Murder at the Kogetsukan
1. The criminal must be mentioned early in the story.
Holmes:
Have you ever seen a face where you oughtn't to? In a stain on the ceiling, or the wood grain on a wall, or even a scuff mark on a desk, perhaps?
Holmes:
...Hmm, you have, eh?
That is certainly no surprise.
Holmes:
It is human nature to seek patterns, to find meaning and make connections, whether real or imagined.
Holmes:
To be quite frank, this is all a mistake.
An illusion. A mismatch owing to human perception.
Holmes:
People inevitably favor their own thoughts and ideas over anyone else's. To be human is to be forever out of reach of true objectivity.
Holmes:
Now, let me tell you the tale of a curious group of people and their subjective mistakes.
Holmes:
This is a tragedy of two families...
Holmes:
...one that may have begun when bonds were mistakenly believed to exist among those attending a certain gathering.
Holmes:
This story has no real relevance to you,
and might have taken place anywhere...
B：???:
Are you okay?
Fujimaru 1:
Huh? Stheno...?
Fujimaru 2:
Do I...know you?
B：???:
Did you hit your head or something?
...My name's Juliet.
B：???:
Juliet Violet.
Juliet:
We go to the same college, remember?
Juliet:
We eat lunch together every couple of days?
Hang out maybe once a week? You know, friends?
Juliet:
You ditched class so you could come with me on our four-day family trip. Remember?
Juliet:
Hmm, it looks like none of this is ringing a bell, huh.
Do you even know what the date is?
Fujimaru 1:
I know it's May 2019...
Juliet:
Oh good, so you do have your head on straight.
That's right. It's May 2019.
Fujimaru 2:
I know it's May 2020...
Juliet:
...Are you sure you're okay? You got the month right,
but you're off by a whole year. It's still 2019.
C：???:
See, this is why head injuries are so scary.
You appear to have a mild case of amnesia.
C：???:
Well, then I shall introduce myself as well.
My name is Hawthorne. I'm the Violet family's doctor.
Hawthorne:
I think I've been at this for about twenty years or so?
I'm afraid my memory isn't what it used to be, much to my chagrin.
Juliet:
Is Fujimaru going to be okay, Doctor?
Hawthorne:
Their condition doesn't seem to be serious, but you can't take head injuries lightly. One can seem to be in perfect health one day, then collapse the next.
Hawthorne:
As a doctor, I'm afraid I can't give them a clean bill of health just yet. If they start to feel bad again, make sure you call for me at once.
D：???:
Oh good, you're awake. Ahahaha, are you feeling all right now, Fujimaru?
Juliet:
Is that all you've got to say, Cain!? You're the one who hit them with that ball in the first place!
Cain:
Oh yeah, I guess I did, huh?
Sorry about that.
Cain:
Everything good now that I've apologized?
Great! Then I'm gonna get back to the game.
Juliet:
Ugh. I'm sorry about my little brother.
Juliet:
You'd think he'd finally grow up a little now that he's in high school, but nope...
Fujimaru 1:
...High school? Really? That doesn't seem right...
Juliet:
Because he's still so childish?
Juliet:
...I know what you mean.
We're all kind of worried about him...
Fujimaru 2:
It's okay. I probably should've been paying more attention.
Juliet:
If you say so. You know, for a moment there,
you looked like you'd seen a ghost or something.
Juliet:
Anyway...don't feel like you have to go easy on him, okay? He could've seriously hurt you.
Juliet:
It was bad enough that Cain kicked that ball into your face, but then it tripped you up...
Juliet:
...and you ended up tumbling down the nearby stairs like a barrel, remember?
Juliet:
I'm not sure what I would do to him if I were in your shoes.
Juliet:
But you just laughed it off with a joke about him becoming a pro soccer player someday. I couldn't believe it.
Juliet:
But then, that's one of your best qualities.
You've always been good at finding the silver lining.
Fujimaru 1:
I see. By the way, where are we again?
Fujimaru 2:
What is this place? It seems like a really fancy hotel...
Juliet:
Uh-oh... You might have it worse than I thought.
This is the Kogetsukan.
Juliet:
You're here with my family on our–
E：???:
Oh good, you look like you're all right.
Hawthorne:
Hello, Eva.
F：???:
I was so worried after I heard what Cain did.
I'm glad to see you seem fine.
Hawthorne:
I see you're here too, Harriet.
I must say, you both look especially beautiful today.
Harriet:
Hehe, maybe that's because I just got out of the bath.
Fujimaru 1:
Who are those two again?
Juliet:
...That's my mom, and my little sister. I'd have thought that was obvious... Maybe there's not as much family resemblance as I thought?
Harriet:
Why don't you go take a bath too, Juliet?
It's really spacious.
Juliet:
Maybe later.
Eva:
Now, now, you mustn't let your appearance slide over something like this. Haven't you noticed your hair getting sticky from the ocean breeze?
Juliet:
Not really. It's not like I've been to the beach.
Hawthorne:
I must say, it's always fascinating to see twins with such...different personalities.
G：???:
Can you all come with me for a moment?
Juliet:
Daddy?
Hawthorne:
What is it, Adamska?
Adamska:
Dorothy lost a valuable necklace,
and...it's become a bit of a problem.
Hawthorne:
Well, if the lady of the Goldie family is in trouble, we certainly can't turn our backs on her. After all–
Juliet:
No need to get into all that now.
Come on, everyone, let's go.
A：???:
WHY is my necklace missing?
It couldn't have just walked away on its own!
D：???:
We're doing everything we can to find it, madam.
Please, just give us a little more time.
Adamska:
Over there. You can see for yourselves how it's turning into kind of a mess...
Hawthorne:
...That furious lady over there is Dorothy Goldie, and the man trying to placate her is Wǔ, from the Marble Company.
Dorothy:
I'll wait for as long as I must for it to be found.
That necklace is very precious to me...
E：???:
Mommy, I'm hungryyy.
Dorothy:
Be patient, Laurie. It'll be time for snacks soon, and Mommy's having a very important conversation right now.
Laurie:
Okay.
I'll go play with Cain then.
F：???:
What's going on here, Wǔ?
Wǔ:
Oh, hey Sis. I'm afraid we've got a problem on our hands. You see...
Hawthorne:
That dignified-looking woman there is Ann, the vice president of the Marble Company. And the girl we saw earlier was Laurie Goldie.
Ann:
I see. So Ms. Dorothy's necklace went missing in the bathhouse...
Dorothy:
It took ten minutes for me to realize I'd forgotten my necklace in the changing room and go back to check on it. Someone must have taken it while I was out.
Ann:
Weren't you standing guard over the bathhouse then, Wǔ?
Wǔ:
Yeah, I was. I can promise you that no men went in or out while I was keeping watch. In fact, nobody went in at all after Ms. Dorothy left...
Dorothy:
Then YOU must have taken my necklace!
Well? Let's have it!
Wǔ:
PLEASE calm down, Ms. Dorothy...
H：???:
Ugh, could you keep it down?
I was having a great nap until you woke me.
Dorothy:
Oh Morris...
Can't you be a little more polite?
Fujimaru 1:
Mo?
Morris:
Huh? Who the hell do you think you are, talking to me like we're buddies or something? You want a piece?
Juliet:
I'm sorry about that.
They're still a little loopy.
Morris:
Hm? Oh, right, you brought them here...
Eh, not bad. I guess you pass.
Juliet:
You're one to talk, seeing how you slept most of the way here.
Morris:
What do you expect? I was busy living it up all night.
So what is this person to you, anyway?
Juliet:
...They're a friend from school. I wanted someone outside our families to be here, so that I didn't end up suffocating.
Morris:
That so. All right, I'll let it go this once, outta respect for you. But there won't be a next time.
E：???:
Are you all right, Morris!?
Wǔ:
Oh, Mr. Aaron.
Morris:
I'm fine, Pops.
Aaron:
Good, good. For a moment,
I was worried something had happened to you.
Hawthorne:
...That's Aaron, the head of the Goldie family.
And you've already met Morris, his son.
Morris:
You're such a worrywart, old man. Don't worry, I'll be taking over soon. Just relax and enjoy that whisky you've been saving.
Aaron:
I can't say I approve of the way you disappointed your bride, though.
Fujimaru 1:
Bride?
Juliet:
...I'm sorry, but I don't want to explain it again.
You'll see soon enough.
Hawthorne:
Wǔ, may I have a word?
Wǔ:
What is it, Doc?
Hawthorne:
I'm not saying this just to clear my own name,
but...the three of us have airtight alibis.
Hawthorne:
Juliet, Fujimaru, and myself were all in the same room. We can all vouch for one another.
Hawthorne:
Since there's no question of their guilt, why not let the two of them handle the investigation?
Wǔ:
Well, I guess that'd be better than me looking into it, since Ms. Dorothy obviously doesn't trust me anymore.
Dorothy:
As long as I get my necklace back,
I don't care who finds it.
Ann:
Now that that's clear,
I will leave it up to you two for now.
Ann:
But if it still doesn't turn up, then I'll take matters into my own hands. In our line of business, trust is everything, after all.
Adamska:
Are you sure you'll be okay, Juliet?
Juliet:
You're such a worrywart, Daddy. I told you, I'm fine.
...Now what's the big idea, Doctor?
Hawthorne:
Oh, just a little unorthodox treatment.
Hawthorne:
I thought it might be a good way for Fujimaru to rehabilitate their memory, you see.
Juliet:
You know...that's a good point.
Hawthorne:
All right, tell me, Fujimaru.
Hawthorne:
How is your memory doing now that you've met everyone from both families?
Fujimaru 1:
What's the Marble Company?
Hawthorne:
Hmm... Not so well, I see. They're some of the most famous people in the business world.
Hawthorne:
It's even said that any contract they're present for will never, ever be broken.
Juliet:
The Marble Company doesn't just own the Kogetsukan, they even own the island it's on. So you never have to worry about unwanted visitors out here.
Hawthorne:
Of course, that also means if they DID steal the necklace, we would have no hope of getting it back.
Juliet:
I think we can trust them, don't you?
Trust IS everything for them, after all.
Juliet:
I'm sure that necklace wasn't cheap, but it couldn't possibly be worth ruining their reputation.
Fujimaru 1:
Sounds like they really ARE impressive.
Juliet:
They have clients all over the world, so that DOES give them a lot of power. Neither of our families could hope to match them, even if we combined forces.
Juliet:
Of course, we wouldn't have asked them to be here otherwise.
Juliet:
While we're on the subject, Ann is the company's second in command, and despite his young age, Wǔ is one of the top five most powerful people in the company.
Hawthorne:
With people that high up in the company here,
just shows you how seriously they take all this.
Juliet:
...But never mind that now.
Let's go talk to them.
Ann:
Yes, I knew that everyone would be tired thanks to the early departure, so I opened up the women's bath first.
Juliet:
I think we got here a little after noon, and yeah, we were all pretty tired. I'm glad that at least my mom and sister were able to freshen up.
Juliet:
What about you, Wǔ? Did you ever take your eyes off the bath's entrance?
Wǔ:
Psh, what do you think? Yeah, I was sitting right there the whole time, but I was busy peeling vegetables.
We're short on staff right now.
Wǔ:
But even if I couldn't keep an eye on it the whole time,
I would've noticed if any lechers had tried to get in.
Wǔ:
From what I remember, Ms. Harriet and Ms. Eva went in first.
Wǔ:
Then Ms. Dorothy and Ms. Laurie went in just as Ms. Harriet and Ms. Eva were leaving.
Wǔ:
I'm pretty sure nobody else went in after Ms. Dorothy and Ms. Laurie came out.
Wǔ:
Though I sure didn't expect to see Ms. Dorothy back again so soon. Especially not looking like she was ready to carve me up.
Juliet:
So if my mom and my sister couldn't have taken it...
then who possibly could? There's no other viable suspects.
Hawthorne:
True. A woman may have been able to make it past Wǔ without drawing suspicion, but there don't seem to be any women who could have done it...
Juliet:
Oh? Did something occur to you, Fujimaru?
Morris:
So we're just supposed to believe you've got an alibi, huh?
Morris:
I mean, hypothetically speaking, couldn't twins swap places to pull this kinda thing off? Just sayin'.
Wǔ:
...No way. No one would get them mixed up like that.
I know I wouldn't...
Fujimaru 1:
What about a woman who usually dresses like a man?She could've slipped in, right?
Wǔ:
...Sure, that's possible.
But only if there was anyone like that here.
Morris:
Hah! Cross-dressers here in the mansion?
Gimme a break.
Morris:
...Huh? Why're you looking at me like that?
You think I stole it?
Juliet:
Hey! No fighting!
Fujimaru 1:
(Gasp) There's something down below!
Fujimaru 2:
(Gasp) There's nothing up top!
Juliet:
Of course Morris is a man.
Morris:
This punk friend of yours is calling me a woman!
Juliet:
Stop it, Morris!
I told you, they're–
Morris:
I don't care if they're your guest anymore!
You and me, outside! Now!
F：???:
I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Mr. Morris.
Wǔ:
Oh, hey Chris. Thanks for–
Wait, NOW you show up!?
Morris:
You wanna stop me, Chris?
Fine, I'll just beat your ass first then. Bring it!
Chris:
Then it seems you leave me no choice.
My apologies!
2. All supernatural or preternatural agencies are...
Morris:
Let me go, dammit!
Chris:
Forgive me, Mr. Morris.
Morris:
Damn...you're a lot stronger than you look.
Morris:
Ah shit, now my right hand hurts like hell!
I don't even feel like punching them anymore!
Wǔ:
Hmm. Well, good job on getting him to settle down with that wrestling hold, but that you injured him in the process shows you still have a long ways to go.
Chris:
What was that all about, anyway?
Why were you fighting?
Fujimaru 1:
(Fill him in)
Chris:
Then the necklace may still be around somewhere, yes?
Chris:
In that case, I have an idea of where it might be hidden.
Morris:
The necklace isn't just gonna turn up THAT easy...
Chris:
I found it.
It was in the back of the drawer.
Morris:
Just like that!?
Dorothy:
Yes, that's it! Wonderful! But, that's strange.
I don't remember putting it there...
Laurie:
Aw maaan!
Dorothy:
Laurie?
Laurie:
...I thought I hid it really well,
but you found it in no time. This sucks!
Morris:
Huh? You mean she took it!? Why the hell'd I have to get punched for that!? What was all that even for!?
Aaron:
That's enough, Morris. Shut it.
Dorothy:
I'm so sorry. I never thought my daughter would get up to such mischief...
Eva:
Pay it no mind.
Children will be children, after all.
Hawthorne:
Would you like me to take a look at your hand, Morris? Having your dominant hand injured must be a nuisance.
Morris:
Hah, this is nothing.
'Sides, it's not like I ever gave up.
Morris:
...I swear, I didn't think that pretty boy had it in him. Anyway, it's evening now, right? Let's eat already.
Wǔ:
Good point.
All right, I'll go get dinner ready.
Cain:
Thanks for the grub!
Laurie:
Grub!
Dorothy:
Now, now, Laurie.
I know you can be more polite than that.
Juliet:
...Thank you for a great meal.
Fujimaru 1:
Everything was really good, wasn't it?
Juliet:
Huh? ...Uh, yes, it was.
Morris:
Just take it away.
Trying to cut my steak hurts my hand.
Chris:
I do apologize for that.
Shall I cut your steak for you then?
Morris:
Get lost!
Dammit, how'd this end up happening, anyway...
Aaron:
Come now. Adversity only strengthens us, after all.
As long as that little episode brought our families closer together, it was well worth it.
Aaron:
Once the engagement between my son, Morris, and the Violets' daughter, Juliet, is finalized, the alliance between our families will be sealed.
Aaron:
Surely there can be no better cause to rejoice than that?
Fujimaru 1:
Engagement?
Fujimaru 2:
Juliet?
Juliet:
...Don't make such a big deal out of it.
That's what this whole trip was for to begin with...
Ann:
With the Marble Company present,
this engagement contract will be irrevocable.
Ann:
If anyone should object to it, even from the families, we will ensure they keep any such objections to themselves.
Wǔ:
I have painful and not-so-painful ways of doing that.
The painful ones are my specialty.
Chris:
Huh? That's strange.
All of our guests should already be here...
Wǔ:
Save the questions for later and get your weapon ready. Sis already has hers out.
Ann:
...Someone's coming.
D：???:
Good evening, distinguished guests of the Kogetsukan.
D：???:
I do hope you'll forgive me for the intrusion. I rang the doorbell first, of course, but when no one came to answer, I thought I would let myself in.
Wǔ:
Who are you?
People don't just stumble across this place.
D：???:
I believe Mr. Goldie, or perhaps your superior, can answer that. They arranged for me to be here, after all.
Ann:
I didn't think you'd actually come.
I could've sworn nobody was following us...
Aaron:
...Hmm. Difficult to believe as it is,
it seems you have come. Welcome, Sir Detective.
???:
Thank you, Mr. Goldie.
Now then, allow me to introduce myself properly.
???:
My name is Sheringham, a detective of some renown.
I have come here because I sensed a case afoot.
Morris:
A detective!?
Why'd you go and bring a detective here, Pops!?
Aaron:
A fair question. I suppose you all have a right to know. The truth is, we received a threatening letter while I was putting this marriage proposal together.
Aaron:
It said simply, “Call off Morris and Juliet's engagement, or the Goldie family will suffer the consequences.”
Morris:
...Seriously? First I've heard.
Morris:
But so what? You get threats all the time, right?
What's got you so spooked about this one?
Aaron:
We kept this proposal strictly between our families. Not even my most trusted executives know about it. Do you understand what that means?
Morris:
So you're sayin' whoever wrote that letter...is here?
Aaron:
I was just wondering what to do about it yesterday when Mr. Sheringham contacted me.
Sheringham:
Indeed. I told him I might be able to assist with any issues he may have arising from his son's engagement.
Aaron:
I discussed it with Ann and we agreed that if he could track us down here, we would hire him.
Morris:
So how do you know about the threat?
Sheringham:
Trade secret, I'm afraid. All I can say is that nothing escapes my notice or understanding.
Morris:
You expect us to believe that!? How do we know you didn't set this whole thing up yourself!?
Aaron:
Even if he did, his skills as a detective are nothing to sniff at. He could never have found us here were it otherwise.
Ann:
Only a handful in the company know where the Kogetsukan is located, and the architect who designed it passed away...
Ann:
There's no way he could've found this place unless he tracked our itinerary perfectly.
Sheringham:
Haha, you are much too kind.
You may rest easy, distinguished guests.
Sheringham:
You have my word that I will uncover whatever may be happening here. I AM a great detective, after all.
Mash:
Senpai! You're awake!
Thank goodness! Are you all right!?
Fujimaru 1:
...Mash? You are still Mash, right?
Mash:
Uh, y-yes. I'm still Mash Kyrielight...
Why do you ask?
Mash:
Have you met someone else with my name?
Or some other me with a different name...?
Fujimaru 2:
Did I come back to my room and fall asleep in my bed...?
Mash:
No, not quite.
You were in another of your REM trances.
Mash:
...Do you not remember what happened...?
Mash:
You were having coffee in the break room,
and I was having cocoa.
Mash:
We were having a lovely conversation when you began to stare at the moon outside the window...
Mash:
...then out of nowhere, you just kind of mumbled,
“Another crossover, huh...” and passed out...
Mash:
Spilled your piping hot coffee all over yourself as well...
Professor M:
Indeed. What followed was akin to a small fireworks display, considering how panicked young Mash was.
Professor M:
But it would seem the heavens have not forsaken you, though they may have been momentarily inattentive.
Professor M:
As luck would have it,
I happened to be passing by at the time.
Professor M:
So, strain though it was on my aging back, I carried you all the way to your room. I further went above and beyond the call of duty by examining your burns.
Holmes:
One must always strive for accuracy when relaying information, Professor.
Holmes:
As you'll recall, we happened to be passing by.
Furthermore, it was I who examined [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms.] Fujimaru.
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks... I'm sorry to put you all out like that.
Professor M:
Not at all. I simply could not turn my back on your plight. Not, at least, with young Mash's arms wrapped so tightly around it.
Professor M:
She would have made an excellent sumo wrestler in another life! Were I only twenty years younger, I might have fallen for her!
Fujimaru 1:
By the way...it IS May 2019 now, right?
Mash:
Y-yes, that's right.
May 14. Why do you ask?
Holmes:
...Hmm. Confirming the date without paying any heed to the mild burns you suffered from the coffee, eh?
Holmes:
You must have had a most peculiar dream indeed.
Would you care to share with us what it was about?
Mash:
That's...
That's...
Mash:
That's like something straight out of a mystery novel, Senpai!
Mash:
Let's see... So there's Juliet and Harriet, who I can tell are both beautiful from your descriptions...
Mash:
...the caring, motherly Eva...their hellion brother,
Mephi–I mean, Cain...
Mash:
...and their father, Adamska, who for some reason sounds completely worthless as a person.
Mash:
Ooh, and after that–
Professor M:
Hahaha. Calm yourself, young Mash.
I'm afraid Fujimaru here is still trying to wrap [♂ his /♀ her] head around all this as well.
Professor M:
So we have five–no, six members of the Violet family alone, eh. I'm particularly interested in this Dr. Hawthorne fellow myself!
Holmes:
Indeed. No doubt he's some sort of detestable back-alley doctor, if not an outright fraud.
Professor M:
A fraud? Surely you mean that detective who showed up at the very end?
Professor M:
Some nerve he has, showing up unannounced as though he were the main character!
Professor M:
What is it about men who call themselves detectives that makes them seem so terribly shady!?
Mash:
Professor, with all due respect, there's a method to Holmes's madness. His goal is to get the culprit to lower their guard.
Mash:
Great detectives have to be shady. The nice ones always get killed off in the middle of the story!
Professor M:
Hahaha, you make an excellent point! What I wouldn't give to have such an adoring fan myself!
Holmes:
I appreciate the gesture, Ms. Kyrielight.
But do be quiet for a moment. You have given me a great deal to think about.
Mash:
Oh, here, Senpai! I made a quick chart of the relationships between all the characters you just told us about.
Mash:
Does this all look right to you?
Fujimaru 1:
Whoa... This makes things SUPER clear!
Fujimaru 2:
It's perfect!
Holmes:
...Ahem.
Returning to the matter at hand...
Holmes:
[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms.] Fujimaru. In your dream, you said you were being cared for by an unfamiliar girl named Juliet.
Holmes:
Furthermore, you were staying at an unfamiliar Western-style mansion rather than Chaldea, along with two families.
Holmes:
These families were made up of familiar Servants, but all of their names and some of their genders were different. Is that correct?
Fujimaru 1:
Yes. It was really confusing.
Holmes:
That is far too intricate to be an ordinary dream. For one thing, did you even know the word “kogetsu” beforehand?
Fujimaru 1:
No, I didn't.
Fujimaru 2:
Isn't it some kind of old-fashioned word...?
Mash:
According to the dictionary, it's an old Japanese word for “crescent moon.” A lot of Western-style country houses are given similarly old-fashioned names.
Mash:
In fact, I think they should have names like that.
The Kogetsukan sounds like a wonderful name to me!
Holmes:
Good grief. It seems I underestimated the depths of your affection for mysteries, Ms. Kyrielight.
Holmes:
How about you, Professor?
Any comment on these revelations?
Professor M:
Hmm. You mean the phenomenon of learning a word through a dream that one would have no way of knowing otherwise?
Professor M:
In the magecraft world, there are no shortage of methods to accomplish that. Precognitive dreams... Clairvoyance... The remote sharing of minds...
Holmes:
Indeed. This latest case may be the result of one such method...
Holmes:
Given what we currently know, my hypothesis is that
[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms.] Fujimaru is picking up a signal of sorts...
Holmes:
...a signal originating from one who is witnessing these events in reality.
Professor M:
Yes... I imagine it is something along those lines.
How unfortunate for young Fujimaru.
Professor M:
We don't know who's broadcasting it, but you seem to have unwittingly tuned in, so to speak.
Professor M:
However, humans contain quite a lot of data. How they sound, how their skin feels, their expressions... A wealth of information.
Professor M:
This was likely too much information for you to process about so many people, so your mind substituted familiar Servants for these new faces.
Professor M:
Think of it as a kind of safety function. Were you unable to do so, your mind may well have broken under the strain of so much data.
Professor M:
It is a very real danger. Indeed, your subconscious mind assessed the situation far more quickly and accurately than your conscious one.
Professor M:
That is to say...this was not your last dream.
This story will continue on!
Fujimaru 1:
I think...I'm getting sleepy again right now...
Mash:
Senpai...?
Senpai!?
Professor M:
You see? Young Mash was right.
You have only just completed the prologue.
Professor M:
From now on, you will delve into the mystery proper.
Professor M:
It may be but a dream for you, but within the dream,
I assure you, the mystery itself will be quite real.
Professor M:
Now, permit this old professor to give you a word of advice. There is a certain malevolence present in the situation and relationships you described...
Professor M:
...and you WILL find yourself on the wrong end of it.
Of that, I am certain.
Mash:
Professor?
What do you mean by–
Professor M:
I'm afraid there is no time to explain. The sandman is already at work on young Fujimaru even as we speak.
Professor M:
Hmm. I suppose the best I can do now is be your doctor within the dream and treat you as best I am able.
Holmes:
This loss of consciousness is not being brought on by a need for sleep... It seems there is nothing we can do to keep [♂ him /♀ her] awake.
Holmes:
...[♂ Mr. /♀ Ms.] Fujimaru, allow me a word of advice as well, while there is still time to offer it.
Holmes:
Consider... Why did your brain choose to substitute Mordred for Morris?
Holmes:
Simple. It did so in error. It merely assigned Mordred to him based on his violent disposition.
Holmes:
It is a stark difference between what you know and the events you are witnessing.
Holmes:
As such, there may be other errors of a similar nature.
Holmes:
Listen closely. You cannot take what you see at face value. That is absolutely crucial.
Holmes:
Think carefully, and act cautiously. Once you are back in this dream, we will be powerless to help you.
Holmes:
This dream is someone else's reality.
As long as you are experiencing it, you ARE that person.
Holmes:
I don't want to scare you, but if you die in this dream, we cannot say what may happen to you here.
Holmes:
First, try to gather all the facts you can.
Once you have done so, you can begin your deductions...
3. No more than one secret room or passage...
Juliet:
Those sandwiches we had for breakfast were delicious.
Harriet:
Yup.
Not a bad breakfast, I have to admit.
Wǔ:
I worked pretty hard on those,
so I'm glad you all liked them.
Morris:
Yeah, they weren't bad. Best thing about sammiches is you don't need any fancy utensils to eat 'em.
Eva:
This tea is delicious too.
Did you do something special with the tea leaves?
Chris:
That would be my doing, Ms. Eva. Ms. Ann saw to it that I was extensively educated on brewing tea.
Ann:
Clients don't need to know your life story, Chris.
Eva:
You're going to make some lucky woman very happy one day, Chris. You're already so clean and proper!
Adamska:
...That's enough, Eva.
Morris:
Is it my imagination, or did she just take a dig at me...?
Aaron:
Morris, you still have a lot of growing up to do if you're letting a lady's remarks get under your skin. Nothing anyone could say fazed me when I was your age.
Aaron:
By then, I had my hands so full of beautiful, famous women that I hardly knew what to do with them all! Hahahaha.
Morris:
...You're the one who told me I had to get married just as I was about to begin my own series of conquests.
Aaron:
Did I?
Eva:
I'm so sorry if anything I said offended you, Morris.
By the way, Chris, why don't you stop by my room later?
Adamska:
Stop that, Eva.
Morris:
Feh, I can't believe that guy lets his wife and kids run their mouths like that. Right, Pops?
Dorothy:
...Stop that, Morris. Can you not see how difficult you are making matters for your father?
Morris:
Yeah, yeah, all right.
Laurie:
That was yummy...
Dorothy:
What a healthy appetite you have, Laurie. I'm proud of you. Now don't forget to thank them for the meal.
Laurie:
Hey, can I have that too?
Cain:
Now that you mention it, there is another plate left over, isn't there? I want some too! Gimmeee!
Laurie:
Okay, let's share it then. Half each?
Wǔ:
...That's supposed to be for Sheringham.
Hey, Chris. Where is Sheringham, anyway?
Chris:
Mr. Sheringham is still resting in his room. I thought his trip must have exhausted him, so I refrained from knocking, so as not to wake him.
Aaron:
Hmm... Well that won't do.
We were supposed to discuss our plans this morning.
Chris:
In that case, allow me.
I'll go and fetch Mr. Sheringham right now.
Laurie:
Ask him if he still wants breakfast or not too!
Cain:
Yeah, ask him!
Morris:
God, hear those brats screeching? It's givin' me a damn headache. This is a hotel, not a kindergarten.
Harriet:
Hear that? As if he isn't the biggest baby here.
Eva:
True... But don't you find his boorishness somehow endearing in its own way?
Morris:
I can hear you, you know!
???:
Aaaaaahhh!
Juliet:
Was that Chris?
Fujimaru 1:
Let's go!
Wǔ:
That can't be good news.
I'm going too.
Chris:
You're all here?
Wǔ:
What happened, Chris? I don't think I've ever heard you raise your voice before.
Chris:
I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking straight.
I'm all right now.
Chris:
But, instead of telling you what happened, I think it would be faster if you saw for yourselves. Take a look inside Mr. Sheringham's room.
Juliet:
Sheringham's room? Why? What happened?
Fujimaru 1:
He's dead!?
Fujimaru 2:
(The detective got killed off in the first act!?)
Juliet:
No way... Is he really dead?
Wǔ:
Looks like he's been dead for some time now...
I'll seal the area off and go tell the others.
Dorothy:
I can't believe Sheringham is dead...
Wǔ:
I didn't examine his body too closely, but it sure didn't look like he died of natural causes.
Harriet:
There might not be any point in asking,
but do we know who saw him last?
Chris:
I wasn't technically the last to see him, but...Mr. Sheringham did ask me to bring him some tea last night.
Ann:
And? There's gotta be more to it than that, right?
Chris:
Well...
Ann:
Don't be coy. This is an emergency.
Just spit it out.
Chris:
Mr. Sheringham requested two teacups.
...It looked like there was someone else with him.
Morris:
Damn, man...
Ann:
Do you know who it was?
Chris:
I...I couldn't tell. Mr. Sheringham was waiting for me outside his room, and he slipped back inside after I gave him the tea tray.
Chris:
I didn't get so much as a look at whoever was in there.
Chris:
Based on the way he acted, I thought he might be entertaining a woman...but I didn't give it much thought beyond that.
Eva:
My, oh my...
I didn't think you were still so innocent, Chris.
Chris:
The only possible clue I can think of...
Chris:
...is that he requested a left-handed teacup.
Chris:
Not that teacups are normally left- or right-handed, but the handles for the cups we use here at the Kogetsukan are a little unusual.
Chris:
Mr. Sheringham appeared to be right-handed,
so I think the left-handed one was for his guest.
Morris:
Hah, that's just perfect.
Detective guy had more game than I thought.
Morris:
I don't suppose YOU were the left-handed woman, were you?
Dorothy:
How could you even ask me that, Morris!?
That is hardly a fit subject for a joke, especially now!
Dorothy:
Besides, I'm right-handed. How could you not know that? I've been your stepmother for ten years!
Wǔ:
I'm sorry to ask this now,
but is anyone here left-handed?
Wǔ:
...I'll take that as a no. Well, I guess it would be hard to get anyone to admit to that under the circumstances.
Adamska:
Never mind who he might have been meeting with.
This isn't going to affect our alliance, is it...?
Ann:
No. Unfortunate accidents aside, we will proceed with the engagement as scheduled once we regroup.
Dorothy:
You're kidding, right? We need to stop this deal and leave right now! Have someone come pick us up at once!
Ann:
Unfortunately, we don't have any means of contacting anyone on the mainland. No matter what happens, not going ahead with the engagement is not an option.
Dorothy:
You mean, we're trapped here...?
But, what if something happens to my Laurie?
Ann:
No one will be coming to get us until two days from now. Until then, we will just have to make the best of things.
Aaron:
That's quite all right with me. We can't have a little thing like this get in the way of our arrangement.
Adamska:
I couldn't agree more.
Phew, what a relief...
Morris:
Man, you sure are desperate, huh?
This alliance really mean that much to you?
Aaron:
...Morris, that was going too far.
Apologize right now.
Morris:
Yeah, yeah.
Sorry 'bout that, Mr. Adamska.
Morris:
Anyway, we know the killer's here among us, right?
Well, I'm not gonna let a little murder scare me!
Ann:
Looks like our decision to keep our personnel to a minimum backfired. I never thought we would have a murder on our hands.
Wǔ:
I'm sorry to spoil your vacation, but please make sure you all stay where we can see you as much as possible.
Chris:
If there's anything you need,
we will be happy to provide it.
Wǔ:
All right everyone, as you were.
I hope you will still be able to relax and enjoy yourselves.
Juliet:
Relax and enjoy ourselves?
How on earth are we supposed to relax now?
Wǔ:
Say, Fujimaru. If you don't have anything better to do, would you mind taking over for the detective?
Wǔ:
We've diverted so many resources to security at this point that, honestly, we don't have time to handle the investigation.
Juliet:
Does that mean...you don't suspect Fujimaru at all?
Wǔ:
I saw them take that ball to the face on the first day.
Not to mention the uproar that followed.
Wǔ:
There's no way anyone that clum–
er, I mean...
Wǔ:
...anyone that inexperienced in self-defense would be capable of murder.
Wǔ:
Well, not that you need to be good at martial arts to kill someone, of course.
Juliet:
Whatever your reasons are, I absolutely agree that Fujimaru could never kill anyone.
Fujimaru 1:
...I'll do it. I'll be your detective.
Fujimaru 2:
(...This works out perfectly...!)
Hawthorne:
Well now. It seems you have much more initiative than I thought, considering how quiet you seem.
Hawthorne:
I agree. Fujimaru is the right choice. Since they are not affiliated with either family, we can expect their judgment to be fair and impartial.
Hawthorne:
Now then, shall we take a look at the crime scene?
Much as I'd rather not, of course.
Juliet:
Doctor?
Hawthorne:
Wǔ asked me to help out as well. I'm the only one here who can perform an autopsy, after all. Lamentably,
I have little in terms of space or equipment, so I must confine myself to a visual examination.
Juliet:
That's a good point. Okay, let's go then.
Juliet:
He IS pretty pale, but aside from that,
he doesn't really look dead...
Hawthorne:
If that's what you think, try checking his wrist.
Juliet:
Okay, just in case...
Juliet:
...No, you're right. He doesn't have a pulse.
Did you want to check his wrist too, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Aren't you scared?
Juliet:
Of course I'm scared. But, I also kind of feel like I'm partly to blame for his death...
Hawthorne:
You look even paler than he does, Juliet.
Hawthorne:
Why don't you go back to your room and get some rest?
Let Fujimaru and me handle this.
Juliet:
No, I'll stay.
I wouldn't be any less scared sitting alone in my room.
Hawthorne:
All right, if you insist... Anyway, I believe we have sufficiently verified that he is, in fact, dead.
Hawthorne:
Given how much his body has cooled, I'd put his time of death at around midnight. Of course, the cause of death will be more important than the time.
Juliet:
What do you think, Doctor?
Hawthorne:
Poison would seem the most likely answer. Still, I can't tell what sort of poison, or how it entered his bloodstream.
Hawthorne:
...I'm afraid that's all I can say at this point.
Juliet:
That's all? Isn't there anything else?
Hawthorne:
I may be a doctor, but I must admit that this isn't exactly my area of expertise. I can't even be sure whether this poison was mixed into food or drink, or if he was injected with it somehow.
Hawthorne:
It would be one thing if I had my toxic substance detection reagent here with me, but–
Chris:
I'm sorry to interrupt.
Chris:
It looks like today is going to be rather warm,
so...would it be all right if we moved Mr. Sheringham's body soon?
Hawthorne:
Oh, right. I do apologize. You must have a lot to do without waiting around for us.
Juliet:
Never mind that, Doctor. What about the poison? If the killer poisoned his food or drink, what's to stop them from doing the same to ours?
Chris:
I doubt there will be any poison in the food as long as Wǔ is cooking...
Chris:
...but if you're worried, I'll be happy to taste it first to put you at ease.
Juliet:
What...? How can you smile about that?
If it really IS poisoned, you could end up dead yourself!
Chris:
The Marble Company took me in when I was just a baby.
Of course I would lay down my life for them.
Juliet:
But...it's your life. You only get one, you know?
You can't just throw it away like that.
Chris:
...With all due respect, Ms. Juliet, the Marble Company is like family to me, and Ms. Ann may as well be my mother.
Chris:
There is no difference between me risking my life for them and you marrying someone you don't love for your family.
Juliet:
Yes there is!
...It's not the same thing at all.
Chris:
My apologies. I should never have said that.
Forgive me.
Juliet:
It's okay. I'm over it.
Hawthorne:
All right, now that the autopsy is over,
we should take Mr. Sheringham's body out of here.
Chris:
We can use the basement. It's a little desolate, but it's the best option we have. I'll take the body down there now.
Hawthorne:
Hold it.
Chris:
Sir?
Hawthorne:
Fujimaru and I can carry the body ourselves.
Chris:
But...
Hawthorne:
I'm well aware that the Marble Company doesn't have enough hands to go around right now. There's no need for you to concern yourself with this when we are perfectly capable of doing it ourselves.
Hawthorne:
All I ask in exchange is that you make us a nice pot of tea. That we cannot do ourselves, after all.
Chris:
In that case, I would be glad to take you up on that.
Juliet:
What kinds of tea do you have?
Chris:
I'm afraid we have a limited selection,
but I'm certain something will be to your liking.
Juliet:
Hmm... Is it okay if I choose it myself?
Chris:
Of course. All right, let's be on our way. We'll wait for Dr. Hawthorne and your friend in the reception room.
Hawthorne:
Now, let's wrap the body up in a sheet and get it down to the basement... Mind taking the legs? All right, let's go.
Hawthorne:
There we are... Phew, that certainly strains the lower back, doesn't it? Yet another reminder that I'm not getting any younger.
Hawthorne:
Anyway, this should be a good place for Mr. Sheringham to rest in peace. It should be cool enough down here to minimize decay.
Hawthorne:
Chris certainly wasn't kidding when he said it was desolate. In fact, it's downright chilling in here, and I don't just mean in terms of temperature.
Hawthorne:
At any rate...it's finally just the two of us.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh? Don't tell me you were the killer...?
Hawthorne:
No no, nothing like that.
I merely wanted to talk to you, in private.
Hawthorne:
...It's better if Juliet doesn't hear this, you see.
Hawthorne:
I've known Juliet since she was a baby.
Her mother and I go way back.
Fujimaru 1:
Did you used to date her or something?
Hawthorne:
Not like that! There was never anything between us!
...Hm, that sounds rather sad now I've said it.
Hawthorne:
Anyway, she was very popular.
A boring man like myself never had a chance.
Hawthorne:
Besides, she was the pride and joy of the famous Violet family. I was far too scared to even think about asking her on a date...
Hawthorne:
Still, I was lucky that she did see me as a friend.
She even kept up with me after she married Adamska.
Hawthorne:
In fact, she was the one who chose me to be the Violet family's doctor after her daughters were born.
Hawthorne:
I owe a great debt to the Violet family for providing me with a steady income for so many years...which is why I'm so reluctant to bring this up.
Hawthorne:
I'm guessing the Goldie and Violet families came across as typical members of the upper class to you...
Hawthorne:
...but they are, in fact, two of the oldest crime families in the country.
Hawthorne:
All that they have is built upon violence and blood money.
Hawthorne:
However, in the past few years,
they've found themselves in a dangerous position.
Hawthorne:
For a long time, they were fighting each other tooth and nail for control of a certain city.
Hawthorne:
But now both are under attack from a new enemy,
and that attack has exhausted their resources.
Hawthorne:
...The way things are going, they probably won't last another ten years. At worst, both could collapse.
Hawthorne:
So the heads of both families arrived at the same conclusion. They would need to form an alliance...a merger of sorts.
Hawthorne:
They needed a way to ensure neither would betray the other...and they decided the way to do that was to have their oldest children marry.
Fujimaru 1:
So it's a political marriage?
Hawthorne:
Yes, that's probably the best way to put it.
Hawthorne:
I'm still a bachelor myself,
but I care for those girls as if they were my own.
Hawthorne:
Sometimes, I can't help but wish Juliet was as free-spirited as her mother.
Hawthorne:
She agreed to a marriage she doesn't want, purely to help her family. It really grinds my gears.
Hawthorne:
And to make matters worse... Well, you've met Morris.
How do YOU think he will be as a husband?
Fujimaru 1:
Uh...
Fujimaru 2:
...I think he'll make Juliet very unhappy.
Hawthorne:
I concur. Morris is no more than a thug who goes about picking fights over every perceived slight to his fragile ego. And he perceives...many.
Hawthorne:
Unfortunately, he's not the only one like that in the Goldie and Violet families. Far from it.
Hawthorne:
And those other thugs aren't happy about this merger. They're too concerned with what happened in the past and what's happening right now to give any thought to the future.
Hawthorne:
In fact, many of them would rather have an all-out war than team up with an enemy.
Hawthorne:
Both Aaron and Adamska are under a lot of pressure from their men not to go through with this.
Hawthorne:
That's why Aaron decided to bring in the Marble Company. Any deal the Marble Company is present for always goes through, after all.
Hawthorne:
Nobody in that city would voice an objection to this engagement with the Marble Company backing it.
Hawthorne:
...While this is ostensibly a four-day family trip, the true purpose here is to close the deal between these two families in secret.
Fujimaru 1:
...That's terrible.
Fujimaru 2:
(But then, why am I here...?)
Hawthorne:
Of course, she has every right to go ahead with this marriage if that's what she's decided, but I don't want her to make a choice she'll end up regretting.
Hawthorne:
Still, she has many years ahead of her, and there's no telling what may happen down life's winding road.
Hawthorne:
If Juliet ever ends up reaching out to you for help, I hope you will be there for her.
Hawthorne:
Not that I have any business telling you this, as I did not even have the guts to take a chance to get properly turned down by my own youthful crush.
Hawthorne:
Now then, we'd better get back.
I imagine Juliet is waiting for us with our tea.
Juliet:
Will you let me through?
Morris:
Juuust a sec.
Got somethin' I wanna talk to you about first.
Hawthorne:
It looks like they're arguing about something...
Let's go see what's up.
Juliet:
All right. What is it?
Morris:
Lemme just be straight with you here: your sister's more my type, and I want you to trade places with her.
Juliet:
That's not something you and I can decide by ourselves.
Morris:
I just thought it'd suck for you if you'd already fallen for me, so figured I'd bring it up early.
Morris:
Still, doesn't look like being blunt's your thing anyway,
so I don't see you answering honestly regardless.
Morris:
'Course if you're set on it, I don't mind doing it with you either. You're easy on the eyes.
Juliet:
You're disgusting...
Hawthorne:
What are you going to do about this,
Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
Is there a ball I can kick at him anywhere?
Fujimaru 2:
(I wonder if he's got a gun...)
Chris:
That's enough, Mr. Morris.
Morris:
Aw crap, it's the pretty boy with the grip of steel.
Fine, I'll get outta your hair before he breaks my arm or something.
Morris:
I'm gonna go for a walk.
Alone!
Hawthorne:
Are you all right?
Juliet:
I'm all right... Just sick to my stomach.
Juliet:
Chris, Doctor, would you mind going on ahead?
Hawthorne:
Hmm, if that's what you want...
Come along, Chris.
Chris:
Yes, sir.
Juliet:
Thanks. I'll be there before my tea gets cold.
Juliet:
...I'm so sorry I told you this was just a family trip when I asked you to come along, Fujimaru.
Juliet:
I thought he might be awful,
but he's a little worse than I had expected.
Fujimaru 1:
Just a LITTLE?
Fujimaru 2:
You're putting on a really strong face...
Juliet:
Pfft. That's your response?
You're so silly!
Juliet:
Usually you're really quiet,
but today you're something else!
Juliet:
...Hehe. Thank you, Fujimaru.
I feel a little better now.
Juliet:
But you know, I've had a good life growing up in this family. It's thanks to them that I got into our school, and I never would have met you if I hadn't gone there.
I'm grateful to them for that.
Juliet:
So, I cannot run away from my duties now.
I am the eldest daughter, after all.
Fujimaru 1:
“We could run away from all this together.”
Fujimaru 2:
“We could run away from all this together.”
Juliet:
That's sweet of you. But I can't. If I ran, my sister would have to take my place. I can't do that to her...
Juliet:
Hey, what's with the look?
I didn't bring you along so you could make faces at me!
Juliet:
Huh? No, Fujimaru! You mustn't!
Fujimaru? Fujimaru!
Hang in there!
Professor M:
Huh, that was quick.
You weren't even asleep for an hour.
Fujimaru 1:
Is that all...?
Fujimaru 2:
Could've sworn it was much longer...
Holmes:
It would seem that time passes differently in your dreamworld.
Holmes:
How fortunate; I was just thinking how helpful more data would be. Now then, what happened over there?
Mash:
That was when Juliet shoved you,
and you fell unconscious?
Professor M:
Hmm, how unfortunate for you!
Still...hahaha, hahahahahahaha!
Professor M:
It seems someone else was even more unfortunate!
Still...what a..heh...tragic turn of events!
Professor M:
Don't you agree, Sheringham? Oh, my apologies.
I don't know HOW I got those names mixed up.
Professor M:
Holmes! The great Sherlock Holmes, rubbed out in the first act! Not even I would have ever seen it coming!
Professor M:
Bahahahahahahahahaha!
Mash:
(Senpai, I've never seen the professor so euphoric before!)
Fujimaru 1:
I can kind of understand how he feels.
Fujimaru 2:
I know. It's like he rediscovered his inner child.
Holmes:
Baritsu.
Professor M:
Egads! Ouch!
Holmes:
I do beg your pardon, but I'm trying to think.
Would you kindly keep it down?
Holmes:
...Still, I must say, I'm disappointed to hear the detective was the first to step off the stage.
Holmes:
Detective work is fraught with danger. Any gentleman worth his salt should have known to master a martial art or two for his own self-defense. Poor Sheringham clearly needed more training.
Professor M:
You're one to talk, given that your self-defense consists of shielding yourself with the culprit.
Professor M:
That aside, something about Sheringham's death nags at me. It would make more sense had it been anyone else.
Fujimaru 1:
Hm? What do you mean, Professor?
Professor M:
Assuming that whoever made the threat is among the other characters, Sheringham's arrival must have thrown a wrench in their plans.
Professor M:
Let's further assume that the culprit made a number of preparations in the Kogetsukan.
Professor M:
Assuming they have done so, then murdering Sheringham puts our culprit in a bit of a bind, since they had not prepared anything for him in advance.
Professor M:
Which means they must have made a mistake somewhere.
Professor M:
I certainly understand the desire to rid oneself of an unwelcome visitor, but I can't say I approve of this rushed, artless approach.
Mash:
...I see. So the culprit would just as soon have not committed this murder unless they had no choice...
Mash:
Does that mean Holmes's death was a spur-of-the-moment decision?
Holmes:
Sheringham, Ms. Kyrielight.
I assure you, I am still very much alive.
Professor M:
Indeed. I doubt our culprit is in a position to simply gallivant about, murdering as they please.
Professor M:
As soon as someone dies, the survivors become much more wary, serving only to complicate the act of carrying out your intended murder.
Professor M:
Assuming this is not a matter of vengeance, your first victim should always be the one you had intended to kill from the start.
Professor M:
But that wasn't true for Sheringham.
He was not involved with either of the families.
Professor M:
Killing him now must have been a deeply bitter pill for the culprit to swallow.
Mash:
Um, why do you think Sheringham was killed, Professor?
Professor M:
You need to ask!?
He was in the culprit's way, obviously.
Professor M:
Believe me, I can understand how they felt! If an unbearably smug-looking detective showed up like he was running the show amid one of my own schemes, I'd want to send him home in a coffin too!
Professor M:
The detective's presence carries with it the risk of interference in the culprit's plans, or having them exposed once those plans are carried out.
Professor M:
Detectives represent any number of problems for criminals, you know! Disposing of them before the plot truly begins is absolutely the best course.
Mash:
That's terrible...
Holmes:
Loath as I am to admit it, I have to agree.
If I were a criminal, I would do the same thing.
Holmes:
Furthermore, by killing the detective off first, the person who made the threat has shown they are not afraid to get their hands dirty.
Holmes:
Come to think of it, there was a new development on our end while you were off in dreamland, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms.] Fujimaru.
Holmes:
I wasn't able to track down the Marble Company...
Holmes:
...but I did find two other corporations named Goldie Company and Violet Inc.
Holmes:
They are both headquartered in a major American city, and have vied for control over it for quite some time.
Holmes:
The CEOs of the two companies are listed as Aaron Goldie and Adamska Violet. It all lines up perfectly.
Holmes:
Though unfortunately, I was unable to find any information about their families.
Professor M:
That doesn't surprise me. Any decent underworld organization leader knows that their enemies can get to them through their families, and are sure to keep a tight lid on information regarding them.
Mash:
...Then this is really happening, right now.
Not in the past, or the future, or in a Singularity.
Holmes:
Indeed. I'm still doing everything I can to find out more about them. I'll make sure to have more detailed information by the next time you wake up.
Professor M:
Is that the best the world's greatest detective can do? Give me one of the Command Room's terminals, and I'll have the answers for you in an instant.
Holmes:
Hah, I could never be so foolish or intoxicated as to hand over the master key to a known thief!
Holmes:
Besides, not even I can get into the Command Room's mainframe.
Holmes:
That is a black box if ever I saw one.
Fujimaru 1:
I think I'm getting sleepy again...
Mash:
Holmes! Professor!
Senpai looks like [♂ he's /♀ she's] about to drift off again!
Holmes:
Well now, it seems we've droned on a bit too long. Based on what you've told us, it's clear who Sheringham was meeting with.
Holmes:
Try to stay awake a little longer,
and I'll tell you what I know.
4. No hitherto undiscovered poisons may be used.
Mash:
It's clear who Sheringham was meeting with...?
What do you mean?
Holmes:
Exactly what I said.
Holmes:
If no one there is left-handed, that tells us all we need to know about his guest.
Mash:
But, couldn't the culprit just use their nondominant hand to cover things up...?
Holmes:
Perhaps when meeting someone for the first time, yes, but you are unlikely to be able to hide your dominant hand from someone you've spent a deal of time with.
Holmes:
With the notable exception of Sheringham, each of our characters here belongs to his or her respective communities. Factions, if you like.
Holmes:
You attended a meal where everyone was present, right? If there was a southpaw present who suddenly began using their right hand, someone would have said something.
Holmes:
Given that that did not happen,
we can conclude that no one there is left-handed.
Professor M:
I do so hate to nitpick, but what if someone there is secretly ambidextrous?
Holmes:
It wouldn't make any difference, Professor. An ambidextrous person, by definition, would have no issue using their right hand.
Holmes:
But according to Chris, Sheringham specifically requested a left-handed teacup for his guest.
Holmes:
Would this have been necessary if they could simply use their right hand? If you have an answer to that question, I'm happy to hear it.
Professor M:
Hmph. So my playing the devil's advocate only strengthened your case. Well, no matter. I actually do happen to agree with you. Do go on.
Holmes:
Well, if one were to nitpick at my hypothesis...
Holmes:
...I cannot deny the possibility that Sheringham could have been meeting with [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms.] Fujimaru...
Mash:
Then, Senpai's the culprit?
Fujimaru 1:
No way!
Fujimaru 2:
I was already asleep!
Holmes:
Hahaha, it seems I may have touched a nerve.
Not to worry, that possibility is extremely remote.
Holmes:
I can't speak for your dream body's original owner, of course, but based on what you've told us, you wouldn't have had the time.
Mash:
What about a third party...?
Mash:
Some mysterious character who's still hiding out in the Kogetsukan somewhere?
Holmes:
No need for such intricacies, Ms. Kyrielight. Occam's razor provides us with a perfectly reasonable explanation.
Holmes:
There is a character here who needs to use his left hand...thanks to the injury he suffered on his right.
Fujimaru 1:
Hey, yeah...!
Mash:
Morris!
Holmes:
Most likely, Sheringham noticed Morris's injured right hand and requested the left-handed cup out of consideration.
Mash:
But then, why would Sheringham feel a need to hide his meeting with Morris from Chris?
Holmes:
Ah, but there I am afraid you have it backwards, Ms. Kyrielight. Sheringham wasn't trying to hide Morris from Chris.
Holmes:
It was Chris that he was trying to hide from Morris, in point of fact. At least, he wished to hide that Chris was bringing the tea.
Holmes:
Chris was also the one responsible for Morris's injured hand, after all. Sheringham would have known that so much as hearing Chris's voice could easily put Morris in a foul mood.
Holmes:
And as a detective, he would also be well aware that information often freely given is all but impossible to drag out of someone when they are in a foul mood.
Mash:
But, Morris never said anything about meeting with Sheringham...
Holmes:
Given what [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms.] Fujimaru has told us so far,
we know that Morris is both distrustful and simpleminded.
Holmes:
It is no surprise that he would try to hide his meeting with someone who is now dead.
Holmes:
Speaking up now would only arouse suspicion. Even Morris no doubt realizes others are prone to think the worst of him.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm sorry, but...I can't hold out anymore...
Fujimaru 2:
Can't...stay...awake...
Mash:
Senpai!?
Holmes:
Hmm, it would seem we are out of time. But at least we were able to cover the most pressing matters, albeit briefly.
Holmes:
Be sure to keep everything we discussed in mind as you go about investigating this incident. Remember, you are assuming the role of another person.
Holmes:
Even if you cannot take any decisive action yourself, you can still keep a close eye on the events that play out around you. You'd do well not to forget that.
Mash:
Right! Every good detective starts by gathering information, after all!
Mash:
I know it's technically a dream for you,
Master, but please do your best to stay alert!
Hawthorne:
Ah, good, you're awake. I was quite taken aback to learn you passed out after Juliet shoved you.
Juliet:
I'm so sorry, Fujimaru.
I guess I'm no better than Cain...
Juliet:
Thank you for carrying Fujimaru all this way, Chris.
Chris:
Not at all.
My purpose here is to be of service.
Fujimaru 1:
At least now I know who Sheringham was meeting with.
Hawthorne:
Do you now? Did you receive a flash of insight while you were asleep?
Juliet:
...Well, go on. Who was it?
Juliet:
I see.
It does sound like it could have been Morris.
Hawthorne:
Indeed. We do know that Morris injured his right hand, and it may have gotten worse after, in a misguided feat of machismo, he refused treatment.
Chris:
If only I had known my own strength...
Juliet:
Hey, don't beat yourself up. It turned out to be for the best. Now we know who Sheringham met with.
Wǔ:
Hey Chris, you seen Morris anywhere?
Chris:
No, I haven't...
We were actually just looking for him ourselves.
Wǔ:
I see. I've been turning the mansion upside down looking for him, but no dice...
Ann:
Is there a problem?
Wǔ:
Hey, Sis. The truth is... (Whisper, whisper)
Ann:
I see...
He might have come back after the fact.
Ann:
I'll keep looking around the mansion.
You and Chris go check outside.
Wǔ & Chris:
Got it!
Juliet:
We'll help you look too.
Come on, Fujimaru.
Wǔ:
...We've kind of been letting the place go to seed,
so it's a bit of a jungle right now.
Fujimaru 1:
You call this “a bit”...?
Fujimaru 2:
(Jungles... Jaguars... Ugh, my head...!)
Juliet:
It's so dense out here.
This would be a perfect place to lay low.
Wǔ:
I don't know about that...
Wǔ:
Not with these things running around out here.
We'd better chase them away, Chris.
Chris:
Right!
--BATTLE--
Chris:
Haaa!
Juliet:
Wow... You made those wolves look about as dangerous as puppies.
Wǔ:
Hey, no. No sense killing them. Wolves aren't good to eat. Trust me. Just need to chase 'em away.
Chris:
Yes, Wǔ.
I'm all done here.
Wǔ:
Same.
Still no sign of the prodigal son, though.
Chris:
All I'm seeing out here is more wild animals...
I guess he isn't out here after all.
Wǔ:
This can be a great place to lay low,
but not for a pampered city boy.
Wǔ:
He could try, but he'd just end up wolf food if he did. Catch my drift?
Juliet:
Don't say things like that. You're scaring me.
Chris:
Don't worry, Ms. Juliet. We haven't seen any signs that Mr. Morris was attacked.
Wǔ:
If he's not out here, that just leaves the sea... But I really doubt he'd be out there. There are strong currents out there, and we're much too far from the mainland for an amateur to swim for it.
Wǔ:
Guess there was no sense looking out here.
Let's go back.
???:
...Finally, they're gone.
???:
I'm impressed. It looks like those bodyguards really do live up to their reputation.
Juliet:
We're back.
Harriet:
Oh, hey. Any luck?
Juliet:
I'm afraid not.
We didn't see any sign of him anywhere.
Aaron:
Where is Morris!? Hasn't anyone found him yet!?
Dorothy:
Honey, I think you've had a little too much to drink...
Aaron:
Shut up. No way am I making it through this without a stiff drink. I can't believe Morris is missing...
Ann:
Our first priority is to keep all of you safe, so I'm afraid we can only spare so many resources to look for Morris.
Aaron:
What could be a higher priority than Morris's life!?
He's my heir, you know!
Laurie:
Daddy?
Why is Morris missing?
Dorothy:
Not now, Laurie. Be quiet.
Laurie:
Is it because he killed the detective guy?
Dorothy:
Don't say things like that, Laurie.
Laurie:
But I saw him coming out of the detective guy's room last night.
Dorothy:
Y-you don't mean that, right, Laurie?
You and I were both asleep at the time.
Laurie:
I woke up real late and snuck out. When I did,
I saw him leaving the detective guy's room.
Aaron:
C-come now, we're not going to take the word of a child seriously for something so important, are we?
Adamska:
We don't want to believe it ourselves, Aaron.
Adamska:
But...don't you think she might be telling the truth, as there's nothing to gain by her lying?
Aaron:
Even if she did see him coming out of his room,
that is not proof Morris killed Sheringham!
Dorothy:
Honey, please calm down.
Aaron:
...It seems I let my emotions get the better of me.
I'm sorry you had to see that.
Adamska:
Not at all.
I should be apologizing for my lack of tact.
Aaron:
We may not be able to say for sure whether Morris is the killer, but wherever he is, there is every chance that he decides to stay in hiding now.
Aaron:
If he does, the consequences for the Goldie family could be devastating, and our arrangement would come to a grinding halt.
Adamska:
We would much rather it not come to that as well...
Aaron:
...All right.
Aaron:
Given the circumstances, I have a confession to make.
Not even my wife, Dorothy, knows about this.
Dorothy:
What are you talking about, honey?
Aaron:
I was hoping to take this with me to my grave,
but it seems that's no longer an option.
Aaron:
The truth is...I am Chris's father.
Dorothy:
Huh?
Chris:
Mr. Aaron!?
Aaron:
Chris... From the look on your face,
I see the company never told you.
Ann:
...
Aaron:
I was once young and foolish myself. I calmed down somewhat once I married, but I did still have a...habit of spending the night with women who really caught my eye.
Aaron:
That's how you were born, Chris. But by then, I had already married my now ex-wife, and we'd had Morris together.
Aaron:
I couldn't take you in under the circumstances,
so I asked the Marble Company to look after you.
Aaron:
Of course, I agreed to pay for your upbringing as well.
Chris:
...I had no idea.
Aaron:
Morris will, of course,
always be the apple of my eye.
Aaron:
But I am the head of the Goldie family, and so must always do what is necessary for its survival.
Wǔ:
Wait a second... You're not seriously telling us to hand over Chris, are you?
Aaron:
You're damn right I am! You're the ones who let Sheringham die, and failed to stop Morris from running away.
Aaron:
If anyone is responsible for this mess,
it's the Marble Company!
Ann:
You're absolutely right. Fortunately, Chris is still an apprentice. We can afford to let him go.
Wǔ:
You're still calling him an apprentice after all the time we spent training him? Besides, Sis, you always seemed very fond of hi–
Ann:
That's enough, Wǔ!
Wǔ:
...I guess this is a done deal then.
All right, I got it.
Wǔ:
Looks like you're in luck, Chris. One of these days, you'll be taking over for the whole Goldie family.
Aaron:
Naturally, I'll be happy to compensate you for the loss. I want to remain on good terms with the Marble Company, after all.
Chris:
Wait, Ms. Ann.
Please, let me finish my job here first.
Chris:
It's the least I can do to pay the company back.
Ann:
All right. I'll continue to treat you as a Marble Company man until we leave this island.
Aaron:
Nobody is treating the man I've named my successor as a common serv–
Aaron:
...No, never mind. I can see this is a matter of integrity. I will permit it this one time.
Chris:
Ms. Ann...thank you, for everything.
I'll never forget what you did for me.
Ann:
...
Hawthorne:
Hold on. If Chris is joining the Goldie family,
then, that would mean...
Aaron:
Juliet will instead be engaged to Chris.
That will serve to fulfill our mutual goal.
Juliet:
Huh? No way...
Eva:
What's the problem? This is turning out to be a good deal. You should be happy about it.
Chris:
Ms. Juliet, I know I still have a lot to learn,
but I hope I can earn your trust in time.
Juliet:
Oh, uh...okay. That...sounds nice...
Aaron:
Don't be so subservient, Chris. You don't need to worry about what other people think of you now.
Aaron:
You'll be running the Goldie–no,
the Goldie AND the Violet families one day!
Aaron:
Hahahaha!
Hawthorne:
What a delectable dinner. I'm afraid I had a bit too much to eat, though. I'll have to take some antacids.
Juliet:
(Sigh)...
Hawthorne:
Is something wrong, my dear girl?
...Do you need some antacids too?
Juliet:
No, that's okay. It's not my stomach.
Hawthorne:
Ah yes, you must have a lot on your mind right now, processing the new terms of your engagement.
Hawthorne:
But I daresay this was a lucky break.
I know I would much rather marry Chris than Morris.
Don't you agree, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
It is kind of sudden, but...
Fujimaru 2:
Chris does seem to be a good guy...
Juliet:
...Are you serious?
Juliet:
Why are you all happy about this?
What's WRONG with you?
Hawthorne:
Where are you going, Juliet?
Juliet:
I'm going to my room. Just leave me alone!
Hawthorne:
Good grief. Long as I've lived, I still don't understand women. Still, she's right; I shouldn't have said that.
I'll go apologize to her.
Harriet:
Hehe, I heard the whole thing.
Pretty sorry sight.
Fujimaru 1:
Is there something wrong with Chris?
Harriet:
Oh no, I'm sure he'll make a great husband.
Juliet knows that too.
Harriet:
But it's just not that simple...
Harriet:
Then again, I guess it's that naivete of yours that tugged at her heartstrings in the first place.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh? Juliet and I are just friends.
Harriet:
Look, it doesn't matter what you think, okay?
This is about how Juliet feels.
Harriet:
Did you know she hardly has any friends?
In fact, you're the only one she's got left.
Fujimaru 1:
...Huh?
Harriet:
You really don't know? Didn't you ever run into some shady people at college trying to scare you about us?
Harriet:
You know, people warning you that even though the Violet family is famous, there are a lot of nasty rumors about us?
Harriet:
Warning you that spending time around a daughter of that family will mess up your chances at a good life? Stuff like that?
Harriet:
I'm pretty sure some Goldie family supporters were behind it. It was a really cheap move on their part.
Harriet:
But, I can't say the rumors were all complete fabrications, either. You do have to get nasty sometimes to keep control over an entire city.
Harriet:
Our way of life is built upon the blood, sweat,
and tears of many people...some of them dead.
Harriet:
We're mostly used to things being that way,
but Juliet's always had a harder time with it.
Harriet:
That's why everyone who approached her just because she was the pretty daughter of a wealthy family...ended up running away.
Harriet:
Juliet knew about our family's reputation too, of course, so she understood when people she thought of as friends stopped spending time with her.
Harriet:
But understanding why doesn't make things any easier. It really devastated her, even to the point where she'd cry herself to sleep sometimes.
Harriet:
That's why she was so glad when you didn't let these rumors drive you away. I honestly don't know what she would have done without you.
Harriet:
In that sense, you're very special to her, and so I hope you'll remain her friend, as long as you're still okay with it.
Harriet:
Well, good night then.
Fujimaru 1:
...Good night.
Fujimaru 2:
(...Guess I might as well lie down...)
A：???:
(It's great being a kid... Nobody gets mad at you for clowning around, and you don't have to work like grown-ups do.)
A：???:
(But the best part...is that nobody ever suspects you.)
A：???:
(Someone's here...)
Dorothy:
THERE you are. First you sneak out of bed again,
and now I find you hiding in this pitch-dark room?
Laurie:
Oh, hi Mommy.
Looks like she found us, Cain.
Cain:
Yep! Guess so.
Dorothy:
Oh Laurie, I was so worried when I didn't see you anywhere after I woke up. You have to tell me when you want to play hide-and-seek.
Laurie:
But you always make me go to bed too early.
I wanna stay up and keep playing.
Cain:
Sorry, Laurie, but the game's over once you're found. We'll just have to pick this up tomorrow!
Dorothy:
...Thank you, Cain.
Morris never plays with her like this.
Dorothy:
She's so happy to have a new big brother.
Cain:
Hehehehe.
I like being a big brother, too!
Cain:
My sisters have always been weirdly...grown-up, I guess?
Dorothy:
I can see that. All right, it's getting late.
Time to go back to bed.
Laurie:
'kaaay.
Cain:
All right, I'm gonna sleep too.
Now, where's that light switch...
A：???:
(Yup, I love being a kid.
No one ever suspects the kid.)
Mash:
Good morning, Senpai.
What happened this time?
Holmes:
So our fair princess finds herself betrothed not to a common ruffian, but a perfect prince now...
Holmes:
I suppose it does make for a happy ending of sorts,
but in narrative terms it still seems...lacking.
Mash:
I think this is a wonderful development, myself...
I'm so happy for Juliet I could burst!
Mash:
But, then again...I guess this isn't really the time to be saying that sort of thing, is it...
Mash:
Not with Sheringham murdered and Morris missing...
Holmes:
There is presently little sense in discussing Morris's possible whereabouts. There are more important matters to discuss.
Professor M:
Indeed. Namely, the surprise reveal of a new Goldie family heir, which may make him a new target.
Mash:
Ah...
Holmes:
If the culprit's goal is to prevent the two families from coming together, then it's quite possible they were involved in Morris's disappearance as well.
Holmes:
If that is so, the revelation about Chris will have completely blindsided them. As such, they may need to resort to brute force once again.
Professor M:
Another unexpected development, eh. Between the detective's sudden appearance and the surprise of Chris's parentage, it would seem that luck is against our dear criminal.
Professor M:
Just when they thought they had eliminated the Goldie family's sole heir, a new candidate presents himself.
Holmes:
If the culprit is going to make another move, it will almost certainly be at night. They won't want to miss this opportunity, after all.
Holmes:
I expect they'll either go after Chris or Juliet.
Fujimaru 1:
You mean, Juliet might end up dead?
Fujimaru 2:
I've gotta get back there now and stop them!
Mash:
Senpai, stop! Please don't bang your head against the wall! You could give yourself a concussion!
Holmes:
Calm down, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms.] Fujimaru. Even should you manage to knock yourself out, there is no guarantee that you will wake up at the Kogetsukan straight away.
Holmes:
At any rate, you need to steel yourself for whatever tragedy may come next if you are to continue your investigation with a clear mind.
Holmes:
Though of course, it would be best if there were no more tragedies at all...
5. No strange foreigners must figure in the story.
Juliet:
What is it? Do you have any idea what time it is?
I was having a really good dream, you know...
Fujimaru 1:
Oh thank goodness. You're all right...
Fujimaru 2:
I'm so glad you're still alive.
Juliet:
You big dummy. You always overreact... But, since I'm up now, why did you think I was going to die...?
Juliet:
Now I see. You think someone here wants to put an end to the engagement. I don't think there is anything to worry about, though.
Juliet:
I mean, if our families don't join forces, then either we go down fighting each other, or end up falling victim to some outside power...
Juliet:
Everyone here knows that.
That's why even Morris is going along with this.
Fujimaru 1:
So you don't think there'll be more murders?
Juliet:
I don't think so, anyway?
I mean, what would be the point?
Juliet:
But we can't rest easy just yet.
We should go check on Chris too, just to be sure.
Juliet:
Just give me a moment to freshen up.
Wǔ:
Oh, morning. Where're you two off to so early?
If you're here for breakfast, I'm afraid it isn't ready.
Juliet:
We just wanted to check in on Chris.
Wǔ:
Man, what a lucky guy he is.
I wish I had a beautiful girl to wake me up.
Wǔ:
Anyway, that works out nicely.
I was just wondering when he'd be getting up.
Wǔ:
I could use his help with some chores,
but I didn't want to have to wake him up.
Wǔ:
I mean, he is gonna be an important client of ours soon.
Juliet:
Well then, let's all go wake him up together.
Juliet:
I think this was his room, right?
Good morning, Chris. Are you up yet?
Juliet:
No answer.
Is Chris not a morning person or something?
Wǔ:
That shouldn't be an issue. He's been trained to wake up if he hears anything suspicious.
Juliet:
That's strange. Then why would–
Wait. Why is his door unlocked?
Fujimaru 1:
He's...dead...
Juliet:
Huh? Chris... No... He can't be...
Wǔ:
...
Wǔ:
He's definitely gone. His body's already cold...
I'd guess he died sometime around midnight.
Wǔ:
I'll go get Dr. Hawthorne. I want to get his autopsy over and done with before everyone else shows up.
Hawthorne:
All right, I just did a quick autopsy. I didn't see any major injuries, but I did find three small wounds.
Hawthorne:
See that red spot on top of his right hand?
It's a puncture wound, likely made be a needle.
Hawthorne:
If the killer used a poison like, say, wolfsbane, it would only take a single prick to paralyze the victim.
Hawthorne:
This other red spot on his hand is likely a second needle prick just to be certain he didn't survive.
Hawthorne:
At this point, I can't say what kind of poison was used, but if two small wounds were enough to kill him, it must have been very strong stuff.
Fujimaru 1:
...Then why does he have a third wound?
Hawthorne:
Oh, I don't believe it's directly connected to his death. Take a look at the tip of his left index finger.
Juliet:
...It looks like there's a little blood on it...
Where did that injury come from?
Hawthorne:
It would seem he bit his finger himself, so as to use his blood to write a message on the floor.
Fujimaru 1:
...I think it says “mor”?
Hawthorne:
That's what it looks like to me too,
though I don't know what it could mean.
Juliet:
Well, “mort” is French for “death”...but I can't imagine why he would write that while he was dying.
Wǔ:
Hm...“mor”... I wonder if...
Juliet:
What is it, Wǔ?
Wǔ:
Nothing. Just thinking out loud.
Wǔ:
Chris can hold his own in a fight. He'd never let someone else get the better of him that easily.
Hawthorne:
That assumes this was a fight.
What if he merely shook the killer's hand?
Hawthorne:
If our culprit had palmed a poisoned needle or the like, a simple handshake could be fatal.
Juliet:
Um, Wǔ?
It might be kind of rude of me to ask this, but...
Wǔ:
What is it? Go ahead, I won't be offended.
Juliet:
Well...whoever killed Chris must have been someone he knew well enough to let his guard down, right? On top of that, someone experienced enough to kill cleanly and quietly. You're...the first one who comes to mind...
Wǔ:
Haha, now I gotcha. You're not wrong.
Well, let me show you something else, then.
Wǔ:
Hup.
Juliet:
How did you do that?
Wǔ:
It's an illusion. All I'm doing is moving fast enough that you can only see the afterimages.
Wǔ:
I HAVE to move this fast if I'm going to see to everyone's needs.
Fujimaru 1:
If you can do that, what can't you do!?
Fujimaru 2:
Now I feel silly for thinking up alibis.
Wǔ:
It's true, there's pretty much nothing I can't do.
Wǔ:
I probably shouldn't say this in front of guests, but if I wanted to, I could kill everyone here in about the time it'd take you to snap your fingers.
Hawthorne:
Oh my...
Wǔ:
Oh, but don't worry, I wouldn't ACTUALLY do that.
I gave up the assassination business a long time ago.
Wǔ:
But I'll certainly say this much:
I didn't kill Chris.
Wǔ:
If I was gonna kill him, I wouldn't have done it like this. Giving him time to write a message is an amateur move.
Juliet:
Good point... I believe you, Wǔ.
Wǔ:
Thanks, Ms. Juliet.
Wǔ:
...Huh, looks like Chris left another message.
Take a look at this.
Juliet:
...A pocket watch? It looks pretty old.
Wǔ:
It is. Sis gave it to him. He polished it every day.
Always made sure it was in good working order, too.
Hawthorne:
It's stopped at 11:25, though, and the glass is cracked. It looks like it's broken.
Wǔ:
Right. Chris took really good care of it, so there's no chance of it just having randomly broken last night. Especially since it was built to last.
Wǔ:
I'd bet anything he broke it himself, on purpose.
Fujimaru 1:
To tell whoever found him what time he met with the killer?
Wǔ:
Exactly.
Juliet:
So, that would mean he met with the killer in this room a little before 11:25 last night?
Wǔ:
That'd be my guess. If the killer had killed him somewhere else and moved his body here, I'd have noticed that happening.
Hawthorne:
That will make everyone's alibis important to figuring out who our killer is.
Hawthorne:
For my part, I was playing poker with Aaron, Adamska, and Ann last night.
Hawthorne:
We started around ten o'clock and kept going until about three in the morning. We did take a few short breaks, but nobody left the room for long.
Wǔ:
It was a damn good game. I stuck around to watch until midnight myself. I haven't seen Sis that fired up in a long time.
Juliet:
Hmm... I was in my room with my sister around that time last night. Does that count, even though we're family?
Wǔ:
Counts in my book. And I'm not just saying that because you believed me when I said I didn't kill Chris. You really seem to be telling the truth.
Wǔ:
Oh, come to think of it, you've got an alibi for that time of night too, Fujimaru.
Wǔ:
You were already completely passed out.
Fujimaru 1:
How did you know that?
Wǔ:
Oh, that's easy. Our poker game was in the room next to yours. Hard not to hear your snoring.
Wǔ:
But I'll leave the alibi stuff up to you.
You're the detective now, right?
Wǔ:
I hate thinking up alibis and that sort of thing.
Juliet:
You do?
Wǔ:
I know I said there's nothing I can't do, but that's not strictly true. I'm useless with riddles.
Wǔ:
All the things I can do,
and none of it's gonna help Chris now...
Wǔ:
Please, Fujimaru.
You've gotta find whoever did this to him.
Fujimaru 1:
...I'll give it my best shot.
Wǔ:
Good choice of words!
I have every confidence in you.
Fujimaru 2:
I'll have to sleep on it.
Wǔ:
You're going back to bed!? Is this some kind of gag!? What, you saying sleep makes you smarter or something!?
Wǔ:
...Anyway, enough chitchat. We should round everyone up and tell them what happened.
Juliet:
...By the time we got to Chris's room,
it was already too late.
Eva:
Oh no. Poor Chris...
Aaron:
Where's Ann? I don't see her anywhere.
Wǔ:
She's carrying Chris down to the basement, which is serving as our mortuary for now, I guess. She said she wanted to at least do that much for him herself.
Aaron:
I see... Then Chris really is dead.
Aaron:
And just when I'd named him my successor...
What terrible timing.
Dorothy:
Why are you looking at me like that...?
You think I'M the one who killed him?
Dorothy:
W-well I didn't. I was putting Laurie to bed.
You have to believe me!
Wǔ:
Please calm down, Ms. Dorothy.
Wǔ:
As it turns out, Chris managed to write down “mor” right before he died.
Wǔ:
He didn't get to finish his message, but it still seems more than likely that it's a clue as to who killed him.
Wǔ:
And there IS someone whose name starts with “mor” here, isn't there?
Harriet:
“mor”? You don't mean...Morris!?
Wǔ:
I don't see how it could be anyone else.
Aaron:
So you're saying Morris killed Chris?
Is that it?
Wǔ:
I'm just saying it's possible.
He might still be hiding outside somewhere.
Aaron:
Hahahahahahaha!
Wǔ:
Um, I hope I haven't offended you.
Aaron:
Not at all. It's the best news I've heard since we left on this trip.
Aaron:
As long as Morris is alive,
the Goldie family still has a bright future.
Aaron:
Are you listening, Morris? Come out now,
and I'll hire you the best lawyer money can buy.
Dorothy:
Honey...
Juliet:
He's taking this pretty hard, isn't he?
Wǔ:
At any rate, we're going to start running things around here to ensure there aren't any more mistakes.
Wǔ:
That doesn't mean we're going to start locking you up in your rooms or anything, but if you want to stay alive, I'm going to ask that you follow our instructions as much as possible.
Juliet:
Hey, Fujimaru?
...Please don't die, okay?
Eva:
Oh, hello, Fujimaru.
Fujimaru 1:
Can I ask why you're dressed like that?
Eva:
I just wanted to go for a little swim, since we came all the way to this lovely resort and all.
Eva:
I doubt Wǔ will approve, though,
so I don't know what I'm going to do...
Fujimaru 1:
By the way...did anything unusual happenaround bedtime last night, Ms. Violet?
Eva:
Ms. Violet? Well that's a strange question...
No, Mother turned in early last night.
Eva:
I think it must have been around ten...maybe eleven...? I'm sorry, I don't remember the exact time.
Eva:
Oh! I just had a lovely idea. We could ALL go for a swim! That way, Wǔ could still keep an eye on us!
Eva:
I'll go suggest it to him right now.
Eva:
I hope you can join us, Fujimaru.
Dorothy:
...I'm glad we could come to an agreement.
Adamska:
Likewise. I too would be tremendously grateful for such a resolution. Thank you for coming to me with this.
Adamska:
Ah, it's you.
Thank you for being such a good friend to Juliet.
Adamska:
...You must think I'm a terrible excuse for a father, offering my own daughter in a political marriage.
Fujimaru 1:
I'm, uh, sure you have your reasons...
Fujimaru 2:
...
Adamska:
It's okay. It's the truth. And while we're on the subject, I'll admit I'm a terrible leader, too. I'm a coward.
Adamska:
But it's because I'm a coward that I can tell which way the wind is blowing.
Adamska:
I saw that if I didn't do something,
the Violet family would have no future whatsoever.
Adamska:
If we didn't suffer heavy losses in an all-out war with the Goldie family, we would only end up falling prey to a powerful enemy from elsewhere.
Adamska:
That's why I came to the conclusion that an alliance with the Goldie family was our only option for survival.
Adamska:
I never had anything going for me besides my family name. I was never cut out for this world.
Adamska:
I was just lucky enough to receive an offer for an arranged marriage with the Violet family's daughter. I was intoxicated by her beauty at first sight, and it wasn't long until we were married.
Adamska:
...I thought there was nothing I couldn't do as long as it would make her happy.
Adamska:
That was what let me do my best at a job that was frankly beyond me for the next twenty years.
Adamska:
But now, I'm the head of the whole Violet family. I have to think about what's best for my children, and for my subordinates.
Adamska:
My wife was against this idea, but for once, I went against her wishes. Especially since Juliet agreed to go ahead with it.
Fujimaru 1:
...Did she, though?
Fujimaru 2:
You mean, because you knew she wouldn't say no.
Adamska:
You really do know her well.
I'm actually relieved.
Adamska:
As it turns out, Dorothy just came to me with an interesting proposition. If Aaron agrees to it, it should solve all of our problems...
Adamska:
But then, I guess there isn't much point in telling you about this. Just forget I said anything.
Adamska:
The point is, if all goes well, Juliet will be free.
I'm sure you want that just as much as I do.
Adamska:
Now, if you'll excuse me,
I need to think of a way to convince Aaron.
Juliet:
There you are.
Where have you been all this time?
Fujimaru 1:
Just gathering information.
Juliet:
Oh, okay. Well, you shouldn't have to do that alone.
I'll go with you.
Wǔ:
Ms. Juliet does a convincing job of playing stoic,
but she was really worried about you.
Juliet:
You didn't need to tell them that!
Wǔ:
Hehe. Oh, I just remembered. Ms. Eva suggested we all go to the beach after we've had lunch.
Juliet:
Well, I guess we could use a breather,
given the circumstances.
Wǔ:
I'll go ahead and whip something up for lunch now.
Fujimaru 1:
I think I'm getting sleepy...
Fujimaru 2:
(I should fall asleep and go back to Chaldea for a bit...)
Wǔ:
Hey, you're looking kind of drowsy. Go ahead and catch some z's if you want. I'll make sure to wake you up.
Wǔ:
Feel free to stretch out on that sofa over there.
Mash:
Welcome back, Senpai!
What happened over there?
Mash:
Chris too? That's awful...
Holmes:
...
Fujimaru 1:
What is it, Holmes?
Holmes:
...Oh, it's nothing of import. I was just thinking about what these alibis could mean.
Professor M:
Oh do stop beating around the bush, would you?
If you don't know the answer, just say so.
Holmes:
...
Professor M:
Well, at least I've finally found a way to get you to pipe down. By the way, is this Wǔ person foreign?
Mash:
Come to think of it, I think one of the commandments in Knox's Decalogue was “No mysterious foreigner must figure into the story”...
Mash:
Does that have anything to do with this case?
Holmes:
This may be hard for you two to believe,
having grown up in this modern era...
Holmes:
...but during the golden age of detective fiction, some people believed quite fervently that foreigners held mysterious powers.
Professor M:
I have no way of knowing what Knox may have truly meant by that maxim, but thinking conventionally...
Professor M:
...I would think it means to not rely on beings with unknown abilities, foreign or otherwise, to connect your story's dots.
Holmes:
In that sense, we can take Wǔ at his word and strike him from the list of suspects.
Holmes:
No bland, uninspired case where just about anything goes would ever fall into the lap of a detective such as myself!
Mash:
That's true... A mystery relying on cheap tricks and bizarre gimmicks isn't really something anyone would enjoy solving, is it?
Professor M:
Though I will say that I had a number of foreign connections myself!
Holmes:
Would you mind bragging about your connections in the East End another time?
Holmes:
At any rate, I'd like to focus on Chris's dying message.
Mash:
You mean the “mor” he wrote in his own blood?
Holmes:
Indeed. I can certainly understand wishing to leave behind an accusation of one's killer once death is certain.
Holmes:
But we do not yet have enough information to be certain that “Morris” is what he meant to write.
Holmes:
Though it is only six letters, that may have been too much to write out while he was at death's door.
Mash:
I guess so... I know if I was a murder victim, I might try to write some hint as to the killer's identity...
Mash:
Does that mean you've already figured out what the message really means then, Holmes?
Holmes:
I have a hypothesis, but there would be little point in voicing it now.
Professor M:
Would that be because you lack confidence in it...or because of what you suspect still lies ahead?
Holmes:
Interpret that as you like.
Holmes:
I merely want to avoid coloring our impressions before we have all the data we need to resolve this case.
Holmes:
My job is to reveal the truth, after all, so where possible, I like to deal strictly in facts.
Holmes:
Besides, the only one who truly needs to know how valid my deductions are at any given point in time is myself.
Professor M:
There, you see? This is exactly why I can't stand detectives. You care more about how you plan to solve this case than you do the well-being of the people fearing for their lives!
Professor M:
I daresay if anyone here is a coldhearted villain,
it is you, not I.
Holmes:
Need I remind you, Professor, I was never the architect of any mysteries of my own, particularly not any involving murder.
Mash:
Um... There's actually one other thing I've been wondering about...
Mash:
What could Dorothy have proposed to Adamska?
Holmes:
Oh, that? That mystery is not nearly so difficult.
Holmes:
One simply need consider the difficult position Dorothy is in and her tempestuous nature to arrive at the answer.
Holmes:
Though of course, it will mean little if Aaron refuses to go along...
Fujimaru 1:
I'm getting sleepy again...
Holmes:
Ah, it would seem we are once more out of time.
Very well, one last word of advice.
Holmes:
Now that Chris is dead, the game is well and truly afoot. Do not let your guard down.
6. No accident nor unaccountable intuition must...
Juliet:
It's about time you woke up.
You missed lunch entirely, you know that?
Fujimaru 1:
What is this place? And how did I get here?
Wǔ:
This is the beach, obviously! You looked so peaceful,
I didn't want to wake you, so I carried you here.
Juliet:
I've never seen anyone sleep so soundly under a beach umbrella before... Must be nice.
Wǔ:
I don't know. I'd say Mr. Aaron and Dr. Hawthorne are giving Fujimaru a good run for their money.
They're both napping after that big lunch.
Wǔ:
Anyway, you might've missed lunch, but I kept some leftover sandwiches for you if you'd like.
Fujimaru 1:
So, is everyone just out here to relax...?
Wǔ:
Relax? Well, yeah, there's that, but it's also a good way to stay safe. Nowhere to hide, so you can see a threat coming from a mile away.
Wǔ:
And on top of that, this warm weather pretty much ensures that people dress lightly, which makes it real easy to tell if they're carrying a weapon.
Wǔ:
Of course, you could still probably hide a tiny, poison-tipped needle.
Wǔ:
Then again, I didn't count on those two being the only ones to change into swimsuits. Guess everyone else is still keeping their guard up...
Juliet:
If you ask me, they're just letting their guard down way too easily...
Eva:
Come on and join us, Juliet!
The water's great!
Juliet:
Hey, just how old do you think I am?
It's been ages since I just splashed around like that.
Eva:
Oh, is that so?
Eva:
Because it looks to me like you're just embarrassed to wear a swimsuit in front of Fujimaru.
Juliet:
Oh, shut up and leave me alone!
Harriet:
I know I'M not about to let the sun damage my skin.
I'll just stay under this umbrella and enjoy a nice little nap myself.
Juliet:
You're going to take a nap?
Even though someone might be trying to kill us?
Adamska:
Don't worry, you'll be fine with me here.
I'll keep the whole family safe.
Juliet:
That's true. I guess we'll be all right with you here, Daddy.
Harriet:
(Snicker) You never were much help, were you, Daddy?
Adamska:
Harriet! Just because it's true doesn't mean you have to say it.
Fujimaru 1:
You and your sister are a lot alike, huh?
Juliet:
You think? I know we're technically twins, but we're actually fraternal. I don't see much resemblance myself.
Juliet:
Personalitywise, I think she takes after Mother. They're both really free-spirited... I'm honestly kind of jealous.
Adamska:
And you get your serious side from me.
Juliet:
Sure, Daddy. Let's just leave it at that.
Dorothy:
Aren't you going to go for a swim, Laurie?
I got you a bathing suit and everything.
Laurie:
That's okay. It's more fun playing with Cain.
Cain:
Hehehehe.
Hey Laurie, I found some crabs over theeere.
Laurie:
Crabs! Be right there.
Dorothy:
...All right. Just be careful.
I'll be right here if you need me.
Juliet:
Now that I think of it, did you ever ask Dorothy about her alibi, Fujimaru?
Fujimaru 1:
No, I didn't.
Fujimaru 2:
Oh, right! I'd better do that!
Juliet:
Um... Dorothy? Please don't take this the wrong way.
You see, we've been asking everyone this...
Juliet:
What were you doing last night?
Dorothy:
Me? I put Laurie to bed around ten. I fell asleep beside her shortly after and we didn't wake up till morning.
Dorothy:
Ask Laurie if you like, but I don't think she'll have much to say, since she fell asleep before me...
Juliet:
Got it. Thank you.
Dorothy:
You're quite welcome.
Dorothy:
Teehee, what a lovely day. I had no idea the beach was so much fun! I think I'll go for a swim myself.
Juliet:
Dorothy's sure in a good mood, isn't she?
Adamska:
Of course. She's the second wife.
Adamska:
With Morris missing, and Chris dead, Laurie is all set to inherit control of the Goldie family.
Adamska:
Which means her own position in the family is all but secured, since she's Laurie's mother.
Juliet:
I see. That makes sense.
Juliet:
She certainly looked like she was at a loss for words when Aaron revealed that Chris was his son.
Juliet:
Wait. You're not saying Dorothy killed Chris, are you, Daddy?
Adamska:
No, I'm not saying that.
It just seems to be a good motive is all.
Dorothy:
Um...
Adamska:
Aah!
Dorothy:
I'm sorry. Did I scare you?
Adamska:
No no, you just startled me a bit.
Is there something I can do for you, Dorothy?
Dorothy:
Have you seen Laurie anywhere?
I think she ran off when I wasn't looking...
Juliet:
Come to think of it, I don't see Cain anywhere either.
I wonder where they've gotten to.
Dorothy:
Oh, I hope they weren't so fascinated with crabs that they got caught in an undertow...
Juliet:
I'll help you look for them.
I'm worried about Cain, too.
Dorothy:
That would be great. Thank you, Juliet.
Adamska:
I'll come along too. It'll be safer that way.
Juliet:
It's okay, Daddy. We're not going to go that far, and we can always call for help if something happens.
Juliet:
You stay here and keep an eye on everyone else.
Adamska:
...All right.
Eva:
...I finally have you all to myself.
Fujimaru 1:
Uh, you do know Adamska is right over there?
Fujimaru 2:
Personal space! Personal space!!!
Eva:
Oh, don't worry about that. Nobody's watching, and it's not like I'm going to cook you up and eat you.
Eva:
I've been wondering ever since you came along with us... What exactly are you to Juliet?
Fujimaru 1:
W-we're just friends.
Eva:
Still singing that song, are you?
There's no need to try and hide your true feelings now.
Eva:
Even if Morris does show up again, I am pretty sure their engagement is off the table.
Eva:
Honestly, they're all SO stubborn.
Especially Juliet.
Eva:
For all the fuss she made about saying she would marry him because she's the eldest, I don't think she ever actually meant it.
Eva:
Still, that's what makes Juliet so special.
She's earnest, responsible, and sensitive all at once.
Eva:
That's why I want her to be happy. As long as she truly loves her partner, it doesn't matter WHAT sort of family they're from or what their gender is.
Eva:
Mmm, but...if you're interested,
I'd be happy to “entertain” you myself.
A：???:
Aaaaaah!
Fujimaru 1:
That was Juliet and Dorothy!
Eva:
Hmph, and just as things were heating up...
Juliet always did have impeccably bad timing.
Eva:
All right, go on then. You should at least get there first and show her what you're made of, right?
Juliet:
Fujimaru!
Juliet:
Th-there's a dead body over there...
Dorothy:
Those clothes... I think it's...
Laurie:
Why did you guys scream like that?
Did something happen?
Dorothy:
Where were you, Laurie? You had me so worried...
Cain:
Did you find a big crab or something?
Did ya? Did ya? Hehehehe!
Wǔ:
Okay, that's far enough. Trust me, you don't want to get too close. Between the blonde hair and that outfit, I'd lay odds that's Morris's body.
Wǔ:
All kinds of stuff drifts in on the ocean currents around here. From the look of him, he must have been floating out at sea for a while.
Wǔ:
I couldn't stop you ladies from getting a peek, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna let anyone else see this.
Fujimaru 1:
But I need to make sure it's him...
Wǔ:
...Look, I didn't want to have to say this, but...
Wǔ:
...when fish come across a dead body,
where do you think they start eating it?
Wǔ:
I'll give you a hint: the parts that are the softest and easiest to bite off.
Juliet:
I-I don't know. Where?
Wǔ:
The eyes and lips.
Wǔ:
Without those, it's pretty much impossible to identify the victim. Still wanna take a look for yourself?
Juliet:
No, that's okay. I'll take your word for it.
Dorothy:
Oh, Morris... (Sniff)...
Wǔ:
I'm sorry to ask, but would you all mind going back to the mansion together? Oh, and would you also wake Dr. Hawthorne up and send him here?
Juliet:
Of course.
Come on, Fujimaru.
Hawthorne:
I believe the cause of death was drowning.
But the body also had some rather ugly bruises.
Hawthorne:
My guess is that he was pushed into the ocean from somewhere high up. Is there anywhere on this island that might have been done?
Wǔ:
There's a cliff at the northern edge of the island. If that's where he was pushed in, it'd explain how he washed up with the tide.
Hawthorne:
...Given the body's hair color, build, and other physical features, it was indeed most likely Morris.
Hawthorne:
But with so...little of his face to confirm identity, I can't be certain.
Adamska:
That means Morris could have just gotten some other dead body and done it up to look like himself...
Adamska:
Hmm. If so, then we should still be on our guard.
Aaron:
...That's enough.
Dorothy:
Honey?
Aaron:
Morris had no idea we were coming here though. Besides, where could he possibly have gotten a look-alike corpse, anyway?
Adamska:
I...
Aaron:
The last shred of hope I was clinging to is gone.
My son, Morris Goldie, is dead.
Aaron:
With Chris gone as well,
the only one left to succeed me is Laurie.
Aaron:
Adamska, I've talked it over with my wife... What do you say to an engagement between my Laurie and your Cain?
Juliet:
Engagement? Are you serious?
Adamska:
...I was hoping you'd say that, Aaron.
That sounds like an excellent idea to me.
Juliet:
Slow down! Laurie's still just a child, and there's no way Cain can take over for the family...
Aaron:
Don't be so old-fashioned. We wouldn't have them get married right this instant. The important thing is that we promise to have them marry in the future.
Aaron:
You're the Violet family's eldest daughter. You should know as well as any of us what will happen if our alliance falls through.
Aaron:
Not to mention that if all we bring back is news that Morris died, there will be rumors that the Violet family assassinated him, leading to all-out war.
Aaron:
This is the only option we have to avoid such a catastrophe.
Juliet:
I... I guess, but...
Hawthorne:
What about the children?
Don't they get a say in this?
Laurie:
I don't mind marrying Cain.
Hawthorne:
You say that now, but you're still so little...
Aaron:
We can reconsider what to do about the engagement once Laurie has come of age.
Cain:
I'm fine with that. I don't really get what's going on, but I'm fine with that!
Aaron:
I'm glad to see you understand.
...If only you had a better head on your shoulders.
Aaron:
All right then, we'll say that Morris died in an unfortunate accident.
Aaron:
Please, don't let my son's death be in vain.
Ann:
Speaking only for myself, I don't want to see Chris's death be for nothing either.
Ann:
So long as we all agree to keep the truth secret,
I am willing to go with this version of events.
Adamska:
Then it's settled.
Aaron:
Indeed. Yesterday's bitter enemy is today's dependable friend. I'm glad to count you among mine.
Juliet:
...
Fujimaru 1:
Dinner was great, wasn't it?
Juliet:
...I couldn't even taste it.
I'm not sick or anything, I'm just...
Aaron:
Ah, it's you two. Excellent timing. I was just searching for a fresh bottle to uncork. Care to join?
Juliet:
You're completely smashed already...
Aren't you ashamed of yourself?
Aaron:
Do I seem drunk to you?
I'm actually at a loss because I can't seem to get drunk.
Aaron:
...Oh, by the way,
I haven't taken you to bed before, have I?
Juliet:
Ugh! You're just as gross as Morris was!
Aaron:
My apologies. I've been with so many women, it's impossible to keep track of them all. I must've confused you with one of my myriad one-night stands.
Aaron:
I was born with a condition that makes it difficult for me to have children, you see. That gave me an excuse to spread my seed quite a bit when I was still a young man.
Juliet:
If all you want to do is brag about your conquests, I'll be leaving.
Aaron:
Oh, yes, sorry about that.
But I did settle down after Laurie was born.
Aaron:
I came to understand how reprehensible my behavior was.
Juliet:
...Even if you feel bad about it now,
that certainly doesn't change what you did.
Aaron:
Yes, you're right. Perhaps losing both Morris and Chris in such quick succession is the punishment I deserve...
Juliet:
I-I didn't mean it that way...
Aaron:
Thank you, Juliet... I no longer feel like drinking.
I think I'll just go ahead and turn in for the night.
Juliet:
...Hey, Fujimaru?
Why don't we go get some night air?
Fujimaru 1:
Oh wow, a full moon! It's beautiful!
Juliet:
Hey, yeah. It's so bright it's almost dazzling.
Juliet:
You know, Fujimaru...
I'm really glad you're here with me.
Fujimaru 1:
Even though I haven't been able to do anything for you?
Fujimaru 2:
I didn't think my being here made any difference...
Juliet:
It's not about that.
That's just hindsight.
Juliet:
I've been so anxious ever since this arranged marriage came up, but too scared to do anything about it...
Juliet:
But having you here, and seeing you get sad or angry on my behalf, has made me feel so much better.
Juliet:
Besides, you stayed with me after all my other friends left. That's meant so much to me...
Juliet:
Even if I had ended up married to Morris, I think I could have handled it, just knowing that you were there for me.
Juliet:
The engagement may be over now, but I'm still so grateful to you, for everything. Thank you, Fujimaru.
Juliet:
Hey... Can I tell you something else?
Fujimaru 1:
I'm starting to get really sleepy again...
Juliet:
Huh? What's wrong?
Juliet:
Fujimaru?
Fujimaru...?
Holmes:
Ah good, it seems you're still alive.
So, what happened this time?
Fujimaru 1:
Well...
Professor M:
Hmm, I see... So you conked out just when you and Juliet were having a moment.
Professor M:
Of course, it also sounds like you and Eva were rather having a moment of your own before circumstances intervened, eh?
Mash:
Romantic moments on the beach...
Was that your way of getting ready for summer, Senpai?
Holmes:
No, this was nothing like that.
Remember, this is not [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms.] Fujimaru's story.
Mash:
Oh. Right...
Professor M:
At any rate, it seems these latest developments played out how we expected.
Holmes:
I concur. Although... A full moon, eh...
Mash:
H-huh? Why is that interesting?
Holmes:
I'm afraid that will have to wait, Ms. Kyrielight.
First, I need to ask [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms.] Fujimaru something.
Holmes:
Did you notice or feel anything odd before you passed out?
Fujimaru 1:
I don't think so.
Fujimaru 2:
Didn't cough up blood or anything like that.
Professor M:
I see... It was most likely a sleeping pill or paralyzing agent, then, not a lethal poison.
Holmes:
I believe we can rule out Juliet as a suspect in this case. She would have no need to feign concern about you while you two were alone, after all.
Holmes:
...Quite the opposite, in fact. That would be the time for her to show her true colors.
Professor M:
Have you no heart, man?
Surely we can take Juliet's feelings at face value.
Holmes:
I only mean that I would not consider someone's sex as a factor in determining whether they can be trusted. I must say, though, that I never thought to see the day when a criminal extols the virtue of trust...
Mash:
Um...
I still don't understand why Senpai was targeted.
Mash:
Was it also just a spur-of-the-moment decision?
Professor M:
I expect it is a natural consequence of the investigation.
Professor M:
The two families may have finalized their alliance by betrothing their children, but having the killer's identity remain a mystery is sure to create tensions.
Professor M:
More importantly, the killer will not want to live in constant fear of discovery, so a scapegoat would solve both of those issues nicely. As an outsider, Fujimaru is the obvious choice.
Professor M:
In which case, the killer may mean to kill Fujimaru and frame [♂ him /♀ her] for their own crimes.
Mash:
Professor! How could you even say that?
That's horrible!
Professor M:
Please don't be angry with me.
I am merely offering a possibility.
Holmes:
I'm inclined to agree with the professor in this instance.
Holmes:
If there's any consolation to be had, it's that our culprit won't be attempting anything sufficiently violent that it might easily be seen as foul play.
Holmes:
They would need to falsify a note and make [♂ his /♀ her]
murder appear to be a suicide, or the whole endeavor would be quite pointless.
Holmes:
For example, they could strangle [♂ him /♀ her] to death and then cover it up by making it seem as though [♂ he /♀ she] hanged [♂ himself /♀ herself]...but an autopsy would spoil that bit of trickery.
Holmes:
Then again, if the culprit were the one performing the autopsy, then such a cover-up would be quite easy. Don't you agree, Professor?
Professor M:
You do understand that Dr. Hawthorne and I are quite separate people, yes?
Professor M:
Having said that, I hope you will not hold it against ME if he does turn out to be the killer...
Mash:
Senpai...?
Professor M:
Well now, it seems [♂ he's /♀ she's] finally reached the point where [♂ he /♀ she] simply falls asleep without any premonitory signs whatsoever.
Professor M:
Of course, if Fujimaru is still falling asleep, that must mean the person [♂ he's /♀ she's] inhabiting is still alive.
Professor M:
At least we can be happy about that.
Wouldn't you agree, Detective?
Holmes:
...
Juliet:
Are you awake now? Thank goodness.
I was just about to go get Dr. Hawthorne.
Fujimaru 1:
...Are we back at the Kogetsukan?
Fujimaru 2:
Did you carry me here all by yourself?
Juliet:
Uh-huh. I'm completely exhausted. I don't even know how I did it. I bet I'm going to be really sore tomorrow.
Juliet:
I thought about leaving you on the beach to call for help, but I couldn't leave you out there at the mercy of the wolves, or the killer...
Fujimaru 1:
Thanks, Juliet. Don't worry, I'm fine now.
Fujimaru 2:
Look at the time. We'd better get to sleep.
Juliet:
I guess so...
Then...would you walk me to my room?
Mash:
I still have no idea about what's really going on in this case...
Mash:
...but as Senpai's support team, we need to figure out some way to help [♂ him /♀ her] crack it...
Holmes:
My apologies, but there is something I need to take care of immediately. Do hold down the fort while I am gone, will you?
Mash:
Huh? Holmes?
Holmes:
I fear I truly don't have time to explain right now.
Feel free to direct any questions to the professor.
Professor M:
Hmm. The full moon, eh?
Holmes:
Quite so, Professor.
Mash:
All right, tell me, Professor.
What was Holmes talking about?
Professor M:
Hmm, I must admit that SOLVING plots is not really my forte. I am more in the business of creating them.
Professor M:
And my own strong preference makes me disinclined to explain what that crackpot may be thinking...
Professor M:
...but for you, young Mash,
I suppose an exception can be made.
Professor M:
Holmes and I are both working with the same information this time, so all I needed to do in this case was fit those pieces of the puzzle together.
Professor M:
We would naturally both arrive at the same conclusion, unless he were delirious with fever or the like.
Mash:
Then, you know where Holmes went, Professor?
Mash:
You both mentioned the full moon...
He's not planning to GO there, is he?
Professor M:
No, Mash, don't be silly.
Though I imagine Holmes might find the notion amusing.
Professor M:
I'll explain about the moon in due time. Unfortunately,
Fujimaru was only awake for a short while this time, so we were unable to warn [♂ him /♀ her].
Mash:
...That's true. There was something I wanted Senpai to look into as well.
Professor M:
Oh? And what might that be?
Mash:
Well, nobody's come out and said it, but...
Mash:
...it sounded to me like Ann might be Chris's mother.
Professor M:
Yes, that certainly seems likely.
One could tell as much from her behavior.
Professor M:
I imagine Aaron must have entrusted Chris to his mother after refusing to take him in himself.
Mash:
...So then, Ann lost her son, too.
Mash:
We have to solve this case quickly, before anyone else dies. Is there anything else, Professor?
Professor M:
There is indeed: Chris's dying message. Though there may not be much point in bringing it up now.
Professor M:
At any rate, assuming this message was indeed meant to point to the killer, we cannot assume he would simply write the killer's name.
Professor M:
A defining attribute of the killer would more than suffice. Personally, I believe he meant to write “mom.”
Mash:
“Mom”? But how would that point to the culprit?
Professor M:
It may not be a complete message, but it's also only three letters, making it much easier than writing out a full name.
Professor M:
Though it's unfortunate Chris evidently failed to finish writing even that, giving the false impression that it was actually “mor.”
Mash:
“Mom”... Wait a moment.
If Chris was talking about his OWN mom...
Mash:
...does that mean Ann is out to kill Senpai right now...!?
Juliet:
Well, good night, Fujimaru.
Ann:
Excuse me, Fujimaru.
Could I have a word with you?
Fujimaru 1:
Wh-what's this about?
Fujimaru 2:
I'm sorry, but I'm really tired...
Ann:
Don't worry...
This will only take a moment.
7. The detective must not himself commit the crime.
Ann:
Good, you're awake.
I apologize for getting a bit rough with you earlier.
Fujimaru 1:
Wait, what's going on?
Fujimaru 2:
What is this place?
Ann:
Wǔ found some strange powder on the table as he was cleaning up last night.
Wǔ:
I figured someone had attempted a poisoning, but we needed to find the victim before we went searching about for the poisoner.
Wǔ:
Sis and I split up to see how everyone was doing,
and she found you looking sick.
Ann:
We needed you to throw up as quickly as possible,
so as I said, I'm afraid I had to get a bit rough.
Wǔ:
Sis has been watching over you ever since she carried you in here. I already cleaned up the mess you made when you threw it up.
Wǔ:
It doesn't look like there are any aftereffects,
so it might've just been a sleeping pill.
Wǔ:
But even a sleeping pill can be dangerous. If you'd been taking a bath when it kicked in, you'd be dead.
Ann:
It'll be morning soon, and our ride is coming around noon. If we can hold out till then, we should all be able to go home safely.
Wǔ:
So we're gonna stay up and keep an eye on things.
If you need help, just holler and I'll come running.
Juliet:
Oh, good morning. You look awful...
Did you get enough sleep last night?
Fujimaru 1:
I tried, but I woke up really early.
Fujimaru 2:
I've been up since about dawn.
Juliet:
Well, at least you look better now than you did when we said good night.
Juliet:
Oh, uh... By the way, don't you dare tell anyone else about last night.
Fujimaru 1:
So...you want it to be our little secret?
Fujimaru 2:
Why? What happened last night?
Juliet:
Look, just forget it ever happened, okay!
Juliet:
Now come on, let's go.
I think it'd be safer if we all stayed together, anyway.
Wǔ:
Morning, Fujimaru.
...Oh, you too, Ms. Juliet.
Juliet:
You look tired, Wǔ.
Why don't you get some rest?
Wǔ:
Thanks, but don't worry about me.
I can stay up for three days straight if I feel like it.
Wǔ:
Though I'll admit I'm feeling sleepier now that you're all here. It's a lot easier keeping an eye on everyone when you're all in one place.
Dorothy:
The doorbell?
But...we're all here, aren't we?
Aaron:
Is that our ride?
Ann:
Definitely not.
My people would never ignore my orders.
Laurie:
No one's coming in... Is this a prank?
Wǔ:
Well, SOMEONE's outside. Though the only one I can think of who might pull this kind of thing is that detective...
Wǔ:
Wait here. I'll be right back!
Wǔ:
I'm back, and I've got bad news.
Wǔ:
I hate to tell you this now,
but...Sheringham's body is missing.
Adamska & Aaron:
Wh-what did you say!?
Harriet:
You're kidding... Since when?
Wǔ:
I didn't notice sooner because it was wrapped up in sheets, but when I took another look, it turned out to be a bunch of logs.
Wǔ:
I don't know when the body was swapped out, but there's no shortage of wood outside they could have used.
Ann:
You didn't do anything wrong, Wǔ. I wouldn't have thought to keep an eye on dead bodies, either.
Aaron:
What's the meaning of this, Ann? Are you saying Sheringham is the one behind all of this?
Wǔ:
I have heard stories of dead people coming back to life, but... Wait, hang on. I just had a crazy thought.
Wǔ:
Mr. Adamska, yesterday you suggested that the killer could have swapped in a body to make us think Morris was dead when he wasn't, right?
Adamska:
That's right. But we dismissed it because we figured the killer had no way of getting a substitute body...
Wǔ:
That's right, but then...if the killer did have a body on hand, then they could swap it in.
Wǔ:
If Morris took Sheringham's body from the basement, dyed his hair blonde, then let the fish do the rest...
Eva:
Could anyone actually DO something so terrible?
Aaron:
Even if this means Morris is still alive, I can't be particularly happy about this, considering it means my son has started down a truly monstrous path.
Ann:
It's too soon to jump to conclusions.
Sheringham himself could be the killer for all we know.
Wǔ:
Whoever it is, we need to find them and make them pay. Let's split up and search outside.
Ann:
Are you trying to put our guests' lives in danger, Wǔ? Our ride will be here at noon. All we need to do is wait for them to arrive.
Wǔ:
Come on, Sis, you know as well as I do that we can't let the killer stay here and get away with this.
Ann:
...
Adamska:
I admit, I don't like the idea of letting these events stay a mystery, either.
Aaron:
I'd also like to know the truth, if possible.
Wǔ:
All right, then let's use these last few hours we have here to find the killer. That said, we can't bring the women and children along with us...
Ann:
In that case, I'll stay behind, in case the killer comes back and tries to take hostages.
Cain:
Ooh, ooh, I wanna go on the manhunt too!
Juliet:
Cain, no, you can't...
Come on, Fujimaru, back me up on this.
Fujimaru 1:
Why don't we go together then?
Juliet:
Ugh, you're too soft on him...
But, I guess that's also what's so great about you.
Wǔ:
All right, then. I'll keep them both safe myself.
Aaron:
Then it's settled.
Come on, we don't have any time to waste.
Juliet:
Be careful, Fujimaru.
Adamska:
All right, we'll look over here.
Hawthorne:
Thank goodness there was a hunting rifle around. Though with my aim, I'm afraid it will be little more than a security blanket.
Aaron:
If you do find Morris, would you mind sparing his life?
I at least want to ask him why he did all of this.
Wǔ:
...All right. You guys be careful out there.
Wǔ:
Okay, we're going to check out that area. The doc took the only hunting rifle we've got, but we won't need a gun with me around.
Cain:
Ooh ooh, do you know kung fu? Jeet Kune Do?
Wing Chun? I wanna see, I wanna see!
Wǔ:
I'm afraid the only moves I know are lethal attacks.
Trust me, they're not very entertaining to watch.
Wǔ:
Gotcha!
Wǔ:
Aw man, it's those wolves again.
Wǔ:
Sorry Fujimaru, but I'm gonna need a little time to drive 'em off.
Wǔ:
Can you take the kid and hide somewhere?
I don't want you two getting hurt by mistake.
Cain:
I'll hide, I'll hiiide!
Cain:
...There we go. It should be safe over here.
Fujimaru 1:
I hope Wǔ's okay by himself...
Fujimaru 2:
Let's make sure we stay out of sight.
Cain:
Oh, I agree. Whatever happens now, everyone'll just write it off as an unfortunate accident.
Fujimaru 1:
Cain? You sound...different...
Fujimaru 2:
Drop those shears before you hurt someone.
Cain:
I've been putting on an act up till now. THIS is the real me. Not even Father knows this about me.
Cain:
So, any last words before I kill you?
Cain:
Dying out here on a remote island, all alone...
Honestly, I almost feel sorry for you.
???:
Well then, now seems an opportune time to make my entrance. I certainly cannot allow this to continue.
8. The detective is bound to detail any clues...
Cain:
Urk...
A：Sheringham?:
Good grief. You've been quite the rascal.
A：Sheringham?:
Good day, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms.] Fujimaru.
I trust you are uninjured?
Fujimaru 1:
[♂ “Mr.” /♀ “Ms.”]...? Holmes? Is that you?
Fujimaru 2:
What are you doing here, Holmes?
Holmes:
Ah, I could not have hoped for a better reaction.
Though you still pale in comparison to Watson.
Holmes:
Now, much as I would like to answer the questions so obviously nagging at you, it is hard to determine where to even begin.
Holmes:
Ah, perhaps I should start with how I came to be here?
Holmes:
Ever since this mystery began, I've been wondering how much of a time differential there was between your dream and reality.
Holmes:
I further thought that, depending on what that differential turned out to be, I might be able to intervene directly.
Holmes:
Your walk on the beach with Juliet during a full moon provided a significant hint.
Holmes:
Indeed, it was elementary to connect the dots, even for someone as ignorant of astronomy as myself.
Holmes:
At Chaldea, you collapsed while looking at the moon on May 14, 2019.
Holmes:
You woke up for the fifth time on May 15, Chaldea time, and still the moon was not yet full.
Holmes:
This led me to realize that your dream was actually taking place a few days in the future.
Holmes:
Once I knew that, I decided to intervene directly,
and now, here we are.
Fujimaru 1:
Wait. This is all happening in the future...?
Holmes:
I'm afraid we don't yet know how it works, but yes, that is the inescapable conclusion. Regardless, what is important is not HOW it is happening, but WHEN.
Holmes:
If you don't believe me, go ahead and look up a lunar calendar for yourself. You'll see that the full moon in May 2019 falls on the eighteenth here.
Holmes:
Count backwards from that, and we can determine that Cain accidentally hit you with his ball in the afternoon of May 16, Kogetsukan time, marking the point where your dream began.
Holmes:
Since it was May 15 at Chaldea when I arrived at this conclusion, I had a day to plan.
Fujimaru 1:
But then, why did you call yourself Sheringham...?
Holmes:
I was thinking how I should go about intervening when I had a flash of insight.
Holmes:
While it's possible that the Sheringham you saw was a completely different person, and your brain merely happened to assign him my appearance given that we are both detectives...
Holmes:
...it was also possible that he could have been me merely claiming to be Sheringham.
Holmes:
If so, I could certainly bring the latter circumstance about, thereby directly intervening as one of the key figures.
Fujimaru 1:
Do you have any idea how reckless that was!?
Holmes:
I'm sorry you feel that way. So long as there is a path to solving this case, then by definition, whatever steps I take along it are the right ones.
Holmes:
Granted, I will concede that making my way here WAS fairly complicated.
Holmes:
I first contacted the Goldie family as Sheringham, using my knowledge of the threatening letter to capture Aaron's attention.
Holmes:
Though of course, he was rightfully suspicious of me, so he said he would only hire me if I managed to track down where they were staying on my own.
Holmes:
From there, it was simply a matter of filling in the blanks, rather like a crossword puzzle.
Holmes:
Given the travel time from the United States, and the fact that it was warm enough to go swimming even in the middle of May, I was almost immediately able to determine that you were somewhere in the Caribbean.
Holmes:
Finding the Kogetsukan seemed trickier, but then I remembered that “kogetsu” is an old Japanese word for “crescent moon.”
Holmes:
Using a map, I was able to pinpoint an island that was shaped like a crescent moon. The rest, you know.
Holmes:
It was all quite easy, really. The only difficult part was convincing Da Vinci to let me come here, since doing so required me to Rayshift.
Holmes:
In the end, I needed to make a temporary contract with a staff member located in the U.S. before I–
Fujimaru 1:
I think I got it, thanks.
Fujimaru 2:
Okay, but weren't you dead?
Holmes:
I take it you're the sort of reader who prefers to skip to the ending? I suppose time is of the essence, so I will indulge you and provide you with the abridged version.
Holmes:
But if you don't mind, I'll save the explanation of how I came back to life until everyone is here.
Cain:
N-nnn...
Holmes:
Ah, it seems the rascal is awake.
Let's see what he has to say for himself, shall we?
Cain:
Huh? The detective? How are you still alive?
Fujimaru 1:
So, you were playing dumb all this time, Cain?
Cain:
...Pretty much, yeah.
Cain:
In the Violet family, the eldest son is supposed to take over when he comes of age, but I really didn't want to get involved in that world.
Cain:
So I decided to act like a weird little kid who couldn't possibly lead the family.
Cain:
I feel really bad for making my family worry about me, but it's better than getting murdered 'cause of some stupid grudge or something.
Holmes:
I understand your concerns, Cain. Between turf wars, coups, betrayals, and simple pleasure-killings...
Holmes:
...there are a great many ways to be murdered in the underworld. Such a life is not an easy one.
Holmes:
But then, why did you abandon your pretense to show Fujimaru your true colors all of a sudden?
Cain:
Because I thought Juliet's friend here was the killer.
I couldn't think of anyone else who could be.
Cain:
I thought they did it to save Juliet.
And I actually appreciate that much, at least.
Cain:
I couldn't stand that Morris guy either.
Cain:
But killing Chris just seemed wrong. The only reason I could think of for them to do that is to keep Juliet for themself, not to help her.
Cain:
Besides, if they were willing to kill those guys, then they might also be willing to kill other people in my family.
Cain:
That's why I had to do something! I thought if I threatened them, I could get them to fess up.
Holmes:
Relax, Cain. I can assure you that Fujimaru would never kill anyone.
Cain:
But then, who else could be the killer?
Nobody else could've done it!
Holmes:
On the contrary. This is a perfect closed circle of suspects. The killer has indeed been among us, from the very beginning.
Holmes:
Now, Cain, I have a question for you.
How do I know you are innocent?
Cain:
I don't know when Morris died,
so I can't say anything about that...
Cain:
...but I might have an alibi for when Chris died.
Holmes:
Does that mean you can prove where you were at 11:25 last night?
Cain:
I was playing hide-and-seek with Laurie in an empty room. I think we got found about five minutes before that.
Holmes:
Is there a grown-up who can vouch for that?
Cain:
Yeah, there is.
Holmes:
Just what I wanted to hear.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh? Who was it?
Holmes:
I already have a good idea as to their identity.
I'll have Cain testify about that when the time is right.
Cain:
Um, you're not gonna tell the others about my act, are you...?
Holmes:
No, I won't. You should decide for yourself when you are ready to drop it.
Holmes:
Now then, [♂ Mr. /♀ Ms.] Fujimaru,
let us return to the Kogetsukan.
Juliet & Eva & Dorothy:
Aaaaaahhh!!!
Holmes:
Ah yes, a splendid overreaction.
Still not quite so good as Watson's though.
Adamska:
What is it!?
Wait, what are YOU doing here!?
Wǔ:
No way... I can't believe you're actually alive.
Holmes:
Good, you're all here.
Now I can finally explain what happened that first night.
Juliet:
But...how? You didn't have a pulse.
Holmes:
Oh, that? A trivial matter.
Holmes:
One need merely clench a ball under one's armpit to cut off circulation to that arm and temporarily halt one's pulse.
Holmes:
It's an old trick now, but it was once a respectable medical technique known as pressure-based hemostasis.
Holmes:
Of course, the arm can become necrotic if one keeps it up for too long, but momentary use of the technique to fool laymen such as yourselves would not be cause for concern.
Juliet:
Hang on... Perhaps enough to fool us, but Dr. Hawthorne's a professional. How could you possibly fool him?
Holmes:
Simple. I couldn't, so I didn't.
Juliet:
Then, you mean...
Hawthorne:
Yes. I am afraid I was in on it the whole time.
I'm sorry for deceiving you all.
Eva:
Why would you do something like that...?
Holmes:
Dr. Hawthorne is, of course, the only medical professional on the premises. It was inevitable that he would be asked to perform an autopsy in the event someone turned up dead.
Holmes:
So I made a deal with him on the first day. I promised that in exchange for his help faking my death, I would solve the case.
Holmes:
After all, once the culprit thought I was out of the picture, they would be blind to my investigation.
Adamska:
That makes it sound like you knew there was going to be a murder case here.
Holmes:
Let us simply say that I knew this trip could not possibly have a peaceful end.
Wǔ:
You can't be serious, Doc. What were you thinking,
trusting a shifty detective like this?
Wǔ:
If he really is a great detective, then–
Holmes:
Then I should have been able to prevent the murder before it happened?
Holmes:
I am quite good at solving mysteries once they present themselves, but I am afraid that even I cannot solve what has not yet occurred.
Holmes:
Whoever contended that murderers are creatives and detectives merely critics was, I am afraid, spot-on.
Holmes:
(I doubt it would go over well if I told them I couldn't do anything that would have changed Fujimaru's dream.)
Holmes:
(This was the only thing I could say.
Never mind that I am, at heart, a creative critic.)
Wǔ:
All right, you might know what you're doing when it comes to detective stuff, but I still don't like you.
Holmes:
Be that as it may, I assure you that Hawthorne would not have helped me unless he too had a sense that there was something dangerous here.
Harriet:
Doctor, don't tell me you–
Hawthorne:
Don't say a word, Harriet!
Hawthorne:
...Reprimand him if you must, but I am also responsible for him being here. Please, at least hear what he has to say.
Holmes:
I appreciate that, Dr. Hawthorne. I especially like that you look much more kindly in person.
Holmes:
At any rate, it's already noon, so I'm afraid we'll need to come to a resolution quickly if we are to do so before our ride arrives.
Aaron:
Resolution...?
Does that mean you already know who did it?
Holmes:
Of course. I have completed my deductions and am prepared to present my findings.
Holmes:
But before I get to that, there is one thing I'd like to confirm. Would you all come with me, please?
Aaron:
Chris's room?
What business could you possibly have here?
Holmes:
Simple: assessing his dying message.
Holmes:
Given everything I have heard about him, Chris clearly possessed a strong will. He was the sort of man who would carry out an important job even at the cost of his life.
Wǔ:
Hearing that from you somehow pisses me off, but...you're still right. Both Sis and I knew how seriously he took his responsibilities.
Holmes:
In my estimation, Chris believed he had completed his dying message by the time he passed, but was unaware that he had not drawn enough blood to finish it.
Holmes:
But with this luminol powder, we can see exactly what he was trying to write down.
Laurie:
Whoa! “mor” just changed into “mom”!
Holmes:
As I thought, Chris did indeed try to write “mom.”
This is what I wanted you all to see before I shared my conclusions.
Juliet:
“mom”? As in “mother”?
Holmes:
Quite right.
And now, I will tell you why.
Holmes:
The question is...which of the mothers here did Chris mean to accuse?
Holmes:
...Right, then. We have all the pieces of the puzzle now. Perhaps you have begun to see the picture taking shape for yourselves now?
Holmes:
Our killer had a single, specific reason for killing Chris and Morris. Once you understand the motive, the killer's identity should become quite clear as well.
Holmes:
But...even if you fail to recognize the motive,
the killer's identity should still be clear.
Holmes:
Allow me to offer a special hint for those of you reading this right now. Think back to each person's alibi during the time of Chris's murder.
Holmes:
If you eliminate everyone who couldn't possibly have been at the scene of the crime, you may find it easier to deduce the culprit's identity than you think.
Holmes:
I assure you, there will be no new information in the case of the murder at the Kogetsukan, so take some time to consider the evidence!
Holmes:
But do keep one point in mind while you deliberate.
Holmes:
There has been a peculiar phenomenon at work here from the beginning, distorting your perceptions...
9. The Watson must not conceal his thoughts...
Aaron:
So, Chris was actually trying to write “mom”...?
Did YOU kill him, Ann?
Ann:
No, I didn't.
I never told Chris I was his mother.
Dorothy:
I was wondering why you two seemed so chummy...
Now it all makes sense.
Ann:
That was a long time ago, Ms. Dorothy. Whatever Aaron and I had was over long before you met him.
Ann:
I acted as if we weren't actually related...because I thought having a family would make me weak...
Holmes:
We can tell from Chris's response that she is telling the truth. He died without ever knowing who his mother was.
Holmes:
As such, he would never have accused Ann by writing the word “mom.”
Holmes:
No, I believe that he simply meant to tell us that his killer was a mother, if not necessarily his own.
Hawthorne:
Hang on. You cannot base all of this simply on Chris's dying message!
Hawthorne:
A scant few letters written in the blood of a dying man leave quite a lot open to interpretation.
Holmes:
Hmm. I suppose you do have a point.
Perhaps a victim's dying message is not sufficient proof.
Holmes:
Very well then, let us take a more roundabout approach. If we remove all other possible suspects via the process of elimination, I'm certain none of you will have any objections.
Adamska:
What do you mean by that?
Holmes:
Your alibis for the time of Chris's murder.
Holmes:
You see, the culprit had no idea that Chris broke his beloved pocket watch at the moment of his murder.
Holmes:
As a result, the watch stopped at precisely 11:25 p.m.
Holmes:
Given the circumstances of Chris's death, we know that he had time to converse with the culprit beforehand.
Holmes:
Even estimating conservatively, I should think the culprit was in his company for five to ten minutes prior to killing him.
Holmes:
This means that we can safely rule out anyone whose whereabouts around 11:25 p.m. on the night of Chris's murder are accounted for.
Holmes:
Let's start by winnowing down our suspect pool.
The poker players at that time can be excluded.
Wǔ:
Does that include me?
Holmes:
Naturally. What's important is the fact that you can all verify each other's alibis.
Wǔ:
Guess that means Fujimaru's alibi is solid too, since we could all hear their snoring in the next room.
Holmes:
That leaves six possibilities.
Wǔ:
Six? You mean, seven, right?
Why do you automatically get a pass?
Holmes:
You did lock the outside doors and windows securely, did you not? If I had forced my way into Chris's room, surely you would have seen some sign of that.
Wǔ:
Tch, you got an answer for everything, don't you?
Fine, six it is, then.
Holmes:
Tell me, Cain, what is your alibi for that night?
Cain:
Laurie and I were playing hide-and-seek then,
weren't we, Laurie?
Laurie:
Uh-huh. I snuck out of bed to hide.
Cain:
We got caught sometime around 11:20.
Holmes:
Children or not, I believe we can still take them at their word. That accounts for their whereabouts.
Holmes:
This brings our suspect list down to four.
Holmes:
Dorothy Goldie.
You had motive, and you're a mother.
Dorothy:
It wasn't me! I didn't do it, I swear!
Holmes:
Indeed not.
Dorothy:
Huh?
Cain:
It's okay, Ms. Dorothy.
You're the one who caught us, remember?
Cain:
Right around 11:20.
Dorothy:
Oh...right. I completely forgot about that.
How silly of me.
Holmes:
Cain told me there was a grown-up who could verify his alibi. That was you, when you came to find Laurie.
Holmes:
That leaves us with three...
Fujimaru 1:
Juliet's got an alibi too, so it couldn't be her, right?
Holmes:
...Yes, that's right.
She also has someone who can verify her alibi.
Holmes:
I wish you had waited to say that...
I have a method for this, you know.
Holmes:
At any rate, that leaves us with two...but enough suspense. One of the two already knows she's innocent.
Holmes:
And that makes the other our culprit.
Fujimaru 1:
...Juliet? Who were you with the night Chris was killed again?
Juliet:
...My sister. So then...
...Oh, God...
Holmes:
The culprit was not inherently opposed to your families forming an alliance. She understood it as necessary for your continued survival.
Holmes:
That's why Cain and Laurie are both still alive.
They must be, after all, for the alliance to happen.
Holmes:
And yet she resorted to murder not once, but twice,
and at peril of compromising the whole alliance.
Holmes:
That is key to understanding her motive.
THAT is how opposed she was to Juliet's engagement.
Juliet:
But...why would Mother want to kill Morris and Chris?
What reason could she possibly have?
Holmes:
An exceedingly simple one, as it turns out.
Holmes:
Think. Why would she be so against your marrying either Morris or Chris, but quite content to see Cain and Laurie married?
Juliet:
So, you're saying it was those specific pairings she had a problem with?
Holmes:
Precisely. Because your true father...
is Aaron Goldie.
Juliet:
...You can't be serious...
Holmes:
Wedding either Morris or Chris would have meant wedding your half brother... An incestuous marriage.
Holmes:
But as your mother, only she would have known that.
So she had to keep that fact to herself...even if it meant resorting to murder.
Eva:
This can't be happening...
Eva:
He's lying, right, Mother?
Holmes:
Harriet Violet...
YOU are the culprit!
10. Twins and doubles must not appear unless...
Adamska:
He's lying, right?
Please tell me he's lying, Harriet!
Eva:
How could you do it, Mother?
Wǔ:
THIS lady killed Chris?
Holmes:
Good grief, things have certainly gotten...noisy. Though it does make for a good opportunity to answer your questions.
Fujimaru 1:
Wh-what's going on!? This can't be right!
Holmes:
Ah, yes, I never did explain it to you, did I?
Mash had the same misunderstanding...
Mash:
What? You mean I made a mistake with the Violet family tree I drew!?
Professor M:
Indeed. I'm quite certain that Harriet is Adamska's wife, while their daughters are Juliet and Eva.
Mash:
But, I drew it exactly how Senpai described it...
If I'd made a mistake, [♂ he /♀ she] would have noticed.
Professor M:
Ah, not necessarily. [♂ He /♀ She] is somewhat preoccupied with the personages of Chaldea. Perhaps a bit too much so, it turns out.
Professor M:
By way of example...tell me, Mash,
what do you think of when you think of Lancelot?
Mash:
...The fact that he's Galahad's father, I suppose.
Professor M:
There you have it. That is exactly the line of thinking that has tripped our Fujimaru up.
Professor M:
If a woman who looks like Stheno told you she has a younger sister, you would immediately think of Euryale, no?
Mash:
Ah!
Professor M:
Similarly, once Eva was assigned Minamoto-no-Raikou's appearance, Fujimaru could not help but see her as anything other than a mother.
Professor M:
Of course, I don't believe Juliet meant to deceive Fujimaru, since she had no way of knowing [♂ his /♀ her] unique circumstances.
Professor M:
It was merely an unfortunate misunderstanding that persisted till now.
Mash:
But...but Eva HAD to be the mother!
Mash:
That way, the parents would be Adamska and Eva,
and the twins would be Juliet and Harriet.
Mash:
It just makes sense!
Why would they name them any other way!?
Professor M:
More likely they were named for their parents.
Juliet's name was taken from Harriet, Eva's from Adamska. You see?
Professor M:
Such an arrangement certainly makes sense.
Mash:
But, if Harriet is Juliet's mother...why do they look the same age?
Professor M:
Remember, Morris was a man who looked like Mordred. It's no surprise that there would be other disparities between what Fujimaru saw and reality.
Professor M:
Something as simple as a difference in age could certainly be such a detail that was altered.
Mash:
This is so confusing...
Professor M:
I imagine Fujimaru must be even more confused, since [♂ he /♀ she] is only learning the truth now from Holmes...
Holmes:
Surely you must have seen the signs.
Holmes:
For example...think back to the conversation you had when you asked Eva her alibi.
Fujimaru 1:
By the way...did anything unusual happenaround bedtime last night, Ms. Violet?
Eva:
Ms. Violet? Well that's a strange question...
No, Mother turned in early last night.
Fujimaru 1:
(Now I get it. She thought I was asking about Harriet!)
Fujimaru 2:
(Raikou calls herself a mother so much I didn't think anything of it...)
Holmes:
It seems you remembered something. One such revelation tends to lead to others, like so many dominos.
Eva:
Now, now, you mustn't let your appearance slide over something like this. Haven't you noticed your hair getting sticky from the ocean breeze?
Juliet:
Not really. It's not like I've been to the beach.
Hawthorne:
I must say, it's always fascinating to see twins with such...different personalities.
Morris:
So we're just supposed to believe you've got an alibi, huh?
Morris:
I mean, hypothetically speaking, couldn't twins swap places to pull this kinda thing off? Just sayin'.
Wǔ:
...No way. No one would get them mixed up like that.
I know I wouldn't...
Fujimaru 1:
You and your sister are a lot alike, huh?
Juliet:
You think? I know we're twins, but we're actually fraternal. I don't see much resemblance myself.
Juliet:
Personalitywise, I think she takes after Mother. They're both really free-spirited... I'm honestly kind of jealous.
Holmes:
It's the same principle as optical illusions. Once you've seen something that isn't there, it can be very difficult to unsee it.
Holmes:
There have even been cases that would have been solved very quickly had it not been for confusion regarding who is related to whom.
Holmes:
Harriet's alibi was supposed to have been verified by Eva, and Eva's alibi verified by Juliet.
Holmes:
But as only Eva and Juliet were together at that time, that leaves Harriet without an alibi.
Holmes:
Furthermore, Harriet had no idea about Chris's pocket watch.
Holmes:
Had it not been for that,
things might have gone quite differently.
Harriet:
...Would you please stop,
and allow me to get a word in?
Harriet:
I have to say, you certainly found a hell of a detective, Aaron.
Aaron:
Then, you really did kill them...
Aaron:
Wait, I remember now. Twenty years ago I had a one-night stand with a woman I never saw again.
Yes, that was you! You even mentioned your name was Harriet!
Harriet:
I was just looking to have some fun. I didn't want to cause any more trouble than was necessary, so I left out my family name.
Aaron:
Do I seem drunk to you?
I'm actually at a loss because I can't seem to get drunk.
Aaron:
...Oh, by the way,
I haven't taken you to bed before, have I?
Juliet:
Ugh! You're just as gross as Morris was!
Aaron:
My apologies. I've been with so many women, it's impossible to keep track of them all. I must've confused you with one of my myriad one-night stands.
Aaron:
No wonder Juliet seemed so familiar.
She looks just like you did back then.
Harriet:
I did enjoy that night we spent together, Aaron.
I have no regrets about that part.
Harriet:
But I didn't find out until later that I'd become pregnant with Juliet and Eva as a result.
Harriet:
By the time I had, it was already too late... My parents had promised me to Adamska. I had little say in the matter.
Adamska:
I already knew you were pregnant when we got married, Harriet. You have nothing to feel bad about!
Harriet:
Thank you, Adamska.
I do so adore how understanding you are.
Harriet:
But I just couldn't tell you, or my parents,
who Juliet and Eva's father really was.
Harriet:
If I had, my father would have been so angry he would have started a war with the Goldie family...
Harriet:
But I never imagined a secret I decided to keep almost twenty years ago could lead to...this...
Morris:
Harriet?
What're you doing all the way out here?
Harriet:
I have a favor to ask you...
I want you to reconsider your engagement to Juliet.
Morris:
Huh? Where'd that come from?
And what's it matter to you?
Harriet:
...I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that.
Morris:
I don't get it...
Morris:
But okay, I'm fine taking Eva instead.
She's more my type, anyway.
Harriet:
I'm sorry, but I cannot let you marry Eva, either.
Morris:
Tch... Why's that?
Harriet:
...I can't tell you.
Morris:
Man, this is nuts...
Are all you Violet chicks this crazy?
Morris:
I don't know why my old man's so afraid of you guys.
He should've made up an excuse to invade your turf long ago.
Harriet:
(I can't possibly tell him the truth... If I did, it could lead to all-out war between our families.)
Harriet:
(...I...I'll just have to push him off this cliff...)
Harriet:
Look, Morris.
Can you see that ship over there?
Morris:
Huh? There's no way a ship'd come all the way out–
Chris:
You want me to reconsider the engagement?
Harriet:
That's right. I thought you, of all people,
could be reasonable about that.
Chris:
Does that mean you want Ms. Juliet to marry for love rather than politics?
Harriet:
If that's how you want to interpret it.
Chris:
Nonetheless, I have been named Mr. Aaron's successor. If he desires this engagement, I am obliged to comply.
Chris:
So I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid I must refuse your request...
Harriet:
(Damn it. I can tell there's no chance of me convincing him.)
Harriet:
(...I'll have to kill him, too.
I had hoped it could only be Morris...)
Harriet:
I see...
By the way, can I see your hand for a moment?
Chris:
Yes, of course...
Harriet:
Thank you.
Chris:
Ms. Harriet, what did you just do?
Harriet:
...Goodbye.
Harriet:
It's a dangerous world, so I've always been certain to keep a bit of poison on me.
Harriet:
But I never thought I would end up using it on Chris like that...
Juliet:
You did all that for me, Mother...?
Harriet:
Juliet, please understand you did nothing wrong.
Harriet:
This was all my doing, and so I will pay the price.
Harriet:
Thinking about it now, I guess I should have told my father about this. Maybe then, if I'd ended up marrying Aaron instead...
Harriet:
...none of this would have happened.
Adamska:
If only I had known what you were dealing with,
I could have helped you find another way...
Adamska:
I'm just as guilty as you are. I may have been too oblivious to share your suffering, but I can at least share your punishment.
Harriet:
Thank you, Adamska.
Harriet:
This might not mean much coming from me now, but...
Harriet:
...you were the best husband I could have asked for.
...Ghh.
Hawthorne:
No! She used the poison on herself!
Harriet:
...I still had some left over. I'm sorry.
I couldn't think of another way...to make amends.
Eva & Cain:
Mother!
Harriet:
Eva, Cain... I love you all so much.
And Juliet...please don't make the same mistake I did.
Juliet:
Mother, wait! Don't go!
Harriet:
Goodbye...
Ann:
Our ride should be here soon.
I'm afraid I must ask you all to get ready to leave.
Eva:
...Please...let me stay with Mother just a little longer.
Cain:
Mother...
Hawthorne:
I'm so sorry, everyone.
I could have stopped her...
Hawthorne:
As soon as I heard about the threatening letter, I had a feeling this might have been the case all along.
Hawthorne:
I remember what she was like back then.
Still, I couldn't bring myself to ask her about it.
Hawthorne:
I know I should have said something, but I just couldn't bear the thought of her hating me.
Holmes:
Please don't be so hard on yourself.
This case would remain unsolved without your help.
Hawthorne:
Me? No...I'm just a sniveling coward who left all the dirty work to you.
Dorothy:
I'm sad that Morris is dead, but...if I had been in Harriet's shoes, I think I might have done the same thing.
Cain:
Excuse me, everyone.
There's something I want to tell you.
Eva:
Cain! What's come over you...?
Laurie:
Cain?
Holmes:
It looks like Cain has decided to come clean. Now that all eyes are on him, this seems it would be a good time for us to have a private chat.
Fujimaru 1:
Why do you think I ended up in this dream thing to begin with?
Holmes:
...Hmm. I am sure Da Vinci could explain the connection between you, Chaldea, and Rayshifting in magecraft terms...
Holmes:
...but I am afraid that is all a bit beyond my area of expertise, as it were. The best I can do under the circumstances is offer conjecture.
Holmes:
I imagine whoever that body belongs to must have had a powerful reaction upon learning Juliet was engaged.
Holmes:
Whether out of friendship, love, or perhaps pity...they must have wished to help her with all their heart.
Holmes:
From here on, my speculation takes a turn for the romantic, but...perhaps the moon saw that wish, and decided to grant it.
Holmes:
Perhaps, in searching for someone with both the ability to help in this matter, and someone with a desire to do so...
Holmes:
...it found you, and used Chaldea to forge some manner of connection between you, with moonlight as its conduit.
Holmes:
Chaldea is no stranger to oddities of time and space.
And you did truly wish to help Juliet, no?
Holmes:
It would seem you're about to lose consciousness again. I suppose that makes sense, as your role here is complete.
Holmes:
By the time you wake up I will have already set off for the real Kogetsukan, but rest assured that I will return in a few days.
Holmes:
Well now, it seems that Cain is saying something quite important indeed.
Cain:
...I still hate this family, and this whole society.
I'm scared of dying, too. But I decided to be brave.
Cain:
I see now that even small lies can have huge consequences. My mother taught me that.
Cain:
So I'm telling you all, right here and now:
I'm gonna change the Violet AND the Goldie families!
Holmes:
...Perhaps he really will succeed at changing the way both families live their lives.
Holmes:
But that is no longer our concern.
Holmes:
Ah, right. I do believe this is the last time you will see these people, so if there is anything you've been meaning to tell a certain someone, now is the time.
Holmes:
Something that body's true owner may have been wanting to say, or perhaps even should say.
Juliet:
What is it, Fujimaru? With Mother's death and Cain's revelation, I...I feel like I'm losing my mind...
Fujimaru 1:
“I wanted you to know that...I'll always be here for you. Always.”
Juliet:
Wh-where did that come from...?
And you're saying that now, of all times...?
Juliet:
No...you're right. Now is exactly the time I need to hear that. You always know what to say.
Juliet:
...Thank you, Fujimaru. That means a lot to me. You know, I have something to tell you as–
Juliet:
Fujimaru? What's wrong?
Are you all right...?
Holmes:
And so ends the case of the murders at the Kogetsukan. I hope you enjoyed it.
Holmes:
I congratulate those of you who arrived at the truth.
But if you got it wrong, well...don't feel bad.
Holmes:
If those who made mistakes were without worth, then I am afraid I would be the only one in the world with any worth to his name!
Holmes:
...That was a joke. Go on, laugh.
Holmes:
At any rate...even if one error or another led you to the wrong conclusion, no one can say you did not give it your all.
Holmes:
That experience is yours, and yours alone.
Holmes:
If you enjoyed your experience at all over these last few days, that is enough in and of itself.
Holmes:
Everyone makes mistakes at times. Even me. That is why the search for answers is as much a journey as it is a process of trial and error.
Holmes:
At any rate, this concludes our latest case. I do apologize that the detective ended up monopolizing the spotlight.
Holmes:
This little event was, admittedly, small in scale compared to others, but I hope one day to take you on a much...grander adventure, one truly worthy of a great detective.