE x32, 
Drinking Water x128 - Note - During its initial limited run, this stage's first clear reward was:
Hunter's Badge x50 - Note - During its initial limited run, this stage's unlock condition was: Emergency Medicine x100, Lumber x150, MRE x50, Drinking Water x200
Guide
- Hover to view spoiler content.
This tile unlocks Rope.
Script
Marius: A climbing rope? Why would such an important item be left here?
You: Is it that important? The mountains on Nosta aren't that tall. Falling wouldn't be that bad, would it?
Marius: It's not a matter of whether we'll be using it right now.
Marius: Climbing rope is essential to climbers. It's not an exaggeration to say that it's their lifeline.
Marius: The rope records everything about a climb: the number of falls, whether someone stepped on—
You: Is it to record the climbing process?
Marius: More than that. It's also for a more accurate understanding of the climbing rope's condition.
You: Marius, are you into mountaineering? How do you know this?
Marius: Yeah. I like all kinds of challenges.
Woods
After a short walk in the forest, you run into Bryce, who is looking at a paper map.
Marius: Uncle Bryce, I didn't expect to catch up with you so soon.
Bryce Thatcher: Marius, what are you doing here? And this is...?
Marius: She's my friend. She's a lawyer from Themis.
Bryce Thatcher: I see. Your father thought that you'd give him a foreign daughter-in-law. Looks like he's wrong.
You: Mr. Thatcher, you misunderstand. Marius and I are just regular friends and colleagues.
Bryce Thatcher: Really? I'm sorry for misunderstanding.
Bryce apologizes to you, then turns around and shoots Marius a disdainful glance.
Bryce Thatcher: Marius, tsk. Up your game.
Marius: I...
You rarely see Marius so speechless, so you can't help but laugh.
You: (Marius, you deserve it.)
Marius: Uncle Bryce, stop making fun of me. I specifically came looking for you.
Bryce Thatcher: Specifically? Did something happen?
Marius: Did you not receive a notification from your terminal?
Marius: A lot of the terminals malfunctioned. Is yours broken as well?
Bryce raises his wrist and looks at his terminal.
Bryce Thatcher: I muted mine. No wonder I didn't see the notification.
Bryce Thatcher: I remember you saying that these terminals were Pax's latest. How could so many of them malfunction so suddenly?
You: Someone snuck into the equipment warehouse early this morning and damaged them.
You: We also found that the warehouse's surveillance was tampered with.
You: Mr. Thatcher, check and see if you still have the keys to the warehouse and surveillance room.
Aside from the relevant staff, Marius and Bryce both have keys to the important areas of the cruise ship.
Excluding staff, Bryce is the only other person who can access those areas without leaving a trace.
On your way over, you and Marius planned a test for Bryce.
Marius: When we see Uncle Bryce, there's no harm in sussing out whether he was the person who broke the terminals.
Marius: Besides that, our most important objective is to join him and find out what his real goal is.
Marius: In other words, to find out exactly what Luke isn't at liberty to say.
You: If we directly ask to join Bryce, he'll most likely reject us.
You: Once that happens, he'll be on alert. It'd be harder for us to follow him, even secretly.
Marius: Don't worry, I'll make him agree. Playing games of negotiation with middle-aged men is what I do every day.
Marius: But this time, I need your cooperation.
Bryce Thatcher: Did you say it happened this morning?
Bryce looks as though he knows nothing about it. He immediately takes off his backpack to look for the keys.
Before long, you confirm that Bryce still has his keys.
Marius: Strange. Who else on the ship could do this without leaving a trace?
Bryce Thatcher: Maybe some treasure hunter colluded with the staff.
Bryce Thatcher: Sigh, money makes the world go 'round. I heard that some treasure hunters will do anything for treasure.
Bryce Thatcher: I didn't think something like this would happen right after we began.
Marius: Uncle Bryce, how about we call off the event for now?
Marius: We can first screen everyone on Nosta to make sure no one has anything dangerous, and then we can resume.
Bryce Thatcher: That's unnecessary.
Bryce Thatcher: It'd be hard to gather so many people all of a sudden. Calling off the event now might also affect Pax's reputation.
Bryce Thatcher: You're still green. You need to be more level-headed.
Bryce Thatcher: Reception would know if anything happened to the terminals. We just need to get staff to change out faulty terminals.
As he talks, Bryce looks at the terminal's announcement again.
Bryce Thatcher: You already sent out an announcement, so why do you want to suddenly stop the event?
Marius: I sent it out to reassure the participants, but I want to be careful so something doesn't happen.
Marius: But you're right. I was being hasty.
Marius: But Uncle Bryce, you just recovered and now there're suspicious people on the island. I'm worried about you being alone.
Marius: How about I send you back to the ship for some rest?
Bryce Thatcher: Look at yourself, being rash again.
Bryce Thatcher: I planned this event for the sake of my dream. You know full well that my health isn't great. I don't know if I'll have another chance.
Bryce Thatcher: No, I don't agree.
Marius: Uncle Bryce, stop worrying me. I promise I'll send you back to the island after all the terminals are checked.
Bryce Thatcher: But what if someone finds the treasure and the event ends before you finish checking all the terminals?
Marius: Let's be reasonable. You made up all the puzzles, and it's not like you came here to hunt for the treasure in the first place.
Marius: If you want to explore ruins, why do you have to do it now?
Bryce Thatcher: Can't I explore the island together with other treasure hunters?
Bryce Thatcher: I don't have much time left. You won't let me fulfill my one wish?
Bryce is like an old stubborn child, deaf to anything that Marius says.
Seeing that Marius and Bryce have come to a deadlock, you join in as planned.
You: Mr. Thatcher, Marius is just worried about you. How about this...
You: We're also interested in Nosta's mysterious culture. Can we adventure together with you?
Bryce Thatcher: That... You two youngsters would be bored to death traveling with an old fart like me.
Marius: Uncle Bryce, stop making things so difficult. Else I'll play dirty tricks on you.
Bryce looks at you and Marius for a time, then finally sighs in exasperation.
Bryce Thatcher: Fine, fine, come if you want.
You: (Mission accomplished! Everything went according to Marius' plan!)
Marius: Great. Uncle Bryce, we'll definitely take good care of you.
Bryce Thatcher: Stop patronizing me. Who's going to take care of who now? Don't underestimate me, kiddo.
Bryce Thatcher: Let's go. There's a camp in the forest that was left behind by archaeologists. Let's go and check it out.
