Maps:

Guesthouse F1

Guesthouse F2

Mansion F1

Mansion F2 Glance

Mansion F3

2nd Floor Murders

Fire Guesthouse1

Fire Guesthouse2

Fourth theory! There's a basement in the guesthouse that the culprit hid inside! They started the fire from down there! Then they killed Rudolf from down there too!

>>7484
When Rudolf was killed the basement was completely set a flame.
Rudolf was not killed from the basement.

>>7485
It's all about the timing. When I say the culprit hid there, I mean before Rudolf was killed. Is that true?

>>7486
Not a single person was in the basement from when the fire started to when Rudolf was killed.

Fifth theory. The culprit hid on the first floor! Once they set the fire there, they went upstairs right before our group did! Then they actually caused part of the second floor to cave in, as they wanted to block our path! They noticed Rudolf had entered Guest Room #4 via the hole in the wall, so they went inside via the main door and stabbed him! Then they left via the same main door just as quickly! Of course, they locked the main door with their key after leaving! And finally, they jumped out of one of the many windows available to them in the hallway, the book archive, or Guest Room #5!!!

>>7488
When you, Battler, and Rudolf reached the second floor, at that time you were the only people there!

>>7489
Hold it! I only said that because I assumed they took the stairs! But it's possible for them to take a different way up to the second floor without using the stairs! Which means the culprit could then arrive on the second floor AFTER our group did! Perhaps they climbed a rope or something through the floor of Guest Room #5! It's a devil's proof! The rest of my theory holds true!!!

>>7490
"The only possible entrance to the second floor from the inside of the guesthouse are the stairs!

And don't forget, they were blocked off once you made it to the second floor!"

>>7491
Returning to my first theory.

>Even in the state you were in, you would have noticed if someone had passed you.

But I did hear someone pass me! I heard the sound of something moving!

>>7492
"You heard the sound of the banister falling and breaking a hole in the wall, which was behind you.

Face it, there is no way you can solve this! You should just give up and die!
Literally. Kyahahaha!"

>>7493
>When Battler passed through the small hole blocking the top of the stair case, it collapsed; preventing anyone from going up or down the stairs.

Again, for my first theory. There's no problem if the status of the stairs changed from "blocked" to "not blocked" after the stairs collapsed!

>>7494
From when you three entered the second floor; which collapsed the hole, to when Rudolf was killed, the staircase never became non-blocked or unblocked!

>>7495
My first theory, again. The culprit hid inside the utility room! Then they followed behind us! However, Battler caused the staircase to become unusable, trapping the culprit on the staircase -- neither the first nor second floor! The staircase is also adjacent to Guest Room #4, so the culprit found a way to get in, possibly using that same hole in the wall! Then they killed Rudolf, left via the door of the guest room, and jumped out any of the windows available to them!!!

>>7500
"I already stated that the only entrances to Guestroom #4 are the windows, door and the hole, which connects directly to the hallway. All of which are on the second floor.

That theory simply doesn't work."

>>7501
You never said that it didn't connect to the staircase! My theory works just fine!

>>7502
From when you entered the Guesthouse with Maria and Battler, to when Rudolf was killed the culprit never once entered the utility room.

>>7503
Obviously the culprit entered before Maria, Battler and I got there.

>>7504
Nobody was in the guesthouse when you three entered.

>>7505
Sixth theory. As Rudolf entered the room through the hole in the wall, a trap activated, causing the mechanical noise that I heard. The thud was Rudolf's body falling. There was no need for the culprit to even be in the guesthouse, if they were at all!!!

>>7506
It is forbidden for this case to be resolved with clues that are not presented.

"Where is this trap X you so dearly love?"

>>7507
"Hmmmmmmmmm? Is that all? Well then..."

Erika starts to walk towards you.

>>7507
THE BLACK THREAD! BATTLER FOUND IT IN THAT ROOM! THAT'S JUST THE EVIDENCE I NEED!!!

>>7509
Your blue flies at Erika, only to put cut up like a leaf in the breeze.

The black thread has nothing to do with how Rudolf's murder was COMMITTED!

Standing next to Erika is a girl wielding a sword similar to what Erika had used. Her attire resembles that of a chess piece.

"Oh Dlanor you only decided to appear now?" Erika says while smirking.
"I was getting tired of this man making theories without any logical BACKINGS" Dlanor says.

"Well whatever, just let me finished him off." Erika continues her walk towards your decimated body.

>>7510
There doesn't need to be any evidence for a trap! All the evidence burned up!

>>7511
"It has already been stated that it is forbidden for this case to be resolved with clues that are not PRESENTED!"

>>7512
Perhaps it was that 'cry'! The culprit's trained seagull cried, causing all the glass inside the guesthouse to shatter at once! It impaled Rudolf, causing him to stagger into the Guest Room #4! But the fatal blow came from the ceiling, which hit him in the head once more, and he toppled over onto the bed, blood exploding alongside the walls!

>>7513
"Have you even heard a seagull cry during this game? I KNOW I HAVEN'T!

Erika picks you up with the back of her scythe and throws you across the room like a play toy. Your chest gets slightly cut and there is now a slight gash on your chest.

"Maybe I should put it in a way you would understand: The method of murder, and the means of detecting it, must be be rational!

Just give up, it's disgusting to look at you."

>>7514
...Rudolf really wasn't dead when I found him... He was faking his death, using the old ball under the armpit trick...so I couldn't feel his pulse, and thus he was killed later than I thought he was...!

>>7515
"That sounds like another theory to me! You have already used six theories. The only theories you can currently make have to involved one of them!"

>>7516
Then, what if the trap was actually the fire itself...?!

>>7517
"How would have fire caused those wounds on Rudolf's body? That's hardly rational."

Erika starts to walk towards you again.

>>7518
Not the fire itself, but the debris from it! There was an explosion trap that caused parts of the room to fly at Rudolf and stab him!

>>7519
No explosion caused Rudolf to die.

Sure, one may have caused the fire, but that didn't kill Rudolf.

>>7520
The pillar itself fell on Rudolf.

>>7521
"Rudolf was found on the bed. The pillar wasn't even inside the room!"

The pillar was not the cause of Rudolf's death!

Erika is a few steps away now.

>>7522
The culprit set up a trap that would activate when part of the room was stepped on. A knife would come down attached to string and stab the victim. The string would then pull back up, and the knife would come back up as well. However the fire burned up the knife and cut the string, or in this case a black thread!

>>7523
And just in case that doesn't work, there was a trap in or under the bed!

Ahahaha, none of those were even hinted! But since you are about to die I might as well deny them. I already denied a theory using the thread however.

There was no trap in the bed or under it.

Erika stands above you, the scythe raised up high above her head.

"Any last words?"

>>7525
Logic. Error.

>>7526
"Another attempt at this? Such a shame for your final words, but I guess it suits you. Lets hear it."

>>7527

There was no trap in the bed or under it.

When I told Genji I couldn't get into my room on the first night, he went to go get the chain cutters. This is what the text said:

>Genji, Krauss and you go back inside the guesthouse and into the utility room. Genji takes out a key and unlocks the trap door. He goes down it then comes back up with the clippers. The three of you then go up to your room.

Clearly, there was a trap under my bed. The trap door of the utility room!

Logic error!!!

>>7528
"As expected, pathetic."

Erika raises her scythe and brings it down upon your neck.

--------

------

Wind. You can hear the wind blowing over you. Your face feels cold as the breeze brushes your back. Correction, your whole body is cold. Not just your torso, but your arms and legs too. Eventually you gain a sense of yourself. You must be lying down.

>>7530
I do my best to stand up.

>>7531
You try to lift yourself up. Fumbling like a newborn you slowly are able to stand. You are in the middle of what appears to be a field covered in snow. You can’t see anything besides snow. Every direction is snow as far as you can see. No hills, just flat snow. Lonely or maybe empty are the first words that come to mind. It is a desolate land with no one but you.

On a second inspection, in the distance there is a small round dot.

>>7532
I go toward the small round dot.

>>7533
The snow is deep; you slowly make your way to the dot, sweating more and more each step. Despite your legs returning, you have already lost feeling in them from the cold. The dot gets larger. You make it to the dot, it is a large bolder with a pair of straps like a backpack on it. Behind the rock is a sign, pointing outwards. Behind you the scenery changes, you can see the snow has turned into lush meadows and you can see buildings in the distance. The sun beaming down on the bright green grass.

>>7534
I go where the sign points, wondering just what the hell I've been smoking.

>>7535
You try to go past the sign further out into the snowy fields. However there is some sort of invisible wall blocking you.

"Child of men, if you wish to continue grab this boulder, put it on your back and follow the sign."

>>7537
"More voices in my head? Well, I might as well start listening to them. Can't hurt at this point."

I pick up the boulder, put it on my back, and follow the sign.

>>7538
The rock is nothing close to light; it feels inhuman to even be able to lift it. You start to walk, following the voice. You don’t know where, but it surely will lead you to someone, anyone.
The snow gets deeper, and it’s now up to your knees. You walk for hours, without rest; shouldering the rock upon you back. Why are you doing this? You don’t need to. If you turn back you can go to the green hills you just saw!

>>7539
I've already spent hours walking this way. Why give up now? I'm not a quitter!

I keep going forward.

>>7540
You continue with the rock, your footprints are turning pink. You can see each time you lift a leg your bloody foot comes into view. Even so, you continue.

Days pass, as you walk. Continuously without end. You see another dot on the horizon. Putting more energy into your strides you make it to the structure. It is a fence, leading in a straight line horizontally as far as you can see. In the middle there is a fence gate. Beside it is a sign pointing through the fence.

The gate is much too small to fit the rock through.

>>7541
I'll throw the boulder over the gate. open the gate and then carry the boulder with me.

>>7542
Scratch that, the gate's too small.
I'll toss it over.

>>7543
You toss boulder over and then pass through the gate.

You push on. The moment you enter the gate, a storm appears. The snow blinds you and you can’t see a thing but even so you push on. This is stupid, what I’m I fighting for? Why do I even bother with mysteries?

The snow gets even deeper, and you have to feel your way through the snow. You lose track of time, is it hours, days or weeks? You don’t know. Suddenly, you feel something. It’s cold and solid, pushing on it gives way and the storm suddenly stops. You look around, right beside a fence you see your own footprints in front of you. You are back to the same spot.

>>7544
"Hmm. I wonder..."

I check to see if the sign is pointing the same direction as last time. Either way, I follow it.

>>7545
Checking the sign it seems to be pointing back to the fence.

You turn, heading back through the gate. You are blinded yet again. Time has lost meaning. All you know is the storm. It bashes you side to side as you slowly trip and fall through the path. Your face is frozen stiff; any attempt at talking would be futile. Is it because it’s fun? Or do I just like beating others?

Finally, the storm stops. You see a wooden fence this time. Pushing through it you are suddenly hit with an over powering sense for nausea. In front of you Erika in now standing, laughing.

>>7546
I approach Erika as fast as I can, wondering what this is all about.

"You have done well child, but to continue you must calm your heart. There's no reason to angst over lost fights."

"It's not really about the lost fight. It's more about the fact that I've been freezing out here for days, so I'd rather not waste any more time. But whatever, I'll trust the voice in my head and calm down."

>>7547
You stop your charge and Erika's image and the boulder fades into nothing

You continue on yet again. Your feet continue to bleed and ache. You see in the distance what looks like more fences. Sure enough, it is. One of them leads to a brick road, and the other is just two fences beside one another, with the same snow you have been walking through in between.

>>7551
I follow the goldbar brick road.

"The ones who follow the brick road will find just agony and despair. Go back and pick the other road."

>>7553
"Well, if you say so."

I pick the other road.

>>7554
The snow isn’t the same as before, it is now up to your waist, and each step takes more and more effort. The endless overcast continues as it starts to snow. It is justice? Is that something even to fight for? Eventually the fences running alongside you disappear and you are again in nothing but a snowy field.
Looking behind you appears a small table, with a glass of milk and cookies on them. Your mouth waters as you look at it. Surely a single bite won’t hurt.

>>7555
I won't turn back. Keep going.

>>7556
You ignore the cookies and milk. And continue walking. However your legs give way. They won’t move any longer.

Crawling along the snow, one arm at a time. Face-fulls of snow cover your torso. You keep sinking into the snow. Again and again without end. Maybe you should just turn back, you may not even be going the right way… What is the right way? Is there a right way? Will fight for truth make me happy? Or I’m I even trying for that… IN the distance you can see what looks to be a door.

At that moment, from the opposite direction of the door, you hear a different voice, one different from all the others.
It's females voice, a figure forms out of the snow. Long black hair with half covering one of her eyes. "K-Kinjo, you can stop there is no need to push yourself! Y-you can come back with me..." The feel a sense of ease from the girl, like everything will be alright.

>>7557
"Really? Well, if you say so, I have no objections...~"

I walk over to the silhouette of the girl who is clearly Hanako Ikezawa.

"Ditch that bitch, you foul soul. Your heart is for another man."

>>7559
"On second thought, nevermind. I refuse to explain why."

I keep moving forward, ignoring the girl who is clearly Hanako Ikezawa.

>>7560
The silhouette disappears and you crawl over to the door. You can hear voices calling your name from the other side. Some are kind, other are harsh and full of malice. A silver key appear before you. It matches the door handle.

>>7561
I take the key and open the door...

>>7562
You open the door and a huge light emits from the opening. Engulfing you in one gulp you feel yourself get pulled in and hear the door slam shut behind you.

-------

-----

You open and see you are floating in what may be best to be described as an abyssal. With what appears to be an area without gravity you are a drift, slowly moving through the space. Suddenly something catches your attention, as a glimmering light. As you continue to float closer to the light, which has now split into multiples. They stroll past you, to what appears to be fragments of something. Like little gems they look clear and shaped similar to one. Inside of them you can see something, it’s… you? You can see yourself getting on the boat, another shows you sneaking around in a servant’s blouse, you interrogating everyone in the dinning room. Some even show Erika in positions similar to your own.

>>7564
"...Where am I?"

I move closer to the fragments, wondering what this is all about.

>>7565
As you do each of them starts to circle around you as you finally come to a stop. In the distance you can see someone. As they walk closer you can make out who it is…

>>7571
Yo, what's up?

>>7573
"Ozaki, is that you?! What's going on?!"

>>7575
"Calm down man. You must be tired after what you have been through. Well that's not to say I've been through the same thing."

"To put it simply; you died."

>>7576
"...Didn't you die too? What happened to Erika?"

>>7577
Yep, however I've been to Purgatorio more than once. Judging how we almost lost you, I'm assuming that was your first trip there.

As for Erika... Well I'm sure she is still trapped, just like us."

>>7578
"...So, what do we do now?"

>>7579
"Well I've got a plan. I knew this game would attract attention, but maybe the conventional method would have been the smarter road. Regardless, it's not like that can be changed now.

Erika is probably only noticing it now, but I didn't split the essence of this world into two pieces, but into three.
Hell, despite cutting my power over the game, that fail safe was probably the only reason we are still standing here. Well, if you had won that'd probably work too, but whatever.

This is how I see it, the only way for us to escape, will be the to take back the game and finish it for real. Seeing how you are the only one out of the lot of us who doesn't know the answer...

Well, here is the kick to the pants: this is all resting you.

>>7580
"So how will we take back our game?"

>>7581
"We? Like I said man, I already know the answer. Of course that doesn't mean I can't help you a bit."

As you wonder what he means another silhouette appears from behind him.

"... I can't believe you almost fall for the last one. I was starting to lose contact with you, so I had to improvise a little bit."

>>7583
"Oh, that voice was you, anon?! And what was with that snowfield place anyway? That was confusing!"

"Well, your soul was sent to a Canadian Purgatorio when Erika defeated you, my mission was to see you two escaped from there. Ozaki did pretty well by himself, but you almost get lost there."

>>7585
"Ah, I see. So I need to solve the game, then?"

>>7586
"You got it. Anon holds the third piece, and by giving it to you, one more attempt at the truth should be possible. Since you didn't solve all the howdunits, it will be risky, however it's now the only chance we have.

As each piece of the world is written, it must fulfill it's duty. So anon... if you will"

"Are you ready Kinjo? This is pretty long and I'm only saying it once!

'Lies and deceit are the only remains of the past. In them we find comfort, fear, happiness and sadness, but was it worth it? The fight that shook our very world cannot be undone.
The shadow of lies carries over the truth, twisting it into nothing but shambles of deceit. It has carried over to now, and sunken root in the very foundation of the world. Or rather, it never left in the first place.
Driven by this non-existant feeling of guilt, the deeds are carried out without pause. Temptation is all that is left after the shadow is laid, so firmly placed that not even those closest to it can lift it.
That is, until a snowflake falls, it brings tides of something well-known to the world. The wind blows, as the shadow begins to rip. Never will this happen; the container of the snow needs to be tampered. Searching the world reveals the trickery.
The snow molten in the heat of anger, the wind frozen with the cold of fear. Only this feeling does one oppose; the great answer you may hold.'"

>>7589
"I'm not even sure where to begin deciphering this, but I think I have an idea. This game is, literally, a repercussion of the past incident. There's probably a deep connection between the two, and because of scars left behind they've resurfaced once again. Basically, a motive for the whydunnit, which would help me find the who."

"Good luck Kinjo, but beware: this hint contains almost everything you need to win. Study it carefully."

>>7591
"Alright, I will, anon."

>>7594
I float through the vast space of fragments, reflecting on my past mistakes. But this time, I'll go through it with more knowledge than I had the first time.

I begin from the very start of my adventure, the airport. The first day, December 30th, 1989.

I read the newspaper, indicating that there will be a record-breaking amount of snowfall. So it would be easy for anyone to know about the upcoming bad weather.

I then read the letter. Jessica is the one who wrote it, inviting me here. The letter also has a stamp on it, of a wing. So she must have gotten her father's stamp somehow, and sent the letter to me. She says she fears the culprit is among them, so this would pretty much exonerate Jessica herself.

Next I meet Terence Stewart, who doesn't show up again until the end. He informs me of the details of the crime, and that family members have been trying to cover it up. Odd, considering Jessica is trying to uncover the truth. So who would be trying to cover it up?

I then meet Ruon, after formally introducing myself as Kinjo. She then tells the captain to start the engines... leaving Battler behind?

Her excuse for that is that she mistook me for Battler, but I clearly said my name. I can't be too careful about this. Did she not want Battler to come, or was it not planned?

...In fact, if Battler was there... then where were Rudolf, Kyrie, and Ange...? Is this guy really...?