Lost Gold Marius Investigation 02-03
Overview
- "Humans are complicated creatures. I'm not a kid anymore, so there's no need to be sad about something like this."
- Stage Cost: None
- First Clear Rewards:
Astral Memory x20
- Unlock Condition:
Emergency Medicine x130, 
Lumber x195, 
MRE x65, 
Drinking Water x260 - 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 x140, Lumber x210, MRE x70, Drinking Water x280
Guide
- Hover to view spoiler content.
Inspection
Script
Abandoned Archaeological Camp
The camp that Bryce mentioned was left by a team of Nation A's archeologists in the 1950s.
Nation A once planned an archaeological excavation on Nosta, so they sent their best and finest.
But six months later, the archaeology team suddenly withdrew, even leaving behind a considerable amount of their documents.
Marius: It's said that a few people from the team went missing, and there were even rumors of man-eating beasts.
You: Ten years ago, after the Great Gold Heist, the police searched all over Nosta to look for the gold...
You: But I never heard of any monster or supernatural events happening on Nosta.
Marius: Before this event, Pax inspected the island and didn't find anything strange.
Marius: The archaeology team's withdrawal was indeed inexplicable. We can't rule out the possibility that they suddenly lost funding.
You: What do we do now? Bryce is looking through the manuscripts left behind by the archaeologists. Should we also look around?
As soon as you all had arrived at the camp, Bryce proposed that you work separately to increase search efficiency.
You: Actually, when we were testing Bryce, I already felt like he was in a rush for some reason.
Marius: Exactly. I thought the same thing.
Marius: It seems he's very insistent on holding the event "now." He personally picked the event date.
Marius: He wanted to increase "efficiency," like he's in a hurry to do something that he can't be late for...
Marius: Also, did you notice his strange response when we told him that someone damaged the terminals this morning?
You: I think he said...
You: "Did you say it happened this morning?"
Marius: Someone who didn't know anything would ask something like, "Something happened this morning?"
Marius: Uncle Bryce's question sounded more like he was trying to confirm the time of the accident.
You: Right. Despite the announcement's subject, he was surprisingly nonchalant despite being the event planner and sponsor.
You: Whether the accident happened yesterday morning or this morning doesn't really matter.
Marius: Now, I can't not believe that something's funny about Uncle Bryce coming to Nosta.
Marius: Sure enough, I really can't trust anyone...
Hearing Marius lament to himself, you realize that he is a keen observer of people.
He's only 21, but sometimes he demonstrates an acuity belonging to someone who has spent decades in the business world.
You: Marius...
Marius: Don't worry, I'm fine. Humans are complicated creatures. I'm not a kid anymore, so there's no need to be sad about something like this.
Marius: Let's see if we can find anything useful here.
Marius: Uncle Bryce came here directly, so there must be something that he wants.
Marius: Maybe we're looking for the same thing?
You: Yeah. There's an archive room up ahead. Let's check it out.
Entering the abandoned archive room, you see rows of tall file cabinets.
At first glance, they're full of folders. However, upon closer inspection, most of these folders are empty.
Marius: Looks like the rumors about the archaeology team were exaggerated. There aren't that many files left.
Creak...
The sound of Marius pulling open a cabinet drawer sends a shiver down your spine.
Marius: ...
You: These cabinets are all rusty. I can't open some of them.
Marius: The remaining pages are mostly drafts. They look like sketches of murals or statues.
Marius: Oh... These look like... hieroglyphs?
Marius: Nosta's art style is very distinct. You can see both Greek and Egyptian influences.
Marius: I wonder where the people on Nosta came from. Maybe they drifted here from the continent.
You: Not bad, Marius. Your abilities make Florence proud.
You: You must've gotten good grades in art history class.
Marius: Of course. Those high distinctions speak for themselves.
You and Marius chat as you search the archives. Suddenly, a notebook in the corner catches your attention.
You: Marius, come look. This notebook's intact.
You: What are these patterns on the cover? Are they words, or just pictures?
Marius: It looks like hieroglyphs. I just saw something like this earlier.
Marius: Snap a picture of it.
You take a picture of the notebook cover, but you're a little confused about why you're doing so. You: Why can't we just take the notebook with us? Why bother taking pictures of it?
Marius: Because the thing looks like it's about to fall apart from how old it is...
Marius: It could get damaged if we get caught in the rain or have to cross a river or something.
Marius: So just to be on the safe side, we should keep a backup copy.
You: Good thinking.
You: This is the only page that isn't blank in the whole notebook...
Marius: It looks like a map; perhaps of some ruins on the island.
You: Maybe a map of the ruins of a temple?
Marius: Why do you say that?
You: There was a period where I itched to travel to Greece, so I looked for guides online.
You: One of the guides featured the Temple of Athena. Its map was very similar to this.
You: You said Nosta's art style has Greek elements. Architecture is also part of the art style, right?
Marius: Good. Your reasoning is sound. You've got a good sense of art.
You: Still, the text next to the picture is difficult to make out. I think we need to find an expert.
Marius: The topographic map looks just like the map of Nosta. This is definitely showing the temple's location.
Marius: From the remaining files here, there seems to be a correlation between the disappearance of Nosta's civilization and that of its texts.
Marius: If the texts can't be read, then descendants can't understand how their ancestors lived.
Marius: With the passage of time, few works remain, and their themes and subjects are often limited.
You: There will always be stories buried under the dust of history...
Bryce Thatcher: What did you find?
You: !!!
Bryce suddenly appears in the archive room. His voices gives you a fright.
Bryce Thatcher: The notebook in your hand...
Bryce Thatcher: Quickly, let me take a look!
After his eager exclamation, he strides over to you and tries to snatch the notebook from your hands.
Before he can touch the notebook, his wrist is firmly held by another hand.
It is Marius who stopped him.
Marius: Uncle Bryce, ask if you want something. Grabbing things out of others' hands isn't appropriate for someone of your status.
