The group hurries over to the guesthouse through the pouring rain, which manages to drench everyone in spite of their umbrellas. By the time you arrive, you feel as cold as when you first came to the island. Everyone else looks much the same.

Inside, the guesthouse is chaos. Eva is sitting in the living room, her eyes red from crying, and you can hear voices shouting upstairs. Eventually, you see Battler emerge at the top of the stairs, his face drawn and angry.

"There you guys are. You should probably see this. Dad, can you fill me in on anything you found in the mansion?"

As he steps aside, Rudolf heads up the stairs, and Battler beckons for you to follow.

>>15781
I do so.

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deyR5Zdapzs

As soon as you reach the top of the stairs, your eyes flick towards the open door of guestroom #2. Unlike Krauss' room, the door is still intact, but that's where the differences end.

Inside, the room is a mirror of Krauss' room. The furniture has been knocked about, the desk upturned, and the curtains ripped from their hangings.

On the floor in the center of the room lies a large male corpse in striped pajamas. The head is missing, and a huge mess of blood has pooled out from the stump of the neck.

>>15783
I'll take a closer look at the body and survey the room in general for anything particularly noteworthy.

An investigation of the corpse reveals no wounds other than the obvious one, and nothing else of note. The window remains intact and locked, and the en-suite bathroom is devoid of anything interesting.

Upon noticing your investigations, Battler approaches you, pulling out a key from his pocket. You notice that it's on a somewhat unique keyring, with a gold tag in the shape of a one-winged eagle.

"I found this when we were checking the room; it was in Hideyoshi's hand. Kumasawa says it's the key to Krauss' room, and from what Dad's told me, the key to this room was in Krauss' hand, right?"

Last edited at 14/08/16(Sat)14:40:13

>>15785
"Yes, that's right. So, each room's key was locked inside the other room...It's quite a classic closed room mystery scenario, isn't it? I don't suppose any other keys can open this room?"

Battler grins in response to this remark. "It feels just like something out of Christie. Or at least, it would, were it not for one glaring error.

We used Kumasawa's master key to get in. Looks like any of the servants could have set this up."

>>15787
"Oh? Well, that's very interesting. And the master keys were also supposed to be the only way to get into the servant's room where the will was kept too...But then, apparently Gohda-san told me he had a different key which opened that room, too? Kumasawa-san seemed quite flustered when I asked her about it, so whichever way you frame it, the servants certainly do seem quite suspicious, don't you think?

I expect you're thinking along the same lines, so...I suppose you plan on trying to figure out which of the servants have an alibi for these murders? Genji-san said you thought you could deduce the culprit just from this, after all."

Last edited at 14/08/16(Sat)14:50:52

"It all points to one of the servants, but... Well, that's why everyone's here. Once I get a few more answers, I'm confident that I can make a theory that answers who killed them.

Well, you've seen what you needed to. Let's head downstairs and begin checking everyone's stories."

Battler leaves, and you follow suit. Upon entering the living room, you quickly take note of who's present. George and Eva are sitting on the sofa, both still teary, whilst Jessica and Natsuhi have taken the two seats opposite them. Rudolf has gone over to stand by Kyrie near the bar, whilst the servants and Nanjo are lined up against one wall, looking at each other nervously. It seems that Rosa and Maria are still missing, however no-one seems willing to bring this fact up.

Last edited at 14/08/16(Sat)15:10:23

>>15789
"Well, then...would everyone here be willing to tell us what you were doing last night, starting from the time we all split up after receiving the letter at the dining hall? All of your testimonies could be very valuable in figuring out who the culprit is."

Last edited at 14/08/16(Sat)15:06:35

"I came to the guesthouse with Hideyoshi, then left him in our room for the night. I spent the entire night down here, and I fell asleep on the sofa." Eva's the first to offer her alibi, and it matches up with what you've heard before.

"I came over with Battler, and we spent the evening playing card games and talking. I came down to check on Mom at about... 11 p.m, and went back to the cousin's room after that." George offers his next, and Battler nods, confirming it, offering his too.

"Similarly to George, I went to check on Kyrie at about 11, before heading back and going to bed."

Kyrie and Rudolf are next, the former speaking for both of them. "After dinner, we went back to our room to discuss the letter in private. Rudolf left for a cigarette and some fresh air at about 10:30, and came back shortly after Battler came to check on me. After that, we stayed up a little longer talking, but we were in bed by midnight."

Next up is Natsuhi. "After dinner, I went to talk with my husband about the letter. However, he asked me to leave him at about 10 p.m., as he was suffering from a headache. After that, I went to check on Jessica, then shortly after I went downstairs to make sure that the dining room had been cleared and to receive Genji's report. I would estimate that it was about 11 p.m by the time I finished and went to bed."

Jessica's testimony is far more simple. "After I left you in the dining room, I went straight up to my room. I spoke with Mother at around 10, then I locked my door for the night."

Gohda, Genji, and Kumasawa all offer similar stories. From 9p.m. until 12p.m, they were working, frequently moving between the kitchen, the dining hall, and the servant's room. At no point did any of them claim to have seen anyone enter the mansion. At midnight, Genji locked the doors to the mansion, and opened them at 6:00 the next morning.

Nanjo opens his mouth, but Battler holds up his hand to stop him from speaking. "Hold on. Let Erika ask any questions before we talk about your alibi, Doctor."

>>15791
"Natsuhi-san, I have a question. Didn't Krauss-san say when the two of you left the dining room, 'Father must know about this'? Yet you've mentioned nothing about either of you talking to Kinzo-sama about the issue. Why is that, I wonder...?"

"I... I'm sorry, I missed something. Father hates being disturbed in person, so we called him using the internal line. However, as soon as my husband mentioned Beatrice, he erupted into laughter, and demanded not to be disturbed until she arrived in person." She gives a small, delicate sigh, before continuing.

"Since my husband solved the epitaph, Father's mental health has deteriorated rapidly. He has grown increasingly obsessed over the idea of Beatrice, and I fear that this may have had an ill effect on him. It would be best not to disturb him until he comes to us."

>>15793
"Unless it turns out that he's the culprit, that is. He certainly sounds like the most likely person here to be a psychopathic killer from what you're saying at the moment.

But I digress. George-san, was Eva-san asleep when you came to check on her? I'd also like to ask both you and Battler-san whether you heard anything at all from Hideyoshi-san's room. According to Eva-san, he snores quite loudly for a while when he first goes to sleep; could either of you remember when you last heard him snore? It could provide a lower limit for the time of death."

"Hm? Oh, no, Mother was still awake when I came downstairs. She had her head buried in an atlas, I think." Eva nods to confirm this, adding that she was awake until at least midnight.

Battler and George confer briefly, before confirming that they heard Hideyoshi snoring until just before 11 p.m. After that, neither of them heard anything from guestroom #2.

>>15795
"Mm, I see. Then if Eva-san was in the lounge the whole time, and Hideyoshi-san was alive when George-san went to check on her...that would imply that the murder must have occurred after Eva-san went to sleep. I don't suppose you have any idea of when that was, Eva-san?"

Battler snorts at this, and Eva gives him a foul look, before replying to your question.

"As I said before, I was awake until at least midnight; I distinctly remember hearing the clock in the corner chime. Unfortunately, I was so engrossed in my reading that I can't give you a more accurate time."

>>15797
"Okay, that's fine. Next, Genji-san...It's not related to these murders, but I'm just curious about your movements today. Gohda-san said he last saw you taking dinner to Kinzo-sama, but then we next saw you returning from the guesthouse; what made you come over here?"

"After opening the mansion doors at 6:00, I attended to a few clerical duties in the servant's room, before heading out to make the morning survey of the grounds. Usually, this falls to gardening staff, but at present we do not have anyone to fill that role.

Just after 7:30, I came to the guesthouse to make the beds, and I found Dr. Nanjo here. It appears he'd slept in guestroom #1, which was allotted to Rosa and Maria. Shortly afterwards, Master Battler's group arrived, and I was sent to fetch you after they entered guestroom #3."

>>15799
"Wait, Doctor Nanjo was sleeping in Rosa-san's room? Why didn't he have his own place to sleep, and how would he have gotten the key? I'm sure that guestroom was locked when I checked this morning..."

Nanjo finally speaks up, and this time Battler allows it.

"Well, yes... You see, when guests aren't present, it's my room, and in my old age I'm somewhat attached to routine. When I came to the mansion yesterday evening at Rosa's request, she told me that she would not be sleeping in the guesthouse, and knowing that it's usually my room, gave me the key for the night.

I'm something of a heavy sleeper, so I only awoke when Genji entered to make the bed. If you tried to rouse me before then, I'm sorry that I failed to hear you."

>>15801
"Hm, I see. Well, I think that covers all the questions I had for now. Battler-san, did you have anything you wanted to ask?"

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMVh99cpPuk

"Yeah, it's something you brought up, actually. Genji, does the servant's room have it's own key?"

Genji blinks, somewhat taken aback, before responding. "No. That would be unnecessary, as all servants have their master keys on them at all times."

Battler shoots you a smug look, before moving on. "Alright then. On the topic of master keys, do all three of you have them on you?"

At this point, you notice Kumasawa's cheeks flush angrily, and she and Genji reach into their clothes, before presenting their keys. Gohda, however, makes no such move, and turns deathly pale.

"Gohda... You don't have your key, do you?" Before the chef can utter a response, Kumasawa cuts in, giving you a glare as she speaks.

"Gohda lost his master key at some point yesterday. After the incident with the letter, we didn't want to cause a panic, so we kept it to ourselves."

Battler nods, and despite the weight of this revelation, the room remains calm. Now, he gestures to Nanjo, and the physician begins to speak once more.

"Regarding my movements last night... As I stated before, I was called to the parlor by Rosa, where I attended to some of hers and Maria's medical needs. After that, I returned to the guesthouse and went to bed, however..." He shifts uncomfortably before continuing. "I had trouble going to sleep, what with people moving about early on in the night, so at about 1 a.m., I came down here to pour myself a nightcap. At that time, the lights were on in here, but there was no-one else present. Eva's reading materials were still on the table, but at that time, I can confirm that she was not in the guest house."

Battler's foul smile returns, and all eyes fall on him as he begins to speak. "So. We know from Dr. Nanjo's testimony that Aunt Eva left the guesthouse before 1 am., and lied about it. We know that a master key is missing. And finally, we know that, when we first discovered guestroom #2, Aunt Eva was the first to rush in to see the corpse.

With all this, the identity of the culprit is clear. Eva, you killed Krauss and Hideyoshi! You snuck upstairs, and killed your husband, then locked the door with the #2 key. Then, using the master key that Gohda dropped, you entered the mansion after the servants finished working, and entered Krauss's room to kill him! You left the guesthouse key there, locked the room with his key, and returned to the guesthouse. Finally, as we went into guestroom #2, you rushed to the corpse and planted Krauss' key before any of us could notice!"

The world cracks, and the other pieces fall away. All that's left is you, Battler, and two shadowy figures at either side of a chessboard.

"Well, detective? Can you find a flaw in my reasoning? Or maybe you'd like to dream up some other, implausible 'truth'?"

Last edited at 14/08/17(Sun)12:54:54

>>15804
"It's too late to say anything for sure, Battler-san. It's also possible for Doctor Nanjo to be the culprit. He lied about Eva-san being absent from the guesthouse! He was in fact the one who found Gohda-san's lost key, and he carried out the crime during the night in the way that you described! Can you disprove it!?"

Eva was the first person into guestroom #2 when Battler's group discovered it, and she is the only person who could have planted the key at that time without being noticed.

From behind Battler, a flash rises up above the two figures, and his blue is protected from your attack by a wall of red.

"If that's the case, then how did Krauss' key arrive on Hideyoshi's corpse?"

>>15806
"That's easy! After killing Krauss-san and returning to the guesthouse, he opened Hideyoshi-san's guestroom with Gohda-san's master key, placed Krauss-san's key in there, and then locked the door with Gohda-san's master key!"

Your blue hits, and Battler staggers backwards, before offering his own rebuttal. Meanwhile, the two figures behind him seem to have paused their game, and are watching you both intently.

"If Eva was here the whole night, then she would have seen Nanjo leaving the guesthouse! Can you explain how he got about with her down here the whole time?"

>>15808
"She said she went to sleep at some point after midnight! Doctor Nanjo would just have to wait for her to fall asleep and then proceed to commit the crime!!"

Your blue strikes true and impales Battler, causing him to sink to his knees. One of the figures begins to applause, whilst the other huffs and turns back to the game, lifting and moving one of the pieces.

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZB7aTrX2bE

You're back in the guesthouse, facing a dejected and humiliated Battler. George and Eva are glaring daggers at him, whilst Kumasawa seems to be applauding quietly. Eventually, Kyrie breaks the awkward almost-silence.

"Well, I think we've proven that it's too soon to jump to any conclusions. Still, no lasting harm done. With Battler's ridiculous assumptions aside, is there anything else anyone wants to address?"

Last edited at 14/08/17(Sun)14:18:59

>>15811
"Well, as satisfying as it has been to beat that fool's pitiful logic into the ground, I believe it would be best if we could all head to the parlor next."

I explain to the people who weren't in the mansion group about why I wanted to go there earlier.

Everyone quickly agrees, and with an uneasy silence hanging over the group, you begin making your way outside. Battler walks alone at the front of the group, and the adults make up the main body, whilst you and the cousins take up the rear. George is shaking with anger, and Jessica seems happy to leave him that way, her eyes drilling holes into Battler's back for the entire journey.

As you enter the mansion, something immediately strikes you as off. The parlor doors are open, and even from this distance, you can see that they've been forced open, a considerable feat. The group stalls in the entrance hall, unsure what to make of this.

>>15813
"Oh, what's going on here...?"

I'll move toward the doors and take a look inside.

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uy6rfyZwnU

The parlor is almost exactly as you remember it from your brief visit yesterday. The curtains are pulled closed, and on the table is a small tea-set, consisting of a teapot and two cups. However, you find it difficult to focus on the details, given the horror that's sitting in one of the armchairs facing the door.

A female corpse, dressed in the clothes you saw Rosa wearing last night, is slumped forwards in the chair. The head is missing, and you and the group are treated to the gristly, disturbing image of the bloody, ragged stump of her neck.

>>15815
As usual, I'll examine the corpse more closely and survey the room.

You check the corpse, and find no wounds other than the obvious one. You notice, however, that compared to the corpse in guestroom #2, this one seems to have bled considerably less, with the only visible bloodstains being on the front of its dress.

The teacups have both been used; one has been completely drained, whilst the other is still half-full of cold tea. It has an off-putting, artificial smell to it. As you continue to investigate, you move behind one of the sofas, and are stunned by what's lying there, hidden from view to those still standing in the doorway.

Another corpse, this one that of a young girl, dressed in Maria's clothes. The head is missing, and the stump is still seeping blood into the carpet. The corpse still seems relatively warm.

>>15817
I turn to the others. "Doctor Nanjo, you said you attended to some medical needs for Rosa-san and Maria-san earlier, didn't you? Would you mind elaborating on that? I think you'll agree that this isn't the time to be worrying about their privacy."

The group seems, for the most part, to have become desensitized to the sight of bodies, however when you bring up Maria, Jessica's eyes widen, and she runs to see for herself, before recoiling with a choked sob.

Meanwhile, Dr. Nanjo manages to answer your questions, despite being rather flustered about the two new corpses.

"Well, I er... Yes. Maria is a particularly hyperactive child, and Rosa frequently asks me to provide her with a mild sedative on conference weekends, to keep her from disturbing everyone. Rosa herself struggles with getting to sleep, so she often takes a similar sedative. I keep a supply of both varieties in my bag come this weekend every year."

>>15819
"I see. Thank you for the information."

I'll then go over to the teapot and open it, in case there happens to be a severed head inside or something.

The teapot is devoid of severed heads. Some dregs remain in the bottom of the pot, long since gone cold.

>>15822
I'll examine the parlor doors more closely. Can I figure out anything about how they were forced open?

Judging by the splintering of the frame and the lack of damage to the hinges, you deduce that the doors were smashed in from the entrance hall side, by a single, massive blow.

You find that the lock for the door is still set, for what little good it's worth now.

>>15824
I clap my hands loudly, to draw everyone's attention to the detective.

"Everyone, I'd like to point out that this room was locked only a short while ago. Everyone who was with me at the time can confirm this. With that in mind, who could have broke down this door and killed Maria-chan since then?

Everyone on this island has been totally accounted for the whole time, and therefore has a perfect alibi...except for one person. ......I shouldn't have to say who that is, right? Don't you all think it's about time we went to check on Kinzo-sama?"

At this, George laughs nervously, pushing his glasses up his nose. "You're right, of course. The only person who could have done this is Grandfather..."

The world twists, and you see him in the space where you recently confronted Battler, but the vision drops as soon as it appears.

"... I will not risk myself and my daughter in such a foolish endeavor. Father keeps a stockpile of guns in his room, as you well know. If he's waiting for us up there, then it'll be a bloodbath." Natsuhi is the only person to object, and after a moment's hesitation, Jessica walks over to her.

At this, Kyrie chuckles and shrugs. "If you want to stay here alone with your dear daughter, whilst our father is running about on a rampage, be my guest. The rest of us are going up to the study, right?" A murmur of agreement rises from the rest of the group, however before they leave, Eva and Nanjo hang back, clearly waiting to talk to you. As the rest of the group make for the stairs, Natsuhi second-guesses herself, and she and Jessica follow suit.

>>15826
I'll stay back to talk to Eva and Nanjo.

"Hmm? Yes, what is it? We're about to confront the culprit, you know, it's hardly the time for interruptions."

Last edited at 14/08/17(Sun)15:29:24

"Regarding your earlier accusations-" Nanjo begins to speak, but as one should expect by now, he is not allowed to finish, as Eva interjects.

"I wanted to clear something up regarding the alibis we discussed earlier. Dr Nanjo is correct, at 1a.m., I was not in the guesthouse. At around that time, I thought I'd figured out a trick in the epitaph, and went to investigate the chapel. I was gone for about 20 minutes, but I knew if I said anything, Battler and his family would jump on it like hyenas on a corpse."

>>15828
"Ah, that makes sense. I didn't really think Doctor Nanjo was lying about it, of course, but you weren't defending yourself at the time and I couldn't see any other way of rebutting Battler-san. Your honesty is much appreciated, thank you. ...Well then, is it time to finally meet the elusive former family head? I must admit, I'm quite excited to meet him after all this build-up..."

"For your sake, I hope we don't find him. Father's a terrible man at the best of times, but if he's been driven to this..."

Eva wipes her forehead, and Nanjo offers her a sympathetic, before the two leave and make for the stairs.

>>15830
I go along with them.

New thread >>15832

Last edited at 14/08/17(Sun)15:58:43