Title card!

Wally looked around at the guests. He looked at his wife and regretted not being here to make sure she wouldn't have to bear witness to this scene. The look on her face was heartbreaking.
He sighed, keeping his calm. This wasn't his first time seeing a dead body. He knew someone needed to get a handle of the situation before all hell breaks loose and everybody panics. Miss Markov had already started to lose her nerve, giggling while looking horrified at the same time. He took a step forward, but someone beat him to it.
"How intriguing..."
Mr. Sunny Santana stepped into the room on his tippy toes – so as to not touch anything – like he was dancing. He stood over the body for a moment, humming while thinking.

"What are you-?"
"Dr. Osman. Would you be so kind as to check if the good doctor is actually dead?"
Wally was taken aback. No one has ever cut him off before. Well, except for him, of course...
"I'd ask Miss Markov, but I wouldn't want her to see her mentor up close in this state." the bird man continued. "You understand."
"Y-Yes, of course."
The lion man walked in and knelt beside the body. He checked the pulse on his wrist, then on his neck.
"He's..." he sighed. "He's dead."
"Father!!!" Miriam tried to run to him but her fiancé pulled her close.
"Miriam, don't." he embraced her.
She buried her face in his chest, crying.

Sunny took a deep breath.
"Lady Tempertuft, will you gather everybody back downstairs? And please make sure no one leaves."
"Woawoawoah!" Catherine raised het hands. "What makes you think you're in charge of this situation?"
"Who are you?" Wally asked.
The two men looked into each-other's eyes. Sunny smiled.
"My apologies, everyone. Allow me to reintroduce myself." he turned around, then spun around again, striking a pose. "I am the Great Detective Sunny Santana!"
"A detective?" Raymond repeated, as confused as everybody else.

"What in the world is that?" (Y/n) asked.
"I've heard of it." Wally nodded. "I would've never expected you to be one."
"Aw, thank you, your Highness." he bowed his head before turning to the small crowd. "Well, whenever the prestigious royal guards of Escoba are having some trouble with a case, they ask for my expertise."
"You work for the royal guard?" the Count of Tremontes asked.
"Not at all, I'm an independent detective. I help wherever my help is needed. The guards come see me whenever they're faced with a particularly tricky case. And this..." he crouched with his hands on his knees to scan the body. "This is particularly tricky."

"What happened?! Who did this?!" Miriam exclaimed.
"We've just discovered the body, there are no answers just yet. However, I can tell you one thing..." he stood up. "There has been a murder! And the murderer... Is somewhere in this manor!"
Gasps. Thunder stuck right outside the window.
"We're not going to leave it all in the hands of this guy, are we?" Catherine looked at (Y/n).
"Of course not, my dear Madam!" he waved his hands. "What kind of detective works on his own? That being said, while I ask that you fine guests return downstairs together, I would like to request that a few people stay to look over the body and the crime scene with me. Lady (L/n), his Majesty King Darling, and Dr. Osman. If you don't mind of course." he looked at all three of them.
"Fine by me." Wally entered the room.
"Catherine." (Y/n) called out for her while the other guests started to leave. "Write a letter to the royal castle and tell them to send guards here, alright?"
'I didn't get to send a letter to Arnold because of everything that's been going on. I certainly won't get to do that tonight...'
Catherine nodded and left. (Y/n) joined Wally's side and it was just the four of them now.

"Alright, doctor. What do you have for us?" Sunny asked.
"Excuse me?" he raised an eyebrow.
"You know! The time of death, the cause of death, possible murder weapon. Give us those delicious details!"
"I'm afraid you're mistaken. I'm more of a doctor with a doctorate in medical research than an actual doctor."
The detective looked a little disappointed by that.
"What I can tell you is," he looked down at the body. "other than that wound on his chest, there are no other physical injuries. And that the body is still warm, rigor mortis hasn't kicked in yet, his skin hasn't gone pale. That would mean that he died... Probably less than ten minutes ago."
"So... If we had gotten the door opened earlier," (Y/n) looked heartbroken. "we could've saved him."
"We don't know that." Wally held her hand in reassurance.

"Mmmh... Very well, gracias doctor!" Sunny patted him on the arm. "You may leave now."
"I'm sorry for not being of more help." he addressed everyone, but looked at (Y/n).
"Oh not at all." she shook her head. "Any insight is welcomed."
"Before I leave..."
He took off his suit jacket and covered the top half of the body with it.
"Until they find a white sheet." he explained.
"Thank you Mr. Osman." she said, relieved that she wouldn't have to look at it anymore (she felt bad for feeling this way).
He bowed his head and left.

"Alright, amigos!" Sunny clapped his hands together. "Let's brainstorm, let's review the sequence of events that led us here! At- Ah." he looked around, seeing no clocks on the walls. "Um..." he looked around at the ground, and found the clock. "Ah-ha. At around 19:45 – Sorry, 7:45pm – a strange thunder was heard, then around a minute later there was this cacophony of furniture happening here in the study. Then the majority of guests heard Mr. Osman scream, we then ran upstairs to find him, Lady (L/n) and Miss Markov, looking inside the room."
"Yes." (Y/n) nodded. "I followed the sound and found Miss Markov by the door. It was closed and we tried to get it open, that's when Mr. Osman came. He's the one that broke open the lock."
"How long were you trying to open it?"
"Around..." she slowly shook her head. "Less than five minutes for sure. And I heard him, he was still alive when I got there." she looked at the body but quickly looked away.
Sunny hummed in thought, twirling a strand of feathers around his finger.
"So. Locked door, only one exit, a messy room. He died right before the door opened." he gestured at the elements he listed. "And the only blood there is here is that small puddle next to the victim..."
His voice trailed off and he glanced at his two companions for the night. The royal couple seemed to be in deep thought, trying to figure out what all these clues meant. But the young detective had his eyes set on the famous Lady of Spades.

"My dear Madam, pray tell, what do you make of all of this?"
There was a moment of silence. Then, (Y/n) looked at him, a grave expression on her face.
"I think this is the work of a ghost."
Sunny's smile froze, his eyes widened.
"...¿Qué?"
"When I came here with my husband, Mr. Ashwood warned us about ghosts haunting this place. If the door was locked, it must've been a ghost."
Sunny was speechless, baffled even. He slowly turned to Wally, who nodded and shrugged.
"My Lady." he looked back at her. "With all the respect that you deserve: There are no such things as ghosts."
She gasped.
"Detective, don't say that! You'll offend them."
Sunny looked at Wally again, as if asking if he heard her right. Wally once again nodded.

"My dear Madam." he sighed. "I humbly ask you to consider other possibilities."
"What other possibilities are there?"
"How in the world should I know?" he smiled, tilting his head.
(Y/n) and Wally exchanged a confused look.
"In order to figure out what happened, don't just look. Observe. Example." he crouched down. "The only sign of blood other than on the victim's hands is the small puddle under the body. So the blood on his hands must be his own."
"...So he was possessed by a ghost and then killed himself?"
"Moreover..." he put on some gloves he took from his pocket and rolled the body to the side. "The small puddle truly is under the body." he put it back to how it was before. "What does that tell us?"
"That...he was standing up?"
Sunny smiled and stood up.

"Next clue. My Lady, I must ask. This strange smell in the room, I'm sure you've noticed."
"Oh, yes!"
"A strange smell?" Wally tilted his head (needless to say, it wasn't his most sharp sense).
"Indeed, it's very faint but, was it much stronger when you first opened the door?"
"Why yes, it was!" she nodded.
"What's the smell?" Wally asked.
"I... I don't know. I've never smelled anything like it." she sniffed around. "Oh. And it seemed to have disappeared completely by now. Detective, do you know?"
"There was something metallic about it..." he sniffed around. "But nothing like anything I've ever encountered before. No sé." he shrugged, but his disappointment didn't last long. "Now! Take a look around." he spun around. "If you've just killed someone, why would you leave such a mess? One might assume that the victim put up a fight before getting killed, however if there has been a fight, we would've heard it. And besides, the poor gentleman didn't look like much of a fighter. So how can that be? And do not say 'because a ghost did it'." he pointed at (Y/n), who shut her lips tight (she was about to say just that).

"To hide something." Wally replied.
"Exactamente!" Sunny snapped his fingers and pointed at him. "And there is another strange thing hidden in this nice little menagerie."
"What is it?" (Y/n) asked, looking around.
"Look around, see for yourself." he opened his arms.
The couple looked around for a moment of silence, with only the ticking of the clock to hear.
"Large furniture barely moved." said Wally.
"The clock is still ticking!" (Y/n) exclaimed.
"Tililililin!" Sunny beamed. "My! You both found critical clues! But both of these lead to the same conclusion." he turned to the clock, then to the other side of the room. "There's a nail sticking out on the wall over there, which means that the clock was taken down and thrown. Yet it's still in perfect condition. So the person who threw it must not have put a lot of strength into it. Same goes for the large furniture such as the desk and the drawers."

"So the murderer isn't that strong." Wally concluded.
"They were strong enough to kill a man." (Y/n) mumbled.
"An old man."
"It could be that our killer was weak." Sunny nodded. "It could also be that they were in a hurry. After all, they had to have killed Mr. Ashwood, make a mess of the room, then lock the door behind them before running away. All of this under roughly five minutes."
(Y/n) took a moment to process all this new information.
"So what you're saying is," Wally spoke. "we've made no progress."
"Your Highness, nonsense! Don't be negative." he patted his arm. "We've gathered a lot of clues and information. And now, we can all compile them into a box, and put that box on a shelf, in a little corner of our mind." he tapped his temple. "Then when we gather more clues later on, we can see how they connect with the ones we've found before. And eventually, we will get a complete tapestry of the murder and who the murderer could be! It's like music, you see!" he beamed. "We are getting different notes and melodies, and it is our duty as the musicians to put them together in a harmonious way!"
"I see..." (Y/n) nodded slowly.

"If the killer made this mess in order to hide something, then we should look for it." Wally said.
"Good call, Sir!" he snapped his fingers. "Let's get to it. Don't be afraid to speak up if you find anything you deem unusual. No matter how small or insignificant it may seem."
"Should we take this opportunity to tidy up?" (Y/n) asked.
"Of course not! We should tamper the crime scene as little as possible!"
And so, the trio began to look through the furniture. Wally pointed out there were traces of strange black ashes on the carpet, which was strange considering the fact that it was rather far away from the fireplace, and there wasn't any trail.
"It must be from Mr. Ashwoods' pipe." Sunny said, as he picked up that exact item.
"It's black though."
"Tobacco here in the Spades Kingdom produces such ashes. Am I correct, my Lady?"
"That is correct, yes." (Y/n) nodded. "Are you familiar with tobacco, detective?"
"My dear Madam, in my line of work, one must be knowledgeable in any and every subject, at least on a surface level." he smiled. "You never know when this knowledge might contribute to a case. But I myself don't smoke. Trust me, the only thing I smoke is the competition!" he struck a pose.
'Detectives have competition...?' she tilted her head.

Sunny tapped the top of the pipe's bowl and a small frown formed on his face.
"Your Highness, would you say that these ashes have been here for long? Are they embedded into the carpet?"
Wally crouched down and ran a finger through the stain. It stayed on his finger.
"No." he said as he stood back up, brushing his fingertips together to make it go away. "In fact, it's still warm."
"Still warm?" (Y/n) fully turned to face him. "So these are from the fireplace?"
"The fireplace is well lit." Sunny said. "If the ashes were from there, it would've been ember instead. And with the amount of flammable objects here, we would've had an entirely different problem on our hands."
"...So what does this mean?" she asked after trying to come up with some kind of explanation, but to no avail.
"I don't know..." he mumbled, seemingly lost in thoughts before smiling at her. "Like we said, putting this clue in a box." he mimicked the motion.

And so, the search continued. There weren't a lot of unusual things so far, everything looked like it belonged here, and every strange trinket was clearly decorative in nature. Except for...
"Detective, Wally?" (Y/n) broke the silence. "Are you certain you haven't found anything that was broken?"
"Cierto, why do you ask?" asked the bird man.
"I found something... It's small but it certainly is unusual."
Sunny dashed across the room to look at what she found, Wally joined them soon after. She was holding by the tip of her fingers what looked like a small metal S. It was really strange looking. The bottom loop was a lot bigger than the top one and it had a hole in it. She turned it around. One side was rounded while the other one was flat.
"Could it be a piece of...a larger thing?" she suggested. "Maybe a screw is supposed to be here." she pointed at the hole before placing the S on the wall, rounded side up. "Then attached to the surface of something else."
"That sounds plausible." Wally nodded. "But what purpose could this odd S serve?"
"It might not be an S at all." Sunny said, making the other two look at him. "Maybe its shape is relevant to the purpose of whatever contraction it is a part of..." his eyes wandered, his voice trailed off.

"Contraption... I really don't see how this could be of use." (Y/n) looked at the small object.
"Only because this is literally just a piece of the puzzle!" he leaned closer with a big smile, making her lean back (which he got a glare from Wally for). "And I have in good faith to believe that the rest of the pieces are scattered across this very room!" he gestured around him.
The Lady gasped.
"Are you saying this is what the killer was hiding?!" she showed the S.
"Are we sure this is even relevant to the murder?" Wally asked. "If it isn't, and we look for the rest of this puzzle, we would be wasting a lot of time."
"That I agree with, your Highness." Sunny nodded. "Which is why I suggest that only one of you stays here and looks for all the pieces, while the other accompanies me to continue the investigation."
The couple looked at each-other.
"And if I must be quite honest, I would rather it be you, Madam."
"Huh? Me?" she pointed at herself, surprised. "You want my assistance?"
"Of course! I told you, I am a big fan of your work!" he beamed. "The new Queen of Hearts is known for her intelligence and perceptiveness. And after all, you did solve the murder of the King of Spades."

She felt her heart drop. Both her and Wally looked at him with big eyes, although her shock was a lot more apparent than her husband's.
"You... How do you know that?" she whispered.
"Well, if your reaction wasn't telling enough..." he grinned, tilting his head.
'Am I really such an open book?!'
"It's rather obvious that you did. The King of Spades died of mysterious circumstances, and although his old age might have caught up to him, foul play was always a looming theory. Based on the relationship between your two kingdoms," he pointed at her and Wally. "and the fact that you, Madam, are also known for your patriotism. Would you have really considered marrying the King of Hearts without knowing for certain who killed your own King? He was in the Hearts Kingdom the day before his body was found, was he not?"
(Y/n) instinctively looked at Wally, who has been staring at Sunny this whole time. It made the detective chuckle.
"No need for such a cold stare!" he raised his hands. "I'm just saying that it's clear to me you must've solved the murder before getting married. Maybe you even did it together and it brought you closer!"

"How did you know that I did it?" (Y/n) pointed at herself. "Maybe it was another detective."
"Detectives are fairly new to the world, Madam. Hell, you didn't even know they existed! If there was a detective here in the Spades Kingdom, I would've heard about it." he smirked. "And also, I never said that you specifically solved it. The 'you' I used could've been the plural one. Once again, you've just confirmed it yourself."
She gasped, covering her mouth.
"Detective, I shall watch what I say around you!"
"If you've hidden your words, your face would've spoken instead. The expression you both made when I said that, I could tell that this was a personal matter for the both of you. Which is strange for you, my dear madam... How personal could this matter be to you?"
His expression changed, as if he tried to see through her. She gulped, trying to keep a neutral expression. She was usually good at this, but this man was making it difficult for her.
"Were you that patriotic that your King's murder was treated like a personal vendetta?" he quietly spoke. "I wonder...if it could be related to the ring on your finger."
She glanced at her family ring for just a split second. He smiled, he noticed that.

"And have you solved this mystery, detective Santana?" Wally stood in between her and him.
She sighed, feeling like she could breathe again.
"Sadly no, I didn't!" he whined, back to his dramatic self. "How I wish I had, however! I should've sent my business card over to the High Council of Spades! I don't have any, that's why I didn't. I still don't, now that I think about it. I shall get to it as soon as I get ho-"
"Gentlemen please, we're getting off track!" (Y/n) exclaimed, gently pushing Wally out of the way so that they could both look at her. "Alright, detective, I'll help in any way I can."
"Fantastic!" he clapped happily. "And, your Highness, needless to say, your mission shall be kept secret between the three of us." he spoke more quietly.
"Naturally." he nodded. "If anyone asks, I shall say I'm staying here to look for more clues and make sure the crime scene isn't being tampered with."
"Clever, I like that." he pointed at him.

"What should we do then, detective?" (Y/n) asked.
"Why, interrogating the suspects of course!"
The Lady grew paler.
"Suspects? Are we... Are we really considering that one of the guests is the murderer?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowed. "I mean, it really could've been a ghost."
Sunny then understood that she wasn't sharing this theory just because of her belief. His expression softened.
"M-Maybe the murderer is someone who sneaked in from outside!"
"In this weather, we would've seen muddy footsteps or puddles of rainwater. But there is not."
She looked down.
"I just don't understand how anyone here could do this. This is Robert Ashwood we're talking about!" she pointed at the body. "This man was a saint."
Wally and Sunny exchanged a look.

"My love," Wally spoke. "I'm afraid that a lot of people here would have a motive to kill him."
"What?!"
"The thing about fame amongst commoners," Sunny said. "is that one can become possessive of the spotlight, or envious of it. Be it the fame itself, or the perks that comes with it."
This didn't make (Y/n) feel any better.
"Whether you believe in these people or not." Wally held her hand. "The only thing left to do is look for the truth. You're great at that." he smiled and kissed her cheek.
She smiled and sighed.
"Alright, let's go."
"Let's make haste now!" Sunny rushed out. "The longer we stay here, the more time the killer has to construct their alibi!"
"If you find anything, tell me first." she whispered to Wally.
'Of course she wouldn't trust the detective completely.' he smiled.
"And if you notice anything strange about him, do the same." he whispered.
They kissed and told each-other to be careful. (Y/n) then joined the detective in the hallways.

"My dear Madam, I would understand if you don't trust me just yet." Sunny said on their way down the stairs.
'How?!' she thought, trying to keep her face neutral. 'Do bird people have a sharper hearing than usual?!'
"To show you that I am innocent in any regard, I shall let you lead the interrogations of the guests." he smiled with a hand over his puffed up chest. "You won't see me put words inside their mouths."
"I didn't think you would, detective." she tilted her head. "I do appreciate the offer but... I've never interrogated someone before. The only thing I've done that comes close to such a thing are job interviews for the party staff here. And even then I was only assisting Francis the head butler."
"The name 'interrogation' makes it sound graver than it is. It's almost the same thing I assure you." he waved a hand. "Simply ask everyone what they were doing at the time of the murder and ask if anyone else was with them to confirm their alibi."
'He's already pushing me in a certain direction.' she thought. 'Though, it might just be friendly advice...'
This man was definitely more sociable than she was, it made it hard for her to read him.

It was announced that Sunny and (Y/n) will settle in a smaller salon right next to the room the others were in, where one by one, the guests will sit with them to answer their questions.
"How about we take turns to pick who will be our next guest, mmh?" Sunny smiled.
"Sure..." she nodded. "Alright."
"Go ahead and start, my Lady." he sat back in his seat.
She thought for a moment.
"Miriam Ashwood. That way, it would be over quick for her."
"Very well." he stood up. "I shall call her in."
He opened the door and called for the woman, who then entered with her fiancé, their arms linked.
"I would like to stay by her side, if you don't mind." Raymond said.
"Mr. Mondego, this is an interrogation. You can't-"
"N-No." Miriam clung to him. "Can he stay? Please?"
The two men looked at each-other.
"Of course he can, Miriam." (Y/n) answered. "Have a seat, everyone."
Sunny sat beside her, while the couple sat on the couch opposite of them.

"First of all, Miriam," (Y/n) spoke softly. "my deepest condolences."
The woman nodded, fighting back her tears, while Raymond stocked her forearm. She mouthed 'thank you'.
"If our questions make you uncomfortable in any way, know that you don't have to answer."
"Thank you..." she whispered.
(Y/n) nodded. She looked at Sunny, then remembered that she was the one asking the questions. It took her a moment to think of something that Miriam would have the answer of.
"So... What were you doing before you heard Dr. Osman shout?"
"I was..." she cleared her throat, keeping her gaze down. "I was with Raymond, with everyone. We heard that strange thunder, then the shouting, then..."
"She was with me the whole party." Raymon said.
"The whole party?" Sunny asked.
He nodded.
"Well not the whole party." (Y/n) tilted her head and Miriam suddenly looked up at her. "You were with me and Catherine at first, then you left because you've forgotten something in your room."

"My, my." Sunny chuckled, leaning back. "That's a lot of things you've missed out."
"W-Well..." she shifted in her seat. "It was nowhere near the time when we heard the thunder, I don't believe this is relevant."
"It could be." he leaned closer, his forearms on his knees. "When was it exactly?"
"Um..."
"What are you insinuating, Mr. Santana?" Raymond pressed.
"Nada, nothing at all." he raised his hands with a playful smile. "And please, 'detective' is fine."
"I'm sure detective Santana is simply just trying to get a full picture of the situation." (Y/n) looked at him. "I suppose no stones must be left unturned, correct?"
"If said stone can even be turned that is." he turned back to the couple. "May we ask you if anything unusual happened during the trip to your room?"
"I, um... Nothing." Miriam shook her head.
"And what was the item you've forgotten in your room?"
"Oh, nothing important. Just my favorite hair pin."
"Important to you, however."
"Yes." she nodded. "Of course."

"Now, Miriam." (Y/n) spoke. "That strange thunder, you heard it too, correct?"
"Pretty sure the entire manor heard it." Raymond answered for her.
She glanced at him, then back at Miriam.
"Have you never heard it before? It might have sounded strange because it hit a specific part of the roof."
Sunny smiled. He liked her thinking. Miss Ashwood thought long and hard.
"No." she slowly shook her head. "I don't recall ever hearing it."
(Y/n) sighed.
"Alright, next question. Do you know anyone who would want to...harm your father?"
"N-No!" she shook her head, suddenly distraught. "I-I really don't understand it! How could anyone-?!" she scoffed, speechless.

"Breathe, love." Raymond patted her hand.
She took a deep breath.
"Out of everybody here... I'd say Mr. Osman." she nodded to herself. "He's always seen my parents as enemies, and he even caused a scene tonight!" she pointed at the door.
"H-Hey now." (Y/n) raised her hands, waving them up and down. "He discovered the body with me and Miss-"
"He could've very well killed him and then run away!"
"Miss Ashwood." Sunny tilted his head. "Do you honestly believe Dr. Osman would want to murder your father at his own anniversary party?"
She clenched her fists, shaking.
"W-Well, who else would it be then?!"

"I understand your line of logic, Miss Ashwood." he nodded. "However, we cannot jump into conclusions. It's just too early for that. Now," he clapped his hands together. "I can see that you are...upset. Why don't we change the subject to get your mind off of things?" he leaned back. "This truly is a beautiful house you have here. The parties you host must be delightful!"
"Oh, I... I wouldn't know."
"Mmh? Do you go to your friends' instead?"
"I don't really go outside much." she looked down.
"Why, why not?"
"When your parents are the most famous doctors in the Kingdom, it's...difficult, to have a normal life."
(Y/n)'s expression softened.
"Because whenever someone approaches you, you don't know if they do so because of you, or your parents." she said.
"That's... That's right." she nodded, a little surprised.

"I see." Sunny said. "You felt like you were in your parents' shadow."
"Well, they are 'legendary doctors'," she forced out a chuckle. "it's not really something they can help..."
"Mmh." he smiled, resting his head on the palm of his hand and his elbow in the armrest of the couch.
There was a moment of silence, before he glanced down.
"That is a beautiful ring you have there."
"O-Oh!" she giggled. "Thank youuu."
"May I?"
She lifted a hand and he went up to her to take a closer look at her engagement ring.
"How lovely!" he turned the gemstones a bit to the side to see the ring. "What kind of gold is it?" he looked at Raymond.
"What kind of gold? Um, I don't know. I just bought the most expensive one I could afford."
"Mmh." he smiled before going back to his seat. "While we're at it, Miss Ashwood. I must ask, as I'm sure we are all curious: why so many candles? Is it to warm up the place, since it's rainy season?"

Miriam frowned, thinking.
"We... I believe it's to ward off bad ghosts and other evil spirits."
"Is it the scent?" he sniffed a couple of times. "Thyme, lavender, sage. These are known to ward off spirits."
"Ah yes. It might be."
"'Might be'? Aaah, was the idea of the candles not yours?"
"My parents', I heard."
"Is it not their old age that makes them more sensitive to cold?" he moved his collar back and forth. "I don't know about you, but I am getting heated."
The three others looked at each-other, saying they were fine.
"Oh well. It might just be my Escobian self. Don't you agree, Mr. Mondego?"
"Or maybe it's all your feathers?" he raised an eyebrow.
Sunny laughed. (Y/n) wasn't sure if what Raymond said was rude or not.

"Either way," Sunny straightened his back. "if you'll excuse me."
He removed his vest and undid a couple of buttons on his dress shirt. His plumage popped out. Both (Y/n) and Miriam looked away, not knowing if they should be flustered or not.
"Aaaah mucho mejor!" he exhaled. "It's better to be comfortable when you work..." he noticed the two ladies and laughed. "Not to worry, ladies. Wearing a dress shirt like so is the latest fashion where I'm from! And when you have my plumage, it's all the better looking!" he leaned towards (Y/n). "I now understand what it's like to wear a corset, and I am so sorry."
She couldn't help but chuckle.
"They are kind of a pain."
He laughed again.
"And, I suppose it goes without saying that you aren't a man of fashion, are you Mr. Mondego?"
"As a military man, being eye-catching isn't my first priority, no."
"Mmh." Sunny slowly nodded. "By the way, now that you're here, mind as well turn to you now as the next guest to answer our questions! What do you say, dear Madam?"

"Oh. I suppose we can do that." (Y/n) nodded. "Mr. Mondego, can you confirm that you were with your fiancé when the body was found?"
Miriam turned her head away at the mention of 'the body'.
"I was, yes." Raymond nodded.
"And what were you doing before you were together?"
"I was conversing with other guests, one of them being his Majesty King Darling."
"Now – so that detective Santana knows – after you've been engaged to Miss Ashwood, you've been residing in the Goliath, correct?"
"I wouldn't say 'residing'. I would spend a week or so here every month before going back to work in the Escoba Kingdom."
"But would it be fair to assume that, if both of Miriam's parents were to pass away," Sunny spoke. "the Goliath would be yours?"
Miriam covered her mouth and closed her eyes. (Y/n) glared at him. He kept looking at Raymond, who didn't look too pleased either.
"It would be my wife's." he said in a dry tone.

"And what do you do for work?" he tilted his head.
"Can't you tell?" he showed his badge. "I'm a Captain for the military."
"Ooooh, creo que estas mintiendo!"
"What did you say?" (Y/n) asked.
"I simply complimented him." Sunny waved a hand. "Entering the Escoba forces is an honor, you know."
"It really is." Raymond smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Santana."
"Mmh." he smiled.
'He sure hums a lot.' (Y/n) noted.

The interview went on without a problem. Once it was over, (Y/n) thanked the couple for their time and set them back to the room with the others. Before calling in the next guest, she took out a small notebook and wrote down the information they've gathered so far.
"My dear Madam," Sunny spoke. "on the off chance that you may know: Is Mr. Mondego an orphan?"
She paused in her writing to give him a strange look, her eyes wide open.
"I... I don't know." she thought for a moment. "I wouldn't think he is."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, his fiancé just lost her father. And... The way he comforted her, it didn't look like he knew what she was going through."
'He didn't look at her with the same pained sympathy my dear Wally looked at me with.' she thought, remembering the night she opened up about her parents' death, sitting with him on the roof of the highest tower.
"I see. Could you do me a favor and note that down for me please?"
"Why? How is it relevant to the case?"
"It may not be." he shrugged. "But you did deduce this information, and that is worth noting!" he beamed.
She tilted her head, not convinced. Still, she wrote it in a corner of the paper.

"Alright, my turn!" he clapped his hands together. "I chose the head butler, Francis."
"Oooh that's a good idea." she nodded.
"I'm glad you approve." he bowed his head.
He went to fetch him. The butler stayed standing in front of them.
"You can sit down, Francis."
"Thank you, my Lady." he bowed before sitting down.
"First thing first, querido amigo." Sunny leaned closer, his hands on his knees. "What key opens Mr. Ashwood's study and who possesses it at the moment?"
'Oh my, starting with the important questions right away!' (Y/n) glanced at him, surprised.
"Well, in the servants' quarters, we have the keys to every door in the Goliath." the butler calmly responded. "And, of course, the master of the house has a double of those keys."
"Can one key open multiple doors?" (Y/n) asked.
"Yes, but not the one to the study."

"So only two keys could lock the door." Sunny slowly nodded. "And where are they now?"
"Well, while the guests were gathering in the next room for interrogation, I went to the servants' quarters and asked the others about the keys. I was told that none of them were taken during the party. You can ask them yourself if you don't trust me."
"I see. That would mean that the murderer stole Mr. Ashwood's."
'A shame we didn't check his pockets before leaving.' (Y/n) thought. 'Hopefully, Wally would've thought of doing so by now.' she glanced at the ceiling.
Then she realized something.
"That would mean... That the killer knew about the key." she said with a grave expression.
"You're saying it was someone the victim knew personally?" Francis asked with a similar look on his face.

"Mmh..." Sunny scratched the underside of his beak. "Did Mr. Ashwood use that key often? Why else would he have it on his person?"
"He does, actually. He locks the door whenever he has an important meeting."
"An important meeting..." (Y/n)'s gaze wandered. "During his own birthday party?"
"That would explain why he was in his study."
"That's a good point. He said he would check on his wife, yet next thing we know, he's locked in a room on the other side of the manor."
"That begs the question, did he even pay a visit to Mrs. Ashwood?"
They looked at each-other, their eyes narrowed.

"He did."
They both looked at Francis.
"I was the one who accompanied her to her room and I stayed with her until we heard the commotion."
(Y/n) gasped, a little paler.
"Did she hear it too?"
"She was taking a nap at the time. The strange thunder did wake her up but I simply told her she could go back to sleep."
She looked down, intertwining her fingers together. They will eventually have to break the news to Mrs. Ashwood... She began to feel anxious.
"And Mr. Ashwood came by, correct?" Sunny asked.
"He did. Although quite briefly."

"Did he mention an important meeting? Even before the party?"
Francis took a moment to think.
"My employers usually tell me if such a meeting will happen. But I wasn't notified of anything."
"It might not have been planned." (Y/n) suggested.
"Probably so." Sunny said. "His own death surely wasn't."
The investigating duo then proceeded with the usual questions.

"If I may share my thoughts on the matter." Francis said before leaving. "That Pillar fellow is quite suspicious."
"Which one?" (Y/n) asked.
"The one who has been working with the Ashwoods for more than half a year now."
"Henry?" Sunny blinked twice with a surprised smile. "What makes you think that?"
"Well, I'm sure you've heard of the man's rather shady past."
"I've heard of it. I admit I don't quite know the details..." (Y/n) tilted her head.
Francis glanced at the door before leaning closer and speaking quietly.
"Gambling, alcohol, stealing his sister's belongings in order to sell them. He says he's turned over a new leaf ever since my employers hired him, but I believe nasty habits don't go away so easily. I mean, you saw how drunk he's gotten, so early in the evening. The Ashwoods were too kind in choosing him for such an important job."

"He may be a rather...unpolished gentleman." she nodded. "But a murderer? I could hardly believe it."
"If Mr. Ashwood was killed during a business meeting, Mr. Pillar would be a prime suspect."
"Besides, he would know about the key." Sunny added.
"I... I suppose he would..." her gaze wandered.
She felt bad for Howdy. If it turns out that there was a time in the evening where his cousin was nowhere to be found...
When the butler left, she took out her notebook. The thunder stuck and she looked outside the window. She could hardly see anything in the pouring rain.
"For once," she mumbled. "the rain is making me rather gloomy."
"If it does, my dear Madam, think of it this way!" Sunny smiled, closing the curtains. "We are safe and sound inside! And there is no way the killer would escape in this weather!"
"I'm sorry, detective. But that doesn't really make me feel better."
"Oh, but we've made so much progress! Cheer up! ¡Alegrar! You won't solve any murder with that attitude."

"I believe it's you who is particularly enthusiastic."
He giggled as he sat back next to her on the couch.
"It might be because I get to work with you."
She frowned.
"Please tell me this isn't flirting."
He cackled.
"It's not! It's not! I assure you!" he sighed, calming himself. "I told you I admire your work. Now, your turn."
"Mmh... Miss Markov."
"Olga Markov..." he smiled, looking at the door. "That would be my pick as well."
He went to fetch her. The hare lady's eyes would dart around, but never look at them directly. She kept her hands under her armpits, probably because they wouldn't stop shaking. (Y/n) couldn't help but be concerned.
"Miss Markov, are you sure you're in a position to answer our questions?"
"Yes!" she immediately answered, tense.

The investigating duo shared a glance.
"My fellow furry friend, you probably know of the question that clouds our minds, so I shall cut your anxious waiting short." Sunny said. "During the party, there was a time where you seemed to have sneaked away and nobody knew where you had gone to. The next time you were seen, you were in front of the door to the crime scene. How do you explain that?"
"I didn't kill him!" she intensely shook her head.
"Nobody said you did."
"But y-you're thinking it!" she pointed at them. "I-I-I know you are!"
"Miss Markov." (Y/n) spoke firmly. "All we want is the truth and nothing more. If what you say is true and you didn't kill him, then you have nothing to worry about."
Olga lowered her hand to her lap. She kept her head down.
"Now please, will you answer the question?" (Y/n) said in a softer tone.
"I...I-I-" she took a deep breath. "I just wanted to talk to Robert."
'She's making an effort to speak clearly.'

"I went up t-t.... I went to the study and there was the thunder a-a-a-" she pursed her lips, her own stuttering frustrating her. "I tried opening the door but couldn't!"
"You left the party to speak to him?" Sunny tilted his head.
She nodded.
"It took you half an hour to go up the stairs and to the study?" Sunny raised an eyebrow.
"No I-I-!" she clenched her hands together. "I was in the closet."
The investigating duo frowned.
"The closet...?"
She nodded.
"Down the hallway from th-the study. I go there to calm m-my nerves."
"Oh, I see. You were nervous." (Y/n) said.
She nodded again.

"But...why the closet of all places?"
"It's... It's nice. I can just grab a book and have a-a moment alone. Wh-When I don't want to see p-people."
"I see. I suppose that's understandable." she looked at Sunny, to check if he disagreed.
"Indeed it is. So, you were so nervous at the idea of talking to Mr. Ashwood that you locked yourself in the nearby closet. What exactly were you going to tell him?"
For a moment, Miss Markov didn't move, her breathing shallow. Finally, she took an evelop out of her pocket and handed it to him. Sunny opened it and (Y/n) leaned over to read alongside him. This was a letter of resignation.
"You want to quit?!" the Lady asked, shocked. "Why?"
The hare woman hunched didn't respond.
"Miss Markov?"
Her breathing became faster. She twitched.

"Miss Markov."
She hunched over.
"She's having a panic attack." Sunny quickly went around the small table to be by her side.
(Y/n) gasped and did the same. Although she had no idea what to do, Sunny handled it as if he was used to situations like these. This surely wasn't his first murder case. He soothed Olga down and sent her away. She clearly wasn't going to answer any more questions.
"Tell me, dear Madam." Sunny said once he and (Y/n) were alone. "Why does one prepare themselves before announcing something important to someone?"
"Because..." her gaze wandered. "You don't know what will happen once it's said."
"Because you don't know how the person will react."
They looked at each-other. Miss Markov, scared of Mr. Ashwood...
"Well, he was her employer." she said. "And we can all see that she's a nervous person."
"Mmh."
She couldn't help but frown at that hum.

"There's something else..." she mumbled. "But I might be looking too much into this."
"Oh do tell, trust me, I've heard it all!"
"She said she would go read in the closet when she doesn't want to see people. Yet the library is on the opposite side of the manor, and a floor above it. She would have to walk for quite a while. Not the usual thing to do for someone that doesn't want to come across anyone."
"Ah, I see your point." he nodded, his gaze wandering. "Maybe she makes use of her speed as an hare." he shrugged. "Still, do make a note of that please."
'I would've done it without you telling me to.' she thought with a small pout.

Then came Howdy, accompanying his cousin Henry. (Y/n) would have hoped they would come individually, but with the state Henry was in, she understood why Howdy wouldn't want to leave him alone. The man was severely drunk.
"How many drinks did you have, my good sir?" Sunny asked.
"Jus' a..." he coughed. "Just a few!" he said, making a small space between his thumbs and indexes.
"Since when do you not hold your alcohol?!" Howdy asked as he made him sit on the couch.
'So he wasn't lying!' (Y/n) thought, surprised.
The Pillars were asked about what happened. Apparently, after Henry bumped into Mrs. Ashwood and almost made her fall, he went to wash his face and wasn't back for a while. Henry said – to the best of his abilities – that he took this opportunity to go to Mrs. Ashwood and apologize. (Y/n) felt a knot in her stomach, Francis didn't mention such a visit.
"Mista' butler wouldn't let me through!" Henry exclaimed. "Said the lil mama was nappin'. Must be from the Clubs Kingdom or somethin', 'cause she slept through that murder like she's hybernatin'!" he snickered.
The investigating duo didn't laugh. Howdy rolled his eyes.

"What was your relationship with the victim?" Sunny asked.
"What else? Boss and trusty employee!" he flexed his arms. "Got my big break!"
"Right, speaking of which. How did you end up in their employ?"
Henry began to mumble and doze off. Howdy gave him little slaps but decided to answer for him.
"A few months after King Doombarrow's crowning, they contacted him for this prosthetic gig."
"They contacted him?"
"You got it blue bird buddy-oh!" Henry snapped his fingers and pointed at him. "Don' look that surprised, I'm a Pillar! We're known across the world!"
"Can you be any more humble, cousin?" Howdy shook his head, patting his own antenna, the one closest to his cousin who just yelled in it. "But he has a point, the Pillar name can open doors for lots of jobs."
"Ya-huh!" he made a singular big nod.

"And how was it, to work under the Ashwoods?" (Y/n) asked. "Could you walk us through your working process?"
"I sure can lil mama, but under the condition that you let me give your hand a lil smooch."
"That won't be happening, I'm afraid."
"Don' be scared, big daddy Henry's here!" he raised his hands in the air before falling back in his seat.
He began to snore. There was a collective sigh in the room. A sigh of both disappointment and relief.
"I can try and answer the question for you, milady." Howdy said. "In his letters, Henry said that, after he accepted the Ashwood's offer, they sent blueprints back and forth until they approved of his design. After that he went to the Spades Kingdom to actually make the prototype and now they have a whole stock ready for shipping."
"I' sure-" Henry hiccuped, not moving to look at them. "It sure is."
"Mmh." Sunny narrowed his eyes for a brief second.
"And where was your workplace, Mr. Pillar?"
"Here."
"Here?!"
"Their basement's huuuge!"

They tried asking more questions, but it would seem that Henry didn't have any more energy to talk. From what they understood, Henry rarely ever saw the Ashwoods, Francis would act as a middle man, giving him notes from Mr. Ashwood. He knew they were from him because he would sign it with his initials.
"Couldn't have been the miss, with her shaky hands and shaky mind!" he laughed.
(Y/n) tried not to frown.
"Hold up." Howdy raised a hand after Henry dozed off (there was no waking him up his time). "Why couldn't the Ashwood fellow just go see the prototype for himself?"
"Maybe he didn't want to go to the basement, at his old age." she suggested.
"Maybe he didn't want to be seen going down to the basement."
They turned to Sunny.
"Did Miriam know there was a caterpillar man in her basement?"
(Y/n) tilted her head, thinking.
"She never mentioned it, but to be fair, we never asked."
'Maybe we shouldn't have asked for her first... Maybe we can call for her a second time.'

After them came Mr. Osman, he answered all of their questions with detailed answers. After his argument with Robert, he went to his room and stayed there until he heard the strange thunder.
"My good man." Sunny leaned closer. "Aside from your work in the medical research field, you're well known for your rivalry with the Ashwoods. But I believe this runs deeper than that."
"If you think that this would be my motive to kill Robert, you are sorely mistaken." he firmly said.
"Dr. Osman." (Y/n) leaned closer, concerned. "I noticed it too, at the party. That wasn't just a rivalry, you seem to have a genuine personal dislike of him. Could you please tell us why? It could bring context to some of the clues we've gathered."
His demeanor softened at her words. He sighed.
"It's true that at first, it was simply an academic rivalry. I actually didn't mind that, I can appreciate someone pushing me to work harder. It keeps a man sharp. But, one day, I happened to overhear a conversation Robert had with his – at the time – apprentice."
"Miss Markov?" she said under her breath.
He nodded.
"The way he spoke to her..." he shook his head, clenching his fists. "It wasn't right. After that, I would observe their interactions more closely. And I began to understand: Robert wasn't the man the world saw him as."

The Lady grew paler.
"What did he do to her?" she asked in a grave voice.
"When I overheard their conversation, it was before a very important convention. Where any worker in the medical research field could stand in front of the best doctors and healers in the world to pitch an idea or a discovery they've made in the past year. Miss Markov had made a discovery and she had this pile of documents, I could tell she's been putting a lot of work and effort into this. But she was really nervous to speak in front of so many people. And Robert-" he pursed his lip with an angry huff. "He talked her out of it."
(Y/n)'s eyes widened. Sunny slowly shook his head.
"Said he could make the pitch for her, that he'd credit her. He said no one would take her seriously with her stutter." he frowned. "In the end, neither of them talked at the conventions. But I knew that her discovery was about the different layers of the skin. And who published the chart on the very same subject under his name?"
(Y/n) slowly gasped. Osman looked down.

"What breaks my heart the most was, as the conversation went on, her stuttering got worse. And it's worse now too."
"Why didn't you say anything?" she asked.
"Because, with his reputation, Robert could easily turn the accusation around and say she was copying him. Plagiarism in the academic field is a great offense, she could be banned from ever practicing medicine or research."
"And besides," Sunny asked. "with their famous rivalry, if our good friend here was to accuse Mr. Ashwood of any mistreatment of his assistant, people would just think he's lying. Besides, Mr. Ashwood would certainly think Miss Markov confided in him."
"Oh, the poor thing..." (Y/n) covered her mouth. "But... now that he's gone-Eeeee!"
She flinched and yelped when they heard somebody scream in the next room. It was Miss Markov. The three of them quickly ran out of the room, just in time to see the hare woman run upstairs.
"She just yelled out of nowhere and ran!" Catherine exclaimed.
Her, Howdy, Raymond and the three of them ran after her. (Y/n) called out for her but she wouldn't listen. She ran past the study just as Wally looked out to see what was going on.

Miss Markov ran to the end of the hallway and entered a room, quickly closing it behind her.
"The closet?!" Raymond exclaimed.
Once the group got to it they opened the door to find...an empty closet.
"What in the world?!" Catherine asked, panting.
"She vanished!" Howdy scratched his head. "But she's no magic user!"
(Y/n) and Sunny looked in every corner of the small closet before looking at each-other. The pieces were put together.
"The library!!!" they both exclaimed before running upstairs.
"The library?!" the other repeated, confused but following close behind.

The group went up to the library, this time, Wally followed. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first, but then they heard the sound of fallen books, ruffled papers and quick breathing. It came from another part of the library, the archives. There was Miss Markov, holding a stack of documents. Behind her was what seemed to be a secret door which just closed once the group came in. When she noticed them, she tensed up and pressed her back against the bookshelf, holding the papers close to her chest.
"Miss Markov," (Y/n) raised her hands. "please calm down."
"N-No!" she intensely shook her head. "This is m-mine! It's my l-life's w-w-work! I-I-I promise!"
"We know! We know."
Her eyes widened.
"Y-You do?"
"I knew for a while, Olga." Dr. Osman said. "I'm sorry I didn't speak up, I was scared of what would happen to you."
"B-B-But now y-you definitely th-think I-I- I d-did it! I didn't!" she shook her head and started crying.

"Miss Markov." Wally calmly spoke. "These documents won't be going anywhere. You could even entrust them to me, I'll keep them safe for you."
"If the King of Hearts of the Lady of Spades would submit these papers for the LFK Medical Committee to review, I'm certain you could claim your ownership back." Sunny smiled. "It true that this long history of your 'friend' taking credit for your own work-" this shocked Catherine, Howdy and Wally. "-gives you a possible motive to murder. But you are no murderer Olga. Frankly, I think you'd die of a heart attack before even attempting such a thing."
"Detective!" (Y/n) hit him lightly on the arm.
"What?!" he shrugged.
Despite his failure to lighten up the mood, it did successfully de-escalate the situation. Olga kept crying and relaxed. Wally went up to her.
"There, there. It's alright." he gently took the documents away from her. "I promise you, I'll guard them with my life."
She mouthed 'thank you'.
"Catherine, could you bring Miss Markov to the kitchen and give her something warm to drink?"
"Of course, of course."

Olga was escorted out. Sunny went downstairs to check on the other guests. Leaving (Y/n) and Wally alone.
"I'll put the books back on the shelf, you can go." she said as she started to do just that.
"I don't want to leave you alone while the killer is still out there."
"It's alright, Wally. I doubt..." her voice trailed off as she realized something, then turned to look at him. "Wally! You left the crime scene!"
"Don't worry, I locked the door."
"You...locked it?"
"I wanted to use Mr. Ashwood's key at first," he said as he showed the key to her before putting it back in his pocket. "but then I remembered that Mr. Osman broke the lock. So instead, I used the classic 'chair under the doorknob' trick." he smiled.
"...He has the key on him."
"Yes...?" he noticed her shock and cupped her face in his hands. "My love, what's wrong?"

"Um..." she took his hand in hers. "I'll tell you later, once we're back in the study."
"Alright."
The two of them began to pick up the books.
"By the way," she said. "don't you have to put the chair inside of the room for the trick to work? How did you do it if you wanted to lock the door from outside?"
"Simple. I looked through the keyhole and used magic to levitate the chair."
She couldn't help but chuckle. She then noticed something, hidden in between two bookshelves. She took it out, it was a thick envelope. Wally stopped what he was doing and stood by her side to see. She opened it and took out the first page.
"It's a letter." she peeked inside the envelope and flipped through the pages. "They're all letters."
"This is an archive, why keep them hidden?"
The two of them quickly read through it, their eyes grew bigger as they did before looking at each-other. They agreed they should keep this and show it to detective Santana. Wally hid the envelope under his cape and the two of them quickly went back to the study.

While waiting for Sunny, Wally suggested telling (Y/n) of what he found.
"Maybe we should wait for detective Santana." she said.
"Oh. You trust him now."
"During the interrogations... He is eccentric, but I don't believe he has any ill intentions."
"If you say so, I will trust your judgment." he nodded.
Her gaze fell on the body and she quickly averted her gaze.
"Were you alright, staying alone with a corpse in the room?" she asked, holding his hand.
"Yes." he said, caressing the back of hers with his thumb. "It's a good thing the candles here are scented, or else the smell of rot would fill the entire floor."
Her eyebrows furrowed, her lips pursed. Wally turned her head for her to look at him, comforting her without words.

"Those candles truly are a blessing!" the two of them turned to see Sunny walk into the room. "I didn't think to bring my block scent paste."
"Well, you would hardly expect to have to deal with a murder." (Y/n) said.
"In my line of work, Madam, I must expect one every day! Now." he clapped his hands together. "His Highness here left the crime scene when we went after Miss Markov. So Mr. Ashwood's key hasn't been stolen after all."
(Y/n)'s eyes widened. He figured it out on his own!
"What is the matter with this key?" Wally asked, taking it out of his pocket. "Is it the only one that could lock the door?"
"Almost." she said. "There's only two like this and according to Francis, the other one hasn't moved from the servants' quarters."
"I see." his eyes narrowed. "It changes things indeed."
There was a moment of silence, the Lady looked around the walls.

"Now now, one thing at a time." Sunny raised his hands. "I believe you have something you want to show me."
"H-How do you...?"
"This wasn't there before." he pointed at the envelope they've placed on the desk. "And it looks nothing like the kind of books and papers tossed away here." he went to pick it up. "This is clearly something someone doesn't want us to find."
"Indeed it is!" she rushed towards him. "These are letters of corespondence." she whispered.
"Corespondence?" he picked one of the letters.
"Talking about some kind of trade with another nation."
His eyes narrowed as he read through it.
"All of them addressed to 'R.A.'" she leaned closer. "Just like Henry said, Robert Ashwood would sign his letters with his initials."
"Mmh." he hummed before reading a specific part of the letter.

Our meetings were rather frequent, in order to keep up appearances. However, after this, the Goliath won't be seeing me for at least a year, for my employer will have a lot on his plate, and so shall I. And my entire country too soon enough. Rest assured your cooperation will be remembered. Once we've taken over the Kingdoms, you shall be given a place in our court.

There was a moment of silence.
"They're talking about a shipment that was due on the night of the eleventh." (Y/n) said, pale. "It's tomorrow."
"There is a spy here tonight." Wally said with a grave voice.
"Mr. Ashwood... A traitor..." she began to shake.
Sunny puffed a chuckle and began laughing. The couple looked at him, confused.
"I was wondering when this would come into play!" he hit the letter with the back of his hand. "I thought it was going to be resolved post-murder-solving! Quickly now amigos!" he put the letter back in the envelope and hid it in a drawer of the desk. "We must gather everyone!"
Still confused, the couple followed.

The guests were all gathered in the party area, all looking at Sunny, with (Y/n) and Wally standing behind him although they also felt like audience members. (Y/n) looked around.
"Where's Francis?"
"He went to check on Mrs. Ashwood." Catherine explained.
"Whether he is here or not, it matters little to the present moment." Sunny waved. "My assistants for the night have made a rather...concerning discovery."
The guests whispered amongst themselves.
"It would seem... that there is a spy from another nation in our midst!"
Thunder struck, gasps echoed throughout the room.
'He's not mentioning Mr. Ashwood at all...' (Y/n) noted.

"And you know who it is?" she asked in disbelief.
"My dear Madam," he smiled at her. "I knew as soon as I walked into the Goliath! Tell me something, for the sake of my own curiosity: Here in the Kingdom of Spades, is there any common name?"
She frowned, confused. Still, she answered.
"Lachtnae."
"L-" he faced her. "Lachtnae?"
"Oh yes." Catherine said. "In my lacrosse club, there are like four Lachtnaes."
Anyone who wasn't from the Spades Kingdoms was confused. Sunny cleared his throat.
"Thank you. Well, where I'm from, we have plenty of those ourselves. One of them being..." he turned to look at Raymond. "Mondego."
There were gasps.
"Raymond?" Miriam asked, offended. "What is the meaning of this detective?!"

"You didn't expect me to be here did you?" he ignored her and kept his eyes on Raymond. "You played your cards right, but I saw right through you!" he pointed at him.
"What are you talking about?" Raymond shook his head. "Yes I have a common last name. Is this really a ground for treason and murder."
"He didn't kill my father!" Miriam shook her head. "I told you, he was with me when it happened!"
"Murder, maybe not. But I know you're not who you claim to be." Sunny's expression turned graver. "For starters, you've been making a terrible Escobian accent this whole time."
"That's just how I talk! You have no tangible proof. We are wasting time here."
"Al contrario mi faslo hermano." he shook his head. "The engagement ring you've given to Miss Ashwood is made of gold. Everybody in Escoba knows of the tradition: engagement rings are passed down from mother to sons. And gold was never used to make such jewelry until twenty years ago."
As he spoke, (Y/n) made eye contact with Miriam. She discreetly told her to move away from Raymond. As an answer, she clutched his arm. (Y/n) sighed, her heart aching for her.

"So?" Raymond shrugged. "Maybe my parents lost their ring and I had to buy a new one."
"Ah yes. But there is this last, crucial, very important clue." he smirked. "Remember when I complemented you? 'Creo que estas mintiendo' is what I said." he paused for a moment. "Your Highness." he called for Wally without looking at him. "As a royal, you're fluent in a lot of languages, correct?"
"I have to be, yes." he nodded.
"Could you translate for the people?"
"...'I think you are lying.'"
Gasps. Miriam looked devastated.
"Raymond...?"
"And also, you said you're the newest Captain for the Escobian military, soon to be promoted to Major. Well I'm sorry to say, but I have a friend whose cousin is the neighbor to the newest Captain for the Escobian military, soon to be promoted to Major. And he is currenly on vacation, for his own anniversary, with his husband."
Thunder stuck. Gasps.

"N-No! There must be a mistake! A coincidence!" Miriam shook her head. "There's no way! Raymond dear, tell them!" she tugged on his suit.
"Miss Ashwood, please step away from this man." Wally said.
"No! Just please wai-"
Suddenly, Raymond grabbed a bottle of wine and smashed it on the table. There were gasps and cries of shock. Next thing anyone knew, Raymong had an arm around Miram's neck, pointing a broken bottle to her heart.
"Miriam!" (Y/n) exclaimed.
"Raymond." she whispered, tears filling her eyes as she began to sob.
The man stepped backwards, everyone moved out of his way. His eyes darted around for a moment before setting on a glass door, leading to outside.
"You can try to escape, but won't get far in this weather, Mondego." Sunny shook his head. "It's over."
"Who are you?" Wally asked, ready to jump on him at the first opportunity. "Who do you work for?"
The man said nothing, he just stared at them, looking for the slightest movement towards him.

"He won't say anything."
"His accent, his real accent, would probably give away where he's really from." (Y/n) said.
"Was it all a lie?" Miriam asked. "Did you ever even love me?"
He let out a 'heh'. This broke her heart yet again.
"Whether you cooperate or not is only for the matter of your own safety." (Y/n) spoke. "Things can be settled quickly and quietly. We will find out who you and your employers are. What changes would be your fate."
He kept stepping back and towards the door. Suddenly, there was a piercing shriek. Raymond was tackled to the ground from the side. He fell on the ground, letting go of the bottle and releasing Miriam who quickly crawled away. (Y/n) rushed to her to make sure she wasn't harmed. Everyone watched as Mrs. Ashwood was on top of Raymond, slapping his face in a frenzy.
"You did it! You killed Robert! Monster! Demon!" she then began to insult him in the old Spades language.
Just then, Francis came into the room.
"Francis!" (Y/n) looked at him. "What happened?!"
"She woke up, I-I had to tell her what happened then she... She..." he gulped, out of breath.

"You! You did this!!!"
"Mrs. Ashwood please!" Howdy went towards her. "Think of your heart!"
He picked her up and others quickly went to the spy to detain him, but then they gasped ans stepped away upon seeing his body convulsing and him frothing at the mouth.
"No!" Sunny dashed towards him. "No no no no no!"
He kneeled down and lifted the man's head. He put his finger deep in his mouth to make him throw up, but it was too late. He went limp. Sunny sighed and laid the body down. Silence...
"Is he...dead?" (Y/n) asked, her eyes wide open.
Sunny searched for a moment, then took out a small capsule out of the man's mouth.
"Poison capsules." he said. "Spies sometimes use these as a last precaution. So that their secrets are never revealed."
"By the stars..."
Miriam wept, burying her face in (Y/n)'s shoulders. Meanwhile, Mrs. Ashwood was still evry frantic.
"Mr. Pillar." he said as he stood up. "Please bring Mrs. Ashwood back to her room, and Francis, bring her something warm to drink, to calm her nerves."
The two men nodded and left. Sunny sniffed the capsule and his eyes narrowed, his gaze wandered.

"That is two deaths tonight, detective." Wally broke the silence.
"Indeed." he took out a handkerchief and wiped his hands before wrapping the capsule in it. "My dear fellows." he turned to him and (Y/n). "In this already complex case, we've only scratched the surface. The truth runs much, much deeper than it may seem."
'A murder, a victim who wasn't so innocent themselves, now a spy who killed himself in order to keep the truth hidden from us...' the investigating duo thought.
Sunny tried not to smile too much.
"¡El juego está en marcha!"
"The game is afoot." Wally whispered his translation.

[hehehe detective story got my feet kicking 🥰]