[Level E]

Originally Posted by dspr8_rugged

Can someone put up a screenshot of the mansion in the game OP (with and without the game logo, preferably)?

I'd appreciate it.

Is this what you were hoping for?

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I'm surprise that this thread is only commenting mostly just on the characters... btw, kj1980 you're not alone. I like Maria - especially how she interacts with Battler. Although Jessica is my current favorite. Also, while I like the character designs (and this could be just me), but I can't help not to think to myself ジーク・ジオン

Anywho, is there anyone who thinks this "mystery" is solvable?
I know that Beatrice introduction in the Tea Party does make her appear to "exists" but I think she she only exists in the same way Frederica existed in Higurashi. Ms. Bernkastel herself stated that Beatrice is nothing more then the personification of the rule governing this world. So, her game is beatable!

Spoiler for My theory:

There were several instances where the game gave me pause.

First, the faces. Why were some of the body had their face ripped off, and other didn't? This has to have reason. I can accept that there was no time for Kanon, but for Shannon or Krauss? Wｈy only rip part of their face off? Why rip off Kumasawa, Genji, and Nanjo's faces but not Eva and Hideyoshi?

There has to be a rule governing this. The ones with the faces completely ripped off and were only identified by their clothes. It's possible for someone to fake their death. I'm certain we can rule out Shannon and Krauss since I would think it'll be tough to fake their deaths when they still have part of their faces left on them. But I have to wonder why keep them different. Possibly, their deaths didn't go as planned? Shannon might have been coincidental since she wasn't suppose to be there. Krauss... Possibly Natsuhi was suppose be killed and not him? or maybe the half face represent only "half" of them were killed? In Klauss' case Natsuhi was still alive. In Shannon, George (or possibly Kanon) was still alive.

Second, the "ice picks."
Why leave the ice picks in Eva, Hideyoshi, Kanon, Kumasawa, Genji, and Nanjo, but not in Kinzo? This does not make sense.

This makes me believe the burnt body isn't Kinzo.
Then who's body could it be? The body was burnt badly enough where the gender couldn't be specified. It could be the body of one of the first six that were killed as Battler suspected. But Kinzo has six toes, so finding a substitute would be difficult, however, six toes is a genetic trait common in the Ushiromiya family. Of the first six killed Rudolf, Krauss, and Rosa where blood related to Kinzo. Could one of them had six toes?

Going back to the ice picks...
They all bear a name of a demon which each represent one of the deadly sins (wiki).

1. アスモデウス (Asmodeus: Lust) kills Eva
2. ベルゼブブ (Beelzebub: Gluttony) kills Hideyoshi
3. マモン (Mammon: Greed) kills Kinzo
4. サタン (Satan: Wrath) kills Kanon
5. ルシファー (Lucifer: Pride) kills Kenji
6. ベルフェゴール (Belphegor: Sloth) kills Nanjo
7. レヴィアタン (Leviathan: Envy) kills Kumasawa

I believe that which pick kills who will change with each episodes, but this helps explain the character's motives. First, we know Kanon's motive was to avenge Shannon which immediately leads to his death. The rest... well, episode 01 lacks information, but seeing how the Mammon pick is not left in Kinzo's body, this might be a "fake." Either greed does not kill Kinzo, or this isn't Kinzo.

Speculation on these picks.
Lust. Eva wanted to be alone with Hideyoshi which leads both of them to be vulnerable.

Gluttony... I'm not sure. Possibly something to do with Hideyoshi's restaurant chain? Or maybe he asked one of the servants to bring him something? None of the servant's alibi are solid. Kumasawa, Kanon, and Kenji were left alone. Although we can assume they were together, any one of them could have acted on their own.

Pride, Sloth, and Envy... I really don't know. There's too little information. There is a possibility of a body switch. If this is the case, it's difficult to be certain which pick impaled who.

Next, is there a possibility of a 19th (or more) people?
Possibly. There's the Beatrice factor, but besides her, there are at least three other people who knew about this day. The two other 福音 servants there were two more named who are in the current rotation: 眞音　（マノン） and 恋音（レノン）. Also there is Battler's sister (?) 縁寿 (I think it's a female going by the feel of the kanji). I believe Battler sister is Kyrie's daughter unrelated to the family by blood. I think this line of thought is supported further when Kinzo does not mention her when he lists why all his possible heir suck (in a futile attempt to read her name, since I believe she's unrelated so non-westernized, Chizu? Yurika?). But, seeing how Eva and Hideyoshi were expecting to see her, she has come to these annual family meeting before. But if one (or more) of the six had faked their deaths, then its possible that there is not an extra person wandering around...

Moving on to the mysteries...
First, the missing rose. Was it really missing? I believe so.
The who took it? Or did it break off or the wrapper fly off with the wind?
I'll doubt the possibility of the latter for now. If someone took it, for what reason?
Gouda used roses in this dessert. Is this a possibility? I'll doubt that since there are plenty of healthier looking roses around the area, unless Gouda hates Maria (but there nothing that points to that at this moment). Then who could it be? Possibly the one who gives Maria the umbrella and letter later as anyone who knows Maria's personality would know she'll obsessively look for the rose giving the perfect timing to give her the letter.

The umbrella. Who gave it to Maria? Everyone denies giving it to her.
But if someone was lying who? Battler, George, and Jessica could not. Also Krauss, Natsuhi, Eva, Hideyoshi, Rudolf, and Kyrie all have an alibi because they were "talking." That leaves Kinzo, Kanon, Shannon, Kumasawa, Kenji, Nanjo, Gouda, and Rosa. Kanon, Shannon, Kumasawa, and Gouda were preparing dinner so they do have an alibi, but it wouldn't be strange if one of them left for a short while to get something. It's believed that Kinzo was in his room - at least he was when he was called for dinner. Kenji was with him at this time. I don't recall where Nanjo was - but I would think it would be tough for him to pull off Beatrice Rosa does not have an alibi. Could it have been her? She left the "talk" for an unknown reason. She appears at the rose garden when Maria is looking for her rose. I think this is extremely suspicious. What was Rosa doing here? It does not appear she was looking for the children. Maria probably would have recognized her mom dressed (?) as Beatrice, but Maria is extremely gullible. Maria might have had doubts when she first got the letter, but seeing Rosa deny giving the umbrella and the letter herself, and frantically questioning everyone about it may have convinced her. Possibly she could have thought Beatrice only possessed her mother at that moment?

The first letter... more importantly the seal. Denying the possibility of magic in works, who found the ring Kinzo threw? Again, looking at the umbrella mystery analysis, Rosa seems the most suspicious. But then, how did she know the ring would be outside? Maybe Rosa was outside for a different reason... or maybe someone told her... The servants did notice the ring was missing from Kinzo's hand...

Before going into the murders, I'm going to take a look at the riddle. If the mystery behind the riddle is solvable within the 2 day period given by Beatrice, then Battler's analysis of the first part of the riddle is wrong. Possibly the river in the poem is referring to a river on the island? I doubt this, as someone would have notice this. Then there is a possibly the river isn't a river but symbolizing something else. If that's the case Ayu which is used to describe the river must also symbolize something else. Referencing the Japanese wikipedia...

アユの語源は、古語の「アユル」から来たものだとされている。アユルとは落ちるという意味で、川で成長した アユが産卵をひかえて川を下る様からつけられた呼び名である。

現在の「鮎」の字が当てられている由来は諸説あり、アユが一定の縄張りを独占する、つまり占めるところから つけられた字であるというものや、日本書紀にでてくる話に神功皇后が今後を占うために釣りをしたところ釣れ た魚がアユであったため占魚とあてられたものがある。

古くは1年しか生きないことに由来する「年魚」、体表の粘膜に香りがあることから「香魚」、鱗が細かいこと から「細鱗魚」などがあてられていた。アユという意味での漢字の鮎は奈良時代ごろから使われていたが、当時 の鮎はナマズを指しており、記紀を含め殆どがアユを年魚と表記している。現在の鮎が一般的に書物などにあて られたのは平安時代・室町時代ごろからとされる。中国での鮎は古代日本と同様ナマズを指しており、アユは香 魚(シャンユイ)と記す。

ちなみに俳句の季語として｢鮎｣｢鵜飼｣はともに夏をあらわすが、春には｢若鮎｣、秋は｢落ち鮎｣、冬の季語は｢氷魚（ひお、ひうお）｣として、四季折々に季語がある。

I don't know how much of that or if any is useful info, but since this story is taking place in the Fall, 秋は｢落ち鮎｣ caught my attention. Within the same Wikipedia entry:

秋になると橙と黒の独特の婚姻色へ変化する。親のアユは産卵のため下流域への降河を開始するが、この時期のアユがいわゆる「落ちアユ」である。

So, if my guess is right, maybe the first part of the riddle refers to this?
懐かしき、故郷を貫く鮎の川。
黄金卿を目指す者よ、これを下りて鍵を探せ。

Meaning follow the line of children (the family line/tree) which can look like a river if drawn out?

The next part...
川を下れば、やがて里あり。
その里にて二人が口にし岸を探れ。
そこに黄金卿への鍵が眠る。

I'm not sure of this part... but 二人? In the family line the only people who have two are Rosa and Maria... or since this riddle was put up two years ago maybe it means Battler and Rudolf (since Kyrie and her daughter are not related?) I doubt the Battler line of thought tho. Battler wasn't coming to these meeting for six years...

I'm going to stop here for now. I have thoughts about each murders but, there's so little information about them, I'm sure my speculations will be crushed in the future episodes as more things are revealed.