Spring Festival Express

Ta-daah! Ladies and gentlemen in the audience, happy Spring Festival! Finally, finally, it's Little N's time to shine!

Even though you're my avatar, I must say that your idea of entertainment this time is embarrassingly lowbrow. Frankly, it borders on the absurd.

But it's the Spring Festival! Gotta present our dear audience something fresh and festive, don't you think?

Even so, isn't it a bit far-fetched to have only one scene from start to finish?

Sob... Times have changed since you ran the theater and faced off against that Lady... The project budget for this festival is a pittance! This bare-bones stage set is all we can afford...

Then it seems I've got no choice but to... wait and see.

Ahem! Without further ado, Little N presents the latest, hottest Spring Festival Exclusive Drama!

Come on, audience! Make some noise, it's showtime!

Hmm... so sleepy... No matter how long I sleep on this train, it's never enough.

(Feels like my brain is a tangled mess... Did I forget something important?)

(Whatever. The Spring Festival holiday is a perfect excuse, and I'm going straight back to the dorm to play dead. Even if Doll pushes me for homework or Ramona nags about reports, I'll resist to the bitter end...)

Oh dear, what a sleepy little sapling~ You can lean on my shoulder until the train reaches the terminus, you know?

Whoa?!

(Everyone is minding their own business... such a peaceful atmosphere...)

(But... hasn't this train ride been going on way too long?)

Winkle... why is the Mythag Express so slow today?

Wh-what Mythag Express? Isn't this train headed to the @1 home planet?

Don't be silly, little girl. Isn't this the train to Aram?

Huh? Huh? But Aram is deep in the desert, no tracks could possibly reach it...

As far as I know, the destination of this train should be Isarawu.

That's even more ridiculous. Hasn't Isarawu been a ruin for ages?

Talk is cheap. I have proof.

Miryam, Tinct, what about you two...?

There is no need for words. His will shall guide me back to Lemuria.

I... I want to spend the holiday with my sister... back on the Desolate, our home...

(The Desolate... It took Tinct countless eons of wandering to reach Kadath. That distance is unimaginable for a mere train...)

Lemuria sank beneath the ocean thousands of years ago.

And Isarawu... has long been destroyed.

Little one, you've been playing the expert on everyone else's business. What about you? What is the name of this "home planet," and where is it?

Home planet... is just the home planet! Its name is... @1...

Hmm? Did I hear that right? You can't even remember the name of your own home?

Everyone, calm down and listen to me.

Your destinations all sound... unrealistic. Yet each of you holds a ticket to your respective homeland.

Instead of arguing, we need to find the conductor and get some real information.

Ahem.

Already done bickering? I was hoping for a longer show~

Little N?!

What's with that look? Am I not welcome? After I went through all the trouble of preparing such a wonderful Spring Festival gift for you all!

What are you doing here?

Isn't it obvious? In the spirit of the festival, your considerate, selfless, and charitable Little N has launched this "Homebound Express," so every homesick soul can enjoy the warmth of reunion!

You're not that generous. Out with it, what are you hiding?

Ah-ah! Patience! Let me finish one bit at a time.

Many wish to return home, but there's only one train. So naturally... only one person can return to their beloved homeland~

Sigh, as the considerate, selfless, and charitable N, of course I must use the fairest method to decide who gets that privilege, right?

Which is...?

So, Start killing each other!

Kill everyone else! The last one standing gets to decide the train's destination and wins a one-day homecoming tour!

Impossible! No one would... would actually take a life for something like this!

Exactly... Though I miss Faint dearly, I could never join such a cruel game...

Hmph. Staying here with fine wine and servants isn't a bad alternative. Isarawu is just a faded memory to me anyway.

Although I'd love to return... my little sapling is here with me, and the people of Aram no longer need my guidance. I have no motive to participate in a bloodbath, either.

...

Sigh... I knew it wouldn't be that easy...

To avoid this awkward stalemate, I've refined the rules: you must present me with five corpses to exchange for the final ticket.

You need seven tickets in total to start the train!

In other words, no one leaves until only one person remains alive.

Oh, and one more thing! There's an impostor among you, a double of me, the ever-changing Little N!

If you do nothing, it will pick you off one by one by one! And then? No one goes home!

Alright, everyone. Stop listening to his nonsense.

There are six of us, including Mythag's finest Keeper. You really think we can't escape this tiny carriage?

...There's no way out.

Aside from the driver's cab, this train has three carriages in total. We're in Car 2, the middle one.

Cars 1 and 3 are empty. Every window and door is sealed shut, neither brute force nor Silver Technology can break them.

Told ya! No point wasting your energy! Nobody gets off until there's only one winner left!

How did you...? Didn't Thais just...?

Hehe! If I were that easy to kill, I wouldn't be Little N, would I?

So? Has everyone picked their target for the night?

Keep talking, and I won't mind giving you another taste of a pierced heart.

Ohhh, that's harsh! Truly heartbreaking!

Is the Spring Festival program I painstakingly prepared really that unpopular? Sniff...

Anyway, happy hunting! Little N is looking forward to your performances!

Um... everyone...?

It's a bit dull just sitting here... If you don't mind, may I sing a song for you?

Ooh?! I love a good show! Can I request a song?

Shoo, shoo! No one asked you!

Since it's the Spring Festival of the Panlong Empire... I recall an Eastern folk tune. I once heard the Shadow Choir perform it.

I'm not sure whether I know enough Eastern pieces...

The song is called "Mo Li Hua," the Jasmine Flower.

Oh? That one?

What a coincidence. I was in the audience for that Shadow Choir performance, too.

If I remember correctly, I even spotted...

Well... if no one objects... I'll begin.

What a lovely jasmine flower~ What a lovely jasmine flower♪~ No bloom in the garden can compare to her♪~

La la la~ La la la~ La la la♪~

Everyone is exhausted, aren't they? I'm used to going without sleep, I'll keep watch.

Everyone's asleep now. Why don't you get some rest too?

Are you sure it's okay?

What, are you worried I might be the mole?

Not at all. It's just... back then, I would always wait for Faint to fall asleep before I rest...

Then today, it's your turn to get some proper sleep! Go on.

No wonder everyone fell asleep so fast... It's such a peaceful atmosphere...

Hmm...?

Winkle... why are you asleep?

Huh...? I... fell asleep?

EHHH?!?! I FELL ASLEEP?!?!

Dear passengers, did you rest well on the Homebound Express?

Once I detected that all passengers were asleep, I kindly arranged a quiet, dark environment for you!

I'm so sorry... I usually rely on massive amounts of coffee to stay awake...

Wait. Is someone missing?

...

Hmm? Are you looking for me, little sapling? I'm right here.

Then the missing person is...

AAAAAAH!!!

I'm sorry... I shouldn't have been so confident... I shouldn't have kept watch alone... I shouldn't have thought I could stay awake without coffee...

Ta-da! What did the considerate Little N hear? A passenger's need!

Heartfelt service, coming right up, an unlimited coffee machine!

Just press this red button, and endless streams of hot, dark-roast Americano will gush forth!

I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry...

Gulp, gulp, gulp,

Stop drinking already.

Gulp, gulp, gulp,

Winkle...

Even if you drown yourself in coffee, it won't bring Tinct back, will it?

You!

She has a point. Finding a way off this train is our top priority now.

Shouldn't the priority be finding the killer among us?

I disagree. There are so few of us left; turning on each other will only play into the killer's hands.

What matters most is keeping the rest of us safe. How about we all stay in Car 2?

Since little sapling has made up {Male=his,Female=her} mind, I won't object.

...According to our Lord's teaching, I must seek a quiet corner for solitary prayer at regular intervals.

No way! Who knows what you might do while "praying"?

Besides, you were the only one who stayed silent when we agreed to a truce. How do we know you're not one of N's underlings?

The only Lord I serve is the deity of Lemuria.

However, should you utter another word of blasphemy, I would not mind delivering divine retribution on His behalf.

We have no evidence against anyone yet. When Tinct... died, everyone was asleep.

Besides, this "mole" business might just be another of N's ploys to goad us into slaughtering each other.

How cruel! Sob... I was being so sincere with my warning...

(Death glare)...

Fine, fine! I'll disappear! Waaah...

In that case... Miryam, would you mind leaving to pray alone in Car 1? Please stay there unless it is an absolute emergency.

We'll lock the connecting door to Car 1. With the rest of us in one room, we can ensure everyone's safety.

Isn't that a bit... extreme for Miryam?

I have no objection.

The rest of us should be able to breath easy now, huh.

I have a feeling it won't be that simple...

Urgh...

I... need a moment...

(Too much caffeine, I guess...)

(Strange... Winkle is taking an awfully long time...)

Worried? Shall I accompany you to check on her?

Let's go.

What's the matter?

Winkle has been in there for an hour. We've been knocking, but there's no answer.

The door won't budge. It's absurd! We've got a bunch of Awakeners here... people who can summon storms and fight mythical creatures... yet we're bested by a simple door?!

Ever heard of "Shin Honkaku,", the New Orthodoxy of murder mystery?

To talk Shin Honkaku, one must first pay respects to the Orthodoxy.

In the world of deduction, Honkaku refers to a work with a clearly defined puzzle and rigorous logic... Shin Honkaku takes that foundation and builds a unique worldview on top of it.

Even so, the New Orthodoxy must respect the reader and abide by the rules of "Fair Play." The mystery must be solvable within the information already given, no adding supernatural elements on a whim.

In short, if you don't have lockpicking skills, you can't just magically open a door locked from the inside.

So... you're saying this is a classic "locked-room murder"? And the crime scene is right inside?

Who knows! Perhaps Winkle fled in a fit of guilt, leaping from the lavatory window mid-transit!

But didn't you say we can't leave the train?

Aha! A lapse in logic!

Before the Great Detective makes {Male=his,Female=her} grand entrance, there must always be the "clueless sidekick" who offers the wrong theory.

Since none of you are willing to play the buffoon, I, the ever-magnanimous Little N, shall graciously take the stage!

Stop wasting your breath on him.

It's a bit crude, I know... but there's a louvered vent on the restroom door. The structure is quite flimsy.

Leave the rest to me.

We're too late.

Winkle!

To be blunt: when Winkle died, you, Wanda, and I never left Car 2.

The only possible killer... has to be Miryam.

My Lord did not guide me to such an act. But if you insist, I am willing to deliver judgment on His behalf.

Oh dear, quite the standoff!

Since we're talking divine judgment, I'd like to offer you an easy way to win!

Let's hold a vote right now! Whoever gets the most votes will be expelled from the train by me and lose their chance to return home!

Without a doubt, my vote goes to Miryam.

Thais.

Little one, what about you? Given the circumstantial evidence, I'm also inclined to vote for Miryam.

Miryam: 2 votes! Thais: 1 vote!

N, what happens in the event of a tie?

If it's a tie, nobody gets eliminated~

But think carefully! There are only four of you left. If you pass this up and the mole strikes again, your odds of survival will plummet!

I don't want to wrong an innocent person. I'm voting for Thais.

Really? Won't you reconsider? This is your one and only chance to vote!

No. The more you push, the more certain I am that I've made the right choice.

Very well! Final tally: a tie. No one is out!

Sigh... What a disappointment. Even Little N needs some alone time to recover now. See ya!

I have a proposal.

We can split into pairs and stay in Cars 1 and 2 separately. That way we can keep an eye on each other.

But wouldn't the person left alone with the killer be in grave danger?

Perhaps, but it's the only way to ensure N doesn't claim ultimate victory.

I'll watch Miryam. Don't worry, I've got a trump card she'd never see coming.

Let's go, Miryam. To Car 1.

Happy Spring Festival, %player%.

Well then, since we finally have some precious time alone, what shall we do, my little sapling?

I could... work on my report...

It's Spring Festival already! Relax a little, stop obsessing over those reports.

I... uh...

I'd better not...

Fine. Then let's just sit quietly and chat for a while, shall we?

Tell me, Keeper... in that moment when your eyes darted away, who were you thinking of?

And the cafeteria at Mythag? Way more packed than any lab.

Especially when those little cakes are stocked... the kids forget all about grace or manners...

Some cheeky ones even cheat, they'd have their animal companions hold their spot at the counter with a meal voucher, then give the cakes they grab to their shy friends.

And... huh?

And...

I miss Mythag so much. I want to go back... back to their side...

It's strange... I only left three days ago for fieldwork. I shouldn't feel this way...

Shh... It's okay, Keeper. It's okay.

I knew... Miryam would strike first... so I prepared... my "counter"...

Now... N can never achieve his victory...

You two... must...

So... Miryam really was the killer. She knew that under the rule of mutual watch, she had to eliminate Wanda first, or her following actions would unite everyone else against her. So she made her move.

Wanda... she knew she was good at "counter," so she volunteered to stay with the mole, Miryam, alone.

She sacrificed herself... to secure victory for the "innocents."

No... Miryam wasn't the mole N planted among us.

Not her? Then why would she...?

The Miryam I know wouldn't hesitate to get her hands dirty for victory... for returning to "Lemuria," as N promised.

Then... why do you...

But the real mole... is you. "Thais", or rather, whoever is impersonating her.

Oh? And when did you figure it out, my Little Jasmine? I'd love to hear your deduction.

After Winkle left... before Wanda suggested we go stay in different cars.

That early? I thought my Modus Operandi was discreet enough to leave no traces.

Tinct's piercing wounds could've come from your vines, Wanda's thorns, or Miryam's dagger.

As for Winkle's death... any of you three, Thais, Wanda, or Miryam, is capable of using poison.

Given how much coffee she drank, poisoning the coffee machine would guarantee her death eventually.

So, yes. In terms of execution, your disguise was perfect.

Then what gave me away?

Have you ever played a party game called "Werewolf"? Every blood moon, the werewolves open their eyes to hunt, then hide among the villagers by dawn.

To identify the werewolf, you must figure out everyone's true motives during the discussion phase. Werewolves know who the innocents are, so their accusations tend to be more certain.

But the real Thais, the queen who could stay undercover in Aram for a millennia, would never point the finger of suspicion at others so easily. She is cautious, deliberate.

So that's why you voted for me... instead of following the others against Miryam.

I chose to stay alone with the killer.

I had planned to catch you red-handed when you made your move, but Miryam acted faster than you did.

She struck Wanda before you could finish hypnotizing me.

Bravo. Truly brilliant deduction. You've impressed me.

No... It's not enough. I never intended to play the "detective" in N's little story.

I wanted to stop your schemes before any murder happened. But it's too late now.

Now, all I ask is this: who are you, really?

Hehe... hehehe~

Follow me, my Little Jasmine...

Come with me, and see the truth behind this story.

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Thais of this train, or you may call me N's mole.

Over the long millennia of my life, I have grown most accustomed to the name "Xu." It is ordinary enough, common enough, familiar enough to be seen as anyone.

I have so much more I wish to say to you, but not here.

If fate permits, perhaps we shall cross paths again in another time and place.

You are the final victor, Keeper.

Go on. Claim your prize.

...

(No more corpses, no dismantled crew members, I'm almost unnerved by the quiet.)

Hmm?

Feels like some twisted prank fitting N's malicious nature...

Ramona...

You've got to be kidding me...

I'm going to crash...

So damn cheap... Why was I stupid enough to trust any avatar of N...?

!!! Ugh!!

This is... Mythag?!

???

My, my! The reward for making it out alive was a "return to Mythag," but I never promised how you'd return, did I?

The best I could manage was letting you borrow one of my avatars for a while.

Even so, this defies the laws of the universe. You must exercise restraint, don't let anyone discover you aren't the real Lord Dexter, okay~?

I guess you're about to say, "Or else..."

Or else, ta-da! The midnight bell will toll early, and the pumpkin carriage and glass slippers will revert to their original forms.

So cherish the moments before the clock strikes twelve. After all, you paid for this time with the lives of your companions.

Lord Dexter... May I have this dance with you?

Hmm? Why is that?

No one else wants to dance with me... They say it's too dangerous.

But don't worry! I'll do my best to control my strength!

Then, by all means.

I-I'm so sorry, Lord Dexter! I'll do better next time, I promise...

Pfft.

Lord Dexter, you've finally met your match.

I recall you being known as the most elegant ballroom dancer in all of Mythag, Lord Dexter.

Well, if there were a "Dance with Elsa" contest, I'd still come out on top.

Elsa really admires you. Even if the dance wasn't perfect, it probably fulfilled her Spring Festival wish.

Ramona, what's your Spring Festival wish?

Changing the subject already? Skipping hellos to this lady or that, now you care for your adopted daughter?

I noticed you haven't danced yet. No one catches your eye?

No need to trouble yourself.

Care to grace your lonely old man with a dance?

The person you're waiting for... would want you to say yes to this dance.

How do you know?

I just do.

Fine. I'll take your word for it. Just this once.

Come on. I've never danced with you before.

Loosen up a little. You're treating the dance floor like a battlefield.

And you could focus a bit more, my lord. You've nearly stepped on my toes three times already.

That hardly seems like Lord Dexter, the social butterfly of decades.

Maybe sometimes... I feel like playing a different role?

Is that so?

You know, you've been unusually quiet today.

(I thought I was staying well in character...)

Really? Must be the cold weather. It kills the urge to chat.

The real Lord Dexter should say: "Flirting with one's adopted daughter is quite the taboo, you know."

Who are you, really?

Ramona, our time together is so short. I don't want to...

Never mind that, look!

Happy Spring Festival, Ramona.