Ah. That happened.
Under the twinkling disco ball, and the roar of music from the stage...
By the time I pulled myself from Rufti's embrace, the deed had already been done.
I got what we came here for! And more! If you really want to get some things done, you really have to go at it without regrets. Even as the world pounds and thumps in your little detective's head, my thinking is exceptionally clear! I am slowly, but surely cornering the 'mystery' of this story. Regardless of what happens tonight, the 'howdunnits' of this mystery are going to be solved...!
"Rufti, I..." Looking up at the much taller and equally flustered girl, how should I tell her that the detective's work is not done yet? I am halfway there, so close to victory! Madi-san is trapped on the loft and she can't interfere with my investigation for once! So that's why--- That's why it's so hard to say it---!
"... need to go do 'detective' stuff, Ayano?"
Aha. Ahahaha! Yes! I do! I didn't even have to say it out loud! I have a pretty good handle on who I think is behind all the showy and theatrical nonsense we've been through since Galopin Chateau! If I am not wrong, the culprit is right here in the club tonight! Even if we don't find her tonight, your detective wants to deny even the smallest shadow where 'X' can hide! If everything is clear, we can both go home to sweeto dreamus tonight, and nobody can stop us! A small swell of happiness rises to the front of my chest, making it a little hard to breathe!
You 'understand'!
"I'm going to investigate the second floor. I have a small hunch what's going on already...!"
"Then, will you be back?" They grey-haired girl looks directly into my eyes, not wanting to let go.
"I guarantee with certainty... I will be back! How will we go back home tonight, otherwise!"
A small red-faced explosion seems to blow the top off Rufti's shaggy short hair. She recomposes herself by tugging the front of her jacket, ccking her teeth in embarrassment!
"Then... go! Rufti de Galopin will wait for you!"
There she goes again. What is she blushing for?! The mystery has already advanced this far! With determined steps, I break for the exit---
But before that, just to make sure.
Turning my head with a knowing ugh,
"Rufti, your horseguys were really worried! You shouldn't vanish with weirdos like Saint-Taiga!"
For the first time that night, Rufti didn't know what I meant.
When she opened her mouth to speak, the din of the nightclub was like a corroding static, overturning my previous assumptions.
"...? What are you talking about, Ayano? I'm here because I want to...?
Besides, It was Doktah who brought me onto the show??"
Your detective blinks.
How very... odd.
I've been working under the assumption that Saint-Taiga is Fox-Mask.
All sorts of possibilities run through my mind as I walk through the outside corridor.
The outside corridor forks into two paths, the left side where I bumped into Annalie and had a small tiff with her, leading outside to the New Coimbra night, and the right that leads to the second floor of this nightclub.
The other way leads to the second floor of the nightclub! It makes logical sense doesn't it? When I came down the spiraling stairways, I could tell that this pce was built in a circle, with the dance floor the centerpiece of this 'inversed tower'. Plus, if there is a loft where the judges are staying at, it makes complete sense that there would be some way to access that loft! Unless you can [Sky-Step] and literally walk on the sky like Val-sama [1], the second floor is probably off limits to all!
Rufti's disappearance... was strange.
How did she just >vanish in front of her two bodyguards?
My first thought was that Rufti met with Saint-Taiga, and was so awestruck by her e(x1)tertainmento abilities that she signed up for the show first thing this morning. Normally you would need to sign some sort of contract to not disclose facts, a non-disclosure agreement, and that would expin why my [Detective's Authority] didn't manage to get anything out of the Horseguys.
So it wasn't an abduction, it was more like a talent recruitment!
So why was Rufti on the show to begin with, if she didn't meet with Saint-Taiga first?
Why Doktah?
Could Doktah be Fox-Mask?
Why would that be true?
What's the motive?
As I climb the spiral steps upwards from the other end of the corridor, my mind spirals in endless dead-ends in reasoning. In the badly lit corridor, I am left alone with a jumble of confused thoughts. No, I'm falling into the conspiracist's trap again... The 'whys' of a mystery do not matter to the detective! Solving the 'hows' is just a matter of time now.
Saint-Taiga is still the most suspicious person out of the bunch.
If she's working alone, then the only person with the means to pull all this off can only be her!
If Fox-Mask is pnning something, I simply have to drag the 'who' into the open---!
[SFX:Bump]
I run into a pair of 'tall pilrs' in orange fur. Two obvious non-humans stand tall in front of me, wearing identical cssy shades and identical well-pressed bck suits. Tall and imposing, the Tiger-Faced bodyguards look down upon the detective who has fallen over backwards on the ground, whiskers bristling with the kind of joy that comes from a cat bringing a dead rat to its master! I am not new to non-humans wearing animal heads like they were really realistic masks already...
"Oraaaaaa?! Sister! There's finally an intruder! Can I beat the sheeto outta her?!?!"
One of the oversized cats leans forward, white-toothed fangs bared at me!
"Restrain yourself, sister..." Says the other cross-armed one, "Ask for ID, THEN beat up the intruder!"
"So it shall be! Present your ID, intruder, and well'ya beat the sheeto outta ya afterwards!!!"
As the words drop, the two idiots break into some sort of cutting outstretched two-armed salute! Their fingers straightened with their left forearm covering the top of their shades synced and slick motion makes it look more like part of a dance routine!
"... You guys are Saint-Taiga's... people. Non-humans. Whatever."
"DAAAAS RITEEEE!!!"Such annoying, idiotic fir! If I were a little dumber I would have thought Annalie and Madi-san dressed up in cat-masks to mess with me! I'm so close to the 'mystery' I can rerorero [2] it already! I can't believe I am being dabbed on by a pair of giant cats! Not now! Not when I'm so close! Reaching for my magic charm tucked at the side of my skirt...
ALL-ACCESS CARD!The giant cats recoil at the sight of my lustrous green card! Unlike all the conspiracies I have been dragged into by Madi-san, this time I am here legitimately! Not only that, I am a special guest of Saint-Taiga's!
"Sister, is the livestream over already?! Das too fast! Too fast, meows!"
"It just means we followed the schedule for once."
"Eto, if you two idiots are done babbling... move. The detective has a mystery to solve."
"Roaroa?! This one has the eyes of a WINNER! But we haven't received word of---"
>silence, non-human!My angry gre bores a hole through the energetic orange cat, causing it to fall backwards where the >greentext hit it! I've wasted enough time with you two! I dangle my green All-Access Card in front of the serious cat, doing a little jiggle dance of my own while checking my phone!
It is now 20:45.
As I do, the two big cats scram, parting and pressing their backs to the sides of the walls!
"I'm the detective. I'm going to inspect the second floor and be done with the night."
Unlike you two, I have someone to look forward to tonight!
"... you! The non-stupid one! Did anyone suspicious pass through this pce tonight?"
"Nobody who shouldn't pass through got past us tonight---"
"We're the elite tiger guards of the EEEEEEEEEntertainmento---"
>damare, non-human!As >greentext flies through the air, smacking the annoying bodyguard in the face, your detective walks with a dismissive hand past the both of them!
The nerve of non-humans to talk back to me!
As dark notions start to stir in my heart once more...
My eyes spied something strange.
It appeared for a single, fluttering moment.
Before it disappeared into the darkness once more.
A single metallic butterfly, fpping in the corridor's darkness.
I've seen this before.
Metallic butterflies...The calling card of [La Monarquía]...!!(not me)Go Go And Learn Moonrunes With Aya-chan![1] Val-sama - Valerie Morceau, blonde-haired ojou-sama who moonlights as a fencer at the secret knight order [Trono Palido]. Wow it has been THAT long since we saw her, huh!
[2]rerorero - Its the sound where you lick something with vigor!
