Memory 48 (significant positive)

[thinkoutsidethebox]

There's only one place a living Kinzo can exist. [EP5] Form of a tiny box of 9 miniature macarons. 8/9 remaining.

After the conclusion of the trial but before Battler's revival, Erika, Bern and Lambda are wrapping up loose ends.

"......If you claim that Kinzo-san was not the culprit, he will need an alibi which proves that the crime was impossible for him. Otherwise, we cannot truly be certain that you are the culprit, Natsuhi-san."
Erika has probably known for a long time.
Kinzo is nothing more than an illusion to make the inheritance problem more uncertain.

However, it would be very hard to prove that he was an illusion.
The only way to do this would be to confirm Kinzo's death, ......but as has been made known by the red truth in previous games, Kinzo died a long time ago.

And in this 5th game, his corpse hasn't even appeared.

In a situation like this, it wouldn't be easy to absolutely prove his death......
If Kinzo's death was confirmed, ......it would practically erase that defeat in the study.

It was the only way Erika had of removing the humiliation of that loss.
And there was something that could confirm Kinzo's death almost as certainly as real proof.

And that was............'the confession of the culprit'.

It would mean having Natsuhi herself acknowledge that Kinzo no longer existed in this world.
That way, it would be acknowledged that Erika's reasoning in the study was correct, ......that loss would be painted over, and it would be rewritten as Erika's victory......
Battler hung suspended by Dlanor's red long sword.
Beato had disappeared by having her existence denied, ......and her minions had gone too.

In this cathedral that they had disappeared from, ......only Natsuhi and the witches convicting her remained.
"So, ......you still claim that Kinzo is alive and remains somewhere on this island......?"
"That's correct...! Father is in good health...! No matter what anyone says, I will not change my statement...!"
"The red truth from the previous games says that Kinzo is already dead. ......But that's not enough to satisfy you, right, Bern?"
"......Yeah, that's right. I'm after a perfect victory. ......So there's nothing interesting about getting a checkmate just because Kinzo's death has been confirmed by the red. ......I want to win by forcing Natsuhi to say that she's resigned. *giggle*giggle*giggle*!"
"Then why don't you try it? Show us what you've got."
"My master, let us now achieve a perfect victory...!!"
"Of course. ............Natsuhi. You say that Kinzo is certainly alive, but you don't know where he is, correct?"
"Yes, that's right...! Father left through the window and his location is unknown...! He is so troublesome sometimes......!"
"Lambda. I'm going to make Kinzo's location from 24:00 until the morning absolutely clear. ......From 24:00 until morning, Kinzo stayed in the same room."
"......? Well, that's true...he was a corpse after all. ..................No, I'm sorry. That's right, totally right. I won't butt in. It sounds interesting, so keep going."
".........From now on, I'll use the word Kinzo to refer to 'the living Kinzo'. After all, Natsuhi claims that he's alive. ......I'll say more with the red truth. Kinzo does not exist anywhere outside the mansion. ......Isn't that right? Erika."
"Y, yes, my master...!! I searched for Kinzo all over the premises outside the mansion...! However, I was unable to find him...!"

Because of the detective's authority, Erika could 'find all clues'.
Therefore, if Erika was unable to find 'a hint that Kinzo existed outside the mansion', it was the same as proving that Kinzo didn't exist outside the mansion.

Therefore, Bernkastel repeated that truth of Erika's...
"Kinzo does not exist outside the mansion. ............Hey, Natsuhi. If 'Kinzo does exist', then this means he must be somewhere inside the mansion. Do you have any idea where Kinzo might be hiding......?"
"H, how could I know...?! After all, think of the weather. There would be nothing strange about him leaving the courtyard to hide somewhere in the mansion and dry the rain off...!"
"Pfft, ......*giggle*giggle*giggle*giggle*. From this point forwards, I will repeat the same thing several times. ......I'll give you many chances for an honorable surrender. ...If you're too stubborn, you'll lose even your true honor."
".........N, no matter how you threaten me, I will not give in...!!"
"*giggle*giggle*giggle*giggle*. I just love teasing pieces like you. ......Then, let us continue."
"......By the aforementioned reasons, it is unthinkable that Kinzo-san might be somewhere outside the mansion. ......So, we've performed an extensive search of the third floor, where the study is."
"However, there was nowhere he could have been hiding. ............We didn't catch any trace of Dad on the third floor."
"So then, where is he, Natsuhi-san?"
"I, I don't know...! If he isn't on the third floor, what if he's hiding in the basement...?"
"Ah, yes, the basement. We searched all of that suspicious basement, including the boiler room and the underground storeroom."
"Yes, I searched too...! I didn't see Father anywhere...!"
"I'll say it again. Where is Kinzo-san, Natsuhi-san?"
"I, in that case, he was probably on the first floor or the second floor...!!"
"I see, process of elimination does tell us that, doesn't it? We then thoroughly searched the first floor. And the result?"
".........Nope. We were unable to find Father."
"I'll say it again. Where was Kinzo-san, Natsuhi-san?"
"Th, then he was probably hiding on the second floor...!! How should I know where Father was hiding?!"
"Are you sure about that...? Do you really not know where Kinzo-san was hiding...?"
"M, ......Madam knows.........where Kinzo was hiding......?!"!s
".........That's...insane..."
"That......can't be true......"
Both Shannon and Kanon knew that Kinzo was already dead.

So they didn't have a clue how Erika would use a phantom of a person who didn't exist to corner Natsuhi......
"Kinzo is nowhere outside the mansion. Kinzo isn't on the third floor. Kinzo isn't in the basement. Kinzo isn't on the first floor. Therefore, the only place Kinzo could possibly exist is the second floor."
"I accept that red truth. ......Natsuhi. Kinzo should be somewhere on the second floor. Will you still not tell us where he's hiding...?"
"N, no matter how many times you ask, it won't change the fact that I don't know!"
"Erika. Start from the beginning and go in order, investigating the entire second floor. ......Use the detective's authority to avoid missing a single clue and to see through all types of hidden doors and hidden rooms...!"
"Yes, my master...!! That Natsuhi-san's pretty dumb, isn't she...? She still can't see where we're going with this."
"*giggle*. No need to talk more than is necessary. Come on, Erika. Take everyone with you and begin the investigation...!"
Erika used her detective's authority to take everyone, even Natsuhi, and go up to the second floor to search every room, starting at one end.
Even for rooms that were thought to have nothing at all to do with the crime, Erika did not relax her search in the slightest.

...Her search was thorough in every single room as they moved through them all......
"So, you still won't tell us where Kinzo-san is hiding?"
"Stop saying that! How many times do I have to say that I don't know...?!"
"Natsuhi-san. ......Even if we keep searching, at this rate, we won't ever be able to find Kinzo-san, correct?"
"......?!"
Of course.
Kinzo doesn't exist.

No matter how long this search continues, it's just a waste of time.
This was known by Erika, the witch's piece, and Natsuhi, the one who knew the truth......
"In that case, this search will end at the room on the far end of that corridor. ......In other words, it will have been proven that Kinzo wasn't in any of the rooms except that one. What do you think about that?"
"He isn't on the third floor or the first floor or the basement, and he isn't in any of the rooms on the second floor except the one at the end.
So if he really did exist inside the mansion, .........it had been proven that he could only exist in that room at the end.

In other words, this was Hempel's Raven.
Because it had been established that a 'living Kinzo' couldn't exist anywhere except the final room at the end of the corridor, that automatically meant that a 'living Kinzo' existed in that final room...

......And that room at the end of the corridor was......
"Oh, ..........ah............"
"Which room was at the end of the corridor, again?"

Lamdadelta was munching on some popcorn.
"That's Natsuhi's room, Lady Lambdadelta...!!"
"......In other words, Kinzo had no place to hide except inside Natsuhi's room. ......*giggle*giggle*giggle*! Do I need to say it in red?"
"Of course...!"
"Kinzo does not exist anywhere outside Natsuhi's room!"
"Well then. That means this room is the only place left. ......It means that Kinzo-san isn't anywhere outside this room."
"I, ......isn't this my room?!! And where exactly in my room do you claim Father is hiding...?!"

In a rage, Natsuhi unlocked the door to her room and pointed inside.
......Of course, Kinzo was nowhere to be seen.
"Do you see Father anywhere in here?! Look!!"
".........I see, looks like he isn't there. Did he realize we were coming and escape out the window?"
If Kinzo wasn't in this last room, ......it meant that he didn't exist anywhere.

'There was no living Kinzo outside the mansion'.
'There was no living Kinzo inside the mansion'.

Therefore...
'No living Kinzo existed'.
However, Erika didn't make that argument.
She had made that move herself, but she didn't make it checkmate...

It was because Bernkastel didn't want to win by cornering Natsuhi with the red truth...she wanted to force Natsuhi to admit to a humiliating resignation......
"I have not only been searching for Kinzo-san himself all this time. I have been looking for signs that Kinzo-san hid somewhere between 24:00 and the morning. And no such signs have existed."
"......In other words, from 24:00 until morning, Kinzo was always holed up in the same room. And that was Natsuhi's room!"
"It means the checkmate of red truth has finally cornered the piece known as Kinzo's phantom inside Natsuhi's room."
"Hey, Natsuhi-san. This means you were with Kinzo in this room until morning. Do you still claim that you didn't know where he was?"
"I'll acknowledge it with the red truth...!! During the night, between 24:00 and morning, a living Kinzo could not have existed anywhere outside Natsuhi's room!! I permit you to use this truth to advance your argument about how he could only have existed in Natsuhi's room!"
"A plea bargain. .........Hey, Natsuhi. ......Even someone as stupid as you must have realized the fix you're in now. This is your last chance. .........Make Kinzo the culprit."
"Call the Ushiromiya family head a criminal and crush the head's honor to protect yourself. If you show that you have the guts to do that, I'll change the plot into one of a tragic heroine taking the blame to protect the family head."
"Father is innocent! I cannot call Father a criminal!!"
"......She's refused the deal! Ehehehehehehehe, okay, Bern. Do it...!"
"During the night, between 24:00 and morning, there exists no place for a living Kinzo to exist except inside your bed."
".........Wha, ......and......wh, ...what do you mean...by that.........?"
"After conducting a thorough search of this room, and a detailed scientific examination, I discovered that Kinzo did not exist anywhere in this room between 24:00 and morning. However, your bed is the only exception."
A shocked silence dominated the room......
Natsuhi completely forgot to close her open mouth...
"Last night, around the time the gold was discovered, so probably at about 23:00, Kinzo-san escaped from the window on the third floor and snuck into the bed in your room. ......And, as an even more unfortunate result from my investigation, it has been proven that you were also sleeping in that bed."
"I'll repeat it. From 24:00 until morning, a living Kinzo could only have existed inside Natsuhi's bed. And last night, Natsuhi also slept in that same bed."
"Wow, look how close they were. So, you two were so close to each other, you slept sharing the same pillow?"
"Blue truth. Therefore, it is suspected that Ushiromiya Natsuhi and Ushiromiya Kinzo had sexual relations with each other. Why else would a man and a woman share the same bed all night long?"
"H, how rude!!! T, t, to think that I would, ......d, do such a thing......with the Father I respected so much......I won't allow you to say such things!!"
"Natsuhi. Use the red truth to counter this blue truth. Of course, since you aren't a witch, there's no red that you can use. So I'll speak with the red truth in your place. At least, I will if you can show me convincing proof...!!"
"H, ......how could such proof...even exist?!! How low are you willing to sink to mock me?! D, dammiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!!"
Natsuhi tried to attack Erika, ...but Eva pinned her arms behind her back, so she couldn't do anything.
"How unsightly. ......In order to take revenge against the Ushiromiya family, you first schemed to take control of everything the family owned. For that reason, you used your body as a weapon and ensnared Kinzo-san."
"I never did anything of the sort!! I have never given my body to anyone except my husband!!"
"I understand why you want to deny it, .........but the testimony from several witnesses makes it clear that you have had repeated secret meetings with Kinzo-san."
"After all, last night, you went to 'say goodnight' to Kinzo-san, with just the two of you alone in his study, right? Not only that, I have collected multiple bits of testimony claiming that there were clear traces of sexual relations."
"Are you insane?!?! Who was it?! Who said something so ridiculous?! G, Gohda?! Shannon?! Was it Eva-san?! Yes, you must be behind something this ludicrous!! Who was it?! Whooooo?! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!"
"I've received testimony from those involved. Wow, this is pretty fatal. *giggle*giggle*giggle*...! No room for doubt now!"
"Hey, Natsuhi. Looks like you don't even have a scrap of honor left now. ......I'll give you one, final chance before I build you the worst of all possible Fragments. ......Could you try saying that Kinzo wasn't there?"
"That's right, you sure are stubborn, Natsuhi. ......The Ushiromiya family has already been torn to ribbons, right? ...Are you really that desperate to confuse the inheritance problem by pretending Kinzo exists?"
"This is my final challenge......in protecting the honor of the Ushiromiya family, which Father entrusted me with...!! My husband's business will definitely......definitely succeed!! Until we can use that to repay our debts, I cannot hand over the inheritance of the Ushiromiya family!!"
"I will protect Father and my husband's honor!! That is......my mission!!!"
"......Wanting to protect the honor of the dead is an admirable trait."
"He's not one of the dead. We're talking about the honor of a convenient delusion inside Natsuhi's head. ......The real Kinzo never once ordered Natsuhi to protect that honor."
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!"

As Natsuhi screamed, she fell down to her hands and knees......
She no longer had any way to reject the fake truth that Bernkastel and Erika had weaved......
".........By my name as the Game Master, Lambdadelta! ......I acknowledge that Lady Bernkastel is the victor of this game. ......If anyone has any objections, state your name now!!"
...............

Of course there were none. All of those who might have objected had been erased......
"No objections! Bern, this is your victory, and a wonderful victory it is! Now you must weave up the kakera of the truth!!"
"Sure. I'll go weave up the truth. ......This is the truth of this sad, pathetic tale. ......Though I did want Natsuhi to acknowledge her crime while half-laughing, half-crying. After all, that's standard in the genre, right? *giggle*giggle*giggle*giggle*!!"

:') THIS IS KIND OF BITTERSWEET AT THIS POINT since she remembers Battler striking back at her about Kinzo being alive because she messed around with the logic too much. IT WAS STILL FUN THOUGH.