>>8403
"Well, there isn't really much to do around here if I can't get any duct tape and the guy who called me here is shut up in his study. So, I think I'll stay in my room until dinner."

>>8403
I decide not to open this one. I go to the left-wing corridor on the map and then try to find an unlocked and empty guest room

>>8407
All 3 are unlocked and unoccupied.

>>8406
Do you wish to stop and speak with them?

If not, you can stay in your room until dinnertime.

________________________

Make final posts and stuff etc. The dinner event will be posted when I get back.

>>8405
"Sure thing, I have something you may like too."

I reach into my carry bag and take out one of my two cameras. This one being a polaroid camera.

"With this you can have the picture in moments."

I then get in a suitable angle underneath the rose and snap the shot. Once the picture comes out I wave it back in the air and hand it to maria.

"Here you are Maria."

>>8408
I enter the second one.
Is there anything of interest ? Is there a piece of paper and a pen lying around ? Is there windows ? How does the chain and the lock works ?
If nothing, I try to enter the 1st one.

>>8409
Make sense for being in character.

Maria runs around smiling while waving the picture about.

"I still don't understand why grandfather would invite other people over. I wonder if the cameraman is supposed to document some event or something."

A pause, and then everyone simultaneously says "I wouldn't put it past grandfather..."

>>8410
The rooms are set up similarly to how a hotel room would be set up. There is a notepad and pen sitting near the phone. A single window, a single door. A bathroom attached. There is a lock on the door handle itself as well as a chain lock. All 3 of these rooms are set up the same way.

>>8408
I wave to Jiro.

"Well, if it isn't my rival! Kumasawa-san is escorting me to the guesthouse; would you like to come too or are you busy here, mi~?"

>>8413
"Rival... is it?"
I wave back.
"No it's alright, go on without me. I'll stay here for now."

>>8414
"Okay, but I don't think that you'll find any important clues around here! May the best detective win, nipa~!"

I follow Kumasawa to the guesthouse.

I head outside and look around the courtyard, taking note of the light on the third floor. While I'm there, I curiously walk around the edge and peek through the windows of all of the first floor windows.

>>8415
Your room is located on the second floor of the guesthouse. Each detective has their own separate room.

>>8416
Looking for anything in particular?

>>8417
Since there are a lot of guest rooms, I want to get an idea of which of them are in use by family members and whether there's anybody around who I haven't met yet.

I'll also take a peek in the cellar if it's unlocked.

>>8418
I believe you've seen almost everyone...

All of the guest rooms on the first floor are unoccupied aside from Squitcher who appears to be taking a pen and paper out of one of the rooms.

The "cellar door" is locked.

You are all called over to the dining room to eat dinner.

It would seem that Gohda was the head chef, as he has come to serve and explain the dish.

The seat at the head of the table remains vacant.

The other family members seem to be questioning Kruass as to where Kinzo is.

Eva, leading the argument, argues "you're hiding something, I just know it! We haven't heard from directly or seen grandfather since last year!"

>>8420
I take the notepad and the pen with me

>>8421
Right then.

Also, are any of you going to try to jump in on this conversation as well? Or do you actually think Kinzo is alive?

>>8420
"Well now, Eva-san, if Kinzo-sama really is dead, then who invited us exactly? It would be pretty silly for Krauss-san and Natsuhi-san to invite guests who would be expecting to see the head, if they wanted to hide his death.

Although, if he is alive, then I must say that I'm quite annoyed that he still refuses to give us an idea of what we're here for. I'm almost of a mind to break into his study myself and demand an explanation. Nipa-*"

I watch Krauss and Natsuhi's faces closely to gauge their reaction.

>>8423
"A mere guest?! How dare you stick your nose into our business! Grandfather simply wishes to be left alone!"

"Unless grandfather did send them but has passed since then! Aniki, why don't you just tell us the truth."

"Wow wow ladies, calm down.
Let's not get too fired up over this while we've got this delicious meal right in front of us, that would be insulting to those peoples who worked hard to get that tempting smell and tasty appearance to this food.
And it is a proof of your quality services, which I don't want to deny the excellence until now, but there's obviously a problem right under our noses.
It's a fact that these letters who called us bunch of jokers here are a main problem between us and the calm and serenity of a fine meal.
And as much as I appreciate your servant's services, those three winged whatever are aware of what's going on, or at least more than anyone in this room.
But a servant is no responsible for the orders that his master gives him, and if our dear Kinzo is still the master of this family and island, it seems obvious that guests and children should just let it happen. However, if it is not the doing of Kinzo, who is the master now ? Would it be you, blond-guy who looks like an actor or miss gorgeous in purple over here ?
Or someone else ? Or are the servants acting out of their own will ?

In the end, whatever is going on, it is to the master, whoever he is, that the questions should be asked, so now, purple lady and handsome blond there, why are you trying to stop us from questioning Kinzo ? Is he not the Master ? If he is, certainly his authority shouldn't be questioned, and this debate shouldn't even be there to begin with ? Isn't that insulting for him that there are some people questioning his life status ?
I know I would be upset if someone thought I was dead.

Or if you're the one in charges for whatever reasons, then enlighten us. Or you, gray hair in that dazzling suit"

I point towards Genji

"So let's just get this over with and enjoy our meal, 'kay ?"

>>8426

"Oh, maybe looking at the letters again might help us understand what's going on, I think I brought it with me"

I try to find the letter in my pocket

“Please forgive us for butting in, <Miss> Natsuhi, but as you can see, there’s a possibility that we were summoned by someone to be props in this very argument, so it’s only natural that we’d be curious. For my part, I don’t doubt he’s alive, but I’m starting to wonder if he only invited us as a counterargument to <Miss> Eva so that he wouldn’t have to appear himself. ...Of course, that’s assuming he knew the topic would come up at all?” I cast a questioning look at Eva on this last point.

"If not... Well, to be blunt, is <Mister> Kinzo of sound mind? The secrecy in the letters he sent and the fact that he didn't try to telephone us directly suggested a certain amount of paranoia."

>>8428
"We aren't going to get anywhere unless we just ask the man himself. Why don't we go over to the study and knock? If he yells at us to go away, at least we know that he actually exists. And if we get no response, well, I'm sure Natsuhi-san would understand that we would have to break the window and check his condition. Something could have happened to him, after all. *giggle*."

I decide to start eating my food in order not to be brought into the conversation.

Suddenly, the door bursts open. Standing in the doorway you see an elder man. Graceful, carrying an air of authority, this man's mere presence seems to inspire shock and obedience in the aunts and uncles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDFFHaz9GsY

"Fools! I could hear your arguments from the third floor! Me? Dead?! Your actions are so damned predictable that I foresaw every step, every argument, up until now. To that end I have enlisted the aid of these guests!" He shouts as he points towards the detectives. "I'm sure by now everyone is curious as to the reasoning behind their presence. You see, I knew that you fools would be so busy fighting each other that you would fail to solve my epitaph. To that end, I figured a little competition was necessary. Whosoever solves my epitaph shall receive in full the wealth of the Ushiromiya family and succeed me as head. I challenge everyone on this island to solve it; servants, family, guests, I don't care as long as it is solved!"

Walking out, Kinzo ends by saying "I shall return to my study, for I will be safe from the vultures there. I will not leave my study again until the solving of the epitaph."

An outrage. There's no real better word to describe it. Anger, shouting, pointing of fingers. This carries on for some time. Battler, George and Jessica, disgusted at the attitudes in the room, get up and leave, bringing Maria with them.

"We need to remove these guests!"
"The rain makes that impossible...."
"That doesn't matter, just send them to the guesthouse!"
"Putting guests under house arrest? That's below the future head of the Ushiromiya family."
"They're a threat, a risk. If grandfather invited them, they must be able to pose a serious threat!"
.................................................
.......................................
.............................
..................
...........
.......
...

Eventually the adults calm down. Weighing things more carefully, in a way that is ironically less logical, they come to the conclusion of an "us or them" mentality. Ordering the servants to remove the guests from the mansion, they appear to have agreed to work together if only to prevent the solving by the guests. You all are escorted out of the mansion by the servants.

_______________________________

It seems we're approaching the end of the first day. Any closing remarks before going to bed? Oh, and for good measure, the detectives shall all sleep 8 hours tonight.

I give free motion to the detectives once again before going to sleep. The cousins are in their room on the second floor, each of you have a separate guest room, and Nanjo is in his guest room. All of the entrances and exits to the building are being guarded by servants. I'll start a new thread in the morning for morning of the second day.

>>8433
"Hmph! How dare they treat a detective in that way? Honestly!"

After regaining my composure, I think
back to what Kinzo was saying.

"What was that about an epitaph? Some kind of riddle? I don't care about becoming the head, but if there's a riddle to be solved, then I must solve it. ...But, the epitaph must be back in the mansion. I don't have a chance at solving it if I can't even read it. And I don't expect that those rude people are going to give me the chance any time soon. ...Is there anyone that I could ask about the epitaph, someone who might have written the riddle down or something?"

...

"Well, the cousins might well know something about it. And they didn't seem too happy with the way their parents were acting, so they might be willing to give me a chance. ...Oh, but wait...there is another guest here other than us, right? Putting aside that unknown 23rd person, there's that 'Nanjo' person that I heard about from Gohda. He should be here, shouldn't he?"

...

"If he is Kinzo-sama's personal doctor, then he has no ties to the family. Furthermore, his priority would be to respect his patient's wishes. Kinzo-sama specifically said that everyone should be given a chance, so...perhaps Nanjo would be able to give me some information about the epitaph."

That decided, I leave my room.

"I saw which rooms each of us entered, and the cousins have a larger room to themselves. ...So, by process of elimination, Nanjo must be in one of these other rooms."

I knock on one of the doors that I know doesn't lead to any of the other detectives' rooms.

>>8434
"Tch. In the end, they didn't even tell us what this 'epitaph' was before they locked us up in here. What a strange bunch.

...Judging from the name, it sounds like Kinzo wrote some kind of riddle or puzzle in memory of someone who died. Since the family's already known about it for some time, and they were supposed to be working on it... Maybe if I ask the younger ones who stormed out earlier, I can get a straight answer.

I wonder who it was that died? Must have been pretty important to Kinzo to warrant such a big production..."

I wave to Erika as I pass her.

"Looks like we were thinking the same thing, huh? Good luck with the doctor, Detective. Maybe we can compare notes later."

I walk down the hall to the cousins' room and listen at the door a bit before giving it a light knock.

>>8435
"Mi-. Working together will save time. ...Still, that's quite impressive that you were able to read my intentions so easily. I'm impressed."

"No wonder why the adults got so angry when we arrived... I think I hear some talking going on in the hallway. I might as well check it out."

I leave my room.

"Oh, is there some sort of party going on? What are you both doing out here?"

>>8437
Oh, Jiro-kun. I was going to go and visit Doctor Nanjo, while Eccacia-chan went to the cousins' room. We want to find out more about this "epitaph". I don't really care who solves it as long as it's someone who will make those arrogant fools in the dining hall mad, so I suppose that you can come with one of us if you're interested."

"That sounds like a good idea, I will go with Miss Ringwell. Oh but first I want to check on something so you can go a head while I catch up."

I go downstairs and quickly check the layout of the guesthouse. After I will try to leave through the front door in order to see just how the servants are guarding us.

>>8439
Mi-. Good luck with that.

Since nobody has answered the door that I knocked on while this conversation has been happening, I assume that Nanjo is in a different room, so I go to the next door and knock on that.

"Well, it seems like most of my questions were answered weren't they, now all that fuss ruined a perfect dinner, what a shame."

I light up another cigarette

"I won't stand sitting around much longer, let's see what the others jokers are doing"

I venture out of my room and see Erika

"Oh, it's you kiddo. What are you up to now ? Looking for some murders or somethin' again ?"

>>8439
Only Genji and Kanon are in the guesthouse. They are each guarding one of the doors. They refuse to let you by.

>>8440
Nanjo answers his door. When asked as to the content of the epitaph, he simply states that he cannot recall it.

>>8435
The cousins say that they have no interest in aiding vultures.

>>8441
"Oh, it looks like everyone is here then, doesn't it? We were trying to find out something about the epitaph, but it doesn't look like we're going to get anywhere unless we can get past the servants somehow. Maybe we should try jumping out of a window or something."

>>8443
"Well if you want to escape, then you gotta search for an escape route, I'd advise searching for a back door or something.

Now that i think about it, those kids are here, aren't they ? We can always try to get some information out of them, or simply search for a back door ourselves.
Windows are a last resort, I guess you're excited over that whole shady epitaph business eh ? Seems interesting to me too.

Well, do what you want, I'm going to check out the layout of this place. You're free to do your things."

As I said, I enquire the layout of the place, are there any back doors ? Others exits ?

>>8442
I go back to my room and try to escape the guesthouse by jumping out of my window. If I get caught I'll just go to sleep.

>>8444
>>8445
There are 2 doors (front and back), both of which are under the servants' watch. There are no windows that aren't in the servant's vision on the first floor. Jumping from the second floor is a bad idea....

>>8446
Which servants are guarding which doors ?

>>8447
Kanon front, Genji back. Though they can see each other at the opposite end of the hallway.

>>8448
I'll just go to bed, I suppose.

>>8443
"Hmph. I'd try it if I was sure it wouldn't get us all locked in a closet for the next two days. I don't much like getting branded a 'vulture' when I haven't done anything to deserve it.

...Listen, isn't there something else that's odd here, though? Earlier the servants were keeping things secret from the family, so I thought for sure they were following <Mister> Kinzo's orders, but now they're going against that and helping to keep us in here. Not just pretending to keep the family happy, but actually doing it."

>>8448
I try to talk to Genji

"Excuse me, um... Gen... Genji was it ?
I think i already said it back then before that whole mess, but I am really appreciative of your efforts and all the services you gave us until now. In fact, it would have been perfect if not for that ugly fight back there, but it is not your fault, as it is your master's doing and orders that made that whole situation happen, and as good servants that you are - and I do mean that - you followed your master's order.
But now which masters, because it seems like you've got a lot of them. I would assume Mister Kinzo is your master, but it seems that by following the other's orders by confining us here, you made useless our very invitation to this place by not letting us on to what the epitaph is all about, and this seems quite contradictory with mister Kinzo's wishes.
So, are you Kinzo's servants ? You are quite a dedicated servant, I can tell that much just by looking at you, and Toshiro- I mean Gohda-san, told me that you were also his friend.
Would you go towards the wishes of your master and friend, Kinzo Ushiromiya by letting us out of this place, or at least by informing us of the epitaph ?

>>8451
No response

>>8452
"It may seem odd to you, but I follow orders exactly. The master only instructed me to not aid you in solving the epitaph. Krauss-sama ordered me to prevent you from leaving, nothing about the epitaph at all."

>>8453
(That was directed at Erika, actually. Sorry if that wasn't clear.)

>>8453
"And as a friend of Kinzo, what do you feel ? Didn't he invite us so that we try to solve that epitaph ? Doesn't Krauss's orders prevent us from Kinzo's, your friend's desire ? "

If no response, I'm going to bed, not before checking out the hour on a clock.

>>8455
"I'm simply following orders. The house arrest is temporary, I'm sure you can get a chance tomorrow."

10pm

Second thread
https://archive.seacats.net/gameboard/res/8457.html