Give Her Surprises

Hey, Tighnari and Collei are over there! Oh, and Dehya and Candace are with them!

Let's go say hi!

...Everyone good with their assignment? Then let's get this show on the road.

Oh, and again, please be careful. The last thing we want is for her to find out about our plan.

Don't worry about that! Mercenaries can keep a secret like our lives depend on it.

I'm not sure this scenario is quite that extreme.

You know what I mean, Candace. It's just a figure of speech.

Um... I'm still kinda nervous. It's not that I'm scared I'll let something slip, it's just... what if she suddenly shows up behind me without warning...

Hey there! What are you guys talking about?

Aaaaaah! Nothing, I swear! I don't know anything you don't know. I'm not hiding anything!

...Calm down, Collei. At least check who it is before you freak out.

Traveler! Paimon! Fancy seeing you here.

Great to see you all!

Oh, it's you two. Ah... You scared me half to death! Just like when I lose focus in class, and Master Tighnari suddenly shows up behind me, but even scarier!

Are you here for the Sabzeruz Festival?

Yep! Festivals are always so fun. It seemed like the perfect time to come back and hang out with all of our friends!

This one is extra special. I heard from Master that the Akademiya is planning a grand birthday celebration for the Dendro Archon.

Perhaps it's a small attempt to make amends for their past behavior.

Hehe, guess we came at the perfect time! A grand celebration calls for even more good food and fun than usual!

But, what were you gossiping about just now? Paimon heard something about a secret?

Over here, you two. I'll explain everything in private.

We're preparing a birthday surprise for the Dendro Archon.

Oooh! A Birthday Surprise!

It was Dehya's idea, actually.

Oh, well... It was just something that occurred to me while talking with Dunyarzad. The Sabzeruz Festival always seems to follow the same formula, so I figured a change of pace might be nice.

Dunyarzad liked the idea, and so did the others. So, we got the ball rolling pretty quickly.

If we want this to be a surprise, the fewer people who know, the better. We're dealing with the God of Wisdom here — a single slip of the tongue is enough to spoil the whole thing.

Yeah, that all makes sense! So, um... do we have to keep talking like this until the festival ends?

Pfft...

Ahem! So, anyway, we've only asked a few of our friends to help out, since they happened to have some free time.

So, what exactly are you planning?

Well, we heard the Dendro Archon loves candy, so we want to take advantage of that.

We're also planning a birthday meal after the Carriage Parade! So, we'll have a Haft-Mewa Feast as well.

We left most of the specifics to Kaveh. Right now, all we need to do is purchase the food and decorations.

Is there anything we can do to help?

Yeah, put us to work! Now that we're in on the plan, we should do something to contribute!

Hey, Candace, weren't you looking for someone to help you with the shopping?

Yeah. I've been in the desert so long, I was worried I wouldn't be the best judge of the goods around here.

We can help with that.

As long as it's not too much trouble...

No trouble at all! We're more than happy to help!

Hey, seems like you're really learning your manners, Paimon.

I'll happily take you up on that offer, then.

Alright, it's settled! Tighnari will book the venue, Dunyarzad and I will take care of decorations, and you three are on food.

Ahh, so exciting! This is gonna be the best birthday surprise Nahida could ask fo—

Shhh...!

Oh, right! Paimon almost forgot... Gotta keep it a secret...

Whoa, there's all kinds of delicious scents in the air today! The sea breeze in Port Ormos isn't even enough to cover them up!

This is the final stop of the Carriage Parade, so many of the vendors decided to set up their stalls in advance. The city is a lot more lively than usual.

The same goes for Aaru Village. Everyone's doing their part to make this a truly unforgettable Sabzeruz Festival.

Hehe, well, with all these vendors, there's no way we're going back empty-handed! Just leave the haggling to us.

Alright, then, let's... Ugh! Ah...

I'm fine...

...

Sorry for making you worry. Let's go to that store and place an order.

Welcome! What can I get for you today?

We'd like to place an order for the Sabzeruz Festival. Could you have them ready for pickup after the parade?

No problem at all. What'll it be?

We'll take three orders each of Masala Cheese Balls, Potato Boats, and Curry Shrimp, and ten orders of Panipuri.

One sec, let me jot this down... Potato Boats... Panipuri... Alright, we'll have that ready as scheduled. That's a fairly sizeable order!

Does that mean we can expect a discount?

Of course! Let me see... That should come to twenty-nine thousand Mora, but you can have it for twenty-six thousand. How's that sound?

What about twenty thousand?

Huh...?

(Wow... She really went for it.)

Uhh... That's a bit tricky. We're going to be fairly busy that day, and we're setting aside all these ingredients for your order...

What if I add five orders of Samosas? Would that help lower the price?

Well, in that case... the most I can offer is twenty percent off.

Great, we'll take it. Thank you so much.

Of course! Of course! Thank you for your order.

So, it turns out Candace is way better at haggling than us...

Oh, one more thing...

Something you wanted to add to your order, Miss?

No. I just wanted to remind you to keep an eye on the fire you've got going there. If you let it burn too long, it could become a safety hazard.

Oh, thanks for your concern. But, I replaced the charcoal earlier today, so it should be—

Whoa! *cough* There's... so much smoke!

Ugh... *cough*...

Are you alright?

I'm fine, thanks. It's just... That was so strange...

Was it the Wind Generator?

*cough*... It's certainly possible. I had a similar problem not too long ago. I thought switching to this one would fix the issue, but...

We can look into the true cause of the problem a bit later. What matters now is that you're alright. Need any water? I've got some on me.

I'm alright! Seems like you've got a good eye, Miss. Just wish your warning came a little earlier. Probably could've avoided this scenario entirely.

In any case, I'll definitely fix the stove today, so don't worry about any delays.

Take your time — your health and safety are more important. I'll just leave the deposit here.

Sounds good. See you soon!

That was a close call! Good thing you're fast on your feet, Candace!

How did you know something was wrong with the stove?

Hmm... I guess you could call it... a gut feeling? It's hard to describe.

Well, where should we go next? Preferably somewhere without any fire hazards. Paimon's still a little traumatized by what happened.

Let's go buy some fruit. We need it to make the candy.

Sounds good! It's been a while since we had the chance to shop at Port Ormos. Maybe we can pick up some other things along the way.

Let's see... The fruit stand should be that way...

Ugh...!

Candace? Are you okay?

...! Watch out!

...Huh?

Are you okay, little one?

I... I'm fine! Thank you, Miss!

What happened?

That crate came out of nowhere! Luckily, Candace saved that little girl before she got hit.

Where are your parents, child?

Th—They're at the tavern by the harbor, but I got bored, so I came out to play...

You're safe now, little one. Just be careful next time.

...Go back to your parents now, child.

O—Okay...

Whose crates are these?

Th—They're mine...

How many times have I told you not to leave heavy objects by the road! When are you going to learn?

I—I'm sorry! I—It's just... we ran out of storage for our latest shipment...

And!?

...N—Nothing! I'll take care of it right away! I won't do it again!

*sigh*...

Thank you, everyone. I should've been keeping a closer eye on everything. Lucky you were here, Miss Candace. I really don't know how things would've turned out, otherwise.

It was nothing. Don't blame yourself, Sheriff. I understand just how difficult it is to look after a whole region. Still, with the festival coming, we need your vigilance more than ever.

*sigh* Always feels like I could use an extra pair of eyes during Sabzeruz season. I appreciate the reminder, Miss Candace.

Anyway, you were probably in the middle of something, so I'll leave you to it. Enjoy the festival!

That was some quick thinking, Candace! It was like you leapt into action before the crate even started to fall.

Like you knew what was gonna happen all along...

...

Actually, I... I did see something. I saw the crate fall before it happened.

Wait, you mean... You saw the future!?

Yes... something similar happened with the stove. I saw what was about to happen...

I don't think it's related to my amber eye. Growing up, it's never shown me any kind of strange phenomena...

But, ever since this morning, I've been seeing things that don't match with reality, and after a few seconds, they actually come to pass...

Have you told anyone else about this?

Not yet... I still haven't determined if this is the true power of prophecy, and I don't want to make everyone worry.

But, why did it come on so suddenly?

Nothing out of the ordinary, really. I prayed to the gods, made my plan for the day, then went to meet my friends.

Although, if I had to think of something... I did buy this gem along the way.

Whoa, it's beautiful!

There's something about it...

So you sense it, too? This gem seems to contain traces of unusual elemental energy. I only bought it because it piqued my interest.

Could the gem be the source of the visions?

It's certainly possible. Here, try it for yourself. Maybe you'll see something as well...

(...)

I don't think anything happened.

Hmm... So, it doesn't work for just anyone.

Perhaps there's some kind of trigger condition... Or could it be because of my connection to Lord Al-Ahmar?

Maybe we could ask the others?

Everyone's been so busy preparing for the festival. I really don't want to trouble them with something so trivial.

Luckily, I don't have too many responsibilities over the next few days, so I can investigate on my own. It's part of my duty as a "guardian."

We can help too.

Even better! Having your company is like sitting around a bonfire with trusted companions — your presence puts people at ease.

Alright, let's finish our shopping first, then we can investigate the gem. At the very least, we should ask around the merchant circles for information on its origins.

Speaking of merchants... Paimon can think of someone who's always in the know. Although getting information out of her is definitely gonna cost us...

Ah, do you mean Dori? I've heard people talk about her in Aaru Village before.

Yep, that's the one! But, uh, she's pretty touchy when it comes to Mora, so it's best not to haggle too much...

...Here are the goods you asked for, as promised. All of the best quality, I assure you, hehe. Can I interest you in any of my newest offerings before you go?

No? Well, see you around, then.

Dori!

Ohoho! If it isn't two of my most valued customers! And... Miss Candace? Now, this is getting interesting...

What brings the guardian of Aaru village to my neck of the woods? All my business in the desert is strictly above board, I assure you!

You misunderstand, Miss Dori. We're just here for some information.

Ooh! You're in the market for some intel! Well, you've come to the right place! I love dealing in information. It's easy to carry, and even easier to hike up the price! Oh, um... which is always very reasonable of course!

I bought a rather peculiar gem this morning, and I have the name of the merchant who sold it to me.

I want to ask the merchant about the craftsman who cut this gem, and where they got their ore.

Ah, so you're looking to track them down? Not an easy job. It'll come at hefty price.

Well, we don't necessarily have to track down that specific person. If you have a way of obtaining the information I seek, Miss Dori, I would be happy to compensate you for those services as well.

(I can find the person no problem, but it's not as lucrative... I have a few connections who work with gemstones, so I'm better off charging them for the information directly.)

Well, now you're just asking the impossible! These kinds of things tend to be trade secrets. It won't be easy to get that information, even for the great Lord Sangemah Bay.

Just name your price.

Heh, if you insist! Now, let me see... there's the cost of travel, the gifts I'll have to buy...

I'm thinking... around two hundred thousand Mora?

Yikes, that's steep!

That exceeds our budget, I'm afraid. Can you go any lower?

...Well, Aaru Village has done me a few favors in the past, so I think we can strike a deal. Why don't you make me an offer.

How about... fifty thousand Mora?

Excuse me!?

(That's even more aggressive than back at the market...)

Something wrong? That's usually the going rate for this kind of intel in the desert.

Impossible! I wouldn't even be able to put food on the table at that rate! Can't do it, nope!

Ah, what a shame... How about thirty thousand Mora, then?

That's... That's even lower!

Thirty thousand Mora, plus food, shelter, and a security detail whenever you're in Aaru Village. I'll throw in a few tax exemptions as well. How does that sound?

I—

(Aaru Village certainly has some promising business opportunities... Securing the protection of the local guardian isn't actually a bad trade...)

(Tch... I'm not the only one profiting from this deal, though. I bet she only made that offer so Aaru Village could benefit from more business activity, too... What a scary woman.)

Uh... Hehe... Alright! After some reflection, I've decided to forgo all profit for this venture! Th—Thirty thousand it is!

Ah, now I know why people call you the number one merchant in Sumeru! Your generosity is truly unmatched!

O—Of course! You're an esteemed client, Miss Candace! I stand more to gain from your friendship than anything else. So, who cares about the Mora!

If that's the case, then—

And by that, I mean... we landed on the perfect price! Thirty thousand, as agreed!

(*sigh*... Just gonna have to treat my gem contact to a 500 Mora food stall instead.)

I really have to go out of my way to get this intel, so I'll need some time. Why don't you... come back tomorrow!

Of course. Thank you, Miss Dori. You've been a huge help.

Traveler, you've only just made it back to Sumeru. Why don't you take some time for yourself? I'll handle the rest of the orders.

Really? Paimon feels kinda bad, though. We didn't turn out to be much help.

Don't say that. I dragged you into my own personal investigation. I should be the one apologizing.

It was nothing — don't worry about it.

Haha, noble as always. May the gods protect you, Traveler.

And you, Miss Dori. Safe travels. I'll see you tomorrow.

*sigh*... Yep. Take care...