3. No more than one secret room or passage...

Those sandwiches we had for breakfast were delicious.

Yup. Not a bad breakfast, I have to admit.

I worked pretty hard on those, so I'm glad you all liked them.

Yeah, they weren't bad. Best thing about sammiches is you don't need any fancy utensils to eat 'em.

This tea is delicious too. Did you do something special with the tea leaves?

That would be my doing, Ms. Eva. Ms. Ann saw to it that I was extensively educated on brewing tea.

Clients don't need to know your life story, Chris.

You're going to make some lucky woman very happy one day, Chris. You're already so clean and proper!

...That's enough, Eva.

Is it my imagination, or did she just take a dig at me...?

Morris, you still have a lot of growing up to do if you're letting a lady's remarks get under your skin. Nothing anyone could say fazed me when I was your age.

By then, I had my hands so full of beautiful, famous women that I hardly knew what to do with them all! Hahahaha.

...You're the one who told me I had to get married just as I was about to begin my own series of conquests.

Did I?

I'm so sorry if anything I said offended you, Morris. By the way, Chris, why don't you stop by my room later?

Stop that, Eva.

Feh, I can't believe that guy lets his wife and kids run their mouths like that. Right, Pops?

...Stop that, Morris. Can you not see how difficult you are making matters for your father?

Yeah, yeah, all right.

That was yummy...

What a healthy appetite you have, Laurie. I'm proud of you. Now don't forget to thank them for the meal.

Hey, can I have that too?

Now that you mention it, there is another plate left over, isn't there? I want some too! Gimmeee!

Okay, let's share it then. Half each?

...That's supposed to be for Sheringham. Hey, Chris. Where is Sheringham, anyway?

Mr. Sheringham is still resting in his room. I thought his trip must have exhausted him, so I refrained from knocking, so as not to wake him.

Hmm... Well that won't do. We were supposed to discuss our plans this morning.

In that case, allow me. I'll go and fetch Mr. Sheringham right now.

Ask him if he still wants breakfast or not too!

Yeah, ask him!

God, hear those brats screeching? It's givin' me a damn headache. This is a hotel, not a kindergarten.

Hear that? As if he isn't the biggest baby here.

True... But don't you find his boorishness somehow endearing in its own way?

I can hear you, you know!

Aaaaaahhh!

Was that Chris?

？！

That can't be good news. I'm going too.

You're all here?

What happened, Chris? I don't think I've ever heard you raise your voice before.

I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking straight. I'm all right now.

But, instead of telling you what happened, I think it would be faster if you saw for yourselves. Take a look inside Mr. Sheringham's room.

Sheringham's room? Why? What happened?

？！

No way... Is he really dead?

Looks like he's been dead for some time now... I'll seal the area off and go tell the others.

I can't believe Sheringham is dead...

I didn't examine his body too closely, but it sure didn't look like he died of natural causes.

There might not be any point in asking, but do we know who saw him last?

I wasn't technically the last to see him, but...Mr. Sheringham did ask me to bring him some tea last night.

And? There's gotta be more to it than that, right?

Well...

Don't be coy. This is an emergency. Just spit it out.

Mr. Sheringham requested two teacups. ...It looked like there was someone else with him.

Damn, man...

Do you know who it was?

I...I couldn't tell. Mr. Sheringham was waiting for me outside his room, and he slipped back inside after I gave him the tea tray.

I didn't get so much as a look at whoever was in there.

Based on the way he acted, I thought he might be entertaining a woman...but I didn't give it much thought beyond that.

My, oh my... I didn't think you were still so innocent, Chris.

The only possible clue I can think of...

...is that he requested a left-handed teacup.

Not that teacups are normally left- or right-handed, but the handles for the cups we use here at the Kogetsukan are a little unusual.

Mr. Sheringham appeared to be right-handed, so I think the left-handed one was for his guest.

Hah, that's just perfect. Detective guy had more game than I thought.

I don't suppose YOU were the left-handed woman, were you?

How could you even ask me that, Morris!? That is hardly a fit subject for a joke, especially now!

Besides, I'm right-handed. How could you not know that? I've been your stepmother for ten years!

I'm sorry to ask this now, but is anyone here left-handed?

...I'll take that as a no. Well, I guess it would be hard to get anyone to admit to that under the circumstances.

Never mind who he might have been meeting with. This isn't going to affect our alliance, is it...?

No. Unfortunate accidents aside, we will proceed with the engagement as scheduled once we regroup.

You're kidding, right? We need to stop this deal and leave right now! Have someone come pick us up at once!

Unfortunately, we don't have any means of contacting anyone on the mainland. No matter what happens, not going ahead with the engagement is not an option.

You mean, we're trapped here...? But, what if something happens to my Laurie?

No one will be coming to get us until two days from now. Until then, we will just have to make the best of things.

That's quite all right with me. We can't have a little thing like this get in the way of our arrangement.

I couldn't agree more. Phew, what a relief...

Man, you sure are desperate, huh? This alliance really mean that much to you?

...Morris, that was going too far. Apologize right now.

Yeah, yeah. Sorry 'bout that, Mr. Adamska.

Anyway, we know the killer's here among us, right? Well, I'm not gonna let a little murder scare me!

Looks like our decision to keep our personnel to a minimum backfired. I never thought we would have a murder on our hands.

I'm sorry to spoil your vacation, but please make sure you all stay where we can see you as much as possible.

If there's anything you need, we will be happy to provide it.

All right everyone, as you were. I hope you will still be able to relax and enjoy yourselves.

Relax and enjoy ourselves? How on earth are we supposed to relax now?

Say, Fujimaru. If you don't have anything better to do, would you mind taking over for the detective?

We've diverted so many resources to security at this point that, honestly, we don't have time to handle the investigation.

Does that mean...you don't suspect Fujimaru at all?

I saw them take that ball to the face on the first day. Not to mention the uproar that followed.

There's no way anyone that clum er, I mean...

...anyone that inexperienced in self-defense would be capable of murder.

Well, not that you need to be good at martial arts to kill someone, of course.

Whatever your reasons are, I absolutely agree that Fujimaru could never kill anyone.

？！

Well now. It seems you have much more initiative than I thought, considering how quiet you seem.

I agree. Fujimaru is the right choice. Since they are not affiliated with either family, we can expect their judgment to be fair and impartial.

Now then, shall we take a look at the crime scene? Much as I'd rather not, of course.

Doctor?

Wǔ asked me to help out as well. I'm the only one here who can perform an autopsy, after all. Lamentably, I have little in terms of space or equipment, so I must confine myself to a visual examination.

That's a good point. Okay, let's go then.

He IS pretty pale, but aside from that, he doesn't really look dead...

If that's what you think, try checking his wrist.

Okay, just in case...

...No, you're right. He doesn't have a pulse. Did you want to check his wrist too, Fujimaru?

？！

Of course I'm scared. But, I also kind of feel like I'm partly to blame for his death...

You look even paler than he does, Juliet.

Why don't you go back to your room and get some rest? Let Fujimaru and me handle this.

No, I'll stay. I wouldn't be any less scared sitting alone in my room.

All right, if you insist... Anyway, I believe we have sufficiently verified that he is, in fact, dead.

Given how much his body has cooled, I'd put his time of death at around midnight. Of course, the cause of death will be more important than the time.

What do you think, Doctor?

Poison would seem the most likely answer. Still, I can't tell what sort of poison, or how it entered his bloodstream.

...I'm afraid that's all I can say at this point.

That's all? Isn't there anything else?

I may be a doctor, but I must admit that this isn't exactly my area of expertise. I can't even be sure whether this poison was mixed into food or drink, or if he was injected with it somehow.

It would be one thing if I had my toxic substance detection reagent here with me, but

I'm sorry to interrupt.

It looks like today is going to be rather warm, so...would it be all right if we moved Mr. Sheringham's body soon?

Oh, right. I do apologize. You must have a lot to do without waiting around for us.

Never mind that, Doctor. What about the poison? If the killer poisoned his food or drink, what's to stop them from doing the same to ours?

I doubt there will be any poison in the food as long as Wǔ is cooking...

...but if you're worried, I'll be happy to taste it first to put you at ease.

What...? How can you smile about that? If it really IS poisoned, you could end up dead yourself!

The Marble Company took me in when I was just a baby. Of course I would lay down my life for them.

But...it's your life. You only get one, you know? You can't just throw it away like that.

...With all due respect, Ms. Juliet, the Marble Company is like family to me, and Ms. Ann may as well be my mother.

There is no difference between me risking my life for them and you marrying someone you don't love for your family.

Yes there is! ...It's not the same thing at all.

My apologies. I should never have said that. Forgive me.

It's okay. I'm over it.

All right, now that the autopsy is over, we should take Mr. Sheringham's body out of here.

We can use the basement. It's a little desolate, but it's the best option we have. I'll take the body down there now.

Hold it.

Sir?

Fujimaru and I can carry the body ourselves.

But...

I'm well aware that the Marble Company doesn't have enough hands to go around right now. There's no need for you to concern yourself with this when we are perfectly capable of doing it ourselves.

All I ask in exchange is that you make us a nice pot of tea. That we cannot do ourselves, after all.

In that case, I would be glad to take you up on that.

What kinds of tea do you have?

I'm afraid we have a limited selection, but I'm certain something will be to your liking.

Hmm... Is it okay if I choose it myself?

Of course. All right, let's be on our way. We'll wait for Dr. Hawthorne and your friend in the reception room.

Now, let's wrap the body up in a sheet and get it down to the basement... Mind taking the legs? All right, let's go.

There we are... Phew, that certainly strains the lower back, doesn't it? Yet another reminder that I'm not getting any younger.

Anyway, this should be a good place for Mr. Sheringham to rest in peace. It should be cool enough down here to minimize decay.

Chris certainly wasn't kidding when he said it was desolate. In fact, it's downright chilling in here, and I don't just mean in terms of temperature.

At any rate...it's finally just the two of us.

？！

No no, nothing like that. I merely wanted to talk to you, in private.

...It's better if Juliet doesn't hear this, you see.

I've known Juliet since she was a baby. Her mother and I go way back.

？！

Not like that! There was never anything between us! ...Hm, that sounds rather sad now I've said it.

Anyway, she was very popular. A boring man like myself never had a chance.

Besides, she was the pride and joy of the famous Violet family. I was far too scared to even think about asking her on a date...

Still, I was lucky that she did see me as a friend. She even kept up with me after she married Adamska.

In fact, she was the one who chose me to be the Violet family's doctor after her daughters were born.

I owe a great debt to the Violet family for providing me with a steady income for so many years...which is why I'm so reluctant to bring this up.

I'm guessing the Goldie and Violet families came across as typical members of the upper class to you...

...but they are, in fact, two of the oldest crime families in the country.

All that they have is built upon violence and blood money.

However, in the past few years, they've found themselves in a dangerous position.

For a long time, they were fighting each other tooth and nail for control of a certain city.

But now both are under attack from a new enemy, and that attack has exhausted their resources.

...The way things are going, they probably won't last another ten years. At worst, both could collapse.

So the heads of both families arrived at the same conclusion. They would need to form an alliance...a merger of sorts.

They needed a way to ensure neither would betray the other...and they decided the way to do that was to have their oldest children marry.

？！

Yes, that's probably the best way to put it.

I'm still a bachelor myself, but I care for those girls as if they were my own.

Sometimes, I can't help but wish Juliet was as free-spirited as her mother.

She agreed to a marriage she doesn't want, purely to help her family. It really grinds my gears.

And to make matters worse... Well, you've met Morris. How do YOU think he will be as a husband?

？！

I concur. Morris is no more than a thug who goes about picking fights over every perceived slight to his fragile ego. And he perceives...many.

Unfortunately, he's not the only one like that in the Goldie and Violet families. Far from it.

And those other thugs aren't happy about this merger. They're too concerned with what happened in the past and what's happening right now to give any thought to the future.

In fact, many of them would rather have an all-out war than team up with an enemy.

Both Aaron and Adamska are under a lot of pressure from their men not to go through with this.

That's why Aaron decided to bring in the Marble Company. Any deal the Marble Company is present for always goes through, after all.

Nobody in that city would voice an objection to this engagement with the Marble Company backing it.

...While this is ostensibly a four-day family trip, the true purpose here is to close the deal between these two families in secret.

？！

Of course, she has every right to go ahead with this marriage if that's what she's decided, but I don't want her to make a choice she'll end up regretting.

Still, she has many years ahead of her, and there's no telling what may happen down life's winding road.

If Juliet ever ends up reaching out to you for help, I hope you will be there for her.

Not that I have any business telling you this, as I did not even have the guts to take a chance to get properly turned down by my own youthful crush.

Now then, we'd better get back. I imagine Juliet is waiting for us with our tea.

Will you let me through?

Juuust a sec. Got somethin' I wanna talk to you about first.

It looks like they're arguing about something... Let's go see what's up.

All right. What is it?

Lemme just be straight with you here: your sister's more my type, and I want you to trade places with her.

That's not something you and I can decide by ourselves.

I just thought it'd suck for you if you'd already fallen for me, so figured I'd bring it up early.

Still, doesn't look like being blunt's your thing anyway, so I don't see you answering honestly regardless.

'Course if you're set on it, I don't mind doing it with you either. You're easy on the eyes.

You're disgusting...

What are you going to do about this, Fujimaru?

？！

That's enough, Mr. Morris.

Aw crap, it's the pretty boy with the grip of steel. Fine, I'll get outta your hair before he breaks my arm or something.

I'm gonna go for a walk. Alone!

Are you all right?

I'm all right... Just sick to my stomach.

Chris, Doctor, would you mind going on ahead?

Hmm, if that's what you want... Come along, Chris.

Yes, sir.

Thanks. I'll be there before my tea gets cold.

...I'm so sorry I told you this was just a family trip when I asked you to come along, Fujimaru.

I thought he might be awful, but he's a little worse than I had expected.

？！

Pfft. That's your response? You're so silly!

Usually you're really quiet, but today you're something else!

...Hehe. Thank you, Fujimaru. I feel a little better now.

But you know, I've had a good life growing up in this family. It's thanks to them that I got into our school, and I never would have met you if I hadn't gone there. I'm grateful to them for that.

So, I cannot run away from my duties now. I am the eldest daughter, after all.

？！

That's sweet of you. But I can't. If I ran, my sister would have to take my place. I can't do that to her...

Hey, what's with the look? I didn't bring you along so you could make faces at me!

Huh? No, Fujimaru! You mustn't! Fujimaru? Fujimaru! Hang in there!

Huh, that was quick. You weren't even asleep for an hour.

？！

It would seem that time passes differently in your dreamworld.

How fortunate; I was just thinking how helpful more data would be. Now then, what happened over there?

That was when Juliet shoved you, and you fell unconscious?

Hmm, how unfortunate for you! Still...hahaha, hahahahahahaha!

It seems someone else was even more unfortunate! Still...what a..heh...tragic turn of events!

Don't you agree, Sheringham? Oh, my apologies. I don't know HOW I got those names mixed up.

Holmes! The great Sherlock Holmes, rubbed out in the first act! Not even I would have ever seen it coming!

Bahahahahahahahahaha!

(Senpai, I've never seen the professor so euphoric before!)

？！

Baritsu.

Egads! Ouch!

I do beg your pardon, but I'm trying to think. Would you kindly keep it down?

...Still, I must say, I'm disappointed to hear the detective was the first to step off the stage.

Detective work is fraught with danger. Any gentleman worth his salt should have known to master a martial art or two for his own self-defense. Poor Sheringham clearly needed more training.

You're one to talk, given that your self-defense consists of shielding yourself with the culprit.

That aside, something about Sheringham's death nags at me. It would make more sense had it been anyone else.

？！

Assuming that whoever made the threat is among the other characters, Sheringham's arrival must have thrown a wrench in their plans.

Let's further assume that the culprit made a number of preparations in the Kogetsukan.

Assuming they have done so, then murdering Sheringham puts our culprit in a bit of a bind, since they had not prepared anything for him in advance.

Which means they must have made a mistake somewhere.

I certainly understand the desire to rid oneself of an unwelcome visitor, but I can't say I approve of this rushed, artless approach.

...I see. So the culprit would just as soon have not committed this murder unless they had no choice...

Does that mean Holmes's death was a spur-of-the-moment decision?

Sheringham, Ms. Kyrielight. I assure you, I am still very much alive.

Indeed. I doubt our culprit is in a position to simply gallivant about, murdering as they please.

As soon as someone dies, the survivors become much more wary, serving only to complicate the act of carrying out your intended murder.

Assuming this is not a matter of vengeance, your first victim should always be the one you had intended to kill from the start.

But that wasn't true for Sheringham. He was not involved with either of the families.

Killing him now must have been a deeply bitter pill for the culprit to swallow.

Um, why do you think Sheringham was killed, Professor?

You need to ask!? He was in the culprit's way, obviously.

Believe me, I can understand how they felt! If an unbearably smug-looking detective showed up like he was running the show amid one of my own schemes, I'd want to send him home in a coffin too!

The detective's presence carries with it the risk of interference in the culprit's plans, or having them exposed once those plans are carried out.

Detectives represent any number of problems for criminals, you know! Disposing of them before the plot truly begins is absolutely the best course.

That's terrible...

Loath as I am to admit it, I have to agree. If I were a criminal, I would do the same thing.

Furthermore, by killing the detective off first, the person who made the threat has shown they are not afraid to get their hands dirty.

Come to think of it, there was a new development on our end while you were off in dreamland, Mr. Fujimaru.

I wasn't able to track down the Marble Company...

...but I did find two other corporations named Goldie Company and Violet Inc.

They are both headquartered in a major American city, and have vied for control over it for quite some time.

The CEOs of the two companies are listed as Aaron Goldie and Adamska Violet. It all lines up perfectly.

Though unfortunately, I was unable to find any information about their families.

That doesn't surprise me. Any decent underworld organization leader knows that their enemies can get to them through their families, and are sure to keep a tight lid on information regarding them.

...Then this is really happening, right now. Not in the past, or the future, or in a Singularity.

Indeed. I'm still doing everything I can to find out more about them. I'll make sure to have more detailed information by the next time you wake up.

Is that the best the world's greatest detective can do? Give me one of the Command Room's terminals, and I'll have the answers for you in an instant.

Hah, I could never be so foolish or intoxicated as to hand over the master key to a known thief!

Besides, not even I can get into the Command Room's mainframe.

That is a black box if ever I saw one.

？！

Holmes! Professor! Senpai looks like he's about to drift off again!

Well now, it seems we've droned on a bit too long. Based on what you've told us, it's clear who Sheringham was meeting with.

Try to stay awake a little longer, and I'll tell you what I know.