>>19991
Alright, you'd probably get it next post. Krauss was already in the bathroom. The culprit disguised themselves as Krauss to enter, which is who Rosa saw. She of course didn't get a good look at their face so she went based off clothing.

Don't celebrate too soon though, Rosa had visuals on the hall from when everyone left to when everyone (besides Krauss) returned. Yet she only saw a single instance of someone entering.

I'm sorry I didn't manage to do your mystery the respect it deserves. I've thoroughly enjoyed this. Let's see how long it takes me to get the rest, I only have a few more details to put together.

The culprit lay in plain sight when Genji entered the bathroom, and thusly was not hiding. The culprit pretended to be a murdered Krauss while the real Krauss' corpse was hidden. The tissues were used to clean up the true scene of the crime. When Genji went to get Nanjo, the culprit switched places with the real corpse again and hid where they hid the corpse.

>>19993
Oh don't worry, it isn't quite over yet. When Genji unlocked the door the only person in the room was the dead body of Krauss.

The murderer is dead and thusly was not counted as a present individual when Genji entered the room.

>>20004
I think my last red already shows that dead people count.

If Rosa only saw one person...

Genji entered the room disguised as Krauss.

>>20006
To clarify, Rosa seeing only one person entering the bathroom is referring to the time between when everyone left and returned. Genji unlocked the door after that so it is excluded from the red.

Pardon me if I'm beginning to forget reds, but surely the culprit left the bathroom out of disguise while everyone was returning to the dining hall and blended in amongst the others.

>>20008
I suppose the definition allows for that loophole. Although this is a bit wordy lets say, Nobody entered the hallway from the bathroom during the conference break. The break being the defined time slot of when everyone left and then returned.

the culprit is george and he used his immense body weight to escape through the floor into the boiler room below

>>20010
Of course, a new exit/entrance wasn't made in the bathroom. Everyone would have noticed that after all.

The culprit escaped outside with a method that left no footprints in the mud, such as stilts. Genji closed the window when he entered the room.

>>20012
While creative, that would have still made noticeable marks in the mud so, During this game there were never any marks in the mud.

The culprit used snow shoes or some other method that would have prevented them from leaving marks in the mud!

>>20014
Let's pretend Battler has super mud senses, Putting any pressure on the mud at all would have created a mark.

The culprit previously established a zipline they used to get from the bathroom window to a safe location without leaving a mark in the mud.

Last edited at 16/10/05(Wed)15:56:41

>>20016
I'm not that mean, so I'll give it to you since the concept is the same, There was a rope pulley tied to a window in Kinzo's study. So the culprit never had to touch the ground.

However I'll spring a different question on you, the servants all investigated and couldn't find anything related to the crime. If the culprit hide the rope somewhere or on their person it would have been found.

You've come this far, this should be simple right?

That can only mean that the culprit didn't take the rope or that the culprit didn't take the rope.

Ushiromiya Kinzo took possession of the rope device used!!!

>>20018
Nobody else took or hid the rope.

... Which leaves me with the other of the two possibilities.

The rope pulley system was not removed as it would arouse no suspicion. It may have been a device with which Kinzo could send laundry to the bathroom for collection without opening his door.

>>20020
It was used solely for the murder and would have been seen as suspicious if anyone found it.

Which part was used solely for the murder? The rope, the pulley system or both?

I have three more ideas and counting.

The rope pulley system, perhaps while the culprit attempted to disassemble it, was suddenly swept away towards the rose garden by the typhoon on Rokkenjima Island.

>>20023
The disappearance of the device was intentional on the culprit's part. It was not blown away by the wind.

The culprit destroyed the device completely, leaving no trace which could be identified as suspicious!

>>20025
Any idea where or how?

Naturally, it was the fireplace inside Kinzo's study.

>>20027
Correct. After it was no longer needed the rope and wooden pulley were burned in the fireplace in Kinzo's study. After all it was well stocked and still burning when they went to investigate.

The main mysteries of the howdunit are solved, but somethings haven't been stated yet so feel free to write up how it all happened. Then we can move onto the whodunit.

Certainly.

The murderer dressed up as Krauss and entered into the bathroom while Rosa was watching. There, they took toilet paper and wrapped the knife with it so as not to leave fingerprints. Following this, they stabbed Krauss and left the knife in his body before fleeing out of the window using a rope/pulley system which took them to Kinzo's Study. They immediately disposed of all evidence in the fireplace, including their Krauss costume. Finally, all they had to do was to walk out of the study and allow the auto-locking mechanism to do the rest of the work.

>>20029
One thing, When Krauss left the parlor he did not immediately enter the bathroom. So to Rosa it seemed like Krauss left, then returned later to enter the bathroom.

So you're saying Krauss wasn't seen entering the bathroom by Rosa.

Krauss entered into Kinzo's study and discovered the pulley system. He followed it into the bathroom, at which point the culprit then walked into the bathroom whilst disguised as him. Krauss got wet while he was outside, so the culprit knocked him out, swapped clothes with him and then murdered him.

Last edited at 16/10/05(Wed)17:04:37

>>20032
More or less. Krauss was knocked out in the study and put on the pulley after being stripped. The culprit lowered Krauss down, put on his clothing, then went downstairs to the bathroom. After redressing Krauss they did the deed and left through the window back up to the study.

Amazing.

Ushiromiya Kinzo is the culprit. He may have become displeased with his son for wasting his assets and knocked him out in a fit of rage. Discontent to have Krauss inherit his fortune, he decided to turn the knockout into a murder.

>>20034
You'll have to give a bit more to make me start crossing off suspects. I'm looking for some evidence or reasoning that would make you suspect someone beyond possible motives.

Aside from the possible motive there are hints in the form of the fantasy scenes, wherein Krauss interacts with Kinzo while in the bathroom - but Krauss should have already been unconscious or even dead by then.

Most importantly, Kinzo is the number one person with access to Kinzo's study - it would have been easiest for him to set up the pulley system without being discovered.

It's just possible Kinzo didn't originally intend to kill Krauss, but something caused him to change his mind.

>>20102
That is true, most of it was based around his study and he is currently missing. Kinzo isn't the culprit. In fact he is already dead, but you don't need to solve that.

My next suspect would be George. He went to the bathroom, apparently, but nobody saw him so much as try to approach the bathroom in the mansion. If he'd been seen approaching and realised it was in use, I'd believe that he went for a piss outside and brought the tissues to clean up. Maybe on the mud. God knows.

But since he didn't, I suspect him of the crime.

Good reasoning. Let us take a look.

---

"Wait a second, shouldn't Rosa have seen George?" Kyrie asks the group.

"That's right, there is only one bathroom after all I should have seen him," Rosa says.

With eyes on George he starts to become flustered.

"No wait thats..."

"Nah, I get it George," Battler suddenly says, "That tissue box says everything. You... didn't make it did you?"

George hungs he head in shame.

"George had to go in the forest and clean up with the tissues. Thus he did go to the bathroom, just not.. well you know."

---

George is not the culprit.

i love it

My next suspect is Natsuhi, mainly because she has the most reliable access to the study. The story says she returned to the parlour, but then the next paragraph says she picks up the phone on her bedside table. This seems to indicate there was a window of time in which she could have committed the murder and given herself an alibi, by asking for a drink to be sent.

>>20128
Time discrepancy, fair enough. Natsuhi isn't the culprit.

I should mention that, like how the rope was disposed of, the whodunit is also hinted at least to the point of suspicion.

Hmmmm.

Genji put Kanon and Shannon on duty in the guesthouse, which essentially enables him to move freely. He also could have accessed the kitchen to get a knife with ease, and furthermore had access to the study. He was then able to return and pretend to discover the crime.

Genji is the culprit.

>>20130
Knowing Ninja Genji he probably could have moved around even if Kanon and Shannon were there. I don't know about you but he seems like a cool guy.

Still your move though.

RYUJIN NO KEN WO KURAE

Forgive my lateness.

The crime began in Kinzo's study. The invited Krauss in to speak of important business, perhaps involving Kinzo's inheritance. He then knocked Krauss unconscious and stole his clothes. A device was used to lower Krauss' body into the bathroom.

The culprit dressed up in the clothes he stole from Krauss and disguised himself before going downstairs and entering the bathroom, where he returned the clothes to Krauss and stabbed him. After this, it was a matter of him escaping with the device he made and obtaining a bloodless change of clothes after a failed attempt to clean off the blood. Following this, he decided to return to the parlour and bide his time until he saw fit to 'conveniently' discover the murder.

Of course, there is one person with the opportunity to do just that.

Genji is the culprit, who had the opportunity to organise the servants' schedule to minimise conflicts with his plan, the access to Kinzo's Study and the opportunity to construct his transportation device. He premeditated the murder for reasons uncertain - he may have wished to guarantee the inheritance falls to Sayo, or he may simply have held a grudge against Krauss for his disrespect towards Kinzo.

Last edited at 16/12/05(Mon)09:57:44

>>20169
Since the game has been going on for a while I don't mind denying that, Genji isn't the culprit.

I can still think of a good amount of possibilities, each progressively more absurd than the last. For now:

Kyrie Ushiromiya's alibi is only valid before Genji reaches the Servant's Room. It's unusual for Kyrie to stand in front of the Epitaph after saying she went for fresh air, especially since she has access to a copy of the epitaph from Rudolf.

Furthermore, both Kyrie and Rudolf were late to return to the parlour. Most puzzling of all was the fact that Rudolf went all the way to the Guest House bathroom - despite the fact that we now know it was unoccupied, as Krauss did not go immediately to the bathroom.

In addition, Rudolf picked up the wrong cookie somewhere - he should have had a moon cookie according to Maria's system. He must have taken someone else's - both Kinzo's and Krauss' are unaccounted for.

The culprit is Kyrie Ushiromiya, who was helped by Rudolf. Rudolf may have been the one who dressed up as Krauss after Kyrie knocked him out and left him downstairs.

I won't use red, but you are on the right track.

Rudolf Ushiromiya is the culprit.

Kyrie knocked out Krauss. Rudolf arrived at the study, changed into his disguise, lowered Krauss' body, left the study, entered the bathroom, stabbed Krauss, left via the pulley system and took the cookie which was intended for Kinzo.

>>20173
“Oi, old man,” Battler suddenly said, “Where did you get that cookie from?”

Everyone looked up at the sudden cut in the silence. They had been discussing how it could have even happened, and some theories seemed to work but they still had to wonder… who? Someone comments about the plate of cookies and says he must have got it from there, but Rudolf answered cautiously.

“Yeah what they said. Was I not supposed to take one?”

At this time Battler stood up, “You’re lying.” Most of the other members didn’t know what this meant since they hadn’t heard the explanation of the different cookie designs. This was quickly explained.

“You had to unwrap yours. The ones on the plate are clearly already unwrapped, after all George who could barely move put one straight to his mouth. Meaning not only did you not get your own cookie from your room but you also have someone else’s” Battler stated.

“Now hold it there Battler, Maria probably just mixed them up right?” Rudolf suggests.

“Uu-uu! Maria did not!” she squeals.

“Yeah I don’t think so either. Kinzo's cookie was stuffed under the door from the looks that bag of crumbs we found. And nobody else here is saying they lost theirs…That only leaves Krauss’ cookie.”

Battler asks the servants if they found any cookies in the mansion search, and they confirm they did not.

Rudolf laughs at the whole situation, “It’s just a misunderstanding. I picked it up in his study while we were all investigating. I didn’t think it would be a big deal.”

Mumbles throughout the group prove his case isn’t very convincing but they can’t quite deny the possibility. Until that is…

“There is one more thing that bothered me,” Battler starts. “Genji, when you found Krauss, how was that toilet paper in the blood at that time?”

Genji thinks for a moment wondering what Battler is trying to ask and seems to get it, “It was just as you found it later. Slighted ripped and squished into the tiled floor around the part soaked in blood.”

“Good, then that means that must have happened after the body had been lying there for some time. In other words, if my theory is correct, the culprit should have stepped on that blooded toilet paper and gotten some on their shoes… Let’s see the bottoms old man…”

Rudolf doesn’t know how to react. He looks at his shoe, uncertain himself at what he would find.
Slowly… he lift the shoe for everyone to see…

---

>>20174
The witch’s tearoom is filled with the pleasant aroma of tea slowly evaporating.

“That is correct. Rudolf was the culprit. A fun little game if I say so myself,” she says taking a bite of a cookie.

“Hmm? The pieces had to pinpoint Rudolf as the culprit? Well of course, that is what the green was for. Interrogating the suspects could have let you reach the same conclusions has Battler, or simply solving it with red and blue suffices. Same goes for Kyrie, and accomplice could have been possible or not.”

“What happened after that? Who knows? Maybe Rudolf committed suicide, perhaps the bomb went off killing everyone, or possibly they simply caught Rudolf and dealt with him however they saw fit. In the end the entertainment for tonight was simply the mystery itself after all.”

The witches waves their arms and the teapot vanishes. “If you are satisfied I must be going. I do hope you enjoyed. I will send an invitation if there is ever another little get together like this. Ciao.”

With that the tea room went quiet, and the game came to an end.