Making Honkai Impact lll In A World Where Kallen Exists [Continuation]

On the other side, aside from World Serpent, Kallen, who remained at Schicksal's headquarters, glanced at this year's financial report.

Great, it's not a deficit, at least it won't lead to Valkyries demanding their salaries.

Speaking of which, ever since joining miHoYo, most branches haven't faced deficits, and overall, the profits have been substantial.

As for the wealth of Luo Mo's Company, apart from patching up St. Freya's financial holes, Kallen left it to him to manage independently, focusing on developing their own needed businesses.

So, in certain aspects, Schicksal didn't take undue advantage.

Because… Schicksal wasn't merely curbing unhealthy competition; they were directly enabling Luo Mo's Company to engage in such competition, partnering with Anti-Entropy to suppress other gaming companies. As for plagiarism, it was even more blatant, games were directly banned.

Essentially, any game posing a threat would intentionally be suppressed. Even when the suppression wasn't overly obvious, it seeped in subtly, so only the keenest individuals could perceive it.

But the fact that Anti-Entropy stopped promoting their own new games was evident enough.

Setting that aside, there was no real need for intentional suppression. the quality of their games spoke for itself. Combined with resource allocation and overwhelming promotion, they had done almost everything possible.

Yet, the emotional value felt as if it had hit an upper limit. Luo Mo suspected it might be tied to quality. For instance, could the emotional value generated by one person be fixed? The system never explicitly stated it was 1, after all.

What if it was determined by factors like intensity or skill?

That could explain why there weren't tens of billions being recorded. While there were more people later, their emotional endurance also increased, making them less easily moved.

Alright, that's getting off track.

Fortunately, the in-game salary issues weren't reflective of reality. All three major organizations weren't remotely close to bankruptcy or being unable to pay salaries.

So, Kallen only saw the in-game chaos as a joke.

With Otto's intelligence, there'd surely never be a situation where he couldn't pay salaries…

.....

"Uh… I don't think I'd ever act like this in real life, would I?"

Durandal scratched her head, looking at the video of her own mischievous behavior with some frustration. How could she demand payment from the Schicksal bishop over just a month's salary?

At least… it'd have to be a year!

No, many years… wait, didn't Valkyries already get reimbursements? Then why even bother with salaries?

Fine, it's just a joke.

Still, she sighed and complained to Rita, who was standing beside her.

"fufu—I find this side of you surprisingly amusing, Lady Durandal," Rita said with an elegant smile, covering her mouth as she chuckled. The two hadn't left St. Freya and often spent time together at Cecilia's villa, where Rita never missed an opportunity to showcase herself in front of Cecilia.

"Ugh—"

Durandal felt even more exasperated. Her adjutant always made such offhanded remarks.

"But you could try it out. If Kallen can't pay salaries anymore, you could lead a crowd to block the door, just like in the video!"

Cecilia offered a terrible idea with a gentle smile.

"Uh, Mom, even you're saying that?"

Unable to argue, Durandal felt wronged. She glanced at Rita, then at Cecilia, and could only sigh.

"Well… Kallen might not fail, but we could wait until Theresa becomes bishop and try then."

Cecilia blinked, as though imagining the scenario of such a scene unfolding. Her smile deepened, it'd be quite amusing if her eldest daughter ended up demanding payment!

However, the earlier scene with Siegfried made her feel helpless. Being sent flying across the Earth by a ping pong ball… what an absurd joke.

-----

"Let's forget about our usual troubles and just relax today…"

As Theresa and Fu Hua suggested relaxing in the game…

A golden-haired corpse suddenly shot down from the sky, crashing heavily to the ground, leaving behind a trail of green blood. Its appearance was truly miserable.

It made people wonder just how much torment the victim endured before their death, leaving one sighing in disbelief.

However, the atmosphere at the scene didn't seem to change. Out of nowhere, a mysterious song began to play.

Otto, with his left hand firmly pointing forward, gave his final instructions, unwilling to accept the outcome.

"Flower-"

"The bond between people~"

At that moment, everyone began singing the tune, as if oblivious to the grim scene before them. They continued singing without pause, while Kiana erupted into a thunderous complaint,

"Why are you all singing, seriously?!"

The normally composed Red Immortal, Theresa's granddaughter, and the ever-loyal Durandal...

If it weren't for Kiana's reminder, they would've continued humming the celebratory tune.

[Otto: Such a good granddaughter, loyal subordinates, and dear old friends!]

[Bishop Otto, don't stop now!]

[Unexpected, yet entirely expected.]

The mission this time was remarkably simple and straightforward, find out who killed Otto.

Kiana took on the role of detective, embarking on a series of investigations.

(TL/N: in the background, Detective Conan's theme is played)

The first step was gathering clues. Inside a small villa, the people present were few and fixed, which should've made it a simple matter... at least, that's what Kiana thought a quarter of an hour ago.

As she was deep in thought about who the culprit might be…

Fu Hua, standing nearby, casually picked up Otto's corpse with a practiced motion and flung it into a corner, as if annoyed by how it was in the way. She seemed to prefer it out of sight and out of mind.

Afterward, she cheerfully suggested, "Let's forget our worries and have some fun today."

Everyone else, Theresa, Durandal, and the rest cheered in agreement.

Only Kiana still remembered the original objective. "Wait, we're just leaving it like this? Otto's dead! He's dead, you guys!"

She stared, dumbfounded, at the cheering group, wondering if this timeline's group was even less reliable than herself, or if Otto's death was simply that insignificant.

"Kiana, you have two choices: eat, or investigate. Which one do you pick?"

Fu Hua calmly stepped forward and asked her.

Kiana thought it over for a moment. Eating meant filling her stomach, while Otto…

Who was that again?

It took less than three seconds for her to make her choice. She happily joined the others, laughing and chatting over delicious food. The joyful atmosphere was comforting, especially with Otto's lifeless corpse in the background, eyes crossed out, enhancing the absurdity.

[Otto assassinated; the whole crew feasts!]

[As expected, the obvious choice was eating, nothing's bigger than food!]

[The joys and sorrows of people are never alike. Otto: I just think they're noisy.]

[The villa is filled with a cheerful vibe.]

-----

"Uh… Fu Hua, you…"

Theresa was silent for a long moment, her gaze disbelieving as she looked at the normally stoic and reliable class monitor.

Fu Hua: "..."

What was she supposed to say?

Although the earlier in-game scenes hinted that her relationship with Otto wasn't good, she prided herself on her composure. She'd never act so absurdly, would she?

Lowering her head, she glanced at her feet, which were perfectly visible without any obstacles.

For some reason, her frustration only deepened.

"Don't worry; there's more to come," Luo Mo said nonchalantly, glancing out the window. He was unexpectedly surprised to see the Three Houses trio approaching within view. Blinking in confusion, he wondered, What are they doing here?

"Could there be a twist?" Elysia asked curiously.

"But this already feels completely detached from Fu Hua's usual image!"

"Maybe the twist is that something even more absurd is coming. Right now, this still counts as normal behavior," Vill-V turned to face them, her expression carrying a faint, mysterious smile.

"…" Elysia fell silent but quickly recovered with a forced smile. "Although it's strange, when it comes to this dear friend of mine… it somehow feels... normal?"

As she spoke, even she began doubting her own words, growing a little awkward.

Luo Mo didn't comment, instead quietly walking to open the door to welcome Kiana and the others.

"Whoa, boss, you guessed it? I was just about to knock!"

Kiana hesitated for a moment when the door opened automatically but quickly noticed the young  man standing behind it. It wasn't hard to tell he was her boss from work.

…Speaking of which, weren't there no other guys here?

While there were some in the courtyard outside, visiting the villa seemed to be a privilege reserved for women, unless someone as fiery as Kevin was invited.

"Well, come in."

"It really feels like this has become your house," Kiana muttered but still stepped past him into the villa.

"Bronya thinks so too. And… Bronya is better at keeping secrets than Kiana. No offense, just stating a fact," Bronya said flatly. She peeked inside briefly before walking in as well.

"Uh… don't look at me like that, boss. There's no rule that says everyone who passes through has to say something, right?"

Mei, stroking her well-kept hair, hesitated before speaking to Luo Mo, her tone soft yet uncertain.

After she finished speaking, Luo Mo let her in.

"Uh... Good morning, Boss Luo Mo."

Seele hesitated as she greeted him before quickly jogging inside to join Bronya, clinging to her side like she couldn't bear to be apart. She seemed even more dependent than in the game.

Luo Mo, satisfied, closed the door behind them. What mattered wasn't their words but that he had temporarily escaped the piercing gaze of Fu Hua, who looked as if she might devour him. Truly, honest people were the most terrifying!

But what made a video interesting was contrast. Subverting established character impressions evoked greater emotional reactions, and Fu Hua was undoubtedly well-suited for this role. Yes, this was the perfect justification!

----

After a hearty meal, Kiana finally remembered the inconvenient corpse lying nearby, awaiting disposal, and also her mission for this visit.

It had to be said, time always flew when you were having fun.

"Hey, I think we should…"

Kiana's lingering conscience made her feel she should address the now cold body nearby. Was it the soulsteel? At least there was no stench, small blessings.

"Anyone want to play Mario Cart? I brought my console."

Before Kiana could finish, Rita interrupted her, holding a controller and smiling invitingly.

"..." Without even glancing at Otto, Kiana immediately turned away and threw herself into the game.

A game or Otto?

Kiana knew exactly which to choose!

Once again, the villa was filled with joyous laughter as the cheerful atmosphere spread. Meanwhile, Otto's lifeless body continued lying in the corner… disturbingly still.

Time passed quickly in the game.

Eventually, Kiana remembered her mission again, perhaps because the increasing blood stains spreading across the floor were getting in the way.

"So, about that body…"

She tried to rally everyone's attention to the issue, her expression serious, ready to resolve it.

"I'm starting dinner. Who wants to help?"

Mei picked up a spatula and asked the group.

"..."

Would Kiana hold fast to her original goal this time?

Clearly not!

Without hesitation, she followed Mei into the kitchen, immersing herself in that sweet haven of domestic bliss. Mei had invited her to cook together.

Together!

Was this not a scene straight out of her dreams?

Why on earth would she refuse for the sake of some insignificant corpse nearby?

Without a second thought, Kiana happily clung to Mei as they cooked, their laughter once again filling the air. Meanwhile, Otto's icy corpse grew even colder in the corner.

[Three strikes!]

[Otto: If I've sinned, let Kallen punish me. not you bunch of useless Valkyries!]

[Oddly enough, the one most concerned about Otto is Kiana herself. Somehow, this feels tragic… and hilarious!]

After they finished their meal, Kiana finally snapped out of it. Looking at Otto, she sighed and asked the question weighing on her conscience:

"Seriously, are you all just going to keep ignoring him?"

Even she, who despised Otto, felt a twinge of guilt.

"It's true, it doesn't feel right," Fu Hua said thoughtfully, agreeing with her.

However, the image of tossing Otto's body into the ocean flashed through Fu Hua's mind. Feeling the temptation, she muttered, "What if we just throw him into the sea?"

"I can't believe you'd say that!" Kiana scream in annoyance.

"Fu Hua! I know the Bishop's reputation wasn't great, but the man's already dead! How can you still be so callous?"

Durandal, righteous as ever, sternly rebuked her.

She had earned her title as the strongest Valkyrie for a reason, after all.

"This is completely shameless!"

Her moral compass remained intact, as always. Even now, after Otto's death, she boldly defended his honor. No wonder Otto had once asked to have her statue erected without a single word engraved on it.

...That is, if she hadn't been doing something else entirely.

At this moment, Durandal's hand had skillfully slipped Otto's wallet into her own pouch. Casually, she muttered, "Let me collect my paycheck first."

While distracting everyone with her righteous words, she deftly claimed her spoils without drawing attention.

Truly, Durandal lived up to her title as the strongest Valkyrie!

"Durandal! How shameless can you be!"

Seeing this, Theresa, Otto's granddaughter, felt compelled to speak up. How could the strongest Valkyrie act this way?

"My grandfather's in this state, and all you can think about is your salary?"

As the legitimate heir to Schicksal, Theresa couldn't just stand by.

So, she declared, "We should discuss dividing up the inheritance. Let's sell Schicksal!"

Confidently, she proposed this constructive solution, one that could permanently resolve all their issues. Kiana, as an outsider, could only gape in astonishment. As expected of her brilliant aunt!

What was even more surprising was that both Durandal and Rita nodded in agreement, expressing their support.

Clearly, the three S-rank Valkyries of Schicksal had already begun planning the efficient division of its assets.

Their unwavering loyalty was truly awe-inspiring.

["Filial Piety," "Good Granddaughter," "My Schicksal."]

[Otto: An unexpected resolution. My evaluation? Not as good as a Redemption Pass.]

[The current state of Schicksal's S-rank Valkyries is worrying for the organization's future.]

-----

"Sell Schicksal? Wow, as expected of you, Aunt Theresa. I can't even trust you anymore!"

Kiana's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Theresa's petite figure in astonishment.

Sitting by the sofa, both Kongming and Luna, who bore a resemblance to Aunt Theresa, couldn't help but cover their mouths to stifle their laughter. The sheer absurdity of the situation had reached its peak.

Selling Schicksal just to get paid... That was unthinkable, even as a joke.

"Kiana, do you seriously think you're reliable? Ignoring the murderer multiple times to indulge in Mei's affection, are we?"

Theresa's face flushed red as she loudly retorted.

It wasn't her! It was just the game!

It's all Luo Mo's fault!

Theresa glared fiercely at him. He had countless ways to inform her grandmother of his unwillingness to become the Bishop, but he had chosen this method.

And now, sure, it worked, sort of. But it might have been better if she had just taken over as Bishop herself!

"Well... if you think about it, there's no rush to find Otto's murderer," Kiana said, grinning. "I mean, once we find them, we'll probably have to hand them a banner of thanks or something. Why rush?"

With that, she seamlessly rejoined the playful atmosphere.

Honestly, everyone else probably felt the same way. From the weapons sticking out of Otto's body, it was clear enough who the culprits were, it was them! So what was the point of investigating?

Besides... in real life, she'd never had the chance to cook with Mei before. Every time, she got kicked out, which was the worst!

"Hiss... uh, this." Theresa was at a loss for words.

If she hadn't seen Otto's body with her own eyes, she might have joined in the laughter too.

But for now, she had to stay cautious.

....

"...Lady Durandal?" Rita called softly.

"Uh—"

"Durandal?" Cecilia tried calling her again.

"I—I didn't, I would never do something like that!"

Durandal flailed her hands wildly, her face bright red from embarrassment. Taking a wallet from the late Bishop's body…

She would never dream of doing something so disgraceful! Absolutely not!

Such behavior was entirely against the code of chivalry!

"Hehe, but I'd love to see a different side of you," Cecilia said with a smile. "You're wound far too tightly."

She seemed thoroughly amused by the antics of her daughters in the game.

Cecilia had always been open-minded. Things wouldn't get any worse than they were in the game, and if necessary, she could still step in to help her daughters.

So why worry? She would do her best to support them, no matter what.

"Huh... is that so?"

Durandal scratched the back of her head with a sheepish smile, still blushing.

Her in-game self… felt a little strange. A bit mischievous.

....

At Schicksal Headquarters,

"Uh… Otto…"

Kallen covered her face with one hand but said nothing in the end.

When she first saw him, there had been a twinge of sadness. But after seeing it three times, all she could do was sigh.

From beginning to end, aside from Theresa, it seemed Otto had constantly been the one getting bullied.

From being hit by ping-pong balls to being treated as a corpse… it was tragic, but also a bit funny.

Fine, she shouldn't think like that.

But if it was just an alternate reality Otto in a video, there wasn't much reason to feel sad for him, was there?

So, she laughed out loud twice.

---

"...Inheritance distribution?"

The words struck Fu Hua, who was crouching beside Otto's body with Kiana, like a bolt of lightning.

(TL: Conan's theme plays again)

For a moment, it was as if a light bulb went off in her head. She felt like she was back in London, solving cases again.

That familiar feeling of intuition and inspiration, she had found it.

Watson had returned to the scene!

Fu Hua rubbed her chin, lost in thought for a moment, before adjusting her glasses and confidently raising a smile.

"If my deductions are correct..."

"I have absolutely deduced nothing!" She said with a smile as she solve the first clue.

Raven, overhearing the ridiculous deductions, couldn't help but comment,

"If even a single word you said made sense, it wouldn't be completely nonsensical."

Mei, on the other hand, was analyzing the situation thoughtfully. "Speaking of which, the culprit should be someone else, right? This isn't a sealed room…"

Before she could finish her sentence, several thick iron doors suddenly descended, sealing off all entrances. The non-sealed room was now, without question, a sealed room.

"…" Fu Hua, Raven, and Kiana stared at her.

Mei scratched her head, utterly clueless, her face drenched in cold sweat. Yet she stubbornly insisted,

"So what if it's a sealed room? It's not like it's life-threatening…"

At that moment, part of the floor cracked open, and a cluster of bombs emerged, complete with a countdown timer ticking toward detonation.

The others' gazes at Mei became even more peculiar.

"B-bombs? So what… We have Herrscher powers, so I think…"

Mei stuttered as she spoke, even finding the chain of coincidences herself to be uncanny. As for being a jinx… No way! She refused to believe it!

But before she could continue, Kiana and Fu Hua rushed to her side, each covering her mouth to stop her from speaking further.

If she kept going, they might all genuinely feel like their lives were in danger!

Meanwhile, Rita discovered a monitor nearby, with black-and-white text beneath it instructing them to input the name of the culprit.

Clearly, this was part of a premeditated plan, Otto wanted them to identify the real murderer.

Theresa, standing nearby, shrugged dismissively. "The bombs won't kill us anyway, so why bother? Let them blow a hole in the wall, and we can escape just fine."

This suggestion received enthusiastic nods from both Durandal and Rita, as if it was the highest compliment to the next-generation Bishop. Their unanimous approval spoke volumes.

Only Raven was furious. She didn't care if they were unharmed, but this was her villa!

Her newly acquired villa hadn't even had time to warm up, and now it was about to go up in flames. How was that reasonable?

"This case is utterly ridiculous. I haven't found a single clue," Fu Hua remarked, standing by Otto's body and pondering deeply. Yet her gaze wandered elsewhere, not lingering on the crime scene for even a second.

"Yeah, yeah, totally a case for the ages," Kiana chimed in, nodding eagerly.

The two crouched in front of Otto's body, completely ignoring the weapons sticking out of it:

Oath of Judah, Abyss Flower, a scythe, a frying pan, sharp feathers, fist marks… and even a black footprint on his head.

Despite the overwhelming evidence in plain sight, they calmly declared it an unsolvable mystery of the ages, earning them the utmost admiration.

[I see now, a true case for the ages! No wonder the culprit can't be found.]

[Raven's villa… there's no hope left; the ending is clear.]

[It's all so clear now! It must be an extraordinary case!]

---

"Mei… I didn't expect you to have this kind of talent. What a surprise," Kiana said, her curious gaze fixed on Mei's lips. Could this work in real life too?

She hadn't tried it yet!

"If only I really could make things happen just by speaking," Mei replied helplessly, taking the in-game events in stride.

Compared to this, it seemed like she was just speaking normally.

Didn't anyone notice Fu Hua's pale face and labored breathing? That was true suffering.

....

"A case for the ages… Haha, what a cold joke. No wonder it's unsolvable," Bronya murmured, her small mouth slightly open in surprise. But she held back a smile.

Kiana being like this was expected, but even Class Monitor acting this way was unexpected!

It truly caught her off guard.

"Hahaha, so this is what they mean by 'playing dumb while knowing better'? Hmm, even Fu Hua can be this amusing?"

"Indeed. For once, I agree with Elysia!" Senti added with a grin. "Old Timer, your in-game self is surprisingly comedic!"

She chuckled approvingly. If in-game Fu Hua could make her laugh, that was an accomplishment. Unlike the real Fu Hua, who always found fault with everything.

Now she was facing karmic retribution! Acting all serious while spouting nonsense was hilarious!

....

"Hua's difference is quite striking," Mobius remarked indifferently, whether out of familiarity or distraction from her own thoughts.

She was pondering the challenges of implementing this "Theresa virus."

If such a virus existed, at the very least, more information would be necessary.

Vill-V glanced at Mobius, her expression briefly becoming strange, but she remained silent.

....

"The strange case of the ages... There is no clue... The strange case of the ages... There is no clue..."

Fu Hua muttered the phrases to herself, her eyes losing their shine as she grew despondent.

Her head turned mechanically, finally stopping when she locked eyes with Luo Mo.

What kind of "case of the ages" was this?! The clues were right there, the weapons on the body!

Was she seriously just covering for that group of people?

Fu Hua's usually calm mind rippled with frustration, a rare occurrence.

.....

In the MiHoyo company...

"Um… Miss Raven? That's your name, right? Are you… okay?"

Susannah couldn't help but glance worriedly at the figure dressed in black. Raven's red eyes gleamed faintly with displeasure.

Raven gazed expressionlessly at the scene in the hall, the villa on her island, once lost and reclaimed, was now about to be lost again.

Sure, she was a spy and didn't usually care about things outside the main story. Plus, the lack of a voice actor for her meant some aspects were inevitably overlooked.

But… what was with the villa and the bombs?

Explain this to me!

Raven roared inwardly, but outwardly, she managed a barely passable smile at Susannah. The girl was clumsy and careless but still diligent, and she was learning, after all.

---

While Kiana and Fu Hua were engrossed in their "meticulous and logical deductions," Durandal carried over a speaker, intending to play a victory BGM prematurely.

However, as she tested it, Otto's voice unexpectedly blared out,  "Welcome, Valkyries. I am Otto… The reason I invited you here is that someone intends to kill me…"

The group began discussing why Otto's recording was even present.

They quickly came to a consensus, bad luck! Bad luck! Delete it immediately and focus on finding real clues.

This bizarre case demanded careful reasoning and evidence gathering, it couldn't be derailed by a mere voice recording!

"The culprit is…"

With a sharp click, Otto's voice was abruptly silenced, completely erased from the recording.

Fu Hua, still absorbed in her analysis, sighed again.

"As expected, there are no clues. This truly is a case for the ages!"

Even with her extensive experience as a detective, she couldn't find any relevant leads. It was truly exasperating!

"Look! Look!"

Kiana suddenly let out a cry, drawing everyone's attention to where Otto's left hand pointed.

Written in green blood were a long cryptic words, a death message. The opponent activated this effect during the end phase, pulling something from their hand or deck…

Clearly, Otto still had a trace of life when he was dragged to the corner. Perhaps he was even infected by the Valkyries' cheerful atmosphere, trusting his companions as he stepped into the afterlife.

"…" The group collectively groaned in disappointment.

Then, chaos erupted as they vented their frustration on Otto's corpse, punching, kicking, stomping, and stabbing with abandon. Even with smiles on their faces, they didn't hold back their anger.

"This bastard! Even in death, he's asking for a beating! What kind of nonsense message is this?!"

After all their efforts, they were still left with nothing, no clues, no leads.

The atmosphere grew somber, and their spirits dampened. It was all Otto's fault! He didn't even bother to leave behind proper evidence, leaving them with nowhere to start their search!

"At this point, we have no choice but to use my ultimate technique, one I developed back in London for solving cases," Fu Hua declared seriously as she assessed the situation.

As expected of the Red Immortal. Even in such a stalemate, she still had a hidden trump card up her sleeve!

Her deep reserves of experience and wisdom deserved nothing but admiration.

"Oh?" The group looked at her expectantly.

"And that is… we'll just guess randomly for now, and figure out the logic later!"

Fu Hua adjusted her glasses and confidently revealed her secret technique.

"You must've caused so many wrongful convictions back then!!"

Kiana couldn't help but shout. This was her ultimate move? She suddenly felt very concerned about the cases Fu Hua handled in London.

But Fu Hua ignored her and began her "deduction."

"The culprit is… you!"

She pointed directly at Raven, her words decisive and unyielding.

"Eh?!" Raven was utterly bewildered. How did she suddenly become the culprit?

Durandal seized the moment to play the victory BGM.

"Because it can't possibly be Durandal or the others. The headmistress has no motive. Kiana and the rest are good kids, and it's not me either… so it must be you!"

Fu Hua completed her airtight logic loop, flawless in its reasoning. She didn't even need a shred of evidence to piece together a "clear" narrative in this convoluted case.

"So what's your real reasoning?"

Raven frowned as she asked.

"Well, we're all Valkyries under Schicksal. We see each other all the time, getting on bad terms wouldn't be good."

"You, on the other hand, are with World Serpent. If we're going to pin it on someone, it might as well be you!"

Fu Hua dropped the pretense and smirked.

"You scoundrels! Is Schicksal some kind of mafia?!"

Raven screamed in protest, feeling wronged.

"You're the last person qualified to say that! You're the one who used an entire city as an experiment! Let's vote!"

Fu Hua immediately dismissed Raven's objections, her tone firm.

In this case, where there was almost no evidence, all the Valkyries of Schicksal displayed remarkable unity and unparalleled resolve.

As expected, the decision was unanimous. Raven was voted as the culprit.

"Alright, case closed," Fu Hua concluded nonchalantly, as if she were critiquing her own performance and noting that next time her deductions could be even more refined.

[Unlikely, no motive. what an impressive process of elimination!]

[Ah, so in London back then, Fu Hua didn't even bother deducing. She just jumped straight to the answer (though she spared the use of Yu Du Chen this time).]

[Where's Himeko? Why isn't she here? Oh… right, Murata Himeko's already dead.]

[Up stairs... do you want to be the next corpse?]

[Immortal… maybe you're being a bit too sentimental? This doesn't seem right at all, uh, uh…]

-----

"Wow! A case for the ages, resolved as expected. The old Timer actually came up with such a brilliant solution! I've got to say, impressive!"

The hall, which had been filled with scattered laughter earlier, erupted into hearty laughter thanks to the Herrscher of sentience's sarcastic commentary. The joyful sounds filled the room.

Her mocking tone inadvertently validated the absurdity of the deduction.

Fu Hua's expression twitched. She cast a sharp, murderous glance at the smug Herrscher of sentience, her frustration palpable.

How could they accuse her of using such a method in London?! And all those clues, weren't they blatantly displayed? How could anyone miss them?!