Third Trial

[thecastle]

THIRD TRIAL

Saturday, Week 3

UNCOVER THE GUILTY PARTY


No one can resist the tug that urges them forward and into the Great Hall. There's no point in lingering within the safe confines of your bed or loitering in the castle halls. Neither will shield you from these tedious trials nor will they keep you from witnessing the ghastly scenes that follow. Most of you have reluctantly accepted this as your reality. Right now, it probably feels like there's no stopping the course you're on. All you can do is hold on tight and wait for Sunday to come. If you can just get through this trial, surely next week won't end in disappointment and tragedy.

It's only when all twenty-two of you are present that the doors in the Great Hall fly open, allowing everyone to enter into the trial room. The only surprise here it is if anyone's still shocked by the display.

As soon as you enter, it's easy to see that the only difference from last week is there are less of you to fill the seats around the table. Likely because of how spacious the room is, with so many of your number missing it's starting to feel a little lonely. With a quick glance, you can see the profiles still lining the walls. Their presence serves as a grim reminder of those whose lives have been lost, just in case the absence of their voices wasn't enough.

When everyone settles into their respective seats, The Sage's cold voice seeps in through their pendants.

"It is time, my warriors, to meet the challenge head on. Thus far, your quick wit and perseverance have prevented these trials from meeting an unrighteous end. As you come upon your third tribunal, I can only ponder if this trend will continue.

May you be blessed with only the best of fortune. You will need it."

As soon as the Sage finishes speaking, five images flicker into sight as if brought to life by a projector. Seeing how there's no such device present, it may not be a stretch to consider magic is at work here.

Soldier on, Warriors.

22 REMAIN

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locations | profiles | voting

Comments

[fedorascout]

Did we already pinpoint what exactly was burned in Fire-chan?

[gyakusatsu]

I'm guessing it was the tarp, considering Rhoda says it smelt of plastic. The source of the lemon smell... I'm less certain of.

[hoodini]

That's what I'm thinking. It's true it is a little weird. But it's not impossible if the fire was hot enough.

[ And magic fire so he's down with weird explanations. ]

[fedorascout]

Well, what's for sure is that it isn't a lemon. If it was, nobody would have found that squeezed lemon in the trash.

[Kizakura rests his face on his hand]

So how about we try to solve that little mystery, alright? Why would a tarp or whatever was burned smell like lemons? We can also be sure it wasn't the tarp itself. If it was, then the body would smell like lemon too, wouldn't it?

[browbeater]

The body was in the water. It's possible the smell washed off.

[gyakusatsu]

That's...certainly plausible. Perhaps the culprit thought there was some meaningful symbolism in the lemons... to parallel her death with that of Asch's?

[She's pretty uncertain about that one though.]

[aumygoddess]

Isn't it possible it's for the same reason as before? Someone tried to clean the tarp off with lemon juice? But perhaps it did not work, so it was disposed of in the fire afterwards.

[gyakusatsu]

it's a plastic tarp. In theory, they should have been able to just wash the blood off in the river, if necessary, no?

[coinflipped]

So what if we say this. What if there was something incriminating on that tarp the culprit tried to clean with lemons. Clearly, it didn't work so they burned it.

What I'm wanting to know is what incriminating evidence was on that tarp that it had to be burned.

[fedorascout]

That's not too difficult. Blood isn't the only thing that can be washed with lemon. You know what else can be washed with lemon?

[Kizakura smiles]

Wine. Or so I have heard.

[coinflipped]

But if wine can be washed, then why burn the tarp?

[professionality]

Isn't it because the tarp itself is evidence of how the body was transported? And they might have wanted us to think it had been carried, for example.

[coinflipped]

I don't think our culprit was that idiotic. It's obvious the tarp was used by the lack of blood and the trail. I'm convinced there was something on that tarp the culprit had to hide no matter what.

[tangas]

Dunno about that, but I think there's two parts to it. Your question and then the question about the other half of the lemon.

What did they use it on? Think about it. If they were planning on burning the tarp, they wouldn't need to clean it with the lemon. And if they weren't using the lemon for anything important, why isn't it in the garbage with the other half?

[coinflipped]

Because they burned it, didn't they? At least, that's where I'm thinking the other half went.

[irrationalities]

So you're thinking wine might've been spilled on their clothing or something?

[fuck is he going to have to go smelling for lemons again]

[gyakusatsu]

That's a good way of looking at it.

[And oh look, ai't this game of "guess what isn't there anymore oh so familiar.....]

Something that left a stain on the tarp that neither water nor lemon juice could get rid of....? Or perhaps they wanted to get rid of a certain smell instead....

[coinflipped]

Either or, it was something that I believe pointed to them that it had to be erased. I don't know what it was, but it's my hunch and I'm sticking to it.

[gyakusatsu]

Perhaps.... what was on the tarp was whatever the mortar and pestle had been used to grind up. Did we ever work that one out?

[coinflipped]

No we didn't. I'd completely forgotten about that.

[But it'd make sense, to be honest...]

[fedorascout]

Hanyuu-chan found nothing inside the mortal and pestle. It's true there's a chance the river washed what may or may not have been inside, but...

[Kizakura adjusts his hat]

...I still think it's way too convenient such objects were found at all, you know?

MOD PING

[gyakusatsu]

Well... I guess it's time to look at those things again.

[Alright, so we got the stuff from the greenhouse all accounted for in the salad. Let's check out this mortar and pestle more closely.

It might have been in the river, but maybe there's still some residue or scent still on them?]

[irrationalities]

Since there were traces of mandrake in the wine, I figured the mortar and pestle were just used to extract some of the juice from it.

[irrationalities]

Pretty weird to use lemons to clean a tarp if you ask me. It's plastic, so you'd think it'd be easy to wash off with water alone, unless there was something else incriminating about it.

[coinflipped]

[Just saw your comment, bro, let's discuss this.]