Aventurine • Waveflair

The grand festival illuminates the coast, while a storm brews amidst euphoria.

Secret orders in hand, he steps back into the eye of the storm to shake up this long holiday—

When treacherous waves subsume his figure, how will he emerge as the game changer?

Code: AVE-1

Date: ██████

Details:

This is, without a doubt, the most intriguing commission I've taken on since becoming a detective: dig up the weakness of Aventurine, one of the Ten Stonehearts.

To answer this question, this record will employ methods including, but not limited to: visual surveillance, data interception, on-site investigation, and echo recreation, all in service of building a comprehensive profile on the subject.

The first stop of the investigation was the "World's End" Tavern, rumored to be a place where legends of Kakavasha still circulated.

"Hey, you're literally the twentieth person asking about him this week!"

Here I was expecting a tough search, but the moment I walked in, the Fools came flocking.

"An Avgin? There's only one! Looked... tasty. And then. He sold me out. Darn Avgin, DARN!!!!!"

The hulking brute let out a belch, pointed to the scars on his face, and slammed his fists on the table to vent his anger.

"That gentleman... hehehe, well, if it weren't for him, I'd have paid off my debt long ago and wouldn't still be stuck here as a drinksmith..."

The drinksmith's face was etched with bitterness. He downed a large glass and his eyes grew faintly red as the memories came flooding back.

"He supposedly played a game against some big shot from the IPC once. After that, Kakavasha never showed his face in the tavern again. I've never witnessed such a breathtaking showdown in my life. His luck was like Aha THEMSELF had possessed him, and the way he played was absolutely suicidal!"①

A Fool's story is best taken with a grain of salt.

Now let's be real, a homeless Avgin street kid wandered into a tavern on a whim, and somehow managed to run circles around a bunch of Fools.

Someone like that might look like they couldn't care less about anything, but given a past full of misfortune, there's bound to be some hidden wound buried deep inside, and a desire that's never been satisfied.

If an ordinary gambler's thrill comes from winning, then what kind of thrill does he get from the game? The satisfaction of a perfectly laid plan? The happiness of pulling a prank?

Neither.

All those superficial pleasures are nothing but a carefully crafted disguise.

If that weren't the case, why would he turn down the invitation of the Elation? Wouldn't becoming a Masked Fool have been the better choice?

When the eyes of the entire world are drawn to his performance at the card table, I believe his hands must be trembling beneath it.

My anticipation grows by the moment, Aventurine. This is no ordinary game. Let's see if I can unearth the truth you've buried so deep behind that mask.

Note:

① Given the strained relationship between Aventurine and the IPC bigwig at the tavern, I once attempted to establish a working relationship with said individual, but never received a reply.

<align="right">— Record synced to client terminal</align>

Code: AVE-313

Date: ██████

Details:

Penacony, the Planet of Festivities, the Land of the Dreams. For Aventurine, the tavern tricks were merely a rehearsal, but here, he pulled off a con that fooled everyone.

Peering through the cracks in the sky, I confirmed my conjecture: He is a nihilist through and through.

A high-ranking IPC executive, credits to splurge without limit, a name that echoes across the universe... What he has is enough to make anyone green with envy.

But what concerns me more is what he has lost: those who loved him and those he loved, all obliterated by the winds and sands of Sigonia.

And perhaps that is precisely why he dares to wager everything on himself, someone who has nothing left to lose, to fill the black hole of despair hollowing out his heart.

I had half a mind to turn down the commission then and there. For a man who can abandon even his own sense of self, what weakness could he possibly have?

And yet, for better or worse, that sweet dream gave him a sense of fulfillment. Could it also have turned him into an ordinary man with something he holds dear?

When he left Penacony, he had a brief exchange with a Dreamchaser.

"Wait, please! Could you teach me how to gamble? I wanna be unbeatable at the table, just like you."

"And what exactly do I gain from teaching a total stranger how to gamble, my friend?"

"I... I'm worth the investment! Just give me a chance! I know I can turn things around!"

"Why?"

"Because I've got nothing left to lose, so..."

"So?"

"So I accept the consequences of walking away with nothing. I—I'll put everything I have on the line, because winning is the only way I can live like a decent human being!"

"No one needs to win at gambling to live like a decent human being. That includes me."

"What do you mean?"

"Now walk away. Go live a normal life. Cherish everything you still have. At the very least, you still have a future for yourself."

Seems he hasn't completely lost his mind. Anyone with half a brain knows when to walk away from the table after riding a lucky streak this long.

Once he claimed his seat at the top, that hollow stone heart of his found something to fill it, and the good life quickly became the only life he knew... So would he really dare to put himself back at stake?

We're getting close to what the client wants. Now we sit back and watch. When Lady Luck finally turns her back on him and someone sends him tumbling from that peak, the fall is going to be absolutely spectacular.

<align="right">— Record synced to client terminal</align>

Code: AVE-1052

Time: ██████

Details:

Well, well, Aventurine on vacation? Color me surprised.

That said, he clearly wasn't in any true vacation state of mind. Sure, he's out in the sun and sand in Astropolis, but he's been quietly meeting with all kinds of people.

Our gear got jammed, so the audio's patchy. But there's enough here to piece together quite a bit.

After Penacony, someone high up slipped Aventurine a secret order. Sounds like they've got him on something risky.

By all accounts, he should've sent one of his own to test the waters first. But instead, he strolled right into Astropolis himself. Heh, classic Aventurine.

If I've pieced it together right, this job's aimed at one of his associates.

On ██ ██, he met in secret with a Knight of Beauty. The knight's ship received a commission and eventually docked at Margus, a world Opal had once invested in. Thing is, a quarter Amber Era later, Margus had turned into nothing but ruins.

On ██ ██, he pulled records from IPC Banking on a massive arms deal between one of the IPC's branches and Pteruges-V. After an analysis on the ownership structure, the actual controller behind it appears to be one of the Ten Stonehearts, "Obsidian."

On ██ ██, a call came in from the Intelligentsia Guild, apparently to discuss something involving "gravitational waves." For once, his voice actually carried a hint of excitement. ①

On ██ ██, he took a stroll through Astropolis, made a beeline for the internet star Ratite, and set up some kind of challenge.

On ██ ██, he went on a shopping spree.

On ██ ██, he went on a shopping spree.

On ██ ██, he went on a shopping spree.

On ██ ██, Aventurine's account balance actually hit zero! Wait... no, he racked up 20 billion in debt!

Just as I figured, someone's already made a move.

Yet, his weak spot was never a love for the soft life. Quite the opposite, it was that he couldn't resist the thrill of dancing with the rapid tides.

It's hard not to get one's toes wet when you're strolling by the waves. The IPC's waters run deep, and one day he'll drown in its unpredictable undercurrents, like he never existed at all.

20 billion in debt? Even Diamond couldn't write that off. So, another pawn to be sacrificed? Not exactly surprising. Seems he's already cracked.

Note:

① The audio is garbled, but after multiple replays, words such as "Destruction" can faintly be made out.

<align="right">— Record synced to client terminal</align>

"Don't move. I see you.

As a reward, let me share my favorite trick of the trade: make the prey think they're the hunter, and you'll reel in the large fish behind them.

Pass my regards to your client. I hope they're satisfied with how this game played out. At the very least, I had a wonderful time.

And finally, a few parting words of advice.

Blatant on-site interviews are a bad habit. Sure, I cut ties with the tavern a long time ago, but that doesn't mean I don't have a friend or two keeping an eye out for me. No joke, they all told on you. After all, those Fools still owe me a hefty sum.

Your performance in Penacony was decent enough. You knew that what played out on stage was just that, a performance, and went looking for the truth behind the curtain. But you moved on too hastily, without even bothering to follow up on that Dreamchaser. Perhaps you figured someone like him was already a lost cause?

I've never been one to judge a person's character by their current circumstances. His ambition left an impression on me. As of now, he's a P35 employee in the Strategic Investment Department.

You certainly put your skills on full display back in Astropolis... Eavesdropping, disguises, connections... Superficial and boring as your analysis were, at least the information you gathered was accurate.

Too bad everything you saw was exactly what I wanted you to see.

I imagine your client is scrambling right now: forging transaction records, or perhaps getting ready to throw some dirt on someone else?

You want to find my weak spots? Oh, there are plenty.

I'll let you in on a secret: I absolutely hate getting caught in the rain. Pull off a proper downpour, and I just might surrender without a fight.

Never went to school, so my handwriting is a mess. Took me forever to nail that pretty signature of mine.

Oh, and one more thing. I really can't stand being seen looking like a complete disaster. So if you're planning an assassination, try the bathroom first thing in the morning.

I don't hide behind layers of complicated masks. All I know is even if I lose everything, I still have endless possibilities ahead of me.

After sharing all those little secrets, are you quaking? Thinking I'm about to do you in?

Relax. I've met plenty of people like you. I don't care who's pulling your strings, or what schemes you're weaving, but I do admire your courage.

If you'd like to work for me, tell the person knocking on your door right now. They'll bring you to me.

<align="right">Aventurine"</align>