story_mm_1_1

Mrs Bride's time of death was late yesterday evening, after the maid had locked the door.

The manor is heavily guarded, surrounded by the lake on three sides, with high walls between the water and the manor.

It is simply impossible for an outsider to break in unnoticed.

Therefore...

The killer is right here, among us!

R-Really, Miss Metis?

There's a killer among us? That can't be!

Poppycock! Ridiculous!

I take it that you've found the evidence to implicate the killer?

Huh? Er, well...

Ahem, o-of course I have!

First, according to the maid's testimony, an Originium ornament that was supposed to be in the bedroom went missing after the incident.

The victim's injuries indicate that this was likely the weapon!

You don't mean to say whoever is carrying the weapon is the killer, do you?

I doubt anyone would carry something like that on their person.

Quiet while I'm deducing!

Of course, that's not the only thing! Here's the second point: The scene of the crime is very messy, with a large amount of blood on the victim's face and hands.

Madam Bride suffered a large number of wounds on her body, in addition to the fatal wound on her head. Do you understand what this means, Miss Heidi?

It means... there was a struggle between the killer and the victim?

Exactly! A bloody one too!

At that distance, it was inevitable that the killer would have gotten blood on them!

Therefore, whoever has got blood on them must be the killer!

How's that!

What a load of rubbish! No one here's got any blood on them!

Huh? B-But...

How could that be? It's impossible... one of us must be the killer!

Just how stupid are you?

W-Why are you stooping to insults? What have I done to you?

It's not an insult, it's the truth.

I wasn't expecting much out of your first case, but that deduction's got more holes than a sieve.

I'm afraid... so.

See, Anna's with me.

Et tu, Istina?!

After what I've just heard, it is inevitable.

The logic is sound, in a vacuum, but there's no way that a killer would appear wearing blood-soaked clothes. They would try to destroy any evidence.

Anyone with a brain would.

I guess... that makes sense.

The killer wasn't dumb enough to walk around covered in blood, and the witnesses were sure they didn't see anyone bloodied in the manor.

I had taken this into account, of course. Therefore—

You checked all our belongings. There were no bloody clothes!

Enough of this farce, Miss Metis Geraldine!

T-That can't be! I must have missed it...

The results are here for all of us to see, Miss Metis.

Not a one of us is holding anything suspicious.

Isn't it time to hand this case over to the police? We really must be going.

Yes, too much time has been wasted here already.

Wait! Just give me a little bit longer!

I'll find the clues and catch the killer! I swear it!

Please, just a little more time...

Er...

Well... what do you think, Miss Heidi?

I would beg your patience for just a little longer.

Miss Heidi! Thank you so much...

Do you really believe the killer is among us, Miss Heidi?

I have every faith in your character, and that of everyone else present. Which is why we should allow our detective here to prove our collective innocence.

What would people outside say if we left now and the police were unable to solve the case?

The rumor mill may not be so rational.

I suppose you're right.

Very well, if you say so.

And I want to see what this self-proclaimed detective can do!

W-Who are you calling self-proclaimed?!

I mean, sure, it's the first time I've faced a case like this... but I'll solve it!

That piece of Gloompincer dung...

Don't let it get to you, Miss Metis, we all believe in you.

Thank you, Mr. Hull!

Hm?

Mr Hull, you have a mismatched jacket and necktie.

I-Is that so? How embarrassing. The maid must have brought me the wrong jacket.

Anyway, I won't take up any more of your time. I look forward to good news.

Alright, snap out of it.

Sir William might have been a little brusque, but he was reasonably cooperative.

Do you suspect him to be the killer?

Not really...

I've identified a more likely suspect.

Setting that aside for a moment... any updates on what I asked, Miss Heidi?

I didn't find anything in the rooms. No clues regarding the killer at all. You, the client, are the only one I can trust!

You have the honor of being my first assistant ever!

It's an honor. I suppose.

But did you consider the possibility that the client could be the killer?

What? O-Of course, I've considered it!

I haven't let my guard down, just because you had an alibi!

It's a trick that detectives use to get suspects to let their guard down... yes, that's it!

Hehe. Well then, I'd better work harder to clear my name.

Would you like to hear my report?

Yes, straight away!

What did you find? Did anyone sneak into the kitchen or use the fireplace? Or perhaps somewhere else a fire could be lit?

As far as I can tell, no.

The kitchens were being watched by the servants and they didn't see anyone. No sign of fires being lit in the fireplaces in the rooms. Nothing was destroyed by fire.

So, no clues at all?

How could this be...?

The killer would not keep such a clue with them. They would try to destroy it at the first opportunity. Fire would be the safest way to do so.

Could it be... Originium Arts?

A skilled caster could destroy evidence by conjuring flames out of nothing. That would make it impossible to find a clue.

Or not... it was an Originium ornament. Those things don't burn so easily. There must be some trace.

But we've searched the entire manor.

And there was nothing.

How am I supposed to solve this case if I can't even find the murder weapon?

(Is this too much for me to crack?)

Are you giving up?

O-Of course I'm not giving up!

I'm just...

Do you think it's hopeless? That the evidence must have been destroyed?

It's true that I wasn't able to find any clues...

(Miss Heidi must be disappointed.)

(Oh no, the tears are starting to flow... please stop!)

I-I'm sorry, Miss Heidi, I, I could find a more experienced detective if you're not satisfied with my performance.

But p-please just give me a little more time.

I, I'll get to the bottom of this... please don't fire me! *wails*

I never said I was firing you.

What?

You may be inexperienced, but I see potential in your determined search for clues.

There must be a way, even if we might be missing some evidence.

After all, the truth is always there. It never changes.

The truth's always there...

Any crime must leave a trail...

Exactly!

A great detective won't let herself get frustrated so easily.

B-But I'm just a no-name detective, and this is my first big case... I... I...

I don't know if I can do this on my own.

Say, what happened to the confident young detective I hired?

Besides, you're not alone.

What do you mean...?

Didn't you say I was your first assistant?

Or are you taking it back so hastily?

Miss Heidiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!

Yes! I'll become a household name, and everyone will know that you were my first assistant!

Ugh.

Don't be so harsh, Sonya. It's just a little bit much for the dinner table.

That's basically what I meant, yeah.

The fat guy did it. Why are we even talking about this?

You're all the same!

This was the second most touching scene of my first case! The detective and her assistant! The assistant comforting the detective in her darkest hour...

Isn't it touching?!

Er... well, sure, I suppose so.

The interaction between the detective and his assistant is certainly one of the selling points of many mystery novels. Classics of the genre set these two characters up to contrast with each other.

See? Hehe...

(Not sure if a mystery novel would work with a detective like this, though.)

Okay, let's forget this first assistant you never saw again. Didn't you call Skyfire your seventh assistant last time?

She almost set you on fire for that. A couple words of encouragement, and you're falling head over heels.

Hmph! You don't understand the detective-assistant dynamic at all!

Yeah, whatever. Just get this over with.

After that, it was the Metis Show, of course...

The scene of the crime looks the same.

(We've searched it many times. Another sweep won't yield any clues.)

(We should look somewhere else.)

Hmm.

(Nothing here... don't suppose anyone would leave bloody evidence out in the open.)

Ouch!

My head...

(No, nothing here either.)

(I must have missed something... but where could it be?)

(Did they really destroy all the evidence?)

No, that can't be!

Any crime must leave a trail. They won't fool me!

(This is the last area. If there's nothing here...)

(Could the killer really have committed a crime without leaving a trail?)

(Oh...?)

(What's that outside the window?)

(The lake outside the manor?)

(Wait, if it's visible from here, it must be visible from the scene of the crime!)

This must be the place!

I knew it!

This room is higher than the wall, and the window faces the lake!

I've got it...

Give me a second... whew. What happened, Miss Metis? Why did you...?

Miss Heidi!

Ah, I'm here?

I found it! I found the clue!

It wasn't fire, it was water!

That's where the evidence must be... over there!

The lake?

Do you mean that the killer threw the bloody clothes into the lake?

And we didn't search outside the manor!

But...

Let me guess, you want to say that they couldn't have thrown their clothes such a distance, right?

But clothes aren't the only thing we're looking for!

We're also looking for the murder weapon!

Why didn't anyone see the bloody clothes? Because the killer didn't leave the scene wearing them!

Why didn't we find the weapon? Because the killer wrapped the bloody clothes around it and threw it into the lake!

This explains everything!

But finding the killer won't be easy, if they indeed threw all the evidence into the lake.

Just because it's not easy doesn't mean it's impossible!

I'll find the clues and the killer, no matter what it takes!

Why the face?! This is the climactic moment!

Where's the applause? Where's the praise?

(Slow clap)

And then what happened?

Don't tell me that's the end.

O-Of course not! After that, it was the Metis Show...

We heard that part already.

Enough nitpicking! Do you find some fault with my detective adventure?

Now then, the ending—

This is quite enough. When can we leave?

This is absurd! I refuse to entertain this little girl's detective games any longer!

Miss Metis, I don't think we can proceed without any evidence.

Hehehe...

Hehe, hehehe, hahahaha!

Wh-What are you laughing at?

I'm laughing at the foolish killer, who still thinks they can escape me, and justice.

A criminal always leaves a trail, and it's up to a detective to find it.

And I'm happy to say that I've found the evidence!

Really?!

I present you the decisive evidence implicating the killer!

T-This is the jacket Mr. Hull wore yesterday! Why is it all wet?

Are those bloodstains?

And the Originum ornament... is this the murder weapon?

That seems decisive. How do you explain this, Mr. Hull?

Th-This is all a big misunderstanding!

I, I just... er...

No more excuses!

This is what you get for underestimating me! The evidence is clear! There's nowhere to run!

My goodness, Miss Metis... how did you manage this?

Hmph, looks like you're not all talk after all!

You're an outstanding detective!

And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for this meddling detective!

But you'll have to catch me first!

Not so fast!

Hah!

Ugh!

Hands up! No sudden moves!

There's no such thing as an unsolvable mystery when I'm on the case!

Mr. Hull!

You, sir, are the true culprit!

Hold it right there!

<i>That's</i> your ending?!

You're skipping right to the killer reveal? What kind of ending is that? And you just made up everyone else's lines, didn't you?

W-What gave you that idea? They were all remarkably impressed with my detective work... it's only natural!

That's quite enough, Zima! I won't stand for such an attack on a detective of renown!

Ha. If you're a 'detective of renown,' then I'm the new sheriff in town.

The first half was okay, but your ending is even worse than 'The Death of Ilyich, the Suspect'...

Hmph! Some people just can't appreciate a good story!

But you're not one of them, are you, Istina?

Hmm...

Sonya may have been a little too harsh, but it's definitely missing some important details.

For example, the killer wrapped the bloody clothes around the heavy Originium ornament, making sure that the evidence would sink to the bottom of the lake.

Yes, that's right!

And it's not so easy to dredge up evidence from the bottom of a lake.

Well, er... it did take some time... I spent days digging through the mud, and we finally found the evidence with the help of the police...

So they didn't need you at all.

It was I who found the clue! And I dug through the mud for three straight days! I found the evidence with my own hands!

We got the killer in the end! What's a couple of days more or less?!

That's not all.

W-What else?

The evidence happened to be preserved in the form of bloody clothing and a weapon this time. But what would you do if the culprit actually destroyed the evidence using Originium Arts?

Er... well, that happens from time to time...

The police have tools for investigating crimes by Arts users.

So they <i>didn't</i> need you at all.

Oh, stuff it!

At least the premise was interesting. Foolish detective and clever assistant.

Did you ever see Heidi again?

What do you mean by 'at least?'

Soon after, I encountered that suspicious penguin, so I went undercover to pursue him...

Er, actually, never mind that.

(Forget the undercover stuff...)

(You're still trying to hide it?)

Ahem. Anyway, I never saw Miss Heidi again.

But I'm sure my first assistant is still out there, and doing well.

And we'll see each other again when I become a household name!

But to do that...

I'll have to catch that fat penguin with the gold chain!