2. All supernatural or preternatural agencies are...

Let me go, dammit!

Forgive me, Mr. Morris.

Damn...you're a lot stronger than you look.

Ah shit, now my right hand hurts like hell! I don't even feel like punching them anymore!

Hmm. Well, good job on getting him to settle down with that wrestling hold, but that you injured him in the process shows you still have a long ways to go.

What was that all about, anyway? Why were you fighting?

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Then the necklace may still be around somewhere, yes?

In that case, I have an idea of where it might be hidden.

The necklace isn't just gonna turn up THAT easy...

I found it. It was in the back of the drawer.

Just like that!?

Yes, that's it! Wonderful! But, that's strange. I don't remember putting it there...

Aw maaan!

Laurie?

...I thought I hid it really well, but you found it in no time. This sucks!

Huh? You mean she took it!? Why the hell'd I have to get punched for that!? What was all that even for!?

That's enough, Morris. Shut it.

I'm so sorry. I never thought my daughter would get up to such mischief...

Pay it no mind. Children will be children, after all.

Would you like me to take a look at your hand, Morris? Having your dominant hand injured must be a nuisance.

Hah, this is nothing. 'Sides, it's not like I ever gave up.

...I swear, I didn't think that pretty boy had it in him. Anyway, it's evening now, right? Let's eat already.

Good point. All right, I'll go get dinner ready.

Thanks for the grub!

Grub!

Now, now, Laurie. I know you can be more polite than that.

...Thank you for a great meal.

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Huh? ...Uh, yes, it was.

Just take it away. Trying to cut my steak hurts my hand.

I do apologize for that. Shall I cut your steak for you then?

Get lost! Dammit, how'd this end up happening, anyway...

Come now. Adversity only strengthens us, after all. As long as that little episode brought our families closer together, it was well worth it.

Once the engagement between my son, Morris, and the Violets' daughter, Juliet, is finalized, the alliance between our families will be sealed.

Surely there can be no better cause to rejoice than that?

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...Don't make such a big deal out of it. That's what this whole trip was for to begin with...

With the Marble Company present, this engagement contract will be irrevocable.

If anyone should object to it, even from the families, we will ensure they keep any such objections to themselves.

I have painful and not-so-painful ways of doing that. The painful ones are my specialty.

Huh? That's strange. All of our guests should already be here...

Save the questions for later and get your weapon ready. Sis already has hers out.

...Someone's coming.

Good evening, distinguished guests of the Kogetsukan.

I do hope you'll forgive me for the intrusion. I rang the doorbell first, of course, but when no one came to answer, I thought I would let myself in.

Who are you? People don't just stumble across this place.

I believe Mr. Goldie, or perhaps your superior, can answer that. They arranged for me to be here, after all.

I didn't think you'd actually come. I could've sworn nobody was following us...

...Hmm. Difficult to believe as it is, it seems you have come. Welcome, Sir Detective.

Thank you, Mr. Goldie. Now then, allow me to introduce myself properly.

My name is Sheringham, a detective of some renown. I have come here because I sensed a case afoot.

A detective!? Why'd you go and bring a detective here, Pops!?

A fair question. I suppose you all have a right to know. The truth is, we received a threatening letter while I was putting this marriage proposal together.

It said simply, "Call off Morris and Juliet's engagement, or the Goldie family will suffer the consequences."

...Seriously? First I've heard.

But so what? You get threats all the time, right? What's got you so spooked about this one?

We kept this proposal strictly between our families. Not even my most trusted executives know about it. Do you understand what that means?

So you're sayin' whoever wrote that letter...is here?

I was just wondering what to do about it yesterday when Mr. Sheringham contacted me.

Indeed. I told him I might be able to assist with any issues he may have arising from his son's engagement.

I discussed it with Ann and we agreed that if he could track us down here, we would hire him.

So how do you know about the threat?

Trade secret, I'm afraid. All I can say is that nothing escapes my notice or understanding.

You expect us to believe that!? How do we know you didn't set this whole thing up yourself!?

Even if he did, his skills as a detective are nothing to sniff at. He could never have found us here were it otherwise.

Only a handful in the company know where the Kogetsukan is located, and the architect who designed it passed away...

There's no way he could've found this place unless he tracked our itinerary perfectly.

Haha, you are much too kind. You may rest easy, distinguished guests.

You have my word that I will uncover whatever may be happening here. I AM a great detective, after all.

Senpai! You're awake! Thank goodness! Are you all right!?

Uh, y-yes. I'm still Mash Kyrielight... Why do you ask?

Have you met someone else with my name? Or some other me with a different name...?

No, not quite. You were in another of your REM trances.

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...Do you not remember what happened...?

You were having coffee in the break room, and I was having cocoa.

We were having a lovely conversation when you began to stare at the moon outside the window...

...then out of nowhere, you just kind of mumbled, "Another crossover, huh..." and passed out...

Spilled your piping hot coffee all over yourself as well...

Indeed. What followed was akin to a small fireworks display, considering how panicked young Mash was.

But it would seem the heavens have not forsaken you, though they may have been momentarily inattentive.

As luck would have it, I happened to be passing by at the time.

So, strain though it was on my aging back, I carried you all the way to your room. I further went above and beyond the call of duty by examining your burns.

One must always strive for accuracy when relaying information, Professor.

As you'll recall, we happened to be passing by. Furthermore, it was I who examined Mr. Fujimaru.

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Not at all. I simply could not turn my back on your plight. Not, at least, with young Mash's arms wrapped so tightly around it.

She would have made an excellent sumo wrestler in another life! Were I only twenty years younger, I might have fallen for her!

？！

Y-yes, that's right. May 14. Why do you ask?

...Hmm. Confirming the date without paying any heed to the mild burns you suffered from the coffee, eh?

You must have had a most peculiar dream indeed. Would you care to share with us what it was about?

That's... That's...

That's like something straight out of a mystery novel, Senpai!

Let's see... So there's Juliet and Harriet, who I can tell are both beautiful from your descriptions...

...the caring, motherly Eva...their hellion brother, MephiI mean, Cain...

...and their father, Adamska, who for some reason sounds completely worthless as a person.

Ooh, and after that

Hahaha. Calm yourself, young Mash. I'm afraid Fujimaru here is still trying to wrap his head around all this as well.

So we have fiveno, six members of the Violet family alone, eh. I'm particularly interested in this Dr. Hawthorne fellow myself!

Indeed. No doubt he's some sort of detestable back-alley doctor, if not an outright fraud.

A fraud? Surely you mean that detective who showed up at the very end?

Some nerve he has, showing up unannounced as though he were the main character!

What is it about men who call themselves detectives that makes them seem so terribly shady!?

Professor, with all due respect, there's a method to Holmes's madness. His goal is to get the culprit to lower their guard.

Great detectives have to be shady. The nice ones always get killed off in the middle of the story!

Hahaha, you make an excellent point! What I wouldn't give to have such an adoring fan myself!

I appreciate the gesture, Ms. Kyrielight. But do be quiet for a moment. You have given me a great deal to think about.

Oh, here, Senpai! I made a quick chart of the relationships between all the characters you just told us about.

Does this all look right to you?

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...Ahem. Returning to the matter at hand...

Mr. Fujimaru. In your dream, you said you were being cared for by an unfamiliar girl named Juliet.

Furthermore, you were staying at an unfamiliar Western-style mansion rather than Chaldea, along with two families.

These families were made up of familiar Servants, but all of their names and some of their genders were different. Is that correct?

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That is far too intricate to be an ordinary dream. For one thing, did you even know the word "kogetsu" beforehand?

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According to the dictionary, it's an old Japanese word for "crescent moon." A lot of Western-style country houses are given similarly old-fashioned names.

In fact, I think they should have names like that. The Kogetsukan sounds like a wonderful name to me!

Good grief. It seems I underestimated the depths of your affection for mysteries, Ms. Kyrielight.

How about you, Professor? Any comment on these revelations?

Hmm. You mean the phenomenon of learning a word through a dream that one would have no way of knowing otherwise?

In the magecraft world, there are no shortage of methods to accomplish that. Precognitive dreams... Clairvoyance... The remote sharing of minds...

Indeed. This latest case may be the result of one such method...

Given what we currently know, my hypothesis is that Mr. Fujimaru is picking up a signal of sorts...

...a signal originating from one who is witnessing these events in reality.

Yes... I imagine it is something along those lines. How unfortunate for young Fujimaru.

We don't know who's broadcasting it, but you seem to have unwittingly tuned in, so to speak.

However, humans contain quite a lot of data. How they sound, how their skin feels, their expressions... A wealth of information.

This was likely too much information for you to process about so many people, so your mind substituted familiar Servants for these new faces.

Think of it as a kind of safety function. Were you unable to do so, your mind may well have broken under the strain of so much data.

It is a very real danger. Indeed, your subconscious mind assessed the situation far more quickly and accurately than your conscious one.

That is to say...this was not your last dream. This story will continue on!

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Senpai...? Senpai!?

You see? Young Mash was right. You have only just completed the prologue.

From now on, you will delve into the mystery proper.

It may be but a dream for you, but within the dream, I assure you, the mystery itself will be quite real.

Now, permit this old professor to give you a word of advice. There is a certain malevolence present in the situation and relationships you described...

...and you WILL find yourself on the wrong end of it. Of that, I am certain.

Professor? What do you mean by

I'm afraid there is no time to explain. The sandman is already at work on young Fujimaru even as we speak.

Hmm. I suppose the best I can do now is be your doctor within the dream and treat you as best I am able.

This loss of consciousness is not being brought on by a need for sleep... It seems there is nothing we can do to keep him awake.

...Mr. Fujimaru, allow me a word of advice as well, while there is still time to offer it.

Consider... Why did your brain choose to substitute Mordred for Morris?

Simple. It did so in error. It merely assigned Mordred to him based on his violent disposition.

It is a stark difference between what you know and the events you are witnessing.

As such, there may be other errors of a similar nature.

Listen closely. You cannot take what you see at face value. That is absolutely crucial.

Think carefully, and act cautiously. Once you are back in this dream, we will be powerless to help you.

This dream is someone else's reality. As long as you are experiencing it, you ARE that person.

I don't want to scare you, but if you die in this dream, we cannot say what may happen to you here.

First, try to gather all the facts you can. Once you have done so, you can begin your deductions...