Chapter 321
Chapter 321
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 321
Chapter Title: The Culprit is Among Us -2
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Lionpower Year 453, December XX 17th Floor, Violet Magic Tower Central Control Room The tracking light from Master's 『Mountain Goat』 tracking scroll expired midway, just past the entrance to the Central Control Room. Extremely high possibility that 『Mountain Goat』, disguised with a false identity, is hiding in this facility. Due to the mad mage's grand magic, the scene is a perfect sealed room—no one could enter or exit. No traces of such activity detected. Suspected the tracking light might have been pointing to the "outside" of the Central Control Room but vanished at a perfectly timed moment. Consulted external advisor, the mad mage. "100% not possible. Unless that Mountain Goat bastard is strong enough to slug it out with the goddess herself, the culprit is definitely inside this Central Control Room. So why are you still scribbling notes?" Suspects trapped at the scene: four, as follows.
● Melbutton (3rd Year / Male):
Developer of 『Melbutton's Accuracy Reduction Force Field』. His inventions occasionally appear in the kingdom, but rampant illegal knockoffs have caused him significant financial damage. Has extravagant spending habits and can't save a dime.
Has a grudge against the Violet Magic Tower Master. The current master apparently smashed his spells left and right. Even if he's not 『Mountain Goat』 himself, keep open the possibility he's cooperating with 『Mountain Goat』 out of grudge or money.
● Luce (6th Year / Female):
Inherited the 『Hologram』 spell from the mad mage. Claims to have a lover created with illusion magic, but that's irrelevant.
She's nuts. Staring at me with creepy eyes. Gives me the chills.
● Lorey (10th Year / Female):
Most frequent outsider among Violet Magic Tower members. Frequent collaborations with adventurers give her wide connections—no surprise if she contacted outsiders.
Per the mad mage's testimony, she was previously suspected of providing the framework for a black mage's spell in the imperial capital that turned humans into detection devices (aka 『Big Brother』). Case closed as a black mage frame job; she was cleared. But consider the chance of sophisticated deception. Her forbidden spell is 『Puppet』, and she harbors a twisted desire to swap bodies with her sickly younger brother. Keep a close eye.
● Charlie (15th Year / Male):
Lived in the "previous Violet Tower" for about two years before current Tower Master Yuna Yurensuto Violetiris took over. Extremely high chance he encountered the previous master and 『Mountain Goat』.
Currently holds an elder-like position with major influence when the Tower Master is absent. Meaning he can meddle in many aspects of the Violet Magic Tower. Currently the prime 『Mountain Goat』 suspect. Proceed with caution.
Mana lines. Connected to the whole tower.
"Then the moment someone seizes this place... they could basically control the Violet Magic Tower at will?"
"Up to the floors below the 17th. The upper floors are where Yuna—that is, the Tower Master—and I live, so they're operated separately."
"Any other peculiarities?"
"Yeah. When we got attacked by those shadow familiars, the tower lights went out, right? That was probably manipulated from the control room. Whoever touched this panel is the most suspicious."
At the mad mage's words, the suspects exchanged glances among themselves. Everyone trembled with unease—sweat beading on their palms, eyes twitching. They seemed genuinely jittery.
But it wasn't the anxiety of a culprit fearing exposure...
He approached with a deliberately cheerful, friendly tone.
Yet his pitch-black, amorphous form kept expanding and contracting...
Those ominous, eerie red eyes glaring...
That man was terrifying enough to make their bodies shake uncontrollably.
Melbutton respected my authority as the 『Hypnosis Detective』. Or maybe he was intimidated by the mad mage glaring red-hot behind me.
I glanced back uneasily myself. Come to think of it, the mad mage might not like me playing 『Hypnosis Detective』.
Come to think of it, why did I suddenly start deducing...?
"......"
Tap. Something like the mad mage's hand patted my back. It felt like a signal to keep going. Was my deduction style matching his intent, or did he have something else prepared...?
For now, continue the interrogation.
"Then why didn't the alarm go off? I didn't hear any on the way up."
"...Pardon?"
"When I and the mad mage entered the tower, he cast a grand magic to seal it. Isn't that 'dangerous enough to alert the whole tower'?"
"That was obviously the mad mage... senior. No need to sound it, I thought."
Chose not to sound it.
Suspicious. But not worth pressing yet—it seemed plausible enough. Moved to the next question.
A message from the control room?
I stared at Melbutton. Only someone in the Central Control Room could broadcast to the whole tower. But he looked utterly flustered, as if it were impossible.
"...Wait, wait, Senior Lorey! You got a message? I didn't send any to anyone!"
"Huh? Sorry, Junior Melbutton, but I did receive one. If not you, then who?"
"No idea, but it wasn't me!"
Contradictory testimonies. Melbutton denies sending, but Lorey and Charlie claim they received and gathered here. Then who sent it?
If 『Mountain Goat』 is one of these four, he'd need to summon others or blend into a crowd to hide his identity.
Very telling. Could be 『Mountain Goat』's scheme...
"Got it for now. Finally, you—"
"Hah... hah... hah..."
"Uh, can you handle that lady instead? Please, mad mage...!!"
I retreated.
Topic's veering off, mad mage.
I thumped his back. He sprouted a mouth there and whispered. If Luce is 『Mountain Goat』, I might never see him again, but a little farewell chat's fine.
With seniors and juniors under suspicion, even the mad mage felt uneasy?
"Why'd you come to the Central Control Room?"
"Well, I got a message too... Urk."
She staggered like sudden anemia hit. A dazed look crossed her face as nosebleed trickled down.
The mad mage said calmly.
"...Ah."
"No lies. I'm peering into your depths right now. Lie intentionally, and I'll punish you. Got it?"
"...Y-yes. S-sorry. Didn't know you were that mad."
Lie detector. Can't lie to the mad mage.
But all suspects are illusion mages. Self-hypnosis to believe lies as truth is easy. Assuming absolute truth leads to traps.
Luckily, the mad mage catches self-hypnosis attempts too.
So the lies to watch are those self-induced before facing the mad mage.
Luce confessed readily.
"I lied 'cause it'd look suspicious. Truth is... I wandered in by chance. Saw Seniors Charlie and Lorey enter, got curious if something happened."
"Good girl. Be honest like that. At least today."
"...I'll remember."
The mad mage finished with Luce and tagged me back in.
That's when the mad mage's grand magic activated, fully isolating the room. What did the four do then?
"Senior Charlie thought it was an outside attack. Tried manipulating the system panel to respond. But I judged it our juniors' doing and stopped him."
Stopped him?
"Why would our juniors attack the tower? It'd ultimately be for the tower's sake, so no need to interfere."
"Melbutton, my turn. I thought she had a point. I wasn't slacking on duty—Senior Lorey's logic made sense, so no need for the alarm..."
"......"
Master's 『Hypnosis Detective』 guidebook is packed with profound wisdom for solving cases and unmasking villains. Thanks to it, I've managed this amateurishly.
Chapter 52, 『Deduction』: A single piercing question shall be the lantern illuminating the darkness.
The mad mage and I asked the suspects simultaneously.
"Of the four in the Central Control Room, who turned off the tower lights?"
"Seniors and juniors, when I was attacked by the shadow familiar... hands up who killed the tower lights."
"......"
"......"
But no one raised a hand.