| Region | Hyrule Castle |
|---|---|
| Location | The front gate of Hyrule Castle, at the top of the road up from Castle Town |
| Quest giver | Beecher |
| Available | After the Hyrule Castle rift is sealed and Still Missing is done (during Lands of the Goddesses) |
| Reward | Golden Egg (a premium smoothie ingredient) |
Since the castle rift was mended, Castle Town has one more soldier than it should, and General Wright suspects an echo is hiding in the ranks. It is a short detective quest with no fighting: question the soldiers, ask about missing gear at the Barracks, spot the soldier with damaged equipment and give Beecher the right answers, all for a Golden Egg.
How to Start
Walk up to the Hyrule Castle gate and find Beecher, muttering to himself next to the brazier. He explains that after the rift was mended “there was one extra soldier in Castle Town”, and General Wright believes it is an echo hidden among them. The closer he looked, the more they all seemed suspicious. Since you’re not a soldier, he knows you’re not the echo. Pick “Sure, I’ll help!” (not “Maybe another time.”) and he asks you to interview the soldiers and “suss out the echo.”
Walkthrough
Step 1: Question the soldiers on watch
Head down into Castle Town and talk to every soldier you meet on the town walls and the moat bridge. Each one greets you with two options; choose “Suspicious soldiers?” to ask about the echo (“As you were.” just ends the chat). Most of them are no help (“no one’s stood out”).
Step 2: Get the Barracks tip
The useful soldier patrols the stretch of wall above the town well, near the blue-roofed house. He hasn’t noticed anyone acting suspicious, but “it feels a bit crowded—like there are more of us than there used to be.” Since “all our armor and weaponry is managed at the barracks,” he suggests going to the Barracks to ask if any equipment is unaccounted for.
Step 3: Note the soldier by the well
Drop down to the well itself. A soldier stands right beside it, calling out “Got it covered!” Talk to him and he’s cheerful (“Heyyy! What’s cooking?”), insisting everyone is “on the up-and-up.” Remember where he’s standing; he matters later.
Step 4: Ask about missing equipment
Enter the Barracks and talk to the soldier on duty. Choose “Missing equipment?” Nothing is missing, except “that set of damaged equipment a soldier gave me.” He set it outside to be thrown away but doesn’t remember anyone actually getting rid of it. Beecher then walks in: “You came to ask about the equipment too? Hah! Two steps ahead of me.”
Step 5: Work out the theory with Beecher
Beecher sums up the clues: a missing set of damaged equipment and an extra soldier. When he asks “What do you make of it, Princess Zelda?”, answer “The echo took it.” (the other choices are “There’s no echo.” and “Wright’s the echo!”). Someone stole the gear and slipped in among the soldiers, and since it was a used set, “it should show signs of damage!” His reminder: “our suspect is a suspicious soldier with damaged equipment!”
Step 6: Check the soldier by the well
Leave the Barracks and go back to the soldier standing by the well. Look closely: unlike the other soldiers’ spears, his lance is a dark, broken shaft with no spearhead. The camera zoom gives you a clear view. You don’t need to talk to him again; once you’ve seen it, return to Beecher in the Barracks.
Step 7: Confirm your answers
Beecher asks whether you saw a soldier with damaged equipment; choose “I sure did.” Then he checks your answers against his. For “Where did you see the suspicious soldier?” pick “Near the well.” (not the fountain or the barracks). For “And which piece of equipment was damaged?” pick “The lance.” (not the helmet or the armor). Each question also offers “I need to rethink this.”
Step 8: The culprit is unmasked
“Ah, exactly the conclusions I came to.” General Wright arrives, and Beecher brings in the soldier from the well: “That damaged lance proves it.” He isn’t an echo at all. He’s Capnut, who was saved by a soldier when the rift appeared and wanted to be “the guy who makes people feel safe,” so he pretended to be one.
Reward
Wright scolds Capnut for pretending, but says “Training and experience are easily gained. Spirit is not,” and offers to discuss making him a real recruit with the king. Then he thanks Zelda: “You got a golden egg!” and the banner reads Side Quest Complete: One Soldier Too Many. A Golden Egg greatly boosts the other ingredients in a smoothie; see Smoothies.
Tips
- Short version: The echo took it., then I sure did., Near the well. and The lance.
- While you’re walking the walls, there’s a Piece of Heart on the grass strip between the outer wall and the moat. Reach it with a Water Block.
- Once Still Missing is done, Castle Town also has A Curious Child and the throne room has Impa’s Gift, so you can do all three in one trip.
