(Jared's POV)
December 25, 10:00 AM
Detention Center
Visitor's Room…
"La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la. La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la. La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la. La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la." I said, singing. "I just can't get you out of my head. Boy, your lovin' is all I think about. I just can't get you out of my head. Boy, its more than I dare to think about."
"Are you singing a future Kylie Minogue song?" Ray asked.
"It'll be a classic."
"Huh? What are you doing here, Kate?" Ray asked, spotting Kate.
"Ah... Monsieur Shields, Monsieur Shay, and Monsieur Edgeworth. Allow me to apologize once again for all the trouble I caused you yesterday." Kate said.
'Ms. Hall looks a bit tired…' Gregory said, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "Has Von Karma finished interrogating you?"
"Yes, aside from what happened to the ice sculptures, I was not at fault for anything else."
"Are you also here to meet with Master Jeff, Kate?" Ray asked.
"Yes... I am worried about how he is holding up…" Kate said, sadly.
"Detective Badd...? Why are you here?" Gregory asked, spotting Badd.
"I just happened to be here... ...I'll be heading to the crime scene soon." Badd said.
"I don't think this is a place that people 'happen to be' though…" Ray said.
"...Hello…" Master said, entering the room.
"...!" Gregory said, at a loss for words.
"M-Master Jeff! What happened to you!?" Ray exclaimed.
"You look awful, Master Jeff." I said, letting out a sigh. "Are you okay?"
"Oh, no! Monsieur Master! Why do you look so poor!?" Kate exclaimed.
"...I didn't get much sleep last night... The tribulation known as questioning... was rather harsh. I'm just... a little exhausted." Master said.
"! ...They didn't let you sleep?" Gregory asked.
"Even for an interrogation, that's going too far! Detective Badd!" Ray said, angrily.
"...The detective in charge of the initial investigation was also in charge of the interrogation... I don't like Von Karma's methods, but... this was all I could do." Badd said.
"He was the one who brought me here. It seems... I was supposed to be interrogated for a little bit longer, though…" Master said.
"...Hmph."
'It seems that Detective Badd is looking out for Mr. Master in his own way…' Gregory said, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "So, shall we inform Mr. Master about what happened yesterday, Raymond, Jared?"
"Yessir! I got all my memos right here!" Ray chirped.
"And I recorded video footage of what happened too." I said, taking off my glasses, then removing the Eye-5s on my eyes. "A pair of Torchwood contact lenses. I was the camera for the up close shots."
"Mr. Master, we would like to inform you about yesterday's investigation…" Gregory said.
"Yes... Thank you very much... Please go ahead…" Master said.
"What do those contact lenses do?" Ray asked.
"It records audio and video. It has lip reading software and can also let whoever is watching type messages back to me." I said, happily.
Ten has passed after we explained what happened. I showed Jeff Master my recording and Raymond explained the gaps I missed through his notes.
"Master Jeff. It's almost like your spirit's gone…" Ray said.
"Ah... My sugar levels are low, so I might not seem like my usual energetic self…" Master said.
"Monsieur Master…" Kate said, letting out a lot of tears.
'Do we have anything that can give his spirit and his glucose a boost...?' Gregory asked, thinking that to himself.
"We do." I said, placing a hand into my sling bag and taking out a box of Kate's chocolate. "I kinda ordered a box ahead of this whole predicament."
I walked up to the window and presented the box of chocolates to Jeff Master.
"Ohh...! Those chocolates...! Are you giving them to me?" Master asked, looking at me.
"Yup. I can always order more." I said, smiling.
"Ah... Those chocolates are…" Kate said, her eyes widening.
"If possible, I would like to give them to you immediately... ...but it's against the rules to give anything to the suspects in the detention center." Gregory said.
"I... see... Regrettably, if those are the rules, then there's nothing we can do about it…" Master said.
"....." Badd said.
"Are you sure there's no way we can give them to him...?" Ray asked.
"It's a whole box of Kate's chocolates." I said, while Gregory thought this to himself. 'Detective Badd... looks like he noticed what we're trying to ask of him.'
"...Tsk. ...I'll inspect the chocolates, and if there are no problems... I'll think about it." Badd said.
"! Detective Badd... Thank you very much." Gregory said, happily.
"Alright! I knew we could count on you, Detective Badd!" Ray said, excitedly.
"...! I am truly in your debt." Master said.
"...Wait right here." Badd said, grabbing the box of chocolates out of my hands and ran out of the room with it, before entering the room Master is in before handing it to him. " ...Take it."
"Thank you very much...!" Master cheered, holding the box of chocolates.
"Not a word... to anyone else. ...It would cause problems for me later…" Badd said, frowning.
"Yes, of course... I apologize for making you go through so much trouble. Now, I shall partake in eating these delicious delights at once." Master said, snacking on the box of chocolates.
"I'm sorry for asking you to do something so dangerous, Detective Badd." Gregory said, as Badd reentered the room.
"Hmph. I only did... what I wanted to do…" Badd said, scoffing.
"He he he." Ray said, giggling. "Why can't you just be honest here, Detective?"
"Ohhh... How sweet! It's like I've come back to life...! Ho ho... Did Kate make these chocolates? Like Jared said." Master said, smiling.
"Y-Yes, sir, I did. How does it taste...?" Kate asked.
"♬ Meeeelts... in your mouth Nooot iiin youuur haand Sweet choocoolaates! ♪ Meeeelting iiin my mouth Sooo sweet! Sooo divine! ♬" Master said, singing. " ...Thank you for the tasty treat. Ho ho, they're a bit misshapen... but so sweet and delicious. Thank you."
"! I am so glad that you enjoyed it!"
"...And above all, it helped you regain your spirit." Gregory said.
"Thank you for your concern. The food they serve here has been absolutely tasteless... And combined with the lack of sleep, I was thoroughly exhausted." Master said.
"Is the food here that bad?" Ray asked.
"...Just salt beef and stew... Your average prison fare." Badd said.
"? That is odd. I really could not taste anything…" Master said, munching on a piece of chocolate.
"...?" Gregory asked.
"...Whatever. I'm about to head out... to the crime scene." Badd said.
"Please wait, Detective Badd. Can you give us any new information?"
"...Yeah. I think I can... We've identified the victim. Just as you said... Isaac Dover was a sculptor who worked in France. It seems he went by the name... Pierre Hoquet."
"Isaac Dover was... Pierre Hoquet...? How could that be...!?" Master exclaimed.
"Monsieur Pierre Hoquet…" Kate said, sadly.
"So Pierre Hoquet wasn't actually French, huh?" Ray asked.
"Nope. By the looks of it, he was American." I said, frowning. "He was using an alias."
"Which is likely why he never showed himself in public while he worked under that name." Gregory said.
"The 'Zodiac Sculptures'... They were his masterpieces, it seems... ...Although they will remain forever unfinished." Badd said.
"Unfinished...? Even though they were his masterpieces?" Ray asked.
"It seems he worked on them... by season... Once he finished... the remaining winter constellations... his work would be done…"
"Huh? The winter constellations are... Taurus and Gemini, right?"
"Yup. They are." I said, happily. "If we are talking about zodiac signs."
"So those ice sculptures were his final pieces." Gregory said.
"It is heartbreaking that they melted…" Ray said.
"I cannot apologize enough…" Kate said, letting out a lot of tears.
"Ah! No! I wasn't blaming you or anything...!"
"Also... Dover was infamous for being greedy... He would charge... hundreds of thousands... just to make a single sculpture... It seemed like... he always had money troubles. The murder might be related to that... but it's still under investigation." Badd said.
"So he had money problems even though he was a famous artist?" Ray asked.
"Do you know why he entered a dessert contest?" Gregory asked.
"...Not yet. He kept it a secret... Even from his family." Badd said.
"I see…"
"...It's time. I'm bringing in the replacement guard... I can't... hang around here any longer than I have." Badd said, walking towards the door and leaving the room.
"Yes. I understand. Let's meet again later." Gregory said.
"See you later, Detective Badd." I said, smiling.
"That detective... is a kind soul." Master said.
"Indeed. He never strays from his own beliefs... He truly has a strong will." Gregory said.
"But he's pretty scary when you first meet him!" Ray chirped.
"He really was." I said, looking down at the floor.
"I see... Could you tell me everything that happened yesterday?" Master asked.
"Of course. Allow me to give you a report of our investigation." Gregory said.
Twenty minutes have passed and we recapped what happened in our investigation to Master Jeff.
"So this is what happened...? I am sorry for the trouble Kate has caused you." Master said.
"I am truly very sorry…" Kate said, letting out a lot of tears.
"...You have no need to worry so long as you have told the truth, Ms. Hall. Mr. Master, would you mind if I asked you a few questions as well?" Gregory asked.
"Yes. I shall divulge all that I know." Master said.
"The contestants. We don't know enough about them." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"Jared, you're right. Mr. Master, please tell us about the other three contestants in the final round of your contest." Gregory said.
"Let's see... Ms. Delicious' desserts had a fantastic design. However, she broke the rules so I could not recognize her as the winner. Up until the semifinals, Mr. Gustavia's flavors and design were to my liking... Unfortunately, both the taste and appearance of his finals entry left much to be desired. And.. there was something strange about his dessert in the semifinals." Master said.
"...Something strange?"
"Both Mr. Gustavia's and Mr. Dover's desserts had the exact same taste. ...They had different designs, but in terms of taste, it was like eating the same thing."
"? What did they look like?" Ray asked.
"Is there a picture of them?" I asked, looking at Master Jeff. "Please tell us there is one."
"Ah... there should be a picture of them at my mansion." Master said.
"Please allow me to show you later." Kate said.
"Certainly. Thank you very much." Gregory said.
"And then, there was Mr. Dover's sherbet sculptures. Oh, they were absolutely heavenly!" Master cooed.
"Hm...? Did you have a chance to taste his creations? If I recall correctly, his body was discovered in the middle of judging…"
"Yes, but I was not informed of this until after the judging had finished. Since he was not present in the room, I helped myself to a piece of his edible lyre. It was fantastically delicious...! I was so moved, I broke into song!"
"! Wait a moment, please. Did you say the lyre was... 'delicious'? Could you please give us a little more detail about that?" Gregory asked.
"Yeah. How was the lyre delicious?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"You ate the lyre from the sculpture in Mr. Dover's room, correct?" Gregory asked.
"Yes, the one that was in the same glass case as the Gemini Sculpture." Master said.
"...Please have a look at this picture, Mr. Master. Did you eat from this lyre that's missing the strings?"
"Yes, that lyre originally had strings. However, I ate them all, resulting in what you see here in this picture."
'So the strings on the lyre were missing because he ate them…' Gregory said, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "Actually, Delicia ate part of the same lyre that you did. However, she said it was so salty that she could not eat it."
"! ...You don't say...! That means... there might be a problem with my sense of taste, after all…" Master said, his eyes widening.
"A problem with your sense of taste...? How so?" Gregory asked.
"There is a taste disorder called 'hypogeusia', in which you lose the ability to taste salt. Perhaps... I have contracted this illness. I just never realized it since I eat nothing but sweets... However, I now know with certainly."
"Crap. That's really bad." I said, while Gregory thought this to himself. 'So that's why he couldn't tell what the food they served here tasted like…'
"No...! For a pastry chef to lose their sense of taste is fatal!" Kate cried.
"...Even if there is treatment for taste impairment, there isn't a cure for it yet. But, it's probably best that you let the police know so you can receive a medical examination." Gregory said.
"No... That won't be necessary. ...There is a recipe in my mansion specifically for making the cure." Master said.
"A recipe for a drug that will cure your taste impairment?"
"Yes... Please look for it later when you return to the mansion."
"! Monsieur Master... but that means revealing the...!" Kate said, worried.
"Kate... We should no longer conceal it from Mr. Gregory." Master said.
"...Yes, sir. I understand. If that is what you wish…" Kate said, frowning.
"What kind of medicine are you talking about here?" I asked, as Gregory thought this to himself. 'A recipe for a special drug... Just what are they hiding?'
"Well, then... I must be returning to the mansion now, so I will take my leave."
"Yes, we will be heading there later as well." Gregory said.
"...Kate." Master said.
"? What is it, Monsieur Master?" Kate asked, looking at Master Jeff.
"You... should not live for my sake."
"!"
"You should... reconsider your lifestyle. So that you can live by yourself, even if I were no longer around…"
"P-Please do not say things like that! I simply cannot live without you, Monsieur Master! I promise to wait for you until you return...! .....Excuse me!"
"Ah...! Kate...!" Ray said, while Katherine jumped on him for a comfort cry.
"...Katherine…" Master said, sadly.
"Master Jeff... Kate was crying. Why did you say something so cruel...?" Ray asked.
"...I am worried about her. Katherine always put me... before herself."
"What do you mean...?" Gregory asked.
"She collects Pierre Hoquet's works and makes sweets... ...all to make me happy, nothing more. That is the only reason she does anything." Master said.
"!" Ray said, at a loss for words.
"She always puts aside her own preferences and things that she wants to do herself. ...I want Katherine to choose to live her own life. I do not want her to waste her valuable life because of me."
"Is... that so...?"
'He thinks of Ms. Hall as his own daughter. And he would want his children to choose their own path in life. And... a parent would do anything to protect their own children. That feeling... I also know it well.' Gregory said, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "Well, that should do it for the questions. We must return to the scene of the crime."
"Ah... It is already time to leave, I see. So will my tribulations... of questioning... resume…" Master said.
"We should take measures against their interrogations from our side as well." Gregory said.
"Can you ask the police about that?"
"I can... But I have other ways in mind, as well. ...When the time comes."
"Ho ho…" Master said, laughing. "You are a dependable man. I shall be counting on you."
"Master Jeff... We'll come here every day with reports of our progress! And we'll bring Kate, too!" Ray cheered.
"Yeah, we'll bring Kate's chocolates too." I said, happily. "I promise."
"Yes... Thank you very much. I shall be looking forward to it." Master said, smiling.
"...Mr. Master, know that the police will be attempting to get you to confess. I am sorry to ask an innocent soul like yourself to bear with these painful experiences... ...but please hold on for now. If you confess, I am positive that Von Karma will use that to his advantage. And that will make helping you all that much more difficult." Gregory said.
"...I understand. I shall do my best."
"If you believe in me until the bitter end, I will definitely get you out of here."
December 25, 11:03 AM
Contest Venue
Fountain Patio…
"...Detective Badd, thank you for helping us earlier." Gregory said.
"Yes, thank you!" Ray said, excitedly.
"Thanks a lot." I said, happily. "We really appreciate it."
"Hmph... Thanks for what?" Badd asked.
"Heh....." Gregory said, laughing a little.
"Ah ha ha ha!" Ray said, laughing. "There's no need to be shy about it!"
".....Tsk. Enough about that... I suppose... you intend to investigate today too?" Badd asked.
"Of course. We still need more information to prove Mr. Master's innocence." Gregory said.
"I'm sorry... but apart from this patio... you're not allowed to investigate anywhere else."
"What!? So you're saying we can't investigate!?" Ray exclaimed.
"...I'm guessing this is Von Karma's doing?" Gregory asked.
"Yeah... Von Karma's a bit on edge at the moment... He still... hasn't received the autopsy report. Moreover... the only ones in this mansion are Ms. Hall and the police... So don't get your hopes up... on speaking with the people connected to this case." Badd said.
"Von Karma's being completely unreasonable! He's gone too far...!" Ray said, angrily.
"He really has." I said, looking down at the floor.
".....Detective Badd. What you intend to do?" Gregory asked, looking at Badd.
"I promised... I'll do anything I can... to assist you." Badd said.
"...You have my thanks."
"We won't let any of Von Karma's dirty tricks get the best of us!" Ray cheered.
"Yeah." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"Detective Badd, is it alright if we investigate the Fountain Patio?" Gregory asked.
"Yes... but we've already finished checking everything, except for the fountain…" Badd said.
"That's fine. As long as there is still something, I shall continue investigating." Gregory said.
Begin Investigation
Contest Venue
Fountain Patio
There's forensics here." I said, walking over to a forensics officer. "Hi! What's up?"
"What... are you investigating exactly?" Gregory asked, looking down at the forensics officer.
"Sir! I'm testing the water in the fountain for foreign matter, sir!" The forensics officer yelled.
"Have you... found anything...?" Badd asked.
"It seems there's both chocolate and sherbet mixed in with the fountain water. It matches the chocolate from Jeff Master's room... ...and the sherbet that melted in Isaac Dover's room. They all share the same composition." The forensics officer said.
"The fountain water circulates through the streams that flow from each of the four rooms... Perhaps the melted sherbet... flowed into the fountain."
"Also... someone's blood was detected as well!"
"...What are you saying? How could there have been blood in the fountain...!"
"Bloody hell." I said, crossing my arms. "This is utterly fantastic."
"Detective Badd, please think back to our investigation of the crime scene." Gregory said.
Flashback…
"Detective Badd. Please look at the crime scene carefully once more. The bloodstain that should have remained at the crime scene has disappeared!" Gregory said, worried.
"...! I definitely... didn't get any reports about the bloodstain being cleaned up…" Badd said, sadly.
Fountain Patio…
"The blood disappeared from the crime scene. Also, part of the treasure chest was missing too." Gregory said.
"!" Badd said, at a loss for words.
"Perhaps... the blood in the fountain belongs to this person."
"That being this person." I said, taking out a profile picture of Issac Dover out of my sling bag to show to Detective Badd.
"Hmm... the victim... Let's run a comparison... with the blood on the murder weapon…" Badd said, looking down at the photo of Issac Dover.
I then got a phone call from someone I didn't hear for ages, that being Tsureno Yui with me taking my phone out of my sling bag.
"Tsuruno?" I asked, placing my phone near my ear.
"Hi." Tsusuno said, her voice coming out of my phone's speaker. "When are you?"
"Oh. I feel like I am reaching the end of this adventure. The one with Issac Dover."
"Is that the adventure with the dead artist?"
"Yeah. How are things going at Mikazuki Villa?"
"Things are going well. Yep yep. You took me and Felicia to this village with vikings."
"Great. Something to put on my to do list." I said, rolling my eyes. I ended the call and placed my phone back inside my sling bag. "See you and the others at Mikazuki Villa after this case, Tsuruno."
"...It's a match. The blood in the fountain... is Dover's." Badd said, walking back up to us.
"Shit." I said, while Gregory thought this to himself. 'I wonder why the criminal spilled the victim's blood into the fountain…'
Victim's Blood added to the Court Record.
"Let's check up on Kate." I said, walking away from the fountain and up to Katherine Hall. "Hey, Kate."
"Ms. Hall. I've come to investigate today." Gregory said, walking to Katherine Hall.
"Ah... Monsieur Edgeworth. I apologize for my disgraceful behavior earlier." Kate said, frowning.
"Kate... She still looks a bit down." Kate said, letting out a sigh.
"She does." I said, as Gregory thought this to himself. 'What Master said earlier must have been a real shock to her.'
"...I've prepared the photo I took of the desserts during the semifinals. ...Please, take a look." Kate said, taking out a photo out of her pocket.
"Wow! Delicia's cake is so cute!" Ray cooed.
"Monsieur Master also praised the design of Delicia's work very highly. Messieurs Gustavia and Dover's works gained high praise for both taste and design, but... ...Monsieur Master said it felt like he was eating the exact same thing twice. But it seems that their desserts had completely different tastes for the finals." Kate said.
"...Was there anything else that was different between the finals and the semifinals?" Gregory asked.
"...It's nothing major, but there was something. During the contest, Monsieur Gustavia's son always came to see him, but... ...there was no sign of him at the finals."
'His son came to visit...? I wonder if there is any significance behind that.' Gregory said, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "Would you mind leaving this photo with me?"
"Certainly. Anything to aid in the investigation." Kate said.
Semifinal Desserts added to the Court Record.
"And... here's the recipe book that contains the special drug for caring taste disorders." Kate said, taking out a copy of the recipe book from her bag.
"! That cover looks familiar." Gregory said.
"Wasn't this framed... in Master's room...?" Badd asked.
"It was." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"Since it's also the prize for the contest, we put it out on display." Kate said.
"Ehh! So the contest prize, 'Angel's Recipe'... ...wasn't just a recipe for desserts?" Ray asked.
"That's right. We've informed the participants, but... ...it seems you all don't know yet."
"Nope. We didn't." I said, and Gregory thought this to himself. 'So the participants knew about the true contests of the Angel's Recipe…'
Angel's Recipe Book added to the Court Record.
"Ms. Hall. Please tell me all know about the Angel's Recipe." Gregory said.
"Yeah. We want to know what it is." I said, happily.
"So, the Angel's Recipe contains the formula for the drug."
"Yes. It's a recipe book for new drugs that haven't been released to the public yet. If sold to a pharmaceutical company, I'm sure it would fetch a substantial price." Kate said.
"Why... is something like that a prize in the contest...?" Badd asked.
"Monsieur Master is the only heir to the Chairman of the Master Group."
"M... Master Group? That name sounds familiar…" Ray said.
"...They're... a pharmaceutical company who deal a wide range of products…" Badd said.
"Ah! They've become big news recently with the release of Coldkiller X. I often use the Coldkiller products!" Ray said, excitedly.
"An enemy of mine tried to use Coldkiller X to poison one of my friends." I said, looking down at the floor. "It didn't work though."
'But, Raymond, I've never once seen you with a cold… And Jared, I'm glad your friend wasn't killed by it' Gregory said, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "I would like to hear more about the Master Group."
"The Master Group. What is it? Is it like PhiCorp?"
"PhiCorp produced painkillers without narcotic side effects. I don't think the Master Group does that." Gregory said, looking at Kate. "Did Mr. Master not want to follow in his parent's footsteps?"
"Monsieur Master... wanted to bring joy to people with his desserts. His parents also wanted him to become a great pastry chef and supported him. When his parents died, the recipe book was left to him as his inheritance." Kate said.
"Why would he give away a memento of his parents as a prize in the contest...?" Gregory asked.
"There were always people who were after it, something which troubled Monsieur Master. But just giving away the memento would have been disrespectful to his parents. So, he decided to pass it over to someone he acknowledged."
"And the members of the Master Group... approved of that? Information about new drugs... being passed on to outsiders…" Badd said.
"...Of course they objected. That's why... Delicia participated in the contest. On the order of the Master Group, she was requested to win the championship." Kate said.
"! You knew Delicia's true identity from the start?" Gregory asked.
"...Yes. In order for her to win, I told her Monsieur Master's tastes and preferences."
"Why did you help her?" Gregory asked.
"I helped her... in order to protect Monsieur Master and the Master Group... If the drug recipes were given to another company, he would be reprimanded by the board. I wanted to return the recipes to the company in a way that Monsieur Master would accept…" Kate said.
"Makes sense." I said, while Gregory thought this to himself. 'So it was due to Ms. Hall's help that Delicia was able to reach the finals…'
"Speaking of which, Mr. Dover wasn't a pastry chef either. He sure did well to make it to the finals, considering he's just a sculptor." Ray said.
"Yes. For him to be able to make such fine desserts despite being a sculptor...!" Kate chirped.
"Yeah." I said, as Gregory thought this to himself. 'From the sherbet sculptures he made for the finals, it's clear to see he has great talent, but... ...could he really have made that by himself?'
"That is all I know... Is there anything else I can do to help?" Kate asked.
'...To save Mr. Master, she's trying to help as much as she can.' Gregory said, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "May we perhaps have some more of that tea from yesterday please, Ms. Hall? I'm sure that would help us get on with the investigation."
"Yeah! I'd like some of Kate's tea too!" Ray cheered.
"Same. I want your tea, Kate." I said, happily.
"...Right! Understood. I'll be back in a minute!" Kate said, walking away from us.
"Kate looks a bit better now!" Ray said, excitedly.
"She does." I said, smiling.
Investigation Complete
'We've gathered information about all the contestants... ...and yet we still haven't heard Gustavia's side of the story.' Gregory said, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud and walking to Dane Gustavia. "That reminds me... Why did you enter Mr. Dover's room, Mr. Gustavia?"
"Ah. Well, that was because…" Gustavia said, sadly.
"Objection!" Von Karma yelled, exiting the building. "Silence, ignoramus! You are not to give that attorney the tiniest hint of information."
'What exactly was he doing in Mr. Dover's room...? And moreover... something is odd about his semifinal entry. A pastry chef bad at design, and a sculptor skilled only at designing... It would have been extremely difficult for either of them to win the contest alone. Could it be that Mr. Gustavia and Mr. Dover's connection is…' Gregory said, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "Detective Badd. We have reason to suspect the actions of Dane Gustavia."
"Yeah…" Badd said, letting out a sigh.
"It is imperative that we find a way to contact him at once." Gregory said.
"...Oh? This conversation is most interesting. However... I cannot allow you to speak with Mr. Gustavia." Von Karma said.
"Von Karma...!" Gregory said, angrily.
"I have already conducted my interrogation of him. It is not necessary for him to speak any further, especially to a mere defense attorney. Tsk tsk tsk... but I will answer your questions in that fool's place."
'...It seems Von Karma intends to prevent me from meeting Gustavia in person.' Gregory said, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "I understand. In that case, I have but one thing to ask you."
"...Yes?" Von Karma asked.
"I would like to know the relationship between Mr. Gustavia and Mr. Dover." Gregory said.
-- Their Connection --
"Gustavia and Dover's relationship? It's obvious the only relationship they had was that they happened to participate in the same contest." Von Karma said.
"...That's it?" Gregory asked.
"Hmph... There is nothing more to say."
"What! How are we supposed to understand anything from so little...!?" Ray exclaimed.
"I know of someone that gave an even worse testimony than that." I said, laughing a lot. "And that person had a temper."
"If we want Von Karma to divulge the truth, we have no choice but to present evidence. ...It's all too obvious that he's hiding something." Gregory said.
Rebuttal
-- Their Connection --
"Gustavia and Dover's relationship?" Von Karma asked.
"Press for more information here." I said, looking down at the ground.
"It's obvious the only relationship they had was that they happened to participate in the same contest." Von Karma said.
"Here you go." I said, reaching into my bag and pulling out a photo of the Semifinal Desserts.
"Objection!" Gregory said, presenting the Seminal Desserts photo. "Prosecutor von Karma. I'd like you to look at these desserts. The desserts were made for the contest's semifinals. ...Don't you think these two have a particularly impressive design?"
"Hmph! Just what are you getting at?" Von Karma asked.
"These two desserts were made by Mr. Gustavia and Mr. Dover. I wouldn't exactly call Mr. Gustavia's design skills praiseworthy. And yet, for the semifinals, he was able to produce something comparable to Mr. Dover's. Furthermore, these two desserts have the exact same flavor." Gregory said.
"Objection!" Von Karma said, doing the Objection pose. "...What are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying it's possible they collaborated with each other on their entries! Prosecutor von Karma. Please take a closer look at their desserts. At first glance, they may look completely different... But even though the designs are different, it's clear they were made from the same materials!" Gregory said, angrily.
"...Is that so?" Von Karma asked.
"The same flavor and composition... It's impossible to dismiss their similarity as coincidence. The very existence of these two desserts points to a link between Mr. Gustavia and Mr. Dover!"
"...Hmph. Since you already know this much, I'll tell you the truth."
"!" Gregory said, while he thought this to himself. 'Did Von Karma know about their collaboration...?'
"However... what I am about to say is not going to help your case at all." Von Karma said.
-- Their Real Connection --
"If you want to know about Gustavia and Dover's connection so badly, I'll tell you. Last night, when I interrogated Gustavia, he told me about his connection with Dover. Until the day before the finals, they worked on their desserts together." Von Karma said.
"You knew about their cooperation all this time, didn't you? Why would you conceal the truth?" Gregory asked.
"Objection!" Von Karma said, doing the Objection pose. "I would appreciate it if you didn't sully my reputation. Until I explain my points in court, I avoid giving away unnecessary details. I was merely saving you time."
'How can he act like this and keep the truth from us...? His concealment of the truth... is something I simply cannot ignore!' Gregory said, thinking this to himself.
"And you can't ignore it, Gregory." I said, smugly. "Not if you have anything to say about it."
Rebuttal
-- Their Real Connection --
"If you want to know about Gustavia and Dover's connection so badly, I'll tell you. Last night, when I interrogated Gustavia, he told me about his connection with Dover. Until the day before the finals, they worked on their desserts together." Von Karma said.
"Press for more info here." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"Hold it!" Gregory said, doing the Hold it pose. "Why do you think Mr. Gustavia and Mr. Dover collaborated?"
"Why? Because Gustavia had poor design sense, and Dover was a novice at baking. Without the help of each other, they would never have made it through a single round." Von Karma said.
"...If so, what was their mutual goal? Why cooperate until the finals?" Gregory asked.
"'The finals will be fought on our own merits', Gustavia said, and he ended their collaboration. Gustavia's goal was to obtain the title of the World's Greatest Pastry Chef. It seems his pride as a pastry chef won out in the end."
"Victory in the finals would certainly have been hollow had he created…" Ray said, sadly.
"Yeah." I said, frowning. "It would have."
'So he believes that their cooperation only went as far as the semifinals... ...but what if it really continued through the finals?' Gregory asked, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "...Prosecutor von Karma. Could you explain their cooperation in a little more detail?"
"Hmph... Very well." Von Karma said, scoffing. "Why? Because Gustavia had poor design sense, and Dover was a novice at baking. Their cooperation lasted only through the semifinals. For the finals, they were on their own."
"Contradiction." I said, placing my hand into my sling bag and pulling out a paper containing Delicia's Testimony before handing it to Gregory.
"Objection!" Gregory said, presenting Delicia's Testimony. "You say that Mr. Gustavia and Mr. Dover did not collaborate during the finals...? That's strange…"
"..." Von Karma said, speechless.
"Delicia testified that 'Dover's sherbet was most delicious'. Being a novice chef, I doubt he could have done all that by himself. Perhaps the two of them cooperated during the finals as well?" Gregory asked, reading the testimony.
"Objection!" Von Karma said, doing the Objecton pose. "Defense attorney! How many times do I have to tell you! Delicia Scones' subjective opinion cannot be admitted as evidence! There is still a chance that a novice chef could make something tasty! My wife is an amateur, yet her cooking rivals that of world class chefs!"
"Crap." I said, and Gregory thought this to himself. '...How is THAT not a subjective opinion!'
"Moreover... even if you take this pharmacist's testimony to be true, it changes nothing. She also mentioned that a part of his sherbet was very salty. Which means you can hardly call his entry for the finals perfect!" Von Karma growled.
"N... Nnghhoooh!" Gregory said, breaking down.
"Tsk tsk tsk... What, no more objections?"
"Gah. This is really pissing me off." I said, while Gregory thought this to himself. 'Is there no way I can prove their collaboration...?'
"Umm... Mr. Edgeworth. There's something that's been bugging me… And it's been annoying Jared." Ray said, sadly.
"Hm... What is it?" Gregory asked.
"The desserts Mr. Dover made for the finals would have taken a long time to make, right?"
"Indeed... They were frozen sculptures after all."
"How would he have had the time to sculpt it after it was frozen? Let alone help Mr. Gustavia with his design as well…"
"It is literally impossible without planning ahead." I said, looking down at the ground. "Not without discussing it first."
"!" Gregory said, at a loss for words.
"Jared's right, it should be impossible, Mr. Edgeworth. The way I see it, just waiting for the sherbet to freeze would have used up all of his time. Hmm... Just how was he able to make those sherbet sculptures?" Ray asked.
".....Raymond. Jared… The two of you may have a promising future after all. Thanks to you, I have noticed one more possibility." Gregory said, happily.
"...?" Ray asked.
"What's up?" I asked, and Gregory thought this to himself. 'That's right... Mr. Dover's sherbet needed time to freeze properly. And the contest's time limit would not have been enough. The method Mr. Dover used to make his sherbet within the time limit was…'
"It could have been prepared in advance." I said, while Gregory thought this to himself. ;If the sherbet was prepared in advance, all he'd need to do was sculpt it...!'
"You... Just what are you mumbling about?" Von Karma asked.
"...Please excuse me. I've finally realized. Your earlier view... was correct." Gregory said.
"Huh!? M-Mr. Edgeworth...?" Ray asked.
"...What are you doing...?" Badd asked.
"Oh? So you're finally admitting defeat?" Von Karma asked.
"No... All I am admitting to is the truth of one of your statements. 'Dover and Gustavia's collaboration lasted only until the day before the finals'. It is exactly as you said, they only cooperated until the day before the finals." Gregory said.
"....."
"The sculptures in Mr. Dover's room were all made out of sherbet. ...Such an amount would most likely need to be left overnight to freeze. Which means Mr. Gustavia prepared Mr. Dover's sherbet in advance the day before!"
"...Hmph. That's right. So you realize Gustavia's cooperation ended the day before the finals."
"Then, why did Mr. Dover not help Mr. Gustavia in return?" Gregory asked.
"Objection!" Von Karma said, doing the Objection pose. "...The views of the dead are of no concern to me."
"Objection!" Gregory said, doing the Objection pose. "If you aren't going to answer that, I'll need to get in touch with Mr. Gustavia himself. Or was your interrogation not quite as thorough as you claim?"
"You ingrate... You dare mock me!" Von Karma growled.
"That was not my intention, but I do have a problem with your attitude. I want you to give us a clear reason why we can't speak to Mr. Gustavia in person." Gregory said.
"Hmph. A clear reason? Gustavia and Dover's collaboration has no bearing on this case."
"Objection!" Gregory said, doing the Objection pose. "You claim their collaboration is irrelevant? If Mr. Gustavia and Mr. Dover's relationship had turned sour... ...it could serve as a motive for murder!"
"Objection!" Von Karma said, doing the Objection pose. "You're saying that Gustavia and Dover's collaboration was linked to the motive for the murder...? If that were the case, why did he not conceal it? After all, we found out about this collaboration from Gustavia himself!"
"!" Gregory said, in awe.
"If you really are a lawyer, show us evidence that gives us reason to suspect Gustavia!"
"..." Gregory said, while he thought this to himself. 'Only one of Mr. Gustavia's actions has been suspicious so far. Doubtless Von Karma already knows of this facts. This... could be a trap by Von Karma.'
"Hmph... What's wrong, defense attorney? Not going to answer?" Von Karma asked.
'But... I mustn't back down now!' Gregory said, thinking that to himself, before speaking aloud. "Mr. Gustavia sneaked into Mr. Dover's room. His reasons for this are currently unclear. But the very fact he secretly entered the victim's room is reason enough to suspect him!"
"Tsk tsk tsk... If that's the extent of it, I can dispel those doubts."
"Damn it." I said, and Gregory thought this to himself. 'I knew it. Was it a trap after all...?'
"I was intending to save this for the courtroom, but I'll make a special exception. We wouldn't want to prolong the trial with unnecessary information, would we? ....Take a look at this." Von Karma said, taking a photo out of his pocket.
"This is...!" Gregory said, speechless.
"This is a photo of Gustavia and Dover... and their sons."
Family Photo added to the Court Record.
"Gustavia entered Dover's room in order to steal this photo." Von Karma said.
"To steal the photo...?" Gregory asked.
"It seems their sons attended the same elementary school. Apparently he thought that he'd be suspected if people find out he and Dover were acquainted. Yes... just like you're doing now!"
"Ngh...!"
"There is nothing suspicious about Gustavia's actions! No further room for argument!"
"Nghoooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!" Gregory said, breaking down.
"It's okay, Gregory. There's no need to worry. You got this." I said, while Gregory thought this to himself. 'He's still adamant on not letting us meet with Mr. Gustavia...!'
"...I have an investigation to return to. I have no more time to waste on the likes of you." Von Karma said.
"Curse that Von Karma! Calling us a waste of time! What should we do... Mr. Edgeworth! Jared! At this rate, Master Jeff will be...!" Ray said, worried.
"Von Karma is... busy?" Gregory asked, and he thought this to himself. 'Of course... Why would he be so busy? Both the body and murder weapon have been found, and he already has his suspect. The police should have more than enough evidence to prove Mr. Master's guilt. If that's the case, then why is Von Karma still investigating the crime scene?'
"Mr. Edgeworth...? Is there something wrong?" Ray asked.
"...It seems I have been overlooking a matter of vital importance. Considering that he already has the evidence he needs to convict Mr. Master... I feel that Von Karma isn't as composed as he should be. He didn't even tell Detective Badd the full results of the investigation." Gregory said.
"Yeah... Von Karma's a bit on edge at the moment... He still... hasn't received the autopsy report." Badd said.
"And normally von Karma does the updated autopsy report to screw over the defense..." I said, letting out a sigh.
"Furthermore... something vanished from the crime scene, and we still don't know why." Gregory said.
"Yeah. We don't."
"Detective Badd. Please look at the crime scene carefully once more. The bloodstain that should have remained at the crime scene has disappeared!" Gregory said, terrified.
"...! I definitely... didn't get any reports about the bloodstain being cleaned up…" Badd said.
"But the strangest thing we found wasn't in Mr. Master's room at all…"
My phone began ringing again and I know it's Tsuruno. I placed my hand into my sling pocket and pulled out my phone.
"What's up?" I asked, placing my phone near my ear.
"There's a guy dressed up as Odin." Tsuruno said, her voice coming out of my phone. "Clara and me are with that viking girl."
"Of course I have to babysit Felicia. While the Doctor is with the vikings. That's just great." I said, ending the call with Tsuruno and placing my phone back inside my sling bag. "Talk to you later."
"...It's a match. The blood in the fountain... is Dover's." Badd said, walking back to us.
'Mr. Dover's blood vanished from Mr. Master's room... And somehow found its way into the fountain. What does this mean?' Gregory asked, thinking that to himself.
Connect 'Bloodstain disappeared' and 'Blood in the water fountain'
"Maybe the bloodstain that disappeared could be linked to the blood in the water fountain." I said, happily.
'Fair point, Jared. Although the victim's blood wasn't found in Mr. Master's room... It was detected in the water fountain. There would be no need for the killer to conceal the bloodstains after the body was found. It's unnatural that only the bloodstains that were found with the body disappeared. Unless the body was moved, the blood would have still remained on the chocolate. Don't tell me... someone removed the body and then erased the bloodstains?' Gregory asked, thinking that to himself.
"Maybe the body was removed because there's no autopsy report." I said, shrugging my shoulders.
Connect 'No autopsy report' and 'Was the body removed?'
'It's possible that the body was removed from the crime scene... And the autopsy report still has not arrived. Although we have a murder weapon and a suspect, we don't know much about the body... I've been investigating under the assumption that the body had been discovered... Perhaps this assumption was wrong from the very beginning...! Why didn't Von Karma give Detective Badd the autopsy report? To understand that... yes, I must turn my logic around! My thinking shouldn't be 'why is Von Karma hiding information about the body'. But rather, 'what if Von Karma doesn't even have the information to begin with?' ...What happens if I think of it like that? It's possible that the body wasn't removed by the police for autopsy... It was moved and hidden by the real killer!' Gregory said, thinking this to himself.
"Mr. Edgeworth...? Jared…?" Ray asked, looking between Gregory and I.
"...I've heard many dark rumors surrounding Von Karma. He's a prosecutor who forges evidence, fabricates testimonies and makes backroom deals." Gregory said.
"Yeah, I've heard that too! But... what does that have to do with this?" Ray asked.
"It has everything to do with this, Ray." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"I try to avoid judging others based on rumors. And I didn't let those rumors influence my opinion on Von Karma... Jared let those rumors influence his opinion on Von Karma because he knows the future. Until today. It seems... he is a man who would distort the truth." Gregory said.
"Distort the truth...? You don't mean... forgery...!" Ray cried.
"...I do. " Gregory said, as he thought this to himself. 'And I can't allow him to get away with this...!'
"...I must return to the Prosecutors' Office for now. Not a word to that attorney." Von Karma said.
"Roger!" The forensics officer said, saluting.
"Hold it!" Gregory said, doing the Hold it pose.
"...What do you want, defense attorney?" Von Karma asked.
"I want to know the truth that you've been hiding."
"Fool... Are you trying to mislead the police's investigation again!? If you interfere with the investigation any more, I'll be forced to reprimand you myself!"
"Objection!" Gregory said, doing the Objection pose. "'Police' ...no. My objection is with you!"
".....What?" Von Karma asked.
"Isn't it a prosecutor's job to ensure justice for criminals...!?" Gregory exclaimed.
"Hmph... What are you saying? I have no time to debate the job of a prosecutor with you. However, I will tell you one more thing. My job is to ensure all those I prosecute are found guilty. Before the perfect proof, there can be no room for doubt."
"Objection!" Gregory said, doing the Objection pose. "And to find that perfect proof, you would even stoop to forgery?"
"Ha! I was wondering what you were going on about... You intend to accuse me of forgery, don't you?" Von Karma asked.
".....Yes. And it's for that reason... you did not allow Detective Badd to investigate." Gregory said.
"...!"
"....What do you mean...?" Badd asked.
"The real reason Detective Badd wasn't investigating was not so he could keep an eye on us. It was to hide the fact you never found the body!" Gregory yelled.
"Wha...!"
"You're kidding me." I said, looking down at the ground. "How?"
"They never... found the body...?" Ray asked.
"Objection!" Von Karma said, doing the Objection pose. "You cretins! You WILL cease with these ludicrous accusations! I will not tolerate any further insults!"
"In that case, let us verify the body! If you do, we will have evidence that shows whether I am right or not!" Gregory said, angrily.
".....Ngh! Tsk tsk tsk... The burden of proof falls on you, defense attorney! I have no reason to comply with your baseless conjecture!" Von Karma yelled.
"Objection!" Gregory said, doing the Objection pose. "You must have noticed it too. The lack of bloodstains at the crime scene. So why did the blood vanish? And more importantly... Where did it go?"
"Foolishness. Why would anyone erase just the blood in the chest that contained the body!?" Von Karma exclaimed.
"Yes... that's exactly right. If the body had been found there, the disappearing bloodstains would have no meaning at all. ...However, what if the body was already gone? To erase the traces of the body being there, one would have to get rid of the bloodstains as well!"
"Objection!" Von Karma said, doing the Objection pose. "Why make such a fuss over those bloodstains. It seems like a trivial detail to me. Or, are you saying that you can show me where those bloodstains went!?"
"'In court, everything must be said with evidence'. ...Isn't that right, Von Karma? In that case, I'll show you the evidence supporting my claim!" Gregory said, while he thought this to himself. 'Which piece of evidence shows where the blood in Mr. Master's room went?'
"It's this." I said, taking out a photo of the Victim's Blood out of my sling bag.
"Take that!" Gregory said, presenting the Victim's Blood. "There were traces of the victim's blood found in the fountain."
"....." Von Karma said, at a loss for words.
"Traces of Mr. Master's chocolate were also found in this very fountain. In other words, the blood was washed down the stream, which then flowed into the fountain. All of this points to only one possibility! After the body was removed, someone erased the bloodstains!" Gregory said, agrily.
"Gah.....!"
"Von Karma. Where was the body really found? If you really found the body, you should be able to answer!"
"...You... How, how do you know this information!? How do you know the results of the water composition test on the fountain...!?"
"...Because I allowed them to investigate." Badd said, sadly.
"Badd...! Always a thorn in my side...! From here on out, I will not allow you to associate any further with this case!" Von Karma yelled.
"Hmph... it's not like you were letting me do much anyway…"
"...Von Karma. You still haven't answered my question. Or... are you admitting to the fact that you didn't find the body after all?" Gregory asked.
"Tsk tsk tsk... You say I never found the body? Where is your evidence?" Von Karma asked.
"!" Gregory said, as he thought this to himself. 'He's never going to confess...!'
"I have nothing further to say to you. Gregory Edgeworth... This matter will be decided in court. We'll see just how well your logic holds up there!" Von Karma said, walking away from us.
"Von Karma...! I know your methods are wrong! I promise, without fail... I will expose the truth you've hidden!"
"You will, Gregory, I believe in you." I said, happily. "I know you will."
"...Detective Badd, I'm sorry. It's because you let me investigate that…" Gregory said, looking over at Badd.
"No... this was bound to happen... sooner or later. This is also... the first time... I have been restricted in my investigation... ...Your theory that they never found the body sounds pretty close to the mark." Badd said, letting out a sigh.
"That... I will make clear in court." Gregory said.
"Heh…" Badd said, laughing. "if there's anything I can do to help, let me know. Even though... I'm no longer in charge of this case…"
"Then... though I'm very sorry about this, I have one more favor to ask of you." Gregory said.
"Hey, what are you guys whispering about? I wanna know too!" Ray said, annoyed.
"Heh... this will be my trump card in court. The information I've gathered up until now should be enough to prove Mr. Master's innocence. ...But, if all else fails, I'll have this ready."
"Your trump card...?" Ray asked.
"What trump card?" I asked, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"He heh…" Gregory said, smirking. "the two of you will see at the trial."
"Wow! Jared and I get to be at the trial too!?" Ray exclaimed.
"I haven't been at a trial in a while." I said, smiling. "This is amazing."
"Of course. The two of you are my assistants after all." Gregory said, looking between Ray and I.
"He he heh…" Ray said, giggling. "I'll be an Ace Attorney too next year! Von Karma will never beat the three of us!"
"Yup. We're unstoppable together." I said, laughing a lot.
"...Right. Although I hope to clear Mr. Master's name before you become a lawyer, Raymond... And I hope to clear Mr. Master's name before you lose Clara Oswald, Jared… If Von Karma is to be my opponent... he'll want the trial ended in a day." Gregory said.
"That's right... we have to save Master Jeff as fast as we can! After all, this is you we're talking about... I'm sure you'll beat Von Karma!" Ray said, excitedly.
'Jeff Master, alone in a dark cell, arrested on false charges. I must expose Von Karma's lies if I am to save him...!' Gregory said, thinking that to himself.