Bandit's Foxtrot

I can finally dance... Whom should I invite?

Looks like I've been left alone... There are still a few people available. I'll go ask them.

It's so tiring to dance in high heels...

Miss Shiyu, well, I wonder if you care to...

I can't dance for now. I'm not used to wearing high heels and my feet are sore after a few dances. It's a pity that Akira isn't here to massage my feet.

Whoa, I didn't expect Akira to have such a low status.

I give her massages too when I have time! Unfortunately, I'm always busy...

Ah, Awakener, I heard that you're a famous massage therapist in Bifrost, right?

There's no such thing!

Is that so? I heard that Panther, the richest woman in Bifrost, hired you as her massage therapist for two weeks. That didn't happen?

Well, that did happen... but I did it completely for free!

Heehee, I see. Why don't you give me a foot massage since you don't have a dance partner now?

If you're good, I can plead on your behalf with Lord Raeon to lift Eastrise's arrest warrant on you!

You aren't planning on kidnapping me to Eastrise to be a massage slave, are you...?

Uh, you've seen through me... How about this? You help me ease my foot soreness and I can then be your dance partner!

It's a very enticing offer... I see. Please give me your feet then!

What are you two doing here?

Awakener is a famous massage therapist in Eastrise. Do you want a massage too?

Eh, what a disgrace... Seven years ago you could walk for hours on end, and now you're so weak.

Cut the nonsense. You can't accuse me of being inactive just because you're a general! Civilian officials work very hard, too!

I've heard that people like you who brave the elements on the frontlines without taking good care of their bodies age more quickly.

Pah, If you just don't want to dance, how about we take a stroll in the garden?

Okay, Awakener, thank you for the massage.

Wait, what about our dance...?

Firentia insisted on me joining her for a stroll. How about you talk it over with her?

I have absolutely no intention of arguing with Lord Firentia...

Hurry up. Awakener, if you fail to find a dance partner, you can come join us in the garden.

Ah, all for nothing again!

Eh... Everyone seems to be having a good time. Huh?

I seem to recall Hemetto is blind and sees the world through her psychic abilities. I wonder if the dances she sees differ from what I see.

Awakener? Are you looking my way?

Oops, you caught me...

Well, care to invite me to dance with you?

Members of Rasparta always have this inexplicable ability to intimidate people...

(Never mind. Audrey is holding the ball to give everyone a chance to communicate, and this is a good opportunity to get to know my opponent.)

Sure, Miss Hemetto, please give me the pleasure of dancing with me! Just to be clear, I'm a complete novice.

Sorry, I'm such a bad dancer... Is your foot alright?

It's okay, Awakener. No one would want to dance with a member of Rasparta except you.

I envy them. They can have fun together here even though they're such sworn enemies... I'd better take a stroll by myself.

(Should I join her? This might be a good chance for me to turn a Rasparta member...)

Now is the time to exchange partners. Maybe someone else would like to dance with you.

But I'm such a...

It's okay. If a Rasparta villain like me is willing to dance with you, I'm sure there are others out there just waiting to be asked.

Don't worry about squandering the goodwill of others. Your partners will all be very happy to see your dancing improve tonight.

Thank you, Hemetto.

No need to thank me. There's less than an hour before the ball ends, so you might as well enjoy it while it lasts.

Hi, Awakener.

Miss Hemetto? Did you just get back here?

Yes. I strolled around the garden for a good while.

I heard the Victorian Family has a great collection of treasures, but unfortunately many of the buildings are closed and I couldn't go exploring inside.

Why am I getting a dangerous aura around you...?

What about you? Did you have a good time?

Yes, I'm a terrible dancer, but everyone was willing to teach me!

It's so much fun to be here at the ball!

Dear guests, tonight's ball is coming to an end...

(Despite some hitches, it's been a perfect day...)

Ahhh, interesting... It's the sound of an explosion!

What? Explosion?

That's right, my hearing is very good. The explosion came from the other side of the castle...

Oh no! A real emergency tonight! I have to go!

Damn... why at such a time?!

Which room was the explosion at?

It used to be a royal chamber as well as my father's study. I was officially going to take possession of it after the ball...

Wow, it sounds very important.

It's just an old room, but some of the objects there are indeed very old and valuable.

I hope the explosion was just an accident.

Why did you say so?

Because if it was just an accident, then tonight's ball is still perfect... But if it was part of a plot, then we'll have to look for enemies among the attendants.

I really didn't want to deal with something like this tonight!

Awakener, Miss Audrey! What happened?

Guests, please return to the banquet hall and do not go anywhere. There may be danger in the castle!

My lord, we have an emergency! The old study is on fire!

We heard the explosion and arrived in time. It seems we can contain the fire before it spreads.

I see. Thanks.

How was it? Were there any casualties?

No casualties for now. The fire mainly affected the entrance of the study and the nearby wooden display cabinets. We're taking inventory of the damage.

Detective, you came just in time. Please help examine the scene.

I never thought we could really use the help of a detective... Thanks, Awakener.

This is what I'm here for. I'll take a look.

Looks like the fire was caused by the explosion at the door... How would one open the door normally?

The door would normally need to be opened with a key kept only by the matriarch or acting matriarch.

The elders of the family gave me the key last month. As I said before, I'll turn 20 after the ball and can officially use this room.

Miss Audrey, do you still have the key?

Let me check... Yes, I still have the key. I inspected the study just dozens of minutes ago.

(Why did she inspect the study tonight? Just dozens of minutes before the fire...)

I see. I'll make further inquiries after I finish examining the scene.

Why did the explosion cause such a big fire?

The fire spread quickly because a large number of documents were scattered on the floor, which were mostly destroyed in the fire.

Documents?

Documents that include letters, deeds, diaries, account books, and more. The Victorian Family built their fortune from commerce, so we take special care to preserve documents.

The documents left behind by successive patriarchs or matriarchs are kept in the study. Those lost in the fire belonged to the former patriarch, Lord Nicholas.

Are any of these documents particularly important?

The most important documents are, of course, the two deeds between the Victorian Family and the Church.

One is about Gordon's donation of the ''gold mine'' to the Church; the other is the abdication edict of Nicholas I, handing over the throne to the Church.

These two documents were stored in a special display cabinet and thus not damaged in the fire.

I see. Was there any other damage?

Some of the treasures kept in the study were stolen. Some were scattered at the entrance of the study.

Scepter, crown, jewels... Why were these rare treasures left behind at the scene...?

Maybe the fire got so out of hand that the thief had to leave some behind?

My lord, the Crusaders outside the castle have confirmed that no one entered or left the castle tonight.

Are all the castle guards cleared of suspicion?

The castle guards have served the Victoria Family for years and I have complete trust in them.

Plus, for security reasons, the Church has stationed a large number of soldiers outside the castle.

If this is an inside job, I think they probably picked the worst time to commit this crime.

I see... So despite knowing that the place is heavily guarded, the thief still used an explosion to steal things, which is as attention-grabbing as it gets.

The most likely culprit would have to be one of the guests of the ball.

According to the guards' reports, only three guests left the building during the ball, namely Shiyu, Firentia, and Miss Hemetto.

And me. I also left the banquet hall.

I hate to ask this, but is the culprit among the three of them?

As a detective, I can't rule out anyone yet. I'll question these ladies first.

Awakener, since when did you become a detective? What happened?

It's a long story... Anyway, there is a dangerous figure in the castle and I was entrusted by Audrey and Nyla to find them out!

It's not fair. Why do you get to play detective? I want to play too!

I'm an avid fan of mystery novels! The famous detective who looks like a child, but has higher-than-average intelligence...

Eriri, you're very smart, but detectives have their ways of doing things.

Let's first put together a timeline based on the information provided by the guards!

The timeline is ready. Let's question everyone based on what time they left the banquet hall.

Eriri, you're quite enthusiastic about this.

That's for sure. I've only seen anime stories of detectives solving crimes in old castles!

I'm going to show you how I solve a crime!

Miss Shiyu, I'm investigating tonight's burglary case and I have a few questions for you.

Does this mean I'm a suspect?

No, no, no, this is just to gather testimonies. We have to rule out suspects based on everyone's testimonies.

I'd like to ask where you went after you left the banquet hall at 11:20.

Well... I was tired from dancing, so I went for a stroll in the castle with Firentia.

A stroll to ease your tiredness from dancing?

Don't you think it's very tiring to keep spinning around in high heels?! I don't like to wear high heels!

So I took my heels off and strolled around with Firentia in bare feet.

Another question. Did you hear the castle bells at midnight?

Yes. After I heard the bells, we started to head back to the banquet hall.

Did you hear an explosion then?

I did hear a strange sound coming from the other side of the garden, but I had no idea it was an explosion.

I was going to ask you about it on my way back to the castle, but you and Audrey rushed past me in a hurry.

What Shiyu said is exactly the same as what I saw, so you don't have to question me.

Did you see any other guests in the estate?

Shiyu and I were taking a stroll in a secluded area where no one could see us.

Around 11:30, I saw Audrey walking by as if she was looking for someone.

I never expected you to know the way to the estate so well.

That's because Shiyu and I went to the last ball as well.

What actually happened tonight? Were more people killed?

No one was killed tonight... wait a minute, what do you mean by ''more''?

You don't know? Seven years ago, Nicholas Victoria, the former matriarch of the Victoria family, died at the ball.

Is Miss Audrey here? I have a few questions for her.

Please wait, she's getting dressed now.

Speaking of which, your clothes are soaked too.

The sprinkler in the corridor next to the study dampened my clothes... actually, yours are wet too.

You should get changed now. It's going to be a sleepless night. Please take care of yourself, Miss Nyla.

I'm having trouble with this dress...

Let me give you a hand.

Awakener, why don't you get changed too?

Maybe later. I still have a few more questions for you.

As we know, there aren't any sprinklers in the study, right?

No, there isn't, we don't want any rare documents getting wet.

I see. By the way, can the door of the study be opened from the inside if it's locked?

Yes. A key is needed only to open the door from the outside.

Detective, I'm all set. Please ask away.

According to the guard's testimony, you left the banquet hall sometime tonight as well, right?

Yes?

I wanted to invite Miss Shiyu to dance, but she was nowhere to be found. So I went out searching for her.

(So it's Shiyu whom Audrey's looking for on the estate?)

Why are you so interested in Miss Shiyu?

Because she's a key figure in the cooperation between the Empire and Eastrise. I met her a couple of years ago.

I heard that it wasn't easy to find where Miss Shiyu and Miss Firentia were.

That's right. Actually, I knew where they were hiding, in the moon-shaped shrubs of the estate. That's where we first met.

Since they had no intention of talking to me then, I gave up searching for her.

Where did you go after that?

I went to the old study where the robbery took place tonight.

I thought the ball went so well that my father would be content had he been able to see it. He was the one who restored the tradition of balls.

However, something unexpected happened after all...

What exactly did your father go through at the ball seven years ago?

... He died of a sudden illness at the ball, at the young age of forty.

Illness?

Yes, at least that's what the public believes.

What about the actual situation?

Poison had been detected in his wine glass. It was not an accident. However, the case was dropped due to a lack of evidence.

Holy...

That's why it took seven years for the ball to be held again. I'm turning 20 this year and will officially become the matriarch of this family.

Therefore, the elders of the family agreed to fulfill my wish of restoring the ball tradition.

It's my sincere hope that I'll honor my father's wish of holding the Golden Ball for as long as I can, which serves as a platform for friendly conversations between different factions.

I'll get to the bottom of this, no matter what!

Miss Hemetto, can I ask you some questions?

Sure, little detective. Haven't we crossed path many times at the ball?

A guard saw you leave the main castle after 11:30. Where did you go?

As I said, I felt a bit upset watching people dance happily. So I took a stroll in the estate.

Did you meet anyone along the way?

Hmm, let me see...

I met some attendants and maids here at the main castle, but no guests.

On my way back to the castle, I may have seen Lord Audrey come out from a little house, where the fire started, on the other side of the castle.

Okay, just to confirm, you only saw Lord Audrey, right?

Yes, that's correct.

Now that we have gathered all testimonies, please present your opinions, detectives.

The suspects' testimonies do match up, but I find Firentia and Shiyu very suspicious.

For the record, all my opinions are based on facts despite my dislike for the Eastrise people.

You don't have to be that blunt...

The evidence in the study showed that after breaking down the door, the criminal tried to take a large number of treasures, which were mostly abandoned.

Something seems off here. If the criminal broke the door before stealing the treasures, why were the treasures destroyed in an explosion?

Even if we consider the fire caused by the explosion, it could only destroy letters and documents.

It's safe to conclude that the criminal had already placed the treasures inside the door before the explosion took place.

In other words, the criminal was inside the study at the time of the explosion!

Excuse me... I have two more questions.

First, how did the criminal manage to enter the room before the explosion?

Second, if the criminal was already inside the study, they could have simply opened the door. Why go through the trouble of using a bomb?

Here's what I know. It's a gang crime where one person was tasked with stealing the treasures inside the study, while the other kept watch outside the door.

Firentia and Shiyu are the only ones who fit the profile of the suspects perfectly.

Next, let me reenact the scene for you!

Based on eyewitness accounts, Shiyu and Firentia met Audrey who was heading toward the study in the estate, so they followed her there without her noticing.

Just as Audrey entered the study, a criminal sneaked in as well and hid behind a row of cabinets.

That nimble criminal was Shiyu! She even took off her high heels before entering the study to avoid making any noise.

Whoa... all the dots are getting connected.

Miss Shiyu began her plan for the robbery immediately after Audrey left the study.

As the people in Eastrise have an obsession with power, Shiyu only took items from the Victoria dynasty, such as scepters and crowns.

The best part came when Shiyu finished packing up her loot and came out of the study, just as the bell rang, signaling the end of the ball.

Shiyu knew that they need to rush to the ball without being noticed, so she asked Firentia to open the door from the outside.

Firentia didn't have a lock pick, so she decided to use a bomb to force it open.

As a result, the door and treasures were blown up, and the fire set off the alarm.

Our Eastrise criminal gang had no choice but to flee with what was left of their loot, heading back to where they were from.

What do you say? Don't my deductions make a lot of sense? All the evidence now adds up!

I must say, your deductions are quite impressive... you really are something, Snezhana!

Your character theory aside, I believe something's missing in your deduction.

What's missing?

A moment, please. Let the Captain and I do some fact-checking. Captain, come closer.

Sova, what's the matter?

You helped Miss Nyla get out of her wet gown, right?

I did... but I behaved myself!

Shh, that's none of my concern... I just want to know who else got wet at the ball besides Nyla.

Let me think... people who arrived first at the crime scene should have gotten wet.

Besides the castle staff, me, Nyla, and Audrey, achoo!

You idiot, take care of yourself before worrying about others.

That said, all other guests' clothes must be dry then? Then the chances of them being the culprit are much slimmer.

The suspect must go through the corridor to the ball after breaking the door open.

That's right...

Awakener, do you think it's possible that Miss Nyla did an inside job?

No way! There's absolutely no reason for Miss Nyla to make such a fuss if she wants to steal something from the old study.

To start with, Miss Nyla was the one who reported the missing items. And only she knows what's missing from the old study.

And second, since the crime was committed today, Miss Nyla can easily stay out of it as people would naturally blame the guests.

What's more, it was Nyla that invited you to be the private detective for the Victoria family. Could she be using you all along?

It's a common plot in many mystery novels where the criminal invites a detective to clear suspicion.

...

(This possibility completely changes the direction of the matter.)

Hey, why are you two whispering in front of us? Don't you have any shame? We know how much you love each other!

Nonsense! We are talking about the case.

Just make Hemetto the criminal if you can't solve the case.

Hemetto? She was with us in the banquet hall when the robbery happened.

But the criminals in detective novels usually have perfect alibis.

And just so you know, Hemetto is a Rasparta member. It's only right for a Rasparta member to be arrested and interrogated, isn't it?

As a fan of mystery novels, I really can't accept a solution that makes no sense at all.

Detective, have you reached a conclusion yet?

Please give us a bit more time...

I just got it from Firentia, who allegedly picked it up in the garden.

All the stolen treasures therefore have been returned.

Let me clean the ashes on the ground first. I may find some jewels that are worth saving.

Wait a moment!

Lord Awakener, how can you just appear out of nowhere? You scared the hell out of me!

I followed you here secretly, and hid between two rows of bookcases. How could you not see me?

Gosh, I'll kick you out of here if you were not a detective...

I'm gonna check the fire site again. There seem to be far more burned documents on the ground than I imagined...

Eh... Everyone seems to be having a good time. Huh?

I seem to recall Hemetto is blind and sees the world through her psychic abilities. I wonder if the dances she sees differ from what I see.

Awakener? Are you looking my way?

Oops, you caught me...

Well, care to invite me to dance with you?

Members of Rasparta always have this inexplicable ability to intimidate people...

(Never mind. Audrey is holding the ball to give everyone a chance to communicate, and this is a good opportunity to get to know my opponent.)

Sure, Miss Hemetto, please give me the pleasure of dancing with me! Just to be clear, I'm a complete novice.

Sorry, I'm such a bad dancer... Is your foot alright?

It's okay, Awakener. No one would want to dance with a member of Rasparta except you.

I envy them. They can have fun together here even though they're such sworn enemies... I'd better take a stroll by myself.

(Should I join her? This might be a good chance for me to turn a Rasparta member...)

Now is the time to exchange partners. Maybe someone else would like to dance with you.

But I'm such a...

It's okay. If a Rasparta villain like me is willing to dance with you, I'm sure there are others out there just waiting to be asked.

Don't worry about squandering the goodwill of others. Your partners will all be very happy to see your dancing improve tonight.

Thank you, Hemetto.

No need to thank me. There's less than an hour before the ball ends, so you might as well enjoy it while it lasts.

Hi, Awakener.

Miss Hemetto? Did you just get back here?

Yes. I strolled around the garden for a good while.

I heard the Victorian Family has a great collection of treasures, but unfortunately many of the buildings are closed and I couldn't go exploring inside.

Why am I getting a dangerous aura around you...?

What about you? Did you have a good time?

Yes, I'm a terrible dancer, but everyone was willing to teach me!

It's so much fun to be here at the ball!

Dear guests, tonight's ball is coming to an end...

(Despite some hitches, it's been a perfect day...)

Ahhh, interesting... It's the sound of an explosion!

What? Explosion?

That's right, my hearing is very good. The explosion came from the other side of the castle...

Oh no! A real emergency tonight! I have to go!

Damn... why at such a time?!

Which room was the explosion at?

It used to be a royal chamber as well as my father's study. I was officially going to take possession of it after the ball...

Wow, it sounds very important.

It's just an old room, but some of the objects there are indeed very old and valuable.

I hope the explosion was just an accident.

Why did you say so?

Because if it was just an accident, then tonight's ball is still perfect... But if it was part of a plot, then we'll have to look for enemies among the attendants.

I really didn't want to deal with something like this tonight!

Awakener, Miss Audrey! What happened?

Guests, please return to the banquet hall and do not go anywhere. There may be danger in the castle!

My lord, we have an emergency! The old study is on fire!

We heard the explosion and arrived in time. It seems we can contain the fire before it spreads.

I see. Thanks.

How was it? Were there any casualties?

No casualties for now. The fire mainly affected the entrance of the study and the nearby wooden display cabinets. We're taking inventory of the damage.

Detective, you came just in time. Please help examine the scene.

I never thought we could really use the help of a detective... Thanks, Awakener.

This is what I'm here for. I'll take a look.

Looks like the fire was caused by the explosion at the door... How would one open the door normally?

The door would normally need to be opened with a key kept only by the matriarch or acting matriarch.

The elders of the family gave me the key last month. As I said before, I'll turn 20 after the ball and can officially use this room.

Miss Audrey, do you still have the key?

Let me check... Yes, I still have the key. I inspected the study just dozens of minutes ago.

(Why did she inspect the study tonight? Just dozens of minutes before the fire...)

I see. I'll make further inquiries after I finish examining the scene.

Why did the explosion cause such a big fire?

The fire spread quickly because a large number of documents were scattered on the floor, which were mostly destroyed in the fire.

Documents?

Documents that include letters, deeds, diaries, account books, and more. The Victorian Family built their fortune from commerce, so we take special care to preserve documents.

The documents left behind by successive patriarchs or matriarchs are kept in the study. Those lost in the fire belonged to the former patriarch, Lord Nicholas.

Are any of these documents particularly important?

The most important documents are, of course, the two deeds between the Victorian Family and the Church.

One is about Gordon's donation of the ''gold mine'' to the Church; the other is the abdication edict of Nicholas I, handing over the throne to the Church.

These two documents were stored in a special display cabinet and thus not damaged in the fire.

I see. Was there any other damage?

Some of the treasures kept in the study were stolen. Some were scattered at the entrance of the study.

Scepter, crown, jewels... Why were these rare treasures left behind at the scene...?

Maybe the fire got so out of hand that the thief had to leave some behind?

My lord, the Crusaders outside the castle have confirmed that no one entered or left the castle tonight.

Are all the castle guards cleared of suspicion?

The castle guards have served the Victoria Family for years and I have complete trust in them.

Plus, for security reasons, the Church has stationed a large number of soldiers outside the castle.

If this is an inside job, I think they probably picked the worst time to commit this crime.

I see... So despite knowing that the place is heavily guarded, the thief still used an explosion to steal things, which is as attention-grabbing as it gets.

The most likely culprit would have to be one of the guests of the ball.

According to the guards' reports, only three guests left the building during the ball, namely Shiyu, Firentia, and Miss Hemetto.

And me. I also left the banquet hall.

I hate to ask this, but is the culprit among the three of them?

As a detective, I can't rule out anyone yet. I'll question these ladies first.

Awakener, since when did you become a detective? What happened?

It's a long story... Anyway, there is a dangerous figure in the castle and I was entrusted by Audrey and Nyla to find them out!

It's not fair. Why do you get to play detective? I want to play too!

I'm an avid fan of mystery novels! The famous detective who looks like a child, but has higher-than-average intelligence...

Eriri, you're very smart, but detectives have their ways of doing things.

Let's first put together a timeline based on the information provided by the guards!

The timeline is ready. Let's question everyone based on what time they left the banquet hall.

Eriri, you're quite enthusiastic about this.

That's for sure. I've only seen anime stories of detectives solving crimes in old castles!

I'm going to show you how I solve a crime!

Miss Shiyu, I'm investigating tonight's burglary case and I have a few questions for you.

Does this mean I'm a suspect?

No, no, no, this is just to gather testimonies. We have to rule out suspects based on everyone's testimonies.

I'd like to ask where you went after you left the banquet hall at 11:20.

Well... I was tired from dancing, so I went for a stroll in the castle with Firentia.

A stroll to ease your tiredness from dancing?

Don't you think it's very tiring to keep spinning around in high heels?! I don't like to wear high heels!

So I took my heels off and strolled around with Firentia in bare feet.

Another question. Did you hear the castle bells at midnight?

Yes. After I heard the bells, we started to head back to the banquet hall.

Did you hear an explosion then?

I did hear a strange sound coming from the other side of the garden, but I had no idea it was an explosion.

I was going to ask you about it on my way back to the castle, but you and Audrey rushed past me in a hurry.

What Shiyu said is exactly the same as what I saw, so you don't have to question me.

Did you see any other guests in the estate?

Shiyu and I were taking a stroll in a secluded area where no one could see us.

Around 11:30, I saw Audrey walking by as if she was looking for someone.

I never expected you to know the way to the estate so well.

That's because Shiyu and I went to the last ball as well.

What actually happened tonight? Were more people killed?

No one was killed tonight... wait a minute, what do you mean by ''more''?

You don't know? Seven years ago, Nicholas Victoria, the former matriarch of the Victoria family, died at the ball.

Is Miss Audrey here? I have a few questions for her.

Please wait, she's getting dressed now.

Speaking of which, your clothes are soaked too.

The sprinkler in the corridor next to the study dampened my clothes... actually, yours are wet too.

You should get changed now. It's going to be a sleepless night. Please take care of yourself, Miss Nyla.

I'm having trouble with this dress...

Let me give you a hand.

Awakener, why don't you get changed too?

Maybe later. I still have a few more questions for you.

As we know, there aren't any sprinklers in the study, right?

No, there isn't, we don't want any rare documents getting wet.

I see. By the way, can the door of the study be opened from the inside if it's locked?

Yes. A key is needed only to open the door from the outside.

Detective, I'm all set. Please ask away.

According to the guard's testimony, you left the banquet hall sometime tonight as well, right?

Yes?

I wanted to invite Miss Shiyu to dance, but she was nowhere to be found. So I went out searching for her.

(So it's Shiyu whom Audrey's looking for on the estate?)

Why are you so interested in Miss Shiyu?

Because she's a key figure in the cooperation between the Empire and Eastrise. I met her a couple of years ago.

I heard that it wasn't easy to find where Miss Shiyu and Miss Firentia were.

That's right. Actually, I knew where they were hiding, in the moon-shaped shrubs of the estate. That's where we first met.

Since they had no intention of talking to me then, I gave up searching for her.

Where did you go after that?

I went to the old study where the robbery took place tonight.

I thought the ball went so well that my father would be content had he been able to see it. He was the one who restored the tradition of balls.

However, something unexpected happened after all...

What exactly did your father go through at the ball seven years ago?

... He died of a sudden illness at the ball, at the young age of forty.

Illness?

Yes, at least that's what the public believes.

What about the actual situation?

Poison had been detected in his wine glass. It was not an accident. However, the case was dropped due to a lack of evidence.

Holy...

That's why it took seven years for the ball to be held again. I'm turning 20 this year and will officially become the matriarch of this family.

Therefore, the elders of the family agreed to fulfill my wish of restoring the ball tradition.

It's my sincere hope that I'll honor my father's wish of holding the Golden Ball for as long as I can, which serves as a platform for friendly conversations between different factions.

I'll get to the bottom of this, no matter what!

Miss Hemetto, can I ask you some questions?

Sure, little detective. Haven't we crossed path many times at the ball?

A guard saw you leave the main castle after 11:30. Where did you go?

As I said, I felt a bit upset watching people dance happily. So I took a stroll in the estate.

Did you meet anyone along the way?

Hmm, let me see...

I met some attendants and maids here at the main castle, but no guests.

On my way back to the castle, I may have seen Lord Audrey come out from a little house, where the fire started, on the other side of the castle.

Okay, just to confirm, you only saw Lord Audrey, right?

Yes, that's correct.

Now that we have gathered all testimonies, please present your opinions, detectives.

The suspects' testimonies do match up, but I find Firentia and Shiyu very suspicious.

For the record, all my opinions are based on facts despite my dislike for the Eastrise people.

You don't have to be that blunt...

The evidence in the study showed that after breaking down the door, the criminal tried to take a large number of treasures, which were mostly abandoned.

Something seems off here. If the criminal broke the door before stealing the treasures, why were the treasures destroyed in an explosion?

Even if we consider the fire caused by the explosion, it could only destroy letters and documents.

It's safe to conclude that the criminal had already placed the treasures inside the door before the explosion took place.

In other words, the criminal was inside the study at the time of the explosion!

Excuse me... I have two more questions.

First, how did the criminal manage to enter the room before the explosion?

Second, if the criminal was already inside the study, they could have simply opened the door. Why go through the trouble of using a bomb?

Here's what I know. It's a gang crime where one person was tasked with stealing the treasures inside the study, while the other kept watch outside the door.

Firentia and Shiyu are the only ones who fit the profile of the suspects perfectly.

Next, let me reenact the scene for you!

Based on eyewitness accounts, Shiyu and Firentia met Audrey who was heading toward the study in the estate, so they followed her there without her noticing.

Just as Audrey entered the study, a criminal sneaked in as well and hid behind a row of cabinets.

That nimble criminal was Shiyu! She even took off her high heels before entering the study to avoid making any noise.

Whoa... all the dots are getting connected.

Miss Shiyu began her plan for the robbery immediately after Audrey left the study.

As the people in Eastrise have an obsession with power, Shiyu only took items from the Victoria dynasty, such as scepters and crowns.

The best part came when Shiyu finished packing up her loot and came out of the study, just as the bell rang, signaling the end of the ball.

Shiyu knew that they need to rush to the ball without being noticed, so she asked Firentia to open the door from the outside.

Firentia didn't have a lock pick, so she decided to use a bomb to force it open.

As a result, the door and treasures were blown up, and the fire set off the alarm.

Our Eastrise criminal gang had no choice but to flee with what was left of their loot, heading back to where they were from.

What do you say? Don't my deductions make a lot of sense? All the evidence now adds up!

I must say, your deductions are quite impressive... you really are something, Snezhana!

Your character theory aside, I believe something's missing in your deduction.

What's missing?

A moment, please. Let the Captain and I do some fact-checking. Captain, come closer.

Sova, what's the matter?

You helped Miss Nyla get out of her wet gown, right?

I did... but I behaved myself!

Shh, that's none of my concern... I just want to know who else got wet at the ball besides Nyla.

Let me think... people who arrived first at the crime scene should have gotten wet.

Besides the castle staff, me, Nyla, and Audrey, achoo!

You idiot, take care of yourself before worrying about others.

That said, all other guests' clothes must be dry then? Then the chances of them being the culprit are much slimmer.

The suspect must go through the corridor to the ball after breaking the door open.

That's right...

Awakener, do you think it's possible that Miss Nyla did an inside job?

No way! There's absolutely no reason for Miss Nyla to make such a fuss if she wants to steal something from the old study.

To start with, Miss Nyla was the one who reported the missing items. And only she knows what's missing from the old study.

And second, since the crime was committed today, Miss Nyla can easily stay out of it as people would naturally blame the guests.

What's more, it was Nyla that invited you to be the private detective for the Victoria family. Could she be using you all along?

It's a common plot in many mystery novels where the criminal invites a detective to clear suspicion.

...

(This possibility completely changes the direction of the matter.)

Hey, why are you two whispering in front of us? Don't you have any shame? We know how much you love each other!

Nonsense! We are talking about the case.

Just make Hemetto the criminal if you can't solve the case.

Hemetto? She was with us in the banquet hall when the robbery happened.

But the criminals in detective novels usually have perfect alibis.

And just so you know, Hemetto is a Rasparta member. It's only right for a Rasparta member to be arrested and interrogated, isn't it?

As a fan of mystery novels, I really can't accept a solution that makes no sense at all.

Detective, have you reached a conclusion yet?

Please give us a bit more time...

I just got it from Firentia, who allegedly picked it up in the garden.

All the stolen treasures therefore have been returned.

Let me clean the ashes on the ground first. I may find some jewels that are worth saving.

Wait a moment!

Lord Awakener, how can you just appear out of nowhere? You scared the hell out of me!

I followed you here secretly, and hid between two rows of bookcases. How could you not see me?

Gosh, I'll kick you out of here if you were not a detective...

I'm gonna check the fire site again. There seem to be far more burned documents on the ground than I imagined...