Livestream Chat
[Charlotte]: No doubt about it—it's Lady Jade.
[Neuvillette]: Is that truly the case?
[Yanqing]: Every clue points to Lady Jade. It has to be her.
[Himeko]: Then how do you explain the murder weapon and the bloodied clothes?
[Hanya]: Self-framing.
[Xueyi]: Self-framing.
[Topaz]: It's over. Completely over for Lady Jade.
[Aventurine]: I don't think the killer is Jade. Even if it were self-framing, doing it now makes no sense.
[Ruan Mei]: Agreed. Drawing every clue toward oneself is not a rational strategy.
[Screwllum]: Precisely. If it were self-framing, the weapon and clothing should have been planted in someone else's area.
[Sparkle]: Eh~~~ just vote first. If it's wrong, talk later.
[Sampo]: Exactly. There are still others anyway.
[Seele]: Why are you people everywhere…
[Sushang]: General, can't you give us something?
[Jing Yuan]: Can't say. Really can't say.
Inside the Game Arena.
Facing the gazes that all but screamed murderer, Jade felt her heart sink.
This time… it really felt like she was finished.
Every single clue pointed at her, and she had no concrete way to refute them.
After all, she'd stayed in her room the entire night. What happened outside was completely beyond her knowledge.
Just then, Valerius spoke up casually.
"Uh… did you all forget that you can buy clues from me with points?"
"…Points!"
That single word snapped Jade awake.
Seeing how determined everyone was to condemn her, she couldn't afford to hesitate anymore.
What use were points if she got eliminated?
"I'll buy."
Without a shred of hesitation, Jade chose to purchase a clue.
"Very good." Valerius's lips curved upward. He'd expected this. "Clues come in tiers—1, 2, or 3 points. Which one?"
"Three points."
This was no time to save. She needed something decisive.
"Lean closer."
Jade stepped forward and tilted her head.
"1. 3. 4. 2. 6. 5."
"…?"
She froze.
Three points—for a string of numbers?
Her mind raced, trying to grasp their meaning.
"You can still buy the 2-point and 1-point clues," Valerius added helpfully.
"…Two points."
"Alright."
Valerius smiled. This was going very well for him.
He leaned close again and whispered another piece of information.
"Be careful of a non-existent profession."
Warm breath brushed her ear, making Jade's cheeks flush slightly—but the moment she processed the words, her expression changed completely.
A non-existent profession…
134265…
She looked straight at Valerius, her voice steady but serious.
"Mr. Valerius—can you guarantee that the clues you sell are absolutely true?"
"Absolutely true."
That answer was enough.
A smile bloomed on Jade's lips.
She turned back toward the others—this time, wearing the smile of someone who had already won.
Returning to her seat, she spoke calmly.
"I already know who the killer is."
The room went still.
"Now," Jade continued, "you can either vote together with me and achieve a collective victory…"
"…or I can make a solo accusation."
A sharp intake of breath rippled through the room.
If they followed her and she was wrong, they'd be misled.
But if they didn't follow her—and she accused correctly—
They'd lose everything.
"Then say what clues you got," someone demanded.
Jade shook her head.
"I can't disclose purchased clues. But I'm eighty percent certain."
That made things even worse.
No one could decide.
After a moment of thought, Furina spoke up.
"We follow your vote."
"What?!" Raiden Ei exclaimed. "What if she is the killer?"
"It's fine," Furina replied calmly. "If we're wrong, we vote her out tomorrow."
…That actually made sense.
Raiden Ei thought it over.
If they voted with Jade and won, great—instant victory.
If they were wrong, Jade would be the prime suspect tomorrow anyway.
Either way, she couldn't lose.
"Alright," Raiden Ei nodded. "I'm in."
Jade's mouth twitched.
You didn't have to say that out loud…
But she wasn't worried.
She was certain of her conclusion.
Because now, everything made sense.
The deduction.
The clue "non-existent profession" immediately ruled out:
Doctor
Gardener
Maid
Chef
Bodyguard
These were all real professions.
But Young Lady?
That wasn't a profession.
That was a status.
And the number sequence 1-3-4-2-6-5—
Jade interpreted it as the killer's intended elimination order.
Last night, Room 1 had been targeted first.
And who was in Room 5, the final number?
Herta.
Everything lined up.
Herta had forced Xiao to guard her door, giving herself a perfect alibi.
Then she used the method Furina described—climbing along the exterior pipes—to reach another room.
As for why others didn't know about the pipes?
Jade almost laughed.
You're the "Young Lady" of this castle.
You've lived here before.
And if I, as a maid, have all the keys—surely you have even more privileges.
Slowly, Jade raised her hand.
"I vote for Herta."
The hall fell dead silent.