A witch sat opposite from the mellow crowd. There was no animosity, no danger, but simply a small gathering of friends.

“I don’t know quite how often this will occur,” the witch stated, “But since it was put together so quickly I will serve specific rare blends of my tea collection to mark it better in your minds.”

As this was said several teacups and pots with the brewed beverage popped into existence and over to the individuals.

“For all I know this may be the only pot brewed… we shall see.”

With a wave of their hand the gameboard enlarged and spread over the minds of everyone present.

“Kanon, Shannon, you two will be stationed in the guesthouse tonight,” Genji stated monotone as ever. “I may send Kumasawa over later to help out.” The servants were busy this year at the family conference. It had some at a quite peculiar time when renovations were being done on the mansion and all the guestrooms in the building were blocked off and unusable. The workers were asked to leave for the conference, as to not disturb the family.

“The keys to the guesthouse are in the servant room. You will be responsible for locking up Kanon.”

“Understood,” Kanon replied. With Genji gone the two had some time to breath.

“He really doesn’t know how to smile does he,” Kanon remarked.

Shannon giggled at his reaction, “You shouldn’t be too hard on him, after all look at our positions tonight.”

“What do you mean?”

“Genji knows full well George and everyone will invite us to play with them. We will hardly be doing our jobs.”

“Hmph, if you say so.”

The walked by Gohda in the kitchen literally crying over his spilt milk and continued forth to the servant room.

“So that is the plan?” Eva asked her husband who was trying on different suits. The large walk in closet had no end in sight, filled with a ridiculous amount of clothing. Inside was something that looked very similar to something once worn by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

“What about this one…” he said holding it up to his sizable body, “And don’t worry, the others won’t be able to hold up… here, what about this red one?”

Eva gave him a stern glance. “Is that supposed to be subtle?”

“...Alright, you’re right, let's be a bit more serious.”

Later in the evening when dinner had been served and the adults had retreated into their lair to discuss whatever adult-things that parents warn their children about, the cousins had returned to the guesthouse, where George, Battler, and Maria’s immediate family was staying for the night. Gathered around the bar in the lobby things were getting quite heated.

“I think you should have to draw two for that!” Battler cried out in response to his increasing terrible standing in the game.

Jessica gave him a playful sneer, “Hehe, only if you get down on your knees and beg!”

George sat off to the side laughing with them, as his cards were all gone he had finished first. “I hope we aren’t bothering you are we Doctor Nanjo?” he called over to the fat old man in the corner.

“Oh not at all, background noise helps me focus you know. Please don’t mind me,” he explained in a jovial manner.

“Uu-uu, is Battler losing!” Maria shrieked as she entered the room.

“Gah!” Battler reacts as if he was physically stabbed by her words, “Everyone is ganging up on me! Welcome back Maria... er, where did you even go anyway?”

“Uu, handing out cookies!” She says with a grin and produces her bag to show said confections. Small sugar cookies wrapped in their own individual plastic bags each have little moons in blue icing decoration on top. “I made one for everyone!.” she says and hands some out to those present.

“Uh what about me?” Jessica asks.

“Onnnnnne sec!” Maria says while digging in her bag. She pulls out another cookie with the sun decorated on it instead and presents it to her.

“These look awesome Maria! Why is mine a sun instead of a moon though?”

“Uu! Since your room is in the mansion you get a sun cookie,” she then goes on to creepily explain her reasoning involving pentagrams and other various magical objects until the cousins can manage stop her.

At this time Kanon and Shannon would enter and join in on the fun.

Krauss sighed as the door to Kinzo’s study closed. From across the room Kinzo called out to him.

“Are they still not satisfied?” Kinzo asked.

“They no longer doubt you are alive after seeing you in person of course, but yes they aren’t happy with the outcome,” Krauss admits.

“Fools. They should have seen this coming... just how in debt are they all. They should have known, you are the eldest and have the right to the family once I am gone.”

“My sources tell me even if we split the money evenly they still won’t have quite enough,”

Silence crept over the cold study as Kinzo took a sip from his goblet. He sat looking somewhat at home in his bed which had been moved into the main room of the study.

“Perhaps I’ll need to set something up,” Kinzo muttered under his breath.

Krauss stopped himself from asking if he said something, for if he knew that if Kinzo hadn’t said something directly it wasn't for his ears.

Outside the thunder cracked.

“Thank you Genji,” said Kyrie. She gently took the teacup and raised it to her lips.

The parlor which held heated discussions moments prior now felt bare with Kyrie, Rosa, and Genji currently being the only occupants.

Rosa slid down slightly in her chair, clearly tired from the whole ordeal. “If only grandfather would admit that legend about the gold was true. That would be enough money to end this whole fiasco,” she said.”

“Indeed. If only,” Kyrie said calmly while eating a biscuit.

After some moments of silence, without any of the other members returning to the parlor Kyrie stood up “I think I will get some fresh air myself.” Rosa watched her leave through the parlor door and down the hall. From where Rosa sat she could clearly see from here to the end of the mansion through the main hallway. It contained the doors to the main hall, bathroom, and dining room.

With her mind dozing off Rosa closed her eyes for a moment and let her thoughts wander. Money... family... Maria...; all swirling around into a tempest. Some time later Rosa heard footsteps and opened her eyes to the hallway. She looked over to the hall and saw Krauss, about halfway down the hall heading into the bathroom as the door closed behind him.

Shortly after that Natsuhi returned to the parlor.

Natsuhi sat quietly looking out the window at the state of the island. The trees were dark and soggy, with the wind flapping its branches like someone’s hair.

Like Rosa she was clearly tired. She rubbed her temples and headed for the door, but she paused and withdrew her hand. Moving it from the door, with the rest of her body over to the phone by her bedside table and she picked it up instead.

“Hey kids, how's it hanging?” Rudolf called. He entered the lobby of the guestroom where the cousins were still at it with their games. Shannon and Kanon were watching, waiting to join in on the next round.

“Is it over already?” George asks.

“Nah. Just a break for now,” he responds. Rudolf heads over to the bar and starts to prepare himself a drink.

They continue to talk for a few minutes before Rudolf speaks up again.

“Actually, where is the bathroom again?” As he asks this George stops mid getting up, and the two lock eyes.

“Can you hold it Uncle? I haven’t had a chance to go yet.”

“I don’t think so, I am in the same situation you see. Unlike me you had a chance to go, right?”

After a quick rock paper scissors George starts to hurry over to the mansion as Rudolf takes his spot in the guesthouse bathroom.

“Man that is going to get annoying. Why didn’t they install another toilet somewhere during these renovations?” Battler asks Jessica.

“Well it wasn’t an issue when you guys weren’t here, just didn’t consider the family conference I suppose.”

“Uu, draw Battler!” Maria cries in glee.

“UUUUUUUUUHHHOOOOOOOOO NOOOO,” shrieks Battler overdramatically.

Krauss was alone in the bathroom, thinking about what exactly was going on.

“Is this really okay father? I’m not sure if it will work.”

With a few twists of the knob Krauss fell silent once again in thought.

He finishes his business and went to go wash his hands.

“This is it folks. It is down to the final two. The Big Bad Battler vs the Mystical Maria, who will win in this final bout!?” Jessica calls with a fake bread stick microphone in her hand.

“Oi it is pick-on-Battler day or something!?” he yells back.

“There!” Maria says and quickly brings down her hand on the card.

Stunned silence.

“Nooooooooooooooooooo!” Battler falls to the ground in defeat.

“And we have a winner!” Jessica grabs Maria’s hand and raises it up with enthusiasm.

“Excellent work Maria,” Shannon gives a small clap.

At this time George reenters the room and throws an empty tissue box into the trash.

“Uu-uu George! Battler lost! Battler lost!”

“I know ahaha,” he responds, “I could hear you before I even entered the building you were so loud.”

Eva and Hideyoshi had returned at this point, eventually Rudolf and Kyrie as well, but Krauss was still missing.

“Does he think the study is that impenetrable?” Hideyoshi asks out loud.

Natsuhi responds quite miffed at her husband being degraded in front of her, “If you were just more patient I’m sure he will be down any second now.”

“Oh please,” Eva starts, “We’ve have been more patient than you trying to raise Jessica properly,”

Before Natsuhi and Eva got into an argument Rosa speaks up, “Actually I saw him go into the bathroom just a while ago. He should still be in there I think.”

Genji is asked to go get him and Rosa watches the butler head over to the door and knock. He then says something and knocks again. He tries the door to find it locked, and he takes out his master key, unlocks the door, then heads inside...

As the games were well into their third rounds Genji enters the lobby. Kanon and Shannon go stiff expecting him to say something, but he quickly heads over to Nanjo and the two of them leave quickly.

Battler notices this too, but everyone else seemed too interested in the game.

“Oh where did Nanjo go?” Jessica asks absentmindedly.

“Hey, uh, I’m going to go to the bathroom, someone take my spot…” Battler call back to them, already out the door.

Tick… tick… tick…

Everyone was gathered in the parlor now. Silent, soft sobs from some members.

Krauss’ body had been found in the bathroom. He had been stabbed in chest and was found lying on his back with a kitchen knife still sticking out of him. Krauss’s normally slicked hair was crumpled up and messy and his jacket was off center. Blood had gathered around and started to drain down the pipe.

Next to the pipe was a few squares of toilet paper trailing from the toilet, the end in the blood was torn and squished into the space between the files. Battler had managed to arrive as Nanjo was checking the body, apparently he must have been killed less than an hour ago. The window was locked from the inside as well, and there was no footprints in the mud outside the window. The sink was running when the room was discovered as well. There was also no ledges to grab or anything to avoid stepping in the mud outside the window to be seen.

Inside of the bathroom there was a sink, a trash can, a toilet, and a bathtub separated by a sliding door. Battler checked Krauss’ body and inside was the family ring, a pocket watch, and pen.

After this Kumasawa and Gohda were tasked to bring everyone in the guesthouse to the parlor, and Hideyoshi, Rudolf, Genji, Eva, Battler and Genji went to get grandfather.

Genji had unlocked the study door for them, but upon entering Kinzo had disappeared. One of Maria’s cookies was stuffed under the door and was now just a messy bag of crumbs. They searched the study carefully but couldn’t find him anywhere. The fireplace was still lit and burning nicely however, and all the windows were locked from the inside as well, but due to the auto-lock on the main door to the study it was concluded that he must have went off somewhere, after all who would put it past grandfather to take a stroll in the rain? The knife was confirmed to be from the kitchen, although Gohda thought he had just misplaced it.

The servants did a scan of all the rooms in the mansion to see if anything else was odd, but could not find anything to note.

Now they sat. The adults were gathered around a coffee table and the cousins were right next to them on an adjacent one. Next to a flower vase a plate of Maria’s leftover incandescent cookies had been placed, although at this time most had not been touched.

“I completely forgot about these,” Rudolf says has he snaps the sun in half with his teeth and letting his wrapper fall to the floor.

George reaches out from the plate and takes one lethargically, managing to do nothing but lift it from the plate to his mouth and take a nibble. Perhaps it was to just take their mind off, but here and there the others took a few and ate a bit. During this time Battler was thinking about what everyone had said regarding their alibis.

Rosa: I never left the parlor, I saw Krauss entering the bathroom sometime after Kyrie and Genji had already left the room.

Hideyoshi: Me and my wife went to the dining hall for some place to talk alone.

Eva: That’s right. Rosa had a line of sight from the dining room door, so they would have noticed if we left.

Kyrie: I had actually went to the main hall and was reading the epitaph. Genji saw me there.

Rudolf: I had returned to the guesthouse and chatted with the kids for a bit. After I came back to the parlor to resume the discussion.

Natsuhi: I went to my room to get some medicine, my head was hurting you see. I called Gohda for a drink during that time and he brought it to me after a few minutes.

Genji: I had stayed in the parlor to serve Rosa and Kyrie, after Kyrie left I returned to the servant room to take maintenance. I was called back to the parlor after Kinzo’s children and spouses had returned.

Shannon: After I finished up the laundry in the mansion Kanon and I went to play games with the cousins. We remained there until Krauss was found.

Kanon: That is correct. I was tasked with locking the guesthouse so I made sure everything was in order before playing card games.

Kumasawa: I’m afraid I was napping in one of the mansion rooms, these old bones aren’t getting any younger you see. I was called after Krauss was found.

Gohda: Of course I was in the kitchen all night. My desert was ruined you see and I had ran out of milk and… Well that doesn’t matter. Oh right, I also brought a drink to Natsuhi at one point.

Nanjo: I was reading in the lobby with the children until Genji came to get me.

George: Like Maria, Jessica, Dr. Nanjo, and Battler we had returned to the guesthouse after supper before the adults had begun talking. Later Shannon and Kanon, joined us. After Rudolf came I left the guesthouse to go to the bathroom but was back before Krauss was found.

Maria: Uu-uu, I went and gave cookies to everyone, but the adults were busy so I put there in their rooms. Then we played cards!

Jessica: Yeah I was in the lobby the whole time.

Battler: Same, but I went over when Nanjo and Genji ran off since something seemed off.

Battler scratched his head trying to put something together but to no avail. He turned slightly to the window, thinking he saw something out of the corner of his eye, but nothing was there...

Kinzo wandered the garden, fully aware of the situation after peeking through the windows of the mansion. He was searching among the rose bushes for something.

“To think someone would dare challenge me… heheh.”

He stopped in front of the arbor, where a figure sat with a closed umbrella. They sipped from a teacup as Kinzo approached.

“Was it you?” Kinzo asked.

The figured didn’t respond, however on the table was a chessboard, and Kinzo knew the next action to be taken. He sat down opposite and began to think…

Alright, your move.

Thank you very much. I will take this slow for now. Since I'm green, I'll start with the very same.

I would like to ask each of Kinzo's children if they saw their father today.

Last edited at 16/09/25(Sun)13:06:43

>>19951
Eva: Last time I saw him was after dinner. He announced Krauss would be getting most of the money when he dies, not that we didn't already expect that.

Rudolf: Yeah he sure gave us an earful. Then he went right back to his study.

Rosa: That was the last time I saw him too.

This is very interesting. So the green text is like the red truth in the sense that it can be selectively witheld by the author of this tale, but unlike it in the sense that it cannot necessarily be relied upon as accurate. Something like the purple declaration.

I have a few theories about this story. One more green for now, we should be getting to the good ol' blue soon.

Genji. Can you confirm Kyrie's alibi?

>>19954
Genji: Yes. I saw Kyrie looking at the epitaph as I went back to the servant room. She was with the others in the parlor when I returned.

Krauss is not dead. Krauss faked his death with fake blood and a fake corpse, but George walked in while he was in the process of creating the scene. Krauss hid in the bathtub, but George came across the fake blood. He began trying to clean it up with toilet roll, but as this wasn't enough, he proceeded to use a box of tissues. Once George was gone, Krauss planted the fake corpse and Nanjo - who was in on the idea - appeared at the scene and gave a false examination.

>>19956
A nice theory, however Krauss is certainly dead.

I have so many theories I don't know where to begin. Looks like it'll be a closed room blitz without the closed room for a while.

The culprit was already in the bathroom before Krauss entered, hiding in the tub. They hid again in the tub after murdering Krauss.

>>19958
One at a time I suppose, When Genji unlocked and entered the bathroom nobody was hiding in the room.

Interesting you'd say that.

Genji is the culprit. Gohda was phoned to bring a drink to Natsuhi as a signal of when Krauss went to the bathroom. Genji stabbed him and then reported the crime.

Last edited at 16/09/28(Wed)20:54:45

>>19960
I see, so he entered and killed him before bringing everyone to look eh?

When Genji unlocked the door Krauss was already dead.

Well, it makes sense you wouldn't deny Genji as the culprit yet. I'd like to eliminate the obvious before I go after him or any suspects, though.

Krauss committed suicide, possibly with the intention of passing his fortune on to his family.

It seems more likely he was murdered, but I'll try my luck.

Last edited at 16/09/28(Wed)21:03:18

>>19962
Of course, Krauss was murdered.

Krauss was killed by trap X, that may have been poison gas from the pipe. When Genji unlocked the door, he placed a knife in his corpse in order to disguise the murder method.

>>19964
Heh, old faithful. Krauss was not killed by a trap. A trap being something set up in order to kill someone remotely after being triggered - in case you were to ask for my definition.

Kinzo, how many bathrooms are in the mansion building?

>>19966
Kinzo: Currently only one due to renovations.

Wh-- you're kidding me! I thought that was a red herring!!

Ushiromiya George is the culprit. He stabbed Krauss and climbed out the window without leaving footprints. When Genji investigated the scene, he closed and locked the window.

>>19968
How could he have not left any footprints? Did George use magic to fly away?

Looks like we're going to play it this way for a while.

The mud was solid and not wet, and it would thusly leave no footprints.

>>19970
If someone stepped in the mud it would have left footprints that would have been impossible to not notice even if covered up.

Thought so. But can you deny other methods exist to exit the window without leaving footprints, such as climbing on the gutter above or by shimmying across the bricks?

>>19973
Well it was said so, but I'm feeling generous.
As seen when investigating there are no ledges, cracks, or footholds that someone could reach from the window. The gutter drain seems to be removed from the renovations, leaving no footholds.

And presumably, no-one could have leapt over the mud?

>>19975
Correct, It was too far to jump over the mud.

Hmm. Another throwaway.

There was a secret passage or another exit to the room, which the culprit used to escape after committing the murder.

>>19977
No hidden passages exist in this game.

Rosa, who did you notice enter the bathroom from the moment everyone left the dining hall to the moment they returned sans Krauss?

Last edited at 16/09/30(Fri)19:14:25

>>19979
Rosa: I don't think anyone else entered.

I'll keep rereading. While I do,

Rosa stabbed Krauss. He fled into the bathroom, locked the door and attempted to stop the bleeding with toilet rolls, but bled out.

>>19981
Interesting image, Krauss did not lock the door himself.

Rosa entered the bathroom and stabbed Krauss. She then left. When Genji came to the scene, he locked it by accident, not realising the door was already unlocked. He then unlocked it again.

>>19983
Nobody locked the door by accident.

Upon review, I still haven't solved it. But I feel like I've gotten a little bit closer.

Krauss was fed a poison cookie and started to cough up blood when he arrived in the bathroom. He started cleaning up his own blood with toilet paper. When Genji arrived at the bathroom to check on Krauss, the latter begged to be put out of his misery. Genji obliged, stabbed him and went to bring the others.

Last edited at 16/10/01(Sat)09:52:56

>>19985
That is a fun theory, but I have to deny it. Krauss was never poisoned or drugged, he was killed by the knife

I have a theory of sorts.

The murder victim Krauss is someone else disguised as Krauss.

>>19987
Hmm, The one found dead is without a doubt Krauss.

Hideyoshi disguised himself as Krauss and entered the bathroom. The real Krauss also entered the bathroom. Hideyoshi stabbed the real Krauss, then left the bathroom. This way Rosa saw nobody enter or leave except Krauss.

Last edited at 16/10/02(Sun)10:14:58

>>19989
Rosa only saw one person enter the bathrooom.

I think I'm getting it. Perhaps not.

The culprit was already in the bathroom when Krauss arrived, disguised as Krauss. After killing him, they left.

>>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.