Nier Replicant ver. 1.22474487139 features a number of different quests that have you seek out rare items. In the case of The Strange Fate of the Jewel and the Mermaid Tear, you’ll also have to decide what to do with the item you’ve found. However, there is some confusion over the Mermaid Tear choice: Should you bury the jewel, sell it for a profit, or merely give it to the client? Which decision offers the best reward, and how does the choice affect the quest’s outcome?
Nier Replicant Mermaid Tear choice: Which outcome is best?
The Strange Fate of the Jewel quests tasks you with locating a missing jewel called the Mermaid Tear. Once you find it, you’ll have a choice to make: Give the jewel to the client, sell it for a profit, or bury it. Most players consider giving away or selling the Mermaid Tear to be the best outcome, since these decisions offer a reward of gold in return. Burying the jewel does not offer a reward, but it will provide a deeper sense of closure for some of the game’s other side quests.
Of course, that’s just the simplified version. The true outcomes of this decision carry a few subtly different consequences. Here’s what happens in each scenario.
Warning: Slight story spoilers concerning the Lighthouse Lady are to follow. Reader discretion is advised.
Give the Mermaid Tear to the jeweler
Throughout the course of The Strange Fate of the Missing Jewel, you’ll come to learn more about the Lighthouse Lady. Her story ties into three other quests in Nier Replicant: The Postman’s Request, The Lighthouse Lady’s Wrath, and Closure.
Without diving too far into specifics, the jeweler who sends you out on the quest to recover the Mermaid Tear is the granddaughter of the Lighthouse Lady’s long-lost lover. As it turns out, the jewel is a family heirloom, and they were upset to find it had gone missing.
If you choose to give the Mermaid Tear to the jeweler, she’ll be happy to have finally recovered her family’s missing heirloom. In reward for your efforts, she’ll give you 10,000 gold.
Keep and sell the Mermaid Tear for a profit
Assuming you don’t care for the jeweler’s story or possess any sense of righteousness, you can choose to simply keep the Mermaid Tear for yourself. The jeweler will be upset that it couldn’t be recovered, and the side story will reach a rather disappointing conclusion.
However, if you decide to keep the jewel, you’ll be free to sell it and earn a similar 10,000 gold profit. The difference is that the jeweler never gets any closure, and the family heirloom ends up in the hands of a random shopkeeper.
Bury the Mermaid Tear
Unlike the other two choices, deciding to bury the Mermaid Tear carries no monetary reward. Instead, the gesture is purely symbolic: You deliver the jewel as originally intended, despite the Lighthouse Lady’s passing.
While it won’t help you fund your adventures, choosing to bury the jewel does at least provide some degree of closure. The Mermaid Tear was meant to be with the Lighthouse Lady, even if she didn’t live long enough to see it with her own eyes.
All things considered, the best choice is to give the Mermaid Tear to the jeweler. Doing so will net you a 10,000 gold reward and further flesh out the story of the Lighthouse Lady and her estranged lover. If the jewel can’t be with the intended recipient, it can at least go back to its original owners. The extra profit is just icing on the cake. However, if money is no object, you may consider burying it alongside the lady. It’s what her lover would have wanted.
Looking to get even more out of your Nier Replicant experience? Here’s how to unlock 15 Nightmares, a crucial step toward earning the new ending added to ver. 1.22474487139. We’ve also got details on whether or not Replicant is a sequel to Nier Automata, and if you should play Automata before Replicant.
